cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activities of TMC207, Rifampin, and Pyrazinamide against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Guinea Pigs

The experimental compound TMC207 is showing promise against infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis both in a variety of animal studies and in the field. In this study, we used the guinea pig model, a species that shows several similarities to human tuberculosis, including the hallmark of primary granuloma necrosis, to determine the efficacy of a combination regimen combining TMC207 with rifampin and pyrazinamide. This drug regimen rapidly reduced the bacterial load in the lungs to undetectable levels by 8 weeks of treatment. This reduction was associated with a substantial improvement in lung pathology, but despite this effect areas of residual necrosis still remained. In the draining lymph nodes, however, tissue damage was rapid and not significantly reversed by the drug treatment. Approximately 10 to 11 months after the treatment had ended, the animals began to trigger a Karnovsky scale indicating bacterial regrowth and potential relapse, an event confirmed by the new development of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary granulomatous lesions. Interestingly, a similar rate of relapse was also seen in animals receiving 24 weeks of rifampin, pyrazinamide, and isoniazid standard chemotherapy. These data indicate that TMC207 could be a useful addition to current treatment regimens for tuberculosis.
Re-analysis of the methylalkanes of the grasshoppers, Melanoplus differentialis, M. packardi and M. sanguinipes

Abstract Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the structures of the methyl branched alkanes of the grasshoppers Melanoplus differentialis (Thomas), M. packardii (Scudder) and M. sanguinipes (Fabricius). The branched hydrocarbons were composed of 2- and 3-methylalkanes and internally branched mono- and di-methylalkanes. The major dimethylalkanes were a homologous series from C33 to C55 and had nine methylenes between the branch points rather than three as reported by Soliday et al. (1974) for M. packardii and M. sanguinipes. Unexpectedly, the homologous series with nine methylenes between branch points did not extend to the C31 dimethylalkanes. The C31 dimethylalkanes were identified as 9,21-dimethylhentriacontane (11 methylenes between the branch points) in M. packardii and M. Sanguinipes and 11,19-dimethylhentriacontane (seven methylenes between the branch points) in M. differentialis.
Bis(trimethylsilyl)amino-halogenoborane und ihre cyclischen Kondensationsprodukte

Bis-[bis(trimethylsilyl)amino]-fluorboran (I), Bis-(trimethylsilyl)-amino-dichlorboran (II) und Bis-[bis(trimethylsilyl)-amino]-chlor-boran (III) werden durch Umsetzung von BCl3 und BF3 mit NaN(Sime3)2 in Ather dargestellt. Alle Verbindungen lassen sich thermisch unter Abspaltung von Trimethylhalogenosilanen kondensieren. Wahrend II zu B-Trichloro-N-tris(trimethylsilyl)-borazol kondensiert, ergeben I und III uberraschend ein viergliedriges B−N-Ringsystem.
Proposed method for fabricating 50-nm-period gratings by achromatic holographic lithography.

A method for producing large-area, 50-nm-period gratings by using a grating-type interferometer and undulator radiation at 14 nm is described.
Quick piping: a fast, high-level model for describing processor pipelines

Responding to marketplace needs, today's embedded processors must feature a flexible core that allows easy modification with fast time to market. In this environment, embedded processors are increasingly reliant on flexible support tools. This paper presents one such tool, called Quick Piping, a new, high-level formalism for modeling processor pipelines. Quick Piping consists of three primary components that together provide an easy-to-build, reusable processor description: Pipeline graphs-a new high-level formalism for modeling processor pipelines,pipe--a companion domain-specific language for specifying a pipeline graph, pipe miner--a compiler specification generator for pipe descriptions. pipe miner processes a pipe description and produces a compiler specification that is used to build a compiler that reads the corresponding machine's instruction set and automatically generates resource vectors.Despite their ubiquity and importance in achieving high performance in modern processors, pipelines--and improving the mechanisms for specifying their operation--have received little attention. Until now, handwritten resource vectors have served to specify information about a processor's pipeline and encode relevant information about each instruction's resource usage. Describing the complete set of resource vectors for a machine can be quite tedious and error prone, since it commonly must be developed by hand on an instruction-by-instruction basis.With its use of pipeline graphs, the pipe language, and the pipe miner compiler specification generator, Quick Piping gives the embedded processor architect and compiler writer an intuitive high-level abstraction of pipelines, a language for specifying a pipeline, and a tool for automatically producing pipeline resource vectors. The resulting specifications are quick to develop, easy to understand, simple to modify and maintain, and can be automatically processed to produce the low-level information required by processor control units and instruction schedulers.
Time development of AlGaAs single-quantum-well laser facet temperature on route to catastrophical breakdown

