cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The stress field in a [0°/90°] laminated composite plate containing a finite line crack

This paper deals with the construction of an asymptotic solution for the stress field in a laminated composite plate, with (0/90) stacking sequence. The plate contains through the thickness a line crack of length 2c and its perimeter boundaries are sufficiently far away from the crack so that no edge effects are present. The stress field is derived explicitly, and includes a correction factor to account for the laminate effects in the third dimension. The stress σzz is a maximum at an angle of θ ≈ 83 ◦ (see Figure 3). The stress field may now be used to bridge the gap between macro and micro mechanics and to derive a series of fracture criteria, at the micro and macro level, which ultimately will provide us with a better understanding of the formation of the damaged zone ahead of the crack tip. For example, the stress field is used to derive one such approximate fracture criterion for mode I loading and for a self similar type of fracture, similar to that of Griffith. This criterion shows how the periodic length of the material lay-up microstructure effects the fracturing characteristics of the material system. Comparison with some experimental observations for two different material systems shows a fairly good agreement which substantiates the predicted influence. Despite careful design, practically every structure contains stress risers due to the presence of inclusions, holes or cracks. Bolt holes and rivet holes are necessary components for structural joints. It is not surprising, therefore, that the majority of service cracks nucleate in the vicinity of a stress riser. While the subject of stress risers is certainly familiar to engineers, the situation is significantly more complex in the case of high-performance laminated composite materials. The presence of a hole or a crack in the laminate introduces significant stress contributions in the third dimension which create a very complicated three-dimensional (3-D) stress state in the vicinity of such discontinuities. Moreover, this complex state of stress may depend on the stacking sequence of the laminate, the fiber orientation of each lamina as well as the material properties of the fiber and of the matrix. Ultimately, these stress risers form a primary source of damage initiation and property degradation, particularly in the presence of cyclic loading. Experimental investigations carried out by Bakis and Stinchcomb (1986) on graphite- epoxy laminates which have been weakened by a circular hole give us a better insight of this damage growth development under the action of cyclic loading. In general, the progression of this damaged process may be characterized as (i) debonding along fiber-matrix interfaces, (ii) matrix cracking parallel to the fibers, (iii) matrix cracking between fibers, (iv) delamination along the interface of two adjacent laminae with different fiber orientations, and (v) fiber breakage.
The Ottoman War on ‘Anarchism’ and Revolutionary Violence

Based primarily on Ottoman and British archival sources, this chapter discusses the attempt on Sultan Abdulhamid II’s life and its reception within the context of the rise of global radicalism and the international popularization of the use of symbolic revolutionary violence. It also focuses on the reactions by the Hamidian regime, including the investigative work, the development of the set of arguments to prevent the return of Joris to Belgium, and the efforts undertaken to prevent the occurrence of a second attempt on the Sultan’s life. A brief examination of the coverage of the incident in the official organ of the leading faction of the Young Turks is also included in order to draw attention to their views on the use of violence in oppositional politics. After the initial shock of the bombing subsided, the Hamidian regime responded with a widespread and multilayered effort that included international cooperation to identify the perpetrators. The police work led to the arrest of Edward Joris and the ARF network of militants and sympathizers that organized and oversaw the assassination attempt. Efforts were also made to bolster the image of the Ottoman Empire as a modern power, where due diligence was given to legal proceedings during the court hearings of the perpetrators.
ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC | Arctic Climate

Key features of the Arctic, such as its low mean annual air temperature, stable boundary layer, sea ice cover, permafrost, and snow cover, largely result from limited solar radiation receipts as compared to lower latitudes. The high albedo of snow and ice helps to maintain the Arctic in a low thermal energy state. However, regional features of the atmospheric and ocean circulation and surface modify primary latitudinal controls to result in a variety of climate conditions across the Arctic. Recent decades have seen pronounced changes in the Arctic, including reductions in sea ice extent, largest in September, and rises in surface air temperature, largest in autumn and winter.
Oxidative stress in inborn errors of metabolism: Lessons from glutathione deficiency

Oxidative stress has been thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of several inborn errors of metabolism, such as mitochondrial enzyme deficiencies, G6PD deficiency, methylmalonic acidaemia and PKU. The possible role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of inborn errors of metabolism is discussed in the light of inborn errors in the metabolism of glutathione.
Environmental Toxicology: Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is a process or outcome in which an imbalance in prooxidant and antioxidant reactions causes macromolecular damage and/or disruption of biologic redox signaling and control (Fig. 12.1) [1]. Oxidation–reduction reactions, or “redox” reactions, are reactions involving electron transfer. These reactions are central to energy metabolism and maintenance of metabolic and physical organization of living organisms. Environmental agents that interfere with redox reactions or promote abnormal redox reactions are highly destructive to biologic macromolecules and metabolic organization.
Detecting Behavioral Engagement of Students in the Wild Based on Contextual and Visual Data.

