cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Porous Plug Burner Technique for the Study of Composite Solid Propellant Deflagration on a Fundamental level and its Application to Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Abstract The composite solid propellant deflagration process has been simulated successfully by means of a novel burner technique that permits ready experimental control of the factors that affect the process, and over a broader range than can be produced with an actual propellant. Burners composed of ammonium perchlorate pellets through which methane was passed and thermoplastic fuel pellets through which oxygen was passed were studied at atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures; small thermocouples were employed to obtain temperature profiles through the flame zone of the burners. The generally accepted composite propellant flame zone structure was verified, although certain basic tenets of the two competing theoretical models of others, both lying within the framework of this structure, were found to be invalid. In addition to its utility as a tool for fundamental combustion research, the technique holds great promise as a means of significantly improving the performance characteristics of conventional hybrid rocket motors. Specifically, the consumption rate of the solid component can be increased by a factor approaching 100 and the combustion efficiency of the system can be markedly improved simply by employing a porous plug geometry.
The Quadratic Gaussian One-Help-Two Source-Coding Problem with Markovity

We consider the quadratic Gaussian one-help-two source-coding problem with Markovity, in which three encoders separately encode the components of a memoryless vector-Gaussian source that form a Markov chain and the central decoder aims to reproduce the first and the second components in the chain subject to individual distortion constraints. For this problem, we determine the minimum sum rate of the first and the second encoder given the distortion constraints and the rate of the third encoder. In particular, a simple scheme consisting of vector quantization followed by Slepian-Wolf binning achieves this minimum sum-rate. The proof of the converse draws from the quadratic Gaussian two-encoder source-coding problem, the Gaussian scalar-help-vector source-coding problem, and the Gaussian many-help-one source-coding problem.
Opening the Black Box of Immunosuppression.

In the last quarter of the twentieth century, immunologists began to shine light into one of the most mysterious black boxes: how does the extracellular environment impact gene expression in the nucleus? At the same time, the NF-κB and STAT pathways were being identified, ultimately leading to an
100 Years of Progress in Applied Meteorology. Part III: Additional Applications

AbstractApplied meteorology is an important and rapidly growing field. This chapter concludes the three-chapter series of this monograph describing how meteorological information can be used to ser...
Charge Separation and Recombination Pathways in Diblock DNA Hairpins.

Achieving high-yielding photoinduced charge separation through the π-stacked bases of DNA is a critical requirement for realizing numerous DNA-based technologies. In the current work, we combine tw...
Asymmetric synthesis of organometallic reagents using enzymatic methods

The use of enzymatic catalysis in the synthesis and resolution of organometallic complexes is reviewed and discussed. Examples show the potential of biological catalysts for oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and esterification of both transition metal and main group organometallic substrates. Chirality in organometallic complexes caused by the presence of chiral carbon centers in substituent groups, tetrahedral or pseudotetrahedral metal centers, and planes of asymmetry can all be recognized by whole cell or isolated enzyme catalysts. Biocatalysts that achieve high levels of kinetic resolution are described. Other catalysts that produce high levels of asymmetric induction in reactions of a prochiral substrate are also described.
Stellerite and Stilbite from Pennsylvania Trap Rocks

In the late Triassic to early Jurassic, about 220 million years ago, North America began to separate from Africa and Europe as the ancient supercontinent of Pangea broke up and the Atlantic Ocean f...
Experimental study and demonstration of pilot-scale oxy-coal combustion at elevated temperatures and pressures

Abstract High pressure oxy-fuel firing is a promising next-generation combustion technology for electricity generation, allowing net efficiency improvement compared to traditional oxy-fuel firing systems. Oxy-coal combustion has been extensively investigated at ambient pressure, but limited experimental data is available regarding this combustion method at elevated pressures at pilot or full scale. The study presented here investigates the operational performance of a high pressure, high temperature pilot-scale oxy-fuel combustor. Pulverized Utah bituminous coal in form of coal-water slurry was combusted at pressures up to 14 bar, temperatures up to 1600 °C and firing rates up to 300 kW. Eight different runs were selected for presentation and the measurements include flue gas composition (CO, CO2, CH4, SO2, O2), carbon and sulfur content of fly ash, combustor temperature profile and flame radiation profile. The flame radiation measurements were carried out with a novel narrow beam radiometer which measures local radiant heat flux at a specific location in the combustor. The radiation ranged from 108 to 279 kW/m2 depending mainly on combustor temperature. Additionally, the temperature significantly impacted the carbon content of fly ash: 2.66% was measured near 1600 °C, while the concentration increased to 36.7% when the temperature was decreased to 1300 °C. The successful experimental demonstrations showed that increasing pressure is a viable combustion method and a step towards enhancing the efficiency in oxy-fuel firing based power plants.
Intervention development study of the five-key model for reentry: An evidence-driven prisoner reentry intervention

