cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manufacturing Processes with Phase Change

Manufacturing processes that involve phase change of materials to obtain the desired product are considered in this chapter. Phase change arises in a fairly wide range of materials processing applications, such as casting, crystal growing, welding, soldering, thermal sprays, injection molding, and additive manufacturing. Extensive work has been done on melting and solidification processes to determine the basic characteristics of the process, time taken for solidification, quality of the solidified material, flow and temperature fields, thermal stresses, and the nature of impurities and defects in the product. Simple conduction models that have been traditionally used to determine solidification times and eliminate voids due to material shrinkage on solidification are first discussed. The buoyancy-driven flow in the melt is then considered since it is critical to the nature and characteristics of the solid-liquid interface and to the rate of solidification. The basic analytical and numerical approaches that may be employed are discussed, considering interface tracking and single-domain methods. The latter methods are based on enthalpy and are particularly suited to mixtures, polymers, and alloys that do not have a fixed melting point, and solidification occurs over a range of temperatures. For interface tracking, grid transformations are used to obtain simpler domains. Some simple examples are taken from mold casting to illustrate the basic ideas. Essentially stationary interfaces arise in processes such as continuous casting and crystal growing in which the material moves as phase change occurs across a stationary interface whose stability, shape, and other characteristics are important in determining the quality of the product, as well as the rate of production. These aspects are discussed in terms of typical problems and systems. The solidification of mixtures such as alloys is discussed due to their importance in various industrial applications and the stringent demands placed on the quality of the casting obtained. The basic approaches that have been employed are discussed here, along with some characteristic results. Some experimental results are presented in terms of benchmark problems for the validation of the numerical models.
The Role of Mass Spectrometry in Structural Studies of Flavin-Based Electron Bifurcating Enzymes.

For decades biologists and biochemists have taken advantage of atomic resolution structural models of proteins from X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and more recently cryo-electron microscopy. However, not all proteins relent to structural analyses using these approaches, and as the depth of knowledge increases, additional data elucidating a mechanistic understanding of protein function is desired. Flavin-based electron bifurcating enzymes, which are responsible for producing high energy compounds through the simultaneous endergonic and exergonic reduction of two intercellular electron carriers (i.e. NAD+ and ferredoxin) are one class of proteins that have challenged structural biologists and in which there is great interest to understand the mechanism behind electron gating. A limited number of X-ray crystallography projects have been successful, however, it is clear that to understand how these enzymes function techniques that can reveal detailed in solution information about protein structure, dynamics, and interactions involved in the bifurcating reaction is needed. In this review, we cover a general set of mass spectrometry-based techniques that, combined with protein modeling, are capable of providing information on both protein structure and dynamics. Techniques discussed include surface labeling, covalent cross-linking, native mass spectrometry and hydrogen/deuterium exchange. We cover how biophysical data can be used to validate computationally generated protein models and develop mechanistic explanations for regulation and performance of enzymes and protein complexes. Our focus will be on flavin-based electron bifurcating enzymes, but the broad applicability of the techniques will be showcased.
Emoji rhetoric: a social media influencer perspective

Social media require a marketing rhetoric that embraces emerging language use and shifting communication norms. Emojis have become quintessential elements of social media communication; yet, their ...
THE OPTICAL ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF SiO2

ABSTRACT We show that inclusion of electron-hole interactions not only produces an exciton at 10.4 eV, but also modifies the interband continuum in a substantial way. The result is a spectrum consisting of three excitonic peaks, in good agreement with the observed spectrum. These peaks are identified in terms of the bond-orbital model as members of a crystal-field split Frenkel-type exciton corresponding to the free oxygen atom 2p → 3s transitions.
Historische Wurzeln der Welt-System-Analyse

Die Welt-System-Analyse entstand in den fruhen 1970er Jahren als eine neue Perspektive auf die soziale Wirklichkeit. Einige ihrer Konzepte sind seit langem in Gebrauch und manche sind neu oder zumindest neu benannt. Konzepte konnen nur in ihrem historischen Kontext verstanden werden.
User acceptance of reusable respirators in health care

Background Inclusion of reusable respirators, such as elastomeric half-face respirators (EHFRs) and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), in hospital respiratory protection inventories may represent 1 solution to the problem of N95 respirator shortages experienced during pandemics. User acceptance of these devices is 1 potential barrier to implementing such a strategy in respiratory protection programs. Methods To assess user attitudes toward various respirators, health care workers enrolled in respiratory protection programs in a medical system using EHFRs, N95s, and PAPRs and completed an online questionnaire that addressed attitudes, beliefs, and respirator preferences under different risk scenarios. Responses were compared between user groups. Results Of 1,152 participants, 53% currently used N95s, 24% used EHFRs, and 23% used PAPRs. N95 users rated their respirators more favorably compared with EHFR and PAPR users (P Conclusions Despite somewhat less favorable ratings on comfort and communication, experienced EHFR and PAPR users still prefer reusable respirators over N95s in certain higher risk scenarios. This suggests that reusable respirators are an acceptable alternative to N95 respirators in health care and offer 1 viable solution to prevent pandemic-generated respirator shortages.
Adolescent Substance Use and Sensation-Seeking on Sexual Behaviors Among Young Adults from Continuation High Schools

