cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The 'Fowl' Practice of Humane Labeling: Proposed Amendments to Federal Standards Governing Chicken Welfare and Poultry Labeling Practices

Chickens raised specifically for meat production are the world’s most intensively farmed land animals. Yet, the existing legal frameworks that regulate the production and labeling of poultry products in the United States allow poultry producers to mistreat chickens, falsely distinguish poultry products, and defraud conscious consumers. This article proposes unique opportunities to improve poultry welfare in the United States’ agricultural industry and offers.
Social Competence and Interpersonal Relations between Retarded and Nonretarded Children

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a conceptual–theoretical framework for research on social competence in children's peer relations. It discusses the process variables that have received little attention in the current research on the school-related social adjustment of mentally retarded children. The chapter also summarizes the research on the sociometric outcomes of mainstreaming, correlational and comparative studies on the behavioral basis of the educable mentally retarded (EMR) child's sociometric status, and implications for an understanding of social competence in the mentally retarded child. A theoretical framework for conceptualizing interpersonal competence that focuses on motivational, social–cognitive and situational factors is presented. The mentally retarded child's peer-related social outcomes in the school setting appear to be a function of behavioral, situational, and process factors, which are interrelated. The conceptual model proposed in the chapter reflects a multidimensional view of social competence and implies a need for research in which social–cognitive processes, behavior, and outcomes are examined in combination rather than in isolation.
Spirituality in India: The Ever Growing Banyan Tree

Comparing Western and Indian knowledge, Rolland (1960, p. 91) described Western knowledge as the “science of facts” and spirituality as “the science of the soul, a peculiarly Indian science.” A major difference between philosophy and spirituality, or for that matter religion and spirituality, is that spirituality, as practiced in India, has an action bias over and above cognitive (thinking or thoughts) or value (considering something important) concerns. Spirituality has been valued in the Indian culture from time immemorial, and it is no surprise that many innovations in the field of spirituality originated in India. Since people strive to excel in areas that are compatible with their cultural values, India has seen the emergence of many geniuses in the field of spirituality even in the modern times. I combine two qualitative methods, historical analysis and case analysis, to document how spirituality is valued in India, and much like a banyan tree, how it continues to grow even today. An examination of the life of the list of spiritual gurus presented in the chapter shows that they were all practitioners, and they practiced what they preached. Also, the case analysis shows that Ramakrishna was a practitioner, and both the Maharishi and Rajneesh recommended daily practice of meditation.
Anorexia nervosa: Staff subversion of therapy

The treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) is often complicated by the subversion of therapy by the patient. We describe the undermining of treatment by ward personnel as a result of their lack of understanding of the psychodynamics of AN and their perception of these patients as not being "sick" in the traditional sense and therefore not entitled to the "sick role." The incidents which occurred in our center are discussed as to their possible origins, the patient's response, and the remediation employed. The remedial approaches which may have the most promise are presented.
Obstetrics and gynecology: Doing better—feeling worse

C u ST0 M AR I L Y, someone in this position would review the history of the Central Association and sing its praises. I will not for several reasons: (1) Your historic session last night could not and should not be upstaged; (2) too many here are the “Central” and know much more about it than I do; (3) I am sure Dr. Nettles will have much to say on the subject in his Presidential address; and (4) I often do not do what I should. Perhaps you are wondering about the title of my talk. Well, in their eagerness to ensure successful meetings with large audiences, scientific program chairmen borrow heavily from advertising agency copywriters for titles assigned to the speakers. Several years ago, the American Medical Association invited me to speak at a special meeting on perinatal mortality and assigned the topic “Manpower problems in obstetrics.” My secretary, among others, thought this was self-evident and called for little discussion. Another assignment was “Contraception at home.” My wife suggested that it was nobody’s business, and that I say so and sit down. At an American College of Surgeons meeting, my topic was “Family planning-How I do it”-very well, fortunately. At St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City, my topic was, for obvious reasons, “Infertility-voluntary.” What a wonderful euphemism to get around the moral objections ro the word, if not the deed, of contraception. In El Paso, Texas, my topic was the “Impact of the women’s movement on the practice of gynecology.” It took me only three paragraphs and two jokes to realize
Fracture of Brittle Rock under Dynamic Loading Conditions

A continuum damage model is used to study the dynamic fracture of rock in this investigation. In this model, damage in rock is considered to be the fraction of rock volume that has been tension relieved; and, tensile microcracking has been taken as the damage mechanism. In compression, the rock responds in an elastic/perfectly plastic manner. The model includes the strain-rate effect explicitly. Two example applications involving concrete cracking and oil shale blasting are presented to demonstrate the utility of the damage model.
Semantic rank reduction of music audio