Over the past decade and a half, substantial resources were poured into the development of prisoner reentry programs. However, the excitement that surrounded the initial roll out of reentry program...
Executable Specifications for Heterogeneous Embedded Systems

It is possible to raise the abstraction level of the description of a system. Using an effective methodology to separate data and control, we show that a truly executable specification flow is possible, and that it is highly beneficial in the validation and verification of complex systems. This methodology is technology-independent and accommodates a mixture of hardware and software, analog and digital, electronic and micromechanics components.
Stability of an anisotropic dielectric elastomer plate

Abstract A variety of methods have been proposed to improve the performance of dielectric elastomer transducers, which lead to the anisotropic electromechanical behavior of the material. This paper theoretically analyzes the effect of material anisotropy on the diffuse modes of instability in dielectric elastomer plates. As a first step, a transversely isotropic material is considered in the present study. The linearized incremental theory is used and the plate thickness is considered in the stability analysis. The bifurcation equations are solved with Wolfram Mathematica (Wolfram Research, Inc., 2019) [1] to obtain the critical stretches under different electric field. It is found that, compared to the isotropic material, material anisotropy results in larger unstable regions and higher critical stretches above which the plate is stable. It is also shown that material anisotropy has a stronger influence on a thinner plate. As the plate thickness increases, the influence decreases.
Perspectives on Conservative Care in Advanced Kidney Disease: A Qualitative Study of US Patients and Family Members.

Rationale & Objective Little is known about perceptions of conservative care among patients with advanced kidney disease in the United States. Study Design Qualitative study using cognitive interviewing about attitudes regarding conservative care using decision aids on treatments for advanced kidney disease developed outside the United States. Setting & Participants 14 patients 75 years or older with advanced kidney disease, defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤ 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 and not receiving maintenance dialysis, and 6 of their family members. Analytical Approach Thematic analysis of participants’ reactions to descriptions of conservative care taken from various clinical care decision aids. Results Participants were mostly White (n = 15) and had at least some college education (n = 16). Four themes emerged from analysis of interviews: (1) core elements of conservative care: aspects of conservative care that were appealing to participants included a whole-person, team-based, and structured approach to care that focused on symptom management, maintaining current lifestyle, and managing health setbacks; (2) importance of how conservative care is framed: participants were more receptive to conservative care when this was framed as an active rather than passive treatment approach and were receptive to statements of uncertainty about future course of illness and prognosis; (3) an explicit approach to shared decision making: participants believed decisions about conservative care and dialysis should address considerations about risk and benefits of treatment options, family and clinician perspectives, and patients’ goals, values, and preferences; and (4) relationship between conservative care and dialysis: although conservative care models outside the United States are generally intended to serve as an alternative to dialysis, participants’ comments implied that they did not see conservative care and dialysis as mutually exclusive. Limitations Themes identified may not generalize to the broader population of US patients with advanced kidney disease and their family members. Conclusions Participants were favorably disposed to a whole-person multidisciplinary approach to conservative care, especially when framed as an active treatment approach. Models of conservative care excluding the possibility of dialysis were less embraced, suggesting that current models will require adaptation to meet the needs of US patients and their families.
Colorado River water supply is predictable on multi-year timescales owing to long-term ocean memory

Skillful multi-year climate forecasts provide crucial information for decision-makers and resource managers to mitigate water scarcity, yet such forecasts remain challenging due to unpredictable weather noise and the lack of dynamical model capability. Here we demonstrate that the annual water supply of the Colorado River is predictable up to several years in advance by a drift-free decadal climate prediction system using a fully coupled climate model. Observational analyses and model experiments show that prolonged shortages of water supply in the Colorado River are significantly linked to sea surface temperature precursors including tropical Pacific cooling, North Pacific warming, and southern tropical Atlantic warming. In the Colorado River basin, the water deficits can reduce crop yield and increase wildfire potential. Thus, a multi-year prediction of severe water shortages in the Colorado River basin could be useful as an early indicator of subsequent agricultural loss and wildfire risk. Sea surface temperature anomalies in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can help predict water shortages in the Colorado River basin, according to analyses of decadal climate predictions and observations.
Tracking Exogenous Intracellular Casp‐3 Using Split GFP

