cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress Corrosion Cracking Crack Growth Behavior of Type 316L Stainless Steel Weld Metals in Boiling Water Reactor Environments

Abstract Thermal aging and consequent embrittlement of materials are ongoing issues in cast and duplex stainless steels. Spinodal decomposition is largely responsible for the well-known “475°C” embrittlement that results in drastic reductions in ductility and toughness in cast materials. This process is also operative in welds in cast or wrought stainless steels where delta ferrite is present. While the embrittlement can occur after several hundred hours of aging at 475°C, it can also occur at lower temperatures where ductility reductions have been observed after tens of thousands of hours at 300°C. The effect of thermal aging on mechanical properties, including tensile, toughness, fatigue, and static crack growth, has been investigated at room temperature and in 288°C high-purity water simulating boiling water reactor (BWR) operating conditions. The measurements of tensile, microhardness, and Charpy-impact energy show an increase in strength and a decrease in impact energy after aging for up to 10,000 h ...
Developing an ambulatory surgery programme

Since the late 1970s out-patient surgery has been the fastest growing segment of surgical and anaesthetic care. This trend is likely to continue as advances in surgical technique and technology make surgery less invasive and therefore more amenable to the out-patient setting. The arthroscope, laparoscope, thoracoscope, and laser are the tools of ‘minimally invasive surgery’. Health care policy and economic factors will also continue to force more surgical procedures, as well as more infirm patients, into the out-patient setting. Conversely, the rate of shifting procedures and patients to the outpatient setting has slowed. The economic heyday of outpatient surgery in the United States is over and with it the boom in building hospital-independent (freestanding) out-patient surgical facilities. Most new or developing programmes will therefore locate within hospital walls or on the hospital grounds. Many hospitals mix ambulatory surgery patients with in-patients having elective surgery. Surgical outpatients may also compete with patients in need of urgent or emergency surgery. While this arrangement involves a minimum investment in space, staff and equipment, it fails to address the needs of the out-patient surgical population or to define the basis for an autonomous programme in ambulatory surgery. To define the needs of an ambulatory programme requires dedicated resources and a well-defined system to safely, effectively and efficiently meet the needs of out-patient physicians (surgeon, anaesthesiologist, oncologist, gas-
Human Cardiac Stem Cells The Heart of a Truth

The view of the heart as a static organ implies that myocyte death and formation play a negligible role in cardiac homeostasis. Although stem cells have been unexpectedly identified in several organs, including the brain, kidney, lung, and skeletal muscle, the search for a cardiac stem cell (CSC) has been perceived as a futile effort, given the acknowledged lack of regenerative potential of the myocardium. Nevertheless, in the past several years, the demonstration of myocyte renewal in the normal and diseased heart has revealed a new, dynamic, and lively picture of this organ. Components of the cell cycle machinery and markers of cell replication have been detected in cardiomyocytes. The demonstration that karyokinesis and cytokinesis involve cells expressing contractile proteins has provided evidence that cardiomyocyte division occurs in the adult heart.1 More recently, pulse-chase assays with thymidine analogs,2 lineage tracing protocols,3 and 14C birth dating of cells4 have shown the existence of myocyte turnover, a process that has been found to differ in magnitude according to the methods used for its documentation and quantification. Article see p 2559 Over the years, the heart has provided us with the evidence that solves the critical problem of the origin of cardiomyocytes. At this moment in time, paraphrasing Eugenio Montale, we could say that the human heart is “on the verge of betraying [its] final secret offering the opportunity to uncover…the still point of the world, the link that won't hold, the thread to untangle that will finally lead to the heart of a truth.”5 Newly generated myocytes may derive from division of preexisting parenchymal cells or from activation and differentiation of resident CSCs. Discriminating between these two possibilities is not an easy task. Fate-mapping strategies, which are commonly used to track the origin of cells and …
Autonomic activity during dexmedetomidine or fentanyl infusion with desflurane anesthesia

Abstract Study Objective To evaluate autonomic activity with dexmedetomidine or fentanyl infusion and desflurane anesthesia during laparoscopic gastric banding. Study Design Randomized, single-blinded, open-label study. Setting Operating rooms at a university hospital. Subjects 40 patients scheduled for laparoscopic gastric banding with a mean body mass index of 50 kg/m 2 . Interventions Patients received either dexmedetomidine (0.5 μ g/kg given intravenously over 10 minutes, 0.4 μ g · kg −1 · h −1 , n=20) or fentanyl (0.5 μ g · kg −1 bolus, 1 μ g · kg −1 · h −1 , n=20) during anesthesia. Response entropy of the electroencephalogram was maintained at 45 ± 5 by adjusting end-tidal desflurane concentration. Measurements In the operating room, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), response entropy, end-tidal desflurane concentration, tone entropy, and power-spectral analysis of HR were measured with the patient awake; 20, 40, and 60 minutes from intubation and the start of drug infusion; and at extubation. Main Results The mean end-tidal desflurane concentration during anesthesia was 4.0% ± 0.6% with dexmedetomidine and 4.1% ± 0.7% with fentanyl, indicating a similar anesthetic requirement in both groups. Autonomic activity, determined by tone entropy and spectral analysis of HR, decreased by 50% during anesthesia in both groups. The dexmedetomidine group showed a greater decrease in sympathovagal balance during anesthesia. Conclusion Both dexmedetomidine and fentanyl facilitated anesthesia and attenuated autonomic activity. Dexmedetomidine produced a greater decrease in sympathovagal balance than fentanyl.
A modular seating system for cerebral-palsied children.

