cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of success-failure on the perception of threat in a competitive situation.

Forty-one high competition trait-anxious and 42 low competition trait-anxious fifth- and sixth-grade boys were tested to assess the effects of success-failure competition outcomes on the perception of threat to self and the response to threat in terms of self-protective behavior. Three groups including success, moderate-success, and failure were established by manipulating win percentage. State anxiety was used as the indicant of perceived threat and self-protective behavior was assessed by causal attribution, opponent preference, and preference for social comparison others. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance, analysis of variance, and chi square techniques. The findings strongly indicate that success-failure is an important variable affecting the perception of threat to self in a competitive situation. Further, examination of both the results and the existing paradigmatic differences lead to greater insight regarding the conditions under which self-protective behavior is evoked.
“Child perpetrators of sexual abuse”: The emergence of a problematic deviant category

This article critically examines the emergence in the professional literature of a new category of criminal deviant: the very young juvenile “sexual offender” (“child perpetrator”). It is argued that current research and writings on “child perpetrators” 1) fail to adhere to established tenets of scientific inquiry; 2) attempt to pathologize species‐typical behaviors; and 3) reflect symbolic opposition to widespread sexual license perceived to have resulted from the “sex positive” interpretive changes regarding sexuality that occurred during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Interactionist methods are applied in tracing three decades of interpretive changes regarding sexual behavior as reflected in the content of professional and popular sexological literature from the mid 1960s to the present. It is concluded that the writings on “child perpetrators” constitute an anomalous but predictable development in the field when considered against the background of recent trends in sexual discourse, professional ideo...
Promoting the Robustness of Calibration-Based Computations

Calibration parameters are extensively used in complex automotive Engine Control Units (ECUs), including ECUs for the engine, transmission, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Calibration engineers can set the exact values of calibration parameters for a given software application after the ECU software is built. Such parameters also enable a single set of software to control multiple hardware variants, for example 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine variants, or turbo and non-turbo variants. In an ECU, there are often hundreds and sometimes tens of thousands of calibration parameters, some of which are multidimensional tables. With this level of complexity, ensuring that the ECU software using the values from these tables will not encounter an overflow operation, divide by zero condition, or illegal memory access run-time error can be a significant challenge. Due to the connection between hardware and software, such errors could potentially cause hardware damage or unexpected behavior, which in turn can lead to end-user safety concerns With traditional testing it is impossible to exhaustively test such complex software systems, comprised of both calibration parameters and code, to prove that the software is free of run-time errors. Verification based on formal methods may provide a means by which it may be possible to learn more about the quality of the software from a run-time perspective. With formal methods, it is possible to exhaustively verify the software, even software with sophisticated calibration parameters. Using formal methods, engineers can specify the full range of data in the calibration tables and exhaustively verify the software, rather than testing with a limited range of data in the tables.
Developing SNPs and STR DNA markers for snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) using next-generation sequencing technology

In this study, we describe a protocol of generating a large number of candidate SNPs and STR loci quickly and cost-efficiently for an endangered species, snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), using next-generation sequencing technology. First, we built a reduced representation library of snub-nosed monkeys through digesting the DNA of four individuals using HaeIII and pooling the 350–500 bp fragments together. Second, we sequenced the DNA pool using pyrosequencing technology. Third, we analyzed sequencing reads using bioinformatic software. We detected 23 putative SNPs, 10 polymorphic STR loci, and 347 candidate STR loci (number of repeats greater than 9). The markers generated by this study can be used to address questions regarding genetic diversity, population structure, phylogeography, and conservation of this endangered primate.
The Effects of Foreign Investment on Overall and Sectoral Growth in Third World States

This research examines the impact of flows and stocks of foreign investment on growth in Third World countries. Overall growth in GDP per capita and in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and com munications, and domestic trade are investigated. In addition to foreign investment, variables relating to domestic investment, population, and wealth are included in the analysis. The results indicate that stocks of foreign investment have a negative long-term effect on overall growth, while flows have a short-run positive effect. The variable with the single greatest impact on overall growth, however, is growth in domestic investment. The sectoral results indicate that foreign investment is positively related to growth in all sectors. The pattern of the findings, however, suggests that foreign investment has an initial disruptive effect on the economies of non-American underdeveloped states.
On the limitation of the weak-coupling assumption for crosstalk analysis based on quasi-TEM propagation

The limitation of the weak-coupling assumption for the case of two transmission lines with a common ground is examined. The analysis is based on the mathematical structure of solutions to the telegrapher's equations, and, therefore, quasi-transverse electromagnetic (TEM) propagation is assumed. All loss is neglected, and the lines are assumed to be symmetric. Requirements that are necessary for the weak-coupling assumption to hold in a homogeneous medium as well as in a medium that possesses certain types of inhomogeneities are derived by examining both the fully coupled and the weakly coupled forms of the telegrapher's equations. It is shown that terminating impedances influence the validity of the weak-coupling solution locally to resonances but have little effect elsewhere. Theoretical and experimental results are given in both the frequency and time domains for several geometries. A solution to the weak-coupling form of the telegrapher's equations is provided. >
On the irreducibility, Lyapunov rank, and automorphisms of special Bishop–Phelps cones

