cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blur: a sufficient accommodative stimulus

Experiments under a variety of open and closed loop feedback configurations demonstrate that accommodative responses to target blur are equivalent to those to defocus blur; this supports blur as the 'sufficient' neurological stimulus to accommodations. The hunting action of accommodation compensates for the even error aspect of blur and also adaptively minimizes any close loop error components while finally accepting open loop components.
A dynamical theory of elastic directed curves.

Elastic directed curves dynamic theory, considering Hamilton principle, mass conservation and behavior of action density function under rigid body variations
A Statistical Model for Determining the Through-Transmission Ultrasonic Amplitude Response for Imperfectly Contacting Interfaces during Thermoplastic Fusion Bonding

The focus of this work is to develop a system model for through-transmission ultrasonics (TTU) as a process monitoring technique for nonintrusive, online control of thermoplastic fusion bonding processes. A closed form model is developed to predict the TTU amplitude of a fusion bond using an ultrasonic wave propagation theory with a model for the evolution of intimate contact at the material interfaces. This new approach treats the attenuation of sensor response due to imperfect contact at the bond interface as a statistical averaging of the transmission coefficients for each of the possible sound paths between source and receiver. The results of experimental and model-based parametric studies show that the intimately contacting path dominates the overall signal behavior. An approximation of the full model for an arbitrary number of interfaces based on these results is derived.
Safety aspects during transient and steady‐state operation of a pilot‐scale distillation column

In distillation involving flammable liquids, inert gases are used to prevent the formation of flammable or combustible gas mixtures by precluding oxygen from the equipment vapor space. In this study, a pilot-scale distillation column for the separation of ethanol and water was used to directly measure pressure changes within the isolated column and within the inerting system during start-up, steady-state, and transient operation. Our results show the following: 1Distillation column vacuum relief rates due to reboiler shutdown, as predicted by current literature sources, are conservative by a factor of 50 compared to measurements. 2During steady-state operation, the difference in solubility of the inert gas (N2) between the feed and distillate streams accounts for pressure changes in an isolated column. For ethanol and water, the nitrogen is more soluble in the distillate, resulting in a column vacuum. For an open system, this effect could result in air being drawn into the system, resulting in potential formation of combustible vapor mixtures. 3A nitrogen balance model is presented to calculate the changes in column pressure during steady-state column operation. The predictions are conservative by a factor of 2 to 5. 4For transient operation, a simple model based on fraction-al utilization of the condenser over-predicts pressure changes resulting from reboiler steam duty changes to within about 30% of the measurements.
Characterization of pemphigus foliaceus antigen from human epidermis.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and its endemic form, Fogo Selvagem (FS), are characterized by subcorneal vesicles and pathogenic IgG autoantibodies directed against keratinocyte surface antigens. A major pool of FS antigen(s) remains bound to the insoluble epidermal envelope fraction. In this paper we demonstrate that this antigen(s) can be released From the envelope fraction by sonication. By immune precipitation four components can be detected, having molecular weights (MW) of 260, 80, 62, and 45 kD. The 260-kD component is lost by boiling or extraction with glycine HG! at pH 2.8. The major components appear to be the 80- and 62-kD poly-peptides. They chromatograph as a unit by gel filtration in 0.1% SDS, in the MW range of 115–120 kD. The FS antigen(s) appears to be cationic, forming insoluble complexes at low pH with SDS, and is labile to ammonium sulfate and freezing and thawing. It is unaffected by positive pressure concentration, 50% acetone precipitation, and reduction/alkylation. The FS antigen(s) is precipitated by all FS and nonendemic PE sera except those in complete clinical and serologic remission. The FS antigen(s) is also precipitated by 50% of pemphigus vulgaris but none of the bullous pemphigoid sera tested. All FS antigenic components are immunoprecipitated by IgG4 autoantibodies, but the IgG1 subclass from the same patients appear to immunoprecipitate only the 62-kD polypeptide. The ES antigen(s) is able to adsorb human autoantibodies against human desmoglein 1 (DG1), but not rabbit antisera against bovine DG1 or 2. This paper shows that physical stress, i.e., sonication, may be able to solubilize sufficient ES antigen(s) from the epidermal envelope fractions for further chemical characterization. The relationship of these PS antigen(s) to other reported FS antigens is presently unknown.
Magnetic resonance imaging and the diagnosis of avascular necrosis of the femoral head

Low back pain and/or pain radiating to one or both lower limbs can result from causes other than intervertebral disc disease. Recently three patients presented with low back pain radiating down the legs. When CT examination of the lumbar spine proved unrewarding, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed. Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head was diagnosed and subsequently treated before femoral head collapse occurred. In patients with unexplained low back pain, AVN of the hip should be considered and ruled out by MRI, even if conventional plain films, polytomes, and radionuclide scans are negative. The early diagnosis of AVN of the femoral head may be critical in determining whether a surgical revascularization procedure might be successful in treatment, or replacement with an endoprosthesis will be necessary, if femoral head collapse has already occurred.
Novel group of virulence activators within the AraC family that are not restricted to upstream binding sites

