cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ballistic Performance of Tungsten-Based Heterogeneous Multilayer Structures

Due to their unique combination of properties, tungsten (W)-based composites are desirable alternatives to other high-density materials used as projectiles in defense applications. As such, heterogeneous tri-layer sandwich structures, consisting of W/metal (M)/W layers, have been produced by joining the cold-rolled individual W to the M layers using a diffusion bonding process. Under uniaxial high strain rate compression, these composite materials showed flow-softening and failed via adiabatic shear localization. Herein, we described for the first time the experiments designed to scale up the tri-layer, esp. W/Fe/W fabrication process to create multilayer structures that were formed into much thicker subscale projectiles. Results of instrumented ballistic testing into semi-infinite mild-steel blocks showed that the projectiles survived the high velocity launch process and penetrated the target. Detailed post-mortem examinations of the penetrator residuals showed clear evidence that the layered composites retained their integrity and deformed by extensive flow and shear localization of the individual W layers. The fabrication methodology, resultant characteristics, and the ballistic test results were discussed.
“Role” of the Dice: An Exploratory Analysis of Gamer Perceptions and Interpretations of Loot Box Advertising

Loot boxes in video games are increasingly becoming focal points in problematic gaming studies; however, few studies have addressed the potential impact on consumers of digital advertising for such...
V Generalized Holography with Application to Inverse Scattering and Inverse Source Problems

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the generalized holography with application to inverse scattering and inverse source problems. Holographic imaging is a fundamental imaging method that relies on the general properties of diffracting wave fields to store information about 3D objects on two-dimensional recording surfaces. The chapter discusses the basic theory of generalized holography for scalar and electromagnetic waves. The holographic images produced by the films can closely approximate the images produced by the generalized holograms of arbitrary shape. The chapter reviews the solutions to the inverse source problem, focussing on the role played by radiating and nonradiating source contributions. The inverse scattering problem can also be solved with generalized holograms, which can produce a band-limited reconstruction of a weak scatterer. The duality between scanning the scatterer with plane waves from all directions or at all frequencies is shown. Solutions to the inverse scattering problem with wide-band plane waves and point sources are discussed.
VLSI bit-level systolic array for radar front-end signal processing

A very-high-speed radar front-end signal processing CMOS VLSI chip-set using a fully efficient bit-level systolic array architecture has been developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The chip-set performs baseband quadrature sampling, channel equalization, pulse compression, and digital beamforming. The highly pipelined fully efficient bit-level systolic architecture and the highly optimized scalable CMOS VLSI cell library design give the chip-set extremely high performance. The chip-set uses an efficient 4:1 down-sampling baseband quadrature sampling architecture with reduced computational requirement. The chip-set and the cell library have potential in a variety of applications such as communications and medical imaging. >
ANTIVOLUNTARISM AND THE BIRTH OF AUTONOMY

Traditionalist and radical orthodox critiques of the Enlightenment assert that the modern discourse on moral self-government constitutes a radical break with the theocentric model of morality which preceded it. Against this view, this paper argues that the conceptions of autonomy emerged from the effort to reconcile commitments within the Christian tradition. Through an analysis of the moral thought of the Cambridge Platonist Ralph Cudworth, this paper contends that distinctively Christian theological concerns concerning moral accountability to God and the character of divine-human moral relationships produced a theory of moral autonomy which anticipates that of Kant. This paper highlights the role of anti-voluntarism in the creation of this moral standpoint, and argues that the resultant moral view is an “internalization” of the voluntarist model of sovereignty.
Radioiodinated Cholesteryl lopanoate as a Potential Probe for the in Vivo Visualization of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Animals.

Radioiodinated cholesteryl iopanoate, a nonhydrolyzable cholesteryl ester probe, showed increased uptake into atherosclerotic aortas of cholesterol-fed rabbits in comparison with normal rabbits. Auto-radiography of the aortas showed the radioactivity to be concentrated in areas of visible atherosclerotic involvement. Lipid extraction and thin-layer chromatography of this tissue as well as liver, adrenal, and plasma confirmed the resistance of this probe to hydrolysis. These findings suggest that 125I-cholesteryl iopanoate may prove useful for noninvasively monitoring atherosclerosis in intact laboratory animals.
Adapting Collaborative Filtering to Personalized Audio Production

Recommending media objects to users typically requires users to rate existing media objects so as to understand their preferences. The number of ratings required to produce good suggestions can be reduced through collaborative filtering. Collaborative filtering is more difficult when prior users have not rated the same set of media objects as the current user or each other. In this work, we describe an approach to applying prior user data in a way that does not require users to rate the same media objects and that does not require imputation (estimation) of prior user ratings of objects they have not rated. This approach is applied to the problem of finding good equalizer settings for music audio and is shown to greatly reduce the number of ratings the current user must make to find a good equalization setting.
An object model for multiprogramming

