cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching the Delightful Laws of Physics in a Survey Course

How physics can be made interesting is a question that needs no answer. That's because physics is interesting! It's a field of study jam-packed with fascination and wonder. The general public has an enormous thirst for physics knowledge, as indicated by the great numbers who purchase science magazines and books and watch NOVA and other science specials. A related question, how to make a physics course interesting, is something that we can answer. All we have to do is present physics at a proper pace in the language of the learner. My adage has always been that if the first course in physics is delightful, the rigor of a follow-up course will be welcomed.
Influence of Nutrition on the Morphology of a Strain of Bifidobacterium bifidum

Abstract A mucoid variant of Bifidobacterium bifidum was converted from its normal curved rod or bifid form to a highly branched form when grown in a chemically defined minimal medium. Branching could be prevented by the addition of a mixture of dl-alanine, dl-aspartic acid, l(+)-glutamic acid, and dl-serine, but not when any one of these four amino acids was omitted. Although sodium chloride induced pleomorphism, calcium ions were ineffective in suppressing the appearance of these pleomorphic forms. None of the cell wall precursors tested, viz., N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, α-e-diaminopimelic acid, and muramic acid, inhibited branching.
Managed Behavioral Health Care: A Medicaid Carve-Out For Youth

This DataWatch assesses the impact of a public sector-managed Medicaid mental health carve-out pilot for North Carolina youth. Access to, volume of, and costs of mental health/substance abuse services are reported. We compared a pilot managed care program, with an incentive to shift hospital use and costs to community-based services, with usual fee-for-service Medicaid. Aggregate data from Medicaid claims for youth (from birth to age seventeen) statewide are reported for five years. We found dramatic reductions in use of inpatient care, with a shift to intensive outpatient services, and less growth in mental health costs. These findings demonstrate that public sector-managed care can be viable and more efficient than a fee-for-service model.
Molecular-dynamics studies of grain-boundary diffusion. II. Vacancy migration, diffusion mechanism, and kinetics

Vacancy jumps in a bicrystal model of $\ensuremath{\Sigma}=5$ (36.9\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) [001] tilt boundary in bcc Fe have been simulated at temperatures of 1300, 1400, and 1500 K by molecular dynamics with the use of the empirical Johnson potential. The results confirm the dominance of a vacancy mechanism in grain-boundary diffusion. An activation energy of 0.51 eV for vacancy migration has been obtained along with a reasonable value of the jump-attempt frequency. Analysis of the jump directions shows a preferential bias along the tilt axis. The relation between diffusivity and atomic mean-square displacement is examined. It is suggested that the structure dependence of grain-boundary diffusion may be expressed through a matrix of transition probability for vacancy jumps among the various discrete sites.
Temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient of CH2O at the 3.508 μm HeXe laser line

Abstract The observed temperature and pressure dependence (for 700⩽T, °K⩽2100, 0.44⩽p, atm⩽2.7) of the spectral absorption coefficient of formaldehyde at the HeXe laser line at 3.508 μm may be accounted for by assuming that the principal contribution at elevated temperatures is made by an isolated, distant line in the ground vibrational state.
Thermal plasma in outer planet magnetospheres

The plasma environments of the outer planets are a study in contrasts. The magnetosphere of Jupiter is dominated by the prodigious plasma output of Io, with losses due to diffusion driven by mass loading. At Saturn, the small icy satellites are the major sources of plasma for the inner magnetosphere. The low mass loading rates there imply that the densities of the plasma tori are limited by dissociative recombination, rather than diffusive transport. At Uranus, the icy satellites are negligible plasma sources compared to the input from the extended neutral hydrogen cloud and the ionosphere. Convection driven by the solar wind penetrates deep into the inner magnetosphere because of the unique orientation of the rotation axis of Uranus. The expected magnetosphere of Neptune is similar to that of Saturn and Jupiter, with Triton, the ring arcs, and the planet as possible plasma sources. The Voyager 2 encounter with Neptune holds out the hope of a passage through a nonterrestrial auroral region, a unique event in planetary exploration.
On the CUSP: Stop BSI: evaluating the relationship between central line-associated bloodstream infection rate and patient safety climate profile.

