cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overview of System Identification and Case Studies Using Vibrational Techniques

In the field of non-destructive evaluation and damage detection, there is continued interest in the utilization of vibrational techniques. Structural damage will result in permanent changes in structural stiffness, distribution of stiffness, and relevant material properties. These changes may be detected by monitoring dynamic behavior of the structure. Because of the direct relationship of mass, damping, and stiffness of a multi-degree-of-freedom system to the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and modal damping values, many studies have been directed at using these properties for the purpose of structural health monitoring. The use of vibrational monitoring is very valuable in some cases, and is capable of assisting in both detecting and locating structural damage. Vibrational data is most useful when used in conjunction with other monitoring if a remote and robust damage detection scheme is desired. This paper includes a literature review and discussion of the basic approaches to vibrational monitoring, suggested guidelines for sensor selection and monitoring, and concludes with examples of two case studies.
A general simulator for reaction-based biogeochemical processes

As more complex biogeochemical situations are being investigated (e.g., evolving reactivity, passivation of reactive surfaces, dissolution of sorbates), there is a growing need for biogeochemical simulators to flexibly and facilely address new reaction forms and rate laws. This paper presents an approach that accommodates this need to efficiently simulate general biogeochemical processes, while insulating the user from additional code development. The approach allows for the automatic extraction of fundamental reaction stoichiometry and thermodynamics from a standard chemistry database, and the symbolic entry of arbitrarily complex user-specified reaction forms, rate laws, and equilibria. The user-specified equilibria and kinetic rates (i.e., they are not defined in the format of the standardized database) are interpreted by the Maple V (Waterloo Maple) symbolic mathematical software package. FORTRAN 90 code is then generated by Maple for (1) the analytical Jacobian matrix (if preferred over the numerical Jacobian matrix) used in the Newton-Raphson solution procedure, and (2) the residual functions for governing equations, user-specified equilibrium expressions and rate laws. Matrix diagonalization eliminates the need to conceptualize the system of reactions as a tableau, which comprises a list of components, species, the stoichiometric matrix, and the formation equilibrium constant vector that forms the species from components (Morel and Hering, 1993), while identifying a minimum rank set of basis species with enhanced numerical convergence properties. The newly generated code, which is designed to operate in the BIOGEOCHEM biogeochemical simulator, is then compiled and linked into the BIOGEOCHEM executable. With these features, users can avoid recoding the simulator to accept new equilibrium expressions or kinetic rate laws, while still taking full advantage of the stoichiometry and thermodynamics provided by an existing chemical database. Thus, the approach introduces efficiencies in the specification of biogeochemical reaction networks and eliminates opportunities for mistakes in preparing input files and coding errors. Test problems are used to demonstrate the features of the procedure.
"Peppo" A Dual Digital Delay and Gate Generator

A new high performance two-channel gate generator in a triple NIM module using integrated circuits is described. Its main characteristics are the digital design and the generation of both delay and width of a signal, relative to a trigger pulse, in each channel.
Evaluation of a Demountable Tangential Flow Torch for Microwave-Induced Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry

A demountable torch for the microwave-induced plasma that utilizes a tangential flow pattern is described. This new torch is compared to a conventional all-quartz design in a series of comparative studies. Diagnostic studies consist of measurements of electron number densities, excitation temperatures, and ionization temperatures of an argon plasma generated in each torch. Hydrodynamic flow measurements, vertical emission profiles, and limits of detection provide further contrast between the characteristics of the demountable design and conventional all-quartz torch. The compatibility of the new torch design with supercritical CO2 flows is demonstrated where the MIP is coupled with a packed-column supercritical fluid chromatograph for the purpose of element-specific detection. The physical advantages of the demountable torch over the all-quartz design are discussed.
Nintedanib for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

Introduction: In NSCLC, increased microvessel count, often used as a measure of angiogenesis, has been correlated with poor prognosis and associated with advanced disease and inferior outcomes. In the clinical development of antiangiogenic therapies, two approaches have been used; the first has been to inhibit ligand binding and receptor activation using targeted antibodies, whereas the second has been to inhibit receptor activation using tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target VEGF receptor (VEGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and/or fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR). Nintedanib is a triple angiokinase inhibitor that simultaneously acts on VEGFR, PDGFR and FGFR. It has shown significant antiangiogenic and antineoplastic activities in vitro, in preventing tumor growth and overcoming drug resistance. Areas covered: Medline search was used with the following keywords: non-small-cell lung cancer and nintedanib or BIBF 1120, ASCO abstracts 2013 with nintedanib, and Phase I and Phase ...
18 Graduate Medical Education and Knowledge Translation: One Problem‐Specific Approach in Residency

