cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of electromagnetic force components in SR machines: design and control issues

This paper presents the results of an investigation on components of the electromagnetic force in the airgap of an 8/6 switched reluctance machine (SRM). Using Maxwell stress method variations of radial and tangential force components with respect to saliency of the machine and saturation effects have been studied. Access to distribution of the force components acting on the rotor and stator enables us to provide a more accurate picture of the torque generation and vibration in this family of electric machines. Furthermore, distribution of magnetic forces under multiphase excitation has been studied in details. Our findings show that bipolar excitation of SRM phases, resulting in a short flux path magnetic circuit, favors its efficiency and power quality while generating slightly higher torque with less pulsation. This is a significant improvement especially for automotive current intensive applications where the difference in price of power electronics components can be justified. An experimental, 2 kW, 42 Volts, 8/6 SRM drive which has been designed and manufactured in our energy system laboratory was targeted for this study. In addition to our extensive finite element (FE) analysis, experimental work is being carried out on our motor to validate some of the findings of this investigation.
Least Squares Optimal Scaling of Partially Observed Linear Systems

We compute approximate solutions to homogeneous linear systems of the form AB = 0. Here B is an m × p matrix, and A is an n × m matrix. Columns of A correspond with variables, rows with observations. Columns of B correspond with equations connecting the variables, elements of B are coefficients.
Scan vs. functional testing - a comparative effectiveness study on Motorola's MMC2107/sup TM/

Compares the test effectiveness of high coverage functional patterns with scan patterns for a microcontroller. Unlike previous studies, functional patterns with high coverage have been used in the comparison. Simulation fault grade and production data has been analyzed to evaluate whether scan patterns provide the same quality of coverage as functional test patterns.
Configurable two-dimensional linear feedback shifter registers for deterministic and random patterns [logic BIST]

A new deterministic built-in self-test (BIST) approach to generate a set of pre-computed test patterns followed by random test patterns is proposed. Given a set of precomputed test patterns, a simple test generator based on configurable two-dimensional (2D) linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) is synthesized to generate the given test set. This configurable 2D LFSR based test generator generates: 1) a deterministic sequence of test patterns for random-pattern-resistant faults, and then 2) random test patterns for random-pattern-detectable faults. The configurable 2D LFSR test generator can be adopted in two basic BIST execution options: test-per-clock (parallel BIST) and test-per-scan (serial BIST).
Hypertrophic olivary degeneration resulting from posterior fossa masses and their treatments.

Abstract Purpose Characterize hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) that develops from posterior fossa masses and their treatments. Methods Retrospectively reviewed MR images and clinical data of 10 patients with posterior fossa masses and HOD. Results Eight patients had cerebellar lesions, and two patients had pontine lesions. Lesions consisted of tumors, demyelination, and nonspecific necrosis. MRI showed T2 hyperintense signal in the inferior olive a median 86 days after the diagnosis of a posterior fossa lesion. HOD presented prior to surgery ( n =2), after surgery ( n =3), after surgery/radiation therapy ( n =4), or without treatment ( n =1). Conclusions HOD may develop from posterior fossa masses and surgical and/or radiation therapy.
An experimental case study of the biofeedback treatment of a rape-induced psychophysiological cardiovascular disorder*

A patient with a 15-year history of a rape-induced psychophysiologic cardiovascular disorder, episodic sinus tachycardia, and subsequent “blackout spells,” was treated using a biofeedback procedure. The patient was taught to control her heart rate in the presence of audio tape descriptions of rape which earlier had instigated tachycardia episodes. Appropriate control phases in the treatment procedure helped to isolate the biofeedback training as responsible for the improvement.
Modeling optimizes PEM fuel cell performance using three-dimensional multi-phase computational fluid dynamics model

This paper presents the results of an optimization study using a comprehensive three-dimensional, multi-phase, non-isothermal model of a PEM fuel cell that incorporates the significant physical processes and the key parameters affecting fuel cell performance. The model accounts for both the gas and liquid phase in the same computational domain and, thus, allows for the implementation of phase change inside the gas diffusion layers. The model includes the transport of gaseous species, liquid water, protons, energy and water dissolved in the ion conducting polymer. Water is assumed to be exchanged among three phases; liquid, vapor and dissolved, and equilibrium among these phases is assumed. The model features an algorithm that allows a more realistic representation of the local activation overpotentials, which leads to improved prediction of the local current density distribution. This model also takes into account convection and diffusion of different species in the channels as well as in the porous gas diffusion layer, heat transfer in the solids as well as in the gases and electrochemical reactions. The results showed that the present multi-phase model is capable of identifying important parameters for the wetting behavior of the gas diffusion layers and can be used to identify conditions that might lead to the onset of pore plugging, which has a detrimental effect on the fuel cell performance. This model is used to study the effects of several operating, design and material parameters on fuel cell performance. Detailed analyses of the fuel cell performance under various operating conditions have been conducted and examined.
Multiple quantum well mixing and index-guided quantum well heterostructure lasers by MeV ion implantation

