cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate in the Historical Record of Sixteenth Century Spanish Florida: The Case of Santa Elena Re-examined

This chapter examines the challenges of re-creating and interpreting the role of climate in history for a time period with limited surviving written documentation. By drawing on data from dendroclimatology and archaeology, it explores the contributions these studies have made to our knowledge of the Spanish settlement of Santa Elena, located on present-day Parris Island, South Carolina from 1566 to 1587. This paper argues that only by pooling clues from surviving documents, archaeological investigations, and dendroclimatological data and analyzing these clues with a solid understanding of the historical context in which such colonization efforts took place, can we know the role that climate – or any other factor – played in determining this settlement’s fate.
Intellectual Property as a Tripod: Three Ways in Which IP Can Mitigate the Impact of Economic Crisis

This is the short paper and accompanying slides presented at the 5th International Forum on Creativity and Inventions, Nov 11-13, 2009 in Delhi
Case 2: Newborn with Persistent Apnea

A female neonate is born via spontaneous vaginal delivery to a 19-year-old primiparous woman at 35 1/7 weeks of gestation at a rural hospital following an uncomplicated pregnancy. The neonate initially cries at delivery but soon becomes apneic and bradycardic. She is resuscitated with positive pressure ventilation, chest compressions, and a dose of epinephrine via emergent umbilical vein catheter. Her heart rate is subsequently stable in a normal range for age. During the resuscitation, endotracheal intubation is not successful so she receives ventilation via laryngeal mask airway. Her Apgar scores are 1, 1, 4, 5, and 7 at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes, respectively. Her physical examination findings immediately after resuscitation are pertinent for diffuse hypotonia and decreased responsiveness. Her blood gas shows a severe mixed acidosis with pH 6.7, partial pressure of carbon dioxide 68 mm Hg (9 kPa), and base deficit 27. She undergoes intubation and passive cooling, and is transferred to the nearest NICU. She has moderate-to-severe encephalopathy on admission and undergoes therapeutic hypothermia for …
Viral FGARAT ORF75A promotes early events in lytic infection and gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis in mice

Gammaherpesviruses encode proteins with homology to the cellular purine metabolic enzyme formyl-glycinamide-phosphoribosyl-amidotransferase (FGARAT), but the role of these viral FGARATs (vFGARATs) in the pathogenesis of a natural host has not been investigated. We report a novel role for the ORF75A vFGARAT of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) in infectious virion production and colonization of mice. MHV68 mutants with premature stop codons in orf75A exhibited a log reduction in acute replication in the lungs after intranasal infection, which preceded a defect in colonization of multiple host reservoirs including the mediastinal lymph nodes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and the spleen. Intraperitoneal infection rescued splenic latency, but not reactivation. The 75A.stop virus also exhibited defective replication in primary fibroblast and macrophage cells. Viruses produced in the absence of ORF75A were characterized by an increase in the ratio of particles to PFU. In the next round of infection this led to the alteration of early events in lytic replication including the deposition of the ORF75C tegument protein, the accelerated kinetics of viral gene expression, and induction of TNFα release and cell death. Infecting cells to deliver equivalent genomes revealed that ORF75A was required for initiating early events in infection. In contrast with the numerous phenotypes observed in the absence of ORF75A, ORF75B was dispensable for replication and pathogenesis. These studies reveal that murine rhadinovirus vFGARAT family members ORF75A and ORF75C have evolved to perform divergent functions that promote replication and colonization of the host.
Longitudinal Associations of Neighborhood Crime and Perceived Safety With Blood Pressure: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Background High neighborhood crime and low perceptions of safety may influence blood pressure (BP) through chronic stress. Few studies have examined these associations using longitudinal data. Methods We used longitudinal data from 528 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (aged 45-84, nonhypertensive at baseline) who lived in Chicago, Illinois. We examined associations of changes in individual-level perceived safety, aggregated neighborhood-level perceived safety, and past-year rates of police-recorded crime in a 1, ½, or ¼ mile buffer per 1,000 population with changes in systolic and diastolic BPs using fixed-effects linear regression. BP was measured five times between 2000 and 2012 and was adjusted for antihypertensive medication use (+10 mm Hg added to systolic and +5 mm Hg added to diastolic BP for participants on medication). Models were adjusted for time-varying sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic status. We assessed differences by sex. Results A standard deviation increase in individual-level perceived safety was associated with a 1.54 mm Hg reduction in systolic BP overall (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.25, 2.83), and with a 1.24 mm Hg reduction in diastolic BP among women only (95% CI: 0.37, 2.12) in adjusted models. Increased neighborhood-level safety was not associated with BP change. An increase in police-recorded crime was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic BPs among women only, but results were sensitive to neighborhood buffer size. Conclusions Results suggest individual perception of neighborhood safety may be particularly salient for systolic BP reduction relative to more objective neighborhood exposures.
A Humanness Perspective of Organizational Personality: Scale Development and Initial Validation