Audio understanding and classification tasks are often aided by a reduced dimensionality representation of the source observations. For example, a supervised learning system trained to detect the genre or artist of a piece of music performs better if the input nodes are statistically decorrelated, either to prevent overfitting in the learning process or to 'anchor' similar observations to cluster centroids in the observation space. We provide an alternative approach that decomposes audio observations of music into semantically significant dimensions where each resultant dimension corresponds to the perceived meaning of the audio, and only the most significant meanings (those which are most effective in describing music audio) are kept. We show a fundamentally unsupervised method to obtain this decomposition automatically and compare its performance in a music understanding task against statistical decorrelation approaches such as PCA and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF).
Quadrant-distance graphs: a method for visualizing neural network weight spaces

One of the major drawbacks to neural networks is the inability of the user to understand what is happening inside the network. Quadrant-distance (QD) graphs allow the user to graphically display a network's weight vector at any point in training, for networks of any size. This allows the user to quickly and easily identify similarities or differences between solution sets. QD graphs may also be used for a variety of other analysis functions, such as comparing initial weights to final weights, and observing the path of the network as it finds a solution.
Specimen position effects on energy shifts and signal intensity in a single-stage cylindrical-mirror analyzer

Abstract Peak-height changes and energy shifts associated with small (Δ x = 0.1 mm) changes in specimen position in a single-stage cylindrical-mirror analyzer have been investigated. A specimen position for optimum signal strength is found experimentally and is predicted from theoretical calculations. An exact theoretical expression for signal intensity is presented in integral form. The integral has been evaluated numerically for finite aperture dimensions. It is found that the position dependence of signal intensity is a result of the finite size of the exit aperture and is not related to emission at the specimen or geometry of entrance aperture.
The dilemma of change in Indian higher education

India has been trying to reform its higher education system for more than a half-century but the results in terms of systemic change have been minimal. The universities have expanded dramatically to meet the demands of an increasingly powerful middle class although resources have not been adequate to ensure the maintenance of standards. In India's bureaucratic environment, political will to change the universities has been inadequate. For these and other reasons, the mainstream of Indian higher education, now including 7,000 colleges and 150 universities serving more than 4 million students, suffers from deteriorating standards, occasional unrest and inadequate resources. However, at the margins of this seemingly unmovable system have been a variety of significant changes and reforms. The Indian Institutes of Technology, for example, provide high quality post-secondary education. Even within the traditional universities and colleges, some interesting reforms in curriculum have been successful in limited areas. This analysis points to the factors inhibiting reform and change as well as some examples of limited successes.
Una Interpretación Para Don Melón Más De Acuerdo Con El “Buen Amor” Que Pregona el Arcipreste De Hita

The rich expressive language of the archpriest of Hita in his writings has motivated the elucidation of the origin and meaning of the names of his characters. The Libro de buen amor, transcending all the Spanish literature of its epoch, broadens the restricted linguistic limits and opens up the possibilities of a literary analysis. Regarding the episode of “Don Melon and Dona Endrina,” there are a number of interpretations that try to explain the meaning of the name given by Juan Ruiz to the leading male character. Taking into account the ambiguity in the LBA, the meaning of the term “melon” turns out to be open to several interpretations. This new approach presents Don Melon de la Huerta in a positive light, and not as he has been catalogued in the past. Blecua considers that the LBA has been the target of “las mas variadas interpretaciones que, si en algun caso se complementan, en general se contradicen.” Within this new perspective, it is essential to consider the intent in Juan Ruiz work the LBA to show us the “good love” and not the “crazy love” or the “animal love.” Another point in favor of this new interpretation of Don Melon is the fact that in the prologue of its LBA, Juan Ruiz emphasizes the ambiguity and double meaning that can be assigned to his writings. This interpretation would provide a new alternative to the broad connotations of the names presented in the LBA.
The rate of cellular hydrogen peroxide removal shows dependency on GSH: Mathematical insight into in vivo H2O2 and GPx concentrations

