cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Measurement and Verification Procedures for Retrofit Savings Using Calibrated Energy Building Models

Calibrated energy simulations are often used to predict savings from energy conservation measures with little information about their associated prediction uncertainties. In this paper, the savings predicted by calibrated simulation models are compared to actual savings obtained through monitoring energy use before and after implementing selected energy conservation measures for three residential buildings. Both building envelope and HVAC system related energy conservation measures are considered in the study. Through case studies, this validity of using calibrated energy models for the estimation and verification of savings associated with energy conservation measures is thoroughly evaluated. Moreover, the paper provides useful guidelines for using calibrated models for measurement and verification energy savings from various weatherization programs specific to residential buildings.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The application of spark gaps on audio jack for ESD protection

ESD strikes can be suppressed by placing ESD protection devices along ESD current paths. As primary ESD protection on PCBs, spark gaps are cheap and take little space, but the breakdown voltage is not low enough and the lag time can be too long to protect the circuit. The effect of adding carbon and non linear polymers to the spark gap is investigated in this paper.
THE NATIONAL WIC EVALUATION: WIC AND PERINATAL OUTCOME IN 12,000,000 LINKED BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES

These are first results from the Congressionally mandated national evaluation of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Records of individual participation in the program were unavailable. However, for 888 counties in 8 states, between 1972 and 1980, we could relate the penetration of WIC (# of women served/estimated # eligible) to 12,000,000 linked county birth and death records.
Age-dependent control of dorsal root ganglion neuron survival by macromolecular and low-molecular-weight trophic agents and substratum-bound laminins

Chick embryo dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons can be supported in vitro by nerve growth factor (NGF) and ciliary neuronotrophic factor (CNTF). Pyruvate is also required for survival of neurons from embryonic day 8 (E8) chick ciliary ganglia and from several chick and rat embryonic central nervous system sources. Here we have examined the survival requirements of chick DRG neurons between E6.5 and E15. These DRG neurons, initially dependent only on NGF, become dependent also on CNTF and later on increasingly independent from both factors. Pyruvate nearly doubles neuronal survival at all ages under all conditions. The pyruvate concentration permitting this additional survival was reduced two-fold with serine present. In the presence of polyornithine-bound laminins, nearly all seeded neurons were rescued by pyruvate plus NGF (E8 on), or pyruvate plus CNTF (E10 on), or pyruvate without trophic factors (E15). The same maximal survival was achieved without pyruvate by supplying E10 or older neurons with both NGF and CNTF. Unmodified polyornithine substrata yielded about one-half this number of surviving neurons.
NMDA receptor blockade and hippocampal neuronal loss impair fear conditioning and position habit reversal in C57Bl/6 mice

Abstract The interpretation of learning and memory deficits in transgenic mice has largely involved theories of NMDA receptor and/or hippocampal function. However, there is little empirical data that describes what NMDA receptors or the hippocampus do in mice. This research assessed the effects of different doses of the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, or different-sized hippocampal lesions on several behavioral parameters in adult male C57Bl/6 mice. In the first set of experiments, different doses of MK-801 (0.05–0.3 mg/kg, s.c.) were assayed in fear conditioning, shock sensitivity, locomotion, anxiety, and position habit reversal tests. Contextual and cued fear conditioning, and position habit reversal were impaired in a dose-dependent manner. Locomotor activity was increased immediately after injection of the highest dose of MK-801. A second set of experiments determined the behavioral effects of a moderate and large excitotoxic hippocampal lesion. Both lesions impaired contextual conditioning, while the larger lesion interfered with cued conditioning. Reversal learning was significantly diminished by the large lesion, while the moderate lesion had a detrimental effect at a trend level (P
Identification of an age cutoff for increased mortality in patients with elderly trauma

Abstract Objectives The chosen age cutoff for considering patients with trauma to be "elderly" has ranged from 55 to 80 years in trauma guidelines and studies. The goal of this study was to identify at what age mortality truly increases for older victims of trauma. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of the Ohio Trauma Registry, a statewide database of all injured patients who died or were admitted for more than 48 hours to both trauma and nontrauma centers. Patients 16 years or older entered into the registry between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2006, were included. Inhospital mortality rates were obtained and stratified by 5-year age intervals and by injury severity score (ISS). Rates between age groups were compared using logistic regression to identify significant differences in mortality. Results Included were 75 658 patients. In logistic regression, patients 70 to 74 years of age had significantly greater mortality than all younger age groups when stratified by ISS ( P ≤ .001-.004). When considering other 5-year age groups as referent (40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 years old), no other group was associated with significantly increased mortality, as compared to younger groups ( P > .05 for all). Conclusion Patients 70 to 74 years of age have significantly greater mortality than all younger age groups when stratified by ISS. Age cutoffs based on younger ages are not associated with significant increases in mortality. An age of 70 years should be considered as an appropriate cutoff for considering a patient to be elderly in future studies of trauma and development of geriatric trauma triage criteria.
The impact of hazardous waste Superfund sites on the value of houses sold in New Jersey

