cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMR Shielding Calculations across the Periodic Table: Diamagnetic Uranium Compounds. 1. Methods and Issues

In this and a subsequent article, the range of application for relativistic density functional theory (DFT) is extended to the calculation of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shieldings and chemical shifts in diamagnetic actinide compounds. In the given first paper, various issues are explored that are related to this goal. It is shown that both the relativistic DFT-ZORA (zeroth-order regular approximation, as developed for NMR properties by Wolff, S. K.; Ziegler, T.; van Lenthe, E.; Baerends, E. J. J. Chem. Phys. 1999, 110, 7689) and the older quasi-relativistic (QR) DFT methods are applicable to these compounds. Another popular relativistic method, the use of relativistic effective core potentials (ECP) for the calculation of ligand NMR parameters, is tested as well. It is demonstrated that the ECP approach is beyond its limits for the very heavy actinide compounds. Comparing the ZORA and Pauli approaches, it is found that Pauli is more accurate for the 1H NMR in UF6-n(OCH3)n compounds whereas ZORA is m...
Characterization of NH3/Fe catalytic systems by laser Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Laser Raman spectra of species adsorbed on doubly promoted fused iron catalysts were obtained under static and flowing atmospheres of NH3 and 1 N 2 3 H 2 . The spectra provided new information about the nature of the surface species involved in iron-hydrogen, iron-nitrogen, and nitrogen-nitrogen bonding. Assignment of the Raman bands included: 1951 and 1902 cm−1 for the FeH stretch due to H(a); 1940 and 2040 cm−1 for the NN stretch due to N2(a); 1090 cm−1 for the FeN stretch due to N(a); 895 cm−1 for the FeN stretch due to NH(a); 500 cm−1 for the FeN stretch due to NH2(a); 465 and 410 cm−1 for the FeN stretch due to N2(a); and 140 cm−1 for the FeN stretch due to NH3(a). In situ studies and studies performed at room temperature indicated that dehydrogenation of NH3(a) to NH(a) or N(a) did not occur extensively for catalysts which had been reduced by H2 or for catalysts which were actually functioning for NH3 decomposition. N2(a) and H(a) were the dominant chemisorbed species on the surface of the functioning catalyst. The Raman results were consistent with an associative mechanism for ammonia synthesis or decomposition: .
Solubilization of hydrocarbons and resulting aggregate shape transitions in aqueous solutions of Pluronic ® (PEO-PPO-PEO) block copolymers

Abstract Pluronic® block copolymers are commercially available symmetric triblock copolymers with poly(ethylene oxide), PEO, as the hydrophilic end blocks and poly(propylene oxide), PPO, as the hydrophobic middle block. In this paper, the solubilization of hydrocarbons by aggregates of Pluronic® block copolymers in water is examined in the framework of a simple molecular theory of solubilization. The aggregates have an inner core region made up of PPO and the solubilizate and an outer corona region made up of PEO and water. Expressions for the standard state free energy change associated with solubilization of hydrocarbons by aggregates having spherical, cylindrical, and lamellar shapes are presented. These free energy contributions account for the mixing of the core block with the solubilizate, the consequent changes in the state of deformation of the core block, the changes in the state of dilution and deformation of the corona block, the formation of the core-solvent interface, and the backfolding of the triblock copolymer which ensures that the two end blocks are in contact with the solvent. Utilizing these free energy expressions, we predict the core size, the corona thickness, and the aggregation number of the micelle and also the volume fraction of the hydrocarbon solubilized in the core, for seven aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon solubilizates incorporated within numerous Pluronic® compounds. The calculated results show that a growth in aggregate size occurs both because of the incorporation of the hydrocarbon and also the increase in the intrinsic number of block copolymer molecules per aggregate. More interestingly, solubilization is shown to induce a transition in aggregate shapes from spheres to cylinders and then to lamellae. The shape transition is found to be critically controlled by the free energy of mixing of the solubilizate with the core forming PPO block.
OPO performance with a long pulse length, single frequency Nd:YAG laser pump

With the advent of new nonlinear materials and single-frequency pump sources, there is renewed interest in optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). A single-mode diode-laser-pumped monolithic Nd:YAG nonplanar ring laser that is both amplified and frequency doubled is used to pump a monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 pulsed singly resonant OPO. The OPO signal output was temperature tuned from 834 to 958 nm, producing an idler tuning from 1.47 to 1.2 microns. Efforts toward a CW all-solid-state doubly resonant OPO are also described.
Sensing the optical properties of diffusive media by acousto-optic pressure contrast imaging