SUMMARY A seating system for physically handicapped children has been devised in which a series of standard components (neck supports, rolled seats, pommels) can be incorporated to make a seating system appropriate for the individual child. RESUME Un Systeme de siege modulaire pour enfant I.M.C. Dans le Rehabilitation Engineering Program, de Memphis, a l'Universite de Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences, une serie de systemes de sieges pour enfants handicapes physiques a ete etudiee. Quoique le cas de chaque enfant et chaque famille soit apprecie individuellement une serie de supplements standards sont disponibles pour etre incorpores dans le systeme de siege approprie. De cette facon les besoins individuels de l'enfant beneficient d'un systeme de siege dans des conditions economiques acceptables. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Individuell angepasstes Gestuhl fur Kinder mit Cerebralparese Im Rahmen des Rehabilitation Engineering Program, Memphis, University of Tennessee, Center of the Health Sciences, sind mehrere Stohle for physisch-behinderte Kinder entwickelt worden. Obwohl jedes Kind und jede Familie individuell eingeordnet wird, gibt es mehrere Standardkomponenten die an jedes einzelne Gestuhl montiert werden konnen. Mit diesen okonomisch durchfuhrbaren System werden die personlichen Bedurfnisse eines Kindes berocksichtigt. RESUMEN Un sistema de asiento modular para ninos con paralisis cerebral En el programa de ingenieria de la rehabilitacion, Memphis, en el Centro de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Tennessee, se han desarrollado unas series de sistemas de asientos para ninos con minusvalias fisicas. Aunque cada nino y su familia es evaluado individualemente, una serie de componentes standart pueden ser incorporados en un sistema de asiento apropiado. En este sentido las necesidades del nino son solucionadas con un sistema de asientos que es economicamente asequible.
Degree of hyperinsulinemia, independent of androgen levels, is an important determinant of the severity of hirsutism in PCOS.

Objective To determine whether the severity in hyperandrogenemia determines, to a significant degree, the severity of hirsutism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Tertiary care academic referral center. Patient(s) A total of 749 patients with PCOS. Intervention(s) History and physical examination, blood sampling. Main Outcome Measure(s) Hirsutism defined by a value of ≥6 using the modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score, age, body mass index (BMI), calculated homeostatic assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) value, and levels of total (TT) and free (FT) testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OH-P), and fasting insulin (INS) and glucose (GLC). Result(s) Univariate correlations revealed associations between the mFG score and INS, 17OH-P, HOMA-IR, and BMI. Multivariate classification and regression tree analysis indicated that INS had the most significant association with mFG score and that at higher INS levels T played an additional role whereas at lower INS levels 17OH-P had an effect; however, this model accounted for only 8.2% of total variation in mFG score. Conclusion(s) Insulin appears to have a direct effect on the severity of hirsutism in PCOS and appears to have a synergistic interaction with TT. Notably, over 90% of the variation in the mFG score was not related to the factors studied and likely reflects intrinsic factors related to pilosebaceous unit function or sensitivity and to other factors not yet assessed.
Perpendicular orientation and directional migration of amphibian neural crest cells in dc electrical fields.

Abstract The behavior of cultured neural crest cells of Ambystoma mexicanum and Xenopus laevis in dc electrical fields was studied. In fields of 1-5 V/cm, isolated or confluent cells retract both their anode- and cathode-facing margins. Subsequently, the cells elongate, with protrusive activity confined to their narrow ends. In larger fields (greater than or equal to 5 V/cm), protrusions form on the cathode-facing sides of the perpendicularly oriented cells. The cells then begin migrating laterally, perpendicular to their long axes, towards the cathode. We suggest that the perpendicular alignment and cathode-directed migrations result from cytoskeletal changes mediated by modified ion fluxes through the anode-facing (hyperpolarized) and cathode-facing (depolarized) cell membranes. The breaking of cellular confluence in response to dc electric fields is also discussed.
Probing an Open CFTR Pore with Organic Anion Blockers

