cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neonatal outcome after trial of labor compared with elective repeat cesarean section.

: Background: Trial of labor after cesarean section has been an important strategy for lowering the rate of cesarean delivery in the United States, but concerns regarding its safety remain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of newborns delivered by elective repeat cesarean section compared to delivery following a trial of labor after cesarean. Methods: All low-risk mothers with 1 or 2 previous cesareans and no prior vaginal deliveries, who delivered at our institution from December 1994 through July 1995, were identified. Neonatal outcomes were compared between 136 women who delivered by elective repeat cesarean section and 313 women who delivered after a trial of labor. To investigate reasons for differences in outcome between these groups, neonatal outcomes within the trial of labor group were then compared between those mothers who had received epidural analgesia (n = 230) and those who did not (n = 83). Results: Infants delivered after a trial of labor had increased rates of sepsis evaluation (23.3% vs 12.5%, p = 0.008); antibiotic treatment (11.5% vs 4.4%, p = 0.02); intubation to evaluate for the presence of meconium below the cords (11.5% vs 1.5%, p < 0.001); and mild bruising (8.0% vs 1.5%, p = 0.008). Within the trial of labor group, infants of mothers who received epidural analgesia were more likely to have received diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions including sepsis evaluation (29.6% vs 6.0%, p = 0.001) and antibiotic treatment (13.9% vs 4.8%, p = 0.03) than within the no-epidural analgesia group. Conclusions: Infants born to mothers after a trial of labor are twice as likely to undergo diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions than infants born after an elective repeat cesarean section, but the increase occurred only in the subgroup of infants whose mothers received epidural analgesia for pain relief during labor. The higher rate of intervention could relate to the well-documented increase in intrapartum fever that occurs with epidural use. (BIRTH 30:2 June 2003)
Body temperature in the mouse, hamster, and rat exposed to radiofrequency radiation: An interspecies comparison☆

Abstract 1. 1.|Colonic temperatures of BALB/c and CBA/J mice, golden hamsters, and Sprague-Dawley rats were taken immediately after exposure for 90 min to radiofrequency (RF) radiation. 2. 2.|Exposures were made in 2450 MHz (mouse and hamster) or 600 MHz (rat) waveguide exposure systems while the dose rate, specific absorption rate (SAR), was continuously recorded. Experiments were performed on naive, unrestrained animals at ambient temperatures ( T a ) of 20 and 30°C. 3. 3.|Body mass and T a ) were found to be significant factors in influencing the threshold SAR for the elevation of colonic temperature. The threshold SARs at T a 's of 20 and 30°C were respectively: 27.5 and 12.1 W/kg for the BALB/c mouse; 40.7 and 8.5 W/kg for the CBA/J mouse; 8.7 and 0.61 W/kg for the golden hamster; and 1.58 and 0.4 W/kg for the Sprague-Dawley rat. 4. 4.|The relationship between threshold SAR or SAR for a 1.0°C elevation in colonic temperature vs body mass were linearly and inversely related on a double logarithmic plot. The results of this study suggest that the thermoregulatory sensitivity to RF radiation in these rodent species is heavily dependent on body mass and T a .
An Improved Synthesis of L-Ascorbate 2-Polyphosphate

Abstract L-Ascorbate (0) reacted rapidly with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) at 20–25°C and constant pH 9.5–10.0 in the presence of calcium ion. Barium and strontium ions also catalyzed the phosphorylation reaction, but not magnesium ion. The optimum reaction mixture was initially 1.4 M L-ascorbate, 1.8 M STMP, 1.7 M calcium hydroxide, and 0.4 M calcium chloride. Over a 20-min reaction period, pH was maintained by adding approximately 0.1 g calcium hydroxide in a 20% aqueous slurry. The initial and final Ca/P ratios were -0.36 and 0.42, respectively. The reaction products were 98.8% 2-phosphorylated L-ascorbate, 1.2% unreacted 0, and a trace of 4,5-ene, probably formed through 5,6-phosphorylated L-ascorbate 2-polyphosphate. High-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection and preparative anion-exchange chromatography showed the presence of eight 2-phosphorylated derivatives of 0 and two of the 4,5-ene skeleton. Rapid 2-phosphorylation prevented accumulation of the 4, 5-elimination reaction, and th...
Electrochemical dechlorination of 4-chlorophenol to phenol

We have hypothesized that hydrogen gas intercalated in a palladium lattice is the powerful reducing agent that reductively dechlorinates chlorinated organic compounds that are adsorbed on the surface of palladized electrodes. We have shown that dechlorination of 4-chlorophenol to phenol occurs rapidly on palladized carbon cloth or pal ladized graphite electrodes. The reactions on the palladized carbon cloth and graphite depend on the adsorption of the chlorinated organic compound on the carbon surface and the reaction with hydrogen at the palladium/carbon interface. Palladium was much more effective in promoting the dechlorination reaction than platinum, probably because of its ability to intercalate hydrogen in its lattice.
Tolerated, but not Preferred: Troubling the Unconscious of Televisual Multiculturalism

