cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Experimental and Modeling Study of HCCI Combustion Using n-Heptane

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is an advanced low-temperature combustion technology being considered for internal combustion engines due to its potential for high fuel conversion efficiency and extremely low emissions of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). In its simplest form, HCCI combustion involves the auto-ignition of a homogeneous mixture of fuel, air, and diluents at low to moderate temperatures and high pressure. Previous research has indicated that fuel chemistry has a strong impact on HCCI combustion. This paper reports the preliminary results of an experimental and modeling study of HCCI combustion using n-heptane, a volatile hydrocarbon with well known fuel chemistry. A Co-operative Fuel Research (CFR) engine was modified by the addition of a port fuel injection system to produce a homogeneous fuel-air mixture in the intake manifold, which contributed to a stable and repeatable HCCI combustion process. Detailed experiments were performed to explore the effects of critical engine parameters such as intake temperature, compression ratio, air/fuel ratio, engine speed, turbocharging, and intake mixture throttling on HCCI combustion. The influence of these parameters on the phasing of the low-temperature reaction, main combustion stage, and negative temperature coefficient delay period are presented and discussed. A single-zone numerical simulation with detailed fuel chemistry was developed and validated. The simulations show good agreement with the experimental data and capture important combustion phase trends as engine parameters are varied.
Rorschach Reliability: Toward a Training Model for Interscorer Agreement

Little or no research has been done with Rorschach Scoring Systems to standardize instructional materials and methods which would yield high interscorer agreement by the conclusion of a time-limited course of study in a classroom setting. Clinical applications and research with the Rorschach would benefit from training methods which yield high interscorer reliability. Training materials based on the Perceptanalytic system were standardized on 250 graduate level psychology students over an 11-year span of time, using one class per year. The final training materials were replicated using three classes (n = 58) to test the stability of the system. Data analysis on interscorer agreement involved 20,042 comparisons of pairs of scores and summaries at two levels of difficulty: Intermediate and Advanced. Overall interscorer agreement was consistently high for all replications.
Role of plastic work in fatigue crack propagation in metals

Abstract The plastic work required for a unit area of fatigue crack propagation U was measured by cementing tiny foil strain gages ahead of propagating fatigue cracks and recording the stress-strain curves as the crack approached. Measurements of U and plastic zone size in aluminum alloys 2024-T4, 2219-T861, 2219 overaged, and A1-6.3 wt% Cu-T4, and a binary Ni-base alloy with 7.2 wt% A1 are herein reported. The results are discussed along with previously reported measurements of U in three steels and 7050 aluminum alloy. When U is compared to the fatigue crack propagation rate at constant ΔK along with strength and modulus, the conclusion is drawn that U is one of the parameters which determines the rate of fatigue crack propagation. The relation of U to microstructure is also discussed. “Homogeneous” plastic deformation in the plastic zone ahead of the crack seems desirable.
Impact of hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy on race-specific rates of corpus, cervical, and ovarian cancers in the United States.

Purpose Population-based cancer incidence rates of the corpus uteri, cervix uteri, and ovaries are underestimated if they fail to remove women not at risk for developing the cancers from the denominator in the race calculation. This study compares incidence rates among selected racial groups for these cancers before and after correction for prevalence of hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy. Methods The study covers 1998 through 2002 and involves Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program; Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System; and National Health Interview Survey data. Prevalence data were obtained by using survey and life-table methods. Four racial groups are considered: whites, blacks, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Asians/Pacific Islanders. Results Risk correction significantly increased rates of corpus uterine cancer by 73.1% for whites, 93.0% for blacks, 86.3% for American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 41.0% for Asians/Pacific Islanders. Corresponding percentages among these racial groups for cervical cancer were 37.7%, 60.2%, 45.6%, and 33.0%, and for ovarian cancer, 32.5%, 31.1%, 35.0%, and 23.6%, respectively. Risk correction had large influences on the comparison of rates among racial groups. For example, for uterine corpus cancer, Asians/Pacific Islanders had 32.9% lower rates than whites before correction, but 45.3% lower rates after correction. For cervical cancer, blacks had 27.6% higher rates than whites before correction, but 48.5% higher rates after correction; and for ovarian cancer, Asians/Pacific Islanders had 31.2% lower rates than whites before correction and 35.8% lower rates after correction. Conclusions Corrected rates of corpus uteri, cervix uteri, and ovarian cancers have a large, but differential, impact on the racial groups considered.
Age, body mass index, and gender differences in sacroiliac joint pathology

