cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and evaluation of the SMApp: A stiffness measurement apparatus for ankle–foot orthoses

Abstract Ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) are braces worn by individuals with gait impairments to support ankle motion. AFO rotational stiffness is a key mechanical property that affects gait biomechanics. However, it is unclear how design choices affect AFO stiffness and what specific stiffness ranges impact gait. This stems largely from the absence of commercial devices or established guidelines for measuring AFO stiffness. This paper details the design of the AFO Stiffness Measurement Apparatus (SMApp). The SMApp is a non-destructive, automated system that measures torque and angle as an AFO is moved through a range of motion at a set speed. Using the derived torque–angle curve, we can calculate rotational stiffness, neutral angle and hysteresis of any AFO for speeds up to 37 deg/s. The repeatability of the SMApp was evaluated between and within two operators and three testing sessions using three AFOs cycled 10 times through flexion and extension. We also measured the stiffness of three different AFOs with the SMApp and another published system in a comparative case study. The SMApp had excellent reliability with high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC ≥ 0 . 97 ) for all measured AFO properties. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable difference (MDD) were comparable to published parameters from other devices for stiffness (SEM i 0.32 N m/°, MDD i 0.88 N m/°) and neutral angle (SEM i 0.30°, MDD i 0.84°). In comparison to a previously described, reliable manual stiffness measurement device, the SMApp measurements had similar stiffness, but different neutral angle values for one of three AFOs. The SMApp can be utilized in future studies for AFO material fatigue testing, to validate finite element models, and to evaluate speed effects on AFO properties.
Preventing mercury vapor release from broken fluorescent lamps during shipping

Fluorescent lamps are estimated to annually release 1 t of mercury into the air in the United States; transport of used lamps may play an important role in these emissions. In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added lamps to the universal waste rule to encourage recycling by allowing shipment to recycling facilities by common carrier. The rules required that lamp packaging must be structurally sound and adequate to prevent breakage but did not address vapor release. In 2005, a requirement was added that packaging must be designed to prevent the escape of mercury into the environment, but this change does not apply to fluorescent lamps. The goal of this research was to compare mercury vapor containment among different packaging configurations. In 10 replicate experiments of 5 different packages containing 40 broken, used, low-mercury lamps, two 6-hr samples of airborne mercury vapor concentrations were taken in a well-mixed sealed chamber held at 83 +/- 2 degrees F. Average chamber concentrations ranged from 0.977 mg/m3 for a single cardboard box to 0.004 mg/m3 for a double cardboard box with a plastic-foil laminate bag sandwiched between the boxes. In comparison to the single cardboard box, a single box with an unsealed thin plastic liner lowered mercury concentrations in the chamber by 52%, single or double boxes with a thicker tape-sealed plastic bag lowered concentrations by 90-92%, and a double box with a ziplock plastic-foil laminate bag lowered concentrations by 99.7%. The latter was the only configuration capable of maintaining airborne concentrations below all occupational exposure levels. Standards more specific to mercury containment are needed for packages used to ship fluorescent lamps to recyclers. Results from this study suggest that an effective packaging design should minimize the effect of cuts from broken glass while also preventing the release of mercury vapor from broken lamps.
Long-chain Acylcarnitines Reduce Lung Function by Inhibiting Pulmonary Surfactant *

The role of mitochondrial energy metabolism in maintaining lung function is not understood. We previously observed reduced lung function in mice lacking the fatty acid oxidation enzyme long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD). Here, we demonstrate that long-chain acylcarnitines, a class of lipids secreted by mitochondria when metabolism is inhibited, accumulate at the air-fluid interface in LCAD(-/-) lungs. Acylcarnitine accumulation is exacerbated by stress such as influenza infection or by dietary supplementation with l-carnitine. Long-chain acylcarnitines co-localize with pulmonary surfactant, a unique film of phospholipids and proteins that reduces surface tension and prevents alveolar collapse during breathing. In vitro, the long-chain species palmitoylcarnitine directly inhibits the surface adsorption of pulmonary surfactant as well as its ability to reduce surface tension. Treatment of LCAD(-/-) mice with mildronate, a drug that inhibits carnitine synthesis, eliminates acylcarnitines and improves lung function. Finally, acylcarnitines are detectable in normal human lavage fluid. Thus, long-chain acylcarnitines may represent a risk factor for lung injury in humans with dysfunctional fatty acid oxidation.
Genetic algorithm design inspired by organizational theory: pilot study of a dependency structure matrix driven genetic algorithm

This study proposes a dependency structure matrix driven genetic algorithm (DSMDGA) which utilizes the dependency structure matrix (DSM) clustering to extract building block (BB) information and use the information to accomplish BB-wise crossover. Three cases: tight, loose, and random linkage, are tested on both a DSMDGA and a simple genetic algorithm (SGA). Experiments showed that the DSMDGA is able to correctly identify BBs and outperforms a SGA.
Pregnant Mare Serum and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Stimulate Ovarian ∆5-3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase in Aged Mice