Traditional graduate medical education approaches to improving clinical performance based upon the latest research have included Journal Club and didactic lectures. Unfortunately, these educational interventions have rarely been demonstrated to change practice behavior or improve patient-important outcomes. Using a structured approach to identifying a gap between best-evidence knowledge and clinical practice, an illustrative one-year residency-wide translational research project was developed in a four year emergency medicine training program. Step one (assigned to the second year residents): identify and quantitatively justify a Knowledge Translation (KT) deficit within our institution. They identified steroids in adult bacterial meningitis as an unequivocal therapeutic option. Based upon a structured one-year chart review, they next demonstrated that only 7% of meningitis patients received pre-antimicrobial steroids. The next step (assigned to the first year residents): identify and quantify the physician “leaks” within the pipeline of information from publication to bedside utilization via an online survey. The third year residents hypothesized plugs for these information leaks, including examples of other specialties or institutions which have successfully navigated this specific clinical scenario. Finally, at an end-of-year Journal Club, the fourth year residents formulated a protocol for the appropriate use of steroids in suspected adult meningitis and brought together individuals from within the institution contributing to the best-practice leak. Knowledge Translation involves multiple stages beyond simple evidence awareness and usually involves continuation beyond the emergency department. The Washington University KT project offers a structured, multidisciplinary example of moving beyond contemplation to implementation of an unequivocal therapy.
The strength of non-conservation.

Abstract Five experiments are reported which test Piaget's contention that the 4- or 5-year-old child is incapable of the conservation of continuous and discontinuous quantities. The results show that the failure to conserve cannot be attributed to a simple nonrepetition response set; and that the incidence of conservation cannot be increased by methods which employ emphasis on (a) quantification, (b) the continuity of the transformation, (c) or continuity of transformation combined with reduction of visual cues. The feedback method, judged by stringent criteria, is also ineffective, although when more liberal standards are applied, it achieves a modicum of success. In general, the results support Piaget's position that the young child is incapable of conservation.
Leucocyte histamine release in migraine.

SYNOPSIS Although histamine has been suggested as a possible vasoactive mediator in the pathogenesis of migraine, the mechanism of histamine release and its exact role in the pathophysiology of migraine is unclear. The spontaneous release of histamine from plasma-free leucocyte suspensions was examined in 9 patients with 5 types of migraine. The patients were 7 to 46 years of age and had migraine for 1 to 17 years. All were symptom-free for at least one week before the study and none had a history of food allergy. Nine control individuals (2–32 years old) had other types of headache, seizure disorders, or other medical problems.The mean spontaneous histamine release (SHR) was 73.7% ± 14.88 by leucocytes from migraine patients and 22.8% ± 11.67 in control patients (p<0.001). These preliminary findings indicate that the SHR assay may be a useful clinical marker for migraine and may provide additional information on the pathogenesis of migraine.
Peer effects in adolescents' delinquent behaviors: Evidence from a binary choice network model

Abstract This paper studies peer influences in adolescents' deviant behaviors, including drinking alcohol, doing dangerous things, skipping school and physical fighting, by a binary choice network model with heterogenous rational expectations proposed in Lee et al. (in press). For a wide range of parameter values for social interactions, this model has a unique equilibrium and is not subject to multiple equilibria and other model coherency related issues for discrete choice models. I specify peer reference group based on actual friendship networks. The data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). A school fixed effect strategy is employed to control for the confounding effects. Two ways of calculating marginal effects are evaluated. Robustness analysis is performed with regard to several alternative spatial weights matrices. I find that both endogenous and contextual effects exist in all the activities considered, even after controlling for school fixed effects. Similar to the case of continuous variables, the results are robust to several alternative specifications of the weighting matrix based on friend heterogeneity, providing justification for the common practice of assigning equal weight among friends. The changes in the results under the friendship reciprocity assumption indicate the relevance of the real friendship nomination network.
Developmental change in morphogenetic properties: embryonic chick heart tissue and cells segregate from other tissues in age-dependent patterns.

During animal development complex morphogenetic movements occur. If these movements are controlled by cell-to-cell adhesiveness, the latter should change during embryonic development. To test this possibility indirectly, heart cells or tissue fragments from chick embryos of one and one-half to five days of incubation were paired in separate experiments with five-day pigmented retina or neural retina or 36-hour neural tube. The combinations were made either by fusing together intact tissue pieces or by aggregating mixed cell suspensions dissociated from tissue pairs. All fused pieces and aggregates were cultured for two and one-half days. The heart cells and tissue fragments from young embryos (1.5–2 days of incubation) displayed a tendency to take up external positions when combined with neural tube. In contrast, heart cells and tissue fragments from older embryos (4–5 days of incubation) tended to take up internal positions when combined with neural tube. A similar result (young heart outside, old heart inside) was found when combinations of heart fragments were made with pigmented retina fragments. When heart fragments of varying developmental ages were fused with neural retina, the older heart pieces were completely covered by neural retina, whereas younger heart pieces were only partially, if at all, covered by neural retina. These results clearly indicate a change in morphogenetic properties of embryonic heart cells during these early developmental stages. The interpretation is that the heart cells are gradually increasing their cell-to-cell adhesiveness, passing from a less adhesive condition at one and one-half days to a more adhesive condition at four days of incubation.
Comments on the rate of evaporation of a non-Maxwellian atmosphere

