cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of environmental factors on key kinetic parameters relevant to pitting corrosion

Experiments using stainless steel artificial pit (lead-in-pencil) electrodes in ferric chloride and lithium chloride solutions were performed in order to determine the effects of key environmental factors such as chloride concentration and pH of the bulk solution on the central parameters utilized to characterize the pitting phenomenon—the repassivation potential E rp and the pit stability product under a salt film (i · x)saltfilm. For all the stainless steel alloys studied, a relative independence of the E rp to the pit depth was observed once sufficient anodic charge had been passed. The pit stability product under a salt film was seen to be largely insensitive to the pH of the bulk solution. E rp, on the other hand, was fairly independent of bulk pH only at the lower chloride concentrations of both lithium chloride and ferric chloride solutions. The two parameters were affected differently by variation in the chloride concentration of the bulk solutions. Increasing the chloride concentration resulted in a decrease in the value of (i · x)saltfilm for all alloys in both solutions. In ferric chloride, the value of E rp increased with increasing chloride concentration for Custom 465 and the austenitic steels, whereas it decreased across the same range for 17–4 pH. These trends were explained qualitatively using solution conductivity and alloying composition arguments. Finally, the results obtained from this study allowed for a rationalization of the phenomenology, enabling a method of measurement of the diffusion coefficient and the concentration at saturation of the “stainless steel cation” within the pit, both of which agreed well with values obtained from the existing literature.
Side-specific factors associated with extracapsular extension and seminal vesicular invasion in men undergoing open radical retropubic prostatectomy

This study provides further insights into those preoperative parameters that predict side-specific risk of pathological stage in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). The transrectal ultrasound-guided tissue biopsy cores obtained from the right and left sides of the prostate were collected in separate jars and examined independently according to the side of origin in 1250 men with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent RP. The side-specific biopsy specimens were examined for Gleason score, number of positive cores, percentage of positive cores, percent tumor volume in the biopsy specimens and the presence of perineural invasion. All of the surgical specimens were processed and analyzed by pathologists at NYUMC using a standardized protocol. The surgical specimens were examined for side-specific extracapsular extension (ECE) and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI). Using a univariate analysis, age, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, clinical stage, Gleason score, number of positive biopsies, percent positive biopsy cores, percent volume of prostate cancer in cores and perineural invasion were all significant predictors of both ECE and SVI. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of ECE and SVI. Serum PSA, biopsy Gleason score, percent volume of biopsy cores with cancer and perineural invasion were independent predictors of side-specific ECE. Age, serum PSA, Gleason score and prostate volume were independent predictors of side-specific SVI. Our study identified previously unrecognized independent predictors of side-specific ECE and SVI. Our study also provides evidence that the independent predictors of ECE and SVI are different.
On the solution to the inverse kinematic problem

A nonalgorithmic method is presented for the solution to the inverse kinematic problem of a robot. The method is robot independent and involves a hybrid approach whereby a neural solution is augmented with an iterative procedure which provides the final solution within some specified tolerance. Essentially, the neural solution is similar to a lookup table in providing a good initial guess to a classical iterative search. It has been found that for the industrial manipulator PUMA 560, the proposed hybrid method achieves about a twofold increase in computational efficiency with better uniformity of the time required to obtain the solution to the robotic manipulator. >
Anger inhibition and pain: conceptualizations, evidence and new directions

Anger and how anger is regulated appear to affect acute and chronic pain intensity. The inhibition of anger (anger-in), in particular, has received much attention, and it is widely believed that suppressing or inhibiting the verbal or physical expression of anger is related to increased pain severity. We examine theoretical accounts for expecting that anger inhibition should affect pain, and review evidence for this claim. We suggest that the evidence for a link between trait anger-in (the self-reported tendency to inhibit anger expression when angry) and acute and chronic pain severity is quite limited owing to a number of factors including a inadequate definition of trait anger-in embodied in the popular anger-in subscale of Spielberger's Anger Expression Inventory, and a strong overlap between trait anger-in scores and measures of general negative affect (NA). We argue that in order to determine whether something unique to the process of anger inhibition exerts direct effects on subsequent pain intensity, new conceptualizations and approaches are needed that go beyond self-report assessments of trait anger-in. We present one model of anger inhibition and pain that adopts elements of Wegner's ironic process theory of thought suppression. Findings from this emerging research paradigm indicate that state anger suppression (suppression manipulated in the laboratory) may indeed affect sensitivity to subsequent painful stimuli, and we outline potentially productive avenues of future inquiry that build on this model. We conclude that although studies employing correlational designs and self-reports of trait anger-in have not upheld the claim that anger inhibition affects pain severity, evidence from studies using new models suggests that actually inhibiting anger expression during a provocative event may increase perceived pain at a later time.
Automated scanning probe lithography with n-alkanethiol self assembled monolayers on Au(111): Application for teaching undergraduate laboratories.

