cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hot-phonon effects in bulk GaAs.

A theoretical model that accounts for both phonon disturbances and the electron-hole interaction is used to evaluate the role of hot-phonon effects in GaAs excited by a subpicosecond laser beam. Although the electron-hole interaction is not able to thermalize electrons and holes before significant phonon emission occurs it is mainly phonon heating that is found to be responsible for the experimentally observed reduction of the carrier cooling rates.
Probabilistic analysis of a heuristics for the dual bin packing problem

Abstract In this paper we study the probabilistic behavior of the first fit increasing heuristics for the dual bin packing problem. In this problem we seek to maximize the number of items that can be packed into m unit capacity bins. We show that when the items to be packed are independent and identically distributed, then the relative error of first fit increasing tends to zero in probability as the number of items tends to infinity. We also consider an on-line variant of this problem and propose a simple heuristics whose relative error tends to zero in probability as the number of items tends to infinity under the assumption that the item sizes are independently and identically distributed according to a distribution with finite mean and with zero in its compact support.
The diagnostic role of gadolinium enhanced MRI in distinguishing between acute medullary bone infarct and osteomyelitis

The objective of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for distinguishing between acute medullary bone infarct and osteomyelitis. There were 11 patients (age 6-34 years) presented to our institution between December 1994 and February 1998 with a clinical differential diagnosis of acute bone infarct versus osteomyelitis and inconclusive radiographs were imaged using MRI. All but one received i.v. gadolinium. Nine of the patients had homozygous Sickle Cell disease (SCD) and two had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the latter requiring chronic methylprednisolone. Osteomyelitis was confirmed either by biopsy alone or by the combination of Gallium(67) scan in conjunction with positive blood cultures and clinical resolution following antibiotics. Infarcts without osteomyelitis were confirmed either by biopsy or resolution of symptoms without antibiotic therapy. All patients had at least six months clinical follow-up. The results found that seven of nine patients with SCD had acute infarct only. One patient with SCD had osteomyelitis only. Three patients (two SLE and one SCD) had both acute-on-chronic infarcts and superimposed osteomyelitis, one with an adjacent soft tissue abscess. Accurate distinction between infarct and osteomyelitis was impossible for one patient with SLE who did not receive contrast. All other cases were correctly diagnosed prospectively based on distinct patterns of MRI contrast enhancement. In all adult patients, acute infarcts demonstrated thin, linear rim enhancement on MRI while osteomyelitis revealed more geographic and irregular marrow enhancement. Two of four cases of osteomyelitis also demonstrated subtle cortical defects with abnormal signal traversing marrow and soft tissue. The single pediatric patient demonstrated elongated, serpiginous central medullary enhancement with periostitis. We concluded that the pattern of MR contrast enhancement may allow accurate distinction between acute infarct and osteomyelitis, or recognition of osteomyelitis superimposed on bone infarction.
Pseudoelasticity of Single Crystalline Cu Nanowires Through Reversible Lattice Reorientations

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to analyze the structure and mechanical behavior of Cu nanowires with lateral dimensions of 1.45-2.89 nm. The calculations simulate the formation of nanowires through a top-down fabrication process by slicing square columns of atoms from single-crystalline bulk Cu along the [001], [010], and [100] directions and by allowing them to undergo controlled relaxation which involves the reorientation of the initial configuration with a (001) axis and {001} surfaces into a new configuration with a axis and {111} lateral surfaces. The propagation of twin planes is primarily responsible for the lattice rotation. The transformed structure is the same as what has been observed experimentally in Cu nanowires. A pseudoelastic behavior driven by the high surface-to-volume ratio and surface stress at the nanoscale is observed for the transformed wires. Specifically, the relaxed wires undergo a reverse transformation to recover the configuration it possessed as part of the bulk crystal prior to relaxation when tensile loading with sufficient magnitude is applied. The reverse transformation progresses with the propagation of a single twin boundary in reverse to that observed during relaxation. This process has the diffusion less nature and the invariant-plane strain of a martensitic transformation and is similar to those in shape memory alloys in phenomenology. The reversibility of the relaxation and loading processes endows the nanowires with the ability for pseudoelastic elongations of up to 41% in reversible axial strain which is well beyond the yield strain of the approximately 0.25% of bulk Cu and the recoverable strains on the order of 8% of most bulk shape memory materials. The existence of the pseudoelasticity observed in the single-crystalline, metallic nanowires here is size and temperature dependent. At 300 K, this effect is observed in wires with lateral dimensions equal to or smaller than 1.81 X 1.81 nm. As temperature increases, the critical wire size for observing this effect increases. This temperature dependence gives rise to a novel shape memory effect to Cu nanowires not seen in bulk Cu.
Contributions of Jack Bardon to professional school psychology

