cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient Evaluation of Sommerfeld Integrals for Tm Wave Scattering By Buried Objects

Unlike the scattering problem in homogeneous space, intensive computations of Sommerfeld integrals are involved in the EM scattering of buried scatterers. There are mainly three bottlenecks of the CPU time for such problem: matrix filling, matrix inversion and calculation of the scattered fields. For moderately sized problems, extensive numerical experience shows that the CPU time used in the first and third items (concerned with the Sommerfeld integrals) is much more than that used in the matrix inversion. Therefore an efficient method for solving such buried object problems requires the fast evaluation of such Sommerfeld integrals. In this paper, several efficient methods are presented to evaluate the integrals that appear in the TM wave scattering by two-dimensional buried dielectric and conducting cylinders. In the numerical integration method, the original integrating path is deformed to the steepest-descent paths to expedite the numerical integration and yield a more stable computation result. In th...
Perceived Susceptibility to HIV among Women Differences According to Age

Older women's risk of acquiring HIV should not be discounted, because researchers have noted that older women may be at an increased risk of contracting HIV due to their heterosexual sexual practices and/or substance use behaviors. HIV prevention efforts must be directed at older adults who engage in high-risk sexual and drug behaviors, particularly those who may not perceive themselves to be at risk for HIV infection. This study is based on 183 women, mostly African American, divided into two age cohorts (ages 18 to 29, and ages 40 and older). The authors investigate factors associated with HIV risk perception in several domains, including individual, psychosocial, and sociodemographic characteristics as well as sexual and drug use behaviors. Multivariate analyses revealed differences in factors associated with younger and older women's HIV risk perceptions. Our findings indicate a need for HIV risk prevention programs to take age into consideration when developing intervention messages and strategies.
Fatigue behavior of aluminum 5754-O and 6111-T4 spot friction welds in lap-shear specimens

Abstract Fatigue behavior of aluminum 5754-O and 6111-T4 spot friction welds in lap-shear specimens is investigated based on experimental observations and two fatigue life estimation models. Optical micrographs of the 5754 and 6111 welds made by a concave tool and a flat tool, respectively, before and after failure under quasi-static and cyclic loading conditions are examined. The micrographs show that the failure modes of the 5754 and 6111 welds under quasi-static and cyclic loading conditions are quite different. Under quasi-static loading conditions, both types of welds mainly fail from the nearly flat fracture surface through the nugget. Under low-cycle loading conditions, both types of welds mainly fail from the kinked crack through the upper sheet thickness and the fracture surface through the nugget. Under high-cycle loading conditions, both types of welds mainly fail from the kinked cracks through the upper and lower sheet thicknesses. A kinked fatigue crack growth model based on the stress intensity factor solutions for finite kinked cracks and a structural stress model based on the closed-form structural stress solutions at the critical locations of the welds are adopted to estimate the fatigue lives of both types of welds. The fatigue life estimations based on the kinked fatigue crack growth model and the structural stress model appear to agree well with the experimental results for both types of welds.
Fat chance: not much against NKT cells

Obesity-induced inflammation contributes to multiple metabolic diseases. In this issue of Immunity, Lynch et al. (2012) show that invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are enriched in adipose tissue and induce anti-inflammatory pathways to confer protection against obesity.
Quantitation of intestinal-tissue layers from their histology.

A line-sampling technique was applied to microscopic histology of human peroral small-intestinal biopsies to quantitate the relative proportions of the tissue layers. In healthy individuals the villus epithelium formed 41–46%, the crypt epithelium 20–26%, and the lamina propria 34% of the mucosa. In gluten enteropathy the villus epithelium formed 7%, crypt epithelium 43%, and lamina propria 50% of the mucosa. In individuals suffering from chronic diarrhea with malabsorption, the percentages of the tissue components were intermediate between those of healthy individuals and those with gluten enteropathy. The validity of the technique was tested in male and female rats with different intestinal size. In adjacent segments, the actual weight of the scraped mucosa and that of the underlying tissues correlated very well with their corresponding weights estimated from the microscopic histology, using the line-sampling technique. The intestinal-tissue layers quantitated were the villus epithelium, crypt epithelium, the lamina propria+muscularis mucosae+submucosa, and the muscle+serosal coats.
Characterization of a Surface Micromachined Pressure Sensor Array

A surface micromachined pressure sensor array has been designed and fabricated. The sensors are based upon deformable, silicon nitride diaphragms with polysilicon piezoresistors. Absolute pressure is detected by virtue of reference pressure cavities underneath the diaphragms. For this type of sensor, design tradeoffs must be made among allowable diaphragm size, and desirable pressure ranges. Several fabrication issues were observed and addressed. Offset voltage, sensitivity, and nonlinearity of 100 {mu}m diameter sensors were measured.
Expression and characterization of a carbohydrate-binding fragment of rat aggrecan

