cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of an Asynchronous Spaced Education Learning Intervention on Emergency Medicine Clinician Opioid Prescribing.

Introduction Opioid prescribing has contributed to the opioid crisis and education has focused on improved opioid stewardship. We aimed to evaluate the impact of an asynchronous high-quality education to change emergency medicine (EM) clinician opioid prescribing. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of a spaced-education intervention in EM clinicians who work at an urban, university-affiliated academic medical center emergency department. We developed opioid prescribing educational content and investigated whether prescriber participation in a novel asynchronous educational program, QuizTime, was associated with a change in EM clinician opioid prescribing practices and whether those prescribing practice changes would be maintained. The primary outcome was the frequency of opioid prescriptions by attributable emergency department discharges. We compared the frequency during the post-intervention period, 24 months following QuizTime education (July 2018 - June 2020) to the baseline period (November 2016 - March 2018). The secondary outcomes were total morphine milligram equivalent (MME) and the number of tablets dispensed per prescription. We analyzed the outcomes by EM clinicians' level of participation in QuizTime education. Results During the study period, there was an overall reduction in opioid prescribing per attributable emergency department discharge (p < 0.001). Among the 45 prescribers who enrolled in QuizTime, there was a significant reduction of 4.3 (95% CI: 3.9, 4.6, p < 0.001) opioid prescriptions per 100 ED discharges in the post-intervention period compared to baseline. Among the 11 non-enrollees, there was a significant reduction of 2.4 (95% CI: 1.7, 3.1, p < 0.001) opioid prescriptions per 100 emergency department discharges in the post-intervention period compared to baseline. The prescribers enrolled in QuizTime had a significantly larger reduction in prescriptions compared to those who did not enroll (p < 0.001). A decreasing trend of total MME and the number of tablets dispensed was observed (p < 0.001). However, there was insufficient evidence to show a reduction in the number of tablets dispensed or MME per day. Conclusion EM clinician participation in the QuizTime Pain Management educational program was associated with a nearly two-fold decrease in opioid prescriptions per emergency department discharge compared to peers who chose not to enroll.
Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES): Open-source spatial modeling of cultural services

Abstract Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) version 4.0 is a fully open-source, GIS-based tool designed to aid in the creation of quantitative, spatially explicit models of the nonmonetary values attributed to cultural ecosystem services, such as aesthetics and recreation, specifically to facilitate their incorporation into larger ecosystem service assessments. Newly redeveloped for QGIS, SolVES can be applied in a wide variety of biophysical and social contexts including mountain, forest, coastal, riparian, agricultural, and urban settings worldwide. Redeveloping SolVES for an open-source platform was intended to expand its user base by eliminating the cost of proprietary GIS software licenses and to remove the impact of proprietary software changes on SolVES development. Providing additional options would enable users to delineate relevant stakeholder groups to better assess how differing preferences impact the intensity and spatial distribution of perceived social values.
The what and why of self-deception

Scholars from many disciplines have investigated self-deception, but defining self-deception and establishing its possible benefits have been a matter of heated debate — a debate impoverished by a relative lack of empirical research. Drawing on recent research, we first classify three distinct definitions of self-deception, ranging from a view that self-deception is synonymous with positive illusions to a more stringent view that self-deception requires the presence of simultaneous conflicting beliefs. We then review recent research on the possible benefits of self-deception, identifying three adaptive functions: deceiving others, social status, and psychological benefits. We suggest potential directions for future research.
A Scanning Micro-Mirror with an Adjustable Focal Length for Endoscope Applications

In this work, we report design, fabrication and characterization of a 3-D scanning micro-mirror device that combines 2-D beam scanning with focus control in the same device using micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) technology. The micro-mirror consists of a biaxial gimbal structure for 2-D beam scanning, and a deformable mirror membrane surface to achieve focus control. The micro-mirror with 800 micrometer diameter is designed to be sufficiently compact and efficient so that it can be incorporated into an endoscopic imaging probe. Using the focus-tracking MEMS scanning mirror, we achieved an optical scanning range of >16 degrees with <40 V actuation voltage at resonance and a tunable focal length between infinity and 25 mm with <100 V applied bias. We have also obtained imaging results using a micro-mirror with beam scanning-only function in both time-domain and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography systems.
Losing Face: Francis Bacon's 25th Hour

