cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A more efficient anode microstructure for SOFCs based on proton conductors

While the desired microstructure of the state-of-the-art Ni-YSZ anode for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based on YSZ is well known, the anode microstructure for a SOFC based on a proton conductor is yet to be optimized. In this study, we examined the effect of anode porosity on the performance of a SOFC based on BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3� d (BZCYYb), a mixed ion (proton and oxygen anion) conductor with high ionic conductivity at intermediate temperatures. Three cells with Ni-BZCYYb cermet anodes of different porosities (37%, 42%, and 50%) and identical electrolytes and cathode components were fabricated and tested. Under typical fuel cell operating conditions, the cell with anode of the lowest porosity (37%), prepared without pore former, achieved the highest performance, demonstrating a peak power density of 1.2 W/cm 2 at 750
Effects of Obesity on Bone Mass and Quality in Ovariectomized Female Zucker Rats

Obesity and osteoporosis are two chronic conditions that have been increasing in prevalence. Despite prior data supporting the positive relationship between body weight and bone mineral density (BMD), recent findings show excess body weight to be detrimental to bone mass, strength, and quality. To evaluate whether obesity would further exacerbate the effects of ovariectomy on bone, we examined the tibiae and fourth lumbar (L4) vertebrae from leptin receptor-deficient female (Lepr(fa/fa)) Zucker rats and their heterozygous lean controls (Lepr(fa/+)) that were either sham-operated or ovariectomized (Ovx). BMD of L4 vertebra was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and microcomputed tomography was used to assess the microstructural properties of the tibiae. Ovariectomy significantly (P < 0.001) decreased the BMD of L4 vertebrae in lean and obese Zucker rats. Lower trabecular number and greater trabecular separation (P < 0.001) were also observed in the tibiae of lean- and obese-Ovx rats when compared to sham rats. However, only the obese-Ovx rats had lower trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) (P < 0.005) than the other groups. These findings demonstrated that ovarian hormone deficiency adversely affected bone mass and quality in lean and obese rats while obesity only affected Tb.Th in Ovx-female Zucker rats.
Anisotropic elasticity of polycrystalline ice Ih

Abstract A theory to determine the complete tensor of elastic moduli of generally anisotropic polycrystalline ice and its temperature dependence from the elastic properties of single ice crystals is presented in this paper. The model, expressed in closed-form, predicts the upper and lower bound limits of the elastic moduli for such polycrystals by generalizing the methods of Voigt (1910) and Reuss (1929), respectively, that were developed for isotropic aggregates. This involves obtaining the spatial average of the elastic moduli and compliances of individual crystals of ice by weighting them with the relative frequency of their orientations in the anisotropic fabric. Single ice crystals possess an open hexagonal structure and are transversely isotropic in their elastic properties. The theory is then applied to predict the elastic constants of transversely isotropic S1 and S2 ice, and orthotropic S3 ice. The predicted upper and lower bound limits are in excellent agreement with available experimental data.
Neurologic Complications of Infective Endocarditis

Symptomatic neurologic complications of IE are frequent, and asymptomatic cerebral embolism diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) occurs in many more patients. Neurologic complications increase mortality and complicate surgical decision-making. The most common neurologic complication is stroke due to septic embolism. Other complications include micro- and macro-abscesses, infectious aneurysms, and more general toxic-metabolic encephalopathies, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, and seizures. Neurologic complications influence diagnosis, management, and prognosis. MRI should be obtained in all patients with suspected IE and may identify cerebral abnormalities in many IE patients who do not have neurologic symptoms. MRI sequences should include diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and gradient echo (GRE) to detect ischemic and hemorrhagic infarction. The detection of clinically silent ischemic or hemorrhagic brain lesions may affect performance or timing of surgery, choice of valve prosthesis, and antimicrobial or anticoagulant therapeutic planning. Neurologists should recommend urgent cerebral angiography in the setting of intracranial hemorrhage so that endovascular treatment of mycotic (infectious) aneurysms can be planned. Patients with large vegetations by echocardiography should be considered for surgery before embolism occurs. They should be referred to centers with extensive surgical experience in debridement of infected tissue and infectious disease expertise in antibiotic choice. Additional indications for surgery to replace the affected valve include heart failure, difficult-to-treat pathogens (such as fungi), elevated left ventricular or atrial pressure due to valvular regurgitation, and perivalvular abscess. Patients with cerebral embolism due to IE should not be anticoagulated. Anticoagulation should be stopped as soon as a diagnosis of IE is suspected, particularly if S. aureus infection is likely. Early surgery is recommended for those with transient ischemic attacks and small infarctions. Neurologists can assist the surgical team by providing neurological preoperative clearance for surgical intervention. Contraindications to early valve replacement include coma, large cerebral infarctions and intracranial hemorrhage.
Bacterial cell walls, innate immunity and immunoadjuvants.

