cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orthostatic Hypotension-Related Hospitalizations in the United States

Abstract Background Orthostatic hypotension has been commonly described in elderly persons and is associated with an increased risk of falls, syncope, and cerebrovascular events. Nevertheless, the precise burden of this condition in the US is currently unknown. Methods We analyzed discharge data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify orthostatic hypotension-related hospitalizations and associated comorbidities after excluding acute causes of this condition. National hospitalization rates were estimated using US census population estimates, and the medical conditions most frequently associated with orthostatic hypotension were assessed. Results In 2004, there were an estimated 80,095 orthostatic hypotension-related hospitalizations, yielding an overall rate of 36 (95% confidence interval, 34 to 38) hospitalizations per 100,000 US adults. Orthostatic hypotension was the primary diagnosis in 35% of these hospitalizations. The number of orthostatic hypotension-related hospitalizations increased steadily with age, and patients aged 75 years or older had the highest annual hospitalization rate, 233 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval, 217 to 249). The median length of hospital stay was 3 days (IQR 2-6) and the overall in-hospital mortality was 0.9%. Caucasian males were most likely to be hospitalized with orthostatic hypotension. Syncope was the most common comorbid condition reported among orthostatic hypotension patients. Conclusions Orthostatic hypotension is a relatively common condition among hospitalized US elderly patients. In light of the progressive aging of the US population, the contribution of orthostatic hypotension to morbidity and mortality is likely to increase, and deserves further scrutiny.
Dedolomitization in Tectonic Veins and Stylolites: Evidence for Rapid Fluid Migration During Deformation: ABSTRACT

Jurassic through Tertiary thrust-belt deformation of the Mississippian Madison Group has introduced complex fracturing, stylolitization, and carbonate vein mineralization. Host rocks are dominantly dolostone and dolomitic limestone. Tectonic veins are mineralized first by dolomite and then by multiple calcite phases. Dolomite and some generations of calcite which line veins are highly luminescent, while host-rock dolomite is non-luminescent. Both vein-lining dolomite and host-rock dolomite have been corroded and replaced by subsequent generations of calcite mineralization. These textural relationships suggest that fluids associated with thrust-belt deformation were in part extraformational and had not equilibrated with host-rock dolomite. Because thrust-belt deformation moved from west to east with time, the isotopic composition (18O, 13C) of vein and stylolite mineralization can be used to evaluate fluid migration during deformation. In three sections located along an east-west transect in the southern overthrust belt, calcite vein mineralization displays a wide range of isotopic compositions that are distinctly depleted relative to the host-rock composition. These End_Page 458------------------------------ vein-lining calcites exhibit systematic compositional changes with both time of deformation and with geographic position relative to major thrust faults. These isotopic changes in vein mineralization and pressure-solution products, together with the textural evidence for calcitization of host-rock and vein dolomite, suggest that these rocks were open to allochthonous fluid migration during deformation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 459------------
Piled-Slab Searches

This paper deals with the conflict between simplicity and optimality in searching for a stationary target whose location is distributed in two dimensions, thus continuing an analysis that was begun in World War II. The search is assumed to be of the “piled-slab” type, where each slab consists of a uniform search of some simple region. The measure of simplicity is the number of regions (smaller is simpler). If each of a fixed number of elliptical regions is searched randomly, we find the optimal region size and the optimal division of effort between regions. Rectangular regions are also considered, as are problems where the regional searches are according to the inverse-cube law, instead of random search. There is a strong tendency for optimal inverse-cube law searches to consist of a single slab. We also consider problems where the amount of effort for each region is optimized myopically, with no consideration for the search of future regions.
Methods of pricing common property use and some implications for optimal child-bearing and the social discount rate

Abstract Each individual consumes a numeraire capital-consumption good, harvests “fish” from a common property resource, and makes child-bearing and capital bequest decisions in her one-period life. The model is developed in a way that traces the physical impacts of harvest choices across generations. Consistent with previous results in models with pollution, it is shown that the efficient resolution of the stock externality can be accomplished by a combination of Pigouvian harvest and a child-bearing tax. Results are extended to show that the creation of asset-like individual transferable quotas (ITQs) induces efficient harvest and child-bearing decisions without a child-bearing tax. Clarifying previous results, it is shown that the social discount rate is equal to the common net-of-Pigouvian-tax rate of return on capital in both industries.
BRANCHING IN THE BACTERIORHODOPSIN PHOTOCHEMICAL CYCLE

— Kinetics have been determined for the decay of the terminal phototransients M(410) and O(660) and the reappearance of the BR(570) chromophore in flash-photolyzed aqueous suspensions of light-adapted purple membrane fragments from Halobacterium halobium. The results were fitted to a linear model of
Chicago, The South Side Planning Board, and the Search for (Further) Order: Toward an Intellectual Lineage of Urban Renewal in Postwar America