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the correlation between age, gender, and body mass index as they relate to sacroiliac joint pathology diagnosed by dual comparative local anesthetic blocks. DESIGN This was a retrospective review of patients at a university spine center from August 2001 until August 2004. RESULTS One hundred fifty-eight patients underwent sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injections with average symptom duration of 34.0 mos. Of those patients, 26.6% were found to have SIJ pain by dual injections. The average age of this group was 53.3 yrs old; for those who had negative injections, it was 46.8 yrs old (P = 0.0025). The body mass indexes for the positive and negative SIJ pain groups were 30.2 and 29.3 kg/m2 (P = 0.40), respectively. The gender makeup of the positive and negative groups showed 64.3% female and 62.1% female (P = 0.85), respectively. Smoking tobacco status was not statistically significant between the two groups, with 29.6% of smokers having a positive block and 26.1% having a negative block (P = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest an age difference for those patients who have SIJ pain. These patients tend to be older than those without. Gender, age, and smoking status were not found to correlate with SIJ pathology.
Remote sensing of water vapor and thin cirrus clouds using MODIS near-IR channels

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a major facility instrument on board the Terra Spacecraft, was successfully launched into space in December of 1999. MODIS has several near-IR channels within and around the 0.94 micrometer water vapor bands for remote sensing of integrated atmospheric water vapor over land and above clouds. MODIS also has a special near-IR channel centered at 1.375-micron with a width of 30 nm for remote sensing of cirrus clouds. In this paper, we describe briefly the physical principles on remote sensing of water vapor and cirrus clouds using these channels. We also present sample water vapor images and cirrus cloud images obtained from MODIS data.
The simultaneous occurrence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary and arterial embolization.

INTRODUCTION A 45-year-old female presented with 8 hours of right lower extremity pain and dyspnea. She was tachycardic and her right lower extremity was dusky, cold, and pulseless.
A Comparative Analysis of Speed Profile Models for Wrist Pointing Movements

Following two decades of design and clinical research on robot-mediated therapy for the shoulder and elbow, therapeutic robotic devices for other joints are being proposed: several research groups including ours have designed robots for the wrist, either to be used as stand-alone devices or in conjunction with shoulder and elbow devices. However, in contrast with robots for the shoulder and elbow which were able to take advantage of descriptive kinematic models developed in neuroscience for the past 30 years, design of wrist robots controllers cannot rely on similar prior art: wrist movement kinematics has been largely unexplored. This study aimed at examining speed profiles of fast, visually evoked, visually guided, target-directed human wrist pointing movements. One thousand three-hundred ninety-eight (1398) trials were recorded from seven unimpaired subjects who performed center-out flexion/extension and abduction/adduction wrist movements and fitted with 19 models previously proposed for describing reaching speed profiles. A nonlinear, least squares optimization procedure extracted parameters' sets that minimized error between experimental and reconstructed data. Models' performances were compared based on their ability to reconstruct experimental data. Results suggest that the support-bounded lognormal is the best model for speed profiles of fast, wrist pointing movements. Applications include design of control algorithms for therapeutic wrist robots and quantitative metrics of motor recovery.
An Analysis of Outcomes of Reconstruction or Amputation after Leg-Threatening Injuries

Background Limb salvage for severe trauma has replaced amputation as the primary treatment in many trauma centers. However, long-term outcomes after limb reconstruction or amputation have not been fully evaluated. Methods We performed a multicenter, prospective, observational study to determine the functional outcomes of 569 patients with severe leg injuries resulting in reconstruction or amputation. The principal outcome measure was the Sickness Impact Profile, a multidimensional measure of self-reported health status (scores range from 0 to 100; scores for the general population average 2 to 3, and scores greater than 10 represent severe disability). Secondary outcomes included limb status and the presence or absence of major complications resulting in rehospitalization. Results At two years, there was no significant difference in scores for the Sickness Impact Profile between the amputation and reconstruction groups (12.6 vs. 11.8, P=0.53). After adjustment for the characteristics of the patients and t...
Improving Oral Language and Literacy Skills in Preschool Children from Disadvantaged Backgrounds: Remembering, Writing, Reading (RWR)

Most reading disabilities can be traced to difficulties acquiring oral language during preschool years due to insufficient linguistic stimulation. The present 2-year project aimed to improve the li...
A NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF QUENCHING OF CIRCULAR CYLINDERS

Abstract This paper presents a finite-element procedure for the calculation of temperature and thermal stress fields during and after quenching of circular cylinders. An uncoupled thermomechanical problem is solved, neglecting the heal generated by inelastic deformation, but including the effects of temperature on mechanical properties. The analysis includes rate-dependent inelastic deformation and force-free boundary conditions at the ends of the cylinder. The analysis is flexible with respect to the choice of an appropriate viscoplastic constitutive model for material behavior. Numerical results for sample problems, as well as a comparison of measured and calculated temperature fields during quenching of an aluminum cylinder, are presented and discussed
Visual object complexity limits pigeon short-term memory☆

The study of visual memory has repeatedly shown qualitatively similar visual short-term memory (VSTM) systems between human and many nonhuman species. In studies of human VSTM using change detection, increasing visual object complexity has an inverse effect on accuracy. In the current study, we assessed the functional relationship between visual object complexity and memory performance in visual change detection in pigeons and humans. Visual object complexity was quantified for each object type within each species using visual target search. Change detection performance was inversely related to object complexity in both species, suggesting that pigeon VSTM, like human VSTM, is limited by visual object complexity. Human participants were able to use a verbal-labeling strategy to mitigate some of the effect of visual object complexity, suggesting a qualitative difference in how the two species may solve certain visual discriminations. Considering the visual complexity of novel objects may also help explain previous failures to transfer relational rules to novel visual objects.
A simple and sensitive assay for guanylate cyclase.

