cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dilution effect of different combustion residuals on laminar burning velocities and burned gas Markstein lengths of premixed methane/air mixtures at elevated temperature

Abstract Most of the experimental examinations on laminar flame characteristics of a diluted combustible mixture have simulated combustion residuals with one of the main exhaust gases (N2, H2O, and CO2) or a mixture of two. However, flue gases have quite different thermodynamic properties and chemical reactivities. Therefore, simulating the post combustion products used for dilution with only one or two of the main exhaust gases may yield erroneous laminar flame characteristic data. In the present study, the laminar burning velocities and burned gas Markstein lengths of diluted methane/air mixtures at 1 bar and 473 K were measured with spherically expanding flames under constant pressure in an optically accessible constant volume combustion chamber. The mixtures were diluted with N2, H2O, and CO2 individually as well as with a mixture of 71.49% N2 + 19.01% H2O + 9.50% CO2 by volume, which represents the main product concentrations from stoichiometric methane/air combustion. Experimental results show that the laminar flame speed values of methane/air mixtures diluted with actual combustion residuals are between those of N2 and H2O dilution, whereas the laminar burning velocities of methane flames diluted with CO2 are considerably slower. The effects of different combustion residuals on the burned gas Markstein length were not found to be significant. At the experimentally-investigated initial conditions, CHEMKIN analyses were performed with the GRI-Mech 3.0, San Diego, and USC Mech II mechanisms to inquire about the performances of the kinetic schemes. The GRI-Mech 3.0 results were the closest to the experimental data. This mechanism was also utilized to numerically quantify the dilution, thermal diffusion, and chemical effects of combustion residuals. The dilution effect was the leading effect in decreasing the laminar burning velocity, while the thermal diffusion effect had the smallest contribution. Nevertheless, the thermal diffusion effect changes the thermal and mass diffusivities, and, as a result, the Lewis number, making it a vital parameter for flame stability and stretch. As the thermodynamic properties and chemical reactivities of the combustion residuals vary with temperature, pressure, equivalence and dilution ratios, real combustion residuals cannot be accurately represented with only one or two of the main exhaust gases, as shown in the current study.
Testing local isolates of entomopathogenic microorganisms against Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys in Georgia

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) (BMSB) is an exotic invasive insect which has spread extensively and established in new area of Black sea regions of Georgia. During 2017-2019, infected adults with fungal disease symptoms were found in population of H. halys from different regions of Western Georgia. Three isolates of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana sensu lato and one of Isaria cf fumosorosea were recovered. Mycoinsecticide Bover-Ge, based on a local strain of B. bassiana-024 (isolated from soil high mountain of Caucasus Range, provide molecular identification in CABI-UK, gave a unique cultural number - IMI # 501797 and keep in CABI Genetic Recourse Collection) two concentrations (1×107 and 1×108 conidia/ml) was tested on the adults of H. halys in laboratory and its efficiency reached 72.0-90.5%. Under laboratory conditions, local isolates of nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema borjomiensis were tested on H. halys adults. At three increasing concentrations (200, 500 and 1000 IJs/mL), H. bacteriophora caused bug mortality at the rates of 33-47%. As for Steinernema borjomiensis , the respective values were 13-33%.
Comparing Three Measures of Self-Efficacy of Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents

Abstract Objective This study examines the relationships between three measures of asthma related self-efficacy and compares them by their relationships to quality of life, medication adherence, asthma control, asthma knowledge, and attitudes in adolescents. Methods Participants included 371 urban adolescents (age 12-20 years) with asthma. Three self-efficacy measures included the Asthma Outcome Expectation-self-efficacy subscale (AOE-SE), Asthma Management Index-self-efficacy subscale (AMI-SE), and the Asthma Self-Efficacy scale (ASE). Results The sample included 50% male, predominantly African American (78.4%) participants. All three measures of self-efficacy were positively correlated with each other (r= 0.46 to 0.54, p Conclusions Medication adherence and symptom control in adolescents were predicted by self-efficacy measured by the three measures, while these measures differed in their performance in predicting psychosocial outcomes. ASE appears the measure of choice in measuring adolescents’ self-efficacy given its association with all outcome measures of the study. Further research is needed to investigate the generalized use of the self-efficacy measures in populations with varying demographic or asthma characteristics.
High Resolution CHEST CT(HRCT) Evaluation in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 Infection