Controllers for scanning probe instruments can be programmed for automated lithography to generate desired surface arrangements of nanopatterns of organic thin films, such as n-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). In this report, atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods of lithography known as nanoshaving and nanografting are used to write nanopatterns within organic thin films. Commercial instruments provide software to control the length, direction, speed, and applied force of the scanning motion of the tip. For nanoshaving, higher forces are applied to an AFM tip to selectively remove regions of the matrix monolayer, exposing bare areas of the gold substrate. Nanografting is accomplished by force-induced displacement of molecules of a matrix SAM, followed immediately by the surface self-assembly of n-alkanethiol molecules from solution. Advancements in AFM automation enable rapid protocols for nanolithography, which can be accomplished within the tight time restraints of undergraduate laboratories. Example experiments with scanning probe lithography (SPL) will be described in this report that were accomplished by undergraduate students during laboratory course activities and research internships in the chemistry department of Louisiana State University. Students were introduced to principles of surface analysis and gained “hands-on” experience with nanoscale chemistry.
Further Preliminaries to the Systematic Development

In 1894 Brown completed calculations yielding the lunar inequalities proportional to e' f 1(m) and to e e' f 2(m). After finishing work on his Introductory Treatise on the Lunar Theory, he also carried out a number of theoretical inquiries resulting in published papers.
Liquidity Provision, Credit Risk and the Bond Spread: New Evidence from the Subprime Mortgage Market

We study the determinants of the subprime mortgage loan spread, with a particular focus on funding liquidity and default-liquidity interaction effects. We find that sector-level as well as macro funding liquidity provision affected subprime loan rates, explaining a significant portion of the variation in spreads. Liquidity conditions just prior to loan default mattered, indicating destabilizing liquidity-driven default effects. A reduction in macro funding liquidity provision at the time of loan origination predicts worsening credit performance, implying a stabilizing default-driven liquidity component in the loan spread. Positive default-liquidity feedback (spiraling) effects are also documented.
Interpreting the ductility of nanocrystalline metals

Nanocrystalline (NC) metals are known for having excellent strength but perceived to have poor ductility. Miniature tensile tests on NC Ni-Fe measured ultimate strengths of 2 GPa and elongations, by digital image correlation, of up to 10%. Detailed examination of the fracture surface revealed dimpled rupture and cross-section reduction up to 75%, suggesting an intrinsic ability for small grained Ni-Fe to accommodate plasticity. A survey of published studies on NC metals reveals that this behavior is quite common; despite low macroscopic elongation, NC metals often achieve extensive deformation suggesting good intrinsic ductility. Unfortunately, the common sheet-like configuration of NC tensile specimens muddies a simple evaluation of ductility based on elongation, since thin and wide geometries promote localized necking that expedites catastrophic failure. This paper presents a compact review of ductility concepts and literature to interpret the experimental ductility measurements of an electrodeposited nickel alloy.
Investigation of Stability and Structure in Three Homochiral and Heterochiral Crystalline Forms of 3-Phenyllactic Acid

3-Phenyllactic acid (3PLA) is a new example of a chiral compound that can form a conglomerate or a racemic crystal upon crystallization of racemic 3PLA. In this study, homochiral crystals (1), heterochiral racemic crystals (2) (reported here for the first time), and conglomerates (3) of3PLA were prepared, and the thermal stability, crystal structures, and spectroscopic properties of 1-3 were investigated. Crystals of 1 and 3 formed from aqueous solution as needles (orthorhombic, P2 1 2 1 2 1 ), while crystals of 2 formed from 3:1 hexanes-ethyl acetate as rectangular blocks (monoclinic, P2 1 /c). The pure enantiomer and conglomerates are unusual in that they exhibit slightly greater thermodynamic stability than the racemic form (Δ(ΔH fus ) = 4.0 kJ/mol) despite having considerably lower density (Δρ calc = 3.7%) and less efficient molecular packing in accordance with Wallach's Rule. Considering that molecules of 3PLA adopt essentially identical conformations in the homochiral and heterochiral crystals, the higher stability in crystals of pure enantiomer (1 and 3) results from stronger hydrogen-bonding interactions via homochiral packing as compared to heterochiral packing in racemic crystals (2). 3PLA therefore provides a unique test system to investigate the influence of surface energetics and solvation in biasing homochiral vs heterochiral nucleation to develop methods for enantioseparation via crystallization.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON HYBRIDIZATION AND SEXUAL ISOLATION BETWEEN SOME APHYTIS SPECIES (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE). III. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION BETWEEN INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS AND PARENTAL SPECIES.

