cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of the Ni3Nb δ-Phase in Stress-Relieved Inconel 625 Produced via Laser Powder-Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

The microstructural evolution of laser powder-bed additively manufactured Inconel 625 during a post-build stress-relief anneal of 1 hour at 1143 K (870 °C) is investigated. It is found that this industry-recommended heat treatment promotes the formation of a significant fraction of the orthorhombic D0a Ni3Nb δ-phase. This phase is known to have a deleterious influence on fracture toughness, ductility, and other mechanical properties in conventional, wrought Inconel 625; and is generally considered detrimental to materials’ performance in service. The δ-phase platelets are found to precipitate within the inter-dendritic regions of the as-built solidification microstructure. These regions are enriched in solute elements, particularly Nb and Mo, due to the micro-segregation that occurs during solidification. The precipitation of δ-phase at 1073 K (800 °C) is found to require up to 4 hours. This indicates a potential alternative stress-relief processing window that mitigates δ-phase formation in this alloy. Ultimately, a homogenization heat treatment is recommended for additively manufactured Inconel 625 because the increased susceptibility to δ-phase precipitation increases the possibility for significant degradation of materials' properties in service.
A Survey of Survivability Techniques for Optical WDM Networks

In an optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network, link or node failures may result in huge amounts of lost data, due to the enormous fiber throughput. This requires that optical WDM network be designed to be resilient to failures. Thus, survivability can be defined as the ability to respond gracefully to such failures. This chapter presents a comprehensive survey of various mechanisms proposed to achieve survivability. The survey considers different topologies, different failure models, implementation issues, signaling issues and quality-of-protection issues.
EFFECT OF OSMOTIC STIMULI ON THE CONCENTRATION OF VASOPRESSIN IN JUGULAR AND PERIPHERAL VENOUS PLASMA

Publisher Summary The relation between the rate of secretion of vasopressin and the osmolality of the body fluids is a basic element of the extracellular fluid homeostasis. The chapter presents experiments conducted on conscious, euhydrated dogs, which evaluate the effect of short, bilateral, and intracarotid infusions of hypertonic saline on the concentrations of vasopressin in jugular and systemic plasma. The results show that (1) infusions of hypertonic saline bilaterally into the common carotid arteries are associated with an increase in the concentration of vasopressin in plasma, (2) intravenous administration of identical, hypertonic solutions are ineffective - or at least much less effective - in eliciting the release of vasopressin, and (3) the difference between the concentration of vasopressin in jugular venous plasma and the concentration in venous plasma from a hind leg is small and statistically demonstrable only in some of the animals. The mechanisms responsible for the control of the secretion of vasopressin normally maintain a delicate balance sensitive to stimuli, which are part of homeostatic systems and to perturbations, which a priori would have appeared less likely to influence the secretion of this hormone..
Terrestrial locomotion of the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris): limitation of large aquatically adapted seals on land?

ABSTRACT The aquatic specializations of phocid seals have restricted their ability to locomote on land. The amphibious northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris , is the second largest phocid seal in the world, with males reaching 2700 kg. Although elephant seals are proficient swimmers and deep divers, their extreme size and aquatic specializations limit terrestrial movement. The kinematics of terrestrial locomotion in northern elephant seals were analyzed from video recordings of animals observed on the beach of Ano Nuevo State Reserve, CA, USA. The seals moved using a series of rhythmic undulations produced by dorsoventral spinal flexion. The traveling spinal wave moved anteriorly along the dorsal margin of the body with the chest, pelvic region and foreflippers serving as the main points of contact with the ground. The hindflippers were not used. The spinal wave and foreflippers were used to lift the chest off the ground as the body was pushed forward from the pelvis as the foreflippers were retracted to pull the body forward. Seals moved over land at 0.41–2.56 m s −1 (0.12–0.71 body lengths s −1 ). The frequency and amplitude of spinal flexions both displayed a direct increase with increasing speed. The duty factor for the pelvic region decreased with increasing velocity while the duty factor of the foreflipper remained constant. Kinematic data for elephant seals and other phocids were used in a biomechanical model to calculate the mechanical energy expended during terrestrial locomotion. The elephant seals were found to expend more energy when traveling over land for their size than smaller phocids. The unique method of terrestrial movement also exhibited greater energy expenditure on land than values for large quadrupeds. The trade-off for the northern elephant seal is that its massive size and morphology have well adapted it to an aquatic existence but limited its locomotor performance (i.e. speed, endurance) on land.
Ultra near-field electrohydrodynamic cone-jet breakup of self-reducing silver inks