Abstract This paper is an examination of the influence Jack Bardon had on school psychology throughout his career from 1952 to 1993. A summary of this influence is presented that is based on a review of his publications and a survey of three groups of school psychologists (certificate-level Nationally Certified School Psychologists, doctoral-level Nationally Certified School Psychologists, and fellows of the American Psychological Association, Division 16). Those areas in which Jack Bardon has made a substantial impact are as follows: role and definition of school psychology; professional organization issues; debate over level of training; and consultation. These are discussed along with a comparison of how Jack Bardon's influence differs across the three groups represented in the sample.
Detailed kinetic analysis of oil shale pyrolysis TGA data

There are significant resources of oil shale in the western United States, which if exploited in an environmentally responsible manner would provide secure access to transportation fuels. Understanding the kinetics of kerogen decomposition to oil is critical to designing a viable process. A dataset of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the Green River oil shale is provided and two distinct data analysis approaches—advanced isoconversional method and parameter fitting are used to analyze the data. Activation energy distributions with conversion calculated using the isoconversional method (along with uncertainties) ranged between 93 and 245 kJ/mol. Root mean square errors between the model and experimental data were the lowest for the isoconversional method, but the distributed reactivity models also produced reasonable results. When using parameter fitting approaches, a number of models produce similar results making model choice difficult. Advanced isoconversional method is better in this regard, but maybe applicable to a limited number of reaction pathways. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
GI tract unraveling by spiral CT

The GI tract examination with CT and MRI is currently performed by slice-based inspection despite the volumetric nature of the problem. With this paper we propose to unravel the GI tract digitally to facilitate, quantify and automate the process. To demonstrate the feasibility, an algorithm was developed to unravel and measure convoluted curvilinear structures. In the algorithm, a local K-L transform was applied along the main axis of the structure to estimate the local orientation as determined by the principal eigenvector. An adult dog bowel piece was spirally scanned in vitro and reconstructed. A digital GI tract phantom was designed and numerically synthesized. In both cases, the structures were successfully followed using our unraveling algorithm, the lengths of the structures measured with less than 5% error, and cross-sectional features of the GI tract phantom were defined, computed and plotted.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interview with David W. Boilard of Florida International University and Barbara S. Shearer of Florida State University

This interview with David W. Boilard of Florida International University in Miami, Florida, and Barbara S. Shearer of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, describes their experiences developing library staff and resources to support newly established medical schools.
Wildfire provides refuge from local extinction but is an unlikely driver of outbreaks by mountain pine beetle

Bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire are important disturbances in conifer ecosystems, yet their interactions are not well understood. We evaluated whether fire injury increased susceptibility of lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta) to mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins), how it influenced beetle reproductive success, and whether beetle population phase altered this interaction. Eight sites that experienced wildfire and eight unburned sites were examined in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (USA). Half were in areas where D. ponderosae was undergoing outbreaks, and half were in areas with low populations. We examined 2056 trees one year after fire for burn injury and beetle attack. We quantified beetle reproductive success in a random sample of 106 trees, and measured gallery areas of D. ponderosae and competing subcortical herbivores in 79 additional trees. Baited flight traps sampled stand-level populations of subcortical herbivores and predators. Wildfire predisposed trees to D. ponderosae...
Structure and annual biomass production of Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze (Menyanthaceae)

Abstract In 1980, the monthly changes in biomass and plant surface area, together with aspects of production of Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze were studied in a backwater of the river Waal (The Netherlands). Furthermore, the seasonal changes in the vertical stratification of the biomass were studied in concrete tanks. These seasonal changes were studied with the harvest method, while the estimation of the net primary production was based upon biomass data and turnover rates of various plant parts. The data thus obtained are compared with those of other water plants, especially other floating-leaved macrophytes. In 1980, N. peltata reached its peak biomass in August being 372 g AFDW m −2 (ash-free dry weight). The annual net productivity of Nymphoides was estimated to be 1036 g AFDW m −2 . The leaf blades and their petioles contributed most to the production.
Influence of simple electrolytes on the orientational ordering of thermotropic liquid crystals at aqueous interfaces.

We report orientational anchoring transitions at aqueous interfaces of a water-immiscible, thermotropic liquid crystal (LC; nematic phase of 4′-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB)) that are induced by changes in pH and the addition of simple electrolytes (NaCl) to the aqueous phase. Whereas measurements of the zeta potential on the aqueous side of the interface of LC-in-water emulsions prepared with 5CB confirm pH-dependent formation of an electrical double layer extending into the aqueous phase, quantification of the orientational ordering of the LC leads to the proposition that an electrical double layer is also formed on the LC-side of the interface with an internal electric field that drives the LC anchoring transition. Further support for this conclusion is obtained from measurements of the dependence of LC ordering on pH and ionic strength, as well as a simple model based on the Poisson–Boltzmann equation from which we calculate the contribution of an electrical double layer to the orientational anchoring ...
Effects of Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus on Colonization and Feeding Behavior of Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae) Alatae