In recent years considerable interest has been shown in impurity-induced compositional disordering of III–V compound semiconductor devices, especially in efforts directed towards fabricating index-guided buried heterostructure lasers and other unique photonic and electronic devices. In this work we describe the study of compositional disordering induced by MeV implantation of oxygen and krypton into AlAs-GaAs superlattices and the fabrication of index-guided quantum well heterostructure lasers by MeV oxygen ion implantation.
The specificity of serum prolactin as a diagnostic indicator of pituitary adenoma

Serum prolactin levels were determined in 205 patients with a variety of intracranial diseases, including 70 cases with pituitary tumors. It is concluded that although the absence of elevated prolactin levels does not help to rule out pituitary pathology, the presence of hyperprolactinemia is highly specific for diseases of the pituitary and hypothalamus, and prolactin determination should be part of the regular work-up of pituitary tumor suspects. Excluding known causes of hyperprolactinemia, such as tranquilizing drug ingestion, the presence of neurological disease outside the hypothalamic-pituitary area was not associated with increased serum prolactin concentrations.
Fast flux test facility noise data management

Abstract An extensive collection of spectra from an automated data collection system at the Fast Flux Text Facility has features from neutron data extracted and managed by database software. Inquiry techniques, including screening, applied to database results show the influences of control rods on wideband noise and, more generally, abilities to detect diverse types of off-normal noise. Uncovering a temporary 0.1-Hz resonance shift gave additional diagnostic information on a 13-Hz mechanical motion characterized by the interference of two resonances. The latter phenomenon is discussed generically for possible application to other reactor types.
Saving Nature and Seeking Justice: Environmental Activists in the Pacific Northwest

Critics of the environmental movement point to its narrowness, conventionality, and sectoralism. Analysis of environmentalist discourses offers a means to assess these criticisms. Furthermore, examination of these discourses offers insight into the political ideas that link environmentalists with other progressives and those that divide these sectors. Drawing on a sample of 42 environmental activists in the United States Pacific Northwest, Q methodology is used to reconstruct 4 discourses: civic republican, liberal ecocentric, green justice, and global ecocentric. Analysis of these discourses reveals several key findings. First, issues related to racial and economic justice are the most divisive for environmentalists in the region. Second, the strongest areas of agreement across the discourses relate to the balance of nature and the importance of active, democratic citizenship. Third, the green justice discourse reflects the perspectives of activists from all sectors of the region's environmental movement...
Langevin dynamics studies of unsaturated phospholipids in a membrane environment

Computer simulations of three unsaturated phospholipids in a membrane environment have been carried out using Langevin dynamics and a mean-field based on the Marcelja model. The applicability of the mean-field to model unsaturated lipids was judged by comparison to available experimental NMR data. The results show that the mean-field methodology and the parameters developed for saturated lipids are applicable in simulations of unsaturated molecules, indicating that these simulations have good predictive capabilities. Single molecule simulations, each 100 ns in length, of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-elaidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PEPC), and 1-palmitoyl-2-isolinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PiLPC) reveal similarities between PEPC and DPPC. The presence of the trans double bond in PEPC has a minimum impact on the structural and dynamic properties of the molecule, which is probably the reason that isolated trans double bonds are rare in biological lipids. POPC exhibits different behavior, especially in the calculated average interchain distances, because of the cis double bond. The position of the two double bonds in PiLPC imparts special properties to the molecule.
Design and Measured Behavior of a Hybrid Precast Concrete Wall Specimen for Seismic Regions

This paper presents the measured behavior from the testing of a 0.4-scale “hybrid” precast concrete wall specimen under reversed-cyclic lateral loading and provides an assessment of the seismic design and analysis of the wall by using the experimental results. The hybrid precast wall system investigated in the paper utilizes a combination of mild (i.e., Grade 400) steel and high-strength unbonded posttensioning (PT) steel for lateral resistance across horizontal joints. A seismic design procedure that conforms to ACI 318 and ACI ITG-5.2 was used for the design of the test specimen based on ACI ITG-5.1. The behavior of the specimen was measured with conventional data acquisition techniques and also full-field digital image correlation of the base panel and the critical joint between the base panel and the foundation, providing unprecedented information on the wall performance. The paper compares these measurements with the design and analytical predictions, focusing specifically on the applied lateral load...
China in Africa: an Olympics-charged re-engagement.