Abstract Ultra near-field electrohydrodynamic (UNF-EHD) jetting of highly conductive self-reducing silver inks is investigated and compared to a theoretical cone-jet breakup model. While models connecting spray angle to fluid properties exist for large substrate-nozzle gap and inks with high ionic conductivity, little is known about the validity of these models when operating under UNF conditions. Using a pulsed cone-jet approach, data on the effects of nozzle height, applied voltage, and waveform (pulse length, pulse frequency, number of pulses/bursts, and delay between bursts) on spot size were collected showing high conductivity inks have a feature resolution very dependent on substrate-nozzle gap.
What diet should I recommend my patient with Hepatic Encephalopathy

The burden of malnutrition is high in patients with cirrhosis, especially in those with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). This has a bearing on increased morbidity and mortality. Heightened attention needs to be paid to screen the patients at high nutritional risk both in the outpatient and hospitalized settings. This review summarizes the current evidence for nutritional support in HE patients and compares the recommendations about nutritional requirement as laid out by various organizations. On survey of the literature, there is a consensus on avoiding protein restriction of the diets in HE patients along with uniform recommendations on caloric requirements. An exciting field of manipulating the gut microbiome in nutritional sciences may hold promise as well as there may be a future role for branched chain amino acids in nutritional management of HE patients. Even though the data suggest that nutritional improvement lead to better outcomes including lower readmission rates in cirrhosis, operationalizing these into practice remains a challenge. To achieve this, a multi-disciplinary approach with nutritional education of the frontline care providers, earlier nutritional risk screening of patients, involvement of the nutrition professionals as part of the team, and repeated dietary counseling for the patient and caregiver/s is required. Ultimately, this may need more focus, resource allocation, and uniform guidelines across all countries to make this a success.
Heart Transplant Outcomes in Obese Patients BMI 35-39.9

Purpose The 2016 ISHLT revised cardiac transplantation listing criteria has recommended patients to achieve a body mass index (BMI) 35 show poorer outcome post-transplant, there is limited data on the BMI group of 35-39.9. This study aims to determine the relationship between post-transplant outcomes and a pre-transplant listing BMI of 35-39.9 as compared to a BMI Methods A retrospective cohort analysis of patients stratified by BMI subgroup was performed of 23,009 adult heart transplant patients from 2009-2018 using the United Network for Organ sharing database. Patients with BMI of 35-39.9 post-transplant outcomes were compared to patients with BMI Results Patients with a BMI 35.0-39.9 had post-transplant survival of 92.4% at 90 days, 89.3% at 1 year and 74.5% at 5 years, compared to patients with a BMI Conclusion Although a statistically significant increase in mortality was observed between the BMI
Quantifying streams of thought during cognitive task performance using sequence analysis

Streams of thought vary in content from one moment to the next, and these temporal patterns have been argued to be critical to understanding the wandering mind. But few analytic methods have been proposed that can account for both the content and temporal ordering of categorical experience sampling thought probes over time. In the present study, I apply sequence analytic methods to quantify the dynamics of thought from time series sequences of categorical experience sampling thought probes delivered across five different cognitive tasks in the same individuals (N = 545). Analyses revealed some patterns of consistency in streams of thought within individuals, but also demonstrated considerable variability within and between task sessions. Hierarchical clustering of sequence dissimilarities further revealed common typologies of mind wandering across individuals. These findings demonstrate the application of sequence analytic methods for quantifying the dynamics of thought over the course of task performance and show that contextual task constraints are associated with how streams of thought unfold over time. More broadly, sequence analysis provides a valuable framework for investigation of time ordered cognitive and behavioral processes across psychological domains.
Cytokines in the Tumor Stroma

In addition to their well-documented roles in leukemia and lymphoma, cytokines and chemokines can directly affect the progression of solid tumors, including carcinomas (1–3). Carcinomas are the most frequent human tumors that arise from the epithelial cells that line the inner surfaces of organs. The conversion of normal epithelial cell to metastatic tumor cell is accepted as a multi-stage process that requires progressive genetic alterations within the epithelial tumor cell and has been the focus of intense investigation over the past three decades (4,5). At the same time, the many other cell types in the tumor microenvironment are increasingly appreciated as components of a complex biologic network akin to an organ system that are critical for tumor progression, and thus may provide new targets for cancer therapy (3–5).
Expediting the delivery of content to library users: When to buy versus when to borrow

If an item is not readily available in an academic library’s collection, is it quicker to buy it or does is make better sense to borrow it? At a public, four-year institution, acquisitions and inte...
On the evolution and definition of ‘First Amendment studies’: Do we all engage in First Amendment studies?

