cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenomenology and Auschwitz: seeking practical application of the paradigm in design analysis

Abstract Phenomenological study offers much to the applied problem solver. As a descriptive and analytical tool, it explores the experiential facets of space and place. The use of a phenomenological outlook enables creative problem‐solvers to deepen their understanding of the personal values attached to sites and to grasp more fully the nature of subjective design information. To clarify the application of phenomenological methods to site development, a phenomenological analysis of the. main entry gate of the concentration camp at Auschwitz was conducted. The investigation revealed that the gate had six different subjective meanings in addition to its ascribed, functional purpose. These meanings, borne from inmates’ experiences, presented the gate as a single element within a complex, personalised affective network. The results of the study illustrated the range of potential insights to be gained by the problem solver through the use of phenomenological analysis.
The effects of prior cognitive control task exposure on responses to emotional tasks in healthy participants.

Background: Recent advances have been made in the application of cognitive training strategies as interventions for mental disorders. One novel approach, cognitive control training (CCT), uses computer-based exercises to chronically increase prefrontal cortex recruitment. Activation of prefrontal control mechanisms have specifically been identified with attenuation of emotional responses. However, it is unclear whether recruitment of prefrontal resources alone is operative in this regard, or whether prefrontal control is important only in the role of explicit emotion regulation. This study examined whether exposure to cognitive tasks before an emotional challenge attenuated the effects of the emotional challenge. Aims: We investigated whether a single training session could alter participants' reactivity to subsequent emotional stimuli on two computer-based tasks as well as affect ratings made during the study. We hypothesized that individuals performing the Cognitive Control (CC) task as compared to those performing the Peripheral Vision (PV) comparison task would (1) report reduced negative affect following the mood induction and the emotion task, and (2) exhibit reduced reactivity (defined by lower affective ratings) to negative stimuli during both the reactivity and recovery phases of the emotion task and (3) show a reduced bias towards threatening information. Method: Fifty-nine healthy participants were randomized to complete CC tasks or PV, underwent a negative mood induction, and then made valence and arousal ratings for IAPS images, and completed an assessment of attentional bias. Results: Results indicated that a single-session of CC did not consistently alter participants' responses to either task. However, performance on the CC tasks was correlated on subsequent ratings of emotional images. Conclusions: While overall these results do not support the idea that affective responding is altered by making healthy volunteers use their prefrontal cortex before the affective task, they are discussed in the context of study design issues and future research directions.
The Judicial Career of Justice David H. Souter and His Impact on the Rights of Criminal Defendants

Associate Justice David H. Souter retired from the United States Supreme Court on June 29, 2009 after a relatively short but influential career on the federal bench. Justice Souter began his service on the Court in 1990 after his appointment by President George H. W. Bush and was expected to provide a critical vote for conservatives, particularly since he was replacing one of the most liberal justices in the Court’s history, William Brennan. In fact, conservative observers of the Court were told by John Sununu, White House Chief of Staff for George H. W. Bush from 1989–1991, that Justice Souter would be a “homerun” for conservatives. However, Justice Souter proved to be anything but an ideological appointment. While Justice Souter aligned more often with conservative justices during his early years on the Court, he shifted toward the liberal bloc of justices, namely Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and John Paul Stevens, during the latter years of his tenure. Even in criminal justice
Seeing forests as fuel: How conflicting narratives have shaped woody biomass energy development in the United States since the 1970s

Abstract This article provides an historical analysis of arguments for and against using forests for fuel since the 1970s energy crises, and explores the relationship between public narratives and the implementation of renewable energy technologies. I argue that different ideas about the use of forest resources created narrative conflict between stakeholder groups, and this conflict influenced the development of biomass energy systems by limiting private investment and shaping public policy. Promoters and opponents of forest fuels both worked to achieve political goals as well as economic and environmental ones, and debates about biomass energy reflected these different views. Although this paper focuses on public perceptions about wood energy in the US, biomass advocacy in the US was influenced by efforts in other countries, particularly by innovation in Sweden and Finland. By providing an historical investigation of the cultural barriers to developing decentralized renewable energy systems in the US, and explaining how this experience compared with biomass development in other countries, this research demonstrates how conflicting narratives have shaped energy and environmental policy since the 1970s. This historical perspective contains valuable lessons about how different social groups’ values and beliefs have affected – and continue to affect – decisions about new energy technologies.
Design and fabrication of microwave flat lenses using a novel dry powder dot deposition system

We describe a new methodology for creating flat lenses operating in the microwave spectrum using a custom designed additive manufacturing system. This method utilizes a novel dry powder 3D printing system to achieve graded index lenses integrated within a structural composite. We also describe a new iterative dot patterning algorithm to achieve a desired graded dielectric distribution, and we compare the iterative dot patterning algorithm to other dot patterning techniques. Computational and experimental results are provided validating the design and fabrication process.
Launch Vehicle Engine Selection Using Probabilistic Techniques

