cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpretive effects in multiple interrogation

Superiority phenomena in multiple WH-questions are analyzed as an effect of a range of sentence-level but discourse-related contingencies centering around question focus and concomitant constraints on question structure. It is argued that multiple interrogation formations in English are restricted by constraints ensuring the informativeness of the question focus: These constraints interact with intonational and logophoric characteristics of the sentence to determine felicity of multiple interrogation structures. In particular, subject-object and argument-adjunct asymmetries in focus projection from a lexical item receiving primary stress translate into similar asymmetries in multiple interrogation structures. The proposed model accounts for systematic amelioration and degradation effects by invoking principled contingencies and by appeal to a contextual dependency spectrum allowing amelioration via targeted manipulation, such that question-internal structural adjustments affecting focus projection and question-external contextual priming can satisfy the informativeness requirements of multiple interrogation structures.
Photoionization and Fragmentation of Polyatomic Molecules

The most detailed studies of photoionization and fragmentation have been carried out with apparatus which consists of a vacuum ultraviolet monochromator with various light sources producing continua or near-continua and a mass spectrometer for ion detection and identification. Several such instruments have been used and are described or referred to in recent reviews.(1,2) One particularly advantageous combination is that of a 1-meter near normal incidence monochromator equipped for windowless operation with rare gas continua lamps and a magnetic-deflection mass spectrometer. Photon band widthsoas narrow as 0.04 A have been used but 1.0 A (c0.01 eV at 1100 A) is more typical. Such an apparatus has been described in the literature.(3) Of particular interest in the present context are certain temporal characteristics of this apparatus. Between the instant of formation in the photoionization chamber and final detection after mass analysis an ion of typical mass (c100 amu) spends several microseconds in each of the following regions of the instrument: (1) the ionization chamber, (2) acceleration and focusing regions, (3) a first field-free region, (4) the magnetic field, (5) a second field free region. Ions which dissociate in regions (1) are detected as fragment ions.
Property Taxes and Community Political Structures

Survey findings from three American communities on citizens' willingness to support public programs through local property tax increases are examined to shed further light on the contemporary "taxpayers' revolt." The analysis discovers that distinctly different dynamics characterize the politics of local property tax proposals. Discrete proposals generate different patterns of community cleavage, which may or may not preclude passage; however, a structural bias in favor of tax revolters is discovered in all three of the study sites.
Estimation in Stationary Markov Renewal Processes, with Application to Earthquake Forecasting in Turkey

Consider a process in which different events occur, with random inter-occurrence times. In Markov renewal processes as well as in semi-Markov processes, the sequence of events is a Markov chain and the waiting distributions depend only on the types of the last and the next event. Suppose that the state-space is finite and that the process started far in the past, achieving stationary. Weibull distributions are proposed for the waiting times and their parameters are estimated jointly with the transition probabilities through maximum likelihood, when one or several realizations of the process are observed over finite windows. The model is illustrated with data of earthquakes of three types of severity that occurred in Turkey during the 20th century.
Gradual adaptation to auditory frequency mismatch.

Abstract What is the best way to help humans adapt to a distorted sensory input? Interest in this question is more than academic. The answer may help facilitate auditory learning by people who became deaf after learning language and later received a cochlear implant (a neural prosthesis that restores hearing through direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve). There is evidence that some cochlear implants (which provide information that is spectrally degraded to begin with) stimulate neurons with higher characteristic frequency than the acoustic frequency of the original stimulus. In other words, the stimulus is shifted in frequency with respect to what the listener expects to hear. This frequency misalignment may have a negative influence on speech perception by CI users. However, a perfect frequency-place alignment may result in the loss of important low frequency speech information. A trade-off may involve a gradual approach: start with correct frequency-place alignment to allow listeners to adapt to the spectrally degraded signal first, and then gradually increase the frequency shift to allow them to adapt to it over time. We used an acoustic model of a cochlear implant to measure adaptation to a frequency-shifted signal, using either the gradual approach or the “standard” approach (sudden imposition of the frequency shift). Listeners in both groups showed substantial auditory learning, as measured by increases in speech perception scores over the course of fifteen one-hour training sessions. However, the learning process was faster for listeners who were exposed to the gradual approach. These results suggest that gradual rather than sudden exposure may facilitate perceptual learning in the face of a spectrally degraded, frequency-shifted input. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled .
Estimation of internal temperature in chicken meat by means of mid-infrared imaging and neural networks