A simple and highly sensitive method for the assay of guanylate cyclase has been developed which is capable of measuring cyclic 3′–5′ GMP (cGMP) formation in picomole quantities. In the method, 10–100 μg of enzyme protein is incubated with 1m m [α-32P]GTP, 40 m m Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4), 3.3 m m Mn2+, 10 m m theophylline, and 1 m m cGMP. Two-stage column chromatography consisting of Dowex-1 anion-exchange resin and alumina is employed for separation of cGMP. A recovery of 70–80% of added [3H]cGMP is routinely obtained. The assay blank is usually less than 0.0005% of the [32P]GTP used in the assay. The purity of [32P]cGMP formed in the reaction has been verified by various chromatographic techniques, radioimmunoassay, and enzymatic conversion to 5′-GMP. The assay method is applicable to a variety of tissues. Using this method we have found that more than 90% of guanylate cyclase in rat lung is localized in the cytosol fraction. The soluble enzyme requires Mn2+ for optimal activity; Mg2− or Ca2+ is much less effective. Lung guanylate cyclase activity is linear for 30 min and is optimum at pH 7.4. Apparent Km for GTP is 50 μ m and the Vmax is 400 pmol/mg of protein/min. The enzyme is not activated by various cholinergic agents.
Deliberative democracy and the conceptual foundations of electronic government

Abstract As electronic government (e-government) becomes increasingly important in the presentation of government information to citizens, the potential impacts of e-government on the democratic process must be carefully considered. E-government clearly has the potential to become an institution that helps to ensure reasoned reflection about political issues and active participation in deliberative democracy by citizens and by members of the government. Though the Internet presents innovative new methods for conveying government information to citizens, it also presents new and serious potential impediments to deliberative democracy, such as group polarization about political issues by online social groups. The ability of e-government sites either to foster democratic dialogue by presenting multiple viewpoints or to enable polarization on political issues by promoting specific views demonstrates a key question about the conceptual foundations of e-government. Drawing upon perspectives from information studies, public policy, law, and governance, this article examines the differing political implications between e-government built on a foundation of participation and on a foundation of polarization.
Histone deacetylation: IP4 is an epigenetic coregulator.

Inositol tetraphosphate is required for both the incorporation of the histone deacetylase HDAC3 into a repressive complex and its enzymatic activity.
Prediction of inhibitory potencies of arenesulfonamides toward carbonic anhydrase using easily calculated molecular connectivity indices

Previous literature reports described the correlation of arenesulfonamide inhibitory potency toward carbonic anhydrase with a quantum mechanical descriptor, namely, the total charge on the sulfonamide oxygens, and an indicator variable. The present paper attempts to correlate the same inhibitory potency data with the much more easily calculated molecular connectivity indices (MCIs) for the same set of compounds (n=51). A good (r=0.91) two-variable correlation was found for ann=45 subset, from which compounds with a certain structural characteristic had been excluded. This result is consistent with many previous reports that MCIs do well in predicting relative biological activities of a homologous series of compounds but less well for groups of compounds that differ at several sites.
The interaction of stoichiometry, mechanical stress, and interface trap density in LPCVD Si-rich SiNx;Si structures

Abstract Mechanical and electrical properties were correlated in LPCVD SiNx;Si structures through the characterization of six wafers patterned with MNS capacitors whose insulator films were deposited rich in Si under various processing conditions. The samples were measured for mechanical stress at the SiSiNx interface with X-ray diffraction. The deposited SiNx films were measured for stoichiometry by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Low-temperature C-V measurements were used for the first time to estimate SiSiNx interface trap densities in the capacitors. The interface trap densities were confirmed with the aid of a model based on a numerical analysis of the capacitor small-signal response. The measurement results indicate that an increase in the Si/N ratio in the insulating films was accompanied by a decrease in the film tensile stress. Those SiNx films made sufficiently rich in Si were successfully deposited under compressive stress. Furthermore, a decrease in the magnitude of the stress was accompanied by a decrease in interface trap densities, suggesting that interfacial mechanical stress may be influential in the formation of SiSiNx interface traps. Interface trap densities were lowest in those structures whose insulating films were deposited under compression.
The zone of vulnerability to T wave shocks in humans.

