cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen production through auto-thermal reforming of bio-ethanol over Co-based catalysts: effect of iron in Co/Al2O3 catalysts

Abstract Auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of bio-ethanol is a promising process for hydrogen production, which can lead to the possibility of directly using low concentration ethanol from fermentation plants without going through the energy-consuming distillation and dehydration processes, saving both energy and cost. Co-based catalysts are active for hydrogen production in ATR, where the hydrogen yield and stability are important factors to be considered. To address the concerns of selectivity and deactivation, iron was introduced into Co-based catalysts via wet-impregnation. The catalysts were characterized with TPR, XRD, XPS, and Raman spectra, and tested in ATR of ethanol. The XPS, XRD, and TPR results show that with iron-promotion, more Co metal is obtained over the catalyst surface, which remains stable during the oxidative atmosphere of ATR. Meanwhile, iron promotes the ethanol dehydrogenation pathway in ATR reactions. This synergic effect contributes to the higher activity and stability of Co-based catalysts in the ATR process: A higher hydrogen yield remains around 3.13 mol H 2 /mol EtOH at 600 °C and stays stable in a 30-h test.
From small-area to imaging photoabsorption spectroscopy

Abstract We demonstrate a technique for recording atomic core-level photoabsorption spectra from areas as small as 20 μm in diameter using a magnetic-projection photoelectron microscope of the type originally conceived by the Turner group at Oxford University. This microscope relies on the imaging and magnifying properties of a diverging magnetic field and in its present configuration achieves a resolution on the order of microns. In addition to small-area analysis this instrument is capable of performing imaging photoabsorption spectroscopy. In this mode of operation many laterally resolved photoabsorption spectra are collected in parallel by recording sets of total-yield images at various photon energies. The number of spectra is equal to the number of pixels in an image, and taken together these spectra constitute such a complex data set that automated data analysis techniques are warranted. We offer an introduction to principal-component analysis as a tool for analyzing such data sets. This procedure linearly combines the original images so that spectrally similar pixels are more easily recognized. This technique is well established in the field of earth imaging and should be found applicable to surface-sensitive imaging spectroscopies independent of whether the images originate from photon-stimulated, electron-stimulated or ion-stimulated processes.
Miller (1944) revisited: Movement times in relation to approach and avoidance conflicts

Abstract Three experiments (total N = 291) sought to provide support for the idea that avoidance conflicts, relative to approach conflicts, are more difficult to motorically resolve. Conflicts were instantiated by asking individuals to approach desirable stimuli and avoid undesirable stimuli under conditions in which there was no objectively-correct direction of movement. To control for baseline movement speeds, non-conflict trials presented desirable (e.g., reward) and undesirable (e.g., threat) stimuli in the absence of any spatial conflict. In addition, movement times were isolated through the use of a joystick movement paradigm in which movement speeds were quantified subsequent to some initial tendency to move in one direction or the other. Consistent with hypotheses, all experiments found that movement times were slowed in the context of avoidance conflicts relative to approach conflicts. Results are discussed in terms of theories of motivation, affective processing, conflict, and anxiety.
Frequency of silent myocardial ischemia with 12-lead ST segment monitoring in the coronary care unit: are there sex-related differences?

Abstract Background: Ischemia that occurs in the coronary care unit (CCU), whether symptomatic or silent, is associated with significant in-hospital and out-of-hospital complications. Studies have reported that more than 90% of ischemic episodes are silent in patients with unstable angina who are treated in the CCU with maximal medical therapy. Prior reports indicate that women complained more frequently of chest pain than men did. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of silent myocardial ischemia in men versus women with use of continuous 12-lead ST segment monitoring in the CCU. A secondary goal was to determine whether silent ischemia was associated with less ST segment deviation as compared with symptomatic ischemia. Method: Patients admitted for treatment of acute coronary syndrome in the CCU and who subsequently had 1 or more ischemic events during their monitoring period were selected for this analysis. All patients were continuously monitored (42.5 hours ± 37.6) in the CCU with the EASI (Zymed Medical Instruments, Camarillo, Calif) 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) system that derives 12 leads with use of 3 information channels and 5 electrodes. Results: Of 491 patients, 128 (91 men and 37 women) had at least 1 episode of transient myocardial ischemia. Men and women did not differ in their proportion of chest pain during ischemia (men 27% and women 21%, NS). For both men and women, ST segment deviation was significantly greater during symptomatic ischemia compared with silent ischemia. Conclusion: There are no sex-related differences in ischemic events in the CCU in regards to the variables of chest pain and ST magnitude. Therefore, because chest pain is not a reliable indicator of myocardial ischemia in the CCU, regardless of sex, patients should be adequately monitored for ischemic events. (Heart Lung ® 1999;28:81-6)
Contributions of Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida Chitinases and Sec Secretion System to Biofilm Formation on Chitin

