cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Support Effects During Sintering of Nickel Catalysts

In-situ measurements of magnetization, hydrogen chemisorption, and cyclo-hexane dehydrogenation have been made on Ni/SiO 2 catalysts before and after sintering by thermal treatment from 873 to 973K. For freshly reduced samples, surface areas calculated from magnetic crystallite size distribution measurements, S calc' and measured with hydrogen chemisorption, S meas' decrease slightly with nickel concentration. Sintered samples are independent of concentration. Surface areas decline appreciably upon sintering, but comparisons of S meas' with S calc' indicate that only a certain fraction of the surface is accessible, due to either interaction of nickel with the support or to trapping of small crystallites in pores. Accessibility decreases with increasing crystallite size rather than thermal treatment. (change-para-here) Cyclohexane dehydrogenation increases with crystallite size, partially compensating for surface loss due to sintering, but activity loss is much more pronounced than suggested by size considerations alone.
Somatic Embryogenesis in Woody Legumes

The family Leguminosae or Fabaceae is one of the largest and most diverse groups of plants represented by approximately 700 genera that encompass almost 18,000 species. The woody leguminous species, including trees, shrubs and vines, embody a highly divergent taxonomic grouping of plants that occupy various niches in ecosystems throughout the temperate and tropical world. These plants are especially important in tropical and semiarid environments, producing food for human consumption, pesticides and medicines, fodder for wildlife and domesticated livestock, and wood for construction, paper products, and fuel (Trigiano et al. 1992). Many of these multipurpose leguminous trees form mutualistic associations with nitrogen fixing bacteria (i.e., Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium species), which significantly influence or alter soil fertility. In temperate areas, woody species are often used for biomass, land reclamation of mining sites, and ornamental plantings.
Postoperative radiation therapy for medulloblastoma--high recurrence rate in the subfrontal region.

Purpose: To investigate the treatment results and analyze the prognostic factors for patients with medulloblastoma (MB) treated by surgery and postoperative radiation therapy (RT).
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Disease: Protein Aggregation, Autophagy, and Oxidative Stress

Mitochondrial dysfunction is frequently associated with neurodegenerative diseases and is thought to be a major contributor to the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and stroke. The mechanisms that lead to these defects have in common generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and the covalent, and often irreversible, modification of proteins. Recently, it has become clear that the interplay between this protein modification and the cellular pathways that process damaged proteins is a key link between cellular bioenergetics and cell death. In this short overview, we will review the literature which supports the concept that protein aggregation, dysregulation of autophagy, and oxidative stress can result from and impact on mitochondrial dysfunction. Understanding the regulation of protein aggregation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction may then offer new avenues for the development of mitochondrial-specific therapies in neurodegenerative diseases.
Contaminated Confessions: How Source and Consistency of Confession Details Influence Memory and Attributions

Via “contamination,” false confessions usually contain accurate and nonpublic details, and details that are inconsistent with the case facts ( Garrett, 2010 ). In two studies (N1 = 476; N2 = 364), we replicated previous findings that inconsistent confessions yield fewer guilty verdicts than accurate confessions ( Henderson and Levett, 2016 , Palmer et al., 2016 ). The source of the details in a confession (interrogator vs. suspect) also influenced guilt decisions: when details were introduced by the suspect, participants were more confident in his guilt than when the interrogator introduced the details. Exploratory analyses revealed that although consistency and source of confession details affected memory for crime facts, memory did not influence verdict decisions as much as participants’ causal attributions for the confession. Consistency and source influenced whether participants attributed the confession to the suspect's guilt or something other than guilt (e.g., coercion), which in turn affected guilt judgments and confidence.
Engineering and Technologies Associated With Cardiac Valve Repair and Replacement Therapies

Abstract This chapter reviews the anatomical and functional aspects of human cardiac heart valves, in relation to surgical and percutaneous therapies. Understanding the underlying features and structures of the heart valves is essential when designing and/or implementing repair/replacement devices for valvular disease treatment. Pertinent history and current technologies in the field of valve repair and replacement procedures are reviewed, as they provide insights into the future of valve bioprosthesis engineering. In addition, Visible Heart methodologies will be highlighted for their unique role in valvular anatomical/functional studies and preclinical testing of repair/replacement technologies.
Cardiovascular Health Among Non‐Hispanic Asian Americans: NHANES, 2011–2016

Background Asian Americans are the fastest growing population in the United States, but little is known about their cardiovascular health (CVH). The objective of this study was to assess CVH among ...
Workplace Rejection: A Theoretical Model of Experiencing Rejection in the Workplace

Rejection is a generally disliked experience. A large body of literature almost solely focuses on social rejection; however, rejection can also be the result of a work-related factor (e.g., manuscr...
Bikesharing: Analysis and Prediction

