cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preferred spoken language mediates differences in neuraxial labor analgesia utilization among racial and ethnic groups.

Abstract Introduction The aims of this study were to assess racial/ethnic disparities for neuraxial labor analgesia utilization and to determine if preferred spoken language mediates the association between race/ethnicity and neuraxial labor analgesia utilization. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 3129 obstetric patients who underwent vaginal delivery at a tertiary care obstetric center. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the relationships between race/ethnicity, preferred spoken language and neuraxial labor analgesia. Results Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61–0.98) and multiparity (adjusted OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.51–0.69) were independently associated with a reduced likelihood of neuraxial labor analgesia utilization. When preferred spoken language was controlled for, the effect of Hispanic ethnicity was no longer significant (adjusted OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.66–1.08) and only non-English preferred spoken language (adjusted OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.67–0.99) and multiparity (adjusted OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.51–0.69) were associated with a reduced likelihood of neuraxial labor analgesia utilization. Conclusions This study provides evidence that preferred spoken language mediates the relationship between Hispanic ethnicity and neuraxial labor analgesia utilization.
Fault Voltage Drop and Impedance at Short-Circuit Currents in Low-Voltage Circuits

In the paper are presented new data on (1) arc-voltage drop and current-limiting effects for arc faults in bar-conductor structures, (2) current-limiting effect of insulated-cable arc faults, (3) cable impedance in an iron conduit, and (4) impedance of low-voltage switchgear circuit assemblies, derived from tests at short-circuit currents in circuits with open-circuit line-to-line voltages of 208-600 volts at 60 cycles. The currents ranged from less than 10,000 amperes to values as high as 100,000 amperes rms in some cases. The new data dispel several illusions with respect to accidental faults in low-voltage bus structures and other low-voltage gear. Contrary to inferences frequently drawn from previously published data, the paper shows that (a). Faults in the typical low-voltage bus structures tested are not self-clearing. (b). Fault arcs do not show the drastic current-limiting effect which they are frequently assumed to exert upon short-circuit currents. Instances are shown where actual fault currents reach 100 per cent of the rms symmetrical values calculated for bolted faults. This study shows a self-clearing tendency for representative types of accidental faults in cable, but it was found that a large current-limiting action prior to current interruption cannot be depended on. The new data, supplementing existing impedance data, definitely indicate the possibility of reasonably accurate calculation of short-circuit currents in low-voltage circuits.
Position-velocity tracking control of a brushless DC motor via an observed integrator backstepping approach

This paper presents a position-velocity tracking controller for a brushless DC motor-load system without velocity measurement. An observed integrator backstepping procedure and a nonlinear velocity observer are utilized to design a nonlinear tracking controller which guarantees globally exponentially stable position-velocity tracking. The proposed controller is successfully implemented on a brushless DC motor-load system. >
Stigmatized health conditions.

Abstract Anthropologists only recently have turned their attention to stigmatized populations in American society. The papers in this collection address varied issues of stigma and health: life career experiences of those with varied stigmatized illnesses; issues of identity, perception, and cognition related to specific health conditions; modes of coping with stigma—personal and group adaptive strategies, and positive functions of such adaptive strategies. The studies draw from a diverse range of field populations: diabetics, the deaf elderly, dwarfs, and severely scarred former burn patients. These papers originally were presented in a symposium entitled The Anthropology of Stigma organized and chaired by Joan Ablon at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Los Angeles, November 14–18, 1978.
Kinematic evolution of a large-offset continental normal fault system, South Virgin Mountains, Nevada

The South Virgin Mountains and Grand Wash trough comprise a mid-Miocene normal fault system that defines the boundary between the unextended Colorado Plateau to the east and highly extended crust of the central Basin and Range province to the west. In the upper 3 km of the crust, the system developed in subhorizontal cratonic strata in the foreland of the Cordilleran fold and thrust system. The rugged topography and lack of vegetation of the area afford exceptional three-dimensional exposures. Compact stratigraphy and well-defined prefaulting configuration of the rocks permitted a detailed reconstruction of the system. Reconstruction of cross sections based on more than 300 km2 of detailed mapping at a scale of 1:12 000 shows that the fault system accommodated more than 15 km of roughly east-west–directed Miocene extension. Extension was initially accommodated on moderately to steeply dipping listric normal faults. As the early faults and fault blocks tilted, steeply to moderately dipping faults initiated within the fault blocks, soling into the early faults. Some of the early faults were active at dips of <20°. Isostatically driven tilting is superimposed on tilting due to active slip and domino-style rotation of the fault blocks. Collectively these processes rotated originally steeply dipping faults to horizontal orientations. The kinematics are inconsistent with the widely accepted view that many near-horizontal normal faults were rotated to their present orientations by later, crosscutting normal faults. However, reexamination of other areas suggests that the evolutionary sequence seen in the South Virgin Mountains may, in fact, be widely applicable.
Peptide Partitioning and Folding into Lipid Bilayers