Francisella tularensis, the zoonotic cause of tularemia, can infect numerous mammals and other eukaryotes. Although studying F. tularensis pathogenesis is essential to comprehending disease, mammalian infection is just one step in the ecology of Francisella species. F. tularensis has been isolated from aquatic environments and arthropod vectors, environments in which chitin could serve as a potential carbon source and as a surface for attachment and growth. We show that F. tularensis subsp. novicida forms biofilms during the colonization of chitin surfaces. The ability of F. tularensis to persist using chitin as a sole carbon source is dependent on chitinases, since mutants lacking chiA or chiB are attenuated for chitin colonization and biofilm formation in the absence of exogenous sugar. A genetic screen for biofilm mutants identified the Sec translocon export pathway and 14 secreted proteins. We show that these genes are important for initial attachment during biofilm formation. We generated defined deletion mutants by targeting two chaperone genes (secB1 and secB2) involved in Sec-dependent secretion and four genes that encode putative secreted proteins. All of the mutants were deficient in attachment to polystyrene and chitin surfaces and for biofilm formation compared to wild-type F. novicida. In contrast, mutations in the Sec translocon and secreted factors did not affect virulence. Our data suggest that biofilm formation by F. tularensis promotes persistence on chitin surfaces. Further study of the interaction of F. tularensis with the chitin microenvironment may provide insight into the environmental survival and transmission mechanisms of this pathogen.
Diguanidino and "reversed" diamidino 2,5-diarylfurans as antimicrobial agents

Dicationic 2,5-bis(4-guanidinophenyl)furans 5a−5f, 2,5-bis[4-(arylimino)aminophenyl]furans 6a−6b and 6e−6k, and 2,5-bis[4-(alkylimino)aminophenyl]furans 6c−6d have been synthesized starting from 2,5-bis[tri-n-butylstannyl]furan. Thermal melting studies with poly dA•dT and the duplex oligomer d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 demonstrated high DNA binding affinities for a number of the compounds. The binding affinities are highly dependent on structure and are significantly affected by substituents both on the phenyl rings of the 2,5-diphenylfuran nucleus and on the cationic centers. Of the 17 novel dicationic compounds synthesized, six (6a, 6b, 5b, 6f, 6h, 6i) exhibited MICs of 2 μg/mL or less versus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Of the compounds screened against Candida albicans, three gave MICs of 2 μg/mL or less (5b, 6h, 6i), and two (5b, 6i) were fungicidal, unlike a standard antifungal drug fluconazole, which was fungistatic. In addition, one of the tested compounds (6i) exhibited a MIC of <1 μg/mL against Aspergillus ...
Modeling, monitoring and control strategies for high temperature short time pasteurization systems — 1. Empirical model development

Abstract Dynamic models of high temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization systems can be developed by using empirical model development paradigms such as transfer functions and times series models. Properly designed experiments that excite all output variables provide good data that enable the development of accurate dynamic models. These models are used in feedback control and statistical process monitoring system design. The methodology for time series model development for HTST pasteurization processes is illustrated by using data collected from a pilot scale HTST pasteurization system.
Microyielding and effect of electron irradiation in high‐purity iron single crystals

The effect of electron irradiation on the microyield stress was investigated in ZrH$sub 2$ purified Battelle-AISI iron single crystals at 4.2, 30, and 60$sup 0$K. The irradiation caused a hardening effect which increased with the electron dose. This hardening effect in the microyielding is opposite to the observed softening effect in the macroyielding. These observations can be satisfactorily explained by the interaction of the irradiation-induced interstitials with edge and screw dislocations, respectively. The present observation is also regarded as strong evidence supporting the theory of an intrinsic mechanism for the low temperature strength and the solid solution softening in iron. (auth)
Altruistic kidney exchange

Although a national live-donor kidney exchange program is being launched in the US, the kidney shortage is increasing faster than ever. A new solution paradigm is able to incorporate compatible pairs in exchange. In this paper, we consider an exchange framework that has both compatible and incompatible pairs, and patients are indifferent over compatible pairs. Only two-way exchanges are permitted due to institutional constraints. We explore the structure of Pareto-efficient matchings in this framework. The mathematical structure of this model turns out to be quite novel. We show that under Pareto-efficient matchings, the same number of patients receive transplants, and it is possible to construct Pareto-efficient matchings that match the same incompatible pairs while matching the least number of compatible pairs. We non-trivially extend the famous Gallai-Edmonds Decomposition in the combinatorial optimization literature to our new framework.
The acoustic properties of oxide films and their application to acoustic surface wave devices

Abstract Surface acoustic wave techniques represent a powerful tool for the study of the elastic properties of thin film layers. Simple arrays of interdigital transducers can be used to measure the velocity, attenuation, and piezoelectric properties of oxide films. Results of such measurements on zinc oxide and silicon dioxide films are given and the values compared to their bulk counterparts. High acoustic quality oxide films can be used effectively to enhance the performance of surface acoustic wave devices. Potential application areas are briefly summarized.
Ultraviolet-microbeam irradiation of regenerating Stentor.

