cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Between Groups and Individuals

Correlation coefficients are social inventions that capture certain aspects of reality from a particular scientific perspective. Different facets of correlation coefficients are important for science. Usually the mathematical side of the bases for correlation coefficients have received the most attention. There is, however, another facet of correlations that is exceedingly important for science—the interpretation of correlational findings within conceptual spheres of one or another scientific discipline, and in the process of social communication of these disciplines with the lay public. Only one aspect of the interpretation of correlations—the issue of attribution of causality to different possible agents—has been given wider attention. However, even that attention has been more practical than theoretical. Numerous statistics “cookbooks” have tried to remind their users of the difficulties involved in making straightforward causal attributions on the basis of empirical correlational data. Users of these manuals may, but need not, accept such calls for caution.
A Method of Finding Critical Points of Nonlinear Functionals

In this paper the method of transformation of the objective functional is presented as a general approach to a problem of finding critical points of nonlinear functionals. The method is applied to a large variety of problems, among them convex and non-convex problems, differentiable and non-differentiable problems, problems with and without constraints. The method can be used for finding extremum points, as well as saddle points of functionals.
A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease.

Background The effects of sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) are currently unknown. Objectives To determine the pharmacodynamic effects of S/V on the RAAS, natriuretic peptide concentrations, systolic arterial pressure (SAP), tests of renal function, and serum electrolyte concentrations in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to MMVD. Animals Thirteen client-owned dogs weighing 4-15 kg with American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Stage B2 MMVD. Methods Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of S/V in dogs with ACVIM Stage B2 MMVD. Results Thirteen dogs were recruited: S/V (n = 7) and placebo (n = 6). The median percentage increase in urinary aldosterone to creatinine ratio (UAldo : C) between day 0 and day 30 was significantly lower in the S/V group (12%; P = .032) as compared with the placebo group (195%). The median percentage decrease of NT-proBNP concentration from day 0 to day 30 was not statistically different between groups (P = .68). No statistical differences were seen in echocardiographic, thoracic radiographic, SAP, or serum biochemical test results measured at any time point between groups. No adverse events were observed for dogs in either group. Conclusion and clinical importance Sacubitril/valsartan may provide a new pharmaceutical method to effectively inhibit the RAAS in dogs with ACVIM Stage B2 MMVD.
Evaluating biological plausibility in supporting evidence for action through systematic reviews in public health

Abstract Objectives The objective of this research was to develop and test methods for accessing and evaluating information on the biological plausibility of observed associations between exposures or interventions and outcomes to generate scientific evidence for action consistent with practice in systematic reviews. Study design To undertake this research, we used the example of the observed associations between antimicrobial use in food animals and increased risks of human exposures to antimicrobial-resistant pathogens of zoonotic origin. Methods We conducted a scoping search using terms related to biological plausibility or mechanism to identify key references. As recommended by these references, we also used expert consultation with researchers and a public health informationist. We used their recommendations, which included expert consultation, to identify mechanisms relevant to biological plausibility of the association we selected to test. We used the reviews conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines Development Group in support of reducing antimicrobial use in food animal production to populate our model for assessing biological plausibility. Results We were able to develop a transparent model for biological plausibility based on the adverse outcome pathway used in toxicology and ecology. We were also able to populate this model using the WHO reviews. Conclusions This analysis of biological plausibility used transparent and validated methods to assess the evidence used in systematic reviews based on the observational studies accessed through searches of the scientific literature. Given the importance of this topic in systematic reviews and evidence-based decision-making, further research is needed to define and test the methodological approaches to access and properly evaluate information from the scientific literature.
Sorption isotherm restricted by multilayer hindered adsorption and its relation to nanopore size distribution

Abstract Hindered adsorbed layers completely filling the nanopores cause significant deviations from the classical BET isotherms for multimolecular adsorption of vapor in porous solids. Since the point of transition from free to hindered adsorption moves into wider nanopores as vapor pressure increases, the surface area exposed to vapor is decreased by an area reduction factor that decreases with increasing adsorbed volume, and thus also with increasing vapor pressure (or humidity). The area reduction factor does not affect the rates of the local process of direct adsorption or condensation of individual vapor or gas molecules, but it imposes a lateral constraint on the total area and volume of the free portion of the adsorption layer that is in direct contact with vapor. A reasonable assumption for the dependence of the area reduction factor on the number of molecular layers is a selfsimilar function, i.e., a power law. This leads to a sorption isotherm expressed in terms of polylogarithms (aka Jonquiere functions). The power-law exponent is a property that serves as an additional data fitting parameter, which is related to the pore size distribution. Compared to BET isotherm with the same initial slope, the proposed isotherm reduces the growth of the BET isotherm at low and intermediate humidity and the deviation increases with the exponent. The fitting of isotherm data is reduced to either a series of linear regressions or the minimization of a quadratic expression with respect to one parameter only. It is shown how to use the optimum fit to calculate the size (or width) distribution of nanopores
Worker (Mis)Classification in the Sharing Economy: Trying to Fit Square Pegs in Round Holes

