cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Er:YAG laser ablation of prairie dog gallbladder epithelium for the prevention of gallstones

We hypothesized that laser ablation of gallbladder epithelium would prevent gallstone formation in prairie dogs. An Er:YAG laser (λ = 2.94 μm) was used to ablate the gallbladder epithelium of 24 prairie dogs; 20 sham-irradiated and 12 non-operated prairie dogs served as controls. Prairie dogs were sacrificed at time periods of 4 days, 2 weeks, and 8–12 weeks and evaluated for the presence of gallstones and cholesterol crystals. Laser-irradiated gallbladders demonstrated a lower rate of gallstone formation at 8–12 weeks than the sham-irradiated gallbladders (39% vs. 79%: P <.02). Crystal formation, however, was not different between laser-irradiated (88%) and sham-irradiated (100%) animals. The laser-irradiated group had less epithelium than the non-operated group at all time periods (P ≤.002) and compared to the sham-irradiated group at 4 days and 8–12 weeks (P ≤.001). These data suggest that laser ablation of gallbladder epithelium can reduce the rate of gallstone formation although this effect may be temporary. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE EFFECT OF CHARGE SYMMETRY ON NUCLEAR REACTIONS

For a charge symmetric nuclear Hamiltonian, the operator which changes neutrons into protons and protons into neutrons (charge parity operator) commutes with the Hamiltonian and is therefore a constant of the motion. Since the charge parity operator anticommutes with the "3" component of the total isotopic spin, for nuclei with ${T}_{3}=0$ (self-conjugate nuclei) the charge parity is a good quantum number and in the absence of degeneracy the eigenstates of such nuclei have either odd or even charge parity. This leads to strong selection rules in nuclear reactions involving self-conjugate nuclei in the initial and final states which may reasonably be invoked to explain recent experimental results on such reactions. Since states of even total isotopic spin have even charge parity and states of odd total isotopic spin have odd parity, the selection rules arising from charge symmetry often coincide with those of charge independence and in such cases a definitive test of the charge independence hypothesis by the use of these selection rules is impeded. Some other applications of the charge symmetry principle are discussed.
Metallic glass fluid flow during welding using self-propagating reactive multilayer foils

We use a fluid mechanics model to analyze glass fluid flow during the welding of bulk metallic glasses with reactive multilayer foils acting as local heat sources. The resulting welded joints were shear tested, and fracture surfaces were analyzed by optical microscopy. Fracture surfaces of failed metallic glass joints show distinct regions of metal-metal veins that indicate effective metallurgical bonding. We observe a monotonic increase in the failure strength of the joints with the fraction of the joint composed of such veins. For the strongest joint tested (shear strength of 420 MPa), nearly 60% of the fracture surface is comprised of metal-metal veins. We have developed a qualitative fluid mechanics explanation of the welding process, in which shear stresses (due to pressure applied during joining) push the reactive foil from the joint interface and create the metal-metal veins. The welding process is more effective at higher joining pressure and greater foil thickness, leading to increased joint strength.
A Strategy for Space Assurance

The threats to space systems posed by hostile states and non-state actors are evolving. Vulnerabilities span the national security, civil, and commercial space communities. The weaknesses have been studied, and adversaries to the United States and its allies have noted the asymmetric advantages space capabilities provide. They see the tremendous leverage that can be obtained by disrupting them. These adversaries are becoming much more diverse, sophisticated, and technologically competent; they are equipped and able to disrupt access to space capabilities. Defending space systems demands new tools as deterring or eliminating these evolving threats will be difficult. Risk posed by an increasingly dangerous space environment must also be addressed. As it has done for decades, the United States enjoys a unique position in which it can shape the direction of global space activities. With this position comes great responsibility—to forge behaviors to mitigate space debris, deter armed conflict, and enhance the ...
A study of the ontogeny of action potentials in chick embryo hearts

Abstract 1, The development of transmembrane potentials in the chick embryo myocardium was studied with intracellular micro-electrodes. 2. No action potentials could be recorded from the cardiac tubes of chick embryos with less than 9 somites. 3. In embryos having from 9 to 18 somites, action potentials were observed with ranged from negative waves superimposed on a negative resting potential through positive depolarizations with overshoot. 4. Embryos of 20 or more somites and cultures made from blastoderms at 26.5 hours of incubation exhibited only positive action potentials with overshoot.
Metabolic responses to protein supplementation and slaframine in goats and sheep fed roughage

