cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiphase Cooling of High Frequency Conductors Encased in a Porous Medium

This study presents a new method for cooling high frequency conductors requiring substantial structural support. This new method of cooling involves boiling a dielectric, fluorinert™ refrigerant that is in direct contact with the supported conductor. A porous, dielectric medium was created for structural support with enough interconnected voids to sustain liquid-vapor flow. A pool boiling test chamber was constructed to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of a conductor encased in a porous medium. The conductor-porous media assembly was mounted horizontally on two conductor posts and submerged into the liquid. The tests were performed using support structures with different interconnected void sizes. A DC power supply was used to apply heat to the conductor and all tests were performed at the saturation temperature. Critical heat flux was captured and each assembly evaluated for best performance in transferring heat. The results from these experiments will enhance the cooling technology used in high frequency conductor applications.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer and Metal Ion Complexation of 2-(2‘-Hydroxyphenyl)benzazoles in Aqueous Solution

The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of a series of water-soluble 2-(2‘-hydroxyphenyl)benzazole derivatives has been studied under physiological conditions using absorbance and steady-state emission spectroscopy. At neutral pH in the presence of 0.1 M ionic background, the fluorescence properties of these derivatives differ substantially compared to previously reported data in nonaqueous solvents. The ESIPT process is disrupted, presumably due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding with surrounding water molecules combined with increased stabilization of the trans-rotamer, which cannot undergo the ESIPT process. The emission spectrum of the benzimidazole derivative depends significantly on the solvent polarity, as revealed by titrations with Zn(II) in methanol, ethanol, and under physiological conditions. Inhibition of ESIPT via metal coordination shows a significant wavelength shift together with a substantial ratio increase by a factor of 13.7. Titration of the benzoxazole derivative wit...
Doublecropped Temperate and Tropical Corn Silages for Growing Beef Steers

Doublecropping corn (Zea mays L.) for silage will maximize forage production per acre in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern USA. The production and feeding value of doublecropped temperate and tropical corn hybrids were evaluated with growing beef steers. Temperate corn was harvested for silage on 20 July at 36.4% dry matter (DM) at 110 d after planting and the tropical corn at 23.8% DM on 11 November at 100 d after planting. The tropical corn produced 14% more DM/acre than did the temperate corn. Grain comprised 43.7% of the harvested DM in the temperate corn and 27.1% in the tropical corn. Ensiling fermentation characteristics of the two corn hybrids were typical of well-preserved silage. Tropical corn silage was 7.6% higher in crude protein (CP) but 20% lower in ether extract. Crude fiber, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were 29%, 31%, and 20% greater, respectively, for tropical corn silage. Both silages were fed to 36 growing beef steer calves (average initial weight 500 Ib) during an 84-d feeding period. Apparent digestibilities of ADF, NDF, DM, and organic matter (OM) were all greater for the tropical corn silage diet. Total mean retention time of the particulate matter in the digestive tract was longer for steers fed the tropical corn silage. Steers fed the temperate corn silage diet consumed 16.9% more DM/d and gained 17.6% faster (P < 0.01) than steers fed tropical corn silage. However, DM required per unit of gain was similar for the two silage diets. Temperate and tropical corn hybrids can be successfully doublecropped and harvested for silage in the Coastal Plain of the USA to provide increased production per acre and promote expected animal body weight gains.
Medical Comorbidities Are Independent Preoperative Risk Factors for Surgical Infection After Total Joint Arthroplasty

Surgical site infection (SSI) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a major cause of morbidity. Multiple patient comorbidities have been identified as SSI risk factors including obesity, tobacco use, diabetes, immunosuppression, malnutrition, and coagulopathy. However, the independent effect of multiple individual patient factors on risk of subsequent periprosthetic infection is unclear. The purposes of this study are (1) to collect data on several preestablished infection risk factors in addition to SSI-related data on a large TJA cohort; and (2) to use multivariate modeling on previously established patient risk factors to determine independent preoperative predictors of SSI. We reviewed records of patients undergoing TJA from January 1, 2010, to July 30, 2012. Confirmation of SSI followed published guidelines for superficial, deep, and periprosthetic. A total of 29 culture-positive SSIs (1.5% total) and 1846 controls were identified. The prevalence of known patient-specific infection risk factors was determined for both infected cases and healthy control subjects followed by multiple regression analysis to determine independent risk. Isolated organisms consisted of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; 34.5%) followed by gram-negative rods (31.0%). After adjusting for anatomic site, independent risk factors for infection include: revision surgery (odds ratio [OR], 2.28; confidence interval [CI], 1.26–3.98), super obesity (body mass index > 50 kg/m2; OR, 5.28; CI, 1.38–17.1), diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.83; CI, 1.02–3.27), tobacco abuse (OR, 2.96; CI, 1.65–5.11), MRSA colonization or infection (OR, 4.17; CI, 1.63–9.66), and current or prior bone cancer (OR, 3.86; CI, 1.21–12.79). Multiple patient comorbidities independently contribute to infection risk after TJA. Preoperative TJA infection risk stratification may be feasible and should be investigated further. Level II, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT TONSILLITIS DUE TO GROUP A BETA HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY COMPARING PENICILLIN, ERYTHROMYCIN AND CLINDAMYCIN

TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT TONSILLITIS DUE TO GROUP A BETA HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY COMPARING PENICILLIN, ERYTHROMYCIN AND CLINDAMYCIN
The chemical kinetics of silicate sol—gels: Functional group kinetics of tetraethoxysilane

The functional group chemical kinetics of tetraethyoxysilane (TEOS) have been investigated by 29Si NMR. The functional group analysis treats the concentration of the various functional groups (alkoxy, silanol and SiOSi bond) without reference to how they are distributed about the various silicon atoms. The functional group kinetics address the overall reaction pathways and the reaction mechanism. Previously, tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) was found to undergo acid-catalyzed reaction via both water- and alcohol-producing condensation processes. Acid-catalyzed TEOS condensation proceeds via only the water-producing reaction. These differences in the chemical kinetics of TMOS and TEOS affect the dependence of condensation rates on the water-to-silicon ratio of the solution.
On Science of Metaphors and the Nature of Systemic Reasoning

Scientific method is presented not as a means for investigating a true and objective character of universal reality, but as a metaphorical tool applied for mutual co-ordination of experiences. By acknowledging the co-orientational and metaphoric roots of science, religion, arts, and ordinary linguistic communications alike, potential for their fruitful interdependent application becomes apparent. References to the paradigms of constructivism and objectivism are drawn in parallel in outlining the tracks along which the proposed concept of co-creation of experiential qualities is arrived at. Systemic reasoning based on analogies between different levels of complexity of natural systems emanates as an imaginative aspect of creative thinking.
Regimes Reinventing Themselves: Constitutional Development in the Arab World

In the Arab world, most constitutional documents have been promulgated less by the nation assembled than by existing regimes seeking tools to enable them to face domestic and international challeng...
Assessment of Visual-Motor Coordination in 6-to 11-yr.-Olds:

The concurrent and content validity of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and the Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-Third Revision were investigated through correlational analysis. 432 children, ages 6 to 11 years, were administered both tests. Across age groups participants performed better on both measures, providing support for the similarity of the measures and their sensitivity to the development of visuomotor integration. Although analysis indicated considerable overlap in the content of the two scales, the shared variance ranged from 7% to 31%, depending on the age of the child. The Rey-Osterrieth figure is composed of overlapping squares, rectangles, triangles, and various other shapes. Given this complex combination, scores on this test reflect the examinees' visual organization and motor planning skills. On the other hand, the Beery test consists of a series of shapes which progress from simple figures to more complex ones. Because the figures become more difficult to copy, the score on this test reflects the examinees' developmental level of visuomotor ability. Despite these differences in test stimuli and interpretation of performance, the present study showed considerable shared variance in the scores of the examinees who took both tests. Finally, local norms for the Rey-Osterrieth figure using the scoring approach of E. M. Taylor (1959, adapted from Osterrieth, 1944) and including standard scores are presented for children ages 6 to 11 years.
Self-assembly of small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on graphite: a combined scanning tunneling microscopy and theoretical approach.

Self-assembled monolayers of chrysene and indene on graphite have been observed and characterized individually with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at 80 K under low-temperature, ultrahigh vacuum conditions. These molecules are small, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing no alkyl chains or functional groups that are known to promote two-dimensional self-assembly. Energy minimization and molecular dynamics simulations performed for small groups of the molecules physisorbed on graphite provide insight into the monolayer structure and forces that drive the self-assembly. The adsorption energy for a single chrysene molecule on a model graphite substrate is calculated to be 32 kcal/mol, while that for indene is 17 kcal/mol. Two distinct monolayer structures have been observed for chrysene, corresponding to high- and low-density assemblies. High-resolution STM images taken of chrysene with different bias polarities reveal distinct nodal structure that is characteristic of the molecular electro...
The growing epidemic of hypertension among children and adolescents: a challenging road ahead

