cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caffeine, a naturally occurring acaricide

Since caffeine is a plant alkaloid that has been described as a naturally occurring insecticide, its acaricidal effect on Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) was investigated. Twelve cultures were established by adding 30 Dp to 200 mg of Tetramin fish food and brewer's yeast (8:2 ratio); six cultures were treated with 20 mg of finely ground caffeine. All 12 cultures were incubated at 75% relative humidity, 25 degrees C, and observed during 8 weeks. Live mites were then counted under a stereoscope, cultures were extracted, and supernatants were analyzed for Der p I and Der f I allergen content with a two-site monoclonal RIA. Live mite counts in untreated cultures varied from 146 to 274 (215 +/- 47.1), and in caffeine-treated cultures from 0 to 3 (1 +/- 1.2; p less than or equal to 0.0001). Der p I concentrations in untreated cultures varied from 588 to 9000 ng/gm (3138.3 +/- 2990.8 ng/gm), and in caffeine-treated cultures from 52 to 117 ng/gm (78 +/- 23.8 ng/gm; p less than or equal to 0.01). Der p I was not detected in the food media or caffeine; Der f I was not detected in any of the cultures. Results demonstrate that caffeine inhibits mite growth and allergen production.
A Cowpea Artificial Diet for Noctuid Larvae

A low cost artificial diet was formulated from materials which are locally available in Africa. The diet utilized cowpea, sorghum and corn instead of pinto bean and wheat which are widely used in the USA. The new diet was as satisfactory as the pinto bean diet for all the biological criteria tested. On a pinto bean diet, pupation and eclosion required 14.3 ± 1 and 26.3 ± 1 days, respectively. On the cowpea diet, 14.6 ± 1 and 26.9 ± 1 days were required, respectively. Ninety-eight per cent of adults eclosing on each diet were viable. Females eclosing on the cowpea diet laid 739 ± 53 eggs of which 59 ± 2% hatched. On the pinto bean diet, 774 ± 62 eggs were laid per female with 61 ± 2% hatching. Pupal weights were 526 ± 22 and 537 ± 28 mg when larvae were reared on the pinto bean and cowpea diets, respectively. Food consumption and utilization by larvae reared on the new diet were comparable with those of larvae reared on the popular pinto bean diet.
Precoder adaptation and power control for cognitive radios in dynamic spectrum access environments

Cognitive radio (CR) technology is an emerging technique for dynamic spectrum access, which attempts to share licensed spectrum with licensed users opportunistically and dynamically to provide high bandwidth and efficient spectrum utilisation. In this study, the authors address the problem of finding combined precoder and power of CRs for dynamic spectrum sharing in interference networks. First, the authors present the precoder and power optimisation problem in spectrum underlay by considering both power and interference constraints where CR users coexist and transmit simultaneously with primary users. Then the authors particularise the problem of precoder and power adaptation to spectrum overlay where CRs operate only in idle frequency bands obtained from spectrum sensing. In the proposed approach, bandwidth use is expressed in terms of a finite set of discrete resources whose use is optimised by the CR transmitters in terms of achievable rate corresponding to individual link under operating constraints that restrict the operation of unlicensed secondary CR transmitters to protect licensed primary user transmissions. The authors formulate the optimal resource allocation for CR links as a constrained optimisation problem and solve using the Lagrange method. The authors illustrate the proposed algorithm with the help of numerical results obtained from simulations.
Probing the ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface with spin waves

A thin ferromagnetic film coupled to an antiferromagnet can exhibit exchange biasing where the hysteresis curve is shifted slightly. A explanation for this shift has been proposed recently by Koon where it was argued that a surface spin flop state in the antiferromagnet exists at the interface. We employ a technique which gives both the equilibrium spin configurations and the spin wave frequencies within one calculation. The spin wave frequencies of both the ferromagnet and the antiferromagnet are substantially influenced by the interface exchange coupling, with a dramatic dip in frequencies where the structure changes from a noncanted state to a canted state.
Estimation of Reactive Thiol Concentrations in Dissolved Organic Matter and Bacterial Cell Membranes in Aquatic Systems

Organic thiols are highly reactive ligands and play an important role in the speciation of several metals and organic pollutants in the environment. Although small thiols can be isolated and their concentrations can be estimated using chromatographic and derivatization techniques, estimating concentrations of thiols associated with biomacromolecules and humic substances has been difficult. Here we present a fluorescence-spectroscopy-based method for estimating thiol concentrations in biomacromolecules and cell membranes using one of the soluble bromobimanes, monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane (qBBr). The fluorescence of this molecule increases significantly when it binds to a thiol. The change in the sample fluorescence due to thiols reacting with qBBr is used to determine thiol concentration in a sample. Using this method, small thiols such as cysteine and glutathione can be detected in clean solutions down to ∼50 nM without their separation and prior concentration. Thiols associated with dissolved organi...
Identification, Characterization, and Classification of Genes Encoding Perchlorate Reductase

