cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
With SiGe, who needs GaAs?

Summary form only given. With SiGe-based bipolar transistors making rapid inroads into high-frequency small-signal and analog applications, there is the question of whether they will permanently displace GaAs or other compound-semiconductor heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). Often the attempts to answer this question have raised more questions because they were based on apple-to-orange comparisons. In this talk, we attempt to make an apple-to-apple comparison of the SiGe and GaAs HBTs by examining and comparing the intrinsic physical properties of the materials and the electrical parameters of these transistors. The comparison is made for devices of comparably advanced structures and of the same design rules. The conclusions are that the commonly practiced SiGe HBT is not really a heterojunction bipolar transistor at all, and that GaAs HBTs are inherently faster than SiGe "HBTs". Therefore, GaAs and other compound-semiconductor HBTs will have a place in applications where the higher speed makes an important difference. The inherent advantage of SiGe bipolar transistor over GaAs HBT lies in its being compatible with CMOS VLSI processing.
Behavior control for planetary exploration: interim report

Describes work in progress on Rocky IV, a prototype microrover designed to demonstrate proof-of-concept for a low-cost scientific mission to Mars. Rocky IV is currently the baseline design for the MESUR mission scheduled for launch in 1996. Rocky IV uses a behavior-based control architecture which implements a large variety of functions displaying various degrees of autonomy, from completely autonomous navigation to very precisely described actions resembling classical AI operators. The control system integrates information from infrared proximity sensors, proprioceptive encoders which report on the state of the articulation of the rover's suspension system and other mechanics, a homing beacon, a magnetic compass, and contact sensors. The robot is able to perform a variety of useful tasks, including soil sample collection, removal of surface weathering layers from rocks, spectral imaging, instrument deployment, and sample return, under realistic mission-like conditions in Mars-like terrain. >
The contribution of epigenetic memory to immunologic memory.

Memory T lymphocytes are distinct from antigen-inexperienced naive T cells in that memory T cells can respond more rapidly when they re-encounter a pathogen. Work over the past decade has begun to define the epigenetic underpinnings of the transcriptional component of the memory T cell response. An emerging theme is the persistence of an active chromatin signature at relevant gene loci in resting memory T cells, even when those genes are transcriptionally inactive. This gives strength to the concept of gene poising, and has shown that memory T lymphocytes are an ideal model in which to further define various mechanisms of epigenetic poising.
Programmable, polarization-independent, and DWDM-chromatic dispersion compensator using a virtually-imaged phased-array and spatial light modulator

We demonstrate a programmable, polarization-independent, and DWDM-capable chromatic dispersion compensator based on a virtually-imaged phased-array and spatial light modulator providing both positive and negative dispersion with tuning range of -2040 /spl sim/ +850 ps/nm.
Recommendations for the investigation of abnormal hepatic function in asymptomatic workers

Occupational medicine programs use medical surveillance tests to measure physiologic parameters that may be affected by workplace exposures. Surveillance tests can detect early detrimental changes before workers manifest recognizable symptoms. Hepatic function testing is one type of surveillance test used to monitor workers exposed to hepatotoxins. However, a significant proportion of these test reports return showing abnormal hepatic function without a readily apparent etiology. Follow-up investigation of abnormal liver enzyme tests is a commonly encountered problem in occupational medicine clinics. The algorithm proposed in this paper will outline a systematic approach for investigating abnormal hepatic function tests from asymptomatic workers.
Embrace, defend, extend: a methodology for embedding preexisting DSLs

Domain-specific languages offer programming abstractions that enable higher efficiency, productivity and portability specific to a given application domain. Domain-specific languages such as StreamIt have valuable auto-parallelizing code-generators, but they require learning a new language and tool-chain and may not integrate easily with a larger application. One solution is to transform such standalone DSLs into embedded languages within a general-purpose host language. This prospect comes with its own challenges, namely the compile-time and runtime integration of the two languages. In this paper, we address these challenges, presenting our solutions in the context of a prototype embedding of StreamIt in Haskell. By demonstrating this methodology, we hope to encourage more reuse of DSL technology, and fewer short-lived reimplementations of existing techniques.
Photochromic properties of a water-soluble methyl carboxylic acid indolylfulgimide

Photochromic fulgides and fulgimides have been identified as promising materials for applications in optical memory media, optical switches, and sensors. For applications in humid environments or biological systems, hydrolytic stability is crucial. A new photochromic methyl carboxylic acid indolylfulgimide was synthesized to improve hydrolytic stability in aqueous solution. The UV-vis spectra, extinction coefficient, thermal stability, and photochemical stability of the fulgimide were characterized in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The open and closed forms were both stable in buffer. At 37 °C after 500 h, the open forms of the fulgimide showed no degradation within experimental error (1–2%) by 1H NMR and 2.3% decomposition by UV-vis spectroscopy. The closed form degraded 22% and 11% after 500 h at 37 °C in buffer by UV-vis and 1H NMR data, respectively. In addition, the fulgimide cycled back and forth between the open and closed forms 80 times before degrading by 20% in buffer. The methyl group at the bridging position of the fulgimide significantly increased the thermal stability by overcoming the rapid hydrolysis of the trifluoromethyl group.
Optimal commutation laws by real-time optimization for multiple motor driven systems

