cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water Waves and Marine Structure Interaction

The purpose of this paper is to combine and extend existing potential flow theory in order to analyze the linear free surface problem of an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device and apply it to moonpool design. Analytical results were obtained implementing the previously derived theories, and later compared to experimental results conducted at the University of New Orleans Towing Tank. The model tests consisted of a study of a cylindrical OWC. The theoretical and experimental results of the free surface for the OWC tests agree for the resonant frequency estimation response but they disagree on the amplitude of the response.© 2004 ASME
Diagnosis and classification of severity of mitral valve prolapse: methodologic, biologic, and prognostic considerations.

In the quarter century since it was recognized that Although the development of auscultatory,‘, z 4, 5 midsystolic clicks and late systolic murmurs were of angiographic,“, 7 echocardiographic,8-12 and pathologmitral valve origin,‘, 2 a considerable body of inforic13,14 methods of recognizing MVP has facilitated mation has accumulated about the condition that is clinical diagnosis and investigation of this condition, now generally known as mitral valve prolapse the resultant multiplicity of diagnostic methods and (MVP).3 The central feature of MVP is posterior criteria has alrio engendered confusion. The frequent and superior systolic displacement of the mitral discordances between the presence or absence of leaflets in relation to the mitral am&s, due to MVP by different techniques~*5 has raised the possistructural enlargement or abnormal distensibility of bility that patients identified by different methods the mitral valve. MVP occurs most often in a may not have the same condition.16 Particular conprimary or “idiopathic form”-commonly associcern exists about whether MVP diagnosed either by ated with alterations of body habitus and blood auscultatory or laboratory methods or by the prespressure and evidence of heritibility-or as a sece.nce of the symptom complex known commonly as ondary feature of several connective tissue diseases, the “mitral prolapse. syndrome”15* *‘, I* accurately whereas the same abnormal motion pattern may be identifies anatomic MVP as documented by anaproduced without intrinsic valvular abnormality by tomic, pathology or MVP that is clinically “pathologconditions that alter left ventricular size or geomeic” because of a significant risk of important complitry. cations.‘9
The nucleation of microcellular thermoplastic foam with additives: Part I: Theoretical considerations

Microcellular foam is a polymeric foam with bubble sizes of 10 microns or less that is produced by saturating a polymer with gas and then utilizing the thermodynamic instabilities that result when the polymer is heated and the pressure is reduced to nucleate the cells. A model for the nucleation of microcellular foam in amorphous polymers with additives has been developed. The nucleation process depends on the solubility, concentration, and interfacial energy of any additives present. At very low levels, additives in solution act to increase the free volume of the polymer, resulting in homogeneous nucleation within the free volume Well above the solubility limit, heterogeneous nucleation dominates, as it lowers the activation energy for nucleation to levels below that for homogeneous nucleation. In the vicinity of the solubility limit of the additive, these two nucleation mechanisms compete. The polystyrene-zinc stearate system has been chosen for experimental evaluation.
Distributed event-region detection in wireless sensor networks

We propose a graph-based method for distributed event-region detection in a wireless sensor network (WSN). The proposed method is developed by exploiting the fact that the true events at geographically neighboring sensors have a statistical dependency in an event-region detection scenario. This spatial dependence amongst the sensors is modeled using graphical models (GMs) and serves as a regularization term to enhance the detection accuracy. The method involves solving a linear system of equations, which can be readily implemented in a distributed fashion. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the performance of our proposed approach.
Social Theory and the De/Reconstruction of Agricultural Science: Local Knowledge for an Alternative Agriculture1

Abstract As a result of environmental and agrarian activism and of academic critique, a substantial amount of space is available now for moving agricultural technoscience onto new trajectories. A critical rural sociology has played a key role in pushing forward the deconstructive project that has been instrumental in creating this space. And rural sociologists can be active agents in the reconstruction of the alternative science that must emerge from “actually existing” science and that must be developed if there is to be a truly alternative agriculture. But to be effective in this effort we need to enlarge not only the canon of our colleagues in the natural sciences, but our own canon as well. This article suggests that the theoretical resources for such reconstruction are available in contemporary sociological and feminist interpretations of science. Material resources for the reconstruction of a “successor science” are to be found in the “local knowledge” that is continually produced and reproduced by farmers and agricultural workers. Articulations and complementarities between theoretical resources are suggested and potentially productive research areas are outlined.
Controls on calcium ion fluxes in injured or shocked corn root cells: Importance of proton pumping and cell membrane potential

