cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Women, Real Estate, and Wealth in a Southern US County, 1780–1860

Abstract In her 1986 book Women and the Law of Property in Early America, Marylynn Salmon concludes that the legal and economic changes experienced by early national and antebellum (pre–Civil War) United States women – which culminated in the passage of married women's property acts – were evolutionary rather than revolutionary. This paper examines changes in the economic status of women preceding the enactment of these statutes by analyzing new and valuable information: real-estate deeds and probate records in Henrico County, Virginia. Supplementing the diverse, yet limited, international and historical evidence on women's wealth holdings, this exploration of the asset accumulation of elite, free women in the southern US reveals that women's property holdings, personal and real, rose substantially over the 1780–1860 period. Thus, these results are consistent with those of other scholars, such as Marylynn Salmon, who document an increase in early national and antebellum women's economic status.
Maps between continua with stable values

Abstract Continua for which maps between them have stable values are studied. The case when the continua are Peano continua is emphasized.
Parameterization of motion artifacts in fMRI time series using autoregressive models for the construction of computer-generated phantoms

We explore the use of scalar and multivariate autoregressive models to parameterize motion artifacts in fMRI time series. To do so, we acquire real fMRI data sets, measure rigid body motion in these data sets, and classify the type of observed motion in several categories such as random motion or motion correlated with activation. The measured motion sequences are then modeled and used to generate realistic image phantoms that can be used to validate fMRI data analysis packages. We compare phantoms generated with the original motion sequences and phantoms generated with simulated sequences. We show that both scalar and multivariate autoregressive models can be used to generate realistic motion sequences. An important difference between the two is the fact that multivariate models can capture correlations between motion parameters, which cannot be done with scalar models.
Thyroidal influence on body growth

This review of thyroid influence on body growth in poultry is organized around the following parameters of growth: increase in body weight and skeletal size, muscle growth, and growth of cartilage and bone. The greatest effect of goitrogens on growth of embryos occurs during late embryogenesis at a time when normal thyroid hormone levels are increasing. Posthatching growth is reduced in severely hypothyroid animals, and body weight gain is affected more than bone growth. Thyroid hormone replacement restores body growth of thyroidectomized chickens, but supplemental hormone in normal animals has no beneficial effect on growth. Excessive T3 (fed at 1 ppm) is detrimental to growth and feed efficiency. No clear correlation between thyroid hormone concentration and growth rate of normal chickens has been identified. Growth depression in sex-linked dwarf birds is at least partially reversed by supplemental T3. Muscle growth is reduced in goitrogen-treated chickens and the growth reduction is reversed by supplemental thyroxine. Total DNA accumulation is reduced in hypothyroid chickens, but muscle mass relative to DNA content is normal following long-term treatment; this suggests some regulation of muscle mass relative to DNA content. T3 increases the number of muscle fiber nuclei in hypothyroid chickens and the uptake of 3H-thymidine into nuclei within the basal lamina. T3 directly stimulates growth and maturation of embryonic chick cartilage and enhances the in vitro action of somatomedins on cartilage growth. There is little information concerning the role of the thyroid in posthatching cartilage and bone growth in poultry.
Avoidance of anxiety and eating disorders.

Anorexic and bulimic in-patients, out-patients, and normal dieting females between the ages of 15 and 35 yr. were compared for their avoidance of anxiety. The 1977 Avoidance of Existential Confrontation Scale of Thauberger was used for the subjects to rate themselves in terms of their over-reaction to specific life contingencies. The degree of avoidance was predicted to be relative to the severity of the eating disorder. The in-patients showed a greater avoidance than the out-patients. The out-patients showed a greater degree of avoidance than the normal dieters. It appears that a main concern for recovery of the anorexic or bulimic patient is to accept life's contingencies and to learn problem-solving skills.
Breaking eight fold degeneracies in neutrino CP violation, mixing, and mass hierarchy

We identify three independent twofold parameter degeneracies $(\ensuremath{\delta},{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}),$ $\mathrm{sgn}(\ensuremath{\delta}{m}_{31}^{2})$ and $({\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23},\ensuremath{\pi}/2\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23})$ inherent in the usual three-neutrino analysis of long-baseline neutrino experiments, which can lead to as much as an eightfold degeneracy in the determination of the oscillation parameters. We discuss the implications these degeneracies have for detecting $\mathrm{CP}$ violation and present criteria for breaking them. A superbeam facility with a baseline at least as long as the distance between Fermilab and Homestake (1290 km) and a narrow band beam with energy tuned so that the measurements are performed at the first oscillation peak can resolve all the ambiguities other than the $({\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23},\ensuremath{\pi}/2\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23})$ ambiguity (which can be resolved at a neutrino factory) and a residual $(\ensuremath{\delta},\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta})$ ambiguity. However, whether or not $\mathrm{CP}$ violation occurs in the neutrino sector can be ascertained independently of the latter two ambiguities. The $(\ensuremath{\delta},\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta})$ ambiguity can be eliminated by performing a second measurement to which only the $\mathrm{cos}\ensuremath{\delta}$ terms contribute. The hierarchy of mass eigenstates can be determined at other oscillation peaks only in the most optimistic conditions, making it necessary to use the first oscillation maximum. We show that the degeneracies may severely compromise the ability of the proposed SuperJHF-HyperKamiokande experiment to establish $\mathrm{CP}$ violation. In our calculations we use approximate analytic expressions for oscillation probabilitites that agree with numerical solutions with a realistic Earth density profile.
On the Rationality of Decision‐Making Studies: Part 2: Divergent Rationalities

