cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of an Eta-Phase Precipitation-Hardenable Nickel-Based Alloy with the Potential for Improved Creep Strength Above 1023 K (750 °C)

In a number of nickel-based superalloy systems strengthened by gamma prime (γ′), eta-phase (Ni3Ti, η) forms during prolonged high-temperature exposure, but its effect on mechanical properties is not well characterized. Using thermodynamic modeling and design-of-experiments techniques, three modifications of the nickel-based superalloy Nimonic (Nimonic® is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation group of companies.) 263 were identified that yield increased volume fractions of the eta-phase (Ni3Ti, η) at temperatures above 1023 K (750 °C). Volume fractions of η-phase were evaluated for each alloy and heat-treatment condition using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Compared to Nimonic 263, small additions of V and Ta were found to increase the volume fraction of η-phase above 1023 K (750 °C) from approximately 5 pct to above 15 pct, thus providing a route for future mechanical behavior experimental studies, which was not in the scope of this work.
Cost optimal design of R/C buildings

Abstract A systematic approach is proposed for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of existing or proposed design criteria from the standpoint of life-cycle cost consideration. A series of alternative designs of a model structure representing a class of R/C buildings would be developed following an existing code procedure, except that the code requirements or parameters will be varied for the alternative designs so that a suite of different structures will be obtained each with a different level of safety or reliability. For each of the designed structures, the probability of exceeding the various damage levels under a given earthquake intensity may be calculated. Aggregating and integrating all the cost components with the damage probability density functions for each of the designed structures, as well as with the probabilities of all possible earthquake intensities over a given life will yield the expected life-cycle costs for the respective structures as a function of structural reliability. From these results, the design with the minimum expected life-cycle cost may then be identified; its underlying safety or reliability can also be determined. The approach is illustrated for a class of reinforced concrete buildings under earthquake loading.
Effects of methylphenidate on functional MRI blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast

11. Wykes T: What are we changing with neurocognitive rehabilita-tion? illustrations from two single cases of changes in neuro-psychological performance and brain systems as measured bySPECT. Schizophr Res 1998; 34:77–8612. Wexler BA, Stevens AA, Bowers AA, Sernyak MJ, Goldman-RakicPS: Word and tone working memory deficits in schizophrenia.Arch Gen Psychiatry 1998; 55:1093–109613. Stevens AA, Donegan NH, Anderson M, Goldman-Rakic PS,Wexler BE: Verbal processing deficits in schizophrenia. J Ab-norm Psychol (in press)14. Stevens AA, Goldman-Rakic PS, Gore JC, Fulbright RK, WexlerBE: Cortical dysfunction in schizophrenia during auditory wordand tone working memory revealed by functional MRI. ArchGen Psychiatry 1998; 55:1097–110315. Weinberger DR, Berman KF, Illowsky BP: Physiological dysfunc-tion of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. ArchGen Psychiatry 1988; 45:609–61516. Saykin AJ, Shtasel DL, Gur RE, Kester DB, Mozley LH, Stafiniak P,Gur RC: Neuropsychological deficits in neuroleptic naive pa-tients with first-episode schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry1994; 51:124–131
TOXICITY OF TEN CHEMICALS COMMONLY USED IN AQUACULTURE TO THE BLACK EEL STAGE OF THE AMERICAN EEL1

Acute, 96-hour toxicity tests were conducted to determine the resistance of the black eel stage of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) to several chemicals used in aquaculture. Static tests were conducted at 22°C in deionized water reconstituted to a hardness of 40–48 mg/liter, an alkalinity of 30–35 mg/liter, and pH of 7.2–7.6. A 96-hour LC50 value was calculated for each chemical tested. Chemicals tested and their 96-hour LC50 values are: malachite green, 0.54 mg/liter; potassium permanganate, 4.86 mg/liter; salt, 21.45 g/liter; formalin, 224.49 mg/liter; Dylox, 1.32 mg/liter; Furanace, 0.96 mg/liter; antimycin A, 0.28 μg/liter; Noxfish, 50.49 μg/liter; copper sulfate, 3.20 mg/liter; and Diquat, 55.44 mg/liter.
Probability density functions based weights for ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operators: An example of water quality indices

Abstract This paper explores the application of ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operators to develop water quality index, which incorporates an attitudinal dimension in the aggregation process. The major thrust behind selecting the OWA operator for aggregation of multi-criteria is its capability to encompass a range of operators bounded between minimum and maximum . A new approach for generating OWA weight distributions using probability density functions (PDFs) is proposed in this paper. The basic parameters (mean and standard deviation) of the probability density functions can be determined using the number of criteria (e.g., water quality indicators) in the aggregation process. The proposed approach is demonstrated using data provided in a study by Swamee and Tyagi [Swamee, P.K., Tyagi, A., 2000. Describing water quality with aggregate index. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering 126 (5), 451–455] for establishing water quality indices. The Normal distribution and its inverse form were found suitable for compromising or normative decisions, whereas the Exponential and its inverse form were found suitable for pro-risk and risk-averse decisions, respectively. The proposed OWA weight distributions are also compared with the commonly used regular increasing monotone (RIM) functions for generating OWA weights. Sensitivity analyses are carried out to highlight the utility of the proposed approach for multi-criteria decision-making and establishing water quality indices.
Petrology at High Pressure and Temperature