Cucurbita pepo L. (zucchini) plants infected with zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) for 4 wk were rejected as colonization hosts by Aphis gossypii Clover (melon aphid) alatae in the field at a greater rate than un infected zucchini and plants infected for 2 wk. Using an electronic feeding monitor to examine the feeding behavior of A. gossypii on plants treated similarly, the study found fewer probing events, more phloem contacts, and more nymphs produced on uninfected zucchini and plants infected for 2 wk, than on plants infected for 4 wk. When phloem contact was made on plants infected for 4 wk, alatae spent more time in salivary sheath formation and less time phloem feeding than alatae on uninfected plants, and plants infected for 2 wk. These colonization and feeding responses could enhance ZYMV acquisition from zucchini.
Bioavailability of fondaparinux to critically ill patients

Abstract Introduction Venous thromboembolism is a common problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). To decrease its incidence, prophylactic pharmacologic interventions are part of the ICU routine. However, common ICU conditions may impair the bioavailability of subcutaneously administered agents. The present study evaluates the bioavailability of prophylactic subcutaneous fondaparinux to critically ill patients. Purpose The purpose of the study was to evaluate vasopressor effect on the bioavailability of subcutaneously administered fondaparinux. Materials and Methods A 2-center, prospective, observational study was performed. Forty patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups depending on their vasopressor requirements. All subjects were critically ill patients admitted to a medical ICU for an anticipated stay of more than 72 hours. Interventions All patients received subcutaneous fondaparinux 2.5 mg/d, and serum anti-Xa factor was serially assessed during the first 100 hours of medical ICU stay. Results Therapeutic anti–factor Xa levels among patients receiving vasopressors were observed. In hemodynamically normal patients, subtherapeutic concentrations were detected during the first 48 hours of fondaparinux administration. Conclusions Vasopressor therapy does not appear to affect fondaparinux bioavailability or to reduce anti–factor Xa levels. Subtherapeutic concentrations were detected during the first 48 hours of fondaparinux administration in hemodynamically stable patients. The clinical significance of reduced levels during the first 2 days of fondaparinux administration remains unknown.
Plant species evaluated for new crop potential.

About 500 plant species from various regions of the United States have been screened previously at the USDA Northern Regional Research Center for their multipurpose, energy-producing potential. Most collections have been from the rich flora of central Illinois. For this report, 92 additional species were collected from southern Illinois and evaluated by criteria previously established at this Center. Plant samples were analyzed for “oil,” “polyphenol,” “hydrocarbon,” and protein. Oil fractions of selected species were analyzed for classes of lipid constituents and were saponified to determine yields of unsaponifiable matter and fatty acids. Hydrocarbon fractions of selected species were analyzed for rubber, gutta, and waxes. Average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of rubber and gutta were determined. of the 92 species, complete analytical data are presented for 16 selected species. Substantial quantities of oil were obtained fromPhiladelphias coronarius (5.0%; dry, ash-free sample basis),Cacalia muhlenbergii (4.1%),Lindera benzoin (4.1 %), andKoelreuteria paniculata (4.0%). High yields of polyphenol were obtained fromAcer ginnala (33.1%),Cornus obliqua (20.8%), andSalix caprea (20.0%). Maximum yields of hydrocarbon and protein were fromElymus virginicus (0.6%) andLindera benzoin (11.1%), respectively. Data are discussed with respect to species previously analyzed at this Center.
Development of sensitivity to tetrodotoxin of chick embryonic hearts with age.

Abstract Embryonic chick hearts younger than 5 days old are electrically and mechanically insensitive to tetrodotoxin in concentrations as high as 20 μg/ml and for periods of over 1 h. Although the action potentials of the young non-innervated hearts are not affected by tetrodotoxin, they are rapidly affected by Ba 2+ . However, embryonic hearts older than 8 days cease spontaneous electrical and mechanical activity and become electrically inexcitable within a few minutes after addition of tetrodotoxin (1 to 4 μg/ml). In these older hearts, the maximum rate of rise of the action potential ( + V max ) and the peak overshoot potential (+ E max ) progressively diminish until excitability fails. In some 5-day-old hearts + V max is depressed by tetrodotoxin, and in some 6 to 7-day hearts both + V max and + E max are depressed. Since functional cholinergic innervation of the myocardium occurs at about 5 to 7 days, innervation and development of sensitivity to tetrodotoxin occur at about the same time. The action potentials of myocardial cells from older embryonic hearts in monolayer culture, and thereby denervated, are also insensitive to tetrodotoxin, even though the inward current is carried mainly by Na + . Since La 3+ has no effect on the action potential and since excitability is lost in Na + -free solution, it appears that the tetrodotoxin-insensitive action potential of the young hearts is a Na + spike. These data suggest that the cell membranes of non-innervated muscles do not possess receptor sites for tetrodotoxin even though there is Na + channel activation. However, since the resting potential increases with age, it is also possible that tetrodotoxin-sensitive fast Na + channels are inactivated in young hearts because of the low resting potential and leaving only tetrodotoxin-insensitive slow Na + channels available for activation.
Impaired DRL 30 performance during amphetamine withdrawal.

