cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intelligibility of British- and American-Accented Sentences for American Younger and Older Listeners With and Without Hearing Loss.

Background Older adults with hearing loss often report difficulty understanding British-accented speech, such as in television or movies, after having understood such speech in the past. A few studies have examined the intelligibility of various United States regional and non-U.S. varieties of English for American listeners, but only for young adults with normal hearing. Purpose This preliminary study sought to determine whether British-accented sentences were less intelligible than American-accented sentences for American younger and older adults with normal hearing and for older adults with hearing loss. Research Design A mixed-effects design, with talker accent and listening condition as within-subjects factors and listener group as a between-subjects factor. Study Sample Three listener groups consisting of 16 young adults with normal hearing, 15 older adults with essentially normal hearing, and 22 older adults with sloping sensorineural hearing loss. Data Collection and Analysis Sentences produced by one General American English speaker and one British English speaker were presented to listeners at 70 dB sound pressure level in quiet and in babble. Signal-to-noise ratios for the latter varied among the listener groups. Responses were typed into a textbox and saved on each trial. Effects of accent, listening condition, and listener group were assessed using linear mixed-effects models. Results American- and British-accented sentences were equally intelligible in quiet, but intelligibility in noise was lower for British-accented sentences than American-accented sentences. These intelligibility differences were similar for all three groups. Conclusion British-accented sentences were less intelligible than those produced by an American talker, but only in noise.
Secondary Malignancies: The Cost of Progress.

BackgroundWith advances in treatment of cancer, patients who survive their first malignancy are at risk of developing additional malignancies. Data on the risks of secondary malignancies after trea...
Modeling software evolution by evolving interoperation graphs

Software evolution is the process of software change, most often change in software requirements. This paper presents a theoretical model for the evolution of componentdbased software, based on evolving interoperation graphs. The model assumes that each change consists of smaller granularity steps of change propagation, each of them being a visit to one specific component. If the component is modified, it may no longer fit with the other components because it may no longer properly interact with them. In that case secondary changes must be made in neighboring components, which may trigger additional changes, etc. The paper contains an example of evolution of a calendar program, represented in UML.
The effects of electronic medical record phenotyping details on genetic association studies: HDL-C as a case study.

Biorepositories linked to de-identified electronic medical records (EMRs) have the potential to complement traditional epidemiologic studies in genotype-phenotype studies of complex human diseases and traits. A major challenge in meeting this potential is the use of EMR-derived data to extract phenotypes and covariates for genetic association studies. Unlike traditional epidemiologic data, EMR-derived data are collected for clinical care and are therefore highly variable across patients. The variability of clinical data coupled with the challenges associated with searching unstructured clinical notes requires the development of algorithms to extract phenotypes for analysis. Given the number of possible algorithms that could be developed for any one EMR-derived phenotype, we explored here the impact algorithm decision logic has on genetic association study results for a single quantitative trait, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).
Reconfigurable antennas and link adaptation algorithms for MIMO-OFDM wireless systems

In this work, we study and analyze the performance of physical layer algorithms for adaptive multiple input-multiple output orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) wireless systems that employ a new class of adaptive antenna systems known as reconfigurable antennas. These antennas are capable of adaptively modifying their radiation characteristics and thus leverage pattern diversity to affect how the transmitter and receiver perceive the wireless channel. We propose a low complexity spatial adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) algorithm that uses the advantages of pattern reconfigurable antennas in concert with link adaptation to improve MIMO-OFDM link throughput. The algorithm operates in two main stages; first, it searches for the antenna configuration that yields the highest post processing signal-to-noise ratio (ppSNR) and, then, applies AMC to improve spectral efficiency. The performance of the proposed scheme is experimentally evaluated for a 2×2 MIMO-OFDM wireless system in an indoor environment.
A study of high speed flows in an aircraft transition duct

The study of circular-to-rectangular transition duct flows with and without inlet swirl is presented. A method was devised to create a swirling, solid body rotational flow with minimal associated disturbances. Details of the swirl generator design and construction are discussed. Coefficients based on velocities and total and static pressures measured in cross stream planes at four axial locations within the transition duct along with surface static pressures and surface oil film visualization are presented for both nonswirling and swirling incoming flows. A method was developed to acquire trace gas measurements within the transition duct at high flow velocities. Statistical methods are used to help interpret the trace gas results.
Angioembolization of a leaking radial artery pseudoaneurysm in a radial forearm free flap

