cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family history of mental illness and frequent mental distress in community clinic patients.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of family history of mental illness as a risk factor for self-reported frequent mental distress among patients who use community-based clinics. Design A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a convenience sample in three community clinics serving largely low-income patients. Forms were completed by 793 clinic patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was to control for the effects of demographic variables. Results In this sample of primary care patients, 27.1% had frequent mental distress. Having a family history of mental illness or substance abuse was found to be associated with frequent mental distress in this population [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.24, P = 0.000]. Also associated with increased odds of frequent mental distress were avoiding medical care owing to cost (OR = 1.86, P = 0.003) and obesity (OR = 1.73, P = 0.006). Conclusions Having a family history of mental illness or substance abuse is independently associated with increased odds of frequent mental distress among primary care patients seen in community clinics. Three strategies are suggested for using this information to prevent frequent mental distress: health education via mass communication to the general population of primary care patients being followed in a clinic, health education to at-risk patients, and targeted screening of clinic patients who have the risk factor.
The oxidation of bituminous coal—I Development of a mathematical model

Abstract A general rate expression based on a proposed dual-path reaction model is developed for the oxidation of coal under mild conditions such as are useful in pretreatment for gasification. The effects on the oxidation rate of mass transfer, particle surface, oxygen partial pressure, and temperature have been considered and incorporated into the derived rate expression.
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC COUETTE FLOW WITH TRANSPIRATION COOLING.

Transpiration cooling with magnetohydrodynamic effects is studied in a porous-wall Couette flow of a steadily moving, incompressible, electrically conducting fluid. The flow, induced by the motion of the moving wall, is subject to a uniform transverse magnetic field. A coolant fluid, with the same properties as the main-stream fluid, is uniformly injected into (or extracted from) the flow through a porous stationary wall. Solutions are presented for the velocity and induced magnetic field distributions across the parallel walls, the pressure difference induced by the magnetic drag, and the friction factor in such a flow configuration. Considerations are further given to the heat transfer characteristics wherein viscous and Ohmic heating are significant. In this connection, the recovery factor and the Nusselt number are also presented over a wide range of blowing and suction rates.
COLOR EVALUATION OF SELECTED CAPSICUMS

The extractable color values of fifteen selected cultivars of red-peppers and two methods of measuring color intensity were compared. Significant differences were found between cultivars for objective and subjective color values. Extractable red pigment values were much greater than yellow in all cases. As xanthophyll content increased, beta-carotene content increased. All Gardner values decreased with increasing pigment content. The Gardner Color Difference Meter proved to be a better indicator of extractable pigments than the subjective evaluation.
Hydrogenase Coupled Reactions inCampylobacter rectus

Abstract In an earlier publication Campylobacter rectus was shown to grow with H 2 as the electron donor and fumarate as the electron acceptor and whole cells oxidized H 2 in the presence of fumarate or elemental sulfur. Relatively little is known about the metabolism of Campylobacter rectus and our studies were to address physiological issues of H 2 metabolism. We report that in the presence of methyl viologen, the oxidation of H 2 is coupled to the reduction of nitrite but not nitrate. At least two hydrogenases are present in C. rectus , one in the periplasmic region and another in the plasma membrane. A soluble c-type cytochrome with an adsorption peak at 553 nm was demonstrated in the soluble fraction while a b-type cytochrome in the membrane has an adsorption peak at 560 nm. The electron flow from hydrogenase to fumarate in reactions containing plasma membranes is inhibited by 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline n-oxide. A model is proposed to summarize the electron transport activities of this bacterium growing under anaerobic conditions.
Senescence-induced alteration in cell surface carbohydrates correlated using proton NMR spectroscopy and a lectin-based affinity-binding assay

Changes in the cell surface oligosaccharides in human fetal lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) are studied as the cells progress to senescence using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and a biochemical assay. A lectin-based affinity-binding technique is used which measures the organization of carbohydrates on the cell surface. Proton NMR studies of the water in samples of frozen cell suspensions of young and old cells provide information on the local dynamics of the cell surface by monitoring the motion of bound water. Changes in the lectin binding density and affinity class distribution correlate with a decrease in the water proton linewidth in frozen cells. These observations reflect alterations in the conformation or structure of the cell surface oligosaccharides and local constituent water.
Dealing with Differences: Dramas of Mediating Public Disputes by John Forester

John Forester, Dealing with Differences: Dramas of Mediating Public Disputes (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009).In his latest work, Forester seeks to demonstrate how democratic deliberation ...
Healthcare professionals and the DEA: trying to get back in balance.

