cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A contact algorithm for frictional crack propagation with the extended finite element method

We present an incremental quasi-static contact algorithm for path-dependent frictional crack propagation in the framework of the extended finite element (FE) method. The discrete formulation allows for the modeling of frictional contact independent of the FE mesh. Standard Coulomb plasticity model is introduced to model the frictional contact on the surface of discontinuity. The contact constraint is borrowed from non-linear contact mechanics and embedded within a localized element by penalty method. Newton–Raphson iteration with consistent linearization is used to advance the solution. We show the superior convergence performance of the proposed iterative method compared with a previously published algorithm called ‘LATIN’ for frictional crack propagation. Numerical examples include simulation of crack initiation and propagation in 2D plane strain with and without bulk plasticity. In the presence of bulk plasticity, the problem is also solved using an augmented Lagrangian procedure to demonstrate the efficacy and adequacy of the standard penalty solution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nicotine effects on the activity of mice exposed prenatally to the nicotinic agonist anatoxin-a.

Abstract Anatoxin-a is a nicotinic agonist produced by several genera of cyanobacteria, and has caused numerous deaths of wildlife, livestock and domestic animals world-wide. Several studies in the literature have shown that exposure of mice and rats to nicotine early in development alters its effects when the rodents are subsequently challenged with nicotine. We therefore determined the effect of nicotine on the motor activity of adult mice that had been exposed prenatally to anatoxin-a. Pregnant CD-1 mice received either saline vehicle or one of two doses of (+/−) anatoxin-a (125, 200 ug/kg), i.p., on GD13–17. As adults (8 months), control mice of both genders were used to determine the effect of nicotine (0, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) on motor activity measured for 30-min in a photocell device. Under these conditions, nicotine produced dose-related decreases in both horizontal and vertical activity, with an ED50 estimated to be 0.65 mg/kg. Next, additional control mice and mice exposed prenatally to anatoxin-a received the nicotine ED50 and saline vehicle, in a counterbalanced fashion, with one week separating treatments. Nicotine decreased both horizontal and vertical activity in all mice, regardless of prenatal anatoxin-a treatment. Thus, no enduring effects of prenatal anatoxin-a were obtained in adult mice following nicotine challenge.
Prevention of calcium paradox-related myocardial cell injury with diltiazem, a calcium channel blocking agent

The effect of diltiazem on creatine kinase release and tissue adenosine triphosphate content was investigated during calcium paradox in the isolated perfused rat heart. Creatine kinase loss was minimal during the calcium-free phase, but there was a 100-fold increase in creatine kinase release after reperfusion with normal calcium-containing medium. Diltiazem reduced creatine kinase loss by 35 percent when added to calcium-free medium and by approximately 80 percent when added to both calcium-free and reperfusion media. Adenosine triphosphate content was significantly increased from 2.98 mumol in untreated calcium paradox hearts to 5 mumol/g dry weight in diltiazem-treated hearts. With hypothermia the calcium paradox injury was completely inhibited if the temperature of calcium-free perfusion was maintained at 15 degrees C. Diltiazem appears to exert its protective effect through its ability to prevent the cellular separation and alterations in the gap junctions during calcium deprivation of cells and to limit calcium entry into the cells after reperfusion with calcium-containing medium.
Resistant Readers?: Look a Little Closer!

This article employs three complementary motivation theories to analyze the difficulties of Kelly, a student who has been termed a “resistant reader.” Twelve questions, emanating from the three theories, are offered to guide the analysis of factors contributing to Kelly's avoidance of reading. Each question is accompanied by strategies to encourage reading. The reader is cautioned against incorrect and pejorative assumptions when working with students like Kelly. The term resistant reader is rejected as inaccurate.
A new source of endothelial progenitor cells – vascular biology redefined?

The initial discovery of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in tandem with emerging concepts in stem cell biology has generated enormous interest and excitement in fields as diverse as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and tumor and vascular biology. A recent paper by Ingram et al. identifies a complete hierarchy of EPCs in the vessel wall, providing a new framework for classification of cells supporting endopoiesis akin to that previously established for hematopoiesis. This could have fundamental implications for our understanding of the role of the endothelium and, more specifically, the role of EPC interfacing with the vessel wall in health and disease.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS: THE CONFLUENCE OF AUTHORITY RELATIONS, SEXUAL INTEREST AND GENDER STRATIFICATION*

We examine experiences of sexual harassment reported by a random sample of undergraduate women at a major U.S. campus, Berkeley. Thirty percent reported having received unwanted sexual attention from at least one male instructor during their four years at college. Two general patterns emerge: Women carefully monitor and try to avoid new instructors who harass them. But when harassment occurs in more established student teacher relationships, women often lose their academic self-confidence and become disillusioned with male faculty. We argue that the prevalence of sexual harassment has the cumulative effect of eroding women's
Accessing abbreviated journal titles in the online catalog at Los Alamos National Laboratory

