cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconciliation and the Fiscal Constitution: The Anatomy of the 1995-96 Budget "Train Wreck"

Congress originally conceived of the budget reconciliation process as a minor fallback mechanism for bringing one year's tax and spending policy in line with overall budget targets. Reconciliation has since become central to congressional efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit. This Note argues, however, that reconciliation is limited in its capacity to impel significant budgetary reform. The author demonstrates how, in 1995-96, reconciliation caused repeated breakdowns in governmental budget-making, undermining the entire budget process. The author concludes that the legal, institutional, and political constraints inherent in the reconciliation process will continue to constitute powerful obstacles to congressional efforts to implement sweeping national reform via the annual budget.
Directing For the Small Professional Theatre: Directing "Nothing Sacred"

The Process of Directing in Small Professional Theatre: Directing Nothing Sacred By Robb Hunter, M.F.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at the Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008 Major Director: Dr. Noreen C. Barnes Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Theatre The challenges of producing and directing small professional theatre in any metropolitan area are many. This thesis is concerned with the process of finding a producing theatre, casting, rehearsal and staging the play, Nothing Sacred by George F. Walker, in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Unlike many thesis projects this one was conducted completely outside of the university setting and is thus a true reflection of the small professional theatre community.
Nitrogen Nutrition of Containerized Anemone x hybrida

Abstract Uniform single crown plantlets of Anemone x hybrida Paxton ‘Margarete’ were grown in 3.8-liter (#1) containers filled with a substrate of composted pine bark:sand (8:1 by vol). Plants were fertilized three times weekly for 15 weeks with a complete nutrient solution at nitrogen application rates (NARs) of 10, 40, 80, 150 or 300 mg/liter (ppm) nitrogen (N), in a constant ratio of 1 ammonium:2 nitrate. All other nutrients were held constant. Leaf area, top dry weight, and root dry weight increased with increasing NAR until reaching a plateau at a NAR of 144 ± 21 mg/liter (ppm), 158 ± 28 mg/liter (ppm), and 119 ± 30 mg/liter (ppm), respectively. The proportion of fine roots to thick roots was unaffected, and production of propagation material (root cuttings) reached a plateau at a NAR of 108 ± 28 mg/liter (ppm). Leaf concentrations of N, P, and K at maximum leaf area were 4.7%, 0.5%, and 3.5%, respectively.
The Program Assessment Rating Tool and its Role in Evaluating the Effectiveness of U.S. Government Programs

Over the past 50 years, the United States government has engaged in a number of efforts designed to focus on the results of federal agencies and programs. Starting in the 1950s with “performance budgeting” and continuing through the 1960s and 1970s program budgeting and zero-based budgeting efforts, the goal of these has been a closer linkage between resources provided and results achieved. In 1993, during the administration of President Bill Clinton, the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) was signed into law. This act required federal agencies to engage in strategic planning, performance planning, and performance reporting.
A new optical switching fabric architecture incorporating rapidly switching all-optical variable delay buffers

This paper discusses new optical packet switch architectures utilizing all-optical variable delay buffers functioning as input and output queues in addition to circulating fixed buffers, and shows the simulation performance of the proposed architectures.
Effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on blood flow after retinal ischemia in cats

Purpose. To determine the effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on blood flow in the cat retina and on changes in the electroretinogram after 1 hour of ocular ischemia. Methods. After the induction of general anesthesia, one eye in each of 18 cats was subjected to 60 minutes of ischemia by raising intraocular pressure above systolic arterial pressure. One group (n = 9) was administered 30 mg/kg L-NG-nitro-arginine-methylester (L-NAME) intravenously 60 minutes before ischemia. The other group (n = 9) was administered an equivalent volume of saline intravenously. Five minutes after the end of ischemia, blood flow in the retina, choroid, and iris-ciliary body was measured using injections of radioactively labeled microspheres. Electroretinographic studies were carried out before, during, and 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after ischemia ended. Arterial blood gas tension, systemic arterial pressure, hematocrit, and anesthetic levels were controlled in each experiment. Results. Basal blood flow in iris-ciliary body was decreased by L-NAME, whereas retinal and choroidal blood flow was unchanged. Postischemic hyperemia was unaltered in the choroid and reduced in the retina. There was enhancement of postischemic hyperemia in the irisciliary body, but this effect may have resulted from a decrease in basal flow in the L-NAME group. Electroretinographic a- and b-wave recoveries were not altered by L-NAME; L-NAME infusion significantly decreased b-wave amplitude. Conclusions. Nitric oxide appears to be a significant factor in the regulation of uveal circulation and may contribute to the regulation of retinal, but not choroidal, blood flow after ischemia. The authors could not detect a difference in outcome by electroretinography with or without nitric oxide synthase inhibition. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995;36:2396-2403.
Building students' mathematical proficiency : connecting mathematical ideas using the Tangram