Repeated administration of psychomotor stimulants may produce an impulsive state that could contribute to the cycle of drug abstinence and relapse seen in human drug addicts. We have previously reported that the inhibitory effects of dopamine (DA) on the firing rate of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons were reduced in rats after repeated amphetamine treatment suggesting impaired mPFC DA function. Here, we used a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) operant conditioning task, which is dependent on mPFC DA, to test impulsivity and inhibitory control. Food-restricted rats were trained to inhibit a nose poke response for 30 s before a subsequent nose poke would result in a food reward (DRL 30). Once training was completed, rats received 5 days of no treatment, daily i.p. saline injections or daily i.p. injections of 5 mg/kg amphetamine. Nine days of DRL 30 test performance began following a 3-day withdrawal from treatment. The percent of training active hole nose pokes was significantly increased and the percent of training efficiency was significantly decreased in rats withdrawn from repeated amphetamine administration as compared to saline or naive rats. This suggests that impulsivity is increased during amphetamine withdrawal, which we hypothesize is associated with disrupted DA function in the mPFC.
Are lutein and zeaxanthin conditionally essential nutrients for eye health

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the macula in high concentrations and may play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Lutein and zeaxanthin may protect the macula and photoreceptor outer segments throughout the retina from oxidative stress and play a role in an antioxidant cascade that safely disarms the energy of reactive oxygen species. Although lutein and zeaxanthin are not essential nutrients, studies are beginning to suggest that they fit the criteria for conditionally essential nutrients. Low plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations or dietary intake are associated with low macular pigment density and increased risk of ARMD. Dietary deprivation of lutein and zeaxanthin in primates causes pathological changes in the macula. Should controlled clinical trials show lutein and/or zeaxanthin supplementation protects against the development or progression of ARMD and other eye diseases, then lutein and zeaxanthin could be considered as conditionally essential nutrients for humans.
Measurement of the branching fractions of the tau lepton using a tagged sample of tau decays.

The branching fractions for the major decay modes of the lepton are measured from a sample of tagged decays selected from +- pairs produced in e+e- annihilation. The decay products of one member of the +- pair are used to identify the event. The opposite member of the pair is then included in the sample if it satisfies an invariant-mass cut and a charged-multiplicity cut. In this way, we attempt to select an unbiased sample of decays. The sample is divided into categories based on charged- and neutral-particle multiplicities, and charged-particle identification. The branching fractions are measured simultaneously, with an unfold technique and a maximum-likelihood fit, with the sum of the branching fractions constrained to be unity. The branching fractions for the decay modes - K- and - K*- are fixed at the world averages in the fit. The following branching fractions are measured: B(-e) =(19.10.81.1)%, B(-' - )=(18.30.90.8)%, B(-) =(10.01.1 *1,4)%, B(-0) =(25.81.72.5)%, B(-(n0, n>1))=(12.01.42.5)%, B(-+-) =(6.7 0.80.9)%, and B(-+- (n0,n>0)) =(6.10.80.9)%. The total branching fraction to one charged pion plus at least one neutral hadron is measured to be (37.81.21.0)%. Limits on allowed decay modes involving the meson are discussed. © 1987 The American Physical Society.
Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction: a prospective evaluation in 242 consecutive abdominal operations.

PURPOSE: Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction is a common but poorly defined complication of abdominal surgery. This prospective cohort study was undertaken to examine a reproducible definition of early postoperative small-bowel obstruction, determine its incidence, evaluate potential risk factors for its development, and delineate management strategies. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-five patients undergoing 242 consecutive abdominal operations during a 9-month period were prospectively evaluated from the time of admission until Postoperative Day 30. Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction was present if, within 30 days of surgery, all of the following criteria were met after the return of intestinal function: development of crampy abdominal pain, vomiting, and radiographic findings consistent with intestinal obstruction. Patients with early postoperative small-bowel obstruction were followed up until discharge or reexploration. All patients with early postoperative small-bowel obstruction were initially treated with nasogastric decompression. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-two abdominal procedures were performed on 119 males and 123 females aged 13 to 98 (mean, 51) years. Ulcerative colitis (n = 70), malignancy (n = 59), and Crohn’s disease (n = 41) were the most common diagnoses. One hundred nineteen patients (49.2 percent) had undergone previous laparotomy, and 45 patients (18.6 percent) had previously been diagnosed with intestinal obstruction. Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction occurred in 23 cases (9.5 percent). Patients with and without early postoperative small-bowel obstruction were similar with respect to diagnosis, preoperative immunosuppression, previous laparotomy or obstruction, surgery performed, and time to return of intestinal function. Twenty episodes (87 percent) resolved with nasogastric decompression alone; all but one resolved within six days or less. Three patients (13 percent) required relaparotomy; one required small-bowel resection. Two of three patients whose symptoms did not resolve with six days of nasogastric decompression required reexploration. There were no deaths and no major morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction, defined by an objective data set, was observed in 9.5 percent of cases. No independent risk factors predisposing to early postoperative small-bowel obstruction were identified. Early postoperative small-bowel obstruction was safely and effectively managed by nasogastric decompression in the majority of cases, with low morbidity and no mortality. In general, reexploration should be reserved for those patients whose symptoms do not resolve within six days of nasogastric decompression.
Duplication of DNA regions carrying repetitive sequence RSα in Bradyrhizobium japonicum 110