Interspecific hybridization is of rare occurrence in animals, especially in comparison to plants, obviously because of their very different modes of reproduction, ecology, and perhaps especially, of behavioral isolation (Mayr, 1963). Within the animal kingdom, hybridization frequency differs with the class, being more characteristic of animals which reproduce by means of external fertilization, e.g., fishes and amphibia. To illustrate this rarity of animal hybrids in nature, Mayr (op. cit.) states that perhaps one out of 60,000 wild birds is a hybrid. In animals with internal fertilization, the rarity of hybrids may frequently be attributed to the presence of ethological isolating mechanisms. Where ethological isolating mechanisms are overcome, either under laboratory or natural conditions, and successful interspecific copulation occurs, hybrids may occasionally be produced. The steps in hybrid production subsequent to mating, such as fertilization of the egg by the foreign sperm, development of the embryo, etc., should proceed normally. These may be prevented by death of the sperm in the female genital tract, inability of the sperm to fertilize the egg, or by subsequent death of the zygote due to genetic imbalances. Even when all these isolational barriers are circumvented and hybrids are produced, poor genetic fit (brought about as a result
Presentation of the Mineralogical Society of America Award for 2015 to Nicholas J. Tosca

In preparing this introduction, I looked at the list of former recipients of the MSA Award (http://www.minsocam.org/msa/awards/MSA_Award.html) and was struck by how many of the towering lights in our field are on that list. The rules demand that they receive their awards within just a few years of their Ph.D., and the inevitable conclusion is that the MSA Award must be one of the world’s greatest predictors of sustained scientific excellence! I am confident that this year’s selection will further enhance the Award’s reputation on that front and so, President Shirey, MSA members and guests, it is both an honor and pleasure to introduce this year’s Mineralogical Society of America Awardee, Nick Tosca. Nick came to Stony Brook after completing undergraduate studies at SUNY Albany, where he was mentored (and highly recommended) by John Delano. I believe he arrived expecting to start with a Masters on rare earth elements in sedimentary rocks, but I had just received a NASA Cosmochemistry grant to set up a low-temperature experimental lab designed to test some of the predictions about martian sedimentary mineralogy arising from the Pathfinder mission. Although I knew very little about how to perform experiments, I had already talked Joel Hurowitz—who indeed had just completed a Masters on REE in sedimentary rocks—into jumping off the planetary science cliff with me for his Ph.D., and Nick arrived just in time to bolster …
Who's the Big FISH Now? A Correspondence of Metaphase Cytogenetic Karyotyping and Interphase Fluorescence in situ Hybridization Panel Testing in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Cytogenetic studies are part of the standard of care for the diagnosis, classification, and prognostic assessment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Metaphase karyotyping has been used traditionally; however, reoccurring genetic abnormalities in AML have been determined, enabling the use of interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). Currently, there are few studies in AML investigating the correspondence between metaphase karyotype …
Credentialing and Privileging of Acute Care Nurse Practitioners to Do Invasive Procedures: A Statewide Survey

Background Acute care nurse practitioners have been successfully integrated into inpatient settings. They perform invasive procedures in the intensive care unit and other acute care settings. Although their general scope of practice is regulated at the state level, local and regional scope of practice is governed by hospitals. Objective To determine if credentialing and privileging of these nurses for invasive procedures varies depending on the institution. Methods Personnel in medical staff offices of 329 hospitals were surveyed by telephone with 6 questions. Data collected included acute care nurse practitioner and hospital demographics, frequency and type of procedures performed, proctoring and credentialing process, and the presence of residents and fellows at the institution. Results The response rate was 74.8% (246 hospitals). Among these, 48% (118) employed acute care nurse practitioners, of which 43.2% performed invasive procedures. Three hospitals were excluded from the final analysis. Of the hospitals that credentialed and granted privileges to the nurse practitioners for invasive procedures, 60.4% were teaching hospitals. A supervising physician was the proctor in 94% of the nonteaching hospitals and 100% of the teaching hospitals. The most common number of cases proctored was 4 to 7. Conclusion The majority of hospitals employ acute care nurse practitioners. The most common method of privileging for invasive procedures is proctoring by a supervising physician. However, the amount of proctoring required before privileges and independent practice are granted varies by procedure and institution.
Leukemia Surveillance Counterpoint: USA

Hematologic malignancies account for 6–8 % of new cancers diagnosed in the USA annually. Over 40,000 new cases of leukemia and >20,000 deaths are attributed to leukemia of all types in the USA each year. Based on a recent National Cancer Institute report, the overall age-adjusted incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the USA is 1.5 in 100,000. The incidence in African–Americans is approximately one-half the incidence in Caucasians. The male-to-female ratio is 1.2:1.0. Among the approximately 4,000 new cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed each year in the USA, the incidence is highest in persons younger than 15 years old with a peak between ages 2 and 5. In the National Cancer Institute’s 2000–2003 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Statistic Review (SEER), the median age at diagnosis was 13 years. The incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia decreases between the ages of 13–50; after age 50, it steadily rises. There are also geographic differences in the incidence, with higher rates in North America and Europe and lower rates in Africa and Asia [1].
Virus-Enabled Optimization and Delivery of the Genetic Machinery for Efficient Unnatural Amino Acid Mutagenesis in Mammalian Cells and Tissues