ABSTRACT The reduction of perchlorate to chlorite, the first enzymatic step in the bacterial reduction of perchlorate, is catalyzed by perchlorate reductase. The genes encoding perchlorate reductase (pcrABCD) in two Dechloromonas species were characterized. Sequence analysis of the pcrAB gene products revealed similarity to α- and β-subunits of microbial nitrate reductase, selenate reductase, dimethyl sulfide dehydrogenase, ethylbenzene dehydrogenase, and chlorate reductase, all of which are type II members of the microbial dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) reductase family. The pcrC gene product was similar to a c-type cytochrome, while the pcrD gene product exhibited similarity to molybdenum chaperone proteins of the DMSO reductase family members mentioned above. Expression analysis of the pcrA gene from Dechloromonas agitata indicated that transcription occurred only under anaerobic (per)chlorate-reducing conditions. The presence of oxygen completely inhibited pcrA expression regardless of the presence of perchlorate, chlorate, or nitrate. Deletion of the pcrA gene in Dechloromonas aromatica abolished growth in both perchlorate and chlorate but not growth in nitrate, indicating that the pcrABCD genes play a functional role in perchlorate reduction separate from nitrate reduction. Phylogenetic analysis of PcrA and other α-subunits of the DMSO reductase family indicated that perchlorate reductase forms a monophyletic group separate from chlorate reductase of Ideonella dechloratans. The separation of perchlorate reductase as an activity distinct from chlorate reductase was further supported by DNA hybridization analysis of (per)chlorate- and chlorate-reducing strains using the pcrA gene as a probe.
STRINGS AND STATISTICS

Abstract We discuss the possibility of unusual statistics in four dimensional string theory through the use of Aharonov-Bohm like phases. Such phases are closely related to anomaly cancellation in four dimensions and thus can be exactly calculated in terms of the low energy fermion spectrum of the theory. We illustrate this connection by calculating the statistical phases exactly in sample models of heterotic string compactification. We discuss some of the difficulties in applying these ideas to fundamental strings, and mention some possible applications to cosmic string scenarios.
Rapid Repair of Severely Damaged RC Columns with Different Damage Conditions: An Experimental Study

Rapid and effective repair methods are desired to enable quick reopening of damaged bridges after an earthquake occurs, especially for those bridges that are critical for emergency response and other essential functions. This paper presents results of tests conducted as a proof-of-concept in the effectiveness of a proposed method using externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites to rapidly repair severely damaged RC columns with different damage conditions. The experimental work included five large-scale severely damaged square RC columns with the same geometry and material properties but with different damage conditions due to different loading combinations of bending, shear, and torsion in the previous tests. Over a three-day period, each column was repaired and retested under the same loading combination as the corresponding original column. Quickset repair mortar was used to replace the removed loose concrete. Without any treatment to damaged reinforcing bars, longitudinal and transverse CFRP sheets were externally bonded to the prepared surface to restore the column strength. Measured data were analyzed to investigate the performance of the repaired columns compared to the corresponding original column responses. It was concluded that the technique can be successful for severely damaged columns with damage to the concrete and transverse reinforcement. For severely damaged columns with damaged longitudinal reinforcement, the technique was found to be successful if the damaged longitudinal reinforcement is able to provide tensile resistance, or if the damage is located at a section where longitudinal CFRP strength can be developed.
Agent-based expert assistance for visual problem solving

This paper presents a domain-independent architecture for facilitating visual problem solving between robots or softbots and humans. The architecture defines virtual and human agents in terms of their inherent cognitive and perceptual abilities, and their weak and strong knowledge sources. It introduces a third agent, an expert assistant called teleVIA, to mediate the flow of information, facilitate cooperation, filter and cache data, and generate the appropriate visual displays. The agent architecture addresses the technical issues of using an expert assistant to coordinate perception, thought, and action, manage sensing and perception, facilitate diagnosis, and to support the collaboration between people and agents in real-time. A proof-of-concept prototype for teleoperation has been developed based on sensor data scenarios extracted from two different mobile robots. The focus of the paper is on details of the system design, which are presented with examples from the prototype implementation.
Primary Stress and Intelligibility: Research to Motivate the Teaching of Suprasegmentals

This study examined native English speakers' reactions to nonnative primary stress in English discourse. I measured North American undergraduate students' processing, comprehension, and evaluations of three versions of an international teaching assistant's speech: with primary stress correctly placed, incorrectly placed, or missing entirely. Results indicated that when listening to speech with correct primary stress, the participants recalled significantly more content and evaluated the speaker significantly more favorably than when primary stress was aberrant or missing. Listeners also tended to process discourse more easily when primary stress was correct, but the result was not significant. These findings provide insights into how using primary stress affects international TAs' intelligibility. They also provide empirical support and suggest new ideas for current pedagogical practices that emphasize suprasegmentals in teaching pronunciation.
Size of largest and second largest cluster in random percolation

