cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enantioselective gas-phase ion–molecule reactions in a quadrupole ion trap

Abstract Ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS) was employed to study chiral guest-exchange reactions in gas-phase complexes of amino acids and β-cyclodextrin. Enantioselectivity was obtained with a selected group of amino acids containing alkyl side chains. The selectivity for the amino acids increased with the size of the side chain except for Phe where the selectivity dropped off considerably. The results were consistent with those obtained earlier with Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). The two mass analyzers were compared with regard to enantiomeric analysis.
BOLD signal and functional connectivity associated with loving kindness meditation.

Loving kindness is a form of meditation involving directed well-wishing, typically supported by the silent repetition of phrases such as “may all beings be happy,” to foster a feeling of selfless love. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the neural substrate of loving kindness meditation in experienced meditators and novices. We first assessed group differences in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal during loving kindness meditation. We next used a relatively novel approach, the intrinsic connectivity distribution of functional connectivity, to identify regions that differ in intrinsic connectivity between groups, and then used a data-driven approach to seed-based connectivity analysis to identify which connections differ between groups. Our findings suggest group differences in brain regions involved in self-related processing and mind wandering, emotional processing, inner speech, and memory. Meditators showed overall reduced BOLD signal and intrinsic connectivity during loving kindness as compared to novices, more specifically in the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCu), a finding that is consistent with our prior work and other recent neuroimaging studies of meditation. Furthermore, meditators showed greater functional connectivity during loving kindness between the PCC/PCu and the left inferior frontal gyrus, whereas novices showed greater functional connectivity during loving kindness between the PCC/PCu and other cortical midline regions of the default mode network, the bilateral posterior insula lobe, and the bilateral parahippocampus/hippocampus. These novel findings suggest that loving kindness meditation involves a present-centered, selfless focus for meditators as compared to novices.
11-methyl-9-demethylretinal and 11-methyl-9,13-didemethylretinal. Effect of altered methyl substitution pattern on polyene conformation photoisomerization and formation of visual pigment analogs

Abstract Altered methyl substitution pattern in 11-methyl-9-demethylretinal (1) and 11-methyl-9,13-didemethylretinal (2) resulted in changed polyene conformation, regioselectivity of photoisomerization, uv/vis characteristics and reactivity toward bovine opsin. That the 11-cis isomer of 1 and 9-cis isomer of 2 gave visual pigment analogs (λmax 475 and 459 nm respectively) while the 11-cis isomer of 2 did not is consistent with the requirement of a twisted chromophore near the middle of the polyene chain for pigment formation.
The evolution and potential of the Arctic submarine

The polar regions are now of considerable importance to the world's nations from both scientific and commercial viewpoints. Scientifically because of the many keys which its ocean depths hold for the understanding of many unsolved mysteries, such as its influence on the world's climate; commercially, because within its harsh regions lie most of the world's undeveloped resources. This paper will trace the evolution of the Arctic submarine from the mid-1600s to the development of the first true Arctic submarine, the nuclear-powered USS NAUTILUS in the mid-twentieth century. The voyages of exploration which followed will be highlighted, and the paper will close with a discussion of the Arctic submarine's scientific and commercial capabilities and potential for the future.
Ethics, the householder’s dilemma, and the difficulty of reality

Comment on Laidlaw, James. 2014. The subject of virtue: An anthropology of ethics and freedom . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Conducting boron-doped single-crystal diamond films for high pressure research

Epitaxial boron-doped diamond films were grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition for application as heating elements in high pressure diamond anvil cell devices. To a mixture of hydrogen, methane and oxygen, diborane concentrations of 240–1200 parts per million were added to prepare five diamond thin-film samples. Surface morphology has been observed to change depending on the amount of diborane added to the feed gas mixture. Single-crystal diamond film with a lowest room temperature resistivity of 18 mΩ cm was fabricated and temperature variation of resistivity was studied to a low temperature of 12 K. The observed minima in resistivity values with temperature for these samples have been attributed to a change in conduction mechanism from band conduction to hopping conduction. We also present a novel fabrication methodology for monocrystalline electrically conducting channels in diamond and present preliminary heating data with a boron-doped designer diamond anvil to 620 K at ambient pressure.
Incorporating Access to More Effective Teachers into Assessments of Educational Resource Equity

Abstract To address gaps in achievement between more- and less-affluent students, states and districts need to ensure that high-poverty students and schools have equitable access to educational resources. Traditionally, assessments of resource equity have focused on per-pupil expenditures and more proximal inputs, such as teacher credentials and class size, despite the inconsistent and/or weak relationships between these measures and student performance. Given the sizable and direct effects of teachers on student achievement, we argue that (1) teachers’ value-added scores should be incorporated into assessments of resource equity and (2) providing schools with greater flexibility for setting salaries or using strategic staffing initiatives may be necessary to achieve an equitable distribution of effective teachers. To illustrate these assertions we incorporate teacher value added into a case study of resource allocation in the public high schools of Wayne County, North Carolina, which have been the target...
Sequence Analysis in a Nutshell: A Guide to Common Tools and Databases