Spike Lee’s film 25 th Hour begins with an act of violence that it does not show: instead, the viewer hears the sounds of a dog being beaten. The dog’s menacing growl is then transformed into the growling image of Montgomery ‘Monty’ Brogan’s car speeding through New York. Monty spots the dog, and stops. It is only then that the viewer witnesses the results of the film’s ‘foundational’ act of violence: the bloody body of a dog beaten to pulp. When Monty approaches the dog, it turns out the animal ‘still has some bite left in him’. Perhaps because the dog is a fighter, Monty decides to save him. Although the dog resists, he ultimately manages to get the dog in the trunk of his car. But Monty does not emerge from the rescue operation unscathed: blood is trickling from a cut in his neck. This scene can be read as a pre-figuration of a stomach-turning scene towards the end of the film, in which Monty’s friend Francis ‘Frank’ Slaughtery will beat up Monty’s face beyond recognition so that Monty will not be raped on his first night in jail. Monty’s face recalls the dog at the beginning of the film. It is through the bloody mess of their bodies that Monty and the dog begin to communicate, to enter into communion. This essay explores how this communion, this communication between Monty and the dog, comes about. I am interested, specifically, in what the significance of such an exploration might be for contemporary conceptions of community. The essay initially approaches this topic against the background of Emmanuel Levinas’ work on ethics, in which the notion of the face has played a crucial role. But its aim is really to situate the film, through the references to the work of Francis Bacon that it includes, in a more contemporary, post-Levinasian debate on an ethics of defacement. I am particularly interested in exploring the significance of such an ethics in the post-September 11 era, which is explicitly evoked at the beginning of Lee’s film. My argument is that Monty and the dog begin to communicate, to enter into a communion, and thus to form a community, through a process of defacement that simultaneously strips them from their ways of life and propels them into a shared ethical and political becoming.
OBJ-NET: An Object Oriented System Design Tool

Computer-based Systems are used in a wide range of complex systems like automobile assembly lines, power plants, etc. These systems consist of heterogeneous subsystems having a multitude of interactions with other subsystems and environments. Designing software for such systems is a difficult task due to the inherent complexity both at conceptual and implementation levels. When developing a large system, the constituent subsystems may be developed separately. Those subsystems may work well on their own, but may fail to work together with other subsystems and fail to respond to interfacing events. This paper presents OBJ-NET, an object oriented system design tool, which provides a suitable framework for the specification and simulation of complex dynamic systems. The theoretical basis of OBJ-NET is from Category Theory and Petri Nets. OBJ-NET helps users to integrate complex systems by modeling a system as a hierarchy of components. It accepts the flow of control from one set of objects to another and simulates the flow of control among the various components of the system. This will allow a user to validate the correctedness of design and interactively change the design to refine the working of the system. This paper describes the various components of OBJ-NET in detail and illustrates the application of OBJ-NET using, as a working example, the specification and simulation of an Automotive Dashboard System.
A Compilation Approach for Fortran 90D/ HPF Compilers

This paper describes a compilation approach for a Fortran 90D/HPF compiler, a source-to-source parallel compiler for distributed memory systems. Different from Fortran 77 parallelizing compilers, a Fortran90D/HPF compiler does not parallelize sequential constructs. Only parallelism expressed by Fortran 90D/HPF parallel constructs is exploited. The methodology of compilation of Fortran 90D/HPF programs such as computation partitioning, communication detection and generation are discussed. An example of Gaussian Elimination is used to illustrate the compilation techniques with performance results.
Construct validity in measurement: A pattern matching approach

Abstract Construct validity refers to how well operationalizations in research reflect the theoretical constructs they are supposed to reflect. The multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrix framework proposed by Campbell and Fiske (Psychology Bulletin, 56, 81–105, 1959) is the most widely known and used method for establishing construct validity. In determining if there is construct validity using the MTMM approach, researchers should have some idea or expectation of the interrelationships among constructs and the methods used to measure them. Structured conceptualization can be used to articulate the expected relationships between constructs that are being measured. The resulting theoretical concept map can then be compared with correlations in the MTMM matrix using a pattern matching approach to assess the degree of construct validity evidenced .
Sparse representation of ultrasonic guided‐waves for robust damage detection in pipelines under varying environmental and operational conditions

Summary The challenges of guided-wave based structural health monitoring can be discussed under three headings: (a) multiple modes, (b) multi-path reflections, and (c) sensitivity to environmental and operational conditions (EOCs). The objective of this paper is to develop damage detection methods that simplify guided-wave signals while retaining damage information and have low sensitivity to EOC variations. A supervised method is proposed for damage detection. The detection performance is maximized, by imposing a sparsity constraint on the signals. This paper reports a diverse set of laboratory and field experiments validating the extent to which EOC variations, as well as damage characteristics can influence the discriminatory power of the damage-sensitive features. The laboratory setup includes an aluminum pipe with temperature varying between 24 and 38 ° C. The method is further validated using an operational hot water supply piping system of different size and configuration than the one used in the laboratory, which operates under noisy environment, with constantly varying flow rate, temperature, and inner pressure. Moreover, the proposed method is used to detect occurrence of consecutive actual damages, namely, a crack and a mass loss as small as 10% and 8% of the wall thickness, respectively. The validation results suggest that a simple binary-labeled training data (i.e., undamaged/damaged), obtained under a limited range of EOCs, are sufficient for the proposed method. That is, the detection method does not require prior knowledge about the characteristics of the damage (e.g., size, type, and location), and/or a training dataset that is obtained from a wide range of EOCs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maternal Condition Does Not Influence Birth Sex Ratios in Anubis Baboons (Papio anubis)

