cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alkaline phosphatase: lability in fresh and frozen human serum and in lyophilized control material.

On storage, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in human serum increases. This has been known, but largely ignored, for 40 years. Improved instrumentation makes this lability more obvious and more important because errors from other sources have been decreased. With a stabilized spectrophotometer we quantitated the effects of time and temperature on AP activity of human sera and of lyophilized "control" material. Activities of 10 fresh sera increased by an average of 0.9, 2.7, and 6.1% in 6, 24, and 96 h; that of pooled serum, frozen and thawed, increased about 1% per hour. For 22 lots of reconstituted lyophilized material the increase ranged from 3 to 22% in 6 h. Refrigeration greatly decreased, but room temperature restored, the rates of change. Freezing decreased the activity of some lots, and most had a smaller rate of increase. Generally, the lower the initial activity of a given lot, the greater was the rate of increase. The difference in rate of increase among materials from different sources varied widely. Delay in measurement of serum AP activity is not the only source of potentially serious error; time and temperature variations are also, when lyophilized materials are used.
Peak Studio: a tool for the visualization and analysis of fragment analysis files.

Summary While emerging technologies such as next-generation sequencing are increasingly important tools for the analysis of metagenomic communities, molecular fingerprinting techniques such as automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP) remain in use due to their rapid speed and low cost. Peak Studio is a java-based graphical user interface (GUI) designed for the visualization and analysis of fragment analysis (FSA) files generated by the Applied Biosystems capillary electrophoresis instrument. Specifically designed for ARISA and T-RFLP experiments, Peak Studio provides the user the ability to freely adjust the parameters of a peak-calling algorithm and immediately see the implications for downstream clustering by principal component analysis. Peak Studio is fully open-source and, unlike proprietary solutions, can be deployed on any computer running Windows, OS X or Linux. Peak Studio allows data to be saved in multiple formats and can serve as a pre-processing suite that prepares data for statistical analysis in programs such as SAS or R.
Aqueous bath process for deposition of Cu2ZnSnS4 photovoltaic absorbers

Abstract Chemical bath deposition and ion exchange were used to incorporate copper, zinc, tin and sulfur into a thin film precursor stack. The stack was then sulfurized to form the photovoltaic absorber material Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS). The morphology and elemental composition of the films at each process stage were analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the structural and optical properties of the sulfurized film were determined by a combination of X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy. Compositionally uniform microcrystalline CZTS with kesterite structure and a bandgap of 1.45 eV were observed. A preliminary solar cell device was produced exhibiting photovoltaic and rectifying behavior.
Efficient Memory Management for Cellular Monte Carlo Algorithm

Data compression techniques aimed to the reduction of the memory usage of the Cellular Monte Carlo (CMC) approach are presented in this work. Two approaches have been investigated and implemented, resulting in memory savings of 25 and 50% of computer random access memory (RAM). The loss of precision due to the proposed techniques is measured, and its consequences are studied. The validity and accuracy of the results obtained with compression is verified and robustness is tested on various semiconductor materials. Some applications of the proposed approach are discussed as well.
Dietary Quercetin Reduces Chemotherapy-Induced Fatigue in Mice

Purpose. While fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom of chemotherapy, there are currently no effective treatments for chemotherapy-induced fatigue (CIF). We used a mouse model to examine the benefits of quercetin on CIF as measured by voluntary wheel running activity and sought to determine whether quercetin may be associated with a decrease in inflammation and/or anemia. Methods. Mice were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: placebo-vehicle (Plac-PBS), placebo5-fluorouracil (Plac-5FU), quercetin-vehicle (Quer-PBS), or quercetin-5-fluorouracil (Quer-5FU). All mice were given a daily injection of either 60 mg/kg of 5-FU or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 5 days. Quercetin (0.02%) treatment was administered in the food 3 days prior to 5-FU administration and for the duration of the experiment (ie, days –2 to 14). A second group of mice was sacrificed at 5 and 14 days post initial injection for assessment of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and anemia. Results. Voluntary wheel running was reduced in both the Plac-5FU and Quer-5FU groups following 5-FU injection (P < .05). However, the Quer-5FU group recovered to baseline levels by approximately day 7, whereas the Plac-5FU group remained suppressed. MCP-1 was significantly elevated at 14 days in Plac-5FU (P < .001), but no changes were seen with Quer-5FU. Treatment with 5-FU resulted in anemia at both 5 days and 14 days; however, quercetin blocked this effect at 14 days (P < .001). Conclusion. These results demonstrate the beneficial effect of quercetin on improving recovery of voluntary physical activity following 5-FU treatment, which may be linked to a decrease in inflammation and anemia.
Axial magnetic-field effects in a collective-interaction free-electron laser at millimeter wavelengths