Abstract The number of sites in the second largest cluster is found to have a maximum at the percolation threshold where it is about one third and one sixth of the size of the largest cluster, in the simple cubic and triangular lattice, respectively. The correlation exponent η is slightly negative in three dimensions. These results are obtained from Monte Carlo simulations, extrapolated to infinite lattice sizes.
Evolutionary Consequences of Fallback Foods

Primatologists use the term fallback foods to denote resources of relatively low preference that are used seasonally when preferred foods are unavailable. We examine the assumption that fallback foods play an important role in shaping morphological adaptations, behavior, and socioecology in primates. We discuss operational definitions of preferred and fallback foods and suggest that the evolutionary importance of fallback foods applies more to adaptations for processing than for harvesting foods. Equally, we propose that preferred resources tend to drive adaptations for harvesting foods. We distinguish 2 classes of fallback foods according to their roles in the diet and their evolutionary effects. Staple fallback foods are available year-round, tend to be eaten throughout the year, and seasonally can constitute up to 100% of the diet. Filler fallback foods never constitute 100% of the diet, and may be completely avoided for weeks at a time. We suggest that the availability of the 2 classes of fallback foods have different effects on the socioecology of primate species.
Long-term effects of testosterone phenylacetate on sexual morphology and behavior in castrated male rats

Abstract Male rats of proven copulatory ability were castrated and tested with females until they ceased achieving intromission. At this point one group (TP) received single injections of 10 mg testosterone propionate and a second group (TA) received single injections of 10 mg testosterone phenylacetate. Biweekly mating tests were continued until each male had failed to achieve intromission in four successive tests. A different series of male rats was castrated at 100 days of age and 7 weeks later half of the castrates received one injection of 10 mg of TP and the other half were given one injection of 10 mg of TA. On successive weeks a few males from each group were sacrificed and the seminal vesicles and penis were preserved for study. In terms of mating performance the effects of TA lasted approximately twice as long as those of TP. Seminal vesicle weight and secretory activity declined to the untreated castrate level within 2 weeks after TP injection but had not completely done so by 8 weeks after the injection of TA. Cornification of the epithelial spines on the integument of the glans penis was lost 4 weeks after TP treatment but still persisted 8 weeks after administration of TA.
The Effects of Social Group Membership and Social Capital Resources on Careers

Using a nationally representative sample, this study looks at the effects of race, gender, and social capital resources on two career measures: (a) earnings and (b) promotions. The author finds tha...
The State of Phosphorylation of Normal Adult Brain τ, Fetal τ, and τ from Alzheimer Paired Helical Filaments at Amino Acid Residue Ser262

Antibody Ab262 was raised against a synthetic tau peptide (SKIGSTENLK, amino acids 258-267 of tau, termed Ser262 peptide). The antibody was more reactive with Ser262 peptide and unphosphorylated tau than a related phosphopeptide [SKIGS(P)TENLK, termed PSer262 peptide] and tau phosphorylated by a partially purified kinase, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3 beta. AB262 reacted poorly with a peptide having the sequence DRV-QSKIGSLD (amino acids 348-358). Treatment of PSer262 peptide or GSK 3 beta phosphorylated tau with alkaline phosphatase increased Ab262 immunoreactivity, indicating that Ab262 is a reagent useful for studying tau phosphorylation at the Ser262 residue. The Ab262 immunoreactivity was detected in tau from normal brains and Alzheimer paired helical filament (PHF-tau) and in PHFs. Alkaline phosphatase treatment had no effect on the Ab262 immunoreactivity of normal tau and PHF-tau but altered the tau-1 and PHF-1 immunoreactivities, tau proteins from rat brains at 3 and 8 h postmortem exhibited 5 and 19%, respectively, more Ab262 immunoreactivity than tau from fresh tissues. In comparison, rat tau at 8 h postmortem was 40% more immunoreactive with Tau-1. The results suggest that Ser262 is not a major phosphorylation site in vivo. Moreover, there is little or no difference between PHF-tau and normal tau in the extent of phosphorylation at Ser262.
Mixed carcinomatous neuropathy in patients with lung cancer and lymphoma

A clinical, electrophysiological and histological study of the peripheral nerve was performed on 62 patients with lung cancer and 30 patients with lymphoma. There was a mild peripheral neuropathy (MPN) in 17.7% of patients with lung cancer and in 10% of those with lymphoma. MPN was related to the degree of weight loss. Histological studies of 5 patients with MPN demonstrated a loss of large myelinated fibers in all patients, axonal degeneration in 2 and remyelination in 3 patients. Electromyographic and histological findings indicate a primary axonal neuropathy with remyelination, probably secondary to axonal damage. 2 patients with lymphoma developed a severe neuropathy that remitted in 1 patient. The main pathological abnormality was segmental demyelination in both cases. Immunofluorescence studies were negative in all cases with mild or severe neuropathy.
Self-aligned metal-SiO2-InP based MISFETS having modulation doped channels