A new method for selecting the number of engines on a rocket stage based upon reliability and cost is presented. This method will compare a new technique for reliability analysis that results in a higher fidelity model when considering engine out capability. The cost of each vehicle configuration is calculated to find an optimal balance of system cost and reliability. The optimal solution will be determined by using a combined objective function based on minimizing campaign cost and maximizing vehicle reliability. When performing reliability analysis with conventional practices, an engine out scenario is calculated using static tools. Another technique presented here will use a model that can adjust the failure rate of the propulsion subsystem to account for a longer burn time when an engine fails. The propulsion reliability will be combined with the other subsystem reliability estimates to calculate the reliability of the overall system. The system reliability will be one part of an objective function used in the optimization scheme. The methodology is created by using a combination of industry standard tools along with author developed models to create an integrated framework that allows for optimization. The complete design space is explored using optimization to examine the maximum reliability and minimum cost configurations. Additionally, Monte Carlo Simulation is used to vary the single engine failure rate. The ranges for the simulation are drawn from historical data and are used to capture the eects of a higher fidelity modeling technique. Conclusions are made about the engine configuration on the S-II stage of the Saturn V based upon the methodology presented in this paper.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of homogeneous gaseous reaction of CO2(g) + nH2O(g) + nNH3(g) → products (n = 1, 2).

Decreasing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere is key for reducing global warming. To facilitate the CO2 emission reduction efforts, our laboratory conducted experimental and theoretical investigations of the homogeneous gaseous reaction of CO2(g) + nH2O(g) + nNH3(g) → (NH4)HCO3(s)/(NH4)2CO3(s) (n = 1 and 2) using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy and ab initio molecular orbital theory. Our FTIR-ATR experimental results indicate that (NH4)2CO3(s) and (NH4)HCO3(s) are formed as aerosol particulate matter when carbon dioxide reacts with ammonia and water in the gaseous phase at room temperature. Ab initio study of this chemical system suggested that the reaction may proceed through formation of NH3·H2O(g), NH3·CO2(g), and CO2·H2O(g) complexes. Subsequent complexes, NH3·H2O·CO2 and (NH3)2·H2O·CO2, can be formed by adding gaseous reactants to the NH3·H2O(g), NH3·CO2(g), and CO2·H2O(g) complexes, respectively. The NH3·H2O·CO2 and (NH3)2·H2O·CO2 complexes can then be ...
Application of EPON Technology in Power Fonsumption Information Collection System

Based on the demand of power consumption information collection system and the characteristic of EPON technology,this paper describes the application of EPON in power consumption information collection system.As a pointto-multipoint optical communication technology,EPON is quite suitable for constructing a long-distance communication network.With the development of FTTH,EPON can also be used in local communication network to replace low-voltage power line carrier communication.It will realize the target of "all cover,all collection" in power consumption system,and provide value-added service of power system in the future.
A decision analysis framework for estimating the potential hazards for drinking water resources of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids

Despite growing concerns over the potential for hydraulic fracturing to impact drinking water resources, there are limited data available to identify chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids that may pose public health concerns. In an effort to explore these potential hazards, a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework was employed to analyze and rank selected subsets of these chemicals by integrating data on toxicity, frequency of use, and physicochemical properties that describe transport in water. Data used in this analysis were obtained from publicly available databases compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of a larger study on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water. Starting with nationwide hydraulic fracturing chemical usage data from EPA's analysis of the FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry 1.0, MCDAs were performed on chemicals that had either noncancer toxicity values (n=37) or cancer-specific toxicity values (n=10). The noncancer MCDA was then repeated for subsets of chemicals reported in three representative states (Texas, n=31; Pennsylvania, n=18; and North Dakota, n=20). Within each MCDA, chemicals received scores based on relative toxicity, relative frequency of use, and physicochemical properties (mobility in water, volatility, persistence). Results show a relative ranking of these chemicals based on hazard potential, and provide preliminary insight into chemicals that may be more likely than others to impact drinking water resources. Comparison of nationwide versus state-specific analyses indicates regional differences in the chemicals that may be of more concern to drinking water resources, although many chemicals were commonly used and received similar overall hazard rankings. Several chemicals highlighted by these MCDAs have been reported in groundwater near areas of hydraulic fracturing activity. This approach is intended as a preliminary analysis, and represents one possible method for integrating data to explore potential public health impacts.
The “Truth” Behind Newsroom Humor: An Ethnographic Content Analysis of the Blog “Overheard in the Newsroom”

