cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of atmospheric turbulence on the scintillation and fade probability of flattened Gaussian beams

In an attempt to mitigate the effects of the atmosphere on the coherence of an optical (laser) beam, interest has recently been shown in changing the beam shape to determine if a different power distribution at the transmitter will reduce the effects of random fluctuations in the refractive index. Here, a model is developed for the field of a flattened Gaussian beam as it propagates through atmospheric turbulence, and the resulting effects on the scintillation of the beam and beam wander are determined. A comparison of these results is made with the like effects on a standard TEM00 Gaussian beam. The theoretical results are verified by comparison with a computer simulation model for the flattened Gaussian beam (FGB). Further, a determination of the probability of fade and of mean fade time under weak fluctuation conditions is determined using the widely accepted lognormal model. Although this model has been shown to be somewhat optimistic when compared to results obtained in field tests, it has value here in allowing us to compare the effects of atmospheric conditions on the fade statistics of the FGB with those of the lowest order Gaussian beam.
Excessive yawning and progressive supranuclear palsy.

(1987). Excessive Yawning Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. International Journal of Neuroscience: Vol. 34, No. 1-2, pp. 123-124.
Magnetic circular dichroism study of DABCO in solution

Abstract Two spectral features are observed for the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of 1,4-diazabicyclo-[2.2.2]-octane (DABCO) in solution. First an intense positive A term is revealed in the range of 250–200 nm which provides an unambiguous assignment for a degenerate 1 E' state. The energy at which Δϵ m = 0 is found to be sensitive to the solvent used. Second, a negative MCD feature with a minimum at 255.4 nm is observed for DABCO in ethanol, suggesting a 1 A 2 state assignment.
Why So Many Questions? Measurement Issues and the Attitudinal Self-Control Scale

The Grasmick et al. (1993) scale is one of the most frequently used measures in criminology. Regardless of how commonly the scale is used, questions remain about its dimensionality and the nature of forming a composite measure from its 24 individual components. This study examines whether a composite measure is the most effective method for using the scale with a series of analyses using different approaches to combining—or not combining—these measures. Based on data from a sample of over 1,500 college students, the results indicate that a single-factor composite of the 24 items is the least effective approach in predicting crime/deviance. These results, instead, suggest using the individual components separately, multiple factors, or a composite measure made from just three of the original items lead to significant improvements over the one-factor solution.
A numerical analysis of Los Angeles basin pollution transport to the Grand Canyon under stably stratified Southwest flow conditions

Abstract This paper presents a numerical investigation of air pollutant transport from the Los Angeles Basin to Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) under the stably stratified wintertime, synoptic high-pressure conditions that existed during 10–13 February 1987. The Colorado State University Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CSU-RAMS) is used to develop fields of different atmospheric variables for 54 simulated hours. These fields are applied in a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM) to simulate the advection of pollutant particles for this period. It is found that under the generally southwest flow conditions presented, particles released from the Los Angeles Basin will impact the Grand Canyon but only in small amounts. By comparing a flat to complex terrain simulation, the importance of the terrain features between Los Angeles and GCNP to the dispersion of Los Angeles Basin pollutants is made obvious. Mountain barriers and undulating land reduce what could otherwise be a very serious pollutant impact on GCNP. Based on these results the conclusion is made that despite southwest average flow aloft during the Winter Haze Intensive Tracer EXperiment (WHITEX) period of 10–13 February 1987, Los Angeles Basin pollution did not contribute significantly to the observed visibility reduction in the Grand Canyon during that time period.
CORROSION-FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION STUDIES OF SOME NEW HIGH-STRENGTH STRUCTURAL STEELS.

Abstract : Fatigue crack propagation studies were conducted on three new high-strength structural steels: 9Ni-4Co-0.20C, quenched and tempered; 10Ni-2Cr-1Mo-8Co, dual strengthened; and 13Cr-8Ni-2Mo, precipitation-hardened stainless. The yield strengths of these steels ranged from 176 to 193 ksi. Notched cantilever-bend specimens of each steel were cycled zero-to-tension in two environments - room air and 3.5% NaCl salt water. Fatigue crack growth rates were measured experimentally and correlated with the crack tip stress-intensity factor range. The results indicate that these new steels possess greater resistance to fatigue crack propagation and less sensitivity to environment than previously studied steels of comparable strength. (Author)
The role of membrane surface charge and solute physico-chemical properties in the rejection of organic acids by NF membranes

The objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of electrostatic interactions to the rejection of selected organic acids by nanofiltration membranes. Effective membrane surface charge (determined by two methods of zeta potential measurements) of two commercial nanofiltration membranes was examined at different pH values and feed water chemistries. Six different organic acids were selected for this study representing typical physico-chemical properties of emerging organic trace pollutants. Findings of this study indicated that the rejection of negatively charged organic acids was larger than expected based on steric exclusion and was primarily driven by the surface charge of the membrane and correlated with the degree of ionization of the solute. Increasing feed water pH resulted in an increased negative surface charge, an increased percentage of solutes in the deprotonated state and an increased rejection through electrostatic repulsion. The rejection of the pharmaceutical residue ibuprofen, an organic acid with hydrophobic properties, was also pH dependent, but at pH values below the pKa ibuprofen adsorbed and partitioned through the membrane. At pH above the pKa, adsorption of ibuprofen was minimal due to an increased solubility and the dominant role of electrostatic repulsion. The presence of calcium in the feed water lowered the effective membrane surface charge (as determined by electrophoretic mobility measurements) of both membranes tested, however, rejection of negatively charged organic solutes decreased only for membranes with a molecular weight cut-off larger than the solute molecular weight.
Characterization of incidence algebras

Abstract We develop an internal characterization of the incidence algebra of a lower anite quasi-ordered set and dualize it to obtain a characterization of the corresponding coalgebra. The algebra characterization consists of two axioms concerning the homomorphic images of the algebra and another axiom stipulating the existence of a faithful module over the algebra which has a distributive lattice of submodules.
Ring contraction and double α-addition of cationic (C5H5)Mo(CO)2 (Schiff Base Chelate) complexes: The crystal and molecular structures of (η-5C5H5)Mo(CO)[η2-NH(CH3)C(NC5H4)C6H5] [η2-OCH(C6H5]

Abstract The structure of racemic [η5-C5H5)]Mo(CO)[η2-NH(CH3)C(NC5H4)C6H5] [η2-OCH6H5] was determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in space group P 1 (z = 2) with a = 9.035(6), b = 12.314(6), c = 13.220(5) A, α = 65.91(4), β = 71.40(4), γ = 72.42(4)°; cell volume 1246.97 A3. The Mo atom sits at the center of a Cp-capped trigonal pyramid with a terminal carbonyl group, an η2-aminomethylene and an η2-benzaldehyde moiety as basal ligands. Structural features indicate that both η2-ligands act as π-acids, accepting Mo electron density through their hetero atoms.
An Infrared Reflection Spectroscopic Assessment of Interfacial Derivatization and Reactivity at Inter-Shell Linked Nanoparticle Films

This paper reports novel findings of a study of interfacial chemical derivatization reactivities at the interconnecting linkages of core-shell nanoparticle network films. Starting from thin film assemblies of gold nanoparticles linked by head-to-head hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid terminals, we have demonstrated the conversion of the hydrogen-bonded linkages to anhydride linkages via dehydration reaction. The anhydride was further shown to serve as a new platform for immobilizing amine-functionalized molecular species. We present infrared reflection spectroscopic data to characterize the interfacial structures derived from each of these interfacial reactivities. The unique symmetric and asymmetric stretching bands of the anhydride groups allowed facial identification and assessment of the interfacial reactivities. The potential application of the derivatization strategy for immobilizing biological molecules onto the derivatized nanoparticle assemblies was also explored.
A COMPARISON OF GSR AND SUBJECTIVE ADAPTATION TO STRESSFUL STIMULI.

Abstract : The purpose of this study was to compare subjective and physiological adaptation, as measured by magnitude of GSRs, to electric shock and auditory noise. In Exp. I 48 Ss received 15 shocks of constant intensity, one subgroup always receiving low shocks, the other high. Ss were told that shock intensity would vary and rated the intensity of each shock immediately following its presentation. In Exp. II the same procedure was followed with 50 different Ss using noises instead of shocks. Shock Ss showed significant subjective adaptation but no GSR adaptation. Noise Ss showed GSR adaptation with a significant increase in subjective intensity reports. The importance of anticipation, in terms of level of arousal, at the onset of the session is discussed. (Author)
Assault on the Hawaiian Nation: A Twenty‐First Century Colonial Land Grab

: Shannon Speed is contributing editor of “Human Rights Forum,” the AAA Committee for Human Rights column in Anthropology News.
Formulation and evaluation of baits for oral rabies vaccination of raccoons (Procyon lotor).

Captive raccoons were offered a variety of vaccine containers and bait components in a series of three-choice tests. Paraffin wax ampules were the most readily accepted vaccine container. Preferred bait components included corn and shellfish oils, deep fried corn meal batter, and egg, apple and buttermilk flavorings. These results, together with factors including ease of bait formulation, cost, and suitability for field use, were used to develop an experimental delivery system for an oral rabies vaccine. The developed system was composed of a polyurethane sleeve (1.5 × 5.5 cm) dipped in a commercial food batter mix together with corn meal, milk and egg. The sleeve was deep fried in corn oil and a 2.0 ml ampule containing a recombinant rabies vaccine was then inserted into the sleeve bait. These baits were presented to 10 captive raccoons. Nine of the 10 animals developed high levels of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies. Field tests are needed to determine if the delivery system developed also is effect...
InSb nanowire based field effect transistor

