cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Obstetric outcomes of pregnancy complicated by urolithiasis: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives Evaluate the association between urolithiasis during pregnancy and obstetric outcomes outside the context of urological intervention. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of singleton, non-anomalous gestations delivered at 23-42 weeks in California from 2007 to 2011. Maternal outcomes (preterm delivery [early (<32 weeks) and late (<37 weeks)], preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, cesarean deliveries, urinary tract infection [UTI] at delivery, chorioamnionitis, endomyometritis, and maternal sepsis) and newborn outcomes (seizure, respiratory distress syndrome, hypoglycemia, jaundice, and neonatal abstinence syndrome [NAS]) were compared using χ2-tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 2,013,767 pregnancies met inclusion criteria, of which 5,734 (0.28%) were complicated by urolithiasis. Stone disease during pregnancy was associated with 30% greater odds of each early (aOR 1.30; 95% CI 1.19-1.43) and late (aOR 1.29; 95% CI 1.18-1.41) preterm delivery. Cesarean delivery, UTI at delivery, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and sepsis were all significantly positively associated with urolithiasis. Odds of NAS (aOR 2.11; 95% CI 1.27-3.51) and jaundice were significantly greater in the neonates of stone-forming patients (aOR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01-1.16). Conclusions Urolithiasis during pregnancy was associated with 30% greater odds of preterm delivery and increased risk of myriad metabolic, hypertensive, and infectious disorders of gestation. Neonates born to stone-forming patients were more than twice as likely to develop neonatal abstinence syndrome but did not have significantly greater odds of complications of prematurity.
Reduction of Effective Pixel Pitch of Digital Micromirror Device for Lidar Transmitter and Receiver

Small pixel pitch with a large array size is highly anticipated for solid-state lidar transmitter and receiver. We demonstrate 2D beam steering with reduced effective pixel pitch by harnessing transitional state of the mirror array.
Association of Optic Nerve Head Prelaminar Schisis With Glaucoma.

Purpose To compare the frequency of observing optic nerve head (ONH) prelaminar schisis by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glaucoma and glaucoma suspect (GL/S) eyes vs healthy control (HC) eyes and to assess its association with other markers of glaucoma severity. Methods This cross-sectional study included 298 eyes of 150 GL/S patients and 88 eyes of 44 HCs. OCT scans were obtained, including 24 radial B-scans, each composed of 768 A-lines spanning 15°, centered on the ONH. Two reviewers masked to all other clinical, demographic, and ocular information independently graded the OCT scans for the presence of ONH prelaminar schisis on a 4-point scale of 0 (none) to 3 (severe). The probability of ONH schisis was compared between groups and against demographic and ocular factors, including structural and functional measures of glaucoma severity. Results The frequency and severity of ONH prelaminar schisis were greater in GL/S than in HC (P = .009). Among the GL/S group, 165 eyes (55.4%) had no visible schisis (Grade 0), 71 (23.8%) had Grade 1, 46 (15.4%) had Grade 2 and 16 (5.4%) had Grade 3 schisis. Among HC eyes, 59 (67.0%) had Grade 0, 24 (27.3%) had Grade 1, 5 (5.7%) had Grade 2, none had Grade 3. ONH schisis was more common in eyes with thinner MRW and a deeper cup. Conclusions ONH prelaminar schisis may be a sign of glaucomatous deformation and reflect ongoing pathophysiological damage. ONH prelaminar schisis can impact OCT image segmentation and diagnostic parameters, resulting in substantial overestimation of the true rim tissue thickness and underestimation of cup depth.
Mything in action: Fashion designers in documentary film

Fashion documentaries have become a juggernaut in the constitution of fashion designer identity over the past several years. Presuming to offer a 'peek behind the curtain' via access to the inner workings of fashion brands ant he creative minds at their helm, they are also carefully constructed narratives setting the parameters of how fashion designers are perceived. I seek to deconstruct the film narratives to examine the 'how' and 'to what end' of their myth building. What does being a fashion designer mean in these carefully constituted worlds? What discursive practices are used to build these icons? How does one come to know the designer and their cultural worth through this medium? Approaching the documentaries through the lens of critical discourse analysis, I 'read' the documentaries as multimodal texts, seeking to delineate the discursive practices engaged in five documentaries produced since 2014 to build mythic narratives around the designers profiled.
Free-Carrier-Induced Ferroelectricity in Layered Perovskites

Doping ferroelectrics with carriers is often detrimental to polarization. This makes the design and discovery of metals that undergo a ferroelectriclike transition challenging. In this Letter, we show from first principles that the oxygen octahedral rotations in perovskites are often enhanced by electron doping, and this can be used as a means to strengthen the structural polarization in certain hybrid-improper ferroelectrics---compounds in which the polarization is not stabilized by the long-range Coulomb interactions but is instead induced by a trilinear coupling to octahedral rotations. We use this design strategy to predict a cation ordered Ruddlesden-Popper compound that can be driven into a metallic ferroelectriclike phase via electrolyte gating.
Racial and ethnic disparities in risk and survival in children with neuroblastoma: An updated analysis.