Vulnerability to VF in Humans. Introduction: Shocks during the vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle induce ventricular fibrillation (VF) if their strength is above the VF threshold (VFT) and less than the upper limit of vulnerability (ULV). However, the range of shock strengths that constitutes the vulnerable zone and the corresponding range of coupling intervals have not been defined in humans. The ULV has been proposed as a measure of defibrillation because it correlates with the defibrillation threshold (DFT), but the optimal coupling interval for identifying it is unknown. Methods and Results: We studied 14 patients at implants of transvenous cardioverter defibrillators. The DFT was defined as the weakest shock that defibrillated after 10 seconds of VF. The ULV was defined as the weakest shock that did not induce VF when given at 0, 20, and 40 msec before the peak of the T wave or 20 msec after the peak in ventricular paced rhythm at a cycle length of 500 msec. The VFT was defined as the weakest shock that induced VF at any of the same four intervals. To identify the upper and lower boundaries of the vulnerable zone, we determined the shock strengths required to induce VF at all four intervals for weak shocks near the VFT and strong shocks near the ULV. The VFT was 72 ± 42 V, and the ULV was 411 ± 88 V. In all patients, a shock strength of 200 V exceeded the VFT and was less than the ULV. The coupling interval at the ULV was 19 ± 11 msec shorter than the coupling interval at the VFT (P < 0.001). The vulnerable zone showed a sharp peak at the ULV and a less distinct nadir at the VFT. A 20-msec error in the interval at which the ULV was measured could have resulted in underestimating it by a maximum of 95 ± 31 V. The weakest shock that did not induce VF was greater for the shortest interval tested than for the longest interval at both the upper boundary (356 ± 108 V vs 280 ± 78 V; P < 0.01) and lower boundary (136 ± 68 msec vs 100 ± 65 msec; P < 0.05). Conclusions: The human vulnerable zone is not symmetric with respect to a single coupling interval, but slants from the upper left to lower right. Small differences in the coupling interval at which the ULV is determined or use of the coupling interval at the VFT to determine the ULV may result in significant variations in its measured value. An efficient strategy for inducing VF would begin by delivering a 200-V shock at a coupling interval 10 msec before the peak of the T wave.
Clinical trials and efficacy assessment in the therapy of cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

: The ability of clinical trials to measure cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) has allowed physicians and regulatory reviewers to assess the response of the disease to experimental therapies. The goals of therapy are remission, palliation, and improvement of survival. Given the chronic nature of the disease, surrogate markers for survival are used in clinical trials. The surrogate markers and the validity of the surrogate markers used to date will be compared and contrasted. Tumor burden measurements by way of skin scoring are the parameters most commonly used to assess the response to therapy. Skin scoring systems have used global mapping, severity recording, or target lesions to assess any change in response to an intervention. The advantages and limitations of global and focal scoring are presented, along with examples of skin scoring systems for the five most recently completed trials for CTCL. Measures of palliation are performed via questionnaires. General and CTCL-specific questionnaires have been developed that assess both discrete and global manifestations of the disease. Those measures of palliation that have been shown to correlate with skin scoring are presented for inclusion into future studies. In addition, study terms such as relapse and freedom from relapse can now be defined with reproducible molecular techniques. Every stage of CTCL warrants further clinical trials, and guidelines for future investigations are proposed.
A CFD Study of Existing Drag Models for Geldart A Particles in Bubbling Fluidized Beds

In this study, seven drag models are examined to determine how they affect fluidization behavior of Geldart A particles of biomass and coal. Notwithstanding the notable number of numerical studies to find the best drag model for larger particles, there is a dearth of information related to drag models for finer Geldart A particles. Additionally, to our knowledge, these drag models have not been tested with a binary mixture of Geldart A particles. Computational fluid dynamics was used to model the gas and solid phases in an Eulerian-Eulerain approach to simulate the particle-particle interactions of coal-biomass mixtures and compare the predictions with experimental data. In spite of the previous findings that bode badly for using predominately Geldart B drag models for fine particles, the results of our study reveal that if static regions of mass in the fluidized beds are considered, these drag models work well with Geldart A particles. It was found that the seven drag models could be divided into two categories based on their performance. One category included the Gidaspow family of drag models (Gidaspow, Gidaspow-Blend, and Wen-Yu) and the Syamlal-O’Brien drag model; these models closely predicted the experiments for single solids phase fluidization. For binary mixtures, however, the other drag model group (BVK, HYS, Koch and Hill) yielded better predictions.© 2014 ASME
Effects of N-methyl-N-nitrosourethane on DNA synthesis in the guinea pig pancreas.