Trivers and Willard predicted that when parental condition has differential effects on the fitness of male and female offspring, parents who are in good condition will bias investment toward the sex that benefits most from additional investment. Efforts to test predictions derived from Trivers and Willard's model have had mixed results, perhaps because most studies have relied on proxy measures of parental condition, such as dominance rank. Here, we examine the effects of female baboons condition on birth sex ratios and post-natal investment, based on visual assessments of maternal body condition. We find that local environmental conditions have significant effects on female condition, but maternal condition at conception has no consistent relationship with birth sex ratios. Mothers who are in poorer condition at the time of conception resume cycling significantly later than females who are in better condition, but the sex of their infants has no effect on the time to resumption of cycling. Thus, our findings provide strong evidence that maternal condition influences females' ability to reproduce, but females do not facultatively adjust the sex ratio of their offspring in relation to their dominance rank or current condition.
The lipid composition of frog retinal rod outer segments.

Les lipides des segments exterieures des bâtonnets de la retine de la grenouille sont principalement composes de phospholipides (66%), glycolipides (23%) et cholesterol (4%). Le phosphatidyle choline, le phosphatidyle ethanolamine et le phosphatidyle serine constituent le 84% des phospholipides. Les resultats ne s'accordent pas avec le concept qu'un rapport eleve du cholesterol aux phospholipides caracterise les membranes du plasma et leurs derives.
A ldquo;non-programming” introduction to programming concepts

This paper discusses introducing students to programming concepts before they study a high-level language. Algorithm specification using flowcharts, and implementation of certain algorithms on a demonstration computer programmed in decimal machine code provide a functional basis which extends by way of analogy to sound programming concepts for both high-level languages and assembler languages.
Visualizing Ca2+-Binding Sites using Refined Oxygen and Carbon Clusters

Identifying Ca2+-binding sites in proteins is the first step towards understanding the molecular basis of diseases related to Ca2+-binding proteins. Currently, these sites are identified in structures either through X-ray crystallography or NMR analysis. However, Ca2+-binding sites are not always visible in X-ray structures due to flexibility in the binding region or low occupancy in a Ca2+-binding site. Similarly, both Ca2+ and its ligand oxygens are not directly observed in NMR structures. To improve our ability to predict Ca2+-binding sites in both X-ray and NMR structures, we report in this paper a new graph theory algorithm (MUGC) to predict Ca2+-binding sites. Using second shell carbon atoms, and without explicit reference to side-chain oxygen ligand coordinates, MUGC is able to achieve 94% sensitivity with 76% selectivity on a dataset of X-ray structures comprised of 43 Ca2+-binding proteins. Additionally, prediction of Ca2+-binding sites in NMR structures were obtained by MUGC using a different set of parameters determined by analysis of both Ca2+-constrained and unconstrained Ca2+-loaded structures derived from NMR data. Based on these more inclusive values, MUGC identified 20 out of 21 Ca2+-binding sites in NMR structures inferred without the use of Ca2+ constraints. MUGC predictions are also highly-selective for Ca2+-binding sites as analyses of binding sites for Mg2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ were not identified as Ca2+-binding sites. These results indicate that the geometric arrangement of the second-shell carbon cluster is sufficient for both accurate identification of Ca2+-binding sites in NMR and X-ray structures, and for selective differentiation between Ca2+ and other relevant divalent cations. This algorithm has been applied to channels and receptors and proven to be very accurate.
Corticosterone “basal levels” and response to ether anesthesia in rats on a water deprivation regimen

Abstract Male hooded rats were subjected to a 23 2 3 - hr water deprivation schedule for 8 weeks. The corticosterone levels of these rats increased between 0800 and 1000 hr if they had always been watered at 1200 hr, but increased between 0600 and 0800 if the daily watering time had been randomized between 0800 and 1200 hr the previous 8 weeks. The corticosterone levels remained high until 1200 hr for both treatments. The results indicate temporal entrainment and a stable, elevated baseline corticosterone concentration. Eight weeks on the deprivation schedule resulted in accelerated corticosterone responses to acute stressors, but the acceleration was minimized when the rats were maintained under continuous ether anesthesia. The procedure of blood sampling under ether anesthesia is valid for water-deprived rats if the sample is drawn within 1.5 min, but it is not valid for up to 3 min as in ad lib rats.
The effect of halide carriers in the spectrographic examination of trace impurities in copper

