cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Fatigue Resistance of Various Longitudinal Weld Joints

Various types of one-sided and two-sided longitudinal weld joints were made in the web/flange connection of large-scale HSLA- 80 I-section beams. Fatigue experiments were conducted on 78 beams. As expected, there is a decrease in the fatigue strength of the one-sided weld. Among the one-sided welds, the differences in the fatigue strength were slight. The findings show that existing design rules for longitudinal fillet welds in bridges can be used for ships. The data provides a rational basis for the selection of longitudinal weld joints, fit-up tolerances, and NDE requirements.
A controlled trial of verapamil in patients after acute myocardial infarction: results of the calcium antagonist reinfarction Italian study (CRIS)

Abstract A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the effects of verapamil on total mortality, cardiac mortality, reinfarction, and angina after an acute myocardial infarction. All patients, aged 30 to 75 years, consecutively admitted for acute myocardial infarction between 1985 and 1987 to the participating centers, and without contraindications to verapamil or history of severe heart failure were enrolled. Seven to 21 days (mean 13.8) after myocardial infarction, 531 patients were randomized to verapamil retard 360 mg/day, and 542 patients to placebo. At baseline, the 2 groups of patients had similar characteristics. Mean age was 55.5 years and 91% were men. During a mean follow-up of 23.5 months, 5.5% of the patients died. No differences between verapamil and placebo were observed in total mortality (n = 30 and 29, respectively) and cardiac death (n = 21 and 22, respectively). The verapamil group had nonsignificant lower reinfarction rates (n =39 vs 49). The number of patients developing angina was significantly less in the verapamil group (n = 100 vs 132, RR = 0.8, 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 0.9). There were no differences in discontinuation of therapy caused by adverse reactions. This trial showed no effect of verapamil on mortality. The lower reinfarction rates found in the verapamil group are in agreement with the results of other studies.
US Elementary Preservice Teachers' Experiences while Teaching Students in Taiwan.

The idea to prepare prospective teachers to teach in increasingly diverse US schools still raises a number of questions about how an international student teaching experience can be important and beneficial to student learning. What do preservice teachers perceive to be the benefits from an international student teaching experience? What do preservice teachers perceive as challenges during an international student teaching experience? This paper shares findings from a phenomenological study of four U.S. elementary preservice teachers' experiences during a five-week international student teaching opportunity in Taiwan. The findings of this study support the scholarship of teaching and learning that is grounded in the quest to understand the connection between students' experiences and learning (Hutchings, 1999). The findings could further provide insights into the implementation process and the support that student teachers need in order to gain a successful experience from an international student teaching opportunity provided by the teacher education program.
The aging face: a psychocutaneous perspective.

The cutaneous stigmata of aging may affect an individual's mental well-being, body image, and quality of life. Before proceeding with treatment, the dermatologist should take into consideration the patient's overall life situ- ation and evaluate whether or not there is severe psycho- pathology and body image distortion ) Dermatol Surg Oncol 1990; 16:902 - 904. The most important clinical implications of aging skin are psychosocial rather than dermatopatholo- gic.' Yet, the psychosocial concerns associated with an aging appearance tend to be ignored by physi- cians.',* This is reflected by a relative paucity of pub- lished studies on the psychocutaneous aspects of aging. This paper presents an overview of the litera- ture, including some recent studies, and discusses an approach for the assessment of the aging face from a psychocutaneous perspective.
Increases in bone mineral density in response to oral dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in older adults appear to be mediated by serum estrogens.

Context: The mechanisms by which dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) replacement increases bone mineral density (BMD) in older adults are not known. Objective: The aims were to determine the effects of DHEA therapy on changes in sex hormones and IGF-I and their associations with changes in BMD. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at an academic research institution. Participants were 58 women and 61 men, aged 60–88 yr, with low serum DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) levels. Intervention: The intervention was oral DHEA 50 mg/d or placebo for 12 months. Main Outcome Measures: BMD and serum DHEAS, testosterone, estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), SHBG, IGF-I, and IGF binding protein 3 were measured before and after intervention. Free testosterone and estrogen (FEI) indices were calculated. Results: The average changes in hip and spine BMD (DHEA vs. placebo) ranged from 1.1 to 1.6%. Compared with placebo, DHEA replacement increased serum DHEAS, testosterone, free te...
A comparison of two FMRI protocols for eliciting hippocampal activation.