The facet temperature and output power of uncoated AlGaAs single quantum well lasers operated at constant current were measured as a function of time until catastrophical breakdown. During operation, the laser facet temperature increases with time and the temperature rise consists of two regimes; an initial linear temperature rise accompanied by a gradual power degradation followed by a rapid nonlinear temperature rise at what appears to be a critical temperature leading to catastrophical optical damage (COD). The pre-COD facet temperature rise rate as well as the time to COD are found to have a strong dependence on the diode's bias current. This facet temperature behavior plus the data obtained from an argon laser probe beam induced heating experiment provide valuable information regarding the mechanisms leading to COD.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Studies in the Pathology of Blood Vessels in Man. IV. Volume Changes in Human Finger-Tip Following Sudden Venous Obstruction.

SummarySecondary spontaneous diminution of volume of the finger-tip following sudden partial obstruction of the venous flow from the part is reported. The reaction seems to be due to active constriction of veins, venules and capillaries which may be initiated by increased tension within these vessels.
Yttrium and Rare Earth Vanadates

THE diffraction pattern for yttrium vanadate, YVO4, has been reported by Broch1 and appears in the A.S.T.M. Index to the X-ray Powder Data File (4–0457). The patterns for the rare earth vanadates do not appear in the A.S.T.M. Index and apparently have not been previously reported in the literature. In this work, the vanadates of the rare earths from praseodymium to erbium, excepting promethium, have been successfully prepared by heating equimolar powder mixtures of the rare earth oxides, 99.9 per cent, and vanadium pentoxide, C.P., at 950° C. These compounds all have the same tetragonal structure as yttrium vanadate. The reaction product of lanthanum oxide and vanadium pentoxide does not have this structure and has not been identified.
Identifying Factors Underlying the Quality of Online Teaching Effectiveness: An Exploratory Study

TRADITIONALLY CAMPUS-BASED COURSES rely on student evaluations to provide instructors with feedback about their teaching effectiveness. However, current student evaluations of teaching instruments do not adequately assess many of the essential constructivist-based teaching practices recommended for quality online learning experiences. One of the best known summaries of research-based instructional practices is the widely disseminatedSeven Principles of Effective Teaching authored by Chickering and Gamson (1987). The majority of learner-centered instructional practices which comprise the Seven Principles framework are clearly focused on constructivist-based teaching practices. This study was an initial effort toward the development of a student evaluation of online teaching instrument based on the Seven Principles framework. Four hundred and eighty-nine students enrolled in WebCT courses at Montana State University completed the 26 item instrument. TheStudent Evaluation of Online Teaching Effectiveness (SEOTE) was found to be highly reliable and yielded four interpretable factors. The four factors were interpreted as Student-Faculty Interaction, Active Learning, Time on Task, and Cooperation Among Students.
Cross-cultural validation of the stages of the tobacco acquisition questionnaire and the decisional balance scale†

The first phase in a study of smoking behaviors of 11- to 14-year-old Taiwanese children was designed to ensure the reliability and validity of newly translated instruments. The stages of the tobacco acquisition questionnaire (STAQ) and the decisional balance scale (DBS) were translated into Chinese, then back-translated into English. The DBS was adapted based on input from a focus group with young adolescents, reviewed by a panel of experts and laypersons, and pilot-tested. The next step consisted of administering the instruments to 401 children (ages 11–14 years) for psychometric testing. Factor analysis yielded three components for the STAQ accounting for 57.8% of the total variance, with alphas of the subscales ranging from .85 to .92. The DBS had two components accounting for 59.3% of the total variance, with alphas of .87 and .90 for the subscales. Accuracy of the translated instruments was supported by the psychometric test results. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 26: 233–243, 2003
The Effects of Restaurant Menu Item Descriptions on Perceptions of Quality, Price, and Purchase Intention

ABSTRACT The restaurant menu sits at the core of a restaurant's strategy. A variety of suggestions have been made as to how restaurants should “manage” their menus: Some are derived empirically; others are driven intuitively without supporting evidence. This research note examines how menu description complexity can increase perceptions of item quality, expected price, and selection likelihood. It is recommended that restaurateurs would benefit significantly by carefully crafting menu descriptions that emphasize food preparation.
Factors effective in reducing rat mortality due to acute liver failure as induced by D-galactosamine poisoning.

