Reaction of zirconium fluoride glass with water: kinetics of dissolution

When liquid water contacts a zirconium-barium-lanthanum fluoride glass, at least three different processes occur. Barium and zirconium fluoride dissolve into the water, water penetrates into the glass, and zirconium fluoride crystals grow on the glass surface, in static solution. The rate of dissolution, as measured by solution analysis, is possibly controlled by diffusion in the solid surface; surface blockage and surface reactions are other possible kinetic steps involved. Diffusion in solution is not the controlling mechanism. Hydrogen profiles in the glass surface suggest that the penetration rate of water into the glass is controlled by diffusion and a surface reaction.     

Formation of C4 species in the deactivation of a Pd/SiO2 catalyst during the selective hydrogenation of acetylene

The deactivation characteristics of Pd/SiO₂ in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene were correlated with changes in the amount of the C4 species produced. The amounts of butenes produced changed in parallel with the catalyst activity, indicating that the rate limiting step for butene production was the same as that for acetylene hydrogenation. On the other hand, the amount of 1,3-butadiene produced changed, showing a maximum with catalyst deactivation because 1,3-butadiene is an intermediate in the sequential reaction process which involves both the production and consumption of 1,3-butadiene. This was verified by a simultaneous TG/reaction experiment showing that 1,3-butadiene was a precursor of green oil. The catalyst showed a self-regenerative behavior in its activity and the amounts of C4 species produced during the early stage of deactivation because two opposite factors, which contributed to either the lowering or the promotion of activity, were involved in the process. A specific type of polymer species, produced during the initial period of deactivation, is proposed to be responsible for the promotion of catalyst activity.     

Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing factor in selected and control Holstein heifer calves

Holstein heifer calves from selected and control lines were treated with growth hormone-releasing factor to determine whether the magnitude of the pituitary growth hormone response is associated with genetic potential for milk yield. Cows in the selected line were bred to highest Predicted Difference milk sires available each year, while control line cows were bred to bulls that were average for 1964 milk production. Eight calves from each line of similar age (206 to 210 days) and weight (205 kg average) were injected intravenously with .1 microgram/kg growth hormone-releasing factor. Dams' first lactation 305-day mature equivalent records were 10,192 +/- 495 kg for selected calves and 6,908 +/- 376 kg for control calves. Before treatment, GH tended to be higher in selected than control calves (mean +/- SE: selected = 7.5 +/- 1.8, control = 4.6 +/- .4 ng/ml). After injection, peak GH were reached within 20 min and were similar in selected and control calves, averaging 66 +/- 16 and 73 +/- 13 ng/ml, respectively. Results indicate that the magnitude of the growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing factor is not related to future performance of dairy calves.     

Holism,Conceptual-Role Semantics,and Syntactic Semantics

This essay continues my investigation of `syntactic semantics': the theory that, pace Searle's Chinese-Room Argument, syntax does suffice for semantics (in particular, for the semantics needed for a computational cognitive theory of natural-language understanding). Here, I argue that syntactic semantics (which is internal and first-person) is what has been called a conceptual-role semantics: The meaning of any expression is the role that it plays in the complete system of expressions. Such a `narrow', conceptual-role semantics is the appropriate sort of semantics to account (from an `internal', or first-person perspective) for how a cognitive agent understands language. Some have argued for the primacy of external, or `wide', semantics, while others have argued for a two-factor analysis. But, although two factors can be specified–-one internal and first-person, the other only specifiable in an external, third-person way–-only the internal, first-person one is needed for understanding how someone understands. A truth-conditional semantics can still be provided, but only from a third-person perspective.     