A novel metal-SiO2-InP MISFET (metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistor) structure is proposed. This device incorporates a modulation doped channel and the self-aligned gate feature of Si MOSFETs. The modulation doping provides very high electron mobility and the self-alignment of gate, source and drain provides high packing density. Analytical results on current-voltage and transconductance characteristics are presented. Significant enhancement in high frequency performance over conventional MISFETs, employing SiO2 as an insulator, is reported.
The impact of periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter

Abstract We have performed computational shock-physics simulations of the hypervelocity (60 km/s) impact of l-3 km, water-ice spheres entering a hydrogen-helium Jovian atmosphere, conditions that simulate current estimates for the collision of fragments of Periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter. Observatories in space and around the world observed the events as they occurred in July, 1994. The Hubble Space Telescope obtained high resolution images of the impact-generated fireballs that appeared above the limb of Jupiter and of the visibly dark ejecta patterns distributed over broad regions of the Jovian stratosphere. Time-resolved radiometric measurements from spacecraft and Earth-based observatories detected multiple arrivals for each impact: the entry flash as the incoming, fragment entered the atmosphere, arrival of the debris front (fireball) as it emerged above the Jovian limb (which varies as a function of wavelength), the arrival of the debris front into sunlight and finally, the emergence of the impact site as it rotated into view. We used the Eulerian shock-physics code CTH, and its parallel version PCTH to perform 2-E) analyses of penetration and breakup, and 3-D analyses of the growth of the resulting fireball during the first 120 seconds after fragment entry. For sufficiently large fragments, impact-generated fireballs rise into line-of-sight over the Jovian limb. For land 3-km fragments impacting 6 beyond the limb, this occurs approximately 75 and 50 seconds after impact, respectively. Measurement of the time interval between fragment entry and limb arrival provides information that places strong restrictions on equivalent explosive yield (from which fragment mass can be estimated). Measurements of more arrivals help constrain the effective penetration depth, thereby lending insight into the material and mechanical properties of the cometary fragments. We believe that matching high resolution imagery and time-resolved photometry with numerical simulations will provide some of the best means by which Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragment masses and material properties will be determined.
Comparison of quantum confinement effects on the electronic absorption spectra of direct and indirect gap semiconductor nanocrystals.

The size dependent electronic absorption spectra of CdSe nanocrystals have been measured in a diamond anvil cell. Under pressure, these nanocrystals are reversibly converted from a direct gap wurtzite structure to a rock salt structure which has an indirect gap in the bulk. It is thus possible to compare the influence of quantum confinement on direct and indirect transitions in nanocrystals of the same size. The ratio of oscillator strength between direct and indirect structures does not change with size, indicating that zero-phonon transitions are not occurring in the indirect nanocrystals.
Until the Fires Stopped Burning: 9/11 and New York City in the Words and Experiences of Survivors and Witnesses

By Charles B. Strozier (New York: Columbia University Press, 2011), xvii + 276 pp. Cloth $26.95/£17.95.A volume describing the experiences of survivors and witnesses of the 9/11 tragedy would make ...
Mapping of hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy (familial brachial plexus neuropathy) to distal chromosome 17q

Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy with predilection for the brachial plexus (HNA) is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with recurrent, episodic, painful brachial neuropathies. Mildly dysmorphic facial features, including hypotelorism, long nasal bridge, and upslanting palpebral fissures, are present in affected persons in some pedigrees with HNA. To determine the chromosomal location of the HNA gene, we carried out genetic linkage studies with polymerase chain reaction-based DNA markers in two large pedigrees. Linkage to markers from the distal long arm of chromosome 17 was established.
Colonization of hospitalized patients with yeast-like organisms

The pharyngeal, fecal and skin carrier rates of yeast-like organisms was determined in 126 patients on the day of admission to a large Veterans Administration Hospital. None of these patients had been hospitalized or received anti-microbial agents during the previous year Candida and Torulopsis species were most common. A small percentage of patients were carriers of various species belonging to the genera Trichosporon, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Leucosporidium and Endomycopsis. Fifty of the original 126 patients remained hospitalized for a sufficient duration to permit repeat cultures on days 7 and 14. Twenty-five of these patients served as controls and did not receive antibiotics; the other 25 received at least a 4-day course of antibiotic therapy for an underlying infection. Although there was no significant difference in the carrier rates in these 2 groups, organisms other than Candida continued to be isolated from the 50 patients who remained hospitalized for 2 weeks.
Reading disabilities in children: A selective meta-analysis of the cognitive literature ☆