Abstract Motivated by optimization considerations, we consider cones in R n – to be called special Bishop–Phelps cones – of the form { ( t , x ) : t ≥ | | x | | } , where | | ⋅ | | is a norm on R n − 1 . We show that when n ≥ 3 , such cones are always irreducible. Defining the Lyapunov rank of a proper cone K as the dimension of the Lie algebra of the automorphism group of K, we show that the Lyapunov rank of any special Bishop–Phelps polyhedral cone is one. Extending an earlier known result for the l 1 -cone (which is a special Bishop–Phelps cone with 1-norm), we show that any l p -cone, for 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞ , p ≠ 2 , has Lyapunov rank one. We also study automorphisms of special Bishop–Phelps cones, in particular giving a complete description of the automorphisms of the l 1 -cone.
Subsidiary Divestment: The Role of Multinational Flexibility

We take the multinational flexibility perspective and examine the conditions under which multinational corporations’ (MNCs’) foreign manufacturing subsidiaries in labor-intensive industries are not divested from their host country markets under the influence of their host country’s rising labor costs. We examine in this paper the effects of intra-firm product shifts within the same MNC network on foreign subsidiary divestment. We utilize a panel of data of Korean MNCs’ foreign subsidiaries in labor intensive industries and employ a Cox proportional hazard rate model as an event history analysis methodology on STATA 10. We find that intra-firm product shifts within the same MNC network reduce the probability of subsidiaries exposed to rising labor costs in their host countries being divested earlier. We also find that greater cross-country labor cost differentials and more country options in the same MNC network are helpful in facilitating intra-firm product shifts and lowering divestiture rates of the subsidiaries. Contrastingly, we find from control variables that weaker performing, smaller, and stand-alone subsidiaries, in riskier countries, facing currency appreciation, and increasing labor costs are more likely to divest. We conclude from our findings that MNCs are able to enhance multinational flexibility by using intra-firm trade connections among affiliated firms in flexible responses to cross-border cost and value differentials.
Adaptive multiscan matched filter receiver for dim target detection in nonstationary clutter environments

In the signal detection problem in nonstationary cluttered backgrounds using data from an imaging sensor, the receiver structure must generally be adapted to the local clutter statistics. Typically, the receive:r is implemented as a linear matched filter and the local adaptation consists of estimating and inverting a local covariance matrix to obtain the optimum weight vector. The local estimates of the inverse covariance matrix can be obtained in a variety of ways, but is generally a computationally expensive procedure and is prone to inaccuracies whenever estimation windows overlap clutter region boundaries. In the present paper we describe a simple but effective adaptive detection procedure which avoids some of the difficulties associated with existing schemes. This procedure employs a simple least mean-square (LMS) algorithm to adapt a linear matched filter to maximize local SNR. We describe a particular multiscan version of this algorithm with improved convergence properties. In particular, by implementing multiple parallel scanning patterns it's possible to avoid potential convergence problems at region boundaries associated with conventional single-scan adaptive approaches. Finally, we describe the performance of this scheme and compare its performance with competing approaches. We demonstrate performance approaching that achievable when perfect knowledge of local clutter statistics are available.
Mapping of the lactose operator.

Abstract Mapping studies on 26 Lac o c mutations in Escherichia coli have provided evidence indicating that: (1) each o c class is twofold degenerate, viz , caused by mutations at either of two sites in the operator; (2) the operator is composed of left and right segments, each containing an equivalent set of o c sites; (3) the o c sites are symmetrically disposed about a plane of reflection; and (4) genetic crossovers in the Lac region are strongly correlated, i.e. come in clusters.
Theory of spin-charge-coupled transport in a two-dimensional electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit interactions

We use microscopic linear response theory to derive a set of equations that provide a complete description of coupled spin and charge diffusive transport in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with the Rashba spin-orbit (SO) interaction. These equations capture a number of interrelated effects including spin accumulation and diffusion, Dyakonov-Perel spin relaxation, magnetoelectric, and spin-galvanic effects. They can be used under very general circumstances to model transport experiments in 2DEG systems that involve either electrical or optical spin injection. We comment on the relationship between these equations and the exact spin and charge density operator equations of motion. As an example of the application of our equations, we consider a simple electrical spin injection experiment and show that a voltage will develop between two ferromagnetic contacts if a spin-polarized current is injected into a 2DEG, that depends on the relative magnetization orientation of the contacts. This voltage is present even when the separation between the contacts is larger than the spin diffusion length.
Sensitivity analysis for the design and operation of a non-contacting mechanical face seal:

Detection and diagnosis of failure in non-contacting mechanical face seals may prevent catastrophes in some critical applications. Seal failure due to face contact may occur because of large relative misalignment between the seal rotor and stator faces. The objective of this work is to study the sensitivity of the relative misalignment to changes in the design and operational parameters of a non-contacting flexibly mounted rotor (FMR) mechanical face seal. These sensitivities can be efficiently exploited to prevent possible contact through proper selection of the seal parameters and working point in both the design and the control stages. Among the design parameters, the seal coning angle is by and large independent of other design requirements and should be properly selected to avoid contact. The operational variables greatly influencing the relative misalignment are the clearance, the bearing fluid pressure and the shaft speed. Where active control is considered, the relative misalignment sensitivity to changes in the control parameters should determine the working point. The sensitivity analysis is demonstrated using the data of an existing seal test rig.
Diffusion of methane in DD3R zeolite

Abstract Diffusion of methane in two different samples of DDR crystals (one of which had been subjected to a proprietary treatment) has been studied experimentally by the ZLC technique. Measurements were made over a wide range of temperatures (273–423 K) and purge flow rates. The ZLC response curves for both samples are shown to be consistent with the simple model of intra-crystalline diffusion control with no evidence of any significant surface resistance. The derived equilibrium constants and diffusivities are consistent with the limited published data already available for this system. There is a significant difference in both diffusivity and diffusional activation energy between the untreated and treated samples suggesting a somewhat larger free aperture for the windows of the treated sample. For both samples the diffusivity of methane is substantially increased in the presence of a CO 2 atmosphere; as is to be expected from transition state theory for a competitive adsorption system.
Torsion of the spermatic cord in the newborn infant

Summary Attention has been directed to the occurrence of torsion of the spermaticcord during the first day of life in two cases and terminating in loss of the testicle. In each instance, the twist occurred outside the tunica vaginalis. If the condition is recognized and detorsion can be performed during the first four hours, the testicle usually can be preserved. Diagnostic and therapeutic delay means loss of the organ.
A sensitive search for nitric oxide in the lower atmospheres of venus and Mars : Detection on Venus and upper limit for Mars

Abstract High-resolution spectra of Venus and Mars at the NO fundamental band at 5.3 μm with resolving power ν / δ ν = 76 , 000 were acquired using the TEXES spectrograph at NASA IRTF on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The observed spectrum of Venus covered three NO lines of the P-branch. One of the lines is strongly contaminated, and the other two lines reveal NO in the lower atmosphere at a detection level of 9 sigma. A simple photochemical model for NO and N at 50–112 km was coupled with a radiative transfer code to simulate the observed equivalent widths of the NO and some CO2 lines. The derived NO mixing ratio is 5.5 ± 1.5 ppb below 60 km and its flux is ( 6 ± 2 ) × 10 7 cm −2 s −1 . Predissociation of NO at the (0–0) 191 nm and (1–0) 183 nm bands of the δ-system and the reaction with N are the only important loss processes for NO in the lower atmosphere of Venus. The photochemical impact of the measured NO abundance is significant and should be taken into account in photochemical modeling of the Venus atmosphere. Lightning is the only known source of NO in the lower atmosphere of Venus, and the detection of NO is a convincing and independent proof of lightning on Venus. The required flux of NO is corrected for the production of NO and N by the cosmic ray ionization and corresponds to the lightning energy deposition of 0.19 ± 0.06 erg cm −2 s −1 . For a flash energy on Venus similar to that on the Earth (∼ 10 9 J ), the global flashing rate is ∼90 s−1 and ∼6 km−2 y−1 which is in reasonable agreement with the existing optical observations. The observed spectrum of Mars covered three NO lines of the R-branch. Two of these lines are contaminated by CO2 lines, and the line at 1900.076 cm−1 is clean and shows some excess over the continuum. Some photochemical reactions may result in a significant excitation of NO ( v = 1 ) in the lowest 20 km on Mars. However, quenching of NO ( v = 1 ) by CO2 is very effective below 40 km. Excitation of NO ( v = 1 ) in the collisions with atomic oxygen is weak because of the low temperature in the martian atmosphere, and we do not see any explanation of a possible emission of NO at 5.3 μm. Therefore the data are treated as the lack of absorption with a 2 sigma upper limit of 1.7 ppb to the NO abundance in the lower atmosphere of Mars. This limit is above the predictions of photochemical models by a factor of 3.
Resistance transfer fecal coliforms isolated from the whippany river

Abstract Three sites on the Whippany River, a tributary of the Passaic Watershed in Morris County, N.J., were monitored for resistance transfer coliforms. A high percentage of fecal coliform isolates showed multiple antibiotic resistance. A significant number of lac − and lac − isolates proved to be donors of transmissible antibiotic resistance plasmids ( R donors), by conjugation with a recipient strain of Salmonella gallinarum . Re-examination of testing methods used for recreational and potable water sources is suggested by these findings.
What Is Personalization? Perspectives on the Design and Implementation of Personalization in Information Systems

