cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon self-diffusion in tungsten carbide

Dense, hot pressed tungsten carbide specimens were used to study the self-diffusion of 14C into WC in the temperature range 2238 to 2643 ° K. The necessity for extended diffusion anneal times was eliminated by using a submicron sectioning technique, and the diffusion penetration depth was determined by spectrophotometric WV thiocyanate analysis of the sample sections. The existence of two clearly delineated diffusion mechanisms was demonstrated from the shape of the activity versus penetration curves. The first obeyed a bulk diffusion law, originated at the specimen surface, demonstrated anomalously low diffusion coefficients, dominated to a depth of about 0.5 μm, and could be represented by the expression: D vol=1.90×10−6 exp−(88,000/RT). Autoradiography demonstrated that the second mechanism was grain-boundary diffusion which dominated at depths greater than 1 μm. The Fisher grain-boundary diffusion analysis and the Suzuoka analysis gave apparent grain-boundary diffusion activation energies of 74 Kcal/mole and 71 Kcal/mole respectively. By using an estimated value of the bulk diffusion coefficient, the Suzuoka analysis permitted direct calculation of the grainboundary diffusion coefficient, and can be represented by: D g.b.=4.57×102 exp−(71,000/RT).
The nature of word-finding errors of preschoolers with and without word-finding deficits.

Twelve preschoolers with word-finding deficits (WF) and their age-matched normally developing (ND) peers participated in three tasks requiring word finding: the noun-naming and verb-naming subtests...
Medical treatment of neurogenic impotence

The present modalities available for the medical treatment of patients with neurogenic impotence include: 1) intracavernosal injection of vasoactive agents, 2) topical application of vasoactive drugs via paste or plaster, including intraurethral application and 3) oral administration of vasoactive drugs. Intracavernosal injection pharmacotherapy represents the most common form of treatment. Patients enter a pharmacologic erection program including: 1) initial office testing, during which the safety and efficacy of vasoactive drugs is established and the appropriate technique of self-injection is taught, 2) initial home use by the patient, during which safety and efficacy at home is established and 3) longterm home use and longterm follow-up by the doctor or the nurse to monitor longterm safety and efficacy. Patients with neurogenic impotence may require several special considerations when performing intracavernosal injections. In cases of upper extremity weakness or when there is a lack of upper extremity fine motor control, it may be more appropriate for the partner to perform the intracavernosal injections. Patients with neurogenic impotence must be cautioned against the complication of priapism, a frequent development in the presence of normal hemodynamic parameters. A literature review of satisfaction, complications and drop-out incidence, as well as our personal experience with 62 such patients, confirms the safety, reliability and effectiveness of the intracavernosal injection therapy. Alternative systems for the delivery of vasoactive agents to the corpora include topical application via plasters or paste and intraurethral application via ointments. Vasoactive agents utilized in alternative delivery systems have included nitroglycerin, prostaglandin E2 and minoxidil. The main advantage is the lack of invasiveness while the main disadvantage is the reduced effectiveness of the penile erection. Oral drugs, like yohimbine and trazodone, are prescribed by some urologists, but results have not been predictable. Intracavernosal injection pharmacotherapy remains the most effective and safe medical treatment available for patients with neurogenic impotence.
Quantification of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in tissues of YieldGard® (MON810) corn hybrids tested at multiple field locations in India

Abstract Transgenically expressed Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal-protein Cry1Ab was quantified in target tissues of insect feeding of several YieldGard® corn hybrids. The Cry1Ab protein is intended to protect corn plants from two economically important stem borers, Chilo partellus and Sesamia inferens. A total of seven YieldGard hybrids, all with MON810 event, were field-tested in a total of fourteen locations during the dry season (October–March) of 2005/2006 and wet season (May–October) of 2006. S. inferens and C. partellus oviposit on leaves of young corn plants, 15–60 days after emergence (DAE). The neonates initially feed by scraping the leaf lamina before migrating to bore into the stem. Thus high concentrations of Cry1Ab in whorl leaf and stem tissues would ensure effective control of the borers. The mean tissue Cry1Ab concentrations during the oviposition window of the borers (15–60 DAE), ranged from 50.05 to 21.01 ppm in whorl leaf, and between 9.26 and 3.47 ppm in stem tissue during the same period in the dry season of 2005/06. Similarly, Cry1Ab concentrations in whorl leaf and stem between 15 and 60 DAE during the wet season of 2006 ranged between 19.30 to 11.08 and 14.28 to 4.69 ppm, respectively. The baseline-sensitivity data of these insects to Cry1Ab in laboratory assays was determined. The concentrations of Cry1Ab in the target tissues as studied in seven YieldGard hybrids tested suggest effective management of the two borers. This paper also provides a summary of the expression of the Cry1Ab gene in various genetic backgrounds.
Genome size of cyanelle DNA from Cyanophora paradoxa