It was with cautious optimism that I and my colleagues accepted an invitation to participate in a meeting on August 10 at the offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Arlington, Virginia, whose purpose was to bring together leaders outside the government in the field of pain and addiction medicine with officials of the DEA. Among those present were representatives of practicing healthcare professionals, the Pain and Policy Studies Group, University of Wisconsin–Madison Medical School, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the Federation of State Medical Boards. The DEA was represented by Michele Leonhart, Deputy Administrator, and eight of her high-ranking staff members. The purpose of the meeting was for officials at the DEA to listen to those in the frontlines of the “pain community” voice concerns about the interim policy statement (IPS) on “Dispensing of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain” that was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2004. This IPS followed the unilateral withdrawal by the DEA of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Health Care Professionals and Law Enforcement Personnel (FAQ), a document originally published on the Office of Diversion Control's Website in August 2004. The IPS addressed several alleged “misstatements” in FAQ, but failed to affirm the educational value of the overwhelming majority of the 30 questions-and-answers statements in the FAQ. The DEA, Last Acts Partnership, and the Pain and Policy Studies Group at the University of Wisconsin joined forces in 2001 to produce FAQ. The authors consisted of a principal working group (6), which included the experts who developed the framework of FAQ, and a review committee (12), which included experts from the fields of nursing, neurology, psychiatry, pharmacology, pharmacy, and addiction medicine, whose charge was to produce a highly readable FAQ that …
Determination of parameters for food web models from field observations

Design and execution of separate predator-prey experiments in order to provide parameters such as maximum specific predation rates and half-saturation constants is virtually impossible for predators from higher trophic levels of natural food webs. An alternative is to determine these data from field observations of populations in food webs. It is shown that if maximum specific predation rates and half-saturation constants exist from predator-prey experiments, then one synoptic observation is necessary and sufficient to determine all selectivity constants. In case no data exist, then two synoptic observations of predatory rates and concentrations of populations are necessary and sufficient to determine maximum specific predation rates and apparent half-saturation constants.
Gene expression of DAM5 and DAM6 is suppressed by chilling temperatures and inversely correlated with bud break rate

We previously identified a cluster of dormancy-associatedMADS-box transcription factors (DAM genes) in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] as potential candidates for control of the non-dormant phenotype observed in the evg mutant. Of these genes, DAM3, DAM5 and DAM6 were winter expressed, suggesting a role for these genes during endodormancy. We used peach cultivars with contrasting chilling requirements (CR) for bud break to observe the expression of DAM3, DAM5 and DAM6 in response to chilling accumulation in the field and controlled environments. Vegetative terminal and floral buds were sampled weekly from field grown ‘Contender’ (1050 h CR), ‘Rubyprince’ (850 h CR) and ‘Springprince’ (650 h CR) peach cultivars through winter 2008-2009. Flower and vegetative terminal bud break potential was evaluated at each sampling by forcing cuttings in a growth-permissive environment. We also measured vegetative terminal bud break and DAM gene expression in potted ‘Contender’ and ‘Peen-To’ (450 h CR) trees under controlled-environment cold exposure. DAM3, DAM5 and DAM6 are all suppressed by exposure to chilling temperatures in the field and in controlled conditions. Expression of DAM5 and DAM6 are higher in high chill cultivars prior to chilling accumulation and their expression level reaches a minimum in each cultivar coincident with acquisition of bud break competence. Expression levels of DAM5 and DAM6 in vegetative tips in controlled environment conditions were negatively correlated with the time required for bud break in forcing conditions. The expression patterns of DAM5 and DAM6 are consistent with a role as quantitative repressors of bud break.
A sequential injection system for indirect spectrophotometric determination of lactic acid in yogurt and fermented mash samples

Abstract A suitable non-enzymatic method is presented as an alternative to the lactic acid determination in yogurt and fermented mash samples. The oxidative conversion of lactic acid by Ce 4+ to CO 2 was performed in a sequential injection system with a heating coil set at 45 °C. A gas diffusion unit was coupled to the flow system for promoting the permeation of CO 2 , which was collected into a bromothymol blue solution (pH 8.4), used as indicator solution for the spectrophotometric determination (619 nm). Simplicity in operation, low reagent consumption, low cost and ruggedness are some remarkable characteristics of the proposed system. Base line drift was − 1 . A linear range from 20.0 to 100.0 mg L − 1 lactic acid was obtained ( r 2 = 0.998), and the detection and quantification limits were estimated as 0.158 mg L − 1 and 1.6 mg L − 1 , respectively. The sampling rate was 22 h − 1 , with a consumption of 0.04 g Ce 4+ per determination. Interferences of matrix components were not detected. Samples of yogurt and sugar cane fermented mash products were analyzed, and no significant difference at 95% confidence level was observed when comparing the proposed method with HPLC analysis.
Toward Evidence-Based Transport of Evidence-Based Treatments: MST as an Example

