cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation Research of the Particles’ Track in Cyclone Separator

This paper mainly focuses on the numerical simulation of particles trajectories aiming at obtaining the movement regulations of particles with different diameters. The article takes advantage of random orbital model of phase coupling under Lagrange coordinate, and figures out that the movement of small particles has large randomness, meanwhile particles with the same diameter and different initial positions can reach various final positions, some of which can escape or be captured from the exhaust pipe. Particles trajectory can be different even if it has same diameter and initial position. The conclusion of this thesis also puts forward that three different phenomena of presentation of gray ring, short-circuit of exhaust pipe and back-mixing of dust exhaust can appear under any conditions. Almost all large particles can be captured by the cyclone separator, and few particles show retention and short time rotation in the lower part of exhaust pipe.
Inconsistency of Synergy Between the β-Lactamase Inhibitor CP-45,899 and β-Lactam Antibiotics Against Multiply Drug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas Species

Synergy between CP-45,899 and ampicillin or newer β -lactam antibiotics against multiply drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species was inconsistent. In contrast, synergy between CP-45,899 and ampicillin against β -lactamase-producing strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b and Bacteroides fragilis was consistent and marked.
The Coupling of the Annual Cycle and ENSO Over the Tropical Pacific

Abstract In the tropical Pacific, the annual variation of sea surface temperature (SST) consists of two distinct components with respect to the equator, 1) an antisymmetric extratropical annual cycle and 2) a symmetric equatorial annual cycle (SEAC). The former, explaining about 70% of SST variance on average, is primarily a delayed response to the solar radiation, while the latter, accounting for about 15% of total SST variance, is a result of equatorial ocean-atmosphere interaction. The antisymmetric extratropical annual cycle does not interact directly with the EI Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, the symmetric equatorial annual cycle is mutually coupled with ENSO evolution, and the artificial separation between the two can result in a distorted description of some ENSO characteristics. The SEAC-ENSO coupling involves at least two modes. One mode represents the equatorial eastern Pacific with an apparent phase evolution corresponding to the annual development of the cold tongue regime. In this...
A numerical comparison of several multiplier methods for equality constrained function minimization

To date few numerical comparisons between multiplier algorithms have been made. The full paper (available from the author) presents a numerical comparison of the algorithms of Hestenes, Tripathi and Narendra, Powell, Haarhoff and Buys, Kort and Bertsekas, and the author, on a variety of nonlinear equality constrained function minimization problems.
Smoke-Filled Rooms: A Postmortem on the Tobacco DealW. Kip Viscusi, University of Chicago Press, London, UK, 2002, 263 pages

Few products have received as much public scrutiny as tobacco. Indeed, the government has utilized a variety of tools (including, amongst others, taxation, health warnings, and restrictions on the ...
Training for technology: A questionable investment

Abstract Major industrial and industrialising countries are investing heavily in new technology and with it investing in higher levels of vocational training. The history and the current practice of vocational training in the U.S.A. suggest that to assume a direct relationship between more vocational training and greater economic productivity could be misguided. The premise needs much closer examination than it is currently being given yet, despite numerous studies in this area, case studies of specific fields of employment in Los Angeles indicate that employers' perceptions of skills and qualifications have little to do with the demands of the new technology and call in question the nature and extent of the training demanded by these innovations. The evidence points to the need for policy makers to examine more closely the actual demands made upon workers by technical innovation.
Widely tunable 11 GHz femtosecond fiber laser based on a nonmode-locked source

An 11 GHz fiber laser built on a modulated cw platform is described and characterized. This compact, vibration-insensitive, fiber-based system can be operated at wavelengths compatible with high-energy fiber technology, is driven by an RF signal directly, and is tunable over a wide range of drive frequencies. The demonstration system when operated at 1040 nm is capable of 50 ns bursts of 575 micropulses produced at a macropulse rate of 83 kHz where the macropulse and micropulse energies are 1.8 and 3.2 nJ, respectively. Micropulse durations of 850 fs are demonstrated. Extensions to shorter duration are discussed.
The Center Holds: From Subcultures to Social Worlds.

The concept of subculture has long been used routinely in sociology despite many criticisms about the contradictory manner in which it has been defined and applied. One particular problem concerns the untenable distinction often made by sociologists between subcultures and countercultures; another is the implicit characterization of subcultures as either deviant, marginalized groups or heroic resisters against the hegemonic culture of global capitalism. In this paper, we attempt to demonstrate a method of teaching the concept of subculture to undergraduate sociology students that would remedy these two difficulties. We do this by offering working definitions of several terms, including common culture, subculture, idioculture, and social world. We conclude the paper by developing a classroom exercise to help students grasp the main differences between these various terms.
The Quantification of Aristotle's Theory of Revolution.