Although its concentration is generally not known, glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) is a key enzyme in the removal of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in biological systems. Extrapolating from kinetic results obtained in vitro using dilute, homogenous buffered solutions, it is generally accepted that the rate of elimination of H2O2 in vivo by GPx is independent of glutathione concentration (GSH). To examine this doctrine, a mathematical analysis of a kinetic model for the removal of H2O2 by GPx was undertaken to determine how the reaction species (H2O2, GSH, and GPx-1) influence the rate of removal of H2O2. Using both the traditional kinetic rate law approximation (classical model) and the generalized kinetic expression, the results show that the rate of removal of H2O2 increases with initial GPxr, as expected, but is a function of both GPxr and GSH when the initial GPxr is less than H2O2. This simulation is supported by the biological observations of Li et al.. Using genetically altered human glioma cells in in vitro cell culture and in an in vivo tumour model, they inferred that the rate of removal of H2O2 was a direct function of GPx activity × GSH (effective GPx activity). The predicted cellular average GPxr and H2O2 for their study are approximately GPxr ≤ 1 μm and H2O2 ≈ 5 μm based on available rate constants and an estimation of GSH. It was also found that results from the accepted kinetic rate law approximation significantly deviated from those obtained from the more generalized model in many cases that may be of physiological importance.
Novel surgical approach to the carpal tunnel: cadaveric feasibility study.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common entrapment neuropathy dealt with by the clinician. Multiple techniques have been used to surgically treat this pathological condition and all of these approach the carpal tunnel from the palmar surface of the hand or wrist. We have developed a novel endoscopic approach to the carpal tunnel utilizing a dorsal approach that necessitates a good appreciation of the anatomy of this region. This approach was carried out in 10 hands. Through a single dorsal incision we were able to transect the flexor retinaculum in all specimens without obvious damage to neural or vascular tissues. The microscissors used in our study were found to be too delicate for transection of the flexor retinaculum thus another cutting tool should be considered. Our dorsal approach with visualization of the internal aspect of the flexor retinaculum may obviate many of the complications that are seen with the current techniques used to surgically treat carpal tunnel syndrome such as injury to the median nerve and its branches. Clinical trials are now necessary with prospective randomized studies that will determine which techniques are most efficacious and minimize complications most effectively. Clin. Anat. 18:350–356, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
More is better: Combination therapies for myelodysplastic syndromes

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogenous collection of clonal hematopoietic malignancies that exist as a subgroup of the myeloid neoplasms as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). They are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, subsequent cytopenias, transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and poor overall survival. There are currently three FDA-approved medications for MDS; lenalidomide, azacitidine, and decitabine. The role of these agents is to diminish the clinical impact of MDS and delay its progression to AML. However, despite known results with these monotherapies, recent clinical trials with a variety of combinations for MDS have demonstrated promising results. These trials include combinations of hypomethylating agents, histone deacetylase inhibitors, growth factors, and chemotherapy among others. In this paper we review the current literature on combination therapies in MDS, analyze on-going and concluded trials, and suggest future possibilities for combination strategies in MDS.
Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA)-based parallelization of WRF Kessler cloud microphysics scheme

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is the latest-generation numerical weather prediction model. It has been designed to serve both operational forecasting and atmospheric research needs. It proves useful for a broad spectrum of applications for scales ranging from meters to thousands of kilometers. WRF computes an approximate solution to the differential equations which govern the air motion of the whole atmosphere. Kessler microphysics module in WRF is a simple warm cloud scheme that includes water vapor, cloud water and rain. Microphysics processes which are modeled are rain production, fall and evaporation. The accretion and auto-conversion of cloud water processes are also included along with the production of cloud water from condensation. In this paper, we develop an efficient WRF Kessler microphysics scheme which runs on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) using the NVIDIA Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). The GPU-based implementation of Kessler microphysics scheme achieves a significant speedup of 70x over its CPU based single-threaded counterpart. The speedup on a GPU without host-device data transfer time is 816x. Since Kessler microphysics scheme is just an intermediate modules of the entire WRF model, the GPU I/O should not occur, i.e. its input data should be already available in the GPU global memory from previous modules and their output data should reside at the GPU global memory for later usage by other modules. Thus, the limited scaling of Kessler scheme with I/O will not be an issue once all modules have been rewritten using CUDA. High speed WRF running completely on GPUs promises more accurate forecasts in considerably less time.
Radial artery graft for coronary revascularization: technical considerations.

Background. Use of the radial artery for coronary artery bypass grafting is controversial. Methods. Between November 1992 and December 1994, the radial artery artery graft was used in 165 patients (mean age, 63.7 years) undergoing coronary revascularization. To prevent spasm, the radial artery was not skeletonized, and calcium-channel blockers were administered routinely. Results. No ischemic or functional complications occurred in the hand after harvesting of the radial artery. Only 1 patient (0.6%) sustained a perioperative myocardial infarction in an area revascularized with a radial artery. The overall mortality was 3.0% (5 patients), but no deaths were caused by failure of the radial artery graft. During a mean follow-up of 14.0 months, angina recurred in 5 patients (3.0%), all of whom had widely patent radial artery grafts on angiography. Radionuclide exercise studies were performed 1 year after operation in 84 patients, 2 of whom (2.4%) had stress-induced defects in areas grafted with a radial artery. Conclusions. Perioperative myocardial infarction, mortality, and recurrent angina usually were not related to failure of the radial artery graft. Our results suggest that the radial artery is an excellent alternative conduit for myocardial revascularization and may be used safely, especially in patients with poor-quality or unavailable saphenous veins.
An Independent Means: The American Revolution and the Rise of a National Economy