A non-invasive method to estimate internal temperature in boneless, skinless chicken meat after cooing is presented. In this work, the internal temperature of chicken breast samples, measured at approximately half the thickness, was correlated with the external temperature of the surface above and the cooling time. For the non-invasive and accurate external temperature measurement a focal planar array IR camera with spectral range of 3.4-5 micrometers was used. At this spectral band, the interference of water vapor originated from the sample is practically eliminated. Neural networks were used to establish a correlation between internal temperature with external temperature and cooling time. To model the internal and external temperature time series a one-hidden layer feed forward layer, with three hidden nodes was used. The network was trained with 60 time series of 20 time points each one, ranging form 0 to 570 seconds. Training was conducted for 400 epochs, with learning rate 0.3. The predictions obtained were compared with a test data set to judge the performance of the network. The method has great potential for the real-time estimation of internal temperature of cooked chicken meat in industrial lines.
Building a supplier-customer relationship using joint new product development☆☆☆

Abstract The objective of the study was to examine the evolution of a buyer-seller relationship from awareness to full commitment. Detailed explanation is provided on how this relationship evolved between the supplier and manufacturer of one complex automobile part using the joint new product development process. Data were collected by the authors using extensive personal interviews with executives of a major supplier of parts to the automotive industry. Managerial and research implications are provided.
Therapeutic Insanity: The Transformative Vision of Bessie Head's A Question of Power

Bessie Head’s largely autobiographical novel A Question of Power (1974) describes Elizabeth’s psychological derangement resulting from her abuse, neglect, and exile as a half-black, half-white woman in apartheid South Africa. The novel examines the human cost of oppressive power systems, but more important, Elizabeth’s ability to extricate herself and live affirmatively. The yawning chasm of evil that had engulfed her is negated as she finds a cooperative living situation characterized by simple human acts of compassion, acceptance, and selflessness that powerfully nurture her. Even more significant are Elizabeth’s painstaking internal realizations regarding the psychic scaffolding required to overcome exploitation and pursue a “fuller humanity” (Freire 141). This article explores the nature of these realizations, grounded in inclusive mental structures that counteract the former divisiveness based in self versus other, male versus female, good versus evil, white versus black formulations.
Nature of the aqueous hydroxide ion probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

X-ray absorption spectra of aqueous 4 and 6 M potassium hydroxide solutions have been measured near the oxygen K edge. Upon addition of KOH to water, a new spectral feature (532.5 eV) emerges at energies well below the liquid water pre-edge feature (535 eV) and is attributed to OH- ions. In addition to spectral changes explicitly due to absorption by solvated OH- ions, calculated XA spectra indicate that first-solvation-shell water molecules exhibit an absorption spectrum that is unique from that of bulk liquid water. It is suggested that this spectral change results primarily from direct electronic perturbation of the unoccupied molecular orbitals of first-shell water molecules and only secondarily from geometric distortion of the local hydrogen bond network within the first hydration shell. Both the experimental and the calculated XA spectra indicate that the nature of the interaction between the OH- ion and the solvating water molecules is fundamentally different than the corresponding interactions of ...
The Future of Random-Digit-Dial Surveys for Injury Prevention and Violence Research

A central issue facing injury prevention research today is how to collect self-reported data on injury and violence from a geographically dispersed public, quickly, cost effectively, and with a reasonable degree of confidence in the quality of the results. Questions about eroding frame coverage, declining participation rates, and increasing potential for bias have raised doubts about the long-term viability of random-digit-dial (RDD) telephone surveys for injury prevention research. So where does the future lie? The four articles in this volume, as well as other research, point down two paths: (1) continued reliance on RDD, or (2) adoption of alternative survey designs. Continued use of RDD methodology will require additional research in the areas of response rate improvement, techniques for enhancing post-survey adjustments, and cost-effective approaches to nonresponse bias analysis. Moving away from a strict reliance on RDD methodology, injury prevention research could adopt mixed-mode approaches (such as combining telephone, mail, and web-based surveys) or make use of address-based sampling frames as a method for reaching sample members currently missed by most RDD approaches. Either way, the future of collecting self-reports of injury and injury prevention data will be more complex and require considerable resources.
843 AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE IMPLANTATION IN MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDOSIS

Amniotic membrane implantation has been performed as an approach to enzyme replacement in mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). The rationale for this study is based on the findings that cultured amniocytes secrete lysosomal enzymes and that amnion membranes are non-immunogenic. 19 patients (MPS I,II,III), ages 3 to 16 yr., have had implantation of human amniotic membranes obtained from elective repeat C-sections. The subcutaneous implants in the abdominal wall have been well tolerated with follow-up between 4 to 12 mo. The effects of amniotic membrane implantation on the clinical status of the patients was evaluated by comparing the following studies pre- and 6 mo. post-implantation: EKG, echocardiography, head and liver CT, liver/spleen scan, skeletal survey, fundus exam, electroretinography, audiological assessment, auditory brain stem response and joint range of motion. Objective clinical improvement was noted as an increased range of motion in 3 of 18 patients. Biochemical analysis demonstrated no change in serum or WBC enzyme activity. Urinary GAG transiently decreased in 2 of 10 patients with levels returning to pre-treatment range at 6 mo. post implantation. Biopsy of the implantation site at 6 mo. post implantation demonstrated a foreign body reaction with no evidence of amnion tissue. Amniotic membrane implantation appears to have limited success as a means of enzyme replacement.
High recovery of large molecular weight DNA from sorted maize chromosomes

