cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simplified pressure method for respirator fit testing.

A simplified pressure method has been developed for fit testing air-purifying respirators. In this method, the air-purifying cartridges are replaced by a pressure-sensing attachment and a valve. While wearers hold their breath, a small pump extracts air from the respirator cavity until a steady-state pressure is reached in 1 to 2 sec. The flow rate through the face seal leak is a unique function of this pressure, which is determined once for all respirators, regardless of the respirator's cavity volume or deformation because of pliability. The contaminant concentration inside the respirator depends on the degree of dilution by the flow through the cartridges. Tile cartridge flow varies among different brands and is measured once for each brand. The ratio of cartridge to leak flow is a measure of fit. This flow ratio has been measured on human subjects and has been compared to fit factors determined on the same subjects by means of photometric and particle count tests. The aerosol tests gave higher values ...
An iron(II) dependent formamide hydrolase catalyzes the second step in the archaeal biosynthetic pathway to riboflavin and 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin.

The early steps in the biosynthesis of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin (Fo) and riboflavin in the archaea differ from the established eukaryotic and bacterial pathways. The archaeal pathway has been proposed to begin with an archaeal-specific GTP cyclohydrolase III that hydrolyzes the imidazole ring of GTP but does not remove the resulting formyl group from the formamide [Graham, D. E., Xu, H., and White, R. H. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 15074−15084 ]. This enzyme is different than the bacterial GTP cyclohydrolase II which catalyzes both reactions. Here we describe the identification and characterization of the formamide hydrolase that catalyzes the second step in the archaeal Fo and riboflavin biosynthetic pathway. The Methanocaldococcus jannaschii MJ0116 gene was cloned and heterologously expressed, and the resulting enzyme was shown to catalyze the formation of 2,5-diamino-6-ribosylamino-4(3H)-pyrimidinone 5′-phosphate (APy) and formate from 2-amino-5-formylamino-6-ribosylamino-4(3H)-pyrimidino...
Age Differences in the Functional Field-of-View while Driving: A Preliminary Simulator-Based Study

This study represents an initial exploration of a new technique developed to permit the assessment of age differences in the “useful field of view” (Ball, et al., 1993) while simultaneously operating a motor vehicle. Due to necessary safety precautions, this novel approach was first evaluated using a simulated rather than a real-world driving context. Data was collected from seventeen young (mean age = 19.8) and eight older (mean age = 72.9) adult volunteers. Preliminary data analyses indicated that the technique was sensitive to “tunnel vision” effects resulting from experimentally induced limitations in the time available to process stimulus target “onset” events in the visual periphery. The magnitude and time-course of these effects differed markedly as a function of the age of the observer. Shortcomings in the current implementation of the technique and planned improvements are also discussed.
Reducing heavy drinking: a public health strategy and a treatment goal?

This issue’s featured article by Gastfriend, Garbutt, and Pettinati (2007), bReduction in Heavy Drinking as a Treatment Outcome in Alcohol Dependence,Q argues convincingly that days of drinking and the number of drinks per day should be standard measures of performance and outcome in the treatment of alcohol use disorders. This commentary advances the argument to a description of how these measures may form the basis for both a public health strategy and a new set of first-line treatment options to reduce heavy drinking.
I Need These Stories to Remind Me That There Is Hope Poetic Representations of Living in Israel During the Al Aqsa Intifada

This article uses poetic representation to describe 7 participants’ experiences living in Israel, where political violence is ongoing. The poems are derived from the participants’ spoken and written accounts of their daily lives in Israel during a 5-month period of the Al Aqsa Intifada of 2000-2004. Poetic representation of data allows the voices of participants to be heard on their own terms and provides an alternative to conventional social science research in which the perspective of the researcher is often privileged over that of the participants. Additionally, the perpetrators of terrorism and their acts are frequently made the object of media and public attention, but the voices of those whose lives are affected the most are typically unheard.
ATD model for color vision II: applications

Using a slightly modified version of an earlier model, and using a new rule for simulating the effects of simultaneous or successive chromatic adaptation, excellent predictions are made for experimental data that offer especially strong challenges to models for chromatic adaptation.
STATISTICAL STUDIES IN STELLAR ROTATION. II. A METHOD OF ANALYZING ROTATIONAL COUPLING IN DOUBLE STARS AND AN INTRODUCTION TO ITS APPLICATIONS.

