cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of SEA Wind Noise Model for a Design Change

A wind noise model of a vehicle has been developed using Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) with measured turbulent pressure data as the source input. Empirical formulas are used to scale the input data for changes in flowand design parameters. Wind tunnel tests have been conducted on a standard and modified vehicle to validate the SEA model and the input scaling. The results show good correlation with both the exterior turbulent pressure levels and the interior sound pressure levels across the audio frequency range.
Promoting Equity: Examining a Model of Success for African American Women in Mathematics

A model of success (MoS) is proposed by the researcher for African American women and women in general, who are pursuing degrees in the field of mathematics. The model was developed by examining the historical and present-day experiences of African American women mathematicians. This model describes extrinsic and intrinsic factors that mediate the educational experiences of African American women in mathematics.
Closed-loop mode localization for vibration control in flexible structures

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of closed-loop mode localization on the absolute vibration amplitudes in a flexible structure. The techniques used in this paper to produce localized mode shapes permit the calculation of the analytic solution of the controlled system. The advantage to this approach is that, unlike mode shape analysis, the development of the analytic solution permits the investigation of the absolute magnitudes of system vibrations. Displacements in controlled mode-localized structures may therefore be examined and compared to uncontrolled open-loop displacements in the same structure. Further, this paper outlines conditions that insure the containment of vibrational energy, showing through a multi-degree-of-freedom example that it is possible to use mode localization techniques to isolate system vibration.
NMDA receptors mediate poly- and monosynaptic potentials in motoneurons of rat embryos

We determined the contribution of glutamate receptor subtypes to developing excitatory synaptic transmission in isolated spinal cord of rat embryos. Using electrophysiological and morphological techniques, we studied the pattern of development of synapses between dorsal root afferents and motoneurons in lumbar spinal cords of 15- to 21-d-old rat embryos. Motoneuron dendritic fields and afferent projections onto motoneurons were identified by labeling with HRP. Afferents first entered the gray matter at Day 15 of gestation, and by Day 16 they terminated close to motoneuron dendritic trees. Afferent axons projected onto motoneuron dendritic fields at Day 17, when boutons were detected on motoneuron dendrites that were crossed by afferent axons. To determine the time course of formation of functional sensorimotor synapses and their pharmacological properties, a dorsal root was stimulated while recording intracellularly from segmental motoneurons. At Day 16, excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) with long latencies, slow rates of rise, and long durations were recorded. The amplitudes of these EPSPs increased with membrane depolarization and in the absence of extracellular Mg2+. These EPSPs were blocked by D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) and ketamine, which are selective antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. These findings suggest that initial synaptic transmission in embryonic motoneurons is mediated solely by NMDA receptors. Short-latency EPSPs with fast rates of rise were first recorded in most motoneurons by Day 17. These EPSPs were composed of fast- and slow-rising potentials. The slow component was blocked by APV, while the fast component was eliminated by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and kynurenate. This indicates that the short-latency EPSPs are mediated by both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors. Dose-response curves of motoneurons to L-glutamate, NMDA, and kainate demonstrated that motoneurons are sensitive to these agonists prior to the formation of synapses between afferents and motoneurons. Motoneuron responses to NMDA and kainate increased immediately after the onset of short-latency EPSPs. This increased sensitivity could be due to extracellular factors influenced by growing sensory axons or intrinsic properties of differentiating motoneurons.
Robust stability and performance analysis: a new approach

Bernstein et al (1992) obtained results on robust stability and performance analysis by choosing a bound for the uncertainty terms in an uncertain Lyapunov equation. For performance analysis, one approach is to use an estimate of the solution of an uncertain Lyapunov equation to directly obtain a cost estimation. This paper presents some preliminary results for robust performance analysis and robust stability. The results presented in this paper show that for a certain class of uncertain systems (e.g., the Maximum Entropy covariance model), the guaranteed cost and its computation can be greatly improved. >
Random noise in switching DC-DC converter: verification and analysis

System parameter variations due to random noise may significantly alter predicted performance of a power converter. In this paper, an experimental setup to verify the existence of noise and its statistical properties in a switching pulse-width modulated (PWM) DC-DC converter is presented. We present a converter model that captures the effect of these inherent random noises on the overall behavior of a practical converter. We also propose a performance index quantifying the converter performance under the influence of random noise.
Perceptions and practices of U.S. dental schools regarding curriculum integrated format and traditional format licensure exams.

