cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling planform evolution of a mud-dominated meandering river: Quinn River, Nevada, USA

A depth-averaged linearized meander evolution model was calibrated and tested using the field data collected at the Quinn River in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Two approaches used to test the model were: (1) simulating meander evolution and comparing the results with the observed 38 year migration pattern; and (2) fitting the model parameters to present bank asymmetry (the ratio of the maximum bank gradients on opposite sides of the channel). The data required as input were collected in the field during a high flow in May 2011 and from aerial photographs and LiDAR data. Both approaches yielded similar results for the best fit parameter values. The bank asymmetry analysis showed that the bank asymmetry and the velocity perturbation have high correlation at close to zero spatial lag while the maximum correlation between the bank asymmetry and maximum bend curvature is offset by about 25 m. The model sufficiently replicated 38 years of channel migration, with a few locations significantly under- or over-predicted. Inadequacies of the flow model and/or variation in bank properties unaccounted for are most likely the causes for these discrepancies. Flow through the Quinn River was also simulated by a more general 3D model. The downstream pattern of near-bank shear stresses simulated by the 3D model is nearly identical to those resulting from the linearized flow model. Topographic profiles across interior bends are essentially invariant over a wide range of migration rates, suggesting that the traditional formulation that cut bank erosion processes govern migration rates is appropriate for the Quinn River. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Progress toward a low-cost millimeter-wave silicon radio

This paper discusses the circuits, packaging, and antennas needed to realize a low-cost millimeter-wave transceiver with integrated antenna in silicon technology. The principal application envisioned is in high-speed 60-GHz wireless networks, but the concepts may be applicable to other products as well, such as 77-GHz radar sensors. Circuit results are presented for both 60 and 77 GHz, including an LNA, a highly-integrated direct downconverter, a mixer for a superheterodyne receiver, and a power amplifier. Packaging issues which arise at millimeter-wave frequencies are discussed, and a packaging approach involving a Si IC and a planar antenna in the same package is described. Measurement results for a planar Vivaldi antenna are presented as an example.
fMRI Imaging and Decision Making in Vegetative Patients: Ethics, Technology, and Welfare

Recent advances in neuroscience have led to new, more nuanced diagnostic categories for disorders of consciousness that result from traumatic or anoxic injuries to the brain: minimally conscious st...
Absorption of acetylsulfisoxazole lipid emulsion

Summary 1. Acetylsulfisoxazole (Gantrisin) lipid emulsion was administered orally to sixty-seven children ranging from 3 months to 12 years of age. The mean age was 2.6 years. 2. Blood levels were determined followingsingle- and multiple-dose schedules. 3. A single dose of 75 or 150 mg. perkilogram of body weight produced significant blood levels for at least twelve hours. 4. A dose of 100 mg. per kilogramevery twelve hours for two doses yielded significant blood levels for the full twenty-four-hour period. 5. No untoward effects were notedin the group of children studied.
Wireless Indoor Location Estimation Based on Neural Network RSS Signature Recognition (LENSR)

Location Based Services (LBS), context aware applications, and people and object tracking depend on the ability to locate mobile devices, also known as localization, in the wireless landscape. Localization enables a diverse set of applications that include, but are not limited to, vehicle guidance in an industrial environment, security monitoring, self-guided tours, personalized communications services, resource tracking, mobile commerce services, guiding emergency workers during fire emergencies, habitat monitoring, environmental surveillance, and receiving alerts. This paper presents a new neural network approach (LENSR) based on a competitive topological Counter Propagation Network (CPN) with k-nearest neighborhood vector mapping, for indoor location estimation based on received signal strength. The advantage of this approach is both speed and accuracy. The tested accuracy of the algorithm was 90.6% within 1 meter and 96.4% within 1.5 meters. Several approaches for location estimation using WLAN technology were reviewed for comparison of results.
Teams and Groups

Teams are groups of workers whose tasks are interdependent, who share common goals, and who have a shared identity or sense of themselves as a bounded group. In international management, multicultural and global teams are prevalent. Multicultural teams are culturally diverse, while global teams are also geographically distributed and thus embedded in different cultural contexts. Keywords: groups; teams; multicultural teams; team performance; virtual teams; global teams; global virtual teams
Design Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction to FMEA and FMECA Design FMECA Principles of FMECA-MA Design FMECA Approaches Example of a Design FMECA Process Risk Priority Number Final Thoughts References ]]>
Measurement techniques for evaluating piezoelectric thin films

Piezoelectric thin films have been in use for over three decades as high frequency bulk acoustic wave (BAW) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers and resonators, and as a SAW medium for acoustooptic, acoustoelectronic, and sensor interactions. Sputtered aluminum nitride (AlN) and zinc oxide (ZnO) films have been the dominant films used for acoustic wave device applications. Various measurement techniques have been used to evaluate the properties of these films and derive their acoustic properties. These measurement techniques are important in optimizing film deposition conditions, determining the required design parameters for device development, characterizing film structure, and in obtaining fundamental film constants. This paper focuses on the measurement techniques which have been used to quantify the acoustic properties of thin-film ZnO and AlN and have led to a better understanding of what properties are necessary for a good piezoelectric film. SAW measurement techniques are emphasized since they provide the most comprehensive information from which basic piezoelectric and acoustic device design parameters and constants can be derived.
ON CHAPTER XII IN CARTAN'S "LECONS SUR LA G ´ EOM ´ ETRIE DES ESPACES DE RIEMANN".