Abstract DNA from cyanelles of Cyanophora paradoxa have a buoyant density of 1.716 g/cm3. Digestion with the restriction endonucleases Pst I, EcoR1 and Hind III, produces fragments which have been sized by agarose gel electrophoresis. The genome size of the cyanelle DNA, from these data is estimated to be 1.1 × 108 daltons. A mixture of RNAs, isolated from purified cyanelle ribosomes, has been localized on an EcoR1 restriction endonuclease digestion pattern and shows binding to eight fragments. These data indicate that genetically, the cyanelles more closely resemble plant chloroplasts although structurally they resemble blue-green algae.
Effects of aging on force variability, single motor unit discharge patterns, and the structure of 10, 20, and 40 Hz EMG activity

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to examine the discharge properties of single motor units and the structure of the rectified 10, 20, and 40 Hz electromyographic (EMG) activity to determine a physiological correlate for the greater force variability with aging. Young (n=10; mean: 22±1 years), old (n=10; mean: 67±2 years), and older-old (n=10; mean: 82±5 years) adult humans produced isometric second finger abduction force in both constant and sine-wave tasks at 5, 10, 20, and 40% of their maximal voluntary contraction. Force and fine-wire intramuscular electromyography were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous muscle. The amount and time-dependent structure of the discharge rate variability of single motor units and Fourier analysis of the rectified intramuscular EMG was performed. Force output variability increased across the young, old, and older-old groups. The amount and time-dependent structure of the discharge rate variability of single motor units did not differ between the young and aging groups. There was a progressive decrease in the relative power of ∼40 Hz EMG activity from the young>old>older-old subjects across the 5, 10, 20, and 40% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force levels. There was also a progressive increase in the relative power of the ∼10 Hz EMG activity from young
Quantitative Rheed Analysis of Biaxially-Textured Polycrystalline MgO Films on Amorphous Substrates Grown by Ion Beam-Assisted Deposition

We have developed a computer simulation based on analytic calculation of reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns in the kinematic approximation for mosaic polycrystalline films for given values of electron beam incidence angle, polycrystalline texture, in-plane orientation distribution, and grain size. Although RHEED is most appropriately modeled using dynamical scattering theory, the computational efficiency of the kinematic approximation has enabled the development of a model suitable for real time measurement of crystallographic texture and in-plane orientation distributions for biaxially-textured films grown by ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD). Using the simulation, we can quantitatively determine how RHEED spot shapes and relative intensities depend on the crystallographic texture and in-plane orientation distribution of polycrystalline films. RHEED patterns taken at 25 keV with incidence angle in the range 1-5 degrees from 10 nm thick, nominally [100]-textured MgO films grown on amorphous Si3N4 by IBAD were analyzed by comparing experimental RHEED phi rocking curves with those predicted by the simulation. For some films, an additional 200 nm thermally-grown MgO homoepitaxial layer was grown on top of the IBAD MgO layer. The model enables a quantitative correlation between biaxial texture and RHEED measurements. RHEED results are compared to X-ray rocking curve film analysis.
Hormone‐induced changes in identified cell populations of the higher vocal center in male canaries

Male canaries revise their vocal repertoire every year. Early work indicated that the volume and neuron number of the song-control nucleus HVC (Higher Vocal Center) declined in late-summer/fall as birds added and deleted syllables from their repertoire, and increased in spring as the set of song syllables stabilized to a fixed number. Seasonal variation in serum testosterone levels suggested that these changes in brain and behavior were regulated by testosterone (T). However, although initial studies describing growth and regression of HVC used Nissl-staining to define its borders, recent experiments that have measured the distribution of identified populations of HVC cells (projection neurons, hormone target cells) suggest that there are no seasonal changes in HVC volume or neuron number. In order to clarify the role of T in the regulation of HVC morphology, we castrated male canaries, maintained them on short (fall-like) days, and treated them with either T, antisteroid drugs, or nothing. After 1 month of treatment, we used a double-labeling technique to characterize HVC projection neurons and androgen target cells. The results showed that hormonal manipulation influenced HVC volume, the density and size of HVC cells, and the absolute number and percentage of androgen target cells in HVC. Hormonal manipulation did not influence the absolute number of cells in HVC. Moreover, the distribution of projection neurons, androgen target cells, and the Nissl-defined borders of HVC were closely aligned in all experimental groups, indicating that exposure to T and/or its metabolites (estradiol and dihydrotestosterone) regulates the overall size of HVC by affecting the distributions of both projection neurons and androgen target cells. Analysis of double-labeling results suggests that T specifically influences both cell size and the ability to accumulate androgen among HVC neurons that project to the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA). The results of this study show that steroid hormones exert potent effects on HVC morphology in male canaries, but differences between our results and studies of seasonal males suggest there may be additional factors that can regulate HVC morphology.
Ontology-based feature mapping and verification between CAD systems