Scholars endlessly debate about whether the economy of Britain's North American colonies had become autonomous on the eve of Independence and whether and when it could accurately be termed capitalistic, but they tend to agree that the colonies had their share of acquisitive entrepreneurs who understood the commodity value of money and shaped their behavior accordingly. Although this point of convergence ultimately leaves the issue of American economic independence unresolved, it strongly supports the position that a transition to capitalism preceded the Revolution.
The demonstration of alpha1 antitrypsin in periapical lesions

Abstract Discontinuous vertical gel electrophoresis was applied to samples of root canal aspirate, periapical blood, and control blood from twelve periapical lesions. The periapical sample from ten of the twelve lesions showed an additional band in the alpha 1 globulin area which was not present in the control. By means of Grabbar-Williams immunoelectrophoresis to specific antisera, the band was subsequently identified as alpha 1 antitrypsin. The results suggest that the regulation of proteolytic activity afforded by alpha 1 antitrypsin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions.
Validity of the Full-Scale IQ When There Is Significant Variability Among WISC-III and WISC-IV Factor Scores

Fiorello et al. (this issue) asserted that as subtest or factor-score variability increases, the overall ability score becomes a less viable predictor of achievement—and that this is especially the case for clinical populations. The present study tested the contention that global IQ scores are invalid predictors of achievement in the presence of significant variability among constituent factors. It did so using three samples of participants: (a) 412 from the WISC-III/WIAT linking sample, (b) 460 enrolled in special education programs, and (c) 136 from the WISC-IV/WIAT-II linking sample. In each sample, participants with and without statistically significant factor score variability were matched on Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), age, gender, and race/ethnicity. The special education sample was also matched on disability category. For all samples, the FSIQ was a significant predictor of performance on reading and mathematics tests, but neither factor score variability nor the interaction of the FSIQ and factor score...
Measurement of Sustained-Load Cracking Thresholds for Steels in Hydrogen Delivery and Storage

Threshold stress intensity factors at crack arrest have been measured for three commercial low alloy pressure vessel steels, SA372 grade J, DOT 3AAX and DOT 3T as well as X100 line pipe steel using sustained load testing. Testing conditions were consistent with the recently published Article KD-10 from Section VIII, Division 3 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Measured threshold values for these steels suggest a higher resistance to hydrogen-assisted fracture than previously expected, however some improvements to the methodology of Article KD-10 may be required to ensure conservative results are measured. Specifically, conservative measurements of threshold stress intensity factor for hydrogen-assisted fracture cannot be determined without crack propagation.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Isometric length-tension diagram for maximal tetanic contractions of cardiac muscle from a gastropod, Busycon canaliculatum.

Der Herzmuskel von Mollusken unterscheidet sich von der ubrigen Molluskenmuskulatur entsprechend wie sich der Herzmuskel der Wirbeltiere von ihrer Skelettmuskulatur unterscheidet, insofern man die Beziehungen zwischen passiver und aktiver Kraft betrachtet. Im Herzmuskel der Mollusken lasst sich der maximale Tetanus fur die Messung der aktiven Kraft verwenden.
Malrotation of the Midgut in Infants and Children: A 25-Year Review

• Seventy-four patients were operated on at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles between 1951 and 1977 for abnormalities of intestinal rotation with or without volvulus. The mortality in this group of patients was 4% and represents a significant improvement from the 23% mortality previously reported from this institution between 1937 and 1951. Neonatal patients had bilious vomiting and signs of high intestinal obstruction while older children had a more chronic course characterized by intermittent episodes of abdominal pain. Evaluation with contrast studies and early celiotomy is mandatory to prevent bowel necrosis. We outline the associated gastrointestinal anomalies and management of these combined anomalies. ( Arch Surg 116: 158-160, 1981)
From Old Thinking to New Thinking in Qualitative Research