Cytosolic protein delivery promises diverse applications from therapeutics, to genetic modification and precision research tools. To achieve effective cellular and subcellular delivery, approaches that allow protein visualization and accurate localization with greater sensitivity are essential. Fluorescently tagging proteins allows detection, tracking and visualization in cellulo. However, undesired consequences from fluorophores or fluorescent protein tags, such as nonspecific interactions and high background or perturbation to native protein's size and structure, are frequently observed, or more troublingly, overlooked. Distinguishing cytosolically released molecules from those that are endosomally entrapped upon cellular uptake is particularly challenging and is often complicated by the inherent pH-sensitive and hydrophobic properties of the fluorophore. Monitoring localization is more complex in delivery of proteins with inherent protein-modifying activities like proteases, transacetylases, kinases, etc. Proteases are among the toughest cargos due to their inherent propensity for self-proteolysis. To implement a reliable, but functionally silent, tagging technology in a protease, we have developed a caspase-3 variant tagged with the 11th strand of GFP that retains both enzymatic activity and structural characteristics of wild-type caspase-3. Only in the presence of cytosolic GFP strands 1-10 will the tagged caspase-3 generate fluorescence to signal a non-endosomal location. This methodology facilitates easy screening of cytosolic vs. endosomally-entrapped proteins due to low probabilities for false positive results, and further, allows tracking of the resultant cargo's translocation. The development of this tagged casp-3 cytosolic reporter lays the foundation to probe caspase therapeutic properties, charge-property relationships governing successful escape, and the precise number of caspases required for apoptotic cell death.
Exploring the social mechanisms for variation reduction for direct store delivery (DSD) and vendor managed inventory performance: An integrated network governance and coordination theory perspective

Abstract As business systems become more complex with retailers and manufacturers both competing in a dynamic environment, the reduction of operational variation has become crucial for both demand and inventory management. This is why many firms have undertaken lean or six-sigma programs as a means for understanding and addressing this variance. Much of this variation can be mitigated through the integration and coordination between entities in the supply chain through both human and technical systems. Coordination theory posits that there are common mechanisms for activity integration while network governance theory indicates that individuals can be relationally embedded through multiple types of connections. Most notably, individuals can utilize aspects of information sharing, trust, and problem solving to serve as human-oriented coordination mechanisms in order to enhance personal performance. This article models how the occurrence of multiple different layers of connectivity in human operational systems impacts variability in business process outcomes. Results from the social network analysis, utilizing both multi-modal blockmodeling and a multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure, indicate that information sharing, trust, and problem-solving network connectivity reduce sales performance variation, while joint-problem solving connections between individuals reduce the variance in inventory performance variation.
The Characterization and Assembly of an Efficient, Cost Effective Focused Ultrasound Transducer

Ultrasonic imaging has been a staple of medical technology for the past 50 years. Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a rising new application of ultrasonic technologies that concentrates power at focal point(s). With the precision of the focal point, FUS offers a promise for a noninvasive yet highly conformal therapy option. This has encouraged a number of research groups to investigate its feasibility in different therapeutic applications. These applications include High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to coagulate cancerous tumors, Medium Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MIFU) to create a disruption in the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) for drug delivery or Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) for neuromodulation. The paper offers the procedures to assemble two cost effective options for piezoelectric FUS transducers. In addition, it characterizes their performance, the effects of bonding agents and the environments on them. This process was realized through both passive characterization of the reactants and active detection with a hydrophone.
Acute Myocardial Infarction Readmission Risk Prediction Model in Admit and Discharge patients

The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) penalizes acute-care hospitals whose 30-day Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) readmission rates are high relative to other facilities. The main aim of this program is to reduce readmissions, thereby steering the hospitals towards value-based care. An AMI readmission risk prediction model can prove beneficial for health-care providers in this scenario aiding reduction in readmissions by enabling targeted interventions. A plethora of work has been done in developing predictive models for readmissions after visits that had AMI principal diagnosis. However, most readmission models were developed to be used after the discharge of the patient and later require follow-up with patients predicted to be readmitted. Further, they do not address the challenges towards real-time integration of the model in clinical setting. We present in this paper implementation of the readmission model which provides predictions during inpatient or observation visits for AMI, so as to aid early targeted interventions. Model also outputs the clinically important features. Cohorts of the population data of different Healthcare Systems with an elevated troponin and a working diagnosis of AMI were used for the study to mimic the real clinical scenario where principal diagnosis is usually not yet unavailable. In this study, we describe and compare the implementation of Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with industry standard methods such as LACE score and Hospital score. The GLM model showed good performance with Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 70.0% at 12-hour after admission and AUC of 70.4% before discharge. The AMI-specific model performance was better than the LACE score and Hospital score by 5-6% and better than all cause readmission prediction model by 2-4% across different healthcare systems.
The Association Between Time Spent Using Entertainment Media and Marital Quality in a Contemporary Dyadic National Sample