ABSTRACT This article describes the journey toward evidence-based transport and implementation in usual care settings of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for youth with drug abuse and behavioral problems (Henggeler, Schoenwald, Borduin, Rowland, & Cunningham, 1998). Research and experience informing the design of the MST transport strategy, progress in evaluating its viability and validity, and implications for future research are described. Findings from transportability research indicate that the MST transport strategy supports the cultivation of therapist, supervisor, and consultant adherence in usual care settings; that such adherence is a consistent predictor of short- and long-term outcomes in such settings; and that clinician and organizational factors also affect adherence and outcomes. These findings have important implications for the transport of other evidence-based practices to usual care settings.
Spirit and Matter: The Materiality of Mozambican Prophet Healing

As sufferers and healers, the prophets (aneneri) of central Mozambique engage in complex relationships with the Christianised spirits who possess them. In these relationships, and the transformative processes and activities involved, particular material items play a central role. The objects that figure in Mozambican prophet healing, including clothing, bibles, mirrors, certain foods, church and hospital buildings and flags, materialise powerful social forces of the past and present; in the hands of prophet healers and their patients, they provide a means to direct these forces toward the resolution of suffering at the level of the body and the community. As they are made, held, worn, inhabited and utilised, these items in turn construct the subjectivities of those who wield them. This article addresses the material culture of the prophets as potent objects engaged by powerful subjects towards the work of bodily and social transformation.
Viscoelasticity in Wild-Type and Vinculin-Deficient (5.51) Mouse F9 Embryonic Carcinoma Cells Examined by Atomic Force Microscopy and Rheology

Abstract We have been studying mouse F9 embryonic carcinoma cells which contain no detectable vinculin protein (5.51 cells), and compared them with F9 wild-type cells. Employing atomic force microscopy, we probed the elastic properties of individual F9 wild-type and 5.51 cells by measuring the dynamic response of controlled loads of the cantilever tip. An elastic modulus (Young) of ∼3.8 and ∼2.5 kPa was calculated for wild-type and 5.51 cells, respectively. Using disc rheometry, we detected a marked change in shear of a 1000gpellet of ∼55 × 106cells between wild-type and 5.51 mutants. These differences are attributed to the loss of vinculin and altered cytoskeletal organization in these cells.
Absorption and circular dichroism spectra of the pyridoxylidenalanatoaluminum (III) complex

Abstract The pH dependent rate profiles were measured for the formation of pyridoxylidinealanatoaluminum(III) complex by following the 370 nm electronic transition absorption assigned to the π 1 band of the pyridine ring of the Schiff's base. These rate profiles were further resolved in terms of optically active species by circular dichroism (CD) measurements which revealed the presence of a previously unidentified dimeric chelate: pyridoxylidinealanatoaluminum(III)-μ-dihydroxopyridoxylidinealanatoaluminum(III). This binuclear complex is characterized by an extraordinarily enhanced negative rotation. Thus, for example, at pH 8 for a 10 −3 M solution of Al(III) and pyridoxal at 25° with ionic strength 1.00, the curve-resolved electronic spectrum at λ = 295 nm and 336 nm has optical densities of only 0.074 and 0.047 units, respectively, indicating their presence as only ~10% of the total Schiff's bases. The corresponding CD components show strong negative rotations (θ) of −33.5 and −31.3 m°, respectively. The intrinsic rotation of the binuclear complex is therefore about ten times that of the mononuclear complex. The probable conformations and bonding sites of the optically active species are discussed.
Direct partial oxidation of methane over ZSM-5 catalyst : metals effects on higher hydrocarbon formation

Abstract The direct partial oxidation (DPO) of CH4 with O2 to higher hydrocarbons, and in particular C+5 liquids, over metal-containing ZSM-5 catalysts is reported. At 960 psig, 4600 hr−1 GHSV, 7 vol% O2, and temperatures sufficient for 100% O2 conversion (440-465°C), our studies with first row transition metals supported on ZSM-5 showed that Cu, Ni, and Zn oxides produced C+5 liquids (Fe-ZSM-5 produced C2-C4 hydrocarbons) without the need for a feed additive. Co-, Cr-, and Mn-ZSM-5 catalysts under the same conditions produced no higher hydrocarbons. It is believed that conversion of the CH3OH formed in the system to higher hydrocarbons over metal-containing ZSM-5 is made possible by two metal functions. Initial trace dehydrogenation of CH4 (or of minute C+2 feed components) to olefins provides initiation of the methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) reaction but survival of olefins in the system is a function of the olefin oxidation activity of the metal oxide. Further experimentation using Ga-, Pt-, and Ag-ZSM-5 catalysts was consistent with this hypothesis. Thus, metal-containing ZSM-5 catalysts can produce C+5 liquids from CH4 and O2 if dehydrogenation and oxidation functions of the metal are in balance.
The Wess-Zumino lagrangian and colored techni-pseudo-Goldstone bosons☆