The dental licensure exam in the United States has evolved over the past ten years, and two formats—the traditional format and curriculum integrated format—are now available for students to satisfy licensure requirements. The objective of this study was to examine the differences and relative merits of the two formats. A twenty-five-question survey was distributed to the fifty-seven U.S. dental schools at the time. The survey included both quantitative and discrete variables and followed a strategic sequential order. The first set of questions sought to determine what type of board preparatory/mock exam each dental school offered, and the next set of questions asked which licensure exam each school formally offered. The final questions were qualitative in nature and aimed to determine the school representatives’ opinions about the curriculum integrated format versus traditional format. Of the fifty-seven schools contacted, thirty-seven agreed to participate (response rate=64.9 percent). Fourteen schools reported that they administer the traditional format only and twelve administer the curriculum integrated format only, while eleven offer both. Thirty-two schools offered mock board exams to their graduating students, and twenty-four of those said their mock exams were identical in format to the actual qualifying clinical exams offered at their institution. The respondents reported no significant advantage to preparing for the curriculum integrated format examination as compared to the traditional format examination with regards to number of clock hours taken from regular curriculum time. In reporting on this study, this article provides an overview of the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two examination formats used for the dental licensure process in the United States.
Bimetallic Model Catalysts

The sections in this article are Introduction Structure of Bimetallic Surfaces Electronic Properties of Bimetallic Surfaces Chemical and Catalytic Properties of Bimetallic Surfaces Conclusions Acknowledgments Keywords: bimetallic surface; surface characterization; vapor deposition; metal-on-metal growth
ABET EC-2000 Assessment Using Outcome Portfolios

A comprehensive implementation of outcome portfolios is presented. Outcome portfolios are assessment tools used by the authors to accomplish triangulation in the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) EC-2000 assessment process. Systematic and effective use of outcome portfolios has provided us with a convenient, reliable, and powerful tool for assessing the level of achievement of our graduates on all the program outcomes for the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs at West Virginia University. The objective of this paper is to describe our approach to assembling, assessing, and improving outcome portfolios as an essential outcome assessment tool under ABET Criterion 3. The process is illustrated in detail using outcome “k” [1] as an example. Assessment data are presented to support the hypothesis that survey data alone are inconclusive and that outcome portfolios provide additional, valuable information for program enhancement. A comparison between the assessment data for the two programs, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, is used to support our conclusions.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Cadet Perceptions of Military and Civilian Ideology: A Research Note

Evidence of an actual or perceived gap in ideological beliefs between civilian and military communities informs current debates on the military and its relationship to broader society. The authors ...
Spiritual well-being and depressive symptoms in female African American suicide attempters: Mediating effects of optimism and pessimism.

Spiritual well-being is a well-established predictor of mental health, yet the potential mechanisms of this association are relatively unexplored. We examined the influence of spirituality, including religious and existential well-being, on depressive symptoms, and the potential mediating effect of optimism and pessimism, in a sample of 66 African American female suicide attempters. Participants were recruited from a large, urban hospital and completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Life Orientation Test - Revised, and the Beck Depression Inventory - II. The association between spiritual well-being and depressive symptoms was mediated indirectly through both optimism and pessimism; greater religious and existential well-being was related to more optimism, and less pessimism and, in turn, to fewer depressive symptoms. Historically, spiritual well-being has been important to the African American community, and its beneficial effects on mental health might be explained, in part, by their effect on cognitive-emotional functioning. Language: en
Nonmonotonic size dependence of the dark/bright exciton splitting in GaAs nanocrystals

The dark/bright exciton splitting {Delta}{sub x} in semiconductor nanocrystals is usually caused by electron-hole exchange interactions. Since the electron-hole wave-function overlap is enhanced by quantum confinement, it is generally assumed that {Delta}{sub x} increases monotonically as the quantum-dot size decreases. Using atomistic pseudopotential calculations, we show that in GaAs nanocrystals {Delta}{sub x} scales nonmonotonically with the nanocrystal size. By analyzing the nanocrystal wave functions in terms of contributions from different k points in the bulk Brillouin zone, we identify the origin of such nonmonotonic behavior in a transition of the lowest conduction-band wave function from {lambda} like to X like as the nanocrystal radius decreases below 19{angstrom}. The nonmonotonicity arises because the long-range component of the electron-hole exchange interaction all but vanishes when the electron wave function becomes X like. We also show that the direct/indirect transition induced in GaAs nanocrystals by external pressure results in a sudden reduction in {Delta}{sub x}.
Analytically describing the temperature-dependent constitutive parameters of an electromagnetic metamaterial

Analogous to mechanical systems, modeling the electromagnetic (EM) performance of large and complex metamaterial structures requires the use of effective-medium/constitutive properties. Constitutive properties are critical for efficiently bridging the gap between subwavelength geometry and performance at the mesoscale. In this article, the temperature-dependent effective medium properties for a metamaterial electric-inductive-capacitive (ELC) resonator are described analytically. ELC structures are commonly used in metamaterial designs to provide a tailored electric response to EM waves. An equivalent circuit model, coupled with analytic expressions for the capacitances, inductance, and resistance of the ELC resonator, is utilized to describe how thermally induced mechanical strain and changes in material properties manifest as temperature-dependent permittivity and permeability curves for the metamaterial. The resulting analytic expressions account for the effects of spatial dispersion and losses. This a...
Toxoplasmosis. Problems in diagnosis and treatment

