cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How university diversity rationales inform student preferences and outcomes.

It is currently commonplace for institutions of higher education to proclaim to embrace diversity and inclusion. Though there are numerous rationales available for doing so, US Supreme Court decisions have consistently favored rationales which assert that diversity provides compelling educational benefits and is thus instrumentally useful. Our research is a quantitative/experimental effort to examine how such instrumental rationales comport with the preferences of White and Black Americans, specifically contrasting them with previously dominant moral rationales that embrace diversity as a matter of intrinsic values (e.g., justice). Furthermore, we investigate the prevalence of instrumental diversity rationales in the American higher education landscape and the degree to which they correspond with educational outcomes. Across six experiments, we showed that instrumental rationales correspond to the preferences of White (but not Black) Americans, and both parents and admissions staff expect Black students to fare worse at universities that endorse them. We coded university websites and surveyed admissions staff to determine that, nevertheless, instrumental diversity rationales are more prevalent than moral ones are and that they are indeed associated with increasing White–Black graduation disparities, particularly among universities with low levels of moral rationale use. These findings indicate that the most common rationale for supporting diversity in American higher education accords with the preferences of, and better relative outcomes for, White Americans over low-status racial minorities. The rationales behind universities’ embrace of diversity have nonlegal consequences that should be considered in institutional decision making.
The Private Neighbor Concept

Given a set S ⊆ V of vertices in a graph G = (V, E), a vertex v ∈ S has a private neighbor if there is at least one vertex in the closed neighborhood N[v] of v which is not in the closed neighborhood N[S −{v}] of any vertex in S −{v}. A property \(\mathcal {P}\) of sets S of vertices is called superhereditary if every superset of a set S having property \(\mathcal {P}\) also has property \(\mathcal {P}\). In this chapter, we show that a general concept of a vertex having a private neighbor emerges as the condition that every vertex v must satisfy in any set S which is minimal with respect to having property \(\mathcal {P}\), when \(\mathcal {P}\) is a superhereditary property. We illustrate this with a variety of examples.
What Do Mothers Learn from Children’s Science Television?

Mothers and their 4- to 5-year-old children (N = 46) watched one of two versions of an educational science television show. One version modeled didactic instruction (i.e., imparting factual knowled...
Useful Victims: Symbolic Rage and Racist Violence on the Global Extreme-Right

The extreme-right has long relied on false claims of anti-White violence and racialized victimhood narratives in order to promote violence and advance their ideology. By carefully curating a ‘siege mentality’ among adherents, extremist writers and ‘philosophers’ have positioned whiteness as something under attack, and mobilized the ideas of demographic peril and endangered whiteness in order to justify rhetorical and physical violence against people of color and minority communities. This mythology has been a constant feature of the publications and propaganda of far-right groups around the world, and has been used to further the constructed image of extremist racist organizations as protectors of both whiteness and womanhood. This rhetoric has been used to radicalize individuals to the point at which they see violence as acceptable and necessary – an oft-repeated process which reached its most recent tragic conclusion in 2016 when a white man murdered 9 worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, saying to one victim; “you rape our women… you have to go”. This article analyzes the ways in which extremist right-wing groups in South Africa, the United Kingdom and United States have historically constructed the threat of anti-White violence and mobilized it in order to spread hate and radicalize individuals towards violent action. I argue that the extreme-right has consistently perpetuated a mythology surrounding race and sexuality in order to justify continued rhetorical and physical violence against communities of color, LGBTQ people, and the Jewish community.
Ask and the Commonwealth Shall Receive:The Imbalance of Virginia'sMental Health Expert Statute

University of California, Los Angeles, March 2003. The author would like to thank Shannon Borromeo for her love, patience, and understanding. The author is also indebted to Professor David Bruck and the members of Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse, especially Justin Shane, Tamara Graham, and Jessica Tanner. The author is also grateful to his family for their unending encouragement and support. 1. Beckford v. United States, 962 F. Supp. 748, 751–52 (E.D. Va. 1997). 2. Id. at 752, 763–65.
Endothelial injury: Association with elevations of serum bile acid and cholesterol concentration in biliary-obstructed rats

An association between atherosclerosis, biliary obstruction and hyperlipidemia has been reported in the literature. In previous study from this laboratory, ultrastructural evidence of coronary artery endothelial damage was obtained in rats following ligation-induced biliary obstruction. In the present investigation, serum bile acids, total cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase levels were studied in association with similarly induced biliary obstruction and related to electron-microscopic observations of coronary artery endothelium. The results disclosed marked elevation of all serum parameters in as short a time as 24 hr following ligation compared with shamoperated controls. Animals exhibiting increases of serum bile acids and cholesterol also revealed severe configurational changes of endothelial cells which manifesed as buckling, detachment from the underlying internal elastic lamina, and vacuole formation. The role of elevated circulating bile acids and hypercholesterolemia as possible factors in producing arterial injury through membrane interaction is discussed. These observations suggest that biliary obstruction, even of short duration, may act as a potentially atherogenic mechanism in the experimental animal.
Self-Directed Search