Data interoperability between computer-aided design (CAD) systems remains a major obstacle in the information integration and exchange in a collaborative engineering environment. The use of CAD data exchange standards causes the loss of design intent such as construction history, features, parameters, and constraints, whereas existing research on feature-based data exchange only focuses on class-level feature definitions and does not support instance-level verification, which causes ambiguity in data exchange. In this paper, a hybrid ontology approach is proposed to allow for the full exchange of both feature definition semantics and geometric construction data. A shared base ontology is used to convey the most fundamental elements of CAD systems for geometry and topology, which is to both maximize flexibility and minimize information loss. A three-branch hybrid CAD feature model that includes feature operation information at the boundary representation level is constructed. Instance-level feature information in the form of the base ontology is then translated to local ontologies of individual CAD systems during the rule-based mapping and verification process. A combination of the Ontology Web Language (OWL) and Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) is used to represent feature classes and properties and automatically classify them by a reasoner in the target system, which requires no knowledge about the source system.
Proteomic profiling of proliferating and differentiated neural mes-c-myc A1 cell line from mouse embryonic mesencephalon by LC-MS.

The proteomic profiling, by means of label-free qualitative and quantitative LC−MS analysis of proliferating/undifferentiated vs nonproliferating/differentiated mes-c-myc A1 cell line (A1), has been performed. A1 cells were generated from mouse embryonic central nervous system. The study was aimed at surveying the molecular changes following neural differentiation. The results provide a list of candidate proteins with potential relevance for the transition of A1 cells from the proliferative to the differentiated status.
New mechanistic insights into the copper catalyzed ring expansion of vinyl aziridines: evidence in support of a copper(I) mediated pathway

We report how mechanistically inspired metal additive choices result in acceleration of the copper catalyzed vinyl aziridine ring expansion reaction. Most importantly, we demonstrate how the use of in situ reducing agents significantly accelerates the reaction, suggesting a copper(I) active species. These acceleration results were confirmed using Cu(hfacac)(cod) as catalyst. NMR kinetic studies revealed the relative importance of olefin and sulfonamide electronics on the reaction rate and established the order of both catalyst and substrate, which together favored a new copper(I) insertion mechanism.
Polarity determination of rough and smooth surface grains in AlN crystals

The polarity of rough and smooth grains in textured aluminum nitride boules were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Specifically, convergent beam electron diffraction method was applied to determine polarity. The grains corresponding to smooth and rough surfaces were identified as having Al and N polarities, respectively. Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) was observed to form at the grain boundaries. The oxide may precipitate due to the low mutual solubility between Al2O3 and AlN at the high crystal growth temperature (∼2000°C). Oxygen may be the cause of polarity inversion that leads to the formation of Al and N polar grains.
Advances in digitally modulated RF systems

The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe some digital communication techniques as they apply to RF links, and thereby provide an understanding of the benefits over prior analog methods. Finally, we will examine a specific communication link, the radio broadcast studio-transmitter link (STL), where such a technological transformation has now taken place, allowing far superior link performance.
Maya hackers and the cyberspatialized nation-state: Modernity, ethnostalgia, and a lizard queen in Guatemala

I'm going to jack you into this piece with a third-world arrival scene. It is 1985 in Nebaj, Guatemala, under a military government. I am on my first research trip investigating the effects of civil war on highland indigenous communities. Guatemala's population is about one-half indigenous, and Nebaj is famous for its traditionalism. Most women and many men wear the handwoven clothing distinctive to the town; the civil-religious cargo system functions; and the yearly titular festival is intensely colorful, with saints' processions, fireworks, the Dance of the Conquest, and all-night revelry. Day keepers still practice their craft, giving readings of the present based on the Mayan calendar (Colby and Colby 1981). In other words, the town offered all the exoticism my recently conferred B.A. in anthropology had incited me to desire. Nebaj, however, had also been one of the towns hardest hit by the government's highand low-tech counterinsurgency campaign, which leveled all 26 surrounding villages (and had killed some 70,000 Guatemalans in the preceding seven years). In addition to the dancers, weavers, and shamans, Nebaj was a town of refugees, survivors, and soldiers when I arrived.
Parallel optical memories for very large databases

The steady increase in volume of current and future databases dictates the development of massive secondary storage devices that allow parallel access and exhibit high I/O data rates. Optical memories, such as parallel optical disks and holograms, can satisfy these requirements because they combine high recording density and parallel one- or two-dimensional output. Several configurations for database storage involving different types of optical memory devices are investigated. All these approaches include some level of optical preprocessing in the form of data filtering in an attempt to reduce the amount of data per transaction that reach the electronic front-end.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Oestrogen Effects on Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts

Although it has been recognized for many years that oestrogen is a key component in the maintenance of normal bone balance, the mechanisms by which oestrogen exerts its influence have remained unresolved. Recent identification of oestrogen receptors in both bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts has opened up exciting new areas of research on the direct effects of oestrogen on both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. This review presents an updated model for the molecular mechanisms involved in oestrogen action, the mechanism of anti-oestrogen action, and outlines recent advances in knowledge of oestrogen effects on osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and the coupling of bone resorption and bone formation.
Gandhi and the Stoics: Modern Experiments on Ancient Values, by Richard Sorabji, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012, 240 pp., £20.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-19-964433-9

Was Gandhi, a spiritual and political leader, a philosopher? This question has long been deliberated by scholars including Raghavan Iyer, who notes, ‘Gandhi was not a philosopher in the sense in wh...
Determination of 5,6-dihydrouridine in ribonucleic acid

Abstract Two simple methods to rapidly and accurately quantify 5,6-dihydrouridine in small amounts of RNA are presented. One involves a colorimetric microassay for dihydrouridine. It is performed directly on RNA in less than one hour. It requires only 25–100 μg of tRNA and is reproducible to ±5%. The other involves enzymic digestion of RNA to nucleosides followed by bidimensional thin-layer chromatography on microcrystalline cellulose. It may be used to quantify dihydrouridine in RNA labeled with a radioactive pyrimidine. It is extremely sensitive, relatively rapid, and allows simultaneous determination of other major and minor pyrimidine nucleosides. The methods have been used to quantify dihydrouridine in tRNA of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium , yeast, and rat liver, and rRNA of E. coli , with excellent agreement between methods and with literature values.
Has the U.S. economy really been globalized

The globalized U.S. economy is largely a myth. U.S. society and culture have become more connected to the world, but the economy has remained largely independent. Here are four indicators to prove it.
An Unusual Cause of Hemoptysis

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is a renal inflammatory process associated with chronic obstruction and renal calculi. A patient with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis presented with the acute onset of hemoptysis and a lung mass. At thoracotomy the mass was resected and found to be a renal calculus embedded within inflammatory tissue.
Assessment of a B-cell function in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients were tested for the numbers of T cells, B cells, and cells secreting immunoglobin (Ig) by recently developed methods with antibody coated erythrocytes. Five of seven patients had higher percentages (72–90%) of B cells and lower percentages (4–17%) of T cells than normal controls. The other two patients had lower percentages (6 and 27%) of B cells as well as lower percentages (44 and 21%) of T cells and therefore, 50 and 52% of the cells were neither T nor B but presumably null cells. The proportion of Ig-secreting cells was low (0.02–0.2%) in all patients tested with one exception (0.9%); this patient was the most clinically stable of those tested. Our results suggest that the determination of the percentage of Ig-secreting cells as well as T and B cells may be useful in the clinical prognosis of CLL patients.
Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Their Effects on Creativity in Groups

This study used a 2 (transformational vs. transactional leadership) × 2 (real vs. nominal group) experiment to examine the effect of different leadership styles and brainstorming conditions on group members' divergent thinking. Participants performed a brainstorming task, and their performance was assessed using fluency and flexibility. Results clearly supported the hypotheses in that the participants in the transformational leadership condition and in the nominal group condition outperformed their counterparts in the transactional leadership condition and in the real group condition. This pattern was consistent across the 2 measures of creativity.
Review of Research: Math Anxiety: Overcoming a Major Obstacle to the Improvement of Student Math Performance

(2003). Review of Research: Math Anxiety: Overcoming a Major Obstacle to the Improvement of Student Math Performance. Childhood Education: Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 170-174.
Use of staggered panels in sampling designs to increase the efficiency of estimating the number of incident cases of diseases in food animal populations

Abstract Sampling herds in staggered panels is proposed as a way to increase the precision of estimates of the number of incident cases of diseases in food animal populations. A components of variance model is offered as a parsimonious alternative to the somewhat intractable model underlying staggered-panel sampling. Evaluation of these methods using California National Animal Health Monitoring System data showed a gain in efficiency with staggered panel for seven of the eight diseases studied with little loss in efficiency for the eighth condition. The components of variance model was able to predict the gain in efficiency.
Accelerating information experts through compiler design

Dyalog APL is a tool of thought for information experts, enabling rapid development of domain-centric software without the costly software engineering feedback loop often required. The Dyalog APL interpreter introduces performance constraints that hinder the analysis of large data sets, especially on highly-parallel computing architectures. The Co-dfns compiler project aims to reduce the overheads involved in creating high-performance code in APL. It focuses on integrating with the APL environment and compiles a familiar subset of the language, delivering significant performance and platform independence to information experts without requiring code rewrites and conversion into other languages. The design of the Co-dfns compiler, itself an APL program, possesses a unique architecture that permits implementation without branching, recursion, or other complex forms of control flow. By integrating specific optimizations, the generated code competes with hand-written C code in the domain of financial simulations, exceeding it when integrated into the environment. Preliminary results demonstrate platform independent performance across CPUs and GPUs without modification of the source. Work continues to improve performance both of the architecture and the generated code. Eventually, the project hopes to convincingly demonstrate a wider range of techniques that extend the suitable domain for effective array programming
Distribution and Larval Habitat Characteristics of Anopheles Hyrcanus Group and Related Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae) in South Korea