Like other books in the Nutshell series, Sequence Analysis in a Nutshell is a quick-reference source for bioinformatics laboratories. This book is not intended as an introduction to sequence analysis or a tutorial for beginners. Nor is this book a dense reference manual like those found in the standard O’Reilly reference book series. Rather, the book is intended as a compendium for users familiar with sequence-analysis tools on UNIX systems. Sequence Analysis in a Nutshell provides a compact compilation of all the manual pages and help pages for commonly used sequence-analysis tools. This information is presented in a comfortable format with readable, informative fonts and a useful index. Experienced users of sequence-analysis tools will find that this book provides a convenient source of information about command-line options and sequence-data formats. The first section of the book contains the field definitions for common file formats used in a number of sequence databases. In addition to the nucleotide and protein databases, such as GenBank, EMBL, and SWISS-PROT, motif and pattern databases, such as PROSITE and Pfam, are included. The second section of the book contains descriptions of common tools that are used for sequence analysis. There are sections on the most important sequence-analysis tools (Readseq, BLAST, BLAT, ClustalW, HMMER, and MEME/MAST) and a large section on the EMBOSS package of sequence-analysis tools that includes about 150 tools in all. All of the tools described in this book are available in the public domain, and many are available on the World Wide Web. The final section of the book is an appendix with nucleic acid and amino acid codes and properties. Most if not all of the information included in the book is readily available from the programs themselves, through menu options or from the manual pages or help pages. However, for readers who have trouble finding or remembering how to call up the help pages or for those who would like to have menu options at hand instead of clicking through the deep menu trees of programs like ClustalW, Sequence Analysis in a Nutshell is a very useful book. For readers who frequently refer to the manual pages or help pages, having this information available in a book on one’s lap in a pleasant, readable font is a nice improvement. As a desktop reference, the Nutshell book does not provide an introduction to the general topics and issues in sequence analysis and does little to provide better descriptions of the programs and program options. Readers looking for help in choosing sequence-analysis programs or selecting program options and those seeking better descriptions of the general issues in sequence analysis and a background into the methods that the programs use to produce the analyses should consider Bioinformatics by David Mount (Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2001).
[FeFe]-hydrogenases and photobiological hydrogen production

The promise of efficient, economic and renewable H 2 photoproduction from water can potentially be met by green algae. These organisms are able to functionally link photosynthetic water oxidation to the catalytic recombination of protons and electrons to generate H 2 gas through the activity of the hydrogenase enzyme. Green algal hydrogenases contain a unique metallo-catalytic H-cluster that performs the reversible H 2 oxidation /evolution reactions. The H-cluster, located in the interior of the protein structure is irreversibly inactivated by O 2 , the by-product of water oxidation. We developed an Escherichi coli expression system to produce [FeFe]-hydrogenases from different biological sources and demonstrated that clostridial [FeFe]-hydrogenases have higher tolerance to O 2 inactivation compared to their algal counterparts. We have been using computational simulations of gas diffusion within the Clostridium pasteurianum CpI hydrogenase to identify the pathways through which O 2 can reach its catalytic site. Subsequently, we modify the protein structure at specific sites along the O 2 pathways (identified by the computational simulations) by site-directed mutagenesis with the goal of generating recombinant enzymes with higher O 2 tolerance. In this paper, we review the computational simulation work and report on preliminary results obtained through this strategy.
Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase specifically binds to the integrin α9 subunit cytoplasmic domain and enhances cell migration

The integrin α9β1 is expressed on migrating cells, such as leukocytes, and binds to multiple ligands that are present at sites of tissue injury and inflammation. α9β1, like the structurally related integrin α4β1, mediates accelerated cell migration, an effect that depends on the α9 cytoplasmic domain. α4β1 enhances migration through reversible binding to the adapter protein, paxillin, but α9β1-dependent migration is paxillin independent. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified the polyamine catabolizing enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) as a specific binding partner of the α9 cytoplasmic domain. Overexpression of SSAT increased α9β1-mediated migration, and small interfering RNA knockdown of SSAT inhibited this migration without affecting cell adhesion or migration that was mediated by other integrin cytoplasmic domains. The enzyme activity of SSAT is critical for this effect, because a catalytically inactive version did not enhance migration. We conclude that SSAT directly binds to the α9 cytoplasmic domain and mediates α9-dependent enhancement of cell migration, presumably by localized effects on acetylation of polyamines or of unidentified substrates.
On masking and swamping robustness of leading nonparametric outlier identifiers for univariate data