Unnatural amino acid (UAA) mutagenesis of recombinant proteins in live mammalian cells requires coexpression of the mutant target, as well as an engineered tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pair. The ability to readily determine the optimal relative expression levels of these three genetic components for efficient expression of the UAA-modified target is highly desirable, but remains challenging to accomplish. Here we report a facile strategy to achieve this by taking advantage of the efficient gene-delivery by a baculovirus vector, which enables systematic variation of the expression level of each genetic component in a population-wide manner. Insights gained from this study led to the design of an optimal expression system, which can be delivered into mammalian cells by a single baculovirus vector to provide significantly improved UAA incorporation efficiency at a low virus load. Furthermore, this optimized baculovirus vector was shown to enable efficient UAA mutagenesis of proteins expressed in mouse brai...
Characterizing the tunable refractive index of vanadium dioxide

Vanadium dioxide undergoes a reversible metal-insulator phase change near 68°C. This transition is often recognized for its electronic properties; however, the concomitant change in optical properties is also attractive. One application is to exploit the optical properties within this transition region to control and tune the refractive index between its insulating and metallic states. To achieve this, we used atomic layer deposition to grow high-quality, low-temperature (≤150°C), ultrathin films of vanadium dioxide on sapphire substrates. Measurements of optical transmittance and reflectance as a function of temperature are then used to create wavelength and temperature dependent models of the complex optical refractive index. Our models create a foundation for developing vanadium dioxide as a tunable refractive index material.
Promoting Limb Salvage through Multi-Disciplinary Care of the Diabetic Patient

Despite an explosion in the number of options available for helping diabetic patients heal wounds, major amputation remains a critical issue for these persons. Since diabetes prematurely ages tissues and no organ system is immune to its presence, it makes inherent sense that multi-disciplinary team approaches to these patients is necessary to make significant strides forward. Here, we present literature from the fields of podiatric surgery/medicine, vascular and plastic surgery and introduce the successes that a multi-disciplinary limb salvage center can have on the lives and limbs of patients with diabetes.
Demonstrating the real-world significance of the mid-swing to heel strike part of the gait cycle using spectral features

Multiple sclerosis (MS) interrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body causing functional deterioration. Gait impairment is a common finding in MS, one caused by several neurological symptoms. We perform an event-specific analysis to study the variable impact of MS on gait components. Our results show that the mid-swing to heel strike (HS) phase of a gait cycle is the most indicative of motor problems. We apply the Hilbert-Huang transform to inertial gait data, corresponding to this phase, to extract the spectral features and study their relationships with the patient-reported outcomes. A number of strong and statistically significant dependencies were found, many having to do with activities of daily living and MS walking scale, leading to the conclusion that the disturbance in mid-swing to HS is specific to deterioration in physical functions. Spearman correlations coefficients and adjusted R2 obtained using stepwise linear regression models are reported. We conclude that event-specific gait features can be used to quantify the precise impact of MS symptoms on gait phases and identify markers of balance, stability, or fall risk, etc. We believe that this information supplements on-going MS research and could be used to develop personalized disease-modifying therapies and exercises.
College Preparatory Program for Visually Impaired Students: An Evaluation:

The effectiveness of a nine-week college preparation summer program for visually impaired high school students is evaluated. Feedback from the students and their rehabilitation counselors indicates...
Exacerbation of MPTP induced neurodegeneration by a CD4+ effector T cell line specific for N-α-synuclein in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease

Inflammation and oxidative stress play critical roles in PD. Moreover, T cell-mediated immunity regulates innate immunity to control or exacerbate neuroinflammation. We have previously shown in the MPTP mouse model that adoptive transfer of effector T cells (Teffs) which recognize nitrated α-synuclein (N-α-syn) as non-self exacerbates microglial-mediated neuroinflammation with amplified dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The specific mechanisms by which these Teffs modulate neurodegeneration remain enigmatic. However, increasing evidence suggests neurotoxic inflammatory activities have a profound effect on the pathogenesis of PD. Herein, we report on the generation and long-term culture of a N-α-syn specific CD4+ Teff line that induces increased production of reactive nitrogen species from microglia and also intensifies the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase+ (TH+) neurons of MPTP-intoxicated mice. Flow cytometric analysis showed the Teffs line exhibited very distinct expression of CD3 and CD4 cell surface markers and intracellular IL-17a cytokine, suggestive of characteristics consistent with a Th17 cell. Co-culture of the Teffs with a dopaminergic cell line significantly increased cell death of dopaminergic cells in comparison to controls. Lastly, adoptive transfer of the Teffs line to MPTP-intoxicated mice increased the loss of TH+ neurons. Together, these results support the notion that Teffs may play a pivotal role in the progression of neurodegeneration in PD. Further investigation of the mechanisms behind the exacerbation of neurodegeneration caused by Teffs has the potential to advance therapeutic strategies that target neurotoxic mechanisms to attenuate neuroinflammation and ameliorate neuronal loss in PD.
Abstraction as a predictor of difficulty in quizly problems