Canadian televisual exports make up at least 30 percent of the original content on US cable television. And from many angles, Canadian youth-television series look more diverse, more positive, and more attentive to interracial and interethnic issues than do similar US series. This article explores Canadian representations of interracial relationships and situates them within readings of Canada's official multicultural policy. It argues that much of this surface-level positivism about race reveals unconscious anxieties that ultimately manifest in drastic ways of treating “diversity” or “multicultural” subjects.
Urbanization revisited: Inner-city slum of hope and squatter settlement of despair

Abstract In Latin America, shantytowns and squatter settlements were portrayed as “slums of hope” and inner-city areas as “slums of despair” in the 1960s and 1970s. It is argued in this article that the positive conception of the former and the negative conception of the latter were both exaggerated. By the latter 1980s, inner-city areas may be “slums of hope” while shantytowns, in comparison, are “slums of despair”. The reversal is attributable to changed macro conditions: the economic crisis plaguing Third World economies, and the austerity policies implemented as a consequence. Ethnographic work in Mexico City over a 20-year period shows center-city residents to be better situated than residents of the city periphery to adapt to the economic crisis.
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral ischemia

Abstract Functional magnetic resonance imaging is providing new insight into neurologic imaging that was not possible with conventional techniques. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging is one aspect of functional imaging and it allows detection of acute cerebral ischemia that would not have been identified with standard T2-weighted sequences while also differentiating acute from chronic stroke. These unique characteristics suggest tremendous potential of diffusion imaging to help direct therapy of acute ischemic stroke. An understanding of the principles of diffusion imaging is necessary for optimal application of this technique.
Effect of the sample solvent on band profiles in preparative liquid chromatography using non-aqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract If a solvent with a higher elution strength than the mobile phase is used to dissolve poorly soluble samples in preparative chromatography, significant deformation of the band profiles occurs, especially when the column is overloaded. Eventually, band splitting may take place. This behavior was observed in non-aqueous reversed-phase chromatography of cholesterol and other low-polarity sample compounds dissolved in a non-polar solvent, such as dichloromethane, at concentrations exceeding their solubilities in the mobile phase, a higher polarity solvent such as acetonitrile. In this chromatographic system, the dependence of the band deformation and of its splitting on the volume and concentration of the sample, the composition of the mobile phase and the column temperature were investigated. A model taking into account the dependence of the solubility of the sample components in the sample solvent and in the eluent and of the equilibrium isotherm of these components between the stationary and mobile phases on the composition of these two solvents (eluent and sample solvent) was worked out. The possible formation of supersaturated solutions was also considered in the model. This model permits the computer simulation of the band profiles for a single compound or for mixtures dissolved in a solvent different from the mobile phase. The results of the simulations are in qualitative agreement with the behavior observed experimentally.
Speed and consistency of manual movements of stutterers, articulation- disordered children, and children with normal speech

Abstract Speed and consistency of manual task performances of 54 young male stutterers, articulation-disordered children, and children with normal speech ( n = 18) were studied using a reaction: time/movement-time paradigm and manual tasks of two levels of complexity. There were 18 children in each of three age groups: 5–6 years, 7–8 years, 9–10 years. Results indicated that at all ages children with speech disorders were significantly slower in executing simple and complex manual tasks than children with normal speech. Normal and articulation- disordered children were less variable than stutterers in executing simple manual movements; stutterers were as variable in executing simple manual movements as complex ones. Groups did not differ on the percentage of time allotted to planning versus executing manual movements. The data suggest that speech- disordered children may exhibit some inefficiency in motor-control processes associated with execution of nonspeech behaviors.
Acetaldehyde-Dependent Changes in Hemoglobin and Oxygen Affinity of Human Erythrocytes

In the presence of acetaldehyde, metabolizing human erythrocytes accumulate an altered hemoglobin product showing chromatographic similarity to hemoglobin AIa or AIb. The adduct is stable to overnight dialysis with an intracellular half-life of about 5.5 days. Adduct formation is accompanied by proportional changes in cell oxygen affinity (decrease in P50 of 3 mm Hg/mM adduct). Little unaltered hemoglobin remains after overnight incubation in 15 mM acetaldehyde, with significant adduct formation and marked reduction of cell ATP occurring after prolonged incubation in as little as 0.5 mM acetaldehyde.
Synthesis of C1–C20 and C21–C40 fragments of tetrafibricin

Efficient syntheses of suitably functionalized top and bottom fragments of tetrafibricin are described. The bottom fragment is prepared by two consecutive Kocienski-Julia couplings, while the top fragment synthesis features a dithiane alkylation and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction.
Specific phosphorylation of a site in the full-length form of the α1 subunit of the cardiac L-type calcium channel by adenosine 3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase

Voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels mediate Ca2+ entry into cells in response to membrane depolarization. Ca2+ entry through the cardiac Ca2+ channel determines the rate and force of contraction, an...
Evaluating hypotheses for the early diversification of dinosaurs