Several regulators within the AraC family control the expression of genes known or thought to be required for virulence of bacterial pathogens. One of these, Rns, activates transcription from an unprecedented variety of binding-site locations. Although nearly all prokaryotic activators bind within a small region upstream and adjacent to the promoter that they regulate, Rns does not bind within this region to activate its own promoter, Prns. Instead, to activate Prns, Rns requires one binding site 224.5 bp upstream and one downstream of the transcription start site. We show in this study that several other AraC family activators recognize the same binding sites as Rns and share with it the ability to utilize a downstream binding site. Like Rns, other members of this group of activators positively regulate the expression of virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. These regulators are also able to activate transcription from promoter-proximal upstream binding sites since they are able to substitute for Rns at Pcoo, a promoter with only upstream binding sites. Thus, Rns is the prototype for a group of regulators, which include CfaR, VirF, AggR, and CsvR and which activate transcription from locations that are more diverse than those of any other known activator.
Units in reading and spelling

Abstract Recently, it has been suggested that readers and spellers use units larger than single graphemes and single phonemes in computing the relationships between print and speech. To study the nature of these larger units, Experiment 1 asked subjects to pronounce nonwords like frieth, chiend, and chieth. We asked how often subjects read ie as /e/, as in friend. Such responses were more frequent for nonwords like chiend than for nonwords like frieth or chieth. This result suggests that vowel plus final consonant units are used in a greater degree than initial consonant-vowel units or vowels alone. Similarly, /e/ was more likely to be speeled as ie when it occurred in / c end/ than when it occurred in /freθ/ or / c eθ/ . Converging evidence was obtained in Experiment 2. Here, subjects rated pairs like chiend- / c end/ as more plausible than pairs like frieth-/freθ/ and chieth- / c eθ/ . Implications for models of word pronunciation and spelling are discussed.
Methods for studying the mechanical and tribological properties of hard and soft coatings with a nano-indenter

This study illustrates the capabilities of a nanoindentation/nanoscratch tester to assess mechanical and tribological properties of coating films. Properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, mar and scratch resistance, and critical force for cracking can be accurately measured. Operation of the Nano-Indenter is described in detail. A scanning probe microscope (SPM) is shown to be a valuable supplement to the Nano-Indenter. Well-characterized thermoset acrylic clearcoats and thermoplastic latex films were studied. For the first time, operating parameters are described for measurement of relatively soft coatings, such as films cast from a latex with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 8°C. Thus, the method is made available for study of most types of coatings. The method can easily discriminate between coatings with different Tgs and crosslink densities. Once operating parameters are established, it takes about 10 minutes for an indentation test and 10 minutes for a scratch test with the Nano-Indenter, and with further automation this time could be reduced. Each indentation test accurately measures hardness and elastic modulus as a function of depth within the coating, and each scratch test provides additional insight into the material’s behavior. The method is sensitive to small changes in polymer composition and formulation, and results are highly reproducible.
An experimental study of 9Be+9Be reactions between lab energies of 3 and 16 MeV

Abstract Absolute cross sections were measured for elastic scattering of 9 Be on 9 Be at lab energies of 5, 9, 12 and 16 MeV. These differential cross sections were fit with a computer code to ascertain optical model parameters. Absolute differential cross sections were measured at lab energies of 5 and 12 MeV for the reactions 9 Be[ 9 Be, (p, t, α)] 17 N, 15 N, 14 C.
Cytotoxic constituents from the fruiting branches of Callicarpa americana collected in southern Florida.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the combined fruits, leaves, and twigs (fruiting branches) of Callicarpa americana, collected from a plot in a forested area in southern Florida, led to the isolation of six new clerodane diterpenes (1–6) and eight known compounds. The structures of 1–6 [12(S), 16ξ-dihydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide (1), 12(S)-hydroxy-16ξ-methoxycleroda-3,13dien-15,16-olide (2), 12(S)-hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide (3), 16 ξ-hydroxycleroda-3,11 (E),13-trien-15,16-olide (4), 3β,12(S)-dihydroxycleroda-4(18),13-dien-15,16-olide (5), and 12(S)hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-16,15-olide (6)] were elucidated by interpretation of spectroscopic data and chemical methods. The absolute configuration at C-12 in 1 and 3 was ascertained using the Mosher ester technique. The cytotoxicity of all isolates was tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines, and compounds 1, 4, and 6, and the known compounds genkwanin, 16ξhydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide, and2-formyl-16ξ-hydroxy-3-A-norcleroda-2,13dien-15,16-olide were active (ED50 <5 μg/mL). However, 1 was found to be inactive against human cancer cells implanted in mice using a hollow-fiber tumor model. Callicarpa americana L. is a shrub native to the southeastern United States. 2 Although the
Ranibizumab for coloboma-related choroidal neovascular membrane in a child