How is it that the world’s largest taxi service claims it is not a transportation company? How can an iconic worldwide package delivery company argue that it is not in the package delivery business? These are just two idiosyncrasies of the modern economy in which microentrepreneurial contractors using their own resources carry out the fundamental operations of enterprises. Businesses and courts have long struggled trying to determine whether certain workers are employees or independent contractors. Originally, the focus was on whether the employer should be held liable to third parties for injuries arising from the employer’s workers — it controlled the actions of the workers; it should therefore be responsible for those actions. More recently, however, the focus has been on whether the employer should be responsible to the worker for unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, tax responsibilities and compensation benefits, and other liabilities associated with employees. In this latter analysis, while the focus has been on the economic reality of the employment relationship — i.e., whether the independent contractor is truly economically independent — control is still a critical factor. If the employer controls the worker, how can the worker truly be independent?Part of the control factor in the economic reality test is the extent to which the worker is dependent upon the employer for his or her livelihood, under the argument that the more dependent the worker is the less independent he or she actually is. With the rise of the “sharing economy” where individuals are connected through online intermediaries with potential customers needing a task performed, a room to rent, or a ride to the airport, the workers are much less dependent on the intermediary employer. As such, the tests used to classify the workers — employees or independent contractors — which still fundamentally focus on control, are failing. There is still some control exercised by the employer, but less worker dependence on that employer. This paper argues that the nature of work exemplified by the sharing economy requires the classification tests adjust to focus not on the dependence of the workers on the employer, but the dependence of the employer on the workers. If the enterprise arranging all of these individualized tasks and services is dependent on the service providers for its existence, then those service providers should be considered employees of the enterprise.
Structural Diversity in Cesium Bismuth Halide Nanocrystals

Cesium bismuth halides (Cs-Bi-X) have recently been the subject of considerable attention as possible less-toxic alternatives to lead halide perovskites for luminescence and photovoltaics applications, but the full range of synthetically accessible Cs-Bi-X compositions has not been thoroughly explored, and some inconsistent results have appeared in the literature. Here, we have used a combination of hot-injection synthesis and post-synthetic anion exchange to prepare Cs-Bi-X nanocrystals with many structures and compositions, including several that have not previously been characterized. The structural and optical properties of Cs3BiX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals and Cs3Bi2X9 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanoplatelets are reported, and interconversion of these structures between different halide compositions is demonstrated through anion exchange using trimethylsilyl halides. Notably, we find that anion exchange can be used to access structural polymorphs not readily prepared through direct synthesis. In particular, ...
Anthropometric Analyses of Head and Face Shape to Design Protective Headgear for U.S. Army Personnel

The main objective of this paper is to elicit an understanding of the anthropometric variation for the face and head. All face and head dimensions in ANSUR II were compared between male and female as well as among different population subgroups. The averages of all head and face dimensions for male personnel were larger than those for female personnel by 5 to 13 mm for the head dimensions, with Head Circumference showing the maximum difference, and by 2 to 28 mm for the face dimensions, with Bitragion Submandibular Arc showing the maximum difference. Furthermore, results also revealed statistically significant differences for the head and face dimensions among different population subgroups. A multivariate analysis (PCA) was conducted on the male and female databases separately. Three PCs were extracted from the male database that explained 70% of total variance. Three PCs were also extracted from the female database that explained 69% total variance.
Post-disaster Development Dilemmas: Advancing Landscapes of Social Justice in a Neoliberal Post-disaster Landscape

The floodwall breaks and ensuing floodwaters pushed ashore by Hurricane Katrina devastated most of New Orleans’s diverse and deeply segregated neighborhoods. The extensive destruction of homes and neighborhoods in the wake of the storm meant that the city had to be reimagined and rebuilt. Rebuilding, however, is bound up in prevailing paradigms which shape how we imagine the future of the city. For New Orleans, post-Katrina urban restructuring unfolded within a decidedly racialized, market-driven urban development paradigm set within a city plagued by environmental injustice and racialized vulnerability. This chapter focuses on three compounding development dilemmas in a post-disaster city: color-blind neoliberal economic logic, racialized geographical formation, and environmental injustice. We argue that while post-disaster settings do provide a window for rethinking the urban sphere, our imaginations of this future remain largely bound up in racist and economically exclusive paradigms.
Academic Centers Compared With Nonacademic Centers for Patients With International Prognostic Index Risk-stratified Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma: A Survival Outcomes Analysis.