We have developed a programming model that integrates concurrency with object-based programming. The model includes features for object definition and instantiation, and it supports concurrent executions of designated methods of the object instances. Yet, the model includes no specific communication or synchronization mechanism, except procedure call. The traditional schemes for communication, synchronization, interfaces among processes and accesses to shared memory can be encoded by objects in our model. Concurrency in the model is transparent to the programmer; the programmer believes that the program executes in a sequential manner whereas the implementation employs concurrent threads to gain efficiency.
Preparation and properties of polystyrene model colloids: I. Preparation of surface-active monomer and model colloids derived therefrom

Abstract Model colloids having known particle size and surface chemistry are highly desirable for use in a variety of studies, such as colloid stability, interactions between particles and walls, measurement of diffusion coefficients, and rheology. Independent control of particle size and surface functional group density cannot, however, be achieved by conventional emulsion polymerization methods. This article is concerned with a method by which this goal can be accomplished by means of a surface-active comonomer, sodium sulfodecylstyryl ether (SSDSE), which was synthesized through four-step sequences of reactions starting from coumarin. Several series of monodisperse polystyrene latexes of the same size have been prepared, covering a range of particle size with radius from 90 to 120 nm, polydispersity indices on the average of 1.005 to 1.015 and surface charge densities from ca. 1.0 to 10.0 μC/cm 2 . These latexes were synthesized by a two-step process. First, monodisperse latexes with low surface charge density were formed by means of conventional emulsion polymerization. Then, a seed copolymerization with the surface-active comonomer was used to control the surface charge density of the latex.
Effect of Varied Stimulus Complexity and Duration upon Immediate Recall of Visual Material in a Serial Learning Task.

The importance of the discovery and development of psychologically based principles of learning available to the educator, has been stressed, with good reason, by Travers (Travers et al., 1967). It is the task of educational technologists, curriculum planners, and media designers to manipulate the stimulus characteristics of an instructional situation to influence the learner's behavior in some observable way. Yet many of the critical pre-conditions of learning that would allow such manipulation to be done precisely are not as yet clearly defined. The relationship between stimulus duration and recall is one such problem. Psychologists and media researchers have developed a body of knowledge that suggests the rudiments of design parameters for the duration of successive auditory and visual stimuli. In an attempt to further define these parameters and thereby allow the media designer greater control of the instructional situation, this study explored the interacting
Anthropology at the Edge: Essays on Culture, Symbol, and Consciousness

Anthropology at the Edge: Essays on Culture, Symbol, and Consciousness. J. Ian Prattis. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1997. 311 pp.
Growth and characterization of LNCaP prostate cancer cell spheroids

Cells from the prostate tumor cell line LNCaP have been grown as spheroids. The growth kinetics of the spheroids have been characterized by fitting a Gompertz equation to spheroid growth curves. The proliferation state of cells within spheroids of different diameters was assessed by bromodeoxyuridine staining. Scanning and electron transmission microscopy were performed to determine the ultrastructure of the spheroids. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) secretion was monitored throughout spheroid growth. Consistent with Gompertzian kinetics, the volume of LNCaP spheroids initially increased exponentially and then reached a plateau. The doubling time during the exponential phase was 29 +/- 4 h. A core of nonproliferating cells was seen in spheroids with a diameter of 400 microm; at a diameter of 600 microm, a necrotic core had formed. In smaller, 200-microm diameter spheroids, a core of nonproliferating cells was not seen, but proliferating cells were concentrated at the spheroid periphery. Electron microscopy showed that the spheroids were enveloped by an extracellular matrix and that cell adhesion within the spheroids was due in part to desmosomes. PSA secretion by the spheroids could be modeled as originating from a spherical shell whose thickness was independent of overall spheroid diameter. The shell thickness obtained by fitting an appropriate equation to the data was consistent with that determined from the bromodeoxyuridine studies. LNCaP cells exhibit several important features of prostate cancer cells; in vivo, they are androgen responsive, and they express prostatic acid phosphatase, PSA, and prostate-specific membrane antigen. LNCaP spheroids provide a simple but relevant model for the study of drug delivery and response in prostate cancer.
Industrial Agriculture in Evolutionary Perspective