Abstract The construction of the Wess-Zumino type effective action is discussed for color octet techni-pion and techni-eta fields interacting with the light gauge bosons — gluon, photon, W ± and Z. The explicit effective lagrangian for the one-pseudoscalar meson sector is displayed. Γ(η → GWW), Γ(η → GGγ) and Γ(η → GGZ) are compared to Γ(η → GZ) to illustrate the predictive content of the lagrangian.
Analysis of a resistance-energy balance method for estimating daily evaporation from wheat plots using one-time-of-day infrared temperature observations

Accurate estimates of evaporation over field-scale or larger areas are needed in hydrologic studies, irrigation scheduling, and meteorology. Remotely sensed surface temperature might be used in a model to calculate evaporation. A resistance-energy balance model, which combines an energy balance equation, the Penman-Monteith (1981) evaporation equation, and van den Honert's (1948) equation for water extraction by plant roots, is analyzed for estimating daily evaporation from wheat using postnoon canopy temperature measurements. Additional data requirements are half-hourly averages of solar radiation, air and dew point temperatures, and wind speed, along with reasonable estimates of canopy emissivity, albedo, height, and leaf area index. Evaporation fluxes were measured in the field by precision weighing lysimeters for well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Errors in computed daily evaporation were generally less than 10 percent, while errors in cumulative evaporation for 10 clear sky days were less than 5 percent for both well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Some results from sensitivity analysis of the model are also given.
Design and in situ characterization of lipid containers with enhanced drug retention.

Drug delivery via liposomes has the potential to expand the therapeutic window by targeting and releasing drug at the disease site while minimizing drug concentrations elsewhere in the body. [ 1 ] In a liposome, a single bilayer defi nes the interior space, regulates release of the liposome contents, and protects the contents from the environment. However, fi nding a bilayer composition that provides the necessary physical integrity, drug retention, specifi c targeting and rapid contents release at the disease site has been problematic. Despite 40 years of research, only liposomal doxorubicin and amphotericin B are clinically available. Many drugs, including the antibiotic ciprofl oxacin, [ 2 , 3 ]
NMR studies of Cu/zeolite SCR catalysts hydrothermally aged with urea

The effects of hydrothermal aging of Cu/zeolite urea-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts on their reactivity and material properties were assessed by performance tests and multiple characterization techniques that included 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Three aging protocols were used that consisted of varying temperature during hydrothermal aging with or without exposure to aqueous urea solution. Differences in behavior were even found for samples hydrothermally aged immediately following exposure to the urea solution or if the sample was dried overnight before hydrothermal aging. The combination of urea and high-temperature exposure increased the deactivation of Cu/zeolite SCR catalysts beyond that observed by hydrothermal aging alone, with an immediate high-temperature exposure following wetting of the catalyst core with aqueous urea causing the most significant deterioration in performance. The impact of urea on SCR catalyst durability was also found to increase with the aging temperature. NMR analysis suggested that aging with urea resulted in relatively more dealumination of the zeolite for the SCR catalysts in this study.
Paleomagnetic stratigraphy of Pliocene Centerville Beach section, northern California

Abstract Samples from the upper two-thirds of the approximately 1900 m thick Neogene section exposed south of Centerville Beach on the northern California coast have predominantly reversed detrital remanent magnetism. Fossil evidence suggests a lower Pliocene through lower Pleistocene age for the section. The combined paleomagnetic and fossil data indicate that a large part of the section was deposited during the Matayama reversed epoch (2.4-0.7 million years ago). Samples from correlative sections exposed a few kilometers inland from the Centerville Beach section have a predominantly normal polarity and appear to have been remagnetized. The Centerville Beach section is important because it may serve as a standard with which to compare both other on-land Pliocene sections from western North America and nearby Deep Sea Drilling Project cores.
Changing terminology in reproductive medicine: Logical but not simple

Although terminology in reproductive medicine is currently imprecise, it will not be easy to develop a consensus for a new approach to describing couples with difficulty achieving pregnancy.
Abstract 2625: Knockdown of death receptor 5 promotes cancer cell invasion through activation of the ERK and JNK signaling pathways.