Abstract In recent monte-carlo calculations by Chamberlain and Campbell and by Chamberlain on a light gas escaping from a planetary atmosphere, the exospheric density gradients were incorrect because of a conceptual error in the analysis. The calculated escape fluxes and the velocity distributions were correct, however. Here we explain the density error and show that the earlier method for computing escape fluxes was equivalent to the more rigorous technique used by Brinkmann. The calculations have been repeated with Brinkmann's refinements, and the departure of the escape flux from the classical (Jeans) rate is illustrated as functions of temperature and the atomic-mass ratio for escaping gas to background gas. It is shown that the escape flux approaches Jeans' classical values as T→0. Finally, the density distribution of the escaping gas is appreciably affected by the loss of the high energy tail and a consequent increase of the upward diffusive flow. This effect partly offsets the diminution of the Jeans escape flux.
Reduction of the RT6.2+ subset of T lymphocytes in brown Norway rats with mercury-induced renal autoimmunity.

Abstract Chemically induced autoimmunity is a recently recognized environmental hazard that may affect individuals genetically predisposed to autoimmune disease and chronically exposed to certain chemicals. For example, moderate concentrations of mercury may lead to renal autoimmune disease in a small but significant percentage of the exposed population. Mercury also induces autoimmune glomerulonephritis in susceptible Brown Norway (BN) and MAXX inbred strain rats. Autoimmune responses, directed to epitopes of the renal glomerular basement membrane (GBM), are rapid in onset and have a self-limiting course in mercury-treated rats. Both regulatory T cells and idiotype-anti-idiotype network have been implicated in the resolution of this autoimmune process. In our investigations of immune regulation of mercury-induced autoimmune glomerulonephritis, we have used flow cytometry to quantitate lymphocyte subpopulations in the spleen and lymph nodes of mercury-treated and control BN rats. Of particular interest was the RT6 − T cell subset, that appears to have important immunoregulatory properties in a rat model of autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Spleen and lymph nodes from control BN rats contained 22 and 52%, respectively, RT6 + cells. Spleens from mercury-treated animals contained 21% RT6 + cells on Day 10 of treatment, 13% on Day 17, 16% on Day 24 and 20% on Day 30. Lymph nodes from the same rats had 36% RT6 + cells on Day 10, 23% on Day 17, 29% on Day 24, and 28% on Day 30. The decrease in RT6 + cells correlated inversely with autoimmune responses to GBM, which peaked on Days 17–24 and declined by Day 30. Moreover, autoimmune responses were also associated with elevated RT6 − :RT6 + T cell ratios. Similar results were obtained in two additional groups of BN rats, comprising both younger and older animals, sacrificed at Day 18 of mercury treatment. Analysis of other lymphocyte subpopulations demonstrated a decrease of CD4 + and CD5 + cells, whereas B cells as well as CD8 + , IL-2 receptor + , and MHC class II + subsets showed no consistent correlation with the onset or resolution of the autoimmune process. These findings suggest that mercury-induced changes in RT6 + T lymphocytes may be related to the development of renal autoimmune disease in genetically predisposed BN rats.
Parents and Schools Working for Student Success

Parents who want to help their chil dren achieve success in the class room and beyond might not know how. A school committee, basing its plan on Reginald Clark's research, can develop a blueprint f...
In vitro methylation of bacterial chemotaxis proteins: characterization of protein methyltransferase activity in crude extracts of Salmonella typhimurium.

A specific in vitro assay was developed for the protein carboxyl methyltransferase that is involved in the chemotactic behaviour of Salmonella typhimurium. This cytosolic enzyme catalyzes an S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyl esterification of glutamyl residues on a class of 60,000-dalton inner-membrane proteins. The activity was found to display a pH optimum of 6.5 and be sensitive to the concentration of salts in the assay medium. No detectable activity was found towards a variety of other proteins which serve as substrates for mammalian and other bacterial carboxyl methyltransferases. This assay was used to quantitate the methylation of the 60,000-dalton methyl-accepting proteins in response to chemoeffectors. Small but reproducible concentration-dependent changes in the initial rates of in vitro methylation were observed with chemotactic attractants and repellents. The specific methyltransferase activity was found to be absent in several mutants in flagellar synthesis (fla−), suggesting that the synthesis of this enzyme is coordinately regulated with that of flagellin and basal bodies. The hydrodynamic properties of the enzyme in crude extracts were determined by gel filtration and sucrose velocity gradient centrifugation, and a native molecular weight of 41,000 was calculated from these data.
Compound Noise: Evaluation as a Robust Design Method