One shows that Cartan’s method of adapted frames in Chapter XII of his famous treatise of Riemannian geometry, leads to a classification theorem of homogeneous Riemannian manifolds. Examples of classification in 3D dimensions obtained by Cartan are given using this powerful method. AMS 1991 subject classifications. Primary 53C30
COMPARISON BETWEEN CLINICAL, ULTRASOUND, CT, MRI, AND PATHOLOGY FINDINGS IN DOGS PRESENTED FOR SUSPECTED THYROID CARCINOMA

This study compares clinical, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and pathology findings in 16 prospectively, and seven retrospectively recruited dogs presented for suspected thyroid carcinoma. Of these, 17 were confirmed thyroid carcinoma, while six were initially misdiagnosed. These included four carotid body tumors, one para-esophageal abscess, and one undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Thyroid carcinomas occurred in older dogs without evidence of sex predilection, and were more often unilateral. All were large, heterogeneous, moderately to strongly vascularized, and most commonly contained areas of dystrophic mineralization and/or fluid accumulations. On MRI, thyroid carcinomas appeared hyperintense compared to surrounding musculature in all imaging sequences used, while on CT they had a lower attenuation value than normal thyroid gland tissue. Histologically confirmed tumor capsule disruption with invasion of the surrounding structures was most commonly detected with MRI. Palpation was not an accurate predictor of locally invasive vs. well-encapsulated masses. Computed tomography had the highest specificity (100%) and MRI had the highest sensitivity (93%) in diagnosing thyroid carcinoma, while ultrasound had considerably lower results. We conclude that ultrasound is adequate for use as a screening tool for dogs with suspected thyroid carcinoma, but recommend either CT or MRI for preoperative diagnosis and staging.
Provider- and plan-specific measures of quality.

Quality measures developed to quantify health care provider-specific performance can be useful tools for informed decision-making by consumers, purchasers, and regulators. Additionally they can stimulate improvements in the quality of care and provide insight in targeting of quality improvement activities. Following up on the spring 2001 issue of the Review on performance measures for health plans, this issue addresses provider-specific measures of quality and refinements to existing plan-specific measures. The first five articles in this issue of the Health Care Financing Review report on recent initiatives to develop and implement new provider-specific measures of quality in health care delivery, focusing on settings other than health plans. This set of articles provides insights into the processes used in the design, development, and implementation of these initiatives and each offers lessons learned for future work. Aspects addressed in these articles include the crafting of the measures as well as the challenges of presenting, explaining, and disseminating the information to the public. The spectrum of providers covered includes nursing homes, dialysis facilities, hospitals, and primary care case management programs. These new initiatives have balanced concerns of validity, reliability, timeliness, and value to the user. Despite acknowledged shortcomings, these projects have expanded the information available to the public and to health care providers, often under constraints of aggressive timelines to meet legislative mandates. The authors acknowledge that each of these projects is only a first step, and relay that the importance of advancing the quality process outweighs limitations in the indicators. Use of these new measures affords opportunities for continued improvement and evolution of the measures, their implementation, and the supporting communication strategies. The next four articles in this theme focus on refinements and new applications of existing quality measurement tools used in health plans. These studies illustrate the further evolution and application of established quality measures. The contrast between the levels of refinement in these two sections of this issue highlights the advancements that have been made in quality measurement for health plans, a health care delivery setting that has a history of systematically using established quality measures.
Effects of GO FASTER on Morpheme Definition Fluency for High School Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

Although vocabulary plays an important role in literacy and content instruction, there is a paucity of research identifying effective methods for teaching vocabulary. One promising strategy is morphemic analysis, which involves breaking words into morphemes, the smallest meaningful parts of words, and teaching students the meanings of those parts. The current study used a multiple probe across morphemes experimental design to determine the effects of an intervention package, GO FASTER (Graphic Organizers; Flashcards Added up and Self-graphed to Track progress; Errors Reviewed). Findings showed that with three to four instructional sessions, three high school students with high-incidence disabilities successfully defined morphemes at a predetermined fluency rate and generalized these definitions to untaught words. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Neurological complications of cervical spine surgery: C5 palsy and intraoperative monitoring.