Changes in the sales prices of houses in 77 communities in New Jersey with hazardous waste Superfund sites were compared to sales prices in communities without Superfund sites. We observed a statistically significant tendency for sales prices in Superfund communities that were rural or were in regions undergoing rapid price increases to increase less than sales prices in non-Superfund townships. The hazard rating of the site did not appear to influence sales price. Factors that could make the results unique to New Jersey and alternative explanations of the results, including the scale of the study, are discussed.
Disturbances of gastrointestinal transit and autonomic functions in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

Background Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). However, few studies have evaluated gastrointestinal transit in POTS. Our primary objectives were to evaluate gastrointestinal emptying and the relationship with autonomic dysfunctions in POTS. Methods We reviewed the complete medical records of all patients aged 18 years and older with POTS diagnosed by a standardized autonomic reflex screen who also had a scintigraphic assessment of gastrointestinal transit at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1998 and 2012. Associations between specific gastric emptying and autonomic (i.e., cardiovagal, adrenergic, and sudomotor) disturbances were evaluated. Key Results Among 163 patients (140 women, mean [±SEM] age 30 [±1] years), 55 (34%) had normal, 30 (18%) had delayed, and 78 (48%) had rapid gastric emptying. Fifty-eight patients (36%) had clinical features of physical deconditioning, which was associated (p = 0.02) with rapid gastric emptying. Associations with delayed gastric emptying included vomiting, which was more common (p < 0.003), and anxiety or depression, which was less common (p = 0.02). The tilt-associated increase in heart rate and reduction in systolic BP at 1 min was associated (p < 0.05), being greater in patients with delayed gastric emptying. Conclusions & Inferences Two-thirds of patients with POTS and GI symptoms had abnormal, most frequently rapid gastric emptying. Except for more severe adrenergic impairment in patients with delayed gastric emptying, the pattern of autonomic dysfunction did not discriminate among gastric emptying groups. Further studies are necessary to ascertain whether extravascular volume depletion and/or deconditioning contribute to POTS in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.
A Revised Reconstruction of the Casa Bartholdy Fresco Cycle

Transport to Berlin of the early Nazarene frescoes painted in Rome for J. S. Bartholdy, and later remodeling of the Palazzo Zuccari, have combined to cloud awareness of the original arrangement and appearance of the cycle. Published reconstructions reverse the order of the two frescoes by Schadow. Moreover, the two panels by Franz Catel, which were not moved to Berlin, remain little known and unpublished. Using unpublished photographs of the frescoes in situ as well as a fresh examination of published documents, the author attempts a new reconstruction. The result casts light on a surprising lack of homogeneity within the Nazarene movement in its formative stages.
Business-Information Systems Professional Differences: Bridging the Business Rule Gap

Group differences have often been cited between information system professionals and junctional-business professionals. Now perspectives of what constitutes business rules must be added to the list of group differences. In many organizations,junctional business professionals and information systems professionals disagree as to what constitutes a business rule. Functional personnel express business rules in terms of how business processes are defined and constrained. Alternatively, information system professionals view business rules in terms of the constraints that the rules place on manipulating the organization's data resources. Each of these perspectives is essentialfor the effective management ofafirm' s resources, but each perspective-independent of the otherfails to acknowledge the interreliance of business processes and the information systems that support them. This research develops a theoretical basis for this gap based on structural learning theory's definition of directive rule types: problem definition rules and solution rules. Structural learning theory is used to illustrate how these perspectives can be bridged. Based on the resulting model, the paper discusses the knowledge, skills and abilities that information systems professionals must have to enable bridging the gap.
A sensitivity-based approach for studying stability impact of distributed generation

In this paper we investigate the impact of distributed generation (DG) on system stability using the trajectory sensitivity approach and identify the machines that are vulnerable to the addition of DG. We also vary the penetration level of DG and evaluate the influence of the DG modeling. Sensitivity formulation for the differential-algebraic equation model is presented through a single-machine infinite-bus (SMIB) example. The methodology can be extended to study the influence of parameters other than the clearing time, such as series line reactance.
Iron therapy and cardiovascular disease.