This article describes a classroom-tested approach that brings together different sub-domains of secondary school mathematics using the Tangram: Number Sense and Algebra (unpacking the idea of a square root and irrational numbers, understanding a reverse relationship between area and side length of a square); Geometry and Measurement (spatial reasoning, understanding properties of geometric shapes, measuring area and length).
THE MAN OF LETTERS AND THE AUTHOR OF NATURE: HUME ON PHILOSOPHICAL DISCOURSE

Recent philosophy in the English language manifests a concern with the status and nature of the philosophical text which seems virtually unprecedented in Anglo-American thought. The very suggestion that the concept of the philosophical text ought to be taken seriously by philosophers (as opposed to publishers or literary historians) appears to be a recent addition to our world of discourse. For in the dominant tradition of Anglo-American philosophy, the philosophical enterprise has usually been construed as an open-ended inquiry, a posing and sharpening of questions, counter-questions, objections, and refutations in which the important thing is doing philosophy. So far this conception of the activity is in accord with the criticism of the written word in Plato's Phaedrus, although many of our philosophical colinguists have shied away from Socrates' insistence that such ongoing discourse must be dialectically oriented toward attaining a single, comprehensive, and systematic view of the totality of things. But even those with a penchant for systematic thought have generally proceeded in a manner which suggests that they could not acknowledge the irony of the Socratic and Platonic positions; for Socrates' critique of writing appears in a dialogue which has been written quite artfully and deliberately and which has attained the status of a cultural icon. That such irony can no longer be ignored and that it is increasingly being detected in thinkers and texts that stand closer and closer to the mainstream of the dominant tradition can be ascribed to several realizations, some of which have been crystallized by the finally unavoidable force of the perspectives identified with thinkers such as Heidegger, Derrida, and Foucault. (I speak of the "dominant tradition," meaning that which has come to dominate, for, as I will be suggesting, it is not the only philosophical mode which has been handed down to us in our language.) The tradition of which I write does have a textual base that can be appealed to in cases of crisis of confidence. The canonical authors are Locke, Berkeley, and 115
Experiments on Drop Impact and Coalescence at a Liquid/Liquid Interface

The gravity-driven impact and coalescence of a single drop through a liquid/liquid interface have been investigated experimentally. PIV images were obtained with a high frequency pulsed-laser and a high-speed video camera. Index-matching and a slight camera inclination were employed to eliminate optical distortion. The drop Reynolds numbers based on impact velocity and ambient viscosity were 20 and 68. During the approach towards the interface, viscous stresses generated a vortex ring inside each drop and a wake behind it. The subsequent deformation of the drop and the interface due to impact were observed to be more radical in the higher Re case. Both the wake shearing on the upper drop surface and interfacial deformation were significant in dissipating the vorticity inside the drops. After the vorticity dissipated, an outward flow developed along one radian between the ‘resting’ drop and the interface below generating a counter-rotating vortex pair. The eventual coalescence was typically off axis. During coalescence, a capillary ring wave propagated radially inward enhancing the collapse of the drop fluid into the bulk liquid below.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
On fitness and adaptedness and their role in evolutionary explanation.

This paper deals with the structure of evolutionary explanations that are based on natural selection. Scientific explanations have two components: the explanandum, or phenomenon to be explained, and the explanans, or that which does the explaining.' In evolutionary explanations derived from natural selection, the explanandum is the presence of some trait in a certain frequency or its rate of increase in frequency over time; in other words, the explanandum is usually fitness in the operational sense of Fisher. The explanans of natural selection explanations invariably make reference to design characteristics of the trait, or its adaptedness. Indeed, many evolutionary explanations, such as those that are commonplace in evolutionary ecology, make reference only to adaptedness. In this essay I discuss situations in which fitness and adaptedness are only indirectly related and are sometimes totally decoupled, in the sense that factors other than adaptedness dominate in the determination of fitness. I argue that one of the main processes contributing to this masking of adaptedness is sexual reproduction. Thus a portion of my argument is concerned with the evolution of sexual reproduction. In my discussion of fitness and adaptedness I distinguish between the intrinsic or genetic aspects of a fitness component and its extrinsic or environmental aspects, and argue that the concept of adaptedeness should apply only to the former. I use the term "fitness" to mean "per capita rate of increase," a usage that was originally Fisher's.2 Thus the fitness of any type -
Processing strategies for niobium sheet used in advanced superconducting particle accelerator cavities

Ultra-high-purity niobium sheet is used to fabricate radio frequency cavities for use in future linear accelerators. The complexity of the shapes requires the electron-beam welding of deep-drawn components, but difficulties with inconsistent formability, springback, and surface roughness have been traced to non-uniform microstructures and texture gradients that are common in commercial niobium sheet. Two approaches under study to overcome these problems are the development of fine-grained favorably textured polycrystalline sheet, and the use of a properly oriented and nearly single-crystal sheet to form pieces of the cavity. Both approaches show promise but need further work.
Lipids in bone: optimal conditions for tissue storage prior to lipid analyses