Eighteen grade Angora goats (BW 14 kg) and 18 Barbados Blackbelly × Dorset sheep (BW 24 kg), all wethers, were fed coastal bermudagrass hay (84% neutral detergent fiber, 6% crude protein) supplemented with alfalfa hay or cotton seed meal during an 84-day feeding trial. On day 28, daily treatment with slaframine (SF; 30 μg kg−1 BW), a parasympathomimetic with high affinity for the gastrointestinal tract, or physiological saline was initiated. On day 70, blood samples were obtained at hourly intervals for analyses of glucose (GLU), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea nitrogen (PUN), insulin (INS), glucagon (GLN), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine uptake (T3U). Plasma concentrations of GLU, NEFA and PUN did not differ between species. Goats had higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of INS, T3, and lower percentage T3U than sheep. The INS to GLN ratio (I/G), was also greater (P < 0.05) in goats. SF increased (P < 0.05) GLU and NEFA and decreased (P < 0.01) PUN. INS tended to decrease and GLN to increase in response to SF, resulting in a lower (P < 0.05) I/G. SF increased (P < 0.05) T4 concentrations and lowered (P < 0.05) the percentage T3U. Protein supplementation increased (P < 0.01) PUN concentrations without affecting plasma concentrations of GLU and NEFA. Plasma concentrations of INS and GLN did not change in response to protein supplementation, while metabolite and hormonal changes were minimal, but SF administration resulted in major changes in blood metabolite and hormone profiles.
An X-Band Sweep Oscillator

A microwave sweep oscillator has been developed which sweeps the range of 8,500-9,500 mc. The RF amplitude over this band is maintained constant to within ± 0.1 db by means of a ferrite modulator unit connected in an amplitude-stabilizing feedback circuit. In addition to providing amplitude control, the ferrite unit also provides amplitude modulation at 1,000 cps of the swept cw source. The generator sweeps the band in about 1.5 seconds, making practical the presentation of network transmission characteristics on an oscilloscope.
Marine natural products: 5α-cholestane-3β,5,6β,9-tetrol: a polyhydroxylated steroid from the gorgonian pseudopterogorgia elisabethae

Abstract A tetrahydroxylated steroid isolated from a gorgonian, Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae , has been shown by spectral analyses and degradative studies to be 5α-cholestane-3β,5,6β,9-tetrol.
The 5′ ends of yeast killer factor RNAs are pppGp

The 5' nucleotides of the double-stranded RNAs of yeast killer factor have been isolated by digestion with pancreatic, T1 and T2 RNase followed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. They were identified by bacterial alkaline phosphatase and snake venom phosphodiesterase digestions. Both the larger double-stranded RNA (L, of 2.5 x 10(6) daltons) and the smaller double-stranded RNA (M, of 1.4 x 10(6) daltons) have the 5' end groups pppGp. These 5' ends are dissimilar to those of the double-stranded RNAs of animal viruses but may be characteristic of the 5' ends of the double-stranded RNAs of fungal viruses.
Effect of counselor and client education in nicotine addiction on smoking in substance abusers

Smoking cessation has received little attention in substance abuse programs. The present study analyzed the effect that counselor and client education in nicotine addiction had on clients' treatment readiness for a smoking cessation program. Thirty-eight smoking clients and two counselors from a short-term residential alcohol treatment facility participated in this study. Counselors served in both the treatment and control conditions in this 2x2 mixed factorial design by first participating in the control condition (general substance abuse education) and then in the treatment condition (smoking education). Counselors proceeded to work (for 6 weeks) with clients who had participated in the control education in general substance abuse issues and with clients who participated in the treatment education series in smoking issues. Clients completed the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and Stages of Change Ladders pre- and posttest. Results indicated that counselor and client education was effective in significantly changing the clients' thoughts toward smoking cessation and their smoking behaviors. Implications for instituting a smoking education program involving counselors, as well as clients, are discussed.
Real congruences of complex subspaces of 2 × 2 symmetric complex matrices

Abstract Consider complex subspaces of symmetric 2 × 2 complex matrices under real congruences (sending M to AMA T with A real and invertible). The orbits for dimension one were classified (in different language) two decades ago. Those for dimension two were recently classified by Coffman. It turns out that these two problems are in fact dual to each other, and Coffman’s classification yields a simpler expression for the orbits in dimension one.
Polybromo-1: the chromatin targeting subunit of the PBAF complex

The human Polybromo-1 protein (Pb1) was recently identified as a unique subunit of the PBAF (Polybromo, Brg1-Associated Factors) chromatin-remodeling complex required for kinetochore localization during mitosis and the transcription of estrogen-responsive genes. Pb1 coordinates key features common to all remodeling complexes, including chromatin localization, recruitment of protein subunits and alteration of chromatin architecture. A comprehensive analysis of individual domains composing Pb1 is used to propose new information regarding the function of Pb1 in the PBAF chromatin-remodeling complex. The newly identified regulatory role of this important protein is also examined to explain both native function and the emerging role of Pb1 as a tumor suppressor found to be mutated in breast cancer.
Estimation in step-stress life tests with complementary risks from the exponentiated exponential distribution under time constraint and its applications to UAV data