Abstract A study has been made with the view of applying carrier distillation techniques to the analysis of trace impurities in copper by emission spectroscopy. Of many materials investigated, the halides of copper and silver, particularly the fluorides and chlorides, appear to be promising spectroscopic carriers for this purpose. Detection limits have been measured for sixteen impurity elements in copper both with and without the halide carriers and sensitivity enhancement factors of up to twenty-fold are achieved. Sensitivities, using copper fluoride as the carrier, appear to be at least equivalent to, and in many cases an order of magnitude better than, those achieved in the sensitive globule arc method. There are indications that these carriers are equally effective for impurities in silver, gold and the platinum metals. The technique has been applied to the analysis of arsenic in copper with excellent results.
Discovering classes in microarray data using island counts

We present a new biclustering algorithm to simultaneously discover tissue classes and identify a set of genes that well-characterize these classes from DNA microarray data sets. We employ a combinatorial optimization approach where the object is to simultaneously identify an interesting set of genes and a partition of the array samples that optimizes a certain score based on a novel color island statistic. While this optimization problem is NP-complete in general, we are effectively able to solve problems of interest to optimality using a branch-and-bound algorithm. We have tested the algorithm on a 30 sample Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma data set; it was able to almost perfectly discriminate short-term survivors from long-term survivors and normal controls. Another useful feature of our method is that can easily handle missing expression data.
A general method for plasma membrane isolation by colloidal gold density shift.

Abstract A general method for isolating plasma membranes is described. Vegetative amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum were allowed to directly adsorb raw colloidal gold of particle diameter 10-20 nm. After quenching the gold surface, the cells were lysed and the lysates were diluted in 60% sucrose and centrifuged through a 65% sucrose cushion to selectively pellet the gold-laden membranes. Three generally applicable exogenous cell surface markers were used to follow the plasma membranes: intercalated [ 3 H]cholesterol, octadecylrhodamine, and the adsorbed gold colloid itself. The isolates routinely contained ∼60% of these tags, enriched ∼15-fold with respect to protein. The recovery and degree of enrichment of contaminating markers in the plasma membrane fraction were lysosomes (3% and 1-fold); mitochondria (11% and 3-fold); rough endoplasmic reticulum, as reflected by RNA (3% and 0.7-fold); and DNA (9% and 4-fold). Membrane proteins and lipids were quantitatively solubilized from the gold by detergents. We conclude that this methodology provides an approach to the isolation of plasma membranes which compares favorably to existing techniques with respect to yield, purity, and ease.
Decision-Making Dysfunctions in Psychiatry—Altered Homeostatic Processing?

Decision-making consists of selecting an action from a set of available options. This results in an outcome that changes the state of the decision-maker. Therefore, decision-making is part of a homeostatic process. Individuals with psychiatric disorders show altered decision-making. They select options that are either non-optimal or nonhomeostatic. These dysfunctional patterns of decision-making in individuals with psychiatric disorders may fundamentally relate to problems with homeostatic regulation. These may manifest themselves in (i) how the length of time between decisions and their outcomes influences subsequent decision-making, (ii) how gain and loss feedback are integrated to determine the optimal decision, (iii) how individuals adapt their decision strategies to match the specific context, or (iv) how seemingly maladaptive responses result from an attempt to establish an unstable homeostatic balance.
Descriptive epidemiology of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in Washington county, Maryland, 1975-1991

Abstract Estimates of the incidence of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) were obtained by identifying cases from Washington County, Maryland who were hospitalized at local and regional hospitals over a recent 17 year period. All of the verified cases had evidence of ventricular dilatation and hypokinesis, with a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40%. A total of 26 cases were hospitalized over the period 1975–1991. The average age of the cases at the time of diagnosis was 55.5 years (range 22–80 years of age). About 58% of the subjects were males. A marked increase in newly diagnosed cases of IDC occurred in this population in recent years; 38% of the cases (10 of 26) were newly diagnosed during 1991 alone. Over the period 1975–1991, the average annual incidence rate of hospitalized cases was 1.6 per 100,000 among men and 1.2 per 100,000 among women. During the last 7 years of the case ascertainment period (1985–1991), the average annual incidence rate was 3.5 per 100,000 among men and 2.5 per 100,000 among women. These results provide additional evidence that IDC is being increasingly recognized by clinicians, and underscore the need for an improved understanding of the distribution and determinants of this often fatal condition.
Nkx2.6 expression is transiently and specifically restricted to the branchial region of pharyngeal-stage mouse embryos

Abstract The Nkx2.6 gene belongs to the NK superfamily of homeobox genes ( Harvey, 1996 ). We report here the expression pattern of the murine Nkx2.6 gene during early mouse development, which is unique among the NK family of homeobox genes in that its expression is restricted to the very narrow development period between stages E8.5 and E10.5 of embryogenesis. The distribution of Nkx2.6 transcripts is also quite restricted spatially, with expression detected uniquely within the caudal branchial arches. Nkx2.6 is expressed in all three layers comprising the caudal branchial arches (ectoderm, mesectoderm and endoderm) with the strongest expression being detected in the surface ectoderm.
Plans for the development of a portable absolute gravimeter with a few parts in 109 accuracy

