cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Religion of Statistics as Practiced in Medical Journals

Abstract Commentaries are informative essays dealing with viewpoints of statistical practice, statistical education, and other topics considered to be of general interest to the broad readership of The American Statistician. Commentaries are similar in spirit to Letters to the Editor, but they involve longer discussions of background, issues, and perspectives. All commentaries will be refereed for their merit and compatibility with these criteria. The way in which hypothesis tests are often used as the sole tool of statistics in medical research is satirized. This is followed by a suggestion for reform.
Metamodelling techniques in multidimensional optimality analysis for linear programming

Response surface methodology (RSM) and kriging are used to develop a methodology for optimality analysis of linear programs (LPs). Using these techniques, metamodels are developed to predict the optimal objective function value of an LP for various levels of the constraints. These metamodels are valid over multiple critical regions, eliminating the usual requirement of determining which critical region contains the right-hand-side vector of interest. The metamodels are used to determine the responsiveness of the optimal objective function value to changes in the right-hand-side vector while illuminating key relationships between the objective function value and the elements of the right-hand-side vector. In some cases, the metamodels can actually be used as a surrogate model for the entire LP model. The metamodels are tested by comparing the predictions to the optimal solutions obtained by solving the linear programming model. This paper provides a description of the methodology as well as the results from three test problems.
Site of action of pharmacologically active compounds on the heart of Periplaneta americana L.

Abstract Denervation of the American cockroach heart leads to a simple myogenic heartbeat which is unresponsive to atropine, acetylcholine, and arecoline in concentrations up to 10−3 M, while the denervated heart responds by increasing its rate of rhythmic contraction when perfused with 5-hydroxytryptamine, d -tubocurarine, nicotine, tryptamine, DOPAmine, adrenalin, noradrenalin, and the carbamates m-isopropylphenyl-N-methyl carbamate (MIP) and 2-methyl-2-(methylthio) propionaldehyde-N-methyl carbamoyloxime (Temik). These responses support the contention that acetylcholine and atropine are acting on the cardiac nervous system, whereas the other compounds listed have an effect on the myocardium. The neurogenic classification of the cockroach heart requires re-examination. A more appropriate classification is myogenic with extensive nervous control.
Is a cystogram necessary after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy?

Abstract Purpose Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy has become an acceptable option for the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer. The role of cystography in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy was evaluated prospectively. Methods and materials A total of 80 consecutive patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with an intraperitoneal approach were evaluated. There were 40 patients (group 1/surgeon A) who received a routine postoperative cystogram before Foley catheter removal. An additional 40 patients (group 2/surgeon B) had their catheters removed without radiographic imaging. Patient demographics, intraoperative data, postoperative data, and complications were recorded prospectively. Results The 2 groups were similar in age, Gleason score, and history of previous urethral/bladder neck surgery. Univariate analysis showed no statistical difference among case duration, estimated blood loss, need for bladder neck reconstruction, presence of visible anastomotic leak, or use of pelvic drains. Anastomosis time was the only variable that reached statistical significance. Mean catheter duration (11 days) was similar between the 2 groups. There were 3 patients from group 1 who had an anastomotic leak identified on a cystogram. In group 2, 1 patient had a persistent mild leak based on a cystogram obtained for urinary symptoms. No patient in either group had urinary retention, urinary tract infection, renal failure, or bladder neck contracture develop. The degree of postoperative urinary incontinence was similar between groups. Conclusion Foley catheter removal on postoperative days 8–10 after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy without routine cystography appears safe.
Kansei: a testbed for sensing at scale

The Kansei testbed at the Ohio State University is designed to facilitate research on networked sensing applications at scale. Kansei embodies a unique combination of characteristics as a result of its design focus on sensing and scaling: (i) Heterogeneous hardware infrastructure with dedicated node resources for local computation, storage, data exfiltration and back-channel communication, to support complex experimentation, (ii) Time accurate hybrid simulation engine for simulating substantially larger arrays using testbed hardware resources, (iii) High fidelity sensor data generation and real-time data and event injection, (iv) Software components and associated job control language to support complex multi-tier experiments utilizing real hardware resources and data generation and simulation engines. In this paper, we present the elements of Kansei testbed architecture, including its hardware and software platforms as well as its hybrid simulation and sensor data generation engines.
The Myth of American Religious Freedom, by David Sehat, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2011, viii + 356 pp. ISBN 978 019 538876 3, US$29.95 (hardback)

The Myth of American Religious Freedom, by David Sehat, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2011, viii + 356 pp. ISBN 978 019 538876 3, US$29.95 (hardback) American politicians and legal theorists on ...
Walking reduces sensorimotor network connectivity compared to standing

