cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Stable Angina

OBJECTIVES After participating in the CME activity, primary care physicians should be able to: 1. Identify the therapies that reduce mortality risk in patients with chronic stable angina versus those therapies that may reduce angina symptoms without affecting survival 2. Know the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level at which cholesterol-lowering therapy should be initiated in persons with coronary artery disease and the optimal target LDL level 3. Understand the settings in which revascularization offers clear mortality benefit 4. Identify the issues that are important to review at followup visits 5. Recognize the features of progressive or unstable angina that warrant further evaluation or urgent hospitalization
The role of hydrogen and creep in intergranular stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 in PWR primary water environments — a review

Intergranular attack (IGA) and intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of Alloy 600 in PWR steam generator environment has been extensively studied for over 30 years without rendering a clear understanding of the essential mechanisms. The lack of understanding of the IGSCC mechanism is due to a complex interaction of numerous variables such as microstructure, thermomechanical processing, strain rate, water chemistry and electrochemical potential. Hydrogen plays an important role in all these variables. The complexity, however, significantly hinders a clearer and more fundamental understanding of the mechanism of hydrogen in enhancing intergranular cracking via whatever mechanism. In this work, an attempt is made to review the role of hydrogen based on the current understanding of grain boundary structure and chemistry and intergranular fracture of nickel alloys, effect of hydrogen on electrochemical behavior of Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 (e.g. the passive film stability, polarization behavior and open-circuit potential) and effect of hydrogen on PWSCC behavior of Alloy 600 and Alloy 690. Mechanistic studies on the PWSCC are briefly reviewed. It is concluded that further studies on the role of hydrogen on intergranular cracking in both inert and primary side environments are needed. These studies should focus on the correlation of themore » results obtained at different laboratories by different methods on materials with different metallurgical and chemical parameters.« less
THE XYY CONDITION IN CHILDHOOD: CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS

The 47,XYY chromosome complement was found in the lymphocytes of a 6-year-old white boy of average intelligence. He seems well adjusted to home and school environments. He is extremely tall for his age, has an articulation problem, impaired coordination, and muscular and skeletal anomalies. Although he has had a hydrocoele repaired, his genitalia are otherwise normal. Mental retardation and genital maldevelopment have been quite common in the few reported cases of the XYY condition in children, but this may be partially due to sampling methods. It is apparent that the mental and physical characteristics of the average XYY boy are yet to be determined.
Precision timing control system

Operation of the CESR storage ring with complex bunch patterns has made necessary more flexible timing controls. Multiple trains of bunches based on a fundamental spacing of 14 ns are used in both the injector and the storage ring. Hence, a generally programmable trigger pattern is needed for electron gun pulsing, beam detection, beam feedback gating, and RF phase control. To achieve this, an upgrade of the previous CESR timing system using small-feature CMOS logic has been built. The new system has a time delay resolution of 10 ps and RMS jitter of 14 ps. The delay transfer function is linear to within 30 ps, and is monotonic over 32 bits of range. The use of programmable large-scale integrated circuits and the VME packaging system results in a system that is contained in 4 crates and occupies a fifth of the volume of its predecessor.
Affective Orientation and Eating Behavior: Two Studies of Emotional, Restrained, and External Eating Decisions:

Recent work on how emotions guide decisions stimulated two studies on relationships among emotional, restrained, and external antecedents of eating behavior and Affective Orientation. In Study 1 were 195 undergraduate students who completed the Affective Orientation-15 scale (Booth-Butterfield & Booth-Butterfield, 1996) and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Higher scores of trait Affective Orientation were associated with more emotional and restrained eating. Women scored higher on Affective Orientation than men and were more likely to engage in emotional and restrained eating. Study 2 replicated the research with 79 employed adults (M age=38 yr.). Results were similar in that Affective Orientation scores were related positively to similar eating patterns, and women scored higher than men on the psychosocial variables.
Reconsidering primordialism: an alternative approach to the study of ethnicity

This theoretical article first clarifies the exclusive assumptions of primordialism and constructivism. Subsequently, it demonstrates that primordialism has substantial power to explain ethnic phenomena, since (a) ethnic identities persist even in the hardest cases, such as sub-Saharan Africa and the United States, and (b) the attributed significance of assumed kinship has psychological and sociological bases. Finally, this article formulates hypotheses based on the core primordialist assumptions and develops ethnic distance as an explanatory variable on the level of integration of immigrants. It defines ethnic distance as the degree to which two ethnic identities have been solidified as opposed to each other by their dyadic violent conflicts and religious and/or nationalistic education and hypothesizes that the higher the ethnic distance between immigrants and the host society the lower the level of integration.
Image quality evaluation: the data mining approach