Jack Strominger recounts his seminal work and contributions to understanding bacterial cell wall components, and thus how penicillin functions, and the implications of these discoveries for immunology.
Subacute bacterial endocarditis arising in mural thrombi following a myocardial infarction: a case report.

A case of subacute bacterial endocarditis arising in a thrombus covering myocardial infarction, with a necropsy, is reported. The patient died after an illness of four months duration. The clinical course was characterized by a low fever, congestive failure, petechiae, purpura, and ulceration of the skin. The rarity of this clinical picture is emphasized.
A reciprocal transplant experiment within a climatic gradient in a semiarid shrub‐steppe ecosystem: effects on bunchgrass growth and reproduction, soil carbon, and soil nitrogen

We investigated the effect of climate change on Poa secunda Presl. and soils in a shrub-steppe ecosystem in south-eastern Washington. Intact soil cores containing P. secunda were reciprocally transplanted between two elevations. Plants and soils were examined, respectively, 4.5 and 5 years later. The lower elevation (310 m) site is warmer (28.5°C air average monthly maximum) and drier (224 mm yr⁻¹) than the upper elevation (844 m) site (23.5°C air average monthly maximum, 272 mm yr⁻¹). Observations were also made on undisturbed plants at both sites. There was no effect of climate change on plant density, shoot biomass, or carbon isotope discrimination in either transplanted plant population. The cooler, wetter environment significantly reduced percent cover and leaf length, while the warmer, drier environment had no effect. Warming and drying reduced percent shoot nitrogen, while the cooler, wetter environment had no effect. Culm density was zero for the lower elevation plants transplanted to the upper site and was 10.3 culms m⁻² at the lower site. There was no effect of warming and drying on the culm density of the upper elevation plants. Culm density of in situ lower elevation plants was greater than that of the in situ upper elevation plants.more » Warming and drying reduced total soil carbon 32% and total soil nitrogen 40%. The cooler, wetter environment had no effect on total soil C or N. Of the C and N that was lost over time, 64% of both came from the particulate organic matter fraction (POM, >53 mum). There was no effect of warming and drying on the upper population of P. secunda while exposing the lower population to the cooler, wetter environment reduced reproductive effort and percent cover. With the warmer and drier conditions that may develop with climate change, total C and N of semiarid soils may decrease with the active fraction of soil C also rapidly decreasing, which may alter ecosystem diversity and function.« less
Opportunities for transnational indigenous eco-politics: the changing landscape in the new millennium

In the late 1980s, Amazonian indigenous peoples captured the imagination of northern policy circles and the larger public by strategically representing themselves as the solution to the environment-development quandary. They accomplished this in part through linkages to northern environmental and human rights organizations. The formation of such transnational networks was made possible by a uniquely favourable cultural, political and economic climate that increased indigenous peoples’international visibility. Since that time, however, the landscape has changed and constricted earlier opportunities. Salient shifts include the ideological and financial polarization of the rainforest movement, a relative absence of Amazonian issues from international mass media and, overall, a devaluing of indigenous identity. The Amazon Alliance, a coalition formed out of a 1990 meeting between Amazonian indigenous groups and northern non-governmental organizations, is the point of departure for a larger discussion of the changing landscape of opportunities for transnational indigenous eco-politics.
A Note on the “Halo Effect” in Ratings

(1942). A Note on the “Halo Effect” in Ratings. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 331-333.
Nuclear modeling techniques and nuclear data

A review of radiation transport techniques, useful in modeling nuclear oil-well logging applications, is presented. These techniques include deterministic and stochastic methods, in addition to sophisticated nuclear databases. Mathematical modeling minimizes design and experiment time and provides information on sensor design, environmental effects, and interpretation questions. Monte Carlo techniques provide energy, time, and spatial information to permit signal partitioning and sensitivity analysis in complex geometries and environments. Three examples of nuclear modeling are given. >
Gamma-ray decay schemes of 109gPd, 111gPd and 111mPd

Abstract The levels of 109Ag and 111Ag excited in the beta decay of 109gPd, 111gPd, and 111mPd have been studied through the use of Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl) detectors, both in singles and in coincidence. Twenty-eight gamma rays from 109gPd have been placed into a decay scheme involving 11 excited levels in 109Ag. This scheme is very similar to those reported in previous studies of this decay. Approximately 150 gamma rays have been identified in the decay of 111gPd and 111mPd. More than 100 of these have been placed into a decay scheme involving 35 excited levels in 111Ag, of which 18 are populated in the decay of 111gPd abd 23 are populated in the decay of 111mPd. These levels are discussed in terms of several different model interpretations. Of particular interest is a group of levels in 111Ag that may represent a K = 1 2 + rotational band similar to bands reported recently in odd In isotopes. Other levels are not amenable to a simple rotationalnterpretation, although it is possible that the Ag nuclei are transitional, being rather soft toward deformation.
Raman spectra of PPO-salt complexes: Mixed cations and mixed anions

