cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activated charcoal is more effective than equilibrium dialysis in removing Chinese medicines Chan Su and Dan Shen from serum and activated charcoal also prevents further absorption of these agents from G.I. tract in mice: monitoring the effect in clinical laboratory by measuring digoxin activity in serum

Abstract Background : Chinese medicines are freely available without prescription and are widely used by the general population. Chan Su and Dan Shen are both indicated for the treatment of cardiac diseases. Severe toxicity from Chan Su has been reported. We studied the possibility of removing Chan Su and Dan Shen from human sera using activated charcoal and equilibrium dialysis, and also examined the potential benefit of preventing absorption of these agents from the G.I. tract in the mouse model. Methods : For in vitro studies, drug-free serum pools were supplemented with Chan Su or Dan Shen and then either treated with activated charcoal (10 and 25 mg/ml), or passed through a column packed with activated charcoal. Serum pools supplemented with Chan Su or Dan Shen were also subjected to equilibrium dialysis against phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) using dialysis membrane with molecular cut-off of 25,000 Da. Removal of Chan Su or Dan Shen from the serum was monitored by measuring the apparent digoxin concentration using the fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) for digoxin (Abbott Laboratories). Results : We observed the fast and effective removal of both Chan Su and Dan Shen from the serum by activated charcoal. We also observed significant removal of both Chan Su and Dan Shen when the serum pools containing these Chinese medicines were passed through columns packed with activated charcoal. Although equilibrium dialysis was also effective in removing these Chinese medicines from the serum, 24 h was required for complete removal of Dan Shen activity, and for Chan Su, complete removal was not achieved even after 24 h. In our in vivo model, we observed significantly less digoxin activity in the group of mice that received activated charcoal compared to the control group. Conclusions : Activated charcoal is effective in preventing absorption of these Chinese medicines from the G.I. tract and can also remove these agents from the serum.
Sleep Physiology: Setting the Right Tone

Humans prone to cataplexy experience sudden losses of postural muscle tone without a corresponding loss of conscious awareness. The brain mechanisms underlying this debilitating decoupling are now better understood, thanks to a new study using cataplectic mice.
A Brief History of Rejuvenation Operations

Purpose: We discuss the place in history of operative procedures for hormonal rejuvenation.Materials and Methods: The scientific and historical literature was reviewed.Results: In the early 20th century, building on the earlier work of Berthold and Brown-Sequard, Eugen Steinach developed a combination of vasectomy and vasoligature that became known as the Steinach operation. This procedure, along with testicular implantation popularized by Serge Voronoff, was an attempt to rejuvenate older and fatigued men around the world. The early experiments and results of Steinach, Voronoff and their followers were plagued by secrecy, subjectivity and sensationalism in an effort to produce the most scientific data. These rejuvenists used their results to outcompete one another. Ultimately the lack of verifiable outcome data and the chemical isolation of the “internal secretion” (testosterone) ended this era in surgery.Conclusions: Always a work in progress, the practice of medicine has been guided by human curiosity ...
DISTORTION COORDINATE FOR NONRIGID FIVE-COORDINATED ANTIMONY. SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURE OF OXYGEN- AND SULFUR-CONTAINING CYCLIC ORGANOSTIBORANES

Abstract The monocyclic stiboranes Ph3,Sb[S2,C2,(CN)2,] (1) and Ph3,Sb(O2,C6,H3-4-NO2) (3) were synthesized by the reaction of Ph3SbCl2, with the disodium salt of maleonitriledithiol and by the reaction of 4-nitrocatechol in the presence of Et3N, respectively. Reaction of p-tolylstibonic acid with pinacol gave the bicyclicstiborane (Me4,C2,O2)2Sb(C6,H4-p-Me) (2). Stiboranes 2 and 3 are new compounds. X-ray analysis revealed that 1 and 2 are trigonal bipyramidal while 3 is closer to a square-pyramidal structure. Molecules of 3 exist in the solid as weakly connected dimers, which accounts for its structural displacement toward the square pyramid. The distortion coordinate expressing solid-state nonrigidity is the Berry pseudorotational coordinate, the same as that found for pentacoordinated structures of other elements of main groups 4 (14) and 5 (15). However, lattice effects enter as a more important structural influence for some stiboranes. Stiborane I crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c wit...
Optimal design: Variation in structure and performance under change of criterion

SUMMARY The advisability of comparing designs on the basis of several different criteria of goodness is discussed. As an illustration, designs for quadratic regression on a simplex are compared in terms of a family of criteria that includes those of A-, D- and E-optimality, as well as one of Box & Draper. Efficiency robustness under change of region, as well as of criterion, is considered. The dependence of structure of good designs on dimension is determined.
The Excellence-Commitment-and-Effective-Learning (ExCEL) Program: A Group Intervention for Academically High-Risk Students.