Abstract Introduction: Currently the main diagnostic modality for COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease-2019) is reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) via nasopharyngeal swab which has high false negative rates. We evaluated the performance of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging in the diagnosis of suspected COVID-19 infection compared to RT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab alone in patients hospitalized for suspected COVID-19 infection. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 324 consecutive patients admitted to Temple University Hospital. All hospitalized patients who had RT-PCR testing and HRCT were included in the study. HRCTs were classified as Category 1, 2 or 3. Patients were then divided into four groups based on HRCT category and RT-PCR swab results for analysis. Results: The average age of patients was 59.4 (+15.2) years and 123 (38.9%) were female. Predominant ethnicity was African American 148 (46.11%). 161 patients tested positive by RT-PCR, while 41 tested positive by HRCT. 167 (52.02%) had category 1 scan, 63 (19.63%) had category 2 scan and 91 (28.35%) had category 3 HRCT scans. There was substantial agreement between our radiologists for HRCT classification (κ = 0.64). Sensitivity and specificity of HRCT classification system was 77.6 and 73.7 respectively. Ferritin, LDH, AST and ALT were higher in Group 1 and D-dimers levels was higher in Group 3; differences however were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Due to its high infectivity and asymptomatic transmission, until a highly sensitive and specific COVID-19 test is developed, HRCT should be incorporated into the assessment of patients who are hospitalized with suspected COVID-19.
Quality of Life: Extended Pleurectomy/Decortication vs Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive disease for which the efficacy and benefit of surgical treatment has been highly controversial. Current options for radical debulking primarily consist of extended pleurectomy/decortication (EPD) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), both of which are morbid procedures with significant effects on patient quality of life (QOL). The available literature, though limited, suggests that negative impacts on physical and mental QOL are more permanent after EPP. Our recommendation is to pursue a “less is more” approach, opting for EPD as surgical therapy whenever possible.
Perniosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: Negative Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunohistochemistry in Six Patients and Comparison to Perniosis Before the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: Acral inflammatory lesions that have some resemblance to idiopathic or autoimmune-associated perniosis (chilblains) have been described in multiple countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We examined histopathologic findings in six consecutive such cases from five patients received in mid-May to mid-June of 2020, evaluating immunohistochemical staining for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. We compared these six cases to eight cases diagnosed as perniosis between January and June of 2019. RESULTS: Five of six lesions with perniosis-like histopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic had distinctive tight cuffing of lymphocytes; intravascular material was present in one case. SARS-CoV-2 immunohistochemical staining using an antibody directed at the nucleocapsid protein was negative in all six cases. Only one of eight specimens with microscopic findings of perniosis received prior to the COVID-19 pandemic had tightly cuffed perivascular lymphocytes, and none had obvious intravascular occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: A tightly cuffed pattern of perivascular lymphocytes is a feature of perniosis during the COVID-19 pandemic. The absence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in these cases suggests against the virus being directly present in these lesions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Comparison of the metaphylactic efficacy of gamithromycin, tilmicosin and tulathromycin in beef calves at high risk for BRD

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) continues to be one of the major health concerns in the cattle industry. It is a multifactorial disease typically caused by infection of immune-compromised calves with both viral and bacterial pathogens. The purpose of this study was to compare the metaphylactic efficacy of various antimicrobials in high-risk beef calves.
Engineering Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 for mevalonate production from lignin-derived aromatic compounds.

Abstract Utilization of lignin, an abundant renewable resource, is limited by its heterogenous composition and complex structure. Biological valorization of lignin provides advantages over traditional chemical processing as it occurs at ambient temperature and pressure and does not use harsh chemicals. Furthermore, the ability to biologically funnel heterogenous substrates to products eliminates the need for costly downstream processing and separation of feedstocks. However, lack of relevant metabolic networks and low tolerance to degradation products of lignin limits the application of traditional engineered model organisms. To circumvent this obstacle, we employed Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1, which natively catabolizes lignin-derived aromatic substrates through the β-ketoadipate pathway, to produce mevalonate from lignin-derived compounds. We enabled expression of the mevalonate pathway in ADP1 and validated activity in the presence of multiple lignin-derived aromatic substrates. Furthermore, by knocking out wax ester synthesis and utilizing fed-batch cultivation, we improved mevalonate titers 7.5-fold to 1014 mg/L (6.8 mM). This work establishes a foundation and provides groundwork for future efforts to engineer improved production of mevalonate and derivatives from lignin-derived aromatics using ADP1.
Freedom from Reliance: A Contract Approach to Express Warranty

U.C.C. section 2-313 does not state expressly whether or not reliance is required to create an express warranty. The author contends that express warranties, more specifically promises or affirmations of fact relating to the subject matter of contracts, should be treated the same as any other terms of the contract. Given the context in which they are made, both a promise and an affirmation of fact should be enforceable under contract principles. Between the promisor and promisee, the requirements for the formation of a contract should apply to the creation of an express warranty just as they apply to price, quantity, or any other contract term. Thus, no reliance should be required to create such a warranty between the contracting parties because only mutual assent and consideration, not reliance, are necessary to contract formation involving a bargain.
Investigating fracture mechanisms in opaque materials under dynamic loading using high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging

Abstract High-speed X-ray imaging is synchronized with dynamic loading systems to provide real-time dynamic behavior and fracture mechanisms in a variety of materials. X-ray imaging provides a unique advantage for investigating subsurface fracture mechanisms in opaque materials. The basic principles of high-speed X-ray phase-contrast imaging are described. Various modifications are required to properly synchronize the dynamic loading apparatus with the X-ray imaging setup. These modifications and synchronization schemes between the loading and imaging setups are presented. Representative results from two material systems: granular particles and polymer-bonded explosives are presented. Some recommendations for future upgrades in the apparatus and analysis methods are described.
Meaning-Making Practices, Copyrights, and Architecture in the Indonesian Archipelago

This article examines the connections between meaning-making practices and how those practices are codified into institutions and structures that shape individual identities. The theoretical and geographical locus of this article is Indonesia where one can be Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, or Confucian, but not outwardly an atheist. In practice, there are a lot of hybrid religious identities, and this is echoed in Indonesia’s economic and legal institutions, and even its architecture. In other words, what Tom Boellstorff identifies as an “archipelagic” understanding of the self in Indonesia is supported by multiple meaning-making practices and is reinforced through such technologies as copyright laws and architecture. Whereas the monotheistic traditions of the West, and even the Middle East, take place over large uninterrupted geographical spaces, the Muslim monotheism that spreads throughout the Indonesian archipelago takes on different forms depending on the context of the Island. With the rise of Indonesian nationalism, these various contexts are drawn together into a hybrid-monotheism. Such pastiche is reinforced in legal, economic, and architectural technologies. The pluralistic and hybrid beliefs and identities of the archipelago, can provide fertile grounds for articulating a planetary environmental ethic.
Dietary glycemia as a determinant of health and longevity

The role of diet in extending lifespan and healthspan has been the subject of much research and debate. Our recent epidemiological and in vivo data suggest that carbohydrate quality can be a major determinant in prolonging eye health. Additionally, excessive carbohydrate intake can contribute to the exacerbation of many different diseases. The metabolic diversity of the tissues that are affected by excessive carbohydrate intake suggests that dietary carbohydrate quality may affect cellular homeostasis.
Evaluating the coherence of Take-the-best in structured environments

Heuristic decision-making models, like Take-the-best, rely on environmental regularities. They conduct a limited search, and ignore available information, by assuming there is structure in the decision-making environment. Take-thebest relies on at least two regularities: diminishing returns, which says that information found earlier in search is more important than information found later; and correlated information, which says that information found early in search is predictive of information found later. We develop new approaches to determining search orders, and to measuring cue discriminability, that make the reliance of Take-the-best on these reg ularities clear, and open to manipulation. We then demonstrate, in the well-studied German cities environment, and three new city environments, when and how these regularities support Take-the-best. To do this, we focus not on the acc uracy of Take-the-best, as most previous studies have, but on a measure of its coherence as a decision-making process. In particular, we consider whether Take-thebest decisions, based on a single piece of information, can be justified be cause an exhaustive search for information is unlikely to yield a different decision. Using this measure, we show that when the two environmental regularities are present, the decisions made by limited search are unlikely to have changed after exhaustive search, but that both regularities are often necessary.
Money and the Lender of Last Resort

In 1957, when my Central Banking and Money Market Changes appeared, there may have been some novelty in pointing out that the monetary and financial instruments, usages, and behavior of the significant banking institutions and financial markets changeor evolvein response to perceived profit opportunities. In 1985, it is commonplace. But the acceptance of the fact that the substance of money has changed strikingly over the past four decades has not significantly changed the way monetary theorists think about money. The assumption of exogenous moneythat there is a well-defined, exogenously determined money supply that the central bank can control with adequate precisionstill permeates monetary theory. Banks still are viewed as passive reactors that transform high-powered money into public money; profit-maximizing behavior by business apparently does not extend to banks and bankers. Since the mid-1960s, the world's central banks, and our own Federal Reserve System, have been at least as concerned with maintaining the integrity of the banking and financial structure as with the control of a money supply in order to guide the economy to some desired performance goal. Beginning with the Federal Reserve's reaction to the credit crunch of 1966 and continuing through the recent episodes of domestic a d international financial trauma, the Federal Reserve has episodically tossed aside any pretense of trying to achieve economic stability through monetary control. It has concentrated its interventions on de-
Molybdenum Disilicide Materials for Glass Melting Sensor Sheaths

Sensors for measuring the properties of molten glass require protective sensor sheaths in order to shield them from the extremely corrosive molten glass environment. MoSi{sub 2} has been shown to possess excellent corrosion resistance in molten glass, making it a candidate material for advanced sensor sheath applications. MoSi{sub 2}-coated Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} tubes, MoSi{sub 2}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} laminate composite tubes, and MoSi{sub 2}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} functionally graded composite tubes have been produced by plasma spray-forming techniques for such applications.
Monoclonal Antibodies (Monoabs) to Ciguatoxin and Related Polyethers