Considerable effort has been devoted to mapping the functional and effective connectivity of the human brain, but these efforts have largely been limited to tasks involving stationary subjects. Recent advances with high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and Independent Components Analysis (ICA) have enabled study of electrocortical activity during human locomotion. The goal of this work was to measure the effective connectivity of cortical activity during human standing and walking. We recorded 248-channels of EEG as eight young healthy subjects stood and walked on a treadmill both while performing a visual oddball discrimination task and not performing the task. ICA parsed underlying electrocortical, electromyographic, and artifact sources from the EEG signals. Inverse source modeling methods and clustering algorithms localized posterior, anterior, prefrontal, left sensorimotor, and right sensorimotor clusters of electrocortical sources across subjects. We applied a directional measure of connectivity, conditional Granger causality, to determine the effective connectivity between electrocortical sources. Connections involving sensorimotor clusters were weaker for walking than standing regardless of whether the subject was performing the simultaneous cognitive task or not. This finding supports the idea that cortical involvement during standing is greater than during walking, possibly because spinal neural networks play a greater role in locomotor control than standing control. Conversely, effective connectivity involving non-sensorimotor areas was stronger for walking than standing when subjects were engaged in the simultaneous cognitive task. Our results suggest that standing results in greater functional connectivity between sensorimotor cortical areas than walking does. Greater cognitive attention to standing posture than to walking control could be one interpretation of that finding. These techniques could be applied to clinical populations during gait to better investigate neural substrates involved in mobility disorders.
Potassium Homeostasis With Indomethacin Therapy in Normal Subjects

In an attempt to delineate effects of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibition on potassium metabolism in normal subjects, we challenged 13 young, healthy volunteers with a potassium chloride infusion before and after a 4-day course of indomethacin (25 mg orally, three times a day). The plasma potassium level was monitored at 10-minute intervals throughout the 50-minute infusion and for a total of 180 minutes. The maximal increment in plasma potassium level was 0.82 ± 0.07 mmol/L (mEq/L) in the untreated state, and 0.86 ± 0.08 mmol/L with indomethacin treatment. The basal potassium level before infusion was higher in the indomethacin-treated than the control state (3.83 ± 0.07 v 3.68 ± 0.07 mmol/L; P 2 excretion over the 3 hours was lower in the indomethacin than the control phase, although it was higher than normal in both phases. In an additional experiment, the comparative effects of a saline versus saline-potassium infusion on PG excretion were studied. No differences were seen between the excretion patterns of PGE 2 or 6-keto-PGF 1a with the two infusions. We conclude that (1) although basal serum potassium level is slightly higher in healthy young people during indomethacin treatment, there is little effect on handling of an acute potassium load; (2) the aldosterone response to hyperkalemia is PG-independent; (3) urinary PG excretion increases in response to a saline-based infusion, but the effect is not enhanced by acute potassium loading.
Sir2-Independent Life Span Extension by Calorie Restriction in Yeast

Calorie restriction slows aging and increases life span in many organisms. In yeast, a mechanistic explanation has been proposed whereby calorie restriction slows aging by activating Sir2. Here we report the identification of a Sir2-independent pathway responsible for a majority of the longevity benefit associated with calorie restriction. Deletion of FOB1 and overexpression of SIR2 have been previously found to increase life span by reducing the levels of toxic rDNA circles in aged mother cells. We find that combining calorie restriction with either of these genetic interventions dramatically enhances longevity, resulting in the longest-lived yeast strain reported thus far. Further, calorie restriction results in a greater life span extension in cells lacking both Sir2 and Fob1 than in cells where Sir2 is present. These findings indicate that Sir2 and calorie restriction act in parallel pathways to promote longevity in yeast and, perhaps, higher eukaryotes.
Platelet-activating Factor Stimulates Transcription of the Heparin-binding Epidermal Growth Factor-like Growth Factor in Monocytes CORRELATION WITH AN INCREASED κB BINDING ACTIVITY