Currently, it is clear that primary hypertension begins in childhood and that it contributes to the early development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hypertension also increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and that risk rises as blood pressure levels escalate. As among adult patients, overweight and obesity rates are on the rise among children and adolescents with primary hypertension and can develop target organ damage including left ventricular hypertrophy. An elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and microalbuminuria are early manifestations of cardiovascular disease and CKD in hypertensive patients. Lifestyle interventions are recommended for all children with hypertension. Pharmacologic therapy should be added for symptomatic children, those with stage 2 hypertension, and children with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension who exhibit an insufficient response to lifestyle modifications. Although the recommendations for choice of drugs generally are similar for children and adults, dosages for children should be lower, based on weight, and adjusted very carefully. Medications that are effective and safe for children and adolescents include thiazide diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and calcium channel-blockers. Hypertension is not being detected early enough for initiation of a treatment regimen to reduce death and disability. Initiatives should be undertaken to make health care providers and the general population more aware of the seriousness of hypertension in children and adolescents. This review focuses on the principles underlying the importance of a team approach for hypertension control, especially one that incorporates increased data sharing using enhanced health information technology for early detection and intervention.
Developing Culturally Responsive Evidence-Based Practice: A Game-Based Group Therapy Program for Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)

The American Psychological Association has called for the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs) that are culturally responsive to ethnically and socioeconomically diverse groups. Delivering culturally responsive EBPs is essential for mental health practitioners working within racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse settings and across a variety of disorders. Child sexual abuse (CSA) affects people from diverse backgrounds and results in a myriad of difficulties impacting children and families. Therefore, effective treatment for CSA must take cultural factors into consideration. The authors describe the culturally congruent elements of a Game-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (GB-CBT) model for CSA, which was developed within a center serving predominantly urban, economically disadvantaged, African-American and Latino families. Lessons learned from families served through the GB-CBT program are incorporated and illustrate the ongoing and dynamic process of improving cultural competence in clinical practice. Cultural and socioeconomic considerations and obstacles to treatment are discussed along with strategies and recommendations for delivering EBPs for CSA in a culturally informed manner.
OC28.05: Sonographic “sludge” and “pseudo-sludge”: microbiologic, molecular, immunologic and histologic features

first trimester cervical length between cases who delivered vaginally and those who had a C-section (p=0.04). Conclusion: Cervical length measurement is feasible at 11–14 weeks using a standardized technique. Our preliminary data indicate that a short cervix in the first trimester is associated with a higher risk of preterm delivery and the longer measurements are associated with an increased risk of Cesarean section.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 in Predicting Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Meta-Analysis

Objectives: The early identification of patients at risk for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is crucial. Serum markers of disease severity have been assessed including interleukin (
Extremely cold positrons accumulated electronically in ultrahigh vacuum.

Many cold positrons in ultrahigh vacuum are required to produce cold antihydrogen, to cool highly stripped ions, and for ultracold plasma studies. Up to $3.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ such positrons have now been accumulated into the ultrahigh vacuum of a 4.2 K Penning trap, at a rate exceeding ${10}^{3}/$h. Both the accumulation rate (per high energy positron incident at the trap) and the number accumulated are much larger than ever before realized at low temperatures in high vacuum. The cooling of high energy positrons (from ${}^{22}\mathrm{Na}$ decay) in a tungsten crystal near the trap, together with purely electronic trapping and damping, is the key to the efficient accumulation and to projected improvements.
The Upstream Region of the Rpe65 Gene Confers Retinal Pigment Epithelium-specific Expression in Vivo and in Vitro and Contains Critical Octamer and E-box Binding Sites *

RPE65 is essential for all-trans- to 11-cis-retinoid isomerization, the hallmark reaction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Here, we identify regulatory elements in the Rpe65 gene and demonstrate their functional relevance to Rpe65 gene expression. We show that the 5′ flanking region of the mouse Rpe65 gene, like the human gene, lacks a canonical TATA box and consensus GC and CAAT boxes. The mouse and human genes do share several cis-acting elements, including an octamer, a nuclear factor one (NFI) site, and two E-box sites, suggesting a conserved mode of regulation. A mouseRpe65 promoter/β-galactosidase transgene containing bases –655 to +52 (TR4) of the mouse 5′ flanking region was sufficient to direct high RPE-specific expression in transgenic mice, whereas shorter fragments (–297 to +52 or –188 to +52) generated only background activity. Furthermore, transient transfection of analogous TR4/luciferase constructs also directed high reporter activity in the human RPE cell line D407 but weak activity in the non-RPE cell lines HeLa, HepG2, and HS27. Functional binding of potential transcription factors to the octamer sequence, AP-4, and NFI sites was demonstrated by directed mutagenesis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and cross-linking. Mutations of these sites abolished binding and corresponding transcriptional activity and indicated that octamer and E-box transcription factors synergistically regulate the RPE65 promoter function. Thus, we have identified the regulatory region in theRpe65 gene that accounts for tissue-specific expression in the RPE and found that octamer and E-box transcription factors play a critical role in the transcriptional regulation of theRpe65 gene.
Compression of organic crystals