The folding and partitioning of WALP peptides into lipid bilayers is characterized using atomic detail molecular dynamics simulations on microsecond time scales. Elevated temperatures are used to increase sampling, and their suitability is validated via circular dichroism experiments. A new united atom parametrization of lipids is employed, adjusted for consistency with the OPLS all-atom force field. In all simulations secondary structure forms rapidly, culminating in the formation of the native trans-membrane helix, which is demonstrated to have the lowest free energy. Partitioning simulations show that peptide insertion into the bilayer is preceded by interfacial folding. These results are in excellent agreement with partitioning theory. In contrast, previous simulations observed unfolded insertion pathways and incorrectly report stable extended configurations inside the membrane. This highlights the importance of accurately tuning and experimentally verifying force field parameters against microsecond time scale phenomena.
Grocery market pricing and the new competitive environment

Abstract This article seeks to examine the effect of changes in retail-grocery market conditions upon consumer prices and the response of food retailers to these conditions. We explore these issues for two different product groups. One is composed primarily of branded, dry and frozen groceries (P1) while the second largely represents produce, meat, and perishable products (P2). Our statistical model finds that the effect of these new market conditions is often markedly sensitive to product type. Competitive conditions affect both price measures, but entry by warehouse and similar grocery formats surprisingly lower perishable prices more than those for staple goods. We also observe that frequent price changes in a market serves to reduce food prices, suggesting that promotional activities in response to new format competition are beneficial for consumers. There is strong evidence of a fast food-supermarket rivalry, but we are unable to identify its specific nature. Operating costs significantly effect prices for staple itmes, but have virtually no evident influence on perishable.
Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Healthcare Resources in Relation to Black-White Breast Cancer Survival Disparities

Background. Breast cancer survival has improved significantly in the US in the past 10–15 years. However, disparities exist in breast cancer survival between black and white women. Purpose. To investigate the effect of county healthcare resources and SES as well as individual SES status on breast cancer survival disparities between black and white women. Methods. Data from 1,796 breast cancer cases were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results and the National Longitudinal Mortality Study dataset. Cox Proportional Hazards models were constructed accounting for clustering within counties. Three sequential Cox models were fit for each outcome including demographic variables; demographic and clinical variables; and finally demographic, clinical, and county-level variables. Results. In unadjusted analysis, black women had a 53% higher likelihood of dying of breast cancer and 32% higher likelihood of dying of any cause (P < 0.05) compared with white women. Adjusting for demographic variables explained away the effect of race on breast cancer survival (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.99–1.97), but not on all-cause mortality. The racial difference in all-cause survival disappeared only after adjusting for county-level variables (HR, 1.27; CI, 0.95–1.71). Conclusions. Improving equitable access to healthcare for all women in the US may help eliminate survival disparities between racial and socioeconomic groups.
Mycobacterium chelonei infection of a Broviac catheter insertion site.

Mycobacterium chelonei infection developed at the insertion site of an indwelling Broviac catheter in a child with erythroleukemia. Direct adherence to and colonization of the intra- and extra-luminal surfaces of the catheter, with extension to the adjacent subcutaneous tissue, by this rapidly growing mycobacterium may have been the primary factor underscoring the infection. Nontuberculous mycobacteria such asMycobacterium chelonei grow readily on routine bacteriologic media and resembleCorynebacterium spp. (diphtheroids) in their Gram staining and microscopic characteristics. The persistence of the infectious process and a diphtheroid-like microorganism despite antimicrobial therapy should raise the suspicion for a mycobacterial species.
Chemical Activation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Hydrogen Adsorption

Adsorption isotherms for hydrogen on single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) subjected to various types of pretreatment have been measured by a tapered-element oscillating mass analyzer. Isotherms at room temperature over a range of pressures up to 48 bar have been measured. We demonstrate that activation of the SWNT samples by mild oxidation in CO2, followed by heat treatment in an inert atmosphere, increases the hydrogen adsorption capacity of the SWNT samples by about a factor of 3 at 48 bar. Computer simulations have been performed to model the adsorption isotherms. Bundles of homogeneous (all the same diameter) and heterogeneous (composed of a number of different diameters) nanotubes have been considered. Isotherms computed using a standard graphitic potential for the nanotubes give remarkably good agreement with the experimentally measured isotherms before activation with CO2. The effect of activation is modeled by independently increasing the nanotube spacing and the solid−fluid interaction potential. We f...
Patch choice and meal size of foraging rats as a function of the profitability of food