SYNOPSIS. Regeneration of missing feeding organelles in the ciliate Stentor coeruleus can be delayed by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. In an attempt to identify the radiation-sensitive cellular component(s), cells in various stages of regeneration were immobilized, flattened and irradiated with a microbeam of 265 nm UV light. Targets included regions of either the macronucleus or the cytoplasm at varying distances from the ramifying zone of the cortex, which is the region where the new oral organelles are formed. During the early stages of regeneration the macronucleus is more sensitive to UV-induced regeneration delay than the cytoplasm, but it is not possible to distinguish between direct and indirect effects. Damage to cortical primordia in middle or late stages leading to structural abnormalities appears to result only from direct effects.
FMRF-amide modulates the electrical activity of the leech Retzius cell.

Abstract The effect of the peptide FMRF-amide on the electrical activity of the leech Retzius (R) cell was investigated using electrophysiological techniques. FMRF-amide and six structurally related analogs increased the excitability of the R cell in several distinct ways that could act in concert to modulate transmitter release. ‘Puffs’ of FMRF-amide transiently depolarized the cell leading to a barrage of action potentials. This depolarization was followed by a phase of rhythmical bursting that appeared intrinsic to the neuron. FMRF-amide also broadened the plateau of the Ca 2+ -dependent action potential. The results suggest that the terminal Phe and Arg as well as the C-terminal amide are critical for the activity of these peptides.
Simulating extracorporeal membrane oxygenation emergencies to improve human performance. Part I: methodologic and technologic innovations.

Background:Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of long-term cardiopulmonary bypass used to treat infants, children, and adults with respiratory and/or cardiac failure despite maximal medical therapy. Mechanical emergencies on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have an associ
Billing and Reimbursement for a Bedside Toxicology Service at a Tertiary Care Academic Center During Its First Fiscal Year

A bedside toxicology consult service may improve clinical care, facilitate patient clearance and disposition, and result in potential cost savings for poisoning exposures. Despite this, there is scant data regarding economic feasibility for such a service. Previously published information suggests low hourly reimbursement at approximately $26.00/h at the bedside for toxicology consultations. A bedside toxicology consultant service was initiated in 2011. Coverage was available 24 h a day for 50 out of 52 weeks. Bedside rounding on toxicology consult patients was available 6/7 days per week. The practice is associated with >800 bed teaching institution in a large upstate NY region with elements of urban and suburban practice. Demographic and billing data was collected for all patients consulted upon from July 1, 2011 to June 31, 2012. In charges of $514,941 were generated during the period of data collection. Monthly average was $42,912. Net reimbursement of charges was 29 % of overall charges at $147,792. In terms of total encounters, net collection rate in which something was reimbursed or “paid” against charges for that encounter was 82.6 % of all encounters at 999/1,210. Average encounter time for inpatients, including critical care, was 1.05 h, and the average time spent for outpatients was 1.18 h. Reimbursement rates appear higher than previously reported. Revenue generated from reimbursement from toxicology consultation can result in recouping a substantial portion of a toxicologist’s salary or potentially fund fellowship positions and salaries or toxicology division infrastructure.
Mechanism whereby halothane reverses the pressor responses to acetylcholine.

Abstract The initial and secondary components of the biphasic pressor response to acetylcholine in the atropinized dog were analysed separately. Deep halothane anaesthesia reversed the initial pressor response to acetylcholine owing to a decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance in the absence of an increase in cardiac output. The secondary pressor response was not reversed but was suppressed owing to a marked reduction of the increase in cardiac output responsible for this pressor response; total peripheral resistance increased. Conversely, halothane anaesthesia did not block the increase in blood glucose concentration resulting from the injection of acetylcholine. Thus, the change induced by halothane in the secondary pressor phase was apparently a consequence of cardiac depression rather than of adrenal medullary blockade. Compound P-286 (N-diethylaminoethyl-N-isopentyl-N'N'-di-isopropylurea), which produces a change in the pressor response to acetylcholine similar to that induced by halothane, prevents the hyperglycaemia due to acetylcholine. In some experiments, deep halothane anaesthesia depressed the cardiac inotropic but not the chronotropic response to acetylcholine. Such selective blocking action is believed to have a bearing on production of arrhythmias.
Water table effects on phosphorus reactivity and mobility in a dairy manure-impacted spodosol

