cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased basal ganglia volumes in velo-cardio-facial syndrome (deletion 22q11.2)

Abstract Background: This study evaluated differences in caudate volumes in subjects with velo-cardio-facial syndrome due to a 22q11.2 (22qDS) deletion. Because psychosis is observed in 30% of adult subjects with 22qDS, this neurogenetic disorder could represent a putative model for a genetically mediated subtype of schizophrenia. Methods: Caudate volumes were measured on high-resolution magnetic resonance images in 30 children and adolescents with 22qDS and 30 gender- and age-matched normal comparison subjects. Results: Caudate head volumes were increased in the 22qDS group independent of neuroleptic medications. Subjects with 22qDS also displayed an abnormal pattern of asymmetry in the anterior caudate, with left side greater than right. Conclusions: Alterations in the basal ganglia circuitry have been implicated in learning, cognitive, and behavioral problems in children and therefore could be involved in the expression of the neurobehavioral phenotype expressed by subjects with 22qDS. Abnormal caudate volume is a neurodevelopmental feature shared with schizophrenia, further establishing 22qDS as a potential neurodevelopmental model for this disorder.
The spall strength of condensed matter

Two conditions are proposed which place constraints on the processes of dynamic spall in condensed media, and determine inequalities which bound the spall strength, fragment size, and failure time. Spall is defined as rupture within a body due to stress states in excess of the tensile strength of the material. The first is a horizon condition which establishes a domain of communication, consistent with the time to failure, within which spall must be independent of the surrounding environment. The second is an energy condition which requires that the potential and kinetic energy associated with the tensile loading process exceed the fracture energy of the material. Equality in the relations established from these conditions corresponds to energy-limited spall and provides specific analytic expressions for the spall properties. Inequality implies flaw-limited spall and requires more detailed material property information before spall can be characterized. Energy-limited spall is determined by the material fracture toughness in brittle solids and the material flow stress in ductile solids. Calculated spall properties, assuming energy-limited spall, compare well with experimental spall data for various materials. Under certain conditions, a transition from brittle to ductile spall (definition in text) with increasing strain rate is predicted. Comparison is made with spall data on 6061-T6 aluminum for which a brittle-to-ductile transition is predicted to occur at a critical strain rate of approximately 4 × 105 s−1. Energy-limited spall in liquids within their range of Newtonian fluid behavior is governed by surface energy and viscosity. Spall is predicted to be dominated by surface energy at low strain rates and viscous dissipation at high rates. Examples of each appear to exist within the scant experimental spall data available for liquids.
Amniotic fluid prostaglandin E2 in preterm labor

These studies were designed to determine amniotic fluid concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE) in women with preterm labor. Amniotic fluid was retrieved by transabdominal amniocentesis from 68 women with preterm labor (less than 37 weeks). Patients were divided into three groups according to the response to tocolysis and the presence or absence of an intraamniotic infection. Amniotic fluid concentrations of PGE2 were significantly greater in women with preterm labor and intraamniotic infection than in women without infection. Patients unresponsive to tocolysis without intraamniotic infection had a significantly greater concentration of PGE2 in amniotic fluid than those responsive to tocolysis.
Recognition of neurologic diseases in geriatric inpatients

Objectives: - To determine the prevalence of neurologic disease and the diagnostic impact of neurologic consultation on a geriatric inpatient unit. Material and methods - Consecutively admitted patients were prospectively assessed by a neurologist and by medical house staff on a geriatrics unit over a 4-month period. Neurologic diagnoses were compared. Results -Fifty-eight men, aged 76.4±8.7 years old (mean±SD), had 1.4 ± 1.1 new or revised neurologic diagnoses made by the neurologist. The prevalence of neurologic disorder was: gait or balance disorder (90%); cognitive disorders (71%); neuromuscular disorder (59%); cerebrovascular disorder (38%); and extrapyramidal disorders (22%). New diagnoses were made by the neurologist among the cognitive (40%), neuromuscular (36%) and cerebrovascular disorders (19%). Conclusions - Neurologic disease is highly prevalent in geriatric inpatients. A neurologist's assessment resulted in altered diagnoses suggesting that neurologists should play a role in geriatric assessment and in education of health professionals caring for the elderly.
Management of shoulder hemiarthroplasty in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Study Design Case report. Background Rehabilitation after shoulder hemiarthroplasty for rotator cuff tear arthropathy (RCTA) represents a significant challenge to physical therapists. Limited goals have been defined for this patient population and include no pain or slight pain at rest, moderate pain with vigorous activity, shoulder external rotation active range of motion (AROM) greater than 20°, and shoulder abduction AROM greater than 90°. Case Description The patient was a 60-year-old female elementary school teacher with functional class III adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis, who came to physical therapy 2 weeks after undergoing a hemiarthroplasty for RCTA of the right shoulder. Physical therapy included 33 treatment sessions involving 4 to 11 exercises each session. All sessions were performed under the direct supervision of a physical therapist utilizing specially designed equipment. Physical therapy emphasized early active assisted elevation range of motion (ROM), graded progressive exercise, and f...
Living the Question of Responsibility