Abstract This article synthesizes literature that compares the academic, cognitive, and behavioral performance of children with and without reading disabilities (RD). Forty-eight studies met the criteria for the meta-analysis, yielding 735 effect sizes (ESs) with an overall weighted ES of 0.98. Small to high ESs in favor of children without RD emerged on measures of cognition (rapid naming [ES = 0.89], phonological awareness [ES = 1.00], verbal working memory [ES = 0.79], short-term memory [ES = 0.56], visual–spatial memory [ES = 0.48], and executive processing [ES = 0.67]), academic achievement (pseudoword reading [ES = 1.85], math [ES = 1.20], vocabulary [ES = 0.83], spelling [ES = 1.25], and writing [ES = 1.20]), and behavior skills (ES = 0.80). Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that specific cognitive process measures (verbal working memory, visual–spatial memory, executive processing, and short-term memory) and intelligence measures (general and verbal intelligence) significantly moderated overall group effect size differences. Overall, the results supported the assumption that cognitive deficits in children with RD are persistent.
Compact CPW‐fed square aperture CP antenna for GPS and INMARSAT applications

This study proposed a coplanar-waveguide-fed square aperture circularly polarized (CP) antenna for the global positioning system and the International Maritime Satellite applications. The CP radiation is achieved by loading the aperture with a T-shaped and a spur-like strip. With the dimensions of the T-shaped strip fixed, the CP radiation can be tuned to the desired band in a certain frequency range by adjusting the spur-like strip. The measured 3-dB axial-ratio band is around 1.59 GHz with a bandwidth of 11.1% and a gain of about 3 dBic. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 427–430, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22147
Myocardial infarction in adolescents.

Objectives To determine the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes for adolescents diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Study design We analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to determine the incidence of AMI in adolescents (age 13 to 18 years). Data from 1998 to 2001 were analyzed. Patients with primary cardiomyopathies, congenital heart lesions, and previous heart transplantation were excluded. Results The estimated incidence of AMI admissions of adolescents in the United States is 157 per year, or 6.6 events per 1 million patient-years. AMI occurs predominantly in males (80%). Reported incidences of substance abuse and smoking are significantly higher in the adolescents with AMI than in adolescents admitted to the hospital for other conditions (P Conclusions AMI is extremely rare in adolescents. Patient characteristics associated with AMI include substance abuse, tobacco use, and male sex. The hospital survival for AMI in adolescents is excellent, and the need for catheter or surgical coronary artery intervention is uncommon.
Erbium and ytterbium solubilities and diffusivities in aluminum as determined by nanoscale characterization of precipitates

Abstract Binary aluminum alloys with 0.03–0.06 at.% RE (RE = Yb or Er) were aged to produce coherent, nanosize Al 3 RE precipitates in an α-Al matrix. The temporal evolution of precipitate radii and matrix concentrations at 300 °C were measured by transmission electron microscopy and local-electrode atom-probe tomography, respectively. The temporal dependence of the matrix concentration of each RE was utilized to determine its solubility in Al. The solubility and the coarsening rate constants were used to determine the diffusivity of each RE in α-Al and the α-Al/Al 3 RE interfacial free energies at 300 °C. When compared to Sc, both Yb and Er exhibited smaller solubilities but larger diffusivities in α-Al and larger α-Al/Al 3 RE interfacial energies.
Water-vapor adsorption and surface area measurement of poorly crystalline boehmite

Abstract Water-vapor adsorption on poorly crystalline boehmite (PCB) was studied using a gravimetric FTIR apparatus that measured FTIR spectra and water adsorption isotherms simultaneously. The intensity of the δ (HOH) band of adsorbed water changed linearly with water content and this linear relationship was used to determine the dry mass of the sample. Adsorption and desorption isotherms of PCB showed a Type IV isotherm. The BET H 2 O surface area of PCB was 514±36 m 2 /g. The mean crystallite dimensions of PCB were estimated to be 4.5×2.2×10.0 nm (dimensions along the a , b , and c axes, respectively) based on application of the Scherrer equation to powder diffraction data of PCB. A surface area value of 504±45 m 2 /g calculated using the mean crystallite dimensions was in good agreement with the BET H 2 O surface area. This work also demonstrated a method to determine surface areas for materials with minimal perturbation of their surface structure. In addition, the FTIR spectra of PCB were influenced by changes in water content. The δ (AlOH) band at 835 cm −1 observed under dry conditions was assigned to the non-H-bonded surface OH groups. As the amount of adsorbed water increased, the intensity at 835 cm −1 decreased and that at 890 and 965 cm −1 increased. The 890- and 965-cm −1 bands are assigned to surface OH groups H-bonded with adsorbed water.
Effect of strain-induced martensite on hydrogen environment embrittlement of sensitized austenitic stainless steels at low temperatures