Abstract In accelerated step-stress life tests, the stress levels are allowed to increase at some pre-determined time points such that information on the lifetime parameters can be obtained more quickly than under normal operating conditions. Because there are often multiple causes for the failure of a test unit, such as mechanical or electrical failures, in this article, a step-stress model under time constraint is studied when the lifetimes of different complementary risk factors are independent from exponentiated distributions. Although the baseline distributions can belong to a general class of distributions, including Weibull, Pareto, and Gompertz distributions, particular attention is paid to the case of an exponentiated exponential distribution. Under this setup, the maximum likelihood estimators of the unknown scale and shape parameters of the different causes are derived with the assumption of cumulative damage. Using the asymptotic distributions and the parametric bootstrap method, the confidence intervals for the parameters are then constructed. The precision of the estimates and the performance of the confidence intervals are also assessed through extensive Monte Carlo simulations, and finally, the inference methods discussed here are illustrated with motivating examples.
Antecareer Crisis: Military Recruiting and the Youthful Job Applicant

Generally, young job applicants have not been adequately prepared by either family or school to make wise occupations decisions. Further, today's occupations structure has an increasingly broad array of job alternatives that must be considered. "Antecareer crisis" denotes the dilemma that confronts the person seeking entry into his or her first full-time work experience: it is a crisis of unpreparedness. Help in the sense of vocational guidance is needed by our youth to resolve the antecareer crisis and effect a smoother entry into the adult world of work. Nowhere is this more true than during entry into the very special occupation milieu of the armed services. However, although the Department of Defense is the largest vocational training establishment in the world and depends inordinately upon youthful workers, the military recruiting services have not adequately addressed the problem.
What Influences the Attitudes of People in the United States Toward Marriage? A Critical Review

The purpose of this article is to review a selected body of research published over the past 25 years, 1984 to 2008, and focus on what influences the attitudes of people in the United States toward marriage; to critique what is known about how attitudes toward marriage are affected by a variety of factors. A review of 14 studies revealed that research questions were limited in terms of scope. Theoretical guidance has been minimal, with only 5 of the 14 studies incorporating theoretical or conceptual frameworks. Despite these limitations, the findings of the 14 studies showed that offspring’s attitudes toward marriage is highly dependent on the parental/family environment: Those whose parents were having conflicts, were divorced, and were having post-divorce interparental conflict expressed negative attitudes toward marriage.
Film, Television and Traditional Folk Culture in Bye Bye Brasil1

Brazilian Cinema Novo [New Cinema] has produced a number of films that have circulated in the United States but perhaps the most familiar to American audiences is Carlos Diegues' Bye Bye Brasil (1980). In his article, Randal Johnson focuses on this film which presents Brazil as a country in a process of rapid transformation, an agro-pastoral economy giving way to rapid industrialization. He notes that “running throughout [the work] is a subtext which constitutes a good-humored yet critical retrospective of the trajectory of Brazilian cinema over the last twenty years and its relationship to other conscious-forming media, notably television.” Johnson examines this subject as well as the complex relationship between cinema, television and popular culture as developed through the device of the Caravana Rolidei, a small-time circus troupe. Each of its characters represents a different aspect of contemporary Brazilian society, and the film as a whole presents the panoply of Brazilian culture, a mixture of elements from diverse sources, both foreign and domestic. Randal Johnson teaches literature and film at the University of Florida. He is the co-author of Brazilian Cinema (1982).
Hyperosmolar nonketotic diabetic coma: a complication of propranolol therapy.

Abstract A 46-yr-old hypertensive man treated for 1 yr with apresoline 200 mg and propranolol 240 mg daily, was admitted in deep coma, severely dehydrated, serum glucose 1130 mg100 ml without ketonemia, normal serum CO 2 , blood pH 7.52, serum osmolarity 357 mOsm/kg, fever of 105.6°F, and central venous pressure of less than 1 cm. The plasma free fatty acid was 270 μeg/liter, insulin 16 μU/ml and growth hormone 2.5 ng/ml. He responded excellently to 100 units regular insulin and 8 liters of hypotonic infusions. Seven months later he had a similar episode despite addition of 1 g tolbutamide daily in the interim. When studied without any medication he had fasting hyperglycemia of 175–200 mg100 ml. An intravenous tolbutamide test was diabetic. When repeated following intravenous propranolol, 10 mg, the insulin response to tolbutamide was diminished. Without propranolol or hypoglycemic therapy, fasting hyperglycemia increased over 5–6 wk to 630 mg100 ml, with traces of ketonemia, FFA level of 1350 μeq/liter and serum osmolarity of 305 mOsm/kg. The study was later repeated with the addition of oral propranolol 240 mg daily. Uncontrolled diabetes was again clinically manifest, although glucose levels rose more slowly. Despite fasting glucose levels reaching 930 mg100 ml, no sign of ketosis occurred when the patient was taking propranolol. FFA level at this time was only 640 μeq/liter and serum osmolarity had risen to 335 mOsm/kg. His diabetes is now satisfactorily treated with insulin injections, to avoid the disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism caused by propranolol. These studies indicate that large amounts of propranolol may precipitate hyperosmolar nonketotic coma in an untreated diabetic by a blockade of lipolysis and/or impairment of insulin response.
E-commerce value creation and destruction: a resource-based, supply chain perspective

