cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In situ bioremediation of perchlorate-contaminated groundwater using a multi-objective parallel evolutionary algorithm

Combining horizontal flow treatment wells (HFTWs) with in situ biodegradation is an innovative approach with the potential to remediate perchlorate-contaminated groundwater. A model has been developed that combines the groundwater flow induced by HFTWs with biodegradation processes that result from using the HFTWs to mix electron donor into perchlorate-contaminated groundwater. The model can be used to select engineering design parameters that optimize performance under given site conditions. In particular, one desires to design a system that 1) maximizes perchlorate destruction, 2) minimizes treatment expense, and 3) attains regulatory limits on downgradient contaminant concentrations. Unfortunately, for a relatively complex technology like in situ bioremediation, system optimization is not straightforward. In this study, a general multi-objective parallel evolutionary algorithm call GENMOP is developed and used to stochastically determine design parameter values (flow rate, well spacing, concentration of injected electron donor, and injection schedule) in order to maximize perchlorate destruction while minimizing cost. Results indicate that the relationship between perchlorate mass removal and operating cost is positively correlated and nonlinear. For equivalent operating times and costs, the solutions show that the technology achieves higher perchlorate mass removals for a site having both higher hydraulic conductivity as well as higher initial perchlorate concentrations.
Access to Sensitive Information in Segmented Electronic Health Records

Spurred on by Medicare and Medicaid financial incentives, the prospect of increased efficiency,and the expectation of improved outcomes, the rate of adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by health care providers has accelerated since 2009. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published in 2011, 57% of office-based hysicians had adopted some type of EHR system. Many of the EHR systems currently in use lack essential “functionality” and lag Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “meaningful use” requirements. Nevertheless, EHR adoption has gained momentum, and it is realistic to contemplate the implementation of a nationwide system of interoperable, comprehensive, and longitudinal EHRs.
Human Versus Robotic Organ Retraction During Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication

Advances in technique and instrumentation have enabled surgeons to perform a growing array of procedures through laparoscopy. However, these efforts have often been compromised by exerting excessive forces during retraction of the structures necessary for anatomical view. Here, we present a comparative study of human and robotic performance in force controlled organ retraction during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF). Six female pigs (20–25 kg) were anesthetized, intubated, placed on mechanical ventilation, and pneumoperitoneum (13mm Hg CO2) was established. A force sensing retractor (FSR) was constructed to record the forces applied in retracting the stomach during dissection of the esophageal hiatus (EH). The FSR was calibrated using known forces and then operated by either human alone or robot under human guidance using the FSR data. The EH was visualized, dissected, and LNF completed. Less force was utilized with robotic (74.3±10.5 grams) versus human (108.9±34.3 grams) retraction (p=0.007) to obtain proper anatomical view of the EH. No significant differences were observed for retraction setup time (robot 14.3±0.8 minutes and human 13.7±9.9 minutes) or hiatal dissection time (robot 14.0±3.0 minutes and human 14.0±6.1 minutes). These preliminary results present our continuing effort to develop and evaluate an automated surgical assistant for laparoscopy. As increasingly advanced, personnel-intensive laparoscopic procedures are performed, robotic retraction may present a superior alternative to human retraction by minimizing the forces exerted on organs yet maintaining excellent anatomical view.
Rituximab in the treatment of refractory lupus nephritis with vasculitis.

Dysfunction of the B lymphocyte, an important component of adaptive immunity, is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN). There are several novel strategies emerging including B-cell depletion by the monoclonal antibodies to B-cell markers, rituximab. We describe an unusual clinical response of a 22-year-old Hispanic woman with class IV LN with vasculitis while on dialysis to cyclophosphamide (CY) and adjunct rituximab. The patient had a history of class III/V LN and was treated with nine months of CY and maintenance therapy with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for three years. While on MMF, the patient deve­loped class IV LN with vasculitis leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). While the patient was on peritoneal dialysis, the patient was treated with two doses of rituximab and six doses of intravenous CY. The patient responded to this regimen and recovered kidney function within four months. The kidney function remained stable nine months after discontinuing peritoneal dialysis.
Repair of type III and type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms by using a long beveled anastomosis: a description of technique.

