cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gradient chromatography under constant frictional heat: realization and application.

Abstract A new mode of gradient elution in liquid chromatography is proposed. It is derived from simple theoretical considerations and is particularly suitable for applications to fast, very-high pressure gradients. It is designed to improve the injection-to-injection repeatability of chromatographic runs at either constant flow (cF, cooling case scenario) or constant pressure (cP, heating case scenario). The purpose of this original gradient mode is to minimize the variations of the temperatures and the pressures across and along the column during the gradient time. These variations are caused by the heat generated in the column due to the friction of the eluent percolating the bed. Any temperature fluctuation affects to some extent the precision of the measurements of retention times and bandwidths of eluted compounds. The minimization of this effect was achieved by maintaining constant the frictional heat power (i.e., the product of the flow rate by the column pressure drop) generated during the gradient run, the washing step, and the re-equilibration time. The eluent temperature was recorded at the column outlet. One useful application of gradient chromatography at constant frictional heat (cFH) is illustrated for a 50–100% volume gradient of acetonitrile in water using a 4.6 mm × 150 mm column packed with 3.5 μm BEH-C18 particles and operated with an Agilent 1290 Infinity liquid chromatograph. The reproducibility (eleven consecutive injections) of the retention times and peak variances of nine small molecules (RPLC check-out sample mixture) using cF, cP, and cFH gradients were compared for the same amount of heat produced (403 J) during each run time. The RSDs of the retention times and the peak variances for four consecutive injections were systematically below 0.035 and 0.50% in constant frictional heat gradient chromatography, after three initial injections. These RSDs were markedly higher for cF (0.050 and 0.90%) and cP (0.070 and 1.80%) gradients.
The effect of material and ground motion uncertainty on the seismic vulnerability curves of RC structure

Starting from the premise that vulnerability curves are an indispensable ingredient of earthquake loss assessment, this paper focuses on establishing the relative effect of strong-motion variability and random structural parameters on the ensuing vulnerability curves. Moreover, the effect of the selection of statistical models used to present simulation results is studied. A three story ordinary moment resisting reinforced concrete frame, previously shake-table tested, is used as a basis for the fragility analysis. The analytical environment and the structural model are verified through comparison with shaking-table test results. The selection of ground motion sets, definition of limit states, statistical manipulation of simulation results, and the effect of material variability are investigated. No approximations are used to reduce the sample size or minimize the analytical effort, in order that attention is focused on the parameters under investigation. Notwithstanding the limited scope of the study, the results presented indicate that the effect of randomness in material response parameters is far less significant than the effect of strong-motion characteristics. Therefore, the importance of scrupulous selection and scaling of strong-motion and use of appropriate limit states and statistical models is emphasized.
Cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose of reviewIndividuals with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this review is to discuss recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis, prevalence, treatment, and prevention of accelerated atherosc
Further evidence for the dynamic formation of transmitter quanta at the neuromuscular junction.

Fatt and Katz (Nature 166:597–598, 1950; J Physiol 117:109–128, 1952) attributed miniature endplate potentials (MEPPs) to the action of a standard quantity of transmitter, the quantum (Del Castillo and Katz, J Physiol 124:560–573, 1954). Quantal packets of transmitter were proposed to be preformed (Del Castillo and Katz, In CNRS Paris (Ed): “Microphysiologie comparee des elements excitables” 67:245–258, 1957) and stored in large numbers in the motor nerve terminal. Statistical analyses of intervals between MEPPs and numbers of quanta composing small endplate potentials indicated that quantal release was a random process and that release sites functioned independently of each other. With the discovery of synaptic vesicles it was proposed that each contained one quantum of transmitter. The quantal-vesicular hypothesis (Del Castillo and Katz, as cited above) fails, however, to explain amplitude distributions of MEPPs that are skewed and/or that show multiple peaks (Kriebel et al., Brain Res Review 15:167–178, 1990). The drop formation process (Shaw, “The Dripping Faucet as a Model Chaotic System,” Santa Cruz, CA: Aerial Press, Inc., 1984) was shown to generate amplitude classes of drops that were similar to classes of MEPPs which suggested that rapid changes in quantal size and ratios of skew- to bell-MEPPs could be explained with a simple dynamic process which determines quantal size at the moment of release (Kriebel et al., as cited above, 1990). Further similarities between miniature endplate currents (MEPCs) and the formation of drops are reported here. We found that rapid changes in MEPC amplitudes and time courses, which accompany an increase in frequency, mimic changes in drop sizes that accompany increases in flow rate. MEPC intervals have a minimum and their distributions are comparable to those of drop intervals. During an increased rate of transmitter release, MEPP amplitudes and intervals were positively correlated. The results suggest that spontaneously released transmitter “packets” are formed at the moment of release and that transmitter supply to the process that forms packets is continuous. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Optical properties of artificial dielectrics with refractive index less than unity

Total external reflection can occur at the interface between vacuum and a medium with refractive index less than unity. Here, analytical and numerical models predict such reflection at optical wavelengths for a metal-dielectric composite material.
Differential expression of genes encoding TGFs β1, β2, and β3 during murine palate formation