This essay uses the history of the South Side Planning Board (SSPB)—an organization committed to battling urban blight in Chicago—to show how urban renewal backers used the concepts of social organ...
The Sicilian expedition was a Potemkin fleet

The speeches of Nicias and Alcibiades in the debate leading up to the launching of the Sicilian expedition (Thuc. 6.9–14, 6.20–3, 6.16–18) contain a significant number of words, phrases, and themes that recur in Thucydides' later chapters reporting the launching of the expedition and its ultimate fate in Sicily. The verbal and thematic echoes often consist of words of sight and hearing; among the recurring themes are rivalry and competition, the contrast between public and private expenditures, and the desire for acquisition and financial profit.
On the Optimal Size for Exploited Natural Animal Populations

This paper considers natural animal populations whose members are harvested for their own value, either esthetic or monetary. At the time of the harvest, population members are assumed to be indistinguishable as to sex. Revenue and cost structures are defined for these populations as they relate to the ecosystem. A stochastic description of population growth is used in which a change in the distribution of the growth parameter is described by an associated Markovian distribution process. This associated process describes the changes in environmental conditions. A harvesting policy is described in terms of an optimal population size. This policy maximizes the expected economic gain to be realized for the duration of time over which management of the system is anticipated.
The impact of influenza in children

The highest infection rates with influenza virus occur in young children because of their lack of prior immunity and prior exposure to the virus. Most children with influenza virus infection are healthy otherwise. Previously healthy children who have influenza in their first year of life have a substantial risk for developing serious disease. An underlying chronic medical condition further increases this risk. Infants, young children, and children with underlying conditions have the highest rates of outpatient medical visits and hospitalizations for acute respiratory disease during influenza epidemics. Secondary bacterial infections, antibiotic use, and other complications of influenza are consequences of influenza virus infection in children of all ages. Annual immunization with influenza vaccine is recommended for any child older than 6 months of age in whom prevention of disease is desirable, and particularly in those with underlying medical conditions. The consequences of infection in infants younger than 6 months of age can be modified by maternal immunization currently recommended for women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season. Family members, including siblings, and all other close contacts should receive influenza vaccine to reduce the possibility of transmission to children at risk. Immunization of all children has a positive impact on the occurrence of influenza infection and its complications, both in those at greater risk and in the entire population.
Polymerization force driven buckling of microtubule bundles determines the wavelength of patterns formed in tubulin solutions

We present a model for the spontaneous formation of a striated pattern in polymerizing microtubule solutions. It describes the buckling of a single microtubule (MT) bundle within an elastic network formed by other similarly aligned and buckling bundles and unaligned MTs. Phase contrast and polarization microscopy studies of the temporal evolution of the pattern imply that the polymerization of MTs within the bundles creates the driving compressional force. Using the measured rate of buckling, the established MT force-velocity curve and the pattern wavelength, we obtain reasonable estimates for the MT bundle bending rigidity and the elastic constant of the network. The analysis implies that the bundles buckle as solid rods.
A PRECISE GRAVIMETRIC METHOD FOR SIMULATING DROUGHT STRESS IN POT EXPERIMENTS

Many different approaches have been used for the simulation of drought stress in pot studies. An ideal technique should (i) maintain uniform soil water content within the rooting zone, (ii) allow the rate at which stress develops to be precisely controlled, regardless of differences in plant size or variations in environmental conditions, (iii) permit a range of physiologically distinct stress levels to be imposed and maintained indefinitely, and (iv) provide a means of accurately quantifying the stress level. In the present study, a computer automated null-balance lysimeter was evaluated against these criteria. Separate experiments were conducted with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growing in 2.5-L pots. Single plant water use was quantified gravimetrically by frequent, automated recording of pot weights, and transpired water was replaced by a computer controlled watering system such that relative soil water content (RSWC) was maintained within a narrow range. In this way, pots were held at four RSWC levels ranging from 20 to 75%. Despite the frequent additions of small amounts of water at the tops of the pots, soil water distribution within the pots was found to be remarkably uniform, suggesting that bulk RSWC was a suitable indicator of the soil water deficit experienced by the roots. Measurements of whole plant water use indicated that the four RSWC levels represented four statistically distinct levels of water stress. It is concluded that null balance lysimetry is a useful approach to simulating drought stress in greenhouse experiments, with specific advantages over other available techniques.
Acidity enhances the effectiveness of active chemical defensive secretions of sea hares, Aplysia californica, against spiny lobsters, Panulirus interruptus.