The Mobile Computer Science Principles curriculum collects data on embedded Quizly programming exercises, which are based on the App Inventor version of Blockly. We have recently started mining this data to determine whether student performance on the programming exercises matches our assumptions about the difficulty of the individual exercises. Various analytic techniques, such as linear regression, are used to identify those features that are most determinative of problem difficulty. Our analysis supports that the number of abstractions may be a useful predictor for the difficulty (defined for our data set as the average number of attempts) in solving Quizly exercises. However, there are other not so easily quantifiable factors that also affect a problem's difficulty.
Clinical Consensus Recommendations for Urine Testing of Adherence to Antipsychotics Among People With Serious Mental Illness.

Objective:This study developed clinical recommendations for the use of proven urine testing technologies to assess antipsychotic medication adherence among people with serious mental illness.Method...
Safety and Efficacy of Novel Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Medicare Beneficiaries With Atrial Fibrillation and Valvular Heart Disease

Background We examined a large community‐based sample of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and valvular heart disease (VHD) (excluding prosthetic valves) with a goal to compare outcomes among patients with AF, with and without VHD, taking warfarin, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban. Methods and Results We identified Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D benefit plan from 2011 to 2013 with newly diagnosed AF (18 137 patients with VHD [dabigatran, 1979; rivaroxaban, 2027; warfarin, 14 131] and 85 596 patients without VHD [dabigatran, 13 522; rivaroxaban, 14 257; warfarin, 57 817]). Primary outcomes of all‐cause mortality, ischemic strokes, major bleeding, and myocardial infarction were compared across the 3 anticoagulants using 3‐way propensity‐matched samples. After propensity matching, a total of 5871 patients with VHD and 40 221 patients without VHD and AF were studied. Both dabigatran and rivaroxaban were associated with significantly lower risk of death in patients with VHD with AF (dabigatran versus warfarin: hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.98; P =0.038; rivaroxaban versus warfarin: hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.95; P =0.022). Nongastrointestinal bleeding was significantly reduced with dabigatran and rivaroxaban versus warfarin in those with VHD (dabigatran versus warfarin: hazard ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.49; P =0.001; rivaroxaban versus warfarin: hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.17–0.84; P =0.017). Ischemic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding rates did not differ between rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and warfarin in patients with VHD. The effects of the 3 anticoagulants on outcomes were comparable in patients with and without VHD and with AF. Conclusions In this cohort of Medicare beneficiaries with VHD (excluding patients with prosthetic valves) and new‐onset AF between 2011 and 2013, novel oral non–vitamin K anticoagulants were safe and effective options for prevention of systemic thromboembolism.
Characterization of a Sulfated Anti-HIV Antibody Using an Expanded Genetic Code

Tyrosine sulfation is a crucial post-translational modification for certain antibodies that neutralize HIV. One of the most neutralizing sulfated anti-HIV antibodies, E51, contains a region in its VHCDR3 loop with five tyrosine (Tyr) residues, which are hypothesized to be partially or fully sulfated to bind to HIV’s gp120 coat protein. However, the gp120-binding contribution of each sulfate or more complex sulfation patterns is unknown. In addition, natural sulfation of Tyr-rich loops usually yields a mixture of multiply sulfated products, complicating attempts to dissect the function of individual E51 sulfoforms with unique sulfation patterns. Here, we use an upgraded expanded genetic code for sulfotyrosine (sY) to express homogeneous E51 sulfoforms containing up to five sulfates. Through characterization of the 32 possible sulfoforms of E51, we show that only a subset of E51 sulfoforms with two, three, or four sYs bind to gp120 with potency similar to that of post-translationally sulfated E51, which we ...
Moderation in the Policies of the Mid-1930s

The initiative to reform the constitution was a part of the larger discourse. This chapter reviews the tendencies in 1933–1936 seen as moderate in political, economic, judicial, and ideological developments. These moderate tendencies do not indicate a planned and conscious, coherent policy nor, of course, any intentional democratic reform. They show rather, first, an adjustment, a reactive, ad hoc politics after extraordinary excesses, and second, on the level of metadiscourse, a relaxation motivated by the expectation of the advent of socialism.
The Rising Size and Complexity of the Patent Document

This short concept essay introduces two separate studies showing that US patents are increasing in size and complexity. The first study looks at how the length of the patent specification has increased dramatically in the period from 1987-2007. (The results show little change from 1977-1987). The second study looks at the number of claims in each patent and shows that those are on the rise as well.
ZUR HOCHTEMPERATURKORROSION VON NICKEL-SUPERLEGIERUNGEN