Robert English has provided a strongly written critique of our article “Power, Globalization, and the End of the Cold War.”1 Unfortunately, his reply may have the unintended consequence of reinforcing a pernicious but popular view among political scientists that qualitative research—especially on single cases—cannot generate progress. Here we have a case of seminal importance that has attracted the sustained attention of dozens of international relations scholars for more than a decade, and yet it appears that scholars are still involved in what looks like an interminable historians’ debate over causes. In this article we show that such a reaction would be utterly unjustiaed. We have two basic responses. First, much of English’s critique misses the mark because it is based on a misunderstanding of our research design. Second, his reply is nonetheless a test of our major andings conducted by a skeptical and talented researcher. Our analysis passes this tough test, though English does advance some useful criticisms. We proceed in four sections. First, we show that major progress has been made in explaining the end of the Cold War and establishing its theoretical implications. The debate now turns mainly on how to assess the causal implications of widely accepted andings, which is why issues of qualitative research design are so important. In the second section, we demonstrate the importance of moving beyond the framework of necessary and sufacient conditions toward a more probabilistic approach. Because it is constrained by the old framework, English’s reply cannot directly engage much of our analysis. Third, we explain how we designed our research on this case to assess endogeneity. A failure to appreciate why and how we tackled this key issue is the source of English’s serious—and wrong—charge that our research was “biased.” The fourth section addresses English’s most central empirical challenge concerning hard-line alternatives to Soviet retrenchment. In this case, as in so many others, New versus Old Thinking in Qualitative Research
Fabrication and testing of 1.4-m convex off-axis aspheric optical surfaces

ABSTRACT New developments in fabrication and testing techniques at th e College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona have allowed successful completion of 1.4-m diameter convex off-axis aspherics. The optics with up to 300 µm aspheric departure were finished using a new method of computer controlled polishing and measured with two new optical tests: the Swingarm Optical CMM (SOC) and a Fi zeau interferometer using a spherical reference surface and CGH correction. This paper shows the methods and equipment used for manufacturing these surfaces. Keywords: Optical fabrication, aspheres, optical testing, large optics 1. INTRODUCTION Fabrication of large optical surfaces is difficult because of the complicated tooling needed for all stages of handling, manufacturing, and measuring. Aspheric surfaces are especia lly difficult because the polishing tools need to conform to a non-spherical shape, and the measurement cannot rely on the symmetry provided by spherical shapes. Off-axis aspheres cannot even use the axisymmetry of more common aspheric shapes, which are figures of revolution. The unique difficulty for convex surfaces arises from the difficulty performing optical tests  reflection from a concave surface causes light to converge, allowing the test system to be smaller than the optic being measures. Reflection from a convex surface causes the light to diverge, requiring auxiliary optics that are larger then the surface being measured. We present the successful completion of such surfaces that are la rge (1.4 meters in diameter), non-symmetric aspheres (off axis portions of a paraboloid or OAP, having up to 300 µm aspheric departure), and convex (requiring new optical test methods). This paper summarizes the manufacturing for these OAPs, emphasizing the techniques developed at University of Arizona that are novel and interesting on their own. The po lishing of the aspherical surf aces was performed with a new class of computer controlled polishing machines that use the swing arm geometry to provide robust motion control. The measurement of the optical surface was performed using two methods: x Swing arm Optical CMM SOC: A new machine was constructed that provide two-dimensional shape information from a series of scans that use swing arm geometry and utilize an interferometric, non-contact measurement. These measuremen ts are accurate to ~6 nm rms.
Gene Expression Profiling and Regression Rate of Irradiated Uveal Melanomas

Background and objective Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular cancer; however, the molecular features that predict response to therapy are poorly understood. Our objective was to determine whether gene expression profiling (GEP) is associated with rate of tumor regression after I-125 plaque brachytherapy for uveal melanoma. Patients and methods Retrospective review of 138 patients with posterior uveal melanoma treated with I-125 plaque brachytherapy in which GEP class and 3-month post-radiation ultrasonographic tumor thickness data were available. Statistical analysis was performed using t test and Fisher's exact test. Results GEP class assignment was class 1 in 83 (60.1%) and class 2 in 55 (39.9%) patients. Mean patient age was 60.9 years for class 1 and 68.1 years for class 2 tumors (P = .002). Mean initial tumor diameter was 13.0 mm for class 1 and 14.1 mm for class 2 tumors (P = .02). Mean initial tumor thickness was 5.2 mm for class 1 and 6.1 mm for class 2 tumors (P = .047). Three months after I-125 plaque radiotherapy, mean reduction in tumor thickness was 26.5% for class 1 and 16.7% for class 2 tumors (P = .03). Conclusion Class 1 uveal melanoma tumors exhibit more rapid early tumor regression than class 2 tumors after I-125 plaque radiotherapy.
Complete resolution of laryngeal amyloidosis with radiation treatment.