Iron therapy and cardiovascular disease. Intensive iron therapy is now a generally accepted adjunct for the treatment of renal anemia with recombinant human erythropoietin. However, with the emerging role of iron in cardiovascular disease, carcinogenesis, infectious diseases, and other disorders, it is no longer appropriate to assume that any amount of stored iron is safe until proven otherwise. In this article, the history and current status of the "iron hypothesis" on ischemic heart disease are briefly reviewed, followed by comments on iron management practices for renal patients.
A Model of the Patient-Artificial Kidney System

A mathematical analysis is made of the changes in body fluid volume and solute composition that occur during hemodialysis. The analysis considers the movement of water and solutes across the dialyzer membrane and between the intracellular and extracellular compartments. Dialyzer operating variables such as dialysate addition rate, solute dialysances, and ultrafiltration rate are included. The output of the mathematical model agrees well with data obtained during clinical dialysis. The results of the analysis indicate that the intracellular volume changes that would be expected during dialysis as a result of osmotic gradients are very small. The effects on solute removal of varying dialysate addition rate, ultrafiltration rate, and dialysance are analyzed.
Stability of organic nitrogen in NADP wet deposition samples

Organic compounds represent an important yet largely uncharacterized component of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Rapid progress in understanding the sources and spatiotemporal patterns of organic nitrogen (ON) deposition will require the use of existing large-scale monitoring infrastructure, such as the National Atmospheric Deposition Program's National Trends Network (NADP/NTN). The purpose of this study is to investigate the analytical and sampling requirements for adding ON measurements to the NTN, with specific interest in examining ON stability during sampling and storage. The analytical technique for total nitrogen (TN) used by the NADP's Central Analytical Laboratory (CAL) and associated quality assurance data are described. We then compare TN, inorganic nitrogen (IN = NH4+ + NO3−), and ON (ON = TN − IN) concentrations in a field study between standard weekly NADP/NTN samples (unrefrigerated during sampling and storage), daily event samples collected using the Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network protocol (AIRMoN, unrefrigerated during sampling but refrigerated during storage), and daily event samples that were preserved via refrigeration in the field upon collection (AIRMoN_Ref, refrigerated during sampling and storage). Using AIRMoN_Ref as the reference for comparison, total loss of ON in weekly NTN samples in the field and during laboratory storage is approximately 40%. This bias is likely dominated by losses of ON in the collection bucket. However, additional loss may occur during laboratory storage at room temperature prior to analysis. Loss of ON was also observed in AIRMoN samples, though differences relative to AIRMoN_Ref (10.8%) were less than weekly NTN samples. Biases in ON are more consistently negative at higher ambient temperatures. Storage experiments indicated that refrigeration at 4 °C at the CAL was sufficient to stabilize ON concentrations. We conclude that weekly sampling for ON is feasible if precipitation is refrigerated or frozen immediately upon collection. Samples should be kept refrigerated or frozen prior to analysis. Preliminary results indicate that NO2−, an additional inorganic species not currently measured by the CAL, makes a small contribution to TN (<1%), but if neglected may cause significant negative bias in ON determined as TN − IN. We recommend that CAL include NO2− quantification as a component of IN for bulk ON determination.
Capturing more emergency department errors via an anonymous web-based reporting system.

Objectives It is generally understood that errors occur during patient care in the emergency department (ED). However, the errors that are reported likely represent a fraction of those that occur. Increasing the error reporting rate would allow for more opportunities to investigate the root causes of errors and improve systems design as part of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) process. We present a model Web-based system for reporting of errors that occur in patient care in the ED. Methods We propose a Web-based system of error reporting. Utilizing Web technology permits secure, timely, and, optionally, anonymous reporting of errors. The Web page is readily accessible to users within the medical center. Reporting may be anonymous or the reporters may identify themselves. The reports are sorted by the user and entered based on the type of error and sent to a secure database. The database can be regularly reviewed by a designated person as part of an ongoing CQI process. CQI committees should then have more useful data to reference when designing system improvements. Conclusions A Web-based error reporting implemented in this manner may improve error reporting because of the convenience it offers and the option of anonymity. More reporting should create more opportunities for system improvement.
The Role of Parental Influences on Young Adolescents’ Career Development

The relationship between specific parental behaviors and the career development of young adolescents was assessed. Regression analyses revealed that parental behaviors did relate to the career development of middle school students, after controlling for student grade level and gender. Parental behaviors tended to relate more to career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) than to career maturity, and general psychosocial parenting behaviors appeared to be more salient than career-focused parent behaviors. Five specific behaviors were found to be predictive of participants' career development. The discrepancy between adolescents' and parents' views of family relationships was also shown to relate to the adolescents' career decision-making self-efficacy. The results from the current study further expand on the results from other studies in this area by providing insight into the effects of specific parental behaviors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Privacy preserving identity attribute verification in windows cardspace

