cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acoustics of transonic blade-vortex interactions

A study is made of midfield and far-field noise generated by transonic blade-vortex interactions (BVI), typical of helicopter main rotor noise. The VTRAN2 small disturbance, two-dimensional, transonic-flow code that includes convected vorticity was used to compute near-field and midfield flowfield information. Because of mesh size limitations, this information is restricted to the midfield and does not give the desired far-field and three-dimensional information. A method of extending the solutions to the far-field in three dimensions is developed based on Kirchhoff's solution to the linear flow outside a surface S enclosing the nonlinear near field. A spherical wave is first used as a test case for the method. The relation of unsteady-type "C" shock motion on the airfoil to far-field sound is shown. The far-field radiation is affected by Mach number, airfoil thickness, shape, and vortex miss distance.
Optimal time-based and cost-based coordinated project contracts with unobservable work rates

Abstract When managing a project with uncertain completion time and unobservable contractor's work rate, self-interest can create conflicts between the project manager and the contractor leading to actions that reduce the profits of both. We first investigate how the concept of supply contract coordination (i.e., a Nash equilibrium that yields the first-best solution for the entire supply chain) can be applied to project contract management. In our examination of three types of project contracts commonly used in practice, fixed price, time-based (i.e., price depends on the realized project completion time), and cost-based (i.e., price depends on the actual cost), we show that fixed price contracts and cost-plus contracts cannot coordinate a channel. With carefully chosen parameters, however, time-based, cost-sharing can achieve optimal channel coordination.
Clients, Contracts, and Profits: Conflicts in Public Archaeology

The client-oriented approach to contract archaeology is a technical service rather than genuine scientific research. Such an approach fails to meet the requirements of the law, fails to satisfy the needs of archaeological science, and frequently fails to protect the client's interests. A client orientation encourages an excessive emphasis on profits from contract work. Profits not only exclude a balance of archaeological, client, and public interests but threaten the scientific future of contract work. Solutions to the problem of client-oriented work include better academic training as researchers, support for government archaeologists, a strong professional consensus on ethical and performance standards, and attention to public interests. [contract archaeology, client-oriented archaeology, research profits, research obligations, professionalism]
Heart regeneration in adult MRL mice

The reaction of cardiac tissue to acute injury involves interacting cascades of cellular and molecular responses that encompass inflammation, hormonal signaling, extracellular matrix remodeling, and compensatory adaptation of myocytes. Myocardial regeneration is observed in amphibians, whereas scar formation characterizes cardiac ventricular wound healing in a variety of mammalian injury models. We have previously shown that the MRL mouse strain has an extraordinary capacity to heal surgical wounds, a complex trait that maps to at least seven genetic loci. Here, we extend these studies to cardiac wounds and demonstrate that a severe transmural, cryogenically induced infarction of the right ventricle heals extensively within 60 days, with the restoration of normal myocardium and function. Scarring is markedly reduced in MRL mice compared with C57BL/6 mice, consistent with both the reduced hydroxyproline levels seen after injury and an elevated cardiomyocyte mitotic index of 10–20% for the MRL compared with 1–3% for the C57BL/6. The myocardial response to injury observed in these mice resembles the regenerative process seen in amphibians.
The embodied state: governmentality in a Brazilian favela

Given that the influence of the state apparatus tends to vary across space, it has been frequently presumed that the state develops a stronger presence in wealthier neighborhoods (where levels of capital accumulation are higher) than it does in poorer ones. In Brazilian favelas (urban slums), as a prominent example, ethnographic accounts have previously suggested that the presence of the ‘official’ state is limited and on the decline. Based on the results of intensive fieldwork in Fortaleza, Brazil, this paper complicates that argument, positing that the state, through the effects of governmentality, may actually have a much stronger presence in favelas than has often been presumed. Drawing upon case research with favela residents, and interpreting through a Foucaultian perspective, this paper explains the increasing presence of the state through the governmentality produced in urban space. By recognizing how the state manifests both in and through bodies and space, researchers are provided better tractio...
Ecological Adaptation and Speciation: The Evolutionary Significance of Habitat Avoidance as a Postzygotic Reproductive Barrier to Gene Flow

Habitat choice is an important component of most models of ecologically based speciation, especially when population divergence occurs in the face of gene flow. We examine how organisms choose habitats and ask whether avoidance behavior plays an important role in habitat choice, focusing on host-specific phytophagous insects as model systems. We contend that when a component of habitat choice involves avoidance, there can be repercussions that can have consequences for enhancing the potential for specialization and postzygotic reproductive isolation and, hence, for ecological speciation. We discuss theoretical and empirical reasons for why avoidance behavior has not been fully recognized as a key element in habitat choice and ecological speciation. We present current evidence for habitat avoidance, emphasizing phytophagous insects, and new results for parasitoid wasps consistent with the avoidance hypothesis. We conclude by discussing avenues for further study, including other potential roles for avoidance behavior in speciation related to sexual selection and reinforcement.
Semiparametric Bayesian Modeling of Income Volatility Heterogeneity