Abstract : The Anopheles Hyrcanus Group consists of several species that are vectors of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases in the Oriental and Palearctic Regions. The group has about three-quarters of the species that comprise the Myzorhynchus Series of genus Anopheles Meigen subgenus Anopheles in the two regions. It has about 30 species, including two newly described species, An. belenrae Rueda and An. kleini Rueda (Rueda 2005). In South Korea (Republic of Korea), there are only six known species of the Hyrcanus Group. Le., An. sinensis Wiedemann, An. sineroides S.Yamada, An. lesteri Baisas and Hu, An. pullus M.Yamada (Tanaka et al. 1979), and An. belenrae and An. kleini (Rueda 2005). Other non-Hyrcanus Group species of Anopheles (Anopheles) in South Korea are An. koreicus Yamaha and Watanabe and An. lindesayi japonicus S.Yamada (Tanaka et al. 1979). Because of the limited information about the distribution and larval habitat characteristics of the Hyrcanus Group and its associated species, we conducted this study from 1998-2004 in South Korea. Anopheles sinensis is considered the most common Anopheles species in South Korea (Chai 1999), but its distribution within Korea is not well documented, except in Jeju Province (Kim et al. 2005a). In China, Rueda et al. (2005a) noted the occurrence of this species in eight provinces and one city (Beijing). Adults of An. sinensis have been incriminated as the natural and/or experimental malaria (Plasmodium vivax) vectors in South Korea (Lee et al. 2002), Japan (Otsuru and Ohmori 1960), China (Ho et al. 1962) and Indonesia (O'Connor 1980). Although it is found in Thailand, All. sinensis has minimal or no importance as a malaria vector in that country (Harrison and Scanlon 1975). In South Korea, it was found to be the major vector involved in the transmission of P. vivax along the border with North Korea since 1993 (Ree et al. 2001, Kim ct al. 2005b).
Determinants of male and female higher education in the United States

Recently a number of studies [3, 5–11] dealing with the question of demand for higher education have appeared. Most of these studies either deal with the total demand for higher education or with the demand for public and private higher education. So far, the question of higher education demand by sex has not been analyzed. Such analysis may be important for a number of reasons. First, during the period 1951–1970 female enrollment increased by 361 percent whereas male enrollment rose by only 233 percent. Such trends might also continue in the future since the present (1970) enrollment participation rate of high school graduates is only 0.47 for females as compared to 0.68 for males. Second, it is important to test empirically whether parents discriminate when they choose to enroll their children in institutions of higher education. Third, the recent social movement towards equality for both sexes and the efforts of the federal government to provide important jobs to females, should also stimulate a greater demand for education on the part of females. In this paper, we attempt to estimate separately demand functions for higher education in the United States for males and females.
Critical Role of Serum Response Factor in Pulmonary Myofibroblast Differentiation Induced by TGF-β

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a cytokine implicated in wound healing and in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. TGF-β stimulates myofibroblast differentiation characterized by expression of contractile smooth muscle (SM)-specific proteins such as SM–α-actin. In the present study, we examined the role of serum response factor (SRF) in the mechanism of TGF-β–induced pulmonary myofibroblast differentiation of human lung fibroblasts (HLF). TGF-β stimulated SM–α-actin expression in HLF, which paralleled with a profound induction of SRF expression and activity. Inhibition of SRF by the pharmacologic SRF inhibitor (CCG-1423), or via adenovirus-mediated transduction of SRF short hairpin RNA (shSRF), blocked the expression of both SRF and SM–α-actin in response to TGF-β without affecting Smad-mediated signaling of TGF-β. However, forced expression of SRF on its own did not promote SM–α-actin expression, whereas expression of the constitutively transactivated SRF fusion protein (SRF-VP16) was sufficie...
Computation of dynamic stress intensity factors by the time domain boundary integral equation method-I. Analysis

Abstract Application of the direct time domain boundary integral equation method (BIEM) to the solution of a number of elastodynamic crack problems is presented. In this part I, we describe the analysis which includes the basic governing differential equations, their transformation to boundary integral equations and the numerical solution procedure of the discretized form of the BIE. In addition to the usual constant interpolation in space and time of tractions and displacements on the boundary, a new boundary element which incorporates quadratic variation in space and linear variation in time (of the traction and displacements) is developed. These two boundary elements are implemented in a computer code and are used in the examples described in part II. A consistent method of estimation of the dynamic stress intensity factors in conjunction with the two types of the elements mentioned is described. No special singular crack tip elements are used other than the quadratic isoparametric quarter-point boundary elements for modeling the crack tip singularities. Subsequent results show that the numerical solution is accurate and has good convergence properties with regard to mesh refinement and time step size.
Cost analysis of training and employment services in methadone treatment

