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In this paper we discuss an ongoing project to produce teaching materials for first-year university mechanics on the Internet. The material produced so far, has been Web-based. The aim of the project is to broaden the scope of present-day courses in mechanics. Experience gained in the project can then be used to develop material in other branches of physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Répertoire International de Presse Musicale (RIPM). Topics discussed include chronological scope and collaboration of RIPM and Le Repertoire international de litterature musicale (RILM), RIPM website, and RIPM electronic- Library of Music Periodicals. Also being discussed is RIPM Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals.

Focuses on the publication at the International Association of Music Libraries convention in San Sebastian, Spain. Highlights on the session of the International Standard Music Number (ISMN); Effort of the International Music Publishers Directory on the revision of the ISMN Directory; Charges for the services of the ISMN agencies.

The present investigation examined the effects of placebo (P), low dose (LD), and high dose (HD) ethanol on auditory event-related potential (AEP) recovery functions in a group of males at high risk to develop alcoholism (HR; n= 23, mean = 22.3 years) and a low risk (LR; n= 27, mean = 23.0 years) control group. Condition order was randomized, with one condition (P, LD, or HD) per day and a minimum 1-day interval between conditions. For each subject, both blood alcohol levels (BALs) measured via breathalyzer, and event-related potentials recorded with the entire 10/20 International System, were assessed prior to and at mean intervals of 20, 60, 90, and 130 min after P, LD, or HD administration. A series of binaural auditory stimuli with randomly interposed interstimulus intervals of 0.5, 1.0, and 10.0 sec were used to elicit the N100 and P200 components of the AEP. Between-groups comparisons indicated that ethanol elicited risk group differences in recovery functions not present at baseline. The differences were manifested in the HR group as larger decrements in P200 amplitude during the ascending blood alcohol curve (acute sensitivity) and more rapid returns of both N100 and P200 to baseline levels during the descending blood alcohol curve (acute tolerance). These findings support Newlin and Thomson's (1990) Differentiator Model, suggesting that LR and HR individuals are differentially sensitive to the effects of ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scalp recordings of the P300 component of the event-related potential were made from a group of medication-free, chronic male alcoholics and a control group, participating in a visual Go/No Go reaction time paradigm. Subjects were presented with large and small forms of the letters T and V. The large forms (Go stimuli) required a button press with either the left or right hand, whereas the small forms (No Go stimuli) required response inhibition. Recordings were made from 31 electrodes that, for statistical analyses, were grouped into five regions: frontal, central, parietal, occipital, and temporal. The results indicated that, in each of the five regions, both Go and No Go response amplitudes were larger in the controls than in the alcoholics. No group differences in latency were observed in any region. Surface energy (Wang et al., Brain Topogr. 6:193-202, 1994) magnitudes paralleled P300 amplitudes and in the controls, compared with the alcoholics, were larger during both Go and No Go trials. Our findings suggest that abstinent, chronic alcoholics differ electro-physiologically from control individuals. These differences are manifested as widespread reductions in P300 amplitudes during the performance of a simple information processing paradigm. The reduced amplitudes may reflect a deficiency in an inhibitory mechanism proposed to underlie P300 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An auditory oddball paradigm was used to record the P300 component of the event-related potential (ERP) in a group of medication-free, chronic male alcoholics ( n= 51, mean = 32.2) and a control group ( n= 25, mean = 27.2). Each subject received a binaurally presented series of high (1600-Hz)- and low (600-Hz)-frequency tones. The designation of the rare tone (0.125 probability) was alternated across subjects. When the subject detected the rare tone, he made a button press as quickly as possible to record his reaction time. Scalp recordings using the entire 10/20 System, as well as interpolated placements, were made from 31 electrodes. For purposes of statistical analyses, five regional electrode groups were created: F (frontal), C (central), P (parietal), O (occipital), and T (temporal). The results of MANOVA indicated that control P300 amplitudes were significantly greater than those of the alcoholics in all five regions, whereas there were no P300 latency differences between groups in any region. Regional response differences between the groups were also compared with measures of surface energy (SE) (Wang et al., 1994). SE is a recently developed, reference-free global field measure that uses the entire scalp potential field and treats potentials at different positions differently. SE was significantly reduced in the alcoholics compared with the controls in both the C ( p < 0.0003) and P ( p < 0.0006) regions, although there were no differences in its distribution. Within the alcoholics, we identified a low-density (LD; n= 16) and high-density (HD; n= 22) subgroup based on the number of their alcoholic relatives (LD, no alcoholic relatives; HD mean = 4.4 alcoholic relatives/individual). Statistical analyses revealed that, in the O region, LD individuals had significantly larger P300 amplitudes than did HD individuals. Moreover, although there were no differences between LD and control P300 amplitudes in any region, HD subjects had significantly reduced P300 amplitudes compared with controls in every region. These findings suggest that genetic factors may contribute to the deficits observed. Moreover, these deficits may precede the onset of alcoholism and may function as critical phenotypic markers for its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only in the past decade has a role of heredity in substance abuse been established as a result of extensive twin and family studies. More recently, several candidate genes have been investigated for their possible role in alcoholism and cocaine abuse. Specific genetic factors in opioid substance abuse have not been investigated in man, although animal studies suggest that quantitative trait loci (QTLs) can be identified that predispose mice both to morphine and alcohol preference. Central dopaminergic pathways figure prominently in drug-mediated reinforcement suggesting that dopamine receptors are likely candidates for association with substance abuse in man. In addition, we recently reported an association between a human personality trait, Novelty Seeking and the long alleles (represented chiefly by the 7-repeat) of the D4 dopamine receptor (D4DR) exon III polymorphism. The personality trait of Novelty Seeking is also more pronounced in substance abusers, who score higher in this dimension than control subjects. The twin role of dopamine receptors in mediating Novelty Seeking and drugreinforcement prompted us to examine a group of Israeli heroin addicts for prevalence of the D4DR repeat polymorphism. We now show that the 7-repeat allele is significantly over-represented in the opioid-dependent cohort and confers a relative risk of 2.46. To our knowledge this is the first report of an association between a specific genetic polymorphism and opioid addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the equal division of octave underlying the musical theory. Discussion on the scientific principles of Pythagoras law; Evolution of equal temperament; Conceptions of the state of science of music.