Modern humor research commonly takes its cue from Freud and his position that jokes are a way to express risky ideas without fear of consequences. The journalism industry has undergone noticeable changes over the past two decades, and these shifts have clearly affected news products. However, these changes have also had noticeable effects on newsroom culture, a subject that has received far less attention from scholars. Since newsroom culture directly affects newsroom production, this study proposes a new way to access newsrooms in order to open conversations between newsroom scholars and practitioners. By applying an ethnographic content analysis (ECA) to published newsroom humor on the blog “Overheard in the Newsroom,” this study reveals issues that contemporary newsroom workers use to relate with their colleagues across the industry.
Public Health in Africa: Theoretical Framework

These are examined as parts of the health or medical systems from an historical perspective that enables the reader to link the present to the past and vice-versa.
Studies on the Function of the Mitochondrial Hinge Protein: Molecular Genetic Approach Using Yeast as a Model System

This chapter summarizes our recent studies on the 17 kDa protein, subunit VI of yeast mitochondrial cytochrome bc 1 complex, as a model system for the investigation of the function of the bovine heart mitochondrial hinge protein. The yeast 17 kDa protein shows an extensive homology to the hinge protein from the bovine heart as well as the human mitochondria. A double deletion mutant of Saccahromyces cerevisiae, which lacks the 17 kDa protein and iso-1-cytochrome c, was constructed. This double deletion mutant (cyc1-1,17kDa- 1) cannot grow on nonfermentable carbon source (glycerol-), but can be complemented to normal growth, when it is transformed by yeast vectors containing the wild type 17 kDa protein gene or the CYC1 gene. This double mutant showed a growth rate and a oxygen consumption rate three times slower than those of the wild type. These results suggest that the 17 kDa protein may be essential for cell respiration of a yeast strain whose cytochrome c level is limited (only 5%). This glycerol phenotype allows genetic studies on the function of the 17 kDa protein in yeast mitochondria and those information on the function of the 17 kDa protein can lead us to elucidate the role of the hinge protein in mammalian mitochondria.
Aluminum Nanocrystals: A Sustainable Substrate for Quantitative SERS-Based DNA Detection

Since its discovery in the 1970s, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been primarily associated with substrates composed of nanostructured noble metals. Here we investigate chemically synthesized nanocrystal aggregates of aluminum, an inexpensive, highly abundant, and sustainable metal, as SERS substrates. Al nanocrystal aggregates are capable of substantial near-infrared SERS enhancements, similar to Au nanoparticles. The intrinsic nanoscale surface oxide of Al nanocrystals supports molecule–substrate interactions that differ dramatically from noble metal substrates. The preferential affinity of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) phosphate backbone for the Al oxide surface preserves both the spectral features and nucleic acid cross sections relative to conventional Raman spectroscopy, enabling quantitative ssDNA detection and analysis.
Design for environment: A printed circuit board assembly example

Publisher Summary This chapter presents various techniques based on process modeling and product optimization that can be applied to printed circuit board (PCB) assembly design to minimize the environmental impact. The process steps in PCB fabrication include laminate core fabrication, resist coating, exposure, development, copper etch, resist strip, oxide treatment, lamination, drilling, desmear and copper plating, and solder masking. The chapter introduces a waste-stream weighting scheme, which is extremely useful for comparing two or more dissimilar waste streams. Thereafter, it discusses an optimization algorithm that seeks a balance among the various board design parameters; such as board area, number of layers, and number of boards on a panel; to come up with the physical board design with minimal manufacturing waste per board. It also discusses specific issues such as the way one can incorporate various design constraints, the way this analysis can be extended to packaging and the semiconductor manufacturing level, and the way in which the presented analysis fits into the overall life-cycle analysis of a product.
Dynamic Norms Promote Sustainable Behavior, Even if It Is Counternormative:

It is well known that people conform to normative information about other people’s current attitudes and behaviors. Do they also conform to dynamic norms—information about how other people’s behavi...
Ruggedness of 6.5 kV, 30 a SiC MOSFETs in extreme transient conditions

6.5 kV silicon IGBTs are used in multi-megawatt medium voltage power converters for rail traction applications, AC drives and grid-connected power converters. The 6.5 kV, 30 A SiC MOSFETs, recently launched by Wolfspeed, have the potential to replace Si IGBTs. Static and dynamic characteristics of the 6.5 kV SiC MOSFETs have been reported earlier. During the extreme transient conditions, the SiC MOSFETs can be subjected to high voltage overshoot and high short circuit current. In this work, ruggedness of these MOSFETs is established by short-circuit tests and single shot avalanche tests at room temperature. The 6.5 kV SiC MOSFET is observed to withstand 7.75 J of short-circuit energy at 20 V gate voltage with a stress withstanding time of 6 μs. The single shot avalanche test result shows an avalanche energy of 5.0 J. The increase in junction temperature of the SiC MOSFET at the avalanche failure is estimated from the experimental results.
Separation of Copper-Binding Peptides from Human Ceruloplasmin by Metal Chelate Affinity Chromatography and HPLC