Background A radial forearm free flap (RFFF) is used frequently in oral and pharyngeal reconstruction. Pseudoaneurysms within RFFFs and their management have not been previously reported. Methods and Results In the present case, a patient with chemoradiation failure of the right base of the tongue clear cell carcinoma underwent salvage resection and failed reconstruction with pectoralis major muscle flap. He subsequently underwent RFFF reconstruction with delayed development of a radial artery pseudoaneurysm at the site of a previous arterial line within the RFFF, which was not present perioperatively. A rupture of this pseudoaneurysm manifested with recurrent bleeding. Angiography with embolization successfully arrested the bleeding without compromising the flap. Conclusion Ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the radial artery within the RFFF is a rare and life-threatening complication, which in the posterior oral cavity and pharynx can be effectively managed with angioembolization. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: E12-E14, 2015
Oxygen Transport Kinetics in La0.5Sro0.5Fe0.8Ga0.2O3−δ Membranes Under Both Small and Large Oxygen Partial Pressure Gradients

Oxygen permeation through a new perovskite La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Ga0.2O3−δ membrane has been measured both under small (air/He) and large (air/CO, CO2) oxygen partial pressure gradients. In both cases oxygen transport is close to surface limited. By modeling the pressure dependence of the oxygen flow rate under small pressure gradient an ambipolar diffusion coefficient 9.65 × 10−7cm2/s and a surface exchange coefficient 7.15 × 10−6 cm/s at 974 °C were determined. With air/CO, CO2 on the permeate side, the permeability increases linearly with the partial pressure of CO. The observed increase is greater than the maximum enhancement predicted by our model.
Polyhedral results for a class of cardinality constrained submodular minimization problems

Abstract Motivated by concave cost combinatorial optimization problems, we study the following mixed integer nonlinear set: P = { ( w , x ) ∈ R × { 0 , 1 } n : w ≥ f ( a ′ x ) , e ′ x ≤ k } where f : R → R is a concave function, n and k are positive integers, a ∈ R n is a nonnegative vector, e ∈ R n is a vector of ones, and x ′ y denotes the scalar product of vectors x and y of same dimension. A standard linearization approach for P is to exploit the fact that f ( a ′ x ) is submodular with respect to the binary vector x . We extend this approach to take the cardinality constraint e ′ x ≤ k into account and provide a full description of the convex hull of P when the vector a has identical components. We also develop a family of facet-defining inequalities when the vector a has nonidentical components. Computational results using the proposed inequalities in a branch-and-cut framework to solve mean-risk knapsack problems show significant decrease in both time and the number of nodes over standard methods.
Ultra-wideband/short-pulse radar for target identification and detection-laboratory study

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the schemes of radar target identification and detection using an ultra-wideband/short-pulse (UWB/SP) radar. In target identification, a correlation/wavelet transform scheme, a neural network technique and a time-domain imaging scheme were studied. To detect a target in a sea clutter environment, the E-pulse technique was utilized to minimize the sea clutter while enhancing the target response, thus facilitating its detection. It appears that a UWB/SP radar may provide higher resolution for target ID and more effective clutter suppression for target detection compared with conventional radars.
Assessment of renal function by serum creatinine and creatinine clearance: glomerular filtration rate estimated by four procedures

We compared creatinine concentrations in serum and urine and creatinine clearances determined by two Jaffe (Beckman's "Astra," Boehringer Mannheim Diagnostics) and two enzymatic (Kodak, Boehringer Mannheim Diagnostics) methods. Serum creatinine and creatinine clearances determined by each method were also compared with the glomerular filtration rate as measured with use of sodium [125I]iothalamate in patients with a wide range of renal function. Results between methods correlated excellently, but we saw clear method-dependent biases of up to 2.9 mg/L for serum. The highest serum creatinine values and the lowest creatinine clearances were obtained with Boehringer Mannheim Diagnostics' Jaffe method. The reciprocal of the serum creatinine and the creatinine clearance also correlated well with the glomerular filtration rate, but all methods over-estimated the glomerular filtration rates to varying degrees. Appropriate standardization of methods appears to be as important as method principle for establishing an accurate relationship between creatinine determinations and glomerular filtration rate.
Relaxation of hysteresis loop in a single crystal of YBa2Cu4O8

Abstract Magnetic relaxation has been studied for Y1Ba2Cu4O8 in order to look for changes in the relaxation rates that arise because different pinning mechanisms dominate in different magnetic field regimes. In the low field regime where the Bean-Livingston surface barrier dominates, the vortices exit on a field decreasing branch with a relaxation rate about ten times faster than they enter on a corresponding field increasing branch. In high magnetic fields where bulk pinning dominates, the relaxation rates for field increasing and field decreasing are essentially the same.
Mechanical anisotropy and adaptation of metastatic cells probed by magnetic microbeads