Optimal conditions for storage of calcified tissues prior to lipid analysis were determined by comparing the lipid composition (total lipid, total phospholipid, triglyceride, free fatty acid, cholesterol, and complexed acidic phospholipid) of mature rabbit diaphyseal bone stored 1, 2, and 5 months after animal sacrifice to that observed in the bones from which the lipids were immediately extracted at the time of sacrifice. Storage of lyophilized or nonlyophilized tissues at −70°, or lyophilized tissues at −20°, were the only methods that did not yield significant changes in bone lipid composition with time.
Relationship between tracheobronchial particle clearance rates and sites of initial deposition in man

Mucociliary clearance was compared in three groups of normal subjects; each group inhaled a different type of aerosol (sebecate, iron oxide, and aqueous) labelled with 99Tc, to determine the relationship between deposition pattern and the subsequent total lung clearance. Standardization for deposition was accomplished by measuring a central to peripheral ratio (C/P) of deposited radioactivity in the thorax. Lung particle retention at 30, 60, 90, 120 min, and 24 h was measured, and compared at each time period to the C/P ratio. A linear relationship between the retention of aerosol at each time period and the C/P ratio was seen among all aerosols, e.g., aerosol with high C/P ratios had less retention of aerosol at a given time period than aerosols with more diffuse deposition patterns and lower C/P ratios. Furthermore, the relationship was similar to that of the more traditional measurement of regional deposition, the 24-h percentage retention. Lung particle retention was compared among aerosols, using analysis of covariance to standardize for C/P ratio. The intersubject variability was similar among all three aerosol groups. Thus, mucociliary clearance can be standardized in healthy subjects by using an initial deposition index, the C/P ratio, with similar accuracy to the 24-h percentage retention, as an index of aerosol deposition. The use of the C/P ratio, however, has distinct advantages over the 24-h retention, in that studies can be conveniently shortened, used with short lived isotopes, and be adapted to techniques investigating lung permeability instead of tracheobronchial clearance. An unexpected finding was the more rapid clearance of sebecate particles, compared with iron oxide or aqueous particles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Dynamic stresses in a case-bonded cylinder due to transient angular accelerations.

In some applications, case-bonded elastic cylinders are given high rates of spin quite rapidly. To gain some insight about the dynamic stresses in the cylinder during such loading, the transient response of an elastic circular cylinder that is bonded to a more rigid case is investigated. The case is given a specified angular acceleration as a function of time. Specifically, the case is given an impulsive angular acceleration and a step function angular acceleration. Numerical results of these situations are presented. The numerical results for the step function angular acceleration are for an incompressible elastic cylinder. In all instances, the cylinder is considered to be in a state of plane strain.
Y0∗ (1520) mass, width and decay fractions

Abstract The decay fractions of the Y 0 ∗ (1520) have been measured using the reaction K − p → Y 0 ∗ (1520) π + π − at 2.0 GeV/ c incident momentum. They are K N : Σπ: Λππ = (52 ± 4):(37 ± 4):(11 ± 2) . The best values for the mass and width are 1518.0 ± 0.7 MeV and 16 ± 2 MeV.
Nonhistone nuclear proteins of rat brain.

— The rat brain was dissected into cerebral cortex, cerebellum and the remaining regions. From the nuclei, isolated from these three brain sections, were extracted two fractions of nuclear sap proteins (proteins soluble in 014 M NaCl and proteins soluble in 01 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 7-6) and two fractions of nonhistone chromosomal proteins (one soluble in 0-35 M NaCl and one which is not soluble at this salt concentration). Each of these four fractions of the nonhistone nuclear proteins was further separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The electrophoretic patterns of the studied fractions of nuclear proteins are qualitatively identical regardless of the brain section from which the analysed protein fraction was isolated. In addition, there arc no qualitative differences in the electrophoretic patterns of nonhistone chromosomal proteins which are and which are not soluble in 0-35 M NaCl. In contrast to the qualitative similarity of the electrophoretic patterns of proteins from different sections of the brain, the amount of the nonhistone nuclear proteins is characteristic for each studied brain section. The ratio of the total nonhistone nuclear proteins to DNA is highest in the brain cortex and lowest in the cerebellum. The most expressed difference between the nuclei is in the ratio of the nonhistone chromosomal proteins soluble in 0-35 M NaCl to DNA. This ratio is 0-52 in the cortex. 0-38 in the mixture of noncortical and noncerebel-lar regions and only 0-18 in the cerebellum. The amount of the three fractions of nonhistone nuclear proteins in the nuclei of individual brain sections is proportional to the activity of the genome in these nuclei. The only exception are the nonhistone chromosomal proteins which are not soluble in 0-35 M NaCl. These proteins and the histones are present in the same amounts in nuclei isolated from all three studied sections of the brain. The results support a proposal that the nonhistone nuclear proteins are involved in the expression of the genetic activity of the cell, without the majority of the proteins in any of the four fractions being the specific regulatory molecules.
Language comprehension profiles of young adolescents with fragile X syndrome.

