cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of luminescent Sm(III) chelates containing hexadentate to nonadentate ligands: synthesis, photophysical properties and coupling to biomolecules

Seventeen novel samarium (Sm)(III) chelates containing two iminodiacetic acid moieties were synthesised and their luminescence properties were measured with the aim of developing new labels for biochemical applications. The chelates contained different numbers of coordinating groups. According to the results obtained, the Sm(III) chelates that are to be used in time-resolved luminescence biochemical assays should be nonadentate in order to have a sufficient lifetime. Chelates having a terpyridine structure in the ligand seem to be promising alternatives. In addition, an equation for the determination of the number of water molecules in the first coordination sphere of Sm(III) ions in the chelate was developed.
Poly(Z-lysine)-Based Organogels: Effect of Interfacial Frustration on Gel Strength

A series of poly(Z-lysine)-based block copolymers were synthesized with poly(propylene oxide), poly(ethylene oxide-stat-propylene oxide), and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. These copolymers ...
A methodology for priority setting with application to software development process

Abstract In this paper we briefly review the basic ideas behind the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Based on these ideas, we introduce the concept of comparison interval and propose a methodology based on stochastic optimization to achieve global consistency and to accommodate the fuzzy nature of the comparison process. We also discuss systems with feedback. For systems with inter-component dependence, we review the super-matrix technique. For systems with intra-component dependence, we propose a systematic approximation scheme to compute the weight vector for priority setting. Applications of software development process and a numerical example are given to illustrate our methodology and results.
Environmentally Smart Engineering Education: A Brief on a Paradigm in Progress

Sustainable development has become the dominant economic, environmental, and social issue of the 21st century, yet its broad infusion within engineering education programs remains a challenge. This paper discusses the importance of environment and sustainable development considerations, the need for their widespread inclusion in engineering education, and the impediments to change. The roles of ABET and others in the evolution of these considerations in engineering education are presented; however, it is through the ABET engineering criteria that broad adoption of environment related considerations in engineering education will most likely occur. An effort to achieve this aim is described.
Effect of ego-involvement instructions and intralist similarity on stimulus generalization errors in paired-associate learning.

Summary.-To assess the effect of motivation and list characteristics on verbal learning perforounce, 60 Ss in a 3 x 2 factorial design learned paired associates consisting of CVC as stimuli and digits as responses, in lists of high or low formal intralist similarity and under high, low, or control Ego-involvement (E-I) conditions. No significant differences in errors were found as a function of ego involvement. The increase of errors with high formal intralist similarity was specific to the effect of stimulus generalization and did not represent an over-all increase in lisc difficulty: no significant differences were found between lists for non-generalization errors but significant list differences were found for stimulus-genedzation intrusions (p < .01) . Response competition has been identified as a salient variable in a wide variery of studies in verbal learning, ranging from studies of transfer (Martin, 1965; Posunan, 1961) arrd intralist similarity (Gibson, 1942; Underwood, 1954) to predictions by Taylor and Spence (Taylor, 1956; Spence, Farber, & McFann, 1956; Spence, Taylor, & Ketchel, 1956) regarding che effect of drive on verbal learning performance. Following Hull's generalized drive theory, the latter studies gave prominecce to the role of response interference by the formulation of a Drive X Habit interaction which predicts differential motivation effects as a function of the dominance of the correct response and of the strength of competing responses. Critics of the Taylor and Spence formulation (e.g., Karabenick & Youssef, 1968; Sarawn, 1958), in advocating alternative formulations regarding the effect of motivation on performance, minimized the role of competing responses that arc produced by lisc characteristics. To the extent that task variables were included in their conceprualization, these investigators stressed instead the ease or difficulty of the task, postulating that morivational effects depend on degree of success of performance (Sarason, 1958) or on anticipated success of performance (Karabenick & Youssef, 1968; Weiner & Schneidet, 1971) and not on interference arising specifically from competing responses in the learning task. A well established means of producing response interference is the use of intralist similarity. When formal similarity of stimulus items is varied and responses are paired with stimuli so as to create stimulus generalization which interferes with the emission of the correct responses, errors typically increase (Underwood, 1961). A question that still needs to be answered is whether
Percutaneous ablation for small renal masses-complications