The decisive impact of classical Greek thought on medieval scholasticism and the Renaissance failed to prevent the general neglect of Aristotle's theory of revolution. The first noteworthy attempt to revive the theory must be attributed to an English political theorist of the seventeenth century, namely, to James Harrington. The subsequent prevalence of Aristotle's idea in American political thought, from the defense of an agrarian democracy by Jefferson to the crusade against trusts by Roosevelt and Wilson, can be explained in terms of Harrington's influence. Nevertheless, this conceptual persistence contributed little to the empirical verification of Aristotle's theory as a scientific hypothesis. Twenty-three centuries elapsed before the idea of the classical Greek philosopher was cast into a form which has opened new avenues for investigation. The hypotheses on income and political disturbances of the contemporary American mathematician Harold T. Davis, which are based on Vilfredo Pareto's theorem of income distribution, are virtually a restatement of Aristotle's theory of revolution. In its ultimate perspective, the Pareto-Davis theory constitutes a quantitative presentation of a relationship that was conceived in qualitative terms during the fourth century B.C.
Action Thresholds for the Management of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in Cotton

A 2-yr, multistate project was initiated in 1994 to determine action thresholds for management of Bemisia tabaci ( Gennadius) Biotype B (= B. argentifolii Bellows & Perring) in cotton using chemical insecticides. Identical experimental designs and data collection protocols were used at sites in Brawley. CA. Yuma and Maricopa, AZ, and Weslaco, TX. The prescriptive application of insecticides based on 4 candidate action threshold levels (2.5, 5, 10, or 20 adult B. tabaci per leaf) were compared with one another and an untreated control. In general, there were few differences in whitefly populations among action thresholds of 2.5, 5, and 10 adults per leaf at sites in Arizona and California. All insecticide treatments typically reduced population densities below those in untreated control plots. Insecticide applications were generally ineffective in Weslaco, possibly due to reduced insecticide susceptibility or the late onset of pest infestation, and there were few differences in population density among treatments. Yields were higher in sprayed treatments, but there was little difference among threshold levels. Yield differences were not detected among any treatments for Yuma and Weslaco in 1994 and for Maricopa in 1995. The levels of lint stickiness due to honeydew deposition, as measured by thermodetector, were not consistent among sites and were not generally related to pest densities in the different threshold treatments. Levels of stickiness tended to be higher in 1994. There were no treatment effects on other standard measures of lint quality. A simple budgeting analysis assuming $43.24/ha per application for insecticides and $1.59/kg for lint suggested that action thresholds of 5-10 adults per leaf provided the highest net return at most sites.
Specific method for determination of OSI-774 and its metabolite OSI-420 in human plasma by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A new simple and specific method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of OSI-774 (Tarceva, Erlotinib) and its metabolite, OSI-420, in human plasma. Sample pretreatment involved a single protein precipitation step with acetonitrile. The analytes were separated on Waters X-Terra C(18) (50 x 2.1 mm I.D., 3.5 microm) analytical column and eluted with acetonitrile-water mobile (70:30, v/v) containing 0.1% formic acid. The analytes of interest were monitored by tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray positive ionization. The overall extraction efficiency was greater than 88% for OSI-774 and 62% for OSI-420, with values for within-day and between-day precision and accuracy of <15%. Compared to previous assays, this method is simple, specific, and reproducible and will be used to characterize the plasma pharmacokinetics of OSI-774 at doses of 50 to 150 mg to optimize treatment with this agent.
Experimental demonstration of narrow beam monopole antenna embedded in low effective index of refraction (n < 1) wire medium

A narrow beam monopole antenna is realized by embedding the antenna within a periodic metallic wire array. The 2D wire array is designed to have an effective index of refraction smaller than unity (neff < 1) at the X-band frequencies (8–12 GHz), within which the antenna operates. The narrow beam effect due to the low refractive index of the wire medium is demonstrated in both simulation and experiment. Measured antenna properties including return loss and radiation pattern are in good agreement with simulation results. This simple and straightforward antenna design methodology can be applied at any microwave frequency. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2341–2345, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23653
Nonequilibrium thermodynamic modeling of the structure and rheology of concentrated wormlike micellar solutions

Abstract In the last decade considerable interest has emerged in understanding and modeling the flow behavior of concentrated wormlike micellar solutions. A significant advance was made through the two-species modeling approach originally proposed by Vasquez, Cook, and McKinley. In the present work we revisit their model from a nonequilibrium thermodynamic perspective. By employing an extension to the nonequilibrium treatment of chemical reaction kinetics for media with an internal structure, we develop a thermodynamic model that closely resembles the one based on more ad hoc assumptions. Thus, we not only validate that model, but now also have a mechanism to systematically produce further refinements. One particular refinement, namely, the inclusion of an additional intermediate length species, is explored.
The impact of visual scanning in the laparoscopic environment after engaging in strain coping.