Research on income risk typically treats its proxy—income volatility, the expected magnitude of income changes—as if it were unchanged for an individual over time, the same for everyone at a point in time, or both. In reality, income risk evolves over time, and some people face more of it than others. To model heterogeneity and dynamics in (unobserved) income volatility, we develop a novel semiparametric Bayesian stochastic volatility model. Our Markovian hierarchical Dirichlet process (MHDP) prior augments the recently developed hierarchical Dirichlet process (HDP) prior to accommodate the serial dependence of panel data. We document dynamics and substantial heterogeneity in income volatility.
Exome-wide mutation profile in benzo[a]pyrene-derived post-stasis and immortal human mammary epithelial cells

Genetic mutations are known to drive cancer progression and certain tumors have mutation signatures that reflect exposures to environmental carcinogens. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has a known mutation signature and has proven capable of inducing changes to DNA sequence that drives normal pre-stasis human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) past a first tumor suppressor barrier (stasis) and toward immortality. We analyzed normal, pre-stasis HMEC, three independent BaP-derived post-stasis HMEC strains (184Aa, 184Be, 184Ce) and two of their immortal derivatives(184A1 and 184BE1) by whole exome sequencing. The independent post-stasis strains exhibited between 93 and 233 BaP-induced mutations in exons. Seventy percent of the mutations were C:G>A:T transversions, consistent with the known mutation spectrum of BaP. Mutations predicted to impact protein function occurred in several known and putative cancer drivers including p16, PLCG1, MED12, TAF1 in 184Aa; PIK3CG, HSP90AB1, WHSC1L1, LCP1 in 184Be and FANCA, LPP in 184Ce. Biological processes that typically harbor cancer driver mutations such as cell cycle, regulation of cell death and proliferation, RNA processing, chromatin modification and DNA repair were found to have mutations predicted to impact function in each of the post-stasis strains. Spontaneously immortalized HMEC lines derived from two of the BaP-derived post-stasis strains shared greater than 95% of their BaP-induced mutations with their precursor cells. These immortal HMEC had 10 or fewer additional point mutations relative to their post-stasis precursors, but acquired chromosomal anomalies during immortalization that arose independent of BaP. The results of this study indicate that acute exposures of HMEC to high dose BaP recapitulate mutation patterns of human tumors and can induce mutations in a number of cancer driver genes.
A low power CMOS circuit with variable source scheme (VSCMOS)

This paper proposes a method to reduce the standby leakage current of MOSFET by controlling the voltage of the source node. The method allows the use of a low threshold device for high performance speed and low power dissipation in both active and standby periods. This method can be easily applied for conventional ASIC library circuits because no additional processes, circuits, or devices except slight modification for the body contact cell are required.
Review Article: Prescribing Medications in Patients With Cirrhosis - A Practical Guide

SummaryBackground Most drugs have not been well studied in cirrhosis; recommendations on safe use are based largely on experience and/or expert opinion, with dosing recommendations often based on pharmacokinetic (PK) changes. Aim To provide a practical approach to prescribing medications for cirrhotic patients. Methods An indexed MEDLINE search was conducted using keywords cirrhosis, drug-induced liver injury, pharmacodynamics (PDs), PKs, drug disposition and adverse drug reactions. Unpublished information from the Food and Drug Administration and industry was also reviewed. Results Most medications have not been adequately studied in cirrhosis, and specific prescribing information is often lacking. Lower doses are generally recommended based on PK changes, but data are limited in terms of correlating PD effects with the degree of liver impairment. Very few drugs have been documented to have their hepatotoxicity potential enhanced by cirrhosis; most of these involve antituberculosis or antiretroviral agents used for HIV or viral hepatitis. Paracetamol can be used safely when prescribed in relatively small doses (2–3 g or less/day) for short durations, and is recommended as first-line treatment of pain. In contrast, NSAIDs should be used cautiously (or not at all) in advanced cirrhosis. Proton pump inhibitors have been linked to an increased risk of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhosis and should be used with care. Conclusions Most drugs can be used safely in cirrhosis, including those that are potentially hepatotoxic, but lower doses or reduced dosing frequency is often recommended, due to altered PKs. Drugs that can precipitate renal failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, SBP and encephalopathy should be identified and avoided.
Do smokers of specialty and conventional cigarettes differ in their dependence on nicotine