Abstract Human peripheral blood monocytes responded to stimulation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) with up-regulation of the transcript for heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), a potent mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells. This function of PAF was observed at nanomolar concentrations of the ligand, starting at 30 min after stimulation. The PAF-induced up-regulation of HB-EGF mRNA was accompanied by an increase in κB binding activity. These functions of PAF appeared to be mediated through the cell surface PAF receptors, as two PAF receptor antagonists, WEB 2086 and L-659,989, blocked both the up-regulation of HB-EGF mRNA and κB binding activity induced by PAF. The antagonists, however, had no effect on phorbol ester-induced up-regulation of HB-EGF mRNA and κB binding activity. Pretreatment of monocytes with pertussis toxin inhibited these functions of PAF, whereas cholera toxin had no inhibitory effect. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an inhibitor for NF-κB activation, markedly reduced PAF-stimulated κB binding activity as well as up-regulation of HB-EGF mRNA. These results suggest a potential role of PAF in HB-EGF expression and provide evidence that this stimulation may occur through increased κB binding activity.
SU-E-J-108: Texture Segmentation in Magnetic Resonance Images Using Discrete Wavelet Transform Combined with Gabor Wavelets

Purpose: Edge detection improves image readability and plays an important role in images preprocessing aimed to their segmentation and automatic recognition of their contents. The purpose of this study was to describe methods of edge detection in magnetic resonance images, with the emphasis on the use of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) combined with Gabor wavelets. Methods: Modulus maxima method by Mallat S (A Wavelet Tour of Signal Processing. Academic Press, 1998), provides the method for edge detection using wavelet transform. This method is based on finding local maxima of horizontal and vertical wavelet coefficients in the first level of wavelet decomposition because it is supposed that this level represents edges. This method was tested with various wavelet functions both on simulated and real medical images. A multiresolution approach using undecimated wavelet transform is also employed which allows the low‐low (LL), low‐high (LH), high‐low (HL), and high‐high (HH) sub‐bands to remain at full size. A simple peak finding algorithm is used to determine the peaks out of array of these texture features. Results: Using wavelet transform method, the decomposition was performed up to two levels. Gabor filters are then applied to the wavelet approximations at all levels to obtain the characteristic texture features such as entropy, second to fourth central moments and coefficient of variation. High values of the second central variance and fourth central variance signify images in which regions can be clearly differentiated. The corresponding filter outputs are compared to obtain an image containing minimum pixel values. Conclusion: A complex wavelet function could help to improve results of edge detection in real images. A comparison of basic edge detection methods including simple gradient operators and Gabor wavelets, and their combination with wavelet transform was presented. Mathematical principals were studied, as well as application of these methods.
Experimental Study of Fill-Tube Hydrodynamical Effects on Implosions

Summary form only given. Planned cryogenic ignition experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are expected to use a fill tube to introduce liquid DT into the capsule prior to solid layer formation. During the implosion, this fill tube is expected to form a hydrodynamic jet at deceleration that could quench ignition if this jet is sufficiently large and penetrates the core early enough. We have begun the first indirect-drive experiments to explore the hydrodynamic effects of fill tubes on implosion performance. In these experiments, we have concentrated on developing diagnostic techniques by replacing the fill tube with a bump on the outer shell surface. This bump is hydrodynamically similar to a fill tube but much easier to fabricate and simulate. We present experimental data and calculations for various bump diameters and heights obtained from two techniques: emission imaging of Ti-doped shell material that has been swept into the core at times near peak compression, and backlit imaging of the bump at early times
A New Technique for Determining the Number of X-Ray Sources per Flux Density Interval

We present a technique for determining the number of X-ray sources per flux density interval, the log N-log S relationship, that is mathematically analogous to spectral fitting. This technique is ideal for X-ray source counts obtained using the Chandra X-ray Observatory since the telescope and the focal plane instruments have been well modeled. This technique is of general applicability. In this paper, we apply it to a wavelet source-detect analysis of a Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-I) mosaic image of a 1.35 deg2 survey of the Lockman Hole. We verify the technique via Monte Carlo simulations.
Evidence on the Effect of Financial and Nonfinancial Trends on Analytical Review

In conducting analytical procedures, auditors may use both financial information and nonfinancial information such as general economic conditions, technological changes in the client's industry, and new products from competitors. While there has been extensive research on the impact of financial information (e.g., Biggs and Wild 1985), there has been little consideration of how auditors use nonfinancial information. Further, little is known about how these forms of evidence are integrated. The purpose of this study is to examine the relative consideration of financial and nonfinancial trends in two analytical review tasks: establishing the level of audit scope and generating hypotheses. As noted by Koonce (1993), prior studies have examined analytical review phases separately and, thus, have contributed to our understanding in a piecemeal fashion. Seventy‐eight auditors participated in an experiment with the independent variables reflecting financial trend (stable or decline) and nonfinancial trend (stabl...
Ideological representation and competitive congressional elections

