cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature and magnetic field dependent optical spectral weight in the cation-deficient colossal-magnetoresistance material La 0.936 Mn 0.982 O 3

The optical reflectivity of a vacancy doped colossal magnetoresistance material La{sub 0.936}Mn{sub 0.982}O{sub 3} has been investigated on single-crystal samples as a function of temperature and at zero and 0.5 T magnetic fields. The conductivity has been evaluated by Kramers-Kronig analysis in the frequency range of 100{endash}20000 cm{sup {minus}1}. The broad peak in the optical conductivity, observed at room temperature around 10000 cm{sup {minus}1}, shifts towards zero as the ferromagnetic state develops at lower temperatures. In the transition regime the application of moderate magnetic field also induces a downward shift of the spectral weight. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Electric Transmission and Control of Power From Internal Combustion Engines for Transportation

The use of electric transmission is almost a necessity with large internal combustion power plants in transportation service. Furthermore, the interposition of the electric transmission provides a method of obtaining what is the equivalent of a wide change in gear ratio, as well as a cushioning of the characteristic power impulses of the internal combustion engine. In adapting the internal combustion engine to this character of service there has been a number of problems, such as fitting the generator to the engine curve, the question of hand or automatic control, field control arrangements, single vs. multiple motor drive, and arrangement and operation of auxiliaries. The use of the combination generator-battery power plant has recently received considerable attention. This application employs a battery operating in parallel with the engine generator power plant, capable of supplementing the power of the engine for short periods. The characteristics of the engine used in transportation service must be well adapted to the duty required. These characteristics vary somewhat with the size of the unit and the control of the engine throttle is usually adapted to the particular problem in hand. In this paper, the principal problems connected with the operation and design of complete engine generator units are discussed in detail and many typical schemes of connection are diagrammatically shown.
Shape resonances in molecular photoionization

Full text: Shape resonances have begun to play a central role in the study of spectroscopy and dynamics of molecular photoionization. They manifest themselves as bands of enhanced absorption in the spectra of most (nonhydride) molecules and often stand out prominently against a nonresonant background. These resonances arise from centrifugal barriers in the molecular potential experienced by the escaping photoelectron, and their gross features can be described in terms of simple barrier-penetration concepts. Using both experimental data and recent theoretical calculations, we survey the properties (e.g., symmetry, spatial distribution, and dominant partial waves) of several molecular shape resonances and show how this information relates to the analysis of wavelength-dependent photoelectron spectra, photoelectron angular distributions, and photoabsorption spectra of molecules in different physical states. Special emphasis will be given to the correspondence between resonances in molecular photoionization and electron-molecule scattering.
Accountable care organizations--the risk of failure and the risks of success.

An accountable care organization (ACO) consists of health care providers who collectively agree to be held accountable for the care they provide to the population of patients attributed to their ACO. Two and a half years after the beginning of the Medicare ACO programs mandated by the Affordable Care Act, there are 361 ACOs contracting with Medicare1 and hundreds of ACO-like contracts in the private sector. Payers — Medicare and health insurance plans — give ACOs financial incentives to invest in processes to systematically and proactively improve quality and control the costs of care for their populations of patients. In . . .
Rateless codes for data dissemination in sensor networks

This paper discusses the use of rateless codes to increase performance in wireless sensor networks.
Stopping the spread of drug-resistant malaria.

C. Roper et al. report the disturbing dissemination of pyrimethamine-resistant Plasmodia (the parasite that causes malaria) from Asia to Africa (“Intercontinental spread of pyrimethamine-resistant malaria,” Brevia, 20 Aug., p. [1124][1]). They recommend that travelers moving between Southeast
Effect of acute morphine administration on the metabolism of brain catecholamines.

Abstract The effects of sub-analgetic and analgetic doses of morphine (5–20 mg/kg) on the metabolism of intravenously administered [ 14 C]-tyrosine (200 uCi/kg) in the mouse brain were investigated. A significantly increased conversion of [ 14 C]-tyrosine to the [ 14 C]-catecholamines was observed only at an analgetic dose of morphine. Furthermore, morphine increased the specific activity of brain [ 14 C]-tyrosine and this effect was blocked by naloxone, a morphine antagonist.
Dynamic staining of bacteria at a single-cell level

Bacterial infectious diseases remain one of the major health hazards nation- and worldwide. The expedience of detection and identification of bacterial pathogens determines how early the diagnosis is, and hence, what the treatment and the outcome of the illness would be. As we have previously reported, the dynamics of fluorescence staining provides venues for the development of expedient assays for detection and identification of bacterial species[1]. We measured the kinetics of bacterial staining with cyanine and thioflavin dyes and investigated their photophysical properties. We demonstrated that the pseudo first-order kinetic constants of the fluorescence staining processes have species specificity without contrition dependence. Combining the dynamics of staining with real-time fluorescence microscopy we characterized the fluorescence staining process at the single-cell level with improved sensitivity and contrast.
The Impact of Two Semiannual Treatments with Albendazole Alone on Lymphatic Filariasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections: A Community-Based Study in the Republic of Congo