Study design Review article. Objective To review the epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, prevention, and treatment of neurological complications associated with cervical spine surgery. The article focuses on C5 palsy and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Summary of background data Neurological problems are the complications most feared by patients and surgeons alike, but, fortunately, spinal cord injury is uncommon. C5 palsy is a less severe but much more common and perplexing problem. Intraoperative monitoring is widely used in cervical spine surgery, but it is unclear how effective it is at preventing spinal cord or nerve root injury. Methods Narrative and review of the literature. Results The incidence of new, severe motor weakness in 2 or more extremities occurring within 12 hours of surgery is 0.18%. The rate in the cervical spine is 3 of 1000. The incidence of isolated C5 palsy is much greater; the rate varies between 0% and 30%, depending on how the condition is defined and which patient group is being analyzed. Numerous theories have been postulated to explain the pathogenesis of C5 palsy, and preventative strategies are discussed. Approximately 70% of patients recover completely without treatment. The mean time to full recovery is 4 to 5 months. Recovery is spontaneous; no treatment has been shown to shorten the time to recovery or improve the recovery rate. A systematic review of the literature found a high level of evidence that multimodal intraoperative monitoring is effective at detecting intraoperative neurological injury. The evidence that intraoperative monitoring reduces the rate of new or worsened perioperative neurological deficits is not as strong. Algorithms help surgeons respond to monitoring alerts and manage neurological deficits that are identified postoperatively. Conclusion The keys to managing neurological complications in cervical spine surgery are prevention through careful planning, appropriate multimodal monitoring, meticulous surgical technique, and decisive action when a problem is identified.
Treatment-related changes in cardiovascular reactivity to trauma cues in motor vehicle accident-related PTSD

We have conducted a randomized, controlled trial comparing a combination of cognitive and behavioral treatments (CBT), supportive psychotherapy (SUPPORT), or an assessment-only wait-list (WAITLIST) control. To study psychophysiological reactivity in PTSD we measured heart rate (HR) reactivity to idiosyncratic audiotaped descriptions of the motor vehicle accident (MVA) that the participants had survived, both before and after each of the treatments. Results showed significantly greater reduction in HR reactivity for those receiving CBT (n = 25) than for either those in SUPPORT (n = 26) or WAITLIST (n = 22). The latter two conditions did not differ. There were significant but low-level correlations between changes in CAPS scores and changes in HR reactivity collapsing across all groups.
A note on small income effects

This note provides an alternative sufficient condition for the small income effect result that is first shown by Vives [Small income effects: a Marshallian theory of consumer surplus and downward sloping demand, Rev. Econ. Stud. 54(1) (1987) 87–103]. The condition is stated by ordinal terms only, whereas Vives assumes cardinal properties of utility representation. Second, as its application, we provide a sufficient condition for the preference being asymptotically quasi-linear, in a two good economy where the second good is a composition of a large number of goods.
Congressional Preemption: Removal of State Regulatory Powers

The balance of national and state powers has undergone continuous readjustment since 1790, without a constitutional amendment by means of numerous congressional preemption statutes superseding completely or partially certain regulatory powers of the states and thereby effectuating a major transformation in the federal system. Congress since 1978 has increased its regulation of subnational governments as polities by enacting preemption statutes containing mandates and restraints (Zimmerman 1994) while simultaneously enacting other statutes providing for extensive deregulation of the banking and communications industries and complete economic deregulation of the air, bus, and rail transportation companies.
Ein dreidimensionales Koordinationspolymer mit erweiterter NbO‐Struktur

Die Kombination von quadratisch-planaren [Ni(CN)4]2−-Ionen mit Ph3Sn+-Ionen fuhrt zu 1, einem dreidimensionalen Koordinationspolymer mit einer erweiterten NbO-Struktur. Das (Ph3Sn)2Ni(CN)4-Gerust (schematisch ohne Phenylgruppen und Solvensmolekule dargestellt) enthalt einen grosen zentralen Hohlraum, der durch Ph3SnOH-, Acetonitril- und Wassermolekule besetzt wird.
An intervention to extend breastfeeding among black and Latina mothers after delivery

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare breastfeeding duration in mothers after delivery who were assigned randomly to a behavioral educational intervention vs enhanced usual care. Study Design We conducted a randomized trial. Self-identified black and Latina mothers early after delivery were assigned randomly to receive a behavioral educational intervention or enhanced usual care. The 2-step intervention aimed to prepare and educate mothers about postpartum symptoms and experiences (including tips on breastfeeding and breast/nipple pain) and to bolster social support and self-management skills. Enhanced usual care participants received a list of community resources and received a 2-week control call. Intention-to-treat analyses examined breastfeeding duration (measured in weeks) for up to 6 months of observation. This study was registered with clinicaltrial.gov (NCT01312883). Results Five hundred forty mothers were assigned randomly to the intervention (n = 270) vs control subjects (n = 270). Mean age was 28 years (range, 18–46 years); 62% of the women were Latina, and 38% were black. Baseline sociodemographic, clinical, psychosocial, and breastfeeding characteristics were similar among intervention vs control subjects. Mothers in the intervention arm breastfed for a longer duration than did the control subjects (median, 12.0 vs 6.5 weeks, respectively; P = .02) Mothers in the intervention arm were less likely to quit breastfeeding over the first 6 months after delivery (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–0.97). Conclusion A behavioral educational intervention increased breastfeeding duration among low-income, self-identified black and Latina mothers during the 6-month postpartum period.
Radical prostatectomy: Long-term cancer control and recovery of sexual and urinary function (“trifecta”)