The forces of Chinese resource diplomacy get integrated into the lived African landscape via the experiences locals have with Chinese and ‘Chineseness’ (however it is defined) in their day-to-day lives. The possibilities for their integration are somewhat constrained by both history and the conditions of the present, such as the neoliberal tendencies of global interaction – just as earlier empires had been shaped by the industrial revolution and embedded liberalism in the last two centuries. The spectacle of the Olympics eases the way for China's entry into African worlds, with both Olympic prestige and the command of the money economy it indicates being worn as a badge of success. China is a new power-broker for African comprador classes, and the Olympics has served as a herald of their coming influence. It is inevitable that the Chinese will get much out of the deal, but what Africa will get is Chinese – they will forge into the crucible of Africa, African with Chinese characteristics.
Ut Pictura Poesis: The Humanistic Theory of Painting

Treatises on art and literature written between the middle of the sixteenth and middle of the eighteenth century nearly always remark on the close relationship between painting and poetry.1 The sister arts as they were generally called—and Lomazzo observes that they arrived at a single birth2—differed, it was acknowledged, in means and manner of expression, but were considered almost identical in fundamental nature, in content, and in purpose.3 The saying attributed by Plutarch to Simonides that painting is mute poetry, poetry a speaking picture, was quoted frequently and with enthusiasm; and Horace's famous simile ut pictura poesis—as is painting so is poetry4—which the writers on art expected one to read “as is poetry so is painting,”6 was invoked more and more as final sanction for a much closer relationship between the sister arts than Horace himself would probably have approved. So deeply rooted, in fact, was the association of painting with poetry that it is not unusual to find the critics referring...
Risky lifestyles and dating violence: A theoretical test of violent victimization

Research consistently indicates that there are numerous risk factors associated with dating violence. Few studies, however, developed theoretical explanations for the prevalence of dating victimization. In this study victimization theories were tested that suggested risk-taking behaviors (i.e., drug abuse, alcohol abuse, driving under the influence, and sexual promiscuity) mediated the effects of social ties and emotional states on the likelihood of violent victimization in adolescent dating relationships. This model was tested using a representative sample of public high school students in South Carolina. The results confirm theoretical predictions and indicate the effects of social ties on dating victimization occur indirectly, through their antecedent influence on risk taking. These findings, therefore, lend support for a lifestyles theory explanation of violent victimization in adolescent dating relationships. The implications of this research for theory and social policy are discussed.
Calculated elastic constants of composites containing anisotropic fibers

Abstract By a wave-scattering method, we derive dispersion relationships for waves propagating perpendicular to continuous fibers that are oriented unidirectionally. In the long-wavelength limit one obtains relationships that predict the composite's effective static elastic constants. We compare these relationships with others derived by energy methods to obtain upper and lower bounds of the effective static moduli. We demonstrate them graphically by plotting for graphite-cpoxy the predicted composite constants over the full range of fiber volume fractions. We consider the fibers to be anisotropic, but transversely isotropic. Under special conditions, the energy-method upper and lower bounds compare identically with the results of this study. The static properties are, of course, special cases of the more general dispersion relationships. Graphs are given for nine elastic constants: axial and transverse Young's and shear moduli, bulk and plane-strain bulk moduli, and three Poisson's ratios.
Expansive agendas and weak instruments: governance related conditionalities of international financial institutions

This paper analyzes the new lending conditionalities of the Bretton Woods institutions in the area of “governance” in a sample of twenty-five upper tranche arrangements in 1999. It finds that the scope and number of conditions, defined both narrowly and loosely, have expanded. Is this expansion likely to improve the quality of the development process? The paper's findings are negative based on a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of conditionalities in shaping borrower behavior as well as the content of the current agenda with respect to three important issues: the problems posed by aggregation and trade-offs among conditionalities; the relative emphasis on external versus internal factors; and the temporal dimension of the institutional underpinnings of “good governance.” The paper argues that the pessimistic prognosis is further reinforced when taking into account the governance and interests of the IFIs themselves and their consequences on the content and enforcement of conditionalities.
Predictive Electromechanical Model for Energy Scavengers Using Patterned Piezoelectric Layers

AbstractThe piezoelectric transduction mechanism is widely used in passive sensing, health monitoring, and energy harvesting. Plate-type energy harvesters are usually discouraged; however, piezoelectric layers on a substrate in a certain pattern were found to be suitable for harvesting energy from a wider band of frequencies. However, to understand the theoretical behavior of the harvesters with any arbitrarily shaped piezo patch, a detailed mathematical model is lacking. This paper proposes a comprehensive analytical model to calculate the frequency response function (FRF) from simply patterned piezoelectric layers. A generalized mathematical form is presented for an arbitrary rectangular piezoelectric patch placed on a host plate. The strain-rate damping mechanism is incorporated for better and more accurate results. First, a comparative study on the strain-rate damping effect is presented by placing the piezoelectric layer on the entire plate. Without strain-rate damping, the model incorrectly estimate...
REGIONAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION UNDER WAGE UNCERTAINTY