To investigate the detection of students' behavioral engagement (On-Task vs. Off-Task), we propose a two-phase approach in this study. In Phase 1, contextual logs (URLs) are utilized to assess active usage of the content platform. If there is active use, the appearance information is utilized in Phase 2 to infer behavioral engagement. Incorporating the contextual information improved the overall F1-scores from 0.77 to 0.82. Our cross-classroom and cross-platform experiments showed the proposed generic and multi-modal behavioral engagement models' applicability to a different set of students or different subject areas.
Predictor Set Inference using SAT

The inference of gene predictors in the gene regulatory network (GRN) has become an important research area in the genomics and medical disciplines. Accurate predictors are necessary for constructing the GRN model and to enable targeted biological experiments that attempt to validate or control the regulation process. In this chapter, we implement a SAT-based algorithm to determine the gene predictor set from steady state gene expression data (attractor states). Using the attractor states as input, the states are ordered into attractor cycles. For each attractor cycle ordering, all possible predictors are enumerated and a conjunctive normal form (CNF) expression is generated which encodes these predictors and their biological constraints. Each CNF is solved using a SAT solver to find candidate predictor sets. Statistical analysis of the resulting predictor sets selects the most likely predictor set of the GRN, corresponding to the attractor data. We demonstrate our algorithm on attractor state data from a melanoma study and present our predictor set results.
Abstract 416: Approach of mRNA Delivery by Using Nanoparticles to Recover Endocardial Notch Signaling

Notch signaling plays a significant role in cardiac development and morphogenesis, especially for cardiac chamber development. Failure of mechanotransduction of endocardial Notch signaling in ventr...
The Significance of Cars in the Delta: Robert Johnson’s “Terraplane Blues” (Vocalion 03416, 1937)

Robert Johnson’s “Terraplane Blues” was a modest hit for the newly recorded bluesman. Notable musically for its elaborate intertwining rhythms and disjointed sections, interpretations of the song h...
Senescence-Induced Vascular Remodeling Creates Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Pancreas Cancer.

Summary KRAS mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a desmoplastic response that promotes hypovascularity, immunosuppression, and resistance to chemo- and immunotherapies. We show that a combination of MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors that target KRAS-directed oncogenic signaling can suppress PDAC proliferation through induction of retinoblastoma (RB) protein-mediated senescence. In preclinical mouse models of PDAC, this senescence-inducing therapy produces a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that includes pro-angiogenic factors that promote tumor vascularization, which in turn enhances drug delivery and efficacy of cytotoxic gemcitabine chemotherapy. In addition, SASP-mediated endothelial cell activation stimulates the accumulation of CD8+ T cells into otherwise immunologically “cold” tumors, sensitizing tumors to PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Therefore, in PDAC models, therapy-induced senescence can establish emergent susceptibilities to otherwise ineffective chemo- and immunotherapies through SASP-dependent effects on the tumor vasculature and immune system.
My Life to Live

Would one blush for the religiously realistic art of the cinema if we were not eaten away by an unhappy desire to change the world? But here artistic creation does not mean painting one's soul in things, but painting the soul of things. –Jean-Luc Godard, 1952. Breathless boosted Godard to the rank of New Wave leader – along with Truffaut, his prizewinning colleague – by introducing him to critics, audiences, and fellow cineastes as a certified enfant terrible with a taste for the innovative (those jump cuts!) and the offbeat (that ambiguous ending!) rivaled by few others on the contemporary scene. He quickly started work on The Little Soldier , his second feature. Here he continued his exploration of film-noir terrain, adding a political inflection via its protagonist: an undercover agent combating a left-wing organization during the acutely controversial war for Algerian independence. The drama puzzled many observers with its lack of political coherence, but Godard promptly explained that this was one of its most admirable qualities; his intention, after all, was to depict an ethically confused character in a film meant to seem “like a secret diary, a notebook, or the monologue of someone trying to justify himself before an almost accusing camera, as one does before a lawyer or a psychiatrist.” Godard's own justifications are as problematic as the “thriller” itself – among other things, he suggests that to understand the movie one must somehow “sense” his oftenshifting “distance” from the characters – and it is tempting to write off both the film and the self-analysis as honorable failures in a still-young career.
COVID-19 in Italian paediatric patients: The experience of a tertiary children's hospital.

Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) caused by the novel SARS‐CoV‐2 has spread worldwide since its onset in Wuhan in December 2019. In Italy COVID‐19 rapidly increased in February 2020 and by 12 May 2020, 2.0 % of the confirmed cases were under 18 years and 3.7% of those had been hospitalized. This case series report reviews the demographic characteristics, clinical course, laboratory findings, radiologic features and treatment of children admitted with COVID‐19 to a tertiary care hospital in Italy.
Dinner Jazz: Consumption, Improvisation, and the Politics of Listening

It’s rare to find a high-end restaurant in North America that doesn’t have jazz music on the menu. As the acoustic counterpart to your braised leg of lamb and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, jazz m...
Sindiwe Magona’s Beauty’s Gift: Sexual Security in the Era of HIV/AIDS

This article examines Sindiwe Magona’s 2008 novel, Beauty’s Gift (Cape Town: Kwela), noting its significance as the first full-length work by a South African woman on the topic of HIV/AIDS. The art...
The clash of culture and cuisine: A qualitative exploration of cultural tensions and attitudes toward food and body in Chinese young adult women.

