cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation of a novel expansion device control mechanism: Vortex control of initially subcooled flashing R134a flow expanded through convergent-divergent nozzles

Abstract A novel expansion device refrigerant flow control mechanism called vortex control has been studied in this paper. This control mechanism is less vulnerable to clogging than conventional expansion device types since the flow control is achieved without having to adjust the cross-sectional flow area in order to achieve the desired modulation effect. Big potential is seen in applying vortex control to modulate the flow through ejector motive nozzles, because it can potentially provide flow control without sacrificing nozzle efficiency. Investigated in this paper were different nozzles flows with initially subcooled R134a. The effects of geometry variations and operating conditions were investigated experimentally. Flow visualizations were performed to gain further understanding of the complex two-phase flow in the vicinity of the nozzle throat. Maximum vortex control range of 42% has been obtained in the current study, which appears to be large enough to be suitable for numerous technical applications.
The dynamic elastic and mineralogical Brittleness of Woodford shale of the Anadarko Basin: Ultrasonic P-wave and S-wave velocities, XRD-Mineralogy and predictive models

Abstract The recent advances in drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology rendered the Woodford shale of the Anadarko basin a prolific resource play producing gas and liquid hydrocarbons. Among the challenges facing improved economics, there is variable production from one well to another as well as from a completion stage to another due to the variability in facture gradient or brittleness index (BI) and the kerogen content. This investigation relies on laboratory ultrasonic P-wave and S-wave velocity in Woodford core samples to estimate BI based on the estimated elastic moduli. We modified a literature mineralogical brittleness index equation in order to take into account additional iron-rich minerals like pyrite, hematite, and iron oxides that are present in the Woodford shales, and also investigated the impact of total organic content (TOC) on the mineralogical brittleness index. Furthermore, a number of new reliable equations based on different elastic properties have been introduced in this study for the evaluation of the elastic BI, which is of significant importance in designing hydraulic fracturing in shale and tight reservoirs. In another panel of our study, the sensitivities of both mineralogical makeup of Woodford shale and elastic properties calculated –including density, acoustic impedance, Poisson's ratio, Young's modules, Lame's parameters– to the elastic brittleness index are examined. It was indicated that they have a positive effect on the prediction and can be employed in the respective predictive methods for the estimation of elastic BI. However, the analysis demonstrated that TOC has no considerable effect on mineral BI, at least in Woodford sample studied. A comparison between these newly developed predictive equations and the most commonly used methods for the prediction of elastic brittleness index available in the literature demonstrates that the new equations have a better performance in terms of both accuracy and simplicity. On comparing the BI prediction equation, with highest prediction quality “Method 1”, that was developed based on ultrasonic elastic moduli with a corresponding equation based on sonic well-logs elastic moduli, Method1 was proven applicable to estimating BI based sonic frequency elastic moduli.
A systematic method for reviewing and analysing health information on consumer-oriented websites

Aim A discussion of a proposed method for analysing the quality of consumer-oriented websites that provide health-related information. Background The quality of health information available to consumers online varies widely in quality. In an effort to improve the quality of online information, experts have undertaken systematic reviews on selected health topics; however, no standardized comprehensive methodology currently exists for such review. Design An eight-step method is recommended embracing the following steps: (a) select topic; (b) determine the purpose of the analysis; (c) select search terms and engines; (d) develop and apply website inclusion and exclusion criteria; (e) develop processes and tools to manage search results; (f) specify measures of quality; (g) compute readability; (h) evaluate websites. Each of these steps is illustrated in relation to the health topic of gynaecomastia, a physical and mental health challenge for many adolescent males and young men. Implications for nursing Although most extant analyses of consumer-oriented websites have focused on disease conditions and their treatment, website analysis methodology would encourage analyses that fall into the nursing care domain. Conclusion The method outlined in this paper is intended to provide nurses and others who work with specific patient populations with the tools needed for website analytic studies. Such studies provide a foundation for making recommendations about quality websites, and identifying gaps in online information for health consumers.
Dark Matter, Millicharges, Axion and Scalar Particles, Gauge Bosons, and Other New Physics with LDMX

The proposed LDMX experiment would provide roughly a meter-long region of instrumented tracking and calorimetry that acts as a beam stop for multi-GeV electrons in which each electron is tagged and its evolution measured. This would offer an unprecedented opportunity to access both collider-invisible and ultrashort-lifetime decays of new particles produced in electron (or muon) nuclear fixed-target collisions. In this paper, we show that the missing momentum channel and displaced decay signals in such an experiment could provide world-leading sensitivity to sub-GeV dark matter, millicharged particles, and visibly or invisibly decaying axions, scalars, dark photons, and a range of other new physics scenarios.
Aging, Dietary Restriction, and Cancer in a Germ-Free Animal Model