10036Background: Biologic and socioeconomic factors contribute to health disparities among patients with pediatric cancer. In an analysis of Children’s Oncology Group (COG) neuroblastoma (NBL) pati...
Persistence and path dependence: A primer

Abstract How much of the spatial distribution of economic activity today is determined by history rather than by geographic fundamentals? How long should we expect temporary local shocks to persist in their effects on local economic concentration? When will such shocks have permanent (i.e. path-dependent) consequences? This paper develops a simple dynamic model of economic geography—with many heterogeneous locations interacting through trade, migration, agglomeration externalities, and endogenous fertility—that delivers tractable answers to these questions. Our results highlight an important distinction between agglomeration spillovers that endogenously affect productivity (or amenities) contemporaneously and those that do so with a lag.
Protein Selection Using mRNA Display

mRNA display is an in vitro technique that may be used to search natural or synthetic DNA libraries for the functional proteins and peptides they encode. mRNA-displayed proteins are constructs in which a protein is covalently attached to the RNA that encodes it. This direct covalent association of phenotype (protein) and genotype (RNA) renders the protein directly amplifiable. This in turn allows successive cycles of selection, enrichment, and, optionally, mutagenesis, to be performed upon libraries of displayed proteins. At the end of this process, functional sequences will dominate the library; cloning and sequencing will reveal the identity of the selected functional proteins. mRNA display allows new functional proteins to be discovered without resorting to protein design. This unit describes generation of mRNA-displayed proteins by the in vitro translation of mRNA display templates which are mRNA molecules 3'-terminated in puromycin. Puromycin is a translation inhibitor that is able to enter the ribosome during translation and form a stable covalent bond with the nascent protein. This allows a stable covalent linkage to be formed between the mRNA display template and the protein it encodes, resulting in an mRNA-displayed protein.
Comparison between decision-level and feature-level fusion of acoustic and linguistic features for spontaneous emotion recognition

Detection of affective states in speech could improve the way users interact with electronic devices. However the analysis of speech at the acoustic level could be not enough to determine the emotion of a user speaking in a realistic scenario. In this paper we analysed the spontaneous speech recordings of the FAU Aibo Corpus at the acoustic and linguistic levels to extract two sets of acoustic and linguistic features. The acoustic set was reduced by a greedy procedure selecting the most relevant features to optimize the learning stage. We experimented with three classification approaches: Naive-Bayes, a support vector machine and a logistic model tree, and two fusion schemes: decision-level fusion, merging the hard-decisions of the acoustic and linguistic classifiers by means of a decision tree; and feature-level fusion, concatenating both sets of features before the learning stage. Despite the low performance achieved by the linguistic data, a dramatic improvement was achieved after its combination with the acoustic information, improving the results achieved by this second modality on its own. The results achieved by the classifiers using the parameters merged at feature level outperformed the classification results of the decision-level fusion scheme, despite the simplicity of the scheme.
Location Privacy Protection for Smartphone Users Using Quadtree Entropy Maps

The ever-increasing popularity of location-based services poses a serious threat to users’ location privacy. Most protection systems, however, rely on an anonymization server, which itself becomes one source of untrustworthiness. This article presents EMP2—a new location privacy protection scheme based on a quadtree entropy map, enabling the protection of users’ location privacy only with their smartphones. EMP2 accurately estimates the uncertainty of users' intended destinations and dynamically adjusts the protection level to defend against sophisticated inference attacks based on query correlation. Our evaluation demonstrates that EMP2 can effectively protect users’ location privacy with reasonable computation time and resource consumption.
The electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram in single ventricle: Anatomic correlations

Abstract The electrocardiograms and vectorcardiograms of 29 patients with single ventricle are described and analyzed. The electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic findings of these cases in relation to the anatomic position of the great vessels and the presence or absence of pulmonary stenosis were correlated. In the 10 cases of single ventricle with transposition of the great vessels with inversion, the electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram exhibited an abnormal initial QRS vector in the horizontal plane directed posteriorly and to the left forming abnormal Q waves in the right precordial leads. The Q wave was absent in the left precordial leads of the scalar electrocardiogram. Right axis deviation was frequently observed. These features are commonly seen in congenital corrected transposition of the great vessels and indicate the importance of the position of the great vessels regardless of the presence of one or two ventricles. Among the 12 cases of single ventricle with transposition of the great vessels with the aorta anterior and to the right of the pulmonary artery, an abnormal direction of the initial QRS vector anteriorly and to the left was commonly observed. This was represented by absence of Q waves in the precordial electrocardiographic leads V 1 through V 6 . Left axis deviation or an axis beyond −90 ° was frequently seen. On the other hand, in cases of single ventricle and normally related great vessels the QRS axis was commonly normal or slightly to the left, and there were stereotype Rs or rS patterns across the precordial leads. Although in our series the presence of pulmonary stenosis in single ventricle had no effect on the QRS pattern, it commonly altered atrial depolarization. Cases of single ventricle and pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary hypertension showed right atrial enlargement, but cases without pulmonary stenosis and with a large left to right shunt showed left atrial enlargement. The abnormal initial QRS vector on the vectorcardiogram observed in most cases of single ventricle as well as lack of a normal transitional zone of the precordial QRS complexes on the scalar electrocardiogram are perhaps the result of an abnormal ventricular conduction pathway.
Cellular Telephone Use: A Survey of College Business Students.