The Self-Directed Search (SDS) is a self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted vocational interest assessment tool. The design of the SDS enables it to be used with or without guidance from a counselor to help an individual examine vocational or educational environments which may be complementary to his or her interests and personality. Since the SDS simulates the work that a counselor and client might do over the course of a few sessions, it can be used by people who do not want or do not have access to a counselor. The design and use of the SDS also enables counselors to increase the number of individuals they can reach and allows more time for addressing concerns which require direct intervention. This chapter covers the theory and rationale that are the backbone of the SDS as well as its construction and development, administration and scoring, and interpretive guidelines. A case example will also illustrate the general use of the SDS.
Using CRA to Teach Algebra to Students with Math Difficulties in Inclusive Settings

The importance of algebra instruction has increased in the United States in the past few years. Thus, in most states, middle school students are required to take Algebra 1. Middle school students with math difficulties in inclusion algebra settings may require a different instructional approach. The purpose of this research was to compare student achievement in solving linear algebraic functions across two procedural approaches: a multisensory algebra model using a concrete-to-representational-to-abstract sequence of instruction (CRA) and a repeated abstract explicit instruction model. Out of 231 students who participated, the students who learned through the CRA model scored significantly higher on the post- and follow-up test. The success of the CRA model was consistent for students with a history of low, medium, and high math achievement. Implications of this model and possibilities for future research are discussed.
The IL‐23/Th17 axis is involved in the adaptive immune response to Bacillus anthracis in humans

The neutralization of toxins is considered essential for protection against lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (BA), a select agent and bioterrorism threat. However, toxin-neutralizing activity alone would not be expected to provide sterile immunity. Therefore, we hypothesized that the development of an adaptive immune response against BA is required for bacterial clearance. We found that human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (hDCs) kill germinated BA bacilli, but not nongerminated BA spores. hDCs produce IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-23, and these cytokines are differentially regulated by germination-proficient versus germination-deficient BA spores. Moreover, the IL-23 response to BA spores is regulated by IL-1R-mediated signaling. hDCs infected with germinating BA spores stimulated autologous CD4(+) T cells to secrete IL-17A and IFN-γ in a contact-dependent and antigen-specific manner. The T-cell response to BA spores was not recapitulated by hDCs infected with germination-deficient BA spores, implying that the germination of spores into replicating bacilli triggers the proinflammatory cytokine response in hDCs. Our results provide primary evidence that hDCs can generate a BA-specific Th17 response, and help elucidate the mechanisms involved. These novel findings suggest that the IL-23/Th17 axis is involved in the immune response to anthrax in humans.
Topological aspects of the caratheodory problem

This paper presents new results on the problem of realization of a power spectrum of a stochastic process from a given set of error-free covariance samples (spectral estimation). This problem is known in the mathematical literature as the Caratheodory problem and has been studied extensively. We present a novel topological approach (as opposed to algebraic and function-theoretic ones that have been developed classically) which enables us to address certain questions about the degree of the interpolating functions, or, equivalently, the dimension of associated stochastic realizations. A new class of recursive spectral estimators is also introduced. These are tailored to make use of the nonuniqueness that is inherent when obtaining realizations of a certain dimension.
High Confidence Policy Improvement

We present a batch reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm that provides probabilistic guarantees about the quality of each policy that it proposes, and which has no hyper-parameters that require expert tuning. The user may select any performance lower-bound, ρ-, and confidence level, δ, and our algorithm will ensure that the probability that it returns a policy with performance below ρ- is at most δ. We then propose an incremental algorithm that executes our policy improvement algorithm repeatedly to generate multiple policy improvements. We show the viability of our approach with a simple gridworld and the standard mountain car problem, as well as with a digital marketing application that uses real world data.
Iterative Identification of Feedforward Controllers for Iterative Learning Control

Abstract One the the main disadvantages to the standard iterative learning control (ILC) problem is that the learning filter is static and does not update based on the current iteration information. This means that while the learning control is updating the feedforward control input, the learning controller itself is not updating. In this paper, we present an iteration varying learning filter which is based on identification techniques. Every iteration, this learning filter is computed to be the closed loop system inverse based on a least squares approximation. We show that the iteration varying learning filter successfully reduces the 2-norm error as fast as a static, model-based learning filter and much better than a P-Type learning filter. This results suggests the benefit of extensive preliminary system identification efforts for iterative systems is limited at best.
An X-ray monochromator for dual-energy computerized tomography using synchrotron radiation