Abstract Rats lived in a laboratory environment that simulated foraging costs with bar-pressing requirements. The rats encountered sequential opportunities to eat meals in two food patches that differed in the size and/or price of food pellets. The rats accepted more opportunities and ate larger meals in the patch offering the more-profitable food, whether the larger or the lower-priced pellets. Despite widely varying patterns of intake between the patches, total daily intake was constant across most conditions. The extent to which the less-profitable food was included in the diet was a function of the size of the profitability difference. Profitability at each patch was calculated both as g earned per bar press and as g earned per min during meals. These two measures were correlated, but relative g/min was a better predictor of the relative feeding patterns. The results were not in accord with a simple, effort-minimization model of optimal foraging, although they were compatible with the notion that the cost of suboptimal behaviour will influence its occurrence.
Strategic Marketing Guidelines for Financial Planning Professionals

Abstract This paper develops strategic marketing guidelines for financial planning professionals. The literature shows that because services such as legal, medical and financial are inherently difficult for many clients to evaluate even after purchase and use, providers have many unique marketing obstacles and opportunities. A survey of 272 financial planners provided the basis for our model. We combined these results with the credence services literature to develop strategic marketing guidelines that are specific for financial planners but can function as a model for other credence service providers.
The structure of translation-invariant memories

under “Carathkodory conditions” that are, at least apparently, more general than those usually encountered in the literature. The values of u and r are in a Banach space E, r is locally integrable; and the “memory” M transforms continuous functions linearly into locally integrable functions, and “is ignorant of the future.” The domain of the independent variable t is R = ]--co, co[ or [0, co[; and certain further conditions are imposed on Ad. For instance, Ad is a “short memory” if the values of Mu on [a, b] depend on u only through its values on [a 1, b]; the choice of 1 for the maximum scope of the memory is made for the purposes of normalization. It is natural to enquire about the structure of the memory M when the equation (1.1) is autonomous; in that case it is natural to let the domain of t be R, and we shall do so. It is then obvious that the homogeneous equation zi + Mu = 0 is autonomous if and only if M commutes with all translations; for this reason we speak of translation-invariant memories. We shall restrict our attention in this paper to translation-invariant short memories. The structure of such a memory M is well known when E is finitedimensional and M is a continuous operator on the FrCchet space of continuous functions with values in E (the “continuous case”): ill is then expressed as a Stieltj& convolution with an operator-valued measure (cf. Theorem 8.7; see [6]). W e aim at some insight into the structure of M under more general “CarathCodory conditions” that will still ensure existence, uniqueness, and reasonable growth properties of the solutions of the initial-
Prevention of IL-1 signaling attenuates airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a murine model of toluene diisocyanate-induced asthma.

Background IL-1 is a pleotropic cytokine that has been shown to play a prominent role in asthma induced by large-molecular-weight proteins. Increased IL-1 immunostaining in the submucosa of patients with toluene diisocyanate (TDI)–induced asthma has also been observed, suggesting that this cytokine might also be important in asthma associated with low-molecular-weight chemicals. Objective We sought to determine the role of IL-1 signaling in airway reactivity and inflammation by using a murine model of TDI-induced asthma. Methods C57BL/6 mice were exposed to TDI by means of vapor inhalation (20 ppb; 4 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks) and then challenged 2 weeks later by inhalation with 20 ppb TDI vapor for 1 hour. Results Sensitized-challenged mice showed increased airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), increased levels of TDI-specific IgG 1 antibodies, airway epithelial thickening, inflammation consisting of infiltrating lymphocytes and eosinophils, and increased mRNA expression of IL-4, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 in the lung. Prevention of IL-1 signaling through deletion of the IL-1 receptor type I or administration of neutralizing antibodies to both IL-1β and IL-1α abrogated the development of TDI-induced asthma. A partial reduction in AHR and TDI-specific IgG 1 levels was observed in mice administered anti-IL-1β, whereas anti-IL-1α had no effect on either parameter. Antibodies to IL-1β or IL-1α alone blocked airway inflammation and the expression of IL-4 and adhesion molecules in the lung. Conclusions These results suggest that IL-1 signaling is critical for AHR and airway inflammation, with IL-1β and IL-1α having unique and overlapping roles in TDI-induced occupational asthma.
Non-traded Goods, Technical Progress and Wages

We use a general equilibrium model of trade to show that technical improvement may indeed cause a fall in the wages of unskilled workers. Under some modest conditions, the wages of skilled workers may go down too.
Extensive, high-resolution measurement of hyperfine interactions: precise investigations of molecular potentials and wave functions

Abstract We report high-resolution and high-precision measurement of hyperfine interactions of the first excited electronic state (B) of I 2 over an extensive range of vibrational and rotational quantum numbers. Systematic variations in the hyperfine parameters, including both rovibrational level dependence and internuclear separation dependence, are confirmed by calculations based on ab initio molecular potential energy curves and electronic wave functions derived from a separated-atom basis set. We have accurately determined the state-dependent quantitative changes of hyperfine interactions caused by perturbations from other electronic states and identified the respective perturbing states.
Filament content threshold for activated sludge bulking: artifact or reality?

