cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cable Vibration Reduction with a Hung-on TMD System, Part II: Parametric Study

Based on the theoretical derivations of the free vibration problem for a cable-TMD system in the companion paper, a parametric study is carried out in the present paper to investigate the influence on the solutions, and thus the system modal damping and frequency, of the cable geometry-elasticity parameter, cable inclination, damper position, mass ratio, frequency ratio, damper damping ratio, and tuning mode. Emphasis is put on the system modal damping, as this is an important index of the performance of the TMD. The features and mechanisms of energy transfer and damping redistribution from the TMD to each mode of the cable-TMD system are also investigated and discussed.
Short‐Term Recovery of Ammonium‐15Nitrogen Applied to a Temperate Forest Inceptisol and Ultisol in East Tennessee, USA

Abstract The short‐term fate and retention of ammonium (NH4)‐15nitrogen (N) applied to two types of forest soils in east Tennessee was investigated. Four ridgetop forests, predominantly oak (Quercus spp.), were studied. Five applications of NH4‐15N tracer were made to the forest floor at 2‐ to 4‐week intervals over a 14‐week period in 2004. Nitrogen‐15 recovery in the forest floor, fine roots ( 100 weeks) indicated the forest floor is an effective filter for atmospheric N inputs.
Practicing What We Preach: Using reflective writing as an indicator of learning

The first term of any preservice teacher education program can be challenging for students in many ways, and learning to read and write in a scholarly way is one potential challenge. This article chronicles events in my secondary education literacy course when I asked students to write in a descriptive, analytical, and reflective way about the experiences that led them to teaching. The assignment was to be forwarded to potential cooperating teachers seeking interns in their classrooms. The stakes were high, and so was the confusion about what it means to write reflectively and how to link such writing to teacher education standards. This forced me to study my own efforts to encourage reflective practice to discover where the gaps in understanding had occurred and how those gaps might be reduced. The self-study experience was enlightening, and I now realize that I can assume nothing about student understanding. The only way to know if understanding has occurred is to ask the right questions and then be pre...
Optical processing based on spectral line-by-line shaping on a phase modulated CW laser

We demonstrate optical processing based on spectral line-by-line pulse shaping on a phase modulated CW laser and show various applications including CW-to-pulse conversion, width/wavelength tunable return-to-zero pulse generation, pulse-to-CW conversion, wavelength conversion and microwave photonics.
Statistical inference for individual organism research: mixed blessing or curse?

Descriptive and inferential statistics are described as judgemental aids, stimuli to which the scientist can more easily react than to his raw experimental results. The increasing emphasis on the significance test as the main judgemental aid utilized in experimental psychology is credited with several harmful effects on experimental practice. The area known as “the experimental analysis of behavior” has so far escaped most of these harmful effects, but now we see an increased interest in the development of appropriate significance tests for individual organism research. This interest is based on the view that it is not possible to effect adequate levels of experimental control with much human applied research, and that in such cases a significance test would be quite valuable as a judgemental aid, both of which points are considered to be essentially incorrect, and if accepted, potentially harmful.
Interleukin-1 modulatory effect on the action of chemotherapeutic drugs and localized irradiation of the lip, duodenum, and tumor.

Abstract Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the radioprotective and radiochemoprotective capabilities of interleukin 1β (IL-1) on two acute-reacting normal tissues of the C3H mouse, the mucosa of the lip and the duodenum. Also assessed was the modulating effect of IL-1 on tumor growth in the same strain of mice. Methods and Materials: IL-1 was administered to C3H/Km mice in combination with fractionated irradiation, or with cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, or 5-fluorouracil (5FU) followed by irradiation. Normal tissue damage was evaluated in the mouse lip, using a subjective scoring system for tissue reaction, and in the duodenum, using the crypt cell survival assay. RIF-1 fibrosarcoma tumor response was assayed with the regrowth delay method. Results: IL-1 protected against the acute reaction produced by fractionated irradiation in the lip mucosa, shifting the dose-response curve by 3.8 Gy. IL-1 was protective when injected intraperitoneally 24 hr before CY or c-DDP, which were given immediately before the first of five daily radiation dose fractions. The dose-response curves for cyclophosphamide and cisplatin were shifted 4.0 Gy and 1.6 Gy, respectively. IL-1 did not protect against 5FU toxicity when treatments were administered in that same sequence; however, when 5FU was given 4 or 8 hr before IL-1 and the first radiation dose fraction followed 20 or 16 hr later, there was significant protection and the curves were separated by 1.5 Gy or 3.5 Gy. IL-1 also protected duodenal crypt cells against the cytocidal effect of fractionated irradiation, with a dose difference of 1.5 Gy and an improvement of crypt survival of 11.7%. It was even more protective for these cells against the enhanced drug toxicity when cyclophosphamide or 5FU were administered immediately before the first of five daily radiation doses, with the dose differences of 4.4 and 5.3 Gy, respectively, and improvements of crypt survival of 33.8 and 29.9%, respectively. There was no modification by IL-1 of the effect of irradiation alone on the RIF-1 tumor. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential for use of IL-1 as an auxiliary in combinations with chemotherapeutic agents and radiation. It also indicates that for some drugs, such as 5FU, IL-1 effects may be sequence dependent.
Effect of Various Dried “Greens” on Blood Spot Incidence in Chicken Eggs