High pressure and high temperature laboratory work with rocks and minerals is beginning to explain some fundamental geophysical observations, and to provide solutions to important problems of the Earth's interior.
IEEE 1725 and battery powered products

IEEE 1725 standard was developed for rechargeable Lithium ion and Lithium polymer batteries used in cellular devices. The standard establishes criteria for design analysis quality and reliability. The CTIA - The Wireless Association developed a battery certification program to verify the conformance of cellular devices to IEEE 1725. The CTIA program categorizes the cellular device as a host and its subsystems. The subsystems consist of the cell, battery pack and the adapter. This paper describes the CTIA certification process and how it applies to a Lithium ion and Lithium polymer rechargeable battery powered cellular product.
Gender differences in sexual and injection risk behavior among active young injection drug users in San Francisco (the UFO Study).

Female injection drug users (IDUs) represent a large proportion of persons infected with HIV in the United States, and women who inject drugs have a high incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) injection. Therefore, it is important to understand the role of gender in injection risk behavior and the transmission of blood-borne virus. In 2000–2002, 844 young (<30 years old) IDUs were surveyed in San Francisco. We compared self-reported risk behavior between 584 males and 260 female participants from cross-sectional baseline data. We used logistic regression to determine whether demographic, structural, and relationship variables explained increased needle borrowing, drug preparation equipment sharing, and being injected by another IDU among females compared to males. Females were significantly younger than males and were more likely to engage in needle borrowing, ancillary equipment sharing, and being injected by someone else. Females were more likely than males to report recent sexual intercourse and to have IDU sex partners. Females and males were not different with respect to education, race/ethnicity, or housing status. In logistic regression models for borrowing a used needle and sharing drug preparation equipment, increased risk in females was explained by having an injection partner who was also a sexual partner. Injecting risk was greater in the young female compared to male IDUs despite equivalent frequency of injecting. Overlapping sexual and injection partnerships were a key factor in explaining increased injection risk in females. Females were more likely to be injected by another IDU even after adjusting for years injecting, being in a relationship with another IDU, and other potential confounders. Interventions to reduce sexual and injection practices that put women at risk of contracting hepatitis and HIV are needed.
The surface composition of Amalthea

It is proposed that charged particles from the Jovian magnetosphere, contaminants such as sulfur from Io, and high-velocity micrometeoritic matter, combine to darken, redden, and alter the surface of Amalthea revealed by Voyager; whose few isolated bright spots have a distinct greenish spectrum. A major finding of this analysis is that available spectral reflectance data contain little information about the bulk composition of the satellite. The effects of contamination by sulfur and its allotropes are shown to redden a variety of bulk compositions: carbonaceous material, refractory minerals, iron and iron sulfides, and moderate temperature silicates. The bright, greenish spots probably identify locations in which atypical alteration processes occur, such as variations in the amount of contaminant sulfur in micrometeoritic glasses or in the relative abundances of certain sulfur allotropes.
Treatment of domestic wastewater by subsurface flow constructed wetlands filled with gravel and tire chip media.

Abstract Subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs) are becoming increasingly common in on‐site treatment of wastewater. Gravel is the most popular form of wetland fill medium, but tire chips provide more porosity, are less dense, and less expensive. This study determines the treatment efficiency of SFCWs filled with gravel or tire chip media to treat domestic wastewater. The influent and effluent of six SFCWs filled with tire chip medium and six SFCWs filled with gravel were monitored for 5 to 16 consecutive months. Parameters measured included pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total and volatile suspended solids, NH4, P, and fecal and total coliforms. The only dear difference between medium types in wetland performance was for P. Soluble P in the effluent averaged 1.6 ± 1.0 mg I1 in the tire chip‐filled wetlands and 4.8 ± 3.2 mg l−1 in the gravel‐filled wetlands. Most likely, Fe from exposed wires in shredded steel‐belted tires complexed with P to create an insoluble compound. Tire chips may be a ...
Multiplet splitting of the manganese 2p and 3p levels in MnF/sub 2/ single crystals