Objective Accumulating evidence suggests that the prevalence of eating disorders among Chinese women is a public health concern. Prior studies have drawn linkages between conflicting cultural values, identity confusion, and eating disorder symptomatology, which may be relevant for understanding the rise of eating disorders amidst China's rapid economic and sociocultural transformation. Here, we explore how women's experiences with traditional eating norms and modernizing norms of femininity may shape their food and body attitudes. Method Chinese young adult women (N = 34; aged 18-22 years) participated in semi-structured interviews focusing on experiences with norms surrounding eating and ideal feminine appearance, perceived conflict between these norms, and their responses to perceived conflict. Interviews were conducted via email (n = 27) or via Skype (n = 7). Participants were not asked about past or present diagnoses of eating disorders. Analysis of responses was guided by the principles of thematic analysis. Results Women reported encounters with cultural eating norms and feminine appearance norms, and described factors that motivated continued or discontinued adherence to these norms. Women reported strategies of conflict resolution, which resulted in different emotional and behavioral outcomes including eating disorder symptoms. Discussion Women's experiences with norms surrounding eating and appearance indicate the centrality of these encounters in the formation of individual and interpersonal values. Our findings suggest the importance for clinicians to assist clients in exploring the meanings behind internalized attitudes toward food and body, and to help clients balance interpersonal and individual needs.
Culture, Health, and Financial Appraisals: Comparison of Worry in Older Japanese Americans and European Americans

There is limited understanding of the potential impact of cultural identification and values on the emotional experiences of older adults. This study considered potential differences in worry based on culture and acculturation type. The study also evaluated differences in worry based on self-appraisals of perceived health and financial status. Sixty-six older community-based Japanese Americans (JAs) and 65 older European Americans (EAs) completed the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and the Worry Scale–Revised (WSR). Cultural differences were not found. Social desirability scores were elevated, particularly among JAs who had been relocated to internment camps during World War II. Irrespective of cultural status, elevated average daily worry frequency scores and WSR–Health scores were found in the group who perceived their health status to be poor/fair. Irrespective of cultural status, elevated average daily worry frequency scores, PSWQ scores, and WSR–Financial scores were found in the group who perceived their financial status to be poor/fair. Recommendations for using the WSR with older populations are discussed.
Reply: PSMA-Targeted Therapeutics: A Tale About Law and Economics.

REPLY: I thank Dr. Notni for his recent letter in which he provides his perspective on one part of the success story of PSMA-targeted theranostics. Success stories often come with conflicts and intellectual ownership discussions. Dr. Notni makes important points. He acknowledges the pivotal role of
Lysosomal storage disorders as an etiology of nonimmune hydrops fetalis: A systematic review.

We performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the incidence and types of lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) in case series of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF). PubMed, Ovid, and clinicaltrials.gov were reviewed for case series evaluating the workup of NIHF diagnosed in utero or in the neonatal period in human subjects from 1979 to August 2020. Retrospective case series with at least five cases of fetal and/or neonatal NIHF with its workup mentioned were identified. Idiopathic NIHF was defined as NIHF without an apparent cause after initial standard-of-care workup. In total, 22 case series with 2678 total cases of NIHF were identified. The overall incidence of LSD was 6.6% (177/2663) in NIHF cases that were tested for any LSD, and 8.2% (177/2151) in idiopathic NIHF cases. The most common LSD identified in cases of NIHF were mucopolysaccharidosis type VII, galactosialidosis, infantile sialic acid storage disease, Gaucher disease, GM1 gangliosidosis, and sialidosis. More than 40% of the most common LSD causes of NIHF have a potential postnatal treatment. LSD testing for NIHF allows for early diagnosis, better counseling and appropriate management, planning for possible early treatment, and counseling for recurrence risk.
Generalized Zero-Shot Extreme Multi-label Learning