When I began my academic study of the First Amendment about 20 years ago, the topics seemed pretty straightforward. The journal was then named Free Speech Yearbook, and took on some of the most con...
Privacy Protection in LTE and 5G Networks

Privacy needs to be secured in cellular networks. In the domain of telecommunications, privacy attributes to personal information and subscriber identity. In service providing organizations, privacy impact assessment is performed to identify possible risks to business operations of the organizations caused by collecting personally identifiable information and to ensure compliance with applicable legal, regulatory and policy requirements for privacy protection. However, privacy risks can be estimated not only from organizations’ business but also from customers’ perspectives. While there are many tools, techniques and templates available assisting organizations in performing privacy impact assessments, the subscribers,’ in most cases subjective, perspective on privacy risks has not attracted too much attention by research communities. The paper intends to show the existence of the gap and to contribute towards the understanding of privacy aspects of LTE and 5G networks from subscribers’ perspective. This paper first outlines the main vulnerabilities that can be exploited to violate subscriber privacy in LTE networks. Then, controls to mitigate privacy risks in 5G networks are evaluated. The paper also discusses privacy risks introduced by new technologies, including software defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV) and cloud computing in 5G networks. The privacy risk assessment in LTE and 5G networks is performed from the perspective of customers, not from the perspective of service providers. Protection of subscriber’s privacy in the 6G networks is also briefly discussed.
Microscopic colitis

As the diagnosis of microscopic colitis (MC) is made on the basis of histologic criteria, it is crucial to render an accurate microscopic interpretation. Features include 20 or more lymphocytes per 100 epithelial cells, mixed lamina propria inflammatory infiltrate, and preservation of crypt architecture for both lymphocytic and collagenous colitis (CC). CC is further characterized by a collagen band at least 10 μm thick. Although the pathogenesis of MC is poorly understood, medication-induced toxicity to the colonic mucosa is important to recognize, as medication cessation leads to prompt improvement. If MC is mild, symptomatic treatment is all that is needed, because some cases are self-limiting. Budesonide, 9 mg daily for at least 8 weeks, is the best documented treatment of choice for more severe or protracted cases. A 75% response rate has been reported; however, when treatment is discontinued, relapse is common, and longer-term tapering dose therapy often is necessary. There are disadvantages and no advantage to other forms of steroid therapy. Cholestyramine, bismuth, and 5-aminosalicylate derivatives appear to be less efficacious but are reasonable therapeutic options for less severe cases. Use of immunosuppressant therapy such as azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine should be highly restricted because MC is a benign condition that does not result in other complications. Probiotic therapy with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis has not been shown to be effective in reducing bowel frequency. Surgical diversion of the fecal stream can control diarrhea and improve histology but is very rarely indicated and should be reserved for highly selected cases of severely symptomatic steroid-refractory MC.
Can I Buy My Health? A Genetically Informed Study of Socioeconomic Status and Health.

BACKGROUND A large literature demonstrates associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and health, including physiological health and well-being. Moreover, gender differences are often observed among measures of both SES and health. However, relationships between SES and health are sometimes questioned given the lack of true experiments, and the potential biological and SES mechanisms explaining gender differences in health are rarely examined simultaneously. PURPOSE To use a national sample of twins to investigate lifetime socioeconomic adversity and a measure of physiological dysregulation separately by sex. METHODS Using the twin sample in the second wave of the Midlife in the United States survey (MIDUS II), biometric regression analysis was conducted to determine whether the established SES-physiological health association is observed among twins both before and after adjusting for potential familial-level confounds (additive genetic and shared environmental influences that may underly the SES-health link), and whether this association differs among men and women. RESULTS Although individuals with less socioeconomic adversity over the lifespan exhibited less physiological dysregulation among this sample of twins, this association only persisted among male twins after adjusting for familial influences. CONCLUSIONS Findings from the present study suggest that, particularly for men, links between socioeconomic adversity and health are not spurious or better explained by additive genetic or early shared environmental influences. Furthermore, gender-specific role demands may create differential associations between SES and health.
A Bayesian Approach for the Variance of Fine Stratification.

Fine stratification is a popular design as it permits the stratification to be carried out to the fullest possible extent. Some examples include the Current Population Survey and National Crime Victimization Survey both conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, and the National Survey of Family Growth conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. Clearly, the fine stratification survey has proved useful in many applications as its point estimator is unbiased and efficient. A common practice to estimate the variance in this context is collapsing the adjacent strata to create pseudo-strata and then estimating the variance, but the attained estimator of variance is not design-unbiased, and the bias increases as the population means of the pseudo-strata become more variant. Additionally, the estimator may suffer from a large mean squared error (MSE). In this paper, we propose a hierarchical Bayesian estimator for the variance of collapsed strata and compare the results with a nonparametric Bayes variance estimator. Additionally, we make comparisons with a kernel-based variance estimator recently proposed by Breidt et al. (2016). We show our proposed estimator is superior compared to the alternatives given in the literature such that it has a smaller frequentist MSE and bias. We verify this throughout multiple simulation studies and data analysis from the 2007-8 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 1998 Survey of Mental Health Organizations.
MISINFORMATION IN MIS RESEARCH: THE PROBLEM OF STATISTICAL POWER