Specialty cigarettes, bidis and kreteks, have commonly been viewed by adolescent users as being less harmful than conventional cigarettes. Biochemical studies, however, have shown that the concentration and delivery of nicotine from these tobacco products are not insignificant. The current study tested whether the diagnosis and symptoms for nicotine dependence differed among conventional-only smokers (n=16 959), specialty-only smokers (n=313), and poly-tobacco smokers (n=1288) from the 2002 and 2003 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Compared with the specialty-only smokers, the conventional-only and poly-tobacco smokers were more dependent on nicotine, assessed by the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale and a single item from the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. However, after accounting for differences in smoking frequency, the specialty-only smokers had significantly greater odds of being nicotine dependent than the conventional-only smokers. The reversed effect was primarily attributed to the specialty-only smokers who smoked less frequently, but reported a shorter time to their first cigarette. These findings suggest that the nicotine acquired from specialty cigarettes may be sufficient in yielding a sense of urgency to smoke.
Eradication of JAK2 V617F mutation after allogeneic transplantation in a patient with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia

Eradication of JAK2 V617F mutation after allogeneic transplantation in a patient with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia
Crystal structure and possible dimerization of the high-potential iron-sulfur protein from Chromatium purpuratum.

The crystal structure of the high-potential iron−sulfur protein (HiPIP) isolated from Chromatium purpuratum is reported at 2.7 A resolution. The three HiPIP molecules in the asymmetric unit of the crystals form one and one-half dimers. Two molecules are related by a noncrystallographic symmetry rotation of ∼175° with negligible translation along the dyad axis. The third molecule in the asymmetric unit also forms a dimer with a second HiPIP molecule across the crystallographic 2-fold symmetry axis. The Fe4S4 clusters in both the crystallographic and noncrystallographic dimers are separated by ∼13.0 A. Solution studies give mixed results regarding the oligomeric state of the C. purpuratum HiPIP. A comparison with crystal structures of HiPIPs from other species shows that HiPIP tends to associate rather nonspecifically about a conserved, relatively hydrophobic surface patch to form dimers.
An ab Initio Based Global Potential Energy Surface Describing CH5+ → CH3+ + H2†

A full-dimensional, ab initio based potential energy surface (PES) for CH5+, which can describe dissociation is reported. The PES is a precise fit to 36173 coupled-cluster [CCSD(T)] calculations of...
Self-care recommendations of middle-aged and older adults with sickle cell disease.

Self-care management is an important part of living with a chronic illness. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic disease with acute, painful exacerbations that often results in a shortened life expectancy. Some middle-aged and older adults with SCD lived with the disease prior to having a diagnosis and without modern advances. The purpose of this study is to share the self-care recommendations of middle-aged and older adults with SCD. Using descriptive qualitative methods, data were gathered through semistructured interviews from 11 individuals living with SCD, including 6 women and 5 men. Self-care recommendations themes included physiological, psychological, and provider-related. The self-care recommendations may be seen as an additional resource or “words of wisdom” for younger adults with SCD who can use the recommendations to better manage their own disease. Additionally, providers may be able to use these recommendations to inform their practice.
Off Our Lawns and Out of Our Basements: How We (Mis)Understand the Millennial Generation

AbstractIn this article, the author explores the existing research on the characteristics of Millennials within historical, social, and economic contexts. While many researchers have made claims about Millennials, they fail to consider how parenting styles, economic factors, historical events, and shifts in educational priorities may have created the unique traits of this generation. Further, many of the findings about Millennials have come from limited data sets and flawed analyses. The author provides some suggestions for future studies and offers a new perspective that may prove useful to researchers in the area of emerging adulthood and the Millennial generation.
Genetic variation in vulnerability to the behavioral effects of neonatal hippocampal damage in rats

Abstract We explored how two independent variables, one genetic (i.e., specific rat strains) and another environmental (i.e., a developmental excitotoxic hippocampal lesion), contribute to phenotypic variation. Sprague-Dawley (SD), Fischer 344 (F344), and Lewis rats underwent two grades of neonatal excitotoxic damage: small and large ventral hippocampal (SVH and LVH) lesions. Locomotion was tested before puberty [postnatal day 35 (P35)] and after puberty (P56) following exposure to a novel environment or administration of amphetamine. The behavioral effects were strain- and lesion-specific. As shown previously, SD rats with LVH lesions displayed enhanced spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotion as compared with controls at P56, but not at P35. SVH lesions in SD rats had no effect at any age. In F344 rats with LVH lesions, enhanced spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotion appeared early (P35) and was exaggerated at P56. SVH lesions in F344 rats resulted in a pattern of effects analogous to LVH lesions in SD rats--i.e., postpubertal onset of hyperlocomotion (P56). In Lewis rats, LVH lesions had no significant effect on novelty- or amphetamine-induced locomotion at any age. These data show that the degree of genetic predisposition and the extent of early induced hippocampal defect contribute to the particular pattern of behavioral outcome. These results may have implications for modeling interactions of genetic and environmental factors involved in schizophrenia, a disorder characterized by phenotypic heterogeneity, genetic predisposition, a developmental hippocampal abnormality, and vulnerability to environmental stress.
Future chemotherapy, with emphasis on bacterial murein