Optic nerve and retinochoroidal coloboma are caused by incomplete closure of the embryonic fissure during fetal development. 1 Affected patients carry a risk for retinal detachment and less so for choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM) secondary to the altered anatomy. Because of the rarity of this condition and the even more unusual occurrence of such complications, there are only a few case reports on the treatment of coloboma-related CNVM. Herein we report the results of ranibizumab and laser photocoagulation for coloboma-related CNVM in a child.
Steroid-induced osteoporosis monitored by Raman spectroscopy

Glucocorticoids are frequently used to treat inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately, extended exposure to this steroid is the leading cause of physician-induced osteoporosis, leaving patients susceptible to fractures at rates of 30-50%. In this presentation, we report correlations between Raman spectra and biomechanical strength tests on bones of glucocorticoid- and placebo- treated mice. Both wild-type mice and a transgenic model of rheumatoid arthritis have been studied. A two-way ANOVA model reveals statistically significant spectral differences as influenced by glucocorticoid treatment and mouse type.
Microcanonical transition state theory for activated gas-surface reaction dynamics: application to H2/CU(111) with rotation as a spectator.

A microcanonical unimolecular rate theory (MURT) model incorporating quantized surface vibrations and Rice−Ramsperger−Kassel−Marcus rate constants is applied to a benchmark system for gas−surface reaction dynamics, the activated dissociative chemisorption and associative desorption of hydrogen on Cu(111). Both molecular translation parallel to the surface and rotation are treated as spectator degrees of freedom. MURT analysis of diverse experiments indicates that one surface oscillator participates in the dissociative transition state and that the threshold energy for H2 dissociation on Cu(111) is E0 = 62 kJ/mol. The spectator approximation for rotation holds well at thermally accessible rotational energies (i.e., for Er less than ∼40 kJ/mol). Over the temperature range from 300 to 1000 K, the calculated thermal dissociative sticking coefficient is ST = S0 exp(−Ea/kBT) where S0 = 1.57 and Ea = 62.9 kJ/mol. The sigmoid shape of rovibrational eigenstate-resolved dissociative sticking coefficients as a funct...
Empowerment: A Case Study of a Grandmother Caring for Her HIV-Positive Grandchild

A case study methodology is used to explore the meaning and development of empowerment in a grandmother who is the primary caregiver of a child with HIV infection. Empowerment to this grandmother meant being strong, coming to grips with life's challenges, and then moving on. Empowerment developed over the grandmother's life span as a result of developmental and situational experiences such as motherhood, disclosure of the HIV diagnosis, sharing her positive and negative feelings with others, gaining knowledge about HIV, making management decisions, and her increasing sense of spirituality. This grandmother manifests her empowerment through her public commitment to influence others positively about HIV infections through speaking, writing, and leadership in groups. Clinical implications are discussed.
Analgesia following intraventricular administration of 2-deoxy-D-gluocse

The glucose analogue, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) elicits hyperphagic and analgesic responses in rats. The former response appears to be mediated by central processes since overeating is elicited following intraventricular administration of 2-DG at low (3.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) doses. The present study examined whether flinch-jump threshold would increase 30, 90 and 180 min following intraventricular injections of 2-DG at low (3.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) doses and compared these effects with systemically-applied 2-DG doses of 350 and 500 mg/kg. Intraventricular 2-DG administration increased jump thresholds for up to 180 min across all test doses. Flinch thresholds were also increased, but in a manner dissociated from jump thresholds. Animals with cannulae located near, but not in the lateral ventricle, displayed delayed analgesic effects. The magnitude of intraventricular 2-DG analgesia was not at potent as the 100-fold higher systemic injections. It appears that central mechanisms mediated intraventricular 2-DG analgesia at the low dose range since higher, systemic 2-DG doses have previously failed to increase flinch-jump thresholds.
Ambulatory Care Teaching and the Psychiatric Clerkship

The psychiatric clerkship is the educational center of the psychiatric curriculum and is a powerful influence in recruitment into psychiatry. Clerkships remain inpatient-based, although effective treatments and changes in reimbursement have moved the practice of psychiatry out of hospitals and into ambulatory settings. Despite dissatisfaction with inpatient teaching, psychiatry has lagged behind other specialties in creating outpatient teaching venues.
Past occupational exposure to lead: association between current blood lead and bone lead.