Whether it is hand held, in a pocket, on a backpack, clipped to a belt, or hidden in a brief case or purse, college students and cellular telephones go together. Communication with fellow students, professors, parents, and everyone else is just a click away. While walking across campus and down the halls of academic buildings, cellular telephones are being used. This research questions in what ways do students use cellular telephones and does this use interfere with or assist in learning and college life? This paper reports the results of a survey of undergraduate business students addressing this question. The objectives were to determine: (1) how much time is spent using a cell phone and which phone features are used most frequently, (2) what students believe concerning the impact of cell phones on learning in the classroom and during study, (3) how often students are in contact with parents on a cell phone, and (4) how much do students pay for cell phone services. The results indicate that 100% of the students own a cell phone. Sixty-six percent of the students use voice calls most frequently and 30% use text messages most often. A total of 55.8% of students report that they spend 3 hours or less on their cell phone daily and 44.8% spend four or more hours daily on their cell phones. Over half of the students report that they have some interaction with their cell phones during class time for every class. Seventy-seven percent state that this cell phone use seldom or never interferes with classroom learning. All of the students (100%) believe that they should be able to receive emergency information over a cell phone during class time. Seventy-six percent believe that cell phones seldom or never assist in classroom learning. However, students report that cell phone use impacts on study time outside of class. Cell phone distractions during study time outside class was reported by 34.6% of the students as happening often or always and an additional 43.5% are sometimes distracted by cell phones during study time. Bad or upsetting news received over a cell phone before class impacts academic performance of 14.2% of the students often or always. Thirty-five percent of the students talk to parents more than once a day and another 23.7% have contact on a daily basis. Therefore, 59.5% report that they have contact with their parents at least once a day. Fifteen percent of the students pay over $100 per month for cell phone service, 28% pay from $75 to $100, 34% spend $51 to $75, and 14% spend $26 to $50 per month. More than 90% of the students report that they have text messaging, calculator, clock, calendar, and appointment reminder on their cell phone. Over 70% have the internet and games. Over 60% have a camera and email. Only 13% have an MP3 music player and 7% have an FM radio.
Assessment of relative bioavailability of two presentations of moroctocog alfa (AF-CC) in subjects with moderately severe or severe hemophilia A

UNLABELLED An open-label, single-dose, randomized, two-period, cross-over study comparing the pharmacokinetics of factor VIII activity in plasma ( FVIII C) after administration of a new presentation of moroctocog alfa containing 3,000 IU in a dual-chamber syringe and the combined contents of approved 1,000 and 2,000 IU vials was conducted in 16 male subjects who had moderately severe or severe hemophilia A (FVIII:C ≤2 IU/dL). Blood samples were collected for 72 hours after administration of the dose. FVIII C were assayed using a chromogenic substrate assay in a central laboratory. The FVIII C pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis. The dual-chamber syringe would be bioequivalent to the combined contents of the vials if the 90% confidence limits of the ratio of the geometric mean values of AUCinf , and Cmax fell within the interval of 80-125%. The bioequivalence criteria were met. A total of seven treatment related adverse events were observed in a total of five subjects. All were mild and none was determined to be related to administration of study medication.
Injury, Pain, and Change in War and Peace: The Cases of Nikolai Rostov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

Physical pain plays an important but unusual role in the War and Peace. In the pre-twentieth century literary landmarks in which physical pain figures prominently, pain is closely linked to the idea of justice. In Dante, it is condign justice; in Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Dostoevsky, injustice that threatens the national or world order. In Tolstoy, by contrast, pain is much more closely associated with revelation, transformation, and truth. We can see this plainly in the changes that take place, through pain, in the lives of two of the male protagonists, Nikolai Rostov and Andrei Bolkonsky. Pain of course also plays a significant role in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, but I have chosen to focus, at least here, on War and Peace, because War and Peace presents the relation between pain, revelation, and truth in greater detail, over a much longer period of time, and in radically dissimilar characters. What at first Nikolai and Andrei seem to have in common is that their physical pain stems directly from their battle injuries. Nikolai is injured at Schongrabern in 1805; and Andrei at Austerlitz in 1805 and again at Borodino in 1812. But there are also surprising similarities regarding the effects of pain in their lives, similarities that need to be examined–as well, of course, as dramatic differences–if we are to achieve a better understanding of Tolstoy's use of physical pain as a transformative catalyst. By analyzing Nikolai's and especially Andrei's traumatic injuries and both their short and long-term effects, I hope to show how Tolstoy employs the shock of excruciating physical pain as a means of leading two of his male protagonists toward spiritual transformation and the revelation of truth.
Dynamic Wavelength Provisioning in DWDM-Based Optical Network