Acousto-optic imaging (AOI) is a dual-wave modality that combines ultrasound with diffuse light to achieve deep-tissue imaging of optical properties with the spatial resolution of ultrasound. Progress has been made in the detection of optically absorbing inhomogeneities in recent years, yet it remains a challenge for AOI to detect targets possessing low scattering contrast and to obtain quantitative measurement of optical properties at depth with high resolution. A new photorefractive crystal (PRC) based AOI system operating in the near-infrared optical wavelength was developed and optimized. Based on relative changes in the AOI response induced by different acoustic pressures, we now propose a new sensing and imaging modality, pressure contrast imaging (PCI), to enhance and quantify the detection of scattering inhomogeneities. It is demonstrated experimentally that the image contrast information obtained with the new approach is independent of the background light intensity and the details of the optical collection components and potentially allows for an accurate and quantitative characterization of the media's spatially dependent optical properties.
Aerial root nodules in the tropical legume,Pentaclethra macroloba.

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in angiosperms normally occurs in buried root nodules and is severely inhibited in flooded soils. A few plant species, however, respond to flooding by forming nodules on stems, or, in one case, submerged roots with aerenchyma. We report here the novel occurrence of aerial rhizobial nodules attached to adventitious roots of the legume,Pentaclethra macroloba, in a lowland tropical rainforest swamp in Costa Rica. Swamp sapdings (1–10 cm diameter) support an average 12 g nodules dry weight per plant on roots 2–300 cm above water, and nodules remain in aerial positions at least 6 months. Collections from four swamp plants maintained linear activity rates (3–14 μmoles C2H4/g nodule dry weight/hr) throughout incubations for 6 and 13 hrs; excised nodule activity in most legumes declines after 1–2 hrs. Preliminary study of the anatomy and physiology suggest aerial nodules possess unusual features associated with tolerance to swamp conditions. High host tree abundance and nodulation in the swamp compared to upland sites indicate the aerial root symbiosis may contribute more fixed nitrogen to the local ecosystem than the more typical buried root symbiosis.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of silver cyanide adsorption on activated charcoal

An investigation has been carried out on the adsorption of silver cyanide from solution onto activated charcoal. The isosteric heats of adsorption and equilibrium constants for adsorption were determined from adsorption isotherms. The isosteric heat and equilibrium adsorption constants were shown to decrease with increasing surface coverage at low surface coverages while at intermediate surface coverages they remain fairly constant. The experimental isotherm data was found to fit the Langmuir adsorption isotherm in this intermediate range of surface coverage. A pore diffusion model was utilized to explain the experimental rate data. The experimental rates were found to be controlled by pore diffusion with the effective diffusivity having an activation energy of 2.6 kcal/mol. Good agreement between experimental rate data and predicted rate curve by the diffusion model was obtained.
A comparative study of priority dispatching rules in a hybrid assembly/job shop

SUMMARY This paper reports on research conducted on the use of priority dispatching rules in a hybrid assembly/job shop which manufactures both single-component and multiple-component products. A simulation model was constructed and a large stale experiment performed. Statistical analysis of the simulation results indicated significant impact of both the priority rules tested, and the product-mix considered on shop performance. Among the 12 priority rules tested, the SPT (shortest processing time) rule and the ASMF-SPT (assembly jobs first with SPT as tie-breaker) rule performed very well with respect to measures like lateness, flow time, tardiness, staging time, and percent of jobs tardy. These findings lead to further investigation of a combined priority rule, MIXED, which implements the ASMF-SPT rule at all machine centres that process components of assembly jobs, and the SPT rule at the remaining machine centres which process non-component jobs. The additional research results yielded evidence that th...
Expression of Recombinant Human Glutathione Reductase in Eukaryotic Cells after DNA-Mediated Gene Transfer

Glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) protects tissues from oxidant stress by catalyzing the NADPH-mediated reduction of glutathione disulfide to glutathione. We describe construction of a vector for DNA-mediated gene transfer and successful transient overexpression of human glutathione reductase cDNA in CHO cells. No expression was observed when the same vector was transiently transfected into NIH3T3 or LA4 cells or stably integrated in CHO cells. These results demonstrate the ability to constitute recombinant glutathione reductase expression in eukaryotic cells but suggest that this expression may be toxic.
Genetic variation between woodchuck populations with high and low prevalence rates of woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.

Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection is known to be endemic in areas of the mid-Atlantic states but is apparently absent from populations in New York and much of New England. Blood samples of 40 woodchucks (Marmota monax) from New York and from Delaware were examined by starch gel electrophoresis, and 18 monomorphic and six polymorphic protein-coding genetic systems were identified. Mendelian inheritance of variants of the six polymorphic systems was confirmed in 52 laboratory offspring of the original samples. Average heterozygosity of 0.066 in New York woodchucks and 0.039 in Delaware woodchucks were high values for mammals, although similar to those of other sciurids. Significant heterogeneity between samples from New York and Delaware woodchucks was observed at two loci (peptidase with glycyl leucine-4 and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase), suggesting that these populations were genetically distinct. Whether there are genetically determined differences in response to WHV infection remains to be det...
Chemical sensors based on powdered phosphors

We have developed a method to prepare powdered phosphors which can serve as chemical sensors for a variety of gases. These sensors indicate the presence of the gas by changes in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity relative to N2 as a reference gas. Specifically, we have found that the PL of the CdS:Te phosphor increases by as much as 50% when exposed to ammonia and decreases by 50% when exposed to sulfur dioxide. This phosphor also responds to a lesser degree to O2 and water. We have also explored other common phosphors based on ZnS, ZnxCd1-xS, CaS, and SrS. The ZnS containing phosphors do not show any changes in PL upon exposure to either ammonia or sulfur dioxide while the CaS phosphors respond to sulfur dioxide and water.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Note on the energy dependence of the beta-gamma directional correlation in the decay of 154Eu

Abstract The 1855 keV-123 keV β-γ directional correlation in the decay of 154 Eu has been measured as a function of beta energy. A magnetic-lens spectrometer was used as the beta-energy analyser. The attenuation of the directional correlation was carefully studied. The maximum measured value of A 2 corrected for attenuation is −0.31 at 1638 keV and decreases rapidly with decreasing energy.
An application of importance-performance analysis to university marketing

Academics and businesses have generally been in agreement about the importance of assessing educational outcomes. During the past decade or so, it has become of paramount importance to educators in the various business disciplines. There is no shortage of excellent and compelling philosophical and pragmatic explanations of why this activity is (and should be) important. This paper discusses the results of a longitudinal study which has utilised importance-performance analysis as an evaluative tool for helping to determine what courses are perceived by graduates as most important to them, as well as their perception of how we have performed in terms of preparing them. This information becomes an important input to the university's marketing efforts insofar as marketing the college of business in terms of currency and usefulness.
On isomorphism testing of a class of 2-Nilpotent groups

Abstract A polynomial time isomorphism test for a class of groups, properly containing the class of abelian groups, given either by multiplication tables or by generators and relators, is described. It is also shown that graph isomorphism testing is uniformly reducible to a word problem of a finitely presented group.
The 2005 Coral-Bleaching Event Roatan (Honduras): Use of Pseudoinvariant Features (PIFs) in Satellite Assessments

Radiometric normalisation is a necessary precursor to detecting coral‐bleaching from a time series of imagery. Using IKONOS and QuickBird, the pseudo‐invariant‐feature (PIF) approach was assessed, and found that small subsets and landbased PIFs lead to erroneous normalisation. In comparison, favourable results were achieved by using benthic sand and deep water subsets, coupled to a sun‐deglint process. Furthermore, it was found the more traditional strategy of ‘difference imaging’ to be compromised by slight spatial alignment errors between image sets. Our alternative approach, based on spectral radiance, ably discerned significant brightening of areas of seafloor populated by dense stands of Acropora, corroborating the occurrence of a documented bleaching event.
SEXUALITY: Knowledge and Attitudes of Student Nurse‐Midwives

This study was performed to assess the sexual knowledge and attitudes of student nurse-midwives (SNMs). All SNMs enrolled in nurse-midwifery programs between November 1981 and February 1982 were surveyed. Instruments used included the Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test and a demographic and background data questionnaire. Significant findings included generally liberal attitudes toward heterosexual relations, autoeroticism, and the rejection of common sexual myths; more conservative attitudes toward abortion were found. No significant differences in knowledge and/or attitudes were revealed when groups were compared on the basis of age, marital status, level in nurse-midwifery programs, or length of time in nursing. Significant differences were found when comparisons were made based on religious preference, degree of urbanization, educational level, type of nurse-midwifery program, and prior human sexuality education. The implications of these differences for nurse-midwifery practice, education, and research are discussed.
Subsurface Data on Covington County, Mississippi

Petrographic analyses combined with micro-paleontology were used to obtain information of correlative value from about thirty core holes and three wells in Covington County, Mississippi. Formation contacts in some places are indicated by distinctive assemblages of heavy minerals where fossils do not occur. Foraminiferal faunas are zonally characteristic of the Gulf Coast area, except where variations are due to deep water or other conditions of environment. Not all of the divisions in the standard geologic column for Mississippi can be recognized in wells, and some of the formation contacts are necessarily arbitrary.
More on selecting sequence numbers