Abstract High-precision, isothermal compression data measured on several organic crystals at ambient temperature are collected from the literature and used to test two scaling models for the bulk moduli. Use of a simple inter-atomic potential energy expression is found to be inadequate, and this is attributed to the importance of thermal energy in these materials. This contrasts sharply with the situation for ionically bonded compounds. A second model, where space filling by incompressible molecules is assumed to control the bulk modulus, is found to explain the overall trends in bulk moduli variation, but substantial scatter in the data is found. Through effective medium theory one finds that the likely cause of this scatter is the neglect of molecule shape anisotropy.
Automatic prospective registration of high-resolution trabecular bone images of the tibia.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) longitudinal studies conducted to assess changes in tibia bone quality impose strict requirements on the reproducibility of the prescribed region acquired. Registration, the process of aligning two images, is commonly performed on the images after acquisition. However, techniques to improve image registration precision by adjusting scanning parameters prospectively, prior to image acquisition, would be preferred. We have adapted an automatic prospective mutual information based registration algorithm to a MRI longitudinal study of trabecular bone of the tibia and compared it to a post-scan manual registration. Qualitatively, image alignment due to the prospective registration is shown in 2D subtraction images and 3D surface renderings. Quantitatively, the registration performance is demonstrated by calculating the sum of the squares of the subtraction images. Results show that the sum of the squares is lower for the follow up images with prospective registration by an average of 19.37% ± 0.07 compared to follow up images with post-scan manual registration. Our study found no significant difference between the trabecular bone structure parameters calculated from the post-scan manual registration and the prospective registration images (p > 0.05). All coefficient of variation values for all trabecular bone structure parameters were within a 2–4.5% range which are within values previously reported in the literature. Results suggest that this algorithm is robust enough to be used in different musculoskeletal imaging applications including the hip as well as the tibia.
Solvent-suppression pulses. II. In vitro and in vivo testing of optimal-control-theory pulses

Abstract Pulses have been designed using optimal control theory to overcome the problems associated with observation of weak proton resonances in aqueous solution as described in the preceeding publication (V. Smith et al., J Magn. Reson.95, 41–60, 1991). In contrast to commonly used selective-excitation pulses, it was predicted that these pulses would yield a flat excitation response over a wide range, reduce the water peak without introducing disturbances into the spectrum, provide constant phase across the full spectrum, and allow the spectrum to be presented in absorption mode, requiring only zero-order phasing. Efficacy of some of the pulses was demonstrated in vitro with a solution containing a mixture of histidine, methionine, and threonine and in vivo with the kidney of an anesthetized rat utilizing a surface coil in comparison with a standard presaturation pulse sequence.
Clinical and Biological Characteristics of Familial Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

ABSTRACTPurpose: We attempted to determine the clinical and biological characteristics of familial benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and Methods: Urinary flow rate, prostate size, symptom score, serum prostate specific antigen, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were measured in subjects who participated in the nationwide Merck phase III finasteride clinical trial. Findings in the 69 men with familial BPH (3 or more family members with BPH, including the proband) were compared to those in the 345 with no family history of BPH. Logistic regression was used to detect relationships between familial BPH, and these variables before and after 5 alpha-reductase inhibition with finasteride.Results: Familial BPH was characterized by large prostate size. Mean prostate volume in men with familial and sporadic BPH was 82.7 and 55.5 ml., respectively (p <0.001). Other clinical findings, including serum androgen levels and response to finasteride, were similar in familial and sporadic BPH. The frequency of...
Selecting At-Risk First-Grade Readers for Early Intervention: Eliminating False Positives and Exploring the Promise of a Two-Stage Gated Screening Process

The purposes of this study were (a) to identify measures that when added to a base 1(st)-grade screening battery help eliminate false positives and (b) to investigate gains in efficiency associated with a 2-stage gated screening procedure. We tested 355 children in the fall of 1(st) grade, and assessed for reading difficulty at the end of 2(nd) grade. The base screening model, included measures of phonemic awareness, rapid naming skill, oral vocabulary, and initial word identification fluency (WIF). Short-term WIF progress monitoring (intercept and slope), dynamic assessment, running records, and oral reading fluency were each considered as an additional screening measure in contrasting models. Results indicated that the addition of WIF progress monitoring and dynamic assessment, but not running records or oral reading fluency, significantly decreased false positives. The 2-stage gated screening process using phonemic decoding efficiency in the first stage significantly reduced the number of children requiring the full screening battery.
Social Justice, Voluntarism, and Liberal Nationalism