Summary: Purpose: Previous research suggests that the hippocampus is modulated both by stimulus novelty and by the extent to which relational processing (formation of associations) occurs during episodic encoding. The aim of this study was to compare hippocampal activation patterns measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during encoding protocols emphasizing either novelty or relational processing. Methods:fMRI was performed on 32 healthy volunteers while they encoded complex visual scenes or unrecognizable scrambled versions of the same scenes. In the Novelty contrast, encoding of novel scenes was compared with encoding of a repeated pair of scenes. In the Relational Processing contrast, semantic encoding of novel scenes was compared with structural encoding of scrambled scenes. Results: Both protocols elicited bilateral hippocampal activation. Overall mean activation values were similar for the two protocols, but the Relational Processing protocol resulted in a larger volume of hippocampal activation. The pattern of activation along the longitudinal hippocampal axis differed for the two protocols. The Novelty contrast produced stronger activation in the posterior hippocampus, whereas the Relational Processing contrast produced stronger activation in the anterior hippocampus. Conclusions: Hippocampal activation is determined by both stimulus novelty and degree of relational processing during encoding. Given the importance of anterior hippocampal pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy, an approach emphasizing modulation of relational processing may be preferable for clinical fMRI of the medial temporal lobes.
Visible spectra of XeO and KrO

When traces of oxygen are added to one atmosphere of xenon or krypton in a discharge tube, characteristic spectra near the 5577 A (/sup 1/S/sub 0/--/sup 1/ D/sub 2/) line are observed for each mixture. These spectra are associated with rare gas oxygen molecules which may be formed with oxygen in the /sup 1/S/sub 0/ or /sup 1/D/sub 2/ state. The vibrational bands of the XeO spectrum may be represented by: nu = 20097 + 142 v' -- 9.9 v'/sup 2/ + 0.1 v'/sup 3/ -(360 v" -- 12.0 v"/sup 2/) cm/sup -1/. Many of the rotational lines were resolved, but the overlapping of bands prevented a complete rotational analysis. (auth)
Ozone and oxygen induced oxidative coupling of aqueous phenolics

Abstract The present research concerns results pertaining to oxidative coupling/polymerization of aqueous phenolics by ozone and oxygen. Catechol, resorcinol, catechin, gallic acid and tannic acid were all found to undergo oxidative coupling on ozone/oxygen treatment as evidenced by bathychromic shifts, increased color intensities, functional group analysis, size exclusion chromatography and mechanistic considerations. An oxidative coupling pathway was favored by conditions of high pH and low ozone dose. Reactions of phenolics with ozone were accomplished in a shorter time frame than those with oxygen. Mechanisms consistent with oxidative coupling are presented and the ramifications of the research to natural water systems and water treatment are discussed.
Automated spectroscopy of X-ray and gamma-ray pulse height spectra using energy space subdivision

A new model for the automated analysis of X-ray and gamma-ray multi-channel pulse height spectra is presented. The goal of the algorithm is to efficiently and accurately converge on the background and elemental factors while limiting human influence to the a priori defined knowledge of the detector characteristics. This information includes generic estimates of the continuum with defined elemental response functions. The energy space of the spectrum is subdivided and each subspace is fit independently. By considering all possible elemental line combinations within each energy subspace an optimal line combination is determined from the minimal squared error over each reconstructed elemental line combination. In this paper, we briefly review the background issues and motivations for the present research. The paper will present the algorithms and discuss related issues for elemental analysis of actual integrated spectra obtained from the Mars Odyssey Gamma-ray spectrometer.
Partial volume and distribution estimation from multispectral images using continuous representations

When estimating partial volume effects in the presence of noise, using neighboring information improves the estimation. The optimal linear transformation (OLT) is an unbiased minimum variance estimator. However, it does not use neighboring information and thus is sensitive to noise. We employ polynomial and B-spline continuous representations of the data to mathematically incorporate the neighboring information into the OLT. To evaluate the method, we use synthetic and actual images generated by simulation and acquired from phantoms and the human brain. Standard deviations of new estimators are up to 60% less than that of the OLT when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 25. As the SNR decreases, the proposed method demonstrates more improvements. Overall, B-spline estimators provide larger estimations of the standard deviation compared to polynomials. However, B-spline estimators outperform polynomials, providing an arbitrary degree of continuity. B-spline estimators are up to 10 times faster than polynomials and about 10 times slower than the OLT.
Proximal versus distal slowing of motor nerve conduction velocity in the Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Using the F wave, a simple equation was devised to calculate the ratio between motor nerve conduction time from the spinal cord to the stimulus site and that of the remaining nerve segment to the muscle (F ratio). In 33 healthy subjects the F ratio (mean +/- SD) was close to unity for the median nerve (1.04 +/- 0.09) with stimulation at the elbow and for the peroneal (1.11 +/- 0.09) and tibial nerves (1.17 +/- 0.10) with stimulation at the knee. Thus, in these nerves, the time required for the passage of impulses from the cord to the site of stimulation is approximately the same as that from the stimulus site to the muscle. The ratio was significantly more for the ulnar nerve (1.40 +/- 0.11) with stimulation below the elbow. Of 126 nerves in the upper and lower extremities from 45 patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome, the F ratio was normal in 65 (51%), increased in 30 (24%), and decreased in 31 (25%). The mean F ratios remained normal in median (1.12 +/- 0.40), ulnar (1.38 +/- 0.30), peroneal (1.07 +/- 0.25), and tibial (1.12 +/- 0.20) nerves. These findings together with the results of nerve conduction studies indicate that the conduction abnormality usually affects both proximal and distal segments in the Guillain-Barre syndrome. If selective, it is distributed at random between the two segments, but there is a tendency toward involvement of common sites of compression and the most proximal, possibly radicular, portion of the nerve.
Glucagon, Starvation, and the Induction of Liver Enzymes by Hydrocortisone

