cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adherence of a nickel-chromium alloy and porcelain

1. Surface oxide favors adherence. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that chromium oxide has a deleterious effect on adherence as measured by the torsion test. 2. Gritblasting the surface before porcelain application improves adherence. Smooth uncoated specimens where oxide was removed before enameling developed insufficient amounts of oxide for bonding. 3. The particular coating agent used on this study indirectly promotes adherence, since additional oxide forms during its application. Also, it may be directly involved by its influence on the residual stress distribution in the interface porcelain. 4. The more extensive the reaction zone at the interface, the further away the fracture surface is from the interface.
Electrostatic effects in unfolded staphylococcal nuclease

Structure-based calculations of pKa values and electrostatic free energies of proteins assume that electrostatic effects in the unfolded state are negligible. In light of experimental evidence showing that this assumption is invalid for many proteins, and with increasing awareness that the unfolded state is more structured and compact than previously thought, a detailed examination of electrostatic effects in unfolded proteins is warranted. Here we address this issue with structure-based calculations of electrostatic interactions in unfolded staphylococcal nuclease. The approach involves the generation of ensembles of structures representing the unfolded state, and calculation of Coulomb energies to Boltzmann weight the unfolded state ensembles. Four different structural models of the unfolded state were tested. Experimental proton binding data measured with a variant of nuclease that is unfolded under native conditions were used to establish the validity of the calculations. These calculations suggest that weak Coulomb interactions are an unavoidable property of unfolded proteins. At neutral pH, the interactions are too weak to organize the unfolded state; however, at extreme pH values, where the protein has a significant net charge, the combined action of a large number of weak repulsive interactions can lead to the expansion of the unfolded state. The calculated pKa values of ionizable groups in the unfolded state are similar but not identical to the values in small peptides in water. These studies suggest that the accuracy of structure-based calculations of electrostatic contributions to stability cannot be improved unless electrostatic effects in the unfolded state are calculated explicitly.
Is Intraoperative CT of Posterior Cervical Spine Instrumentation Cost-effective and Does It Reduce Complications?

Background Symptomatic multilevel cervical myelopathy is often addressed using posterior decompression using two-dimensional fluoroscopy. Intraoperative three-dimensional fluoroscopy provides more accurate information on the position of instrumentation to prevent screw-related complications.
Cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and acute in vivo toxicity of dendrimers based on melamine, candidate vehicles for drug delivery.

A small library of dendrimers was prepared from a common precursor that is available in 5 g scale in five linear steps at 56% overall yield. The precursor is a generation three dendrimer that displays 48 peripheral sites by incorporating AB4 surface groups. Manipulation of these sites provided six dendrimers that vary in the chemistry of the surface group (amine, guanidine, carboxylate, sulfonate, phosphonate, and PEGylated) that were evaluated for hemolytic potential and cytotoxicity. Cationic dendrimers were found to be more cytotoxic and hemolytic than anionic or PEGylated dendrimers. The PEGylated dendrimer was evaluated for acute toxicity in vivo. No toxicityneither mortality nor abnormal blood chemistry based on blood urea nitrogen levels or alanine transaminase activitywas observed in doses up to 2.56 g/kg ip and 1.28 g/kg iv.
An adaptive finite element scheme for transient problems in CFD

Abstract An adaptive finite element scheme for transient problems is presented. The classic h-enrichment / coarsening is employed in conjunction with a triangular finite element discretization in two dimensions. A mesh change is performed every n timesteps, depending on the Courant number employed and the number of ‘protective layers’ added ahead of the refined region. In order to simplify the refinement/ coarsening logic and to be as fast as possible, only one level of refinement/coarsening is allowed per mesh change. A high degree of vectorizability has been achieved on the CRAY XMP 12 at NRL. Several examples involving shock-shock interactions and the impact of shocks on structures demonstrate the performance of the method, indicating that considerable savings in CPU time and storage can be realized even for strongly unsteady flows.
Leakage of Light in Liquid Crystal Displays and Birefringent Thin Film Compensators

This paper elucidates the physical origin of leakage of light in the dark state of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and describes birefringent thin film compensators to mitigate the problems. There are two fundamental sources of leakage of light in LCDs. They are the leakage of light through a pair of ideal crossed polarizers, and the leakage of light due to elliptical state of polarization after transmitting through the liquid crystal (LC) cell. The leakage of light in the dark state leads to poor contrast ratios and color instability, particularly at large viewing angles. The paper then describes the employment of sixth-wave (λ/6) plates as well as various wave plates that function as birefringent compensators for eliminating the leakage of light in LCDs.
Inpatient Initiation and Target Dosing of ACE Inhibitors and Beta-Blockers in Children with Heart Failure