Background Central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) remains one of the most common and deadly hospital acquired infections in the United States. Creating a culture of safety is an important part of healthcare–associated infection improvement efforts; however, few studies have robustly examined the role of safety climate in patient safety outcomes. We applied a pattern-based approach to measuring safety climate to investigate the relationship between intensive care unit (ICU) patient safety climate profiles and CLABSI rates. Methods Secondary analyses of data collected from 237 adult ICUs participating in the On the CUSP: Stop BSI project. Unit-level baseline scores on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety, a survey designed to assess patient safety climate, and CLABSI rates, were investigated. Three climate profile characteristics were examined: profile elevation, variability, and shape. Results Zero-inflated Poisson analyses suggested an association between the relative incidence of CLABSI and safety climate profile shape. K-means cluster analysis revealed 5 climate profile shapes. ICUs with conflicting climates and nonpunitive climates had a significantly higher CLABSI risk compared with ICUs with generative leadership climates. Conclusions Relative CLABSI risk was related to safety climate profile shape. None of the climate profile shapes was related to the odds of reporting zero CLABSI. Our findings support using pattern-based methods for examining safety climate rather than examining the relationships between each narrow dimension of safety climate and broader safety outcomes like CLABSI.
Zinc and cadmium in the Pacific hake Merluccius productus off the western U.S. coast

Concentrations of zinc and cadmium in muscle tissue or whole Pacific hake, Merluccius productus (Ayres), increase with increasing total wet weight, especially for smaller fish. These trends appear to be related to the euphausiid diet of hake. Except for the isolated population in Puget Sound, no relationship between zinc or cadmium concentration and collection site is apparent.
Glacier extent and sea level variation during the Late Weichselian on northwest Spitsbergen

The nature and timing of the last glaciation in the Svalbard- Barents Shelf region has been a major source of debate for the last century. Presently, the results of most glacial geologic investigations along the west coast of Spitsbergen suggest a diminutive Late Weichselian glaciation in that area - an argument that rests primarily on the occasional occurrences of ice Limit features and on the widespread distribution of well preserved pre-Late Weichselian raised marine terraces. Proponents of more extensive Late Weichselian ice cover rest their case on: 1) the magnitude of postglacial uplift in the area, which reaches 60 m on some headlands and more than 100 m near the center of the archipelago (Salvigsen unpublished), 2) on the possibility that pre-Late Weichselian beaches might survive coverage by cold-based ice and 3) on the further possibility that ice limit features may record former grounding lines within fjords instead of former ice margins. Because of this controversy, we present a large body of new uplift data that we believe is only compatible with restricted Late Weichselian glaciation of west Spitsbergen, and that is suggestive of larger ice loads to the east. This loading may have been confined to the eastern part of the archipelago, or related to a possible Barents Shelf Ice Sheet.
Questioning Our Questions: Do Frequently Asked Questions Adequately Cover the Aspects of Women's Lives Most Affected by Abnormal Uterine Bleeding? Opinions of Women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Participating in Focus Group Discussions

Objectives of this article are: (1) to explore the effects on women's lives by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding; and (2) to examine whether aspects of women's lives most affected by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding were adequately addressed by questions that are frequently used in clinical encounters and available questionnaires. We conducted four focus group sessions with a total of 25 English-speaking women who had reported abnormal uterine bleeding. Discussions included open-ended questions that pertained to bleeding, aspects of life affected by bleeding, and questions frequently used in clinical settings about bleeding and quality of life. We identified five themes that reflected how women's lives were affected by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding: irritation/inconvenience, bleeding-associated pain, self-consciousness about odor, social embarrassment, and ritual-like behavior. Although women responded that the frequently used questions about bleeding and quality of life were important, they felt that the questions failed to go into enough depth to adequately characterize their experiences. Based on the themes identified in our focus group sessions, clinicians and researchers may need to change the questions used to capture "patient experience" with abnormal uterine bleeding more accurately.
Preparation and characterization of soluble macronuclear chromatin from the hypotrich Euplotes eurystomus

Euplotes eurystomus is a hypotrichous ciliate containing a transcriptionally active macronucleus (MAC) and a transcriptionally inactive micronucleus. Soluble MAC chromatin contains a normal complement of inner histones, an H1-like protein which is very sensitive to proteolysis, and a considerable proportion of non-histone proteins. A combination of N-Tosyl lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and PMSF was found to be most effective in preventing proteolysis. Microccocal nuclease digestion yielded an average nucleosome repeat length of 187 +/- 25 bp for soluble chromatin; and 190 +/- 9 bp for isolated macronuclei. Thermal denaturation profiles of MAC chromatin in 0.25 mM EDTA display two main transitions at about 76 and 83 degrees C, resembling the melting of soluble chicken erythrocyte chromatin. Circular dichroic spectra of MAC chromatin were compared to soluble chicken erythrocyte chromatin under the same ionic strength conditions and were found to be very similar. 2D chromatin/DNA agarose gel electrophoresis resulted in a diagonal line of DNA staining, which establishes a strict correlation between DNA and chromatin electrophoretic mobility.
Cultural Vibrancy: Exploring the Preferences of African American Children Toward Culturally Relevant and Non-Culturally Relevant Lessons