High recovery of large molecular weight DNA from single types of sorted chromosomes is a requirement for the construction of partially digested chromosome-specific libraries. We have developed a simple procedure, based on salting out, for rapidly obtaining large quantities of chromosomal DNA from flow-sorted chromosomes in maize. DNA isolated from sorted frozen chromosomes was of good quality, over 120 kb in size, and suitable for restriction enzyme analysis and construction of phage libraries.
Analysis of the H-2Kbm8 mutant: correlation of structure with function.

Abstract The gene for H-2K class I major histocompatibility antigen on the bm8 variant was cloned and the DNA sequence compared with the parental gene. Sequence analysis demonstrated that seven nucleotides were changed with respect to the parental gene sequence spanning 24 nucleotides. These changes represent an alteration of four amino acids from the parent protein. As this mutation occurred in a single generation, a potential donor gene for such a complex mutation was suggested and identified. The Q4 gene class I-like molecule has a stretch of 95 nucleotides of identity in the region of the bm8 mutation. Genomic Southern analysis of the mutant and parental DNA with a gene-specific oligonucleotide demonstrated that the potential donor gene Q4 is a likely candidate sequence for such an event. The amino acid alterations for the H-2K bm8 mutation are discussed in consideration of the three-dimensional structure of the characterized human class I glycoprotein.
Studies on foot-and-mouth disease virus ribonucleic acid synthesis.

Abstract Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from baby hamster kidney cells infected with type A119 foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in the presence of actinomycin-D. Virus-specific RNA components, resolved by ultracentrifugation in sucrose gradients, were first detected between 90 and 180 minutes after infection; the maximum rate of synthesis was found 5 hours after infection. The virus-specific RNA components which have been identified are viral RNA and a complex having a sedimentation coefficient of about 20 S which is partially ribonuclease (RNase) resistant. The RNase-resistant RNA is synthesized in amounts similar to viral RNA, and “pulse-labeling” experiments indicate that it is formed before virus RNA.
Polymer/clay and polymer/carbon nanotube hybrid organic-inorganic multilayered composites made by sequential layering of nanometer scale films

This review article focuses on the preparation and applications of layer-by-layer (LBL) assembled organic/inorganic films. As model systems we use incorporation of two multi-functional nanomaterials in the LBL: the clay nanosheets and carbon nanotubes. All the aspects of the composite design starting with the structure of the individual nano-scale building blocks and their interactions with polymer matrix, orientation of the inorganic components in the multilayer, origin of record properties, and most likely applications of the resulting materials are given. Special attention is placed on the understanding of the control parameters for key functional properties such as mechanical strength/stiffness/toughness, electrical transport, transparency, and some properties relevant for biological applications.
Origin of an alternative genetic code in the extremely small and GC-rich genome of a bacterial symbiont.

The genetic code relates nucleotide sequence to amino acid sequence and is shared across all organisms, with the rare exceptions of lineages in which one or a few codons have acquired novel assignments. Recoding of UGA from stop to tryptophan has evolved independently in certain reduced bacterial genomes, including those of the mycoplasmas and some mitochondria. Small genomes typically exhibit low guanine plus cytosine (GC) content, and this bias in base composition has been proposed to drive UGA Stop to Tryptophan (Stop→Trp) recoding. Using a combination of genome sequencing and high-throughput proteomics, we show that an α-Proteobacterial symbiont of cicadas has the unprecedented combination of an extremely small genome (144 kb), a GC–biased base composition (58.4%), and a coding reassignment of UGA Stop→Trp. Although it is not clear why this tiny genome lacks the low GC content typical of other small bacterial genomes, these observations support a role of genome reduction rather than base composition as a driver of codon reassignment.
The evolution of cooling flows. I - Self-similar cluster flows

The evolution of a cooling flow from an initial state of hydrostatic equilibrium in a cluster of galaxies is investigated. After gas mass and energy are injected into the cluster at an early phase, the gas approaches hydrostatic equilibrium over most of the cluster and cooling becomes important in the dense central regions. As time passes, cooling strongly affects an increasing amount of gas. The effects of mass removal from the flow, the inclusion of magnetic or cosmic-ray pressure, and heat conduction are considered individually.
Prediction of Surface Roughness Effects on Centrifugal Compressor Performance