Background: Youth from continuation high schools report greater substance use and sensation-seeking than youth from regular high schools, yet their long-term consequences on age at sexual onset and...
Global Investment Rules as a Site for Moral Inquiry

The legal regime regulating cross-border investment gives key rights to foreign investors and places significant duties on states hosting that investment. It also raises distinctive moral questions due to its potential to constrain a state’s ability to manage its economy and protect its people. Yet international investment law remains virtually untouched as a subject of philosophical inquiry. The questions of international political morality surrounding investment rules can be mapped through the lens of two critiques of the law – that it systemically takes advantage of the global South and that it constrains the policy choices of states hosting investment. Each critique contains certain moral and empirical assumptions that deserve further attention. The distributive justice implications of international investment rules are also relevant to scholars of global distributive justice. The aim of the analysis is to develop an interdisciplinary agenda – among law, philosophy, and social science – for inquiry into the justice of investment law and reform of its unjust elements.
Draft Genomic Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae B8S35, Isolated from Retail Chicken Skin.

ABSTRACT Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae strain B8S35, isolated from retail chicken skin. It carries genes for resistance to multiple antibiotics, as well as quaternary ammonium compounds used by the food and health care industries.
Small area estimation of human papillomavirus vaccination coverage among school-age children in Alabama counties.

Abstract Objectives This study estimated county-level human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation rates in Alabama and determined whether disparities existed between counties in the Mississippi Delta region (MDR) and Appalachian region (AR). Study design This study used an observational cross-sectional design. Methods We used small area estimation methodology to estimate rates of medical provider–verified HPV vaccine initiation among school-age children in Alabama. Data for the study were retrieved from the 2015 National Immunization Survey (n = 22,205) and the US Census Bureau. Results The predictive model results showed that older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16, 1.29) was positively associated with vaccination initiation and black (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.71, 0.87), white (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.60), and ‘other’ race/ethnicities (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.70, 0.86), compared with Hispanics, and was negatively associated with vaccination initiation. The median (x)-modeled HPV vaccination initiation rate for all Alabama counties was 50.83% (interquartile range = 5.00%). Modeled HPV vaccination initiation rates were lowest in AR counties (x = 49.81%), followed by counties not in the AR or MDR (x = 53.26%) and MDR counties (x = 54.90%). Conclusions Culturally sensitive school-based HPV vaccine delivery programs are needed for children living in AR counties in Alabama.
Management of Gastroparesis in the Setting of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux is a condition that has been extensively described in the literature and has been well-identified as and proven to be an effective mode of treatment. However, the optimal management of GERD in the setting of gastroparesis has been less well studied, and there are no consensus guidelines for the optimal management of these conditions in concert. This can create difficulty in patient management. In this chapter, we offer a potential algorithm for managing patients with both GERD and gastroparesis.
Surgical treatment of strabismus in thyroid eye disease: characteristics, dose–response, and outcomes

Purpose To describe the surgical management, dose–response, and postoperative outcomes of strabismus surgery in patients with thyroid eye disease. Methods The medical records of patients operated on between 2014 and 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. Patient characteristics and surgical data were collected. Motor success was defined as vertical deviation of ≤5Δ and horizontal deviation of ≤10Δ; sensory success, as no diplopia in primary gaze. Results A total of 76 patients (mean age, 62.2 ± 12.9 years; 50 females) underwent 87 surgeries, most commonly unilateral inferior rectus recession (unilateral IR, 48%) and bilateral medial rectus recession (bilateral MR, 23%). Motor success was achieved in 69% and sensory success in 58%. For unilateral IR surgery, the dose–responses were 3.25Δ/mm (SE = 0.616; β = 0.650; P Conclusions Concurrent vertical and horizontal surgery did not affect the motor success rate, dose–response, or postoperative drift. Although unilateral IR surgery had a larger dose–response at distance, bilateral MR surgery had a larger dose–response at near. Most procedures tended to have a postoperative drift toward overcorrection.
GRAFT CHOICE FOR ACL RECONSTRUCTION IN YOUNG ACTIVE PATIENTS – USE OF QUADRICEPS TENDON AUTOGRAFT INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF MEETING RETURN TO PLAY CRITERIA AT 6 MONTHS POST SURGERY:

Background:ACL graft tears and contralateral injuries are problematic in pediatric sports medicine, with a combined incidence of 25-35%. Recent publications have highlighted a high failure rate wit...
Are marital relationships a barrier to health care utilization in Southern Appalachia?: A dyadic examination of the link between marital quality and individual health care usage.