This note serves to supplement and extend the ideas and issues raised in [TO74]. Tomlinson examines the problem of establishing a connection (association), and being able to detect delayed packets of an old incarnation of a connection, when it is being opened and closed in quick succesion, or when the connection breaks owing to some crash and is restarted later. No protocol can guarantee reliability of communication given certain types of crashes [SU74], [BE74]. This last issue is out of the scope of this note.First the problem of establishing and closing a connection is further examined and the claim that a three way exchange is sufficient for single message transfer in [TO74] (even under conditions of a correctly functioning system) is refuted. Next the mechanism for implementing the “clock-driven” initial sequence number choice is examined in detail showing how various parameters interact, and the algorithms neccessary in order that it work. Finally alternative schemes to replace “resynchronization” are considered and the tradeoffs shown.
n-Channel Symmetric Motion-Compensated Multiple Description Coding for Video Communications over OFDM Networks

We propose an n-channel symmetric motion-compensated multiple description (MD) coding and transmission scheme for the delivery of fine granular scalable (FGS) video over multicarrier orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, utilizing the concepts of partial and leaky predictions. We investigate the proposed MD coding and transmission scheme using a cross-layer design perspective. In particular, we construct the symmetric motion compensated MD codes based on the diversity order of the channel, defined as the ratio of the overall bandwidth of the system to the coherence bandwidth of the channel. We show that knowing the diversity order of a physical channel can assist an FGS video coder in selecting the motion compensation prediction point, as well as on the use of leaky prediction. More importantly, we illustrate how the side information can reduce the drift management problem associated with the construction of symmetric motion-compensated MD codes.
RNA Polymerase and the Shut-off of Host RNA and Protein Synthesis in T4 Phage Infection

WHEN Escherichia coli is infected with T-even bacteriophage, host nucleic acid and protein synthesis cease abruptly. A burst of RNA synthesis from viral DNA template then occurs. The viral RNA is subsequently utilized by the host machinery to produce phage-specific proteins1–3. Little is known, however, of the mechanism of the switch-over from host to viral function.
Product-Mix Models When Learning Effects are Present

An important problem confronting decision makers in modern organizations is the determination of an optimal product-mix or service-mix in situations where learning effects are present. Learning has been observed to exist in a variety of production and service situations in which the amount of input required per unit of output decreases as total output increases. Little research has appeared, however, on the incorporation of learning effects into resource allocation models that attempt to determine good or optimal allocations of scarce resources to competing activities via mathematical programming. Enriching a traditional linear programming product-mix model to include learning effects results in a nonlinear model which may be more realistic, but is also likely to be more difficult to solve. In this paper, nonlinear product-mix models which incorporate learning effects are formulated and a procedure is developed for their solution. A key feature of the procedure is that decision makers are presented with good feasible solutions to a more realistic model early in the overall solution process together with bounds on the value of the best possible solution. Good feasible solutions and bounds are obtained with relatively little computational expense and effort through the use of linear approximation techniques. Feasible solutions serve as base points in a branch and bound process to refine solutions and bounds. Decision makers are able to terminate the solution procedure at any point prior to completion once a satisfactory, near optimal solution is identified. Alternatively, if allowed to run to completion, the solution procedure is capable of identifying and verifying a global optimal solution.
Global production networks, the developmental state and the articulation of Asia Pacific economies in the commercial aircraft industry

: Asia Pacific economies – particularly Japan, South Korea, China and Singapore – play a large and growing role in the commercial aircraft industry, despite the fact that the region has no major independent plane-maker. Instead, Asia has secured a significant position in the increasingly elaborate global production networks of Boeing and Airbus. The wider Asian significance in those networks has been fostered not only by the region's deep capital and human resource assets but also by the catalytic actions of developmental states in the region. Moreover, decades of rapid air traffic growth have made Asia a crucial market for Boeing and Airbus. In response, the American and European giants have been compelled to outsource more of their business to Asia in order to win sales and to design new airliners tailored to the needs of Asian customers. Together, the increased importance of Asia in both the design and the manufacture of commercial aircraft point to a future in which Asia will capture an ever-larger share of the value created in one of the world's most technologically sophisticated and strategically significant industries.
Metastable helium atom concentrations in the earth's atmosphere

Calculations of He(23S) metastable concentrations in the earth's atmosphere by a previously suggested process involving photoexcitation by solar UV 584 and 537 A is shown to yield only ∼5 × 105 metastables/cm2 (column) under typical twilight conditions. This is far too small to account for recent Russian twilight glow observations of resonant scattered λ10,830 A. Radiative recombination is shown to be probably more important but still probably insufficient to account for observations. Direct excitation by photoelectrons seems to be the most likely operative metastable production mechanism. The processes of metastable destruction are considered in some detail. Cross-sections for triplet metastable destruction by O2 and N2 molecules are 14 and 7 × 10−16 cm2, respectively, and it is estimated that the O atom cross-section is around 5 × 10−16 cm2.
Combined sedimentation and filtration process for cellulase recovery during hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.