Objective:We aimed to determine whether visual scanning has a detrimental impact on the monitoring of critical signals and the performance of a concurrent laparoscopic training task after participa...
Modeling large‐scale geoelectrical structures with inhomogeneous backgrounds using the integral equation method: applications to the bathymetry effect study in marine CSEM data

We apply a new formulation of the integral equation (IE) method with inhomogeneous background conductivity (IBC) for modeling marine controlled source electromagnetic (MCSEM) data in areas with significant bathymetric inhomogeneities. We also introduce an approach for accuracy control of the IBC IE method. This new approach provides us with the ability to improve the accuracy of computations by applying the IBC technique iteratively. This approach seems to be extremely useful in computing EM data for multiple geological models with some common geoelectrical features, like terrain, bathymetry, or other known structures. It may find wide application in inverse problem solution, where we have to keep some known geological structures unchanged during the iterative inversion. The effectiveness of this approach is illustrated by modeling marine controlled source electromagnetic (MCSEM) data in model with significant bathymetric inhomogeneities.
Iron oxide amended biosand filters for virus removal.

Abstract Laboratory studies were performed to determine if the addition of iron oxides throughout biosand filter (BSF) media would increase virus removal due to adsorption. The proposed mechanism is electrostatic adsorption of negatively charged virion particles to positively charged iron oxides formed during the corrosion of zerovalent iron. Initial tests conducted using continuous flow, small-scale glass columns showed high MS2 bacteriophage removal in an iron-amended sand column (5log10) compared to a sand-only column (0.5log10) over 20 pore volumes. Additionally, two experiments with a column containing iron particles revealed 4log10 and 5log10 removal of rotavirus in the presence of 20 mg/L total organic carbon. Full-scale BSFs with iron particles removed >4log10 MS2 for the duration of the experiment (287 days), while BSF with steel wool removed >4log10 MS2 for the first 160 days. Plug flow for the BSF was shown to depend on uniformity between the iron oxide material and sand media grains. The results suggest that the duration of effective virus removal by iron-amended biosand filtration depends on source water conditions and the quantity and composition of iron material added. Overall, this study provides evidence that iron-amended BSFs may advance the field of point-of-use technologies and bring relief to millions of people suffering from waterborne diseases.
Ischemic effects on kidney nuclear RNA synthesis

Abstract These investigation demonstrate the ability to study the biochemistry of isolated nuclei from ischemic tissue. With increasing duration of renal ischemia, there is a decreased ability of isolated mouse kidney nuclei to synthesize RNA. This is the first biochemical alteration in the nucleus described to accompany the nuclear morphologic changes seen with ischemia. The exact molecular mechanism for this decreased ability to synthesize RNA, and its ultimate biological significance are unknown.
Microsporidian Spore Discharge and the Transfer of Polaroplast Organelle Membrane into Plasma Membrane

Electron microscopic examinations of Glugea hertwigi and Spraguea lophii spores indicated the presence of a single plasma membrane; however, this membrane remained in the spore during the discharge of the sporoplasm from the spore. Although discharged spores retained the old plasma membrane, the extruded sporoplasms acquired a new plasma membrane. In order to determine where the new plasma membrane came from, we used two fluorescent probes with membrane affinities. The markers were tested on unfired and discharged spores. The probe, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN), labeled the polaroplast membrane in addition to the apolar groups in the posterior vacuoles of unfired spores. After spore discharge, NPN label disappeared from the spore ghosts except for a slight fluorescence on residual plasma membranes. Much of the NPN-labeled membrane reappeared after spore discharge on the outer envelope of discharged sporoplasms. The probe chlorotetracycline (CTC) labeled calcium-associated membranes of spore polaroplasts. During spore discharge, the CTC fluorescence shifted from the polaroplast organelle of unfired spores to the outer envelope of discharged sporoplasms. These results indicate that the polaroplast organelle may provide the new plasma membrane for discharged microsporidian sporoplasms.
The affected sib method. V. Testing the assumptions.

