cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of the Curing Process on Electrical Properties of Superhydrophobic Antifouling Flashover Coatings

In this paper, the effect of the curing process on electrical properties of superhydrophobic antifouling flashover coatings was studied, which electrical properties include, the volume resistivity (ρ v ܄ ), the electrical strength (U B ), relative permittivity (e r ) and the dielectric dissipation factor (tanδ). This kind of superhydrophobic coating uses modified SiO 2 and TiO 2 particles to construct micro-nano composite structures on the surface of FEVE fluorocarbon resin, and its surface has superhydrophobic characteristics. The results show that, as the addition amount of curing agent increases, ρ v܄ first increases and then decreases, and when it reaches 16%, it reaches the maximum value, while e r and tanδ increase simultaneously. As the curing time increases, ρ v܄ and U B increase, and e r and tanδ decrease. However, after full curing, curing time has little effect and curing temperature only affects e r and tanδ. With the increase of curing temperature, e r and tanδ decreases rapidly and then becomes stable. N3390 trimer and N3375 trimer have a relatively high ρ v܄ and U B . Their e r and tanδ are relatively high. N3390 trimer has the highest ρ v܄ and U B . N75 biuret has a minimum e r and tanδ, and its ρ v܄ and U B are relatively small.
Interplay of Disorder and Sequence Specificity in the Formation of Stable Dynein-Dynactin Complexes.

Abstract Cytoplasmic dynein is a eukaryotic motor protein complex that, along with its regulatory protein dynactin, is essential to the transport of organelles within cells. The interaction of dynein with dynactin is regulated by binding between the intermediate chain (IC) subunit of dynein and the p150Glued subunit of dynactin. Even though in the rat versions of these proteins this interaction primarily involves the single α-helix region at the N-terminus of the IC, in Drosophila and yeast ICs the removal of a nascent helix (H2) downstream of the single α-helix considerably diminishes IC-p150Glued complex stability. We find that for ICs from various species, there is a correlation between disorder in H2 and its contribution to binding affinity, and that sequence variations in H2 that do not change the level of disorder show similar binding behavior. Analysis of the structure and interactions of the IC from Chaetomium thermophilum demonstrates that the H2 region of C. thermophilum IC has a low helical propensity and establishes that H2 binds directly to the coiled-coil 1B (CC1B) domain of p150Glued, thus explaining why H2 is necessary for tight binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry, circular dichroism, and NMR studies of smaller CC1B constructs localize the region of CC1B most essential for a tight interaction with IC. These results suggest that it is the level of disorder in H2 of IC along with its charge, rather than sequence specificity, that underlie its importance in initiating tight IC-p150Glued complex formation. We speculate that the nascent H2 helix may provide conformational flexibility to initiate binding, whereas those species that have a fully folded H2 have co-opted an alternative mechanism for promoting p150Glued binding.
Infant expectations of instant or delayed gratification.

Choices between immediate gratification and long-term (but larger) gains are prevalent in human life, which is why the decision-making processes to delay gratification have been studied extensively throughout different developmental ages. Children’s delay-of-gratification behaviors have been examined in the well-known “marshmallow test,” in which 3- to 5-year-olds are given a marshmallow and told by an experimenter that they can eat it immediately or wait for an unspecified duration of time (which can be capped at 15 min) until the experimenter returns so that they can receive another marshmallow. Children's wait time has been viewed as a good indicator of their later development. Here we show that a group of 22-month-old infants (N = 32) already held expectations about others’ choices in a violation-of-expectation looking-time task modeled after the marshmallow test. The infants expected an agent to defer gratification based on a speaker’s promise of the second marshmallow available in the future, but to eat the currently attainable marshmallow when the speaker made no such promise. Our findings indicate an early-emerging understanding of others’ choices of delayed or instant gratification and shed new light on the development of delay-of-gratification behaviors.
Emission-Line Galaxies in the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Parallel Survey. I. Observations and Data Analysis

In the first 3 years of operation the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) obtained slitless spectra of ~2500 fields in parallel to prime Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations as part of the STIS parallel survey (SPS). The archive contains ~300 fields at high Galactic latitude ( > 30°) with spectroscopic exposure times greater than 3000 s. This sample contains 219 fields (excluding special regions and requiring a consistent grating angle) observed between 1997 June 6 and 2000 September 21, with a total survey area of ~160 arcmin2. At this depth, the SPS detects an average of one emission-line galaxy per three fields. We present the analysis of these data and the identification of 131 low- to intermediate-redshift galaxies detected by optical emission lines. The sample contains 78 objects with emission lines that we infer to be redshifted [O II] λ3727 emission at 0.43 < z < 1.7. The comoving number density of these objects is comparable to that of Hα-emitting galaxies in the NICMOS parallel observations. One quasar and three probable Seyfert galaxies are detected. Many of the emission-line objects show morphologies suggestive of mergers or interactions. The reduced data are available upon request from the authors.
Design, Fabrication and Experiments of an Anthropomorphic Finger with Combined Compliant Joints