Abstract Hydrogen environment embrittlement (HEE) of the austenitic stainless steels of types 304, 316 and 310S with the solution-annealed, sensitized and desensitized heat treatments was investigated in hydrogen and helium of 1 MPa in the temperature range from 295 to 80 K. The effect of the strain-induced martensite, distinguished from that of the carbides, both existing along the grain boundaries in the sensitized materials, on HEE was examined. Metastable austenitic stainless steels of types 304 and 316 showed considerable HEE, but stable austenitic stainless steel of type 310S was not affected by the hydrogen environment. HEE of types 304 and 316 stainless steels depended on the testing temperature, and the maximum HEE occurred at around 220 K independent of the type of heat treatment. The susceptibility of the materials to HEE was enhanced by the sensitization, that caused intergranular fracture, and was recovered upon a transition from the intergranular fracture to the transgranular fracture due to desensitization. The strain-induced martensite was observed together with the carbides, both along the grain boundaries of the sensitized materials. As a result of desensitization, the formation of martensite along the grain boundaries was inhibited. It was evident that HEE of the sensitized materials was not due to the carbides, but to the strain-induced α ′ martensite along the grain boundaries.
Perspectives of Therapist's Role in Care Coordination between Medical and Early Intervention Services

This study explored perspectives of therapist's role in care coordination between early intervention (EI) and medical services, and identified strategies for improving service delivery. Fifty adults participated in one of six focus groups. Participants included parents, pediatricians, and therapists working in hospital and EI programs. Structured guiding questions were used to obtain participants' perceptions. Transcript analysis included open code identification, axial code grouping, and constant comparative methods. The researchers established inter-rater reliability (kappa = 0.85) in the coding scheme before data analysis. The themes identified included information exchange, communication among parents and therapists, approaches toward child and family care, supporting social and emotional needs, perceptions of therapists' roles, and understanding service delivery systems to improve care coordination. Participants recommended training for therapy service providers and pediatricians in the areas of child development, team building, and service systems. Family-centered strategies emphasizing systems of care are recommended to improve therapists' role in care coordination.
Risk during pregnancy--self-report versus medical record.

Objective This study was undertaken to compare the frequencies with which physicians and patients report medical and behavioral risk factors during pregnancy, with particular attention to identification of women at risk for prenatal alcohol use. Study design The sample included 278 women, drawn from a randomized trial of T-ACE (alcohol screening questionnaire) positive pregnant women receiving obstetric care. Medical records and participants' self-reports were available for comparison. Results Physicians identified only 10.8% of women recognized as at risk for alcohol consumption by the T-ACE screening measure. In contrast, the physicians' records were more inclusive for medical risk factors than the participant's self-reports. Physicians were significantly more likely to correctly identify nonwhite participants as being at risk for prenatal alcohol use (odds ratio=3.59, P = .026), compared with their white counterparts. Conclusion Self-report on the T-ACE questionnaire is more effective than medical records in identifying women at risk for prenatal alcohol use.
Subjective assessment of left ventricular preload using transesophageal echocardiography: corresponding pulmonary artery occlusion pressures.

Abstract Objective: To record pulmonary artery occlusion pressures (PAOPs) in patients whose left ventricular preload reserve was subjectively determined using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Design: Prospective, blinded, nonrandomized. Setting: University hospital. Participants: Twenty-three patients with well-preserved left ventricular function during nonemergent cardiac surgery. Interventions: After separation from cardiopulmonary bypass, patients received repeated boluses of fluid volume through the aortic inflow cannula while being monitored with TEE. The endpoint for this fluid administration was a plateau in left ventricular fractional area change and end-diastolic area. This point at which additional fluid failed to cause noticeable increases in left ventricular end-diastolic area and fractional area change was defined as the preload reserve volume. After reaching the preload reserve volume, the PAOP was measured, as were the systolic blood pressure, left ventricular fractional area change, and end-diastolic area. Measurements and Main Results: The mean PAOP for all patients at the time of achieving preload reserve volume was 18.6 ± 2.9 mmHg. In 8 patients, the PAOP corresponding to preload reserve volume was elevated (20 to 25 mmHg). The remaining 15 patients had PAOPs ranging from 13 to 19 mmHg. When these 2 groups were compared with respect to left ventricular end-diastolic area, fractional area change, and systolic blood pressure, there were no significant differences between groups. The left ventricular wall thickness was significantly greater, however, in the group with elevated PAOP (1.37 ± 0.04 cm) when compared with the group with normal ventricular filling pressures (1.05 ± 0.15 cm) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: In patients with well-preserved left ventricular function and normal wall thickness, preload reserve volumes subjectively determined by TEE corresponded to a range of filling pressures historically targeted to maximize cardiac performance (13 to 19 mmHg). In a subset of patients with increased wall thickness, however, subjective determination of preload reserve was associated with filling pressures that were higher than traditionally considered optimal (20 to 25 mmHg). Similarities in left ventricular fractional area change and end-diastolic area between these 2 groups suggest that patients with elevated filling pressures had decreased ventricular compliance and were managed correctly with higher than usual PAOPs. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Supported sol-gel thin-film glasses embodying laser dyes II: three-layered waveguide assemblies