Extreme Multi-label Learning (XML) involves assigning the subset of most relevant labels to a data point from millions of label choices. A hitherto unaddressed challenge in XML is that of predicting unseen labels with no training points. These form a significant fraction of total labels and contain fresh and personalized information desired by end users. Most existing extreme classifiers are not equipped for zero-shot label prediction and hence fail to leverage unseen labels. As a remedy, this paper proposes a novel approach called ZestXML for the task of Generalized Zero-shot XML (GZXML) where relevant labels have to be chosen from all available seen and unseen labels. ZestXML learns to project a data point's features close to the features of its relevant labels through a highly sparsified linear transform. This L0-constrained linear map between the two high-dimensional feature vectors is tractably recovered through a novel optimizer based on Hard Thresholding. By effectively leveraging the sparsities in features, labels and the learnt model, ZestXML achieves higher accuracy and smaller model size than existing XML approaches while also promoting efficient training & prediction, real-time label update as well as explainable prediction. Experiments on large-scale GZXML datasets demonstrated that ZestXML can be up to 14% and 10% more accurate than state-of-the-art extreme classifiers and leading BERT-based dense retrievers respectively, while having 10x smaller model size. ZestXML trains on largest dataset with 31M labels in just 30 hours on a single core of a commodity desktop. When added to an large ensemble of existing models in Bing Sponsored Search Advertising, ZestXML significantly improved click yield of IR based system by 17% and unseen query coverage by 3.4% respectively. ZestXML's source code and benchmark datasets for GZXML will be publically released for research purposes here.
High-Resolution Nonhydrostatic Outfall Plume Modeling: Cross-Flow Validation

AbstractMarine outfalls discharge wastewater on the inner shelf and are designed to encourage rapid effluent mixing sufficient to maintain a submerged wastefield. A high-resolution nonhydrostatic R...
The effect of alcohol on mood among males drinking with a platonic friend.

BACKGROUND Despite the social nature of most drinking experiences, prior work has largely failed to incorporate social context into the study of alcohol's effects on emotion. The present study provides an initial test of the effect of alcohol on mood among platonic friends drinking together in a non-stress setting. We hypothesized that subjects would report more positive postdrink mood after consuming alcohol than after consuming a nonalcoholic control beverage. METHODS Dyads of platonic male friends (n = 36; 55.55% White, 38.88% Asian, 5.55% Black) attended two laboratory-based experimental sessions, wherein their drink conditions (alcohol vs. no alcohol control) were randomized by dyad and counter-balanced across sessions. They reported their mood before and after consuming their beverages together, using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and an 8-item mood measure. RESULTS As hypothesized, alcohol enhanced positive mood ( β = 0.26, p < 0.01). Although in the expected direction, the effect of alcohol on negative mood was not significant ( β = -0.12, p = 0.17). Post hoc analyses revealed that alcohol yielded greater increases in both stimulation ( β=0.26 , p = 0.00) and sedation ( β=0.40 , p = 0.00) as compared to the control condition. CONCLUSION This study highlights the positive mood-enhancing and broader subjective effects of alcohol when drinking with a platonic friend and encourages further consideration of friendship contexts in the examination of alcohol's effects when developing models of the etiology of alcohol use disorder.
The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Epidemiological Sample From the United States

Introduction Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g. violence, divorce) are associated with numerous negative health outcomes. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be at risk for ACEs due to behavioral issues and financial/social/emotional stressors associated with their care. Yet, research on ACEs in children with ASD is limited. Aims Assess ACEs in youth with and without ASD. Objectives To assess rates and associated characteristics of ACEs in children with and without ASD in the general population. Methods Data on 84,352 children (ages 2-17 years; 1,608 with ASD) were drawn from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative CDC survey of households with children. The survey included questions about child emotional, developmental, and behavioral problems, socio-demographics and nine ACEs (neighborhood violence, discrimination, financial stress, domestic violence and parent separation, mental illness, substance abuse, death, or incarceration). Results A history of multiple ACEs was reported by 34.4% of children with ASD compared with 24.4% of children without ASD. In survey-weighted logistic regression models controlling for age, sex, race, family structure and poverty, youth with ASD were 1.66 times (95% CI 1.18-2.34) more likely to have multiple ACEs compared with youth without ASD. Mediation analyses suggested that the increased rate of ACEs in ASD is driven by the greater co-occurrence of behavioral and emotional problems, but not ID, in ASD. Conclusions Although children with ASD experience ACEs at a higher frequency than children without ASD, this is explained by the increased co-occurrence of emotional and behavioral problems in ASD.
The impact of publicly funded perinatal care programs on neonatal outcome, Georgia, 1976-1978.

Abstract The State of Georgia administers three publicly funded perinatal care programs for medically high risk and/or low-income women: the High Risk Pregnancy Program, the Medicaid Program, and the Maternal and Infant Care Projects. To assess the impact of these programs on infant health, we compared the birth weight distribution and neonatal mortality rates of infants born to women in each program with those of infants of a nonfunded group of women with 2,500 gm. These findings suggest that publicly funded perinatal care programs may improve neonatal survival of infants of birth weight ≤2,500 gm of low-income mothers.
The growth of high performance In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As(0.52<x<0.9)-(Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As) high electron mobility transistors by MBE

InP-based HEMT devices have long surpassed GaAs-based devices for high frequency, low noise amplification applications. Future improvements in device and circuit performance will result from enhanced electron transport properties, as well as epitaxial layer designs which allow for improved device scaling. In this paper, we report the successful attempts at significantly improving the electron mobility in thin channel, device structures with high two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) concentrations. We believe that we have achieved the highest room temperature electron mobility to date for this materials system in structures with both high and low 2DEG concentrations. >
Reappraisals of J. Marion Sims