There are various identity management systems in place today. The way these share information about entities that interact with them gives rise to various privacy issues. This paper addresses two main such issues in Windows CardSpace, regarding the trust users' have to place on the system with respect to their personal information and to protect them against being exploited by means such as profiling. The protocol extensions proposed were implemented with a prototype as a proof of concept.
Alcohol-related aggression in males and females: effects of blood alcohol concentration, subjective intoxication, personality, and provocation

This study tested the combined predictive ability of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), subjective intoxication, and aggressive personality traits on physical aggression in males and females in Highland Low-provocation conditions. Sixty intoxicated White social drinkers (30 males and 30 females) competed against a fictitious opponent on a modified version of the Taylor aggression paradigm in which subjects both received and delivered electric shocks to their opponents in provoking and nonprovoking conditions. Provocation conditions (High and Low) were defined by the intensity of the shocks the subjects received. Aggression was operationalized as the intensity of the shocks selected by the subjects. Results indicated that, for males in the High-provocation condition, aggressive personality traits, subjective intoxication, and BAC were effective predictors of physical aggression. However, in the Low-provocation condition, only aggressive personality traits and BAC predicted aggression. None of the variables were effective predictors of aggression for intoxicated females.
A DELETION IN THE ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME (ACE)GENE IS COMMON AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION. 836

Deletion polymorphism in intron 16 of the angiotensin I-converting enzyme(ACE) gene has been found to be associated with a risk of essential hypertension in some black American populations. Among some caucasian populations, however, this same polymorphism has been found to be associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction. In an on-going family study in black Americans, we compared the frequency of the ACE deletion polymorphism in 21 hypertensive probands with 28 normotensive healthy controls drawn from the same clinic. The frequency of the deletion allele in hypertensive probands was significantly higher than in normotensive controls, 0.738 versus 0.571 with p<0.01. This suggests that polymorphism in or near the ACE gene might contribute to an increased risk of essential hypertension in blacks.
Politics of Charter Schools: Competing National Advocacy Coalitions Meet Local Politics

This article identifies supporters and opponents of charter schools at all levels of government and describes their motivations and behaviors. It is explained that state and local support for charter schools is most often determined by educational needs and material incentives. Different political contexts produce different charter school policies. For example, charter school legislation in Michigan was designed to increase competition among public schools. Legislation in Georgia served to deregulate public education after a period of increased state centralization. The article concludes that there is no cohesive state or local charter political pattern, given the variations in charter schools and their contexts. It remains unclear whether national charter school advocates have enough influence to expand the number of charter schools significantly. Local policymakers in areas with few educational pressures, such as some suburban communities, may resist change. Charter schools could end up as a marginal re...
Assessment of compositional variation in duplicate samples of pelletized coal

Abstract A single Eastern Kentucky high volatile A bituminous coal was prepared into 24 polished pellets, each of which was point counted at 0.4-mm intervals by a single operator. Examination of the resulting data, both in paired sequences of 500 counts from individual pellets and in randomly extracted 1000-point sets, shows that a certain natural variation exists, converging on a “most likely absolute difference” for this particular coal. All coals will vary, but it is instructive to consider the precision expected in counting a complex material before considering the reproducibility expected from multiple operators counting the same coal.
Role of the Trypanosoma brucei HEN1 Family Methyltransferase in Small Interfering RNA Modification

Parasitic protozoa of the flagellate order Kinetoplastida represent one of the deepest branches of the eukaryotic tree. Among this group of organisms, the mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) has been investigated in Trypanosoma brucei and to a lesser degree in Leishmania (Viannia) spp. The pathway is triggered by long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and in T. brucei requires a set of five core genes, including a single Argonaute (AGO) protein, T. brucei AGO1 (TbAGO1). The five genes are conserved in Leishmania (Viannia) spp. but are absent in other major kinetoplastid species, such as Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major. In T. brucei small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are methylated at the 3' end, whereas Leishmania (Viannia) sp. siRNAs are not. Here we report that T. brucei HEN1, an ortholog of the metazoan HEN1 2'-O-methyltransferases, is required for methylation of siRNAs. Loss of TbHEN1 causes a reduction in the length of siRNAs. The shorter siRNAs in hen1(-/-) parasites are single stranded and associated with TbAGO1, and a subset carry a nontemplated uridine at the 3' end. These findings support a model wherein TbHEN1 methylates siRNA 3' ends after they are loaded into TbAGO1 and this methylation protects siRNAs from uridylation and 3' trimming. Moreover, expression of TbHEN1 in Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis did not result in siRNA 3' end methylation, further emphasizing mechanistic differences in the trypanosome and Leishmania RNAi mechanisms.
23. Planting and establishment of windbreaks in arid areas

