cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of riveting sequence/direction on distortion of steel and aluminum sheets

Abstract As a viable alternative to resistance spot welding, self-piercing riveting has been extensively applied to joining difficult-to-weld sheet metals such as aluminum alloys and dissimilar metal combinations. This investigation focuses on one important, yet often overlooked aspect of SPR applications, i.e., dimensional stability of components joined by SPR, which is an important consideration in product design and assembly. A number of riveting sequences, in combination with riveting directions, were tested on both aluminum and steel sheets, and their interaction with specimen width were studied. The distortion of a component joined by multiple self-piercing rivets was found to be minimal when the rivets are processed through alternating directions, or when the riveting process is constrained, such as by existing riveted joints.
Influence of the pendant arm in deoxydehydration catalyzed by dioxomolybdenum complexes supported by amine bisphenolate ligands

Dioxomolybdenum complexes supported by aminebisphenolate ligands were evaluated for their potential in catalyzing the deoxydehydration (DODH) reaction to establish structure–activity relationships. The nature of the pendant arm in these aminebisphenolate ligands was found to be crucial in determining reactivity in the deoxydehydration of styrene glycol (1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol) to styrene. Pendant arms bearing strongly coordinating N-based groups such as pyridyl or amino substituents were found to hinder activity while those bearing non-coordinating pendant arms (benzyl) or even weakly coordinating groups (an ether) resulted in up to 6 fold enhancement in catalytic activity. A dioxomolybdenum complex featuring an aminemonophenolate ligand derived from the aminebisphenolate skeleton also resulted in similar yield enhancements. Although aromatic solvents were found to be ideal for performing these catalytic reactions, polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N,N′-dimethylpropyleneurea (DMPU) were also suitable. The catalyst was found to maintain its structural integrity under the optimized conditions and could be recycled for a second catalytic run without loss of activity. With the activated substrate meso-hydrobenzoin, trans-stilbene was obtained in a 56% yield at 220 °C along with benzaldehyde (71%) suggesting that the diol is a competing reductant under these conditions.
An Adaptive Reference Scheme to Extend the Functional Range of Optical Backscatter Reflectometry in Extreme Environments

Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) measurements are performed by recording the interference pattern of light backscattered by density fluctuations or Bragg gratings along the length of an optical fiber. Changes in local temperature or strain in the fiber cause shifts in the backscattered light spectrum, which can be calibrated to the applied temperature or strain. Comparing the backscattered optical spectra from each reflection site with a reference (unstrained) spectrum allows for quantification of local spectral shifts. While mature OFDR-based technologies can provide high-precision spatially distributed measurements over kilometer lengths, the post-processing approaches used to recover spectral shifts from raw optical intensity data can limit the use of OFDR in harsh environments. This paper presents a novel approach to post-processing OFDR data which extends the usability of optical fibers exposed to harsh environments. This approach is the first to use the spectral shift quality, calculated for two OFDR measurements, to identify an appropriate reference scan from which the spectral shift can be determined. Three experimental data sets are used to test the algorithm: (1) an optical fiber heated to >950°C, (2) an aluminum-embedded optical fiber under strain from differential thermal expansion, and (3) an optical fiber exposed to a total neutron flux of $2\times 10^{13}$ n/cm2/s over 40 hours in a nuclear test reactor. Results show that using a metric of quality to select an appropriate reference measurement extends the functional range of OFDR strain and temperature sensors. Furthermore, this algorithm can be applied to existing OFDR data.
MRI in disorders of consciousness.

Purpose of review In the study of brain-injured patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC), structural and functional MRI seek to provide insights into the neural correlates of consciousness, identify neurophysiologic signatures of covert consciousness, and identify biomarkers for recovery of consciousness. Recent findings Cortical volume, white matter volume and integrity, and structural connectivity across many grey and white matter regions have been shown to vary with level of awareness in brain-injured patients. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) within and between canonical cortical networks also correlate with DoC patients' level of awareness. Stimulus-based and motor-imagery fMRI paradigms have identified some behaviorally unresponsive DoC patients with cortical processing and activation patterns that mirror healthy controls. Emerging techniques like dynamic rs-FC have begun to identify temporal trends in brain-wide connectivity that may represent novel neural correlates of consciousness. Summary Structural and functional MRI will continue to advance our understanding of brain regions supporting human consciousness. Measures of regional and global white matter integrity and rs-FC in particular networks have shown significant improvement over clinical features in identifying acute and chronic DoC patients likely to recover awareness. As they are refined, functional MRI paradigms may additionally provide opportunities for interacting with behaviorally unresponsive patients.
Optimization of a Series-Parallel MEMS Resonators Configuration for Passive Voltage Amplification in Wake-up Radios