Purpose In this study, the authors sought to characterize the language phenotype of fragile X syndrome (FXS), focusing on the extent of impairment in receptive syntax, within-syndrome variability in those impairments in relation to gender, and the syndrome specificity of those impairments. Method The Test for Reception of Grammar, Version 2 (Bishop, 2003), was used to examine the overall receptive syntactic skills of adolescents with FXS (n = 35; 30 males, 5 females), adolescents with Down syndrome (DS; n = 28; 18 males, 10 females), and younger typically developing (TD) children (n = 23; 14 males, 9 females) matched on nonverbal cognition. Performance on specific grammatical constructions and error types was examined for a subset of matched participants. Results Participants with FXS had overall receptive syntax scores that were lower than those of the TD participants but higher than those of the participants with DS; however, there was no difference in performance between the FXS and DS groups when fema...
Freezing of water saturated porous media in a rectangular cavity

Abstract Results for the freezing of water and of water saturated porous media are reported. Experiments were performed in a rectangular cavity, such that the solid-liquid interface and fluid motion were observed directly. The effects of natural convection and porous media ( spherical glass balls) on the solidification and fluid motion were investigated.
Using collective x-ray Thomson scattering to measure temperature and density of warm dense matter

Collective x-ray Thomson scattering allows measuring plasmons, i.e electron plasma oscillations (Langmuir waves). This is manifest in the appearance of spectrally up- and down-shifted spectral features in addition to the Rayleigh signal. The ratio of the up- and down-shifted signals is directly related to detailed balance, allowing to determine the plasma temperature from first principles. The spectral shift of the plasmon signals is sensitive to temperature and electron density. We discuss the experimental considerations that have to be fulfilled to observe plasmon signals with x-ray Thomson scattering. As an example, we describe an experiment that used the Cl Ly-{alpha} x-ray line at 2.96 keV to measure collective Thomson scattering from solid beryllium, isochorically heated to 18 eV. Since temperature measurement based on detailed balance is based on first principles, this method is important to validate models that, for example, calculate the static ion-ion structure factor S{sub ii}(k).
Mesh kits for anterior vaginal prolapse are not cost effective.

Introduction and hypothesis To analyze the cost-effectiveness of traditional anterior colporrhaphy (AC), hand-cut mesh, and mesh kit anterior vaginal prolapse (AVP) repair.
The effect of prolonged sitting on mental task performance

Due to changes in technology, people are frequently relegated to the role of system monitor. This has created a more sedentary workplace, where the person commonly assumes a traditional seated position for prolonged periods of time. The seated position causes both biomechanical and physiologic stressors which can lead to discomfort over a prolonged period. It was hypothesized that the discomfort associated with prolonged sitting will degrade performance of a system monitoring task. A pilot study was conducted testing this hypothesis.
Organisms associated with Gram-negative folliculitis: In vitro growth in the presence of isotretinoin

Isotretinoin has been found to be effective in the treatment of Gram-negative folliculitis. We investigated the direct in vitro antibacterial activity of isotretinoin aganist Gram-negative species. The concentrations of isotretinoin tested were two and ten times greater than the maximal levels attained in the sera of patients receiving oral isotretinoin. Regardless of the inoculum size, each organism tested grew as well in isotretinoin-containing media as it did in the control medium. These findings suggest that the efficacy of isotretinoin in patients with Gram-negative folliculitis is due to mechanisms other than direct antimicrobial action.
A Primer on Electrophysiologic Studies in Myopathy

Electromyography and nerve conduction studies are the primary electrodiagnostic studies employed in the evaluation of patients with weakness and suspected myopathy. This article discusses the physiologic principles that serve as a framework for understanding the purpose, limitations, and interpretation of these tests. In the process the authors also review the differential diagnosis of myopathy.
Aortic-origin reconstruction of the great vessels: Risk factors of early and late complications