In e-commerce and mobile commerce, personalization has been recognized as an important approach element in customer relationships and Web strategies. However, there are wide differences in how this concept is defined, characterized, and implemented in the literature. In this article we present a high-level framework for classifying approaches to personalization that delineates fundamental assumptions about personalization in the literature and relates them to strategies for developing personalization systems. The framework consists of 2 parts: (a) a set of perspectives on personalization that guide the design of personalization systems at a general level and (b) a scheme for classifying how personalization can be implemented. The personalization perspectives represent 4 distinct schools of thought on the nature of personalization distilled from the literature of several fields. These perspectives are ideal types and we discuss them in terms of the motivation they supply for personalization, the goals and ...
Cytokinetic stability of an Ehrlich ascites tumor.

An Ehrlich ascites tumor has maintained much of its cytokinetic stability through multiple passages which included a change in host.
Use of in vivo bioluminescence imaging to predict hepatic tumor burden in mice.

Abstract Background We used bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to validate serial assessment of neoplastic growth within the murine liver. We hypothesized that, in mice bearing luciferase-expressing liver metastases, bioluminescence would reflect neoplastic burden estimated by liver weight. Materials and methods Murine colon carcinoma cells were infected with a retroviral vector encoding luciferase. Bioluminescence was measured in vitro , and in vivo following intrasplenic tumor cell inoculation into Balb/C mice. At varying time intervals, mice were imaged and immediately killed to determine correlation of in vivo and ex vivo BL with liver weight. To examine sensitivity in vivo , we performed direct intrahepatic inoculation. Results In vitro , photon emission correlated with increasing cell numbers. In the metastatic model, a statistically significant increase was depicted in both liver weight and bioluminescence 20 days after tumor inoculation compared with earlier time points ( P in vivo BL and liver weight was observed. When livers with very large tumors were excluded, R 2 = 0.90. In contrast, correlation between ex vivo BL and liver weight remained high throughout the study period (R 2 = 0.94). Conclusions When imaging tumors at end-stages of disease, in vivo BL underestimates actual tumor burden. If context-specific limitations are recognized, however, BLI is a sensitive approach to temporal monitoring of tumor progression in preclinical models.
Chemotherapy of filariases.

Abstract The filarial parasites that affect humans most seriously include Onchocerca volvulus, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Loa loa . In general, these species cause disease that is debilitating long before it is fatal, producing clinical manifestations such as general malaise, pruritus and lichenification of the skin, lymphangitis, elephantiasis and blindness 1 . As a result, infection with any one of these organisms is physically, as well as economically, devastating. Currently, the pharmacological armamentarium with which to treat filarial infections is very limited and many of the drugs that are known to be efficacious against these worms may produce side effects that cause extreme discomfort. Here, Elizabeth Vande Waa describes the quest for new chemotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of filarial infections.
New technique for spectroscopic analysis of insulating single crystal fibers

Abstract A new technique for determining the optical properties of insulating single crystal fibers is presented and applied to Titanium-doped Sapphire, Spinel and YALO.
Severe cystic pulmonary disease associated with chronic Pneumocystis carinii infection in a child with AIDS.

A 3-year-old HIV-positive boy developedPneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) resulting inchronic interstitial pulmonary disease, which persisted for the following 3 years; he was essentially asymptomatic and the lung findings had therefore been attributed to lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP). He subsequently developed extensive cystic pulmonary disease, documented by CT, leading to recurrent pneumothorax and severe pulmonary insufficiency. Lung biopsy revealed chronic PCP infection associated with extensive pulmonary fibrosis and calcification. This case suggests thatPneumocystis carinii may cause chronic progressive pulmonary fibrosis with cyst formation and respiratory failure.
Essential Principles of Economics: A Hypermedia Textbook

Contrary to the view that electronic media will render the textbook obsolete, Essential Principles of Economics is an electronic textbook that uses this medium. It is a living document, it is interactive, and it is linked to a course syllabus and other sources central to the educational process. It is designed as a testbed for experiments in interactive hypertext development. Economic concepts are found by following links from the tables of contents (TOC) page. No special access codes are required. Each chapter has its own contents page. Within each chapter a sequence of expository pages will be found, intermixed to greater or lesser extent with interactive material. Online multiplechoice drill questions are found by following a link on the TOC page of each chapter. My students are required to use the drill questions as part of the course. Like any textbook, Essential Principles of Economics has some special features that are meant to make the joint enterprise of teaching and learning more successful. The overall organization and much of the discussion stem from a view of economics as a "reasonable dialog" (Walton 1989), in which controversy is productive. This dialog approach is helpful in teaching economics because controversy is inevitable when considering social issues. Essential Principles of Economics is a work in progress with some sections more developed than others. For example, exercises in the alternative version of Chapter 7 (linked at the bottom of the TOC page) eventually will be incorporated throughout the book. It is sufficiently complete for students to use the material either as a primary or supplementary textbook.
Perioperative Assessment of Elderly Surgical Patients