We know that sexual harassment is a serious problem in academia. However, in this brief commentary I want to work against my ontological desire for simple answers to complex questions (of individual or institutional ethics, norms, power, university structures and hierarchies, bureaucracy, etc. associated with sexual harassment). I am curious what could be gained by asking questions—different, difficult, ethical, political, and personal questions. What would happen if we focused on questions instead of answers? In the following I am living the question of responsibility, especially in the context of the Penn State tragedy.
Pressure Induced Structural Transitions in Nanometer Size Particles of PbS

The effects of particle sizes in the nanometer range on pressure-induced phase transitions of PbS have been investigated using energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction of synchrotron-wiggler radiation. Compared to bulk crystals, the onset of transition pressure showed an increase with decreasing particle size. The results also show a reduced b-axis lattice parameter for the high pressure orthorhombic phase, as compared to the bulk PbS.
Glucocorticoid receptor binding to rat liver nuclei occurs without nuclear transport

The binding of cell-free activated glucocorticoid receptor-steroid complexes from HTC cells to various preparations of HTC and rat liver nuclei has been examined under conditions that did or did not support the nuclear translocation of macromolecules via nuclear pores. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such study with functionally active isolated nuclei. Conventionally prepared HTC nuclei were found to be porous, as determined from their inability to exclude the fluorescent macromolecule phycoerythrin (PE) at 4 degrees C. Thus the nuclear binding of activated complexes to these nuclei can not involve nuclear translocation. Further studies, using established conditions with sealed nuclei prepared from rat liver, revealed that nuclear translocation of PE containing a covalently linked, authentic nuclear translocation sequence could be obtained at 22 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. However, under the same conditions, activated glucocorticoid complexes displayed equal levels of nuclear binding at both temperatures. We therefore conclude that the current translocation conditions with intact rat liver nuclei are not sufficient to reproduce the nuclear transport of glucocorticoid complexes observed in intact cells. The nuclear binding that was seen with intact rat liver nuclei was not affected by aurintricarboxylic acid, which selectively inhibits protein-nucleic acid interactions. The antibody AP-64, shown to be specific for amino acids 506-514 of the nuclear translocation sequence of the rat glucocorticoid receptor, inhibited the nuclear binding of activated complexes, apparently by blocking receptor access to the nuclear membrane. Collectively, these data argue that activated complex binding to nuclei capable of nuclear translocation involves only an association with nuclear membrane components such as nuclear pores. Thus this system, and these reagents, may be useful in future studies of activated complex binding to nuclear pores.
Influence of personal characteristics of the speaker on phonetic quality in perception of vowels.

Sr~mmary.-This study was designed to investigate the effect of speaker's voice quality on perceived phonetic quality in vowels using a percepmal scaling task. 16 subjects scaled sets of vowels produced by six different speakers (three women, three men). Analysis indicated no significant influence of speakers' quality on judgments of similarity of vowels. Results suggest that judgments of similarity were made on the basis of linguistically categor~zed images. Perception of vowels can be characterized as the identification of the phonetic quality of a vowel based on its acoustic characteristics-the most important acoustic parameters being the first two or three formants (Peterson, 1952, 1961; Ladefoged, 1975). Phonetic qualiry, however, cannot be determined in a straightforward manner from absolute frequency values of formants. For any particular speaker these absolute values depend upon length of the vocal tract as well as the shape of the articulators, although the over-all formant patterns of particular phonetic qualities will be similar from speaker to speaker (Joos, 1948). The speech wave thus not only contains information relevant to phonetic quality but includes information about the physical (voice) quality of each individual speaker. The latter is sometimes termed speaker's quality" and refers to the acoustic characteristics of a vowel which serve to differentiate individual speakers but are not necessarily related to any linguistic distinctions. This would include not only the absolute range of frequencies of formants for a given speaker but factors such as clarity, roughness, intensity, fundamental frequency, and speaking rate (C,arterette & Barnebey, 1975; Holmgren, 1963; Voiers, 1964). To what extent does the speaker's quality of a vowel affect its perceived phonetic quality, or to what degree are the two qualities extracted from the speech wave in an independent manner? Although these questions have' received relatively little attention, they are very important to the construction of models of vowel perception. Many perceptual models (Massaro, 1975) incorporate a "normalization" process wherein speakers' variations are separated
SSRI Antidepressant Medications: Adverse Effects and Tolerability

Side effects of antidepressants can be predicted by receptor selectivity and site of action. Although the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have better overall safety and tolerability than older antidepressants, broad-based experience with SSRIs has shown the frequency and type of side effects to be increased relative to clinical trial data. The author explores the reasons for the different profiles and discusses adverse effects, especially sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbance, the most troubling adverse events seen during long-term SSRI therapy. The informed management of these side effects by primary care practitioners supports successful treatment of depression.
Vaginal leiomyoma co-existing with broad ligament and multiple uterine leiomyomas.