Die Korrosion durch heisse Gase und Verbrennungsprodukte, kurz Hochtemperaturkorrosion genannt, spielt fur den Betrieb und die Lebensdauer industrieller Gasturbinen eine hervorragende Rolle. Solche Maschinen werden zumeist mit Erdol oder Erdgas bei Luftuberschuss betrieben. Die Materialtemperaturen betragen 600–900 °C. Bisherige Untersuchungen [1] haben gezeigt, dass nicht so sehr die heissen Gase an sich, als vornehmlich feste, flussige und kondensierbare Anteile im Brenngasstrom fur die Korrosion verantwortlich sind. Dies hat die Untersuchungsmethoden wiederum dahingehend beeinflusst, dass — neben Versuchen in Maschinen und in Brennkammern — im Laboratorium die von kondensierten Phasen induzierte Oxidation untersucht wird. Dabei stehen Alkalisulfate im Zentrum des Interesses, da Meersalz, eine wichtige Verunreinigung des Brennstoffes oder der Verbrennungsluft, in der industriellen Turbine mit dem Schwefel im Brennstoff zu Sulfat reagiert.
Aortic Dissection: Clinical Presentation

More ink than blood has been split on the subject of aortic dissections, beginning with the first well-documented case of aortic dissection—George II of England, who died while straining on the commode. Morgagni first described aortic dissection more than 200 years ago. The advent and adoption of modern cardiac surgical procedures have dramatically altered the outcome what was once a uniformly fatal disease. Dramatic advances in imaging the aorta and the heart have facilitated the early diagnosis of aortic dissections. Here we go through the clinical presentation of aortic dissection, by way of history, clinical examination, physical findings, and laboratory investigations.
CT-measured lung air-trapping is associated with higher carotid artery stiffness in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Previous cross-sectional studies have demonstrated greater large elastic artery stiffness and lower endothelium-dependent dilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients compared ...
Designing for Impact: Shifting Children's Perspectives of Civic and Social Issues Through Making Mobile Games

Within the growing movement to teach children computational skills and practices, it is important to understand how children engage and identify with the content they are designing. In this paper, we explore how children's perspectives of civic and social issues shift or do not shift as they make a location-based mobile game using augmented reality and location-based mobile technologies. We conducted two workshops with children, where they individually or in pairs created a narrative-based game around civic and social engagement topics such as pollution, waste management, or animal rights. We present one illustrative case in this paper to highlight how mobile, augmented reality, and location-based mobile technologies afford impactful shifts in perspective. Findings indicate that these technologies may contribute to a shift in children's perspectives about the world around them and in some cases may prompt meaningful action towards civic engagement.
Learning through Movie Production with the MovieClassroom

The MovieClassroom website allows student or faculty users to create and share Geoscience themed digital videos. Movie production can promote learning by encouraging meta-cognition and the synthesis of multiple concepts in an engaging, project-based exercise, with the ancillary benefit of producing educational media useful for peer-learning. The website was tested by students in an introductory Earth Science class (Weather and Climate) who created extra-credit movies designed to be shown to future students. Results of student self-assessments indicate that the website is easy to use and that students took exceptional pride in producing a creative product that could be shared with others. Almost all of the students' movies were scientifically accurate. The website interface and database are currently being upgraded to enable viewer ratings and to facilitate the adaptation of published movies. These changes are designed to allow quantitative assessments of student learning through movie production, and expl...
Path to leadership in medicine: Advocacy and evidence-based medicine

Physicians are experiencing overwhelming demands to generate revenue and complete ever-increasing administrative tasks. Whether employed by large health systems, academic centers or still struggling in small private practices, the autonomy so valued by medical professionals, and our ability to influence policies impacting our patients and the public, has diminished. In order to regain the joy in practicing medicine and overcome the sense of "burn-out" and frustration so many of us experience, it is essential to dedicate ourselves to becoming leaders in our communities, in our institutions and in our medical schools. We must apply the triad of evidence-based medicine - the data derived from randomized clinical trials, our learned experience, and our patients' values - to become leaders in the path towards reasoned public policy and institutional procedures that improve the care for individual patients and the community. Through advocacy and leadership, we can re-engage with the passion that drove us to our profession and renew our commitment to the patients we serve. The energy and time required for these activities will be more than repaid with joy and passion in our daily work and a sense of purpose in our lives.
A City College’s GED Students—Factors and Unanswered Questions:

The goal of this study is to have a better understanding of today’s general education development (GED) students so proper services and support can be provided to meet their needs. Through students...
Motivational Constructs for Daily Lesson Logs in General Physics