The collective free-electron laser interaction has been studied at millimeter wavelengths using a newly designed experimental apparatus which features an electron beam of low emittance. Measurements in a superradiant amplifier configuration indicate the production of 35 MW at \ensuremath{\sim}4 mm with an efficiency of 2.5%. The parametric dependence of power thresholds and wavelength on pump and guide magnetic fields are shown to be in agreement with theory.
Homogenization of bi-anisotropic metasurfaces

Ultrathin metamaterial layers are modeled by a homogeneous bi-anisotropic film to represent various kinds of broken symmetries in photonic nanostructures, and specifically in optical metamaterials and metasurfaces. Two algorithms were developed to obtain the electromagnetic (EM) wave response from a metasurface (direct solver) or the metasurface parameters from the EM wave response (inverse solver) for a bi-anisotropic, subwavelength-thick nanostructured film. The algorithm is applied to two different metasurfaces to retrieve their effective homogeneous bi-anisotropic parameters. The effective layer of the same physical thickness is shown to produce the same response to plane wave excitation as the original metasurface.
Interval Production as a Secondary Task Workload Measure: Consideration of Primary Task Demands for Interval Selection

Twenty-eight participants performed a surgical training primary task along with a concurrent time estimation (interval production) secondary task. Fourteen participants were given a primary task that varied in motor demand; the other fourteen performed a primary task that varied in cognitive demand. Time estimation is an attractive option as a workload measure due to its low cost and ease of implementation. Currently it is unclear whether the structure of task demands influences the sensitivity of time estimation tasks that use different intervals. The sensitivity of both a short (3 second) and long (21 second) interval were observed in tasks that differed in level of workload. Results indicated that short intervals were more sensitive to changes in motor workload while long intervals displayed more sensitivity to changes in cognitive demand.
Auroras and Earth-currents

A comparison of auroral observations and earth-current records from the College-Fairbanks Station during the International Polar Year of 1932–33 shows considerable agreement between the aurora and disturbances in the earth-current records. Coefficients of linear correlation from 0.71 to 0.76 were obtained from the records for 80 clear nights. Effects associated with brilliant isolated auroral displays at College are readily detected in the earth-current records at Tucson, Arizona, and in exceptional cases in records obtained as far south as Huancayo, Peru. Oscillatory disturbances in the earth-current records and moving types of aurora, respectively, see to show the highest degree of correlation. These results are at variance with some comparisons of magnetic and auroral records which indicate a lack of relationship between the two phenomena.
Lysosomal-mediated degradation of apoptotic thymocytes within thymic nurse cells.

Abstract A thymic epithelial cell line (tsTNC-1) that maintains the ability to selectively bind and internalize immature αβTCR lo CD4 + CD8 + thymocytes in vitro was used in long-term coincubation experiments to determine the ultimate fate of thymocytes that remained within intracytoplasmic vacuoles of thymic nurse cells (TNCs). In an earlier report, a subset of the population released from the TNC interaction was shown to mature to the αβTCR hi CD69 hi stage of development, while thymocytes that bided within the TNC cytoplasm died through the process of apoptosis. Here, we show the presence of both apoptotic and nonapoptotic thymocytes within the cytoplasm of freshly isolated TNCs as well as in tsTNC-1 cells in culture. A microscopic analysis revealed total degradation of the cytoplasmic apoptotic thymocyte population that remained in tsTNC-1 cells after an 8- to 10-h incubation period. A quantitative analysis showed an increase of cytoplasmic thymocyte degradation over time to almost 80% after 9 h of incubation. However, in the presence of bafilomycin A1, which is used to inhibit acidification of lysosomal vesicles, degradation of apoptotic thymocytes never reached 10%. These data suggest that lysosomes within TNCs play a role in the degradation of apoptotic thymocytes. We examined tsTNC-1 cells before the addition of thymocytes to cultures and found lysosomes to be clustered around the nucleus in the cytoplasm of TNCs. Shortly after the internalization event, apoptotic thymocytes move to the area of the cytoplasm containing lysosomes. Using the confocal microscope, we obtained evidence that shows the degradation event to be facilitated through the fusion of lysosomes with the specialized vacuoles within TNCs containing apoptotic cells.
Predicting juvenile delinquency: the nexus of childhood maltreatment, depression and bipolar disorder

Background It is important to identify and provide preventative interventions for youth who are most at risk for offending behaviour, but the connection between early childhood or adolescent experiences and later delinquency adjudication is complicated. Aim To test for associations between specified mental disorders or maltreatment and later delinquency adjudication.Method Participants were a random sample of youth before the juvenile courts in two Northeast Ohio counties in the USA (n = 555) over a 4-year time frame (2003 to 2006).Results Logistic regression analysis identified a lifetime diagnosis of depression and/or bipolar disorder to be predictive of later youth delinquency adjudication, but found that childhood maltreatment (or involvement with the child welfare system) made delinquency outcomes less likely. Implications Study implications are discussed as they relate to professionals working in the fields of child welfare, social work, mental health and juvenile justice. Awareness of risks associated with maltreatment may have led to effective interventions, while there may be less awareness of risks from depression in young people; however, studies tend not to take account of intervention variables. Language: en
Tribal Demography: The Hopi and Navaho Populations as Seen Through Manuscripts from the 1900 U.S. Census