This paper explores the implications of adding wage uncertainty to a two-region, general equilibrium model of production. In particular, the effects of parametric changes in factor endowments and commodity prices upon regional factor intensities, regional resource allocation, regional outputs, and real factor rewards are delineated. A major role is played by the ranking of stochastic factor intensities measured in value terms as well as by the ranking of deterministic factor intensities measured in physical terms. Only the physical intensity term typically appears in models of this nature; thus, wage uncertainty represents an extension of the traditional model.
The effect of substituents on the average internal energy of benzoyl ions generated from N‐(substituted‐phenyl)benzamides

The [56.5*]/[105]+ ratios observed in the spectra of N-(nitrophenyl)benzamides are greater than those observed in the spectra of N-(methoxyphenyl)benzamides. These results differ from those observed in the spectra of monosubstituted benzophenones. An explanation, based on energy distribution and breakdown curves, is employed to rationalize these results, as well as other phenomena reported in the literature.
Segmentation of volumetric medical imagery using multiple geodesic-based active surfaces

Segmentation of volumetric medical imagery often benefits from the incorporation of a-priori knowledge of anatomical structure into the problem domain. Our previous work involved the use of active surfaces based on spherical mappings of rectangular grids to represent the anatomical structure of the object of interest. We have developed an improved method using active surfaces based on multiple geodesics which can dynamically link together to form object models. Deformable geodesic models are topologically closed structures, making them a better approximation of the types of objects found in volumetric imagery. In addition, geodesic surfaces exhibit regular sampling intervals which facilitate collision detection between different surfaces, allowing constraints among different surfaces to be included in the segmentation scheme. In this paper we present an overview of our current active surface segmentation system. Initial results of the system as applied to the problem of the segmentation of the major sub-parts of the brain are also presented. The results show favorable potential for the use of geodesic-based surfaces as a means for the segmentation of closed objects from volumetric medical imagery.
A Bayesian Approach to the Analysis of Industrial Experiments: An Illustration with Binomial Count Data

﻿Bayesian methods are used to analyze binomial count data collected from a designed experiment in an industrial application. In addition to fitting an appropriate model to the data, it is shown how the Bayesian approach provides an integrated framework ..
The effect of ipratropium and fenoterol on methacholine- and histamine-induced bronchoconstriction

Abstract We have examined the role of cholinergic reflex mechanisms in non-allergic bronchial hyperresponsiveness by examining the effect of pretreatment with ipratropium bromide (a cholinergic antagonist) and fenoterol (a β 2 -adrenergic agonist) on histamine- and methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction. Twelve adult asthmatics inhaled histamine acid phosphate and methacholine to determine the provocative concentration causing a fall in FEV 1 of 20% (PC 20 ), after double-blind randomized administration of ipratropium bromide (80 μg), fenoterol (800 μg) or placebo. Ipratropium increased the mean PC 20 methacholine from 1.12 to 59.67 mg/ml ( P 20 increased from 1.17 to 1.93 mg/ml. This was not statistically significant after correction for any change in base-line FEV 1 . Fenoterol increased the mean PC 20 methacholine from 1.12 to 17.76 mg/ml ( P 20 histamine from 1.17 to 10.61 mg/ml ( P P = 0.001). No such relationship was found with fenoterol and methacholine or with ipratropium and histamine or methacholine. Inhalation of high doses of methacholine appeared to induce late asthmatic responses in four subjects, similar to those observed after inhalation of allergen by sensitized subjects. We conclude that: 1. 1.|Cholinergic reflex mechanisms are not important in histamine-induced bronchoconstriction or in the pathogenesis of non-allergic bronchial hyperresponsiveness. 2. 2.|The degree of non-allergic hyperresponsiveness to histamine may be related to the severity of β-receptor dysfunction. 3. 3.|High concentrations (doses) of methacholine may induce responses of the late asthmatic type.
QUASIANALYTIC FUNCTION CLASSES AND THE COMPLEX-TIME DIFFUSION GROUP - I

In this paper necessary and sufficient conditions are given for quasianalytic function classes D({Mk}) and the corresponding classes of distributions D′({Mk}) to be invariant with respect to the diffusion group Ut where −∞<t<∞. In addition, the properties of hyperdistributions are studied, where δ0 denotes the δ-function at 0. It is shown that hyperdistributions Γ from the class D′({Mk}) are completely characterized by the rate of decay of the moments μk(Γ) = Γ(xk), k≥0.
Visualization of Murine Intranasal Dosing Efficiency Using Luminescent Francisella tularensis: Effect of Instillation Volume and Form of Anesthesia

