cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavioral Study of obedience.

This article describes a procedure for the study of destructive obedience in the laboratory. It consists of ordering a naive S to administer increasingly more severe punishment to a victim in the context of a learning experiment. Punishment is administered by means of a shock generator with 30 graded switches ranging from Slight Shock to Danger: Severe Shock. The victim is a confederate of the E. The primary dependent variable is the maximum shock the S is willing to administer before he refuses to continue further. 26 Ss obeyed the experimental commands fully, and administered the highest shock on the generator. 14 Ss broke off the experiment at some point after the victim protested and refused to provide further answers. The procedure created extreme levels of nervous tension in some Ss. Profuse sweating, trembling, and stuttering were typical expressions of this emotional disturbance. One unexpected sign of tension — yet to be explained — was the regular occurrence of nervous laughter, which in some Ss developed into uncontrollable seizures. The variety of interesting behavioral dynamics observed in the experiment, the reality of the situation for the S, and the possibility of parametric variation within the framework of the procedure, point to the fruitfulness of further study.1 OBEDIENCE is as basic an element in the structure of social life as one can point to. Some system of authority is a requirement of all communal living, and it is only the man dwelling in isolation who is not forced to respond, through defiance or submission, to the commands of others. Obedience, as a determinant of behavior, is of particular relevance to our time. It has been reliably established that from 1933–45 millions of innocent persons were systematically slaughtered on command. Gas chambers were built, death camps were guarded; daily quotas of corpses were produced with the same efficiency as the manufacture of appliances. These inhumane policies may have originated in the mind of a single person, but they could only be carried out on a massive scale if a very large number of persons obeyed orders. Obedience is the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. It is the dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority. Facts of recent history and observation in daily life suggest that for many persons obedience may be a deeply ingrained behavior tendency, indeed a prepotent impulse overriding training in ethics, sympathy, and moral conduct. C. P. Snow (1961) points to its importance when he writes: When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion. If you doubt that, read William Shirer’s Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The German Officer Corps were brought up in the most rigorous code of obedience . . . in the name of obedience they were party to, and assisted in, the most wicked large scale actions in the history of the world [p. 24].
Autistic disorder versus other pervasive developmental disorders in young children: same or different?

Eighteen preschool children diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition Revised (DSM III-R) as having Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) were compared to 176 children with DSM III-R Autistic Disorder (AD), and to 311 non-autistic children with developmental language disorders (DLD) (N = 201) or low IQ (N = 110). All children were partitioned into “high” and “low” cognitive subgroups at a nonverbal IQ of 80. Within cognitive subgroups, the 18 PDD-NOS children did not differ significantly from either the DLD or the AD children in verbal and adaptive skills and obtained scores intermediate between those of these groups. The PDD-NOS did not differ from the AD children in maladaptive behaviors. Both the PDD-NOS and AD children had many more of these behaviors than the non-autistic comparison groups. Children in the “high” and “low” cognitive subgroups of AD, but not of PDD-NOS, differed substantially on most measures, with the children with lower cognitive scores significantly more impaired on all measures. Similarity of PDD-NOS children to AD children in maladaptive behaviors and an intermediate position between autistic and non-autistic groups on virtually all measures explains the difficulty clinicians encounter in classifying children with PDD and raises questions about the specificity of these diagnostic subtypes of the autistic spectrum.
Reflections on Stem Cell Research for Spine Applications

What do degenerative disc disease, mobile spondylolisthesis, and posttraumatic syringomyelia have in common? They are all conditions potentially treatable with stem cell injections. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are playing an increasingly significant role in research for spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) applications. In vitro and in vivo experiments involving intervertebral discs (IVDs), bone development in spinal fusion, and SCI are performed with increasing frequency. The purported key to success in the implantation of MSCs in human tissue is creating an in vivo environment in which the MSCs will be able to differentiate into their anticipated terminal cell type. Investigators are, in fact, discovering that the MSCs are involved in cell and tissue repair in a number of ways.
Antibiotics with or without a choleratic agent do not prevent plastic stent occlusion or mortality in patients with malignant biliary obstruction: a meta-analysis

Antibiotics with or without a choleratic agent do not prevent plastic stent occlusion or mortality in patients with malignant biliary obstruction: a meta-analysis
Loop quantum cosmology and spin foams

Abstract Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) is used to provide concrete evidence in support of the general paradigm underlying spin foam models (SFMs). Specifically, it is shown that: (i) the physical inner product in the timeless framework equals the transition amplitude in the deparameterized theory; (ii) this quantity admits a vertex expansion a la SFMs in which the M-th term refers just to M volume transitions, without any reference to the time at which the transition takes place; (iii) the exact physical inner product is obtained by summing over just the discrete geometries; no ‘continuum limit’ is involved; and, (iv) the vertex expansion can be interpreted as a perturbative expansion in the spirit of group field theory. This sum over histories reformulation of LQC also addresses certain other issues which are briefly summarized.
Vacancy bandwidth in BCC 3 He as determined by specific heat