Summary The affected sib methods, which are used to make inferences about the genetic components of HLA associated diseases, have many underlying assumptions which may not always be realistic. These include no selective disadvantage of affected individuals, little or no recombination between the marker loci and the ‘disease’ locus, a single panmictic population, Mendelian segregation of the disease locus alleles and random distribution of individuals over environments. The effects of breaking these assumptions have been investigated. We have explicitly derived the haplotype sharing identity by descent (IBD) expectations for the cases of selection against affected individuals and recombination between the HLA marker loci and the ‘disease’ predisposing locus for affected sib trios (as was previously done for affected sib pairs). We have also derived, for both affected sib pairs and trios, the haplotype sharing expectations for non-random mating (positive assortative), admixture, meiotic drive (of disease allele carrying haplotypes), and a random versus shared environmental component for sibs. In order to assess the sensitivity of the affected sib methods to perturbations in the assumptions, the expectation spaces of haplotype sharing in affected sib pairs and sib trios under the single diallelic locus model with varying penetrances and allele frequencies are fully described. The effects on haplotype sharing and subsequent disease parameter estimation are different for each of the factors we have considered. The affected sib methods are found to be robust in many situations.
Engineering Issues of Iridium Coated Rhenium Rockets

Abstract The key to the performance and lifetime of radiation-cooled rockets is the chamber temperature capability. Temperature limitations (1370°C) of current state-of-art chamber materials force the use of film cooling, which degrades rocket performance and imposes plume contamination from unburned fuel. A material system composed of a rhenium (Re) substrate and an iridium (Ir) coating has demonstrated operation, for long lifetimes (hours), at higher temperatures (2200°C). The added thermal margin afforded by iridium-coated rhenium (Ir/Re) allows the virtual elimination of film cooling, leading to higher performance and cleaner spacecraft environments. In the course of developing Ir/Re rockets for flight use, some engineering issues have arisen concerning Ir/Re rocket fabrication processes, critical Re mechanical properties, Re joining methods, and Ir/Re life-limiting mechanisms. Government- and industry-sponsored efforts are addressing these concerns.
Ultrasonography of the Thorax (Excluding the Heart)

In recent years, ultrasonography has beome an important adjunct to thoracic radiography in the diagnostic work-up of noncardiac thoracic disease in both humans and animals. This article discusses the application and limitations of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of thoracic wall, pleural, mediastinal, and pulmonary masses, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, pulmonary consolidation and collapse, and diaphragmatic hernia in the dog and cat.
Intercalation of Polymers in Calcium Silicate Hydrate: A New Synthetic Approach to Biocomposites?

Polymer molecules intercalated between the layers of calcium silicate hydrate during its precipitation from aqueous solution expand the interlayer dimension. Alteration in the structure by changes in bulk composition allows polymers of different charge to be intercalated. The polymer chains may adopt an extended linear conformation between the layers. In the schematic structure shown, PVA chains lie along the a axis perpendicular to the plane of the page, between the silicate chains of the layer.
Preliminary studies on occurrence of monensin antibiotic in Bosque River Watershed

Abstract Water quality impact due to excessive nutrients has been extensively studied. In recent years, however, micro-pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and hormonal products used in animal agriculture have added an additional impact to overall water quality. Pharmaceuticals used in the poultry, swine, beef, and dairy industries have been detected in various environmental matrices such as, soil, groundwater and surface water. In this study, 26 surface water samples were collected throughout the Bosque River Watershed (BRW) with samples representing a range of land use conditions and locations of major dairy operations. Samples were analyzed using commercially available Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay test. Of the 26 samples, three samples consistently tested positive for monensin antibiotic with concentration ranging from 0.30 to 3.41 μg/L. These three samples were collected from sites that received varying amount of agriculture wastes (11.7% to 31.3%) and located downstream from sites associated with moderate levels of animal agriculture. The preliminary results suggest that there is a potential for monensin occurrence in the BRW, although initial findings indicate only very low levels.
Drug-like properties and the causes of poor solubility and poor permeability

There are currently about 10000 drug-like compounds. These are sparsely, rather than uniformly, distributed through chemistry space. True diversity does not exist in experimental combinatorial chemistry screening libraries. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) and chemical reactivity-related toxicity is low, while biological receptor activity is higher dimensional in chemistry space, and this is partly explainable by evolutionary pressures on ADME to deal with endobiotics and exobiotics. ADME is hard to predict for large data sets because current ADME experimental screens are multi-mechanisms, and predictions get worse as more data accumulates. Currently, screening for biological receptor activity precedes or is concurrent with screening for properties related to "drugability." In the future, "drugability" screening may precede biological receptor activity screening. The level of permeability or solubility needed for oral absorption is related to potency. The relative importance of poor solubility and poor permeability towards the problem of poor oral absorption depends on the research approach used for lead generation. A "rational drug design" approach as exemplified by Merck advanced clinical candidates leads to time-dependent higher molecular weight, higher H-bonding properties, unchanged lipophilicity, and, hence, poorer permeability. A high throughput screening (HTS)-based approach as exemplified by unpublished data on Pfizer (Groton, CT) early candidates leads to higher molecular weight, unchanged H-bonding properties, higher lipophilicity, and, hence, poorer aqueous solubility.
Non-premixed ignition of n-heptane and iso-octane in a laminar counterflow