(1996). Accessing abbreviated journal titles in the online catalog at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Serials Review: Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 57-59.
A Dimeric Dual-Topology Microbial Fluoride Channel

Fluoride ion has pervaded the environment (10-100 micromolar in sea, ground water, and soil) over evolutionary time, and inhibits several essential phosphoryl group transfer enzymes involved in energy metabolism and nucleic acid synthesis with Ki values around 100 micromolar. Widespread microorganisms have evolved defenses against F- ion, including a newly discovered family of membrane transport proteins composed of four transmembrane helices, called Flucs. Using single channel electrical recordings of purified, reconstituted proteins in planar lipid bilayers, we show that Flucs are constitutively open electrodiffusive F- channels, with main state conductance of ∼10 pS, and possess unprecedentedly high and biologically required 10,000-fold selectivity for F- over Cl-. Using SEC-UV/RI/LS, single molecule TIRF photobleaching, and a "Poisson dump" assay for calculating the molecular weight of membrane transporters in liposomes, we show that Flucs function as homodimers, an unusually small number of subunits for a channel. For deeper mechanistic studies, we have selected a panel of "monobody" binders to Fluc proteins from a phage-display library of 1010 fibronection-domain scaffolds with randomly varied loops. These monobodies block single-Fluc F- current with nanomolar affinity and simple bimolecular kinetics, and most likely inhibit F- current by blocking the pore. In single channel recordings, we show that the monobodies block the same single Fluc channel from both sides of the bilayer, which can only occur if the subunits of the dimer are arranged in an antiparallel orientation relative to each other, and thus present the same epitope on both sides of the membrane. This result emphatically supports earlier indications of antiparallel topology in Flucs, including lysine cross-linking experiments and genetically fused constructs. Dual-topology architecture is a surprising departure from the familiar barrel-stave plan that many other channels are built on, but is reminiscent of inverted structural repeats in modern-day transporters.
Stabilization of a plasmid-encoded LacZ phenotype in Bacillus subtilis

Recombinant plasmid pCED3 was structurally unstable inBacillus subtilis cultures grown in the presence of kanamycin to eliminate the effects of segregational instability. Analysis of 96 modified plasmids indicated that deletions in the plasmid occur at many different sites. The presence of plasmid pCED3 slowed the growth rate of theB. subtilis host. Cells that contained modified plasmids grew faster than the parental cells and took over the population. Two different methodologies were developed to reduce the cultural instability of the plasmid-directed LacZ+ phenotype. By growing the cells in a medium that supports a low growth rate, the growth rate ratio between modified and parental cells was reduced, resulting in a partial stabilization (40 generations) of the LacZ+ phenotype in the population [35]. Removal of a 4.77 kbEcoRI fragment (which consists primarily of the pBR322 replicon) from plasmid pCED3 produced a more stable plasmid derivative, designated pYS1. Cells harboring plasmid pYS1 grew faster than pCED3-bearing cells, although the level of activity of β-galactosidase was similar in both strains. By combining the two approaches (i.e., growth of pYS1-bearing cells in a medium that supports low growth rate), the LacZ+ phenotype was stably maintained in the cell population for over 170 generations. Under these conditions, there was no detectable difference between the growth rates of cells bearing the pYS1 plasmid and further modified plasmids.
Ideological Divergence and Public Support for the Supreme Court

We examine the degree to which aggregate-level support for the Supreme Court is a function of its divergence from the ideological mood of the country. We first overcome the problem of irregular and infrequent measurement of attitudes toward the Supreme Court by employing an approach developed by Stimson (1991) which allows us to pool seventeen similar survey items administered a total of ninety-three times to produce a single, semi-annual time series of support for the Supreme Court, extending from 1973 through 1993. We then consider the effect of the Court's ideological position on the level of support it enjoys. In contrast to previous research, we take into account that both the Court's and the public's ideological preferences vary over time. Our analysis indicates that the public's appraisal of the Supreme Court responds not to the Court's ideological position per se, but rather to the extent to which the Court's position diverges from the ideological preferences of the citizenry; when the Court deviates from the public mood, its support erodes. Scholars have long been interested in determining and explaining levels of public support for the Supreme Court. As a result, we know a great deal about the determinants of individual-level attitudes toward the Supreme Court (cf. Mondak and Grosskopf 1998; Caldeira and Gibson 1992; and references therein). We know less, however, about the ebb and flow of Court support over time (but see Mondak and Smithey 1997; Caldeira 1986, 1987). A major obstacle to studying the dynamics of Court support has been the infrequent and inconsistent manner in which survey organizations have queried citizens' attitudes toward the Court. Here, we offer an approach to the available data that allows us to measure support for the Supreme Court on a semi-annual basis over a twenty-year period. We then use this unique series to model Court support as a function of its divergence from the public's ideological mood. In contrast to past work, we take into account that both the Court's ideological position and the public mood vary over time and focus on the shifting divergence and convergence of the two as an explanation for changes in support for the Supreme Court.
Defect energy levels in boron-doped silicon irradiated with 1-MeV electrons