The COOH-terminal portion of cartilage proteoglycan core protein, aggrecan, expressed by in vitro translation, binds carbohydrate-containing affinity columns. The in vitro expression approach has been used to define the sugar-binding portion of the core protein. The active fragment, which corresponds closely to the carbohydrate-recognition domains in the family of Ca(2+)-dependent (C-type) animal lectins, has been expressed in bacteria and characterized. The CD spectrum of the domain is very similar to the spectrum of the binding domain of serum mannose-binding protein, suggesting that its overall structure probably resembles the known three-dimensional structure of the mannose-binding domain. The binding specificity of the core protein fragment has been characterized using a solid-phase assay. The results suggest that the monosaccharide-binding site is also similar to that in other C-type carbohydrate-recognition domains.
Phase change material (PCM) storage for free cooling of buildings—A review

Globally, buildings are responsible for 40% of the total world annual energy consumption which is responsible for one-third of green house gas emissions around the world. A significant portion of this energy is used for lighting, heating, cooling, and air conditioning purposes in buildings. Increasing awareness of the environmental impact of green house gas emissions and CFCs triggered a renewed interest in environmentally friendly cooling, and heating technologies for buildings. Free cooling of buildings may be seen as an alternate to compressor based air conditioning systems used for the buildings. In free cooling, nighttime cold is accumulated in storage material and extracted when needed. Latent heat storage using phase change materials (PCMs) can be used for free-cooling purposes due to their high storage density. In free cooling, using PCM as storage material, cool air during night is used to solidify the PCM and the accumulated cold is extracted during the hot day times. In this article a detailed review of work conducted by different researchers on PCM based free cooling is presented. Major challenges being faced in the design of PCM based free cooling system such as phase change materials; their thermo-physical properties and the geometry of encapsulation are elaborated and discussed in detail. Also the parameters effecting the charging and discharging of PCM, effect of phase change temperature and climatic conditions on thermal performance of the free cooling system are also discussed. Potential reduction in CO2 emissions due to the applicability of free cooling systems in residential and commercial buildings is also discussed in this article. This paper also provides a comprehensive list of the PCMs currently being used and that can be used potentially for free cooling applications. At last, this paper also presents some current problems needed further research in this area.
Therapeutic Delay and Mortality in Cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) at a university hospital in order to assess the relationship between delay in treatment and mortality and to identify predictors of delay in initiating therapy. Patients with RMSF who received antirickettsial therapy within 5 days of the onset of symptoms were significantly less likely to die than were those who received treatment after the 5th day of illness (6.5% vs. 22.9%, respectively; P < .03). Ninety percent of patients were seen by a physician during this 5-day period, yet less than one-half of them received treatment before day 6. Three factors were independent predictors of failure by the physician to initiate therapy the first time a patient was seen: absence of a rash, presentation between 1 August and 30 April, and presentation within the first 3 days of illness. Until reliable early diagnostic tests become available, physicians may be able to decrease the mortality associated with RMSF by instituting empirical treatment of suspected cases within the first 5 days of illness.
Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease

Vitamin D has received widespread attention for its potential role in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several epidemiological studies have suggested that individuals with low blood levels of vitamin D have increased risks of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. Yet, the revised 2011 Institute of Medicine report for intake of calcium and vitamin D, which was guided by skeletal health alone, concluded that the evidence that vitamin D prevents CVD, diabetes, or other cardiometabolic outcomes was inconsistent and inconclusive and did not meet criteria for establishing a cause and effect relationship [1•, 2]. This finding was consistent with an earlier systematic review conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in 2009 [3•]. Ongoing clinical trials seek to address the effects of vitamin D supplementation on CVD and other nonskeletal outcomes.
Transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα) in hepatocellular carcinomas and adjacent hepatic parenchyma