A study of treatment decision making in an Anishinaabe community in Manitoba, Canada was designed to be comparable with an earlier project carried out in a Mexican town. One objective was to compare the resulting decision models. For both communities, a decision-making perspective was compatible with how individuals talked about actions taken in response to illness, and it proved to be a useful meansfor learning about the process of seeking care. At the same time, a decision-modeling approach is better suited to explaining treatment actions taken in the Mexican community than in the Anishinaabe community. I suggest that thisfinding reflects the variable potentiality, in the Anishinaabe community, for affliction and its treatment to be constructed within a culturalframework in which the underlying assumptions differfrom those implicit in studies of decision modeling. [care seeking, decision models, decision making, Anishinaabe] '~' x T.en I began fieldwork in an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) community in Man\flJ itoba, Canada, part of my research plan involved collecting data suitable T v for comparison with an earlier decision-modeling study carried out in the Mexican town of Pichataro (the companion piece to this article, Part 1: Decision Models of Treatment Choice, centers on this study; also see Young and Garro 1994). In decision modeling, a common strategy is to build a decision model with interview data and other information elicited from one sample and then to validate the model using decisions made by a second, independent sample. This research design was implemented in Pichataro, with multiple visits to a sample of families to obtain the illness case histories used in evaluating the model. By replicating the same data-collection strategy in the Anishinaabe community, one objective was to develop a decision model suitable for comparison with the earlier model from the Pichataro study. My intent was not to assess the generalizability of the specific decision model for Pichataro; I expected that the resulting decision models would differ. Indeed, research in the Anishinaabe community was motivated by my interest
Unusually high creatine kinase BB isoenzyme and study of lactate dehydrogenase pattern in metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

We report a case of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate with widespread bony and hepatic involvement having extremely high BB isoenzyme of creatine kinase in serum (2405 U/liter). The serum LD 5 / LD 1 ratio is greater than one, with total LD activity more than twenty-five fold the normal value. The homogenate of prostate gland of the patient shows an extra band with electrophoretic mobility between MM and MB isoenzymes of creatine kinase and highly elevated LD 5 fraction compared to LD 1 (33% vs. 9%), a remarkable LD isoenzyme pattern of malignant prostate tissue.
Synthesis and antitubercular activity of tricyclic analogs of puupehenone

Abstract Tricyclic analogs 2a and 8 were prepared by four-step routes. The key step was an intermolecular hetero Diels–Alder reaction involving a quinone methide.
Novel mutant green fluorescent protein protease substrates reveal the activation of specific caspases during apoptosis.

Background The caspase-mediated proteolysis of many cellular proteins is a critical event during programmed cell death or apoptosis. It is important to determine which caspases are activated in mammalian cells, and where and when activation occurs, upon receipt of specific death stimuli. Such information would be useful in the design of strategies to regulate the activation of caspases during apoptosis. Results We developed two novel fluorescent substrates that were specifically cleaved by caspase-.1 or caspase-3. For in vitro studies, four-amino-acid recognition sequences, YVAD for caspase-1 and DEVD for caspase-3, were introduced between blue fluorescent protein (BFP) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), expressed in bacteria and purified. For in vivo studies, YVAD and DEVD were introduced between cyan fluorescent protein and yellow fluorescent protein, and expression was monitored in live mammalian cells. The proximity between fluorophores was determined using fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Purified substrates were cleaved following exposure to purified caspase-1 and caspase-3. In Cos-7 cells, caspase-1 and caspase-3 substrates were cleaved upon induction of apoptosis with staurosporine, a protein-kinase inhibitor, whereas caspase-3 but not caspase-1 substrate was cleaved upon treatment of cells with the DNA-damaging agent mitomycin c. Conclusions These substrates allow the spatial activation of specific members of the caspase family to be deciphered during the initiation and execution phase of programmed cell death, and allow activation of specific caspases to be monitored both in vivo and in vitro . This technology is also likely to be useful for high-throughput screening of reagents that modulate caspase activity.
Introspecting in the spirit of William James: Comment on Fox, Ericsson, and Best (2011).