The correlation between the equatorial velocities of the components of double stars is studied from a statistical standpoint. A theory of rotational correlation is developed and discussed with regard to its applicability to existing observations. The theory is then applied to a sample of visual binaries which are the least studied for rotational coupling. Consideration of eclipsing systems and spectroscopic binaries is limited to show how the degrees of freedom in the spin parallelism problem can be reduced. The analysis lends support to the existence of synchronism in closely spaced binaries.
Thermodynamics of the two-phase system: water-uranyl nitrate-tributyl phosphate-Amsco 125-82

Abstract New experimental data are presented for the distribution of uranyl nitrate and water between an aqueous phase and an organic phase containing 5–100 vol per cent tributyl phosphate (TBP) in an odorless kerosene-like diluent (Amsco 125-82). The uranyl nitrate equilibrium constant is expressed as an equation in the two independent variables of the organic phase: mole fraction of diluent in the H2O-saturated TBP-diluent solution (XDilw), and the organic-phase loading, 2[U]org/[TBPS]. When the data are fitted to this equation subject to the condition that the relative standard deviation be a minimum, then the deviation between the observed and the calculated uranium concentration in the organic phase is 5 per cent of the observed value. An equation to represent the densities of the organic phases is also presented. Assuming the molar volume of water to be constant at 18 ml/mole, the molar volumes of the components in the organic phase, in ml/mole, were calculated to be: 273·1 for TBP, 246·8 for the diluent (whose molecular weight was assumed to be 185), and 93·5 for UO2(NO3)2. A comparison of the variation of activities of TBP in diluent-free HNO3 systems with those in UO2(NO3)2 systems suggests that the extracted species is HNO3·2TBP when the loading of TBP is less than 0·5 mole HNO3 per mole of TBP.
Interviewer effects in measuring network size using a single name generator

Abstract Name generators used to measure egocentric networks are complex survey questions that make substantial demands on respondents and interviewers alike. They are therefore vulnerable to interviewer effects, which arise when interviewers administer questions differently in ways that affect responses-in this case, the number of names elicited. Van Tilburg [Sociol. Methods Res. 26 (1998) 300] found significant interviewer effects on network size in a study of elderly Dutch respondents; that study included an instrument with seven name generators, the complexity of which may have accentuated interviewer effects. This article examines a simpler single-generator elicitation instrument administered in the 1998 General Social Survey (GSS). Interviewer effects on network size as measured by this instrument are smaller than those found by Van Tilburg, but only modestly so. Variations in the network size of respondents within interviewer caseloads (estimated using a single-item “global” measure of network size and an independent sample of respondents) reduce but do not explain interviewer effects on the name generator measure. Interviewer differences remain significant after further controls for between-interviewer differences in the sociodemographic composition of respondent pools. Further insight into the sources of interviewer effects may be obtained via monitoring respondent–interviewer interactions for differences in how name generators are administered.
The benefits grid: translating motorsports sponsorship features into sponsor benefits

Motorsports racing teams rely on sponsorship to fund their operations. Despite the financial importance of sponsorship, many racing teams continue to rely on a product-based approach to selling sponsorships. In this paper, a sponsor-centric approach to developing more effective motorsports sponsorship proposals is proposed. It is argued that motorsports sponsorship proposals can be made more effective when sponsorship features are linked to marketing benefits, especially when supported by empirical data.
Inhibition of rabbit liver monoamine oxidase by nitro aromatic compounds.

Abstract Nitrobenzenoid, nitroheterocyclic and cyanobenzoid compounds inhibit type B monoamine oxidase. A partially purified enzyme preparation from rabbit liver mitochondria, oxidizing p-dimethyl-aminobenzylamine as the substrate, was competitively inhibited by nitrobenzoid compounds with Ki values in the range of 0.28 μM for p-dinitrobenzene to 0.56 mM for p-nitrobenzoic acid. The potencies of nitrobenzoid compounds were positively correlated with the Hammett sigma value for each substituent on nitrobenzene. Dinitro derivatives were slightly more potent than the corresponding mononitro compounds but not as potent as would be expected from their sigma values. For the nitroheterocyclic compounds, inhibition was also competitive; the lowest Ki was 1.3 μM for 5-nitrofurfural semicarbazone (nitrofurazone). Compounds with cyano groups in place of nitro groups were also inhibitory; the most potent was p-acetobenzonitrile with a Ki of 1.3 μM. The results of this study indicate that, in addition to nitrobenzoid compounds, other compounds with planar, electron-deficient nuclei are effective inhibitors of type B monoamine oxidase. Although hydrophobic and steric parameters may play some role in inhibition, the predominant factor is the electron-withdrawing power of the ring substituents.
Validity and reliability of perinatal biomarkers of adiposity after storage as dried blood spots on paper

Objective: To validate use of chip-based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis on dried blood spot samples (DBSS) to measure obesity-related hormones. Methods: Chip-based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis was used to measure adiponectin, leptin and insulin in capillary serum and DBSS in pregnant women and infant heelstick at birth and six weeks. Concordance of measurements was determined with Pearson's correlation and Bland-Altman plots. Results: We report high concordance between results obtained from serum and DBSS. Conclusions: Ease of sample collection and storage makes DBSS an optimal method for use in studies involving neonates and young children, as well as studies conducted in areas where freezer storage is not available. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microwave induced plasma processing of nuclear waste calcines

