cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coupled EnergyPlus and computational fluid dynamics simulation for natural ventilation

Abstract Energy modeling approaches have continued to advance to cater for emerging new design concepts toward “greener” solutions that optimize energy consumption in buildings while maintaining thermal comfort as well as healthy environment. Increasing attention is given to passive and mix-mode systems in building. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model has been widely adopted as effective tool for natural ventilation simulations. However, CFD become unstable for conjugate heat transfer model, which is the transient heat transfer between solid and fluid. Solid and fluid has different respond times to thermal energy. Typically walls respond in hours, and air responds in seconds, causing the system to become stiff. In addressing the issue, a coupled lumped heat transfer model (EnergyPlus) and CFD model (Fluent) was implemented, and 8 days of simulation was conducted. The airflow rates of openings and heat transfer coefficients from the airflow network module in EnergyPlus and those from CFD model were compared. Results show that airflow network model generally predict smaller airflow rates for the openings. Airflow network model generates better results for openings on the south and east facade and internal openings, where there is no immediate adjacent building. Among the heat transfer coefficients calculation methods in EnergyPlus, the TARP algorithm generated closest HTC values to the coupled CFD results. The overall heat transfer coefficients of all the enclosure surfaces are calculated and it is found that the overall thermal resistances generated from the three convective HTC algorithms are almost the same, yet with observable difference from coupled CFD simulations.
Congressional Parties, Fundraising, and Committee Ambition

Congressional party leaders are hypothesized to use desirable committee assignments as a selective incentive to entice incumbent members of Congress to contribute the collective good of the party’s...
Block truncated-Newton methods for parallel optimization

Truncated-Newton methods are a class of optimization methods suitable for large scale problems. At each iteration, a search direction is obtained by approximately solving the Newton equations using an iterative method. In this way, matrix costs and second-derivative calculations are avoided, hence removing the major drawbacks of Newton's method. In this form, the algorithms are well-suited for vectorization. Further improvements in performance are sought by using block iterative methods for computing the search direction. In particular, conjugate-gradient-type methods are considered. Computational experience on a hypercube computer is reported, indicating that on some problems the improvements in performance can be better than that attributable to parallelism alone.
Falling out of the fold: tumorigenic mutations and p53

Abstract New structural information on p53, the protein product of a tumor suppressor gene, gives insight into how mutations in the gene lead to loss of protein function.
Ferrite memory systems

Ferrites have been the dominant memory technology for 15 years. Ferrite memory systems are surveyed in the context of the advances which have been made in the technology over this period. Advances in organization, storage devices, drive and sense systems, and manufacturing techniques are reviewed. This discussion leads to a consideration of the future of the technology which takes into account the effect of other practical storage technologies.
Time domain global modelling of EM propagation in semiconductor using irregular grids

A two-dimensional finite volume time domain (FVTD) method using a triangular grid is applied to the analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation in a semiconductor. Maxwell's equations form the basis of all electromagnetic phenomena in semiconductors and the drift-diffusion model is employed to simulate charge transport phenomena in the semiconductor. The FVTD technique is employed to solve Maxwell's equations on an irregular grid and the finite box method is implemented on the same grid to solve the drift-diffusion model for carrier concentration. The locations of unknowns have been chosen to allow linking coupled Maxwell's equations and transport equations in a seamless way. To achieve suitable accuracy and computational efficiency, using irregular grid topology allows a finer mesh in doped region and at junction, and a coarser mesh in substrate and insulting regions. The proposed scheme has been implemented and verified by characterizing electromagnetic wave propagation at microwave frequency in a semiconductor slab with arbitrary doping profile. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pharmacologic Options for Prevention and Management of Cerebral Vasospasm in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia continue to be major contributors to morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).Purpose: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the pharmacotherapy interventions for the prevention and management of cerebral vasospasm in patients with SAH.Methods: A search of MEDLINE (January 1966-April 2012) and EMBASE (January 1974-April 2012) was conducted to retrieve relevant studies of pharmacotherapy options for prevention or treatment of cerebral vasospasm in SAH.Results: Triple-H therapy (hypervolemia, hemodilution, hypertension) has been a widely accepted option by many clinicians for the management of cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia. However, implementation of Triple-H therapy varies considerably at individual institutions. Nimodipine and nicardipine have demonstrated the most dependable improvements in patient outcomes to date. High doses of intravenous magnesium have failed to show consistent benefits....
Early events in Sjögren’s Syndrome pathogenesis: The importance of innate immunity in disease initiation

Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that primarily affects women. Patients with SS experience dry eyes and dry mouth in addition to systemic disease manifestations, including arthritis, peripheral neuropathy and pulmonary fibrosis. As in many autoimmune diseases, the inciting factors that precipitate SS are poorly understood. Patients with SS have periductal and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration of salivary and lacrimal tissue, and this is a hallmark of disease. While this infiltration is well characterized, the pathologic events that precede and cause this inflammatory cell recruitment are unknown. Although few studies have examined SS salivary tissue prior to disease onset, there is strong evidence for innate immune hyperactivity. Accordingly, processes such as apoptosis of glandular tissue, heightened inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production, and toll-like receptor (TLR) activation are described in early disease and are each linked to innate immune activation in murine models of disease and SS patients. This review will explore the relationship between innate immunity and SS pathogenesis prior to overt disease onset and discuss therapeutic strategies to mitigate disease progression in SS patients.
Application of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) instrumentation to the endolarynx.

Objectives:RealHand instruments are high-dexterity instruments that have been designed for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery applications. They provide dexterity by offering a full range of motion to endoscopic instruments. We hypothesize that RealHand instruments will resolve some of the limitations encountered in traditional endolaryngeal surgery. They have the potential to do so in the following ways: 1) they negate the limitation of mobility of traditional laryngoscopy instrumentation, which is rigid and fixed; 2) they maintain the ability of direct visualization through a telescope while precluding the need for an operating microscope; 3) they provide the dexterity to perform tasks that are otherwise not possible with traditional instrumentation; and 4) they provide flexibility that can be advantageous in difficult foreign body retrieval from distal airways.Methods:To test this hypothesis, we developed and optimized a cadaveric lamb larynx model for endolaryngeal microsurgery. To evalua...
Comparison of the accuracies of some regression algorithms

Cholesky factorization and Householder orthogonalization procedures are discussed with respect to accuracy of error terms for regression models. Error formulas corresponding to sample sums of squares are related to known results to illustrate the superior accuracy of the Householder method. A stepwise Householder procedure is discussed and its corresponding error term derived. In consideration of accuracy, speed and storage requirements the stepwise Householder procedure is recommended as the most suitable compromise
The roles of the reprogramming factors Oct4, Sox2 and Klf4 in resetting the somatic cell epigenome during induced pluripotent stem cell generation

Somatic cell reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by defined factors is a form of engineered reverse development carried out in vitro. Recent investigation has begun to elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby these factors function to reset the epigenome.
Geographic and sociodemographic variation in self-reported seat belt use in the United States

Abstract Background With new data available, we sought to update existing literature on the prevalence of self-reported seat belt use by state, region, and rural/urban status and to estimate the strength of the association between seat belt use and rural/urban status adjusted for type of seat belt law and several other factors. Methods We examined data on self-reported use of seat belts from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three territories using the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a state-based random-digit-dialed telephone survey (n = 406,552). Reported seat belt use was assessed by state, U.S. Census regions, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural/urban continuum codes. Results Overall, 85% of adults in the United States reported they always used seat belts. Regionally, the West had the highest prevalence of persons who reported that they always wear seat belts (89.6%) and the Midwest had the lowest (80.4%). States with primary seat belt laws had the highest prevalence of reported seat belt use, compared with states with secondary or no laws. After adjusting for various sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, and type of seat belt law, persons in the most densely populated metropolitan areas were significantly more likely to report always wearing seat belts than those in most sparsely populated rural areas (adjusted odds ratio = 2.9). Conclusion Our findings reinforce the evidence that primary enforcement seat belt laws are effective for increasing seat belt use, and suggest that upgrading to primary enforcement laws will be an important strategy for reducing crash-related fatalities in rural areas.
Size-dependent electrophoretic migration and separation of liposomes by capillary zone electrophoresis in electrolyte solutions of various ionic strengths.

The size-dependent electrophoretic migration and separation of liposomes was demonstrated and studied in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The liposomes were extruded and nonextruded preparations consisting of phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylglycerol/cholesterol in various ratios and ranging from 125 to 488 nm in mean diameter. When liposomes of identical surface charge density were subjected to CZE in Tris-HCl (pH 8) buffers of various ionic strengths (0.001−0.027), they migrated in order of their size. Size-dependent electrophoretic migration and separation of liposomes in CZE can be enhanced or brought about by decreasing the ionic strength of the buffer. It was shown that size-dependent migration is primarily a function of κR, where κ-1 is the thickness of the electric double layer (which can be derived from the ionic strength, I, of the buffer) and R, the liposome radius. Liposome mobility depends on κR and surface charge density in a manner consistent with that expected from the Overbeek−Booth e...
The Productive Conformation of Arachidonic Acid Bound to Prostaglandin Synthase

