cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic walking in a humanoid robot based on a 3D Actuated Dual-SLIP model

This paper presents a method for the generation of dynamic walking gaits with a 3D Dual-SLIP model and its application to a simulated Hubo+ based humanoid. Previous approaches with the Dual-SLIP model have only focused on the planar case, wherein self-stable gaits can be found. When extended to 3D here, this model has not been found to exhibit self-stable gaits, requiring new methods for gait optimization and control. By taking advantage of a newly discovered symmetry condition for the Dual-SLIP model, this work proposes a quarter period (half step) optimization process to find periodic walking gaits in 3D. An LQR controller is developed to regulate the state of the model at leg midstance (MS) based on its return map dynamics. The Dual-SLIP model is extended by introducing a bio-inspired leg length actuation scheme in order to describe high-speed walking gaits (up to 2 m/s for human-compatible parameters). Finally, the CoM trajectory and footstep positions from the 3D Dual-SLIP are used as a reference in a task-space controller with a Hubo+ based humanoid model. By tracking these references, the methods successfully produce human-like dynamic walking gaits in simulation which are robust to disturbances. The whole-body control system for walking can handle uneven terrain with variation up to 10% of its leg length. This represents the first humanoid dynamic walking approach based on a 3D Dual-SLIP model.
32 Space-Time Invariance in Learned Motor Skills

The data presented here generalizes the notion of homotetic behavior in the time domain for learned motor sequences, that is, the presence of an invariant structure in such sequences, from typing to handwriting. Furthermore, it extends the principle to the space-time domain for unrestricted, continuous movements. An interpretation of the teleological value of this behavior is provided.
TOTAL BLOOD EOSINOPHIL COUNTS IN THE NEWBORN PERIOD

A total of 262 eosinophil counts were done on a series of 57 infants. The mean level was 267 at birth and 483 at 1 month of age. The eosinophil count rose significantly in the first week of life in 75% of 44 infants. Eighty-two per cent of 28 infants showed a significant rise in eosinophils from 5 to 30 days of age. The marrow of newborn infants was relatively rich in myelocytic and rubrocytic elements and low in lymphocytes. At 30 days of age the marrow showed a significant and reciprocal change in the relative proportions of these elements. The infant9s eosinophil pattern in the first week after birth was variable and erratic. It differed quantitatively and qualitatively from that of his mother.
A light and electron microscopical investigation of Ochromonas sphaerocystis Matvienko (Chrysophyceae): the statospore, vegetative cell and its peripheral vesicles

Abstract Vegetative cells of Ochromonas sphaerocystis Matvienko are examined by light and electron microscopy. The ultrastructure is generally typical for the Chrysophyceae although the nucleus has a sheet-like evagination which penetrates between the two chloroplast lobes and which is surrounded by a pyrenoid. There are numerous vesicles, approximately 1 μm diam. at the periphery of the cell. These stain with Sudan Black B, but not with methylene blue, brilliant cresyl blue or Sudans III and IV. An electron dense amorphous material appears adjacent to the membrane when fixed with osmium tetroxide. Statospore formation involves retraction of extracystic cytoplasm, including the chloroplast. The fully formed statospore has a thick neck with a recurved collar. Ochromonas sphaerocystis is compared with O. crenata Klebs and is concluded to be a separate species.
Neural Loci Involved in Naloxone-Induced Luteinizing Hormone Release: Effects of a Norepinephrine Synthesis Inhibitor*

Subcutaneous injections of opiate receptor antagonist, naloxone, stimulated LH release in ovariectomized estradiol benzoate (day 0, 1000 h) and progesterone (day 2, 1000 h) treated rats, and this response was probably mediated by noradrenergic (NE) neurons (Kalra, S. P., Simpkins, J. M.: Endocrinology 109: 776, 1981). We have now attempted to identify the central loci of opiate-NE interaction concerned with LH release in these steroid-pretreated rats. Placement of implants, containing naloxone crystals on day 2 at 1200 h unilaterally at sites previously known to influence LH release and/or innervated by NE neurons, such as locus coeruleus, medial raphae nucleus, amygdaloid complex, medial lemniscus, septal-diagonal band of Broca, or ventro-dorsomedial hypothalamus failed to stimulate LH release. In contrast, similar naloxone-implants or injections of naloxone solution (50 μg/2 μl) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) or the median eminence-arcuate region (MEARC) promptly stimulated LH release. Naloxone-impl...
Exploration of analytical solutions of nonlinear oscillatory systems via the decomposition method

The Adomian decomposition method and the Laplace transformation are employed to analyze approximate closed form solutions of nonlinear oscillatory systems as well as a hyperbolic system, investigating their response to various initial conditions and damping coefficients.
INTERMACS (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support): a new paradigm for translating registry data into clinical practice.