We examined stage T1 to T4 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) to determine whether transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) presence differed between early- and late-stage HCC and between tumors with low and high proliferative rates. Paraffin sections from 36 HCC were evaluated for TGFalpha and the proliferation markers Kiel 67 antigen (Ki67) or proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by immunoperoxidase staining. In 12 cases, double staining for TGFalpha and Ki67 was also performed. Eighty-one percent of tumors and 94% of adjacent liver sections contained TGFalpha. A trend toward inverse correlation was seen between the percentage of TGFalpha-positive tumor cells and the proliferative rate as determined by Ki67 staining. No clear correlation of TGFalpha to either tumor stage or percentage of PCNA-positive cells was seen. This study confirms the presence of TGFalpha in the majority of early- and late-stage HCC. Positivity within tumor tissue is consistent with autocrine or paracrine stimulation. A trend toward inverse correlation between TGFalpha-producing cells and the number of cycling cells suggests that rapidly proliferating tumors may consume this growth factor at an accelerated rate. Alternatively, other hepatic mitogens may have more functional significance in these latter tumors. Finally, the presence of TGFalpha in peritumoral hepatocytes suggests these cells as potential sources of paracrine stimulation for HCC.
Independence Day as a Cosmopolitan Moment: Teaching International Relations

This essay expands upon a teaching approach that I used in my introductory international relations (IR) course for three semesters prior to September 11, 2001. The vast majority of the curriculum of the course is read through Independence Day , a 1996 blockbuster Hollywood film. Beginning with the film and the concept of world order it arguably provides through a fictional moment of world peace (or hegemony, depending how one interprets the leading role of the U.S. in the film and the significance of the Fourth of July holiday as the world’s Independence Day, hence ID4 ) students are able to understand several key concepts in IR theory, as well as the major paradigms of IR thought that I present to them. ID4 presents the viewer with the IR field’s two great mythological narratives, realism and idealism, and preserves the notion of the nation-state as the predominant actor and unit of analysis for understanding world history and key events in that history.
Magnetization studies of superconducting ZrNb binary alloys

Abstract These magnetization studies have revealed a definite correlation between microstructure and the magnetization behavior of beta stabilized alloys in the superconducting state. It has been confirmed that the omega phase contributes to the flux pinning characteristics of a given alloy, and it has been shown that these characteristics are sensitive to the omega particle size and distribution. A modulated solid solution can be created by reverting the omega phase and the resulting structure has been shown to have effective flux pinning characteristics. In this case the pinning is dependent on the magnitude and distribution of the solute modulations. Magnetic instability has been detected at discrete values of an externally imposed magnetic field that is applied in the persistent mode. These instabilities are reproducible and are independent of magnetic history. They can be eliminated by appropriate heat treatments that revert the structure of the omega phase while retaining composition fluctuations. At this time it is not possible to distinguish clearly between the separate roles of the coherency strains and the omega particles. The reversion experiments have made it clear that the solute enriched zones contribute to flux pinning but are less effective than when combined with the omega particles.
Replacement free energy and the 1/S factor in nucleation theory as a consequence of mixing entropy

In this paper we emphasize the mixing entropy phenomenon, which is common to both microemulsion and nucleation theory, and call upon its commonality to both areas to aid in the understanding of both the replacement free energy and 1/S factor in nucleation theory. In microemulsion theory the mixing entropy must be evaluated by the identification of a physically consistent length scale. After a brief summary of previous work in this direction, we use the same method, in nucleation theory, with the result that both the replacement free energy factor and the 1/S factor appear in a natural and physically consistent manner.
Abstract 5354: Nuclear spheres in developmental biology and diagnosis

Introduction: The nuclear content of individual spheres with identical luminal diameters in buccal mucosa cells of patients with a malignant neoplasm at a distant site was first described by the author in 1962. Their biologic etiology remains unknown however. Recent studies revealed data on their correlation with nuclear spheres of cancer stem cells in asymmetric division. Materials and Methods: Observation of nuclear micro spheres was made by means of the highest magnification of the light microscope using a 100x objective and 10x ocular with a microscopic tube length of 1.25. The hematoxylin-eosin stain was applied for histological sections and cytological specimens. Buccal mucosa spreads of 145 cases were examined in correlation with cancer stem cells. Nuclear spheres in buccal mucosa cells were compared to those in self-renewal daughter cells of cancer stem cells in asymmetric division. Results: In asymmetric division of cancer stem cells the self-renewal daughter cell nucleus consisted entirely of spheres with identical luminal diameters of 0.33 to 0.5 µm. The other daughter cell was well differentiated with a nucleus devoid of spheres. In the buccal mucosa specimens with a distant malignant neoplasm, the nuclear content of spheres with luminal diameters of Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5354. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5354
Toward a general evolutionary theory of oncogenesis