Metastatic cells have the ability to break through the basal lamina, enter the blood vessels, circulate through the vasculature, exit at distant sites, and form secondary tumors. This multi-step process, therefore, clearly indicates the inherent ability of metastatic cells to sense, process, and adapt to the mechanical forces in different surrounding environments. We describe a magnetic probing device that is useful in characterizing the mechanical properties of cells along arbitrary two-dimensional directions. Magnetic force, with the advantages of biocompatibility and specificity, was produced by magnetic poles placed in an octupole configuration and applied to fibronectin-coated magnetic microbeads attached on cell membrane. Cell deformation in response to the applied force was then recorded through the displacement of the microbeads. The motion of the beads was measured by computer processing the video images acquired by a high-speed CMOS camera. Rotating force vectors with constant magnitude while pointing to directions of all 360 degrees were applied to study the mechanical anisotropy of metastatic breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. The temporal changes in magnitude and directionality of the cellular responses were then analyzed to investigate the cellular adaptation to force stimulation. This probing technology thus has the potential to provide us a better understanding of the mechano-signatures of cells.
An Inconvenient Identity: Paradox, Complexity, and Strategies in a Social Foundations Classroom

This article addresses the paradox and complexity of the interactions of the social-cultural context of my students and my identity, as a female Chinese junior professor in social foundations/diversity in my predominantly European American urban classroom. This article will describe the hidden dimensions of teaching diversity courses, the challenges, and strategies to bring multicultural and international education awareness to the students of education majors. Suggestions for the future of multicultural education will be discussed.
Statisticaland Demographic Issues Underlying Voting Rights Cases

This article serves as an introduction to a symposium that was organized with the goal of explicating discussing and evaluating the validity of the most important statistical and demographic issues that have been raised in voting rights cases. The article outlines discusses and evaluates the issues surrounding a recent voting rights case in Los Angeles Garza v. County of Los Angeles. (EXCERPT)
The contributions of H.N. Fisk to engineering geology in the Lower Mississippi Valley

Abstract Fisk's work provided a three-dimensional pattern of occurrence and composition of sediments in the alluvial valley and deltaic plain of the lower Mississippi River. He also interpreted the processes by which the sediments were deposited and the relevance of tectonism in their history. These data provide site characterizations that are basic for all major categories of engineering. His work has found applications in better methods for control of the river, stabilizing its banks, locating sources of aggregate for concrete, management of groundwater, maintenance of wetlands, and generally for more reliable, timely and economical evaluations in selecting optimum site locations and determining foundation conditions. Since then, work in the Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV) has expanded enormously and continues to be greatly indebted to formative interpretations by Fisk.
Metamorphic solutions and reactions

The composition of metamorphic solutions can be estimated from mineral assemblages, provided the appropriate reaction partners are present and the necessary laboratory calibrations are available. However, ƒH2O buffers or indicators are not common and this represents a severe handicap, since solubilities and dissociation equilibria depend strongly on the density of the aqueous fluid, ϱH2O. It might be possible in the future to estimate ƒO2 and then measure the intrinsic hydrogen fugacity of natural assemblages. Mineral growth and dissolution can be understood only if the necessary information is available on solute speciation. Dissociation constants are available for H2O, NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, HCl, but little information is available on speciation in H2OCO2 fluids. A review of solubility data in mineral-H2O, mineral-H2OHCl and mineral-H2OCO2 systems reveals that data are available for surprisingly few minerals and this hampers our ability to predict solute concentrations and hence compositional gradients in the supercritical fluid. Quartz, albite, magnetite, Mg-silicates and calcite are used as examples. Experimental techniques for studying mineral reactions in supercritical mixtures include a variety of fugacity buffers, all based on hydrogen diffusion and two types of hydrogen sensors, one based on the AgAgCl buffer and the other on a modified Shaw bomb. Two examples of equilibrium applications are discussed. The first is concerned with properties of KClH2O and NaClH2O mixtures and the second with speciation in an aqueous solution in equilibrium with K-feldspar + muscovite + quartz. Chloride concentration and temperature are shown to affect dissociation equilibria and species distribution most. Metasomatism can occur either by diffusion or fluid flow or both. A sufficiently detailed theoretical framework is available to model diffusional transport, but fluid flow and hence infiltration metasomatism are still not well understood. The effect of combining convecting fluids with chemical reactions can be illustrated in processes of ore formation such as magnetite and sulfide deposits. We can best summarize the state of the art by listing a number of key areas where progress is essential for a better understanding of metamorphic fluids.
Do associated microbial abundances impact marine demosponge pumping rates and tissue densities