Sea hares such as Aplysia californica, gastropod molluscs lacking a protective shell, can release a purple cloud of chemicals when vigorously attacked by predators. This active chemical defense is composed of two glandular secretions, ink and opaline, both of which contain an array of compounds. This secretion defends sea hares against predators such as California spiny lobsters Panulirus interruptus via multiple mechanisms, one of which is phagomimicry, in which secretions containing feeding chemicals attract and distract predators toward the secretion and away from the sea hare. We show here that ink and opaline are highly acidic, both having a pH of ∼5. We examined if the acidity of ink and opaline affects their phagomimetic properties. We tested behavioral and electrophysiological responses of chemoreceptor neurons in the olfactory and gustatory organs of P. interruptus, to ink and opaline of A. californica within their natural range of pH values, from ∼5 to 8. Both behavioral and electrophysiological responses to ink and opaline were enhanced at low pH, and low pH alone accounted for most of this effect. Our data suggest that acidity enhances the phagomimetic chemical defense of sea hares.
Atrioventricular Junction Ablation and Pacemaker Therapy in Patients with Drug‐Resistant Atrial Tachyarrhythmias after the Fontan Operation

AV Junction Ablation after the Fontan Operation. Introduction: Drug-resistant intraatrial reentrant tachycardia (IART) occurs frequently after the Fontan operation and is a major cause of morbidity and rarely mortality. We describe our experience with AV junction ablation after pacemaker implantation in postoperative Fontan patients with drug-resistant IART. Methods and Results: We performed retrospective analysis of Fontan patients with IART and attempted radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the AV junction. Seven patients (6 male) were identified, with a mean age at Fontan of 9.3 years (range 5.8-13.3) and a median age at RFA of 18 years (range 14.5-23.3). Mean follow-up prior to RFA was 764 ′ 235 days and after RFA 1,541 ′ 1,235 days. IART was refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs in all patients, and all had undergone pacemaker placement. Mean onset of IART was 44.1 months (range 0-142) after Fontan. Mean duration of atrial arrhythmia prior to RFA was 72 ′ 48 m (range 16-148). Ablation of the AV junction was successful or partially successful in all patients. Complete AV block occurred in 6 patients. Normal AV conduction was not seen during a mean follow-up of 1,541 days. The mean number of antiarrhythmic medications decreased from 2.8 ′ 1.5 to 0.7 ′ 0.8 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In Fontan patients with drug-resistant IART, RFA of the AV junction with prior pacemaker implant is an effective therapeutic option. Despite the introduction of pacemaker dependence, this option should be considered in patients who did not respond to RFA of IART or who are at high operative risk for Fontan conversion.
On the nature of the chain-extending species in organolithium initiated stereospecific reagent-controlled homologation reactions using α-chloroalkyl aryl sulfoxides

The reaction of an organolithium with an α-chloroalkyl aryl sulfoxide ostensibly generates an α-chloroalkyllithium by sulfoxide–lithium exchange, but the actual identity of the chain-extending species in chlorosulfoxide-based StReCH reactions is not certain. To explore this issue, racemic 2-cyclohexyl (4R∗,5R∗)-4,5-diphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane was homologated by treatment with scalemic (S)-chloromethyl phenyl sulfoxide and n-BuLi (THF, −78 °C). The reaction proceeded without a detectable level of kinetic resolution, a finding consistent with chloromethyllithium being the active chain-extending species rather than a chiral sulfurane intermediate.
Noise propagation in hybrid models of nonlinear systems: The Ginzburg-Landau equation

Every physical phenomenon can be described by multiple models with varying degrees of fidelity. The computational cost of higher fidelity models (e.g., molecular dynamics simulations) is invariably higher than that of their lower fidelity counterparts (e.g., a continuum model based on differential equations). While the former might not be suitable for large-scale simulations, the latter are not universally valid. Hybrid algorithms provide a compromise between the computational efficiency of a coarse-scale model and the representational accuracy of a fine-scale description. This is achieved by conducting a fine-scale computation in subdomains where it is absolutely required (e.g., due to a local breakdown of a continuum model) and coupling it with a coarse-scale computation in the rest of a computational domain. We analyze the effects of random fluctuations generated by the fine-scale component of a nonlinear hybrid on the hybrid?s overall accuracy and stability. Two variants of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation (GLE) and their discrete representations provided by a nearest-neighbor Ising model serve as a computational testbed. Our analysis shows that coupling these descriptions in a one-dimensional simulation leads to erroneous results. Adding a random source term to the GLE provides accurate prediction of the mean behavior of the quantity of interest (magnetization). It also allows the two GLE variants to correctly capture the strength of the microscale fluctuations. Our work demonstrates the importance of fine-scale noise in hybrid simulations, and suggests the need for replacing an otherwise deterministic coarse-scale component of the hybrid with its stochastic counterpart.
A simple and reliable method for measuring the liquid crystal anchoring strength coefficient

