cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rates of silicate dissolution in deep-sea sediment: In situ measurement using 234U/238U of pore fluids

Abstract Bulk dissolution rates for sediment from ODP Site 984A in the North Atlantic are determined using the 234U/238U activity ratios of pore water, bulk sediment, and leachates. Site 984A is one of only several sites where closely spaced pore water samples were obtained from the upper 60 meters of the core; the sedimentation rate is high (11–15 cm/ka), hence the sediments in the upper 60 meters are less than 500 ka old. The sediment is clayey silt and composed mostly of detritus derived from Iceland with a significant component of biogenic carbonate (up to 30%). The pore water 234U/238U activity ratios are higher than seawater values, in the range of 1.2 to 1.6, while the bulk sediment 234U/238U activity ratios are close to 1.0. The 234U/238U of the pore water reflects a balance between the mineral dissolution rate and the supply rate of excess 234U to the pore fluid by α-recoil injection of 234Th. The fraction of 238U decays that result in α-recoil injection of 234U to pore fluid is estimated to be 0.10 to 0.20 based on the 234U/238U of insoluble residue fractions. The calculated bulk dissolution rates, in units of g/g/yr are in the range of 4 × 10−7 to 2 × 10−6 yr−1. There is significant down-hole variability in pore water 234U/238U activity ratios (and hence dissolution rates) on a scale of ca. 10 m. The inferred bulk dissolution rate constants are 100 to 104 times slower than laboratory-determined rates, 100 times faster than rates inferred for older sediments based on Sr isotopes, and similar to weathering rates determined for terrestrial soils of similar age. The results of this study suggest that U isotopes can be used to measure in situ dissolution rates in fine-grained clastic materials. The rate estimates for sediments from ODP Site 984 confirm the strong dependence of reactivity on the age of the solid material: the bulk dissolution rate (Rd) of soils and deep-sea sediments can be approximately described by the expression Rd ≈ 0.1 Age−1 for ages spanning 1000 to 5 × 108 yr. The age of the material, which encompasses the grain size, surface area, and other chemical factors that contribute to the rate of dissolution, appears to be a much stronger determinant of dissolution rate than any single physical or chemical property of the system.
Differences between bipolar compression and ultrasonic devices for parenchymal transection during laparoscopic liver resection

Objectives In laparoscopic liver resection, multiple options for parenchymal transection techniques exist; however, none have emerged as superior. The aim of this study was to compare operative characteristics and outcomes between bipolar compression and ultrasonic devices used for parenchymal transection during laparoscopic liver resection.
The conservative rhetoric of Richard M. Weaver: Theory and practice

Richard Weaver was not only an important theorist of rhetoric. He was also a major figure in the post‐war conservative movement in America. Since an important aspect of Weaver's rhetorical theory involves specific recommendations for conservatives, the critic can consider his persuasive endeavors and evaluate them in terms of his own theory. It appears that Weaver's rhetoric did not closely follow his advice for conservatives.
Resonances near the real axis imply existence of quasimodes

We prove that if there exists a sequence of resonances converging rapidly to the real axis, then for any strictly compact set K whose interior contains the scatterer, one can find a sequence of real quasimodes with quasimode states supported in K.
Effect of coupled chemical reactions involving the mediator species on voltammetry at a modified electrode

Abstract Equations are derived to predict the peak height, shape, and potential for the linear scan voltammetry of substrates that undergo mediated reduction at modified electrodes where the mechanism is complicated by preceding or following chemical reactions involving the immobilized couple. These coupled reactions occur whether or not the substrate is present. The primary effect of a preceding reaction is to shift the peak position on the potential axis; neither the shape nor height of the peak for the modified reduction of a substrate is altered. A following reaction influences the peak height and shape, but there is little effect on the peak potential. The treatment was applied to the investigation of the mechanism of reduction of hydrogen peroxide at a modified electrode.
Further observations upon the effects of phenobarbital pretreatment on the hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride.

Abstract Male rats received injections of phenobarbital on each of 4 successive days, while controls were given saline. At 1 day after the last injection, phenobarbital-treated rats displayed a marked proliferation of hepatic smooth endoplasmic reticulum and a significant reduction in hexobarbital-induced sleeping time. When phenobarbital- and saline-treated rats were tested at 8 days after their last injection, there was no difference in sleeping times, but hepatic smooth endoplasmic reticulum was still abundant in the drug-treated animals. When phenobarbital-treated rats were given carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) at 1 day after their last drug injection, there followed a 77% mortality and the livers of such animals showed massive or submassive hepatic necrosis. If the CCl 4 challenge was delayed until the eighth day after the last phenobarbital treatment, there was no mortality and the livers of such rats exhibited only a limited centrilobular zone of parenchymal injury, similar to that of the control groups. Those findings indicate that the proliferated hepatic smooth-surfaced membranes per se cannot be held responsible for the observed differences in CCl 4 hepatotoxicity. Rather, the results support the concept that hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme systems are involved in the hepatotoxic responses to CCl 4 administration.
Hurricane Katrina. Volunteer work--logistics first.