As one of the most popular shared-economy industries, the bikesharing system allows the users to rent a bike from one location and return it to any other locations in their network. In this paper, we perform the statistical and predictive analysis on the bikesharing data in Washington, D.C. Our results discover different usage patterns by the registered and casual users, and we are able to predict the rental demands effectively in the bikesharing system.
Treating Post-Ablation Pulmonary Vein Stenosis

ABSTRACTAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice and its prevalence is projected to continue to increase over the next few decades in correlation with the aging p...
Influence of Floods, Tides, and Vegetation on Sediment Retention in Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana, USA

Sediment is the most valuable natural resource for deltaic environments, and to build new land sediment must be retained in the delta instead of being transported offshore. Despite this, we do not know what controls sediment retention within a delta. Here we use a calibrated numerical model of Wax Lake Delta, LA, USA to analyze sediment retention for different flood-wave magnitudes, tidal amplitudes, and vegetation extents. We only model transport of silt since it comprises most of the incoming sediment load. Our results show that as flood size increases, areally-averaged vertical accretion increases from 0.33 cm to 2 cm, but this comes at a cost because delta-scale sediment retention decreases from 72% to 34%. On a fully vegetated delta, we show that the buffering effect of vegetation reduces island-directed sediment flux by 14 to 22% because sediment takes the less resistive path in the channel. When sediment gets onto the islands, the trapping effect of vegetation increases retention by ~10%. But, this is not enough to offset the buffering effect, and vegetation decreases vertical accretion and sediment retention across the delta reduces by up to ~0.5 cm and 6%, respectively. We suggest that vegetation will increase sedimentation only when trapping compensates for buffering. Finally, greater tidal amplitude at higher discharges enhances vertical accretion by ~0.5 cm per flood as compared to a minimum tidal amplitude condition. These results inform how coastal deltaic systems grow and suggest how to operate sediment diversions more efficiently in deltas with reduced sediment supply.
Paraventricular Thalamus Activity during Motivational Conflict Highlights the Nucleus as a Potential Constituent in the Neurocircuitry of Addiction.

The paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is associated with reward-related behaviors, including learning cue–reward associations, attributing incentive salience to stimuli, and performing goal-motivated behaviors ([Haight and Flagel, 2014][1]; [Hsu et al., 2014][2]). Such behavioral associations are
Intrinsic Sample Methodology

ABSTRACT A new and vital notion of sampling, referred to as intrinsic sample (IS), is proposed as a way to increasing the geoscience information employed in the objective, quantitative estimation of one or more mineral endowment descriptors, for example, number of deposits. An intrinsic sample consists of genetically related geologic objects or their geofields. The set of ISs on a control area constitutes a sample to support the estimation of the relations of one or more mineral endowment descriptors to geology. Important elements of the IS methodology include (1) the use of genetic relations to integrate diverse geodata, (2) the synthesis of relevant information from multiple geodata sets, and (3) the optimum discretization (cutting) of synthesized fields to delineate geofields and intrinsic samples. The Walker Lake quadrangle of Nevada and California served as a case study for demonstration of the IS methodology. This demonstration produced a map of ISs for epithermal gold and silver.
Characterization of thalamic lesions and their correlates in multiple sclerosis by ultra-high-field MRI:

Background:Thalamic pathology is a marker for neurodegeneration and multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression.Objective:To characterize (1) the morphology of thalamic lesions, (2) their relation ...
A thermoresponsive crosslinker for reversible micelle stabilization

Herein we report a thermoresponsive crosslinker that can be utilized to stabilize the surface of micelles through a “click” reaction and to trigger the disassembly via a retro Diels Alder (rDA) mechanism. The micelles generated were 100 nm in size and monodispersed. Above 60 °C, rDA dissociation of crosslinker occurs resulting to the degradation of the micelles and release of hydrophobic cargo.
Estimating Cannabis Involvement in Fatal Crashes in Washington State Before and After the Legalization of Recreational Cannabis Consumption Using Multiple Imputation of Missing Values.

The government of Washington state legalized recreational cannabis consumption in December 2012. We used data on all drivers involved in fatal crashes in Washington in the years 2008-2019 (n = 8,282) to estimate prevalence in fatal crashes of drivers with ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) in their blood before and after legalization. However, nearly half of the drivers were not tested for drugs; we therefore used multiple imputation to estimate THC presence and concentration among them. We used logistic regression followed by marginal standardization to estimate the adjusted prevalence of THC-positive drivers after legalization relative to what would have been predicted without legalization. In the combined observed and imputed data, the proportion of drivers positive for THC was 9.3% before and 19.1% after legalization (adjusted prevalence ratio: 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 4.1). The proportion of drivers with high THC concentrations increased substantially (adjusted prevalence ratio: 4.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.5, 15.1). Some of the increased prevalence of THC-positive drivers might have reflected cannabis use unassociated with driving; however, the increased prevalence of drivers with high THC concentrations suggests an increase in the prevalence of driving shortly after using cannabis. Other jurisdictions should compile quantitative data on drug test results of drivers to enable surveillance and evaluation.
Implantation and Formation of the Deciduae