The problem of dynamic provisioning of optical channels in a DWDM optical network is considered. Methodologies and associated algorithms for lightpath computation are outlined. We present and compare the performance of two different schemes for provisioning of the optical channels. The first scheme is a simple semi-dynamic constraint-based routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) algorithm that compute solutions to three sub-problems: (a) The routing problem; (b) The constraint-based shortest route selection problem; (c) The wavelength assignment problem. The second scheme is a more dynamic algorithm where both components, routing and wavelength assignment, are considered simultaneously. A new cost definition of optical links is introduced and two new path selections schemes are presented for the full-dynamic RWA. The performance of theses selections algorithms is compared by simulation.
What Are We Seeking to Sustain Through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy? A Loving Critique Forward

In this article, Django Paris and H. Samy Alim use the emergence of Paris's concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) as the foundation for a respectful and productive critique of previous formulations of asset pedagogies. Paying particular attention to asset pedagogy's failures to remain dynamic and critical in a constantly evolving global world, they offer a vision that builds on the crucial work of the past toward a CSP that keeps pace with the changing lives and practices of youth of color. The authors argue that CSP seeks to perpetuate and foster linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of the democratic project of schooling and as a needed response to demographic and social change. Building from their critique, Paris and Alim suggest that CSP's two most important tenets are a focus on the plural and evolving nature of youth identity and cultural practices and a commitment to embracing youth culture's counterhegemonic potential while maintaining a clear-eyed critique of the ways in ...
Neural-fuzzy hybrid system for mobile robot path-planning in a partially known environment

In this paper, a neural-fuzzy hybrid control approach is proposed for controlling a mobile robot that can avoid an unexpected obstacle in a navigational space. First, to describe the global structure of a known environment, a heuristic dominant collision-free space band is introduced. Based on the band, the moving information in the known environment is trained to a neural controller. Then, during the execution of a mobile robot navigation moving information at each position is given from the neural controller. If the mobile robot encounters an unexpected obstacle, a fuzzy controller is activated to adjust the moving information given from the neural controller to avoid the unexpected obstacle. When the robot has safely avoided the obstacle and resume the originally taught path, the fuzzy controller is deactivated. Some numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the planning algorithm.
INCREASED LARVAL PRODUCTION OF Penaeus setiferus BY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION DURING SOURCING CRUISES

The inability of shrimp culturists to produce sufficient quantities of fertilized penaeid eggs in captivity has sustained the practice of collecting mature wild females offshore for immediate spawning. However, in the case of open thelycum penaeids, offshore collections are often unproductive because mature wild females are seldom found in the mated (spermatophore attached) condition. In this study, artificial insemination was investigated as a means of obtaining fertilized eggs from unmated mature female Penaeus setiferus collected offshore. A total of 59 artificial inseminations were performed in conjunction with 4 cruises in the western Gulf of Mexico. Sperm was removed from spermatophores of males found within the catch and attached between the third and fourth pairs of pereiopods of unmated, mature females which were then chilled to 20°C to inhibit spawning until return to the laboratory. Of 53 spawns produced by artificially inseminated females, at least 41 (77%) resulted in fertilized eggs and nauplii (range: 100 to 260,000 nauplii per spawn). Of the 41 fertile spawns, 29% produced 50,000 or more nauplii and 20% produced more than 100,000 nauplii per spawn. Approximately 2 million larvae were produced by artificial insemination, while only about one million were obtained from naturally mated females on the same cruises. Thus, the production of nauplii from the cruises was tripled by using artificial insemination in addition to spawning of naturally inseminated females.
Cardiac markers of acute coronary syndromes: is there a case for point-of-care testing?

Abstract Objective: Major challenges for physicians include selection of effective tests in the time-sensitive identification and management of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We review whether cardiac marker testing performed at the point-of-care (POC) has an impact on clinical management and guidance of intervention for ACS patients. Design and Methods: Evidence from recently published studies and meta-analyses supports the efficacy of cardiac markers. Technologies and specifications of all currently available POC tests for monitoring cardiac markers are surveyed. Finally, a series of questions to investigate the utility of cardiac markers, and their measurement by POC tests, for clinical management and guidance of therapy for ACS patients, are addressed. Results: Cardiac troponins are clearly the best markers for the definitive detection of myocardial infarction. Compelling evidence for the utility of troponins in risk stratification and guidance of intervention for ACS patients has resulted in inclusion of cardiac markers in clinical guidelines. Rapid multi-analyte POC tests, few of which exhibit harmony with central laboratory assays, have facilitated the use of cardiac markers for clinical management and guidance of therapy. Conclusions: Given the need to minimize vein-to-brain time, it is expected that point-of-care testing of cardiac markers will take a leading role in management of ACS patients.
Relationship of temperature to composition of copolymers of α-methylstyrene and maleic anhydride