Although percutaneous ablation of small renal masses is generally safe, interventional radiologists should be aware of the various complications that may arise from the procedure. Renal hemorrhage is the most common significant complication. Additional less common but serious complications include injury to or stenosis of the ureter or ureteropelvic junction, infection/abscess, sensory or motor nerve injury, pneumothorax, needle tract seeding, and skin burn. Most complications may be treated conservatively or with minimal therapy. Several techniques are available to minimize the risk of these complications, and patients should be appropriately monitored for early detection of complications. In the event of a serious complication, prompt treatment should be provided. This article reviews the most common and most important complications associated with percutaneous ablation of small renal masses.
Is the measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction the proper end point for cell therapy trials? An analysis of the effect of bone marrow mononuclear stem cell administration on left ventricular ejection fraction after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction when evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Background The measurement of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular adverse events and mortality in patients with LV dysfunction and has become the most common primary end point in cardiovascular cell therapy trials after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Multiple small trials have been performed using bone marrow mononuclear stem cells (BMCs) in this setting with several meta-analyses demonstrating that BMC administration results in a small improvement in LVEF and may attenuate adverse LV remodeling. However, individual trial results have not been uniform, and the measurement of LVEF in these trials has relied on a variety of imaging techniques including LV angiograpnhy, single-photon emission computed tomography, echocardiography, or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). Methods Because cMRI provides the most accurate measurement of LVEF, LV volumes, and infarct size in patients after STEMI, we reviewed all randomized cardiovascular stem cell trials (N = 10) that administered intracoronary BMCs versus placebo/control to 686 patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention treatment of STEMI that used cMRI as their principal imaging measurement of LVEF at baseline and 3 to 6 months later. Results Administration of BMCs was associated with a nonsignificant 0.9% ± 0.8% absolute increase in LVEF compared with placebo or control (95% CI −0.7 to 2.4) with a small but nonsignificant decrease LV end-diastolic and LV end-systolic volumes (LV end-diastolic volume −1.1 ± 1.5 mL/m2, LV end-systolic volume −1.6 ± 1.4 mL/m2). Although infarct size uniformly decreased over time, the reduction was not improved by BMC administration (−0.3 ± 1.7 g). Conclusions The benefit of BMC administration after STEMI on LVEF, LV volumes, and infarct size is small when assessed by cMRI.
An exploration into the practices of library Web usability in ARL academic libraries

A survey of the 113 academic libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) was administered to investigate whether Web usability Policies-Standards-Guidelines (PSGs) are in place, the levels of difficulty surrounding implementation, the impact of PSGs on actual usability practice, e.g., testing, resources, etc., and the relationship between ARL ranking and usability practice or PSGs. The response rate was over 74p. Results show that 25 (30p) libraries have PSGs dedicated to Web usability. Seventy-one (85p) libraries have conducted usability testing on their main Web sites, online public access catalogs (OPAC), or lower-level pages. Nevertheless, only seven libraries performed iterative testing of these platforms at pre-, during, and post-design stages. Statistical analysis indicates that having PSGs does not affect the amount of usability testing performed or the resources available for library Web usability initiatives. In addition, ARL ranking has no or little impact on PSGs, testing, or resources. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamic scheduling of manufacturing processes using dimensional databases

On-line scheduling has traditionally been restricted to single machines or work cells. In this paper, a dynamic on-line scheduling algorithm is presented to encompass several machines or work cells. The algorithm uses a dimensional database to store and query system information such as machine availabilities and other requirements. Due to the built-in capabilities of the dimensional data model for the seamless handling of dimensional data, the algorithm does not depend on a particular data type. As illustrated in this paper, this is particularly applicable to flexible manufacturing systems, where the system data may include any assortment of dimensional data. Such data may include ordinary/temporal data about resource availabilities, spatial data about machine locations and spatio-temporal data such as prior schedules.
Grotius and the Rise of Christian ‘Radical Enlightenment’

Grotius has often been cited as a crucial link between the ‘Erasmian tradition’ of the Renaissance and Reformation era and the Enlightenment. But there is perhaps a case for identifying him more specifically with the roots of the ‘Radical Enlightenment’. This was partly because of his widely-suspected and commented on tendency towards Socinianism. But it was also due to the uses to which he put his highly sophisticated humanist philology. During the eighteenth century, Grotius’s Bible criticism was seen by some as the root of some of the most subversive criticism of the era. The German deist Reimarus, for instance, author of one of the most vitriolic attacks on Christian revelation of the age, more frequently mentions Grotius’s revisions in his footnotes than he does the criticism of Hobbes, Spinoza, Collins or Toland. This article surveys the aspects of Grotius that significantly contributed to shaping what developed into the ‘Radical Enlightenment’.
Postmortem analysis of consecutively retrieved asymmetric porous-coated tibial components

Abstract The objective of this investigation was to conduct a postmortem analysis of 8 porous-coated asymmetric tibial components to measure the extent of radiolucencies and bone ingrowth. With the use of radiographic, electron microscope, and histologic analysis techniques, a quantitative postmortem study of 8 consecutively retrieved porous-coated tibial components was conducted. Time in situ averaged 47 ± 36 months. The components were secured with 4 pegs and 2 screws. Autograft bone chips were applied to the resected tibia during implantation. Contact radiographs of an average of 8 3-mm sections from each implant revealed that 73% ± 17% of the porous coating had no apparent radiolucencies present between the host bone and porous coating for the series. Backscattered electron imaging showed that the bone ingrowth averaged 6% ± 2%. Histologic analysis was unable to demonstrate any adverse cellular response. The analysis suggested that this asymmetric implant design is stable and biocompatible and has potential for long-term clinical durability.
Molecular modeling of fluid separations using membranes: effect of molecular forces on mass transfer rates