Although researchers have proposed a number of business models for organizations to use in managing electronic commerce applications, very few of these models have been able to produce value consistently for the adopting organizations. We argue that the failure of these business models is largely due to the fact that (1) they do not consider the effects of both direct and indirect value to the firm, (2) they do not view the supply chain as a macro level entity that must be managed just as organizations are managed, and (3) they do not consider the effects of interdependencies among firms in a given supply chain.As a first step in addressing the shortcomings of existing electronic commerce business models, we propose an integrated model of electronic commerce in the supply chain based upon a resource-based view of a firm. The new business model demonstrates that information technology can be used to add value to the final consumer by adding both direct and indirect value at multiple points in a supply chain. The model is used to derive static and dynamic business rules for the management of electronic commerce in the supply chain among multiple business partners. Finally, implications of the business model for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Ectopic pregnancy: duplex Doppler evaluation.

Of 398 patients in whom there was a clinical suspicion of ectopic pregnancy, 96 (24%) were found to have the condition. Of the 96, 70 underwent duplex Doppler imaging. A viable ectopic fetus was seen in 10 of 70 (14%), and an extrauterine sac without an identifiable fetus was seen in an additional 27, giving a sensitivity for imaging alone of 53%. Fetal heart activity was detected with Doppler in 13 (19%). High-velocity flow, which suggested the presence of an ectopic pregnancy, was detected in 38 of 70 (54%) patients (total preoperative sensitivity, 73%). In the 91 patients who did not have an ectopic pregnancy, duplex Doppler imaging of the intrauterine contents alone allowed an ectopic pregnancy to be excluded in 29 (32%) on the first examination and in a further 21 on the second scan (specificity, 55%). Nine vascular adnexal masses were falsely considered to be ectopic pregnancies (specificity, 90%). The positive predictive values were 47% for imaging alone and 85% for Doppler. The negative predictive...
The role of asters in the localization of the factors that specify the apical tuft and the gut of the nemertine Cerebratulus lacteus

The factors that specify the apical tuft of the pilidium larva are located primarily in the vegetal half of the unfertilized egg. Between fertilization and the 8-cell stage these factors become localized in the animal hemisphere of the embryo. The factors that specify the gut of the pilidium larva are distributed throughout the unfertilized egg. Between fertilization and the four-cell stage these factors become localized in the vegetal half of the embryo. The removal of the meiotic apparatus that mediates polar body formation and the treatment of eggs with inhibitors that prevent aster formation, inhibit the localization of the factors which specify the apical tuft and the gut. The induction of asters in unfertilized eggs causes a precocious localization of these factors.
Antibiotic treatment of lake sediments to determine the effect of fungi on decomposition

Abstract To determine the role of fungi in decomposition, sediment from a eutrophic lake and a bog was treated with antibacterial antibiotics or with antifungal antibiotics. Sediment treated with antibacterial antibiotics showed a decrease in biochemical oxygen demand and a decrease in direct and pour-plate bacterial counts when compared with controls. Sediment treated with antifungal antibiotics showed an increase in biochemical oxygen demand and an increase in pour-plate and direct bacterial counts when compared with controls. Two species of lake fungi inhibited the growth of a mixed culture of lake bacteria on agar plates. The results infer that fungi inhibit the growth of bacteria in aerobic lake sediment.
Intrinsic myoarchitectural differences between the left and right ventricles of fetal human hearts: an ultrasonic backscatter feasibility study.

Objective Embryologically, cardiac chambers differ in their morphologic and contractile properties from the beginning. We hypothesized that a noninvasive ultrasonic backscatter investigation might illustrate the fundamental differences in myocardial morphologic properties of the 2 ventricles during heart development. The goals of this investigation were to 1) explore the feasibility of measuring the magnitude of cyclic variation of ultrasonic backscatter from the left and right ventricular free walls of fetal hearts; 2) compare measurements of the magnitude of cyclic variation from the left and right sides of the heart; and 3) determine if the observed results are consistent with predictions relating the overall backscatter level and the magnitude of cyclic variation. Methods Cyclic variation data from the left and right ventricular free walls were generated from analyses of the backscatter from echocardiographic images of 16 structurally normal fetal hearts at mid-gestation. Results The magnitude of cyclic variation was found to be greater for the left ventricular free wall than for the right ventricular free wall (4.5 ± 1.1 dB vs 2.3 ± 0.9 dB, respectively; mean ± standard deviation; P t test). Conclusion Measurements of the cyclic variation of backscatter can be obtained from both the left and right sides of fetal hearts demonstrating a significant difference between the measured magnitude of cyclic variation in the left and right ventricular myocardium. This observation is consistent with predictions relating the overall backscatter level and the magnitude of cyclic variation. The results of this study suggest cyclic variation measurements may offer a useful approach for characterizing intrinsic differences in myocardial properties of the 2 ventricles in assessing fetal heart development.
Remote Arctic Drilling Operations in Russia, Case History of Ardalin Field Operations, Timan Pechora Basin