The specific heat data of Greywall are analyzed and shown to imply a vacancy band of nonzero width. Certain limits on the density of the vacancy states are derived and a fit to the data is presented. Disagreement between the vacancy density measurements of Heald and Simmons and the specific heat data are confirmed.
Paleoproductivity, nutrient burial, climate change and the carbon cycle in the western equatorial Atlantic across the Eocene/Oligocene boundary

Paleoproductivity, nutrient burial, and carbon cycling were investigated across the Eocene/Oligocene (E/O) boundary (begin to end; 36.9–32.7 Ma at ∼40 kyr resolution, timescale of Shackleton et al. [1999]) at Ocean Drilling Program Site 925 on the Ceara Rise in the western equatorial Atlantic (3040 m present water depth; 748.26–850.70 mbsf). Downcore bulk sediment records of biogenic barium, total reactive phosphorus, biogenic silica, and calcium carbonate are interpreted to represent export production, net nutrient burial, biogenic opal production, and inorganic carbon burial, respectively. The global positive excursion in δ13C subsequent to the E/O boundary is recorded at Site 925. Export production appears to have been externally forced by orbital parameters at eccentricity frequencies during the study interval, based on spectral analysis of the biogenic barium and reactive phosphorus records. Biogenic silica production or preservation increased after the Eocene/Oligocene boundary to a higher baseline, although overall productivity and nutrient burial did not increase, based on barium and reactive phosphorus records. Thus, although absolute production did not increase at this site, a shift in relative abundance of siliceous versus carbonate productivity may have resulted in a change in relative organic carbon burial. This may have contributed to the positive excursion in global oceanic δ13C subsequent to the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, although the silica maximum persists after the carbon isotope excursion ends.
Psychometric properties of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale in a clinical sample

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) in a clinical sample of 513 youth referred for mental health assessment at a university clinic. Internal consistency and factor analysis provided support for the factorial validity of the RCADS. Convergent and discriminant validity tests against both clinical interview and self-report criteria also suggested favorable properties of the RCADS. In comparative tests with traditional measures of anxiety and depression, the RCADS generally showed greater correspondence to specific diagnostic syndromes. Clinical cutoffs are reported for the purposes of future clinical and research applications.
Selling death and dignity

Advocates use case descriptions to show that euthanasia or assisted suicide is sometimes justifiable. Yet even the seemingly clearest cases can prove deeply troubling.
The current role of mediastinoscopy in the evaluation of thoracic disease

Abstract Objective: Mediastinoscopy is a common procedure used for the diagnosis of thoracic disease and the staging of lung cancer. We sought to determine the current role of mediastinoscopy in the evaluation of thoracic disease. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all mediastinoscopies performed by members of our service between January 1988 and September 1998. Results: We performed mediastinoscopies on 2137 patients. A total of 1745 patients underwent mediastinoscopy for known or suspected lung cancer. In 422 of these procedures, N2 or N3 disease was identified; only 28 of these patients underwent resection. The remaining 1323 had no evidence of metastatic disease. In these patients 947 had lung cancer. Only 76 of the patients with lung cancer were found to have N2 disease at exploration. Among the 1323 patients with a negative mediastinoscopy result, 52 underwent resection of a nonbronchogenic malignancy, and 217 had resection of a benign lesion. A total of 392 patients underwent mediastinoscopy for the evaluation of mediastinal adenopathy in the absence of any identifiable pulmonary lesion. Of these, 161 had a nonbronchogenic malignancy, 209 had benign disease, and 25 had no diagnosis established; mediastinoscopy established a definitive diagnosis in 93.6% of patients. In the entire group of 2137 patients, there were 4 perioperative deaths and 12 complications. Only one death was directly attributed to mediastinoscopy. No deaths or complications occurred in patients undergoing mediastinoscopy for benign disease. Conclusions: Mediastinoscopy is a highly effective and safe procedure. We believe that mediastinoscopy should currently be used routinely in the diagnosis and staging of thoracic diseases. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;118:894-9)
Autoimmunity in Schizophrenia: A Review of Recent Findings

The pathophysiology of psychotic and other symptoms in schizophrenia remains a mystery despite decades of research. Even though it has been suspected for many years that autoimmune mechanisms may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, firm evidence for this hypothesis has been lacking. Our studies, over the last 10 years, have revealed that a subgroup of schizophrenics have several significant immunological abnormalities, including increased prevalence of autoimmune diseases and of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anticytoplasmic antibodies (ACA), decreased lymphocyte interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, increased serum IL-2 receptor concentration, increased serum IL-6 concentration, and an association with HLA antigens. These findings are characteristic of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. We also found that some schizophrenics have antibodies to hippocampal antigens (AHA) in their serum, together with l...
Staining Protozoa with Janus Green B

