cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parameter trade-offs for imaging spectroscopy systems (remote sensing)

To help better understand the problems of specifying data acquisition parameters and extracting desired information from the voluminous data, research has been focused on understanding the remote sensing process as a system and investigating the interrelated effects of various parameters. A system model is used to explore system parameter trade-offs for a model sensor based on the High-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS). Radiometric performance was studied, along with the effect on classification accuracy of several system parameters. The atmosphere and sensor have significant effects on the mean received signal and noise performance. The effect of random uncorrelated errors in the radiometric calibration of the detector array is discussed. Accurate pixel-to-pixel relative radiometric calibration and the use of the image motion compensation (IMC) option are seen to improve classification accuracy. The selection of feature sets based on combining spectral bands was studied under a variety of observational conditions. >
Buffers for the physiological pH range: Thermodynamic constants of substituted aminopropanesulfonic acids from 5 to 55°C

ThepK2 values for 3-[(l,l-Dimethyl-2-hydroxymethyl)amino]-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (AMPSO), and 3-[N,N-Bis(-hydroxyethyl)amino]-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (DIPSO) have been determined at 12 temperatures over the range 5 to 55‡C by measurements of the emf of cells without liquid junction containing hydrogen and silver-silver chloride electrodes. The values of pK2 for AMPSO and DIPSO were found to be 9.138 and 7.576, respectively, at 25‡C. The thermodynamic quantities, δG‡, δH‡, δS‡, and δCp‡ were calculated from the change of the equilibrium constants with temperature. These buffer substances are useful as secondary pH standards in the physiological region of pH 7 to 9.
Design and Optimization of an SMA-Based Self-Folding Structural Sheet With Sparse Insulating Layers

Origami inspired structures possess attractive characteristics such as the potential to be reconfigurable and the capability to be folded into compact forms for storage. Self-folding structures, which are systems able to perform folding operations without external mechanical input, are desirable in certain circumstances such as remote applications (e.g., space applications, underwater robotics). A self-folding structural sheet consisting of two outer layers of shape memory alloy (SMA) orthogonal wire meshes separated by an inner insulating layer is considered in this work. The inner layer consists of ABS plastic columns that connect the SMA wire mesh intersections of the top and bottom layers, which are co-located and co-oriented (denoted sparse middle layer/aligned meshes design). Significant reduction on the heat transfer between the SMA layers is expected in this design compared to previously considered designs with continuous or perforated elastomeric middle layers. The geometric and power input parameters of the sparse middle layer/aligned meshes design are optimized under mechanical and thermal constraints considering finite element and reduced order analytical models. The optimal folding performance of the sparse middle layer/aligned meshes design is compared to that of the previous designs. The results show that the sparse middle layer/aligned meshes design has promising characteristics as a self-folding structural sheet and provides for tighter folds compared to the designs with elastomeric middle layers.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Sequestration of Centrally Administered Insulin by the Brain: Effects of Starvation, Aluminum, and TNF-α

Abstract Insulin found in the CNS may be a key regulator in the balance of energy in the body. Since the peripheral circulation is the principal source of insulin in the CNS, insulin must cross the blood–brain barrier. We examined the retention of radioactively labeled insulin in the brain and its transport from the brain after injection icv in mice. The results were compared with those found in mice after fasting, starvation, refeeding, and the addition of aluminum (previously shown to affect the transport of peptides from the CNS) as well as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (known to interact with peripheral insulin). There was no obvious saturable transport system for insulin from the brain, but the retention of insulin was regulated by both aluminum and starvation. Although TNF-α was neither required nor involved chronically in the retention of insulin in the brain, acute ip administration of TNF-α produced an early increase in the retention of insulin similar to that found after starvation.
Temporal and spatial regulation of a gene expressed during rat heart maturation • 123

Structural development and functional maturation in the rat heart occur over a short period of time between the 10th day of gestation and the third postnatal week. Researchers have been actively attempting to identify and characterize genes that are likely to be important in this process. We have used differential display for this purpose, comparing the mRNAs expressed in the outflow tract of the heart on day 12 of embryonic development to those in the early postnatal aorta of the rat. One of the differentially displayed products was subcloned into pBluescript for sequencing and probe generation. Total RNA was harvested from rat hearts at various developmental ages, and RNA from multiple tissues was harvested from adult rats; the RNA was electrophoresed through agarose gels and transferred to nylon membranes for northern analysis. By northern analysis, this fragment hybridizes to a single 2 kilobase transcript present abundantly in the heart, kidney, and brain of adult rat tissues, while it is barely detectable in liver and spleen, and undetectable in lung. A single transcript of identical size is detected at low levels in RNA from rat heart of day 14 to 20 of embryonic development, after which the abundance increases significantly to a maximum during the first postnatal week, reaching an intermediate level similar to the adult by the third postnatal week. A digoxigenin-tagged antisense riboprobe was synthesized and hybridized specifically to the atrioventricular canal and outflow tract regions of the heart of day 12 embryonic rats, as well as to the brain by in situ hybridization. Sequence analysis of the cloned fragment reveals significant homology to the 3′ untranslated region of an alpha integrin cloned from human and mouse sources. The transcript size of these known integrins are almost 4 kilobases, suggesting that the gene we are studying is likely to be novel. Its tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression pattern, as well as its homology to a member of the integrin family of cell-surface receptors suggest that it may have a role in heart maturation. Cloning of this gene will facilitate determination of its function.
Labeling of rat liver glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, uridine diphosphate glucose, and glycogen during glycogen synthesis