As the population continues to age, there will be a concomitant increase in the need for surgical intervention for a variety of disease processes for this group of patients. To date, surgical decision-making is overly subjective, and preoperative risk assessment tools are imprecise, lacking an ability to fully predict an elderly patient’s physiologic reserve to withstand the intended insult of surgery. Frailty is an emerging concept that incorporates multiple functional, cognitive, and physiologic measurements to better grasp a patient’s reserve. The preoperative measurement of frailty may offer an improved risk assessment tool to predict for adverse peri-operative outcomes, especially in the elderly population.
Defining Sexual Harassment in Workplaces: A Policy-Capturing Approach

In this study, college and university equal employment opportunity officers and university students judged 80 incidents of possible sexual harassment. They were asked if the incidents were cases of sexual harassment and if they would advise that EEOC charges be filed. The subjects were moderately consistent in their judgments and made similar decisions for both questions, weighting three aspects of the incidents most heavily: evidence of coercion, the victim's reaction, and job consequences.
Characterizing the food retail environment: Impact of count, type, and geospatial error in 2 secondary data sources

Abstract Objective Commercial listings of food retail outlets are increasingly used by community members and food policy councils and in multilevel intervention research to identify areas with limited access to healthier food. This study quantified the amount of count, type, and geospatial error in 2 commercial data sources. Methods InfoUSA and Dun and Bradstreet were compared with a validated field census and validity statistics were calculated. Results Considering only completeness, Dun and Bradstreet data undercounted 24% of existing supermarkets and grocery stores, and InfoUSA, 29%. In addition, considering accuracy of outlet type assignment increased the undercount error to 42% and 39%, respectively. Marked overcount existed as well, and only 43% of existing supermarkets were correctly identified with respect to presence, outlet type, and location. Conclusions and Implications Relying exclusively on secondary data to characterize the food environment will result in substantial error. Whereas extensive data cleaning can offset some error, verification of outlets with a field census is still the method of choice.
Social-exchange theory: cognitive restructuring in marital therapy

Problems arise in marital relationships when any of the following conditions are not met: first, that the couple have correspondence of their beliefs, or rules, as to what behaviors constitute "value messages" or "devalue messages"; second, that they depend primarily upon nonpainful channels for sending and receiving value messages; and third, that each partner's required quota of value messages from the other be of a reasonable quantity, not inflated by unrealistic fear of abandonment or devaluation. Problems in any of these areas may present in a variety of seemingly disparate fashions. Each of these problems is amenable to cognitive restructuring strategies. Different demands are placed on the therapeutic alliance and the marital alliance by the elucidation of each of these three types of problems; proper timing of interventions is therefore necessary.
Effects of L-canavanine on Manduca sexta (Sphingidae: Lepidoptera) larval hemolymph solutes

Abstract 1. K+ and Mg2+ concentrations were lower in larvae fed 2.5 mM canavanine-25 mM arginine-supplemented artificial diet (CAAM) than in larvae fed either control or 2.5 mM canavanine (CAV) diet 2. Treatment differences for Na+ concentrations were not observed. 3. Free amino acid concentrations in CAAM-fed larvae were higher and protein concentrations were lower than controls during the latter part of the feeding stage and the wandering larval stage; CAV-fed larvae exhibited intermediate concentrations. 4. No difference in osmotic pressure was observed between treatments.
Electronic Spectra and Electronic Structures of Aminoanthracenes

The electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra of the cation derived from 9-aminoanthracene (9-anthrylamine), in water, are anomalous by comparison with those of the 1- and 2-anthrylammonium ions. The similarities of the spectra of the cation of 9-anthrylamine with those of anthrone and its cation lead to the conclusion that the former cation is not the 9-anthrylammonium ion but rather its tautomer, the protonated imine analogous to anthrone. In ethanol and in the solid state, measurable quantities of both the protonated imine and 9-anthrylammonium ions exist.
Antiphospholipid antibodies in sickle cell disease

Antiphospholipid antibody formation can be induced in mice by phospholipid in a hexagonal II phase but not by phospholipid in a bilayer phase. Since sickle red cell membranes have increased hexagonal II phase content, we have measured serum antiphospholipid antibody levels in 25 patients with sickle cell disease to determine whether anti-phospholipid antibody may similarly be induced in these patients. Seventeen of the 25 patients (68%) had increased levels of antiphospholipid antibodies. Eleven patients (65%) had IgG and six each (35%) had IgM and IgA isotypes. Antiphosphatidylethanolamine, antiphosphatidylserine, antiphosphatidylinositol, and antiphosphatidic acid were the most frequently increased antibodies. The finding of increased antiphospholipid antibodies in these patients is compatible with the concept that antiphospholipid antibody formation is associated with structural changes in the red cell membrane and that such structural changes occur in the red cells of patients with sickle cell disease.
Characterization of a Mo/ZSM-5 catalyst for the conversion of methane to benzene