It is difficult if not impossible to derive a model to adequately describe the entire visual, cognitive and preference decision process of image quality evaluation and to replace it with objective alternatives. Even if some parts of the process can be modeled based on the current knowledge of the visual system, there is often a lack of sufficient data to support the modeling process. On the other hand, image quality evaluation is constantly required for those working on imaging devices and software. Measurements and surveys are regularly conducted to test a newer processing algorithm or a methodology. Large scale subjective measurement or surveys are often conducted before a product is released. Here we propose to combine the two processes and apply data mining techniques to achieve both goals of routine subjective testing and modeling. Specifically, we propose to use relational databases to log and store regular evaluation processes. When combined with web applications, the relational databases approach allow one to maximally improve the efficiency of designing, conducting, analyzing, and reporting test data. The collection of large amounts of data makes it possible to apply data mining techniques to discover knowledge and patterns in the data. Here we report one such system for printing quality evaluation and some theories on data mining including data visualization, observer mining, text comment mining, test case mining, model mining. We also present some preliminary results based on some of these techniques.
Absolute light and resolution measurements for sensitive CsI(Tl)/photodiode detectors

To conserve volume and power, photodiode/scintillator combinations are strong candidates for gamma-ray detection in space applications. High sensitivity to MeV gamma rays necessitates large-volume scintillators, which are most effectively read out with large-area photodiodes. However, because photodiodes have unity gain, the electronic noise limits resolution, and therefore small-area photodiodes that minimize capacitance are preferred. Thus, optimization of resolution involves maximizing light production and transport in the scintillator and light collection in the photodiode, while minimizing photodiode area. Measurements of performance are reported for 1×1×1cm 3 /10×10mm 2 , 80cm 3 /18×18mm 2 , and 85cm 3 /10×10mm 2 CsI(Tl)/photodiode combinations. Each large scintillator was a single crystal, machined to a geometry that comprised a 40mm diameter × 50mm height cylindrical section that was extended through a 20°conical section to a square face that matched the respective photodiode sensitive surface. Absolute scales were estimated for the light output by measuring the photodiode responses to 241 Am (59.54keV), 57 Co (122.06 and 136.47keV), and 133 Ba (80.99keV) and assuming a value of 3.67eV/electron-hole pair. The photodiode quantum efficiencies for the CsI(Tl) emission spectrum, corrected for Si reflection back into the scintillator, was taken to be 0.835. We obtained values of 58.2, 46.7, and 34.6 photons/keV for the combined light production and transport into the CsI for the 1cm 3 , ~80cm 3 , and ~85cm 3 detectors, respectively. The best measured resolutions at 662keVfor the detectors were 5.9%, 7.2%, and 7.4% FWHM, respectively.
Hotel managers’ perceptions of upward and downward communication

Based on interviews with hotel managers, discusses the importance of communication, and examines problems in both upward and downward communication. Suggests various ways of overcoming these problems. Finally, reviews implications of these problems for managers.
Practical low-cost high-range-resolution ladar

This paper treats a practical adaptation of frequency modulation (FM) radar ranging principles to an incoherent laser radar (ladar). In the simplest sense, the ladar's laser transmitter output is amplitude modulated with a radio-frequency subcarrier which itself is linearly frequency modulated. The subcarrier signal may have a start frequency in the tens to low hundreds of megahertz and stop frequency in the hundreds of megahertz to low gigahertz. The difference between the start and stop frequency, (Delta) F, is chosen to establish the desired range resolution,(Delta) R, according to usual equation from FM radar theory, (Delta) R equals c/(2(Delta) F), where c is the velocity of light. The target-reflected light is incoherently detected with a photodiode and converted into a voltage waveform. This waveform is then mixed with an undelayed sample of the original modulation waveform. The output of the mixer is processed to remove `self-clutter' that is commonly generated in FM ranging systems and obscures the true target signals. The clutter-free waveform is then processed coherently using the discrete Fourier transform to recover target amplitude and range. A breadboard of the ladar architecture was developed around a 30-mW GaAlAs diode laser operating at 830 nm. Imagery and range responses obtained show that the theoretical range resolution of 0.25 m was attained for a (Delta) F of 600 MHz. Embodiments of this ladar are likely to be practical and economical for both military and commercial applications because low-cost continuous wave laser diodes are used, coherent optical mixing is not required, and the post- mixing processor bandwidth is low.
Change-point detection for recursive Bayesian geoacoustic inversions