L. D. Kuykendall, M. E. Barnett and J. N. Mathis. 1997. RSα is a repeated DNA sequence found within the nitrogen-fixation gene cluster of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium that nodulates soybean. Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 110spc4 contains 12 repeats, each located on a separate XhoI DNA restriction fragment between 1.2 and 14 kb in length. Although Fix+ and Fix− derivatives of B. japonicum USDA 110 were first reported more than two decades ago, genotypic differentiation, on the basis of RSα hybridization pattern, was reported only recently. Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain USDA 110 had only single copies of the RSα-hybridizing bands, but a particular Fix− derivative, MSDJGl, carried doublets of two distinct XhoI fragments that carry RSα3 and RSα4. In this study, RSα hybridization patterns were analysed further in both Fix+ and Fix− derivatives of strain 110 to test for duplication of these particular genomic regions. It was concluded that the duplication, or not, of genetic regions carrying RSα3 and RSα4 in strain USDA 110 derivatives is unrelated to symbiotic nitrogen-fixation ability. Like Fix− MSDJGl, Fix+ strain 110 derivatives I-110 and MN-110 had duplications of the XhoI DNA restriction fragments carrying RSα3 and RSα4, but Fix− strain 110 derivative L2–110 lacked these duplications. Thus, it is now clear that Fix− derivatives MSDJG1 and L2–110 arose via distinct genetic mechanisms. Interestingly, Fix+ derivatives of strain 110 from the laboratories of Elkan and Hennecke differed in RSα hybridization profile.
Synthesis, characterization, and biological activity of cis-diammineplatinum(II) complexes of the DNA intercalators 9-aminoacridine and chloroquine

The anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) reacts with the DNA intercalators 9-aminoacridine (9-AA) and chloroquine (CQ) to form the novel complexes cis-[Pt(NH 3 ) 2 (N9-9-AA)Cl](NO 3 ), cis-[Pt(NH 3 ) 2 (N9-9-AA) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 , and cis-[Pt(NH 3 ) 2 (N1-HCQ)Cl](NO 3 ) 2 platinum coordinates to the deprotonated exocyclic amino group of 9-aminoacridine with the proton being transferred to the endocyclic nitrogen atom N10, as revealed by X-ray crystal structure determinations
Sonographic diagnosis of fetal upper extremity dysmorphology: significance and outcome.

The aim of this study was to determine the etiology, associated anomalies and outcome of fetuses with postural deformities and contractures of the upper extremities detected sonographically. Fifty-four fetuses with sonographically detected postural anomalies of the upper extremities were identified from our database. Sonographic findings and associated anomalies were tabulated on the basis of the original sonogram. Perinatal follow-up and/or karyotype were available in 52 cases from a review of the maternal and newborn medical records and pathology reports. Of the 52 fetuses with sonographically detected anomalies of the upper extremities, 44 (85%) were non-survivors and eight (15%) were survivors. Forty-three fetuses had associated sonographic abnormalities. Karyotyping performed in 44 cases revealed 26 cases (59%) of aneuploidy, with trisomy 18 accounting for 23/26 (88%). In the setting of a normal karyotype, a variety of genetic disorders were found, including syndromes involving the fetal dyskinesialakinesia sequence. Disturbances in amniotic fluid occurred in 48% of the cases (24 fetuses with polyhydramnios and one with oligohydramnios). In conclusion, the sonographic detection of postural abnormalities of the upper extremities carries a guarded prognosis, with survival in 15% of fetuses and a high incidence of chromosomal defects. Copyright © 1996 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
"The Red Man and the White Plague": Rethinking Race, Tuberculosis, and American Indians, ca. 1890–1950

