cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plane-stress finite-element models of tectonic flow in southern California

Abstract The continuing, distributed crustal deformation in southern California was modelled as creeping flow in a nonlinear continuum. The crust was assumed to be in a membrane state of stress, except for the weight of topography, and subjected to plate-tectonic velocity boundary conditions. The flow law of this membrane contained a rigid-plastic term to represent the frictional faulting in the upper crust and a power-law term to represent dislocation creep in the lower crust. In addition to regional strength variations based on heat flow, some models had a weak belt representing the San Andreas fault. When calculated strain-rates were tested by cross-correlation with actual seismic moment rates, directions of shortening, and rates of vertical movement, the best model was found to be one in which the San Andreas fault is eight times weaker than the surrounding crust, perhaps because of clay gouges or fine-grained mylonites within it. This model is consistent with the absence of a detectable heat-flow anomaly at the San Andreas, and also with the difference between geologic and paleomagnetic plate velocities. The rest of the crust must be at least half as strong as is indicated by laboratory deformation, or the crust would slump southwest toward the continental shelf. However, the failure of all the models to match many details of local tectonics suggests that other faults share the anomalous weakness of the San Andreas. This is expected to limit the success of any future continuum models of the region.
Critical Roles of Subunit NuoH (ND1) in the Assembly of Peripheral Subunits with the Membrane Domain of Escherichia coli NDH-1

The bacterial proton-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (NDH-1) consists of two domains, a peripheral arm and a membrane arm. NuoH is a counterpart of ND1, which is one of seven mitochondrially encoded hydrophobic subunits, and is considered to be involved in quinone/inhibitor binding. Sequence comparison in a wide range of species showed that NuoH is comprehensively conserved, particularly with charged residues in the cytoplasmic side loops. We have constructed 40 mutants of 27 conserved residues predicted to be in the cytoplasmic side loops of Escherichia coli NuoH by utilizing the chromosomal DNA manipulation technique and investigated roles of these residues. Mutants of Arg37, Arg46, Asp63, Gly134, Gly145, Arg148, Glu220, and Glu228 showed low deamino-NADH-K3Fe(CN)6 reductase activity, undetectable NDH-1 in Blue Native gels, low contents of peripheral subunits (especially NuoB and NuoCD) bound to the membranes, and a significant loss of the membrane potential and proton-pumping function coupled to deamino-NADH oxidation. The results indicated that these conserved residues located in the cytoplasmic side loops are essential for the assembly of the peripheral subunits with the membrane arm. Implications for the involvement of NuoH (ND1) in maintaining the structure and function of NDH-1 are discussed.
Anterior limb of the internal capsule in schizotypal personality disorder: Fiber-tract counting, volume, and anisotropy

Mounting evidence suggests that white matter abnormalities and altered subcortical-cortical connectivity may be central to the pathology of schizophrenia (SZ). The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) is an important thalamo-frontal white-matter tract shown to have volume reductions in SZ and to a lesser degree in schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). While fractional anisotropy (FA) and connectivity abnormalities in the ALIC have been reported in SZ, they have not been examined in SPD. In the current study, magnetic resonance (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were obtained in age- and sex-matched individuals with SPD (n=33) and healthy controls (HCs; n=38). The ALIC was traced bilaterally on five equally spaced dorsal-to-ventral axial slices from each participant's MRI scan and co-registered to DTI for the calculation of FA. Tractography was used to examine tracts between the ALIC and two key Brodmann areas (BAs; BA10, BA45) within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Compared with HCs, the SPD participants exhibited (a) smaller relative volume at the mid-ventral ALIC slice level but not the other levels; (b) normal FA within the ALIC; (c) fewer relative number of tracts between the most-dorsal ALIC levels and BA10 but not BA45 and (d) fewer dorsal ALIC-DLPFC tracts were associated with greater symptom severity in SPD. In contrast to prior SZ studies that report lower FA, individuals with SPD show sparing. Our findings are consistent with a pattern of milder thalamo-frontal dysconnectivity in SPD than schizophrenia.
T cells use two directionally distinct pathways for cytokine secretion.

Activated T helper cells produce many cytokines, some of which are secreted through the immunological synapse toward the antigen-presenting cell. Here we have used immunocytochemistry, live-cell imaging and a surface-mediated secretion assay to show that there are two cytokine export pathways in T helper cells. Some cytokines, including interleukin 2 and interferon-γ, were secreted into the synapse, whereas others, including tumor necrosis factor and the chemokine CCL3 (MIP-1α), were released multidirectionally. Each secretion pathway was associated with different trafficking proteins, indicating that they are molecularly distinct processes. These data suggest that T helper cells release some cytokines into the immunological synapse to impart specific communication and others multidirectionally to promote inflammation and to establish chemokine gradients.
Effect of semi-starvation on propulsive motility of the small intestine.