Abstract Alternating copolymers of α-methylstyrene and maleic anhydride were prepared in good yields in a decalin solution at temperatures below 80°C. Random copolymers with large percentages of α-methylstyrene were obtained in good yields at higher temperatures. These results were in accord with the charge transfer complex which was characterized by n.m.r. and u.v. spectrophotometry and shown to exist below 80°C. The copolymers were characterized by pyrolysis/gas chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. The glass transition temperature of poly(α-methylstyrene) and the random copolymer of this monomer and maleic anhydride were approximately 450 and 458 K respectively.
A comprehensive assessment by tumor site of patient setup using daily MVCT imaging from more than 3,800 helical tomotherapy treatments.

Purpose To assess patient setup corrections based on daily megavoltage CT (MVCT) imaging for four anatomic treatment sites treated on tomotherapy. Method and Materials Translational and rotational setup corrections, based on registration of daily MVCT to planning CT images, were analyzed for 1,179 brain and head and neck (H&N), 1,414 lung, and 1,274 prostate treatment fractions. Frequencies of three-dimensional vector lengths, overall distributions of setup corrections, and patient-specific distributions of random and systematic setup errors were analyzed. Results Brain and H&N had lower magnitude positioning corrections and smaller variations in translational setup errors but were comparable in roll rotations. Three-dimensional vector translational shifts of larger magnitudes occurred more frequently for lung and prostate than for brain and H&N treatments, yet this was not observed for roll rotations. The global systematic error for prostate was 4.7 mm in the vertical direction, most likely due to couch sag caused by large couch extension distances. Variations in systematic errors and magnitudes of random translational errors ranged from 1.6 to 2.6 mm for brain and H&N and 3.2 to 7.2 mm for lung and prostate, whereas roll rotational errors ranged from 0.8° to 1.2° for brain and H&N and 0.5° to 1.0° for lung and prostate. Conclusions Differences in setup were observed between brain, H&N, lung, and prostate treatments. Patient setup can be improved if daily imaging is performed. This analysis can assess the utilization of daily image guidance and allows for further investigation into improved anatomic site-specific and patient-specific treatments.
Isoenzyme patterns in soybean-Nicotiana somatic hybrid cell lines

Zymograms obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1.) and aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1.) from 5 different soybean-Nicotiana hybrid cell lines showed enzymatic characteristics derived from both parents. Variations in the zymogram of the cell lines were observed during a culture period of 8 months (more than 100 generations). These variations may be related to chromosomal loss from the hybrid, particularly those of the Nicotiana parent.
The influence of collective bargaining on large police agency salaries: 1990–2000

Collective bargaining between police management and unions is an important process that determines many aspects of police work, particularly the monetary benefits for line officers like salary and fringe benefits. Working with limited budgets, police administrators who engage in collective bargaining are obligated to negotiate with union representatives over wage benefits while attempting to maintain adequate financial resources toward other police operations. Though students of policing learn that police unions try very hard to increase economic reward for their members there is limited research on the effectiveness of their efforts. Since economic benefits are the primary focus of police unions, it is important; therefore, to evaluate the impact that collective bargaining has on salaries earned by police personnel. This study examines this issue by combining four waves of the Law Enforcement Management and Administration Statistics for the period 1990–2000. Pooled time series analyses reveal that large organizations that engaged in collective bargaining had higher minimum wages for officers during the period. As predicted, collective bargaining did not affect minimum chief’s salaries.
Midazolam-Induced Athetoid Movements of the Lower Extremities during Epidural Anesthesia Reversed by Physostigmine

Midazolam is a short-acting, water-soluble benzodiazepine used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia and as an adjunct to regional anesthesia. This substance produces several types of untoward reactions, including agitated excitement, mental confusion, and uncooperativeness, as well as dystonic extrapyramidal reactions, such as tonic clonic movements, muscle tremor, and athetoid movements. We describe two patients who developed akinesthesia with athetoid movements of the lower extremities after receiving midazolam as a premedication and as an adjunct to epidural anesthesia. These movements occurred with a sensory level of T4 as assessed by pinprick, even though the patients were unable to move their lower extremities.
Processing and physical properties of single phase Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 and (Tl0.5Pb0.5)Sr2−xBaxCa2Cu3O9 superconductors