Motivation is the basic drive for all our actions. When students are motivated, they tend to approach challenging tasks with greater eagerness, persevere in demanding situations, and take pleasure in their achievements. The purpose of this study is to determine the constructs of motivation towards learning Physics based on the responses of senior high school students of Manila Science High School. Respondents answered the survey questionnaire adopted from Physics Motivation Questionnaire and Motivation towards Learning Physics Questionnaire. Results show that intrinsic motivation, personal relevance, self-efficacy, career motivation and self-determination are the most prominent motivational constructs.
Synthesis and Characterization of Low-Viscosity Bio-Based Styrene Alternatives for Bisphenol A Vinyl Ester Thermosetting Resins

Methacrylated plant oils have been investigated as potential styrene replacements in high-performance thermosetting applications due to the environmental and health hazards presented by styrene. Ca...
Chemically Frozen Boundary Layers with Catalytic Surface Reaction

When a fluid boundary layer containing a single reactant develops along a solid surface which acts chemically as a sink distribution for this species, its steady-state concentration along the surface, and, hence, the reaction rate distribution depends both upon the true surface chemical kinetics and a combination of convective and diffusive mass transport through the fluid. Considered here is a simple approximate method for studying this streamwise distribution of reaction rate in terms of the shear and temperature distributions along the surface. The method is based upon a treatment of the concentration integral equation which initially parallels Liepmann's recent treatment of the energy integral equation but which ultimately leads to a differential equation for the concentration distribution of reactant along the surface. This approach to "mass transfer" problems, which is intended to bring out clearly the role of the governing catalytic parameter as well as several interesting properties of solutions, is then compared with alternate techniques, in particular with that of Chambre and Acrivos.~ The reactant concentration is considered to be so small that constant diffusion coefficient, D, viscosity coefficient, n, Prandtl Number for diffusion (Schmidt Number), PTD = n/(pD), can be assumed, and the fluid is taken to be incompressible, with catalyzed reaction taking place only at the wall. Thus, the hydrodynamic field is unaltered by the surface reaction, and only the effect of small surface temperature differences on the kinetics of the wall reaction—i.e., the effective "sink" strength—are taken into account. Extension to the case of several reactants is discussed, and an interpretation of the governing catalytic parameter as a ratio of characteristics times is given.
PIP2Clustering: From model membranes to cells

Phosphoinositides, derived from phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol at one or more positions on the inositol ring, are minor but significant lipids in eukaryotic cell membranes. Phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PIP2) is the most abundant phosphoinositide and is concentrated in the plasma membrane. PIP2 functions in cell motility, adhesion, exocytosis, and endocytosis, among other processes. Model membrane studies have shown that PIP2 can form electrostatic-based clusters with Ca++ and with basic peptides. Recent studies in cells have shown that PIP2 can co-cluster with polybasic peptides present in cellular proteins as well, with important functional consequences.
Control Beliefs: Health Perspectives

This article is about the various ways in which beliefs about control have been defined and operationalized in the context of health. Constructs covered include health locus of control, health self-efficacy (along with related constructs of mastery and competence), perceived behavioral and situational control, and helplessness. The last two sections discuss methods for assessing health control beliefs and altering those beliefs, respectively.
A Linear Goal Programming Model for Human Resource Allocation in a Health-Care Organization

This paper presents the development of a goal programming (GP) model as an aid to strategic planning and allocation for limited human resources in a health-care organization. The purpose of this study is to assign the personnel to the proper shift hours that enable management to meet the objective of minimizing the total payroll costs while patients are satisfied. A GP model is illustrated using the data provided by a health-care organization in the midwest area. The goals are identified and prioritized. The model result is examined and a sensitivity analysis is performed to improve the model applicability. The GP model application adds insight to the planning functions of resource allocation in the health-care organizations. The proposed model is easily applicable to other human resource planning process.
Triticale-based Diets for Market Pigs in Deep-Bedded Hoop Barns: A Progress Report

Triticale-based diets were fed to pigs in deep-bedded hoop barns for a swine feeding study. Finishing pigs (240 head) were used to evaluate the dietary effects of triticalebased diets. The experiment was a randomized complete block design. There were four blocks (two summer, two winter); each block had three dietary treatments, with two replications per treatment. Each replication consisted of a pen of ten pigs (five barrows and five gilts). Addition of triticale up to 80% of the diets of finishing pigs greater than 160 pounds to market weight in deepbedded hoop barns, compared with a corn-soybean meal diet, resulted in pigs that weighed less, grew slower, needed more feed per unit of liveweight gain, had less backfat, and smaller loin eye areas. There was no difference in feed intake. There may be several factors that led to these results. The variety of triticale used in the study is predominantly used for forage, not cereal grain. The authors believe the amino acid content of the triticale may have been overestimated. If this were true, the pigs would not have been provided adequate protein, resulting in slower growth and more feed required per unit of liveweight gain. The study will be repeated, using a different variety of triticale and a more complete amino acid analysis of the triticale.
Intellectual Property Rights, Input Markets, and the Value of Intangible Assets