Abstract The dehydroaromatization of methane to benzene has been investigated over a 2 wt% Mo/ZSM-5 catalyst in the absence of an added oxidant. The reaction is characterized by an induction period, prior to the initiation of benzene production, during which Mo2C is formed and coke deposition occurs. The formation of the carbide was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Pretreatment of the catalyst in a CH4/H2gas mixture at 700°C reduces Mo6+ions in the calcined catalyst into Mo2C and almost eliminates the induction period, confirming that Mo2C is the active species in the activation of methane. Under typical CH4reaction conditions at 700°C, 60–80% of the original Mo6+ions are reduced to form Mo2C, with the remaining Mo occurring primarily as Mo4+and traces of Mo5+ions. These nonreducible Mo ions are most likely within the channels of the zeolite. XPS, ion-scattering spectroscopy, and FT-IR measurements indicate that Mo species in a Mo/ZSM-5 sample dried at 130°C are present as small (30 to 50 A) crystallites of the original ammonium heptamolybdate impregnated salt on the external surface of the zeolite. After calcination at higher temperatures (500–700°C), Mo becomes more highly dispersed, but not uniformly distributed, on the external surface of the zeolite. During preparation and/or pretreatment of the catalyst, a portion of the Mo ions diffuses into the channels of the zeolite. The amount of Mo ions within the channels depends on the temperature, time, and atmosphere of calcination. The roles of Mo2C, partially reduced Mo ions, and the origin of the induction period are discussed on the basis of kinetic results and physical/chemical characterization measurements of the catalyst.
Historic Weapon System Cost Effectiveness Comparison

This paper compares the missions and weapon system cost effectiveness of an expensive weapon system designed to very precis ely deliver very lethal warheads against very hard targets, as exemplified by Pershing II, and relatively cheap WW II Balloon weapon systems with no guidance and inexpensive warheads against random targets, using British Operation Outward and Japanese Ince ndiary Balloons from World War II as examples. Cost/Effectiveness Factors used for the Pershing II are presented. Also, descriptions of the Pershing II weapon system, British Operation Outward Balloons and the Japanese Incendiary Balloon system of Operat ion FUGO, in World War II are presented, along with some of their effects and defenses employed against them. 1. Missions The mission of the Pershing II missile weapon system was to counter the Soviet SS -20 and other Intermediate Range ballistic missil es aimed at NATO targets in Western Europe. This was to be done by putting at risk Soviet and Warsaw Pact Command Bunkers and other hardened targets in Eastern Europe and the Western Soviet Union. Pershing II was designed to minimize collateral damage. The mission of the balloons of British Operation Outward in World War II was to attack German power lines and to start forest fires. Their objective was to divert aircraft, manpower and other resources from use against the British and disrupt the German pow er grid. The mission of the Japanese Incendiary Balloons of Operation FUGO was to divert troops and other military resources from the war in the Pacific. This was to be done by starting forest fires, and other damage which would divert resources to fight ing the fires or other damage and defending against the balloons. The Japanese Incendiary Balloons, on the other hand, indiscriminately targeted anything or anyone in North America. An example of their collateral damage was the only Americans killed in t he continental US by Japanese weapons in World War II, a pregnant Sunday school teacher and five of her students on Gearhart Mountain near Bly, Oregon. Ironically, this is the same area that Muslim cleric Abu Hamza -Masri was accused of trying to set up a terrorist training camp.
Pressure-flow relationships during phonation in the canine larynx

Summary Measurements of air pressure and flow were made using an in vivo canine model of the larynx. Subglottic pressures at varying flow rates were taken during phonation induced by laryngeal nerve stimulation. Results showed that during constant vocal fold stiffness, subglottic pressure rose slightly with increased air flow. The larynx in the in vivo canine model exhibited a flow-dependent decrease in laryngeal airway resistance. Increasing flow rate was associated with an increase in frequency of phonation and open quotient, as measured glottographically. Results from this experiment were compared with a theoretical two-mass model of the larynx and other theoretical models of phonation. The influence of aerodynamic forces on glottal vibration is explained by increased lateral excursion of the vocal folds during the open interval and shortening of the closed interval during the glottal cycle.
Monoclonal autoantibodies to nuclear antigens from murine graft-versus-host disease