Aged (12- to 14-month-old) estrous and diestrous C57BL mice exhibited lower histochemically demonstrable ovarian delta5-3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) activity in thecal, luteal, and interstitial cells, and lower (P less than 0.01) ovarian 3beta-HSD concentration and total content than did young (3-month-old) estrous animals. Administration of pregnant mare serum (PMS, 10 IU subcutaneously), followed in 40 hours by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG, 5 IU subcutaneously) or HCG (2 IU daily for 4 days) alone, restored luteal and interstitial 3beta-HSD in aged mice. Follicular, lutea, and interstitial 3beta-HSD activity was increased in aged mice by a single PMS injection (10 IU). The total ovarian dehydrogenase concentration was increased 100% in aged animals by PMS and/or HCG administration. Restoration of histochemically demonstrable ovarian 3beta-HSD and total enzyme content in aged mice by PMS and/or HCG indicates ovarian sensitivity to gonadotropin and subnormal tropic hormone stimulation of the ovary in situ.
Indeterminancy in Recent Theories of Content

Jerry Fodor has charged that Fred Dretske‘s account of content suffers from indeterminacy to the extent that we should reject it in favor of Fodor‘s own account. In this paper, we ask what the problem of indeterminacy really is; we distinguish a relatively minor problem we call ’looseness of fit‘ from a major problem of failing to show how to point to what is not there. We sketch Dretske‘s account of content and how it is supposed to solve the major problem. After presenting Fodor‘s challenge as the claim that Dretske has failed to solve the major problem, we articulate a response available to Dretske. Although we do not think the response is ultimately successful, we argue that it is every bit as good as the response Fodor has offered to a similar challenge, in his so-called ’’mixed theory.‘‘ The upshot is this: despite advertisements to the contrary, Fodor‘s theory, in its mixed version, offers no real advantages over Dretske‘s regarding the serious problem of indeterminacy.
STRUCTURES OF HEXACOORDINATE COMPOUNDS OF MAIN-GROUP ELEMENTS Part III. An electron diffraction study of SF6

Gas-phase sulphur hexafiuoride is a regular octahedron with an S-F bond length (rg) of l-561(2) A and mean amplitudes of vibration of 0.044(l) A for S-F, 0.056(S) A for F-F trO_, and 0.061(Z) a for F-F,n_ Uncert&nties correspond to 3~.
Medical Apology Programs & the Unauthorized Practice of Law

This Essay was created to accompany a presentation at the New England Law Review/American Health Lawyers Association symposium “On the Table: An Examination of Medical Malpractice, Litigation, and Methods of Reform.” In the last decade, many American medical facilities have instituted medical apology programs. These programs call on doctors who have committed an error to meet with their injured patient, explain what happened and, typically, apologize. Some programs have also adopted policies to accompany these communications with offers of compensation. As part of this process, doctors are typically accompanied to meetings by risk managers who represent the interests of the facility and malpractice insurers. While apology programs bill themselves as allowing “open, honest, and robust” communication, empirical evidence establishes that patients participating in them are less likely to be provided compensation and, to the extent they are compensated, receive less money. Based on the Washington Supreme Court decision in Jones v. Allstate Ins. Co., which examined an auto insurer’s program that shared key attributes with apology-and-offer programs, this Essay additionally argues that risk managers and other non-attorney hospital representatives who participate in apology programs are engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. Applying the rationale of Jones, this Essay suggests that non-attorneys participating in apology programs should be held to the ethical standards of attorneys in terms of disclosing adverse interests and advising patients to seek independent counsel.
Interactions of Laser-Produced Plasmas with Background Gases

A laser-produced plasma (referred to hereafter as a laser-plasma) has such a high initial pressure that its expansion into a background gas produces a variety of interesting interactions. There has been particular interest recently in collision-free ionion interactions (e.g., heating and momentum transfer) between interstreaming plasmas. Such interactions, occurring between the expanding laser-plasma and a background plasma depend on the state of the initial laser-plasma so that a study of these interactions must begin with the laser-plasma. For example, the laser-plasma emits energetic photons which ionize the background gas. We found also, surprisingly, that large magnetic fields can be generated in the laser-plasma.1 These spontaneous magnetic fields are convected outward where they affect interactions with the background plasma. The spontaneous magnetic fields are considered in some detail after discussing interactions between the laser-plasma and background. The discussion is motivated by experimental work being carried on by the authors at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).
In-memory performance for big data