Passive influx of 45Ca2+ into non-growing corn root tissue (Zea mays L.) was increased as a result of actions (cutting, rubbing, chilling, heating, acidifying) or agents (cyanide, uncouplers) known to depolarize the cell membrane, and was decreased by actions (washing) or agents (fusicoccin) known to hyperpolarize it. These responses indicate the presence of Ca2+ channels which are voltage controlled. If the injuries were extensive, however, voltage control was lost and hyperpolarization with fusicoccin was expressed by increased 45Ca2+ influx. Control could be regained by tissue washing, and millimolar levels of external Ca2+ would protect against loss of control. Influx of Ca2+ was strongly inhibited by La3+, but only weakly by verapamil. Intact roots showed greater cold shock sensitivity in maturing cells than in growing cells. We conclude that corn roots normally restrict Ca2+ influx by a mechanism linked to hyper-polarization of the plasmalemma. Calcium ions which enter cold-shocked tissue are partially extruded during the early phase of recovery by a process stimulated by fusicoccin and subject to uncoupling.
Formation of the Emperor Seamount Chain

THE Pacific ocean basin is attributed to a single, continuously active ridge system which is believed still to be active today in the eastern Pacific, although much of the eastern flank of the ridge and parts of the ridge itself have been subducted into a fossil trench along the west coast of North America and active trench regions such as the Aleutian trench and the Peru-Chile trench. One problem with this model is the present activity on the island of Hawaii, which according to the model is sitting in the centre of a stable plate. One explanation is based on Wilson's proposal1 that the linear ridges in the Pacific were formed as the crust moved over a localized “hot spot” in the asthenosphere or upper mantle, but the physical problems involved in creating and maintaining such localized “hot spots” over millions of years have largely gone unanswered. Although a few workers remain sceptical (see ref. 2), acceptance of the theory has been widespread.
The Effects of Topic Familiarity on Second Language Listening Comprehension

plain the listening process as an active, constructive one in which background knowledge is crucial (1; 11; 37). Anderson and Lynch, for example, refer to schematic knowledge as one of the "information sources in comprehension" (p. 13) and suggest that it is the lack of such information that impedes comprehension. Brown and Yule (10) describe schemata as "organised background knowledge which leads us to expect or predict aspects in our interpretation of discourse" (p. 248). The listener's stereotypical knowledge based on prior experiences predisposes him or her to construct expectations in terms of seven areas: speaker, listener, place, time, genre, topic, and co-text (11: p. 61). Brown and Yule (11) contend that the listener uses two basic principles to relate the new information to his or her previous experience: the principle of analogy ("things will be as they were before," p. 63) and the principle of minimal change ("things are as like as possible to how they were before," p. 63). In a discussion of ways in which listeners form inferences and use them to interpret spoken language, Rost suggests inferential processes at three levels (lexical/propositional, base or schematic, and interpersonal relevance) and proposes editing principles and procedures by which listeners construct meaning. He defines base meaning for a text as "the cultural and experiential frame of reference that makes a text interpretable by a listener" (p. 70). The related editing strategies include employing cultural schemata,
Critical behavior of an autocatalytic reaction model

Irreversible many-particle dynamical systems are relevant to a variety of phenomena in physics, chemistry, and biology. We present a study of an irreversible kinetic reaction model for a one-component autocatalytic reaction A+A\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\mathit{A}}_{2}$. In this model, if an atom adsorbing on a lattice site has any neighbors, it reacts with one of them with a probability 1-p, and the two atoms leave the lattice; otherwise the atom occupies the site. As p is varied, this model undergoes a second-order kinetic phase transition from a chemically reactive state with a partial occupation of the lattice to a completely covered state that corresponds to the ``poisoning'' phenomenon seen on catalysts. The transition is studied both analytically through various mean-field approximations and numerically in one, two, and three dimensions. Finite-size-scaling analysis of the critical behavior is used to find the static and dynamic critical exponents. These exponents are found to be consistent with the critical exponents in the Reggeon-field-theory directed-percolation universality class.
Pluralism, Otherness, and the Augustinian Tradition

Recent work on religious pluralism profits from the systematic theological framework offered by the Augustinian tradition, which uses interrreligious dialogue in the service of its larger “conversionist” purposes. In so using dialogue, the tradition transforms our vision of the epistemic problem of pluralism into the theological problem of otherness; interreligious dialogue reflects the self's inescapable dialogue with God, and reveals the self as constituted by such dialogue. Thus, those more mundane forms of dialogue, which engage the self in conversation with others, offer opportunities for the further manifestation of the Divine love and the fulfillment of the divine purpose.
North American Jurassic Apparent Polar Wander: Implications for plate motion, paleogeography and Cordilleran tectonics