Abstract In the wide-ranging scope of modern statistical data analysis, a key task is identification of outliers. For any outlier identification procedure, one needs to know its robustness against masking (an “outlier” is undetected as such) and swamping (a “nonoutlier” is classified as an “outlier”). Masking and swamping robustness are interrelated aspects which must be studied together. For such purposes, Serfling and Wang (2014) provide a general framework applicable in any data space. Implementation, however, with particular outlier identifiers in particular types of data space, requires additional theoretical development specialized to the chosen setting. Even the case of univariate data presents nontrivial challenges. Here we apply the framework to study the masking and swamping robustness properties of two leading types of nonparametric outlier identifiers, scaled deviation outlyingness and centered rank outlyingness. The results shed new light on the choice between (Median, MAD) and (trimmed mean, trimmed standard deviation) in using scaled deviation outlyingness. Also, our findings explain how the boxplot, a leading descriptive tool, performs using a hybrid outlyingness function incorporating a quantile-based component to describe the middle half of a data set and a scaled deviation outlyingness component for outlier detection. For both goals, the boxplot greatly favors swamping robustness over masking robustness. We also formulate a variant boxplot offering a more favorable trade-off between these two criteria.
Effects of surgically induced weight loss by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on cardiovascular autonomic nerve function.

Abstract Background Obesity is associated with autonomic imbalance. With respect to cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, this is characterized by reduced heart rate variability (HRV). Our objective was to determine the effect of surgically induced weight loss on cardiovascular autonomic nerve fiber function in subjects with severe obesity and examine whether an association with reduced insulin resistance exists. The setting was a hospital and private practice in the United States. Methods A total of 32 morbidly obese patients (body mass index 51 ± 11 kg/m2) underwent laparoscopic Roux-en- Y gastric bypass. Measures of HRV (e.g., power spectral analysis, RR variation during deep breathing) were used to evaluate autonomic function before and 6 months after surgery. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was used to assess insulin resistance. Results At 6 months after bariatric surgery, the patients had lost 58% excess body mass index with improvement in the HOMA-IR (3.0 ± 1.4 versus 1.1 ± .7; P Conclusion Surgically induced weight loss has a favorable effect on autonomic function, but it does not appear to be directly attributable to reduced insulin resistance.
Improved fiber optic sensor for salt concentration based on polymer swelling

An improved design for fiber optic chemical sensors based on polymer swelling is applied to the detection of changes in electrolyte concentration. In this design the polymer sensing element is isolated from the fiber optics by a rubber diaphragm glued to a reflecting piece of aluminum. Changes in polymer size move the diaphragm, changing the intensity of light reflected into an optical fiber. The sensor design allows the user to adjust the distance between the optical fibers and the reflecting surface so that maximum sensitivity can be achieved. The new design is demonstrated using a bead of crosslinked strongly basic anion exchange resin as a sensing element to detect changes in electrolyte concentration.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interlingual interference and memory processes

Bilingual Ss learned eight-item paired-associate lists with four English and four German words as stimuli and the digits 1–8 as responses. Four translated word pairs wee used as stimulus terms for Experimental lists and unrelated words were used for Control lists. Interlingual interference was observed, in that the Experimental lists were harder to learn than the Control lists. It was concluded that the semantic relationships between words in different languages influence tasks involving secondary memory. No interlingual interference was obtained in a second learning situation which depended mostly upon primary memory.
Solid State and Solution Nitrate Photochemistry: Photochemical Evolution of the Solid State Lattice

We examined the deep UV 229 nm photochemistry of NaNO(3) in solution and in the solid state. In aqueous solution excitation within the deep UV NO(3)¯ strong π → π* transition causes the photochemical reaction NO(3)¯ → NO(2)¯ + O·. We used UV resonance Raman spectroscopy to examine the photon dose dependence of the NO(2)¯ band intensities and measure a photochemical quantum yield of 0.04 at pH 6.5. We also examined the response of solid NaNO(3) samples to 229 nm excitation and also observe formation of NO(2)¯. The quantum yield is much smaller at ∼10(-8). The solid state NaNO(3) photochemistry phenomena appear complex by showing a significant dependence on the UV excitation flux and dose. At low flux/dose conditions NO(2)¯ resonance Raman bands appear, accompanied by perturbed NO(3)¯ bands, indicating stress in the NaNO(3) lattice. Higher flux/dose conditions show less lattice perturbation but SEM shows surface eruptions that alleviate the stress induced by the photochemistry. Higher flux/dose measurements cause cratering and destruction of the NaNO(3) surface as the surface layers are converted to NO(2)¯. Modest laser excitation UV beams excavate surface layers in the solid NaNO(3) samples. At the lowest incident fluxes a pressure buildup competes with effusion to reach a steady state giving rise to perturbed NO(3)¯ bands. Increased fluxes result in pressures that cause the sample to erupt, relieving the pressure.
'Vie with each other in good works' : What can a roman catholic missionary order learn from entering into closer contact with muslims?