Radical prostatectomy (RP) disrupts the natural history of prostate cancer. However, it could be a significant source of long-term incontinence and potency morbidity. We studied the long-term cancer survival results and the probabilities of achieving ideal "trifecta" outcomes (cancer control, continence, and potency) after this surgical procedure. A total of 1746 intervention-naive patients with clinically localized newly diagnosed prostate cancer underwent RP with curative intent beginning in 1983. The mean follow-up time was 6 years (interquartile range, 3-9). The successive probabilities of achieving ideal trifecta outcomes for up to 24 months following RP versus experiencing biochemical recurrence were estimated using the cumulative incidence method. Additionally, long-term cancer control was assessed by preoperative and postoperative factors. Surgical excision controlled prostate cancer effectively in 1441 (83%) of the 1746 patients studied. At 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively, 82%, 77%, and 75% of patients were free from disease progression. Cancer-specific survival was 99%, 95% and 89%, respectively, at 5, 10, and 15 years. In men with disease progression, the 15-year probabilities of death from prostate cancer versus other causes were similar (32% and 33%, respectively). At 24 months, 60% of patients were potent, continent, and free of cancer, and 12% had experienced recurrence. Use of RP provided excellent long-term cancer control. At 15 years, only 11% of patients had died of prostate cancer. Cancer control was good even for patients with adverse prognostic features. The probability of death from cancer was similar to other causes after disease progression. By 2 years, 60% of men were continent, potent, and cancer free.
Low programming voltage floating gate analogue memory cells in standard VLSI CMOS technology

Floating gate MOSFET structures were fabricated in a standard 2 mu m double-polysilicon CMOS process which requires programming voltages of only 6.5-9 V. This considerable reduction in programming voltage is achieved by simultaneously exploiting tunnelling through the interpolysilicon oxide and capacitive geometries whose top poly-layers overlap the edges of the lower poly-layers.< >
Models, simulations, instantiations, and evidence: the case of digital evolution

What is the difference between a simulation of X and simply another instance of X? Is there a point at which the "virtual reality" of a model becomes the real thing? This paper examines these questions using cases taken from recent developments in evolutionary engineering and artificial life research. By implementing the Darwinian mechanism and setting it to work on a design problem, scientists and engineers find that evolution not only can improve prior designs, but also produce novel technological solutions. Artificial life systems Tierra and Avida which operate at a higher level of abstraction than evolutionary engineering applications. I analyze simulation as a rational concept "S simulates R" and argue that it always includes some relevant property P, of R, that is captured but that there is always also some other that it omits, and that pragmatic factors fix what counts as relevant. The border between a simulation and an instance or R can change depending upon the context. I show that in one sense, evo-technology and artificial life simulate organic evolution, but in another relevant sense they are instances of evolution itself. Biologists can use such systems to experimentally test evolutionary hypotheses such as those involving the evolution of complex features and altruism. This analysis suggests lines for future research on broader questions about models classification and confirmation.
Macromarketing: A Social Systems Perspective

The marketing system is a differentiated subsystem of the society, performing functions necessary if society is to adapt to its material environment. In the performance of these functions, the mark...
“Never Events”: Hepatitis B Outbreaks and Patient Notifications Resulting from Unsafe Practices during Assisted Monitoring of Blood Glucose, 2009–2010

Methods: We reviewed available data and information from investigations of health care-associated HBV infection outbreaks and patient notification events associated with AMBG in the United States between 2009 and 2010. Results: Four HBV infection outbreaks were reported, all in assisted living facilities. Common infection control breaches included use of reusable finger stick devices, which are intended for personal use, on multiple persons; use of BG meters for more than one person without cleaning and disinfection between each use; and comingling of contaminated and clean equipment and supplies. Twenty-nine (88%) of the 33 residents who acquired acute HBV infection as part of these outbreaks received AMBG. Compared with those who did not, residents undergoing AMBG had significantly increased risk of acquiring acute HBV infection (relative risk: 27.7, 95% confidence interval: 10.3 to 74.4). During two patient notifications, approximately 320 persons were recommended to undergo bloodborne pathogen testing after being placed at risk for exposure to another person’s blood when personal-use multilancet finger stick devices were selected for use on multiple persons. Conclusions:
5 the Project of Reconciliation and the Road to Redemption: Hegel's Social Philosophy and Nietzsche's Critique