This study reviews 57 MIS articles employing statistical inference testingpublished in leading MIS journals over the last five years. The statistical powerof the articles was evaluated and found on average to fall substantially below theaccepted norms. The consequence of low power is that it can lead tomisinterpretation of data and results. Collectively these misinterpretations resultin a body of MIS research that is built on potentially erroneous conclusions.
Molecular Cloning of the uhp Region and Evidence for a Positive Activator for Expression of the Hexose Phosphate Transport System of Escherichia coli

The uhp locus of Escherichia coli contains genes for the sugar phosphate transport system (uhpT) and the regulatory system which allows its induction by external glucose 6-phosphate (uhpRA). The uhp region was cloned onto high-copy-number plasmids, both from Uhp+ plasmids of the Clarke-Carbon collection and from genetically characterized specialized transducing phages carrying uhpT-lac operon fusions. Two Clarke-Carbon plasmids and their Uhp+ subclones in pBR322 shared restriction sites defining the uhp region, but exhibited different regulation of Uhp expression and dependence on chromosomal uhp genotype. Plasmid pLC17-47 and derivatives conferred constitutive glucose 6-phosphate uptake activity in all strains, even those with complete deletions of uhp. These plasmids also rendered constitutive the expression of a chromosomal uhpT-lac operon fusion. Plasmid pLC40-33 conferred inducible Uhp expression, which required the presence of the uhpA+ gene on the chromosome. The induced transport levels in all strains carrying these plasmids were not appreciably amplified over haploid levels. Similar behavior was seen with the cloned operon fusions. A fusion-bearing plasmid that carried an intact regulatory system (uhpR+A+) exhibited trans-dominant constitutive expression of β-galactosidase, regardless of the chromosomal uhp genotype. In contrast, the cloned fusion carrying only uhpR+ gave glucose 6-phosphate-inducible production of β-galactosidase that was dependent on the presence of chromosomal uhpA+. Expression of both fusions in the haploid state was inducible. From these results, it was concluded that the uhpA product is necessary for uhpT transcription and that elevated dosage of uhpA results in at least partially constitutive expression of uhpT. A tentative model for uhp regulation is presented.
Role of Na+ in transport of Hg2+ and induction of the Tn21 mer operon

The effects of sodium ions on the uptake of Hg2+ and induction of the Tn21 mer operon were studied by using Escherichia coli HMS174 harboring the reporter plasmids pRB28 and pOS14. Plasmid pRB28 carries merRT', and pOS14 carries merRTPC of the mer operon, both cloned upstream of a promoterless luciferase gene cassette in pUCD615. The bioluminescent response to 1 microM Hg2+ was significantly inhibited in E. coli HMS174(pRB28) in minimal medium supplemented with sodium ions at 10 to 140 mM. After initial acceleration, light emission declined at 50 nM Hg2+ in the presence of Na+. The mer-lux assay with resting cells carrying pRB28 and 203Hg2+ uptake experiments showed increased induction and enhanced mercury uptake, respectively, in media supplemented with sodium ions. The presence of Na+ facilitated maintenance of bioluminescence in resting HMS174(pRB28) cells induced with 50 nM Hg2+. External K+ stimulated bioluminescent response in HMS174(pRB28) and HMS174(pOS14) grown in sodium phosphate minimal medium devoid of potassium ions. Sodium ions appear to facilitate mercury transport. We propose that sodium-coupled transport of mercuric ions can be one of the mechanisms for mercury uptake by E. coli and that the Na+ gradient may energize the transport of Hg2+.
The Miller–McEntire Score for Molars Provides an Evidence-based Approach to Assigning Periodontal Prognosis for Molar Teeth

Article Title and Bibliographic Information An evidence-based scoring index to determine the periodontal prognosis on molars. Miller PD Jr, McEntire ML, Marlow NM, Gellin RG. J Periodontol 2014;85(2):214-25. Reviewers Martha E. Nunn, DDS, PhD, William G. Carney, DDS, Stuart J. McNally, DDS Purpose/Question To evaluate the evidence for a scoring index used to assign periodontal prognosis of molars based on 102 patients from a private periodontal practice. Source of Funding Supported by National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources Grant P20 RR017696 Type of Study/Design Cohort study Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
A Review of: “Learning Partnerships: Theory and Models of Practice to Educate for Self-Authorship”

Marcia Baxter Magolda and Patricia King serve as coeditors of Learning Partnerships: Theory and Models of Practice to Educate for Self-Authorship. The learning partnerships referenced in the title ...
18F-labeled Single-Stranded DNA Aptamer for PET Imaging of Protein Tyrosine Kinase-7 Expression