Despite the laudable intent of various educational initiatives in raising the achievement level of all children, limited progress has been made. In an effort to diminish the achievement gap of students of color, some researchers have examined the cultural relevancy of the curriculum in promoting student achievement. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the preferences of African American children toward culturally relevant and non-culturally relevant lessons, through a six-week series of lessons in an American History classroom. Critical Race Theory and Racial Identity Development provided the theoretical underpinnings of this study. This study takes place in an ethnically diverse high school in Colorado. Culturally relevant lessons were rich in oral traditions, music, historical connections, and a structured culturally relevant field trip. Non-culturally relevant lessons were administered devoid of cultural referents, and utilized the existing curriculum guide. Study results revealed statistically significant findings for African American children’s preferences for culturally relevant lessons. These lessons were found relevant to their culture when administered by a culturally responsive and caring teacher. Recommendations are made for educators and administrators in promoting achievement through culturally relevant lessons and curriculum.
Effect of step width manipulation on tibial stress during running.

Narrow step width has been linked to variables associated with tibial stress fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of step width on bone stresses using a standardized model of the tibia. 15 runners ran at their preferred 5 k running velocity in three running conditions, preferred step width (PSW) and PSW75% of leg length. 10 successful trials of force and 3-D motion data were collected. A combination of inverse dynamics, musculoskeletal modeling and beam theory was used to estimate stresses applied to the tibia using subject-specific anthropometrics and motion data. The tibia was modeled as a hollow ellipse. Multivariate analysis revealed that tibial stresses at the distal 1/3 of the tibia differed with step width manipulation (p¼0.002). Compression on the posterior and medial aspect of the tibia was inversely related to step width such that as step width increased, compression on the surface of tibia decreased (linear trend p ¼0.036 and 0.003). Similarly, tension on the anterior surface of the tibia decreased as step width increased (linear trend p ¼0.029). Widening step width linearly reduced shear stress at all 4 sites (po0.001 for all). The data from this study suggests that stresses experienced by the tibia during running were influenced by step width when using a standardized model of the tibia. Wider step widths were generally associated with reduced loading of the tibia and may benefit runners at risk of or experiencing stress injury at the tibia, especially if they present with a crossover running style.
Ethical Actions: A Comparison of Individual and Group Recommendations

In order to examine the way ethical decisions are made, we asked ethicists, regulatory officials, and experienced researchers to review a set of scenarios that depict important ethical tensions in research. The method employed was “protocol analysis,” a talk-aloud technique pioneered by cognitive scientists. Each individual was asked to make recommendations for courses of action. Later, we held a focus group of university faculty and staff with either institutional review board experience or research ethics training. They too were asked to recommend actions. The results show there are areas where the two data collection approaches agree, as well as areas of considerable difference. Implications for training in the responsible conduct of research are discussed.
Cooperative manipulation on the water using a swarm of autonomous tugboats

In this paper we present a strategy that allows a swarm of autonomous tugboats to cooperatively move a large object on the water. The two main challenges are: (1) the actuators are unidirectional and experience saturation; (2) the hydrodynamics of the system are difficult to characterize. The primary theoretical contribution of the paper addresses the first challenge. We present a tracking controller and force allocation strategy that, despite actuator limitations, result in asymptotically convergent tracking for a certain class of reference trajectories. The primary practical contribution is the introduction of a set of adaptive control laws that address the second challenge by compensating for unknown, and difficult to measure, hydrodynamic parameters. Experimental verification of the controllers is presented using a 1:36 scale model of a U.S. Navy ship, inside the Naval Academy's unique 380 ft testing tank.
Millisecond pulsars, gravitational waves and the inflationary universe

Signals from millisecond pulsars, being exceptionally accurate clocks, are sensitive to a cosmic background of gravitational waves1–3. Present measurements imply that the the energy density in such waves in an octave bandwidth near 10−7 Hz must be ≲10−3 of the closure density2. Gravitational waves of these frequencies may be produced by a variety of sources of astrophysical or cosmological interest3,4. I investigate here the sensitivity of a millisecond pulsar timing signal to the background of gravitational waves expected from an inflationary phase of expansion during the early Universe5. The spectrum of such waves, which is flat, extends up to and beyond periods of the order of the present Hubble time. As such, their amplitude can be constrained by measurements of the present quadrupole anisotropy of the black-body background6–8. I demonstrate here that the bound on inflation derived from millisecond pulsar timing measurements2 is, at present, much weaker than this bound. However, the millisecond pulsar bound should, with new technology and the possible discovery of new pulsars, improve dramatically and it may eventually surpass the present quadrupole bound. It is in principle sensitive to the shape of the gravitational wave spectrum and can thus serve as a stronger test of inflationary predictions.9–11 A positive millisecond pulsar signal can also be used to measure photon reheating processes in the early Universe below temperatures of the order of 100 MeV.
The caudate signals bad reputation during trust decisions.