Those Native American tribes which did not disappear or disintegrate as a result of their contact with Western invaders are currently undergoing the demographic transition. Like most of the world’s pre-industrial peoples they have experienced a dramatic fall in their traditionally high death rates followed by an accelerated period of population growth. The degree to which traditional fertility patterns have responded to these changes has proved to be somewhat easier to determine in the case of select Native American groups than it often is in other parts of the world because most tribes are small, geographically concentrated, and encapsulated in an advanced bureaucratic state. But the relative ease with which contemporary demographic change can be observed and analyzed, is not paralleled by a similar situation with respect to the earlier stages of the demographic transition. Little is known about the demographic situation prevailing among most tribal groups in the early stages of demographic transition when mortality rates began a sustained decline (generally the 1930s). Next to nothing is known about overall tribal mortality and fertility patterns in the decades immediately preceding the formal onset of the transition. Hence it is not presently possible to explore the extent to which traditional demographic differences between tribal groups have been and may still be influencing present differences in demographic response patterns.
Near infrared reflectance properties of metal oxide nanoparticles

Powders of nanocrystalline metal oxides were compared with common macrocrystalline powders and minerals for their ability to reflect near-infrared light (NIR) (750−2500 nm). The nanocrystalline metal oxides were found to possess higher NIR reflectance values (∼15−20%) and this can be attributed to their smaller crystallite sizes coupled with smaller mean aggregate sizes in accordance with the Kubelka−Munk theory.
Medical Consultation on Surgical Services: An Annotated Bibliography

This bibliography provides a literature base for residents on medical consultation services and for internists performing consultations in a field that is difficult to research through Index Medicus.
Superconductivity at 30 K in caesium-doped C60

RECENTLY there has been significant effort directed towards exploring the physical and chemical properties of C60 and other large carbon clusters1–11. Particularly intriguing are reports of superconductivity in potassium- and rubidium-doped C60 crystals and films5–7. The transition temperatures (Tc) for K-doped C60 (18 K) and Rb-doped C60 (∼28 K) are significantly higher than those reported previously for other molecular superconductors12. Earlier attempts to prepare a caesium-doped superconducting phase7 have proved unsuccessful. Here we report that a Cs-doped superconductor can be prepared by using as the dopant binary alloys of the type CsM (where M is Hg, Tl or Bi). We observe a reproducible superconducting transition in CsxC60 (x = 1.2–3) at 30 K, demonstrated by flux expulsion (the Meissner effect) and flux exclusion (shielding) d.c. magnetization measurements. The low superconducting volume fraction (∼1%) suggests that further studies will be needed to determine the optimal doping concentra-tion and to place tighter bounds on Tc.
Management of nonpalpable ultrasound-indeterminate breast lesions.

Abstract Background A series of such lesions was studied to determine the validity of applying criteria routinely used to manage palpable breast cysts to the management of mammographically detected, nonpalpable breast lesions characterized as indeterminate on ultrasound (US). Methods The clinicopathologic data from a series of 134 patients who underwent US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy for nonpalpable, mammographically detected breast lesions, categorized as indeterminate on US, were reviewed. Results Of 139 indeterminate lesions, 78 were consistent with complex cysts, whereas in 61, the cystic-versus-solid nature was indistinguishable. All 71 complex cyst lesions that contained nonbloody fluid and resolved completely were benign. Two of 7 complex cyst lesions that had incomplete resolution, bloody aspirate, or both were malignant. Of 61 cystic-versus-solid lesions, 29 and 32 were primarily solid and cystic, respectively. Three of the 29 solid lesions were malignant. Of the 32 cystic lesions, all 26 that contained nonbloody fluid and resolved completely were benign, whereas 1 of 6 lesions that had incomplete resolution, bloody aspirate, or both was malignant. Conclusion Criteria such as complete resolution and nonbloody aspirate are an effective adjunct to the management of nonpalpable, mammographically detected breast lesions categorized as indeterminate by US.
Self-similar Collapse of Magnetized Molecular Cloud Cores with Ambipolar Diffusion and the “Magnetic Flux Problem” in Star Formation