The purpose of this article is: first, to suggest strategies to look for antibiotics that should have a long useful life, even if heavily used; second, to focus on the structure and metabolism of bacterial walls as a still rich area for study to find useful antibiotics; and third, to present the bacterial wall biology from an historical perspective. We need to know: 1. Why has the bacterial sacculus been so useful to bacteria? (Koch, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000a,b, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005; Koch & Woeste, 1992; Koch & Silver, 2005) [Except for Ghuysen & Hakenbeck (1994), which is the most current book on the bacterial cell wall, I have cited only references to my earlier reviews, but they will lead to the earlier literature.] This topic became relevant at the time of the branching of life on this planet to give the domains of Bacteria and Archaea / Eukarya three billion years ago. The former organisms had the protective wall and the later organisms devised ways to combat bacteria. We add, therefore: 2. Why and how did the bacterial wall become the first important target of natural antibiotics? (Koch, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000a,b, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005; Koch & Woeste, 1992; Koch & Silver, 2005) 3. Why were lactam compounds so successful at killing bacteria? (See Koch, 2000) 4. How did β-lactamases develop? (Koch, 2000, 2003, 2005) These questions are pertinent to microbiologists, medical specialists and the pharmaceutical industry, and have essentially been answered. Because the genes for lactamases are present in the world microbial community, novel strategies are necessary to …
Atherosclerotic Gangrene: Improved Results of Treatment

Advanced atherosclerosis of the lower limb often necessitates major amputation unless arterial flow can be restored. To improve results of treatment on the Tulane Surgical Unit at Charity Hospital, we decided in 1964 to extend indications for restoration of arterial flow to all patients who faced possible loss of a lower limb and who had a patent distal segment of artery to which anastomosis could be made. The general condition of the patient was not held to be a deterrent if operation could be done with use of a local anesthetic. From July 1, 1957 to July 1, 1964, an average of 21 operations was performed each year for restoration of arterial flow to the lower limb: two-thirds for femoropopliteal occlusive disease and one-third for aortoiliac occlusive disease. In contrast, 108 operations were performed from July 1, 1964 to July 1, 1965: three-fourths for femoropopliteal occlusive disease and one-fourth for aortoiliac occlusive disease. The fatality rate for operative restoration of arterial flow to the ...
Changes in nursing students' knowledge about and attitudes toward research following an undergraduate research course.

Abstract This study examined changes in baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward and knowledge about research, following completion of a research course. The teaching methods used in the course included having students critique research articles, complete objective examinations, and work in small groups to develop research proposals. The sample of 54 students completed a pretest and two post-tests measuring research knowledge, and a pretest and one post-test measuring research attitudes. The pretest was administered at the beginning of the research course, and the first post-test was administered at the end of the course. The second post-test was administered during the students' last semester in the nursing programme. Students reported more positive attitudes toward research at the end of the programme than at the beginning of the course. Knowledge scores were significantly higher at the end of the course than at the beginning of the course or at the end of the programme. There was no differences in knowledge scores on the pretest and on the second post-test. The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of traditional research curricula in preparing baccalaureate nursing students to be competent research consumers.
Coupled Electro-Mechanical Analysis of Adaptive Material Systems — Determination of the Actuator Power Consumption and System Energy Transfer:

This article presents a coupled electro-mechanical analysis of piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) actuators integrated in mechanical systems to determine the actuator power consumption and energy transfer in the electro-mechanical systems. For a material system with integrated PZT actua tors, the power consumed by the PZT actuators consists of two parts: the energy used to drive the system, which is dissipated in terms of heat as a result of the structural damping, and energy dissi pated by the PZT actuators themselves because of their dielectric loss and internal damping. The coupled analysis presented herein uses a simple model, a PZT actuator-driven one-degree-of- freedom spring-mass-damper system, to illustrate the methodology used to determine the actuator power consumption and energy flow in the coupled electro-mechanical systems. This method can be applied to more complicated mechanical structures or systems, such as a fluid-loaded shell for active structural acoustic control. The determination of the act...
Taking as giving : Bioscience, exchange, and the politics of benefit-sharing

A growing number of bioethicists, policy-makers, legal scholars, patient groups, and other critically involved parties in North America and Europe recently have started calling for a new ethical principle to gather participants into clinical and genetics research. While long-prevailing regimes of consent have held that people participate in the research process out of `altruism' (and hence do not merit more than nominal payment for their participation), the increasingly visible profits accruing to bioscience researchers, companies, and universities suggest that this research contract is producing a stark asymmetry. A move is afoot, therefore, to develop a principle of benefit-sharing through which to guarantee some form of returns to research subjects. This paper tracks some of the implications of the rise of this new ethic, tracing its travels from the world of bioprospecting to clinical and genetics research, and exploring how and why benefit-sharing matters to Latourian notions of science as politics. ...
Alignment Strategy Optimization Method for Dish Stirling Faceted Concentrators