Abstract Many Florida soils present a unique situation for management of P in animal wastes due to fluctuating water table and predominantly sandy soils with low P retention capacity. These conditions may lead to significant P leaching, which can contaminate both surface and groundwaters. A column study was conducted to determine the fate of dairy manure-derived P under high and low water table conditions. Intact soil cores from low-impact (forage) and high-impact (intensive) areas of Dry Lake Dairy near Okeechobee, FL, were used in this study. Soluble reactive P (SRP) concentrations in the soil columns were monitored periodically to assess P leaching. The forms and distribution of P in the columns were determined to examine the nature and extent of P transformations in the soil. Maintaining the water table above (flooded) or below (drained) the Bh horizon resulted in substantial movement of P in the soil columns. High potential for surface water contamination with P was associated with the spodosol from heavily manure-impacted areas. Assuming a bulk density of 1.33 g cm −3 and an average thickness of 20 cm, with 61% of the total P in the labile pool, the intensive component would have over 3000 kg P ha −1 in the surface horizon that could potentially be available for transport. The intensive soil columns maintained high porewater SRP concentrations in the A and E horizons during the entire course of the study. This suggests low P sorption in the overlying horizons and high potential for lateral movement of P above the Bh horizon. Most of the labile P (NH 4 Cl-P) that leached into the Bh horizon was transformed into Al/Fe-P, which accounted for about 65% of the total P in the Bh horizon of soil from the intensive component. The Bh horizon under flooded and drained conditions provided storage for P but at a limited capacity.
A network-based framework for identifying potential synchronizations and amplifications of sediment delivery in river basins

Long-term prediction of environmental response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances in a basin becomes highly uncertain using physically based distributed models, particularly when transport time scales range from tens to thousands of years, such as for sediment. Yet, such predictions are needed as changes in one part of a basin now might adversely affect other parts of the basin in years to come. In this paper, we propose a simplified network-based predictive framework of sedimentological response in a basin, which incorporates network topology, channel characteristics, and transport-process dynamics to perform a nonlinear process-based scaling of the river-network width function to a time-response function. We develop the process-scaling formulation for transport of mud, sand, and gravel, using simplifying assumptions including neglecting long-term storage, and apply the methodology to the Minnesota River Basin. We identify a robust bimodal distribution of the sedimentological response for sand of the basin which we attribute to specific source areas, and identify a resonant frequency of sediment supply where the disturbance of one area followed by the disturbance of another area after a certain period of time, may result in amplification of the effects of sediment inputs which would be otherwise difficult to predict. We perform a sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the proposed formulation to model parameter uncertainty and use observations of suspended sediment at several stations in the basin to diagnose the model. The proposed framework has identified an important vulnerability of the Minnesota River Basin to spatial and temporal structuring of sediment delivery.
Re-Validation of the Van Rie HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma Scale for Use with People Living with HIV in the United States

There is little consensus about which of the many validated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stigma scales should be regularly used, with few being re-validated in different contexts or evaluated for how they compare to other, existing HIV stigma scales. The purpose of this exploratory study was to re-validate the Van Rie HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma Scale, originally validated in Thailand and using a third-person wording structure, for use with people living with HIV in the United States. Adult HIV clinic patients completed a survey including the Berger and Van Rie scales, and measures of social support and depression. Eighty-five of 211 (40%) eligible participants provided data for both stigma scales. Exploratory factor analyses identified three factors to the Van Rie scale: Loss of Social Relationships (new subscale), Managing HIV Concealment (new subscale), and Perceived Community Stigma (original subscale). These subscales were moderately inter-related (r = 0.51 to 0.58) with acceptable to excellent reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.69 to 0.90). The Van Rie subscales were also moderately inter-correlated with the Berger subscales (r = 0.44 to 0.76), had similar construct validity, and tended to have higher mean stigma scores when compared with Berger subscales that were conceptually most similar. The revised Van Rie HIV-related Stigma Scale demonstrates good validity and internal consistency, offering a valid measure of HIV stigma with a three-factor structure. The third-person wording may be particularly suitable for measuring stigmatizing attitudes during an individual’s transition from at-risk and undergoing HIV testing to newly diagnosed, a time when experiences of discrimination and processing issues of disclosure have not yet occurred. The stigma mechanisms for individuals making this transition have not been well explored. These scenarios, combined with the observed non-response to the Berger Enacted Stigma subscale items (a surprise finding), highlight gaps in our understanding of HIV stigma and how best to measure it.
Fast inertia property estimation via convex optimization for the asteroid redirect mission