When a working set fits into memory, the overhead imposed by the buffer pool renders traditional databases non-competitive with in-memory designs that sacrifice the benefits of a buffer pool. However, despite the large memory available with modern hardware, data skew, shifting workloads, and complex mixed workloads make it difficult to guarantee that a working set will fit in memory. Hence, some recent work has focused on enabling in-memory databases to protect performance when the working data set almost fits in memory. Contrary to those prior efforts, we enable buffer pool designs to match in-memory performance while supporting the "big data" workloads that continue to require secondary storage, thus providing the best of both worlds. We introduce here a novel buffer pool design that adapts pointer swizzling for references between system objects (as opposed to application objects), and uses it to practically eliminate buffer pool overheads for memoryresident data. Our implementation and experimental evaluation demonstrate that we achieve graceful performance degradation when the working set grows to exceed the buffer pool size, and graceful improvement when the working set shrinks towards and below the memory and buffer pool sizes.
An exploration of social participation for young adults following a first psychotic episode

Individuals with mental illness continue to be among the most excluded in society. A thorough understanding of how social participation shifts for individuals following their first psychotic break ...
Hypotension and bradycardia during spinal anesthesia: Significance, prevention, and treatment

Abstract Hypotension and bradycardia are common side effects of spinal anesthesia, and they represent normal physiologic responses to anesthetized spinal sympathetic nerve fibers. The primary physiologic alterations are decreased preload and cardiac volume, which combine with bradycardia to reduce arterial blood pressure and cardiac output. Mild hypotension or bradycardia may be treated with volume expansion, ephedrine, or atropine. However, severe and/or rapidly progressing bradycardia demands aggressive treatment with epinephrine, followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation if appropriate. Although somewhat controversial, evidence given in favor of prophylactic volume loading or vasopressor administration is generally unsupportive. Not every episode of spinal hypotension or bradycardia is clinically significant, but the anesthesiologist's vigilance is challenged to prevent mild aberrations from developing into major hemodynamic compromise. Controlling sensory block height, being alert to downward trends in heart rate and blood pressure, and reacting quickly and decisively to these changes are the key steps toward preventing catastrophe. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
Pearls and Pitfalls in Evidence Based Medicine: What We've Learned About Outcomes Research in Spine Surgery

Spine care has become increasingly evidence-based. The investigators who have generated this evidence have learned important lessons that should help guide future trials: 1. Patients will agree to enroll in studies and to be randomized; 2. Patients will crossover between treatment arms if it is an option; 3. Observational studies can provide the best answers to some questions; 4. High quality clinical research is extremely expensive and work-intensive; 5. High quality spine research is needed now more than ever. This paper reviews these issues as they have arisen in recent clinical studies.
Age, growth and mortality of mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis, from the east coast of Florida, with a brief discussion of management implications

Abstract Mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis , were sampled from recreational headboat and commercial vessels along the east coast of Florida, 1992–2000. Marginal increment analysis on sectioned otoliths ( n =1391) confirmed annulus formation during March–May. Mutton snapper were aged up to 29 years, and the largest fish measured 880 mm TL (total length). The weight–TL relationship was described by: W =1.01×10 −8 × TL 3.05 ( R 2 =0.96, n=413 ), where W is the whole weight (kg). The TL–fork length (FL, in mm) relationship ( R 2 =0.99, n=249 ) was described by: TL=8.91+1.08×FL. The TL–otolith radius (OR) relationship ( R 2 =0.81, n=1400 ) is described by the equation: TL=(177.09×OR)−131.56. Mean lengths at age from back-calculations to the last annulus ranged from 216 mm at the end of age 1 to 810 mm at age 17. Growth was not significantly different between sexes, and the von Bertalanffy growth equation for combined sexes was L t =869(1−e −0.16( t +0.94) ). Estimates of instantaneous natural mortality ( M ) ranged from 0.29 to 0.49. Estimates of instantaneous total mortality ( Z ) averaged 0.43 for all fisheries combined, 1986–1998, and were similar to single cohort estimates derived for the 1981–1986 year classes (mean Z =0.49). Mutton snapper were fully recruited to the headboat fishery by age 4, the commercial fishery by age 6, and the private recreational fishery by age 3. The problems inherent in managing a species that forms spawning aggregations and the more general problem of using a single statistic, such as spawning stock ratio (SSR), to assess a stock are discussed.
Diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's disease: a practitioner's overview.

Purpose To provide an overview of current diagnostic protocols of Alzheimer's disease (AD), screening techniques, tests, and a review of standard and new treatments. Data Sources Selected articles from the scientific literature, online sources, and standard texts were examined. Conclusions Standard tools, such as the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Mini Mental State Evaluation, and the 7-Minute Screen, are useful in the primary care setting for screening elderly patients. Other tools, such as the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and the Global Deterioration Scale, are useful for staging and monitoring progression of disease and response to treatment. Clinical diagnostic testing is still in developmental stages, but the hope is to have a reliable and objective diagnostic tool in order to diagnose AD in the earliest stages. Implications for Practice The diagnosis and treatment of AD is becoming a more frequent challenge in the primary care office. Clinicians must keep abreast of the rapid changes in new technologies in order to make informed diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
An investigation of the impact of injection strategy and biodiesel on engine NOx and particulate matter emissions with a common-rail turbocharged DI diesel engine