Using transient capacitance spectroscopy, we studied defect energy levels and their annealing behavior in boron-doped silicon of various resistivities irradiated with 1-MeV electrons at room temperature. Three levels located at ${E}_{v}+0.23$, ${E}_{v}+0.38$, and ${E}_{c}\ensuremath{-}0.27$ eV consistently appear in various samples, showing they are characteristic defects in boron-doped silicon. Many properties of the ${E}_{v}+0.23$-eV level and the divacancy are the same, according to the present study and others. We correlated the ${E}_{v}+0.38$-eV level to the vacancy-oxygen-carbon complex recently identified by Lee and Corbett using the EPR technique. The ${E}_{c}\ensuremath{-}0.27$-eV level could arise from an interstitial defect of oxygen and boron; and a new level at ${E}_{v}+0.30$ eV arising upon its disappearance could be a vacancy defect trapping an oxygen atom and a boron. Several additional defect levels are reported.
Using Four Chance Profiles to Evaluate Carelessness

By comparing the similarity of a subject's scores with individualized chance scores, a test can be validly evaluated for carelessness. A fixed individualized chance score on any scale for a subject can be estimated with the subject's total percentage of true responses. A sum of D2/100 is then determined between the actual and chance scores. The method is regarded as generally applicable to tests which have many scales. Using the Social Experience Questionnaire 100% of random tests and 3.7% of actual tests for normals (N = 54), alcoholics (N = 53), and opiate addicts (N = 28) had cutting scores of 40 or less.
Neural Basis of the Sense of Flutter-Vibration

Comparison of human detection thresholds for oscillatory movement of the skin of the hand with response properties of first-order myelinated mechanoreceptive afferents from the monkey's hand, activated in an identical stimulus pattern, indicates that flutter-vibration is a dual form of mechanical sensibility, served peripherally by two different sets of fibers.
Design of molecular scaffolds based on unusual geometries for magnetic modulation of spin-diverse complexes with selective redox response.

A weakly coupled heterometallic [CuFe] complex has been prepared in which the metal centers are coordinated to a new electroactive ligand. The spin-diverse system delivers distinct ground states upon application of selective redox potentials. Ligand oxidation fosters radical generation, and the initial ground state associated with a weakly coupled [CuFe] core switches to a ground state associated with the [Fe−radical] coupling; the Cu(II) ion remains uncoupled. A third state is obtained upon reduction of the cupric center and in absence of the radical. The possibilities and limitations of these systems are discussed.
Resonant-scattering-induced optical dichroism in unconventional superconductors

We propose an explanation for the existence of optical dichroism in superconductors as a manifestation of intrinsic properties of certain superconducting phases. We assume the superconducting-state quasiparticles are relaxed by multiple scattering against nonmagnetic impurities. We use a representative superconducting state where time-reversal symmetry is spontaneously broken. The contribution due to Bogoliubov quasiparticles turns out to be important and could provide an explanation to the experimental data obtained in certain high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ materials. We predict that the effect should be important in certain heavy-electron materials.
IMITATE: An intensive computer-based treatment for aphasia based on action observation and imitation

Background: Neurophysiological evidence from primates has demonstrated the presence of mirror neurons, with visual and motor properties, that discharge both when an action is performed and during observation of the same action. A similar system for observation–execution matching may also exist in humans. We postulate that behavioural stimulation of this parietal-frontal system may play an important role in motor learning for speech and thereby aid language recovery after stroke. Aims: The purpose of this article is to describe the development of IMITATE, a computer-assisted system for aphasia therapy based on action observation and imitation. We also describe briefly the randomised controlled clinical trial that is currently underway to evaluate its efficacy and mechanism of action. Methods & Procedures: IMITATE therapy consists of silent observation of audio-visually presented words and phrases spoken aloud by six different speakers, followed by a period during which the participant orally repeats the st...
Rural women in development: Veil of invisibility, world of work

Abstract Over the last decade, evidence has been accumulating that the process of development has resulted more frequently in greater economic marginalization than benefits for poor rural women in much of the Third World. Yet recent efforts aimed at incorporating these poor non-urban women into development have been hampered by the “veil of invisibility” hiding their past and present conditions and contributions. This article formulates some hypotheses concerning female invisibility as well as productivity, and then contrasts the extant view of rural Third World women as relatively unproductive with (1) evidence drawn from evolutionary history, and (2) data from new micro-level and UN studies. The former indicates that women were the primary producers in most pre-agrarian human groups. The latter indicate that women continue to produce approximately half the world's food, although there is dramatic regional variation. The article concludes with an analysis of the statistical biases and stereotypes that obscure these contributions and briefly indicates the cost of this invisibility to the countries involved as well as to the women themselves.
Results of heterotopic parathyroid autotransplantation: a 13-year experience.