The National Institutes of Health supports research that informs clinical practice. To do this effectively, it employs a variety of approaches to gather and disseminate information on the safety and efficacy of medical interventions. The accepted gold standard for generation of rigorous clinical
Short communication the natural history of fetal cytomegalovirus infection as assessed by serial ultrasound and fetal blood sampling: A case report

A patient in whom intrauterine fetal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was diagnosed at approximately 25 weeks' gestation is presented. The fetus was evaluated by serial fetal blood samplings and ultrasound examinations. The fetus manifested evidence of severe thrombocytopenia and hepatic inflammation, with recovery over a period of approximately 8 weeks. The initial sonographic findings of marked fetal ascites and cardiomegaly gradually resolved; ventriculomegaly developed during the third trimester. At delivery, the baby was morphologically normal with the exception of mild ventriculomegaly. Cord blood was negative for CMV IgM but urine was culture-positive for CMV. At age 3, the child has a severe but stable unilateral hearing deficit and is otherwise developmentally normal. This case demonstrates the utility of serial ultrasound and fetal blood sampling in the prenatal diagnosis and management of fetal CMV infection.
Near Ballistic Halo-to-Halo Transfers between Planetary Moons

Intermoon transfers are important components of planetary tour missions. However, these transfers are challenging to design due in part to the chaotic environment created by the multi-body dynamics. The specific objective of this work is to develop a systematic methodology to find fuel optimal, near ballistic Halo-to-Halo trajectories between planetary moons, and we achieve this goal by combining dynamical systems theory with a variety of nonlinear programming techniques. The spacecraft is constrained to start at a Halo orbit of a moon and end at another Halo orbit of a second moon. Our approach overcomes the obstacles of the chaotic dynamics by combining multiple “resonant-hopping” gravity assists with manifolds that control the low-energy transport near the Halo orbits of the moons. To help construct good initial guesses, contours of semimajor axes that can be reached by falling off a Halo orbit are presented. An empirical relationship is then derived to find quickly the boundary conditions on the Halo orbits that lead to ballistic capture and escape trajectories, and connect to desired resonances. The overall optimization procedure is broken into four parts of increasing fidelity: creation of the initial guess from unstable resonant orbits and manifolds, decomposition and optimization of the trajectory into two independent ideal three-body portions, end-to-end refinement in a patched three-body model, and transition to an ephemeris model using a continuation method. Each step is based on a robust multiple shooting approach to reduce the sensitivities associated with the close approach trajectories. Numerical results of an intermoon transfer in the Jovian system are presented. In an ephemeris model, using only 55 m/s and 205 days, a spacecraft can transfer between a Halo orbit of Ganymede and a Halo orbit of Europa.
Oleate β-oxidation in yeast involves thioesterase but not Yor180c protein that is not a dienoyl-CoA isomerase

Abstract The β-oxidation of oleic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) was studied by comparing the growth of wild-type cells on oleic acid or palmitic acid with the growth of mutants that either had a deletion in the YOR180c (DCI1) gene reported to encode Δ3,5,Δ2,4-dienoyl-CoA isomerase (dienoyl-CoA isomerase) or in the PTE1 gene encoding peroxisomal thioesterase 1. Growth of wild-type cells was indistinguishable from that of YOR180c mutant cells on either palmitic acid or oleic acid, whereas the PTE1 mutant grew slower and to a lower density on oleic acid but not on palmitic acid. The identification of 3,5-tetradecadienoic acid in the medium of wild-type cells but not in the medium of the PTE1 mutant proves the operation of the thioesterase-dependent pathway of oleate β-oxidation in S. cerevisiae. Dienoyl-CoA isomerase activity was very low in wild-type cells, fourfold higher in the YOR180c mutant, and not associated with purified Yor180c protein. These observations support the conclusion that the YOR180c gene does not encode dienoyl-CoA isomerase.
The effect of protease inhibitors on the polyclonal B cell activator from the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract It has been reported that polyclonal B cell stimulation results in formation of autoantibodies and immune complexes. We have previously reported that a polyclonal B cell activator (PBA) associated with α2-macroglobulin (α2M) is present in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases. Here we studied the possibility that patient α2M (Pt-α2M) carries a trypsin-like protease responsible for the PBA activity. This activity was determined by the Ig-turnover assay developed in our laboratories. The small molecular weight protease inhibitors, aprotinin (Trasylol, Bayer) and phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), and the large molecular weight soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) were used. These inhibitors did not affect the PBA activity of dextran sulfate or LPS. However, as expected, trypsin had a PBA-activity which was blocked by all of the above mentioned inhibitors. A trypsin-normal α2M complex (Tr-Nα2M)) had PBA activity which was inhibited by PMSF or aprotinin but not by SBTI. The PBA associated with Pt-α2M was also inhibited by PMSF or aprotinin but not by SBTI. Moreover, the Tr-Nα2M complex and the Pt-α2M, but not that from normal donors, had esterase activity for p- toluenesulfonyl- l -argininemethyl ester. These data suggest a similarity between the Pt-α2M and Tr-Nα2M complex. Thus, we concluded that the esterolytic activity is sufficient for PBA activity, that Pt-α2M has esterolytic activity and that this PBA activity can be blocked by small molecular weight protease inhibitors.
Studying Gender in U.S. Politics: Where Do We Go from Here?