The view that social justice takes priority over both global justice and the demands of sub-groups faces two critics. Particularist critics ask why societies should have fundamental significance compared with other groups as far as justice is concerned. Cosmopolitan critics ask why any social unit short of humanity as a whole should have fundamental significance as far as justice is concerned. One way of trying to answer these critics is to show that members of societies have special obligations to one another. This paper considers voluntarist and liberal nationalist accounts of such special obligations. It is especially concerned with developing a strong, sympathetic case for the less familiar nationalist position. Nonetheless, in each case the best arguments against the cosmopolitan critic require important concessions to the particularist critic. This suggests that there is a general problem with defending social justice against both critics at the same time.
Progenitor cells in the thymus: Most thymus-homing progenitor cells in the adult mouse thymus bear Pgp-1 glycoprotein but not interleukin-2 receptor on their cell surface☆

Pgp-1-positive and interleukin-2-receptor (IL-2R)-positive cells are both minor (less than 5%) subpopulations within the adult thymus. A thymocyte population enriched for these two cell types, obtained by killing the bulk of thymocytes with anti-Thy-1 antibody and complement, contains thymus-homing progenitor cells which can transiently repopulate the thymus of irradiated recipients. Using two-color immunofluorescence, we demonstrate that the Pgp-1+ and IL-2R+ cells present in this enriched population represent largely nonoverlapping subsets, although some cells do express both markers. We also show by depletion of these two cell types that the bulk of the thymus-homing progenitors present in this enriched population are found in the Pgp-1+ population, and not in the IL-2R+ population. We discuss the relationship between the thymus-homing progenitors in this depleted thymus subpopulation and the thymus-homing progenitors present in the thymus as a whole.
Bonding of oxygen and nitrogen atoms in hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys

Incorporation of strongly electronegative atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen into hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys, a-Si:O:H and a-Si:N:H, respectively, plays an important role in determining local bonding arrangements of the hydrogen atoms. This paper differentiates between local bonding arrangements of hydrogen atoms in a-Si:O:H and a-Si:N:H alloys, including a detailed discussion of hydrogen bond (H bond) formation and the roles H bonds can play in hydrogen evolution and in defect metastability.
Optimal inventories and equilibrium price behavior

Abstract This paper departs from the established tradition of equilibrium inventory theory by examining the relationship between inventories and market prices when production is instantaneous but distribution is costly. Inventory holdings are not buffer stocks and do not facilitate production smoothing; rather, production variability exceeds the variability of final sales. Voluntary holdings of marketable finished goods are not restricted to occasional “speculation” during periods of unexpectedly low demand, but may persist even when capital losses are anticipated. In these respects, the paper reconciles important features of the inventory decision problem with the results of modern investment theory.
Heat pain thresholds in the oral-facial region

Two experiments demonstrate that the sensitivity to heat pain varies significantly within the oral-facial region. Although the chin, the vermilion border of the lip, and the tonguetip are about equally sensitive, the mucosal lip and the dorsum of the tongue produce thresholds approximately 1.5°C higher. The spatial heterogeneity of heat-pain thresholds is discussed in relation both to local variations in perceived warmth in the same areas and to the neural and physical variables that might underlie them.
Continued Developments in Easily Carburizable High Speed Steel Alloys

A technical update on how bearing fatigue life in high speed steels (HSS) is enhanced by modifying the carbide distributions and morphologies is presented. A brief review of the laser glazing process as applied to bearings (U.S. Patents 5,861,067 and 5.879,480) will be presented. For wrought M50 steel, this processing resulted in an increase in bearing L10 % fatigue life of approximately 10×. The microstructural enhancements created by this processing will be illustrated. How the knowledge gained from the laser glazing process led to the development of the easily carburizable high speed steel alloys (U.S. Patent 6.702,981) will be discussed. Developments made for these alloys since the last bearing steel symposium in 2001 will be presented. The most notable achievement in the development process is a 20× increase in bearing L10 % fatigue life for the easily carburizable version of M50 as compared to standard M50 HSS. Other data pertinent to these alloys will be presented.
A Self-Tuning Navigation Algorithm for a Robotic Vehicle

This research deals with the problem of navigation for an industrial automated guided vehicle (AGV). The vehicle navigates by using a combination of odometric dead reckoning (DR) and position measurements from known landmarks. The measurement system could be a video camera, optical or radio frequency triangulation, sonar image mapping or others. A parameter identification system is used to identify unknown or changing model parameters, and is coupled with a Kalman filter. The system provides a better estimate of the vehicle's position and heading than could be obtained from either the measurement or dead reckoning alone. The subject of this paper is the parameter identification algorithm.
Uses and abuses of plasma therapy in the patient with recurrent infections

Abstract This review summarizes the current guidelines for the use of plasma therapy in patients with recurrent infections. Only the two major groups of proteins of present therapeutic significance are discussed. These are the immunoglobulins and the complement components.
Thermal regeneration of particle filters with large conduction