Accurate inertia property estimation is critical to the success of the upcoming asteroid redirect mission. The inertia tensor, center of mass, and total mass of the spacecraft-asteroid combined rigid body must be accurately estimated so that solar electric propulsion can be used to redirect an asteroid into an orbit around the Earth. This paper develops an efficient algorithm to solve for those properties. The estimation is framed as a least squares minimization problem subject to convex constraints. A standard least squares approach is not sufficient due to a matrix rank deficiency arising from the fact that a pure torque cannot be applied to the asteroid after capture. The constrained least squares minimization framework allows for fast inertia estimation with a convex optimization solver, in the sense that accurate estimates can be made with only a few force inputs and response measurements. Simulations are performed in MATLAB R2013B using the CVX 2.1 convex optimization solver to assess the algorithm's performance in a typical mission scenario.
Comparison of the Effect of a Hydrocarbon Oil and a Terpene Tackifier on the Autohesion of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber

Abstract Blends of uncrosslinked styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) with a terpene tackifier resin or a naphthenic oil have been characterized, and their autohesion and cohesion determined using a T-peel geometry. SBR/oil blends are homogeneous at all proportions, while SBR/resin blends, based on DSC and DMA analysis, undergo bulk phase separation at about 50% resin. However, migration of tackifier to the surface region is proposed at much lower resin contents. Compositions diluted with oil have autohesion similar to the neat SBR. This is attributed to compensating effects; although oil hastens self-bond formation by increasing chain mobility, this is nearly equally balanced by more facile chain separation during bond rupture. In short, oil-diluted compositions are soft and weak. On the other hand, SBR compositions containing small amounts of resin have high autohesion. Resin-diluted specimens deform easily at low strain, just as those containing oil, but intertwined chains of the former have greater resistan...
Reciprocity and the height of God: A defence of Buber against Levinas

In this essay I have tried to show that the Buber’s notion of the I-Thou relation is not a reciprocal relation and therefore does not turn God into an equal. The word “Thou” merely indicates the initiative on the part of an I of turning toward and addressing that which confronts the I. In speaking “Thou,” the I does not reduce the other to an object, that is, an It. Hence, one allows the other to be as it is. More importantly, the action of speaking “Thou” is also an address and turning toward God. In so doing, the I has not reduced God to an equal, as Levinas fears.
Computer simulation of surface effects on defect production in tungsten

Abstract A fully dynamic model of a tungsten crystal containing ∼60 000 atoms interacting with pairwise central forces has been used to study the effects of a nearby surface on production of defects by irradiation. Proximity of a surface reduces the displacement threshold, and the maximum replacement sequence length is doubled along the 〈111〉 direction at a considerable distance from the surface. The defect production efficiency in tungsten (defined in the modified Kinchin-Pease equation) is increased by ∼20% within 100–300 A of a surface. When these surface corrections are applied to the results of field-ion microscope studies of cascade production, the agreement with resistivity measurements of the damage efficiency is within experimental uncertainty.
Comparison of matching and drawing in the perception of shape at various intelligence levels

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 The tendency toward shape constancy was investigated using both the traditional matching technique of Thouless and free-hand drawing of the stimulus object. Data were obtained for college students and for institutionalized feebleminded Ss at three levels of intelligence. The previous observation that Ss of higher intelligence level produce a lower tendency toward shape constancy, as measured by the matching method, was confirmed. With the drawing method, the same trend was observed but the differences among groups were exaggerated. The sensitivity of measures of perceived shape to experimental as well as nonexperimental variables is discussed.
Characteristics of a flexible software factory: organization design applied to software reuse

A research program is being created to apply expertise in organization design to overcome organizational impediments in software reuse. The potential contribution of organizational design to software reuse is to address many of the 'non-technical' organizational issues through the intentional design of the software reuse organization. This deliberately designed software reuse organization is called a flexible software factory. The author outlines the characteristics of a flexible software factory incoporating the fundamentals of organization design, and how they can be applied to software reuse. >
Controls on at‐a‐station hydraulic geometry in steep headwater streams, Colorado, USA

Detailed hydraulic measurements were made in nine step-pool, five cascade and one plane-bed reach in Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado to better understand at-a-station hydraulic geometry (AHG) relations in these channel types. Average values for AHG exponents, m (0·49), f (0·39), and b (0·16), were well within the range found by other researchers working in steep gradient channels. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare the combined variations in all three exponents against five potential control variables: wood, D84, grain-size distribution (σ), coefficient of variation of pool volume, average roughness-area (projected wetted area) and bed gradient. The gradient and average roughness-area were found to be significantly related to the PCA axis scores, indicating that both driving and resisting forces influence the rates of change of velocity, depth and width with discharge. Further analysis of the exponents showed that reaches with m > b + f are most likely dominated by grain resistance and reaches below this value (m < b + f) are dominated by form resistance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intracoronary Radiation Therapy Improves the Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes of Diffuse In-Stent Restenotic Lesions Results of the Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis Trial for Long Lesions (Long WRIST) Studies