Abstract Competitive elections do not produce representation. We demonstrate that elections in which incumbents win by landslides yield Representatives who are ideologically closer to their voters than elections with narrow margins. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ideological proximity to one's Representative creates feelings of trust and efficacy, but that competitive elections do not. In fact, since competitive elections produce ideological distance between voters and their Representatives, and that distance produces dissatisfaction, competitive elections indirectly reduce voters' feelings of trust and efficacy. Thus, competitive elections are paradoxically harmful to representation.
Sequential "click'' functionalization of mesoporous titania for energy-relay dye enhanced dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy relay dyes (ERDs) have been investigated previously as a mean to achieve panchromatic spectral response in dye-sensitized solar cells via energy transfer. To reduced the distance between the ERDs and energy-accepting injection dyes (IDs) on the surface of a mesoporous titanium dioxide electrode, the ERDs were immobilized adjacent to the IDs via a sequential functionalization approach. In the first step, azidobenzoic acid molecules were co-adsorbed on the mesoporous titanium dioxide surface with the ID. In the second step, the highly selective copper(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar azide–alkyne cycloaddition “click” reaction was employed to couple an alkyne-functionalized ERD to the azidobenzoic acid monolayer. The cycloaddition step in the mesoporous electrode was slowed dramatically due to reactants and catalysts forming agglomerates. In solar cell devices, the close proximity between the surface-immobilized ERD and energy-accepting squaraine sensitizer dyes results in energy transfer efficiencies of up to 91%. The relative improvement in device performance due to the additional ERD spectral response was 124%, which is among the highest reported. The sequential functionalization approach described herein is transferrable to other applications requiring the functionalization of electrodes with complex molecules.
Micropellicular stationary phases for rapid protein analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract The high separating speed, efficiency and opeational stability of various micro-pellicular stationary phases are demonstrated in the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of biopolymers. The micropellicular sorbents were prepared from 2-μm fluid-impervious silica micropheres as the support, with a thin layer of different retentive materials at the surface. These include a molecular fur of octyl or stearyl chains for reversed-phase chromatography as well as a hydrophilic layer with amino groups and polyethyleneglycol chains for anion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography, respectively. The use of appropriate micropellicular stationary phases for protein separation by metal-interaction and affinity chromatography is also illustrated. In most cases, operation at elevated column temperature was found to be preferable for rapid separations. Preliminary results show that the stability of micropellicular columns compares very favorably with that of columns conventionally used in HPLC and that they are easy to maintain.
Classical Versus Contemporary Treatment Planning for Aggressive Periodontal Disease

Background: This case report presents a patient with a history of generalized aggressive periodontitis who has been maintained with the same periodontal prostheses for the past 40 years.Methods: A 39-year-old healthy woman extremely susceptible to inflammatory periodontal disease presented to our office in 1968. Non-surgical therapies were completed to evaluate tissue response and the patient's compliance with oral debridement. A prosthetic consultation was completed and accepted before periodontal surgery was initiated. Several teeth were deemed untreatable and removed at the time of consultation and construction of the provisional maxillary and mandibular prostheses.Results: Clinical decisions were based on this patient's existing periodontal status, the restorability and the strategic value of specific teeth, the occlusal jaw relationship, and the esthetic concerns of the patient. She has been compliant with periodontal maintenance performed every 3 months since the conclusion of active treatment in 19...
Evolving diagnostic strategies for inflammatory bowel disease.

Advances in serologic markers, endoscopy, and radiology have led to rapid expansion of diagnosis and disease activity assessment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Serologic markers may have diagnostic value in patients with an intermediate pretest probability of IBD, but these serology tests lack complete sensitivity, and a negative serology result does not exclude the possibility of IBD. Several recent studies have confirmed the utility of serologies in predicting intestinal complications and need for surgery in Crohn’s disease. Serum C-reactive protein concentrations correlate with clinical, endoscopic, and radiologic measures of disease activity and appear to have prognostic value in acute severe colitis. Capsule and double balloon endoscopy allow visual inspection of previously inaccessible areas of the small intestine and are useful for patients with suspected small bowel involvement but negative results on conventional testing. CT enterography, which entails oral ingestion of a large volume of a neutral or negative contrast agent and scanning that highlights differences in contrast between the lumen and the bowel wall, appears to be more sensitive than small bowel followthrough for detecting small bowel Crohn’s disease and provides extraluminal information. Magnetic resonance enterography uses principles similar to those for CT enterography, and early results are encouraging.
Double scattering in nuclei at high energy.