Implementation of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin plus albendazole (ALB) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) has been delayed in central Africa because of the risk of serious adverse events in subjects with high Loa loa microfilaremia. We conducted a community trial to assess the impact of semiannual MDA with ALB (400 mg) alone on LF and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Republic of Congo. Evaluation at 12 months showed that ALB MDA had not significantly reduced Wuchereria bancrofti antigenemia or microfilaria (mf) rates in the community (from 17.3% to 16.6% and from 5.3% to 4.2%, respectively). However, the geometric mean mf count in mf-positive subjects was reduced from 202.2 to 80.9 mf/mL (60% reduction, P = 0.01). The effect of ALB was impressive in 38 subjects who were mf-positive at baseline and retested at 12 months: 37% had total mf clearance, and individual mf densities were reduced by 73.0%. MDA also dramatically reduced the hookworm infection rate in the community from 6.5% to 0.6% (91% reduction), with less impressive effects on Ascaris and Trichuris. These preliminary results suggest that semiannual community MDA with ALB is a promising strategy for controlling LF and STH in areas with coendemic loiasis.
Deposition kinetics of bacteriophage MS2 to natural organic matter: role of divalent cations

The role of divalent cations (i.e. Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) in the deposition kinetics of the bacteriophage MS2 onto flat bare silica surfaces and Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM)-coated silica surfaces was investigated using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) coupled with a radial stagnation point flow (RSPF) system. Experimental results demonstrated that attachment efficiencies of MS2 onto the SRNOM surface were seven to seventeen times higher in the presence of Ca(2+) than in the presence of Mg(2+). A similar trend was observed for the adsorption of polyglutamic acid, which is one of the carboxylate-containing amino acid residues found on the surface of MS2 capsids present on SRNOM-coated surfaces. The difference in attachment rates in a solution containing either Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) can be explained by a stronger tendency of Ca(2+) compared to Mg(2+) to form cation bridges by binding to carboxylate groups of both the SRNOM and the MS2 capsids. Moreover, higher attachment efficiencies of MS2 onto the SRNOM-coated silica surfaces compared to those on bare silica surfaces in the presence of either Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) at concentrations higher than 0.3 mM emphasized the important role of SRNOM carboxylate groups. Experimental data also showed reduced attachment efficiency of MS2 to SRNOM-coated surfaces in solution containing 1 mg/L SRNOM.
In-Tube Heat Transfer for Skewed Inlet Flow Caused by Competition Among Tubes Fed by the Same Plenum

Mesure de la repartition axiale et circonferencielle du coefficient de transfert de chaleur dans un tube avec entree d'air fortement oblique par rapport a l'axe du tube
Shock tube study of the pressure dependence of monomethylhydrazine pyrolysis

Abstract Monomethylhydrazine (MMH, CH3NHNH2) pyrolysis was studied behind reflected shock waves using a laser absorption method. NH2 concentration time-histories in MMH/argon mixtures were measured over the temperature range of 1100–1400 K and pressures 0.3–5 atm. The MMH pyrolysis mechanism developed by Sun et al. (2009) [9] , with the update by Cook et al. (2011) [11] , was used to simulate the NH2 time-histories and to compare with the experiment. The rate constant of the reaction: MMH = CH3N·H + NH2 (1a) was determined based on the NH2 time-history measurements. Pressure dependence of k1a was observed at 0.3–5 atm. The measured reaction rate constants follow a pressure dependence trend close to the theoretical results by Zhang et al. (2011) [10] based on transition state theory master equation analysis, and reducing their theoretical results by ∼40% leads to a close match with the current data. With the experimentally determined k1a, the simulation results match closely with the NH2 time-histories at early times. Utilizing the later times of the NH2 time-histories, we find that a good fit is achieved with the reaction rate constant of k2 = 1.5 × 1014 exp (−755/T) cm3/mol/s for the reaction: NHNH2 + H = NH2 + NH2 (2) . Simulation results using the modified mechanism, with the updated k1a and k2, match well with the measured NH2 time-histories in the current study.
The Effects of Pay-to-Quit Incentives on Crowdworker Task Quality

Companies such as Zappos.com and Amazon.com provide financial incentives for newer employees to quit. The premise is that workers who will accept this offer are misaligned with their company culture, which will therefore negatively affect quality over time. Could this pay-to-quit incentive scheme align workers in online labor markets? We conduct five empirical experiments evaluating different pay-to-quit incentives with crowdworkers and evaluate their effects on mean task accuracy, retention rate, and improvement in mean task accuracy. We find that the number of times a user is prompted for the inducement, the type and frequency of performance feedback given to participants, the type of incentive, as well as the amount offered can help retain high-performing workers but encourage poor-performing workers to quit early. When we combine the best features from our experiments and examine their aggregate effectiveness, mean task accuracy is improved by 28.3%. Last, we also find that certain demographics contribute to the effectiveness of pay-to-quit incentives.
Effect of acth on rabbit adrenal microsomal 17α-hydroxylase activity, cytochrome P-450 and protein electrophoretic patterns