THE REPAIR OF THORACOABDOMINAL aortic aneurysms remains a formidable challenge. The development of the inclusion technique by Crawford1 simplified the operation and improved its success rate. Frequently, visceral vessels are reimplanted with separate anastomoses.1-7 In addition, separate side anastomoses may be used for large lumbar and intercostal arteries.1-6 Each of these anastomoses can be technically demanding and time-consuming. The operation continues to have a significant incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality including hemorrhage, respiratory failure, kidney failure, and paraplegia. Of the many factors that contribute to postoperative complications, the duration of visceral ischemia and total cross-clamp time are believed to be particularly significant.2,3,5 For selected type III and type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysms, we have found that the proximal or distal anastomosis can frequently be fashioned with a long beveled anastomosis. The purpose of this technique is to simplify the operation, reduce cross-clamp time, and minimize the incidence of postoperative complications. This report describes our experience with the long beveled anastomosis. METHODS From March 1992 to August 1995, 12 patients were brought to the operating room with type III (seven patients) and type IV (five patients) thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. The patients ranged in age from 66 to 79 years of age (mean age, 73 years). Seven of the patients were male (58%) and five were female (42%). Three patients had coronary artery disease, and one was status post coronary artery bypass grafting. Three patients had mild chronic renal insufficiency (creatinine, 1.7 to 2.6 mg/dl). One patient had undergone a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm repair 10 years previously. Ten of the patients had a history of tobacco use. Four patients were symptomatic with back or flank pain, and three were admitted urgently. All patients were studied with computed tomography scans. The aneurysm diameter varied from 6 to 10 cm and averaged 8.3 cm. One patient had an expanding aneurysm, and one had a ruptured aneurysm. Preoperative arteriography was performed on 11 patients.
Middle cerebral artery stenting for acute ischemic stroke after unsuccessful Merci retrieval.

Objective Intracranial stenting has been used in the treatment of ischemic stroke caused by acute intracranial vessel occlusion after unsuccessful recanalization with the Merci retriever. We describe our early experience with this technique. Methods Patients who had intra-arterial therapy for acute ischemic stroke with concomitant use of the retriever between February 1, 2005 and May 2, 2006 were identified from our endovascular database. Cases in which recanalization was not achieved with the retriever and in which stenting was attempted as a secondary means of mechanical recanalization were retrospectively reviewed. Results Ten patients with unsuccessful Merci retrieval underwent intracranial stenting. The average admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 16.4. Occlusions were located in the middle cerebral artery (six extended into M2 branches). Four patients received intra-arterial reteplase (two prestent, one preretriever and poststent, and one poststent). Eptifibatide was administered immediately before stenting in every patient. Successful recanalization (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 2 or 3) was achieved in nine out of 10 patients. Complications included an extradural perforation with arteriovenous fistula. Six patients had intracranial hematoma and/or subarachnoid hemorrhage; there were four deaths. The six surviving patients experienced at least a 6-point National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale improvement at discharge, although only one had a modified Rankin Scale score of 2 or less. Conclusion Angiographic recanalization has been associated with improvement in clinical outcome after acute cerebral ischemia. Recanalization is not always achieved using the Merci retriever. We found that stenting after unsuccessful Merci retrieval resulted in a high rate of angiographic success. Further research into refining indications and optimizing outcome is warranted.
Carbon catabolite repression of the maltose transporter revealed by X-ray crystallography

Efficient carbon utilization is critical to the survival of microorganisms in competitive environments. To optimize energy usage, bacteria have developed an integrated control system to preferentially uptake carbohydrates that support rapid growth. The availability of a preferred carbon source, such as glucose, represses the synthesis and activities of proteins necessary for the transport and metabolism of secondary carbon sources. This regulatory phenomenon is defined as carbon catabolite repression. In enteric bacteria, the key player of carbon catabolite repression is a component of the glucose-specific phosphotransferase system, enzyme IIA (EIIA(Glc)). It is known that unphosphorylated EIIA(Glc) binds to and inhibits a variety of transporters when glucose is available. However, understanding the underlying molecular mechanism has been hindered by the complete absence of structures for any EIIA(Glc)-transporter complexes. Here we present the 3.9 A crystal structure of Escherichia coli EIIA(Glc) in complex with the maltose transporter, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The structure shows that two EIIA(Glc) molecules bind to the cytoplasmic ATPase subunits, stabilizing the transporter in an inward-facing conformation and preventing the structural rearrangements necessary for ATP hydrolysis. We also show that the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of the full-length EIIA(Glc) and an amino-terminal truncation mutant differ by 60-fold, consistent with the hypothesis that the amino-terminal region, disordered in the crystal structure, functions as a membrane anchor to increase the effective EIIA(Glc) concentration at the membrane. Together these data suggest a model of how the central regulatory protein EIIA(Glc) allosterically inhibits maltose uptake in E. coli.
Hyperconjugative and Inductive Perturbations in Poly(p-phenylene vinylenes)

New polymers having high solid-state fluorescence quantum yields and the ability to tune their electron affinity without effecting their band gap using hyperconjugative interactions is reported. The novel three-dimensional poly(phenylene vinylenes) having [2.2.2] bicyclic ring systems shown were synthesized, and the different hyperconjugative perturbations provide differential fluorescence sensory quenching responses to electron-rich and electron-deficient analytes in solution and solid thin films.
Cardiopulmonary bypass and forearm blood flow.

