cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Horizontal subsurface flow systems in the German speaking countries: summary of long-term scientific and practical experiences; recommendations

There are now more than 15 years of experience with horizontal subsurface flow systems in the German speaking countries, covering the results of research projects and also that of practical daily maintenance. Till now some 50 - 100 horizontal flow systems with more than 50 pe in the German speaking countries are built. Approximately half of these use sand as filter material. The results show that the purification efficiency of these systems is in the order of that of good working conventional sewage plants, not only for BOD 5 and COD, but also for nitrogen and phosphorus. Very high elimination efficiencies far better than 90% for BOD, COD and P are easily possible; similarly for elimination of N, when loading rates are below 20 mm/d, or the area is larger than 10 m 2 /pe. Generally there seem to be few problems with winter time and with clogging. The operation of these systems is easy and inexpensive. In nearly all reed beds Phragmites was predominant after a few years. For the planting of Phragmites an easy method using halm-cuttings is given. The long term experience with the reported systems allows us to give recommendations for design, construction and maintenance.
Graphing Calculator Use in Algebra Teaching

This study examines graphing calculator technology availability, characteristics of teachers who use it, teacher attitudes, and how use reflects changes to algebra curriculum and instructional practices. Algebra I and Algebra II teachers in 75 high school and junior high/middle schools in a diverse region of a northwestern state were surveyed. Forty of the 75 schools (53%) returned a total of 109 individual surveys. Results indicated that: (1) While 78% of teachers have some access to the technology, only 28% use it regularly. (2) Statistically significant relationships exist between use and age, years of experience, teaching assignment, and teaching level. (3) Respondents view graphical solution methods as secondary to symbolic methods. (4) Teachers are more receptive to using technology to supplement rather than expand the curriculum.
Response of CO2 exchange in a tussock tundra ecosystem to permafrost thaw and thermokarst development

[1] Climate change in high latitudes can lead to permafrost thaw, which in ice-rich soils can result in ground subsidence, or thermokarst. In interior Alaska, we examined seasonal and annual ecosystem CO2 exchange using static and automatic chamber measurements in three areas of a moist acidic tundra ecosystem undergoing varying degrees of permafrost thaw and thermokarst development. One site had extensive thermokarst features, and historic aerial photography indicated it was present at least 50 years prior to this study. A second site had a moderate number of thermokarst features that were known to have developed concurrently with permafrost warming that occurred 15 years prior to this study. A third site had a minimal amount of thermokarst development. The areal extent of thermokarst features reflected the seasonal thaw depth. The “extensive” site had the deepest seasonal thaw depth, and the “moderate” site had thaw depths slightly, but not significantly deeper than the site with “minimal” thermokarst development. Greater permafrost thaw corresponded to significantly greater gross primary productivity (GPP) at the moderate and extensive thaw sites as compared to the minimal thaw site. However, greater ecosystem respiration (Reco) during the spring, fall, and winter resulted in the extensive thaw site being a significant net source of CO2 to the atmosphere over 3 years, while the moderate thaw site was a CO2 sink. The minimal thaw site was near CO2 neutral and not significantly different from the extensive thaw site. Thus after permafrost thaw, initial periods of increased GPP and net CO2 uptake could be offset by elevated Reco during the winter, spring, and fall.
Formation of S-(tetrachloromethylthiophenyl) glutathione from pentachloromethyl thiobenzene by isolated rat hepatocytes

Le pentachloronitrobenzene et l'hexachlorobenzene sont des contaminants potentiels de l'environnement a cause de leur utilisation comme fongicide. Ces composes sont transformes par divers organismes pour donner le pentachloromethylthiobenzene, lequel subit donc un nouveau metabolisme
The current state of scaffolds for musculoskeletal regenerative applications

Musculoskeletal disease and injury are highly prevalent conditions that lead to many surgical procedures. Autologous tissue transfer, allograft transplantation and nontissue prosthetics are currently used for the surgical treatment of critical-sized defects. However, the field of tissue engineering is actively investigating tissue-replacement solutions, many of which involve 3D scaffolds. Scaffolds must provide a balance of shape, biomechanical function and biocompatibility in order to achieve tissue replacement success. Different tissues can have different requirements for success, which has led to the development of various materials with unique characteristics. Articular cartilage scaffolds have the most robust clinical experience, with many scaffolds, mostly constructed of natural materials, showing promise, but levels of success vary. Tendon scaffolds also have proven clinical applications, with human-dermis-derived scaffolds showing the most potential. Synthetic and naturally derived meniscus scaffolds have been investigated in few clinical studies, but the results are encouraging. Bone scaffolds are limited to amorphous pastes and putties, owing to difficulties achieving adequate vascularization and biomechanical optimization. The complex physiological function and vascular demands of skeletal muscle have limited the widespread clinical use of scaffolds for engineering this tissue. Continued progress in preclinical study, not only of scaffolds, but also of other facets of tissue engineering, should enable the successful translation of musculoskeletal tissue engineering solutions to the clinic.
Effects of female wasp accessory secretions, host fat body, and host hemolymph on protein synthesis and egg viability in Microplitis croceipes (Braconidae)