This paper addresses commutation laws of brushless motor coils for multiple-degree-of-freedom motion. By exploiting the redundancy of motor coils and motor force generation that exist in over actuated motion platforms, we propose a commutation law, which generates the required forces while minimizing the effect of motor coil heat generation on thermal distortion on the motion platform work space. To realize the commutation laws in real-time, a real-time iterative solution, using an interior-point method, is described and shown to solve this problem in under 35 microseconds, within the update rate of our system running at over 9KHz.
Board size variation and rates of succession in the corporate presidency

Abstract Within the setting of 54 industrial corporations, the higher the variation in the membership size of the board of directors, the more rapid the rate of replacement of the president. Variations in board size are developed from a coefficient of volatility identifying yearly changes from 1947 to 1977. Further analysis of the data suggests that for relatively successful companies a significantly negative relationship exists between board size variation and rates of succession, whereas a significantly positive relationship exists for relatively unsuccessful companies. These results have implications for succession planning in the corporate presidency.
Antimyoclonic effect of gabapentin in a posthypoxic animal model of myoclonus

Abstract The antimyoclonic property of the novel antiepileptic drug, gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl) cyclohexane acetic acid), was tested in cardiac arrest- and p,p′ -DDT(1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethane)-induced animal models of myoclonus. Gabapentin dose-dependently attenuated myoclonus in posthypoxic rats for more than 3 h. The drug was also found to be effective in controlling the early stages of seizures following the anoxic insult. In contrast, the drug was ineffective in controlling either myoclonus or seizures in p,p′ -DDT-treated animals. These results suggest that gabapentin can be used as an effective therapeutic agent in an acute hypoxia/ischemia-induced neurological disorder. The data further indicate that distinct neurological mechanisms may be operating in the expression of myoclonus among posthypoxic and p,p′ -DDT-induced animal models.
Assessment of Ribosomal Large-Subunit D1-D2, Internal Transcribed Spacer 1, and Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 Regions as Targets for Molecular Identification of Medically Important Aspergillus Species

Molecular approaches are now being developed to provide a more rapid and objective identification of fungi compared to traditional phenotypic methods. Ribosomal targets, especially the large-subunit RNA gene (D1-D2 region) and internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2 regions), have shown particular promise for the molecular identification of some fungi. We therefore conducted an assessment of these regions for the identification of 13 medically important Aspergillus species: Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus (Eurotium) chevalieri, Aspergillus (Fennellia) flavipes, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus granulosus, Aspergillus (Emericella) nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus restrictus, Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus ustus, and Aspergillus versicolor. The length of ribosomal regions could not be reliably used to differentiate among all Aspergillus species examined. DNA alignment and pairwise nucleotide comparisons demonstrated 91.9 to 99.6% interspecies sequence identities in the D1-D2 region, 57.4 to 98.1% in the ITS1 region, and 75.6 to 98.3% in the ITS2 region. Comparative analysis using GenBank reference data showed that 10 of the 13 species examined exhibited a ≤1-nucleotide divergence in the D1-D2 region from closely related but different species. In contrast, only 5 of the species examined exhibited a ≤1-nucleotide divergence from sibling species in their ITS1 or ITS2 sequences. Although the GenBank database currently lacks ITS sequence entries for some species, and major improvement in the quality and accuracy of GenBank entries is needed, current identification of medically important Aspergillus species using GenBank reference data seems more reliable using ITS query sequences than D1-D2 sequences, especially for the identification of closely related species.
How Few Transpositions Suffice?… You Already Know!

(1994). How Few Transpositions Suffice?… You Already Know! Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 45-47.
Ca2+-Induced Movement of Tropomyosin in Skeletal Muscle Thin Filaments Observed by Multi-Site FRET