Freedom from infectious disease and from tumors induced by microbial carcinogens or by viruses has made germ-free (GF) animals a valuable tool in cancer and aging research. Gordon et al. (1966) suggested that protection from the deleterious effects of microbes on the aging host would permit a better view of the endogenous aging process. His research showed that GF mice lived at least 8 months longer than conventional (CV) mice (24 vs. 16). Research by Morris Pollard at the University of Notre Dame’s Lobund Laboratory showed that GF rats outlived CV rats (Pollard 1971) and spontaneously developed liver tumors (Pollard and Luckert 1979) and prostate adenocarcinomas (Pollard 1973). Young GF rats and mice have lower resting oxygen consumption, cardiac output, and reduced heart size (Wostmann 1975), and adult GF rats have reduced body size (Snyder and Wostmann 1987) when compared to CV rats. The longer life span and reduced body size of GF rats are traits similar to those reported for long-lived diet-restricted (DR) rats. Pollard and Wostmann (1985) examined the effect of DR on cancer development and aging in GF Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats. Ten GF L-W rats restricted to approximately 70% of daily food intake lived well beyond any ad libitum-fed CV or GF L-W rats and showed few of the tumors common to old L-W rats.
ON-LINE CONTROL OF DISCRETE EVENT SYSTEMS: SOME EXTENSIONS OF PERTURBATION ANALYSIS1

Standard optimization problems for stochastic Discrete Event Dynamic Systems (DEDS) are limited by the unavailability of closed-form expressions for sensitivity information (gradients or finite differences). We address the problem of estimating on line gradients to be used in conjunction with parameterized control policies and standard optimization schemes. By exploiting the flexibility provided by different sample path representations of the same underlying DEDS, we show that Perturbation Analysis techniques can be extended to more complicated queueing models than those analyzed thus far.
Perioperative use of intravenous dexamethasone in the management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction with balloon dacryoplasty

Purpose To evaluate the effect of perioperative dexamethasone, presumed to reduce edema, on the success rate of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) treatment by balloon dacryoplasty. Methods The medical records of patients treated for NLDO using balloon dacryoplasty were reviewed retrospectively. Infants with Results A total of 74 patients were included. In 71 eyes of 61 patients, dexamethasone was used; in 18 eyes of 13 patients, no dexamethasone. The mean age at treatment was 23.3 ± 15.6 months for the steroid group and was 22.5 ± 14.9 for the control group, with no difference between groups (P = 0.84). In the steroid group, 6 eyes (8.5%) had residual symptoms after surgery; in the control group 5 eyes (27.8%). There was a statistically significant higher success rate in the steroid group compared with the control group (P = 0.045; RR = 0.31 [95% CI, 0.11-0.9]). Conclusions In our study cohort, use of perioperative dexamethasone was associated with a reduced rate of failure in children treated for NLDO using balloon dacryoplasty.
A Taxonomy of Item Response Models in Psychometrika

The main aim of this study is to report on the frequency of which different item response theory models are employed in Psychometrika articles. Articles relevant to item response theory modeling in Psychometrika for 82 years (1936–2017) are sorted based on the classification framework by Thissen and Steinberg (Item response theory: Parameter estimation techniques. Dekker, New York, 1986). A sorting of the item response theory models used by authors of 367 research and review articles in Volumes 1–82 of Psychometrika indicates that the usual unidimensional parametric item response theory models for dichotomous items were employed in 51% of the articles. The usual unidimensional parametric item response theory models for polytomous items were employed in 21% of the articles. The multidimensional item response theory models were employed in 11% of the articles. Familiarity with each of more complicated item response theory models may gradually increase the percentage of accessible articles. Another classification based on recent articles is proposed and discussed. Guiding principles for the taxonomy are also discussed.
The Supreme Court in a Polarized Era: Is Legitimacy at Risk?

We examine the role that mass perceptions of the Supreme Court’s institutional nature—particularly how “political” it is—plays in assessments of its legitimacy. In a series of original studies, we find that policy disagreement with Supreme Court decisions leads individuals to view that decision, and the Court itself, as being political in nature. We then show that the more political people think the Court is, the less legitimate they consider it to be. In this way, we show that policy disagreement with decisions strongly and directly reduces Court legitimacy.
Redesigning Primary Care Well Child Visits: A Group Model

Background: Providing effective, efficient well child-care can be challenging. Many obstacles exist for delivering well child-care to low-income populations including time, cultural barriers and limited resources. Urban, immigrant populations face unique social circumstances and stand to benefit from a model of care that provides parents with enhanced support and education. Group well child-care is a novel take on the traditional visit, creating a community of parents with similarly aged children with a consistent provider for the first year of life. This model …
Gauging Uncertainty in Test-to-Curriculum Alignment Indices

During the development of large-scale school achievement tests, panels of independent subject-matter experts use systematic judgmental methods to rate the correspondence between a given test’s item...
Chapter 7 – Loess