Glucagon selectively potentiates an effect of hydrocortisone: when injected into adrenalectoinized rats it increases fourfold the induction by hydrocortisone of tyrosine transaminase, but not of tryptophan pyrrolase. Glucagon alone doubles the basal level of tyrosine transaminase and decreases that of tryptophan pyrrolase. The effects of glucagon on both enzymes resemble those of starvation.
Large magnetic field effect on oxygen gas thermal conductivity at 77°K

Abstract A large increase in oxygen gas thermal conductivity is found at 77°K in the presence of a steady magnetic field. The deviations from the low pressure Senftleben-Beenakker behavior appear to show an approximate H 3 p 3 dependence.
Recreational demand by tourists for saltwater beach days.

Abstract This analysis deals with tourists that come from significant distances to use principally beach resources. As Smith and Kopp [Land Econom. 56, 64–72 (1980)] have argued, those that use the conventional travel cost method (TCM) do not recognize its potential spatial limitations. One day trips as used by the TCM are certainly inapplicable to those coming from significant distances, such as tourists to Florida. The empirical data are consistent with the thesis that annual consumer demand by individual tourists for Florida beach days is positively related to travel cost per trip and inversely related to on-site cost per day. There are compelling reasons for treating recreational decision making for what we call tourists differently than for residents or those traveling relatively short distances. Employing the on-site cost demand curve for tourists using Florida's beaches, we find the daily consumer surplus to be nearly $34.00
American Muslim women's experiences of leaving abusive relationships.

American Muslim women are a growing population whose experiences of abuse remain largely unstudied. To begin to amend this gap in knowledge, this article examines American Muslim women's experiences of leaving abusive partners as reported in a larger narrative study. The process of leaving as described by participants includes four stages: reaching the point of saturation, getting khula (an Islamic divorce initiated by wives), facing family and/or community disapproval, and reclaiming the self. Each of these stages illustrates the significance of group-oriented cultural values in shaping participants' experiences of leaving their abusers. I compare study findings with existing literature and conclude by offering suggestions for research and practice in this area.
Seckel syndrome phenotype in a live-born with ring 4/monosomy 4 chromosomal mosaicism

Abstract This is the second report of the Seckel syndrome phenotype in a patient with a ring 4 chromosome. The proband was identified through prenatal growth restriction at 34 weeks gestation, which prompted an amniocentesis. The karyotype was 46, XX. r(p?q?35) [8] / 45, XX, -4 [12]. At 38 weeks gestation a female infant was born, after an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy. She was severely SGA in all parameters, with a weight of 1030 grams. The Apgar scores were low, and respiratory problems required endotracheal intubation. She had significant hypotonia and microcephaly with a sloping forehead and bitemporal narrowing. The facial features were characteristic of Seckel syndrome, including down-slanted palpebral fissures, a prominent nose with a broad nasal tip, a small mouth with a thin upper lip, and micro-retrognathia. The ears were small, low set, and posteriorly rotated. She also had abnormal palmar creases, a cleft palate, and hypoplastic labia. Postnatal study of peripheral blood lymphocytes confirmed the karyotype as 46, XX, r(4)(p16q35) (24) / 45, X, -4 [4]. After discontinuation of the ventilator at age 18 days, she remained tachypneic on supplemental oxygen. Feeding difficulties were encountered and nasogastric feeds were instituted. Her weight gain was modest and at 33 days of life her weight was 1332 grams. According to the literature, r(4) patients phenotypically resemble Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Co-existence of a r(4) chromosome with the Seckel syndrome phenotype was reported only once previously (Anderson CE et al: Am.J.Med.Genet. 72:281-5.1997). To explain this association, we are postulating that the locus of the Seckel syndrome gene might be on the distal arm of chromosome 4. In this scenario, a mutation of the gene on the normal chromosome 4, combined with the deletion of a normal allele on the r(4), could explain the co-existence of Seckel syndrome and r(4) in these 2 cases. Molecular analyses of the deleted regions of chromosome 4 in classical Seckel syndrome patients may be warranted to prove that the association is not coincidental. Alternatively, the mosaic monosomy 4 (which has not been described previously in a liveborn infant) could be causing the severe growth retardation. It is less likely that this could explain the typical facial features of Seckel syndrome.
Effect of dietary inclusion of concentrated separator by-product and weaning management on performance of newly received feedlot steers