Forty-two cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection were analyzed, 25 in patients with neoplastic disease and 17 in apparently normal patients. Infection in normal hosts was usually manifested by adenopathy and ran a benign course. Infection in patients with neoplastic diseases was usually manifested by fever and/or neurologic symptoms. Patients with leukemias and lymphomas, particularly Hodgkin's Disease, were at highest risk for infection. Most, but not all, patients developed serologic titers indicative of infection. T. gondii infections were fatal in all eight cases with central nervous system involvement despite treatment in five cases. Leukopenia was a significant complication of treatment with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine despite the use of folinic acid.
Statistical analysis of nitrate movement through the soil in central Kansas

An earlier investigation by the Kansas Geological Survey in central Kansas studied the movement of nitrate from fertilizer through soil into the groundwater. Nitrate concentrations in soil water were measured on samples collected at three locations during a three-year span, from sets of lysimeters buried at different depths. Although patterns seemed apparent in the resulting measurements, no statistical analyses were performed to test their significance; this re-study of the data uses analyses of variance to test for differences in nitrate concentration attributable to time and to depth in the soil. The mean nitrate concentration of samples collected in the first year of the experiment was significantly higher than the means of second and third year samples at all three locations, perhaps reflecting the confounding influence of a previous flooding experiment. ANOVAs of depth across years determined few significant differences in nitrate concentration with depth. The wintertime gap in measurements and unequal sampling through time precludes formal time-series analyses, but graphs of concentration versus time show that peak concentration occurs at later times with increasing depth, and that maximum concentration decreases with depth. These statistical analyses support the conclusions from the original investigation.
Admission control and profitability analysis in dynamic spectrum access data networks

New regulations grant network service providers with the right to lease their spectrum to short-term leased secondary users (SUs) for opportunistic usage. In this work, we tackle the challenge of determining admission control and pricing policies on SUs that guarantee profitability under general secondary demand and general traffic models, and accurately reflect the operation of modern cellular data networks (e.g., LTE) in which resources are shared rather than rigidly partitioned. We first analyze the joint problem of bandwidth allocation and admission control of elastic secondary users. We assume Poisson session arrivals, where each session is composed of arbitrarily distributed, and possibly correlated, on and off periods. Under balanced bandwidth allocation, we show that the steady state distribution of the number of active users in the network is insensitive to traffic characteristics beyond their means. This result holds for arbitrary occupancy-based admission control policies on SUs. Next, we prove that the optimal occupancy-based admission control policy is of threshold type, which means that secondary user arrivals are accepted when the total number of active users in the network is below a certain threshold; otherwise, they are rejected. Finally, we identify a price, referred to as the break-even price, and an admission control policy which, together, ensure profitability for any price greater than the break-even price, irrespective of the shape of the secondary demand function.
G6PD-deficiency infectious haemolysis: a complement dependent innocent bystander phenomenon

Dramatic haemolysis may accompany viral hepatitis and pneumococcal pneumonia in G6PD-deficient patients. Since red blood cells (RBCs) are richly endowed with receptors for activated complement, particularly C3b, we hypothesized that bulky, complement-activating immune complexes (IC) consisting of microbes and antibody might attract granulocytes (PMNs), facilitating oxidative 'innocent bystander' RBC damage. Indeed, opsonization with only two type-2 pneumococcus (PN3)/anti-PN3/C3b complexes per RBC caused agglutination of RBC, a phenomenon termed immune adherence. Addition of as few as one PMN per 20 opsonized RBCs caused the glutathione (GSH) levels of co-incubated G6PD-deficient RBCs to fall by 30% (from 3.5 to 1.8 +/- 0.8 mumoles GSH/g Hb) compared to identically incubated, but nonopsonized, G6PD-deficient RBCs. GSH levels remained normal (5.2 +/- 0.4 mumoles/g Hb) in PMN-exposed opsonized normal RBCs. GSH depletion in G6PD-deficient RBC was directly related to disease severity--falling a mean 33% in RBCs from two Black G6PD A- subjects but 59% in two Caucasian G6PD deficient RBCs. Prevention of C3b generation (with 10 mM EDTA) during opsonization abrogated both immune adherence and PMN-mediated GSH decline in oxidant-sensitive cells. Similarly, removal of C3b receptors by brief trypsin incubation of RBCs eliminated immune adherence and GSH decline. Thus, both phenomena are dependent on IC complement activation and subsequent binding of the bacterial IC to the RBC complement receptors. Although clearance of IC by RBCs may be beneficial in protecting other tissues from inflammatory damage, G6PD-deficient RBCs are vulnerable to oxidants generated by juxtaposed phagocytes--cells attracted to, and stimulated by, the immune complex/C3b combination. It is suggested that this 'Good Samaritan' activity of RBCs may lead to haemolysis during periods of exuberant antibody response to microbes.
Structure of the upper mantle and transition zone beneath Southeast Asia from traveltime tomography