A Dish Stirling parabolic concentrator typically consists of a number of mirror facets that must be aligned to focus the concentrated sunlight on the engine receiver. An alignment strategy must be developed to deliver the energy uniformly to the receiver while maximizing system performance. Several criteria must be met in order to maximize the performance and lifetime of the system. The peak flux should be minimized at the receiver to extend life. This is accomplished by locally optimizing the mirror aimpoints, minimizing overlap of facet images. The energy delivered to each cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine should be balanced to maximize the power production capability of the engine. This is accomplished through globally optimizing the mirror aimpoints. Depending on dish geometry, both of these constraints will be met by moving the aimpoints of certain facets away from a single point at the center of the aperture. However, this often results in a larger aperture or more flux spillage. The larger aperture results in greater thermal and reflective losses from the receiver cavity. This paper proposes and demonstrates a novel approach to optimizing the alignment strategy while obeying these constraints. The method uses an approach similar to molecular dynamics to globally and locally distribute the power on the receiver, while imposing movement constraints at the aperture to limit the focal plane spot size. The method can also impose additional geometric constraints at the receiver plane to accommodate un-cooled surfaces. The method is explored and demonstrated on the Stirling Energy Systems 25kW dish Stirling system at Sandia National Laboratories. The approach provides a receiver flux distribution and power balance equal to the strategy developed by McDonnell Douglas in the early 1980’s, but with an aperture size equal to that of the single aimpoint strategy. This should result in about a 1kW increase in power generated at rated conditions, with no additional cost, due to reduced thermal losses from the receiver. The method can be extended to other point-focus concentrating solar technologies. On a tower, the heliostat aiming strategy could be dynamically updated to accommodate flux profile needs, sun position, or maintenance in the field.
The effect of triphenylmethyl cations on the electroreduction of O2 in nitrobenzene or acetonitrile

Abstract The electroreduction of O 2 in two aprotic solvents (nitrobenzene and acetonitrile) was examined in the absence and in the presence of the very strong Lewis acid, triphenylmethyl cation, φ 3 C + (φ=phenyl). The addition of φ 3 C + causes the electroreduction of O 2 to change from the one-electron reduction to O 2 − into the two-electron reduction to φ 3 CO 2 Cφ 3 at a potential that is 1 V more positive than that where O 2 is reduced to O 2 − . This large positive shift in potential is used to estimate a value of the equilibrium constant for the association between O 2 2− and two φ 3 C + cations ( K =3×10 26 M −2 ). The mechanism of the reduction of O 2 to φ 3 CO 2 Cφ 3 can be regarded as an inner-sphere electron-transfer reaction between φ 3 C and O 2 or, equivalently, as a radical addition to O 2 .
SuperGlue: a programming environment for scientific visualization

Visualization environments have two audiences: scientists and programmers. We suggest that many existing platforms overemphasize ease-of-use and do not adequately address issues of extensibility. We have built a visualization testbed, called SuperGlue, which is particularly suited for the rapid development of new visualization methods. An interpreter supports rapid development of new code and an extensive class hierarchy encourages code reuse.By explicitly designing for ease of programming, we have produced a visualization system which is powerful, easy to use, and rapidly improving. This report describes the motivation of the work, the architecture of the system, and our plans for further development.
Definition of Life

The definition of life is a long-standing debate with no broadly accepted scientific consensus (Kolb 2007). The underlying problem in defining life is twofold. The first is that living systems use compounds that are abundant in the surrounding environment, and processes that are not intrinsically different from reactions that occur abiologically. There does not appear to exist a single characteristic property that is both intrinsic and unique to life. Rather we have to argue that life meets certain standards, or that it qualifies by the collective presence of a certain set of characteristics.
Transient myocardial ischemia is an independent predictor of adverse in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes treated in the telemetry unit

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether transient myocardial ischemia (TMI) is predictive of adverse in-hospital outcomes among patients admitted to a telemetry unit with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Design and Setting: The study was designed as a prospective clinical trial in a telemetry unit of a large, urban, university medical center. Sample: The sample was comprised of adult patients admitted to the telemetry unit for treatment of acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or coronary artery disease warranting cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: Continuous 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) ST-segment monitoring was initiated in patients admitted to the telemetry unit. TMI was defined as a change in ST amplitude of ≥ 100 μV (elevation or depression) in ≥ 1 ECG lead lasting ≥ 60 seconds, comparing a baseline 12-lead ECG with an event ECG. Frequencies, measurements of central tendency, t test, χ2 test, and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. A P value of <.05 was adopted as the critical value to determine statistical significance. Results: In 237 telemetry unit patients, 39 patients (17%) had ischemia. Overall, 46% of the patients with ischemia had in-hospital complications compared with 10% of the group without ischemia (P <.001). After controlling for other predictors of adverse outcomes (eg, age, gender, Norris prognostic indicator), patients with TMI were 8.5 times more likely to have in-hospital complications (95% CI, 3.71 to 19.71). Conclusion: TMI is an independent predictor of in-hospital complications among patients with ACS treated in the telemetry unit setting. Continuous 12-lead ECG ST-segment monitoring provides prognostic information for risk stratification of patients admitted to the hospital for treatment of ACS. (Heart Lung® 2003;32:71-78.)
Effect of limiting orifice (anode) geometry in radio frequency glow discharge emission spectrometry