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ion channel that conducts Cl− current. We explored the CFTR pore by studying voltage-dependent blockade of the channel by two organic anions: glibenclamide and isethionate. To simplify the kinetic analysis, a CFTR mutant, K1250A-CFTR, was used because this mutant channel, once opened, can remain open for minutes. Dose–response relationships of both blockers follow a simple Michaelis-Menten function with Kd values that differ by three orders of magnitude. Glibenclamide blocks CFTR from the intracellular side of the membrane with slow kinetics. Both the on and off rates of glibenclamide block are voltage dependent. Removing external Cl− increases affinity of glibenclamide due to a decrease of the off rate and an increase of the on rate, suggesting the presence of a Cl− binding site external to the glibenclamide binding site. Isethionate blocks the channel from the cytoplasmic side with fast kinetics, but has no measurable effect when applied extracellularly. Increasing the internal Cl− concentration reduces isethionate block without affecting its voltage dependence, suggesting that Cl− and isethionate compete for a binding site in the pore. The voltage dependence and external Cl− concentration dependence of isethionate block are nearly identical to those of glibenclamide block, suggesting that these two blockers may bind to a common binding site, an idea further supported by kinetic studies of blocking with glibenclamide/isethionate mixtures. By comparing the physical and chemical natures of these two blockers, we propose that CFTR channel has an asymmetric pore with a wide internal entrance and a deeply embedded blocker binding site where local charges as well as hydrophobic components determine the affinity of the blockers.
Protein kinase C-δ mediates adenosine A3 receptor-induced delayed cardioprotection in mouse

We investigated the role of protein kinase C in adenosine A3 receptor (A3AR)-induced delayed cardioprotection in the mouse heart. Mice were treated with selective A3AR agonist N6-(3-iodobenzyl)aden...
A dynamic ferrofluid platform for micromanipulation

In this paper, we report a new and simple method for manipulating free droplets using ferrofluid dynamics. For the movement of free droplets using ferrofluid, a periodic pattern of ferrofluid is generated by using a strip magnet and dynamically modified using a magnetic stirrer. The dependence of droplet movement on the size of droplets and the rotation speed of the magnetic stirrer is studied. In order to improve the mixing efficiency, a discontinuity in the ferrofluid pattern at the mixing spots is created by adding a smaller strip magnet to the above setup. We demonstrate a reduction in the mixing time at the target spot as compared to the setup without the addition of the smaller strip magnet. A novel aspect of the reported work is the use of ferrofluid dynamics to control the movement and mixing of free microdroplets without sample evaporation and solid surface contact contamination.
Evolution of globular cluster pulsars: predictions

We predict the slowing-down rates, and hence magnetic fields, of globular cluster pulsars on the basis of statistical expectations. The key pulsars are the slower ones which must have strong magnetic fields to be detected at the distances of globular clusters. Since the characteristic age of such pulsars is small, they cannot have been formed at the same time as the cluster. This short age in turn puts limits on the number of undetected pulsars in the cluster, because predecessors with similar magnetic fields would be expected but would now have slowed too much to be bright enough to be still detectable. One can estimate the period derivative directly from the period in such a statistical analysis (although determination of these derivatives is apparently complicated by acceleration within the cluster, at least in some cases)
Analysis and evaluation of topological and application characteristics of unreliable mobile wireless ad-hoc network

We present a study of topological characteristics of mobile wireless ad-hoc networks. The characteristics studied are connectivity, coverage, and diameter. Knowledge of topological characteristics of a network aids in the design and performance prediction of network protocols. We introduce intelligent goal-directed mobility algorithms for achieving desired topological characteristics. A simulation-based study shows that to achieve low, medium and high network QoS defined in terms of combined requirements of the three metrics, the network needs respectively 8, 16, and 40 nodes. If nodes can fail, the requirements increase to 8, 36 and 60 nodes respectively. We present a theoretical derivation of the improvement due to the mobility models and the sufficient condition for 100% connectivity and coverage. Next, we show the effect of improved topological characteristics in enhancing QoS of an application level protocol, namely, a location determination protocol called Hop-Terrain. The study shows that the error in location estimation is reduced by up to 68% with goal-directed mobility.
Microbiomic comparison of the intestine of the earthworm Eisenia fetida fed ergovaline.