A 48 year old African American woman presented with bladder pressure leading to the diagnosis of broad ligament and multiple uterine leiomyomas. She was also found to have a lateral vaginal wall mass which was confirmed to be a leiomyoma. Unlike uterine leiomyomas, vaginal leiomyomas are uncommon and are most often found in Caucasian women. Cases of such co-existing tumors are rare and their etiologic relationship is uncertain.
A2E selectively induces cox-2 in ARPE-19 and human neural cells.

Purpose: To investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, -2, and -3 RNA and protein in retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells and in human neural (HN) cells exposed to the stress-inducing cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α, the oxidizing peroxide H2O2, the combination of TNF-α + H2O2, and the lipofuscin fluorophore A2E. Methods: Three-week-old ARPE-19 and HN cells were incubated with IL-1β (10 ng/ml), TNF-α (10 ng/ml), H2O2 (0.6 μM), TNF-α + H2O2 (10 ng/ml and 0.6 μM), or A2E (10 μM) for 8 hr, after which total RNA and whole cellular proteins were isolated. Cyclooxygenase-1, -2, and -3 RNA and protein levels were quantified using Northern and Western immunoassay. Results: IL-1β-, H2O2-, TNF-α-, TNF-α + H2O2-, or A2E-stressed ARPE-19 or HN cells displayed no significant upregulation in COX-1 or COX-3 RNA message abundance; however, significant upregulation was observed in COX-2 RNA message and protein abundance. A2E treatment of HN cells resulted in modest increases in COX-3 protein, an effect that was...
Identification of in vitro metabolites of indinavir by “intelligent automated LC-MS/MS” (INTAMS) utilizing triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry

In an effort to improve the efficiency of the TSQ 7000 LC-MS/MS system for identification of drug metabolites in biological matrices in support of drug discovery programs, a combination of instrument control language procedures for the Finnigan MAT TSQ 7000 mass spectrometer, referred to as INTAMS, were composed. INTAMS was designed to conduct unattended, automatic liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and LC-MS/MS analyses of drugs and metabolites in commonly encountered in vitro biological matrices. A novel peak detection algorithm was developed to automatically detect and record the pseudomolecular ions and retention times of chromatographic components, even if not fully resolved. This algorithm was used in combination with an automated technique for predicting the molecular weights of metabolites based on incremental changes of the molecular weight of the parent drug resulting from well-known biotransformation processes. When applied to a sample of an incubation mixture of the HIV protease inhibitor Indinavir with a rat liver S9 preparation, the results obtained by the automatic metabolite detection procedures for LC-MS and LC-MS/MS analyses in real time were the same as those which were determined manually, by a knowledgeable operator.
Measuring the prompt atmospheric neutrino flux with down-going muons in neutrino telescopes

In the TeV energy region and above, the uncertainty in the level of prompt atmospheric neutrinos would limit the search for diffuse astrophysical neutrinos. We suggest that neutrino telescopes may provide an empirical determination of the flux of prompt atmospheric electron and muon neutrinos by measuring the flux of prompt down-going muons. Our suggestion is based on the consideration that prompt neutrino and prompt muon fluxes at sea level are almost identical.
Carrier Localization on Surfaces of Organic Semiconductors Gated with Electrolytes

Organic semiconductor single crystals gated with electrolytes exhibit a pronounced maximum in channel conductance at hole densities $g{10}^{13}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The cause is a strong decrease in the hole mobility with increasing charge density, which is explained in terms of a percolation model that incorporates trapping of holes by ions at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. In the case of rubrene crystals, the peak channel conductance occurs at hole densities near $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{13}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The magnitude of the effect will be large for semiconductors with low dielectric constants and narrow bandwidths, and thus is likely to be a general phenomenon in organic semiconductors gated with electrolytes.
Lipoic acid decreases exhaled nitric oxide concentrations in anesthetized endotoxemic rats

We recently demonstrated that lipoic acid suppresses endotoxin-stimulated expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide production in mouse macrophages. In this study, we tested whether lipoic acid suppresses these inflammatory mediators in the lungs of rats. Rats were assigned to receive either no special treatment, endotoxin alone, or pretreatment with lipoic acid followed by endotoxin. After anesthetizing the rats and injecting them intraperitoneally with lipoic acid (100 mg/kg) at 4 h and again at 1 h before treatment, the rats then received either endotoxin (0.01 mg/kg) or its vehicle solution. Exhaled gas was sampled every 15 min and concentrations of nitric oxide in the samples were measured using a chemiluminescence analyzer. After 150 min of exposure to endotoxin, the lungs were harvested and snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen for subsequent analysis. Lipoic acid attenuated endotoxin-induced increases in exhaled nitric oxide concentrations (P<0.001) and iNOS (P<0.05). These findings support the hypothesis that lipoic acid inhibits endotoxin-stimulated formation of intrapulmonary nitric oxide.
Antidepressant Treatment of Caregivers of Children With Asthma