Abstract Despite the popular belief that vocational training is an important component of methadone treatment, little information is available on the effectiveness and cost of various types of services. This paper presents a cost analysis of developing a training and employment program (TEP) at four methadone treatment programs in a quasi-experimental pilot study. We examine the cost of establishing and operating such programs as well as the marginal cost of a TEP component compared to standard treatment. For both standard and TEP-enhanced treatment, we also estimate the average, fixed, and variable costs of these services and compare differences across programs. Lastly, we examine the financing of standard methadone treatment to provide additional guidance to program directors and treatment administrators. Our main findings can be summarized as follows. The average annual cost of TEP services in the pilot study was between $1,648 and $2,215 per “serviced” TEP client. The average annual cost per client for standard methadone treatment was between $3,546 and $5,104. And the marginal cost of providing TEP services to approximately 36 clients per site in the pilot study was between 3.5% and 7.2% of the total annual cost of standard methadone treatment. The cost methodology presented in this paper can be used in other research projects and by treatment providers to generate consistent and comparable cost estimates of standard and enhanced substance abuse treatment programs.
Local regulation of immune responses: corneal endothelial cells alter t cell activation and cytokine production.

Corneal endothelial cells (CE cells) inhibit antigen- and mitogen-activated lymphocyte proliferation assays, although interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) expression and responsiveness to exogenous IL-2 are unaffected. To examine this activity further, co-cultures of CE cells and T cell clones were studied. CE cells inhibited IL-2 and IL-4 production by T cells stimulated with Ag and APC, but not IL-5 or IL-6 production. CE cells also inhibited NFAT-driven lacZ reporter gene production following Ag stimulation of transfected KZO T hybridoma cells. Conversely, stimulation of IL-2 production by ionomycin, with or without PMA, was unaffected by the CE cells. Preincubation of KZO hybridoma or Jurkat cells with CE cells, or CE cell-conditioned culture supernatant, inhibited the intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) increase induced by TCR ligation, but not the [Ca(2+)](i)increase induced by ionomycin or thapsigargin. The inhibitory effect was independent of APC and did not act by blocking costimulation, since IL-2 production stimulated by immobilized anti-CD3 alone was also inhibited by CE cells. The supernatant factor was heat labile. This novel activity is unlike other immunoregulatory molecules, including transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and may contribute to local immune privilege.
Down syndrome, paternal age, maternal age and birth order

Recent cytogenetic evidence has shown that trisomy 21 can arise, perphaps even in substantial proportion, from paternal nondisjunction. The statistical association between Down syndrome incidence and maternal age, paternal age and birth order has been studied in a sample of over 4000 cases. The size of this sample made it possible to control for the effect of maternal age by single years of age during the search for a paternal age effect and vice versa, and the importance of such stringent control is emphasized. The maternal age association was confirmed with an extremely high degree of statistical significance while no independent effect of paternal age was found; indeed, the rates at paternal ages over 45 years appear to be nearly constant. After adjusting for the effects of parental age, a significant inverse association of birth order with incidence was noted. It also appears that the incidence among very young mothers may be high: for maternal ages 15 years and less the rates seem to be equivalent to those found at 30 or 35 years. In order to help answer the question of whether the maternal age association is the result of increasing rates of nondisjunction or of some other mechanism (for example, an age related defect in a spontaneous abortion screening mechanism), the proportion of cases due to maternal and paternal nondisjunction at different parental ages must be determined.
Supersymmetric models for quarks and leptons with nonlinearly realized E

We propose three supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models with global symmetry E/sub 8/. The models can accommodate three left-handed families of quarks and leptons without incurring the Adler-Bell-Jackiw anomaly with respect to either the standard SU(3) x SU(2) x U(1) gauge group, or the SU(5), or SO(10) grand unifying gauge group. They also predict unambiguously a right-handed, fourth family of quarks and leptons. In order to explore the structure of the models, we develop a differential-form formulation of the Kahler manifolds, resulting in general expressions for the curvature tensors and other geometrical objects in terms of the structure constants of the algebra, and the squashing parameters. These results, in turn, facilitate a general method for determining the Lagrangian to quartic order, and so the structure of the inherent four-fermion interactions of the models. We observe that the Kahlerian condition d..omega.. = 0 on the fundamental two-form ..omega.. greatly reduces the number of the independent squashing parameters. We also point out two plausible mechanisms for symmetry breaking, involving gravity.
Persistent Fetal Circulation