We investigate the dynamic collapse of magnetized singular isothermal spheres in the presence of ambipolar diffusion, using a self-similarity technique. The spherical geometry, a crucial idealization first introduced by Safier, McKee, & Stahler to study the evolution of magnetized clouds, is made possible by ignoring magnetic tension forces. We find that, in the limit of a complete coupling between magnetic fields and neutral matter, magnetized spheres collapse via an expansion-wave solution, as in the (nonmagnetized) singular isothermal case. The presence of ambipolar diffusion modifies the collapse in two interesting ways. First, it smooths out the kinky wave head into an expansion wave of continuous (or "C") type. Second, ambipolar diffusion allows magnetic fields to decouple from rapidly collapsing neutral matter at small radii near the central point mass, thereby reducing the amount of magnetic flux dragged into the origin. We obtain viable collapse solutions with various amounts of magnetic flux at the center, including special ones that have no central flux at all. In such special cases, the long-standing "magnetic flux problem" in star formation is completely resolved. Furthermore, we show that the decoupled magnetic flux drives a hydromagnetic accretion shock against the dynamically collapsing envelope, as suggested previously by Li & McKee. Depending on the degree of coupling between magnetic fields and neutral matter and the amount of magnetic flux released from the central compact object, the accretion shock (which modifies the flow dynamics significantly) could either be of purely C type or have an embedded J subshock.
The Finances of Mexico City During the War of Independence

During the last fifty years a considerable amount of material relating to the institutional structure of the Spanish colonial city in America has appeared. In most instances, however, this material directed itself to a consideration of colonial city governments shortly after the Conquest or during the zenith of the empire. Of equal interest should be a consideration of these institutions at the moment of their disintegration, that is, during the Spanish American Wars of Independence.
Momentum strategies with stock index exchange-traded funds

Abstract Previously reported momentum profits may not be available to individual investors who have more trading constraints. Therefore, I examine the profitability of momentum strategies with international iShares and US sector exchange-traded funds (ETFs) traded on the NYSE. The index ETFs provide individual investors easy access to international stock markets and US sectors for asset allocations. Using cross-sectional momentum strategies, in contrast to prior research, I find that momentum profits are insignificant for the late 1990s–2014 period. Few country and industry ETFs yield positive results using time series momentum, and the overall performance is worse than the buy-and-hold strategy. Time series momentum offers significant profits during the 2008 global financial crisis, but the profits decline sharply for the post-crisis period.
Creating Assessment Tools for Cybersecurity Education (Abstract Only)

Recent large-scale data breaches such as the credit card scandals of Target and Home Depot have significantly raised the public awareness of the importance of the security of their data and personal information. These incidents highlight a growing need and urgency to develop the cybersecurity infrastructure of our country and in the world. The development of ACM's Computer Science Curriculum 2013 and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education framework further highlight the growing importance of cybersecurity in computing education. Critically, recent studies predict that there will be a significant demand for cybersecurity professionals in the coming years, yet there is a lack of rigorous evidence-based infrastructure to advise educators on how best to engage, inform, educate, nurture, and retain cybersecurity students and how best to structure cybersecurity curricula to prepare new professionals for careers in this field. The development of validated assessment tools of student learning provide one means for increasing the rigor with which we make pedagogical and curricular decisions. During this Birds of a Feather session, participants will engage in a structured dialogue to identify what assessment tools are needed to improve cybersecurity education. Further, participants will provide feedback on initial efforts to identify a core set of concepts and skills that will be essential for students' success in cybersecurity fields.
The glycosphingolipids and glycosyl hydrolases of human blood platelets.

Abstract Neutral and acidic glycosphingolipids were isolated and quantitated from fresh, washed human blood platelets. Enzymatic assays for α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, and N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase A and B showed significant activity of these glycosyl hydrolases in whole platelet homogenates. Only minimal β-glucosidase activity was found. Activity levels for normal controls and patients with two glycosphingolipidoses, Fabry's and Sandhoff's diseases, were determined and the diagnostic value of platelet enzyme assay for such glycosphingolipidoses established.
Liquid—liquid—vapor phase equilibria behavior of certain binary nitrous oxide + n-alkylbenzene mixtures

Abstract Liquid—liquid—vapor (LLV) loci for the binary mixtures nitrous oxide+ n-undecylbenzene and nitrous oxide+n-tetradecylbenzene were experimentally studied using a visual cell (stoichiometric) technique. The pressure, temperature, compositions and molar volumes of the liquid phases in these multiphase systems are reported. Estimates of the compositions of the vapor phases are made. LLV loci end points are reported for all the nitrous oxide+n-alkylbenzene mixtures from n-decylbenzene to n-tetradecylbenzene. For the homologous series of nitrous oxide+n-alkylbenzene binary mixtures, the topographical nature of the LLV loci is similar to that of the ethane+n-alkylbenzene homologous series. n-Decylbenzene was found to be the first member of the series to exhibit LLV immiscibility with nitrous oxide. For the two n-alkylbenzenes studied in detail, the LLV loci have the same type of behavior: they extend from a lower critical end point (LCEP) to an upper critical end point (K point).
Applications of step-scan FTIR photoacoustic depth profiling

The use of step-scan Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy combined with photoacoustic (PA) detection is used to depth profile laminated polymeric materials. Depth profiling can be performed using a combination of the modulation frequency dependence and phase lag of the PA signal.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Multidetector computed tomography shows intramyocardial fat deposition