A combined sedimentation and ultrafiltration process was investigated for recovering cellulase enzymes during the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Lignocellulosic particles larger than approx 50 µm in length were first removed via sedimentation using an inclined settler. Ultrafiltration was then used to retain the remaining lignocellulosic particles and the cellulose enzymes, while transmitting fermentable sugars and other small molecules. The permeate flux from the ultrafiltration step for a feed consisting of 0.22 w/v% cellulase is 64 ± 5 L/m2-h, while that for a feed consisting of the settler overflow from a mixture 0.22 w/v% cellulase and 10 wt% lignocellulose fed to the settler is 130 ± 20 L/m2-h. The higher permeate flux in the latter case is presumably due to binding of a portion of the cellulase enzymes to the lignocellulosic particles during hydrolysis and filtration, preventing the enzymes from fouling the membrane. A filter paper activity assay shows little loss in enzymatic activity throughout the combined sedimentation/ultrafiltration separation process.
Estimating heritability using genomic data

Summary Heritability (h2) represents the potential for short-term response of a quantitative trait to selection. Unfortunately, estimating h2 through traditional crossing experiments is not practical for many species, and even for those in which mating can be manipulated, it may not be possible to assay them in ecologically relevant environments. We evaluated an approach, GCTA, that uses relatedness estimated from genomic data to estimate the proportion of phenotypic variance due to genotyped SNPs, which can be used to infer h2. Using phenotypic and genotypic data from eight replicates of experimentally grown plants of the annual legume Medicago truncatula, we examined how h2 estimates from GCTA (h2GCTA) related to traditional estimates of heritability (clonal repeatability for these inbred lines). Further, we examined how h2GCTA estimates were affected by SNP number, minor allele frequency, the number of individuals assayed and the exclusion of causative SNPs. We found that the average h2GCTA estimates for each trait made with the full data set (>5 million SNPs, 200 individuals) were strongly correlated (r = 0·99) with estimates of clonal repeatability. However, this result masks considerable variation among replicate estimates of h2GCTA, even in relatively uniform greenhouse conditions. h2GCTA estimates with 250 000 and 25 000 SNPs were very similar to those obtained with >5 million SNPs, but with 2500 SNPs, h2GCTA were lower and had higher variance than those with ≥25 k SNPs. h2GCTA estimates were slightly lower when only common SNPs were used. Excluding putatively causative SNPs had little effect on the estimates of h2GCTA, suggesting that genotyping putatively causative SNPs is not necessary to obtain accurate estimates of h2. The number of accessions sampled had the greatest effect on h2GCTA estimates, and variance greatly increased as fewer accessions were included. With only 50 accessions sampled, the range of h2GCTA ranged from 0 to 1 for all traits. These results indicate that the GCTA method may be useful for estimating h2 using data sets of a size that are available from reduced-representation genotyping but that hundreds of individuals may need to be sampled to obtain robust estimates of h2.
Amelioration of fumonisin B1 hepatotoxicity in mice by depletion of T cells with anti-Thy-1.2

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, frequently associated with corn. It produces species-specific and organ-specific toxicity, including equine leukoencephalomalacia, porcine pulmonary edema, and hepatic or renal damage in most animal species. Fumonisin B1 perturbs sphingolipid metabolism by inhibiting ceramide synthase. Our previous studies in male mice indicated that fumonisin B1-induced hepatotoxicity is modulated by the localized activation of cytokines in liver macrophages and other cell types. In the current study, male athymic nude mice and their wild type counterparts (WT), the latter with or without depletion of T cells, were treated subcutaneously with fumonisin B1 at 2.25 mg/kg/day for 5 days and sampled 24 h after the last injection. Depletion of T cells in WT was achieved by a single intravenous injection of 50 microg monoclonal antibody against Thy-1.2 surface antigen of mature peripheral T lymphocytes 24 h before the first fumonisin B1 treatment. The depletion of T cells nearly abolished fumonisin B1-mediated liver toxicity as indicated by the near normal concentrations of circulating liver enzymes and by enumeration of apoptotic hepatocytes. There was no difference in the fumonisin B1-induced elevation in circulating liver enzymes between WT and nude mice. Fumonisin B1-induced mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1alpha was observed in nude and WT mice but not in T cell-depleted mice. Hepatotoxic response to fumonisin B1 was unaltered in mice lacking natural killer cells. This study suggested that T cells and corresponding proinflammatory cytokines have a vital role in mediating fumonisin B1-induced hepatic toxicity.
Microbial processes and subsurface contaminants