Effects of female wasp reproductive gland secretions, host fat body and hemolymph, and mechanical constriction of the parasitoid egg on protein synthesis were studied in eggs of Microplitis croceipes (Braconidae) dissected from the wasp ovary. Protein synthesis was measured by 35S-methionine incorporation in eggs held in tissue culture medium for 16 h after treatment. Synthesis was stimulated in oocytes obtained from three regions of the ovary (egg tube, reservoir, and calyx) by fat body and venom gland but not by calyx fluid. A combination of fat body, venom gland, and calyx fluid did not enhance the level of synthesis relative to that of fat body or venom gland alone. Host hemolymph inhibited protein synthesis when incubated directly with the dissected eggs but not when the eggs were collected from an artificial oviposition substrate (AOS) containing hemolymph. The inhibitory effect of the hemolymph is thought to be due to the occurrence of melanization. Mechanical constriction did not alter the rate of synthesis, confirming an earlier report that synthesis in newly deposited eggs in ongoing and is not dependent on mechanical activation during the act of oviposition. Mechanisms responsible for sustaining protein synthesis in eggs for 16 h in vitro after their exposure to host hemolymph in the AOSs or fat body and venom gland are not known. Only a small percentage (less than 2%) of dissected ovarial reservoir oocytes that were mechanically constricted and exposed to the venom gland, calyx fluid, and host fat body hatched in vitro. In contrast, an earlier study demonstrated that 38% of eggs oviposited by female wasps into AOSs developed and hatched.
Ultrastructural changes in renal Glomeruli of rats during experimentally induced hypertension and uremia

Internal vascular ultrastructural detail of renal microcirculation observed by a combination of latex injection/corrosion/scanning electron microscopy techniques can be correlated with structures visible in transmission electron micrographs. Glomeruli of normal and hypertensive rats have been examined using both techniques. In the casts, indentations occur which are comparable in size, shape and frequency to nuclei of endothelial cells; and other irregular indentations may be correlated with the occurrence of platelet thrombi and endothelial cell proliferation. From these observations we conclude that ultrastructurally accurate casts of blood may be visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Such visualization offers much promise for the study of microcirculatory structures in states of disease and altered function.
Carotid body tumor

Carotid body tumors are the most common paragangliomas of head and neck. Most of these tumors are benign with a small malignant potential. Although newer non-invasive diagnostic modalities have significantly enhanced the diagnostic capabilities, controversy exists over adequate management of these rare tumors. In younger, healthy patients with no comorbidities, the best therapeutic strategy is a complete excision of the tumor. However, in less than ideal patient population modalities such as radiation and tumor embolization can be considered. Surgical advances have greatly decreased the mortality rates, but the morbidity rates secondary to cranial nerve injuries remain high.
Effects of the reinforcement morphology on the fatigue properties of hydroxyapatite reinforced polymers

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the hydroxyapatite (HA) reinforcement morphology and content on the fatigue behavior of HA reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE). To this end, HDPE was reinforced with 20 and 40 vol% of either HA whiskers or an equiaxed HA powder, and tested in four-point bending fatigue under simulated physiological conditions. The fatigue life, mechanical property degradation and failure surfaces were compared between experimental groups. HDPE reinforced with HA whiskers exhibited a four- to five-fold increase ( p 0.001 , T-test) in fatigue life compared to an equiaxed powder for either the 20 and 40 vol% reinforcement level. Composites containing 40 vol% HA exhibited decreased fatigue life compared to those with 20 vol% HA for either reinforcement morphology ( p 0.0001 , ANOVA). HA whisker reinforced HDPE exhibited less stiffness loss, permanent deformation (creep) and energy dissipation at a given number of cycles compared to HA powder. Thus, HA whisker reinforced HDPE was more tolerant of fatigue damage due to either microcracking or polymer plasticity. Scanning electron microscopy of failure surfaces and surface microcracks showed evidence of toughening by uncracked ligaments, crack tip plasticity, polymer fibril bridging and HA whisker pullout. The results of this study suggest that the use of HA whiskers, in place of HA powder, is a straightforward means to improve the fatigue life and damage tolerance of HA reinforced polymers for synthetic bone substitutes.
Potentially Valuable Overlaps between Work System Theory, DEMO, and Enterprise Engineering