Eight paleomagnetic poles are considered to be reliable Jurassic reference poles for cratonic North America. These poles form a consistent chronological progression defining two arcuate tracks of apparent polar wander (APW) from Sinemurian through Tithonian time (203–145 Ma). Combined with reliable Triassic and Cretaceous reference poles, the resulting path is well modeled by paleomagnetic Euler pole (PEP) analysis and is significantly different from previous APW compilations. These differences reflect differences in original data sets, modes of analysis, and geologic time scales and translate into substantial and important differences in paleolatitude estimates for cratonic North America. PEP analysis reveals two cusps, or changes in the direction of APW: one in the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic (Jl) and one in the Late Jurassic (J2). The Jl cusp represents the change in North American absolute plate motion associated with rifting of the central Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, while the J2 cusp correlates temporally with the marine magnetic anomaly M21 plate reorganization and to various North American intraplate tectonomagmatic events (e.g., Nevadan Orogeny). Analysis of pole progression along the Jl to J2 and J2 to Cretaceous APW tracks indicates constant angular plate velocity of 0.6°–0.7°/m.y. from 203 to 150 Ma followed by significantly higher velocity from 150 to 130? Ma. Late Triassic-Jurassic reference poles indicate more southerly paleolatitudes for cratonic North America than have previous compilations requiring modification of displacement scenarios for suspect terranes along the western Cordillera.
Corticosterone in territorial male Swainson's Thrushes varies in relation to forest age but not vegetation cover

Glucocorticoids are thought to be related to habitat quality and may provide information about the relative health of individuals. We used a model selection approach to test whether plasma glucocorticoid levels of the Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus) were associated with two attributes that may reflect breeding habitat quality in coniferous plantation forests: stand age and vegetation cover. For baseline corticosterone, the top model included stand age with limited support for models that included vegetation cover. Mean baseline corticosterone for terri- torial male thrushes sampled in mature stands was 78.2 % higher than territorial males sampled in early seral stands. For handling-induced corticosterone, there was limited separation among candidate models, and only one model, containing stand age and Julian day, was better supported than the null model. Despite previous research that has shown hardwood cover is an important component of breeding habitat quality for thrushes, our investigation found limited evidence that vegetation cover was associ- ated with either baseline or handling-induced corticoste- rone levels. Given that early seral and mature conifer forests are characterized by markedly different habitat features, we hypothesize that the observed differences in baseline corticosterone represent either reduced fitness of male thrushes in mature stands or an adaptive adjustment of glucocorticoid levels to match local environmental conditions that equalize fitness across stands of different ages.
Measuring the impact of a university first-year experience program on student GPA and retention

In 1997 a medium-size Midwestern public university in the U.S. initiated a first year experience program. The program is designed to infuse added curricular and extracurricular components into core courses in an effort to integrate students into the university community. This article examined the FYE impact on grade point average (GPA) and retention after 1 year for the fall 2006 cohort of entering students. The findings suggest no positive FYE effect on retention, but on average FYE students earned higher GPAs than non-FYE students. Reducing the sample to include only courses identified as goal compatible FYE courses yielded a positive effect on retention and also accentuated the GPA differential. The estimated positive FYE impact on retention was larger for below average students (especially females) and smaller for above average students.
Clinical trials for the evaluation of cancer therapy

One of the great advances of the last 50 years has been the introduction of prospective randomized controlled trials into clinical medicine. Those efforts apply the scientific method to clinical problem solving and provide the mechanism for obtaining answers to important clinical and biologic questions that can be obtained in no other way. When properly employed, clinical trials supply definitive information relative to the worth of therapies prior to their widespread use on populations as a whole. They are sophisticated endeavors requiring the interactions of clinicians, investigators, and statisticians as equal partners in a common effort that requires discipline as rigid as that of a laboratory experiment. There are three types or phases of clinical trials conducted on cancer patients; each is directed toward supplying answers to different questions. Phase I trials determine safe dose levels and/or schedules of drugs in humans. They may be aimed at using known drugs in combinations heretofore not tried or at determining the tolerably toxic dose of drugs that have shown benefit in animal models. Efficacy is not a defined goal of Phase I trials. Utilizing schedules and dosages and incorporating limitations discovered in Phase I trials, studies are next conducted that are aimed at determining therapeutic efficacy; i.e., Phase II trials. They are performed on patients of the same tumor type and measurable disease (usually Stage IV). In neither Phase I or II trials is randomization a feature. With demonstration of at least some efficacy in a Phase II trial, a therapy becomes a candidate for full-scale testing and comparison with a currently "standard" therapy in a Phase III trial. This report presents an overview of some of Stages I and II cancer. Comments will be made relative to their rationale, design, conduct, and statistical requirements, as well as ethical considerations, with the hope that more of the current generation of physicians will become aware of their importance and will be stimulated to participate in such endeavors. This overview is not meant for the statistician or for the sophisticate who is well versed in the vast literature that is accumulating in this area. Comments are primarily based upon experiences derived from the clinical trials conducted by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) for a quarter of a century. Where appropriate, breast cancer will serve as a model for the discussion.
Magnitude and polarity of strain-induced fields in pseudomorphic In0.2Ga0.8As quantum well structures on (112) GaAs substrates