Abstract An often-noted feature of activated sludge settleability is the existence of a threshold content of filamentous bacteria, below which filaments have a relatively small effect on settleability, and above which settleability is much more sensitive to filament content. This concept has historically been based on an apparent inflection point in settleability/filament content curves. However, this was demonstrated to be an artifact of data presentation on semi-logarithmic scales. Analyses of several published data sets indicated that there was little or no evidence of a threshold effect when data were presented on linear scales, particularly around the 150 mL/g sludge volume index (SVI) “threshold”. Rather, there appears to be a generally continuous (and often nearly linear) relationship between filament content and SVI, suggesting that the threshold effect, as commonly perceived, is not accurate. A modified empirical model of filament content and settleability was also presented.
Gathering Hopewell: Society, Ritual, and Ritual Interaction

Gathering Hopewell: Society, Ritual, and Ritual Interaction. Barbara Y. Butler. and D. Troy Case, eds. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2005. 807 pp.
Personality factors in human-computer interaction: A review of the literature

Abstract This is a review of studies investigating the relation between personality dimensions and human-computer interaction. The review is divided into three topic areas: programming aptitude and achievement, the programmer personality, and computer-assisted instruction (CAI). It is concluded that: (a) introversion-extraversion and traits characterizing introversion-extraversion are related to many aspects of human-computer interaction, (b) there is little evidence to support a relation between the Jungian personality dimensions and programming aptitude and achievement, (c) further, no correlations are reported between these dimensions and academic achievement in CAI-based courses; however, certain Jungian dimensions are related to attrition rate and speed of completion, (d) although little relation between Jungian dimensions and programming aptitude and achievement is noted, certain personality types select careers that utilize computer programming, (e) anxiety characterized by a threat to self-esteem facilities or debilitates CAI performance contingent on specific aspects of the learning task, and (f) compulsive and stress-inducing personality traits, internal-external locus of control, and achievement motivation are implicated in human-computer interaction performance.
Global urbanization projections for the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways

The new scenario process for climate change research includes the creation of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) describing alternative societal development trends over the coming decades. Urbanization is a key aspect of development that is relevant to studies of mitigation, adaptation, and impacts. Incorporating urbanization into the SSPs requires a consistent set of global urbanization projections that cover long time horizons and span a full range of uncertainty. Existing urbanization projections do not meet these needs, in particular providing only a single scenario over the next few decades, a period during which urbanization is likely to be highly dynamic in many countries. We present here a new, long-term, global set of urbanization projections at country level that cover a plausible range of uncertainty. We create SSP-specific projections by choosing urbanization outcomes consistent with each SSP narrative. Results show that the world continues to urbanize in each of the SSPs but outcomes differ widely across them, with urbanization reaching 60%, 79%, and 92% by the end of century in SSP3, SSP2, and SSP1/SSP4/SSP5, respectively. The degree of convergence in urbanization across countries also differs substantially, with largely convergent outcomes by the end of the century in SSP1 and SSP5 and persistent diversity in SSP3. This set of global, country-specific projections produces urbanization pathways that are typical of regions in different stages of urbanization and development levels, and can be extended to further elaborate assumptions about the styles of urban growth and spatial distributions of urban people and land cover occurring in each SSP.
Episcleral venous pressure of mouse eye and effect of body position

Purpose. To measure the episcleral venous pressure (EVP) of the mouse eye and to investigate the effect of body position on EVP and intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods. A microneedle connected to a pressure transducer was used to measure IOP in NIH Swiss white mice. To measure EVP, a reservoir connected to this transducer allowed modulation of the intracameral pressure by changing its height. As intracameral pressure was gradually lowered, there was an observable reflux of erythrocytes from an episcleral vein into Schlemm’s canal. The IOP at which this occurred was the endpoint of the EVP measurement. EVP and IOP were measured in a horizontal body position (0°) analogous to an awake mouse and at 30° and 60° head-down body position from the horizontal position. EVP was measured twice in each eye of 6 mice. Results. Mean IOP at 0°, 30° and 60° of head-down position was 16.5 ± 0.6, 18.2 ± 0.6, and 19.5 ± 1.8 mmHg, respectively. EVP (horizontal) was 9.6 ± 1.3mmHg (N = 6 eyes). EVP significantly increased with...
A TECHNIC FOR ASSAY OF ESTROGEN BY EVALUATION OF HUMAN VAGINAL SMEARS AND COMPARISON WITH URINARY ESTROGEN ASSAY ON THE MOUSE UTERUS1