Abstract Studies are described that are focused on the evaluation of the role that limiting orifice (anode) geometry plays in the characteristics of an rf powered glow discharge (GD) atomic emission (AES) source. In particular, the role of orifice diameter on the parametric response of resonant and non-resonant state emission is investigated with regard to increasing the sputter efficiency and sensitivity of the device. Use of an extended, cylindrical anode is investigated with regard to reducing previously observed self-absorption characteristics. The roles of orifice diameter and discharge parameters on d.c. bias potential are studied and found to behave similarly to d.c. powered GD devices. Finally, the role of orifice diameter on plasma stabilization times is investigated. In all of the above investigations, use of a small (e.g. 2 mm) limiting orifice diameter is suggested for further development and analytical applications of the rf-GD-AES technique.
Ethical Violations: What Can and Does Go Wrong in Child Custody Evaluations?

Child custody evaluations can have a significant impact on the adjustment and well-being of children and family members. Custody evaluators must be qualified and held to the highest professional standards. The authors of this article review custody evaluations and often witness inadequate and unprofessional evaluations. In this article, ethical mistakes seen regularly are highlighted. Many mistakes occur when cases are complex and include allegations of child maltreatment or intimate partner violence. Therefore, it is important that custody evaluators be trained in family and child psychology, attachment dynamics, psychological assessment, child abuse, and intimate partner violence. Child custody work needs to be monitored closely to ensure that mistakes can be eliminated in order to avoid unnecessary harm to children and families.
An implementation of a generalized sparse/profile finite element solution method

Abstract This paper describes an implementation of a generalized profile/sparse solution method for finite element analysis. The solution procedure can be used as a profile solver as well as a sparse matrix solver, depending on the physical model and the ordering scheme used to number the system of equations. The data structure employed in the implementation is discussed in detail. The procedures for element stiffness assembly, symbolic and numeric factorization of the global stiffness matrix and the calculation of the displacement solution vector are described. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this profile/sparse solution scheme.
Hall thruster plume measurements from High-speed Dual Langmuir Probes with Ion Saturation Reference

The plasma plume of a 6 kW Hall Effect Thruster (HET) has been investigated in order to determine time-averaged and time-resolved plasma properties in a 2-D plane. HETs are steady-state devices with a multitude of kilohertz and faster plasma oscillations that are poorly understood yet impact their performance and may interact with spacecraft subsystems. HETs are known to operate in different modes with differing efficiencies and plasma characteristics, particularly the axial breathing mode and the azimuthal spoke mode. In order to investigate these phenomena, high-speed diagnostics are needed to observe time-resolved plasma properties and correlate them to thruster operating conditions. A new technique called the High-speed Dual Langmuir Probe with Ion Saturation Reference (HDLP-ISR) builds on recent results using an active and an insulated or null probe in conjunction with a third, fixed-bias electrode maintained in ion saturation for ion density measurements. The HDLP-ISR was used to measure the plume of a 6-kW-class single-channel HET called the H6 operated at 300 V and 20 A at 200 kHz. Time-averaged maps of electron density, electron temperature and plasma potential were determined in a rectangular region from the exit plane to over five channel radii downstream and from the centrally mounted cathode radially out to over three channel radii. The power spectral density (PSD) of the time-resolved plasma density oscillations showed four discrete peaks between 16 and 28 kHz which were above the broad breathing mode peak between 10 and 15 kHz. Using a high-speed camera called FastCam imaging at 87,500 frames per second, the plasma oscillations were correlated with visible rotating spokes in the discharge channel. Probes were vertically spaced in order to identify azimuthal plasma transients around the discharge channel where density delays of 14.4 µs were observed correlating to a spoke velocity of 1800 m/s in the E×B direction. The results presented here are the first to positively correlate observed spokes with plasma plume oscillations that could provide the key to understanding HET operation. High-speed diagnostic techniques enable observation and characterization of the oscillatory nature of HETs which will give critical insight into important phenomena such as anomalous electron transport, thruster operational stability and plasma-spacecraft interactions for future HETs.
Parvovirusinfection in women