Fingers are the basic components of anthropomorphic hands. At present, most anthropomorphic fingers utilize rigid joints, which have obvious fabrication and assembly complexities as well as limited flexibility and adaptability. Thus, some anthropomorphic fingers were attempted to utilize compliant joints learned from bioinspiration, but they have a limited self-resetting ability and lateral deformation resistance, as well as occupying a large space and having a non-anthropomorphic appearance. In this paper, nine compliant joints for anthropomorphic fingers were analyzed using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), based on which two combined compliant joints were proposed, and the optimal one was obtained through FEA and experiments. An anthropomorphic finger that embeds parts of the compliant joint into the adjacent phalanxes was then designed. Finally, the anthropomorphic finger was fabricated and experiments were conducted. Experimental results show that the anthropomorphic finger with the proposed combined compliant joints has a better self-resetting ability and lateral deformation resistance while ensuring a large range of motion similar to that of the human finger, and the required actuating force is reasonable. Furthermore, the embedded joint structure can reduce the occupied space of the joint so as to improve the anthropomorphic appearance of the finger, and enhance its lateral deformation resistance.
Intolerance of Uncertainty and Anxiety Symptoms: Examining the Indirect Effect Through Anxiety Sensitivity Among Adults with Anxiety-Related Disorders

The conceptual overlap between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) has gained recent attention, with researchers theorizing that IU may lead individuals to have greater difficulty tolerating the uncertainty about feared consequences of anxiety-related symptoms. Research has indicated that AS may mediate the relationship between IU and certain disorder-specific anxiety symptoms; however, it remains unclear if this relationship is consistent in a treatment-seeking sample of adults with transdiagnostic anxiety-related disorders. We hypothesized that there would be a significant indirect effect of IU, including both inhibitory and prospective subscales, on anxiety symptoms through greater levels of global AS, as well as specifically through physical and cognitive AS dimensions in a transdiagnostic sample of 287 treatment-seeking adults diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders. Partially consistent with hypotheses, there was a significant indirect effect of global IU on anxiety through global AS, as well as specifically through physical and cognitive, but not social, AS dimensions. There was also a significant indirect effect of prospective IU on anxiety through global AS and physical and cognitive, but not social, AS dimensions. There was no indirect effect of inhibitory IU on anxiety symptoms through AS. Findings suggest that AS may be one mechanism of the association between IU and increased anxiety symptoms transdiagnostically.
Avoiding Nonspecific Binding of Secondary Antibodies in Immunoblotting by Double-Blotting

False positives occur in immunoblotting methods due to nonspecific binding between proteins transferred to a membrane and unrelated secondary antibodies. Some methods are available to reduce this adsorption, but they may be effective in specific applications and not work in other cases. Francoise Lasne developed “double-blotting” (DB) to overcome this problem. This method involved inserting a second blotting step between the blot membrane’s normal probings with the primary antibody and the secondary antibodies. This step assures the probing’s specificity with the secondary antibody by isolating the primary antibody from the interfering proteins. Lasne developed this technique to study erythropoietin (EPO) in concentrated urine to overcome the robust nonspecific binding of biotinylated secondary antibodies to certain urinary proteins seen with traditional immunoblotting procedures. This method could be of use in studying proteins present in minuscule quantities in complex biological samples.
Serial verb ʔaw ‘take’ with instrumental meaning in Isaan: A distinct construction?

Abstract This paper describes the syntactic and semantic properties of serial verb clauses with ʔaw ‘take’ in Isaan, a Tai-Kadai language variety spoken in Northeast Thailand that shares linguistic features with both Thai and Lao. Contrary to previous hypotheses about the instrumental meaning of ‘take’ in Thai and Lao, I argue that the instrumental meaning of ʔaw belongs to a distinct serial verb construction (SVC) in Isaan grammar, and the pattern ʔaw NP VP does not qualify as an instance of the “purposive” SVC nor the “handling-dispatch” SVC. The analysis has used a combination of semantic tests, analysis of corpus frequency patterns, and discourse analysis. Analysis of the Spoken Isaan Corpus suggests that serial verb uses of ʔaw with instrumental meaning not only have a syntactic pattern distinguishable from the purposive and the handling-dispatch constructions, but also exhibit different discourse-informational structure; the instrument participant is typically new information or contextually non-recoverable information.
Defining the 'Task at Hand': Non-Science Forensic Science after Kumho Tire V. Carmichael

This article asserts that Kumho Tire v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137 (1999) stands for two important priciples: first, that the gatekeeping requirement of minimum threshold reliability pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 702 applies to all profferred expert testimony, not just to the explicit products of "science"; and second, that this threshold reliability must be evaluated in regard to the particular "task at hand", not globally in regard to the average dependability of a broadly defined area of expertise, which might be dependable in other contexts, but not in regard to the "task at hand". The first of these principles is explicit in the Kumho Tire opinion, and the second somewhat less obvious, but of central importance and potentially of even greater impact. The article explains in detail why the decision must be read as standing for the second principle, relying both on the text of the opinion and the notions of reliability which it embodies. It then goes on to examine what the effect of appropriate task-at-hand analysis would be on forensic science admissibility issues in criminal cases, illustrating its impact through an analysis of all the opinions on the admissibility of handwriting identification testimony since the decision of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 509 U.S. 579 (1993).
Myrdal, Gunnar (1898–1987)