SummaryThe effect of semi-starvation on the propulsive motility of the small intestine of albino rats was studied by Macht's technic. At the end of 40 minutes, the charcoal-mixture traversed 72% of the small intestine of the control animals, and 91% in the semi-starved animals.
Factors associated with herpes zoster vaccination status and acceptance of vaccine recommendation in community pharmacies

Abstract Objectives 1. Identify patient characteristics, awareness and knowledge associated with herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination status. 2. Identify self-reported reasons for not receiving Zostavax ® . 3. Assess the impact of a patient education program by measuring post-intervention interest in obtaining the Zostavax ® vaccine across reasons for being unvaccinated. Methods A cross-sectional design with patients aged 60 years or older in 51 community pharmacies in Alabama and Florida was utilized. During the Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience in summer 2013, 137 immunization-certified student pharmacists provided patient education on HZ and Zostavax ® to unvaccinated patients using the Shingles Vaccine Information Statement. An interviewer-administered questionnaire assessed patient awareness of HZ, receipt of recommendations to receive Zostavax ® , and patient characteristics as well as vaccination status, reasons for being unvaccinated and interest in obtaining Zostavax ® after the educational session. Results A total of 681 patients participated in a conversation with a student pharmacist regarding their HZ vaccination status. The majority were female (57.6%), white (84.6%), and unvaccinated (73.6%). Results from logistic regression suggest that participants were more likely to be vaccinated if they received a recommendation from a healthcare provider (OR = 5.15), received the influenza vaccine during the previous year (OR = 3.56), or knew that Zostavax ® was recommended for individuals over 60 years of age (OR = 3.55). The most frequently provided reasons for being unvaccinated were “haven’t gotten around to it/forgot” (27.2%) and “didn’t know it was needed” (27.1%). After the educational session, the majority (72.5%) of unvaccinated patients were interested in speaking with their pharmacist or physician about receiving Zostavax ® . Analysis suggests that interest differed across initial reason for being unvaccinated ( χ 2 = 64.44; p Implications/conclusions Recommendations from healthcare providers are valued by patients and can improve vaccination rates. The patient education program increased interest in receiving Zostavax ® and this interest differed depending on the reason provided for being unvaccinated.
Process development, repair and reliability study with Anisotropic Conductive Film bonding as a replacement for surface mount connectors and hotbar soldering

Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) boards are being widely used for a number of applications to enable products in a three dimensional format thereby utilizing the “dead” space within the product envelop. During the past few years, the usage and complexity of FPC made of polyimide, polyester or teflon have grown substantially and are expected to continue to grow even more in the next coming years. In the past these FPC's have been connected to other FPC's or to a PCB with help of mainly connectors but the interest of replacing these connectors with a lower cost and smaller footprint connections with help of Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) is being widely explored. This paper will report the development of fine pitch ACF bonding down to 0,2mm and the mechanical and thermo-mechanical reliability of the ACF interconnects. The influence of difference process parameters and ACF materials on the ACF process yield will be discussed as well.
Link to the Future: Web Page Design in a Psychology Careers Course

Students in a careers in psychology course created Web pages describing career options. Student responses to a questionnaire indicated that they believed that the project reflected principles of go...
The evolution of policy arguments in teachers' negotiations

Argument is a critical component in policy deliberations. In this study, negotiation is viewed as a type of policy deliberation, one characterized by attack and defense of proposals, interdependence between disputants, and mixed motives of cooperation and competition. Argument in negotiation, then, functions as a reason-giving activity to enact policy. Employing a category system based on rhetorical stasis, the researchers examine whether bargainers specialize in their use of argument types and whether this specialization remains consistent throughout a teacher-school board negotiation and whether it differs for the type of settlement of agenda items. Results of the study suggest that bargainers specialize in argument types at different times during the bargaining. In the early stages of negotiation, teachers center on harm and workability arguments to prepare their case and justify the merits of their proposals, but in the latter phases of bargaining they switch to arguments on implementation to reaffirm their demands and to prioritize issues. Board members, in the early stages, rely on disadvantage, workability, and implementation arguments to establish resistance points and to refute appeals for change, but in the latter stages of negotiation they employ harm-inherency and disadvantage arguments to weigh the costs of concessions and to rationalize the settlement. This study, then, supports the existence of phase variation in bargaining and argues for a developmental approach in deciphering how negotiators who hold antithetical positions reach mutually satisfactory settlements.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The first five years and the future

Atherosclerosis is a progressive and incurable disease. Its impact on the coronary perfusion is often devastating. killing more people in the civilized world than any other disease. While prevention is moving ahead steadily but slowly. palliation is making headway at a much faster pace. A huge step was taken by Favaloro [I] in 1967 when he implanted the first aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass graft. This method has been refined over the past 14 years to become capable of completely revascularizing the majority of patients with coronary atherosclerosis in the proximal two thirds of the vasculature. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) [2] was a logical offspring of the balloon angioplasty used in peripheral arteries [3] which was inspired by the telescope-like catheter technique introduced by Dotter [4] in 1964. Since its first application in human medicine on 16 September. 1977 coronary angioplasty has undergone a rapid technical evolution. Today it is considered the method of choice in some patients with coronary artery disease and an equal alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery in others.
Integrating biological treatment of crop residue into a hydroponic sweetpotato culture.