Intranasal instillation is a widely used procedure for pneumonic delivery of drugs, vaccine candidates, or infectious agents into the respiratory tract of research mice. However, there is a paucity of published literature describing the efficiency of this delivery technique. In this report we have used the murine model of tularemia, with Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (FTLVS) infection, to evaluate the efficiency of pneumonic delivery via intranasal dosing performed either with differing instillation volumes or different types of anesthesia. FTLVS was rendered luminescent via transformation with a reporter plasmid that constitutively expressed the Photorhabdus luminescens lux operon from a Francisella promoter. We then used an IVIS Spectrum whole animal imaging system to visualize FT dissemination at various time points following intranasal instillation. We found that instillation of FT in a dose volume of 10 µl routinely resulted in infection of the upper airways but failed to initiate infection of the pulmonary compartment. Efficient delivery of FT into the lungs via intranasal instillation required a dose volume of 50 µl or more. These studies also demonstrated that intranasal instillation was significantly more efficient for pneumonic delivery of FTLVS in mice that had been anesthetized with inhaled (isoflurane) vs. parenteral (ketamine/xylazine) anesthesia. The collective results underscore the need for researchers to consider both the dose volume and the anesthesia type when either performing pneumonic delivery via intranasal instillation, or when comparing studies that employed this technique.
The biological and social phenomenon of Lyme disease

Lyme disease, unknown in the United States two decades ago, is now the most common arthropod-borne disease in the country and has caused considerable morbidity in several suburban and rural areas. The emergence of this disease is in part the consequence of the reforestation of the northeastern United States and the rise in deer populations. Unfortunately, an accurate estimation of its importance to human and animal health has not been made because of difficulties in diagnosis and inadequate surveillance activities. Strategies for prevention of Lyme disease include vector control and vaccines.
What makes a high-quality preschool? Similarities and differences between Chinese immigrant and European American parents’ views

Abstract Even though scholars have attempted to identify features determining high-quality preschools, little is known about parents’ views about high-quality preschools. Particularly important is the understanding of immigrant parents’ views about high-quality preschools in relation to their cultural and socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds. The present study examined 225 parents’ beliefs about features in a high-quality preschool among Chinese immigrant parents, both low-SES and middle class, and middle-class European American parents with 4-year-olds. Content analysis of open-ended interviews with parents yielded 20 codes representing components in a high-quality preschool. All interviews were coded and quantitatively analyzed. Regardless of culture or SES, parents indexed the quality of teachers, curricula, and environment as critical components to be a high-quality preschool. However, Chinese immigrant parents’ descriptions were focused on the quality of teachers compared to European American parents who stressed individual attention and response to the needs of parents and children. We found a larger difference between low-SES Chinese immigrant parents and European American parents. Our findings suggest that parents place varying priorities and values on features in a high-quality preschool depending on their cultural and SES backgrounds.
A differential equation for an eisenstein series of genus two.

Abstract A nonlinear differential equation of order 8 satisfied by the Eisenstein series of weight 4 for Siegel's modular group of genus two is presented. This equation plays a role in the theory of modular functions of genus two similar to that played by the differential equation of the Weierstrass [unk]-function associated with elliptic curve.
The use of explicit filters in large eddy simulation

Abstract Explicit filtering is considered as a means of controlling the numerical errors that result when finite-difference methods are used in large eddy simulation (LES). The notion that the finite-difference expressions themselves act as an effective filter is shown to be false for three-dimensional simulations performed on nonuniform meshes. For consistency, the nonlinear terms in the Navier-Stokes equations should be filtered explicitly at each time step in order to insure that the spectral content of the solution remains fixed at the desired filter level. The explicit filtering operation allows a separation between the filter size and the mesh spacing and can be used to control the impact of the numerical errors. Numerical tests of the explicit filtering approach in turbulent channel flow are used to investigate the effectiveness of the explicit filtering approach and to assess its associated cost. Explicit filtering is shown to improve the computed results, but this improvement comes at a rather high computational cost. The explicitly-filtered approach is also compared with straightforward mesh refinement as an alternative means of improving the computed results. Mesh refinement is also seen to increase the accuracy of the simulation but some traces of numerical error appear to persist in the solution.
A Review of the Aqueous Aerosol Surface Chemistry in the Atmospheric Context

In this review the surface chemistry and properties of aqueous atmospheric aerosols are explored. Water plays a major role in scavenging pollutants. Reactions occur on thin water films in atmospheric aerosols. The study of the aerosol wa- ter surface is important to properly account for chemical transformations in the troposphere. The thermodynamics of adsorption of organic molecules and oxidant species on the aqueous surface and, the techniques employed to quantify the adsorption isotherms are summarized. Experimental techniques for elucidating the reactions on the water surface are described. Field and laboratory data for oxidation reactions of compounds at the air-water interface are summarized. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction mechanism is useful in quantifying the reaction rate on the aqueous aerosol sur- face. A hypothesis for the large heterogeneous reaction rate on the water surface over the homogeneous bulk aqueous phase reaction is presented.
Some positive definite functions on sets and their application to the Ising model