We propose an evolutionary framework, the barrier theory of cancer, which is based on the distinction between barriers to oncogenesis and restraints. Barriers are defined as mechanisms that prevent oncogenesis. Restraints, which are more numerous, inhibit but do not prevent oncogenesis. Processes that compromise barriers are essential causes of cancer; those that interfere with restraints are exacerbating causes. The barrier theory is built upon the three evolutionary processes involved in oncogenesis: natural selection acting on multicellular organisms to mold barriers and restraints, natural selection acting on infectious organisms to abrogate these protective mechanisms, and oncogenic selection which is responsible for the evolution of normal cells into cancerous cells. The barrier theory is presented as a first step toward the development of a general evolutionary theory of cancer. Its attributes and implications for intervention are compared with those of other major conceptual frameworks for understanding cancer: the clonal diversification model, the stem cell theory and the hallmarks of cancer. The barrier theory emphasizes the practical value of distinguishing between essential and exacerbating causes. It also stresses the importance of determining the scope of infectious causation of cancer, because individual pathogens can be responsible for multiple essential causes in infected cells.
An experimental model for pharmacokinetic analysis in renal failure.

A renal failure model was developed in the dog to evaluate the effect of varying degrees of renal failure on drug pharmacokinetics. A controlled impairment of renal function was induced by electrocoagulating portions of one kidney and excising the contralateral kidney. The magnitude of renal dysfunction, defined by the percentage of normal glomerular filtration rate (% NGFR), was estimated by125I-iothalamate total body clearance. The model was evaluated by comparing the pharmacokinetics of oxytetracycline (OTC) before and after the induction of renal failure in two experiments: single intraveneous dose (11dogs); single intravenous and oral doses (8dogs). Renal failure (RF) was studied in three classes according to % NGFR: <25%,severe RF; 25–39%,moderate RF; and ≥ 40%,mild RF. Significant reductions were observed over RF class in OTC pharmacokinetic parameters for elimination and distribution but not for oral absorption.
Genetic Hemochromatosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapy

Genetic hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by increased intestinal iron absorption and consequent tissue iron overload. The hemochromatosis gene has been localized on the short arm of chromosome 6, in close proximity to the HLA locus, but has yet to be identified. Neither the gene product nor the pathogenetic defect have been characterized. Clinical manifestations vary according to the degree of iron overload, ranging from the asymptomatic state to the features of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Early diagnosis remains essential, since the survival of patients without established cirrhosis is comparable to that of the general population. Transferrin saturation and ferritin levels are suggestive of the diagnosis, but measurement of the hepatic iron concentration still remains the gold standard, despite the utilization of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Routine phlebotomies constitute the principal therapeutic option, despite the recent preliminary data on oral iron chelators.
Response of thoracic interneurons to tactile stimulation in the cockroach, Periplaneta americana

Receafindings indicate that cockroaches escape in response to tactile stimulation as well as they do in response to the classic wind puff stimulus. The thoracic interneurons that receive inputs from ventral giant interneurons also respond to tactile stimulation and therefore, represent a potential site of convergence between wind and tactile stimulation as well as other sensory modalities. In this article, we characterize the tactile response of these interneurons, which are referred to as type-A thoracic interneurons (TIAs). In response to tactile stimulation of the body cuticle, TIAs typically respond with a short latency biphasic depolarization which often passes threshold for action potentials. The biphasic response is not typical of responses to wind stimulation nor of tactile stimulation of the antennae. It is also not seen in tactile responses of thoracic interneurons that are not part of the TIA group. The responses of individual TIAs to stimulation of various body locations were mapped. The left-right directional properties of TIAs are consistent with their responses to wind puffs from various different directions. Cells that respond equally well to wind from the left and right side also respond equally well to tactile stimuli on the left and right side of the animal's body. In contrast, cells that are biased to wind on one side are also biased to tactile stimulation on the same side. In general, tactile responses directed at body cuticle are phasic rather than tonic, occurring both when the tactile stimulator is depressed and released. The response reflects stimulus strength and follows repeated stimulation quite well. However, the first phase of the biphasic response is more robust during high-frequency stimulation than the second phase. TIAs also respond to antennal stimulation. However, here the response characteristics are complicated by the fact that movement of either antenna evokes descending activity in both left and right thoracic connectives. The data suggest that the TIAs make up a multimodal site of sensory convergence that is capable of generating an oriental escape turn in response to any one of several sensory cues. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Religion and Suicide: Buddhism, Native American and African Religions, Atheism, and Agnosticism

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that religiosity can potentially serve as a protective factor against suicidal behavior. A clear understanding of the influence of religion on suicidality is required to more fully assess for the risk of suicide. The databases PsycINFO and MEDLINE were used to search peer-reviewed journals prior to 2008 focusing on religion and suicide. Articles focusing on suicidality across Buddhism, Native American and African religions, as well as on the relationship among Atheism, Agnosticism, and suicide were utilized for this review. Practice recommendations are offered for conducting accurate assessment of religiosity as it relates to suicidality in these populations. Given the influence of religious beliefs on suicide, it is important to examine each major religious group for its unique conceptualization and position on suicide to accurately identify a client’s suicide risk.
CLINICAL SUPERVISION OF NURSES WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