[1] Tomographic images of the mantle beneath East Asia were obtained from the inversion of traveltime data from global and regional seismograph networks and from temporary arrays on and around the Tibetan plateau. Our results are consistent with previous studies but the unprecedented resolution of mantle heterogeneity provides new insight into the large‐scale tectonic framework of the continental India‐Asia collision in the western part of the study region and subduction of the oceanic lithosphere in the east. In the realm of continental collision, west of ∼100°E, a relatively slow P‐wave speed characterizes the upper mantle beneath much of the Tibetan plateau but the wave speed is high beneath cratonic India, the southern and western part of the Tibetan plateau, Hindu‐Kush, and the Tian Shan. In the subduction realm, east of ∼110°E, the main structures are (i) pronounced low‐wave‐speed anomalies at a depth of between 100 and 400 km beneath Asia’s southeastern seaboard and the back‐arc regions of ongoing subduction; (ii) narrow, fast anomalies in the upper mantle beneath major subduction zones; and (iii) widespread fast anomalies at a depth of 500–700 km beneath the Sea of Japan, the northern part of the Philippine Sea plate, and southeastern China. If the latter anomalies represent stagnant slabs, their fragmented nature and large lateral extent suggest that they are produced by different episodes of subduction beneath western Pacific island arcs, along the old SE margin of Asia, or during the Mesozoic collision of cratonic units in Southeast Asia. Attribution to ancient subduction systems implies that slab fragments can reside in the transition zone for (at least) several tens of millions of years. Shallow, slow anomalies beneath the Red River fault region connect to deep anomalies beneath the South China fold belt and South China Sea, suggesting a causal relationship between the evolution of the continental lithosphere of SW China and deeper mantle processes. Between the collision and the subduction realms, tomography reveals high‐wave‐speed continental roots beneath the western part of the North China craton (Ordos block) and the South China, or Yangtze, craton (Sichuan Basin) to a depth of ∼300 km.
The Transcriptional Coactivators p300 and CBP Are Histone Acetyltransferases

p300/CBP is a transcriptional adaptor that integrates signals from many sequence-specific activators via direct interactions. Various cellular and viral factors target p300/CBP to modulate transcription and/or cell cycle progression. One such factor, the cellular p300/CBP associated factor (PCAF), possesses intrinsic histone acetyltransferase activity. Here, we demonstrate that p300/CBP is not only a transcriptional adaptor but also a histone acetyltransferase. p300/CBP represents a novel class of acetyltransferases in that it does not have the conserved motif found among various other acetyltransferases. p300/CBP acetylates all four core histones in nucleosomes. These observations suggest that p300/CBP acetylates nucleosomes in concert with PCAF.
Fabrication of GaAs/AlGaAs high electron mobility transistors with 250 nm gates using conformal phase shift lithography

Abstract This paper establishes the feasibility of soft lithography for fabrication of submicron-scale electronic devices. Near-field conformal phase shift lithography — a representative soft lithographic technique — was used on a broadband exposure tool to fabricate the gate fingers of a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). The gates of this proof-of-concept device had lengths of 250 nm and widths of 40 μm. The device had a transconductance of 4 mS and a current–voltage response similar to that of a conventional HEMT.
Impingement Heat Transfer of Free-Surface Liquid Jets

The problem of convective heat transfer of a circular liquid jet impinging onto a substrate is studied numerically. The objective of the study is to understand the hydrodynamics and heat transfer of the impingement process. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a finite-volume formulation. The free surface of the jet is tracked by the volume-of-fluid method. The energy equation is modeled by using an enthalpy-based formulation. Detailed flow fields as well as free surface contours and pressure distributions on the substrate have been obtained. Local Nusselt number variations along the solid surface have also been calculated. The effects of several key parameters on the hydrodynamics and heat transfer of an impinging liquid jet have been examined. It has been found that the jet-inlet velocity profile and jet elevation have a significant effect on the hydrodynamics and heat transfer, particularly in the stagnation region, of an impinging jet. The numerical results have been compared with experimental data obtained from the literature. The close agreement supports the validity of the numerical study.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Coordinate control of the alpha- and beta-subunit genes of human chorionic gonadotropin by trophoblast-specific element-binding protein.