High-resolution x-ray photoemission spectra of the Mn $2p$ and Mn $3p$ levels in Mn${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ single crystals are reported. Both the Mn $2p$ and Mn $3p$ spectra show structure which we attribute to multiplet splitting. The Mn $2p$ spectrum is compared and shown to be in qualitative agreement with earlier x-ray $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ emission work of Nefedov and recent Hartree-Fock calculations of Gupta and Sen. The asymmetry of the $2{p}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and $2{p}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ levels is discussed in terms of multiplet splitting and suggested to be a good indicator of the amount of unpaired spin. The Mn $3p$ structure is also discussed and shown to obey an energy sum rule. This sum rule allows a very complicated "configuration-interaction spectrum" to be converted into a simpler "Koopmans-theorem spectrum" which can then be used to obtain a measure of the unpaired spin.
Construction of the zone of proximal development in adult‐child joint action: The socialization of meals

This chapter integrates Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development into a field-theoretical conceptual framework based on the axioms of the theory of open systems.
Murre's conjectures and explicit Chow-Künneth projectors for varieties with a nef tangent bundle

In this paper, we investigate Murre's conjectures on the structure of rational Chow groups and exhibit explicit Chow-Kiinneth projectors for some examples. More precisely, the examples we study are the varieties which have a nef tangent bundle. For surfaces and threefolds which have a nef tangent bundle, explicit Chow-Kunneth projectors are obtained which satisfy Murre's conjectures, and the motivic Hard Lefschetz theorem is verified.
Reinforcement mechanism of polyester‐fiber‐reinforced rubber—A model study

The reinforcement mechanism of polyester tire cord was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy using various model compounds. Three model compounds representing the main chain of polyester and the terminal groups, namely carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups, were used. Chemical reactions between these polyester models and an epoxy functional silane coupling agent were studied qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Among the many possible reactions, the reaction between the carboxylic acid and epoxy group was found to proceed readily. Kinetic studies of the major reactions also show quantitative differences in their activation energies as well as the rate constants. Based on the quantitative studies, we have estimated the expected rate of interfacial reaction at the heat treating temperature of polyester tire cord.
A developmental study of the phylloclades of Ruscus aculeatus L.

Lateral phylloclades of Ruscus aculeatus are found in the axils of reduced scale leaves on the orthotropic, photosynthetic stem. The terminal phylloclade results from the elongation and flattening of the main shoot apex after the lateral appendages have been initiated. Studies of the development of both lateral and terminal phylloclades point to their cauline nature. The hypothesis that the phylloclade results from the congenital fusion of a reduced short shoot and its prophyll is not supported.
Improved visibility in one-to-many trace concretization

We present an improved algorithm for concretization of abstract error traces in abstraction refinement-based invariant checking. The proposed algorithm maps each transition of the abstract error trace to one or more transitions in the concrete model by using a combination of simulation and satisfiability checking. Prior simulation- based approaches were hindered by limited visibility, which often resulted in excessive backtracking or refinements. The proposed technique addresses this issue in three ways: By identifying variables whose addition to the abstract trace significantly improves its predictive power at a low computational cost; by combining SAT checks with pseudo-random simulation in the construction of the concrete trace; and by a more flexible budgeting of simulation vectors that accounts for the progress made in concretization.
Linear signal transmission with optocouplers

Until now, optocouplers have not been considered very suitable for linear, isolating circuits, owing to their nonlinearity in the current transfer ratio. In this paper, a circuit for linear signal transmission consisting of a pair of optocouplers in a feedback arrangement is analyzed. The nonlinearity of the optocouplers is practically eliminated by using coupler pairs with good tracking in their transfer function. This paper analyzes the distortion and gain of such a circuit as a function of linearity tracking, modulation index, and LED-DC-bias level. Measurements reported in this paper show that with a linearity tracking of only 10 percent, stringent distortion requirements such as for analog signal transmission in telephony can be fulfilled. The circuit achieves a distortion of 0.5 percent based on a 10 percent linearity tracking at a modulation index of 0.2 and the temperature stability of the gain is -0.09 percent//spl deg/C.
The Impact of Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movement Organizations on Public Policy: Some Recent Evidence and Theoretical Concerns

This article considers the direct impact of political parties, interest groups, and social movement organizations (SMOs) on policy, providing evidence for a "core" hypothesis and three others that refine or qualify it. The core hypothesis: all three types of organizations have substantial impacts on policy. The other three: (1) when public opinion is taken into account, the political organizations do not have such an impact; (2) parties have a greater impact than interest groups and SMOs; and (3) interest groups and SMOs will affect policy only to the extent that their activities provide elected officials with information and resources relevant to their election campaigns. The source of data is articles published in major sociology and political science journals from 1990 to 2000, systematically coded to record the impact of organizations on policy. The major findings include: political organizations affect policy no more than half the time; parties and nonparty organizations affect policy about equally often; there is some evidence that organizational activities that respond to the electoral concerns of elected officials are especially likely to have an impact.
A Fluorometric Technique for the In Vivo Measurement of Intracellular Calcium