Abstract Complexes of poly(propylene oxide) with mixed salts of composition Li x K 1− x CF 3 SO 3 (PPO) 10 and Na(CF 3 ) x −(SCN) 1− x (PPO) 10 have been studied by Raman spectroscopy. The ν s (SO - 3 ) spectral region was analyzed in terms of the relative amounts of dissociated ions, ion pairs and aggregate species present as a function of relative mixed ion concentration x . The results indicate that the intensity ratios of the total aggregates and the dissociated CF 3 SO − 3 anions have a minimum and a maximum in the mixed cation polymer complexes, respectively. The intensity ratios of K + ·CF 3 SO - 3 ion pairs and Li + ·CF 3 SO - 3 ion pairs show negative and positive deviation, respectively, from ideality. Therefore the intensity ratio of the total ion pairs shows a small non-linearity in the mixed cation region. In contrast to the mixed cation polymer complexes, the intensity ratio of the dissociated CF 3 SO − 3 anions in the mixed anion polymer complexes shows negative deviations from ideality. The DLAM band of the polymer chains in the two polymer complex systems does not display any mixed anion effect.
DNA-Templated Self-Assembly of Protein Arrays and Highly Conductive Nanowires

A DNA nanostructure consisting of four four-arm junctions oriented with a square aspect ratio was designed and constructed. Programmable self-assembly of 4 × 4 tiles resulted in two distinct lattice morphologies: uniform-width nanoribbons and two-dimensional nanogrids, which both display periodic square cavities. Periodic protein arrays were achieved by templated self-assembly of streptavidin onto the DNA nanogrids containing biotinylated oligonucleotides. On the basis of a two-step metallization procedure, the 4 × 4 nanoribbons acted as an excellent scaffold for the production of highly conductive, uniform-width, silver nanowires.
Dialect accommodation in a bi-ethnic mountain enclave community: More evidence on the development of African American English

The investigation of isolated African American enclave communities has been instrumental in reformulating the historical reconstruction of earlier African American English and the current trajectory of language change in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). This case study examines a unique enclave sociolinguistic situation – a small, long-term, isolated bi-ethnic enclave community in the mountains of western North Carolina – to further understanding of the role of localized dialect accommodation and ethnolinguistic distinctiveness in the historical development of African American English. The examination of a set of diagnostic phonological and morphosyntactic variables for several of the remaining African Americans in this community supports the conclusion that earlier African American English largely accommodated local dialects while maintaining a subtle, distinctive ethnolinguistic divide. However, unlike the situation in some other African American communities, there is no current movement toward an AAVE external norm for the lone isolated African American teenager; rather, there is increasing accommodation to the local dialect. Contact-based, identity-based, and ideologically based explanations are appealed to in describing the past and present direction of change for the African Americans in this receding community.
Why Medicare Cannot Promulgate a National Coverage Rule: A Case of Regula Mortis

For over twenty-five years, Medicare has tried to promulgate a rule to implement the broad congressional directive to pay only for items and services that are "reasonable and necessary." A rule would clarify legal authority and describe spe- cific criteria for evaluation of new technology in Medicare. This case study is an intractable example of a larger issue of regula mortis or dead rule. Regula mortis occurs when a mobilized interest group blocks legitimate administrative agency action, causing a regulatory stalemate. In this case, the medical device industry has prevented the implementation of a rule. The article diagnoses the condition of regula mortis, explains its effects in the Medicare case, and draws on principles of adminis- trative law to propose remedies to break the logjam. While the case of coverage criteria is important in its own right, it has wider rele- vance. All health systems must grapple with the challenge of evaluating new tech- nologies. Medicare efforts provide a starting point for the policy discussion. In our current political environment, regula mortis may be an increasingly common phe- nomenon and the proposed cures for it broadly applicable.
Change in skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase activity in response to insulin/glucose in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Abstract Skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase (SMLPL) provides fatty acids to myocytes for lipoprotein triglyceride oxidation. In human obesity, an insulin-resistant state, SMLPL levels measured in the fasted state are either decreased or unchanged as compared with levels in normal-weight controls. However, insulin/glucose infusion increases SMLPL activity in obese individuals, whereas in normal-weight subjects the activity is decreased. One of the goals of this study was to determine the impact of obesity with concomitant non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) on fasting SMLPL and on the change in SMLPL activity (ΔMLPL) in response to an insulin/glucose infusion. Because NIDDM is often a more insulin-resistant state, it was hypothesized that SMLPL activity would be further increased by insulin /glucose in subjects who were obese and had NIDDM. Measurements of SMLPL were made from biopsies of vastus lateralis skeletal muscle taken before and after a 6-hour insulin/glucose infusion in the setting of a euglycemic clamp. Thirteen nondiabetic obese women (OBC) and six nondiabetic normal-weight women (NWC) were used as control subjects. SMLPL levels measured in the fasted state were significantly lower in obese NIDDM subjects as compared with either control group. Relative insulin action was determined by calculation of the mean glucose infusion rate (GIR) required to sustain euglycemia over the last 60 minutes of the infusion. For all three groups combined, representing a continuum of insulin sensitivity, there was a positive correlation between GIR and fasting SMLPL. As described earlier, in the NWC group SMLPL activity decreased significantly after 6 hours of insulin/glucose, and in the OBC group SMLPL increased after insulin/glucose. In contrast, SMLPL activity did not change after insulin/glucose infusion in obese NIDDM subjects. Overall, these data indicate that although insulin action seems to be important in determining the level of SMLPL activity measured in the fasted state in human subjects, it is not the major contributor to the change in SMLPL activity that occurs in response to an insulin/glucose infusion.
Thermal Engineering Design Project: A Calorimeter That Measures the Specific Heat of Aluminum – Part 2