Describes a study designed to estimate the prevalence of `Helicobacter pylori' infection and histologic gastritis in asymptomatic persons. Study methods; Results; Conclusions.

Determines whether treatment with low dose of aspirin and heparin leads to a higher rate of live births than that achieved with low dose of aspirin alone in women with history of recurrent miscarriage associated with phospholipid antibodies. Intervention; Main outcome measures; Results.

The primary hypothesis of this study was that contraceptive methods that prevent exposure to sperm and seminal fluid (condoms, diaphragms, spermicides, withdrawal) are associated with an increased risk of developing preeclampsia during the subsequent pregnancy. A case-control study was conducted comparing the contraceptive and reproductive histories of 110 primiparous women with preeclampsia with 115 pregnant women without preeclampsia, aged 15 to 35 years, who gave birth at North Carolina Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, between 1984 and 1987. Controls were frequency matched to cases by age, race, and distance from the hospital. Unconditional logistic regression analysis indicated a 2.37-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 5.58) increased risk of preeclampsia for users of contraceptives that prevent exposure to sperm. A dose-response gradient was observed, with increasing risk of preeclampsia for those with fewer episodes of sperm exposure. These results were supportive of the hypothesis that birth control methods that prevent sperm exposure may play a role in the etiology of preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents news briefs from the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM), an organization that documents music periodicals, as of December 2013. As of July 2013, RIPM has manually indexed 201 music periodicals in 292 printed volumes as well as in 705,000 annotated electronic records. The online database RIPM e-Library will be released in 2013. Associate Language Editors Jutta Lambrecht and Michaela Feemanova joined RIPM.

An introduction is presented in which the Editor discusses various reports within the journal on topics including explanation in the history of science, historians, and Babylonia.