Abstract Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) has been shown to have multiple effects on primary cultures of palate-derived cell types. We report the analysis, by in situ hybridization, of RNA expression for three different TGFβ isoforms (TGFβ1, β2, and β3) during murine embryonic palate development. Differential expression of the three TGFβ genes is seen in the palatal shelves in mesenchymal and epithelial cells known to be involved in the morphogenesis of this organ. Taken together, these results suggest that the TGFβs act as endogenous factors involved in the formation of the mammalian palate.
Search for high temperature superconductivity in LiPdHx

Abstract No superconductivity is found in LiPdH x for compositions where the Li to Pd ratio is varied between 1.2 and 0.8 and x →1 in samples loaded with high pressure (to 2.7 kbar) hydrogen at temperatures to 300°C. Measurements were made in situ so that the maximum hydrogen stoichiometry was maintained.
An analysis of the Latin Americanization of race in the United States: a reconnaissance of color stratification among Mexicans

Abstract Eduardo Bonilla-Silva has painted with broad strokes a portrait of the future of racial relations in the United States in his paper entitled, “We are all Americans: Toward a New System of Racial Stratification in the U.S.A.” [Race and Society (forthcoming)]. In essence, he sees the United States moving from a two-tier, black-white racial system toward a three-tier racial system where persons will be categorized as “white”, “honorary white”, or “collective black”. Additionally, Bonilla-Silva believes that we are moving from a system in which race is commonly taken into account, toward a system of “color-blind” racism. In this article, we closely examine Bonilla-Silva’s ideas, and although we appreciate the broad scale of his work and its challenge to traditional race relations, we make adjustments to his work, particularly concerning the location of Latinos in the U.S. racial hierarchy, which lead both to a better understanding of the current and future racial situation in the United States, and toward policy recommendations which could ameliorate the bleak situation in which we find ourselves concerning life chances of people of color.
Promoting higher-order learning benefits by building lower-order mnemonic connections

Two experiments were conducted in an effort to combine a mnemonic strategy for remembering individual items with a mnemonic procedure for remembering, and reasoning about, inter-item relationships. In Experiment 1, students using the combined mnemonic approach were able to identify more individual items (fish names from their pictures) and were subsequently able to remember more components of six studied hierarchies (order, family, and species names of the fish) than did students in an ‘own best method’ control condition. Additionally, and importantly, mnemonic students outperformed control students on an analogy task requiring inferences about superordinate, subordinate, and coordinate relationships. In Experiment 2, the initial number of to-be-learned fish was reduced so that the performance of both mnemonic and control students was comparable with respect to fish identification. Despite such item-level comparability, an advantage for mnemonically instructed students was observed on both immediate and two-day-delayed hierarchy tests. We suggest that by cementing lower-order connections, mnemonic strategies facilitate students' learning of higher-order information. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of transmural pressure on myogenic responses of isolated cerebral arteries of the rat

We examined the diameter responses of isolated and pressurized posterior cerebral artery branches to various static and dynamic pressure alterations. These vessels, dissected from an anatomically identifiable location in the rat brain, developed tone when placed in a normal calcium physiological salt solution (1.6 mM Ca-PSS). Following a series of transmural pressure steps (Δp) of 25 or 50 mm Hg completed in 1–2 s and made every 5 min, they attained additional tone resulting in a mean luminal diameter of 139 μm at 100 mm Hg which was 35% less than their relaxed size measured in 1 mM EGTA-PSS. Continuous measurements of wall thickness and lumen diameter were obtained using a video electronic system in 1–2 mm long arterial segments, and autoregulatory gain factors calculated. Myogenic responses were obtained from each of 6 vessels taken from 6 WKY rats. Diameters following the step pressure changes were usually stable within 2–4 min. The data defined a myogenic regulatory pressure range from 49–145 mm Hg. Gain values averaged about 17% of that necessary for these arteries to maintain perfect flow autoregulation. Our results for myogenicity are comparable with the pressure range for blood flow autoregulation reported by others for the rat. We conclude that myogenic mechanisms, at least in this size artery, are partly responsible for flow autoregulation, and that they are supplemented by metabolic mechanisms operative in the intact rat brain.
Relative sensitivity of three species of woody plants to SO2 at high or low exposure temperature

Seedlings of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.), and red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) fumigated with 0.2 ppm SO2 for 30 h at 30° C had higher leaf diffusive conductances (LDC) and absorbed more sulfur than seedlings fumigated at 12° C. Comparisons among the three species fumigated at the same temperature, however, do not support the view that a plant with higher LDC should absorb more SO2 than a plant with lower LDC. Mean relative growth rates (\(\overline {RGR} \)) of seedlings grown at 21° C after fumigation were variously affected by SO2. \(\overline {RGR} \) of green ash was not inhibited by SO2, but \(\overline {RGR} \) of roots of red pine seedlings was reduced by SO2, with greater inhibition in seedlings fumigated at 30° C. Root and shoot \(\overline {RGR} \) of paper birch seedlings were lowered by SO2, and effects of SO2 were about equal at both exposure temperatures. The data indicate that temperature can affect mechanisms of SO2 avoidance, tolerance, or both to various degrees in different species. Thus generalizations on the influence of exposure temperature on resistance of plants to SO2 may be inappropriate.
Responses to the lizard nasal salt gland to chronic hypersalemia