Abstract The arid regions of the world are characterized by low and erratic rainfall, temperature extremes, strong winds, high evaporative demands and poor soils. These factors present unique challenges for tree and shrub establishment. Techniques vary by region or country, but all center around the efficient use of limited water resources. Site preparation, type of planting stock, and species selection are all critical, to ensure the survival and growth of plants.
Development of an Automated Steering Mechanism for Bladder Urothelium Surveillance

Given the advantages of cystoscopic exams compared with other procedures available for bladder surveillance, it would be beneficial to develop an improved automated cystoscope. We develop and propose an active programmable remote steering mechanism and an efficient motion sequence for bladder cancer detection and postoperative surveillance. The continuous and optimal path of the imaging probe can enable a medical practitioner to readily ensure that images are produced for the entire surface of the bladder in a controlled and uniform manner. Shape memory alloy (SMA) based segmented actuators disposed adjacent to the distal end of the imaging probe are selectively activated to bend the shaft to assist in positioning and orienting the imaging probe at a plurality of points selected to image all the interior of the distended bladder volume. The bending arc, insertion depth, and rotational position of the imaging probe are automatically controlled based on patient-specific data. The initial prototype is tested on a 3D plastic phantom bladder, which is used as a proof-of-concept in vitro model and an electromagnetic motion tracker. The 3D tracked tip trajectory results ensure that the motion sequencing program and the steering mechanism efficiently move the image probe to scan the entire inner tissue layer of the bladder. The compared experimental results shows 5.1% tip positioning error to the designed trajectory given by the simulation tool. The authors believe that further development of this concept will help guarantee that a tumor or other characteristic of the bladder surface is not overlooked during the automated cystoscopic procedure due to a failure to image it.
A Single Microfocus (5% or Less) of Gleason 6 Prostate Cancer at Biopsy—Can We Predict Adverse Pathological Outcomes?

Purpose: Patients with Gleason score 6 microfocal prostate cancer, defined as 5% or less in 1 biopsy core, are often considered to have favorable disease. Few studies have addressed clinical parameters that predict pathological upgrading or up staging at radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: From a prospective database of 1,271 consecutive robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomies performed from 2003 to 2008 patients with Gleason score 6 microfocal prostate cancer were identified. Adverse pathological outcome was defined as any upgrading and/or up staging on prostatectomy pathological findings. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the ability of patient age, clinical stage, the total number of biopsy cores, preoperative prostate specific antigen, prostate volume and pathological prostate specific antigen density to predict adverse pathological outcomes.Results: A total of 192 patients with a median age of 59 years (range 42 to 73) were identified with Gleason score 6 prostate can...
Rapid hypothermic aortic flush can achieve survival without brain damage after 30 minutes cardiac arrest in dogs

BackgroundNeither exsanguination to pulselessness nor cardiac arrest of 30 min duration can be reversed with complete neurologic recovery using conventional resuscitation methods. Techniques that might buy time for transport, surgical hemostasis, and initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass or other res
Dimerization of Hsp90 Is Required for in Vivo Function DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF MONOMERS AND DIMERS

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) plays a central role in signal transduction and has emerged as a promising target for anti-cancer therapeutics, but its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. At physiological concentration, Hsp90 predominantly forms dimers, but the function of full-length monomers in cells is not clear. Hsp90 contains three domains: the N-terminal and middle domains contribute directly to ATP binding and hydrolysis and the C domain mediates dimerization. To study the function of Hsp90 monomers, we used a single-chain strategy that duplicated the C-terminal dimerization domain. This novel monomerization strategy had the dual effect of stabilizing the C domain to denaturation and hindering intermolecular association of the ATPase domain. The resulting construct was predominantly monomeric at physiological concentration and did not function to support yeast viability as the sole Hsp90. The monomeric construct was also defective at ATP hydrolysis and the activation of a kinase and steroid receptor substrate in yeast cells. The ability to support yeast growth was rescued by the addition of a coiled-coil dimerization domain, indicating that the parental single-chain construct is functionally defective because it is monomeric.
The Bitter and the Sweet: An Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of Religiousness