The prominence and acceptance of gender as an important subject of inquiry in U.S. politics has been steadily growing in political science. Indeed, in the 1960s and 1970s, small sample sizes of women in politics and disdain from the disciplinary gatekeepers made the serious study of gender in U.S. politics difficult to pursue (Flammang 1997; Tolleson-Rinehart and Carroll 2006). The world is clearly different today, as gender politics courses are finding their way into undergraduate and graduate curricula throughout the United States. While the ascension of gender analysis of U.S. politics as a critical variable for study is not complete, the future is bright. Several recent volumes have addressed the current state of the subfield, and most notably, Susan J. Carroll's (2003) edited volume Women and American Politics: New Questions, New Directions focused on the very purpose of laying out a research agenda for those studying gender in U.S. politics (see also Krook and Childs 2010; Wolbrecht, Beckwith, and Baldez 2008). In this essay, I continue the discussion of where the gender and U.S. politics subfield is headed by providing a brief overview of the state of the field and by offering suggestions for future avenues of study, primarily in the area of candidate emergence.
Statistical representations from popular texts for the ordinary citizen, 1889¿1914

Statistical representations in the popular almanacs published at the end of the 19th century in the Habsburg Empire are an early prototype of visualizing statistical data for popular consumption and informing the public of an ethnically and linguistically differentiated society. The purpose of this article is to analyze these statistical representations using a combination of humanistic and visual analysis methods. The article focuses on the persuasive aspects (rhetoric) of diagrams, how they visualize knowledge and information (pragmatics), and the nature and structure of visual sense making (semantics). The form and content are related to the social context and materiality of images. These early popular diagrams predate functional design defined by positivism and science. They are interpreted as a historical practice of knowledge visualization in the context of a post-Enlightenment information regime (epitomizing rational government and the privileged position of statistics as instrument of increasing the efficiency and social control of the state). The modernist approach shapes the same information regime in information science discourse. The analysis—based on principles of information visualization and functional design requirements—shows that these examples possess a sound visual structure based on functional design criteria, and that they integrate cultural context without distorting the data. The advantages of naturalistic and culturally rich visualizations that enable ordinary citizens to acquire knowledge through leveraging simple visual reasoning skills, reliance on mental models, and narrative conventions are identified.
Aspects of quantum computational geodesics

The object of this paper is to mathematically investigate characteristics of a geodesic equation describing possible minimum complexity paths in the special unitary group manifold representing the unitary evolution of n qubits associated with a quantum computation. Simple solutions are elaborated for the case of three qubits.
Conditioned medium from hypoxic cytotrophoblasts alters arterial function.

Abstract Objective: Our goal was to test the hypothesis that cytotrophoblasts, under low oxygen tension, release substances that affect vascular behavior. Study Design: We studied the vascular response to the vasoconstrictors phenylephrine (receptor dependent) and potassium (receptor independent), the relaxation response to methacholine, and the vasomotor behavior of isolated resistance (mesenteric) arteries from early pregnant rats after incubation in conditioned medium from first-trimester cytotrophoblasts, maintained in standard or hypoxic (2%; 14 mm Hg) culture conditions. Results: After incubation in medium from hypoxic cytotrophoblasts, arterial segments were more responsive to phenylephrine and to potassium-induced constriction but were less responsive to methacholine, and the vasomotor activity was increased compared with that found in vessels incubated in control medium. Conclusions: These changes in vascular behavior are similar to those reported in isolated arteries from women with preeclampsia. These studies provide evidence which suggests that the link between abnormal placentation and maternal vascular abnormality in preeclampsia is the elaboration of vasoactive factors by cytotrophoblasts in response to hypoxia. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:984-90.)
Results of a job analysis of psychologists working in state hospitals

The graduate training of psychologists should prepare them for central roles in state hospitals, especially roles involving direct patient care and supervision of colleagues. To what extent do actual job practices match graduate preparation? To find out, 55 psychologists from 12 state hospitals in the Midwest were surveyed regarding their educational backgrounds and time currently spent in various job activities. Results indicated that paperwork consumes more time than any other activity, followed by therapeutic services, psychological assessment, supervision, and case management. Almost 50% of the sample was trained under a cognitive-behavioral orientation; however, more than 60% of survey participants now practice according to eclectic models. These results imply that psychologists in these settings may not be utilized to their full potential because of a variety of organizational constraints.
Clinical study of hydrazine sulfate in advanced cancer patients

Twenty-five patients with a variety of solid tumors were treated with hydrazine sulfate. Hydrazine was given orally in the form of 60 mg capsules from one to four times daily. No patient had a 50% reduction of tumor size. Subjective benefit was seen in three patients but it was of brief duration.
On Being Strangled by the Stars and Stripes

Radical movements such as those of the New and Old Lefts are a particular type of social movement whose genesis, composition, and morphology can be explained by extant theory and research. The fate (or career) of radical movements in this kind of society, however, is a special process resulting from the twin forces of co-optation and repression which, in varying combinations, define the relationship between the radical movement and its host society. As a result of the interplay of these forces, any radical movement can be expected to pass through five stages: incipiency, coalescence, institutionalization, fragmentation, and demise. Such a career model is here applied to the histories of the Old and New Lefts, with explicit reference to the papers in this issue to indicate where they support the model.
The Jewish Mercantile Settlement of Twelfth and Thirteenth Century Venice: Reality or Conjecture?