Some nurses describe individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) as among the most challenging and difficult patients encountered in their practice. As a result, the argument has been made for nursing staff to receive clinical supervision to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and treatment outcomes for individuals with BPD. Formal clinical supervision can focus on the stresses of working in a demanding environment within the work place and enable nurses to accept accountability for their own practice and development (Pesut & Herman, 1999). A psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist can provide individual and/or group supervision for the nursing staff, including education about patient dynamics, staff responses, and treatment team decisions. A clinical nurse specialist also can provide emotional support to nursing staff, which enhances job satisfaction, as they struggle to maintain professional therapeutic behavior with these individuals.
Decreasing online 'bad' behavior

'Bad' behavior is a serious problem in many online social situations, such as chat rooms. One potential reason is that social norms for 'proper' interpersonal behavior are not invoked in these situations as they are in face-to-face interactions. We describe a game we developed to explore good and bad behavior in computer-mediated situations. We found that increasing the 'social' nature of the interaction through voice communication between game partners decreased aversive behavior, but having profile information about the other person had little impact.
Beauty and the beast B12, homocysteine, and the brain: A bemusing saga!

Pernicious anemia was described 100 years before formulation of liver extracts to correct the fatal disorder. Later, the elucidation of the crystalline structure of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and recognition of its beautiful ruby color resulted in its description as “nature's most beautiful co-factor.”1 These discoveries led to 2 Nobel prizes, for Minot, Murphy, and Whipple in 1934 (Physiology or Medicine), and for Hodgkins in 1964 (Chemistry), only the third woman to win a Nobel in Chemistry. Although low B12 levels had long been known to cause neurologic disease, Lindenbaum and colleagues2 uncovered B12-responsive neuropsychiatric conditions in persons without macrocytic anemia, some with normal circulating B12 levels (>200 pg/mL or >150 pmol/L). Vitamin B12 is an essential cofactor for the activation of methionine into S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), the primary methyl donor for most neuronal methylation reactions, including synthesis of catecholamine neurotransmitters, proteins, nucleic acids, phospholipids, and myelin. Homocysteine is an essential intermediary metabolite in this pathway and elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) invariably accompanies low B12 levels. Beginning in the 1990s, a series of observational case-control and cohort studies associated elevated tHcy with an increased risk of stroke, cognitive decline, and dementia, including Alzheimer disease (AD). These associations were generally more robust than those …
Measurement of wavelength variation of mode field radius using far-field pattern method

The far-field pattern measuring technique is used to measure the wavelength dependence of the mode field radius in standard single-mode fibres. Chromatic dispersion calculated from these results is shown to be accurate using as few as three lasers. Both theoretical and experimental results are presented.
Twist spinning knotted trivalent graphs

J. SCOTT CARTER, SEUNG YEOP YANGAbstract. In 1965, E. C. Zeeman proved that the ( 1)-twist spin of anyknotted sphere in (n 1)-space is unknotted in the n-sphere. In 1991, Y.Marumoto and Y. Nakanishi gave an alternate proof of Zeeman’s theoremby using the moving picture method. In this paper, we de ne a knotted 2-dimensional foam which is a generalization of a knotted sphere and provethat a ( 1)-twist spin of a knotted trivalent graph may be knotted. We thenconstruct some families of knotted graphs for which the ( 1)-twist spins arealways unknotted.
Dynamic response of a two degree of freedom spherical system in a fluid

The steady state and transient response of a two degree of freedom spherical system immersed in a viscous fluid medium, initially at rest, is investigated with the inclusion of the fluid reaction derived by Basset in the differential equations of motion. In the steady state study, phase angle and amplitude ratio curves are presented from which the mode shapes of the system, for wide ranges of density ratio, frequency ratio and Stokes number, can be obtained. In the investigation of transient response, the system is subjected to impulsive base displacements and the equations of motion are solved numerically. The response curves obtained illustrate the effect of each dimensionless parameter on the dynamic behavior of the system.
Managing aphthous ulcers: laser treatment applied

The recurrent aphthous ulcer is a common oral ulcerative condition. Therapies are pharmaceutical in nature, remain palliative and do not alleviate pain. Carbon dioxide laser therapy was used to treat a minor form of the ulcer (canker sore); the laser therapy reduced or eliminated the pain and inflammation with normal wound healing.
The rose-hulman leadership advancement program: Preparing engineering, math, and science students for effective communication as technical leaders