The use of janus green to stain mitochondria has long been known. While using it to study the mitochondria in Trichomonas buccalis it was found to stain the flagella also. This is an easy and quick method of determining the number of anterior flagella of the trichomonads and so of distinguishing the trichomonads from the pentatrichomonads in intestinal infections. This stain proved so useful as a flagella stain that it was applied to numerous protozoa with interesting results.
Mixed-mode failure of composite laminates with cracks

The behavior of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy laminates with cracks subjected to various biaxial-stress fields was studied experimentally. This was accomplished by uniaxial tensile loading of specimens with cracks of various orientations with the loading axis. It was found that the critical stress-intensity factor, based on a projected crack length increased by a characteristic damage dimension, is nearly constant with stress biaxiality and initial crack length.
DETECTING ECOLOGICAL TRADE-OFFS USING SELECTION EXPERIMENTS

Theories of the evolution of niche breadth usually depend on the assumption that genotypes that are well adapted to exploit one habitat or resource are not well adapted to others. Such “trade-offs” are often apparent in interspecific comparisons, but have been harder to document at the within-population level. Selection experiments provide a promising means for detecting within-population trade-offs: if selection for adaptation to one environment (e.g., diet, host, temperature) reproducibly lowers fitness in another, trade-offs are the likeliest explanation. Here, I describe strategies for using selection experiments to detect ecological trade-offs and discuss some of the ambiguities that can arise in interpreting the results of such experiments. I also review two sets of studies that found evidence for trade-offs using selection experiments.
The Effects of Signal Rise Time and Duration on the Early Components of the Auditory Evoked Cortical Response

The effects of signal rise time and duration on the early components of the auditory evoked cortical response were studied in 20 subjects. Tone bursts were presented at 1000 Hz at various rise time...
Preoperative Balloon Occlusion of Arteriovenous Malformations

Many materials have been utilized to embolize cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) preoperatively. Specific vascular anatomy with large feeding vessels deep to the nidus or aneurysms within feeding arteries favor the use of detachable balloons over other embolic agents. Detachable balloons allow test occlusion of a vascular pedicle before permanent occlusion and can obliterate aneurysms in feeding arteries. We describe 36 feeder arterial balloon occlusions performed in 31 patients. Twenty-nine patients subsequently had surgical resection. None of the patients developed normal perfusion pressure breakthrough or required blood transfusions. The preoperative balloon occlusion was judged by the neurosurgeon to decrease significantly the difficulty in surgical resection of the malformation. The remaining 2 patients underwent embolization before radiosurgery. One patient had aneurysms in the feeding artery, which was balloon-occluded to diminish the risk of hemorrhage. There were two neurological deficits and three asymptomatic arterial dissections related to the balloon procedure. Balloon occlusion of feeding arterial pedicles in selected cerebral AVMs may be a valuable surgical adjunct.
Pressureless sintered SiAlON with low amounts of sintering aid

Two Beta prime - Sialons of composition Si2.6Al0.393y0.007O0.4N3.6 and Si2.6Al0.384Y0.014O0.4N3.6 were pressureless sintered from mixtures of Y2O3 and separately milled Beta -Si3N4, AlN, and SiO2. These Sialons had densities of over 98% of theoretical, four-point bend strengths of 460 and 155 MPa at room temperature and 1400 C, respectively, and 1400 C oxidation rates lower than those reported for hot pressed Si3N4 and for a stronger Sialon with 2.5 weight percentage Y2O3.
On simulating multivariate non-normal distributions from the generalized lambda distribution

The class of generalized lambda distributions (GLDs) is primarily used for modeling univariate real-world data. The GLD has not been as popular as some other methods for simulating observations from multivariate distributions because of computational difficulties. In view of this, the methodology and algorithms are presented for extending the GLD from univariate to multivariate data generation with an emphasis on reducing computational difficulties. Algorithms written in Mathematica 5.1 and Fortran 77 are provided for implementing the procedure and are available from the authors. A numerical example is provided and a Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to confirm and demonstrate the methodology.
HTS and NMR/MRI magnets : Unique features, opportunities, and challenges

Abstract The unique features of HTS offer opportunities and challenges to a number of applications. In this paper we focus on NMR and MRI magnets and present a brief description of some of the NMR/MRI magnet programs at FBML that are currently on-going and expected to begin in the near future, specifically a 1 GHz NMR magnet comprising an LTS magnet and an HTS insert wound with BSCCO-2223 tape, an NMR magnet assembled from YBCO annuli, and an MRI “demonstration” magnet wound with MgB2 wire. Two conclusions are presented for HTS as applied to NMR/MRI magnets: (1) impact of HTS on NMR/MRI magnet technology is great, because HTS offers many opportunities and challenges, some of which are described here; and (2) impact of NMR/MRI magnets on HTS manufacturers is mixed—for high-field NMR magnet, it is small because the required amount of HTS in these magnets is negligible compared with that in electric power applications; for “low-field” NMR magnets, it may be potentially large if MgB2 replaces Nb–Ti and Nb3Sn; and for MRI magnets, it is potentially huge if MgB2 replaces Nb–Ti and Nb3Sn.
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: Comparison of two techniques of gastrointestinal anastomosis

