cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HAST evaluation of organic liquid IC encapsulants using Sandia's assembly test chips

Accelerated aging (HAST) experiments were conducted with special-purpose corrosion test chips (ATCs) in both bare die form and with various liquid encapsulants: epoxy, silicone and silicone elastomer, or silicone gel. The purpose of the experiment was to show what incremental improvement in die corrosion resistance was provided by the encapsulants and to determine the failure modes for the two types of samples. The test conditions were 140 degrees C/85% RH (relative humidity) and +40-V bias on outer tracks with respect to the center track. In the case of nonencapsulated parts, median lifetimes of about 1000 h were observed for the best passivations, with the predominant failure mode being triple track corrosion on the die. In the case of the encapsulated parts, the failure mode depended on the encapsulant type. Several of the silicone gel materials showed excellent HAST (high accelerated stress testing) performance, with only a few percent failures at the 1 100-h point. >
A Feasibility Study of LENS® Deposition of CoCrMo Coating on a Titanium Substrate

Titanium- and cobalt-base alloys are the most widely used orthopedic implant materials. As there are specific advantages and disadvantages with both of them, one approach to fabricate superior implants is to combine these two material systems. The current work examines the feasibility of depositing CoCrMo coatings on Ti substrates using Laser Engineered Net Shaping®. Studies show that deposition of CoCrMo coating on a Ti substrate is very challenging, cracking and delamination being the major observations. Several alternative strategies, which may lead to satisfactory coatings, are presented.
Strength and Notch Sensitivity of Porous-Matrix Oxide Composites

The effects of matrix strength on the notched and unnotched tensile properties of a family of porous-matrix oxide composites are examined both experimentally and theoretically. Experiments are performed on three composites, distinguished from one another by the amount of binding alumina within the matrix. Increases in alumina concentration produce elevations in unnotched tensile and shear strengths, but the benefits are offset by an increase in notch sensitivity. The degree of notch sensitivity is rationalized on the basis of a model that accounts for interactions between notch tip tensile and shear bands. The model predictions are cast in terms of the ratio of the notch length to a characteristic bridging length scale. These results, in turn, form the basis for a simple analytical formula for notched strength, accounting for effects of elastic anisotropy and finite sample size. The utility of this formula in predicting notched strength is assessed. Issues associated with bridging law shapes and bridging length scales are addressed. The effect of alumina concentration on notch sensitivity is discussed in terms of its influence on the bridging length scale, dictated by the interplay between the unnotched tensile strength, the longitudinal Young's modulus, the degree of in-plane elastic anisotropy, and the fracture energy. The net result is a decreasing bridging length scale and hence increasing notch sensitivity as the matrix is strengthened with alumina.
Management of complicated shunt infections: a clinical report.

Object The authors present their experience with a protocol for the treatment of patients with complicated shunt infections. Methods Complicated shunt infections are defined for the purpose of this protocol as multiple compartment hydrocephalus, multiple organism shunt infection, severe peritonitis, or infections in other sites of the body. The initial treatment protocol for these patients was 3 weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy and 2 weeks of twice daily intraventricular/intrashunt antibiotic therapy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were monitored during therapy and obtained again 48 hours after completion. The shunt was completely replaced. Additionally, follow-up cultures were obtained in all patients 3–6 months after therapy was completed. Results A cure of the infection was achieved in all patients as defined by negative cultures obtained at completion of antibiotic therapy and in follow-up studies. The follow-up period was 2–11 years (mean 4.4 ± 2.5 years). The treatment protocol was modifi...
ULTIMATE SENSITIVITY AND PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TELLURIUM PHOTOCONDUCTIVE DETECTOR

Abstract Calculations of the ultimate sensitivity and measurements of the practical performance have been made for the tellurium photoconductive detector. For the condition that detector sensitivity is limited by fluctuations of background radiation, the theoretical NEP (noise equivalent power) at the peak of spectral sensitivity (λ = 3–4μ) was calculated to be 5.1 × 10−13 W. For the “best” tellurium detector the measured value of NEP was 3.1 × 10−13 W at the same wavelength and at the optimum chopping frequency. These values indicate that the tellurium photoconductive detector is background limited and therefore is ideal.
Spin motion in e+e− storage rings

Abstract General properties of the spin motion in e + e − storage rings are studied in order to determine the conditions where radiative beam polarization is likely to occur. A general first-order theory of depolarization is developed and applied to specific examples of non-resonant depolarization in storage rings. It is found that under many practical conditions radiative beam polarization should occur and therefore the beam polarization will be a significant parameter in high-energy e + e − colliding beam experiments.
Ethical principles and cultural integrity in health care delivery: Asian ethnocultural perspectives in genetic services