In developing the Ardalin field, the Polar Lights Company merged Russian and western expertise to conduct drilling operations in a hostile and ecologically sensitive arctic tundra environment. The field is located above the Arctic Circle in northern Russia (Figure A). The nearest Russian road system is over 60km away and the nearest railhead is 240 km from the field. Three Russian rigs were constructed with selected western upgrades, twelve development wells were drilled, and three existing Russian wells were worked over within a 24 month period Operations were supported with a snow road in the winter season and Russian helicopter in the summer season. All materials for one year's worth of drilling had to be transported to the field prior to break-up (end of trucking activities on the snow roads). Services and equipment were sourced from both inside and outside of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Temperatures in winter reached -45°C. The field is located in one of the most ecologically sensitive areas in the world, and numerous precautions were taken for the protection of the environment. Russian operating philosophies were successfully merged with western practices. This paper will focus on the operational criteria initiated and infrastructure system that evolved to support this project.
Saturation studies of nuclear acoustic resonance in aluminum

Nuclear acoustic resonance has been investigated in single-crystal aluminum over a broad range of acoustic power. Saturation of both absorption and dispersion signals was observed. The shape and width of the absorption signal were found to depend on the acoustic power level. The line was found to either narrow or broaden with increasing acoustic power, depending on the magnitude of the low-frequency modulation field. the linewidth and shape changes were accounted for by the theory of Provotorov as expanded by Goldman, and Revokatov, and Lyapukhov. The signal intensity was found to decrease rapidly at high acoustic-power levels. This decrease is not accounted for by the above theories.
Morphology‐permeability relationships in biaxially oriented Pet films: A relationship between oxygen permeability and PROF

The effect of uniaxial and biaxial film-processing parameters on the orientation of the phenyl ring in the crystalline and amorphous phases has been evaluated using a variety of techniques. It has been demonstrated that the total phenyl ring orientation factor (PROF) measured from refractive indices can reflect the nature of amorphous and crystalline phases as well as morphological changes taking place due to variation in processing conditions. The PROF parameter can, therefore, offer a useful relationship to predict oxygen perme-ability for biaxially oriented PET films prepared under a variety of processing conditions. The cause of nonlinearity of oxygen permeability with birefringence, percent crystallinity, and tan δ maximum peak temperature (MPT) is discussed in detail. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ponzo Perspective Illusion as a Manifestation of Space Perception

The Ponzo perspective illusion, a special case of space perception, is influenced by contextual factors, texture, stereopsis, and familiarity in addition to perspective cues. The importance of familiarity is demonstrated by cultural differences obtained with photographs of natural settings which emphasize depth cues.
Avoiding design errors: a case study of redesigning an architectural studio

Abstract Most design problems have multiple interacting constraints and levels of analysis. Some designers are able to reduce errors by developing heuristics and rules of thumb that lighten the cognitive load that such design problems impose. In this study we explore these heuristics by studying three groups of experienced architects solving a one-hour design problem that involves issues of multiple levels of spatial organization. Only one group was able to solve the problem. A special coding scheme was developed to explore the use of several kinds of heuristics such as problem decomposition into design units, rules of thumb from domain knowledge and strategic design moves. The differences in heuristics were examined to identify possible causes for these errors.
Detection of homoeologous chiasma formation in Triticum durum × Thinopyrum bessarabicum hybrids using genomic in situ hybridization

Detection of homoeologous chiasma formation in Triticum durum × Thinopyrum bessarabicum hybrids using genomic in situ hybridization
Absolute hemodilution cardiopulmonary bypass: Free water distribution and protein mobilization in body compartments☆

Abstract Water retention in the body compartments was studied in patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass with absolute hemodilution and blood replacement exclusively with nonhemic solutions. During operation, 3 1 2 volumes of fluid had to be administered for each volume of blood lost in order to maintain cardiovascular stability. Of this amount, 1 volume was excreted as urine and insensible water loss, 2 1 2 volumes were held in the body, 1 2 volume of it in the blood stream. The extravascular to intravascular partition ratio of retained water varied from 1 : 3 to 1 : 9. These figures are higher than those usually cited for compartmental equilibration of retained fluid following resuscitative therapy for hemorrhage. It is suggested that water distribution in patients subjected to open-heart surgery is influenced to an appreciable extent by ill-defined effects on the circulation by the mechanics of the bypass procedure itself.
Ultrasonic Consolidation of Thermoplastic Composite Prepreg for Automated Tape Layup