In this series of essays, physicians write about the unprecedented scale and impact of the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina. The authors discuss the immediate challenges they faced and address the public health concerns in the aftermath. Unexpected Necessities — Inside Charity Hospital
Kynurenines in the mammalian brain: when physiology meets pathology

The essential amino acid tryptophan is not only a precursor of serotonin but is also degraded to several other neuroactive compounds, including kynurenic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid. The synthesis of these metabolites is regulated by an enzymatic cascade, known as the kynurenine pathway, that is tightly controlled by the immune system. Dysregulation of this pathway, resulting in hyper-or hypofunction of active metabolites, is associated with neurodegenerative and other neurological disorders, as well as with psychiatric diseases such as depression and schizophrenia. With recently developed pharmacological agents, it is now possible to restore metabolic equilibrium and envisage novel therapeutic interventions.
Measurement of Persistence in 1D Diffusion

Using a novel NMR scheme we observed persistence in 1D gas diffusion. Analytical approximations and numerical simulations have indicated that for an initially random array of spins undergoing diffusion, the probability p(t) that the average spin magnetization in a given region has not changed sign (i.e., "persists") up to time t follows a power law t(-straight theta), where straight theta depends on the dimensionality of the system. Using laser-polarized 129Xe gas, we prepared an initial "quasirandom" 1D array of spin magnetization and then monitored the ensemble's evolution due to diffusion using real-time NMR imaging. Our measurements are consistent with analytical and numerical predictions of straight theta approximately 0.12.
Maximal ' CD80-uria ' with minimal change

Differentiation between minimal-change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis remains challenging, particularly at early stages in children and adults. Garin et al. identify urinary CD80 excretion levels as a potential marker to differentiate the former entity from the latter. Thus, CD80 expression on podocytes, which was initially described in mouse models of foot process effacement and human lupus nephritis, is now brought toward clinical application for use as a diagnostic biomarker.
Nucleation effects on the habit of vapour grown ice crystals from −18 to −42°C

Ice crystals have been nucleated and grown by a new method where supersaturation is controlled by combining static diffusion chamber and expansion chamber techniques. Crystals were nucleated and grown on diameter glass filaments at pressures of 500 to 300 hPa, typical of clouds with temperatures from −18 to −42°C, respectively. Crystals were also nucleated on particles of finely powdered silver iodide and kaolinite adhering to glass filaments, in order to investigate effects on habit due to different nucleating materials. Critical supersaturations for nucleation were measured for each case and were in good agreement with previous nucleation studies. Crystals were grown at ice supersaturations which ranged from less than 1% to just above water saturation. For ice growth below a critical supersaturation, nucleation was achieved by applying a brief adiabatic expansion to the static diffusion chamber with a filament in place and the chamber evacuated to the target pressure for the temperature of interest. Nucleation occurred at a critical supersaturation, followed by growth at a lower value. A review of past laboratory experiments and recent in situ observations reveals good agreement between laboratory and field observations when the effects of nucleating methods and growth times are taken into account. Contrary to studies which report the habit of ice as ‘prism’-like or columnar below approximately −22°C, the habit is found to be plate-like for temperatures ranging from −18°C to −40°C at ice supersaturations relevant to the atmosphere. Additionally, the plate-like-habit distribution is dominated by polycrystalline forms, which is consistent with aspects of past laboratory studies and recent observations obtained with improved aircraft instrumentation. The habits and habit distributions obtained from glass and kaolinite most closely resemble those observed in the atmosphere, while the results from silver iodide show large differences. Below −40°C, the habit becomes columnar except at low supersaturation, and is still dominated by polycrystals which appear as rosettes for ice supersaturations greater than about 20%. ‘Bullet rosettes’ were observed to nucleate and grow on clean glass threads below −40°C but not on kaolinite which predominantly grew single columns and irregular polycrystals with columnar components; silver iodide produced single columns with few polycrystals. This behaviour indicates that rosettes result from ice nuclei which share few or no crystallographic similarities with ice, and is consistent with that expected from homogeneous nucleation. Critical supersaturation measurements for nucleation were extended down to −70°C, and revealed that below −40°C ice crystals can nucleate on glass at ice supersaturations of 25%, and at values of approximately 15% on kaolinite or silver iodide. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society
Variable Magnification In A 1:1 Projection Lithography System