Abstract Introduction Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous disease associated with varying outcomes. The International Prognostic Index (IPI) has been the standard for the baseline prognostic assessment in these patients. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the treatment facility on the overall survival outcomes in patients with DLBCL stratified by IPI risk groups. Materials and Methods The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with a diagnosis of DLBCL from 2004 to 2015. DLBCL was stratified by the IPI risk score from low- to high-risk disease, and the overall survival of those treated at academic centers was compared with that of those treated at nonacademic centers. Results Treatment at academic centers was associated with significantly improved overall survival for all patients with DLBCL (108.3 months) compared with those treated at nonacademic centers (74.5 months; P Conclusion Patients with DLBCL treated at academic centers demonstrated improved survival compared with those treated at nonacademic centers, especially those with high-risk disease. Further investigations into the factors contributing to such disparities are required to help standardize care and improve outcomes.
Collective Loans for Bulgaria's Self-Employed: A Field Study of Social and Financial Capital on Enterprise Growth

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of how collective lending strategies leverage social capital to improve firm performance. Drawing on economic and sociological perspectives and fieldwork in Bulgaria, I argue that social capital may enhance the effects of financial capital on firm performance in microenterprises. Findings show that a collective lending strategy facilitates greater firm performance than individual lending--due partially to the increased social capital it creates for the entrepreneur. These findings come from a multi-method field study conducted in Bulgaria, where qualitative data were collected from over 40 business owner interviews. The findings have implications for theoretical and practical application within the field of microfinance.
Putting the Intellectual Back in Environmental History

At its birth, American environmental history had strong connections with intellectual history. Books such as Roderick Nash's Wilderness and the American Mind and Donald Worster's Nature's Economy made the rise of preservationist and ecological thinking central to the field's early identity. But during the last several decades, as intellectual historians have engaged in their own soul-searching, American environmental historians retreated from engagement with intellectual history in favor of a “cultural turn.” In some ways, this retreat was surprising, because environmental historians became more circumspect about the very approaches that intellectual historians were questioning in their own scholarly practices: whether we could generalize from elite sources, disengage ideas from their social or cultural contexts, separate out a distinct intellectual realm and its exemplary intellects from histories of popular knowledge, or locate such a thing as an “American mind.” The second generation of American environmental historians continued to study environmental ideas, of course, but with less willingness to venerate canonical environmental thinkers and more interest in how American ideas of nature were socially and culturally constructed. As environmental historians became more critical of environmentalist ideas—finding in them signs of class position, racial formation, consumer status, and uncritical borrowings from science—we tended to become suspicious of the realm of ideas in general. Despite these parallels within our fields, the moment compelled environmental historians to turn away from intellectual history. One sad result is that environmental historians do not seem to have stayed abreast of intellectual historiography. Another, if my cursory review of this journal's recent tables of contents is any indication, is that environmental topics seem peripheral to the field of intellectual history. For the sake of both fields, it's time to restore the fragmented habitats that have isolated our subdisciplines.
The formation, character and changing nature of mesoscale convective systems

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) describe organized groupings of thunderstorms in the tropics and mid-latitudes that span thousands of square kilometres. While recognized for over a century, the advent of satellite and radar observations, as well as atmospheric-model simulations, has brought about their increased understanding. In this Review, we synthesize current knowledge on MCS formation, climatological characteristics, hazardous weather, predictive capacity and projected changes with anthropogenic warming. Driven by typical deep moist convective processes (moisture, lift and instability) and vertical wind shear, MCS formation occurs preferentially in locations where these ingredients are present and can be maintained by large-scale ascent and the cold pools that they produce. MCSs also generate hazardous weather, including extreme rainfall, flooding, derechos and, sometimes, tornadoes and hail, all of which have substantial economic and societal impacts. Given that MCSs also produce a large fraction of warm-season rainfall, there is critical need for both short-term forecasts and long-term projections, presently challenged by inadequate model resolution. Yet, with continually improving modelling capabilities, as well as greater theoretical basis, it is suggested that MCSs might increase in frequency and intensity under a warming climate. Further modelling progress, in turn, offers improved understanding of MCS characteristics, from their life cycle through to impacts. Mesoscale convective systems are an important source of precipitation in many tropical and mid-latitude regions, but can also produce hazardous weather, such as extreme rain, derechos and tornadoes. This Review discusses the formation of mesoscale convective systems, their hazardous weather, predictive capabilities and projected changes with anthropogenic warming.
The influence of mechanical recycling on the properties of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene

Abstract The effect of mechanical recycling on the properties of injection-molded polypropylene (PP) reinforced with thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) or long glass fiber (GF) has been investigated. The 30 and 50 wt% in situ TCLP and GF reinforced composites were mechanically recycled for three processing cycles, using an injection molding machine with an end-gated plaque mold. The processing temperatures used in the mechanical recycling were determined using rheological and thermogravimetric analyses to minimize the degradation of polypropylene. Recycled TLCP/PP maintained its mechanical properties, and recycling had no significant influence on its morphological, thermal, rheological, and thermo-mechanical properties. Morphological investigation illustrated the regeneration of TLCP fibrils during the mold filling process of each recycle. By the addition of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP), significant improvements in the mechanical properties of TLCP/PP without impact on recyclability were observed. In contrast, the tensile strength of 50 wt% glass fiber reinforced composite decreased 30% while the tensile modulus decreased 5% after the third recycle. Glass fiber filled polypropylene exhibited significant fiber shortening and was not able to regenerate fibers in processing. Fiber length attrition during the recycling process led to the deterioration of the mechanical properties of the recycled glass filled composites.
'Git Gud!' -- Evaluation of Self-Rated Player Skill Compared to Actual Player Performance

This paper evaluates the efficacy of self-rated skill as a method of differentiating player performance by analyzing data gathered in 4 previous user studies. Analysis confirms that self-rated skill can be effective for differentiating actual performance on average, but that it is not necessarily predictive for every game, and that while player performance is comparable across gender, few male participants self-rated at the lowest skill level, and no females self-rated at the highest. Additional findings suggest having participants self-rate on a five point scale, but applying those ratings in three tiers may be effective for differentiating game performance by player skill level across gender.
Mechanisms of Neutrophil Migration across Endothelium

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) arise in the bone marrow and travel within the vascular compartment. Their final destination is in the extravascular tissues where they perform most of their effector functions. A critical and precisely regulated step in an inflammatory response is the movement of PMN across the endothelium. It is now clear that there are at least two distinct mechanisms by which PMN cross the endothelium in response to inflammatory stimuli, a PMN-initiated mechanism and an endothelial cell (EC)-initiated mechanism.
PHR (Pam/Highwire/RPM-1)

PHR proteins are large conserved ubiquitin E3 ligases whose functions were first discovered in 2000 through genetic studies in C. elegans and Drosophila. They are now widely shown to regulate a number of important steps during the development of the nervous system. Loss of function in the invertebrate PHR proteins, namely Drosophila Highwire and Caenorhabditis elegans RPM-1, results in dysregulation of synapses and axon patterning. Similar but more diverse effects have been reported for the vertebrate PHR proteins. A major function of PHR proteins is to negatively regulate the conserved Dual-Leucine Zipper MAP kinase through ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. In addition, numerous binding partners of PHR proteins implicate their roles in a wide range of signal transduction pathways as well as in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
Sportsmanship as Honor

(2004). Sportsmanship as Honor. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 47-59.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) levels of the senior students in secondary education system in Turkey based on teacher’s perceptions

As in all sciences, interpersonal interactions develop new approaches. One of them is emotional intelligence (EQ), “observing and understanding capacity own and other’s emotion, definition of different type of emotion; and knowledge that you learned using to know other’s emotion and understanding. The purpose of this study is to determine EQ competence acquisition levels of senior students in secondary education system according to teacher perceptions. A survey method was used as the main research approach. Participants were 262 teachers who were selected from seven secondary schools in Adapazari that were selected randomly. Research questions were tested with ANOVA that includes Observed Power and Partial Eta analysis and t-test that includes Cohen d analysis. Results revealed that students, who have higher academic achievements, have the highest level in EQ traits as well. Science and Anatolian Secondary Schools’ students have higher EQ levels as cognitive skills.
Practicing Democracy in the NCLB Elementary Classroom.

The practice of teaching democracy in school is diminishing. The implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has forced teachers to teach to the test, and has required some to follow scripted curriculum, leaving little time or incentive for teaching democracy. This study examines the importance of practicing democracy and identifies ways in which it can be done in the NCLB classroom. The literature demonstrates the importance of teaching democracy through practice in schools. Ideas on how to accomplish this in the pre-NCLB classroom are well documented. By surveying public school teachers, this paper endeavors to bring awareness to its importance and to provide ways in which the NCLB classroom teacher can practice democracy. Results indicated that teachers are interested in practicing democracy and believe it is important. The survey and interviews found specific areas of concern and ways for teachers to bring democracy into the NCLB classroom.
AMINO ACIDS AND PEPTIDES. II. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY OF AMINO ALCOHOLS.

Abstract Amino acids may be reduced by lithium aluminium hydride to afford the corresponding amino alcohols. The amino alcohols are generally high boiling liquids or low melting solids. These compounds may be gas chromatographed over a variety of substrtes. Two liquid phases, SF-96 and SE-52, separated in a short time period seven different amino alcohols. This method is an alternative to other analytical schemes for amino acids previously described in the literature.
The enzymic synthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogens.