Abstract Singular perturbation techniques based upon large conductivity are used to analyze model equations for the regeneration of a combustible-particle filter. Analytical formulas are derived for two orders of the solution of the nonlinear system of partial differential equations with a free boundary. These formulas require the numerical solution of just two systems of second order ordinary differential equations, only one of which is nonlinear. Initial conditions for the linear system require a separate solution during the initial time period and asymptotic matching. Results confirm the absence of substantial spatial temperature gradients through the particle⧸substrate system as suggested by previous zeroth order calculations. The first order terms obtained here can be used to estimate the accuracy of the zeroth order terms or, if necessary, to refine the results of the zeroth order calculation.
An exposure-assessment strategy accounting for within- and between-worker sources of variability

A strategy is presented for comparing exposures to an occupational exposure limit (OEL) and for suggesting appropriate interventions when exposures are unacceptable. The major departure from previous approaches is the explicit recognition that exposures vary both within and between workers in a given occupational group. The primary goal is to determine whether the probability of overexposure is acceptably small (a value of 0.10 or less is recommended), with overexposure being defined as the likelihood that a randomly selected worker's true mean exposure exceeds the OEL. The exposure-assessment protocol contains five levels. It is suggested that at least two shift-long measurements be randomly collected from each of 10 workers for preliminary analysis. If the logged exposure data appear to be appropriate for testing (Level 1), the probability of overexposure is compared to the pre-determined value via a rigorous test of statistical significance (Level 2). Based upon published data, this test is likely to classify exposures as acceptable with 20 measurements when the group mean exposure is less than one-fifth of the OEL. However, if exposure is found to be unacceptable, re-sampling can be considered to increase the power of the test (Level 3). Otherwise, it is necessary to reduce exposures and then to re-apply the protocol. If it appears that all persons in the group have essentially the same predicted mean exposures (Level 4), then engineering or administrative controls are recommended. If, on the other hand, substantial differences appear to exist amongst these predicted mean values, regrouping and/or modifications of tasks and work practices should be considered (Level 5). Application of the protocol is illustrated with samples of data from four groups of workers exposed to inorganic nickel in the nickel-producing industry.
Deformable Registration for Image-Guided Spine Surgery: Preserving Rigid Body Vertebral Morphology in Free-Form Transformations

Purpose: Deformable registration of preoperative and intraoperative images facilitates accurate localization of target and critical anatomy in image-guided spine surgery. However, conventional deformable registration fails to preserve the morphology of rigid bone anatomy and can impart distortions that confound high-precision intervention. We propose a constrained registration method that preserves rigid morphology while allowing deformation of surrounding soft tissues. Method: The registration method aligns preoperative 3D CT to intraoperative cone-beam CT (CBCT) using free-form deformation (FFD) with penalties on rigid body motion imposed according to a simple intensity threshold. The penalties enforced 3 properties of a rigid transformation – namely, constraints on affinity (AC), orthogonality (OC), and properness (PC). The method also incorporated an injectivity constraint (IC) to preserve topology. Physical experiments (involving phantoms, an ovine spine, and a human cadaver) as well as digital simulations were performed to evaluate the sensitivity to registration parameters, preservation of rigid body morphology, and overall registration accuracy of constrained FFD in comparison to conventional unconstrained FFD (denoted uFFD) and Demons registration. Result: FFD with orthogonality and injectivity constraints (denoted FFD+OC+IC) demonstrated improved performance compared to uFFD and Demons. Affinity and properness constraints offered little or no additional improvement. The FFD+OC+IC method preserved rigid body morphology at near-ideal values of zero dilatation (D = 0.05, compared to 0.39 and 0.56 for uFFD and Demons, respectively) and shear (S = 0.08, compared to 0.36 and 0.44 for uFFD and Demons, respectively). Target registration error (TRE) was similarly improved for FFD+OC+IC (0.7 mm), compared to 1.4 and 1.8 mm for uFFD and Demons. Results were validated in human cadaver studies using CT and CBCT images, with FFD+OC+IC providing excellent preservation of rigid morphology and equivalent or improved TRE. Conclusions: A promising method for deformable registration in CBCT-guided spine surgery has been identified incorporating a constrained FFD to preserve bone morphology. The approach overcomes distortions intrinsic to unconstrained FFD and could better facilitate high-precision image-guided spine surgery.
Magnitude symbolism of English words