Abstract Mortality from d -galactosamine hydrochloride ( d -GalN)-induced acute liver failure (ALF) in rats can be reduced by (1) transplanting intact hepatocytes; (2) injecting cytosol from fractionated hepatocytes dispersed from a liver subjected to 70% hepatectomy 24 hr earlier (CYT-H); (3) injecting a cell-free supernate derived from cultured hepatocytes (SUP); or (4) injecting neuraminidase-treated plasma where the plasma is drawn 24 hr after donor rats are subjected to 70% hepatectomy (PHP-neu). These treatments are effective when administered 20–24 hr after d -GalN poisoning, but experiments to determine the alterations in mortality rates as a function of time of treatment in relation to poisoning have not been performed. Two experiments are reported here. In the first the survival of lethally poisoned rats was compared after intravenously injecting either SUP prepared from cultured hepatocytes of syngeneic adult or fetal rat sources, or CYT-H from syngeneic adult rats 20 hr after poisoning. Untreated rats, rats treated with culture media alone, or rats treated with CYT from a nonregenerating source had an 88–100% mortality, with all deaths occurring within 72 hr following poisoning. Improved survival followed all other treatments: 55% of the rats receiving adult SUP, 70% of the rats receiving fetal SUP, and 80% of the rats receiving CYT-H survived. In the second experiment the survival of poisoned rats was compared after injecting them with PHP—neu, PHP not treated with neuraminidase (PHP without neu), and neuraminidase-treated plasma from sham-operated rats (SP-neu) or normal, nonoperated rats (NP—neu) 20 hr after poisoning. d -GalN rats not receiving any subsequent injection, d -GalN rats receiving PHP without neu, NP—neu, or SP—neu, all experienced a 63–88% mortality within 72 hr. Improved survival occurred in rats receiving PHP—neu, and the mortality was only 43%. Treatment of PHP—neu with proteolytic enzymes partially abrogated the effect, and the mortality rate was 67% in this group. These studies indicate that the d -GalN-poisoned liver can recover sufficiently to sustain life when either (1) hepatectomy-stimulated humoral or intrahepatocellular substances or (2) liver cell-culture-stimulated supernate is injected. Whether the factors active in the various preparations are the same or different is uncertain, and studies to isolate, purify, characterize, and compare the active compounds, in each preparation, are needed. Such studies may also be a prelude to development of a clinically useful treatment for ALF.
Perceived danger and perceived self-efficacy as cognitive determinants of acrophobic behavior.

The present research tested whether phobics' perceptions of self-efficacy or their perceptions of danger would more accurately predict their degree of phobic disability. Fifteen height phobics rated their self-efficacy, perceived danger, and anxiety arousal in conjunction with behavioral tests administered before and after treatment. Perceived danger was rated at three different sites in relation to the behavioral test setting. The results showed that perceived self-efficacy accurately predicted phobic behavior at both pretest and posttest, whereas perceived danger and anxiety arousal were comparatively weaker predictors of avoidance behavior. The modest relationship between perceived danger and phobic disability appears to derive from some phobics' awareness of the irrationality of their fears. The findings suggest that treatments might be more effectively directed toward raising clients' perceptions of self-efficacy than toward disconfirming their beliefs in danger.
The use of programmed speech communication textbooks as a means of meeting the needs of heterogeneous students in large class sections

This article suggests that the use of programmed material precisely selected to meet the pre‐determined needs of students can be an effective and efficient pedagogical choice when integrated with other methods of instruction. Nine programmed textbooks are reviewed in order to describe the focus and possible uses of each.
A network for long-term ecological research in the United States

SUMMARY. 1. A network of seventeen long-term ecological research sites funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and spanning sites in arctic to tropical climates, low to high altitudes and wet to dry environments, provides evidence for the increasing popularity of sustained ecological research in the U.S.A. 2. The sites function as regional or national facilities for long-term research as well as for comparative and process studies by investigators from the operating institutions and by visiting researchers. 3. The aquatic habitats include a variety of lakes ponds, wetlands and a playa; montane, woodland, tundra and prairie streams; as well as salt marsh, estuary, ocean beach and inshore oceanic sites.
Studies of the interface between indium and beta/beta″ alumina tubes

Abstract The anodic degradation of a beta/beta″ alumina electrolyte in contact with liquid indium was studied by voltammetric techniques at 35°C. The electrolyte tubes were found to crack when the anodic current reaches about 4 mA cm −2 , referred to the apparent surface area. Simultaneously, a passivation occurred which is attributed to film formation on indium in contact with the molten nitrate through the cracks. Transmission electron micrographs taken before and after the anodic cycle yielded information on how the degradation may proceed. At the cathodic side of the electroactive domain of the solid electrolyte, the process of sodium dissolution in the indium at lower voltages and the formation of indium-sodium compounds at larger voltages can be distinguished.
Harriet Martineau, Charles Dickens, and the Rise of the Victorian Woman of Letters