Loess is a deposit of wind-blown silt that blankets large areas of the continents. It is often light brown in color, consisting predominantly of quartz, feldspars, micas, and calcium carbonate. Geographically, loess is extensive in the North American Great Plains, south-central Europe, Ukraine, central Asia, China, and Argentina. In North America, loess was derived from both glacial and nonglacial sources but is commonly related to formerly extensive outwash deposits from the Laurentide ice sheet and to the floodplains of large, braided rivers; sections along the Mississippi River valley may reach 20 m in thickness. The thickest loess deposits are found in the unglaciated regions of Alaska and in Nebraska. In Europe, loess deposits are common in areas that lie between the former Alpine and the Scandinavian ice sheets and in regions to the east associated with major river systems. Some of the thickest loess sections are related to formerly extensive braided rivers at a time when vegetation cover was greatly reduced (primarily grassland). Although rarely continuous, some sites have loess and paleosol sequences that extend back into the Early Pleistocene (particularly in the middle and lower Danube River Basin. Elsewhere, loess is related to desert conditions, especially the extensive deserts of central Asia where weathered material, transported from adjacent mountain ranges, has accumulated. These vast arid areas, and the adjacent Yellow River system, are the source regions for the extensive Chinese loess deposits. In north-central China (southeast of the Gobi Desert), loess deposits are extremely thick, up to 300 m in places, and completely cover the underlying topography, forming a loess plateau that extends over an area of ~ 500,000 km2. It is there that the most comprehensive paleoclimatic studies of loess deposits have been carried out.
Prevalence of Burnout Among Cardiothoracic Radiologists.

Purpose Burnout is a psychological syndrome in response to chronic occupational stressors. The prevalence of burnout among medical professionals has been increasing, and recent studies have shown that radiologists are among those affected. We investigated the prevalence of burnout and assessed associated factors among cardiothoracic radiologists. Materials and methods Society of Thoracic Radiology members were invited to complete an anonymous cross-sectional survey that included an adapted Maslach Burnout Inventory and questions about demographics, work place characteristics, and stressors. Results The survey response rate was 33.1% (290/874). Per-item response rate ranged from 94% to 100% with a median of 99%. The prevalence of emotional exhaustion was 66.8% (186/283), depersonalization was 79% (223/283), and low personal accomplishment was 23% (65/280). There were no statistically significant differences between academic and private practice. There was a trend toward worse burnout in women, but this was not statistically significant. Being in early career (0 to 10 y since fellowship) was associated with low personal accomplishment [odds ratio (OR): 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-3.99]. Those working fewer than 51 hours per week were significantly less likely to report emotional exhaustion (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.33-0.90). The odds of emotional exhaustion for those producing fewer than 7500 work relative value units per year were approximately half of those exceeding that number (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22-0.95). Conclusions The prevalence of burnout among cardiothoracic radiologists is comparable to that reported for radiologists in other subspecialties such as musculoskeletal and interventional radiology. High work relative value unit productivity and longer work hours are associated with higher prevalence of burnout.
Policy, practice, and parenthood: a study of teacher mothers

This phenomenological study extends the current research on working mothers to teacher mothers. Themes highlighted include work/life enrichment, support for motherhood role, challenge to find balan...
Sonography as a Prognostic Indicator of Breslow Depth: Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Auricular Helix:

Malignant melanoma is a cellular cancer that produces pigmentation of the skin. The tendency toward melanoma may be inherited, and risk factors are increased with overexposure to the sun and ultrav...
A New Chain Code for Bi-Level Image Compression Using an Agent-Based Model of Echolocation in Dolphins

The tremendous increase in the size of data generated by the Internet of Things and other platforms has created an urgent need to investigate new methods for data representation and compression. In this article, we develop a novel system that is inspired by the echolocation system in dolphins for bi-level image encoding and employ it in data compression. To this end, we consider building an agent-based model that imitates the communications between different agents. Our agent-based modeling environment corresponds to an actual image, and it consists of dolphins and fish. The dolphins use echolocation to help them identify fish within certain distances around them. Additionally, the dolphins work within fixed ranges while encoding the needed information. The algorithm stores the initial coordinates of the dolphins' locations along with their movements and uses this information in image reconstruction. The experimental findings showed that we could significantly outperform well-known benchmarks in bi-level compression using the sample images we employed for testing.
Public Space, the Public Realm and Digital Technologies

This chapter delineates the scope of digital technologies and of public space, and the discourses on these two constructs. Digital technologies, as appropriated in public spatial practice, span the distinction between public space and public media. These technologies play complex roles in both exacerbating and ameliorating many of the purported contemporary crises of public space, just as they have the potential mediate between the many different publics in urban society. In all of these aspects, they have the potential of providing platforms and tools for the rehearsal of possible future publics.
Rheology and Flow Properties of Fracturing Gels in Straight and Coiled Tubing