Death receptor 5 (DR5) is a death domain-containing transmembrane receptor and can trigger apoptosis upon overexpression or ligation with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Despite of the primary function of DR5 in induction of apoptosis, accumulating evidence suggest that DR5 may also have non-apoptotic function in regulation of cancer development and progression, which is the focus of this study. Both transient and stable knockdown of DR5 did not affect the growth of cancer cells, but significantly promoted the invasive ability of cancer cells in an in vitro matrigel invasion assay. In contrast, DR5 activation by low doses of the agonistic antibody, AMG655, suppressed cancer cell invasion. Similar results could not generated by knocking down DR4 expression. Thus, DR5 negatively regulates invasion of cancer cells. Knockdown of DR5 expression was accompanied by activation of both ERK and JNK signaling pathways as evidenced by elevate levels of p-ERK, p-JNK and p-c-Jun as well as their downstream proteins c-Jun and Fra-1. Chemical (e.g., with small molecule inhibitors) or genetic (e.g., with siRNA) inhibition of either ERK or JNK blocked DR5 knockdown-induced enhancement of cell invasion. In agreement, knockdown of c-Jun and Fra-1 had similar impact on blockage of cell invasion induced by DR5 knockdown. Hence, DR5 knockdown promotes cancer cell invasion through activation of the ERK and JNK signaling pathways and subsequent activation of AP-1. Our findings highlight a novel non-apoptotic function of DR5 as a negative regulator of cancer cell invasion and provide preliminary mechanisms to account for this function. (This study was supported by the Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar award, NIH/NCI SPORE P50 grant CA128613 and Winship Cancer Institute Robbins Scholar award. FR Khuri and SY Sun are Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholars. YT Oh is a recipient of Winship Cancer Institute Robbins Scholar award) Citation Format: You-Take Oh, Ping Yue, Fadlo R. Khuri, Shi-Yong Sun. Knockdown of death receptor 5 promotes cancer cell invasion through activation of the ERK and JNK signaling pathways. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2625. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2625
Negative refraction index in the magnetic semiconductor In 2-x Cr x O 3 : Theoretical analysis

Based on theoretical arguments, we have found that homogeneous indium oxide is a negative refractive index material if doped with Cr. In accordance with calculations, this magnetic semiconductor or ${\text{In}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Cr}}_{x}{\text{O}}_{3}$ in its polycrystalline form should possess a fully isotropic strongly pronounced negative refractive index at $\ensuremath{\sim}10.48\text{ }\text{THz}$. The effect is due to the coexistence of the spin-wave mode with the plasmonic mode, and both modes are activated by the electromagnetic field of the light with simultaneous permittivity and permeability responses within the frequency band close to the ferromagnetic resonance. The analytical and numerical calculations of the frequency-dependent refractive index, $n(\ensuremath{\omega})$, were conducted in the framework of the macroscopic theory of ferromagnets, the modified band theory, and the conduction electrons-mediated exchange integral formalism.
Pain and the Placebo in Physiotherapy

Summary The aim of this paper is to discuss the mechanisms and magnitude of the placebo effect of treatment and to consider the ethical and moral implications of using placebo physiotherapy. Placebo or non-specific treatment effects were long considered to contribute a fixed fraction (one-third) to any treatment effect. Recent evidence has revealed this commonly held clinical belief to be erroneous. The placebo effect of any treatment is a highly variable and complex phenomenon that is influenced by a myriad factors. The outcome may be positive (eg analgesia) or negative (eg increased dependency on healthcare practitioners). Although the mechanisms of effect are not fully understood, evidence supports the influence of classical conditioning, anxiety reduction, and the expectations of both patients and practitioners. The relationship between patients and practitioners influences the magnitude of placebo effects as does the method of treatment presentation. A charismatic or caring practitioner can evoke analgesia with or without further treatment. And treatment presented with an air of ‘mystery‘, apparent sophistication, or positive expectation can evoke analgesia simply through the method of its presentation. Questions regarding the ethical use of treatments that are primarily placebo need to be addressed. When and under what conditions are placebo treatments acceptable in the short or long term? Is it a benevolent lie, or a regular lie, to use treatments that have only placebo effects? And, perhaps more importantly, do we know what those treatments are?
Early Morning Attenuation of Endothelial Function in Healthy Humans

Background— Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, sudden death, and stroke have a peak incidence in the early hours after waking. The mechanisms involved in this circadian variation ...
Polymer–diluent interactions. I. A new micromethod for determining polyvinyl chloride‐diluent interactions

The changes that are observed under magnification when a single polyvinyl chloride particle is immersed in a drop of diluent and slowly heated have been explained on the basis of a three-dimensional network system in which the polymer crystallites act as junction points for the network. The existence of a temperature at which a sharp gel-to-sol transformation is observed has been attributed to the melting of the polymer crystallites. The temperature at which this transformation occurs was found to be rate-independent, reproducible, and characteristic for each polyvinyl chloride–diluent system. At this apparent melting temperature, the volume fraction of the diluent in the swollen particle was shown to approach unity. These findings made it possible, for the first time, to apply to polyvinyl chloride–diluent systems Flory's treatment of the effect of diluents on the crystal melting temperature of semicrystalline polymers. The apparent melting temperatures of polyvinyl chloride with 27 diluents were determined by the above method. The interaction parameter χ for each of the diluents used had been previously reported by Doty and Zable. A linear relationship was obtained when the reciprocal melting temperature was plotted against (1–χ)/V1 for all of the above polyvinyl chloride–diluent systems (V1 is the molar volume of the diluent at the melting temperature). From this plot the values for the extrapolated melting temperature of pure polyvinyl chloride and for the average heat of fusion were calculated and found to be 176°C. and 656 cal./mole, respectively. Based on these findings a micromethod has been developed which can be used to determine the parameter χ of a diluent with polyvinyl chloride from a single determination of this apparent melting temperature. This method also yields the value for the energy of interaction parameter B.
Theory of Phase Separation in Polymer Nanocomposites