Abstract 14 C-Glucose was injected intravenously into rats and the livers were rapidly removed at intervals from 2 to 30 min and homogenized in perchloric acid. Fractionation was carried out on Dowex-1-formate resin and glucose, glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, uridine diphosphate glucose, and glycogen were isolated by repeated chromatography. Both a comparatively high specific radioactivity and total radioactivity of glucose-1-phosphate as compared to glucose-6-phosphate persisted from the earliest 2-min point to 10 min of incorporation. This indicated that formation of glucose-1-phosphate may be an early product of glucose phosphorylation during glycogen synthesis in vivo from exogenous glucose units. It may also be an early product during hydrocortisone-induced glycogenesis in animals receiving 14 CO 2 on the basis of a second series of experiments. The observations are explained on the basis of two separate pools of glucose-6-P in metabolism.
Adaptive hyperfiltration in the aging kidney after contralateral nephrectomy.

We examined the magnitude of adaptive hyperfiltration in the remaining kidney of 16 aging (>57 yr) and 16 youthful (<55 yr) individuals who had undergone a contralateral nephrectomy. Healthy volunt...
Subchronic inhalation exposure study of an airborne polychlorinated biphenyl mixture resembling the Chicago ambient air congener profile.

Although inhalation of atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is the most universal exposure route and has become a substantial concern in urban areas, research is lacking to determine the body burden of inhaled PCBs and consequent health effects. To reflect the Chicago airshed environment and mimic the PCB profile in Chicago air, we generated vapors from a Chicago air mixture (CAM). Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to the CAM vapor for 1.6 h/day via nose-only inhalation for 4 weeks, 520 ± 10 μg/m3. Congener-specific quantification in tissue and air samples was performed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). In contrast to the lower-chlorinated congener-enriched vapor, body tissues mainly contained tri- to hexachlorobiphenyls. Congener profiles varied between vapor and tissues and among different organs. The toxic equivalence (TEQ) and neurotoxic equivalence (NEQ) were also investigated for tissue distribution. We evaluated a variety of end points to catalogue the effects of lon...
An evaluation of RQL: a relational data base system for a low end microcomputer configuration

Microcomputers for data-base applications are available in a wide range of prices. At the low-end, the minimum configuration for any serious Data Base work would be a processor and memory unit, two floppy diskette drives, a keyboard, a video display unit, and a printer [2]. This configuration would be adequate for small applications. As an example, an Apple II computer with two floppy disk drives, video display, and printer retails for approximately $3000.00.The availability of Data Base Management Systems for low-end microcomputers is very limited [1,2]. There appear to be only two relational systems commercially available for low-end configurations - RQL (Relational Query Language) and RMS (Relational Menu System). Both of these systems are available from Hello Software, 8380 Roanne Drive, Orlando, Florida 32817, U.S.A. The RQL system runs on the Apple II microcomputer. Although it was designed for use in a classroom environment, RQL may also be suitable in a small business environment.RQL is a relationally complete system [3,4]. Through a combination of automatic navigation and a relational processing query language, the RQL system allows the unsophisticated user direct interaction with data bases. Furthermore, RQL can manage multiple data bases with each data base extending across a maximum of eight volumes (floppy diskettes) [4]. However, since low-end configurations are inherently slow, the RQL system is unavoidably sluggish at times.The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate features of the RQL system and discuss its recent use in a learning environment and its potential use in a small business environment. For demonstration purposes a real-world situation typical of a small business organization will be used and a data base will be established for it using the RQL system (Release 3).
COMPARISON OF DYNAMIC AND STEP-AND-SHOOT INTENSITY- MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING AND DELIVERY