An immunological approach for the examination of low molecular weight lipid polyether marine toxins in fish tissues was initiated in 1977 with the development of a modified radioimmunoassay (RIA) using anti-ciguatoxin antibody prepared in sheep (Hokama et al., 1977). Subsequently, a solid phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using the same sheep anti-CTX was established (Hokama et al., 1983; Hokama et al., 1984). The EIA procedure permitted the evaluation of cross-reactivity between ciguatoxin (CTX), okadiac acid (OA), brevetoxin (PbTX), maitotoxin (MTX) and monensin by competitive EIA using these purified toxins (Hokama et al., 1984). In 1984, Baden et al., developed a competitive radioimmunoassay for assessment of PbTX. More recently (Baden et al., 1985), using this same RIA procedure and goat anti-PbTX the cross-reactivity of PbTX and CTX was demonstrated.
Evidence for glycine modulation of excitatory synaptic inputs to retinal ganglion cells

The actions of glycine on the NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses of ganglion cells were studied in the tiger salamander retinal slice. Ganglion cell excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were elicited either by exciting bipolar cells with potassium puffs or by light stimulation, and were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Increasing bath glycine concentrations to 10 microM had little effect on the amplitude of the puff-evoked EPSCs, indicating either that synaptic glycine concentrations were saturating or that the added glycine was buffered by uptake mechanisms. However, 5,7- dichlorokynurenic acid (5,7-DCK), an antagonist for the glycine site on the NMDA receptor, reduced the ganglion cell responses to NMDA puffs, and reduced the potassium puff- and light-elicited EPSCs. The IC50 values for 5,7-DCK became larger with increasing glycine concentrations, but not with increasing NMDA concentrations, indicating that 5,7-DCK acted at the glycine site. The IC50 values for 5,7-DCK were increased with stronger potassium puffs or light stimuli, suggesting that synaptic glycine levels increased with the strength of the stimuli. EPSCs measured in ON-OFF ganglion cells at light ON and OFF were reduced by 5,7-DCK. For dim light stimuli, the IC50 values were lower for the OFF EPSCs compared to the ON EPSCs, indicating that glycine concentrations were different at the times of OFF and ON activity. Estimates of synaptic glycine concentrations suggest that for dim light stimuli, concentrations at the OFF synapses were not saturated, but concentrations at the ON synapses were saturated.
Bilateral peripheral paralysis of the radial nerve in a newborn infant

Abstract A case of bilateral peripheral radial nerve paralysis in the newborn is reported. The injury occurred distal to the branches of the nerve to the triceps, resulting in a bilateral wrist drop. Several features suggestive of tetany of the newborn were present but insufficient to make a diagnosis of this condition. The early use of splints to prevent stretching of the paralyzed muscles was an important element of treatment in restoring carly function and in the prevention of permanent disability.
The multiple sensor positive detection problem

This paper develops a Bayesian probability formula to infer the presence of targets given multiple, noisy detection reports. This problem is characterized by having only positive reports, because the absence of a target is rarely transmitted to the fusion center. Further characteristics of this problem are spatial uncertainty in detection locations and high false alarm rates. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian probability formula to infer the presence of a target given multiple sensor detections where each sensor has a known spatial uncertainty, probability of detection, and probability of false alarm. Results are shown on simulated data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm when underlying assumptions are true. In addition to simulated data, we also use a real dataset that involves reported target locations. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm in finding probable target locations when all of the detection locations are slightly different.
Branhamella catarrhalis: an organism gaining respect as a pathogen.

Branhamella catarrhalis was formerly regarded as a common, essentially harmless inhabitant of the pharynx. This misapprehension was caused, in part, by confusion with another pharyngeal resident, Neisseria cinerea. The two organisms can now be differentiated by the positive reactions of B. catarrhalis in tests for nitrate reduction and hydrolysis of tributyrin and DNase. B. catarrhalis is currently recognized as the third most frequent cause of acute otitis media and acute sinusitis in young children. It often causes acute exacerbations of chronic bronchopulmonary disease in older or immunocompromised adults and is incriminated occasionally in meningitis, endocarditis, bacteremia, conjunctivitis, keratitis, and urogenital infections. Virulence-associated factors, such as pili, capsules, outer membrane vesicles, iron acquisition proteins, histamine-synthesizing ability, resistance to the bactericidal action of normal human serum, and binding to the C1q complement component, have been identified in some strains. beta-Lactamase producing strains, first detected in 1976, have risen to approximately 75% worldwide. Thus far, however, practically all American strains of B. catarrhalis remain susceptible to alternative antibiotics. A possible selective advantage of recent isolates is their reportedly heightened tendency for adherence to oropharyngeal cells from patients with chronic bronchopulmonary disease. Images
On joint detection, estimation and system identification: discrete data case†