A thermal engineering design project requiring the design, construction, and operation of a calorimeter that measures the specific heat of aluminum was assigned to a class of third-year mechanical engineering students. In a previous IJMEE paper, the same project was described, along with the author's electrically heated calorimeter that was constructed before the assignment was made. In the current paper, a completely different calorimeter design is described. The current calorimeter is a hollow aluminum cylinder fitted with a plug forming a watertight cavity. The cylinder is heated and allowed to cool in still air. Two tests were performed: one with water in the cavity and one without water in the cavity. The different cooling rates from the two tests allowed computation of the aluminum's specific heat. A class of junior (third-year) mechanical engineering students, working in teams, produced designs using electrically heated aluminum samples and calorimeters that mixed aluminum and water at initially di...
Deformation of a multiphase Mo–9.4Si–13.8B alloy at elevated temperatures

Abstract A 3-phase silicide alloy, Mo–9.4Si–13.8B (at.%), was prepared via powder metallurgy techniques. The tensile properties of the alloy at elevated temperatures were evaluated in vacuum at temperatures ranging from 1350 to 1550°C and strain rates ranging from 5.0×10 −4 to 1×10 −3 s −1 . The alloy was found to exhibit a stress exponent of about 2.8 and relatively a high activation energy 740 kJ/mol. Also, it displayed unusually large tensile ductility (>100%) at T >1400°C. The deformation mechanism as well as large ductility are discussed in the light of the microstructural observations. The alloy has a very good mechanical strength at elevated temperatures, comparable to some of the most advanced tungsten-based alloys.
The impact of 3'UTR variants on differential expression of candidate cancer susceptibility genes.

Variants in regulatory regions are predicted to play an important role in disease susceptibility of common diseases. Polymorphisms mapping to microRNA (miRNA) binding sites have been shown to disrupt the ability of miRNAs to target genes resulting in differential mRNA and protein expression. Skin tumor susceptibility 5 (Skts5) was identified as a locus conferring susceptibility to chemically-induced skin cancer in NIH/Ola by SPRET/Outbred F1 backcrosses. To determine if polymorphisms between the strains which mapped to putative miRNA binding sites in the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of genes at Skts5 influenced expression, we conducted a systematic evaluation of 3′UTRs of candidate genes across this locus. Nine genes had polymorphisms in their 3′UTRs which fit the linkage data and eight of these contained polymorphisms suspected to interfere with or introduce miRNA binding. 3′UTRs of six genes, Bcap29, Dgkb, Hbp1, Pik3cg, Twistnb, and Tspan13 differentially affected luciferase expression, but did not appear to be differentially regulated by the evaluated miRNAs predicted to bind to only one of the two isoforms. 3′UTRs from four additional genes chosen from the locus that fit less stringent criteria were evaluated. Ifrd1 and Etv1 showed differences and contained polymorphisms predicted to disrupt or create miRNA binding sites but showed no difference in regulation by the miRNAs tested. In summary, multiple 3′UTRs with putative functional variants between susceptible and resistant strains of mice influenced differential expression independent of predicted miRNA binding.
Reflections on My Experience with the Federal Trade Commission Transition in the Early 1980s

sion of Accounting & Law, Babson College (e-mail: petty@babson.edu). The other authors in this special section describe their Federal Trade Commission (FTC) experiences and academic careers as PhDs in marketing or a related field. As a lawyer practicing with the FTC for roughly nine years, my FTC experience differs somewhat from theirs. I was one of many “rank and file” attorneys who investigated and developed possible cases and worked on policy issues for the FTC. Not only was I a recipient of the PhDs’ consulting services, I also worked alongside them in the “trenches,” integrating legal and marketing perspectives to form appropriate public policy in cases, policy review sessions, and advisory memos (Murphy 1990, p. 209). Like my PhD friends and colleagues, I have long enjoyed (25 years and counting) a post-FTC academic business school career shaped by my FTC experience and interest. Although I am not located in a marketing division (but rather a division of accounting and law), I have been fortunate to be able to contribute to marketing and public policy discussions and scholarship.
Recurrent spontaneous coronary artery dissection