Many hypotheses have been proposed for the rise of dinosaurs, but their early diversification remains poorly understood. This paper examines the occurrences, species diversity and abundance of early dinosaurs at both regional and global scales to determine patterns of their early evolutionary history. Four main patterns are clear: (1) sauropodomorph dinosaurs became abundant during the late Norian–Rhaetian of Gondwana and Europe; (2) Triassic dinosaurs of North America have low species diversity and abundance until the beginning of the Jurassic; (3) sauropodomorphs and ornithischians are absent in the Triassic of North America; and (4) ornithischian dinosaurs maintain low species diversity, relative abundance and small body size until the Early Jurassic. No one hypothesis fully explains these data. There is no evidence for a Carnian–Norian extinction event, but sauropodomorphs did become abundant during the Norian in some assemblages. No clear connection exists between palaeoenvironment and early dinosaur diversity, but environmental stress at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary is consistent with changes in North American dinosaur assemblages. Elevated growth rates in dinosaurs are consistent with the gradual phyletic increase in body size. This study demonstrates that early dinosaur diversification was a complex process that was geographically diachronous and probably had several causes.
Immunoreactivity for calcium-binding proteins defines subregions of the vestibular nuclear complex of the cat

The vestibular nuclear complex (VNC) is classically divided into four nuclei on the basis of cytoarchitectonics. However, anatomical data on the distribution of afferents to the VNC and the distribution of cells of origin of different efferent pathways suggest a more complex internal organization. Immunoreactivity for calcium-binding proteins has proven useful in many areas of the brain for revealing structure not visible with cell, fiber or Golgi stains. We have looked at the VNC of the cat using immunoreactivity for the calcium-binding proteins calbindin, calretinin and parvalbumin. Immunoreactivity for calretinin revealed a small, intensely stained region of cell bodies and processes just beneath the fourth ventricle in the medial vestibular nucleus. A presumably homologous region has been described in rodents. The calretinin-immunoreactive cells in this region were also immunoreactive for choline acetyltransferase. Evidence from other studies suggests that the calretinin region contributes to pathways involved in eye movement modulation but not generation. There were focal dense regions of fibers immunoreactive to calbindin in the medial and inferior nuclei, with an especially dense region of label at the border of the medial nucleus and the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi. There is anatomical evidence that suggests that the likely source of these calbindin-immunoreactive fibers is the flocculus of the cerebellum. The distribution of calbindin-immunoreactive fibers in the lateral and superior nuclei was much more uniform. Immunoreactivity to parvalbumin was widespread in fibers distributed throughout the VNC. The results suggest that neurochemical techniques may help to reveal the internal complexity in VNC organization.
On the formation of metal-rich deposits at ridge crests

Data from the hot springs at the Galapagos spreading center (T = 3–13°C) show depletions of the exiting waters in Cu, Ni, Cd, Se, Cr and U relative to ambient seawater. Manganese is strongly enriched. Iron shows highly variable behavior between vent fields but is in general low. The data confirm the occurrence of extensive subsurface mixing between the primary high-temperature, acid, reducing hydrothermal fluids and “groundwater”. The composition of the latter is indistinguishable from that of the free water column adjacent to the ridge axis. The final solutions are on the boundary between those forming MnO2 crusts and those producing iron-manganese rich sediments. The suite of metal rich deposits observed at ridge crests — Mn-O, Fe-Mn-O, Fe-S — can be explained as the manifestation of the degree of subsurface mixing, decreasing from 100 : <1 to <1 : 1 across the series (assuming an end-member temperature of 350°C).
Biostatistics Primer for the Radiologist

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the most common data analysis methods encountered in radiology-based studies. Initially, description of variable types and their corresponding summary measures are provided; subsequent discussion focuses on comparison of these summary measures between groups, with a particular emphasis on regression analysis. CONCLUSION. Knowledge of statistical applications is critical for radiologists to accurately evaluate the current literature and to conduct scientifically rigorous studies. Misapplication of statistical methods can lead to inappropriate conclusions and clinical recommendations.
A Study of Visual Hallucinations in Alzheimer's Disease

The authors screened 98 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease for visual hallucinations. Each patient with visual hallucinations was matched by cognitive score to two patients without visual hallucinations and compared on variables including visual acuity and visual agnosia. Eighteen (18.4%) of the patients were found to have visual hallucinations. Variables significantly associated with hallucinations included older age, female sex, decreased visual acuity, and presence of visual agnosia. Although having a history of visual disorder approached statistical significance, logistic regression analysis revealed that three variables: age, visual acuity in the "best eye," and visual agnosia, correctly classified 91% of patients as hallucinators vs. non-hallucinators. This work supports a growing body of research showing a relationship between visual hallucinations and the visual system across a variety of disorders.
Financial analysis of heat pump systems