Background Depression is common in caregivers of children with asthma and is associated with increased emergency service utilization for the child’s asthma. Objective This pilot study examined the impact of antidepressant treatment of depressed caregivers on the caregiver’s depression and the child’s asthma. Method Eight depressed caregivers of children with asthma were given up to 6 months of algorithm-based antidepressant therapy. Results Caregiver depressive symptoms and the child’s asthma symptoms improved significantly. Conclusion Unscheduled clinic visits showed a trend toward significant decrease. Larger trials are needed to confirm these findings and identify mechanisms linking improvement in caregiver depression with improvement in their child’s asthma.
Pyrolysis of Tetraethoxysilane on Mo(100) at Low Temperatures

Deposition of ultrathin silicon dioxide films on Mo(100) substrates by pyrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) vapor has been investigated at temperatures between 300 and 860 K with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and infrared reflection−absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). Up to temperatures of ∼600 K, TEOS adsorbs on the Mo surface forming an ethoxysilyl intermediate, whereas at higher temperatures SiO2 is formed during the initial exposure, as evidenced by both XPS and IRRAS data. Deposition of silicon dioxide is reaction-limited in the temperature range studied with roughly a monolayer forming on the surface at 860 K. Heating the TEOS-exposed Mo(100) surfaces to ∼1000 K yields ethylene as the predominant gas-phase decomposition product and improves both the stoichiometry and order of the films as indicated by an increase in the stretching frequency of the Si−O IRRAS peaks. A decrease in the amount of desorbed ethylene i...
‘Unhallowed Wedlocks’: the Regulation of Marriage during the English Revolution

Most seventeenth-century English historians and analysts of periods of revolutionary activity, have viewed events in England between 1640 and 1660 as, at most, a failed political revolution which, while it may have temporarily transformed the political institutions of the English state, had little lasting impact on the everyday lives of its inhabitants. Repeated emphasis of this fact, however, has tended to obscure another important aspect of these years – the concerted efforts of successive puritan governments during the 1640s and 1650s to make substantial alterations in the accepted cultural norms of seventeenth-century English society. More recently this latter point has been highlighted in the work of historians like John Morrill, who has investigated the attempt to impose an alien presbyterian religious system on the country, and David Underdown, who has described puritan efforts to regularize and restrict the more unruly elements of rural popular culture. They have shown that, although such reformist initiatives were unpopular and often resisted, they nevertheless represented a determined thrust for cultural change, and in the short term were seen by many as a real intrusion and a serious threat to traditional practice.
Reversible Inactivation of Rat Premotor Cortex Impairs Temporal Preparation, but not Inhibitory Control, During Simple Reaction-Time Performance

Previous studies by our lab and others have established a role for medial areas of the prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the top-down control of action during simple reaction-time (RT) tasks. However, the neural circuits that allow mPFC to influence activity in the motor system have remained unclear. In the present study, we used a combination of tract-tracing and reversible inactivation methods to examine the role of a motor-related area in the rat frontal cortex, called the rostral forelimb area (RFA), in the top-down control of action. Neural tracing studies involved used electrical microstimulation to identify RFA and injections of biotinylated dextran amines to map out connections of RFA with other parts of the frontal cortex. Connections were found between RFA and mPFC, the agranular insular cortex, and the primary motor cortex. Reversible inactivations using muscimol infusions into RFA increased response times and eliminated delay-dependent speeding, but did not increase premature responding. These results are markedly different from what is obtained when muscimol is infused into mPFC, which leads to excessive premature responding and a reduction of RTs to stimuli at short delays (Narayanan et al., 2006). We also tested animals during the RT task after inactivating the agranular insular cortex, which contains neurons that projects to and receives from RFA and mPFC, and found no effects on RT performance. Together, these studies suggest that RFA is a premotor region in the rat frontal cortex that competes with mPFC to control action selection. We suggest that RFA controls the threshold that is used to initiate responding and generates prepotent excitation over responding that is crucial for temporal preparation.
Strongly irreducible ideals of a commutative ring

Abstract An ideal I of a ring R is said to be strongly irreducible if for ideals J and K of R, the inclusion J∩K⊆I implies that either J⊆I or K⊆I. The relationship among the families of irreducible ideals, strongly irreducible ideals, and prime ideals of a commutative ring R is considered, and a characterization is given of the Noetherian rings which contain a non-prime strongly irreducible ideal.
Integrated land history and global change science: The example of the Southern Yucatán Peninsular Region project

Abstract Land histories originate in multiple disciplines. The corpus of this research, however, does not link well to the science of global environmental change, despite explicit recognition by that science to incorporate land history. History and global change science would both benefit by such linkages, which necessitates the development of “integrated land history.” This interdisciplinary research subject is identified here, illustrated through the Southern Yucatan Peninsular Region project. This project addresses tropical deforestation and agricultural change in a frontier “hot spot” of biotic diversity. It seeks to inform environmental and global change science, including its human and modeling dimensions. Emphasis is placed on the mutual benefits for both land history and global change studies created by the integration in question.
Effects of dietary composition on serum calcium and serum alkaline phosphatase activity in the growing rat.