Job choice research examines how applicants form perceptions regarding organizations, and how those perceptions influence important job choice outcomes such as organizational attraction and pursuit...
Special Topics: Cardiac Markers in Myocarditis: Cardiac Transplant Rejection and Conditions Other than Acute Coronary Syndrome

The utility of blood biomarkers of cardiac myocyte damage such as troponin T and I in the evaluation of acute coronary syndromes and heart failure is well established. However, some of these markers may also be elevated in other conditions, such as myocarditis, cardiac transplant rejection, and several other conditions. Recognizing this phenomenon is essential to avoid misdiagnosis of acute coronary syndromes. Furthermore, identifying an elevated troponin level in patients without acute coronary syndrome or heart failure may often have diagnostic or prognostic significance.
The Suicidal Patient

Suicidal patients occupy a special place in any clinician’s practice, largely because of the social, legal, and ethical implications of self-destructive behavior in our culture. As suicide is the most visible cause of mortality in persons with emotional disorders, intense family concern and a sense of professional vulnerability bring a certain urgency to the issues involved. A sound approach to these issues does not always preclude a suicidal outcome, but it can help to minimize preventable deaths, which constitute a tragic human loss and a source of severe stress to therapists and to vulnerable survivors.
Prevalence and Disproportionality of Autism Spectrum Disorders Among English Language Learners in Minnesota

The focus of research on disproportionality to date has been culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with emotional/behavioral and learning disabilities and mental retardation. There is a dearth of research on the representation of CLD learners with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Using data from the Minnesota Department of Education, we explored trends in prevalence rates of children who received autism special education services between 2001 and 2008, with a focus on students whose home language was not English. We found a dramatic increase over the past decade in prevalence rates of all students with autism, including English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong speakers. Disproportionate representation was evident among students whose primary language was not English, and there were distinct differences among the various home language groups and the ages at which they first received autism services. We discuss the complex interactions between ethnicity, poverty, immigrant status, and historical-c...
Spending Behaviors: Implications for Human Service Practitioners:

Recent studies in consumer behavior have focused on characteristics of a group of “compulsive consumers” and the urge to buy in a general population. However, little has been published on the asses...
Response-time data provide critical constraints on dynamic models of multi-alternative, multi-attribute choice

Understanding the cognitive processes involved in multi-alternative, multi-attribute choice is of interest to a wide range of fields including psychology, neuroscience, and economics. Prior investigations in this domain have relied primarily on choice data to compare different theories. Despite numerous such studies, results have largely been inconclusive. Our study uses state-of-the-art response-time modeling and data from 12 different experiments appearing in six different published studies to compare four previously proposed theories/models of these effects: multi-alternative decision field theory (MDFT), the leaky-competing accumulator (LCA), the multi-attribute linear ballistic accumulator (MLBA), and the associative accumulation model (AAM). All four models are, by design, dynamic process models and thus a comprehensive evaluation of their theoretical properties requires quantitative evaluation with both choice and response-time data. Our results show that response-time data is critical at distinguishing among these models and that using choice data alone can lead to inconclusive results for some datasets. In conclusion, we encourage future research to include response-time data in the evaluation of these models.
Complications and hospital costs during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States.

While the initial hospitalization accounts for 75% of total healthcare costs during the first 100 days following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), there is a lack of studies evaluatin...
Comparisons of Experimental and Simulated Velocity Fields in Membrane Module Spacers

Spacers are used in spiral wound and plate and frame membrane modules to create flow channels between adjacent membrane layers and mix fluid within the flow channel. Flow through the spacer has a significant beneficial impact on mixing and resulting mass transfer rates but is accompanied by an undesirable increase in pressure drop. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a common tool used to evaluate the effect of spacer design on fluid flow. While numerous theoretical studies are reported in the literature, confirmation of simulation results through experimental velocity field measurements is limited. Comparisons of CFD simulations with experimental velocity measurements using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) for traditional symmetric diamond and asymmetric spacer designs and a novel static mixing spacer design are presented. The results include comparisons of the two velocity components in planes parallel to the flow channel walls for the diamond and asymmetric spacer as well as the first reported comparisons of all three velocity components for the static mixing spacer. The results indicate good agreement between theory and experiment and help validate the use of CFD for spacer design.
Affective Variables and Motivation as Predictors of Proficiency in English as a Foreign Language.