The article deals with concerns and hopes regarding something commonly known as Christian missionary activity, which in Africa has tended to see Muslims as rivals in a race for the souls of the adherents of African indigenous religions. After explaining the meaning of a dialogue-based approach to missionary work, the focus is on matters concerning the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and its new involvement in Chad. Such an analysis is essential if the SVD is going to change the perception of Christian mission from an exercise in religious imperialism to a dialogical way of searching together for the signs of God's presence. The latter will involve closer contact with Muslims and hopefully will incline SVD missionaries to a more thorough adoption and implementation of a dialogical way of carrying out their ministry, one based on profound and conscious respect for others.
Service-Learning: Connecting the Classroom to the Community to Generate a Robust and Meaningful Learning Experience for Students, Faculty, and Community Partners

The community can be a wonderful classroom for students and faculty to explore the real-world application of the content of almost any class in an academic unit's curriculum. It is also the means by which those in the community can be connected to the classroom to resolve a noteworthy problem. When properly designed, a course taught via service-learning can provide learning experiences that transcend the more controlled learning environment of the classroom or lab on one's campus. After reading this article, faculty members should be able to accurately define service-learning, comprehend 10 key principles of service-learning, and develop a course that has equal emphasis on both “service” and “learning” that when properly designed according to the literature will provide a robust and meaningful learning experience for students, faculty, and community partners.
Dynamics in Phosphorus Retention in Wetlands Upstream of Delavan Lake, Wisconsin

ABSTRACT A phosphorus budget was constructed for Delavan Lake Inlet, a perennial riverine wetland with submersed and floating aquatic vegetation in southeastern Wisconsin, to better understand the phosphorus dynamics in natural wetlands and the role of wetlands in lake-rehabilitation efforts. During the growing season, the inlet served as a net source of phosphorus, primarily due to the release of phosphorus from the sediments. More phosphorus was released from the sediments of the inlet (600 kg) than was input from the upstream watershed (460 kg). This release was caused by high pH associated with high photosynthetic activity. During the remainder of the year, the inlet served as a net sink for phosphorus, retaining 6% of die phosphorus input from the watershed. Over the entire year, this wetland was a net source of over 500 kg of phosphorus to downstream Delavan Lake. A constructed riverine wetland upstream of Delavan Lake Inlet demonstrated a similar periodic release of phosphorus. However, in this cas...
Essential constituents of the 3'-phosphoesterase domain of bacterial DNA ligase D, a nonhomologous end-joining enzyme.

Abstract DNA ligase D (LigD) catalyzes end-healing and end-sealing steps during nonhomologous end joining in bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa LigD consists of a central ATP-dependent ligase domain fused to a C-terminal polymerase domain and an N-terminal 3′-phosphoesterase (PE) module. The PE domain catalyzes manganese-dependent phosphodiesterase and phosphomonoesterase reactions at a duplex primer-template with a short 3′-ribonucleotide tract. The phosphodiesterase, which cleaves a 3′-terminal diribonucleotide to yield a primer strand with a ribonucleoside 3′-PO4 terminus, requires the vicinal 2′-OH of the penultimate ribose. The phosphomonoesterase converts the terminal ribonucleoside 3′-PO4 to a 3′-OH. Here we show that the PE domain has a 3′-phosphatase activity on an all-DNA primer-template, signifying that the phosphomonoesterase reaction does not depend on a 2′-OH. The distinctions between the phosphodiesterase and phosphomonoesterase activities are underscored by the results of alanine-scanning, limited proteolysis, and deletion analysis, which show that the two reactions depend on overlapping but nonidentical ensembles of protein functional groups, including: (i) side chains essential for both ribonuclease and phosphatase activity (His-42, His-48, Asp-50, Arg-52, His-84, and Tyr-88); (ii) side chains important for 3′-phosphatase activity but not for 3′ ribonucleoside removal (Arg-14, Asp-15, Glu-21, Gln-40, and Glu-82); and (iii) side chains required selectively for the 3′-ribonuclease (Lys-66 and Arg-76). These constellations of critical residues are unique to LigD-like proteins, which we propose comprise a new bifunctional phosphoesterase family.
Avoiding adolescent pregnancy: a longitudinal analysis of African-American youth.