In order to carry out geoacoustic inversion in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions, extended duration observations coupled with source and/or receiver motion may be necessary. As a result, change in the underlying model parameters due to time or space is anticipated. In this paper, an inversion method is proposed for cases when the model parameters change abruptly or slowly. A model parameter change-point detection method is developed to detect the change in the model parameters using the importance samples and corresponding weights that are already available from the recursive Bayesian inversion. If the model parameters change abruptly, a change-point will be detected and the inversion will restart with the pulse measurement after the change-point. If the model parameters change gradually, the inversion (based on constant model parameters) may proceed until the accumulated model parameter mismatch is significant and triggers the detection of a change-point. These change-point detections form the heuristics for controlling the coherent integration time in recursive Bayesian inversion. The method is demonstrated in simulation with parameters corresponding to the low SNR, 100–900 Hz linear frequency modulation pulses observed in the Shallow Water 2006 experiment [Tan, Gerstoft, Yardim, and Hodgkiss, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 136, 1187–1198 (2014)].
Pseudo-rank functions on certain lattices

Pseudo-rank functions on bounded lattices are introduced and their properties are studied. It is shown that if the set of all pseudo-rank functions on a Boolean lattice is nonempty then it is a Choquet simplex.
Crystallization, X-ray diffraction analysis and SIRAS/molecular-replacenent phasing of three crystal forms of Anabaena sensory rhodopsin transducer.

Anabaena sensory rhodopsin transducer (ASRT) is a 14.7 kDa soluble signaling protein associated with the membrane-embedded light receptor Anabaena sensory rhodopsin (ASR) from Anabaena sp., a freshwater cyanobacterium. Crystals of ASRT were obtained in three different space groups, P4, C2 and P212121, which diffract to 1.8, 2.1 and 2.0 A, respectively. Phases for one of these crystal forms (P4) were obtained by SIRAS phasing using an iodide quick-soak derivative and a partial model was built. Phases for the remaining crystal forms were obtained by molecular replacement using the partial model from the P4 crystal form.
Simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in rat brain by HPLC with electrochemical detection following electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus.

: HPLC coupled with electrochemical detection was used to make concurrent measurements of the rate of accumulation of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in selected brain regions (striatum, nucleus accumbens, septum, medial periventricular hypothalamus) and thoracic spinal cords of rats treated with NSD 1015, an inhibitor of aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylase. 5-Hydroxytryptophan and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulated in all brain regions 30 min after the intravenous infusion of various doses of NSD 1015; there were no significant differences in the responses to 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. After the intravenous administration of 25 mg/kg NSD 1015 the concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine increased linearly with time in all brain regions for at least 30 min. Electrical stimulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus for 30 min at 5 or 10 Hz increased 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation in all brain regions but not in the spinal cord. Unexpectedly, this stimulation also increased the accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in the hypothalamus and spinal cord. These results suggest that 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation following the administration of NSD 1015 is a valid index of 5-hydroxytryptamine neuronal activity in the brain.
Environmental factors and the detection of open surface water areas with X-band radar imagery

Abstract The ability to map open surface water is integral to many hydrologic and agricultural models, wildlife management programmes, and recreational and natural resource studies. Open surface water is generally regarded as easily detected on radar imagery. However, this view is an oversimplification. This study used X-band HH polarized airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar ( SAR) imagery to examine the potential of SAR data to map open fresh water areas extant on 1:100000 USGS topographic maps. Seven study sites in the U.S.A. with a combined area of over 68000km2were analysed. Detection accuracies and minimum size for detection varied among the seven locations. Size and shape of water bodies and radar shadow all affected detection. However, environmental modulation factors including vegetation and forest cover, moisture, and landscape composition and morphology had the greatest influence and exhibited the most complex role in explaining variability
Using POGIL to help students learn to program

POGIL has been successfully implemented in a scientific computing course to teach science students how to program in Python. Following POGIL guidelines, the authors have developed guided inquiry activities that lead student teams to discover and understand programming concepts. With each iteration of the scientific computing course, the authors have refined the activities and learned how to better adapt POGIL for the computer science classroom. This article details how POGIL activities differ from both traditional computer science labs and other active-learning pedagogies. Background is provided on POGIL's effectiveness. The article then includes a full description of how POGIL activities were used in the scientific computing course, as well as an example POGIL activity on recursion. Discussion is provided on how to facilitate and develop POGIL activities. Quotes from student evaluations and an assessment on how well students learned to program are provided.
An experimental study of carbon-carbon composite materials

A systematic exploratory development study of the mechanical behaviour of pyrolyzed organic resin matrices reinforced with high performance carbonaceous fibres was performed. Fourteen combinations of fibre and precursor matrices in unidirectional composite form were fabricated and tested. Physical, thermal, and mechanical properties were determined at various process stages. A principal conclusion was that it is the very poor interfacial bond which is typically achieved between fibres and matrix that accounts for the low mechanical properties which are commonly observed. This poor bond was attributed primarily to the mismatch between the transverse thermal expansion coefficient of the graphite fibres and the thermal expansion coefficient of the surrounding matrix. Among the recommendations made is that the carbonization/graphitization conditions be modified to promote better interfacial bonding.
Dual Site Phospholamban Phosphorylation and Its Physiological Relevance in the Heart