INTRODUCTION There are substantial health disparities in Appalachia partially due to the poor access and utilization of health care. Social support, especially in Appalachia, is consistently linked to the utilization of available health care. The present study aims to identify how on aspect of social support, relationship functioning, are associated with health care utilization for couples in Southern Appalachian. METHOD Individual and couple data (N = 147, individuals; n = 76, couples) were collected from participants interested in a brief couple interventions. Individuals and Dyadic Path analyses were conducted in Mplus using methods to account for the dependence in the data. RESULTS Relational aggression was the only marital factor linked to health care utilization in multivariate analyses while constructive communication was only linked to health care utilization in bivariate correlations, r = .24, p < .05. Dyadic results indicate that men's health care utilization may benefit from partner's relational aggression while women's utilization may be negatively influenced by her own self-reported relational aggression. DISCUSSION An individual's social context must be considered in order to completely understand barriers to health care utilization. Further, the inclusion of couple/dyadic level interventions should be considered in order to improve health care utilization in the Appalachian region and similarly rural regions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Missed Opportunities for Discussing Contraception in Adolescent Primary Care.

Abstract Background Over half of adolescents are sexually active by age 18 years and represent half of sexually transmitted infections (STI). These individuals often do not obtain routine medical care, so discussing contraception at each visit becomes imperative. Our study objectives were to determine the frequency of visits before contraception was discussed/initiated, and to assess factors affecting primary care contraception provision. Methods A retrospective chart review (January 2009-June 2019) was conducted for preventive, follow-up, and sick visits; Title X confidential visits were excluded. Questions were asked about method at start and end of the visit. Nonparametric median tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests for categorical variables assessed for differences for patient age, race, gender, insurance type, visit type, and provider gender. The institutional review board approved the study as exempt. Results Patients (n = 12,619; median = 15 years; 58% female) were seen in primary care clinic. Providers asked about contraception for 82% of visits, and averaged 3 visits before contraception was discussed. For patients asked about contraception, 60% were using a contraceptive method, 15% left the visit on a new method (24.9% long-acting reversible contraception [LARC]). For patients not using contraception, 39.9% left the visit on a method. Patients asked about contraception were female, older, Hispanic, had public insurance, and were seen by female providers (P Conclusions Multiple visits occur before contraception is discussed in adolescent primary care, and factors including age, race, and gender affect these discussions. Strategies to increase contraception discussions at all visits is essential, as adolescents do not always present for yearly visits.
Switched control of an N-degree-of-freedom input delayed wearable robotic system

Abstract In this paper, a switched control method for a class of wearable robotic systems that prioritizes the use of human skeletal muscles in an assistive rigid powered exoskeleton is derived. A general N-degree-of-freedom (N-DOF) human–robot model is proposed to consider the challenges induced by the wearable system that include uncertainties and nonlinearities, unilateral actuation properties of the skeletal muscles, input delays, as well as a time varying actuator efficiency. Two control modes that alternatively switch and control a wearable robotic system are designed to overcome these challenges. A multiple Lyapunov functional analysis with state-dependent constraints on the switch criteria is performed to prove the stability. Simulations are performed to demonstrate the gain conditions, selected for each subsystem, that stabilize the overall system. Experiments on a human participant wearing a 4-DOF hybrid exoskeleton that combines functional electrical stimulation and a powered exoskeleton demonstrate the effectiveness of the switched control design.
Fibrin is a critical regulator of neutrophil effector function at mucosal barrier sites