The recent results of Lainiotis (1971 a, b, 1971) on single-shot, as well as multishot, joint detection, estimation and system identification for continuous data and dynamics are extended to multishot, discrete data and discrete dynamical systems. The results are given for the signals generated by the linear dynamical systems with unknown parameter vectors and driven by white gaussian sequences, where the observation contains additive white gaussian noise. Specifically, it is shown that the above problem constitutes a class of non-linear mean-square estimation problems. By utilizing the adaptive approach, closed-form integral expressions are obtained for simultaneously optimal detection, estimation and system identification. In addition, several approximate algorithms that utilize linear Kalman estimators are presented to limit the storage requirement to finite size and reduce computational requirements. The results presented in this paper are applicable to both independent and Markov signalling sources
Salmonella survival during spray drying and subsequent handling of skimmilk powder. II. Effects of drying conditions.

Abstract The survival of Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella thompson, Salmonella tennessee, and Salmonella kentucky inoculated into concentrated skimmilk and spray dried with various operating conditions was studied. While spray drying at commercial temperatures killed substantial numbers of Salmonella in skimmilk, in no case did it yield salmonella-free powder with the levels of contamination used. Survival of Salmonella decreased as spraydrying temperature was increased. With outlet air at 121.1C, log reductions were from 1.994 to 4.915 depending upon Salmonella strain. Milk droplet and dried particle size, controlled by varying feedatomizing pressure, had no significant effects on Salmonella survival. Similarly, level of contamination in milk before drying did not influence rate of Salmonella destruction during drying. Under all operating conditions, S. tennessee was much more resistant to spray drying than the three other strains and, in most instances, this amounted to population decreases of 2 to 3 log cycles less than with the other strains. Contaminated milk powders also were agglomerated and redried by simulating commercial instantizing. Salmonella contamination was introduced before and after spray drying. Significant reductions in Salmonella were not achieved by the heat of redrying.
Stochastic source seeking in complex environments

The objective of source seeking problems is to determine the minimum of an unknown signal field, which represents a physical quantity of interest, such as heat, chemical concentration, or sound. This paper proposes a strategy for source seeking in a noisy signal field using a mobile robot and based on a stochastic gradient descent algorithm. Our scheme does not require a prior map of the environment or a model of the signal field and is simple enough to be implemented on platforms with limited computational power. We discuss the asymptotic convergence guarantees of algorithm and give specific guidelines for its application to mobile robots in unknown indoor environments with obstacles. Both simulations and real-world experiments were carried out to evaluate the performance of our approach. The results suggest that the algorithm has good finite time performance in complex environments.
Reaction kinetics for gold dissolution in acid thiourea solution using formamidine disulfide as oxidant

Abstract Reaction kinetics for gold dissolution in acid thiourea solutions were investigated with the rotating disc technique using formamidine disulfide as an oxidant. For the conditions studied, it appears that a surface reaction limits the rate of gold dissolution. The rate was found to be first order with respect to thiourea concentration and half order with respect to the concentration of formamidine disulfide; the apparent activation energy for the reaction was 10.4 kcal/mol (43.4 kJ/mol); and the reaction rate was independent of pH for the pH range of 1.0–3.0. The kinetics were found to be described by the following rate expression: d C Au(I) d t =k[ Tu ][ FDS ] 0.5 which was substantiated from electrochemical theory using the Butler–Volmer equation.
Special Considerations for Electric, Submersible Pump Applications in Underpressured Reservoirs

This paper investigates the effect of electric submersible pump (ESP) performance tolerances and minor speed variations on the producing rate of wells completed in underpressured reservoirs, and presents ESP design considerations unique for the class of wells. These wells require considerable head to initiate flow and have relatively flat well-load curves. Pumps that operate near their maximum recommended rate have steep performance curves, and this is shown to minimize the effect of an underperforming pump on producing rate. Equations are developed for calculating the effects of pump performance and speed. Application requires evaluating the slopes of the pump-performance and well-load curves at design rate. The usefulness of these equations is demonstrated by practical examples. it is also demonstrated that flow stall can occur easily in underpressured reservoir applications when pumps designed to operate near their minimum recommended rate are installed.
New exact multiplicity results with an application to a population model

We obtain some new exact multiplicity results for the Dirichlet boundary-value problem on a unit ball Bn in Rn. We consider several classes of nonlinearities f(u), including both positive and sign-changing cases. A crucial part of the proof is to establish positivity of solutions for the corresponding linearized problem. As an application we obtain exact multiplicity results for the Holling-Tanner population model.
Ultrafast X-ray determination of transient structures in solids and liquids