Abstract Objective: Great vessel reconstruction for arterial occlusive disease has been shown to be a durable procedure. The purpose of this report is the examination of the influence of cause and risk factors on outcomes for the identification of patients who may be better treated with endovascular techniques or other surgical approaches. Methods: Data for patients who underwent aortic-origin great vessel reconstruction between 1988 and 1998 were reviewed. The data were analyzed with Fisher exact test, life-table analysis, and log-rank test. Results: Ninety-two vessels underwent revascularization in 58 patients (15 men, 43 women; mean age, 54 years; age range, 20 to 82 years). Etiology was atherosclerosis obliterans (n = 40; 69%), Takayasu's arteritis (n = 13; 22%), radiation arteritis (RA; n = 4; 7%), and mediastinal fibrosis (n = 1; 2%). The symptoms were cerebrovascular (n = 25), upper extremity (n = 8), or both (n = 23), and two patients were asymptomatic. The bypass grafting was performed with single-limb synthetic grafts (n = 23) or grafts plus side arms (n = 28). Seven patients underwent innominate endarterectomy. The mean follow-up period was 45 months (range, 0 to 126 months). The perioperative stroke (n = 4; 7%) and death (n = 2; 3%) rates were not related to the cause of disease. The patients with creatinine levels of 2 or more (n = 4) had a combined perioperative stroke/death rate of 50% (vs 7% for patients with healthy creatinine levels; P P P =.02) and an increased major late infection rate (50% vs 2% for all others; P =.01). Conclusion: Patients with thrombophilia and renal insufficiency have increased perioperative stroke and stroke/death rates, respectively. Patients with RA have an increased incidence rate of late major infection, which directly contributes to an increased rate of stroke or death. Patients with thrombophilia have an increased rate of late graft thrombosis. These patient conditions should be approached cautiously, and some patients may benefit from endovascular therapy. (J Vasc Surg 2000;31:260-9.)
Losless EEG signal compression

In this work, we study the lossless compression of EEG (electroencephalograph) signals using linear prediction and arithmetic coder. We show that, when we separate the less significant bits of each signal, linear prediction techniques yield better prediction, and with a structured arithmetic coder not only our technique achieves better compression rates than other techniques reported previously, but also our technique is much faster than the others.
Nonequilibrium Steady States of Driven Periodic Media

We study a periodic medium driven over a random or periodic substrate. Our work is based on nonequilibrium continuum hydrodynamic equations of motion, which we derive microscopically. We argue that in the random case instabilities will always destroy the LRO of the lattice. In most, if not all, cases, the stable driven ordered state is a transverse smectic, with ordering wavevector perpendicular to the velocity. It consists of a periodic array of flowing liquid channels, with transverse displacements and density (``permeation mode'') as hydrodynamic variables. We present dynamic functional renormalization group calculations in two and three dimensions for an approximate model of the smectic. The finite temperature behavior is much less glassy than in equilibrium, owing to a disorder-driven effective ``heating'' (allowed by the absence of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem). This, in conjunction with the permeation mode, leads to a fundamentally analytic transverse response for $T>0$. Our results are compared to recent experiments and other theoretical work.
Monoclonal Antibody-Based Therapies in the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Recent studies have suggested that pediatric-intensive chemotherapy regimens can improve outcomes in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) up to the age of 45. Above this age, toxicities increase. Monoclonal antibody-based therapies bring the promise of increased response rates without excessive toxicity. The addition of rituximab to combination chemotherapy has shown encouraging results. Newer monoclonal antibody-based therapies linked to cytotoxic agents show promise. These include inotuzumab ozogamicin, an anti-CD22 antibody linked to calicheamicin that has produced significant single-agent responses in relapsed and refractory ALL. Other monoclonal antibodies linked to plant or bacterial toxins are in earlier stages of development. Blinatumomab is a novel bispecific T-cell engaging antibody that combines single chain antibodies to CD19 and CD3 and brings a T cell in close proximity to a leukemic lymphoblast with resulting redirected lysis. This agent has demonstrated encouraging results in both the minimal residual disease setting and the relapsed/refractory setting. Autologous chimeric antigen receptor cells have shown promising responses in indolent B-cell lymphoid malignancies and are being tested in ALL. Many of these agents have the potential to increase response rates in older adults. Trials of many of these monoclonal antibody-based therapies are in various stages of development in the treatment of newly diagnosed ALL.
Determination of optical properties of thin films and surfaces in 157-nm lithography

Photolithography using 157-nm pulsed F2 lasers has emerged as the leading candidate technology for the 0.1 micrometer lithography node for the post-193-nm generation. The extension of operating wavelength to the VUV range presents new challenges for thin film metrology tools, such as ellipsometers and spectrophotometers, most of which have not yet shown robust performance at high accuracy at wavelengths below 193 nm. Knowledge of material optical properties near 157 nm is essential for several areas of microlithography, such as (1) optimization of resist and bottom antireflectance coating (BARC) and lithographic performance modeling; (2) development of thin dielectric layers for lens coatings, including antireflectance, beamsplitter and high reflectance designs; and (3) development of resolution enhancement techniques, such as attenuating phase shifting masks. In this work we review our experience with VUV spectrophotometers, as well as techniques for obtaining stable reflection and transmission measurements necessary for deriving optical constants of thin films. In particular, we find that reliably accurate reflection data can be obtained only using absolute reflectance methods. Extraction of optical constants is performed utilizing global optimization methods with a commercially available software package. Kramers-Kronig- consistent dispersion relations are used to describe the material dielectric constants. We will present real and imaginary refractive index values of various thin films, as determined from reflection/transmission data into the deep UV wavelengths to as low as 140 nm. A separate study designed to understand scatter losses of materials at 157 nm will also be described. We have constructed a 157-nm laser-based scatterometer for obtaining bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF) measurements. By correlating scatter signals with total transmission losses, we are able to separate absorption from scatter effects.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Zirconia Thin-Films for Toughened Ceramics