Abstract The effects of N -methyl- N -nitrosourethane (NMUT) on pancreatic DNA synthesis were investigated at sequential intervals following gavage of Hartley guinea pigs with a single dose of 30 mg/kg. There was a highly significant stimulation of DNA synthesis, as evidenced by increased incorporation of [ 3 H] methyl-thymidine ([ 3 H] TdR), throughout the whole pancreas and particularly in the duodenal segment, at 4 h following NMUT administration, thereafter, DNA synthesis declined sharply up to 24 h, and then recovered gradually to control levels from 24–96 h. DNA synthesis stimulated by NMUT was suppressed by hydroxyurea (HU), and hence is likely to represent replicative, rather than repair, synthesis.
Increased Androgen Binding in Keloids: A Preliminary Communication

. Sex hormone binding protein analyses were performed on six keloids, the adjacent skin, and on six simple scars. A high level of androgen binding (510 to 1149 Fm/mg of cytosol protein) was found in the keloids. The estrogen and progesterone binding activities were low. Para-keloid tissues were found to have androgen binding of 177 to 476 Fm/mg of cytosol protein. Once again, estrogen and progesterone binding activities were low. In six simple scars, androgen binding was less than 1/10 of that found in the keloids (37 to 60 Fm/mg of cytosol protein); estrogen and progesterone binding was so low that it was almost undetectable. We believe this data suggests that localized hyperandrogen metabolism may play a causal or at least contributory role in the pathogenesis of keloids.
Transoral mandibulectomy in advanced osteoradionecrosis

Because vascularity is severely compromised following radiation therapy, aseptic necrosis with secondary infection and extensive bone destruction can result in an advanced state of osteoradionecrosis. Transoral mandibulectomy is an excellent method for dealing with this difficult problem. This article discusses technical aspects of the procedure as well as applied anatomy and a case report. Evidence in the recent literature concerning hyperbaric oxygen therapy is very encouraging.
Trade's Dynamic Solutions to Transboundary Pollution☆

Abstract This study develops a differential game to examine the effects of trade liberalization on transboundary water pollution. Water pollution is due to wastewater emissions from countries in a shared waterway along the U.S.–Mexico border with available data of pollution abatement costs, public health damages, and trade benefits. Noncooperative and cooperative games are examined with changes in trade policy and public health damages. Results show trade liberalization leads Mexico to curtail pollution in both games. Cooperation and trade liberalization limit emissions from both countries and curtail strategic behavior of the United States from Mexico's pollution control efforts in the noncooperative game.
Effect of copper on the local structure of GeSe2Cux probed by Raman spectroscopy

Glassy GeSe2 is known to exhibit photodarkening that is extinguished by the presence of copper. Bulk glasses of GeSe2Cux (0<x<0.16), prepared by melt-quenching, were studied by Raman spectroscopy to ascertain the effect of copper on the local structure of the glass. Decreases were observed in relative areas of the A1c (218 cm−1) and Ge–Ge (178 cm−1) peaks relative to the A1 (201 cm−1) for compositions of less than x=0.05 copper but changed very little at higher compositions. The position of the A1 and A1c peaks decreased by 2 cm−1 in low copper compositions. The density of the samples also increased sharply below x=0.05 and more gradually above x=0.05. The copper is seen as affecting the defects (Ge–Ge bonds) in the stoichiometric germanium–selenium glass but not affecting the tetrahedral Ge(Se1/2)4 chains.
Trans-peritoneal fine needle aspiration biopsy of hilar cholangiocarcinoma is associated with disease dissemination

Background Hilar cholangiocarcinoma presents both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. While establishing a diagnosis is important for patients considering aggressive treatment, a transperitoneal fine needle aspiration (FNA) may lead to seeding of the tumour. The aim of the present study was to determine whether patients who have undergone transperitoneal FNA of the primary tumour have a higher incidence of metastases.
Uranyl Adsorption and Speciation at the Fused Silica/Water Interface Studied by Resonantly Enhanced Second Harmonic Generation and the χ(3)Method

We report the first use of resonantly enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG) to study uranyl adsorption at a buried mineral oxide/water interface. Uranyl adsorption is studied in real-time, under flow conditions, and in the presence of environmentally relevant screening electrolyte concentrations. The in situ SHG spectrum of surface-bound uranyl reveals a well-defined resonance at 306 nm. By monitoring the SHG response at 306 nm, adsorption isotherms were collected for uranyl species at the fused silica/water interface at pH 7, and in the presence of aqueous carbonate. The measured adsorption free energies determined by the Langmuir isotherm are consistent with physisorption via hydrogen bonding. The speciation of the surface-active uranyl species at pH 7 was elucidated via a free energy versus interfacial potential analysis, which reveals that the uranyl adsorbates are either neutral or univalent cationic species. Complementary surface charge density data, obtained using the Eisenthal chi(3) technique, reveal that the charge on the ionic uranyl species adsorbing under the experimental conditions are positive. It is proposed that a mixture of neutral and univalent, cationic uranyl species is surface active at pH 7 and in the presence of carbonate ions. Insofar as the experimental conditions model those found in natural groundwater systems, the results of this work are valuable to the prediction and assessment of uranium pollution transport in groundwater and soils. Our thermodynamic results can also serve as important benchmarks for computer simulations of U(VI) transport in heterogeneous geochemical environments.
Prodrug and conjugate drug delivery strategies for improving HIV/AIDS therapy