Study objective To assess the effect of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on muscle blood flow (MBF) when measured in the forearm by venous occlusion plethysmography. Design This was a prospective study. Setting Operating room area of a tertiary care university medical center. Participants Twenty-seven patients (25 men and 2 women), aged 62 ± 1.5 years, undergoing elective coronary bypass grafting. Interventions Measurements were made during the surgical procedure: before, during cold and warm, and after discontinuation of CPB. Measurements and results Changes in forearm blood flow (FBF), derived forearm vascular resistance (FVR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cardiac output (CO) were evaluated by repeated measures analysis of variance. The control FBF (measured before CPB) was found to be approximately 50 percent lower than that previously reported for awake volunteers and patients. The FVR was similarly higher. From these low values, the FBF increased significantly (p 2 , serum potassium, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) had no effect on either FBF or FVR when tested singly or in combination. When correction for multiple comparisons was applied, the lowest probability value became greater than 0.25. There was no correlation between combinations of covariates and FBF or FVR after adjustments for the surgical phase of the study either. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the increase in MBF seen during warm and the post-CPB periods is only a recovery toward normal blood flow. The role of this change in the low SVR that usually accompanies CPB is equivocal.
Cooperative signaling as a potential mechanism for cohesion in a gregarious sawfly larva, Perga affinis

During periods of travel or dispersive activities (e.g., foraging), group-living animals face the common challenge of maintaining a cohesive unit. At the basic level, this challenge is no different for vertebrates than it is for arthropods and is solved through communication. Gregarious larvae of the Australian sawfly, Perga affinis, communicate via vibrational signals. The most common signal, tapping, involves striking the substrate with the sclerotized tip of the abdomen. This study investigates the role of tapping as a mechanism of cohesion, specifically in situations between a separated larva and a group. As nomadic foragers that move daily to new feeding locations and readily coalesce with other colonies, the possibility of separation and potential re-aggregation arises regularly. Experiments demonstrated that tapping facilitates cohesion as groups responded to the tapping of lone larvae and did so preferentially over other larval behaviors. Additionally, separated larvae respond to tapping by the group through increased walking activity. It is also possible that they receive directional information from the group's vibratory signals, although visual cues may influence orientation as well. Tapping represents a cooperative signal and, as such, I investigated the level of investment of both parties in the communicative exchange. While individual larvae invested more in the exchange than the group, the exchange is analogous to the Raise-the-Stakes model of cooperation in that groups gradually increased their investment according to the cumulative time spent tapping by the lone larva. The mutual but asymmetrical benefits received through cooperation are discussed and compared with similar situations between parents and offspring. Not all larvae in the group participated equally, suggesting individual differences in signaling propensity or strategy.
Semantic inhibition of return is the exception rather than the rule

Inhibition of return (IOR) has recently been reported for lexical/semantic categories (see, e.g., Fuentes, Vivas, & Humphreys, 1999). The present research examines the impact on semantic IOR of three components: item repetition, item heterogeneity, and spatial variability. Experiments 1 and 2 indicate that lexical/semantic IOR occurs only after extensive repetition. Experiment 2 also shows that semantic IOR is independent of spatial variability. Experiments 3 through 5 show facilitatory rather than inhibitory effects when the item pool is heterogeneous. The results support an episodic account of semantic IOR, according to which inhibitory effects accumulate with massive repetition of homogeneous items.
An integrated framework for face modeling, facial motion analysis and synthesis

This paper presents an integrated framework for face modeling, facial motion analysis and synthesis. This framework systematically addresses three closely related research issues: (1) selecting a quantitative visual representation for face modeling and face animation; (2) automatic facial motion analysis based on the same visual representation; and (3) speech to facial coarticulation modeling. The framework provides a guideline for methodically building a face modeling and animation system. The systematicness of the framework is reflected by the links among its components, whose details are presented. Based on this framework, we improved a face modeling and animation system, called the iFACE system [4]. The final system provides functionalities for customizing a generic face model for an individual, text driven face animation, off-line speech driven face animation, and real-time speech driven face animation.
A Short Proof of a Characterization by Conditional Expectations

A short proof, based on properties of the mean residual lifetime function, is given for a general theorem on characterization by conditional expectations.
Biopolitics and Public Policy: Controlling Biotechnology