This study used the Actor Partner Interdependence Model and a national sample of married couples (N = 1368) to explore the relationship between entertainment media use and marital satisfaction, conflict, and perceived marital instability. Entertainment media-use included newer types of media (e.g., social networking websites) as well as traditional media (e.g., television). A number of negative relationships between media use and wives’ and husbands’ marital quality emerged. Husbands’ use of social networking websites, in particular, was associated with many of the marital quality variables. The effect sizes of media use were small, however. We also explored whether the relationship worked in reverse and whether media use differences between the spouses would relate to marital quality. When spouses reported different levels of using video games, they also reported lower levels of marital quality. The findings suggest that as media technology continues to change, it may relate to marital quality in new ways.
Modeling and parametric analysis of nitrogen and sulfur oxide removal from oxy-combustion flue gas using a single column absorber

Abstract Oxy-coal combustion has great potential as one of the major CO 2 capture technologies for power generation from coal. In oxy-coal combustion, the oxygen source is a high concentration oxygen stream and the product flue gas consists primarily of CO 2 and H 2 O with contaminants like nitrogen oxides (NO X ), sulfur oxides (SO X ) and non-condensable gases like argon, oxygen and nitrogen. NO X and SO X removal can be achieved via traditional selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD). These traditional methods however result in relatively high capital cost and energy requirement and face complex material handling challenges. White et al. proposed a different approach to NO X /SO X removal based on the nitric acid and lead-chamber chemistry process (White et al., 2010). This two-column design utilizes an intermediate and a high-pressure reactive absorption column connected in series to respectively remove SO X and NO X from the high CO 2 -concentration flue gas. In this study, we propose a modification to this two-column process that achieves the complete removal of SO X and NO X from the CO 2 stream in a single column. We demonstrate by means of pressure sensitivity studies that this new design can meet the same separation targets as the two-column process in fewer column stages and half the feed water requirement by exploiting the pressure dependence of the rate determining NO oxidation reaction. Furthermore, we make use of parametric studies to analyze the dependence of NO X /SO X removal on key design and operating parameters for the proposed system: pressure, vapor hold-upper stage and water flow rate. Results show that the process is strongly pressure dependent, with a 3-order of magnitude decrease in required residence time when the operating pressure is varied from 4 bars to 30 bars. Vapor holdup volume and feed water flow rate have a significant impact on NO X /SO X removal up to a point – about 20 m 3 and 2 kg/s respectively for the case analyzed. Beyond these values, column performance shows substantially less sensitivity to increasing holdup volume or water flow rate. The analysis presented in this paper also shows that recycling bottoms liquid can reduce the feed water requirement by up to 40% without significantly affecting the exit gas purity.
Assessing cognitive therapy skills comprehension, acquisition, and use by means of an independent observer version of the Skills of Cognitive Therapy (SoCT-IO).

The purposes of this study were (a) to describe the adaptation and psychometric properties of the Skills for Cognitive Therapy (SoCT) measure for use by an independent observer (SoCT-IO) who rates the cognitive therapy (CT) skill acquisition, comprehension, and use by depressed adults and (b) to compare ratings of CT skill comprehension, acquisition, and use by independent observers to those by patients and therapists. Like the other SoCT versions, the SoCT-IO consists of 8 items that assess patients' comprehension, acquisition, and use of cognitive and behavioral skills for managing depressive symptoms, using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Four experienced raters (2 doctoral-level CT therapists and 2 bachelor-level nontherapists) used the SoCT-IO to rate 80 CT videotapes from both mid and later sessions in acute-phase CT from a randomized controlled trial for outpatients with recurrent major depression. The SoCT-IO ratings showed excellent internal consistency reliability and moderately high interrater reliability. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by convergence of the SoCT-IO with 2 other versions of the SoCT, 1 completed by therapists (SoCT-O) and the other by patients (SoCT-P). SoCT-IO ratings evidenced good predictive validity: Independent observers' ratings of patient CT skills midphase in therapy predicted treatment response even when the predictive effects of SoCT ratings by therapists and patients were controlled. The SoCT-IO is a psychometrically sound measure of CT skill comprehension, acquisition and use for rating outpatients with recurrent depression. The clinical utility and implications for using the SoCT-IO as a measure of CT skills acquisition are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record.
Einstein and the Triumph of Truth as the Metaphor of Choice in Modern Times