Background Intramyocardial fat deposition occurs as an age-related process and in multiple pathologic processes. Objective We evaluated the presence of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) intramyocardial fat with 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Methods One hundred persons with no history of coronary artery disease (47 women, 53 men; mean age [± SD], 53 ± 12.2 years) and 25 patients with CT findings of myocardial infarction (17 men, 8 women; mean age, 71.3 ± 9.6 years) were studied for intramyocardial fat in defined segments of the ventricles (17 LV and 10 RV segments) at 3 levels. Fat deposition was defined as density range of −30 to −190 Hounsfield units on images both before and after contrast. Results In healthy persons, LV intramyocardial fat was primarily located in the basal segments (5% anteroseptal, 5% inferior), and RV intramyocardial fat was primarily located in the anterolateral (24% of base, 23% of mid) and inferolateral (27% base, 27% mid) segments. Older age was associated with an increased odds of RV (sex-adjusted odds ratio [OR] per decade increment, 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–2.33; P = 0.012) but not LV (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.67–1.40; P = 0.85) intramyocardial fat. Compared with women, men had a lower risk of LV (95% CI, 0.1–0.64; P = 0.004) but not RV (95% CI, 0.35–1.87; P = 0.62) intramyocardial fat. Patients with old myocardial infarction (>3 years) had increased percentage of fat in infarcted left ventricles at all 3 levels ( P ≤ 0.004). Conclusions Intramyocardial fat can be detected by MDCT and is common in healthy and infarcted myocardium.
Interpretations of Space-Time Spectral Energy Equations.

Abstract Interpretations are given of two different formulations of space-time spectral energy equations derived by Kao (1968) and Hayashi (1980). Contrary to Kao's interpretation, it is argued that his formulation does not describe how spectral energy is maintained, since his equation corresponds to the imaginary part of the energy equation of space-time Fourier components which governs the frequency (time change of phase). On the other hand, Hayashi's formulation is consistent with Saltzman's (1957) wavenumber spectral energy equation, since his formulation corresponds to the real part which governs the growth rate (time change of amplitude).
Authority and Leadership Patterns in Public Sector Knowledge Networks

Knowledge and information-sharing networks are emerging in an increasing number of government programs and policy arenas. This article reports the results of an exploratory investigation into ways in which leadership and formal authority shaped the course of four knowledge network initiatives. The study treats authority as both formal and perceived. Leadership is assessed in terms of style, focus, and communication strategies. Analysis of the various authority and leadership patterns found in the case studies generated a set of hypotheses with regard to their influence on success of knowledge networks. Findings reveal that formal authority, perceived authority, and a variety of leadership behaviors appear to have important influence on the development and performance of public sector knowledge networks. These factors affect the ability of such networks to achieve their substantive goals and the degree to which these efforts provide satisfying and useful networking relationships among the participants.
Experience counts: females favor multiply mated males over chemically endowed virgins in a moth ( Utetheisa ornatrix )

Determining the factors that affect male mating success is essential to understanding how sexual selection operates, including explanations of the adaptive value of female preferences and how variation in male traits is maintained in a population. Although females may appear to choose males based on a single parameter, female mate choice is often a complex series of assessments of male quality that can only be revealed through manipulation of multiple male traits. In the moth Utetheisa ornatrix (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), females have been shown to judge males primarily on their production of a courtship pheromone, hydroxydanaidal, derived from defensive chemicals acquired as larvae. Recent work, however, suggested that other factors, including prior mating experience by males, may also influence the outcome of precopulatory interactions with females. I ran mating trials with one female and two males to determine whether there were any differences in male mating success based on their prior exposure to females, mating experience, and time between matings. Previously mated males were favored over virgins when both males lacked the pheromone, but courting experience and mating interval did not explain these differences in male mating success. Furthermore, multiply mated males lacking the pheromone were favored over virgin males that produced the pheromone, thus reversing the commonly observed trend of female precopulatory bias towards males with higher levels of the pheromone. These results demonstrate that males with mating experience can secure copulations despite deficiencies in the pheromone, and I provide possible mechanisms and discuss their implications regarding sexual selection.
Investigation of unsaturated flow in woven, braided and stitched fiber mats during mold‐filling in resin transfer molding