Protein tyrosine kinase-7 (PTK7), a member of receptor tyrosine kinase superfamily initially identified as colon carcinoma kinase-4, is highly expressed in various human malignancies. Its expression was found to correlate with aggressive biologic behaviors such as increased cell proliferation, invasiveness, and migration. Despite the importance and unmet need of imaging PTK7 in vivo, there is currently no clinically relevant method to visualize tumoral PTK7 expression noninvasively such as PET or SPECT. This study aimed to develop a specific, selective, and high-affinity PET radioligand based on single-stranded DNA aptamer to address this challenge. Methods: Sgc8, a 41-oligonucleotide that targets to PTK7, was labeled with 18F using a 2-step radiochemical synthesis, which featured a direct 1-step radiofluorination on the distinctive spirocyclic hypervalent iodine(III) precursor to give 18F-fluorobenzyl azide followed by copper-mediated click conjugation with Sgc8-alkyne. 18F-Sgc8 was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in 2 cell lines, HCT116 and U87MG, which express high and low amounts of PTK7, respectively. Results: Sgc8 was labeled efficiently with 18F in an isolated radiochemical yield of 62% ± 2%, non–decay-corrected based on 18F-fluorobenzyl azide. 18F-Tr-Sgc8 was found to possess high-affinity binding to both cell lines, with binding affinity values of 2.7 ± 0.6 nM for HCT116 and 16.9 ± 2.1 nM for U87MG. In vivo PET imaging clearly visualized PTK7 expression in HCT116 xenografted mice, with tumor uptake of 0.76 ± 0.09 percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g) at 30 min after injection for the subcutaneous tumor model and greater than 1.5 %ID/g for the liver metastasis model. U87MG xenograft tumors had much lower tracer accumulation (0.13 ± 0.06 %ID/g at 30 min after injection), which was consistent with the lower expression of PTK7 in this tumor model. The labeled aptamer was rapidly cleared from the blood through the kidneys and bladder to give high tumor-to-blood and tumor-to-muscle ratios of 7.29 ± 1.51 and 10.25 ± 2.08, respectively. Conclusion: The 18F-radiolabeling methodology shown here is a robust procedure for labeling aptamers and similar chemical moieties and can be applied to many different targets. Quantification of PTK7 using 18F-Tr-Sgc8 may be suitable for clinical translation and might help in the future to select and monitor appropriate therapies.
In vitro differentiation of tooth rudiments of embryonic mice. II. Growth of isolated thirds of embryonic mouse incisors

The mandibular incisor of the 16 day embryonic mouse was divided into three visibly equal thirds; each third was explanted in vitro to test its capabilities for independent development. Ameloblasts and odontoblasts, present in the distal third at the time of isolation, fail to continue their differentiation. This third flattens, and the tissues become disorganized. Grouping several distal thirds in a single culture did not promote tissue differentiation. The embryonic proximal third remains cohesive The tissues differentiate; both ameloblasts and odontoblasts deposit extracellular matrix. Approximately half of the cultures of the intermediate third show differentiated odontoblasts and extracellular matrix after 11 culture days. Measurements of the volume changes of ameloblasts, odontoblasts, and general mesenchyme were taken over the first six culture days for each third of the rudiment. The volume changes recorded, and the counts of mitotic figures reflect the developmental behavior of each fraction of the rudiment.
‘If I am not doing my own playing then I am not able to truly share the gift of play with children’: using poststructuralism and care ethics to examine future early childhood educators' relationships with play in adulthood

The current sociopolitical context of schooling is positioning play as incongruous with children's academic learning. As a result, teacher educators must increasingly guide future early childhood professionals to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become effective play advocates. This includes articulating the value of play across the lifespan to a variety of stakeholders. Yet, ironically, many adult women entering the early childhood profession report that a wide range of barriers prevent them from including play in their adult lives. Two case studies highlight how early childhood graduate students use their experiences with play across the lifespan as a foundation for becoming play advocates. Nel Noddings's care ethics and feminist poststructural critiques of the construct of care inform the analysis and discussion of the findings. Implications suggest the importance of guiding early childhood professionals to acknowledge self-care as a component of care and play as an essential expression of...
Metal-insulator transitions in microclusters? Mixed sodium/sodium chloride aggregates

Photoionization measurements on cluster beams obtained by coexpanding sodium and sodium chloride vapors allow inferences regarding the thermodynamic stability of a number of mixed metal/salt aggregates. We discuss the possibility of observing composition dependent metal/insulator transitions among clusters with a fixed number of monomer units.
Transglutaminase cross-linking to enhance elastic properties of soy protein hydrogels with intercalated montmorillonite nanoclay