Abstract Single phase Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 (2212) superconductors with Tc of 97 K were obtained by a two-step synthesis. Prolonged annealing at 860°C in the second step of the synthesis resulted in a higher Tc, at the expense of the growth of an impurity trilayer 2223 phase in the form of stacking faults in the 2212 phase. Nearly single phase (Tl0.5Pb0.5)Sr2−xBaxCa2Cu3O9) (1223) samples were obtained in a single air-sintering step. Replacement of Sr by Ba is necessary to grow the 1223 phase. Samples with x=0.75 displayed Tc as high as 117 K with a superconducting volume fraction over 50%.
A sensitivity analysis method and its application in physics-based nonrigid motion modeling

Parameters used in physical models for nonrigid and articulated motion analysis are often not known with high precision. It has been recognized that commonly used assumptions about the parameters may have adverse effect on modeling quality. In this paper, we present an efficient sensitivity analysis method to assess the impact of those assumptions by examining the model's spatial response to parameter perturbation. Numerical experiments with a synthetic model and skin tissues show that: (1) normalized sensitivity distribution can help determine the relative importance of different parameters; (2) dimensional sensitivity is useful in the assessment of a particular parameter assumption; and (3) models are more sensitive at the locations of property discontinuity (heterogeneity). The formulation of the proposed sensitivity analysis method is general and can be applied to assessment of other types of assumptions, such as those related to nonlinearity and anisotropy.
Group and Individual Decision Making for Task Performance Goals: Processes in the Establishment of Goals:in Groups1

The study examines the processes by which goals in groups are established. Performance goals and preferences for goals were stated by individuals acting alone, by groups deciding in unison, and by group members. All subjects performed a card-sorting task as individuals, and self-set goals were selected for expected levels of individual performance. Groups selected goals that were less difficult than individual goals on several occasions of goal setting. Analysis of the group goal decisions suggests that a success-based social comparison process occurs that implies groups select a goal slightly lower than the average of the member preferences so that the group members may appear successful. Analyses also indicated that the lower group goals arose quickly in the group interaction, and that group members readily adopted the lower goals as appropriate levels of performance. Discussion focuses on the observed differences among group, group member, and individual performance goals, and the ability of the success-based social comparison process to account for these differences.
Organic compounds in coal: Structure and origins

Abstract Traditionally, coal structure has been studied by characterization of pyrolysis liquids and also by examining the solvent extracts from coal. We have combined these 2 techniques to characterize more fully Wyodak subbituminous coal. The organic compounds obtained by pyrolysis in a hydrogen atmosphere and by benzene-ethanol extraction of Wyodak coal were characterized using column chromatography, GC, GC-MS, 1 H-NMR, and 13 C-NMR. We have detected in the extract, ferruginol, a C 20 H 30 O naturally occurring diterpene phenol, which is closely related to abietic acid, as well as large amounts of long-chain fatty acids. Moreover, sclarene, a triene diterpene hydrocarbon related to sclareol was identified. To our knowledge this is the first time that sclarene has been reported in coal. The coal extracts contained only small amounts of normal alkanes (0.4% of coal on DMMF basis), whereas the pyrolysate contained significant amounts (2.4% of coal on DMMF) of these components. We suggest that these saturated hydrocarbons are produced by thermal decarboxylation of the long-chain fatty acids and also from cleavage of the long-chain alkyl moieties attached to the polymeric structures of the coal. The most interesting pyrolytic products are a series of C 14 C 34 long-chain alkylbenzenes. These components were not detected in the extract. Prist-1-ene and prist-2-ene were identified in the coal pyrolysis liquid, indicating that pristane was chemically bound in the coal structure.
Optical properties of Ge nanowires grown on Si(100) and (111) substrates: Nanowire–substrate heterointerfaces

We report photoluminescence (PL) and Raman scattering (RS) measurements of (111) oriented Ge nanowires (NWs) grown by chemical vapor deposition on (100) and (111) silicon substrates. Our PL measurements strongly suggest that the observed emission originates at low-defect density Ge NW – Si substrate interfaces. Both, PL and RS data indicate that Si–Ge intermixing and strain are more pronounced for the Ge NW – (111) Si interface, while NWs grown on (100) Si substrates are relaxed. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Total shoulder arthroplasty with a tissue-ingrowth glenoid component*

A newly designed, uncemented, tissue-ingrowth glenoid component with a porous surface was used in association with the Neer humeral head prosthesis for 32 total shoulder arthroplasties in 29 patients. The diagnoses for the shoulders were osteoarthritis in 17, rheumatoid arthritis in eight, and traumatic arthritis in seven. Follow-up evaluations averaged 51 months (range, 29 to 80 months). Five complications occurred, necessitating four reoperations: two for glenoid component dissociation, one for humeral loosening, and one for infection. Little or no pain was experienced after the operation in 27 (96%) of the 28 shoulders that required no additional surgery. Average active abduction was 145°, average external rotation was 59°, and median internal rotation was to 112. Three glenoid components had probable loosening on radiographic examination. Eight shoulders had some degree of instability; a complication related to the glenoid component (polyethylene dissociation) or probable loosening not yet requiring reoperation developed in four of these ( p
Protective Factors for Eating Disorders in Female College Athletes