We report computer simulations of semi-permeable membranes using the method of molecular dynamics, to study solutions undergoing osmosis and reverse osmosis. These studies have been carried out at steady state, by periodically recycling solvent molecules that permeate the semi-permeable membrane. The method has been used to investigate the effect of a range of molecular forces, state conditions, and membrane morphology on the mass transfer rate of solvents across the membrane. These results could be used to test the accuracy of continuum, micro-continuum and statistical mechanical theories for transport across membranes, apart from being of intrinsic fundamental interest.
The therapeutic effects of cellular therapy for functional recovery after brain injury

The studies presented in this article suggest that marrow-derived cellular therapy may be an effective adjunct treatment for functional recovery after stroke. Cellular therapy can enhance the endogenous restorative mechanisms of the injured brain, assisting the tissue as it returns to a "developmental" state and supporting the process of neovascularization, neurogenesis, and neural reorganization. The advantages of using MSCs are that they can be given as an autologous graft, avoiding risks of rejection and graft-versus-host reactions, and that they can be given intravenously, minimizing complications. It is anticipated that cellular therapy, in combination with standard rehabilitation therapy and neural retraining, can improve functional outcomes following stroke.
Perfluoroalkyl Contaminants in a Food Web from Lake Ontario

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent and bioaccumulative perfluorinated acid detectable in humans and wildlife worldwide that has alerted scientists to examine the environmental fate of other fluorinated organic contaminants. Recently a homologous series of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) was detected in the Arctic, yet little is known about their sources, breadth of contamination, or environmental distribution. In this study we analyzed for PFOS, the homologous series of PFCAs ranging from 8 to 15 carbons in chain length, and the PFOS-precursor heptadecafluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) in various organisms from a food web of Lake Ontario. The sampled organisms included a top predator fish, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), three forage fish species including rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), and two invertebrates Diporeia (Diporeia hoyi) and Mysis (Mysis relicta). A striking finding was that the highest mean concentration for each fluorinated contaminantwas detected in the benthic macroinvertebrate Diporeia, which occupies the lowest trophic level of all organisms analyzed. Perfluorinated acid concentrations in Diporeia were often 10-fold higher than in Mysis, a predominantly pelagic feeder, suggesting that a major source of perfluoroalkyl contaminants to this food web was the sediment, not the water. PFOS was the dominant acid in all samples, but long-chain PFCAs, ranging in length from 8 to 15 carbons, were also detected in most samples between <0.5 and 90 ng/ g. Among Mysis and the more pelagic fish species (e.g. excluding Diporeia and sculpin) there was evidence for biomagnification, but the influence of foraging on highly contaminated Diporeia and sculpin by these fish may have overestimated trophic magnification factors (TMFs), which ranged from 0.51 for FOSA to 5.88 for PFOS. By accounting for the known diet composition of lake trout, it was shown that bioaccumulation was indeed occurring at the top of the food web for all perfluoroalkyl compounds except PFOA. Future monitoring at other locations in Lake Ontario, and in other aquatic environments, is necessary to determine if these food web dynamics are widespread. Archived lake trout samples collected between 1980 and 2001 showed that mean whole body PFOS concentrations increased from 43 to 180 ng/g over this period, but not linearly, and may have been indirectly influenced by the invasion and proliferation of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) through effects on the population and ecology of forage fishes.
J-Integral Analysis of PCBN Tool Crack Propagation in Hybrid Machining of Advanced Materials

Failure of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting tools, resulting from microcrack development, is one of the major causes of tool replacement in the machining of advanced materials. In this research, the J-integral method is applied to study the relationship between crack growth in a cutting tool and tool life in a hybrid machining process. Results show that with the decrease of the cutting temperature and its gradient in the cutting tool, the J value decreases and the tendency for micro crack propagation in the tool declines. Therefore, tool wear and early fracture rates are remarkably reduced.
Finite-Element Simulation of Different Kinds of Wafer Warpages: Spherical, Cylindrical, and Saddle