We discuss double scattering in high-transverse-momentum cross sections on nuclei in the context of QCD. We give results for the A dependence of jet and one-particle-inclusive cross sections in hadron and lepton reactions, in terms of the distribution of gluons in a bound nucleon.
Paleozoic and mesozoic paleomagnetic results from Morocco

Abstract A new, Lower Carboniferous geomagnetic pole at 4.8S, 55.5E has been added for Morocco and the Permian (31.6S, 61.7E), Triassic (70.8S.67.4E), Jurassic (63.9S,39.5E) and Cretaceous (60.8S, 61.9E) for Africa modified by the incorporation of new data. The Lower Carboniferous pole requires a re-interpretation of the Carboniferous—Permian path. The Mesozoic geomagnetic poles while not significantly different line up to suggest a small loop.
Giant orbital cysts after strabismus surgery.

Purpose To describe a rarely reported complication of strabismus surgery. Design Observational case series. Methods A review of four eyes in three patients with orbital cysts following strabismus surgery. Results Each patient had either a symptomatic strabismus or visible mass that brought them to medical attention many years, often decades after surgery (mean 34 years). All had some degree of incomitancy. During surgery, all cysts were found to be associated with the involved rectus muscle. Conclusions Orbital cysts are a rarely recognized complication of strabismus surgery. However, it should be considered in the differential of orbital cysts after strabismus surgery because of the risk of muscle damage during surgical excision.
Corporate social responsibility for nanotechnology oversight

Growing public concern and uncertainties surrounding emerging technologies suggest the need for socially-responsible behavior of companies in the development and implementation of oversight systems for them. In this paper, we argue that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important aspect of nanotechnology oversight given the role of trust in shaping public attitudes about nanotechnology and the lack of data about the health and environmental risks of nanoproducts. We argue that CSR is strengthened by the adoption of stakeholder-driven models and attention to moral principles in policies and programs. In this context, we examine drivers of CSR, contextual and leadership factors that influence CSR, and strategies for CSR. To illustrate these concepts, we discuss existing cases of CSR-like behavior in nanotechnology companies, and then provide examples of how companies producing nanomedicines can exhibit morally-driven CSR behavior.
Some effects of nonstationarity on multiserver Markovian queueing systems

We examine the effects of nonstationarity on the performance of multiserver queueing systems with exponential service times and sinusoidal Poisson input streams. Our primary objective is to determine when and how a stationary model may be used as an approximation for a nonstationary system. We focus on a particular question: How nonstationary can an arrival process be before a simple stationary approximation fails? Our analysis reveals that stationary models can seriously underestimate delays when the actual system is only modestly nonstationary. Other findings include confirmation and elaboration of S. M. Ross's conjecture that expected delays increase with nonstationarity, and the identification of easily computed and tight lower and upper bounds for expected delay and the probability of delay. These empirical results are based on a series of computer experiments in which the differential equations governing system behavior are solved numerically.
Multiple signaling pathways and a selector protein sequentially regulate Drosophila wing development

Drosophila wing development is a useful model to study organogenesis, which requires the input of selector genes that specify the identity of various morphogenetic fields (Weatherbee, S. D. and Carroll, S. B. (1999) Cell 97, 283-286) and cell signaling molecules. In order to understand how the integration of multiple signaling pathways and selector proteins can be achieved during wing development, we studied the regulatory network that controls the expression of Serrate (Ser), a ligand for the Notch (N) signaling pathway, which is essential for the development of the Drosophila wing, as well as vertebrate limbs. Here, we show that a 794 bp cis-regulatory element located in the 3' region of the Ser gene can recapitulate the dynamic patterns of endogenous Ser expression during wing development. Using this enhancer element, we demonstrate that Apterous (Ap, a selector protein), and the Notch and Wingless (Wg) signaling pathways, can sequentially control wing development through direct regulation of Ser expression in early, mid and late third instar stages, respectively. In addition, we show that later Ser expression in the presumptive vein cells is controlled by the Egfr pathway. Thus, a cis-regulatory element is sequentially regulated by multiple signaling pathways and a selector protein during Drosophila wing development. Such a mechanism is possibly conserved in the appendage outgrowth of other arthropods and vertebrates.
A Multifocal Electroretinogram Model Predicting the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy

The prevalence of diabetes has been accelerating at an alarming rate in the last decade; some describe it as an epidemic. Diabetic eye complications are the leading cause of blindness in adults aged 25-74 in the United States. Early diagnosis and development of effective preventatives and treatments of diabetic retinopathy are essential to save sight. We describe efforts to establish functional indicators of retinal health and predictors of diabetic retinopathy. These indicators and predictors will be needed as markers of the efficacy of new therapies. Clinical trials aimed at either prevention or early treatments will rely heavily on the discovery of sensitive methods to identify patients and retinal locations at risk, as well as to evaluate treatment effects. We report on recent success in revealing local functional changes of the retina with the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG). This objective measure allows the simultaneous recording of responses from over 100 small retinal patches across the central 45 degrees field. We describe the sensitivity of mfERG implicit time measurement for revealing functional alterations of the retina in diabetes, the local correspondence between functional (mfERG) and structural (vascular) abnormalities in eyes with early nonproliferative retinopathy, and longitudinal studies to formulate models to predict the retinal sites of future retinopathic signs. A multivariate model including mfERG implicit time delays and 'person' risk factors achieved 86% sensitivity and 84% specificity for prediction of new retinopathy development over one year at specific locations in eyes with some retinopathy at baseline. A preliminary test of the model yielded very positive results. This model appears to be the first to predict, quantitatively, the retinal locations of new nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy development over a one-year period. In a separate study, the predictive power of a model was assessed over one- and two-year follow-ups. This permitted successful prediction of new retinopathy development in eyes with and without retinopathy at baseline. Finally, we briefly describe our current research efforts to (a) locally predict future sight-threatening diabetic macular edema, (b) investigate local retinal function change in adolescent patients with diabetes, and (c) better understand the physiological bases of the mfERG delays. The ability to predict the retinal locations of future retinopathy based on mfERG implicit time provides clinicians a powerful tool to screen, follow-up, and even consider early prophylactic treatment of the retinal tissue in diabetic patients. It also aids identification of 'at risk' populations for clinical trials of candidate therapies, which may greatly reduce their cost by decreasing the size of the needed sample and the duration of the trial.
Welding and weldability of candidate ferritic alloys for future advanced ultrasupercritical fossil power plants

AbstractFossil fuels continue to be the primary source of energy in the world. The worldwide demand for clean and affordable energy will continue to grow, and a strong emphasis has been placed on increasing the efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of new and existing fossil fired power plants. Throughout Asia, Europe and the USA, this demand is being met with programmes to develop advanced materials that have enhanced high temperature creep and corrosion properties. A new class of ferritic alloys, known as creep strength enhanced ferritic steels, has been developed to meet these requirements. This article focuses on the weldability of the advanced ferritic alloys used in boilers and boiler components of ultrasupercritical coal fired power plants. This review focuses on alloy selection; welding and weldability issues, including in service weld failure such as type IV cracking; welding of dissimilar metals; and weld repair. Future articles will address the welding and weldability issues of two other...
Strategies, Politics and High Technology in Europe

This article provides a comparative analysis of technology-based economic development by examining industry strategies in the satellite navigation, wireless communications and digital audio broadcasting sectors. The leading promoters in each sector claimed that coordinated, supportive public economic strategies and support were imperative for European competitiveness, but the ensuing support differed across these sectors. This article contends that the relative position of the leading economic actors in the structure of international competition and the import-competition situation explains this variation.
Mechanisms Underlying Language Acquisition: Benefits From a Comparative Approach

One of the longstanding issues in language research has been the extent to which the mechanisms underlying language acquisition are uniquely human. The primary goal of this article is to introduce the reader to some of the recent developments in comparative language research that have shed new light on this issue. To appreciate the significance of the new developments, we begin with a brief historical overview of language studies that have adopted a comparative approach, and then discuss a subset of the relevant theoretical accounts that seek to explain why humans are the only species capable of acquiring language. We next focus on findings from behavioral studies comparing the performance of human infants and adults with nonhuman primates on tests that tap the perceptual and learning mechanisms that are fundamental to language acquisition. We argue that in cases where the behavioral data appear similar across populations, there is a need to investigate the underlying computational abilities and units of analysis to correctly specify the degree to which the mechanisms are truly shared or are uniquely specified.
Mixing effects in chemical reactors—I. Reactant mixing in batch and flow systems

Abstract Fractional conversion is calculated as a function of reaction time for sth-order reactions (s ⩾ 0) with space-dependent specific rate constants. The mass and energy balance equations are taken to be decoupled, and mixing in the direction of any local reaction rate nonuniformity is assumed to be either absent or infinitely rapid. For continuous tubular and batch reactors, necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of a difference between the conversion histories for the two mixing extremes. It is found that when radial mixing in a tubular reactor has an effect, it is to enhance the fractional conversion, regardless of the nature of the residence time and local reaction rate distributions. Similarly, it is found that mixing in a batch reactor either increases or does not affect the overall conversion at a given time. The relationship of this work to existing studies of mixing effects in continuous-stirred-tank reactors is discussed.
The Importance of the State in Primary Health Care Initiatives