The ability to initiate and sustain trust is critical to health and well-being. Willingness to trust is in part determined by the reputation of the putative trustee, gained via direct interactions or indirectly through word of mouth. Few studies have examined how the reputation of others is instantiated in the brain during trust decisions. Here we use an eventrelated functional MRI (fMRI) design to examine what neural signals correspond to experimentally manipulated reputations acquired in direct interactions during trust decisions. We hypothesized that the caudate (dorsal striatum) and putamen (ventral striatum) and amygdala would signal differential reputations during decision-making. Twentynine healthy adults underwent fMRI scanning while completing an iterated Trust Game as trusters with three fictive trustee partners who had different tendencies to reciprocate (i.e., likelihood of rewarding the truster), which were learned over multiple exchanges with real-time feedback. We show that the caudate (both left and right) signals reputation during trust decisions, such that caudate is more active to partners with two types of “bad” reputations, either indifferent partners (who reciprocate 50% of the time) or unfair partners (who reciprocate 25% of the time), than to those with “good” reputations (who reciprocate 75% of the time). Further, individual differences in caudate activity related to biases in trusting behavior in the most uncertain situation, i.e. when facing an indifferent partner. We also report on other areas that were activated by reputation at p < 0.05 whole brain corrected. Our findings suggest that the caudate is involved in signaling and integrating reputations gained through experience into trust decisions, demonstrating a neural basis for this key social process.
Renal tubular dysgenesis, absent nipples, and multiple malformations in three brothers : A new, lethal syndrome

We report on three brothers with renal tubular dysgenesis and absent nipples, each also had other malformations including pre-auricular pits and a preauricular tag, branchial clefts, choanal atresia, pulmonary lobation anomaly, ventricular septal defect, type IIB interrupted aortic arch, absent gallbladder, absent thymus, parathyroid gland, accessory spleen, imperforate anus, clinodactyly, and broad digits and small nails. All three infants died neonatally. This pattern of clinical malformations appears to be a previously unreported syndrome.
Current controversies and challenges in robotic-assisted, laparoscopic, and open partial nephrectomies

Recent studies demonstrate that partial versus radical nephrectomy confers a survival advantage while lowering the risk of severe chronic kidney disease. Open partial nephrectomy remains the gold standard, but the use of minimally invasive approaches is expanding. Using a MEDLINE literature search, we reviewed all relevant literature between 2000 and 2014. Fifty-one articles were left for review after filtering for inclusion of trends, learning curve, perioperative outcomes, warm ischemia time, and costs. Partial nephrectomy use has increased over the past decade accounting for 24.7 % of all surgeries performed for the treatment of organ-confined renal masses in 2008. The introduction of robotic technology has continued to alter the landscape accounting for 47 % of all partial nephrectomies at academic US centers in 2011, though a center bias and publication bias likely exist. A slower adoption rate has been seen at non-academic centers and those in low-income areas. The learning curve for robotic-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy has been shorter than for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, explaining, in part, why the rate of partial nephrectomy remained relatively stagnant before the robotic-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy, despite an increase in the detection of small renal masses. Operative and warm ischemia time remain shortest for open partial nephrectomy, though it is associated with the highest blood loss and longest hospital stay. Finally, open partial nephrectomy remains the least costly modality. Each approach to partial nephrectomy has its advantages and disadvantages, and continued effort must be applied to comparative effectiveness research for nephron-sparing treatments for renal cell carcinoma.
How quickly do cloud droplets form on atmospheric particles

Abstract. The influence of aerosols on cloud properties is an important modulator of the climate system. Traditional Kohler theory predicts the equilibrium concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN); however, it is not known to what extent particles exist in the atmosphere that may be prevented from acting as CCN by kinetic limitations. We measured the rate of cloud droplet formation on atmospheric particles sampled at four sites across the United States during the summer of 2006: Great Smoky Mountain National Park, TN; Bondville, IL; Houston, TX; and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Southern Great Plains site near Lamont, OK. We express droplet growth rates with the mass accommodation coefficient (α), and report values of α measured in the field normalized to the mean α measured for lab-generated ammonium sulfate (AS) particles (i.e., α'=α/αAS). Overall, 59% of ambient CCN grew at a rate similar to AS. We report the fraction of CCN that were "low-α' " (α' 82% during at least one ~30 min period). Day to day variability was greatest in Tennessee and Illinois, and low-α' particles were most prevalent on days when back trajectories suggested that air was arriving from aloft. The highest fractions of low-α' CCN in Houston and Illinois occurred around local noon, and decreased later in the day. These results suggest that for some air masses, accurate quantification of CCN concentrations may need to account for kinetic limitations.
Creating Local Brands in Multilingual International Markets