This paper explores how work system theory (WST) and related core ideas in various versions of the work system method (WSM) overlap with enterprise engineering and with the DEMO methodology. Based on the definition of work system, an enterprise can be viewed as a set of interacting work systems. A work system can be summarized at various levels of detail. The simplest level is basically a verb phrase. The next level is a "work system snapshot." More detailed descriptions are based on a work system metamodel. This paper's contribution is in two areas, 1) establishing links between WST/WSM and enterprise engineering in general and 2) comparing aspects of WST/WSM and DEMO and demonstrating similarities, thereby implying the possibility of converting DEMO models into work system models that can be developed further using other methods and tools designed around WST. Those synergies might support combining theoretical underpinnings of DEMO with the intuitive simplicity of the work system perspective, which has been applied by many hundreds of employed MBA and Executive MBA students who produced management briefings recommending improvements in work systems in their own organizations. The overlap between WST/WSM and DEMO is demonstrated using a DEMO representation of the OMG's EU Rent example [1], which illustrated OMG's Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) [2] and Business Motivation Model (BMM) [3]. A tabular summary called a work system snapshot captures much of a DEMO essential model of the EU Rent example. A more extensive summary based on a work system metamodel adds information for going from construction to implementation. The example illustrates how a work system perspective on a sociotechnical system fits with 7 postulates of an enterprise engineering manifesto [4] and with 7 enterprise engineering fundamentals [5], thereby suggesting the potential value of deeper exploration of those relationships.
Effect of low level monensin supplementation on the production of dairy cows fed alfalfa silage.

Effectiveness of low level monensin supplementation on N utilization in lactating dairy cows fed alfalfa silage was assessed using 48 multiparous Holsteins. Cows were fed a covariate diet [% of dry matter (DM): 56% alfalfa silage, 39% ground high moisture corn, 3% soybean meal, 1% ground corn, 1% vitamin-mineral supplements] for 2 wk, then grouped by days in milk into blocks of 4. Cows were randomly assigned within blocks to 1 of 4 diets that were fed for 10 wk: 1) control (covariate diet), 2) control plus 3% fish meal (replacing DM from high moisture corn), 3) monensin (10 mg/kg DM), and 4) monensin plus 3% fish meal. Diets 1 and 3 averaged 16.7% crude protein (25% from free AA in alfalfa silage); diets 2 and 4 averaged 18.5% crude protein. Monensin intake averaged 16 mg/d on diets 1 and 2 (due to contamination) and 248 mg/d on diets 3 and 4. There was no effect of fish meal or monensin on DM intake. However, weight gain and yield of milk, protein, and SNF increased with fish meal feeding, indicating metabolizable protein limited production. Feeding monensin increased blood glucose but reduced yield of 3.5% fat-corrected milk, milk fat content and yield, and milk protein content and yield. Apparent N efficiency was greatest on monensin (diet 3) but lowest on monensin plus fish meal (diet 4). Fish meal reduced blood glucose concentration and apparent N efficiency, and increased concentrations of milk and blood urea. Monensin increased ruminal propionate concentration and decreased concentration of acetate and butyrate and acetate:propionate in ruminally cannulated cows fed the experimental diets. However, these changes were small, suggesting that too little monensin was fed. Fish meal reduced ruminal total amino acid (AA) but monensin did not alter ruminal NH3 or total AA. Both fish meal and monensin increased NH3 formation from casein AA using ruminal inoculum from the cannulated cows. There was no evidence from this trial that feeding 250 mg of monensin per day to lactating cows improved N utilization by reducing ruminal catabolism of the large amounts of free AA in alfalfa silage.
Normal modes of cold confined one-component plasmas.

It is possible to trap a collection of ions and cool them to cryogenic temperatures where strong correlation effects, such as transitions to liquid and crystalline states, are observed. This paper examines the effect of correlations on the linear normal modes of oscillation in these strongly coupled plasmas. Recently a theory has been developed to treat such modes in the cold-fluid limit, where correlations are neglected. Here the fluid theory is compared to molecular-dynamics simulations of the modes. Simulated mode frequencies are observed to shift slightly compared to the cold-fluid predictions, and the modes are also observed to damp in time. Unmagnetized simulations also reveal a set of torsional oscillations which have no counterpart in the fluid theory. These correlation effects are also compared to a recently developed model that treats the trapped plasma as a viscoelastic spheroid. The model allows us to extract from the simulations the values of highfrequency bulk and shear moduli of a strongly correlated plasma. @S1063-651X~96!03805-6#
Yielding to Temptation: Self‐Control Failure, Impulsive Purchasing, and Consumer Behavior

Self-control is a promising concept for consumer research, and self-control failure may be an important cause of impulsive purchasing. Three causes of self-control failure are described. First, conflicting goals and standards undermine control, such as when the goal of feeling better immediately conflicts with the goal of saving money. Second, failure to keep track of (monitor) one's own behavior renders control difficult. Third, self-control depends on a resource that operates like strength or energy, and depletion of this resource makes self-control less effective. Trait differences in self-control predict many behaviors. Implications for theory and research in consumer behavior are discussed.
Opposing actions of transforming growth factor-beta and glucocorticoids in the regulation of fibronectin expression in the human placenta.