The evolution of marine demosponges has led to two basic life strategies: one involving close associations with large and diverse communities of microorganisms, termed high microbial abundance (HMA) species, and one that is essentially devoid of associated microorganisms, termed low microbial abundance (LMA) species. This dichotomy has previously been suggested to correlate with morphological differences, with HMA species having a denser mesohyl and a more complex aquiferous systems composed of longer and narrower water canals that should necessitate slower seawater filtration rates. We measured mesohyl density for a variety of HMA and LMA sponges in the Florida Keys, and seawater pumping rates for a select group of these sponges using an in situ dye technique. HMA sponges were substantially denser than LMA species, and had per unit volume pumping rates 52-94% slower than the LMA sponges. These density and pumping rate differences suggest that evolutionary differences between HMA and LMA species may have resulted in profound morphological and physiological differences between the two groups. The LMA sponge body plan moves large quantities of water through their porous tissues allowing them to rapidly acquire the small particulate organic matter (POM) that supplies the majority of their nutritional needs. In contrast, the HMA sponge body plan is suited to host large and tightly packed communities of microorganisms and has an aquiferous system that increases contact time between seawater and the sponge/microbial consortium that feeds on POM, dissolved organic matter and the raw inorganic materials for chemolithotrophic sponge symbionts. The two evolutionary patterns represent different, but equally successful patterns and illustrate how associated microorganisms can potentially have substantial effects on host evolution.
Agreement between parents' reports and adolescents' self-reports of problem behavior.

Abstract Parents' reports and adolescents' self-reports of problem behaviors in 883 11–19-year-olds from the general population were compared. Correlations between both informants' CBCL syndrome scores ranged from 0.27 to 0.56. Adolescents reported many more problems than their parents did about them. Discrepancies were larger for externalizing than for internalizing problems, were larger for girls than for boys and increased with age. The findings indicated that adolescents, especially as they grow older, are indispensable informants on their own problem behaviors.
Adaptive steering controller using a Kalman estimator for wheel-type agricultural tractors

This paper presents an adaptive steering controller for achieving accurate and prompt steering control with noisy steering command signals and drifting valve characteristics on an automated agricultural tractor with an electrohydraulic steering system. It is difficult to accomplish performance objectives with conventional PID controllers because of the effects of disturbances and unknown factors. The adaptive controller, consisted of an adaptive gain tuner and an adaptive nonlinearity compensator, was to overcome these performance obstacles. Test results indicated that this controller provided an effective means for achieving satisfactory steering control for automated tractor traveling on changing and unpredictable farm field courses.
The Fatty Acid Composition of Paramecium aurelia Cells and Cilia: Changes with Culture Age

SYNOPSIS. The fatty acids of whole cells and cilia from Paramecium tetraurelia strains 51s and d,95 and from Paramecium octaurelia strain 299s were identified. Ciliates were grown axenically in 3 types of culture media. More than 30 fatty acid species were identified and their structures determined by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, argentation chromatography, hydro-genation, and fragmentation technics. The major fatty acids were hexadecanoic, octadecanoic, 9-octadecenoic, 9,12-octadecadi-enoic, 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic, and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acids. Minor variations in fatty acid compositions were observed in cells grown in the different culture media as well as among the 3 strains. Major changes in fatty acid compositions occurred with culture age and cell density. The cells accumulated exogenous lipids in cytoplasmic vesicles. These lipids were utilized as culture age progressed. Both cellular volume and lipid content were greater in young than in older cultures. Fatty acid compositions of both whole cells and cilia changed with age and had a relative decrease in saturated, short-chained and odd-numbered carbon acids. Cilia lipids were enriched in long-chained, polyunsaturated acids as compared to lipids in whole cell extracts. Eicosatetra-enoic acid (arachidonic acid) increased to the greatest extent with age in both cellular and ciliary lipids, accounting for 20–60% of the total fatty acids in cilia. The age-related change in fatty acid composition in Paramecium is among the largest observed in eukaryotic organisms. It was concluded that some minor fatty acids found in Paramecium lipids were incorporated directly from certain culture media and that Paramecium had w3, 6, and 9 pathways for polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis.
Water-macromolecular proton magnetization transfer in infarcted myocardium: a method to enhance magnetic resonance image contrast.

Water proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times and magnetization transfer (MT) parameters of rat hearts were studied 24 h or 4 weeks after ligation of the left coronary artery or sham operation. Compared with sham-operated controls, measured relaxation times (T 1sat , and T 2 ) of both acute and chronic myocardial infarction increased. The MT effect significantly decreased in the infarcted myocardium. The changes in relaxation times and MT effect were significantly greater in chronic infarcts compared with acute infarcts. Improvements in calculated imaBe contrast between normal and infarcted tissue were supported by images of ex vivo hearts with chronic infarction. Image contrast was increased at short echo times in the presence of macromolecular proton pool irradiation. Exploiting changes in tissue MT following myocardial infarction to enhance contrast between normal and infarcted tissue should allow improved identification and characterization of infarcted myocardium
Right ventricular pressure dynamics and stress echocardiography in pharmacological and exercise stress testing.