Three-layered thin-film assemblies of polymethysiloxane (PMSO) glass were prepared by fast reaction of methyltrimethoxysilane with water, using stoichiometric water-to-siloxane ratios, at elevated temperatures. Following hydrolysis, partial polymerization and distilling-out of the produced methanol, the viscous polymer of each layer was spin-cast onto the support. The layered assemblies comprised a bottom and top layers made of pure PMSO, and a middle layer embodying the laser-dye. A specific tuning of the synthetic route was maintained to ensure proper adherence between the layers, since PMSO surface rearranges itself to become hydrophilic or hydrophobic, depending on the environment it is facing. An additional tuning facilitated molecular dispersion of dye in the glass, even at high concentrations (>10-2 M). The absorbance and fluorescence spectra of the thus-embodied dyes showed typical features, while their absorbance - fluorescence gap was substantially narrowed. The indices of refraction in the three-layered assemblies were lower in the base and top layers, and a little higher in the dye-loaded middle layer. Fluorescence line-narrowing of the emission from the glass-edge could be observed upon excitation of the dye surface with an excimer laser at 308 nm. This lasing of the sol-gel glass- film was characterized by line width narrowing by 25-40% and an angular width of ca. 6 deg. The quickness and simplicity of preparing multilayered assemblies of varying indices of refraction by this method and its capability to maintain high concentrations of discrete dye molecules (>10-2 M) in the middle glass-layer offer a promising route for two-dimensional laser systems and for non-linear optics applications in general.
Transidiomatic practices: Language and power in the age of globalization

This article seeks to assess the communicative mutations resulting from the intersection between mobile people and mobile texts. Sophisticated technologies for rapid human mobility and global communication are transforming the communicative environment of late modernity. Until recently the majority of linguistic studies which concerned themselves with global phenomena tended to depict the worst possible scenarios: linguistic imperialism, endangered languages, language death. In this paper, I argue that the experience of cultural globalization, and the sociolinguistic disorder it entails, cannot be understood solely through a dystopic vision of linguistic catastrophe, but demand that we also take into account the recombinant qualities of language mixing, hybridization, and creolization. Using communicative data from the Adriatic region, this paper calls for a reconceptualization of what we consider the communicative environment, which must be no longer restricted to its default parameters (focused, monolingual, and face-to-face), but should also account for communicative practices based on multilingual talk (most of the times exercised by de/reterritorialized speakers) channeled through both local and electronic media. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
An experiment using registers for fast message-based interprocess communication

Message interprocess communication has appeal for structuring operating systems but has the reputation of being slow. Register architectures have advantages for fast sequential execution but are considered to increase context-switching costs. This note describes an experiment in which registers are used for transmitting messages in the V kernel, resulting in a factor of 3 improvement in elapsed time for local message transactions and a factor of 6 reduction in kernel time for the associated kernel operations.
Magnesium-mediated reversal of the apparent virucidal effect of ascorbic acid or congo red reacted in vitro with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Abstract Abstract.The mechanism ofin vitroinactivation of cell-free human immunodeficiency virus (CFHIV) with ascorbic acid (M) or Congo red (CR) was investigated with specific regard to the impact of an excess of magnesium ions on the viral inactivation. Quadruplicate reaction mixtures containing CFHIV were mixed with a virus-inactivating dose of 500μg/ml ascorbic acid in RPMI medium devoid of fetal bovine serum and incubated for 3 h at 4°C in two parallel sets of experiments. AA-free CFHIV and virion-free AA were included in each experiment as the positive and negative controls, respectively. After adding 106MT2 cells to capture the surviving virions, the mixtures were incubated for 1 h at 37°C. The cells from the rst set were washed three times with Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS) only, and those from the second set were washed with HBSS fortified with MgCl2(1·0 mg/ml). Similarly, inactivation of CFHIV by increasing amounts of CR ranging between 12·5—100μg/ml was also tested for the effect of MgCl2, except that (i) the assay was performed in subdued light, (ii) CFHIV-CR mixtures were incubated at 37°C for 1 h in the dark and (iii) H9 cells were used instead of the MT-2 cells to capture the surviving virions in the test mixtures. The cells were cultured in RPMI with 20% FBS for 5 days at 37°C. The absence of p24 antigen in the culture supernatant of MT2 or H9 cells indicated HIV inactivation by AA or CR, respectively. Remarkably, the cultured cells that were washed with HBSS + MgCl2consistently expressed p24 antigen at levels comparable with those from the untreated virus control. Therefore, the apparentin vitroinactivation of CFHIV by either AA or CR was reversible as validated by washing of the cells with HBSS +MgCl2following capture of the virions from CFHIV-AA or CFHIV-CR inactivation mixtures. These observations underscore the need for including extra magnesium ions as a control in validating various protocols used for assessing thein vitrovirucidal activity of reverse transcriptase inhibitors, membrane binding dyes, or other candidate chemical agents.
Density-of-states fine structure in the tunneling conductance of Y-Ba-Cu-O films: A comparison between experiment and theory.