Partially-stabilized zirconia (PSZ) has been studied extensively, due to its high temperature stability and stress-induced tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation, which can elicit enhanced fracture resistance. Applications include thermal barriers, high-k dielectric gate oxides, biomedical components, and solid oxide fuel cells, where not only temperature is a factor, but aggressive environments can compromise function. Research has advanced from using PSZ in bulk form to creating thin films that utilize the same material properties. PSZ, where the high temperature tetragonal phase is stabilized at room temperature, offers the ability to create a thin film that takes advantage of the unique properties of zirconia by improving the fracture behavior of brittle substrates. Yttria (3 mol%) stabilized zirconia (YSZ) can be deposited by radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering under varying deposition parameters to produce thin films with unique microstructures and properties. Most YSZ films are characterized by a columnar grain structure, and it has been found that inter-crystalline porosity and overall film density can be controlled by applying differing substrate bias during film deposition. Film stress can subsequently be manipulated over a broad range. Initial film stresses ranging from approximately 100 MPa tensile to 200 MPa compressive have been reproducibly produced. It has also been found that exposure of YSZ thin films containing measurable inter-granular porosity (10–100A) to ambient conditions (25°C, 75% relative humidity) leads to a substantial increase in compressive stress of films (as much as 100 MPa). Thermal reversibility of this environmental aging effect suggests a water vapor absorption mechanism that might be tailored to specific applications.© 2006 ASME
An approximate model of wind turbine control systems for wind farm power control

Wind farm power control is a key technology for enabling reliable integration of large-scale wind generation into the power system. This paper addresses one of the challenges in wind farm power control. Specifically, we present a mathematical model which is capable of closely approximating the behavior of various wind turbine control systems. The model consists of linear dynamical and nonlinear static components, suitably connected so that it could capture both the steady-state and transient behaviors of wind turbine control systems experiencing changes in power commands and wind speed. A parameter identification scheme is also provided for systematic determination of the model parameters. Through simulation, the proposed model is tested on several wind turbine control systems reported in recent literature. The encouraging results obtained show that the proposed approximate model is useful for the design and analysis of a universal wind farm power controller.
Public Management in Time: A Longitudinal Examination of the Full Range of Leadership Theory

Though management is theorized as a temporal process, and public organizations are understood as generally inertial, most public management studies rely upon cross-sectional research designs. As such, we have little understanding about how public management matters over time. To fill this gap in the literature, this article conducts a longitudinal analysis of one of the most established management theories: Bass’s full range of leadership theory. This theory expects positive outcomes when managers establish patterns of transactional and transformational leadership. To examine Bass’s theory, this article studies US federal government subagencies over a 7-year period in the beginning of the 21st century. The findings show that there are remarkably strong intra-organizational patterns over time. Nonetheless, there is evidence that management matters: improvements in leadership are positively associated with follower cooperation, satisfaction, and perceptions of work quality. In comparison, as Bass expects, transformational leadership is a stronger predictor of improvement. Though public management appears to matter over time, the article also shows that cross-sectional examinations may overvalue its effect. As such, the article closes by arguing for further longitudinal public management study.
Effects of intraocular irrigants on the preserved human corneal endothelium.

Either a simple balanced salt solution (BSS) or a bicarbonate-buffered, glutathione-containing commercial irrigant (BSS Plus, Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A.) may be used during the vitrectomy portion of a corneal transplant procedure. To simulate the conditions present in the anterior chamber during the first few hours after vitrectomy and grafting, we performed in vitro perfusions of stored human corneas using each irrigant and measured corneal thickness over a 3-hour period. Irrespective of the preservation medium used (McCarey Kaufman, Chondroin Sulfate or Dexsol, all from Chiron Ophthalmics, Irvine, California) or duration of storage (2 or 4 days), corneas irrigated with BSS Plus exhibited significantly (p less than .05) decreased thickness compared with their paired mates irrigated with BSS. In ultrastructural studies performed on postperfusion corneas, there was a tendency toward improved surface morphology in the in vitro BSS Plus-perfused tissue. This study shows that in vitro corneal thickness after preservation is significantly irrigant dependent, with BSS Plus providing the essential ingredients to promote the corneal endothelial pump function.
U(In, Sn)3: Magnetic to nonmagnetic transition and approach to heavy fermion behavior

Abstract The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the specific heat and the temperature dependence of the resistivity have been measured for the pseudobinary U(In, Sn) 3 system. The Neel temperature is depressed to zero by 45% Sn substitution while the specific heat coefficient peaks at heavy fermion values near 60% Sn.
The Evolving Nature of Neuropathic Pain: Individualizing Treatment