This paper reports on the analytical and numerical optimization of a Series-Parallel configuration (L-network) of Microelectromechanical (MEM) resonators for passive voltage amplification in Wake-up Receivers (WuRx). A thorough discussion of the working principle of the L-network compared to a more traditional series configuration and its analytical description is reported. The numerical simulations of MEMS-based matching networks implemented at the GSM-850 band are also discussed, showing that an asymmetrical L-network configuration outperform a conventional series network for different conditions of resonator performance (Figure of Merit) and capacitive load.
Fault simulation of interconnect opens in digital CMOS circuits

We describe a highly accurate but efficient fault simulator for interconnect opens, based on characterizing the standard cell library with SPICE; using transistor charge equations for the site of the open; using logic simulation for the rest of the circuit; taking four different factors, that can affect the voltage of an open, into account; and considering the oscillation and sequential behaviour potential of opens. A novel test technique based on controlling the die surface voltage is also described. We present simulation results of ISCAS85 layouts using stuck-at and IDDQ test sets.
Secular Trends in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Osteoporosis and Malignancy-Related Bone Disease from 2009 to 2020.

New bone-directed therapies, including denosumab, abaloparatide, and romosozumab, emerged during the past decade, and recent trends in use of these therapies are unknown. To examine temporal trends in bone-directed therapies. An open cohort study in a US commercial insurance database, January 2009 to March 2020. All-users of bone-directed therapies age >50 years, users with osteoporosis, users with malignancies, and patients with recent (within 180 days) fractures at key osteoporotic sites. The percentage of each cohort with prescription dispensing or medication administration claims for each bone-directed therapy during each quarter of the study period. We analyzed 15.48 million prescription dispensings or medication administration claims from 1.46 million unique individuals (89% women, mean age 69 years). Among all users of bone-directed therapies, alendronate, and zoledronic acid use increased modestly (49 to 63% and 2 to 4%, respectively, during the study period). In contrast, denosumab use increased rapidly after approval in 2010, overtaking use of all other medications except alendronate by 2017 and reaching 16% of users by March 2020. Similar trends were seen in cohorts of osteoporosis, malignancy, and recent fractures. Importantly, use of any bone-directed therapy after fractures was low and declined from 15 to 8%. Rates of denosumab use outpaced growth of all other bone-directed therapies over the past decade. Treatment rates after osteoporotic fractures were low and declined over time, highlighting major failings in osteoporosis treatment in the US.
‘All Wrong in Point of Political Economy’: Attempting to Salvage the Oikos from the Polis in Bleak House

This paper proposes that Dickens’s Bleak House is symptomatic of a so-called social realm, in which neither oikos nor polis exists as a distinct, autonomous entity; therefore, neither can offer sanctuary or adequately discharge the historical role of the household – maintaining life. In this zone of indistinction, the symbolic structures of London’s law have become the city’s physical structures, leading to symptoms like Jo the outlaw, whose illness and death is attributed to the failure of both the polis and the oikos – the city’s legal housekeeping and the law-as-house, respectively – to maintain life. London’s law has become so immanent that it takes on the role of religion, thus precluding God’s transcendence. Ultimately, the novel recoils from London’s threatening presence and attempts to inter the nineteenth-century anxieties associated with the city – anxieties centering around the law both as structure and religion – through redemptive repetition: Bleak House attempts to wrest the oikos from the clutches of the polis. But despite the novel’s efforts, as the divisions between oikos and polis collapse, it is ultimately impossible for either sphere to retain any semblance of itself. As a result, retreat from the polis to the oikos is impossible: there are no longer well-defined domains – of oikos or polis – into which to retreat in the growing indistinction of the social realm.
Uncertainty and Corporate Trade Credit Policy: Evidence from the H1N1 and COVID-19 Pandemics

We show that firms exposed to the H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics curtail trade receivable days for their clients but also face shorter payment periods for their own trade payables. Moreover, firms with lower financial flexibility experience a larger decrease in trade credits; however, firms with higher operating flexibility adjust their trade credits downward more during the pandemics. Further investigation indicates that, on average, firms’ curtailing of trade credit to their customers enhances shareholder value during the H1N1 pandemic but decreases shareholder value during the COVID-19 pandemic. The differential value effects could be explained by the government funding support and the resilience of the debt market during the latter pandemic. Overall, our evidence highlights the precautionary motive of firms’ trade credit policy in the presence of pandemics.
Text information extraction and retrieval