Sixty-four Ss produced words associated with smallness and largeness. Eighty-three Ss judged vowel phonemes with regard to whether they were associated with smallness or largeness. Lists of words denoting smallness vs. largeness obtained in the present study and also in Newman's early study of magnitude symbolism, were compared to determine if initial vowels, initial letters, or final letters of words conveyed magnitude symbolism. A vowel-phoneme analysis also was carried out on the words produced in the present study. For the present word lists, and also for Newman's lists (contrary to Newman's conclusions), initial vowels do convey magnitude symbolism. The phoneme analysis of the present lists also supports the conclusion that vowel sounds convey magnitude symbolism. First and final letters of words do not appear operative, to any large extent, in conveying magnitude symbolism. It was suggested that different portions of words may each be operative in conveying phonetic symbolism, but that the type of symbolism conveyed may well vary from one portion of the word to another.
The Kinetics of Mineralization of Human Dentin in vitro

The prospect of restoration of damaged dental tissues has recently attracted great interest. An understanding of the remineralization of human dentin in vitro was attempted by using supersaturated calcium phosphate solutions at sustained supersaturation by means of a constant solution composition method. The direct growth of HAP from solutions of low supersaturation on powdered whole human dentin was confirmed. Moreover, it was found that the kinetics were similar to those of the seeded growth at synthetic HAP. A high apparent activation energy pointed to a surface-controlled mechanism.
Differential Roles for RIG-I–like Receptors and Nucleic Acid-Sensing TLR Pathways in Controlling a Chronic Viral Infection

The necessity for pathogen recognition of viral infection by the innate immune system in initiating early innate and adaptive host defenses is well documented. However, little is known about the role these receptors play in the maintenance of adaptive immune responses and their contribution to resolution of persistent viral infections. In this study, we demonstrate a nonredundant functional requirement for both nucleic acid-sensing TLRs and RIG-I–like receptors in the control of a mouse model of chronic viral infection. Whereas the RIG-I–like receptor pathway was important for production of type I IFNs and optimal CD8+ T cell responses, nucleic acid-sensing TLRs were largely dispensable. In contrast, optimal anti-viral Ab responses required intact signaling through nucleic acid-sensing TLRs, and the absence of this pathway correlated with less virus-specific Ab and deficient long-term virus control of a chronic infection. Surprisingly, absence of the TLR pathway had only modest effects on Ab production in an acute infection with a closely related virus strain, suggesting that persistent TLR stimulation may be necessary for optimal Ab responses in a chronic infection. These results indicate that innate virus recognition pathways may play critical roles in the outcome of chronic viral infections through distinct mechanisms.
Exercise training restores coronary arteriolar dilation to NOS activation distal to coronary artery occlusion - Role of hydrogen peroxide

Objective— Exercise training has been shown to restore vasodilation to nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activation in arterioles distal to coronary artery occlusion. Because reactive oxygen species are ...
Thermodynamics and thin film deposition of MgB2 superconductors

The recently discovered superconductor MgB2 with Tc at 39 K has great potential in superconducting microelectronics. Thermodynamics studies with the calculation of phase diagrams (CALPHAD) modelling technique show that due to the high volatility of Mg, MgB2 is only thermodynamically stable under fairly high Mg overpressures for likely in situ growth temperatures. This provides a helpful insight into the appropriate processing conditions for MgB2 thin films, including the identification of the pressure–temperature region for adsorption-controlled growth. The initial MgB2 thin films were made by pulsed laser deposition followed by in situ annealing. The cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveals a nanocrystalline mixture of textured MgO and MgB2 with very small grain sizes. A zero-resistance transition temperature of 34 K and a zero-field critical current density of 1.3 × 106 A cm−2 were obtained. The qualities of these films are limited by the thermodynamic stability conditions, which favour deposition techniques that can maintain a high flux of Mg.
Chip PCR. I. Surface Passivation of Microfabricated Silicon-Glass Chips for PCR

The microreaction volumes of PCR chips (a microfabricated silicon chip bonded to a piece of flat glass to form a PCR reaction chamber) create a relatively high surface to volume ratio that increases the significance of the surface chemistry in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We investigated several surface passivations in an attempt to identify 'PCR friendly' surfaces and used those surfaces to obtain amplifications comparable with those obtained in conventional PCR amplification systems using polyethylene tubes. Surface passivations by a silanization procedure followed by a coating of a selected protein or polynucleotide and the deposition of a nitride or oxide layer onto the silicon surface were investigated. Native silicon was found to be an inhibitor of PCR and amplification in an untreated PCR chip (i.e. native slicon) had a high failure rate. A silicon nitride (Si(3)N(4) reaction surface also resulted in consistent inhibition of PCR. Passivating the PCR chip using a silanizing agent followed by a polymer treatment resulted in good amplification. However, amplification yields were inconsistent and were not always comparable with PCR in a conventional tube. An oxidized silicon (SiO(2) surface gave consistent amplifications comparable with reactions performed in a conventional PCR tube.
The Anarchic Principle of Christian Eschatology in the Eucharistic Tradition of the Eastern Church