Non-contact pyroelectricity measurements based on x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are presented. Applied to Lithium Tantalate crystals, we demonstrate how the XPS-derived surface potential provides a simple probe of the desired property, free of all top-contact related difficulties. In particular, the increase in Lithium Tantalate spontaneous polarization under cooling, an experimentally challenging feature, is evaluated. We further inspect the roll of surface contaminants and the control over trapped surface charge in the XPS vacuum environment. Our approach can be extended to other non-contact probes, as well as to measuring additional electrical properties, such as piezoelectricity and ferroelectricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A procedure for the production of metal-coated quasi-amorphous pyroelectric thin SrTiO films is described. The films are grown in a modified 306 Edwards magnetron sputtering setup under controlled thermal conditions and stabilized high-accuracy vacuum and gas pressure conditions. Three-layer 200 nm metal-100 nm SrTiO-100 nm metal films are studied. The pyroelectric nature of the electric response of these films to heating is directly established, since metallic contacts made from the same material do not distort the measurement results, which excludes the effect of a contact potential difference on the measurement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the first installment of Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM) Online Archive which is a full-text version of the journals indexed in RIPM Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals. It mentions that the installment has 51 journals in ten languages published between 1805-1962. A list of the contained periodicals is presented including "La Musica," "La Zarzuela," and "La Hollande musicale."

The article provides updates on the Repertoire International de la presse Musicale (RIPM). It mentions that the approaching RIPM Archive was presented during the two session of the Congress. It notes that the first Archive will be released in 2009 and its beta testing will commence before the end of 2008. It also mentions that the RIPM Full-Text Supplement will be available on year after the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals is available. In addition, there are four RIPM groups created in Latin America located specifically in Argentina, Greece, Brazil, and Chile. RIPM also received grants from National Endowment for the Humanities for the development of the RIPM Online Archive and from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for the works on the 20th century British journals.

The article reports on developments related to Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM). RIPM celebrates its 25th anniversary, the publication of its 200th volume, and the birth of the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals. A model of the RIPM full-text Archive has been created. RIPM's new Americas Initiative has two goals which are to extend RIPM activities to Latin America and to expand RIPM's treatment to US music journals.

Pays tribute to Dutch physicist Casper Hakfoort who died on March 4, 1999. Information on Hakfoort's dissertation 'Optics in the Age of Euler: Conceptions of the Nature of Light, 1700-1795'; Proponent of the energeticist stance.

Discusses the British view on Scientific Revolution. Information on the book `The Scientific Revolution: A Historiographical Inquiry'; Thesis on British historians' views on Scientific Revolution.

Presents examples on the occurence of Painleve's paradox in the motion of a rotating shaft in relation to the importance of Coulomb friction. Details on the three-dimensional examples considered by Lecornu and Klein; Information on the cases outlined based on balanced rotor.

Examines the crystallization of layered metal-dichalcogenides films on amorphous substrates. Role of anisotropic materials with layered structure in technologies; Disentanglement of the growth mode of the film from underlying amorphous substrates; Achievement of perfect type-II texture and crystallites; Proposal for growth mechanism.

Leukocytes derived from the peripheral blood of peripheral patients demonstrated an. enhanced chemotactic response compared with leukocytes from healthy subjects. No significant difference was detected between the chemotactic response of leukocytes from patients with minimal or no skin involvement and those from patients with extensive lesions. Psoriatic leukocytes also had a significantly higher capacity to engulf 125I labeled Shigella flexneri than control leukocytes. It is postulated that a decrease in the cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP ratio in psoriatic leukocytes, similar to the imbalance of these 2 cyclic nucleotides found in the lesional epidermis of psoriasis, might be the cause of their enhanced chemotactic and phagocytic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the linear stability of a Stefan-like problem for moving steps in the context of W. K. Burton, N. Cabrera, and F. C. Frank’s theory of crystal growth [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. (London) A 243, 299 (1951)]. Asymmetry and departures from equilibrium at steps are included. The stability criterion depends on supersaturation and average step spacing, both experimentally accessible, and on dimensionless combinations of surface diffusivity, surface diffusion length, and adatom capture probabilities at steps, which can be estimated from bond models. This stability criterion is analyzed and presented graphically in terms of these physical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is provided to articles within the issue on topics, including entomology during the Spanish Civil War, the history of science and the Spanish leader Francisco Franco's ideology.