This article reports an evaluation of a group intervention for academically high-risk students. The Excellence-Commitment-and-Effective-Learning (ExCEL) program was developed using Sedlacek's noncognitive model for employing cognitive and noncognitive strategies in a group. Eleven academically high-risk freshmen in a public Midwestern university participated. The results show that participation in the group appears to have enhanced the students' academic performances and study skills.
VISION-BASED RELATIVE NAVIGATION FOR FORMATION FLYING OF SPACECRAFT

The objective of this paper is to develop a robust and efficient approach for relative navigation and attitude estimation of spacecraft flying in formation. The approach developed here uses information from a new optical sensor that provides a line of sight vector from the master spacecraft to the secondary satellite. The overall system provides a novel, reliable, and autonomous relative navigation and attitude determination system, employing relatively simple electronic circuits with modest digital signal processing requirements and is fully independent of any external systems. State estimation is achieved through an optimal observer design, which is analyzed using a Lyapunov and contraction mapping approach. Simulation results indicate that the combined sensor/estimator approach provides accurate relative position and attitude estimates.
Upregulation of basal TGFβ1 levels by EMF coincident with chondrogenesis – implications for skeletal repair and tissue engineering

Abstract Members of the TGFβ/BMP gene family regulate cartilage and bone development. These genes are re-expressed in bone repair and are thought to mediate chondro- and osteoprogenitor cell differentiation. These observations have led to a therapeutic strategy of introducing these growth factors into experimental cartilage and bone defects. Therapeutic efficacy, however, has been limited by diffusion or inactivation of these growth factors from the desired site and by the inability to deliver sustained concentrations of growth factors. This study demonstrates an increase in basal TGFβ mRNA and protein levels in association with chondrogenic differentiation in endochondral ossification. mRNA is increased by 158%; protein by 23%, and cells immunopositive for TGFβ by 343% at maximal TGFβ expression. Importantly, the pattern of TGFβ expression is preserved throughout the developmental sequence. Our data suggest that the exposure to a specific electromagnetic field (EMF) enhances, but does not disorganize, chondrogenesis and endochondral calcification as well as the normal physiologic expression of TGFβ. The ability to increase TGFβ at a moderately low dose for sustained periods of time without disorganizing its physiology suggests the ability to establish temporal concentration gradients of growth factors for the purpose of stimulating skeletal repair.
On the cause of northward magnetic field along the negative X axis during magnetospheric substorms

The magnetic fields produced by a three-dimensional current system, consisting of a flow into the morning part of the auroral oval along tail-like field lines, along the auroral oval, and out from the evening part of the oval along tail-like field lines, are computed. It is demonstrated that the major parts of the well-known 'positive bay' in low latitudes on the earth's surface, the positive H variation at the synchronous distance, and the positive Bz variation along the magnetotail during magnetospheric substorms can be caused by the proposed current system.
Constituent Particle Clustering and Pitting Corrosion

Corrosion is a primary degradation mechanism that affects the durability and integrity of structures made of aluminum alloys, and it is a concern for commercial transport and military aircraft. In aluminum alloys, corrosion results from local galvanic coupling between constituent particles and the metal matrix. Due to variability in particle sizes, spatial location, and chemical composition, to name a few critical variables, corrosion is a complex stochastic process. Severe pitting is caused by particle clusters that are located near the material surface, which, in turn, serve as nucleation sites for subsequent corrosion fatigue crack growth. These evolution processes are highly dependent on the spatial statistics of particles. The localized corrosion growth rate is primarily dependent on the galvanic process perpetuated by particle-to-particle interactions and electrochemical potentials. Frequently, severe pits are millimeters in length, and these pits have a dominant impact on the structural prognosis. To accommodate large sizes, a model for three-dimensional (3-D) constituent particle microstructure is proposed. To describe the constituent particle microstructure in three dimensions, the model employs a fusion of classic stereological techniques, spatial point pattern analyses, and qualitative observations. The methodology can be carried out using standard optical microscopy and image analysis techniques.
Induction and regulation of IL-12-dependent host resistance to Toxoplasma gondii.

Resistance to the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is initiated by the induction of interleukin-12 (IL-12), which stimulates interferon (IFN)-γ synthesis by natural killer (NK) cells and T lymphocytes. This review summarizes the work of our laboratory on the mechanisms by which the parasite triggers IL-12 synthesis, and how this response is regulated to avoid the lethal effects of excessive tissue inflammation. In addition, we present an overview of our studies investigating the mechanisms by which the IFN-γ produced as a consequence of IL-12 stimulation controls intracellular replication of the parasite in host cells.
Between Apathy and Advocacy: Teaching and Modeling Ethical Reflection.