Abstract Phospholamban (PLB) plays a primary role in regulating cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ -ATPase activity. Dephosphorylated PLB suppresses the SR Ca 2+ pump activity, whereas phosphorylation of PLB leads to deinhibition. A widely accepted sequential model of dual site PLB phosphorylation states that PKA-dependent phosphorylation of Ser 16 is obligatory to phosphorylation of Thr 17 by Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II, and mainly accounts for β -adrenergic receptor mediated cardiac relaxation. However, emerging evidence supports independent phosphorylation of Ser 16 and Thr 17 and their independent contributions to cardiac relaxation. Furthermore, concurrent activation of PKA and CaMKII signaling pathways exhibits a robust synergistic effect on phosphorylation of Thr 17 , but not of Ser 16 . Thus, the synergistic interaction may masquerade as a sequential phosphorylation of Ser 16 and Thr 17 under certain circumstances. Further studies are required to determine the exact process of dual site PLB phosphorylation and its functional roles in healthy and diseased hearts.
Stresses in sputtered RUOx thin films

Abstract RuOx thin films have been deposited by reactive sputtering in an O2/Ar atmosphere. The films were characterized for their stress and resistivity as a function of deposition temperature (room temperature, 300°C) and the O2 content (25–100%) in the sputtering gas. Additionally, the stresses in these films were determined as a function of annealing temperature (up to 600°C) using an in-situ curvature measurement technique. The as-deposited films were found to be under a state of compressive stress for all deposition conditions. The compressive stresses sharply increased with increasing deposition temperature from a value of around 200 MPa at 200°C to 1400 MPa at 300°C. This dramatic increase has been attributed to differences in microstructure at these deposition temperatures. The microstructural differences also led to the widely differing stress-temperature behavior during annealing of these films. For films deposited at temperatures lower than 200°C, the annealing process resulted in a decrease in the compressive stress and resistivity of the films. However, films deposited at a temperature of 300°C did not show any changes in the compressive stress or resistivity after annealing. The results of this study can be used to deposit RuOx thin films with low resistivity and minimal stresses.
Investigation of composite ☐ beam dynamics using a higher-order theory

Abstract A higher-order composite ☐ beam theory is developed to model beams with arbitrary wall thicknesses. The theory, which is based on a refined displacement field, approximates the three-dimensional elasticity solution so that the beam cross-sectional properties are not reduced to one-dimensional beam parameters. Both inplane and out-of-plane warping are included automatically in the formulation. The model can accurately capture the tranverse shear stresses through the thickness of each wall while satisfying stress-free boundary conditions on the inner and outer surfaces of the beam. Numerical results are presented for beams with varying wall thicknesses and aspect ratios. The static results are correlated with available experimental data and show excellent agreement. Dynamic results presented show the importance of including inplane and out-of-plane warping deformations in the formulation.
Prolactin Production by the Endometrium of Early Human Pregnancy

PRL production by the decidualized endometrium of early pregnancy was investigated. Endometrium associated with trophoblast (n = 31) was obtained during therapeutic abortions performed 2–6 weeks post conception. Endometrium free of trophoblast (n = 4) was obtained from the uterine cavity immediately after the surgical removal of ectopic pregnancies in which the blastocyst had implanted within the distal portion of a Fallopian tube. When samples of these tissues were incubated in oxygenated Gey's buffer supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum, the concentration of PRL in the medium increased progressively. After 24 h, the total hormone content of the tissue plus medium was significantly greater than the initial hormone content of the tissue before incubation. When protein synthesis was inhibited by the addition of 50 μg/ml cycloheximide to the medium, the amount of PRL produced during incubation was markedly reduced. The four samples of endometrium which contained no tissue of fetal origin due to tubal impla...
Inhibitory influences on receptive field size in the dorsal column nuclei

Receptive fields (RFs) of neurons in the dorsal column nuclei (DCN) expand within minutes after the RFs are anesthetized via subcutaneous lidocaine injections (e.g., Pettit and Schwark). The mechanism of this rapid reorganization is of great interest. It has been proposed that such RF expansion results from a decline in inhibition within the DCN that unmasks previously ineffective synapses. To study the role of GABAergic inhibition in the DCN in controlling RF size, we applied by iontophoresis bicuculline methiodide to block γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptors and 2-OH-saclofen to block GABAB receptors. Blockade of GABAA receptors resulted in RF expansions in 79% of the neurons, while blockade of GABAB receptors resulted in RF expansions in 53% of the neurons. The effectiveness of receptor blockade in producing RF expansion was not related to neuronal response characteristics. Glutamate application resulted in RF expansions in only 2 of 23 neurons tested, suggesting that RF expansion was not simply due to increased excitability. The modality and adaptation characteristics of the expanded portions of the RFs were similar to those of the original RF. The results of the present study suggest that GABAergic inhibition can play a role in controlling RF size in the DCN, and that both GABAA and GABAB receptors may be involved in this process.
The Evaluation of the Interfacial Behavior of LaRC-TPI/ Graphite Composites