Arthur Schopenhauer once observed: "A Philosophy in between the pages of which one does not hear the tears, the weeping and gnashing of teeth and the terrible din of mutual universal murder is no [genuine] philosophy." 1 Certainly, the unforgettable events of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, which bear the names Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Rwanda, and Darfur, pose a challenge for philosophical thinking to prove itself equal to what emerges from these horrific events. To that end, my paper looks back to the philosophies of G. W. F. Hegel and Friedrich Nietzsche-in particular to their vision of a social reconciliation and cultural redemption-as a source of inspiration in our efforts to meet the challenges posed for a philosophy of the future by the global scale of violence, human suffering, and alienation. In what follows, I first offer a comparative analysis of Hegel's "project of reconciliation" with Nietzsche's "project of redemption." I then consider whether or not either philosopher can provide us with a coherent and attractive ethical/sociopolitical alternative for our postmodern world-a world still characterized by global violence, injustice, genocide, ecological degradation, and the prospect of nuclear annihilation.
The Institutionalization of Regulatory Review: Organizational Stability and Responsive Competence at OIRA

Scholars have argued that presidents' need for responsiveness induces them to adopt ad hoc, politicized management strategies. Most have been critical of this tendency, contending that presidents are better served by established organizations and civil servants within the executive office. Their premise is that the neutral competence brought to bear through these institutional resources will faithfully promote the interests of whoever occupies the White House. Yet others have argued that political responsiveness is essential to the accomplishment of presidential goals, and that this can only be obtained through personalized management techniques that bypass the bureaucracy. This study examines these assertions in the context of regulatory review. Centralized exec utive oversight of agency policy making has been implemented through a stable organization staffed almost exclusively by career bureaucrats, but it has also reflected the agendas of differ ent presidents. An analysis of the structure and the implementation of regulatory review is thus inconsistent with popular descriptions of executive management. Although it supports the pre scriptive argument that established institutions can serve presidents effectively, it does not suggest that such responsiveness is likely to occur through a cultural medium of neutral competence. Regulatory review has promoted executive interests across administrations precisely because the process has internalized incumbents' political preferences.
Ready or not? Stages of change as predictors of brief group therapy outcome in bulimia nervosa

Although group therapy is often recommended for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, relatively little is known about predictors of short-term outcome. This pilot study examined whether a standardized measure of readiness for change might be related to changes in binge frequency. Sixteen bulimic patients participated in short-term cognitive behavioral group therapy for twelve weeks. Each patient completed the Change Assessment Scale prior to treatment, along with a battery of symptom measures which were readministered at the conclusion of therapy. Bulimic patients with positive outcome in binge frequency were at a higher stage of readiness for change at pretreatment than were patients with negative outcome. Results indicated that there may be methods of determining who would be most likely to benefit from cognitive behavioral group therapy, and tentatively suggest that interventions may be more successful when readiness for change is taken into consideration.
The stochastic single machine scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness costs

Abstract This paper studies the static single machine scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness costs where job processing times are random variables and due dates are distinct and deterministic. The objective is to identify an optimal sequence which minimizes the total expeted earliness plus tardiness cost. A case where processing times are normally distributed is fully explored. We demonstrate that variations in processing times increase cost and affect sequencing decisions. Three heuristics for finding an optimal sequence are proposed. The illustrative example and computational results indicate that optimal sequences and their expected costs are significantly different from those provided by the classical deterministic single machine models. Furthermore, our computational experiments show that two of the proposed heuristics perform well in identifying optimal sequences.
Specific heat measurements on URuGa5 and U2RuGa8

Abstract Due to their large UU separations, URuGa5 and U2RuGa8 seemed to be interesting systems for possible heavy fermion behavior. In this article we report the specific heat data (1.4–18 K) and magnetic measurements. The determined values of the Sommerfield constant γ are 37 mJ U-mol−1 K−2 for URuGa5 and 57 mJ U-mol−1 K−2 for U2RuGa8.
Selective microdetermination of lipid hydroperoxides