Gunnar Myrdal (1898–1987), Nobel Laureate in economics, was a passionate advocate of equality, social reforms, and the welfare state. His work as a young economist was inspired by Knut Wicksell and centered around an attempt to introduce expectations into conventional price theory. It was also through his studies in economics that Myrdal became interested in the role of objectivity in the social sciences, a topic to which he was to devote much attention. Myrdal argued that values always influence social science and that the social scientist should state his or her values in a forthright manner. Myrdal became famous in the United States through An American Dilemma (1944) and in the rest of the world through Asian Drama (1968). The former can be characterized as a sociological analysis of racism in the United States; and Myrdal argued that there exists a conflict in the heart of the average American between the lofty ideals of ‘the American way of life’ and the tough realities of everyday life. Asian Drama lacks a single thesis and represents rather an attempt to weave together a series of themes, including the proposition that a progressive and strong state is central to economic development and to the introduction of equality and freedom in developing countries.
Who Sets the News Agenda on Twitter

Since its debut in 2006, Twitter has established itself as a unique platform for news sharing with features, such as “@mentions” and “retweets,” popular among journalists and non-journalists alike. This study examined how journalists share news messages on Twitter. Specifically, the authors investigated whether there is any difference in linking and attribution behavior between journalists for online and prestige traditional news organizations. A content analysis was conducted of a sample of 1175 tweets from 40 journalists from eight news organizations (four prestige traditional and four online) posted during the US government shutdown from October 1 to 16, 2013. This study supports previous research that journalists are more likely to promote content from their own news sites than from other sources. The study also extends agenda-setting theory to journalists’ use of Twitter. When they were not linking to their own news organizations’ work, journalists in the sample were more likely to link to content on...
A Controlled Trial of Supported Employment for People With Severe Mental Illness and Justice Involvement

Objective:Employment is a key to participation in community life for people with severe mental illness, especially those who have been involved in the criminal justice system. Although the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment has been established as an evidence-based practice for helping people with severe mental illness attain competitive employment, little is known about whether IPS is effective for people with severe mental illness who have a history of arrest or incarceration. This study examined this question.Methods:A randomized controlled trial examined competitive employment outcomes for 85 participants with severe mental illness and justice involvement who were assigned to IPS or to a comparison group that offered a job club approach with peer support.Results:At one-year follow-up, a greater proportion of participants in the IPS group than in the comparison group had obtained competitive employment (31% versus 7%; p<.01). The IPS and comparison groups did not diffe...
Safety Performance of Shaped Steering Assembly Airbag

This paper discusses a program wherein studies were made of forward force simulations of crashes and destructive barrier crashes using a shaped steering assembly airbag. It was shown that the airbag was offered the best protection when compared with the performance of lap belts and lap and shoulder belt combinations. This shaped airbag deploys between the abdomen and the steering wheel and between the head and the steering wheel, thus providing protection of these two important areas.
Endogenous neural precursors influence grafted neural stem cells and contribute to neuroprotection in the parkinsonian rat

Neuroprotective and neurorescue effects after neural stem/precursor cell (NPC) transplantation have been reported, but the mechanisms underlying such phenomena are not well understood. Our recent findings in a rat Parkinson's disease (PD) model indicate that transplantation of NPCs before a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) insult can result in nigrostriatal protection which is associated with endogenous NPC proliferation, migration and neurogenesis. Here, we sought to determine whether the observed endogenous NPC response (i) contributes to transplanted NPC-mediated neuroprotection; and/or (ii) affects graft phenotype and function. Host Fischer 344 rats were administered the antimitotic agent cytosine-β-d-arabinofuranoside (Ara-C) to eliminate actively proliferating endogenous neural precursors before being transplanted with NPCs and treated with 6-OHDA to induce nigrostriatal degeneration. Behavioral and histological analyses demonstrate that the neuroprotective response observed in NPC transplanted animals which had not received Ara-C was significantly attenuated in animals which did receive pre-transplant Ara-C. Also, while grafts in Ara-C-treated animals showed no decrease in cell number, they exhibited significantly reduced expression of the neural stem cell regulators nestin and sonic hedgehog. In addition, inhibition of the endogenous NPC response resulted in an exaggerated host glial reaction. Overall, the study establishes for the first time that endogenous NPCs contribute to transplanted NPC-mediated therapeutic effects by affecting both grafted and mature host cells in unique ways. Thus, both endogenous and transplanted NPCs are important in creating an environment suitable for neural protection and rescue, and harnessing their synergistic interaction may lead to the optimization of cell-based therapies for PD.
Vortex coupling in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+y , using controlled sample geometry