Discussed are the results of several approaches recently considered for improving the interfacial adhesion of LaRC-TPI/graphite composites. Two approaches were investigated, namely altering the matrix and altering the fiber. As a result, three types of LaRC-TPI laminates were produced: amorphous/AS-4, amorphous/XAS, and semicrystalline/AS-4. The laminates were characterized using the transverse tensile test, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and thermal analysis.
Products of symmetric forms

Abstract Assume r ⩾ 3 is a positive integer and let F be a field in which r! ≠ 0. By investigating the notion of formal multiplication of forms over F we are able to show that there exist indecomposable symmetric spaces of degree r over F of all positive dimensions. In particular we show that all nonzero monomial forms of degree r over F are indecomposable, and we state necessary and sufficient conditions for two monomial forms to be equivalent over F. It is a pleasure to thank Professor D. K. Harrison for his helpful suggestions during several private conversations and for allowing me access to an early version of [2].
Coal Gasification in a Transport Reactor

An advanced transport reactor gasifier was operated using three different coals: Illinois #6 bituminous, Wyodak Powder River Basin subbituminous, and a Sufco Utah bituminous coals. A steady-state model was developed to evaluate the relative contributions of coal combustion and gasification of coal/char in this high-throughput reactor. The tests employed in-bed calcium-based sorbent for sulfur capture. The model was based on elemental mass and energy balances and assumed instantaneous devolatilization and combustion and kinetically limited gasification reactions in a continuously stirred tank reactor. The experimental results on the reaction of these three coals were compared with model predictions. The simulated results compared favorably with the experimental results (e.g., gas composition, carbon conversion, and reactor temperature). The bituminous coal data were accurately simulated as substoichiometric combustion processes. The more reactive subbituminous coal exhibited significant gasification conve...
The Social Networking Arena: Battle of the Sexes

Social networking via texting, Facebook, Twitter, and similar media is enormously popular with students, though it often leads to communication challenges along gender lines. Research supports the fact that men and women have divergent expectations for social networking and use it differently. Students can benefit from classroom experiences that raise their awareness of communication challenges associated with social networking and encourage them to assess their own areas for improvement.
Liminality as a Descriptor for the Cancer Experience

Liminality has been used in medical anthropology to conceptualize the cancer experience (Little, Jordens, & Paul, 1998). This article discusses the results of a recent study that support this, that indeed having ovarian cancer can instill a sense of alienation from life as a person has known it. However, it is also suggested here that the term needs to be amended to include the social surround of a liminal experience, as well as the generative potential inherent in such an experience. The study is qualitative in nature and explores the subjectivity of nine women living with stage-three ovarian cancer. The recurrent nature of the disease with its poor survival rate was found to instill a kind of sustained trauma that is accentuated by experiences of suffering in connection to loss. Finally, a pressing need to speak with and find recognition from other women who shared the same site of cancer was found.
Theoretical study of atomic subshell cross sections in x-ray phototelectron spectra

Abstract In a way similar to previous calculations by other authors of molecular photoionization cross sections, theoretical expressions for atomic X-ray photoionization cross sections are derived using Slater-type orbitals and the plane wave approximation. Relative results for 1s cores of first-row atoms are close to experiment. Calculated 2s/2p ratios greatly disagree with empirical and semi-empirical data obtained from X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) unless orthogonalized 2s orbitals are used. In the latter case, fair agreement is obtained. Finally, a new viewpoint for correlating relative XPS or ESCA line intensities with s/p character is outlined for molecules consisting of first-row atoms.
Life, logic and information

Focusing on information flow will help us to understand better how cells and organisms work.
Effects of salt, sodium pyrophosphate, and sodium lactate on the probability of growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef

Ground beef products are susceptible to contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of salt, sodium pyrophosphate (SPP), and sodium lactate on the probability of growth of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef under a temperature abuse condition. Ground beef containing 0 to 2.25% salt, 0 to 0.5% SPP, and 0 to 3% lactate was inoculated with a four-strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7, vacuum packaged, and stored at 10°C for 15 days. A total of 25 combinations of the three additives, each with 20 samples, were tested. A logistic regression was used to model the probability of growth of E. coli O157:H7 (with a 1.0-log CFU/g increase during storage) as a function of salt, SPP, and lactate. The resultant probability model indicated that lactate at higher concentrations decreased the probability of growth of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef, and the effect was more pronounced at higher salt concentrations. At salt concentrations below 1.3%, the increase of SPP concentration marginally increased the growth probabilities of E. coli O157:H7. The model illustrated the effect of salt, SPP, and lactate on the growth probabilities and growth or no-growth behavior of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef and can be used to improve the microbial food safety of ground beef products.
Democratization and International Conflict The Impact of Institutional Legacies

This study re-examines the link between democratization and international conflict. It is founded on the argument that the greatest threat to a democratizing incumbent's tenure arises from the ability of the old authoritarian elite or their supporters to overthrow the new regime for failed foreign policies. Given this framework, the article differentiates among transitioning states based on the strength of the old authoritarian leadership vis-a-vis the new democratic government. The institutional and political balance between the transitional forces and the remnants of the ancien regime is, in turn, considered a function of the legacies of past democratic and authoritarian rule. Leaders in redemocratizing states, and those with a longer legacy of previous democratic rule, should be more likely to initiate disputes, as they are more institutionally insulated from the old authoritarian elite. On the other hand, a stronger legacy of authoritarian rule is expected to lead to a more cautious foreign policy. These expectations are tested in a quantitative analysis of international dispute behavior for all democratizing states from 1950 to 1990. The results strongly confirm the hypotheses, lending validity to the theoretical explanation in this study that attributes differences among democratizing states in their conflict propensities to their institutional past.
Disinhibition in a CSCL environment

In this paper, we explore the IRC Francais foreign language learning environment. This environment offers little more than a text-based chat system with a few features to make writing in a foreign language easier. Despite the limited structure, conversations online exhibit strong differences from conversations in the classroom, even when the teachers and students remain constant. We offer some explanations for these findings based on interviews conducted with a number of the teachers and students.
The Effect of Behavioral Objectives on Student Achievement.

The efficacy of behavioral objectives in improving student achievement was assessed in a college setting. The Ss were nineteen senior and graduate students enrolled in a research course in educational psychology. Ss randomly assigned to two groups were separated before treatment. One group received a list of precise instructional objectives, while the other group discussed an unrelated topic. The two groups were reunited, exposed to the same lecture, and then administered a 12-item quiz covering the day’s lesson. Results of an analysis of covariance revealed that behavioral objectives had a desirable effect on student achievement.
A newspaper surveillance study of homicide-suicide in the United States

The objective of this study was to identify the number and subtypes of homicide-suicides in the United States by age group and state over a 3-year period from 1997 through 1999. A total of 673 homicide-suicides, including 674 perpetrators and 779 victims, were identified from Internet searches of 191 national newspapers, and they were classified according to a modified Hanzlick-Koponen typology. One quarter of the homicide-suicides were perpetrated by persons 55 years or older, and 77% were spousal/consortial, higher than the 57% observed in the younger age group; 11% of the older homicide-suicides were familial, compared with 16% in the younger age group. Whereas only 3% of older homicide-suicides were infanticide/pedicide, 16% of the younger homicide-suicides involved parents killing their children. Forty-five states, including the District of Columbia, reported a homicide-suicide during the 3-year period, and they occurred most frequently in Florida (163), California (98), Texas (36), and New York (35). Newspaper surveillance is useful to identify where homicide-suicides are occurring most frequently, but they are underestimates of the true prevalence. However, the number of incidents detected is large enough that the cases detected may be a fairly representative sample.
The scope of rational requirements

Niko Kolodny has argued that some (local) rational requirements are narrow-scope requirements. Against this, I argue here that all (local) rational requirements are wide-scope requirements. I present a new objection to the narrow-scope interpretations of the four specific rational requirements which Kolodny considers. His argument for the narrow-scope interpretations of these four requirements rests on a false assumption, that an attitude which puts in place a narrow-scope rational requirement somewhere thereby puts in place a narrow-scope rational requirement everywhere. My argument against Kolodny is analogous to arguments which use holism about reasons to defend moral particularism.
Ultrasound-modulated optical imaging using a photorefractive interferometer and a powerful long pulse laser