Tissue-specific cues are critical for homeostasis at mucosal barriers. Here, we document that the clotting factor fibrin is a critical regulator of neutrophil function at mucosal barriers. We demonstrate that fibrin engages neutrophils through the M{beta}2 integrin receptor and activates effector functions, including the production of reactive oxygen species and NET formation. These immune-protective neutrophil functions become tissue damaging in the context of impaired plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis. Indeed, the accumulation of fibrin due to Mendelian genetic defects in plasmin leads to severe oral mucosal immunopathology in mice and humans. Concordantly, genetic polymorphisms in the human PLG gene, encoding plasminogen, are associated with common forms of the oral mucosal disease periodontitis. Our work uncovers fibrin as a critical regulator of neutrophil effector function within the mucosal tissue microenvironment and suggests fibrin-neutrophil engagement as a pathogenic instigator and therapeutic target in common mucosal disease.
Nasogastric tube feeding after transoral robotic surgery for oropharynx carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To determine the need for and predictors of nasogastric tube feeding (NGTF) use and duration after transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Materials and methods This is a retrospective cohort study. For 95 OPSCC patients undergoing TORS with or without concurrent unilateral or bilateral neck dissections (ND), we evaluated NGTF use and duration, along with demographic, clinical, histopathologic, and treatment risk factors. Results 23.2% (22/95) of patients received NGTF. Univariate analysis found that NGTF was significantly more likely in larger tumor specimens (mean: 2.32 cm vs. 1.84 cm; p = 0.043) and after concurrent bilateral (46.7%) compared to unilateral (17.4%) ND (p = 0.043). Multivariable analysis also found increased tumor size (p = 0.035) and concurrent bilateral ND (p = 0.04) to be significant risk factors for NGTF. The following were not statistically significantly associated with NGTF use: sex, age, smoking history, HPV status, base of tongue (BOT) resection (20%) vs. radical tonsillectomy (25.9%), pT2 (27.0%) vs. pT1 (20.4%) vs pT0 (16.7%), BOT with (28.6%) vs. without epiglottis resection (22.2%), and surgery for additional margins the same day (27.3%) (all p > 0.1). Patients who underwent NGTF had a mean duration of 18 days (2–96, SD: 20.7 days) with 12 (55.6%) having over 2 weeks of use. No significant predictors of longer duration of NGTF were identified. Conclusions A majority of patients undergoing TORS do not need NGTF. When NGTF is needed, the duration of use is usually longer than 14 days. Larger tumor size and concurrent bilateral ND are risk factors for NGTF.
Bone remodeling and cyclical loading in maxillae of New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Mammalian feeding behaviors are altered when mechanically challenging (e.g., tough, stiff) foods require large bite forces or prolonged mastication. Bony responses to high bite forces are well-documented for the mammalian skull, but osteogenesis due to cyclical loading, caused by repetitive chewing, is more poorly understood. Previous studies demonstrate that cyclical loading results in greater bone formation in the rabbit masticatory apparatus and in substantial Haversian remodeling in primate postcrania. Here we assess the relationship between cyclical loading and remodeling in the rabbit maxilla. Twenty male New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were raised on either an overuse or control diet (10 per group) for 48 weeks, beginning at weaning onset. The control group was raised on a diet of rabbit pellets (E = 29 MPa, R = 1031 J/m2 ), whereas the overuse group ate rabbit pellets and hay, which has high stiffness (E = 3336 MPa) and toughness (R = 2760 J/m2 ) properties. Hay requires greater chewing investment (475 chews/g) and longer chewing durations (568 s/g) than pellets (161 chews/g and 173 s/g), therefore causing cyclical loading of the jaws. Remodeling was measured as osteon population density (OPD), percent Haversian bone (%HAV), and osteon cross-sectional area (On.Ar). The only significant difference found was greater On.Ar in the alveolar region of the maxilla (p < 0.001) in the overuse group. The hypothesis that cyclical loading engenders Haversian remodeling in the developing maxilla is not supported. The continuation of modeling throughout the experimental duration may negate the need for remodeling as newly laid bone tends to be more compliant and resistant to crack propagation.
What can the Chinese experience of empire tell us about the Belt and Road Initiative

China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), first announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has attracted widespread attention, with much discussion as to its meaning and intention. This article argues that one of the best ways to understand the BRI is to see it in the context of China’s two-thousand-year history as an empire. What kind of empire was the Chinese Empire? How did it see itself, and what was its characteristic mode of action? What was the meaning of the “tribute system”? The celebrated voyages (1405–1433) of the Ming admiral Zheng He are taken as a typical example of Chinese imperial behaviour (rather than being seen, as is common, as an aberrant and exceptional episode). By examining this and other aspects of Chinese imperial history, it is hoped that some light might be shed on what the Chinese leadership as in mind with its Belt and Road Initiative, and what the rest of the world should expect from it.
Fractal Analysis and Radiographic Inspection of Microwave Welded HDPE Bars

Publisher Summary Microwave welding uses microwave energy to generate heat in a conductive polymer gasket which is placed at the joint interface. The conductive polymer used throughout this work is polyaniline (PANI) doped with HCl. In order to assure structural compatibility at the interface, PANI and HDPE powder are initially mixed and a gasket is compression molded. The conductivity of the gasket placed at the interface controls the amount of heat produced. The welding parameters, which mostly affect the joint strength are heating time, power level, welding pressure, and percentage of conductive polymer in the gasket. The strength of a microwave welded joint depends on the amount of gasket remaining at the interface. As the amount of gasket remaining at the interface increases the joint strength decreases, while the disassembly capacity increases. The joint interface pattern is studied employing fractal geometry. The fractal dimension is calculated for a set of samples whose welding parameters are widely varied. The welding parameters chosen for analysis are percentage of conductive polymer (polyaniline), heating time, and power level. The box counting method is used to calculate the fractal dimension. As the fractal dimension approaches unity, maximum joint strength is obtained. Due to its electronic nature the conductive polymer is more X-ray absorbent than the surrounding HDPE. Therefore, X-ray radiography is performed on the welded joints. A pass/no pass test method can be set-up to control the joint quality depending on the relationship between the amount of squeeze out and joint strength.
Discrimination by Design: predictive data mining as security practice in the United States’ ‘war on terrorism’