Every day people spend much time on creating, processing, and accessing information. In fact, most of the information exists in the form of "text", contained in books, emails, web pages, news paper articles, blogs, and reports. How to help people quickly find information from text data and how to help people discover new knowledge from text data has become an enormously important issue. Many research efforts have been made on text information extraction, retrieval, and mining; and significant progress has made in recent years. A large number of new methods have been proposed, and many systems have been developed and put into practical uses. This tutorial is aimed at giving an overview on two central topics of the area: namely Information Extraction (IE) and Information Retrieval (IR). Important technologies on them will be introduced. Specifically, models for IE such as Maximum Entropy Markov Model and Conditional Random Fields will be explained. Models for IR such as Language Model and Learning to Rank will be described. A brief survey on recent work on both IE and IR will be given. Finally, some recent work on the combined uses of IE and IR technologies will also be introduced.
Ray propagation path analysis of acousto-ultrasonic signals in composites

It has been established that the stress-wave factor (SWF) calculated from acousto-ultrasonic (AU) signals is sensitive to mechanical properties in composite structures.1–13 In particular, it was shown1 that SWF was sensitive to interlaminar shear strength (ISS) in graphite/epoxy.
Growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the Absence of Folic Acid

Soska, Jiři (Kansas State University, Manhattan). Growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the absence of folic acid. J. Bacteriol. 91:1840–1847. 1966.—A chemically defined medium, containing no folic acid, was used for the cultivation of Lactobacillus acidophilus R-26. In such a medium, the organism required thymine in addition to a deoxyriboside, purines, pyrimidines, and most amino acids. If thymine was present in this medium, an unlimited exponential growth was possible. The influence of the components of this medium on the growth is described. The concentration and type of adenine compounds in this medium were most important. Adenine and adenosine inhibited utilization of thymine, but not of thymidine, whereas adenylic acid inhibited recovery from amino acid starvation. In the absence of thymine or deoxyribosides, cells continued to grow in length, and after 3 hr a slow decline in viable count ensued.
Instruction of a technical subject with a general problem-solving methodology

The author describes an electrical course taught at the General Electric plant in Lynn, Massachusetts. The course was unique in that before the subject was taught the students were taught two mental skills that were then used to teach the subject. The skills decreased memorization and increased comprehension. The two mental skills that were taught are: an analytic procedure for obtaining a problem's equations; and a way of graphically showing how a technical and/or mathematical subject is developed, i.e., a way of showing graphically the pattern of how the equations (or other kinds of relations) of a subject are combined to develop the subject. >
Effect of lymphogranuloma venereum on pregnancy, labor, and the fetus

W HENEVER an infectious process occurs in a gravid patient, an understanding of the effect of the disease upon the product of conception and parturition, of the alteration of the course of the disease because of the pregnant state, and of the possibilit,y of transmission to the fetus and newborn is apropos. Lymphogranuloma venereum is rare in private patients, but more common in the charity services, especially among the colored race. The concomitant presence of lymphogranuloma venereum and pregnancy is striking because of its infrequency. Perhaps a few cases with minimal or no residual change remain undiagnosed. Within the past four and one-half years (Dec. 24, 1936, to June 30, 1941): 17 such patients have been observed at the Provident Hospital, whereas within the past ten years (May 25, 1931, to June 30, 1941) only one such patient has been diagnosed at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital. This rarity along with the infrequency of other pelvic neoplasms emphasizes the need for evaluation of the pelvis on prenatal examination, particularly in view of a few isolated reports which stress the possibility of tragedy at delivery both to the mother and the newborn. Nevertheless, the observations listed below do not agree with some references that termination before viahilit,y or in stillbirth is problematic merely because of this venereal disease damage. Perhaps during the active infection such hazards confront the fetus. More likely a relative sterility persists either because of pathologic alteration from an extensive inflammatory process of the disease or perhaps from other disease processes. It is not the rectal stricture as such that produces dystocia, but the associated perirectal hyperplastic or inflammatory reaction which obstructs the passage. The parturient uterus probably functions normally. Repeated examinations before conception, during pregnancy, and after delivery have shown no not,iceable alteration in the course of the disease or a change in the inflammatory tissue mass as a result of the pregnancy. All in this series were in the chronic or latent stages. Not one patient came t,o the prenatal clinic in the active state or developed an active process while under prenatal care. Possibly such stages did exist,, but in any event the active stage went unnoticed.
From theory to practice: implementing the CC2001's introductory programming sequence

Xavier University of LA's Computer Sciences and Computer Engineering (CSCE) Department recently assessed its computer science program using both its own assessment data and the computing curricula 2001 (CC2001) recommendations. This assessment resulted in changes to Xavier's computer science curriculum. Specifically, the department examined its introductory programming sequence and developed a detailed schedule that addressed both the department's needs and the curriculum recommendations. The previous ACM recommended curriculum suggested a two-course introductory programming sequence; however, since a large number of Xavier's incoming students have no programming experience, the CSCE Department had been offering a three- course introductory programming sequence. This three- course sequence provided time for the faculty to discuss the recommended topics in the detail necessary for our students. The CC2001 recommendations realized that a three-course sequence is more appropriate for the topic coverage needed and provided a curriculum that contained this type of introduction. The Xavier CSCE faculty considered these recommendations and used its experience in working with a three-course introductory sequence to develop a new sequence that includes the topics suggested in the new curriculum recommendations while considering many of the realities of teaching such a sequence to undergraduates with no programming experience. This paper discusses the process used by the department in making the curriculum changes, particularly focusing on the introductory programming sequence. The paper provides the rationale used in developing the course sequence and the specific topics addressed in these courses.
Introduction to a symposium on genetic variation in nutritional requirements