Psychologists have tended to view religion from a distance as a global, undifferentiated, stable process that is largely good or largely bad. This article presents a more fine-grained analysis of religion and its implications for well-being, positive and negative. The empirical literature points to five conclusions. First, some forms of religion are more helpful than others. Well-being has been linked positively to a religion that is internalized, intrinsically motivated, and based on a secure relationship with God and negatively to a religion that is imposed, unexamined, and reflective of a tenuous relationship with God and the world. Second, there are advantages and disadvantages to even controversial forms of religion, such as fundamentalism. Third, religion is particularly helpful to socially marginalized groups and to those who embed religion more fully in their lives. Fourth, religious beliefs and practices appear to be especially valuable in stressful situations that push people to the limits of th...
Macroscopic measure of the cohesive length scale: Fracture of notched single-crystal silicon

~Received 19 December 2002; revised manuscript received 30 May 2003; published 13 November 2003! We study atomistically the fracture of single-crystal silicon at atomically sharp notches with opening angles of 0° ~a crack!, 70.53°, 90° and 125.3°. Such notches occur in silicon that has been formed by etching into microelectromechanical structures and tend to be the initiation sites for failure by fracture of these structures. Analogous to the stress intensity factor of traditional linear elastic fracture mechanics which characterizes the stress state in the limiting case of a crack, there exists a similar parameter K for the case of the notch. In the case of silicon, a brittle material, this characterization appears to be particularly valid. We use three interatomic potentials; that which gives critical K values closest to experiment is the modified embedded atom method ~MEAM!. Because the units of K depend on the notch angle, the shape of the K versus angle plot depends on the units used. In particular when an atomic length unit is used the plot is almost flat, showing—in principle, from macroscopic observations alone—the association of an atomic length scale to the fracture process. Moreover the normal stress on the actual fracture plane at this distance from the notch tip turns out to be even flatter and emerges as a possible fracture criterion, namely 33 MPa at a distance of one A ~for MEAM silicon!.
Applying portfolio evaluation concepts to educational program screening

Faced with limited resources, multiple demands, and tight budgets, most colleges and universities use some form of program evaluation to assess operating results, to identify problem areas, and to suggest changes in resource allocation. Many institutions include some sort of periodic screening in their evaluation procedures to determine if more intensive, in-depth evaluation efforts are needed. Screening usually assesses results in relation to performance parameters such as student attraction/enrollment, placement, or cost efficiency. Frequently, it is used in planning and in making operating decisions. For example, programs or services which are inordinately expensive or which yield marginal results may become candidates for revision, for scaled back levels of effort, or for termination. A portfolio approach to evaluation can be especially helpful in limited resource situations. One benefit of the portfolio approach is the treatment of programs as assets which can be collectively compared against common criteria which reflect short and long term interests of the institution. Another benefit is that it can help focus management attention on critical issues and aid decision making regarding marginal performers in the portfolio. An implementation of the portfolio approach in screening the performance of educational programs is discussed herein.
The importance of teaching surgical history in a general surgery residency program

Abstract Because we recently realized our department had a shortcoming in teaching surgical history to our residents, which resulted in near total ignorance of the history of their chosen specialty, we decided to poll all the general surgery residency program directors in the United States regarding the teaching of surgical history. Questionnaires were mailed to 265 programs and 159 (60%) responded. Of this group, 149 (94%) reported that they were convinced that the study of surgical history had an important place in surgical education. However, only 19 of the reporting programs (12%) indicated that they had a formal program for teaching surgical history. With our departmental failing with regard to teaching surgical history, reinforced by the results of our poll, we opted to improve the teaching of history to surgical residents. We began a bimonthly, relatively informal surgical history session with presentations by residents and faculty. This has renewed interest in the history of our specialty of residents and faculty alike. We urge all programs to incorporate a similar surgical history format to benefit the program, but especially to benefit the residents.
Size-Specific Infrared Spectra of Benzene-(H2O)n Clusters (n = 1 through 7): Evidence for Noncyclic (H2O)n Structures

Resonant ion-dip infrared spectroscopy has been used to record size-specific infrared spectra of C(6)H(6)-(H(2)O)n clusters with n = 1 through 7 in the O-H stretch region. The O-H stretch spectra show a dramatic dependence on cluster size. For the n = 3 to 5 clusters, the transitions can be divided into three types-attributable to free, pi hydrogen-bonded, and single donor water-water O-H stretches-consistent with a C(6)H(6)-(H(2)O)n structure in which benzene is on the surface of a cyclic (H(2)O)n cluster. In n = 6 and 7 clusters, the spectra show distinct new transitions in the 3500 to 3600 wave number region. After comparison of these results with the predictions of ab initio calculations on (H(2)O)n clusters, these new transitions have been assigned to double donor O-H stretches associated with the formation of a more compact, noncyclic structure beginning with (H(2)O)(6). This is the same size cluster for which ab initio calculations predict that a changeover to noncyclic (H(2)O)n structures will occur.
On the continuity of state between amorphous solid and liquid water