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is commonly delivered using the dynamic or segmental mode of multileaf collimators (DMLC or SMLC). Both methods are designed to deliver intensity-modulated beams as determined by inverse planning software. In this study, we have used the Helios IMRT planning system to generate ideal treatment plans for 10 cases of 2 common treatment sites (prostate and head and neck) and have investigated the actual treatment fluence distributions generated for each of the MLC leaf motion choices. The 2 dose delivery techniques were dosimetrically compared to each other and to the treatment plans. For each technique, point doses were measured in a water phantom using ionization chambers. Also for each technique, 2-dimensional dose distributions at a selected depth in a plastic phantom were obtained, using extended range film. The total delivery time and the number of monitor units (MU) delivered by each method were also compared. Our results indicate that the 2 delivery methods produce comparable results dosimetrically. For the cases reviewed, the delivery time was an average of 15% longer for SMLC deliveries, while the number of MUs (beam-on time) required by SMLC was an average of 15% fewer, than that for the DMLC. In the interest of simplicity, lower beam-on time, and potentially fewer mechanically-related problems, we think that the SMLC delivery technique may be the better choice when Helios is used for planning and Varian linear accelerators are used for delivery.
Ion exchange resin/polystyrene sulfonate composite membranes for PEM fuel cells

Abstract A new composite proton exchange membrane was made by casting a polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) solution with suspended micron sized particles of a crosslinked PSS ion exchange resin. The chemical compatibility of the resin and the PSS allow stable composites with up to 50 wt.% resin. The resin/PSS composite membranes have greater ion exchange capacity than PSS membranes, but the ion conductivity is similar to that of PSS. Swelling of the composite membranes as a function of water uptake is lower than that of PSS. The composite membranes are mechanically more robust and display greater chemical stability in a fuel cell than the PSS membranes. The polarization curves show long-term degradation of the membranes; the cell potential decreased by 60% in 55 h for a PSS membrane, and in 340 h for a composite membrane. The reduced rate of degradation of the composite membranes suggests that with further refinement they may have potential as an inexpensive alternative for PEM fuel cells.
Quality-guided phase unwrapping for the modified Fourier transform method

In this paper, a quality-guided phase unwrapping method is proposed for a modified Fourier transform method, which utilizes a fringe image and a flat image. The proposed method takes advantage of the additional information provided by the flat image to calculate the visibility of the fringe pattern, which is difficult to obtain in the conventional Fourier transform method. The phase unwrapping process includes two steps. First, the pixels with unreliable phase values in the wrapped phase map are masked out. Then, visibility is chosen as a quality index to assist the quality-guided unwrapping. Experimental results show that the proposed method is an effective method to unwrap complex surface's phase map generated from dense fringe patterns.
Novobiocin: redesigning a DNA gyrase inhibitor for selective inhibition of hsp90.

Novobiocin is a member of the coumermycin family of antibiotics and is a well-established inhibitor of DNA gyrase. Recent studies have shown that novobiocin binds to a previously unrecognized ATP-binding site at the C-terminus of Hsp90 and induces degradation of Hsp90-dependent client proteins at ∼700 μM. In an effort to develop more efficacious inhibitors of the C-terminal binding site, a library of novobiocin analogues was prepared and initial structure−activity relationships revealed. These data suggested that the 4-hydroxy moiety of the coumarin ring and the 3‘-carbamate of the noviose appendage were detrimental to Hsp90 inhibitory activity. In an effort to confirm these findings, 4-deshydroxy novobiocin (DHN1) and 3‘-descarbamoyl-4-deshydroxynovobiocin (DHN2) were prepared and evaluated against Hsp90. Both compounds were significantly more potent than the natural product, and DHN2 proved to be more active than DHN1. In an effort to determine whether these moieties are important for DNA gyrase inhibit...
Antifeedant bioassays of neem extract against the Carolina grasshopper, walkingstick, and field cricket

Abstract A commercial preparation of neem extract, Margosine‐O, was tested for its antifeedant activity against 3 adult orthopteran insects, Carolina grasshoppers, walkingsticks, and field crickets. Twenty μ1 of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50% solutions of extract were applied to 2 × 2‐cm corn‐leaf squares in tests with the grasshoppers and crickets, and to 2 × 2‐cm white oak‐leaf squares in tests with walkingsticks. Concentrations of 10, 5, and 5%, respectively were necessary to produce a significant reduction in feeding on the mixed sexes of Carolina grasshoppers, female walkingsticks, and female crickets, respectively. The levels of neem extract necessary to inhibit feeding by these 3 species were many times greater than the concentrations reported to be effective for inhibiting feeding in the desert locust and African migratory locusts.
Effects of acetic acid and arginine on pH elevation and growth of Bacillus licheniformis in an acidified cucumber juice medium.

Bacillus licheniformis has been shown to cause pH elevation in tomato products having an initial pH below 4.6 and metabiotic effects that can lead to the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Because of this, the organism poses a potential risk to acidified vegetable products; however, little is known about the growth and metabolism of this organism in these products. To clarify the mechanisms of pH change and growth of B. licheniformis in vegetable broth under acidic conditions, a cucumber juice medium representative of a noninhibitory vegetable broth was used to monitor changes in pH, cell growth, and catabolism of sugars and amino acids. For initial pH values between pH 4.1 to 6.0, pH changes resulted from both fermentation of sugar (lowering pH) and ammonia production (raising pH). An initial pH elevation occurred, with starting pH values of pH 4.1 to 4.9 under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and was apparently mediated by the arginine deiminase reaction of B. licheniformis. This initial pH elevation ...
Social and cultural issues in poverty models