entral America offers an excellent geographic microcosm for examining the relationship between sociopolitical organization, the delivery of health services, and the role of international health agencies. Despite the fact that the Central American countries are geographically contiguous and share a history of conquest and Spanish colonization, today they encompass several extremes of sociopolitical organization, including revolutionary socialist Nicaragua; the recently elected right-wing leadership of El Salvador, which is leading a class war against the peasantry; genocidal military rule under a democratic veneer in Guatemala; Panama's "democracy," also under military control; and the much-cited exception of peaceful, democratic Costa Rica. The countries of Central America also include both ends of the "health status" spectrum: Guatemala and Honduras have among the worst health indicators (e.g., infant mortality rates and life expectancy) in the hemisphere, while Costa Rica and Panama have among the best. Using a political-economic theoretical perspective, this collection brings together case studies of health programs in three of these countries: Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, along with a research report from El Salvador. To maximize the comparative value of this collection, the papers analyze a similar era and strategy in the history of rural health, namely, the primary health care (PHC) movement of the 1970s and 1980s. More specifically, they analyze the influence of international health agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Interational Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in setting up and carrying out PHC programs within the context of each country's history and political structure. Our goal in bringing these papers together is to develop within anthropology a systematic comparison of the relationship between sociopolitical organization and health care delivery similar to that initiated by Bossert (1983). The papers (with the exception of Meyers's research report) were originally presented as part of a symposium at the American Anthropological Association meetings in 1987. The authors are all working under the rubric of critical medical anthropology, applying Marxist political economic theory to the implementation of primary health care in Central America. This type of endeavor is relatively new in the field of anthropology, but it is by no means unprecedented. Singer
Topographical components of smoking behavior

Abstract Topographical characteristics of smoking behavior were studied using three subjects in single-case research designs. Five components of smoking topography were identified and monitored: inter-puff interval; cigarette duration; puff length; puff frequency; and percentage of tobacco burned. Following baselines, subjects were given instructions to modify inter-puff interval, cigarette duration, or both. Results showed that topographical components could be reliably monitored and were sensitive to instructional manipulation. A strong functional interrelationship among components was also observed. These findings support the use of topographical components of smoking as dependent variables. It is suggested that smoking topography be routinely assessed as part of a multiple measurement approach to the evaluation of smoking control programs. The modification of the individual topographical components is also an important step in the development of controlled smoking strategies.
“Retarded?” Who Still Says That? An Adapted Physical Education Perspective

(2011). “Retarded?” Who Still Says That? An Adapted Physical Education Perspective. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 40-42.
One-gluon-exchange and the short-range part of the pion-nucleon and pion-pion interaction

Abstract We determine, in a Born-Oppenheimer cluster calculation, the short-range part of the πN and ππ interaction provided by the one-gluon-exchange mechanism. Using standard quark-gluon potentials, we find a sizable repulsive contribution which is nearly isospin independent.
Evaluation of ivermectin against experimental infections of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in goats

Abstract fourteen nematode parasite-naive kids were given a mixed larval inoculum (approximately 17 250 infective larvae) via stomach tube. Twenty-two days after infection, the kids were randomly assigned to control and treatment groups of seven animals each. Mean eggs per gram for control and treatment groups were 4304 and 5315, respectively. Kids in the treatment group were given ivermectin (0.2 mg kg−1) administered by subcutaneous injection. At necropsy, the mean numbers of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis for control and treatment groups were 2259 and 0, and 3033 and 773, respectively. This reduction was significant (P
Preferential Transport of a Bromide Tracer Applied in a Pulse of Ponded Water

The objective of this study was to quantify relations between preferential transport of a solute and initial water content, infiltration rate, and porosity in a field soil where preferential transport was mainly due to soil heterogeneity. We measured the horizontal and vertical distribution of a tracer chemical applied with ponded water to study the flow paths of the tracer. The soil at the site is a Bosville fine sandy loam (fine-mixed, thermic Albaquic Paleudalfs). Strontium bromide (SrBr 2 ) tracer was applied with a dye (methylene blue) in a 100 or 50-mm pulse of water to soil within eight double ring infiltrometers. After 48 h the soil in each infiltrometer was sampled to 0.7 m. Twelve horizontally oriented, continuous soil samples 0.1 m long were collected at each depth. There were very few dye stains of root hairs, root channels, and pores to a depth of about 50 to 80 mm. Recoveries of Br to 0.5 m ranged from 36 to 56% applied. Bromide recovery was negatively correlated with initial water content and positively with total porosity. Below 0.35 m in depth resident solute concentration at a sampling position was positively correlated with concentration in the layer above indicating preferential vertical flow paths. It appeared that a large fraction of solute transport was through the highly porous areas of the cross-section of soil bounded by the infiltrometer ring. The preferential transport of Br in this study was influenced largely by the properties of the clay layer at 0.35 m that had the lowest conductivity and lowest porosity in the profile and appeared to have cracks filled with sand.
CHARACTER STRUCTURE: A GESTALT-COGNITIVE THEORY