Residual biomass from hydroponic culture of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] was degraded using natural bacterial soil isolates. Sweetpotato was grown for 120 days in hydroponic culture with a nutrient solution comprised of a ratio of 80% modified half Hoagland solution to 20% filtered effluent from an aerobic starch hydrolysis bioreactor. The phytotoxicity of the effluent was assayed with ‘Waldmann's Green’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and the ratio selected after a 60-day bioassay using sweetpotato plants propagated vegetatively from cuttings. Controlled environment chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of filtrate from biological treatment of crop residue on growth and storage root production with plants grown in a modified half Hoagland solution. Incorporation of bioreactor effluent, reduced storage root yield of ‘Georgia Jet’ sweetpotato but the decrease was not statistically significant when compared with yield for plants cultured in a modified half Hoagland solution without filtrate. However, yield of ‘TU-82–155’ sweetpotato was significantly reduced when grown in a modified half Hoagland solution into which filtered effluent had been incorporated. Total biomass was significantly reduced for both sweetpotato cultivars when grown in bioreactor effluent. The leaf area and dry matter accumulation were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced for both cultivars when grown in solution culture containing 20% filtered effluent.
Genetic Susceptibility to Essential Hypertension. Insight From Angiotensinogen

Although progress in the genetics of essential hypertension may seem disappointing, it has considerable potential in defining research directions that will ultimately translate into clinical practice. The hypothesis that genetic variation at the angiotensinogen locus impacts on individual susceptibility to develop essential hypertension has motivated a substantial body of research by us and many others. We examine how analyses of the mechanisms by which variation in angiotensinogen expression may contribute to disease susceptibility and may have arisen in human populations have progressed in recent years. Although the objective of personalized medicine is still in the future, a genetic hypothesis based on human variation can uniquely empower functional genomics approaches to reach such an ultimate goal.
Relationships between Rational beliefs and anxiety

The relationships between rationality, as measured by the recently developed Rational Behavior Inventory (RBI), and several commonly used measures of anxiety are examined in both a general student sample (N =144) and a clinically tested anxious sample (N =34). Although differing aspects of rationality were related to anxiety for the two groups, consistent negative correlations were found between specific irrational beliefs and measures of test, state, and trait anxiety. The observed relationships of decreased rationality associated with increased levels of anxiety lend support to the theoretical basis of cognitive restructuring forms of therapy, and to the concurrent validity of the RBI.
Robin–Robin domain decomposition methods for the steady-state Stokes–Darcy system with the Beavers–Joseph interface condition

Domain decomposition methods for solving the coupled Stokes–Darcy system with the Beavers–Joseph interface condition are proposed and analyzed. Robin boundary conditions are used to decouple the Stokes and Darcy parts of the system. Then, parallel and serial domain decomposition methods are constructed based on the two decoupled sub-problems. Convergence of the two methods is demonstrated and the results of computational experiments are presented to illustrate the convergence.
Phase-shifted modulation strategy for voltage balancing in neutral-point clamped converter

This paper suggests a new method to balance the voltage of the two capacitors in the three-level neutral-point clamped (NPC) converter. The proposed method only needs the information of two capacitor voltages. The two capacitor voltages are fed back to the controller and then the controller generates phase shifting value with which sinusoidal modulation will be adjusted to the left or right. This method has upper and lower modulation signals. The outcome of the closed-loop is a phase compensation which will be applied to the upper and lower modulation signals. By applying the phase compensation in a different direction on the two modulation signals, this method provides voltage balancing. The new voltage balancing technique is verified by simulation and experimental results.
Validation study toward measuring the mechanical properties of blood clots using resonant acoustic spectroscopy with optical vibrometry

Clot elastic modulus (CEM) has recently been shown to correlate with various hemostatic and thrombotic disorders and may be an important diagnostic parameter in cardiovascular diseases. Current methods of CEM measurement lack repeatability and require large sample volume. We present a novel method named resonant acoustic spectroscopy with optical vibrometry (RASOV) that has the potential to assess CEM with higher accuracy and speed, and lower sample volume. To validate RASOV, we measured the acoustic spectrum of agarose gel with varied concentrations in open-faced rectangular wells. Results showed a linear relationship between the natural resonant frequency and agarose content within a concentration range of 4 to 12 mg/mL. Furthermore, we observed that the resonant frequencies decrease with increasing transducer mass. As a highly accurate, resonance-based method, RASOV has great potential for biomechanical properties measurement, especially for human blood.
Biomass-derived oxygenate reforming on Pt(111): A demonstration of surface science using d-glucose and its model surrogate glycolaldehyde