Prostaglandin H synthase-1 and -2 (PGHS-1 and -2) catalyze the committed step in prostaglandin synthesis and are targets for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin. We have determined the structure of PGHS-1 at 3 angstrom resolution with arachidonic acid (AA) bound in a chemically productive conformation. The fatty acid adopts an extended L-shaped conformation that positions the 13proS hydrogen of AA for abstraction by tyrosine-385, the likely radical donor. A space also exists for oxygen addition on the antarafacial surface of the carbon in the 11-position (C-11). While this conformation allows endoperoxide formation between C-11 and C-9, it also implies that a subsequent conformational rearrangement must occur to allow formation of the C-8/C-12 bond and to position C-15 for attack by a second molecule of oxygen.
Light scattering in transition metal diselenides CoSe2 and CuSe2

Abstract Raman scattering techniques have been used to investigate the long- wavelength optical phonon spectrum of the pyrite-type transition metal diselenides CoSe2 and CuSe2. Of the five Raman-active phonon peaks expected by group theory only one has been observed in CoSe2 and three in CuSe2 at 300 and 77°K. Overtone scattering is also observed in CuSe2. As these materials are highly conducting it is concluded that appreciable damping by free carriers obscures the observation of the missing modes.
Understanding collaboration in Wikipedia

Previous attempts at studying collaboration within Wikipedia have focused on simple metrics like rigor (i.e. the number of revisions in an article’s revision history) and diversity (i.e. the number of authors that have voluntarily contributed to a given article) or have made generalizations about collaboration within Wikipedia based upon the content validity of a few select articles. By analyzing the contents of randomly selected Wikipedia articles (n = 1,271) and their revisions (n = 85,563) more closely, this study attempts to understand what collaboration within Wikipedia actually looks like under the surface. Findings suggest that typical Wikipedia articles are not rigorous, in a collaborative sense, and do not reflect much diversity in the construction of content and macro-structural writing, leading to the conclusion that most articles in Wikipedia are not reflective of the collaborative efforts of any community but, rather, represent the work of relatively few contributors.
Apoptosis and autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases reflect the confluence of genetic, environmental and stochastic events. Recent studies have implicated apoptotic cell death pathways in initiating and propagating autoimmune diseases, as well as in rendering individuals susceptible to such diseases. Similar to autoimmunity, apoptosis is a multistep process, affecting immune and target cells, integrating numerous intrinsic and extrinsic signals, and requiring the actions of multiple gene products. Particularly relevant to the complexity of autoimmunity are the recent observations that apoptotic death might provide a primary source of tolerogen to shape the immune repertoire, or be the target of the immune response in autoimmunity, and that apoptosis is both required for lymphocyte selection and immunoregulation, and is a prominent outcome of immune and inflammatory effector pathways.
Relation of Troponin Elevation to Outcome in Patients With Infective Endocarditis

Elevated troponin is increasingly recognized as a marker of cardiac injury and poor outcomes in diverse disease states. It was hypothesized that patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and elevated cardiac troponin would have more extensive IE and worse clinical outcomes. Patients were enrolled as part of the International Collaboration on Endocarditis (ICE) prospective cohort study; analysis of these patients was done retrospectively. Data from 83 consecutively enrolled patients from a single center were evaluated. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was drawn for clinical indications and before any cardiac surgery in 51 of the 83 patients. Outcomes evaluated were hospital mortality, annular or myocardial abscess on the basis of echocardiography or surgery, and central nervous system events. Of 51 patients with cTnI drawn, 33 (65%) had elevated cTnI > or =0.1 mg/dl. There were no differences in age, gender, prosthetic valve IE, Staphylococcus aureus IE, or history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, or diabetes mellitus between patients with and without cTnI elevations. Patients with elevated cTnI were less likely to have isolated right-sided IE and more likely to have left ventricular systolic dysfunction or renal dysfunction (p <0.05 for each). In conclusion, elevated cTnI was associated with the composite of death, abscess, and central nervous system events (p <0.001).
Development of a hydrogen evolving photocatalytic membrane

Abstract Photoelectrochemical cells have a fundamental problem in that the thin, closely spaced laminar phases normally comprising an electrochemical cell do not readily lend themselves to penetration by external light as part of a solar energy conversion scheme. This has led to novel cell configurations that are more amenable to solar absorption. We are working on a “photocatalytic membrane”, where a single sheet comprised of two semiconductor layers combine their photopotentials to achieve a water-splitting voltage. A schematic depicting how the membrane might be configured is shown below. Light absorption in respective semiconductor layers drives oxidation on one side of the membrane and reduction on the other. Perforations filled with ion-exchange polymer allow the flow of ionic charge carriers (hydronium ion in acidic media) between anolyte and catholyte compartments. To fabricate such a photocatalytic membrane, a sequence of deposition steps must be developed where each subsequent step is compatible with the previous ones. Our strategy is to build n-type and p-type layers on opposite sides of a thin, perforated metallic sheet. A prototype device involving electrodeposition of n-WO3 and p-CdTe on mechanically perforated stainless #304 has been fabricated. A net photovoltage of 0.8 V in aqueous acidic electrolyte was estimated.
A fast responding temperature measurement system for CTD applications