Microwave induced plasma processing was used to sinter synthetic Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) alumina and zirconia based high level nuclear waste calcines in a nitrogen atmosphere. The microwave densification behaviour of these nuclear waste calcines was observed parallel with identification of the phases formed after sintering. Sintered densities of > 3.20 g cm−3 were obtained within 10 min of microwave sintering of pure calcines. Glass frit containing calcines showed lower sintering densities (< 2.0 g cm−3) due to reactions between the frit and volatile substances in both zirconia based and alumina based calcines; prior removal of frit volatiles increased the sintered density. Phases formed in the microwave sintered calcines were identified by X-ray diffraction.
Stubb: a program for discovery and analysis of cis-regulatory modules

Given the DNA-binding specificities (motifs) of one or more transcription factors, an important bioinformatics problem is to discover significant clusters of binding sites for the transcription factors(s). Such clusters often correspond to cis-regulatory modules mediating regulation of an adjacent gene. In earlier work, we developed the Stubb program that uses a probabilistic model and a maximum likelihood approach to efficiently detect cis-regulatory modules over genomic scales. It may optionally exploit a second related genome to improve module prediction accuracy. We describe here the use of a web-based interface for the Stubb program. The interface is equipped with a special post-processing step for in-depth analysis of specific modules, in order to reveal individual binding sites predicted in the module. The web server may be accessed at the URL http://stubb.rockefeller.edu/.
Thrombolytic therapy causes an increase in vascular permeability that is reversed by 1-deamino-8-D-vasopressin.

BACKGROUND To examine the effect of plasminogen activator therapy on vascular permeability, we used a modified rabbit mesenteric model of extravascular tissue accumulation of radiolabeled albumin. METHODS AND RESULTS Albumin deposition was measured after saline, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA; 0.86 mg/kg for 1 hour followed by 0.29 mg/kg for 2 hours), or t-PA plus 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP; 0.6 mg/kg/hr for 30 minutes) infusion in animals with or without aspirin (ASA; 15-mg/kg bolus) pretreatment. In animals not given ASA, t-PA caused a 240% increase in tissue [125I]albumin accumulation over time (p less than 0.001). DDAVP prevented the rise in albumin accumulation normally seen with t-PA alone (p less than 0.05) in animals not given ASA. In animals pretreated with ASA, t-PA similarly caused an increase in tissue albumin accumulation, but this was significantly attenuated from that of animals not given ASA (p less than 0.03). Interestingly, DDAVP failed to block the response to t-PA in the animals given ASA. Because increases in vascular permeability correlated with increases in bleeding time (r = 0.37, p less than 0.03), these data suggest that the effect of plasmin generation on vascular permeability may contribute to the bleeding tendency seen with thrombolytic therapy. The ability of DDAVP to reverse the bleeding tendency and bleeding time may be due in part to its reversal of the increased vascular permeability induced by the administration of plasminogen activators. CONCLUSIONS These data show that plasminogen activation causes an increase in vascular permeability that is inhibited by DDAVP; ASA blunts this action of t-PA and prevents the DDAVP blockade of the increase in permeability induced by t-PA in this rabbit model.
A Graphic Reanalysis of the NINDS Trial

Study objective Reports of clinical trials typically present only a fraction of the available data, at times hampering interpretation of their meaning. The initial report of the National Institute of Neurologic Diseases and Stroke (NINDS) trials of tissue plasminogen activator in acute ischemic stroke is an example of this phenomenon. Methods We used the original data from the NINDS trials to create graphs showing the effect of treatment on neurologic function in all 624 individual patients in the trial. Our goal was to show detailed graphics of the 90-day outcomes, stratified on relevant confounders and effect modifiers. Results Final outcomes were highly dependent on stroke severity. In many graphs, the small difference between groups favored tissue plasminogen activator, particularly when baseline NIHSS score was between roughly 5 and 22. These differences diminish or disappear when 90-day change in NIHSS is graphed. Our graphs fail to support the time-is-brain hypothesis. Conclusion Our graphical method of presenting the NINDS trial results provides more detail than was conveyed in the original report and empowers readers to reach their own conclusions about the trial's meaning. Outcomes for placebo and treatment limbs are sufficiently similar that larger trials, conducted under the same conditions as the NINDS trial, are needed to determine which patients benefit from this therapy.
Oxygen and hydrogen ion densities above Millstone Hill

Measurements of the vertical flux of oxygen ions, when combined with simultaneous measurements of electron density and of electron and ion temperatures, present a unique opportunity to examine conditions in the topside ionosphere. The measured fluxes and densities may be used directly to evaluate terms in the O+ continuity equation without requiring any assumptions to be made about neutral winds, electric fields, or the ambipolar diffusion coefficient. From observations at Millstone Hill we have, in this way, derived the rate of loss of O+ in the charge-exchange reaction with hydrogen, the rate of photoionization of atomic oxygen, and the rate of loss of O+ in reactions with N2 and O2. In combination with laboratory and theoretical results, these rates can be interpreted to yield number densities of the corresponding neutral species. When the measured fluxes are examined for consistency with measured density gradients and temperature profiles, we find clear evidence of wind-induced or electrodynamic vertical drifts larger than 60 m/sec.
Ethics and the criminal justice curriculum