Abstract DEHYDRATED alfalfa and grass meals are accepted components of poultry rations. In addition to supplying nutrients, they serve as an economical means of providing dietary pigments for desired yolk and skin color. The effect of dehydrated alfalfa on blood spot incidence in eggs would appear to be in controversy. Carver and Henderson (1948) reported a definite, but nonsignificant, decrease in blood spot incidence with the addition of 15 percent dehydrated alfalfa to the ration. A significant reduction in blood spots in eggs of White Leghorn hens upon addition of 10 percent dehydrated alfalfa to a basal ration with no “greens” was reported by Sauter et al. (1952). More recently, however, Sauter et al. (1964, 1965) have presented evidence that the addition of either dehydrated alfalfa or menadione sodium bisulfite complex (MSBC) to a low vitamin K diet fed to White Leghorn hens maintained in wire floored cages caused an increase …
Tailored-gain broad-area semiconductor laser with single-lobed diffraction-limited far-field pattern

We demonstrate a 60 μm-wide asymmetric tailored-gain broad-area semiconductor laser with a single-lobed diffraction-limited far-field pattern 2.5° wide. The method used to achieve gain tailoring may be used to create nearly arbitrary two-dimensional spatial gain distributions within a broad-area laser.
Performance of stack filters and vector detection in image restoration

Two techniques for image restoration are compared in this paper. One is a technique based on the theory of optimal adaptive stack filtering; the other is a recently developed vector detection approach to image restoration. The primary difference between these two techniques is that the optimal detection technique exploits multilevel a priori information, while the stack filter uses only single level information. Both approaches have very similar design constraints: (a) both rely on the existence of a training sequence for the image source in order to obtain optimal processing; (b) the underlying random fields need not be stationary and a direct computation of the statistics of the desired images is not required. Adaptive stack filters do, however, require a training set of the noise while the optimal detection approach only needs a multivariate parametric representation. The image restoration performance of these two methods is compared in a signal dependent noise environment characterizing imaging systems with speckle, film-grain, and Poisson shot noise. Comparisons are made using the Mean Absolute Error measure as well as a subjective measure.
Distinct periods of developmental sensitivity to the effects of 3,4-(±)-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on behaviour and monoamines in rats

Previous findings showed allocentric and egocentric learning deficits in rats after MDMA treatment from postnatal days (PD) 11-20 but not after treatment from PD 1-10. Shorter treatment periods (PD 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, or 16-20) resulted in allocentric learning deficits averaged across intervals but not for any interval individually and no egocentric learning deficits individually or collectively. Whether this difference was attributable to treatment length or age at the start of treatment was unclear. In the present experiment rat litters were treated on PD 1-10, 6-15, or 11-20 with 0, 10, or 15 mg/kg MDMA q.i.d. at 2-h intervals. Two male/female pairs/litter received each treatment. One pair/litter received acoustic startle with prepulse inhibition, straight channel swimming, Cincinnati water maze (CWM), and conditioned fear in a latent inhibition paradigm. The other pair/litter received locomotor activity, straight channel swimming, Morris water maze (MWM), and locomotor activity retest with MK-801 challenge. MDMA impaired CWM learning following PD 6-15 or 11-20 exposure. In MWM acquisition, all MDMA-treated groups showed impairment. During reversal and shift, the PD 6-15 and PD 11-20 MDMA-treated groups were significantly impaired. Reductions in locomotor activity were most evident after PD 6-15 treatment while increases in acoustic startle were most evident after PD 1-10 treatment. After MK-801 challenge, MDMA-treated offspring showed less locomotion compared to controls. Region-specific changes in brain monoamines were also observed but were not significantly correlated with behavioural changes. The results show that PD 11-20 exposure to MDMA caused the largest long-term cognitive deficits followed by PD 6-15 exposure with PD 1-10 exposure least affected. Other effects, such as those upon MK-801-stimulated locomotion showed greatest effects after PD 1-10 MDMA exposure. Hence, each effect has a different window of developmental susceptibility.
Fuel Cell-Based Powertrain System Modeling and Simulation for Small Aircraft Propulsion Applications