(Accepted for publication March 24, 1978) ABSTRACT: Faller, J.E., Rinker, R.L. and Zumberge, M.A., 1979. Plans for the development of a portable absolute gravimeter with a few parts in 109 accuracy. In: C.A. Whitten, R. Green and B.K. Meade (Editors), Recent Crustal Movements, 1977. Tectonophysics, 52: 107-116. Successful development of a few parts in 109 portable g apparatus (which corresponds to a height sensitivity of about 1 cm) would have an impact on large areas of geodynamics as well as having possible application to earthquake prediction. Furthermore, the use of such an instrument in combination with classical leveling or extraterrestrially determined height data would yield information on internal mass motions. The plans for the development of such an instrument at JILA using the method of free fall will be given. The proposed interferometric method uses one element of an optical interferometer as the dropped object. Recent work has resulted in substantial progress towards the development of a new type of long-period (T > 60 sec) suspension for isolating the reference mirror (corner cube) in the interferometer. Improvements here over the isolation methods previously available, together with state-of-the-art timing and interferometric techniques, are expected to make it possible to achieve a few parts in 109 accuracy with a field-type instrument.
Modification of the Startle Reflex in a Community Sample: Do One or Two Dimensions of Psychopathy Underlie Emotional Processing?

Recent research on psychopathy has begun to explore two dimensions that possibly underlie psychopathy–one related more to emotional and interpersonal traits, and another related more to antisocial behaviors. A community sample of adults was assessed for psychopathy using Hare's (1991) Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Eyeblinks elicited by startle probes were recorded while participants viewed pictures of emotionally-laden stimuli. Consistent with previous research, participants scoring high on PCL-R Factor 2 (“antisocial”) showed no affective modification of startle if they also scored high on PCL-R Factor 1 (“emotional detachment”). When the factor scores were analyzed together as continuous variables in a regression analysis, however, affective modification of startle was negatively related to Factor 1 but positively related to Factor 2. The results thus provide further support for a two-factor model of psychopathy.Emotion
CHANGES IN NON-PROTEIN NITROGEN METABOLISM DURING TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS BIOSYNTHESIS

1. Discs cut from tobacco leaf tissue infected with tobacco mosaic virus and cultured in water contain less non-protein nitrogen than comparable uninfected discs during the time at which TMV is formed. This deficiency disappears when virus formation ceases. Discs cultured in nutrient solution form about twice as much TMV as discs cultured in water. The maximum non-protein nitrogen deficiency is comparable in magnitude to the amount of virus synthesized. 2. The largest difference between injected and uninfected tissue occurs in the ammonia content. Smaller, but significant differences in amide content are found. Infected discs cultured in water show no significant differences from control discs in free amino acid content; infected discs cultured in nutrient solution develop a small deficiency in amino acid nitrogen. 3. The general patterns of change in composition of the pool of soluble nitrogen are similar in both infected and uninfected discs. 4. The data indicate that the bulk of the nitrogen incorporated into virus protein is withdrawn from the leaf's pool of soluble nitrogen; virus is formed de novo from ammonia nitrogen and non-nitrogenous carbon sources. The effect of virus infection on host nitrogen metabolism appears to be due to the formation of virus rather than to its presence.
New Antithrombotic Strategies for Resistant Thrombotic Processes

Life-threatening thrombo-occlusive events producing heart attacks and strokes develop in patients at sites of atherosclerotic arterial stenoses when plaques rupture, a process resistant to both aspirin and heparin. Resistant thrombotic complications are also troublesome during therapeutic thrombolytic or mechanical interventions for symptomatic atherosclerotic vascular disease, including angioplasty, various types of atherectomies, endarterectomy, endovascular stent deployment, or implanted small caliber vascular grafts. In this review therapeutic strategies for more effective management of these resistant, platelet-dependent, occlusive thrombi are discussed, including: a) inhibition of platelet recruitment by anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibodies, naturally occurring peptides containing RGD sequences, or synthetic competitive analogs; b) direct inactivation of thrombin bound to thrombus by natural or synthetic antithrombin peptides; c) interruption of thrombin's production by natural or synthetic antagonists of Factor Xa or extrinsic and intrinsic coagulation pathways; and d) elimination of thrombogenicity at sites of vascular injury by immediately restoring confluent endothelium or prior therapy with dietary n-3 fatty acids. However, antagonists of both GPIIb/IIIa- and thrombin-dependent platelet recruitment produce equivalent inhibition of thrombus formation and platelet hemostatic function. Interestingly, hemostasis is spared by therapies that inhibit thrombin's production. Recommendations for development strategies are related to the relative hemostatic risks and antithrombotic benefits.
Estimation of the Protective Level of Human IgG Antibody to the Type-Specific Polysaccharide of Group B Streptococcus Type Ia