Abstract To determine whether a change in microsomal proteins can be correlated with adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)-stimulation of rabbit adrenal 17α-hydroxylase activity, rabbit adrenal microsomes were subjected to electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate. Microsomes were obtained from rabbits stimulated with ACTH for 0, 2, 4, and 6 days. A protein band with a molecular weight of 53, 000 was found to increase 31.1, 27.2 and 61.0 percent in 2-, 4-, and 6-day ACTH-stimulated microsomes as compared to controls; but 17α-hydroxylase activity showed no apparent correlation, increasing 5–6 fold in all experiments. No new protein bands were found after ACTH stimulation, and no other changes in microsomal protein electrophoretic patterns after ACTH stimulation were found to correlate with the increases in 17α-hydroxylase activity. The specific activity (nmol/mg protein) of cytochrome P-450 remained nearly the same throughout the stimulation periods. Tetramethylbenzidine staining for heme prosthetic groups on the electrophoretic gels displayed bands with molecular weights of 61, 000, 58, 000 and 53, 000.
Toward effective supervision: An operant analysis and comparison of managers at work.

En depit de l'importance d'une definition reconnue de ce qui constituerait la supervision efficace (du travail par les cadres d'entreprise), ce qui constitue cette derniere reste une enigme. Utilisant l'instrument: Operant Supervisory Taxonomy and Index, des observateurs ont classe en categories les comportements de deux groupes de managers (tres motivants et non motivants)
Realization, Micro‐Realization, and Coincidence

Let thin properties be properties shared by coincident entities, e.g., a person and her body, and thick properties ones that are not shared. Thick properties entail sortal prop erties, e.g., being a person, and the associated persistence conditions. On the first account of realization defined here, the realized property and its realizers will belong to the same individual. This restricts the physical realizers of mental properties, which are thick, to thick physical properties. We also need a sense in which mental properties can be realized in thin physical properties shared by a person and her body. Defining this in turn requires defining a sense in which the instantiations of sortal properties and of thick properties are realized in micro-structural states of affairs. A fourth notion of realiza tion is needed to allow for the possibility of coincident entities that share a sortal prop erty, e.g., coincident persons.
Subcellular Compartmentalization of P-ERKs in the Lewy Body Disease Substantia Nigra

Extracellular signal–regulated kinases (ERKs) are involved in regulating neuronal survival, differentiation, and plasticity. Recent studies also indicate that ERKs can play a detrimental role in models of oxidative neuronal injury. 1,2 Our previous studies showed discrete cytoplasmic accumulations of phophorylated ERKs (P-ERKs) in Parkinson’s disease and other Lewy body diseases, and in 6-hydroxydopamine–treated neuronal cell cultures. 3 As the effects of ERK phosphorylation are critically dependent upon subcellular localization and access to downstream targets, we investigated the subcellular distribution of P-ERKs in Lewy body disease using double-label confocal microscopy. The association of P-ERK granules with a subset of (sometimes enlarged) mitochondria suggests a potential interaction between mitochondrial function and the ERK signaling pathway in degenerating dopaminergic neurons.
Testing isomorphism of modules

Abstract We present a new deterministic algorithm to test constructively for isomorphism between two given finite-dimensional modules of a finitely generated algebra. The algorithm uses only basic field operations; for arbitrary fields, this is not possible with the existing methodology. Furthermore, the number of field operations used by the algorithm is bounded by a polynomial in the length of the input. The algorithm has been implemented in the computer algebra system Magma and we report on its performance. Our approach has applications to other problems concerning decompositions of modules.
Single and double scattering approximations for a two-dimensional cylindrical medium with anisotropic scattering.

Abstract Large spatial frequency expansions for the source function, radiative flux, and intensity are obtained for an anisotropically scattering, two-dimensional, finite, cylindrical medium exposed to Bessel-varying collimated radiation. The scattering phase function is represented by a series of Legendre polynomials, and the scattering medium is finite in the z -direction and infinite in the r -direction. With these expansions, the single and double scattering approximations are obtained for a medium exposed to a Gaussian shaped laser beam. Results are presented for a wide range of particle sizes and refractive indexes. The back-scattered flux and intensity have a more complex behavior than the forward-scattered flux and intensity.
Temperature dependence of particle-particle adherence forces in ice and clathrate hydrates.

Abstract Particle–particle pulloff adherence forces were measured as a function of temperature in the ice/n-decane/ice and tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate/n-decane/THF hydrate systems using a newly developed micromechanical testing technique. Experiments using ∼200 μm radius particles were performed at atmospheric pressure over the temperature range 263–275 K. The ice and hydrate particles displayed very similar behavior. While the measured adherence forces had significant variation, the shapes of the cumulative force distribution curves were similar among the different sets of experiments. The measured adherence forces distributions shifted to lower force values as the temperature was decreased from the solid melting temperature. The observed forces and trends were explained by the capillary cohesion of rough surfaces, with the capillary bridging liquid being stabilized below its freezing point by the negative curvature of the bridging liquid/n-decane interface.
Effect of sliding velocity on wear rate of fibrous polymer composites

Abstract An analytical expression of wear rate as a function of sliding velocity has been derived from the physics of crack propagation and the thermally activated process concept. The derived equation has been found to be useful in explaining the complex behavior of the wear rate vs . sliding velocity data. The measured specific wear rate has been correlated with the observed microstructure.
Note on the nature of self-regard.