This paper evaluates compound noise as a robust design method. Application of compound noise as a robust design method leads to a reduction in experimental effort. The compound noise strategy was applied to two types of situation: the first type has been described with active effects up to two-factor interactions and the second type has been described with effects up to three-factor interactions. These two situations are illustrated with help of case studies. The paper provides theoretical justification for the effectiveness of the compound noise strategy as formulated by Taguchi and Phadke. For example, we found that the compound noise strategy is very effective for systems which exhibit effect sparsity. This paper gives an alternative procedure to formulate a compound noise, distinctly different from Taguchi's formulation. The alternative method requires less information to formulate compound noise as compared to Taguchi's formulation. Overall, the paper studies the effectiveness of such an alternative formulation, outlines scenarios where compound noise as a robust design method can be effectively used and gives alternative strategies for the systems on which compound noise cannot be effective. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A conceptual framework of relationship commitment: e‐travel agencies

Purpose – The paper aims to develop a theory‐based model of relationship commitment in an online travel domain. The model seeks to explain in detail the antecedents and outcomes of commitment.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of relationship marketing and commitment literature helps to develop a model of commitment.Findings – A model is developed based on existing literature. Quality of alternatives, investment size, satisfaction and trust are antecedents of both calculative and affective commitment. Two dimensions of commitment have different impact on word‐of‐mouth communications.Practical implications – Given the intense competition among online travel agents, the proposed model can be used by e‐vendors to develop and maintain long‐term relationships with customers.Originality/value – Commitment has been studied as a unidimensional construct in existing marketing relationship literature. Few research studies relating to this topic have been conducted in online travel context. This paper...
Adenine-rich polymer associated with rabbit reticulocyte messenger RNA.

POLYPURINES have been isolated from subcellular fractions of mouse liver by a method which involves a limited nuclease digestion of the RNA, followed by chromatography of the digestion products on polystyrene columns1–3. These polypurines consist of clusters of adenylic acid and guanylic acid in which the A/G ratio is 2–10; the materials isolated from the rough endoplasmic reticulum have sedimentation coefficients of 3–5S, but a molecule containing twenty nucleotides can be obtained from the free polysomes4. The latter polymer is part of a rapidly labelled RNA species that sediments between the 32S subunit and 5S RNA when EDTA-treated polysomes are centrifuged on a sucrose density gradient. With longer times of labelling with 32P the polymer is also found in association with the 32S subunit. It seems likely that the adenine-rich polymer is found in close association with messenger-like RNA. These obssrvations prompted us to investigate the polypurine content of a better characterized mammalian messenger RNA. Such an RNA is the haemoglobin messenger RNA which has been isolated from rabbit reticulocytes5,6, and purified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis7. This species of RNA8 and a similar RNA from mouse reticulocytes9 have been demonstrated to initiate specific globin synthesis in vitro. We now describe the isolation of an adenine-rich polymer from purified messenger RNA obtained from rabbit reticulocyte polysomes and its relationship to the size of the ribosomes from which the messenger RNA is derived.
Lubricants from Mixed Pentaerythritol Esters of 2-Ethylhexanoic and Isostearic Acids

A mixed pentaerythritol ester composed of 25 mole percent 2-ethylhexanoic and 75 mole percent of isostearic acid substituents was synthesized and characterized. By means of the synthetic and analytical procedures developed, this mixed ester can be prepared in a highly reproducible manner. Oxidation and thermal stabilities, corrosivity, and wetting characteristics are reported. The ester is of interest in instrument and bearing applications where a viscous lubricant having excellent low-temperature properties is required. Presented at the 26th ASLE Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, May 3—6, 1971
Sintering Crystalline Solids. I. Intermediate and Final State Diffusion Models

Photomicrographs of pore and grain boundary structures in sintered powder compacts are presented to provide the basis for qualitative description of the important phases of the course of densification. From this guide, appropriate grain shapes and pore shapes and locations are selected for the formulation of diffusion sintering models. The principle models presented are for bulk diffusion transport with the grain boundaries as vacancy sinks when the pore phase is continuous and coincident with three grain edges, and also when the pore phase is discontinuous and located at four-grain corners. These models predict that the rate of density change is constant when the diffusion coefficient and grain size are constant. The need for simultaneous isothermal densification and grain growth data is indicated. The explicit change in densification rate with discontinuous grain growth is predicted in terms of pore spacing and grain size.
Can Island Provide Liquidity and Price Discovery in the Dark

On September 23, 2002, facing a regulatory mandate issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Island teminated the position of the Nasdaq 100 Index Tracking Stock (QQQ) on its book. While the market volume remained almost the same, Island's market share in the QQQ fell significantly. However, Island still dominates other trading centers in the price discovery process and volatility spillovers. The spreads on most trading centers became narrower after Island removed its quotes from the public view. The overall results suggest that the decrease in market transparency does not compromise market liquidity. Informed traders who provide price discovery in the QQQ are willing to sacrifice potential price improvements for the fast speed and reliable execution that Island offers, and are able to trade in the absence of displayed quotes.
Modeling of Tolerances and Clearances in Mechanisms Using Interval Analysis