There is a need to manufacture advanced composite parts faster, cheaper and with less waste as interest in these materials for lightweighting components used by the aerospace, automotive, marine and energy markets continues to grow. For example, although hot gas torch heating is a well-established process for producing advanced thermoplastic composites parts in automated tape layup (ATL), researchers are looking at other polymer welding methods including laser, infrared and ultrasonic heating in an attempt to improve the process. This paper focuses on benchmarking the capabilities of a new method, ultrasonic consolidation, against another standard process for consolidating thermoplastic composites, i.e. thermal pressing. To accomplish this, 3-point beam bending tests are conducted on specimens made with both methods and flexural strength results were used as an objective comparison. The ultrasonic welding proved to be more effective in welding PET/Carbon tape than thermal, showing an increase of maximum flexural stiffness of 65% for the highest performing ultrasonic consolidation samples, but did not weld HDPE/Glass as effectively with the best ultrasonic samples having 36% lower stiffness. The quasi-isotropic samples showed very similar results. The results show that given suitable process parameters and a compatible thermoplastic composites system, ultrasonic consolidation of prepreg composite tape can be as effective as current thermal methods in terms of performance, but still manage to decrease the time and energy consumed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Growth Hormone and Treatment Controversy; Long Term Safety of rGH.

The availability of recombinant human growth hormone (rGH) for the treatment of growth disorders has provided an unlimited supply for replacement in patients with growth hormone insufficiency, but also for short stature due to Turner syndrome, renal failure, Prader-Willi syndrome, small for gestational age and idiopathic short stature. Considering the potential for side effects in the use of a growth promoting agent, the community of physicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers developed systematic methods to survey for short- and long-term effects. Recently published data from the National Cooperative Growth Study, managed by Genentech, concluded that GH has a ‘favorable profile’. In 2012, results from the European Union’s Safety and Appropriateness of GH treatment in Europe (EU SAGhE) study about the long-term mortality in GH-treated patients were published in two separate manuscripts. This review will examine the issue of safety of rGH in order to better inform practitioners as they consider initiation of therapy with patients.
Measles Vaccine and Travelers

Excerpt To the Editor:The need for adequate immunity to measles in international travelers, outlined by Hill and Pearson (1) and von Reyn and Saviteer (2), is clear cut. These authors have not adeq...
Life Lessons: Biography and Mission of the Christian College

Although many colleges profess interest in character development, faculty often feel ill equipped to address questions of vocation and purpose in their classes. Life writing—biography and autobiogr...
Surface optical excitations associated with CO chemisorption on Ni(111)

Surface optical excitations associated with CO chemisorption on Ni(111) have been studied using surface reflectance spectroscopy (SRS) and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (ELS). SRS measurements using $s$- and $p$-polarized light in the photon energy range 4-35 eV are analyzed using a simple dielectric model to deduce surface optical transitions. A comparison of the SRS and ELS results for CO-Ni(111) with the optical excitations in gas- and solid-phase CO and in transition-metal carbonyls reveals correlations in spectral structure which are used as a basis to suggest possible identifications of the surface optical transitions; these include charge-transfer excitations from the metal to the CO ($2{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$) affinity level at \ensuremath{\sim}6 eV, singlet valence transitions $X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}A^{1}\ensuremath{\Pi}(5\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*})$ of the chemisorbed CO molecule near \ensuremath{\sim}8 eV, and Rydberg excitations of the CO orbitals near 13 eV and above.
Image intensity matching technique: Application to the environmental scanning electron microscope

Abstract An image analysis technique, called image intensity matching, is developed and is shown to be suitable for studying the complex sub-pixel deformation on ESEM images. The technique is general but it is applied here to dimensional changes that occur as cement paste shrinks. The technique is based on a minimum mean square error criterion. The relationship between the present technique and the maximum cross correlation method is analyzed mathematically, and the latter is shown to be a special case in the minimum mean square error criterion. Noise is removed by a normalization process. The optimal window size is analyzed. The deformation parameters (for the problem in two dimensions) of rigid body translation, expansion or shrinkage, shear, and rotation in a deformed image can be determined. The resolution is calibrated using a simulated image shift and is shown to be about 0.2 pixel.
Breast milk jaundice; the role of lipoprotein lipase and the free fatty acids.

Lipoprotein lipase activity and free fatty acid concentrations were measured in samples of milk collected from mothers of infants without and with prolonged neonatal jaundice. The lipoprotein lipase and free fatty acid values in the milk from mothers of infants without jaundice were found to increase with the duration of breast-feeding until the 12th postpartum day, and then to fall to the original levels. In the group of mothers with jaundiced infants both lipoprotein lipase and free fatty acid values were found within normal limits when measured between 15th and 37th days post-partum.
Medical Student Attitudes Toward Communication Skills Training and Knowledge of Appropriate Provider-Patient Communication: A Comparison of First-Year and Fourth-Year Medical Students

Drawing upon Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives as a theoretical framework, this study examines attitudes toward communication skills training, knowledge of appropriate pro­vider-patient communication, and confidence communicating with patients between first-year and fourth-year medical students at a large medical school in the southern United States. The study findings indicate that fourth-year medical students do not differ from first-year medical students in terms of attitudes towards communication skills training or knowledge of appropriate provider-patient communication, but they have significantly higher confidence scores about communicating with patients. In addition, positive attitudes towards communication skills training are significantly related to perceived importance of communication skills and confidence when communicating with patients. Finally, female medical students have more positive attitudes towards communication skills training than male medical students. The implications of the study findings and directions for future research are also discussed.
An optimal power flow algorithm considering wind power penetration