Abstract Purpose The timing and social context of pregnancy have significant implications for the well-being of African-American young people. Rarely, however, do studies focus on identifying the developmental processes associated with young people's avoidance of pregnancy until after adolescence. Methods We tested hypotheses regarding the factors associated with delayed fertility (no experience of a pregnancy by age 19) among a sample of 889 African-American youth recruited at age 11 and assessed longitudinally through age 19. We hypothesized that, during preadolescence (age 11), health-promoting environmental processes would be linked to nurturant-responsive parenting, which in turn would be linked to youths' conventional future orientations and risky sexual behavior in midadolescence (age 16) and to pregnancy experience by late adolescence (age 19). Hypotheses were tested with logistic structural equation modeling. Results Our conceptual model fit the data well. We identified a cascade process whereby protective environments were associated with nurturant-responsive parenting, which was associated with youths' conventional future orientations; conventional future orientations were associated with avoidance of sexual risk behaviors at age 16 and avoidance of pregnancy by age 19. We identified an additional direct effect between nurturant-responsive parenting and avoidance of risky sexual behavior. Conclusions The results suggest processes that may be targeted to facilitate delayed fertility among African-American youth.
Enchantment and violence in the fiction of Michael Anthony

(1982). Enchantment and violence in the fiction of Michael Anthony. World Literature Written in English: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 148-159.
Fanny Fern's 1855 Ruth Hall, the cheerful brutality of capitalism, & the irony of sentimental rhetoric

In order to reconstruct the historical, rhetorical, and political implications of Fanny Fern's 1855 sentimental novel, Ruth Hall, this essay engages in three critical maneuvers. First, as a means of situating Fern both in and against contemporary scholarly views of sentimentalism, the essay addresses arguments offered by Edwin Black and Stephen Browne. Second, as a means of expanding our understanding of sentimentalism, it reconstructs both the elite intellectual and mass cultural foregrounds to sentimental rhetoric. Third, it argues that although Fern's prose is sentimental in places, the novel as a whole is dialectical, ironic, and politically savvy. By reconsidering the nuances of sentimental rhetoric the essay expands our means of addressing political persuasion in antebellum America.
Rational and Irrational Approaches to Human Security: A Reply to Ralph Pettman

I endorse many of the policy goals that have been pursued under the banner of human security, including the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, the creation of an international criminal cou...
On the location of fixed points of G-deformations

Abstract Let G be a finite group and M be a compact smooth G -manifold. In this note, we show that there exist a G -deformation π of M with Fix π ={ xϵM | π ( x )= x }⊂⋃ M H where ( H ) is maximal in Iso( M ), the isotropy types of M . We compute the minimal number of fixed points in the G -homotopy class of the identity 1 M . Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for a nonempty closed invariant subset A ⊂ M such that A = Fix f for some G -deformation f : M → M .
Commentary on the chastity of amoebae: re-evaluating evidence for sex in amoeboid organisms.

A student in one of my mycology classes, after she had been exposed to numerous life cycles, commented, ‘All you mycologists ever think about is sex.’ In a way, it is too bad that biologists, in general, do not spend enough time thinking critically about sex as a biological phenomenon. Lahr et
I-Q diagram utilization in a novel modulation classification technique for cognitive radio applications

We report here on the utilization of signal in-phase-quadrature (I-Q) diagrams in a novel modulation classification (MC) technique. This MC technique is able to classify linear digital single-carrier modulations as well as multi-carrier modulations. The method uses the waveforms’ I-Q diagrams and, by employing a combination of k-center and k-means algorithms, determines the type of modulation. Implementation and refinement of the novel single-carrier modulation classification technique using the I-Q diagrams are discussed in detail. Further, a model for classification of multi-carrier signals is presented, including Gaussianity, cyclostationarity, and autocorrelation tests for further extracting orthogonal frequency division multiplexing signal parameters. Finally, results of this method are presented and compared to other classification methods, and the considerations for implementing the method in hardware are briefly discussed. As a future direction of this research, the performance of the algorithm in fading channels is an interesting topic to pursue.
Observation of a spin reorientation in TbCu 2 Ge 2 from resonant and nonresonant x-ray scattering

Resonant and nonresonant magnetic x-ray scattering measurements have been carried out on a single crystal of ${\mathrm{TbCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{2}.$ dc susceptibility measurements on single crystals clearly showed two transitions at ${T}_{N}=12.3 \mathrm{K}$ and ${T}_{t}=9.6 \mathrm{K}.$ The temperature dependence of both the resonant and nonresonant magnetic scattering were fit self-consistently and revealed a reorientation of the moments in the basal plane from $[110]$ below ${T}_{t},$ to $[010]$ for temperatures ${T}_{t}lTl{T}_{N}.$ The temperature dependence of the rotation angle has been extracted based on a simple model for the magnetic structure.
Adenylates: bound and unbound.

An evaluation is made of the use of adenylate analogs as spatial, dimensional, and fluorescent probes of enzyme-coenzyme binding sites.
A method to measure cervical spine motion over extended periods of time.