The microscopic polymer reference interaction site model theory of polymer nanocomposites composed of flexible chains and spherical nanoparticles has been employed to study second virial coefficients and spinodal demixing over a wide range of interfacial chemistry, chain length, and particle size conditions. For hard fillers, two distinct phase separation behaviors, separated by a miscibility window, are generically predicted. One demixing curve occurs at relatively low monomer−particle attraction strength and corresponds to a very abrupt transition from an entropic depletion attraction-induced phase separated state to an enthalpically stabilized miscible fluid. The homogeneous mixture arises via a steric stabilization mechanism associated with the formation of thin, thermodynamically stable bound polymer layers around fillers. The second demixing transition occurs at relatively high monomer−particle adsorption energy and is inferred to involve the formation of an equilibrium physical network phase with l...
Traversing upper vowel space: a smooth or a bumpy ride?

Abstract It has been found in vowel imitation studies that subjects' responses to steady-state isolated vowels from an acoustic continuum exhibit categorical tendencies: Some adjacent vowels are responded to more similarly than others, and the distribution of formant frequencies in the total set of responses is decidedly nonuniform. The present study investigated whether these tendencies originate in perception or in articulation. Subjects were asked to produce continuous glides from /i/ to /ae/ and from /ae/ to /i/ at three different speeds, as well as discrete vowels along the same continuum, without any auditory models. The results show that categorical tendencies of the kind observed previously in imitation tasks emerge as soon as vowel glides are produced at a rate that requires conscious control over the articulatory trajectory. The categorical tendencies thus seem to originate in the speech production system, although on-line perceptual guidance through auditory feedback cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Political successions and the growth of government

During the first seven years (1979–1985) of Kenya's second head of state, the process of establishing a stable supporting coalition was accompanied by rapid increases in government spending. As evidenced by continued increase in the size of the cabinet as announced in early 1988, the process of forming a stable coalition may not be complete. The evidence provided in this paper shows that the process of coalition formation following leadership transition in limited autocracies leads to increases in the size of government. This provides strong support for Tullock's suggestion regarding the importance of stability in autocratic and limited autocratic governments. Although we would expect our results to hold for other countries, generalization of the growth-of-government hypothesis should be done with caution for several reasons. First, we do not think that this phenomenon would take place in political successions resulting from a military coup. In that type of succession, the new leader is likely to eliminate the supporters of the disposed leader and replace them with members of his coalition. Secondly, many political successions are accompanied by changes in ideology which may involve movement to more free markets and therefore smaller governments, or movement towards more planned economies which would lead to larger governments. Such changes in the size of government resulting from the ideological preferences of leaders may be difficult to isolate from those that are due to strategic coalition formation. Finally, the interest-group behavior of tribal coalitions in Kenya may have important effects on the size of the government that may not exist in other countries.
Review: A gentle introduction to magnetism: units, fields, theory, and experiment

We present an introduction to the workings, units of measure, and general properties of magnetic materials. This is intended as a “primer to interpretation of magnetic data” for those who are entering the field, or those who are encountering magnetic measurements in the literature. We expect this work will serve as an initial guide to the reader to familiarize them with the basics in the hope that those working in the field of magnetochemistry will wish to explore additional, more detailed literature as their specific investigations demand. Topics covered include: magnetic fields and units (SI and cgs), paramagnetism (magnetization and magnetic susceptibility), Curie and Curie–Weiss behavior, magnetic exchange interactions, magnetic anisotropy, dimeric systems and exchange-coupled networks (including chains, ladders, and layers), and long-range order.
Biphenylene: stabilization or destabilization?

A modified Hess–Schaad group additivity scheme has been developed and used to evaluate the resonance energy of biphenylene. It is shown that biphenylene possesses strong aromatic character. The strain energy, if any, should be much lower than previously estimated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Leisure time and channel repertoire in a Multichannel environment

A telephone survey of 197 respondents measured leisure time activities (television viewing versus all other activities). An analysis of four groups (low TV/low other, low TV/high other, high TV/low other, and high TV/high other) looked for group differences in two types of channel repertoire: broadcast channel repertoire (BCR) and cable channel repertoire (CCR). CCR differed between the first and fourth groups (low/low and high/high), but there were no differences in BCR. Age was found to be a significant covariate. These findings support the idea that people who are active in general tend to watch cable channels in particular.
Lunar Lander Structural Design Studies at NASA Langley