Abstract Despite the importance of decisions regarding international brand names, research on brand naming has focused primarily on English name creation. The authors conceptualize the local brand-name creation process in a multilingual international market. The authors present a framework that incorporates (1) a linguistic analysis of three translation methods—phonetic (i.e., by sound), semantic (i.e., by meaning), and phonosemantic (i.e., by sound plus meaning)—and (2) a cognitive analysis focusing on the impact of primes and expectations on consumer name evaluations. Using dual English-and-Chinese brand names, the authors show that the effectiveness of the translation depends on the emphasis of the original English name (versus the Chinese name) and the method of translation used previously for brand names within the same category.
Nitrate-nitrogen leaching from three specialty crops of New Mexico under furrow irrigation system

Abstract Nitrate leaching is a common problem in frequently fertilized agricultural crops in Southern New Mexico. The objectives of this study were to estimate the leaching depths, irrigation and plant uptake efficiencies for onion (Allium cepa L.), chile (Capsicum annuum), and cotton (Gossypium spp.) crops. The study aims to determine how existing best management practices for these three specialty crops could be improved. Soil samples collected monthly for two growing seasons starting April 2007 to June 2010 were analyzed for NO3-N and chloride concentrations. The NO3-N loadings below the rooting zone varied from 22 to 92 kg ha−1 during growing season 1 and 18–90 kg ha−1 during growing season 2 in all the three experimental fields. The leaching fractions (LFs) varied from 0.09 to 0.21 during growing season 1 and 0.08–0.22 during growing season 2 in the experimental fields. The irrigation efficiencies (IE = 1 − LF) ranged from 79 to 91% during growing season 1 and from 78 to 92% during growing season 2 in all the three fields. Nitrogen application efficiencies (NAEs) varied from 39 to 75% during growing season 1 and 40–76% during growing season 2 in all the experimental fields. Under the prevalent management conditions, cotton field showed higher irrigation efficiency as well as the NAE as compared to onion and chile fields. Based on the soil N content at the end of growing seasons, the results indicate that reducing fertilizer applications until bulb formation in onions and flower initiation in chile can decrease the amount of fertilizer applications to as much as half, thus can help in reducing the NO3-N leaching and improving nitrogen and water efficiencies.
Preparation of the Speech-LanguagePathologist Specializing in Voice

This study investigates the academic and clinical preparation a speech-language pathologist receives in the area of voice. The purpose is to determine how to structure continuing education and specialty training in vocology, defined as the science and practice of voice habilitation. Surveys were sent to the graduate programs in speech-language pathology accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in 1994, and again in 1999. Results from the 1994 survey indicated that students received limited information and clinical experience in handling typical voice cases. Although most programs required a voice disorders course, fewer mandated coursework in normal voice production or clinical experience with voice patients. The follow-up survey showed that the educational environment in 1999 is similar to that in 1994. It is evident that the programs are in compliance with the Educational Training Board model developed by ASHA for basic clinical competence, but no structure for specialty training has yet emerged.
High-field cross polarization NMR from laser-polarized xenon to surface nuclei

A method for NMR investigations of surface nuclei using cross polarization from optically polarized xenon (OPCP) is described. We find this methodology results in enhancement factors of approximately 103 upon application to surface protons. The dynamics of129Xe transfer to protons is examined in some detail, including the time, temperature, and multiple contact dependences of signal intensities. Furthermore, we discuss the sensitivity of the transfer process to spatial diffusion. Finally, we report on application of the OPCP experiment to a low total surface area sample.
The Anatomy of a Preschool Learning Aid Utilizing a Four Bit Micro-Computer in a Synthetic Speech Environment

Numerous electronic learning aids have been introduced for school age children. This article provides an indepth analysis into the details leading into such a pre-school learning aid and presents the engineering considerations used in it's design. Each portion of the system will be addressed with primary focus on the micro-computer algorithm.
Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 activity and endotoxin concentration in peritoneal fluid and blood of horses with acute abdominal disease

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activities and endotoxin concentration in blood and peritoneal fluid of 155 adult horses with acute abdominal disease (colic). Samples also were obtained from 20 healthy adult horses. Blood and peritoneal fluid supernatant TNF and IL-6 activities and endotoxin concentration were significantly greater in horses with colic, compared with healthy horses. In horses with colic, the peritoneal fluid endotoxin concentration and TNF and IL-6 activities were significantly greater than those in blood. Within the colic group, peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was the analyte that was most frequently increased. Blood and peritoneal fluid supernatant TNF and IL-6 activities were significantly greater when endotoxin was detected in the same sample. Blood and peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was significantly greater in horses with inflammatory or strangulating lesions, compared with horses having nonstrangulating or noninflammatory lesions. Compared with all other data categories, diagnostic accuracy for nonsurvival was greatest (80%) when blood IL-6 activity exceeded 60 units/mL. The results of this study indicate that endotoxin was present in the peritoneal cavity of at least one third of horses with any acute disease of the abdomen. In horses presented for colic, blood or peritoneal fluid IL-6 activity was more useful than either TNF activity or endotoxin concentration for distinguishing lesion type. Although diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of nonsurvival was good for all of the analytes, negative values were more useful in the prediction of a favorable outcome than were abnormally increased values in the prediction of mortality.
PRIMARY ANTERIOR MEDIASTINAL TUMORS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