Abstract Molecules derived from cellulosic biomass, such as glucose, represent an important renewable feedstock for the production of hydrogen and hydrocarbon-based fuels and chemicals. Development of efficient catalysts for their reformation into useful products is needed; however, this requires a detailed understanding of their adsorption and reaction on catalytically active transition metal surfaces. In this paper we demonstrate that the standard surface science techniques routinely used to characterize the reaction of small molecules on metals are also amenable for use in studying the adsorption and reaction of complex biomass-derivatives on single crystal metal surfaces. In particular, Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD) and High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (HREELS) combined with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were used to elucidate the adsorption configuration of d -glucose and glycolaldehye on Pt(111). Both molecules were found to adsorb in an η 1 aldehyde configuration partially validating the use of simple, functionally-equivalent model compounds for surface studies of cellulosic oxygenates.
Mechanistic modeling of polymer pyrolysis: Polypropylene

The pyrolysis of polypropylene was modeled at the mechanistic level to predict the formation of low molecular weight products. Differential equations were developed that describe the evolution of the moments of structurally distinct polymer species. Unique polymer groups were devised that allowed the necessary polymeric features for capturing the pyrolysis chemistry to be tracked, while maintaining a manageable model size. The conversion among the species was described using typical free radical reaction types, including intermolecular hydrogen abstraction, midchain β-scission, end-chain β-scission, intramolecular hydrogen transfer, radical addition, bond fission, radical recombination, and disproportionation. The model included over 24 000 reactions and tracked 213 species (27 products tracked with molecular weights below 215 amu). The intrinsic kinetic parameters (a frequency factor and activation energy for each reaction) were obtained from data in the literature and previous modeling work in our labor...
Electron Spin Resonance and Electron Spin Echo Modulation Studies of Adsorbate Interactions with Cupric Ion on the Aluminum Content in Cu−AlMCM-41 Materials

Employing electron spin resonance (ESR) and electron spin echo modulation (ESEM) spectroscopy, adsorbate interactions are studied in two types of ion-exchanged Cu−AlMCM-41 materials. One is structurally ordered Cu−AlMCM-41(60)-I, Cu−AlMCM-41(40)-I, Cu−AlMCM-41(20)-I, and the other is less structurally ordered Cu−AlMCM-41(15)-II. Four Cu(II) species are observed by ESR. Species A with ESR parameters g∥A = 2.406, A∥A = 0.0145 cm-1, and g⊥A = 2.081 is assigned to octahedral Cu(II) and is observed in hydrated Cu−AlMCM-41. Species B with g∥B = 2.317, A∥B = 0.0176 cm-1, and g⊥B = 2.076 is assigned to distorted octahedral Cu(II) and is observed in dehydrated samples. Species C with g∥C = 2.430, A∥C = 0.0125 cm-1, and g⊥C = 2.091 is also assigned to octahedral Cu(II) and is observed after adsorption of CH3OD. Species D contains square planar D1 Cu(II) with g∥D1 = 2.280, A∥D1 = 0.0168 cm-1, and g⊥D = 2.058, and distorted octahedral D2 Cu(II) with g∥D2 = 2.249 and A∥D2 = 0.0190 cm-1 after adsorption of ammonia. The...
Deletion of Proline-Rich Domain in Polyomavirus T Antigens Results in Virus Partially Defective in Transformation and Tumorigenesis

Polyomavirus productively infects mouse cells, transforms rat fibroblasts in culture, and induces a broad spectrum of tumors when inoculated into newborn mice. The expression of large, middle, and small T antigen are necessary for virus growth and oncogenic transformation. We have generated a small deletion in a region common to both large and middle T antigen that encodes three consecutive prolines. In this report we characterize this mutant virus in terms of its ability to replicate in mouse cells, transform rat fibroblasts, and induce tumors in the mouse. We find that the virus immortalizes primary cells and that viral DNA replication is not impaired, indicating that these functions of large T antigen are not altered. However, the ability of the virus to transform rat fibroblasts is defective. The mutant virus makes fewer foci and the foci are weaker in appearance. The mutant middle T still associates with PI 3-kinase and shc, suggesting that the overall structure of the protein has not been disrupted. When inoculated into newborn C3H mice, the mutant virus induces fewer overall tumors with a longer latency than wild-type virus. These results indicate that this proline-rich domain in middle T antigen is important for oncogenesis in a wide variety of tissues and cell types.
Homogeneity in the Polyether Alkoxide Sol-Gel Synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7-δ

We have investigated the homogeneity of sol-gel derived YBa2Cu3O7-δ from the solution phase to the final product using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) lateral mapping techniques. The starting solutions contain stoichiometric amounts of the metal 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxide components in 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol and appear to be homogeneous by TEM with a uniform distribution of particles having an average size of less than 40 A. Through elemental mapping we see elemental segregation in the high temperature (950 °C) products, which are orthorhombic by XRD. In elemental maps of gel samples fired to 700 °C, which are tetragonal by XRD, we also see elemental inhomogeneity within particles and phase zoning in maps of products from finely ground gels. A comparison of elemental maps and x-ray diffraction patterns of the products from gel processing and conventional solid state processing is made.
Absolute configuration at the tricarballylic acid moieties of fumonisin B2

The configuration at the chiral centers of the two tricarballylic acid moieties of fumonisin B2 is shown to be R. This stereochemistry is opposite to that recently suggested by others for the tricarballylic acid portions of fumonisin B1 and AAL toxin TA.
Influence of staging in superior sulcus (Pancoast) tumors of the lung.