Abstract 1. 1. Desert iguanas, Dipsosaurus dorsalis , and blue spiny lizards, Sceloporus cyanogenys , were injected intraperitoneally (IP) every 6 days with 1 cc of 1 N Nacl or KCl/100 g body wt. Evaporated nasal salt was collected into cups attached over the snout. 2. 2. Nasal K + excretion increased in both species during chronic hyperkalemia but nasal Na + output was relatively unaffected. 3. 3. Dipsosaurus nasally excreted 40 per cent of all injected K + , Sceloporus 10 per cent. 4. 4. Nasal Na + output increased during chronic hypernatremia in Dipsosaurus , but fell to control values in Sceloporus after a brief rise following the first injection. Nasal K + output in both species rose and fell following the perceding each NaCl injection respectively. 5. 5. Dipsosaurus nasally exreted 20 per cent of all injected sodium, Sceloporus less than 1 per cent.
The temperature dependence of the yield stress for neutron-irradiated molybdenum

Molybdenum was neutron-irradiated near 80 � C at doses of 7.2 · 10 � 5 , 7.2 · 10 � 4 , 7.2 · 10 � 3 , 0.072 and 0.28 dpa. Irradiated Mo was tensile tested over a temperature range of � 50 to 100 � C at a strain rate of 1 · 10 � 3 s � 1 . It was found that the yield stress of irradiated Mo decreased at lower temperatures and increased at higher temperatures, resulting in reduced temperature dependence of yielding at lower doses ( 0.001 dpa). The temperature dependence of the yield stress for unirradiated and irradiated Mo is consistent with the theoretical expression of the Fleischer model for interactions of dislocations with tetragonal strain fields. � 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.
The Persistence and Market Valuation of Recurring Nonrecurring Items

ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the persistence and market value implications of a subset of nonrecurring charges that are atypical due to repeated occurrence. The increased recurrence of supposedly nonrecurring items perhaps reflects managerial shifting of (more permanent) ordinary expenses to a transitory category or, alternatively, may reflect an environment where these items naturally occur more frequently. Either scenario suggests that these repetitive charges have future earnings implications dramatically different from truly nonrecurring events and should therefore be valued more like a recurring component of earnings. Consistent with this notion, we find that as the frequency of reporting negative special items increases (measured by the presence of multiple prior charges), the persistence of these items significantly increases with respect to future earnings. Our evidence also suggests that the valuation multiple on such charges increases with frequency. That is, the market values “recurring nonr...
Why hernias recur.

T HE surgeon’s primary concern whiIe operating for a hernia, in spite of any technica refmements, is whether there wiII be a recurrence. It is a dogmatic sou1 indeed who, after operating for a hernia, can repIy in the negative. The surgeon who can devise technics which are proof against any or a11 varieties of recurrence is we11 nigh worthy of the NobeI Prize. There are causative factbrs which are IargeIy beyond his contro1 and sometimes beyond his virtuosity as a surgeon. In the Iatest Iiterature the statistica average of primary recurrences varies from o to 20 per cent. With the secondary variety the average is even higher. Indirect inguina1 hernias which occur in earIy Iife are not as commonIy recurrent as the direct variety or saddIe bag (pantaIoon) hernias which are frequent in the oIder age group in which we find poor muscuIar and aponeurotic tissues. An epigramatist once remarked that nothing is so constant as change. This is especiaIIy true of the penduIum of opinion regarding recurrences in hernia1 surgerythe incidence, causes, prophyIactic and reparative measures. It is we11 known, for exampIe, that there is wide divergence of view even among prominent surgeons regarding the architectonics and myodynamics of the Iower abdomina1, inguina1 and femora1 areas. One of the probIems which pIagued ancient anatomists and surgeons was Nature’s apparentIy fauIty “architecture” at and incIuding the abdomina1 or deep inguinal ring. In our own day many anatomists and surgeons are equaIIy puzzIed regarding the myodynamics of the deep inguina1 ring and seek an answer to the questions: “Is the mechanism of the ring a shutter or a NEW YORK
Effect of Duration of Design–Build Procurement on Performance of Transportation Projects

Transportation agencies are increasingly interested in new strategies for integrated project delivery, such as design-build. When making a decision between a traditional design-bid-build delivery and an integrated project delivery such as design-build, the agency should consider potential cost savings, time savings, and quality improvements. To maximize the success of design-build projects, transportation agencies need to pay attention to several aspects of this system, including initial steps like contract procurement. Agencies should prepare for the procurement phase carefully on the basis of project size, complexity, timing, selection methods, and so on. This is especially important for design-build projects in which participating firms invest significant effort during the contract procurement phase while planning design and construction and assessing risks. To assist in improving the success of design-build projects, a study was conducted to analyze the relationship between duration of the contract pr...
Introduction to the special section on health and cognitive function.