Industrial agriculture is the highly volatile, capital-intensive food production system characteristic of industrial societies. This article will explore the characteristics of this form of agriculture and will use ecological and bioenergetic perspectives to interpret the current crisis in the U.S. farm sector. Evolutionary theorists in this area have tended to focus on the level of the total system, while this analysis will include the actor level as well (see Paul, this volume). Although the conditions of U.S. agricultural production are highly determined by the state and by other aspects of the economic context, different family traditions and farm strategies nevertheless play an important role in balancing among diverse pressures for maintaining tradition and for change. The current farm crisis may result in an escalation of the volatility and instability of U.S. agriculture, or it may begin the process of evolution to a more stable food production system. When viewed from the ecological and cultural evolutionary perspective in anthropology, human subsistence modes have evolved in two general directions: toward labor and capital intensivity. Responding to the imperatives of population pressure and elite surplus extraction (see Brown, this volume) and the desire to produce a surplus for exchange, human groups have developed more productive means of obtaining food under less favorable conditions (Barlett 1974, Boserup 1965, Polgar 1975, Service 1975). Agricultural evolution can be conceptualized as a process of intensification of resource use and capture of energy (Adams 1985; Bennett 1976; Rappaport 1979; Wilkinson 1973). A continuum of increasing total output and labor intensity per land unit can be seen in the evolution from swidden systems to plow agriculture and irrigation agriculture (Netting 1974, 1977). Industrial agriculture can be placed at the end of this continuum in terms of total resource and energy use; in other ways, it deviates from this evolutionary line. Productivity per land unit is less important than productivity per labor unit, and land is often used extensively. The hallmark of industrial agriculture is capital intensification and heavy investment in machinery and purchased industrial inputs. In the United States, industrial agriculture emerged out of initial conditions of abundant land, scarce labor, high soil fertility, favorable weather, available capital, and abundant energy resources in trees, water, minerals. Later, a dominant position in international trade aided the capture of energy from other world
Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism linkage analyses of quantitative rheumatoid arthritis phenotypes in Caucasian NARAC families

We applied nonparametric quantitative trait linkage analysis to two rheumatoid arthritis quantitative phenotypes, IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibody titer measurements, using 5700 genome-wide Illumina single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes on 658 Caucasian North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium families. Peak LOD scores for both quantitative traits were located in the human leukocyte antigen region 6p21 (15.8 and 13.8 for RF and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, respectively) followed by 11p12 (3.2 and 3.6). In addition, there were LOD scores of 3.2 on 2q32 for RF and 3.6 on 4q24 for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide. The resulting linkage signals for both phenotypes are very similar to previous results for rheumatoid arthritis as a qualitative variable, with rheumatoid factor measurements being most closely aligned. Interestingly, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide exhibits a stronger linkage peak on 2p14 than rheumatoid factor and rheumatoid arthritis, and stronger linkage on 4q24. Finally, we used ordered subset analyses to determine if sub-ranges of these two traits increased rheumatoid arthritis linkage signals; however, our analyses did not reveal significant effects of the quantitative traits on rheumatoid arthritis linkage signals in this population.
Comparison of Summarized Sires and Sampling Sires in Artificial Insemination. 2. Economic Difference

Abstract Economic differences between summarized and sampling sires were determined for a breeding project for which daughter production means and other parameters were available. A range of milk prices and interest rates were examined. Units of semen to produce one milking daughter, calving age, calving interval, and survival rates were specified. Any additional cost of semen was required to be recouped in the first four lactations of daughters. Added value of semen from summarized sires was from $3 to$2.40 per dose of semen depending on the financial conditions specified. The same economic analysis was applied to specific summarized AI sires and compared with the expected average sampling sire. In every case but two, sampling sires were more economical given the price of semen.
Biomedical informatics training for dental researchers.

Dental researchers collaborating closely with biomedical informaticians have achieved many advances in oral health research, such as in mapping human genetics and addressing oral health disparities. Advances will continue to increase as dental researchers and biomedical informaticians study each others’ disciplines to increase the effectiveness of their collaborative research. The combined skills will greatly increase the effectiveness of dental research. This manuscript summarizes the core of biomedical informatics curriculum (biomedical informatics knowledge, data management, and software engineering) for dental research. It also summarizes the obstacles that must be overcome for all dental research students to receive the training in biomedical informatics they require. These issues are: a lack of biomedical informatics faculty, a lack of biomedical informatics courses, and a lack of accreditation standards. Last, intra- and inter-institutional collaboration solutions are described.“The decades ahead w...
Groupings of psychiatric nomenclature classifications: cluster analyses of psychiatric subjective ratio scales.