As WITH ALL capital investments in industry, when a heat pump system is being proposed it is first necessary to give financial justification for the scheme. In providing this justification, it is natural to search for the most cost effective proposal. In the case of heat pumps this can be a difficult thing to achieve; in most situations there are a large number of different schemes which may be applicable and it is rarely obvious at the outset which will be the most cost effective. Some of the questions the heat pump designer might ask are: what are the best sources and sinks?; which refrigerant is best?; which refrigeration cycle is most applicable?; electric or engine drive?; which compressor will give the lowest running costs? In trying to answer these and other questions it soon becomes apparent that dozens of options might be generated. It takes considerable skill and judgement to choose the correct system. It is possible, however, to produce a general framework under which this decision can be made. This paper discusses the general principles involved in such a framework. The author has on many occasions seen financial analyses showing a heat pump to be uneconomic; in some cases the wrong heat pump design was chosen for the analysis and the solution was considered to be incorrect. Clearly, it would be ridiculous to say that heat pumps are economic in most industrial situations. There is, in fact, a relatively narrow market in which running hours per year are sufficiently high and suitable sources and sinks exist to give a strongly encouraging financial picture. However, as is described in this paper, there are several ways in which the designer can improve his chances of finding an economic option.
Democratization, Nationalism, and War

Electing to Fight: Why Emerging Democracies Go to War. By Edward D. Mansfield, Jack Snyder. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005. 288 pp., $32.95 (ISBN: 0-262-13449-7). Debates over the democratic peace—the claim that no democracy has initiated war against another democracy—frequently end in definitional disputes over whether the states involved in the conflict were true democracies. Was the United States a democracy during the War of 1812? Was Britain? Edward Mansfield and Jack Snyder do not place Electing to Fight: Why Emerging Democracies Go to War within the confines of the democratic peace debate. Nonetheless, they do make a number of important contributions to this literature. Electing to Fight represents the culmination of 10 years of collaborative work on the relationships between democratization and war, on the one hand, and democratization and nationalism, on the other. The core argument in Electing to Fight is that emerging democracies are more likely to instigate wars than either consolidated democracies or autocracies. The growth of mass politics in democratizing states, Mansfield and Snyder argue, creates incentives for both old and new elites to play the so-called “nationalist card.” Appeals to nationalism are especially attractive to politicians in new democracies. Such appeals elicit the solidarity of the population in the face of political and economic troubles, yet they do not make politicians accountable to the people for resolving the …
Growth rates and ages of deep-sea corals impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

The impact of the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill on deep-sea coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is still under investigation, as is the potential for these communities to recover. Impacts from the spill include observation of corals covered with flocculent material, with bare skeleton, excessive mucous production, sloughing tissue, and subsequent colonization of damaged areas by hydrozoans. Information on growth rates and life spans of deep-sea corals is important for understanding the vulnerability of these ecosystems to both natural and anthropogenic perturbations, as well as the likely duration of any observed adverse impacts. We report radiocarbon ages and radial and linear growth rates based on octocorals (Paramuricea spp. and Chrysogorgia sp.) collected in 2010 and 2011 from areas of the DWH impact. The oldest coral radiocarbon ages were measured on specimens collected 11 km to the SW of the oil spill from the Mississippi Canyon (MC) 344 site: 599 and 55 cal yr BP, suggesting continuous life spans of over 600 years for Paramuricea biscaya, the dominant coral species in the region. Calculated radial growth rates, between 0.34 μm yr ! 1 and 14.20 μm yr ! 1 , are consistent with previously reported proteinaceous corals from the GoM. Anomalously low radiocarbon (Δ 14 C) values for soft tissue from some corals indicate that these corals were feeding on particulate organic carbon derived from an admixture of modern surface carbon and a low 14 C carbon source. Results from this work indicate fossil carbon could contribute 5‐10% to the coral soft tissue Δ 14 C signal within the area of the spill impact. The influence of a low 14 C carbon source (e.g., petro-carbon) on the particulate organic carbon pool was observed at all sites within 30 km of the spill site, with the exception of MC118, which may have been outside of the dominant northeast‐southwest zone of impact. The quantitatively assessed extreme longevity and slow growth rates documented here highlight the vulnerability of these long-lived deep sea coral species to disturbance.
Mechanisms of bone metastasis