This review details pertinent anatomical, radiological, pathological, and clinical information regarding primary anterior mediastinal tumors. Although the majority of these lesions are included in one of several subgroups, for example, thymic tumors, teratomas, or thyroid abnormalities, other less common entities will occasionally be encountered by the practicing surgeon. Likewise, there are variations in the frequency distribution of anterior mediastinal lesions in children as opposed to adults. Management of these individual lesions is outlined.
An analysis of a phase field model of a free boundary

A mathematical analysis of a new approach to solidification problems is presented. A free boundary arising from a phase transition is assumed to have finite thickness. The physics leads to a system of nonlinear parabolic differential equations. Existence and regularity of solutions are proved. Invariant regions of the solution space lead to physical interpretations of the interface. A rigorous asymptotic analysis leads to the Gibbs-Thompson condition which relates the temperature at the interface to the surface tension and curvature.
DO EGF AND GLUCOCORTICOIDS ACT AT THE SAME METABOLIC SITES IN FETAL RAT LUNG

EGF enhances the morphological and physiological maturation of fetal lung in vivo and it has been suggested that it mediates T4 action on developing mouse skin. We examined the effects of EGF on the biochemical development of explants of 18 day fetal rat lung, maintained in a serum free organ culture system for 48h, in order to compare the effects of this peptide to those of T3 and dexamethasone (dex). EGF stimulated choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine (PC) in a dose dependent fashion with half the maximal effect occurring at 1.0±0.1 nM (6 ng/ml). The effect of EGF on choline incorporation decreased with increasing gestational age whereas stimulation of thymidine incorporation into DNA increased, suggesting that EGF accelerates maturation of undifferentiated cells, but enhances multiplication of differentiated cells. EGF and dex significantly increased the distribution of radioactivity from acetate into the phosphatidylglycerol fraction, but T3 did not (PG as a % of total phospholipid: control, 1.8±0.2%; EGF, 4.4±0.4%; dex, 6.1±0.4%; T3, 2.0±0.4%). In mixing experiments using optimal concentrations, EGF (10 nM) produced 35% stimulation of choline incorporation; dex (100 nM), 47%; T3 (100 nM), 34%; EGF + T3, 75%; and EGF + dex, 43%. The fact that EGF + dex did not produce a greater effect than dex alone suggests that these 2 agents, but not T3, act at the same metabolic sites. We speculate that EGF may partially mediate the effects of dex on fetal lung maturation.
High-Energy Meson Production

The angular distributions of penetrating secondary particles from showers originating in lead and in carbon have been studied. Because the distributions for the two materials are very similar, it seemed meaningful to analyze them in terms of nucleon-nucleon collisions. From the kinetics of such collisions, it is possible to estimate the energy of the primary producing the interaction. If the angular distribution in the center-of-mass system is uniform, then $\frac{F(\ensuremath{\theta})}{1\ensuremath{-}F(\ensuremath{\theta})}={{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}}^{2}{tan}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$ where $F(\ensuremath{\theta})$ is the fraction of the shower particles emitted within an angle $\ensuremath{\theta}$ in the laboratory system and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$ is the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ of the center-of-mass motion. By making plots of $log[\frac{F}{(1\ensuremath{-}F)}]$ vs $logtan\ensuremath{\theta}$, the ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$ of the interaction is found. Also, it is established that the angular distribution of particles produced in 10-40 Bev interactions is uniform in the center-of-mass system.
Condensation in a vertical tube bundle passive condenser – Part 2: Complete condensation

Abstract An experimental study of the tube bundle effect on heat removal capabilities in complete condensation mode of a passive condenser was performed. A full scale test section, with four condenser tubes, was designed and constructed to simulate operating conditions of a passive containment cooling system. For complete condensation analysis, pure steam was supplied to the test section and heat transfer properties were measured for pressure from 100 to 280 kPa. The condensation heat transfer results were similar to the findings from single tubes, except for a slightly higher condensate mass flux. This was determined to be a result of turbulent mixing in the secondary boiling water caused by the tube bundle.
Posture, Activities, Tools, and Handling Analysis for Floor Coverers Focusing on the Knee