During the wafer fabrication process, wafers warp into different kinds of shapes, such as spherical, cylindrical, or saddles. These wafers may exhibit a bistable state, that is, if we apply a certain amount of pressure, they snap into another state. Though these shapes are commonly observed in the real world, we have found that it is extremely difficult to obtain these shapes in finite-element tools, such as ANSYS, because some of these states are not numerically preferred solutions. In this paper, we discuss various methodologies we have used to obtain these shapes in ANSYS. The experiments have been carried out in our fabrication lab to measure the wafer warpage at various stages of wafer fabrication. We have found that when the simulated shape matches the experiment, the warpage or maximum out of plane displacement of the wafer obtained from our simulation matches with 1% with the experimental results as well. Furthermore, ANSYS simulations show that backgrinding increases the warpage by the same amount as observed in the experiments. This paper also discusses the limitations of Stoney's formula. The final goal of this paper is to predict how warpage is going to affect the stresses in the silicon (Si) trenches in a device and if any particular trench design is going to lower the amount of wafer warpage, hence the stresses in Si trenches. Section IV shows the simulation results of stresses in the Si trenches. Since it would be computationally infeasible to model a full wafer having all the details of the trench structures, a submodeling technique has been adopted to calculate the stresses in the Si trench wall of a warped wafer. These simulation results are compared with micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements of a warped wafer.
The distribution of endangered fauna in the USSR

The Soviet Union's 1985 Red Book lists 23 species (or sub-species) of mammals, 21 species of birds, and 26 species from other classes as officially endangered. The spatial distribution of these 70 species throughout the country is examined, and a very uneven pattern revealed. The southern European steppe regions, the Transcaucasus region, the rivers and mountains of Central Asia, the southern portion of the Soviet Far East, and offshore marine areas account for the vast majority of all 70 species. Possible contributing factors to species becoming endangered in the Soviet Union include the USSR being a peripheral locale for certain species, the presence of isolated mountain and desert island habitats along the southern borderlands, a high degree of landscape transformation during the Soviet period, various forms of environmental pollution, and ongoing hostilities in several countris through which some of these species must migrate.
Local organ hypersensitivity to autogenous antigens: I. Experimental production of a pneumonitis

Abstract 1.1. An allergic pneumonitis was obtained in the rabbit by using various autogenous materials as allergens. 2.2. The autogenous allergens used were: (1) partly hydrolyzed autogenous serum; (2) saline extracts of autogenous skin and homologous liver; and (3) an excretory product, autogenous urine. A complementary study was doen with exogenous allergens. 3.3. A local sensitization of the lung was achieved by a single intrapulmonary injection of the allergen under investigation. After a suitable time interval, the shock injection of the same allergen was given intravenously and an allergic pneumonitis developed in the sensitized lung. 4.4. The pneumonitis was characterized by alveolar lesions (congestion, edema) and vascular lesions (endothelial reaction, endarterial, and periarterial edema, periarterial infiltration with eosinophilic cells and small and large mononuclears). 5.5. The immunological mechanism involved, the factors granting antigenicity to the autogenous substance used in these experiments and the possible events capable of leading to the release of similar allergens in man are discussed. 6.6. These experiments suggest that partial hydrolysis of autogenous proteins, tissue destruction and liberation of endocellular material, and reabsorption of an excretory product can, under certain conditions, give rise to autogenous allergens and provoke pathological changes in a previously sensitized tissue.
Electroweak Contributions to Quark Masses

The divergences in lowest-order electroweak contributions to quark masses are discussed. The example model of U${(1)}_{\mathrm{em}}$ \ensuremath{\bigotimes} SU${(3)}_{\mathrm{color}}$ is worked out. If the bare mass and color coupling constant are constrained to be independent of the electromagnetic coupling, as is natural, then the lowest-order electromagnetic shifts of the renormalized mass and strong coupling will be infinite. This is the expected result and is true even though we treat the strong interactions to all orders and thereby incorporate the relatively soft ultraviolet behavior of quantum chromodynamics.
Common Command-and-Control User Interface for Current Force UGS

The Current Force Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) comprise the OmniSense, Scorpion, and Silent Watch systems. As deployed by U.S. Army Central Command in 2006, sensor reports from the three systems were integrated into a common Graphical User Interface (GUI), with three separate vendor-specific applications for Command-and-Control (C2) functions. This paper describes the requirements, system architecture, implementation, and testing of an upgrade to the Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination back-end server to incorporate common remote Command-and-Control capabilities.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and phorbol myristate acetate synergistically increase carbonic anhydrase-II expression in a human myelomonocytic cell line.

Expression of carbonic anhydrase-II (CA-II), an enzyme important to osteoclast function, distinguishes osteoclasts from other cells of monocytic lineage. A cell's selection of terminal osteoclast phenotype is controlled by many different factors, which are not well understood and which may also control the expression of CA-II. We studied the control of CA-II expression in the human HL-60 cell to better understand the signal transduction systems involved in progression to the osteoclast phenotype. Both 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3; 10 nM] and phorbol myristate acetate (10 ng/ml), doses that cause monocytic differentiation of the HL-60 cell, induced small increases in CA-II mRNA and CA-II protein, as measured by Northern analysis and Western immunoblotting, respectively. The maximal response was seen at 3 days. Treatment of HL-60 cells with both agents resulted in synergistic increases in CA-II mRNA (80-fold) and protein. The large increase in CA-II mRNA allowed assessment of the dose dependence o...
The molecular structure of a hydrogen bonded complex of N-ethyl adenine and N-methyl uracil