Advocacy may be unavoidable, but this tendency does not license use of classrooms as platforms for partisan persuasion. Teaching governed by fundamental academic virtues will responsibly call students to genuine, fruitful engagement with political and ethical issues.
From Struggles for Recognition to a Plural Concept of Justice: An Interview with Axel Honneth

Axel Honneth argues for a 'formal conception of ethical life' as the core of a social theory with normative content which postulates three types of recognition as the preconditions for any autonomous agent: intersubjective relations of emotional recognition, legal recognition and solidarity (or recognition of accomplishments) namely, that promote and maintain the development of self-confidence, self-respect and self-esteem in individuals. This orientation toward dimensions of everyday interaction, which allows Honneth to construe injustices as violations of social expectations regarding recognition, distinguishes his approach from those of both Jurgen Habermas's own version of critical theory and John Rawls's political liberalism. He has recently proposed that this formal conception of the good life be used as the basis for a plural concept of justice. In this interview, we discuss his manner of deriving a theory of justice from social theory which, on the one hand, continues a Hegelian method that reconstructs a normative standpoint immanent within social practices but which, on the other hand, goes beyond Hegel by incorporating within this standpoint the potential for transforming and transcending existing social roles within contemporary society. The purview of the interview was established by our agreement to focus on Honneth's newly developed plural conception of justice, its implications with respect to contemporary social issues such as feminism, his conceptualization of social pathologies, and the differences of his own theory from other theories of justice. The interview focuses on his methodology of connecting a theory of justice with the diagnosis of social pathologies and how such a method differs from, for example, contemporary Kantian methods such as Rawls's own strictly political approach to a theory of justice and even Habermas's recent work. We discuss what state legislation he would defend on the basis of his newly formulated theory of justice in order to protect different recognition relationships and how such legislation can become more inclusive or emancipatory. In this respect, Honneth answers how his theory would address injustice to women on certain issues and how it differs in this respect from Rawls's political liberalism. In addition, Honneth explains the differences between his own theory of recognition and those of Nancy Fraser and Judith Butler, as well as the extent to which his own formal conception of the good life accords with the fact of reasonable pluralism. Finally, he briefly explains how he conceives of the relation between the social and the normative within his theory of recognition.1
Tracing the spontaneous mixing and mobility of miscible polymer blends using differential scanning calorimetry [Cellulose acetate‐poly(styrenephosphonate ester)]

A method in which the dissolution of a miscible polymer pair is traced in a differential scanning calorimetry cell is described. The polymer blend is initially prepared as an heterogeneous system with microdomains of one component embedded in the continuous matrix of the second polymer. Annealing the system in the DSC cell above the glass-transition temperature causes a spontaneous mixing of the polymer pair which can be observed by the progressive shift of the Tgs of both components until they merge. The time scale for dissolution and aspects of mass-transport phenomenon are thus determined for the specific blend, cellulose acetate-poly(styronephosphonate ester). Rather sharp progressive shifts of the Tgs are shown to prevail without significant broadening of the transition curve (ΔTg). Mass-transport analyses supported by electron microscopy observation of the blend, before and after annealing, suggest that the domain sizes remain nearly unchanged and the physicochemical makeup of the phase boundary interfaces determines the time scale of dissolution in the system. A model from which mean-value diffusion coefficients are calculated for both components at different annealing temperatures is reported.
Comparison in animal models of 18F-spiroperidol and 18F-haloperidol: potential agents for imaging the dopamine receptor.

Abstract Fluorine-18-labeled haloperidol and spiroperidol have been prepared by an exchange reaction using the corresponding non-labeled compound or the nitro analog. Studies in rats have shown that the distribution of labeled spiroperidol has a high striatum to cerebellum ratio which is not observed with haloperidol. A ratio of 10.66 ± 1.6 is obtained two hours after administration of the 18 F-spiroperidol. When 18 F-spiroperidol was administered to a baboon and tomographic images obtained, the dopamine receptor rich areas were clearly visualized two hours after administration.
A continuous fiber distribution material model for human cervical tissue

The uterine cervix during pregnancy is the vital mechanical barrier which resists compressive and tensile loads generated from a growing fetus. Premature cervical remodeling and softening is hypothesized to result in the shortening of the cervix, which is known to increase a woman׳s risk of preterm birth. To understand the role of cervical material properties in preventing preterm birth, we derive a cervical material model based on previous mechanical, biochemical and histological experiments conducted on nonpregnant and pregnant human hysterectomy cervical tissue samples. In this study we present a three-dimensional fiber composite model that captures the equilibrium material behavior of the tissue in tension and compression. Cervical tissue is modeled as a fibrous composite material, where a single family of preferentially aligned and continuously distributed collagen fibers are embedded in a compressible neo-Hookean ground substance. The total stress in the collagen solid network is calculated by integrating the fiber stresses. The shape of the fiber distribution is described by an ellipsoid where semi-principal axis lengths are fit to optical coherence tomography measurements. The composite material model is fit to averaged mechanical testing data from uni-axial compression and tension experiments, and averaged material parameters are reported for nonpregnant and term pregnant human cervical tissue. The model is then evaluated by investigating the stress and strain state of a uniform thick-walled cylinder under a compressive stress with collagen fibers preferentially aligned in the circumferential direction. This material modeling framework for the equilibrium behavior of human cervical tissue serves as a basis to determine the role of preferentially-aligned cervical collagen fibers in preventing cervical deformation during pregnancy.
On some exact results in thermoplasticity of composite materials