Abstract Interest in the nature of the copper-binding properties of ceruloplasmin has led to our developing a methodology for separation of individual fragments that bind copper. A twelve hour limited tryptic digestion of ceruloplasmin produced fragments large enough to retain copper-binding properties yet small enough to be separated without requiring severe denaturing conditions. Metal-chelate affinity chromatography was used to initially separate the fragments into several pools. These pools were further purified using lectin affinity chromatography and/or reverse phase HPLC to yield relatively pure components. This method allows easy separation of copper-binding fragments from human ceruloplasmin without use of denaturing conditions.
Ze-gen: Commercializing Clean Tech

The Ze-gen case covers the first 5 years in the life of a clean-tech start-up. Set in summer 2010, Ze-gen had developed an innovative technology that converted solid waste into synthesis gas (called syngas). This technology was in testing at the company's pilot plant, built next to the New Bedford, Massachusetts landfill. By summer 2010, Davis's team was poised to take the next big step in building a successful clean tech company. It was time to take the company's technology to market, identify customers willing to pay, and scale the business for commercial success.Learning Objective:The case enables discussion of the challenges of building capital-intensive, high risk technology ventures, highlighting issues concerning financing, testing, and commercialization/scaling.
An Introduction to the Dynamics of Quench-Disordered Spin Systems

The interest in quench-disordered spin systems derives from two sources. On the one hand, there are many problems both in experimental physics and in technology where we are interested in the effect of impurities on the material properties of magnets. Impurity effects are, for instance, important for the operation of commercial magnets (coercive fields) as well as for magnetic recording devices. Frequently, nonmagnetic systems can also be represented by some appropriate spin model and again impurities may play an important role. An example is the phase separation of binary fluids in a porous medium which can be represented as a random-field Ising model. Spin-models with disorder are also useful outside condensed-matter physics. Spin-glass type models are, for instance, used as models for neural networks.
Case 14: The Stuck Elevator

A 6-year-old girl falls out of a car (traveling 35 mph) onto her left side. She is taken to the hospital with C-spine precautions. On arrival, the patient is alert and oriented. The C-spine films are negative. The patient is hemodynamically stable in the emergency room without evidence of external injuries other than superficial abrasion. She has no long-bone fractures, and two peripheral (18-gauge) intravenous (IV) lines are inserted. Her hematocrit (Hct) is 30 %. Just as she is about to be discharged she complains of abdominal pain. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan reveals intraperitoneal fluid and a ruptured splenic capsule. The patient is scheduled for an emergency laparotomy and transported to the operating room with oxygen, 6 l per minute, breathing spontaneously with a mask airway. A Jackson Rees modification of the Ayres T-piece is used to provide oxygen. In the elevator, the patient complains of sudden onset of chest pain and difficulty in breathing.
Mental health disorders and physical risk factors in children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study

AIM To examine the prevalence of mental health disorders among children with and without cerebral palsy (CP), and to examine how physical risk factors in children with CP might mitigate any elevated risk of mental health disorders in this population. METHOD Children from 6 years to 17 years of age with (n=111) and without (n=29 909) CP from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health were included in this cross-sectional study. Mental health disorders included depression, anxiety, behavior/conduct problems, and attention deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Physical risk factors included physical activity (number of active days ≥60min), sleep duration, and pain. RESULTS Adjusting for sociodemographics, children with CP had higher odds of mental health disorders (odds ratio [OR]=2.7-7.1, p<0.05) except for attention deficit disorder/ADHD (OR=2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.9-7.1). Further adjusting for physical factors, the odds of depression were no longer increased (i.e. attenuated) in children with CP (OR=1.0; 95% CI=0.3-3.3); however, the odds of anxiety (OR=3.8; 95% CI=1.9-7.8) and behavior/conduct problems (OR=3.8; 95% CI=1.3-11.1) remained elevated. Assessed individually, low physical activity and pain attenuated the odds of depression in children with CP (OR=1.9; 95% CI=0.7-5.3; OR=1.4; 95% CI=0.6-3.8 respectively). INTERPRETATION Children with CP have an elevated prevalence of mental health disorders even after accounting for physical risk factors. Low physical activity and pain partially accounts for the association between CP and depression. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have an elevated risk of developing mental health disorders. Physical factors do not fully account for higher mental health disorder prevalence. Physical activity partially accounts for the relationship between CP and depression. Pain partially accounts for the relationship between CP and depression.
Urethral Carcinoma of the Female Urethra: Surgical Management

Urethral cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancers occurring in women, but represents the only genitourinary cancer that is more common in the female population, with a female to male ratio of 4:1 (Joyner and McDougal 1997). It is more prevalent in Caucasians (88%) than in African Americans (12%), except when associated with a urethral diverticulum (Narayan and Konety 1992). Urethral cancer is primarily a disease that occurs in the sixth and seventh decades of life; however, extreme age ranges have been reported in the literature, from 25 to 90 years (Narayan and Konety 1992; Mayer et al. 1987).
Missing the target: group practices that launch and deflect slurs