Abstract By measuring the electric Freedericksz transition threshold in a wedged capacitance cell, we have developed a simple method for determining the anchoring strength coefficient for tilt of the director relative to the substrate normal. This technique requires neither a knowledge of the absolute cell thickness nor a knowledge of the optical birefringence. Moreover, it applies to both the homeotropic orientation for Δχ 0, where Δχ is the dielectric susceptibility anisotropy.
Modeling and Experimental Evaluation of Monocrystalline Piezoelectric Materials for Electromechanical Actuation

A great amount of research is being conducted to incorporate smart material actuators in aerospace applications such as (1) turbo fan engines (2) servo flap actuators for helicopter rotor control. For example, a piezoelectric stack actuator, coupled with mechanical or hydraulic amplification could provide the actuation required for the variable pitch fan system with a potentially higher level of reliability. In addition, piezoelectric actuation system could do so at a lower overall weight. However, there are limitations with existing piezoelectric stack actuators relative to power requirements in high load applications, resulting heat that is generated due to resistance and internal friction within the piezoelectric materials currently being utilized. Therefore, a new approach has been investigated to improve these characteristics in order for piezoelectric stacks to be a feasible solution for these types of large scale applications. A new configuration involving dielectric, conductor, piezoelectric material in a particular sequence of stack actuation is examined and experimented. This configuration is recommended due to the advantage that the metallic layers will allow creating the equipotential surfaces of the quartz and dielectric layers. This circumstance is very important because, in this case, it will take place instantly changing the electric potential of the surface of the piezoelectric material and the dielectric when the force or voltage applied to the actuator changes instantly. A nonlinear lumped parameter model of a piezoelectric stack has been developed to describe the behavior for the purpose of control actuation analysis.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Intralist interference and imagery in deaf and hearing children.

Abstract Children from populations lacking verbal proficiency were given an interference list of paired associates (high within-list stimulus similarity) or 1 of 2 noninterference lists (low stimulus similarity), under a standard control condition (pictorial items side by side) or an imagery condition (items depicted as interacting). In Experiment I, with deaf children 6–10 years old, the imagery condition facilitated performance on the interference list, mainly by reducing generalization errors. There was significant interference only in the control condition. Unexpectedly, imagery failed to improve performance on the noninterference lists. In Experiment II, with hearing children 4–5 years old, there was significant interference in both the imagery and the control condition. Imagery significantly facilitated performance in all lists, but did not reduce interference, apparently because it did not reduce generalization errors. Thus, imagery (a) facilitates performance by increasing the memorability of stimulus-response associations, and (b) reduces interference by reducing confusion among similar stimuli.
Cell wall formation in secondary xylem of Pinus strobus L.

Vesicular membrane-bound bodies that participate in forming the cell wall of differentiating xylem cells in white pine appeared on electron microscopical examination to originate from the Golgi apparatus. Golgi bodies released vesicles that contained dark material, fibrillar material, or no contents. The vesicles were seen at different stages on their path to the cell wall; their contents came in contact with the wall by fusion of vesicular membranes with the plasmalemma. Individual filaments of fibrillar material within the vesicles were 60 to 80 A in diameter; structurally they resembled the fibrillar component of the existing wall and became intertwined with the wall. The authors assume the dark material in the Golgi-derived vesicles represents the hemicellulosic and the pectic components of the wall, and the fibrillar material, the cellulosic.
‘Hair-on-end’ skull changes resembling thalassemia caused by marrow expansion in uncorrected complex cyanotic heart disease

"Hair-on-end" skull changes resembling thalassemia were rarely described in the 1950s and 1960s in children with cyanotic congenital heart diseases; these changes were described almost entirely in patients with tetralogy of Fallot or D-transposition of the great arteries. As these lesions have become correctable, the osseous changes, never common, seem now only to exist in a small number of patients with uncorrectable complex cyanotic congenital heart disease who survive in a chronic hypoxic state. We present two cases: a case of marked marrow expansion in the skull of a 5-year-old boy with uncorrectable cyanotic heart disease studied by CT, and a second case of an 8-year-old with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia studied by plain skull radiographs. The true incidence of these findings is unknown.
Acquisition of /v/ in “Words” as a Function of the Consistency of /v/ Errors

This study sought evidence of a relationship between inconsistency of misarticulation and speech sound learning. The /v/ sound was selected as the test response. Twenty-seven subjects were assigned...
Concept formation in neural networks: Implications for evolution of cognitive functions