This paper presents a new approach to determine the power that can be extracted from a wind farm for a given wind speed, while dispatching the rest of the system to have minimum cost. Obtaining exact power output by considering the power losses inside wind turbine is a challenge in implementing a more accurate economic dispatch pattern. An iterative algorithm combining optimal power flow for minimum generation cost with steady state conditions of a Doubly-Fed Induction generator (DFIG) is proposed to overcome the above challenge. The method presented here can accommodate all the losses inside the wind farm hence more accurate results can be obtained.
Bifurcation optical information processing (Invited Paper)

In general, a decision on any event is made through a sequence of bifurcating selection process. In addition to numerical computation, the binary logic operations of digital electronics may well be used to describe any complicated decision making procedure. In this paper, we show that the single-input-double-output bifurcating principle may be applied to optical information processing. In particular, the massive parallelism and inherent inaccuracy of optics offer a unique representation of human thinking and decision making process. Coherent optical experiments including pattern recognition and dynamic range compression via photorefractive crystals are used to demonstrate the principle of bifurcating optical information processing.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF HUMAN GLOMERULONEPHRITIS WITH FERRITIN-CONJUGATED ANTIBODY LOCALIZATION OF ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY COMPLEXES IN GLOMERULAR STRUCTURES OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

1. Kidney biopsies from 4 cases of severe acute glomerulonephritis were obtained 11 to 25 days after the onset of clinical manifestations of the disease. These tissues were treated with ferritin-conjugated antibodies to 7S γ-globulin, β1C, and Type 12 streptococcal products. Adjacent pieces of the biopsied material were treated with control ferritin-labeled antisera or with ferritin alone. As further controls, normal renal tissue and renal tissue from patients with other kidney diseases were treated with the same antisera. The 3 antisera to 7S γ-globulin, β1C and Type 12 streptococcus were specifically bound in electron-opaque foreign material in the following renal areas: (a) the lumen of glomerular capillaries; (b) medullary arteriolar walls (2 cases); (c) pinocytic vacuoles and absorption droplets of endothelial or mesangial cells; (d) canals between proliferating mesangial or endothelial cells which connect the capillary lumen with the deep mesangial region or with the endothelial side of the basement membrane; (e) basement membrane proper; (f) subendothelial and certain subepithelial deposits; and (g) Bowman's space. 2. None of the 3 ferritin-conjugated antisera listed above were bound to the nuclei of glomerular cells or to portions of the cytoplasm other than those specified. 3. Ferritin-conjugated antisera to pneumococcus Type II and vaccinia virus and ferritin alone were not bound to any structures in the glomerular tissue. 4. None of the ferritin-conjugated antisera bound to normal renal tissue or to kidney tissue from other renal disease. 5. The data obtained are compatible with the following working hypothesis: Antigen-antibody aggregates of Type 12 streptococcal products, γ-globulin, and complement are present in the circulating blood of patients with severe acute glomerulonephritis. Large amounts of the complexes are caught in the filtering system of the glomeruli. The inflammatory reactions seen in the glomerular structures result from the presence of the immune complexes and of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes which conjointly may be responsible for the disease.
Patterns and controls of nitrous oxide emissions from waters draining a subtropical agricultural valley

[i] Although nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission from agricultural runoff is thought to constitute a globally important source of this greenhouse gas, N 2 O flux from polluted aquatic systems is poorly understood and scarcely reported, especially in low-latitude (0°-30°) regions where rapid agricultural intensification is occurring. We measured N 2 O emissions, dissolved N 2 O concentrations, and factors likely to control rates of N 2 O production in drainage canals receiving agricultural and mixed agricultural/urban inputs from the intensively farmed Yaqui Valley of Sonora, Mexico. Average per-area N 2 O flux in both purely agricultural and mixed urban/agricultural drainage systems (16.5 ng N 2 O-N cm -2 hr -1 ) was high compared to other fresh water fluxes, and extreme values ranged up to 244.6 ng N 2 O-N cm -2 hr -1 . These extremely high N 2 O fluxes occurred during green algae blooms, when organic carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen concentrations were high, and only in canals receiving pig-farm and urban inputs, suggesting an important link between land-use and N 2 O emissions. N 2 O concentrations and fluxes correlated significantly with water column concentrations of nitrate, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, ammonium, and chlorophyll a, and a multiple linear regression model including ammonium, dissolved organic carbon, and particulate organic carbon was the best predictor of [N 2 O] (r 2 = 52%). Despite high per-area N 2 O fluxes, our estimate of regional N 2 O emission from surface drainage (20,869 kg N 2 O-N yr -1 ; 0.046% of N-fertilizer inputs) was low compared to values predicted by algorithms used in global budgets.
Into the black of night