Consideration of correlation inequalities for Ising ferromagnets with arbitrary spins has led to the discovery of a class of positive definite functions on sets. These functions are linear combinations of the functions which enter into Muirhead's Theorem. We prove these functions to be positive definite and also show how they can be applied to the Ising problem to prove Griffiths second inequality for arbitrary spins.
Mn2+ sequestration by mitochondria and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation

Manganese is known to accumulate in mitochondria and in mitochondria-rich tissues in vivo. Although Ca2+ enhances mitochondrial Mn2+ uptake, ATP-bound Mn2+ is not sequestered by suspended rat brain mitochondria, and ATP binds Mn2+ even more tightly than it binds Mg2+. Physiological levels of the polyamine spermine enhanced 54 Mn2+ uptake at the low [Ca2+]s characteristic of unstimulated cells (approximately 100 nM). With succinate as substrate, Mn2+ inhibited oxygen consumption by suspensions of rat liver mitochondria after the addition of ADP but not after the addition of uncoupler. With glutamate/malate as substrate, Mn2+ inhibited ADP-stimulated respiration and also slightly inhibited uncoupler-stimulated respiration. State 4 (resting) respiration was unchanged in all cases, indicating that the inner membrane retained its impermeability to protons. These results suggest that Mn2+ was not oxidized and that it can interfere directly with oxidative phosphorylation, most likely by binding to the F1 ATPase. Mn2+ may also bind to the NADH dehydrogenase complex, but not strongly enough to affect electron transport in vivo. It is suggested that accumulation of manganese within the mitochondria of globus pallidus may help explain the distinctive pathology of manganism.
Variant in oxytocin receptor gene is associated with amygdala volume

The oxytocin system plays a significant role in modulating stress responses in animals and humans; perturbations in this system may contribute to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorder. Attempts to identify clinically relevant genetic variants in the oxytocin system have yielded associations between polymorphisms of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and both autism and major depression. To date, however, little is known about how such variants affect brain structures implicated in these disorders. Applying a manual tracing procedure to high-resolution structural magnetic resonance images, amygdala volumes were measured in 51 girls genotyped on OXTR rs2254298(G>A), a single nucleotide polymorphism associated with psychopathology. Results of this study indicate that despite having greater gray matter volume, participants homozygous for the G allele were characterized by smaller volumes of both left and right amygdala than were carriers of the A allele. A subsequent whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed additional genotype-mediated volumetric group differences in the posterior brain stem and dorsomedial anterior cingulate cortex. These findings highlight one neurobiological pathway by which oxytocin gene variants may increase risk for psychopathology. Further research is needed to characterize the mechanism by which this polymorphism contributes to anatomical variability and to identify functional correlates of these alterations in regional brain volume.
On the use of noble gases and binary mixtures as reactor coolants and CBC working fluids

Abstract This paper investigates the attributes and limitations of noble gases and binary mixtures as potential working fluids for gas-cooled nuclear power plants with Closed Brayton Cycles (CBC). Compared are the heat transfer coefficient and pressure losses of helium and other noble gases and binary mixtures, at typical operating conditions in commercial power plants (7.0 MPa and 400–1200 K), for the same molecular flow rate and geometry. Also investigated is the impact of the working fluid choice on the performance of nuclear power plants with direct CBCs and single-shaft and multiple-shafts turbo-machines. The effects of the working fluid choice on the number of stages of the turbo-machines and the nuclear power plant’s thermal efficiency and electrical power output are calculated and compared. Although He has high heat transfer coefficient and significantly lower pumping requirement, the heat transfer coefficient of the He–Xe binary gas mixture with a molecular weight of 15 g/mol is ∼7% higher and the turbo-machines have 75% fewer stages than for helium. The pumping requirement for this binary mixture, however, is 3.5 times that of helium, decreasing the plant peak efficiency by ∼2 percentage points. Thus, using He–Xe, over He, as working fluid for gas-cooled reactor power plants would have to be based on considerations of reducing the size, mass, and cost of the turbo-machines.
Classical conditioning: induction of luteinizing hormone and testosterone secretion in anticipation of sexual activity.