Human IgG antibody to the type-specific polysaccharide antigen of group B Streptococcus type Ia in the sera of mice was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, previously standardized by quantitative precipitation, 24 hr after passive immunization with human serum or affinity-chromatographed antibody. The concentrations of antibody needed to protect mice against 90% lethal dose challenge varied with the bacterial inoculum and ranged from 0.25 to 1 microgram/ml using five strains of group B Streptococcus type Ia. Affinity-chromatographed antibody gave results comparable to serum, indicating the specificity of the antibody and the absence of other humoral factors in protection with this serum. Sera from 11 infected infants and their mothers had concentrations of antibody of less than or equal to 0.17 micrograms/ml, below the protective level delineated in the experimental model. Twelve percent of 50 adult women and 36% of 25 women colonized with group B Streptococcus type Ia had antibody levels of greater than or equal to 1 microgram/ml.
The Effect of Surface Oxide Films on the Mechanical Behavior of NiAl

Thin surface films have been shown to enhance the ductility and decrease the flow stress of several body-centered cubic metals at temperatures T < 0.2 Tm. The origin of this effect lies in the large difference in the intrinsic mobilities of edge and screw dislocations in body-centered cubic crystals. B2 ordered intermetallic alloys, although simple cubic in structure, are based on the body-centered cubic structure and have dislocation core structures, dislocation mobilities and temperature and orientation dependent deformation qualitatively similar to that of bcc metals. This investigation was initiated to examine possible effects of surface films on the mechanical behavior of B2 ordered intermetallic alloys, using oxidized NiAl as the initial material for investigation. Experiments were performed on an impure non-stoichiometric (47.1 at.% Al) single crystal material with an axial orientation near [123]. Surface film softening was observed at room temperature in compression at a strain rate of 2 × 10−4 s−1. Flow stresses of the oxide coated crystals were as much as 20% lower than those of identically prepared uncoated crystals. The strains to fracture of coated specimens were larger than those of uncoated specimens and in a few instances the ductility enhancement was as much as four times. Of the several oxides examined, the largest softening effects were found for a thermally deposited delta-Al2O3 film formed at 1000 °C for 1 hour. The current results for NiAl are compared to results previously obtained for bcc metals. Experiments which could further enhance the film softening effects observed in B2 ordered intermetallic alloys are suggested.
Non-parametric method for measuring gas inhomogeneities from X-ray observations of galaxy clusters

We present a non-parametric method to measure inhomogeneities in the intracluster medium (ICM) from X-ray observations of galaxy clusters. Analysing mock Chandra X-ray observations of simulated clusters, we show that our new method enables the accurate recovery of the 3D gas density and gas clumping factor profiles out to large radii of galaxy clusters. We then apply this method to Chandra X-ray observations of Abell 1835 and present the first determination of the gas clumping factor from the X-ray cluster data. We find that the gas clumping factor in Abell 1835 increases with radius and reaches ~2-3 at r=R_{200}. This is in good agreement with the predictions of hydrodynamical simulations, but it is significantly below the values inferred from recent Suzaku observations. We further show that the radially increasing gas clumping factor causes flattening of the derived entropy profile of the ICM and affects physical interpretation of the cluster gas structure, especially at the large cluster-centric radii. Our new technique should be useful for improving our understanding of the cluster structure and to advance the use of galaxy clusters as cosmological probes, by helping to exploit rich data sets provided by Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray space telescopes.
Infrared spectra of fluoral, chloral and bromal hydrates

Abstract The infrared spectra of fluoral, chloral and bromal hydrates have been investigated. There are two ν(OH) bands in the dilute-solution spectra and these are attributed to free and intramolecularly bonded OH groups; there is some evidence that bonding may be to halogen but the matter is uncertain. There is evidence that previous suggestions that the stability of the hydrates is due to interactions of the kind Cl ⋯ H—O is incorrect. The CH bending frequencies in the solids have been assigned.
The Pasteurization of American Cheddar Cheese by Radio-Frequency Heat

Summary The radio-frequency pasteurization of young Cheddar cheese in Parakote packages was found possible. Older cheeses did not stand up well under the heat treatment. Phosphatase negative results were obtained on Cheddar cheese heated by radio frequency currents to 132° F. or above, and then cooled in air. Curing took place in radio frequency heated cheeses, though not as rapidly as in the unheated controls. Off flavors, including oily and bitter, were noticed in a number of heated cheeses. Their cause was not investigated. Many problems are present in this type of heating which require additional study.
Can classical equations simulate quantum‐mechanical behavior? a molecular dynamics investigation of a diatomic molecule with a morse potential