In this essay, it is argued that ethics is not only a valuable addition to a criminal justice curriculum, but also essential for undergraduate or graduate degrees. If a university education is designed to aid students in becoming professionals, one should develop a moral sensibility as well as accumulating knowledge and acquiring skills in reasoning, analysis, and communication. This sensibility can be defined as the ability to recognize ethical issues, to emphathize with others on either side of the issue, and to evaluate alternatives to dilemmas using ethical rather than legal or egoistic criteria. A separate ethics course as part of the degree requirements would allow the instructor the opportunity to identify and develop concepts that run through the criminal justice system. Concepts such as authority, discretion, law, individual liberties and punishment, cynicism, and public service can be dealt with in a manner that ties the system together rather than breaking it into its component parts. This proc...
Characterizing Farmers' Market Shoppers: A Literature Review

The number of farmers' markets in the United States continues to grow, suggesting an increasing interest in community food systems. Yet, little conclusive research has been conducted to characterize farmers' market customers. The purpose of this literature review is to more definitively examine the current farmers' market consumer base established in published research studies. We explore demographic factors as well as motivations and barriers for farmers' markets shoppers. Based on current research, it is clear that an assortment of complex and interrelated factors influence an individual's choice to shop at farmers' markets and that a more consistent data gathering method is needed.
Acculturation and the Mental Health of Latina Women in the Women, Infant, and Children Program:

Studies have reported discrepant findings about the relationship between acculturation and mental health, often because of inattention to interethnic group differences. This 2003 exploratory study of various Latina ethnic groups attending the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program compared five measures of acculturation and mental health status/utilization. The subgroups differed on language, immigration/migration history, and the prevalence of anxiety attacks and depressive syndrome. The prevalence of anxiety attacks was the highest among those who spoke primarily Spanish, the prevalence of the depressive syndrome was the highest among those with more traditional beliefs, and the use of mental health services was the highest among those with less traditional beliefs. Implications for practice are discussed.
14.1: Fourth‐Generation PDPs: High Image Quality and Low Power Consumption

Fourth-Generation PDPs of Pioneer have been put in the market place last year. The power consumption has become lower than that of LCDs by the reduction of inefficient power. The image quality has reached to the level better than or equal to that of CRTs by the newly developed technologies of “natural enhancer,” “super CREAR driving method,” etc. Their Annual power consumption, number of gray steps and gray step pitch on low luminance image are 299kWh/year (43-in. model), 1024 steps, and 1/32500 pitch on low luminance image under 6 IRE, respectively.
Physiological Monitoring of the Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patient in the Intensive Care Unit

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite encouraging animal research, pharmacological agents and neuroprotectants have disappointed in the clinical environment. Current TBI management therefore is directed towards identification, prevention, and treatment of secondary cerebral insults that are known to exacerbate outcome after injury. This strategy is based on a variety of monitoring techniques that include the neurological examination, imaging, laboratory analysis, and physiological monitoring of the brain and other organ systems used to guide therapeutic interventions. Recent clinical series suggest that TBI management informed by multimodality monitoring is associated with improved patient outcome, in part because care is provided in a patient-specific manner. In this review we discuss physiological monitoring of the brain after TBI and the emerging field of neurocritical care bioinformatics.
“Helping the Jews is not an easy thing to do.” Vatican Holocaust Policy: Continuity or Change?

The response of Pope Pius XII to the Holocaust has been discussed since the Holocaust itself. A crucial episode was the events of October 16, 1943, when the SS seized more than one thousand Roman Jews and the Pope did little about it. The historiography has highlighted this “Under His Very Windows” drama. This article suggests that a number of issues weighing heavily on Pius at that time inhibited his response.
Subgap absorption in a-Si:H using photoluminescence absorption spectroscopy (PLAS)

Abstract Subgap absorption in hydrogenated amorphous silicon was measured using the photoluminescence absorption spectroscopy technique (PLAS). Results on a-Si:H films of various thickness, show a peak in the subgap absorption at ∼ 1.15 eV. The maximum is weak in annealed samples with low defect density, but becomes pronounced after irradiation with an Ar+ laser beam. The position of the maximum does not shift with temperature or irradiation. Due to the shift of the absorption edge to lower energies with increasing temperatures, it is difficult to observe a well-defined maximum at higher temperatures in annealed samples. At temperatures approaching 300 K, the PLAS spectra approach those observed by photo-thermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) on the same film.
The herpes simplex virus type 1 early gene (thymidine kinase) promoter is activated in neurons of brain, but not trigeminal ganglia, of transgenic mice in the absence of viral proteins