Sediment chemistry and nutrient influx in a hydrologically restored bottomland hardwood forest in Midwestern USA

Exchanges of total N and C between a river and its floodplain forest have been enhanced by sedimentation processes during flood pulses at a 5‐ha bottomland hardwood forest located at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park in central Ohio. In the spring of 2000, the forest was hydrologically restored by notching an artificial levee that had separated the Olentangy River and its floodplain forest for 100 years. One‐hundred flat sediment traps (30 cm × 30 cm) were used to collect sediment samples during spring/summer flooding events from 2003 to 2005. Results showed that sediment deposition is determined by the landscape variability during flooding events, Net sediment deposit in the wettest area averaged 134 ± 12 g‐dry wt m^?2 in 2003, 127 ± 17 g‐dry wt m^?2 in 2004 and 149 ± 23 g‐dry wt m^?2 in 2005. Total N and C sedimentation ranged from 0.49 to 0.92 g‐N m^?2 and 5.2 to 19.9 g‐C m^?2. Fe dominates the sediment chemistry and results show the elemental abundance in the order of Al > Fe > Ca > K > Mg > S > P > Na > Mn > Zn > B > Cu > Mo. A hydrologic pulsing index (HPI) could be used as an indicator for mass changes of energies with hydrologic pulsing events. Restoration of seasonally flooded bottomland forests could stimulate potentially large nutrient and Fe releases, which would eventually lead to an enhanced forest productivity and biodiversity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influences of land use/cover on water quality in the upper and middle reaches of River Njoro, Kenya

Data from 10 sampling sites along the River Njoro are used to examine the contribution of nutrients from upstream land uses draining each of the sampling sites. The data also are used to assess whether both the proportion of land uses and the size of the subwatersheds account for the variability in water quality in the River Njoro watershed. Geographical Information System analysis was used to determine the spatial distribution of land‐cover types and subwatersheds contributing run‐off to the sampling sites in the River Njoro. Standard Digital Elevation Model‐based routines were used to establish the watershed area contributing run‐off to each sampling site. Water and sediment samples were collected for chemical analysis, and the nutrient levels were related to the upstream land‐use types and the size of the subwatersheds. The mid‐stream portion of the River Njoro (near Egerton University) accounts for the highest nutrient contributions. The percentage contribution is magnified by additions from industrial, human settlements and agricultural land uses around the University. There is a significant decrease in nutrient levels downstream, however, indicating natural purification as the river flows through an area of large‐scale farming with intense, well‐preserved riparian and in‐stream vegetation. Steep slopes of the land upstream of Egerton University enhance erosion and nutrient losses from those subwatersheds. Mixed small‐scale agricultural and bare lands contribute over 55% of the phosphorus load to the upper and mid‐reaches of the River Njoro. The size of the subwatershed accounts for about 53% of the variability in the soluble phosphorus in the river. The land‐use subwatershed proportions are important for characterizing and modelling water quality in the River Njoro watershed. Upland land uses are as important as near‐stream land uses. We suggest that conservation of intact riparian corridor along the river and its tributaries contributes significantly to natural purification processes and recovery of the ecological integrity of the River Njoro ecosystem.     

Using mechatronics to teach mechanical design and technical communication

It is commonly accepted that hands-on experiences increase both learning and enjoyment during coursework. Mechatronics projects provide both interesting and relevant hands-on experiences for a wide range of topics including design processes, basic mechatronics concepts, technical communication, and working in a group environment. ME2110: Creative Decisions and Design at Georgia Tech integrates mechatronics and technical communication into a sophomore level mechanical design class. This paper describes the course in detail, highlighting the course goals and layout, tools provided to the students, industry involvement, and the main challenges of administering such a course.     

Analytic methods for modeling longitudinal data from rolling therapy groups with membership turnover.

Interventions for a variety of emotional and behavioral problems are commonly delivered in the context of treatment groups, with many using rolling admission to sustain membership (i.e., admission, dropout, and discharge from group are perpetual and ongoing). The authors present an overview of the analytic challenges inherent in rolling group data and outline commonly used (but flawed) analytic and design approaches to addressing (or sidestepping) these issues. Moreover, the authors propose use of latent class pattern mixture models (LCPMMs) as a statistically and conceptually defensible approach for modeling treatment data from rolling groups. The LCPMM approach is illustrated with rolling group data from a group-based alcoholism pilot treatment trial (N = 128). Different inferences were made with regard to treatment efficacy under LCPMM vs. the commonly used standard group-clustered latent growth model (LGM); coupled with other preliminary findings in this area, inferences from LGMs may be overly liberal when applied to data from rolling groups. Continued work on data analytic difficulties in groups with membership turnover is critical for furthering the ecological validity of research on behavioral treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)