This essay revisits a public dispute between Harriet Martineau and Charles Dickens during the winter of 1855–56. It argues both that the nature of their quarrel has been largely misunderstood and also that its wider implications for understanding nineteenth-century intellectual and literary culture have been overlooked. The essay thus reexamines the dispute, its origins, and its aftermath, and places the event within the context of recent critical readings of Utilitarianism, the experience of industrial society, and the emergence of the professional woman writer. In so doing, it shows that a deeper exploration of the relationship between Martineau and Dickens adds considerably not only to our knowledge of the two authors themselves but also to our understanding of the ways in which nineteenth-century intellectual history interacts with the gender politics of Victorian literary culture and publishing.
Quality factor in trench-refilled polysilicon beam resonators

In this paper, thermoelastic damping (TED) in trench-refilled (TR) polysilicon microelectromechanical beam resonators is studied as a mechanism for limiting quality factor (Q) at low frequencies. An approximate model based on Zener's theory is developed and verified by numerical simulations in FEMLAB. According to the proposed model a double-dip characteristic is expected for the quality factor versus frequency curve of TR beam resonators. To verify the model experimentally, equal-width TR micro-resonators are fabricated in different length to cover a broad range of frequencies. Frequency response of these devices agrees well with our model. By using the theoretical and numerical models developed in this paper, an upper bound for the quality factor in TR beam resonators or any similar structure such as TR polysilicon gyros can be predicted.
Packet Switching in Radio Channels: New Conflict-Free Multiple Access Schemes

We study new access schemes for a population of geographically distributed data users who communicate with each other and/or with a central station over a multiple-access broadcast ground radio packet-switching channel. We introduce and analyze alternating priorities (AP), round robin (RR), and random order (RO) as new conflict-free methods for multiplexing buffered users without control from a central station. These methods are effective when the number of users is not too large; as the number grows, a large overhead leads to a performance degradation. To reduce this degradation, we consider a natural extension of AP, called minislotted alternating priorities (MSAP) which reduces the overhead and is superior to fixed assignment, polling, and known random access schemes under heavy traffic conditions. At light input loads, only random access schemes outperform MSAP when we have a large population of users. In addition, and of major importance, is the fact that MSAP does not require control from a central station.
Bacterial diversity of a Carolina bay as determined by 16S rRNA gene analysis: confirmation of novel taxa.

Carolina bays are naturally occurring shallow elliptical depressions largely fed by rain and shallow ground water. To identify members of the domain Bacteria which inhibit such an environment, we used PCR to construct a library of 16S rRNA genes (16S rDNAs) cloned from DNA extracted from the sediments of Rainbow bay, located on the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, S.C. Oligonucleotides complementary to conserved regions of 16S rDNA were used as primers for PCR, and gel-purified PCR products were cloned into vector pGEM-T. Partial sequencing of the cloned 16S rDNAs revealed an extensive amount of phylogenetic diversity within this system. Of the 35 clones sequenced, 32 were affiliated with five bacterial groups: 11 clustered with the Proteobacteria division (including members of the alpha, beta, and delta subdivisions), 8 clustered with the Acidobacterium subdivision of the Fibrobacter division (as categorized by the Ribosomal Database Project's taxonomic scheme, version 5.0), 7 clustered with the Verrucomicrobium subdivision of the Planctomyces division, 3 clustered with the gram-positive bacteria (Clostridium and relatives subdivision), and 3 clustered with the green nonsulfur bacteria. One sequence branched very deeply from the Bacteria and was found not to be associated with any of the major divisions when phylogenetic trees were constructed. Two clones did not consistently cluster with specific groups and may be chimeric sequences. None of the clones exhibited an exact match to any of the 16S rDNA sequences deposited in the databases, suggesting that most of the bacteria in Rainbow Bay are novel species. In particular, the clones related to the Acidobacterium subdivision and the Verrucomicrobium subdivision confirm the presence of novel taxa discovered previously in other molecular surveys of this type.
Cloud albedo control by cloud‐top entrainment

Marine stratus and stratocumulus clouds exert a considerable influence on the Earth's heat budget, mainly due to their high albedos relative to the ocean surface. It is therefore important to understand the processes that control the radiative properties of these extensive cloud systems, particularly during daylight hours. Aircraft measurements of a stratocumulus cloud deck taken around local noon during the 1987 field phase of the First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project Regional Experiment are the topic of this paper. A mixing line analysis of data from a series of flight tracks across a strong gradient in cloud albedo provides evidence that variations in the water vapour content of the air above the marine inversion can be responsible for the albedo change. The implications of this unexpected result for climate modelling are discussed. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1991.00004.x
Bayesian Estimation of the Normal Mean from Censored Samples