N9-ethyl adenine and N1-methyl uracil form a 1:1 complex in the crystalline state. The structure was solved by means of three-dimensional X-ray diffraction methods using 2700 independent reflexions. The adenine and uracil derivatives are paired by means of two hydrogen bonds, one from the amino group of adenine to O-4 of uracil and the other from N-3 of uracil to the imidazole N-7 of adenine. In addition, the base pairs are linked in an infinite chain by hydrogen bonds from the amino group of the adenine to the O-2 of the uracil in the adjacent unit cell.
Test-retest reliability of the cotton swab (Q-tip®) test in the evaluation of the incontinent female

The objective of this study was to determine the test–retest reliability of the cotton swab test. Prospective, blinded, study of the cotton swab test. Subjects underwent two tests within 2–4 weeks. Agreement between resting angles and straining angles was analyzed using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Agreement of a positive and negative test result, using 30° as cutoff, was evaluated with McNemar's test and kappa statistic. Fifty subjects participated. The mean resting angle was 3.16° (−6.0°, 10°) and 3.24° (−5.0°, 10°) on repeat (p = 0.99). The mean straining angle was 34.4° (20°, 50°) and 37.0° (25°, 55°) on repeat (p = 0.14). McNemar's test demonstrated good agreement between observations. As the straining angle approached 30°, the agreement between positive and negative exams was only 57%. There is good test–retest reliability of the cotton swab test. When the straining angle is 21–49°, there is poor agreement regarding a positive or negative test result.
Failure of myxomatosis on Skokholm Island.

ATTEMPTS to exterminate the wild rabbits on the Pembrokeshire island of Skokholm by various methods were described in Nature 1 in 1940. The late Sir Charles Martin brought the virulent strain B of the virus known as Myxomatosis cuniculi Sanarelli 1898 to the island in three separate attempts to induce myxomatosis in rabbits in 1936, 1937 and 1938. In each attempt the marked rabbits (inoculated with the virus) appeared to have died within the usual period of less than fourteen days; but there was little or no spread to uninoculated rabbits. At the time, the apparent failure of this virus to spread in the dense colony of rabbits on Skokholm seemed inexplicable, since the same strain had wiped out rabbits in Sir Charles Martin's enclosures (500 sq. yd.) at Cambridge in 1934–352. It is significant that before conducting these controlled experiments in the field in Cambridgeshire, Sir Charles had evidently decided that the possibility of the virus being carried to wild rabbits elsewhere by insects was too remote to constitute a public danger—a risk that would not be lightly undertaken by scientists to-day. Sir Charles believed that the disease was chiefly propagated by direct contact. We now know that contact alone is not effective, and the virus must enter the tissue of a healthy rabbit through a scratch, cut or insect bite.
LISA sensitivity below 0.1 mHz

It has been clear for some time that the LISA mission can provide valuable new information concerning galaxy formation and evolution. If galaxies or pre-galactic structures contain massive black holes before their mergers, then these black holes may sink towards the centre of the newly formed structure and form a binary. The conditions under which the black holes will form a close binary that radiates gravitational waves strongly in less than a Hubble time have been discussed in a number of articles. Here, the gravitational wave sensitivity that LISA can achieve in order to look for such signals at frequencies below 0.1 mHz is discussed, and a specific sensitivity goal at frequencies down to 3 μHz is suggested.
Oncology management by the "new" Veterans Health Administration†

BACKGROUND The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) manages the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a cause of patient mortality and morbidity. In the fiscal year 1996, malignancies accounted for 49,270 primary diagnoses at the time of discharge from acute hospitals. METHODS VHA recently developed a national, uniform benefits package that provides oncologic services of prevention and screening, inpatient and outpatient services, rehabilitative care, reconstructive surgery, home health care, respite, and hospice care. VA classifies all hospitals according to American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer criteria and standards. One hundred four of 173 facilities are ACS-approved cancer centers. Eighty-six VA hospitals have cancer registries. RESULTS VHA has developed a Prevention Index (PI) that consists of nine measures for prevention and early detection of influenza and pneumococcal diseases, tobacco consumption, alcohol abuse, and cancers of the breast, cervix, colon, and prostate. All cancer interventions in the PI showed substantial increases between 1996 and 1997, and all exceeded U.S. Public Health Healthy People 2000 goals. The Veterans Health Administration's performance measure regarding end-of-life planning calls for 95% of eligible patients to receive ongoing care. Current baseline performance is 52% nationally. Measures of patient satisfaction for oncology patients show overall satisfaction at 87%. CONCLUSIONS The VA healthcare system has substantial expertise in the diagnosis and management of cancer. VHA's unprecedented transformation into a system of integrated networks supports and promotes that expertise. The VHA initiatives described in this article are synergistically working to enhance the consistency and comprehensiveness of high-quality, patient-centered oncologic services. Cancer 1998;82:2003-9. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Sonically enhanced beneficiation of Illinois no. 6 coal