It has hitherto been generally accepted that the Jews played an active part in the overseas commerce of Venice during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, that they were present in the city not only as transients but also as residents, and that they were even confined to a special area. However, a closer investigation reveals that this view constitutes a highly questionable reconstruction of the course of events, based simultaneously on the clear misunderstanding of certain alleged data, and also on dubious philological arguments supported by unproven conjecture and expanded by undocumented speculation.
Extended alkylate production activity during fixed-bed supercritical 1-butene/isobutane alkylation on solid acid catalysts using carbon dioxide as a diluent

Employing a molar excess of carbon dioxide (Pc = 71.8 bar; Tc = 31.1 °C), supercritical 1-butene/isobutane alkylation is performed at temperatures lower than the critical temperature of isobutane (<135 °C), resulting in virtually steady alkylate (trimethylpentanes and dimethylhexanes) production on both microporous zeolitic (H−USY) and mesoporous solid acid (sulfated zirconia) catalysts for experimental durations of up to nearly 2 days. At a space velocity of 0.25 g of 1-butene/g of catalyst/h, a feed CO2/isobutane/olefin ratio of 86:8:1, 50 °C, and 155 bar, roughly 5% alkylate yield (alkylates/C5+) and 20% butenes conversion are observed at steady state. The ability of the carbon dioxide based supercritical reaction mixtures to mitigate coking and thereby to maintain better pore accessibilities is also evident from the narrow product spectrum (confined to C8's), the lighter color of the spent catalyst samples, and relatively low surface-area and pore-volume losses (<25%) in the spent catalysts. For ident...
Visual perception of markings.

Markings, such as designs, writings, diagrams, and depictions, are expressive and communicative human artifacts. The conventional assumption that findings from the study of the visual perception of markings—in particular, of pictures—can be generalized to real-world perception is examined and found to be false. The processes involved in the visual perception of the world and in the visual perception of markings differ in significant ways, and generalizations from one to the other must be undertaken with caution. The visual perception of markings is an identifiable and separate area of study. Implications for a general theory of the perception of markings are examined, and the perception of markings is contrasted with real-world perception.
Pelvic primitive neuroectodermal tumor associated with a cluster of small round cell tumors: case report and review of current literature☆

Abstract Background Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) is aggressive and rare, comprising 1% of soft tissue sarcomas. Involvement of the reproductive tract is unusual. Case A 35-year-old woman had a pelvic mass and omental cake. Frozen-section examination at laparotomy revealed small round cell tumor confirmed as pPNET. Chemotherapy with vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide alternating with ifosfamide and etoposide with mesna yielded complete response. The patient's mother died of a similar tumor at age 52 years, and the patient's husband had adult Ewing sarcoma, constituting an unusual cluster of related tumors. Conclusions Genetic recombination resulting in a chimeric transcript of the Ewing sarcoma gene and the Friend leukemia virus integration site is characteristic of these tumors. Surgical resection and multiagent chemotherapy may enhance survival.
THE DETERMINANTS OF 1963–77 REGIONAL MANUFACTURING GROWTH: WHY THE SOUTH AND WEST GROW*

. This paper analyzes 1963–77 manufacturing employment growth in the 48 contiguous states. Six factors jointly explain 96 percent of the variance. Markets explains 55 percent; climate, 15 percent; a rural state attraction, 11 percent; unionization, 6 percent; thresholds, 5 percent; and amenities, 4 percent. Resources, taxes, and business climate lack significance. Sunbelt-Frostbelt is a false dichotomy: the Northwest grew as fast as the South. The real contrast–largely caused by markets–is between growth rates of 6 percent in the Manufacturing Belt, 35 percent in its bordering Transition Zone, and 58 percent in the combined South and West.
A mercurial route to a cobalt dihydrogen complex.

Recent results by Heinekey and co-workers provide evidence for an unusual route to a cobalt dihydrogen complex. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences' Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the US Department of Energy.
(8-R)- and (8-S)-Hepoxilin A3. Assignment of configuration and conversion to biologically active conjugates with glutathione.