Abstract Infrared absorption spectroscopy of very thin films (≈0.1 μm) of H 2 O(as) reveal that it is stable for of the order of minutes up to 160 K. This observation is used as a basis for discussion of the continuity of state between H 2 O(as) and liquid water.
Taste responses of the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

Abstract Taste responses of porcupines to chemical stimuli in fluid media were investigated using the 24 hr two-choice method. Porcupines distinguished between water and solutions of quinine sulfate at high concentrations. They were indifferent to solutions of several sugars and sodium saccharin. These animals rejected saline solutions at concentrations to which other mammals show indifference or preference. Data obtained with laboratory-reared, young porcupines were in agreement with those from the adults with respect to selection and ingestion of the sapid solutions.
Autoionization in atomic chlorine: Comparison of theories and experiment.

High-resolution spectra (0.07 and 0.14 A, full width at half-maximum) are presented for the region between 860 and 918 A of the photoionization spectrum of atomic chlorine. Comparison is made with several many-body theories. Significant disagreement with theory is found, particularly with the widths and profiles of the sharp autoionizing resonances.
Misconceptions in Van den Broeck's Representation of Misconceptions About Learning Disability Research

The methods and conclusions of Van den Broeck (in this issue) are evaluated from two perspectives: (a) statistical considerations and (b) theoretical models of IQ and achievement, specifically reading achievement. We consider the statistical model proposed by Van den Broeck for the regression-based discrepancy model (RDM) to be either irrelevant or conceptually inconsistent with current models of IQ and achievement. The resulting simulation produced exemplar cases that are not realistic in terms of practice. The theoretical representations of IQ and achievement were, in our understanding, inconsistent with contemporary models of either. We suggest that acceptable models support the use of the RDM as it has been proposed by us and by others as one component of the determination of the presence or absence of a learning disability.
Medial and distributively generated near-rings

In this paper we note some properties of fully invariant additive subgroups of near-rings and apply these results to d.g., medial, or subdirectly irreducible near-rings
Transforming philanthropy: Generativity, philanthropy, and the reflective practitioner

Development professionals exist in the gap between their institutions and their missions and benefactors and their values systems, providing a vital connection. Along with their benefactors, they too can be transformed in the development process and become more and more human through living well-examined lives.
Holocaust consciousness in the 1990s: Adrienne Rich's “then or now”

If the volume Dark Fields of the Republic is Adrienne Rich's most recent demonstration of her poetry's relationship to history, to her contemporaries, and to the future, then the sequence, "Then Or Now," is its black hole. Drawn partly from the letters between Hannah Arendt and Karl Jaspers, these poems exert a strong gravitational pull—absorbing both die volume's opening allusion to Brecht's "What kind of times are these," and its closing "edgelit" inscription of "truth from darkness." In her note to "Then Or Now," Rich implies that the sources of this force are aspects of Holocaust consciousness that continue to hold us in thrall. "While reading diese letters, she writes, she "had been reflecting on concepts of 'guilt' and 'innocence' among artists and intellectuals like [her] self in the United States. The poems owe much also to the continuing pressure of events" (78). Thus, the relationship between Arendt and Jaspers provides a genealogy for
Unitary Matrices and Contractions

This chapter studies unitary matrices and contractions. Section 6.1 gives basic properties of unitary matrices, Section 6.2 discusses the structure of real orthogonal matrices under similarity, and Section 6.3 develops metric spaces and the fixed-point theorem of strict contractions. Section 6.4 deals with the connections of contractions with unitary matrices, Section 6.5 concerns the unitary similarity of real matrices, and Section 6.6 presents a trace inequality for unitary matrices, relating the average of the eigenvalues of each of two unitary matrices to that of their product.
Modification of an automated liquid-handling system for reagent-jet, nanoliter-level dispensing.