There seem to be a number of areas (poverty, crime, education, population) where social analysis requires a socioeconomic framework. It is often maintained that problem solving in these areas has been made difficult because policy recommendations have been based on single minded models that are inapplicable or emphasize only one dimension of the problem. For example, in the study of poverty dissatisfaction with the insights from neoclassical economics, because of its failure to include important cultural and institutional factors, has led a number of analysts to the construction of cultural and institutional models. I would like to look at some of these models, and the arguments they have touched off, to see what we can say about cultural and institutional factors in economic analysis.
MECHANISMS OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACTION: EFFECTS OF THE WATER-SOLUBLE GLYCOSIDE ON HUMAN CIRCULATORY AND RENAL FUNCTIONS

THE actions of the salt-active corticosteroids include a number of apparent inconsistencies. Contradictory effects have been reported in relation to water excretion, sodium excretion and glomerular filtration rate. Desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) may be considered as representative of the salt-active corticosteroids. DCA injection increases both the diuretic response to water administration (Selye and Bassett, 1940) and the net daily water exchange (Green, 1948), yet its prolonged administration is followed by water retention and edema (Ferrebee, Ragan, Atchley and Loeb, 1939). Insufficiency of the salt-active corticosteroids, as observed in the adrenalectomized animal or the patient with Addison’s disease, is characterized by inability to increase urine output in response to water loading (Robinson, Power and Kepler, 1941). Nevertheless, chronic water output is relatively excessive and the tendency to dehydration is marked. The influence of salt-active corticosteroids on sodium excretion is more consi...
The influence of foot position on stretching of the plantar fascia.

BackgroundA recent study found nonweightbearing stretching exercises specific to the plantar fascia to be superior to the standard program of weightbearing Achilles tendon-stretching exercises in p...
Multidomain pseudospectral computation of Maxwell's equations in 3-D general curvilinear coordinates

We discuss the numerical solution of the 3-D Maxwell's equations in general curvilinear coordinates using a multidomain pseudospectral (Chebyshev collocation) scheme. The formulation of the equations and the method as well as the multidomain patching procedure is reviewed. We also discussed the modeling of various materials. Very accurate numerical results are obtained when simulating scattering by perfect electrically conducting (PEC), dielectric, and lossy dielectric objects such as a cube, a sphere, and a cylinder. The use of spectral methods, especially multidomain spectral methods, appears to be very promising for accurately simulating electromagnetic wave problems. (C) 2000 IMACS. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Formation of new acid sites in dilute oxide solid solutions: A predictive model

A predictive model for the formation of new acid sites in a dilute solid solution of two component oxides is being developed by examining the electrostatic potential at the substituting cation site and the changes in the matrix necessary to balance the stoichiometry. When the prediction was used to compare with experimental results, the satisfactory comparison suggests that the electrostatic potential and the balance of stoichiometry are the two dominant factors in new acid site formation. The implications of this are discussed.
Protein glycosylation in a heat-resistant rat fibroblast cell model expressing human HSP70

Thermotolerance and heat resistance are frequently associated with elevated levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs). Elevated heat resistance is also found to be associated with the overexpression of high levels of HSP70, as seen in M21 cells, derived from the Rat-1 line. In the present study, we report that M21 cells also feature an increase in general protein glycosylation and specific expression of the stress glycoprotein, GP62, both of which correlate with cellular heat resistance. The expression of GP50, a major stress glycoprotein in cell lines such as CHO, however, did not correlate with cellular heat resistance in M21 cells. Protein glycosylation that occurs during acute heat stress ("prompt" glycosylation) was associated with the glycosylation of a major "prompt" stress glycoprotein, P-SG64 (M(r) of 64,000), that was identified by immunoblotting as a glycosylated form of calreticulin. The higher level of protein glycosylation in M21 cells correlated well with increased D-[2-3H]mannose incorporation into precursor pools of dolichyl phosphomannose and dolichyl pyrophosphoryl oligosaccharides and into glycoproteins. Thus, heat resistance in M21 cells is associated not only with expression of high levels of HSP70, but also with a concomitant increase in protein glycosylation. These data support the hypothesis that stress-induced protein glycosylation is a component of cellular stress response, either in association with HSPs or as an independent mechanism.
Isolation of replicative forms of 3′ terminal subgenomic RNAs of tobacco necrosis virus

Abstract Three double-stranded RNAs of molecular weights 2.6 × 10 6 , 1.05 × 10 6 , and 0.94 × 10 6 are found to be synthesized during TNV infection of tobacco leaves. These double-stranded RNAs, isolated by LiCl fractionation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, have been studied using RNA-RNA hybridization and RNase T 1 -resistant oligonucleotide finger-printing techniques. By these methods all three double-stranded RNAs are shown to be viral in origin and the smaller double-stranded RNA subsets of the larger RNAs. RNase T 1 oligonucleotide mapping of the viral RNA shows that both smaller double-stranded RNAs are derived from the 3′ end of the viral genome. The possible role of these small double-stranded RNAs as replicative forms for mRNA synthesis and the organization and expression of the TNV genome is discussed.
8.4.2 A Voice of the Customer Process for Medical Device Development