Abstract Laboratory tests were performed to investigate the effects of sonic energy on the selective removal of ash-forming minerals from Illinois No. 6 coal. The net effect of exposure to sonic energy was elucidated by using wet-sieved narrowly sized coal samples free of undersize material loosely clinging to particle surfaces. A 10-kHz near-field array processor, configured for continuous rinsing of coal in the presence of sonic waves, was used. Results for sonically treated, then wet-sieved coal and the initial wet-sieved sample showed ash content removals ranging from 11.6 to 31.3% by weight, as a result of exposure to pulsed sonic energy for a 50-second total time of sonic treatment. Calculated recoveries of heating value ranged from 97.6 to as high as 99.8%, depending on the particle size of coal treated. Ash content of the sonically dislodged undersize material ranged from 55.0 to 86.9% by weight. Exposure to sonic energy also enhanced the floatability of Illinois No. 6 coal. Lower ash-content float fractions resulted from sonic pretreatment of the coal feed, compared to float fractions of wet-sieved coal not exposed to sonic energy. Separate tests with specific gravity fractions of Illinois No. 6 coal have shown that exposure to sonic energy promotes separation of coal-mineral composite particles.
Algorithm to choose which pixels to zero out in a zero and phase filter

An algorithm to choose which pixels to zero out in an otherwise phase-only filter is presented. This algorithm involves a simple thresholding technique applied to the general spatial filter described in previous work. Having fixed those pixels which are to be set equal to 0 in the filter, one can then view the remaining phases as free parameters and design a good 0 and continuous phase filter by optimizing the filter's signal-to-clutter ratio using the author's techniques. One can the discretize this zero and phase filter into one whose entries are 0 or one of the nth roots of unity. For example, ternary (0, +1, and -1) filter are of this form as are filters whose entries are 0 and the sixteenth roots of unity. Examples of such are given. This paper together with its ancestor provides a completely automatic way to start with a training set of true and false targets of any size and automatically and without human intervention produce optimized filters for use in extant spatial light modulators.
Is Wildland Fire Increasing in Sagebrush Landscapes of the Western United States

Wildland fire is expected to increase with global change, but responses may be spatially heterogeneous and temporally variable, complicating detection. In this study, I analyzed twenty-five years of spatial data on wildfires in woody sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) shrublands across 48 million ha of the Western United States, to test eleven hypotheses about trend and heterogeneity in wildfires. No upward trend in annual area burned was found across the whole study area, consistent with previous simulations that suggest fire may not increase in semiarid shrublands. At a finer scale, a significant trend occurred only in montane sagebrush, of five sagebrush types, and in two of seven floristic provinces. Area burned was concentrated in years with large fires. These years generally lacked or had only a weak trend, comparing two halves of the twenty-five-year period. Sagebrush types did not differ significantly in recent fire rotation, which did differ among floristic provinces and appears shorter now than historic...
Effect of modulating voltage-dependent calcium channels on cholecystokinin and acetylcholine-induced contractions of the guinea pig gallbladder.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the role of extracellular Ca2+ utilization in cholecystokinin (CCK) and acetylcholine-induced guinea pig gallbladder contractions by using agents that modulate influx of extracellular Ca2+ through voltage-dependent calcium channels. METHODS: Guinea pig gallbladder muscle strips were studied isometrically at Lmax in vitro. Results: (1) Acetylcholine and CCK caused dose-dependent contractions, with EDmax of 10−4 to 10−6 M, respectively. (2) Preventing influx of extracellular Ca2+ by incubation in Ca2+-free/0.1 mM EGTA solution inhibited the acetylcholine (10−4 M)-induced contraction by 60 ± 3% compared to only 46 ± 5% ( P $ 0.05 ) for CCK (10−6 M)-induced contraction. (3) Nifedipine (3 μM) inhibited the response to acetylcholine (10−4 M) by 54 ± 3%, compared to only 34 ± 3% (P
An experimental determination of the ambipolar diffusion coefficient in germanium

Abstract A method for determining the ambipolar diffusion length and thereby the ambipolar diffusion coefficient in elemental semiconductors is presented. The method, a modification of the standard travelling light spot measurement, is applicable over the entire range of resistivity. The steady-state three-dimensional continuity equation, is solved for the excess carrier concentration in a rectangular bar specimen partially illuminated on one surface with short wavelength light. Computer calculations of the average excess carrier concentration profile along the length of the rectangular bar are given. An experimental technique, which satisfies the conditions imposed on the continuity equation, is described. The feasibility of the technique was checked using n -type germanium. It was empirically established that the bulk relation L = √ Dτ remains valid when surface recombination is present if the diffusion length L is replaced by an ‘effective’ diffusion length and the lifetime τ by an ‘effective’ lifetime. From experimental measurements of L eff by the technique introduced, and τ eff by the photoconductivity decay method, the ambipolar diffusion coefficient can be determined.
Mechanical impedance of the femur: A preliminary report