Despite the wide variety of highly potent anti-HIV drugs that have been developed and made available in clinical practice over the years, eradication of HIV infection has not been achieved. Currently, HIV infection and AIDS are thought to be chronically treatable. HIV attacks host immune cells namely macrophages and CD4(+)T-cells and sequesters itself into sanctuary and reservoir sites such as the lymphoid tissues, testes, and brain. Initial drug delivery efforts with prodrugs and drug conjugates focused on improving the physicochemical (i.e. solubility), biopharmaceutic (i.e. absorption, metabolism), and pharmacokinetic (i.e. blood concentrations) properties of the parent drugs. Eradicating HIV, however, will require advanced drug delivery approaches in order to access and maintain effective drug concentrations for prolonged periods of time in sanctuary sites. The current review discusses prodrug/conjugate efforts, clinical successes and describes drug delivery challenges and approaches for eradicating HIV infection.
Increasing the selectivity of the discriminative stimulus effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: complete substitution with methanandamide

Abstract In an attempt to increase the selectivity of the discriminative stimulus effects of Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), rats were trained to discriminate 3.2 mg/kg of this compound from a group of “other” drugs consisting of morphine (3.2 mg/kg), PCP (2.5 mg/kg), and vehicle. Acquisition of the Δ 9 -THC-other discrimination was rapid (38 days) and did not differ significantly from that of a group of “control” animals trained to discriminate Δ 9 -THC (3.2 mg/kg) from its vehicle (33 days). In substitution (generalization) tests, a high dose of anandamide, which also severely decreased response rate, substituted partially in both the control and the Δ 9 -THC-other group; ( R )-methanandamide, an analog of anandamide which is metabolized more slowly, substituted completely for Δ 9 -THC in the control, and partially in the Δ 9 -THC-other group; neither pentobarbital nor diazepam substituted completely for Δ 9 -THC under any experimental condition. Regardless of the level of Δ 9 -THC lever responding, all drugs except diazepam substituted less in the Δ 9 -THC-other than in the control group. For this reason, the Δ 9 -THC-other training procedure might be described as being more selective than the commonly used drug–no drug procedure.
Efficient data access to multi-channel broadcast programs

This paper studies fast access to data that are broadcast on multiple channels. Broadcast is a useful data dissemination technique because of its scalability, but is lacking when it comes to response time. Increasing the number of available broadcast channels is a logical way of increasing throughput. Little work, however, has considered the access structures necessary for making effective use of the additional channels. We propose various indexing schemes for a multi-channel broadcast program. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our techniques in decreasing response time and tuning time via extensive experiments over a wide range of parameters.
Two-dimensional spatial light modulators fabricated in Si/PLZT.

We report in this paper the use of Si/PLZT technology in the fabrication of 2-D electrically and optically addressed spatial light modulators. First, a 12 × 12 electrically matrix addressed array was fabricated using simultaneous laser assisted diffusion and crystallization. Then, NMOS transistors exhibiting electron mobility of 550 cm2/V-s were fabricated in each unit cell of the matrix array and used to control the PLZT modulator. A dynamic range of 35:1 was achieved. A 16 × 16 optically addressed SLM array was also fabricated. In this case, to improve the optical sensitivity, a three-transistor CMOS detector-amplifier circuit was included in each unit cell of the array.
Construction of the perceived parental acculturation behaviors scale

This article reports preliminary development of the Perceived Parental Acculturation Behaviors Scale (PPABS) based on a sample of 44 college students whose parents immigrated to America from Arab countries. The PPABS proposes two independent scales, whose contents characterize the respondents' perceptions of how much their parents evidence (a) openness to the American culture and (b) preservation of Arab culture.
More Than the Beatles The Legacy of a Decade for Community Psychology’s Contributions to Evaluation Ethics

This essay explores the implications of the zeitgeist that emerged in the United States during the 1960s for the conceptualization of ethical issues in evaluation and community psychology, and how perspectives from the latter field might enhance ethical practice in the former. Special attention is paid to articulations of social justice, professional standards, and cultural competence, and how general exhortations for ethical, just behavior in evaluation can be translated into more specific, actionable analyses through the application of frameworks such as Prilleltensky’s “wellness as fairness” orientation and Kelly’s ecological model.
Evaluating the Acute Effects of Oral, Non-combustible Potential Reduced Exposure Products Marketed to Smokers

Background: Non-combustible potential reduced exposure products (PREPs; e.g., Star Scientific’s Ariva; a variety of other smokeless tobacco products) are marketed to reduce the harm associated with smoking. This marketing occurs despite an absence of objective data concerning the toxicant exposure and effects of these PREPs. This study adapted methods used to examine combustible PREPs to assess the acute effects of non-combustible PREPs for smokers. Methods: Twenty-eight overnight abstinent cigarette smokers (17 men; 14 non-white) each completed seven, Latin-squared ordered, approximately 2.5-hour laboratory sessions that differed by product administered: Ariva, Marlboro snus (Philip Morris USA), Camel snus (RJ Reynolds), Commit nicotine lozenge (GlaxoSmithKline; 2 mg), own brand cigarettes, Quest cigarettes (Vector Tobacco; delivers very low levels of nicotine), and sham smoking (i.e., puffing on an unlit cigarette). In each session the product was administered twice (separated by 60 minutes), and plasma nicotine levels, expired air CO, and subjective effects were assessed regularly. Results: Results indicated that the non-combustible products delivered less nicotine than own brand cigarettes, did not expose smokers to CO, and failed to suppress tobacco abstinence symptoms as effectively as combustible products. Conclusions: While decreased toxicant exposure is a potential indicator of harm reduction potential, a failure to suppress abstinence symptoms suggests that currently marketed non-combustible PREPs may not be a viable harm reduction strategy for U.S. smokers. This study demonstrates how clinical laboratory methods can be used to evaluate the short-term effects of non-combustible PREPs for smokers.
Adaptive seating and pulmonary function in adults with muscular disease