Recurrence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare event with limited documentation of its existence in the world's literature. We present a case of recurrent spontaneous coronary artery dissection treated with coronary artery bypass surgery and discuss the literature regarding this entity.
Spectroscopic observations of the great aurora of 10 February 1958—II. Unusual atomic features

Abstract Auroral spectrograms taken with the IGY patrol spectrograph at College, Alaska, during the great red aurora of 10–11 February 1958, show a large number of seldom seen atomic lines. Most of these enhanced emissions are identified as transitions of O I and N II . In particular, the identification of both low level forbidden lines of N II at 5755 A and 6584 A definitely establishes their presence in the auroral spectrum. Relative intensities of the auroral atomic emissions in three representative spectra are given and are compared with their intensities in a normal intense aurora. The unusual intensities and spatial behaviour of some emissions are discussed in terms of their excitation mechanisms.
Optimized System-on-Chip Integration of a Programmable ECC Coprocessor

Most hardware/software (HW/SW) codesigns of Elliptic Curve Cryptography have focused on the computational aspect of the ECC hardware, and not on the system integration into a System-on-Chip (SoC) architecture. We study the impact of the communication link between CPU and coprocessor hardware for a typical ECC design, and demonstrate that the SoC may become performance-limited due to coprocessor data- and instruction-transfers. A dual strategy is proposed to remove the bottleneck: introduction of control hierarchy as well as local storage. The performance of the ECC coprocessor can be almost independent of the selection of bus protocols. Besides performance, the proposed ECC coprocessor is also optimized for scalability. Using design space exploration of a large number of system configurations of different architectures, our proposed ECC coprocessor architecture enables trade-offs between area, speed, and security.
Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?

Operating from a perspective suggested by Kenneth Burke's analyses of “scope and reduction,” in this response essay the authors begin by reconsidering the Aristotelian and Burkean rhetorical traditions that dominate contemporary organizational rhetoric research. They argue that both traditions can be applied in ways that reduce rhetoric to technique or to discourse. Both reductions slight the complex dialectical relationships among action, agency, and structure that define rhetorical action. Using this framework, the authors examine the core essays in this special issue, concluding that although they largely avoid problems related to discoursism, they are less successful in avoiding the other form of reductionism, treating rhetoric as technique and rhetor as magician. In a coda, the authors return to the assumptions of the Platonic/Aristotelian tradition, find that it contains ethical assumptions that are problematic in a world dominated by corporate power, and suggest an alternative approach.
C-CREST Technique for Combinational Logic SET Testing

SEUs due to combinational logic in 90 nm CMOS is analyzed at various speeds using a new design approach called the combinational circuit for radiation effects self-test (C-CREST). C-CREST allows the cross-section of combinational logic to be increased while minimizing propagation delay. The design was fabricated in IBM's 9SF CMOS process and underwent broadbeam testing that distinguished combinational logic errors from latch errors. Results confirm that the design is effective in testing combinational logic for SE vulnerabilities with minimum speed penalty.
Strings from field theory: A statistical approach

Statistical methods are used to calculate large-order Feynman graphs. In the $\frac{1}{N}$ (or planar) expansion of a model field theory, the graphs sum to a Nambu action. When quarks are added at the boundaries, we obtain a class of dual-string models with massive end points. Although difficult to solve explicitly, these models may avoid some of the problems of the usual dual strings. Our work suggests new avenues of research; especially relevant is the application to gauge theories.
Energy-efficient, application-aware medium access for sensor networks

We introduce FLAMA (flow-aware medium access), an energy-efficient medium-access control (MAC) protocol designed for wireless sensor networks. FLAMA achieves energy efficiency by preventing idle listening, data collisions and transmissions to a node that is not ready to receive packets. It adapts medium access schedules to the traffic flows exhibited by the application. FLAMA is simple enough so that it can be run by nodes with limited processing, memory, communication, and power capabilities. We evaluate the performance of FLAMA through simulations and test-bed experimentation. Simulation results indicate that, in terms of reliability, queuing delay and energy savings, FLAMA outperforms TRAMA, the first traffic-adaptive, schedule-based MAC proposed for sensor networks, and S-MAC, a contention-based energy-efficient MAC. FLAMA achieves significantly smaller delays (up to 75 times) when compared to TRAMA with significant improvement in energy savings and reliability, demonstrating the importance of application awareness in medium access scheduling. Our simulation and test-bed results show that FLAMA achieves better end-to-end reliability with significant energy savings compared to S-MAC
Fast and Low-Complexity Frame-Level Synchronization for Transmitted Reference Receivers

A frame-level synchronization (FLS) algorithm for the UWB transmitted-reference (TR) receiver is designed and analyzed in this paper. The algorithm exploits the robustness of the TR receiver to synchronization errors (N. He and C. Tepedelenlioglu, 2004), and has a moderate accuracy but a very low complexity and fast synchronization speed compared to conventional approaches requiring subnanosecond-level accuracy. Detailed analysis of the algorithm is carried out. Synchronization performance of both blind and non-blind approaches are derived and compared in terms of the average acquisition time. Error detection and correction strategies are built in to further improve the performance of the algorithm. Parameter selections that minimize the average acquisition time are also discussed, based on our in-depth analysis
The caverno-apical triangle: anatomic-pathological considerations and pictorial review