Study Design. System validation study. Objective. To develop and validate a motion sensor system for measuring cervical spine motion over extended time periods. Summary of Background Data. Many studies using different methodologies have tried to estimate cervical spine motion. These have mostly been carried out in a laboratory setting performing active/passive range of motion or activities of daily living. However, cervical spine performance over extended periods of time in natural environments remains unknown. Methods. A novel motion sensor system, Wisconsin Analysis of Spine Motion Performance (WASP), was validated using 2 benchmarks: a materials testing machine (MTS) and optical motion tracking laboratory. Parameters tested included drift, frequency response, accuracy, effect of sensor orientation, and coupled motions. Applied motions from the MTS and measured motions in subject volunteers under various conditions were compared with WASP using correlation coefficients. Intersubject and intrasubject variability analyses for WASP were also performed. Results. The average WASP slopes for accuracy (compared with MTS) in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation were 0.89, 0.93, and 0.38, respectively. The correlation coefficient was 0.99 in all cases. Compared with optical motion tracking, the WASP regression slopes were 1.1, 1.02, and 0.4 and the correlation coefficients were 0.98, 0.92, and 0.93 in the 3 axes of motion. Coupled motion was noted during all subject motions. WASP peak detection algorithm had a 0% error discounting boundary conditions. Conclusion. WASP was accurate in flexion-extension and lateral bending. In axial rotation, WASP was less accurate. However, the system was highly reliable with low intersubject and intrasubject variability. WASP can be used in estimating cervical spine motion with high reliability while keeping in mind the decreased accuracy in measuring axial rotation.
High voltage testing

The use of high voltages to measure insulating materials and spacings is discussed. Techniques for the generation and measurement of high test voltages are examined. Types of high-voltage tests are described. The procedures fall into three basic categories: those devised to test materials, those devised to test apparatus, and those devised to evaluate the deterioration of insulation in service. >
X-ray diffraction by thermotropic main-chain polymers with side groups. I: Rigid polyesters

Thermotropic poly(sulfonyl hydroquinone terephthalate) with either H or CH3 in the lateral substituent was aligned by drawing from nematic melts. Virtually identical x-ray intensity distributions were recorded consisting of “disks” of intensity periodically spaced along the meridian and concentric rings of intensity lying in the equatorial plane of reciprocal space. They correspond to what is expected for the hexagonal packing of parallel periodic chains that are randomly displaced along the chain axes. Using interactive graphics, appropriate molecular models were deduced in conformity with the observed diffraction intensities.
A novel doubly salient single phase permanent magnet generator

This paper presents the principles of operation, design and transient analysis of a newly developed single phase doubly salient permanent magnet (DSPM) generator. Design equations, finite element, and dynamic analysis of the new generator are described. The single phase DSPM generator has an extremely simple structure with two permanent magnets and four poles wound equipped with armature windings. The rotor of the variable reluctance machine has six poles and is laminated iron without windings. Both stator and rotor have a salient pole structure. Hence, the machine has the inverse geometry of recently reported three phase DSPM motor topologies. >
A comparison of adaptive critic and chemotaxis methods in adaptive control

Adaptive critic and chemotaxis algorithms are used to control a cart-pole system. Performance of these two methods are compared with earlier results obtained by using the functional link outerproduct method, as well as two other variations of the classical adaptive critic. This work is expected to shed light on biologically plausible adaptive control methods used to control and maintain the postural stability of the human musculo-skeletal system.
Alveolopalatalization in Central German as Markedness Reduction

The present study investigates the historical unconditioned merger of palatal /c/ (< Middle High German /x/) and postalveolar /ʃ/ into alveolopalatal /ɕ/ in certain varieties of Central German. It will be shown that the phonemicization of the alveolopalatal was the final stage in a gradual reduction of segmental markedness. Thus, /c/ and /ʃ/ are argued to be featurally complex segments, while /ɕ/ is featurally simplex. Independent support for the proposed analysis can be found in the concomitant reduction of markedness in the vowel system of the dialects in question. The present study sheds light on the factors involved in explaining context-free phonological change and the historical source of the alveolopalatal /ɕ/.
Calcium and avian intrapulmonary chemoreceptor response to CO2.

Intrapulmonary chemoreceptors (IPC) are highly responsive respiratory chemoreceptors that innervate the lungs of birds and diapsid reptiles. IPC are stimulated by low levels of lung Pco2, inhibited by high levels of lung Pco2, and their vagal afferents serve as a sensory limb for reflex adjustments of breathing depth and rate. Most IPC exhibit both phasic and tonic sensitivity to CO2, and spike frequency adaptation (SFA) contributes to their phasic CO2 responsiveness. To test whether CO2 responsiveness and SFA in IPC is modulated by a Ca2+-linked mechanism, we quantified the role of transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes and Ca2+-related channels on single-unit IPC function in response to phasic changes in inspired Pco2. We found that 1) broad-spectrum blockade of Ca2+ channels using cadmium or cobalt and blockade of L-type Ca2+ channels using nifedipine increased IPC discharge; 2) activation of L-type Ca2+ channels using BAY K 8644 reduced IPC discharge; 3) blockade of Ca2+-activated potassium channels using charybdo...
Depletion of iron and ascorbate in rodents diminishes lung injury after silica.