Abstract One hundred forty-four growing male rats were used to study the effect of calcium (0.19, 0.48, and 0.78%), lactose (0 and 12%), EDTA-acid (0 and 0.2%), and buffering capacity of the diet (BC, 0.46, 0.54, and 0.76 ml of n HCl required to reduce pH of 5 g of the diet suspended in 45 ml distilled deionized water by 1 pH unit) on serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase (SAP). The arrangement of treatments was a complete factorial (3 × 2 × 2 × 3), which allowed all possible combinations of the dietary variables in 36 diets, with four replicates for each. Serum calcium increased with increased dietary calcium and 12% lactose. Serum alkaline phosphatase increased with increased calcium intake, dietary BC, and feeding EDTA-acid. Increased serum calcium was related to increased total calcium absorption, whereas increased SAP reflected the decreased feed intake and decreased efficiency of calcium absorption.
Ultrasound in sports medicine

Musculoskeletal sonography has been shown to be effective for many applications related to sports medicine. Some advantages of sonography over MR imaging include portability, accessibility, high resolution, and relative lower cost. More importantly, dynamic imaging under sonography visualization allows diagnoses that cannot be made with routine MR imaging. Additionally, direct imaging correlation with patient symptoms provides important information to the referring clinicians. The disadvantages of sonography include operator dependence and long learning curve. This can be minimized, however, with proper training and standardized technique. Musculoskeletal sonography has proved itself as one of several imaging methods invaluable to the diagnosis of sport medicine-related abnormalities.
Comparative study of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, reared on mutant and wild-type Xenorhabdus nematophila

Abstract The symbiotic interaction between Steinernema carpocapsae and Xenorhabdus nematophila was investigated by comparing the reproduction, morphology, longevity, behavior, and efficacy of the infective juvenile (IJ) from nematodes reared on mutant or wild-type bacterium. Nematodes reared on the mutant X. nematophila HGB151, in which an insertion of the bacterial gene, rpoS, eliminates the retention of the bacterium in the intestinal vesicle of the nematode, produced IJs without their symbiotic bacterium. Nematodes reared on the wild-type bacterium (HGB007) produced IJs with their symbiotic bacterium. One or the other bacterial strain injected into Galleria mellonella larvae followed by exposing the larvae to IJs that were initially symbiotic bacterium free produced progeny IJs with or without their Xenorhabdus-symbiotic bacterium. The two bacterial strains were not significantly different in their effect on IJ production, sex ratio, or IJ morphology. IJ longevity in storage was not influenced by the presence or absence of the bacterial symbiont at 5 and 15 °C, but IJs without their bacterium had greater longevity than IJs with their bacterium at 25 and 30 °C, suggesting that there was a negative cost to the nematode for maintaining the bacterial symbiont at these temperatures. IJs with or without their symbiotic bacterium were equally infectious to Spodoptera exigua larvae in laboratory and greenhouse and across a range of soil moistures, but the absence of the bacterial symbiont inhibited nematodes from producing IJ progeny within the host cadavers. In some situations, such as where no establishment of an alien entomopathogenic nematode is desired in the environment, the use of S. carpocapsae IJs without their symbiotic bacterium may be used to control some soil insect pests.
IMPACT OF SCATTERING ON AXIAL VIEWING ABSORPTION MEASUREMENTS WITHIN AN INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA

The detection of atomic species generated within an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) by atomic absorption (AA) has been described with the use of axial viewing of the discharge. Briefly, those studies involved a
Vortex Preconditioning due to Planetary and Gravity Waves prior to Sudden Stratospheric Warmings

AbstractReanalysis data are used to evaluate the evolution of polar vortex geometry, planetary wave drag, and gravity wave drag prior to split versus displacement sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs). A composite analysis that extends upward to the lower mesosphere reveals that split SSWs are characterized by a transition from a wide, funnel-shaped vortex that is anomalously strong to a vortex that is constrained about the pole and has little vertical tilt. In contrast, displacement SSWs are characterized by a wide, funnel-shaped vortex that is anomalously weak throughout the prewarming period. Moreover, during split SSWs, gravity wave drag is enhanced in the polar night jet, while planetary wave drag is enhanced within the extratropical surf zone. During displacement SSWs, gravity wave drag is anomalously weak throughout the extratropical stratosphere.Using the composite analysis as a guide, a case study of the 2009 SSW is conducted in order to evaluate the roles of planetary and gravity waves for precon...
Transformation of Birnessite to Buserite, Todorokite, and Manganite under Mild Hydrothermal Treatment