To obtain information on Ca(2+)-induced tropomyosin (Tm) movement in Ca(2+)-regulated muscle thin filaments, frequency-domain fluorescence energy transfer data were collected between 5-(2-iodoacetyl-amino-ethyl-amino)naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid at Cys-190 of Tm and phalloidin-tetramethylrhodamine B isothiocyanate bound to F-actin. Two models were used to fit the experimental data: an atomic coordinate (AC) model coupled with a search algorithm that varies the position and orientation of Tm on F-actin, and a double Gaussian distance distribution (DD) model. The AC model showed that little or no change in transfer efficiency is to be expected between different sites on F-actin and Tm if Ca(2+) causes azimuthal movement of Tm of the magnitude suggested by structural data (C. Xu, R. Craig, L. Tobacman, R. Horowitz, and W. Lehman. 1999. Biophys. J. 77:985-992). However, Ca(2+) produced a small but significant change in our phase/modulation versus frequency data, showing that changes in lifetime decay can be detected even when a change of the steady-state transfer efficiency is very small. A change in Tm azimuthal position of 17 on the actin filament obtained with the AC model indicates that solution data are in reasonable agreement with EM image reconstruction data. In addition, the data indicate that Tm also appears to rotate about its axis, resulting in a rolling motion over the F-actin surface. The DD model showed that the distance from one of the two chains of Tm to F-actin was mainly affected, further verifying that Ca(2+) causes Tm to roll over the F-actin surface. The width of the distance distributions indicated that the position of Tm in absence and in presence of Ca(2+) is well defined with appreciable local flexibility.
Muslim Sicily and the Beginnings of Medical Licensing in Europe

One of the legacies of Arab rule in Sicily is in the area of medicine, its study, and practice. Those who study the history of medicine seem to agree the first regulations on the licensing of physicians and pharmacists in Europe can be traced to 1140, when the Norman king of Sicily, Roger II (1095-1154), established the requirement of physicians taking an examination before they could practice medicine. Later, the Hohenstauffen king of Sicily, Frederick II (1194-1250), went further in his Constitutions of Melfi by legislating that for a physician to practice medicine or to heal, he first must be approved in a convened public examination by the master of the School of Salerno. Thus, with the adoption of this legislation, the procedures for the practice of medicine in Europe began and soon spread to Spain and France. The origins of these regulations, however, seem to have their roots in the medical practices of the Arabs, who via North Africa, transferred them to Sicily. The period of Muslim rule on the island had also introduced schools teaching the art of medicine and established hospitals. The Norman conquest, together with the licensing of physicians, the schooling, examining, and practicing of the medical arts, brought these traditions to medieval Europe, where they became the foundation of Western medical customary practice. http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/31-2-5551
Phosphoglucomutase polymorphism in pacific ocean perch, Sebastodes alutus.

1. 1. Three phenotypes of phosphoglucomutase were found in muscle extracts of Pacific ocean perch (Sebastodes alutus) by starch gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. Evidence for nonrandom distribution of phenotypes with regard to depth at which samples were taken, sex and alleles of α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase is presented.
Protein tyrosine phosphatases in higher plants

Reversible protein phosphorylation is the most common mechanism for cellular regulation in eukaryotic systems. Indeed, approximately 5% of the Arabidopsis genome encodes protein kinases and phosphatases. Among the thousands of such enzymes, only a small fraction has been examined experimentally. Studies have demonstrated that Ser/Thr phosphorylation and dephosphorylation play a key role in the regulation of plant physiology and development. However, function of tyrosine phosphorylation, despite the overwhelming importance in animals, has not been systematically studied in higher plants. As a result, it is still controversial whether tyrosine phosphorylation is important in plant signal transduction. Recently, the first two protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) from a higher plant were characterized. A diverse group of genes encoding putative PTPs have been identified from the Arabidopsis genome sequence databases. Genetic analyses of various PTPs are underway and preliminary results have provided evidence that these PTPs serve critical functions in plant responses to stress signals and in plant development.
Vibrationally elastic scattering of electrons by HCl

Results of close-coupling calculations are reported, in which several models of the interaction potential are investigated. Cross sections for rotational transitions involving the lowest ten levels are obtained in the first detailed application of the MEAN approximation. The results are subject to a strong cooperative effect involving exchange and polarization. Rotationally elastic transitions are shown to be quite important at thermal energies and to dominate the total cross section above 4.0 eV. Transitions for which the angular momentum changes by two are found to be responsible for a broad resonance at \ensuremath{\sim} 2.5 eV. No structure indicative of a resonance or virtual state at very low energies is, however, obtained. Total differential, momentum-transfer, and integrated cross sections are in satisfactory agreement with measured values.
Conceptual models for water resource planning

Abstract Three similar models for the water resource planning in an urban area are compared. The first is static [1], but permits the examination of the political processes surrounding water resource decisions. The second could be dynamic [2], but its principal orientation is towards the examination of nonquantifiable social and environmental indicators. The third is developed here is somewhat more detail; it is dynamic, permits the examination of political alternatives but not their embedding in the model, and allows an indirect analysis of the questions raised by the first two models. Explanations for system behavior are found in the language of feedback loops, and system behavior is displayed graphically. This model encompasses the water quality, its cost, and their effects on and by the lifestyle of the city's populace.
Analysis of Insect Trophic Diversity in Two Salt Marsh Communities