The effect of uniform thermal changes and mechanical loads on the inelastic response is described for certain two-phase materials of arbitrary phase geometry, and for two-phase fibrous systems of any geometry in the transverse plane. Auxiliary uniform strain fields are derived by superposition of the actual thermal field with a field caused by specific uniform overall stresses or strains. For many actual composite systems, the uniform fields are shown to be isotropic and thus capable of causing only elastic strains in a plastically incompressible matrix. This property permits an exact replacement of the actual thermomechanical loading path with a modified mechanical path. The modified path is utilized in derivation of many closed-form expressions for evaluation of the translation vectors for centers of overall yield and relaxation surfaces, instantaneous inelastic moduli, and plastic strains during thermomechanical deformation of the composite materials.
Regularity in Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

AbstractLaws of nature have been traditionally thought to express regularities in the systems which they describe, and, via their expression of regularities, to allow us to explain and predict the ...
The ‘healthy’ family*

The importance of concepts and hypotheses about ‘healthy’ families for family therapists is stressed. A number of different approaches to defining ‘health’ is described. Concepts and hypotheses of family therapists from different schools are integrated into a more encompassing theory, thereby focusing on statements with respect to personality, cognition, behaviour, communication, relationship, role, family system and network. It is noted that family therapy literature lacks information about ‘healthy’ families. Moreover, nearly all statements are non-scientific and normative as they are not founded on empirical research.
Phobias and hypnotizability: a reexamination

25 phobic Ss were administered the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) of Weitzenhoffer and E. R. Hilgard (1962). The mean SHSS:C score was 3.5 (S.D. = 2.6), which was lower than that obtained by comparison groups. The results are in direct opposition to previous results and the predictions of Frankel (1974; Frankel & M. T. Orne, 1976). Potential explanations for the discrepancy in results are discussed, including the possibility that previous studies used unrepresentative samples of phobics. It is suggested that hypnosis may sometimes play a role in the production of phobic symptoms but that other processes must be considered as well.
A control scheme for packed bed reactors having a changing catalyst activity profile. II: On-line optimizing control

Abstract The on-line optimization of packed bed reactor performance is achieved via a comprehensive control system utilizing a two-dimensional partial differential equation reactor model, non-linear distributed parameters state estimation, sequential parameter estimation, control of the maximum estimated temperature and sequential optimization of economic criteria. Excellent performance has been demonstrated in both closed-loop simulation and real-time experiments with an exothermic wall-cooled reactor for the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. This scheme has shown robustness to both uncertain model parameters and catalyst decay. Rapid optimization was accomplished for reactor start-up, process disturbances and changes in the economic objective. Single-variable optimization of the maximum reactor temperature (as controlled by the wall temperature) as well as two-variable optimization manipulating both hotspot temperature and feed flow rate are demonstrated.
A resonant two-color photoionization threshold determination of the ionization energy of the LiOLi molecule

Abstract By measuring the ionization thresholds for several R2PI (resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization spectroscopy) rovibronic transitions from 7 Li 16 O 7 Li[ 1 Σ + g (0,0,0) ] to 7 Li 16 O 7 Li[ 1 B 1 ], we have determined the ionization energy of the 7 Li 16 O 7 Li molecule: 50 907±4 cm −1 (6.3117±0.0005 eV). This value is similar to, but much more accurate than, previous experimental and ab initio estimates.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate Versus Open Prostatectomy: Long-Term Mortality Comparison

To determine whether transurethral prostatectomy results in higher long-term mortality rates than open prostatectomy, we reviewed retrospectively 1,125 patients treated by transurethral and 190 treated by nonperineal open prostatectomy for benign disease at 1 institution from 1978 through 1987. Patients in whom prostatic cancer was found were excluded. We identified age, preoperative medical illnesses and urinary retention, American Society of Anesthesiologists category, type of anesthesia, length of followup, health status and cause of death. For statistical analysis the study cohort consisted of 527 patients in whom the charts were complete and followup was adequate (421 in the transurethral prostatectomy and 106 in the open prostatectomy groups). Mean age for the 2 groups was 66.3 and 67.5 years, respectively. With an average followup of 70.7 months 77% of the transurethral prostatectomy group were alive, compared to 78% of the open prostatectomy group at an average followup of 71.4 months. We found no supportive evidence that transurethral prostatectomy results in higher long-term mortality rates than does an open operation (log-rank test p = 0.74). Also, there was no significant survival difference in patients who required a preoperative Foley catheter. We also examined a subset of patients with adequate followup who had no significant medical history (for example hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and so forth) and compared them to patients with medical illnesses at prostatectomy. There was a significant survival difference between those with and without preoperative medical conditions (Wilcoxon test p = 0.047) in the transurethral prostatectomy group but not in the open group (p = 0.58). However, there was no significant survival difference between procedures among the healthiest subset of patients (p = 0.16).
Changing words or changing rules? Second dialect acquisition and phonological representation