English has become a key subject of educational systems worldwide. Thus, researchers have centered their attention on psychosocial processes that influence English proficiency in EFL settings. The aim of our study was to investigate the relation between affective variables, motivation and proficiency and assess which attitudinal/motivational domains can better predict English proficiency. Mini AMTB and English Proficiency test were employed to a sample of 354 university students. Our findings showed that students’ achievement was significantly associated with their motivational intensity, their attitude towards learning English and their desire to learn it, as well as with their opinion of English native speakers and their perception of the quality of the English course. Secondly, instrumental orientation, motivational intensity, attitude towards learning English, and students’ perception of the quality of the English course were found to be the predictors of achievement. Thus, creating a culturally enriching in-class environment based on student-centered strategies could impact on pupils’ proficiency more than teachers’ teaching abilities and in-class attitude.
Regulatory Science, and How Device Regulation Will Shape Our Future

Pediatric medical device approvals lag behind adult approvals. Historically, medical devices have rarely been designed specifically for children, but use in children has most often borrowed from adult or general use applications. While a variety of social, economic, and clinical factors have contributed to this phenomenon, the regulatory process remains a fundamental aspect of pediatric device development and commercialization. FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) has established programmatic and technological areas of advancement to support innovation that serves the public health needs of children and special populations. We highlight four regulatory areas that have the potential to shape the future of pediatric cardiology: the CDRH Early Feasibility Study Program, advancements in 3D printing or additive manufacturing, computational modeling and simulation, and the use of real-world evidence for regulatory applications. These programs have the potential to impact all stages of device development, from early conception, design, and prototyping to clinical evidence generation, regulatory review, and finally commercialization. The success of these programs relies on a collaborative community of stakeholders, including government, regulators, device manufacturers, patients, payers, and the academic and professional community societies.
International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature PhyloCode

The PhyloCode is a set of principles, rules, and recommendations governing phylogenetic nomenclature, a system for naming taxa by explicit reference to phylogeny. In contrast, the current botanical, zoological, and bacteriological codes define taxa by reference to taxonomic ranks (e.g., family, genus) and types. This code will govern the names of clades; species names will still be governed by traditional codes. The PhyloCode is designed so that it can be used concurrently with the rank-based codes. It is not meant to replace existing names but to provide an alternative system for governing the application of both existing and newly proposed names. Key Features Provides clear regulations for naming clades Based on expressly phylogenetic principles Complements existing codes of nomenclature Eliminates the reliance on taxonomic ranks in favor of phylogenetic relationships Related Titles: Rieppel, O. Phylogenetic Systematics: Haeckel to Hennig (ISBN 978-1-4987-5488-0) de Queiroz, K., Cantino, P. D. and Gauthier, J. A. Phylonyms: A Companion to the PhyloCode (ISBN 978-1-138-33293-5).
A real-world comparison of efficacy and toxicity of FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine to nab-paclitaxel in treatment of advanced stage pancreatic cancer.

e16728Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a dreaded malignancy accounting for 7% of all cancer related deaths in the United States. The two most used chemotherapeutic regimens are a combinatio...
Endocrinology and blubber physiology

Abstract Although endocrine research on bowheads is limited to date, research on other mysticetes shows hormones can be quantified in many different sample types from living and harvested whales. Hormone analyses are used to assess reproductive status, stress, and metabolism. While concentrations vary between tissues, general hormone patterns occur. Elevated progesterone detects pregnancy, androgens reflect male sexual maturity and seasonality, glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones inform about stress and energetics. Blubber plays a key role in energy deposition and utilization controlled by leptin. Hormones are classically measured in blood, while fecal metabolites provide integrative physiological data, and hormones in exhaled breath have potential to collect real-time physiological data. Hormones analyzed in baleen and earplugs generate a longitudinal record of data while the whale was alive. Endocrine studies are a valuable approach to study reproduction, stress, and energetics, and assess impacts of environmental and anthropogenic pressures on bowhead whales.
How Business Schools Can Integrate Data Analytics Into the Accounting Curriculum

We discuss how business schools can meet the growing demand for graduates with data analytics skills and that data analytics may develop into a core business discipline which business schools should teach.
Listening to and Crafting Stories: Cultivating Activism in Online Doctoral Students