It is important to conduct error analysis of assemblies in order to ensure that the manufactured parts satisfy the design specifications. Traditionally, mechanical tolerances and clearances are modeled as random variables and the analysis is conducted using probabilistic methods. In this work, a new approach, based on interval analysis, is presented for the modeling and analysis of tolerances and clearances. The basic procedure of interval analysis involving solution of simultaneous nonlinear equations is described. The application of the approach in the fuzzy error analysis of planar mechanisms is outlined. The treatment of the tolerances and clearances of the mechanism as interval numbers leads to a better and a more realistic estimation of the analysis results. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the computational procedure. The results of the interval analysis, although philosophically different, are compared with those given by the probabilistic method for comparable input data; the differences found in the two sets of results are explained in terms of the basic characteristics of the two methods. This work denotes the first application of interval methods for the modeling of tolerances and clearances and the fuzzy error analysis of mechanisms.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Functional Age and Age-Related Measures:

The six estimates of functional age (laboratory, auditory, anthropological, ability, personality, social) that have been developed from data of the Normative Aging Study are based on measures that correlate with chronological age. The significance of these predicted or statistical ages obtained must be determined by showing that a man whose statistical age is, for example, markedly greater than his calendar age is in fact biologically and behaviorally older than a coeval whose statistical age is considerably less than his calendar age. Because predicted or statistical age is only an empirical estimate of functional age, it is subject to error inherent in the measures themselves as well as in the special nature of the study population. Longitudinal follow-up will provide the best way to see if the predicted statistical ages described will serve as useful indicators of rapid or slow aging.
The white pock mutants of rabbit poxvirus I. Spontaneous host range mutants contian deletions

Abstract Restriction enzyme analysis of five different spontaneously generated white pock (μ), host range (hr) mutants of rabbit poxvirus (RPμhr mutants) reveals a series of overlapping mutations which can be partially explained by deletion. Although each of the mutants has deleted some genetic material, one mutant has a larger altered region of DNA than can be accounted for by simple deletion. The deletions originate in the far left-hand region of the DNA near or within the inverted terminal repeat. For at least three of the mutants, the deletion extends into the terminal repeat region. The deletions range in size from 3 × 10 6 to 20 × 10 6 daltons and affect mostly unique viral sequences. Thus, up to 17% of the viral DNA can be eliminated without impairment of growth of the resulting virus on certain cells. The observed lack of reversion and the failure to detect either wild-type recombinants or complementation in mixed infection between pairs of mutants are biological properties expected for a family of mutants that genetically represent a series of partially overlapping deletions.
Slit lamp use

The adjustment of the slit lamp and method of patient examination, including staining the eye with fluorescein sodium, are outlined. The slit lamp can be used by emergency physicians to diagnose common eye emergencies such as foreign bodies, corneal ulcers, keratitis, corneal abrasions and lacerations.
Techniques for right and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy

Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy using percutaneous right internal jugular approach proved a safe and easily performed technique in more than 1,300 procedures. Adequate tissue was obtained in more than 98 percent of patients and morbidity rate was remarkably low. Other approaches to the right ventricle may be used, but retrograde left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy appears to be the safest and most reliable alternative to transjugular right ventricular biopsy. The safety and success of the techniques for right and left heart biopsy described depend on meticulous attention to methodologic detail.
Sexually dimorphic age-related changes in the distribution of immunoreactive luteinizing hormone releasing hormone in the platyfish.

Abstract In this study on platyfish we demonstrate that the distribution and intensity of immunoreactive luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (ir-LHRH) in the brain and pituitary gland fluctuate at specific ages between 8 and 30 months. These changes are not the same in males and females, and they vary for each LHRH-containing region in the brain. In males, ir-LHRH intensity is greatest in the nucleus olfactoretinalis (NOR), nucleus preopticus periventricularis (NPP) and nucleus lateralis tuberis (NLT) at 18 months of age. In females, by comparison, the NOR displays the same degree of immunoreactivity at all ages examined, as does the NLT, where ir-LHRH perikarya are absent at all ages and immunoreactivity is restricted to a few fibers. In the NPP, females show fluctuations similar to those seen in males, however, the intensity of ir-LHRH is always less, and the number of ir-LHRH perikarya appear to be fewer, than in males. Thus, the age-related changes in LHRH systems in platyfish follow different patterns in males and females. Our study clearly indicates that immunocytochemical data must be evaluated with caution and that only after the age and sex of the animal and the maturational state of the gonads hae been carefully scrutinized, can meaningful interpretations be made.
Tapas and Purification in Early Hinduism