Sims' development of repair for vesicovaginal fistula introduced the present epoch of gynecology. He remained professionally active for 30 years thereafter and achieved national and international reputation. He continued to contribute medically until his death. Sims was extravagantly eulogized. Now, 90 years later, he is being roundly denounced for using slaves as experimental subjects and for doing multiple procedures on hapless women. One must however be skeptical of judging 1850 decisions by 1975 norms. Sims undoubtedly exploited the misery of his patients but their abject state must be remembered. Sims was insensitive to the status and needs of women, but in that he was a product of his era. His medical achievements have borne up well in the test of time.
Learning to See the Infinite: Teaching Visual Literacy in a First-Year Seminar Course.

This chapter describes a first-year seminar course designed to develop students’ visual literacy skills. After a brief overview of the course and a discussion of the evidence supporting the efficacy of the instructional interventions, a timeline and description of the specific learning activities are presented.
Book Review: The Point of No Return: Refugees, Rights, and Repatriation

The Point of No Return: Refugees, Rights, and Repatriation Katy Long Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013, pp. 280
Carbon Nanotube Flexible and Stretchable Electronics

The low-cost and large-area manufacturing of flexible and stretchable electronics using printing processes could radically change people’s perspectives on electronics and substantially expand the spectrum of potential applications. Examples range from personalized wearable electronics to large-area smart wallpapers and from interactive bio-inspired robots to implantable health/medical apparatus. Owing to its one-dimensional structure and superior electrical property, carbon nanotube is one of the most promising material platforms for flexible and stretchable electronics. Here in this paper, we review the recent progress in this field. Applications of single-wall carbon nanotube networks as channel semiconductor in flexible thin-film transistors and integrated circuits, as stretchable conductors in various sensors, and as channel material in stretchable transistors will be discussed. Lastly, state-of-the-art advancement on printing process, which is ideal for large-scale fabrication of flexible and stretchable electronics, will also be reviewed in detail.
Lau Basin basalts (LBB): trace element and SrNd isotopic evidence for heterogeneity in backarc basin mantle

Abstract Diverse 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd isotopic compositions among basalts from the Lau Basin (LBB), an active backarc basin in the southwest Pacific, indicate heterogeneity in the underlying mantle. Isotopic compositions display bimodal distributions which are related to geographic location. Type I LBB ( 87 /Sr 86 Sr ⩽ 0.70366; 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ⩾ 0.51297) include tholeiites from the central basin, Peggy Ridge, and Rochambeau Bank, while Type II basaltic and andesitic glasses from the northeastern portion of the basin, near Niua Fo'ou island, have higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ( ⩾ 0.7038) and lower 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ( ⩽ 0.51288). Both depleted (e.g. N-MORB) and enriched (e.g. E-MORB) trace element abundances occur among Type I and Type II LBB. Covariation between trace element and isotopic ratios among Type I LBB is consistent with mixing between depleted mantle similar to the source for MORB and relatively enriched peridotite similar to the source for E-MORB. Relative to MORB, uniformly high 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ( +0.0005) among all Type I LBB for given Nd isotopic compositions ( e Nd = +8 to +12) may reflect a lithospheric component, such as ancient recycled altered ocean crust. Type II LBB have Sr Nd isotopic compositions which are gradational between enriched mantle similar to the source of OIB and a component with distinct Sr isotopic composition such as that observed in Samoan post-erosional basalts. Isotopic and geographic discontinuity between Type I and Type II LBB, and isotopic affinity of Type II and Niua Fo`ou island basalts with those from Samoa suggests that volcanism in the northeastern portion of the basin is tapping deeper mantle beneath the adjoining Pacific plate, as well as Indo-Australian mantle overlying the Pacific lithosphere that is subducted into the Tonga Trench.
Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies directed against the alpha-bungarotoxin binding site induce a unique form of experimental myasthenia

Of seven rat monoclonal antibodies directed against nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, the three whose binding was blocked by alpha-bungarotoxin produced acute paralysis in chicken hatchlings, whereas the four others had no effect. In the affected animals, weakness and decremental electromyographic responses appeared within 1 hr after intravenous injection and both abnormalities improved after anticholinesterase administration. No histological changes were seen in the muscle of injected animals. These data suggest that antibodies binding in relationship to the cholinergic binding site, and presumably producing pharmacologic blockade of acetylcholine receptor, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the defective neuromuscular transmission in myasthenia gravis.
Legislator Gender and Legislator Policy Priorities in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies and the United States House of Representatives