Mobilization of lead from bone is known to increase with age. The authors performed the current study to determine whether there was an association between current blood lead and bone lead in workers with no current exposure but with significant past workplace exposure. The authors assessed 58 men, aged 40 to 76 years, who had earlier exposure to lead and determined both current blood lead levels and bone lead levels. At the time of the current assessment, the average blood lead level was 10.9 μg/dL and tibia bone lead concentrations ranged from -12.5 to 223.3. The authors divided workers into 3 groups by age (40-49, 50-59, and 60-76). Correlations between blood lead and bone lead were highest in the 2 oldest age groups (.49 and .75, respectively). Hierarchical regression analysis was significant for an interaction between bone lead and age in predicting blood lead (the combination of age and bone lead significantly predicted an increase in current blood lead levels). The results support the hypothesis th...
Performance analysis of metaheuristic techniques for nonconvex economic dispatch

Economic load dispatch (ELD) problem is an optimization problem where objective function is highly non linear, non-convex, non differentiable and may have multiple local minima. Therefore classical optimization methods may not convergence or get trapped to any local minima. This paper presents a comparative study of four different heuristic algorithms i.e. classical Particle swarm optimization (CPSO), Particle swarm optimization with Time-varying acceleration coefficients (PSOTVAC), Differential Evolution (DE) and Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BFO) for solving the ELD problem considering various constraints such as ramp rate limits (RRL), prohibited operating zones (POZ) and valve point effects (VPL). A detailed comparison of the various methods is carried out on three test systems having 3-unit, 13-unit and 40-units. Solution quality, convergence behavior, consistency and speed are used as performance metrics.
The sacred dimensions of pregnancy and birth

This paper is an exploratory study of the ways pregnant women in American society are elevated to a sacred status and symbolically marked as moving through a rite of passage. Utilizing insights of Emile Durkheim, Henri Hubert, Marcel Mauss, Mary Douglas, Victor Turner, and Arnold Van Gennep, it analyzes interviews with four women pregnant six to seven months and two women who had recently given birth. The analysis underscores how changes in the ways these women were treated by others, and changes in their dietary and hygienic habits, acted to place them in a special social category. The paper suggests that further research is needed into the roots of these sacralizing behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of this frame of analysis in expanding our understanding of many of the burning social dilemmas currently revolving around the event of pregnancy.
CT of the lumbar spine—Stenosis and arthrosis

Abstract A review of spinal stenosis as studied by CT is given with am emphasis on the acquired form caused by degenerative disease. Neuroforaminal stenosis and lateral recess disease are discussed in addition to central canal stenosis. Illustrative examples of each type of stenosis are presented.
Site-specific incorporation of 3-nitrotyrosine as a probe of pKa perturbation of redox-active tyrosines in ribonucleotide reductase.

E. coli ribonucleotide reductase catalyzes the reduction of nucleoside 5′-diphosphates into 2′-deoxynucleotides and is composed of two subunits: α2 and β2. During turnover, a stable tyrosyl radical (Y•) at Y122-β2 reversibly oxidizes C439 in the active site of α2. This radical propagation step is proposed to occur over 35 A, to use specific redox-active tyrosines (Y122 and Y356 in β2, Y731 and Y730 in α2), and to involve proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). 3-Nitrotyrosine (NO2Y, pKa 7.1) has been incorporated in place of Y122, Y731, and Y730 to probe how the protein environment perturbs each pKa in the presence of the second subunit, substrate (S), and allosteric effector (E). The activity of each mutant is <4 × 10−3 that of the wild-type (wt) subunit. The [NO2Y730]-α2 and [NO2Y731]-α2 each exhibit a pKa of 7.8−8.0 with E and E/β2. The pKa of [NO2Y730]-α2 is elevated to 8.2−8.3 in the S/E/β2 complex, whereas no further perturbation is observed for [NO2Y731]-α2. Mutations in pathway residues adjacent ...
Extracorporeal Treatment of Familial Hypercholesterolemia With Monoclonal Antibodies to Low-Density Lipoprotein

Plasma exchange (PE) is considered the most effective nonsurgical treatment modality for the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). However, the concomitant reduction of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the necessity and cost of using blood products are major drawbacks of PE. We studied the effects of selective LDL reduction using monoclonal anti-LDL antibodies in an investigational immunoadsorption (IA) system. Results were compared with the effects of PE. During the study period, two homozygous FH patients with baseline cholesterol levels greater than 10.34 mmol/L (400 mg/dL) were treated sequentially for a combined total of 37 IA treatments and the results were compared with a total of 19 sequential PE treatments. The IA system consisted of on-line plasma processing over two columns of monoclonal anti-LDL antibodies in alternating cycles of column adsorption and regeneration. No replacement solution was needed. PE was performed with a centrifugal plasma separator using 5% albumin as replacement solution. Results showed that the reduction of lipids with IA was 43% ± 0.9% for cholesterol, 51 % ± 1.0% for LDL, and 19% ± 1.3% for HDL, resulting in a reduction in the LDL to HDL ratio of 41% ± 1.7%. Compared with IA, percent reduction by PE was significantly greater ( P P P
Internal and External Strategies for Evolution of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells into Model Citizens of the Grid