Abstract To strengthen the network of bio-nanocomposite hydrogels, layered montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay was intercalated by surface-coating with soy protein (SP) before mixing with 6% w/v SP for cross-linking by microbial transglutaminase (mTGase). Dynamic rheology was performed to study variables of NaCl and mTGase concentrations, with and without 1% w/v MMT. Without mTGase, the highest storage modulus (G′) was observed at 100 mM for samples without MMT, which was twice of the highest G′ for samples with MMT, at 200 mM NaCl. With mTGase, a shorter gelation time and a stronger hydrogel were observed at a higher enzyme level. Overall, the non-gelling 6% w/v SP dispersion was transformed to a hydrogel with G′ of 1099 Pa after addition of 100 mM NaCl and 1% SP-coated MMT and treatments by 6.25 U/g-protein mTGase for 2 h and heating/cooling steps. The integration of surface-coating and mTGase cross-linking is promising to improve properties of the nanocomposite system.
Institutions, Elites, and Technological Change in France and Germany

Most comparative studies of public strategies for competitiveness focus on the links between public agencies and industrial sectors. This paper argues that the professions—or knowledge-bearing elites—that animate these organizational links are equally significant. For public policies to promote technological advance, the visions and self-images of knowledge-bearing elites are particularly important. By examining administrative and technical elites in France and Germany in the 1980s, the paper identifies characteristics that enable these elites to implement policy in some cases but not in others. France's “state-created” elites were well positioned to initiate and implement large technology projects, such as digitizing the telecommunications network. By contrast, Germany's state-recognized elites were better positioned to facilitate framework-oriented programs aimed at the diffusion of new technologies throughout industry. The linkages between administrative and technical elites also explain why French policymakers had difficulty adapting policy to changing circumstances over time, whereas German policymakers managed in many cases to learn more from previous policy experiences and to adapt subsequent initiatives accordingly.
Acceleration compensation for biped robots to reject external disturbances

The disturbance rejection problem associated with practical biped robots is studied. When the biped robot receives an external disturbance, robot joints suffer abrupt velocity changes. This causes angular velocity of the supporting angle (the angle between the supporting foot and ground) to deviate from 0 degrees , which makes the robot unstable. To reject external disturbances, a strategy called acceleration compensation is proposed. This strategy uses joint accelerations to impose negative acceleration on the angular velocity of the supporting angle, i.e the acceleration is in the opposite direction to the angular velocity. The angular velocity acquired at the moment of a disturbance can thus be reduced to zero in a minimum amount of time, so the deviation of the supporting angle is minimized. Computer simulation and experimental results are presented that verify the usefulness of the method. >
Extrusion effects on the mechanical properties of Agar

The mechanical properties of extruded mixtures of Agar and water were measured for two formulations under slightly different extrusion conditions. The extrudate exhibits high tensile strength when moisture content is 30 wt % and very high elongation (> 2000%) when moisture content is 60 wt %. Electron micrographs of extruded samples at these extremes support the mechanical data. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
Extracellular enzymes in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments: perspectives on system variability and common research needs

Extracellular enzymes produced by het- erotrophic microbial communities are major drivers of carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. Although carbon and nutrient cycles are coupled on global scales, studies of extracellular enzymes associated with terrestrial, freshwater, and marine microbial communities are not often compared across ecosystems. In part, this disconnect arises because the environmental parame- ters that control enzyme activities in terrestrial and freshwater systems, such as temperature, pH, and moisture content, have little explanatory power for patterns of enzyme activities in marine systems. Instead, factors such as the functional diversity of microbial communities may explain varying patterns of enzyme activities observed in the ocean to date. In any case, many studies across systems focus on similar issues that highlight the commonalities of microbial community organization. Examples include the effec- tive lifetime of enzymes released into the environ- ment; the extent to which microbial communities coordinate enzyme expression to decompose complex organic substrates; and the influence of microbial community composition on enzyme activities and kinetics. Here we review the often-disparate research foci in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environ- ments. We consider the extent to which environmental factors may regulate extracellular enzyme activities within each ecosystem, and highlight commonalities and current methodological challenges to identify
Crown moisture and prediction of plant mortality in drought-stressed alfalfa

Withholding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) irrigations during the summer, a practice referred to as summer irrigation termination (SIT), can conserve substantial amounts of water in long-season desert environments; however, plant mortality associated with SIT may be substantial. Proper timing of re-irrigation is critical for minimizing mortality and yield reductions following SIT. Procedures that would permit probable mortality prediction during drought stress would improve management efficiency with SIT. This study was conducted to determine (1) whether plant mortality occurs once the moisture content of the plant woody stem portions (crown) falls below some critical threshold and (2) if such a threshold could be used to predict the likelihood of plant mortality during SIT. Crown samples were taken from single, spaced, field-grown plants in Tucson, Arizona, at the end of a 84-day SIT period in 1994. A crown moisture content of about 42% was identified as a likely threshold critical for crown tissue SIT survival. This value was then used to predict whole-plant mortality of alfalfa grown in solid-seeded plots comparable to commercial fields. Crown samples were taken at five locations within the field along a solid gradient that was related to plant mortality. At each sampling location, the proportion of samples with less than 42% crown moisture was used to predict plant mortality. Predicted mortality slightly overestimated actual mortality but differences between predicted and observed mortality were significant for only one of five sampling locations. Alfalfa growers may be able to use this simple method of crown moisture determination to prevent permanent yield reductions by initiating irrigation before substantial portions of crowns fall below the threshold moisture content of 42%.
The Physico-chemical Properties of Cinchona Alkaloids Responsible for their Unique Performance in Chiral Catalysis