Background— The Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis Trial for long lesions (Long WRIST) was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of vascular brachytherapy for the treatment of diffuse in-stent restenosis. Methods and Results— A total of 120 patients with diffuse in-stent restenosis in native coronary arteries (lesion length, 36 to 80 mm) were randomized for either radiation with 192Ir with 15 Gy at 2 mm from the source axis or placebo. After enrollment, 120 additional patients with the same inclusion criteria were treated with 192Ir with 18 Gy and included in the Long WRIST High Dose registry. Antiplatelet therapy was initially prescribed for 1 month and was extended to 6 months in the last 60 patients of the Long WRIST High Dose registry. At 6 months, the binary angiographic restenosis rate was 73%, 45%, and 38% in the placebo, 15 Gy, and 18 Gy radiated groups, respectively (P<0.05). At 1 year, the primary clinical end point of major cardiac events was 63% in the placebo group and 42% i...
Clinical Performance of a New Transparent Chlorhexidine Gluconate Central Venous Catheter Dressing

Abstract As the sciences of vascular access and infection prevention rapidly advance healthcare professionals are often faced with new technologies designed to help, but which are often so complicated to use that they cause unforeseen problems. As a vascular access team at a major mid-western hospital, we evaluated the ease-of-use and the performance characteristics of a new transparent catheter dressing, 3M Tegaderm CHG IV Securement Dressing ® (3M Health Care™, St. Paul, MN) containing the antimicrobial chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), with a variety of central venous catheters insertion sites in comparison to a standard non-antimicrobial dressing Tegaderm ® (3M Health Care™, St. Paul, MN). Following IRB approval, sixty-three consenting patients were enrolled and randomized; 33 in the CHG antimicrobial dressing group and 30 in the standard dressing group. Thirty six patients had peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), 20 had intrajugular insertions (IJ), and 7 had subclavian insertions. The new 3M Tegaderm CHG IV Securement Dressing ® (3M Health Care™, St. Paul, MN) was evaluated for its ability to permit visualization of the insertion site, ease of use, ease of using correctly, ability to secure the catheter and absorb exudates and remain transparent. The new 3M Tegaderm CHG IV Securement Dressing ® (3M Health Care™, St. Paul, MN) was found to be as easy to use in central venous catheter care clinical practice as the standard of care non-antimicrobial transparent adhesive dressing. No additional training or education was required to properly use it. This dressing was applied and removed like standard transparent adhesive dressings, but offered many advantages over standard dressings. Advantages include that it is antimicrobial, handles moderate bleeding, remains transparent and appears to offer greater catheter securement than the Tegaderm ® (3M Health Care™, St. Paul, MN) standard dressing. The CHG gel pad also conformed well to the catheter.
Power allocation to a network of charging stations based on network tomography monitoring

There is a strong push to increase the electrification of the transportation sector, in order to reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. However, a key component would be the deployment of a network of charging stations, so as to alleviate range-anxiety for electric vehicle drivers. On the other hand, power allocation from the grid to such a network needs to be carefully designed so as to avoid spikes that could lead to grid instability. In this paper, we examine a network of charging stations equipped with an energy storage device. We also introduce a monitoring scheme, which coupled with network tomography techniques estimates online from limited measurements vehicle traffic intensity rates and adjust power to the stations accordingly. Of note, the required communications and computational cost are minimal compared to schemes that engage the drivers of the vehicles. The proposed allocation scheme is illustrated through a simulation study, whose key parameters are calibrated from a real data set of bus movements in the Seattle area. The results indicate that the scheme is promising and offers significant gains in performance.
Prediction of Phase Diagrams

A phase diagram is a graphical object, usually determined experimentally, indicating phase relationships in thermodynamic space. Usually, one coordinate axis represents temperature; the others may represent pressure, volume, concentrations of various components, and so on. This unit is concerned only with temperature-concentration diagrams, limited to binary (two-component) and ternary (three-component) systems. Since more than one component is considered, the relevant thermodynamic systems are alloys, by definition, of metallic, ceramic, or semiconductor materials. The emphasis here is placed primarily on metallic alloys. Phase diagrams can be classified broadly into two main categories: experimentally and theoretically determined. The object of the present unit is the theoretical determination—i.e., the calculation of phase diagrams, meaning ultimately their prediction. But calculation of phase diagrams can mean different things: there are prototype, fitted, and first-principles approaches. Prototype diagrams are calculated under the assumption that energy parameters are known a priori or given arbitrarily. Fitted diagrams are those whose energy parameters are fitted to known, experimentally determined diagrams or to empirical thermodynamic data. First-principles diagrams are calculated on the basis of energy parameters calculated from essentially only the knowledge of the atomic numbers of the constituents, hence by actually solving the relevant Schrodinger equation. Theory also enters in the experimental determination of phase diagrams, as these diagrams not only indicate the location in thermodynamic space of existing phases but also must conform to rigorous rules of thermodynamic equilibrium (stable or metastable). The fundamental rule of equality of chemical potentials imposes severe constraints on the graphical representation of phase diagrams, while also permitting an extraordinary variety of forms and shapes of phase diagrams to exist, even for binary systems. That is one of the attractions of the study of phase diagrams, experimental or theoretical: their great topological diversity subject to strict thermodynamic constraints. In addition, phase diagrams provide essential information for the understanding and designing of materials, and so are of vital importance to materials scientists. For theoreticians, first-principles (or ab initio) calculations of phase diagrams provide enormous challenges, requiring the use of advanced techniques of quantum and statistical mechanics. Keywords: principles; phase diagrams; classical approach; mean-field approach; cluster approach; cluster expansion; electronic structure calculations; ground state; static displacive interactions; applications; nickel-platinum; aluminum-nickel
Building trustworthy applications on a Service-Oriented Computing paradigm