Abstract When pseudomorphic (In,Ga)As/(Al,Ga)As heterostructures are grown on certain surfaces of the general crystallographic planes of GaAs denoted by (11 l ), the strain in the structures induces an electric field because of the piezoelectric nature of the III-V semiconductors. We report the experimental determination of the direction and magnitude of the strain-induced electric field by photoluminescence spectroscopy on one of these substrate surfaces: the one for which l = 2. We confirm that for the two surfaces of the (112) GaAs substrate, the induced field is directed out of the substrate for the A surface and toward the substrate for the B surface.
Effect of Iodophor Concentration and Duration of Exposure during Water Hardening on Survival of Atlantic Salmon Eggs

Abstract Because of disease transmission concerns, field studies to evaluate the impact of water-hardening eggs at different concentrations of polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (iodophor) for various times of exposure have rarely used untreated controls. Additionally, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol requires a subsequent post–water-hardening surface disinfection for salmonid eggs transferred between stations. The cumulative impact of this second disinfection on survival has not been fully investigated for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. This study compared the percent of eye-up Atlantic salmon eggs that had been water-hardened with iodophor treatments at 50, 100, and 150 mg active ingredient/L for 30, 60, and 90 min with that of untreated controls and also examined the impact on egg survival of a second iodophor disinfection 5 h after the initial exposure. No discernable mortality resulted from the second (10-min) disinfection. Nontreated eggs had significantly greater survival than any of the iodophor-tre...
The Problem of the Meaning of Words Based upon Observation of Aphasic Patients

The problem of the meaning of words is one of the most discussed and most important problems of the psychology of language. It seems to be a very simple matter when we name an object or when we say “that is a table, that is green,” etc. There seems to be an external connection between a sound and an object, but this is not frequently true. The name can also represent something quite different.
Money Doesn't Buy Happiness, but It Helps: Marital Satisfaction, Psychological Distress, and Demographic Differences Between Low- and Middle-Income Clinic Couples

The characteristics of 51 very low-income and 61 middle-income couples receiving services from a university-based community clinic offering a sliding fee scale were compared on a number of demographic variables. Group differences were significant with the exception of the number of children and wife's ethnicity. Middle-income couples were better educated, more likely to be full-time employed, less likely to be from a minority group, older with longer relationships, and more likely to present with family problems. Middle-income couples also had significantly lower scores on the General Severity Index of the Brief Symptom Inventory and higher scores on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The relevance of these differences for clinicians is discussed.
Genetic threshold hypothesis of neocortical spike-and-wave discharges in the rat: An animal model of petit mal epilepsy

Neocortical high-voltage spike-and-wave discharges (HVS) in the rat are an animal model of petit mal epilepsy. Genetic analysis of total duration of HVS (s/12 hr) in reciprocal F1 and F2 hybrids of F344 and BN rats indicated that the phenotypic variability of HVS cannot be explained by simple, monogenic Mendelian model. Biometrical analysis suggested the presence of additive, dominance, and sex-linked-epistatic effects, buffering maternal influence, and heterosis. High correlation was observed between average duration (s/episode) and frequency of occurrence of spike-and-wave episodes (n/12 hr) in parental and segregating generations, indicating that common genes affect both duration and frequency of the spike-and-wave pattern. We propose that both genetic and developmental - environmental factors control an underlying quantitative variable, which, above a certain threshold level, precipitates HVS discharges. These findings, together with the recent availability of rat DNA markers for total genome mapping, pave the way to the identification of genes that control the susceptibility of the brain to spike-and-wave discharges. 67 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.
Hydrocarbon double-stapling remedies the proteolytic instability of a lengthy peptide therapeutic

The pharmacologic utility of lengthy peptides can be hindered by loss of bioactive structure and rapid proteolysis, which limits bioavailability. For example, enfuvirtide (Fuzeon, T20, DP178), a 36-amino acid peptide that inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection by effectively targeting the viral fusion apparatus, has been relegated to a salvage treatment option mostly due to poor in vivo stability and lack of oral bioavailability. To overcome the proteolytic shortcomings of long peptides as therapeutics, we examined the biophysical, biological, and pharmacologic impact of inserting all-hydrocarbon staples into an HIV-1 fusion inhibitor. We find that peptide double-stapling confers striking protease resistance that translates into markedly improved pharmacokinetic properties, including oral absorption. We determined that the hydrocarbon staples create a proteolytic shield by combining reinforcement of overall α-helical structure, which slows the kinetics of proteolysis, with complete blockade of peptide cleavage at constrained sites in the immediate vicinity of the staple. Importantly, double-stapling also optimizes the antiviral activity of HIV-1 fusion peptides and the antiproteolytic feature extends to other therapeutic peptide templates, such as the diabetes drug exenatide (Byetta). Thus, hydrocarbon double-stapling may unlock the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive polypeptides by transforming them into structurally fortified agents with enhanced bioavailability.
Anesthesia for postpartum tubal ligation