Alterations in the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the placenta and fetal membranes have been linked to parturition whether occurring before or at term. In the present study, we examined the individual and combined effects of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and dexamethasone (DEX) on the expression of oncofetal fibronectin (onfFN), i.e. a major ECM protein synthesized by placenta, in cytotrophoblasts isolated from human term placentas to establish a model system from which to evaluate the actions of positive and negative regulators of ECM protein expression in the human placenta. Cytotrophoblasts were maintained for 21=62 h in medium supplemented with 4% charcoal-stripped calf serum in the presence or absence of TGF-beta (2 ng/mL) and DEX (10(-7) mol/L). Levels of onfFN in culture media were determined by immunoassay. TGF-beta treatment alone induced approximately a 150% increase in media levels of onfFN after 21 and 45 h of culture when compared with control, whereas DEX treatm...
Early Detection of Changes in the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation: Implications for the Design of Ocean Observation Systems

Many climate models predict that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions may cause a threshold response of the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). These model predictions are, however, uncertain. Reducing this uncertainty can have an economic value, because it would allow for the design of more efficient risk management strategies. Early information about the MOC sensitivity to anthropogenic forcing (i.e., information that arrives before the system is committed to a threshold response) could be especially valuable. Here the focus is on one particular kind of information: the detection of anthropogenic MOC changes. It is shown that an MOC observation system based on infrequent (decadal scale) hydrographic observations may well fail in the task of early MOC change detection. This is because this system observes too infrequently and the observation errors are too large. More frequent observations and reduced observation errors would result in earlier detection. It is also shown that the economic value of information associated with a confident and early prediction of an MOC threshold response could exceed the costs of typically implemented ocean observation systems by orders of magnitude. One open challenge is to identify a feasible observation system that would enable such a confident and early MOC prediction across the range of possible MOC responses.
Responding to the second ghetto: Chicago's Joe Smith and Sin Corner.

World War Two and its aftermath transformed Chicago’s African American community. The Great Migration entered a second and more intense phase as black migrants flooded into Northern cities. This massive relocation of Southern blacks resulted in the expansion and reformulation of Chicago’s ghettoes on both the West and South Sides of the city. The question of a response to this Second Ghetto from African Americans themselves presents itself. White politicians, cultural elites and businessmen still controlled the city and could impose their will on its neighborhoods simply redrawing ghetto boundaries to reflect the new realities of the postwar era. The strange case of Joe Smith and Sin Corner sheds some light on black agency in the 1950s. The African American middle class had resources it commanded to try and protect itself from racial injustice. These resources, however, were based on class privileges not enjoyed by most in the African American community.
Introduction to very-long-baseline interferometry

Long-baseline interferometry achieves high resolution by using two or more widely separated radio telescopes and recording video signals on magnetic tapes, which are later brought together and cross-correlated. This paper contains discussions of the coherence and timing requirements and of calibration procedures. Applications to measuring brightness distributions and to spectroscopy are reviewed briefly. Some pertinent phenomena connected with radio-wave scattering in irregular media are discussed.
Role of the nonionic surfactant Triton X-405 in emulsion polymerization. I. Homopolymerization of styrene

The emulsion polymerization of styrene was studied using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-405 (octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol). Two separate nucleation periods were noted in these polymerizations resulting in bimodal final latex particle size distributions. The partitioning of the surfactant between the phases was found to play the major role in determining the nucleation mechanism(s) in these polymerizations. Although the total concentration of the emulsifier was always added at a level above its critical micelle concentration (CMC) based on the water phase in the recipe, it was found that the portion of the surfactant initially present in the aqueous phase was below its CMC due to the partitioning. This CMC was also found to increase with increasing total surfactant because the distribution of the surfactant (varying ethylene oxide chain length) depended on the partitioning between the phases. Under these conditions, the first of the two nucleation periods was attributed to homogeneous nucleation, while the second was attributed to micellar nucleation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3813–3825, 1997
Adaptive low-complexity erasure-correcting code-based protocols for QoS-driven mobile multicast services

We propose an adaptive hybrid ARQ-FEC erasure-correcting scheme for QoS-driven mobile multicast services over wireless networks. The main features of our proposed scheme include: the low-complexity and dynamic adaptation to the variations of packet-loss levels and QoS-requirements. The low complexity is achieved by using the graph-code with linear time-complexity. To support diverse QoS-requirements and improve the error-control efficiency, we develop the two-dimensional adaptive error-control scheme, which dynamically adjusts not only the error-control redundancy, but also the code-mapping structure. By deriving and identifying the closed-form non-linear expressions for the optimal check-node degree and the required error-control redundancy in each adaptation step as the functions of the packet-loss level, we propose the non-uniformed two-dimensional adaptive coding scheme. Using this scheme, we develop an efficient hybrid ARQ-FEC protocol for mobile multicast services with diverse QoS requirements. Also conducted is a set of numerical and simulation results which analyze and compare our proposed adaptive scheme with those using the non-adaptive graph codes, Reed-Solomon erasure codes, and pure ARQ-based approach. The simulation results show that our proposed scheme can efficiently support QoS-driven mobile multicast services and achieve well-balanced error-control redundancy while imposing low error-control complexity and overhead for mobile multicast services over wireless networks
Glutathione protects human airway proteins and epithelial cells from isocyanates