St~mmury.-Three psychiatric judgmental ratio scales (impairment-severity, constitutionality, and susceptibilty to external stress) involving 15 functional psychosis classifications as stimuli were unidimensionally cluster analyzed. These scales were based on the scaled judgments (magnitude estimations) of 87 senior psychiatrisrs. Four-five clusters emerged with each scale. These analyses were computed from similariry measures (derived from scale values) which denoted degree of similarity between stimuli on a scale. A multidimensional cluster analysis based on averaged (across scales) similarity measures was also accomplished. All cluster analyses (unidimensional and multidimensional) appeared to group stimuli (classifications) into meaningful clusters. Several years ago, Overall (1963) in an investigation concerned with dimensions of difference between functional psychosis diagnostic types, in terms of primary symptom dimensions, had psychiatrists and clinical psychologists rate hypothetical or "typical" patients. Such hypothetical patients were rated in 13 different diagnostic categories with respect to 16 different symptom areas [as measured by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (Overall & Gorham, 1962)]. Configural analyses suggested that the 13 diagnostic types could be, based on symptom impressions, more parsimoniously reduced to five basic major types of symptom configurations. More recently, Stone ( 1968a, 1969e), using his new procedure which allows one to cluster analyze stimuli based on a unidimensional subjective-similarity model, reported that all 15 functional psychosis classifications (cf. American Psychiatric Association, 1952) could be reduced to five clusters based on information obtained from a previously developed judged prognostic-favorability scale (Stone & Skurdal, 1968). The purpose of the present investigation was to utilize Stone's stimulus clustering model with three other developed unidimensional psychiatric subjective ratio scales (Stone, 1968a, 1968b, 1969b). Also attempted was a cluster analysis (multidimensional) of the stimuli based on an "averaged" (across 4 unidimensional scales) similarity measure.
Spatial pattern recognition in a high energy particle detector using a neural network algorithm

Abstract An intrinsically parallel algorithm based on a Hopfield style neural network is used to associate the energy depositions in a multi-component, non-magnetic high energy particle detector. The algorithm has been implemented on a vector pipeline computer with greatly enhanced performance.
A Simple Proof of the Nonapplicability of the Central Limit Theorem to Finite Populations

Abstract The central limit theorem is often misstated in published statistical literature. When one is sampling from a finite population, increasing the sample size will not always bring the shape of the sampling distribution of the sample mean closer to normality. This paper demonstrates that the sampling distribution departs from normality as the sample size approaches the finite population size.
Charge-transfer and impact-ionization cross sections for fully and partially stripped positive ions colliding with atomic hydrogen

Classical trajectory calculations have been used to predict the charge-transfer and impact-ionization cross sections for collisions of ${A}^{+q}$+H in the velocity range of (2-7) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{8}$ cm/sec. The calculations employ a three-dimensional Monte Carlo approach that uses a classical description of the H atom and the Coulomb forces among all particles to obtain the cross sections. The positive ions studied include fully stripped ${A}^{+q}$, with $q=1\ensuremath{-}8, 10, 14, 18, 26, \mathrm{and} 36$, and partially stripped ${\mathrm{B}}^{+q}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{+q}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{+q}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}^{+q}$, with $q\ensuremath{\ge}3$. The total electron-loss cross sections (sum of charge exchange and impact ionization) vary only slightly with velocity for the higher charge states and reach a value of 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ for ${\mathrm{Kr}}^{+36}$ + H collisions. The importance of impact ionization relative to charge transfer is found to decrease with increasing $q$ in the velocity range studied. Transition probabilities versus impact parameters are presented for the ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ + H and ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+18}$ + H reactions. The calculations are in reasonable agreement with experimentally measured cross sections for the ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{+q}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{+q}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}^{q+}$+H systems.
Estimating the Contemporary In-hospital Costs of Carotid Endarterectomy

= 3). Cost was analyzed by the hospital Office of Program Planning using TSI (Transition Systems, Inc.) software. Direct costs are related to the utilization of clinical resources and are therefore manageable by clinicians (bed, room, supplies, nursing staff, OR staff, radiology, pharmacy, etc.). Total costs additionally include administration and overhead costs not directly chargeable to patient accounts. The results of this study showed that CEA can be safely performed with brief hospital stays and reasonable hospital costs. Results of alternative interventions for the treatment of carotid stenosis should be compared to these contemporary data.
The laser in dentistry: potential clinical applications

Abstract Areas in which the laser has potential clinical applications in dentistry are reviewed; caries inhibition, pulpal cautery, and laser welding. Results of preliminary investigations into these applications are described and the advantages of using a laser are given
Cyclic oligomer chemistry

Cyclic oligomers of engineering plastics such as polycarbonate and aromatic polyesters have been known for some time, being formed at very low levels during commercial manufacture. At GE Global Research, we have devised methods for high-yielding and selective preparation of such cyclic oligomers, that are amenable to commercial manufacture. The mixtures of cyclic oligomers have melting points significantly lower than individual ring sizes, and have very low viscosities in the melt. Ring-opening polymerization using appropriate initiators affords rapid reactions (2–6 min) without measurable exotherm, providing very high-molecular-weight polymers and without reaction byproducts. These materials have been scaled to commercial quantities, and have shown to be extremely useful for fabrication of glass and carbon fiber composites with high-fiber fractions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1151–1164, 2008
Meningococcemia as a model for testing the hypothesis of antisepsis therapies.