The alpha- and beta-subunit genes of hCG are coordinately regulated in the trophectoderm of the early embryo and placenta. Placenta-specific expression of the alpha-subunit gene is determined by a composite enhancer made of three clustered components: cAMP-responsive elements, a GATA site, and the trophoblast-specific element (TSE). We have investigated the basis of placenta-specific expression of the major hCG beta-subunit gene, hCG beta 5. Enhancement of expression localizes to the region from -305 to -279, whereas full cAMP regulation requires the region from -305 to -249. Four DNAse-I footprints are present, three of which can be competed by the TSE element from the alpha-subunit gene. Methylation interference establishes that binding to the element located in the key region for expression, from -301 to -275, requires contacts with a CCNNNGGG core sequence that matches the alpha-subunit gene TSE. Sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography using the alpha-subunit gene TSE allows purification of TSE-...
Use of multisystemic therapy to improve regimen adherence among adolescents with type 1 diabetes in poor metabolic control: A pilot investigation

The purpose of the current study was to conduct a pilot investigation to determine the effectiveness of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for improving regimen adherence and metabolic control among adolescents with poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes. Thirty-one adolescents were randomly assigned to either MST or a control condition. MST treatment lasted approximately six months. Data were collected at study entry and at a six-month posttest. Twenty-five adolescents completed the study. Adolescents who received MST had significantly improved adherence to blood glucose testing and metabolic control from study entry to the six-month posttest, whereas controls did not. Adolescents receiving MST also had a decreased number of inpatient admissions at the six-month posttest. Improvements in metabolic control were related to improvements in parent report of adolescent adherence. Results suggest that MST holds promise as an intervention for improving adherence behavior and health outcomes among adolescents in poor metabolic control.
Photo-stability and performance of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in luminescent solar concentrators

Abstract The performances of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) made with two versions of quantum dots (QDs) with CdSe cores and ZnS shells are compared to LSCs containing the organic dye, Lumogen ® F Red 300 (LR), to assess the viability of QD LSCs. In addition to spectroscopic and light collection measurements, the photo-degradation response of the version I (vI) QD LSC is compared to the LR LSC. The measured fluorescence quantum yield of the version II (vII) QDs (57%) is about half that of LR (>90%) and twice that of the vI QDs (31%). Though the quantum yield for vII QDs is lower than LR, the vII QD LSC has nearly twice the short-circuit current of the LR LSCs or the vI QD LSCs when their respective red-peak optical densities are the same in 6.2 × 6.2 × 0.6 cm LSCs. This is a reflection of the main advantage of QDs for use in LSCs, that QDs collect considerably more sunlight than LR due to their broad absorption spectrum. Despite the fact that the QD LSCs absorbs more photons than the LR LSCs, the slow phase of the photo-degradation rate of the QD LSC is approximately five times slower than the LR LSC under nearly constant light exposure. Most surprising is the observation that the photo-degradation of the QD LSC’s absorption completely recovers during a prolonged dark cycle. In a normal day/night cycle, this will benefit the performance of the QD LSC.
Murine amyloid. II. Transfer of an amyloid-accelerating substance.

The transfer of an amyloid-accelerating substance in several different mouse strains is described. The relative ease of transfer was strain-dependent. Nitrogen mustard enhanced amyloid deposition but was not necessary in one strain. Liver and lung as well as spleen cell suspensions and subcellular fractions from mice treated with casein were able to transfer the amyloid-promoting material. Endotoxin may be used interchangeably with casein for the induction of amyloidosis in the donor mice with comparable transfer results. The possible mechanisms involved in “amyloid transfer” are discussed.
Bone and Mineral Status of Patients Beginning Total Parenteral Nutrition

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is commonly used to provide nutrition in the seriously ill. Osteomalacia has been described with long-term TPN and the administered solutions and/or vitamin D metabolites have been blamed for the occurrence of osteomalacia. These studies however were performed on patients on long-term TPN programs. We in contrast measured the serum calcium (Ca), ionized calcium (Ca2+), phosphate (Pi), bone GLA protein (BGP), alkaline phosphatase (ALK-P), 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D, the iPTH (carboxyl terminal) in 25 malnourished patients just beginning TPN therapy. The patients ranged from 25 to 80 yr of age and suffered from a variety of diseases. No patient had symptoms, recent fractures, or radiographic evidence of osteomalacia. The results of our study revealed significantly lower 25(OH)D (p less than 0.001), Pi (p less than 0.01), and Ca (p less than 0.01), but higher iPTH (p less than 0.002) values when compared to normals. BGP, 1,25(OH)2D and Ca2+ and ALK-P were not significantly different. We conclude that patients requiring TPN have low serum 25(OH)D values reflecting their nutritional status with a compensatory increase in PTH secretion to maintain their serum Ca2+ levels. The normal BGP levels may indicate depressed bone formation and skeletal resistance to PTH in the very ill patient. The cause of osteomalacia in these patients may therefore be multifactorial and not only related to the TPN infusions.
Prognostic factors for patients with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma.