During the fall of two consecutive years, 260 newly received cross-bred steers ( kg initial body weight (BW)) were used to evaluate effect of concentrated separator by-product (CSB; de-sugared molasses) and weaning management on dry matter intake (DMI), growth, feed efficiency, and health. Steers were stratified by weight, and allotted randomly to treatment in a completely randomized design. Treatments were arranged in a 2×2 factorial; factors were dietary inclusion of CSB (0 or 5%, dry matter (DM) basis) and weaning management (weaned on the day of shipping, SHIP; and weaned 3–5 weeks prior to shipping, WEAN). The control diet contained 50% alfalfa-brome hay, 44% corn, and 6% supplement, while the diet with CSB contained 50% alfalfa-brome hay, 40.5% corn, 5% CSB, and 4.5% supplement (DM basis). Water was added to the diet without CSB at 6.3% of the as fed weight (equal to as fed level of CSB) to minimize differences in diet acceptability due to dustiness. Diets were formulated to contain a minimum 13.5% crude protein (CP) 0.7% Ca, 0.32% P, and 1.4% K (DM basis). Steers were fed for 27 days in year 1 and 28 days in year 2. Performance data were analyzed across years using the GLM procedure of SAS and health data were analyzed across years using χ2. Steers fed 5% CSB gained 19% faster (P=0.07) during days 1–14 and consumed 10% more feed throughout the trial (P=0.006). WEAN steers were heavier (P<0.001) and consumed more feed (P<0.001). WEAN steers gained faster during the first 2 weeks (P=0.02) and SHIP steers were more efficient during the second 2 weeks (P=0.03). No effect of dietary CSB addition on morbidity (P=0.24) or mortality (P=0.93) occurred. Fewer WEAN steers (P=0.06) were treated for signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex compared with SHIP steers. Addition of 5% CSB to diets fed to newly received feedlot calves increases DMI and calves weaned 3–5 weeks prior to shipping are healthier and consume more feed.
Flame retardant novolac–bisphthalonitrile structural thermosets

Abstract Void-free, thermoset networks prepared from phenolic novolacs cured with bisphthalonitrile (BPh) reagents display attractive mechanical, thermal, and fire characteristics. The network properties depend strongly on the novolac–BPh composition. Networks containing 15 wt[percnt] BPh or greater had T g s above 180 °C and good fracture toughness ( K 1c ∼0.8 MPa m 1/2 ). Cone calorimetry results for an 80:20 (wt/wt) novolac/BPh network, at an incident heat flux of 50 kW/m 2 , demonstrated a peak heat release rate of 137 kW/m 2 and char yields [gt ]50[percnt]. These excellent flame properties are similar to those of phenolic resole networks, which are brittle but known to be flame retardant. The cure reaction between the novolac and BPh was monitored by the disappearance of the nitrile peak at 2200 cm −1 in the FTIR. The nitrile was ≈90[percnt] consumed after 1 h at 200 °C and ∼20 min at 220 °C. The molecular structure of a novolac–BPh crosslink was studied in model reactions using monofunctional phenols. 2-Hydroxydiphenylmethane was reacted with BPh in the melt at 200 °C for 3 h using a 25:1 molar ratio (6.1:1 eq. ratio) of 2-hydroxydiphenylmethane/BPh. FTIR and 1 H NMR suggested that the product generated from the model melt reaction contained a diiminoisoindoline structure.
Calculation of laser absorption by metal powders in additive manufacturing

We have calculated the absorption of laser light by a powder of metal spheres, typical of the powder employed in laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing. Using ray-trace simulations, we show that the absorption is significantly larger than its value for normal incidence on a flat surface, due to multiple scattering. We investigate the dependence of absorption on powder content (material, size distribution, and geometry) and on beam size.
Multi-Swirler Aerodynamics: Comparison of Different Configurations

The non-reacting fluid flow fields generated by multi-swirler arrays with two different port configurations were investigated experimentally. These two cases include a co-swirling array, where all swirlers act in the same direction, and a counter-swirling array, where all swirlers alternate between clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations. Each configuration consists of a three by three arrangement of swirlers, which use analogous geometries to generate the swirling flows, i.e. eight discrete jets. For each array, the mean and turbulence velocities were measured at approximately 25,000 discrete spatial locations by a two-component LDV system. Furthermore, the third velocity component was derived based on the symmetric geometry of the arrays. In both cases, the coalescence distance, distance for eight discrete jet streams to form uniform swirling flows, is very short; and each swirler within the arrangement possesses a central recirculation zone. These nine zones have varying strengths depending on the individual swirler location, and some rotate with the swirler direction. In comparison, the co-swirler configuration provides a large unified rotational flow in the same direction as the individual swirlers, while a counter-rotating flow pattern is formed by the other case. Lastly, interactions between the unified flow with that of each swirler in the array are discussed and further comparisons are made between the two cases.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Determinants of Quality of Life for Patients With Kidney Stones