Solid cancers metastasize to bone by a multistep process that involves interactions between tumor cells and normal host cells. Some tumors, most notably breast and prostate carcinomas, grow avidly in bone because the bone microenvironment provides a favorable soil. In the case of breast carcinoma, the final step in bone metastasis (namely bone destruction) is mediated by osteoclasts that are stimulated by local production of the tumor peptide parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP), whereas prostate carcinomas stimulate osteoblasts to make new bone. Production of PTH-rP by breast carcinoma cells in bone is enhanced by growth factors produced as a consequence of normal bone remodeling, particularly activated transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Thus, a vicious cycle exists in bone between production by the tumor cells of mediators such as PTH-rP and subsequent production by bone of growth factors such as TGF-beta, which enhance PTH-rP production. The metastatic process can be interrupted either by neutralization of PTH-rP or by rendering the tumor cells unresponsive to TGF-beta, both of which can be accomplished experimentally. The osteoclast is another available site for therapeutic intervention in the bone metastatic process. Osteoclasts can be inhibited by drugs such as the new-generation bisphosphonates; as a consequence of this inhibition, there is a marked reduction in the skeletal events associated with metastatic cancer to bone, such as pain, fracture, and hypercalcemia. However and possibly even more importantly, there is also a reduction of tumor burden in bone. In experimental situations, this has clearly been shown to affect not only morbidity but also survival. The precise mechanism by which bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclasts is still unclear and may represent a combination of inhibition of osteoclast formation as well as increased apoptosis in mature osteoclasts. However, studies with potent bisphosphonates such as ibandronate, pamidronate, and risedronate have clearly documented that reduction of bone turnover and osteoclast activity leads to beneficial effects not only on skeletal complications associated with metastatic cancer, but also on tumor burden in bone.
Glucocorticoid inhibition of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis: Decrease of protein acceptor

Summary The body weight and glycosaminoglycan content of 12 day old chick embryos are significantly reduced by hydrocortisone (0.5 mg/egg). The hormone effect appears to be an inhibition of glycosaminoglycan synthesis because this amount of hormone does not increase the rate of radioactive sulfate turnover in cartilage. Xylosyl-transferase activity is decreased in a crude preparation and experiments performed using Smith-degraded proteoglycan for the acceptor suggest that the enzyme itself is not rate limiting. By mixing enzyme and endogenous protein acceptor fractions from control and hormone treated embryos, it was shown that the available acceptor sites for xylose are decreased by glucocorticoid treatment.
Tribute: Egon Guba 1

I discovered Egon’s classes at Indiana University (IU) in the early 1980s in a flight from the ‘bitter pill’ of statistics that I had presumed necessary as part of doing educational research. Given...
Using root cause analysis to reduce falls with injury in the psychiatric unit

Abstract Objective The objective was to identify how falls on psychiatric units occur, the underlying root causes and effective action plans to reduce falls and injuries. Methods A search of the Veterans Health Administration National Center for Patient Safety database was conducted to identify root cause analysis (RCA) reviews where a fall was sustained by a patient on a psychiatric unit. Seventy-five RCAs from January 2000 to March 2010 were included. Results One hundred and thirty-eight actions were identified from the RCA reports. The most common activities the individual was engaged in during a fall included getting up from a bed, chair or wheelchair (21.3%); walking/running (10.7%); bathroom related (9.9%) or behavior related (9.9%). The most common root causes were environmental hazards (11.2%), poor communication of fall risk (8.9%), lack of suitable equipment (8.9%) and need for improvement of the current system for falls assessment (8.9%). Staff education (19.9%), development of tools to improve falls documentation (17.0%) and providing falls prevention equipment (14.2%) were the most frequent actions taken. Conclusions The results describe the location, activity and root causes surrounding falls that occur in psychiatric units resulting in injury, and provide some suggestions on how to implement a successful action plan.
THE EFFECT OF PROSTAGLANDIN ON IRIDIAL BLOOD VESSEL PERMEABILITY

Light and electron microscopy is used to examine the effect of exogenous PGE1 on the permeability and reactivity of rat iridial blood vessels. Results show that topical PGE1 causes an increase in the permeability of iridial vessles to carbon particles (200 A diameter). The technique of carbon labelling is used to quantitate increases in permeability caused by varying concentrations of PGE1 (0.001-1.0 mg/ml). Regression analysis shows that there is a linear relationship (P less than 0.02) between carbon labelling and PGE1 concentration over the range of concentrations tested. In other experiments rats were treated with the systemic histamine liberator Compound 48/80, or with topical applications of histamine diphosphate in order to examine the effects of exogenous and endogenous histamine upon iridial blood vessel permeability. These procedures produce only minimal labelling of iridial vessels. It therefore seems likely that PGE1 has a direct effect on iridial vessels and does not act indirectly by bringing about the liberation of endogenous histamine.
Electronic focus groups: a framework for exploration

Abstract As computers and computer communication networks become an increasingly common fixture of public and private lives, they open up new possibilities for changing the nature of interpersonal communication. This paper is concerned with a particular type of group meeting: a focused group interview or focus group. While a review of the literature suggests that focus group practitioners and researchers are aware of and beginning to use technology to enhance their meetings, there has been very little research exploring electronic focus groups. Here we review the existing literature, suggest important dimensions in understanding the impact of technology, and then apply some of the insights gained from Group Support Systems and computer-mediated communication research to this specific type of meeting. Finally, we present a tool called Computer Mediated Dialogue (CMD) which was developed to enable exploration of electronic focus groups.
Prediction of passive synchronous phasing in ytterbium-doped multi-core fiber laser arrays due to a negative nonlinear index