The tactics and strategies employed by the United States in its ‘War on Terrorism' have generally been condemned as departures from the norms of how a democratic government conducts itself. Reforms are thus thought needed to place the ‘War on Terror' under the rule of law and protect civil liberties. This article attempts to counter that view. Using predictive data mining-a technology at the heart of the US National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance scandal-as an example, it argues that rather than a break with the past, the tactics that the Bush Administration adopted to fight terrorism represent an extension of a particular type of future-oriented power which Foucault (2008) referred to as "security" or "government." And while individual civil liberties are no doubt at stake, they are not at stake equally for everyone. Predictive data mining discriminates by design, designating certain groups as threats relative to others. Thus, persons with Middle Eastern and North African backgrounds will disproportionately bear the burden of this surveillance technique and the innumerable mistakes it produces. Finally, the rule of law would seem to offer little to remedy the situation. The War on Drugs, the policing of immigration, and past international disputes with ‘terrorist regimes' have provided a "crime jurisprudence" (Simon 2007) that legitimizes such discrimination. Paradoxically and pessimistically then, the real hope for change lies in the crisis of legitimacy that one could expect to result from the wider application of such discriminatory technologies or the benevolent reign of an executive branch that has been imbued with an authority beyond its traditional limits.
Report on Offense Grading In New Jersey

The University of Pennsylvania Criminal Law Research Group was commissioned to do a study of offense grading in New Jersey. After an examination of New Jersey criminal law and a survey of New Jersey residents, the CLRG issued this Final Report. (For the report of a similar project for Pennsylvania, see Report on Offense Grading in Pennsylvania, http://ssrn.com/abstract=1527149, and for an article about the grading project, see The Modern Irrationalities of American Criminal Codes: An Empirical Study of Offense Grading, http://ssrn.com/abstract=1539083, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (forthcoming 2011).)The New Jersey study found serious conflicts between the relative grading judgments of New Jersey residents and those contained in existing New Jersey criminal law, as well as instances where mandatory minimum sentences often require sentences that exceed the maximum appropriate punishment, inconsistencies among the grading of similar offenses, overly broad offenses that impose similar grades on conduct of importantly different seriousness, and a flawed grading structure that provides too few grading categories, thereby assuring pervasive problems in failing to distinguish conduct of importantly different seriousness.These systemic failures risk undermining the criminal justice system's moral credibility with the community, improperly delegate the value judgments inherent in grading decisions to individual sentencing judges ad hoc, fail to give citizens notice of the relative importance of conflicting duties, and invite application of different sentencing rules to similarly situated offenders. The Report examines how these grading problems came about, how they might be fixed, and how such grading irrationalities might be avoided in the future.
Neutralizing Problematic Frames in the Culture Wars: Anti‐Evolutionists Grapple with Religion

This article contributes to the literature on culture wars work by examining how anti-evolutionists neutralize the framing of their position as religious. Their efforts are uncovered by analyzing 570 letters to the editor published in American newspapers in the months surrounding a nationally covered 2005 federal judicial decision on the legality of the Dover PA, school board's decision to undermine evolutionary theory in the classroom. Anti-evolutionists neutralized the framing of their position as religious through the processes of selective acknowledgement and disagreement with the problematic framing. These findings provide insights into the anti-evolutionist movement, the nature of the culture wars, and the basic ways in which problematic frames are neutralized. First, it shows how public anti-evolutionist discourse has not followed its leaders' efforts to minimize the religious motivations of the movement. Second, the wide variety of neutralizations partially explains the persistence of many cultural disputes. Third, this study calls attention to the under theorized role of disagreement and agreement in undoing problematic definitions of the situation.
Addressing Underrepresentation in STEM Fields through Undergraduate Interventions

This chapter provides an overview of undergraduate STEM initiatives for underrepresented minorities and women, as well as a description and critical analysis of one comprehensive federally funded initiative at a research-intensive university.
A single chip implementation of receive path termination for SONET OC-12c and quadruple SONET OC-3c

Receive Path Termination in a SONET network is required to perform the path level functionality. The Synchronous Payload Envelope (SPE) of a SONET frame must first be located using the payload pointers in the SONET Line overhead. Once the SPE is located, the path termination device must keep track of it and provide information to higher level protocols about its location and status. While the most crucial functionality must be handled in hardware, the entire overhead information is stored for processing by a line card processor. The incoming SONET stream is processed in words of 32 bits each. The quadruple OC-3c mode (OC-12) occupies almost an entire Xilinx XC 3195 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The SONET OC-12c mode processing takes fewer gates but requires the large chip to perform a Bit Interleaved Parity (BIP) check on the SPE. The interface to both designs is physically identical and they can form a part of a line card that is capable of two distinct modes of operation. >
Friction Stir-Processed Thermally Stable Immiscible Nanostructured Alloys