This paper presents the strategies being employed at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to develop skills in leadership and communication. The focus is on the components of the Leadership Advancement Program, comprised of a Leadership Academy, Crisis Simulation, Case Study Competition, Speakers Series, and Workshops. Particular attention is paid to communication activities that can help students to strengthen their communication abilities outside of the classroom.
Housing Policy Debate Special Issue – Editor's Introduction

At the start of the 1990s, public housing in many of the nation's big cities was critically distressed. The stereotypical project housed hundreds of impoverished families in badly dilapidated apart...
Regret and Elation Following Action and Inaction Affective Responses to Positive Versus Negative Outcomes

In their research on decision under uncertainty, Kahneman and Tversky (1982a) examined whether, given the same negative outcome, there is any difference in the experience of regret, depending on whether the outcome follows action or inaction. This study attempted to replicate Kahneman and Tversky's (1982a) finding of greater regret for action than inaction and to determine whether this pattern extends to the parallel case of joy over happy outcomes, to different life domains, and to both genders. Through a vignette experiment, the previousfinding of a strong tendency to imagine greater regret following action than inaction was replicated. The same pattern was observed in the case of joy over positive outcomes. In two of the three vignettes presented, this "actor effect "was stronger for negative than for positive outcomes. In a third vignette, explicit knowledge of a missed negative outcome seems to have magnified the usual joy over having made a good decision, causing the expected joy over acting and suc...
Reading to Preschoolers: A Response to Scarborough and Dobrich (1994) and Recommendations for Future Research

Abstract This commentary on Scarborough and Dobrich′s (1994) review of the efficacy of parents′ shared book reading with preschool children responds in three ways to their findings that shared book reading accounts for only 8% of the variance on literacy outcome measures: (1) While small, the variance accounted for by this variable is, unlike variables such as SES, manipulable. (2) If researchers can improve their measures of frequency and quality of the shared book reading experience, then more valid and reliable results might be obtained in future interventions. (3) Other home literacy factors-such as child interest in literacy, parental support of literacy, and children′s oral language-also have an important influence on outcome literacy measures.
Assets, Human Capital Development, and Economic Mobility of Single Mothers

This study examines the relationships of single mothers' assets (home ownership, bank account ownership, automobile ownership, and net worth) and human capital development (educational advancement, work hours, and job-related training) to their economic mobility. Analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) indicates factors that could help improve the upward economic mobility of single mothers include their assets, educational status and advancement, and work experience. Mothers' assets were also positively related to their educational advancement, job training participation, and work hours. Furthermore, it appears that the relationship between mother's assets (automobile ownership and net worth) with economic mobility was partially mediated by work experience. These results support investment strategies to enhance the long-term economic well-being of single mothers.
Prenatal endogenous androgenic influences on masculine sexual behavior and genital morphology in male and female rats

Female rats located near a male during uterine development showed increased frequencies of male-like behavior as adults and virilization of genital morphology. These changes in behavior and morphology were blocked by prenatal treatment with the anti-androgen, Flutamide.
SYNCHRONIZATION OF STOCHASTIC MOTIONS IN SWARMS OF ACTIVE BROWNIAN PARTICLES WITH GLOBAL COUPLING

We consider here the dynamics and stochastic theory of swarms of self-propelled particles. Driving is modelled by the Schienbein-Gruler expression for negative friction. Global coupling is introduced by linear forces attracting to the center of mass and to the mean velocity of the swarm. Solutions for the stationary distribution of swarms are given which represent: (i) synchronized translation of the swarm with small fluctuations around its center of mass and, (ii) synchronized rotations around the center of mass which is at rest or slowly moving.
Effects of membrane potential and surface potential on the kinetics of solute transport

Abstract A theoretical study has been made of the influence of the transmembrane potential difference and the surface potential of living cells on the kinetics of carried-mediated solute transport. It is assumed that the form of the free energy barrier within the membrane may be approximated by one dominant symmetrical peak, and that the electrical field is constant. Both single-ion transport kinetics and cotransport of an ion with a neutral solute are dealt with. Provided that the surface potential and the transmembrane potential are constant, the concentration dependence of the uptake rate is given by the Michaelis-Menten equation. The kinetic parameters, the maximal rate of uptake and the Km, depend on both the surface potential and the membrane potential in a rather complex way. It is shown that the intuitive notion, that the maximal rate of cation uptake will increase when the cell membrane is hyperpolarized, is wrong in its generallity. Both an increase or a decrease may occur, depending on the characteristics of the transport system involved. If the magnitude of the membrane potential and the surface potential depends on the substrate concentration, marked deviations from Michaelis-Menten kinetics may come to the fore. This may result in either apparent positive or apparent negative homotrope cooperative effects. Enhancement of the uptake rate of the substrate ion may occur on adding another cation, despite the fact that the membrane will become depolarized. The same type of complex transport kinetics as found for Rb+ and Na+ uptake in yeast cells can be simulated by using a single-site transport model and including effects of the membrane potential.
Foraging mode, prey chemical discrimination, and phylogeny in lizards