Introduction: Angiotensin converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers are considered standard pharmacologic therapy in adults and children with congestive heart failure (CHF). Prescribing these medications prior to hospital discharge and subsequent uptitration to target doses improves patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy in adults. To date, performance standards measuring prescriber compliance in utilizing these agents in children with CHF have not been evaluated. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the rates of inpatient prescribing and subsequent outpatient target dosing of ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and beta-blockers in children with CHF were low. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of children discharged from our institution with a diagnosis of CHF from 2004e2011. Patients (pts) with acute graft rejection, hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathy and shunt lesions were excluded. CHF had to be attributable to ventricular dysfunction only. Etiologies included dilated cardiomyopathy (n558), acute viral myocarditis (n59) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (n53). Medication dosages, as defined by institutional practice and formulary, were collected to determine target dose at discharge (DC), 90 days and 1 year post-discharge. Target dosages of beta-blockers were: carvedilol 0.8 mg/kg/day or 25e50 mg/day; metoprolol 2 mg/kg/day or 100e200 mg/day. Target dosages of ACE inhibitors were: captopril 2 mg/kg/day or 150 mg/day; enalapril 0.4 mg/kg/day or 10e20 mg/day. Results: The study included 70 pts, with a mean age of 6.4 6 6.3 years. Pts (%) received an ACE inhibitor or ARB at DC (97), 90 days (90) and 1 year (77). Target doses (% of time) were met at DC (46), 90 days (50) and 1 year (39). Pts (%) received a beta-blocker at DC (70), 90 days (76) and 1 year (64). Target doses (% of time) were met at DC (11), 90 days (14) and 1 year (16). At 1 year, 37 pts had been readmitted (23%), transplanted (20%) or died (10%). Six pts (9%) were no longer followed by us. The mean shortening fraction at DC, 90 days, and 1 year was 21, 27 and 34%, respectively. Conclusion: Prescription rates of ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers at hospital discharge are high for children with CHF and comparable to adult practice. However, improvement is needed to ensure these children receive appropriate doses of ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in follow up.
Disparities in peaks, plateaus, and declines in prevalence of high BMI among adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate trends in prevalence of high BMI from 2001 to 2008 and examine racial/ethnic disparities. METHODS: Records for a total of 8 283 718 fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade students who underwent California9s school-based BMI screening between 2001 and 2008 were included. Logistic regression identified trends in prevalence of high BMI (≥85th, ≥95th, ≥97th, and ≥99th percentiles). RESULTS: For 3 of 4 BMI cut points, prevalence continued to increase for black and American Indian girls through 2008, Hispanic girls plateaued after 2005, non-Hispanic white girls declined to 2001 prevalence levels after peaking in 2005, and Asian girls showed no increases. Non-Hispanic white boys peaked in 2005, then declined to 2001 prevalence levels for all BMI cut points; Hispanic and Asian boys declined after 2005 (for 3 lowest BMI cut points only) but remained above 2001 levels; and American Indian boys peaked later (2007) and declined only for BMI ≥95th. No girls and few boys showed a decline after peaking in prevalence of BMI ≥99th percentile. In 2008, disparities in prevalence were greatest for BMI ≥99th percentile, with prevalence of 4.9% for American Indian girls and 4.6% for black girls versus 1.3% for non-Hispanic white girls. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of statewide California data, prevalence of high BMI is declining for some groups but has not declined for American Indian and black girls. These trends portend greater disparities over time, particularly in severe obesity. Interventions and policies that are tailored to the highest risk groups should be pursued.
Group psychotherapy of children and adolescents in a group private practice: Practicalities and pragmatics

This paper describes the physical plant and the personnel interactions within a group private practice psychiatric clinic where group psychotherapy of children and adolescents constitutes a significant delegation of time, energy and costs. It also briefly outlines the kinds of groups we have, what models we use and the practical problems we face in our setting.
Testing whether waterfowl hunting benefits increase with greater water deliveries to wetlands.

The change in waterfowl hunting benefits due to an increase in water deliveries to the levels required for biologically optimal wildlife refuge management at California's San Joaquin Valley National Wildlife Refuges are estimated with the Travel Cost Method, using both ordinary least squares and Poisson count data estimators. To test whether these increases were statistically significant, the Krinsky and Robb technique was used to find confidence intervals around the consumer surplus point estimates. The increases in consumer surplus were found to be statistically significant in 5 of the 6 refuges based on OLS regression estimates and in all 6 refuges using Poisson count data regression estimates. In addition, a comparison of the marginal value of an acre-foot of water in consumptive recreational use versus agriculture use is made, with the finding that the marginal value of water in waterfowl hunting was greater than the marginal value of water in agriculture for one of the six refuges.
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the external auditory canal (EAC).