Abstract Background: The reported success of heterotopic parathyroid autotransplantation (HPA) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism varies from 20% to 60%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our results with HPA to help define its role in this patient group. Methods: Between July 1985 and June 1998, 44 patients underwent 51 HPA procedures at our institution. Twenty to 25 fragments of parathyroid tissue measuring 1 to 3 mm3 each were placed into the forearm musculature. HPA results were scored as nonfunctional (requiring calcium and vitamin D), partially functional (normocalcemia on calcium alone), fully functional (normocalcemia without supplementation), or hyperfunctional (hypercalcemia without supplementation). Results: Follow-up data were available for 39 patients who underwent 46 autografts (20 immediate and 26 cryopreserved). With a median follow-up of 35 months, 19 autografts (41%) were nonfunctional; 9 autografts (20%) were partially functional; 15 autografts (33%) were fully functional, and 3 autografts (7%) were hyperfunctional. Full function was observed in 35% of immediate and 31% of delayed autografts. Conclusions: One third of parathyroid autografts develop full function, and an additional one fifth develop partial function. Recurrent hyperparathyroidism is uncommon. No benefit was observed from immediate versus delayed HPA, and the modest success rate of HPA suggests that improvements in technique are warranted. (Surgery 1999:126:1042-8.)
Ransomed from every language: The church as a community of word-care

It takes unmitigated gall to say, “Thus says the Lord,” and yet for two thousand years Christians have been doing just that. The church’s concern with language is not a merely human thing, for disciples are those who, in the power of the Spirit, have been caught up in God’s self-communication to the world in Christ. In our communion with one another as members of Christ’s earthly-historical body, we have been entrusted with the ministry of the very utterance of God made flesh, through which all things were made. In honor of Stanley Hauerwas, this article explores the theme of the church as a community of word-care in terms of what could be called Hauerwasian logic. After reviewing some basic philosophical theology and examining some relevant biblical passages, it investigates the historical nature of the relationship between the church and the form of the society in which we currently live. In the process it takes a brief excursion through Roger Williams and Thomas Jefferson’s use of the metaphor of the w...
Error estimates of numerical solutions for a cyclic plasticity problem

A cyclic plasticity problem is numerically analyzed in [13], where a sub-optimal order error estimate is shown for a spatially discrete scheme. In this note, we prove an optimal order error estimate for the spatially discrete scheme under the same solution regularity condition. We also derive an error estimate for a fully discrete scheme for solving the plasticity problem.
A framework of the use of certifications by hiring personnel in it hiring decisions

IT certification represents a common and growing practice with significant implications for managing in-house IT workers and outsourcing contracts. Prior research is of limited value in understanding its use in common personnel decisions, such as hiring, and its role in the IS profession because of possible sponsor bias, conflicting findings, and inattention to the hiring process or the value of certification from the perspective of hiring personnel. Using an inductive approach, we developed a framework for understanding the use of IT certification in hiring. Contextual and proximate factors are identified, as are the various ways that IT certification is used. Our study provides a bridge between the beliefs of hiring personnel and existing theories to better understand a phenomenon of growing importance. Research questions for further empirical investigation are explored, showing that our conceptual framework provides a base for future research.
Electromyographic analysis of the rotator cuff in postoperative shoulder patients during passive rehabilitation exercises.

Background Numerous rehabilitation protocols exist for postoperative rotator cuff repairs. Because the goal of early rehabilitation is to prevent postoperative adhesions while protecting the repaired tendons, it would be advantageous to know which range-of-motion exercises allow the rotator cuff to remain the most passive in a painful, guarded, postsurgical shoulder. Methods Twenty-six subjects who had undergone subacromial decompression, distal clavicle resection, or a combination of both procedures volunteered to participate within the first 4 days after surgery. Fine-wire electrodes were inserted into the subject's supraspinatus (SS) and infraspinatus (IS). Muscle activity was recorded at resting baseline (BL) and during 14 exercises that have been found in the passive phase of rotator cuff protocols and tested in healthy subjects. Each exercise was compared with BL activity as well as with other exercises in the same movement group. Results The SS remained as passive as BL during therapist- and self-assisted external rotation, therapist-assisted elevation, pendulums, and isometric internal rotation and adduction. The IS was activated greater than BL for all 14 exercises studied. Conclusion Of the 14 exercises studied, 6 allowed the SS and 0 allowed the IS to remain as passive as quiet-stance BL in postsurgical subacromial decompression/distal clavicle resection patients.
Inhibition of CD1d activation suppresses septic mortality: a role for NK-T cells in septic immune dysfunction