This study analyzes tropic relationships of the insect components of two intertidal salt march communities dominated by Salicornia pacifica and Spartina foliosa, respectively. Seasonality of that component is determined and influence of physical microenvironmental factors on trophic diversity is assessed. Adult insect populations were monitored weekly, trophic diversity was computed, and relationships with primary production and litter accumulation were quantified. Temporal diversity trends were similar in both communities although the amplitude was slightly greater in Salicornia. In both communities, herbivore diversity was highest during the spring months while saprovore diversity was highest during midwinter. Predator diversity responded to both herbivore and saprovore diversity, although it was more closely tied to herbivore fluctuations in Salicornia. Standing crop biomass was maximum during October and litter accumulation was highest during Janurary. Two classes of adult insects occurred: peristent species, representing a low percentage of the total species compliment, were present as adults throuhout the year in both marsh communities; seasonal species, on the other hand, were present as adults only during the growing season. Seasonal succession in species of herbivores and saprovores reflected productional and transformational changes in plant matter; predators responded likewise, but more impressive was the numerical response to prey populations by particular predators. Correlations were high between each trophic group and its respective resource. Physical microenvironmental factors, especially temperature and vapor pressure deficit, seemed to be important in cuing larval development, but did not exert a dramtic effect on adult diversity trends. Several strategies of habitat utilization are considered. It is hypothesized that the persistent and seasonal species have evolved as specialists to avoid competitive interactions and maximize resource utilization. During annual expansion of resource states, the salt marsh insect component undergoes speices packing wherein additional species enter the system temporarily to utilize the expanded resource base.
Effect of 6-MP and 6-MP-Palladium Complex on Serum Uric Acid Levels in the Chick

SummaryA series of experiments was conducted with 5-day-old white leghorn (HyLine) cockerels. 6-Mercaptopurine and a palladium complex of this compound were administered orally to 5-day-old chicks at 1800 and 3168 mg/kg/day, respectively, for 10 days. At the end of the treatment period, the serum uric acid level of chicks treated with pure 6-MP was significantly elevated. In contrast, treatment with the palladium complex caused a significant decline in serum uric acid which was less than that evidenced by the controls. In a second series of experiments, it was demonstrated that elevation of uric acid concentration caused by treatment with 900 mg/kg/day of pure 6-MP for 5 days could be significantly depressed by subsequent treatment with 3168 mg/kg/day of the palladium complex.
Boron-based multilayers for soft x-ray optics

Boron is potentially useful as a spacer in multilayer x-ray optics for wavelengths between the boron K-edge at 67 angstrom and approximately 125 angstrom. To investigate the usefulness of this element as a spacer, we have fabricated multilayers incorporating boron by alternately depositing several material pairs, including Ag/B, Pd/B, and B/Si. We are interested in the Ag/B system as a possible crystalline superlattice x-ray mirror. Unfortunately, the tendency of Ag to form islands has frustrated our efforts to date to grow both single crystal B overlayers and quality nonepitaxial multilayers. The Pd/B system shows promise as an amorphous multilayer system. Our work shows that the palladium reacts with the boron to form an amorphous, palladium-rich boride. However, calculations indicate that the ideal reflectivity of the reacted multilayers may be as high as 51% at 80 angstrom. In the B/Si system, boron functions as the absorber layer for wavelengths greater than approximately 125 angstrom, resulting in a narrow bandpass mirror. We present evidence that the multilayers formed are layered and indirect evidence that the interfaces formed are relatively sharp. All depositions for the present work were performed under ultrahigh vacuum conditions in a Perkin-Elmer 433-S Molecular Beam Epitaxy system. All of the materials were electron-beam deposited except palladium, which was evaporated from a high temperature Knudsen cell. These multilayers were characterized in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), and ex situ by low-angle x-ray diffraction.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Examining the intersection of race and gender in video game advertising

Women and racial/ethnic minorities account for a growing percentage of video game players in the USA. The economic future of the video game industry may, in part, depend on the industry's ability to adapt marketing efforts to appeal to the growing female and racial/ethnic markets. Contrary to these efforts, however, is advertisers' reliance on stereotypes in advertisements to quickly establish a common understanding and wide appeal to a mass audience. This study investigates how race and gender intersect in the stereotypical character depictions used to market video games to consumers. A systematic content analysis was carried out of 383 US magazine advertisements of console, mobile, and PC video games. Stereotyping and intersectionality literatures were used as theoretical guides for this research. Findings reveal that the marketing of video games in the USA upholds some longstanding media stereotypes of minorities and women, including that of the White male hero, submissive sexualized female, Asian ninj...
Biomimetic model for [FeFe]-hydrogenase: asymmetrically disubstituted diiron complex with a redox-active 2,2′-bipyridyl ligand