This "Viewpoint" section takes up the question of what, if anything, historians of science can learn from The History Manifesto, initially published in the fall of 2014. One summary, two essay reviews, and nine short comments are followed by remarks by the authors of the manifesto, Jo Guldi and David Armitage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones play a major role in orchestrating the physiological and behavioral reactions essential for homeostasis. As such, these hormones enable the organism to prepare for, respond to, and cope with the acute demands of physical and emotional stressors [1]. The secretion of GC hormones is a dynamic process which displays, in addition to a circadian pattern of release, an ultradian rhythmicity in the blood and in target tissues [2] Inadequate GC release following stress not only delays recovery but can also interfere with the processing or interpretation of stressful information, resulting in long-term disruptions of memory integration processes [3]. An example of such an impaired process is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [4]. In the rat, corticosterone ultradian pulses have a near-hourly frequency and changes in the amplitude of these pulses throughout the 24 h cycle determine the circadian variation in hormone secretion [2]. Aims We used an animal model of PTSD [5] in order to assess whether stress-induced impairment of behavioral responses is mediated by an aberrant secretion of corticosterone. Methods Serial blood samples were collected manually via the jugular vein cannula during the inactive phase in conscious male rats at 20-min intervals for a period of 5 h before and 6.5 h after exposure to predator scent stress (PSS). The outcome measures included behavior in an elevated plus-maze and acoustic startle response 7 days after exposure. Individual animals were retrospectively classified as having "extreme", "partial", and "minimal" behavioral responses according to pre-set cut-off criteria for behavioral response patterns [5] and blood samples were analyzed retrospectively for corticosterone secretion patterns. For the behavioral results and for serum corticosterone levels, the statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), bonferroni tests were used to examine differences between individual groups. To gain additional understanding about the relationship between behavioral measures and corticosterone pulsatility parameters, two sets of regression analysis were conducted: Pearson's correlation analysis was used to describe the relationship between each behavioral variable and corticosterone pulsatility parameters across the entire sample. The contribution of each variable that exhibited a significant correlation (or trend) was then evaluated using a multiple stepwise-regression analysis. Results Under basal conditions, the amplitude of ultradian oscillations of corticosterone levels, rather than the mean corticosterone level or the frequency of corticosterone pulsatility, was significantly reduced in individuals who displayed PTSD-phenotype 8 days later. In addition, extreme disruption of behavior on day 8 post-exposure was also characterized by a blunting of corticosterone response to the stressor. Animals with behavior that was only partially affected or unaffected displayed none of the above changes. Conclusions Blunted basal corticosterone pulse amplitude is a pre-existing susceptibility or risk factor for PTSD, which originates from prior (life) experiences and may therefore predict post-exposure PTSD-phenotype in rats. Further studies confirming these findings in animals and in human subjects are required to ascertain whether dysregulation in pulsatility indeed predisposes individuals to, or in fact underlies, faults in the HPA-axis response to stress and renders them vulnerable to PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the ''A Second Look'' sections is presented in which the editor discusses the list of classics in the history of science, the questions about the book’s author, its subject mat- ter, its origins, and what value it may still have.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the journal in which authors reconsider book reviews they wrote on the book "Leviathan and the Air-Pump" by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within a special section of the issue on the topic of science and orthodox Christianity.