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that substantial increases in intracellular calcium are harmful to the cell, contributing to cellular damage in a variety of pathological conditions [1, 4]. An increase in intracellular free calcium can activate calcium-dependent phospholipases which can damage plasma membranes and can lead to the production of free fatty acids and lysophospholipids which are also toxic to the cell [4]. In addition, elevation of intracellular free calcium stimulates calcium-dependent ATPase, increasing the need for ATP. If ATP is in short supply, such as occurs in ischemia, this extra demand for ATP can lead to further cellular energy depletion.
The Hollow-Horned Domestic Ruminants

In tropical areas, early man developed from hunter–gatherer to stockman and farmer about 9000 years ago. In temperate zones, this major ecological change did not take place until after the last Ice Age—about 5000 years ago.* Man cultivated his own grains and vegetables and provided food and shelter for animals that, in turn, provided valuable goods for man. Ruminants—cows, goats, and sheep—were among the earliest animals to be domesticated and became important in providing milk, meat, and hides for clothing and tents. The ruminants are large quadrupeds with four-chambered stomachs. Grass or hay is cut off with the front incisors, partially ground with the molars, and swallowed. Later it is regurgitated, reground to a fine mix (chewed cud), and reswallowed into the second section of the stomach, from which it is digested. The females are usually pregnant or producing milk for an offspring or for the farmer.
Mantle instability beneath the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and Death Valley extension

The Southern Sierra Nevada mountain range rapidly uplifted at ≈ 3.5 Ma simultaneously with a pulse of basaltic volcanism. Xenoliths recovered from volcanics indicate that the range lost a dense crustal root after the Miocene. The vertical motions and removal of the root have been linked to a fast seismic velocity anomaly that extends ≈ 200 km into the mantle but is offset to the west of the range. With visco-elasto-plastic thermo-mechanical numerical models, we have tested the influence of crustal strength on the kinematics of removal and on the amount of associated uplift. We find that delamination of the dense root is the most likely mechanism for gravitational instability to occur. The model satisfies the Plio-Quaternary vertical motions, the shift of the mantle anomaly to the west of the range, and intense Miocene extension to the east. Based on those results, we propose the existence of a dynamic link between the Sierra Nevada mantle instability and Death Valley rifting.
Dynamic correction for parallel conductance, GP, and gain factor, α, in invasive murine left ventricular volume measurements

The conductance catheter technique could be improved by determining instantaneous parallel conductance (GP), which is known to be time varying, and by including a time-varying calibration factor in...
Population Genetic Analysis of the Protease Locus of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Quasispecies Undergoing Drug Selection, Using a Denaturing Gradient-Heteroduplex Tracking Assay

Monitoring the evolution of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) drug resistance requires measuring the frequency of closely related genetic variants making up the complex viral quasispecies found in vivo. In order to resolve both major and minor (≥2%) protease gene variants differing by one or more nucleotide substitutions, we analyzed PCR products derived from plasma viral quasispecies by using a combination of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and DNA heteroduplex tracking assays. Correct population sampling of the high level of genetic diversity present within viral quasispecies could be documented by parallel analysis of duplicate, independently generated PCR products. The composition of genetically complex protease gene quasispecies remained constant over short periods of time in the absence of treatment and while plasma viremia fell >100-fold following the initiation of protease inhibitor ritonavir monotherapy. Within a month of initiating therapy, a strong reduction in the genetic diversity of plasma viral populations at the selected protease locus was associated with rising plasma viremia and the emergence of drug resistance. The high levels of protease genetic diversity seen before treatment reemerged only months later. In one patient, reduction in genetic diversity at the protease gene was observed concomitantly with an increase in diversity at the envelope gene (E. L. Delwart, P. Heng, A. Neumann, and M. Markowitz, J. Virol. 72:2416-2421, 1998), indicating that opposite population genetic changes can take place in different HIV-1 loci. The rapid emergence of drug-resistant HIV-1 was therefore associated with a strong, although only transient, reduction in genetic diversity at the selected locus. The denaturing gradient-heteroduplex tracking assay is a simple method for the separation and quantitation of very closely related, low-frequency, genetic variants within complex viral populations.
Variability in the Characteristics of Precipitation Systems in the Tropical Pacific. Part I: Spatial Structure