Abstract The temperature measurement system of the standard Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/Neil Brown Instrument Systems conductivity-temperature-depth microprofiler consists of a platinum thermometer, which has stable calibration characteristics but response time of order 200 ms combined with a fast response thermistor designed to sample the higher frequency temperature fluctuations. The calibration characteristics and temporal response of the individual sensors relative to the conductivity cell were studied using a modified instrument which digitized these data channels separately. The relative responses of the individual sensors were found to be fairly well modeled by a single pole filter, but the response of the standard temperature signal, which is an analog combination of the two temperature sensor outputs, exhibited a complicated behavior. Several methods for obtaining a well-calibrated fast-responding temperature signal from the digitized platinum thermometer and thermistor records are discussed. Preliminary results suggest that thermohaline features on scales of less than a meter in the vertical are resolvable.
IPUS: an architecture for the integrated processing and understanding of signals

The Integrated Processing and Understanding of Signals (IPUS) architecture is presented as a framework that exploits formal signal processing models to structure the bi-directional interaction between front-end signal processing and signal understanding processes. This architecture is appropriate for complex environments, which are characterized by variable signal to noise ratios, unpredictable source behaviors, and co-occuring objects whose signal signatures can distort each other. A key aspect of this architecture is that front-end signal processing is dynamically modifiable in response to scenario changes and to the need to re-analyze ambiguous or distorted data. This architecture tightly integrates the search for the appropriate front-end signal processing configuration with the search for plausible interpretations. In our opinion, this dual search, informed by formal signal processing theory, is a necessary component of perceptual systems for intelligent agents that must interact with complex environments. In order to explain this architecture in detail, an example of its use in an implemented system for acoustic signal interpretation is presented. ****************************************************************** This work was supported by the Rome Air Development Center of the Air Force Systems Command under contract F30602-91-C-0038, and by the Office of Naval Research under contract N00014-92-J-1450. The content does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government, and no official endorsement should be inferred. This report extends work on non-control aspects of IPUS reported in Technical Report 91-34. Please refer to that report for more information on control in IPUS.
Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review of Practice Management and Recent Advances

This review of traumatic brain injury encompasses its impact on society, pathophysiology, and rehabilitative management. Topics include mild traumatic brain injury, outcomes, prognosis, cognitive rehabilitation, behavioral management, and neurologic and medical complications. Emphasis is placed on clinically relevant topics that have had recent developments or have been historically difficult to treat. Neurologic complications discussed include seizure, balance, visual dysfunction, and spasticity. Medical complications discussed include neuroendocrine and pain issues.
Enhanced ethylene evolution and electrolyte leakage from methomyl-treated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

Abstract Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., may undergo premature defoliation following treatment with methomyl, S-methyl-N-[(methyl-carbamoyl)oxy]-thioacetimidate, an insecticide used to control Heliothis spp. (cotton bollworm and tobacco budworm). The literature suggests that cotton defoliation is associated with both enhanced ethylene evolution and incresed membrane permeability. This study was initiated to evaluate ethylene evolution patterns and membrane permeability of cotton leaves grown under field and laboratory conditions following methomyl treatment. Ethylene evolution and electrolyte leakage (used as an indicator of increased membrane permeability) were monitored in leaf discs collected from cotton plants previously treated with 0.14, 0.28 and 0.56 kg ha −1 methomyl. Ethylene evolution was significantly increased in leaf discs within 9 h after one methomyl application. Further experiments indicated increased ethylene evolution up to 3 days after treatment. Increases in electrolyte leakage from leaf discs were detected in discs collected 24 h after methomyl treatment and incubated for 12 h in 0.2 M mannitol. Electrolyte leakage remained higher in treated tissue up to 6 days following methomyl treatment. Ethylene evolution was stimulated prior to electrolyte leakage in the experiments in which both were measured, suggesting that increased electrolyte leakage from methomyl-treated tissue occurred as a result of alterations in membrane permeability associated with enhanced ethylene production.
Health situation in Gaza is “grim,” UN relief chief says