The normal distribution is often used a s a model for reliability, and censored samples naturally arise in software reliability applications. Bayesian estimation methods have an advantage over the frequentist approach as they provide the user a framework for incorporating important factors such as software complexity, operating system, level and quality of verification and validation in the software reliability estimation process. Our goal in this paper is to compute the Bayes estimate of the mean of a normal population when the data set is censored . The proposed method is illustrated via several examples.
Detection in fixed and random noise in foveal and parafoveal vision explained by template learning

Foveal and parafoveal contrast detection thresholds for Gabor and checkerboard targets were measured in white noise by means of a two-interval forced-choice paradigm. Two white-noise conditions were used: fixed and twin. In the fixed noise condition a single noise sample was presented in both intervals of all the trials. In the twin noise condition the same noise sample was used in the two intervals of a trial, but a new sample was generated for each trial. Fixed noise conditions usually resulted in lower thresholds than twin noise. Template learning models are presented that attribute this advantage of fixed over twin noise either to fixed memory templates' reducing uncertainty by incorporation of the noise or to the introduction, by the learning process itself, of more variability in the twin noise condition. Quantitative predictions of the template learning process show that it contributes to the accelerating nonlinear increase in performance with signal amplitude at low signal-to-noise ratios.
Awareness during general anesthesia in children

Awareness that occurs under general anesthesia is an infrequent event that may have serious, long-term sequelae. Associated recall of intra-operative events may cause adverse psychologic consequences, including signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Awareness under anesthesia may be especially difficult to diagnose in children, and its incidence in this population is likely to be under-appreciated. This review will include predisposing factors, methods of diagnosis, and principles of prevention of awareness in children undergoing general anesthesia.
Combined bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, and thoracotomy for lung cancer: who benefits?

Abstract Objectives Surgical staging and resection of lung cancer may be done as 1 operation (combined) or 2 (staged). This study evaluates the safety and efficiency of these treatment strategies. Methods From 1998 to July 2001, 343 patients underwent bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, and thoracotomy without induction chemoradiotherapy by 3 surgeons. Fifty-seven patients were staged and 286 combined. Staged patients had higher clinical stage ( P Results Mortality and morbidity were similar for both strategies. Efficiency, measured by shorter operative time (1.2 hours) and lower cost (25%), was better for combined strategy ( P P Conclusions The combined strategy provides efficient, safe health care for clinically operable lung cancer patients, but it may not be as financially rewarding as the staged strategy. Treatment strategy is only 1 of many determinants of efficiency.
Spine configuration associated with various sleep surfaces

The effects of various types of sleepware on the changes in spinal shape were investigated. Since any departure in the shape of the spine from its natural erect position causes tension in the lower back muscles, the study concentrated on changes in the spinal shape associated with subjects in a supine position on the sleepware. Since the subjects' spines were not visually exposed, indirect measurements were made by means of a sonic echoing device. The shape of the spine was determined for each subject by combining the data taken from the erect position and the data from the supine position. Results for a selected group of subjects are presented and discussed. >
Enterprise Technological Capability: A Research on Structure Coupling Model

Enterprise technological capability continuously improved is decisive importance for obtaining continued advantage in the market competition. Based on the analysis of the structure and coupling relationship of enterprise technological capability, this article reveals inherent coupling mechanism of enterprise technological capability, constructs coupling degree model of enterprise technological capability. The research results show that enterprise technological capability improved, not only requires improving technological acquisition capability, digestion capability and innovation capability of the enterprise, but also it is more important that strengthens coupling synergism degree among them, appropriately adjusts their contribution rate in the evolutionary process of technological capability in order to achieve optimum coupling.
Atomistic Simulations of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (DWCNTs) as Rotational Bearings

Atomistic simulations of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) as rotational bearings were performed. Molecular mechanics (MM) calculations show that the interlayer energy surface of the bearings is nearly flat. Thermal effects on the bearings were studied with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at finite temperature. These simulations show that the interlayer corrugation against rotation, and hence the interlayer friction coefficient, is extremely small, suggesting the possible application of DWCNTs as wearless bearings. Extreme operational conditions of the bearings for which the bearings disintegrate are also reported.
Self-timed design with dynamic domino circuits

We introduce a simple hierarchical design technique for building high-performance self-timed components using dynamic domino-style circuits. This technique is useful for building handshaking style functional blocks and for self-timed data path components. We wrap the dynamic domino circuit in a wrapper that communicates using a request/acknowledge protocol and mediates the pre-charge/evaluate cycle of the dynamic logic. We apply standard bundled delay matching for completion detection but add an early completion feature that can signal completion if function validity can be determined from the output value. The circuit overhead required for this early-acknowledge feature is relatively small, but can provide measurable speedup in some situations. We call this approach semi-bundled delay (SBD).
Liminality and the Triple Dream: Streetcar and PostWar Suburbs