This study involves experimental investigation of rheological and hydraulic characteristics of aqueous based polymeric and surfactant fluids in straight and coiled tubing. The fluids matrix includes guar, HPG, PHPA, welan, xanthan, and surfactant. Bohlin rheometer was used to evaluate rheological and viscoelastic characteristics. For hydraulic characteristics, small- and large-scale flow loops were used. It is observed that all fluids exhibit comparable non-Newtonian behavior and improved viscous and elastic properties. Among polymeric fluids, guar and welan provide better viscosity and suspension properties. Surfactant is significantly affected by the formation of rod-like micelles and other microstructures. Master curves for rheological and elastic properties are developed using the molecular theory approach. The foremost benefit of these curves is its dimensionless form that provides a unique technique to predict viscosity for all fluids. For hydraulic properties, friction losses in coiled tubing are significantly higher than in straight tubing due to centrifugal forces and secondary flows. Surfactant is more sensitive to shear field applied where different microstructures are induced and thus they exhibit better drag reduction characteristics than polymeric fluids especially in coiled tubing with larger sizes. However, in straight tubing, guar shows better drag reduction characteristics than surfactant and other polymers, which diminishes as tubing size increases. However, welan gum exhibits a comparable performance. Overall, all fluids are considered good candidates as fracturing fluids with specific features for each. Unique characteristics of each fluid is discussed and explained in more details within the context of the present paper. Keywords: Microstructures, surfactant, hydraulic, friction, viscosity
Genetic Analysis of Archived Tumor Specimens for Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes in the Cajuns of Louisiana, a US Founder Population.

INTRODUCTION The Louisiana Acadian region (population 1.2 million), home of the Cajuns, has among the highest US colorectal cancer (CRC) rates. Although Cajuns are a known genetic founder population, studies assessing for hereditary CRC have not been performed. METHODS A retrospective review of 2 hospital cancer registries was performed to identify young (<55) Cajun CRC patients in Lafayette, Louisiana (the Acadian region population center), diagnosed from 2003 to 2016. Men were studied because of the higher likelihoods of retaining Cajun surnames for ancestry identification compared with women. Immunohistochemistry for mismatch repair proteins associated with the Lynch syndrome (LS) was performed on tumors. Germline sequencing was performed on adjacent normal tissue of these archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgical resection specimens for pathogenic variants underlying CRC-associated syndromes, including LS, familial adenomatous polyposis, and others. RESULTS Of 9 young Cajuns, a germline analysis revealed LS in 2 (MLH1 frameshift, MLH1 missense pathogenic variants). Both had immunohistochemistry-deficient MLH1. Two others had the same adenomatous polyposis coli variant of unknown significance (2 algorithms predicting deleterious and probably damaging change), making this a potential familial adenomatous polyposis founder effect candidate. DISCUSSION This is the first study assessing for hereditary CRC in a large US regional founder population. This small study did not identify clear Cajun founder pathogenic variants. However, larger studies are warranted, which could also help clarify the clinical significance of the adenomatous polyposis coli variant of unknown significance. This study is important because it demonstrates that a retrospective tumor analysis can be used to ascertain the prevalence of genetic susceptibility in specific populations.
Influence of Hydrogen-Related Defects on the Electrical Conductivity and Plastic Deformation of Mantle Minerals: A Critical Review

Our current understanding of the microscopic mechanisms by which hydrogen affects the physical properties of minerals is reviewed with emphasis on transport properties including electrical conductivity and plastic deformation. The influence of hydrogen on these physical properties is mostly indirect via hydrogen-related defects. Interpretation of experimental results on defect-dependent properties requires great care because the concentration and speciation of hydrogen in the sample are not always well-controlled and may differ between ambient and high pressure-temperature conditions. Defects with minor concentrations can play a major role. In most (Mg,Fe)-bearing silicates, hydrogen is dissolved as two protons at a vacant M-site (Mg,Fe-site), (2H) × M , though this type of defect has only minor influence on electrical conductivity and plastic deformation. When the concentration of ionized defects exceeds the concentration of hydrogen-free charged defects, the concentration of defects at other sub-lattices increase (in order to maintain charge neutrality) thereby affecting the motion of defects at silicon or oxygen sub-lattice sites, e.g., plastic deformation. Parameterization of the creep law in terms of hydrogen content and pressure (and temperature) is discussed and applied to estimate the upper mantle viscosity and fabric transitions. It is emphasized that both the fugacity effect and the activation volume need to be determined in order to characterize the influence of hydrogen, and therefore the experimental results from a broad range of pressure (pressures beyond a few GPa) are essential to understand the rheological properties of Earth's mantle.
Echelle observations of C III lambda 1909 and Si III lambda 1892