Abstract How do speakers who move to a new dialect region acquire phonological features of the new dialect? While social factors surely play an important role, second dialect acquisition must be constrained by aspects of the linguistic system: the form of phonological representations, their malleability, and the processes that manipulate them to yield surface forms. Second dialect data thus has the potential to shed light on foundational questions in phonological theory. This paper reviews two prominent models of phonological representation – Generative Phonology and Usage-based Phonology – and sets out the predictions each makes regarding how particular kinds of second dialect features may be acquired. These predictions are then evaluated against the results of a sociolinguistic study of mobile adults who acquired their native dialect of English in Canada and later moved to the New York City region, focusing on evidence of change with respect to two features: the cot/caught distinction and height of /ɑʊ/ in Canadian Raising environments. It is argued that the results of this study can best be accounted for within a usage-based model in which phonological representations are both phonetically rich and linked to social labels.
Intraspecific genetic variability in mitochondrial DNA of the screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax).

Mitochondrial DNA variability has been analyzed in the primary screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) using restriction endonuclease fragment patterns and restriction site mapping. A total of 30 different screwworm lines originating from Texas to Costa Rica and the Island of Jamaica was examined using 15 restriction endonucleases. Eleven of the restriction enzymes revealed polymorphism and yielded 16 mitochondrial genotypes or haplotypes. Two of the haplotypes were widely distributed, haplotype 1 being found scattered across southern Mexico and haplotype 2 along the west coast of Mexico. Haplotype 1 also appeared paired with several other haplotypes in mixed lines that were most likely the result of collecting an egg mass to which more than one female had contributed or to some form of contamination by haplotype 1 after introduction into the laboratory. These lines became fixed before single insects were examined and thus it is impossible to rule out heteroplasmy. The other 14 haplotypes were found in only a single locale and 12 of these were found in only one line. The average sequence diversity among 27 mainland lines was about 0.5%. The two Jamaican lines and one east coast mainland line differed from the others by >2%. The pattern of geographical distribution, a small number of apparently recurring haplotypes and a substantial number (75%) of the haplotypes unique, bears similarities to patterns observed in other insects such asDrosophila. The high frequency of unique genotypes in southern Mexico suggests a population with a very reduced gene flow, which may have had a positive effect on the sterile male release control program.
Experiences with 0–36-h Explicit Convective Forecasts with the WRF-ARW Model

Abstract Herein, a summary of the authors’ experiences with 36-h real-time explicit (4 km) convective forecasts with the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF-ARW) during the 2003–05 spring and summer seasons is presented. These forecasts are compared to guidance obtained from the 12-km operational Eta Model, which employed convective parameterization (e.g., Betts–Miller–Janjic). The results suggest significant value added for the high-resolution forecasts in representing the convective system mode (e.g., for squall lines, bow echoes, mesoscale convective vortices) as well as in representing the diurnal convective cycle. However, no improvement could be documented in the overall guidance as to the timing and location of significant convective outbreaks. Perhaps the most notable result is the overall strong correspondence between the Eta and WRF-ARW guidance, for both good and bad forecasts, suggesting the overriding influence of larger scales of forcing on convective development in...
Habit modification of SiO2 doped Y3Al5O12, Y2Fe5O12, and Y3Ga5O12 garnets☆

Abstract The habits of single crystals of the synthetic garnets, when grown from a SiO2 contaminated PbO-PbF2 flux, are dependent on the concentration of SiO2 in the melt. Y3Ga5O12 and Y3Fe5O12 crystals have a pure {211} habit when grown from an undoped melt. The crystal habit changes smoothly from {211} to {110} to {110} ≅ {100} for Y3Ga5O12, and from {211} to {110} for Y3Fe5O12 with increasing SiO2 in the melt. Y3Al5O12 crystals change from {211} > {110} to {211} or from {110} > {211} to {110} with increasing SiO2 in the melt. The basic habit of Y3Al5O12 garnet is dependent on the bulk composition of the melt. Spectrochemical analysis of SiO2 doped Y3Ga5O12 crystals revealed that up to 1.3wt% Si4+ was incorporated in the crystal and similar amounts in both YIG and YA1G garnets. The total divalent metal ion (Pb2+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) concentration in the crystal charge-compensates for Si4+ to maintain electrical neutrality. Analysis and comparison of the variations in oxygen positions in garnets of various composition indicate a tetrahedral site distortion for doped crystals that leads to surface energy conditions favoring a {110} habit for Si4+ doped crystals of Y3Fe5O12 and Y3Ga5O12. On the other hand, the habit change of Y3Al5O12 is believed to be dependent on a surface-contamination mechanism.
Warpage modeling for 3D packages