Abstract Slurring by a group is generally an outcome of a group ideology that casts the targeted group in a negative light, attributing undesirable traits to every member of the group. The slur stands in as representative of those traits. A group levying a slur hopes to inflict psychological damage on the targeted group, minimizing or eradicating competition and potentially boosting the self-image of the group inflicting the slur. African Americans, the group that has been most heavily targeted by slurs, have developed strategies to lessen or eliminate the negative effects of slurring. Examining the African American response to slurring can shed light on how other targeted groups might respond.
Shaping 800 nm pulses of Yb/Tm co-doped laser: A control theoretic approach

Abstract Modern literature has demonstrated the use of fluorescent probes in optical microscopy. Most recently, Ytterbium (Yb3+) and Thulium (Tm3+) doped nanocrystals have been used to achieve the imaging of single upconversion nanoparticles in the Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscope. However, precise control of the stimulated emission at 800 nm caused by the discharge of the metastable 3H4 energy level of the Tm3+ acceptor probe would provide enhanced imaging in modern microscopy by suppressing visible fluorescence emitted from the focal plane. In this interdisciplinary paper, Model-Free Control is combined with Sliding Control to shape 800 nm pulsed emission of the lanthanide co-doped dual-laser system. This is achieved by controlling the stimulated emission rate via automatic adjustment of the probing laser pump power. This new type of controller will not be impacted by model errors like its model-based counterparts and can be fabricated by complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes paving way to photonic integration. Numerical simulation of the controller is executed and shows that the error between desired pulsed emission and the system's output was below 0.0057%. Mathematical analysis of the control technique and the results obtained from numerical simulations are presented.
Simple two- and three-dimension adhesive finite elements for stress analysis and energy release rate calculations in adhesively bonded joints

Special two- and three-dimensional adhesive elements have been developed for determining "mechanics of materials" level stresses in adhesively bonded joints. For two-dimensional analysis, the adherends are modeled as simple beam-truss elements connected by special adhesive elements that utilize offset nodes located at the mid-plane of the respective adherends. The technique has been extended to three-dimensional geometries by modeling the adhesive as a single element through the thickness with offset nodes located at the mid-plane of the adherends. The adherends are modeled as conventional plate elements. The simple models permitted by these elements provide good convergence to closed-form solutions for peel and shear stresses in 2-D lap joints. The 3-D elements offer significant computational efficiencies over more widely utilized three-dimensional element formulations. Although the results obtained using these elements are not sufficient to detect singular stress fields, or certain other details, they have proved to be very useful in understanding the overall stress states in bonded structures. Preliminary determination of strain energy release rates using the 2-D elements also appears to be quite promising.
THz spectroscopy of emerging materials for light driven processes and energy harvesting

Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy provides a crucial view on the electrical properties of emerging materials complementary to that which can be provided by more standard conductivity methods. The high frequency properties acquired in the THz range can be used to predict low frequency and DC behavior. THz spectroscopy provides insight into grain boundaries, phonon modes, and the underlying mechanism of charge transfer in general, paving the way towards superior design of novel materials. In this paper, we present pump-probe and time-domain THz spectroscopy on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) providing a detailed insight into carrier lifetime and charge scattering in MOFs.
A New Measure of Students' Perceived Conflict between Evolution and Religion (PCoRE) Is a Stronger Predictor of Evolution Acceptance than Understanding or Religiosity.

College biology students’ perceived conflict with their religions was found to be the strongest predictor of evolution acceptance compared with student religiosity, religious affiliation, and under...
Do Managers’ Nonnative Accents Influence Investment Decisions?

Reactions to earnings calls are sensitive to subtle features of managers’ speech, but little is known about the effect of nonnative accents in this setting. Nonnative-accented CEOs may avoid holding calls in English for fear of investors’ negative stereotypes. However, theory indicates that stereotypes from the CEO position and nonnative accents conflict, and that the process of reconciling conflicting stereotypes requires effortful processing. We use a series of four experiments to test each link of the causal chain that we hypothesize based on this theory. We demonstrate that motivated investors reconcile conflicting stereotypes by inferring exceptional qualities, such as hard work and determination, that positively affect their impressions of nonnative-accented CEOs and, hence, of the company as an investment. We also show that, because bad news stimulates effortful processing, investors receiving bad (versus good) news are more likely to form a positive image of nonnative-accented CEOs and their companies.
The impact of on-premises piped water supply on fecal contamination pathways in rural Zambia