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is currently developing mission architectures, vehicle concepts and flight hardware to support the planned human return to the Moon. During Phase II of the 2006 Lunar Lander Preparatory Study, a team from the Langley Research Center was tasked with developing and refining two proposed Lander concepts. The Descent-Assisted, Split Habitat Lander concept uses a disposable braking stage to perform the lunar orbit insertion maneuver and most of the descent from lunar orbit to the surface. The second concept, the Cargo Star Horizontal Lander, carries ascent loads along its longitudinal axis, and is then rotated in flight so that its main engines (mounted perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal axis) are correctly oriented for lunar orbit insertion and a horizontal landing. Both Landers have separate crew transport volumes and habitats for surface operations, and allow placement of large cargo elements very close to the lunar surface. As part of this study, lightweight, efficient structural configurations for these spacecraft were proposed and evaluated. Vehicle structural configurations were first developed, and preliminary structural sizing was then performed using finite element-based methods. Results of selected structural design and trade studies performed during this activity are presented and discussed.
Effects of single and repeated exposures of humans and rats to vinyl chloride.

Abstract Rats exposed eight hours daily to vinyl chloride at concentrations of 2% for three months and 5% for 19 days exhibited changes in liver and spleen weight and in red and white cell counts. Except in the case of liver, tissue alterations did not accompany these changes. The alterations in liver morphology were within the normal range and were not pathologic in character. Because other facets of the animals' response, such as rate of growth, serum transaminase and hemoglobin, were unchanged, it is suggested that the present threshold limit value of 0.05% need not be lowered.
Vibronic interactions in molecules with a fourfold symmetry axis

Abstract In molecules with a fourfold symmetry axis the Jahn-Teller active vibrations are nondegenerate. Thus, the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect in such molecules, which is discussed in this paper, is qualitatively different from that in molecules with a threefold axis, which has been discussed extensively in other papers. The degenerate vibrations in molecules with a fourfold symmetry axis are not Jahn-Teller active. Nevertheless, as discussed in this paper, vibronic interactions similar to the Renner effect do affect the positions of the energy levels associated with degenerate vibrational motions in degenerate electronic states. Certain limiting cases of both the Jahn-Teller effect and the Renner effect in molecules of symmetry D 4 h in degenerate electronic states are pointed out, which might be called accidental Born-Oppenheimer cases. It is possible in such limiting situations to write the vibronic wave functions as a single product of an electronic part and a vibrational part, in spite of the fact that a degenerate electronic state and vibrations capable of splitting the electronic degeneracy are involved.
Review of reliability and quality assurance issues for space optics systems

With the increasing complexity and precision of space-based optical systems and their longer intended lives, the effects of the space environment upon optical system reliability are becoming more important. Previously neglected phenomena pose potential threats to the success of current and future missions involving optical instruments. This paper presents a review of issues related to the reliability and quality assurance of space optics systems. Descriptions of hostile environments and mechanisms of damage are presented. Methods used to harden past and present optical systems against environmental effects are surveyed and their relative efficacies are discussed. Suggestions for actions by reliability and quality assurance personnel to mitigate the risk to future missions are outlined.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Diffusion of green building technologies in new housing construction

Abstract We analyze the selection of high efficiency windows by builders of new housing units in the United States from 2000 to 2010. Windows are among the five most important technologies impacting energy use in structures. Focusing on windows provides insights into the decisions that result in energy efficient houses and the factors affecting those decisions, which can be muted or completely missed when looking at building ratings or other aggregated estimates. The study analyzes a large data set for the continental United States, applying the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) model selection and cross validation of the training set model with a randomly selected validation data set. Our findings strongly support the importance of climate and energy costs in decisions on energy efficient housing, with important but smaller effects for public policies and incentives. We also find that taxing and insurance policies that increase the overall costs of construction can have negative impacts on the diffusion of energy efficient products.
Reactivity of lanthanide carbon σ bonds: Alkyllanthanide complexes as synthetic precursors to lanthanide alkynides

Abstract A general, halide-free synthesis of σ-bonded organolanthanides is demonstrated by the reaction of terminal alkynes with LiLn(t-C 4 H 9 ) 4 (THF) 4 to form a new series of homoleptic lanthanide alkynide complexes, LiLn(CCR) 4 (THF), and by the synthesis of [(C 5 H 5 ) 2 LnCCR] 2 from [(C 5 H 5 ) 2 LnCH 3 ] 2 .
Monitored anesthesia care for closure of adjustable atrial fenestrations following the Fontan procedure