Investigations were conducted to determine the hydrothermal transformations of synthetic birnessite exchanged with different metal ions. Autoclaving in a Teflon-lined stainless steel pressure vessel at 155°C for 24 hr of Mg-, Ca-, La-, and Co-saturated birnessite yielded manganese minerals having 10-A X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) spacings. The autoclaved Mg-birnessite yielded a mineral identical to natural todorokite in its infrared (IR) spectrum and XRD patterns. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) provided images having 10-, 12.5-, 15-, and 20-A wide fringes indicating heterogeneous channel widths in the crystallographic a direction, and IR spectroscopy produced bands at 757, 635, 552, 515, 460, and 435 cm’1, confirming the product obtained by autoclaving Mg-birnessite to be todorokite. Prolonged autoclaving of Mg-birnessite yielded manganite (λ-MnOOH) as a by-product; manganite did not form when the autoclaving time was shortened to 8 hr. Also, when Ca-saturated samples were autoclaved, the product gave d-values of 10 A, but the XRD lines were broad and heterogeneity of the channel sizes was evident from HRTEM observations. The Ca-derivative had an IR spectrum similar to that of natural todorokite. Images showing 10-A lattice fringes were observed by HRTEM for the Ni-saturated sample, which also produced an XRD pattern similar to that of the Mg-saturated sample. Co- and Lasaturated samples did not form todorokite, although HRTEM of La-saturated samples indicated some 10-A lattice fringes that were unstable in the electron beam. Birnessite saturated with Na, K, NH4, Cs, Ba, or Mn(II) gave products having 7-A spacings upon autoclaving.
A partial assessment of South Carolina's Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy: Evidence from a sample of supervised offenders

Since 2001, the federal Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative has instituted a comprehensive effort to reduce gun crimes in local communities across the United States. In South Carolina, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina established Project CeaseFire, a localized response to reduce the prevalence of gun crime through targeted prosecution and increased public education. One element of Project CeaseFire was carried out by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services. The current study utilized a quasi-experimental design to compare firearm-related incidents among a random sample of offenders under community supervision prior to and after the implementation of the SCDPPPS CeaseFire program. Although incidents involving a firearm were rare, the current results did not indicate a reduction in firearm-related incidents among offenders entering supervision after the SCDPPPS CeaseFire program was implemented. Instead, an increase in firearm incidents was observed after CeaseFire implementation. Possible explanations for the observed results are offered along with limitations to the study and policy implications. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis of Three Rating Formats.

A multitrait-multimethod analysis was performed on instructors' ratings obtained from three formats, behaviorally anchored rating scales, graphic rating scale, and mixed standard scale, for two samples of 100 undergraduate students each. The two samples were distinguished on the basis of whether the statements on the mixed-standard scale were behaviorally specific or more generic descriptions of the dimensions. The more specific mixed-standard scale yielded a greater proportion of inconsistent ratings than the less specific one. Also, convergent and discriminant validity were smaller and method variance and unexplained error were greater for the more specific mixed-standard scale. However, a more detailed examination of these effects in terms of selected average correlations indicated that some of these results were not necessarily due to the format. Relative levels of convergent validity were higher and relative levels of discriminant validity were lower than found by Dickinson and Zellinger in 1980 for ...
Modelling and computationally efficient time domain linear equalisation of nonlinear bandlimited QPSK satellite channels

The problem of modeling and equalization of a nonlinear satellite channel is considered. The channel is assumed to be bandlimited and exhibits both amplitude and phase nonlinearities. In traditional models, computations are usually performed in the frequency domain and solutions are based on complex numerical techniques. A discrete time model is used to represent the satellite link with both uplink and downlink white Gaussian noise. Under conditions of practical interest, a simple and computationally efficient time-domain design technique for the minimum mean square error linear equalizer is presented. The efficiency of this technique is enhanced by the use of a fast and simple iterative algorithm for the computation of the autocorrelation coefficients of the output of the nonlinear channel. Numerical results on the evaluations of bit error probability and other relevant parameters needed in the design and analysis of a nonlinear bandlimited QPSK system demonstrate the simplicity and computational efficiency of the proposed approach.
Historical landscapes: An international preservation perspective