Parallel systems composed of many interconnected elements are both simple brain models and possible novel computer architectures. Potential advantages of such systems are massive parallelism with resulting speedup of computation as well as general ability to compute with noisy, corrupted, or missing data. Parallel, distributed, associative models have pronounced psychologies. Some ways of handling information are natural for them, and some things that we might want them to do are unnatural and quite difficult to do. A question of considerable interest is whether the models’ capabilities and limitations are features of human psychology. Such systems form categories based on the structure their inputs and display behavior that looks as if they form and use simple concepts. However, if noisy examples are learned, an initially stable concept structure may break up. One very simple function of names attached to categories — i.e. a rudimentary language — could be to stabilize a concept structure against fragmentation. In addition, if the statistical structure of the names reflects the statistical structure of the inputs, capacity and reliability of categorization and recognition is enhanced.
Simulating frame-level bursty links in wireless networks

In this paper, we propose a stochastic bursty-link model to simulate bursty behavior observed in wireless communications. Our stochastic bursty-link model works at the frame level where the probability of correctly receiving a frame is dependent on the results of previous transmissions. To accomplish this, our model uses a bursty probability adjustment function to adjust the probability of correctly receiving a frame based on the history of the link. When an appropriate trace file is available, our model can directly derive a bursty probability adjustment function from the trace file. When a trace file is not available, our model can simulate different bursty characteristics by selecting a function from a set of ideal bursty probability adjustment functions. We show that our model can simulate different bursty behaviors observed in real wireless links, using both trace file analyses and ideal bursty probability adjustment functions. In addition to studying the ability to simulate bursty behaviors observed in real wireless links, we also study the effect of incorporating bursty behavior into wireless simulations. We show that incorporating bursty behavior into wireless simulation has a significant impact on the performance of a wireless routing protocol.
Predictors of the Accuracy of Self Assessment of Everyday Functioning in People with Schizophrenia

Despite multiple lines of evidence suggesting that people with schizophrenia have substantial problems in self-reporting everyday functioning and cognitive performance, self-report methods are still widely used to assess functioning. This study attempted to identify predictors of accuracy in self report, both in terms of accurate self-assessment and over-estimation of current functioning. As part of the larger Validating Assessments of Everyday Real-World Outcomes (VALERO) study, 195 patients with schizophrenia were asked to self report their everyday functioning with the Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF) scale, which includes subscales assessing social functioning, everyday activities, and vocational functioning. They were also assessed with measures of neuropsychological (NP) performance and functional capacity (FC), and were assessed for psychiatric symptomatology. In addition, a friend, relative or clinician informant was interviewed with the SLOF, and an interviewer with access to all information provided by the patient and informant (exclusive of performance-based data) generated "best estimate" ratings of actual, everyday functioning. Patients significantly (p<.001) overestimated their vocational functioning and everyday activities compared to the interviewer judgments. Lower levels of NP and FC performance and everyday functioning on the part of patients were consistently associated with overestimation of their functioning. Patient self-reports were not correlated with any performance-based measures, while interviewer judgments were significantly correlated with patients' performance on NP and FC measures (p<.005). In regression analyses, adjusting for interviewer ratings of functioning, several predictors of the discrepancy between self and interviewer judgments emerged. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with less overestimation in self-reports (p<.001). Delusions, suspiciousness, grandiosity and poor rapport were all significantly (p<.001) associated with over-estimation of functioning compared to interviewer judgments. Poorer NP and FC performance were also associated with over-estimation of everyday functioning, but these results were not statistically significant in multivariate regression models. Consistent with previous studies in schizophrenia, other neuropsychiatric conditions and non-clinical populations, higher levels of depression were associated with increased accuracy in self-assessment. Similarly, lower scores on performance-based measures and judgments of everyday functioning also predicted over-estimation of functioning. Thus, we identified bi-directional predictors of mis-estimation of everyday functioning, even when poor baseline scores were considered. These data suggest that it may be possible to screen patients for their ability to self-report their functioning, but that performance-based measures of functioning provide a less biased assessment.
Tarsal coalitions: Activity levels with and without surgery

This study compares activity levels of patients with tarsal coalitions who did and did not have surgery and quantifies the return-to-activity time after tarsal coalition surgery. Thirty-one patients (mean +/- SD age, 22.1 +/- 11.6 years) with 39 coalitions (28 talocalcaneal, 1 complete talonavicular, and 10 calcaneonavicular) were included. The mean postoperative review time was 3 years. Fifteen patients (17 feet) who underwent resection had a mean +/- SD return-to-activity time of 10.3 +/- 5.8 weeks. There was no statistically significant difference in the return-to-activity time between talocalcaneal and calcaneonavicular coalitions. Thirteen patients (21 feet) quit sports; 11 (17 feet) were from the nonsurgical group. Three nonsurgical patients continued playing sports. The Fisher exact test was used to determine whether those forgoing surgery had a decreased ability to achieve desired activity levels. The correlation of surgery and failure to achieve the desired activity level was low (-0.69). Therefore, tarsal coalition excision is not correlated with failure of patients to reach desired activity levels. Patients forgoing surgery could not reach desired activity levels. Surgical excision of tarsal coalitions has a favorable outcome.
Global life cycle releases of engineered nanomaterials