Summary Reasons for performing study: There is interest in using pharmacological stress testing (PST) as a substitute for exercise stress testing (EST) to evaluate cardiac function in horses. Obectives: To compare the effect of PST and EST on right ventricular pressure dynamics and stress echocardiography. Methods: Five horses completed a PST and EST in a randomised crossover design. High fidelity pressure transducers were placed in the right ventricle. Continuous pressure signals were digitally collected and stored, and dP/dtmax, dP/dtmin and tau calculated from these measurements. ECGs were recorded continuously for 20 h. Echocardiography was performed prior to EST and PST, during and after PST, and immediately post EST. Plasma cardiac troponin I concentrations were measured pre- and 3–4 h post stress testing. For PST, 5 μg/kg bwt glycopyrrolate i.v. followed after 10 min by 5 μg/kg bwt/min dobutamine infusion over 10 min was given. EST consisted of a 2 min gallop at 110% speed required to elicit VO2max. Results: Both EST and PST resulted in a significant increase in right-ventricular dP/dtmax and dP/dtmin over baseline (P<0.05) and a significant decrease in tau compared with baseline (P<0.05). EST dP/dtmax and dP/dtmin were significantly greater than PST dP/dtmax and dP/dtmin (P<0.05) and EST tau was significantly less than PST tau (P<0.05). Two minutes post EST and 5 min post PST dP/dtmax were not significantly different, but were significantly less than end-EST and during PST. Tau was also not significantly different between post EST and post PST, but was significantly decreased end-EST compared with during PST. FS were not significantly different between PST and post EST, but during PST and post EST all FS were significantly higher than baseline. Cardiac troponin I concentrations were significantly elevated post PST and were greater than post EST. The clinical relevance of this is unknown. Conclusions: PST had a similar, although less marked effect on the cardiac parameters related to right-ventricular pressure dynamics and a similar effect on echocardiography as exercise stress testing. Potential relevance: PST deserves further evaluation in normal horses and those with cardiac disease, and may be complementary to EST to better identify exercise-induced cardiac dysfunction.
Auditory projections to extrastriate visual cortex: connectional basis for multisensory processing in ‘unimodal’ visual neurons

Neurophysiological studies have recently documented multisensory properties in ‘unimodal’ visual neurons of the cat posterolateral lateral suprasylvian (PLLS) cortex, a retinotopically organized area involved in visual motion processing. In this extrastriate visual area, a region has been identified where both visual and auditory stimuli were independently effective in activating neurons (bimodal zone), as well as a second region where visually-evoked activity was significantly facilitated by concurrent auditory stimulation but was unaffected by auditory stimulation alone (subthreshold multisensory region). Given their different distributions, the possible corticocortical connectivity underlying these distinct forms of crossmodal convergence was examined using biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) tracer methods in 21 adult cats. The auditory cortical areas examined included the anterior auditory field (AAF), primary auditory cortex (AI), dorsal zone (DZ), secondary auditory cortex (AII), field of the rostral suprasylvian sulcus (FRS), field anterior ectosylvian sulcus (FAES) and the posterior auditory field (PAF). Of these regions, the DZ, AI, AII, and FAES were found to project to the both the bimodal zone and the subthreshold region of the PLLS. This convergence of crossmodal inputs to the PLLS suggests not only that complex auditory information has access to this region but also that these connections provide the substrate for the different forms (bimodal versus subthreshold) of multisensory processing which may facilitate its functional role in visual motion processing.
The color dielectric model of QCD

Abstract This paper demonstrates the emergence of valence gluons and their bound states, the glueballs from perturbative QCD. We discuss the phenomenological constraints and the theoretical method to generate effective glueball actions. We show how color dielectric confinement works naively and in the lattice model of color dielectrics. This lattice model is derived for SU(2)color by a blockspinning Monte Carlo renormalisation group procedure. We interpret the resulting long-distance action as a strongly interacting lattice string theory where the valence link gluon fields randomise in the color dielectric background which mimics the integrated out high-frequency gluon modes in the vacuum. The fluctuations of the color dielectric fields are related to color neutral glueball modes. We give the extension of this color dielectric SU(2) theory for general SU(N) with quarks and address the problems associated with combining confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. Finally we prove the efficiency of the effective theory in applications to the heavy quark system, to the baryon, to the nucleon-nucleon interaction, to baryon models and the gluon plasma transition. In all those cases the behavior of the higher energy gluons can be monitored via the color dielectric fields. An increase in the energy density from “deconfining” the higher frequency modes inside the flux tube or in thermally excited matter shows up as an increase in the value of the color dielectric field and its associated energy density.
Radical Ion Probes. 9. The Chemistry of Radical Cations Derived from 9-Cyclopropylanthracene and 9-Bromo-10-cyclopropylanthracene.