We present the third case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the external auditory canal (EAC) in the English literature, and discuss the management of this lesion. The patient underwent a wide local r...
Phase Shifter Merging

Phase shifters are used in conjunction with Linear Feedback Shift Registers and Cellular Automata in order to impose sufficient channel separations on the bit sequences produced by their successive cells. The aim is to reduce structural correlations and/or linear dependencies that are problematic for pseudorandom and pseudoexhaustive built-in test pattern generation (TPG). In this paper we present a synthesis approach that merges the logic of the original TPG mechanism with that of the required phase shifter network and yields a new compact structure that can offer lower area overhead and improved frequency of operation than the existing approach.
Diagnostic accuracy of 2 cone-beam computed tomography protocols for detecting arthritic changes in temporomandibular joints.

Introduction The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a complex joint that often develops degenerative joint disease. Clinical examination alone cannot usually diagnose this accurately, and a radiographic examination complements and aids in diagnosis and treatment. The osseous components of the TMJ complex are best imaged using computed tomography. The evolution of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) offers a low radiation dose and a high spatial resolution alternative and is becoming the imaging modality of choice for the TMJ. To further reduce the dose and yet not compromise the diagnostic task at hand, some alternative rotation acquisition protocols are available but have not been adequately evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of 2 CBCT acquisition protocols to detect degenerative changes associated with the TMJ complex. Methods Thirty-four TMJs, from 17 dry human skulls, were obtained from the anatomy department at the School of Dental Medicine of the University of Connecticut. The sample consisted of complete dentate and partially dentate skulls with no identifiable markers such as age, sex, or ethnicity. Small and large lesions simulating early and established arthritic changes were created on the mandibular condyle. Each defect was randomly created on the medial pole, articulating surface, or lateral pole. After simulating the articular disc with rubber dam material, the condyle and the glenoid fossa were articulated and positioned in place by a rubber band. The skulls were scanned by using an Accuitomo CBCT scanner (J. Morita Corp, Kyoto, Japan) with 180° and 360° rotation protocols. Two operators scored the lesions and compared the results to the gold standard, which was the master list of where the lesions were made on the condyles. Results On the 102 randomly selected sites, 39 large and 33 small lesions were made, and the rest of the sites had no lesions. The detection rates for areas with large lesions and areas with no lesions were 100% between the examiners. However, of the 33 small lesions, each examiner was able to identify 32 of them with the 360° scans: a 97.4% detection rate when compared with the gold standard. With the 180° scan, 94.9% of the small lesions were detected when compared with the gold standard, and 96.9% were detected with the 360° scan. The overall interexaminer reliability was over 90% for both imaging protocols (Cronbach's alpha, 92.4% for 180° and 97% for 360°). Conclusions Based on the results of this study, the 180° CBCT acquisition protocol can detect small and large arthritic lesions with high reliability and is comparable with the 360° spin acquisition.
Effect of promoter driving selectable marker on corn transformation

Identification of an appropriate selection agent and its corresponding selectable marker gene is one of the first steps in establishing a transformation protocol for a given plant species. As the promoter controls expression level of the genes, the promoter driving the selectable marker gene can affect transformation. However, investigations into the direct effect of promoters driving selectable marker on transformation are lacking in the literature though many reports of relative strengths of promoters driving reporter genes like GUS or CAT or GFP are available. In the present study, we have compared rice Actin1 and CaMV.35S (commonly used promoters in monocotyledonous plant transformation) promoters driving nptII for their effectiveness in paromomycin selection of transgenic corn events. To enable statistically meaningful analysis of the results, a large sample size of nearly 5,000 immature embryos (explants) was employed producing approximately 1,250 independent events from each of the two constructs in four independent experiments. The rate of appearance of resistant calli and percentage of resistant calli recovered was higher with P-Os.Actin1/nptII/nos3′ as compared to P-CaMV.35S/nptII/nos3′ in all four experiments. There was no appreciable difference either in the frequency of plant regeneration or in the morphological characteristics of plants recovered from the two constructs. Although the escape rate trended lower with P-Os.Actin1 as compared to P-CaMV.35S, the recovery of low copy events was significantly higher with P-CaMV.35S. The higher transformation frequency with P-Os.Actin1 could be related to the strength of this promoter as compared to P-CaMV.35S in the explants and/or calli. Based on these results, we infer that the promoter driving the selectable marker is an important factor to be considered while establishing a high throughput transformation protocol as it could not only influence the transformation frequency but also the copy number of the transgene in the recovered transgenics.
THE IMPACT OF HERBIVORY ON PLANTS IN DIFFERENT RESOURCE CONDITIONS: A META-ANALYSIS