INVESTIGATORS and clinicians who have been using human vaginal smears either to control dosage of estrogen in the climacterium or to study the female sex cycle have in their reports implied the existence of a relation between the degree of proliferation in the vaginal mucosa as represented by the vaginal smear and the level of estrogen in the patient or subject. This implied relation was never itself investigated since the difficulties of collecting and assaying a large number of 24-hour urine specimens and vaginal smears seemed almost prohibitive and besides, there is no a priori reason why vaginal smears should correlate with the excreted estrogen or even with the circulating estrogen (blood methods being crude and inaccurate). In the course of our investigation of the female sex cycle it became possible to collect an adequate number of urine specimens and smears of 5 patients.
An Approach To Multiple Sensor Target Detection

A multiple sensor approach to automatically detecting targets viewed by a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor and a range sensor is described. The system developed used sensor-dependent processing to segment, possible targets in the images, measure features for segmented regions, and analyze the single sensor feature information. The post-segmentation target detection problem was that of separating segmented targets from segmented non-targets. Segmented regions in both images were geometrically registered, and a novel multiple sensor feature, called the correspondence feature, was measured. The correspondence feature exploited the observation that targets occupy the same space in both types of image, while segmented non-target regions do not tend to behave in this manner. The detection problem was modeled as a two-class decision problem where the classes were target and non-target. The Bayesian minimum error criterion was used as the class estimation rule. Two single sensor and three multiple sensor approaches to target detection were developed, and their performance compared. Performance improvements are described which resulted from incorporating the correspondence feature information into the class estimation process. Results were tabulated for performance on a data base of real, corresponding FLIR and range images composed of 97 FLIR and 57 range images.
Perturbative renormalization of weak Hamiltonian four-fermion operators with overlap fermions

The renormalization of the most general dimension-six four-fermion operators without power subtractions is studied at one loop in lattice perturbation theory using overlap fermions. As expected, operators with different chirality do not mix among themselves and parity-conserving and parity-violating multiplets renormalize in the same way. The renormalization constants of unimproved and improved operators are also the same. These mixing factors are necessary to determine the physical matrix elements relevant to many phenomenological applications of weak interactions. The most important are the K{sup 0}-{bar K}{sup 0} and B{sup 0}-{bar B}{sup 0} mixings in the standard model and beyond, the {Delta}I=1/2 rule and {epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}.
Septal lesions and the recovery of function in the juvenile hamster

Abstract Recovery of function of social behavior, hoarding, nesting, and weight gain was investigated in the juvenile hamster following bilateral septal lesions. Hamsters receiving septal lesions during the juvenile period showed as much disruption in behavior as animals receiving septal lesions as adults. As compared to control animals, both septal lesioned groups were more aggressive, showed a reduction in hoarding behavior, lost the ability to build nests, and gained significantly more weight.
Influence of varying protein and starch degradabilities on performance of lactating cows.

Abstract A milk production and digestibility trial with 32 cows (2×2 factorial with 8 cows per treatment) was conducted to test animal response to varying rumen degradation of dietary starch and protein. Four rations (barley-cottonseed, barley-brewers dried grains, milo-cottonseed, and milo-brewers dried grains) were compared in early lactation cows fed 65% concentrate and 35% forage for 60 d. Digestibilities of starch were higher for barley than milo diets; whereas, those for organic matter were higher for cottonseed meal than brewers dried grains. Milk production was highest on barley-cottonseed with mean adjusted values of (kg/d): 37.4, 34.9, 34.2, and 34.6 for respective treatments. Dry matter intakes were not different among rations. Milk fat was higher on milo than barley with respective diets averaging (%): 3.1, 2.9, 3.4, and 3.6, and resulting in lowest FCM for the barley-brewers dried grains diet. Milk protein was not altered by treatment. These data suggest that responses to varying protein degradability can be altered by rate of starch breakdown in the rumen.
PROTON INDUCED REACTIONS ON MASS-14 NUCLEI.

Abstract Targets of 14 N and 14 C were bombarded with 14.5 MeV protons. The 14 N was in the form of natural N 2 gas, which is 99.6% 14 N, while the 14 C was in the form of CO 2 with a 14 C enrichment of 91.4%. Particles from the (p, p'), (p, d) and (p, t) reactions on these nuclei were identified and analyzed using conventional solid-state detectors and electronics. The overall energy resolution was 70 keV. Angular distribution were taken from 20° to 150° for the (p, p′) reaction and from 20° to 110° for the (p, d) and (p, t) reactions. For 14 N, 18 levels were seen below 10 MeV excitation energy in the (p, p') reaction and one transition to the ground state of 13 N in the (p, d) reaction. The (p, t) reaction is energetically forbidden. For 14 C, 5 levels were seen below 8.5 MeV excitation but is was not possible to obtain angular distributions because of masking due to excited states of 16 O. Also for 14 C, 3 levels were seen in the (p, d) reactions and the (p, t) reaction leading to the ground state of 12 C. The (p, p′) data were analyzed assuming a microscopic model of the nucleus and a two-body interaction, which included a tensor component for the study of the 2.31 MeV level of 14 N. The DWBA code DRC was used for the (p, p′) analyses. The (p, d) data were analyzed using the code DWUCK to extract spectroscopic factors.
Towards a Unified Public Safety Scale