The test-specificity of self-regard was investigated. It was found that, in general, the same terms, or the same areas of self-regard, related more highly on the same, or on two different, esteem tests, while different areas of self-regard related only poorly. It was concluded that esteem is not test-specific but rather represents a more enduring individual evaluative tendency.
Multiresolution vessel tracking in angiographic images using valley courses

Vessel tracking is an essential step for 3-D reconstruction and quantitative analysis of angiograms. We present a multiresolution vessel tracking method and its application to 2-D coronary angiographic images. The method consists of: 1. multiresolution wavelet decomposition; 2. wavelet denoising; 3. vessel valley map generation in a low-resolution image; 4. vascular tree construction; 5. valley course refinement using a "peg-quiver" algorithm; and 6. lumen diameter calculation using a derivative-free edge detection algorithm. A vessel valley map consisting of all vessel valley points can be generated using a star-scan scheme, followed by local minima detection along each scanline. The vessel paths and vascular trees are then constructed by using a recursive "depth-first" searching scheme on the valley map. A peg-quiver refinement algorithm produces optimal valley courses in high-resolution images by alternatively pegging and quivering the control points and the interpolated points. With high-resolution valley courses, vessel boundary is defined by exploiting vessel cross-section profiles. Compared to centerline-based vessel tracking, the vessel-tracking scheme using valley courses exhibits more simplicity, effectiveness, and stability.
Superposed normal faults in the Ely Springs Range, Nevada: Estimates of extension

Abstract Paleozoic rocks of the Ely Springs Range were cut by down-to-the-east domino-style normal faults, which resulted in W-dipping strata and gently E-dipping faults. Oligocene volcanic rocks were deposited across these structures, before the entire assemblage was rotated to the east on a down-to-the-west listric normal fault. This rotation returned the domino-style faults to steeper dips and the Paleozoic rocks to gentle dips. Step-wise palinspastic restoration to the pre-fault geometry indicates 70–210% horizontal extension. If the sub-Tertiary unconformity were not recognized, a non-rotational reconstruction of the currently steep normal faults in the Paleozoic strata would yield an erroneously small estimate of extension. Geologists working in extended terrains should consider the possibility that unrecognized extensional rotations occurred. If that possibility is high, estimates of horizontal extension should be considered as minima.
RECOGNIZING PRIVILEGE: RURAL, URBAN, AND INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Forms of White oppression in the United States are hierarchically evaluated through male-dominated society. This paper concentrates on a different perspective—White, female privilege through the experiences and self-reflections of narratives from three geographical perspectives—rural, urban, and international. Within the theoretical frameworks of place and geography these stories come to life through an autoethnographic approach to establish that we can ―unpack the invisible knapsack‖ in the arena of adult education. Stories of race are most often told through the eyes of those being oppressed, instead of those with the power to oppress. As stated by Audrey Lorde (1984), society makes it ―the responsibility of the oppressed to teach the oppressors their mistakes‖ while the ―oppressors maintain their position and evade responsibility for their own actions‖ (p. 114). Stories abound of this racial oppression which shapes the lives of African-Americans and other minorities in the United States; too often, however, we are unaware of how our own privilege as White Americans creates this oppression (Frankenburg, 1993; McIntosh, 1997). This is because to be part of the White majority is to be race neutral and exist in an unmarked category (Lipsitz, 2008), members of which rarely engage in conversations about race and privilege. Whiteness goes unnoticed because it is the standard against which everything else is measured (Johnson-Bailey & Cervero, 1998). Recognizing our racial privileges is not an easy task. Without an open dialogue on race, racism, oppression, and the role of White people, the ―Othering‖ of non-White groups will continue through the conscious and subconscious actions of Whites. The first step in recognizing White privilege is to recognize the conscious and
Stationary Anode-Adjacent High-Field Domains in Cadmium Sulfide†