Numerous factors related to health and diseases have been studied in relation to cognitive function. It has been shown that across the life span, systemic medical diseases can negatively impact cognitive function. Factors that influence the development of medical diseases, such as poor health habits, biological risk factors, hormones, genetic factors, exposure to environmental toxins, and certain treatments for disease, can also have an adverse effect on cognitive function. Conversely, factors such as high levels of education, good health habits, and some treatments for disease can be protective. Included in this special section are 6 empirical articles that examine the relation of health or disease to cognitive function.
Correlation of antioxidant capacities to oxygen radical scavenging enzyme activities in blackberry.

The activities of the oxygen radical scavenging enzymes [glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and guaiacol peroxidase (G-POD)], hydrogen peroxide scavenging enzymes in the ascorbate-glutathione cycle [ascorbate peroxidase (AsA-POD), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR)], the nonenzyme components [ascorbate (AsA), dehydroascorbate (DHAsA), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG)], and their antioxidant capacity [oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)] were measured in the juice of six different thornless blackberry (Rubus sp.) cultivars. The ‘Hull Thornless' cultivar contained the highest levels, whereas ‘Black Satin' consistently had the lowest activities for all the enzymes tested in this study. ORAC values were also the highest in ‘Hull Thornless' and lowest in ‘Black Satin'. The highest levels of AsA and DHAsA were in the juice of ‘Hull Thornless' blackberries with 1.09 and 0.15 μmol/g fresh wt, r...
Synthesis and Characterization of Glycopolymer-Polypeptide Triblock Copolymers

Glycopolymer-polypeptide triblock copolymers of the structure, poly(l-alanine)-b-poly(2-acryloyloxyethyl-lactoside)-b-poly(l-alanine) (AGA), have been synthesized by sequential atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Controlled free radical polymerization of 2-O-acryloyl-oxyethoxyl-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)−(1-4)-2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (AEL) by ATRP with a dibromoxylene (DBX)/CuBr/bipy complex system was used to generate a central glycopolymer block. Telechelic glycopolymers with diamino end groups were obtained by end group transformation and subsequently used as macroinitiators for ROP of l-alanine N-carboxyanhydride monomers (Ala−NCA). Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that copolymer molecular weight and composition were controlled by both the molar ratios of the Ala−NCA monomer to macroinitiator and monomer conversion and exhibited a narrow distributi...
Empirical evidence of code decay: A systematic mapping study

Code decay is a gradual process that negatively impacts the quality of a software system. Developers need trusted measurement techniques to evaluate whether their systems have decayed. The research aims to find what is currently known about code decay detection techniques and metrics used to evaluate decay. We performed a systematic mapping study to determine which techniques and metrics have been empirically evaluated. A review protocol was developed and followed to identify 30 primary studies with empirical evidence of code decay. We categorized detection techniques into two broad groups: human-based and metric-based approaches. We describe the attributes of each approach and distinguish features of several subcategories of both high-level groups. A tabular overview of code decay metrics is also presented. We exclude studies that do not use time (i.e., do not use evaluation of multiple software versions) as a factor when evaluating code decay. This limitation serves to focus the review. We found that coupling metrics are the most widely used at identifying code decay. Researchers use various terms to define code decay, and we recommend additional research to operationalize the terms to provide more consistent analysis.
Sensitivity minimization in an H ∞ norm: parametrization of all suboptimal solutions

A number of problems in the control of linear feedback systems can be reduced to the following: we are given three stable rational matrix functions K, ϕ, ψ of sizes p 1 x q 1, p 1 x q 2 and p 2 x q 1 respectively, and seek a stable rational q 2 x p 2 matrix function S so as to minimize ¦K + ϕSψ¦∞. We assume that p 1 ≥ q 2, p 2≤q 1 and that ϕ and ψ have maximal rank (q 2 and p 2 respectively) on the jω-axis. Given a tolerance level μ sufficiently large, we obtain a linear fractional map G → F = [0 11 G + 0 12, 0 13][0 21 G + 0 22, 0 23]−1 such that F = K + ϕSψ with S stable and ¦F ∞ ≤ μ if and only if G is a stable q 2 x p 2 matrix function with ¦G¦∞ ≤ 1. The computation of 0 = [0 ij ] (1 ≤ i ≤ 2, 1 ≤ j ≤ 3) reduces to solving a pair of symmetric Wiener–Hopf factorization problems. For the special case where ϕ = [I q2, 0]T, ψ = [I p2, 0] (and K not necessarily stable) to which the general case can be reduced, we provide explicit state-space formulae for 0 in terms of a state-space realization of K and the ...
Toward a general theory of reasoning with uncertainty. I. Nonspecificity and fuzziness

The theories of approximate reasoning and mathematical evidence are described. It is shown that in the face of possibilistic uncertainty they lead to equivalent inferences. After appropriately extending the mathematical theory of evidence to the fuzzy environment it is shown that these two theories are equivalent in the face of fuzzy and possibilistic uncertainty. 20 references.
Bromide oxidation and formation of dihaloacetic acids in chloraminated water.