Purpose: Stenosis of the gastrojejunostomy and wound infection are two potential complications of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The aim of our study was to evaluate the difference in the rates of wound infection and stenosis between two techniques of gastrojejunostomy: end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) vs. gastrointestinal anastomosis (GIA). Methods: The study enrolled 340 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from January 2001 to July 2004. Demographic, operative, and outcome data were prospectively collected and examined with logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 340 patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass, the initial 91 procedures were done using the EEA technique, with the subsequent 249 done using GIA. A significant difference was found in the rates of wound infection between the two groups (EEA 12% vs. GIA 0%; p 0.001). A significant difference was found in the rate of stenosis between the two groups (EEA 18% vs. GIA 0.08%; p 0.001). The anastomotic technique remained an independent risk factor for stenosis in the multivariate logistic regression model after adjusting for the covariates. The EEA technique increased the risk of stenosis by 7.3 times (odds ratio 7.3; 95% confidence interval 1.96–27.15; p 0.001). No gastrojejunostomy anastomotic leaks were observed in either group. The excess weight loss was similar in the two groups. Conclusions: In our experience, performing gastrojejunostomy using the GIA technique significantly decreased the risk of wound infection and anastomotic stenosis. PII: S1550-7289(05)00158-9
Atomic radiative and radiationless yields for K and L shells

The available body of information on (a) fluorescence, Auger, and Coster‐Kronig yields, (b) radiative and radiationless transition rates, (c) level widths, (d) x‐ray and Auger line widths, (e) x‐ray and Auger spectra, and (f) Coster‐Kronig energies has been used to generate an internally consistent set of values of atomic radiative and radiationless yields for the K shell (5 ?Z?110) and the L subshells (12 ?Z?110). Values of fluorescence yields ωk, ω1, ω2, ω3, Coster‐Kronig yields F1, F1.2, F1.3, F1.3, F2.3. Auger yields ak, a1, a2, a3, and effective fluorescence yields ν1 and ν2 are presented in tables and graphs. Estimates of uncertainties are given. Updated and expanded graphs of partial and total widths of K, L1, L2, and L3 levels are presented as well as a reference list of papers published since about 1972.
The premelt dynamics of an exploding conductor circuit

The system of nonlinear differential equations that model a simple exploding conductor circuit in its initial stages up to the melting point of the conductor is analyzed. Using the method of variation of parameters, approximate analytical solutions are derived that reflect the role of the circuit parameters and initial conditions in shaping the dynamics. A comparison with solutions obtained by numerical integration shows that the approximate solutions are quite accurate over the entire domain of validity of the mathematical model. >
Utility of Intraoperative PTH for Primary Hyperparathyroidism Due to Multigland Disease

Surgical resection is the only curative therapy for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (1HPT). Although cure rates of parathyroidectomy are generally high, failure is most often due to unrecognized multigland disease (MGD), which compromises 15–20% of patients with 1HPT. The use of intraoperative PTH (ioPTH) monitoring is well established for single-gland disease. Controversy remains over the utility of ioPTH in MGD, with concern for false-positive results leading to prematurely concluding the operation and leaving behind abnormal parathyroid tissue, risking future recurrence. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of ioPTH monitoring for MGD. Between November 2000 and March 2008, data were prospectively collected on 755 patients with 1HPT who underwent parathyroidectomy. PTH samples were collected pre-incision, and then at 5, 10, and 15 min after excision of suspected abnormal parathyroid gland(s). Surgical cure was defined as a drop of greater than 50% in PTH level. Patients were clinically cured if they became normocalcemic postoperatively and remained so for 6 months. The data were analyzed to determine how accurately ioPTH predicted success or failure of parathyroidectomy. Of the 755 patients, 163 (21.5%) were found to have MGD on pathology. Intraoperative PTH monitoring was used in 161 of these cases. In 146/161 cases (90.7%), the ioPTH level fell by at least 50% after removal of all suspected abnormal glands. All of these patients (100%) remained normocalcemic postoperatively. In 15/161 cases (9.3%), the PTH level did not fall by >50%. For 11/15 cases (73%), patients remained hypercalcemic postoperatively or had recurrence. However, in the remaining four cases, the patients became normocalcemic postoperatively despite failure of the PTH to fall by >50%. In each of these patients, PTH levels fell by 40–50%. ioPTH monitoring accurately predicted success or failure of parathyroidectomy in 97.5% (157/161) of patients with MGD. A fall of ioPTH by >50% can be used as a highly accurate predictor of cure in patients with MGD. Therefore, ioPTH monitoring is a very useful tool in patients with 1HPT and MGD.
An experimental paradigm for studying the discriminative stimulus properties of drugs in humans

An experimental paradigm for studying the discriminative stimulus effects of drugs in human subjects is presented. The paradigm was tested by training subjects to discriminate 10 mg d-amphetamine from placebo. Subjects who successfully learned the discrimination were then tested with two lower doses of d-amphetamine and with 10 mg diazepam. The discriminative stimulus properties of d-amphetamine were dose-dependent, and in two of five subjects the d-amphetamine stimulus generalized to diazepam. The simplicity and versatility of the paradigm give it the potential for use in a wide variety of experimental and clinical situations.
On the nature of rate acceleration in the synthesis and fragmentation of triazolines by Brønsted acid: secondary catalysis by water (hydronium triflate).