Medical device developers are always looking for an optimized method to translate a clinical need or a problem into a device, service, or combination product. Established companies are searching for methods to improve this transition, and newer companies, in general, do not have this capability in any form. Using a Voice of the Customer (VOC) process on a new problem or just to improve on an existing product is a systematic and effective way to listen to the stakeholders and glean information that allows a team to be truly innovative in the solution and ultimately better meet the stakeholders' needs. Battelle's Medical Device Solutions (MDS) team has developed a standardized, scalable approach to performing VOC as part of our medical device design and development process.
Laser and light therapy for onychomycosis: a systematic review

More than just a cosmetic concern, onychomycosis is a prevalent and extremely difficult condition to treat. In older and diabetic populations, severe onychomycosis may possibly serve as a nidus for infection, and other more serious complications may ensue. Many treatment modalities for the treatment of onychomycosis have been studied, including topical lacquers and ointments, oral antifungals, surgical and chemical nail avulsion, and lasers. Due to their minimally invasive nature and potential to restore clear nail growth with relatively few sessions, lasers have become a popular option in the treatment of onychomycosis for both physicians and patients. Laser or light systems that have been investigated for this indication include the carbon dioxide, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet, 870/930-nm combination, and femtosecond infrared 800-nm lasers, in addition to photodynamic and ultraviolet light therapy. This systematic review will discuss each of these modalities as well as their respective currently published, peer-reviewed literature.
Incorporation of water into glasses and its influence on the diffusion of cations, including the creation of diffusion barriers

When heated to elevated temperatures, many glasses take up water from moisture-containing environments. This leads not only to changes in local water concentrations, but also to non-uniform structural changes within the glass. These structural changes impact many structure-sensitive properties, including the diffusivity of ions. Experimental data for the uptake of water by a Type I silica glass, Infrasil 302, and by an alkaline-earth boroaluminosilicate glass, Corning Code 1737, are discussed as well as the influence of the incorporation of water into these glasses on the diffusion of sodium. Furthermore, the modification of glass near the surface by the uptake of water, leading in the case of the alkaline-earth boroaluminosilicate glass to the creation of a very effective barrier layer against the diffusion of sodium, is addressed.
The Many Lives of Victorian Fiction

Can Victorian literature speak to non-academic publics of the twenty-first century as it did to “common readers” of the past? This essay discusses several experiments in which faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates find creative means to engage local as well as university communities in the study of Victorian and Edwardian texts. In particular, the essay considers the power of public performance—in this case of Elizabeth Robins’s suffrage play, The Convert—to inspire collective “reading,” interpretation, and reflection on the future as well as the past.
Reactor cavity flooding as an accident management strategy

Abstract The impact of uncertainty in the parameters of deterministic models important to flooding the reactor cavity as an accident management strategy on certainty of the outcome is evaluated. Among the possible parameters, only those that can significantly affect the output of the model were selected, based on several preliminary calculations (sensitivity study for each parameter) and physics. For the selected parameters, probabilistic distributions which represent lack of knowledge were specified. It was found that when the reactor cavity is flooded to cool the vessel lower head, the lower head shell may not melt through and fail because of stress. Creep may be the only possible failure mechanism. When the reactor coolant system (RCS) is at high pressure, vessel lower head failure is highly probable but the time of failure is uncertain owing to uncertainty in the parameters in the model. If AC power is recovered before vessel failure, the RCS can be depressurized and the vessel lower head may be stable. When the RCS is at low pressure, there is no load to cause creep. The vessel lower head would be stable.
The role of the terminal functional group of self‐assembled monolayers on fiber matrix adhesion

Adhesion at the fiber-matrix interface of a composite is often influenced by a combination of factors such as mechanical interlocking, physicochemical interactions, and chemical bonding in the fiber-matrix interphase region. We demonstrate the use of an approach using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for studying the impact of one of the factors, chemical bonding, on the overall adhesion of the glass-fiber/matrix interface. Transformation of these monolayer surfaces using conventional chemistry with a focus on the creation of a terminal functional group that interacts with epoxy resin is reported. The modified surfaces were characterized by ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle techniques for chlorosilane coverage, and in situ conversion. The adhesion of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A resin to modified SAMs on E-glass fibers was measured by performing single-fiber fragmentation test. The extent of adhesion between the fiber and matrix was found to be dependent on the type of functional group at the terminal end of the SAM in contact with the epoxy matrix. Methyl terminal group resulted in the least adhesion, while amine terminal groups resulted in the most adhesion. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007
Quantum microcavities in II–VI semiconductors: strong coupling regime in vertical cavity lasers