Most theories of behavior and therapy have tended to focus on why behaviors are present. By contrast, the theory and practice of Gestalt therapy have focused primarily on how behaviors are present. This article describes a Gestalt model of character structure and function from the point of view of Gestalt process theory in coordination with E. Tulving' s (1985) concept of procedural memory from cognitive and developmental psychology. Current developmental research is used to clarify how character as an operating system is developed. This conceptual framework permits a description of how character functions and has implications for creating change in psychotherapy. Examples of the application of this formulation are provided. therapy. While Gestalt therapy has been justly criticized for not having made an adequate effort to research its underlying theory and efficacy, the information from these areas can be useful in enhancing the quality of clinical work in Gestalt therapy as well as psychotherapy in its more generic sense. The genius of the work of Fritz and Laura Perls lay, not in their original ideas, but in the brilliant way in which they went about selecting the concepts from fields as diverse as philosophy to the nascent neurosciences of the time-ideas that would eventually prove useful and effective. So it is no surprise that their concept of character, which for the time was novel, would fit well with research data and theory in cognitive psychology. Their carefully intuited and thought out positions are a good guide to searching the current research literature, and, in turn, the current research is helpful in facilitating our clinical understanding and therapeutic work. For example, Perls, Hefferline, and Goodman (1951, p. 69) would fit quite well into the discussion of current cognitive literature when they write of "fixed forms, made relatively stationary in order that something else may move more efficiently." They did not assume that fixedness was unhealthy. To quote Perls et aI., "Many such fixed forms are healthy, mobilizable for the ongoing process, for instance a useful habit, an art, a particular memory that now serves for comparison with another particular to yield an abstraction." Greenberg (1999) reiterated this perspective in her recent commentary on character. Alternately, "some fixed forms" have been referred to by Perls, Hefferline, and Goodman as "character" in its neurotic sense. The notion of character is a broad one and requires clarification. If you were asked to write an essay on how to tie one's shoes, you would probably produce a confused and useless document. After all, do you know which lace to start The explosive growth in research in cognitive psychology and its relationship to experience, emotion, and behavior has in many ways confirmed many of the basic assumptions of Gestalt
The tunneling frequencies of CH4 adsorbed on NaCl(100) and LiF(100)

Abstract The tunneling frequencies of CH 4 adsorbed on NaCl(100) and LiF(100) are computed as a function of molecular field strength. The tunneling frequencies are computed for both the dipod and tripod orientation of the methane molecules. For CH 4 adsorbed on NaCl, the tripod orientation is likely.
Photoemission in YbCu2Si2: problems with the Kondo impurity model

Abstract We report valence band photoemission results for YbCu 2 Si 2 , The 4 f 13 (J = 7 2 ) final state peak, centered 60 meV below the Fermi level ϵ F , lacks the temperature dependence and is broader than predicted for a Kondo resonance. Together with recent photoemission results for cerium compounds, these results raise serious doubts about the Kondo impurity explanation of heavy fermion photoemission.
Genes, Behavior & High School Biology.

P ERHAPS the most controversial aspect of research in human genetics is its application to human behavior. Is there, for example, a "gay gene" that results in homosexuality, a "mean gene" that predisposes one to violence and criminality, genes for happiness or anxiety, or genes for mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or manic-depressive illness? Do genes predispose some people to alcoholism? To what extent do genes contribute to intelligence? These questions hold great interest for the public-including high school students. Unfortunately, the treatment of behavior in the current curriculum provides little help for students or teachers in addressing these important questions. This article outlines some current scientific and educational issues related to behavioral genetics and makes some recommendations about using behavior as a vehicle to improve the teaching of genetics at the high school level.
Emergence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichiacoli in Community Hospitals throughout North Carolina: A Harbinger of a Wider Problem in the United States?

Community-onset urinary tract infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli have become increasingly common worldwide but have been considered to be uncommon infections in the United States. We report the emergence and subsequent rapid increase in the incidence of these infections in community hospitals throughout North Carolina since 2006.
A new twist for an Hsp70 chaperone.

A new study has demonstrated that the E. coli Hsp70, DnaK, can catalyze cis-trans isomerization of non-prolyl peptide bonds.