Package warpage is a primary concern in a package-on-package. To enhance the accuracy of modeling prediction, viscoelastic parameters, the change of material properties after injection mold cure (IMC) and post mold cure (PMC) temperature and it's time, and cure shrinkage were studied with a dynamic modulus analysis (DMA) and a thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) for a mold compound. A nano-indentation tool was used to characterize a viscoelasticity of underfill material. Material properties obtained from the TMA, DMA and nano-indentation tools were introduced to finite-element-based models. The validation of models was verified with a shadow moire for package warpage. As model simplification, inverse approach is described for an example of package warpage.
Electron velocity overshoot observed in an impulse-excited GaAs photoconductor

Abstract We have studied the impulse photoresponse of a GaAs photoconductor excited by 0.17-ps, 610-nm laser pulses. At intermediate average electric fields in the photoconductor, 3.3 − 10 kV/cm, overshoots were observed in the current transient. At both high, 17 kV/cm, and low, 1.7 kV/cm, average electric field, the current transient from the photoconductor showed little or no overshoot. Overshoot was not observed at high electric field because of the limited, 6-ps, time resolution of the measurement; while at the low field, 1.7 kV/cm, no electron-velocity overshoot is expected in GaAs. The duration and field dependences of the observed overshoots are consistent with the transient- electron-velocity overshoot that has been predicted in GaAs by Monte Carlo transport calculations.
Fast and accurate collision detection for haptic interaction using a three degree-of-freedom force-feedback device

Abstract We present a fast and accurate collision detection algorithm for haptic interaction with polygonal models. Given a model, we precompute a hybrid hierarchical representation, consisting of uniform grids (represented using a hash table) and trees of tight-fitting oriented bounding box trees (OBBTrees). At run time, we use hybrid hierarchical representations and exploit frame-to-frame coherence for fast proximity queries. We describe a new overlap test, which is specialized for intersection of a line segment with an oriented bounding box for haptic simulation and takes 42–72 operations including transformation costs. The algorithms have been implemented as part of H-COLLIDE and interfaced with a PHANToM arm and its haptic toolkit, GHOST, and applied to a number of models. As compared to the commercial implementation, we are able to achieve up to 20 times speedup in our experiments and sustain update rates over 1000 Hz on a 400 MHz Pentium II. In practice, our prototype implementation can accurately and efficiently detect contacts between a virtual probe guided by a force-feedback arm and large complex geometries composed of tens of thousands of polygons, with substained KHz rates.
Markers of platelet activation and thrombin generation

The laboratory assessment of platelet biology and coagulation has traditionally focused on abnormalities, congenital or acquired, that provide insights for understanding hemostatic defects, unexplained bleeding, and pharmacologic titration of compounds designed to attenuate thrombotic potential. Because atherosclerotic vascular disease is associated with thrombotic events and there exists a clear link between atherosclerosis, inflammation, and thrombosis, the development of markers that have pathobiologic, prognostic, and treatment-related relevance has taken on a role of considerable importance.
Worry in childhood: A developmental perspective

Age-related and developmental differences in the content and process of worry were examined in children 5 to 6, 8 to 9, and 11 to 12 years of age. These ages were chosen to approximate three levels of cognitive development. A measure of self-concept development was also included. Results suggest that worrisome thoughts occur in children's anxious experiences across the age range studied. However, such thoughts were found to be more prevalent among children age 8 and older. Furthermore, children in the two older groups generated a significantly greater variety of worries than 5- to 6-year-olds. These older children were also significantly more able to elaborate the potentially negative consequences of selected worrisome possiblities. These findings suggest that the worry process may become increasingly complex in middle childhood. Results also supported the view that the content of children's worries is constrained by social-cognitive limitations reflected by their age and level of self-concept development. Worries related to physical well-being decreased significantly, while concerns about behavioral competence, social evaluation and psychological well-being became more prevalent with increasing age and self-concept complexity. Implications for a definition of worry in childhood and its role in childhood anxiety are discussed.
The ability to reason about movement in the visual field

Abstract In tests of visual-spatial reasoning, the examinee must reason about some aspect of a picture. Because of the limitations of paper-and-pencil tests, the picture do not contain any moving elements. These are referred to as static displays. Outside the test situation, people frequently have to reason about visual displays that contain moving elements. These will be called dynamic displays. This experiment investigated whether or not individual differences in the ability to reason about dynamic displays are predictable from tests using static displays. One hundred and seventy people were given a battery of tests, including six standard paper-and-pencil tests of visual-spatial ability, five computer-controlled tests using static displays, and six computer-controlled tests using dynamic displays. Several multivariate analyses indicated that the ability to reason about dynamic visual motion is distinct from the ability to reason about static displays.
Comparative Energy Analysis of VRF and VAV Systems Under Cooling Mode