Biopolitics concerns the political implications of biological facts and phenomena. Reference to biological facts and analogies has a long and notable history in political inquiry, from Aristotle's treatment of humans as political animals, through medieval thinkers who elaborated a biological analogy for the body politic, to Hobbes' emphasis on physical needs and passions and Rousseau's psychology. But until recent years, not many political scientists have undertaken a systematic examination of the direct connections between the life sciences and political choice and action.
An application of cokriging for estimation of tripartite earthquake response spectra

A tripartite earthquake response spectrum exhibits peak values of acceleration, velocity, and displacement in concert, each as a function of natural frequency of vibration. Because cokriging is a regionalized variable technique for multiple variable estimation, it was employed to jointly estimate peak values of acceleration, velocity, and displacement through a frequency discretization process. The objective of this application was to develop a technique for estimation of response spectra at uninstrumented locations. Because magnitudes of the three response variables differed, these data were normalized prior to cokriging. This process simply involved dividing each type of variable by its maximum value for a given frequency; hence, values of each type of variable ranged between zero and one. This allowed better accuracy in developing cross-variograms. Cokriging proved to be an efficient and accurate technique to use for the estimation of tripartite response spectra.
Encapsulated Presentation: A New Paradigm of Blended Learning

Abstract This article is a presentation of a new mode of blended learning whose only goal is to enrich the quality of instruction in the face-to-face classroom through the simultaneous delivery of online and face-to-face components. Encapsulated presentation is the delivery of the entire presentation phase of a lesson in the classroom by electronic methods in the presence of an instructor who only intervenes in moments of exceptional need. The many advantages of encapsulated presentation are explained.
Oral mycobiome analysis of HIV-infected patients: identification of Pichia as an antagonist of opportunistic fungi.

Oral microbiota contribute to health and disease, and their disruption may influence the course of oral diseases. Here, we used pyrosequencing to characterize the oral bacteriome and mycobiome of 12 HIV-infected patients and matched 12 uninfected controls. The number of bacterial and fungal genera in individuals ranged between 8-14 and 1-9, among uninfected and HIV-infected participants, respectively. The core oral bacteriome (COB) comprised 14 genera, of which 13 were common between the two groups. In contrast, the core oral mycobiome (COM) differed between HIV-infected and uninfected individuals, with Candida being the predominant fungus in both groups. Among Candida species, C. albicans was the most common (58% in uninfected and 83% in HIV-infected participants). Furthermore, 15 and 12 bacteria-fungi pairs were correlated significantly within uninfected and HIV-infected groups, respectively. Increase in Candida colonization was associated with a concomitant decrease in the abundance of Pichia, suggesting antagonism. We found that Pichia spent medium (PSM) inhibited growth of Candida, Aspergillus and Fusarium. Moreover, Pichia cells and PSM inhibited Candida biofilms (P = .002 and .02, respectively, compared to untreated controls). The mechanism by which Pichia inhibited Candida involved nutrient limitation, and modulation of growth and virulence factors. Finally, in an experimental murine model of oral candidiasis, we demonstrated that mice treated with PSM exhibited significantly lower infection score (P = .011) and fungal burden (P = .04) compared to untreated mice. Moreover, tongues of PSM-treated mice had few hyphae and intact epithelium, while vehicle- and nystatin-treated mice exhibited extensive fungal invasion of tissue with epithelial disruption. These results showed that PSM was efficacious against oral candidiasis in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory activity of PSM was associated with secretory protein/s. Our findings provide the first evidence of interaction among members of the oral mycobiota, and identifies a potential novel antifungal.
A Distribution Services Approach for Developing Effective Competitive Strategies Against "Big Box" Retailers

Abstract According to one theoretical approach, the primary economic function of retailers is to deliver products together with distribution services. We use this framework to identify competitive niches for smaller retailers competing against big box stores. We compare the distribution services offered by the Home Depot versus smaller retailers using both in-store measures and consumer perception data, and the relative importance of distribution services as determinants of store choice. The results show that the Home Depot's superiority in pricing and assortment attracts a significant market, but smaller retailers can secure niche markets by delivering higher levels of ambiance and information.
Starting and stopping rules for simulations using a priori information

Abstract This paper proposes a method of interval estimation (based on the autoregressive method) that exploits a priori information about activity level (traffic intensity) and data skewness in a queueing simulation. The method relies on two rules: One determines when to start collecting data during a run and the other determines when to stop collection. The rules are designed to use the a priori information in a way that mitigates the effects of the initial conditions in the simulation and ensures representative congested behavior in the collected data. Experiments with a simulation of the M/M// c queue, with c = 1, 2, 4 and ϱ = 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 0.95 produce favorable results. For ϱ = 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, the coverage rates for interval estimates are close to the specified theoretical coverage rates and are higher than those reported in the literature for other methods of interval estimation. The sample sizes to obtain the coverage rates are moderate and are insensitive to variation in the number of servers and the activity level. Experiments with a fixed truncation starting rule and a fixed sample-size stopping rule clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is anticipated that a priori information also exists in more complex simulations, and that such information can be used in an analogous way to achieve desired coverage levels.
Solidification of M2 high speed steel