Proper converter design can allow solid oxide fuel cells utilized as distributed generators to mutually benefit both the load and the utility during steady-state conditions, but dynamic load changes are still an issue. Unlike standard synchronous generators, fuel cells lack an inherent spinning reserve and their output power ramp rate is limited by the fuel cell design. Two strategies are herein investigated to mitigate the impact of a large load dynamic on the utility grid: (1) An external load-following strategy that adds ultra-capacitors through a DC-DC converter for electrical storage and (2) an internal strategy to decrease the steady-state utilization so more fuel is available during the output power dynamic. Both strategies successfully eliminate the impact of a load change on the utility grid. The ultra-capacitor strategy requires more capital investment while the utilization strategy necessitates lowered efficiency. This implies there is substantial flexibility when designing load-following fuel cell systems.
Peak axial-velocity decay with single- and multi-element nozzles.

Jet peak-velocity decay data were obtained for a variety of circular and noncircular single-element and multi-element nozzles for application to externally-blown-flap (EBF) STOL aircraft. These data permit a rational approach, in terms of element type and element spacing, to nozzles designed to promote mixing of the jet exhaust with the surrounding air. Rapid mixing and the resulting lower axial jet velocity decreases the noise caused by the interaction of jet impingement on the flap assembly of EBF STOL aircraft. Empirical relationships are presented that permit the prediction of peak axial-velocity decay curves for a wide spectrum of mixer-type nozzles. The data are useful also in the design of ejector-type noise suppressors and for the suppression of VTOL downwash velocities caused by vertically oriented exhaust nozzles.
Use of traditional medicine in Mongolia: a survey.

Objectives: To conduct a pilot investigation of the frequency with which individuals visit practitioners of Western and traditional Mongolian medicine and their motivations for making these visits. Design: Survey based interviews were conducted in a sample of 90 adults. Setting: Darkhan, Mongolia. Main Outcome Measures: Measures included the annual frequency of visits to practitioners of traditional and Western medicine as well as ratings of the importance of seven factors in choosing what type of practitioner to use. Results: During the past year, 51% of subjects interviewed had used Western services exclusively, 8% had used traditional services exclusively, and 38% had used both types of services. Users and non-users of traditional medicine did not vary in terms of age, gender, occupation or rural vs urban residence. Traditional medicine users rated the knowledge base of traditional practitioners higher than did nonusers (5.3/7 vs 4.5/7,P <0.01). A patient's specific illness appears to be important in deciding what type of treatment he will seek. Conclusions: Traditional medicine appears to be a more significant component of Mongolian health care than is reported in the international literature and consequently may deserve additional attention in future studies of the country's medical system.
Effect of Surface Electrode Number on Estimates of Cardiac Dipole Moment

This study reports on the errors in the calculation of a heart dipole introduced by deleting individual electrode contributions to a surface potential map. The potential at 150 points on each of 6 normal children was available at several instants of the QRS cycle. Although it was impossible to test all possible sets of deleted points, or all possible methods of compensatory weighting of the residual points, the results indicate that a number of electrodes at least as great as 100 is required to produce consistent relative errors of less than 15 percent, if surface potential integration is employed in determining the heart's total dipole moment.
Time to competitive exclusion

A predictive theory of population extinction for natural populations requires integrating the effects of stochasticity with the interactions engaged in with populations of other species. The theory of competitive exclusion predicts that inferior competitors for a limiting resource will be driven to extinction, but the effects of resource competition on time to extinction have not been examined. We studied a stochastic version of Tilman's resource competition model to examine two species competition-driven extinction. Simulations showed that competitive imbalance, population size and demographic rates of the “inferior” competitor were the most important determinants of mean extinction time, while factors including resource supply and nutrient uptake had negligible influence. However, when competitors were more evenly matched and had small initial population sizes the “superior” competitor often went extinct. In these cases the distribution of extinction times shifted from the familiar exponential tail towards a heavy-tailed distribution with characteristically longer extinction times that may be indicative of the transition between exclusion and coexistence. These results provide new insight into the quantitative effects of competition and demographic stochasticity on extinction risk. Further work is needed to understand how extinction of superior competitors affects coexistence and extinction in natural communities.
Minimal functions with unbounded integral

We prove theorems which imply the following results. (1) “Most” almost periodic functionsb(t) with unbounded integral oscillate in a strong sense. (2) IfB is a continuous function on a minimal flow (Ω,R), then either the time averages \((1/t)\smallint _o^t B(\omega \cdot s)ds\) all converge, or they diverge on a residual set.
Characterization of rennet coagulation of milk concentrated by vacuum condensing and ultrafiltration