The flux transformer geometry has been useful for studying vortex coupling in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y crystals but is limited by the difficulty of controlling sample size. We have used an argon ion mill to etch two channels into the top face of a Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y crystal to reproduce the effects of the flux transformer geometry with more precise control over effective sample dimensions. The temperature dependence of the transformer voltage in such a crystal shows a pronounced peak between 87 K and 89 K which is linear with current. Application of a magnetic field (H ∥ c-axis) sharply suppresses the peak, broadens it, and shifts it to lower temperatures. The peak in the transformer voltage and its current and field dependence are consistent with interlayer Josephson coupling of thermally excited vortices.
Calculation of the coherent dynamic structure factor of polyisoprene from molecular dynamics simulations

The static structure factor $S(Q)$ and the coherent dynamic structure factor $S(Q,t)$ are calculated from molecular dynamics simulations of polyisoprene melts and compared with neutron scattering results [R. Zorn, D. Richter, B. Farago, B. Frick, F. Kremer, U. Kirst, and L. J. Fetters, Physica B 180a181, 534 (1992)]. Both the shape and the absolute time scale of the calculated $S(Q,t)$ are consistent with experimental results. The decay of $S(Q,t)$ can be almost entirely attributed to intramolecular dynamics throughout the Q range studied $(1.2l~Ql~3.0{\AA{}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}),$ i.e., the full $S(Q,t)$ can be approximated by considering only the self terms and the cross terms localized to within a few repeat units along the chain. It was found that the factor of 5 observed between the dynamics at the first two peaks of $S(Q)$ is part of a general trend largely independent of whether $S(Q)$ is at a minimum or a maximum. A comparison of $S(Q,t)$ in the region of the first peak in $S(Q)$ and the ${P}_{2}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{---}\mathrm{H}$ bond vector orientation autocorrelation function ${F}_{C}(t)$ suggests that the same molecular motions influence both the neutron spin echo and NMR ${T}_{1}$ relaxation experiments.
Surface impedance of normal and superconductors at 24,000 megacycles per second

"This paper is based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at M.I.T." "May 2, 1949."
Cloud-point measurements for the mixture tertiary butyl alcohol, secondary butyl alcohol, and water

Cloud point measurements are presented for the ternary mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol (tBA), secondary butyl alcohol (sBA), and water. At a zero tBA concentration the system displays a large immiscibility gap, but with an increasing proportion of tBA, the gap pinches off at a critical double point to a closed loop and a lower gap, then the loop shrinks and disappears at a hypercritical point, leaving only the lower gap. This behavior is shown to be semiquantitatively similar to the behavior of sBA/water with increasing pressure. If a pseudobinary assumption is made, the shape of the cloud-point curves can be shown to be qualitatively similar to coexistence curves in binary mixtures, with an exponent of β ≃ 1/3. Near the critical double point this exponents appears to double.
A typology of knowledge management strategies for hospital preparedness: what lessons can be learned?

Recently, hospital emergency preparedness has come under scrutiny. Having a written plan, even training for every possible attack might not be sufficient if there is a shortage in the required local knowledge and capacity. Until recently, knowledge management has not been at the core of the healthcare business model despite healthcare being a knowledge-intensive business. Hospitals are becoming aware of the need for capturing the knowledge of their staff and focusing on the efficient and effective use of information technology. The authors modified slightly an earlier typology of six different Knowledge-Based (KB) strategies that was validated in the business-for-profit sector to fit the unique aspects of KB strategies for hospital preparedness. Based on the proposed typology, hospitals have a number of choices to consider. Since organisational cultures are different, this suggests that each hospital must tailor a disaster plan to fit its unique characteristics, environment and history.
Rigorous link between the conductivity and elastic moduli of fibre-reinforced composite materials

We derive rigorous cross-property relations linking the effective transverse electrical conductivity cr* and the effective transverse elastic moduli of any transversely isotropic, two-phase ‘fibre-reinforced’ composite whose phase boundaries are cylindrical surfaces with generators parallel to one axis. Specifically, upper and lower bounds are derived on the effective transverse bulk modulus k* in terms of cr* and on the effective transverse shear modulus //* in terms of cr*. These bounds enclose certain regions in the ct*-ac* and cr*-/r* planes, portions of which are attainable by certain microgeometries and thus optimal. Our bounds connecting the effective conductivity cr* to the effective bulk modulus ft* apply as well to anisotropic composites with square symmetry. The implications and utility of the bounds are explored for some general situations, as well as for specific microgeometries, including regular and random arrays of circular cylinders, hierarchical geometries corresponding to effective-medium theories, and checkerboard models. It is shown that knowledge of the effective conductivity can yield sharp estimates of the effective elastic moduli (and vice versa), even for infinite phase contrast.
Lipophilic 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles from the marine sponge Mycale sp. inhibit mitochondrial respiration and HIF-1 activation