Tall fescue toxicosis and ergot alkaloids cost U.S. livestock producers approximately one billion dollars in annual livestock production loss annually. Ergovaline (EV) is the tall fescue alkaloid primarily responsible for clinical disease in livestock. Since native ruminal microorganisms have not been attributed to the detoxification of EV, finding detoxifying microbes from other environments is desirable. One possible source for potential microorganisms that can degrade EV is the anaerobic gut of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida. This study describes a comparative microbial analysis of earthworm digestive tracts receiving 10,000 ppb EV (E+ treatment) when compared with a control treatment with no detectable amounts of EV (E− treatment). An HPLC assay determined a 25% loss of EV from the E+ treatment was microbial in nature. A community microbiomic approach of constructing 16S-rRNA gene clone libraries was used to compare the microbes affected by the two treatments. RDPII tools such as Classifier and Libcompare were used in the analysis of 16S sequences. DOTUR analysis was used to examine the richness and diversity of the two microbial populations in these experiments. The results indicate there are few significant differences in the microbial community structure between the two microbiomes.
A perturbation theorem for exponential dichotomies

Suppose the linear equation x ' = A ( t ) x has an exponential dichotomy and suppose B ( t ) is close to A ( t ) in the following sense: on any interval of length 2T , B ( t ) is close to some translate A ( t + τ) of A ( t ) (actually the conditions in the paper are slightly weaker than this). Then if T is sufficiently large, the equation y ' = B ( t ) y also has an exponential dichotomy. This generalises the usual roughness theorem for exponential dichotomies.
Pain Assessment and Management in Older Adults

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the understanding of nociception among persons with neurocognitive deficits, as well as approaches to pain assessment in older adults with such deficits. It addresses the domains associated with the experience of pain, including sensory dimensions of the experience, psychological factors associated with it, and pain-related function. It provides clinical vignettes to illustrate selected points. It also provides an overview of current clinical practice guidelines for pain management that have been adopted by organizations most focused on the health of older adults, the American Geriatric Society (AGS), and the American Medical Directors' Association (AMDA). It discusses unresolved issues in the area, including issues related to both research and practice. There has been enormous progress in the past decade in the assessment and treatment of pain in older adults. Ten years ago, relatively few recognized the prevalence of pain in the older age group, much less the complexities of assessment and the importance of effective treatment. Presently, updated guidelines exist for the treatment of pain in older adults who reside in the community and in alternative living arrangements. Moreover, new technologies have enabled research into anatomic and physiologic substrates that modulate neurocognitive processes associated with the experience of pain. Some of that work translates directly into clinical applications.
Real-Time Simulation Of The Seasonal And Diurnal Aspect Changes In Real Three-Dimensional Scenes

This paper presents the principle, the realisation and the results of a system simulating in real-time extremely realistic views of 3D scenes. The simulation considers two factors, namely the seasonal and diurnal illumination variation and the change in the atmospheric visibility. Such effects are responsible for the main aspect changes in real scenes like for instance mountainous terrains. The scene aspect simulation is based on information from a digital terrain model and albedo maps previously derived from aerial photographs. A scene model is assembled in a stage of preprocessing and is then used as the data base for the simulation. The generation of the image itself is performed in real-time. Any modification of the scene illumination and the atmospheric visibility within the scene can be entered interactively and the new aspect of the scene can be seen instantly on the display where the new images are updated at video rate. This simulation system is implemented on a display processor making an intensive use of its transform capabilities via video processor and look-up-tables. The results show typical illumination and visibility effects in various scenes simulating real natural terrain.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Improving Outage Performance: Outage Optimization Process

Planned outage performance is a key measure of how well an Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is operated. Performance during planned outages strongly affects virtually all of a plant’s performance metrics. In recognition of this fact, NPP operators worldwide have and continue to focus on improving their outage performance. The process of improving outage performance is commonly referred to as ‘Outage Optimization’ in the industry. This paper starts with a summary of the principles of Outage Optimization. It then provides an overview of a process in common use in the USA and elsewhere to manage the improvement of planned outages. The program described is comprehensive in that it involves managing improvement in both the Preparation and Execution phases of outage management.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Limiting equilibrium versus BS3D analysis of a tetrahedral rock block

In order to analyze the stability of a 3D rock block using a limiting equilibrium method, some simplifications must be introduced, such as neglecting the effects of deformability of the rock block, fractures, and the surrounding rock mass, the progressive failure and the mobilization of shear strength of fractures, and changes in in situ stresses with block displacement. These limitations may cause some errors when calculating the factor of safety of the block. This paper quantifies the error caused by these simplifications comparing the results against those obtained with a numerical method (BS3D). In addition, the effects of the normal stiffness of the fractures, dilatancy, the tunnel radius, and the block size on stability of the tetrahedron are investigated using the numerical tool to demonstrate the importance of the effects eliminated by the limiting equilibrium approach. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Removal of Movement Artifact from High-Density EEG Recorded During Walking and Running