Abstract The determination of absolute configuration of (8-R)-hepoxilin A3 (2) (more polar methyl ester) and (8-S)-hepoxilin A3 (3) (less polar methyl ester) is reported along with the synthesis of the biologically active 11-R glutathione thiol conjugates 4 and 5 which may function as important neuromodulators.
Traditional weight-based vancomycin dosing is inadequate in critically ill trauma patients

Our aim was to evaluate our institution’s compliance with weight-based vancomycin dosing recommendations for pneumonia in critically ill injured patients and to assess the success rate in achieving therapeutic serum vancomycin levels. Additionally, we sought to assess the incidence of vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity. All injured intensive care unit (ICU) patients receiving intravenous vancomycin between May 1, 2004 and July 31, 2010 were identified through our trauma database and pharmacy records. The initial weight-based dose was calculated and compared with vancomycin trough levels. Thirty patients were identified who satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Only 12 patients (40%) received adequate weight-based dosing (weight-based, 30 mg/kg/day). Weight-based patients weighed significantly less than non-weight-based patients (62.7 vs. 84.2 kg, p = 0.0008). Weight-based patients were more likely to achieve therapeutic trough levels than non-weight-based patients (58 vs. 33%, p = 0.176). Of patients who achieved therapeutic trough levels, more weight-based patients achieved it at first trough than non-weight-based patients (33 vs. 5.6%, p = 0.046). When prescribing commonly used dosing regimens, appropriate weight-based administration of vancomycin occurred in only approximately one-third of patients. Those patients who did receive weight-based vancomycin dosing were more likely to achieve therapeutic levels, both initially (33 vs. 5.6%) and overall (58 vs. 33%).
Pseudogap and cuprate superconductivity: MaxEnt-μSR studies

Abstract The basic physics of cuprate superconductivity is still much deliberated after 27 years of research. In contrast to phononic or polaronic roots, Varma’s theory promotes a magnetic origin. To probe cuprate magnetism, we examine zero field (ZF) muon-spin-rotation (μSR) data of RBa2Cu3O7−δ (RBCO; R = Gd, Eu) especially near Tc. Possible weak effects are analyzed using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt, ME) to transform our μSR time series. Concerning predicted pseudogap loop currents, we have observed μSR signals in zero field for GdBCO above and now also below Tc. These are near predicted fields of about 100 Oe. Using MaxEnt, we analyze transverse field (TF) μSR data of optimal doped EuBCO. Our focus is also on a temperature interval above Tc to comprehend precursor effects. Our results point toward magnetic roots of cuprate superconductivity.
Effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on cultured rat hepatocytes in sandwich configuration.

Abstract A recently developed sandwich culture system, in which hepatocytes are sandwiched between two layers of collagen, has been shown to be capable of maintaining long-term expression of hepatocellular function (J. C. Y. Dunn et al., Biotechnol. Prog. 7, 237–245, 1991). The development of an adequate technique for the cryopreservation of hepatocytes in such a stable culture configuration would ensure a ready supply of hepatocytes for use in bioreactors or bioartificial liver support devices. This report describes the effects of exposing hepatocytes in sandwich culture to different concentrations of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (Me 2 SO) at 22 °C on Day 7 of culture. Cell function, morphology, and cytoskeletal organization were followed for 14 days after exposure. Hepatocellular morphology and albumin secretion remained normal when cultures were exposed for up to 120 min to predicted final Me 2 SO concentrations up to 1.33 M . Exposure for less than 60 min to equilibrium concentrations of up to 3.33 M Me 2 SO did not adversely affect cell morphology or albumin secretion rate, but at the highest concentration (3.33 M ), increase of the exposure time to 60 or 120 min resulted in dramatic, irreversible cell damage and loss of function. Actin filament organization was shown to be undisturbed when the cells were exposed to 1.33 M Me 2 SO for 60 min, but was irreversibly disrupted by exposure to 3.33 M for 120 min. Based on these results, a simple and safe procedure is suggested for the addition of Me 2 SO to hepatocytes in a sandwich culture configuration and its subsequent removal, which will be valuable for studies on hepatocyte cryopreservation.
A generalized chain labelling algorithm for solving multicommodity flow problems

Abstract The Multicommodity Flow Problem is decomposed via the Dantzig-Wolfe principle yielding a master program and a set of subproblems. The set of subproblems are solved on a dual variable network for the chain to be labelled in the next iteration. The labelled chain is inserted into a specialty designed tableau and the flow along the chain is generated by a backtracking procedure, which has the capability of reversing flow in a finite number of previously augmented chains. The final step is a revision of the dual variables in the dual variable network. The computational efficiency of the algorithm results primarily from the concise tableau format and the fact that in the backtracking and dual variable change, the inverse of the basis need not be generated explicitly.
Family businesses' succession planning: a seven‐country comparison