Abstract Parvovirus B19 is the causative agent of the childhood exanthem erythema infectiosum. Erythema infectiosum can occur sporadically, or as part of community outbreaks. Outbreaks typically occur in elementary schools during the late winter and early spring. Increasing age is associated with an increasing prevalence of prior B19 infection. The primary mode of transmission is through respiratory secretions and hand-to-mouth contact. A susceptible pregnant woman’s risk of parvovirus B19 infection is closely associated with her level of contact with children and the environment in which the exposure takes place. The greatest risk factor for seroconversion is having a child aged 6 to 7 years. The most common clinical presentation in adults is symmetrical peripheral polyarthropathy. Diagnosis of maternal infection is usually established by maternal serology. If a patient contracts parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy, the risk of fetal infection can be as high as 33%. The mechanism for fetal infection is maternal viremia with transplacental passage of parvovirus B19. The infected fetus is at risk for developing aplastic anemia, heart failure, and hydrops. Fetal death occurs most frequently when maternal infection takes place between 10–20 weeks’ gestation, and may be as high as 10%. Pregnant women with serologic evidence of recent parvovirus B19 infection should be followed with weekly ultrasound examinations, looking for signs of hydrops. If hydrops develops, consideration should be given to cordocentesis. Circumstantial evidence supports performing intrauterine transfusion in selected cases with severe fetal anemia and hydrops. Long-term sequelae of congenital parvovirus infection are rare.
Mediolateral episiotomy: are trained midwives and doctors approaching it from a different angle?

Abstract Objectives The angle at which a mediolateral episiotomy is incised is critical to the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS). When a mediolateral episiotomy is incised at least 60 degrees from the midline it is protective to the anal sphincter. The objective of our study was to investigate how accoucheurs described and depicted a mediolateral episiotomy. Study design One hundred doctors and midwives were invited to complete an interview-administered questionnaire in a district general hospital in the United Kingdom over a 10-month period commencing in August 2012. Accoucheurs were asked to describe the angle at which they would cut a mediolateral episiotomy, and to depict this on a pictorial representation of the perineum. The angle drawn was calculated by an investigator blinded to the participant's initial description of a mediolateral episiotomy. Results Sixty-one midwives and 39 doctors participated. Doctors and midwives stated they would perform a mediolateral episiotomy at an angle of 45 degrees from the midline, but midwives depicted episiotomies 8 degrees closer to the midline (37.3 degrees vs. 44.9 degrees, p =0.013) than they described. Seventy-six percent of accoucheurs had undergone formal training in how to perform a mediolateral episiotomy, but this had no impact on their clinical practice. Accoucheurs who had been supervised for ten episiotomies before independent practice performed them in keeping with the angle they described. Conclusions Doctors and midwives are unaware of the appropriate angle (60 degrees) at which a mediolateral episiotomy should be incised at to minimise obstetric anal sphincter injury. The correct angle should be emphasised to accoucheurs to minimise the risk of anal sphincter damage. In addition midwives depict episiotomies that are significantly more acute than they describe. Accoucheurs should also perform at least 10 episiotomies under supervision prior to independent practice. Training programmes should be devised and validated to improve visual measurement of the episiotomy incision angle at crowning. Consideration should also be given to the development of novel surgical devices that help the accoucheur to perform a mediolateral episiotomy accurately.
Adsorption and thermal decomposition of methanol on the (100) surface of NiAl : a comparison to NiAl(110)

The surface reactivity of the (100) plane of stoichiometric NiAl toward methanol has been investigated with temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS), and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The atomic composition of the outermost surface of NiAl(100) is predominately Al, in contrast to the (110) plane of NiAl which is capped by an outermost layer that contains both Al and Ni. In an effort to understand the effects of the atomic composition of the surface on reactivity, results for CH{sub 3}OH/NiAl(100) are compared to prior results for CH{sub 3}OH/NiAl(110)., Methanol chemisorption on both planes of NiAl, at 120 K, is primarily associative (some dissociation cannot be ruled out). Chemisorbed methanol transforms into surface methoxy in the temperature interval of 120 and 200 K on both NiAl(100) and NiAl(110). On the (110) surface, subsequent C-H and C-O bond breaking steps at higher temperatures lead to the evolution of gaseous H{sub 2}, CO, CH{sub 4}, CH{sub 3} radicals, and small amounts of C{sub 2}H{sub 4}, in addition to the deposition of surface oxygen and carbon. The peak temperature of CH{sub 4} desorption from NiAl(110) is near 350 K and the maximum rate of CH{sub 3} radicalmore » desorption is located at 570 K. In contrast, methoxy decomposition on the NiAl(100) surface generates a much smaller amount of CH{sub 4} and the reaction channel leading to gaseous CO is completely suppressed. The presence of Ni atoms in the top layer of the (110) surface is suspected to be responsible for both Ch{sub 4} and CO production on NiAl(110). 40 refs., 11 figs.« less
Which Parties Can Lead Opinion? Experimental Evidence on Partisan Cue Taking in Multiparty Democracies

Political parties not only aggregate the policy preferences of their supporters, but also have the ability to shape those preferences. Experimental evidence demonstrates that, when parties stake out positions on policy issues, partisans become more likely to adopt these positions, whether out of blind loyalty or because they infer that party endorsements signal options consistent with their interests or values. It is equally clear, however, that partisans do not always follow their party’s lead. The authors investigate the impact of three party-level traits on partisan cue taking: longevity, incumbency, and ideological clarity. As parties age, voters may become more certain of both the party’s reputation and their own allegiance. Governing parties must take action and respond to events, increasing the likelihood of compromise and failure, and therefore may dilute their reputation and disappoint followers. Incumbency aside, some parties exhibit greater ambiguity in their ideological position than other par...
Trends in temporomandibular joint surgery: Economic implications and complications

A 5-year retrospective study of 103 patient records was undertaken. It analyzed the trend toward outpatient surgical management of patients requiring temporomandibular joint arthroplasties and determined the relative economic value and complication rate associated with this trend. Complication rates were not significantly different during the 5-year study interval, and comparative costs to the patient showed a 26% reduction for the 5-year interval.
OXIDATION OF CARBON-14-LABELED ENDOGENOUS LIPIDS BY ISOLATED PERFUSED RAT HEART.