In a recent paper, we presented a new computational method for molecular dynamics which uses the Backward-Euler scheme to solve the classical Langevin dynamics equations. Parameters for the simulation include a target temperature T, a time step Δt, and a cutoff frequency ωc. We showed for a harmonic oscillator system that the cutoff frequency can be set as ωc = kT/h in order to mimic quantum-mechanical behavior. We now continue this investigation for a nonlinear case: a diatomic molecule governed by a Morse bond potential. Since approximate quantum-mechanical energy levels are explicitly known for this model, a comparison of energies can be made with molecular dynamics results. By performing dynamics runs for a wide range of temperatures and calculating mean energies, we find a very good agreement between these energies and quantum mechanical predictions. Vibrational excitation begins at temperatures around 800 K, and for higher temperatures both energy curves (molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics) approach the classical prediction of 7/2kT energy per molecule. Future investigations will focus on more general nonlinear potential functions employed in force fields of nucleic acids and proteins.
An Examination of an Interstellar Hypothesis for the Source of Comets

Abstract The Sun's gravity tends to pull in nearby an excess of low-energy particles, as compared with the distribution of energies at infinity. The size of this effect is calculated in an attempt to determine if it is large enough to lend support to the hypothesis of an interstellar origin for comets. The effect appears to be too small; the greatest possible reduction of observed mean energy below intrinsic mean energy is a factor 1 2 , if the true velocity distribution of the particles (comets) at infinity is Maxwellian. Non-Maxwellian distributions, however, could violate this restriction.
Optical Comb Sources for High Dynamic-Range Single-Span Long-Haul Analog Optical Links

We present a new technique for achieving high spurious-free dynamic range in long-haul analog optical links. Our technique utilizes an optical comb as the optical carrier in an externally intensity-modulated direct-detection link architecture. By distributing the optical carrier power over the comb (in contrast to concentrating it in a single continuous-wave laser, as in a conventional link), this technique circumvents the optical power limitations imposed by stimulated Brillouin scattering allowing a substantial increase in optical launch power. Increased launch power translates directly to decreased optical amplification requirements at the link terminus and results in a significantly lower noise floor than may be achieved in a conventional link architecture. To our knowledge, the dynamic range of SFDR=105.5 dB (1-Hz bandwidth, L=50 km link) is the highest reported to date for a single-span long-haul analog optical link.
Sunset observations of ClO in the Arctic Polar Vortex and implications for ozone loss

Chlorine oxide (ClO) was measured in situ in the perturbed arctic vortex from a balloon launched near Kiruna, Sweden, 67°N, at sunset on January 27, 2000. Between 20 and 23 km, the time-dependent behavior of ClO agrees with the functional form for the kinetics of ClO + ClO + M → Cl2O2 + M. The temporal change of ClO is described well by the integral of a rate expression that includes this reaction and thermal decomposition of Cl2O2. The value for the rate coefficient that best describes the observed decreases in ClO is consistent with the upper limit of the currently recommended value, and agrees well with the results of a recent laboratory study of ClO recombination at 190–195 K. These results reinforce the link between man-made chlorine compounds and ozone losses in the polar regions.
The authenticating voice in Beowulf

Two major concerns of recent Beowulf criticism have been (1) to establish the extent to which the poet used his pagan heroic narrative to shadow forth Christian meaning and (2) to establish the exact attitude of the poet towards his hero and towards the social institutions and mores of his hero's day – which, as we know, was several centuries before the poet's own. A nexus of such considerations has been the last word of the poem, lofgeornost : in the concluding lines the poet reports that the mourning Geats said that …he waere wyruldcyning[a] manna mildust ond mon(ðw)aerust, leodum liðost ond lofgeornost. (3180–2) There have been arguments on the basis of other contextual uses of lofgeorn that this word for ‘most eager for praise’ must have an unfavourable connotation here in Beowulf and hence carry the implication of a moral flaw in the hero, though these arguments have not, in my opinion, been convincing. But even if we accept a favourable connotation in this instance, since Beowulf's warriors would hardly be speaking ill of their fallen chieftain during his funeral rites, we still have the problem of deciding whether the poet himself was being sympathetic towards the warriors' view, or whether he was taking an ironic stance or attitude towards that praise from his undeniably Christian outlook.
Individual Sarcomere Lengths in Whole Muscle Fibers and Optimal Fiber Length Computation