A comprehensive reaction model was developed that incorporates the effect of bromide on monochloramine loss and formation of bromine and chlorine containing dihaloacetic acids (DHAAs) in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Reaction pathways accounted for the oxidation of bromide to active bromine (Br(I)) species, catalyzed monochloramine autodecomposition, NOM oxidation, and halogen incorporation into DHAAs. The reaction scheme incorporates a simplified reaction pathway describing the formation and termination of Br(I). In the absence of NOM, the model adequately predicted bromide catalyzed monochloramine autodecomposition. The Br(I) reaction rate coefficients are 4 orders of magnitude greater than HOCl for the same NOM sources under chloramination conditions. Surprisingly, the rate of NOM oxidation by Br(I) was faster than bromide catalyzed monochloramine autodecomposition by Br(I) so that the latter reactions could largely be ignored in the presence of NOM. Incorporation of bromine and chlorin...
Memory judgments and the effects of spacing

Subjects saw a long series of words which varied in frequency, or number of repetitions (F = 1, 3, or 5), and in spacing, or number of words intervening between repetitions (S = 0, 1, or 5). Half the Ss were then asked to judge frequency of occurrence of the words, and these judgments were an increasing function of spacing, S = 0 Ss can discriminate this information from information about spaced items. Two explanations are suggested for these findings.
Haemostasis and antithrombin III in the full-term newborn foal

Thirty-three Standardbred foals received a physical examination and had blood drawn for anti-thrombin III (AT III), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and haemostasis evaluation between 24 and 72 h of age. Based on physical examination, a normal haemogram within reference intervals and serum IgG concentration >600 mg/dl, 19 foals remained in the study. AT III values for protein concentration (mg/dl) and activity (mg/dl and percentage thrombin inhibition) were determined by rocket immunoelectrophoresis and chromogenic substrate assay, respectively, and compared to the reference intervals for adults. In 19 healthy, full-term foals, the mean plasma AT III activity for percentage thrombin inhibition (75.9%), mean amount of active AT III (19.2 mg/dl) and the mean plasma AT III concentration (28.7 mg/dl) were significantly (P 10 <40 μg/dl). Platelet count, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen did not differ significantly from those of adult values.
Sensation seeking and adolescent drug use: the mediating role of association with deviant peers and pro-drug discussions

In this study, I examined direct and indirect influences of sensation seeking, a personality trait, on adolescent drug use. I hypothesized that some or even most of the contribution of sensation seeking to drug use by adolescents is mediated through association with deviant peers and communication with peers that is favorable toward drug use. I examined the role of additional risk or protective factors in facilitating or impeding association with deviant peers, pro-drug communication, and marijuana use as well. The results of analyzing nationally representative cross-sectional data from the evaluation of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign support the study's hypotheses and suggest that different factors may protect high sensation-seeking adolescents from using drugs or engaging in activities (e.g., association with deviant peers) that may increase their risk for drug use. I discuss the theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of these findings to the design of health communication ...
Studies on transport of vapor and solute molecules through polyvinyl alcohol‐based clay containing nanocomposites

The present study focuses on fabricating of polymer–clay nanocomposites by in situ polymerization method and investigating their permeability behavior toward vapor and liquid molecules, thus, to evaluating barrier properties of the nanocomposites. For this purpose, acrylonitrile (AN) monomer was grafted on to poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) chains after the addition of very low amount of fuller's earth (clay) into polymer matrix using a suitable initiator, such as potassium persulphate (KPS), and crosslinker N-N′ methylene bisacrylamide (MBA). The prepared nanomaterials were characterized by Fourier-Transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD) techniques. The morphological features of designed materials were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The graft materials impregnated with fuller's earth were examined for their permeability behavior by observing the permeation of solute and vapor molecules from aqueous dye solution and volatile organic solvent, respectively. The composition of the nanocomposites and the amount of fuller's earth content were found to affect the passage of solute and vapor molecules across the nanocomposite membrane. The permeation capacity was quantified by evaluating permeability parameters. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Temperature-aware scheduling and assignment for hard real-time applications on MPSoCs

Thermal effects in MPSoCs may cause the violation of timing constraints in real-time systems. This paper presents a mixed integer linear programming based solution to this problem. Tasks are assigned and scheduled to an MPSoC to minimize peak temperature, subject to real-time constraints. The proposed approach outperforms existing methods, reducing peak temperature by up to 24.66degC and by an average of 8.75degC when compared to minimal-energy solutions. We also present a heuristic for use on large problem instances. Steady- state thermal analysis is used for tasks with long execution times compared to the RC thermal time constants of the cores. Transient analysis is used otherwise. The steady-state analysis based heuristic finds solutions with at most 3.40degC deviation from optimal peak temperature (0.22degC on average) while improving upon existing technique by as much as 25.71degC and 10.86degC on average. The transient analysis based heuristic further reduce peak temperature by 1degC in the best case and 0.17degC on average.
Infection of neonates with murine gammaherpesvirus 68 results in enhanced viral persistence in lungs and absence of infectious mononucleosis syndrome