The extent of human variability has become a key question to nutrition that has considerable impact on public policy. To what extent do individuals vary in their nutrient requirements? Do certain dietary patterns affect some individuals adversely but are relatively harmless to others? To what extent must allowances for genetic variability be taken into account in establishing recommended dietary allowances. Can dietary recommendations be made that have broad general population applicability or is individual variation so great that such general recommendations have little meaning? Generally, definitive answers are not available from human studies to answer these questions. The symposium held at the 1976 American Institute of Nutrition summer meeting was intended to examine genetic variability from four points of view, where some data exist to consider the above questions. Two of the papers from the symposium are published here. These deal with “Inborn errors of metabolism as aberrations of nutrition” by O’Brien and the paper entitled “Biological variability in human nutrient requirements” by Young and Scrimshaw. The two other papers from the symposium, “Genetic and nutritional determination of coronary heart disease” by W. Hazzard and “Variations in nutrient requirements in animal populations achieved by specific selection experiments” by M. C. Nesheim, are not published here but the information discussed can be found in published work by both of these authors. We hope the symposium has helped to stimulate further work in assessing the impact of genetic variability and nutrition. [3
“Author Here”: David Foster Wallace and the Post-metafictional Paradox

Metafiction remained an integral component of David Foster Wallace's writing throughout his career. And although his early novella “Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way” suggests that the metafictional games of postmodernism had become an end in themselves, “Octet,” the central story in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, provides a key to understanding what Wallace's later use of metafiction says about honesty, authority, and narcissism in the “post-postmodern.”
20 kHz, 25 kVA node power transformer

The electrical and mechanical design information and the electrical and thermal testing performed on the 440-208 V RMS, 20 kHz, 25 kVA prototype node transformer are summarized. The calculated efficiency of the node transformer is 99.3% based on core loss and copper loss test data, and its maximum calculated load regulation is 0.7%. The node transformer has a weight of 19.7 lb and has a power density of 0.8 lb/kW. The hot-spot temperature rise is estimated to be 33 degrees above the cold plate mounting base. This proof-of-concept transformer design is a viable candidate for the Space Station Freedom application. >
Teenage pregnancy: a research review

On the assumption that public policy should be based on knowledge, the author presents a brief analytic summary of all readily available social and psychological research concerning the apparent causes and consequences of adolescent childbearing. Existing federal programs addressed to this problem are listed with recommendations for further development of public policies and programs.
A sampled data stackelberg coordination scheme for the multicontroller problem

In this paper we consider a multicontroller problem in which each control agent has a different objective function. The actions of the controllers are coordinated by the influence of one controller who plays according to a Stackelberg strategy relative to the remaining players. We investigate this formulation when the information flow is restricted by constraining it to be in the form of sampled data acquisition. The computational advantage of the sampled data formulation is quite significant. Of equal importance is the relationship among the sampled data, closed loop and open loop solutions. The existence of and solution for the closed loop Stackelberg solution for the continuous time game are, at present, unresolved problems. The primary motivation for considering the sampled data formulation is to obtain a solution which maintains the computational simplicity of the tractable open loop solution while gaining the responsiveness of a state feedback solution, avoiding the complications of the purely closed loop formulation. The linear quadratic problem is considered in detail and an efficient solution algorithm is derived which takes advantage of certain characteristics of the sampled data solution.
An ellipsometric method for the determination of the dielectric tensor of an optically uniaxial material suited for in-situ measurements

We introduce a photometric ellipsometric method to determine the dielectric tensor of an optically uniaxial material suited for in-situ measurements. The technique employs a rotatable polarizer to provide a series of polarization states, eliminating the need for sample rotation or changes in angle of incidence. A method is presented that enables extraction of the dielectric tensor using standard rotating analyzer methods. As an example, the method is used to determine the indices of refraction and the orientation of principal axes for a calcite crystal.
Viral infections and cell cycle G2/M regulation