The lipid extract of the marine sponge Mycale sp. inhibited the activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) in a human breast tumor T47D cell-based reporter assay. Bioassay-guided isolation and structure elucidation yielded 18 new lipophilic 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles and eight structurally related known compounds. The active compounds inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF activation with moderate potency (IC50 values <10 microM). Mechanistic studies revealed that the active compounds suppressed mitochondrial respiration by blocking NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) at concentrations that inhibited HIF-1 activation. Under hypoxic conditions, reactive oxygen species produced by mitochondrial complex III are believed to act as a signal of cellular hypoxia that leads to HIF-1alpha protein induction and activation. By inhibiting electron transport (or delivery) to complex III under hypoxic conditions, lipophilic Mycale pyrroles appear to disrupt mitochondrial ROS-regulated HIF-1 signaling.
Pastoral care and the eight deadly vices

This study augments Erik Erikson's developmental schedule of virtures with a corresponding schedule of vices. Eight major vices are correlated with the eight stages of the life cycle. The vices, derived from traditional classifications of the “deadly sins,” include (in order) gluttony, anger, greed, envy, pride, lust, indifference, and melancholy. Implications of this schedule of vices for pastoral care are suggested.
Capillary instability of a thin-walled hollow viscous cylinder

The capillary stability of a viscous hollow cylinder is investigated. It is shown that in the case of small wall thickness there is considerable simplification since the flow can be considered as that in a plane sheet. As a first approximation, the introduction of viscosity slows the breakup due to symmetric waves but leaves the breakup due to antisymmetric waves unchanged.
Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease: Occurrence in Patients on Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis

Acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD) is a well-known complication of long-term hemodialysis. To the best of our knowledge, only six patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis have been reported to develop this disease. We herein report two such cases, and concluded that the morphology of ACKD seems to be independent of the type of dialysis and that hemodialysis is not necessary for the development of ACKD.
Global construction of associated orders in complex multiplication

Let E/L be an elliptic curve defined over a number field L with complex multiplication by the ring of integers of a quadratic imaginary number field K⊆L. We fix a prime ideal p in K and assume E to have good reduction modulo p. We consider cosets of the form P+Gm, where Gm denotes the group of points of order pm and P a point of order pr+m, r⩾0,m⩾1, which can be viewed as the set of all “pm-th roots” of some point in Gr. In analogy to the Kummer theory such a coset gives rise to the definition of an order O˜P in an algebra MP and to an associated order A defined below by its local components. These objects naturally come into play in the Galois module structure of rings of integers in ray class fields over K. It is the aim of this article to construct global generators both for O˜P and A as algebras over the ring of integers of L. For the convenience of the reader we also include from (J. Number Theory 77 (1999) 97) a simple construction of Galois generators for O˜P over A. We thereby show that these generators also fit in the setting of this article that is more general than in [Sch4]. The main results in Theorems 3, 6 and 7 are obtained assuming the base field L to contain “enough” torsion points of E.
FOLDING OF AN MRNA PSEUDOKNOT REQUIRED FOR STOP CODON READTHROUGH : EFFECTS OF MONO- AND DIVALENT IONS ON STABILITY

Unfolding of an mRNA pseudoknot that induces ribosome suppression of the gag gene stop codon in Moloney murine leukemia virus has been studied by UV hyperchromicity and calorimetry. The pseudoknot melts in two steps, corresponding to its two helical stems. The total enthalpy of denaturation is ∼170 kcal/mol, approximately the value expected for the secondary structure. At low salt concentrations ( Na+ > K+ > Rb+ > Cs+) and by NH4+; the same preferences are exhibited by one of the stems in the context of a hairpin. Divalent metal ions are not required to fold the pseudoknot but do stabilize it further. To examine divalent ion effects over a wide concentration range, urea was used to lower the RNA unfolding temperature and was shown not to affect characteristics of the pseudoknot unfolding in other respects....
Accuracy and intraobserver variability of simulated cervical dilatation and effacement measurements.

Objective: To assess the accuracy and intraobserver variability of clinical cervical diameter measurements among obstetric health care providers.Methods: Cervical dilatation and effacement simulators consisting of pelvic blocks composed of synthetic rubber were used for the study. The examiners had to rely solely on proprioception to determine dilatation and effacement.Results: A total of 828 simulated cervical diameter and effacement measurements were obtained from 69 different examiners. The overall accuracy for determining the exact diameter was 48.6%, which improved to 88.8% when an error of +/- 1 cm was allowed. Intraobserver variability for a given diameter measurement was 39.9%, which decreased to 14.0% when an error of +/- 1 cm was allowed. The overall accuracy for determining the exact effacement was 52.9%, which improved to 85.8% when an error of +/- 25% was allowed. Intraobserver variability for a given effacement measurement was 37.0%, which decreased to 7.3% when an error of +/- 25% was allowed.Conclusions: Cervical diameter and effacement measurements obtained by digital exam are precise when an error of +/- 1 cm in diameter and +/- 25% effacement is allowed. Intraobserver variability is > 35% and is an important consideration when evaluating dysfunctional labor.
THE PRESENT STATE OF GERMAN INSTRUCTION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF THE EASTERN STATES1