Objective: To critically review the advantages and disadvantages of pediatric meningococcemia as a model for testing anti-sepsis therapies. Data Sources: Research and review articles on the pathogenesis and treatment of human meningococcemia, as well as editorial commentaries discussing the failure of clinical trials for adult sepsis or Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Data from these sources are presented in the context of the author's experience as principal investigator in a large, randomized trial on children with invasive meningococcal disease. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Studies were selected to include aspects of epidemiology, pathophysiology, outcome prediction, and therapeutic trials. Data Synthesis: Compared with an adult sepsis population, meningococcemia is a single disease, diagnosed clinically with high reliability. Patients are previously healthy, without underlying medical or surgical conditions. In contrast to sepsis trials, nearly all patients with meningococcal disease receive effective antibiotics. Finally, meningococcemia most closely resembles animal models of endotoxin infusion, in which most antisepsis therapies have been highly effective. However, the meningococcal model carries major disadvantages, among them that meningococcemia is rare and rapidly progressive and patients are widely dispersed geographically. In addition, a wide range of experimental therapies is routinely provided in an attempt to preserve life or limbs. Conclusions: Meningococcemia is an ideal model of a rapidly progressive bacterial infection associated with marked endotoxemia. Problems with the model can be overcome by extensive pretrial logistic planning, as well as close coordination and cooperation with national regulatory agencies.
Flow near an enclosed rotating disk: Analysis

Abstract The flow near a rotating disk of finite radius which forms the top of a right circular cylinder is considered. Limited numerical solutions are presented for a slow rotational rate. However, emphasis is given to large rotational Reynolds numbers where most experiments with rotating disks are carried out. Velocities in the boundary layers on the rotating disk and the stationary cylinder surfaces and the velocity in the inviscid core enclosed by these boundary layers are determined by means of an integral method.
N-functions and the weak comparison principle

A(t) is called an N-function if A(t) = si 01(s) ds for 0 0 for t > 0, a(0) = 0, and Km,,, a(t) = +ox. (See [l, p. 2281 or [4, p. 61.) In this paper, we shall deal only with N-functions A which are twice differentiable on (0, 03) with A”(t) > 0 for t > 0; so, in particular, dA/dt = A’ = a: is strictly increasing and continuous for 0 < t < 00. Defining CC = 01-l as in [l, p. 2291 and setting A-(t) = si e(s) d s, we see that Ais also an N-function. We shall refer to Aas the complementary N-function to A. We shall be concerned with the comparison principle for the divergence structure operator of the form
Estimatability of blood chemistry variables based on a two-compartmented thermodynamic model

Abstract A two-compartment thermodynamic model was developed to analyze blood chemistry data in order to hypothesize acceptable values for physiologic variables that are not easily accessible during the usual clinical examination. The operation of the model, which determines the distribution of chemical components in the blood at steady state based on electrochemical potential, was successfully simulated by a linear regression model with four observation variables: plasma Na, K, Cl, and HCO 3 concentrations. The regression model yielded a number of indices and characteristics of biomedical relationships; i.e., (i) Na and K concentrations in the red cell are difficult to estimate, while free energy parameters of active transport of these species can be estimated; (ii) plasma K is unique in its independence of many species in plasma, etc.
Tolerance and recovery of kentucky bluegrass subjected to seasonal wear

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is fre- quently established on sports fi elds that receive wear during one or more seasons. Differences exist among Kentucky bluegrass cultivars for seasonal performance characteristics such as spring green-up and summer stress tolerance. The objective of this study was to determine whether the wear tolerance and recovery of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars were dependent on season. Twenty-two Kentucky bluegrass cultivars, representing nine genetically diverse Kentucky bluegrass types, were established in September 2002 in North Brunswick, NJ on a loam. The effects of simulated wear were eval- uated during spring, summer, and fall in 2004 and 2005. Generally, Kentucky bluegrass was more tolerant of wear during spring than sum- mer or fall and recovery was more rapid after spring wear. The performance of many cultivars depended on season of wear; however, 'Julia' consistently exhibited the greatest wear toler- ance as well as recovery. Compact-Midnight Type cultivars ('Midnight', 'Midnight II', and 'Liberator') had good wear tolerance during fall wear, however were slow to recover after fall wear. 'Cabernet', 'Lakeshore', 'Moon Shadow', 'Limousine', and 'Jefferson' exhibited more rapid recovery from fall wear during the next spring. 'Langara', 'Bedazzled', and 'Touchdown' had poor wear tolerance and recovery during all seasons. The season(s) of play should be con- sidered when selecting Kentucky bluegrass cul- tivars for sports fi elds.
Isolation and translation of elastin mRNA from chick aorta.