A solid oxide fuel cell-based power system is modeled and simulated to investigate both power management and controllability issues experienced while subjecting the system to the typical power requirements of a small aircraft. Initially, the fuel cell stack is assumed to operate along one characteristic I-V curve, thus isolating the power management study to the system’s powertrain components. Electrical converters transfer dc power from the fuel cell to usable ac power for an electric motor-driven propeller. To avoid oversizing, the fuel cell stack is designed to operate near its maximum power limit during aircraft cruising, while a battery is employed as an alternative source to provide additional power beyond the cruising kilowatt requirement (e.g., takeoff or maneuvering).
CD205 antigen targeting combined with dendritic cell recruitment factors and antigen-linked CD40L activation primes and expands significant antigen-specific antibody and CD4(+) T cell responses following DNA vaccination of outbred animals

Dendritic cell antigen targeting primes robust immune responses in mouse models. Optimizing this immunization strategy in the actual hosts that require protection will advance development of efficacious contemporary vaccines. In a proof-of-concept study, we tested the immunogenicity of a single, low dose of a novel multi-component DNA construct expressing a CD205-targeted antigen fused to a CD40L minimal functional domain for linked DC activation. The DNA construct was formulated with DNA-encoded Flt3L and GM-CSF for DC recruitment and the formulation was evaluated in MHC class II-matched calves. Immunization of the calves with the CD205 antigen-targeting construct mixed with the cytokine constructs induced significant IFN-γ-secreting CD4(+) T-cells, CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, and antibody responses detectable within one week post-immunization. CD205 antigen-targeting significantly expanded IFN-γ-secreting CD4(+) T-cells, CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, and IgG antibody responses three weeks post-immunization. Nineteen weeks post-priming, the IFN-γ-secreting CD4(+) T-cells, CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, and the IgG titers were waning, but they remained significant. Following boosting at nineteen weeks post-immunization, the immune responses primed by the CD205-targeted antigen underwent rapid recall and the mean response tripled within one week post-boost. Comparative analysis of the immune responses observed one week post-priming versus the responses detected one week post-boost revealed that the average number of the IFN-γ-secreting CD4(+) T-cells observed in the calves immunized with the CD205 antigen targeting construct increased five-fold, the mean CD4(+) T-cell proliferation increased three-fold, whereas the mean IgG antibody titer increased two hundred-fold. These promising outcomes support testing the protective efficacy of CD205-targeted antigens in the calf model.
Nonlinear evolution of the three-family Fritzsch mass matrices

Abstract Renormalization of the Fritzsch mass matrices is studied to compare the predictions of the ansatz imposed at a high scale with low energy data. The evolution effects are expected to be moderate, but their impact can be compared with rather precise mixing data. The viability of the Fritzsch model is found to be little changed by renormalization: with standard Higgs structure it remains marginally acceptable, but with two Higgs doublets and a charged Higgs mass ⋍ 50 GeV, agreement with KM mixings and B- B mixings is retained with a slightly lowered top mass of ⋍90 GeV. Remarks concerning the four-family extension imply that the renormalization effects are very significant and can not be ignored.
A design-oriented computer engineering program

Two national committees issued definitive computer curricula in the 1960s, Since then digital technology has changed, high school graduates have different preparation, computer science and computer engineering curricula have proliferated, and design has become more important. This paper proposes a computer engineering program that will respond to these changes. The program is a spiral one, based on an introductory computer engineering program, and emphasizing design through each of a number of streams that can reflect local interests and resources. This paper discusses the main courses of a stream and the basic introductory course.
Insiders, outsiders, and the community college: A sociology of knowledge perspective

It is proposed that a more comprehensive view of the community college would emerge if a sociology of knowledge perspective toward analyses of that institution were adopted. Robert K. Merton's discussion of “insiders” and “outsiders” is applied to the often conflicting images of the role of the community college found in analyses of those affiliated with that institution (insiders) and those who view it from the vantage of the university (outsiders). It is suggested that a synthesis of insider and outsider perspectives is possible.
565: Effect of smoking during pregnancy and metabolic gene polymorhisms on neonatal growth

ON NEONATAL GROWTH KRISTINE LAIN, PATRIZIA LUPPI, ARUNDHATHI JEYABALAN, JULIE DELOIA, University of Kentucky, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lexington, Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania OBJECTIVE: Smoking during pregnancy is associated with alterations in neonatal growth. Previous studies have demonstrated the additional contribution of maternal genotype to the reduction in birth weight. We sought to investigate the association between maternal smoking and infant growth and the influence of CYP1A1 and GSTT1. STUDY DESIGN: This analysis of neonatal growth outcomes was part of a larger study of maternal inflammatory response with smoking during pregnancy. We evaluated birth weight, length, and head circumference from 169 neonates. Neonates were grouped by maternal smoking status which was determined by cotinine concentrations. Analysis included the use of t-test and linear regression. RESULTS: The mean maternal age and BMI of the cohort was 23.5 4.8 years and 25.1 6.2 kg/m2. That rate of smoking in the cohort was 30%. Birth weight was approximately 200g less among neonates of women who smoked but did not reach statistical significance (p 0.06). Length was decreased among neonates of smokers (p 0.001). Head circumference was not different (p 0.14). Maternal cotinine concentrations correlated with fetal (cord) concentrations (r2 0.34, p 0.01). Maternal cotinine concentration was negatively associated with birth weight and fetal length (p 0.05, p 0.01) using backward multivariable linear regression including maternal age, BMI, race, and gestational age at delivery. Fetal cotinine was associated with length but not weight (p 0.014, p 0.5). The prevalence of CYP1A1 wildtype was 75% and for GSTT present was 63%. There was no difference in genotypes by smoking status. In addition, there was no difference in birth weight or length by genotype and there was no additional influence on birth weight or length in addition to smoking status. CONCLUSION: The results of our study corroborate many other studies by demonstrating reduction in birth weight and birth length among neonates of women who smoked during pregnancy. Metabolic genotypes, specifically CYP1A1 and GSTT1, however, did not have any affect on measures of growth in this specific patient population.
What Do We Know About Gay and Lesbian Couples