Abstract Sundgot-Borgen (1993) hypothesized that participants in refereed sports, e.g., basketball, may be at lower risk for the development of eating disorders in comparison to those participating in judged sports, e.g., gymnastics. This study tested this hypothesis. Structured interviews and self-report questionnaires were employed to assess the presence of eating disorder diagnoses, the presence of body weight and shape concerns, psychopathology, and body mass index among female collegiate athletes. The sample included three groups of participants: nonathletic students (n = 62), student athletes participating in refereed sports (n = 33), and student athletes participating in judged sports (n = 37). Comparison of eating disorder diagnoses between groups found a trend toward a higher rate of diagnoses among members of judged sports as compared to both refereed sports and nonathletic students, approximately (13%, 3%, and 3%, respectively). Participants in judged sports did not differ from nonathletic stud...
Borgatti toppings on Doreian splits: Reflections on regular equivalence

Borgatti’s (1988) comments on the utility of the splitting I proposed (Doreian 1987) for symmetric structures are very helpful. The key insight, as I read his note, is the idea of a hierarchy of nested regular equivalence partitions. He is quite correct when he points to the crucial research agenda item of being able to choose intelligently, or at least by a clearly specified set of criteria, among the candidate regular equivalence partitions in that hierarchy. He is correct also when he points to a scrutiny of our tools. Before responding directly to specific items m his comment, it is useful, at least for me, to reconsider regular equivalence and REGE.
Interpersonal influences and attitudes about adjuvant therapy treatment decisions among non-metastatic breast cancer patients: an examination of differences by age and race/ethnicity in the BQUAL study.

Patients are increasingly involved in cancer treatment decisions and yet little research has explored factors that may affect patient attitudes and beliefs about their therapeutic choices. This paper examines psychosocial factors (e.g., attitudes, social support), provider-related factors (e.g., communication, trust), and treatment considerations in a prospective study of a sample of non-metastatic breast cancer patients eligible for chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy (BQUAL cohort). The data come from a multisite cohort study of white, black, Hispanic, and Asian non-metastatic breast cancer patients recruited in New York City, Northern California, and Detroit, Michigan. Baseline surveys were conducted over the telephone between 2006 and 2010 among a total of 1,145 women. Most participants were white (69 %), had more than a high school education (76 %), and were diagnosed with stage I disease (51 %). The majority of women reported discussing chemotherapy and hormonal therapy with their doctor (90 and 83 %, respectively); these discussions primarily took place with medical oncologists. Nearly a quarter of women reported that the treatment decision was difficult, and the majority were accompanied to the doctor (76 %) and involved a friend or family member in making the decision (54 %). Positive considerations (e.g., beliefs about treatment reducing risk of recurrence) were important in making treatment decisions. Participants preferred a shared decision-making style, but results suggested that there is room for improvement in terms of actual patient's involvement in making the decision and provider communication, particularly among black patients. Patients 65 years and older reported fewer provider discussions of chemotherapy, poorer patient–provider communication, higher rates of being assisted by family members in making the decision, and more negative attitudes and beliefs toward treatment.
Are you Privileged or Oppressed? Students’ Conceptions of Themselves and Others

Given the preponderance of research on students’ resistance to multicultural courses, the authors begin to ponder this resistance by exploring students’ preconceptions of social justice concepts. They present two mixed-methods studies to examine students’ preconceived notions regarding two terms associated with social justice education: privilege and oppression. In Study 1, the authors conducted a qualitative investigation of students’ self-definitions of whether they believe themselves to be privileged or oppressed. In Study 2, they take a quantitative look at students’ reactions to hypothetical character scenarios differentiated based on two variables: (a) privilege or oppression and (b) socially conscious aspirations. The findings indicate specific ways that Whites, especially White men, view privilege and oppression differently from people of color. Findings are discussed in terms of students’ resistance to multicultural education, with a focus on lack of intersubjectivity, sense of privilege, downpla...
Structure of weak shock waves in 2-D layered material systems