Regional and temporal variability in the vertical and horizontal characteristics of tropical precipitating clouds are investigated using the Precipitation Radar (PR) and the Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The present study focuses on the three oceanic regions (west, central, and east Pacific) together with two continental regions for comparison and the two separate time periods (February 1998 and February 2000) under different phases of the El Nino– Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in order to examine regional and ENSO-related variations. The height spectrums of storms are investigated in terms of radar echo-top height and infrared brightness temperature. The variability in the spectrum clearly correlates with the large-scale circulation and its ENSO-related change. On the basis of the height spectrum, storm systems are classified into the four categories of shallow, cumulus congestus, deep stratiform, and deep convective. The deep stratiform and deep convective categories, both of which have very cold cloud tops, are differentiated by radar echo-top heights so that deep convective systems are accompanied with an appreciable amount of large frozen particles aloft. While shallow events are dominant in the probability of occurrence over relatively cold oceans, deep convective systems take their place for warmer sea surface temperatures (SSTs). The turnover occurs at the SST threshold of 28°–29°C for all the oceanic regions and years investigated except the west Pacific in 2000, for which deep convective systems prevail over the entire range of SST. Rain correlation-scale length (RCSL) and cloud correlation-scale length (CCSL) are introduced as statistical indicators of the horizontal scale of storms. While the RCSL is 8–18 km for shallow- and cumulus congestus–type clouds without significant regional and temporal variations, the RCSL and CCSL associated with deep stratiform and deep convective systems consistently exceed 100 km and exhibit a systematic variability. The RCSL and CCSL in the central and east Pacific, particularly, increase significantly in the El Nino year.
The [KIL-d] element specifically regulates viral gene expression in yeast.

The cytoplasmically inherited [ KIL-d ] element epigenetically regulates killer virus gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. [ KIL-d ] results in variegated defects in expression of the M double-stranded RNA viral segment in haploid cells that are “healed” in diploids. We report that the [ KIL-d ] element is spontaneously lost with a frequency of 10−4–10−5 and reappears with variegated phenotypic expression with a frequency of ≥10−3. This high rate of loss and higher rate of reappearance is unlike any known nucleic acid replicon but resembles the behavior of yeast prions. However, [ KIL-d ] is distinct from the known yeast prions in its relative guanidinium hydrochloride incurability and independence of Hsp104 protein for its maintenance. Despite its transmissibility by successive cytoplasmic transfers, multiple cytoplasmic nucleic acids have been proven not to carry the [ KIL-d ] trait. [ KIL-d ] epigenetically regulates the expression of the M double-stranded RNA satellite virus genome, but fails to alter the expression of M cDNA. This specificity remained even after a cycle of mating and meiosis. Due to its unique genetic properties and viral RNA specificity, [ KIL-d ] represents a new type of genetic element that interacts with a viral RNA genome.
Effect of pyloric cuffs on cholecystokinin satiety.

Abstract Because inflation of a pyloric cuff during feeding blocks gastric emptying and increases gastric distention, this device was used to test the hypothesis of synergism between gastric distention and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) in reducing intake. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were allowed 20-min access to 30% sucrose, with or without inflation of pyloric cuffs, after intraperitoneal injection of saline or 1, 2, or 4 μg/kg CCK-8. Cuff inflation resulted in large increases in gastric volume at the end of feeding tests. However, this manipulation failed to enhance the effectiveness of any dose of CCK-8. In fact, data analyses revealed trends suggestive of decreased effectiveness of the two lowest doses under these conditions. The effect of 4 μ/kg CCK-8 was almost identical in tests with and without cuff inflation. These results are contrary to the prediction of greater potency of CCK-8 resulting from increased gastric distention.
Alan Pritsker's multifaceted career: theory, practice, education, entrepreneurship, and service

Abstract In this lead article for the special issue of HE Transactions honoring Alan Pritsker, we summarize Alan' s most significant contributions to the fields of industrial engineering and operations research, with special emphasis on his contributions to computer simulation.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 4% to 12% of women of reproductive age. The lack of well-defined diagnostic criteria makes identification of this common disease confusing to many clinicians. Also, with the varied manifestations of the disorder a patient may present to any one of several providers: an internist, family practitioner, nurse practitioner, pediatrician, gynecologist, dermatologist, or endocrinologist. Furthermore, the most distressing aspect of PCOS for any given patient may change over time, from hirsutism as a teenager to infertility as a young adult--potentially requiring several different providers along the way. It is important, therefore, that those caring for these patients understand not only the management issues pertinent to their specialty, but also appreciate the other potential health risks in these women. Recent insights into the pathophysiology of PCOS have shown insulin resistance to play a substantial role and as such have brought the long-term issues of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its resultant increased risk of coronary artery disease to the forefront. No longer can irregular menses and/or hirsutism be thought of as benign nuisances. This review will focus on the two most confusing aspects of PCOS for the practicing provider--diagnosis/differential diagnosis and treatment options. Special attention is given to the role of insulin resistance and the potential utility of insulin sensitizers in management. The benefit and utmost importance of lifestyle modification for the long-term health of these women is stressed as well. It is hoped that some clarity in this regard will allow more women to not only be diagnosed and managed properly for their presenting symptoms (hirsutism, irregular menses, etc.), but also to be educated and managed for the continuing health risk of insulin resistance throughout their lives.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital-acquired infection among pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Empiric therapy for VAP accounts for approximately 50% of antibiotic use in pediatric ICUs. VAP is associated with an excess of 3 days of mechanical ventilation among pediatric cardiothoracic surgery patients. The attributable mortality and excess length of ICU stay for patients with VAP have not been defined in matched case control studies. VAP is associated with an estimated $30,000 in attributable cost. Surveillance for VAP is complex and usually performed using clinical definitions established by the CDC. Invasive testing via bronchoalveolar lavage increases the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis. The pathogenesis in children is poorly understood, but several prospective cohort studies suggest that aspiration and immunodeficiency are risk factors. Educational interventions and efforts to improve adherence to hand hygiene for children have been associated with decreased VAP rates. Studies of antibiotic cycling in pediatric patients have not consistently shown this measure to prevent colonization with multidrug-resistant gram-negative rods. More consistent and precise approaches to the diagnosis of pediatric VAP are needed to better define the attributable morbidity and mortality, pathophysiology, and appropriate interventions to prevent this disease.
Self-Organization and the Self-Assembling Process in Tissue Engineering