In Resin Transfer Molding (RPM), which is a process to manufacture polymer composites, the impregnation of fibrous reinforcement In the form of mats by a thermosetting resin is modeled as the flow of a Newtonian liquid through a single length-scale porous medium. While this approach is sufficiently accurate for random fiber-mats, it can lead to appreciable errors when applied to woven, braided, or stitched fiber-mats that contain two length scales. This work investigates the primary factors governing the isothermal unsaturated flow through such dual-scale porous media. Two studies were conducted to better understand this phenomenon: the first experimenatally investigated the flow, while the second theoretically modeled the flow and identified important parameters affecting such a flow with the help of dimensionless analysis. In the first study, one-dimensional constant injection rate experiments were performed using various fiber mats. The unsaturated flow behavior of various mats was characterized using a constant “sink” term in the continuity equation. Results indicated that for a given fiber-mat, the magnitude of the sink effect was a function of the capillary number. In the second study, a numerical model was developed to describe flow through dual-scale preforms in which the two flow domains, the inter- and intra-tow regions, were coupled. We identified a dimensionless number called the sink effect index ψ that characterizes the magnitude of liquid absorption by the tows and is a function of the relative resistance to flow in the tow and inter-tow regions, and the packing density of the tows. The parametric study of this index with the help of numerical simulations reveals its influence on the flow and identifies the distinct transient and steady-state flow regimes.
Coping with Intimate Partner Violence: Battered Women's Use and Perceived Helpfulness of Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies

ABSTRACT This study investigated intimate partner violence (IPV) victims' emotion-focused coping efforts, as well as their retrospective ratings of the perceived helpfulness of these efforts, in the context of a longitudinal study of battered women's experiences over time. Four hundred and six primarily African American, low-income battered women who had experienced IPV within the previous 12 months were interviewed. Patterns of coping use and perceived helpfulness were explored. The correlation between prevalence of use of emotion-focused coping strategies and perceived helpfulness of these strategies was examined, and results showed that the strategies used by more battered women were less helpful in dealing with feelings about abuse. Implications for clinical interventions with battered women are discussed.
A Search Algorithm for Calculating Validated Reliability Bounds

The search algorithm presented allows the CDF of a dependent variable to be bounded with 100% confidence, and allows for a guaranteed evaluation of the error involved. These reliability bounds are often enough to make decisions, and often require a minimal number of function evaluations. The procedure is not intrusive, i.e. it can be equally applied when the function is a complex computer model (black box). The proposed procedure can handle input information consisting of probabilistic, interval-valued, set-valued, or random-set-valued information, as well as any combination thereof. The function as well as the joint pdf of the input variables can be of any type.
Mid-diastolic opening of the pulmonary valve after right ventricular infarction

Premature opening of the pulmonary valve in mid-diastole before atrial systole was observed during inspiration in a patient with extensive right ventricular infarction. Transient inspiratory elevation of right ventricular diastolic pressure to a level exceeding pulmonary artery pressure was documented. Although forward flow into the pulmonary artery was seen on Doppler echocardiography after atrial systole, most of the flow continued to be in response to right ventricular contraction, despite extensive infarction.
Customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability: Findings from Sweden.

Are there economic benefits to improving customer satisfaction? Many firms that are frustrated in their efforts to improve quality and customer satisfaction are beginning to question the link betwe...
Holiday Heart Syndrome

Scenario: A 53-year-old male arrived at the mentally ill/chemically addicted unit with acute alcohol withdrawal. His electrocardiogram (ECG) showed the cardiac rhythm below. The patient was a recovering alcoholic but a week earlier had left his family and checked into a motel to drink alcohol. He had stopped eating and had been drinking continuously when he noticed chest palpitations and shortness of breath the day before Thanksgiving. However, he delayed going to the hospital until after Thanksgiving because he wanted to watch the football games. Before the diagnosis of alcoholism 2 years earlier, the business executive had no medical issues; in fact, he had been very healthy and had run marathons. A regular feature of the American Journal of Critical Care, the ECG Puzzler addresses electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation for clinical practice. To send an eLetter or to contribute to an online discussion about this article, visit www.ajcconline.org and click “Respond to This Article” on either the full-text or PDF view of the article. We welcome letters regarding this feature.
Density measurements as a condition monitoring approach for following the aging of nuclear power plant cable materials

Monitoring changes in material density has been suggested as a potentially useful condition monitoring (CM) method for following the aging of cable jacket and insulation materials in nuclear power plants. In this study, we compare density measurements and ultimate tensile elongation results versus aging time for most of the important generic types of commercial nuclear power plant cable materials. Aging conditions, which include thermal-only, as well as combined radiation plus thermal, were chosen such that potentially anomalous effects caused by diffusion-limited oxidation (DLO) are unimportant. The results show that easily measurable density increases occur in most important cable materials. For some materials and environments, the density change occurs at a fairly constant rate throughout the mechanical property lifetime. For cases involving so-called induction-time behavior, density increases are slow to moderate until after the induction time, at which point they begin to increase dramatically. In other instances, density increases rapidly at first, then slows down. The results offer strong evidence that density measurements, which reflect property changes under both radiation and thermal conditions, could represent a very useful CM approach.
Transient State Kinetic Studies of the MutT-Catalyzed Nucleoside Triphosphate Pyrophosphohydrolase Reaction†