Purification plays an important role in virtually every religion. This is particularly true in Hinduism where rituals of purification are many and varied. Although these rituals may be studied from several points of view, any historical investigation of the issue must pay particular attention to a concept which is central to Vedic thought, namely tapas. Although the Sanskrit noun tapas has numerous meanings in Vedic literature, the connotation of "heat" is always central. Moreover, this "heat" is frequently creative and life-generating. At the cosmogonic level the generative power of heat is already seen in Rg Veda X, 129 and X, 190o where tapas is regarded as the force behind creation itself. In the Brahmanas the creator god Prajapati invariably generates life through the practice of tapas or austerity. 1 At the ritual level man is spiritually reborn through the power and practice of tapas. 2 Tapas in the Veda is, however, not only a creative force which generates life; it is also destructive. It is a heat which injures, which causes pain, and which consumes. Although the creative and the destructive aspects of tapas are interrelated, it is the destructive power of tapas which claims our primary attention when investigating purification in Early Hinduism.
Experimental studies of coral snake mimicry: do snakes mimic millipedes?

)andanumberofmildlyornon-venomouscolu-brid and anniliid snakes. The most commonlyaccepted explanation for this convergence incolourpatterniscoralsnakemimicry(GreeneMPough1988).Thishypothesis,wherein the non-elapid species are protectedthroughresemblanceofthetruecoralsnakes,isnow supported by comparative and laboratoryand ﬁeld experimental evidence (Smith 1975,1977;GreeneMPough1988;CampbellLBrodie1993;BrodieJ Almond 1985), and thus couldrepresenttheoriginalmodelformimicrysystemsinvolving elongate ringed or banded prey (Vitt1992).Beforethe‘millipedeasmodel’hypothesiscanbeevaluated,somebasicdatamustbecollected.At present, no information is available on thefrequency of predation by visual predators onringedmillipedes,orontheabilityofsuchpred-atorstodistinguishbetweenpatternsexhibitedbymillipedesandthosefoundonsnakes.Toarguethat millipedes are the true model for coralsnakemimicrycomplexes,itmustbeestablishedthat(1)millipedesandsnakeshavevisualpred-atorsincommon,(2)visuallyforagingpredatorsavoidmillipedesand(3)thesepredatorsdonotdistinguish between millipede and snake ringedpatterns.Weconductedaﬁeldexperimenttodeterminewhethermillipedesareavoidedbyfree-ranging,visuallyforagingpredators(birds,seebelow)andifsuchpredatorsdistinguishbetweentheringedpatterns found on snakes and millipedes. Weconstructedplasticinemillipede-sizedmodelsthatdiVered only in coloration. Models were thenexposed to predation attempts by free-rangingbirdstodeterminetherelativeattackfrequencyonmodelswithdiVerentcolourpatterns.Thetech-niquesandmaterialsusedtoproducethemodelsaredescribedelsewhere(Brodie1993;Brodie&Janzen,inpress).Threepatternsweretested(Fig.1):unmarkedbrown,redandblacknarrowringed(‘millipedes’), and red and black wide ringed(‘coralsnakes’).ThetworingedpatternsdiVeredonly in ring width, one corresponding to ringwidths found on the bicolour coral snake inthestudyarea(
Influence of Atropine and of Vagally Mediated Bradycardia on the Occurrence of Ventricular Arrhythmias following Acute Coronary Occlusion in Closed-Chest Dogs

In contrast to previous opinions, recent investigations have suggested that increasing heart rate (HR) with atropine when moderate sinus bradycardia accompanies acute myocardial infarction is not necessarily beneficial. To further characterize the influence of vagally mediated changes in HR during ischemia, we evaluated the effects of atropine and of electric stimulation of the vagus nerves on the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias during acute coronary occlusion in closed-chest dogs. Protection from occlusion-induced arrhythmia was not observed when 28 dogs receiving atropine were compared with 27 control dogs. Rather, the total incidence of ventricular arrhythmias was significantly higher (P < 0.05) and ventricular fibrillation tended to occur more frequently in the atropine-treated group. Moreover, fewer ventricular arrhythmias (and total absence of ventricular fibrillation or close-coupled premature beats) were noted in 12 control animals with spontaneous bradycardia (HR<60 beats/min) compared with ...
Pastoral Care and Politics: Introducing a Special Issue