It is shown that in n-type material with negative differential conductivity due to field quenching, stationary cathode- or anode-adjacent high-field domains occur dependent on electron density at the cathode and applied voltage. Cathode-adjacent high-field domains can be observed only with a blocking cathode. Anode-adjacent high-field domains occur with a slightly blocking cathode at applied voltages above the range at which cathode-adjacent domains are observed or as the only domain type possible with an injecting cathode. With different cathode metals evaporated onto the same CdS:Ag, Al crystal the electron density in the conduction band n1(E) for space charge free conditions has been determined as a function of the actual field between 0 and 240 kV/cm. Es wurde gezeigt, das in n-leitendem Material mit negativ differentiellem Widerstand, der durch Feldtilgungseffekte verursacht ist, stationare Hochfelddomanen an der Kathode oder Anode in Abhangigkeit von der Elektronenkonzentration an der Kathode und von der angelegten Spannung auftreten. Hochfelddomanen an der Kathode konnen nur mit blockierender Kathode beobachtet werden. Hochfelddomanen an der Anode treten bei einer schwach blockierenden Kathode auf, wenn die angelegte Spannung oberhalb des Bereiches der Hochfelddomanen an der Kathode liegt, oder sie treten als einzig moglicher Domanentyp bei injizierender Kathode auf. Mit verschiedenen Kathodenmaterialien, die auf denselben (CdS:Ag, Al)-Kristall aufgedampft waren, wurde die Elektronenkonzentration im Leitungsband n1(E) fur den raumladungsfreien Fall als Funktion der wirkenden Feldstarke zwischen 0 und 240 kV/cm bestimmt.
Does lexical information influence the perceptual restoration of phonemes

A critical issue in modeling speech perception is whether lexical representations can affect lower level (e.g., phonemic) processing. Phonemic restoration studies have provided support for such top-down effects, but there have also been a number of failures to find them. The present study provides an account of when such effects will and will not appear. A methodology is introduced that provides good approximations to the underlying distributions of perceived intactness that are assumed in signal detection analyses of restoration. This methodology provides a sensitive means to determine the necessary conditions for lexical feedback to occur. When these conditions are created, a reliable lexical influence on phonemic perception results. The experiments thus show that lexical activation does influence lower level processing, and that these influences are fragile. The theoretical implications of real but fragile lexical effects are discussed.
Self-rated health in persons with spinal cord injury: relationship of secondary conditions, function and health status.

Objective Self-rated health is used frequently as a measure of health in the general population, and increasingly with persons with disabilities. However, its meaning and its relationship with other measures of self-reported health (health status and secondary conditions) are not well understood for this group. The purpose of the present study was to use a conceptual model to examine the structure of self-rated health with persons with spinal cord injuries.
Affirmative Action and Productivity in Law Enforcement Agencies

The results of a survey of 254 police departments in the United States appear compelling. Whether the criterion be crime containment, successful arrest of wrong-doers, or effective use of public monies, the findings are uniform — to wit, no substantive difference exists in the level of productivity of police departments categorized as to their rate of progress in minority utilization. For all of the plausibility associated with the argument that special procedures for minority recruitment and reten tion will necessarily increase the costs of operation of public agencies, or the belief that any modifica tion of a fully color-blind selection system will compromise the ability of employees to perform their duties, there is virtually no evidence in the data reported here to support these expectations.
Computer crime enforcement in Texas: Funding, training, and investigating problems

As a new challenge to law enforcement, computer crime has recently received increasing attention from law enforcement and government officials. However, most writings about this issue are not empirical. This study fills this void by examining the attitudes of computer crime officers in Texas in two areas: general problems in dealing with computer crime, and the impact of demographic and institutional support factors on officers' attitudes. The results are: (1) more budgetary support and training are needed; (2) lack of computer skill/knowledge is the most problematic for computer investigations/forensics; (3) the idea of cooperating and sharing resources has already been utilized; and (4) officers understand the complexity of computer crime but are uncertain about its seriousness. The size of the city and whether the departments have a computer crime unit are the most significant factors that impact officers' attitudes toward the need for institutional support. This study suggests four elements (officers' attitude, institutional support, personnel, and network) that are important to successfully combat against computer crime; these elements need to be included in the development and implementation of both short-term and medium-term plans.
A coup d'état in law's empire: Dworkin's Hercules meets Atlas

In Law's Empire, Ronald Dworkin advances two incompatible versions of law as integrity. On the strong thesis, political integrity understood as coherence in fundamental moral principles constitutes an overriding constraint on justice, fairness and due process. On the weak thesis, political integrity, while a value, is not to be privileged over justice, fairness, and due process, but to be weighed along with them. I argue that the weak thesis is superior on both of Dworkin's criteria: fit and justifiability. However, the weak thesis must be amended to allow for coherence in policies as well as in principles: the social consequences of legal decisions must be taken into account.
Methodological differences account for inconsistencies in reported free VEGF concentrations in pregnant rats