The MutT pyrophosphohydrolase, in the presence of Mg2+, catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphates by nucleophilic substitution at Pβ, to yield the nucleotide and PPi. The best substrate for MutT is the mutagenic 8-oxo-dGTP, on the basis of its Km being 540-fold lower than that of dGTP. Product inhibition studies have led to a proposed uni-bi-iso kinetic mechanism, in which PPi dissociates first from the enzyme−product complex (k3), followed by NMP (k4), leaving a product-binding form of the enzyme (F) which converts to the substrate-binding form (E) in a partially rate-limiting step (k5) [Saraswat, V., et al. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 15566−15577]. Single- and multiple-turnover kinetic studies of the hydrolysis of dGTP and 8-oxo-dGTP and global fitting of the data to this mechanism have yielded all of the nine rate constants. Consistent with an “iso” mechanism, single-turnover studies with dGTP and 8-oxo-dGTP hydrolysis showed slow apparent second-order rate constants for substrate binding simila...
The low-frequency conductivity in localized disordered systems

Abstract A new theory for the ac conductivity at very low frequencies in disordered insulators is developed, and applied to systems with a constant density of states near the Fermi energy. The theory results in a linear frequency dependence of the real part of the conductivity, by contrast with previous theories that predict a quadratic dependence. The reason for the new result, which is not analytic at zero frequency, is the absence of a maximum relaxation time for polarization. The frequency and temperature dependence of the present theory are in much better agreement with recent experiments by Long on amorphous silicon.
Hydrothermal Syntheses and Properties of New Layered Alkaline Earth Molybdate(VI) Hydrates: Single-Crystal Structure of BaMo4O13 · 2H2O

Abstract The hydrothermal synthesis, X-ray single crystal structure, and some properties of the new layered BaMo 4 O 13 · 2H 2 O are described. (Crystal data: BaMo 4 O 13 · 2H 2 O, M τ = 765.11, orthorhombic, space group Pbna (No. 60), a = 7.680 (2) A, b = 15.756 (3) A, c = 19.689 (3) A, V = 2382.5 A 3 , Z = 8, R(F) = 4.00% R w (F) = 4.39% [3059 reflections with I > 3σ(I)]) BaMo 4 O 13 · 2H 2 O is the first well-characterized barium molybdate hydrate to be reported, and contains three distinct MoO 6 units and an unusual, distorted, MoO 5 group in its layer structure. The 9-coordinate Ba 2+ cations and water molecules provide the interlayer packing between the [Mo 4 O 13 ] 2- sheets. SrMo 4 O 13 · 2H 2 O has also been prepared, and is isostructural with BaMo 4 O 13 · 2H 2 O, on the basis of powder X-ray, TGA, and IR data.
Rapid Laser-Induced Chemical Etching Of Semiconductors

Laser-induced chemical etching has been demonstrated in a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, insulators and semiconductors. Depending on the laser and the gas used, etching can be quite rapid, especially when compared with reactive ion etching rates. Since it is frequently desirable to work with a gas-solid system that is inert in the absence of radiation, rather high power densities are often required to achieve etching. When the solid is the principal light absorber in the system, such power densities result in intense local excitation of the solid, as well as heat. Using semiconductor etching as an example, several factors which may be responsible for fast etch rates have been identified. These include the consequences of high temperatures at the solid surface, as well as evidence for participation of photo-generated carriers in the etching chemistry in a model system.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Disorder physics in mixtures of fermionic atoms

A mixture of light and heavy fermionic atoms in an optical lattice is considered. Tunneling of the heavy atoms is neglected such that they are only subject to thermal fluctuations. There is a complex interplay between light and heavy atoms which results in an Ising-like distribution of heavy atoms with a first-order transition from homogeneous to staggered order. A second-order transition is possible between an ordered and a disordered phase of heavy atoms. Depending on the phase of heavy atoms, light atoms are scattered around and can propagate, diffuse, and localize. Due to correlations in the disordered phase of heavy atoms, there can be a gap in the spectrum of light atoms, leading to a Mottlike incompressible state.
Coupling the cholesterol- and tumor-suppressive actions of palm oil to the impact of its minor constituents on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase activity

The impact of palm oil on cardiovascular disease and cancer may be explained by the mevalonate-suppressive action of constituent isoprenoid end products of plant secondary metabolism. Assorted monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, carotenoids and tocotrienols down regulate, post-transcriptionally, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity thereby modestly decreasing cholesterol synthesis and concomitantly decreasing LDL cholesterol. The reductase activity in tumor tissues differs from that of liver in being resistant to sterol feedback regulation. Tumor reductase activity retains sensitivity to the post-transcriptional regulation. As a consequence, the isoprenoid-mediated suppression of mevalonate synthesis depletes tumor tissues of two intermediate products, farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, which are incorporated post-translationally into growth control-associated proteins.
2200°C Fuel Centerline Thermocouples for the Loft Program