While it may be convenient to categorize neuropathic pain syndromes on the basis of anatomical distribution or disease state (e.g., diabetic neuropathy, radiculopathy, postherpetic neuralgia), the treatment of neuropathic pain, alone, should also consider the signs and symptoms and the underlying putative mechanisms that may then be inferred from each individual's signs and symptoms. A diagnosis-based approach to treatment may not effectively relieve a patient's pain or improve his or her quality of life, the ultimate goal of treatment. Although research that supports a symptom- and mechanism-based approach to treating neuropathic pain is ongoing and dynamic, the preclinical and clinical data available thus far form an initial rational framework within which we may attempt to target putative pain mechanisms.
Ein Chemosensor zur Bestimmung von Citrat in Getränken

Wie mit einem Immunoassay last sich mit einem auf der Wirtverbindung 1 basierenden Chemosensor der Gehalt an Citrat 2 in Obstsaften und Erfrischungsgetranken bestimmen. Dabei wird die Verdrangung des 5-Carboxyfluoresceins 3 aus 1 durch Citrat UV- oder fluoreszenzspektroskopisch detektiert.
Background subtraction for rapid scan voltammetry

Abstract Methods for the elimination of residual current in fast scan (> 300 V s−1) voltammetry have been evaluated at microvoltammetric electrodes. Staircase voltammetry is found to give only a modest improvement in the ratio of the faradaic current to the residual current. Supeior results are obtained when the residual current, obtained in supporting electrolyte solution, is digitally subtracted from the voltammogram obtained in the presence of the electroactive species. The subtraction process is facilitated by conducting the whole experiment in a flow injection apparatus so that the electrode remains in solution while the two voltammograms are obtained. Undistorted voltammograms have been obtained for the reduction of anthracene (∼ 2 mM) at scan rates up to 10,000 V s−1. At 300 V s−1, virtually undistorted voltammograms are obtained for the reduction of Tl+ at low concentration (20 μM) in aqueous solution at a mercury microvoltammetric electrode. Analog offset of the residual current was used to improve the dynamic range. The limits of this technique are caused by the electronic noise in the ideal case where flat residual current curves are obtained.
Age-related differences in responses to thoughts of one's own death: mortality salience and judgments of moral transgressions

Two experiments explored age differences in response to reminders of death. Terror management research has shown that death reminders lead to increased adherence to and defense of one's cultural worldview. In Study 1, the effect of mortality salience (MS) on evaluations of moral transgressions made by younger and older adults was compared. Whereas younger adults showed the typical pattern of harsher judgments in response to MS, older adults did not. Study 2 compared younger and older adults' responses to both the typical MS induction and a more subtle death reminder. Whereas younger adults responded to both MS inductions with harsher evaluations, older adults made significantly less harsh evaluations after the subtle MS induction. Explanations for this developmental shift in responses to reminders of death are discussed.
Numerical Modeling of Conformal Phased Arrays on Tactical Systems

Conformal phased arrays on missiles and other tactical military platforms are affected in their radiation behavior by the local surface geometry. This controls the array blind spot locations and are dominantly influenced by the creeping wave propagation between array elements. However, for an arbitrary location pair on the curved surface, the appropriate creeping wave formulation can be different and there exists no single formulation that is uniformly valid from the paraxial to the deep shadow region. In this paper, a criterion expressed in terms of the universal Fock parameter xi, for switching between two distinct creeping wave formulations is investigated empirically. This is accomplished by numerically comparing four different high-frequency formulations for source excited surface Hz and Hphi magnetic fields on conducting circular cylinders. Interestingly, the numerical results indicate that a single value for xi may not exist for both Hz and Hphi components, for a given axial separations and cylinder electrical radius ka. The results indicate need for development of advanced creeping wave formulations for improved modeling and performance analysis of flush-mounted conformal phased array systems
Subcutaneous delivery of nanoconjugated doxorubicin and cisplatin for locally advanced breast cancer demonstrates improved efficacy and decreased toxicity at lower doses than standard systemic combination therapy in vivo

Abstract Background Combination cytotoxic agents in breast cancer carry dose-limiting toxicities. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that nanocarrier-conjugated doxorubicin and cisplatin would have improved tumor efficacy with decreased systemic toxicity over standard drugs, even at lower doses. Methods Female Nu/Nu mice were injected in the breast with human MDA-MB-468LN cells and treated with either standard or nanocarrier-conjugated combination therapy (doxorubicin plus cisplatin) at 50% or 75% maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and monitored for efficacy and toxicity over 12 weeks. Results Efficacy results for mice treated with hyaluronan-conjugated doxorubicin and cisplatin at 50% MTD were as follows: 5 complete responses, 2 partial responses, and 1 case of stable disease. For hyaluronan-conjugated doxorubicin and cisplatin at 75% MTD, efficacy results were as follows: 7 complete responses, 1 partial response. All complete responses were confirmed histologically. In comparison, mice given standard doxorubicin and cisplatin at 50% MTD demonstrated progressive disease in 6, stable disease in 1, and partial response in 1. For standard doxorubicin and cisplatin at 75% MTD, there were 5 cases of progressive disease and 3 of stable disease ( P P Conclusions Subcutaneous nanocarrier delivery of doxorubicin and cisplatin demonstrated significantly improved efficacy with decreased toxicity compared with standard agent combination therapy at all doses tested, achieving complete pathologic tumor response.
The Clinical Significance of Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM) Infection in Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (HCT) Recipients