Fox, Ericsson, and Best's (2011) thoughtful justification of the use of think-aloud protocols for revealing the stream of consciousness comes on the centennial of the death of William James, history's greatest practitioner and advocate of introspection. This confluence naturally invites speculation about how James might have responded to the analysis of Fox et al. I suggest that although James would likely view the think-aloud procedure as a scientifically rigorous form of introspection, he would also admonish us not to overlook its limitations. Most notably, although the think-aloud procedure readily captures substantive verbal thoughts, it is less able to capture inchoate cognitions. The conclusion that verbal protocols are nonreactive also raises several additional issues. First, the nonreactivity of thinking aloud does not necessarily speak to its validity. Second, the conclusion that verbal protocols are benign is at odds with recent findings in which verbalization impairs performance on various tasks. I suggest that whereas James might express some concerns regarding aspects of conscious thought that may be overlooked by the think-aloud procedure as well as some caution regarding the possible situations in which thinking aloud might still be reactive, he would almost certainly be pleased to see introspection finally getting the scientific grounding that it deserves.
Role of constraints in inverse design for transonic airfoils

Determination de la forme geometrique d'un profil correspondant a une distribution de pression donnee. La solution exacte de Lighthill de ce probleme en ecoulement incompressible montre que la distribution de pression en surface et la vitesse du courant libre ne peuvent etre prescrites independammment. La meme contrainte existe aux vitesses compressibles. Description d'une nouvelle methode de resolution du probleme inverse aux vitesses transsoniques
Extensive editing of mRNAs for the squid delayed rectifier K+ channel regulates subunit tetramerization

Abstract We report the extensive editing of mRNAs that encode the classical delayed rectifier K + channel (SqK v 1.1A) in the squid giant axon. Using a quantitative RNA editing assay, 14 adenosine to guanine transitions were identified, and editing efficiency varied tremendously between positions. Interestingly, half of the sites are targeted to the T1 domain, important for subunit assembly. Other sites occur in the channel's transmembrane spans. The effects of editing on K + channel function are elaborate. Edited codons affect channel gating, and several T1 sites regulate functional expression as well. In particular, the edit R87G, a phylogenetically conserved position, reduces expression close to 50-fold by regulating the channel's ability to form tetramers. These data suggest that RNA editing plays a dynamic role in regulating action potential repolarization in the giant axon.
Ultrasound guided percutaneous galactography

We present a new percutaneous ultrasound-guided galactography technique that can be used in patients in whom there is no access to the milk duct at the nipple.
A computerized informed consent document

Standardization of in formed consent documents can be problematic. Without guidance, investigators often submit unacceptable consent forms. This can delay both study implementation and institutional review board proceedings. One solution is to provide investigators with a basic informed consent structure on a computer disc. By using this template, the investigator can ensure that pertinent in formed consent issues are addressed.
Kinetics of Methane Oxidation in a Landfill Cover Soil: Temporal Variations, a Whole-Landfill Oxidation Experiment, and Modeling of Net CH4 Emissions

Rates and controlling variables for methanotrophic oxidation of methane at a northeastern Illinois landfill with pumped gas recovery were examined in a field study from June to December 1995. Cover materials consisted of a simple clay-topsoil sequence without geomembranes. Through use of a static enclosure (closed chamber) technique supplemented by soil gas concentration profiles and field incubations, the study concentrated on proximal (near gas recovery well) and distal (between well) sites established in 1994. A personal computer-based three-dimensional finite−difference model was also developed which includes both gaseous mass transfer (CH4, CO2, O2) and microbial CH4 oxidation. Mass transfer is modeled through a modified chemical potential gradient within a cubic network of nodes; a strict mass balance for each gas is maintained through successive timesteps. Methane-oxidizing conditions with no net CH4 emissions to the atmosphere persisted into full winter conditions in December, 1995. Rates of CH4 o...
Chronic Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia

IntroductionCredit for the first description in the literature regarding chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia is generally attributed to von Graefe in 1868. Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) is a disorder that leads to complete immobility of the eyes. While CPEO may occur as an isolated entity, it is now recognized to be associated with a host of systemic disorders in particular, mitochondrial dysfunction.PurposeA review of the clinical characteristics and the current understanding of the biochemical and genetic features of CPEO in systemic disease is presented.ConclusionPatients with CPEO may present with ptosis, or diplopia and strabismus as the presenting symptom of their systemic, sometimes life threatening, disease. Surgical treatment for the strabismus or ptosis may be performed to provide symptomatic relief. Advances in biochemical and genetic testing have led to the identification of numerous mitochondrial and genetic defects.
Short wave diathermy in industrial rehabilitation