Latent infection of sensory neurons and reactivation are necessary for maintenance of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in its host population. It has been proposed that the HSV-1 early gene, thymidine kinase (TK), may play an important regulatory role in this process. The authors used reporter transgenic mice to test whether sensory ganglia neurons could activate the HSV-1 TK reporter transgene in the absence of viral proteins. The reporter transgene was activated in subsets of neurons in the brain but was not activated in sensory ganglia neurons following a variety of experimental manipulations. These results do not support a role for TK in regulation of the latent viral genome.
First-principles electronic-structure approach for phase diagrams of binary alloys

A combined statistical-mechanical and electronic-structure approach for the first-principles calculation of binary-alloy phase diagrams is presented. The grand partition function, constructed from volume-dependent internal energies obtained from local-density total-energy supercell calculations, permits the determination of the entropy and thus, in principle, all thermodynamic quantities. Illustrative results of first calculations for the Al-Li system show: (i) structural properties versus concentration in very good agreement with experiment and (ii) features on the Al-rich side of the phase diagram of the fcc solid solution which are important for alloy formation.
Childhood intracranial meningiomas after high-dose irradiation

Background. Irradiation, either alone or in association with other factors, is thought to play a role in the causation of intracranial meningioma. Methods. The authors report two 15-year-old patients with convexity meningiomas as a result of high-dose irradiation received at a young age and review the English language literature reports of 13 pediatric patients with meningiomas after high-dose irradiation. The clinical characteristics of the 15 patients are presented. Results. There were nine girls and six boys. The mean age at the time of irradiation was 2.5 years (2 months-9 years), and the mean age at diagnosis of meningioma was 13 years (5–15.5 years). The mean radiation dose was 4154 cGy (1500–8000 cGy). In 11 of the 15 patients, the meningioma was located in the calvarial area. Only 1 of 15 had multiple tumors, and only two of the tumors were clearly malignant at diagnosis. In ten patients, gross total resection was recorded, and two patients underwent subtotal resection. Three died of recurrent/disseminated meningiomas. Conclusions. This study suggests that meningiomas after high-dose radiation in children are mostly calvarial in location, rarely multiple, mostly benign in histologic type, and that complete removal is possible in most patients. The age at the time of radiation is young (mean age, 2.5 years) and the latent period is short (mean, 10.8 years). Although the clinical course of radiation-induced meningiomas in childhood generally is benign, high doses of radiation at a young age are to be avoided, and other means of therapy should be used if possible.
Detecting interfaces on ultrasound images of the carotid artery by dynamic programming

A dynamic programming edge following procedure is applied to ultrasound images of the carotid artery. The objective is to automatically determine the 'far wall' interfaces of the common carotid artery. The far wall interfaces are then used to estimate the far wall thickness, which is an important metric for disease diagnosis and treatment evaluation. A current system uses human readers to determine the carotid artery interfaces using digitized images on a computer display. This process is time consuming and difficult to control, since readers tend to vary over time in the way in which they identify interfaces. In addition, different readers tend to identify interfaces in slightly different ways. The edge following procedure is designed to apply a consistent and objective criteria to all images in order to reduce the variability in far wall thickness estimates. The edge following procedure works by joining local peaks in the image gradient. The gradient is estimated by a Sobel operator, and dynamic programming is used to join the peaks into a smooth edge. The dynamic programming is necessary to combat the effects of noise and speckle in the ultrasound images. The paper describes the dynamic programming cost function formulation and discuses the algorithm performance.
Heterogeneous response of disaggregate inflation to monetary policy regime change: The role of price stickiness

Abstract This paper explores how a monetary regime change affects headline inflation via differential effects on various sectors in the economy. Using disaggregated CPI data for Canada, we find that the response to the adoption of inflation targeting (IT) was quite heterogeneous across sectors. While sticky-price sectors experienced a notable change in inflation dynamics following IT adoption, little structural change was observed in flexible price sectors. Our analysis based on a common factor model suggests that the structural changes in the sticky price sectors are driven by a decline in their responses to common aggregate shocks, including a monetary shock.
An alternate version of the conceptual predictive statistic based on a symmetrized discrepancy measure

Abstract The conceptual predictive statistic, C p , is a widely used criterion for model selection in linear regression. C p serves as an estimator of a discrepancy, a measure that reflects the disparity between the generating model and a fitted candidate model. This discrepancy, based on scaled squared error loss, is asymmetric: an alternate measure is obtained by reversing the roles of the two models in the definition of the measure. We propose a variant of the C p statistic based on estimating a symmetrized version of the discrepancy targeted by C p . We claim that the resulting criterion provides better protection against overfitting than C p , since the symmetric discrepancy is more sensitive towards detecting overspecification than its asymmetric counterpart. We illustrate our claim by presenting simulation results. Finally, we demonstrate the practical utility of the new criterion by discussing a modeling application based on data collected in a cardiac rehabilitation program at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Effects of nicotine and mecamylamine on cognition in rhesus monkeys.