Health care in the Gaza Strip remains dire, top UN humanitarian officials have warned. Essential drugs, medical supplies and parts, and fuel to power hospital generators are in acute shortage, and travel for patients who are seeking urgent treatment outside the area is restricted. The same officials have emphasised that the situation could deteriorate further unless Israel eases the restrictions that have curtailed the flow of humanitarian and commercial supplies to meet the needs of the 1.5 million population in Gaza. The World Health Organization in its latest biannual plan for humanitarian action cautions that chronic situations, such as that in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel “will continue to deteriorate and will thus require significant resources in 2008-9.” “I have been shocked by the grim and miserable things that I have seen and heard today, which are the result of current restrictions and the limitations on the number of goods that are being allowed into Gaza,” said Sir John Holmes, the UN emergency relief coordinator during a day long visit to the Gaza Strip. Sir John, a former ambassador and diplomatic adviser to the former UK prime minister, …
The preparation of B-fluoro derivatives of the pentagonal bipyramidal closo-2,4-dicarbaheptaborane carborane system

Abstract The B -Halo-closo-carboranes, 5Br2,4C 2 B 5 H 6 and 3,5I 2 2,4C 2 B 5 H 5 , are quantitatively converted to the corresponding B -fluoro closed cage derivatives, 5F2,4C 2 B 5 H 6 , and 3,5F 2 2,4C 2 B 5 H 5 . These reactions, accomplished with the use of fluoride ion in a nonaqueous solvent, amount to a net front-side displacement of the cage bonded halogen.
Outcomes and Procedures in Low Risk Birth: A Comparison of Hospital and Birth Center Settings

: Two retrospectively matched groups of low-risk women were studied, one that chose to give birth in an out-of-hospital birth center staffed and run by nurse-midwives, and another that labored and delivered in a tertiary care teaching hospital. The groups were matched for low risk status at 37 weeks. Although outcomes for both groups were similar, the use of almost all interventions during labor and delivery was significantly more frequent in the hospital group. These findings are consistent with studies of other settings in which the place of birth was shown to have an impact on childbirth experience, thus demonstrating that birth centers can oversee childbirth as safely and with less intervention than do hospitals. Larger comparative studies are needed to explore the impact and safety of hospital and out-of-hospital birth settings.
Higher Ploidy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Supports Enhanced Hepatitis B Virus S Cloned Gene Expression at the Pilot Scale

The effect of host strain ploidy on the production of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evaluated at the pilot scale (75 L). We found that the accumulation of HBsAg normalized to cell protein was 2-fold higher for the diploid strain compared to its isogenic haploid. No detectable differences in many fermentation parameters were observed (e.g., rate of fermentation, growth rate, final cell yield). However, the enhancement of productivity in the diploid strain appeared to be associated with a slower rate of plasmid shedding (2 μm element) and, thus, a higher average copy number (2-fold at stationary phase) compared to those of the haploid strain.
The interpretation of spirometric measurements in epidemiologic surveys

Abstract Spirometry is a fundamental tool in pulmonary epidemiology. Published standards provide specific information on instrumentation, techniques of testing, calculation of results, and physiologic mechanisms. They do not provide guidelines on how to interpret the test results once obtained, e.g., on such questions as which predicted values to use, what value is abnormal, how many people in the general population are likely to be abnormal? It is with these questions that this paper is concerned. Standard normal values in wide use are not ideal but should be utilized for all subgroups of the population investigated, as well as for the comparison population. Conventional definitions of abnormality lack statistical rationale and result in many false-positive and some false-negative results. This is especially true for fixed ratios such as forced expiratory volume (−1 sec)/forced vital capacity abnormality (a value below the lower limit of normal) means disease . The distribution of values (including the mean and standard deviation) should be used to assess epidemiologic risk factors. Prevalence rates separate abnormal from normal subjects. Such data may be used to identify those requiring preventive intervention, medical care, or compensation. Pathogenic mechanisms can be more easily isolated when abnormal subjects are separated from the majority of normal. Frequencies of spirometric abnormality in standard or normal populations serve as a reference to compare rates of similar abnormality in a population under investigation.
Feeding method and rehospitalization in newborns less than 1 month of age.