Motivated by the nonlinear phase measurements in rare-earth-doped fibers reported by Digonnet, et al (J. Lightwave Technol. 15, 299 (1997)), I provide theoretical evidence of passive synchronous phasing in ytterbium-doped multi-core fiber laser arrays of up-to 7 cores due to the existence of a negative resonant nonlinear index to which transitions at UV frequencies contribute. The effect appears to become more elusive with increasing array size, and confirmation for a 19-core array, for example, is still sought.
Damage dynamics, rate laws, and failure statistics via Hamilton’s principle

We present a new model for studying the coupled-field nonlinear dynamics of systems with evolving distributed damage, focusing on the case of high-cycle fatigue. A 1D continuum model is developed using Hamilton’s principle together with Griffith energy arguments. It captures the interaction between a damage field variable, representing the density of microcracks, and macroscopic vibrational displacements. We use the perturbation method of averaging to show that the nonautonomous coupled-field model yields an autonomous Paris-Erdogan rate law as a limiting case. Finite element simulations reveal a brittle limit for which the life cycle dynamics is dominated by leading-order power-law behavior. Space-time failure statistics are explored using large ensembles of simulations starting from random initial conditions. We display typical probability distributions for failure locations and times, as well as “\(F{-}N\)” curves relating load to the number of cycles to failure. A universal time scale is identified for which the failure time statistics are independent of the applied load and the damage rate constant. We show that the evolution of the macro-displacement frequency response function, as well as the statistical variability of failure times, can vary substantially with changes in system parameters, both of which have significant implications for the design of failure diagnostic and prognostic systems.
Estimates of particle formation and growth in coal-fired boiler exhaust—II. Theory and model simulations

Abstract A pre-existing model of plume particles is examined to determine its usefulness for simulating particle formation and growth in coal-fired, cyclone boiler exhaust. Of greatest interest are fine particles (diameters of 0.2–2 μm) most likely to influence plume opacity. For the boiler examined, these particles consist primarily of water-sulfuric acid droplets formed from emitted SO 3 . Theoretical consideration is given to nucleation in both homo- and bimolecular systems to allow comparison with the nucleation and growth formulations used in the plume particle model. Observations in plumes from a non-scrubbed boiler, under various operating conditions, are used to evaluate model performance. Model simulations were found to overestimate particle formation and growth rates and inaccurately reproduced observed particle size distributions. Some of this bias is likely due to the particle nucleation formulation in the model, but modeled growth processes also appear to be too fast. Current binary nucleation theory offers little reason to be optimistic that substantial model improvements can be made at this time.
Telephone triage in the office setting

During a six-month period in 1988, two nurse-midwives documented the telephone calls they received in an OB/GYN/CNM practice. Calls were then tallied and categorized for analysis. A discussion of the numbers and types of calls is presented as well as a review of the literature on telephone triage/management.
Electron-Transfer Emission Spectra of a Cyanide-Bridged, Cr(III)/Ru(II) Donor−Acceptor Complex: High Frequency (NH and C⋮N) Vibronic Contributions from Empirical Reorganizational Energy Profiles

The resolution of the contributions of CN and NH vibronic sidebands to the 77 K, transition metal-to-transition metal electron-transfer (MMCT) emission for a cyanide-bridged Ru(II)/Cr(III) coordina...
Icosahedral order in glass: Electronic properties

Icosahedral short-range order in glass is modeled by a crystalline packing of atoms in ${S}^{3}$, known as polytope 120. We diagonalize realistic electronic Hamiltonians using the symmetry group of polytope 120. We predict band structures for amorphous semiconductors and transition metals. Icosahedral order in silicon produces a gap in the center of the valence band. The absence of d-level splitting at the center of the Brillouin zone distinguishes icosahedrally ordered transition metals from their fcc counterparts. We use the d-band density of states of polytope 120 to understand band ferromagnetism in amorphous transition metals.
Fipronil metabolism, oxidative sulfone formation and toxicity among organophosphate- and carbamate-resistant and susceptible western corn rootworm populations

Fipronil toxicity and metabolism were studied in two insecticide-resistant, and one susceptible western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, LeConte) populations. Toxicity was evaluated by exposure to surface residues and by topical application. Surface residue bioassays indicated no differences in fipronil susceptibility among the three populations. Topical bioassays were used to study the relative toxicity of fipronil, fipronila the mono-oxygenase inhibitor piperonyl butoxide, and fipronil's oxidative sulfone metabolite in two populations (one resistant with elevated mono-oxygenase activity). Fipronil and fipronil-sulfone exhibited similar toxicity and application of piperonyl butoxide prior to fipronil resulted in marginal effects on toxicity. Metabolism of ( 14 C)fipronil was evaluated in vivo and in vitro in the three rootworm populations. In vivo studies indicated the dominant pathway in all populations to be formation of the oxidative sulfone metabolite. Much lower quantities of polar metabolites were also identified. In vitro studies were performed using sub-cellular protein fractions (microsomal and cytosolic), and glutathione-agarose purified glutathione-S- transferase. Oxidative sulfone formation occurred almost exclusively in in vitro microsomal reactions and was increased in the resistant populations. Highly polar metabolites were formed exclusively in in vitro cytosolic reactions. In vitro reactions performed with purified, cytosolic glutathione-S- transferase (MW = 27kDa) did not result in sulfone formation, although three additional polar metabolites not initially detectable in crude cytosolic reactions were detected. Metabolism results indicate both cytochromes P450 and glutathione-S-transferases are important to fipronil metabolism in the western corn rootworm and that toxic sulfone formation by P450 does not affect net toxicity. # 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Collaboration and Content in the Symphonie fantastique Transcription