Theology in the 20th century witnessed a shift in emphasis: The talk about the last things did not have to come last any more as the traditional handbooks of systematic theology would have it; eschatology was no longer one branch of theology among others but lay at the center of our understanding of the Christian faith. My purpose in this essay is to go a step further than this rearrangement in theological discourse and examine a reversal within the theological understanding of eschatology itself. In the wake of the work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon John (Zizioulas), a different understanding of eschatology has emerged, one that recognizes in the Parousia not only the event that stands at the end of history (the apocalyptic closure of time with which certain Christian groups have always had a fascination), but also as that event that, grounded in the Eucharist, flows continuously from the and permeates every moment in history. In the following discussion I wish to trace and spell out the implications of such a novel understanding of eschatology for our theologies today. As my guides in this exploration, I take the theology of John Zizioulas and certain insights that recent research in phenomenology has placed at theology's service. This association might seem strange to the reader: What does the theology of things-to-come have in common with the philosophy of things-themselves? I would like to propose that phenomenology, especially as it has been recently formulated by a new generation of phenomenologists, such as Jean-Luc Marion, Jean-Yves Lacoste, and Richard Kearney, can be a very helpful instrument in the hands of eucharistic eschatology in its effort to rescue eschatology from the twin risks of either immanentizing it or relegating it to an end-of-times utopia. Furthermore, the structure of an “inverted intentionality,” as exemplified by certain liturgical forms such as hymnology and iconography, will be suggested as the precise point of phenomenology's convergence with eucharistic eschatology. I write with the conviction that eschatology is in essence a “liberation” theology (freeing us from the moralistic and sociological constellations of this world) and that, as my concluding remarks illustrate, it has real, practical, day-to-day consequences for the ways we conduct our lives and our relationships with others.
The influence of magnetic flux depletion on the magnetotail and auroral morphology during the substorm growth phase

The substorm growth phase is characterized by the equatorward motion of the growth phase arc close to or even into the region of diffuseaurora characteristic for a dipolar magnetic field. The presented study examines changes of the near-Earth current sheet and of the mapping of magnetotail feature into the auroral ionosphere based on midnight magnetic flux depletion (MFD) in the near-Earth tail. Midnight MFD is caused by sunward convection to replenish magnetic flux that is eroded on the dayside by magnetic reconnection during periods of southward interplanetary magnetic field. The results demonstrate that MFD causes the formation of a very thin current sheet in the near-Earth tail. It is found that the removal of magnetic flux in the near-Earth tail causes a contraction of the ionospheric footpoints of this tail region such that all of the mapped magnetotail structures move equatorward by about 2 to 3°. The thin current layer is mapped into the region where magnetic flux is strongly depleted and in close proximity with strong and narrow regions 1 and 2 sense field-aligned currents. The ionospheric maps show a sharp transition between the dipole and stretched magnetic field and an evolution of thinning and convergent motion of field-aligned currents in the late growth phase. The results are obtained without loading of magnetic flux and energy into the tail lobes, demonstrating that many typical growth phase properties can be attributed to the depletion of near-Earth closed magnetic flux.
Availability calculations for mobile satellite communication systems

We calculate the availability of circuit service to a user in a mobile satellite communication system. The availability, i.e., the percentage of time the user can expect to communicate reliably using the communication system is a function of the power available to the user and the channel (Rician or Rayleigh fading) encountered by the user. In a mobile satellite communication system, the channel is a function of user position, the number of satellites visible to the user, and their positions. Using a simulation of the constellation orbits and an associated channel model, we calculate the availability provided by various proposed mobile satellite communication systems that use LEO and MEO satellites. A conclusion of this paper is that the visibility of multiple satellites is imperative for high availability.
A Low-Phase-Noise Multi-Phase Oscillator Based on Left-Handed LC-Ring

This paper presents a distributed multi-phase oscillator based on left-handed LC-ring. In contrast to traditional designs that couple multiple LC-tanks through MOSFETs, it uses an LC-ring as a single high-order resonator that generates multi-phase resonant signal. By avoiding coupling MOSFETs which deteriorate phase noise significantly, it can synthesize multiple phases while maintaining the same phase-noise figure-of-merit (FoM) as a single-stage LC oscillator. This also provides a systematic way of trading power for phase noise. The dynamics and the phase noise of the LC-ring oscillator are analyzed based on a mode-decomposition model. We also address the duality of left-/right-handed resonator in the context of oscillator in detail. These analysis was verified by prototypes in a 0.13 μm CMOS process with 0.5 V supply voltage: a four-stage LC-ring oscillator at 5.12 GHz draws 8 mA current and achieves a phase noise of -121.6 dBc/Hz@600 kHz, while a single-stage one at 5.34 GHz draws 2 mA and achieves -116.1 dBc/Hz@600 kHz. There is a good agreement among analysis, simulation, and measurement.