Rationale Nicotine and other agonists of nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChR) have been shown to improve performance in specific memory domains in rodents and monkeys. Such beneficial effects are observed in preclinical models of age-related cognitive decline, stimulating interest in nAChR ligands as possible therapeutics. Prior work has typically focused on assays of spatial working memory in rodent studies and visual recognition memory in monkey studies.
Direct observation of superplastic flow mechanisms in torsion

Abstract The microstructures of two alloys, Sn-38wt%Pb and Zn-22wt%Al, are observed during superplastic deformation in torsion, with results that differ strikingly from similar observations in tension. In particular, massive, random grain movements, with associated sliding and rotation, are not observed in torsional deformation. Instead grain locations remain relatively fixed while a steady microstructural evolution produces a distinct inverted hourglass grain morphology. In Sn-38%Pb this grain shape change can be explained by the simultaneous action of two deformation mechanisms operating at different flow rates within a single grain. This in turn leads to a core-mantle theory of superplasticity, as opposed to the sliding-with-accommodation theories envisioned by earlier investigators.
Further studies of the ipsilateral and contralateral responses to topical nitrogen mustard.

Abstract The short term ipsilateral and contralateral responses of the rabbit eye to topical 1% nitrogen mustard were studied by measurement of protein in the aqueous humor, anterior segment fluorescein angiography, and aqueous fluorophotometry. The ipsilateral response was characterized by intense miosis, ischemia of the iris, and leakage of fluorescein (and presumably protein) into the posterior chamber. The iris ischemia was at least partly secondary to the pronounced elevation of intraocular pressure that occurs following nitrogen mustard. A contralateral rise in protein levels in the aqueous humor was seen in five of 22 rabbits. No contralateral iris ischemia or miosis was observed. Neither the ipsilateral nor the contralateral response was inhibited by pretreatment with aspirin. Aqueous fluorophotometry was only slightly more sensitive in detecting a contralateral response than simple measurement of protein levels in the aqueous.
Facesheet debonding criteria for composite sandwich panels under in-plane compression

Abstract A method for determining the critical debond size between the facesheet and the core in composite sandwich panels under in-plane compression is described. The approach uses fracture mechanics together with a buckling criterion for a debonded faceskin. The technique yields predictions for the critical in-plane compressive load for debond propagation as a function of core-to-faceskin debond size, faceskin thickness, lay-up, composite material properties, and honeycomb properties and geometry. A computer program, developed in this work, calculates the critical buckling load and facesheet deformed shape by solving an eigenvalue problem. The output predicts, for several cases, critical initial debond lengths comparable to those that have been observed on tests on sandwich panels.
Thermal stresses in heterogeneous anisotropic beams

A method is proposed for the exact solution of the two-dimensional thermoelastic equations for certain composite anisotropic beams by use of single Fourier series. Numerical examples demonstrating the usefulness of this method are presented.
Examining the construct validity of mastery-avoidance achievement goals: A meta-analysis.

We used meta-analysis to obtain a comprehensive perspective on the construct validity of achievement goals, focusing on the most recent addition to the achievement goal framework, mastery-avoidance (Elliot & McGregor, 2001). Mastery-avoidance achievement goals positively correlated with need for achievement, perceived competence, competitiveness, interest, negative affect, and other achievement goals (mastery-approach, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) and negatively correlated with cognitive ability, help seeking, and performance. The correlations between mastery-avoidance and the other achievement goals were moderate. Thus, we conclude that mastery-avoidance is a conceptually and empirically distinct construct with unique antecedents and consequences and should be included in future studies on achievement goals.
In organello footprint analysis of human mitochondrial DNA: human mitochondrial transcription factor A interactions at the origin of replication.

Abstract Using in organello footprint analysis, we demonstrate that within human placental mitochondria there is a high level of protein-DNA binding at regularly phased intervals throughout a 500-bp region encompassing the D-loop DNA origins and two promoter regions. Comparison with in vitro DNase I protection studies indicates that this protein-DNA interaction is due to non-sequence-specific binding by human mitochondrial transcription factor A (h-mtTFA). Since h-mtTFA can bend and wrap DNA, like its yeast counterpart ABF2, a primary function of h-mtTFA appears to be specific packaging of the mitochondrial DNA control region in vivo. Intervals of protein binding coincide with the spacing of the RNA start sites and prominent D-loop DNA 5' ends, suggesting a role for phased h-mtTFA binding in defining transcription and H-strand DNA replication origins. Significant protein-DNA interaction was also observed within the human homolog of conserved sequence block 1, both in organello and in vitro, using purified h-mtTFA.
Nonionic photoacid generator behavior under high-energy exposure sources