Originally described in 1986, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Although the majority of patients diagnosed with SNUC have a poor outcome, there are patients that, with treatment, do not develop recurrences and are essentially cured of their disease. Currently, there are no prognostic factors in the literature that can differentiate these two groups of patients.
Hip structure and locomotion in ambulatory and cursorial carnivores

Cineradiographic analysis of the posture and movements of the femur and pelvis in representatives of three carnivore families (Procyonidae, Felidae, Canidae) reveals discrete locomotor patterns during walking. Raccoons (Procyon tolor) abduct the femur substantially, and engender large pelvic movements. Canids (Vulpes fulva, Canis familiaris) abduct the femur slightly, whereas cats (Felis domestica) employ only a sagittal excursion of the femur with the least pelvic oscillation. Casted replicas of the femora and pelves of these species, fixed in the various characteristic postures and then sectioned, demonstrate differences in articular relationships. The depth of the acetabulum, location of the fovea capitis femoris, and configuration of the articular surface on the femoral head vary by species according to the femoral posture and excursions employed in locomotion and other activities. Three patterns of locomotor adaptation are identified on the basis of these data and behavioural observations. Ambulatory carnivores (e.g. raccoons) are adapted for a wide range of femoral postures, and particularly for abduction used in climbing. In contrast, cursorial carnivores are specialized for a narrower range of hindlimb movements. The canine pattern is the most restricted; the hip structure accommodates little more than the modest degree of abduction employed in terrestrial locomotion. The feline pattern, although characterized by the most adducted limb posture during walking, nonetheless retains structural adaptations for a wider range of femoral postures than in canines which may be employed in climbing and in predatory activities. The habits of certain fossil carnivores are interpreted on the basis of these patterns. Creodonts and a Paleocene miacid (Carnivora) show distinctly ambulatory adaptations, whereas later miacids developed various cursorial characters. The early Oligocene canid Hesperocyon gregarius had a hip structure with features comparable to those in modern felids and canids.
CAST: implications for drug development.

Implications of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) for the development of new antiarrhythmic drugs:clinical efficacy, toxicity are demonstrated in clinical trials.
Recursive FatBear filter

The FatBear filter is a nonarithmetic filter for piecewise constant signals in high noise situations. The output of each window takes the pseudo-median of the medians of all sets of N + 1 values with minimum range. The Recursive FatBear filter is the extension of the FatBear filter. It replaces the original signal with the output before shifting the window to the next position. In this paper, we study the properties of the Recursive FatBear filter for pulse width filtering, impulse rejection, and edge enhancement. Experimental examples show that the Recursive FatBear filter is more effective than the FatBear filter in eliminating white Gaussian noise when the signal-to-noise ratio is large and still enhancing the edge. The fixed points of the FatBear filter are shown to also be fixed points of the Recursive FatBear filter. In addition a 2-D hybrid MED-Fatbear filter is presented and theoretical results for the recursive and nonrecursive case are presented for the 2-D case. Applications to synthetic data and to real images are given.
Asymmetric orbifolds and grand unification

We generalize the rules for the free fermionic string construction to include other asymmetric orbifolds with world-sheet bosons. We use these rules to construct various grand unified string models that involve level-three current algebras. We present the explicit construction of three classes of three-chiral-family grand unified models in the heterotic string theory. Each model has five left-handed, and two right-handed families, and an adjoint Higgs representation. Two of them are SO(10) and the third is E{sub 6}. With Wilson lines and/or varying moduli, we show how other three-family grand unified models, such as SO(10) and SU(5), may be constructed from them. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Application of the lattice Boltzmann method to flow in aneurysm with ring-shaped stent obstacles

To resolve the characteristics of a highly complex flow, a lattice Boltzmann method with an extrapolation boundary technique was used in aneurysms with and without transverse objects on the upper wall, and results were compared with the non-stented aneurysm. The extrapolation boundary concept allows the use of Cartesian grids even when the boundaries do not conform to Cartesian coordinates. To ease the code development and facilitate the incorporation of new physics, a new scientific programming strategy based on object-oriented concepts was developed. The reduced flow, smaller vorticity magnitude and wall shear stress, and smaller du/dy near the dome of the aneurysm were observed when the proposed stent obstacles were used. The height of the stent obstacles was more effective to reduce the vorticity near the dome of the aneurysm than the width of the stent. The rectangular stent with 20% height-of-vessel radius was observed to be optimal and decreased the magnitude of the vorticity by 21% near the dome of the aneurysm. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experiencing New Hampshire: The Effects of an Experiential Learning Course on Civic Engagement