Abstract An investigation of the impact of engine injection strategy on NO x and particulate matter (PM) emissions with biodiesel fueling was conducted with a common-rail turbocharged direct injection diesel engine at moderate speed and different load/torque conditions. The fuels included a baseline ultra low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) and a B40 (v/v) blend of a soybean methyl ester (SME)-based biodiesel and ULSD. Single fuel injections at start of injection timings over a range from 9° before to 3° after top dead center with different fuel injection pressures were investigated. It is found that at all load conditions, an increase of fuel injection pressure significantly increases NO x emissions, and that with the same injection strategy as the baseline diesel, biodiesel fueling increases NO x emissions. For particulate matter emissions, it is found that an increase of fuel injection pressure decreases PM emissions for all load conditions. Meanwhile, biodiesel fueling has a more significant effect on PM emissions at low load and a less significant effect at moderate to high load. For an engine running with early SOI (highest brake fuel conversion efficiency in this work), a decrease of fuel injection pressure can counter the biodiesel NO x effect while maintaining a similar or even lower level of PM emissions as ULSD. Both biodiesel fueling and the change of fuel injection pressure did not significantly affect the brake fuel conversion efficiency, but retarding the start of injection appears to decrease it. Apparent heat release analysis shows a faster and higher heat release peak with higher fuel injection pressure. With biodiesel fueling, an earlier of start of combustion can be observed for low load, but no significant difference in combustion phasing can be observed at moderate to high loads. A fuel spray, mixture stoichiometry field and lift-off length model was employed. Linear correlations between the average oxygen equivalence ratio of the fuel–air mixture at the autoignition zone near the lift-off length and brake specific NO x emissions were observed for all load conditions, regardless of fuel type. This confirms that the dominant factor that determines NO x emissions is the ignition event controlled by the oxygen equivalence ratio at the autoignition zone.
Cardiological Aspects of Stroke Prevention

Many cardiac disorders and their treatment are associated with an increased risk for ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, so it is important for cardiologists to be aware of recent advances in the field of stroke prevention. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac disorder associated with a substantial risk for ischemic stroke (IS). The availability of implantable cardiac monitoring devices has substantially increased the detection rate of occult AF after IS. The 4 new oral anticoagulants have advantages when compared with warfarin, the standard therapy in AF to prevent IS, demonstrating a reduced risk for IS or intracerebral hemorrhage. Patients with cardiomyopathy, cardiac valve replacement, recent myocardial infarction, larger aortic arch atheroma and patent foramen ovale all have some level of increased risk for IS. The best approach for IS prevention in these disorders remains unsettled and varying approaches are recommended.
Induction of alloanergy in human donor T cells without loss of pathogen or tumor immunity.

Background—HLA-mismatched allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is limited by acute Graft-versus-Host Disease (aGvHD). Non-selective T cell depletion effectively prevents severe aGvHD but profoundly impairs donor-derived immune reconstitution, increasing infection and disease relapse. The strategy of induction of alloantigen-specific hyporesponsiveness (“alloanergization”) in donor bone marrow by allostimulation with co-stimulatory blockade prior to haploidentical transplantation has demonstrated early promise in reducing severe aGvHD. However, the differential effect of alloanergization on CD4 + and CD8 + donor T cell subsets and the degree to which beneficial pathogen-and tumor immune responses are retained have not been extensively examined. Methods—We used an in vitro model of alloanergization by allostimulation of human donor T cells with irradiated unrelated recipient peripheral blood mononuclear cells and co-stimulatory blockade with humanized monoclonal anti-B7.1 and -B7.2 antibodies. Residual alloresponses were assessed by proliferation (thymidine uptake, CFSE dye dilution) and cytotoxicity assays. Retention of human herpes virus and tumor-associated antigen-specific immunity was measured with HLA-Class Irestricted pentamers, intracellular cytokine secretion and CD107a assay using 5-color flow cytometry. Results—Alloanergization of HLA-mismatched donor T cells efficiently and selectively abrogated recipient-specific alloproliferation in both CD4 + and CD8 + cells while preserving functional CD4 + and CD8 + immune responses to clinically important human herpes viruses and to the tumorassociated antigen WT1. Conclusions—Retention of pathogen- and tumor-associated antigen-specific immunity following alloanergization demonstrates that this methodology, which is simple to apply, has potential to improve immune reconstitution whilst limiting alloreactivity after HLA-mismatched HSCT, and deserves additional evaluation in further human clinical trials.
Singer's moral principles and rules