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are now becoming a significant fraction of the material flows in the global economy. We are already reaping the benefits of improved energy efficiency, material use reduction, and better performance in many existing and new applications that have been enabled by these technological advances. As ENMs pervade the global economy, however, it becomes important to understand their environmental implications. As a first step, we combined ENM market information and material flow modeling to produce the first global assessment of the likely ENM emissions to the environment and landfills. The top ten most produced ENMs by mass were analyzed in a dozen major applications. Emissions during the manufacturing, use, and disposal stages were estimated, including intermediate steps through wastewater treatment plants and waste incineration plants. In 2010, silica, titania, alumina, and iron and zinc oxides dominate the ENM market in terms of mass flow through the global economy, used mostly in coatings/paints/pigments, electronics and optics, cosmetics, energy and environmental applications, and as catalysts. We estimate that 63–91 % of over 260,000–309,000 metric tons of global ENM production in 2010 ended up in landfills, with the balance released into soils (8–28 %), water bodies (0.4–7 %), and atmosphere (0.1–1.5 %). While there are considerable uncertainties in the estimates, the framework for estimating emissions can be easily improved as better data become available. The material flow estimates can be used to quantify emissions at the local level, as inputs for fate and transport models to estimate concentrations in different environmental compartments.
Nano-aluminum flame spread with fingering combustion instabilities

Abstract Three consecutive modes of flame propagation were observed over a bed of nano-aluminum burning with a counter-flowing oxidizer of 20% oxygen and 80% argon by volume, each displaying significantly different characteristics. The first mode of propagation was the focus of this study and was examined within the critical Rayleigh and Peclet number regime where three-dimensional buoyancy effects were hindered and the fingering thermal-diffusive instability occurred. Fingering flame spread was observed and characterized for various Peclet numbers, top plate heights and particle sizes to gain a better understanding of the reaction mechanism associated with the combustion of nano-particles in close contact. Results indicate that the first mode of flame propagation over a bed of nano-aluminum has spread rates an order of magnitude greater than that of cellulose fuels. However, similar trends occur when varying the Peclet number and the height of the top plate. Furthermore, faster propagation speeds occur with smaller particles because of their increased specific surface area. The widths of the fingers grow and more of the surface is burned with increasing particle size due to the longer time scale available for lateral growth.
What if the Women's Health Initiative had used transdermal estradiol and oral progesterone instead?

AbstractThe author considers hypothetical comparisons between oral conjugated equine estrogens and transdermal estradiol and between oral medroxyprogesterone acetate and oral micronized progesterone for their effects on four primary outcomes of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI): cardiovascular dis
Pixel-to-pixel cross-talk of infrared focal plane arrays

Modulation transfer function (MTF) is the ability of an imaging system to faithfully image a given object. The MTF of an imaging system quantifies the ability of the system to resolve or transfer spatial frequencies [1]. Consider a bar pattern with a cross-section of each bar being a sine wave. Since the image of a sine wave light distribution is always a sine wave, the image is always a sine wave independent of the other effects in the imaging system such as aberration. Usually, imaging systems have no difficulty in reproducing the bar pattern when the bar pattern is closely spaced. However, an imaging system reaches its limit when the features of the bar pattern get closer and closer together. When the imaging system reaches this limit, the contrast or the modulation (M) is defined as, equation where E is the irradiance. Once the modulation of an image is measured experimentally, the MTF of the imaging system can be calculated for that spatial frequency, using, equation
Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the adenosylcobalamin-dependent ribonucleotide reductase from Lactobacillus leichmannii

Ribonucleoside-triphosphate reductase (RTPR, EC 1.17.4.2) from Lactobacillus leichmannii, a monomeric adenosylcobalamin-requiring enzyme, catalyzes the conversion of nucleoside triphosphates to deoxynucleoside triphosphates. The gene for this enzyme has been cloned and sequenced. In contrast to expectations based on mechanistic considerations, there is no statistically significant sequence homology with the Escherichia coli reductase that requires a dinuclear-iron center and tyrosyl radical cofactor. The RTPR has been overexpressed and purified to homogeneity, yielding 90 mg of protein from 2.5 g of bacteria. Initial characterization of the recombinant RTPR indicates that its properties are identical to those of the RTPR isolated from L. leichmannii.
Analysis of heterogeneous deformation and dislocation dynamics in single crystal micropillars under compression