T HE APPLICATION OF the Fontan procedure is being extended to more complex forms of uninventricular hearts.’ Because a significant number of high-risk Fontan patients will develop transient but life-threatening systemic venous hypertension and low cardiac output, staging procedures have been done.2 Creation of a Glenn shunt followed by the Fontan procedure some time later has improved results.3 Such an approach, however, necessitates two major procedures under general anesthesia. The use of atria1 fenestration at the time of the Fontan procedure allows right-to-left shunting, lowering the systemic venous pressure and also improving results.4-6 It has the advantage of preventing another major procedure and anesthesia because the fenestration can be closed later either in the catheterization laboratory or with a snare under local anesthesia in the operating room. To determine the safety and advantages of local anesthesia for the closure of atria1 fenestration following the Fontan procedure, the authors’ experience is reviewed.
The influence of trait anger, trait anxiety and negative urgency on disordered eating

Abstract Negative affectivity and impulsivity are potential risk factors for eating pathology. Both are heterogeneous constructs, yielding varied effect sizes in the prediction of pathology. The use of a specific construct, negative urgency, the tendency to act impulsively while distressed, improves the predictive utility of ‘impulsivity’ in eating pathology. The use of specifically defined affectivity constructs may similarly improve theories of risk. Anger and anxiety both represent high arousal, negatively valenced emotions, but promote different interactions with the environment; approach vs. avoidance. Undergraduate women completed measures of negative urgency, trait anger, trait anxiety, and eating pathology 3 months apart. Negative urgency and trait anxiety prospectively accounted for unique variance in increases in global eating pathology, while negative urgency prospectively accounted for unique variance in binge eating. Anger was not a significant predictor. Results suggest that the use of both specifically defined impulsivity and affectivity constructs improves predictive utility of traits in eating pathology.
Path Similarity Analysis: A Method for Quantifying Macromolecular Pathways.

Diverse classes of proteins function through large-scale conformational changes and various sophisticated computational algorithms have been proposed to enhance sampling of these macromolecular transition paths. Because such paths are curves in a high-dimensional space, it has been difficult to quantitatively compare multiple paths, a necessary prerequisite to, for instance, assess the quality of different algorithms. We introduce a method named Path Similarity Analysis (PSA) that enables us to quantify the similarity between two arbitrary paths and extract the atomic-scale determinants responsible for their differences. PSA utilizes the full information available in 3N-dimensional configuration space trajectories by employing the Hausdorff or Frechet metrics (adopted from computational geometry) to quantify the degree of similarity between piecewise-linear curves. It thus completely avoids relying on projections into low dimensional spaces, as used in traditional approaches. To elucidate the principles of PSA, we quantified the effect of path roughness induced by thermal fluctuations using a toy model system. Using, as an example, the closed-to-open transitions of the enzyme adenylate kinase (AdK) in its substrate-free form, we compared a range of protein transition path-generating algorithms. Molecular dynamics-based dynamic importance sampling (DIMS) MD and targeted MD (TMD) and the purely geometric FRODA (Framework Rigidity Optimized Dynamics Algorithm) were tested along with seven other methods publicly available on servers, including several based on the popular elastic network model (ENM). PSA with clustering revealed that paths produced by a given method are more similar to each other than to those from another method and, for instance, that the ENM-based methods produced relatively similar paths. PSA applied to ensembles of DIMS MD and FRODA trajectories of the conformational transition of diphtheria toxin, a particularly challenging example, showed that the geometry-based FRODA occasionally sampled the pathway space of force field-based DIMS MD. For the AdK transition, the new concept of a Hausdorff-pair map enabled us to extract the molecular structural determinants responsible for differences in pathways, namely a set of conserved salt bridges whose charge-charge interactions are fully modelled in DIMS MD but not in FRODA. PSA has the potential to enhance our understanding of transition path sampling methods, validate them, and to provide a new approach to analyzing conformational transitions.
Testosterone predicts future dominance rank and mating activity among male chacma baboons

Despite the many benefits that testosterone has on male reproduction, sustaining high levels of testosterone for long periods can be costly. The challenge hypothesis predicts that males will show temporarily sustained elevations of testosterone at critical periods, counterbalanced by decreased levels during noncritical periods. We investigated male testosterone measures extracted from fecal samples in a group of chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus) living in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Because rank serves as a proxy for competition for mates, we examined how male testosterone was related to dominance rank, age, aggression, and mating activity. Males showed an elevation in testosterone at maturity; young adult males had the highest testosterone levels followed by a steady decline with age. Among dispersing males, testosterone was temporarily elevated in the month following dispersal. After controlling for age, testosterone and rank were unrelated, but testosterone and changes in rank were positively correlated, such that males rising in rank had higher testosterone than males falling in rank. Thus, for males in this group, testosterone was predictive of a male's rank trajectory, or future rank. Similarly, male testosterone levels predicted future, rather than current, mating activity. Finally, male testosterone and aggression rates were unrelated during stable periods in the dominance hierarchy but positively related during unstable periods when high ranks were being contested. In general, our results support the challenge hypothesis with males exhibiting elevated testosterone in association with the acquisition of high rank (ensuring access to mates), rather than with mating itself.