With improved signal-averaging techniques, the tunneling conductance from pulsed-laser-deposited films of ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ reveals a rich fine structure in both the subgap and near-gap regions. A comparison of this structure with calculations by Tachiki et al. yields excellent agreement and indicates the origin of the fine structure is the density of electronic states on the different layered planes of this high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ material.
A conceptual model and empirical analysis of children's acquisition of spatial knowledge

Abstract How adults and children come to understand, represent and behave within their spatial environment are topics of great interest to geographers, psychologists, environmental planners and laypeople. Considerable research and theory has been published on these and related topics. In this paper, we will review some of what is known and theorized about spatial cognition and then consider elements of our research program on the acquisition of spatial knowledge. We focus on two intimately related topics. The first is the development of a conceptual model of the knowledge structures and processes associated with acquiring, representing and accessing knowledge of a given environment. The conceptual model forms the basis for a formal computational process model intended as a simulation of actual knowledge and performance in way finding tasks. The second emphasis is an in-depth case study of the acquisition of spatial knowledge. The case study focuses on a single child acquiring knowledge of a lengthy route through an unfamiliar suburban neighborhood. It is presented as an empirical test of certain assumptions embodied within the conceptual model. Before introducing the conceptual model and the case study, we first review the state of current theory and data on spatial cognition and identify four central issues confronting researchers in this field. This review provides a necessary context for describing and evaluating our program of research. The second section of this paper discusses elements of the conceptual model and its relationship to other formal computational models. The third section considers specific hypotheses about the acquisition and representation of spatial knowledge and tests of these hypotheses from the single in-depth case study. The final discussion section of this paper is a reconsideration of the four issues raised in the first section and necessary and proposed extensions of the current research.
Multiple eruptive vellus hair cysts treated with carbon dioxide laser vaporization.

. The use of carbon dioxide laser to treat multiple facial, eruptive vellus hair cysts is described. An excellent cosmetic result without scarring or recurrence of lesions was obtained.
Intra-Abdominal Fat Is a Major Determinant of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Criteria for the Metabolic Syndrome

The underlying pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome is the subject of debate, with both insulin resistance and obesity considered as important factors. We evaluated the differential effects of insulin resistance and central body fat distribution in determining the metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III. In addition, we determined which NCEP criteria were associated with insulin resistance and central adiposity. The subjects, 218 healthy men ( n = 89) and women ( n = 129) with a broad range of age (26–75 years) and BMI (18.4–46.8 kg/m2), underwent quantification of the insulin sensitivity index ( S i) and intra-abdominal fat (IAF) and subcutaneous fat (SCF) areas. The metabolic syndrome was present in 34 (15.6%) of subjects who had a lower S i [median: 3.13 vs. 6.09 × 10−5 min−1/(pmol/l)] and higher IAF (166.3 vs. 79.1 cm2) and SCF (285.1 vs. 179.8 cm2) areas compared with subjects without the syndrome ( P < 0.001). Multivariate models including S i, IAF, and SCF demonstrated that each parameter was associated with the syndrome. However, IAF was independently associated with all five of the metabolic syndrome criteria. In multivariable models containing the criteria as covariates, waist circumference and triglyceride levels were independently associated with S i and IAF and SCF areas ( P < 0.001). Although insulin resistance and central body fat are both associated with the metabolic syndrome, IAF is independently associated with all of the criteria, suggesting that it may have a pathophysiological role. Of the NCEP criteria, waist circumference and triglycerides may best identify insulin resistance and visceral adiposity in individuals with a fasting plasma glucose <6.4 mmol/l.
Ambulatory EEG NeuroMonitor platform for engagement studies of children with development delays

ABSTRACT Engagement monitoring is crucial in many clinical and therapy applications such as early learning preschool classes for children with developmental delays including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or cerebral palsy; as it is challenging for the instruct ors to evaluate the individual responses of these children to determine the effectiveness of the teaching strategies due to the diverse a nd unique need of each child who might have difficulty in verbal or behavioral communication. This paper presents an ambulatory scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) NeuroMonitor platform to study brain engagement activities in natural settings. The developed platform is miniature (size: 2.2 x 0.8 x 0.36, weight: 41.8 gm with 800 mAh Li-ion battery and 3 snap leads) and low-power (active mode: 32 mA low power mode: under 5mA) with 2 channels (Fp1, Fp2) to record prefrontal cortex activities of the subject in natural settings while concealed within a headband. The signals from the electrodes are amplified with a low-power instrumentation amplifier; notch filtered (f