The present paper deals with the effect of the surface roughness on the performance of centrifugal compressors and the applicability of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for the purpose of the quantitatively accurate prediction of the performance deterioration due to the surface roughness. Commercial CFD solver FLUENT was applied in the current research. High Reynolds number turbulence model was used with the wall function corrections to the rough walls. In the initial phase, CFD analyses were conducted on an axial compressor and an axial turbine cascades, those geometrical and experimental data on the effect of the surface roughness are publicly available. The comparison of the CFD results with the experimental data showed reasonable agreement in view of the increase in the cascade loss coefficient at the cascade design conditions, although less satisfactory agreements were obtained at some off-design conditions. In the next step, a series of performance testing was conducted on the centrifugal compressor stages, whose wetted surfaces are intentionally roughened by sand-blasting surface treatment. Corresponding CFD analyses were conducted. In these analyses the intensity and extent of the surface roughness were appropriately modeled based on the observations and measurements of the surface texture. Efficiency decrements were compared and good agreements were confirmed between them. In this case, good agreements were obtained not only for the design conditions but also for the wide range of the off-design conditions. Based on the above analyses and comparisons with experimental data, following conclusions were obtained. Reasonable quantitative agreements between experimental data and CFD analyses were obtained on axial compressor and turbine cascades and centrifugal compressor stages. CFD analyses with wall roughness can be used to estimate the detrimental effect of the surface roughness.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The Necessity of "Necessity": Hume's Psychology of Sophisticated Causal Inference

Much of what Hume calls probable reasoning is deliberate and reflective. Since there are aspects to Hume's psychology that tempt some commentators to think, on the contrary, that for Hume all such reasoning is simple and immediate, I will be concerned to emphasize Hume's recognition of the sophisticated sort of probable reasoning (section I). Though some of the details of my case may be new, the overall point of this section should not be news to recent scholarship. But once we recognize that this reflective and deliberate reasoning constitutes a significant portion of all probable reasoning, it becomes legitimate to ask how Hume accommodates this reasoning in his psychology, his ‘science of man.’ I believe that Hume has an answer to this question. I will explain in what way Hume could have thought that probable reasoning can be sophisticated: in short, sophisticated probable reasoning involves the use of the concept of evidence or epistemic support (section II). Hume's psychology, constrained by his empiricism, must therefore explain how we come to have this idea.
Governance of Enterprise Crowdsourcing

It's a labor cloud, a human cloud. The model is "pay for what you use. Gartner's 4 attributes of CS: ▪ Service-based: project, subscription. ▪ Scalable and elastic: vast! On demand 24/7 ▪ Shared: no one owns the crowd. ▪ Metered: individuals paid for work.
A condition for unique ergodicity of minimal symbolic flows

A sufficient condition for unique ergodicity of symbolic flows is provided. In an important but special case of interval exchange transformations, the condition has already been validated by W. Veech.
Conditioned suppression of an operant response using d-amphetamine as the conditioned stimulus

The use of a drug state as a conditioned stimulus (CS) in a classical conditioning paradigm was investigated. Suppression of a single-lever foodreinforced response (variable-interval 60s) served as an index of a classically conditioned response (conditioned suppression). d-Amphetamine (0.8 mg/kg) injections were paired with a series of inescapable shocks. Following drug-shock pairing, the effects of d-amphetamine on operant response totals was compared to effects obtained in control subjects which had received unpaired d-amphetamine and shock exposures. d-Amphetamine administered during daily operant sessions unaccompanied by shock was an effective CS for conditioned suppression of the operant response. Administration of cocaine hydrochloride (7.5 mg/kg) also produced a decrease in total responses, suggesting stimulus generalization from the shock-paired drug to a novel drug.
Autoradiographic studies on 14C-leucine incorporation into motor neurons of the spinal cord of x-irradiated mice.

The incorporation of 14C-leucine into the cytoplasm and nuclei of the motor neurons in the spinal cords of control mice and of mice given total-body X-irradiation was studied with the use of autoradiography. A decrease in isotope incorporation into the cell cytoplasm of the motor neurons in the spinal cords of irradiated mice was observed. The incorporation of 14C-leucine into the nuclei of the motor neurons of spinal cords of irradiated animals was increased significantly as compared to the appropriate control values.
Gas phase study of the reactivity of optical coating materials with hydrocarbons using a desk-top size EUV laser

The reactivity of prospective capping layer extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mirror materials with hydrocarbons, alcohols, and water is studied in the gas phase using mass spectroscopy of metal-oxide clusters. We report the results of chemistry studies for Si, Ti, Hf, Zr, and Ru metal oxide nanoclusters in which the reaction products were ionized with little or no fragmentation by 26.5 eV photons from a desk-top size 46.9 nm Ne-like Ar laser. Hf and Zr oxides are found to be much less reactive than Si or Ti oxides in the presence EUV light. Ru oxides show different chemistry and are inactive with water/alcohols, and active with saturated/unsaturated hydrocarbons. The results are relevant to the design of EUV mirror capping layers that are resistant to carbon contamination.
Bacteria herald a new era of gene editing