Exposures of the lung to iron chelates can be associated with an injury. The catalysis of oxygen-based free radicals is postulated to participate in this injury. Such oxidant generation by mineral oxide particles can be dependent on availability of both iron and a reductant. We tested the study hypothesis that lung injury after silica is associated with the availability of both iron and ascorbate in the host by depleting this metal and reductant in the lungs of rats and guinea pigs, respectively. Rats were fed either a normal diet or a diet deficient of iron. After 30 days, animals were instilled with either saline or 1.0 mg Minusil-5 silica. Relative to saline, silica significantly increased neutrophils and lavage protein. Iron depletion significantly diminished both the cellular influx and injury but only at 1 week after silica exposure. Guinea pigs were provided either a normal diet supplemented with 1,000 ppm vitamin Cora diet deficient in ascorbate. After 14 days, the guinea pigs were instilled with ...
Comparative Study of Selected Disintegrating Agents

Five tablet disintegrants were evaluated using 2 especially formulated bases alone and with active ingredients. The test tablet bases included a highly soluble formulation and an insoluble one. The materials evaluated were Veegum WG, Solka Floc BW-200, Jaguar A-20-B, Purity 825 cornstarch, and Landalgine P. An evaluation of the latter 2 previously was unreported. Purity 825 cornstarch and Jaguar A-20-B at 10 per cent levels were found to be the most effective. No significant change in disintegration time was noted upon the incorporation of a low concentration of an active ingredient, or upon the incorporation of a high concentration of a soluble medicament.
Testing dynamic specification for import demand models: the case of cotton ‡

Error correction models impose few prior restrictions on dynamic model specification and allow the data to determine model structure. Despite this obvious advantage, few applications have adopted the error correction model to explain trade flows. An error correction model of cotton import demand is estimated for France, Japan, and HongKong. A variety of tests are applied to determine the dynamic structure of the model. It is found that the most general models are those that best fit the data for cotton import demand. Long-run elasticities from these general models are significantly different than elasticities derived from a comparable static model.
Body composition by dual-photon absorptiometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry

Dual-energy projection methods have been used over the past decade for non-invasive measurement of bone. Dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) using a 153-Gd radionuclide source is used clinically in about 1000 centers to measure regional bone mineral density (BMD), particularly of the spine and proximal femur (Barden and Mazess, 1989). The sane method has been applied to measurement of the total body bone mineral content (BMC) and BMD (Peppler and Mazess, 1981; Mazess et al., 1984b; Nuti et al., 1987; Gotfredsen et al., 1984a, 1984b, 1986). Total body scans using DPA require about 60–80 minutes; the radiation dose is low (1 mrem). Total body BMC correlates highly with actual skeletal mass and with total body calcium by neutron activation analysis in vivo (Mazess et al., 1981; Heymsfield et al., 1989) because calcium is a constant fraction (about 38%) of the mineral component, or calcium hydroxyapatite. The typical precision error (1 SD) for total body BMD is under 1% (Nijs et al., 1988; Mazess et al., 1988; Gallagher et al., 1987). In the past year, new instrumentation was developed in which the two monoenergetic peaks formerly supplied by the radionuclide source are provided by an x-ray generator and K- edge filter (Mazess et al., 1989; Sartoris and Resnick, 1989). This new methodology is called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). DEXA provides total body scans in a fraction of the time required for DPA (10 vs 70 minutes), yet the precision, spatial resolution, and radiation dose (<0.02 mrem) are better.
Knot types, Floquet spectra, and finite-gap solutions of the vortex filament equation

Using the connection between closed solution curves of the vortex filament equation and the periodic problem for the nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLS), we investigate the possibility of relating the knot types of finite-gap solution to the Floquet spectra of the corresponding NLS potentials, in the special case of small amplitude curves close to multiply-covered circles.
Obesity and related risk factors among low socio-economic status minority students in Chicago

ObjectivesTo assess overweight and related risk factors among urban low socio-economic status (SES) African-American adolescents in an attempt to study the underlying causes of ethnicity and gender disparities in overweight.MethodsCross-sectional data collected on anthropometric measures, diet, physical activity and family characteristics from 498 students in grades 5–7 in four Chicago public schools were analysed to study the risk factors for overweight using stepwise regression analysis.ResultsOnly 37.2% of the students lived with two parents. Nearly 90% had a television (TV) in their bedroom, and had cable TV and a video game system at home. Overall. 21.8% (17.7% boys versus 25.1% girls) were overweight (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95th percentile); and 39.8% had a BMI ≥ 85th percentile. Compared with national recommendations, they had inadequate physical activity and less than desirable eating patterns. Only 66.1% reported having at least 20 min vigorous exercise or 30 min of light exercise in ≥ 5 days over the past 7 days; 62.1% spent >3 h days− 1 watching TV/playing video games/computer, while 33.1% spent ≥ 5 h days− 1. Their vegetable and fruit consumption was low, and they consumed too many fried foods and soft drinks: 55.1% consumed fried food twice or more daily and 19.5% four times or more daily; 70.3% consumed soft drinks twice or more daily and 22.0% four times or more daily on average. Gender, physical activity and pocket money were significant predictors of overweight (P < 0.05).ConclusionsSeveral factors in the students' behaviours, school and family environments may increase overweight risk among this population. There is a great need for health promotion programmes with a focus on healthy weight and lifestyle, and targeting urban low-SES minority communities.
Effect of Religion on End-of-Life Care Among Trauma Patients