In January of 2004, we took 35 college students to Manchester, New Hampshire, where they were immersed in the crucial final weeks of the Democratic Presidential Primary as part of a course on the presidential election. This course required students to work on the campaign of their choice in the weeks leading up to the state's primary as well as take part in more traditional classroom academic activities. This article examines the impact of that political immersion experience on students' civic attitudes and engagements. While some hypothesized effects were not supported by the data, we do find a substantial impact on engagement and a modest effect on some measures of political efficacy. In light of the importance to a democratic society of engaging young people in the political process, we believe our research justifies greater experimentation with political immersion experiences and careful evaluation of the effects thereof.
British Imperialism in Fiji: A Model for the Semiotics of Cultural Identity

The history and effects of British imperialism in Fiji created a model for analyzing the semiotics of cultural identity. Following the acquisition of land in Fiji, the British recruited impoverished people from India and relocated them as indentured servants to do work on sugar cane plantations that natives refused to do. When Fiji became independent nearly 100 years later, the island nation had nearly equal populations of native Fijians and people of Indian decent. Fiji experienced three military coupes between 1987 and 2000 while the two ethnic and culturally distinct groups competed for jobs and political power. As a small, island nation, identity-based communication in Fiji represents a microcosm of other more complex multicultural societies. This study examines the semiotics of cultural identity among the people of Fiji.
Characterization of medium frequency propagation on a twin-lead transmission line with earth return

This work presents research in the development of medium frequency communications systems that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is performing in support of the 2006 MINER Act. In this work, a 280 m twin-lead transmission line (TL) is used to measure complex input impedance and line currents resulting from open and shorted terminations at medium frequencies (MF). The line is placed in free space and positioned close to a lossy earth surface such that two line configurations can be chosen in order to control the extent to which the ground's presence affects MF propagation. In this way, the effects of the earth return may be characterized and modeled. Further, full-wave computational models using moment methods are used to compare with the experimental measurements as a way to determine the material properties of the ground medium. In the future, these experiments will be conducted in underground mines in an effort to develop and improve MF communication systems for mining operations and emergency response.
DETERMINATION OF HOOP STRESSES INDUCED IN A CYLINDRICAL STEEL DIE BY COMPACTING METAL POWDERS

AbstractBecause of the lack of stress data, steel dies for compacting metal powders were designed in the past on the assumption of hydraulic pressure transmission by powders.True die stresses existing in a hardened steel die during the compacting of various lubricated and non-lubricated powders have been measured by mounting strain-gauges on the periphery of the die at numerous points along its length.Values of the hoop stress varied from approximately 0·05 to 0·40 of the calculated and measured hydraulic fluid stress. For a particular metal powder, the stress was a function of the average particle size, the powder height, and the amount of lubrication.
Curriculum study, curriculum history, and curriculum theory: the reason of reason

This paper explores the intersection of curriculum studies/curriculum history/curriculum theory through the study of systems of reason that order reflection and action. Words about ‘learning’, ‘empowerment’, ‘problem‐solving’, ‘self‐realization’, ‘community’, and so on, are not merely there in order that educators should ‘grasp’ some reality to act upon. The words are made intelligible and ‘reasonable’ within historically‐formed rules and standards that order, classify, and divide what is ‘seen’ and acted on in schooling. These rules and standards of reason are effects of power and the political of schooling. The first section explores this notion of the political and reason, considering curriculum as a double gesture. One gesture is the hope of schooling. The gesture of hope embodies fears of dangers, and dangerous populations. The latter, dangerous children, are placed in in‐between spaces—the immigrant, the poor, the disadvantaged who are to be included, yet defined as different and abjected. The phras...
Leadership roles and the gender stereotype traits

Men generally occupy the role of leader and women the role of follower in marital relationships. This research tested the hypothesis that these implicit leader-follower roles determine the way in which the gender stereotype traits are typically assigned to women and men. In one condition, the man was described as the leader in the marriage, and in another condition, the traditional power relationship was reversed and the woman was described as the leader. Regardless of sex, the leader was perceived as strong in agency and weak in communion; the follower was perceived as strong in communion and weak in agency. A man and woman, who were described as equal leaders, did not differ in the strength of their agentic and communal traits. A relationship approach was used to formulate the connection between leader-follower roles and the gender stereotype traits.
Design and characterization of a versatile reference instrument for rapid, reproducible specular gloss measurements

A reference goniospectrophotometer has been developed at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) for providing high-accuracy traceable measurements of specular gloss at several standard geometries, including 75° for paper samples, haze and absence-of-bloom gloss, and color appearance of gonioapparent materials. This is to the authors’ knowledge the first reported reference instrument that has this level of versatility for rapidly characterizing the total visual appearance properties of a wide variety of materials and applications. This instrument also replaces the NRC glossmeter that has been providing primary level specular gloss measurements in accordance with International Organization for Standardization and American Society for Testing and Materials standards for measurements of paint and ceramic materials at geometries of 20°, 60°, and 85°. The new instrument has been fully characterized for sources of error and compared with the NRC glossmeter. Its measurement reproducibility of 0.02 gloss unit is a factor-of-5 improvement, and its overall estimated expanded (k = 2) uncertainty is 0.3 gloss unit at all three standard geometries.
The Reaction of Norbornene with Lead Tetraacetate and Thallium Trinitrate. Preliminary communication