I N the treatment of those disabled in industry short wave diathermy has to a certain extent been overemphasized in the past few years. It shouId be remembered that, in the Iight of present-day investigations, the onIy effects obtainabIe from appIications of short wave diathermy are those produced by fairIy deep heating of the tissue. WhiIe one shouId not become over-enthusiastic concerning the vaIue of short wave diathermy, on the other hand one shouId not minimize the extreme vaIue of deep IocaI heating in the treatment of certain types of industrial injuries. According to Sir John Simon,‘” measures, whether voIuntary or compuIsory, for the prevention of industria1 disease and iI heaIth depend primariIy on the knowIedge, skiI1, and co6peration of the medica profession. I have previousIy pointed out that the chief sphere of usefulness of physica therapy in industria1 injuries Iies in the treatment of the Iarge group of patients who have suffered from trauma to bones, joints, muscles, nerves, or skin, as we11 as in the hastening of restoration of articuIar function.zO The proper appIication of short wave diathermy by the skiIIed surgeon is one of the most important means of hastening rehabiIitation in cases of industria1 injuries.
Two steps in Maf1-dependent repression of transcription by RNA polymerase III.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Maf1 is essential for mediating the repression of transcription by RNA polymerase (pol) III in response to diverse cellular conditions. These conditions activate distinct signaling pathways that converge at or above Maf1. Thus, Maf1-dependent repression is thought to involve a common set of downstream inhibitory effects on the pol III machinery. Here we provide support for this view and define two steps in Maf1-dependent transcriptional repression. We show that chlorpromazine (CPZ)-induced repression of pol III transcription is achieved by inhibiting de novo assembly of transcription factor (TF) IIIB onto DNA as well as the recruitment of pol III to preassembled TFIIIB·DNA complexes. Additionally Brf1 was identified as a target of repression in extracts of CPZ-treated cells. Maf1-Brf1 and Maf1-pol III interactions were implicated in the inhibition of TFIIIB·DNA complex assembly and polymerase recruitment by recombinant Maf1. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed these interactions in yeast extracts and demonstrated that Maf1 does not differentially sequester Brf1 or pol III under repressing conditions. The results suggest that Maf1 functions by a non-stoichiometric mechanism to repress pol III transcription.
The relief of ureteral obstruction by internal ureteral stent in patients with gynecologic malignancy

Abstract Silicone-rubber ureteral catheters were successfully placed by cystoscopy or by ureterotomy in 10 of 15 patients with ureteral obstruction by gynecologic malignancy. Nephrostomy drainage was avoided in most and comfortable life was prolonged for those whose tumors were resistant to therapy. The catheter was also useful in preserving renal function while various modes of therapy were administered. Morbidity is low, and the catheter can easily be removed when indicated.
Methods to Determine the Critical Damage Criterion of the Kachanov-Rabotnov Law

Considerable effort has gone towards the implementation of continuum damage mechanics (CDM) laws for the creep damage assessment of high temperature components. Often critical damage is considered to be reached when damage is equal to unity. Analytical methods have demonstrated that for various alloys critical damage is much less than unity and is dependent on stress and temperature. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate and correct this problem. In this paper, an examination of the theory of critical damage is conducted. Based on theory, a new critical damage criterion is introduced. A comparison between Penny and the new critical damage criterion will be conducted to determine the most viable criterion. Damage is introduced into life, strain, and mixed life fraction rules to demonstrate the influence damage has on rupture under thermo-mechanical loading.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Creativity and cooking: Motherhood, agency and social change in everyday life

Creativity in the kitchen is a normal part of everyday life in US homes. This article explores improvisation by mothers in home cooking as exemplary of the creative process. Western analyses of cre...
Discrepancies between otoliths of larvae and juveniles of the American eel: is something fishy happening at metamorphosis?

The use of otoliths to interpret early life history in fishes depends upon the assumptions that otoliths record past events accurately and consistently and that records of events in otoliths are continuous. Both the number of growth microincrements (I), and the radii (R,μm) of otoliths of American eel Anguilla rostrata, leptocephali increased linearly and highly significantly with leptocephalus body length (L, mm), as expected on the above assumptions (I, =2·29 L, − 5·75 and R, =1·05 L, + 12·02, r2,=0·938 and 0·931, n, =20). In contrast, the number of increments and the radii of the leptocephalus growth zones of otoliths of glass-phase American eels were not related to body length, and they were lower than predicted by the relationships developed for leptocephali. Thus, otoliths of American eels apparently violate one or both assumptions. Possibly, the margin of the otolith is resorbed during metamorphosis from leptocephalus to glass eel, perhaps as part of calcium metabolism as skeletal elements are being formed.
Phosphorous passivation of the SiO2/4H–SiC interface