The air temperature needed to ignite a prevaporized fuel/nitrogen mixture in a counterflow was determined experimentally over a range of strain rates and pressures for the reference fuels n-heptane and iso-octane. The experiments were modeled with detailed transport and chemistry using semiempirical reaction mechanisms. For both fuels, increasing strain rate increased the ignition temperature, increasing pressure decreased the ignition temperature, and the models overpredicted the ignition temperature by about 100 K. The ignition temperature of n-heptane is lower than that of iso-octane. These results were in qualitative agreement with previous data for C2−C4 hydrocarbons. A comparison of C1 to C8 ignition temperatures revealed the interplay between three main factors. The structure of the fuel molecule and the reactivity of the alkyl radical were responsible for the high ignition temperature for methane, isobutane, and iso-octane. The reduced rate of diffusion as the fuel molecule became larger was responsible for an initial increase in ignition temperature for small alkanes. Finally, the general finite-rate kinetic mechanism of hydrocarbon oxidation was responsible for the somewhat uniform ignition temperatures for larger fuels. The change in ignition temperature due to kinetic differences between the fuels was small in light of the uncertainties in measuring the ignition temperatures.
Kynurenine formamidase: determination of primary structure and modeling-based prediction of tertiary structure and catalytic triad

Abstract Kynurenine formamidase (KFase) (EC 3.5.1.9) hydrolyzes N -formyl- l -kynurenine, an obligatory step in the conversion of tryptophan to nicotinic acid. Low KFase activity in chicken embryos, from inhibition by organophosphorus insecticides and their metabolites such as diazoxon, leads to marked developmental abnormalities. While KFase was purportedly isolated previously, the structure and residues important for catalysis and inhibition were not established. KFase was isolated here from mouse liver cytosol by (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 precipitation and three FPLC steps (resulting in 221-fold increase in specific activity for N -formyl- l -kynurenine hydrolysis) followed by conversion to [ 3 H]diethylphosphoryl-KFase and finally isolation by C4 reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Determination of tryptic fragment amino acid sequences and cDNA cloning produced a new 305-amino-acid protein sequence. Although an amidase by function, the primary structure of KFase lacks the amidase signature sequence and is more similar to esterases and lipases. Sequence profile analysis indicates KFase is related to the esterase/lipase/thioesterase family containing the conserved active-site serine sequence GXSXG. The α/β-hydrolase fold is suggested for KFase by its primary sequence and predicted secondary conformation. A three-dimensional model based on the structures of homologous carboxylesterase EST2 and brefeldin A esterase implicates Ser162, Asp247 and His279 as the active site triad.
Energy of interaction of two hydrogen atoms using contracted Gaussian type valence‐bond wavefunctions

Valence-bond type wave functions based on contracted Gaussian atomic orbitals afford an adequate description of the potential of the ground $sup 1$$Sigma$$sup +$/sub g/ state of H$sub 2$ for a wide range of internuclear separations. Semiempirical techniques for scaling the potential curve are evaluated. An efficient method for optimizing nonlinear variables in the wave functions is explored. (auth)
Dose-ranging kinetics and behavioral pharmacology of naltrexone and acamprosate, both alone and combined, in alcohol-dependent subjects.

We examined kinetic and dynamic factors to determine the pharmacological and behavioral safety and tolerability of low versus high doses of an opiate antagonist, naltrexone (50 mg/day vs. 100 mg/day), and acamprosate (2 g/day vs. 3 g/day), a functional N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, both independently and combined, among non-treatment-seeking, alcohol-dependent individuals. This double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, randomized, 23-day, four-way crossover study involved 23 subjects assigned to one of four groups. Placebo washout (phase I) preceded phase II, where subjects received low-dose or high-dose naltrexone or acamprosate. In phases III and IV, the alternative medication type at its lower and higher doses, respectively, was administered with continuation of the phase II medication. Predetermined behavioral, performance, and pharmacological criteria determined significant pathological change from baseline (phase I). Case records were reviewed. Criterion-significant increases in symptoms from baseline with monotherapy included nervousness and fatigue with 3 g acamprosate and somnolence and headache with 50 mg and 100 mg naltrexone, respectively. Combined treatment at various doses evinced anger, depression, somnolence, nervousness, diarrhea, and headache. Notably, for all but one subject who dropped out, increased symptoms did not produce any remarkable clinical deterioration. Naltrexone administration significantly increased plasma acetylhomotaurine (i.e., acamprosate) levels, presumably by prolonging gastric emptying. The level of neither plasma acetylhomotaurine nor plasma 6-beta naltrexol (i.e., naltrexone's metabolite) predicted adverse-event frequency. Naltrexone and acamprosate, both alone and in combination at the tested doses, were behaviorally and pharmacologically safe. Adverse events were infrequent, were of moderate intensity, and resolved with reassurance and symptomatic treatment. More side effects were noted with the combination of medications than with either medication alone. Naltrexone administration significantly increased plasma acamprosate levels.
A Process to Reduce DC Ingot Butt Curl and Swell