Abstract Fifty-three patients with superior sulcus (Pancoast) tumors of the lung followed for up to 12 years by the Armed Forces Central Medical Registry were divided into three groups. In Group 1, preoperative staging as determined by bone, brain, and liver scans or combinations thereof and the presence of local nodal extension as determined by mediastinoscopy or scalene fat pad biopsy were negative. These 16 patients received preoperative irradiation followed by en bloc resection of the lung and of the involved chest wall in most of them. Five-year survival as determined by the actuarial method was 49.7%. The 12 patients in Group 2 either had localized nodal involvement or were not diagnosed preoperatively. Survival in this group was 13.1%. Group 3 patients were considered inoperable and were given palliative irradiation. There were 25 patients in this group, and survival was 5.5% at 4 years. It would appear that preoperative irradiation and en bloc resection give improved survival in those patients judged free from metastatic disease preoperatively.
Comparative study of the various methods for the ultrastructural localization of alkaline phosphatase activity.

Renal, intestinal and developing dental tissues were studied for alkaline phosphatase localization at the ultrastructural level using several metal salt modifications of the Gomori method and a new cadmium capture technic developed by Seligman. Except for particle size differences in the precipitates, localization both extra- and intracellularly were similar.
A Conditional Model of Opinion Assignment on the Supreme Court

The chief justice’s power to assign the majority opinion on the U.S. Supreme Court provides an indispensable agenda-setting tool for the chief. Scholars disagree, however, on what factors guide the chief’s use of his assignment powers. Some suggest that the chief assigns cases with an eye to securing his ideological goals, while others contend that the chief prefers to ensure the efficient and harmonious operation of the Court. Rather than assuming that the chief is a single-minder seeker of either ideology or efficiency, we explore the possibility that the chief is motivated by multiple goals. In particular, we evaluate the effects of policy goals and organizational needs on the chief’s assignment decisions, and specify the conditions under which different goals appear to be paramount to the chief. Using a random-effects probit model, we examine the assignment decisions of Chief Justices Earl Warren, Warren Burger, and William Rehnquist between the 1953 and 1990 terms, and find support for a conditional ...
The fine structure of cockroach blood cells.

Abstract Electron-mictoscopic observations of the blood cells (Haemocytes) in the legs of the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis reveal three ‘types’ of cells distinguishable on the basis of fine structure. One type of cell contains numerous membrane-limited opaque bodies which may be lysosomes. A second type contains abundant digestive vacuoles and appears phagocytic. A third type, frequently encountered in rewlymoulted untanned animals but less often observed in mature adults, contains membrane-limited tubule-containing bodies (TCB) filled with rows of 340 A tubules which are quite different from cytoplasmic microtubules. It is suggested that haemocytes containing TCB may be equivalent to the coagulocytes (cystocytes) of light microscopy which actively participate-in-the process of haemolymph coagulation in Orthoptera. No attempt whatsoever is made at classification. Since considerable overlap in fine structure exists between cell types, it seems probable that the electron-images of fixed cells observed in this study represent several morphological expressions of which an individual cell may be capable during its lifetime.
A co-operative training programme in the field of coastal and ocean management

1. One of the major challenges that countries and institutions will face in the years to come is the massive training of personnel in the broad spectrum of disciplines and cross-sectoral perspectives needed to successfully implement integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) initiatives. 2. This paper discusses the needs and challenges faced by institutions involved in training. 3. In particular, the TRAIN–SEA–COAST Programme is discussed as an existing mechanism that provides an effective support system for training, with the focus on institution building at the national and regional levels, and increased cost-effectiveness. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute Treatment of Periodic Severe Headache: Comparison of Three Outpatient Care Facilities