A sensitive and selective assay for lipid hydroperoxides was developed based upon the activation by hydroperoxides of the cyclooxygenase activity of prostaglandin H synthase. The assay measures hydroperoxides directly by their stimulatory action on the cyclooxygenase and thus differs from the methods used currently which rely on the measurement of secondary products to estimate the amount of hydroperoxide. The present assay of enzymatic response was approximately linear in the range 10 to 150 pmol of added lipid hydroperoxide. This sensitivity for lipid peroxides is about 50-fold greater than that of the thiobarbiturate assay with fluorescence detection. When applied to samples of human plasma, the enzymatic assay indicated that the concentration of lipid hydroperoxides in normal subjects is 0.5 microM, more than 50-fold lower than estimated by the thiobarbiturate assay (30-50 microM). Nevertheless, the circulating concentration of 0.5 microM lipid hydroperoxide approaches that reported to have deleterious effects upon vascular prostacyclin synthase.
Late Onset Corneal Haze and Myopic Regression after Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Objective To report the incidence and clinical course of a series of patients who developed both delayed-onset, clinically significant progressive haze and myopic regression after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Methods In this retrospective case series, the charts of 542 consecutive patients who had undergone PRK with the VISX Star Excimer or Nidek EC-5000 laser between July 1996 and October 1998 and who had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up were reviewed. Ten eyes of 8 patients developed progressive haze to greater than 1+ and myopic regression equal to or more than -1 D 3 months or more after PRK. The historical and clinical features were reviewed. Results The incidence of combined progressive haze and myopic regression was 1.8%. The average age was 40.5 years. Three of the 8 patients were female. The median spherical equivalent (SE) attempted correction was -6.69 D (range -4.00 to -12.25 D). Five patients who underwent bilateral PRK had unilateral involvement. The mean SE regression was -2.01 +/- 0.79 D (range -1.00 to -3.00 D). Regression plateaued at a mean of 9.8 months. Haze ranging up to 4+ peaked at a mean of 7.4 months. Topical steroid treatment and/or epithelial scraping was attempted in 3 eyes but was ineffective. Conclusions Combined delayed-onset progressive haze and myopic regression can occur after PRK. In such cases, the amount of haze appears to correlate with the magnitude of attempted initial correction (r = 0.639, P = 0.046) although not with the magnitude of subsequent regression. Patients may need at least 10 months of follow-up to achieve a stable refraction and level of haze. These observations suggest a need for improved understanding of corneal wound healing following PRK and of biologic factors that may contribute to variability in outcomes.
Numerical study of concentration polarization in a rectangular reverse osmosis membrane channel: Permeate flux variation and hydrodynamic end effects

Abstract Concentration polarization in a rectangular reverse osmosis (RCRO) and a laboratory plate-and-frame RO (PAFRO) membrane channels were investigated using a finite-element numerical model consisting of the fully coupled governing equations for fluid dynamics and mass transfer. The model considers both the concentration dependence of model parameters and axial variation of permeate flux. In both the RCRO and PAFRO channel geometries the flux varies axially along the membrane commensurate with the coupled development of the concentration boundary layer. For the case of the RCRO channel, the effect of permeate flux was quantified via the computed feed-side mass transfer coefficient (commonly used in estimations of concentration polarization) in terms of a dimensionless correlation for the average Sherwood number, S h ¯ = A 1 ( 1 + A 2 R e A 3 S c A 4 ( H / L ) A 5 R e ¯ p ) [ R e S c ( H / L ) ] 1 / 3 , that reduces to the form of the classical Leveque solution in the limit of vanishing permeate flux. Simulations of desalting in a PAFRO channel demonstrated the importance of accounting for local permeate flux variability and coupling of the hydrodynamics and mass transfer model equations in order to predict local concentration variations and in particular local maxima of concentration polarization, especially in regions of flow recirculation where scaling by sparingly water soluble mineral salts could be first triggered should their concentrations exceed saturation.
Retention of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by Wood Ash, Lime and Fume Dust

Heavy metals are of interest due to their deleterious impacts on both human and ecosystem health. This study investigated the effectiveness of wood ash in immobilizing the heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn from aqueous solutions. The effects of initial metal concentrations, solution pH, ash dose and reaction time on metal sorption, as well as the metal sorption mechanisms were studied. To investigate the effect of initial metal concentrations, solutions containing Cd, Zn (25, 50, 75, 100 or 125 mg L−1), Cu (25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or 175 mg L−1) or Pb (250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, or 1500 mg L−1) were reacted with 10 g L−1 ash for two hours. For the effect of pH, solutions containing 100 mg L−1 of Cd, Cu or Zn or 1500 mg L−1 of Pb were reacted with 15 g L−1 ash over a pH range of 4 to 7. The wood ash was effective in immobilizing the four metals with a sorption range of 41–100 %. The amounts of metals retained by the ash followed the order of Pb > Cu > Cd > Zn. As expected, absolute metal retention increased with increasing initial metal concentrations, solution pH and ash dose. Metal retention by the ash exhibited a two-phase step: an initial rapid uptake of the metal followed by a period of relatively slow removal of metal from solution. Metal retention by the ash could be described by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, with the latter providing a better fit for the data. Dissolution of calcite /gypsum minerals and precipitation of metal carbonate/sulfate like minerals were probably responsible for metal immobilization by the ash in addition to adsorption.
Cultured oligodendrocytes mimic in vivo phenotypic characteristics: Cell shape, expression of myelin-specific antigens, and membrane production☆

Primary cultures of neonatal mouse cerebra were maintained for up to 4 weeks in the absence of neurons. Oligodendrocytes in these cultures pass through a sequence of cytoarchitectural change and antigen expression which mimics the differentiation of oligodendrocytes in vivo. The cell bodies and processes of oligodendrocytes first express the myelin-specific antigen galactocerebroside (GC) by 2 days in vitro. Myelin basic protein (MBP) appears several days later. The majority of oligodendrocytes then proceed to elaborate large sheets of membranous material from the tips and lengths of cell processes. These membranous sheets, which contain GC and MBP, are reminiscent of unwrapped myelin profiles in vivo. As with the cell bodies and processes, GC is inserted into the sheets several days before MBP. Our results establish that oligodendrocytes cultured without neurons are able to produce extensive membranes containing myelin-specific antigens. They also suggest that oligodendrocyte shape and membrane production are, in part, regulated from within the oligodendrocyte itself.
A Role for Adenosine Deaminase in Drosophila Larval Development