The long-held hypothesis that active foragers should use chemical senses to detect food more than do ambush foragers is verified for lizards. In actively foraging and herbivorous families, tongue-flicking permits sampling of chemicals for detection and identification of prey, but in ambush-foraging families the tongue does not participate even in detection of prey. Because foraging mode and prey chemical discrimination are stable within most families and in some higher taxa, their states are often historically determined. Possible influences of foraging ecology and phylogeny on prey chemical discrimination were analysed by studying correlated changes in the two variables. For several alternative phylogenetic reconstructions, shifts in foraging mode are coincident with shifts in prey chemical discrimination. These results suggest adaptive adjustment of prey chemical discrimination to foraging mode. Other possible interpretations are discussed. Evolution of lingual morphology and behaviour and of the vomeronasal system for enhanced efficiency of active foraging suggest that foraging behaviour may have driven much of the diversification of squamate reptiles.
Poincaré recurrence and output reversibility in linear dynamical systems

Reversibility of dynamical processes arises in many physical dynamical systems. For example, lossless Newtonian and Hamiltonian mechanical systems exhibit trajectories that can be obtained by time going forward and backward, providing an example of time symmetry that arises in natural sciences. Another example of such time symmetry is the phenomenon known as Poincare recurrence wherein the dynamical system exhibits trajectories that return infinitely often to neighborhoods of their initial conditions. In this paper, we study output reversibility in linear dynamical systems, that is, the backward recoverability of the system output while time is going forward. Specifically, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for output reversibility in terms of the spectrum of the system dynamics. In addition, we provide sufficient conditions for the absence of output reversibility. Furthermore, we establish that no system trajectory can retrace its time history backwards with time going forward which is also natural in light of the uniqueness of solutions to linear dynamical systems. Finally, we draw connections between output reversibility and Poincare recurrence.
Unified measures of target detection system performance evaluation

This research compares alternative performance metrics to those more commonly used in target detection system performance evaluation. The alternative performance metrics examined here include the Fisher ratio, a modification of the Dice similarity coefficient, and the Youden index. These metrics are compared to metrics that have been previously introduced for such target detection system performance evaluation: the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (and the related summary area under the ROC curve (AUC) value), and the confidence error generation (CEG) curve (and the related summary root square deviation (RSD) value). The ROC curve is a discrimination metric that measures the ability of a target detection system to distinguish between target and non-target. The CEG curve quantifies detection system knowledge of its own performance. An approach is presented that combines such metrics; this combination may be dynamically adjusted and updated based on current and future evaluation requirements for particular target detection systems.
Geological Time: Principles

Geologists determine the age of events in the geological past by relative dating (establishing which event comes first, usually by superposition and crosscutting relationships) and by numerical dating (obtaining a numerical age estimate on an event, usually by radioisotopic dating of interbedded or crosscutting igneous rocks). From these dating methods, geologists have determined that the earth is 4.5 billion years old, and that most events in the geological past took place millions to hundreds of millions of years ago. Keywords: stratigraphy; geochronology; geological timescale; biostratigraphy; radioactivity
Interface Stabilized Nanoscale Quasi-Liquid Films

A unique class of impurity-based quasi-liquid films has been widely observed at free surfaces, grain boundaries (GBs), and hetero-phase interfaces in ceramic and metallic materials (Figure 1). These nanometer-thick interfacial films can be alternatively understood to be: (a) quasi-liquid layers that adopt an “equilibrium” thickness in response to a balance of attractive and repulsive interfacial forces (in a high-temperature colloidal theory) or (b) multilayer adsorbates with thickness and average composition set by bulk dopant activities [1–2]. In several model binary systems, such quasi-liquid, interfacial films are found to be thermodynamically stable well below the bulk solidus lines, provoking analogies to the simpler interfacial phenomena of premelting in unary systems [3] and prewetting in binary de-mixed liquids [4]. These interfacial films exhibit structures and compositions that are neither observed nor stable as bulk phases, as well as transport, mechanical, and physical properties that are markedly different from bulk phases.
Environmental impact of fly ash utilization in roadway embankments