Reliable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is a critical component of child health and development. However, as piped water systems with taps conveniently close to households are rare in rural, sub-Saharan Africa, there is limited evidence of their impact. We conducted a quasi-experimental study in four rural villages of southern Zambia between April 2018 and May 2019 in which we measured the impact of installing on-premises piped water systems on fecal contamination of stored water and caregivers’ hands. Gaining access to piped water was associated with a 0.5 log10 reduction of E. coli concentration in drinking water (p < 0.05) but no changes in hand contamination. The piped water systems in this study reduced the median distance to a safe drinking water source by over 90%, but we measured only small improvements in microbiological outcomes and no changes in the duration of self-reported, in-home water storage. These findings emphasize the need for future impact assessments of piped water systems to measure a comprehensive set of indicators directly linked to human well-being such as time savings.
A Taste of Federalism: Does ERISA Preempt State Law that Favors Some Health-Care Payers Over Others, A (93-1408) (93-1414) (93-1415)

New York State Conference Of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans Et Al. V. The Travelers Insurance Company Et Al. Docket Nos. 93-1408, 93-1414, And 93-1415 Argument Date: January 18, 1995 From: The Second Circuit The federal statute that governs employee benefit plans, including employee health-care plans, preempts, i.e, invalidates, any state law that relates to such plans. However, this same federal statute saves from preemption any state law that regulates the insurance industry. At issue in these consolidated cases is whether New York's surcharges on the rates hospitals charge to commercial health insurers and HMOs, the primary health-care payers for employee benefit plans, is preempted by federal law or is saved from preemption because they regulate insurance.
Mica filled polyetherketoneketones for material extrusion 3D printing

ABSTRACT Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) has superior physical properties to most available thermoplastics compatible with material extrusion-based 3D printing. The performance of fused filament fabrication (FFF) compatible PEKK has been detailed primarily as a function of varying the isomer ratios composing the co-polymer structure. PEKK composite or blend development for AM has received limited attention, yet this strategy is attractive for further performance tailoring and to address challenges associated, for example, with shrinkage upon crystallization. Here, we report the integration of three grades of mica platelets into PEKK at 10% and 30% mass loadings to generate an array of filament feedstocks that were used to print objects with a simple FFF machine. The effects of mica coating chemistry on the compatibility with PEKK and resulting properties are described. Mica fillers have only subtle influence on the FFF relevant melt rheological properties inherent to PEKK. Pigment micas at high loadings reduce the melting temperature of PEKK without shifting its glass transition temperature or inducing undesirable crystallization during processing. The printed composites were effectively cold crystallized post-printing similarly to unfilled PEKK resulting in increased dimensional stabilities. All micas, when used as fillers in low and high relative PEKK crystallinities, increased the tensile modulus of parts in correlation to the loading. The microstructural features of a printed composite were compared to unfilled PEKK by use of high-resolution helical micro-computed tomography. Practically, pigment micas can confer a wide range of rich colors to 3D-printed PEKK.
On the ordinariness of participatory culture

Amit Paul's participation in Indian Idol 3 created chances for interaction across longstanding ethnic, religious, spatial, and linguistic barriers in Meghalaya.
MOS decision and clock-recovery circuits for Gb/s optical-fiber receivers

Low-cost interface electronics are key for wider acceptance of 1-GHz optical-fiber data links for local area networks. ICs for the transmitter and receiver functions have been developed in GaAs and high-speed silicon bipolar technologies, but the prospect of implementing the requisite functions as MOS ICs has so far remained unfulfilled. Circuit designs for on-chip clock recovery and data regeneration at low error rates pose the greatest challenges. The authors report the first integrated versions of these elements exceeding 1 Gb/s operation fabricated in a 1- mu m nMOS technology. Fully differential and quasi-complimentary circuits are used for immunity from on-chip high-frequency noise. All clock phases are generated on-chip, requiring a single clock and complementary data inputs. >
The Justifications for Nondegradation Programs in U.S. Environmental Law

The concept of non-regression is not one that is familiar to environmental law in the United States. Nevertheless, Congress and federal agencies have adopted programs to prevent degradation of existing high quality environments and to prevent revisions of individual emissions restrictions by making them more lenient. The first programs are known as nondegradation or anti-degradation programs. The others preclude “backsliding” by prohibiting slippage in performance by regulated entities complying with regulations that are later loosened.This chapter explores the history and current status of nondegradation and anti-backsliding programs under U.S. water and air pollution control legislation. It describes the justifications for these programs that appear to have prompted Congress and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to adopt them. It also assesses alternative, rights-based justifications for nondegradation programs, that, while not reflected in federal environmental law in the U.S., may be supported by state constitutional and common law theories. While these theories may support rights-based nondegradation constraints in limited contexts, they are not likely to generate a broad-based set of nondegradation obligations that bind governments in the U.S.
Isolation and Expression of an NBS‐LRR Protein‐encoding Resistance Gene Candidate that Segregates with a Rust Resistance Gene in Sunflower