Research on gay and lesbian couples is highlighted with regard to household labor, conflict, satisfaction, perceived social support, stability, and the variables that predict relationship quality. Relative to partners from married heterosexual couples, partners from gay and lesbian couples tend to assign household labor more fairly, resolve conflict more constructively, experience similar levels of satisfaction, and perceive less support from family members but more support from friends. The limited data available indicate that gay and lesbian couples may be less stable than married heterosexual couples. The factors that predict relationship quality tend to be the same for gay, lesbian, and heterosexual married couples. Overall, research paints a positive picture of gay and lesbian couples and indicates that they tend to be more similar to than different from heterosexual couples.
Equilibrium and Fairness of Networks Shared by TCP Reno and Vegas/FAST

It has been proved theoretically that a network with heterogeneous congestion control algorithms that react to different congestion signals can have multiple equilibrium points. In this paper, we demonstrate this experimentally using TCP Reno and Vegas/FAST. We also show that any desired inter-protocol fairness is in principle achievable by an appropriate choice of Vegas/FAST parameter, and that intra-protocol fairness among flows within each protocol is unaffected by the presence of the other protocol except for a reduction in effective link capacities. Dummynet experiments and ns-2 simulations are presented to verify these results.
The Social Web: Research and Opportunities

In this paper, Web 2.0-based technologies advance both collective and individual intelligence.
Cerium Oxide Abrasives – Observations and Analysis

The use of cerium oxide (ceria) as an abrasive for dielectric chemical mechanical polishing has a “checkered” history to say the least. Nevertheless, its use remains attractive for this purpose because of favorable polishing characteristics that are generally not obtainable using conventional fumed or colloidal silica abrasives. To be specific, large differences are commonly observed between removal rates of thin film silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and/or polysilicon. Moreover, such rate selectivity invariably favors removal of oxide films, which of course, is precisely what is desirable for fabrication of modern shallow trench isolation schemes. Even so, CMP using ceria abrasive often exhibits unusual characteristics that cannot be explained adequately by conventional polishing models based on pad/asperity elasticity or pressure distribution over features. Most notably, non-conventional, observed behaviors can be collected under the rubric of “slow start phenomena”. In this work, it is asserted that specific polishing characteristics of ceria slurry are largely due to the detailed surface chemistry of ceria particles and their interaction with silica. In any case, it is further shown that modification of slurry lubrication can alleviate slow-start and shift CMP process characteristics back toward more conventional behavior.
Small Peturbation Method

The problems of wave scattering at roughness of more or less general form have no exact analytic solutions. To solve them, various approximative methods were developed. Of the most significance among these methods are the small perturbation method (SPM) and the quasi-classical approximation (or geometrical optics approximation). These two approaches can be referred to as “classical”. In the present chapter we consider the former.
Analyzing an Innovative Environment: San Diego as a Bioscience Beachhead

This article examines dynamics underlying the growth of a flourishing bioscience cluster in San Diego, California, to illustrate the construction of an innovative environment and the matching of place characteristics with a specific economic activity. Extensive interviews explore the formation of synergistic connections promoting the political, economic, and social networks of entrepreneurial individuals at the metropolitan scale. Spatial proximity is shaped by real estate considerations within and between local clusters in a volatile industry affected strongly by shifting access to financial and human capital. Five key factors underlying regional success are found to be access to an outstanding research university, advocacy leadership, risk financing, an entrepreneurial culture, and appropriate real estate, knit by an intensive information exchange network.
Semantic similarity measurement based on knowledge mining: an artificial neural net approach