Purpose: We evaluated various factors relating to quality of life in a population of patients with stones.Materials and Methods: A total of 155 patients seen at our urology clinic for stones between January and May 2007 were prospectively questioned regarding stone history and were administered the SF-36™ questionnaire to assess quality of life. Age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, number of stone episodes, interval from the last stone episode, number of surgical procedures for stones and associated complications, missed days of work and long-term medical treatment were elicited from the patients. Individual SF-36 domains and composite scores were compared to those of the American general population. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of all covariates on quality of life scores.Results: Patients with stones scored lower than the average American population in 5 of the 8 domains of the SF-36 as well as in the physical composite ...
A cross-layer framework for video-on-demand service in multi-hop WiMax mesh networks

In this work, we introduce a cross-layer framework to favor the video-on-demand service in multi-hop WiMax mesh networks. We first propose a joint solution of admission control and channel scheduling for video streams. The proposed approach guarantees that the required data rate is achieved for video streams, which is crucial for multimedia streaming applications. An efficient and light-weight multicast routing technique is also proposed to minimize the bandwidth cost of joining a multicast tree. Furthermore, we adopt the Patching technique in the application layer to improve the capacity of the video server. Overall, the quality of the video-on-demand service is dramatically improved with the help of the efficient cooperation between the techniques proposed in different layers of the network. Simulation study shows that with the proposed approach, true video-on-demand in WiMax mesh networks can be achieved under high video request arrival rate.
Response of extruded intervertebral herniated discs to percutaneous laser disc decompression.

Objective: To describe the clinical features of 21 patients with extruded (but nonsequestered) herniated intervertebral discs before and after treatment with percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD). Background Data: PLDD was introduced in February, 1986, by Choy and Ascher. This relatively noninvasive technique for the treatment of herniated intervertebral discs has been extensively described elsewhere. Previously, only uncomplicated disc herniations were treated with PLDD, with a success rate according to the MacNab criteria of 89% and a complication rate of 0.4 to 1.0%. Until 1998, the author and others adhered to strict criteria of patient selection to produce "clean" data that could be analyzed without complications. However, after 12 years of accumulating clinical data, it became feasible and desirable to "expand the envelope" and attempt treatment of more complicated cases. Methods: Twenty-one patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-documented extruded, but nonsequestered, herniated disc...
Structural and Functional Characterization of Dog Heart Microsomes

Several procedures for the preparation of microsomes from heart tissue were compared. Sucrose was found the most effective addition to preserve the activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Electron microscopy of sectioned pellets shows uniform vesicles, but negative staining of microsomal suspensions allows recognition of mitochondrial fragments, which are found in cardiac microsomal fractions in greater amounts than in skeletal muscle preparations. The quantity of mitochondrial contaminations in different fractions was estimated by measuring enzymatic activities. A comparison of Ca2+ accumulation, Ca2+ efflux, and ATPase activity shows identical features in preparations from the heart and from skeletal muscle, although the specific activity is approximately ten times lower in those from the heart. The apparent affinity of sarcoplasmic reticulum for Ca2+ in vitro justifies the assumption that sarcoplasmic reticulum lowers the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the in-vivo heart below the level required for contraction. However, in a weight unit of fresh tissue, the ratio between the maximal Ca2+ accumulated by SR and the amount of contractile protein is much lower in the heart than in skeletal muscle. Caffeine and, more markedly, propranolol and tetracaine increase efflux of accumulated Ca2+ and thereby reduce net uptake by fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum. Isopropylmethoxamine is not effective at millimolar concentrations.
The Breeding Biology and Distribution of Adélie Penguins: Adaptations to Environmental Variability

discrete subpopulations in the nonheaslem and southwestern regions of the area. These 5ubpopulations are separated by a 400 kIn gap in their respective distribution s, but each is within several hundred kilometers of predictable pack ice areas in the Weddell and Bellingshausen Seas, respectively. We propose that these pack ice areas are the wintering grounds for each subJXlPUlation, and that access to these pack ice areas, early in the season following courtship fasting . is the key to successful breeding in A~lies. We further analyzed the colony distributions within each subpopulation and found highly clumped distributions of Adelie pen· guins that were strongly correlated to physicaJ factors such as bathymetry, CUJTt:nts and wind direction . We propose that these variables reduce the occurrence of pack ice in the vicinity of breeding colonies of Ad~lie penguin populations, thereby assuring access to open water in the early season. Finally, we examined the influence of the interaction of loca1 topography and weather on the size. location and persistence of breeding groups within A~lie penguin colonies. Snow accumulation, melt water runoff and solar radiation all impact the microclimate of breeding colonies and influence the selection of nesting sites among Ad~lie penguins. The abandonment of breeding areas by Ad~lie penguins, following two to three years of failure at "poor" sites. suggests that changes in the population distributi on of Ad~lie penguins may be very rapid in response to changing environmental conditions, such as increased snow depositio n. Adaptations to environmental variability are seen in every aspect of the natural history of the Ad~lie penguin, from the distribution of subpopulations around Antarcti ca, to the sizes and distributions of colonies within regions, to the choice of breeding sites within colonies.
Determination of extractable perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in water, sweat simulant, saliva simulant, and methanol from textile and carpet samples by LC/MS/MS.