Profiles of C III 1909 and Si III 1892 obtained on and near the limb during the 1976 flight of the University of Hawaii echelle rocket spectrograph were reduced and analyzed to determine electron densities and mass motions. The electron pressure derived agrees well with that determined by Cook and Nicolas (1979) from ATM data. Nonthermal velocities in the region of formation of Si III 1892 on the disk were found to be 10-12 km/s, somewhat lower than the values obtained by Doschek et al. (1976), also from ATM spectra. However, velocities derived at and above the limb were in closer agreement, about 17 km/s.
Placental transfer of meperidine HCl

Abstract Meperidine HCl levels were analyzed in maternal arterial and fetal umbilical vein blood during and following a standard maternal injection dose. Fetal levels were consistently higher than maternal at 4 minutes and after. The findings are discussed.
False positive pericardial effusion due to breast attenuation in multi-gated acquisition (MUGA) scan

2030 Objectives MUGA scans are used to evaluate the left ventricle function and pericardial anatomy. A photopenic “U-halo” around the cardiac blood pool in the left anterior oblique (LAO) view is commonly seen with pericardial effusion. We describe findings of false positive pericardial effusion due to breast attenuation in cancer patients. Methods Several cases that demonstrated the photopenic “U-halo” in the LAO view did not have true pericardial effusion. The patients9 breast size and how far the breast sagged in reference to the heart silhouette were visually observed in topograms. The oblique tilt position was evaluated to determine the effect it may have in creating the photopenic “U-halo”. A unique MUGA case demonstrating collateral vessels in bilateral breasts was used as a reference marker image to determine the effect of a slightly more anterior versus left lateral oblique tilt in the LAO view. Results Large breasts can overlie the heart in the LAO projection. The overlying breast can cause the appearance of pericardial effusion in the resulting image by attenuating tissues surrounding the heart. The positioning of the breast also affected the appearance of the photopenic halo. A patient with tissue expanders having more upright breasts demonstrated a photopenic area anterior to the left ventricle whereas a large breast that sagged more laterally demonstrated no photopenic area. Conclusions Patients with large breasts may show a photopenic “U-halo” in the LAO view dependent on how far the breast sags in reference to the heart silhouette and on the positioning of the oblique tilt. The anterior image should be used to determine breast attenuation versus a photopenic area surrounding the heart. If both the anterior and LAO view demonstrates the “U-halo”, taking another view with a slightly more anterior or lateral oblique position will demonstrate inconsistency of the photopenic area thereby excluding diagnosis of pericardial effusion
Low-Bit-Rate Speech Coding

Low-bit-rate speech coding, at rates below 4 kb/s, is needed for both communication and voice storage applications. At such low rates, full encoding of the speech waveform is not possible; therefore, low-rate coders rely instead on parametric models to represent only the most perceptually relevant aspects of speech. While there are a number of different approaches for this modeling, all can be related to the basic linear model of speech production, where an excitation signal drives a vocal-tract filter.
Review of building energy modeling for control and operation

Abstract Buildings consume about 41.1% of primary energy and 74% of the electricity in the U.S. Better or even optimal building energy control and operation strategies provide great opportunities to reduce building energy consumption. Moreover, it is estimated by the National Energy Technology Laboratory that more than one-fourth of the 713 GW of U.S. electricity demand in 2010 could be dispatchable if only buildings could respond to that dispatch through advanced building energy control and operation strategies and smart grid infrastructure. Energy forecasting models for building energy systems are essential to building energy control and operation. Three general categories of building energy forecasting models have been reported in the literature which include white-box (physics-based), black-box (data-driven), and gray-box (combination of physics based and data-driven) modeling approaches. This paper summarizes the existing efforts in this area as well as other critical areas related to building energy modeling, such as short-term weather forecasting. An up-to-date overview of research on application of building energy modeling methods in optimal control for single building and multiple buildings is also summarized in this paper. Different model-based and model-free optimization methods for building energy system operation are reviewed and compared in this paper. Agent based modeling, as a new modeling strategy, has made a remarkable progress in distributed energy systems control and optimization in the past years. The research literature on application of agent based model in building energy system control and operation is also identified and discussed in this paper.
A Bayesian approach to the estimation of variance components for the unbalanced one-way random model

The estimation of variance components in the one-way random model with unequal sample sizes is studied. A simulation study that indicates that modes of posterior distributions have good sampling properties compared with other estimators is presented. The posterior distributions are calculated using a noninformative prior distribution that is uniform on the intraclass correlation. A simulation study for the estimation of the ratio of the variance components is also presented, together with a study of the sampling properties of highest posterior density regions for this ratio, Bayesian estimators appear to be viable competitors to the many classical alternatives in a sampling framework.
Sources of auxiliation in the perfects of Europe