Abstract Postpartum tubal ligation is an elective procedure that can be performed safely shortly after delivery, provided the patient’s labor was uncomplicated, she is hemodynamically stable, and she understands the risks and alternatives to the surgery and anesthesia. Epidural, spinal, general, or local anesthesia with sedation has been used for postpartum tubal ligation. The most convenient anesthetic is reactivation or extension of an already existing epidural, and the success is increased when postpartum tubal ligation is performed within 4 to 8 hours of delivery. Most of the physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy are still present in the postpartum period. Postpartum patients have delayed gastric emptying of solid foods and should be given some form of gastric acid prophylaxis before inducing anesthesia. Postpartum tubal ligation (PPTL) produces moderate to severe pain of short duration, so one must provide some form of postoperative pain relief. Although there is controversy regarding the use of ketorolac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, in breast-feeding mothers, the American Academy of Pediatrics considers it safe. Other oral opioid and nonopioid pain medications are also effective in treating postoperative pain.
Kongo Political Culture: The Conceptual Challenge of the Particular

Kongo Political Culture: The Conceptual Challenge of the Particular. Wyatt MacGaffey. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000. ix. 274 pp., maps, photographs, appendix, notes, references, glossary, index.
Parameters estimation for a first order irreversible reaction. A stochastic approach

Abstract A first order irreversible reaction is investigated using a stochastic model in order to account for the perturbations inherent to any chemical process. The main conclusion is that the concentration is distributed according to a lognormal law rather than to a normal one. This approach leads to a maximum likelihood estimate of the kinetic constant which is different with respect to the usual least squares estimate. Moreover, the stochastic model allows us to predict not only the expected value of the concentration, but to get a confidence interval, too. Statistical tests are provided in order to detect outliers, high-leverage and influential points.
Powers of connected graphs and hamiltonicity

A graph G is n-hamiltonian (resp. n-edge hamiltonian) if after the removal of any k vertices (resp. edges) with 0?k?n, the resulting graph is hamiltonian. The kth power of a graph G is the graph having the same vertex-set as G and such that u and ?, vertices of Gk, are adjacent if and only if the distance between u and ? in G is at most k.In this paper, we prove that if G is a connected graph then Gk is (k?2)-edge hamiltonian if k?3 and |V(G)|k+1. Furthermore, if G is 2-connected and |V(G)|k+2 then Gk is (k?1)-edge hamiltonian.
Generation of oxygen free radicals during the metabolism of cyclosporine A: a cause-effect relationship with metabolism inhibition.

A better understanding of the mechanism of lipid peroxidation during the metabolism of cyclosporine A (CsA) might help explain the toxicities of this immunosuppressive drug on various organs. Ourin vitro work used microsomes prepared from livers of phenobarbital-induced male rats. The incubations (total volume 1ml) also contained a NADPH regenerating system and substrate (i.e., CsA, carbon tetrachloride, or aminopyrine) dissolved in ethanol. Lipid peroxidation was inferred from the presence of malondialdehyde (MDA) which was detected by the thiobarbituric acid assay. The formation of CsA hydroxylated metabolites (AM9 and AM1) was monitored by liquid chromatography. The activity of the microsomal incubation was confirmed by measurements of MDA and formaldehyde production caused by increasing concentrations of CsA, carbon tetrachloride, and aminopyrine. The occurrence of hydroxylated metabolites was not coupled to the production of MDA. Aminopyrine could inhibit MDA production by CsA, but CsA could not reduce the formation of formaldehyde by aminopyrine. Erythromycin, a competitor for the binding site of CsA on cytochrome P450, reduced MDA production by CsA, and CsA inhibited formaldehyde production by erythromycin. Interaction studies with SKF 525A, ketoconazole, superoxide dismutase, catalase, α-tocopherol, and reduced glutathione confirmed the role of cytochrome P450 and the presence of activated oxygen species as a source of microsomal peroxidation which in return may explain the inhibitory effect of CsA on cytochrome P450 itself.
Self-Actualization and Self-Ideal Discrepancy

Summary The Time Competence Scale from the Personal Orientation Inventory was administered to 28 male and 47 female college students who then described their real and ideal self-concepts using the Interpersonal Check List. Self-actualizing individuals manifested greater congruence between their real and ideal self-concepts than did nonactualizing persons. Dominance was seen as a significantly more desirable integrative mechanism by the nonactualizing subjects. There was a nonsignificant trend in the desirability of an increase in acceptance as a function of the degree of self-actualization. Findings are discussed in terms of individuals' perceptions of congruence with their environment.
The length of tours in zones of different shapes

Abstract The object of this paper is to explain how the expected length of traveling salesman tours changes with zone shape. To do this, a simple strategy that yields good traveling salesman tours is presented. The resulting tours are suboptimal but appear to be close to those that can be obtained by hand. Thus, the formulas that are provided may also be indicative of the length of tours built with better strategies. The results of this paper are useful for the design of distribution systems.
Gerodontologic aspects of diet and nutrition

Abstract Some of the dental problems that arise as a result of nutritional deficiencies have been discussed. Good physical health resulting from proper nutrition will bring about good dental health. However, good dental health involves more than nutrition. A proper diet for the average person may not result in proper nutrition if the body is not functioning properly. If the body is working properly, a sound diet is necessary to keep physically and dentally fit. For the geriatric patient, it is possible to be sure that proper nutrition exists only if a complete physical examination is given periodically and tests are made to indicate the correct diet.
Influence of salinity on bioremediation of oil in soil.