[FeFe]-hydrogenases feature a unique active site in which the primary catalytic unit is directly coordinated via a bridging cysteine thiolate to a secondary, redox active [4Fe4S] unit. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a bidentate, redox non-innocent ligand on the electrocatalytic properties of the (μ-S(CH2)3S)Fe2(CO)4L2 family of [FeFe]-hydrogenase models as a proxy for the iron–sulfur cluster. Reaction of the redox non-innocent ligand 2,2′-bipyridyl (bpy) with (μ-S(CH2)3S)Fe2(CO)6 leads to substitution of two carbonyls to form the asymmetric complex (μ-S(CH2)3S)Fe2(CO)4(κ2-bpy) which was structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. This complex can be protonated by HBF4·OEt2 to form a bridging hydride. Furthermore, electrochemical investigation shows that, at slow scan rates, the complex undergoes a two electron reduction at −2.06 V vs. Fc+/Fc that likely involves reduction of both the bpy ligand and the metal. Electrocatalytic reduction of protons is observed in the presence of three distinct acids of varying strengths: HBF4·OEt2, AcOH, and p-TsOH. The catalytic mechanism depends on the strength of the acid.
First principles study of two-dimensional early transition metal carbides

Recently, we reported on the facile synthesis of a number of two-dimensional early transition metal carbides and nitrides, derived from the MAX phases, that we labeled MXenes. Herein, we report on the electronic and elastic properties—investigated by first principles calculations utilizing the generalized gradient approximation within the density functional theory—of the following two-dimensional transition metal carbides: Ti2C, Ti3C2, Ti4C3, V2C, Cr2C, Zr2C, Hf2C, and Ta2C, Ta3C2, and Ta4C3. Similar to the MAX phases, the MXenes are found to be metallic and possess high elastic moduli when stretched along the basal planes.
Influence of platelet-rich plasma added to xenogeneic bone grafts in periimplant defects: a vital fluorescence study in dogs.

Background: The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been suggested in order to increase the rate of bone deposition when sites are augmented prior to or in conjunction with dental implant placement. Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate whether the addition of PRP to xenogeneic bone grafts would increase the rate of bone formation in dogs. Materials and Methods: Ninety endosseous dental implants were inserted in the mandibles of nine hound dogs. Subsequently, mesial and distal three-wall periimplant defects were surgically created. Defects were randomly assigned to three groups: demineralized freeze-dried bone graft plus platelet-rich plasma (DFDBG plus PRP), demineralized freeze-dried bone graft alone (DFDBG), and no treatment. Postsurgically each dog received a series of three fluorescent labels for estimation of bone cell activity at baseline and during different stages of healing, with particular attention to the bone formation rate per tissue volume (BFR/TV). Animals were sacrificed at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months, and specimens were subjected to analysis by fluorescence microscopy. Treatment effects were evaluated with analysis of variance models. Results: Overall, the average BFR/TV differed by treatment although this difference approached only minimal statistical significance (p= .057). The largest difference occurred between periimplant defects treated with DFDBG only and defects that were not treated (mean percentage BFR/TV, 0.0720% vs 0.0994%). There was no evidence of an overall treatment effect (p= .27) for the mineral apposition rate (MAR) values. The data also suggest a consistent variability in the bone formation parameters among the three groups at different healing points. Conclusion: In this animal model the addition of PRP to xenogeneic bone grafts did not demonstrate evidence of faster bone formation during healing. However, limitations of the histologic technique possibly played a negative role in the assessment of bone formation parameters.
Deal-prone consumers' response to promotion: The effects of relative and absolute promotion value

Increased use of promotions that target different market segments makes the study of consumer characteristics associated with the response to promotions more noteworthy. This article assesses the effect of a common segmentation criterion, consumer deal proneness, on consumers' responses to promotions of more and less relative and absolute value. The results of a pair of experiments indicate that deal-prone consumers are sensitive to the value of a promotion relative to other available promotions only in a condition of high absolute dollar savings. The findings help integrate conflicting views of deal proneness into a framework in which deal proneness serves as a heuristic to limit or heighten processing of promotion-related information depending on the promotion environment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of probe methodologies for target recognition

This paper describes a model based approach to the detection of objects of known geometry in imagery. The algorithm is designed to be used as a front end to an automatic target recognizer. The algorithm uses probes to extract features from the neighborhood of the known boundary of the object. Neural nets are used to classify the probes as corresponding to background or an object/background boundary by estimating a posteriori probabilities. The paper investigates a number of probe geometries and nonparametric probe statistics. Experimental results demonstrate the utility of these methods in detecting ground vehicles in natural backgrounds.
The calculation of ground and excited doublet state molecular polarizabilities by the CNDO/S-CI method

Abstract The calculation of ground and excited state molecular polarizabilities by the CNDO/S-CI method has been extended to include doublet states. As incorporated, the second order perturbation scheme usually predicts average state polarizabilities of molecular cation ground states to be lower than the corresponding singlet ground states. Average anion polarizabilities are generally found to be higher than those of the corresponding singlet states. Excited doublet state polarizabilities are presented for the molecular cation of formaldehyde, benzene, 1,3,5- trans -hexatriene, and naphthalene. Due to the unavailability of experimental data it is currently impossible to assess appropriately the quality of these results.
“Betcha it won't happen to me”: Self‐assessments of the projected occurrence of under‐age sexual experiences