Abstract mRNA was isolated from 15-day chick embryo aortae by digestion of the tissue at 40° with Proteinase K in 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate followed by chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose columns. The mRNA was translated using a reticulocyte lysate system and the tropoelastin immunoprecipitated using a specific antiserum prepared against insoluble elastin. The precipitated product was characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a major peak corresponding to a molecular weight of approximately 70,000 daltons was observed. No higher molecular weight product was observed.
Structure and dynamic mechanical properties of highly oriented PS/clay nanolaminates over the entire composition range

Abstract A series of highly oriented model polymer/clay nanocomposites (nanolaminates) are prepared via a newly developed solvent deposition process with compositions ranging from neat polymer to neat organoclay. Morphology is analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) while thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is used to confirm composition and solvent removal. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is used to examine the trends in stiffness and damping properties as the composition is shifted from polymer-rich to polymer-starved. The role of the organoclay modifier in determining the structure and properties of these nanolaminates is also reported. Experimental moduli are compared to relevant micromechanical models including Tandon–Weng and Halpin–Tsai. These comparisons allow for the identification of deviations from the behavior expected of conventional blends and composites, highlighting the effects of nanostructuration and the presence of the organic modifier on materials behavior.
Essay. The Supreme Court and the pedagogy of religious studies: constitutional parameters for the teaching of religion in public schools

The United-States' Supreme Court uses the idea of objective pedagogy to define the proper role of religion in public school classrooms. The justices tend to leave this idea undefined, except to oppose objectivity to advocacy. Current pedagogical theory challenges this opposition. Moreover, educators often translate the Court's idea of objectivity into an exclusion of some methodologies in religious studies, like theology. A reformulation of religious studies pedagogy could not only meet the Court's standards on neutrality but also lead to a more engaging and open pedagogical response to the religious pluralism represented in public classrooms.
Comparison of hemagglutination and hemadsorption tests for influenza detection

Hemagglutination (HA) testing of the supernatant of primary rhesus monkey kidney cell culture tubes inoculated with clinical specimens was compared with hemadsorption (HAd) of the same tube for identifying the presence of hemagglutinin activity due to influenza. A total of 476 respiratory specimens were screened for influenza by this method. The 127 influenza or parainfluenza positive cultures showed 100% concordance between the two tests. All negative cultures were both also negative by HA and HAd. In contrast to the HAd method, HA testing was performed with less tube manipulation, less hands-on time, and less potential for cell culture tube contamination.
Pathogenesis of Chagas heart disease: role of autoimmunity

Chagas heart disease is caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The apparent absence of parasites from the hearts of most individuals who succumb to this illness has led some to propose an autoimmune basis for disease pathogenesis. This hypothesis has been extremely difficult to test, because other mechanisms of tissue inflammation may coexist in the setting of active infection. Here we review the proposed mechanisms of Chagas disease pathogenesis and present new evidence in support of an autoimmune contribution to cardiac inflammation in the context of these other mechanisms. While we do not yet have a definitive answer to the autoimmunity question, we hope that our views will provide those engaged in the debate fresh perspective on this challenging issue.
A constitutive theory for snow as a continuous multiphase mixture

Abstract Snow on the ground is viewed in this formulation, as a saturated two-phase granular material comprised of small grains of ice with interstitial pores filled by a single vapor. The snow is considered as a continuous mixture in which the ice and vapor constituents are themselves treated as individual but interacting continua. Mathematical modeling of the Snow is accomplished using a relatively recent continuum theory for mixtures where the individual constituents are physically separate. This approach considers the volume fraction occupied by each constituent as an additional kinematic variable. Therefore, in addition to the balance equations for mass, linear momentum, angular momentum and energy, usually applied in continuum mechanics, an equation which accounts for changes in the volume fraction, called the balance of equilibrated force, is included. Balance equations for each constituent as well as for the mixture are considered. The immiscible nature of the constituents allows constitutive equations to be developed which depend only on those variables which pertain to that constituent. Exchange between the ice and vapor is aecounted for by interaction terms which enter the theory through the balance equations for the constituents. Forms for these interaction terms are used which guarantee that the entropy inequality is not violated. A one-dimensional analysis of an isothermal homogeneous snow cover suddenly subjected to a colder surface temperature reveals a thermodynamically active zone associated with a large temperature gradient, initially located near the top surface, but which moves downward with time in a wavelike fashion decreasing in intensity. Slight differences in constituent temperatures are calculated during the more active transient phase in conjunction with a decrease in snow density.
Investigations of a mirror-image transfer effect in pigeons.