BACKGROUND Glutathione (GSH), one of the major anti-oxidants of the lung, has been linked to the human response to isocyanate exposure. However, the ability of GSH to modulate key chemical reactions, thought to be central to the development of human isocyanate allergy, has not been directly analyzed under biologic exposure conditions. OBJECTIVE To better understand the potential role of GSH in the response to occupational isocyanate exposure, we evaluated its effects on two processes thought to be involved in the development of isocyanate allergy, isocyanate-protein conjugation and epithelial cell toxicity. METHODS The effects of GSH on (1) isocyanate conjugation with albumin, its major target in the airway fluid and (2) isocyanate-induced toxicity to human airway epithelial cell lines, A549 and NCI-H292, were tested using two different in vitro models. For protein conjugation studies, a newly described vapour exposure system was used to model the air/liquid interface at the surface of the epithelial fluid in the airways. Epithelial cell exposures were performed in fluid phase to mimic the in vivo exposure of airway cells covered by epithelial lining fluid. RESULTS Reduced GSH prevented hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) conjugation to albumin in a dose-dependent manner, while oxidized GSH (GSSG) conversely increased conjugation rates. GSH levels equivalent to those found in normal human airway fluid (100 microm) provided >90% protection against HDI-protein conjugation when albumin was exposed to HDI vapour levels 10-fold above permissible occupational limits. Physiologic levels of GSH, but not GSSG, also reduced HDI toxicity to human airway epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner, when present extracellularly, however, drugs that modulate intra-cellular GSH levels did not significantly alter isocyanate toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Together with previously reported genetic and toxicity studies, the data suggest that airway GSH plays an important role in protection against HDI exposure and may help prevent the development of allergic sensitization and asthma.
Kinetics of ozone photolysis in aqueous solution

The kinetics of ozone photolysis were investigated experimentally in well-characterized aqueous solution and by a conceptual kinetic and mechanistic model developed based on possible reaction pathways. The primary quantum yield of ozone photolysis at 245-nm wavelength was measured at 20°C as 0.48 ± 0.6. The rate of ozone photolysis increased with increasing light intensity, ozone concentration and pH, and decreased with increasing inorganic carbon concentration in water. The model was able to predict the experimentally observed rate of ozone photolysis quite well for various combinations of UV light intensity, initial ozone concentration and water characteristics. In the mechanistic model, the formation of the hydroxyl radical, which is the primary oxidant in the O3/UV process, was tied to the decomposition of ozone; therefore, the model can now be extended to predict the oxidation rates of water contaminants by the hydroxyl radical generated in the O3/UV process.
Strength optimization of metallic sandwich panels subject to bending

A general methodology for the design of strong, lightweight sandwich panels is described and implemented. Several core topologies are considered, including square-section truss members in pyramidal and tetrahedral configurations, square honeycombs, and corrugated sheets. When the number of independent design parameters is restricted to three, closed-form analytical solutions for the optimal design are obtained. Alternatively, when a fourth parameter is added (as needed to fully characterize the panel geometry), numerical routes are required. The results demonstrate that the three parameter optimizations yield design weights that are only slightly heavier than those of the fully optimized panels, provided the value of the fourth parameter is selected judiciously. The weight rankings of the various core topologies change with load capacity, although the differences between them are generally small, particularly upon comparison with the weight of a solid panel.
A clinic-based breastfeeding peer counselor intervention in an urban, low-income population: interaction with breastfeeding attitude.

Background:Whereas breastfeeding initiation rates have risen in all groups throughout the country, rates of breastfeeding duration have changed more slowly. Peer counseling has had some success in sustaining breastfeeding, but with intensive programs and variable effects.Objectives:We aimed to improve rates of any and exclusive breastfeeding at 1 and 6 months using a low-intensity peer counseling intervention beginning prenatally. We also planned to study the interaction of breastfeeding attitude and self-efficacy with the intervention.Methods:One hundred twenty prenatal women underwent stratified randomization based on breastfeeding attitude, measured by the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS). The peer counselor contacted the intervention group by telephone or in clinic up to 4 months postdelivery. Study groups were compared on breastfeeding outcomes, adjusting for IIFAS strata, and on interactions with self-efficacy.Results:One hundred three women were followed to at least 1 month. Women with po...
High Voltage Silicon Carbide Devices