The tradition of Western thought is not always ubiquitous when working within the context of different ethnocultural populations, particularly that of Asian culture, and often poses ethical quandaries for health care professionals engaged in genetic services. For example, understanding the Asian ethnocultural perspective of patient autonomy, informed consent, and nondirective counseling from the Western perspective may be inappropriate and compromise cultural integrity and the delivery of effective genetic services because: (1) A distinction exists between the role of Asian (collective) autonomy vs. Western (individual) autonomy in the decision-making process. (2) The medical model is complementary to Asian expectations and respect of authority and may result in an uninformed consent to genetic professional's recommendations. (3) Misinterpretations of the normative decision-making process, misconceptions of normalcy, and the limits of tolerance of nondirective counseling may result in less effective treatment and compliance. Therefore, we suggest that acknowledging the impact of ethnicity and culture on ethical principles as applied in genetic services is essential in the assessment and delivery of ethically and culturally appropriate health care.
Can we regulate the quality of care ? : the case of dialysis in Connecticut

A 75-year-old woman from Fairfield County was admitted to the Yale-New Haven Hospital with congestive heart failure and worsened moderate chronic renal failure. Investigations suggested that her renal failure was the irreversible result of longstanding diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Attempts to treat her congestive heart failure with diuretics resulted in uremia, and after lengthy discussions with the patient and her family, the decision to begin dialysis was made. Because of extensive previous abdominal surgery, peritoneal dialysis was not feasible. Within 1 week after beginning dialysis, the patient had dramatically improved and was ready for discharge. Despite intensive efforts by the physicians, nurses, and social workers involved in the patient's care, it was impossible to find her an outpatient dialysis bed anywhere in the state of Connecticut, let alone near her home. Two months after beginning dialysis, the patient continued to receive dialysis in the inpatient unit at Yale. Because of the distance between her home and New Haven, as well as the unpredictability of the inpatient dialysis schedule, the patient remained hospitalized. Over time, she became increasingly isolated from her family and friends, then profoundly depressed. By her third month of hospitalization, the patient remained both medically stable and severely depressed. Despite psychiatric evaluation and dietary counseling, she became increasingly noncompliant. Near the end of the third month, she consumed an entire basket of fruit, suffered a cardiac arrest, and could not be resuscitated.
Residues of Kepone In Milk from Cows Receiving Treated Feed

Kepone® (decachlorooctahydro-1,3,4,-metheno-2 H -cyclobuta[cd]pentalen-2-one) was fed to dairy cows at levels of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 ppm of the ration for a period of 60 days. The highest level of Kepone obtained from the milk of an individual cow during the experiment was 0.44 ppm. Eighty-three days after discontinuation of Kepone-feeding, no measurable amount of Kepone was present in the milk of cows fed at the lowest rate (0.25 ppm), and only traces were found in the milk of cows fed at the highest rate (5.0 ppm). Kepone had no apparent ill effects on cows at the rates used.
Genetic change in the open reading frame of bovine viral diarrhea virus is introduced more rapidly during the establishment of a single persistent infection than from multiple acute infections.

Bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) are ubiquitous viral pathogens of cattle with a high degree of sequence diversity amongst strains circulating in livestock herds. The driving force behind change in sequence is not well established but the inaccurate replication of the genomic RNA by a viral RNA polymerase without proof-reading capabilities as well as immune pressure on immunodominant proteins are thought to play major roles. Additionally, it is not clear when the majority of changes are introduced, whether during acute infections with exposure to innate and adaptive immune responses or in establishment of persistent infections (PI) in utero. To examine which generates greater sequence diversity, two groups of viruses were compared. The first was six isolates of a single strain of BVDV-2 that were isolated over greater than a year’s time. These viruses caused a series of severe acute (SA) BVD outbreaks over a large geographic area. Changes in nucleotide sequence were determined by comparison of the sequence of each strain to the six virus consensus sequence. The second group was composed of six BVDV strains isolated from PI calves whose dams were exposed to PI cattle. Changes were identified by comparison of the sequence of the progenitor PI virus to that of the progeny viruses from the single in vivo ‘passage’. The open reading frames (ORF) of the six SA isolates were >99% identical at the nucleotide level with 30% of the changes being nonsynonymous changes. The amount of genetic change increased with time and distance from the original outbreak. Similarly, the PI viruses isolated from single passage PI calves had >99% identity with the progenitor virus. The number of nucleotide changes in these viruses was equal to or greater than that observed in the SA viruses. The majority of the nonsynonymous changes were found in the structural proteins, with 65% of these occurring in the immunodominant E2 protein. Antigenic mapping studies using a monoclonal antibody panel specific for the BVDV E2 protein showed no antigenic differences amongst the six SA viruses, nor between the progenitor and progeny type 1a and type 2 persistent viruses. However, antigenic differences were observed in the two type 1b progeny viruses that possessed the greatest number of amino acid changes. Two antibodies were found to have altered staining patterns. These results suggest that the establishment of a single persistent infection results in more rapid generation of genetic diversity in BVDV strains than a series of acute infections and may contribute to antigenic change in the absence of an immune response. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Rad4-Rad23 interaction with SWI/SNF links ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling with nucleotide excision repair.