Rate acceleration of the addition of benzyl azide to an electron deficient olefin is characterized using in situ IR spectroscopy. Under strictly anhydrous conditions and at depressed temperature (−20 °C), a triazoline intermediate is selectively formed. The stability of this protonated triazoline intermediate at −20 °C is indefinite, but warming of the reaction mixture to 0 °C or above results in its conversion to the β-amino oxazolidine dione observed under conditions used in our earlier report. As an alternative to warming, the same conversion can be effected by the addition of a single equivalent of water. Our experiments collectively demonstrate the metastability of the protonated triazoline intermediate and secondary catalysis of triazolinium ring fragmentation by water. This behavior is attributed to the ability of water to transfer a proton from N3 to N1 of the triazoline, thereby allowing ring fragmentation and nitrogen expulsion.
Radiographic abnormalities in Vermont granite workers exposed to low levels of granite dust.

The issue of whether low levels of granite dust exposure lead to radiographic abnormalities after a lifetime of exposure has not been settled. In 1983, we carried out a radiographic survey of the Vermont granite industry, consisting of quarry and stone shed workers who had been exposed to the low dust levels prevailing in the industry since 1938 to 1940. Films were read by three “B” readers, using the ILO classification system, which requires the identification of both rounded and irregular opacities, as well as combinations of both. X-ray films were taken of 972 workers, out of a total work force of approximately 1,400. Of these films, 28 (3 percent) were interpreted by either two or three of the three readers as showing abnormalities consistent with pneumoconiosis. Only seven films (or 0.7 percent of the entire cohort) showed nodular or rounded opacities of the type typically seen in uncomplicated silicosis. The remainder of the abnormal x-ray films showed irregular opacities, largely in the lower lung zones, which are of uncertain significance, but may be related to heavy cigarette smoking and aging, and possibly dust inhalation. In addition, total gravimetric dust concentrations in the workplace were measured; 417 respirable-size mass samples showed concentrations of 601 μg/cu m±368 μg/cu m. Using previously published estimates of 10 percent quartz in granite dust, the average quartz concentration was 60 pg/cu m. Twelve percent of the samples exceeded 100 pg/cu m, the current OSHA standard for quartz. We conclude that control of quartz exposure in the Vermont granite industry to levels which are on average less than the current OSHA standard has essentially eliminated definite radiographic changes of silicosis. The significance of the irregular opacities in the lower lung zones seen on a majority of the 28 x-ray films judged to be abnormal is not clear.
Curved pleat folding for smooth wrapping

A technique is presented to minimize the packaged size of a flat sheet by folding it into a strip that can be wrapped around a hub. This is difficult to accomplish using regular straight creases, because of the thickness of the sheet. A curved crease pattern is used to address this problem of non-zero thickness. A mathematical formulation is developed in order to compute the required crease pattern for coiling a folded strip to any desired curvature, and specifically for coiling it into a tight spiral around a hub. This method is demonstrated with paper models. The crease computation algorithm is then extended to provide a folding strategy to efficiently package a square sheet around a central hub such that it can easily unfold or deploy. This development has applications particularly for deployable structures on small spacecraft.
Childhood trauma, PTSD, and problematic alcohol and substance use in low-income, African-American men and women

Previous studies demonstrate that PTSD mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and alcohol and substance use disorders and that PTSD and alcohol/substance use comorbidity is greater in men than in women. We sought to replicate and extend these findings in a predominantly low-income, African-American sample recruited from a public hospital. We administered measures of childhood trauma, PTSD symptoms, problematic alcohol use, and problematic substance use to 803 men and 2084 women. We examined rates of comorbidity in men and women. Next, two bootstrap analyses were used to test whether PTSD is a mediator between childhood trauma and problematic alcohol use and between childhood trauma and problematic substance use. Finally, two bootstrap analyses were used to test whether gender would moderate the indirect effect of PTSD in both the alcohol and substance use models. Results showed that although men and women reported similar overall PTSD symptom frequency, men were more likely than women to report PTSD comorbid with alcohol and/or substance use problems. In addition, PTSD partially mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic alcohol use and between childhood trauma and problematic substance use. The indirect effects of PTSD on the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic alcohol use and between childhood trauma and problematic substance use were greater in men. This study demonstrates the important interplay of gender, childhood trauma, PTSD, and alcohol and substance use. Mental health providers should consider childhood trauma histories and diagnostic comorbidities when treatment planning.
An Empirical Comparison of the Anova F-Test, Normal Scores Test and Kruskal-Wallis Test Under Violation of Assumptions