Abstract We performed a preliminary study of the feasibility of determining the degree of union of healing femoral neck fractures by measurement of mechanical impedance. Two experiments were performed on an excised female femur. First, impedance and the reactance were determined as a function of excitation frequency. In this experiment, the excised femur vibrated as a rigid mass up to approximately 70 Hz. At higher frequencies, the vibratory mode became complex; numerous resonances and antiresonances were observed. Second, the reactance of the femur was measured at ten excitation frequencies under four conditions: in the intact state, after removal of a small wedge of bone from the antero-superior quadrant of the neck, after removal of the head, and after re-attachment of the head. Large differences in reactance were observed with these changes. This suggests that in vivo measurement of femoral mechanical impedance may allow determination of the degree of union of healing fractures of this bone.
Coverings by rook domains

Abstract It is shown that a 1-dense set in Vnk must contain at least nk−1/(k−1) points. As a corollary, a conjecture of Golomb and Posner on error-distributing codes is proved. It is also shown that a (k−2)-dense set must contain at least n2/(k−1) points. Equality can be attained if and only if k−1 divides n and there are k−2 orthogonal latin squares of order n/(k−1).
Promoter sequence requirements for Fnr-dependent activation of transcription of the narGHJI operon

The sequence requirements for Fnr-dependent transcription of the narGHJI operon of Escherichia coli were studied in plasmids carrying a narG::lacZ protein fusion with the 5' end of the promoter deleted so that expression was controlled exclusively by Fnr. These plasmids were subjected to in vitro mutagenesis, and beta-galactosidase activities were determined in transformed strains after aerobic and anaerobic growth. A single base-pair change in the Fnr box, a sequence which is highly conserved in all Fnr-dependent promoters, essentially abolished anaerobic induction of expression. Primer extension analysis located the transcription start site 57 bp upstream from the narG translation start site and placed the Fnr box at a position centred between -41 and -42 bases from the transcription start site. The position of the Fnr box relative to the transcription start site was critical for anaerobic induction of expression. The deletion of 2 bp or addition of 4, 6, 10, 14, 20, 22, 28, 30, and 40 bp immediately downstream from the Fnr box abolished anaerobic induction. Sequence changes between the Fnr box and the transcription start site had different effects, depending upon the region mutagenized. Base changes immediately downstream from the Fnr box, including bases -20 to -29, did not lead to any decrease in anaerobic induction of expression, but in most instances resulted in increased expression. Base changes further downstream prevented anaerobic induction of expression and suggested the requirement for a -10 hexamer which is partially homologous to the -10 consensus sequence for sigma 70-specific promoters of E. coli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Severe subcortical degeneration in macaques infected with neurovirulent simian immunodeficiency virus

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans, causes a spectrum of neuropathology that includes alterations in behavior, changes in evoked potentials, and neuronal degeneration. In the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model of HIV infection, affected monkeys show clinical symptoms and neurological complications that mimic those observed in human neuro-AIDS. To investigate the relationship between morphological correlates and neurophysiological deficits, unbiased stereology was used to assess total neuron number, volume, and neuronal density for all neurons in the globus pallidus (GP) and for dopamine (DA)-containing neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) in eight macaques inoculated with macrophage-tropic, neurovirulent SIV (SIVmac R71/17E), and five control animals. There was a significant difference between rapid progressors and controls for both neuron number (P < .01) and neuronal density (P < .05) in the GP, and for neuron number (P < .05) in the SN. Neuron loss ranged from 6% to 70% in the GP and from 10% to 50% in the SN. Neuropathological analyses confirmed neuroAIDS-like changes in brain, including microglial nodules, extensive perivascular cuffing and/or the presence of multinucleated giant cells, and alterations in neuronal morphology in the majority of the rapid progressors. By comparison, slow progressors showed little, if any, neuropathology. These neuropathological changes in SIV-infected monkeys indicate that neuron death and morphological alterations in the basal ganglia may contribute to the motor impairments reported in the SIV model and, by analogy, in the subset of patients afflicted with motor impairment in human neuro-AIDS.
Performance Following Changes of International Presence in Domestic and Transition Industries

We examine relationships between firm performance and changes in international presence in five medical sector industries between 1978 and 1989, conditioned on the international status of the industries and the market position of the firms. International expansion was necessary for survival when foreign firms began to enter a domestic market, but only firms with substantial market share and international experience, gained prior to the industry transition, could expand successfully. Operating only in the home market may permit a firm to survive in a primarily domestic industry, but moderate international expansion often brings current benefits and provides a base for future success should the industry become more global. However, expansion carries the risk of failure: firms that retrench after expanding internationally disappear.
Stretch‐Induced Injury Alters Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Cellular ATP in Cultured Astrocytes and Neurons