From the time it emerged as an epidemic in the last decades of the nineteenth century until it had become their number-one health problem in the 1950s, multiple explanations for the etiology of tuberculosis (TB) among American Indians competed for prominence. None was more debated than racial susceptibility-and none held on with such tenacity. Various race-based explanations -Indians' inherent racial susceptibility, virgin soil theory, and degree of Indian blood-had great explanatory power. These explanations faded from view by the 1950s as a result of epidemiological research begun in the 1930s-research that for the first time filled in many of the pieces of the Indian TB puzzle and allowed TB specialists to know the unknown: who and where the disease struck and why. Combining case finding, X rays, sputum tests-all the modern methods of tracking a TB epidemic-the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was finally able to understand the Indian TB epidemic. But they also wanted to control it. To this end, the BIA and the Phipps Institute, under the direction of Esmond Long and Joseph Aronson, joined together to begin the first controlled trial of the BCG vaccine.
Modeling the U.S. healthcare system as an enterprise: Multi-scale hybrid data analytic methods

This paper presents a multi-scale data analytics approach for modeling the U.S. healthcare system as an enterprise. The U.S. healthcare enterprise encompasses public and private entities with significant government involvement in policies and programs that have widespread interactions and effects at all levels of the system; In other words, the U.S. healthcare system is a complex adaptive system. As such, integrated holistic data analytical methods are needed to understand the enterprise-wide interactions and outcomes. An enterprise systems engineering (ESE) approach is applied to organize diverse data sets and perform integrative analyses of patient populations, health services, providers, facilities, technology, insurers, pharmaceuticals, research, and the U.S. economy. Hybrid models are applied to the ESE of health services and proposed interventions to affect outcomes and costs. Type 2 diabetes management is used as a case study with selected policy and technology interventions to deal with the lifetime complications and consequences of this condition. The hybrid modeling structure explores agent-based methods to portray the movement of patients in the state-space, systems dynamics to capture policy and programmatic influences, discrete event methods to describe sequential service processes, and economic analysis methods to capture costs and impacts on the healthcare enterprise in the context of the overall economy. The paper addresses the need for an enterprise-level system-of-systems (SoS) approach to organize the vast and diverse data sets published by various agencies into an open-source data analytic framework. The framework describes the healthcare enterprise to support the comprehensive analysis of the impacts of policies and programs across the many dimensions and scales. Policy and programmatic areas of interest include insurer coverage decisions for new or modified health services, new technologies for diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive services, and other major influences on the cost and quality of healthcare services.
Experimental Investigation of Aluminum/Epoxy Interfacial Properties in Shear and Tension

Abstract This paper presents the results of comprehensive testing to characterize the effect of several different surface treatments on shear and tensile bond strength between 7075-T6 aluminum and two epoxy systems: EPON 815/V40 and EPON 828/Z. A rod pull-out test was used to determine interfacial shear strength, modeled after similar tests on reinforced concrete. The tensile bond strength was characterized using a tension test fixture designed in this study. Overall, the interfacial shear strengths were higher than the tension strengths. Surface knurling gave the highest interfacial shear strength, representing a 72% increase over untreated specimens. Phosphoric acid anodization (PAA) was also quite effective in shear. In tension, the highest strength was obtained from specimens treated with the PAA process along with a silane coupling agent. These specimens showed an increase in interfacial tensile strength by a factor of 5.6.
Biaxial flexure testing of calcium phosphate bioceramics for use in tissue engineering

This study analyzes data from 206 CaP specimens (68 HA, 70 BCP, and 68 β-TCP) fractured via biaxial flexure testing. Specimens were divided into four groups: (a) Group I, dry; (b) Group II, wet (day 0, immersion time ∼ 5–10 s); (c) Group III, after immersion in media for 21 days (day 21); and (d) Group IV, after culturing osteoblasts (OBs) on the surface for 21 days (day 21 with cells). X-ray diffraction verified the presence of minor second phases in HA and β-TCP while BCP was a biphasic mixture of HA and β-TCP with minor phases present. The statistical significance (p < 0.05) of differences in the measured biaxial flexure fracture strength, S, between groups was assessed via one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test. Also, a two-parameter Weibull analysis assessed the mechanical reliability of each group. Osteoblasts increase the biaxial flexure fracture strength in a statistically significant way compared to both the HA discs in Groups II and III. Scanning electron microscope examination revealed grain boundary grooving on the sintered surfaces and with thermal expansion anisotropy, likely leads to the observed rapid strength decline upon exposure to media found in Groups II, III and IV. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 72A: 115–126, 2005
The Gap Between Influence and Efficacy: College Readiness Training, Urban School Counselors, and the Promotion of Equity

This phenomenological study presents 11 urban school counselors’ perceptions of their graduate education in school counseling in relation to their engagement in college readiness counseling with low-income, 1st-generation college-bound students. Findings from 2 rounds of interviews suggest that intentional strategies to integrate postsecondary readiness and planning into counselor education curricula is necessary to efficiently prepare school counselors to promote college access and success for at-risk youth, thereby reducing the inequities that currently exist in postsecondary degree attainment.
Recent chemistry of the η5-cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl iron anion