Background. Localized amyloidosis of the larynx is a rare entity of unclear etiology. Surgical debulking is the primary treatment modality but often is not curative. Methods and Results. A 41-year-old woman presenting with increasing hoarseness, dysphagia, dyspnea, and weight loss was found to have a submucosal mass in the left false vocal fold. Biopsy of the specimen revealed amyloid. After negative work-up for systemic disease, the patient underwent surgical debulking. Specimens revealed a population of clonal plasma cells demonstrating lambda restriction. The patient was treated with adjuvant external beam radiation to a dose of 45 Gy. At 11 months, the patient's voice, breathing, and swallowing have all improved substantially. Conclusions. Recent pathologic studies suggest that localized amyloidosis of the larynx is caused by a localized, nonmalignant plasma cell disorder. Because full resection is difficult, we recommend a combination of surgery and radiation therapy to cure this disease. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012
Bladder cancer: Bladder preservation—learning what we don't know

Bladder preservation for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer has the potential to offer a quality-of-life advantage, but owing to the lack of randomized trials oncological equivalence to surgery has not been demonstrated. A new article provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of this procedure, but raises timely and important questions.
Degradation of paddle-wheel Aanderaa current measurements by mooring vibration in a strong tidal flow

Currents measured with modified (paddle-wheel rotor) Aanderaa current meters on subsurface moorings in a strong tidal flow are compared to those measured with a ship-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), a bottom-mounted ADCP, and InterOcean S4 electromagnetic current meters. Significant discrepancies among the rate measurements at some vertical levels are found. The rates measured by the Aanderaas at interior mooring positions are up to 20% lower than the acoustic rates, particularly for speeds greater than 0.8 m/s. Field tests and a simple model suggest that this discrepancy arises from shielding of the Aanderaa rotors due to instrument misalignment (with the relative water velocity) during periods of mooring vibration, induced by vortex shedding from in-line backup buoyancy packages. >
Pharmacokinetics of nicotine in rats after multiple-cigarette smoke exposure

The pharmacokinetics of nicotine and its major metabolites was evaluated in male rats after multiple-cigarette smoke exposure. A smoke-exposure apparatus was used to deliver cigarette smoke to the exposure chamber. The rats were exposed to smoke from a single cigarette every 8 hr for 14 days and to the smoke of a cigarette spiked with radiolabeled nicotine on the 15th day. Blood and urine samples were collected at timed intervals during the 10-min smoke-exposure period of the last cigarette and up to 48 hr thereafter. Nicotine, cotinine, and other polar metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography and quantified by liquid scintillation counting. The data were analyzed by computer fitting, and the derived pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to those observed after a single iv injection of nicotine and after a single-cigarette smoke exposure. The results indicated that the amount of nicotine absorbed from multiple-cigarette smoke was approximately 10-fold greater than that absorbed from a single cigarette. Also, unlike the single-cigarette smoke exposure experiment, nicotine plasma levels did not decay monotonically but increased after the 5th hr, and high plasma concentrations persisted for 30 hr. The rate and extent of the formation of cotinine, the major metabolite of nicotine, were decreased as compared with their values following a single-cigarette smoke exposure. It was concluded that nicotine or a constituent of tobacco smoke inhibits the formation of cotinine and may affect the biotransformation of other metabolites. Urinary excretion tended to support the conclusions that the pharmacokinetic parameters of nicotine and its metabolites were altered upon multiple as compared to single dose exposure.
Decompositions of Urea and Guanidine Nitrates

The decompositions of urea nitrate (UN) and guanidine nitrate (GN) are determined with isothermal heating followed by quantification of both remaining nitrate and remaining base. Activation energies determined for UN were 158 and 131 kJ/mol with the preexponential factors being 1.39 × 1012 s−1 and 2.66 × 109 s−1 for nitrate and urea, respectively. These pairs of Arrhenius constants predict decomposition rates less than a factor of two apart. For GN the activation energies were 199 and 191 kJ/mol with the preexponential factors being 1.94 × 1015 s−1 and 3.20 × 1014 s−1 for nitrate and guanidine, respectively. These pairs of Arrhenius constants predict identical decomposition rates. Literature values for ammonium nitrate decomposition indicate that it should decompose somewhat slower than UN and faster than GN. DSC also indicates this ordering but suggested that UN is substantially less stable than was observed in the isothermal experiments. Decomposition products, both gaseous and condensed, are reported f...
SPIKE-NOSED PROJECTILES WITH VORTEX RINGS : STEADY AND NONSTEADY FLOW SIMULATIONS

Numerical computations are reported for a spike-nosed projectile configuration with a tripping ring. A vortexdominated flowfield is computed at supersonic speeds of MOO = 3.5,3.0, and 1.9. A time-dependent Navier-Stokes computational technique with zonal gridding was used. The axial force at zero angle of attack was computed and found to be in good agreement with the wind tunnel data at Mach 3.0. The wind tunnel sting effect on the axial force coefficient and the flow pattern was found to be very minor for the present case at Mach 3.5. An additional interesting case was computed at Mach 1.9, and the flow was found to be of the oscillatory (buzzing) type. The frequency of the oscillation was computed as 5333 Hz.
Chemical Kinetics of the Azide Radical: Rate Constants for Reactions with Cl, NO, NO2, O2, CO, CO2, Cl2, and C3H6