Many consider Einstein and modernism as part of the same cultural conversation, but popular responses to modernism and Einstein's work were markedly different, with Einstein's work generally enjoying a more positive public reception. Most scholars agree that popularized forms of Einstein’s work influenced modernism but more accurate interpretations of modernist works had little sway. I agree with this argument, but extend it by offering an alternate suggestion for Einstein’s major influence on modern cultural expression. Instead of modernism, with its fracturing of reality, multiple perspectives, and altering of time, Einstein’s major cultural legacy is the reinvigoration and re-legitimization of absolute truth as a valid concept in modern times.
Current Trends in Feminist Thought and Therapy

It is argued that the intellectual and cultural developments of post-modernism have disrupted the foundational theories of both feminist and systematic practice. As a result, these two critical traditions no longer stand in abstract opposition to one another, and can be better understood as compatible discourses in a stage of turmoil and transition.
AN INDUSTRIAL CABLING MACHINE FOR THE SSC

The SSC project will need the manufacturing of some 25,000 kilometers of keystoned flat cable. The technical specifications of the various cables to be produced are the result of five years of research and development work at LBL.
Computer Methods for Tolerance Design

This book describes recent research advances and computer tools that can be applied in the determination of geometric tolerances. A framework for tolerance synthesis is developed and used with artificial intelligence techniques to provide computer methods for both analysis and synthesis of geometric tolerance specifications. Tolerance primitives, based on a sound theory of tolerancing, are used to represent tolerance relationships or links between geometric entities and functional requirements. Algorithms are developed for the determination of boundedness and the measurement of sufficiency. A detailed constraint network is used to represent tolerance relations for a part under design and provide for the composition of tolerance specifications.
Recovery of Concurrent Processes in a Service Composition Environment Using Data Dependencies

This paper presents an algorithm for recovery of concurrent processes using data dependencies in a service composition environment. The data dependencies are analyzed from data changes that are extracted from database transaction log files and generated as a stream of deltas from Delta-Enabled Grid Services. The deltas are merged by timestamp to create a global schedule of data changes that, together with the process execution context, are used to identify processes that are read and write dependent on failed processes. Process interference rules query the global delta schedule and test application semantic conditions to determine if dependent processes also need to be recovered. This paper focuses on how data dependencies from Delta-Enabled Grid Services are used to construct process dependency graphs for ordering the execution of process interference rules and recovery procedures of dependent processes. We also discuss our results with simulation and evaluation of the concurrent process recovery algorithm.
Anatomic study of the gastrocnemius-soleus junction and its relationship to the sural nerve.

Background:Gastrocnemius recession is performed for equinus contracture of the ankle and as an adjunct treatment for various foot pathologies. Successful release relies on many factors, including a...
On the performance of level-clocked circuits

Although it is well-known that substituting level-sensitive latches for edge-triggered registers can boost circuit performance, results of measuring the performance gained by using latches in real circuits-when retiming is used to optimize the performance of both types of circuits-have been disappointing. In this paper we re-examine the speedup that can be expected from using latches and develop upper and lower bounds on the clock period of retimed circuits that are tighter than previously published bounds. We then show experimentally that pipelined level-clocked circuits almost always achieve the lower bound while edge-clocked circuits seldom do. These bounds also illuminate where performance from level-clocking can and cannot be achieved. For the circuits that do benefit from latches, the average speedup is about 11%, although much greater speedups are common. Another factor affecting performance that has generally been ignored is clock skew. Clocks in edge-clocked circuits must be slowed down by an amount equal to the clock skew while level-clocked circuits are more tolerant of clock skew. We show experimentally that on average level-clocked circuits can tolerate clock skew of 15% of the clock period which can be translated directly into increased performance.
Uranium complexes supported by an aryloxide functionalised triazacyclononane macrocycle: synthesis and characterisation of a six-coordinate U(III) species and insights into its reactivity

A reactive low-valent uranium(III) complex supported by an aryloxide functionalised triazacyclononane has been synthesised and provides a platform for enhanced uranium reactivity.
F6: Multi-domain processors

Multiple clock and power domains are widely used to manage power in modern nanoscale designs. This Forum will present the latest design techniques in multiple-domain clock and power management for high-performance processors, as well as low-power systems-on-chip (SoC). Topics include clock and data synchronization, power gating, floorplan and layout implications, clock and power grids, test requirements, modular design techniques. Practical examples will be presented from both industry and academia.
Reductions in CYP1A expression and hydrophobic DNA adducts in liver neoplasms of English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus): Further support for the ‘resistant hepatocyte’ model of hepatocarcinogenesis