Lipids of the rat heart were labeled with carbon-14 in vivo. The production of C14O2 during the subsequent perfusion of these glycogen-depleted hearts with buffer, but without added substrate, provided direct evidence of the oxidation of endogenous heart lipids. The net decrease in phospholipid content alone could account for 75 percent of the total metabolic CO2 formed.
Physiological and symptom responses to hyperventilation: A comparison of frequent and infrequent panickers

Ten subjects with panic disorder and ten subjects with infrequent panic attacks were assessed during 2 min of voluntary hyperventilation using four measures of physiological arousal (heart rate, upper trapezious EMG, skin conductance, and digital skin temperature). Immediately following hyperventilation, subjects were asked to rate their degree of distress on 13 panic symptoms, derived from DSM-III criteria for panic disorder. Results indicated that frequent panickers had significant overall elevations in trapezious EMG, relative to infrequent panickers, and demonstrated a slight increase in muscle tension following hyperventilation. In contrast, infrequent panickers showed a trend toward greater vasodilation preceding and during hyperventilation, with subsequent vasoconstriction upon resumption of normal breathing. Increases in skin conductance and heart rate were noted for both samples during hyperventilation, as reported in prior research. Symptom distress ratings indicated that the infrequent panickers reported significantly greater distress from dizziness and trembling in response to overbreathing, contrary to prediction. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of current accounts of cognitive and physiological factors in the etiology of panic attacks and panic disorder.
Space Size and Accuracy of Kindergarten and First Grade Students’ Manuscript Handwriting

AbstractA comparison was made between the accuracy of handwriting on large-spaced paper (2.25 cm) and normal-spaced paper (1.1 cm) of urban and suburban kindergarten and first grade students. Results indicated that suburban students produce more accurate letter strokes with large-spaced paper than with normal-spaced paper. Space size of writing paper generated no differences in correct manuscript strokes for urban students. With large-spaced paper suburban students produced more accurate manuscript strokes than urban students, but when normal-spaced writing paper was employed, there were no differences between urban and suburban students. Results suggest that space size of writing paper results in more correct manuscript letter strokes after a degree of competence in letter formation has been achieved. 379-386.
Ballistic response of polymer composites

A new microvelocity sensor unit was developed to measure the instantaneous velocity of a projectile during the penetration process. The concept of this device is based on the induced current generated in a coil resulting from the passage of a magnet. A special digital circuit was designed to yield a spatial resolution of better than 2.5 mm by elimiating the problem of signal overlap. The time delays obtained from these signals were used to determine the slowing down or energy loss of a high velocity projectile. A light gas gun was used to propel aluminum projectiles to velocities up to 320 m/s. Energy loss of these high velocity projectiles in composites reinforced with polyethylene, polyester, and graphite fabrics was investigated. Two distinct energy loss mechanisms were detected, one due to the actual fracture process and the other to the generation of frictional heat. Extensive delamination was observed in the more ductile PE and PET composites, but not in graphite. Low velocity instrumented drop-tower impact tests were also conducted, using identical specimens and similar impact geometries.
Synthesis of 7-15N-Oroidin and Evaluation of Utility for Biosynthetic Studies of Pyrrole-Imidazole Alkaloids by Microscale 1H-15N HSQC and FTMS

Numerous marine-derived pyrrole−imidazole alkaloids (PIAs), ostensibly derived from the simple precursor oroidin, 1a, have been reported and have garnered intense synthetic interest due to their complex structures and in some cases biological activity; however very little is known regarding their biosynthesis. We describe a concise synthesis of 7-15N-oroidin (1d) from urocanic acid and a direct method for measurement of 15N incorporation by pulse labeling and analysis by 1D 1H−15N HSQC NMR and FTMS. Using a mock pulse labeling experiment, we estimate the limit of detection (LOD) for incorporation of newly biosynthesized PIA by 1D 1H−15N HSQC to be 0.96 μg equivalent of 15N-oroidin (2.4 nmole) in a background of 1500 μg of unlabeled oroidin (about 1 part per 1600). 7-15N-Oroidin will find utility in biosynthetic feeding experiments with live sponges to provide direct information to clarify the pathways leading to more complex pyrrole−imidazole alkaloids.