Understanding how plant recovery from herbivory interacts with the resource environment is necessary to predict under what resource conditions plants are most affected by herbivory, and ultimately how herbivory impacts plant population dynamics. It has been commonly assumed that plants are generally best able to recover from herbivory when growing in high resource conditions, an assumption which is supported by some models (e.g., the continuum of responses model) but opposed by others (e.g., the growth rate model). The validity and generality of any effects of resources (light, nutrients, and water) on plant recovery from herbivory were tested with mixed-model, factorial meta-analyses using a log response ratio metric applied to plant growth and reproduction data from the ecological literature. In total, 81 records from 45 studies were included in the growth meta-analysis, and 24 records from 14 studies in the reproduction meta-analysis. High resource levels and the absence of herbivory both strongly increased plant growth and reproduction. There was no significant overall interaction between growth or reproduction after herbivory and re- source conditions, but the interaction terms were significant for each plant functional group in the growth meta-analysis. Basal meristem monocots grew significantly more after her- bivory in high resources, while both dicot herbs and woody plants grew significantly more after herbivory in low resources. A similar result was found in the 34.6% of growth records where exact- or overcompensation occurred. Overcompensation was more likely in high resources for monocots and in low resources for dicot herbs. The reproduction data set was too small to subdivide. These qualitative differences between monocot and dicot herbs and woody plants explain many of the contradictory results in the literature and show that no single current model can account for the responses of all plants to herbivory.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) contamination of fish in urban lakes: A prioritization methodology for lake management

The contamination of urban lakes by anthropogenic pollutants such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a worldwide environmental problem. Large-scale, long-term monitoring of urban lakes requires careful prioritization of available resources, focusing efforts on potentially impaired lakes. Herein, a database of PFOS concentrations in 304 fish caught from 28 urban lakes was used for development of an urban-lake prioritization framework by means of exploratory data analysis (EDA) with the aid of a geographical information system. The prioritization scheme consists of three main tiers: preliminary classification, carried out by hierarchical cluster analysis; predictor screening, fulfilled by a regression tree method; and model development by means of a neural network. The predictive performance of the newly developed model was assessed using a training/validation splitting method and determined by an external validation set. The application of the model in the U.S. state of Minnesota identified 40 urban lakes that may contain elevated levels of PFOS; these lakes were not previously considered in PFOS monitoring programs. The model results also highlight ongoing industrial/commercial activities as a principal determinant of PFOS pollution in urban lakes, and suggest vehicular traffic as an important source and surface runoff as a primary pollution carrier. In addition, the EDA approach was further compared to a spatial interpolation method (kriging), and their advantages and disadvantages were discussed.
Nitric oxide has no chronotropic effect in right atria isolated from rat heart

This study was designed to determine if nitric oxide (NO) has direct effects on heart rate or if it is involved in the chronotropic actions of adrenergic or cholinergic stimulation. Right atria were isolated from hearts of adult male rats, bathed in Krebs-Henseleit buffer (37 degrees C), and used to monitor spontaneous rate. For comparison, ring segments of thoracic aorta were also suspended in the Krebs-Henseleit solution and used to examine vascular actions of various agents. The dose-dependent chronotropic effects of acetylcholine (10(-7)-10(-3) M) and norepinephrine (10(-8)-3 x 10(-4) M) in right atria were not affected by pretreatment with 10(-4) M N-nitro-L-arginine or 10(-3) M N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester, inhibitors of L-arginine-derived NO production. SIN-1 (3-morpholino-sydnonimine), an agent which releases NO in aqueous solution, elicited a dose-dependent (0.3-100 microM) vasorelaxation in aortic preparations constricted with 60 mM KCl; the ED50 value for this effect was increased by pretreatment with methylene blue (10 microM) and LY-83,583 (6-(phenylamino)-5,8- quinolinedione; 1 and 3 microM), compounds which inhibit NO-induced stimulation of guanylate cyclase. SIN-1 produced a negative chronotropic effect in right atria; however, this action was not observed at concentrations less than 300 microM and was not antagonized by methylene blue or LY-83,583. 8-Bromo cyclic GMP produced a dose-dependent (10-3000 microM) decrease in KCl-induced tension in aortic rings. In right atria, 8-bromo cyclic GMP elicited a positive chronotropic effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
THE WOMAN IN WHITE AND GRAPHIC SEX

WALTER HARTRIGHT, THE primary narrator of The Woman in White (1859–60), commences the novel with a declaration – “This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve” – followed by a complaint that relative poverty drove that “story” out of the courts because “the machinery of the Law” relies so heavily on “the lubricating influences of oil of gold” (5). Despite this beginning, the novel's concern with legal procedure is playfully opportunistic. Here Hartright grumbles about the Law's avaricious practice, but Collins will make a lawyer, Mr Wansborough, the key agent in Hartright's enrichment and social elevation. By contrast the novel is deeply engaged with its own historical moment as a time when creative endeavors of all kinds were being transformed by the laws of machinery. And thus it is the vehicle for Collins's metaphorical legal system – the creaking and covetous machine – that points to my present argument: that The Woman in White is English literature's first industrialized kunstlerroman, a portrait of the artist which seeks to reconcile representation and reproduction by equating modern modes of illustration with the primal goals of biological creation.
Long-term changes in vocal quality following isshiki thyroplasty type I