THE professors and teachers of German who were in Baltimore in December 1921 will recall that the Committee presented a report at that time, the gist of which was subsequently printed in the April (1922) number of the MODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL. That first report was based upon surveys made in New England and New York State by Professors C. W. Eastman of Amherst and Morton C. Stewart of Union College, supplemented by a circularization of school superintendents in about 30 of the principal cities of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In other words it included practically all places with a population of 30,000 or over, located in the territory usually embraced by the Eastern Division of the Modern Language Association and showed that while the status of the German language had suffered very severely as a consequence of the World War, nevertheless in no state of the East had the teaching of that language died out entirely and in almost all of them signs of a revival were plainly visible.
Effect of detector lag on CT noise power spectra

Purpose: The authors examined the effect of detector lag on the noise power spectrum (NPS) of CT images reconstructed with filtered backprojection (FBP). Methods: The authors derived an analytical expression of the NPS with detector lag, and then verified it using computer simulations with parallel beam and fan beam geometries. The dependence of the NPS on the amount of lag, location within the scanned field of view (FOV), and the number of views used in the reconstruction (samples per rotation) was investigated using constant and view dependent noise in the raw data. Results: Detector lag introduces noise correlation in the azimuthal direction. The effect on the NPS is a frequency dependent reduction in amplitude. In small regions of the image, the effect is primarily in the frequencies corresponding to the azimuthal direction. The noise blurring and NPS filtering increases with increasing radial distance, and therefore regions at larger radial distances have lower noise power. With the same detector lag response function, the amount of noise correlation and NPS filtering decreases with increasing number of views. Conclusions: The shape of the NPS depends on the detector lag coefficients, location of the region, and the number of views used in the reconstruction. In general, the noise correlation caused by detector lag decreased the amplitude of the NPS.
Velocity calibration for in-situ Mössbauer data from Mars

Beginning in August 2004, raw data acquired by the Mossbauer spectrometers on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) have been released to the science community as Experimental Data Records (EDRs) for each Martian day (sol) on which measurements were made. To provide convenient direct access to the EDR data, to enable independent assessment and analysis, and to allow confirmation of MER-team scientific conclusions, a new Windows-based computer program, MERView, has been developed. Direct inspection of the binary structure of an EDR file, conversion of the binary data to decimal column format for display or export, and full-screen graphical displays are included, allowing, in a highly transparent and user-friendly manner, immediate and thorough overview of the entire EDR data set. MERView also includes automated procedures for velocity calibration. Correction for non-linearity is done using the EDR-provided drive error signal, a phase shift, and the requirement that the two halves of a reference spectrum must overlap exactly when plotted on a correct velocity scale. Absolute velocity calibration (mm/s) is then accomplished by comparing each reference spectrum with known peak positions of standard reference materials.
The role of G-protein-coupled receptors in heart failure

Central to the development of congestive heart failure is the role played by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The sympathetic nervous system stimulates GPCRs during periods of stress. Novel therapeutic approaches to heart failure are focused on key enzymes that regulate the signal transduction pathways. The purpose of this review is to document the mechanism by which an alteration in the GPCR signal transduction processes contributes to the pathophysiology of heart failure.
Decay scheme of 162Gd

Abstract Short-lived 162Gd has been produced by double neutron capture and investigated with Ge(Li) and Si(Li) detectors. Gamma rays with energies of 402.8 and 441.6keV were found to decay with a half-life of 8.2±0.3 min. Coincidence measurements revealed a γ-ray with 38.8 keV and have led to a proposed decay scheme with levels in odd 162Tb characterized by (K, Iπ) at the following energies in keV: 0(1, 1−), 38.8(1, 2−) and 441.6(1, 1+). The two lowest levels are interpreted as the intrinsic configuration 3 2 + (411) p − 5 2 − (523) n and the highest as 7 2 − (523) p − 5 2 − (523) n .
Gravimetric determination of rubidium and caesium with N,N-dimethylethanol-ammonium orotate

Abstract It has been shown that rubidium and caesium can be determined gravimetrically using N,N-dimethylethanolammonium orotate as precipitant. The composition and identity of the rubidium and caesium orotate, which were the precipitates utilised in the gravimetric methods developed, have been established by elemental analyses and the results confirm their purity.
Sputnik I's Last Days in Orbit

Observations during the last days of Sputnik I's orbiting are presented. These observations were made at The Ohio State University Radio Observatory using a simple CW reflection technique. The data suggest that the breakup of an artificial satellite upon its reentry into the denser atmosphere is a complex phenomenon in which a sequential series of events may occur over a period of days. Graphs of the average height of the satellite and its associated fragments as a function of time are presented, and some conclusions are drawn as to the details of the actual breakup phenomenon.
High-resolution leaf-fossil record spanning the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