In recent years, the tissue engineering paradigm has shifted to include a new and growing subfield of scaffoldless techniques that generate self-organizing and self-assembling tissues. This review aims to cogently describe this rel- atively new research area, with special focus on applications toward clinical use and research models. Particular emphasis is placed on providing clear definitions of self-organization and the self-assembling process, as delin- eated from other scaffoldless techniques in tissue engineering and regen- erative medicine. Significantly, during formation, self-organizing and self- assembling tissues display biological processes similar to those that occur in vivo. These processes help lead to the recapitulation of native tissue morpho- logical structure and organization. Notably, functional properties of these engineered tissues, some of which are already in clinical trials, also approach native tissue values. This review endeavors to provide a cohesive summary of work in this field and to highlight the potential of self-organization and the self-assembling process for providing cogent solutions to currently in- tractable problems in tissue engineering.
Sol-gel derived La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires and thin films

Abstract This work has demonstrated how to tailor the structure and form of the sol–gel derived La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3 perovskite material from zero-dimension (nanoparticles) to one-dimension (nanotubes and nanowires) and two-dimension (thin films). The nanoparticles with a diameter of 50–100 nm are obtained by calcination of the pulverized gel powder. The nanotubes with a diameter of 100 nm and the nanowires with a diameter of 40–60 nm are formed by shaping the sol with the cylinder pores in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The 150 nm thick thin film with the grain size of around 40 nm is prepared by spin coating the sol on a silicon substrate. The effects of the sol recipe on the formation of final product have been studied. A relatively high pH value of the sol and the addition of appropriate amount of chelating agent are critical to ensure the formation of the monolithic La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3 perovskite structure. When preparing a thin film, ethylene glycol is an essential component for enhancing the affinity between the sol and the silicon substrate.
Therapy: Risks associated with chronic PPI use - signal or noise?

Chronic kidney disease has joined the growing list (pneumonia, myocardial infarction, hip fracture, Clostridium difficile infections, acute interstitial nephritis, hypomagnesaemia) of putative risks associated with chronic PPI use based on results from an observational epidemiological study. However, the low hazard ratio (<1.5) makes it doubtful that this association is a causal relationship.
Disparlure: A Potential Tool for Gypsy Moth Population Manipulation

Much interest and optimism have been generated in recent years concerning use of pheromones for insect control. Disparlure, the synthetic sex attractant tor male gypsy moths, Porthetria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), has caused as much excitement as any, especially in the northeast where this destructive insect is rapidly expanding its range. For the past two years, the potential of disparlure as a tool with which to manipulate gypsy moth populations has been evaluated in a series of tests conducted by many people in several cooperating agencies. Recently, Beroza and Knipling (1972) discussed many of the theoretical aspects of gypsy moth control using this new material and they presented a scenario for containment of the insect in the northeast. It is therefore appropriate at this time to evaluate the results of the various tests and to speculate about the future use of disparlure.
Orientational Growth of Carbon Nanotube by Thermal CVD

Carbon nanotubes are synthesized using thermal chemical vapor deposition. Various temperature and pressure are used to fabricate carbon nanotubes. It is found that the nanotube-diameter distribution mainly depends on the growth-temperature. With the substrate surface normal either along or against the gravity vector, different growth orientations of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are observed by scanning electron microscopy although the Raman spectra are similar for samples synthesized at different locations. The sizes of these carbon nanotubes in each sample are quite uniform and the length of the tube is up to hundreds of micrometers. These results suggest the gravitation effects in the growth of long and small diameter CNT.
Is tibetan polyandry adaptive? : Methodological and metatheoretical analyses.