Floor Coverers suffer high rates of knee-related musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine which tasks have high priority for intervention. A total of 5126 discrete data observations were collected using the PATH method on 24 professional Floor Coverers. With respect to leg posture for each task and the combination of leg posture and MMH, fitting and installing vinyl composite tile (VCT) and fitting and installing baseboard had the highest exposures. Fitting and installing wood floor and fitting and installing carpet had medium exposures.
Beating Heart Cardioscopy: A Platform for Real-Time, Intracardiac Imaging

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a method for real-time, fiberoptic, intracardiac imaging to serve as a platform for closed-chest, intracardiac surgery on the beating heart. Description Fiberoptic cardioscopy of the left and right heart was conducted in a porcine model. A cardiopulmonary bypass circuit maintained systemic organ perfusion and a separate circuit replaced intracardiac blood with oxygenated, modified Krebs-Henseleit perfusate. Evaluation Video images of structures in the left and right sides of an in vivo beating heart were obtained, including the inner surface of the left and right atria and ventricles, the mitral and aortic valves, the Thebesian veins, and the coronary sinus. Effective isolation of the heart from systemic and intracardiac blood flow and control of perfusion rates were important factors for successful image acquisition. Conclusions Fiberoptic cardioscopy is a novel approach that allows for visualization of the structures within a nonarrested heart on bypass. It lays the groundwork for a platform that could lead to more successful percutaneous valvular and intracardiac procedures in a stable hemodynamic environment.
Synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation of fluoro-substituted-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines as monoamine oxidase B substrates.

The substrate properties of three β-fluoro-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines related to the proneurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine have been examined in an effort to evaluate the contribution of electronic parameters to the MAO-B catalyzed allylic-α-carbon oxidation of the tetrahydropyridinyl system. The design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of these analogues are presented and correlations to amine ionization potentials versus substrate activity are discussed.
Cultivation and culture: labor and the shaping of slave life in the Americas

So central was labor in the lives of African-American slaves that it has often been taken for granted, with little attention given to the type of work that slaves did and the circumstances surrounding it. Cultivation and Culture brings together leading scholars of slavery - historians, anthropologists, and sociologists - to explore when, where, and how slaves labored in growing the New World's great staples and how this work shaped the institution of slavery and the lives of African-American slaves. Selected from a conference on comparative slavery at the University of Maryland that set the agenda for the next decades' research in this field, the essays focus on the inter-relationship between the demands of particular crops, the organisation of labour, the nature of the labour force and the character of agricultural technology. They reveal the full complexity of the institution of chattel bondage in the New World and suggest why and how slavery varied from place to place and time to time. What these scholars show is that although work in the slave owners' fields accounted for most of the slaves' labouring time, slaves also worked for themselves and their independent economic activities had far reaching consequences. By producing food for themselves and others, tending cash crops, raising livestock, manufacturing finished goods, marketing their own products, consuming and saving the proceeds, and bequething property to their descendents, slaves took control of a large part of their lives. In many ways their independent economic endeavours offered a foundation for their domestic and commuity life, determining the social structure of slave society and providing a material basis for their distinctive culture. In exploring both the work that slaves performed for their owners and the work they did for themselves, Cultivation and Culture sheds new light on the origins and development of African-American culture and provides a new understanding of the African-American experience in slavery.
The potential of Acacia albida for desertification control and increased productivity in Chad

Abstract Reforestation using Acacia albida has been preposed as a mechanismsfor combating desertification trends in the Sahel. This tree is characterised by a deciduous habit in the wet season; it is valuable for fodder, as a hardwood in woodwork industries, and for enhancing soil fertility of cropland. In a three-year project described in this paper, the establishment of Acacia albida platations in cultivated field in central Chad is conceived as a focal point to coordinate resource conservation and land development programmes. Several hundred thousand young trees were established and about 2500 farmers and their families participated in the revegetation programme. The success of the project must be evaluated, however, in terms of the prospects for long-term benefit and recognising the sociological problems of assistance programmes.
Techniques to simplify esophagogastric circular stapled anastomoses

Stapling devices for end-to-end anastomoses (EEA) have facilitated more rapid and reliable reestablishment of esophagogastric continuity following esophageal resections. Despite their ease of use, various intraoperative problems can arise, especially with the esophageal pursestring or the insertion of the anvil into the fragile, commonly contracted lumen. This paper describes various technical details that are useful adjuncts to allow creation of rapid, consistently successful EEA stapled esophagogastic anastomoses. These techniques are of particular value in the resident teaching setting. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Oriented Self-Assembly of Cyclic Peptide Nanotubes in Lipid Membranes