One never knows. A couple of years ago, I (Ryan LaMothe) had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Bruce Rogers-Vaughn about political issues and pastoral care. We both have deep concerns about the current state of affairs in the United States and what it means for the future generations. Together, we mused about inviting various scholars to address the broad topic of the political dimensions of pastoral care and politics. Our hope was/is to expand the conversation and, perhaps, to mobilize further scholarly and civic engagement. Having corresponded with Lewis Rambo over the years, I proposed to him the idea of devoting an issue of Pastoral Psychology to pastoral care and politics. Because of Lewis’s own passion about politics, he enthusiastically agreed to do this. When we invited authors, we decided to keep the topic sufficiently vague so that people would be creative in their choice of subjects. I think we succeeded. One never knows what will emerge in a conversation. We believe the articles can be grouped into three areas, each article with its own unique contributions. The first two articles draw attention to the political dimensions of pastoral care and how this might alter pastoral theology methodology, addressing its possibilities as a form of public theology. In his article, Ryan LaMothe contends that pastoral theology can contribute to the political theological discourse. Toward this end he offers a general outline for a political pastoral theology. Troels Norager argues that pastoral care and politics is a sub-set of the larger issue of religion and politics in a democratic society. He focuses on two interrelated issues: the compatibility of religion and democracy, and the connection between religion and morality. The second grouping of articles addresses some aspects of how pastoral care and pastoral theology respond to diversity and oppression. Richard Coble’s essay examines Anton Boisen’s political negotiations within the identity categories of ministry andmadness in the aftermath of his own repeated episodes of psychosis. He argues that while Boisen sought to changemany of the practices of pastoral care for those consigned to madness, he simultaneously reestablished the very boundaries and exclusions he sought to displace. The next article, by Hellena Moon, discusses the oppressive political effects of Asian theologies that idealize sorrow and personal sacrifice. The article by Cody Sander questions whether traditional or theistic theologies intrinsically lend themselves to violence and oppression, proposing a way for pastoral theology to move beyond metaphysical and foundationalist thought. Nancy Ramsay suggests the adoption of an intersectional theoretical approach that furthers the efforts of pastoral theologians as they seek to analyze, engage, and resist oppression and privilege in response to forms of difference. Pastoral Psychol (2014) 63:373–374 DOI 10.1007/s11089-013-0559-z
Numerical evaluation of the free-electron lattice green's function☆

Abstract A method is described for the fast and efficient numerical evaluation of the general free-election lattice Green's function in the r representation. This is useful for the solution of the general unrestricted energy-band problem and for applying the coherent-potential approximation in obtaining the electronic structure of realistic models of substitutionally disordered alloys.
Emission measures and structure of the transition region of a sunspot from emission lines in the far ultraviolet

Absolute intensities of emission lines in the wavelength range from 1200 A to 1817 A from the large sunspot in McMath region 12510 near Sun center are presented. The intensities are averaged across the umbra and penumbra of the sunspot. The observations were made with the NRL slit spectrograph on Skylab. Emission measures are derived from the measured intensities. Assuming a balance between the divergence of the conductive energy flux and the radiative energy losses, a self-consistent model of the lower transition region in the sunspot is constructed. The model gives a constant pressure of about 0.19 dyne cm-2, and a conductive flux which decreases approximately one order of magnitude between 2 × 105 K and 4 × 104 K. The temperature gradient is relatively constant, increasing slowly with decreasing temperature.
The Worldwide Founding of Ministries of Science and Technology, 1950–1990

This article explores the increasing involvement of the state in science, in particular the establishment of a new cabinet-level ministry for science and technology by 146 countries from 1950 to 1990. As confirmatory analyses to test hypotheses, I employ event history techniques—piecewise exponential models with period-specific effects. The results show that although internal, functional conditions exerted a positive influence on the adoption rate of science ministries during the earlier period (1950–70), institutional effects have become more influential over time (1971–90). The increasing institutional effects were supported by three findings. First, the baseline founding rate of science ministries during the later period is significantly higher than that of the earlier period, which indicates that the ministry of science and technology became an expected and legitimated governmental structure since the late 1960s. Second, the amount of global organizational discourse on science and national development...
Infusion reactions to infliximab in children and adolescents: frequency, outcome and a predictive model

Summary Background : Crohn's disease commonly affects children and adolescents, however the majority of research into the safety and efficacy of therapies for inflammatory bowel disease, including infliximab, has occurred only in adults. Aim : To determine the rate of reactions in children following infliximab infusions, and to identify variables that might be predictive of those reactions. Methods : We performed a retrospective review of all infliximab infusions performed at Columbus Children's Hospital from December 1998 through September 2001. Results : Fifty-seven children received 361 infusions. Three hundred and fifty-five of the 361 infusions (98.3%) were completed. Fifty children had 304 repeat infusions. There were a total of 35 infusion related reactions. Female gender and the use of immunosuppressive medications for less than 4 months were risk factors for a reaction to infusion number 2. A reaction to infusion 2 and immunosuppressive use for less than 4 months were risk factors for infusion number 3. Conclusions : The rate of infusion reactions in children receiving infliximab is similar to that in adults. Female gender, immunosuppressive use for less than 4 months and prior infusion reactions may be risk factors for subsequent infusion reactions in children.
A High Speed CAMAC Differential Branch Highway Driver

A new CAMAC branch driver is described that incorporates several unusual features which combine to give reliable, high speed performance. These include balanced line driver/receivers, stored CAMAC command lists, 8 DMA channels, pseudo LAMS, hardware priority encoding of LAMS and hardware implemented Q controlled block transfers.
Computer simulation of rhythmic oscillations in neuron pools