IN HIS book Generalization in Ethics' Professor Marcus Singer presents the generalization argument as the cornerstone of a moral system. There are difficulties with his "deduction" of the generalization argument; however, I shall not concern myself with them. My purpose is to show that even granted the generalization argument Singer's moral system is not satisfactory and would require considerable modification to be acceptable. Singer conceives of a moral system as made up of principles and rules. Moral rules can have exceptions, can conflict with one another, and may not be relevant to a particular moral action. Moral principles do not allow exceptions, are always relevant, and do not conflict with one another. The generalization argument fits in in two ways. (1) It may be viewed as a principle and as such is one of the principles of Singer's system. (2) All moral rules are justified by the generalization argument (p. 119). I contend that if the generalization argument is taken as a moral principle it conflicts with one of Singer's other principles, and, hence, he cannot meet his own criterion that moral principles do not conflict. Also, the type of moral rules Singer wants in his system have properties of two quite different sorts of which only one kind may be established by the generalization argument. First it is helpful to briefly review the generalization argument. The generalization argument states: "If the consequences of everyone's doing x would be undesirable, then no one ought to do x" (p. 66). However, four qualifications need to be made upon it or its application. First, the argument has restricted universality. "Everyone" does not refer to every possible person but only to everyone of similar nature and circumstances. Second, the argument must be understood to have what might be called a dependence clause. The conclusion should read "no one ought to do x without a justification" rather than just "no one ought to do x." Third, the argument is invertible when the consequences of everyone's and of no one's doing x are equally undesirable. When invertible the argument does not apply as it would obviously bring about a conflict. Fourth, the argument does not apply if it is reiterable. This occurs when it is applied to some particular action, i.e., one that is specified "as taking place at some particular time, or at some particular place, or by some particular person, or in relation to some particular person orthing" (p.81). Singer claims that "a little reflection suffices to show that it is impossible
Purification of cytidine-triphosphate synthetase from rat liver, and demonstration of monomer, dimer and tetramer

Cytidine-triphosphate synthetase (UTP: ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.4.2) has been purified over 31,000-fold to homogeneity with 17% recovery from rat liver cytosol, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques. The presence of CTP synthetase monomer, dimer and tetramer has been demonstrated in the ammonium sulfate fraction of rat liver cytosol. By gel-permeation HPLC, the molecular weights of the three molecular forms of the enzyme have been estimated as 240,000 (tetramer), 120,000 (dimer) and 60,000 (monomer). By gel-permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel A-1.5m column, the molecular weights of dimer and monomer were estimated as 100,000 and 50,000, respectively. The molecular weight of the monomeric subunit is determined to be 66,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Monomers isolated fresh from 0-30 (NH4)2SO4 fraction of rat liver cytosol are enzymatically active. Purified rat liver CTP synthetase exhibited sigmoidal kinetic plots as a function of the substrate UTP in the presence of the end-product, CTP. Partially purified CTP synthetase usually forms an inactive coagulum on freezing and subsequent thawing. Incubation of CTP synthetase dimer at 25 degrees C for 1 h in the presence of UTP, ATP and Mg2+ resulted in optimum conversion to tetramer with least inactivation. The purified tetramer dissociates to dimers when UTP, ATP and Mg2+ are removed by dialysis.
Resolving Critical Habitat Designation Failures: Reconciling Law, Policy, and Biology

The US. Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires designation of critical habitat concurrent with species listing. The US. Fish and Wildlife Service often has not designated critical habitat, based on the legal exceptions in the ESA of "not prudent" or "not determinable." This lack of habitat designation has led to numerous lawsuits and court orders to designate critical habitat for listed species. Court-mediated implementation of critical habitat is costly and delays listing for at-risk species. Legal, policy, judicial, and biological issues all contribute to the current inability of the law as enforced to lead to timely and cost-effective critical habitat designation. Although increased appropriations and delaying critical habitat designation until recovery planning have been proposed as solutions, we find that it will be essential to change the critical-habitat guidelines to a decision-analysis framework to make critical habitat scientifically and legally workable as a conservation
MOF stability and gas adsorption as a function of exposure to water, humid air, SO2, and NO2

Abstract Gas adsorption and stability to liquid water, humid air, and acid gasses on metal organic frameworks have been studied using a high-throughput adsorption measurement system. Among the seven MOFs studied, Cu-HF, Zn-NDC, and Ni-NIC showed higher CO 2 /N 2 sorption selectivities, (8–12), than the other MOFs (∼4), mainly due to high CO 2 adsorption. Long term (5 days) NO 2 exposure, as well as exposure to liquid water, resulted in partial decomposition of the original structure of Zn-NDC with a corresponding 26–30% decrease in CO 2 adsorption capacity. No noticeable changes in X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were observed for the other MOFs with small variations in adsorption capacities, indicating structural robustness to acid gas and liquid water. Short-term exposure to humid air (3 d) and acid gasses (2 d) caused a decrease in CO 2 and N 2 adsorption capacity for Cu-HF and an increase in adsorption capacity for Ni-NIC. Measurements indicate that pore flexibility in Cu-HF, Zn-NDC, Ni-NIC and Cu-NH 2 is modulated by temperature: large SF 6 molecules are rejected from the pores at room temperature (as expected based on kinetic diameter), but N 2 , which does adsorb internally at room temperature, is rejected from the pores at 77 K.
X-Ray and Ultraviolet Luminescence of Li3Ta1−xNbxO4 Prepared by Flux Synthesis and Characterization of a New High Efficiency X-Ray Phosphor