The freezing process in AISI type M2 high speed tool steel (6 pct W, 5 pct Mo, 4 pct Cr, 2 pct V, 0.8 pct C) was studied by metallographic and thermal analysis techniques. Unidirectional solidification of small laboratory melts in a modified crystal growing apparatus was employed to provide metallographic sections of known macroscopic growth direction. Also cooling curves were obtained on 40 g specimens solidified in thimble crucibles. X-ray microradiography, electron probe scanning techniques, and quantitative microanalysis of dendrites and interdendritic carbides were extensively used to supplement conventional metallography. Carbon and vanadium contents of M2 were varied in order to observe the effect of an austenite and ferrite stabilizer on the thermal analysis curves and microstructure. The nonequilibrium freezing process in M2 includes three major liquid-solid reactions: 1) Liquid → Ferrite, 1435°C; 2) Liquid + Ferrite → Austenite, 1330°C; 3) Liquid → Austenite + M6C + MC, 1240°C. These reactions account for the as-cast structure of the commercial alloy. The addition of carbon depresses the liquidus (1) and solidus temperatures (3) and narrows the gap between the liquidus (1) and peritectic transformation (2). This gap is eliminated at > 1.39 wt pct C, where the initial freezing reaction is the crystallization of austenite. The accompanying microstructural change is the elimination of σ eutectoid dendrite cores. The addition of vanadium promotes ferrite formation by strongly depressing the peritectic reaction and thus widening the gap between the liquidus and the peritectic.
Political Consequences of Inconsistency: The Accessibility and Stability of Abortion Attitudes

This paper investigates the political consequences of inconsistency for the accessibilityand self-assessed stability of attitudes toward abortion. Two different sources of inconsistencyare examined: cognitive inconsistency between abortion attitudes and ideological identifications,and social inconsistency between individual abortion attitudes and the attitudes of others withinthese individuals' networks of association. The data analyzed are drawn from theresponses of 2,174 registered voters in a 1996 election survey that used computer-assistedtelephone interviewing (which enabled measurement of response latencies). The analysis focusedon the relationships among the accessibility, self-assessed stability, and extremity of abortionattitudes; the consequences of cognitive inconsistency for the accessibility and self-assessedstability of abortion attitudes; and the consequences of socially inconsistent abortion attitudes forthe accessibility and stability of abortion attitudes.
Epitaxial growth of GaAs with (C2H5)2GaCl and AsH3 in a hot-wall system

Abstract The MOVPE growth of GaAs in a hot-wall system has been investigated using diethylgallium chloride ((C 2 H 5 ) 2 GaCl, DEGaCl), AsH 3 and H 2 . Recent measurements have determined the vapor pressure of DEGaCl, and have also determined that DEGaCl is dominantly associated as multimers in the gas phase. The growth temperature range of 350 ⩽ T ⩽ 700°C was investigated at reactor pressures of 0.10–10 Torr. The substrates were mounted parallel to the average gas flow direction throughout the study. The very low temperature at which the growth rate is reaction rate-limited in the hot-wall reactor may be attributed to the conversion of DEGaCl to a species that is more readily incorporated as GaAs, such as GaCl. At higher temperatures, the growth rate typically demonstrates a monotonic decrease with downstream location that may result from both the depletion of GaCl in the reactor, and/or a lower supersaturation of GaCl in the gas phase due to increasing concentrations of HCl down the length of the reactor. At even higher temperatures a drastic drop in growth rate may also be caused by the depletion of GaCl and/or the lower supersaturation of GaCl in the gas phase. The carrier concentration in the grown material is below 2.5s10 14 cm -3 at 450°C and increases at higher temperatures to 5s10 15 cm -3 n-type at 650°C.
Label-free detection of a bacterial pathogen using an immobilized siderophore, deferoxamine