Sunflower rust caused by Puccinia helianthi is considered to be a major disease of sunflower because it causes significant yield losses. RACE-PCR was used to isolate a full-length cDNA of resistance gene candidate (RGC) 260, which segregated with the R adv resistance gene conferring resistance to rust. The predicted protein of this RGC is 1340 amino acids long and belongs to the CC-NBS-LRR subfamily of plant resistance genes. To verify that RGC260 belongs to a functional group of resistance genes, the transcript accumulation of the RGC was detected using real-time PCR following infection of plants with P. helianthi and Plasmopara halstedii, the two major pathogens of sunflower. The expression profile of this RGC revealed that its expression was specifically induced during an incompatible interaction between sunflower and P. helianthi. Expression profiles of defense genes and component signaling genes proposed the nature of this pathosystem as a gene-for-gene interaction. These results suggest that RGC260 may play a critical role in protecting sunflower cells against P. helianthi.
The Interaction of Control Valves with Oscillations Generated in a Large Water to Hydrogen Heat Exchanger

A number of tests which produced sustained thermally induced flow and pressure oscillations in a large H2O-H2 heat exchanger have been made at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station (NRDS), northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The heat exchanger operates very smoothly at design conditions of 1000 psia and 12.5 lb/sec/duct when liquid hydrogen is heated to 520°R. The oscillation experiments were performed at off design conditions at pressures in the range of 100 to 300 psia and flow rates on the order of 2 lb/sec/duct. These experiments were performed in order to investigate the limiting conditions for the stable operation of the 4.46-in. ID heat exchanger. The stability limits were observed to be compatible with the oscillation inception correlation of Thurston et al. [1], which was based on a ¼-in. ID test section, and with the inlet throttling effects reported by Bartiit et al. [2] for a 4-in. ID H2O-H2 heat exchanger. However, when the heat exchanger was operated with flow oscillations and functioning inlet and outlet control valves, unusually large amplitudes were produced within the heat exchanger. The interaction of control valves, at the inlet and outlet of a heat exchanger, with oscillations developed within the heat exchanger is the subject of this note.
Selective thromboxane A2 receptor blockade in experimental exercise-induced myocardial ischaemia in dogs.

Thromboxane A2 receptor stimulation induces blood platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, both potential causes of impaired perfusion of ischaemic myocardium. To study the potential role of thromboxane A2 receptor blockade in exercise-induced myocardial ischaemia and post-exercise myocardial dysfunction, nine conscious chronically instrumented dogs with single-vessel coronary artery stenosis (ameroid constrictor) were studied before, during and after steady-state treadmill runs which induced regional myocardial ischaemia. Three hours after a control run, the dogs were exercised again after the infusion of a selective thromboxane A2 receptor blocker: BM 13.177 (10 mg kg-1 i.v.). In the control run, systolic wall thickening (WTh, sonomicrometer) in the post-stenotic myocardium decreased from 22.1 +/- 9.1% at rest to 8.8 +/- 5.2% (mean +/- SD). Subendocardial blood flow (microspheres) in the ischaemic area decreased from 0.75 +/- 0.25 to 0.45 +/- 0.27 (ml min-1 g). The WTh in the ischaemic region remained depressed at 20 min after the run. BM 13.177 reduced peak left ventricular (+) dP/dt (micromanometer) and WTh in both control and post-stenotic myocardium at rest, during and after the run. WTh in the ischaemic area was reduced to approximately the same levels during running with BM 13.177 (not significantly different from control exercise) and remained depressed for at least 30 min after the run. Regional myocardial blood flow was not affected by BM 13.177. Thus, selective thromboxane A2 receptor blockade with BM 13.177 had a modest negative inotropic effect and did not improve regional function or blood flow in post-stenotic ischaemic subendocardium.
Preventing suicide in primary care patients: the primary care physician's role

Suicide is a critical public health problem that primary care physicians potentially can help address given that distressed patients frequently visit them in the weeks and months preceding the successful suicide. This article considers factors placing the patient at high risk for successful suicide and clinical assessment techniques available to the primary care physician. Patients who wish to harm themselves but still lack an articulated plan for doing so can be treated by the primary care physician with the monitoring assistance of a depression care manager and appropriate consultation by a mental health specialist.
Boulton, Alex, Shirley Carter–Thomas, & Elizabeth Rowley–Jolivet. (Eds.). Corpus‐Informed Research and Learning in ESP: Issues and Applications. Philadelphia/Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2012. Pp. 1, 306. $143.00, cloth. ISBN 978–90–272–0357–1.

A review of the book "Corpus-Informed Research and Learning in ESP: Issues and Applications," edited by Alex Boulton, Shirley Carter-Thomas, and Elizabeth Rowley-Jolivet, is presented.
Studies on the effects of abrasives on acrylic resins.