Abstract The phase development and luminescence properties, under both X-ray and ultraviolet excitation, of the lithium orthotantalate–lithium orthoniobate system, Li 3 Ta 1− x Nb x O 4 for x =0 to 1, were examined. Using a flux synthesis technique, it was found that the levels of Nb-doping in monoclinic Li 3 TaO 4 and of Ta-doping in cubic Li 3 NbO 4 are higher than previously reported. Under 30 kVp molybdenum X-ray excitation, Li 3 Ta 1− x Nb 4 O 4 is an efficient blue-emitting phosphor with broadband emission, peaking in the range of 390 to 435 nm. For x =0 to 0.1, the overall luminescence efficiency is comparable to, or better than, a commercial calcium tungstate, CaWO 4 , Hi-Plus material. The composition Li 3 Ta 0.995 Nb 0.005 O 4 demonstrates an overall luminescence efficiency that makes this phosphor 45% brighter than CaWO 4 Hi-Plus, thereby making it a potentially attractive candidate for use in medical diagnostic imaging systems. Under ultraviolet excitation, broadband blue emission is also observed. For all the Li 3 Ta 1− x Nb x O 4 ( x >0) solid solutions, the emission peak maximums agree well with those seen under X-ray excitation and are the result of Nb 5+ emission.
Troponin I phosphorylation plays an important role in the relaxant effect of β-adrenergic stimulation in mouse hearts

Objective : The present study was designed to address the question of the contribution of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) phosphorylation to the enhanced rate of relaxation during β-adrenergic stimulation in hearts in situ. Methods : In situ hemodynamic measurements were performed in mouse hearts that (1) express normal level of phospholamban (PLB) and either express cTnI (PLB/cTnI) or the slow skeletal isoform of TnI (PLB/ssTnI) that cannot be phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) or (2) do not express PLB and either express cTnI (PLBKO/cTnI) or ssTnI (PLBKO/ssTnI). Results : In the basal state, there was no difference in heart rate (HR), developed pressure (DP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) or rate of contraction (+d P /d t ) between PLB/cTnI and PLB/ssTnI groups. However, hearts expressing ssTnI (PLB/ssTnI) showed a significantly decreased rate of relaxation (−d P /d t ) when compared with hearts expressing cTnI (PLB/cTnI). In response to β-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol (ISO), HR increased similarly in both groups. At the two highest doses of ISO, the rate of relaxation (−d P /d t ) was significantly smaller in PLB/ssTnI than in PLB/cTnI hearts. In the basal state, there was no difference in HR, DP, LVEDP,+d P /d t and –d P /d t between PLBKO/cTnI and PLBKO/ssTnI hearts. In response to ISO, HR increased similarly in both groups and was only slightly smaller in PLBKO/ssTnI group at the lowest dose of ISO. However, during ISO perfusion, when cTnI was phosphorylated, the rate of relaxation was significantly slower in PLBKO/ssTnI compared to PLBKO/cTnI hearts. Conclusion : Our data support the hypothesis that phosphorylation of cTnI significantly contributes to the enhanced rate of relaxation during β-adrenergic stimulation.
First- and second-order resonant Raman scattering in graphite

We report a determination of the Raman-scattering efficiency for first- and second-order phonon lines in graphite. These measurements are of interest for the analysis of the Raman spectra of amorphous carbon films, materials of increasing technological interest.
The structure of poly-2,5-benzoxazole (ABPBO) and poly-2,6-benzothiazole (ABPBT) fibers by X-ray diffraction

Abstract The determination of the crystalline structure of oriented fibers of poly-2,5-benzoxazole (ABPBO) and poly-2,6-ben-zothiazole (ABPBT) is described. Both unit cells are metrically orthorhombic, with the parameters: a = 6.061 (17), b = 3.384 (13), c (fiber axis) = 11.575 (6) A for ABPBO; and a = 6.044 (6), b = 3.417 (7), c (fiber axis) = 12.194 (18) A for ABPBT. The fiber repeat consists in each structure of two fused ring groups arranged in a planar, zigzag conformation. The conformational torsion angle and orientation of chains within the unit cells are derived from a linked-atom least squares refinement technique. Polymer chains pack laterally through van der Waals interactions. A plausible disorder model which involves defects in chain direction is presented. Refinement of a static disorder model for ABPBO in which 50% of the chains have their chain directions reversed leads to a lower R residual and sum of constraints.
Integrated Adaptively Predistorted Analog Optical Transmitter