In the past few years, we have witnessed rapid progress in Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) and web services, which represent a paradigm shift from the current mainstream Object-Oriented Computing (OOC) paradigm to the SOC paradigm. This shift is changing the way we specify, design, simulate, evaluate, and use computer software. This special issue is devoted to presenting the latest techniques and developments in this area.
Optical Characteristics of OTD Flashes and the Implications for Flash-Type Discrimination

Flashes detected by the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) that occur over the continental United States (CONUS) are intercompared with data from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) in order to partitiontheOTDflashesintogroundandcloudflashes.Theentire5-yrOTDdatasetforCONUSisanalyzed. The statistical distributions of a variety of optical characteristics are examined, including five flash-level attributes (radiance, area, duration, number of optical groups, and number of optical events), and two grouplevel attributes [the maximum number of events in a group (MNEG), and a closely related parameter, the maximum group area (MGA)]. On average, there were 5.6 optical groups per return stroke in a ground flash, which is in part due to the likelihoodthat OTD detects interstroke K changes. It was found that return strokes withingroundflashestypicallyproducelargeopticalgroups;hence,theMNEGandMGAparametersserveas useful‘‘return-strokedetectors.’’Theresultsofthisstudyprovideinsighton howtoconstructan algorithmfor retrieving the fraction of ground flashes in a set of flashes observed from a satellite lightning imager. Specifically, even though it is shown that the statistical distributions of the optical characteristics for ground and cloud flashes overlap substantially, the mean values of these distributions differ. Hence, a retrieval method that is based on an analysis of the distribution of the means, and that employs the central limit theorem of statistics, is recommended. As the sample size used to compute the means is increased, the overlap in the distributions of the means for ground and cloud flashes is diminished, making ground flash fraction retrieval feasible. Of the seven optical characteristics examined here, the mean MNEG and mean MGA parameters are suggested as being the most useful for discriminating between ground and cloud flashes in the context of this ‘‘central limit theorem’’ approach.
Toward a more physical representation of precipitation scavenging in global chemistry models: cloud overlap and ice physics and their impact on tropospheric ozone

Abstract. Uptake and removal of soluble trace gases and aerosols by precipitation represents a major uncertainty in the processes that control the vertical distribution of atmospheric trace species. Model representations of precipitation scavenging vary greatly in their complexity, and most are divorced from the physics of precipitation formation and transformation. Here, we describe a new large-scale precipitation scavenging algorithm, developed for the UCI chemistry-transport model (UCI-CTM), that represents a step toward a more physical treatment of scavenging through improvements in the formulation of the removal in sub-gridscale cloudy and ambient environments and their overlap within the column as well as ice phase uptake of soluble species. The UCI algorithm doubles the lifetime of HNO3 in the upper troposphere relative to a scheme with commonly used fractional cloud cover assumptions and ice uptake determined by Henry's Law and provides better agreement with HNO3 observations. We find that the process of ice phase scavenging of HNO3 is a critical component of the tropospheric O3 budget, but that NOx and O3 mixing ratios are relatively insensitive to large differences in the removal rate. Ozone abundances are much more sensitive to the lifetime of HNO4, highlighting the need for better understanding of its interactions with ice and for additional observational constraints.
Improved disturbance rejection for MIMO systems with output time delays

This paper presents a new control structure for improved rejection of unknown step disturbances in multiple-input-multiple-output systems with multiple time delays. After a review of published work extending the Smith predictor for MIMO systems, the new control structure is presented using estimated and actual system outputs for output error prediction but using state-space control methods for the undelayed synthetic feedback loop. This new structure is applied to a simple example, demonstrating improved disturbance rejection (approximately half the integrated square error) and less sensitivity to mismatch in time delay estimates.
A non-line-of-sight error mitigation algorithm in location estimation