A technique for varying the isotropic magnification of a scanning ring field projection mask aligner has been developed. This makes it possible to completely compensate for scale changes that occur as a consequence of the integrated circuit manufacturing process and temperature changes from one masking step to another. Since magnification errors are often a major source of overlay error in full field projection systems, correction of magnification errors on a wafer-by-wafer basis substantially improves the overlay accuracy. The Micralign Model 500 instrument contains a number of optically weak fused silica refractive components. The main purpose of these elements is to extend the degree of optical correction over a much wider annulus than could be obtained in an all-reflective design. An additional property of the design is that a pair of the refractive elements known as strong shells, which are symmetrically disposed about an intermediate image plane, can also provide correction for a variety of optical characteristics, one of which is magnification. Small motions of the strong shell elements in the same axial direction can readily provide magnification changes on the order of 25 parts per million. In order to produce an isotropic magnification change across the wafer, any departure from unity magnification must also be accompanied by a corresponding linear shift in the relative positions of the mask and wafer as they are scanned through the annular field of the projection system. This is provided by a precise, pneumatically-controlled micropositioning stage which also provides accurate registration control during alignment. Design characteristics of the shell adjustment mechanisms, the microstage, and the control algorithms are presented along with test data showing a +25 parts per million isotropic scale change.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation: Future Directions for Air Disinfection and Building Applications

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) for air disinfection applications has relied on low-pressure mercury vapor lamps for decades. New design requirements have generated the need for alternatives in some uses. This study describes the current state of UVGI technology and describes future directions for technology development, including the use of lamps produced from nontoxic materials and light-emitting diode lamps. Important applications are discussed such as the use of ultraviolet germicidal lamps in developing countries, in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality, and for whole room disinfection.
Mapping the Body: Female Film Stars and the Reconstruction of Postwar Italian National Identity

The marketing campaign for the 1949 neorealist film Bitter Rice (Riso Amaro) directed by Giuseppe de Santis explicitly framed the voluptuous body of its female star, Silvana Mangano, dressed in cro...
UNILATERAL URETERAL OBSTRUCTION INDUCES RENAL TUBULAR CELL PRODUCTION OF TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-α INDEPENDENT OF INFLAMMATORY CELL INFILTRATION

ABSTRACT Purpose: Obstructive uropathy is a significant clinical problem that results in apoptotic renal cell death and progressive renal fibrosis. A number of different inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the pathophysiology of obstruction induced renal injury including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF)-α. The cellular source of obstruction induced renal TNF-α production and its relationship to renal inflammatory cell infiltration remain unknown. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and exposed to varying lengths of unilateral ureteral obstruction vs sham operation. The kidneys were harvested following renal injury and evaluated for TNF-α mRNA expression (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), TNF-α protein production (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), TNF-α cellular localization (immunohistochemistry) and leukocyte infiltration (leukocyte staining). Results: Renal TNF-α mRNA expression and protein production peaked following 3 days of ureteral obstruction (54 ± 5% vs sham 22 ± 9% of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA, p Conclusions: TNF-α is produced by the renal cortical tubular cells in response to ureteral obstruction and independent of a significant inflammatory cell infiltrate. Identification of the cellular source of TNF-α expression during renal obstruction may have therapeutic implications for the targeted inhibition of TNF-α production and potential amelioration of obstructive renal injury.
Ovol2 Suppresses Cell Cycling and Terminal Differentiation of Keratinocytes by Directly Repressing c-Myc and Notch1

Ovol2 belongs to the Ovo family of evolutionarily conserved zinc finger transcription factors that act downstream of key developmental signaling pathways including Wg/Wnt and BMP/TGF-β. We previously reported Ovol2 expression in the basal layer of epidermis, where epidermal stem/progenitor cells reside. In this work, we use HaCaT human keratinocytes to investigate the cellular and molecular functions of Ovol2. We show that depletion of Ovol2 leads to transient cell expansion but a loss of cells with long term proliferation potential. Mathematical modeling and experimental findings suggest that both faster cycling and precocious withdrawal from the cell cycle underlie this phenotype. Ovol2 depletion also accelerates extracellular signal-induced terminal differentiation in two- and three-dimensional culture models. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter, and functional rescue assays, we demonstrate that Ovol2 directly represses two critical downstream targets, c-Myc and Notch1, thereby suppressing keratinocyte transient proliferation and terminal differentiation, respectively. These findings shed light on how an epidermal cell maintains a proliferation-competent and differentiation-resistant state.
Identification of functional modules in a PPI network by bounded diameter clustering.

Dense subgraphs of Protein–Protein Interaction (PPI) graphs are assumed to be potential functional modules and play an important role in inferring the functional behavior of proteins. Increasing amount of available PPI data implies a fast, accurate approach of biological complex identification. Therefore, there are different models and algorithms in identifying functional modules. This paper describes a new graph theoretic clustering algorithm that detects densely connected regions in a large PPI graph. The method is based on finding bounded diameter subgraphs around a seed node. The algorithm has the advantage of being very simple and efficient when compared with other graph clustering methods. This algorithm is tested on the yeast PPI graph and the results are compared with MCL, Core-Attachment, and MCODE algorithms.
Mapping leafy spurge (euphorbia esula) infestations using aerial photography and geographic information systems

Abstract Leafy spurge is a troublesome weed on the northern Great Plains of the United States that chemicals and grazing management have not controlled. Remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technology have been used to detect and monitor numerous grassland related problems. The objectives of this study were to use both technologies to map and quantify the extent of leafy spurge within Theodore Roosevelt National Park and to provide information for managing the infestation. Analysis of the data indicated that 702 ha of the 18,680 ha park were infested by leafy spurge; however, leafy spurge populations occurring under dense woody canopies, in deep stream channels, and on steep slopes were not always detected. Infestations were especially dense in the western and southeast portions of the park. Most infestations were restricted to riparian zones and smaller drainage channels. Leafy spurge infestations decreased exponentially as distance from stream channels increased (r2=0.98). The signific...
Childhood smoking: the research, clinical and theoretical imperative for nursing action.