Progression of cells from G2 phase of the cell cycle to mitosis is a tightly regulated cellular process that requires activation of the Cdc2 kinase, which determines onset of mitosis in all eukaryotic cells. In both human and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) cells, the activity of Cdc2 is regulated in part by the phosphorylation status of tyrosine 15 (Tyr15) on Cdc2, which is phosphorylated by Wee1 kinase during late G2 and is rapidly dephosphorylated by the Cdc25 tyrosine phosphatase to trigger entry into mitosis. These Cdc2 regulators are the downstream targets of two well-characterized G2/M checkpoint pathways which prevent cells from entering mitosis when cellular DNA is damaged or when DNA replication is inhibited. Increasing evidence suggests that Cdc2 is also commonly targeted by viral proteins, which modulate host cell cycle machinery to benefit viral survival or replication. In this review, we describe the effect of viral protein R (Vpr) encoded by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) on cell cycle G2/M regulation. Based on our current knowledge about this viral effect, we hypothesize that Vpr induces cell cycle G2 arrest through a mechanism that is to some extent different from the classic G2/M checkpoints. One the unique features distinguishing Vpr-induced G2 arrest from the classic checkpoints is the role of phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in Vpr-induced G2 arrest. Interestingly, PP2A is targeted by a number of other viral proteins including SV40 small T antigen, polyomavirus T antigen, HTLV Tax and adenovirus E4orf4. Thus an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Vpr-induced G2 arrest will provide additional insights into the basic biology of cell cycle G2/M regulation and into the biological significance of this effect during host-pathogen interactions.
A regular perturbation expansion in nonlinear filtering

We study solutions of nonlinear filtering problems dxt = b(xt)dt + dwt dyt = h?(xt)dt + dvt where h? = h0 + ?f and ? is a small parameter. We look in particular at the case f(x) a polynomial. A "mixed" multiplicative additive expansion in ? for the unnormalized conditional density q?(t,x) is determined and is of the form e-s0 (l + ??1 + ?2?2 +...). Then a more abstract problem is discussed, that of regular perturbations to a diffusion which has a generator of the form L? = L0 + ?M + ?2M1, where ? is again a small parameter. A numerical study is then undertaken using the Gauss-Galerkin method and the method of Moving Finite elements to probe the behavior of the asymptotic expansion in some special cases.
THE GOLD STANDARD AND ECONOMIC STABILITY: A COUNTERFACTUAL EXPERIMENT

Growing dissatisfaction with the record of discretionary monetary policy in the United States in the past decade has led to interest in alternative monetary arrangements to restore price level and real output stability, and to allow the economy to grow to its potential, unfettered by macro instability. Several arrangements have come to the fore. These include: (1) a return to the classical gold standard—fixing the dollar price of gold and allowing the money supply to be governed by movements in the nation's monetary gold stock; (2) the Friedman (1960) rule—constraining the monetary authorities to establish and maintain a steady and known growth rate of the fiduciary money supply; (3) Irving Fisher's (1920) compensated dollar scheme—altering the official price of gold and hence the value of the monetary gold stock to stabilize some measure of the price level.
Nonlinear climatology and paleoclimatology: Capturing patterns of variability and change with Self-Organizing Maps

Abstract Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) provide a powerful, nonlinear technique to optimally summarize complex geophysical datasets using a user-selected number of “icons” or SOM states, allowing rapid identification of preferred patterns, predictability of transitions, rates of transitions, and hysteresis/asymmetry in cycles. For example, SOM-based patterns concisely capture the spatial and temporal variability in atmospheric circulation datasets. SOMs and the SOM-based methodology are reviewed here at a practical level so as to encourage more-widespread usage of this powerful technique in the atmospheric sciences. Usage is introduced with a simple Antarctic ice core-based dataset to show analysis of multiple variables at a single point in space. Subsequent examples utilize a 24-year dataset (1979–2002) of daily Antarctic meteorological variables and demonstrate usage with 2-D, gridded data, for single and multiple variable scenarios. These examples readily show how SOMs capture nonlinearity in time series data, concisely summarize voluminous spatial data, and help us understand spatial and temporal change through, for example, pattern frequency analysis and identification of preferred pattern transitions.
Incidence of histamine ulceration after pylorectomy and pyloroplasty.

A dosage schedule of histamine was established for dogs that was associated with a low incidence of duodenal ulcers in normal animals.
Age related changes in visual acuity

Longitudinal visual acuity assessments of men, and cross-sectional assessments of men and women in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging are presented. The longitudinal data relate presenting far, uncorrected far, presenting near and uncorrected near visual acuities to age. The cross-sectional data relate presenting far acuity to age. The prevalence of cataract, glaucoma and retinal pathologies are reported for the longitudinal sample at the time of their last vision test. The effect of visual pathologies in general, and cataract in particular, upon presenting far visual acuity was examined. The longitudinal data are consistent with cross-sectional data from previously published reports. Older persons who were free from specific visual pathologies exhibited an age-related decline in presenting far acuity as did those with documented visual pathologies. Despite the demonstrated loss in acuity with age, the majority of persons maintain at least fair acuity (20/40 or better) into their 80's.
The quantum requirement of photosynthesis in Chlorella