The reactions of the azide radical (X 2Πg), produced by the reaction of F atoms with HN3, with F, Cl, NO, NO2, O2, CO, CO2, Cl2, and propylene have been examined in a room-temperature flow reactor. The relative concentration of N3 was monitored under pseudo-first-order conditions using laser-induced fluorescence. A microwave discharge applied to a dilute flow of CF4 in argon served as the F atom source for the F + HN3 reaction. Using reactant concentrations of (0.5−4.0) × 1012 and (1.0−4.0) × 1012 molecules cm-3 for CF4 and HN3, respectively, the rate constant for the N3 + F reaction was found to be (4.1 ± 0.3) × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which compares favorably with the accepted value of (5 ± 2) × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1. The reaction with Cl atoms was examined using reactant concentrations of (5.5−9.4) × 1011, (2.0−4.0) × 1012, and (1.0−22.0) × 1012 molecules cm-3 for CF4, HN3, and Cl2, respectively, and the rate constant is × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1. The rate constants for the reactions of N3 with ...
Search for Short-Lived Anomalons in Projectile Fragmentation

An anomalous short mean free path for projectile fragments has been observed in emulsions. The effect disappears in the first few centimeters and it has been suggested that the disappearance is due to a lifetime effect. The projectile fragmentation yields from a solid and a dilute Cu target bombarded by 1.7-GeV/u $^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ have been measured and it is concluded that the disappearance of the effect is not due to decay.
An illustration of how a self-report diagnostic screening scale could improve the internal validity of antidepressant efficacy trials

Abstract Background: During the past 20 years semi-structured diagnostic interviews have been the standard for diagnostic evaluations in research relying on reliable and valid psychiatric assessment and diagnosis; however, only a minority of antidepressant efficacy trials (AETs) employ these interviews. This might be important insofar as several studies have found that clinicians conducting unstructured clinical interviews underrecognize diagnostic comorbidity. Because of the financial incentives to recruit patients into AETs quickly, there is little incentive to vigorously determine the presence of comorbid conditions that should result in exclusion from the trial. In the present report we demonstrate how a self-report diagnostic screening scale could be used to identify systematic differences in diagnostic practice across settings, and how such a scale could be used to compare samples of patients who pass screening evaluations and are accepted into an AET. Methods: Depressed patients completed the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ), and were evaluated with either an unstructured clinical interview or with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Results: The two samples were clinically comparable based on their scores on the self-administered PDSQ. Consistent with the greater thoroughness of the SCID, compared to unstructured diagnostic evaluations, more patients administered the SCID were diagnosed with comorbid conditions. After excluding patients with disorders that might be the basis for exclusion from an AET, the two samples then differed in their scores on the PDSQ. That is, more patients in the sample evaluated by an unstructured interview had ‘occult’ pathology than patients evaluated with the SCID. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate how systematic differences in diagnostic practice might be detected across sites when conducting AETs. Limitations: The study was conducted with patients in a single outpatient clinical practice rather than participants of a multi-site trial.
Commentary: A Family is a Family is a Family

Models are methods of interpreting data. They vary in their suitability to the topic being studied. Models of the family can be divided into those that address questions about the emergent characteristics of the group and those that address questions about the attributes and interactions of individual members. In this paper, these assumptions provide a framework for judging Bogdan's criticism of homeostatic theory and his contention that an adequate description of family process must begin with individuals and their cognitive states.
Decorrelation Methods of Texture Feature Extraction

This paper presents the development and evaluation of a visual texture feature extraction method based on a stochastic field model of texture. Results of recent visual texture discrimination experiments are reviewed in order to establish necessary and sufficient conditions for texture features that are in agreement with human discrimination. A texture feature extraction technique involving autocorrelation function measurement of a texture field, combined with histogram representation of a statistically decorrelated version of the texture field, is introduced. The texture feature extraction method is evaluated in terms of a Bhattacharyya distance measure.
The distribution of brownian motion on linear stopping boundaries

We consider Brownian motion with drift and stopping boundaries: linear upper and lower boundaries, and possibly a vertical boundary at a truncation point, all under conditions assuring a finite stopping time. T. W. Anderson (Ann. Math. Statist. 31, 1960) derived formulas for the distributions of the stopped process along these boundaries and for the associated expected stopping times. We present simpler formulas, and briefer derivations.
A geometrical interpretation of the reggeon and pomeron intercepts in the string model