InSb nanowire field effect transistors (NWFET) were fabricated using electrochemically synthesized nanowires. To accurately extract transistor parameters, we introduced a model which takes into account the often ignored ungated nanowire segments. A significant improvement in extracted device parameters was observed which demonstrated that conventional models tend to underestimate the gate effect and therefore lead to lower carrier mobilities. Based on the model, we obtained a NWFET ON current of 11.8uA, an I ON /I OFF ratio of 63.5 and hole mobility of 292.84 cm 2 V -1 s -1 .
Investigation on Site Density of Carbon Nanotube Forests

We report on a method for direct measurement of site density of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Site density is an important parameter of vertically-aligned carbon nanotube forests for various applications. By freezing the CNT forests in a polymer matrix and exposing the CNT ends, we obtained the site density of vertically aligned multi-walled CNTs through SEM observation and particle counting. Site densities of multi-walled CNTs grown by two different CVD processes, ferrocene/xylene process and Fe-Al/ethylene process, were measured to be ∼10 tubes/Ým2 and ∼53 tubes/Ým2, respectively. The results of site density distributions indicate non-uniform growth of carbon nanotubes at the micrometer scale in both processes.
Speed–curvature relations for speech-related articulatory movement

Abstract During speech production, oral articulator points exhibit spatially complex trajectories. This spatial complexity is partially reflected in the trajectory's curvature history (where curvature is defined as the rate of change of direction, parameterized for arc length). Informal observation of articulatory movement reveals that an increase in the degree of trajectory curvature is often associated with a slowing of the articulator. Such a relation between the speed and curvature of movement has been quantified for a variety of behaviors within the limb and oculomotor systems. This relation has been called the 1/3 power law. Such an association has not been quantified for speech movements. If speech movements adhere to the 1/3 power law, it would imply a specific constraint on the variability in spatial complexity (as reflected by curvature) and the time course of speech-related movements. This study empirically evaluated the relationship between articulator speed and trajectory curvature for speech-related mid-sagittal planar movements of the tongue, lower lip and mandible in a group of healthy speakers. Results revealed that movement speed and trajectory curvature are related by a power function whose exponent is near, but not exactly 1/3. Articulators exhibited systematic variations in the strength of association, and value of the exponent. These results suggest that speed and curvature of speech movement covary in ways similar to other motor systems.
INFORMATION AND FINANCE CAPITAL

This article examines the political economy of information in relation to finance capital from the vantage points of commodity, spatiality, and temporality by using Reuters as an illustrative case. The use and exchange values of financial information are examined in productive capital; and the fixed value of financial information as capital goods in finance capital is assessed. The value of financial information is argued to be both time and space dependent. The circulation of financial information constitutes a specific historical time in capitalism, which David Harvey characterized as ‘time–space compression’. Financial information is integral to both spatial fixes and temporal fixes, which have been used to solve the problem of surplus over-accumulation.
SIM PlanetQuest precision white light interferometry

Precision white light interferometry performed at the picometer class level is an extremely challenging endeavor. Over the past several years a combination of analysis, experiment, and reconciliation of the two has yielded continued improvements and refinements of the process to bring this technology to fruition. This paper provides an overview of several of the refinements of the interference models and algorithms developed for calibration and fringe estimation that have evolved over this period.
Structure of membranes in crayfish muscle: comparison of phasic and tonic fibres.

Membranes of two crayfish muscles with different contraction speeds were studied with freeze-fracture replicas and thin sections. A fast-contracting, short sarcomere phasic muscle, the tail flexor, and a slowly contracting long sarcomere tonic muscle, the carpopodite flexor, were chosen for this study. Membranes examined included the plasmalemma, clefts, T-system, Z-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR).
Radiation Therapy for Thyroid Eye Diseases

Sixty-two patients (28 men and 34 women, 26 to 84 years old) with thyroid ophthalmopathy were treated with approximately 20 Gy of fractionated photon irradiation. Eight of 14 patients with motility problems improved after treatment. Ten of 14 with thyroid optic neuropathy improved or stabilized, but four had recurrences within five months after completion of irradiation. Generally, patients who had disease durations of less than six months responded better than those with more long-term ocular changes.
A search for doubly-charged negative ions via accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract The Argonne FN tandem accelerator in conjunction with an Enge split-pole magnetic spectrograph has been used as a highly sensitive mass spectrometer to search for doubly-charged negative ions of 11B, 12C and 16O. No evidence for the formation of these ions in an inverted sputter source and the subsequent acceleration in the tandem has been found. The following limits for the ratio of doubly-charged singly-charged ions were measured: 11B2−/11B−
A Determination of the Reduction Potentials for Diferric and C- and N-Lobe Monoferric Transferrins at Endosomal pH (5.8)

Human transferrin is a bilobal protein, with two Fe(III) binding sites displaying different spectroscopic, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties despite identical ligand donor groups. We present a ...
On singular Sturm–Liouville boundary-value problems