An integrated photonic transmitter circuit incorporating an adaptive optical predistortion circuit is demonstrated. Simultaneous distortion cancellation of an electroabsorption modulator and driver amplifier allows improvement in dynamic range while using an efficient but nonlinear driver.
MUTATIONAL LOAD IN A FERN POPULATION GROWING IN A POLLUTED ENVIRONMENT

The Osmunda regalis sporophyte is well organized for the storage and perpetuation of postzygotic mutations. Techniques have been developed to detect sporophytes in which such mutations have occurred. Two populations were screened for sporophytes which are chimeras for gametophytic or recessive sporophytic lethals. The populations had different ecologies; one was in a pristine lake side bog and the other was growing in the waters of a river heavily polluted with industrial wastes. Post-zygotic mutations were detected only in the polluted river population. The level of mutational damage approximated that p-reviously documented from chromosome studies.
Chinese American parents’ acculturation and enculturation, bicultural management difficulty, depressive symptoms, and parenting.

This study examined whether Chinese American parents’ acculturation and enculturation were related to parenting practices (punitive parenting, democratic child participation, and inductive reasoning) indirectly through the mediation of parents’ bicultural management difficulty and parental depressed mood. Data came from a two-wave study of Chinese American families in Northern California. Mothers and fathers were assessed when their children were in early adolescence and then again in middle adolescence (407 mothers and 381 fathers at Wave 1; 308 mothers and 281 fathers at Wave 2). For both waves, we examined cross-sectional models encompassing both direct and indirect links from parental cultural orientations to parenting practices. We also used individual fixed-effects techniques to account for selection bias in testing model relationships at Wave 2. At Wave 1, via bicultural management difficulty and depressive symptoms, American orientation was related to less punitive parenting and more inductive reasoning for both parents, and Chinese orientation was related to more punitive parenting and less inductive reasoning for fathers. The findings indicate that bicultural management difficulty and parental depressed mood are important mechanisms to be considered when studying the relation between Chinese American parents’ acculturation/enculturation and parenting.
Ionic conduction and dielectric relaxation of the superionic conductor Ag2HgI4

Abstract Complex conductivity spectra of Ag 2 HgI 4 in the radio and microwave frequency range reveal distinctive features separating the ionic conducting α-phase from electronic conducting β-phase. In the α-phase, a power law conductivity spectrum, a relaxation-like permittivity spectrum, together with thermal activation effects, are indicative of hopping transport with a distribution of hopping times. Single-particle kinetics are thought to play a dominant role in the long time scale since many of the observed structures can be explained by a model based on jump diffusion. In the β-phase, a non-dispersive permittivity and the lack of thermal activation effects suggest that the observed response is the long-wavelength tail of an infrared vibrational mode.
Collateral water drinking in rats maintained on FR food reinforcement schedules

Six food-deprived female rats were tested on a bar press for food contingency under increasing FR requirements. The results corroborated a prandial interpretation of schedule-induced collateral water drinking in that number of meals, total water drunk, and amount of water ingested per reinforcement increased as the FR requirement increased.
Repressive Adaptation in a Nonclinical Sample: Consistent and Inconsistent Reports of Child Psychosocial Functioning Across Informants

Using multiple indicators (self-report, parent report, school grades, and disciplinary referrals), we compared the psychosocial functioning of children across Weinberger's (1990) and Weinberger, Schwartz, and Davidson's (1979) repressive adaptive style (RAS) groups. Participants included 134 children ages 10 to 13 years that were recruited from public schools and 117 of their caregivers. Relative to nonrepressors, we hypothesized repressors to evidence lower levels of self-reported distress but higher parent-reported distress on the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992). Summary scores from the BASC self-report differed significantly between repressors and nonrepressors in the expected directions. No significant group differences in parent-reported distress or school functioning emerged. Consistent with Phipps (2005), results question the predominant assumption that the RAS is associated with risk of psychosocial difficulties in children.
A note on a theorem by Professor Chow

Abstract Dhrymes (1973) pointed out an error in the determinant-minimizing algorithm worked out by Chow (1964) to obtain the Three-State Least Squares estimator. We prove that the procedure suggested by Dhrymes (1973) in this connection does not yield the 3SLS estimator either.
Elevated Levels of Circulating Cell Adhesion Molecules in Uncomplicated Essential Hypertension

Abstract Elevated levels of circulating soluble cell adhesion molecules are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. We tested the hypothesis that circulating levels of soluble cell adhesion molecules are elevated in older men with uncomplicated essential hypertension, which may contribute to the increased risk of atherosclerosis in this population. Circulating levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin were measured in 11 hypertensive (69 ± 1 years) and ten normotensive (65 ± 1 years) older men who were free of overt atherosclerotic disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The hypertensive subjects had higher (P
Surface states on chemically modified TiO2 electrodes