Abstract Dual-energy CT imaging of the brain will be performed using synchrotron radiation X-ray beams at about 40 and 80 keV to visualize the altered concentrations of the intermediate-Z elements that occur in brain lesions and atherosclerotic plaques. The monochromator designs considered allow rapid switching between these two energies without change in the position or direction of the X-ray beam. One design uses the fundamental and second harmonic radiations from an existing dual-Bragg-crystal Si〈2,2,0〉 monochromator. In this design the 40 and 80 keV beams would be isolated by monochromator detuning or gold filtration, respectively. The other designs utilize fundamental radiations for both energies and would require some modification of the existing monochromator mechanism to achieve adequate tuning speed. These designs use two Si 〈2,2,0〉 crystals, one with a Bragg and the other with either a Bragg or a Laue geometry.
Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography Method for Direct Determination of Herbicides in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, Sediments

A micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) method employing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the surfactant has been developed for the separation and quantification of atrazine and 2,4-D in the presence of neutral compounds. The technique exploits the phenomenon of partitioning of analytes between aqueous solution and a micellar pseudostationary phase, along with differences in analyte electrophoretic mobilities. Rapid and efficient separation was evidenced by short migration times and narrow peak widths. Good linearity was obtained between peak height and standard solution concentration with a dynamic range of about 2 orders of magnitude. The detection limit was approximately 2 pg (loaded into the capillary, a 13-nL injection) for both compounds. The developed MECC method was applied to the analysis of sediment samples taken from sites along a linear transect into Lake Pontchartrain, LA, which is directly aligned with the Duncan outfall canal that pumps runoff from the New Orleans metropoli...
Studies without internal controls.

Abstract Sometimes questions of clinical interest can be addressed only by investigations without concurrent controls that are under the supervision of the investigator (internal controls). Such st...
Evaluation of vocal pitch in male transsexuals.

Abstract A 49-year-old male-to-female transsexual was administered voice therapy following surgery. Tape recordings were made of her speech prior to and each week during therapy. Selected sentences from these recordings were analyzed. Results indicate that changes in both fundamental frequency and perceptual judgments of femininity were statistically significant and supportive to the client. The voice of the client was still discernible from that of a female speaker, although less so than before therapy. It is suggested that a composite treatment program combined with laryngeal modification through surgical intervention may be necessary.
Note on Low-Level Geomagnetic Ring-Current Effects

Various measurements of the intensity of radiation within the inner Van Allen belt have indicated little possibility that the equatorial magnetic field of the belt should exceed 0.5 γ. The 12-year means of geomagnetic disturbance data show an equatorial latitude variation, which could arise from a transient equatorial ring current at a height within the outer reaches of the inner belt. This small transient equatorial ring current may be introduced to- suitable equatorial heights by downward expansion of a higher ring current present during magnetic storms. This possibility would be susceptible of experimental check. Another possibility is increased westward current flow within the equatorial ionosphere or enhanced compression of the equatorial magnetosphere during storm days.
Characterization of Individual Nano-Objects by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

We present secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) data obtained from the bombardment of a novel nanomaterial with a suite of projectiles: Au1+, Au3+, Au9+, and Au4004+. These are the first experiments where free-standing nano-objects were bombarded with kiloelectronvolt projectiles of atomic to nanoparticle size (Au4004+). The objects are aluminum monohydrate nanowhiskers, identified as crystalline boehmite (AlOOH) using X-ray diffraction. The nanoalumina is bonded to a microglass fiber that serves as a scaffold. The largest projectile, Au4004+, has a diameter of ∼2 nm, comparable to the nominal diameter of the nanowhiskers. There are notable differences in secondary ion (SI) response from sample volumes too small for full projectile energy deposition. The whisker spectra are dominated by small clusters—the most abundant species being AlO− and AlO2−. Bulk samples have larger yields for AlO2− than AlO−, whereas this trend is reversed in the whisker samples. Bulk samples give similar abundances of large SI ...
Not so fast on recombination analysis of Newcastle disease virus.