We used the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV-68), which serves as a model for human gammaherpesvirus infection, to determine whether age at infection altered the pattern of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. We infected mice intranasally at 8 days old (pups) and 6 weeks old (adults) to investigate differences in γHV-68 pathogenesis. There was no difference between adults or pups in acute infection in the lungs at 6 days post-infection (p.i.). However, mice infected as pups exhibited a more disseminated viral infection with viral DNA detected in the spleen, liver and heart as measured by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). In addition, viral DNA was detected in the lungs of mice infected as pups until 60 days p.i. Three viral transcripts (M2, M3 and M9) were expressed at both 30 and 60 days p.i. In contrast, no viral DNA or mRNA expression was detected in lungs of mice infected as adults at 30 or 60 days p.i. Mice infected as adults experienced a peak in latent infection in the spleen at 16 days p.i., corresponding with an increase in splenic weight and expansion of the Vβ4+ CD8+ T-cell population, similar to infectious mononucleosis observed following infection of young adults with Epstein–Barr virus. However, the increase in splenic weight of infected pups was not as pronounced and no significant increase in Vβ4+ CD8+ T-cell expansion was observed in infected pups. Together, these data suggest that the pathogenesis of murine gammaherpesvirus γHV-68 is age-dependent.
The endoscopic approach to a fourth branchial pouch sinus presenting in an adult

Fourth branchial complex anomalies are rare and typically present in neonates or adolescents. Surgical management via open excision is the traditional approach to prevent recurrence. However, endoscopic sinus cauterization has recently been reported as a less invasive alternative. The current case report represents the first published account of a fourth branchial pouch presenting in an adult patient effectively managed through endoscopic excision. We compare this method to open excision and endoscopic ablative techniques. Laryngoscope, 123:2798–2800, 2013
It Shouldn't Take Another 50 Years: Accelerating Momentum to End the Tobacco Epidemic

Many thought it could never happen. In an action once considered inconceivable, the major pharmacy chain CVS Caremark recently announced that it will stop selling all tobacco products throughout its 7,600 outlets nationwide ([1][1]). Declaring that the sale of tobacco represented an unacceptable
Power and spectral characteristics of continuous-wave parametric oscillators: the doubly to singly resonant transition

The output power and spectral characteristics of optical parametric oscillators (OPO’s) as they evolve from the doubly resonant to the singly resonant regime are examined. By assuming a high-Q signal cavity, we derive approximate analytical solutions of pump depletion and conversion efficiency for OPO’s with arbitrary idler Q. Using this set of solutions, we examine in detail amplitude and frequency instabilities of doubly resonant oscillators with low signal loss and arbitrary idler loss. We find that OPO’s with weak idler feedback, when operated at a few times above threshold, exhibit improved spectral stability. Experimental results are presented for LiNbO3 and KTP OPO’s operating with a fixed low signal loss and various idler losses, including the limiting case of the cw singly resonant oscillator with no idler feedback.
Evaluation of Karl Storz CMAC Tip™ Device Versus Traditional Airway Suction in a Cadaver Model

Introduction: We compared the efficacy of Karl Storz CMAC TipTM with inline suction to CMAC with traditional suction device in cadaveric models simulating difficult airways, using media mimicking pulmonary edema and vomit. Methods: This was a prospective, cohort study in which we invited emergency medicine faculty and residents to participate. Each participant intubated 2 cadavers (one with simulated pulmonary edema and one with simulated vomit), using CMAC with inline suction and CMAC with traditional suction. Thirty emergency medicine providers performed 4 total intubations each in a crossover trial comparing the CMAC with inline suction and CMAC with traditional suction. Two intubations were performed with simulated vomit and two with simulated pulmonary edema. The primary outcome was time to successful intubation; and the secondary outcome was proportion of successful intubation. Results: The median time to successful intubation using the CMAC with inline suction versus traditional suction in the pulmonary edema group was 29s and 30s respectively (p=0.54). In the vomit simulation, the median time to successful intubation was 40s using the CMAC with inline suction and 41s using the CMAC with traditional suction (p=0.70). There were no significant differences in time to successful intubation between the 2 devices. Similarly, the proportions of successful intubation were also not statistically significant between the 2 devices. The proportions of successful intubations using the inline suction were 96.7% and 73.3%, for the pulmonary edema and vomit groups, respectively. Additionally using the handheld suction device, the proportions for the pulmonary edema and vomit group were 100% and 66.7%, respectively. Conclusion: CMAC with inline suction was no different than CMAC with traditional suction and was associated with no statistically significant differences in median time to intubation or proportion of successful intubations. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(4):548-553.]
Climate and the conservation biology of North Atlantic right whales: the right whale at the wrong time?