Abstract We describe experimental and theoretical studies to determine the effects of phosphorous as a passivating agent for the SiO 2 /4H–SiC interface. Annealing in a P 2 O 5 ambient converts the SiO 2 layer to PSG (phosphosilicate glass) which is known to be a polar material. Higher mobility (approximately twice the value of 30–40 cm 2 /V s obtained using nitrogen introduced with an anneal in nitric oxide) and lower threshold voltage are compatible with a lower interface defect density. Trap density, current–voltage and bias-temperature stress (BTS) measurements for MOS capacitors are also discussed. The BTS measurements point to the possibility of an unstable MOSFET threshold voltage caused by PSG polarization charge at the O–S interface. Theoretical considerations suggest that threefold carbon atoms at the interface can be passivated by phosphorous which leads to a lower interface trap density and a higher effective mobility for electrons in the channel. The roles of phosphorous in the passivation of correlated carbon dangling bonds, for SiC counter-doping, for interface band-tail state suppression, for Na-like impurity band formation and for substrate trap passivation are also discussed briefly.
Diffraction of Hydrogen Atoms

Diffraction patterns of a beam of hydrogen atoms reflected from LiF.---Improved technique in the photography of the diffraction patterns produced by the reflection of a beam of hydrogen atoms from a crystal of lithium fluoride has resulted in more complete patterns than those previously described by the author. The observed patterns are those expected on the assumptions (1) that the incident beam contains the distribution of wave-lengths derived from the Maxwellian velocity distribution by the use of the de Broglie relation between wave-length and velocity, and (2) that the surface of the crystal constitutes an impenetrable square array of scattering points with the arrangement and spacing of the ions of a single type as known from x-ray measurements.Wave-length distribution.---The intensity distributions in the diffraction patterns were measured, and were found to have maxima at positions in good agreement with those expected on the basis of the above assumptions.Interpretation of relative intensities in the different orders.---The relative intensities in the observed orders are discussed in relation to the scattering coefficients of the two types of ions, and in relation to the dependence of the scattering coefficient on azimuth.Diffraction by the secondary structure of the crystal.---A secondary spectrum is described, arising from a lattice of wide spacing the lines of which are parallel to the 100 cleaved edges of the crystal face.
Evaluation of the United Kingdom ion thruster

A test and evaluation study examining the United Kingdom's 10-cm-diam xenon ion thruster system, known as the UK-10, has been performed at The Aerospace Corporation. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the UK-10 is a suitable replacement on U.S. Air Force satellites for presently employed propulsion devices. The most essential aspects of the UK-10 pertaining to its potential use were evaluated, but a conventional life test was beyond the scope. An examination of performance, lifetime, spacecraft integration issues, mission analysis, and computational modeling and a comparative technology assessment were performed. Emphasis was placed on the creation of a database that will be useful for the integration and operation of satellites using the UK-10 or other gridded electrostatic ion thrusters. Advanced electric-thruster characterization methods produced detailed measurements, in real time, of many fundamental properties of the thruster. The test program concluded that a UK-10 ion propulsion system will be acceptable for use on suitable spacecraft, subject to the considerations discussed, and of considerable potential benefit.
Some conjectures on the zeros of approximates to the Riemann ≡-function and incomplete gamma functions

Riemann conjectured that all the zeros of the Riemann ≡-function are real, which is now known as the Riemann Hypothesis (RH). In this article we introduce the study of the zeros of the truncated sums ≡N(z) in Riemann’s uniformly convergent infinite series expansion of ≡(z) involving incomplete gamma functions. We conjecture that when the zeros of ≡N(z) in the first quadrant of the complex plane are listed by increasing real part, their imaginary parts are monotone nondecreasing. We show how this conjecture implies the RH, and discuss some computational evidence for this and other related conjectures.
Optimal bounded control with linear stochastic equations and quadratic cost

A method is presented for the computation of optimal control for linear stochastic discrete systems when the control variable is a bounded scalar. The main part of the paper deals with the continuous time problem. The cases with and without penalty on the control variable are studied separately, and expressions for the optimal policy, and the average cost obtained. The best linear policy is investigated, the steady state solution found and the average cost for the best linear policy calculated. Finally the average costs for the best linear policy and the optimal policy are compared.
Class of initial letter as a cue to correctness in verbal discrimination

In a verbal discrimination task, each pair consisted of a word beginning with a vowel (A, E, 0, or U) paired with a word beginning with a consonant (C, F, G, or S). When all the initial-vowel words were correct, performance was significantly better than when correctness was randomly determined. When all the initial-consonant words were correct, performance was not significantly different from the random control. Awareness of (i.e., ability to verbalize) the initial-vowel rule was not necessary for its effective utilization during VD learning, but only those few subjects who could verbalize the rule showed evidence of generalizing it to new words.
Render unto Caesar: Quantitative and qualitative knowing in research on humanistic therapies / Gebt dem Kaiser, was des Kaisers ist: Quantitatives and qualitatives Wissen in der Forschung zu Humanistischen Therapien / Dar al César lo que es del César: Saber Cuantitativo y Cualitativo en la Investigación en Terapias Humanisticas

The government and health authorities are analogous to Caesar in a well-known story from the Christian Bible: We depend on Caesar to provide social services, and many of us work for Caesar, but Cae...
Rho meson in dense hadronic matter