We consider the existence of positive solutions for the boundary-value problem(q(t)ϕ(u′))′ + λf(t,u) = 0, r 1, λ > 0, f is p-superlinear or p-sublinear at ∞ and is allowed to become −∞ at u = 0. Our results unify and extend many known results in the literature.
Scanning electron microscopy of pericytes in rat red muscle

We describe the overall shape of pericytes on the surface of small blood vessels in a rat red muscle, as seen by scanning electron microscopy. Once connective tissue components and the basal lamina are removed, pericytes can be easily recognized. The cells have two or more major processes parallel to the long axis of the blood vessel. Numerous short secondary branches arise at right angles to the major process and partially encircle the blood vessel. The longest processes average 77 μm and at least one of them is present over 82% of the length of the microcirculatory bed. Bundles of microfilaments are contained within the pericytic processes. In light of these findings, it is likely that pericytes are contractile and that they play a role in microvascular control.
Variation of O18 content of waters from natural sources

A number of marine water and fresh water samples were examined for the relative O18O16 ratio, and the variation of this ratio was determined to a precision of ± 0.1%. In the case of surface marine waters, for a range of salinity of 29.40%., the O16 content varies over a range of approximately 6%. The low O18O16 ratios were obtained from surface marine waters contaminated with meltwater from the ice fields, while the marine waters of high salinity were richest in O18. The observed relation between O18 content and salinity of the oceanic waters can be explained by a process of multiple stage distillation which produces a continuous loss of fresh water to the ice regions from the surface waters of the warm oceans. The lower salinities of cold ocean currents, such as the Alaskan and Californian currents, are due primarily to mixing with meltwater from cold regions. The effect of glaciation upon the isotopic method of measuring paleotemperatures is discussed. The results for deep oceanic samples and for non-typical water samples are also discussed.
Differences in alcohol expectancy between aggressive and nonaggressive social drinkers

Previous reports have shown that drinkers with aggressive personalities not only hold the strongest beliefs that alcohol facilitates aggressive behavior, but they also display the greatest increases in laboratory aggression after receiving alcohol. Given that several studies have demonstrated that a portion of the behavioral and subjective effects of alcohol are due to psychological expectancy, this study explored whether aggressive drinkers have elevated intoxication expectancies from laboratory beverages with unknown alcohol content. The rates of aggressive responses emitted in a money subtraction aggression model under baseline conditions were used to select an aggressive group and a nonaggressive group, each with five male and five female participants. Subjects then ingested and rated each of three placebo (1 ml alcohol) beverages administered hourly during a subsequent laboratory visit, and rated a series of three 0.35 g/kg of alcohol beverages the following day. Whereas nonaggressive subjects clearly discriminated the relative alcohol content of alcohol and placebo drinks, aggressive subjects gave progressively elevated shot equivalent ratings to placebo drinks, similar to their ratings of alcohol doses. However, despite similar self-reported drinking histories, aggressive subjects reported anticipating only half the intoxication from the alcohol doses (and in fact achieved a lower peak breath alcohol concentration) than was expected by nonaggressive subjects.
Coastal sea surface temperature and coho salmon production off the north-west United States

A time series of mean weekly sea surface temperature (SST) images was used to investigate the relationship between fluctuations in the marine survival of hatchery-reared coho salmon and coastal ocean dynamics off the north-western United States (51° to 37°N) between 1985 and 1996, using univariate and nonlinear bivariate regression analysis. Ocean conditions were matched against survival for a number of different annual time frames according to the sum of negative or positive weekly SST anomalies. From the univariate analyses, the sum of negative anomalies from April to June, when the juvenile salmon first enter the ocean, was found to have an R2 of 0.88 against survival with 1991 excluded as an outlier. The bivariate multiple regressions used the sum of negative anomalies from April to June as the first independent variable. When the sums of positive anomalies from the following periods during the fishes’ second calendar year in the ocean were each used as the second independent variable, the R2 values were all greater than or equal to 0.92 (with no data points excluded): January to June, February to June, April to June, March to June. These results are discussed within the context of coastal ocean processes. It is concluded that the analysis of SST image time series might allow management to make reasonable forecasts of hatchery-reared coho salmon survival.
Site-Directed Hydroxyl Radical Probing of the rRNA Neighborhood of Ribosomal Protein S5

Cysteine residues were introduced into three different positions distributed on the surface of ribosomal protein S5, to serve as targets for derivatization with an Fe(II)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid linker. Hydroxyl radicals generated locally from the tethered Fe(II) in intermediate ribonucleoprotein particles or in 30 S ribosomal subunits reconstituted from derivatized S5 caused cleavage of the RNA, resulting in characteristically different cleavage patterns for the three different tethering positions. These findings provide constraints for the three-dimensional folding of 16 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and for the orientation of S5 in the 30 S subunit, and they further suggest that antibiotic resistance and accuracy mutations in S5 may involve perturbation of 16 S rRNA.
Interactions between memory scanning and visual scanning in display monitoring.