Abstract The distinctive nucleophilicity of the η5-cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl iron (Fp) is reviewed from 1994 to present. In addition to its nucleophilic reactivity, other distinguishing reactivity characteristics such as basicity and oxidizability are discussed. A section is included concerning various synthetic means used in generating the Fp anion. Substitution and addition reaction sections concerning both organic and inorganic electrophiles are covered. Fp anion reactions with organic electrophiles are explored according to sp3-, sp2-, and sp-hybridized electrophilic carbon bonds in forming new carbon–iron bonds. Besides intriguing mechanistic studies, applications of newly formed Fp complexes including, but not limited to, catalysis, asymmetric and regiospecific reactions, vapor pressure deposition, optical filtration, and polymerization are reviewed.
An uncertainty quantification method for nanomaterial prediction models

This paper presents a new method for quantifying uncertainty in the predictions of a nanomaterial computational model to account for variability in the constituent nanostructure properties and characterization measurements. The stiffness of a buckypaper–polymer composite is predicted using a micromechanics model. The model requires from the user as inputs the nanostructure properties, including the diameter, length, and curvature distribution of the carbon nanotubes which shows large variability. The current characterization techniques used to describe these dimensions are subject to considerable measurement error. We propose a constrained nonlinear programming approach for quantification of raw material variability and its impact on the property prediction of buckypaper–polymer composites. The uncertainty quantification method is useful for decision making to predict probability that the quality characteristic of the final part will satisfy design constraints. A case study based on data from a real buckypaper manufacturing process was used to illustrate the approach. It is shown that modeling the correlation between nanostructure properties using a multivariate distribution rather than independent univariate distributions is important to accurately quantify the effect of these properties on the final-part property.
Optimization of spore and antifungal lipopeptide production during the solid-state fermentation of Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis strain TrigoCor 1448 was grown on wheat middlings in 0.5-l solid-state fermentation (SSF) bioreactors for the production of an antifungal biological control agent. Total antifungal activity was quantified using a 96-well microplate bioassay against the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis. The experimental design for process optimization consisted of a 2(6-1) fractional factorial design followed by a central composite face-centered design. Initial SSF parameters included in the optimization were aeration, fermentation length, pH buffering, peptone addition, nitrate addition, and incubator temperature. Central composite face-centered design parameters included incubator temperature, aeration rate, and initial moisture content (MC). Optimized fermentation conditions were determined with response surface models fitted for both spore concentration and activity of biological control product extracts. Models showed that activity measurements and spore production were most sensitive to substrate MC with highest levels of each response variable occurring at maximum moisture levels. Whereas maximum antifungal activity was seen in a limited area of the design space, spore production was fairly robust with near maximum levels occurring over a wider range of fermentation conditions. Optimization resulted in a 55% increase in inhibition and a 40% increase in spore production over nonoptimized conditions.
Contrasting incidence of ras mutations in rat mammary and mouse skin tumors induced by anti-benzo[c]phenanthrene-3,4-diol-1,2-epoxide

Racemic anti-benzo[c]phenanthrene-3,4-diol-1,2-epoxide (anti-B[c]PhDE) is a powerful rat mammary carcinogen and is one of the most potent diol-epoxide tumorigens in mouse skin. Activation of ras genes has been proposed to be involved in tumorigenesis by this and related polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites. Therefore, we analyzed rat mammary tumors and mouse skin tumors induced by anti-B[c]PhDE for mutations at codons 12, 13 and 61 of the Ki-ras and Ha-ras genes. No Ki-ras mutations were detected in either tumor type. In the rat mammary tumors, no Ha-ras mutations in codons 12 or 13 were observed in 25 tumors analyzed. Only one, a CAA-->CTA mutation, was detected in codon 61, of 42 tumors analyzed. These results indicate that Ki-ras and Ha-ras mutations are not involved in the induction of rat mammary tumors by anti-B[c]PhDE. Mutations in codon 61 of the Ha-ras gene were common, however, in mouse skin tumors induced by this diol-epoxide, being detected in 63% of the tumors analyzed; 90% of these mutations were CAA-->CTA. A dose-dependent difference in the occurrence of the CAA-->CTA mutations was observed; they were present in 75% of the tumors induced by a 100 nmol initiating dose of the diol-epoxide, but in only 34.5% of the tumors induced by a 400 nmol initiating dose. A CAA-->CTA mutation in codon 61 of Ha-ras was also detected in one of four acetone control tumors. In comparison with previous studies of other polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and their metabolites, the results suggest that the reactivity with DNA of anti-B[c]PhDE is one factor involved in the induction of A mutations in Ha-ras genes in mouse skin, but further studies are required to evaluate the significance of these mutations in mouse skin tumorigenesis.
New High Strength Low-k Spin-On Thin Films for IC Application