This paper suggests that the findings of the literature on gender differences in legislator policy priorities in advanced industrial democracies very well may be generalizable to nations in the developing world, particularly those in Latin America. Previous studies of gender differences in legislator policy priorities have been confined to a small number of advanced industrial democracies. These studies have found women legislators to give a higher degree of priority than men to policies in the thematic areas of women's rights and children and families. Employing data on bill introduction, this paper tests for and finds similar gender differences in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies and the United States House of Representatives. Significant gender differences were found in both national legislatures in the areas of women's rights and children and families. No significant gender differences were found in other areas widely considered to be of traditional interest to women.
Absence of black-white differences in sodium and calcium in platelets

Consistent differences in sodium transport in red blood cells are observed in blacks compared to whites and have been the basis for speculation regarding physiologic differences in the vascular bed as well. The theoretical link between these metabolic markers and the risk of hypertension generally assumes a secondary effect on calcium. Calcium metabolism in red cells is difficult to study, however, so this proposition has never been tested directly. Given the growing importance of platelets in this area of research, and the availability of sensitive laboratory methods, we carried out a systematic examination of calcium and sodium homeostasis in this cell line among black and white normotensive subjects. No differences were noted in resting cytosolic calcium, mobilizable stores, agonist-induced response, or sodium-calcium exchange. In addition, resting sodium was not different between groups, nor was the increase in sodium induced by ouabain. A correlation of 0.3 was observed between blood pressure and both resting and stimulated cytosolic calcium (P
CLINICAL USE OF CYSTINE SUPERSATURATION MEASUREMENTS

Purpose: We measured the concentration and solubility of cystine in urine from patients with cystinuria or calcium stones and from normal subjects to determine whether urine cystine supersaturation can be calculated from a standard nomogram of solubility versus pH or needs to be measured directly. We also evaluated whether increasing pH of the 24-hour collection recovered enough crystallized cystine to increase cystine supersaturation.Materials and Methods: Cystine concentration, pH and usual stone risk factors were measured on 50 ml. aliquots of 24-hour collections from 24 patients with cystinuria, 22 calcium stone formers and 15 normal subjects. After 48 hours of incubation with sodium bicarbonate, a second aliquot was taken from the 24-hour collection for cystine concentration. The original urine at its ambient pH was incubated with an excess of cystine crystals for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours at 37C to determine solubility and kinetics of equilibration.Results: Cystine solubility varied so widely at any pH...
Effect of lysolecithin on oxidative phosphorylation.

Abstract A study was made of the effect of lysolecithin on oxidative phosphorylation by rat liver mitochondria. The lysophosphatide activated Mg-activated ATP-ase and inhibited DNP-activated ATPase. The effect of lysolecithin was studied on oxidative phosphorylation associated with the transfer of electrons: 1) from succinate or β-hydroxybutyrate to oxygen; 2) from succinate or β-hydroxybutyrate to cytochrome c; 3) from cytochrome c to oxygen. Lysolecithin uncoupled oxidation from phosphorylation in all three systems. The oxidation of succinate or β-hydroxybutyrate was also repressed by higher concentrations of lysolecithin with oxygen or ferricyanide as the terminal oxidant but the respiration was not affected if phenazine methosulfate was used to link to succinic dehydrogenase. On the other hand the rate of oxidation of cytochrome c by oxygen was increased in the presence of lysilecithin. The results obtained indicate that lysolecithin: 1) activates Mg-ATPase; 2) inhibits a phosphorylation reaction common to each of the steps in electron transport; and 3) at higher concentration inhibits some step in electron transport between succinic dehydrogenase and cytochrome c.
Sediment stabilization by Halophila decipiens in comparison to other seagrasses

While seagrasses are known for their sediment stabilization qualities, some genera, such as the diminutive Halophila, are not. An underwater flume was used to evaluate the threshold of sediment motion in a 20 m deep Halophila decipiens bed. Results were compared to unvegetated sand and seagrasses elsewhere. Despite having substantially smaller leaves and leaf biomass than other seagrass species, H. decipiens increases the threshold velocity for sediment motion significantly as compared to sand, and was similar to threshold velocity effects by larger seagrasses. Allocation of leaf biomass and rhizomes closer to the sediment-water interface than observed for other seagrasses was hypothesized as the primary physical basis for the sediment stabilization effects provided by this species.
A2a adenosine receptor gene expression in developing rat brain