Regarding the letter of Han et al. published earlier in the Journal of Virology (3) indicating that “powerful evidence” of recombination is a call for caution in the use of Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-based vaccines, I would like to suggest that the evidence for recombination is still weak. The authors cite three reports that suggest the existence of recombination, but a closer look reveals the possibility of oversight in the interpretation of the data (1, 2, 5). There is evidence of recombination in the existing GenBank NDV sequences, but unfortunately, the vast majority of these available NDV sequences have been obtained by PCR amplification of RNAs from crude field samples grown in eggs. The possibility of reporting artificial recombination caused by polymerase template switching in these samples or by laboratory-generated recombinants needs to be considered. The widespread use of live vaccines in poultry and the extensive presence of nonvirulent endemic NDVs in live bird markets and in wildlife (4) make the existence of unnoticed mixed infections in field samples likely. In the particular case of the three publications cited, the Chare et al. and Han et al. results are based on the analysis of GenBank sequences that were obtained without any purification. In the Qin et al. paper, three plaque purification steps were performed, but no attempts were made to confirm the absence of contaminant viruses in the original samples or to investigate the possibility of contamination with PCR products, which normally abound in NDV sequencing laboratories. In fact, despite the availability of a large number of NDV sequences in GenBank databases, no NDV report exists that describes the generation of a natural progeny of viruses derived from a recombination event. Although I agree with the authors in the need for caution in the use of live NDV vectored vaccines, caution in the interpretation of the data is also needed.
Educational Perspectives: Portfolios: The Next Assessment Tool in Medical Education?

Medical education is undergoing significant change at all levels. Self-directed learning and reflection are becoming essential ingredients of both graduate medical training and postgraduate professional development. Recognition is growing for the need to incorporate the concepts of andragogy into physician education, concepts emphasizing that adult learners are self-directed and take responsibility for their own educational choices. The demonstration of competency for assessment of the individual and the educational program has received increased attention in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project. (1) Assessment and documentation of self-directed learning, reflection, and competency are more difficult than traditional methods that have included standardized testing and conference attendance. The portfolio has been advocated as a tool for collecting and presenting these elements of learning at all levels of medical training. Butler (2) succinctly defines a portfolio as “a collection of evidence that is gathered together to show a person's learning journey over time and to demonstrate their abilities.” Missing from this definition is self-reflection, a component that several authors, including Rees, (3) believe is essential to a portfolio. A portfolio may be paper-based or electronic and serves as a coherent collection of documents chosen by the individual learner to fit the specific purpose of the portfolio. Several authors have attempted to describe different types of portfolios. Smith and Tillema (4) describe four different portfolio types that are defined according to purpose and setting of use. The purpose of a portfolio may be to assist with promotion or with learning. The background may be to fulfill external requirements or for self-learning. The dossier portfolio is a collection of mandated works that is required for entry into a profession, while a training portfolio is a set of mandatory works assembled for learning during training. The reflective portfolio is a personal selection of …
Thermal Sensitization Using Induced Oxidative Stress Decreases Tumor Growth in an In Vivo Model of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Perfusion

The purpose of this study was to extend our in vitro observations that induced oxidative stress under hyperthermic conditions decreases tumor cell growth into a preclinical murine model of hyperthermic perfusion. A nude mouse model of colon cancer carcinomatosis with HT-29-Luc-D6 colon cancer cells was established, and tumor growth was measured by serial bioluminescent imaging. By means of a survival model of hyperthermic perfusion, we demonstrated that perfusion with normothermic saline decreased tumor growth compared with no perfusion controls, and tumor growth was further decreased with hyperthermic perfusion alone. The induction of oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide in the perfusate at concentrations as high as 600 μM was well tolerated in this model of hyperthermic perfusion. Importantly, induced oxidative stress using hydrogen peroxide under hyperthermic conditions significantly decreased in vivo tumor cell growth compared with all other controls. On the basis of our observations, thermal sensitization through modulation of cellular oxidative stress may represent a novel approach to increase the efficacy of hyperthermia as an anticancer modality.
The phylogeny of hypnosis

Abstract An attempt is made to derive hypnosis phylogenetically from the basic adient-abient and emotional responsiveness of organisms. Hypnosis is functionally described as a state of readiness for emotional action increasingly subordinated to cortical influences as one ascends phylogeny, but nonetheless consistently present in animal organisms in a variety of forms.
Neurovascular preservation in orthotopic cystectomy: Impact on female sexual function

Abstract Objectives The published data regarding female orthotopic cystectomy have focused primarily on urethral recurrence and urinary continence. In a new era of sexuality, evaluating postoperative sexual outcome has become a new surgical endpoint. In this study, we focused on the impact of neurovascular preservation after radical cystectomy and neobladder construction. Methods We assessed female sexuality in 13 patients after orthotopic cystectomy using a standardized questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Six patients had undergone nerve-sparing cystectomy and seven had undergone contemporary non-nerve-sparing cystectomy. Intraoperatively, the tumor was deemed oncologically safe for neurovascular preservation. All 13 patients were sexually active preoperatively, were younger than 65 years old, had recurrence-free follow-up findings after 1 year, and had undergone no pelvic irradiation. The 19-item FSFI questionnaire analyzed six domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) of sexual function. Results In the nerve-sparing group (mean age 55.9 years), the baseline and 12-month postoperative scores showed a minimal decline in results, with a total mean FSFI score of 24.5 versus 22.3, respectively. In analyzing each of the six domains, no significant decline or difference was observed. Conversely, in the non-nerve-sparing group (mean age 56.7 years), a significant decline or difference was found in the 12-month total mean FSFI scores between the baseline and postoperative FSFI scores (25.0 versus 11.0, respectively). In the non-nerve-sparing group, 6 of 7 patients ultimately discontinued sexual intercourse. Conclusions Female sexual function was preserved in patients who received neurovascular preservation. In contrast, all domains of sexual function declined in patients who had undergone non-neurovascular preservation.
Sesquiterpene lactones of Ambrosia cordifolia