Abstract Cleanliness of the artificial denture is imperative in order to eliminate mouth odors, minimize tissue irritation, and maintain good oral tissue tone. Many types of materials are now employed for cleaning dentures. The effect of various denture cleansers commonly used on acrylic resins was studied by means of weight and surface loss measurements, luster changes, and microscopic examinations of the surface. A mechanical brushing machine was employed and a technique was developed for using rotating specimens. Preliminary to this study, a survey of denture patients was made at Indiana University School of Dentistry. The materials selected for this study and the brushing period employed were based on the results of this survey. The brushing period of 20,000 strokes was believed to be comparable to two years of normal brushing. 1. Immersion in proprietary compounds and in household bleaches has no effect on the resin, either by change in weight or color. 2. Brushing with household cleansers produced marked weight loss and the results obtained on the rotated specimens were approximately the same as those produced when the specimens were allowed to remain stationary. 3. The weight loss produced by the most abrasive dentifrice was less than one-half that caused by the household cleansers while only one proprietary compound induced any appreciable weight change. Miscellaneous agents such as salt, soda and soap had little or no effect. 4. A deep grooving action was produced by the more abrasive materials when the specimen remained stationary. With the rotated samples no deep scratches resulted. However, weight and surface loss measurements indicated a substantial amount of resin was being removed. 5. Surface loss with household cleansers reached a maximum of one-third millimeter. 6. Luster changes on rotated specimens correlated closely with data obtained in the other tests. It is apparent from this study that household cleansers, and possibly some abraisive dentifrices, are contraindicated for routine use in cleaning artificial dentures. Prolonged use of such materials may affect the fit of the denture and make maintenance of a clean surface more difficult.
Kinetics of the reactions of HSiCl with SiH4 and SiH2Cl2

Abstract Laser-excited fluorescence detection of HSiCl was used to measure the room-temperature kinetics of the reactions of HSiCl with SiH 4 and SiCl 2 H 2 . An upper bound was also obtained for the HSiCl + H 2 rate coefficient. Rate coefficients for insertion of HSiCl into SiH 4 and SiCl 2 H 2 are 3–4 orders of magnitude smaller than rate coefficients for insertion of SiH 2 into Si-H bonds.
A guiding system for solar furnaces

Abstract An electronic system has been developed to guide solar furnaces and instruments of similar axial arrangement in their motion. The driving motors are supplied with a basic current. To this is added algebraically a correction current developed by a photosensing and amplifier system. This arrangement permits precise, even following of the sun's apparent motion. The system is exceptionally free of “hunting.”
γ-Secretase inhibitors as molecular probes of presenilin function

Mutations in the presenilins cause Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and alter γ-secretase activity to increase the production of the 42-residue amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) found disproportionally in the cerebral plaques that characterize the disease. The serpentine presenilins are required for transmembrane cleavage of both the amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) and the Notch receptor by γ-secretase, and presenilins are biochemically associated with the protease. Inhibitors of γ-secretase have provided critical clues to the function of presenilins. Pharmacological profiling suggested that γ-secretase is an aspartyl protease, leading to the identification of two conserved aspartates important to presenilin’s role in proteolysis. Conversion of transition-state analogue inhibitors of γ-secretase to affinity reagents resulted in specific tagging of the heterodimeric form of presenilins, strongly suggesting that the active site of γ-secretase lies at the interface of the presenilin heterodimer. Heterodimeric presenilin appears to be the catalytic portion of a multi-protein γ-secretase complex.
Segmented Liner to Control Mode Scattering

The acoustic performance of duct liners can be improved by segmenting the treatment. In a segmented liner treatment, one stage of liner reduces the target sound and scatters energy into other acoustic modes, which are attenuated by a subsequent stage. The Curved Duct Test Rig is an experimental facility in which sound incident on the liner can be generated in a specific mode and the scatter of energy into other modes can be quantified. A series of experiments is performed in which the baseline configuration is asymmetric, that is, a liner is on one side wall of the test duct and the wall opposite is acoustically hard. Segmented liner treatment is achieved by progressively replacing sections of the hard wall opposite with liner in the axial direction, from 25% of the wall surface to 100%. It is found that the energy scatter from the (0,0) to the (0,1) mode reduces as the percentage of opposite wall treatment increases, and the frequency of peak attenuation shifts toward higher frequency. Similar results are found when the incident mode is of order (0,1) and scatter is into the (0,0) mode. The propagation code CDUCT-LaRC is used to predict the effect of liner segmenting on liner performance. The computational results show energy scatter and the effect of liner segmentation that agrees with the experimental results. The experiments and computations both show that segmenting the liner treatment is effective to control the scatter of incident mode energy into other modes. CDUCT-LaRC is shown to be a valuable tool to predict trends of liner performance with liner configuration.
The orientation of CO adsorbed on Ni(100)

Abstract We demonstrate the utility of angular resolved photoemission with synchrotron radiation to determine the bonding configuration of adsorbed molecules. This procedure depends on an understanding of the gas phase phase photoexcitation of the molecule and makes specific use of the polarized and continuum nature of the photon source to investigate the angle resolved emission from the adsorbate.