Abstract The quantum requirement of photosynthesis in Chlorella pyrenoidosa has been reinvestigated. Evolution of oxygen was measured electronically with an instrument which determines the paramagnetism of the gas mixture and carbon dioxide was measured by its infrared absorption. Light measurements were made with a photocell calibrated against a thermopile, using filtered sunlight as a reference beam. Consideration of possible sources of error established the reliability of quantum requirement determinations as ± 6%. Determinations were made only with cultures which exhibited photosynthetic rates exceeding 250 μmoles O2 evolved per mg chlorophyll per h. In 16 determinations made over a 2-fold range of photosynthetic rates, quantum requirements for O2 varied from 8.8 to 12.4. No correction for respiration was made, and a rationale is given for not making such corrections. Quantum requirements were independent of rate of light absorption over the 2.5-fold range used in this study. A probable cause of error was discovered in previously reported quantum requirements less than 8 determined by a similar method. The measured requirements are consistent with a serial two-light reaction scheme for photoelectron transport and an additional biosynthetic requirement for ATP, generated in part by cyclic photophosphorylation.
Information practices of disaster preparedness professionals in multidisciplinary groups

OBJECTIVE: This article summarizes the results of a descriptive qualitative study addressing the question, what are the information practices of the various professionals involved in disaster preparedness? We present key results, but focus on issues of choice and adaptation of models and theories for the study. METHODS: Primary and secondary literature on theory and models of information behavior were consulted. Taylor's Information Use Environments (IUE) model, Institutional Theory, and Dervin's Sense-Making metatheory were used in the design of an open-ended interview schedule. Twelve individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with disaster professionals drawn from the Pennsylvania Preparedness Leadership Institute (PPLI) scholars. Taylor's Information Use Environments (IUE) model served as a preliminary coding framework for the transcribed interviews. RESULTS: Disaster professionals varied in their use of libraries, peer-reviewed literature, and information management techniques, but many practices were similar across professions, including heavy Internet and email use, satisficing, and preference for sources that are socially and physically accessible. CONCLUSIONS: The IUE model provided an excellent foundation for the coding scheme, but required modification to place the workplace in the larger social context of the current information society. It is not possible to confidently attribute all work-related information practices to professional culture. Differences in information practice observed may arise from professional training and organizational environment, while many similarities observed seem to arise from everyday information practices common to non-work settings.
Why Did the Communists Win or Lose? A Comparative Analysis of the Revolutionary Civil Wars in Russia, Finland, Spain, and China

According to classic interpretations of the communist revolutions, political mobilization of peasantry was critical for the success of the revolutionary forces. This article, which reexamines the experience of civil wars in Russia, Finland, Spain, and China, argues that peasants’ contribution to the revolutions in Russia and later in China became possible under two historical conditions: breakdown of state authorities during the mass mobilization wars and existence of an unresolved agrarian problem in the countryside. Neither of these conditions alone, as the experience of other countries has shown, was sufficient for a success of the revolutionaries. The Spanish civil war of 1936–1939, for instance, was not preceded by a major international war. Because institutions of the traditional social order had not been undermined by war, Franco was able to defeat the Popular Front government, despite the peasants’ support of the revolution. In the Finnish civil war of 1918, which broke out in the wake of World War I and the Russian Revolution, state institutions did not collapse completely and the peasantry was divided in their responses to the revolution; the rural smallholders, for example, aligned with the Mannerheim's White army, not with the urban revolutionaries.
Experimental analysis of search-based selection of sample points for straightness and flatness estimation

In earlier work [Bader et al., ASME J. Manuf Sci. Eng. 125(2), pp. 263-271 (2003); Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf. 45(1), pp. 63-75 (2005)] the authors have presented an adaptive sampling method utilizing manufacturing error patterns and optimization search techniques for straightness and flatness evaluation. The least squares method was used to compute a tolerance zone. In this paper, experimental analysis is performed to verify the sturdiness of the adaptive sampling procedure. Experiments are carried out to investigate the effects of different factors on the sample size and absolute percent error of the estimated tolerance from that of a large population sample. Twelve 7075-T6 aluminum plates are end-milled and 12 cast iron plates are face-milled. Two sets of four plates from each lot are selected randomly, one each for straightness and flatness estimation. Factor A used in both straightness and flatness analyses is manufacturing process (i.e., surface error profile). Factor B for straightness is step size whereas for flatness it is search strategy (i.e., number of bad moves and restart allowed). Factor C for flatness is search algorithm (i.e tabu and hybrid). Plates are nested within the levels of manufacturing process. The results have been analyzed and compared with other sampling methods. The analyses reveal that the current approach is more efficient and reliable.
Modeling competitive arsenate-phosphate retention and transport in soils : A multi-component multi-reaction approach