Intellectual property rights (IPRs) appear to play an important role in facilitating production and exchange in certain input markets. This paper provides a simple theory about the relationship between stronger IPRs and contract-based production under assumptions of incomplete contracting. Employing some features of Grossman and Hart, Hart and Moore, and Hart (1995) (“GHM”), it is shown that property rights over intangible assets create incentives for independent supplier firms to produce research and development (R&D)intensive inputs for use by downstream producers of a final product. Legal rights over intellectual property allow these important assets to be “owned,” in the GHM sense of providing residual rights exercisable in the event of incomplete contractibility. Weak or nonexistent property rights create severe misappropriation risks for firms with intangible assets who must adapt them to make a specialized input. Once property rights are created or strengthened, it is feasible in some cases for an input maker to constitute itself as an independent firm, rather than as an integrated unit inside a larger firm. Asset ownership can then be allocated per standard GHM theory to provide proper incentives to make investments specific to the supplier-manufacturer relationship. In this way, IPRs are seen to contribute to an increase in the value of underlying assets, and hence ultimately to firm specialization and even industry structure. The theory of this paper accounts for recent empirical evidence linking stronger IPRs to a greater incidence of licensing activity. It also contributes to the ongoing modification of the economic theory of property rights associated with the early work of Harold Demsetz (1967).
Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 activation in endothelial cells exposed to cyclic strain

The aim of this study was to determine whether extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/ERK2) are activated and might play a role in enhanced proliferation and morphological change induced by strain. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) were subjected to an average of 6 or 10% strain at a rate of 60 cycles/min for up to 4 h. Cyclic strain caused strain- and time-dependent phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/ERK2. Peak phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/ERK2 induced by 10% strain were at 10 min. A specific ERK1/ERK2 kinase inhibitor, PD-98059, inhibited phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/ERK2 but did not inhibit the increased cell proliferation and cell alignment induced by strain. Treatment of BAEC with 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1, 4-benzohydroquinone, to deplete inositol trisphosphate-sensitive calcium storage, and gadolinium chloride, a Ca2+ channel blocker, did not inhibit the activation of ERK1/ERK2. Strain-induced ERK1/ERK2 activation was partly inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C and completely inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein. These data suggest that 1) ERK1/ERK2 are not critically involved in the strain-induced cell proliferation and orientation, 2) strain-dependent activation of ERK1/ERK2 is independent of intracellular and extracellular calcium mobilization, and 3) protein kinase C activation and tyrosine kinase regulate strain-induced activation of ERK1/ERK2.
A New Methodology for New Systems Technology: How Lotus’ Accelerated Value Method is Addressing Groupware Systems Development

This paper explores the fundamentals of Lotus Consulting’s Accelerated Value Method (AVM) a groupware systems methodology released in 1995. Each of the five modules; Process Innovation, Collaborative Development, Enterprise Deployment, Transformation Management and Engagement Management are described in a context highlighting the unique aspects of groupware systems development. The authors provide a critical account of the framework showing its weakness as well as its strength.
Genetic Analysis of Metabolic Crosstalk and Its Impact on Thiamine Synthesis in Salmonella typhimurium

The first five steps in de novo purine biosynthesis are involved in the formation of the 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl pyrimidine (HMP) moiety of thiamine. We show here that the first enzyme in de novo purine biosynthesis, PurF, is required for thiamine synthesis during aerobic growth on some but not other carbon sources. We show that PurF-independent thiamine synthesis depends on the recently described alternative pyrimidine biosynthetic (APB) pathway. Null mutations in zwf (encoding glucose-6-P dehydogenase), gnd (encoding gluconate-6-P dehydrogenase), purE (encoding aminoimidazole ribonucleotide carboxylase), and purR (encoding a regulator of gene expression) were found to affect the function of the APB pathway. A model is presented to account for the involvement of these gene products in thiamine biosynthesis via the APB pathway. Results presented herein demonstrate that function of the APB pathway can be prevented either by blocking intermediate formation or by diverting intermediate(s) from the pathway. Strong genetic evidence supports the conclusion that aminoimidazole ribotide (AIR) is an intermediate in the APB pathway.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PERMITS GREATER FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS: A GOOD IDEA IN PRINCIPLE, BUT MANY PRACTICAL CONCERNS REMAIN

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) increased the maximum rewards that group health insurance plans (including employers who self-insure) may offer in their wellness programs, with the goal of incentivizing healthy behaviors such as weight loss among the obese and smoking cessation. In this essay, I describe the history and intention of such programs, and make the following three points: (1) In principle, incentivizing healthy behavior can reduce external costs and help people with time-inconsistent preferences stick to their resolutions; (2) there are problems with the design of this portion of the ACA that will limit its effectiveness in achieving these goals; and (3) financial rewards for healthy behaviors have a mixed record to date, and thus many practical design features need to be resolved to improve the effectiveness of such programs.