Abstract Background The caverno-apical triangle (CAT) is defined from the components that define its contours: the cavernous sinus and the orbital apex. A wide range of pathologies arise from the space between the cavernous sinus and the orbital apex. Object To better define radiologically this critical anatomic landmark and establish an organized approach for image analysis to help generate focused differential diagnoses and accurately characterize lesions found on imaging. Conclusion We have identified common imaging characteristics of frequently encountered lesions and divided them into specific categories to facilitate creation of logical and focused differential diagnoses.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Atypical Mycobacterial Skeletal Infections

Abstract The clinical and laboratory features of six human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-positive patients with atypical mycobacterial skeletal infections, seen at a county outpatient HIV facility or university outpatient clinic, are reviewed and compared with other reported cases. Atypical mycobacterial skeletal infections are a manifestation of advanced HIV disease, with most cases having CD4 counts 3 at the time these infections become clinically apparent. Multiple sites are frequently involved, and concomitant skin infection with the same organism is common, especially with Mycobacterium haemophilum . The incidence of atypical mycobacterial skeletal infection in HIV-infected individuals was significantly higher than in the general county hospital district patient population, whereas the frequency of Myobacterium tuberculosis skeletal infection did not differ significantly between the two populations. The clinician therefore should maintain a high index of suspicion for atypical mycobacteria in a patient presenting with skeletal infection in the setting of a markedly depressed CD4 count.
Mortgage Terminations and Pool Characteristics: Some Additional Evidence

The amount and timing of unscheduled principal amortization determines the ex-post yield to holders of mortgage-backed securities. In this paper, the relationship between pool characteristics and the early return of principal is addressed. Empirical results are based on actual terminations from June 1985 to June 1986 on a sample of all GNMA pools. The relative termination experience of pools with loan rates close to the refinancing rate faced by the underlying borrower is examined in detail. The impact of pool age and size is also considered. Unscheduled termination depends on the refinancing rate, as well as the specific characteristics of a pool.
Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Selection in the U.S. Textile— Apparel—Retail Supply Network

This research investigates the key causal linkages in supply chain management—the impact of strategic sourcing and supplier selection on firm performance in the U.S. textile–apparel–retail supply network. A conceptual framework was developed and the empirical survey-based research methodology was used to gather data from the U.S. textile–apparel–retail complex. The data collection resulted in 181 responses, representing a 38.2% response rate. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the research model and test the research hypotheses. The research findings support that strategic sourcing has a significant and positive effect on business performance, and supplier selection has a significant and positive effect on the firm’s ability to gain competitive advantages. The research concludes with implications, limitations, and directions for future research.
Single bio-molecule detection with quantum dots in a microchannel

This paper describes a novel method for identifying specific biomolecules at the single-molecule level. The detection principle is based on spatial and temporal coincidence of fluorescent emissions from two quantum dot (QD)-labeled probes specifically bound to a target biomolecule and detected by a single wavelength-excitation, dual-emission confocal fluorescence spectroscopic system. A variety of probe molecules including oligonucleotides, antibodies, and ligands can be labeled with QDs for detecting different biomolecules, rendering this a generic method of molecular identification. Specific detection of both DNA and protein at the single-molecule level is presented. Fluorescent colloidal nanobeads are demonstrated as alternative effective fluorescent tags for the application of coincidence detection. Measurement with high signal-to-noise ratio is achieved by performing single-molecule detection in a microchannel with proper flow-rate control.
A Case of Severe Preeclampsia Leading to the Diagnosis of De Novo Abnormal Fatty Acid Metabolism and ACE Gene Deletion

Abstract Background Enzymes involved in the metabolism of free fatty acids are essential for the proper use of caloric intake. Abnormal enzymes unable to degrade fatty acids will result in an accumulation of fatty acids in organs like the liver, impairing its function. Case A 28-year-old primigravid woman underwent induction of labour because of severe preeclampsia. She was subsequently found to be a carrier for mutations in several fatty acid enzymes as well as the angiotensin converting enzyme. Conclusion During pregnancy, the increased need for fatty acid degradation will expose women who are carriers of mutations in these enzymes. The clinical manifestations in such women include acute fatty liver of pregnancy that may mimic severe preeclampsia. Strict metabolic control to avoid excess fatty acid degradation may allow for better pregnancy outcomes and newborn assessment.
Characterization Tests for Mineral Fillers Related to Performance of Asphalt Paving Mixtures