A comparison of rennet coagulation of milk supplemented with vacuum-condensed or ultrafiltered milk was undertaken. Five treatments with two levels of protein (45 and 60 g·kg−1) from vacuum-condensed (CM1 and CM2) and ultrafiltered milk (UF1 and UF2) along with a 32 g·kg−1 protein control were compared. A Formagraph was used to characterize rennet clotting time (RCT), amplitude at 40 min (a40), and time to achieve amplitude of 20 mm (k20). Rennet was added at 192 μL·kg−1 milk, without prior addition of starter. RCT was lower for CM than for UF, and lower for higher protein milks. The k20 values were lower for higher protein samples, indicating a higher rate of curd firming; and were not affected by the method of concentration. The a40 values (i.e., curd firmness) were higher for samples with higher protein content. Statistically there was no effect of method of concentration on a40; however subjective analysis of curds during cheese making indicated that CM curds were firmer than UF curds. T0 further evaluate the discrepancy in coagulum characteristics, viscosity during coagulation was monitored. Samples of milk were inoculated with starter culture; each treatment was inoculated with two levels of rennet (132 and 192 μL·kg−1); and changes in viscosity were determined throughout coagulation using Brookfield viscometer. Calculated coagulum strength varied from 2.72 to 9.22 N·m; and increased as protein level increased. Also, CM curd was firmer than its UF counterpart. A higher rate of inoculation of rennet can reduce coagulum strength; however the rate should be optimized to avoid decreasing coagulation time to an unacceptable level.
Applications of reaction calorimetry in reaction kinetics and thermal hazard evaluation

Abstract A systematic approach to determination of the kinetics of the exothermic esterification of methanol and acetic anhydride by reaction calorimetry (RC) was addressed in this study. Arrhenius parameters were obtained from isothermal, adiabatic, and temperature-programmed methods. The activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and heat of reaction were determined to be 72.6 ± 0.5 kJ mol−1, (3.6 ± 0.6) × 107 s−1 mol−1 dm3, and 67.3 ± 3.0 kJ mol−1 respectively. Here, the adiabatic temperature rise of runaway reaction and the critical heat-transfer parameter were obtained using the Mettler RC1 AP01 reactor. A second-order reaction under the condition of excess acetic anhydride was successfully identified and used to simulate adiabatic runaway situations in scale-up quantity. Results in this study demonstrated that combining different calorimeters' features with experimental techniques would create an effective technique capable of obtaining reliable results for both the Arrhenius parameters and thermal hazard assessment.
Implementing State Standards for Science Education: What District Policy Makers Make of the Hoopla.

Premised on the assumption that school districts play an important role in the implementa- tion of state and federal policy, this article explores the districts' response to state science standards. Adopt- ing a cognitive perspective on the implementation process, the authors examine the ideas about science education that district policy makers construct from science standards. Our analysis illuminates how the ideas about reforming science education that district policy makers come to understand from new science standards contribute to these standards being adapted at the district level in ways that miss or misrepre- sent their core intent. The article identifies prominent patterns in district policy makers' understandings of the science reforms. Based on this analysis, the authors argue that a cause of implementation failure, rarely examined in the literature, concerns the ways in which local implementers miss or misconstrue the intent of policy proposals. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach: 37: 401-425, 2000.
Effects of acute caffeine ingestion and menopause on sulfate homeostasis in women

Inorganic sulfate is a physiological anion which is utilized in the metabolism of both endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. Its homeostasis is maintained predominantly by facilitated reabsorptive processes in the kidneys. The objectives of the present investigation were to evaluate the effects of menopausal status and caffeine ingestion on the serum concentrations and clearance of inorganic sulfate. Thirty-nine women who were classified as premenopausal, postmenopausal with or without estrogen treatment, and postmenopausal with osteoporosis participated in the study. The women were studied on two separate occasions following the ingestion of a decaffeinated beverage to which 6 mg caffeine/kg lean body mass or no caffeine was added. All women were habitual caffeine users (mean ingestion of 588 mg caffeine per day) but abstained from all caffeine sources for 2 weeks prior to the control study day. Postmenopausal women with estrogen supplementation exhibited significantly lower sulfate serum concentrations (0.24 +/- 0.02 mM vs. 0.32 +/- 0.04 mM in premenopausal women, mean +/- SD, p < 0.05) and a decreased renal reabsorption of sulfate for the control (no caffeine) period. There was no difference in serum sulfate or sulfate reabsorption in estrogen supplemented postmenopausal women, compared with women not taking estrogen. Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis had significantly lower creatinine and sulfate clearances than postmenopausal women with estrogen supplementation which may be related to their older age, or factors related to the disease process. The 6 mg/kg dose of caffeine caused a diuresis, but no change in GFR, as indicated by urine volume and creatinine clearance values, respectively. Caffeine administration resulted in an increase in the sulfate excretion rate; there was no change in sulfate serum concentrations. The results of this investigation indicate that menopause results in decreased sulfate serum concentrations that may be the consequence of a decreased renal reabsorption of sulfate. Secondly, this investigation demonstrated that caffeine ingestion increases the urinary excretion of sulfate, an effect that may be related to the diuretic effect of caffeine or due to a caffeine-induced alteration in the renal reabsorption of sulfate.
A reexamination of Barnard's theory of organization