Estimation of muscle fiber optimum length is typically accomplished using either laser diffraction or by counting the number of sarcomeres in a portion of the muscle fiber, measuring the distance that encompasses those sarcomeres and dividing by the number of sarcomeres to obtain an average sarcomere length. If the sarcomeres are not uniformly distributed, either of these techniques could produce errors when estimating optimum lengths. The purposes of this study were: to describe new software that automatically analyzes digital images of skeletal muscle fibers to measure individual sarcomere lengths; and to use this software to measure individual sarcomere lengths along complete muscle fibers to examine the influence of computing whole muscle fiber properties from portions of the fiber. Six complete muscle fibers were imaged using a digital camera attached to a microscope. The images were then processed to achieve the best resolution possible, individual sarcomeres along the image were detected, and each individual sarcomere length was measured. The software accuracy was compared with that of manual measurement and was found to be as accurate. In addition, the time to measure individual sarcomere lengths was greatly reduced using the software compared with manual measurement. The arrangement of individual sarcomere lengths demonstrated long-range correlations, which indicates problems in assuming only a portion of a fiber can be used to determine whole fiber properties. This study has provided evidence on the number of sarcomeres which must be analyzed to infer the properties of whole muscles.
Antifolate analogs: mechanism of action, analytical methodology, and clinical efficacy.

Antifolates have demonstrated effective antineoplastic activity in the treatment of disorders of cell proliferation, e.g., acute lymphocytic leukemia, breast cancer, and mycosis fungoides. The enzymatic pathways involved in DNA biosynthesis, specifically dihydrofolate reductase and thymidylate synthetase, are the biochemical targets of antifolates. Methotrexate (MTX) and its analogs, 10-ethyl-10-deazaaminopterin (edatrexate), and trimetrexate (TMT) are paradigms for cytotoxicity at the biochemical level. Understanding the cellular pharmacology of MTX and other antifolates has provided a strong rationale for the use of high-dose MTX with leucovorin (LV) rescue
Value Judgments: The Impact of Perceived Value Violations on American Political Attitudes

Values are proposed to have an influence on politics via multiple expressions, and two such value expressions are explored in this manuscript: abstract value expressions and judg mental value expressions. In particular; it is believed that judgmental value expressions (or perceptions of value violations) will have a particularly strong influence in determining attitudes toward policies designed to help specific groups in society. This study analyzed data from two samples regarding attitudes toward welfare and marriage rights for gays. It was found that perceptions that each group violates a specific value played a more impor tant role in predicting political attitudes than abstract value expressions, general negative affect directed toward the group, and political ideology. The results are contextualized in a discussion of the role values play in the politics of intergroup relations.
Metastatic intravagal paraganglioma. Case report and review of the literature

Intravagal paragangliomas are rare tumors of neural crest origin. These tumors are usually benign with few reports of metastases or aggressive behavior. One case of intravagal paraganglioma metastatic to a regional lymph node is described and the diagnosis and management of these tumors are discussed. The reports of 14 other cases with regional or distal metastases are reviewed.
Vasodilator therapy: Implications in acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure

The physiologic effects of systemic vasoconstriction on left ventricular performance and the salutary hemodynamic effect of acute administration of vasodilator drugs to patients with heart failure provide a rational basis for vasodilator therapy in acute myocardial infarction and chronic congestive heart failure. Use of vasodilators during the acute phase of myocardial infarction may reduce mortality when left ventricular filling pressure remains markedly elevated for at least 8 hours after the onset of clinical syndrome. Use of chronic vasodilator therapy in patients with congestive heart failure appears to have been effective in some patients in prolonging exercise tolerance; however, the likelihood of a beneficial effect and the impact of this therapy on the natural history of the disease remain unclear. A Veterans Administration Cooperative Study to address these questions is currently in progress. The new effort directed to studying the effects of vasodilator drugs in these syndromes has appropriately focused attention on their pathophysiology and natural history.
Buffers of Milk and Buffer Value

Since buffers are considered as substances which, by their presence in solution, increase the amount of alkali or acid that must be added to catme unit change in pH, the question of their occurrence in milk would be important. Clark (1) gives the following with regard to buffers: "By buffer action, we mean the ability of a solution to resist change in pH through the addition or loss of alkali or acid." Among the agents, which act well as buffers, are mixtures of weak acids or bases and their salts. Milk might be expected to have a definite buffer value, due probably to the combined effects of salts and protein matter present. Van Slyke (2) has shown that human blood has a rather definite buffer value of 0.0228 at pH of 7.4. Milk is known to bear a close relationship to blood. Both have a small amount of sugars and protein in true or colloidal solution. These together with the inorganic salts are definite enough in quantity so that both milk and blood exhibit a definite osmotic pressure as measured by the freezing point. Since blood is well buffered against rapid change in pH it might be considered that milk would also show a definite buffering effect. The importance of the buffer value of milk may be illustrated in a number of ways. In bacteriological experiments using milk as a media, if milk should have a constant or uniform buffer value, the rate of growth of bacteria could be observed by noting the acidity produced. However, if milk does not possess a very uniform buffer value at any pH range (5), the extent of growth could not be accurately made without, in each case, determining the buffer value of milk used. In a similar way the quantitative