This project assessed the impact of the nature and frequency of sexual acts, experienced while legally under‐age and a victim, upon the projected rates of occurrence, for the same sexual acts, for people of the same age and gender. University students (376) were asked to indicate their own experiences with a variety of sexual activities before the age of sixteen and were also asked to project the extent to which these activities were experienced by others. Consistently, those who experienced an underage sexual activity projected higher rates of occurrence than those who did not have the experience, demonstrating a sense of universal vulnerability. Implications for victimology and victimization are discussed.
Rarity of coarctation of the aorta in the American Negro

Summary One hundred and seventy-seven cases of coarctation of the aorta were reviewed. Among patients having coarctation, only 4 per cent were American Negroes, whereas of the general pediatric cardiac population, Negroes made up 20 to 30 per cent (p Until the accumulation of further evidence,we must conclude that coarctation of the aorta is rare in the American Negro. A similar observation has been noted in the population of Southeast Asia.
Testing the Utility of an Adaptive Cluster Sampling Method for Monitoring a Rare and Imperiled Darter

Abstract Adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) designs were tested against simple random sampling (SRS) designs to determine whether ACS designs were more suitable sampling protocols for monitoring rare fish species. To test the utility of these designs, baseline data on the tuxedo darter Etheostoma lemniscatum (a rare, federally endangered fish) were collected at three sites on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and used in computer simulation of ACS designs. Based on the simulation models, five ACS designs were chosen and tested at 13 potential monitoring sites. In terms of efficiency, ACS designs performed better than SRS designs, providing estimates with smaller standard errors. Adaptive cluster sampling design efficiency increased with effort; therefore, the two goals—minimizing effort and maximizing accuracy—are incompatible. Because it had less error, an inverse ACS design was recommended, although it required more sampling effort than other designs. Factors possibly affecting overall design perf...
Intra-and intercolony patterns of nest dispersion in the ant Lasius neoniger: correlations with territoriality and foraging ecology.

Colonies of the ant Lasius neoniger have multiple nest entrances that are distributed throughout a colony's foraging area. Associated with each nest entrance is a group of workers that show strong fidelity to that nest entrance. Territorial expansion, as indicated by increases in the number of nest entrances per colony, is correlated with foraging activity. Although there is variation between colonies in the seasonal pattern of territorial expansion, most nests become active in early summer, increase the size of the area foraged until midsummer, and then decrease the number of active nest entrances in late summer. Over the study plot as a whole, the dispersion pattern of nest entrances changed from clumped, or tending to be clumped, in early spring to random in mid-and late summer. Within colonies, nest entrances were significantly overdispersed. Intra-and interspecific competition negatively affected foraging, and workers from a given nest entrance were most successful at retrieving prey less than approximately 15–20 cm from the entrance. The average distance between nest entrances within a colony was 37.7±3.3 cm (mean±95% confidence interval, n=115), which is approximately twice the distance at which workers can retrieve prey. The polydomous nest structure of L. neoniger appears to partition territory within a colony by spatial subdivision of its foragers, and thus may reduce loss of prey to competitors.
Friction and wear of single-crystal manganese-zinc ferrite

Sliding friction experiments were conducted with single crystal manganese-zinc ferrite in contact with itself and with transition metals. Results indicate mating highest atomic density directions (110) on matched crystallographic planes exhibit the lowest coefficient of friction, indicating that direction is important in the friction behavior of ferrite. Matched parallel high atomic density planes and crystallographic directions at the interface exhibit low coefficients of friction. The coefficients of friction for ferrite in contact with various metals are related to the relative chemical activity of these metals. The more active the metal, the higher the coefficient of friction. Cracking and the formation of hexagon- and rectangular-shaped platelet wear debris due to cleavages of (110) planes are observed on the ferrite surfaces as a result of sliding.
Coronary Calcium Scanning in Patients after Adjuvant Radiation for Early Breast Cancer and Ductal Carcinoma In situ.