Free vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is undetectable in plasma during human pregnancy. However, studies examining pregnant rats have reported both low (8–29 pg/ml) and high (527–1,030 pg/ml) free VEGF. These discrepancies cast uncertainty over the use of rat models to study angiogenic factors in pregnancy and preeclampsia. This study investigates methodological factors that may explain these discrepancies. Plasma VEGF in nonpregnant, day 7 pregnant, and day 19 pregnant rats was measured using rat and mouse ELISAs (R&D Systems). The rat ELISA detected VEGF in plasma from nonpregnant rats but not in plasma from day 19 pregnant rats. The mouse ELISA detected higher VEGF concentrations than the rat ELISA in every sample tested. This discrepancy was greater in day 19 pregnant rats (median: 2,273 vs. 0 pg/ml) than in nonpregnant (97 vs. 20 pg/ml) and day 7 pregnant (66 vs. 2 pg/ml) rats. Recovery of recombinant rat VEGF (rrVEGF) spiked into plasma from nonpregnant and day 7 pregnant rats was high for the rat ELISA (82–105%) but low for the mouse ELISA (17–22%). The rat ELISA did not recover rrVEGF in plasma from day 19 pregnant rats, suggesting that this ELISA measures free VEGF. The use of the rat versus mouse ELISA likely explains the differences in reported VEGF concentrations in pregnant rats. While the rat ELISA appears to measure free VEGF, plasma concentrations in nonpregnant and pregnant rats are below the assay sensitivity limit. As most previous studies of pregnant rats used the mouse VEGF ELISA, these data should be interpreted cautiously.
Desolventizing-toasting of extracted soybean flakes: Development of pilot plant equipment and operational procedure

A pilot plant batch desolventizer-toaster (D-T) was designed and built with the intent of producing soybean meals of varied composition, as well as to simulate meals produced in a continuous commercial D-T unit. Trial runs were made first to determine workable loading levels, temperature control and sparge steam generation. Moisture levels after the steam sparge were influenced by the residual hexane content of defatted hexane-wet flakes reaching the D-T. Two moisture levels were used in testing the effectiveness of the toasting operations in producing flakes with low urease activity and trypsin inhibitor levels. The trial runs reported here also provide basic data for current work designed to optimize toasting procedures to produce suitable meals for ongoing animal nutrition studies.
Editorial Peer Review in US Medical Journals

This study determined if the process of editorial peer review is the same for all medical journals. Two categories of indexed US medical journals were examined: group 1 consisted mainly of well-known, clinically oriented journals, while group 2 was composed primarily of interdisciplinary or specialized journals. Data were collected through a series of interviews and questionnaires. All 16 group 1 editors or managing editors were interviewed. Questionnaires were mailed to 124 group 2 editors (69.4% were returned). Results showed that, although some of the practices of editorial peer review are the same, the two groups of journals had distinct editorial peer review practices. Group 1 made less use of editorial peer review than group 2 by relying on the editorial staff at several important decision points.
Comparing Gender, Institutions and Political Behavior: Toward an Integrated Theoretical Framework

Integrating the behavioral and institutional approaches to comparative politics will provide a more comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding why differences in political engagement among men and women vary cross-nationally and cross-temporally. This essay advances the argument that gender-related policies and institutions are not only outcomes in the political process, but also exert powerful influence over citizens' interests, values, and perceptions of politics. This policy feedback loop has implications for a wide array of political attitudes and activities—from political interest to running for elected office. Specifically, the adoption and expansion of national policies on issues such as equal wages, childcare provision, paid maternity leave, and violence against women carry important messages to the electorate: Issues that disproportionately affect women, long considered private, have become important national policy choices.
The bootstrap for empirical processes based on stationary observations

Abstract It is shown that the blockwise bootstrap of the empirical process for a stationary β-mixing sequences, indexed by VC-subgraph classes of functions, converges weakly to the appropriate Gaussian process, conditionally in probability. The conditions imposed are only marginally stronger than the best-known sufficient conditions for the regular CLT for these processes.
Is ds′ a suitable measure of recognition memory “strength”?

The signal-detection model of recognition memory is compared to the Chechile and Meyer (1976) recognition model. The Chechile and Meyer model is found to outperform the signal-detection model on three grounds. First, detection strength measures, like ds′, are sensitive to the degree of similarity of the distractor items to the target items, whereas the Chechile and Meyer storage parameter, θS, is not. Second, θS better predicts recognition speed. Third, ds′ is shown to confound the two orthogonal processes of storage and guessing.
Stable computation of the functional variation of the Dirichlet-Neumann operator

This paper presents an accurate and stable numerical scheme for computation of the first variation of the Dirichlet-Neumann operator in the context of Euler's equations for ideal free-surface fluid flows. The Transformed Field Expansion methodology we use is not only numerically stable, but also employs a spectrally accurate Fourier/Chebyshev collocation method which delivers high-fidelity solutions. This implementation follows directly from the authors' previous theoretical work on analyticity properties of functional variations of Dirichlet-Neumann operators. These variations can be computed in a number of ways, but we establish, via a variety of computational experiments, the superior effectiveness of our new approach as compared with another popular Boundary Perturbation algorithm (the method of Operator Expansions).
Fractal Loop Heat Pipe performance testing with a compressed carbon foam wick structure