Progress made in the development of high performance power rectifiers and switches from silicon carbide are reviewed with emphasis on approaching the 100-fold reduction in the specific on-resistance of the drift region when compared with silicon devices with the same breakdown voltage. The highlights are: (a) Recently completed measurements of impact ionization coefficients in SiC indicate an even higher Baliga’s figure of merit than projected earlier. (b) The commonly reported negative temperature co-efficient for breakdown voltage in SiC devices has been shown to arise at defects, allaying concerns that this may be intrinsic to the material. (c) Based upon fundamental considerations, it has been found that Schottky rectifiers offer superior on-state voltage drop than P-i-N rectifiers for reverse blocking voltages below 3000 volts. (d) Nearly ideal breakdown voltage has been experimentally obtained for Schottky diodes using an argon implanted edge termination. (e) Planar ion-implanted junctions have been successfully fabricated using oxide as a mask with high breakdown voltage and low leakage currents by using a filed plate edge termination. (f) High inversion layer mobility has been experimentally demonstrated on both 6H and 4H-SiC by using a deposited oxide layer as gate dielectric. (g) A novel, high-voltage, normally-off, accumulation-channel, MOSFET has been proposed and demonstrated with 50x lower specific on-resistance than silicon devices in spite of using logic-level gate drive voltages. These results indicate that SiC based power devices could become commercially viable in the 21st century if cost barriers can be overcome.
Epithelial repair mechanisms in the lung

The recovery of an intact epithelium following lung injury is critical for restoration of lung homeostasis. The initial processes following injury include an acute inflammatory response, recruitment of immune cells, and epithelial cell spreading and migration upon an autologously secreted provisional matrix. Injury causes the release of factors that contribute to repair mechanisms including members of the epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor families (TGF-α, KGF, HGF), chemokines (MCP-1), interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-13), and prostaglandins (PGE2), for example. These factors coordinate processes involving integrins, matrix materials (fibronectin, collagen, laminin), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-7, MMP-9), focal adhesions, and cytoskeletal structures to promote cell spreading and migration. Several key signaling pathways are important in regulating these processes, including sonic hedgehog, Rho GTPases, MAP kinase pathways, STAT3, and Wnt. Changes in mechanical forces may also affect these pathways. Both localized and distal progenitor stem cells are recruited into the injured area, and proliferation and phenotypic differentiation of these cells leads to recovery of epithelial function. Persistent injury may contribute to the pathology of diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis. For example, dysregulated repair processes involving TGF-β and epithelial-mesenchymal transition may lead to fibrosis. This review focuses on the processes of epithelial restitution, the localization and role of epithelial progenitor stem cells, the initiating factors involved in repair, and the signaling pathways involved in these processes.
Control of the Myocardial Contractile State by Carotid Chemo- and Baroreceptor and Pulmonary Inflation Reflexes in Conscious Dogs

The effects of carotid chemoreceptor stimulation with intracarotid injections of either nicotine, 0.2 mug/kg, or cyanide, 2 mug/kg, were compared with the effects of bilateral carotid occlusion on left ventricular (LV) pressure, dP/dt, and diameter in conscious dogs instrumented with ultrasonic diameter gauges and miniature pressure gauges. With heart rate maintained constant, carotid chemoreceptor stimulation increased mean arterial pressure by 27+/-3%, LV and diastolic diameter by 4+/-0.9% and LV dP/dt by 21+/-2%. With ventilation controlled during succinylcholine infusion, carotid chemoreceptor stimulation increased mean arterial pressure by 43+/-2% and dP/dt by 37+/-5%, values significantly greater, P < 0.01, than were observed in dogs with spontaneous ventilation. Similarly, in dogs with spontaneous ventilation after vagotomy, carotid chemoreceptor stimulation also increased dP/dt by a greater amount, i.e., by 48+/-9%. The increases in LV end diastolic diameter were not affected significantly by either cholinergic blockade with atropine or beta adrenergic blockade with propranolol. Although cholinergic blockade did not affect the inotropic or pressor responses significantly, beta adrenergic blockade attenuated the pressor response and essentially abolished the inotropic response. Bilateral carotid occlusion increased mean arterial pressure and LV end diastolic diameter by similar amounts to those observed with chemoreceptor stimulation, but increased dP/dt significantly less, P < 0.02, i.e., by 13+/-2%. As was observed with chemoreceptor stimulation, inotropic responses were not affected significantly by cholinergic blockade, but were essentially abolished by beta adrenergic blockade. Thus, in the conscious dog with heart rate constant, carotid chemoreceptor stimulation induces a clear positive inotropic effect, which is greater in the absence of the attenuating influences of pulmonary inflation reflexes, and for an equal elevation in arterial pressure appears to exert a greater increase in myocardial contractility than does carotid baro-receptor unloading.
Candida albicans as the Sole Organism Cultured from a Perirectal Abscess

Perirectal abscess is a common colorectal condition that may be present with or without a fistula. In most cases where a fistula coexists the organisms cultured are gut-derived organisms whereas skin-derived organisms are more common in patients without fistula formation. Candida albicans, despite being an microorganism often found in the gastrointestinal tract, has not previously been reported as an isolate from a perirectal abscess culture. Here we report the case of a patient taking cefazolin in whom a perirectal abscess was diagnosed via computed tomography and aspiration of which demonstrated growth of only C. albicans. Prior literature has demonstrated that the microorganisms cultured from patients with perirectal abscesses do not differ between patients in whom antimicrobials had been used previously and those who were antimicrobial-naive, suggesting that there is a possibility that C. albicans is the sole organism responsible for the perirectal abscess in our patient. The patient underwent surgical drainage and was discharged with fluconazole and piperacillin/tazobactam, which led to the satisfactory recovery of the patient.
Individual psychotherapy with psychotic patients: psychotherapeutic issues in prescribing medication.