Background Tobacco smoking is a major international health issue which nurses are ideally positioned to address. Childhood represents a critical period for intervention to prevent/reduce smoking. During childhood, the majority of smokers first experiment with smoking, are initiated into the smoking subculture and become addicted to tobacco. Children are highly susceptible to smoking as a result of developmental factors, which promote or facilitate high-risk behaviours, limited coping skills, limited defences and inadequate legal protection against youth-focused marketing of tobacco. Aim This paper is intended to sensitize nurses to the magnitude of childhood smoking as an international health problem and to familiarize them with current intervention approaches and care issues pertinent to child and adolescent populations. Method An extensive literature review was conducted to determine the impact of childhood smoking at the personal and community level, characteristics of child smokers, the processes associated with smoking cessation, intervention approaches and intervention models for use by nurses across the spectrum of clinical settings. Findings Evidence exists that behaviourally based interventions by nurses for smoking prevention/cessation are effective with children. Key components of effective behaviourally based antismoking approaches for smokers include addressing self-efficacy to quit, providing social support, resisting temptation to smoke and discussing issues related to relapse and relapse prevention. For all children, the reinforcement of non-smoking behaviour is essential. Intervention models, which can be incorporated into routine clinical care of individual children or with groups, emphasize the importance of parental involvement, routine screening for tobacco use and provision of a clear message that smoking and tobacco use is unhealthy.
A study of the enthalpy and entropy contributions of the stationary phase in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

The goal of this study was to elucidate the roles played by the stationary and mobile phases in retention in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) in terms of their individual enthalpic and entropic contribution to the Gibbs free energy of retention. The experimental approach involved measuring standard enthalpies of transfer of alkylbenzenes from typical mobile phases used in RPLC (methanol/water and acetonitrile/water mixtures), as well as from n-hexadecane (a simple analogue of the stationary phase) to the gas phase, using high-precision headspace gas chromatography. By combining the measured enthalpies with independently measured free energies of transfer, the entropies of transfer were obtained. This allowed us to examine more fully the contribution that each phase makes to the overall retention. It was found that the standard enthalpy of retention in RPLC (i.e., solute transfer from the mobile phase to the stationary phase) is favorable, due to the large and favorable stationary-phase contribu...
Experimental study of XUV laser produced plasma sheet for a microwave agile mirror application

Summary form only. An excimer-laser (/spl lambda/=193 nm, r=17 nS, E=20 mJ) along with a cylindrical lens system is utilized to produce a sheet plasma, in an organic gas (TMAE). The plasma has a peak density of 3.5/spl times/10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/ and a "sheet" like profile of 0.2-0.7 cm/spl times/8 cm/spl times/20 cm. The effect of the lens system on the plasma, sheet thickness is examined. The triple probe measured plasma temperature (T/sub e//spl ap/1 eV) agrees with the postulation of single-photon absorption-ionization process. The plasma density spatial decay along the laser beam, which is associated with TMAE photon absorption length, is measured. The absorption length is found to be a function of base pressure of the neutral working gas. We have obtained an optimal window of TMAE base pressure at 50-150 mTorr. Within this optimal pressure range a plasma formation can have a long absorption length (L/sub a//spl ges/10 cm), relatively high plasma density (n/sub e//spl ges/5/spl times/10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/), and lifetime of 5 /spl mu/s. A 1-D plasma diffusion model is proposed and solved both analytically and numerically. Comparison of the modeling and the measured results yields accurate values for the plasma diffusion and recombination coefficients.
Package Parasitic Inductance Extraction and Simulation Model Development for the High-Voltage Cascode GaN HEMT

This paper presents the development of a simulation model for high-voltage gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT) in a cascode structure. A method is proposed to accurately extract the device package parasitic inductance, which is of vital importance to better predict the high-frequency switching performance of the device. The simulation model is verified by a double-pulse tester, and the results match well both in terms of device switching waveform and switching energy. Based on the simulation model, an investigation of the package influence on the cascode GaN HEMT is presented, and several critical parasitic inductances are identified and verified. Finally, a detailed loss breakdown is made for a buck converter, including a comparison between hard switching and soft switching. The results indicate that the switching loss is a dominant part of the total loss under hard-switching conditions in megahertz high-frequency range and below 8~10 A operation current; therefore, soft switching is preferred to achieve high-frequency and high-efficiency operation of the high-voltage GaN HEMT.
Mediterraneo Interrupted: Perils and Potentials of Representing Italy's Occupations in Greece and Libya Through Film