The spectral function of a rho meson that is at rest in dense hadronic matter and couples strongly to the pion is studied in the vector dominance model by including the effect of the delta-hole polarization of the pion. With the free rho-meson mass in the Lagrangian, we find that both the rho-meson peak and width increase with increasing nuclear density, and that a low-mass peak appears at invariant mass around three times the pion mass. Including the decreasing density-dependent hadron masses in the Lagrangian as suggested by the scaling law of Brown and Rho, we find instead that the rho peak moves to smaller invariant masses with diminishing strength when the nuclear density increases. The low-mass peak also shifts down with increasing density and becomes more pronounced. The relevance of the rho-meson property in dense matter to delepton production in heavy-ion collisions is discussed.
The examination of alternative models enhances confirmatory factor analyses

A recent study using confirmatory factor analysis on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) concludes that the proposed 3-factor structure was supported. Nevertheless, the 3-factor model failed to fit the data and was not compared to any alternative models, such as a single-factor or null model. Given the failure of the model to fit the data and the absence of comparisons to any alternative models, this support for the 3-factor model of the TPQ must be viewed as only preliminary. Testing alternative models when confirming the factor structure of any instrument is strongly recommended.
Occupational protein contact dermatitis to cornstarch in a paper adhesive.

Background: Protein contact dermatitis is better known in food-service and health-care workers than in industrial workers. Cornstarch has seldom been a problem, although it can cause contact urticaria to glove powder. Objective: To present the case of a paper-bag maker who developed severe occupational (protein) contact dermatitis within two-three hours after returning to work. She lacked any evidence of urticaria and demonstrated largely negative patch-test results. Methods: Following a history of occupational exposure to a cornstarch-based adhesive, the patient was patch-tested to materials with which she had worked, which she contacted, and with which she had attempted treatment. Following patch testing, she was prick-tested to cornstarch, the principal ingredient in the adhesive. Results: Patch testing was negative except for a very mild reaction to the adhesive. Prick testing to cornstarch was more severe than the histamine control. The test site became eczematous and remained so for more than ten weeks. Avoidance of cornstarch and the adhesive was followed by clearing. Conclusion: Workup for prominent occupational contact dermatitis without urticaria may sometimes require testing for type 1 allergy.
Robust and efficient environment detection for adaptive speech enhancement in cochlear implants

Cochlear implant (CI) recipients require alternative signal processing for speech enhancement, since the quantities needed for intelligibility and quality improvement differ significantly when direct stimulation of the basilar membrane is employed for CIs. Here, a robust feature vector is proposed for environment classification in CI devices. The feature vector is directly computed from the output of the advanced combination encoder (ACE), which is a sound coding strategy commonly used in CIs. Performance of the proposed feature vector is evaluated in the context of environment classification tasks under anechoic quiet, noisy, reverberant, and noisy reverberant conditions. Speech material taken from the IEEE corpus are used to simulate different environmental acoustic conditions with: 1) three measured room impulse responses (RIR) with distinct reverberation times (T 60 ) for generating reverberant environments, and 2) car, train, white Gaussian, multi-talker babble, and speech-shaped noise (SSN) samples for creating noisy conditions at 4 different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels. We investigate 3 different classifiers for environment detection, namely Gaussian mixture models (GMM), support vector machines (SVM), and neural networks (NN). Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed features for environment classification.
L-LEUCINE SENSITIVITY AND GLUCOSE TOLERANCE IN NORMAL SUBJECTS.

The response of the blood glucose to l-leucine was compared with control observations in each of 20 normal subjects. l-Leucine exerted an over-all hypoglycemic effect regardless of whether data were analyzed in terms of 1) the area between control and experimental curves, 2) the percentage difference between control and experimental curves at the time of maximal fall in blood glucose or 3) the percentage difference from base-line values of control and experimental values for all samples obtained between 30 and 100 min following l-leucine ingestion. In addition, a significant correlation was found between l-leucine sensitivity and glucose tolerance in this normal population. The possibility that such a correlation is part of a spectrum extending to both diabetes mellitus and hyperinsulinism is discussed.
Spatial distribution of the internal and near-field intensities of large cylindrical and spherical scatterers

Spatial distributions of the near-field and internal electromagnetic intensities have been calculated and experimentally observed for dielectric cylinders and spheres which are large relative to the incident wavelength. Two prominent features of the calculated results are the high intensity peaks which exist in both the internal and near fields of these objects, even for nonresonant conditions, and the well-defined shadow behind the objects. Such intensity distributions were confirmed by using the fluorescence from iodine vapor to image the near-field intensity distribution and the fluorescence from ethanol droplets impregnated with rhodamine 590 to image the internal-intensity distribution.
Real-time emission characterization of organic air toxic pollutants during steady state and transient operation of a medium duty diesel engine