Reactions of radical cations generated from 9-cyclopropylanthracene (1) and 9-bromo-10-cyclopropylanthracene (2) in the presence of methanol have been investigated electrochemically. The major products arising from oxidation of both substrates are attributable to CH3OH attack at the aromatic ring (occurring at the radical cation stage for 2 and the dication stage for 1) rather than CH3OH-induced cyclopropane ring opening, which is estimated to be exothermic by 20 kcal/mol. Although ring-opened products are detected in some instances, these are found to arise from subsequent reaction of the primary oxidation products. These observations are consistent with a proposed product-like transition state for the nucleophile-induced ring opening of cyclopropylarene radical cations in which the positive charge is localized on the cyclopropyl group and nucleophile, and thus unable to derive stabilization from the aromatic ring.
Demographics of emergency medical care at the Indianapolis 500 mile race (1983-1990).

BACKGROUND: The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the largest single-day, single-venue sporting event in the world, is attended by an estimated 400,000 people. Major illness and injury are treated at the Hanna Emergency Medical Center, the track hospital. Minor illness is treated at ten outlying aid stations. PURPOSE: We describe the demographics of emergency medical care at the Hanna Emergency Medical Center. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHODS: Patient care data for patients treated at the medical center are first recorded on paper charts and then coded and transferred to computer. Data regarding patients treated at the medical center during eight consecutive races (1983-1990) were analyzed. Frequency of treatment and medical cardiac arrest rates were calculated. Aid station data and medical center records from nonrace days were not analyzed. RESULTS: The average number of patients treated per year at the track hospital was 139. The total number treated over the eight-year period was 1,113, yielding a frequency of treatment of 0.35 per 1,000. Analysis showed 16.2% of the proprietary treatment codes involved intoxication; 15.4%, lacerations (other than feet); 11.0%, pre-existing conditions; and 8.5%, heat illness. During the eight years, there were four medical cardiac arrests (incidence of 0.0125 per 10,000 spectators), all resulting in death. A fifth spectator died after being struck by a wheel from a race car. There were no driver deaths on race day. CONCLUSION: Descriptive data regarding medical care of crowds may be useful to emergency specialists who must staff, order supplies, and plan treatment facilities for similar mass gatherings. It is evident from this and other mass-gathering studies that there is a need for consistency in nomenclature and data collection. This will allow more accurate comparisons of emergency medical care between venues.
‘They Became Afraid When They Saw Us’: MK Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in the Bantustan of Transkei, 1988–1994

The increasingly overt sympathies of the Transkei Bantustan military ruler, Bantu Holomisa, towards the African National Congress (ANC) during the late 1980s preceded the unbanning of the ANC by the South African government, and created a regional stronghold for the ANC and for its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). Interviews with ex-combatants and archival research shed new light on MK activities in the Transkei during the years 1988–1994, and on the extensive counterinsurgency campaign mounted by South African Defence Forces Military Intelligence to weaken MK. This campaign included an attempt to topple Holomisa by a coup which was thwarted by MK forces several months after negotiations between the ANC and the South African government began in February 1990. MK forces based in the Transkei continued a duel in the shadows with the apartheid military until the ANC came to power in 1994. This little-known case illustrates MK's ability to organise and operate effectively when backed by a supportive regime...
Peak drug levels in linear pharmacokinetic systems—II. Conditions for a paradoxical injection rate effect with rectangular input

The preceding paper (Thorn, 1981) has shown that in a linear pharmacokinetic system with a multimodal impulse response the peak drug level may sometimes be smaller with slower rates of injection. This paper presents two theorems on this paradoxical injection rate effect where the injection is a constant infusion of finite duration. The first theorem establishes a graphical method for determining whether a given impulse response will give a paradoxical injection rate effect; and the second establishes that the maximum paradoxical increase in peak drug level is by a factor of two. It is further shown that in order to approach this maximum paradoxical increase the impulse response must contain two isolated, sharp, narrow pulses of approximately equal area. Some examples of bimodal arterial dye-dilution curves from the literature are discussed as impulse responses; and there is also a discussion of the behavior of drug level maxima and minima at different injection rates.
The Mixed Embeddedness of Ethnic Entrepreneurs in a New Immigrant Gateway

In this research the concept of mixed embeddedness is used to analyze how economic and political opportunity structures and the group characteristics of Ethiopian and Bolivian immigrants have affected the establishment and development of their businesses in metropolitan Washington, DC. The study relies upon interviews, focus groups, census data, and mapping to assess the entrepreneurial activities of both groups. As a relatively new immigrant destination, metropolitan Washington lacks many of the institutional supports found in older gateway cities. Our findings show that Bolivians and Ethiopians entered into entrepreneurial activities due more to experiences of blocked mobility and labor market segmentation than due to ethnic enclave formation. In addition, their settlement and associations within particular jurisdictions in the region played a significant role in their social and economic integration as entrepreneurs. The study concludes with an assessment of mixed embeddedness as a valuable lens from w...
Relationships Between Oleic and Linoleic Acid Content and Seed Colonization by Cercospora kikuchii and Diaporthe phaseolorum