Background.Studies indicate that following septic insult there is development of generalized immune dysfunction in T cells, B cells and phagocytes, which is thought to contribute to morbidity and mortality. Specifically, there is a shift in the lymphocytes of septic animals toward an increased release of Th2 cytokines. NK-T cells have been shown to contribute to propagation of the Th2 response. The influence of NK-T cells on the immune response to septic challenge is poorly understood. In this study, we examine whether NK-T cells contribute to the immune dysfunction seen following the onset of polymicrobial sepsis, as produced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Materials and methods.Male 129S1/SvImJ mice were pretreated with either rat IgG (isotypic control) or monoclonal antibody to CD1d (clone 1B1) (0.5 mg), which blocks signaling/antigen presentation via the CD1d cell surface receptor, thereby, ablating the activation and differentiation of the NK-T cells. Septic survival with and without anti-CD1d (CLP/CD1d) pretreatment was assessed. Mice sacrificed 24 h after CLP were assessed for change in splenic %NK-T cell (via flourescense activated cell sector) and for splenic, hepatic, and lymphoid/macrophage production of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokines (via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results.Administration of anti-CD1d reduced septic mortality 35% at 6–10 d (n = 23 mice/group) (P < .05). There was a consistent increase in the %CD3+ NK1.1+ cell population (NK-T cells) in septic mice (1.706%), which was markedly suppressed by pretreatment with anti-CD1d (0.592%). IL-6 and IL-10 levels were suppressed by anti-CD1d in the spleen and blood. Conclusions.Together these findings imply not only that NK-T cells may play a role in mediating the immune suppression seen in bacterial sepsis, but that inhibition of their activation promotes survival to septic challenge.
Effects of oleaginous yeast on growth performance, fatty acid composition of muscles, and energy utilization by poultry

Abstract The nutritive value of high-fat yeast (HFY; Cryptococcus curvatus ) was evaluated in two experiments. In Experiment 1, chicks were used to compare effects of supplemental fat from HFY or tallow on growth performance and fatty acid composition of breast and thigh muscles. In Experiment 2, adult cockerels were used to determine the true metabolizable energy value of HFY. Feeding HFY did not exert any negative effects on thick performance and it improved feed efficiency by 6% over a control (no added fat) diet. However, chicks gained more slowly and had lower gain/feed when HFY replaced tallow in the diet. Chicks fed HFY had a lower proportion of oleic acid in breast and thigh muscles, despite the higher proportion of oleic acid in HFY than tallow. True metabolizable energy of HFY was much lower than anticipated and suggests that the digestibility of fat from HFY was low. Physical or chemical treatment of HFY seems necessary to enhance the energy value of HFY as a potential animal feed supplement.
A structural model of perfusion and oxygenation in low-flow states.

a b s t r a c t Background: Recent investigations underscore the critical importance of ventilation strategies on resus- citation outcomes. In low perfusion states, such as cardiac arrest and traumatic shock, the rise in intrathoracic pressure that accompanies positive-pressure ventilation can significantly impede venous return and lead to a decrease in cardiac output. The optimal ventilation strategy in these "low-flow" states remains unclear. Objective: To create a mathematical model of perfusion and oxygenation to predict the effects of PPV with both normotension and hypotension. Methods: The lung pressure-volume relationship was modeled using a novel formula allowing manipu- lation of various lung characteristics. A separate formula was then derived to predict mean intrathoracic pressure (MITP) for specific minute ventilation values using the pressure-volume formula. The addition of positive end-expiratory pressure was also modeled. Finally, a formula was derived to model oxygen absorbance as a function of alveolar surface area and flow based on ventilation rate and MITP. Results: Mathematical models of the lung pressure-volume relationship, MITP, and absorbance were successfully derived. Manipulation of total lung capacity, compliance, upper and lower inflection points, positive end-expiratory pressure, and minute ventilation allowed prediction of optimal ventilation rate and tidal volume for a normal lung and with various abnormal characteristics to simulate particular disease states, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). For a normal lung, ventilation rates of 4-6 breaths/min with higher tidal volumes (15-20 mL/kg) resulted in the lowest predicted MITP values (5 cm H2O) and the highest absorbance. The input of lung parameters that would simulate ARDS resulted in optimal ventilation rates of 10-12 breaths/min with lower tidal volumes (8-10 mL/kg) and higher predicted MITP values (10-15 cm H2O). Conclusions: A mathematical model of ventilation was successfully derived allowing manipulation of multiple pulmonary physiological variables to predict MITP and potentially identify optimal ventilation strategies. This model suggests the use of lower ventilation rates and larger tidal volumes to minimize the hemodynamic effects of positive pressure ventilation in patients with hypoperfusion but normal lung characteristics.
Statistical associating fluid theory of homopolymers and block copolymers in compressible solutions : Polystyrene, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polystyrene -block -polybutadiene, and polystyrene -block -polyisoprene in propane