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme present in all organisms that catalyzes the irreversible deamination of adenosine and deoxyadenosine to inosine and deoxyinosine. Both adenosine and deoxyadenosine are biologically active purines that can have a deep impact on cellular physiology; notably, ADA deficiency in humans causes severe combined immunodeficiency. We have established a Drosophila model to study the effects of altered adenosine levels in vivo by genetic elimination of adenosine deaminase-related growth factor-A (ADGF-A), which has ADA activity and is expressed in the gut and hematopoietic organ. Here we show that the hemocytes (blood cells) are the main regulator of adenosine in the Drosophila larva, as was speculated previously for mammals. The elevated level of adenosine in the hemolymph due to lack of ADGF-A leads to apparently inconsistent phenotypic effects: precocious metamorphic changes including differentiation of macrophage-like cells and fat body disintegration on one hand, and delay of development with block of pupariation on the other. The block of pupariation appears to involve signaling through the adenosine receptor (AdoR), but fat body disintegration, which is promoted by action of the hemocytes, seems to be independent of the AdoR. The existence of such an independent mechanism has also been suggested in mammals.
The photoperoxidation of unsaturated organic molecules. XII. Dissociative oxciplex relaxation

Abstract The experimental evidence indicates that the self-sensitized addition of molecular oxygen to a dissolved aromatic hydrocarbon M involves a reaction sequence in which the products of processes (1) and (2) are the reactants in processes (2) and (3), rather than the direct addition of O 2 3 Σ to either the excited singlet M(S 1 ) or triplet M(T 1 ) states of the acceptor. An orbital correlation scheme presented for the concerted addition process (3) and based on anthracene as a model acceptor with a “planar peroxide” complex configuration of highest symmetry shows that the complex or oxciplex states 3 (S 1 3 Σ) and 1.3 (T 1 3 Σ) must correlate endothermically with electronically excited states of the peroxide MO 2 . Arguments are given in support of the exchange mechanism for process (2) in non-polar solvents in which, for a similar oxciplex configuration, the final state correlates with that component of the O 2 1 Δ state which does not lead to formation of the MO 2 ground state 1 A 1 . Direct formation of MO 2 1 A 1 in processes (1) or (2) therefore requires electronic relaxation of the initially formed oxciplex states 3 (S 1 3 Σ) and 1 (T 1 3 Σ) which is either spin or orbitally forbidden but is achieved by dissociation and recombination of the molecular components.
Corona Loss Vs. Atmospheric Conditions

In previous investigations of corona loss on electric conductors, variations in loss were observed that were believed to be caused by daily variations in atmospheric conditions. Consequently, a series of tests was made to investigate the effects of humidity, pressure, temperature, and smoke; the results are given in this article.
A Survey of Infrared Polarization in the Outdoors

This paper provides a summary of the principles that combine to create the infrared polarization signature of an object viewed in the outdoor environment. The primary variables discussed here include polarized emission and reflection from the source (object of interest). Because the observed polarization signature arises from a combination of mutually orthogonally polarized emitted and reflected radiance components, the background radiance is an important variable to consider in many infrared imaging situations. Examples are shown of polarization spectra calculated for a smooth dielectric surface viewed under atmospheric conditions ranging clear and dry to cloudy. As long as the object of interest is radiometrically warmer than the background (sky in this case), the observed radiance is partially p-polarized, but the degree of polarization varies with the magnitude of the reflected radiance.
CYP6B3: a second furanocoumarin‐inducible cytochrome P450 expressed in Papilio polyxenes

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in the larvae of Papilio polyxenes (black swallowtail) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) are capable of detoxifying linear and angular furanocoumarins found in their host plants. The CYP6B1 locus, which is transcriptionally induced in these larvae in response to xanthotoxin, encodes a P450 that principally metabolizes linear furanocoumarins such as xanthotoxin and bergapten. We have now cloned CYP6B3 cDNA derived from a second locus that is evolutionarily related to the CYP6B1 locus. Reverse transcription-PCR Southern analyses have demonstrated that CYP6B3 transcripts are expressed in response to a wider range of linear and angular furanocoumarins but at lower abundance than CYP6B1 transcripts. Whereas CYP6B1 transcripts are expressed at a low detectable level in uninduced control larvae and at high levels in xanthotoxin-induced larvae, CYP6B3 transcripts are nearly undetectable in control larvae and are highly induced by xanthotoxin and bergapten (linear furanocoumarins) as well as by angelicin and sphondin (angular furanocoumarins). The fact that these two CYP6B loci are differentially regulated by these four furanocoumarins indicates that P. polyxenes has adapted to the presence of the wide range of furanocoumarins in its host plants by diversifying its P450 isozyme structures and its furanocoumarin-responsive regulatory cascades.
The rate of loss of mercury from aqueous solution when stored in various containers