The leaching potential of heavy metals from a roadway embankment constructed of fly ash and soil mixture was studied. Leaching of eight environmentally concerned metals Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se from the fly ash–soil mixtures was examined through batch leaching test and column leaching test. The batch leaching test results showed that the fly ash meets the local regulatory standards for beneficial use of nonhazardous wastes. The column leach test revealed that only Ba, Cr, and Se were detectable in the effluents. The peak concentration of Ba in the effluents was much lower than the US EPA Primary Drinking Water Regulations’ maximum contaminant level (MCL). The peak concentrations of Cr and Se exceeded the MCLs only in the initial flush stage and quickly decreased to below the MCLs. Results of this study suggest a great potential for fly ash to be used in roadway embankments to enhance their mechanical properties, reduce the use of soil, and avoid the disposal of fly ash as waste.
The British Balance of Payments and Problems of Domestic Policy

I. British postwar problems of adjustment, 368. — Possible avenues of escape from lower living standards, 372. — II. The government's double mandate, 374. — Comparison with the current American situation, 376. — Prospective capital shortage, 377. — III. Basic needs, 381. — Conflicting objectives, 383. — Resulting dangers: effect on exports, 386; on business incentives and voluntary savmgs, 388. — New outlooks, 390. — IV. The dilemma in terms of the balance of payments, 392. — Compromises inevitable, 393. — Conclusion, 395.
Parole release decisions revisited: An analysis of parole release decisions for violent inmates in a southeastern state

In an attempt to discover the major predictors of parole decision-making in one southeastern state, this study examined the cases of 762 inmates under the supervision of the Alabama Department of Corrections who were eligible for parole from June 1, 1993 through May 31, 1994. Of the 762 eligible inmates, only 138 (18 percent) were granted parole. Using parole disposition (granted or denied) as the dependent variable, this study investigated the offense, offender, and general parole variables and their impact on parole decisions. Logistic regression findings indicated that the strongest predictors of parole release decisions were the length of the original sentence assessed for the offense, the total number of felonies for which the inmate was serving time, and the warden and senior officers' recommendations. These variables, which were also significant at the bivariate level of analysis, explained approximately 47 percent of the variation in the dependent variable. A major concern of the study was the generalizability of the findings.
Integrated tool support in object-based environments

A view-based composition mechanism suited to specifying cooperating environments in terms of groups of previously specified tools is presented. It is argued that this form of composition is more suited to database-centered environments than conventional channel-based composition techniques for the reuse of tools in tool configurations. The composition model, related ideas, limitations and possible extensions to the idea are discussed. An example from the domain of software engineering, where such a mechanism can prove useful, is also presented. >
Studies on normal and immune lymphocyte transfer reactions in guinea pigs, with special reference to the cellular contribution of the host.

Using guinea pigs of strains 2 and 13 and their F1 hybrids as experimental subjects, various lines of evidence have been obtained that in this species, as in all others tested, the only significant cellular antigens with which donor lymphocytes engage when normal and immune lymphocyte reactions are incited are radiosensitive leukocytes. Constitutive cells of the skin are unimportant. ( a ) The intensities of these reactions in irradiated subjects are dependent upon the peripheral leukocyte concentration. When this falls below a certain threshold no reactions are incitable. ( b ) Highly leukopenic animals are capable of developing immune lymphocyte transfer (ILT) reactions if normal lymphoid cells of their own genetic constitution are mixed with the putative attacking donor cells, as "supplementing antigen," before inoculation. ( c ) Radiation-chimeric strain 13 animals having F1 hybrid leukocytes in their bloodstream give typical ILT reactions when challenged intradermally with strain 13 anti-2 node cells. Exposure of strain 2 animals to 600 R does not prevent their becoming actively immunized if, 24 hr later, they are injected intradermally with strain 13 lymphocytes. However, this sensitization, revealed by the host's capacity to give delayed hypersensitivity reactions, wanes as leukopenia progresses. On the basis of this and other findings it is argued that the flare-up stage of the NLT reaction in preirradiated hosts is mainly an expression of host sensitivity against the transferred alien cells. Two unexpected observations have been made in the course of this study: ( a ) F1 hybrid animals developed what appeared to be a strong delayed hypersensitivity after intradermal inoculation with parental strain lymphoid cells or antigenic extracts prepared from them. ( b ) If strain 13 guinea pigs which had been sensitized against strain 2 tissue antigens by intradermal injection of lymphocytes 7 days beforehand were inoculated intravenously with strain 2 antigenic extract a significant proportion of the animals developed severe delayed necrotizing reactions, recall flares, at some or all of the healed skin inoculation sites.