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 21 (2015) S206eS239 S212 fared well (4/7 with DLBCL and 2/3 other B-cell lymphomas and 2/2 other T-cell lymphomas are alive and disease free). Patients in CR or PR had a better OS (18/23) compared with those patients with persistent or progressive disease at time of transplant (0/5). 11/29 patients died (9 from relapse and 2 from treatment related mortality). Conclusions: HSCT offers the possibility of cure for patients with NHL, especially for patients with ALCL and for those patients that have a good response to re-induction therapy prior to transplant. Relapsed disease post-transplant remains a major challenge for patients with LL and for patients transplanted with non-responsive disease. Post transplant therapies to target residual disease should be evaluated in these patients.
Inactivation of tumor suppressor proteins in lung cancer.

It had been thought that the central molecular event in the malignant transformation of a cell is the mutation of certain oncogenes-and the resultant dysregulated activation of their encoded proteins. During the past decade, however, it has become clear that alteration of the activity of the protein products of tumor suppressor genes, through mutation or at the posttranslational level, is an equally basic and universal process in tumorigenesis. These proteins normally modulate cellular proliferation in the developing and adult organism, functioning as tumor suppressors by inhibiting inappropriate cell division. Therefore, inactivation of the normal function of tumor suppressor proteins removes important regulatory constraints on the cell, permitting the accelerated growth of cancerous tissue. The genesis of lung cancer is though to involve between 10 and 20 mutations. Of these, several are now known to involve tumor suppressor genes. In this review I will discuss the mechanism of tumor suppression by the ...
Characterization of terrain background in LWIR hyperspectral data to aid landmine detection

Spectral target recognition algorithms function by distinguishing specified target spectra from those of the environment in which they are embedded. Typically this discrimination is done by comparing a pixel's spectral signature to those in a known library or by looking for spectral outliers within a single image. A high probability of detection results when the target and background signature distributions are well known and significantly separated. While much work has gone into defining target signature distributions, significantly less effort has gone into defining background distributions, hi fact, improvements in background definition results in lower false alarm rates and higher probability of detection.
Low temperature plasma deposition of silicon nitride from silane and nitrogen plasmas

The plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride films from SiH4 and N2 gases was investigated below 450 K in a helical resonator plasma reactor using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Silicon nitride growth proceeds through nitridation of a thin Si-rich region at the film surface and the effects of the externally controlled parameters, such as plasma power and pressure, on the film composition and structure can be understood in terms of this mechanism. The key factor that affects the film composition and structure is the active nitrogen (N2*) flux arriving at the surface which determines the nitridation rate of Si–Si bonds. Silicon nitride films deposited using low plasma power and high pressure, conditions that produce low N2* flux, contains a relatively high concentration of H in the form of Si–H and a-Si inclusions. Increasing the power or decreasing the pressure results in higher N2* flux and nitridation...
Inhibition of protein synthesis and amino acid transport by crystal violet in Trypanosoma cruzi.

ABSTRACT. [35S]methionine incorporation into proteins of either T. cruzi epimastigotes or trypomastigotes was drastically inhibited by low concentrations of crystal violet in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was not due to ATP depletion since cellular ATP levels did not change significantly after incubation of epimastigotes with 50 μM crystal violet for similar periods of time, and was unaffected by changes in the extracellular free calcium concentration. Although crystal violet was able to inhibit protein synthesis in a cell-free system from T. cruzi epimastigotes, half maximal inhibition was at 1 mM, a concentration three orders of magnitude higher than those that inhibited protein synthesis in intact cells. On the other hand, crystal violet was able to inhibit total [35S]methionine uptake at similar concentrations to those that inhibited protein synthesis while addition of increasing concentrations of cold methionine to the incubation medium protected the cells against crystal violet inhibition. Crystal violet also inhibited total [3H]proline uptake thus indicating that it has a general inhibitory effect upon the transport of amino acids, and not specifically upon methionine. These results indicate that inhibition of protein synthesis by crystal violet is probably due to inhibition of amino acid uptake.
AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR TAKING MOTION PICTURES AT REGULAR TIME INTERVALS1

An automatic apparatus for taking single photographic exposures at regular intervals of time over periods of from 12 to 36 hours was constructed. It consists of a large air thermostat and three mechanical units: (1) the thermal regulator, (2) the illuminating and optical system, and (3) the automatic mechanism controlling the camera and illuminating system. A detailed description of the construction and operation of the apparatus is given.