Chromatin rearrangement occurs during nucleotide excision repair (NER). Here we show that Snf6 and Snf5, two subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, copurify with the NER damage-recognition heterodimer Rad4–Rad23. This interaction between SWI/SNF and Rad4–Rad23 is stimulated by UV irradiation. We demonstrate that NER in the transcriptionally silent, nucleosome-loaded HML locus is reduced in yeast cells lacking functional SWI/SNF. In addition, using a restriction enzyme accessibility assay, we observed UV-induced nucleosome rearrangement at the silent HML locus. Notably, this rearrangement is markedly attenuated when SWI/SNF is inactivated. These results indicate that the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex is recruited to DNA lesions by damage-recognition proteins to increase DNA accessibility for NER in chromatin.
Role of pharmacists in the medical home

The concept of the “medical home” was developed over 40 years ago and came from the field of pediatrics as a way to address the needs of children with special health care needs.[1][1] More broadly, the reasoning was that all patients should have a home where they can receive much of their care
Assisted workouts: starting my own workout program.

Abstract As an undergraduate student with cerebral palsy, I found it difficult to achieve my goal of starting a regular exercise program at my school, the University of Central Florida. However, when I started a program called Assisted Workouts in spring 2003, the struggle proved to be well worth it. The program is not only beneficial to me, but it has also opened the door for other students who, because of disability or injury, need assistance in using gym equipment.
Rational Ecology: Environment and Political Economy

The book describes the variety of institutional arrangements through which collective decisions can be achieved and makes special reference to decision-making on ecology. According to the author, the means employed by societies to make collective choices have far-reaching ramifications for the kind of world which exists or develops. He assesses those means in connection with various forms of rationality used to make decisions and to act: markets, bureaucracies, and polyarchies are among the institutional arrangements evaluated. He examines their capacity for intelligent decision-making, based on notions of justice, individual liberty or economic efficiency, and measures these against the yardstick of environmental concerns, a pressing set of problems which transcend particular political and institutional arrangements. The analysis extends beyond the realm of environmental choice to elucidate more fully the characteristics of the world's social choice mechanisms and proposes innovations for improving these forms.
Purine nucleoside phosphorylase polymorphism in sheep erythrocytes.

A polymorphism of purine nucleoside phosphorylase is described in sheep erythrocytes. Two isozymes were distinguished electrophoretically, one with high activity (NP-1) and one with low activity (NP-2). Breeding data suggest that the two isozymes are the product of two codominant alleles, NP1and NP2. The Km's for inosine did not differ between NP-1 and NP-2; however, NP-2 had a lower pH optimum and was relatively unstable when incubated at 48 C.
Content and Constancy: phenomenology, psychology, and the content of perception

There is a lot to admire about Alva Noe's book Action in Perception. It is philosophy of perception done with appropriate attention to and knowledge of the relevant empirical literature, it is focused on important philosophical issues about the nature and content of perceptual experience, and it is written in a clear and engaging style. It is also a bold book. In particular, it attempts to articulate and defend a connection between action and experience that goes against many of our most basic intuitions about what perceptual experience is like. As it happens, I think Noe is on the right track in connecting action and experience; indeed, I have argued for such a connection myself.1 But this would be a boring paper if it consisted entirely of accolades. In what follows, therefore, I will take on some of the specific details of Noe's view. I will focus, in particular, on what seem to me two of the central claims of the book: that perceptual content is virtual, and that it is dual I will try to say precisely what each of these claims amounts to, and I will argue that each is inconsistent with the phenomenological features of everyday experience.
de Haas–van Alphen effect in the organic metal κ − ( B E D T − T S F ) 2 Cu [ N ( CN ) 2 ] Br : Crossover to two-dimensional behavior in the complete-breakdown regime

de Haas--van Alphen measurements are reported in the organic metal $\ensuremath{\kappa}\ensuremath{-}{(\mathrm{B}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{D}\mathrm{T}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{F})}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}[\mathrm{N}(\mathrm{CN})}_{2}]\mathrm{Br},$ which is the structural analog of the highest ${T}_{c}$ (BEDT-TTF) salt. The frequencies are consistent with the calculated Fermi surface in the complete magnetic breakdown regime, with the warped structure manifesting itself as beats in the oscillations. Above the final node at $\ensuremath{\sim}38.5\mathrm{T},$ the oscillations become characteristic of a two-dimensional metal.
Growth and characterization of GaInAsP/InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes

Abstract Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GM-APDs) grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy are of interest for several low-light-level applications, including laser radars and single-photon-counting optical communications. Materials systems based on GaInAsP lattice matched to InP are critical to the performance of GM-APDs at both 1.06- and 1.55 - μ m wavelengths. Growth temperature, growth rate, and V/III ratio were investigated to determine the effect each had on important device parameters, dark count rate and after-pulsing. Improvements of growth conditions led to a 44% reduction in dark count rate (DCR), but after-pulsing behavior, and thus dead time of GM-APDs was unaffected. The improvement of growth conditions has led to devices with DCRs at 300 K of 8 × 10 9 Hz / cm 2 with dead times still at approximately 1 μ s .
Four Stages and Lack of Stable Accommodation in Chronic Alloantibody-Mediated Renal Allograft Rejection in Cynomolgus Monkeys

The etiology of immunologically mediated chronic renal allograft failure is unclear. One cause is thought to be alloantibodies. Previously in Cynomolgus monkeys, we observed a relationship among donor-specific alloantibodies (DSA), C4d staining, allograft glomerulopathy, allograft arteriopathy and progressive renal failure. To define the natural history of chronic antibody-mediated rejection and its effect on renal allograft survival, we now extend this report to include 417 specimens from 143 Cynomolgus monkeys with renal allografts. A subset of animals with long-term renal allografts made DSA (48%), were C4d positive (29%), developed transplant glomerulopathy (TG) (22%) and chronic allograft arteriopathy (CAA) (19%). These four features were highly correlated and associated with statistically significant shortened allograft survival. Acute cellular rejection, either Banff type 1 or 2, did not correlate with alloantibodies, C4d deposition or TG. However, endarteritis (Banff type 2) correlated with later CAA. Sequential analysis identified four progressive stages of chronic antibody-mediated rejection: (1) DSA, (2) deposition of C4d, (3) TG and (4) rising creatinine/renal failure. These new findings provide strong evidence that chronic antibody-mediated rejection develops without enduring stable accommodation, progresses through four defined clinical pathological stages and shortens renal allograft survival.
Relation of adolescent mothers' history of antisocial behavior to child conduct problems and social competence.

We examined the extent to which maternal antisocial behavior (ASB) is directly related to child conduct problems and social competence and assessed the potential mediating role of negative parenting. The sample included 93 adolescent mothers and their children (44 boys, 49 girls). Mothers retrospectively reported about their ASB since the child's birth, through Grade 2. Negative parenting was coded during a parent–child interaction task (PCIT) at Grade 2. Teachers assessed child outcomes at Grade 3. Maternal ASB during the child's life was directly related to parenting and both child outcomes. In the overall sample, negative parenting partially mediated the relation between maternal ASB and child conduct problems. However, the pattern of relations differed by sex. For boys, maternal ASB was directly related to conduct problems, independent of parenting. For girls, maternal ASB was strongly related to parenting but not conduct problems. Negative parenting did not mediate the relation between maternal ASB a...
Use of genetic algorithms to tune vibration dampers for multi-mode systems with complex periodic inputs

Crankshaft dampers are a common approach for controlling engine crankshaft vibration. The optimum damper parameters are relatively easy to determine for the case of single-mode systems and multi-mode systems with a dominant mode, provided that the primary system is undamped and the system response is linear. For nonlinear systems such as internal combustion engines that experience complex periodic inputs, the true optimum damper parameters may not be apparent. The crank kinematics introduce nonlinear torques acting on the crankshaft. In addition, the gas torque is, in some sense, a state-dependent input, as it is a function of not only the energy addition per cycle, but also of the crank angle. It is reasonable to expect that truly optimal damper parameters may not be obtained using classical approaches. As an alternative, genetic algorithms may be used to determine optimum crankshaft damper settings for this complex system. This paper will present the modeling of an internal combustion engine from the perspective of determining crankshaft vibrations. Optimum damper settings are then determined using a genetic algorithm. Simulation results are shown that compare the achievable vibration reduction in an engine equipped with a GA-tuned damper and the reduction achieved with a conventional passive damper.
Identity, Superselection Theory, and the Statistical Properties of Quantum Fields

The permutation symmetry of quantum mechanics is widely thought to imply a sort of metaphysical underdetermination about the identity of particles. Despite claims to the contrary, this implication does not hold in the more fundamental quantum field theory, where an ontology of particles is not generally available. Although permutations are often defined as acting on particles, a more general account of permutation symmetry can be formulated using superselection theory. As a result, permutation symmetry applies even in field theories with no particle interpretation. The quantum mechanical account of permutations acting on particles is recovered as a special case.
Epigenetics, Oestradiol and Hippocampal Memory Consolidation

Epigenetic alterations of histone proteins and DNA are essential for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function, and contribute to the aetiology of psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Hippocampal memory formation depends on histone alterations and DNA methylation, and increasing evidence suggests that the regulation of these epigenetic processes by modulatory factors, such as environmental enrichment, stress and hormones, substantially influences memory function. Recent work from our laboratory suggests that the ability of the sex-steroid hormone 17β-oestradiol (E2 ) to enhance novel object recognition memory consolidation in young adult female mice is dependent on histone H3 acetylation and DNA methylation in the dorsal hippocampus. Our data also suggest that enzymes mediating DNA methylation and histone acetylation work in concert to regulate the effects of E2 on memory consolidation. These findings shed light on the epigenetic mechanisms that influence hormonal modulation of cognitive function, and may have important implications for understanding how hormones influence cognition in adulthood and ageing. The present review provides a brief overview of the literature on epigenetics and memory, describes in detail our findings demonstrating that epigenetic alterations regulate E2 -induced memory enhancement in female mice, and discusses future directions for research on the epigenetic regulation of E2 -induced memory enhancement.
Heterologous in vitro fertilization and sperm capacitation in an endangered African antelope, the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah).