This paper explores the complex role of language contact in the development of be and have auxiliation in the periphrastic perfects of Europe. Beginning with the influence of Ancient Greek on Latin, it traces the spread of the category across western Europe and identifies the Carolingian scribal tradition as largely responsible for extending the use of the be perfect alongside the have perfect across Charlemagne’s realm. Outside that territory, by contrast, in “peripheral” areas like Iberia, Southern Italy, and England, have came to be used as the only perfect auxiliary. Within the innovating core area, a further innovation began in Paris in the 12th century and spread to contiguous areas in France, Southern Germany, and northern Italy: the semantic shift in the perfects from anterior to preterital meaning. What can be concluded from these three successive instances of diffusion in the history of the perfect is that contact should be regarded as one of the essential “multiple sources” of innovation, and as a fundamental explanatory mechanism for language change.
Layered (2-D) structure of [Ru2(O2CMe)4]2[Ni(CN)4] determined via Rietveld refinement of synchrotron powder diffraction data

Abstract Reaction of [Ru2(O2CMe)4]Cl and K2[Ni(CN)4] forms [Ru2(O2CMe)4]2[Ni(CN)4] with the targeted layered structure possessing Ru–N C Ni linkages, albeit strained, with Ru–N C and Ni–C N angles in the range of 147–167°. The magnetic properties of [Ru2(O2CMe)4]2[Ni(CN)4] can be fit to a zero-field splitting model with D/kB = 95 K (66 cm−1).
Stable ?2-optimal controller synthesis

This paper considers fixed-structure stable ℋ2-optimal controller synthesis using a multiobjective optimization technique which provides a trade-off between closed-loop performance and the degree of controller stability. The problem is presented in a decentralized static output feedback framework developed for fixed-structure dynamic controller synthesis. A quasi-Newton/continuation algorithm is used to compute solutions to the necessary conditions. To demonstrate the approach, two numerical examples are considered. The first example is a second-order spring–mass–damper system and the second example is a fourth-order two-mass system, both of which are considered in the stable stabilization literature. The results are then compared with other methods of stable compensator synthesis. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Methane release from Gulf coast wetlands

A seasonal study of methane release from adjoining salt, brackish and fresh marsh sediment andthe adjacent open water areas in Louisiana’s Barataria Basin indicates that methane emission isa significant process in the carbon and energy flow of the ecosystem. Methane emission wasinversely related to salinity and sulfate concentration, with methane increasing and salinity andsulfate decreasing with increasing distance from the coast. The annual amounts of methaneevolved were 4.3, 73 and 160 g C m -2 for the salt, brackish and fresh marshes, respectively. Invitro experiments show that methane production is sensitive to the addition of sulfate, highconcentrations (10 mM SO,) inhibiting methane evolution. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1983.tb00002.x
The influence of non-equilibrium dissociation on the flow produced by shock impingement on a blunt body

We describe an investigation of the effects of non-equilibrium thermochemistry on the interaction between a weak oblique shock and the strong bow shock formed by a blunt body in hypersonic flow. This type of shock-on-shock interaction, also known as an Edney type IV interaction, causes locally intense enhancement of the surface heat transfer rate. A supersonic jet is formed by the nonlinear interaction that occurs between the two shock waves and elevated heat transfer rates and surface pressures are produced by the impingement of the supersonic jet on the body. The current paper is motivated by previous studies suggesting that real gas effects would significantly increase the severity of the phenomenon. Experiments are described in which a free-piston shock tunnel is used to produce shock interaction flows with significant gas dissociation. Surprisingly, the data that are obtained show no significant stagnation enthalpy dependence of the ratio of the peak heat transfer rates with and without shock interaction, in contrast to existing belief. The geometry investigated is the nominally two-dimensional flow about a cylinder with coplanar impinging shock wave. Holographic interferometry is used to visualize the flow field and to quantify increases in the stagnation density caused by shock interaction. Time-resolved heat transfer measurements are obtained from surface junction thermocouples about the model forebody. An improved model is developed to elucidate the finite-rate thermochemical processes occurring in the interaction region. It is shown that severe heat transfer intensification is a result of a jet shock structure that minimizes the entropy rise of the supersonic jet fluid whereas strong thermochemical effects are promoted by conditions that maximize the entropy rise (and hence temperature). This dichotomy underlies the smaller than anticipated influence of real gas effects on the heat transfer intensification. The model accurately predicts the measured heat transfer rates. Improved understanding of the influence of real gas effects on the shock interaction phenomenon reduces a significant element of risk in the design of hypersonic vehicles. The peak heat transfer rate for the Edney type IV interaction is shown to be well-correlated, in the weak impinging shock regime, by an expression of the form [equation] for use in practical design calculations.
Boerhaave's syndrome—a case report & literature review