In two separate experiments, pigeons trained binocularly to peck a key on which an oblique line (e.g., 60° counter-clockwise rotation from horizontal) was projected yielded bi-modal angularity generalization gradients in extinction, with peaks of responding at both the training stimulus and its mirror image (in this case 120°). This mirror-image transfer effect may be analogous to an “octave effect” in auditory generalization, but Mello's finding of a mirror-image reversal transfer effect following monocular training in pigeons suggests an alternative interpretation.
The use of sagebrush (Artemisia) as a biogeochemical indicator of base-metal deposits in Precambrian rocks of west-central Colorado

Abstract The efficacy of sagebrush ( Artemisia ) as a biogeochemical indicator of base-metal mineralization in stratabound Precambrian ore deposits in west-central Colorado was investigated by collecting new (mostly flowering) growth from several sagebrush shrubs over and near five such deposits in three different areas. These are the Sedalia mine and two mines in the Turret district near Salida, and two mines in the Cochetopa district southeast of Gunnison. Two species were used, A. tridentata and A. frigida , depending on the area. Sagebrush clippings were separated into two subsamples consisting of (1) stems, and (2) leaves and blossoms stripped from the stems. These subsamples were ashed separately and the ash analyzed with an emission spectrograph for 30 elements. There appear to be no appreciable differences in the analyses of the two subsamples, indicating that composite samples would provide adequate information for further investigations. Eight of these elements, Ag, Bi, Cu, Pb, Sn, Y, Zn, and Zr, are present in notably higher concentrations in the ash of samples growing over mineralized ground than in that of control samples growing over barren ground. Although the distribution pattern, and the number of these anomalous elements, differs at each of the five localities, three of them, silver, copper, and lead, show good contrast and close association with subjacent mineralization in all five study areas.
Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in the Turkey as Measured by the Indirect Method and their Modifications by Pharmacological Agents

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE effective nature of reserpine in controlling spontaneously occurring dissecting aneurysms in turkeys is usually ascribed to its hypotensive action in that species, e.g., Carlson (1959), Ringer (1959), Speckman and Ringer (1960). Recent reports, Barnett et al. (1960), Burger et al. (1961), Waibel (1960), and Waibel et al., (1962), have indicated that this drug is also capable of temporarily delaying the onset of beta-a minopropionitrile (BAPN)-induced dissecting aneurysms in the laboratory. No experimental data have been presented which indicate that the drug is effective by its action on blood pressure. Recent reports from this laboratory, Krista et al. (1963), have indicated that other drugs with no influence on blood pressure in mammals have considerable potency in delaying BAPN-induced aneurysms. Thus, the relationship between drug activities on blood pressure and on dissecting aneurysms is unclear. This report describes the action of the drugs reported by Krista et al. (1963), three…
What is the role of receptor methylation in bacterial chemotaxis

Abstract Methylation of glutamate residues in membrane receptor-transducer proteins has generally been considered as a primary mechanism for adaptation in bacterial chemotaxis. Recent results indicate, however, that mutants completely lacking both the methylating and demethylating enzymes retain an ability to migrate in chemical gradients. This article presents a re-evaluation of the function of the chemoreceptor methylation reactions in light of these and other findings.
The Indian Ideology

Perry Anderson, The Indian Ideology. Gurgaon: Three Essays Collective, 2012. 191 pp. Indian Ideology—deliberately titled in allusion to Karl Marx's writings on his own country—is Perry Anderson's m...
Should tweets differ for B2B and B2C? An analysis of Fortune 500 companies' Twitter communications

Abstract Business-to-business (B2B) marketers hesitate to embrace social media as a marketing tool, unlike their business-to-consumer (B2C) counterparts, and they struggle to implement successful social media strategies due to their limited understanding of the phenomenon. Drawing on communication and word-of-mouth theories, the authors investigate how marketers use Twitter differently across contexts and predict key factors likely to influence the message strategies used in each. A longitudinal content analysis and logistic regression support the assessment of a sample of more than 7000 tweets by Fortune 500 companies. Marketers in B2B and B2C settings exhibit significant differences in their branding and selling strategies; their use of message appeals; and the use of cues, links, and hashtags to support information searches. Whereas B2B marketers tend to use more emotional than functional appeals in their tweets, neither B2C nor B2B marketers have adopted “hard sell” message strategies.
Effects of interferon treatment on liver histology and allograft rejection in patients with recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation.

Recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation remains a significant cause of graft loss and retransplantation. Although treatment of recurrent hepatitis C with interferon-based regimens has become widely accepted as safe and can lead to sustained virologic clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, long-term histologic improvement and the risk of precipitating graft rejection remain controversial. The present study is a retrospective evaluation of the clinical and histological consequences of treating recurrent hepatitis C with interferon-based therapy in a selected group of liver transplant recipients. Twenty-three liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C and histologic evidence of progressive fibrosis completed at least 6 months of interferon, 83% of whom received pegylated-interferon α-2b; only 4 tolerated ribavirin. Overall, 11 patients (48%) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of 6 months of treatment. Of these patients, 3 remained HCV RNA–negative on maintenance interferon monotherapy for 33 months, and the other 8 (35%) completed treatment and remained HCV RNA–undetectable 24 weeks after discontinuation of interferon. Overall necroinflammatory activity in liver biopsies obtained 2 years after HCV RNA became undetectable decreased significantly (7.73 ± 2.37 vs. 5.64 ± 2.94 units before and after treatment, respectively; P = .016). However, 5 of these 11 patients had no histologic improvement in follow-up liver histology. Liver biopsies in the 12 nonresponders demonstrated disease progression. Of the 23 patients treated with interferon, 8 (35%) had evidence of acute or chronic rejection on posttreatment liver biopsy, most of whom had no previous history of rejection (P < .01 for comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment prevalence of histologic rejection), and 2 experienced graft loss from chronic rejection, requiring retransplantation. In conclusion, interferon treatment of recurrent hepatitis C does not consistently improve histologic disease after virologic response, and it may increase the risk of allograft rejection. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:850–858.)
Evolution, Present Condition and Future Potential of the Smithfield Area of Dublin