Systemic lupus erythematosus-like graft-versus-host (GVH) disease was induced in 10-week-old male (C57BL/10 X DBA/2) F1 mice by the intravenous injection of spleen and thymus cells (2:1) from 10-week-old male DBA/2 mice. GVH mice were bled at regular intervals 1 month after injection. Antibody to nuclear antigens (ANA) were detected by immunofluorescence using HEp-2 cells as substrate, and antibody to histones and DNA were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The titer and frequency of ANA were found to relate directly to the number of donor cells injected. In order to determine the spectrum of ANA in GVH disease, mice were reinjected with optimum cell numbers (120 X 10(6], and splenocytes from two mice with high titer ANA were fused to mouse myeloma cell line P3/X63Ag8.653. Hybridomas were analyzed for ANA by immunofluorescence and ELISA. Sixty-eight clones were found which secreted ANA. Of these, 59% produced antibody to double-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA, and/or histones and the remainder gave a variety of nuclear immunofluorescence patterns including speckled, homogeneous, nuclear matrix, and nucleolar. This study indicates that GVH disease provides an excellent source of splenocytes for the production of ANA-producing hybridomas as well as a model for the study of autoimmunity.
Steady-state kinetics of formaldehyde decomposition on Pt(110)-(1 × 2): probing precursors

Abstract We have carried out measurements of the steady-state rate of decomposition of formaldehyde on the Pt(110)-(1 × 2) surface, and we have interpreted these measurements in such a way as to permit an incisive probe of the molecular precursor to dissociation. The rate coefficient of the decomposition reaction of molecularly adsorbed formaldehyde (H2CO) was found to be 2 × 1012 exp[( −13.4 kcal mol )/kBT] s−1.
The Art of Engineering Viral Nanoparticles

Viral nanotechnology is an emerging and highly interdisciplinary field in which viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are applied in diverse areas such as electronics, energy and next-generation medical devices. VNPs have been developed as candidates for novel materials, and are often described as “programmable” because they can be modified and functionalized using a number of techniques. In this review, we discuss the concepts and methods that allow VNPs to be engineered, including (i) bioconjugation chemistries, (ii) encapsulation techniques, (iii) mineralization strategies, and (iv) film and hydrogel development. With all these techniques in hand, the potential applications of VNPs are limited only by the imagination.
Factors regulating the magnitude of long-term potentiation induced by theta pattern stimulation

Electrical stimulation patterned after the hippocampal theta rhythm produces a robust and stable long-term potentiation (LTP) effect. Pharmacological manipulations were used in the present studies in an effort to relate characteristics of the responses occurring during theta stimulation to the magnitude of potentiation which follows it. Comparisons were made using five or ten bursts of stimulation which respectively induce sub-maximal or near maximal degrees of LTP. DPCPX, a drug that increases release by blocking adenosine A1 receptors, was used to enhance the depolarization produced by individual theta bursts. This resulted in a marked increase in the amount of stable LTP induced by five theta bursts but did not affect that resulting from ten bursts. This finding suggested that depolarization occurring during a burst response influences per burst potentiation but not the ceiling on maximum LTP. Aniracetam, a nootropic drug that enhances responses via an action on glutamate (AMPA) receptors, was used to test this conclusion. Like DPCPX, aniracetam increased the size of the burst response and enhanced the degree of LTP caused by five but not ten theta bursts. Forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, was used to test the effects of blocking the hyperpolarization normally present between theta bursts on the induction of LTP. The drug augmented the degree of LTP resulting from five theta bursts and, in contrast to DPCPX and aniracetam, nearly doubled that obtained with ten bursts. Thus the drug affected both per burst potentiation and the ceiling on LTP. These results are discussed in terms of an hypothesis in which the magnitude of NMDA receptor mediated currents affects the degree of potentiation produced by individual theta bursts while the duration of the currents is related to the limit on the maximum LTP induced by a series of bursts. The possible implications of the findings for learning are also considered.
Free convection about a vertical frustum of a cone in a micropolar fluid

Abstract The paper studies the problem of free convection about a vertical frustum of a cone in a micropolar fluid. It is assumed that the flow is steady, and the surface temperature of the frustum of the cone is constant. Another assumption is that the angles of the frustum of the cone are large enough so that the transverse curvature effects are negligible. Under these assumptions, the governing boundary layer equations subjected to appropriate boundary conditions are first written in a non-dimensional form. These equations are then transformed into a set of non-similar partial differential equations of parabolic type, which is amenable to a direct numerical solution, using a very efficient method known as Keller-box method. Numerical solutions are obtained for a range values of the micropolar parameter Δ varying between Δ = 0 (Newtonian fluid) to Δ = 2 and Prandtl number Pr is varied from 0.1 to 10. Flow and heat transfer characteristics are determined and are given in tables and also shown on graphs. The obtained results are also compared with those known from the open literature and it is found that they are in excellent agreement.
Memory effects in supramolecular networks of diacids and polyfunctional pyridine derivatives