Polystyrene, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and their diblock copolymers can form compressible homogeneous solutions in propane that separate upon decompression into a solvent-rich phase and a polymer-rich phase. If the styrene block is large enough, the diblock copolymers can also form a pressure-tunable micellar nanophase that exists below the micellization pressure but above the cloud-point pressure. The onset of micellization and cloud-point transitions can be realistically estimated within a statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT1) framework using universal SAFT1 parameters characteristic of the segment volumes and segment energies, except for the segment-segment interaction energy between the two blocks, which requires an adjustment to account for different types of cloud-point and micellar transitions.
Charge balanced control of seizure like activity in a two dimensional cortical model

The invasiveness of surgical procedures and the ineffectiveness of medication in remedying seizures in some epileptic patients have led to investigations into alternative methods such as feedback control. While the methods for applying control are varied, the underlying idea is to use electrical signals to disrupt irregular cortical activity. Experimentally, an adaptively applied radial electric field has been shown to control seizure like activity in a mammalian brain [1]. In previous work, a meso scale model consisting of stochastic partial differential equations was developed [2]. Seizure like activity has been simulated with this model, and successfully suppressed using charge balanced electrical control [3]. The magnitude of control was related to the signal sensed at the cortical surface. This work extends previous research to a two dimensional meso scale cortical model. Cortical waves in a two dimensional spatial domain present more complex dynamics than are seen in the one dimensional model, with a greater variety of instabilities of the basic (healthy) states. This presents greater challenges for successful control.
The restructuring and reengineering of AT&T: Analysis of a public relations crisis using organizational theory

Abstract In this study, five perspectives from organizational theory were used to interpret the public relations crisis surrounding the restructuring and downsizing of AT&T in 1995–1996. Organizational legitimacy and resource dependence theories highlighted two key reasons why efforts to manage the crisis were unsuccessful: AT&T's failure to construct a shared system of beliefs that made sense of the need to downsize, and its inability to cope with the conflicting demands of key external publics. Such insights underscored the value of using organizational theory when trying to understand and respond to crisis situations.
Analytical solution for thermal runaway in the surface heating of plates

An analytical solution is developed for the high-energy heating of metals in which the surface heat flux increases with temperature. Two cases are studied in particular: a case of an insulated rear surface and a convectively cooled rear surface. The solutions result in purely imaginary eigenvalues, which lead to temperature solutions that can increase exponentially with time. A simple expression for avoiding such a temperature solution is derived. 4 refs.
Financing of employer sponsored health insurance plans before and after health reform: What consumers don’t know won’t hurt them?

Abstract This paper studies the potential impact on consumers of regulatory arbitrage based on financing of employment-based health insurance plans in the United States. Consumers enrolled in self-insured health plans, for which employers are financially responsible for medical claims, make up a majority of Americans with employer-sponsored health coverage. Unlike their fully insured counterparts, self-insured plans are not subject to state health insurance regulation. They are also exempt from certain provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Employers who offer health plans can thus avoid certain insurance regulations and consumer protections by electing to self-insure. This research explores the impact of self-insurance on consumer welfare and how that is expected to change under the ACA. We describe the major consumer concerns regarding self-insurance – firm financial solvency, benefit generosity and stability, claims adjudication and recourse options – and present qualitative and quantitative evidence on their importance. We find a substantial degree of similarity between self-insured and fully insured plans with regard to benefit generosity and stability, at least with respect to available measures. In addition, we find no evidence that enrollees in self-insured plans face higher denial rates. While the ACA will not directly affect claims adjudication, it will improve recourse options for consumers with all plans and narrow the regulatory differences that existed between financing types. Policymakers must work to ensure the transparency of recourse options for enrollees in self and fully insured plans. In terms of financial solvency, while stop loss coverage is more common among smaller versus larger self-insured firms and such coverage typically commences at lower attachment points for smaller firms, roughly one-fourth of self-insured firms with fewer than 200 employees do not have such coverage. The ability of small firms without stop loss coverage to manage the risks associated with health care claims is uncertain, as are the consequences of health care expenditure-related risk for the overall financial solvency of the firm. Further, the financial security of firms who purchase stop loss coverage, and – by extension, the solvency of health plan benefits provided to employees – depends critically on the reliability of the stop loss insurer. State insurance commissioners may want to carefully consider the adequacy and appropriateness of their regulatory oversight of stop loss insurers in light of the potential move among smaller employers into the self-insured and stop loss marketplace.
The Carlitz lattice path polynomials