The physico-chemical properties of cinchona alkaloids have been characterized in connection to their use for catalytic enantioselective conversions. Adding to the previous identification of their active site at the nitrogen atom in the quinuclidine ring and the chiral environment provided by the carbon centers of the neighboring alcohol linker, an argument is made here for the importance of the adoption of certain rotational conformations by those cinchona alkaloids in optimizing their chiral promotion. Because catalysis with cinchona alkaloids involves a liquid phase, there is a dynamic conformation isomerization process controlled by a number of factors having to do with the exact structure of the cinchona as well as with the nature of the solvent used and, in the case of heterogeneous catalysis, the presence of a solid surface. Solvents of intermediate polarity have been found to be the best for dissolving the cinchona, for establishing rapid adsorption equilibria with metal surfaces, and for promoting chiral catalysis. Protonation also leads to a dramatic change in performance, locking the cinchona molecule in a specific conformation held in place by the counter anion of the acid used, and modifying the chemical and biological activity of the system. Comparative studies with several cinchona indicate that molecular groups attached to peripheral positions also exert a great influence on the conformational and adsorption behavior of these molecules.
Urologic emergencies. Trauma injuries and conditions affecting the penis, scrotum, and testicles.

PreviewWhen a patient presents with an acute trauma injury of the genitourinary tract, quick diagnosis and treatment are in order. The authors of this article provide suggestions for the workup of patients with suspected upper or lower urinary tract injuries and also address the management of several urologic emergencies of the penis, scrotum, and testicles. A companion article on page 177 discusses urologic emergencies of the kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate, and urethra.
Polyethylene ribbon fibers: a new alternative for restoring badly destroyed primary incisors.

Dentistry has advanced to the point where it is undesirable for children to be partially edentulous or to have unattractive anterior teeth. With the introduction of new materials and adhesive systems the use of polyethylene fibers as post and core offer a new reconstructive alternative for severely destroyed primary anterior teeth. These fibers offer root and coronal retention, stability and esthetics, and it is done chair side. The present study compared two different types of fibers and analyzed the fracture resistance between the two of them. Two groups were formed. Group I used non pre-impregnated resin fibers (glasSpan) and group II used pre-impregnated resin fibers (Splint-it). Both types of fibers have been used as post and core in the restoration of primary teeth and clinical studies have been published. Our results indicated that the mean fracture resistance for group I was 71.346 and for group II 97.952 (p=0.004). During the observation of the fractured samples, adhesive failures were noted for ...
A condition for subellipticity in Spencer's Neumann problem

The main theorem established here gives a necessary and sufficient condition for certain subelliptic estimates that occur in Spencer’s Neumann problem for elliptic complexes; namely, the Neumann problem for the first-order complex {E; D} is r-subelliptic at Ei if and only if whenever u EL, and Di+k EL, , then u = Die + h for some v and h in the Sobolev space Zr . Actually, the theorem is proved for complexes of any order, and it is given in a form which is local on the cotangent bundle along the boundary. (See Section 4 for a precise statement.) The latter is important for some of the applications we have in mind. An important application of the theorem is to show that the subellipticity of the Neumann problem is not affected when one normalizes a first-order complex according to a procedure given by Guillemin. It follows that one can check subellipticity for a large class of complexes by treating a class of relatively simple ones (namely, the PoincarC complexes). In the case of s Di} is subelliptic if and only if an appropriate direct summand of the associated boundary complex [3, 41 {Ebi; DbZ} is subelliptic. This is worthwhile to know because the estimates for {Ebi; Dbi} do not involve boundary terms and are often easier to treat. A much weaker result of this kind was given in [4]. In Sections 1 through 3 below we describe the type of subelliptic estimate to be considered and the decomposition results of Guillemin and Rockland.
Representation of multi-channel evoked potential data using a dipole component model of intracranial generators: application to the auditory P300☆

A number of procedures have been employed to decompose recorded scalp potential wave forms into their hypothesized constituent elements. The shortcomings of the various decomposition methods (principal components analysis, topographic components modeling, inverse dipole localization and spatio-temporal dipole modeling) are reviewed and a new dipole components model, which incorporates the strengths of the topographic components model and the spatio-temporal dipole model, is presented. This model decomposes ERPs into subcomponents reflecting the activity of dipole sources with location and orientation fixed across subjects and with the temporal activity of each dipole modeled as a decaying sinusoid. The requirement that the equivalent dipole generators be the same across subjects and experimental conditions permits analysis of inter-group differences and of the effects of experimental variables. An application of the model to data from a 3-tone auditory target detection task is presented, and equivalent dipole sources of the components of the auditory evoked potential are described. Assumptions inherent in the model, as well as practical obstacles to its widespread implementation, are discussed.
The relationship between violence and youth suicide indicators among Asian American and Pacific Islander youth