Abstract Enhanced light-matter coupling effects are striking in II–VI quantum well microresonators, with the normal mode (Rabi) splitting exceeding 10 meV per quantum well at the exciton resonance in ZnSe-based heterostructures. Such a dominating imprint of the mixed exciton-photon modes extends to high electron-hole pair densities, including the regime of vertical cavity laser operation. We present results from gain spectroscopy to show how the composite photon-exciton oscillator supplies optical gain for a laser operating beyond the conventional perturbative regime.
Implementation of the 5As Prenatal Smoking Cessation Education Program Among Rural Women

Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation Nurses were provided with Food Matters calendars to review and utilize as teaching tools in the clinic setting. Nurses were asked to perform a short pretest at the initial obstetric visit. In the initial visit, nurses reviewed the calendar and used it as a tool to begin the discussion about healthy, affordable foods to consume during pregnancy. In the month of July 2011, this program was implemented and 105 calendars were provided to newly pregnant patients. Nurses performed a short pretest with each client. Questions were asked to assess the clients’ evaluation of their diet, desire to improve diet, and intention to utilize the foods calendar to improve diet. Post tests will be performed at the next monthly appointment and will assess any improvements in diet, especially those directly related to calendar usage. This program will continue until 400 calendars are distributed and post tests are complete. Nurses will be surveyed to assess comfort level and ease of use with the calendars. This initiative will be evaluated from the caregivers’ and the clients’ point of view.
Sex, Gender Identity, and Behavior Concerning Sex-related Clothing

An individual's sex and the psychological concept of gender identity (masculinity and femininity) were used to predict the wearing of stereotypic sex-related clothing. Subjects consisted of 174 male and female students who completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem, 1974) and a Sex-related Clothing Inventory. The inventory tapped the extent to which the subjects wore stereotypic male-specific, female-specific, masculine, feminine, and neutral clothing. Sex per se was found to be a better predictor of behavior concerning sex-related clothing than gender identity. The males in the study were more likely than the females to wear male-specific and masculine clothing, and the females were more likely than the males to wear female-specific and feminine clothing. The study extends clothing research by relating the personality trait of gender identity to the overt behavior of wearing particular types of clothing. Implications for the predictive utility of the Bem Sex Role Inventory are also discussed.
An investigation of the Cr1−xMnxO2 series and the characterization of orthorhombic CrMnO4

Several members of the Cr1−xMnxO2 series were prepared in the tetrahedral anvil press by the reaction of CrO2 with MnO2. The tetragonal, rutile-type products were single-phase and have been characterized by crystallographic and magnetic measurements. The results are consistent with the formulations Cr4+1−2xCr3+ Mn5+O2 for 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.5. At low manganese concentration, x < 0.20, the magnetic moments are consistent with ferromagnetic contribution from Mn5+. A two-phase product was noted at the composition x = 0.90. The CrMnO4 composition was found to have a powder pattern similar to that of orthorhombic PtO2.
Event-based imaging with active illumination in sensor networks

We discuss a distributed imaging architecture with active illumination for sensor network applications. An event-based CMOS imager is employed at the sensor level, to convert light intensity at each pixel into a pulse density modulated stream of address events. The wireless nodes are commercial off-the-shelf motes. Energy-aware communication is implemented at the sensor level by employing an event-based readout. Additional computation for data reduction is accomplished at the sensor/mote interface level by modulating the event-rate produced by the sensor array to match the bandwidth and latency constraints in the communication network. Information transmitted in the limited bandwidth links of the network yields effective means for detection and partial recognition of the object, even at very low bit rates and frame latency as low as 1s.
Pain measurement in arthritis.

Objective. This paper reviews the major pain measurement methods used with adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia. Methods and Results. The most frequently used measures are numerical and verbal rating (category) scales of pain intensity and affect. However, visual analogue scales and composite measures are preferable to category scales because they may be subjected to parametric statistical analyses and may be associated with greater sensitivity to treatment-related changes over time. Measurement of overt motor behaviors and pain threshold levels provides important information that cannot be assessed with rating scales. It also allows one to determine whether there are discrepancies between patients' ratings of their pain experiences and their behaviors. Measurement ofpsychophysio-logic parameters are used to understand better how markers of immune system activity may mediate the relationships between psychological and environmental factors and patients' pain experiences. Conclusions. It is necessary to use multiple pain measurement methods for clinical and research purposes. These should include at least two measures of pain intensity and affect as well as a measure of pain behavior.
Radiation characteristics of miniature silicon square spiral chip antenna for implantable bio-MEMS sensors

In this paper, a miniature (1x1 mm) printed square spiral chip antenna for contact-less powering and RF telemetry from implantable bio-MEMS sensors is characterized at 235 MHz. The antenna is fabricated on a high resistivity silicon wafer and has a serrated ground plane on the opposite side to mitigate image current effects. The experimental results include the radiation patterns of the chip antenna and the received signal strength at the output of a larger (10x10 mm) printed square spiral pick-up antenna
Clinical Judgment and Value Judgment