Adenosine is a neuromodulator in the adult central nervous system. Membrane-bound receptors for adenosine have been identified and cDNAs for A1, A2a, A2b, and A3 adenosine receptor subtypes have been cloned recently. The present study documents the developmental appearance of A2a adenosine receptor gene expression in the rat brain. In situ hybridization using 35S-labeled RNA probes generated from the rat A2a adenosine receptor cDNA revealed receptor gene expression in the striatum on gestational day (GD) 14. Developmental alterations in the pattern of receptor gene expression within the striatum suggest that this receptor mRNA is expressed by striatal neurons soon after they complete neurogenesis. Transient expression of the A2a adenosine receptor mRNA was observed in cerebral cortex, subiculum, parafascicularis nucleus of the thalamus, facial nucleus, trigeminal nucleus, locus coeruleus, area postrema, anterior pituitary gland and in the fetal cerebral vasculature. The ganglia of cranial nerves V, VII, VIII, IX and X expressed A2a adenosine receptor mRNA in fetuses; adults have not been examined. A2a adenosine receptor mRNA was expressed in the carotid body and intermediate lobe of the pituitary during development and also in adult rats. Northern blot analysis revealed that the A2a adenosine receptor transcript is consistent in size (ca 2.5 kb) across the developmental period examined (GD 14 through adult). Previous studies in adult rats have reported that A2a adenosine receptor gene expression is limited to a population of striatal medium spiny neurons. This study documents early developmental expression of the A2a adenosine receptor gene in the striatum and its transient expression elsewhere in the brain and cerebral vasculature. If the A2a adenosine receptor mRNA is translated into receptor protein shortly after the mRNA is expressed, adenosine could influence neuronal differentiation, migration, synaptogenesis, and angiogenesis. Expression of A2a adenosine receptor mRNA in cranial ganglia, carotid body, and intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland similarly suggests novel sites of adenosine action during development and in the adult.
Polyploidization of liver after partial hepatectomy in the dwarf mouse and hypophysectomized rat: Effect of extended regenerative periods

Abstract Elevated levels of hepatic polyploid nuclei following partial hepatectomy largely disappear if minimal amounts of liver are removed and extended regenerative periods are permitted. In the normal rat all excess polyploid classes disappear while in the hypophysectomized rat the percentage of polyploid nuclei remains below normal. The liver of the normal mouse shows a strong tendency for equilibration while that of the dwarf mouse remains in a state of “excess” polyploidization for at least a month after partial hepatectomy. It is concluded that excess polyploid classes in the rat are not permitted permanently either in the presence or absence of the pituitary. A species difference is noted in the mouse, in that initial polyploid levels are higher and response to partial hepatectomy greater. The increased response to hepatectomy in the dwarf mouse liver is attributed to its greater potential for growth than the livers of the other experimental groups. It is assumed that equilibration in the dwarf mouse liver would have also occurred with time. The pituitary is not required for polyploidization during hepatic regeneration but indirectly controls the general level of polyploidy through its control over organ growth. Other factors also come into play. The interpretation of polyploidy in terms of DNA classes is considered.
Land–Sea Coupling and Global-Driven Forcing: Following Some of Scott Nixon’s Challenges

Adjoined watershed–estuary–coastal ecosystems are coupled by biogeochemical and hydrodynamic processes, as Scott Nixon repeatedly argued in his many contributions. Case histories from Waquoit Bay and the Pacific Coast of Panama, supplemented by information from other sites, make evident that the couplings that enable connectivity among spatially separate landscape units, while highly subject to detailed local contingencies, take place in every coastal zone, can be powerfully affected by human activities on land, and by global-scale forcings, as Scott Nixon often reminded us. While the factors that determine the details of land–sea coupling differ significantly from one coastal zone to the next, estuarine systems manage, to different degrees, to furnish ecological services not only as filters or transformers of land-derived inputs but also as exporters of energy-rich subsidies to coastal food webs.
Implementation of design sensitivity analysis and numerical optimization in engineering analysis

Abstract In this paper we present an approach to integrating optimisation tools with simulation software to achieve user-defined objectives. A formal protocol is presented, including specific definitions of the requirements of the simulator, optimiser, and design interface. A discussion of the mathematical issues and the efficiency of different approaches for computing sensitivities is given. We then discuss the source code modifications necessary to accomplish the integration of simulation and optimisation.
Solidification and welding metallurgy of Thermo-Span alloy

Abstract The welding metallurgy of Thermo-Span alloy has been evaluated and compared with that of two common superalloys, alloy 909 and alloy 718. The solidification behaviour and fusion zone hot cracking tendency were evaluated using differential thermal analysis and varestraint testing. Gleeble thermal cycle simulations were used to assess the hot ductility of the alloy during weld thermal cycles. Solidification microstructures were characterised by optical and electron microscopy. Differential thermal analysis indicated that melting of wrought Thermo-Span initiates at ternperatures near 1265°C and continues to ∼1413°C. In a manner similar to that of alloy 909, Thermo-Span solidifies with the formation of primary austenite followed by a terminal eutecticlike constituent near 1225°C. Varestraint testing indicates that the hot cracking tendency of Thermo-Span is similar to that of alloys 718 and 909. Hot ductility testing revealed that Thermo-Span displays ductilities on heating and cooling similar to tho...
MDS codes with low repair complexity for distributed storage networks

In this paper, we propose two new constructions of maximum distance separable (MDS) codes with low repair complexity for distributed storage networks. For both constructions, the encoded symbols are obtained by first treating the message vector as a linearized polynomial and then evaluating it at carefully chosen points. Compared to traditional MDS codes, data repair for our codes does not have to decode the entire original message, but only forms linear combinations of available encoded symbols. This linear repair complexity is attractive for applications with a large amount of data repair.
Clinical Manifestations and Treatment of Leukemia