A simple and effective process to reduce DC ingot butt curl and swell has been developed in the Ingot Casting Division of Alcoa Technical Center.1 In the process, carbon dioxide gas is dissolved under high pressure into the ingot cooling water upstream of the mold during the first several inches of the ingot cast. As the cooling water exits from the mold, the dissolved gas evolves as micron-size bubbles, forming a temporary effective insulation layer on the ingot surface. This reduces thermal stress in the ingot butt. An insulation pad covering about 60% of the bottom block is used in conjunction with the carbon dioxide injection when maximum butt swell reduction is desired. The process, implemented in four Alcoa ingot plants, has proven extremely successful.
Gender Differences in Classroom Interactions and Career Aspirations of Gifted Students

Abstract There is evidence that teachers interact in different ways with boys and girls in their classrooms (Sadker & Sadker, 1985) and that these differences may be particularly pronounced for the brightest students (Brophy & Good, 1974). The purposes of this investigation were to assess students′ perceptions of these differences and to compare boys with girls on school-related attitudes, preferences, and aspirations. Results indicated that boys perceived inequities in the classroom to a greater extent than did girls, and that boys had greater preference for math- and science-related tasks. No gender differences were found for effort, verbal activity, aspirations, or perceptions of differences in teacher reinforcement.
Assessing Use of the Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups by School Social Workers: A National Study

The International Association for Social Work with Groups Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups specify the core knowledge, skills, and values needed for effective professional practice. These Standards are intended to serve as a guide to group work practice. The extent to which the Standards inform and are employed in practice, however, remains a question. This article focuses on the extent to which the Standards are utilized by social workers employed within primary and secondary schools. Focus is placed on how the Standards are perceived, understood, and practiced by school social workers.
Monte Carlo spectra from pair-equilibrium, weakly magnetized thermal plasmas

The results of Monte Carlo simulations of weakly magnetized, relativistic thermal plasmas are reported, including such physical processes as thermal synchrotron emission and absorption, bremsstrahlung, and Compton scattering, as well as pair-annihilation and pair-production. The rates of the latter two processes are kept approximately equal to each other, i.e., the plasmas are in pair equilibrium. The resulting spectra are of power-law form, and can be well described by a set of simple analytical formulae. Neither a pair annihilation feature nor a Wien hump is seen in the spectra. The possible relevance of the results to active galactic nuclei and gamma-bursts is discussed.
Pulse-modulated plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiO2 coatings from octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane

Abstract Silicon dioxide coatings can be grown at low substrate temperatures in a pulse-modulated microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma with octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) as the organosilicon precursor. The 2.45 GHz microwave power was pulse-modulated with repetition frequencies of 20 Hz–20 kHz, duty ratios (pulse on-time/pulse period) from 25 to 100%, and peak microwave power from 800 to 2400 W. The coatings are SiO 2 -like with Si:O ratios of approximately 3:4 and carbon percentages of 20–25%. Pulsed plasma deposition significantly lowers the deposition substrate temperature as the peak power and duty ratio decrease. With 1600 W input continuous microwave power, substrate temperatures were 140–150 °C after 10 min of deposition, while with a 50% pulse duty cycle and 1600 W peak power the temperature decreased to 90 °C. The coating hardness decreased with pulsed operation compared to continuous operation, unless the average microwave power levels were made equivalent. Deposition growth rates depended only weakly on the pulse repetition frequency and duty ratio, but increased strongly as the pulse peak power was raised. Pulsed deposition at 800 W peak power and 50% duty ratio gave a growth rate of 0.5–0.6 μm/min for all frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, increasing to 0.8–0.9 μm/min at 1600 W peak power.
The gravity field in the central Pacific from satellite-to-satellite tracking