Abstract This study investigates heat flux performance for a prototype wick structure fabricated from compressed carbon foam when used with a Loop Heat Pipe (LHP) containing a fractal-based evaporator design. The prototype wick structure geometry was based on a previous soda lime glass wick structure designed and manufactured by Mikros Manufacturing Inc., for use with the Fractal Loop Heat Pipe (FLHP). The compressed carbon foam wick structure was manufactured by ERG Aerospace Inc., and machined to specifications comparable to that of the initial soda lime glass wick structure. Machining of the compressed foam as well as performance testing were performed at the United States Naval Academy's School of Engineering. Heat input to the FLHP was supplied via cartridge heaters mounted in a copper block. The copper heater block was placed in intimate contact with the evaporator. The evaporator had a circular cross-sectional area of 0.88 cm 2 . Twice distilled, deionized water was used as the working fluid. Thermal performance data was obtained for three different Condenser/Subcooler temperatures under degassed conditions ( P sat of 10.5 kPa at 23 °C). The compressed carbon foam wick structure demonstrated successful start-ups in each of the test cases performed and had a maximum heat flux of 70 W/cm 2 .
Peace as a Process

Demilitarizing Politics: Elections on the Uncertain Road to Peace. By Terrence Lyons. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2005. 232 pp., $49.94 (ISBN: 1-58826-393-2). Can enemies committed to killing one another during a civil war negotiate an end to the violence and live together in peace? The long and growing list of civil war peace agreements that have only briefly halted hostilities demonstrates that this is a challenging task. Pessimism concerning the viability of peace agreements has led some scholars to suggest that negotiated settlements, at least in some contexts, should be considered a less viable means of conflict management than either outright military victory (Luttwak 1999) or partition (Kaufmann 1996). Yet, the experiences of post-civil war states such as South Africa, Mozambique, and El Salvador demonstrate that peace can endure following a negotiated settlement. Previous research seeking to explain these instances of successful civil war resolution have focused on such factors as the role of peacekeepers (Walter 2002; Fortna 2004) and the creation of settlement provisions that provide for powersharing among the rivals (Hartzell 1999; Hartzell and Hoddie 2003). Although focusing on different mechanisms, these studies share the optimistic view that it is possible for former combatants to manage their disagreements and avoid a return to armed conflict. Terrence Lyons's Demilitarizing Politics shares the optimism of works emphasizing the potential for civil wars to be decisively ended through peaceful means. What makes this study a unique and important contribution to this …
Paclitaxel and vinorelbine cause synergistic increases in apoptosis but not in microtubular disruption in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A-549)

Concurrent administration of paclitaxel and vinorelbine results in cytotoxicity in vivo and in vitro in a number of tumor cell lines, yet the mechanisms of enhanced cell killing are undefined. In studies here, we show that low concentrations (1 nM) of paclitaxel and vinorelbine in combination result in enhanced cell killing by apoptosis (P<0.05) in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A-549. In contrast, necrotic cell death and formation of multinucleated cells, which were significantly increased by paclitaxel (P<0.05) alone, but not vinorelbine, were not increased synergistically by both drugs. Paclitaxel also caused microtubular disruption which was not observed with vinorelbine. These data provide further rationale for the combined use of paclitaxel and vinorelbine in clinical trials, and suggest that the cooperative effects of drugs on apoptosis are not mediated through similar disruptional effects on microtubules.
Massive black holes in globular clusters

FOUR X-ray sources have been identified1,2 with globular star clusters (NGC1851, NGC6441, NGC6624 and M15). These are the first X-ray sources to be optically identified with the oldest component (age∼1010 yr) of the stellar population of our Galaxy; previous identifications of galactic X-ray sources were mostly with bright, young, Population I stars or with relatively recent supernova remnants. Katz3, Clark4 and Canizares and Neighbours5 have discussed the apparent differences in frequency and population between the globular cluster X-ray sources and other galactic X-ray sources. They have assumed that the X-ray sources in globular clusters are, like the sources identified with Population I stars, binary stars in which a normal companion transfers mass on to a collapsed star, thereby producing X rays.
FE modeling of multiple SMA wire actuated adaptive structures

This paper presents a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of an adaptive structure that uses multiple Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wires for actuation. The commercially available FEA program ABAQUS was used to simulate the displacement of an adaptive nozzle structure which is actuated by controlling the power to six SMA wires simultaneously. The SMA wires were modeled within the user material (UMAT) feature using a mesoscopic free energy model [1] to accurately describe their thermomechanically coupled actuator behavior. During simulations, the required heat input, wire temperature, phase fraction changes, resulting strains, stresses, and the mechanical interactions with the structure were determined for each SMA wire. Second order effects of wire coupling were also observed and analyzed. The results from the simulation were compared with experimental measurements taken with the current adaptive nozzle prototype.
Imaging Oxygen Metabolism In Acute Stroke Using MRI

The ability to image the ischemic penumbra during hyperacute stroke promises to identify patients who may benefit from treatment intervention beyond population-defined therapeutic time windows. MR blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast imaging has been explored in ischemic stroke. This review provides an overview of several BOLD-based methods, including susceptibility-weighted imaging, R2, R2*, R2′, R2* under oxygen challenge, MR_OEF and MROMI approaches to assess cerebral oxygen metabolism in ischemic stroke. We will review the underlying pathophysiological basis of the imaging approaches, followed by a brief introduction of BOLD contrast. Finally, we will discuss the applications of the BOLD approaches in patients with ischemic stroke. BOLD-based methods hold promise for imaging tissue oxygenation during acute ischemia. Further technical refinement and validation studies in stroke patients against positron emission tomography measurements are needed.
A new treatment for focal dystonias: incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin®), a botulinum neurotoxin type A free from complexing proteins.