Many real-world tasks require the simultaneous performance of memory scanning of several memorized items and visual scanning of several physically separated sources of information in the visual field. This paper reports a study that was conducted to quantify the possible interactions between memory scanning and visual scanning. A quantitative model was derived to integrate Sternberg's linear model of memory scanning and Neisser's linear model of visual scanning. The derived model was tested through two experiments. The experiments simulated a process controller's task of monitoring an array of instrument meters to detect if any of them indicated a system error. The subjects were required to keep a number of items in their working memory (the definition of errors) and search through an organized array of instrument meters to decide whether any of the meters carried an item that matched any of the memorized items in their working memory. Two experimental factors were investigated in both experiments: the nu...
The Making of a Musical Canon in Chinese Central Asia: The Uyghur Twelve Muqam

The Making of a Musical Canon in Chinese Central Asia: The Uyghur Twelve Muqam Rachel Harris Aldershot, Ashgate, 2008 xvii + 158 pp., with CD, ISBN 9-7807-5466-382-9 (£27.50) The Uyghur Twelve Muqa...
EMU without Britain: reasons for scepticism

This paper applies the theory of optimum currency areas to the question of which countries could be expected to be successful members of EMU if the monetary union does not include Britain, and is therefore led by the Bundesbank. Correlation matrices are prepared for potential members of EMU for recent years to see which countries would have tended to agree on a monetary policy and which would frequently disagree. The statistics strongly suggest that the Bank of England would be a far more successful leader of EMU than would the Bundesbank. Only Austria and the Netherlands have had macroeconomic cycles which closely follow those of Germany. Far more countries have had cycles which parallel those of Britain. With EMU being led by the Bundesbank, because Britain has not joined, the prospects for monetary union are quite poor.
Relative overexpression of the parathyroid hormone-related protein gene in human leiomyomas.

Uterine leiomyomas or fibroids are common among women of reproductive age, but their biology is poorly understood. The PTH-related protein (PTHrP) has been identified in a number of sites throughout the reproductive tract. We, therefore, examined whether fibroids express PTHrP mRNA and compared their level of expression with that in normal myometrium. Total RNA prepared from fibroid tissue and corresponding normal myometrium from seven patients was examined by RNase protection analysis. In all cases, fibroid and myometrial tissue expressed PTHrP, and in six of seven cases, PTHrP expression was higher in fibroids than in normal myometrium. Cultured fibroid cells from four patients also expressed higher levels of PTHrP mRNA than corresponding cultured normal myometrial cells. Tissue extracts from eight patients and conditioned medium from cultured cells from nine patients were examined for PTHrP immunoreactivity using a two-site immunoradiometric assay. In tissue extracts and conditioned medium, the mean PT...
The enantiomer of progesterone (ent-progesterone) is a competitive inhibitor of human cytochromes P450c17 and P450c21.

Abstract Human cytochrome P450c17 (17α-hydroxylase, 17,20-lyase) (CYP17) and cytochrome P450c21 (21-hydroxylase) (CYP21) differ by only 14 amino acids in length and share 29% amino acid identity. Both enzymes hydroxylate progesterone at carbon atoms that lie only 2.6 A apart, but CYP17 also metabolizes other steroids and demonstrates additional catalytic activities. To probe the active site topologies of these related enzymes, we synthesized the enantiomer of progesterone and determined if ent-progesterone is a substrate or inhibitor of CYP17 and CYP21. Neither enzyme metabolizes ent-progesterone; however, ent-progesterone is a potent competitive inhibitor of CYP17 ( K I =0.2 μM ). The ent-progesterone forms a type I difference spectrum with CYP17, but molecular dynamics simulations suggest different binding orientations for progesterone and its enantiomer. The ent-progesterone also inhibits CYP21, with weaker affinity than for CYP17. We conclude that CYP17 accommodates the stereochemically unnatural ent-progesterone better than CYP21. Enantiomeric steroids can be used to probe steroid binding sites, and these compounds may be effective inhibitors of steroid biosynthesis.
Application of the FUN3D Solver to the 4th AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop

FUN3D Navier–Stokes solutions were computed for the 4th AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop grid-convergence study, downwash study, and Reynolds-number study on a set of node-based mixed-element grids. All of the baseline tetrahedral grids were generated with the VGRID (developmental) advancing-layer and advancing-front grid-generation software package following the gridding guidelines developed for the workshop. With maximum grid sizes exceeding 100 million nodes, the grid-convergence study was particularly challenging for the node-based unstructured grid generators and flow solvers. At the time of the workshop, the super-fine grid with 105 million nodes and 600 million tetrahedral elements was the largest grid known to have been generated using VGRID. FUN3D Version 11.0 has a completely new pre- and postprocessing paradigm that has been incorporated directly into the solver and functions entirely in a parallel, distributed-memory environment. This feature allowed for practical preprocessing and solution times...
Differences in the professional satisfaction of general internists in academically affiliated practices in the greater-Boston area