Pulmonary infections, possibly due to poor pulmonary functions, are common in individuals with muscular dystrophy. In order to evaluate the relative effects of seating devices on pulmonary function the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and forced expiratory time (FET) in eight adults aged between 12 and 21 years with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy was measured while seated in an adaptive and a nonadaptive seating device. The results showed a 28.0% increase in FVC, a 14.5% increase in FEV1, and a 17.3% increase in FET in the adaptive seating system compared to the nonadaptive system. This result emphasizes the need for proper seating as an important way of maximising pulmonary function and minimizing pulmonary complications in this population.
Reproductive strategies and primate conservation

Primate conservation can be achieved by a variety of approaches. We suggest that the most productive avenue is a collaborative effort between researchers studying animals in the field and in captivity. Coupling information gained from research on the natural history of primate reproduction with technological advances developed for assessing reproductive profiles of primates could enhance primate conservation. We conclude that the natural reproduction of primates in captive situations is essential for primate conservation and is best achieved by collaborative ventures between field and laboratory workers.
The role of feedback mechanisms in historic channel changes of the lower Rio Grande in the Big Bend region

Abstract Over the last century, large-scale water development of the upper Rio Grande in the U.S. and Mexico, and of the Rio Conchos in Mexico, has resulted in progressive channel narrowing of the lower Rio Grande in the Big Bend region. We used methods operating at multiple spatial and temporal scales to analyze the rate, magnitude, and processes responsible for channel narrowing. These methods included: hydrologic analysis of historic stream gage data, analysis of notes of measured discharges, historic oblique and aerial photograph analysis, and stratigraphic and dendrogeomorphic analysis of inset floodplain deposits. Our analyses indicate that frequent large floods between 1900 and the mid-1940s acted as a negative feedback mechanism and maintained a wide, sandy, multi-threaded river. Declines in mean and peak flow in the mid-1940s resulted in progressive channel narrowing. Channel narrowing has been temporarily interrupted by occasional large floods that widened the channel, however, channel narrowing has always resumed. After large floods in 1990 and 1991, the active channel width of the lower Rio Grande has narrowed by 36–52%. Narrowing has occurred by the vertical accretion of fine-grained deposits on top of sand and gravel bars, inset within natural levees. Channel narrowing by vertical accretion occurred simultaneously with a rapid invasion of non-native riparian vegetation (Tamarix spp., Arundo donax) which created a positive feedback and exacerbated the processes of channel narrowing and vertical accretion. In two floodplain trenches, we measured 2.75 and 3.5 m of vertical accretion between 1993 and 2008. In some localities, nearly 90% of bare, active channel bars were converted to vegetated floodplain during the same period. Upward shifts of stage-discharge relations occurred resulting in over-bank flooding at lower discharges, and continued vertical accretion despite a progressive reduction in stream flow. Thus, although the magnitude of the average annual flood was reduced between 40 and 50%, over-bank flooding continued. These changes reflect a shift in the geomorphic nature of the Rio Grande from a wide, laterally unstable, multi-thread river, to a laterally stable, single-thread channel with cohesive, vertical banks, and few active in-channel bars.
Understanding the Cancer Patient

What is it about cancer and the cancer patient that seems to mobilize more distress among patients, caregivers, and people at large than almost any other disease? Despite its unknown origin, erratic course, unpredictable treatment, and uncertain outcome, cancer is appalling to contemplate, as if it could confer a death sentence on anyone unfortunate enough to acquire it. A recent American Cancer Society (ACS) survey,1 for example, showed that the general public tends to underestimate both the incidence of cancer and the effectiveness of treatment. This suggests that people want to think cancer is less common that it actually is, because they believe treatment is so ineffective. Furthermore, when asked to report reasons for fearing cancer, many people cite the prospect of unremitting pain, especially near death, prolonged invalidism, unchecked invasion, progressive helplessness, deterioration, and even decay. But reasons for fearing cancer are almost always identical with reasons for fearing death.2 It seems apparent that education alone does not eradicate these frightening and largely inacurate emotional expectations.
Dependability Analysis of Virtual Memory Systems