Protein structure of prediction methods, critically assessed at Asilomar, California, are starting to work, combining ideas descended from two lines of thought: from Darwin and from Boltzmann and Schrodinger.
Re-entrant magnetism in rare-earth superconducting ternary compounds

Superconductivity and magnetism in the new group of rare-earth ternary borides, MRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/, has been reported recently by Matthias et al. Particularly striking has been their observation of reentrant magnetism accompanying the return to a normal state at low temperatures (T = 0.9/sup 0/K) in the superconductor ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/ which has a superconducting transition temperature of 8.5/sup 0/K. We discuss the origin of superconductivity and magnetism in these systems using results of ab initio self-consistent LMTO energy band calculations for the alloys M = Y, Er and Ho.
Combined coronary artery bypass grafting and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Background: We report here the results of combined coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and the factors associated with higher mortality following this procedure. Methods: The authors performed a retrospective chart review of 26 patients who underwent combined CABG and AAA repair between March 1990 and October 1996. Results: No postoperative myocardial infarction or major cardiac complications were noted. A morbidity rate of 38% (n = 10) and mortality rate of 11% (n = 3) were noted. Comparative analysis of nonsurvivors (n = 3) versus survivors (n = 23) revealed the following: ejection fraction (EF) was significantly lower (33% ± 3% versus 44% ± 14%, P <0.05), duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was significantly longer (239 ± 122 minutes versus 141 ± 54 minutes, P <0.05), and incidence of postoperative respiratory failure (67% versus 17%, P = 0.001) were significantly higher in nonsurvivors. No differences in mean age, gender distribution, incidence of hypertension or diabetes were noted between the groups. Conclusions: Combined CABG and AAA repair protected patients from postoperative aneurysm rupture and myocardial infarction. Poor EF, prolonged CPB, and postoperative respiratory failure were associated with higher mortality.
Off-fault tensile cracks: A link between geological fault observations, lab experiments, and dynamic rupture models

[1] We examine the local nature of the dynamic stress field in the vicinity of the tip of a semi-infinite sub-Rayleigh (slower than the Rayleigh wave speed, cR) mode II crack with a velocity-weakening cohesive zone. We constrain the model using results from dynamic photoelastic experiments, in which shear ruptures were nucleated spontaneously in Homalite-100 plates along a bonded, precut, and inclined interface subject to a far-field uniaxial prestress. During the experiments, tensile cracks grew periodically along one side of the shear rupture interface at a roughly constant angle relative to the shear rupture interface. The occurrence and inclination of the tensile cracks are explained by our analytical model. With slight modifications, the model can be scaled to natural faults, providing diagnostic criteria for interpreting velocity, directivity, and static prestress state associated with past earthquakes on exhumed faults. Indirectly, this method also allows one to constrain the velocity-weakening nature of natural ruptures, providing an important link between field geology, laboratory experiments, and seismology.
A Thermal Lattice Boltzmann Two-Phase Flow Model and Its Application to Heat Transfer Problems—Part 2. Integration and Validation

In the previous paper (Part 1), the multiphase isothermal lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) model and single phase thermal LBE (TLBE) model were described. In this work, by combining these two models, the thermal two-phase LBE model is proposed. The coupling of the two models is through a suitably defined body force term. Due to the external nature of this coupling, the new model will have the same stability as the isothermal two-phase model. The applicability of the model is shown by the numerical simulation results of a thermal two-phase flow system in a rectangular channel
Comments on Johnson, Kiesling, and Van Vleck

You have just heard from three people whose dissertations I helped select to be finalists for the Gerschenkron prize for the best dissertation on a non-U.S. country's economic history. They have now had a chance to tell you a bit of what their works are about. I could also do the same, but I will not. The reasons, at least to me, are obvious: (1) in writing them, they spent a lot more time than I did in reading them; (2) they are all long, and I only have a short time up here; (3) there are people in this audience who know far more about each of these subjects than do I, and I try to exercise some discretion when parading my ignorance (although I do think a Chinese economic historian—who first wrote on early twentieth-century Shanxi province's agricultural markets—being assigned the task of reading umpteen dissertations regarding “the rest of the world's economic histories, none about China,” has some rich irony within); and (4) that is not my job as I perceive it.
Defect Evolution on Coated Samples Under Severe Thermal Transients and Interfacial Characterization

The effects of severe thermal- and pressure-transients on coated substrates with indentation-induced, blister defects were analyzed using experimental and finite-element methods. Both explicit and implicit FEA approaches were used to assess the transient thermal- and stress-states and the propensity for fracture related damage and evolution, while undergoing uniform convective heating and pressure transients across the surface. Spherical indentations along with in-situ acoustic emissions, c-scans, and finite element modeling were utilized to induce the defects, as well as quantify interfacial adhesion and cohesive zone properties. Preliminary results indicated complex interactions between the boundary conditions and their timing and the resulting propensity for damage birth and evolution. Given the need for robust coatings, the experimental and modeling procedures explored by this study will have important ramifications for coated tube designs and the evaluation of candidate materials.Copyright © 2012 by ASME