Managed care has created more professional constraints for general internists. We surveyed 198 general internists at 12 academically affiliated practices in the greater-Boston area to examine professional satisfaction. Overall, these physicians were moderately satisfied (mean of 59.1 on a 100-point scale). Before adjustment, women had lower overall satisfaction than men, as well as poorer satisfaction with the domains of career concerns and patient access. Gender had no independent effect on satisfaction after adjustment for age, income, percentage of time providing direct patient care, work status, and site. Younger physicians also had lower overall satisfaction, and these differences remained after adjustment. Improvements in professional satisfaction may be required to ensure the continued recruitment of young physicians, particularly women, into general internal medicine.
An audit of the management of subclinical hypothyroidism in the outpatient setting

LA O'SHEA, SK SREENAN DEPARTMENT OF ENDOCRINOLOGY, JAMES CONNOLLY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, BLANCHARDSTOWN, DUBLIN, IRELAND S ubclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined as an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level with a normal free thyroxine. Whether or not SCH should be treated is controversial. Factors considered as indicators to treat SCH include the presence of symptoms, TSH level (> 1 OmU/I), the presence of thyroid autoantibodies and hypercholesterolaemia. To assess treatment patterns of SCH, and to determine what factors were considered in deciding which patients to treat in our clinic, we audited the management of 53 consecutively referred patients with SCH. Seven patients were male, 46 female. Two patients were on amiodarone, one on lithium. Thirty-nine patients were symptomatic (74%). Symptoms included fatigue in 29 patients (55%), weight gain in 21 (40%), cold intolerance in 10 (19%), dry skin in 6 (1 1%), hair loss in 2 (4%), poor memory in 1 (2%) and decreased fertility in one (2%). Delayed relaxation phase of the ankle reflexes was noted in two patients (4%), decreased hair in the outer third of the eyebrow in one patient (2%) and goitre noted in six patients (1 1 %). Twenty-seven patients were commenced on eltroxin (51 %), 13 by their GP and 14 at outpatients. The presence of symptoms was considered the main indication for treatment 23/27 (85%). TSH > 10mU/I, autoantibody positivity and elevated cholesteroi did not influence the treatment decision (26% TSH > 1 Om U/l, 74% TSH < 10mU/I, 48% thyroid a utoa nti body positive, 48% with elevated total cholesterol, nine not recorded (33%). SCH is associated with elevated cholesterol and LDL, ischaemic heart disease, progression to overt hypothyroidism. Further follow up is required in these patients to determine symptomatic and clinical benefit and changes in lipid profile consequent on treatment.
Effects of sepiolite clay on degradation and fire behaviour of a bisphenol A-based epoxy

Abstract As-received and pre-treated sepiolite/epoxy systems, characterised by an inorganic content from 2 to 10 wt.%, were investigated in order to assess induced-filler effect on degradation and fire behaviour. Thermogravimetrical results show that the thermal stability of the hosting epoxy, is slightly affected by the presence of sepiolite for both typologies; whereas, changes induced in char morphology by the pre-treated clay will significantly affect the fire behaviour of the final nanocomposite. Modelling of thermo-gravimetrical results in air atmosphere, by means of Kissinger procedure, shows a noteworthy reduction of activation energies associated with each degradation steps, especially at highest sepiolite content either by using as-received and pre-treated inorganic filler. This substantially indicates that the presence of sepiolite shorten the whole degradation process on the temperature scale. On the other hand, the different morphology of the char layer during the burning process can have relevant flame retardant effects acting on both condensate and vapour phase. Analysing the cone calorimetric data, a reduction of about 27% of the peak of heat release rate for the highest sepiolite percentage is measured and the burning total period is increased thus confirming that sepiolite when pre-treated represents a valid fire retardant inorganic filler for such a system.
The role of salt in health and disease.

Abstract Sodium chloride constitutes an integral part of the living organism and alterations in the concentration of its constituent ions in the body fluids have a profound influence on the animal economy. Such alterations are encountered in many disease processes and their understanding contributes not only to the elucidation of normal mechanisms but also of the pathogenesis of certain clinical disorders and their practical management. Alterations in sodium intake, particularly its drastic restriction, constitute an important part of therapy in several common disorders. Dietary restriction of sodium has certain advantages over the accomplishment of the same result by the administration of natriuretic agents and should be used together with these when indicated.
OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING DURING SHARED BOOK READING: THE EFFECTS ON PRESCHOOLERS' ATTENTION TO PRINT AND LETTER KNOWLEDGE

This study investigated the effects of observational learning on preschoolers' use of a questioning technique, attention to print, and knowledge of the alphabet. Preschoolers who observed a model ask questions asked more questions during a shared book episode than did children who did not observe a model ask questions. Children who observed a model ask questions about the letters made more letter-related comments than did children who did not observe a model ask questions about the letters. However, children who made print-related comments did not learn more letters than children who did not make print-related comments.
Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Neck Pain

Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability, with an annual prevalence rate exceeding 30%. Most episodes of acute neck pain will resolve with or without treatment, but nearly 50% of individuals will continue to experience some degree of pain or frequent occurrences. History and physical examination can provide important clues as to whether the pain is neuropathic or mechanical and can also be used to identify "red flags" that may signify serious pathology, such as myelopathy, atlantoaxial subluxation, and metastases. Magnetic resonance imaging is characterized by a high prevalence of abnormal findings in asymptomatic individuals but should be considered for cases involving focal neurologic symptoms, pain refractory to conventional treatment, and when referring a patient for interventional treatment. Few clinical trials have evaluated treatments for neck pain. Exercise treatment appears to be beneficial in patients with neck pain. There is some evidence to support muscle relaxants in acute neck pain associated with muscle spasm, conflicting evidence for epidural corticosteroid injections for radiculopathy, and weak positive evidence for cervical facet joint radiofrequency denervation. In patients with radiculopathy or myelopathy, surgery appears to be more effective than nonsurgical therapy in the short term but not in the long term for most people.
Exploring Mission Concepts with the JPL Innovation Foundry A-Team

The JPL Innovation Foundry has established a new approach for exploring, developing, and evaluating early concepts called the A-Team. The A-Team combines innovative collaborative methods with subject matter expertise and analysis tools to help mature mission concepts. Science, implementation, and programmatic elements are all considered during an A-Team study. Methods are grouped by Concept Maturity Level (CML), from 1 through 3, including idea generation and capture (CML 1), initial feasibility assessment (CML 2), and trade space exploration (CML 3). Methods used for each CML are presented, and the key team roles are described from two points of view: innovative methods and technical expertise. A-Team roles for providing innovative methods include the facilitator, study lead, and assistant study lead. A-Team roles for providing technical expertise include the architect, lead systems engineer, and integration engineer. In addition to these key roles, each A-Team study is uniquely staffed to match the study topic and scope including subject matter experts, scientists, technologists, flight and instrument systems engineers, and program managers as needed. Advanced analysis and collaborative engineering tools (e.g. cost, science traceability, mission design, knowledge capture, study and analysis support infrastructure) are also under development for use in A-Team studies and will be discussed briefly. The A-Team facilities provide a constructive environment for innovative ideas from all aspects of mission formulation to eliminate isolated studies and come together early in the development cycle when they can provide the biggest impact. This paper provides an overview of the A-Team, its study processes, roles, methods, tools and facilities.
CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES AND DECREASED FERTILITY

104 healthy women who had been attempting to become pregnant for three months were interviewed about their use of caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and cigarettes. In their subsequent cycles, women who consumed more than the equivalent of one cup of coffee per day were half as likely to become pregnant, per cycle, as women who drank less. A dose-response effect was present.
Levitation Linear Motors for Precision Positioning

The author has been active in the development of levitation devices for precision positioning during the last 18 years. Principal among the techniques studied has been the use of two-force or levitation linear motors. These motors have been designed into stages for precision positioning in lithography, scanned probe microscopy, and other precision measurement systems. In such devices, the use of levitation linear motors allows the control of six stage degrees of freedom to nanometer resolution with a single moving part.This paper presents an overview of the operating principles, electromagnetic configurations, and system level performance of levitation linear motors for precision applications. The configuration of such motors is most commonly an iron-free permanent magnet array in the Halbach configuration which is driven by an iron-free multiphase coil set. By properly choosing the phase drive currents, forces in levitation and translation can be controlled. This opens possibilities for novel positioning system configurations and performance capabilities.
Soybean Foliage Residues of Dicamba and 2,4-D and Correlation to Application Rates and Yield

Plant growth regulator (PGR) herbicides dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methyloxybenzoic acid) and 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] can severely injure soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] by drift or tank contamination and reduce yield. Often in regulatory disputes, tissue is analyzed for PGR residue. However, relationships between grain yield reduction and foliar residue concentrations at various times after exposure are not well documented. This 2-yr study quantified the amount of dicamba and 2,4-D in soybean foliage 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 d after treatment (DAT) when treated with 1 to 20% of 0.56 kg a.e. ha⁻¹ [labeled rate for corn (Zea mays L.)] at the three-leaf (V3) stage of growth and determined if these concentrations were correlated to initial application rate or grain yield. Herbicide concentrations were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques with selective ion monitoring. Visual symptoms were slight (<10%) to severe (90%) and included leaf cupping, epinasty and, in some cases, death of the apical bud. Grain yields from dicamba-treated plants were reduced from 14 to 93% compared with untreated plant yield, whereas only 2,4-D at the highest rate reduced yield. In both years, foliar residue concentrations were correlated with initial application rates and yield reduction up to 24 DAT for dicamba and 12 DAT for 2,4-D, with all treatments having residue amounts similar to untreated plants after these intervals. The data suggest that plant samples should be collected as soon as possible after suspected PGR exposure for accurate detection and quantification of PGR residue.
Borderline Personality Pathology, Polysomnography, and Self-Reported Sleep Problems: A Review