Friction stir processing of a ternary immiscible alloy was investigated as a pathway to thermally stable nanostructured alloys. The processed alloy was characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nano-indentation, and thermal stability analysis. Both XRD and high-magnification SEM confirmed the formation of solid solution at the shear edge of the friction stir layer. Microstructural inhomogeneity was observed in the processed region that resulted in hardness variation. Upon annealing treatment, a significant improvement in hardness was observed at 200°C that was due to the formation of nano-precipitates. Remarkably, the Cu-Ag-Nb immiscible system displayed exceptional thermal stability up to 500°C.
A forgotten chapter in the history of the renal circulation: The Josep Trueta and Homer Smith intellectual conflict.

This article reviews the pioneering and visionary contributions of the Catalan surgeon Josep Trueta (1897–1977) to the changes in renal circulation that contribute to the pathogenesis of acute renal failure (ARF). An erudite scientist with eclectic interests in physiology, orthopedics, politics, and medical history, Trueta's initial involvement in wound healing as a trauma surgeon during the Spanish Civil War and the London Blitz is what prompted him to postulate that a trauma-induced “neural effect” on the renal vasculature, with resultant renal arterial constriction could cause ARF. To test his hypothesis, Trueta assembled an experienced radiologist, a renowned physiologist, and a renal pathologist to study ARF in Oxford. They investigated the renal circulation of rabbits in response to diverse traumatic conditions by injecting a radio-opaque substance, using cine-radiography to visualize the flow of blood through the renal vasculature. Trueta's suggestion of renal cortical ischemia and diversion of blood to the less resistant medullary circulation (Trueta shunt) was criticized by Homer Smith and coworkers. In contrast to Homer Smith's data, which were derived from clearance studies and renal arteriovenous oxygen, Trueta used the diametrical opposite method of “direct” observation of the renal circulation. Their differing methodologies, direct visualization of the renal circulation as opposed to inferred computations from clearance studies, accounts for some of their conflicting theories. Nevertheless, the proposal of disparate renal flow compartments focused attention on intrarenal hemodynamics. Trueta's focus on renal cortical ischemia was ultimately validated by the studies of Barger in the dog and Hollenberg and Epstein in human subjects.
Instructional Course Lectures, The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity. Treatment of Dysfunction of the Posterior Tibial Tendon*†

Acquired flatfoot deformity caused by dysfunction of the posterior tibial tendon is a common clinical problem. Treatment, which depends on the severity of the symptoms and the stage of the disease, includes non-operative options, such as rest, administration of anti-inflammatory medication, and immobilization, as well as operative options, such as tendon transfer, calcaneal osteotomy, and several methods of arthrodesis. The posterior tibial muscle forms part of the deep posterior compartment of the calf. It originates from the proximal third of the tibia and the interosseous membrane and passes immediately posterior to the medial malleolus, where it changes direction acutely23. A groove in the posteromedial aspect of the distal part of the tibia holds the posterior tibial tendon but is not deep enough to keep the tendon from bow-stringing or dislocating after an injury45. The flexor retinaculum, which is adjacent to the medial malleolus, tethers the tendon and keeps it in the groove, preventing dislocation. Distally, this retinaculum blends with the sheath of the posterior tibial tendon and the superficial deltoid ligament. The posterior tibial tendon does not have a mesotenon, and there is an area of relative hypovascularity immediately distal to the medial malleolus that may contribute to degenerative changes of the tendon15. The posterior tibial tendon divides anterior to the tuberosity of the navicular. An anterior slip, which is in direct continuity with the main tendon, inserts onto the tuberosity of the navicular, the inferior aspect of the capsule of the medial naviculocuneiform joint, and the inferior surface of the medial cuneiform. A second slip attaches to the plantar surfaces of the middle and lateral cuneiforms and the cuboid as well as to the bases of the corresponding metatarsals56. The posterior tibial tendon passes posterior to the axis of the ankle …
The mismatch repair protein Msh6 influences the in vivo AID targeting to the Ig locus.