Abstract In November and December of 1937, a series of eight lectures was delivered at the Lowell Institute in Boston by a practicing executive, Chester I. Barnard. The enthusiastic response to the lectures prompted a decision by the Harvard University Press to publish them in book form under the same title, and in 1938 there appeared The Functions of the Executive (Barnard, 1938). Not only was this series of lectures and the text lauded in 1937 and 1938, the latter has since come to be recognized as a landmark in the evolution of our understanding of organizations. Barnard's work provides an historical bridge between the mechanistic and somewhat harsh scientific management era of Frederic Taylor and the more recent behavioral insights that now characterize management thought. Provided in one volume was a wealth of ideas subsequently captured and exploited by more contemporary organizational theorists. Many of these concepts are as profoundly appropriate today as they were forty years ago.
Strain-related brain injury in neonatal mice subjected to hypoxia–ischemia

Abstract The development of transgenic mice has led to an increase in the use of mice as models for human disease. We hypothesized that the degree of brain damage sustained by animals in a neonatal mouse model of hypoxia–ischemia depends on the strain used. We compared three strains of mice commonly used to generate transgenic strains (C57Bl/6, 129Sv and CD1), as well as three hybrids of these strains (C57Bl/6×129Sv, CD1×C57Bl/6, and CD1×129Sv). At postnatal day 7 (P7), pups were subjected to a modified Vannucci procedure for hypoxia–ischemia as follows: permanent ligation of right common carotid artery under halothane anesthesia, 2-h recovery period, exposure to 8% oxygen at 37°C for varying durations (30, 60 or 90 min). After 5 days, animals were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde, brains were removed, postfixed and examined histologically with cresyl violet and Perl's iron stain to assess the degree of damage. Damage was assessed blindly using a score ranging from 0 (none) to 3 (infarct) in eight regions (ant-, mid-, and post- cortex, CA1, CA2, CA3 and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and striatum). We found significant differences in susceptibility to brain damage and mortality depending on the strain used. While determining the maximal degree of injury with the least amount of mortality for each strain, it was found that some strains (CD1) are particularly susceptible to brain damage in this model, while others (129Sv) are resistant.
Automotive color certification

Because of the subjective nature of determining visual color-match acceptability, we have for many years hoped that color measurement would provide objectivity for clear-cut decisions. Despite impressive advances in spectrophotometers and computer software, few produceruser programs have been successful using only numerical data and with no visual override. Most companies “accumulate data” but make final decisions visually. Considering the many observers making color-match decisions at color producer sites, molding plants and assembly plants, Ford set out to establish a plan for fully objective analysis. While developing the plan, certain guidelines became critical to good correlation of visual to measured data. A pilot program is described in which the resin producers certify batches of color concentrate or precolored resin as meeting certain measured criteria. the parts are then molded and installed in vehicles and are not challenged visually but are monitored for the record. Good color match quality has resulted. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Unsteady mixed convection due to time-dependent free stream velocity

An analysis has been presented to study the unsteady combined convection from a horizontal circular cylinder to a transverse flow. A perturbation method is used to transform the governing set of partial differential equations, representing the constitutive laws, into a system of ordinary differential equations. For the case of sinusoidal variation of the free stream velocity, the boundary layer response is estimated due to both low frequency as well as high frequency oscillation. Numerical solutions are presented for the distribution of unsteady Nusselt number and friction factor.
Direct delivery of platinum-based antineoplastics to the central nervous system: a toxicity and ultrastructural study

Platinum drugs are playing an increasingly major role in cancer treatment, but systemic administration of these agents has resulted in significant toxicity. To examine the effects of cisplatin and two newer agents, inprolatin and carboplatin, we injected the agents directly into the cerebrospinal fluid of rats and found that neurotoxic reactions resulted from doses of cisplatin (10 nmol) much lower than those of iproplatin (40 nmol) or carboplatin (80 nmol). Moreover, central nervous system tissue appeared to be less adversely affected by direct exposure to carboplatin since chronic toxicity was not observed in any of the animals receiving carboplatin until a lethal dose was reached. Furthermore, only the animals receiving cisplatin showed histologic damage in their spinal cords, and ultrastructural studies confirmed and while significant abnormalities were observed in the spinal cords of rats receiving 40 nmol cisplatin, no architectural changes were detected in the spinal cords of animals receiving 240 nmol carboplatin. We conclude that platinum drugs can be delivered intrathecally to achieve a much greater concentration of active drug than can be achieved by intravenous administration and that carboplatin appears to be the most suitable platinum-based drug for use in systems delivering drugs directly to the brain and spinal cord.
Supply-side and demand-side cost sharing in health care.