The secretory uterine mucosa consists of three layers: stratum compactum, stratum spongiosum and stratum basale. Implantation occurs in the superficial layer (compactum); the middle layer (spongiosum) containing the well-developed uterine glands loses its identity as secretory activity declines. The stratum basale does not undergo cyclical changes and remains intact after menstrual slough and/or parturition to regenerate the superficial layers, i.e., the stratum functionalis.
Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling: Parameter Estimation for Cyclosporin A

Abstract Parameter estimation is a critical step in developing physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models to determine the efficacy and toxicity of new drug leads. Before clinical drug trials in humans, preclinical dose estimation experiments are performed on laboratory animals like rats, dogs and primates. These preclinical experiments are important for studying drug potency and possible toxic side effects before it can be safely administered to humans. This article presents a process systems engineering approach for parameter estimation and model selection of PBPKs from experimental drug response curves. The results include time-dependent drug concentrations in each organ and provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of chemical reaction kinetics and drug transport in a modeled organism. Multi-scale modeling techniques are utilized throughout the PBPK model development in order to allow for the specification of desired complexity. We demonstrate the methodology by using data on an immunosuppressant Cyclosporin A (CyA). A comprehensive vasculature model of a male Sprague-Dawley rat is combined with a pharmacokinetic model. The unknown kinetic and transport coefficients are determined by parameter estimation. The solution also determines the drug's bioavailability in all modeled tissues. We further demonstrate that this model obeys to first principles, such as conservation of mass. In the case study involving CyA administered via an IV bolus injection (6 mg/kg) into a rat, we calculate the renal and hepatic drug clearances, the biological half-life of elimination (8.75 h), the mass transfer coefficients and the bioavailability in twelve organs as well as the blood. The successful application of the proposed methods will lead to better design of preclinical trials, more profound knowledge gain from animal experimentation and eventually lead to shorter drug development times and to improved therapy design.
Steroids and related natural products-XVII: conversion of lanosterol to 14α-methyl steroids

Abstract The possibility of abnormal steroid biosyntheses leading to in vivo formation of certain 14α-methyl steroids was discussed. In order to further evaluate this proposal, preparation of 14α-methyl steroids related to the androgenic hormones was undertaken. Initially, a thirteen-step degradation sequence was developed for converting isocholesterol (crude lanosterol) to 3-oxo-17β-hydroxy-4,4,14α-trimethyl-5α-androstane.
Isolation and Characterization of C-4 Methyl Intermediates in Cholesterol Biosynthesis after Treatment of Rat Liver in Vitro with Cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol

Abstract We have studied the effect in vitro of cholestan-3β,5α, 6β-triol upon the conversion of tritium-labeled mavalonic acid to cholesterol. An in vitro system is described which is capable of net sterol synthesis in milligram quantities. Thus it is possible to characterize accumulating intermediates by modern physical techniques such as infrared, ultraviolet, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry. By using these techniques two sterols were isolated and characterized for the first time: (a) 4,4-dimethyl-Δ8(9)-cholesten-3β-ol and (b) 4β-methyl-Δ8(9)-cholesten-3β-ol. In addition, a third compound was detected and is tentatively identified as 4,4-dimethyl-Δ8(9)-cholesten-3-one. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the polar substituents of cholestantriol at C-5 and C-6 are responsible for the ability of this compound to interfere with the enzymatic demethylation at C-4 of C-4 methyl precursors in cholesterol biosynthesis.
Editorial: diabetes and its association with hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B