Compared with standard cultivars, seed of mid-oleic soybean genotypes sometimes have shown increased colonization by Cercospora kikuchii in the field as judged by increased levels of purple-stained seed. To examine relationships between oleic and linoleic acid levels in soybean seed and postharvest seed colonization by two fungal seed pathogens, we inoculated seed with differing oleic:linoleic acid (O/L) ratios. Seed with defined O/L ratios were produced by allowing seed development of two isogenic soybean lines to occur in three different air temperature environments. Seed produced in these environments were harvested, individually analyzed for fatty acid composition, and inoculated with mycelium preparations of the fungal seed pathogens C. kikuchii or Diaporthe phaseolorum var. sojae. Fungal biomass of infected seed was quantified by measuring in vitro ergosterol content. For both soybean lines, colonization by C. kikuchii was positively correlated with the O/L ratio (r = 0.55, P < 0.03) and oleic acid content (r = 0.61, P < 0.02), and negatively correlated with linoleic (r = -0.60, P < 0.02) and linolenic (r = -0.58, P < 0.03) acid content. No association was found between the extent of seed colonization by D. phaseolorum and the seed O/L ratio. Our data suggest that the O/L ratio may be related to soybean seed colonization by C. kikuchii, but there is no evidence of a relationship with D. phaseolorum var. sojae colonization.
Group Psychotherapy and Existential Concerns: An Interview with Irvin Yalom

Group psychotherapy can be used to help clients deal with most forms of emotional distress or problems with interpersonal functioning. Also, group therapy can be useful when helping clients to confront existential concerns such as isolation or meaning in one’s life. During a recent interview, Irvin Yalom discussed a variety of issues related to group processes and existential matters that are involved in effective psychotherapy.
Comparative evaluation of the in vitro effects of hydralazine and hydralazine acetonide on arterial smooth muscle.

1. Dose-response relationships to K+ were determined in isolated strips of rabbit aorta. 2. K+ contractures were induced by 30 mM K+ in paired strips from individual animals. The effects of hydralazine and hydralazine acetone hydrazone (hydralazine acetonide) on these contractures were studied. 3. Hydralazine and hydralazine acetonide both produced dose-dependent decreases of K+-induced tone. Threshold concentrations for hydralazine were 11.89 +/- 4.5 X 10(-5) M (mean +/- s.d.) and for hydralazine actonide 9.7 +/- 4.6 X 10(-5) M (0.5 less than P less than 0.4). 4. The magnitude of the effect of hydralazine acetonide was greater than that of hydralazine at all concentrations above threshold, as reflected in a significant difference (P less than 0.05) in the slopes of dose-response curves to the two treatments. The vasodilator effects of hydralazine and the acetonide were terminated by washout of the bath. 5. The differences in effect were not due to instability of hydralazine under in vitro conditions. 6. It is concluded that hydralazine acetonide has intrinsic activity on vascular smooth muscle which differs significantly from that of the parent compound and that this may contribute to the hypotensive effects which follow administration of the parent compound.
An improved low temperature valve

We have developed a small valve (2.35 cm in diameter by 2.8 cm long) for use in superfluid helium. The valve uses a hydraulically actuated, closely guided Torlon tip that seals against a polished stainless steel seat. The geometry of the tip and seat was designed to provide a reproducible and robust sealing surface. Leak tests have been performed for hundreds of closings at 77 K and for about ten closings at 4.2 K with no detectable leak down to 10−10 atm-cc/sec. Several times during these tests, the valve was subjected to 150% of the force needed to form a seal. No adverse effects were found. Volume flow tests reveal some features of how this type of valve closes.
Study of protonic diffusion in hydrogen uranyl phosphate using a pulsed field gradient NMR method

Abstract The diffusion of 1H in the fast protonic conductor H(UO2PO4) · 4H2O has been investigated as a function of temperature by employing pulsed field gradient NMR measurements. In the light of the present diffusion results and published conductivity observations on the same compound, it is likely that protonic diffusion and conductivity in this material occur by the same mechanism. Possible mechanistic processes for the proton motion in this material which are consistent with the activation energy for protonic diffusion found in this study are briefly discussed.
Upper acceptable surface temperature for prolonged hand contact

Abstract One aspect of work in hot environments is that the surfaces of tools, equipment and other elements in the work space can range from warm to very hot. While recommended limits exist to avoid burns or other painful responses to momentary contact with hot surfaces, limits for prolonged contact have not been addressed. To determine experimentally an upper acceptable temperature limit, a psychophysical model was used to relate perceived warmth to surface temperature. The parameters of the model were estimated from experimental data and an upper acceptable surface temperature, T ∗ , was determined. T ∗ depends on surface type (between wood and aluminum). The average value of T ∗ among subjects was 40°C for aluminum and 42°C for wood, and the recommended lower limit for 95% acceptability is 38°C. A relatively small change of 1°C in surface temperature was enough to radically change the sensation of warmth from moderate to the upper acceptable limit.
FACING DEATH, MASKING DEATH, IN LUBA MYTH AND ART