Although human cognition often occurs during dynamic motor actions, most studies of human brain dynamics examine subjects in static seated or prone conditions. EEG signals have historically been considered to be too noise prone to allow recording of brain dynamics during human locomotion. Here we applied a channel-based artifact template regression procedure and a subsequent spatial filtering approach to remove gait-related movement artifact from EEG signals recorded during walking and running. We first used stride time warping to remove gait artifact from high-density EEG recorded during a visual oddball discrimination task performed while walking and running. Next, we applied infomax independent component analysis (ICA) to parse the channel-based noise reduced EEG signals into maximally independent components (ICs) and then performed component-based template regression. Applying channel-based or channel-based plus component-based artifact rejection significantly reduced EEG spectral power in the 1.5- to 8.5-Hz frequency range during walking and running. In walking conditions, gait-related artifact was insubstantial: event-related potentials (ERPs), which were nearly identical to visual oddball discrimination events while standing, were visible before and after applying noise reduction. In the running condition, gait-related artifact severely compromised the EEG signals: stable average ERP time-courses of IC processes were only detectable after artifact removal. These findings show that high-density EEG can be used to study brain dynamics during whole body movements and that mechanical artifact from rhythmic gait events may be minimized using a template regression procedure.
Implications of QuikSCAT and RADARSAT wind comparisons for SAR wind speed model functions

Active microwave scatterometers such as the SeaWinds scatterometer on QuikSCAT measure wind speed and direction over the world's oceans at 25 km resolution. This resolution does not capture much of the wind field spatial variability in coastal regions. High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can measure normalized radar cross section at sub-km resolution. The RADARSAT SAR has been effectively used to measure high-resolution wind fields. This paper systematically compares QuikSCAT scatterometer and RADARSAT SAR winds over the years 2000 and 2001. The results obtained thus far demonstrate that modest changes in the SAR to NRCS model function can improve the SAR wind speed retrievals.
Development of the enigmatic peristome of Timmia megapolitana (Timmiaceae; Bryophyta)

The Timmiaceae (Bryophyta) have been traditionally classified within the Bryales based on peristome architecture. Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences have revealed relationships that are incongruent with this hypothesis and have implicated an origin for this lineage early in the radiation of arthrodontous mosses (Bryopsida). This unexpected phylogenetic placement raises important questions about the evolutionary significance of the Timmia peristome, which differs from all other mosses by 64 isomorphic filaments topping the endostomial membrane. A developmental study of the peristome in Timmia megapolitana was undertaken to examine alignments of anticlinal cell walls in the inner peristomial layer (IPL) with those of the primary peristomial layer (PPL), a character that has been used to define major arthrodontous lineages. Criteria were established for assessing longitudinally homologous regions that contribute to the peristome-forming region. Young sporophytes were examined using histological techniques, and the alignment of the cell wall divisions was quantified. Critical divisions in the IPL of T. megapolitana were determined to be symmetrical, similar to patterns in the Funariales. This research provides novel developmental observations for a putative ancestral lineage of arthrodontous mosses, reevaluates criteria used to compare developmental studies of different lineages and discusses the phylogenetic implications of these observations.
Optical switching in nonlinear chiral distributed Bragg reflectors with defect layers

We present a new iterative approach to obtain the electric field from the displacement field for a chiral medium with Kerr nonlinearity. In a study recently reported [ P. Tran , J. Opt. Soc. Am. B16, 70 (1999)], this is done by a Newton–Raphson root-finding approach, which requires the initial guess to be near the solution. The new approach eliminates this requirement, and therefore it is more robust. We also study an all-optical switch using a chiral nonlinear thin-film Bragg reflector with two defect layers. This switch has a lower switching threshold than one using a perfect Bragg reflector. Since the switching operation is dependent on the shifting of the defect mode and not on the band edge (as in the case of a perfect multilayer structure), it should be less susceptible to manufacturing errors.
Real-time characterization of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient aerosols and from motor-vehicle exhaust

A photo-electric aerosol sensor, a diffusion charger, an Aethalometer, and a continuous particle counter were used along with other real-time instruments to char- acterize the particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (p-PAH) content, and the physical/chemical characteristics of aerosols collected a) in Wilmington (CA) near the Los Angeles port and close to 2 major freeways, and b) at a dy- namometer testing facility in downtown Los Angeles (CA), where 3 diesel trucks were tested. In Wilmington, the p-PAH, surface area, particle number, and "black" carbon concentra- tions were 4-8 times higher at 09:00-11:00 a.m. than between 17:00 and 18:00 p.m., suggesting that during rush hour traf- fic people living in that area are exposed to a higher num- ber of diesel combustion particles enriched in p-PAH coat- ings. Dynamometer tests revealed that the p-PAH emissions from the "baseline" truck (no catalytic converter) were up to 200 times higher than those from the 2 vehicles equipped with advanced emission control technologies, and increased when the truck was accelerating. In Wilmington, integrated filter samples were collected and analyzed to determine the concentrations of the most abundant p-PAHs. A correla- tion between the total p-PAH concentration (µg/m 3 ) and the measured photo-electric aerosol sensor signal (fA) was also established. Estimated ambient p-PAH concentrations (Av- erage=0.64 ng/m 3 ; Standard deviation=0.46 ng/m 3 ) were in good agreement with those reported in previous studies con- ducted in Los Angeles during a similar time period. Finally, we calculated the approximate theoretical lifetime (70 years per 24-h/day) lung-cancer risk in the Wilmington area due to inhalation of multi-component p-PAHs and "black" carbon. Our results indicate that the lung-cancer risk is highest dur- ing rush hour traffic and lowest in the afternoon, and that the
Multiphase transport model for relativistic heavy ion collisions