Abstract Enzymic synthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogens from 1-14C-hexadecanol in cell-free systems from Ehrlich ascites and preputial gland tumors of mice is documented. Identification of the ethanolamine plasmalogens is based on the preparation and chromatographic behavior of a number of chemical derivatives that take into account all three positions on the glycerol moiety. 14C-Derivatives isolated from intact ethanolamine plasmalogens included (a) hexadecanal liberated by aqueous HCl, (b) dimethylacetals of hexadecanal formed by HCl-methanol treatment, (c) O-alk-1-enylglycerols liberated by reduction with LiAlH4 or NaAlH2(OCH2CH2·OCH3)2, (d) O-alkylglycerols obtained by hydrogenation of O-alk-1-enylglycerols, (e) isopropylidene derivatives of the hydrogenated O-alk-1-enylglycerols, (f) lysoethanolamine plasmalogens after phospholipase A treatment, and (g) dinitrobenzene derivatives of the intact ethanolamine plasmalogens. NaAlH2(OCH2CH2OCH3)2, a new reagent that we used for the reduction of ether-linked glycerolipids, gives better yields of O-alk-1-enylglycerols than LiAlH4. The system used for plasmalogen biosynthesis contained fatty alcohol, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, ATP, coenzyme A, Mg++, NADP+ or NAD+, microsomes, and the soluble fraction from tumors. Soluble fraction from rat liver can replace the soluble fraction from tumors. Data obtained with U-14C-labeled dihydroxyacetone phosphate and 9,10-3H-hexadecanol demonstrated that the 3H:14C ratios in O-alkylglycerols and O-alk-1-enylglycerols (isolated after LiAlH4 reduction) were essentially identical. 1-14C-Palmitic acid was not incorporated into the O-alk-1-enyl moiety and added unlabeled hexadecanal had little effect on plasmalogen biosynthesis. These data, along with the substrate and cofactor requirements, suggest that an O-alkyl glycerolipid was converted to an ethanolamine plasmalogen.
Pharmacologically distinct, pertussis toxin-resistant inward currents evoked by metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists in dorsolateral septal nucleus (DLSN) neurons.

We have reported previously that a selective metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist, (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD), caused a slow membrane depolarization in rat dorsolateral septal nucleus (DLSN) neurons. Using single electrode voltage-clamp recording methods, we now investigate the pharmacological properties of the receptor that mediates ACPD-induced membrane currents in DLSN neurons recorded from pertussis toxin (PTX)-treated rats. Two pharmacologically distinct inward currents, that is, the ACPD current and Qm current, have been identified based on their agonist preference and sensitivity to various antagonists. The ACPD current is blocked by L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4), but is insensitive to L- aspartic acid-beta-hydroxamate (L-AA beta H), (+)-alpha-methyl-4- carboxyphenylglycine (+)-MCPG), or L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3). The Qm current is blocked by L-AA beta H and (+)-MCPG, but is insensitive to L-AP3 or L-AP4. These two inward currents distribute differentially within subpopulations of DLSN neurons. The ACPD current is the only current observed in most DLSN “burster” neurons, while the Qm current is observed more frequently in DLSN “nonburster” neurons. The pharmacological profiles of these currents suggest that the Qm current is likely mediated by mGluR1 or mGluR5, while the ACPD current is mediated by receptors that are pharmacologically distinct from any of the currently cloned mGluRs.
A New Estimate of Zooplankton Retention by Gill Rakers and Its Ecological Significance

Abstract The probability that prey will be retained by gill rakers of white crappies Pomoxis annularis (9–15 cm total length) was determined by comparisons of size-frequency distributions of prey in a laboratory pool and in stomach contents. White crappies trained to feed on large-bodied Daphnia magna were released individually into a pool containing that species and an assemblage of small-bodied species. Most attacks were directed at Daphnia magna, but several prey were ingested for every attack, and nonselective capture was assumed for the small-bodied among them. Estimated retention probabilities for species of Ceriodaphnia, Bosmina, and Cyclops were less than 10% for mean prey sizes smaller than 0.35 mm and increased linearly with mean prey size to 100% for prey larger than 0.55 mm. In contrast, retention probabilities calculated by traditional means from distances between gill rakers predicted that all prey larger than 0.23 mm would be retained. The new retention estimates, based on actual results of...
Simplified IR signature prediction for model-based ATR