The impact of metabolic syndrome and its complications, namely hepatic steatosis and diabetes, have appropriately become focal points of investigation within hepatology in the setting of the evolving obesity epidemic. Although there is a large body of research that has demonstrated an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with diabetes, the specific disease characteristics that modify this relationship require further investigation.(1) This is particularly the case in patients with viral hepatitis, where studies have produced conflicting data in terms of the independent association of metabolic risk factors with HCC.(1–4) In a recent issue, Fu et al provide further data to support the observation of increased risk of HCC for diabetic patients with CHB.(5) Using the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database, they included a random sample of 2099 patients with CHB with new-onset diabetes and 2080 age, gender, and inception-point matched non-diabetic patients. After adjusting for possible contributing factors, diabetes was an independent predictor for HCC with a hazard ratio of 1.798. This study has several strengths including a large sample-size, length of longitudinal follow-up, and accounting for multiple potential confounders for competing risk for developing HCC. Several unaddressed questions remain however, particularly those stemming from the lack of histology to address possible concomitant steatohepatitis. It is well known that diabetes is an independent risk factor and driver of steatohepatitis, and untreated steatohepatitis, along with other metabolic dysregulations associated with diabetes, have been shown to increase the risk of HCC in the setting of hepatitis B infection.(6, 7) Additionally, further detail regarding duration of diabetes and control of diabetes on the risk of HCC should also be evaluated.(2, 3, 8, 9) Lastly, the impact of anti-diabetic regimen should be assessed as data has suggested decreased risk of HCC and liver related mortality in patients on metformin.(8, 10) In this study only 39% of diabetics were on treatment and the effect of diabetic treatment agents on HCC risk was not assessed. Overall this study demonstrates the importance of addressing modifiable metabolic risk factors in patients with CHB. Lifestyle interventions to prevent obesity, diabetes and other features of the metabolic syndrome should be emphasized in the care of patients with CHB. Further studies are needed to clarify the attributable risk of HCC in diabetics (such as duration and severity of steatohepatitis), as well as optimal treatment of steatohepatitis, in order to minimize the risk of incident HCC in CHB.
THE POLITICS OF SILVER AND GOLD IN AN AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: THE ORIGINS OF MEXICO'S MONETARY REFORM OF 1905

This essay explores the hidden history of the origin and gestation of Mexico's Monetary Reform of 1905. It argues that two symmetrical forces pushed the Mexican government toward the reform: foreign financiers (and their domestic allies), whose capital investments (and expatriated profits) suffered under a depreciating currency and the Mexican government, which wished to maintain its export model while seeking to avoid inflation and deteriorating terms of trade. Furthermore, the essay reconstructs the internal political climate, closely following the nuanced conflict between rival domestic power groups, and the ways in which external actors, especially U.S. bankers exacerbated those conflicts.
A framework for the analysis of optimal maximum highway speed limits and their optimal enforcement

Abstract On 2 January 1974, “The Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act” reduced the maximum highway speed limit for all vehicles to 55 mph. The sole reason advanced for this reduction was to conserve fuel. Although fuel costs are one determinant of what the socially optimal highway speed limit should be, they are not the sole determinant of that optimum. Consequently, it would be entirely fortuitous if the new 55 mph speed limit is socially optimal. This paper discusses the full range of considerations which should be taken into account in establishing a socially optimal speed limit and its optimal enforcement. Some empirical tests are suggested at the end of this paper, though no empirical work is included.
A Study of the Seasonal Slit-Openness Defect in Cheddar Cheese

Summary The salts in milk as related to the period of lactation had no effect upon the development of the seasonableness of the open-texture defect. Variations in the pasteurization temperatures of the cheese milk, cooking procedures, and acidity of the curd at the time of milling had no effect upon the control of the defect. When the finished cheese contained 1.60 to 1.70% salt, the defect was materially minimized.
CP violation in the KL→π0ℓ+ℓ− decay amplitude for large mt

Abstract We discuss CP violation in the amplitude for K L → π 0 l + l − when m t is large. Unlike the case of K L → ππ , CP violation in the decay amplitude itself is comparable to that which comes from the mass matrix. We study the CP violating effects, including strong interaction (QCD) corrections to the amplitudes which arise from one-loop diagrams. Short-distance contributions from diagrams that involve a W and Z or two W's as well from those with a photon and a W are important when m t ⪆M W .
A Convenient Nuclear Magnetic Resonance External Standard Tubing

In NMR work when an external reference is required, the coaxial tubes are normally employed. The commercially available coaxial tubes consist of an inner and an outer tube which are closed at one end. The inner tube is centrally held by two movable glass spacers. There are some disadvantages to this arrangement. First, the inner tube often cannot be held rigidly so that spinning sidebands are present. Second, because of the small diameter of the inner tube at the closed end where the reference solution is situated, it is difficult to clean after use.
Two-loop versus new physics effects on oblique parameters

We utilize the recent calculation of the dominant two-loop radiative corrections to electroweak parameters to investigate higher order effects on the standard model predictions for the oblique parameters S, T and U. The variations of these contributions over a wide range of top quark and Higgs boson masses are investigated. The magnitude of two-loop effects is often greater than that of certain new physics scenarios beyond the standard model which have been considered in this context, and therefore must be taken into account first. However, two-loop effects never move both S and T simultaneously towad more negative values and therefore do not reduce the tantalizing 1 to 1.5σ discrepancy of the present data with the standard model.
The Motor Cortex Communicates with the Kidney