Methods were developed to quantify the amount of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) extracted from textile and carpet samples through contact with water, methanol, and sweat and saliva simulants using LC/MS/MS. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for samples extracted in water and sweat simulant is 1 ppb (ng PFOA (g sample)−1) while the limits of quantitation for samples extracted in saliva simulant and methanol were 3 ppb and 2.5 ppb, respectively. Method validation results are provided for a polyester control textile sample that was extracted in water on two different days by different analysts, which gave an overall recovery of 103% and standard deviation of 5.3% for 30 analyses. However, for routine application of these methods to a large number of sample sets differing in chemical and physical compositions, a complete validation for each sample type is not practical or possible since control samples for fortifications are often not available. Instead, suitable analytical methods and acceptance criteria are described which ensure accurate PFOA quantitation in each of the solvent extract types. During routine use of these methods, post-extraction spike recoveries for the different sample types and solvents are 100 ± 15% using a dual isotopically labeled 13C-PFOA internal standard to correct for matrix effects. A comparison of extraction solvent versus time using a wrist action shaker for textile and carpet samples demonstrates that the total extractable amount of PFOA is similar for each of the solvent types. However, as expected the rate of extraction in water and simulants is significantly less than that of methanol. Finally, a comparison of 2 h and 24 h wrist action shaker extractions with a 1.5 h pressurized fluid extraction (PFE) in methanol reveals that the 24 h wrist action shaker yields the highest results. The 2 h wrist action shaker results are similar to those of the 1.5 h PFE extraction.
Of Signatures and Status: Andrés Sánchez Gallque and Contemporary Painters in Early Colonial Quito

The 1599 portrait Don Francisco de Arobe and His Sons, Pedro and Domingo by Andean artist Andres Sanchez Gallque (Figure 1) is one of the most frequently cited and reproduced paintings in the modern literature on colonial South America. The painting has been extensively praised, parsed, and interpreted by twentieth- and twenty-first-century authors, and heralded as the first signed South American portrait. “Remarkable” is the adjective most frequently employed to describe this work: modern authors express surprise and delight not only with the persuasive illusionistic power of the painting, the mesmerizing appearance of its subjects, and the artist's impressive mastery of the genre, but with the fact that the artist chose to sign and date his work, including a specific reference to his Andean identity.
Got EQ? Increasing Cultural and Clinical Competence Through Emotional Intelligence:

Cultural intelligence has been described across three parameters of human behavior: cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence (EQ), and physical intelligence. Each contributes a unique and imp...
The SCIFC Model for Information Flow Control in Web Service Composition

Existing web service access control models focus on individual web services, and do not consider service composition. In composite services, a major issue is information flow control. Critical information may flow from one service to another in a service chain through requests and responses and there is no mechanism for verifying that the flow complies with the access control policies. In this paper, we propose an innovative access control model to empower the services in a service chain to control the flow of their sensitive information. Our model supports information flow control through a back-check procedure and pass-on certificates. We also introduce additional factors such as the carry-along policy, security class, and transformation factor, to improve the protocol efficiency. A formal analysis is also presented to show the power and complexity of our protocol.
Aging affects motor learning but not savings at transfer of learning

Two important components of skill learning are the learning process itself (motor acquisition) and the ability to transfer what has been learned to new task variants (motor transfer). Many studies have documented age-related declines in the ability to learn new manual motor skills. In this study, I tested whether the degree of savings at transfer of learning is similarly affected by advancing age. Young and older adults made aiming movements with a joystick to hit targets presented on a computer screen, with real-time feedback display of their movement. They adapted to three different rotations of the feedback display in a sequential fashion, with return to the normal feedback display between each. Adaptation performance was better when it was preceded by other adaptive experiences, regardless of age.
Depth from magnification and blurring

A new method of constructing 3D maps based on the relative magnification and blurring of a pair of images is presented, where the images are taken at two camera positions of a small displacement. The method, referred to as depth from magnification and blurring, aims at generating a precise 3D map of local scenes or objects to be manipulated by a robot arm with a hand-eye camera. The method uses a single standard camera with telecentric lens, and assumes neither active illumination nor active control of camera parameters. The proposed depth extraction algorithm is simple in computation. Fusing the two disparate sources of depth information, magnification and blurring, the proposed method provides more accurate and robust depth estimation. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Conformational energetics of Rhodopsin modulated by nonlamellar-forming lipids