The location estimation of mobile telephones is of great current interest. The two sources of range measurement errors in geolocation techniques are measuring error and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) error. The NLOS errors, derived from the blocking of direct paths, have been considered as a killer issue in the location estimation. In this paper we develop an algorithm to mitigate the NLOS errors in location estimation when the range measurements corrupted by NLOS errors are not identifiable. This algorithm, referred to as the residual weighting algorithm (Rwgh), assumes that the number of range measurements is greater than the minimum number required. The Rwgh algorithm is compared with two other generic algorithms and tested under various scenarios and NLOS error models, which includes deterministic and random NLOS error models. In both cases, Rwgh has shown the effectiveness of NLOS error mitigation in location estimation.
Differences between platinum- and gold-doped silicon power devices

Both platinum and gold have been used to reduce lifetimes in fast recovery silicon power devices. There are substantial differences between the energy levels introduced by these impurities. Both impurities introduce acceptor levels which act to reduce hole lifetimes in n-type silicon; however, the gold acceptor is much deeper (E c - 0.54 eV) than the corresponding platinum acceptor (E c - 0.26 eV). In p-type material, on the other hand, the two impurities are quite similar; gold introduces a donor at E v + 0.35 eV, while the platinum donor is at E v + 0.32 eV. In terms of basic physics, this paper establishes guidelines to determine, for a given device type, which lifetime killer should be used to provide optimal performance. Platinum offers improved high-temperature properties and turn-on performance when compared to gold and is a better selection for devices which are switched so rapidly that the turn-off is governed mainly by the high injection lifetime. However, when the switching wave form involves low injection recombination tails, gold is a better choice than platinum.
The afferent and efferent organization of the lateral geniculo‐prestriate pathways in the macaque monkey

Both anterograde (autoradiographic) and retrograde (horseradish peroxidase) tracing techniques were used to identify and characterize projections from the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLG) of the thalamus to the subdivisions of occipital prestriate cortex (generally defined by areas 18 and 19) in macaque monkeys. It was found that the DLG projects to area 19 and the anterior portion of area 18 located on the lateral, ventral, and ventromedial surfaces of the hemisphere. There is a general topographical organization such that the medial portion of the DLG projects to dorsal prestriate located between the lunate and superior temporal sulci, while the lateral portion of the DLG projects to ventral prestriate extending from the inferior occipital to the occipitotemporal sulci. The DLG projects to most of the occipitotemporal sulcus. In contrast DLG inputs to the lunate, superior temporal, and inferior occipital sulci are limited in extent, and involve only a portion of the bank or shoulder of each sulcus which is continuous with the cortex located on the surfaces of the surrounding preoccipital gyri. The projection to the inferior occipital sulcus is more extensive than the ones to the lunate and superior temporal sulci and involves the floor as well as the ventral bank. This means that there are certain functional subdivisions, such as those located within the lunate (eg, visual area 2) and superior temporal sulci which do not receive DLG input. Regardless of the location of these projections the terminal pattern was the same and occurred in horizontally segregated "patches" which were restricted to layer V and the lower, adjacent portion of layer IV. In contrast, the projections from the nearby pulvinar to cortical layers IV, III, and I of the same prestriate areas do not overlap with those from the DLG. An attempt was made to identify possible afferent inputs to these DLG-prestriate paths. The HRP experiments reveal that the DLG-prestriate cells are concentrated in the DLG interlaminar zones and that their distribution overlaps the distribution of terminals from the superior colliculus and, as shown previously, prestriate cortex. Intraocular injections of radioactive precursors demonstrated transsynaptic transport to a number of structures except prestriate cortex. While the latter result does not prove that the DLG-prestriate cells do not receive retinal input, one conclusion is that the DLG-prestriate projection could be organized like pulvino-prestriate systems which receive their inputs from the midbrain and cortex.
Deleterious systems effects due to polarization scrambling in the presence of polarization dependent loss

We experimentally verify that this low-frequency polarization scrambling at the transmitter will produce significant system performance degradation for a link with non-negligible values of instantaneous polarisation dependent loss (PDL). We also measure the system BER fluctuation using a recirculating loop testbed that can emulate distributed PDL along an 800-km NRZ transmission link at a 10-Gb/s data rate. We emphasize that network designers might determine that polarization scrambling will be necessary for polarisation mode dispersion (PMD) monitoring, but this could require either the reduction of PDL in all in-line components or the use of a PDL compensator.
The Role of Skin Color on Hispanic Women’s Perceptions of Attractiveness

This study relies on qualitative methods to investigate Hispanic women’s skin color perceptions. The primary goal is to identify the relevance of these perceptions on their beliefs about their own ...