We describe in detail how the different components of a multiphase transport (AMPT) model that uses the heavy ion jet interaction generator (HIJING) for generating the initial conditions, Zhang's parton cascade (ZPC) for modeling partonic scatterings, the Lund string fragmentation model or a quark coalescence model for hadronization, and a relativistic transport (ART) model for treating hadronic scatterings are improved and combined to give a coherent description of the dynamics of relativistic heavy ion collisions. We also explain the way parameters in the model are determined and discuss the sensitivity of predicted results to physical input in the model. Comparisons of these results to experimental data, mainly from heavy ion collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, are then made in order to extract information on the properties of the hot dense matter formed in these collisions.
Use of Fibrin Sealants in Cardiovascular Surgery: A Systematic Review

Background Fibrin sealants are used for hemostasis and tissue adherence. Aim of Study This systematic review summarizes published clinical data for fibrin sealant use in cardiovascular surgery. Methods A literature search for the following terms was conducted using PubMed and EMBASE: (TISSEEL or Tissucol or Beriplast P or Evicel or Quixil or Crosseal or Reliseal or Fibringluraas or Bolheal or Tachosil or Vivostat or Vitagel or Artiss or “fibrin glue” or “fibrin sealant” or “fibrin tissue adhesive”) and (cardiac or cardiovascular or vascular or heart or coronary or surgery). Case reports and series were excluded; although reports of controlled trials were preferred, uncontrolled trial data were also considered. Results Clinical trials and chart review analyses of fibrin sealants were identified and summarized. Although clinical trial data were available for other agents, the majority of published studies examined TISSEEL. Overall, TISSEEL and other fibrin sealants showed improvements over standard of care or control groups for a variety of predefined endpoints. Safety findings are also summarized. Conclusions Data from these studies showed that fibrin sealants were well tolerated and provided effective hemostasis in a range of cardiac and aortic surgeries. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12099 (J Card Surg 2013;28:238–247)
Patient care instrumentation for health care professionals

A description is given for course materials needed to teach health-care professionals about biomedical instrumentation. Patient needs are taken into account, as well as the educational background of the health-care professional. A textbook to be published is discussed. >
Wavenumber Spectrum in the Gulf Stream from Shipboard ADCP Observations and Comparison with Altimetry Measurements

The wavenumber spectra for velocity and temperature in the Gulf Stream region are calculated from a decade (1994‐2004) of shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements taken as part of the Oleander Project. The velocity and temperature spectra have comparable magnitude, in terms of the kinetic and potential energy, and both indicate a k 23 slope in the mesoscales. In contrast, the corresponding velocity spectrum determined from satellite altimetry sea surface heights yields a significantly higher energy level and a k 22 slope. The discrepancy between altimeter-derived and directly measured velocity spectra suggests that altimetric velocity probably is contaminated by noise in sea surface height measurement. Also, the k 23 slope, which appears to be in agreement with two-dimensional quasigeostrophic turbulence theory, does not support the contemporary surface quasigeostrophic theory. These results highlight large gaps in the current understanding of the nature of surface geostrophic turbulence.
Immunosubtractive Electrophoresis on Gradient Polyacrylamide Gels

Abstract The specificity of antibodies was employed in the identification of bands separated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis by subtracting the band prior to the electrophoretic separation. This immunosubtraction was accomplished without sacrificing any of the high resolution obtained on gradient polyacrylamide gels. Using purified antibody (IgG) isolated by chromatography, the subtraction was performed in several ways. The utility of this technique was demonstrated on samples of human serum using antibodies against human transferrin, albumin, α2-macroglobulin, and whole human serum. Specific animal proteins added to the human serum samples were not subtracted.
The ligand specificity of yeast Rad53 FHA domains at the +3 position is determined by nonconserved residues.

On the basis of the results from our laboratory and others, we recently suggested that the ligand specificity of forkhead-associated (FHA) domains is controlled by variations in three major factors: (i) residues interacting with pThr, (ii) residues recognizing the + 1t o+3 residues from pThr, and (iii) an extended binding surface. While the first factor has been well established by several solution and crystal structures of FHA-phosphopeptide complexes, the structural bases of the second and third factors are not well understood and are likely to vary greatly between different FHA domains. In this work, we proposed and tested the hypothesis that nonconserved residues G133 and G135 of FHA1 and I681 and D683 of FHA2, located outside of the core FHA region of yeast Rad53 FHA domains, contribute to the specific recognition of the +3 position of different phosphopeptides. By rational mutagenesis of these residues, the specificity of FHA1 has been changed from predominantly pTXXD to be equally acceptable for pTXXD, pTXXL, and pYXL, which are similar to the specificities of the FHA2 domain of Rad53. Conversely, the +3 position specificity of FHA2 has been engineered to be more like FHA1 with the I681A mutation. These results were based on library screening as well as binding analyses of specific phosphopeptides. Furthermore, results of structural analyses by NMR indicate that some of these residues are also important for the structural integrity of the loops.
Recommendations for Virtualization Technologies in High Performance Computing