Abstract Extraction of Ambrosia cordifolia (Gray) Payne furnished the modified pseudoguaianolides psilostachyin C (I) and cordilin. The latter was shown to be a stereoisomer IV of psilostachyin (II). Dicorea brandegei Gray and D. canescens T. &. G. yielded no crystalline lactone components.
Atomic-scale chemical imaging and quantification of metallic alloy structures by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Determination of atomic-scale crystal structure for nanostructured intermetallic alloys, such as magnetic alloys containing Al, Ni, Co (alnico) and Fe, is crucial for understanding physical properties such as magnetism, but technically challenging due to the small interatomic distances and the similar atomic numbers. By applying energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping to the study of two intermetallic phases of an alnico alloy resulting from spinodal decomposition, we have determined atomic-scale chemical composition at individual lattice sites for the two phases: one is the B2 phase with Fe0.76Co0.24 -Fe0.40Co0.60 ordering and the other is the L21 phase with Ni0.48Co0.52 at A-sites, Al at BΙ-sites and Fe0.20Ti0.80 at BΙΙ-sites, respectively. The technique developed through this study represents a powerful real-space approach to investigate structure chemically at the atomic scale for a wide range of materials systems.
Four-Dimensional Aircraft Taxiway Conformance Monitoring with Constrained Stochastic Linear Hybrid Systems

different nonconforming scenarios from the Cleveland–Hopkins airport. The results from the proposed algorithm are compared with results from four algorithms: an algorithm that models only the conforming aircraft as a constrained stochastic linear hybrid system, two corresponding unconstrained detection algorithms, and a positionbased conformance-monitoring algorithm representing the current state of the art. The comparison demonstrates that the proposed algorithm significantly improves the mean detection time, reducing the detection time by up to 7 s compared with the baseline with small (less than 10%) false alarm rates.
Structural changes in the service industry

Abstract This research applies entropy as a measure of the nature of economic activity in the United States. The research showed a trend toward the service sector and away from manufacturing during the 25-year study period from 1960 to 1984. This study also investigated the changes in employment concentration for eleven service sets over a 13-year period. The service sector was found to be fairly diverse but stable in employment over the period of study. Although the overall service area was stable, a great deal of change has occured within the individual service sectors.
Analysis of foods for heterocyclic aromatic amine carcinogens by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract Carcinogenic and mutagenic heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) are natural products often present at ng/g levels in muscle meats when they are cooked at temperatures over 150°C. Using solid-phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array UV detection, samples were analyzed for the following heterocyclic amines: DiMeIQx(2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline); IQ(2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline); MeIQx(2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline); and PhIP(2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine). Quality control samples, analyzed periodically over two years in a blind study, show relative standard deviations ranging from 22 to 38% for the compounds found, variations typical for analysis at ng/g levels. Amounts range from undetectable levels (less than 0.1 ng/g) to hundreds of ng/g of PhIP for frying or grilling at high meat surface temperatures. Beef, chicken, pork and lamb can all have greater than 10 ng/g of PhIP. Ground chicken breast meat has lower amounts of heterocyclic amines than intact muscle pieces of the same size cooked identically. Restaurant prepared samples that we analyzed contained undetectable levels up to 14 ng/g total heterocyclic amines for a beef steak sample. Not extracted with the above method are related mutagenic heterocyclic amines, which have been reported in cooked foods in our laboratory and others. Method development using ion exchange on an SCX solid-phase extraction cartridge shows promise in providing a method for the quantitation of these mutagenic dimethyl-, trimethyl- and furo-imidazopyridines where a practical analysis method is needed.
Insertion of Tn916 into Bacillus pumilus plasmid pMGD302 and evidence for plasmid transfer by conjugation.