Long-term changes in vocal quality, pre-Isshiki thyroplasty type I and up to 4 years 4 months post-thyroplasty, were determined in a group of five subjects exhibiting unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Thyroplasty type I medializes the paralyzed fold by using a Silastic® implant for external compression of the paralyzed vocal fold. No periphonosurgical or postphonosurgical complications were noted. Longitudinal evaluation resulted in significantly higher vocal fundamental frequency, significant moderation of habitual vocal intensity, and significantly longer minimum phonation time
South Louisiana crude oil and DDE in the diet of mallard hens: Effects on reproduction and duckling survival

The reproductive performance of precocial birds fed an environmental contaminant often is measured in terms of egg production, fertility, hatchability, eggshell thickness, and survival of unstressed young. However, no one, to our knowledge, has examined the ability of offspring, produced by females fed an environmental pollutant, to survive under energetically poor conditions. Young precocial birds often are subjected to chilling and starvation upon hatching and the time immediately posthatching is probably the most crucial period in the ultimate determination of the number of new individuals recruited into a population. Crude oil and DDE were selected as environmental pollutants for study because of their widespread occurrence and significance in the environment. South Louisiana crude oil (SLCO) and DDE fed to mallard hens have been shown to cause significant declines in reproductive success by decreasing egg production, hatchability, and eggshell thickness. In this paper the effects of dietary SLCO and DDE upon the reproductive performance of mallard hens are documented and also the reduced ability of offspring produced by these hens to survive under energetically poor conditions.
The Structure of Political Conflict in the New States of Tropical Africa

Having assumed the burden of understanding political life in two-and-a-half dozen unruly countries, political scientists who study the new states of tropical Africa must leap with assurance where angels fear to tread. We have borrowed, adapted, or invented an array of frameworks designed to guide perceptions of disparate events, and Africa is now uniformly viewed through the best lenses of contemporary comparative politics with a focus on political modernization, development and integration. Unfortunately, it appears that when we rely exclusively on these tools in order to accomplish our task, the aspects of political life which we, as well as non-specialists, see most clearly with the naked eye of informed common sense, remain beyond the range of our scientific vision. In our pursuit of scientific progress, we have learned to discern such forms as regular patterns of behavior which constitute structures and institutions; but the most salient characteristic of political life in Africa is that it constitutes an almost institutionless arena with conflict and disorder as its most prominent features. In recent years, almost every new African state has experienced more or less successful military or civilian coups, insurrections, mutinies, severe riots, and significant political assassinations. Some of them appear to be permanently on the brink of disintegration into several new political units. With little regard for the comfort of social scientists, the incidence of conflict and disorder appears unrelated to such variables as type of colonial experience, size, number of parties, absolute level or rate of economic and social development, as well as to the overall characteristics of regimes. The downfall of what was widely regarded as the continent's most promising democracy in January, 1966, was followed in February by the demise of what many thought to be the continent's harshest authoritarian regime.
Use of previously burned skin as random cutaneous local flaps in pediatric burn reconstruction

Reconstruction after post-burn scarring remains a challenge. It is especially true in the severely burned patient, who normally presents with a paucity of donor sites. Healed skin from areas that had been burned and skin from grafted areas (termed as previously burned skin) have been occasionally used as flaps, but their safety is still in debate. We studied all patients undergoing burn reconstruction with normal skin flaps and previously burned skin flaps in the same operative procedure between April 1998 and October 1998 to determine the safety of flaps including burned and healed tissues. Patients served as their own controls. Three hundred and fifty-three local flaps were studied in 74 patients. These included 238 previously burned skin flaps and 115 normal skin flaps. There were no differences in complication rates between groups and only one previously burned skin flap suffered from complete necrosis. The use of local previously burned skin as flaps in burn reconstruction is safe. Reconstruction with flaps should be considered as first choice in burn reconstruction regardless of the quality of the local tissue.
Prognostic Indicators in Early Breast Cancer

Approximately 115,000 new cases of axillary node negative breast cancer were diagnosed in this country last year. Since about 20-30% of these patients will ultimately relapse and die of their disease, adjuvant systemic therapy has been advocated for this group to decrease the relapse rate and prolong survival. However, although most clinical trials have demonstrated a modest impact on disease recurrence, the available data have failed to show consistent improvements in overall survival and does not justify the generalized use of systemic treatment in this patient subgroup. For this reason, a plethora of prognostic factors have been described to identify those patients with a higher risk of recurrence to concentrate therapeutic options in this specific group. Of all the disease prognosticators studied, tumor size, nuclear grade, and proliferative indexes appear to correlate well with tumor recurrence. In addition, biologic characteristics of primary tumors such as the presence of hormone and growth factor receptors, secretion of specific polypeptides and proteases, expression of proto-oncogenes, and abnormalities in tumor suppressor genes have been shown to be potentially useful as prognostic indicators in patients with early breast cancer. Despite these provocative data, larger clinical trials are necessary before incorporating these parameters in the routine evaluation of patients with axillary node negative breast cancer.
Fuzzy logic finite state machine models for real time systems