Abstract When the surface of TiO 2 is modified with alkysilanes, impedance and photocurrent measurements indicate that surface states are being introduced at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. These states, which act as effective recombination centers for light-generated carriers. have a broad Gaussian distribution with a maximum near the bottom of the conduction band. The width of this distribution varies linearly with surface coverage. A model based on slow reorganization of the solvent molecules can account for the Gaussian distribution, but not for the variation of the values of reorganization energy obtained under certain experimental conditions. An alternative model is presented which is based on the formation of a surface state band through overlap of the orbitals of randomly distributed surface adsorbants. This model is then extended to account for observations concerning the mechanism of hole transfer on an unmodified semiconductor-electrolyte interface.
Annual Faculty Salary Increases at Universities and Colleges: The Effects of Inflation and Recession

The annual rate of growth of the average salaries of faculty at universities and colleges has fluctuated considerably from year to year. Analyses annual academic year data on salaries from 1971‐72 to 1991‐92. Results are presented for continuing faculty (faculty on staff in both the reporting year and previous year), and for total faculty, in both cases disaggregated by rank. Two macroeconomic variables, the expected rate of inflation and whether or not the economy is in recession, provide a good explanation of how large the percentage increase in salaries will be for the forthcoming academic year, and in conjunction with the actual rate of inflation, the behaviour of real salaries of academics. The estimates provide a gloomy outlook for real academic salaries.
Red/near-infrared reflectance sensor system for detecting plants

Growing plants, soil types, and surfaces and residues on a soil surface have distinct natural light reflectances. These reflectance characteristics have been determined using current spectroradiometry technology. Detection of plants is possible based upon the distinct reflectance characteristics of plants, soil, and residues. An optical plant reflectance sensor was developed which utilizes a pair of red and near infrared sensitive photodetectors to measure the radiancy from the plant and soil. Another pair of sensors measures radiancy from a highly radiant reference surface to accommodate varying intensities of the natural light. The ratio of the target and reference radiancies is the target reflectance. Optical filters were used to select the spectral bandwidth sensitivities for the red and NIR photodetectors. The reflectance values were digitized for incorporation into a normalized difference index in order to provide a stronger indication that a live plant is present within the field of view of the sensor. This sensor system was combined with a microcontroller for activating a solenoid controlled spray nozzle on a single unit prototype spot agricultural sprayer.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Impact of Human Activities on Biological Evolution: A Topic of Consideration for Evolution Educators

There is a definitive need, at all science education levels, to strongly emphasize the central anthropogenic role humans now play in current evolutionary processes and biosphere impact. This article presents a brief overview of recent human activities; broad examples of the impact of human activities on biological evolution; a general overview and specific examples of incorporating human activities into evolution education; and further online anthropogenic resources that can be incorporated into educational settings.
Self-induced carving and scarification of the forearms as a manifestation of sexual abuse in a 14-YEAR-old adolescent girl

Background: Numerous cutaneous abnormalities have been described in adolescent girls who have been sexually abused. These include bruising, bite marks, cuts, scratches, abrasions, edema, hematomas or other evidence of struggle. Victims frequently shower or bathe excessively in an effort to cleanse their skin following such an unwanted encounter. However, there is a paucity of information in the literature regarding the association of sexual abuse and removal of the superficial layers of the skin as a more desperate attempt by teenagers to rid themselves of the perpetrator. The purpose of this paper is to heighten awareness among practitioners that self-induced cutting and carving of the forearms with scarification may occur as a manifestation of sexual abuse in young women.Methods: A 14-year-old girl was seen in an adolescent medicine consultation setting during the spring of 1999 for evaluation of an anxiety disorder. During the interview the girl related that she had been under considerable stress and that she was having difficulty sleeping. She also had worsening of facial tics that had been previously noted in association with obsessive compulsive behaviors. She had been receiving psychotherapy and was being treated with fluoxetine, but the symptoms were becoming more severe. On examination she appeared very anxious and demonstrated numerous involuntary, repetitive facial grimaces. Similar twitching movements of the neck were also noted. In addition, she had several well healed scars over both forearms. The lesions were linear with a range of one half to one inch in width and three to four inches in length. The remainder of the general physical examination was entirely unremarkable.Results: The etiology of the scars was initially unknown. Upon further questioning the patient was asked directly about what had caused these marks. At that point she broke down and cried as she related that had been sexually assaulted several months earlier. She stated that she carved out tatoos on her arms to get rid of the skin that the perpetrator had touched when he forcibly held her down and raped her. She believed that the scars were "clean" as they were covered with newly regenerated skin. Her gynecologic exam was normal. Further psychiatric intervention was then obtained as it became very apparent that the patient had numerous unresolved emotional conflicts stemming from the attack. Conclusions: This paper documents that carving and scarification of the forearms may be due to self-induced injury in adolescent girls who have been the victims of a sexual assault. Clinicians who care for teens should be aware of this finding as it appears to be an important dermatologic manifestation of sexual abuse. Early recognition of this sign and prompt treatment of the underlying psychiatric issues are essential to an optimal outcome so that any further complications following such a traumatic event can be minimized.