There exists an acute need for an unambiguous objectively measurable emergency scale to facilitate communication and mutual understanding of the nature of any emergency, by the public and government agencies. A review of existing emergency scales and their potential indicates no one scale can accurately describe all emergencies. Our research solicits ideas for such a scale using a modified Delphi process followed by a survey. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding on how the public understands emergency scales and anticipate response for emergency events. The contribution of this research is to identify a set of fundamental dimensions for a measurable emergency scale, derived from the Delphi process outcomes. We also present preliminary findings from the survey developed from the results of the Delphi process.
Using Results from Replicated Studies to Estimate Linear Models.

This article outlines analyses for the results of a series of studies examining intercorrelations among a set of p + 1 variables. A test of whether a common population correlation matrix underlies the set of empirical results is given. Methods are presented for estimating either a pooled or average correlation matrix, depending on whether the studies appear to arise from a single population. A random effects model provides the basis for estimation and testing when the series of correlation matrices may not share a common population matrix. Finally, I show how a pooled correlation matrix (or average matrix) can be used to estimate the standardized coefficients of a regression model for variables measured in the series of studies. Data from a synthesis of relationships among mathematical, verbal, and spatial ability measures illustrate the procedures.
Enzymatic Production of Reducing Sugars from Corn Cobs

Abstract Three commercial cellulase preparations were evaluated as a sole enzyme source for the enzymatic production of reducing sugars from corn cobs. Rapidase Pomaliq (Gist-Brocades) was found to yield significantly more reducing sugars than Celluclast 1.5L (Novo) and Clarex ML (Genencor). Under favorable conditions (pretreated with NaOH, followed by 48 h of reaction at 50°C and pH 5.0), Rapidase Pomaliq was capable of increasing the amount of reducing sugars from an initial concentration of 106±88 g to 550±110 g/kg of dry matter of corn cobs. Of the reducing sugars produced in the reaction mixture, xylose, glucose, arabinose and cellobiose constituted 35, 45, 3 and 17%, respectively.
Chemical behavior of radioiodine in BWR systems

Abstract An examination of the chemical forms of radioiodine in boiling water reactor (BWR) systems indicates that during normal operation iodide (I − ), and perhaps hypoiodous acid (HIO), are the major species in the reactor water and condensate. Following reactor shutdown iodate (IO 3 − becomes the dominant species as a result of radiation induced oxidation of iodide ions. The volatile iodine species, particularly HIO, are believed to be involved in the iodine carryover process, while organic iodide predominates in the offgas. The variation between ∼0.2 and ∼2.5% iodine carryover in the present generation BWRs is attributed to the effect of coolant impurities, particularly copper ions, on the radiation chemistry of iodine in water.
Particulate contributions to light extinction and local forcing at a rural Illinois site

Abstract The light extinction and direct forcing properties of the atmospheric aerosol were investigated for a midwestern rural site (Bondville, IL) using field measurements, a semi-empirical light extinction model, and a radiative transfer code. Model inputs were based on the site measurements of the physical and chemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosol during the spring, summer, fall and winter of 1994. The light scattering and extinction coefficients were calculated and apportioned using the elastic light scattering interactive efficiency (ELSIE) model (Sloane and Wolff, 1985, Atmospheric Environment 19(4), 669–680). The average efficiencies calculated for organic carbon (OC, carbon measured as organic multiplied by 1.2) ranged from 3.81 m 2 /g OC at lower relative humidities ( 2 /g OC at higher relative humidities (>75%) while sulfate (assumed as ammonium sulfate) efficiencies ranged from 1.23 m 2 /g (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 to 5.78 m 2 /g (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 for the same range of relative humidities. Radiative transfer calculations showed that the rural aerosol at Bondville is most likely to have an overall negative (cooling) forcing effect on climate. Elemental carbon (EC), however, acts to counter sulfate forcing to a degree that has a significant seasonal variation, primarily due to the seasonal variation in the sulfate concentrations. Taking the loading to be the mean summer EC+ammonium sulfate loading and assuming [EC]/[(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ] to be zero in one case (i.e. no soot present) and 0.025 (summer mean at Bondville) in another leads to a 37% difference in calculated forcing.
Conformation of pepsin and pepsinogen: some aspects of the role of tyrosine residues and the 1-44 segment of pepsinogen on conformational stability.