Dynamic linguistic models can be implemented by fuzzy automata. In this paper the model of the fuzzy-state-fuzzy-output finite state machine (FSFO FSM) is discussed. The FSFO FSM is realized using the concepts of crisp-state-fuzzy-output FSM (CSFO FSM) and state membership functions (SMF). A systematic method is suggested to design the state transients of the FSFO FSM by means of a specified sequence of changes at the fuzzy inputs and outputs. The presented FSFO FSM model exhibits new features for tuning adaptive fuzzy logic controllers working in the real time environment. >
Lung reperfusion in dogs causes bilateral lung injury

Occlusion of the pulmonary arterial circulation to a lung for prolonged periods has been reported to result in only minimal alterations in lung morphology. We studied the effects of 48 h of pulmona...
Electronic Conduction and Thermopower of Magnetite and Iron‐Aluminate Spinels

Electrical-conductivity and thermoelectric-power measurements of magnetite and iron-aluminate spinels at high temperatures confirm a small-polaron model of electronic conduction. Electrical properties corroborate the previously established cation distribution and defect model. Iron cations become randomly distributed between sublattices at the highest temperature. An n-to-p transition therefore occurs at the 50%Fe3O4-50%FeAl2O4 composition. Cation distribution and defect equilibria appear to be independent of composition.
Culture and adenoviral infection of sinoatrial node myocytes from adult mice

A new method is described for the culture of fully differentiated pacemaker cells from adult mice. Cultured sinoatrial myocytes retain normal morphological and electrophysiological properties. Robu...
Dating Violence Among College Men and Women Evaluation of a Theoretical Model

This study empirically evaluates the Riggs and O'Leary (1989) model of dating violence. A sample of 200 college students completes assessments concerning the occurrence of violence in their dating relationships. The incidence of self-reported partner violence is 25% for women and 10% for men. Multivariate logistic regression analyses are performed to determine the most salient predictors of dating violence for each gender. Findings reveal that the model is more accurate in predicting female, as compared with male perpetration of dating violence. The model accurately classifies 83% of violent women and only 30% of violent men. This study has several implications for the field of dating violence. Results indicate that although there is some degree of overlap, variant constructs predict violence for each gender. Identifying these constructs will guide prevention efforts in more effectively decreasing the occurrence of dating violence.
What is Seen Through the Looking Glass: The Impact of Training on Practitioner Self-Rating of Motivational Interviewing Skills

Training efforts for evidenced based treatments require evaluation, yet the value of practitioner self-reports of skills acquisition has been questioned. Thus, a key issue concerns how accurately practitioners assess their own clinical skills. In the current study, 23 community practitioners participated in training of Motivational Interviewing (MI), completed standardized patient (SP) interviews before and after training, and provided self-ratings of MI elements after each interview. Interview recordings were later coded independently. Results suggest training contributed to: 1) reasonable agreement between practitioner and independent ratings; and 2) more effective use of MI, despite a tendency for practitioners to underestimate training gains. This micro-analysis of training documents initial skill gains along with increased practitioner self-awareness. Further, it exemplifies how practitioner self-ratings and objective skill assessment methods may be used in tandem to more fully describe practitioner learning.
Multibody Grouping from Motion Images

We want to deduce, from a sequence of noisy two-dimensional images of a scene of several rigid bodies moving independently in three dimensions, the number of bodies and the grouping of given feature points in the images to the bodies. Prior processing is assumed to have identified features or points common to all frames and the images are assumed to be created by orthographic projection (i.e., perspective effects are minimal). We describe a computationally inexpensive algorithm that can determine which points or features belong to which rigid body using the fact that, with exact observations in orthographic projection, points on a single body lie in a three or less dimensional linear manifold of frame space. If there are enough observations and independent motions, these manifolds can be viewed as a set linearly independent, four or less dimensional subspaces. We show that the row echelon canonical form provides direct information on the grouping of points to these subspaces. Treatment of the noise is the most difficult part of the problem. This paper uses a statistical approach to estimate the grouping of points to subspaces in the presence of noise by computing which partition has the maximum likelihood. The input data is assumed to be contaminated with independent Gaussian noise. The algorithm can base its estimates on a user-supplied standard deviation of the noise, or it can estimate the noise from the data. The algorithm can also be used to estimate the probability of a user-specified partition so that the hypothesis can be combined with others using Bayesian statistics.
Rapid Trajectory Optimization of Multi-Agent Hybrid Systems