We used retrograde transneuronal transport of rabies virus from the rat kidney to identify the areas of the cerebral cortex that are potential sources of central commands for the neural regulation of this organ. Our results indicate that multiple motor and nonmotor areas of the cerebral cortex contain output neurons that indirectly influence kidney function. These cortical areas include the primary motor cortex (M1), the rostromedial motor area (M2), the primary somatosensory cortex, the insula and other regions surrounding the rhinal fissure, and the medial prefrontal cortex. The vast majority of the output neurons from the cerebral cortex were located in two cortical areas, M1 (68%) and M2 (15%). If the visceromotor functions of M1 and M2 reflect their skeletomotor functions, then the output to the kidney from each cortical area could make a unique contribution to autonomic control. The output from M1 could add precision and organ-specific regulation to descending visceromotor commands, whereas the output from M2 could add anticipatory processing which is essential for allostatic regulation. We also found that the output from M1 and M2 to the kidney originates predominantly from the trunk representations of these two cortical areas. Thus, a map of visceromotor representation appears to be embedded within the classic somatotopic map of skeletomotor representation.
Assessing students in small collaborative groups

(1997). Assessing students in small collaborative groups. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 36, New Directions in Student Assessment, pp. 205-213.
Reflections of Educators in Pursuit of Inclusive Science Classrooms

General education science teachers are meeting increasingly diverse classrooms of students that include students with disabilities. A one-week, summer, residential workshop was offered to interested science and special educators who worked through lab experiments one-on-one with students with physical or sensory disabilities (grades 7-12). To determine how effective this professional development workshop was at raising disability awareness and providing teacher training in inclusive science teaching practices, a combination of survey and reflective journal entries was used to monitor participants’ experience. Here we discuss the findings from this benchmark study and discuss how others might adapt this professional development model for use by schools interested in moving toward inclusive practices.
Preparation of gradient copolymers via ATRP in miniemulsion. II. Forced gradient

A series of forced gradient copolymers with different controlled distribution of monomer units along the copolymer backbone were successfully prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization in miniemulsion. The newly developed initiation technique, known as activators generated by electron transfer, was beneficial for forced gradient copolymers preparation because all polymer chains were initiated within the miniemulsion droplets and the miniemulsion remained stable throughout the entire polymerization. Various monomer pairs with different reactivity ratios were examined in this study, including n-butyl acrylate/t-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate/methyl methacrylate, and n-butyl acrylate/styrene. In each case, the added monomer diffused across the aqueous suspending medium and gradient copolymers with different forced distributions of comonomer units along the polymer backbone were obtained. The shape of the gradient along the backbone of the copolymers was influenced by the molar ratio of the monomers, the reactivity ratio of the comonomers as well as the feeding rate. The shape of the gradient was also affected by the relative hydrophobicities of the comonomers. Copolymerizations exhibited good control for all feeding rates and comonomer feeding ratios, as evidenced by narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn = 1.20–1.40) and molecular weight increasing smoothly with polymer yield, indicating high initiation efficiency. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1413–1423, 2007
Bringing Social Justice Into the Social Studies

Sensoy, Ozlem, & DiAngelo, Robin. (2012). Is Everyone Really Equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 240 pp., $29.95, paperback, IS...
The origin, course and termination of corticospinal fibers in the armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus mexicanus)

Abstract Details of the corticospinal tract of the armadillo, a representative of order Edentata, are described for the first time in this study. Corticospinal fibers arise both rostral and caudal to the supraorbital sulcus. In the spinal cord they travel within the dorsal part of the ventral funiculus and within the lateral funiculus. Most of the fibers crossed at the pyramidal decussation. A few fascicles cross more caudally within the cord and a very few terminate on their side of origin. Corticospinal fibers were traced to T6, but most ended between the 4th and 8th cervical segments. Most of the fibers from the pre-supraorbital cortex terminated in the lateral zone of lamina VI ( Rexed 1952), within the ventral and lateral portions of lamina V and within the dorsal, lateral area of lamina VII. This same cortical area projected the most fascicles to laminae VII and VIII. Cortices caudal to the supraorbital sulcus distributed fibers profusely to the medial portions of laminae V and VI, but gave lesser contributions to other areas of those same laminae and to laminae VII and VIII. Corticospinal fibers did not end within lamina IX. The probable functional significance of the above projections in the armadillo is discussed.
High-performance liquid chromatography of disaccharides on amine-bonded silica columns

Abstract Thirteen different trisaccharides (3-O-β-cellobiosyl- d -glucose, cellotriose, 3-O-α-isomaltosyl- d -glucose, isomaltotriose, isopanose, 1-kestose, 4-O-β-laminaribiosyl- d -glucose, laminaritriose, maltotriose, melezitose, panose, raffinose, and xylotriose) were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography on prepacked amino-bonded silica columns, using acetonitrile—water eluents. As with mono- and disaccharides, replacement of glucose by xylose or fructose caused shorter retention times, while its replacement by galactose led to delayed elution. Retention times of trisaccharides containing only glucose were shortest when only (1 → 3) bonds were present, and increased with increasing numbers of (1 → 4) and especially (1 → 6) bonds. When a trisaccharide contained two different types of bonds, retention times were roughly halfway between those of the two trisaccharides having only one type.
Adult Pecan Weevil Emergence Related to Soil Moisture