Our recent studies have investigated the applicability of the ‘resistance to cytotoxicity’ paradigm for chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and mice to liver neoplasia in wild English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus). Sole resident at polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated sites, such as the Duwamish Waterway in Puget Sound, Washington, exhibit high prevalences of hepatic neoplasms and precursor lesions related to the histogenesis of neoplasms. Previous immunohistochemical studies in English sole show a consistent reduction of CYP1A expression, localized with a polyclonal antibody to Atlantic cod CYP1A, in hepatic neoplasms and most preneoplastic foci of cellular alteration. The present study utilized immunohistochemical localization and quantitation of CYP1A expression by image analysis, linked with quantitation of hydrophobic DNA adducts by the 32P-postlabeling method, in hepatocellular neoplasms as compared to matched samples of adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissue from the same fish. All fish were from the Duwamish Waterway in Seattle, Washington. In the eight neoplasms assessed (four hepatocellular adenomas, four hepatocellular carcinomas), there was a significant and nearly parallel reduction in DNA adduct concentrations (56–90%) and levels of CYP1A expression (3–99%) as compared to the adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissue. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that neoplastic hepatocytes in English sole possess a ‘resistant’ phenotype in which there is a reduced capacity for CYP1A-mediated activation of genotoxic PAHs to their toxic and carcinogenic intermediates, and a consequent reduction in the formation of covalent, hydrophobic DNA adducts from these reactive intermediates.
Was There Really an Experiment

itself need to be controlled? "No!" argue many scientists. One simply sets up a tight experimental design, controlling for all variables other than the one under study. The independent variable (treatment) is carefully defined. The experimental group receives the treatment and the control group receives no treatment. Any differences in the dependent variable between the groups are due to the presence or absence of the independent variable. However, most educational researchers realize that instructional methods studies are not that simple. One cannot compare an experimental instructional method against no method as a control group, as this would not answer the research question. Conventionally the control group is instructed by an existing or established method already well defined. The experiment takes the form of comparing a "new" instructional method against an "old" method. Still, instructional method is the variable under study, and the experimenter must be certain that the two
Crystallization of chloroindium(III)octaethylporphyrin into a clamshell motif to engulf guest molecules

X-Ray diffraction studies are reported for six forms of ClInIII(OEP) (OEP is the dianion of octaethylporphyrin): ClInIII(OEP), ClInIII(OEP)·1.5 benzene, ClInIII(OEP)·1.5 pyridine, ClInIII(OEP)·0.5p-dioxane·benzene, ClInIII(OEP)·1.5 chlorobenzene, ClInIII(OEP)·C60·benzene. All crystals involve a square pyramidal coordination geometry about the indium ion with the chloride ion occupying the axial position and the four nitrogen atoms of the porphyrin defining the equatorial plane. In five of the structures the ethyl groups adopt an arrangement where they protrude outward on the opposite side of the porphyrin from the axial chloride so that they can encapsulate a guest. Pairs of ClInIII(OEP) molecules have been found to encapsulate molecules of benzene, pyridine, p-dioxane and chlorobenzene in a novel clamshell-like arrangement.
A method for studying visually guided perception and learning in newborn macaques

A maintenance technique was developed in which neonatal monkeys obtain all liquid food by placing their heads in a face mask mounted on their cage wall. Complete self-feeding required only 3-6 days for animals started at birth. Once under a self-feeding Schedule, operant responses were shaped to study visual perception, visually guided motor performance, and discrimination learning at ages much younger than those allowed by most alternative methods. Dark rearing, with the only source of visual input being through the face mask eyeholes, allowed the E to control completely the neonate’s visual experiences and its opportunities for visual-motor responding. The method has proven useful in rhesus monkey newborns for studying adaptation to prismatic displacement at 30 days of age, and to performance on CRF, FI, and FR reinforcement schedules.
A Novel Residents’ Research Seminar

Understanding of research methodology is essential for the practice of modern medicine. Yet teaching research methodology to clinically-oriented physicians can be quite challenging. To maximize resident participation in the learning process, a 7–10-week seminar was created in which residents design, perform, and interpret the results of a research project. This approach has been successful as measured by resident attendance, participation, and expressed interest. Problems include a potentially inconsistent year-to-year experience and the requirement of an extensive commitment by the course coordinator. Nonetheless, this model may serve, with appropriate customization, as an example for other residency programs.
The decay and isomerism of 70Se

Abstract Isomeric states of 70 Se were produced via the heavy-ion compound-nuclear process and the position decay of 70 Br. Ge(Li) detectors as well as scintillation detectors show the presence of isomers with half-lives of 20±2 min for the low spin and 4±1 min for the high spin states. The low spin state gives rise to 173, 204, 254, 377 and 428 keV gamma-rays while the high spin gives rise only to the 173 keV gamma-ray. The high spin state is deduced to be 3+ or 4+. The E B max is 1·7±0·2 MeV.
Fixed Cost Maintenance for Information Dissemination in Wireless Sensor Networks