AbstractThis essay makes an intervention in the growing field of Mediterranean Studies by exploring the persistence of the Italian refusal to engage with its colonial history and legacy through the analyses of two episodes pertaining to the cinematic representation of Italy's occupation in the region. It studies the vicissitudes of Renzo Renzi's 1953 proposal for a film on the Italian occupation in Greece (1940–1943), entitled L'armata s'agapo (The Army I Love You), that cost him a military sentence and the demotion in rank, along with Moustapha Akkad's 1981 film The Lion of the Desert, which portrays the Libyan Resistance to Italian colonialism (1911–1943), shrewdly kept from public theatrical release in Italy. The essay argues that, when considered side by side and allowed to become public knowledge, these representations offer the possibility for mutual identifi cation by different spectatorships across the Mediterranean and may afford Italy the opportunity to come to terms with its own colonial past. ...
A Nonfluoroscopic Catheter‐Based Mapping Technique to Ablate Focal Ventricular Tachycardia

The recent introduction of a nonfluoroscopic electroanatomical cardiac mapping system (CARTO) is an exciting development in catheter ablation treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The system uses ultralow magnetic fields to locate a sensor positioned near the tip of a regular mapping and ablation catheter. The catheter location and electrograms are recorded and reconstructed in real-time and presented as a three-dimensional geometrical mapped color coded with the electrophysiological information. The CARTO represents an important tool to guide the ablation of patients who have focal tachycardia (e.g., right ventricular outflow tract [RVOT] tachycardia and idiopathic left ventricular [ILV] tachycardia). This study describes how the CARTO system is useful in mapping and ablating these arrhythmias. Two case illustrations, one patient with RVOT tachycardia and another with ILV tachycardia, are described in this article. The tachycardia was mapped and ablated using the new electromagnetic catheter technology creating an electroanatomical map of the arrhythmia focus for each tachycardia without fluoroscopy; both tachycardias were successfully ablated, terminated, and rendered noninducible. The CARTO system is useful in mapping and guiding the ablation of focal tachycardia and merits further study.
SU-FF-T-85: An Alternative Technique for Breast Tumor Bed Boost: MammoSite HDR Brachytherapy

Purpose: The use of the MammoSite applicator as an alternative technique for delivering the tumor bed boost is analyzed. The equivalent fraction size in MammoSite boost is estimated based on the LQ model. Method and Materials: 42 patients treated with MammoSite brachytherapy were investigated. Two electron fields were setup for each patient: based on the scar and based on the seroma shown on the pre‐scan CT. The electron energy was determined depending on maximum depth of the tumor bed on the CT scan. Isodose distributions were generated for each electron plan and compared with those from the MammoSite plan. Employing the concept of BED and EUD, the fraction dose for the MammoSite boost (2 fractions, bid. α/β=10Gy, Tp=15 days, α=0.3 cGy) was estimated to match the electron treatment scheme (10Gy in 5 fractions). The late toxicity was estimated as well. Results: V100 for the electron boost plan based on the scar were 39.7% and 69.2% based on the seroma location. The coverage was improved to 92.1% when the MammoSite applicator was used. There were no statistically significant differences for the V50 of normal breast tissue,lung V30, and maximum dose of the heart between the electron plan based on the seroma location and MammoSite boost plan. Contralateral breast received higher dose for the MammoSite plan. The estimated fraction size with and without considering the tumor proliferation were 3.04∼3.15Gy×2 fraction and 3.21∼3.32Gy×2 fraction, respectively. The late toxicity based on the calculated prescribed dose was comparable between the Mammosite and electron boost. Conclusion: Applying the MammoSite brachytherapy to deliver a boost dose to the primary tumor bed appears to be more precise relative to the conventional electron boost technique. The benefit of dose better localized to the target is expected to result in better local control.
Flow and Heat-Transfer Computations in Rotating Rectangular Channels with V-Shaped Ribs

Computations were performed to study three-dimensional turbulent flow and heat transfer in a rotating rectangular channel with V-shaped ribs. The channel aspect ratio is 4:1, the rib-height-to-hydraulic-diameter ratio e/Dh is 0.078, and the rib-pitch-to-height ratio P/e is 10. A total of eight calculations have been performed with various combinations of rotation number, Reynolds number, coolant-to-wall density ratio, and channel orientation. The rotation number and inlet coolant-to-wall density ratio were varied from 0.0 to 0.28 and from 0.122 to 0.40, respectively, whereas the Reynolds number was varied from 10 4 to 5 × × 10 5 . Three channel orientations (90, − −135, and 135 deg from the rotation direction) were also investigated. A multiblock Reynolds-averaged Navier‐Stokes method was employed in conjunction with a near-wall second-moment turbulence closure for detailed predictions of the mean velocities, mean temperature, turbulent Reynolds stresses, and heat fluxes.
A new concept of compliance for software engineering standards