Abstract Solutions of natural water and distilled water were spiked with mercury(II) (25 p.p.b.) and stored in polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and soft glass containers. Losses of mercury at different pH values were monitored by flameless atomic absorption for a total of 17 days. Severe losses of mercury were observed at pH 2 and 7. Mercury loss from solution followed first-order kinetics; the half-lives of mercury loss under various conditions were calculated. Acidification of the solutions to pH 0.5 with nitric acid curtailed mercury loss substantially. Possible ways of reducing the loss of mercury from environmental water samples are discussed.
Fundamental studies of desulfurization processes: reaction of methanethiol on ZnO and Cs/ZnO

The reaction of methanethiol on ZnO and Cs promoted ZnO surfaces has been studied with synchrotron based photoemission and thermal desorption spectroscopy. On ZnO, methanethiol undergoes selective reaction to produce carbon monoxide (37–58%), methane (23–38%), formaldehyde (12–15%), ethane (1–11%), and a mixture of ethylene and acetylene (3–13%). At low temperatures (<100 K), methanethiol reacts to yield thiolate intermediate bound to Zn2+ cations. The thiolate is stable to 500 K. Above this temperature, C–S bond cleavage occurs to yield methyl intermediate and atomic S. Carbon is removed from the surface as gaseous products above 500 K, and atomic sulfur remains bound to the zinc sites of the surface. Submonolayer amounts of cesium do not have a significant promotional effect on C–S bond cleavage, whereas Cs multilayers are found to significantly lower the activation barrier for C–S bond cleavage. This study illustrates the chemistry associated with the desulfurization of thiols on a catalytically relevant oxide surface.
Performance of Vertical Cracked Air Plasma Spray Processed Thermal Barrier Coatings: Thermo-Physical Properties Measurements, and Effects of Thermal Stress on Thermal Cycling Failure

In this study two variations of Air plasma spray (APS) coated Inconel738 (IN738) materials are evaluated for their thermal cycling and spalling behavior as well as thermo-physical properties variations as a function of temperature. The emphasis in this study was to investigate two different processing regimes that yield a standard APS and vertically oriented columnar microstructures in terms of their thermomechanical performance. The thermal cycling studies involved ramping the samples from 25°C to a temperature of about 1125°C in duration of 30 minutes, and followed by maintaining the samples at that temperature for 5 hours, followed by cooling down from 1125°C to 25°C for 30 minutes. The thermal properties measurements involved using Laser Flash method to measure thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity from 100°C to 900°C. A thermal stress analytical study was also conducted in order to draw inference in the above studies as to the plausible causes of failure in the samples. Preliminary results of this thermal cycling and thermo-physical properties study are presented in this paper. The results are being correlated with the stress analysis results.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Angiotensin II receptors in Xenopus oocytes.

Electrical recordings were used to study the sensitivity of native Xenopus oocytes to the octapeptide angiotensin II (AII). AII elicited oscillatory currents associated with an increase in membrane conductance to Cl$^{-}$. Responsiveness to AII varied greatly between oocytes taken from different frogs, and to a lesser extent between oocytes from the same ovary. Oocytes from frogs showing high sensitivity had response thresholds between 0.5-1.0 nM AII, and at a holding potential of -60 mV, responded to 1 $\mu $M AII with currents greater than 3 $\mu $A. In contrast, oocytes from some frogs gave no response, even to 10 $\mu $M AII. A total of 618 oocytes from 79 frogs were tested for sensitivity to AII, and oocytes from 85% of frogs gave detectable electrical responses. Oscillatory Cl$^{-}$ currents elicited by AII were largely independent of extracellular Ca$^{2+}$, were abolished by chelation of intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ using EGTA and were mimicked by intraoocyte injection of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP$_{3}$). In addition to oscillatory Cl$^{-}$ currents, AII also evoked an influx of extracellular Ca$^{2+}$, giving rise to a transient inward Cl$^{-}$ current on membrane hyperpolarizing steps. These experiments all suggested that AII responses were elicited through activation of an intracellular messenger pathway triggered by hydrolysis of inositolphospholipids, mobilization of intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ by inositol polyphosphates, and activation of Ca$^{2+}$-gated Cl$^{-}$ channels. The effect of manual or enzymic defolliculation on AII responses was studied in nine separate experiments recording from 70 defolliculated oocytes. Efficacy of defolliculation procedures was assayed using scanning electron microscopy, which confirmed removal of 90 to greater than 98% of follicular cells. In all cases AII responses were substantially preserved through defolliculation, suggesting that the AII receptors that mediate membrane current responses are located in the oocyte itself, and not in follicular cells.