Because of transient wireless link failures, incremental node deployment, and node mobility, existing information dissemination protocols used in wireless ad-hoc and sensor networks cause nodes to periodically broadcast "advertisement" containing the version of their current data item even in the "steady state" when no dissemination is being done. This is to ensure that all nodes in the network are up-to-date. This causes a continuous energy expenditure during the steady state, which is by far the dominant part of a network's lifetime. In this paper, we present a protocol called Varuna which incurs a constant energy cost, independent of the duration of the steady state. In Varuna, nodes monitor the traffic pattern of the neighboring nodes to decide when an advertisement is necessary. Using testbed experiments and simulations, we show that Varuna achieves several orders of magnitude energy savings compared to Trickle, the existing standard for dissemination in sensor networks, at the expense of a reasonable amount of memory for state maintenance.
Mother-infant relationships in Vervet Monkeys: Response to new adult males

The reaction of mothers to replacement of breeding adult males was studied in two captive groups of vervet monkeys. Mother-infant behavior for 15 infants born in the season following the introduction of new males was compared to mother-infant behavior for 35 infants born with adult males that had been resident in the group for more than a year. The mothers responded to the presence of new males by being more protective toward their infants in the first 3 months. Increased protectiveness disappeared in the second 3 months, and in the infant’s sixth month of life mothers with new males in the group became more rejecting than mothers with long-term resident males. The combination of increased protectiveness and increased rejection was unusual among the mothers with long-term resident males but was the most common mothering style used in the presence of new males. The rate of rejection was inversely correlated with the interbirth interval, and mothers with new males in the group conceived sooner and had significantly shorter inter-birth intervals compared to mothers with long-term resident males.
Determining Criteria for Evaluating Man-Machine Links in Weapon System Analysis

To establish a method for evaluating interactions between operators and equipment in a multi-purpose weapon system, instructional materials from appropriate service schools were examined. An analysis of operations was based on these materials. The analysis was made to determine the number and type of man-machine links, and their significance in establishing a model of the system.
The solution of multicomponent distillation columns

Abstract The equations of A. J. V. U nderwood for solution of distillation columns are arranged to give a solution in the form of a sum of difference products. For many distillation problems the present solution is much less tedious than the straightforward solution of U nderwood's equations or the determinantal solution proposed by A lder and H anson [1]. The solution is illustrated by an example employing a five-component system.
Bragg-reflection approach for blazed dielectric gratings

Abstract By viewing a dielectric grating in terms of an extended lattice structure, which lends itself to Bragg-reflection considerations we derive simple criteria for achieving desirable blazing effects. These criteria are found to be very accurate for designing efficient beam couplers for integrated optics applications.
The microstrain behavior of beryllium single crystals

Room temperature microstrain behavior of zone- refined single crystal beryllium examined as function of prestrain
The effect of blood transfusion on susceptibility to bacterial infection in genetically defined mouse models.

Background: Blood transfusions suppress immune function and increase susceptibility to infection, but the effects are not consistent. Study Design and Methods: Genetically defined mouse strains with the same or different haplotypes were used as blood transfusion recipients and donors. Transfused animals were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and followed for survival or were injected intravenously with Candida albicans to follow clearance of the Candida from the kidneys. Results: BALB/c (H-2 d ) mice transfused with C3H/HeJ (H-2 k ) or DBA/2 (H-2 d ) blood followed by CLP showed significantly lower survival (7 and 10%) than mice transfused with syngeneic blood (61%) or saline controls (56%). Lower survival was also observed in C3H/HeJ (H-2 k ) mice transfused with BALB/c (H-2 d ) blood and subjected to CLP (25%) compared with syngeneic transfusion (80%) or saline controls (70%). C57BL/6J (H-2 b ) mice showed minimal increases in mortality after CI,P after transfusion with blood from C3H/HeJ (H-2 k ) (60% survival), DBA/2 (H-2 d ) (70% survival), or BALB/c (H-2 d ) mice (90% survival). When C. albicans was infused intravenously into transfused mice, a similar pattern of altered resistance to infection was found. Conclusion: The ability of blood transfusions to increase susceptibility to bacterial infection appears to be dependent on genetic factors unrelated to the major haplotype.
Long-term follow-up of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography sphincterotomy for patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome papillary stenosis.