The technology, as well as commercial suppliers, have been developed for high temperature thermocouples for the Loss-of-Fluid-Test (LOFT)* program. Two types of thermocouples were developed and tested. Model B units contained a 1.6 mm (1/16-inch) O. D., 61 cm (24-inch) long Mo/Re sheath probe and were capable of temperature measurement to 1550°C. Model A units contained 1.6 mm O. D., 104 cm long W/Re-augmented sheath probe and were capable of temperature measurement to 2200°C. Both thermocouples were insulated with sintered HfO2 insulators and contained W/5Re-W/26Re thermoelement wires. Both probe sheaths were terminated with an Al2O3 ceramic-to-metal seal capable of maintaining hermeticity to 10-9 cc He/s during temperature transients to 360°C/ min. at 7.2 MPa (2500 psi) continuous and pressure transients of 2.4 MPa (350 psi)/s at 450°C continuous. The ceramic seal and thermoelement wires were connected by means of a transition assembly to a 7.6 m (25 ft.) length of stainless steel sheath MgO insulated cable for signal transmission to the ex-vessel reactor measurement instrumentation. The thermocouples operated for 1,000 hours at their maximum operating temperatures of 2200°C (model A) and 1550°C (model B) with less than 2% drift in the EMF output. The thermocouples also survived thermal transients of up to 145°C/s with no measureable degredation in measurement performance. The time response of the thermocouples was measured to be less than 2-1/2 seconds at 2000°C and less than 5 seconds at 1500°C. The wire-to-sheath insulation resistance after temperature testing remained >1012 ohms.
THE CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE REACTION PRODUCT BETWEEN TRIMETHYLAMMONIUM IODIDE AND TCNQ. A TERNARY 1‐D SEMICONDUCTOR WITH “METAL‐LIKE” CONDUCTIVITY

New results on an extensive series of physical and chemical measurements on (NMe3H+)(I3−)1/3 (TCNQ) are reported. The data, including transverse conductivity and thermoelectric power, reflectivity and X-ray studies, indicate that this system is a semiconductor at high temperatures (>240K) with a strongly temperature dependent mobility despite its lsέtal-like’ conductivity. A semiconductor-semiconductor transition is observed at 150K with a second transition suggested at 89K.The role of large on site coulomb repulsion (U) is indicated. An unusual variation in the degree of disorder among the iodine stacks is reported, with no change observed in the iodine order at the 150K transition.
Low-temperature structural phase transitions in NH4L(SO4)2

From the specific-heat (${\mathit{C}}_{\mathit{p}}$) measurements on the isostructural ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$L(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O (L=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Tb) Tb) crystals at 100 K T300 K, it is shown that these crystals undergo two structural phase transitions, ${\mathit{T}}_{1}$ and ${\mathit{T}}_{2}$, in the aforesaid temperature range. The observed shapes of the anomalies in the specific heat and their associated entropies are such that ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$La(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O crystals have a low-temperature phase-transition behavior that is different from that observed in ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$L(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O (L=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Tb). Also, our room-temperature infrared results and unit-cell parameters of ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$Dy(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O crystals indicate that the lattice is isostructural with the rest of the series but no transitions occur at 100 K T300 K. Unlike other isostructural lanthanide series, the phase-transition temperatures for ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$L(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O show no straightforward correlation either with the unit-cell parameters or with the host-lanthanide-ion's ionic radius. Further, the lattice-stability model, which successfully maps the trend of phase-transition temperatures for isostructural lanthanide orthoaluminates or pentaphosphates, is inadequate for predicting the observed behavior of ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}$L(${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${4\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O lattices.
Mesoscale modeling of dynamic compression of boron carbide polycrystals

Abstract An anisotropic nonlinear elastic model is advanced for crystals belonging to either of two polytypes of boron carbide ceramic. Crystals undergo transformation to an isotropic, amorphous phase upon attainment of a local state-based criterion associated with a loss of intrinsic stability. The model is implemented using the dynamic finite element method, and is demonstrated on a representative volume consisting of fifty polyhedral grains subjected to uniaxial strain at a uniform high strain rate and shock compression at axial pressures ranging from 10 to 50 GPa. Predicted stress–strain behavior is in close agreement with experimental data. For polycrystals consisting of both polytypes, amorphization initiates at stress levels slightly below the experimental Hugoniot elastic limit, and occurs more readily than observed in experiment. For polycrystals consisting only of the CBC (polar) polytype, amorphization initiates at impact pressures similar to those suggested by experiment. In either case, transformation is promoted by dynamic stress interactions and elastic coefficient mismatch among anisotropic crystals. Results support a previous conjecture that amorphization is related to shear instability and cross-linking of the CBC chain in the polar polytype.
Synthesis, structure, and polymerization activity of a titanium complex with a chelating [(hydroxy-κO)amino-κN]phenolato(2-)-κO ligand

A novel titanium complex with a chelating nitroxide ligand, dichloro-2-{[(hydroxy-κO)phenylamino-κN)phenylmethyl}phenolato(2−)-2κO}(tetrahydrofuran)titanium (1), was synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO), 1 displayed moderate activity for the polymerization of propylene.