A review of persistent fetal circulation, which involves the presence of a right to left extrapulmonary shunt that is sustained into neonatal life, is presented. Clinical signs exhibited by the infant often resemble those of respiratory distress. Treatment is accomplished with hyperventilation and/or pharmacologically with tolazoline which, in addition to the usual attention to the overall condition of the infant, requires intensive monitoring by the nurse.
Sensitivity to LET and Test Conditions for SEE Testing of Power MOSFETs

The results of recent Single Event Gate Rupture and Single Event Burnout testing on power MOSFETS are presented. The recent test data show a considerable drop in failure voltage in comparison to manufacturer data for device ratings over 130V. The effect of range is considered to account for this difference. The methods and practices for testing and data analyses that need to be used for adequate SEE testing of power MOSFETs are also presented. I. INTRODUCTION any space applications are demanding more power and higher voltages. Unfortunately, the technology behind high blocking voltages in discrete devices is susceptible to radiation effects. The large feature sizes and low-doped regions of silicon are the underlying liable areas of these devices to radiation. The application of power devices can be especially stressful when power or voltage requirements are demanding, or the mission environment is hostile. Most power solutions for design approaches in space employ the vertical power MOSFET, but these devices present limitations and trade challenges to projects that require high speed or very large power for high current applications. This work presents the results from various testing of power MOSFETs with rigorous test conditions. This study aims to refine the methodology for adequate hardness assurance of power MOSFETs for space missions.
Multimodal, Multidimensional Models of Mouse Brain

Naturally occurring mutants and genetically manipulated strains of mice are widely used to model a variety of human diseases. Atlases are an invaluable aid in understanding the impact of such manipulations by providing a standard for comparison and to facilitate the integration of anatomic, genetic, and physiologic observations from multiple subjects and experiments. We have developed digital atlases of the C57BL/6J mouse brain (adult and neonate) as comprehensive frameworks for storing and accessing the myriad types of information about the mouse brain. Along with raw and annotated images, these contain database management systems and a set of tools for comparing information from different techniques and different animals. Each atlas establishes a canonical representation of the mouse brain and provides the tools for the manipulation and analysis of new data. We describe both these atlases and discuss how they may be put to use in organizing and analyzing data from mouse models of epilepsy.
The Welsh in Patagonia: The State and the Ethnic Community

The Welsh in Patagonia: The State and the Ethnic Community. Glyn Williams. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1991. xi + 285 pp., 35 tables, 31 figures. $60.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–7083–1089–3.
Modeling quasi-static crack growth with the extended finite element method Part I: Computer implementation

Abstract The extended finite element method (X-FEM) is a numerical method for modeling strong (displacement) as well as weak (strain) discontinuities within a standard finite element framework. In the X-FEM, special functions are added to the finite element approximation using the framework of partition of unity. For crack modeling in isotropic linear elasticity, a discontinuous function and the two-dimensional asymptotic crack-tip displacement fields are used to account for the crack. This enables the domain to be modeled by finite elements without explicitly meshing the crack surfaces, and hence quasi-static crack propagation simulations can be carried out without remeshing. In this paper, we discuss some of the key issues in the X-FEM and describe its implementation within a general-purpose finite element code. The finite element program Dynaflow ™ is considered in this study and the implementation for modeling 2-d cracks in isotropic and bimaterial media is described. In particular, the array-allocation for enriched degrees of freedom, use of geometric-based queries for carrying out nodal enrichment and mesh partitioning, and the assembly procedure for the discrete equations are presented. We place particular emphasis on the design of a computer code to enable the modeling of discontinuous phenomena within a finite element framework.
Randomized phase II trials with a prospective control

We consider phase II trials randomizing patients between a prospective control and an experimental therapy. Proposed are two-stage designs allowing for early termination of the study when the experimental arm does not show promising efficacy at the interim analysis. By using exact binomial distributions, the design characteristics, such as type I error and power, are exactly calculated. Given response probabilities for two arms, we define minimax and optimal designs that satisfy a prespecified restriction on type I and II error probabilities. These designs are randomized phase II trial analogs of Simon's designs that were proposed for single-arm phase II trials. The methods for two-arm trials are easily extended to multi-arm trials with one control and K (> or =2) experimental arms. Some phase II trials are taken as real examples.
Determination of uptake kinetics (sampling rates) by lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water

The use of lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) is becoming commonplace, but very little sampling rate data are available for the estimation of ambient contaminant concentrations from analyte levels in exposed SPMDs. We determined the aqueous sampling rates (Rss; expressed as effective volumes of water extracted daily) of the standard (commercially available design) 1-g triolein SPMD for 15 of the priority pollutant (PP) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at multiple temperatures and concentrations. Under the experimental conditions of this study, recovery-corrected Rs values for PP PAHs ranged from ≈1.0 to 8.0 L/d. These values would be expected to be influenced by significant changes (relative to this study) in water temperature, degree of biofouling, and current velocity-turbulence. Included in this paper is a discussion of the effects of temperature and octanol−water partition coefficient (Kow); the impacts of biofouling and hydrodynamics are reported separately. Overall, SPMDs...
Moral chronicity and social information processing: Tests of a social cognitive approach to the moral personality