Polarized attenuated total reflectance (ATR), grazing angle reflection−absorption, and transmission Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy methods have been used to investigate the orientation of peptide nanotubes in the functionally relevant environment of ordered phospholipid multibilayers. Eight-residue cyclic peptides of alternating d- and l-amino acids which self-assemble to form open-ended, tubular structures have been shown previously to function as transmembrane channels for ion transport. Although the tubular structure of the peptide assembly has been established in the pure solid state, this study presents the first detailed biophysical investigation of the peptide nanotubes within the context of the lipid film to afford a quantitative estimate of their angle of orientation relative to the lipid bilayer. We find by ATR IR that in accordance with the previous structure−function model hypothesis for a transport-competent channel, the central axis of nanotubes composed of cyclo[(l-Trp-d-Le...
“Invariance-Inducing” Control of Nonlinear Discrete-Time Dynamical Systems

Summary. The present study aims at the derivation of model-based control laws that attain the invariance objective for nonlinear skew-product discrete-time dynamical systems. The problem under consideration naturally arises in a variety of control problems pertaining to physical/chemical systems, and in the present study, it is conveniently formulated and addressed in the context of functional equations theory. In particular, the mathematical formulation of the problem of interest is realized via a system of nonlinear functional equations (NFEs), and a rather general set of necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability is derived. The solution to the above system of NFEs can be proven to be a unique locally analytic one, and this enables the development of a series solution method that is easily programmable with the aid of a symbolic software package such as MAPLE. It is also shown that, on the basis of the solution to the above system of NFEs, a locally analytic manifold and a nonlinear control law can be explicitly derived that renders the manifold invariant for the class of skew-product systems considered. Furthermore, the restriction of the system dynamics on the aforementioned invariant manifold represents exactly the target controlled system dynamics. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the HF molecular system classically modeled as a rotationless Morse oscillator in the presence of an external laser-field, where the primary objective is molecular dissociation.
Interaction between RANKL and HLA-DRB1 genotypes may contribute to younger age at onset of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis in an inception cohort.

Objective To determine whether the RANKL and HLA–DRB1 “shared epitope” (SE) genotypes contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We studied 237 patients with early RA (within 15 months of symptom onset) who were seropositive for rheumatoid factor. HLA–DRB1 genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based oligonucleotide probe assay. RANKL polymorphisms were analyzed using PCR pyrosequencing for SNP1 and fluorescence-based PCR for the presence or absence of the TAAA insertion. Results The presence of SE-containing DRB1*04 alleles was associated with an earlier age at RA onset (mean ± SD 47 ± 12.7 years versus 53 ± 12.5 years in SE– patients; P = 0.0004). The 2 novel RANKL polymorphisms were in strong linkage disequilibrium (P < 0.0001) and were associated with earlier ages at disease onset (e.g., for the CC versus CT/TT genotypes, 44 ± 13.5 years versus 51 ± 12.7 years; P = 0.0080). The mean age at disease onset in SE+ patients with the RANKL-CC genotype (35 ± 7.2 years) was a mean of 18 years younger than in SE– patients with RANKL-CT/TT (53 ± 12.5 years; P < 0.0001) and was 17 years younger than in SE– patients with RANKL-CC (52 ± 13.2 years; P = 0.0005). The proportion of patients with both the SE and RANKL risk alleles was highest (23%) in those who developed RA during their third decade of life (ages 20–30 years), with a declining trend among those who developed RA during their fourth (16%), fifth (5%), and sixth or later (0%) decades. Interestingly, 92% of the patients diagnosed as having RA between ages 20 and 30 years carried at least 1 of the RA-associated DRB1*04 alleles, suggesting a strong influence of the SE in the early onset of RA. The majority of patients who developed RA symptoms in their third to fifth decades (74 of 119 [62%]) carried at least 1 copy of the DRB1*04 alleles; in contrast, fewer than half of the patients who developed RA in their sixth decade or later (50 of 118 [42%]) had DRB1*04 alleles. RANKL genotypes were not associated with erosive disease at baseline or with the yearly progression rate of radiographic joint damage. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence that novel RANKL polymorphisms were associated with an earlier age at RA onset in SE+, but not SE–, patients and that an interaction between SE-containing HLA–DRB1 and RANKL polymorphisms increased the disease penetrance, resulting in a mean age at RA onset that was 18–20 years younger. Our results also suggested genetic differences between patients with early-onset and those with late-onset RA.
Facile Autoxidation of 2-(4-Hydroxy- phenyl)-3,3-dimethylmethylenecyclopropane. The Radical Stabilizing Ability of the Phenoxide Group

2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-3,3-dimethylmethylenecyclopropane undergoes rapid reaction with O2 at room temperature to give a dioxolane. A chain mechanism involving ring opening of a phenoxy radical is proposed. Conversion of the title compound to the phenoxide results in a remarkably accelerated methylenecyclopropane rearrangement. Computational studies suggest that the intermediate biradical is greatly stabilized by the phenoxide substituent.