Abstract A geometrical interpretation of the α(0) = 1 intercept for the reggeon and α(0) = 2 intercept of the pomeron is given in the dual string model. It is argued that these intercepts follow from Lorentz invariance, reparametrization invariance, and the absence of mass points on the string. No detailed dynamical knowledge of the strings is needed. Some applications of the geometrical arguments are given for string scatterings. The space-time properties of a fast string are discussed. A field theory example is given whose wave function has infinite transverse spatial extent in light-cone quantization but not in ordinary time quantization
Rose and Britton: From Brittonrosea to Cassia

Joseph Nelson Rose (1862-1928) was a very retiring, hardworking individual whose “Leitmotif” was botany. Trips to Mexico with Edward Palmer aroused in him an interest in the Cactaceae and Leguminosae, an interest that would eventually lead him to work with Nathaniel Lord Britton on these groups. The correspondence here discussed, pertaining to their years of collaboration, provides insight into their taxonomic concepts and decisions, especially their generic segregations.
Ethics of product endorsement: taking a look at freebies.

Childbirth educators are potentially a large vehicle for marketing promotions to young and purchasing parents. Many free materials—educational matter and product samples—are available for the educator's own use and for distribution to the parents who attend class for evidence-based information. In this column, the author encourages childbirth educators to use good judgment in selecting materials that will protect normal birth, encourage positive parenting, and promote breastfeeding. Educators must consider the effect a brand name will have on the purchasing power of parents and whether or not the materials or samples will undermine breastfeeding efforts.
Effects of Particle Rotation on the Hydrodynamic Modeling of Segregation in Gas-Fluidized Beds

A multi-fluid Eulerian model has been improved by incorporating particle rotation using a simple kinetic theory for rapid granular flow of slightly frictional spheres. The model was implemented without changing the current kinetic theory framework by introducing an effective coefficient of restitution to account for additional energy dissipation due to frictional collisions. Simulations with and without particle rotation were performed to study the bubble dynamics in a monodispersed gas-solid fluidized bed and the segregation phenomena in a bidispersed gas-solid fluidized bed. Results were compared between simulations with and without particle rotation and with corresponding experimental results. It was found that the multi-fluid model with particle rotation better captures the bubble dynamics and time-averaged bed behavior. The model predicted lower segregation percentages and a lower segregation rate due to increased bubble intensity.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Pattern and motion vision without Laplacian zero crossings

The zero crossings of band-limited signals are known to be rich in information. Recent models of information processing in biological visual systems have proposed that image structure is represented initially by such zero crossings, after the image has been bandpass filtered at multiple scales by neural receptive fields whose two-dimensional profiles resemble the Laplacian of a Gaussian. Because the resulting zero crossings generally correspond to physically meaningful structures such as edges and occlusion boundaries, and indeed under some conditions can exhaustively specify the original image, such representations have proven useful and efficient in a variety of machine vision problems. However, some simple information-processing operations that are apparent in human pattern and motion vision can be shown to be impossible in such representations, because the zero crossings in the bandpassed signals do not capture the necessary information (at any scale of analysis), because the information that they provide is misleading, or because there are no such crossings in the signals after delta 2 G sigma filtering at any scale. Examples are provided of simple visual signal-processing tasks (texture discrimination, motion perception, pattern detection) that human beings can perform effortlessly but that cannot be performed in the proposed multiscale delta 2 G sigma zero-crossings schemes. These perceptual capabilities offer evidence against this model of early image representation in human vision.
The effects of sloped surfaces on locomotion: An electromyographic analysis

Abstract Investigations using quadrupeds have suggested that the motor programs used for slope walking differ from that used for level walking. This idea has not yet been explored in humans. The aim of this study was to use electromyographic (EMG) signals obtained during level and slope walking to complement previously published joint angle and joint moment data in elucidating such control strategies. Nine healthy volunteers walked on an instrumented ramp at each of five grades (−39%, −15%, 0%, +15%, +39%). EMG activity was recorded unilaterally from eight lower limb muscles (gluteus maximus (GM), rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM), soleus (Sol), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and tibialis anterior (TA)). The burst onset, duration, and mean activity were calculated for each burst in every trial. The burst characteristics were then averaged within each grade and subject and submitted to repeated measures ANOVAs to assess the effect of grade (α=0.05, a priori). Power production increased during upslope walking, as did the mean activity and burst durations of most muscles. In this case, the changes in muscle activity patterns were not predictable based on the changes in joint moments because of the activation of biarticular muscles as antagonists. During downslope walking power absorption increased, as did knee extensor activity (mean and duration) and the duration of the ankle plantarflexor activity. The changes in muscle activity during this task were directly related to the changes in joint moments. Collectively these data suggest that the nervous system uses different control strategies to successfully locomote on slopes, and that joint power requirements are an important factor in determining these control strategies.