Emergence from the soil by a portion of the population of Curculio caryae (Horn) was delayed in a clay soil when soil moisture was low, presumably due to the passive barrier the dry hard soil formed under such conditions. Pecan weevil emergence from the soil was observed from 1974–78 near Hamilton, TX, and was found to occur at about the same time and rate from year to year when soil moisture was adequate to impart sufficient friability to allow adults to emerge. Pecan weevil emergence from other locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Georgia (estimated primarily from the literature) appears to be similar in pattern to that observed at Hamilton, and a comparison indicated that when the influence of soil moisture on emergence was taken into account the time and rate of emergence was strikingly similar regardless of location.
Crimes against People with Mental Illness: Types, Perpetrators, and Influencing Factors.

The current emphasis on studying why people with severe mental illness are potentially violent has overlooked the effect of violence committed against these individuals. To balance the understanding of the person-in-environment conceptualization of severe mental illness, the nature, scope, and effect of crime and victimization should be examined as part of the context in which these individuals live and function. The study reported in this article examined the nature and scope of victimization as experienced by 234 individuals with a diagnosed major mental illness; what types of victimization experiences occurred during their lifetime; what specific victimization experiences these individuals identified as the most troubling; who the perpetrators for these specific victimization experiences were; and what influence demographic and clinical characteristics played in influencing the risk of victimization among this group. The study indicates that social workers should better assess for experiences of victimization among people with mental illness and better understand the effect of such experiences on the individual's symptoms and day-to-day functioning.
Management of pituitary gonadal function via gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists, including ovulation induction by co-administration of either gonadotrophins or pulsatile GnRH

GnRH agonists are now familiar clinical agents and are often the drugs of choice for suppression of the pituitary gonadal axis as part of various clinical indications. GnRH antagonists, which are likely to become clinically available soon, offer several advantages over the currently available GnRH agonists for many applications including ovulation induction. Here, we review the results from a series of pre-clinical studies designed to evaluate the potential clinical utility of this new class of compounds for ovulation induction protocols.
Gender and Depression in an Undergraduate Population

The Beck Depression Inventory was administered to 417 undergraduate students (308 women and 109 men). Within the total group the item concerning "tiredness", gave the best discrimination between men and women. A cut-off score of 10 was used to divide depressed from nondepressed individuals. When only depressed individuals (n = 105) were considered, seven items were identified as discriminating between genders.
Factors affecting oviposition by the parasitoid Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in an artificial substrate

Several factors that may affect oviposition by Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) in an artificial oviposition substrate were investigated. Significantly fewer females oviposited in thin disks of agarose gel than in hemispheres, cylinders, or cubes, although there were no differences in numbers of eggs laid. A higher percentage of females that had oviposited in a Heliothis zea (Boddie) larva before testing oviposited in an artificial substrate than did females without oviposition experience. In addition, experienced females laid more eggs than inexperienced females. When the artificial substrate was colored with red, yellow, blue, or green food color, colored substrates elicited more ovipositions than did uncolored substrates, and the number of eggs laid was highest for the blue substrate. The mean number of eggs laid increased also with the food color concentration. The total number of eggs laid increased with the number of substrates per Petri dish. M. croceipes preferred hemispherical substrates with a volume of 35–40 μl, which were similar in height to their actual host instar preferences. A water extract of larval feces did not increase oviposition by M. croceipes . Bioassay test criteria and the use of choice tests for ovipositional response of M. croceipes are discussed.
The impacts of large scale use of electric vehicles in southern California

Abstract This article summarizes a report to the California Institute for Energy Efficiency on The Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Southern California Edison System . It begins with a review of previous studies of electric vehicles and their impact on the electric utility. It then describes the assumptions adopted for eight scenarios with large scale use of electric vehicles in southern California. The article then explains the likely impacts of these vehicles on Edison's electric loads, its system operation, its total revenue requirements and its average electric rate. The study confirms that electric vehicles can lead to improved load shapes, improved efficiency of operations, and a possible reduction in the average electric rate. But there are unexpected results as well. First, the Edison's resource plan could accommodate an unusually large number of electric vehicles if the vehicles are powered by advanced batteries and their charging is subject to smart control. And second, the rate benefits of electric vehicles can be partially erased by an increase in Edison's payments to private cogenerators who sell power on marginal cost contracts. The article concludes with an analysis of the reduction in tail pipe emissions if electric vehicles were to displace conventional vehicles in southern California.
Successful Treatment of Empyema Thoracis with Polymethylmethacrylate Antibiotic-Impregnated Beads in the Guinea Pig