Herman Boerhaave first described spontaneousrupture of the oesophagus in 1724. Boerhaave’ssyndrome is usually preceded by emesis, and is not trulyspontaneous. Boerhaave’s has also been ascribed tostraining, child birth, severe cough, hiccups, blunttrauma, seizures and forceful swallowing. However, theterm is useful in distinguishing it from iatrogenicperforation which accounts for 85-90% of cases ofoesophageal rupture. Early diagnosis and therapyprovides the best chance of survival. Ideal managementinvolves a combination of both conservative andsurgical intervention. The mortality rate increases withdelay in diagnosis and intervention.
Skeletal and Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Treatment With Adjuvant Immunotherapy

Because there is evidence for an active immunologic response against sarcoma, a clinical trial of adjuvant immunotherapy using bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and tumor cell vaccine was begun. Eleven of 18 patients with localized soft tissue sarcoma who received immunotherapy are free of disease, compared to only 5 of 15 treated by operation alone who are free of disease. Furthermore, immunotherapy also prolonged the median disease-free interval from 7.3 months to 15 months in the patients who experienced recurrence of their disease. (JAMA236:2187-2189, 1976)
Rural at-risk drinkers: correlates and one-year use of alcoholism treatment services.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify a community sample of rural and urban at-risk drinkers, to compare them in terms of sociodemographics, access measures and severity of illness, and to study them prospectively to identify rural/urban differences in use of 12-month alcoholism treatment services. Method: A brief telephone screening interview of over 12,000 respondents in six southern states identified a sample of at-risk drinkers. A baseline interview was administered to 733 individuals (67% men, 50% rural residents) that obtained information on substance use and psychiatric disorders, psychosocial factors, social support, four dimensions of access to alcoholism treatment services and prior alcoholism service use. Interviews at 6 and 12 months obtained self-reports of subsequent receipt of alcoholism treatment services. Results: We identified modest differences between rural and urban at-risk drinkers. The rural sample was significantly less well-educated and reported significantly less a...
On variable structure output feedback controllers for uncertain dynamic systems

A class of variable structure output feedback controllers for uncertain dynamic systems with bounded uncertainties is proposed. No statistical information about the uncertain elements is assumed. A variable structure systems approach and a geometric approach to the analysis and synthesis of system zeros are employed in the synthesis of the proposed controllers. >
Circulation characteristics over the Himalayas during winter season

¶During winter season, atmospheric systems, which traverse from west to east interact with the Himalayan massif and produce widespread rainfall over North India. In this study, we made an endeavor to examine the mean circulation features and large-scale budgets of kinetic energy, heat and moisture over Himalayas and the adjoining domain for winter season. The time-mean circulation is bifurcated into stable mean and transient eddy parts and examined the mean component of the circulation. The uninitialized daily analyses of European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for five winter seasons (1986–90) comprising December, January and February (DJF) have been used for the purpose.
Time Dependence of Quantum-State Amplitudes Demonstrated by Free Precession of Spins

The time dependence of quantum-state amplitudes is calculated and experimentally demonstrated for the spin states of the rubidium atom. The mechanism of optical pumping is used to prepare the spin state oriented along the z axis. The magnetic field is then quickly switched from the z to the x direction and the light transmitted through the rubidium vapor is used as a probe to measure the probability that the atoms are in the various quantum states with respect to the z axis. The time dependence of absorbed light is calculated, first for the simplified case of spin 12, then for spin 1, and finally for spin 2, which is the value observed in the experiment.
Purines and triazines in the Murchison meteorite

Two samples of the Murchinson C2 chondrite were analyzed for organic nitrogen compounds, using mass spectrometry in combination with paper and thin-layer chromatography. Under mild extraction conditions (water or formic acid), only alphatic amines and some alkylpyridines were seen. Drastic extraction conditions (hot 3-6 M HCL) a variety of nitrogen compounds appeared, including adenine (15 ppm), guanine (5ppm), melamine (20 ppm), cyanuric acid (20 to 30 ppm), guanylurea (30 to 45 ppm), and urea (25 ppm). It appears that these compounds are present mainly in macromolecular material. Failure of other investigators to identify these compounds in carboneceous chondrites is attributed to inadequate extraction conditions (water and formic acid rather than HCl).
SCORES ON LONELINESS OF CHINESE AND AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS

197 American college students going to school in Oklahoma and 91 Chinese college students going to school in China participated. Chinese students from extended families (families with three generations) reported less loneliness than those from nuclear families. In the younger group (aged 18 to 20 yr.), Chinese students scored higher on loneliness than American students as did all freshman compared with all sophomore students. Significant interactions between nation and years in college and between nation and family structure (extended families vs nuclear families) were found within the same age group.
A Submicroscopic Deletion in Xq26 Associated with Familial Situs Ambiguus