A series of nonionic photoacid generators (PAGs) are synthesized and their acid generation efficiency measured under deep ultraviolet (DUV) and electron beam exposures. The acid generation efficiency is determined with an on-wafer method that uses spectroscopic ellipsometry to measure the absorbance of an acid sensitive dye (Coumarin 6). Under DUV exposures, common ionic onium salt PAGs show excellent photoacid generation efficiency, superior to most nonionic PAGs tested in this work. In contrast, when under 100-keV high energy e-beam exposures, almost all of the nonionic PAGs show significantly better acid generation performance than the ionic onium salt PAGs tested. In particular, one nonionic PAG shows almost an order of magnitude improvement in the Dill C acid generation rate constant compared to a triarylsulfonium PAG. The high energy acid generation efficiency is found to correlate well with the electron affinity of the PAGs, suggesting that improvements in PAG design can be predicted. Nonionic PAGs merit further investigation as a means for producing higher sensitivity resists under high energy exposure sources.
A user study comparing head-mounted and stationary displays

Head-mounted displays, as popularized by virtual reality systems, offer the opportunity to immerse a user in a synthetically generated environment. While there is much anecdotal evidence that this is a qualitative jump in the user interface, there is little quantitative data to establish that emersion improves task performance. The authors present the results of a user study: users performing a generic search task decrease task performance time by roughly half (42% reduction) when they change from a stationary display to a head-mounted display with identical properties (resolution, field-of-view, etc.). A second result is that users who practice with the head-mounted display reduce task completion time by 23% in later trials with the stationary display, suggesting a transfer effect. >
The separability of visual sensitivity into spatial frequency and motion velocity based on properties of natural images

It is believed that vision is adapted to natural inputs. We investigate the relationship between natural time-varying image properties and visual sensitivities to spatial and motion signals. We hypothesize that the visual system is adapted to improve efficiency of visual representation through spatiotemporal decorrelation of input signals. The statistical properties of natural images, in particular, the power spectrum and the image velocity distribution are analyzed systematically and are used to predict the visual sensitivity. We show that the image power spectrum is a product of a spatial scale-invariant term and the velocity distribution and consequently, the contrast sensitivity to achieve the optimal coding is a function of the product of the same two terms. Some of the predictions are compared quantitatively with experimental data from neurophysiology and psychophysics. The agreements are good. We conclude that the spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity is organized to decorrelate the spatial and motion signals thus improve the efficiency of information processing in natural environment.
The Path to the Software-Defined Radio Receiver

After being the subject of speculation for many years, a software-defined radio receiver concept has emerged that is suitable for mobile handsets. A key step forward is the realization that in mobile handsets, it is enough to receive one channel with any bandwidth, situated in any band. Thus, the front-end can be tuned electronically. Taking a cue from a digital front-end, the receiver's flexible analog baseband samples the channel of interest at zero IF, and is followed by clock-programmable downsampling with embedded filtering. This gives a tunable selectivity that exceeds that of an RF prefilter, and a conversion rate that is low enough for A/D conversion at only milliwatts. The front-end consists of a wideband low noise amplifier and a mixer tunable by a wideband LO. A 90-nm CMOS prototype tunes 200 kHz to 20-MHz-wide channels located anywhere from 800 MHz to 6 GHz
The exclusive interpretation of plural nominals in quantificational environments

In some contexts, plural nominals have inclusive interpretation, allowing atoms in their reference domain; in others, they are exclusive, allowing only sums. Selecting between the two interpretations has been shown to be sensitive to both world-knowledge pressures (Farkas & de Swart 2010) and contextual relevance (Grimm 2010). The principal semantic factor claimed to be involved is monotonicity direction (Sauerland, Anderssen & Yatsushiro 2005; Spector 2007; Zweig 2009; Farkas & de Swart 2010): upward monotone environments tend to select exclusive readings; downward monotone ones, inclusive readings. In four image verification experiments, we tested this claim and found support for the generalization. The effect of monotonicity direction, however, is small. Moreover we find that varying whether a plural is in the scope of a quantified description has a much larger effect on the prevalence of the exclusive interpretation. This suggests that monotonicity, though involved, is not a decisive factor in plural interpretation.
An oocentric view of folliculogenesis and embryogenesis

The mammalian oocyte undertakes a highly complex journey to maturity during which it successively acquires a series of characteristics necessary for fertilization and the development of a healthy embryo. While the contribution of granulosa cells to oocyte development has been studied for many years, it has recently become apparent that the oocyte itself plays a key role in directing its own fate as well as the growth and differentiation of the follicle. This regulatory capacity is achieved through the synthesis and secretion of oocyte-specific factors, such as growth and differentiation factor 9 and bone morphogenetic protein 15, which act on granulosa cells to modify their proliferation, function and differentiation, as well as through direct physical contacts that occur at the granulosa cell-oocyte interface. This review describes key mechanisms by which the oocyte manipulates its own environment in order to achieve meiotic and developmental competence. The potential consequences of assisted reproductive technologies, such as in-vitro maturation and cryopreservation, on oocyte-granulosa cell interactions are also discussed, along with the impact of impaired oocyte development on early embryogenesis.
Guatemalans’ Practices for Health Promotion and the Meaning of Respect Afforded them by Health Care Providers