This article presents a new approach to automatically measure semantic similarity between spatial objects. It combines a description logic based knowledge base an ontology and a multi-layer neural network to simulate the human process of similarity perception. In the knowledge base, spatial concepts are organized hierarchically and are modelled by a set of features that best represent the spatial, temporal and descriptive attributes of the concepts, such as origin, shape and function. Water body ontology is used as a case study. The neural network was designed and human subjects' rankings on similarity of concept pairs were collected for data training, knowledge mining and result validation. The experiment shows that the proposed method achieves good performance in terms of both correlation and mean standard error analysis in measuring the similarity between neural network prediction and human subject ranking. The application of similarity measurement with respect to improving relevancy ranking of a semantic search engine is introduced at the end.
High pressure gas scintillation drift chambers with wave-shifter fiber readout

The authors present results from a prototype xenon-gas scintillation drift chamber. It was operated at pressures up to 20 atm, and the scintillation light yield was measured at various pressures and reduced fields. Scintillation-reduced fields ranged from 1.3 to 3 kV/cm/atm in a 5.4-mm scintillation gap. Drift fields ranged from 45 to 100 V/cm/atm in an 8-cm drift region. The chamber was exposed to an /sup 241/Am source in a port either 2.7 or 5.4 cm from the secondary scintillation region. The authors also describe the high-voltage problems encountered during operation at high pressures. Further tests with the wave shifter fiber readout showed that the problem of gas contamination by the fibers is manageable but that the interaction between the optical fibers and the high pressure xenon gas can lead to fiber damage. A solution to this problem is described. >
Studies on Papua New Guinea Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) IV. Radfordiana is a Junior Synonym of Schoengastia, with Description of a New Species and a Key to the Species

Radfordiana Womersley is a junior synonym of Schoengastia Oudemans. S. heterosetosa is described as new from the Moss-forest Rat, Rattus niobe , in Papua New Guinea. A key to the larvae of Schoengastia species in the Asiatic-Pacific region is given.
Effect of acute changes in load on left ventricular diastolic function during device closure of atrial septal defects

Echocardiographic indexes of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function were assessed in 18 patients before and after device closure of secundum atrial septal defects. The tissue Doppler early diastolic peak annular velocity (Ea) and color M-mode velocity of propagation (Vp), indexes of relaxation, seemed to be load independent and were not affected by the change in LV filling hemodynamics, whereas the mitral inflow peak E-wave velocity and E/Ea ratio were more load dependent, with a resultant increase after the closure of large atrial shunts.
A global imperative: development, safety, and health from girl child to woman.

The purposes of this article are to review what we know about the health status for girl children in the world and to suggest policy that allows us to see how to improve the health of girl–children. First, I will consider globalization and its relationship to health disparities. I then will review what we know about the health of the girl–child, contrasting patterns of health observed in girl–children from Sub-Saharan Africa and the consequences for subsequent generations. Finally, I will focus on interventions at the level of social and health policy, the community, and systems of health care delivery.
Geographies of Health

In the past two decades or so, geographers and researchers in allied fields have significantly advanced our understanding of the geographies of health, disease, and well-being in different areas of...
Development of a Contemporary Bleeding Risk Model for Elderly Warfarin Recipients

Background and purpose Develop and validate a contemporary bleeding risk model to guide the clinical use of warfarin in the elderly atrial fibrillation (AF) population. Methods Chart-abstracted data from the National Registry of Atrial Fibrillation was combined with Medicare part A claims to identify major bleeding events requiring hospitalization. Using a split-sample technique, candidate variables that provided statistically stable relationships with major bleeding events were selected for model development. Three risk categories were created and validated. The new model was compared to existing bleeding risk models using c-statistics and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results Model development and validation was conducted on 26,345 AF patients who were > 65 years of age and had been discharged from the hospital while receiving warfarin therapy. The following eight variables were included in the final risk score model: age ≥ 70 years; gender; remote bleeding; recent ( ie , during index hospitalization) bleeding; alcohol/drug abuse; diabetes; anemia; and antiplatelet use. Bleeding rates were 0.9%, 2.0%, and 5.4%, respectively, for the groups with low, moderate, and high risk, compared to the bleeding rates for groups with moderate risk (1.5% and 1.0%) and high risk (1.8% and 2.5%) from other models. Conclusions Using a nationally derived data set, we developed a model based on contemporary practice standards for determining major bleeding risk among AF patients receiving warfarin therapy. The larger sample size afforded the opportunity to incorporate additional risk factors. In addition, since the majority of our population was > 65 years of age, we had greater ability to stratify risk among the elderly.
Testing the accuracy of a 1-D volcanic plume model in estimating mass eruption rate