Abstract Tishler, W.H., 1982. Historical landscapes: an international preservation perspective. Landscape Plann. , 9: 91–103. Wheras traditionally, historical preservation efforts have generally dealt with the landscape as an adjunct to significant buildings, we have come to realize that the historic landscape involves much more than mere architectural embellishment. In addition to buildings, the historic landscape embraces a broad and complex assemblage of interrelated natural and cultural features that establish the essential fabric for many historic sites, districts, neighborhoods, communities, and even entire regions. This paper examines the background and philosophy of historic/cultural landscapes as set forth by the work of cultural geographers and other disciplines. It then traces the evolving role of the landscape in American historic preservation activities from early beginnings in the nineteenth century through the more recent influence of the environmental movement. These observations are based upon present activities in the field, current literature, expanding perceptions of the profession of landscape architecture, and the evolving policies of public programs. International historic landscape preservation activities are then elaborated upon and special emphasis is given to the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the UNESCO World Heritage Program, and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). Finally, a broader IFLA role is suggested regarding world cultural resource conservation. The preservation of historic landscapes is a complex and multi-faceted problem because it is embroiled in issues relating to land use, urban sprawl , preservation of agricultural land, and natural resource conservation. Yet, in the words of the eminent British historian, W.H. Hoskins, “the (human)… landscape itself, to those who know how to read it aright, is the richest historical record we possess (1955, p. 14).” The essence of our heritage, preservationists have always argued, is displayed in buildings and structures. Now we must work to bring the landscape itself to this same level of recognition and acceptance.
Effect of age on sterols and steryl esters in pigeon skin and aorta

Abstract 1. 1. Changes with age in sterol and steryl ester content and composition of the skin and aorta of the Silver King pigeons has been examined. 2. 2. Total sterol concentration in the skin remained constant while in the aorta it increased with age. 3. 3. The steryl ester concentration of the aorta increased with age. Changes in skin were minimal. 4. 4. In the aorta, oleic and linoleic acids in the steryl esters increased and palmitic acid decreased with age. The skin showed no changes. 5. 5. Cholestaol has been found in the aorta and skin of pigeons.
Source parameters of the June 29, 1992 Little Skull Mountain Earthquake from complete regional waveforms at a single station

The June 29, 1992, m{sub b} = 5.5, Little Skull Mountain earthquake occurred 20 km southeast of Yucca Mountain within the boundaries of the Nevada Test Site. This event was recorded at a very broadband station located about 310 km to the east at Kanab, Utah. Both body and surface waves from this single station were used in a grid search technique for the best fitting double couple moment tensor. The technique minimizes the misfit between reflectivity generated complete synthetic seismograms and the three-component displacement data via a search over the strike, dip and rake of the source. In the passband of 50-15 s period, the grid search results in a well defined, nearly pure normal mechanism with a strike of 35{degrees}, a dip of 54{degrees}, a rake of {minus}87{degrees}, and a seismic moment of 4.1 x 10{sup 17} N-m. Applying the same technique to the large aftershock on July 5, 1992 the authors obtain a somewhat less well defined minimum with a strike of 358{degrees}, a dip of 36{degrees}, a rake of {minus}177{degrees}, and a moment of 4.3 x 10{sup 15} N-m. The minimum-compression axes of these mechanisms are consistent with northwest-southeast extension in the Basin and Range. 14more » refs., 7 figs.« less
Gas antisolvent fractionation of semicrystalline and amorphous poly(lactic acid) using compressed CO2

Abstract Semicrystalline and amorphous poly(lactic acid) ( l -PLA and d , l -PLA, respectively) were fractionated from chloroform solutions using compressed CO 2 as an antisolvent. The following process variables were used to precipitate normalized molecular weight fractions (NMW) of l -PLA ranging from 0.81 to 1.54 relative to the starting material: polymer concentration, initial organic solution volume, and the rate of antisolvent addition. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) used to quantify the importance of these variables determined that polymer concentration had the most significant impact on the NMW of l -PLA precipitated in this gas antisolvent (GAS) precipitation process. The results of the ANOVA also suggest a predictive approach to polymer fractionation in this complex system. The analysis also highlights the differences and similarities between the fractionation of semicrystalline and amorphous polymers using compressed antisolvents.
Importance of phytoplankton carbon to heterotrophic bacteria in the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers, USA

The flux of carbon and nutrients through aquatic systems is largely dependent upon interactions between autotrophic and heterotrophic processes. As a means of assessing the relative importance of autotrophy and heterotrophy in large rivers, we compared phytoplankton production, heterotrophic bacterial production and community respiration in three regulated rivers of the Midwestern USA. Samples were collected monthly (March to December 1999) from impoundments of the Ohio (McAlpine Pool), Cumberland (Lake Barkley), and Tennessee (Kentucky Lake) Rivers. Bacterial production was tightly coupled to phytoplankton production at each site (r 2 = 0.63–0.85). Ratios of phytoplankton production to bacterial production ranged from R) were observed only in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers during seasonal (April–July) spikes in primary production. We estimate that 3, 6, and 20% of annual bacterial carbon requirements were met by exudates from in situ phytoplankton in the Ohio River, Tennessee River, and Cumberland River, respectively. Our findings indicate that heterotrophic bacteria were largely dependant upon allochthonous carbon. Autochthonous sources provided supplemental organic matter (up to 40% of bacterial carbon demand) during summer low flow.
Swimming Upstream: Relying on Teachers' Summative Assessments.