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) or variable refrigerant volume (VRV) systems provide many benefits over traditional air-conditioning systems, with great potential to decrease energy cost and increase thermal comfort in buildings. This paper presents a method to size and select VRF systems and to compute its annual energy consumption. The study compares the cooling energy usage of a VRF system against a conventional chiller-based variable-air-volume (VAV) system and a packaged VAV (PVAV) system for a typical light commercial building. The results reveal that the peak electrical demand of the VRF system for the cooling season is about 60% of the chiller-based VAV system and 70% of the packaged VAV systems, and the operating energy usage is about 53% of the chiller-based VAV system and 60% of the packaged VAV system for the building studied.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Reversible Effects of Lysolecithin on Fusion of Cultured Rat Muscle Cells

Lysolecithin prevented the natural cell fusion in monolayer cultures of rat leg muscle cells when it was added in the range of 120 to 160 μg/ml of complete growth medium. The cells rapidly recovered the ability to fuse after withdrawal of the lysolecithin medium and replacement by the regular growth medium. Lysolecithin prevented myogenic cell fusion within a narrow concentration range in the presence of sufficient concentration of calcium and pH values between 7.4 and 7.8. Comparisons between effects of lysolecithin, high cyclic-AMP and low calcium-containing media on cultures of muscle cells were also made. The elaboration of long, thin processes from the bipolar ends of myogenic cells was a feature particularly noticeable with lysolecithin and cyclic-AMP-containing culture plates. The possible influences of other, non-specified, natural surfactants, reacting with lipoprotein micelles of the plasmalemma and subsequently affecting the orientation and arrangement of cell boundaries during differentiation of various cell types, are discussed.
The effects of salts on the rheological characteristics of a drag-reducing cationic surfactant solution with shear-induced micellar structures

The effect of the counterion salt sodium salicylate (Nasal) on the transient rheological properties of a drag-reducing surfactant system tris (2-hydroxyethyl) tallowalkyl ammonium acetate (TTAA) has been studied with both rheometric and rheo-optical methods. Three types of transient behavior for N1 and viscosity were identified in 5 mM TTAA solutions depending on the counterion concentration: induction and growth (below equimolar concentration); overshoot and growth (above equimolar concentration); and overshoot then plateau (at high concentrations of Nasal). The transient flow birefringence and orientation angle show trends similar to those of the viscosity and N1. The second type of transient behavior suggests a two-stage alignment and shear thickening process. The SIS buildup time from the quiescent state, the rebuilding time after a strong preshear, and the relaxation time were also obtained from N1 measurements, and show a maximum around equimolar conditions. The initial N1 and viscosity immediately after the flow startup, on the other hand, show a maximum around a ratio of 2.5 to 3 Nasal/TTAA. For solutions with a Nasal concentration in the ratio 1.5 to 3, the steady state values of N1 and viscosity do not show much variation with Nasal concentration over the shear rate range covered, however. The effect of an addition of sodium chloride (NaCI) to an equimolar Nasal/TTAA solution on the characteristic times and steady state values was also quantified. These rheological results provide us with tools to determine the optimal concentration ratio for practical drag reduction applications.
Mechanisms of light adaptation in rat retina

Green, Dowling, Siegel and Ripps (1975) J. gen. Physiof. 65, 483-502 found that both receptors and post-receptoral elements regulate the process of light adaptation in skate retina. As a test of the generality of this conclusion, we repeated their experiments on the retina of the intact albino rat. Increment threshold and intensity-response functions of aspartate-isolated receptor potentials, ERG b-waves and single retinal ganglion cell axons were measured, and all were found to be similar to those described by Green et al. (1975). In particular, the adaptive properties of the b-wave and ganglion cells were similar to each other, but different from those of the receptor potential. We conclude that the retinal mechanisms of light adaptation are similar in rat and skate.
From Sectoral Linkages to Class Conflict: Trade and Coalition Formation in Britain Prior to and After World War I

Although the sectoral framework on global commerce and coalition formation provides a better explanation of trade and political alignments in pre-1914 Britain than the Stolper-Samuelson framework, it shares the main shortcoming of the latter when applied to the interwar period. Neither approach explains the restructuring of politics along class lines after 1918. According to the sectoral framework, the continued imperfect mobility of capital and labor and deeper divisions within the business community should have led to greater, not less, cross-class cooperation over trade and trade-related issues. This article extends an earlier critique of the Stolper-Samuelson framework to address this puzzle. It argues that weak worker trade union organization modifies the incentive of business owners to align with labor on trade, even when imperfect capital mobility and divisions in the business community heighten the incentive of capitalists to form lobbying coalitions with labor. In addition to addressing the marke...
Semi-supervised based active class selection for automatic identification of sub-kilometer craters