Beginning early in the decade of the 1990s, the IEEE Software Engineering Standards Committee (SESC) initiated a set of long-range planning activities with the ultimate intention of reorganizing itself and its collection to better achieve its mission. Half a decade of intensive planning efforts have positioned us so that we now can clearly see a substantially different role for software engineering standards at the end of another half-decade. This position paper outlines some of those differences. Finally, it suggests that a new form of compliance with software engineering standards will result.
HYPERGEOMETRIC BERNOULLI POLYNOMIALS AND APPELL SEQUENCES

There are two analytic approaches to Bernoulli polynomials Bn(x): either by way of the generating function zexz/(ez - 1) = ∑ Bn(x)zn/n! or as an Appell sequence with zero mean. In this article, we discuss a generalization of Bernoulli polynomials defined by the generating function zN exz/(ez - TN-1(z)), where TN(z) denotes the Nth Maclaurin polynomial of ez, and establish an equivalent definition in terms of Appell sequences with zero moments in complete analogy to their classical counterpart. The zero-moment condition is further shown to generalize to Bernoulli polynomials generated by the confluent hypergeometric series.
Sex Offender Registration and Notification Policy Increases Juvenile Plea Bargains

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that South Carolina's sex offender registration and notification policy influenced juvenile sex offense case plea bargains. Two types of plea bargains were examined: initial sex offense charges amended to nonsex offense charges and amended to lower severity charges. Comparison analyses were conducted with juvenile assault and robbery offense cases. Archival data on cases involving 19,215 male youth charged with sex, assault, and/or robbery offenses between 1990 and 2004 informed analyses. Of these youth, 2,991 were charged with one or more sex offense, 16,091 were charged with one or more assault offense, and 2,036 were charged with at one or more robbery offense. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to model changes in the probabilities of plea bargain outcomes across three time intervals: before policy implementation (1990 to 1994), after initial policy implementation (1995 to 1998), and after implementation of a revised policy that included online registration requirements (1999 to 2004). Results indicate significant increases in the probability of plea bargains for sex offense cases across subsequent time periods, supporting the hypothesis that South Carolina's initial and revised registration and notification policies were associated with significant increases the likelihood of plea bargains to different types of charges and to lower severity charges. Results were either nonsignificant or of much lower magnitude for the comparison assault and robbery analyses. Suggestions for revising South Carolina and national registration and notification policies are discussed.
Three-dimensional analysis of transport and electrochemical reactions in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract A computational fuel cell dynamics (CFCD) model is presented to elucidate three-dimensional (3D) interactions between mass transport and electrochemical kinetics in polymer electrolyte fuel cells with straight and interdigitated flowfields, respectively. The model features a detailed membrane–electrode assembly (MEA) submodel in which water transport through the membrane with spatially variable transport properties and spatial variations of the reaction rate and ionic resistance through the catalyst layer are accounted for. Emphasis is placed on obtaining a basic understanding of how three-dimensional flow and transport phenomena in the air cathode impact the electrochemical process in both types of the flowfield. Fully three-dimensional results of the flow structure, species profiles and current distribution are presented for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with an interdigitated cathode flowfield. The model results indicate that forced convection induced by the interdigitated flowfield substantially improves mass transport of oxygen to, and water removal from, the catalyst layer, thus leading to a higher mass-transport limiting current density as compared to that of the straight flowfield.
Monotone Piecewise Affine Systems

Piecewise affine (PWA) systems are autonomous systems with discontinuous vector fields which are affine ordinary differential equations at the points of continuity. These systems have applications to many fields of engineering, including systems biology and traffic engineering. We define what it means for a PWA system to be monotone, and we provide a set of sufficient conditions for monotonicity of PWA systems with hyperrectangular invariants. Such sufficient conditions are useful for understanding the dynamics of such PWA systems and for designing controllers for qualitative, reference tracking. We apply these results towards the drug-discovery problem for the cancer-related p53 pathway.
Multiscale Computer Simulation of Tensile and Compressive Strain in Polymer- Coated Silica Aerogels

While the low thermal conductivities of silica aerogels have made them of interest to the aerospace community as lightweight thermal insulation, the application of conformal polymer coatings to these gels increases their strength significantly, making them potentially useful as structural materials as well. In this work we perform multiscale computer simulations to investigate the tensile and compressive strain behavior of silica and polymer-coated silica aerogels. Aerogels are made up of clusters of interconnected particles of amorphous silica of less than bulk density. We simulate gel nanostructure using a Diffusion Limited Cluster Aggregation (DLCA) procedure, which produces aggregates that exhibit fractal dimensions similar to those observed in real aerogels. We have previously found that model gels obtained via DLCA exhibited stress-strain curves characteristic of the experimentally observed brittle failure. However, the strain energetics near the expected point of failure were not consistent with such failure. This shortcoming may be due to the fact that the DLCA process produces model gels that are lacking in closed-loop substructures, compared with real gels. Our model gels therefore contain an excess of dangling strands, which tend to unravel under tensile strain, producing non-brittle failure. To address this problem, we have incorporated a modification to the DLCA algorithm that specifically produces closed loops in the model gels. We obtain the strain energetics of interparticle connections via atomistic molecular statics, and abstract the collective energy of the atomic bonds into a Morse potential scaled to describe gel particle interactions. Polymer coatings are similarly described. We apply repeated small uniaxial strains to DLCA clusters, and allow relaxation of the center eighty percent of the cluster between strains. The simulations produce energetics and stress-strain curves for looped and nonlooped clusters, for a variety of densities and interaction parameters.
Conquest and Survival in Colonial Guatemala: A Historical Geography of the Cuchumatán Highlands, 1500-1821