Rhodopsin is an important example of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in which 11-cis-retinal is the ligand and acts as an inverse agonist. Photolysis of rhodopsin leads to formation of the activated meta II state from its precursor meta I. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain how the membrane composition affects the meta I-meta II conformational equilibrium in the visual process. For rod disk membranes and recombinant membranes containing rhodopsin, the lipid properties have been discussed in terms of elastic deformation of the bilayer. Here we have investigated the relation of nonlamellar-forming lipids, such as dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), together with dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), to the photochemistry of membrane-bound rhodopsin. We conducted flash photolysis experiments for bovine rhodopsin recombined with DOPE/DOPC mixtures (0:100 to 75:25) as a function of pH to explore the dependence of the photochemical activity on the monolayer curvature free energy of the membrane. It is well-known that DOPC forms bilayers, whereas DOPE has a propensity to adopt the nonlamellar, reverse hexagonal (H(II)) phase. In the case of neutral DOPE/DOPC recombinants, calculations of the membrane surface pH confirmed that an increase in DOPE favored the meta II state. Moreover, doubling the PE headgroup content versus the native rod membranes substituted for the polyunsaturated, docosahexaenoic acyl chains (22:6 omega 3), suggesting rhodopsin function is associated with a balance of forces within the bilayer. The data are interpreted by applying a flexible surface model, in which the meta II state is stabilized by lipids tending to form the H(II) phase, with a negative spontaneous curvature. A simple theory, based on principles of surface chemistry, for coupling the energetics of membrane proteins to material properties of the bilayer lipids is described. For rhodopsin, the free energy balance of the receptor and the lipids is altered by photoisomerization of retinal and involves curvature stress/strain of the membrane (frustration). A new biophysical principle is introduced: matching of the spontaneous curvature of the lipid bilayer to the mean curvature of the lipid/water interface adjacent to the protein, which balances the lipid/protein solvation energy. In this manner, the thermodynamic driving force for the meta I-meta II conformational change of rhodopsin is tightly controlled by mixtures of nonlamellar-forming lipids having distinctive material properties.
Savings Experiences Past and Present: Narratives From Low-Income African American Women

Research has found that low-income individuals can and do save when institutional supports are in place; however, little structured data are available on how and why they manage to save. This artic...
Minocycline attenuates brain tissue levels of TNF-α produced by neurons after prolonged hypothermic cardiac arrest in rats.

Neuro-cognitive disabilities are a well-recognized complication of hypothermic circulatory arrest. We and others have reported that prolonged cardiac arrest (CA) produces neuronal death and microglial proliferation and activation that are only partially mitigated by hypothermia. Microglia, and possibly other cells, are suggested to elaborate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which can trigger neuronal death cascades and exacerbate edema after CNS insults. Minocycline is neuroprotective in some brain ischemia models in part by blunting the microglial response. We tested the hypothesis that minocycline would attenuate neuroinflammation as reflected by brain tissue levels of TNF-α after hypothermic CA in rats. Rats were subjected to rapid exsanguination, followed by a 6 min normothermic CA. Hypothermia (30 °C) was then induced by an aortic saline flush. After a total of 20 min CA, resuscitation was achieved via cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). After 5 min reperfusion, minocycline (90 mg kg−1; n = 6) or vehicle (PBS; n = 6) was given. Hypothermia (34 °C) was maintained for 6 h. Rats were sacrificed at 6 or 24 h. TNF-α was quantified (ELISA) in four brain regions (cerebellum, CEREB; cortex, CTX; hippocampus, HIP; striatum, STRI). Naive rats (n = 6) and rats subjected to the same anesthesia and CPB but no CA served as controls (n = 6). Immunocytochemistry was used to localize TNF-α. Naive rats and CPB controls had no detectable TNF-α in any brain region. CA markedly increased brain TNF-α. Regional differences were seen, with the highest TNF-α levels in striatum in CA groups (10-fold higher, P < 0.05 vs. all other brain regions). TNF-α was undetectable at 24 h. Minocycline attenuated TNF-α levels in CTX, HIP and STRI (P < 0.05). TNF-α showed unique co-localization with neurons. In conclusion, we report region-dependent early increases in brain TNF-α levels after prolonged hypothermic CA, with maximal increases in striatum. Surprisingly, TNF-α co-localized in neurons and not microglia. Minocycline attenuated TNF-α by approximately 50% but did not totally ablate its production. That minocycline decreased brain TNF-α levels suggests that it may represent a therapeutic adjunct to hypothermia in CA neuroprotection. University of Pittsburgh IACUC 0809278B-3.
Lower-body adiposity and metabolic protection in postmenopausal women