Scimitar-horned oryx sperm function was studied using protocols developed for domestic cattle. Objectives were to assess sperm 1) viability and motility in vitro over time, 2) capacitation in heparin- or calcium-supplemented medium, and 3) function in an in vitro fertilization system using heterologous (domestic cow) oocytes. Seminal aliquots were washed, and sperm were resuspended in 1)Talp with 5% fetal calf serum (TALP), 2) TALP + 10 μM heparin, 3) TALP + 20 μM heparin, and 4) TALP + 10 mM CaCI. At 0, 3, and 6 h, aliquots were evaluated for sperm motility, viability (using Hoechst 33258), and ability to acrosome-react when exposed to lysophosphatidylcholine (LC). Sperm function was assessed by evaluating fertilization and embryo development after coculture of in vitro-matured domestic cow oocytes with oryx sperm. Overall mean percentages of motile and viable sperm remained high at 6 h (> 60% and > 70%, respectively). Fewer (p < 0.05) sperm incubated in TALP + 10 μM heparin for 6 h contained intact acrosomes after exposure to LC, but there were no differences between LC and control samples after incubation in TALP without heparin. LC-treated sperm in TALP + 10 mM CaCI contained fewer (p < 0.05) intact acrosomes at 3 and 6 h (52.6% and 31.2%, respectively) than paired controls (83.6% and 70.0%, respectively). Oryx sperm from all males were capable of fertilizing cow oocytes (range 17 of 26 [65.4%] to 25 of 26 [96.2%]). Of the 55 2-cell embryos produced, 34 (61.8%) developed to ≥ 8 cells. Of the 24 uncleaved oocytes, 7 (29.2%) were polyspermic. These data demonstrate that processed sperm from the endangered scimitar-horned oryx remain vigorous in vitro for at least 6 h. Capacitation can be induced using cattle sperm-processing techniques, with sperm appearing most responsive to elevated CaCI concentrations. Most interesting was the successful production and development of hybrid embryos after coincubation of oryx sperm with cow oocytes, suggesting that the two bovid species have similar fertilization mechanisms.
In vivo quantitation of rare circulating tumor cells by multiphoton intravital flow cytometry

Quantitation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) constitutes an emerging tool for the diagnosis and staging of cancer, assessment of response to therapy, and evaluation of residual disease after surgery. Unfortunately, no existing technology has the sensitivity to measure the low numbers of tumor cells (<1 CTC per ml of whole blood) that characterize minimal levels of disease. We present a method, intravital flow cytometry, that noninvasively counts rare CTCs in vivo as they flow through the peripheral vasculature. The method involves i.v. injection of a tumor-specific fluorescent ligand followed by multiphoton fluorescence imaging of superficial blood vessels to quantitate the flowing CTCs. Studies in mice with metastatic tumors demonstrate that CTCs can be quantitated weeks before metastatic disease is detected by other means. Analysis of whole blood samples from cancer patients further establishes that human CTCs can be selectively labeled and quantitated when present at ≈2 CTCs per ml, opening opportunities for earlier assessment of metastatic disease.
Regeneration and transplantation of muscles in old rats and between young and old rats.

Abstract In order to compare the regenerative ability of skeletal muscle between young (5 month) and old (26 month) rats, sliced or intact extensor digitorum longus muscles were freely autografted into young and old rats and also reciprocally grafted from young to old inbred animals and vice versa. Sixty days after grafting, the transplants were analyzed for contractile and histochemical properties. There was a relative similarity between the contraction times of both normal control muscles and of all groups of transplants, although the contraction time tended to be prolonged and histochemical fiber pattern was more often found to be uniform in grafts of senescent animals. All groups of transplants possessed histochemically heterogeneous fiber types at 60 days. The experiments demonstrate that skeletal muscle in old rats possesses a substantial degree of regenerative ability and that the free tranpllantation of entire muscles in old animals is feasible.
Effects of droperidol, haloperidol and ketamine on halothane, succinylcholine and caffeine contractures: implications for malignant hyperthermia