Pathogenic bacteria obtain the iron necessary for survival by releasing an iron chelator, termed a siderophore, and retrieving the iron-siderophore complex via a cell surface siderophore receptor. We have exploited the high affinity of Yersinia enterocolitica for its siderophore, deferoxamine, to develop a rapid method for capture and identification of Yersinia. In this methodology, a deferoxamine-bovine serum albumin conjugate is printed onto a gold-plated chip in a parallel line pattern. After flowing a suspension of Yersinia across the siderophore-derivatized chip, any Yersinia that binds to the chip is detected by dark-field microscopy analysis of the scattered light, followed by Fourier transform analysis of the scattering pattern. Since peak intensities are found to correlate with pathogen concentration, pathogen titers as low as 10(3) cfu/ml can be readily detected. Moreover, immobilized deferoxamine can distinguish Y. enterocolitica, which binds ferrioxamine (deferoxamine-Fe), from Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which don't. Because human pathogens cannot easily mutate their iron retrieval systems without loss of viability, we suggest that few if any mutant Yersinia will emerge that can avoid detection. Together with previous results demonstrating selective capture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by its immobilized siderophore (pyoverdin), these data suggest that pathogen-specific siderophores may constitute effective and immutable capture ligands for rapid detection and identification of their cognate pathogens.
Acceptable Aluminum Additions for Minimal Environmental Effect in Iron-Aluminum Alloys *

A systematic study of iron-aluminum alloys has shown that Fe-16 at. % Al alloys are not very sensitive to environmental embrittlement. The Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al alloys are sensitive to environmental embrittlement, and the effect can be reduced by the addition of chromium and through the control of grain size by additions of zirconium and carbon. The Fe-16 at. % Al binary, and alloys based on it, yielded over 20% room-temperature (RT) elongation even after high-temperature annealing treatments at 1100[degree]C. The best values for the Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al-base alloys after similar annealing treatments were 5 and 10%, respectively. A multicomponent alloy, FAP, based on Fe- 16 at. % Al was designed, which gave an RT ductility of over 25%.
Fuzzy Logic Real-Time Digital Control of a Hardware in the Loop Maglev Device Using MATLAB and xPC Target

This work will discuss the use of a single environment for real-time digital control with a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) magnetic levitation (maglev) device for modeling and controls education, with emphasis on fuzzy logic (FL) feedforward control. This environment utilizes two computers (host and target), an off-the-shelf data acquisition card, and the HIL device (a nonlinear, open-loop, unstable, and time varying, custom-built maglev). The software includes tools from MathWorks Inc., and a C++ compiler. The values of any parameter (control law, reference trajectory) in the Smulink model can be changed dynamically on the host computer and their effects observed in real-time on the HIL system. Real-time data was collected from the HIL device and used in designing, tuning and implementing a feedforward FL controller all using MathWorks tools that controlled the HIL device in real-time. It was observed that the tracking error was substantially improved when the FL augmented the control effort of a classical lead compensator. The procedure for the FL development, tuning and hardware implementation along with examples will be presented. This system has been recently completed and was successfully used in an educational setting for one graduate and undergraduate Mechanical Engineering course.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Executive Functions, Depressive Symptoms, and College Adjustment in Women

Many students have difficulty adjusting to college, and the contribution of academic and relational factors have been considered in previous research. In particular, depression commonly emerges among college women at this time and could be related to poor adjustment to college. This study examined the relationship between executive functions, depressive symptoms, and college adjustment in college women. Seventy-seven female participants from a midsize urban university completed the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, College Adjustment Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version, and four subtests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System: the Trail-Making Test, Design Fluency Test, Verbal Fluency Test, and Color-Word Interference Test. After controlling for IQ score, hierarchical regression analyses showed that subjective and objective measures of executive functioning and depressive symptoms were significantly related to college adjustment problems in academic, relational, and psychological areas. The current study provides evidence for a relationship between cognitive abilities, psychiatric symptoms, and college adjustment.
Cerebrovascular permeability changes induced by radiopaque contrast substances in various areas of rabbit brain

Abstract The cerebrovasculature is capable of excluding various large molecular weight substances from the neural tissue. It has been previously demonstrated that radiopaque substances can alter this blood-brain barrier (BBB). The purpose of this investigation was to determine if this response is variable between selected areas of the brain. It was found that intracarotid injections of radiopaque contrast agents produce small focal extravasations in the gray matter. The areas affected and the incidence of extravasation were: thalamus (75%), cerebral cortex (69%), caudate nucleus (64%), dorsal hippocampus (43%), hypothalamus (36%) and cerebellum (27%). It was also noted that the area of the brain affected depended upon the type of contrast agent used.
Prolonged control of patterned biofilm formation by bio-inert surface chemistry

A bio-inert surface chemistry was developed that can confine biofilm formation in designed patterns for at least 26 days.
Two dimensional mortar contact methods for large deformation frictional sliding