Satellite-to-satellite Doppler tracking between the ATS 6 and the GEOS 3 spacecraft was used to measure the high-degree and high-order gravity field over an 80-deg region in the central Pacific Ocean. Forty passes of GEOS 3/ATS 6 Doppler data have been analyzed. The precision of these range rate data is about 0.3 mm/s, and the line-of-sight gravity anomalies recovered from these data have a precision of about 0.2 mGal at the GEOS 3 altitude of about 840 km. In general, the agreement between the SST-derived map and the conventional GEM method and an altimeter-derived geoid is good. Eight significant positive gravity anomalies were exposed in the central Pacific. Generally speaking, the anomalies form a roughly east-west pattern of alternating sign in the central region, and near the East Pacific they strike about north and south.
An application of embedology to spatio-temporal pattern recognition

The theory of embedded time series is shown applicable for determining a reasonable lower bound on the length of test sequence required for accurate classification of moving objects. Sequentially recorded feature vectors of a moving object form a training trajectory in feature space. Each of the sequences of feature vector components is a time series, and under certain conditions, each of these time series has approximately the same fractal dimension. The embedding theorem may be applied to this fractal dimension to establish a sufficient number of observations to determine the feature space trajectory of the object. It is argued that this number is a reasonable lower bound on test sequence length for use in object classification. Experiments with data corresponding to five military vehicles (observed following a projected Lorenz trajectory on a viewing sphere) show that this bound is indeed adequate.
Social Functioning in Youth with Anxiety Disorders: Association with Anxiety Severity and Outcomes from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Social functioning was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist and Tea- cher Report Form for children with anxiety disorders who participated in a randomized clinical trial (N = 161, aged 7-14). Significant relationships were found between severity of children's principal anxiety disorder and most measures of social functioning, such that poorer social functioning was associated with more severe anxiety. Among youth who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (n = 111), significant associations were found between parent-reported social competence and both absence of principal anxiety disorder and lower anxiety severity at posttreatment and 1-year follow-up, controlling for the severity of the child's principal anxiety disorder at pretreatment. Findings support a relationship between anxiety severity and social difficulties, and suggest the importance of social competence for a favorable treatment response.
Neurocognitive deficits in male alcoholics: An ERP/sLORETA analysis of the N2 component in an equal probability Go/NoGo task

In alcoholism research, studies concerning time-locked electrophysiological aspects of response inhibition have concentrated mainly on the P3 component of the event-related potential (ERP). The objective of the present study was to investigate the N2 component of the ERP to elucidate possible brain dysfunction related to the motor response and its inhibition using a Go/NoGo task in alcoholics. The sample consisted of 78 abstinent alcoholic males and 58 healthy male controls. The N2 peak was compared across group and task conditions. Alcoholics showed significantly reduced N2 peak amplitudes compared to normal controls for Go as well as NoGo task conditions. Control subjects showed significantly larger NoGo than Go N2 amplitudes at frontal regions, whereas alcoholics did not show any differences between task conditions at frontal regions. Standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography analysis (sLORETA) indicated that alcoholics had significantly lower current density at the source than control subjects for the NoGo condition at bilateral anterior prefrontal regions, whereas the differences between groups during the Go trials were not statistically significant. Furthermore, NoGo current density across both groups revealed significantly more activation in bilateral anterior cingulate cortical (ACC) areas, with the maximum activation in the right cingulate regions. However, the magnitude of this difference was much less in alcoholics compared to control subjects. These findings suggest that alcoholics may have deficits in effortful processing during the motor response and its inhibition, suggestive of possible frontal lobe dysfunction.
Functional Recovery in Schizophrenia: Raising the Bar for Outcomes in People with Schizophrenia

This special issue focuses on the issue of functional recovery in schizophrenia. In line with the recent understanding that clinical remission can be defined, measured, and in some cases consistently achieved, attention has been focused on the fact that functional recovery may be possible as well. In contrast to the older Kraepelinian views of schizophrenia as having almost uniformly poor outcome, many current treatment strategies are aimed at reducing disability and improving functional outcomes. These treatments target disability directly with behavioral interventions and target its determinants with cognitive enhancement approaches. While documentation of efficacy is in early stages, these approaches include both pharmacological and remediation strategies. With the interest in promoting functional recovery comes the need to define and understand what functional recovery actually is. In some sense, we lack a basic terminology of functional recovery, a well-defined measurement strategy, evidence of milestones in improvements, and treatment strategies that are targeted at meaningful elements of recovery. This special issue provides some first steps in these areas. As we note in our article, Alan Bellack and I start by providing some tentative and heuristic definitions of functional remission and functional recovery. Other articles cover the assessment of functional disability and recovery, contributors to disability in the domains of awareness of illness and comorbidities, treatments aimed at functional recovery, and evidence from the treatment of first-episode patients that suggests that recovery is possible. Finally, we close with an opinion piece. Three highly educated and accomplished people with severe mental illness provide their perspectives on the different steps, stages, and features of different definitions of functional recovery. We hope that at the end of this issue, we have learned something new about recovery as a medical concept and recovery as a personal process. More importantly, I hope that we will promote discussion and stimulate research in the important area of functional recovery in schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia deserve a chance to recover; it is our goal and responsibility to get as close to that goal for as many people with schizophrenia as possible.
Will CSF biomarkers guide future therapeutic decisions in multiple sclerosis