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to measure and compare differences in levels of family business planning for succession in seven countries: Croatia, Egypt, France, India, Kosovo, Kuwait, and the USA.Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology was survey research collecting data from seven countries. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was run to test for differences in family business succession planning between countries, controlling for years in business, number of employees, industry, and type of ownership. ANCOVA was followed by a post hoc pairwise comparisons least significant difference (LSD) to determine which countries did have significant differences in their extent of succession planning.Findings – The paper finds that there were statistically significant differences in family business succession planning between Croatia, Egypt, France, Kosovo, Kuwait, and the USA. However, there were no statistically significant differences between India and the other six countries.Research limi...
Highly ordered uniform single-crystal Bi nanowires: fabrication and characterization

A mechanical pressure injection technique has been used to fabricate uniform bismuth (Bi) nanowires in the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The AAO template was prepared from general purity aluminum by a two-step anodization followed by heat treatment to achieve highly ordered nanochannels. The nanowires were then fabricated by an injection technique whereby the molten Bi was injected into the AAO template using a hydraulic pressure method. The Bi nanowires prepared by this method were found to be dense and continuous with uniform diameter throughout the length. Electron diffraction experiments using the transmission electron microscope on cross-sectional and free-standing longitudinal Bi nanowires showed that the majority of the individual nanowires were single crystalline, with preferred orientation of growth along the [011] zone axis of the pseudo-cubic structure. The work presented here provides an inexpensive and effective way of fabricating highly ordered single-crystalline Bi nanowires, with uniform size distributions.
Ion beam etching in a scanning electron microscope: red blood cell etching

Abstract Human and avian erythrocytes were ion beam etched in the specimen chamber of a scanning electron microscope. The cells were periodically examined during the course of etching in order to demonstrate how sub-surface features reveal themselves during ion beam etching. Nuclear and vacuolar structures and a seam separating the nucleus and cytoplasm of the avian red cell, were revealed by ion beam etching.
Undercooling studies on Nb-Pt and Nb-Si alloys using the 105 meter drop tube

Niobium-platinum samples of compositions ranging from 16 to 32 at. pct have been undercooled to as much as 540 K in the low gravity, containerless environment of a 105 meter drop tube. Undercooling was terminated in the Nb-Pt samples by the nucleation and growth of the Nb3Pt phase. In the 16-18 at. pct Pt samples, this resulted in samples which are completely Nb3Pt, in contrast to both the equilibrium phase diagram and the nonundercooled samples which formed with Nb dendrites and interdendritic Nb3Pt. Undercoolings for the Nb-Si samples were up to 670 K, which corresponds to 27 percent of the liquidus temperature or 80 percent of the estimated hypercooling limit. In the Nb-Si system, a coupled zone was identified as well as a metastable extension of the solubility limit of Si in Nb due to deep undercooling.
Non-linear processing in artificial synapses

Analyses the possibility of allowing non‐linear synaptic processing in Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) both theoretically and practically. The simple computer simulations described strongly suggest that this is a viable alternative, and preferable to ANN with just linear synapses, because of the savings in hardware (fewer components are needed) and software (reduction in training time) when dealing with similar problems. Derives some considerations regarding a possible relationship between the parallel processor proposed and living nerve cells.
Mixed-valence P,P-bonded diphosphorus compounds, doubly bridged by N,N′-dimethylurea: IV. An ab initio characterization of P–P bonds in model diphosphorus compounds

Abstract We have carried out ab initio electronic structure calculations at the HF/6-31G* level using the Gaussian 94 program for a number of diphosphorus compounds in which the two directly bonded phosphorus atoms are bridged by one or two urea groups. These molecules serve as structural models for a large number of dialkylurea bridged diphosphorus compounds which have been synthesized and reported in the literature. Comparisons are made between the structures of our model compounds and the observed structures of the dialkyl urea compounds. For calibration purposes comparisons are also made between calculated and observed structures of simpler diphosphorus compounds. We find that the urea bridging groups have only a small effect on the P–P equilibrium separations and their sensitivity to protonation and other additions. Thus we conclude that the observed insensitivity of the P–P separations to quaternization, oxidation, or reduction, is not so much a consequence of constraints due to intramolecular bridging by dialkylurea groups as it is an inherent property of the diphosphorus compounds themselves. We also conclude that the introduction of bridging urea groups into diphosphorus compounds has as its primary structural consequence the stabilization of eclipsed conformations.
India’s higher education challenges

India, with the world’s second largest higher education system and a rapidly growing economy as one of the BRIC nations, faces significant challenges in building both capacity and excellence in higher education. India’s higher education system is characterized by “islands of excellence in a sea of mediocrity.” The mainstream universities are recognized as lacking in quality. Only the Indian Institutes of Technology and related institutions garner international recognition. This article analyzes the challenges facing India’s higher education system in the twenty-first century.
The anti-CD80 primatized monoclonal antibody, galiximab, is well-tolerated but has limited activity in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma: Cancer and Leukemia Group B 50602 (Alliance)