Abstract We study some polynomials of Carlitz as generating functions for some natural statistics on lattice paths with diagonals.
Settlement fortification in village and ‘tribal’ society: Evidence from contact-era New Guinea

Abstract Using ethnographic data from contact-era New Guinea, this paper seeks to advance an understanding of the logic of settlement fortifications—i.e., the principles governing their design and operational functioning. This issue has been largely neglected because the principles involved seem so obvious: fortifications function to improve the security of a position by impeding an attacker’s efforts to penetrate it. For village and tribal societies, though, this can be an oversimplification. In these communities, people are generally most dependent on their settlement fortifications at night, when they are home and asleep; yet the cover of night is precisely when settlement fortifications are at their most vulnerable to penetration. What the New Guinea evidence reveals is that settlement fortifications were designed not just to keep attackers out but, even more important, to keep them in once they had penetrated and launched their attack. Defenders could then rally and annihilate their assailants, creating a powerful deterrent against attack in the first place—the best defense of all. These findings are applied to an early Late Woodland site in Ohio to illustrate their potential for informing an archeology of war.
Female Status and Infant and Child Homicide Victimization in Rural and Urban Counties in the U.S.

Studies consistently show that female labor force participation is a correlate of infant and child homicide victimization. Research and theory supports the notion that as women’s economic status improves, children are safer. Yet few existing studies make use of feminist perspectives to explain child homicide. Further, homicide studies have focused heavily on urban areas leaving a lacuna of understanding in the literature regarding rural areas. This study explores the connection between absolute and relative female economic status and infant and child homicide victimization in both rural and urban U.S. counties. Results show that absolute female economic status is positively associated with infant and child homicide in urban areas, but not in rural areas. I argue that in rural areas, stronger collective sentiment and less differentiation diminishes the effect of women’s status on child homicide. While rural areas are characterized by harsh economic realities, these realities are nevertheless shared among men and women, decentering the link between child victimization and women status.
Direct CSF injection of MnCl2 for dynamic manganese-enhanced MRI

MnCl(2) was injected intrathecally through the cisterna magna in rats, allowing infusion of divalent manganese ions (Mn(++)) into the CSF space and thence into the brain, without breaking the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Mn(++) uptake and washout dynamics in the brain were measured by serial T(1)-weighted MRI and EPI T(1) and T(2) mapping for up to 3 weeks after injection. Observations within the first 6 hr after injection demonstrated anterograde and bilateral distribution of the Mn(++) within the CSF space, from the olfactory bulb and frontal cortex to the brain stem. Enhancement increased in most brain areas up to 4 days after injection, and then slowly decreased. Relaxation maps at each time point demonstrated higher concentrations of Mn in basal ganglia. Residual concentrations were still observable after 3 weeks in all brain regions. With the use of MnCl(2) calibration phantoms, the maximum Mn concentration in the brain was estimated to be approximately 27 +/- 16 microM, corresponding to changes in relaxation rates of 0.49 +/- 0.30 s(-1) for R(1) and 3.9 +/- 2.4 s(-1) for R(2). For comparison, an intrathecal GdDTPA injection was performed. This injection showed different distribution dynamics: it remained chiefly within the CSF spaces, and was largely washed out after 1 day. This method shows promise as a means of supplying Mn(++) uniformly to the whole brain for a variety of chronic functional activation studies.
Separation of stereoisomers of aminoglutethimide using three capillary electrophoretic techniques

A novel approach to capillary electrokinetic chromatography involving differential distribution between neutral and charged cyclodextrins is described for the separation of the enantiomeric pair of the drug aminoglutethimide. For comparison purposes, micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography and capillary electrophoresis with neutral cyclodextrin additives are also evaluated for this separation. The three techniques are compared in terms of their ability to resolve the two enantiomers. At pH 9, where aminoglutethimide is neutral, the enantiomers were resolved using a running buffer containing 5 mM β-cyclodextrin, and 50% (v/v) methanol. At the same pH, micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography, using a running buffer containing 50 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 17.5 mM β-cyclodextrin, only partially resolved the enantiomers. However, at pH 3, where aminoglutethimide is ionized, the enantiomeric pair was separated using capillary electrophoresis with either 10 mM α-cyclodextrin or 5 mM γ-cyclodextrin added to the running buffer. Enantiomeric separations, by way of the three electrophoretic capillary chromatographic techniques mentioned above, are presented and mechanisms of chiral recognition of aminoglutethimide by cyclodextrins under various experimental conditions are also discussed.
Beyond electronic commerce

E-commerce technology focused on Web-based process integration and management for business-to-consumer transactions (Web servers, HTML, common gateway interface) and business-to-business transactions (electronic data interchange, e-procurement, RosettaNet). With the emergence of XML and Web services, the focus shifted to building dynamic and adaptive e-commerce systems. Many of today's industrial applications are built upon well-known XML document exchange and open standards. Most recently, with the introduction of service-oriented architectures, grid services, and self-management architectures, e-commerce has moved into a new era: applying virtual service components to build Web-based enterprise information systems that automate business processes.
The development of direct and indirect methods for the study of the thermodynamics of microbial growth