We compared treatment of patients with episodic, severe, migraine-vascular headaches in three outpatient settings associated with a major medical center: the Charlton Outpatient Therapy Center (COTC), a dedicated transfusion and injection facility which provides treatment based on physician orders written in advance of the patient's visit; a walk-in Urgent Care Center (UCC); and a traditional hospital emergency trauma unit (ETU). For a 7-month period in 1995, all patient visits for acute migraine headache to the COTC, UCC, and ETU were reviewed. Data collected included the treatment and charges. After the study period, a sample of patients was surveyed regarding their outcome and satisfaction with care at each of the three facilities. During the study period, 15 patients visited the COTC 446 times for the treatment of acute migraine, 80 patients visited the UCC 233 times, and 182 patients visited the ETU 238 times. The average charges per visit were $39.93 for the COTC, $57.28 for the UCC, and $317.71 for the ETU. Average time spent in order to obtain care was 35 minutes in the COTC, 62 minutes in the UCC, and 105 minutes in the ETU. Intramuscular meperidine with either promethazine or hydroxyzine was the most commonly administered treatment in all three settings. Patients treated in the COTC reported greater satisfaction than the patients seen in the UCC or ETU. A dedicated outpatient facility with extended hours of operation and the capability of treating acute headache patients with parenteral medications based on standing orders has provided a community of migraine sufferers with cost-effective care.
The Impacts of Rural Labor Out-Migration on Community Interaction and Implications for Rural Community-Based Environmental Conservation in Southwest China

Recent migration and environment literature shows an increasing demand for better understanding the mechanisms through which human migration affects the natural environment. Community interaction can be an important mediating variable in the relationship between migration and the environment. This study investigates the impacts of rural-to-urban labor migration on community interaction and assesses its potential consequences for environmental conservation in rural origin areas in Chongqing Municipality of Southwest China. Empirical data were collected through key informant interviews and household surveys in four rural communities in Chongqing. We examine the effects of rural labor out-migration on local communities by analyzing the differences between household groups with different labor migration statuses regarding participation in general and environment-related community activities. The results suggest that rural migration presents both detrimental and beneficial potentials for community interaction ...
Interpretation of surface-water circulation, Aransas Pass, Texas, using landsat imagery

The development of plumes of turbid surface water in the vicinity of Aransas Pass, Texas has been analyzed using Landsat imagery. The shape and extent of plumes present in the Gulf of Mexico is dependent on the wind regime and astronomical tide prior to and at the time of satellite overpass. The best developed plumes are evident when brisk northerly winds resuspend bay-bottom muds and flow through Aransas Pass is increased by wind stress. Seaward diversion of nearshore waters by the inlet jetties was also observed. A knowledge of surface-water circulation through Aransas Pass under various wind conditions is potentially valuable for monitoring suspended and surface pollutants
Diatomic molecular-orbital correlation diagrams for Penning and associative ionization

The collision processes A* + B ..-->.. A + B/sup +/ + e/sup -/ (Penning ionization) and A* + B ..-->.. AB/sup +/ + e/sup -/ (associative ionization), where A and B are atoms, are considered in terms of the molecular-orbital (MO) correlation diagrams associated with the reactant and product channels. MO correlation diagrams are calculated for He* (1s2s) + Ar(3p/sup 6/) within the multiple-scattering X..cap alpha.. one-electron self-consistent-field scheme for both spin-polarized and non-spin-polarized orbitals. The ionization process is discussed in terms of an Auger-type mechanism. By inspecting the MO's involved in the Auger-type process in their united-atoms limit, an analysis is made of the angular momentum contributions needed in describing the emitted electron in the body-fixed frame. A procedure is proposed for constructing MO correlation diagrams based on atomic-orbital energies at the separated- and united-atoms limits, which are determined from readily available data on ground-state energies of neutral atoms. Estimated MO correlation diagrams are presented for the four collision pairs He* (1s2s) + Ar(3p/sup 6/), + Kr(4p/sup 6/), + Hg(6s/sup 2/), and Ne* (2p/sup 5/3s) + Ar(3p/sup 6/), and in each case an analysis is made of the angular momentum components of the emitted electron in the body-fixedmore » frame. The results confirm that relatively few l values need be included in describing the emitted electron. Our analyses show that it is important to use spin-polarized MO's to obtain detailed behaviors at pseudocrossings, and that the effect of Born-Oppenheimer rotational coupling must be considered, particularly between MO's that converge to the same united-atoms limit. (AIP)« less
Evidence for replication of hepatitis delta virus RNA in hepatocyte nuclei after in vivo infection

Abstract Examination of a naturally infected human liver and experimentally infected chimpanzee and woodchuck livers by in situ hybridization showed that hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA was restricted to hepatocytes. Genomic RNA was 20–30 times more abundant than antigenomic RNA and was predominantly single-stranded while antigenomic RNA was predominantly double-stranded. In acute delta hepatitis, viral RNA was a more reliable marker of virus infection in single cells than hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) while in chronic hepatitis both markers were usually present in the same cell. In all cases, viral antigen and RNA were localized predominantly to the nuclei of infected cells. Thus, replication of HDV RNA is closely associated with HDAg expression at the cellular and intracellular level and it is likely that this new class of defective animal RNA viruses replicates in the nucleus of the infected cells.
A Global Test of a Quasi-universal Gamma-Ray Burst Jet Model through Monte Carlo Simulations