This paper discusses an approach for applying IR target modeling to aid model-based automatic target recognition (ATR) algorithms. The paper also presents results based on experiments with real long-wavelength IR data. The algorithm uses an IR thermal prediction model to approximate the (long-wave IR) expected target signature. The algorithm then uses the predicted signature or some features based on it to locate or classify the target within the image.
Inhibitory actions of progesterone on hormonal induction of estrus in female guinea pigs

Abstract Biphasic actions of progesterone (P) were studied in three groups of guinea pigs injected with 3 μg estradiol benzoate (EB) followed 36 hr later with either .05, 0.4, or 5.0 mg P. All animals in each group displayed estrous behavior within 5–7 hr after P. Groups differed, however, in their response to a second sequence of 3 μg EB and 0.4 mg P initiated 9 hr after the first or prior P. Percentages of females displaying estrous responses were 100, 50, and 0 in the .05, 0.4, and 5.0 mg groups, respectively. Radioimmunoassay of P at varying times after the first or prior injection showed that concentrations in the plasma declined to baseline within 9–18 hr for animals given prior injections of .05 mg P, within 36 hr for those given 0.4 mg P, and remained elevated throughout for 45 or more hr for those given 5.0 mg P. A second experiment showed that the inhibitory effect of 1.0 mg P given to spayed females without prior estrogenization (direct inhibition) was inversely related to the time elapsing between that injection and the initiation of a sequential regimen consisting of 6 μg EB and 0.4 mg P, and also demonstrated that 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mg P given 2 hr before the sequential regimen results in a dose-related inhibition. Thus, prior facilitation of lordosis is in no way essential for inhibition with exogenous P, and variables that regulate degree of biphasic inhibition also regulate direct inhibition.
ASTM Standards for Monolithic and Composite Advanced Ceramics: Industrial, Governmental and Academic Cooperation

Monolithic and composite advanced ceramics have reached sufficient levels of material development to warrant serious consideration for applications in advanced heat engines. These applications require optimum material behavior with physical and mechanical property reproducibility, component reliability, and well-defined methods of data treatment and materials analysis. As new materials are introduced into the market place, these issues are best dealt with via standard methods. The primary standards writing organization in the U.S. is the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), a private, nonprofit corporation which relies upon the voluntary cooperation of industry, government, and academe to develop standards by consensus. ASTM Committee C28 “Advanced Ceramics” has been active since 1986 and currently has 16 standards “on the books” with 17 standards in the balloting process. Overviews of the five subcommittees of C28 are presented. Accomplishments to date are discussed, as well as future activities, including a brief summary of joint cooperative efforts with international standards formulating organizations.© 1996 ASME
Survival and Development of Black Cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) Larvae on Various Species of Crop Plants and Weeds

Larval development, pupation and adult emergence of black cutworms were investigated using 16 possible larval food sources. Food sources included crop plants, weeds and field debris. Larval survival was highest on bluegrass, curled dock and wheat while no larval survival occurred on giant foxtail or debris. Larval development from egg to pupa varied from 24.6 days on wheat to 47.0 days on annual morning glory.
A Scorpion by Any Other Name Is Still a Scorpion

Abstract [Banner W Jr: A scorpion by any other name is still a scorpion. Ann Emerg Med November 1999;34:669-670.]
Enhanced saturation lithium composition in ball-milled single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract The effects of processing on the structure and morphology of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and their electrochemical intercalation with lithium were investigated. Purified SWNTs were processed by impact ball-milling and were electrochemically intercalated with lithium. The reversible saturation Li composition increased from Li 1.7 C 6 in purified SWNTs to Li 2.7 C 6 after 10 min of milling. The irreversible capacity decreased from Li 3.2 C 6 to Li 1.3 C 6 . Electron microscopy, Raman and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that ball-milling induced disorder within the bundles and fractured the nanotubes.
Gibbon foraging decisions and the marginal value model

We use data from an observational field study of frugivory in two sympatric gibbons, lar (Hylobates lar) and siamang (H. syndactylus), to test assumptions and predictions of the marginal value model (MVM). A key prediction of the MVM is that marginal gain rates at the time of leaving the patch are equal across patch types. We found that this is not the case for gibbons: rates of energy intake at the end of feeding sessions were significantly different for different types of fruit, and we could not attribute this to temporal variation in fruit availability. Initial and final caloric intake rates were highly correlated. This suggests that gibbons do not adjust the time spent in patches in order to maximize the average rate of energy intake. Similar results were obtained for all other currencies considered. Gibbon foraging appears to satisfy several, but not all, assumptions of the MVM. As required by the model, fruit patches occur as discrete units, patches are encountered sequentially, travel time between patches exceeds search time between items within a patch, search for and search within patches are incompatible activities, and intake rates decline over time spent in a patch. However, the declining rates we detected may be an effect of satiation instead of patch depletion, patches probably are not encountered at random, and group members may not forage independently. Thus, our results suggest that the MVM is not an adequate model of gibbon foraging behavior, but they do not invalidate the MVM per se.
Distribution of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the rat brain as observed with immunocytochemistry.