AbstractRelapsed Hodgkin lymphoma remains a clinical challenge, with few non-cytotoxic treatment options. CD80 is a surface antigen that normally functions as a co-stimulatory molecule but is aberrantly and uniformly expressed on Reed–Sternberg cells. Galiximab is a primatized monoclonal antibody against CD80, with a favorable toxicity profile demonstrated in other lymphomas. Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 50602 (Alliance) tested single-agent galiximab in a highly refractory group of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (median 3 prior regimens, 83% failing after prior stem cell transplant) to determine the efficacy. The overall response rate was 10.3% and the median progression-free survival was 1.6 months. Galiximab was well-tolerated, with minimal grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Despite this preclinical rationale, single-agent galiximab had limited activity in heavily pretreated Hodgkin lymphoma.
Patients' Preferences for Biopsy Result Notification in an Era of Electronic Messaging Methods

Importance Effective patient-physician communication is essential for optimal health care. Recent introduction of online patient portals to access test results are changing the communication landscape, but regulatory guidelines for the online release of biopsy results vary from state to state. Objectives To assess patient preferences for receiving skin biopsy results to rule out melanoma and to compare those preferences to current physicians’ practices for notification. Design, Setting, and Participants English-speaking individuals 18 years or older were recruited consecutively from melanoma clinics at 3 academic tertiary referral medical centers: University of California, San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. Patients were surveyed from July 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013. A second survey of physicians at these institutions was conducted to assess physician notification practices. Results A total of 301 of 305 patients agreed to participate (98.7 response rate). Most of the patients (67.1%) preferred to speak directly with their physician by telephone to receive their skin biopsy results, followed by a distant second choice (19.5%) of being notified in person at a clinic visit. Voice message or online patient portal were each the preferred method of communication for 5.1% of patients. The most important consideration for patients was a communication modality that provided test results in the most rapid manner; 51.7% wanted a method that was rapid, and 7.8% preferred a method that was not only speedy but also allowed them an opportunity to ask questions. A total of 59.5% of the study participants would choose the same communication method regardless of the biopsy results, but 40.5% preferred a different mode of notification if their biopsy results revealed a malignant tumor. Younger and more highly educated patients favored the online portal. Of 84 physicians surveyed, 47 responded (56% response rate). Physicians’ overall preferred method of contacting patients aligned with patient preference for speaking by telephone (56.5%). However, for benign results, 31.2% of physicians chose to speak by telephone, whereas patients preferred voicemail (32.1%). There was physician uncertainty as to guidelines regarding communication of test results. Conclusions and Relevance Patient preference has shifted from face-to-face visit to discussion over the telephone because of a desire for rapid notification. Experience with online portal delivery of results favorably inclined patients toward that modality. We recommend that patients be queried regarding their notification preference on the biopsy consent form.
Androsterone. The structure by force-field calculations.

Abstract The structure of androsterone was calculated by the force-field (molecular mechanics) method. Plots of the calculated structure are compared with those of the X-ray structure, and found to have all of the atoms in the same positions to within 0.1 A The regular Dreiding model structure differs substantially from these calculated and experimental structures, atomic positions being up to 0.9 A removed from where they should be.
Initial bacterial deposition on bare and zeolite-coated aluminum alloy and stainless steel.

In this study, the impact of zeolite thin film coatings on bacterial deposition and “biofouling” of surfaces has been investigated in an aqueous environment. The synthesis of two types of zeolite coatings, ZSM-5 coated on aluminum alloy and zeolite A coated on stainless steel, and the characterization of the coated and bare metal surfaces are described. The extent of cell deposition onto the bare and zeolite-coated aluminum alloy and stainless steel surfaces is investigated in a parallel plate flow chamber system under a laminar flow conditions. The initial rates of bacterial transfer to the various surfaces are compared by utilizing a marine bacterium, Halomonas pacifica g, under a range of ionic strength conditions. H. pacifica g deposited onto bare metal surfaces to a greater extent as compared with cells deposited onto the zeolite coatings. The surface properties found to have the most notable effect on attachment are the electrokinetic and hydrophobicity properties of the metal and zeolite-coated sur...
This Owl Would Not Fly Environmental Factors Foil Attempt to Shift Unnecessary Inpatient Days to the Outpatient Setting

The last days of many appropriate hospital admissions have been identified as unnecessary when utilized for providing diagnostic or therapeutic modalities that could be provided in an outpatient setting. An outpatient work-up liaison team (OWL) was established to facilitate the completion of evaluations or therapy in the community. In spite of the commitment of experienced personnel and the cooperation of the staff physicians and hospital departments, the effort was unsuccessful. The failure is attributed to the socioeconomic environment in the immediate community that could not support the transfer of medical efforts. It is recommended that before any institution undertakes shifting hospital-based services to the community a realistic assessment be made of the socioeconomic milieu.
Synchrotron X-ray tomography for 3D chemical diffusion measurement of a flame retardant in polystyrene