Reducing the scale of biochemical reactions is becoming commonplace. Examples include the screening of large libraries of chemical compounds or gene sequences. These applications demand the ability to transfer sub-microliter volumes of fluid. To this end, we have modified a Hamilton® MICROLAB® 2200 with high-speed solenoids and a liquid pressurization system to modulate volume delivery down to the nanoliter level. Additional modifications include the use of sapphire-tipped dispensing nozzles and a high-resolution substage to assist in the construction of DNA microarrays. Techniques for characterizing the dispensed volume are presented.
Osteomyelitis Due to Bacillus cereus in an Adolescent: Case Report and Review

Non-anthracis Bacillus species associated with clinical infections are usually dismissed as contaminants or nonpathogens. As opportunists, however, Bacillus organisms can cause significant systemic infections including bacteremia, endophthalmitis, and pneumonia. Osteomyelitis with non-anthracis Bacillus organisms has been described in adults, although to our knowledge it has been described only once in a child. We report a case of chronic osteomyelitis due to Staphylococcus aureus and superinfection with Bacillus cereus in a 13-year-old adolescent. A Bacillus isolate should be considered a true pathogen in children with chronic osteomyelitis who have a poor clinical response to antistaphylococcal therapy.
A Disunited Nation and a Legacy of Contradiction: Queer Nation’s Construction of Identity

This essay examines Queer Nation’s “Queers Read This” flyer, combining a textual analysis of the flyer with an exploration of its uptake in print media. The author contends that the flyer rhetorica...
The how and why of teaching an introductory course in manufacturing processes

The author describes the philosophy, development, and content of the introductory course in manufacturing processes taught at Brigham Young University. During the course, students are involved in a wide variety of learning experiences. The course has been designed to help students learn about manufacturing processes and how things are made, the importance of integrating product and process design, and the importance of learning how to work together in teams to get things done. >
Infiltrating immune cells in the kidney in salt-sensitive hypertension and renal injury

The importance of the immune system in hypertension, vascular disease, and renal disease has been appreciated for over 50 years. Recent experimental advances have led to a greater appreciation of the mechanisms whereby inflammation and immunity participate in cardiovascular disease. In addition to the experimental data, multiple studies in patients have demonstrated a strong correlation between the observations made in animals and humans. Of great interest is the development of salt-sensitive hypertension in humans with the concurrent increase in albumin excretion rate. Experiments in our laboratory have demonstrated that feeding a high-NaCl diet to Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats results in a significant infiltration of T lymphocytes into the kidney that is accompanied by the development of hypertension and renal disease. The development of disease in the Dahl SS closely resembles observations made in patients; studies were therefore performed to investigate the pathological role of infiltrating immune cells in the kidney in hypertension and renal disease. Pharmacological and genetic studies indicate that immune cell infiltration into the kidney amplifies the disease process. Further experiments demonstrated that infiltrating T cells may accentuate the Dahl SS phenotype by increasing intrarenal ANG II and oxidative stress. From these and other data, we hypothesize that infiltrating immune cells, which surround the blood vessels and tubules, can serve as a local source of bioactive molecules which mediate vascular constriction, increase tubular sodium reabsorption, and mediate the retention of sodium and water to amplify sodium-sensitive hypertension. Multiple experiments remain to be performed to refine and clarify this hypothesis.
Relativistic coordinate shifting within three‐dimensional space

Let us consider that light, when viewed as a particle, forms a conic arc segment inscribed within the space viewed. The space (or frame) viewed is considered to exhibit a gravitational potential, and it is thus this potential that deforms the light path from a Euclidean/Newtonian derivation of a straight line to that of a relativistic curvilinear nature. Given a distance over this conic arc segment (assumed to form a parabolic arc segment) and a given time (considering the given distance involved), one derives a constancy of the speed of light of c, where c is considered as a constant regardless of the gravitational potential exhibited by the frame viewed. If we further consider that the Special Theory requires that light propagate on a linear measure as the velocity v (of necessity v being less than c on a comparable linear measure) between the axes concerned; then a displacement (in linear measure equal to c−v) occurs. The displacement evolved is then assumed to agree with the form of Maxwell. We assume that this linear displacement of c−v occurs upon the y‐axis of the frame viewed. Of necessity, a relative displacement must occur upon the x‐axis of the frame viewed. From the calculus, the dot products derived must vary in concept, in order to derive the totality of relative coordinate shifts occurring within any three‐dimensional space. One displacement is linear in nature, while the other is trigonometric in nature. We consider the displacement of Maxwell, Lorentz, Compton, and de Broglie to be linear in nature. Based on the principle of the Special Theory (and the other forms as mentioned), we consider the total displacement to be mechanically derivable. That derivation, once allowed, results the physics to agree with the observations complete to this moment in time. The paper concludes that the error in coordinate positioning shown by the global positioning satellite system (GPS satellite platform) is resolvable.