Evidence suggests that religiousness is associated with more aggressive end-of-life (EOL) care among terminally ill patients. The effect of religion on care in more acutely life-threatening diseases is not well studied. This study examines the association of religious affiliation and request for chaplain visit with aggressive EOL care among critically injured trauma patients. We conducted a retrospective review of all trauma patients surviving at least 2 days but dying within 30 days of injury over a 3-year period at a major academic trauma center. Time until death was used as a proxy for intensity of life-prolonging therapy. Controlling for social factors, severity of injury, and medical comorbidities, religious affiliation was associated with a 43 % increase in days until death. Controlling for these same variables, chaplain request was associated with a 24 % decrease in time until death. These results suggest that religious patients receive more aggressive, and ultimately futile, EOL care and that pastoral care may reduce the amount of futile care consumed.
Hormonal contraceptive use diminishes salivary cortisol response to psychosocial stress and naltrexone in healthy women

The use of hormonal contraception (HC) may affect salivary cortisol levels at rest and in response to a pharmacological or stress challenge. Therefore, the current study used a secondary data analysis to investigate the effect of HC on salivary cortisol levels in response to the mu-opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone and a psychosocial stressor, and also across the diurnal curve. Two hundred and nine women (n=72 using hormonal contraception; HC+) completed a two-session stress response study that consisted of a stress day, in which they were exposed to public speaking and mental arithmetic, and a rest day, in which unstimulated cortisol levels were measured to assess the diurnal rhythm. A subset of seventy women (n=24 HC+) also completed a second study in which they were administered oral naltrexone (50mg) or placebo in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind fashion. Women who were HC+ had a significantly reduced salivary cortisol response to both the psychosocial stressor (p<0.001) and naltrexone (p<0.05) compared to HC- women. Additionally, HC+ women had a significantly altered morning diurnal cortisol rhythm (p<0.01), with a delayed peak and higher overall levels. The results of the current study confirm that HC attenuates salivary cortisol response to a psychosocial stressor and mu-opioid receptor antagonism, and also alters the morning diurnal cortisol curve.
Scalar Quantization for Relative Error

Quantizers for probabilistic sources are usually optimized for mean-squared error. In many applications, maintaining low relative error is a more suitable objective. This measure has previously been heuristically connected with the use of logarithmic companding in perceptual coding. We derive optimal companding quantizers for fixed rate and variable rate under high-resolution assumptions. The analysis shows logarithmic companding is optimal for variable-rate quantization but generally not for fixed-rate quantization. Naturally, the improvement in relative error from using a correctly optimized quantizer can be arbitrarily large. We extend this framework for a large class of nondifference distortions.
Employment and Family Formation Among Working-Class Women in Bogota, Colombia

This study suggests that the decision to marry or the timing of marriage is an important factor mediating the relationship between work and fertility. The sample of women studied had been exposed to opportunities for modern sector employment and to modern contraceptive education which might have influenced their fertility behavior. The sample included 2 matched groups of women between the ages of 15 and 44. 1/2 (154) worked in modern industrial firms (workers) and 1/2 (114) were housewives of the same ages and socioeconomic class (neighbors). Workers were more likely to have worked before marriage than were neighbors (7.4% and 52.2% respectively; p=.005); workers spent a larger part of their adulthood working (56.8% as compared to 12.4%; p=.001)2; workers had a higher mean age at first pregnancy (22.4) than did the neighbors (20.6; p=.005). The work and fertility behaviors of the 2 groups were only weakly related once women were married and began to bear children. There was a difference of 1.5 children ever-born between workers and neighbors (p=.001); 41.6% workers as opposed to 19.3% neighbors had never married; on the average workers married 2 years later than neighbors (22.0 years compared to 20.0 years; p=.0005). The tendency to work in interpregnancy periods was stronger among workers; both workers and neighbors waited about 1 1/2 years between marriage and first pregnancy (1.6 years for workers and 1.3 years for neighbors; p=n.s); it was for the last pregnancy that workers waited a year more than neighbors to become pregnant (3.4 as compared to 2.2 years; p=.05). It is suggested that the time of marriage is a critical factor in view of these results. Tables and charts support findings.