During volcanic eruptions, empirical relationships are used to estimate mass eruption rate from plume height. Although simple, such relationships can be inaccurate and can underestimate rates in windy conditions. One-dimensional plume models can incorporate atmospheric conditions and give potentially more accurate estimates. Here I present a 1-D model for plumes in crosswind and simulate 25 historical eruptions where plume height Hobs was well observed and mass eruption rate Mobs could be calculated from mapped deposit mass and observed duration. The simulations considered wind, temperature, and phase changes of water. Atmospheric conditions were obtained from the National Center for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis 2.5° model. Simulations calculate the minimum, maximum, and average values (Mmin, Mmax, and Mavg) that fit the plume height. Eruption rates were also estimated from the empirical formula Mempir = 140Hobs4.14 (Mempir is in kilogram per second, Hobs is in kilometer). For these eruptions, the standard error of the residual in log space is about 0.53 for Mavg and 0.50 for Mempir. Thus, for this data set, the model is slightly less accurate at predicting Mobs than the empirical curve. The inability of this model to improve eruption rate estimates may lie in the limited accuracy of even well-observed plume heights, inaccurate model formulation, or the fact that most eruptions examined were not highly influenced by wind. For the low, wind-blown plume of 14–18 April 2010 at Eyjafjallajokull, where an accurate plume height time series is available, modeled rates do agree better with Mobs than Mempir.
Variation of the Oxidation Rate of Silicon Carbide with Water‐Vapor Pressure

Chemically vapor deposited silicon carbide (CVD SiC) was oxidized at temperatures of 1000°-1400°C in H2O/O2 gas mixtures with compositions of 10-90 vol% water vapor at a total pressure of 1 atm. Additional experiments were conducted in H2O/argon mixtures at a temperature of 1100°C. Experiments were designed to minimize impurity and volatility effects, so that only intrinsic water-vapor effects were observed. The oxidation kinetics increased as the water-vapor content increased. The parabolic oxidation rates in the range of 10-90 vol% water vapor (the balance being oxygen) were approximately one order of magnitude higher than the rates that were observed in dry oxygen for temperatures of 1200°-1400°C. The power-law dependence of the parabolic oxidation rate on the partial pressure of water vapor at all temperatures of the study indicated that the molecular species was not the sole rate-limiting oxidant. The determination of an activation energy for diffusion was complicated by variations in the oxidation mechanism and oxide-scale morphology with the partial pressure of water vapor and the temperature.
Results of the NIDA treatment demonstration grants' cocaine workgroup: characteristics of cocaine users and HIV risk behaviors

Abstract This journal issue includes seven articles (six plus this introduction) from the “cocaine workgroup” of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) treatment demonstration grants. In this introduction, results of the first attempts to compare data from seven disparate demonstration grant sites are summarized: Overall, rates of recent cocaine use were high in all locations, injection drug use was common, age of first drug use was between 14 and 17 years with age of first cocaine use between 20 and 25 years, arrests were common at all sites especially among cocaine injectors, and polydrug use was the norm. Interestingly, both gender and ethnic status were significantly associated with polydrug use and marijuana use among the cocaine users. These results indicated that it is possible to define variables precisely for analysis across sites and laid the groundwork for the next set of analyses in which the common theme of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors among cocaine abusers was agreed upon. This next set of analyses are included in the following six papers. Overall, these reports confirm recent data about the association of cocaine use with HIV risk behaviors. They extend considerably the literature on the association of cocaine with HIV risk behaviors, and the report from New York in which therapeutic community treatment was shown to be feasible and possibly useful to methadone clients represents an interesting and new finding. In conclusion, cross-site collaborations can take different forms and this collection of papers represents one successful approach.
R-curve behavior of in situ toughened α-SiAlON ceramics

R-curves of single-phase Y- and Ca-containing α-SiAlON ceramics have been measured. They range from flat ones for fine-grain ceramics to pronounced rising ones when large elongated grains are present. The highest toughness measured reached 11.5 MPa·m1/2 over a crack extension of about 1000 μm.
Measurement of Deliberate Self-Harm: Preliminary Data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory

Deliberate self-harm has recently begun to receive more systematic attention from clinical researchers. However, there remains a general lack of consensus as to how to define and measure this important clinical construct. There is still no standardized, empirically validated measure of deliberate self-harm, making it more difficult for research in this area to advance. The present paper provides an integrative, conceptual definition of deliberate self-harm as well as preliminary psychometric data on a newly developed measure of self-harm, the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). One hundred and fifty participants from undergraduate psychology courses completed research packets consisting of the DSHI and other measures, and 93 of these participants completed the DSHI again after an interval of 2–4 weeks (M = 3.3 weeks). Preliminary findings indicate that the DSHI has high internal consistency; adequate construct, convergent, and discriminant validity; and adequate test-retest reliability.
Development and biological applications of chloride-sensitive fluorescent indicators