The demonstration that nucleases guided by bacterial RNA can disrupt human genes represents a landmark in the rapidly developing field of genome engineering.
Low temperature plasma treatment of asymmetric polysulfone membranes for permanent hydrophilic surface modification

A plasma treatment that renders asymmetric polysulfone membranes permanently hydrophilic is reported. Our modification strategy entails treating these membranes downstream from an inductively coupled rf plasma source. Contact angle measurements confirm that the membranes are completely wettable with water as a result of H2O plasma treatment. More importantly, the hydrophilic modification is permanent as plasma-treated membranes remain wettable for more than 16 months after plasma treatment. This treatment achieves the desired change in wettability for microporous as well as ultrafiltration polysulfone membranes, illustrating the universality of this method. XPS analysis of treated membranes demonstrates this dramatic change in wettability is a result of chemical changes in the membrane induced by plasma treatment. Moreover, the membrane modification is complete as the plasma penetrates the thickness of the membrane, thereby modifying the entire membrane cross-section.
Cooling Time, Freefall Time, and Precipitation in the Cores of ACCEPT Galaxy Clusters

Star formation in the universe's largest galaxies—the ones at the centers of galaxy clusters—depends critically on the thermodynamic state of their hot gaseous atmospheres. Central galaxies with low-entropy, high-density atmospheres frequently contain multiphase star-forming gas, while those with high-entropy, low-density atmospheres never do. The dividing line between these two populations in central entropy, and therefore central cooling time, is amazingly sharp. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the dichotomy. One points out that thermal conduction can prevent radiative cooling of cluster cores above the dividing line. The other holds that cores below the dividing line are subject to thermal instability that fuels the central active galactic nucleus (AGN) through a cold-feedback mechanism. Here we explore those hypotheses with an analysis of the Hα properties of ACCEPT galaxy clusters. We find that the two hypotheses are likely to be complementary. Our results support a picture in which cold clouds inevitably precipitate out of cluster cores in which cooling outcompetes thermal conduction and rain down on the central black hole, causing AGN feedback that stabilizes the cluster core. In particular, the observed distribution of the cooling-time to freefall-time ratio is nearly identical to that seen in simulations of this cold-feedback process, implying that cold-phase accretion, and not Bondi-like accretion of hot-phase gas, is responsible for the AGN feedback that regulates star formation in large galaxies.
Psychometric validation of two Procrastination inventories for adults: Arousal and avoidance measures

Lay's (1986) General Procrastination (GP) and McCown and Johnson's (1989) Adult Inventory for Procrastination (AIP) measures were evaluated across two studies. In Study 1, both inventories were administered to two groups of college students (Sample 1 n=52; Sample 2 n=59), who were asked to return completed scales before the end of the semester. Students' attendance rates at study groups, test grades, and time required to complete multiple choice items on two exams also were recorded. Results indicated that high procrastination scores were related to a higher number of days to return completed inventories but not attendance, exams scores, or test-taking time. In Study 2, nontraditional age university students (n=215) were asked to complete procrastination measures as well as sensation-seeking, need for cognition, and self-esteem inventories. Factor analysis indicated that scores on Lay's (1986) scale loaded on sensation-seeking, while McCown and Johnson's (1989) scale loaded negatively with need for cognition and self-esteem variables. It would appear that although the scales assessed procrastinatory behavior, one inventory is indicative of sensation-seeking and the other the avoidance of poor self-esteem.
The sulfhydryl groups of actin.

Abstract 1. 1. Actin has been found to contain 6 SH groups per mole when titrated with p -mercuribenzoate. Concentrated urea solutions do not increase this number, but precautions against oxidation of the protein must be carried out to prevent loss of SH groups. 2. 2. Titration with N -ethylmaleimide yields 2 SH groups per mole of G-actin and F-actin, denaturation in urea or sodium lauryl sulfate increases the number to 6. 3. 3. A modification of the amperometric silver titration yielded 6 SH groups per mole of G-actin. Only 4 SH groups reacted in the case of F-actin when titrations were carried out before this protein depolymerized. The number of SH groups rose to 6 when F-actin was depolymerized by Ag + . 4. 4. The following classification of SH groups for actin is proposed: (a) Two accessible groups which react with N -ethylmaleimide and are rapidly blocked by p -mercuribenzoate and silver. (b) Two intermediate reacting groups which can be blocked by silver or p -mercuribenzoate without loss of polymerizability. (c) Two slowly reacting groups whose integrity appears necessary for the G-F transformation. 5. 5. The possibility that there is a disulfide bridge in actin is excluded by comparison of the present result with existing amino acid analyses. 6. 6. The role of SH groups in the polymerization of actin is discussed in the light of evidence now available. While no final conclusion can be reached, it now appears that two SH groups per mole are required to hold actin in a configuration favorable for polymerization and for ATP binding.
U-statistic hierarchical clustering

A monotone invariant method of hierarchical clustering based on the Mann-Whitney U-statistic is presented. The effectiveness of the complete-link, single-link, and U-statistic methods in recovering tree structures from error perturbed data are evaluated. The U-statistic method is found to be consistently more effective in recovering the original tree structures than either the single-link or complete-link methods.
Gentamicin and clindamycin therapy in postpartum endometritis: the efficacy of daily dosing versus dosing every 8 hours.