The distribution of gonadotropinreleasing hormone (GnRH) was studied in the brain of adult female rats with three immunocytochemical techniques using antisera to unconjugated synthetic GnRH and to GnRH conjugated with limpet hemocyanin. GnRH was found in nervous tissue surroundingblood vessels of the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis. In the median eminence it occurred in nervous tissue associated primarily with the tuberoinfundibular sulci throughout their extent. Cephalic to the pars tuberalis GnRH often spread across the median eminence from sulcus to sulcus. Caudally, with widening of the median eminence, GnRH occurred dorsal to the tuberoinfundibularsulci, and especially in the external lamina medial to the sulci. A broad median zone of the median eminence was rather free of GnRH. GnRH was most concentrated in the region of continuity betweenthe dorsolateral walls of the infundibulum and floor of the third ventricle where the tuberoinfundibular sulci are deep. Caudal to the infundibulum GnR...
Large calculation of the flow over a hypersonic vehicle using a GPU

Graphics processing units are capable of impressive computing performance up to 518Gflops peak performance. Various groups have been using these processors for general purpose computing; most efforts have focussed on demonstrating relatively basic calculations, e.g. numerical linear algebra, or physical simulations for visualization purposes with limited accuracy. This paper describes the simulation of a hypersonic vehicle configuration with detailed geometry and accurate boundary conditions using the compressible Euler equations. To the authors' knowledge, this is the most sophisticated calculation of this kind in terms of complexity of the geometry, the physical model, the numerical methods employed, and the accuracy of the solution. The Navier-Stokes Stanford University Solver (NSSUS) was used for this purpose. NSSUS is a multi-block structured code with a provably stable and accurate numerical discretization which uses a vertex-based finite-difference method. A multi-grid scheme is used to accelerate the solution of the system. Based on a comparison of the Intel Core 2 Duo and NVIDIA 8800GTX, speed-ups of over 40x were demonstrated for simple test geometries and 20x for complex geometries.
An Open Letter to Foreign Language Teachers

Author's summary.— Foreign-born language teachers expect their students to pronounce correctly the sounds of the language they teach. By the same token, these teachers should feel the obligation to pronounce correctly the sounds of the English language.
Use of stresscath for diagnosing stress incontinence

The modified fluid bridge (flow) test (MFBT) is a simple procedure for detecting bladder neck incompetency using a fluid-filled catheter. The Stresscath (Hollister) female diagnostic catheter is an improved version of the MFBT. We evaluated the ability of the Stresscath to detect bladder neck incompetence in the first 66 female patients referred for urodynamics. The absence or presence of stress incontinence was based on the results from history and physical examinations. The results from the Stresscath correlated with the history showed that the Stresscath had a sensitivity of 0.73 and a specificity of 0.88 in determining stress incontinence due to bladder neck incompetency. The results from the Stresscath correlated with the physical examination (Marshall test) showed that the Stresscath had a sensitivity of 0.86 and a specificity of 0.87 in determining stress incontinence due to bladder neck incompetence. The Stresscath was at least as accurate as the urethral pressure profile in the diagnosis of stress incontinence, at less capital cost.
Weak interactions in extended HCN chains

Abstract Model calculations have been carried out on extended linear chains of up to 50 HCN molecules in order to assess the effects of pairwise versus non-pairwise intermolecular interactions. The contraction in separation distance from the dimer to the infinite chain crystalline structure is known to be 0.08–0.10 A. Pairwise interactions lead to a share of this contraction as non-nearest neighbor interactions take effect. Direct polarization, a three-body interaction, adds the bulk of the remaining contraction, and full treatment of back polarization yields a net contraction of 0.076 A. Threebody multipole dispersion will also contribute to the contraction. The per monomer dipole moment grows by 0.8 Debye because of mutual polarization in the longest chain studied.
Continuity of the integral as a function of the domain

We present here the fundamentals of a theory of domains that offers unifying techniques and terminology for a number of different fields. Using direct, geometric methods, we develop integration over p-dimensional domains in n-dimensional Euclidean space ⩄n, replacing the method of parametrization of a domain with the method of approximation in Banach spaces. We prove basic results needed for a theory of integration — continuity of the integral as a function of its domain and integrand (Corollary 4.8) and a generalization of Stokes’s theorem (Corollary 4.14).
A Bark Thickness Model for White Spruce in Alaska Northern Forests

Here we developed a simple linear model to estimate white spruce bark thickness in the northern forests of Alaska. Data were collected from six areas throughout interior and southcentral Alaska. Geographic variation of bark thickness was tested between the Alaska statewide model and for each geographic area. The results show that the Alaska statewide model is accurate, simple, and robust, and has no practical geographic variation over the six areas. The model provides accurate estimates of the bark thickness for white spruce trees in Alaska for a wide array of future studies, and it is in demand by landowners and forest managers to support their management decisions.
Optical coherence tomography as a tool for percutaneous coronary interventions.