Abstract Two hundred nine Duncan-Harley guinea pigs had intrathoracic inoculation with 10 8 Staphylococcus aureus , accompanied by blood and umbilical tape. One hundred fifty-two animals were excluded because of clinical recovery, early death, or complications related to intrathoracic polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bead placement. The remaining 57 animals had clinical signs of empyema thoracis and were the subjects of this study. Group I animals (N = 24) served as the controls and had no therapy. Group II animals (N = 14) were treated by intrathoracic placement of placebo PMMA beads. Group III animals (N = 19) were treated by intrathoracic placement of tobramycin sulfate-impregnated PMMA beads. There were no differences between the groups in pleural reaction or pneumonia scores. These findings demonstrate a similar host response to the established infection. Group III, however, had a higher sterilization rate than Groups I and II ( p > 0.05), a finding underlining the therapeutic effect of tobramycin-treated PMMA beads. We conclude that intrathoracic local antimicrobial therapy with slow-release tobramycin-impregnated PMMA beads may enhance empyema treatment by increasing the rate of local sterilization. More experiments are necessary to assess the efficacy of this potentially important therapeutic arm for the treatment of thoracic empyema.
Place field dissociation and multiple maps in hippocampus

When two sets of visual cues move in discordant fashion, the firing fields of hippocampal place cells can dissociate (follow different sets), split (follow both sets), or remap. This conflicts with views of hippocampus as an associative memory that ''completes'' patterns given a noisy input. We reconcile these views by treating hippocampus as a collection of independent ''maplets''. Normally these act in unison, but under the right conditions they can exhibit discordant behavior. The model also accounts for ''barrier cells'' [B. Rivard, Y. Li, P.-P. Lenck-Santini, B. Poucet, R.U. Muller, Representation of objects in space by two classes of hippocampal place cells, J. Gen. Physiol. 124 (2004) 9-25], and the occasional temporary cessation of firing of some place cells while others remain active.
Duration of Untreated, Uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis Genital Infection and Factors Associated with Chlamydia Resolution: A Review of Human Studies

The majority of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections in humans are asymptomatic and without clinical evidence of complications at the time of diagnosis. The natural history of chlamydial infection in humans, including the duration of infection and factors influencing resolution of infection, is not yet completely understood. This is in part attributable to the inherent challenges and ethical considerations in studying untreated chlamydia in humans. An improved understanding of the natural history of chlamydia in humans has implications for chlamydia screening and treatment recommendations. In April 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened an advisory group for the Chlamydia Immunology and Control Expert Advisory Meeting, in which studies related to chlamydia natural history, pathogenesis, and immunobiology were reviewed and gaps in our knowledge that would have implications for prevention and control of C. trachomatis infection were identified. This article summarizes the key questions posed and the evidence reviewed on the duration of untreated, uncomplicated genital chlamydial infection in humans and the factors associated with chlamydia resolution.
SCMEH-MO calculations on lanthanide systems V. A comparison of DFT and SCMEH-MO methods on Nd(CO)6

Abstract Computations of electronic structure and bonding in the atypical lanthanide, Nd(CO) 6 , have been carried out via approximate SCMEH-MO and more sophisticated DFT methods. A comparison of these results shows SCMEH-MO data to be more consistent with chemical bonding of Nd and CO than are the DFT data. In fact, the DFT density matrix breaks symmetry during the execution of the routine. But it is not at all understood why the symmetry-breaking had occurred. Consequently, the DFT final MOs do not conform to those required by O h geometry. Over all, the NdCO bonding is weak and is not likely to promote pairing of four 4f electrons in one doubly degenerate MO, as shown in the DFT results.
Genetic algorithm for instrument placement in smart grid

A genetic algorithm (GA) based approach for reliability placement of phasor measurement units (PMUs) in smart grid is proposed. The algorithm combines two conflicting objectives which are maximization of the reliability of observability and minimization of the number of PMU placements for ensuring full system observability. The multi-objective problem is formulated as a nonlinear optimization problem and genetic algorithm approach is employed for solving the large scale bus systems. The optimization model is solved for IEEE 14, and 30 standard bus systems. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated by comparing results with exact algorithms for smaller problem sizes. The system reliability of observability is improved compared to traditional optimal PMU placement. The proposed approach achieves significant cost savings compared to available reliability based models in literature.
Using Presentation Software To Flip an Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Course

An undergraduate analytical chemistry course has been adapted to a flipped course format. Course content was provided by video clips, text, graphics, audio, and simple animations organized as concept maps using the cloud-based presentation platform, Prezi. The advantages of using Prezi to present course content in a flipped course format are discussed. Results of an American Chemical Society analytical chemistry examination were encouraging. Results of pre- and postsurveys of student perception of their learning are summarized.
Negativity in psychotherapists' evaluations of clients and personal acquaintances