The present research compares the ANOVA F-test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the normal scores test in terms of empirical alpha and empirical power with samples from the normal distribution and two exponential distributions. Empirical evidence supports the use of the ANOVA F-test even under violation of assumptions when testing hypotheses about means. If the researcher is willing to test hypotheses about medians, the Kruskal-Wallis test was found to be competitive to the F-test. However, in the cases investigated, the normal scores test was not consistently better than the F-test or the Kruskal-Wallis test and could not be recommended on the basis of this research.
Effect of Medical Management and Residual Fragments on Recurrent Stone Formation Following Shock Wave Lithotripsy

ABSTRACTMinimal emphasis has been placed on the clinical sequelae of residual stone fragments following shock wave lithotripsy. Moreover, there are no studies investigating the role of medical therapy on the course of stone disease in patients with residual fragments.In this retrospective, nonrandomized review, we evaluated 80 patients who had undergone shock wave lithotripsy at various institutions in Texas and were referred to our mineral metabolism clinic for metabolic evaluation and medical management of the stone disease. Of the patients 31 were determined to be stone-free following lithotripsy, while 49 had residual stone fragments. All patients were contacted an average of 43.2 months (range 9 to 79) following shock wave lithotripsy and the radiographs were reviewed.Patients were placed into 4 groups after shock wave lithotripsy: stone-free or residual fragments on or off medical therapy. In the stone-free group (19 patients), medical treatment produced a significant decrease in stone formation fro...
Effects of filler–polymer interactions on cold‐crystallization kinetics in crosslinked, silica‐filled polydimethylsiloxane/polydiphenylsiloxane copolymer melts

Crystallization in a series of variable crosslink density poly(dimethyldiphenyl)siloxanes random block copolymers reinforced through a mixture of precipitated and fumed silica fillers has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The silicone composite studied was composed of 94.6 mol % dimethoylsiloxane, 5.1 mol % diphenylsiloxane, and 0.3 mol % methyl-vinyl siloxane (which formed crosslinking after peroxide cure). The polymer was filled with a mixture of 21.6 wt % fumed silica and 4.0 wt % precipitated silica previously treated with 6.8 wt % ethoxy-end-blocked siloxane processing aid. Molecular weight between crosslinks and filler-polymer interaction strength were modified by exposure to γ-irradiation in either air or in vacuo. Isothermal DMA experiments illustrated that crystallization at -85 °C occurred over a 1.8 hour period in silica-filled systems and 2.2-2.6 hours in unfilled systems. The crystallization kinetics for irradiated samples were found to be dependent on crosslink density. Irradiation in vacuo resulted in faster overall crystallization rates compared to air irradiation for the same crosslink density, likely due to a reduction in the interaction between the polymer chains and the silica filler surface for samples irradiated in air.
Dietary caffeine consumption modulates fMRI measures

Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world. The stimulant effects of caffeine are mediated through its antagonistic properties on neuronal adenosine receptors. In addition, caffeine blocks neurovascular adenosine receptors and decreases cerebral perfusion. Although the effects of caffeine on blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging measures are extremely important, there are few studies addressing this issue in the literature. Because chronic caffeine use causes an upregulation of adenosine receptors, the differential effects of caffeine in low and high users is of particular interest. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that caffeine has differential effects on the BOLD signal in high and low caffeine users. We demonstrated that the BOLD signal change in visual cortex was significantly greater in high users than in low users in the presence of caffeine. In addition, the magnitude of the BOLD signal was significantly correlated with caffeine consumption. We propose that the outcome observed here was due to an upregulation of adenosine receptors in high users, resulting in differential contributions of the neural and vascular effects of adenosine in the two study populations.
Dynamics of polymer/metal nanocomposite films at short times as studied by x-ray standing waves.

X-ray standing waves generated by total external reflection from a silver mirror were used to monitor the mobility of metal particles in ultrathin polymer matrices with subnanometer spatial resolution in the direction perpendicular to the film surface. The particular model system consisted of gold nanoparticles deposited onto poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA) by thermal evaporation. Particles remained at the free surface of a PtBA film during annealing treatments above the polymer glass transition temperature but were able to diffuse when a second polymer layer was added to create sandwich samples with a buried gold layer. In these sandwich samples the gold distribution broadened with time and moved toward the polymer layer with the highest mobility. The polymer mobility is affected by the molecular weight of the polymer itself and by the substrate with which the layer is in contact. Values of the gold particle diffusion coefficients obtained from the broadening of the distribution are coupled to the termi...
Shear stress relaxation of dental ceramics determined from creep behavior.