The built landscapes that developed across American time and place are among the most significant resources of social history. Dell Upton has referred to architecture as an art of this sort of social storytelling. With Upton in mind, suburbs become a particular landscape of interest because of their place between the city and country, the rich and the poor. As liminal vernacular landscapes, both streetcar and post­war ‘sitcom’ suburban developments represent the built manifestations of the desire for home­ownership and social well­being by the working and middle class of America
Development of an Ideal Observer that Incorporates Nuisance Parameters and Processes List-Mode Data

Observer models were developed to process data in list-mode format in order to perform binary discrimination tasks for use in an arms-control-treaty context. Data used in this study was generated using GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations for photons using custom models of plutonium inspection objects and a radiation imaging system. Observer model performance was evaluated and presented using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The ideal observer was studied under both signal-known-exactly conditions and in the presence of unknowns such as object orientation and absolute count-rate variability; when these additional sources of randomness were present, their incorporation into the observer yielded superior performance.
Mechanism or Bust? Explanation in Psychology

ABSTRACTProponents of mechanistic explanation have recently suggested that all explanation in the cognitive sciences is mechanistic, even functional explanation. This last claim is surprising, for ...
Report of the Raw Rubber Specifications Committee

Abstract AS INTIMATED in a previous report of the Committee presented at the St. Louis meeting in April, 1928, a temporary procedure was adopted in order to ascertain whether or not the five laboratories represented on the Committee could obtain reasonably comparable stress-strain relationships using the same batch of rubber. A complete report is appended in which the procedure is outlined and the results of each laboratory are given in considerable detail. After careful deliberations the Committee has concluded that the testing of raw rubber is not in a very satisfactory state. It therefore makes the following recommendations: (1) The testing of raw rubber should be made the subject of thorough investigations. (2) The work should be undertaken by a Physical Testing Committee, preferably under the jurisdiction of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society.
Improving The Quality Of Medicaid Personal Assistance Through Consumer Direction

As states seek to improve home and community-based services for people with disabilities, many are incorporating consumer-directed supportive services into their Medicaid programs. The national Cash and Counseling Demonstration uses a randomized design to compare an innovative model of consumer direction with the traditional agency-directed approach. This paper presents findings from the first demonstration program to be implemented, in Arkansas. Our survey of 1,739 elderly and nonelderly adults showed that relative to agency-directed services, Cash and Counseling greatly improved satisfaction and reduced most unmet needs. Moreover, contrary to some concerns, it did not adversely affect participants' health and safety.
Soliciting Advice: Active versus Passive Principals

An uninformed principal elicits recommendations from privately informed agents regarding the quality of their projects, and may then further investigate the proposals. Although valuable by itself, the principal’s ability to acquire further information generally crowds out soft information, and may even worsen organizational performance. Further, the impact of further investigations on the precision of soft information is non-monotone. Activist principals are preferred over passive principals if they are always sufficiently involved. Principals that engage in selective involvement are most harmful to the organization (JEL C72, D82, D83).
Restart Method for Induction Motor Drive System without Speed Sensor

This paper proposes a restart method for an induction motor drive system without speed sensor after power supply interruption, when the motor shaft is rotaring under the action of disturbance torque. This method is based on the characteristic of the induction motor impedance, which is resonant for a frequency corresponding to the angular rotor speed. Positive feedback is used in the proposed method, in order to excite the natural frequency of the system and the speed information is extracted from the resonant stator cuurent. Since high speed ACR are not required, this method can be implemented using a low cost processor.The validity of the proposed method is verified by simulation and experiments, using a standard 5.5kW induction motor.
ID: 36: PEGASPARGASE INDUCED SEVERE PANCREATITIS. FRIEND OR FOE?