The effects of two structurally similar butyrophenones (droperidol and haloperidol) and ketamine were evaluated in an in vitro system to determine their potential for eliciting or exacerbating an episode of malignant hyperthermia. Muscle strips from patients referred for diagnostic testing for malignant hyperthermia and muscle strips from the rat diaphragm were exposed to droperidol, haloperidol, or ketamine prior to challenge with halothane, succinylcholine or caffeine. If any agent augmented the contracture response to the malignant hyperthermia triggering or diagnostic agents, then the agent was considered unsafe for use in malignant hyperthermia susceptible patients. Droperidol 10 mumol/l and ketamine 100 mumol/l did not induce contractures in human or rat skeletal muscle when added alone, nor did they augment halothane, succinylcholine or caffeine contractures. These agents appear to be safe for use in patients susceptible to malignant hyperthermia. In contrast, haloperidol 10 mumol/l augmented the response to succinylcholine about 1.5-fold and may be contraindicated in MH susceptibles.
Properties of 55Mn, 56Mn and 57Fe in the unified rotational model

Abstract A deformed single-particle model which includes the Coriolis coupling term is used to calculate the properties of 55 Mn and 57 Fe. The available experimental data are reviewed and compared with the calculated results. Good agreement is obtained for the energy levels, electromagnetic properties and stripping spectroscopic factors. An extension of the model to doubly odd nuclei, with inclusion of an n-p residual interaction, also produced good agreement with experimental quantities for 56 Mn. Consideration of these results in comparison with shell-model calculations leads to arguments that these nuclei may be statically deformed.
Infrared emission (500–2000 cm−1) of laboratory ice clouds

Abstract The spectral infrared emission (500–2000 cm −1 ) of laboratory ice clouds has been measured with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. A cloudscope (a novel microscope equipped with a video camera) captured cloud ice crystals for microphysical characterization of the cloud. Theoretical emission calculations based on modified Mie theory, observed crystal size distributions, and an approximation for IR radiative transfer agree reasonably well with measurements. Model sensitivity to anomalous diffraction theory, size distribution, and particle shape are explored. Atmospheric applications are that the single-scattering approximation is dubious; that the zero-scattering approximation is accurate to with 20% in the atmospheric window region; and that recent observations of strong spectral variations in the upwelling IR emission from some cirrus is largely due to contributions by small ice crystals. The ratio of visible optical depth to IR optical depth at 10.85 μm (the “LIRAD” ratio) was 2.4, and is at the lower end of reported values from tropical cirrus despite the relatively small laboratory crystal sizes observed.
THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE KINETICS OF THE REACTION OF ALKOXYSILANE WITH SILICA

ABSTRACT The surface functionalization of silica by alkoxysilane can improve its dispersion into polymers by beneficially modifying interparticle and particle–polymer interactions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has been used to study the kinetics of binding a bifunctional alkoxysilane onto silica over the temperature range of 50 to 110 °C. Derivative TGA curves of the reacted silica show distinct peaks, which correspond to the alkoxysilane bound to one or two surface silanol sites. Binding at two silanol sites is postulated to occur in a two-step series reaction model. An Arrhenius analysis for the alkoxysilane binding reactions shows that the activation energies of the two reaction steps are similar, which is expected because the alkoxysilane contains two identical binding groups. This work demonstrates the suitability of the TGA technique to investigate the reaction kinetics for modifying the surface of silica.
Comparison of Flood Top Width Predictions Using Surveyed and LiDAR-Derived Channel Geometries

This paper compares flood top width predictions generated by a one-dimensional flood model using surveyed and light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-based topographic descriptions for varying storm event return intervals. Three channel geometries are used in the analysis: (1) based entirely on survey data; (2) based entirely on LiDAR data; and (3) based on a hybrid file that merges survey-derived channel bank locations and LiDAR-derived cross sections. The study area is a 6.6-km river reach located in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. Four steady flow simulations are performed representing the 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year design storm events to understand the effect of storm return period on top width predictions using the three different topographic descriptions. The results from the study suggest that the LiDAR derived geometries generally predicted higher widths compared to the survey geometries, and that the magnitude of the difference is inversely related to the storm even return interval (12% averag...
Reaction kinetics in fluidized beds

Abstract The purpose of this study is the clarification and extension of information on the kinetics of reactions in fluidized beds and in baffled fluidized beds, especially the oxidation of ammonia in the presence of a catalyst. The column used was 4·5 in. diameter and 43 in. high. The catalyst was manganous-bismuth oxide on alumina spheres of 100–325 mesh. The quantity of catalyst used ranged from 2 kg to 6 kg. The gas rates ranged from 0·17 ft 3 /min to 2 ft 3 /min (SCFM). The conflicting results obtained in previous experiments have been partially explained and they now appear to be in substantial agreement with the theories proposed by previous investigators. The results obtained when using baffled beds show that the baffles improve the conversion from 10 per cent to 40 per cent over that obtained in non-baffled fluidized reactors.
Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopic and High-Pressure Scanning Tunneling Microscopic Studies of Benzene Hydrogenation on Pt(111)