Abstract Spills from oil production and processing result in soils being contaminated with oil and salt. The effect of NaCl on degradation of oil in a sandy-clay loam and a clay loam soil was determined. Soils were treated with 50 g kg −1 non-detergent motor oil (30 SAE). Salt treatments included NaCl amendments to adjust the soil solution electrical conductivities to 40, 120, and 200 dS m −1 . Soils were amended with nutrients and incubated at 25°C. Oil degradation was estimated from the quantities of CO 2 evolved and from gravimetric determinations of remaining oil. Salt concentrations of 200 dS m −1 in oil amended soils resulted in a decrease in oil mineralized by 44% for a clay loam and 20% for a sandy-clay loam soil. A salt concentration of 40 dS m −1 reduced oil mineralization by about 10% in both soils. Oil mineralized in the oil amended clay-loam soil was 2–3 times greater than for comparable treatments of the sandy-clay loam soil. Amending the sandy-clay loam soil with 5% by weight of the clay-loam soil enhanced oil mineralization by 40%. Removal of salts from oil and salt contaminated soils before undertaking bioremediation may reduce the time required for bioremediation.
Syntheses and Coordination Studies of 2-(Phosphanylmethyl)pyridine Dioxide toward Silver (I)

The coordination properties of the 2-[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]pyridine N,P-dioxide ligand towards three different silver(I) salts are described. The molecular structures of the coordination complexes obtained showed a strong dependence on the 2-[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]pyridine N,P-dioxide ligand and the binding ability of the counterion. The strongly binding trifluoroacetate ion yielded a unique planar silver cluster complex, whereas the less strongly binding triflate and BF4– complexes yielded polymeric structures. The synthesized complexes were fully characterized by elemental analysis and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy techniques. The crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.
In Vitro Formation of Amyloid from α-Synuclein Is Dominated by Reactions at Hydrophobic Interfaces

Most in vitro investigations of α-Synuclein (αSyn) aggregation and amyloidogenesis use agitation in the presence of air and/or Teflon to accelerate kinetics. The effect of the agitation is implicitly or explicitly attributed to mass transfer or fibril fragmentation. This paper evaluates these hypotheses by agitating αSyn under typical amyloidogenic conditions with controlled numbers of balls made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and borosilicate glass with no headspace. Amyloid was assayed using thioflavin T fluorescence and atomic force microscopy. The observed kinetics were proportional to the PTFE surface area; the effects of PMMA and glass balls were negligible by comparison. No amyloid was observed to form in the absence of mixing balls. Agitation with only air also showed accelerated kinetics but different aggregate morphology. The results indicate that the mechanism active in agitation experiments is dominated by reactions at the hydrophobic−water interface. Of the ...
Some lessons from NACA/NASA aerodynamic studies following World War II

An historical account is presented of the new departures in aerodynamic research conducted by NACA, and subsequently NASA, as a result of novel aircraft technologies and operational regimes encountered in the course of the Second World War. The invention and initial development of the turbojet engine furnished the basis for a new speed/altitude regime in which numerous aerodynamic design problems arose. These included compressibility effects near the speed of sound, with attendant lift/drag efficiency reductions and longitudinal stability enhancements that were accompanied by a directional stability reduction. Major research initiatives were mounted in the investigation of swept, delta, trapezoidal and variable sweep wing configurations, sometimes conducted through flight testing of the 'X-series' aircraft. Attention is also given to the development of the first generation of supersonic fighter aircraft.
Best Evidence Regarding the Superiority or Inferiority of Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) has enjoyed rapid adoption over the past decade without rigorous clinical studies demonstrating superior clinical outcomes over radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). This article reviews the literature comparing RALP and RRP with regard to oncologic, perioperative, and functional outcomes, summarizing evidence for and against the superiority of RALP.
All-trans-retinoic acid-induced scrotal ulcerations in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia

Induction therapy with all-trans -retinoic acid has been shown to improve the outcome of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, although some side effects occur. Dry skin and lips are among the most common cutaneous side effects. We report a case of scrotal ulcerations induced by all-trans -retinoic acid in an American patient; to our knowledge this is the first such case reported.
Prospects for the development of validated screening tests that measure developmental toxicity potential: View of one skeptic