There is a growing body of research that links borderline personality pathology to sleep disturbance through polysomnography (PSG) and self-report studies. Twelve PSG studies are reviewed that found sleep differences in recordings of sleep parameters such as sleep continuity, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep in borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients compared to controls. Further, since the turn of the century, self-report methodology has been increasingly utilized to investigate this relationship, and findings from these studies are reviewed. The evidence suggests that borderline personality pathology is uniquely associated with sleep disturbance. Future directions for this research are discussed.
After-School Program Effects on Behavior: Results from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program National Evaluation

This paper presents evidence on after-school programs’ effects on behavior from the national evaluation of the U.S. Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers after-school program. Findings come from both of the study’s components: (1) an elementary school component based on random assignment of 2,308 students in 12 school districts and (2) a middle school component based on a matched comparison design including 4,264 students in 32 districts. Key findings include higher levels of negative behavior for elementary students and some evidence of higher levels of negative behaviors for middle school students. (JEL I21)
Lime-enhanced reduction of sulfide concentrates: A thermodynamic discussion

The need to control or eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions from sulfide smelters has increased the drive to develop new processes for the extraction of metal from sulfide minerals. One such process currently gaining interest is the lime-enhanced reduction of metal sulfides. This paper discusses the thermodynamic aspects relevant to chalcopyrite, chalcocite, and pyrrhotite reduction with hydrogen, carbon monoxide, or carbon in the presence of lime. The effects of temperature and gas composition on sulfide reduction are also discussed. ΔG°vs T diagrams for lime-enhanced sulfide reductions with hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon are constructed and discussed together with some experimental results produced by the authors.
Controlling Energy Demands in Mobile Computing Systems

This lecture provides an introduction to the problem of managing the energy demand of mobile devices. Reducing energy consumption, primarily with the goal of extending the lifetime of battery-powered devices, has emerged as a fundamental challenge in mobile computing and wireless communication. The focus of this lecture is on a systems approach where software techniques exploit state-of-the-art architectural features rather than relying only upon advances in lower-power circuitry or the slow improvements in battery technology to solve the problem. Fortunately, there are many opportunities to innovate on managing energy demand at the higher levels of a mobile system. Increasingly, device components offer low power modes that enable software to directly affect the energy consumption of the system. The challenge is to design resource management policies to effectively use these capabilities.
A smart antenna receiver array using a single RF channel and digital beamforming

A new type of smart antenna array receiver with adaptive beamforming is proposed. The novel system offers a drastic reduction in hardware requirements for the smart antenna system through the use of a new Spatial Multiplexing of Local Elements (SMILE) scheme. In this scheme, a single element of the array is sequentially connected to signal processing circuitry in order to sample the incoming modulated carrier. The sampling rate is higher than the signal bandwidth so that the information of the original signal can be fully restored in the post stages using low-pass filters. This system offers an N times reduction in RF hardware for an N-element array. A four-element prototype is built. System principles, SNR, advantages, and hardware, including a new type of array feed network, are discussed. The system performance is validated through a link test with digitally modulated data.
Genetics and Ultrastructure of a Cytoplasmically Inherited Yellow Mutant in Soybeans

ABSTRACT A chimeric plant was observed in the F 2 generation of a cross between a male-sterile line and a plant introduction homozygous for a chromosome interchange in soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. F 3 progeny of this plant included one chimera, 36 yellow plants and 16 green plants. The yellow plants, which progressively turn green, were viable and fertile in field, greenhouse and growth-chamber environments. Reciprocal cross-pollinations were made between these yellow plants and four known nuclear yellow mutant plants, between these yellow plants and sibling green plants and between these yellow plants and unrelated green plants. Segregation data from F 1 and F 2 generations indicated cytoplasmic inheritance of the newly discovered yellow phenotype. Pollinations in which reciprocal F 1 hybrid plants were used as male or female parents were made with unrelated green plants. Observations in F 1 and F 2 generations substantiated the hypothesis of cytoplasmic inheritance. No interactions have been observed between this mutant and the various nuclear backgrounds. This is the first report of a cytoplasmically inherited mutant affecting plant color in soybeans. Exchange grafts were made between cytoplasmic yellow plants and sibling green plants and between cytoplasmic yellow plants and unrelated green plants. The phenotype was controlled by the scion, indicating that graft-transmissible agents were not involved. When grown in darkness, cytoplasmic yellow plants and normal green plants accumulated the same amount of protochlorophyllide. Cytoplasmic yellow plants grown in dim light accumulated slightly less chlorophyll than did their green siblings. Electron photomicrographs showed that the prolamellar body (a structure associated with synthesis of protochlorophyllide) and chloroplast ultrastructure were normal in the cytoplasmic yellow mutant. These observations led to the hypothesis that the synchrony involved in deposition of nuclear and cytoplasmic gene products during organelle development is impaired in this cytoplasmic mutant.