A Chapman Conference entitled “Microbial Processes in the Transport, Fate, and In Situ Treatment of Subsurface Contaminants” was held in Snowbird, Utah, October 1–3, 1986. Members of the program committee and session chairmen were Lenore Clesceri (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.), David Gibson (University of Texas, Austin), James Mercer (GeoTrans, Inc., Herndon , Va.), Donald Michelsen (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg), Fred Molz (Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.), Bruce Rittman (University of Illinois, Urbana), Gary Sayler (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), and John T. Wilson (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, Okla.). The following report attempts to highlight the six sessions that constituted the conference. For additional information, including a bound summary and abstracts, contact Fred J. Molz, Civil Engineering Department, Auburn University, AL 36849 (telephone: 205-826-4321).
Resistance noise in amorphous Ni-Zr: Hydrogen diffusion and universal conductance fluctuations

Resistance fluctuations with a power spectrum of approximately1//ital f/ have been studied in amorphous thin films ofNi/sub 30/Zr/sub 70/ andNi/sub 50/Zr/sub 50/ in the temperature range4/lt//ital T//lt/350 K. The primary noise-generating source was found tobe hydrogen contamination with concentrations up to roughly 30 at. %.Exceptionally large peaks in the spectral density versus /ital T/ correspondingto short-range hopping of hydrogen atoms were found between 90 and 200 K. Therms resistivity change due to short-range hopping of a hydrogen atom was foundto be larger than the average resistivity increase per atom, indicating theimportance of the random local environment. Below 50 K the noise increased withdecreasing temperature and was reduced by magnetic fields, indicating auniversal conductance-fluctuation-coupling mechanism.
Expression of Hsd11K (NAD+ Dependent 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase) Promoter Constructs in Renal Cell Lines

The kidney (11-HSD2 or 11-HSDK) isozyme of 11s-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase confers specificity for aldosterone on mineralocorticoid receptors in target tissues. In rodent kidney, this isozyme is expressed mainly in cortical collecting ducts and is undetectable in proximal tubules. Using mouse M-1 and rabbit RCD cortical collecting duct cells, we analyzed the 5′-flanking region of the human HSD11K gene encoding this enzyme in an attempt to identify transcriptional regulatory elements responsible for gene expression in the kidney. M-1 and RCD cells had high levels of NAD+ dependent 11-HSD activity with corticosterone as the substrate. Luciferase reporter constructs containing 1785 or 327 nucleotides (nt) upstream of the initiator ATG codon were expressed at similar levels in each cell line, but deletion to 167 nt almost completely abolished expression in both cell types. This region is GC-rich and contain Sp1 binding sites. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays of the region containing the putative Sp1 sit...
A measure of service quality for retail stores: Scale development and validation

Current measures of service quality do not adequately capture customers’ perceptions of service quality for retail stores (i.e., stores that offer a mix of goods and services). A hierarchical factor structure is proposed to capture dimensions important to retail customers based on the retail and service quality literatures as well as three separate qualitative studies. Confirmatory factor analysis based on the partial disaggregation technique and cross-validation using a second sample support the validity of the scale as a measure of retail service quality. The implications of this Retail Service Quality Scale for practitioners, as well as for future research, are discussed.
Dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics associated with the glass transition of amorphous trehalose–water mixtures

The glass transition temperature Tg of biopreservative formulations is important for predicting the long-term storage of biological specimens. As a complementary tool to thermal analysis techniques, which are the mainstay for determining Tg, molecular dynamics simulations have been successfully applied to predict the Tg of several protectants and their mixtures with water. These molecular analyses, however, rarely focused on the glass transition behavior of aqueous trehalose solutions, a subject that has attracted wide scientific attention via experimental approaches. Important behavior, such as hydrogen-bonding dynamics and self-aggregation has yet to be explored in detail, particularly below, or in the vicinity of, Tg. Using molecular dynamics simulations of several dynamic and thermodynamic properties, this study reproduced the supplemented phase diagram of trehalose–water mixtures (i.e., Tg as a function of the solution composition) based on experimental data. The structure and dynamics of the hydrogen-bonding network in the trehalose–water systems were also analyzed. The hydrogen-bonding lifetime was determined to be an order of magnitude higher in the glassy state than in the liquid state, while the constitution of the hydrogen-bonding network exhibited no noticeable change through the glass transition. It was also found that trehalose molecules preferred to form small, scattered clusters above Tg, but self-aggregation was substantially increased below Tg. The average cluster size in the glassy state was observed to be dependent on the trehalose concentration. Our findings provided insights into the glass transition characteristics of aqueous trehalose solutions as they relate to biopreservation.
ANALYZING MODELS WITH MULTIPLE-OUTCOME VARIABLES *

Multivariate designs have been useful in testing models with more than one output variable. This paper explains the use of the step-down F statistic, a technique that allows a more refined analysis than does the traditional multivariate or univariate F test by examining sequential interactions among dependent variables in a multiple-response set. An illustration is presented within the context of a laboratory experiment designed to examine a manipulation effect on a three-variable causal chain. The example illustrates the misleading interpretation that could result without the information provided by the step-down statistic.
On training to “think interactionally”