The Black and Wiliam1998 paper, Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment,∗ was a landmark article. It crystallized hundred of studies to advance an argument that certain...
Neural Interfaces for Upper-Limb Prosthesis Control: Opportunities to Improve Long-Term Reliability

Building on a long history of innovation in neural-recording interfaces, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a program to address the key challenges related to transitioning advanced neuroprosthesis technology to clinical use for amputated service members. The goal of the Reliable Neural Technology (RE-NET) Program is to develop new technology to extract information from the nervous system at a scale and rate needed to reliably control modern robotic prostheses over the lifetime of the amputee. The RE-NET program currently encompasses three separate efforts: histology for interface stability over time (HIST), reliable peripheral interfaces (RPIs), and reliable central nervous system (CNS) interfaces (RCIs).
Clinical crown contours: contemporary view

A description of clinical crown contours, which represent characteristics critical for the success of dental restorations, is presented, including theories that have been developed, features of crown contours, and potential interrelationships with all of the components of the mouth. Crown contours represent a group of characteristics critical for the longevity and success of dental restorations. This article presents the theories that have been developed about crown contours, describes each feature in detail, and clarifies potential interrelationships with all components of the mouth. When identified early, crown contours can be incorporated in treatment planning and restorative procedures.
Rainfall input of toxaphene to a South Carolina estuary

Toxaphene concentrations in rainfall over a South Carolina salt marsh were monitored from 1976–1978. This insecticide is toxic to some organisms in the low μg/kg range and causes sublethal effects in the very low ng/kg range. Rainfall was sampled by both continuously exposed collectors and by collectors which were exposed only during actual precipitation. Toxaphene concentrations in individual rainstorms showed a high day-to-day variation, and in general were 10–100 times higher than PCB and DDT levels. Washout ratios for toxaphene were higher than those reported for other chlorinated hydrocarbons, but lower than those of trace metals. During and immediately following the summer use season, toxaphene levels in rain exceeded by several times those concentrations reported to produce bone damage to young fish in laboratory experiments. The estimated aerial input of toxaphene to the 26 km2 estuary was 1.2 kg over a 4-month period. Most of this input appeared to be due to rainfall rather than dry deposition. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY010 00007
Gender differences in visual discrimination by rats in response to malnutrition of varying durations

Visual discrimination of hooded rats was tested at 3 months of age by a Lashley procedure. Three groups of rats were used: those with histories of protein deprivation for up to 20 generations, those with protein deprivation for a single generation, and well-nourished controls. Growth retardation was present to a similar degree in both genders of the 2 malnourished groups. Deficits in visual discrimination were observed in female animals with intergenerational malnutrition, but not in females with single-generation malnutrition. Males with intergenerational and single-generation malnutrition showed equal deficits in visual discrimination. These findings demonstrate that the performance of female rats is impaired only after prolonged exposure to malnutrition, whereas males are vulnerable after shorter periods.
OPTICALLY ACTIVE BIS(BIQUANIDE)COBALT(III) COMPLEXES CONTAINING AMINO ACIDS

Abstract Biguanide-amino acid complexes of the type Co(am)(Hbg)3+ 2, where am is the anion of glycine, sarcosine, L-alanine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, or L-proline, have been prepared and resolved. The absorption, circular dichroism (CD) and proton magnetic resonance spectra (for the alanine and valine complexes) are reported. For some salts of some of the complexes of optically active amino acids, one pure optical isomer could be obtained by slow crystallization from from the reaction solution. One optical isomer of the complexes containing optically active amino acids is present in the reaction mixture to a slightly greater extent than the other. The effects of hydroxide ion and heating on equilibration was studied. Assignments of absolute configurations were made from the CD spectra.
Inducing normality from non-Gaussian long memory time series and its application to stock return data

Motivated by Lee and Ko (Appl. Stochastic Models. Bus. Ind. 2007; 23:493–502) but not limited to the study, this paper proposes a wavelet-based Bayesian power transformation procedure through the well-known Box–Cox transformation to induce normality from non-Gaussian long memory processes. We consider power transformations of non-Gaussian long memory time series under the assumption of an unknown transformation parameter, a situation that arises commonly in practice, while most research has been devoted to non-linear transformations of Gaussian long memory time series with known transformation parameter. Specially, this study is mainly focused on the simultaneous estimation of the transformation parameter and long memory parameter. To this end, posterior estimations via Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are performed in the wavelet domain. Performances are assessed on a simulation study and a German stock return data set. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.