Equations are constructed representing the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in batch culture anaerobically on glucose, and aerobically on glucose, ethanol, and acetic acid. The mass of cells formed during a growth process is defined in terms of an ion-containing carbon mol (ICC-mol) of cells, the thermodynamic properties of which have been determined. Because the process of growth is completely irreversible, the free energy change accompanying a growth process cannot be measured or calculated directly. It was, therefore, necessary to obtain data from direct calorimetry for the heat of combustion of 1 ICC-mol of whole dried cells (not ash free) and from this to calculate its heat of formation. It was also necessary to determine, by direct calorimetry, the entropy of this mass of cells, and from this to calculate its entropy of formation. With these two values, the free energy of formation of 1 ICC-mol of cells was calculated with the Gibbs free-energy equation. These thermodynamic properties were then used together with those of the reactants and products of a given growth process to calculate, by indirect calorimetry, the thermodynamic changes accompanying the growth of S. cerevisiae on the substrates used. Considerations are made as to what growth is most closely related. It is concluded that the quantity of electrons conserved within the biomass produced during growth is the most accurate indication of the efficiency of energy conservation, all other energy changes being calculable from such data.
Mimicry in North American checkerspot butterflies: Euphydryas phaeton and Chlosyne harrisii (Nymphalidae)

. 1 An examination of the phenetics, ecology and distribution of Chlosyne harrisii suggested that it was a potential mimic of the unpalatable Euphydryas phaeton. 2 The wing undersurfaces of the adults are very similar and the larvae are virtually identical. The geographic range of both butterflies is the northeastern United States and both are inhabitants of wet meadow habitats where they may fly together. The life histories of both species are closely synchronized. 3 A series of feeding experiments using blue-jays as predators showed first, that C.harrisii is palatable, and second, suggested that the birds could not distinguish between C.harrisii and E.phaeton on the basis of visual cues. Thus, Charrisii seems to be an effective Batesian mimic of E.phaeton.
Control of Hovering Spacecraft Near Small Bodies: Application to Asteroid 25143 Itokawa

The small gravitational forces associated with a minor celestial body, such as an asteroid or comet nucleus, allow visiting spacecraft to implement active control strategies to improve maneuverability about the body. One form of active control is hovering, where the nominal accelerations on the spacecraft are canceled by a nearly continuous control thrust. We investigate the stability of realistic hovering control laws in the body-fixed and inertial reference frames. Two implementations of the body-fixed hovering thrust solution are numerically tested and compared with an analytical stability result presented in the previous literature. The perturbation equations for inertial frame hovering are presented and numerically simulated to identify regions of stability. We find that body-fixed hovering can be made stable inside a region roughly approximated by the body's resonance radius and inertial frame hovering is stable in all regions outside the resonance radius. A case study of hovering above Asteroid (25143) Itokawa, target of the Hayabusa mission, is also presented.
Wanted: pediatric nephrologists! - why trainees are not choosing pediatric nephrology.

AbstractA workforce crisis for many pediatric specialties, particularly nephrology, is due to growing retirement rates, attrition during training, and retention difficulties. To obtain specific information regarding pediatric nephrology trainee shortages, we administered two cross-sectional surveys to non-renal pediatric subspecialty fellows and pediatric nephrology program directors. We characterized the fellows' experiences with nephrology and the program directors' experiences with their fellows as well as their outcomes in the last 10 years. We analyzed responses from 531 non-renal fellows (14.4% response rate). Overall, 317 (60%) fellows rated nephrology as difficult, particularly women (65.4% vs. 49.5%, p < 0.001), with American women medical graduates rating nephrology as more difficult compared to all others (p = 0.001). More men than women (24% vs. 8%, p < 0.001) considered the monetary benefit as not adequate. Program directors (25; 64% response rate) represented 57% of all USA fellows in traini...
Echocardiographic profile of infants of diabetic mothers

Echocardiographic M-mode examinations were performed in 30 infants of diabetic mothers (IDM). Twelve of them had severe symptoms with hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress syndrome, septicemia and hypoglycemia in the neonatal period. The gestational age ranged from the 34th week to the 40th week, the birth weight ranging between 2280g and 5820 g (mean 3455 g). Fifteen patients were restudied at different ages. In group A (age 1–14 days) out of 23, in group B (age 14 days–6 months) 5 from 13 IDM and in group C (older than 6 months, (n=10) no IDM had an increased ratio of intraventricular septal thickness (IVS) to left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPW). One patient showed a systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (SAM) without having other symptoms for a left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.