Abstract As part of an effort to develop systems for genetic analysis of strains of Bacillus pumilus which are being used as a microbial hay preservative, we introduced the conjugative Enterococcus faecalis transposon Tn916 into B. pumilus ATCC 1 and two naturally occurring hay isolates of B. pumilus. B. pumilus transconjugants resistant to tetracycline were detected at a frequency of approximately 6.5 × 10−7 per recipient after filter mating with E. faecalis CG110. Southern hybridization confirmed the insertion of Tn916 into several different sites in the B. pumilus chromosome. Transfer of Tn916 also was observed between strains of B. pumilus in filter matings, and one donor strain transferred tetracycline resistance to recipients in broth matings at high frequency (up to 3.4 × 10−5 per recipient). Transfer from this donor strain in broth matings was DNase-resistant and was not mediated by culture filtrates. Transconjugants from these broth matings contained derivatives of a cryptic plasmid (pMGD302, approx 60 kb) from the donor strain with Tn976 inserted at various sites. The plasmids containing Tn916 insertions transferred to a B. pumilus recipient strain at frequencies of approx 5 × 10−6 per recipient. This evidence suggests that pMGD302 can transfer by a process resembling conjugation between strains of B. Pumilus.
Observations of Improved Stability and Confinement in a High- β Self-Organized Spherical-Torus-Like Field-Reversed Configuration

An extremely high-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ (over 85%) self-organized field-reversed configuration (FRC) with a spherical-torus- (ST-)like core is produced in the translation, confinement, and sustainment experiment by highly super-Alfv\'enic translation of a spheromaklike plasmoid. Substantial flux conversion from toroidal into poloidal occurs during the capture process, resulting in the ST-like core. This plasma state exhibits a remarkable stabilizing property for the ubiquitous $n=2$ centrifugally driven interchange modes present in $\ensuremath{\theta}$-pinch formed FRCs. This is explained, for the first time, by a simple model taking into account magnetic shear and centrifugal effects. The FRC-ST configuration has up to 4 times improvement in flux confinement times over the scaling of conventional $\ensuremath{\theta}$-pinch formed FRCs and, thus, a significant improvement in the resistivity and transport.
Acoustic-phonon transmission in quasiperiodic superlattices.

Acoustic-phonon transmission through a realistic Fibonacci superlattice is studied theoretically. We find a number of transmission dips corresponding to Bragg-like reflections of phonons. The transmission spectrum is much more complex than in the periodic case; however, the strongest dips in transmission are remarkably correlated with those of the periodic superlattice. We also present the first realistic calculations of the phonon dispersion relations in an actual quasiperiodic superlattice. For oblique angles of incidence, intermode Bragg-like reflections of the phonons are predicted.
Maternal-Fetal Pharmacokinetics of Zidovudine in Rats

The disposition of zidovudine (AZT) was investigated in near-term (day 20) pregnant rats after intravenous bolus administration of AZT at 50 mg/kg. A compartmental pharmacokinetic model was developed to describe AZT concentrations in maternal plasma (1), placenta (2), fetus (3), amniotic fluid (4), and the maternal tissue compartment (5). Model equations were fitted simultaneously to all concentration data by NONLIN least-squares regression. The model that best described the AZT concentration data (F test, AIC, sum of weighted squared residuals) incorporated bidirectional transfer between maternal plasma ⇌ placenta, placenta ⇌ fetus, placenta ⇌ amniotic fluid, and maternal plasma ⇌ tissue compartment. Transfer rate constants (1/h) were as follows: k12, 0.58 ±0.41; k21, 47.64 ± 46.61; k23, 67.50 ± 42.03; k32, 13.09 ± 8.80; k24, 0.62 ± 0.03; k42, 0.32 ± 0.06; k15, 5.75 ± 7.00; k51, 4.12 ± 1.01; and k10, 1.51 ± 0.80. AZT rapidly distributed into tissue and placenta compartments. However, AZT accumulated more slowly into amniotic fluid. Intercompartmental distributional clearances suggest that the mechanism of maternal–placental, placental–fetal, and fetal–amniotic fluid transfer of AZT was by passive diffusion. This maternal–fetal model for AZT may offer a useful approach for describing the placental transfer kinetics of other antiviral nucleosides as well.
Borderline Personality Characteristics and Treatment Outcome in Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for PTSD in Female Rape Victims

Many studies report that comorbid borderline personality pathology is associated with poorer outcomes in the treatment of Axis I disorders. Given the high rates of comorbidity between borderline personality pathology and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is essential to determine whether borderline symptomatology affects PTSD treatment outcome. This study examined the effects of borderline personality characteristics (BPC) on 131 female rape victims receiving cognitive-behavioral treatment for PTSD. Higher BPC scores were associated with greater pretreatment PTSD severity; however, individuals with higher levels of BPC were just as likely to complete treatment and also as likely to show significant treatment response on several outcome measures. There were no significant interactions between type of treatment and BPC on the outcome variables. Findings suggest that women with borderline pathology may be able to benefit significantly from cognitive-behavioral treatment for PTSD.
Family Therapy for the Historian?— The Case of William James