Abstract The interactional, family-systems perspective should be an intrinsic component of Family Medicine. In order to teach this approach, however, it is necessary to convey an epistemology different from the one trainees normally arrive with. This requires not only curriculum but also institutional structures congruent with the alternative approach.
Image processing: a neural network approach to 2-D Kalman filtering

This paper describes an application of recurrent neural networks with feedback to the restoration of gray scale images corrupted by Gaussian disturbances. The two dimensional autoregressive (discrete homogeneous random Gaussian-Markov field) model of gray scale images are considered and identified as a base for future restoration. For the image restoration the concept of 2-D Kalman filtering (with reduced update procedure) has been utilized. The 2-D Kalman filter for the image restoration has been implemented as a tandem of two recurrent neural networks trained according to the 2-D Kalman filtering algorithm.
Factors Influencing Pheasant Hunter Harvest and Satisfaction

From 1996 to 1999, we surveyed pheasant hunters in Utah to determine what factors affected hunting harvest and improved satisfaction with the hunt. We addressed each question by using a path analysis to examine the effect of select factors on hunter harvest and satisfaction, as well as how harvest affects hunter satisfaction. The resulting path analysis determined that relative hunter density, the number of roosters seen, and the number of pheasants harvested positively influenced hunter satisfaction. The number of roosters seen positively influenced hunter harvest. The number of hours hunted, the size of the hunting party, the number of predators seen, the presence of a dog, and the experience of a hunter with his/her chosen area did not affect hunter satisfaction or hunter success.
ALTERNATE EXPLANATIONS OF URBAN RANK-SIZE RELATIONSHIPS 1

(1958). ALTERNATE EXPLANATIONS OF URBAN RANK-SIZE RELATIONSHIPS. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 83-90.
Canine parvovirus: where are we in the 21st Century?

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is still a significant cause of viral enteritis in the dog and associated with high levels of mortality in untreated animals. Viral replication in the intestinal mucosa leads to melaenic and haemorrhagic diarrhoea, which results in hypovolaemic shock. This is followed by progressive sepsis as a result of intestinal bacterial translocation, and neutropenia secondary to viral replication within the bone marrow. Aggressive treatment with intravenous fluid therapy, anti-emetics and antibiosis leads to improvement and recovery in most cases. More aggressive treatment including early nutritional intervention and interferon can improve outcome. Vaccination is protective in the majority of cases, although vaccine failure can occur if there is interference by materially-derived antibodies.
Cross-Cultural Field Placements: Student Teachers Learning From Schools and Communities

(1998). Cross‐cultural field placements: Student teachers learning from schools and communities. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 37, Preparing Teachers for Cultural Diversity, pp. 155-162.
Generalized minimum distance decoding algorithms for Q ary output channels (Corresp.)

A new condition for a generalized minimum distance decoder to guarantee correct decoding is developed. Based on this condition, decoding algorithms for block codes, product codes, and completely orthogonalizable codes on Q ary output channels are presented. The results of computer simulations comparing the performance of these decoding algorithms with several other soft-decision decoding algorithma are also presented.
A kinematic analysis of the space station remote manipulator system (SSRMS)

An efficient reverse analysis of three 6-degree-of-freedom (dof) subchains of the 7-dof SSRMS is presented. The first subchain is formed by locking the seventh joint. The second subchain is formed by locking the second joint, while the third subchain is formed by locking the first joint (the grounded joint is counted as the first joint in the chain). There are a maximum of eight different arm configurations in each of the three subchains, and these were determined by employing a computer-efficient algorithm, which required the rooting of only at most quadratic polynomials. The algorithms were implemented, and the SSRMS was employed in an animated environment to perform and practice a number of useful tasks for Space Station servicing. The locking of the second joint has the advantage in that an operator can choose the orientation of the plane that contains the two longest links so as to avoid collisions with obstacles. However, it has the disadvantage that when the second joint angle equals 0 deg or 180 deg, the manipulator is in a singularity configuration. This plane can also be oriented by specifying the first joint angle, so that the plane can be oriented arbitrarily and, in this, the singularity is avoided.
A novel multi-alignment pipeline for high-throughput sequencing data