THEORIES that explain the extinctions characterizing the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary1-3 need to be tested by analyses of thoroughly sampled biotas. Palynological studies are the primary means for stratigraphic placement of the terrestrial boundary and for estimates of plant extinction4-12, but have not been combined with quantitative analyses of fossil leaves (megaflora). Megafloral studies complement palynology by representing local floras with assemblages capable of high taxonomic resolution13, but have previously lacked the sample size and stratigraphic spacing needed to resolve latest Cretaceous floral history5,14-18. We have now combined megafloral data from a 100-m-thick composite K/T boundary section in North Dakota with detailed palynological analysis. Here the boundary is marked by a 30% palynofloral extinction coincident with iridium and shocked-mineral anomalies and lies ∼2 m above the highest dinosaur remains. The megaflora undergoes a 79% turnover across the boundary, and smaller changes 17- and 25-m below it. This pattern is consistent with latest Cretaceous climatic warming preceding a bolide impact.
Chromium addition and environmental embrittlement in Fe3Al

Iron aluminides based on Fe[sub 3]Al afford excellent oxidation properties at relatively low cost, making them candidates for use as structural material in corrosive environments. Recently, efforts have been devoted to understanding and improving their ductility through control of grain structure, alloy additions and material processing. Studies at this laboratory have shown that the ambient temperature ductility can be increased significantly by additions of up to 6% Cr. This increase in ductility was earlier attributed to increased cleavage strength, easier cross slip due to lower antiphase boundary (APB) energy, and solid softening. Very recent studies of FeAl and Fe[sub 3]Al in various tensile testing environments have indicated that both alloy systems are relatively more ductile at room temperature when tested in vacuum or dry oxygen. Ductilities of 12--18% were attained in both iron aluminide systems in an oxygen pressure of 6.7 [times] 10[sup 4] Pa, while only 2--4% ductility was achieved in normal laboratory air. It seems appropriate to reexamine the mechanism by which chromium produces improved ductility at room temperature in laboratory air and to correlate it with the environmental effects on mechanical properties. In the current investigation, the authors have evaluated room temperature tensile properties of the binary more » alloy (Fe-28Al, at.%) and ternary alloy containing chromium (Fe-28Al-4Cr) as a function of surface condition and heat treatment. The results indicate that, although chromium may affect cleavage strength and APB energies, its most significant effect on room temperature ductility is to modify the protective surface oxide, resulting in a minimization of environmental embrittlement. « less
Morphological factors influencing the initial stages of coarsening in the Al-Al 3 Ni eutectic composite

The initial stages of microstructural coarsening, in the form of decreased transverse fiber density, in the Al-Al3Ni eutectic are strongly influenced by the presence of longitudinally misoriented fibers. In transverse sections of directionally solidified alloys, these fibers appear as “bands” of fibers with diameters greater than those of fibers between bands. The initial stages of coarsening are associated with mass transport of nickel from the latter to the former. The initial coarsening rates and transient times were observed to depend strongly on initial band spacing and solidification rate. During this period, the evolving microstructural morphology is similar to that of the initial band morphology. At later stages, the coarsened morphology no longer reflects the original band pattern. A simplified one-dimensional model of transverse coarsening was developed which illustrates the effects that initial band spacing, initial fiber size variation, and solidification rate have on the initial coarsening rate and subsequent microstructural morphology.
An analysis of persuasive discourse: Learning how to take a stand

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the effects of instruction on students’ persuasive writing at two grade levels (3rd and 5th), and (b) to determine the categories and types of written persuasion used by students at four grade levels (3rd, 5th, 10th, and 12th). The first objective, determining instructional effects, was accomplished by specifically instructing students in oral and written argument/persuasion. There were no significant main effects for instructional strategy or for the presence of the oral interaction component. The second purpose of this study was to categorize students’ written persuasive responses and to determine grade and gender differences, if any, in the nature of the responses given. Weiss and Sachs’ (1991) classification system was used. There was no significant main effect for gender, but there was a significant main effect for grade. Students in Grade 3 did not use Compromise at all, whereas 10.8% of the 12th‐grade students’ responses utilized Compromise. S...
ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN NON-IRRADIATED BONE.

THE generation of electrical potentials by bone subjected to mechanical stress has been recently reported by two groups of investigators1,2. Bassett and Becker suggested a semiconduction mechanism as being the source of the phenomenon, while Shamos et al. favoured a classical piezo-electric mechanism similar to that earlier described by Fukada and Yasuda3. The semiconduction theory has recently been reported on in more detail4 and evidence presented for the formation of multiple pn junctions from the apatite crystal (p type) collagen fibre (n type) in the bone matrix. Similar inorganic pn junctions have been shown to be exceedingly stress sensitive5,6.
Preexposure to cocaine attenuates aversions induced by both cocaine and fluoxetine: Implications for the basis of cocaine-induced conditioned taste aversions.