Family therapists disagree over the utility of historical reconstruction for treatment. Following either a behavioral or a psychoanalytic paradigm, theorists insist that history is irrelevant or essential to the treatment process. This paper demonstrates how a variety of family therapy concepts were used in his historical research into the life of the family of William James, the American psychologist and philosopher (1842-1910). This is offered as evidence both that family theory has a contribution to make to the writing of history and that the historical process is important to family therapy. It is suggested that clinical actuality calls forth interventions within both paradigms, often by the same therapist with the same family. The alternatives need not be mutually exclusive, though theory-building is clarified by talking as if the therapist were confronted by an either/or choice.
Future trends in image coding

The objective of this article is to present a discussion on the future of image data compression in the next two decades. It is virtually impossible to predict with any degree of certainty the breakthroughs in theory and developments, the milestones in advancement of technology and the success of the upcoming commercial products in the market place which will be the main factors in establishing the future stage to image coding. What we propose to do, instead, is look back at the progress in image coding during the last two decades and assess the state of the art in image coding today. Then, by observing the trends in developments of theory, software, and hardware coupled with the future needs for use and dissemination of imagery data and the constraints on the bandwidth and capacity of various networks, predict the future state of image coding. What seems to be certain today is the growing need for bandwidth compression. The television is using a technology which is half a century old and is ready to be replaced by high definition television with an extremely high digital bandwidth. Smart telephones coupled with personal computers and TV monitors accommodating both printed and video data will be common in homes and businesses within the next decade. Efficient and compact digital processing modules using developing technologies will make bandwidth compressed imagery the cheap and preferred alternative in satellite and on-board applications. In view of the above needs, we expect increased activities in development of theory, software, special purpose chips and hardware for image bandwidth compression in the next two decades. The following sections summarize the future trends in these areas.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Modeling and simulation of an entrained flow coal gasifier

A mathematical model has been developed to simulate the Texaco downflow entrained-bed pilot-plant gasifier using coal liquefaction residues and coal-water slurries as feedstocks. This model describes the physical and chemical processes occurring in an entrained coal gasifier. Parameter studies were made in order to provide a better understanding of the reactor performance for various inlet feed conditions utilising the model.
Perceived need for alcohol, drug, and mental health treatment

Background To investigate determinants of perceived need for alcohol, drug, and mental (ADM) health treatment and differences in ADM treatment patterns between individuals with perceived need and those without.
Fatigue analysis of FDM materials

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of fatigue on fused deposition modeling rapid prototyped acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials.Design/methodology/approach – FDM dog bones based on UNI EN ISO 527‐1 (1997) were tested at 100, 80, 60, and 40 per cent nominal values of the ultimate stress for nine different print orientations. The samples were cyclically stressed in a tensile tester at 25.4 mm/min (extension) and relaxed at 12.7 mm/min.Findings – Although FDM ABS has a tensile strength that is relatively close to that of the bulk material, up to 80 percent, its ability to absorb energy before fracture has a tremendous amount of room for improvement. FDM ABSplus (P430) material properties are noticeably more isotropic than the predecessor, ABS (P400). The ABSplus fractures in the order of thousands of cycles at 40 percent of ultimate stress load, while the ABS exhibits the similar cycle limits at 60 percent of its ultimate stress load.Practical implications – FDM ABS p...
Mountaintop Removal and Job Creation: Exploring the Relationship Using Spatial Regression

This project focused on a new and increasingly contested method of coal extraction, mountaintop removal (MTR), and its effects on central Appalachian residents’ quality of life vis-a-vis increased ...
Reinforcement of energy delivery network against natural disaster events

Among all city infrastructures affected by natural disaster events, electric power grid is the most critical one. Most services on which disaster relief efforts depend, rely entirely on the availability of dependable and continuous supply of power. To achieve power grid resiliency against natural disasters, it is first necessary to perform a thorough analysis of interdependencies within the energy delivery network. This paper puts forth a graph-theoretic methodology based on fuzzy cognitive maps that models and analyzes the grid as an interconnected system of elements (i.e., energy resources and loads) that are connected through weighted and directional edges (i.e., lines and feeders). The developed model provides a mathematical framework for the analysis of the power grid during natural disaster events, and is used to devise optimal reinforcement strategies for the grid infrastructure via capacity enhancements and component reinforcement. The problem has been formulated as a constrained quadratic optimization one. The analysis and optimization approach are performed using abstract models so as to ensure the generic nature of the proposed methodology. A case study is presented using the IEEE 34-bus test distribution system. The system is mapped onto the floodplain map of the city of Boulder, CO, and is used to verify the applicability of the proposed methodology for grid reinforcement against flood hazards.
Asymmetric Fc receptor distribution on human PMN oriented in a chemotactic gradient.