Summary Somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) are initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which preferentially deaminates deoxycytidines at WRC (W = A/T, R=A/G) motifs in vitro. The mechanisms responsible for targeting AID and for organizing the queue of enzymes involved in vivo have been elusive. Here, we examined point mutant knockin Msh6 mice ( Msh6 TD/TD ), which lack the second phase of SHM but retain all the proteins involved, and found that AID was frequently targeted to non-WRC motifs. Unexpectedly, by comparing SHM and CSR in wild-type, Msh6 TD/TD , and age-matched Msh6 −/− mice, we discovered that the presence of Msh6 protein influenced the AID targeting in phase one of SHM and mediated the proper targeting of recombination sites in CSR in vivo. Our data suggest that Msh6 plays a scaffolding role in the first phase of SHM, in addition to its enzymatic role in the second phase of SHM.
MURRAY LECTURE Role of Experiments in Mechanics

Aspects of scientific inquiry--discovery, char- acterization, and verification--are examined through histor- ical and personal examples. Specifically, the role of experi- ments in developing an understanding of materials and struc- tures is discussed.
A Semi-Supervised Learning Approach to Differential Privacy

Motivated by the semi-supervised model in the data mining literature, we propose a model for differentially-private learning in which private data is augmented by public data to achieve better accuracy. Our main result is a differentially private classifier with significantly improved accuracy compared to previous work. We experimentally demonstrate that such a classifier produces good prediction accuracies even in those situations where the amount of private data is fairly limited. This expands the range of useful applications of differential privacy since typical results in the differential privacy model require large private data sets to obtain good accuracy.
Impact of initial conditions on seasonal simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model

Many previous studies have examined the use of very long integrations of atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) forced by observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) as proxies for seasonal atmospheric predictions. These long simulations explore a boundary-value problem in which significant deviations from the model's long-term climatology must be a result of the SST forcing. Seasonal lead simulations starting with observed initial conditions (ICs) for the atmosphere and land surface while retaining observed SST forcing are an intermediate step between the pure boundary-value problem and the pure initial-value forecast problem in which SSTs are also predicted. As part of the Dynamical Seasonal Prediction (DSP) experiment, an ensemble of AGCM integrations with observed atmospheric ICs and model climatology land surface ICs was integrated from mid-December through March for 16 years. These DSP simulation ensembles are compared to ensembles of long boundary-value simulations from the same AGCM in a perfect-model setting (no comparisons of simulations to observations are attempted). Significant differences must be due to the impact of the DSP ICs. Surprisingly large and long-lived differences are found in both the mean and the variance of the ensembles. Many appear to occur because the ICs of the DSP runs are inconsistent with the AGCM climatology; an extended period of model ‘spin-up’ is the result. Some differences are related to local impacts of the land surface ICs while others, like shifts in the distribution of tropical precipitation and a cooling of the northern hemisphere, are less obviously related to the ICs. The results suggest that care will be needed when inserting observed ICs into seasonal predictions in order to avoid the long-term effects of model spin-up.
A manpower planning model for organizational effectiveness

Abstract In this article the author argues that micro-manpower planning is finally beginning to emerge as a process for helping individuals and firms to play an active role in developing integrated approaches and facilitating interrelationships within an organization. Additionally, that it is in a unique position where it can relate many of the foundations formulated by many segments of organizational theory and mathematical modeling into a cohesive and practical application format for practicing administrators. Naturally, the developed Markovian model is a stable process and assumes stable probabilities of movement with the system. Additionally, it assumes that movements between the states are dependent solely upon the previous state of location which is usually false in a business organization where movement is also dependent upon length of time in state, previous states occupied, and personal variables. But, the Markovian process can be viewed as a relevant modeling technique even with these constraints. These factors are combined to examine and discuss the organization's effectiveness and its bargaining position in terms of manpower resources. Additionally, policy decisions which would be made based upon the interrelationships of the personnel and industrial relations departments and the firm's technical core are discussed.
Transforming p21ras Mutants and c-Ets-2 Activate the Cyclin D1 Promoter through Distinguishable Regions

Several different oncogenes and growth factors promote G1 phase progression. Cyclin D1, the regulatory subunit of several cyclin-dependent kinases, is required for, and capable of shortening, the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The present study demonstrates that transforming mutants of p21ras (Ras Val-12, Ras Leu-61) induce the cyclin D1 promoter in human trophoblasts (JEG-3), mink lung epithelial (Mv1.Lu), and in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast cell lines. Site-directed mutagenesis of AP-1-like sequences at -954 abolished p21ras-dependent activation of cyclin D1 expression. The AP-1-like sequences were also required for activation of the cyclin D1 promoter by c-Jun. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays using nuclear extracts from cultured cells and primary tissues, several AP-1 proteins (c-Jun, JunB, JunD, and c-Fos) bound the cyclin D1 -954 region. Cyclin D1 promoter activity was stimulated by overexpression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (p41MAPK) or c-Ets-2 through the proximal 22 base pairs. Expression of plasmids encoding either dominant negative MAPK (p41MAPKi) or dominant negatives of ETS activation (Ets-LacZ), antagonized MAPK-dependent induction of cyclin D1 promoter activity. Epidermal growth factor induction of cyclin D1 transcription, through the proximal promoter region, was antagonized by either p41MAPKi or Ets-LacZ, suggesting that ETS functions downstream of epidermal growth factor and MAPK in the context of the cyclin D1 promoter. The activation of cyclin D1 transcription by p21ras provides evidence for cross-talk between the p21ras and cell cycle regulatory pathways.
Transvaginal ultrasound in a children's hospital: is it worthwhile?