Multi-agent systems in aerospace applications correspond to coordinated control of multiple vehicles such as those arising in multiple entry-vehicle systems, air-traffic control and formation flying to name a few examples. In certain applications, the vehicles may be docked or separated in mid-flight resulting in switches in the dimension of the continuous-time state and control variables. Dimensional switching distinguishes such problems in a somewhat unique way when compared to other multi-agent systems such as mobile robots where docking may not be allowed. A hybrid optimal control framework is presented that mathematically formalizes such mission planning problems towards the goal of rapid flight-plan-analyses via fast trajectory optimization. One motivation for this formalism is that many future systems are conceived as multi-agent systems and it has become increasingly apparent that a new framework is necessary to efficiently analyze various scenarios. The pseudospectral knotting method is proposed as a fast computational technique to solve such hybrid optimal control problems. The concepts are illustrated for a two-agent benchmark problem associated with a multi-agent launch system where the return vehicle is constrained by a return point requirement.
Chaotic dynamics in a model of metal passivation

The dynamic behavior of a model for the passivation of a metal surface in contact with an aqueous solution is investigated. The model, which is characterized by a three-dimensional state space and five-dimensional parameter space, is obtained by combining elements from passivation models developed by Talbot and Oriani and by Sato. A three-dimensional subspace of parameter space has been studied; the remaining two dimensions are not thought to provide any additional interesting dynamics. The model exhibits remarkably rich dynamics, including the period-doubling, intermittency, and crisis routes to chaos, folds and bubbles in periodic portions of the attractor, and multiple attractors with complex, intertwined basins of attraction.
Two Approaches to Religion and Politics: Moral Cosmology and Subcultural Identity*

We explore two competing approaches to internal religious divisions and their political consequences. The "moral cosmology" approach focuses on religious worldviews. It juxtaposes the religiously orthodox to modernists, arguing that the former are theologically communitarian in belief while the latter are individualistic. The religiously orthodox worldview (relative to modernists) is posited to lead to politically conservative stances on cultural issues of abortion, sexuality, and family but politically liberal stances on economic issues. In contrast, the "subcultural identity" approach focuses on identity rather than worldview. According to this approach, self-identified evangelicals and fundamentalists are expected to be more politically conservative on both cultural and economic issues when compared to mainline or liberal Protestants. Through analyses of the 1998 GSS, which allows operationalization of the two approaches and their extension to Catholic identities, we find that cosmology and identity are associated, but they have independent—and sometimes opposite-effects on Americans' political beliefs.
Compartment-Specific Control of Signaling from a DNA-Sensing Immune Receptor

Many cell signaling events are spatially organized, enabling control of specificity, amplitude, and duration. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) binds to nucleic acid sequences present in bacteria or DNA viruses and initiates a signaling pathway that culminates in the transcriptional induction of genes important for host defense, such as those encoding proinflammatory cytokines and type I interferon. A specialized membrane trafficking pathway has been described that is required for a specific branch of TLR9 signaling: the production of type I interferon. Cells deficient for the clathrin adaptor complex AP-3 failed to traffic TLR9 to a specific endosomal compartment and were unable to produce type I interferon despite normal increases in the abundance of interleukin-12p40, a proinflammatory cytokine. These findings support a model in which the targets of TLR9 engagement are controlled by the compartment in which TLR9 is activated.
Mechanism of Postinhibitory Rebound in Molluscan Neurons1

Abstract Postinhibitory rebound (PIR) is an intrinsic property of many neurons but the underlying mechanism is not well understood. We studied PIR and its relationship to spike adaptation in B-cells isolated from the buccal ganglia of Aplysia. These neurons exhibit PIR following inhibitory synaptic input and following direct membrane hyperpolarization. Hyperpolarizing and depolarizing voltage clamp pulses from the resting potential evoke slow changes in membrane current that persist in the form of tail currents following the pulses. A subtraction method was used to isolate slow tail currents for study. Current-voltage measurements indicate that slow outward tail currents following depolarizing pulses result from increases in membrane conductance, while inward tail currents following hyperpolarizations to −50 and −60 mV result from conductance decreases. The reversal potential of both outward and inward tail current is between −60 and −70 mV. Tail currents activated by pulses more positive than −60 mV are ...
Beverages and Body Weight: Challenges in the Evidence-Based Review Process of the Carbohydrate Subcommittee From the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