This study was conducted to investigate the kinetics of arsenate [As(V)]-phosphate [P] competitive retention during transport in soils. Time-dependent batch experiments were performed to describe competitive As(V)-P sorption kinetics in Olivier (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Aquic Fraglossudalfs) and Windsor (mixed, mesic Typic Udipsamments) soils. Miscible-displacement experiments were also performed to quantify As(V)-P competition when anion pulses were introduced simultaneously or consecutively into water-saturated soil columns. The results demonstrated that the rates and amounts of As(V) sorption are significantly reduced by increasing addition of P. Due to competitive sorption, the presence of P resulted in increased mobility of As(V) in the soil columns. Flow interruptions indicated the dominance of time-dependent sorption during As(V) and P transport in soils. We extended the equilibrium-kinetic multireaction model (MRM) to simulate competitive retention kinetics of multiple chemical species in soils. Competitive coefficients from Sheindorf Rebhun Sheintuch (SRS) equation were adopted to describe the extent of As(V)-P competition. A multi-component multireaction model (MCMRM) was coupled with the advection-dispersion equation (ADE) to describe breakthrough curves (BTCs) of As(V) and P simultaneously. Model predictions of measured BTCs for competitive As(V)-P transport were achieved using rate coefficients based on inverse modeling.
Algal response to copper under riverine conditions

Abstract Algal species isolated from Furnace Brook, Stafford, Connecticut, USA, which received a copper-containing effluent, were cultured for periods of about a week in the river throughout a yearly cycle. The algae were contained in dialysis tubing tied at both ends which allowed free exchange of dissolved substances between the river and the algae. At the end of the incubation period the algae were counted, harvested by filtration and analysed for copper content. The growth rates ranged from 0 to 1·12 doublings a day in sections of the river polluted by copper and were highest in the summer despite highest concentrations of dissolved copper during that time (135–687 μg litre −1 ). Accumulation of copper by the algae reached 2·0 × 10 −7 μg per cell. Algal growth rates were correlated with temperature in all but one case, and were not correlated with the dissolved copper concentration of the water. In laboratory experiments with increased ionic copper concentrations in the medium growth rates decreased less at the optimal temperature than at other temperatures. Decreased toxicity at optimal temperatures occureed despite relatively high cellular concentrations of copper.
Sociology at West Point

Sociology and the Sociology Program at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, are described. Grounded in the academy's mission of educating and inspiring future leaders of char...
Laparoscopic endobiliary stenting as an adjunct to common bile duct exploration

Background: The management of common bile duct stones (CBDS) in the era of operative laparoscopy is evolving. Several minimally invasive techniques to remove CBDS have been described, including preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), postoperative ERCP, lithotripsy, laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration, and laparoscopic choledochotomy with common bile duct exploration (CBDE). Because of the risks and limitations of these procedures, we utilize laparoscopically placed endobiliary stents as an adjunct to CBDE. Methods: Sixteen patients underwent laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) by either choledochotomy or the transcystic technique with placement of endobiliary stents. These patients were identified during laparoscopic cholecystectomy as having occult choledocholithiasis, using routine dynamic intraoperative cholangiography. Results: CBDS were successfully removed in all patients as demonstrated by completion cholangiography and intraoperative choledochoscopy. Eighty percent of patients were discharged the following day; the first three patients in this series were observed for 48 h prior to discharge. No patient required T-tube placement and closed suction drains were removed the morning after surgery. Stents were removed endoscopically at 1 month. Six- to 30-month follow-up demonstrates no complications to date. Conclusions: Laparoscopic endobiliary stenting reduces operative morbidity, eliminates the complications of T-tubes, and allows patients to return to unrestricted activity quickly. We recommend laparoscopically placed endobiliary stents in patients undergoing LCBDE.
Highly Stable Voltammetric Detection of Nitroaromatic Explosives in the Presence of Organic Surfactants at a Polyphenol‐Coated Carbon Electrode

A polyphenol-coated screen-printed carbon electrode is used for highly sensitive voltammetric measurements of the 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosive in the presence of surface-active substances. The permselective/protective polyphenol coating offers excellent resistance to surfactant fouling, while allowing facile transport of the target TNT. High levels of gelatin, humic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (up to 50 mg/L) have negligible effects upon the square-wave voltammetric TNT response. The TNT peak current and potential remain nearly the same in the presence of these organic macromolecules, as compared to substantial peak suppressions and shifts at the bare electrode. Control of the electropolymerization time was used for achieving the desired exclusion of interfering surface-active macromolecules while allowing transport of the target TNT. The response for ppm levels of TNT is highly linear and stable for prolonged operations in the presence of surface-active substances. By meeting the high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, portability and low-cost demands, such voltammetric sensing holds great promise for field-based voltammetric monitoring of nitroaromatic explosive compounds.
Ion implantation in III-V materials