Humans are exposed to a variety of potential developmental toxicants. This fact, combined with the knowledge that human development can be disrupted by "environmental" agents, has led to the development of methods designed to identify potential developmental toxicants. Currently, the principal method used to screen drugs and chemicals that are potential human developmental toxicants is the segment II study (i.e., a study in which prospective drugs and chemicals are tested in pregnant animals). Because of the cost and time involved in such studies and the pressure to reduce the number of animals used in such testing, alternative methods for developmental toxicity testing have been sought. This has resulted in a number of in vitro tests whose aim is to screen large numbers of agents quickly and inexpensively. Although numerous in vitro tests of developmental toxicity have been developed during the last 15 years, no one system or combination of tests have been validated for the purpose intended. Nonetheless, two systems--the limb bud/CNS micromass, and the chick embryo neural retina cell culture (CERC)--continue to be advanced as viable in vitro developmental toxicology tests. The purpose of this commentary is to evaluate the prospects for the development of an in vitro test system(s) that can screen the universe of drugs and chemicals and reliably identify those that require further study and those that do not. The conclusion of this investigator is that the prospects for validating such in vitro tests are not promising. This conclusion is based primarily on the lack of basic knowledge regarding the relevance of end points assayed in the micromass and CERC test systems to those end points known or thought to be critical for normal development.
Highly Active Visible-Light Photocatalysts for Curing a Ceramic Precursor1

Three platinum(II) bis(β-diketonate) complexes are highly active for photocatalytic hydrosilation cross-linking of oligo[(methylsilylene)methylene] with tetravinylsilane. Platinum(II) bis(benzoylacetonate), platinum(II) bis(trifluoroacetylacetonate), and platinum(II) bis(benzoyltrifluoroacetonate) are photoactivated by visible light for catalysis, while platinum(II) bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonate) can be used as a thermal catalyst. Kinetic data from FT-IR and UV−visible spectroscopies characterizing Si−H bond conversion and catalyst photolysis are reported.
Enrichment of Triadic and Terminal Cisternae Vesicles from Rabbit Skeletal Muscle

An enriched triad and terminal cisternae preparation was achieved from skeletal muscle through alterations of the differential centrifugation and muscle homogenization protocols. Both yield and specific activity (pmoles of radioligand binding per mg protein) were optimized for 3H-PN200-l10 (transverse tubule marker) and 3H-ryanodine (terminal cisternae marker) binding sites. By pelleting crude microsomes between 2,000 an 12,000 × g without any rehomogenizations, we improved both the yield and specific activity of transverse tubule and terminal cisternae markers in crude microsomes by approximately 4-fold to 1000–3000 pmoles binding sites (starting material: approximately 400 grams wet weight fast twitch skeletal muscle), with 10–15 pmoles/mg. Rehomogenization of the 1,000 × g pellet, which is typically discarded, allowed recovery of an additional 5000 pmoles PN200-110 binding sites and an additional 8000 pmoles ryanodine binding sites. Crude microsomes from the rehomogenized 1,000 × g pellets typically displayed specific activities of 20–25 pmoles binding/mg for both 3H-PN200-110 and 3H-ryanodine. Separation of crude microsomes on a sucrose gradient increased specific activity up to a maximum of 50 pmoles/mg in a specific fraction, a five- to ten-fold increase over standard triadic or terminal cisternae preparations. The mean specific activity for enriched triads was 30–40 pmoles/mg for both PN200-110 and ryanodine in pooled fractions, while pooled fractions of enriched terminal cisternae displayed low 3H-PN200-110 binding (3–5 pmoles/mg) and high 3H-ryanodine-specific activity (30–40 pmoles/mg).
Price of fractionally charged particles in a unified model

Abstract A simple unified model, based on SU(7), is constructed in which fractionally charged color singlet particles exist. The model can be made consistent with low-energy phenomenology, but the Weinberg angle is no longer uniquely determined.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS OF STRATEGIC COALIGNMENT: A METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Strategic coalignment - viewed in terms of internal consistency among key strategic decisions or the alignment between strategic choices and critical contingencies posed by either environmental or organizational contexts - is an important theoretical perspective in strategic management. However, extant research is characterized by both poor clarifications of the theoretical meanings of coalignment as well as inappropriate statistical modelling. This article adopts a methodological orientation to examining a general proposition of the performance implications of strategic coalignment among three generic strategy dimensions: marketing, manufacturing and administrative. Such a proposition is evaluated using three seemingly complementary perspectives of statistical modelling: (a) interactionist; (b) profile-derivation; and (c) covariation, and data collected from two hundred business units. The analysis and results generally support the proposition using two of three perspectives, thus raising critical methodological issues relating to multiple specifications of the statistical form of coalignment.
Effects of morphine on electrical activity of single myenteric neurons in cat small bowel