The main objectives of the present study were to assess the water demand for heavy fruit load of 'Hass' avocado throughout the growth periods and to investigate the effects of deficit irrigation during sensitive phenological phases on yield. The experimental set-up allowed the comparison between trees responses to three irrigation strategies during the entire growth period (no water stress; excessive irrigation; constant water stress) as well as the comparison between regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) managements applied during the early or the late growth period. The yield of no water stress treatments during three experimental years was very high (25–31 t ha−1) while the yields of water-stressed trees were significantly lower (16–21 t ha−1). More importantly, the yield of no water stress trees was not susceptible to alternate bearing while the yield of water-stressed trees was considerably reduced during off-crop years. Irrigation rates and the actual evapotranspiration coefficient KL = ET/ET0 for the no water stress treatment may serve as a reasonable guide for irrigation management. Fruit load should be taken into account while planning irrigation and fertilization management and plant-based methods should be used for controlling the irrigation management (scheduling and quantities). Analyses of trunk diameter variation data that lead to evaluation of trunk growth rate and maximum daily shrinkage reflect phenological stages and periodicity of shoot, fruit and root growth, and also may provide an integrative, "holistic viewpoint" of overall tree status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to assess the seasonal nutrients requirement of ‘Hass’ avocado trees grown in lysimeters, especially during flowering and the early period of fruit development that may affect later on the fruitlet abscission and determine crop yield. The experimental design included three fertigation treatments applying a fixed nutrient solution at three different starting dates of fertigation: (a) T1 – continuous fertigation, including macro nutrients (N-P -K) and micronutrients application, all over the year; (b) T2 – no fertilization (only irrigation) until 15 March, and fertigation as T1 since then; (c) T3 - no fertilization (only irrigation) until 15 May, and fertigation as T1 since then. Absence of fertilization during the winter period induced leaf-chlorosis while healthy, dense and plenteously green leaves characterized the fertilized trees (T1). The beneficial effect of early fertigation on fruit yield was statistically significant, mostly because of higher fruit number. Leaf analyses are commonly used in the avocado industry as a guide for fertilization yet; fruits rather than leaves are the main products of avocado orchards. Consequently, fruit rather than leaf analyses should determine fertilization management. Based on fruit growth data and nutrient concentration in the fruit, the N, P and K quantities removed by ‘Hass’ avocado fruit yield of 30 t ha −1 were 120, 25 and 240 kg ha −1 . Taking into account common efficiency consideration (nutrient quantities removed by fruit yield divided by quantities added), the annual quantities of N, P and K required for attaining high quality avocado yield are 250–300, 80–120 and 500–600 kg ha −1 , respectively. Thus, fertilization rate together with nutrient combination should be modified in order to insure optimal fruit development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blast-explosion may cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), leading to post-concussion syndrome (PCS). In studies on military personnel, PCS symptoms are highly similar to those occurring in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), questioning the overlap between these syndromes. In the current study we assessed PCS and PTSD in civilians following exposure to rocket attacks. We hypothesized that PCS symptomatology and brain connectivity will be associated with the objective physical exposure, while PTSD symptomatology will be associated with the subjective mental experience. Methods: Two hundred eighty nine residents of explosion sites have participated in the current study. Participants completed self-report of PCS and PTSD. The association between objective and subjective factors of blast and clinical outcomes was assessed using multivariate analysis. White-matter (WM) alterations and cognitive abilities were assessed in a sub-group of participants (n = 46) and non-exposed controls (n = 16). Non-parametric analysis was used to compare connectivity and cognition between the groups. Results: Blast-exposed individuals reported higher PTSD and PCS symptomatology. Among exposed individuals, those who were directly exposed to blast, reported higher levels of subjective feeling of danger and presented WM hypoconnectivity. Cognitive abilities did not differ between groups. Several risk factors for the development of PCS and PTSD were identified. Conclusions: Civilians exposed to blast present higher PCS/PTSD symptomatology as well as WM hypoconnectivity. Although symptoms are sub-clinical, they might lead to the future development of a full-blown syndrome and should be considered carefully. The similarities between PCS and PTSD suggest that despite the different etiology, namely, the physical trauma in PCS and the emotional trauma in PTSD, these are not distinct syndromes, but rather represent a combined biopsychological disorder with a wide spectrum of behavioral, emotional, cognitive and neurological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a report on the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM) project of the International Association of Music Libraries (IAML), taken from the proceedings of the IAML conference, held between July 22 and July 27, 2012 in Montréal, Quebec, citing additions to its online Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals, the RIPM e-Library of Music Periodicals, and the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals.

The article offers information on the music periodicals published by the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM). They include "The New Musical Magazine, Review and Register," "The English Musical Gazette," "Monthly Intelligencer," "The Musical Monthly and Repertoire of Literature, the Drama and the Arts" and "Penguin Music Magazine & Music." Overall, the association has published 20,000 new annotated records. Furthermore, the records are available in CD-ROM and at the association's web.

The article reports on the developments of the Repertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM). Its RIPM Online and on CD-ROM database has grown to 475,000 annotated citations. A major grant from the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities has just been received by RIPM for work on twentieth-century music journals. In 2005, EBSCO has joined as publisher of RIPM Online. The 25th anniversary of RIPM will be celebrated in July 2006.