Abstract Fundamental ion-solid interactions which affect ion implantation in III–V compound semiconductors will be discussed. It is shown that certain species will produce a significant reduction in the electrical activity of the primary ion species, e.g. a Si ion beam contaminated with N2 ions during the implantation of GaAs. The origin of these trace contaminant ions and their detection is analyzed and shown to be explicable in terms of basic ion-gas interactions in the production and transport of the ions in the implanter. Other factors which determine the uniformity of ion doping will be presented. Assuring the uniformity of electrostatic scanning is discussed in detail. A simple method is shown to be available for determining the reliability of the ion scan system. The implications of data obtained with GaAs and GaAlAs ion implantations, but applicable to other materials, are examined.
Pathological study of primary cardiac and pericardial tumours in a specialist UK Centre: surgical and autopsy series.

Abstract Background Primary cardiac and pericardial tumours are rare with a prevalence of between 0.001% and 0.3%. Thus, general pathologists are not familiar with them. Modern advances in cardiac imaging have increased the number of patients identified with a primary cardiac tumour in its early stage and also improved prognosis. At the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, we did a retrospective study to investigate the pathological features of primary cardiac and pericardial tumours and compared our findings to other cardiac centres. Methods All pathologic records at the Royal Brompton Hospital between 1990 and 2008 were reviewed to identify patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary cardiac tumours. A total of 94 patients with a histological diagnosis of primary cardiac and pericardial tumours were identified and formed the study population. Results The majority ( n =67, 71.3%) of cases were benign cardiac tumours. Myxoma was the most common histologic type accounting for 27 cases. Among cases with primary malignant tumours ( n =27, 28.7%), unclassified sarcoma ( n =11), leiomyosarcoma ( n =5), and lymphoma ( n =4) were the most common histologic types. Conclusion This study, primarily from an adult setting ( n =78, 83%) demonstrates a large spectrum of cardiac tumours seen in recent cardiologic practice. Myxoma is still the most common tumour but more fibroelastomas are being diagnosed due to increased imaging.
New data on the pleistocene of Mallorca

Abstract Stratigraphic, geomorphologic and isoleucine epimerization studies at 15 sites in Mallorca define four aminozones (A, C, E and F-G) of increasing age that are related to transgressive-regressive marine cycles from the Holocene to the mid Pleistocene. Calibration of aminozone E ( Glycymeris aIle/Ile mean from all sites = 0.41 ± 0.03 ( n =38)) is provided by a 129 ± 7 ka U-series coral age on Cladocora caespitosa from Son Grauet. Of the younger aminozones, A relates to the Holocene transgression and aminozone C to a mid to late isotopic stage 5 event (90 ± 15 ka) revealed only by supralittoral eolianites. Assigning an age to the older, poorly resolved aminozones F and G (called F-G in this case) is uncertain without supporting radiometric data. But an age of > 180 ka can be assigned to these aminozone (s) F-G based on a kinetic model and other examples in the Mediterranean. Several deposits, previously dated (U-series, molluscs) between 75 and > 300 ka appear to belong to the last interglacial complex (Stage 5) and aminozone E. A proposed revision of the positive sea level history of Mallorca shows multiple minor oscillations during the major last interglacial cycle (Stage 5) and two mid Pleistocene sea levels, one lower than present and the other at about 14 m a.s.l.
A collective hunch? Risk as the real and the elusive

William R. Freudenburg produced a suite of articles on the topic of risk whose aim was to integrate sociological knowledge into the risk field, then heavily reductionist. We assess the challenge in two parts. First, we explicate the conceptual context of the work of Freudenburg and colleagues in addressing this challenge. We also lay out a logical framework for connecting the real with the constructed. Second, we report a field analysis of the challenge to scientists and stakeholders of establishing the causes of the devastation produced by hurricane Katrina in 2005, an unquestionably devastating risk outcome. The field analysis illustrates conditions where our understanding of risk is a mixture of scientific realism and social construction. The analysis is based on roughly 85 in-depth interviews with scientists and experts whose professional work is in some way related to the idea of “coastal restoration” off the Louisiana coast.
A method for the assay of hydrolytic enzymes using dynamic light scattering

Dynamic light-scattering techniques have been successfully used for the assay of several hydrolytic enzymes. The enzymes were assayed using substrate-coated colloidal particles. Hydrolysis of the substrate coat causes destabilization of the particles followed by particle aggregation. The rate of particle aggregation can be related to the initial concentration of added enzyme.