Background and Objective Radiation therapy (RT) is part of standard adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Earlier studies demonstrated increased cardiac morbidity and mortality from this. Coronary Calcium scanning utilizing Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) can detect early atherosclerosis in coronary arteries by identifying the amount of calcifications. In our study we employed these tools to detect occult atherosclerosis at least 5 years following breast RT. Methods We evaluated 20 asymptomatic patients, less than 60 years old, treated with RT at least 5 years prior to enrollment. 9 received RT to the left and 11 to the right chest wall. The median interval between RT and calcium scan was 8 years. All patients were treated with external beam RT using tangential technique. All patients underwent MDCT to compute volumetric and Agatston calcium scores of the coronary arteries and the aorta. Results 11 patients had RT to the right chest wall, and 8 had a calcium score of 0, while 2 had minimally elevated scores and 1 patient had a significantly elevated score. Meanwhile 9 patients had RT to the left chest wall, and 7 had a calcium score of 0. None had significantly elevated scores. In the aorta, 11 of 20 patients had a score of 0, while 8 of 20 had minimally elevated scores. Conclusions In contrast to studies demonstrating increased cardiovascular morbidity, our pilot study did not detect significant occult atherosclerosis using MDCT of the coronaries and aorta of patients assessed five or more years following radiation for treatment of breast cancer.
Clinical Outcome of Fenestrated Fontan Patients After Closure The First 10 Years

Background—The late clinical status of Fontan patients after fenestration closure is unknown. Data are now available on all patients who underwent closure from 1989 to 1999. Methods and Results—All patients who underwent catheter closure of a Fontan fenestration were enrolled in either the Clamshell (1989 to 1994) or CardioSEAL (1996 to 1999) regulatory trials. Physiological values obtained at catheterization helped assess the hemodynamic effects of fenestration occlusion. In addition to survival, outcomes assessed included O2 saturations, medication use, significant clinical findings (eg, heart failure, protein-losing enteropathy, or new arrhythmias), and somatic growth. Of 181 patients who underwent closure, 27 had additional significant leaks. The remaining 154 patients constituted the study group. Median time from closure to latest follow-up was 3.4 years (range 0.4 to 10.3 years). Fenestration closure increased O2 saturation 9.4% on average (P<0.001). The numbers of patients receiving digoxin or diur...
Treatment regimen and hypnotic self-administration.

Rationale and objectives: Previous studies have shown that insomniacs self-administer hypnotics at high nightly rates. This study determined whether prior experience with different treatment regimens (i.e., instructions and capsule availability) would alter the previously observed high hypnotic self-administration rates. Methods: Sixty-four healthy men and women with (n=32) and without (n=32) insomnia, 21–55 years, self administered placebo or triazolam (0.25 mg) after different prior treatment regimens. They received one of three different treatment regimens enforced for 11 nights: a capsule each night, a capsule as needed, or a capsule every third night. On 14 subsequent nights they choose to self-administer a capsule or not, placebo during 1 week and triazolam (0.25 mg) the other (counterbalanced in order). Results: Insomniacs self-administered more capsules than normals and triazolam was self-administered more than placebo. For both groups, treatment regimen had a minimal effect on capsule self-administration. During the treatment phase, triazolam improved self-ratings of sleep relative to placebo. During the choice phase, nightly variations in self-rated sleep predicted self-administration of a capsule on the following night, regardless of whether the capsule was active drug or placebo. Conclusions: The data of this study are consistent with the view that hypnotic self-administration by insomniacs is therapy-seeking behavior and not drug abuse.
Ongoing changes in the avifauna of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica: Twenty-three years of Christmas Bird Counts

Abstract Tropical forest fragmentation influences community composition via differential species-level effects. Avian responses to fragmentation at La Selva Biological Station are, in part, responsible for the particular concern over the fate of understory insectivorous species. However, since the 1990s, much previously deforested land within and surrounding La Selva has reverted to forest, providing an opportunity to test hypotheses explaining ongoing avifaunal change. Analyses of 23 years (1989–2011) of Christmas Bird Counts reveal that 63 of 202 species have increased whereas 44 are declining, with declines occurring more rapidly than increases. Habitat association was an important predictor of population trends, as understory birds continue to decline whereas forest generalists increased. Our results differ from previous work in the tropics by revealing that, at La Selva, insectivores are not currently suffering greater declines than birds of other dietary guilds. Instead, body size was more strongly associated with population change than was diet, with smaller birds having more negative population trends than larger birds. These results suggest that we must consider additional hypotheses that may explain ongoing population declines of tropical birds. In particular, the associations between population trends and body size implicate physiological mechanisms influencing population change, which may result from direct or indirect consequences of changing climates.
Asymptotic normality of the Ward numbers

We prove a central limit theorem for the Ward numbers. c 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Growth deficits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder revisited: impact of gender, development, and treatment.