With the end of commercial whaling, it was thought that populations of the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) would gradually recover. However, recent modeling studies have shown that the population’s growth rate increased gradually during the 1980s, but began declining in the early 1990s, when female mortality rates increased substantially. Demographic projections predict that, assuming birth and mortality rates remain comparable to those observed in the early 1990s, the population will become extinct in less than 200 years. Further extrapolations suggest that reducing mortality rates by a few female deaths per year through conservation efforts would be sufficient to support a slow recovery of the population. However, the effects of climate variability and change on calving rates may make the North Atlantic right whale even more vulnerable than previous projections have suggested. Failure to incorporate the effects of climate in demographic projections may lead us to under...
The American Academy of Pediatrics Response to the Growing Health Needs of Children

At its planning meeting in May 1988, the executive board of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) established the promotion of access to child health care as its top priority. Later in the year, the following resolution was passed at the chapter president's forum: "That the Academy develop and support legislation to assure a health program that guarantees all children and pregnant women access to a comprehensive (basic) package of health care benefits that treats all children and pregnant women equally, and that the Academy work with legislators to draft a model program that, to the extent practicable, maintains parental control of health care decisions, preserves the physician's primary obligation to his or her patient, and effectively utilizes private insurers." In October 1988, the executive board approved a universal access-to-care proposal consisting of three components: (1) the introduction of federal legislation that guarantees financial access to medical care for all
A New Species of Gahrliepia (Acari: Trombiculidae) from an Egyptian Mole

Gahrliepia (Walchia) karinensis , n. sp., is described from specimens taken from a mole, Talpa leucura , collected Egypt.
Commissioning the SSRL injector

The SSRL injector has been commissioned and already fills SPEAR (Stanford Positron Electron Asymmetric Ring) at rates which are comparable to those obtained using the SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center) linac. The design goals for the injector are presented along with the best achieved performance levels and routine performance levels. >
Convergence of Unilateral Laplace Transforms on Time Scales

A time scale is any closed subset of the real line. Continuous time and discrete time are special cases. The unilateral Laplace transform of a signal on a time scale subsumes the continuous-time unilateral Laplace transform, and the discrete-time unilateral z-transform as special cases. The regions of convergence (ROCs) time scale Laplace transforms are determined by the time scale’s graininess. For signals with finite area, the ROC for the Laplace transform resides outside of a Hilger circle determined by the time scales’s smallest graininess. For transcendental functions associated with the solution of linear time-invariant differential equations, the ROCs are determined by function parameters (e.g., sinusoid frequency) and the largest and smallest graininess values in the time scale. Since graininess always lies between zero and infinity, there are ROCs applicable to a specified signal on any time scale. All ROCs reduce to the familiar half-plane ROCs encountered in the continuous-time unilateral Laplace transform and circle ROCs for the unilateral z-transform. If a time scale unilateral Laplace transform converges at some point in the transform plane, a region of additional points can be identified as also belonging to the larger ROC.
Influence of vitamin A deficiency on tissue glycogen metabolism in growing chickens.

Abstract VITAMIN A has been reported to alter certain aspects of carbohydrate metabolism. Wolf et al. (1957) found an interference in gluconeogenesis in the intact vitamin A-deficient rat. Acetate, lactate and glycerol carbon incorporation into liver glycogen was severely reduced in vitamin A-deficient rat livers with thpre being essentially no liver glycogen in the A-deficient rats. Perek and Kendler (1969) reported decreased liver glycogen levels in vitamin A-deficient chicks. Stoewsand and Scott (1964) reported that high dietary protein and vitamin A deficiency had an effect upon liver glycogen which may indicate an abnormal turnover of liver glycogen in vitamin A-deficient chicks. Unpublished results of Nockels at this laboratory suggested an impairment in lactic acid formation from glycogen in the pectoralis muscles of mildly vitamin A-deficient chickens. The present research was undertaken to study the effect of vitamin A deficiency on glycogen degradation in the white muscles of the pectoralis major and…
Greater Cephalad Extent of Thoracic Epidural Sensory Anesthesia After Lidocaine and Epinephrine Test Dose Correlates With Analgesic Consumption and Pain Burden After Uterine Fibroid Artery Embolization.