This paper addresses methodological and metatheoretical aspects of the ongoing debate over the adaptive significance of Tibetan polyandry. Methodological contributions include a means of estimating relatedness of fraternal co-husbands given multigenerational polyandry, and use of Hamilton's rule and a member-joiner model to specify how inclusive fitness gains of co-husbands may vary according to seniority, opportunity costs, and group size. These methods are applied to various data sets, particularly that of Crook and Crook (1988). The metatheoretical discussion pivots on the critique by evolutionary psychologists of adaptationist accounts of polyandry. Contrary to this critique, I argue that valid adaptationist explanations of such practices do not necessitate cognitive mechanisms evolved specifically to produce polyandry, nor that there must have been exact equivalents of Tibetan agricultural estates and social institutions in human evolutionary history. Specific issues raised when one posits either kin selection or cultural evolution to explain the adaptive features of Tibetan polyandry are also discussed.
An analysis of chemical reactor stability and control—XVI

Abstract A continuous stirred tank reactor subject to random fluctuations in flow rate and inlet temperature was simulated on a hybrid computer. The stochastic response of the reactor about unique stable deterministic steady states was studied as a function of the damping coefficient and response time of the deterministic system and the power spectrum of the stochastic input. It was found that the stochastic response could be classified into categories similar to those used for forced periodic systems according to the relationship between the deterministic system response time and the 90% cut-off frequency of the stachastic input. The nature of the stochastic response is predictable for relatively low frequency inputs but unexpected results may occur at intermediate frequencies. The magnitude of reactor state fluctuations was seen to be dependent on the deterministic damping coefficient. The distribution of reactor states was studied as a function of input process variance and it was found that the distribution can become bimodal even when the associated deterministic steady state is unique. The concept of stochastic stability is discussed and several practical stochastic stability definitions are proposed. The stochastic stability of the random systems was seen to be well described by the stochastic regions of operation predicted by the input process power spectrum and the deterministic system response time. The input variance levels necessary to produce stochastic instability can be estimated in the Quasi Steady region of operation. It was found that exposure of an autonomous limit cycle about a unique unstable deterministic steady state to high frequency random inputs may lead to effective stabilization.
Techniques to Measure Azinphosmethyl Resistance in Platynota idaeusalis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Two techniques were studied to survey for azinphosmethyl resistance in the tufted apple bud moth, Platynota idaeusalis (Walker). Third in stars were tested using a dry film contact method and topical applications were made to adult males attracted by pheromones. The dry film contact method was time-consuming and involved handling of larvae; for these reasons, the method was deemed to be unacceptable. The pheromone trap method using adult males had the greatest potential, but it presented problems with high control mortality. Although this experiment was designed to study different resistance-measuring techniques, a population from a Pennsylvania State University-owned experimental orchard was shown to be more tolerant than populations from a commercial orchard and a laboratory colony.
Enhanced harmonic generation in x-ray free-electron lasers

Harmonic generation becomes increasingly important as x-ray free-electron lasers push to shorter wavelengths. Recent studies have pointed to the possibility of enhancing harmonic generation by detuning the fundamental. In x-ray free-electron lasers, the wiggler line is composed of multiple wiggler segments with magnetic quadrupoles in the gaps to provide for increased focusing. In this paper, we study the effect on harmonic generation in simulation by (1) varying the gap lengths between the wiggler segments and (2) varying the electron beam $\ensuremath{\beta}$ function. In studying the harmonic we find enhanced harmonic generation is periodic in the gap length and peaks are found as the wiggler separation varies by $\ensuremath{\lambda}/3$ (where $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ is the fundamental wavelength), which corresponds to a phase shift of $2\ensuremath{\pi}/3$. As a consequence, enhanced harmonic generation is found both when the fundamental emission is strong by the nonlinear harmonic generation mechanism and by linear harmonic generation when the fundamental is detuned.
Inverting Agamben: Gendered popular sovereignty and the ‘Natasha Wars’ of Cairo

Giorgio Agamben’s concepts of ‘the sovereign’, ‘state of exception’ and ‘bare life’ have been used by political theorists, particularly since the declaration of the Global War on Terror and during the more recent age of wars of humanitarian intervention, to conceptualize the sovereignty exercised by security states. These state processes have been mirrored by absolutization within some branches of political theory, conflating Foucauldian concepts of biopolitical sovereignty and circulatory governmentality with notions of absolutist rule, and narrowing optics for interpreting popular mobilizations around gendered ‘human security’ projects, emergency regimes and moralizing repression. Suggesting more productive directions for theory, this article generates a close reading of female activists working in an unexpected industry in Egypt who have struggled to invert and subvert absolutist and moralizing framings and have generated their own theory through practice. The ‘Natashas of Cairo’ – well organized and transnationally linked belly dancers – successfully promoted gendered popular sovereignty in remarkable campaigns between 2002 and 2006, utilizing personal-rights litigation to create frameworks to render the absolutist state more accountable; establish labor solidarities that crossed international boundaries as well as class boundaries; and articulate an alternative moral regime for dance work that rejected both ‘pornification’ and the ‘respectability politics’ of professionalization.
Pediatric Pain and Anxiety in the Emergency Department: An Evidence-Based Approach to Creating an Anti-Pain Environment