Objective: To examine the relationship between feeding method and hospitalization in a group of newborns under 1 month of age. Design: Retrospective chart review based on admission diagnoses. Setting: Academic Medical Center and Tertiary Children's Hospital in the same northwest city. Patients: 143 newborns divided into three groups based on feeding method at hospital admission: breastfed, bottle-fed, and breastfed with supplements. Results: A nearly equal number of males and females who were just as likely to be first born as later born experienced a mean weight loss of 8.5% and were hospitalized an average of 4.4 days. The breastfed and supplemented newborns were younger and experienced greater weight loss, and the majority had no positive findings with the diagnostic workups. They responded quickly to increased caloric intake. The bottle-fed newborns had a higher incidence of posi tive diagnostic results and a longer hospital stay. Conclusions: The results of this study support the observation that many healthy but hungry breastfed newborns are being hospitalized. Other than breastfeeding difficulties, most newborns had few problems beyond hyperbilirubinemia, which may be exacerbated by inadequate feeding. The monetary and psychological costs of unnecessary hospitalizations and the potential for early discontinuation of breastfeeding may be preventable.
Looking Toward the Real World: Student Conceptions of Engineering

Background This paper contributes to the growing body of scholarship on engineering students' conceptions of core concepts in engineering, including their conception of engineering itself. Understanding how students view engineering practice can provide guidance into student responses to course features such as collaborative projects. Purpose (Hypothesis) The research question addressed in this study is: What do student portfolios reveal about student constructions of engineering? Design/Method Texts from portfolios created by mechanical engineering undergraduates were analyzed qualitatively using concepts drawn from discourse analysis. This approach makes it possible to examine conceptions through close reading of linguistic structure of a body of writing. Results Students conceived of engineering practice as “the real world,” with most students not conceiving school experiences as integral to practice. Students conceived of engineering practice in terms of strongly contrasting elements rather than as a system of intrinsic elements. Two major aspects in student conceptions were present in the portfolios: values in engineering practice and the role of other people. Largely missing also from the student discourse was the sense that engineering is inherently collaborative. Conclusion Student conceptions formed continua which bear further study to more completely characterize student views. Conceptions of engineering leaders and engineering educators deserve greater attention as well as contrasts and models for comparison to student conceptions. The benefits of understanding conceptions more completely include understanding student resistance to exercises, predicting student difficulties with exercises, and understanding the distance between what educators are trying to teach students and what students are “hearing.”
C-TPAT: major challenges

Since its implementation after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) has grown to be one of the largest public/private partnerships in the world. The focus of C-TPAT is on the United States’ vulnerability to the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) across its borders. As a system, C-TPAT has achieved great success; however, there remain a number of serious deficiencies that C-TPAT, by itself, cannot overcome. Very few cargo containers are currently being inspected by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This is due to lack of funding and manpower deficiencies as well as the practical need to allow the flow of trade to continue as swiftly as possible. Instead of mass inspection of containers, CBP relies on its ability to identify and further question or inspect “high risk” containers before they are shipped or prior to their entry to the United States. Identifying “high risk” containers results in a far lower number of CBP inspections, thereby offering less interference with the trade process. It is well known amongst shipping experts that the contents of many containers are mislabeled or misdeclared. Combine the fact that many cargo containers contain misdeclared contents with the current model of inspecting very few containers and one can conclude that the potential for problems is enormous. Furthermore, concerns over specificity of standards related to C-TPAT security requirements and the likelihood that membership in C-TPAT increases an organization’s potential for attack and the situation continues to deteriorate. C-TPAT began as and remains an initiative with honorable goals; however, we cannot rely upon increasing numbers of C-TPAT members as a measure of its effectiveness.
Auger Recombination in Sodium-Iodide scintillators From First Principles

Scintillator radiation detectors suffer from low energy resolution that has been attributed to non-linear light yield response to the energy of the incident gamma rays. Auger recombination is a key non-radiative recombination channel that scales with the third power of the excitation density and may play a role in the non-proportionality problem of scintillators. In this work, we study direct and phonon-assisted Auger recombination in NaI using first-principles calculations. Our results show that phonon-assisted Auger recombination, mediated primarily by short-range phonon scattering, dominates at room temperature. We discuss our findings in light of the much larger values obtained by numerical fits to z-scan experiments.
Sirtuins regulate key aspects of lipid metabolism.

A bstract Members of the sirtuin family of NAD + -dependent protein deacetylases are important regulators of longevity in yeast, worms, and flies. Mammals have seven sirtuins (SIRT1-7), each characterized by differences in subcellular localization, substrate preference, and biological function. While it is unclear whether sirtuins regulate aging in mammals, it is clear that sirtuins influence diverse aspects of their metabolism. Indeed, SIRT1 promotes oxidation of fatty acids in liver and skeletal muscle, cholesterol metabolism in liver, and lipid mobilization in white adipose tissue. Moreover, small-molecule activators of SIRT1 have recently been shown to protect mice from the negative effects of a high-fat diet. These findings suggest that sirtuins might provide important new targets for the treatment of obesity and related diseases. In this review, we discuss the major findings linking sirtuins with the regulation of lipid metabolism.
The Lowering of the Spectral Series Limit of Hydrogen and Carbon in a Plasma