Franz Liszt9s transcription of Hector Berlioz9s Symphonie fantastique has long been recognized for its innovative approach to musical reproduction——that is, its remarkable ability to recreate the sonic nuances of its model. However, the 1830s were a period of intense artistic and professional collaboration with Berlioz, and the genesis of the Symphonie fantastique transcription can thus also be interpreted as emblematic of this developing relationship. In particular, a gestural analysis of the work9s content, as it can be recreated in part through Liszt9s meticulous performance notation, indicates that the transcription served to reinforce a public perception of Berlioz as composer and Liszt as performer, whereby Liszt guides his audiences through Berlioz9s enigmatic compositions by means of kinesic visual cues. Investigation of heretofore unknown manuscript materials suggests that this dynamic was further emphasized in Liszt9s other renderings of Berlioz9s orchestral works from the period. For various reasons, the transcription9s inherently collaborative nature failed to impress audiences outside of Paris. As Liszt embarked in earnest upon a solo career toward the end of the decade and his concert appearances with Berlioz became less frequent, interest in the work waned on the part of both arranger and audience. Moreover, it was in the late 1830s that Liszt began adding several new works to his public repertory, especially opera fantasies, Schubert song arrangements, and weighty compositions by German composers. This decision effectively removed his earlier material——including the all-too-French Symphonie fantastique ——from on-stage circulation. Indeed, when Liszt revised the transcription in the 1870s, he eliminated many of extraordinary collaborative elements found in the 1834 version, thereby disassociating it from the arena for which it was created.
Soybean Meal Versus Starea at Two Concentrations for Young Calves

Abstract Starea, an expansion-processed mixture of grain and urea, was compared with soybean meal as a source of protein for young calves. Four rations, compared in growth and nitrogen balance trials, contained Starea or soybean meal at 15% (low) or 25% (high). From 7 to 12 wk of age average daily gains and feed consumed by 64 Holstein calves were (kg) 1.05 and 3.22 for soybean meal-low, .86 and 2.76 for Starea-low, 1.15 and 3.39 for soybean meal-high, and .85 and 2.91 for Starea-high. Nitrogen digestibilities and nitrogen balances were not significantly affected by protein source or amount.
Pulsed Air-Core Deflector-Magnet Design Parameters

The response of air-core magnets to pulsed excitation is dependent on the pulse frequency spectrum because of fields produced by induced currents in the magnet structure. We discuss this phenomenon quantitatively in terms of magnet performance optimization.
CHILDREN'S IMITATION OF STORY CONTENT: EFFECTS OF SEX-TYPED BEHAVIOR

In two studies first grade children (66 girls, 45 boys; 52 girls and 52 boys) drew a picture both before and after they had heard a story about a child or children drawing particular objects. The results suggest evidence of imitation from the story content. Sex of the protagonist in the story had no effect on the subjects' responses. However, there was evidence suggesting that the sex-typing of the behavior of the protagonist in the story affected the children's responses.
PLANTS FOR HUMAN LIFE SUPPORT IN SPACE: FROM MYERS TO MARS

Bioregenerative life support systems have been discussed since the writings of Tsiolkovsky in the early 20th century. Central to the concept is the use of photosynthetic organisms to regenerate air and food. Bioregenerative research expanded rapidly in the 1950s and 60s through the work of Jack Myers and colleagues, and focused largely on algal systems. Testing even included space flight experiments by Herb Ward in the 1960s, but bioregenerative research in the USA decreased soon after this. In contrast, the Russian BIOS projects led by Josef Gitelson and Henry Lisovsky maintained a steady pace of bioregenerative research from the 1960s through the 1980s, including tests with human crews lasting up to several months. Around 1980, NASA initiated its Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) Program, which focused on higher plant (crop) testing. In the late 980s through the 1990s, findings from university CELSS researchers were used to conduct tests at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in a large, atmospherically closed chamber. Related tests with humans and regenerative life support systems were subsequently conducted at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in the mid 1990s, and a large-scale bioregenerative test bed called BIOPlex was planned but never completed. A likely scenario for implementing bioregenerative life support might start with a small plant growth unit to produce some fresh foods for the International Space Station or early lunar missions. The plantings might be expanded for longer duration lunar missions, which would then provide an opportunity to assess concepts for Mars missions, where bioregenerative life support will play a more crucial role.
Predicting amplitude and phase noise of modelocked lasers from the pump noise power spectrum