Abstract An on-line monitoring method, jet resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS), was used to measure emissions of organic air toxics from a medium-duty (60 kW) diesel generator during transient and steady state operations. Emissions of gas phase benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m-, p-xylenes (BTEX), styrene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured at levels in the 10–500 ppb range with a measurement frequency of 10 s−1; this enabled rapid emission characterization as a function of operating conditions: cold starts, hot starts and load changes. The sensitivity, selectivity and real-time monitoring capabilities of the jet REMPI-TOFMS system discerned transient concentrations of organic air toxics (e.g., benzene and naphthalene) during cold starts exceeding 15 times their steady state levels. Time-integrated concentrations obtained by jet REMPI-TOFMS compared well with standard EPA methods. The jet REMPI-TOFMS system provides a means to rapidly characterize air toxic emission factors that enables users to alter operational procedures to minimize air toxic formation. The relative concentrations between startup and steady state emissions, as well as the transition period between these levels, were specific for each type of compound found in the diesel exhaust.
The pre-equilibrium statistical model: Description of the nuclear equilibration process and parameterization of the model

Abstract The model proposed by Griffin has been used to investigate the approach of a compound nucleus to statistical equilibrium. A set of master equations describing the equilibration process and utilizing Williams' transition-rate expressions are presented. These equations have been used to study the occupation probabilities and the instantaneous and time-integrated particle energy spectra as a function of the time elapsed from the initial target-projectile interaction. Comparisons of the results for a sample system formed with three excitons at excitation energies of 24 and 96 MeV are presented. The sensitivity of the results of the pre-equilibrium model to changes in the values of the model parameters used has been investigated. In addition, particle spectra resulting from closed-form and master-equation calculations are compared, as are the results obtained using several approximate sets of transition-rate expressions for closed-form calculations. The consequences of using different forms for the state density of the system have also been investigated. Finally, a fairly large number of published experimental particle energy spectra have been analyzed in terms of the pre-equilibrium model. Initial configurations consisting of three particles and holes for nucleon-induced reactions and five particles and holes for 4 He ion induced reactions were generally indicated by these analyses. Additionally, it is found that pre-equilibrium particle emission probably accounts for tens of percent of the total reaction cross section. Results of the data analysis are all generally consistent with other recent work on the pre-equilibrium statistical model.
New (fluorescent) light on poliovirus entry

To initiate infection, poliovirus must release its RNA genome into the cytoplasm of a target cell, a process called 'uncoating'. How this occurs has remained uncertain, despite studies over several decades. Two new studies re-address the question of poliovirus entry. The results suggest that poliovirus enters different cells by different mechanisms, and point to a role for virus-induced intracellular signals in the process.
Stretchable, elastic materials and devices for solar energy conversion

This Perspective reviews stretchable, elastic materials and devices of use for the conversion of solar energy. Stretchable and extremely flexible photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical cells would be useful as, for example, power sources for rugged and collapsible electronic and biomedical devices, foldable, weather-resistant solar roofs for applications in the field, and conformable solar panels for one-time bonding to the curved surfaces of buildings and vehicles. The review discusses elastic substrates, semiconductors, and electrodes. It then describes examples of whole devices comprising these elastic components. The Perspective tends to emphasize materials of interest for excitonic solar cells—e.g., organic solar cells, those based on semiconductor nanocrystals, and dye sensitized solar cells—because of their potential for stretchability and extreme flexibility, but also discusses crystalline photovoltaic devices and nanostructured photoelectrochemical cells.
Organochlorine pesticide contamination of ground water in the city of Hyderabad.

Organochlorine pesticides are ubiquitous and persistent organic pollutants used widely throughout the world. Due to the extensive use in agriculture, organic environmental contaminants such as HCH, DDT along with other organochlorine pesticides are distributed globally by transport through air and water. The main aim of present study is to determine contamination levels of organochlorine pesticides in the ground water of Hyderabad City. Water samples were collected from 28 domestic well supplies of the city. For this study, random sampling technique was applied, all the samples were collected in high purity glass bottles and refrigerated at 4 °C until analysis. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) is used for the extraction of organochlorine pesticide residues in water sample. The collected water samples were pre-filtered through a 0.45 μg glass fiber filter (Wattman GF/F) to remove particulate matter and were acidified with hydrochloric acid (6N) to pH 2.5. Methanol modifier (BDH, for pesticide residue analysis, 10 mL) was added to water sample for better extraction. SPE using pre-packed reversed phase octadecyl (C-18 bonded silica) contained in cartridges was used for sample preparation. Prior to the extraction, the C-18 bonded phase, which contains 500 mg of bonded phase, was washed with 20 mL methanol. The sample was mixed well and allowed to percolate through the cartridges with flow rate of 10–15 mL/min under vacuum. After sample extraction, suction continued for 15 min to dry the packing material and pesticides trapped in the C-18 bonded phases were eluted by passing 10 mL hexane and fraction was evaporated in a gentle steam of Nitrogen. In all samples pesticide residues were analyzed by GC (Chemito-8510) with Ni63 ECD detector. Helium was used as carrier gas and nitrogen was used as make up gas. The injection technique was split/split less. All the samples analyzed were found to be contaminated with four pesticides i.e. DDT, β-Endosulfan, α-Endosulfan and Lindane. DDT was found to range between 0.15 and 0.19 μg L− 1, β-Endosulfan ranges between 0.21 and 0.87 μg L− 1, α-Endosulfan ranges between 1.34 and 2.14 μg L− 1 and Lindane ranges between 0.68 and 1.38 μg L− 1 respectively. These concentrations of pesticides in the water samples were found to be above their respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) values for Humans.
ASYMPTOTIC AND NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THERMALLY DEVELOPING FLOWS OF NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS IN CIRCULAR TUBES WITH UNIFORM WALL TEMPERATURE