Highly crosslinked networks were produced through a series of diacids and tetrakis pyridyls. These materials displayed complex crystallization behaviors over multiple heat/cool cycles. The shifting of crystallization behaviors with time in the melt phase seems to indicate that the materials move toward thermodynamically ideal structures. This behavior is suggestive of a type of memory in which the networks remember the morphological structure previous to the melt and improve upon that structure in the next cooling cycle. The network/memory phenomena observed in small molecule diacid/tetrapyridyl systems also appeared to exist when poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) polymer was used as the source of carboxylic acid functionalities. The same time- dependent behaviors, suggestive of sequential steps toward thermodynamically optimum states, were observed when the PET/tetrapyridyl systems were thermally cycled. It was also observed that complexation of tetrapyridyl with PET brought about a significant change in oxygen gas barrier properties; these changes were opposite to those obtained when covalent crosslinks were introduced into PET. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 3097–3106, 2004
Exchange Transfusion Before Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Sickle Cell Disease

Cardiac operations in patients with sickle cell disease present the surgical team with many challenges. We describe a method of complete intraoperative exchange transfusion in the operating room that reduces the hemoglobin S (Hb S) level to less than 5%, without preoperative exchange transfusions. Plasma and platelet fractions separated intraoperatively from the patient's native red cell mass were used, in addition to hemoconcentration while on cardiopulmonary bypass, to effectively reduce the red cell and clotting factor transfusion requirements after the procedure. The technique is useful in reducing transfusion requirements, avoiding cardiovascular stress associated with exchange transfusion before the operation, and can be used in urgent situations.
F-wave versus P-wave superconductivity in organic conductors

Current experimental results suggest that some organic quasi-one-dimensional superconductors exhibit triplet pairing symmetry. Thus, we discuss several potential triplet order parameters for the superconducting state of these systems within the functional integral formulation. We compare weak spin-orbit coupling ${f}_{\mathrm{xyz}},$ ${p}_{x},$ ${p}_{y},$ and ${p}_{z}$ symmetries via several thermodynamic quantities. For each symmetry, we analyze the temperature dependences of the order parameter, condensation energy, specific heat, and superfluid density tensor.
Reduced equations for nonholonomic mechanical systems with dissipative forces

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of computing reduced equations for mechanical systems with nonholonomic constraints, Lie group symmetries, and dissipative forces. Results are presented for two important cases: the unconstrained case, for both body and spatial representations, and the constrained (mixed kinematic and dynamic) case. For unconstrained systems, we show that the structure of the reduced Lagrangian almost transparently reveals two useful components in the reduction process, namely the local forms of the locked inertia tensor and the mechanical connection. For the case when nonholonomic constraints are present, we develop an extension to the nonholonomic momentum equation of Bloch, Krishnaprasad, Marsden, and Murray [5] that includes general forcing functions. We then provide an alternate proof to give additional intuitive insight into the origin and structure of these equations. Finally, we present a method for modeling (invariant) damping forces using a Rayleigh dissipation function. These techniques are illustrated with examples from robotics, including the snakeboard example.
Menstrual cycle bleeding patterns in cigarette smokers

It is known that women who smoke cigarettes and use oral contraceptives are more likely to have breakthrough bleeding than women who do not smoke. In this article, we review possible mechanisms by which cigarette smoke and its constituents may contribute to irregular bleeding, highlight differences in the activities of nicotine and cigarette smoke, and postulate further studies in the area.
Synthesis of a novel hexahydrofuro[3,4-b]furan derivative

Abstract A facile, one-pot synthesis of an alkylated tetrahydrofuranone intermediate is applied to the synthesis of a novel hexahydrofuro[3,4-b]furan derivative.
Management of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumors globally, with varying prevalence based on endemic risk factors. In high-risk populations, including those with hepatitis B or C or with cirrhosis, serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) and screening ultrasound have improved detection of resectable HCC. Treatment options, including surgical resection, for patients with HCC must be selected based on the number and size of hepatic tumors, underlying hepatic function, patient condition, and available resources. An approach, which has been summarized shows the corresponding treatment choices under given clinical circumstances. For cirrhotic patients with less than three tumor nodules of a size less than 3 cm or a solitary HCC less than 5 cm, liver transplantation offers long-term survival similar to that observed in patients transplanted for nonmalignant disease. Ablative treatment using either chemical or thermal techniques provides locally effective tumor destruction. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is commonly used for palliation of unresectable tumors as well as an adjunct to surgical resection, treatment of tumors before transplant, and in conjunction with other ablative therapies in a multimodality approach. Regional approaches to chemotherapy have produced more encouraging results than systemic chemotherapy, although both remain ineffective for long-term tumor control. Several newer treatment modalities are under investigation, including gene therapy, tagged antibodies, isolated perfusion, and novel radiotherapy techniques.