The literature documents a relationship between interpersonal violence and suicide. One tool used to understand interpersonal violence is the Power Wheel, developed from clinical experience and originally used in domestic violence education. We examine the relationship between Teen Power and Control Wheel domains and suicidal indicators (seriously considered suicide, made a suicide plan, and attempted suicide) among Asian American and Pacific Islander high school students, in terms of both victimization and perpetration. Data from a 2007 survey of two multi-ethnic high schools on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i were used. The survey assessed interpersonal youth violence and a multitude of risk and protective factors. It found that females were significantly more likely to seriously consider suicide and attempt suicide, compared to males. There were no statistically significant differences in seriously considering suicide, making a suicide plan, and attempting suicide by ethnic group, employment status, or hours worked per week. Using the Wheel, we found that all dimensions for victimization and perpetration were associated with the three suicidal indicators. However, the magnitude of this association was dramatically higher for victims than for perpetrators. School- and healthcare-based prevention strategies should ensure that both suicide and violence intervention components are addressed. Professionals who work with youth should be trained to feel comfortable, confident, and competent in discussing suicide and violence, and be willing and capable to assess and intervene.
Advances in fuzzy integration for pattern recognition

Abstract Uncertainty abounds in pattern recognition problems. Therefore, management of uncertainty is an important problem in the development of automated systems for the detection, recognition, and interpretation of objects from their feature measurements. Fuzzy set theory offers numerous methodologies for the modeling and management of uncertainty. One such fuzzy set theoretic technology which has proven quite useful in pattern recognition is the fuzzy integral. The purpose of this paper is to examine new utilizations of the fuzzy integral as a decision making model in the area of object recognition. In particular, we develop generalizations of the fuzzy integral and show that these generalizations can achieve higher recognition rates in an automatic target recognition problem. Also, we demonstrate significant increases in recognition rates using the fuzzy integral to fuse the results of different neural network classifiers in a complex handwritten character recognition domain.
Taste vs. CNS effects in voluntary oral opiate intake: studies with a novel device and technique.

Abstract An apparatus is described which negates the influence of rats' position preferences by presenting alternative solutions at the same location. The licks for both solutions were monitored over consecutive short intervals by lick detectors with computer capture of data. Rats given a choice between water and dilute solutions of the high-potency opiates etonitazene (1.0–5.0 microgram/ml) or fentanyl (10–50 microgram/ml) either licked equally for the two solutions, or gradually developed a preference or aversion regarding the opiate over the course of several days. In contrast, preferential licking for solutions with a definite taste, saccharin or quinine, was established in hours. These data indicate that the taste per se of these opiates is not aversive to rats, and that preferences for or aversions to the opiates have some other base, presumably one or more actions on the central nervous system.
Controversy, Conflict, and Moral Learning: An Interview with Michelle Tichy

Michelle Tichy is an applied social psychologist in the field of education. She earned her PhD in 2006 from the University of Minnesota in educational psychology with an emphasis in social psychology of education. She took a graduate minor in spirituality and healing. Currently an assistant professor of education at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, Dr. Tichy’s teaching and research are focused on early childhood education, the social psychology of human development, and holistic learning models. Holistic also describes her research, as she is actively engaged in work related to peace education, peace psychology, social Justice, feminist pedagogy, and cooperative learning. She recently presented this work at the annual meeting of the Association of Moral Education at New York University. Dr. Tichy was contacted about her work.
Effect of exclusive enteral nutritional treatment on plasma antioxidant concentrations in childhood Crohn's disease

Summary Background & Aims Oxidative stress and depletion of antioxidants may play a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of exclusive enteral nutrition, which is increasingly being used as primary therapy for CD, on plasma antioxidant concentrations in children with active CD. Methods In a double-blind randomised controlled trial, 15 children with active CD (mean age, 11.3 years, range 6.8–15.7) attending a paediatric gastroenterology referral centre, were assigned to receive either a standard polymeric diet (Group S, n=8) or a glutamine-enriched polymeric diet (Group G, n=7) as primary therapy for active CD. Plasma concentrations of selenium, urates, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, and also malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of exclusive enteral nutritional treatment. Results Mean (95% CI) selenium concentration of the cohort increased significantly from 0.82 μmol/l (0.72, 0.91) to 1.14 μmol/l (0.98, 1.3), P Conclusions Significant changes in circulating antioxidant concentrations occurred in children with active CD receiving exclusive enteral nutritional treatment. Glutamine supplementation was not beneficial in improving plasma antioxidant status.