Abstract Quantitative parameters of the discharge patterns of burst-type units and single-spike units were increased, decreased or unchanged after application of morphine. The results were the same when morphine was added in the presence of naloxone. The results suggested that morphine had no consistent effect on the spike discharge of continuously active neurons in Auerbach's plexus of cat small intestine.
Integration of simulation and analytical submodels for supporting manufacturing decisions

This work describes the concept and prototype software to assist in parameter adjustments when engaged in the trial and error search process of tuning a manufacturing simulation. The concept uses simple analytical models of the simulation which are amenable to optimization schemes and can provide ‘good’ initial parameter values. The menu-driven prototype is illustrated with four decision situations in operations planning that would normally be resolved by successive simulations. The work shows that analytical models and optimization schemes can be integrated with simulation to accelerate the search process, and thereby shows an avenue where expert systems and simulation can meet.
Model of accelerating coal dust flames

Abstract A model describing turbulent coal dust flame propagation and accelaration is based on the transient, macroscopic equations of change. The turbulent flame velocity was obtained from a simple correlative technique combining turbulence and chemical effects. Predictions indicate that a deflegrating coal dust flame can accelerate to high velocity and pressure, with increasing turbulence a major cause of the acceleration. A parametric study was conducted to identify key parameters in the model. The need for turbulent flame velocity data for particle-laden systems was identified and the effects of duct diameter, coal particle diameter, and various model parameters were described. The model is useful for describing relative effects of various parameters.
An H/sub /spl infin// approach to networked control

In this paper, we study the effect of a network in the feedback loop of a control system. We use a stochastic packet-loss model for the network and note that results for discrete-time linear systems with Markovian jumping parameters can be applied. We measure performance using an H/sub /spl infin// norm and compute this norm via a necessary and sufficient matrix inequality condition. We also derive necessary and sufficient linear matrix inequality (LMI) conditions for the synthesis of the H/sub /spl infin// optimal controller for a discrete-time jump system. Finally, we apply these results to study the effect of communication losses on vehicle control.
Nondestructive position monitor for synchrotron radiation

Abstract In order to measure the vertical beam position in the wiggler beam line at CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source) a position monitor was constructed which measures the vertical beam positions of two beams passing through it, one from the 6-pole wiggler and one from the following dipole. The position monitor is a split ionization chamber with a resolution better than 10 μm and a bandwidth of greater than 100 Hz over a linear range of 5 mm.
Why So Little Faith? A Reply to Blanton and Jaccard's (2006) Skeptical View of Testing Pure Multiplicative Theories

Blanton and Jaccard (2006) questioned the 4-test regression method used by Greenwald et al. (2002) to test a pure multiplicative theory. The present authors address Blanton and Jaccard’s concerns with a combination of simulations and meta-analysis. Simulations show that (a) Blanton and Jaccard’s preferred simultaneous regression method has a severe power loss in testing multiplicative theories when predictor variables’ means deviate from rational zero values, and (b) Greenwald et al.’s 4-test method has a more limited weakness when predictor means deviate from rational zero in the positive direction. Metaanalyses showed that aggregate analyses of Greenwald et al.’s 5 experiments confirmed a multiplicative theory regardless of which analysis method was used. However, only the 4-test method could confirm a pure multiplicative theory.
Mental disorders and the incidence of migraine headaches in a community sample: results from the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment area follow-up study.

Background The cross-sectional relation between migraine headaches and affective disorders has been demonstrated in studies of clinical and community populations. Few studies have investigated the prospective relation between psychiatric disorders and migraine headaches. Methods A prospective follow-up of the Baltimore, Md, cohort of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study assessed psychopathologic features in 1981 and again between 1993 and 1996. Interviews included a history of headaches at baseline and self-reported assessment of migraine headaches at follow-up. Risk estimates for incident migraine headaches by 1981 demographic variables and psychopathologic features were calculated. The cross-sectional association between prevalent migraine and lifetime psychiatric diagnoses was estimated. Results In the at-risk population of 1343, there were 118 incident cases of migraine headaches. The age- and sex-specific incident rates of migraine headaches followed the expected patterns, with younger age and female sex identified as risk factors. In cross-sectional analyses, major depression (odds ratio, 3.14; 95% confidence interval, 2.03-4.84) and panic disorder (odds ratio, 5.09; 95% confidence interval, 2.65-9.79) had the strongest associations, and alcohol and other substance abuse were not associated. In logistic regression models including age, sex, and psychiatric illness in 1981, only phobia was predictive of incident migraines (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.58). Affective disorders were not predictive of incident migraine headaches. Including a history of tricyclic antidepressant use did not change the results. Conclusions There is a strong cross-sectional relation between affective disorders and migraine headaches in this cohort. However, there is no association between antecedent affective disorders and incident migraine headaches in this population-based prospective study.