In this chapter I will examine two truly momentous decisions about the status of homosexuality in our society, arrived at by the American Psychiatric Association 15 years ago and by the Supreme Court of the United States just two and one half years ago. The former decision relates to the diagnostic status of homosexuality; the latter to its criminal status. By juxtaposing these two epochal decisions, psychiatric and legal, I will attempt to demonstrate that within both systems value judgments and value-laden policy decisions played a major role and were decisive in reaching a resolution of the disputes over homosexuality. The two decisions which I will discuss are the 1973 decision of the APA’s Board of Trustees to remove homosexuality per se from the diagnostic nomenclature (DSM-II1 at the time) and the 1986 decision of the Supreme Court in Bowers v Hardwick,2 which upheld the constitutionality of Georgia’s sodomy law, thereby refusing to grant constitutional protection to private consensual homosexual acts. In discussing each of these landmark decisions, psychiatric and legal, I will review the process of how these decisions were arrived at, as well as the related scientific and legal conceptions of “Truth.” I will attempt to demonstrate how, within each model of decision making, the “truth” arrived at was determined in large measure by the value judgments and moral sentiments of the decision makers, notwithstanding their ostensible reliance on more objective touchstones consistent with their respective professional methodologies. I will not attempt to deal with the substance of the controversies in any depth. I do not propose, for example, to argue the merits one way or the other as to whether homosexuality should have been removed from the DSM. Instead of rehashing those old arguments, I prefer to focus on the process of decision making that took place and the explanations advanced as the basis for the decisions.
Top-down control settings and the attentional blink: Evidence for nonspatial contingent capture

Previous studies have shown that spatial attention can be “captured” by irrelevant events, but only if the eliciting stimulus matches top-down attentional control settings. Here we explore whether similar principles hold for nonspatial attentional selection. Subjects searched for a coloured target letter embedded in an RSVP stream of letters inside a box centred on fixation. On critical trials, a distractor, consisting of a brief change in the colour of the box, occurred at various temporal lags prior to the target. In Experiment 1, the distractor produced a decrement in target detection, but only when it matched the target colour. Experiments 2 and 3 provide evidence that this effect does not reflect masking or the dispersion of spatial attention. The results establish that (1) nonspatial selection is subject to “capture”, (2) such capture is contingent on top-down attentional control settings, and (3) control settings for nonspatial capture can vary in specificity.
A Comprehensive Theoretical Model of the Complex Strategic Demand Management Process

This article explains the complex process of strategic demand management by developing a comprehensive theoretical framework that integrates research focused on diverse aspects of demand management such as product characteristics, environmental uncertainties, operational strategies, integration between supply and demand processes, and performance outcomes. Over 100 academic works were synthesized following a structured literature review process. A holistic definition of demand management is presented. Demand management concepts and relationships were investigated and organized in a comprehensive theoretical model. Competitive orientation and strategic consensus emerged as a fundamental construct to understand the demand management process. It was found that consensus among the environment, competitive orientation, and operational strategies supporting demand management would lead to superior performance. Six operational strategies— information sharing, integration, inventory, sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution—were analyzed with respect to the competitive orientations. This analysis can assist managers in choosing the right portfolio and objectives of the operational strategies to support their demand management goals. The comprehensive demand management framework, six operational strategies and objectives of each operational strategy, and links to performance provides a rich background for conducting empirical research in future.
The Bottom-Up Mandate: Fostering Community Partnerships and Combating Economic Distress in Chicago's Empowerment Zone:

The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Initiative (EZ/EC), funded by Congress in 1994, offered geographically targeted funding and tax incentives to distressed urban communities in the US. The mandated community involvement component of the programme was meant to separate it from traditional economic development initiatives, aligning it more fully with the core goals of community economic development. Did the programmatic strategies emphasise economic development more than fostering community partnerships or vice versa? The paper examines how much emphasis was actually placed on fostering community partnerships in the programme. It also assesses how effective this initiative was at achieving socioeconomic gains. Findings indicate that the more traditional community and economic development strategies received the majority of funding, despite the mandated requirement of building community partnerships. Nevertheless, the initiative resulted in modest decreases in poverty and unemployment. The lack of...
Effects of molecular weight and concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose on morphology of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as prepared with one-step wet chemical method