The benefits of virtualization are typically considered to be server consolidation, (leading to the reduction of power and cooling costs) increased availability, isolation, ease of operating system deployment and simplified disaster recovery. High Performance Computing (HPC) environments pose one main challenge for virtualization: the need to maximize throughput with minimal loss of CPU and I/O efficiency. However, virtualization is usually evaluated in terms of enterprise workloads and assumes that servers are underutilized and can be consolidated. In this paper we evaluate the performance of several virtual machine technologies in the context of HPC. A fundamental requirement of current high performance workloads is that both CPU and I/O must be highly efficient for tasks such as MPI jobs. This work benchmarks two virtual machine monitors, Open VZ and KVM, specifically focusing on I/O throughput since CPU efficiency has been extensively studied [1]. Open VZ offers near native I/O performance. Amazon’s EC2 “ClusterCompute Node” product is also considered for comparative purposes and performs quite well. The EC2 “Cluster ComputeNode” product utilizes the Xen hyper visor in hvm mode and 10Gbit/s Ethernet for high throughput communication. Therefore, we also briefly studied Xen on our hardware platform (in hvmmode) to determine if there are still areas of improvement in KVM that allow EC2 to outperform KVM (with InfiniBand host channel adapters operating at 20 Gbit/s) in MPI benchmarks. We conclude that KVM’s I/O performance is sub optimal, potentially due to memory management problems in the hyper visor. Amazon’sEC2 service is promising, although further investigation is necessary to understand the effects of network based storage on I/O throughput in compute nodes. Amazon’s offering may be attractive for users searching for “InfiniBand-like” performance without the upfront investment required to build an InfiniBand cluster or users wishing to dynamically expand their cluster during periods of high demand.
Response of obstetrics and gynecology program directors to a domestic violence lecture module

Abstract Objective: Our goal was to determine the use by obstetrics and gynecology residency program directors of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' domestic violence slide lecture module and the opinions of the directors regarding its efficacy. Study Design: A 6-question survey was mailed to 289 directors of accredited obstetrics and gynecology programs in the United States and Canada 9 and 13 months after a learning module on domestic violence was mailed to these same persons. The questions related to receipt and use of the module in the curriculum, target audiences, future plans for integration of the module into curricula, and recommendations for future supplemental topics in the same format. Results: The return rate for the survey was 57% (164/289). The responses represented university-affiliated, community- and military-based programs with representation from all geographic areas of the country. Fourteen directors who had no recollection of receiving the package were sent a second set. The lecture had been presented by 72% of the respondents' departments to audiences of residents (89%), medical students (55%), practicing physicians (41%), and the lay public (11%). Two thirds of the nonusers and 87% of the users intended to use the module as a formal lecture in the curriculum of both residents and medical students in the coming school year. Recommendations for future supplemental lecture packages included abuse during pregnancy, screening women with different cultural backgrounds, and how to ask tough questions. Conclusion: The majority of obstetrics and gynecology resident program directors who responded to the survey integrated or will integrate an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists–created learning module on domestic violence into their residents' and medical students' formal curricula. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:496-8.)
Volatiles from Grapes I. Some Volatiles from Concord Essence

SUMMARY Concord grape essence was examined by GLC-mass spectrometry and sixteen volatile components identified. Aside from ethyl acetate and ethanol, the most abundant was 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol. Preliminary information on several other components has been obtained.
Predicting leadership: The assessment center's extended role

Purpose – Predicting leadership demonstrates how assessment centers can be designed to meet the extended goals of assessing three broad‐based and particularly critical indicators of hospitality leadership effectiveness: the ability to respond to change, the ability to foster trust, and the ability to create inclusive work environments. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review reveals the most critical hospitality leadership needs in times of rapid and continuous change, and supports the assessment center approach as a means of judging key leadership competencies. The steps involved in developing a center to assess three particularly critical leadership competencies are outlined and challenges noted. Findings – The assessment center is shown to be a valuable means of both assessing and predicting leadership talent beyond the scope normally associated with this method. Practical implications – Assessment center methods can be extended to accomplish the organization's most important goal – preparing for, and responding to, future leadership requirements. Originality/value – The paper is of value to both academic and practitioner readers interested in leadership development. It provides a rationale and practical guide for assessment center design and implementation.
A monolithic six-port module for built-in-test applications