Abnormal left-right-axis formation results in heterotaxy, a multiple-malformation syndrome often characterized by severe heart defects, splenic abnormalities, and gastrointestinal malrotation. Previously we had studied a large family in which a gene for heterotaxy, HTX1, was mapped to a 19-cM region in Xq24-q27.1. Further analysis of this family has revealed two recombinations that place HTX1 between DXS300 and DXS1062, an interval spanning approximately 1.3 Mb in Xq26.2. In order to provide independent confirmation of HTX1 localization, a PCR-based search for submicroscopic deletions in this region was performed in unrelated males with sporadic or familial heterotaxy. A cluster of sequence-tagged sites failed to amplify in an individual who also had a deceased, affected brother. FISH identified the mother as a carrier of the deletion, which arose as a new mutation from the maternal grandfather. The deletion interval spans 600-1,100 kb and lies wholly within the 1.3-Mb region identified by recombination. Discovery of this deletion supports localization of HTX1 to Xq26.2 and reveals the first molecular-genetic abnormality associated with human left-right-asymmetry defects.
Radiofrequency excision versus monopolar electrosurgical excision for tonsillectomy.

Objective We previously compared radiofrequency (Evac) tonsillotomy with monopolar electrosurgical (Bovie) tonsillectomy and showed significantly less pain with the Evac. Tonsillotomy leaves a cuff of tonsil behind, the significance of which is unknown. We hypothesize that Evac tonsillectomy also is less painful than Bovie tonsillectomy. Study design and setting We compared Evac (ENTec Evac 70; ArthroCare, Sunnyvale, CA) and Bovie tonsillectomy in a prospective, blinded fashion. Each participant had 1 tonsil removed by each device. We recorded, by side, the surgical time, blood loss, operative difficulty, pain (postoperative days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14), and the side that each patient preferred. Results Data were analyzed for 17 patients. They reported significantly less pain with the Evac (P Conclusion Evac tonsillectomy is significantly less painful than Bovie tonsillectomy. Patients blinded to treatment preferred the Evac technique. Significance The Evac device decreases postoperative pain.
The evolution of low-dose diuretic therapy: the lessons from clinical trials.

Safe and effective antihypertensive therapy became available in the 1950s with the introduction of thiazide diuretics. Prior to that time, we did have agents that lowered blood pressure but they often needed to be given parenterally and were too poorly tolerated to be used for the treatment of any but those with lifethreatening elevations of blood pressure. When thiazide diuretics—first chlorothiazide and then hydrochlorothiazide—became available, it was possible to lower blood pressure in most hypertensives and assess whether that reduction would lead to a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The results of 17 large trials have now made it clear that antihypertensive therapy with regimens based on diuretics and β blockers reduces cardiovascular events and saves lives. When first introduced, thiazide diuretics were prescribed at doses we now know are excessively high (100–200 mg of hydrochlorothiazide/day), and we have learned that much lower doses, even as little as 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide, are effective. These lower doses will reduce blood pressure and do so with considerably less in the way of metabolic effects. This article will trace the development of antihypertensive therapy and review how data from clinical trials have influenced the recommendations of the Joint National Committees on the Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of Hypertension.
Differential transport of rat and human interleukin-1α across the blood-brain barrier and blood-testis barrier in rats

Human interleukin-1α is transported across the murine blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood–testis barrier (BTB) by a saturable transport system. Differences in the biological activity and binding of human IL-1 in mouse and rat brain raise the possibility of species differences in the transport of IL-1 across the BBB and BTB. We measured the transport of recombinant human 125I-IL-1α (I-huIL-1α) and rat 125I-IL-1α (I-ratIL-1α) across the rat BBB and BTB after intravenous injection using a sensitive in vivo technique and film autoradiography. I-ratIL-1α was found to cross the rat BBB and rat BTB at rates comparable to those reported previously for murine IL-1α in mice. Passage across the BBB was inhibited by the addition of unlabeled rat IL-1α, demonstrating saturable transport. In contrast, I-huIL-1α entered the brain of the rat much more slowly, and its entry was not inhibited by the addition of unlabeled human IL-1α. These results show that the rat interleukin-1 transporter, unlike the murine transporter, does not transport human IL-1α. This difference highlights the importance of species specificity in IL-1α transport and may partly explain the different physiological responses to exogenous human IL-1α among rodent species.
Pancreatic magnetic resonance imaging after manganese injection distinguishes type 2 diabetic and normoglycemic patients

A non-invasive method to image the mass and/or function of human pancreatic islets is needed to monitor the progression of diabetes, and the effect of therapeutic interventions. As yet, no method is available for this purpose, which could be applied to in situ human islets. Animal and in vitro studies have documented that manganese infusion could improve the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the endocrine pancreas. Here, we have tested whether a similar approach could discriminate diabetic and non-diabetic patients. In vitro, human isolated islets readily incorporated manganese. In vivo, 243 manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) examinations were reviewed, including 41 examinations which were run on 24 patients with type 2 diabetes and 202 examinations which were run on 119 normoglycemic patients. The results show that MEMRI discriminates type 2 diabetics from non-diabetic patients, based on the signal enhancement of pancreas.