This study traces the evolution of the Smithfield market area of Dublin's inner city from the time of the Vikings to the present. The market was established in the sixteenth century. From the seventeenth century the area was steadily developed but failed to become the prime residential location originally envisaged. Instead it attracted institutional buildings and working class families and became increasingly congested. The relocation of middle and upper socio-economic groups. Dublin Corporation tenants, and commercial activity to the urban periphery subsequently resulted in serious dereliction. The results of a building fabric study comprising over seven hundred buildings is presented and the impacts and effectiveness of Dublin Corporation's Development and Draft Development Plans are analysed. Having evaluated the area's evolution, present condition and existing planning legislation, recommendations for improvement are put forward.
Exploring Land Developer Perspectives on Conservation Subdivision Design and Environmentally Sustainable Land Development

Insight into land developers' perspectives on alternative residential developments and the barriers they experience in trying to develop them can be crucial in efforts to change environmentally damaging low-density, large-lot, and automobile-dependent residential patterns. Using a semi-structured interview instrument followed by short surveys, I examined the views of 16 developers in Waukesha County, WI, USA, a county that has experienced significant development pressures and widespread implementation of conservation subdivision design. The land developer investigation focused on conservation subdivision design familiarity and implementation, and identified a number of barriers that developers experienced in implementing the design. While the majority of the developers appeared familiar with the design and had experience developing conservation subdivisions, their motivations for developing them varied, as did their on-site conservation practices. The barriers included the lack of land use regulations supporting the design, economic factors, community opposition, and a lack of knowledge about sustainable residential development practices. Strategies to promote more environmentally sustainable residential land development patterns include providing a more supportive institutional environment, enacting different regulations and guidelines for natural resources protection, and offering education on ecologically sound development and planning practices.
A study of factors affecting due-date predictability in a simulated dynamic job shop

Abstract In a dynamic job shop, where jobs of various types enter and leave the production system continually in a random manner, completion time of a job is affected by many factors related to job characteristics and shop status and is very difficult to predict accurately. Also, the level of influence of each factor on the completion time of a job may depend on the production system characteristics, such as the dispatching rule used and shop utilization rate. Discussed in this paper are a method to identify factors that have significant effects on completion times of jobs in a job shop and a simulation study of the relative effects of these factors on performances of due-date predictability under various production conditions. The results indicate that the prediction capabilities of the due-date assignment rules, which are developed based on those significant factors identified, are significantly different, and the relative performances of them are affected by the dispatching rule used and shop utilization rate.
Global Analysis of Arabidopsis/Downy Mildew Interactions Reveals Prevalence of Incomplete Resistance and Rapid Evolution of Pathogen Recognition

Interactions between Arabidopsis thaliana and its native obligate oomycete pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa) represent a model system to study evolution of natural variation in a host/pathogen interaction. Both Arabidopsis and Hpa genomes are sequenced and collections of different sub-species are available. We analyzed ∼400 interactions between different Arabidopsis accessions and five strains of Hpa. We examined the pathogen's overall ability to reproduce on a given host, and performed detailed cytological staining to assay for pathogen growth and hypersensitive cell death response in the host. We demonstrate that intermediate levels of resistance are prevalent among Arabidopsis populations and correlate strongly with host developmental stage. In addition to looking at plant responses to challenge by whole pathogen inoculations, we investigated the Arabidopsis resistance attributed to recognition of the individual Hpa effectors, ATR1 and ATR13. Our results suggest that recognition of these effectors is evolutionarily dynamic and does not form a single clade in overall Arabidopsis phylogeny for either effector. Furthermore, we show that the ultimate outcome of the interactions can be modified by the pathogen, despite a defined gene-for-gene resistance in the host. These data indicate that the outcome of disease and disease resistance depends on genome-for-genome interactions between the host and its pathogen, rather than single gene pairs as thought previously.
Benjamin Bloom: His Research and Influence on Education

(1988). Benjamin Bloom: His Research and Influence on Education. Teaching Education: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 54-59.