A fully monolithic six-port module is described. It includes a six-port junction, matched FET diode detectors, logarithmic amplifiers, and tunable Gunn-effect oscillators on a 3-mm /spl times/ 3-mm GaAs die. On-chip temperature compensation of the detectors results in improved measurement reproducibility and increased dynamic range. In a reflectometer configuration, the monolithic six-port module (MSPM) demonstrates good agreement with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measurements on the same components. A built-in-test (BIT) demonstration of the MSPM allows the measurement of incident and reflected signals in an antenna feed while coupling less than 0.7% of the system power into the MSPM. >
Regulation of myocardial [13C]glucose metabolism in conscious rats

Administration of supplemental glucose and/or insulin is postulated to improve the outcome from myocardial ischemia by increasing the heart's relative utilization of glucose as an energy substrate....
TeleTourist: Immersive Telepresence Tourism for Mobility-Restricted Participants

People can have experiences through video calls that are otherwise inaccessible. For example, someone who cannot leave the home may wish to experience visiting the zoo. We present TeleTourist, a system that uses video calls with strangers to share experiences for people with mobility restrictions. We designed TeleTourist to enhance immersion and personalization, as well as help balance the relationship between participants of the video calls. We discuss features we have implemented or envisioned for TeleTourist, as well as attributes we wish to evaluate in future work.
Keeping up with the class: A critical discourse analysis of teacher interactions in a co-teaching context

Co-teaching is a model of inclusive instruction that has become increasingly popular throughout schools as a way to meet the needs of students with disabilities in general education settings. Despite being the focus of significant educational research for more than two decades, traditional deficit discourses of disability persist in educational settings and have been found to impede inclusive education efforts. This study draws from the critical theoretical field of Disability Studies in Education (DSE) and methodological foundations of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyse the discursive interactions of two middle school co-teachers in a nominally inclusive context. Findings suggest that pedagogy and interactions with students privileged ‘keeping up’ with the pace of the standardised general education curriculum, which resulted in inequity and marginalisation of students with disabilities in the co-taught classroom.
Correlating Student Motivation to Course Performance in Capstone Design

This paper presents the preliminary results of a motivational study of students enrolled in their capstone design course during their senior year in mechanical engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology. Student teams are assigned a project and teams are tasked with completing a design project over a one-year (2 semesters) span. Data is collected during the beginning of the fall semester and during the end of the spring semester. Two methods were used to collect the data of the class. A live interview was conducted for each of the capstone teams. Within this interview, a range of questions are asked to facilitate an understanding of what motivates the student. An adaptation of the Motivated Learning Strategies Questionnaire (MSLQ) survey instrument was also administered to the students to collect quantitative data. The MSLQ framework divides the instruments into two sets of questions to address motivation and learning. Motivation is comprised of three factors: test anxiety, self-efficacy, and intrinsic value. Statistical analysis is performed on the quantitative data to determine significance or correlation between student motivation and performance. Performance is measured through the student’s grade (evaluated by instructor) and peer evaluation (evaluated by team). The analysis is performed through segmenting the sample into international versus domestic, and males versus females; to identify any differences in motivation between the groups. Results indicate there are differences between international and domestic students along all motivational factors. Further, differences are identified between males and females for intrinsic anxiety motivational factors.© 2014 ASME
PISA: Numbers, Standardizing Conduct, and the Alchemy of School Subjects

This article examines the grid of practices that give intelligibility to PISA’s organizing the knowledge of school subjects. PISA is treated as an historical event. Its study is to make visible the principles that order and classify the objects “seen” and acted on the “practical knowledge” of school subjects. The politics of PISA, I argue, are in the principles that order what children should know, how that knowing is made possible, and issues of inclusion and exclusion embodied in these practices. The first section historically traces the making of numbers as “facts”, a presumption that makes the comparisons of PISA possible. In the second section, focuses the attention to the principles of school subjects that order and classify the “facts” of PISA’s measurements
Intoxication and Crime Risk: Contextualizing the Effects of “Party” Routines on Recurrent Physical and Sexual Attacks Among College Students

Despite low overall crime rates, physical and sexual attacks are not uncommon at many American residential universities and colleges based, in part, on a strong association between intoxication and crime risk. Drawing upon concepts from a routine activities perspective and using ordinal logistic regression, this study contextualizes the effects of students' "party" routines on their risk of recurrent crime victimization while at college. FINDINGS show that, for women, spending time at bars doubles their risks of repeat physical attack and unwanted sexual contact. For men, crime risk is better predicted by types of substances used. Specifically, alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs increase men's risk of repeat physical attack, whereas marijuana decreases risk. Still, marijuana use is the only routine that increases risk of repeat rape for both women and men. Implications of findings for student safety and strategies for reducing recurrent victimization within a party context are discussed. Language: en