Concern about the role of beverages, especially those containing sugar, in the obesity epidemic continues to escalate. Bans on sugar-sweetened beverages and chocolate milk have expanded from the school cafeteria to the ballpark and convenience store. This review describes the experience of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) in conducting an evidence-based review of dietary exposure and health outcomes. The following four topics relevant to fluids and body weight were reviewed: added sugar, noncaloric sweeteners, food form and body weight, and macronutrients and satiety. There were limited and conflicting data on how liquids and solids affect energy intake and body weight. Fluid intake is typically not tracked in prospective, cohort longitudinal studies; thus, data are not available on fluid intake and health status from studies using the strongest epidemiologic designs. Despite public perception that beverages are linked to increased body weight compared with whole foods, evidence-based reviews of this topic do not support that liquid calories are processed differently in the body. The practical recommendation to replace caloric beverages with water as an aid to control weight is based on calorie reduction, rather than a link between added-sugar intake and obesity.
Effect of Phasor Measurements on the Choice of Reference Bus for State Estimation

This paper revisits the state estimation problem formulation by assuming availability of at least one phasor measurement unit (PMU) in the system. Existence of PMU measurements eliminates the need to choose a reference bus in the formulation of the state estimation problem. However, it also necessitates a mechanism by which erroneous PMU measurements can be detected, identified and removed from the measurement system. The paper investigates the requirements to ensure robust state estimation in the presence of single PMU errors. These requirements are verified by implementing a GPS referenced state estimator using test systems containing one or more PMU measurements.
Two-Dimensional Regular Shock Reflection for the Pressure Gradient System of Conservation Laws

We establish the existence of a global solution to a regular reflection of a shock hitting a ramp for the pressure gradient system of equations. The set-up of the reflection is the same as that of Mach’s experiment for the compressible Euler system, i. e., a straight shock hitting a ramp. We assume that the angle of the ramp is close to 90 degrees. The solution has a reflected bow shock wave, called the diffraction of the planar shock at the compressive corner, which is mathematically regarded as a free boundary in the self-similar variable plane. The pressure gradient system of three equations is a subsystem, and an approximation, of the full Euler system, and we offer a couple of derivations.
Island biogeography for an urbanizing world: how extinction and colonization may determine biological diversity in human-dominated landscapes

Urbanization is increasing worldwide with potentially important implications to biological diversity. I show that bird diversity is responsive to the reduction of forest cover associated with urbanization in the Seattle, WA, USA metropolitan area. Bird diversity peaks at intermediate levels of human settlement primarily because of the colonization of intermediately disturbed forests by early successional, native species. Extinction of native forest birds and colonization of settlements by synanthropic birds have lesser effects on the overall pattern of avian diversity with respect to the level of urbanization. However, extinction increases linearly with loss of forest and colonization by synanthropic species decreases curvilinearly with reduction of urbanization. These findings have biological, theoretical, and practical implications. Biologically, intermediate disturbance appears to drive diversity by increasing the heterogeneity of the local land cover. Theoretically, I present a graphical model and use it to derive testable hypotheses about how extinction and colonization are affected by urbanization to determine local diversity. Practically, maintaining high local diversity without reducing regional or global diversity will require planning so that the same landscapes are not promulgated everywhere. This will require cooperation among a diverse group of planners, ecologists, policy makers, home owners, educators, and activists.
Jet Surface Interaction – Scrubbing Noise in a Transversely Sheared Mean Flow:

Generation of sound due to scrubbing of a jet flow past a nearby solid surface is investigated within the framework of the generalized acoustic analogy theory. The analysis applies to the boundary layer noise generated at and near a wall, and excludes the scattered noise component that is produced at the leading or the trailing edge. While compressibility effects are relatively unimportant at very low Mach numbers, frictional heat generation and thermal gradient normal to the surface could play important roles in generation and propagation of sound in high speed jets of practical interest. A general expression is given for the spectral density of the far field sound as governed by the variable density Pridmore-Brown equation. The propagation Green's function is solved numerically starting with the boundary conditions on the surface and subject to specified mean velocity and temperature profiles between the surface and the observer. It is shown the magnitude of the Green's function decreases with increasin...
Fibre reinforcement of aluminium by squeeze casting: a summary of the state of the art

The mechanical and physical properties of aluminium alloys decrease significantly at temperatures above 200°C. Selective reinforcement, achieved using the squeeze casting process in combination with preforms of inorganic fibres and whiskers, can improve the mechanical and physical properties of these alloys to the extent that they become attractive for use up to at least 350°C. Components already exist in which the application of such materials has been found to be very successful.
Participants’ and observers’ memory for conversational behavior

This study investigated four hypotheses concerning conversational memory: (1) participants remember more conversational information than observers, (2) participants rely more than observers on memory for specific conversational episodes and less on verbal implicit theories of communication behavior, (3) observers remember more verbal information than nonverbal (when that information is elicited verbally), and (4) observers’ recognition of specific communication behavior is more accurate than frequency estimates of similar behaviors. Each hypothesis was confirmed, which calls into question the practice of generalizing results from studies of observers to conversational participants.