A classical conditioning paradigm was used to demonstrate that male rats can learn to secrete luteinizing hormone and testosterone in anticipation of sexual activity. Sexually naive males were exposed to a neutral stimulus and then to a sexually receptive female once daily. After exposure to the paired stimuli for 14 trials, the neutral stimulus was as effective as the female in triggering luteinizing hormone and testosterone secretion. These findings provide two novel perspectives on the control of reproductive hormone secretion in male rats: (i) environmental cues, which males learn to associate with sexual activity, induce the secretion of hormones that regulate pituitary-testis function, and (ii) classical conditioning may be used as a noninvasive method to evoke functional alterations in the secretion of luteinizing hormone and presumably the neuroendocrine pathways that mediate its release.
A varying patient safety profile between black and nonblack adults with decreased estimated GFR.

Background Chronic kidney disease is a high-risk condition for a variety of adverse safety events, yet little is known about differential rates of safety events across racial groups with decreased kidney function. We sought to examine the incidence of an array of disease-specific adverse safety events in black versus nonblack patients with decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Study Design Retrospective observational study of a national US Veterans Affairs cohort. Settings & Participants Veterans with eGFR 2 and one or more hospitalization during federal fiscal year 2005 (n = 70,154). Predictor Self-reported race/ethnicity dichotomized as black or nonblack. Outcomes Hospital discharge coding for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) patient safety indicators (PSIs), laboratory records for detection of hyperkalemia and hypoglycemia, and pharmacy records to determine dosing of 4 selected medications. Measurements Relationship between race and disease-specific patient safety events. Results Black veterans were more likely than nonblack veterans to experience one type of safety event (33% vs 32%, respectively) and multiple types of safety events (32% vs 23%, respectively; both P P Limitations Use of administrative data has a risk of imprecision in coding; Veterans Affairs cohort may limit generalizability. Conclusions Black veterans with decreased eGFR are more likely to experience a broad array of safety events than nonblacks with decreased eGFR, with a preponderance of metabolic disturbances rather than medication errors or AHRQ PSIs. The differential safety phenotype in blacks versus nonblacks may have implications for preventive strategies to improve patient safety in an integrated health care system.
PERSISTENCE OF ROCK-DERIVED NUTRIENTS IN THE WET TROPICAL FORESTS OF LA SELVA, COSTA RICA

We used strontium isotopes and analysis of foliar and soil nutrients to test whether erosion can rejuvenate the supply of rock-derived nutrients in the lowland tropical rain forest of La Selva, Costa Rica. We expected that these nutrients would be depleted from soils on stable surfaces, a result of over one million years of weathering in situ. In fact, trees and palms in all landscape positions derive a relatively high percentage ( $40%) of their strontium from bedrock, rather than atmospheric, sources. The fraction that is rock- derived increases on slopes, but with no detectable effect on plant macronutrient concen- trations. These results differ from those in a similar ecosystem on Kauai, Hawaii, where plants on uneroded surfaces derive almost all of their foliar Sr from atmospheric, rather than bedrock, sources. The results from La Selva challenge the assumption that tropical Oxisols in general have low nutrient inputs from bedrock, and support the hypothesis that erosion can increase the supply of these nutrients in lower landscape positions.
Cues from a specialist herbivore increase tolerance to defoliation in tomato

Summary 1. Recent studies have shown that herbivore cues trigger rapid shifts in primary metabolism and resource allocation within a plant. This has been suggested to be an induced mechanism of tolerance to defoliation but there is little evidence supporting this. Here, we investigated, using a cultivar of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), whether prior herbivore damage confers plants an advantage in terms of increased growth and initial flower production following defoliation. 2. Plants were mechanically wounded and treated with either regurgitant of the specialist Manduca sexta, deionized water or received no damage for five consecutive days. Chlorophyll content, plant growth and biomass allocation were measured during the 5-day damage period. After the damage treatments, all leaves were removed to simulate defoliation in the three treatment groups, and regrowth capacity was followed until flowering. The number of regrown leaves, the initial number of flowers and biomass production and allocation were quantified at harvest. 3. During the 5-day damage period, plants treated with M. sexta regurgitant grew less in height than undamaged plants (but had thicker stems). Chlorophyll content also decreased sharply in these plants. However, regurgitant-treated plants recovered more quickly from the defoliation treatment, producing more new leaves compared with undamaged and mechanically damaged treatments. 4. Our results support the hypothesis that induced changes in resource allocation in response to specialist herbivores results in increased regrowth ability and may be adaptive in the event of severe defoliation. Future studies on wild plants could help inform the evolutionary significance of this response.
Conjugate Lateral Eye Movement (CLEM) direction and its relationship to performance on verbal and visuospatial tasks

Abstract The hypothesis that conjugate lateral eye movement (CLEM) direction is related to activation of the contralateral cerebral hemisphere was tested. As predicted by the hypothesis, classification as a right-mover was associated with higher scores on verbal (left-hemisphere) tasks, while classification as a left-mover was associated with higher scores on visuospatial (right-hemisphere) tasks.
How does family drug treatment court participation affect child welfare outcomes