Chloride movement across cell plasma and internal membranes, is of central importance for regulation of cell volume and pH, vectorial salt movement in epithelia, and, probably, intracellular traffic. Quinolinium-based chloride-sensitive fluorescent indicators provide a new approach to study chloride transport mechanisms and regulation that is complementary to 36Cl tracer methods, intracellular microelectrodes, and patch clamp. Indicator fluorescence is quenched by chloride by a collisional mechanism with Stern-Volmer constants of up to 220 M-1. Fluorescence is quenched selectively by chloride in physiological systems and responds to changes in chloride concentration in under 1 ms. The indicators are nontoxic and can be loaded into living cells for continuous measurement of intracellular chloride concentration by single-cell fluorescence microscopy. In this review, the structure-activity relationships for chloride-sensitive fluorescent indicators are described. Methodology for measurement of chloride transport in isolated vesicle and liposome systems and in intact cells is evaluated critically by use of examples from epithelial cell physiology. Future directions for synthesis of tailored chloride-sensitive indicators and new applications of indicators for studies of transport regulation and intracellular ion gradients are proposed.
Adult Audiologic Rehabilitation, Second Edition

The book, Adult Audiologic Rehabilitation, Second Edition by Montano and Spitzer is a comprehensive tome covering topics related to adult aural rehabilitation. The book has four major sections: Par...
Beyond Interests in Politics: A Comment on Virginia Sapiro's "When Are Interests Interesting? The Problem of Political Representation of Women"

In "When Are Interests Interesting?" Virginia Sapiro makes a number of stimulating and important arguments. Her article is particularly useful because it both suggests new research directions and serves as an example of the difficulties of approaching the study of women and politics within the conventional categories of political analysis. We disagree with Sapiro on a number of points, but rather than addressing these here, we hope to expand the discussion by focusing on the ways in which Sapiro's arguments illuminate the problems created by attempting to make do with the conventional categories.' Recent developments in feminist theory have begun to uncover fundamental weaknesses in the categories of political analysis themselves, thus forcing researchers to move beyond the positions Sapiro has taken.2
Health literacy and preventive health care use among Medicare enrollees in a managed care organization.

Background. Many older adults in Medicare managed care programs have low health literacy, and this may affect use of preventive services.Objectives. To determine whether older adults with inadequate health literacy were less likely to report receiving influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, mammogr
‘Casualty Aversion’: Media, Society and Public Opinion

’suppose they gave a war...and nobody came’. So ran the ironic caption to a bold red and black poster produced by an anti-Vietnam War activist group styling itself the ‘Committee to Unsell the War’. Fear of throwing an unpopular war is the spectre that has haunted American political elites ever since US troops left Vietnam in 1973. The past four decades have seen a proliferation of efforts to capture what diagnosticians consider an enfeebling affliction of the American body politic. The condition is variously described as casualty aversion, avoidance, phobia, shyness or sensitivity, or patholo- gized as a syndrome — named inter alia after Vietnam, Somalia, body bags or Dover, the US Air Force base through which soldiers’ corpses pass en route to hometown burial.1
Analysis on adverse drug reactions and treatment outcome of standardized therapy for multidrug resistant tuberculosis in Jiangsu Province

Objective To analyze the adverse drug reactions and treatment outcome of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis( MDR-TB),and to provide experience for MDR-TB control in Jiangsu Province. Methods 81 MDR-TB cases were enrolled in this study. Therapeutic regimen,adverse reactions of anti-TB drug and treatment outcome of TB cases were analysed. Results Among the 89 patients who had completed whole treatment process,81( 91. 0%) patients used standardized treatment. The adverse drug reactions rate was 61. 7%( 50 /81). Treatment adherence rates for cases with drug adverse reaction and for cases without drug adverse reaction were 76. 0% and 90. 3%,respectively,and there was no significant difference( X2= 2. 60,P = 0. 107). The success treatment rates for cases with drug adverse reaction and for cases without drug adverse reaction were 56. 0% and 80. 6%,respectively,and there was significant difference between the two rates( X2= 5. 14,P = 0. 023). Conclusions The standardized treatment of MDR-TB is recommended. Although,the slightly high adverse drug reaction may be noted. The present study provided evidences and experiences for MDR-TB treatment in Jiangsu Province.
Determination of promethazine hydrochloride in promethazine hydrochloride syrup by HPLC

Objective:To establish an HPLC method for determination of promethazine hydrochloride in promethazine hydrochloride syr- up.Methods:The chromatographic conditions were a Hypersil BDS-C_(18) column (4.6 mm×150 mm,5μm),0.5% Triethanolamine (with H_3PO_4 to adjust pH 2.5):acetonitrile (65:35 v/v) as the mobile phase,a flow rate at 1.0 mL/min and a wavelength of 249 nm used for detection.Results:The peak area of promethazine hydrochloride showed a good linearity in the range of 22.8～68.4μg/mL (r= 0.9999).The average recovery was 99.97%,RSD=0.45% (n=6).Conclusions:This method was simple and fast and reproducible, and it can be used for quality control of promethazine Hydrochloride syrup.
Against Cosmopolitanism and the Misfortune of Soviet Science