Recent research has shown that even modern hard disks have complex failure modes that do not conform to "fail-stop" operation. Disks exhibit partial failures like block access errors and block corruption. Commodity operating systems are required to deal with such failures as commodity hard disks are known to be failure-prone. An important operating system component that is exposed to disk failures is the virtual memory system. In this paper, we examine the failure handling policies of different virtual memory systems for different classes of partial disk errors. We use type and context aware fault injection to explore as many of the internal code paths as possible. From experiments, we find that failure handling policies in current virtual memory systems are at best simplistic, and often inconsistent or even absent. Our fault injection technique also identifies bugs in the failure handling code in these systems. The study identifies possible reasons for poor failure handling, which can help in the design of a failure-aware virtual memory system
Attempts to Resolve a Disability in Walking Different Strategies or Different Outcomes for Nonmetro Elderly Americans

This study analyzed the first two waves (1993-1994 and 1995-1996) of the national Survey on Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old. It focused on the prevalence of a common intrinsic disability at Wave 1—an unaided physiological hardship in walking across a room—and sought which factors eliminated the hardship so that there was no actual disability. Nonmetro and metro elderly people with this intrinsic disability were equally likely to use personal help in walking across a room and to resort to the same walking devices. Yet, nonmetro elderly people were less successful than their metro counterparts in avoiding mild residual hardship in interior ambulation. Reasons included a larger number of lower-body limitations among the nonmetro elderly and the greater absence of accommodative architectural features from nonmetro homes. This article concludes with a discussion of public policies that could assist disabled elders to remain community dwellers.
MARGARET DEUCHAR & SUZANNE QUAY , Bilingual acquisition: Theoretical implications of a case study . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Pp. 176. Pb. $18.95.

Deuchar & Quay's Bilingual acquisition addresses theoretical issues both of language acquisition in general and of specifically bilingual acquisition through an examination of a case study involving one child's acquisition of English and Spanish in England. Regarding the first issue, the authors attempt to answer questions of phonological differentiation based on acoustic evidence, lexical differentiation in relation to the idea that children avoid lexical synonymy in early stages of language acquisition, and lexical categorization of two-word utterances and the emergence of language choices. Regarding the second issue, they are concerned with the question of whether children possess one or two language systems, and they explore the criteria involved in making such a distinction. Finally, they investigate the factors of the language situation that influence a child's language choice.
Increase in body mass index from normal weight to overweight in a cross-sectional sample of healthy research volunteers.

Abstract Current literature provides limited information about healthy volunteers serving as controls for biomedical research. This study describes trends in body mass index (BMI), a ratio of weight to height (kilograms per square meter), of the population of healthy volunteers at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIH CC) and compares these trends to a nationally representative sample, as reported by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We hypothesized that BMI trends at the NIH CC would follow those of the US population. This cross-sectional study examined the BMI of healthy volunteers at the NIH CC from 1976 to 1980, 1981 to 1987, 1988 to 1994, 1995 to 1998 and for all subsequent two-year periods onward until 2012. Study data were extracted from the NIH Biomedical Translational Research Information System. Subjects were selected based on a discharge code of "volunteer." Descriptive statistics of volunteers at the NIH CC were calculated for height, weight, age-adjusted BMI, age, and sex, and associations between categorical variables were analyzed using the χ 2 test. Differences between BMI categories or periods for continuous independent variables were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Tamhane T2 tests. The 13 898 healthy volunteers with median age of 34 years were 53% female and primarily non-Hispanic whites. Mean BMI was within the normal category from 1976 to 1987. From 1988 on, mean BMI fluctuated but increased overall. The BMI of healthy volunteers at the NIH CC appears to follow national trends as described by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data of increasing body weight during the past three decades followed by a recent plateau.
Temporal evolution of mantle wedge oxygen fugacity during subduction initiation

Arc basalts have a higher proportion of Fe in an oxidized state (Fe^(3+)) relative to Fe^(2+) compared to mid-oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs), likely because slab-derived fluids oxidize the mantle wedge where subduction zone magmas originate. Yet, the time scales over which oxygen fugacity of the mantle wedge changes during subduction initiation and margin evolution are unknown. Fe speciation ratios show that magmas produced during the early stages of subduction in the Mariana arc record oxygen fugacities ∼2× more oxidized than MORB. Mantle wedge oxygen fugacity rises by ∼1.3 orders of magnitude as slab fluids become more involved in melt generation processes, reaching conditions essentially equivalent to the modern arc in just 2–4 m.y. These results constrain existing models for the geochemical evolution of the mantle wedge and suggest that oxidation commences upon subduction initiation and matures rapidly in the portions of the mantle wedge that produce melts. This further implies that sulfide or other reduced phases are not present in the mantle wedge in high enough abundance to prevent oxidation of the magmas that form upon subduction initiation. The arc mantle source is oxidized for the majority of a subduction zone’s lifetime, influencing the mobility of multivalent elements during recycling, the degassing of oxidized volcanic volatiles, and the mechanisms for generating continental crust from the immediate onset of subduction.