Counting craters is a fundamental task of planetary science, because it provides the only tool for measuring relative ages of planetary surfaces. In this paper, we combine active learning with semi-supervised learning to build an new semisupervised active class selection system for crater detection from high resolution panchromatic planetary images. We propose the Semi-supervised Active Class Selection Algorithm to iteratively enrich an original small training set, without additional human labeling effort, to detect craters from a large volume of images. We propose two strategies to improve detection accuracy by integrating classification with exploration on unlabeled samples. The Majority Vote Strategy is used to automatically obtain class labels by exploiting unlabeled samples from test images. In the same time, the Active Stability Strategy is used to obtain an appropriate class distribution in the constructed training set by detecting unstable classes. By using those two strategies, we actively select test instances from test images into an existing small initial training set while re-learning the classifier in the mean time. The proposed algorithm is empirically evaluated on a large challenging Martian image, exhibiting a heavily cratered Martian terrain characterized by heterogeneous surface morphology. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves a higher accuracy than other existing approaches to a large extent.
Short-term and long-term radioprotective effect of magnesium pemoline.

Magnesium-Pemoline, ein mildes Reizmittel fur das Nervensystem, hat sich als gutes Strahlenschutzmittel fur kurze oder lange Zeitdauer erwiesen. Fur den Schutz uber eine kurze Zeitdauer ist die Wirkung abhangig von der Arzneimitteldosis, fur denjenigen uber eine langere Zeitdauer (bis zu 2 Wochen) ist jedoch eine sehr hohe Dosis (75 mg/kg) notwendig.
Ovarian hormones and binge eating in bulimia nervosa.

Background. Symptom fluctuation in bulimia nervosa (BN) is related to menstrual cycle phase. However, the relationship between bulimic symptoms and ovarian hormones (estrogens and pro- gesterone) has not been examined directly in women with BN. Method. Regularly menstruating women with DSM-IV BN (n=9) and regularly menstruating controls (n=8) collected hormone samples and recorded mood and bulimic symptoms daily for 35 consecutive days. Estradiol and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay. Within-subject analyses examined prospective longitudinal associations between changes in ovarian hormones and changes in binge frequency in women with BN. Analyses controlled for the possible influence of negative affect on binge frequency as well as the influence of progesterone when examining estradiol associations and the influence of estradiol when examining progesterone associations. Between- subject analyses examined whether women with BN were more likely to have disrupted hormonal profiles than controls. Results. Increases in binge eating were significantly associated with both decreases in estradiol and increases in progesterone in BN women with intact menstrual cycles. Although BN women were more likely to have disrupted hormone profiles than controls, this difference did not reach statistical significance, and mean estradiol and progesterone levels did not differ between bulimic and control groups. Conclusions. The results are consistent with those from experimental animal studies and suggest that decreases in estradiol and increases in progesterone may contribute to increases in binge eating. Ovarian hormone function represents a promising candidate for unraveling the neurobiological mechanisms of binge eating.
Demographics and Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This article reviews the terminology of obstructive sleep apnea and the associated diagnostic tests and provides an overview of the risk factors for this chronic condition. Sleep apnea affects 2% to 4% of middle-aged working adults in the general population, however, a considerable number of affected individuals remain undiagnosed. Patients with the disease may be at a higher risk for adverse perioperative outcomes. Knowledge of factors associated with an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea is vital to the perioperative assessment and anesthetic plan.
Interior immigration enforcement: The impacts of expanding local law enforcement authority

A growing emphasis on interior immigration enforcement in the US has broadened the legal authority of state and local law enforcers to investigate and enforce immigration violations, thereby expanding the federal government’s interior enforcement capabilities. This study investigates how local immigration enforcement programs, such as 287g, alter the operational priorities of local law enforcers and impact communities in two jurisdictions in North Carolina. Our findings show that despite different jurisdictional implementation styles and contexts, the 287g Program led to increasing fear and distrust of law enforcement among immigrants and affected police–community relationships in ways that compromise public safety and security. The unintended negative community consequences found in our study suggest that the federal government should be more cautious about authorising state and local jurisdictions to carry out immigration enforcement.
A Comparison of Conventional and Radio Frequency Thawing of Beef Meats: Effects on Product Temperature Distribution

This study examined the use of pilot-scale radio frequency (RF) heating for thawing beef meat blends (lean, 50:50 lean/fat and fat). The aim was to thaw blocks (4 kg) to within a target temperature range of −1 to +5°C. Post-thawing temperature distribution in the blocks was compared to that of blocks thawed by conventional air thawing. The optimum RF conditions for thawing lean meat was 35 min of RF heating delivered in a noncontinuous fashion (20 min on, 10 min off, and followed by 15 min on) at 400 W, which gave a mean temperature of 0.2°C (SD 1.8). By comparison, conventional thawing was achieved in 50 h 20 min which represented an 85-fold difference in thawing time. Comparable uniformity of temperature distribution was obtained by each method. For the lean/fat mixture and 100% fat, the target range could not be achieved due to problems of runaway heating. The latter phenomenon relates to the manner in which the absorbed energy is transferred throughout the material as influenced by the thermophysical properties of the product.