The possibility that long gamma-ray burst (GRB) jets are structured has received growing attention recently, and we have suggested that most GRBs and their softer, less energetic brethren, X-ray flashes (XRFs), can be understood within a quasi-universal structured jet picture, given that the jet structure of each individual burst is a Gaussian or similar function. Here we perform a global test on such a quasi-universal Gaussian-like structured jet by comparing Monte Carlo simulation results with a broad spectrum of observational data. Using the same set of input parameters as in previous work by Zhang and coworkers, we confront the model with more observational constraints. These constraints include the burst redshift distribution, jet break angle distribution, two-dimensional redshift versus jet break angle distribution, luminosity function, and log N- log P distribution. The results indicate that the model is generally compatible with the data. This conclusion, together with our previous tests with the observed jet break angle versus isotropic energy and observed peak energy versus fluence relations, suggests that current long GRB and XRF data are generally consistent with such a quasi-standard energy and quasi-standard angle jet picture. With future homogeneous burst samples (such as the one to be retrieved from the Swift mission), the refined GRB jet structure can be further constrained through a global comparison between various observed and predicted burst property distributions and relations.
Psychological assessment and management of the weight loss surgery patient.

Psychological evaluation of the weight loss surgery patient is recommended because of the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in persons with severe obesity and the behavioral adaptations required for successful surgical outcomes. Although there is currently no national standard for the specific components of these evaluations, there is general agreement in the literature about the objectives and the kinds of assessment methods that are most useful. This paper summarizes the current literature on psychological evaluation of weight loss surgery patients. Methods of assessment relevant to the major behavioral health characteristics of surgical candidates are reviewed, and results from several studies examining weight loss and quality of life outcomes in relation to presurgery psychological characteristics are discussed.
Perceived homogeneity and familial loyalty between Chinese and Americans

On the basis of both previous and recent research on intercultural perceptions (Lee & Ottati, 1993; Triandis & Vassiliou, 1967), it is hypothesized that perceived group homogeneity would be intimately related to familial loyalty (or commitment) and stability. A cross-cultural questionnaire study was conducted both in the People’s Republic of China (n=182) and in the United States of America (n=182). The results revealed that both Chinese and American subjects perceived a collectivistic society to have more familial commitment and stability while they perceived an individualistic society to have less familial commitment and stability. The implications for this study have been discussed.
Posttransplant Metabolic Syndrome: An Epidemic Waiting to Happen

With increasing survival after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), metabolic syndrome and its individual components, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity, are increasingly being identified and contributing to cardiovascular complications and late morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of posttransplant metabolic syndrome (PTMS) and its individual components has been found to be higher post-OLT versus a comparable population without OLT. The development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after liver transplantation for non-NAFLD cirrhosis is also being increasingly recognized. A number of predictors have been identified as potential risk factors related to these complications. The pretransplant risk factors include immunosuppression, a higher age at transplant, male gender, a history of smoking, the pretransplant body mass index, pre-OLT diabetes, the etiology of the underlying liver disease that resulted in OLT (hepatitis C, cryptogenic cirrhosis, or alcohol), an increased donor body mass index, and marital status. Although there is an increased risk of cardiovascular events, rejection, and infection among patients with PTMS, the overall impact on long-term survival and mortality remains inconclusive. Strategies to reduce the development of metabolic syndrome after transplantation should include lifestyle modifications involving alterations in diet and increased physical activity. Additional measures that may be potentially beneficial include the use of lipid-lowering agents, the optimal control of blood glucose, and the use of tacrolimus instead of cyclosporine.
Name letter preferences are not merely mere exposure: Implicit egotism as self-regulation.

People prefer the letters in their own names to letters that are not in their own names. Furthermore, people prefer the numbers in their own birthdays to numbers not in their own birthdays. In this article we argue that these examples of implicit egotism are best conceptualized as the product of unconscious self-regulation processes rather than a result of mere exposure. In support of this hypothesis, a study of name-letter preferences showed that people preferred their own name letters even when these letters were relatively rare. Furthermore, the name-letter and birthday-number preferences of high and low self-esteem participants diverged in response to an experimentally manipulated self-concept threat. We conclude that implicit egotism, specifically name-letter and birthday-number preferences, represent a form of unconscious self-regulation. Implications of these results for the mere exposure explanation of name-letter preferences and for theory and research in implicit egotism are discussed.
A short interval of Jurassic continental flood basalt volcanism in Antarctica as demonstrated by 40Ar39Ar geochronology