Phagocytosis of antibody-coated particles and immune complexes by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and macrophages is initiated by binding to Fc receptors1–3 While it appears that subsequent ingestion requires receptor–Fc interactions to occur along the entire periphery of the particle4, the distribution of Fc receptors over the leukocyte surface is unknown. We show here that during chemotaxis the Fc receptors of human neutrophils are localized to the cell's leading edge. This restricted receptor topography coincides with cell orientation and does not require net forward movement of PMN. Thus, Fc receptors are located in precisely that region of the cell most likely to first encounter opsonized particles.
Chemical Characteristics of and Methane Production from Turkey Manure

Manure samples were collected from the range and brooding houses of two typical turkey farms during the spring, summer, and fall periods of 1980. The samples were analyzed for constituents pertinent to plant fertilizer value, pollution control, and methane gas fermentation. Data from batch-fed digesters, operating at 35 C, indicate that methane gas production from fresh turkey range manure was slightly higher than that from fresh layer chicken manure but that gas production from turkey brooding house manure, which contained wood shavings, was substantially lower. Continuously-fed, laboratory size digesters were operated for 125 days on laying chicken and turkey range manures with a retention time of 15 days and loading rates of 2, 3, and 4 kg VS/cubic meters day. Best performance occurred at the higher loading rates with gas productions of 1.71 and 2.13 gas digester (v/v) per day for chicken and turkey manures, respectively. The volatile solids breakdowns were 56 and 66%, respectively. (Refs. 17).
The FDA role in contact lens development and safety

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) exercises a multifaceted role in fulfilling its mission of enforcing the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (Act), functioning not only as industry regulator and consumer protector, but also as scientific advisor and consumer educator regarding medical devices, drugs, foods, cosmetics, and veterinary medicine. Medical devices are regulated within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Contact lenses are regulated under the authority of the medical device amendments. The Center is responsible for promulgating regulations, publishing guidelines, and developing written guidance in enforcing the Act, and also for guiding manufacturers of medical devices in safe and effective product development. Other components deal with the compliance of manufacturers with the marketing of medical devices within the meaning of the Act, and through labeling requirements of the Act and consumer education and informational activities. As for contact lenses, the process of updating product development regulations and guidelines is an ongoing activity. The most recent version of the Contact Lens Guideline Document, issued in April 1988, contains two major revisions involving preclinical and clinical testing. The first redefines plastics into one materials category, thus reducing testing requirements with respect to animal toxicology studies and other preclinical areas. The second revision restricts clinical testing requirements to allow confirmatory trials in applications for new daily wear lenses. The intention was to maintain the ability of studies to detect major material or design flaws in lenses, thus boosting confidence in their performance while eliminating unnecessary trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Photoelectric scanning (6.65-m) spectrometer for VUV cross-section measurements.

A 6.65-m normal incidence vacuum spectrograph has been provided with a photoelectric scanner that is easily interchangeable with the original plate holder. The scanner consists essentially of a photoelectric detector and an exit slit that scans mechanically along the focal surface while the grating and entrance slit remain stationary. The design and construction of the 6.65-m scanning spectrometer, which operates in the 120-300-nm wavelength region, are discussed. The wavelength resolution of 0.001 nm obtained photoelectrically is better than that of any existing vacuum monochromator. The performance of the instrument is illustrated with vacuum ultraviolet scans of the (1, 5) band of fourth positive system of CO in emission, and the (14, 0) band of the Schumann-Runge system of O2 in absorption.
Quantum Statistical Treatment of Relative Light Intensity of NaI (Pure) Crystal as a Function of Absolute Temperature

Temperature can be employed as a tool to manipulate the internal energy of the excited electrons on the border of the Fermi level of the excited atoms. As a result of temperature decrease, the occupation probability of the excited electrons, obeying the Pauli exclusion principle and Fermi-Dirac distribution function, increases exponentially with the third power of the absolute temperature. "Size Effect" in terms of the total number of the atoms in the crystal can also be elucidated. The equation derived for the relative light intensity of the excited NaI crystal, which is initimately related to the specific heat of the crystal, can be expressed as -H [ 12 ?4/5 Nk(T/H)3]TfTi where Ti= initial temperature (° K) Tf final temperature (° K) T = absolute temperature of the crystal (° K) H = proportionality const. (empirical) = 1.88 x 10-9for NaI (3/4" D. ×0.100") N = number of Na atoms in the crystal sample k = Boltzmann's constant = 1.380 x 10-16 erg/° K H = Debye temperature of NaI (° K) Preliminary empirical data at liquid nitrogen temperature (77°K) of NaI (pure) crystal (3/4" D. × 0.100" thickness) indicate an 11-fold increase of the relative light intensity in general agreement with theoretical prediction. The exponential increase of relative light intensity further emphasizes the validity of the highly quantized nature of the energy levels, and that excited electrons in the crystals, or excitons (bound electron -hole pairs) are Fermions strictly obeying the Fermi-Dirac distribution function.