Abstract Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of gentamicin and clindamycin given once daily versus the more common 8-hour dosing regimen for the treatment of postpartum endometritis. Study Design: In a prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study, patients who had postpartum endometritis diagnosed were randomly selected to receive 1.5 mg/kg gentamicin and 900 mg clindamycin phosphate administered every 8 hours versus gentamicin 5 mg/kg and clindamycin phosphate 2700 mg administered as a single-daily dose. The single-dose group received an infusion of gentamicin and clindamycin, followed by an administration of intravenous placebo 8 and 16 hours later to maintain blinding. Treatment success was defined as absence of fever 72 hours after initiation of antibiotic therapy. Results: One hundred ten patients were enrolled. The daily-dose group (n = 55) and the thrice-daily dose group (n = 55) were similar with respect to age, gravidity, parity, gestational age, and maternal weight. Clinical characteristics (including maximum temperature, presence of predelivery chorioamnionitis, white blood cell count, and mode of delivery) were also similar. There was no difference in the mean time from initiation of therapy until becoming afebrile in the daily-dose group (27.4 ± 24.9 hours) compared with the thrice-daily dose group (32.9 ± 26.3 hours). Forty-five of 56 (82%) patients in the daily-dose group and 38 of 55 (69%) patients in the thrice-daily dose group had treatment success ( P = .12). Conclusion: Once-daily dosing with gentamicin and clindamycin in women with postpartum endometritis has a similar success rate as the standard every 8-hour dosing schedule. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:149-52.)
The influence of mantle melting on the evolution of Mars

Abstract We present a parameterized convection model of Mars by incorporating a new heat-flow scaling law for stagnant-lid convection, to better understand how the evolution of Mars may be affected by mantle melting. Melting in the mantle during convection leads to the formation of a compositionally buoyant lithosphere, which may also be intrinsically more viscous by dehydration. The consequences of these melting effects on the evolution of terrestrial planets have not been explored before. The temporal evolution of crust and lithospheric mantle is modeled in a self-consistent manner considering mantle melting, convective instability, and the rewetting of dehydrated lithosphere from below by hydrogen diffusion. Though the effect of compositional buoyancy turns out to be minimal, the introduction of viscosity contrast between wet and dry mantle can considerably slow mantle cooling and sometimes lead to non-monotonic core cooling. Furthermore, with or without dehydration stiffening, our model predicts that the martian mantle must have been degassed more extensively (>80%) than previously suggested (
The Measure and Mismeasure of Decentralisation: Subnational Autonomy in Senegal and South Africa

In the 1990s, Senegal and South Africa undertook decentralisation reforms that caused a considerable stir in academic and policy communities. But how much decentralisation actually occurred, and how autonomous are subnational governments in two of Africa's leading democracies? This article assesses the mix of decentralising reforms in these two countries. Subnational officials are now elected and receive revenue transfers, but remain limited by other measures, including low tax-raising capacity, tight central control over spending, limited access to capital markets, and even insecure legal rights in their own jurisdictions. While the decline of governing parties provides incentives for decentralisation in some areas, central states successfully resist attempts to devolve fiscal decisionmaking authority to subnational levels.
Evaluating a program to increase blood donation among racial and ethnic minority communities in New York City.

Background Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), thalassemia, and leukemia often require frequent transfusion and run the risk of red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization. To prevent alloimmunization or when alloimmunization is present, phenotype-matched and antigen-negative RBCs are transfused. To increase the probability of a phenotypic match, donors and recipients should share the same racial and/or ethnic background. Because the majority of patients with SCD are of African and Hispanic or Latino descent, a donor base of racial and ethnic minority donors providing an adequate supply of antigen-negative RBC units that can be phenotypically matched is required to meet the needs of frequently transfused patients. Study Design and Methods The New York Blood Center began the PreciseMatch program in 2005 to increase donations among African American and Hispanic/Latino donors by 150 incremental units per month. To evaluate the program, we conducted a systematic analysis of program documentation, focus group results, and collections data by race and ethnicity over time. Results The program achieved 75% of the operationalized goal of a 150-unit-per-month increase; 75% of donors were first-time donors, with deferral rates at new drives as high as 50%. Significant time and effort was involved in cultivating the community connections that facilitated new drives. Conclusions Although PreciseMatch fell short of targets, it served as a foundation for relationships with diverse communities. Further research is needed to understand better how to increase minority donation using existing infrastructure and in the face of market pressures to collect blood as efficiently as possible.
The Implementation of the Product Life Cycle at Intel; An Examination in the Use of Change Agency to Achieve Cultural Change and Business Results