Ultrasound-modulated optical imaging is an emerging biodiagnostic technique which provides the optical spectroscopic signature and the spatial localization of an optically absorbing object embedded in a strongly scattering medium. The transverse resolution of the technique is determined by the lateral extent of ultrasound beam focal zone while the axial resolution is obtained by using short ultrasound pulses. The practical application of this technique is presently limited by its poor sensitivity. Moreover, any method to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio must satisfy the biomedical safety limits. In this paper, we propose to use a pulsed single-frequency laser source to raise the optical peak power applied to the scattering medium and to collect more ultrasonically tagged photons. Such a laser source allows illuminating the tissues mainly during the transit time of the ultrasonic wave. A single-frequency Nd:YAG laser emitting 500-μs pulses with a peak power superior to 100 W was used. Tagged photons were detected with a GaAs photorefractive interferometer characterized by a large optical etendue. When pumped by high intensity laser pulses, such an interferometer provides the fast response time essential to obtain an apparatus insensitive to the speckle decorrelation encountered in biomedical applications. Consequently, the combination of a large-etendue photorefractive interferometer with a high-power pulsed laser could allow obtaining both the sensitivity and the fast response time necessary for biomedical applications. Measurements performed in 30- and 60-mm thick optical phantoms made of titanium dioxide particles dispersed in sunflower oil are presented. Results obtained in 30- and 60-mm thick chicken breast samples are also reported.
Unconventional Heavy Oil Exploitation for Waste Energy Recovery

This paper presents the concept of harnessing geothermal energy from heavy oil fields that have undergone steam-flooding and so accumulated substantial heat from steam injection. Once the steam-flooding process reaches economic cut-off, due to high water cut and/or high steam-to-oil ratio, the reservoir would be abandoned, leaving behind stored energy in the form of heat. From this point, the reservoir could be regarded as an artificial geothermal system, and its intrinsic heat recovered by water circulation. A compositional, thermal simulator was used to model the overall heat transfer efficiency throughout the reservoir. The Fourth SPE Comparative Solution Project (problem 3) - complemented by parameters obtained from well-known analogue fields - was adopted to build the base case scenario. Sensitivity analyses were then performed to identify critical parameters that may affect the potential for harnessing the geothermal energy. The reservoir simulations were then coupled with semi-analytical computational of the heat exchange between wellbore and surrounding formation to estimate the total surface heat recovery. The latter could be used for either direct heating or electricity generation, depending on the arrival fluid temperature. State-of-art technology for converting heat from low-enthalpy resources ("waste energy") into electricity were evaluated, together with an estimate of the parasitic load associated with ancillary facilities necessary to run operations beyond the oil-recovery phase. This study shows that it could be possible to advantageously extend the life of heavy oil fields by means of a heat-recovery phase after the oil-recovery phase.
Women with posttraumatic stress disorder have larger decreases in heart rate variability during stress tasks

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) was investigated during a resting baseline period and two 4-minute laboratory speech tasks. Participants were 20 women with PTSD and 20 age- and gender-matched controls. Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) cardiac control was measured as HF-HRV (0.12-0.40 Hz) using power spectrum analysis. Participants with PTSD had significantly greater reductions in HF-HRV during two speech tasks (trauma recall and mental arithmetic) than control. These results suggest that PTSD is related to the magnitude of decrease in parasympathetic cardiac control during stress in women. Health implications of altered PNS activity associated with PTSD deserve further study.
Enhanced reactivity of melamine–formaldehyde resins by fractionation. Crosslinking at ambient temperature

A commercial hexakis(methoxymethyl)melamine (HMMM) resin was fractionated (1) by crystallization of the hexane–soluble fraction from hexane and (2) by partitioning the hexane–soluble and hexane–Insoluble fractions between alumina and various solvents. Crystallization afforded hexakis(methoxymethyl)melamine (1) of 90 to 95% purity. Partitioning afforded 12 fractions with altered proportions of polar and nonpolar species; the least polar fraction was spectroscopically and chromatographically similar to the crystallized material. Relative reactivities of certain fractions were estimated by 1H NMR studies of the rates of reaction with neopentyl alcohol in the presence of catalytic amounts of p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA). It was found that the reactivity of fractions, rich in less-polar species, was substantially greater than that of the commercial HMMM resin, whereas reactivity of fractions, rich in polar species, was less. Reactivity was especially enhanced by removal of all active hydrogen species, notably those containing NH groups. A practical consequence of this result was that fully formylated and alkylated melamine resins could crosslink with polyols at substantially lower temperatures than the commercial HMMM resin, which contained NH groups. Therefore, room-temperature crosslinking was feasible.
A Suggestion for the Multiple Author Issue

Donald Kennedy's superb and long-overdue Editorial “Multiple authors, multiple problems” (8 Aug., p. [733][1]) raises the increasing problem of too many authors on scientific papers. This is clearly a case of dilution of importance—how is one to appreciate the importance of an author of a paper with more than 50 coauthors? I would like to propose a possible solution that should clarify this issue while allowing recognition of important technical contributions. Only those individuals who were intimately involved in (i) experimental design, (ii) data acquisition, (iii) data analysis and interpretation, and (iv) writing and editing should be listed as authors. Technical contributions (e.g., a specific measurement) could be acknowledged as a separate list identifying the specifics. This could be done in a small font so that space requirements are minimized. Those listed for technical contributions could cite this in their CV under a separate category, thus getting “credit” for promotion, tenure, and grant applications. It is important to note that in addition to giving credit where credit is due, this would protect coauthors from any guilt by association if scientific misconduct was discovered in parts of the publication not related to a specific contribution. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.301.5634.733
Investigation of characteristic impedances of the broadside-coupled coplanar waveguide at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies

Dynamic characteristic impedances of the broadside-coupled coplanar waveguide (CPW) are calculated using the spectral-domain approach. It is found that variation of the mode characteristics impedances can be substantial over the dominant-mode frequency range, indicating the need for dynamic characteristic impedances for accurate designs of broadside- coupled CPW circuits at high frequencies.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Modeling the Effectiveness of Hurricane Preparedness Damage Mitigation Strategies in Southeastern Virginia

September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina have recently demonstrated that American preparedness and disaster response efforts require improvements. Locally, the Southeastern region of Virginia is at risk for a major hurricane which could cost billions of dollars in damage. This project seeks to provide information to decision makers about the risks and tradeoffs involved in preparedness and response to a major hurricane. This project uses the HAZUS disaster modeling tool with other tools and models to analyze the decision options of evacuation, boarding up windows, and taking no action. The results of the analysis show that an evacuation for a 100-year storm would cost over SI billion more than sheltering in place, although may cost more lives. Boarding up a fraction of windows does reduce damage. If this conclusion continues to be supported, Virginia policy makers need to focus their efforts and money on contingent emergency supply chains rather than on complicated lateral evacuation plans.
Alpha stable modeling of human visual systems for digital halftoning in rectangular and hexagonal grids

Human visual system (HVS) modeling has become a critical component in the design of digital halftoning algorithms. Methods that exploit the characteristics of the HVS include the direct binary search (DBS) and optimized tone-dependent halftoning approaches. The spatial sensitivity of the HVS is low-pass in nature, reflecting the physiological characteristics of the eye. Several HVS models have been proposed in the literature, among them, the broadly used Nasanen’s exponential model, which was later shown to be constrained in shape. Richer models are needed to attain better halftone attributes and to control the appearance of undesired patterns. As an alternative, models based on the mixture of bivariate Gaussian density functions have been proposed. The mathematical characteristics of the HVS model thus play a key role in the synthesis of model-based halftoning. In this work, alpha stable functions, an elegant class of functions richer than mixed Gaussians, are exploited to design HVS models to be used in two different contexts: monochrome halftoning over rectangular and hexagonal sampling grids. In the two scenarios, alpha stable models prove to be more efficient than Gaussian mixtures, as they use less parameters to characterize the tails and bandwidth of the model. It is shown that a decrease in the model’s bandwidth leads to homogeneous halftone patterns, and conversely, models with heavier tails yield smoother textures. These characteristics, added to their simplicity, make alpha stable models a powerful tool for HVS characterization.
Local existence of solutions to the Landau–Maxwell system

We study here the Landau–Maxwell system in its classical form. We prove the local existence of weak solution with initial data of unrestricted size. The main tools consist of an approximation method and a regularity result for velocity averages of solutions of some general linear transport equations.
Influence of allelic polymorphism on the assembly and surface expression of class II MHC (Ia) molecules

Abstract Cell surface Ia expression was examined following transfection of murine α and β class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes into L cells. Although haplotype-matched (e.g., A β k A α k ) gene pairs yielded high expression in primary transfectants, haplotype-mismatched pairs (e.g., A β k A α d ) gave unexpectedly low expression. RNA analysis revealed a requirement for greater A β , and particularly A α transcript levels inhaplotype-mismatched vs. haplotype-matched transfectants with similar levels of membrane Ia. A β allelic control of this assembly/expression process was mapped to the NH 2 -terminal ( β 1 ) domain, the locus of high intraspecies polymorphism. These data on the effects of allelic variation on Ia levels provide a possible explanation for the strong linkage disequilibrium of A α and A β genes and may account for the current molecular organization of the I region of the MHC.
Continuous Damage Mechanics Revisited: Basic Concepts and Definitions

On propose une representation geometriquement coherente pour l'ensemble de variables internes definissant une distribution arbitraire de microfissures planes
Noise in THz detectors and generators

For imaging and remote sensing applications, the noise of the THz detector must be minimized. The quantum 1/f theory is introduced and used to obtain analytical expressions of noise in n + p diodes, Schottky diode THz detectors and mixers, a new type of suggested MEMS resonator based Thz detectors, QWIPs and bolometers. For the DAR and for THz communications we also consider phase noise in RTD and GaN/AlGaN HFET based THz generators.