In the following article we look at a series of varied stories from the Luba people (Baluba) from Zaire, myths that describe, in copious and contradictory detail, the origins of human death. These texts help to show how an African people views human existence by stating that ultimately human life is defined by its extinguishment. In addition, the Luba myths point to the ultimacy of a supreme being and the ameliorative efficacy of human ancestors whose existence derives directly from the fact of human mortality. Finally, we try to demonstrate how the Luba bring themselves into contact with their ancestors through artistic creation and ritual.' The Luba are members of the Central Bantu language group2 inhabiting Zaire. They possess a varied subracial mixture, having shown throughout their known history an ability to intermarry with other peoples, Bantu and otherwise. Their culture, including their oral traditions, demonstrates their practice of synthesizing, or allowing to exist side by side, foreign and native elements, ignoring therein the incorporated contradictions. We have chosen the Luba because relatively substantial collections of their oral traditions exist in publication, including a variety of myths concerning the origin of death. Research on Central African myth is limited. Twenty years ago only thirty-five of the more than three hundred Congo-area tribes had collections of their folklore published3. Even the Musde Royal du Congo Belge (now the Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale) in Tervuren, which has published important studies of Bantu and other Congo peoples, has no folklore archive or folklore publication. The recent decade of interest in African oral tradition, both within and without Africa, may change this situation, but just two decades ago it was said that "the former Belgian Congo is virtually terra incognita for the scien
Bias in Special Education Decision Making

Awareness of subjective bias as well as of psychometric weaknesses of testing instruments can play an important part in the decision-making process.
Decentralisation and its Implications for Reproductive Health: The Philippines Experience

Abstract Decentralisation is one of the most common health sector reforms initiated in developing countries in the 1980–90s. Although decentralisation is often politically driven, it can significantly improve health sector performance. However, the early phase of the Philippines experience indicates that decentralisation in and of itself does not always improve the efficiency, equity and effectiveness of the health sector. Instead, it can exacerbate inequities, weaken local commitment to priority health issues and decrease the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery by disrupting the referral chain. Such effects pose a particularly serious threat to accessibility and delivery of reproductive health services, some of which (e.g. family planning) are controversial and thus susceptible to local pressures, and others of which (e.g. emergency obstetric care) require a functioning and effective health system. Moreover, those undertaking decentralisation need to take account of the impacts of non-health factors as well as other reforms that interact with decentralisation to affect accessibility, affordability and quality of services, including for reproductive health. The Philippines experience also demonstrates that authority should be shared between the centre and local units in order to achieve national health objectives and respond to local health needs. Adjustments must be made during implementation to correct for both emerging and pre-existing problems.
Mobilities of secondary and tertiary positive ions in methane gas

Abstract The mobilities of the ions CH 5 + , C 2 H 5 + , C 3 H 5 + , and C 3 H 7 + in methane gas have been measured using an electrical shutter method with an electron ionization ion source. Measurements were made at gas temperatures of 22–31°C over a range of E / N , the ratio of electric field to gas number density, from 20–280 Td (1 Townsend (Td) = 10 −17 V cm 2 ) and over the pressure range 0.7–1.3 torr. The zero-field reduced mobilities of CH 5 + , C 2 H 5 + , C 3 H 5 + , and C 3 H 7 + were determined to be 2.74, 2.65, 2.54, and 2.51 cm 2 V −1 s −1 , respectively.
Lepromin-induced suppressor cells in lepromatous leprosy

Abstract The presence or absence of suppressor cells in leprosy patients was investigated by measuring peripheral blood lepromin-induced suppression of the Con A response. Significant suppressor activity was measured in 15 of 15 untreated or recently treated patients with lepromatous leprosy and 3 of 5 patients with borderline lepromatous leprosy. In addition, in patients with lepromatous leprosy, suppressor cell activity was found in 10 of 14 patients that had been under treatment for more than 1 year but in only 2 of 27 patients who had active or thalidomide controlled erythema nodosum leprosum. Suppression was observed in only 5 of 29 tuberculoid leprosy patients, 1 of 6 patient contacts, and 0 of 11 normal controls. The differences between the lepromatous or borderline lepromatous group as compared with the tuberculoid group were statistically significant (P
Algorithm-based fault tolerance for noncomputationally intensive applications

Algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) has been proposed as a cost-effective approach to concurrent error detection. So far, the application of ABFT has been limited to computationally intensive applications that lend easily to high-level fault modeling. In this paper we extend the application of ABFT to non-computationally intensive applications. To that end, we first develop a fault model for such systems. Based on the fault model, we develop ABFT schemes for a set of graph theoretic as well as set theoretic problems. Application of the new schemes is illustrated with examples.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.