Various studies have shown that the properties of mineral filler, especially the material passing through a 0.075-mm (No. 200) sieve (generally called P200 material), have a significant effect on the performance of asphalt paving mixtures in terms of permanent deformation, fatigue cracking, and moisture susceptibility. However, researchers have employed different characterization tests for evaluating the P200 materials. This study was undertaken to determine which P200 characterization tests are most related to the performance of asphalt paving mixtures. Six P200 materials representing a wide range of mineralogical composition and particle size were used. These P200 materials were characterized by six tests including Rigden voids, particle size analysis, and methylene blue test. Mixes were prepared with two fines to asphalt ratios (0.8 and 1.5) by weight. Mix validation tests included the Superpave shear test for evaluating permanent deformation and fatigue cracking, and the Hamburg wheel tracking test an...
Investment Decision Under Uncertainty: Applications of the State-Preference Approach

Introduction, 252. â€” I. State preference, risk aversion, and the utility-of-income function, 254. â€” II. Optimal capital structure, 264. â€” III. Uncertainty and the discount rate for public investment, 268. â€” IV. Concluding remarks, 275.
Interactions between serpentinite devolatilization, metasomatism and strike-slip strain localization during deep-crustal shearing in the Eastern Alps

The Greiner shear zone in the Tauern Window, Eastern Alps, changes from a zone of distributed (dominantly sinistral) shear in supracrustal rocks to a series of narrow, gully forming dextral splays where it enters basement gneisses. Within these splays, granodiorite is transformed into quartz-poor biotite and/or chlorite schists, reflecting hydration, removal of Si, Ca and Na, and concentration of Fe, Mg and Al. Stable isotope analyses show a prominent increase in δD and a decrease in δ18O from granodiorite into the shear zones. These changes indicate significant channelized flow of an externally derived, low-δ18O, high-δD fluid through the shear zones. The shear zone schists are chemically similar to blackwall zones developed around serpentinite bodies elsewhere in the Greiner zone and the stable isotope data support alteration via serpentinite-derived fluid. Monazite in schist from one shear zone yields spot dates of 29–20 Ma, indicating that the fluid influx and switch from sinistral to dextral shear occurred at or shortly after the thermal peak of the Alpine orogeny (c. 30 Ma). We suggest that Alpine metamorphism of serpentinites released large amounts of high-δD, low-δ18O, Si-undersaturated, Fe + Mg-saturated fluids that became channelized along prior zones of weakness in the granodiorite. Infiltration of this fluid facilitated growth of chlorite and biotite, which in turn localized later dextral strain in the narrow splays via cleavage-parallel slip. This dextral strain event can be linked to other structures that accommodated tectonic escape of major crustal blocks during dextral transpression in the Eastern Alps. This study shows that serpentinite devolatilization can play an important role in modifying both the chemistry and rheology of surrounding rocks during orogenesis.
Bandwidth-constrained distributed estimation for wireless sensor Networks-part I: Gaussian case

We study deterministic mean-location parameter estimation when only quantized versions of the original observations are available, due to bandwidth constraints. When the dynamic range of the parameter is small or comparable with the noise variance, we introduce a class of maximum-likelihood estimators that require transmitting just one bit per sensor to achieve an estimation variance close to that of the (clairvoyant) sample mean estimator. When the dynamic range is comparable or larger than the noise standard deviation, we show that an optimum quantization step exists to achieve the best possible variance for a given bandwidth constraint. We will also establish that in certain cases the sample mean estimator formed by quantized observations is preferable for complexity reasons. We finally touch upon algorithm implementation issues and guarantee that all the numerical maximizations required by the proposed estimators are concave.
Overview of North American stored product research

Major locations for stored product research in North America are in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Manhattan, Kansas, USA. Recent personnel changes and research areas are reviewed. One of the pressing research areas in the U.S. is reducing the need for fumigations in flour mills and evaluating alternative treatments. Long-term studies are beginning to show efficacy of better IPM practices, including use of aerosol treatments, for reducing the need for fumigation. Heat treatment as an alternative to fumigation continues to be refined through research. Models have been developed for optimizing heat treatments and fumigations. Studies at grain elevators are optimizing insect management at these large storage facilities, including better sampling methods and computer programs that aid in decision making. Recent studies are beginning to look at insect populations in feed mills and their association with microbes. A number of studies have investigated the biology and control of psocids, which are emerging pests of stored products in the U.S. There have been major research efforts in both Canada and the U.S. to develop better sampling and detection methods, including thermal imaging, automated digital x-rays, molecular methods, and development of better attractants and improved interpretation of trap catches. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is the first agricultural pest to have its genome sequenced, and mining the genome has produced vast knowledge of various physiological processes that might be exploited for control of this and other pests. Expected future research trends are on aerosol treatments of structural facilities, improved methods for detecting internal insect pests, psocid biology, improved attractants, improved interpretation of trap catches for making pest management decisions, and application of genomic technologies for insect control.
An algebraic approach to blind carrier offset and code timing estimation for DS-CDMA systems