Objective Although the relationship between putative growth deficits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been examined in boys, this issue has not been evaluated in girls. Methods Height and weight were examined in 124 female ADHD children and 116 female controls using age and parental height corrections, attending to issues of pubertal stage and treatment. Also, we examined the interaction between ADHD status and gender on growth outcomes using data from 124 ADHD and 109 control males. Results The ADHD-growth association was not moderated by gender. No deficits in age-adjusted height or age and height-adjusted weight were detected in ADHD girls. Also, we found no association between growth measurements and psychotropic treatment, malnutrition, short stature, pubertal development, family history of ADHD, or psychiatric comorbidity, except for major depression: ADHD girls with major depression were on average 7.6 kg heavier than ADHD girls without depression, adjusting for age and height. Conclusions No growth deficits appear to be associated with ADHD or its treatment in females. These findings add to a growing literature supporting the notion that stimulant treatment does not have an adverse impact on ADHD children's growth and development.
Contribution of flow cytometric immunophenotyping to the evaluation of tissues with suspected lymphoma

Background: A critical analysis of the contribution of flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) to the evaluation of lymph nodes and extranodal tissues with suspected lymphoma by a large, retrospective approach has not been reported previously and represents the purpose of this study. Methods: A total of 278 lymph nodes and 95 extranodal tissue specimens submitted over a 2-year period with complete histologic, FCI, and immunohistochemical (IH) data formed the basis of the study. Results: The FCI data contributed significantly to or was consistent with the final tissue diagnosis in the majority (94%) of the tissue samples. There is no well-described utility of flow cytometry markers for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) due to the usual scarcity of tumor cells in the final cell suspensions obtained from these tumors. However, the FCI data excluded non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and suggested the possible usefulness of CD15 and CD30 by FCI in HL. In addition, immunophenotypic data by FCI in combination with touch imprint cytomorphology was useful in excluding a diagnosis of NHL in cases of nonhematopoietic malignancies and was particularly useful in defining the following hematopoietic tumors and malignancies: thymoma, T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, leukemia cutis, and plasma cell dyscrasia. Thus, IH was not essential for the diagnosis in these latter cases and was performed in only two cases (one thymoma and one plasma cell dyscrasia). Of interest, FCI supported the diagnosis in 3 cases of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor by detection of CD56 on the surface of the malignant cell. Only 11% of NHL were “negative” by FCI (i.e., an aberrant T-cell or monoclonal B-cell population was not identified). Reasons for these discrepancies included partial tissue involvement by the NHL with sampling differences, T-cell rich or lymphohistiocytic-rich variants with a small population of monoclonal B cells, marked tumoral sclerosis, poor tumor preservation, and T-cell NHL without an aberrant immunophenotype. Only 60% of CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) were CD30+ by FCI. Conclusions: FCI data should always be correlated with light microscopy if no FCI abnormalities are detected; IH may need to be performed in selected cases. It is less necessary to perform microscopic examination of tissues when the FCI data are positive and indisputable. However, in selected cases in which FCI data is diagnostic, microscopic observations may provide additional information due to sampling. Cytometry (Comm. Clin. Cytometry) 42:296–306, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and Characterization of Suspension-Derived, Porous Ion-Conducting Ceramic Membranes

Porous, oxygen-ion-conducting ceramic membranes can have applications as supports for fuel cells, sensors, and thin membrane films, or as filters for membrane filtration. This paper reports on the preparation of unsupported and supported yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and yttria-doped bismuth oxide (BY) membranes with submicrometer pore sizes. Fluorite-structured BY powder that has been synthesized using the citrate method and commercial YSZ powder have been used to prepare stable aqueous suspensions. Unsupported and supported YSZ and BY membranes have been prepared from the stable suspensions of YSZ and BY. The supported BY membranes are crack free but contain small defects. Defect-free YSZ membranes that are supported on porous alumina have been prepared under controlled conditions. The average pore size is 100 nm, with a porosity of 57%, for an unsupported YSZ membrane (measured by mercury porosimetry), and 114 nm for a supported membrane (as estimated via helium permeation). The ionic conductivity of the YSZ membranes is 0.00044–0.01 S/cm in the temperature range of 600°–900°C, which is lower than that of dense YSZ disks.
Reconstruction of patterns by block-projection

This paper proposes a family of new methods for the storage and reconstruction of binary patterns by means of block-projections. More flexibility and less ambiguity is thus achieved. A complete analysis is presented in terms of (i) storage requirements, (ii) computation, and (iii) unambiguity ratio. Furthermore, applications to general patterns are described.
Neutropenia Caused by Copper Deficiency: Possible Mechanisms of Action

Although copper is an essential nutrient in the human diet, overt or severe copper deficiency is not a major public health concern in the United States. A marginal or borderline deficiency has been suggested by researchers, although the widespread nature of copper deficiency has yet to be established. Reports indicate that copper deficiency occurs secondary to gastric resection, unsupplemented total parenteral nutrition, high levels of zinc intake, or general malnutrition. An early clinical sign of copper deficiency is a reduction in the number of circulating neutrophils. Although copper is known to play a wide variety of roles in the organism and in the immune system, the molecular mechanism for copper-deficient neutropenia is not known. Very little data exist with which to examine this question. This paper will summarize our existing knowledge of the mechanism by which copper deficiency results in neutropenia. Although the data are scarce, analysis of this question will allow us to better understand additional molecular roles of this trace element, and, in turn, to promote an improved knowledge of immune cell functions and cellular differentiation.