A continental flood basalt province, the Ferrar Group (Kirkpatrick Basalt and Ferrar Dolerite), crops out along 3000 km of the Transantarctic Mountains in Antarctica and is temporally related to the break-up of Gondwanaland. Although a wide range of dates, between 90 and 193 Ma, have been published for the Kirkpatrick Basalt, it is now recognized that the young dates reflect non-ideal behavior of Ar in the matrix. In order to refine the geochronology, feldspar separates have been analyzed by the 40Ar39Ar incremental heating method. The main objectives are to constrain the duration of extrusive activity and the timing of volcanism along the outcrop belt. Basalt samples have been studied from the three principal outcrop areas, yielding the following apparent ages: central Transantarctic Mountains 176.8 ± 0.5 Ma; south Victoria Land 176.4 ± 0.4 Ma; north Victoria Land 176.6 ± 0.7 Ma. Ages from different stratigraphic levels within each area and from the three different areas are not analytically distinct. The data imply that the eruptive activity which produced the Kirkpatrick Basalt occurred within a short interval of less than about 1 m.y. at 176.6 ± 1.8 Ma, over an area which included more than 1200 km of the Transantarctic Mountains. The Jurassic volcanism in Antarctica represents a short episode of magmatism, comparable in duration with other well dated continental flood basalt provinces. The linearly extensive outcrop of the Ferrar Province and the rapid eruption of the lavas suggests that lithospheric stretching exerted a major control on magmatism. The poorly constrained age of the Bajocian-Bathonian boundary makes the previously suggested connection between Ferrar volcanism and an extinction event at that boundary uncertain.
Closed-form solution of an idealized, optimal, highly eccentric hyperbolic rendezvous problem

Closed-form solutions of optimal impulsive rendezvous problems are difficult to obtain, even using linearized equations. An idealized model of a highly eccentric hyperbolic impulsive rendezvous problem is constructed by considering the limit as the eccentricity tends to infinity. In this manner, a closed- form solution of an idealized hyperbolic rendezvous problem can be obtained. This idealized solution establishes an arbitrarily good approximation to a solution of the problem of optimal impulsive rendezvous of a spacecraft near a satellite in hyperbolic orbit of sufficiently high eccentricity.
Occupational Stratification, Job-mismatches, and Child Poverty: Understanding the Disadvantage of Black Immigrants in the US

This study examines the implications of occupational stratification and job mismatches for the welfare of children, using data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey. The results show that Black children of immigrants have household heads that are more likely to have occupations with low SEI scores than children in US-born households. More importantly, they demonstrate that intersections between parental job-mismatches and employment in the bottom rather than upper levels of the occupational distribution have important implications for understanding poverty differences among children. Job mismatches within occupations with low SEI scores are associated with greater poverty risks among Black than White, Asian, or Hispanic children of immigrants. However, racial poverty disparities are considerably lower among children with household heads in the highest occupational strata.
The impact of junior debt issuance on senior unsecured debt’s risk premiums

Abstract Numerous studies have examined the impact of security issuance upon the value of pre-existing debt and equity but the focus has largely been on changes in equity value. We examine changes in senior unsecured debt risk premiums that accompany new junior debt issues. Additionally, we test several hypotheses regarding the potential impacts of junior debt issues. Extant theory suggests senior debt value may be threatened under certain conditions by the issuance of junior debt. Our results indicate that when junior debt replaces bank debt, senior default risk premiums experience abnormal declines. The result is broadly consistent with the elevation of the senior unsecured debt by way of the elimination of a separate and more senior class of debt claimants. In contrast, we also find that larger junior bond issues are associated with abnormal increases in senior risk premiums, broadly consistent with issue size being correlated with negative information about firm cash flows. We find strong evidence of interaction effects. For example, replacement of bank debt results in greater changes in default risk premiums the larger the issue size. We also find lower credit ratings magnify other effects. For example, if the junior debt issued matures before the outstanding senior unsecured bond, senior risk premiums experience abnormal increases for lower rated debt.
Impact of the Order of Redundancy Relation in Robust Fault Detection of Robotic Systems

This paper presents a new approach, called robust nonlinear analytic redundancy (RNLAR) technique to actuator fault detection for input-affine nonlinear multivariable dynamic systems that include most robotic systems. Robust fault detection is important because of the universal existence of model uncertainties and process disturbances in most systems. Analytic redundancy, which is a basis for residual generation to detect fault, is primarily used in the linear domain. In this paper we characterized the order of redundancy relation for nonlinear systems in terms of robustness. We propose and prove that increase in the order of redundancy relation increases the robustness in the sense of a performance index defined in this paper. We further develop an algorithm to select the redundancy relation order and design robust nonlinear fault detection residuals. Experimental results on a PUMA 560 robotic arm are presented to verify the claim.
Performance analysis of fault tolerant control systems with I.I.D. upsets

The performance of a class of distributed control systems is analyzed when the interconnected fault tolerant components switch their mode of operation according to independent, identically distributed processes. New expressions for performance metrics are presented for this case, including their sensitivity analysis. These metrics require non-trivial derivations that are not just simplified expressions of the known metrics for the homogeneous Markov case. For a class of distributed control systems, the performance metrics are also computed when the actuators are assumed to have or not have memory. Finally, the results are illustrated with a distributed flight control example.