Compared to what is known about Mexico and Peru, our knowledge of the encounter between Spaniards and Indians in much of Central America remains blurred and speculative. While works exist that deal with the isthmus of Central America as a whole and the nation states that emerged within it, few detailed regional studies are available. Based primarily on unpublished archival sources, this work examines the impact of Spanish rule in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, an isolated region of north-western Guatemala. The Maya peoples who live there withstood the onslaught of European intrusion to a degree little known or appreciated before the original publication of "Conquest and survival in colonial Guatemala". This revised edition includes a new preface, an updated bibliography, and a substantive epilogue that stresses the theme of native resistance to Spanish domination. Maya resistance was demonstrated physically in the form of armed struggle and rebellion, and expressed culturally through fugitivism, idolatry, tax evasion, monolinguism, and civil disobedience. In chapters that focus on land, settlement, economy, and population, Lovell exposes the colonial roots of problems at the heart of Guatemala's current political crisis. "Conquest and survival in colonial Guatemala" modifies certain generalizations about the impact of Spanish rule in Central America and sharpens our understanding of how varied native response to this outside presence was. Spanish imperialism penetrated and left its mark on even the remote Cuchumatan highlands, but the vibrant Maya culture found there was not obliterated; indeed, although under considerable duress, it endures to this day.
Association of a F479L variant in the cytosolic phospholipase A2 gene (PLA2G4A) with decreased glucose turnover and oxidation rates in Pima Indians

Abstract Phospholipase A2, Group IVA (PLA2G4A) belongs to the class of cytosolic calcium-dependent phospholipases (cPLA2s) that preferentially cleave arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane glycerophospholipids. AA and AA metabolites play key roles in glucose disposal and insulin secretion. PLA2G4A is located on Chromosome 1q, where a number of groups have reported linkage to type 2 diabetes mellitus. We have screened the PLA2G4A gene and identified a C→G variant, which predicts a phenylalanine to leucine substitution. In logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and birth year, we found a trend toward association between this SNP and diabetes [OR=1.53 (0.97–2.40); p=0.06]. Individuals with the variant genotype had lower mean basal endogenous glucose output (1.8±0.03 vs. 1.9±0.01 mg / kg EMBS / min ; p=0.04) and lower mean basal glucose oxidation (1.2±0.11 vs. 1.4±0.03 mg / kg EMBS / min ; p=0.005) compared to individuals with the wild-type genotype. During a low dose insulin infusion, non-diabetic individuals with the variant genotype had a lower mean glucose oxidation (1.9±0.11 vs. 2.0±0.03 mg / kg EMBS / min ; p=0.04) and total glucose turnover rate (2.5±0.22 vs. 2.6±0.06 mg / kg EMBS / min ; p=0.01) compared to subjects with the wild-type genotype. In addition, under basal conditions, individuals with the variant genotype had a higher mean lipid oxidation rate compared to individuals with the wild-type genotype (0.77±0.25 vs. 0.67±0.23 mg / kg EMBS / min ; p=0.02). These results provide evidence supporting a role for the eicosanoid biosynthesis pathway in type 2 diabetes mellitus pathophysiology.
Lamb Wave Tuning Between Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors and Host Structure: Experiments and Modeling

In structural health monitoring (SHM), a network of embedded sensors permanently bonded to the structure is used to monitor the presence and extent of damage. The sensors can actively interrogate the structure through ultrasonic waves. Among the ultrasonic waves, Lamb waves are quite convenient because they can propagate at large distances in plates and then interrogate a large area. Lamb waves in a plate can be produced with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) that are small, inexpensive, unobtrusive transducers. PWAS can be surface-mounted on an existing structured or placed inside composite materials. PWAS sensors use the piezoelectric principle. An alternating voltage applied to the PWAS terminals produces an oscillatory expansion and contraction of the PWAS. An oscillatory expansion and contraction of the PWAS produces an alternating voltage at the PWAS terminals. PWAS are bonded to the structure through an adhesive layer; the coupling with the investigated structure is higher then conventional transducers. If the PWAS bonded to the structure is excited, it couples its in-plane motion with the Lamb wave particle motion on the material surfaces. In previous studies, the Lamb wave mode tuning between PWAS and isotropic plates has been observed experimentally and theoretically. Recently experiments have been performed to verify the presence of tuning between bonded PWAS and composite plates. In the present paper, it will be discussed a method, normal mode expansion (NME), for predicting the tuning frequencies of the PWAS-plate structure. This method can be used for both isotropic and non-isotropic material. Experimental values for the tuning frequencies in isotropic plates are compared with the theoretically data obtain with integral transform solution and NME.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Il Borgo e la borgata. I ragazzi di don Bosco e l'altra Roma del dopoguerra