Following Higgins, King, and Mavin (1982) chronicity paradigm, we examined the eVects of chronically accessed moral constructs for prototypic moral character using two diVerent research paradigms, spontaneous trait inferencing and lexical decision. Study 1 presented target sentences in a deliberate or spontaneous processing condition. Recall was cued with either a dispositional or semantic cue. Moral chronics made more spontaneous trait inferences with dispositional cues than semantic cues. In Study 2, participants read stories about characters who did or did not help. Moral chronics were faster responding to probes reXecting negative evaluations of story characters who did not help when requested (e.g., “disloyal”). Findings support claims that the moral personality is usefully conceptualized in terms of the chronic accessibility of moral knowledge structures.
Regulation of gene expression for neurotransmitters during adaptation to hypoxia in oxygen-sensitive neuroendocrine cells.

Reduced oxygen tension (hypoxia) in the environment stimulates oxygen-sensitive cells in the carotid body (CB). Upon exposure to hypoxia, the CB immediately triggers a reflexive physiological response, thereby increasing respiration. Adaptation to hypoxia involves changes in the expression of various CB genes, whose products are involved in the transduction and modulation of the hypoxic signal to the central nervous system (CNS). Genes encoding neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes and receptors are particularly important in this regard. The cellular response to hypoxia correlates closely with the release and biosynthesis of catecholamines. The gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine biosynthesis, is regulated by hypoxia in the CB and in the oxygen-sensitive cultured PC12 cell line. Recently, genomic microarray studies have identified additional genes regulated by hypoxia. Patterns of gene expression vary, depending on the type of applied hypoxia, e.g., intermittent vs. chronic. Construction of a hypoxia-regulated, CB-specific, subtractive cDNA library will enable us to further characterize regulation of gene expression in the CB.
Labourers at the Oakes: Changes in the Demand for Female Day-Laborers at a Farm near Sheffield During the Agricultural Revolution

The wage book of a Derbyshire farm, which includes payments to laborers for 1772 to 1775 and 1831 to 1845, allows me to examine the employment patterns of male and female day-laborers at this farm before and after important innovations in agriculture. I find a fall in relative female employment which appears to be due to a fall in demand. Male employment shifted to the spring, but female employment maintained the same seasonal pattern. These seasonal and sexual shifts in the demand for labor probably resulted from the changes in animal husbandry that followed enclosure.
Effects of narrowband interference and nonlinear amplifier in companded OFDM with application to 802.11n WLAN

It is a well known fact that Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) suffers from high peak to average power ratio (PAPR). The nonlinear distortion introduced by an OFDM signal through practical amplifiers can further degrade the system performance. Due to the limited bandwidth in the radio frequency spectrum, it is impossible that wireless communication systems can operate in an environment which is free from all interference such as narrowband interference (NBI). Hence, it is important to understand how an OFDM system performs when it is subject to NBI interference. In this paper, we analyze the performance of a M-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (MQAM) OFDM system which is subject to nonlinear high power amplifiers (HPAs) and NBI in a Rayleigh fading channel. In order to reduce the nonlinear distortion caused by HPAs, we propose a new companding technique to reduce the PAPR and a novel receiver structure to minimize the degradation effects from the decompander when the OFDM system operates in Rayleigh fading channel. For the purpose of simulation, we extend the analytical model to be in compliance with the IEEE 802.11n standard. The theoretical results are verified with the simulation.
Image Quality and Face Recognition on a Television Display

Subjects were asked to match faces presented singly on a television display with one of 35 faces presented on a photographic display. The probability of correct recognition and the time required to...
Air and ring combination in tandem spinning

With the objective of boosting ring spinning productivity, a new tandem spinning system combining air-jet and ring spinning technologies in continuous tandem is investigated. In this “air-plus-ring” tandem spinning system, a drafted roving strand as it emerges from the front roller nip feeds into a single- or dual-jet air nozzle where it is subjected to a vortex of compressed air, producing a pneumatically entangled, false-twisted, partially strengthened strand. This so-called prefabricated, air-bolstered strand continuously feeds into a standard ring spinning zone and is ultimately spun into a novel, single-component yarn. By spinning a few cotton and cotton-blend yarns with the lowest practical twist levels possible on both the tandem and conventional ring spinning systems, we show that a tandem spun yarn can be produced with a relatively lower (true ring) twist level than a pure ring spun yarn. To an extent, the tandem spinning's air-bolstering action reinforces the drafted fibrous strand, contributing...