There have been real advances in the area of pain and anxiety management in pediatric patients in the urgent and emergent settings. The focus on the “patient experience” and not just the obtaining of a diagnosis and a treatment has forced many Emergency Departments to reassess how they address pain and anxiety. Many new products and methods, whether pharmacological based or not, are being utilized to make the patient encounter less stressful and less painful for both children and families. Additionally, it has been recognized that appreciating the importance of the patient’s developmental age is essential in choosing the correct modality of intervention. Yet again, we learn children are not just small adults.
The Green Revolution Strategy

Most of the people in Third World countries live in rural areas, most of them are engaged in agriculture and the majority are poor. Hence giving agriculture high priority in development has an intuitive appeal. Indeed it can be argued that in terms of population, employment and production agriculture is the most important sector of the economy (see Table 6.1).
Recurrent Stroke due to Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Device Thrombus Eight Years after Implantation

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common heart defect and is found in about 25% of the general population. Although randomized trials have failed to show the superiority of percutaneous closure of PFO over medical management, the number of patients with closure device placement has grown over the years. Delayed complications from PFO closure are rare. We present a case of cardioembolic stroke secondary to a mobile thrombus on a PFO closure device 8 years after implantation.
Borders of Authority: Power in the Canadian Borderlands at the 1844 Jesuit-Anishinaabeg Debate

ABSTRACTIn 1844 a debate took place between a venerated Anishinaabeg orator and an ambitious Jesuit priest over who possessed the authority to harvest timber from Walpole Island. Though scholars have taken notice of this unique debate recorded in the Letters from the New Canada Missions the circumstances and backgrounds of the central orators, Anishinaabeg ogimaa Oshawana and Jesuit priest Father Pierre Chazelle, has not been analyzed. The debate centered on how each society viewed the natural world and the natural resources necessary for survival. The power struggle represented by each man in the Canadian borderlands highlighted the differences between European Jesuit understanding and First Nation Anishinaabeg understanding of their place and relationship to the greater world. How each society understood power and how to wield said power was illuminated in the contested discussion between the two men. Thus the debate, while containing strong themes of religious and spirituality, has much to say about th...
The Transfer of Public Lands Movement: Taking “Back” Lands that were Never Theirs and other Examples of Legal Falsehoods and Revisionist History

Long a hotbed of discontent over federal public land management, Utah rekindled the smoldering “sagebrush rebellion” in 2012 when it passed legislation demanding that the federal government turn millions of acres of public land over to the state. Backed by a multi-million-dollar litigation budget, Utah’s efforts became a model for bills that sprang up in Congress and across the West. While unlikely to succeed in the courts, the transfer movement taps into a long history of antagonism over public land management. This discontent, when combined with the threat of litigation, could drive federal legislation devolving the public domain to the states — and that could forever reshape our nation. Alarmingly, disgruntled individuals are also seizing on Utah’s legal theories to justify wresting public lands from the federal government, too often in violent ways. This article explores the land transfer movement, putting current demands into historical context, critiquing the legal and policy arguments favoring compulsory public land disposal, summarizing the unintended consequences that would flow from public land transfers, identifying the frustrations driving transfer efforts, and offering constructive alternatives to transfer that address the underlying frustrations.
Abstract 248: TGF-β Neutralization Attenuates AngII-Induced Ascending Aortic Aneurysms While Not Affecting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Introduction and Objectives: We have demonstrated previously that angiotensin II (AngII) induces ascending and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AA) in C57BL/6 mice. In an experimental mouse model of Marfan’s Syndrome that expresses Fbn1 C1039G/+ , ascending AAs were prevented by both a neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling and the Ang II receptor antagonist, losartan. Conversely, it has been recently reported that a neutralizing TGF-β antibody leads to abdominal aortic rupture during AngII infusion. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a TGF-β neutralizing antibody on AngII-induced ascending and abdominal AA formation in normolipidemic mice. Methods and Results: Eight week old, male, C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal laboratory diet and infused subcutaneously with AngII (1,000 ng/kg/min) by osmotic mini-pumps for 28 days. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with control IgG (RD n=10 mice per group). There were no changes in body weight among the groups. As expected, both doses of TGF-β antibody significantly decreased serum TGF-β concentration (P Conclusion: In agreement with the effects of TGF-β neutralization in the Fbn1 C1039G/+ transgenic mouse, ascending AA were attenuated by the TGF-β neutralizing antibody during AngII infusion. However, we were unable to replicate the recent finding that TGF-β neutralization leads to increased rupture of abdominal aortas during AngII infusion.