Abstract Objective . To test the hypothesis that shear stress relaxation functions of dental ceramics can be determined from creep functions measured in a beam-bending viscometer. Methods . Stress relaxation behavior was determined from creep data for the following materials: (1) a veneering ceramic-IPS Empress2 ® body ceramic (E2V); (2) an experimental veneering ceramic (EXV); (3) a low expansion body porcelain-Vita VMK 68 feldspathic body porcelain (VB); (4) a high expansion body porcelain-Will Ceram feldspathic body porcelain (WCB); (5) a medium expansion opaque porcelain-Vita feldspathic opaque porcelain (VO); and (6) a high expansion opaque porcelain-Will Ceram feldspathic opaque porcelain (WCO). Laplace transform techniques were used to relate shear stress relaxation functions to creep functions for an eight-parameter, discrete viscoelastic model. Nonlinear regression analysis was performed to fit a four-term exponential relaxation function for each material at each temperature. The relaxation functions were utilized in the ANSYS finite element program to simulate creep behavior in three-point bending for each material at each temperature. Results . Shear stress relaxation times at 575 °C ranged from 0.03 s for EXV to 195 s for WCO. Significance . Knowledge of the shear relaxation functions for dental ceramics at high temperatures is required input for the viscoelastic element in the ANSYS finite element program, which can used to determine transient and residual stresses in dental prostheses during fabrication.
Heavy Petroleum Composition. 1. Exhaustive Compositional Analysis of Athabasca Bitumen HVGO Distillates by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry: A Definitive Test of the Boduszynski Model

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) allows detailed characterization of complex petroleum samples at the level of elemental composition assignment. Ultrahigh-resolution (450 000−650 000 at m/z 500) enables identification of isobaric species that differ in mass by 3 mDa or less, and high mass accuracy (mass error of better than 300 ppb), combined with Kendrick mass sorting, allows for unambiguous molecular formula assignment to each of more than 10 000−20 000 peaks in each mass spectrum. Thus, it is possible to identify, sort, and monitor thousands of elemental compositions simultaneously, as a function of the boiling point. Here, the detailed FT-ICR MS characterization of an Athabasca bitumen heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) distillation series exposes the progression of heteroatom class, type (double bond equivalents (DBE), number of rings plus double bonds to carbon), and carbon number for tens of thousands of crude oil species, as a function of the boiling point. Specific...
Changes in ventricular volume in hydrocephalic children following successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

The objective was to investigate the changes in ventricular volume in hydrocephalic children following successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Using segmentation techniques, serial measurements of ventricular volume were performed using the MRI scans of 13 hydrocephalic children who had successful ETV between 1999 and 2002 to monitor ventricular response. All patients remained asymptomatic, did not require shunting and demonstrated radiological evidence of stoma patency on phase contrast cine MR, throughout the follow-up period extending from 1 to 3.5 years. There were 6 boys and 7 girls with a mean age at operation of 76 months (range 0.1–196 months). Imaging was obtained preoperatively, 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months postoperatively. Each volume measured was divided by the corresponding average normal volume for sex and age, to calculate the “× Normal” ventricular volume (×N). The patients were divided into two groups for analysis: those children having large ventricular volumes at presentation (>5×N) and those with moderate initial volumes (<5×N). The mean preoperative volume was 207 cm3 (11.9×N) while the mean volumes at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months were 120 cm3 (6.7×N), 104 cm3 (5.7×N), 119 cm3 (6.8×N), 146 cm3 (7.8×N) and 185 cm3 (10.3×N) respectively, for the entire group. Nine patients had large preoperative ventricular volumes while 4 patients presented with moderate volumes. The pattern of change in ventricular size varied between the large and small volume groups. For the majority of patients presenting with large volumes (>5×N), ventricular size decreased significantly until 3–6 months following ETV, after which the volume change levelled off. In some patients, a slight increase in volume was observed after this period. Patients presenting with moderate initial volumes had a much less steep reduction in ventricular size in the 3–6 months following ETV, after which the volume appeared to stabilise or fall slightly. However, the final volume in both groups remained higher than normal, especially in the large presentation volume group (mean × N volumes at 12 months: large preoperative volume group = 9.8×N, moderate preoperative volume group = 2.4×N). In response to ETV, ventricular volume falls to a value lower than preoperatively but higher than the normalised value for age and sex. All patients appeared to have supranormal volumes in the long term, with the volume stabilising at 3–6 months. This contrasts with shunted patients who continue to exhibit declining ventricular volumes after 6 months. The observation that the final volumes are much higher than normal (especially in the large volume group) implies that the absorptive mechanism works less well in these patients in comparison to normal subjects and it thus appears that successful ETV produces a state of compensated communicating hydrocephalus. The long-term neurocognitive consequence of persistently enlarged ventricles may require further evaluation.
Kilwa Dynastic Historiography: A Critical Study