The reaction of norbornene with lead tetraacetate is found to be much more complex than previously reported. In acetic acid and in benzene, the syn-7-norbornenyl, 3-nortricyclyl, and syn and anti-7-acetoxy-exo-2-norbornyl acetates were characterized. In methanol, the isolated products represented most of those expected from the competition of methanol and acetate in the neutralization of the intermediate carbocations. The reaction of norbornene with thallium trinitrate in the above solvents yielded very complex mixtures besides the above mentioned products which were formed in about 50% yield.
Management of small renal tumors: an overview

The incidental finding of a small renal mass poses a therapeutic dilemma. The traditional treatment of clinically important masses has been radical nephrectomy. Recently, nephron-sparing surgery has emerged as a viable alternative; and experimental minimally invasive percutaneous tissue ablation techniques, including cryotherapy and radiofrequency ablation, are being evaluated. In this review, we discuss the dilemma posed by frequent renal imaging and the increased proportion of incidental tumors being detected, the limitations of needle biopsies for histologic diagnosis, nephron-conserving and minimally invasive surgery, and the possible merits of radiofrequency ablation and cryotherapy. We envision a defined role for minimally invasive percutaneous or extracorporeal ablation of small renal tumors.
Oil from shale - The potential, the problems, and a plan for development

Abstract A unitized management and development of the government-owned oil shale in Colorado will make it technically and economically practical to obtain very large production rates (1–5 × 106 bbl/day) of shale oil from this source. The estimated price is below world prices and could be less than $15/bbl. Private oil shale lands, on the other hand, provide a smaller though still important potential for production in terms of resource size and economic cost. Important differences exist in the nature of the oil-shale resource held by the government and that held by private companies. These differences are crucial not only in estimating production costs and incentives necessary for production but also in defining applicable technology.
Mechanisms of flavor release in chewing gum: cinnamaldehyde.

Recently we reported that the release profile of cinnamaldehyde from a sugar-free chewing gum was correlated to the release of the sugar alcohol phase or was not in agreement with the log P model. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate mechanisms of cinnamaldehyde release from a sugar-free chewing gum; p-cresol (similar log P value) was also analyzed for comparison. Breath analysis of the chewing gum samples over an 8 min consumption period reported that the maximum concentration of cinnamaldehyde was 2- to 3-fold higher during the initial phase of mastication in comparison to the later phase, whereas the concentration of p-cresol was relatively constant over these two time periods. By contrast the release profile of cinnamaldehyde from a flavored gum base (no sugar alcohol phase) was constant over the 8 min consumption period and similar to the release of cresol from the flavored gum base. On the basis of tandem mass spectrometry, cinnamaldehyde was reported to react with sorbitol and g...
Compressive Response of Honeycombs Under In-Plane Uniaxial Static and Dynamic Loading, Part 1: Experiments

The crushing response of polycarbonate circular cell honeycombs under in-plane uniaxial loading is studied through a combination of static and dynamic experiments. The circular cell honeycomb material has a nearly periodic microstructure. The static experiments correspond to a uniaxial loading condition under displacement control in two different principal in-plane directions. The corresponding dynamic experiments are carried out using a low-velocity impact drop test facility. Three different initial conditions (corresponding to different drop heights) are used in the dynamic tests. In the initial part of the response, the specimens deform in an almost uniform fashion. Next, a nonlinear phase characterized by progressive localization of deformation is observed. The progressive localization causes the walls of each cell to contact. The reasons for the observed orthotropic response of the honeycombs are discussed. A comparison of the collapse mechanisms between static and dynamic experiments is included. The experimental work is presented first (Part 1), followed by the simulation studies (Part 2).
Molecular Predictors of Prognosis in Lung Cancer

Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Currently, cancer staging and prognosis are determined using histopathology and clinical factors such as lymph node status. However, even the earliest stage of non-small cell lung carcinoma has a widely varying prognosis. In this review, the evolution and refinement of molecular predictors of prognosis in lung carcinoma are described.
Statistical identification of subpopulations for flow cytometric data

Identification of cell subpopulations is of interest in the context of both flow cytometry and image analysis. Flow cytometry makes it possible to examine very large cell populations rapidly and to record a measurement vector for each cell. Thus flow cytometry, as a methodology, is ideally suited to the identification of small subpopulations of cells, which is particularly of interest in analyzing lymphoid cell populations.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.