Energy deficit after traumatic brain injury (TBI) may alter ionic homeostasis, neurotransmission, biosynthesis, and cellular transport. Using an in vitro model for TBI, we tested the hypothesis that stretch-induced injury alters mitochondrial membrane potential (delta(psi)m) and ATP in astrocytes and neurons. Astrocytes, pure neuronal cultures, and mixed neuronal plus glial cultures grown on Silastic membranes were subjected to mild, moderate, and severe stretch. After injury, delta(psi)m was measured using rhodamine-123, and ATP was quantified with a luciferin-luciferase assay. In astrocytes, delta(psi)m dropped significantly, and ATP content declined 43-52% 15 min after mild or moderate stretch but recovered by 24 h. In pure neurons, delta(psi)m declined at 15 min only in the severely stretched group. At 48 h postinjury, delta(psi)m remained decreased in severely stretched neurons and dropped in moderately stretched neurons. Intracellular ATP content did not change in any group of injured pure neurons. We also found that astrocytes and neurons release ATP extracellularly following injury. In contrast to pure neurons, delta(psi)m in neurons of mixed neuronal plus glial cultures declined 15 min after mild, moderate, or severe stretch and recovered by 24-48 h. ATP content in mixed cultures declined 22-28% after mild to severe stretch with recovery by 24 h. Our findings demonstrate that injury causes mitochondrial dysfunction in astrocytes and suggest that astrocyte injury alters mitochondrial function in local neurons.
Pentachlorophenol and Phenanthrene Biodegradation in Creosote Contaminated Aquifer Material

Abstract Contamination of the subsurface environment at the Libby Superfund Site, Montana, includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pentachlorophenol due to accidental spills and improper disposal of wood preserving wastes. Biodegradation is a treatment technology gaining wide application in the treatment of hazardous waste sites. A microcosm study was conducted to evaluate the effect of temperature, sampling depth, nutrient addition, and oxygen on the biodegradation potential of phenanthrene and pentachlorophenol in aquifer samples using radiolabeled chemicals. Mineralization of phenanthrene reached 14% but was less than 1% for pentachlorophenol over the 56 day incubation period. Phenanthrene mineralization in microcosms at 10°C was not significantly different from those at 20°C. This may have been due to microbial community acclimation to lower temperatures at the site. Average volatilization was less than 2% for both phenanthrene and pentachlorophenol. After 56 days, most of the radiolabeled chemical was either solvent extractable or soil bound.
Mapping of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes using nano-Raman spectroscopy

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) based Tip-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) was used to map Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) dispersed on silicon surfaces. A software program developed with Labview platform was used to perform the mapping. STM tips made of gold (Au) were fabricated by electrochemical etching and employed in our TERS system to realize nanoscale spatial resolutions and obtain enhanced signals. Mapping of the SWCNTs was also performed using a micro-Raman system. It was found that the SWCNTs could be well resolved by the TERS system but could not be resolved by the micro-Raman system. Further analysis shows that, the ultimate resolution of the TERS system can reach around 30 nm, while the micro-Raman system shows a resolution around 5 μm.
Interleukin 11 May improve thrombocytopenia associated with imatinib mesylate therapy in chronic Myelogenous leukemia.

Abstract During therapy with imatinib (Gleevec), 20–30% of patients with CML in chronic phase develop grade≥3 thrombocytopenia. This leads to treatment interruptions and dose reductions that result in a decreased probability of achieving a cytogenetic response. Interleukin-11 (oprelvekin) is a megakaryopoietic cytokine that reduces the incidence and severity of thrombocytopenia associated with chemotherapy. We report on the use of interleukin-11 in three CML patients with grade≥3, imatinib-induced thrombocytopenia. In all three patients, interleukin-11 led to improved platelets, uninterrupted administration of imatinib and improved cytogenetic response. This observation suggests that interleukin-11 may be beneficial for patients with imatinib-induced thrombocytoepnia.
Clichés of Identity: Chantal Akerman's Musicals

Chantal Akerman's Window Shopping dates from 1986. The original French-language title was (the English words) Golden Eighties; the name was changed for the English-language release, apparently in o...
Probabilistic stability measures for controlled structures subject to real parameter uncertainties

A systematic approach is proposed for determining the probability of instability for a controlled structure with real parameter uncertainty. Both an eigenvalue criterion and the Routh-Hurwitz criterion are employed in the problem formulation to characterize the stability of the system. The uncertain parameters are modeled as random variables with prescribed probability distributions. First- and second-order reliability methods (FORM/SORM) are discussed and shown to be appropriate for calculating the probability of system instability. Several examples are provided to illustrate the approach.