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy and high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy (HP-STM) have been used in combination for the first time to study a catalytic reaction. These techniques have been able to identify surface intermediates in situ during benzene hydrogenation on a Pt(111) single-crystal surface at Torr pressures. In a background of 10 Torr of benzene, STM is able to image small ordered regions corresponding to the c(2√3 × 3)rect structure in which each molecule is chemisorbed at a bridge site. In addition, individual benzene molecules are also observed between the ordered regions. These individual molecules are assumed to be physisorbed benzene on the basis of the SFG results showing both chemisorbed and physisorbed molecules. The surface becomes too mobile to image upon addition of hydrogen but is determined to have physisorbed and chemisorbed benzene present by SFG. It was spectroscopically determined that heating the platinum surface after poisoning with CO displaces...
Digital Control Retrofit of an Industrial Gas Turbine

As worldwide power requirements increase, power generation facilities must begin to think more closely about the reliability of existing units. In order to enhance plant capability, many power producers are considering control upgrades to aging equipment as an alternative to adding new machinery.This paper details an advanced digital control system coupled with a progressive valving scheme and a unique man-machine interface that features the following:(1) increased unit reliability due to the replacement of the pneumatic control system with a state-of-the-art, digital controller and an electro-hydraulic fuel valve,(2) cooler, more predictable start-ups achieved by removing the relay sequencer and substituting an advanced software-driven sequencer,(3) an intuitive, color graphics operator control station that offers trending, archiving, and rapid configuration.The scope of this paper will describe this system as it applies to a Westinghouse 191G gas turbine. This unit is located at a peaking facility in Astoria, New York. The control retrofit was successfully completed in June 1991.Copyright © 1992 by ASME
Numerical Modeling of Optical Gradient Traps Using the Vector Finite Element Method

It has been established that under certain conditions microscopic dielectric objects can be trapped by a tightly focused laser beam. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as an optical gradient trap. The recently developed vector finite element method is used to visualize the interaction of the laser beam with the dielectric object and to quantitatively predict the optical trapping efficiency. The vector finite element method is an accurate and efficient approach when the incident beam wavelength is comparable to the object size, and it has the advantage that it can be used to model the trapping of arbitrarily shaped 3D objects.
On finite limit sets for transformations on the unit interval

Abstract An infinite sequence of finite or denumerable limit sets is found for a class of many-to-one transformations of the unit interval into itself. Examples of four different types are studied in some detail; tables of numerical results are included. The limit sets are characterized by certain patterns; an algorithm for their generation is described and established. The structure and order of occurrence of these patterns is universal for the class.
Tomorrow's Able Elders: Implications for the State

The emergence of a population grouping identified as the able elderly is a remarkable benchmark of social and demographic progress in the industrial world. Not only are first- and second-world countries populated increasingly by older persons, but it is beyond dispute that poverty, frailty, and dependence are no longer the common denominator of these aged populations. Clearly, how those who can be objectively identified as able elders identify themselves, and how they are recognized and conceptualized by the larger society are matters of enormous importance. Nowhere will the potential importance of this group be greater than in the world of politics. Should able elders emerge with a common consciousness built around age, ability, or other life circumstances, their being a group with vast personal, economic, and social resources would make them, in the parlance of a younger generation, awesome. At the other extreme, however, is the possibility that the future able elderly will have so little in common, will be so numerous, and will have so many identifications with people not so labelled that their differential political impact could be virtually nil. Whether a clearer political identity for this population can or should emerge will have major consequences for both gerontology and the larger society. The emergence of this group could well result, as able elders and their advocates contend, in massively undertapped resources being applied to better serving families, communities, and older individuals themselves. But it is also critical to recognize that the extent to which collective identity and contributions emerge is a function of social and economic forces as much as it is of individual preference. The contributions these able elders may wish to make can, under foreseeable circumstances, become the obligations that society wishes to impose on them. What able older people choose to do and how larger social forces work to channel (or disregard) their abilities
Temporal-coherence effects of a moving phase screen illuminated by spatially coherent quasi-monochromatic light: Comment on the correlation extent of the phase function exp(iϕ)—A Reply

The authors interpret Takai’s [ N. Takai , J. Opt. Soc. Am. A3, 452 ( 1986)] Q(X) as the ordinary normalized convariance function.
Identification and emission factors of molecular tracers in organic aerosols from biomass burning Part 1. Temperate climate conifers

Abstract Smoke particulate matter from conifers subjected to controlled burning, both under smoldering and flaming conditions, was sampled by high volume air filtration on precleaned quartz fiber filters. The filtered particles were extracted with dichloromethane and the crude extracts were methylated for separation by thin layer chromatography into hydrocarbon, carbonyl, carboxylic acid ester and polar fractions. Then, the total extract and individual fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major organic components directly emitted in smoke particles were straight chain aliphatic compounds from vegetation wax and diterpenoid acids (biomarkers) from resin. The major natural products altered by combustion included derivatives from phenolic (lignin) and monosaccharide (cellulose) biopolymers and oxygenated and aromatic products from diterpenoids. Other biomarkers present as minor components included phytosterols, both the natural and altered products, and unaltered high molecular weight wax esters. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were also present, however, only as minor constituents. Although the concentrations of organic compounds in smoke aerosols are highly variable and dependent on combustion temperature, the biomarkers and their combustion alteration products are source specific. The major components are adsorbed or trapped on particulate matter and thus may be utilized as molecular tracers in the atmosphere for determining fuel type and source contributions from biomass burning.
Supercritical transition in plane channel flow with spatially periodic perturbations.

Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations have been conducted for plane channel flow with a streamwise-periodic array of cylinders. The primary transition in this open flow occurs as a convective rather than absolute instability and leads to traveling-wave packets, which advect out of the system. The ordered secondary state is characteristic of closed flows, in contrast with other open flows where the primary transition often leads directly to turbulence.
Cost-effectiveness of targeted and tailored interventions on colorectal cancer screening use

BACKGROUND. Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is cost-effective but underused. The objective of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of targeted and tailored behavioral interventions to increase CRC screening use by conducting an economic analysis associated with a randomized trial among patients in a large, racially and ethnically diverse, urban family practice in Philadelphia. METHODS. The incremental costs per unit increase were measured in individuals who were screened during the 24 months after intervention. Percent increase in screening was adjusted for baseline differences in the study groups. Each intervention arm received a targeted screening invitation letter, stool blood test (SBT) cards, informational booklet, and reminder letter. Tailored interventions incrementally added tailored messages and reminder telephone calls. RESULTS. Program costs of the targeted intervention were $42 per participant. Additional costs of adding tailored print materials and of delivering a reminder telephone call were $150 and $200 per participant, respectively. The cost per additional individual screened was $319 when comparing the no intervention group with the targeted intervention group. CONCLUSIONS. The targeted intervention was more effective and less costly than the tailored intervention. Although tailoring plus reminder telephone call was the most effective strategy, it was very costly per additional individual screened. Mailed SBT cards significantly boosted CRC screening use. However, going beyond the targeted intervention to include tailoring or tailoring plus reminder calls in the manner used in this study did not appear to be an economically attractive strategy. Cancer 2008. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Identification and validation of a logistic regression model for predicting serious injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes

A multivariate logistic regression model, based upon National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) data for calendar years 1999-2008, was developed to predict the probability that a crash-involved vehicle will contain one or more occupants with serious or incapacitating injuries. These vehicles were defined as containing at least one occupant coded with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of greater than or equal to 15, in planar, non-rollover crash events involving Model Year 2000 and newer cars, light trucks, and vans. The target injury outcome measure was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led National Expert Panel on Field Triage in their recent revision of the Field Triage Decision Scheme (American College of Surgeons, 2006). The parameters to be used for crash injury prediction were subsequently specified by the National Expert Panel. Model input parameters included: crash direction (front, left, right, and rear), change in velocity (delta-V), multiple vs. single impacts, belt use, presence of at least one older occupant (≥ 55 years old), presence of at least one female in the vehicle, and vehicle type (car, pickup truck, van, and sport utility). The model was developed using predictor variables that may be readily available, post-crash, from OnStar-like telematics systems. Model sensitivity and specificity were 40% and 98%, respectively, using a probability cutpoint of 0.20. The area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve for the final model was 0.84. Delta-V (mph), seat belt use and crash direction were the most important predictors of serious injury. Due to the complexity of factors associated with rollover-related injuries, a separate screening algorithm is needed to model injuries associated with this crash mode.
Development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome despite blood chimerism in human lung transplant recipients.

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) remains the overwhelming obstacle to the success of lung transplantations (LTx). The presence of donor-specific microchimerism (DSM) and its association with lung allograft function is not well defined. To investigate the relationship between chimerism and BOS, blood was obtained from 21 LTx recipients. Genomic DNA was isolated from patient blood, and PCR-based techniques were used to identify recipient and donor HLA-DR. Fifty percent of the LTx recipients with BOS exhibited DSM at “T1” time post transplant, and 40 % at one year follow-up (T2). However, 54 % exhibited DSM in the BOS-free group at T1, and 44 % at T2. Of the BOS-free, DSM-positive patients at T1, 29 % developed BOS by T2. In contrast, 50 % of BOS-free DSM-negative patients 50 % developed BOS (P > 0.05). Double LTx had a higher prevalence of DSM (73 %) and a lower prevalence of BOS (46 %) than single LTx (50 % and 80 % respectively, P > 0.05). One-HLA-DR-antigen-matched LTx recipients show a low prevalence of DSM compared to non-matched (P < 0.05). This study demonstrates that the development of BOS in LTx recipients could also occur in the presence of blood chimerism.