In discussing recent progress in the study of the leukemias it proves difficult to point to essentially new developments on the clinical side. These relatively rare diseases are observed for the most part in isolated instances in general hospital services, where opportunity is lacking to make comparisons of large numbers of cases. I believe that the scope of the leukemic processes has not therefore been fully delineated, and that we are still in that stage in the study of these diseases in which profit may be derived from further clinical observations, descriptive reports, and speculation as to relationships and interrelationships. For that reason I have chosen the above title and shall devote this paper to a report of selected cases illustrating different aspects of the course and treatment of leukemia. Duration One remarkable feature of leukemia is the great variation in duration of its course. It may be a fulminating catastrophe or an extremely prolonged, relatively benign affliction. Occasionally myelocytic leukemia will run a course of ten years or longer, but a long course seems somewhat more common in lymphocytic leukemia. The following case furnishes an example of chronic lymphocytic leukemia of fairly long duration.
Statistical analysis of injection/dispersion events in Saturn's inner magnetosphere

[1] In the inner magnetosphere of a rapidly rotating planet such as Jupiter and Saturn, radial transport of plasma mainly comprises hot, tenuous plasma moving inward and cold, denser plasma moving outward. A distinctive phenomenon resulting from the drift dispersion of injecting hot plasma provides direct evidence for this convective motion. Particle instruments aboard the Cassini spacecraft, including the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) and the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS), have made numerous observations of such signatures. The statistics of the properties of such events are studied in this paper by analyzing CAPS data from 26 Cassini orbits. A statistical picture of their major characteristics is developed, including the distributions of ages, longitudinal widths, radial distances, and longitudes and local times of injection. An unexpected longitude modulation of these events appears in the old SLS longitude system, which is based on the Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) observations by Voyager around 1980, while no such modulation seems to exist in the new SKR longitude system of the Cassini era. A Lomb periodogram analysis, however, reveals no significant periodic modulation of these events. The injection structures are found to occupy a small fraction (∼5–10) of the available longitude space.
Introduction to sample size determination and power analysis for clinical trials.

The importance of sample size evaluation in clinical trials is reviewed and a general method is presented from which specific equations are derived for sample size determination or the analysis of power for a wide variety os statistical procedures. The method is discussed and illustrated in relation to the t test, tests for proportions, tests of survival time, and tests for correlations as they commonly occur in clinical trials. Most of the specific equations reduce to a simple general form for which tables are presented.
Effects of high stimulation current on the induction of ventricular tachycardia

Abstract Programmed stimulation at 2 right ventricular sites with 1 to 3 extrastimuli was performed at current strengths of twice diastolic threshold (1.0 ± 0.2 mA, mean ± standard deviation) and 10 mA in 41 patients undergoing an electrophysiologic study because of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (11 patients), nonsustained VT (19 patients) or unexplained syncope (11 patients). In 26 patients, VT was not induced by programmed stimulation at twice diastolic threshold. Programmed stimulation at 10 mA induced VT or ventricular fibrillation in 16 of these 26 patients (62%). In 4 of 16 patients, the coupling intervals of the extrastimuli that induced VT/ventricular fibrillation at 10 mA were all equal to or longer than the shortest coupling intervals resulting in ventricular capture at twice diastolic threshold. Fifteen patients had inducible VT at twice diastolic threshold. Programmed stimulation at 10 mA induced a similar VT in 12 of these patients, but resulted in no VT induction in 3 of 15 patients (20%), despite ventricular capture at the same coupling intervals that had induced VT at twice diastolic threshold. This study shows that programmed stimulation at a high current strength may either facilitate or prevent induction of VT. Facilitation of VT induction usually is attributable to a shortening of ventricular refractoriness and the ability of extrastimuli at 10 mA to capture the ventricle at shorter coupling intervals than possible at twice diastolic threshold. However, in 25% of cases, the facilitation of VT induction by 10-mA stimuli is not explained by a shortening of ventricular refractoriness. In these cases, and in the patients in whom 10-mA stimuli prevent the induction of VT that was inducible at twice diastolic threshold, the effects of high current strength appear to be mediated through some other mechanism. Other possible mechanisms include an effect on temporal dispersion of refractoriness or on the pattern or extent of ventricular activation.
High-performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of (Z)- and (E)-doxepin Hydrochloride Isomers

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of (Z)- and (E)-doxepin hydrochloride isomers was developed. The analysis employs a column packed with spherical silica microparticles (5-6 μm), and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-chloro-form-diethylamine (750:250:0.2) permits baseline resolution and simultaneous determination of the (Z)- and (E)-doxepin isomers. Process-related substances do not interfere. The method is accurate and precise (the relative standard deviation was 0.3% for both isomers). The simple procedure is highly suitable for routine doxepin hydrochloride analysis.