This paper presents a blind method for joint carrier offset and code timing estimation in direct-sequence code-division multiple-access systems. The proposed method is arrived at by exploiting the subspace structure of the observed signal along with analytical tools of polynomial matrices. It yields an algebraic solution which avoids a multidimensional search over the parameter space, a procedure that is computationally involved and often suffers local convergence. The proposed method is multiaccess interference resistant. Furthermore, it can be used in time-varying, multipath fading channels.
Impaired Development of CD4+ CD25+ Regulatory T Cells in the Absence of STAT1 Increased Susceptibility to Autoimmune Disease

Type I and II interferons (IFNs) exert opposing effects on the progression of multiple sclerosis, even though both IFNs use the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) as a signaling mediator. Here we report that STAT1-deficient mice expressing a transgenic T cell receptor against myelin basic protein spontaneously develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with dramatically increased frequency. The heightened susceptibility to this autoimmune disease appears to be triggered by a reduced number as well as a functional impairment of the CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in STAT1-deficient animals. Adoptive transfer of wild-type regulatory T cells into STAT1-deficient hosts is sufficient to prevent the development of autoimmune disease. These results demonstrate an essential role of STAT1 in the maintenance of immunological self-tolerance.
Assessment of feeding problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract There is growing, but inconsistent, literature on feeding problems for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate the relation of feeding problems to autism severity, (b) assess the validity of parent-report questionnaires widely used to assess feeding problems in terms of their relation to systematic behavior observations, and (c) determine the relation between child feeding behavior and family mealtime environment. Thirty-eight children and their parents participated in the study. Parents completed questionnaires, and both parents and children participated in mealtime observations. Results indicated that autism severity predicted scores on a measure of feeding problems as well as the duration of negative vocalizations during meal observations. Food Frequency Questionnaires better predicted behavior during meals than the Brief Mealtime Autism Behavior Inventory. Family environment alone did not explain feeding difficulties.
Male Genital Ultrasound Protocols: Putting It All Together!

Performance of a comprehensive ultrasound evaluation of the male genitalia requires an organized approach in order to assure that pathology is not missed. In addition, the novice as well as the experienced sonographer is concerned that complete image documentation is obtained for each study. This chapter describes one sonographer’s view of what a complete ultrasound evaluation of the male genitalia should include. My expectation is, that as the Urologist becomes experienced, changes to this protocol will occur. I have incorporated in these protocols the requirements of the AIUM for Urology Practice Accreditation. I have included a brief description of documentation for each ultrasound study followed by a detailed explanation of what this sonographer feels a focused urologic ultrasound examination of the male genitalia should entail.
Systematics and biostratigraphy of halobiid bivalves from the Martin Bridge Formation (Upper Triassic), Northeast Oregon

A diverse Halobia fauna with rare ammonoids and conodonts is described from the type Martin Bridge Formation (Upper Triassic) of northeast Oregon. The composite section of black shale, mudstone, bedded micrite, limestone conglomerate, and halobiid lumachelle spans the Carnian–Norian boundary without apparent sedimentologic break or pronounced biotic extinction. The occurrence of Halobia radiata radiata Gemmellaro, Halobia? cf. teltschenensis (Kittl), H. superba superba Mojsisovics, and H. superba ornatissima Smith (nomen translatum) with the ammonoids Discotropites sp. and Arietoceltites? sp. low in the section indicates a late Carnian age (Dilleri?, Welleri to Macrolobatus Zones). These fossils occur below beds containing early Norian (Kerri Zone) H. beyrichi (Mojsisovics) and middle Norian (Rutherfordi?, Columbianus Zone) H. halorica Mojsisovics. The described fauna increases the halobiid and ammonoid diversity previously known from the Martin Bridge Formation despite synonymy of species previously reported from the section.
Reminiscence and its Relationship to Attachment and Personality in Geropsychiatric Patients

The relationships between reminiscence functions and attachment styles; reminiscence and personality factors; and attachment and personality were examined in forty patients attending a geropsychiatric outpatient clinic. They were administered the Reminiscence Functions Scale, NEO-FFI, and the Relationship Questionnaire. Compared with insecurely attached older patients, securely attached older patients score higher on the teach/inform reminiscence function. Consistent with prior research, relationships were found between the extraversion personality factor and conversation reminiscence; and between the openness personality factor and both identity and problem-solving reminiscence functions.
Askew v. American Waterways Operators, Inc.: The Emerging New Federalism

In 1973, the Supreme Court in Askew v. American Waterways Operators, Inc.' held that the State of Florida was not barred from enforcing its Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control Act' despite the fact that the Florida Act was more strict than the applicable federal antipollution laws. In reversing the Florida District Court's decision,' the Supreme Court held that the Federal Water Quality Improvement Act' (WQIA) did not pre-empt state regulation, that federal maritime jurisdiction did not prevent the states from exercising their inherent police power to protect themselves from the threat of oil spills off their shores, and that no conflict existed between the Florida Act and the WQIA.