In the late 1940s,a large-scale "against cosmopolitanism"of political movement launched in the Soviet Union and the scientific community was not immune.The movement that politics wantonly interfered in the science caused to complete ruin for Soviet biology and genetics,physics had been the impact,some scientists had been(groundlessly accused and persecuted).oviet Union's scientific enterprise had been hit hardly.It is worthy of learning from the moral teaching.
Myxedema Coma and Hypoventilation

Carbon dioxide retention may underlie many treatment failures in myxedema. Exactly why myxedematous patients hypoventilate is unclear. Possible causes of the ineffective breathing are many and include obesity and central nervous system dysfunction. Quick action to improve respiratory function can gain valuable time. In the case reported here, respiratory assistance was lifesaving.
The Role of Statistics in the United States’ Economic Future

The national accounts were developed to address the paucity of comprehensive and consistent data confronting decision makers during the Great Depression. Over the intervening years, the accounts have served macroeconomic policy makers well, contributing to the unprecedented period of post-World War II economic growth and prosperity. Despite this success, there have been continuing calls — including those by the founder of US accounts, Simon Kuznets — for an expansion of the accounts to cover household production, environmental externalities, and other near-market and non-market activities that affect households’ wellbeing. One of the most eloquent critiques of the focus on GDP as a measure of society’s progress was made by Robert F. Kennedy: Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product, if we should judge America by that, counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors … Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play … it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it tells us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.1 Robert F. Kennedy, Address, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 18 March 1968
Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Testing in the 21st Century

The scope of immunogenetics and histocompatibility testing in transplantation has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. In organ transplantation, outcomes continue to improve as a result of better immunogenetics testing, immune suppression, and patient management; however, acute rejection and chronic rejection remain the biggest obstacles for successful transplantation. Since “crossmatching” was first described by Patel and Terasaki (1), the goal to provide accurate immunological risk assessment for transplant recipients remains unchanged. Histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratories utilize multiple diagnostic assays to evaluate HLA compatibility between donors and recipients. Furthermore, testing has expanded to include immunogenetics systems other than those using HLA, such as killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) (2, 3), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related gene A (MICA) (4), angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) (5), and genes encoding cytokines. The application of new state-of-the-art diagnostic tests that inform on the immune status of the transplant recipient has transformed the role of the immunogenetics laboratory from providing tissue-typing and crossmatching services to assessing immunologic risk, donor selection, and presentation of strategies for desensitization and therapeutic intervention. In addition, immunological risk assessment is no longer limited to the pretransplant period but has become increasingly recognized as a noninvasive tool for assessing acute and chronic rejection (6–8).
Year-Long Peer Mentoring Activity to Enhance the Retention of Freshmen STEM Students in a NSF Scholarship Program

The last year of a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded scholarship program was used to provide pseudo-formal peer mentoring activities to engineering, mathematics, and science undergraduates. A one-credit class was used to afford time for peer mentors and mentees to interact. During the fall semester, seniors augmented each week’s topics with personal experiences as to how they used the skill/topic that they had learned in their freshmen class in a future sophomore, junior or senior level course or on their co-op assignment. The last 10 min of every class were used for the seniors and freshmen to have an informal discussion. During the spring semester, the seniors served as an additional technical resource for the freshmen as they completed their class project. All participants found the one-credit class, project and peer mentoring activities beneficial to their education and would highly recommend the experience to incoming students.
2 Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone profiles predictive of superimposed preeclampsia: Chronic hypertension

Introduction Women with preexisting, or chronic hypertension (CHT) in pregnancy are at heightened risk for significant morbidity and death, primarily due to further elevations in blood pressure (BP) and development of superimposed preeclampsia (SPE). The pathophysiology for the elevations in BP remains unresolved. Objectives We investigated the hypothesis that renin–angiotensin aldosterone profiles (RAAS) are associated with BP and SPE. Methods We performed a prospective, longitudinal trial of 108 women with CHT (RO1 HL 48846. PI: P. August). We measured plasma renin activity (PRA), 24h urine Na, K and aldosterone (UA) at 12, 20, 28, and 36weeks gestation and post-martum to investigate the association between these potentially pathophysiologic parameters and elevations in BP and SPE. Results Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) was inversely related to PRA ( r =−0.23, P r =−0.11, P =0.047). PRA and UA were significantly and positively associated with each other ( r =0.5327, P P =0.005) and UA ( P =0.039) were significantly lower at 28weeks in those who developed SPE compared to those who did not develop SPE. Interestingly, PRA was significantly lower in black women compared to other racial groups ( p =0.026 at 36weeks and P P =0.0018) were significant predictors of PRA, while gestational age ( P P =0.0001), urine K ( P P =0.0005) were predictors of UA. Conclusions We conclude that renin–angiotensin–aldosterone profiles, ascertained in the third trimester of pregnancy, foretell the development of SPE in pregnant women with CHT. The RAAS profiles characterized in our investigation, in addition to serving as prognostic biomarkers, advance sodium retention as the primary mechanism for the elevation in BP in women with SPE.