Abstract Shock waves in homogeneous materials in the absence of phase transitions are understood to have a one-wave structure. However, upon loading of a layered heterogeneous material system a two-wave structure is obtained––a leading shock front followed by a complex pattern that varies with time. This dual shock-wave pattern can be attributed to material architecture through which the shock wave propagates, i.e. the impedance (and geometric) mismatch present at various length scales, and nonlinearities arising from material inelasticity and failure. The objective of the present paper is to provide a better understanding of the role of material architecture in determining the structure of weak shock waves in 2-D layered material systems. Normal plate-impact experiments are conducted on 2-D layered material targets to obtain both the precursor decay and the late-time dispersion. The particle velocity at the free surface of the target plate is measured by using a multi-beam VALYN VISAR. In order to understand the effects of layer thickness and the distance of wave propagation on elastic precursor decay and late-time dispersion several different targets with various layer and target thicknesses are employed. Moreover, in order to understand the effects of material inelasticity both elastic–elastic and elastic–viscoelastic bilaminates are utilized. The results of these experiments are interpreted by using asymptotic techniques to analyze propagation of acceleration waves in 2-D layered material systems. The analysis makes use of the Laplace transform and Floquet theory for ODE’s with periodic coefficients [Asymptotic solutions for wave propagation in elastic and viscoelastic bilaminates. In: Developments in Mechanics, Proceedings of the 14th Mid-Eastern Mechanics Conference, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 399–417]. Both wave-front and late-time solutions for step-pulse loading on layered half-space are compared with the experimental observations. The results of the study indicate that the structure of acceleration waves is strongly influenced by impedance mismatch of the layers constituting the laminates, density of interfaces, distance of wave propagation, and the material inelasticity.
Fundamental Comparison of the Use of Serial and Parallel Kinematics for Machines Tools

Abstract Classical cartesian kinematics Machining Center (MC) structures are compared with parallel kinematics hexapods (HX) structures from the point of view of workspace, stiffness, accuracy, acceleration ability, and motion dynamics for use as high speed milling machines. Concrete stiffness values are used as achievable. It is concluded that variable strut length HX are fundamentally inferior to the MC and cannot practically be used as high speed milling machines. The constant strut length HX offer larger workspace and higher strut stiffness and may produce characteristics comparable to MC in particular designs.
Submicrometre-Resolution Polychromatic Three-dimensional X-ray Microscopy

The ability to study the structure, microstructure and evolution of materials with increasing spatial resolution is fundamental to achieving a full understanding of the underlying science of materials. Polychromatic three-dimensional X-ray microscopy (3DXM) is a recently developed nondestructive diffraction technique that enables crystallographic phase identification, determination of local crystal orientations, grain morphologies, grain interface types and orientations, and in favorable cases direct determination of the deviatoric elastic strain tensor with submicrometre spatial resolution in all three dimensions. With the added capability of an energy-scanning incident beam monochromator, the determination of absolute lattice parameters is enabled, allowing specification of the complete elastic strain tensor with three-dimensional spatial resolution. The methods associated with 3DXM are described and key applications of 3DXM are discussed, including studies of deformation in single-crystal and polycrystalline metals and semiconductors, indentation deformation, thermal grain growth in polycrystalline aluminium, the metal–insulator transition in nanoplatelet VO2, interface strengths in metal–matrix composites, high-pressure science, Sn whisker growth, and electromigration processes. Finally, the outlook for future developments associated with this technique is described.
Information architecture governs the specification of standardized public data interfaces for an EMS

CIGRE D2.24 is creating a Reference Architecture in seven parts governing the design of software systems for operating power grids and power markets. This paper gives an overview of the Information Architecture part.
An Advanced Shear-Lag Model Applicable to Discontinuous Fiber Composites

This paper develops an analysis for predicting the stress distribution in unidirectional discontinuous fiber composites. Although the basic ap proach is based upon the shear-lag analysis, the load transfer at fiber ends is taken into consideration. This consideration becomes important if the bonding between the fiber and matrix at the fiber end is perfect such as the cases often observed in metal matrix composites, as well as during the early stage of loading of polymeric matrix composites. The present analysis in cludes the ordinary shear-lag analysis as a special case.
Physical characterization of the state of motion of the phenalenyl spin probe in cation-exchanged faujasite zeolite supercages with pulsed EPR

Abstract The molecular motion of the phenalenyl (PNL) spin probe in the supercages of cation-exchanged X and Y zeolites (faujasites) has been physically characterized by pulsed and continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Both X and Y zeolites, whose cation sites were exchanged with the alkali metal ions, Li + , Na + , K + , Rb + and Cs + were examined. There is a good correspondence between the temperature dependences of the PNL electron spin phase memory time and the CW EPR spectra. Both display evidence of a thermal activation from a stationary, non-rotating molecular state to a low-temperature state of in-plane rotation (Das et al., Chem Phys. 143 (1990) 253). The rate of in-plane rotation is an activated process, with E * | / R =1289 |+- 35 K and 1462 ± 47 K in NaX and KX zeolites, respectively. The rotation appears to be about an axis along which the half-filled, non-bonding π orbital interacts with the exchanged cation in the supercage. Both CW and pulsed EPR also show a higher temperature activation from the in-plane rotating state to an effectively isoptropic state of rotation of PNL in which the PNL-cation bond is thought to be broken, with E * ⊥ / R =2050 ± 110 K, 1956 ± 46K, 1335 ± 97 K in LiX, NaX and KX zeolites, respectively. The strength of the PNL-cation bonding decreases with increasing cation atomic number as indicated by E * ⊥ and the peripheral repulsion (crowding) of PNL increases with cation size as indicated E * | . There are qualitative indications that the binding of PNL to the cations in the Y zeolite is stronger than in the X zeolite.