The lowering of the ionization potentials of hydrogen and carbon atoms immersed in a high temperature and high density thermal plasma generated in a wall stabilized arc have been estimated from the advance or shift of their respective series limits in the vacuum ultraviolet region of the spectrum for different electron densities and temperatures. Results show a close agreement with those theoretical calculations in which the effects of both microfield and polarization terms are added. However, our electron densities are lower by about two orders of magnitude than the critical electron densities required by theory for the inclusion of the microfield term. The question of validity of a critical electrom density will be discussed.
A historical perspective on localized waves

A historical perspective on the origins, development and applications of localized waves (LWs) will be presented. In similarity with plane waves, the fundamental LWs can be superimposed to form finite energy solutions of the wave equation or Maxwell's equations. In contrast to plane waves, some form of localization in space-time and phase space is a characteristic of LWs. Bi-directional representations of these LWs help reveal their intrinsic properties and provide techniques to generate many varietals of them. Experimental confirmation of launching LWs from independently addressable, time dependent arrays will be described.
Social networks and migrations : Italy 1876-1913

The standard neoclassical economic model of migration introduced by Todaro predicts 1) that migration occurs when the expected net present value of earnings from migrating, weighted by the probabil...
Magnitude Approximations for Microprocessor Implementation

Several methods for approximating the exact calculation of the magnitude of quadrature components are faster, and require smaller programs, than the exact methods themselves.
Educated Women's Career Patterns: Separating Social and Developmental Changes

This paper presents a secondary analysis of selected work and family variables drawn from a longitudinal study of educated American women. In it, we attempt to separate the effects of normative social change, cohort-specific change, and developmental or life cycle change. Comparisons within and across time indicate that some relations (for example, between marital status and number of children and labor force participation) may shift due to broad social change. Others (for example, the different relations between age at marriage and career activity) may reflect cohort changes. Finally, some relations (for example, between women's perceptions of their husband's attitude toward their careers and women's actual career achievement) may be best explained in terms of developmental change. These findings suggest that the relations between work and family variables for women are complex and are changing due to the singular and interactive effects of broad social changes, cohort-specific changes, and processes of personal development.
Internal structures of deformation induced planar dislocation boundaries

Abstract The internal structure of planar dislocation boundaries is explored through a coupling of experimental observations of extended geometrically necessary boundaries (GNBs) in deformed single crystals with a dislocation dynamics simulation. The internal dislocation structure of a GNB is approached first through standard diffraction contrast analyses to identify the boundary Burgers vectors in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). This result is placed in the context of a large series of boundaries by the calculation of boundary misorientation angle/axis pairs from Kikuchi pattern analysis in the TEM of orientations on either side of the boundaries. Of special interest are the boundary misorientation axes which together with the boundary normal, allow one to estimate the contribution of primary and secondary dislocations to boundary rotations. Selected boundaries are constructed using the experimental data, crystal plasticity analysis and Frank’s formula. The constructed boundaries are input into the dislocation dynamics code and allowed to equilibrate (relax). The internal stress field of the boundary is determined.
The impact of hospitalwide computerized physician order entry on medical errors in a pediatric hospital.

Abstract Purpose Medication errors contribute significantly to the morbidity and costs of pediatric health care. The authors hypothesized that hospitalwide computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in a pediatric hospital would lead to a decrease in medication errors. Methods The authors retrospectively evaluated and prospectively analyzed inpatient discharge and usage and adverse drug event (ADE) rate data pre- and postintroduction of a hospitalwide implementation of CPOE in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. They compared pre- and postintervention ADEs (Student's t test) and computed the number needed to treat (NNT) analog. Results Over the 9-month study period, there were 45,615 in patient days and 8619 discharges. Pre-CPOE verbal order regulatory compliance was 80%, whereas post-CPOE increased to 95%. Transcription errors were eliminated. All ADEs pre-CPOE were 0.3 ± 0.04 per 1000 doses, whereas post-CPOE ADEs were 0.37 ± 0.05 per 1000 doses ( P = .3). Harmful ADEs pre-CPOE were 0.05 ± 0.017 per 1000 doses, while post-CPOE ADEs were 0.03 ± 0.003 per 1000 doses ( P = .05). Our NNT data demonstrate that CPOE would prevent 1 ADE every 64 (95% CI 25-100) patient days. Conclusions CPOE decreases harmful ADEs in a pediatric hospital, thus leading to increased patient safety. In addition, CPOE provides an automated system for monitoring and improving health care quality.
Plasma levels of colchicine after oral administration of a single dose