Introduction Pegaspargase (Oncaspar) is a modified version of L-asparaginase conjugated with polyethylene glycol. In leukemic cells, asparaginase hydrolyzes L- asparagine to ammonia and L-aspartic acid leading to depletion of asparagine. Despite its potential benefits there are a wide range of side effects. One rare but potentially deadly complication is severe pancreatitis. Case The patient was a 24 year old Mexican male with a history of Acute T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on recent chemotherapy including pegaspargase, admitted for abdominal pain, found to have acute pancreatitis secondary to hypertriglyceridemia. Heart rate was 127 bpm, chest revealed decreased air entry in right lung bases, and a distended severely tender abdomen. Laboratory tests were remarkable for elevated liver enzymes ALP 360 U/L, AST 310 U/L, GGT 216 U/L, ALT 44 U/L, LDH 829 U/L, elevated lipase 228 U/L, and hypertriglyceridemia >3,000 mg/dL. Abdominal CT showed pancreatitis with necrosis; peripancreatic, intraperitoneal and extensive retroperitoneal fluid. Subsequently his severe pancreatitis was associated with acute kidney injury and respiratory failure which is illustrated by his (BUN 22 Creatinine 2.16, and persistent hypoxia.) According to the Atlanta Classification, patient is classified under severe acute pancreatitis. Discussion Pegaspargase is used for treatment of ALL and is gaining in popularity over Asparaginase therapy due to it having fewer incidences of hypersensitivity reactions and because of its long half life (367 hrs) allowing dosing every 14 days as opposed to Asparaginase which is dosed daily. Pegaspargase definitely has its benefits but we can9t lose sight of one of its rare, but potentially deadly complications, pancreatitis. In one study nine of the 50 patients (18%) with ALL treated with pegaspargase were diagnosed to have pancreatitis. In contrast, only one out of 52 (1.9%) ALL patients who received native E. coli L-asparaginase during the same time period developed pancreatitis. One proposed mechanism of this drug-induced pancreatitis is hypertriglyceridemia, which is seen in our case. It is suggested that apolipoprotein E polymorphism may influence the development of hyperlipidemia in ALL patients receiving pegaspargase therapy. We report a case to increase the awareness of higher incidence of pegaspargase-induced pancreatitis, which is a rare but potentially deadly complication. Clinicians should monitor triglycerides while on treatment and suspect pancreatitis if patient develops abdominal pain. If pancreatitis occurs, therapy should be stopped and not reinstituted. For patients with hypertriglyceridemia without pancreatitis discontinuation of therapy should be considered.
Application of Rotating Rod Dynamics Analysis in the Design of Rod String Centralizer

Dynamics analysis problem of rotating slender rod has an important application in petroleum drilling and production engineering.In oil extraction process of surface driving cavity pump,economic loss is serious caused by well deviation and lopsided wear failure of rotating rod at a high speed.Setting centralizer appropriately in rod string is the key to solve this problem.The dynamics model and analytic method of rotating rod string is presented,with the consideration of the dynamic gap element and space beam element.According to impact contact state between rotating rod and tube,the method of designing the mount position of!centralizer is putted forward by the impact probability and even impact reaction between rod string and tube.Applied to the well,it has been shown that it receives a good effect to avoid deflection abrasion between rod、pipe and extend pump-inspection period and economize economy cost of oil extraction.
The V-A Characteristics Under Steep-Front Waves of Metal Oxide Surge Arrester Model

Several electrical models of Metal Oxide Surge Arrester(MOA) concerning the dynamic characteristics of MOA are proposed based on experiment results and analysis when the rise time of the current wave ranged from 0.5 to 45 μs. This paper presents four electrical models of MOA under steep front waves, namely the present nonlinear resister model, the IEEE model, the PINCETI model and the nonlinear inductance model, in order to find a computation model for MOA under steep front waves.Subsequently, parameter definition method and merits and demerits are discussed. Compared the simulation results and the experimental data, both the present nonlinear resister model and the IEEE model presents high accuracy under standard lighting current waves. According to the simulation results,the residual voltage of the MOA will be higher with the reduction of the front time for both the present nonlinear resister model concerning inductance and the IEEE model. Meanwhile, the steep front effect of the model is shown only in large current areas when the front waves time is larger than 1us, in addition,the steep front effect becomes sharper with an increase of the current when the front waves time is less than 1μs, with the characteristic curve showing a bugle figure.
Risk Aversion and the Elasticity of Marginal Utility with Respect to Consumption

Hypothetical questions were used with 252 students at two universities to elicit values of relative risk aversion and of the elasticity of marginal utility with respect to consumption. Conceptually, the magnitude of these two utility function parameters are plausibly similar, but there was not a significant correlation in the expected direction. Females had significantly higher risk aversion than males, but there was no difference in the elasticity. Implications for financial decisions are discussed.
The Radiation Damage Event

The radiation damage event is defined as the transfer of energy from an incident projectile to the solid and the resulting distribution of target atoms after completion of the event. The radiation damage event is actually composed of several distinct processes.
A Depiction of Workplace Ethical Dilemmas Faced by Graduate Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of graduate students when confronted with workplace ethical dilemmas in light of the ethics education received through the curriculums of a Lasallian University. The architecture for the research was based on a descriptive strategy that employed a mixed methods approach which utilized a population base of graduate level students from the Schools of Business and Technology, Education, and Health and Human Services. The data was gathered quantitatively through survey methods and qualitatively through four focus groups that also utilized an attribute-descriptor attitude mapping measurement protocol. The constructs researched for both the quantitative as well as the qualitative components were: (a) common ethical dilemmas encountered in the workplace; (b) how ubiquitous is the formal adoption of workplace ethics policies; (c) adequacy of current graduate school ethical training; and (d) areas for improvement in ethical training within the graduate school curriculum.
Evaluation of mineral content in healthy permanent human enamel by Raman spectroscopy