When implementing quality systems in organizations, it is important evolve a competency regarding the definition and deployment of business practices. These are often business practices outside of traditional roles. This requires a competency in change agency. In developing a competence in change agency, individuals must learn to see when the necessary elements of change are in place and action is required. Individuals must also learn how to put these necessary elements in place. At Intel the product life cycle (PLC) was deployed from its organizational beachhead to across the company over a period of many years. The PLC is an example of driving a non-traditional business process across many organizations. Lessons learned from this example accelerated the deployment of other non-traditional business processes at Intel. This paper is about the use of change agency with regards to the implementation of the PLC Intel.
MEMS ultrasonic transducer for monitoring of steel structures

Ultrasonic methods can be used to monitor crack propagation, weld failure, or section loss at critical locations in steel structures. However, ultrasonic inspection requires a skilled technician, and most commonly the signal obtained at any inspection is not preserved for later use. A preferred technology would use a MEMS device permanently installed at a critical location, polled remotely, and capable of on-chip signal processing using a signal history. We review questions related to wave geometry, signal levels, flaw localization, and electromechanical design issues for microscale transducers, and then describe the design, characterization, and initial testing of a MEMS transducer to function as a detector array. The device is approximately 1-cm square and was fabricated by the MUMPS process. The chip has 23 sensor elements to function in a phased array geometry, each element containing 180 hexagonal polysilicon diaphragms with a typical leg length of 49 microns and an unloaded natural frequency near 3.5 MHz. We first report characterization studies including capacitance-voltage measurements and admittance measurements, and then report initial experiments using a conventional piezoelectric transducer for excitation, with successful detection of signals in an on-axis transmission experiment and successful source localization from phased array performance in an off-axis transmission experiment.
Habitat preference reflects social organization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on a wintering ground

Habitat preference is driven by a complex interaction among behavioural patterns, biological requirements, and environmental conditions. These variables are difficult to determine for any species but are further complicated for migratory marine mammals, such as humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae. Patterns of habitat use in relation to social organization potentially exist for this species on their wintering grounds. Using an integrated GIS approach, we examined the degree to which spatial patterns of habitat stratification are correlated within different humpback whale group types from 6 years of sighting data (1996–2001) collected on the Antongil Bay, Madagascar, wintering ground. Stratification of humpback whale sightings by behavioural classification showed significant variation in depth and distance from shore. Distribution by depth could not be described as a function of group size but could be described as a function of social organization, with mother–calf pairs showing a strong preference for shallower water compared to all other group types. Group size and social organization seem to be factors in distribution by distance from shore. Significant diurnal patterns in distribution by depth and distance from shore also exist, where mother–calf groups maintain a relatively stable distribution and pairs and competitive groups are the most variable. Patterns of habitat preference on this wintering ground appear to be guided by social organization, where distribution by depth and distance from shore highlight areas critical to conservation.
Serum levels of the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor in individuals exposed to arsenic in drinking water in Bangladesh

AbstractEpidermal growth factor receptor-dependent mechanisms have been implicated in growth signal transduction pathways that contribute to cancer development, including dermal carcinogenesis. Detection of the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR ECD) in serum has been suggested as a potential biomarker for monitoring this effect in vivo. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen, producing skin and other malignancies in populations exposed through their drinking water. One such exposed population, which we have been studying for a number of years, is in Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to examine the EGFR ECD as a potential biomarker of arsenic exposure and/or effect in this population. Levels of the EGFR ECD were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serum samples from 574 individuals with a range of arsenic exposures from drinking water in the Araihazar area of Bangladesh. In multiple regression analysis, serum EGFR ECD was found to be positively assoc...
Impact of branch reorientation on breaking stress in Liriodendron tulipifera L.

Abstract It has been observed that during ice, snow, and wind storms, branches oriented vertically tend to incur more damage than branches oriented horizontally. A study was conducted to determine breaking stress and breaking position of branches reoriented nearly horizontal and nearly vertical. Branches oriented 40–50° from horizontal with mean diameter 4.9 cm (SD ± 0.73) were removed from two trees and transferred to a custom branch pulling station. Branches were reoriented either nearly horizontal (76–89°) or vertical (6–29°) to a reinforced vertical post. Branches were pulled vertically downward from three equidistant positions along the branch until they broke. Failure stress for horizontal oriented branches (64 MPa) was double the stress required to pull vertical oriented branches to failure (32 MPa). Nine of ten horizontal branches failed between the branch base and the pull point closest to the base (proximal pull point); whereas seven of ten vertical branches failed farther from the base, between the proximal and middle pull points. Average length from branch base to failure point for horizontal branches was 12.8 cm, and 74.6 cm for vertical branches. Despite requiring less stress to break, branch angle change at the distal and middle pull points from the original position to the position at failure for vertical branches was greater than for horizontal branches; whereas angle change at the proximal pull point was greater for horizontal branches. Branch taper was not different between reorientation treatments. Implications on pruning strategies are discussed.
Characteristics and annealing behavior of polyethylenes designed for use as underground insulation