Abstract Plasma colchicine levels have been measured serially after the oral administration of 1.0 mg of the drug to ten volunteer subjects. Peak colchicine concentrations averaged 0.323 ± 0.173 μ g 100 ml . Two populations were evident within the group, one with highest concentrations 1 2 hr after administration, and a second with highest concentrations 2 hr after administration of colchicine by mouth.
BAFF and related proteins: a new therapeutic target for B-cell malignancies

![Figure][1] For many years, investigation of new therapeutic agents for multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been limited to empiricism based in part on our lack of understanding of the pathogenesis of each disease. During this time period, basic laboratory
Contributions to Psychohistory: XXII. Quantification of Santayana's Cultural Schism Theory

The January 12th, 1991 U.S. Congress vote giving President Bush powers to initiate military operations against Iraq was analyzed with respect to personal and religious backgrounds of the voting Senators and Representatives. Aside from party affiliation, the outcome of the vote was significantly associated with religious affiliations of the members of Congress. These empirical findings are interpreted within the theoretical context of Santayana's hypothesis that the Catholic-Protestant schism is one of the determinants of the niveau of our society.
Reaction Rate Prediction via Group Additivity Part 1: H Abstraction from Alkanes by H and CH3

Reliable estimates of high-pressure-limit reaction rates as a function of temperature are essential for the development of reaction sets that can be used to model complex chemical processes. As these reaction rates depend primarily on the thermodynamic properties of the reactants and the corresponding transition state, this work attempts to predict these properties within the framework of group additivity. Using ab initio calculations at the CBS-Q level, with additional HF/6-31G(d‘) potential energy surfaces (PES) to define the hindrance potential for internal rotations, we calculate heats of formation (ΔfH298), entropies (S298), and heat capacity values (Cp(T)) of species involved in prototypical H abstraction reactions. From these, we derive new group additivity values (GAV) for transition-state-specific moieties. The new GAV allow rapid calculation of reaction rates for entire reaction families with good accuracy. This work presents a detailed description of the methodology and has its focus on H abstr...
Reproductive failure of Heterorhabditis marelatus in the Colorado potato beetle: Evidence of stress on the nematode symbiont Photorhabdus temperata and potential interference from the enteric bacteria of the beetle

The nematode Heterorhabditis marelatus and its symbiont, Photorhabdus temperata, have been documented to successfully attack and kill, but cannot reproduce within Leptinotarsa decemlineata. In vitro growth of P. temperata in L. decemlineata hemolymph did not cause the bacterium to switch to a secondary phenotype based on dye absorption from NBTA medium, and its growth in hemolymph was similar to that found in nutrient broth. Microscopic examination of body fluid from P. temperata-killed L. decemlineata revealed a high prevalence of P. temperata exhibiting abnormal growth characteristics, such as filamentous forms that regularly exceeded 50 μm in length. We also noted that many P. temperata infections were accompanied by substantial growth of competing bacteria that could interfere with growth of either P. temperata or H. marelatus. We isolated six species of enteric bacteria from our laboratory colony of L. decemlineata and identified them as species of Serratia, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Pantoea, Klebsiella, and Lactococcus. When P. temperata was grown alongside these enteric isolates on plates, all but the Lactococcus isolate inhibited the growth of P. temperata to a greater extent than P. temperata was able to inhibit their growth. Surprisingly, the Serratia isolate appeared to be slightly stimulated by the presence of P. temperata.
Baseline BOLD Correlation Predicts Individuals’ Stimulus-Evoked BOLD Responses

Abstract To investigate whether individuals' ongoing neuronal activity at resting state can affect their response to brain stimulation, fMRI BOLD signals were imaged from the human visual cortex of fifteen healthy subjects in the absence and presence of visual stimulation. It was found that the temporal correlation strength but not amplitude of baseline BOLD signal fluctuations acquired under the eyes-fixed condition is positively correlated with the amplitude of stimulus-evoked BOLD responses across subjects. Moreover, the spatiotemporal correlations of baseline BOLD signals imply a coherent network covering the visual system, which is topographically indistinguishable from the “resting-state visual network” observed under the eyes-closed condition. The overall findings suggest that the synchronization of ongoing brain activity plays an important role in determining stimulus-evoked brain activity even at an early stage of the sensory system. The tight relationship between baseline BOLD correlation and stimulus-evoked BOLD amplitude provides an essential basis for understanding and interpreting the large inter-subject BOLD variability commonly observed in numerous fMRI studies and potentially for improving group fMRI analysis. This study highlights the importance to integrate the information from both resting-state coherent networks and task-evoked neural responses for a better understanding of how the brain functions.