Background and Objectives Ischemic pain after uterine fibroid artery embolization (UFAE) is often severe. We evaluated the sensory anesthesia extent from thoracic epidural catheter test injection of lidocaine 75 mg with epinephrine 25 μg as a predictor of analgesia effectiveness after UFAE. Methods One hundred patients were studied. Pinprick and cold insensitivity were assessed from L3 to T4 at 5-minute intervals for 30 minutes after the test dose. Thoracic epidural management was standardized. Total epidural infusate and numeric rating of pain (0–10) scores were recorded. Results Pinprick or cold insensitivity at T9 to T10 dermatome was present in 94% of patients. Forty-six subjects (45%) achieved a sensory level at or above the T6 dermatome at 30 minutes. Median analgesic consumption in the first hour and at catheter discontinuation was greater in subjects with a sensory level above T6 compared with those below T6: first hour difference, 7 mL (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0–12 mL; P = 0.02); difference at discontinuation, 21 mL (95% CI, 4–35 mL; P = 0.02). The area under the pain score by time curve for the first 24 hours was greater in patients with sensory levels above T6: difference 32 score · hour (95% CI, 12 score · h – 60 score · h; P = 0.001). Conclusions Sensory anesthesia spread above the T6 dermatome 30 minutes after a test dose of 1.5% lidocaine was an independent predictor of the analgesic consumption after UFAE. Pain burden and oral opioid consumption were also increased in subjects who demonstrated a high sensory spread after the test dose.
On the Border: Rearranging the Mystery of the U.S.–Mexico Frontera

Boom, Bust, Exodus: The Rust Belt, the Maquilas, and a Tale of Two Cities. Chad Broughton. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2015. 399 pp., acknowledgments, prologue, figures, photographs, notes...
Unternehmensmodellierung als Basis einer Anwendungsarchitektur

Die Hauptprobleme der heutigen Anwendungsentwicklung liegen in der gewachsenen Daten- and Funktionsredundanz and damit in der aufwendigen Pflege von Altanwendungen. Fur Neuentwicklungen sind nur ca. 20 – 30% der verfugbaren Ressourcen einsetzbar, was letztlich zu dem allzubekannten Anforderungsstau in der Anwendungsentwicklung fuhrt.
Domain Switch Toughening in Polycrystalline Ferroelectrics

Mode I steady crack growth is analyzed to determine the toughening due to domain switching in poled ferroelectric ceramics. A multi-axial, electromechanically coupled, incremental constitutive theory is applied to model the material behavior of the ferroelectric ceramic. The constitutive law is then implemented within the finite element method to study steady crack growth. The effects of mechanical and electrical poling on the fracture toughness are investigated. Results for the predicted fracture toughness, remanent strain and remanent polarization distributions, and domain switching zone shapes and sizes are presented. Finally, the model predictions are discussed in comparison to experimental observations.
General Motors: Valuation of Class E Contingent Notes

As the maturity date for General Motors' Class E contingent notes approaches, GM's treasury staff must estimate the potential impact of the liability on corporate cash flows. The student is asked to value the contingent notes and express the value in terms of the cash flows GM might have to pay. The primary objective of the case is for students to draw the parallel between the determinants of value for exchange-traded options and for such nontraded options as contingent notes. A student worksheet file is available for use with this case.
Market performance and the timing of retirement

This study is the first to utilize nine interview waves of the Health and Retirement Study and multilevel discrete-time survival analysis to investigate the effect of market returns on individual elective retirement decisions. Individuals who retire at a market peak have an increased risk of shortening the longevity of their retirement income. Unfortunately, market returns were found to have a significant positive effect on the probability of retirement. Researchers, employers, financial educators and financial practitioners should help pre-retirees overcome the stock market’s influence on their decision-making to avoid the negative effect of market sequencing on their retirement wealth.
Channel Efficiency: Franchise versus Non-Franchise Systems

This study explores the overall competitiveness of franchises over non-franchises based on the comparison of their operating efficiency at the state level. Operating efficiency is assessed through ...
EFFECT OF BCG INFECTION ON SENSITIVITY OF MICE TO HISTAMINE, SEROTONIN AND PASSIVELY INDUCED ANAPHYLAXIS.

SummaryBCG infection, although previously shown to increase the sensitivity of mice to endotoxin, does not increase the sensitivity of mice to passively induced anaphylaxis to histamine or to serotonin. Heparin, which inhibits the Shwartzman reaction in rabbits, failed to prevent endotoxin hyperreactivity in BCG-inoculated mice.
Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurement of Free Radical Intermediates

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) provides a means for sensitive, selective and nonintrusive measurements of reactive intermediates, often free radicals, which control the chemistry of combustion. The same approach can be used to detect in the gas phase, atoms, radicals and ions which are reactive intermediates in materials processing. This article briefly examines the use of LIF in combustion. It includes a description of the LIF spectroscopic method as employed for quantitative measurements, and the use of LIF in a semiquantitative manner with extension to the simultaneous detection of more than one species.
Involvement in Boundary-Spanning Activity: Mitigating the Relationship between Work Setting and Behavior

While behavior is influenced to a large extent by the situation in which it occurs, it is argued that consequences of engaging in boundary-spanning activity are likely to diminish the impact of the internal work setting on boundary spanners' work behavior. To assess this premise, four hypotheses are proposed regarding the mitigating effects of boundary-spanning activity on the relationship between three work setting features and a set of behaviors. Findings indicate that this relationship is weaker among spanners than among other organizational members for one of the three work-setting variables. In addition, the mitigating effects increase as the amount of boundary activity increases. These results appear limited to in-person boundary activity, as opposed to boundary interactions over the phone, and the location of the boundary activity does not appear to be a relevant factor. Implications for managers and for scholars are discussed.