An understanding of tooth enamel mineral content using a clinically viable method is essential since variations in mineralization may serve as an early precursor of a dental health issues, and may predict progression and architecture of decay in addition to assessing the success and effectiveness of the remineralization strategies. Twenty two human incisor teeth were obtained in compliance with the NIH guidelines and site specifically imaged with Raman microscope. The front portion of the teeth was divided into apical, medium and cervical regions and subsequently imaged with Raman microscope in these three locations. Measured mineralization levels have varied substantially depending on the regions. It was also observed that, the cervical enamel is the least mineralization as a populational average. Enamel mineralization is affected by a many factors such as are poor oral hygiene, alcohol consumption and high intake of dietary carbohydrates, however the net effect manifests as overall mineral content of the enamel. Thus an early identification of the individual with overall low mineral content of the enamel may be a valuable screening tool in determining a group with much higher than average caries risk, allowing intervention before development of caries. Clinically applicable non-invasive techniques that can quantify mineral content, such as Raman analysis, would help answer whether or not mineralization is associated with caries risk.
Suboptimal nutrition in early life affects the inflammatory gene expression profile and behavioral responses to stressors

Nutritional conditions in early life can have a lasting impact on health and disease risk, though the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In the healthy individual, physiological and behavioral responses to stress are coordinated in such a way as to mobilize resources necessary to respond to the stressor and to terminate the stress response at the appropriate time. Induction of proinflammatory gene expression within the brain is one such example that is initiated in response to both physiological and psychological stressors, and is the focus of the current study. We tested the hypothesis that early life nutrition would impact the proinflammatory transcriptional response to a stressor. Pregnant and lactating dams were fed one of three diets; a low-protein diet, a high fat diet, or the control diet through pregnancy and lactation. Adult male offspring were then challenged with either a physiological stressor (acute lipopolysaccharide injection, IP) or a psychological stressor (15 min restraint). Expression of 20 proinflammatory and stress-related genes was evaluated in hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, amygdala and ventral tegmental area. In a second cohort, behavioral responses (food intake, locomotor activity, metabolic rate) were evaluated. Offspring from low protein fed dams showed a generally reduced transcriptional response, particularly to LPS, and resistance to behavioral changes associated with restraint, while HF offspring showed an exacerbated transcriptional response within the PFC, a reduced transcriptional response in hypothalamus and amygdala, and an exacerbation of the LPS-induced reduction of locomotor activity. The present data identify differential proinflammatory transcriptional responses throughout the brain driven by perinatal diet as an important variable that may affect risk or resilience to stressors.
No-reference quality metrics for satellite weather images and sky images

Satellite weather images and sky images obtained from a satellite or an airborne aircraft are often affected by similar distortions. These images commonly suffer from low contrast, Gaussian noise, blurring artifacts similar to Gaussian smoothing, and sharpening artifacts due to quantization noise. These anomalies are often caused by instability of flying apparatus, compression noise, transmission errors, hardware limitations of imaging sensors, heating noise, or other electronic or physical limitation of moving cameras. To properly analyze these images, they usually need to be enhanced and the enhancement processes require a metric to evaluate the image quality in order to adjust the enhancement parameters. Currently, there is no measure of image quality suitable for evaluating sky images during the image enhancement process. Furthermore, there have been no studies performed to identify the proper quality metric for satellite weather images. In this article, we introduce a novel metric to measure the quality of sky images, which could assist the parameter selection in image enhancement for aviation applications. We also investigate the appropriate configurations of the current image quality measures to be used with the satellite weather images to help parameter selection and optimization during the image enhancement process. Beside weather forecast, these images are sometimes used to assist in recovery and rescue during hurricanes and severe weather.
Cooperating Mobile Cable Robots: Screw Theoretic Analysis

Cable robots form a class of parallel architecture robots with significant benefits including simplicity of construction, large workspace, significant payload capacity and end effector stiffness. While conventional cable robots have fixed bases, we seek to explore inclusion of mobility into the bases (in the form of gantries, and/or vehicle bases) which can significantly further enhance the capabilities of cable robots. However, this also introduces redundancy and complexity into the system which needs to be carefully analyzed and resolved. To this end, we propose a generalized modeling framework for systematic design and analysis of cooperative mobile cable robots, building upon knowledge base of multi-fingered grasping, and illustrate it with a case study of four cooperating gantry mounted cable robots transporting a planar payload.We show its wrench closure workspace and reconfiguration to extend the workspace, as well as redundancy resolution by optimally repositioning the bases to maximize tension factor along a given trajectory.