We report our experience with transvaginal sonography (TVS) in 35 nonpregnant adolescent and young teenage females referred for pelvic sonography. We assessed the efficacy of TVS as compared to transabdominal sonography (TAS) in 40 examinations. Of the 40 examinations, there were 5 discrepancies. In 4, abnormalities were detected on TVS not seen on TAS. In one there was a false-positive TAS with bowel recognized as such on TVS. Image quality (clarity, completeness, anatomic detail) was judged better by two reviewers on TVS in 85% of cases but additional useful information given in 58% of patients. TVS provided greater diagnostic confidence in 30% of patients with possible PID by better demonstration of fluid in the endometrial canal, pyosalpinx or tubo-ovarian abscess, or by better characterization of free pelvic fluid. The average scan time required for TVS was 8 minutes. TVS was better tolerated than TAS in the majority of patients. TVS is a relatively easy, rapid imaging technique that is well tolerated. It enhances anatomic detail and helps to elucidate unclear findings on TAS. TVS is also helpful in obsese patients and those unable to maintain a full bladder. It should be considered a useful and worthwhile adjunct to TAS in the evaluation of adolescent and teenagers with pelvic diseases.
Soft photon production from real-time dynamics of jet fragmentation

Abstract Soft photons produced in heavy ion collisions are an important tool for probing the properties of the quark–gluon plasma. It is therefore crucial to understand the background – soft photons produced in elementary collisions. Low theorem states that soft photon production in hadron collisions is dominated by Bremsstrahlung off charged initial and final state hadrons. Surprisingly, almost every experiment observed an enhancement (by a factor of 2 – 5 ) above Low theorem's prediction. This is the longstanding puzzle of “anomalous soft photon production.” The phenomenon is not observed in processes with leptonic final states, which suggests that the mechanism is due to nonperturbative QCD evolution. We study this phenomenon using an exactly soluble, massless, Abelian model in 1 + 1 dimensions which shares with QCD many important properties: confinement, chiral symmetry breaking, axial anomaly and θ-vacuum. We then apply this model to the soft photon production in the fragmentation of jets produced in Z 0 decays and find a qualitative agreement with the data.
OB Fold-containing Protein 1 (OBFC1), a Human Homolog of Yeast Stn1, Associates with TPP1 and Is Implicated in Telomere Length Regulation

The telosome/shelterin, a six-protein complex formed by TRF1, TRF2, RAP1, TIN2, POT1, and TPP1, functions as the core of the telomere interactome, acting as the molecular platform for the assembly of higher order complexes and coordinating cross-talks between various protein subcomplexes. Within the telosome, there are two oligonucleotide- or oligosaccharide-binding (OB) fold-containing proteins, TPP1 and POT1. They can form heterodimers that bind to the telomeric single-stranded DNA, an activity that is central for telomere end capping and telomerase recruitment. Through proteomic analyses, we found that in addition to POT1, TPP1 can associate with another OB fold-containing protein, OBFC1/AAF44. The yeast homolog of OBFC1 is Stn1, which plays a critical role in telomere regulation. We show here that OBFC1/AAF44 can localize to telomeres in human cells and bind to telomeric single-stranded DNA in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of an OBFC1 mutant resulted in elongated telomeres in human cells, implicating OBFC1/AAF4 in telomere length regulation. Taken together, our studies suggest that OBFC1/AAF44 represents a new player in the telomere interactome for telomere maintenance.
Novel Use of a Disposable Digital Pressure Transducer to Increase the Safety of Pericardiocentesis

Cardiac tamponade represents a medical emergency necessitating emergent pericardiocentesis. Use of two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) has improved the safety of pericardiocentesis, but procedural challenges may occur when performed in an emergent manner outside of the catheterization laboratory without availability of fluoroscopy and readily available pressure transducers. The most problematic situation is the initial finding of bloody fluid on aspiration where intrapericardial versus intravascular location of the needle must be determined. We report two cases of cardiac tamponade managed with the use of a novel, disposable lightweight digital pressure transducer to directly measure intrapericardial pressures during an ECHO guided pericardiocentesis. In both cases the fluid initially encountered was grossly bloody and rapid definition of whether this was pericardial fluid versus an inappropriately located needle in the vascular space was critical. This type of novel, disposable self contained manometer has the potential to further minimize complications associated with pericardiocentesis. It offers a cost effective alternative and answers questions about the shifting point of service for pericardiocentesis from the invasive cath lab to less costly locations (Drummond, et al., J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:433–435). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.