The author describes common psychotherapeutic issues involved in prescribing medication to outpatients vulnerable to psychosis.
Signatures of Reproductive Isolation in Patterns of Single Nucleotide Diversity Across Inbred Strains of Mice

Reproductive isolation is often caused by the disruption of genic interactions that evolve in geographically separate populations. Identifying the genomic regions and genes involved in these interactions, known as "Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities," can be challenging but is facilitated by the wealth of genetic markers now available in model systems. In recent years, the complete genome sequence and thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from laboratory mice, which are largely genetic hybrids between Mus musculus and M. domesticus, have become available. Here, we use these resources to locate genomic regions that may underlie reproductive isolation between these two species. Using genotypes from 332 SNPs that differ between wild-derived strains of M. musculus and M. domesticus, we identified several physically unlinked SNP pairs that show exceptional gametic disequilibrium across the lab strains. Conspecific alleles were associated in a disproportionate number of these cases, consistent with the action of natural selection against hybrid gene combinations. As predicted by the Dobzhansky-Muller model, this bias was differentially attributable to locus pairs for which one hybrid genotype was missing. We assembled a list of potential Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities from locus pairs that showed extreme associations (only three gametic types) among conspecific alleles. Two SNPs in this list map near known hybrid sterility loci on chromosome 17 and the X chromosome, allowing us to nominate partners for disrupted interactions involving these genomic regions for the first time. Together, these results indicate that patterns produced by speciation between M. musculus and M. domesticus are visible in the genomes of lab strains of mice, underscoring the potential of these genetic model organisms for addressing general questions in evolutionary biology.
Healing The Nation: Prisoners of War, Medicine and Nationalism in Turkey, 1914–1939. By Yücel Yanıkdağ. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2013. Pp. xiii, 303. $120.00.)

This book is an important contribution to the steadily growing literature in Ottoman and Turkish historiography that challenges state‐centered approaches as well as the presumptions of the “Western...
The Development of AWHONN’s Fetal Heart Monitoring Principles and Practices Workshop

The Fetal Heart Monitoring Principles and Practices (FHMPP) workshop was designed at the request of AWHONN's Committee on Education to meet member requests for standardized education in fetal heart assessment, including didactic and psychomotor skill content. Events and decisions are chronicled, from inception of the FHMPP program to development, evaluation, and revision. Current statistics and participation demonstrate the success of the workshop and its ongoing need. Today, as the project continues to grow and improve, its primary strength lies in member involvement and support.
Broth microdilution testing of susceptibilities to 30 antimicrobial agents of Mycobacterium avium strains from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

A total of 31 strains of Mycobacterium avium complex isolated from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome were tested for susceptibility to 30 antimicrobial agents by using microdilution trays containing dried antimicrobial agents. MICs were determined over a period of 7 days of growth in a broth medium (7HSF) that is equivalent to 7H11 agar. MICs obtained by this method showed good agreement with MICs determined by the agar dilution method. Strains could be divided into two groups by their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. All group 1 strains (8 of the 31 strains tested) were at least moderately susceptible to inhibition by a variety of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents, including amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefmenoxime. Group 2 strains (23 of 31) were susceptible only to amikacin (22 of 23 strains). All 31 strains were resistant to oxacillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, vancomycin, nitrofurantoin, and aztreonam at the highest concentration of antimicrobial agent present in the microdilution trays. The addition of Tween 80 to 7HSF broth increased the susceptibility of M. avium complex to many of the antimicrobial agents tested. Killing of M. avium complex (i.e., less than or equal to 1% survival after 7 days) was found to vary for different strains and antimicrobial agents. Killing of some strains by amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, carbenicillin, azlocillin, cefmenoxime, cefotaxime, amikacin, and ampicillin occurred at concentrations of antimicrobial agent that are achievable in serum. Further studies are needed to determine whether any of these antimicrobial agents has activity against M. avium complex cells that have been ingested by macrophages.
Comments on the Predator-Prey Relationship of the Texas Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys elator) and Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Abstract Rodent prey of the barn owl (Tyto alba) partly reflects the availability of prey species of small mammals. However, small- to moderate-sized mice of the genera Sigmodon (cotton rats), Oryzomys (rice rats) and Microtus (voles) are selectively preyed upon when available, and species of Dipodomys (kangaroo rats) are often underrepresented prey items. The range of T. alba in north Texas overlaps the restricted range of the little-studied Texas kangaroo rat (D. elator). Examination of regurgitated barn owl pellets provides the first documentation of predation on this distinctive rodent. However, given the ready availability of this kangaroo rat, its representation as a prey species of the barn owl is lower than expected, even given the usually poor representation of other Dipodomys species from other localities. Selective predation on favored prey and presence of other buffer species are certainly contributory factors to the low incidence of kangaroo rats in owl pellets. Some predator avoidance mechan...
Application of box-cox transformations to discrimination for the two-class problem