Abstract The size dependent deformation of Cu single crystal micropillars with thickness ranging from 0.2 to 2.5 μm subjected to uniaxial compression is investigated using a Multi-scale Dislocation Dynamics Plasticity (MDDP) approach. MDDP is a hybrid elasto-viscoplastic simulation model which couples discrete dislocation dynamics at the micro-scale (software micro3d ) with the macroscopic plastic deformation. Our results show that the deformation field in these micropillars is heterogeneous from the onset of plastic flow and is confined to few deformation bands, leading to the formation of ledges and stress concentrations at the surface of the specimen. Furthermore, the simulation yields a serrated stress–strain behavior consisting of discrete strain bursts that correlates well with experimental observations. The intermittent operation and stagnation of discrete dislocation arms is identified as the prominent mechanism that causes heterogeneous deformation and results in the observed macroscopic strain bursts. We show that the critical stress to bow an average maximum dislocation arm, whose length changes during deformation due to pinning events, is responsible for the observed size dependent response of the single crystals. We also reveal that hardening rates, similar to that shown experimentally, occur under relatively constant dislocation densities and are linked to dislocation stagnation due to the formation of entangled dislocation configuration and pinning sites.
Macroporous chitin affinity membranes for wheat germ agglutinin purification from wheat germ

Abstract Macroporous chitin membranes of controlled porosity and pore sizes have been prepared. They have good mechanical properties and allow high flow rates of protein solutions at low pressure drops. Because of the numerous N -acetyl- D -glucosamine (GlcNAc) moieties they contain, the chitin membranes can be used for the separation of some valuable proteins both as affinity ligands and support matrix, without further modification. Due to their high porosity and high adsorption surface area, the chitin membranes provide a larger number of accessible binding sites for the wheat germ agglutinin than the chitin beads do. The adsorption capacity for wheat germ agglutinin (180 mg/g chitin membrane) is about 20 times larger than that of chitin beads. Because of the numerous binding sites, multiple-point bindings are involved in the protein adsorption. For this reason, a strong eluant, namely a 1 M acetic acid aqueous solution, had to be used to efficiently recover the wheat germ agglutinin from the membrane. The wheat germ agglutinin was extracted from wheat germ with 0.05 M HCl, precipitated with ammonium sulfate, dialyzed against 0.01 M Tris–HCl buffer (pH 8.5), and purified on the chitin membrane. A high purity (>99%) wheat germ agglutinin with high yield (∼50 mg/100 g wheat germ) was obtained.
Orientation, movement and thermoregulation in the giant tortoises (Testudo (Geochelone) gigantea) of Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles : animals

The giant tortoises of Aldabra engage in feeding activity in the early morning and late afternoon, with variable periods of inactivity in the middle of the day. On clear days a high proportion of tortoises orient their long axes away from the sun. Sun orientation responses of 676 tortoises were measured in coastal mixed scrub and coastal grassland habitats in July 1978. These orientations showed that a significant number of tortoises faced away from the sun. The length and area of the shadow cast in front of the carapace was calculated for eight size classes of tortoise, assuming that the animal's long axis was in parallel with the sun rays. If a tortoise seeks shade when the shadow length has been reduced to less than 50% of the carapace height, we may predict that this would occur between 09h00 and 10h00. The shadow area at 09h00 and 10h00 was reduced respectively to 8.7 and 3.8% of that produced at 07h00. The shadow cast in front of the carapace allows a tortoise to feed in the shade, through which mea...
Singular Locus of an infinite Integral Extension

By adjoining the square roots or higher roots of a certain infinite number of polynomials in two variables with rational coefficients, i.e. by constructing suitable infinite abelian coverings of the rational plane, we obtain examples of two-dimensional normal noetherian pseudogeometric surfaces which are locally excellent but which are not globally excellent because they have infinitely many singular points. The branch loci of these coverings are grids, i.e., infinite families of horizontal and vertical lines in the plane. For studying such coverings we establish a normality criterion and discuss the theory of excellent rings. Involved in the construction of these coverings is the total residuation of prime ideals in cofinal infinite families of field extensions and the complete splitting of prime numbers in finite number fields.
Repetitive Bilateral Arm Training With Rhythmic Auditory Cueing Improves Motor Function in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke

Background and Purpose—Chronic upper extremity hemiparesis is a leading cause of functional disability after stroke. We investigated the hypothesis that bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing (BATRAC) will improve motor function in the hemiparetic arm of stroke patients. Methods—In this single group pilot study we determined the effects of 6 weeks of BATRAC on 14 patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke (median time after stroke, 30 months) immediately after training and at 2 months after training. Four 5-minute periods per session (3 times per week) of BATRAC were performed with the use of a custom-designed arm training machine. Results—The patients showed significant and potentially durable increases in the following: Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Performance Test of impairment (P<0.0004), Wolf Motor Function Test (performance time measure, P<0.02), and University of Maryland Arm Questionnaire for Stroke measuring daily use of the hemiparetic arm (P<0.002). Isometric strength improved i...
A Response to Rood and Grimes' Blind Men and Elephants

The article presents a response by Andrew R. Weiss to a criticism of his reviews of the books “Complex Organizations: A Critical Essay,” 3rd ed., by Charles Perrow and “In Defense of Organization Theory: A Reply to the Critics,” by Lex Donaldson. Weiss sticks by his assertion that organizations are not what they appear and that observable routines and formal administrative processes are basically coercive or mere myths. The author notes that unlike power, authority is a stable, structural phenomenon and not simply a variant of interpersonal influence.
Intracellular cytokine production by T cells in SCID infants with time post-bone marrow transplantation (BMT)

Abstract Rationale To assess whether there is immune deviation in T cells of SCIDs with time post-BMT, intracellular cytokine production by T cells was studied. Methods PBMC were incubated with PMA/Ionomycin and 4-color flow cytometry was performed to detect intracytoplasmic IL2, IL4 and IFNγ and surface CD3, CD8, CD45RA and CD45RO simultaneously. Analyses were done sequentially post-BMT in 5 infants (4 SCID-X1 and 1 Jak3-deficient). Six long-term survivors were studied once (2 IL7Rα deficient and 4 SCID-Xl). Results The percentage of CD3+ T cells positive for IL-2 was lower than in infant and adult controls (41.5+/-7.8%), in 4 of 5 infants early after transplantation (p Conclusions T cells in SCID infants early after BMT produce different cytokines than do those later, and the changes correlate temporally with the development of immunocompetence.
Density modulation of a solid-state plasma using acoustic pressure

We are studying the plasma density response with pressure in indium antimonide (InSb), with the goal of developing a solid-state pressure gradient transducer [1]. We use intrinsic InSb, where the free carrier concentration depends only on the energy band gap and temperature. We have developed two techniques to apply pressure modulation to an InSb sample. One method, which we call a Lumped Parameter Resonator (LPR), applies pressure at low frequency (~2 kHz) with no spatial dependence. The second method uses higher frequency (~200 kHz) in a resonant structure to generate a standing wave. We have also developed a laser plasma diagnostic to directly measure the plasma density.
A practitioner's guide to persuasion: an overview of 15 selected persuasion theories, models and frameworks.

Abstract Objective To provide a brief overview of 15 selected persuasion theories and models, and to present examples of their use in health communication research. Results The theories are categorized as message effects models, attitude–behavior approaches, cognitive processing theories and models, consistency theories, inoculation theory, and functional approaches. Conclusions As it is often the intent of a practitioner to shape, reinforce, or change a patient’s behavior, familiarity with theories of persuasion may lead to the development of novel communication approaches with existing patients. Practice Implications This article serves as an introductory primer to theories of persuasion with applications to health communication research. Understanding key constructs and general formulations of persuasive theories may allow practitioners to employ useful theoretical frameworks when interacting with patients.
Nuclear analysis in support of the design of ITER blanket modules

Detailed profiles of nuclear heating and radiation damage parameters were determined in ITER blanket modules at different poloidal locations. The results indicate that the nuclear parameters are sensitive to the configuration and material composition with enhanced steel heating and helium production in regions with large water content.
Inhaled Fluticasone Propionate Reduces Concentration of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Inflammation, and Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Lungs of Mice

Background. Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been shown to induce airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in mice. Inhaled corticosteroids are the mainstay of asthma treatment, but their effects on M. pneumoniae and associated airway inflammation and BHR are poorly understood. Methods. Four groups of mice were studied to determine whether inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) could attenuate airway inflammation and BHR by reducing or eliminating M. pneumoniae in lungs. The active group received aerosolized FP once daily for 5 days. Control mice received aerosolized sham solution plus M. pneumoniae, sham solution alone, or FP alone. Results. Mice treated with sham solution or FP alone did not develop airway inflammation or BHR. Mice infected with M. pneumoniae (no FP) developed significant lung inflammation and BHR. FP treatment of infected mice reduced neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung inflammation, and BHR. Expression of Toll-like receptor 2 in lung tissue tended to be down-regulated (P = .18) by FP in infected mice. FP reduced M. pneumoniae by up to 20-fold in lung tissue but not in BALF. Conclusion. Inhaled FP suppresses airway inflammation and BHR, which may be caused, in part, by its ability to reduce concentrations of M. pneumoniae in lung tissue.