This study was performed to demonstrate the ability of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) to identify characteristic vascular responses to percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). OCT provides cross-sectional images of tissue in situ at approximately 10 μm, rendering detailed structural information. Intravascular ultrasound and OCT images were obtained from 10 patients before and after PCI. Images were evaluated to identify balloon-induced dissections/disruptions, thrombus, cutting balloon-induced vascular changes, tissue protrusion, stent apposition and symmetry, and intimal hyperplasia. The disrupted intima, intraluminal thrombus, depth of balloon-induced dissections, cutting balloon cuts, tissue prolapse, underdeployed struts, and intimal hyperplasia were all noticed with OCT. This is the first report of the use of OCT to identify in vivo human intracoronary pathology after PCI. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Formate growth and pH control by volatile formic and acetic acids in batch cultures of methanococci

Abstract Autolysis of methanococci frequently occurs in batch cultures due to an increase in pH at the end of the logarithmic phase of growth. The increase in pH can be reduced by the addition of an acetic-acid reservoir to the culture tube. The reservoir is constructed from a 6 × 50-mm tube which is inserted into the bottom of the stopper. A small hole in the side of the reservoir allows the volatile acid to diffuse into the medium from the gas phase. Thus, the acid reservoir stabilizes the pH of the medium and prevents autolysis and loss of culture viability. Autolysis also occurs following growth on sodium formate. A formic-acid reservoir prevents autolysis and increases the growth yield under these conditions. Thus, the growth on formate in batch culture is greatly facilitated.
Getting Americans off the couch: linking researchers and public health practitioners.

g' , The lack of physical activity in Americans of all ages is an important public health problem. Diet and sedentary activity patterns are the second largest contributor to mortality in the US.' Although regular physical activity is associated with numerous benefits to both physical and mental health, more than 60% of US adults do not engage in regular physical activity, and nearly 25% are completely inactive.2 Unfortunately, Americans are becoming more inactive,3 despite the clear public health goal to increase physical activity.4 To reverse this trend, research is needed to understand why this trend is occurring and what might alter it. Altering physical activity patterns in the population, just as attempting to change any complex human behavior, is a challenge that can be met only by combining the perspectives of many disciplines. In this issue of Public Health Reports, Brown and colleagues describe a six-year effort to promote advanced research training in the area of physical activity and public health. Two courses for health professionals are described-one targeted for postdoctoral researchers and the other for public health practitioners. The overarching objective of these courses is to provide an opportunity for the persons working in the fields of physical activity and public health to increase their abilities to promote physical activity in the general population. One of the specific goals of the courses is to increase the quality of research in the design and evaluation of community-based interventions to promote physical activity. These two courses, when considered together, appear to provide a needed opportunity to pursue this goal by merging the expertise and perspectives from the still too separate worlds of physical activity research and public health practice. However, it is unclear whether these two courses are sufficiently integrated to achieve this goal. Much to their credit, the
'I am Heathcliff ': Lockwood's Role in Wuthering Heights

AbstractLockwood, the outer frame narrator of Wuthering Heights, is commonly thought to be a priggish, sentimental, effete London dandy, incapable of comprehending the unearthly passion of his diametrical opposite, Heathcliff. Throughout the novel, Lockwood fails to understand the full significance of the story he witnesses and learns of from Nelly Dean. Although this view has merit, I would like to argue that it is only partially correct. Lockwood is more than Heathcliff 's Other; he is also his double, an alterego who parallels Heathcliff 's experience as he negates it. And just as Heathcliff evolves towards fulfilment, so, too, does Lockwood. The improbable but ineluctable harmony of these opposite but resonant characters lies at the heart of Emily Bronte's vision, not only of character, setting, plot, theme and narrative, but of life itself.
A joint volume-surface model of soot aggregation with the method of moments

In this work, a bivariate model of soot aggregation is formulated within the framework of the Method of Moments with Interpolative Closure (MOMIC). In the bivariate model, soot particles are represented by two independent variables: their volume and surface area. This joint formulation also allows for the blending of aggregation and coalescence with the two as limits. The new formulation is compared to the old formulation with the univariate model as well as both the Direct Quadrature Method of Moments (DQMOM) and Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) for a laminar premixed ethylene flame. With the bivariate model, MOMIC is shown to predict volume fraction and number density very accurately and gives some insight into the properties of the aggregates.