Transient structures in solids and liquids have been studied by means of time-resolved X-ray diffraction and absorption with nanosecond and picosecond resolution. These experimental studies utilized two table top laser-driven X-ray sources: a picosecond laser-driven X-ray diode and a femtosecond laser produced plasma. Kinetics of single crystals lattice deformation induced by laser pulse heating has been recorded with 10 ps resolution. The development and utilization of picosecond and subpicosecond EXAFS experimental system is described.
Development and characterization of a titanosilicate ETS-10-coated optical fiber reactor towards the photodegradation of methylene blue

Abstract An optical fiber reactor (OFR) system containing uniformly distributed quartz fibers coated with titanosilicate ETS-10 crystals was investigated. Optimum ETS-10 film thickness (∼1.5 μm) and coating length (15 cm) were determined from the light propagation analysis in a single ETS-10-coated fiber. The nearly constant value of the attenuation coefficient (α ≈ 0.10 cm−1) for films with different thickness indicated uniform fiber surface coverage with these films. The extinction coefficient, ɛ, decreased from ∼1.6 to ∼1.0 μm−1 with ETS-10 film thickness increasing from ∼0.5 to ∼1.5 μm, which suggested less contact per unit film thickness between light and ETS-10 crystals inside thicker films, likely due to their lower crystal packing density. Photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) conducted in the OFR showed higher photocatalytic activity for thicker ETS-10 films. Although higher MB photodegradation rates were obtained at higher light intensity, the apparent quantum efficiency, Φ, decreased with increasing light intensity. This is consistent with the charge separation mechanism for MB photodegradation in the UV light range investigated. All ETS-10 samples investigated showed ∼4–5 times higher Φ values in the OFR than in the slurry reactor, likely due to the unique light/photocatalyst/reactant contact and high fiber packing density in the OFR.
Bradykinin protects the rabbit heart after cardioplegic ischemia via NO-dependent pathways.

Abstract Background . Depressed myocardial performance is an important clinical problem after open heart surgery. We hypothesized pretreating with bradykinin would pharmacologically precondition the heart and improve postischemic performance, and induce myocardial preconditioning by activating nitric oxide synthase. Methods . Thirty-three rabbit hearts underwent retrograde perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB) followed by 50 minutes of 37°C cardioplegic ischemia with St. Thomas' cardioplegia solution (StTCP). Ten control hearts received no pretreatment. Ten bradykinin-pretreated hearts received a 10-minute infusion of 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched KHB and cardioplegic arrest with 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched StTCP. Six other hearts received 0.1 μMol/L HOE 140, a selective B2 receptor antagonist, added to both the 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched KHB and 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched StTCP solutions. Finally, six other hearts received 100 μMol/L of N-Ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, added to both the 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched KHB and 0.1 μMol/L bradykinin-enriched StTCP solutions. Results . Bradykinin pretreatment significantly improved postischemic performance and coronary flow (CF) compared with control (LVDP: 53 ± 5∗ vs 27 ± 4 mm Hg; +dP/dt max : 1,025 ± 93∗ vs 507 ± 85 mm Hg/s; CF: 31 ± 3∗ vs 22 ± 2 mL/min; ∗ p Conclusions . Bradykinin pretreatment improves recovery of ventricular and coronary vascular function via nitric oxide-dependent mechanisms. Pharmacologic preconditioning by bradykinin pretreatment may be an important new strategy for improving myocardial protection during heart surgery.
Identification and estimation of indole analogs by gas-liquid chromatography

Abstract The qualitative and quantitative estimation of indole and a series of simple indole analogs is described. The method may be employed for the direct estimation of indole analogs in enzyme reaction mixtures.
Properties of lymphocyte chemotactic factor (lymphotactin) in thymus.

Aqueous extracts of calf thymus from immunologically stimulated animals contain trypsin- and neuraminidase-labile macromolecules with molecular weights of less than 30,000 daltons which will specifically attract chemotactically lymphocytes. This activity we ascribe to “lymphotactin.”
On the number of replications of a paired comparison

SUMMARY When the better of two objects is to be selected, the choice is frequently the first of the objects to win k comparisons between them. If the better of two objects is defined as the one with the larger probability of winning a single comparison between them, the final choice depends to some extent on chance; the competition could result in a wrong choice and, consequently, a loss to the decision maker. The overall loss function can be expressed as the sum of two terms, one decreasing in k and the other increasing in k. When this function is linear in the expected number of comparisons and either constant for a wrong decision or linear in lp - (1 -p) , where p is the probability that a particular object wins a single comparison, there is a value of k which minimizes the function. In this paper, a minimizing value of k is shown to exist and is computed for various values of the ratio of the cost of a wrong decision to the cost of making a single comparison. The results are presented graphically along with examples of the use of the graphs.
Demonstration of caudally directed hippocampal efferents in the rat by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase

Axonal projections of rat hippocampal neurons were demonstrated by intracellular injections of horseradish peroxidase. The data indicated a prominent caudally directed projection from pyramidal neurons of hippocampal field CA1, provided evidence that the subiculum is one of its targets, and suggested that the caudally directed efferents from CA1 are more numerous than rostrally directed ones.
Intelligent file management in ubiquitous environments

The paradigm of Ubiquitous computing seeks to build a computing environment that responds to user context. An ideal file system for the Ubiquitous environment is one that can successfully recognize the present context and automate file management. The intelligence in the Ubiquitous file management is achieved by applying a heuristics based clustering approach to the system. The applied heuristics are those that are used on file attributes by users to manually manage files in a traditional file system. File attributes can be used to relate files to the most appropriate work-context and also draw inter-file relationships. We discuss methods to harness the given file information from the file-system to form a context-relation wrapper over disparate files. This enables management of files as context related working sets rather than as individual files. A survey was conducted among regular computer users and the compiled results supported our context based file clustering approach. The experiments also showed promising results that confirm our model on the file heuristics, thus finding semantic relations between those files.
Impact of guideline-concordant empiric antibiotic therapy in community-acquired pneumonia.

Abstract Purpose We evaluated the impact of guideline-concordant empiric antibiotic therapy on time to clinical stability, time to switch therapy, length of hospital stay, and mortality among patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of all adult community-acquired pneumonia patients managed at 5 community hospitals from November 1, 1999 to April 30, 2000. Patients were stratified into guideline-concordant and discordant groups as defined by the 2001 American Thoracic Society and the 2003 Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines. Time to clinical stability, time to switch therapy, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality were evaluated in per-protocol and intention-to-treat stepwise regression models that included the outcome as the dependent variable, guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy as the independent variable, and Pneumonia Severity Index score as a covariate. Results Of the 631 evaluable patients, 357 (57%) received guideline-concordant empiric antibiotic therapy. Groups were similar with respect to age, sex, comorbidities, severity of illness, and processes of care. Guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy was associated with a significant decrease in time to switch therapy (P ≤.01), length of hospital stay (P ≤.01), and in-hospital mortality (P = .04) for both per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses. In addition, guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy was associated with a significant decrease in time to clinical stability for intention-to-treat analysis only (P = .03). Conclusions Among hospitalized community-acquired patients, guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy is associated with improved in-hospital survival and shorter time to clinical stability, time to switch therapy, and length of hospital stay.
Can CMR be the new ‘gold standard’ for constrictive pericarditis?

Summary Historically, the cardiac catheterization has been the ‘gold standard’for the evaluation and confirmation of constrictive pericarditis. Noninvasive CMR should have a potential role to be equivalent or even superior given its abiltiy to detect both the anatomic and physiologic impact of an abnormal pericardium. Via RF tissue-tagging, we show that CMR could be a contender for a new non-invasive standard for the evalaution of this often clinical conundrum. Background Perhaps no cardiac disorder is as elusive as constrictive pericarditis (CP) mimicking diseases as divergent as MI to cirrhosis. The penalty for incorrect decision is more dire; needless sternotomy vs. continued undiagnosed symptoms. Classically, invasive cardiac catheterization (cath) has been thought to be the defacto ‘gold standard’ and more recently echocardiography has shown promise as a non-invasive modality. However, sensitivity and specificity for both vary dramatically from center to center with either suffering from false positives. Given the ability to unequivocally define large segments of the pericardium and to define its physiologic interaction with the heart via radio-frequency (RF)tissue tagging, CMR may have a unique capability to be a new ‘gold standard’ .W e hypothesize that CMR via SSFP and RF tissue tagging can define visceral-parietal adherence and achieve a high degree of accuracy as compared to surgically proven CP. Methods
Electric regulation: Utilities undertaking smart grid investment should use benchmarking techniques

In the simplest of terms, the regulator's goal is twofold: ensure utility solvency while inducing the utility to provide quality service at a price that reflects productive efficiency. The ostensible goal of Smart Grid investment is to increase the quality of service, while a likely outcome is the increase in the price needed to ensure utility solvency. Given the uncertainty about the efficacy of Smart Grid investment, public utility regulators would be prudent to undertake benchmarking studies that ensure that improvements in quality explain any increase in utility expenses that result in higher prices.
Subject to Negotiation: The Mechanisms Behind Co-Optation and Corporate Reform