Alessandro Portelli (ed.) (2002) Il Borgo e la borgata. I ragazzi di don Bosco e l'altra Roma del dopoguerra (Rome: Donzelli Editore), 148 pp., ISBN: 88-7989-729-2, [euro]18.00, soft cover In Il Bo...
No Place Like Home? Outpatient Management of Patients With Febrile Neutropenia and Low Risk

and positron emission tomography in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor treated at a single institution with imatinib mesylate: Proposal of new computed tomography response criteria. J Clin Oncol 25:1753-1759, 2007 45. Choi H, Charnsangavej C, de Castro Faria S, et al: CT evaluation of the response of gastrointestinal stromal tumors after imatinib mesylate treatment: A quantitative analysis correlated with FDG PET findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 183:1619-1628, 2004 46. Lencioni R, Llovet JM: Modified RECIST (mRECIST) assessment for hepatocellular carcinoma. Semin Liver Dis 30:52-60, 2010 47. Abou-Alfa GK, Schwartz L, Ricci S, et al: Phase II study of sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 24:4293-4300, 2006 48. Abou-Alfa GK, Zhao B, Capanu M, et al: Tumor necrosis as a correlate for response in subgroup of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib. ESMO 2008, Stockholm, Sweden. Ann Oncol 19:viii178, 2008 (suppl 8; abstr 547P)
Biofeedback as a Treatment for Childhood Hyperactivity: A Critical Review of the Literature

Hyperactivity is a significant problem for which no causal theories have been unequivocally substantiated and one in which treatment approaches have met with limited success. Recent research in behavioral medicine has brought biofeedback into use as a treatment for disorders that are mediated by physiologic functioning, with hyperactivity as one such disorder. 36 studies are reviewed in which biofeedback was used as a treatment for hyperactivity. This review indicated that biofeedback treatments alone have not been effectively evaluated, and methodological problems with the current studies severely limit generalizations that may be made to hyperactive populations. Biofeedback in conjunction with other techniques appears to have promise for reducing some of the behavioral symptoms of the hyperactivity syndrome. Directions for further research are presented.
Application of coherence theory to propagation of a quasi-monochromatic field in a random medium

Starting from the partial differential equation for scalar wave propagation in a random medium, an integral equation is derived for the propagation of the second-order correlation function. In order to obtain the exact integral equation without resorting to perturbation theory, it is necessary to assume statistical independence of the wave function and the refractive index fluctuations. The physical basis for this assumption is reviewed, and a criterion for its applicability is proposed. The integral equation for the second-order correlation is then transformed into a wavenumber-spectral representation, resulting in appreciable simplification and permitting some direct interpretation.
The Scientist-Practitioner: A Boulder Model for Education

The purpose of the current work is to present a case for the need to train all graduate students in the field of education in quantitative methodology. The premise for this position is that practitioners like researchers benefit from such training. Through an understanding of research design and statistics, teachers, school leaders, counselors, etc. may become scientist-educators who engage in evidence-based practice, engage in strong educator-researcher collaborations, and possibly join the professoriate and prepare the next generation of scientist-educators. The underlying theme of the article is the extension of the Boulder Model from psychology, the scientist-clinician model, to education in order to benefit all educational practitioners and those with whom they work.
Abstract W P67: Defining A Therapeutic Window For Successful Intravenous Fibrinolytic Therapy In Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: A Subject Level Meta-analysis

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ophthalmologic emergency which results in blindness in a high percentage of affected patients. A wide variety of treatment methods have been proposed to manage the resulting retinal ischemia; however, all but fibrinolysis have proven unsuccessful and fibrinolytic therapy, while promising, remains of unproven and controversial benefit. The purpose of the current analysis is to assemble the published literature on systemic fibrinolysis in CRAO at the subject level and compare the results against the natural history of this illness to determine a time-window of clinical effectiveness of fibrinolytic interventions for use in future clinical trials. Subject level data was obtained for 157 cases. We conclude that systemic fibrinolysis is likely to be beneficial in the first 4.5 hours after symptom onset (odds ratio 3.5 [95% confidence interval 1.8 to 6.9, p
Abstract TMP33: Progesterone Prevents Hemorrhagic Transformation after tPA Treatment in Experimental Stroke

BACKGROUND: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only FDA-approved treatment for acute stroke. Unfortunately, because of its narrow time window and high risk-to-benefit ratio it is used in les...