Context: It has been suggested that the propensity to store fat in the gluteal-femoral region may be cardioprotective. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to test whether the favorable associations of leg fat with risk factors for cardiovascular disease persist after controlling for the highly unfavorable effects of abdominal (visceral or sc) adiposity in postmenopausal women. Study Participants: The study included 95 postmenopausal women [age, 60 ± 8 yr (mean ± sd)]. Main Outcomes: Whole-body and regional fat distribution was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and abdominal computed tomography. Markers of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia were determined from oral glucose tolerance tests and fasted lipid and lipoprotein measurements, respectively. Primary outcomes were: fasting insulin (INS0), area under the insulin curve (INSAUC), product of the oral glucose tolerance test insulin and glucose AUC (INSAUC — GLUAUC), serum triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) chol...
Population coding and the labeling problem: Extrinsic versus intrinsic representations

Current population coding methods, including weighted averaging and Bayesian estimation, are based on extrinsic representations. These require that neurons be labeled with response parameters, such as tuning curve peaks or noise distributions, which are tied to some external, world-based metric scale. Firing rates alone, without this external labeling, are insufficient to represent a variable. However, the extrinsic approach does not explain how such neural labeling is implemented. A radically different and perhaps more physiological approach is based on intrinsic representations, which have access only to firing rates. Because neurons are unlabeled, intrinsic coding represents relative, rather than absolute, values of a variable. We show that intrinsic coding has representational advantages, including invariance, categorization, and discrimination, and in certain situations it may also recover absolute stimulus values.
Lymphatic diversion prevents myocardial edema following mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion.

Objective: Mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is associated with cardiac dysfunction. Mesenteric lymph primes polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) for increased superoxide release following I/R. We hypothesized that mesenteric I/R causes myocardial edema resulting in myocardial dysfunction, and that diverting mesenteric lymph would preserve myocardial function.Methods: Two canine groups were studied: lymphatic diversion (LD) and no lymphatic diversion (No LD). Preload recruitable stroke work, ±dp/dtmax, isovolumic relaxation (tau), cardiac output, and myocardial water content (MWC) were determined. I/R consisted of 60 min of ischemia followed by 180 min of reperfusion. Myocardial myeloperoxidase (MPO) was measured as an index of PMN leukosequestration. In addition, mesenteric lymph harvested after I/R was infused into normal canines and all variables measured.Results: MWC increased from baseline in No LD. Tau and −dp/dtmax were significantly affected in No LD, but not in LD. After mesenteric I/R, mesent...
States and the crafting of souls: Mind, society, and fiscal sociology

For the most part, public finance theory follows economic theory in taking individual preferences as given. The resulting analytical agenda revolves around the ability of different fiscal institutions to reflect and aggregate those preferences into collective outcomes. This paper explores to what extent fiscal institutions can influence and shape what are commonly referred to as preferences. Statecraft thus becomes necessarily a branch of soulcraft, with the state as inescapably involved in shaping preferences through its impact on the moral imagination, not just in reflecting or representing them. This paper first explores some general conceptual issues, then examines some particular illustrations.
Extended Kalman Filtering for Remaining-Useful-Life Estimation of Bearings

Condition-based maintenance, which includes both diagnosis and prognosis of faults, is a topic of growing interest for improving the reliability of electrical drives. Bearings constitute a large portion of failures in rotational machines. Although many techniques have been successfully applied for bearing fault diagnosis, prognosis of faults, particularly predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of bearings, is a remaining challenge. The main reasons for this are a lack of accurate physical degradation models and limited labeled training data. In this paper, we introduce a data-driven methodology, which relies on both time and time–frequency domain features to track the evolution of bearing faults. Once features are extracted, an analytical function that best approximates the evolution of the fault is determined and used to learn the parameters of an extended Kalman filter (KF). The learned extended KF is applied to testing data to predict the RUL of bearing faults under different operating conditions. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on PRONOSTIA experimental testbed data.
A comparison between a downhole seismometer and a seismometer on the ocean floor

Abstract We have compared the signal and noise characteristics recorded by a downhole seismometer and a nearby (within 200 m) ocean bottom seismometer in the deep ocean (5.5 km). Absolute noise levels and signal-to-noise ratios from the two instruments are remarkably similar. We attribute this unexpected similarity to the shallow emplacement depth of the downhole instrument (194 m subbottom) and the soft sediment into which it was clamped.
MPs with Skirts: Or How the Popular Press in Bulgaria Portrays Women Politicians

This study focuses on how the changes after the fall of the Berlin Wall have affected the presentation of female politicians in Eastern Europe. Textual analysis of top two circulating daily newspapers in Bulgaria, Trud and Standart, was used to examine how female politicians were portrayed during the 2005 parliamentary elections. The analysis indicates that press coverage of female politicians is refracted through the prism of gender stereotypes, which, in turn, exhibits signs of the post-communist masculinization of democracy. What is more, this study found that women politicians as well as the female reporters who cover them willingly partake in the gendered mediation of the Bulgarian female politicians, therefore acting, as Julia Kristeva argued, as the strongest supporters of the existing, albeit oppressive, social order. The overall conclusion is that gendered media portrayals of female politicians lead to the creation of a social climate tolerant towards and perhaps, encouraging, of sexism in all aspects of social life.