Mapping reads to a reference sequence is a common step when analyzing allele effects in high-throughput sequencing data. The choice of reference is critical because its effect on quantitative sequence analysis is non-negligible. Recent studies suggest aligning to a single standard reference sequence, as is common practice, can lead to an underlying bias depending on the genetic distances of the target sequences from the reference. To avoid this bias, researchers have resorted to using modified reference sequences. Even with this improvement, various limitations and problems remain unsolved, which include reduced mapping ratios, shifts in read mappings and the selection of which variants to include to remove biases. To address these issues, we propose a novel and generic multi-alignment pipeline. Our pipeline integrates the genomic variations from known or suspected founders into separate reference sequences and performs alignments to each one. By mapping reads to multiple reference sequences and merging them afterward, we are able to rescue more reads and diminish the bias caused by using a single common reference. Moreover, the genomic origin of each read is determined and annotated during the merging process, providing a better source of information to assess differential expression than simple allele queries at known variant positions. Using RNA-seq of a diallel cross, we compare our pipeline with the single-reference pipeline and demonstrate our advantages of more aligned reads and a higher percentage of reads with assigned origins. Database URL: http://csbio.unc.edu/CCstatus/index.py?run=Pseudo.
Automation of a Cryogenic Facility by Commercial Process Control Computer

To insure that Brookhaven’s superconducting accelerator magnets are reliable and their field quality meets accelerator requirements, each magnet is pre-tested at operating conditions after construction. MAGCOOL, the production magnet test facility, was designed to perform these tests, having the capacity to test ten magnets per five day week. This paper describes the control aspects of MAGCOOL and the advantages afforded the designers by the implementation of a commercial process control computer system.
A comparison of GEC-based feature selection and weighting for multimodal biometric recognition

In this paper, we compare the performance of a Steady-State Genetic Algorithm (SSGA) and an Estimation of Distribution Algorithm (EDA) for multi-biometric feature selection and weighting. Our results show that when fusing face and periocular modalities, SSGA-based feature weighting (GEFeW SSGA ) produces higher average recognition accuracies, while EDA-based feature selection (GEFeS EDA ) performs better at reducing the number of features needed for recognition.
Applicability of lymphoscintigraphy with sentinel node biopsy to eccrine carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background. Eccrine carcinoma of the head and neck has the propensity to metastasize both to regional and distant sites. When associated with nodal metastasis, there is a high incidence of distant spread of disease, ultimately being associated with the death of the patient. Management of the patient with clinically negative nodes remains controversial. Although elective nodal dissection has been performed, the impact of this intervention remains indeterminate. This case series serves as a feasibility study for use of the technique of lymphoscintigraphy with sentinel node biopsy for eccrine carcinoma arising in the head and neck. Methods. Two patients with eccrine carcinoma underwent sentinel node biopsy by way of the standard, three-part technique using lymphoscintigraphy, 1% isosulfan blue dye, and intraoperative use of the gamma probe. Results. In each of these cases, the lymphoscintigram successfully identified sentinel lymph nodes. Intraoperative findings were significant for confirmation of sentinel nodes with the presence of blue dye in the lymph node. In one case, frozen section identified a positive sentinel lymph node, and the patient underwent definitive nodal dissection and postoperative radiotherapy. In the second case, immunohistochemistry as part of final pathology identified a single microscopic foci of metastatic eccrine carcinoma, for which the patient elected to receive definitive radiation therapy. Conclusions. This report documents the efficacy of lymphoscintigraphy with sentinel lymph node biopsy in identifying microscopic metastasis eccrine carcinoma in primary lesions arising in the head and neck. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head and Neck 25: 879–882, 2003
Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Respiratory Illness in Infants

Breastfeeding has long been believed to protect against infection in infants, but protection against respiratory illnesses has not been consistently demonstrated in studies in developed countries. Between 1988 and 1992, the authors assessed the effect of breastfeeding on incidence and duration of respiratory illnesses during the first 6 months of life in a prospective study that actively tracked breastfeeding and respiratory illnesses. A cohort of 1,202 healthy infants, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, between January 1, 1988 and June 30, 1990, from homes without smokers was enrolled. The daily occurrences of respiratory symptoms and breastfeeding status were reported by the mothers every 2 weeks. Illnesses were classified as lower respiratory illness (LRI) if wheezing or wet cough was reported; the remaining illnesses were classified as upper respiratory. The annualized incidence rates for LRI were 2.8, 2.6, and 2.1 during follow-up time with no, partial, or full breastfeeding, respectively, but the incidence rates for upper respiratory illness and lower respiratory illness combined were similar in the three categories. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, full breastfeeding was associated with a reduction in lower respiratory illness risk (odds ratio=0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.96). Median duration of all respiratory illnesses was 5 days for the fully breastfed infants during the first 6 months of life compared with a median of 6 days for not breastfed and partially breastfed infants. Multivariate analysis confirmed that breastfeeding significantly reduced the duration of respiratory illness. This pattern of reduced incidence of LRI and shorter duration of all respiratory illnesses suggests that breastfeeding reduces the severity of infant respiratory illnesses during the first 6 months of life.