This study describes and compares Panamanians' and Panamanian Americans' practices for health promotion and wellness, disease and illness prevention, and the meaning of respect afforded them by health care providers. Understanding a person's beliefs and values when planning nursing and health care interventions helps the caregiver provide culturally acceptable care that improves clients' satisfaction and health status. Culturally respectful, acceptable, and appropriate care conserves the utilization of human, material, and financial resources. This sample comprised 70 subjects: 50 in the Republic of Panama and 20 from the DelMarVa Peninsula in the United States. This study uses selected primary and secondary characteristics of culture and selected domains from the Purnell Model for Cultural Competence as guides for questionnaire development, data analysis, and discussion of the findings.
Clinical Efficacy of sildenafil Citrate and Predictors of Long-term Response

ABSTRACTPurpose: We assessed the long-term clinical efficacy of sildenafil citrate (SC) and predictors of satisfactory outcome.Materials and Methods: All patients were evaluated with a self-administered questionnaire or by telephone interview before, and 3 months and 2.5 years following the initiation of SC therapy. Current SC use, other therapies and overall level of sexual satisfaction were assessed. Sexual function was measured using an abbreviated version of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire.Results: Of the 197 men 97 (49%) were using SC at 2.5 years. Patients with a history of diabetes mellitus or prostate surgery were least likely to be satisfied with SC therapy. Men with vasculogenic etiologies for erectile dysfunction were more likely to be on SC and had better sexual function scores at 2.5 years than men with a history of prostate surgery. The 3-month International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire score was an excellent predictor of sexual satisfaction in men who ...
On the origin of the significant difference in lithiation behavior between silicon and germanium

Abstract Silicon and germanium are both recognized as a promising anode material for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Si is best known for its superior energy storage capacity, while Ge exhibits better rate capability and cycleability. To better understand the underlying reasons behind their lithiation behavior differences, particularly the enhanced Li transport in Ge, we examine and compare Li-host lattice interactions and dynamics using density functional theory calculations. At the onset of lithiation, an isolated Li interstitial is found to form polar covalent bonds with four nearest host atoms, while the degree of covalency is noticeably greater for Li–Si than Li–Ge bonds. The relatively stronger Li–Si interaction, along with the stiffer Si lattice tend to be responsible for the suppressed Li mobility ( D Li = 10 −13 cm 2 s −1 ) in c -Si, as compared to the c -Ge case ( D Li = 10 −11 cm 2 s −1 ). With continued lithiation, D Li in a -Li x Si increases significantly from 10 −12 to 10 −7 cm 2 s −1 ( x = 0.14–3.57); contrarily, D Li in a -Li x Ge is around 10 −7 cm 2 s −1 and less concentration dependent. Our analysis shows that the rapid Li diffusion in a -Li x Ge is directly related to the facile atomic rearrangements of host Ge atoms even at the early stages of lithiation.
Potential gains in life expectancy or years of potential life lost: impact of competing risks of death.

Background Measuring the impact of competing risks of death on society is important for setting public health policy and allocating resources. However, various indicators may result in inconsistent conclusions. The potential gains in life expectancy (PGLE) by elimination of deaths from HIV/AIDS, diseases of the heart and malignant neoplasms were compared to the years of potential life lost (YPLL) due to these causes in measuring the impact of premature death for the US population of working age (15‐64 years). Methods The PGLE and the YPLL were computed from mortality reports (1987‐1992) by race and gender group for deaths from HIV/AIDS, diseases of the heart and malignant neoplasms for the US population of working age. Results The YPLL overestimated the importance of premature deaths from HIV/AIDS compared to the PGLE. For the total US population and total US white population of working age, the YPLL were about 20‐30% higher than the PGLE. However, the YPLL were about 20‐30% lower than the PGLE for the US black population of working age. Furthermore the relative importance of the impact of death from various diseases may be interchanged by these two indicators. For example, for US black males of working age, the impact of deaths from HIV/AIDS by PGLE in 1992 was higher than that from malignant neoplasms and lower than that from diseases of the heart, but by using YPLL, the impact of premature deaths from HIV/AIDS was higher than that from both diseases of the heart and malignant neoplasms.
The quest for expansive intellectual property rights and the failure to disclose known relevant prior art

Expansive patent portfolios may be used by firms to fence off technological space for commercialization, impede the commercialization efforts of competitors, and enhance bargaining power in cross-licensing negotiations. Low quality patents with claims that overlap those of other patents contribute to these portfolios and patent strategies. By failing to disclose known relevant prior art during the patenting process, inventors and their firms may be granted low quality patents with intellectual property claims which would not otherwise have been granted. We find that the failure of inventors to disclose known relevant prior art increases as they gain experience with the patenting process. Such failure is also greater among inventors employed by relatively small, poorly performing firms that rely on outsourced legal counsel during the application process