Abstract Methods that predict heat transfer rates in thermally developing flows, important in engineering design, are often compared with the classical Graetz problem. Surprisingly, numerical solutions to this problem generally do not give accurate results in the entrance region. This inaccuracy stems from the existence of a singularity at the tube inlet. By adopting a fundamental approach based upon singular perturbation theory, the heat transfer process in the tube entrance has been analyzed to bring out the asymptotic boundary layer structure of the generalized problem with non-Newtonian flows. Using a standard finite difference method with only 21 radial nodes, results within 0.3% of the exact solution to the Graetz problem (Newtonian limit of generalized power law fluid flows) are obtained. Compared with previous numerical solutions reported in the literature, these results are an order of magnitude improvement in the accuracy with an order of magnitude decrease in the required number of radial nodes...
Control of High-Angle-of-Attack Reentry Flow with Plasma Actuators

A numerical investigation was conducted to explore the potential of magnetically accelerated surface discharges to control the flow over reentry vehicles at high angle of attack. The baseline geometry and test conditions were selected based on experiments: a 2∶1 blunt-nosed elliptic cone with a half-angle along the major axis of 10 deg, a Mach number of 14.5, a Reynolds number based on a length of 36,000, and an angle of attack of 60 deg. A phenomenological model was developed, based on experiments and computations, to simulate the effects of magnetically accelerated surface discharges on the elliptic cone flow. Control was applied near the leeward-side crossflow separation line, and several actuator configurations were considered, include symmetric and asymmetric patterns and inboard and outboard forces. There were substantial changes in the leeward-side flow structure with actuation. Moments generated about the pitch, yaw, and roll axes were quantified, along with the corresponding heat transfer penalty...
Isotactic polypropylene morphology–Raman spectra correlations

Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) is used in a wide variety of products, including the rapidly growing area of nonwoven fabrics. A new method based on Raman microspectroscopy is developed to determine the morphology of iPP fibers in complex structures through correlations with specific features of the Raman spectra and the birefringence and Lorentz density of a series of fibers. A good correlation is found between the fourth Legendre polynomial (P4) of the principle axis of the Raman tensor of the 841 cm−1 band and the birefringence. Only vibrations that include the CCC backbone stretch correlate well with the birefringence. There is a second, empirical correlation between the birefringence and the depolarization ratios of the 841 and 809 cm−1 Raman bands when the fiber axis is oriented parallel to the laser polarization. The experimental protocol for this empirical correlation is much simpler than for the P4 correlation while simultaneously yielding improved accuracy. There is another empirical correlation between the Lorentz density and the depolarization ratios of the 841 and 1330 cm−1 Raman bands. Thus, the birefringence and Lorentz density of iPP fibers could be determined quantitatively using polarized Raman microspectroscopy. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 1330–1338, 2001
The possibilities and challenges of in vitro methods for plant conservation

Seed-based methods are generally the most efficient for propagating and storing plant germplasm, but these methods are not always adequate, and some species can benefit from in vitro methods for conservation. For species that produce few or no seeds in the wild, plants may be propagated in vitro, and in vitro shoot tips can provide material for cryostorage when seeds are not available or are recalcitrant. In vitro propagated plants may also serve as subjects for research, without depleting the genetic resources of the species. Clonal plants can be used to test out suitable habitat and can be used for basic research on endangered species, without disturbing the wild population. Despite the effectiveness of widely used techniques, however, there are still species that resist initiation into culture or that may be difficult to root or acclimatise. Similarly, tissue cryopreservation methods may be restrained by cost, particularly in maintaining multiple genotypes of many species. Maintaining such genotypes in vitro is also costly and runs the risk of loss or change over time. Examples of the successful use of in vitro methods will illustrate the variety of applications of these techniques, but costs and specific challenges will also be discussed to help define areas where further research is needed to realise the potential of in vitro methods as a tool for conservation.