One of the unresolved problems in African historiography concerns the Arabic and Portuguese versions of the so-called Kilwa Chronicle. Scholars who have used these sixteenth-century sources have tended to assume that the Portuguese version, which is essentially a list of the kings of Kilwa up to around 1500, is a transcription of the Arabic version known under the title of Kitab al-SulwZa. In the recent debate between Freeman-Grenville and Chittick, this assumption has created serious difficulties because the Portuguese account mentions kings who are omitted in the Kitab. Freeman-Grenville attempted to resolve the difficulty by hypothesizing that the work was defectively abridged in the extant nineteenth-century copy. Relying on the regnal durations in the Portuguese account, he computed the dynastic chronology of Kilwa backwards to the tenth century.2 Subsequently, Chittick's excavations did not show Kilwa important enough to have been the site of a kingdom prior to the thirteenth century. This became the basis for an alternative explanation which denied the existence of gaps or omissions in the Kitab. Chittick argued instead that the longer list of kings in the Portuguese account may have resulted from dovetailing two sources together and duplicating their information.3 The present paper calls on genealogical evidence overlooked by both scholars which demonstrates that the divergence between the two sources results from their varying perspectives on the dynastic politics and succession disputes. First, the Portuguese account, though occurring in Joao de Barros' Da Asia written about 1552, may represent an impromptu composition given to the Portuguese during their occupation of Kilwa in 1505-12. The narrative reveals a consistent bias against the branch of the royal family which was in power at the time. Kitab al-Sulwa, on the other hand, bears evidence that its unnamed author, born in 1499 and writing probably around 1550, did not go beyond a rough draft of seven out of the ten chapters promised in his
Energy end-use model of paper manufacturing in the US

Abstract This paper models the combined energy end-use for the four major energy consuming subsectors of paper industry in the US. The model allocates combustible fuel and renewable energy inputs among generic end-uses including intermediate conversions through onsite power and steam generation. The methodology is described in detail for paper mills—except newsprint, which is the single biggest energy consumer among the four subsectors. The model is presented in the form of a graphical depiction of energy flows. This model can serve as the key to create energy process-step models for paper and allied products. The approach is applicable to all other industries and is consistent with the US Department of Energy data for 1998, which is the most recent available data. When used in conjunction with similar models for other years, it can be used to identify the changes in energy utilization.
A simplified extrapolation procedure for SCF calculations

Abstract A simple and apparently very effective procedure is described for extrapolating bond order matrices in SCF calculations and so accelerating convergence. Only one additional matrix has to be stored. Tests indicate that it is superior to previous methods of comparable simplicity.
Investigation of leakage flux in a capacitive angular displacement sensor used in torque motors by 3D finite element field modelling

This paper describes the finite element (FE) investigation of leakage flux in a capacitive angular displacement sensor used in specialised limited-angle torque motors for rotor position sensing. The investigation is carried out by 3D FE modelling and computation of electrostatic field distribution in the complex geometry of the cylindrical sensor. The effects of the axial leakage flux are investigated by comparing the results of 3D and 2D electric field distribution in this small length-to-diameter ratio sensor. Results are presented in terms of 3D potential plots and the effects of leakage flux are assessed by comparing the output characteristics, V=f(θ), of the sensor obtained by modelling and experiment. It has been shown that the axial leakage flux does not have much effect on the magnitude and linearity of this output characteristic which is attributed to the shielding effects of the earthed motor back plate and other geometric features of the sensor.
From Private Library and Bookstore to Communist Party: Yun Daiying's Social Engagement and Political Transformation, 1917–1921

The early Chinese Marxist, communist leader and martyr, Yun Daiying was an avid reader and collector of books. His intellectual and political endeavors started with reading and collecting various books and magazines on current affairs and social sciences from home and abroad. Yun Daiying founded his own private library in 1917 and expanded it into a public library while he was a student of Wuchang National Normal University. Later Yun established a reading club christened the “Mutual Aid Society” under the disparate influences of Kropotkin, Mushanokōji Saneatsu, and the YMCA. Yun's founding of the Beneficent Group Bookstore in 1920 epitomized his ideal of combining reading and the book trade with the dissemination of new knowledge and the reconstruction of society from the bottom up. Yun kept his distance from the other Comintern-influenced Wuhan Marxists, and it was rather upon the organizational foundation of the Beneficent Group Bookstore that Yun Daiying co-founded a more radical “Co-Existence Society...
An electromagnetic flowmeter for simultaneous measurements of pulmonary arterial and aortic blood flows in the conscious animal

An electromagnetic flowmeter apparatus for simultaneous measurements of pulmonary arterial and aortic blood flows in the conscious animal is described. The apparatus retains the basic features of the sine wave flowmeter and coreless flow transducers developed byKolin and provides for recordings from two adjacent transducers. The proximity of the implanted transducers results in a constant interaction which alters the techniques for calibration and zero flow determination which have been reported for single-flow measurements. The apparatus has linear frequency and phase shift characteristic to ensure undistorted flow measurement up to 50 c/s.