In an on-going tomographic project, material properties of industrial polymer blends are being studied. This project uses 3D chemical analysis techniques to look at a polymer additive problem called blooming, related to the theory of aging and diffusion in glassy materials. The 3D images are acquired with synchrotron X-ray tomography because of its rapidity, good spatial resolution, large field-of-view, and elemental sensitivity. To investigate the chemical process of blooming, new procedures are developed to assess the flame retardant distribution as a function of annealing time in the sample. With the spatial chemical distribution we fit the concentrations to a diffusion equation to each time step in the annealing process. In this preliminary work, we study the dissolutions of a non-blooming flame retardant.
Card Mounts for Handling Root Tips in the Paraffin Method

A method is described for utilizing card mounts to facilitate the handling of root tip samples and similar material in the paraffin method. The freshly collected roots are attached to temporary card mounts having dimensions of approximately 2 cm. × 2.5 cm. with DuPont Household Cement or a similar adhesive that hardens rapidly in the ordinary aqueous fixing fluids and is insoluble in the lower grades of alcohol. After fixation and dehydration to 75% alcohol, the roots are transferred to permanent card mounts on which they are carefully oriented for sectioning. Mucilage or glue which hardens rapidly in 85% alcohol and is insoluble in the ordinary dehydrating and infiltrating media is used in making the permanent card mounts. Detailed instructions are given for preparing and handling the card mounts, and a system of labeling the mounts is also suggested.
Error Analysis of Light n-Capture Element Abundances in the Metal-Poor Halo Star HD74462

The origin of light neutron-capture elements in the early Galaxy is an unsolved problem of nuclear astrophysics. Previous studies have not been able to provide a satisfactory mechanism for the production of elements such as zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), and strontium (Sr) in the early Galaxy. In a previous article, these elements were studied using high-resolution spectra to reduce uncertainty. Determining the abundances of elements in distant stars requires the use of computer models of the stellar atmosphere. We now analyze the impacts of possible errors in those computational models on the calculated elemental abundance in the star. By adjusting model parameters for the prototypical metal-poor halo star HD074462—specifically: effective temperature, microturbulent velocity, surface gravity, and metallicity—we can judge the relative sensitivity of our calculations to errors in these values. Four lines of Zr, as well as five lines of Y, were observed in this article. Our findings show that the calculated elemental abundance is most sensitive to errors in the effective temperature of the star, while microturbulent velocity had little-to-no effect. Errors in surface gravity and metallicity of ± 0.5 dex caused a wider variety of errors in the abundance value, with none greater than 0.25 dex.
A comparative study of the roles of KCN and NaCN as catalytic precursors in the Boudouard reaction

Abstract The rate of reaction between carbon dioxide and coke with or without added KCN and NaCN was studied using thermogravimetry. The chemical stability of KCN or NaCN during catalysis, the changes in the concentration of potassium or sodium in coke and the pore structure of coke were studied as a function of time. The influences of these variables on the rate of coke-CO2 reaction were determined. Since the catalysis depends on the catalyst-carbon contact, the distribution of potassium in the coke structure was examined. A porous solid reaction model was used to examine the contributions of chemical reaction and pore diffusion in the overall rate of coke-CO2 reaction.
Common Factors in Speech-Language Treatment: An Exploratory Study of Effective Clinicians.

Abstract Research in related fields that employ behavioral interventions indicates that factors common to treatment programs may be more important to successful outcomes than specific components of a treatment. Applying this concept to speech-language pathology, we investigated one hypothesized “common factor,” namely, the clinician who implements treatment. Data were collected from limited samples of speech-language clinicians in two surveys. In Study One, 79 participants responded to open-ended questions about the nature of effective clinicians. A thematic analysis of their responses resulted in three broad categories of characteristics: behaviors, traits, and acquisitions. These themes were incorporated into an online survey for Study Two, in which 158 clinicians rated the importance of 25 clinician qualities. Their ratings suggested that the clinician–client relationship may be particularly important to treatment outcomes. These preliminary findings provide a foundation for further research on the clinician's contribution to treatment efficacy. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to: (1) understand the concept of Common Factors; (2) describe the impact of clinicians on speech-language therapy outcomes as predicted by the Common Factors model; (3) list important characteristics of effective speech-language clinicians.
Zinc metabolism in testicular feminization and surgical cryptorchid testes in rats

Rats with testicular feminization (Tfm) had been reported to have a testis specific zinc deficiency. In this report it is demonstrated that this organ specific zinc deficiency was not corrected by intraperitoneal zinc administration. Normal littermates on the other hand showed a positive testicular response to zinc administration. The increased testicular zinc level in control animals returned to normal 1 week after the zinc treatment probably due to the fast turnover of this element in the testis. Not only surgically induced cryptorchidism but also surgical cryptorchidism and epididymodeferentectomy (to simulate Tfm conditions in normal adult rats) caused a drastic reduction in testicular zinc level. Unlike in Tfm rats, however, the decrease in zinc content in operated animals was not accompanied by a corresponding decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity. Zinc concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity in plasma or other organs were not affected by the surgical procedure. The testicular copper content in the operated animals was higher than that of the unoperated controls.