The performance of Box-Cox power transformations in classification using Hinkley's (1975) method is studied. Misclassification probabilities before and after transformation are compared. It is found that the use of Box-Cox transformations can sometimes substantially reduce the error probabilities. Estimates of error probabilities are obtained and certain properties are derived. Examples for a number of distributions are given.
Use of Nitroxides as NMR Contrast Enhancing Agents for Joints

NMR imaging is a well-established technology for obtaining cross-sectional anatomic pictures of organs and tissues. In addition, NMR can provide valuable information about the physiologic state of organs and tissues, especially, as a consequence of cellular injury. With this in mind, NMR in combination with gadolinium-based contrast enhancing agents has been used to assist in the detection of abnormalities to joints as well as to evaluate the status of damage resulting from an injury to this site. We describe the synthesis of a new nitroxide, which is bioresistant to the one-electron reduction mediated by superoxide in the presence of cysteine. This model mimics the reduction of nitroxides by extracellular secretion of superoxide by PMA-stimulated neutrophils. With this nitroxide, we found, in the range from 15 to 17.5μmoles, enhancement of an NMR image in the knee joint of rabbits. Of interest is the finding that the contrast image remained for at least 90 minutes. These results demonstrate the utility o...
Infrared Heterodyne Spectroscopy

Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy is an extremely useful tool for doppler limited studies of atomic and molecular lines in diverse astrophysical regions. The current state-of-the art is reviewed and the analysis of CO2 lines in the atmosphere of Mars is outlined. Doppler limited observations have enabled the discovery of natural laser emission in the mesosphere of Mars and the discovery of failure of local thermodynamic equilibrium near the surface of Mars.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analyst Relations im Web-2.0-Zeitalter

Fur welchen Partner im geplanten Outsourcingprojekt sollte sich Pierre Hofmann, der verantwortliche Projektleiter eines europaischen Zementherstellers, endgultig entscheiden?
Descriptions of skate egg cases (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes: Rajoidei) from the eastern North Pacific

Egg cases for 10 of 11 valid skate species known to occur in the eastern North Pacific (ENP) were identified and are here described. In addition, egg cases of two unidentified skate species were collected from very deep water off central and southern California, USA. Examples of egg cases for all species, except for two, were removed in utero in order to confirm their species specific identification. The egg cases of seven skate species, including egg cases from the two unidentified species, have not previously been described or illustrated from this region. Previous attempts to identify skate egg cases with their associated species have been inadequate. The ENP skate egg cases can broadly be classified into two main groups: those with broad lateral keels (> 10% maximum egg case width) and those with narrow lateral keels (< 10% maximum egg case width). Egg cases in the former group (with broad lateral keels) generally have a finely striated surface texture that is smooth to the touch. Those in the latter group (with narrow lateral keels), with one exception, tend to have a coarse surface texture, often with prickles, and are rough to the touch. A revised key to the skate egg cases from the ENP is provided.
Effects of Lewis number on coupled heat and mass transfer in a circular tube subjected to external convective heating

Heat and mass transfer in a circular tube subject to the boundary condition of the third kind is investigated. The closed form of temperature and concentration distributions, the local Nusselt number based on the total external heat transfer and convective heat transfer inside the tube, as well as the Sherwood number were obtained. The effects of Lewis number and Biot number on heat and mass transfer were investigated.
Neurogenic sarcomas in patients with neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease). Light, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry study.

Thirteen soft tissue neurogenic sarcomas from twelve patients with neurofibromatosis (Von Recklinghausen's disease) were ultrastructurally examined. Electron microscopic studies revealed a wide spectrum of morphological manifestations varying from schwannian to fibroblastic, histiocytic, fibrohistiocytic and relatively undifferentiated cellular proliferations. A similar variation on light microscopic appearances has been previously reported in these neurogenic sarcomas. Neurogenic sarcomas occurring in patients with neurofibromatosis (Von Recklinghausen's disease), represent a heterogenous group of neoplasms with various patterns of differentiation identified ultrastructurally. The morphologic expressions of these neurogenic neoplasms can be conceptualized as a disorderly growth of the various peripheral nerve cellular components, or, as has been previously suggested, as a result of the multipotential nature and metaplastic ability of Schwann cells. S-100 protein immunohistochemistry was only positive in those neoplasms ultrastructurally proven to represent schwannian cellular proliferations.