Dystonia is a movement disorder of uncertain pathogenesis that is characterized by involuntary and inappropriate muscle contractions which cause sustained abnormal postures and movements of multiple or single (focal) body regions. The most common focal dystonias are cervical dystonia (CD) and blepharospasm (BSP). The first-line recommended treatment for CD and BSP is injection with botulinum toxin (BoNT), of which two serotypes are available: BoNT type A (BoNT/A) and BoNT type B (BoNT/B). Conventional BoNT formulations include inactive complexing proteins, which may increase the risk for antigenicity, possibly leading to treatment failure. IncobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin®; Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany) is a BoNT/A agent that has been recently Food and Drug Administration-approved for the treatment of adults with CD and adults with BSP previously treated with onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox®; Allergen, Inc, Irvine, CA) – a conventional BoNT/A. IncobotulinumtoxinA is the only BoNT product that is free of complexing proteins. The necessity of complexing proteins for the effectiveness of botulinum toxin treatment has been challenged by preclinical and clinical studies with incobotulinumtoxinA. These studies have also suggested that incobotulinumtoxinA is associated with a lower risk for stimulating antibody formation than onabotulinumtoxinA. In phase 3 noninferiority trials, incobotulinumtoxinA demonstrated significant improvements in CD and BSP symptoms in both primary and secondary measures, compared with baseline, and met criteria for noninferiority versus onabotulinumtoxinA. In placebo-controlled trials, incobotulinumtoxinA also significantly improved the symptoms of CD and BSP, with robust outcomes in both primary and secondary measures. The use of incobotulinumtoxinA has been well tolerated in all trials, with an adverse event profile similar to that of onabotulinumtoxinA. Based on these data, incobotulinumtoxinA is a safe and effective BoNT/A for the treatment of CD and BSP, and may pose a lower risk for immunogenicity leading to treatment failure compared with other available BoNT agents. This paper reviews the treatment of focal dystonias with BoNTs, in particular, incobotulinumtoxinA. Controlled trials from the existing incobotulinumtoxinA literature are summarized.
Na+ currents are required for efficient excitation–contraction coupling in rabbit ventricular myocytes: a possible contribution of neuronal Na+ channels

Ca 2+ transientswereactivatedinrabbitventricularcellsbyasequenceofactionpotentialshaped voltageclamps.Afteractivatingaseriesofcontroltransients,Na + currents(INa)wereinactivated witharampfrom −80to −40mV(1.5 s)priortotheactionpotentialclamp.Thetransientswere detected with the calcium indicator Fluo-4 and an epifluorescence system. With zero Na + in the pipetteINainactivationproducedadeclineintheSRCa 2+ releaseflux(measuredasthemaximum rate of rise of the transient) of 27 ±4% (n =9, P <0.001) and a peak amplitude reduction of 10 ±3% (n =9, P <0.05). With 5 mm Na + in the pipette the reduction in release flux was greater (34 ±4%, n =4, P <0.05). The ramp effectively inactivates INa without changing ICa, andtherewasnosignificantchangeinthetransmembraneCa 2+ fluxaftertheinactivationofINa. We next evoked action potentials under current clamp. TTX at 100 nm, which selectively blocks neuronalisoformsofNa + channels,producedadeclineinSRCa 2+ releasefluxof35 ±3%(n =6, P <0.001) and transient amplitude of 12 ±2% (n =6, P <0.05). This effect was similar to the effect of INa inactivation on release flux. We conclude that a TTX-sensitive INa is essential for efficient triggering of SR Ca 2+ release. We propose that neuronal Na + channels residing within couplons activate sufficient reverse Na + ‐Ca 2+ exchanger (NCX) to prime the junctional cleft with Ca 2+ . The results can be explained if non-linearities in excitation‐contraction coupling mechanisms modify the couplingfidelity of ICa, which is known to be low at positive potentials.
Antiprotons from Dark Matter: Effects of a Position-Dependent Diffusion Coefficient

Energetic antiprotons in cosmic rays can serve as an important indirect signature of dark matter. Conventionally, the antiproton flux from dark matter decay or annihilation is calculated by solving the transport equation with a space-independent diffusion coefficient within the diffusion zone of the galaxy. Antiproton sources outside the diffusion zone are ignored under the assumption that they propagate freely and escape. In reality, it is far more likely that the diffusion coefficient increases smoothly with distance from the disk, and the outlying part of the dark matter halo ignored in the conventional approach can be significant, containing as much as 90% of the galactic dark matter by mass in some models. We extend the conventional approach to address these issues. We obtain analytic approximations and numerical solutions for antiproton flux for a diffusion coefficient that increases exponentially with the distance from the disk, thereby including contributions from dark matter annihilation or decay in essentially the full dark matter halo. We find that the antiproton flux predicted in this model deviates from the conventional calculation for the same dark matter parameters by up to about 25%.