Contrast-enhancing lesions (CELs) on MRI of the brain and spinal cord revolutionized care of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) by facilitating screening of new therapeutics in economical, but still well-powered, phase II trials, and by providing an assessment of efficacy of approved agents in individual patients. However, CELs capture only a specific aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology: opening of the blood–brain barrier, which is associated with perivascular inflammation, acute demyelination, and axonal loss in RRMS. As disease progresses, CELs and relapses become less common, and pathology studies indicate that immune cell infiltration shifts from predominantly perivascular locations to diffuse permeation of CNS parenchyma and to consolidation in meninges. Whenever disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) were tested in different stages of the MS disease process (i.e., clinically isolated syndrome, RRMS, and progressive MS), their efficacy decreased with disease duration, suggesting that either this more diffuse inflammation is inaccessible to current DMTs, or that other neurodegenerative mechanisms drive progression of disability. Consequently, even those drugs that exert a dramatic inhibitory effect on CELs do not completely abrogate all signs of MS disease activity: a large proportion of patients in 2-year clinical trials either still form new lesions or progress on disability or brain atrophy measures.1 Because axonal loss is considered the most definite substrate of sustained disability in MS, reliable biomarkers of axonal damage are needed to replace CELs as a measurable target of therapeutic development for this residual disease activity, especially in progressive MS.
Gradual Development of Unilateral Horner's Syndrome in an Otherwise Asymptomatic Elderly Man

m 64-YEAR-OLD, 88-kg, 185-cm man presented to the authors’ institution with a history of slowly progressive rightye ptosis and miosis of 18 months duration. The patient reported nhydrosis of the right side of his face. He denied a history of fever r chills, fatigue, weight loss, hoarseness or other changes in his oice, chest pain, pulmonary symptoms, or tobacco abuse. The hysical examination confirmed the presence of right-eye ptosis nd miosis consistent with unilateral Horner’s syndrome. Anisooria was present (left right), but both pupils constricted approriately in response to light. Motor function of the right eye was ully intact. An ophthalmologic examination revealed no intraoclar abnormalities. No masses or adenopathy were palpable in the eck nor were other focal motor or sensory deficits observed uring neurologic examination of the head and neck. Auscultation
Why Don’t People and Institutions Do What They Know They Should?

I propose as a central question for the social and behavioral sciences the following topic: why do people and institutions not do things that are so obviously in their self-interest, even when they want to do so? We have numerous examples of this phenomenon, from individual behavior such as seatbelt use and medication adherence, to firm outcomes such as quality improvement or cost reduction. The ability to encourage what people know to be right is central in many policy debates, including the recent health reform discussion in the United States. I indicate three lines of inquiry as promising in understanding this question: characterizing the motivation of individuals; understanding group decision-making; and undertaking interventions.
Family and individual factors associated with substance involvement and PTS symptoms among adolescents in greater New Orleans after hurricane Katrina

Objective: This study examined the influence of hurricane impact as well as family and individual risk factors on posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and substance involvement among clinically referred adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina. Method: A total of 80 adolescents (87% male; 13-17 years old; mean age = 15.6 years; 38% minorities) and their parents were interviewed at the adolescent's intake into substance abuse treatment, 16 to 46 months postdisaster. Independent measures included hurricane impact variables (initial loss/disruption and perceived life threat); demographic and predisaster variables (family income, gender, predisaster adolescent substance use, predisaster trauma exposure, and parental substance abuse); postdisaster family factors (parental psychopathology, family cohesion, and parental monitoring); and postdisaster adolescent delinquency. Results: Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses showed that adolescent substance involvement was associated with higher family income, lower parental monitoring (adolescent report), and more adolescent delinquency. Adolescent-reported PTS symptoms were associated with greater hurricane-related initial loss/disruption, lower family cohesion (adolescent report), and more adolescent delinquency, whereas parent-reported adolescent PTS symptoms were associated with greater parental psychopathology, lower parental monitoring (adolescent report), and lower family cohesion (parent report). Conclusions: The results suggest that hurricane impact was related only to adolescent-reported PTS. However, certain postdisaster family and individual risk factors (low family cohesion and parental monitoring, more adolescent delinquency) were associated both with adolescent substance involvement and with PTS symptoms. Identification of these factors suggests directions for future research as well as potential target areas for screening and intervention with substance-abusing adolescents after disasters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en