PURPOSE : To evaluate the long-term effects on biliary-type pain and changes in biochemical parameters in patients with AIDS-associated papillary stenosis who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) sphincterotomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS : Twenty-five consecutive patients were diagnosed by cholangiography with AIDS-associated papillary stenosis using standard criteria. Patients underwent ERCP sphincterotomy and were followed prospectively in the Gastrointestinal or Liver Clinics, San Francisco General Hospital, and by their primary physicians. Post-procedure data was prospectively collected by chart review or in-person or telephone interview, and analyzed using statistical software. RESULTS : All patients presented with severe right upper quadrant and/or mid-epigastric abdominal pain and had marked elevations of serum alkaline phosphatase. Following ERCP sphincterotomy, pain scores decreased significantly for at least 9 months of follow-up. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels, however, remained essentially unchanged. Overall quality of life was difficult to assess, as patients suffered from other AIDS-associated debilitating diseases. CONCLUSIONS : ERCP sphincterotomy, while not without risks, provided significant reduction in pain in patients with AIDS-associated papillary stenosis.
Development and preclinical evaluation of an alphavirus replicon vaccine for influenza

We used a propagation-defective, single-cycle, alphavirus replicon vector system to produce virus-like replicon particles (VRP) expressing the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins from influenza A/Wyoming/03/2003 (H3N2). Efficient production methods were scaled to produce pilot lots of HA VRP and NA VRP and clinical lots of HA VRP. HA VRP-induced high-titered antibody responses in mice, rabbits and rhesus macaques, as measured by ELISA or hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays, and robust cellular immune responses in mice and rhesus macaques, as measured by IFN-γ ELISPOT. NA VRP also induced cellular immune responses in mice. A toxicology study with HA VRP and NA VRP in rabbits showed no adverse effects in any parameter. These studies support clinical testing of alphavirus replicon vaccines for influenza.
Cycloheximide (actidione) inhibition of protein synthesis and the uterine response to estrogen

Abstract Cycloheximide (actidione) was shown to be a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis and the estrogen response in the immature rat uterus. Increases in uterine wet weight and cytidine-H 3 incorporation into RNA associated with the four hour response to estrogen were blocked by actidione administration. Increases in orthophosphate-P 32 and acetate-C 14 incorporation into lipid and cytidine-H 3 incorporation into RNA at 2 hours after estrogen were also blocked by actidione. Protein synthesis in the uterus was not significantly increased by estrogen at 2 hours and was blocked to 10% of controls by a single injection of 200 μg. of actidione into immature female rats.
Adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder due to proteolipid protein gene mutation in the mother of a man with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease

A 23-year-old man with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease had a novel mutation, C344A (Thr115Lys), in exon 3 of the proteolipid protein gene (PLP). His mother, heterozygous for the mutation, developed progressive personality change and a gait disorder in her mid-20s. Her MRI at age 53 showed a diffuse severe leukodystrophy. This report extends the phenotypic range of disease due to PLP gene mutations to include adult-onset dementia in females. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 1333-1335
Experimental Investigation and Modeling of Inertance Tubes

Growing interest in larger scale pulse tubes has focused attention on optimizing their thermodynamic efficiency. For Stirling-type pulse tubes, the performance is governed by the phase difference between the pressure and mass flow, a characteristic that can be conveniently adjusted through the use of inertance tubes. In this paper we present a model in which the inertance tube is divided into a large number of increments; each increment is represented by a resistance, compliance, and inertance. This model can include local variations along the inertance tube and is capable of predicting pressure, mass flow rate, and the phase between these quantities at any location in the inertance tube as well as in the attached reservoir. The model is verified through careful comparison with those quantities that can be easily and reliably measured; these include the pressure variations along the length of the inertance tube and the mass flow rate into the reservoir. These experimental quantities are shown to be in good agreement with the model’s predictions over a wide range of operating conditions. Design charts are subsequently generated using the model and are presented for various operating conditions in order to facilitate the design of inertance tubes for pulse tube refrigerators. These design charts enable the pulse tube designer to select an inertance tube geometry that achieves a desired phase shift for a given level of acoustic power.
Rapid phase contrast MRI with minimum time gradient waveform design using convex optimization

Background Phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) sequences conventionally use triangular and trapezoidal gradient waveforms to construct flow compensated and flow encoded (FCFE) [1] or Bipolar [2] velocity encoding gradients. This approach does not make optimal use of the available gradient hardware for all time points, but convex optimization (CVX) can be used to design minimum-duration, arbitrarily shaped gradient waveforms subject to gradient hardware and pulse sequence constraints (e.g. target gradient moments and imaging parameters) [3]. Our objective was to quantitatively evaluate CVX PC-MRI measurement accuracy and sequence efficiency.