Nano-sized apatite particles (nAP) synthesized with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) have shown great application potentials in in situ heavy metal remediation. However, differences in CMC’s properties effects on the size of nAP produced are not well understood. In this paper, two types of CMC, with respective molecular weights (MW) of ∼120000 and ∼240000 Dalton or respective polymerization degrees of 500 (CMC-500) and 1050 (CMC-1050), were studied in a concentration range of 0.05%–0.5% (w/w) for nAP synthesis. Morphology of the particles was characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results showed that 0.05% CMC-500 solution gave an average particle size of 148.7±134.9 nm, 0.25% CMC-500 solution produced particles of 21.8±20.4 nm, and, 0.5% CMC-500 solution contained particles of 15.8±7.7 nm. In comparison, 0.05% CMC-1050 solution produced nanoparticles of 6.8±3.2 nm, 0.25% CMC-1050 produced smaller nAP of 4.3±3.2 nm, and 0.5% CMC-1050 synthesized the smallest nanoparticles in this study, with an average diameter of 3.0±2.1 nm. Chemical composition of the products was identified with X-ray diffraction (XRD) as pure hydroxyapatite. Interactions between nAP and CMC were discussed with help of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATRFTIR) spectroscopic data. This study showed that CMC at higher concentration as well as higher MW facilitated to produce finer nanoparticles, showing that nAP size could be manipulated by selecting appropriate CMC MW and/or applying appropriate CMC concentration.
Eutheria (Placental Mammals)

Eutheria includes one of three major clades of mammals, the extant members of which are referred to as placentals. With almost 4800 extinct and extant genera, including 1135 extant (living) genera and over 5000 extant species arrayed in 20 extant orders, placentals (extant eutherians) are the most taxonomically diverse of the three branches of extant mammals. Eutherians appear in the fossil record by 105 Ma (million years ago) and possibly by 160 Ma. Extant orders of eutherians (placentals) do not occur in the fossil record until after dinosaur extinction 65–66 Ma. Molecular studies generally agree with these dates for the origin of placental orders, but place the origin of Eutheria at approximately 190 Ma and groups related to living orders of mammals by 100 Ma. Placentals vary greatly in size (whales down to shrews), in locomotion (flying, swimming, climbing, burrowing, running, etc.), and diet (meat, leaves, fruit, termites, etc.). They have a high resting temperature (homiothermy) and produce this heat internally (endothermy). They have a chorioallantoic placenta that allows a long gestation for development. Key Concepts: Eutherian mammals arose somewhere between 105 and 190 Ma. Extant eutherian mammals, known as placentals, may have originated as long as 100 Ma based on molecular studies. Placental orders first began to appear and diversify approximately 65 Ma (±10 My) based on both molecular and fossil studies. There are 20 orders of placentals comprised of 1135 living genera and over 5000 species. Placentals have a high resting temperature (homiothermy) and produce this heat internally (endothermy). Placentals have a chorioallantoic placenta that allows a long gestation for development, hence their name. Placentals are arguably the most ecologically diverse group of living vertebrates as they vary greatly in size, locomotory types, and diet. Keywords: placenta; chorion; allantois; amnion; incisor; canine; premolar; molar; corpus callosum; endothermy
Incorporation of 5-fluorouracil into U2 snRNA blocks pseudouridylation and pre-mRNA splicing in vivo

5-fluorouracil (5FU) is an effective anti-cancer drug, yet its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we examine the effect of 5FU on pre-mRNA splicing in vivo. Using RT-PCR, we show that the splicing of a number of pre-mRNAs is inhibited in HeLa cells that have been exposed to a low dose of 5FU. It appears that this inhibitory effect is not due to its incorporation into pre-mRNA, because partially or fully 5FU-substituted pre-mRNA, when injected into Xenopus oocytes, is spliced just as well as is the unsubstituted pre-mRNA. Detailed analyses of 5FU-treated cells indicate that 5FU is incorporated into U2 snRNA at important naturally occurring pseudouridylation sites. Remarkably, 5FU incorporation effectively blocks the formation of important pseudouridines in U2 snRNA, as only a trace of pseudouridine is detected when cells are exposed to a low dose of 5FU for 5 days. Injection of the hypopseudouridylated HeLa U2 snRNA into U2-depleted Xenopus oocytes fails to reconstitute pre-mRNA splicing, whereas control U2 isolated from untreated or uracil-treated HeLa cells completely reconstitutes the splicing. Our results demonstrate for the first time that 5FU incorporates into a spliceosomal snRNA at natural pseudouridylation sites in vivo, thereby inhibiting snRNA pseudouridylation and splicing. This mechanism may contribute substantially to 5FU-mediated cell death.
Macrophages and angiogenesis: a role for Wnt signaling

Macrophages regulate many developmental and pathological processes in both embryonic and adult tissues, and recent studies have shown a significant role in angiogenesis. Similarly, Wnt signaling is fundamental to tissue morphogenesis and also has a role in vascular development. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the field of macrophage-regulated angiogenesis, with a focus on the role of macrophage-derived Wnt ligands. We review data that provide both direct and indirect evidence for macrophage-derived Wnt regulation of physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Finally, we propose that Wnt signaling plays a central role in differentiation of tumor associated and wound infiltrating macrophages to a proangiogenic phenotype.