Parental substance use is a risk factor for child maltreatment. Family drug treatment courts (FDTCs) have emerged in the United States as a policy option to treat the underlying condition and promote family preservation. This study examines the effectiveness of FDTCs in North Carolina on child welfare outcomes. Data come from North Carolina records from child protection services, court system, and birth records. Three types of parental participation in a FDTC are considered: referral, enrolling, and completing an FDTC. The sample includes 566 children who were placed into foster care and whose parents participated in a FDTC program. Findings indicate that children of parents who were referred but did not enroll or who enrolled but did not complete had longer stays in foster care than children of completers. Reunification rates for children of completers were also higher. Outcomes for children in the referred and enrolled groups did not differ in the multivariate analyses. While effective substance use treatment services for parents may help preserve families, future research should examine factors for improving participation and completion rates as well as factors involved in scaling programs so that more families are served.
Small amplitude reciprocating wear performance of diamond-like carbon films: dependence of film composition and counterface material

Small amplitude (50 μm) reciprocating wear of hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC) films of different compositions has been examined against silicon nitride and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) counter-surfaces, and compared with the performance of an uncoated steel substrate. Three films were studied: a DLC film of conventional composition, a fluorine-containing DLC film (F-DLC), and silicon-containing DLC film. The films were deposited on steel substrates from plasmas of organic precursor gases using the Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIIID) process, which allows for the non-line-of-sight deposition of films with tailored compositions. The amplitude of the resistive frictional force during the reciprocating wear experiments was monitored in situ, and the magnitude of film damage due to wear was evaluated using optical microscopy, optical profilometry, and atomic force microscopy. Wear debris was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. In terms of friction, the DLC and silicon-containing DLC films performed exceptionally well, showing friction coefficients less than 0.1 for both PMMA and silicon nitride counter-surfaces. DLC and silicon-containing DLC films also showed significant reductions in transfer of PMMA compared with the uncoated steel. The softer F-DLC film performed similarly well against PMMA, but against silicon nitride, friction displayed nearly periodic variations indicative of cyclic adhesion and release of worn film material during the wear process. The results demonstrate that the PIIID films achieve the well-known advantageous performance of other DLC films, and furthermore that the film performance can be significantly affected by the addition of dopants. In addition to the well-established reduction of friction and wear that DLC films generally provide, we show here that another property, low adhesiveness with PMMA, is another significant benefit in the use of DLC films.
The effect of spin on the flight of a baseball

New measurements are presented of the lift on a spinning baseball for speeds in the range 50–110 mph and spins 1500–4500 rpm. The experiment utilizes a pitching machine to project the baseball horizontally; a high-speed motion capture system to measure the initial velocity and angular velocity and to track the trajectory over ∼5 m of flight; and a ruler to measure the total distance traversed by the ball. The lift coefficients are extracted from the data and compared to with previous measurements or parametrizations.
Integrated-Optical Techniques For Near-Millimeter-Wave Technology

Several different waveguiding technologies are presently contending for use in the frequency range 100-300 GHz. These include conventional hollow metal waveguide, finline, microstrip, stripline, dielectric image guide, and all-dielectric guides. Which type of guide to use depends strongly on the application; moreover, comparisons are clouded by a number of competing technical problems that are still hard to evaluate. In our work we have concentrated on all-dielectric guides, especially the type known as "slab-coupled" or "rib" waveguides. The advantages of this type of guide are as follows: (a) they are easily fabricated using photolithography; (b) in contrast to other guides, they are expected to perform better as frequency is increased; (c) they have acceptably low loss; (d) they lend themselves to use as a basis for other components such as filters, couplers, and resonators; (e) when the dielectric is a semiconductor, they can be integrated with semi-ocnductor devices to form millimeter-wave integrated circuits. We have studied these guides by means of X-band simulation and have also constructed various devices at several frequencies ranging from 70 to 2500 GHz. Problems to be discussed will include: (a) coupling from free space propagation into guides; (b)coupling between guides and diodes; (c) waveguide-based components and systems; and (d) integration with semiconductor devices.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Formation of poliovirus in monkey kidney tissue culture cells.

Abstract Cytochemical and fluorescent antibody techniques have been utilized to study the release of poliovirus. Electron microscopic studies of ultrathin sections of epoxyembedded monkey kidney cells infected with poliovirus (types 1 and 2 virulent and attenuated) have revealed cytoplasmic arrays of spherical particles each approximately 25 mμ in diameter. Similar particles were found occasionally in “blebs” at the plasma membrane. Particles were detected only when infected cultures were incubated at 30°C. At this temperature fully infective poliovirus is formed but its release is inhibited. Particles were not encountered in infected cultures incubated at 37° or in control preparations.