This paper presents a mortar-based formulation for the solution of two dimensional frictional contact problems involving finite deformation and large sliding. As is widely recognized, traditional node-to-surface contact formulations have several drawbacks in solution of deformable-to-deformable contact problems, including lack of general patch test passage, degradation of spatial convergence rates, and robustness issues associated with the faceted representation of contacting surfaces. The mortar finite element method, initially proposed as a technique to join dissimilarly meshed domains, has been shown to preserve optimal convergence rates in tied contact problems (see (Discretization Methods and Iterative Solvers Based on Domain Decomposition, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 2001) for a recent review), and is examined here as an alternative spatial discretization method for large sliding contact. In particular, a novel description for frictional sliding conditions in large deformation mortar formulations is proposed in this work. In recent years, the mortar element method has already been successfully implemented to solve frictional contact problems with linearized kinematics (see (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 1993; 36: 3451)). However, in the presence of large deformations and finite sliding, one must face difficulties associated with the definition and linearization of contact virtual work in the case where the mortar projection has a direct dependence on the tangential relative motion along the interface. In this paper, such a formulation is presented, with particular emphasis on key aspects of the linearization procedure and on the robust description of the friction kinematics. Some novel techniques are proposed to treat the non-smoothness in the contact geometry and the searching required to define mortar segments. A number of numerical examples illustrate the performance and accuracy of the proposed formulation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Teachers’ Willingness to Adopt Nature of Science Activities Following a Physical Science Professional Development

The major science education reform documents emphasize the need for K-12 students to have a robust understanding of nature of science (NOS), and inservice teachers consequently need to develop their NOS teaching repertoires. This study investigated the extent to which science teachers were willing to adopt new strategies and activities for teaching NOS in their classrooms. The participants were 36 elementary, middle, and high school teachers who were completing a year-long physical science professional development (PD) that included NOS instruction. Data sources consisted of surveys (teachers’ NOS views, teaching practices), collected work, and responses to post-PD follow-up questions. The professional development course was successful in that teachers incorporated many of these strategies and activities into their own practice. This study also endeavored to identify factors that facilitated the adoption of these new approaches to teaching NOS. While personal characteristics such as pre- or post-PD NOS understandings, NOS gains, and grade level taught were not related to the number of NOS activities incorporated, teachers from suburban and rural schools were significantly more likely to implement NOS activities.
Hereditary disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism: identification of their biochemical phenotypes in the clinical laboratory.

Objective: To describe a laboratory approach to the diagnosis of hereditary diseases of purine and pyrimidine metabolism and emphasize clinical situations in which these disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Design: Disease-specific patterns were identified in random specimens of ultrafiltered urine by using gradient high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection, and reference ranges were established for uric acid, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uracil expressed per creatinine in random specimens of urine. Material and Methods: Diagnostically significant purines and pyrimidines were separated with use of a Supelco LC-18-S nucleoside column eluted with 25 mmol/L ammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile-methanol-water. Biologic fluids were prepared by ultrafiltration after addition of 3-methyluridine as internal standard. We used specimens negative for screening of metabolic disorders to establish reference ranges. Results: Disease-specific patterns were identified in specimens with purine and pyrimidine disorders and several urea cycle disorders characterized by increased production of pyrimidine Conclusion: The approach described identified disease-specific patterns of purine and pyrimidine disorders and several urea cycle disorders. We suggest that testing for purine and pyrimidine disorders be done in specimens evaluated in metabolic laboratories for "screening for inborn errors of metabolism."
An empirical test of the effect of board size on firm efficiency

Abstract Empirical tests of the effectiveness of the U.S. corporate governance structure have been hampered by a lack of suitable data. This paper suggests the use of data from an industry which has publicly available data on firm costs, rural distributors of electricity. Data from this industry are sufficiently detailed enough to allow for the construction of a variable cost function. A test of the influence of board size on firm efficiency indicates that corporate boards are inefficiently large.
Wearable autonomous microsystem with electrochemical gas sensor array for real-time health and safety monitoring

Airborne pollution and explosive gases threaten human health and occupational safety, therefore generating high demand for a wearable autonomous multi-analyte gas sensor system for real-time environmental monitoring. This paper presents a system level solution through synergistic integration of sensors, electronics, and data analysis algorithms. Electrochemical sensors featuring ionic liquids were chosen to provide low-power room-temperature operation, rapid response, high sensitivity, good selectivity, and a long operating life with low maintenance. The system utilizes a multi-mode electrochemical instrumentation circuit that combines all signal condition functions within a single microelectronics chip to minimize system cost, size and power consumption. Embedded sensor array signal processing algorithms enable gas classification and concentration estimation within a real-world mixture of analytes. System design and integration methodologies are described, and preliminary results are shown for a first generation SO 2 sensor and a thumb-drive sized prototype system.
Gene expression analysis of Escherichia coli grown in miniaturized bioreactor platforms for high-throughput analysis of growth and genomic data.