In health markets, the price paid by insured consumers when health care services are demanded can be set separately from the price paid to providers when services are supplied. This fact suggests two alternate strategies for controlling the costs of health care: demand-side cost sharing, where patients must pay more in co-payments or deductibles, and supply-side cost sharing, which seeks to alter the incentives of health care workers to provide certain services. We review the rationale, limits, and comparative advantage of demand- and supply-side cost sharing in health care while primarily focusing on the short-run pursuit of consumer financial risk protection and efficiency. We then turn briefly to the long-run issue of technology adoption, as well as the how supply- and demand-side cost sharing may affect the fairness of the health system.
HIV/AIDS and Aging Minority Populations:

This article focuses on emerging issues associated with HIV/AIDS in aging minoritypopulations. Based on a review of the literature as well as available national surveillance data, this article disc...
Holmium laser for management of ureterocele calculi.

Background and Objectives Although most ureteral calculi will pass spontaneously, those in a ureterocele will usually not pass beyond the stenotic orifice. We address both the stone and the underlying anatomic abnormality of a ureterocele using the holmium:YAG laser. Study Design/Materials and Methods We report the first use of the holmium laser to treat ureteral calculi and the ureteroceles responsible for their retention. Results Two patients have been successfully treated using the described procedure. Conclusions The flexibility to treat both the underlying anatomic abnormality and the resultant stone with a single minimally invasive device makes the holmium laser ideal in this situation. Lasers Surg. Med. 31:297–298, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The social dynamics of embodied cognition

Reaching in the A-not-B situation is not the product of a single person, but rather of a person-person system. We argue that models of embodied cognition distributed over persons may be necessary to capture the essential qualities of evolving behaviors, even those as simple as perseverative reaching.
Parallel ocean general circulation modeling

Abstract We have developed a global ocean model on the massively parallel CM-2 Connection Machine based on the Bryan-Cox-Semtner ocean general circulation model. This paper discusses the Connection Machine implementation of the model and its performance, as well as major changes that were made in the algorithms and numerical methods. In order to increase the parallel efficiency, we reformulated the barotropic equations to solve for the surface-pressure field rather than the volume-transport streamfunction. In addition to being more efficient, this method has several other advantages over the streamfunction formulation: (1) any number of islands can be included in the computational grid at no extra cost; (2) the model can handle steep gradients in the bottom topography; and (3) the free-surface height is a prognostic variable, which simplifies assimilation of altimetric data into the model. We have also developed a new parallelizable preconditioning method for the solution of the elliptic equation for the surface-pressure field. In order to use a standard conjugate gradient algorithm, an approximate-factorization technique is used to split off the Coriolis terms and obtain a symmetric operator. We then apply a symmetric local approximate-inverse operator as a preconditioning matrix, which is very effective in accelerating convergence to a solution.
In dry pear (Pyrus communis L.) pollen, membranes assume a tightly packed multilamellate aspect that disappears rapidly upon hydration

Ultrastructural details of dry (7% moisture content) and hydratedPyrus communis L. pollen are revealed following freezesubstitution preparation for electron microscopy. Dry pollen is characterized by tightly packed, multilamellate membranous profiles found in association with plasma membrane, vesicles, ER, dictyosomes and some double-membrane bound organelles. Dry pollen also shows unit-membrane bound, densely osmiophilic bodies often with tightly packed multilamellations contained within and, at times, in their bounding membranes. These features are not evident in hydrated pollen. Results suggest that multilamellate membranes form as the plasma membrane, vesicles, ER, and double-membrane bound organelles undergo dehydration, and that upon hydration they rapidly resume normal unilamellate structure.
Pharmacists' roles in patient-centered medical homes.

Pharmacists can be critical players in PCMHs, helping patients make the best use of medications. Applying their knowledge and skills, pharmacists are drug-therapy experts on the health care team, promoting optimal medication therapy management as a key element of success in new models of care. Pharmacists are assisting integrated teams in ensuring optimal medication management and educating patients as active participants in their own health. As a result of the work of early adopters in providing pharmacists’ patient care services, the role of pharmacists within integrated
ISEE 1 observations of VLF line radiation in the Earth's magnetosphere

VLF line radiation in the magnetosphere is analyzed in an attempt to clarify the role of radiation from electric power lines in magnetospheric wave-particle interactions. Observations were made by the ISEE 1 satellite from October 1977 through August 1979 between L = 2 and L = 8 and 50 to 110 deg W longitude, a region encompassing the magnetic field lines linking the Eights, Siple and Roberval stations and in which VLF chorus activity had been linked to power line radiation. Line radiation was detected on 5 of 90 orbits, in all cases at frequencies below 4 kHz. The one event with a high S/N ratio exhibited lines changing frequency at rates from 22 to 6 Hz/min over a 9-min period. The radiation was detected at a time when whistler mode echoing was quite pronounced on lower L shells, and thus may have been a scattered component of line radiation echoing between hemispheres. It is concluded that very little of the background VLF wave energy in the outer magnetosphere is contained in line radiation, although the catalytic role of line radiation in controlling wave-particle interactions remains to be assessed.