This paper describes computer simulation of 100 artificial neurons interconnected in mutually exciting random pools. The individual neuromimes include accommodation according to an extended version of Hill's model and adaptation according to an extended version of Kernell's model. The main finding is that the constituent cells of the pools tend to fire in coordinated bursts and that these bursts recur rhythmically. The rate of burst recurrence depends primarily on the time constant of recovery of the after-hyperpolarization conductance change although it may be slightly altered by the average level of random background activity. It does not seem possible to attribute the salient slow rhythm observed in the rat mesencephalic reticular formation to this mechanism, as matching the data requires absurdly large values of the conductance change recovery time constant.
Space vehicle glow and its impact on spacecraft systems

Spacecraft glow poses a contamination threat to low orbital altitude optical sensor systems. The complexity of the phenomena entails a multifaceted approach to system design for vehicle glow minimization. In the case of Space Shuttle cloud glow, which involves line and band emission, filtering and careful optical sensor wavelength selection may also prove useful; Space Shuttle thruster glow mitigation entails the limitation of thruster firings during sensor operations. Careful selection of instrument baffle materials and coatings, as well as control of surface temperatures, are recommended as ways of limiting glow impact for instruments directed in the direction of vehicle movement.
Effect of fluoride on pH, organic matter and solubility of elements in soils.

Abstract The effect of NaF addition on pH, organic matter and the solubilities of fifteen elements was investigated on twenty-eight surface soil samples. Four concentrations of NaF were added: 0, 10−2·7, 10−1·7 and 10−1·0 m F in solution. Addition of NaF increased the pH and the solubility of organic matter for all soils. The magnitude of these increases was higher for acid than for alkaline soils. Aluminum, Fe and Ca showed the greatest increases in solubility while Mg, K, Mn and P showed intermediate increases. The elements Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, B, Mo and Ba showed only slight increases in solubility. Another experiment was conducted to test whether the effects of NaF on pH, organic matter and the solubilities of various elements were due to F or Na. Four levels of NaCl similar to those for NaF were added to three acid and two alkaline soils. The results confirmed the effects of F on soil pH, organic matter and the solubilities of all elements investigated except those of K, Ca and Mg. Addition of Na as NaF resulted in release of K, Ca and Mg from the exchange sites on solid surfaces into solution.
Carbon nanotubes on partially depassivated n -doped Si ( 100 ) − ( 2 × 1 ) : H substrates

We present a study on the mechanical configuration and the electronic properties of semiconducting carbon nanotubes supported by partially depassivated silicon substrates, as inferred from topographic and spectroscopic data acquired with a room- temperature ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope and density-functional theory calculations. A mechanical distortion and doping for semiconducting carbon nanotubes on $\text{Si}(100)\text{\ensuremath{-}}(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1):\text{H}$ with hydrogen-depassivated stripes up to $100\text{ }\text{\AA{}}$ wide are ascertained from both experiment and theory. The results presented here point toward local functionalities of nanotube-semiconductor interfaces.
The synthesis and crystal structure of ethylenedinitrilotetraacetamidoxime nickel(II) sulfate trihydrate

Abstract The synthesis of the first reported complex formed between a transition metal ion and the potentially hexadentate ligand, ethylenedinitrilotetraacetamidoxime (EDTAO), is presented. The crystal structure of a nickel(II) complex with EDTAO, C 10 H 24 N 10 O 4 , has been determined. The intensities of 2183 reflections (2030 observed) for [Ni(EDTAO)]SO 4 ·3H 2 O were collected by diffractometer methods using Cu Kα radiation. The space group is P 2 1 2 1 2 1 (No. 19). Cell dimensions are a = 11.407(2), b = 11.820(2), c = 15.937(2) A and α=β=γ=90° with 4 molecules in the unit cell. The observed density is 1.710 g cm −3 . Refinement was by full-matrix least-squares methods to a conventional R value of 0.025. The complex consists of discrete Ni(EDTAO) 2+ cations and sulfate anions; the cation existing as a distorted octahedral complex with bonding through to amine and four oxime nitrogen atoms. Neither the sulfate nor the water molecules are involved in the coordination. The Ni-N(amine) distances are 2.123(2) and 2.134(2) A, while the Ni-N(oxime) distances are 2.099(2), 2.074(2), 2.078(2) and 2.077(2) A.
The effects of incorrect specification of the Minkowski metric: A simulation experiment

This is the second article in a two part investigation into the consequences of incorrectly specifying the value of the Minkowski metric in multidimensional scaling studies. The first article, which appeared in the Summer 1974 issue of this journal, established five theorems which hold if the axes of the true and derived solution spaces have the same orientations. It was further shown that four of these theorems hold only for the special Euclidean case when the axis orientations of the true and derived solution spaces are different. This second article extends these results by investigating the sensitivity of the TORSCA nonmetric multidimensional scaling algorithm to incorrect specification of the Minkowski metric and the ability of Krukal's “stress” measure to detect such incorrect specification.
Thick skin on the back

An obese woman with long-standing uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus presents with indurated thickening of the skin on her back. What is the diagnosis?