A series of polyethylenes developed for use as high voltage electric cable insulation have been studied. All crosslinked polyethylene materials show similar thermal aging characteristics, whereas linear low-density polyethylene is susceptible to thermal aging at higher annealing temperatues. Tree-retardant additives are soluble in xylene, but some are also attached to the gel network. They function both as enhanced antioxidants and as enhancers of electric breakdown strength. Biaxially oriented film shows the greatest resistance to electric breakdown.
The Introduction of the TMPG Fails Charge for U.S. Treasury Securities

The TMPG fails charge for U.S. Treasury securities provides that a buyer of Treasury securities can claim monetary compensation from the seller if the seller fails to deliver the securities on a timely basis. The charge was introduced in May 2009 and replaced an existing market convention of simply postponing - without any explicit penalty and at an unchanged invoice price - a seller’s obligation to deliver Treasury securities if the seller fails to deliver the securities on a scheduled settlement date. This article explains how a proliferation of settlement fails following the insolvency of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008 led the Treasury Market Practices Group (TMPG) - a group of market professionals committed to supporting the integrity and efficiency of the U.S. Treasury market - to promote a change in the existing market convention. The change - the introduction of the fails charge - was significant because it mitigated an important dysfunctionality in the secondary market for U.S. Treasury securities and because it stands as an example of the value of cooperation between the public and private sectors in responding to altered market conditions in a flexible, timely, and innovative fashion.
Beyond War and Peace: A Reappraisal of the Encounter between Christianity and Science

On a December evening in 1869, with memories of civil war still fresh in their minds, a large audience gathered in the great hall of Cooper Union in New York City to hear about another conflict, still taking its toll—“with battles fiercer, with sieges more persistent, with strategy more vigorous than in any of the comparatively petty warfares of Alexander, or Caesar, or Napoleon.” Although waged with pens rather than swords, and for minds rather than empires, this war, too had destroyed lives and reputations. The combatants? Science and Religion.
Effects of Common Forage Phenolic Acids on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Viability in Bovine Feces

Ruminant animals are carriers of Escherichia coli O157:H7, and the transmission of E. coli O157:H7 from cattle to the environment and to humans is a concern. It is unclear if diet can influence the survivability of E. coli O157:H7 in the gastrointestinal system or in feces in the environment. Feces from cattle fed bromegrass hay or corn silage diets were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, and the survival of this pathogen was analyzed. When animals consumed bromegrass hay for 1 month, E. coli O157:H7 cells were recovered for >120 days. Viable E. coli O157:H7 cells in feces from animals fed corn silage were detected until day 45 and differed little with the time on the diet. To determine if forage phenolic acids affected the viability of E. coli O157:H7, feces from animals fed corn silage or cracked corn were amended with common forage phenolic acids. When 0.5% trans-cinnamic acid or 0.5% para-coumaric acid was added to feces from silage-fed animals, the E. coli O157:H7 death rate was increased significantly (17-fold and 23-fold, respectively) compared to that with no addition. In feces from animals fed cracked corn, E. coli O157:H7 death rates were increased significantly with the addition of 0.1% and 0.5% trans-cinnamic acid (7- and 13-fold), 0.1% and 0.5% p-coumaric acid (3- and 8-fold), and 0.5% ferulic acid (3-fold). These data suggest that phenolic acids common to forage plants can decrease viable counts of E. coli O157:H7 shed in feces.
W-band micromachined circuit combining networks

In circuit-combining networks, low-loss interconnecting transmission lines are pivotal in reducing excess loss. Micromachined finite ground coplanar waveguides are used in this study as low-loss interconnects showing significant improvements in line loss while maintaining 50-/spl Omega/ characteristic impedance. Wilkinson power dividers, reactive tee junctions, and right-angle bends are combined with micromachined interconnects in 1:2, 1:4, and 1:8 power-dividing networks and show measured loss reduction of 0.3-1.0 dB depending on circuit type and size from 85 to 95 GHz.
A Neural Model of Descending Gain Control in the Electrosensory System

In the electrosensory system of weakly electric fish, descending pathways to a first-order sensory nucleus have been shown to influence the gain of its output neurons. The underlying neural mechanisms that subserve this descending gain control capability are not yet fully understood. We suggest that one possible gain control mechanism could involve the regulation of total membrane conductance of the output neurons. In this paper, a neural model based on this idea is used to demonstrate how activity levels on descending pathways could control both the gain and baseline excitation of a target neuron.