While political opportunity structure theory details how social movement organization (SMO) campaigns focus on the state and political processes, a shift toward neoliberal policies prompts those actors to target corporations directly in order to achieve their goals. This shift creates new challenges for social movements. Unlike the state, corporations are not guided by a democratic ethos, which limits movement organizations' access to decision makers. To achieve access, challenging groups often adopt institutionalized structures and tactics, which can also increase the risk of co-optation. Despite previous research, both the process of co-optation and the distinction between co-optation and other movement outcomes remain unclear. Here, applying event structure analysis to a specific case separates these outcomes: the international campaign the environmental organization Greenpeace waged to change Coca-Cola's refrigeration practices between 1998 and 2005. This analysis suggests that framing is an important strategy for SMOs to utilize, but may not be effective unless frames are backed by action. The combination of framing, institutional tactics, and noninstitutional tactics may be most effective in movement-firm interactions. Overall, this analysis contributes to a broader understanding of social movement tactics, outcomes, and framing in an age of increased corporate power.
Benzene synthesis by low temperature catalysis for radiocarbon dating

Abstract A method is described for the ambient temperature synthesis of pure benzene from acetylene in 50–60 per cent yields that is suitable for low-level liquid scintillation counting. Application of this method to carbon dating essentially eliminates previous problems encountered in the use of liquid scintillation counting for this purpose. The method extends the sensitivity of the carbon dating method and yet requires only standard commercially available counting systems.
Organizational aspects of the virtual library: A survey of academic libraries

The virtual library is presently being investigated across disciplines, often with a strong technological emphasis. The present study takes an organizational approach by placing the virtual library in the context of the academic library, and focusing on opinions of the library directors concerning the virtual library. The problem investigated refers to the propensity of academic libraries to become organized as a virtual library, which is conceptualized in terms of four general models. Directors of academic libraries were surveyed, and the literature on changes in the library organization was reviewed. It has been found that academic libraries exhibit visible organizational changes. When the virtual library is concerned, however, library directors tend to understand it just as digital technology, are mainly supportive of such library, and demonstrate a number of limitations that prevent them from thinking of virtual libraries in more radical terms.
History of Achievements of the Journal

The Journal of Engineering Mechanics (JEM) has enjoyed a long tradition of excellence, the result of having published many of the seminal and high-impact papers that have advanced the science of mechanics and engineering design. There are many ways to assess a journal’s impact. Youmay not know that just as individual researchers are associatedwith an h-index, so are journals. For those of you not familiar with the h-index, it is defined as follows: scientists have index h if h of their N papers have at least h citations each, and the other (N2 h) papers have no more than h citations each. The SCImago Journal & Country Rank is a portal that includes the information contained in the Scopus database for JEM and its peers (http:// www.scimagojr.com/index.php). I am thrilled to report that for 1983–2012, JEM has an h-index of 68. This number is impressive compared with the small sample of its competitors, which include Journal of theMechanics and Physics of Solids (h5 98, for the much longer period of 1952–2013), International Journal of Solids and Structures (h5 88, also for the much longer period of 1965–2013), and ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics (h5 60, with the longer period of 1970–2013). Most probably, the h-index of JEM would be significantly higher if its datawere reported since its birth. I encourage all of you to submit your best work to the Journal of Engineering Mechanics so that its traditionwill continuewell into the 21st century. Another reason to consider publishing in JEM is that, as editor, I have established the realistic and ambitious goal to complete paper reviews, on average, within four months of submission. Decisions on papers that require revision will obviously take longer. This goal will be realized by associate editors, including some recent additions to the Editorial Board,who are committed to achieving it. Changes inASCE journals policies, including the elimination of a decision requiring two concurring reviews, will also reduce the time to a final decision. I am honored to serve as editor of the Journal of Engineering Mechanics, and I promise to work very hard to improve its quality. Feel free to contact me if you would like additional information or if you have constructive feedback about the Journal.
Homogenization of a pseudoparabolic system

Pseudoparabolic equations in periodic media are homogenized to obtain upscaled limits by asymptotic expansions and two-scale convergence. The limit is characterized and convergence is established in various linear cases for both the classical binary medium model and the highly heterogeneous case. The limit of vanishing time-delay parameter in either medium is included. The double-porosity limit of Richards' equation with dynamic capillary pressure is obtained.
Low Common Bile Duct Bifurcation Incidentally Discovered During Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Introduction Bile duct injury due to failure to recognize anatomical variations can have considerable consequences.
MUX, a simple approach to on-line computing

An on-line system operating as part of a normal batch system for the CDC 6600 computer is described. The system, which required one man-year for initial software implementation, although basically simple, provides the necessary elements to input and modify files, submit them for batch execution, and provide results at the user's terminal. A multiplexer designed and developed as part of the project cost one man-year for design and checkout, and $16,000 for parts and fabrication. All aspects of the system are described, including design criteria, implementation, cost, overhead, and user reactions.