Abstract Although cocaine-induced conditioned taste aversions (CTA) are well documented, little is known about the basis for cocaine's aversive effects. To address the role of serotonin (5-HT) in cocaine-induced aversions, the present experiments used the cross-drug preexposure design in which the effects of exposure to fluoxetine, a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with 5-HT transporter (SERT) inhibitory properties, were examined on aversions induced by cocaine (a nonselective monoamine transport inhibitor) and the effects of cocaine preexposure were examined on fluoxetine-induced aversions. Prior to these assessments, a fluoxetine dose–response function (3.2, 5.6, 10, and 18 mg/kg) was established in male Sprague–Dawley rats to determine a dose of fluoxetine that would induce intermediate aversions that were comparable to those induced by 18 mg/kg cocaine (Experiment 1). Other groups of rats were then exposed to fluoxetine prior to aversion conditioning with cocaine (Experiment 2) and with cocaine prior to aversion conditioning with fluoxetine (Experiment 3). All drugs were administered subcutaneously (cocaine 18 mg/kg; fluoxetine 10 mg/kg). Although there was no effect of fluoxetine preexposure on either cocaine- or fluoxetine-induced aversions, preexposure to cocaine significantly attenuated aversions induced by itself and by fluoxetine. These results were discussed in terms of the possible role 5-HT might play in the mediation of aversions induced by cocaine.
Intubation with ongoing CPR

I read with great interest the recent article Sang O. Parka, wang Je Baeka, Dae Young Honga, et al., Resuscitation 84 (2013) 233–1237. Their discussion on the feasibility of video assisted ntubation with ongoing CPR mirrors a similar process we have valuated in the out of hospital setting. In a previous study we were ble to demonstrate a reduced number of attempts and time for sucessful placement in a study comparing DL vs. VL.1 Recently, using video laryngoscope (Glidescope Ranger®) with an attached video
Flow Blurring Atomization for Low-Emission Combustion of Liquid Biofuels

In this study, clean combustion of straight vegetable oil (VO) is achieved by utilizing a novel flow blurring (FB) fuel injector with superior atomization characteristics. Experiments are conducted in an atmospheric pressure combustor using three different fuels: straight VO, which is fully-refined soybean oil, biodiesel produced from soybean VO, and No. 2 diesel. Combustion performance is assessed by comparing flame images, emissions profiles at the combustor exit plane, and pressure drop in fuel and atomizing air lines. Results show that the FB atomizer can create clean burning spray flames of straight VO without preprocessing and/or preheating. The FB injector produces sprays with smaller diameter fuel droplets to promote combustion in the premixed mode. All fuels resulted in similar CO emissions, while biodiesel flames had the lowest NOX emissions. Pressure drop in the fuel and atomizing air lines was independent of the fuel.
Nonoptimal termination properties of quadratic interpolation univariate searches

Abstract A number of well-regarded multivariable nonlinear programming algorithms employ univariate searches to enhance progress toward an optimum. One of the preferred univariate searches has been Coggins' quadratic approximation-interpolation algorithm. * In this paper, conditions are derived for which Coggins' algorithm may terminate at very poor estimates of the optimum. Simple but representative numerical examples affirm these results for a preferred coding. Interestingly, this algorithm nevertheless performs extremely well on a wide range of test problems. Similar conditions can be derived for higher order approximations, although this does not appear warranted based on the present knowledge.
Bacteriophages are synergistic with bacterial interference for the prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation on urinary catheters.

Aims We hypothesized that pretreating urinary catheters with benign Escherichia coli HU2117 plus an anti-pseudomonal bacteriophage (ΦE2005-A) would prevent P. aeruginosa biofilm formation on catheters – a pivotal event in the pathogenesis of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
Acute vena cava thrombosis after placement of retrievable inferior vena cava filter before laparoscopic gastric bypass

c p d w o c n Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has been established as an ffective safe surgical procedure for morbid obesity. The verall mortality rate is low at 1% in many series, in hich pulmonary embolism and anastomostic leak are he number 1 and 2 causes of death [1,2]. Despite widepread use of perioperative prophylaxis for venous hromboembolism (VTE) with sequential compression evices, antiembolic stockings, anticoagulation, and arly ambulation, the incidence of symptomatic pulmoary embolism remains at 0.3–2.4% [1,3]. In a postmorem study of gastric bypass patients, 80% had evidence of ulmonary emboli that were thought to have contributed o their morbidity and mortality, and only 20% had been linically diagnosed with pulmonary emboli before death 4]. This finding suggests that VTE remains an underapreciated complication. Despite its importance, no regien for prophylaxis has been agreed on. In trying to further reduce the rate of death from pulmoary embolism after gastric bypass, inferior vena cava IVC) filters have been placed in a subset of higher risk atients for VTE. Among trauma patients, a significant eduction in the incidence of pulmonary emboli from 17% o 2.5% has been demonstrated with the use of prophylactic VC filter placement in patients with 3 risk factors [5]. owever, the evidence for benefit in the bariatric population s less clear. Keeling et al. [6] reviewed their experience ith IVC filter placement in 14 gastric bypass patients and eported no filter-related complications or pulmonary emoli. On the basis of the results from this very small series, hey recommended routine preoperative filter placement in ll bariatric patients with previous pulmonary embolus, pre-