Abstract Conformational changes induced in pepsin and pepsinogen by iodination of tyrosine residues and the possible role of lysine residues on conformational stability of pepsinogen are investigated by circular dichroism (CD) studies in solution. At low degrees of iodination (6 I/molecule) the pepsin molecule denatured, with complete loss of β-structure at pH 5.5. Pepsinogen showed greater resistance to conformational change on iodination (10 I/molecule) and about 30% of its ordered structure is retained. In the aromatic region, the tyrosyl CD bands of iodinated pepsin decreased in intensity, indicating a change in the environment of tyrosine residues. A comparison with the CD spectra of expanded structures of pepsin in 6 m guanidine hydrochloride or alkaline solutions (pH 9.75) indicated retention of a significant amount of tertiary structure in iodinated pepsin. Changes in tertiary structures were marginal on iodination of pepsinogen. Less than 1% (residue moles) of poly- l -lysine, a known inhibitor, was found to destabilize the secondary and tertiary structure of pepsin at pH 6.75, although the lysine-rich 1–44 segment of pepsinogen tends to stabilize the conformation of the pepsin chain. This seems to suggest that the inhibitory effects of polylysine on pepsin occur by a mechanism different from that of the activity-limiting effect of the lysine-rich 1–44 segment of pepsinogen.
Use of AMP specific antibodies to differentiate between adenylylated and unadenylylated E. coli glutamine synthetase.

Abstract Anti-AMP specific antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography of serum from sheep immunized with adenylylated bovine serum albumin. Results of immunotitration experiments and light scattering measurements show that these antibodies can be used to separate adenylylated from unadenylylated forms of E. coli glutamine and to detect variations in protein configurations elicited by partial adenylylation of the enzyme or by allosteric interactions with divalent cations. These results suggest that the reaction of anti-AMP antibodies with variously adenylylated forms of glutamine synthetase can be used to investigate the dependence of immunoprecipitability on the density, absolute numbers, and possibly, the spatial distribution of multiple identical antigenic sites on a given macromolecule.
Differential scanning calorimetry at charge-density-wave transitions

Abstract We examined the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to measure the specific heat anomalies at second-order charge-density-wave transitions in blue bronze (K0.3MoO3), NbSe3 and TaS3. Samples of different morphologies were investigated to examine possible effects of different thermal time constants; results were generally independent of morphology. For blue bronze, an anomaly Δcp = 0.16R was found at its 180 K transition; for NbSe3, Δcp = 0.06R at 142 K, and for TaS3, Δcp ⪆0.2% ) in synthetic metals.
Malting oats: effects on chemical composition of hull-less and hulled genotypes

ABSTRACT Samples of hull-less oat genotypes from the Cooperative Naked Oat Test grown in Ottawa, ON, and Aberdeen, ID, were analyzed for their potential as a food malt. Malted oats had a lower concentration of petroleum ether-extractable lipid, but a much higher percentage of the lipid was in the form of free fatty acids. About 5% less starch and slightly more N was found in malted oats than in unmalted. Malted oats contained ≈8% soluble carbohydrate. During the germination phase of malting, nearly all the β-glucan was degraded. α-Amylase activity of malted oats approached that of malting barleys, but diastatic power was much lower. Groats of hulled cultivars grown at Madison, WI, were malted and analyzed with similar results. Because the increased levels of free fatty acids in the malted grains may lead to the development of rancid flavors, a method to curtail their increase or selections of genotypes with a minimum increase during malting may be necessary to produce a useful malted food product.
SIMPEL: a superimposed multimedia presentation editor and player

In a variety of applications such as learning, we need to integrate multimedia information into convenient packages (like presentations). The challenges involved in this process are: Selecting or working with information elements at sub-document level while retaining the original context; describing the integration or packaging of such elements; and making use of minimal storage during this activity.Current multimedia authoring software, like RealProducer (http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/), tend to repeatedly copy information, or to limit granularity of information referenced. Although editors for the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/), such as GRiNS (http://www.oratrix.com/Products/G2E), address some of the aforementioned challenges, they are difficult to use and require considerable training effort before a user can work with them.We developed the Superimposed Multimedia Presentation Editor and Player (SIMPEL), a tool to address these challenges. SIMPEL allows a user to reference information of many types, at varying granularity, without replicating the referenced information. It also allows the user to compose synchronized multimedia presentations. For example, for a specific topic a user can select an audio clip, some images, and some text. He can then "play" (render in specific panes of a window) this information-set in some order. Figure 1 shows a snapshot of a SIMPEL presentation. Pane A contains an audio clip. Panes B, C, and D show selected information within web pages.SIMPEL is in a genre of applications called superimposed applications (SAs), which allow users to superimpose new interpretations over existing or base information [1]. SAs employ "marks", references to selected regions within base information. SIMPEL uses the Superimposed Pluggable Architecture for Contexts and Excerpts (SPARCE), middleware that provides mark management and other services for SAs [2]. SIMPEL has been implemented for Windows in Visual Basic.NET and uses XML for storing presentation data.Future work on SIMPEL will include support for pre-fetching media files (for better performance) and packaging and sharing of SIMPEL presentations. We also plan to index marks and make them searchable, thus facilitating further reuse. A more detailed report on SIMPEL is available at http://pubs.dlib.vt.edu:9090/48/.
Best Paper Award 2008

JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENG for his paper, “The Manhattan Bridge: Clash of Titans,” found in volume 134, number 3, published in July 2008. Also, the paper by John T. Jeffrey and Cindy L. Menches, “Emergency Contracting Strategies for Federal Projects,” published in the Legal Affairs section of volume 134, number 4, published in October 2008, received several votes. I encourage you to dig out your back issues and reread these fine papers. The quality of our journal depends on the quality of author submissions, and manuscripts of this caliber provide a valuable service to the profession.
Influence of child and classroom characteristics on acceptability of interventions

Abstract The present study investigated the influence of child and classroom characteristics on teachers' ratings of intervention acceptability in two experiments. In each experiment, 163 teachers rated the acceptability of intervention procedures applied to a specifically defined behavior problem. The results indicated that intelligence and popularity of the child described in the vignette as well as duration of the problem significantly influenced ratings of acceptability. In contrast, teachers' ratings of intervention acceptability did not differ by type and size of the classroom described in the vignette or composition of the student population. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for school-based behavioral consultation.
On the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture

Let F be a finite extension of the rational field Q. If E is an elliptic curve defined over F, then the Mordell-Weil group E(F) of points on E with coordinates in F is a finitely generated abelian group. Let L(E/F, s) be the HasseWeil zeta function of E over F which, at least in the case where E has complex multiplication, is known to be an analytic function on the entire complex plane. Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer have conjectured that L(E/F,s) has a zero at s = l of order precisely equal to the rank of E(F) over Z. The strongest result known in support of this conjecture is the following theorem of Coates and Wiles [4].
A general-purpose microcomputer configuration for controlling experiments

The circuitry required for connecting a KIM-1 microcomputer to devices in the experimental environment is shown together with an example of programming the microcomputer to control such devices. The experimental example involves sensory preconditioning of the nictitating membrane of the rabbit.
Low-Altitude Exploration of the Venus Atmosphere by Balloon

The planet Venus represents an exciting target for future exploration by spacecraft. One target of scientific interest is the lower atmosphere, which represents an environment of high temperature and moderate to high atmospheric pressure. This represents a considerable challenge to the technical art of ballooning, but one which may be amenable to solution. Several possible designs for low-altitude balloons are discussed. Conceptual design for three mission examples are analyzed: a conventional balloon operating below the cloud level at an altitude of 25 kilometers, a large rigid-envelope balloon operating near the surface at an altitude of 5 kilometers, and a small, technology demonstrator rigid-envelope balloon operating at 5 kilometers.
Brucella regulators: self-control in a hostile environment

Brucella is an important zoonotic pathogen for which no human vaccine exists. In an infected host, Brucella resides in macrophages but must coordinate expression of multiple virulence factors for successful cell entry and trafficking to acquire this replicative niche. Brucella responds to environmental signals to regulate virulence strategies that circumvent or blunt the host immune response. The Brucella quorum sensing system is a nexus of control for several Brucella virulence factors including flagellar genes and the type IV secretion system. Other sensory transduction systems, such as BvrRS and the newly described LOV-HK, sense environmental factors to control virulence. Here, we examine the contributions of various regulatory systems to Brucella virulence.
Localization of human thyroxine absorption.

The distribution of intestinal absorption of 131I-labeled thyroxine (T4*) was studied in 4 normal subjects after oral and i.v. T4*, given in separate experimental sessions. In addition to collectio...
Local administration of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor INO-1001 prevents NAD+ depletion and improves water maze performance after traumatic brain injury in mice.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is an enzyme best known for its role in DNA repair and as a mediator of NAD+ depletion and energy failure-induced cell death. We tested the effect of the potent and selective ideno-isoquinolone PARP-1 inhibitor INO-1001 after controlled cortical impact (CCI) in mice. Anesthetized adult male mice were subjected to moderate CCI (velocity 6 m/sec, depth 1.2 mm) or sham-injury. Immediately after CCI or sham-injury mice received either INO-1001 (1.6 mg/kg) or vehicle via intracerebral injection (5 μl over 5 min) in a randomized fashion. At 2 h, contused brain tissue was dissected and NAD+ levels were measured. Separate mice underwent neuropathological outcome tests that included spatial memory acquisition (Morris water maze days 14–20), and assessment of contusion volume and hippocampal cell death at day 21. Local treatment with INO-1001 preserved brain NAD+ levels 2 h after CCI (vehicle = 67 ± 7.6, INO-1001 = 95.8 ± 4.4 %uninjured hemisphere; n = 6/group, p = 0.03). In t...
Extrasolar planets: water on distant worlds.

Is the presence of water a feature common to all gas-giant planets? The first convincing detection of water vapour in the atmosphere of such a planet from outside our Solar System indicates that the answer is yes.