Combining high-throughput growth physiology and global gene expression data analysis is of significant value for integrating metabolism and genomics. We compared global gene expression using 500 ng of total RNA from Escherichia coli cultures grown in rich or defined minimal media in a miniaturized 50-μl bioreactor. The microbioreactor was fabricated out of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and glass and equipped to provide on-line, optical measurements. cDNA labeling for microarray hybridizations was performed with the GeniconRLS system. From these experiments, we found that the expression of 232 genes increased significantly in cells grown in minimum medium, including genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis and central metabolism. The expression of 275 genes was significantly elevated in cells grown in rich medium, including genes involved in the translational and motility apparatuses. In general, these changes in gene expression levels were similar to those observed in 1,000-fold larger cultures. The increasing rate at which complete genomic sequences of microorganisms are becoming available offers an unprecedented opportunity for investigating these organisms. Our results from microscale cultures using just 500 ng of total RNA indicate that high-throughput integration of growth physiology and genomics will be possible with novel biochemical platforms and improved detection technologies.
A technology empowerment model for engineering work

Seeking to enhance the use of information technology for problem solving/decision support efforts and innovation in engineering work, management has sought to empower engineers by investing in increasingly powerful software capabilities and peer support networks to facilitate an experiential process of working and learning. Based on the concept of psychological empowerment from the management literature, the researchers propose a technology empowerment model (TEM) for the post-adoptive context of engineering design work. This model describes whether individual engineers are energized by cognitive task-technology assessments to engage in an ongoing experiential process. The model contends that psychological empowerment is affected by software capabilities and peer support and, in turn, motivates engineering problem solving/decision support efforts and work process innovations. The model is tested using a sample of 208 individuals engaged in engineering design work. Implications for improving the management of engineering work are discussed.
A Novel Method for Excluding Aneurysms From the Cerebral Circulation: Preliminary Results in Rabbits

Despite many advances in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms in the last few decades, none of the available methods provide an unequivocal solution for all aneurysm sizes and morphologies. The feasibility of successfully treating aneurysms solely by the placement of an intravascular flow-diverting mesh across the aneurysm neck was established more than a decade ago [1]. Flow diverters disrupt the momentum exchange between the parent artery and aneurysm and significantly reduce intraaneurysmal hydrodynamic vorticity and kinetic energy. The resultant flow stasis promotes thrombus formation within the aneurysm sac, which eventually matures into fibrotic tissue, leading to exclusion of the aneurysm from the circulation. With the increased use of stents in the intracranial circulation, cases where coiling is not feasible, or is staged as a secondary procedure, are providing clinical evidence of the successful treatment of aneurysms with stents alone [2,3]. Methodological evidence of the performance of appropriately designed flow diverters in treating cerebral aneurysms has recently become available in the literature [4,5].Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Peace-building: Theoretical and Concrete Perspectives

In a world where war is everybody's tragedy and everybody's nightmare, diplomacy is everybody's business. —Lord Strang1 This paper presents a comprehensive review of the conflict resolution and peace-building literature focused on the issues involved in assessing the impact of peacemaking and peace-building through people-to-people contact. Findings reveal that we are still in the beginning stages of establishing frameworks for the resolution of wars and the building of peace and that there continues to be academic and political contestation over the definition of peace and peace-building. At the same time, this review identifies significant research progress in creating useful conceptual distinctions among the various modalities for peace, in establishing definitions that are both explanatory and remedial, and in recognizing the need for multi-faceted approaches to peacemaking and peace-building. Likewise, the literature indicates a growing understanding of the various forms of people-to-people contact, their impact, their possibilities, and their limitations. Attempts are made to reconcile the tensions between structural and social-psychological approaches, and similarly, the contradictions between conflict resolution and social justice. Finally, directions for future research that address the impact, the effectiveness, and the possibilities for creating an infrastructure for a sustainable just peace.
The impact of perceived closeness on the differing roles of satisfaction, trust, commitment, and comfort on intention to remain with a physician.

This study extends previous research by examining perceived closeness as a moderator of traditional relationship measures such as satisfaction, trust, commitment, and psychological comfort, and the impact of each on the intention of the patient to remain with his/her physician. Our findings reveal that in cases where the patient feels close to the physician, psychological comfort with the physician is the most important factor in predicting patient retention. For those who feel less close to the physician, satisfaction is theprimary predictor of patient retention. Therefore, as a close relationship develops between the patient and doctor, the patient's comfort level becomes increasingly important as an exit barrier, even outweighing patient satisfaction.