From a measurement of the noise power spectral density of the pump laser, we predict and verify the amplitude and phase noise of a modelocked laser using the noise transfer function method.
Oligomeric polyaromatic ether‐ketone‐sulfones with acetylenic end groups. X

Two new oligomeric polyaromatic ether-ketone-sulfones with acetylenic end groups have been synthesized. These acetylene-terminated oligomers are soluble in common organic solvents and can be cured under thermal conditions to give the crosslinked polymers which do not soften below 240°C. In the case of oligomer which is incorporated with terephthaloyl chloride, the cured polymer shows almost no penetration below 400°C. Isothermal aging studies show that the cured polymers are stable in circulating air at 300°C with less than 10% weight loss in 3 days.
MP-LOCKs: replacing H/W synchronization primitives with message passing

Shared memory programs guarantee the correctness of concurrent accesses to shared data using interprocessor synchronization operations. The most common synchronization operators are locks, which are traditionally implemented via a mix of shared memory accesses and hardware synchronization primitives like test-and-set. In this paper, we argue that synchronization operations implemented using fast message passing and kernel-embedded lock managers are an attractive alternative to dedicated synchronization hardware. We propose three message passing lock (MP-LOCK) algorithms (centralized, distributed, and reactive) and provide implementation guidelines. MP-LOCKs reduce the design complexity and runtime occupancy of DSM controllers and can exploit software's inherent flexibility to adapt to differing applications lock access patterns. We compared the performance of MP-LOCKs with two common shared memory lock algorithms: test-and-test-and-set and MCS locks and found that MP-LOCKs scale better. For machines with 16 to 32 nodes, applications using MP-LOCKs ran up to 186% faster than the same applications with shared memory locks. For small systems (up to 8 nodes), three applications with MP-LOCKs slow down by no more than 18%, while the other two slowed by no more than 180% due to higher software overhead. We conclude that locks based on message passing should be considered as a replacement for hardware locks in future scalable multiprocessors that support efficient message passing mechanisms.
Chicken Soup Really Is Good for the Soul “Comfort Food” Fulfills the Need to Belong

Theories of social surrogacy and embodied cognition assume that cognitive associations with nonhuman stimuli can be affectively charged. In the current research, we examined whether the "comfort" of comfort foods comes from affective associations with relationships. Two experiments support the hypotheses that comfort foods are associated with relationships and alleviate loneliness. Experiment 1 found that the consumption of comfort foods automatically activates relationship-related concepts. Experiment 2 found that comfort foods buffer against belongingness threats in people who already have positive associations with relationships (i.e., are secure in attachment style). Implications for social surrogacy, need to belong, embodied cognition, and eating behavior are discussed.
Conducting research and operator training while maintaining top-up reliability using the Advanced Photon Source linear accelerator

In recent years many changes have been made to the Advanced Photon Source (APS) linear accelerator (linac) to support multiple tasks. The primary purpose of the linac is to provide beam to fill the APS storage ring, which is done using thermionic cathode rf guns. At the same time we provide support for research projects, including a new facility that will be used for future operator training and testing of injector components. With each task requiring a different lattice and timing configuration, while at the same time using common rf systems, the complexity of operations has increased significantly with even greater demands being made on reliability and performance. In addition, personnel safety and equipment protection concerns have become more complex. We approached these challenges by developing three new subsystems: a highly automated linac operation using APS's Procedure Execution Manager (PEM) software; a new interlock system based on programmable logic controllers; and an automated S-band rf switching system. In this paper, we discuss how these developments have improved the flexibility and reliability of the APS linac, and how we intend to conduct operator training and test new injector components while maintaining storage ring injections.
Value-Added Modeling of Teacher Effectiveness: An Exploration of Stability across Models and Contexts

Recent policy interest in tying student learning to teacher evaluation has led to growing use of value-added methods for assessing student learning gains linked to individual teachers. VAM analyses rely on complex assumptions about the roles of schools, multiple teachers, student aptitudes and efforts, homes and families in producing measured student learning gains. This article reports on analyses that examine the stability of high school teacher effectiveness rankings across differing conditions. We find that judgments of teacher effectiveness for a given teacher can vary substantially across statistical models, classes taught,
Condition index of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) in Sapelo Island Georgia - Effects of site, position on bed and pea crab parasitism

Abstract The condition index (CI) is a tool that has been used to estimate the effect that different environmental factors have on oyster meat quality. The CI of oysters in five beds in Sapelo Island and the Doboy Sound (Georgia, United States) were calculated using three different methodologies. Values from each site were used to: (1) compare two sites located in relatively large systems (river/sound) and three sites in a small creek to test for differences due to system size and related nutrient availability; (2) determine the effect of a parasite, the pea crab (Pinnotheres spp.), on oyster CI; and (3) determine the effect of differential position of oysters on a bed, with respect to CI (oysters were collected from areas of the bed that are permanently submerged and areas with the longest dry periods between tidal cycles). With respect to the three analyses mentioned earlier, it was found that oyster CIs for sites in larger systems (river and sound sites) were significantly higher than those in sites wi...