Abstract Forty-seven psychotherapists were studied to determine if they construed their clients more negatively than personal acquaintances. The sample included personal construct therapists, psychoanalytic candidates, and therapists from a community mental health center; they varied in terms of sex, age, years of experience, and clinical discipline. Subjects chose six personal acquaintances and six nonpsychotic individual-therapy clients who were then used as elements in a repertory grid. Constructs were elicited by comparing pairs of elements; all elements were rated on the constructs. Elements were also directly rated on several dimensions, including liking and similarity to self. Results indicated that therapists selectively focused on clients' negative characteristics and acquaintances' positive characteristics. Clients were liked less than acquaintances and were judged to be less like the self. The correlations between valuative variables tended to be higher in the construing of clients than in the ...
Revisiting Wasson's Soma: Exploring the Effects of Preparation on the Chemistry of Amanita Muscaria

In 1968 R. Gordon Wasson first proposed his groundbreaking theory identifying Soma, the hallucinogenic sacrament of the Vedas, as the Amanita muscaria mushroom. While Wasson's theory has garnered acclaim, it is not without its faults. One omission in Wasson's theory is his failure to explain how pressing and filtering Soma, as described in the Rig Veda, supports his theory of Soma's identity. Several critics have reasoned that such preparation should be unnecessary if equivalent results can be obtained by consuming the raw plant, as is done with other psychoactive mushrooms. In order to address these specific criticisms over 600 anecdotal accounts of Amanita muscaria inebriation were collected and analyzed to determine the impact of preparation on Amanita muscaria's effects. The findings of this study demonstrated that the effects of Amanita muscaria were related to the type of preparation employed, and that its toxic effects were considerably reduced by preparations that paralleled those described for Soma in the Rig Veda. While unlikely to end debate over the identity of Soma, this study's findings help to solidify the foundation of Wasson's theory, and also to demonstrate the importance of preparation in understanding and uncovering the true identity of Soma.
Cyanogen chloride N-oxide cycloadditions. A simple, short route to AT-125.

Abstract Addition of AgNO 3 to dichloroformaldoxime in the presence of alkenes provides an efficient procedure for the preparation of 3-chloroisoxazolines including AT-125.
Adaptive Robust Control of Circular Machining Contour Error Using Global Task Coordinate Frame

The contour error of machining processes is defined as the difference between the desired and actual produced shape. Two major factors contributing to contour error are axis position error and tool deflection. A large amount of research work formulates the contour error in convenient locally defined task coordinate frames that are subject to significant approximation error. The more accurate global task coordinate frame (GTCF) can be used, but transforming the control problem to the GTCF leads to a highly nonlinear control problem. An adaptive robust control (ARC) approach is designed to control machine position in the GTCF, while directly accounting for tool deflection, to minimize the contour error. The combined GTCF/ARC approach is experimentally validated by applying the control to circular contours on a three axis milling machine. The results show that the proposed approach reduces contour error in all cases tested.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Clock gating methodology for high performance network processor in 90nm

As the chip geometry continues to shrink into nanometer scale, and more functionality are being added to the chip, power consumption is emerging as the no. 1 limiting source of design constraints. With the technology migrating to 90nm processing, new and more tightened design constraints have emerged rendering power reduction battle even more complex. In this paper, we present a clock gating power methodology that ensures power closure without significant expense to the timing, area and clock constraints. This methodology has been implemented in our first 90nm network processor unit. The results show close to 50% power saving and area reduction of 15% achieved.
High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Assay for Cisatracurium and Its Metabolites in Human Urine

Abstract An HPLC assay for the analysis of cisatracurium and its metabolites, laudanosine and the cis-monoquaternary alcohol (MQA), in human urine was developed. The assay involved solid-phase extraction followed by HPLC analysis on a strong cation exchange column with fluorescence detection. Linear regression was used to quantitate cisatracurium and its metabolites over the concentration ranges 10 to 2000 ng/mL for cisatracurium and 10 to 1000 ng/mL for the metabolites. The lower limit of quantitation for the assay was set at 10 ng/mL. The accuracy of the assay ranged from 6.6 to 17.0% for cisatracurium, -1.3 to 2.7% for laudanosine, and 0.2 to 3.4% for MQA. The precision of the assay ranged from 4.7 to 14.0% for cisatracurium, 4.6 to 7.7% for laudanosine, and 3.3 to 7.4% for MQA. The assay is specific for cisatracurium and its metabolites and no interfering endogenous peaks were observed in human urine. Cisatracurium, laudanosine and MQA were stable in acidified human urine (-20°C) for at least 9 months...