To achieve successful integration of low dielectric constant materials with copper lines, it is critical to develop a low dielectric constant material with good mechanical properties. A new high strength spin-on low dielectric constant polymer, poly((m-diethynylbenzene)-co-(triethynylbenzene)), has been developed. Its oligomer showed good solubility, high thermal stability, low moisture pickup, and strong UV absorption. The cured polymer thin film displayed a dielectric constant of 2.7 at 1 MHz and a dielectric breakdown strength larger than 230 V/μm. It had an extraordinarily high Young's modulus of 16.8 GPa and a hardness of 3.5 GPa. Compared to polyimide, it had stronger adhesion to Si and tantalum. By use of polystyrene as a porogen, a dielectric constant as low as 1.9 was obtained while still maintaining an acceptable high Young's modulus of 7.7 GPa and hardness of 2.0 GPa.
Energy of Interaction between Two Hydrogen Atoms by the Gaussian‐Type Functions

The interaction of two hydrogen atoms in their ground states is investigated with a Hirschfelder—Linnett type of wavefunction in which the exponentials are replaced by Gaussian‐type functions. It is found that these functions do not properly describe the long‐range interaction, although the same functions reasonably approximate the molecular energy near the equilibrium separation. The explicit formulas for the atomic integrals are tabulated.
Biogas production and feasibility of energy recovery systems for anaerobic treatment of wool-scouring effluent

Abstract The technical and economic feasibility of anaerobic digestion to produce biogas at a small wool-scouring facility in the United States was examined. The facility will process 90,800 kg (200,000 pounds) of greasy wool per year at maximum capacity. Biochemical methane potential experiments showed that anaerobic biodegradation of organic constituents in wool-scouring effluent (WSE) ranged from 17 to 75% on a chemical oxygen demand (COD) basis and produced 0.10–0.39 L methane per gram of WSE COD added. Microbial inhibition was observed when initial WSE concentrations exceeded 1000 mg COD/L. A laboratory-scale continuous reactor operated at organic loading rates of 100–200 mg COD/L/day produced biogas with an average methane content of 75% and provided 72–78% removal of total WSECOD. Life cycle costing predicted that the best alternative for energy recovery at a small wool-scouring facility was to offset natural gas used to heat water for wool-scouring with biogas. Economic feasibility should increase with increasing COD removal, increasing natural gas price, and increasing cost to discharge to the municipal wastewater treatment works. The key anaerobic treatment design challenge will be to maximize WSE organic loading rates while minimizing microbial inhibition.
Constrained phosphite ester complexes of π-cyclopentadienylmolybdenum tricarbonyl halides

Abstract The synthesis of complexes of the type π-C 5 H 5 Mo(CO) 2 LX and π-C 5 H 5 Mo(CO)L 2 X, where XCl, Br, or I and LP(OCH 2 ) 3 CR (RCH 3 , C 2 H 5 , or C 3 H 7 ), is reported. Infrared and conductance data verified that all compounds existed as covalent species in solution. Each of the three π-C 5 H 5 Mo(CO) 2 LCl complexes was isolated as an inseparable mixture of cis and trans isomeric forms. Only the trans forms of the remaining π-C 5 H 5 Mo(CO) 2 LX complexes were observed in solution, as indicated by infrared and PMR spectra. All of the π-C 5 H 5 Mo(CO)L 2 X compounds apparently exist in primarily one isomeric form in solution; their PMR spectra, which exhibited a sharp triplet resonance for the −OCH 2 − protons of the phosphite ligands and a single sharp π-C 5 H 5 proton signal, indicated a predominantly trans arrangement of the phosphite ligands at room temperature.
The geospatial revolution project

Penn State Public Broadcasting has produced the Geospatial Revolution Project, an integrated public media and outreach initiative about the world of digital mapping and how it is changing the way we think, behave and interact. With the goal of increasing public awareness of geospatial technologies, the project offers four 15-minute online mini-documentary episodes, 3-minute shorter chapters, as well as K-16 educational materials. The episodes share compelling human stories that clarify the complex and decode the mysterious, explain the virtues and explore the potential dangers of these emerging technologies. The Geospatial Revolution Project explores the seamless layers of satellites, surveillance, and location-based technologies creating a worldwide geographic knowledge base vital to solving myriad social and environmental problems in the interconnected global community. Faculty from the Dutton e-Education Institute at The Pennsylvania State University served on the project advisory board, and Frank Hardisty from the Institute will play a selection from one of the following episodes during the demo presentation:Episode One -- defining the geospatial revolution and its historical origins; includes a story on the Haitian earthquakeEpisode Two -- geospatial technology in interactive city and business managementEpisode Three -- mapping in war and peace, police protection, and personal privacy and safetyEpisode Four -- agriculture and the environment, mapping disease, and human rights and aidwww.geospatialrevolution.psu.edu; twitter.com/geospatialrev; Facebook.com/geospatialrev