The Johns Hopkins online EdD program prepares students as scholar-practitioners who become leaders and agents of change across educational contexts. Advocating for equity and social justice requires our students to not only immerse themselves in the relevant literature and learn the traditional skills of applied research but to master the art of communication through a sort of storytelling. Storytelling, in this sense, represents a means to gather and analyze data and understand and integrate diverse perspectives to engage and persuade relevant stakeholders (Moezzi, Janda, & Rotmann, 2017). The Hopkins first-year EdD programming and coursework emphasize the use of deficit-free language to understand people and problems, consideration of diverse perspectives and structuring inquiry with a systems-approaches to explore contextual problems using a mixed methods research paradigms. Together, the program's approach to student learning and practice-oriented courses and dissertation research contribute to training scholar-practitioners as activists who ask relevant questions, draw on multiple perspectives to craft potential solutions, adapt to a variety of contexts and circumstances, engage with diverse stakeholders, reflect on their own assumptions, and admit to and learn from mistakes throughout the process. Through a detailed accounting and examination of the JHU onboarding features and processes, particular course content and assignments, as well as the interplay of these elements, this paper will demonstrate how attending to language, perspective taking, context, and research inquiry support the development of scholar-activists.
The ship in the shop: An art history of late medieval ship models

This contribution represents an attempt at a first outline of an art history of late medieval ship models and their contexts of use. Focusing on the mid-thirteenth through early sixteenth centuries, an age of rapidly expanding horizons, this study examines the design and role of miniature vessels at the intersection between devotional practices, courtly culture, modes of patronage and technological change. It explores three categories of ship models in particular: ex-voto ships that were presented to a specific shrine after a miraculous rescue at sea or naval victory; nefs, which served as princely table decorations and containers of commodities such as salt and spices; and nefs that, subsequent to their use as banqueting props, were repurposed as devotional vessels that either contained relics or possibly functioned as ex-votos.
Online Detection of Inter-Turn Winding Faults in Single-Phase Distribution Transformers Using Smart Meter Data

Turn-to-turn faults between primary windings due to insulation degradation are a major cause of distribution transformer failure, and occur due to high levels of stress such as overloading and overheating. An additional consequence of these faults is an increased voltage on the transformer secondary due to effective change in turns ratio. This paper develops a novel method for early detection of insulation degradation and subsequent inter-turn winding failure by monitoring the transformer secondary voltage. The algorithm is based on a cumulative sum (CUSUM) statistic and compares voltages on neighbouring transformers to flag degrading assets. Results obtained from simulation as well as experimental data show that smart meter measurements can be utilized to achieve very high detection accuracy while keeping costs low. The paper also demonstrates the validity of the algorithm in the presence of measurement noise, residential solar power injection etc.
Sciara coprophila larvae upregulate DNA repair pathways and downregulate developmental regulators in response to ionizing radiation

Robust DNA damage prevention and repair strategies are crucial to faithful reproduction and inheritance of the genetic material. Although many molecular pathways that respond to DNA damage are well conserved through evolution, the quality and effectiveness of these systems can vary between species. Studies dating back for nearly a century document that the dark-winged fungus gnat Sciara coprophila (Order: Diptera; sub-order: Nematocera) is relatively resistant to irradiation-induced mutations that cause visible phenotypes when compared to the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Order: Diptera; sub-order: Brachycera). However, the molecular responses to irradiation for S. coprophila have yet to be analyzed. To address this gap, we first characterized the effects of ionizing radiation on S. coprophila throughout its life cycle. Our data show that developing S. coprophila embryos are highly sensitive to even low doses of gamma-irradiation, whereas larvae can tolerate up to 80 Gy and still retain their ability to develop to adulthood with a developmental delay of 5 to 8 extra days in the larval stage. To survey the genes involved in the early transcriptional response to irradiation, we compared RNA-seq profiles of larvae with and without radiation treatment. Our analysis showed that 327 genes are differentially expressed in irradiated larvae, with 232 genes upregulated and 95 genes downregulated relative to controls. The upregulated genes were enriched for DNA damage response genes, including those involved in DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis, whereas the down-regulated genes were enriched for developmental regulators, consistent with the developmental delay observed in irradiated larvae. Thus, our study has laid the groundwork to further dissect how Sciara copes with radiation-induced damage.
Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago

Like other industrial cities in the postwar period, Chicago underwent the dramatic population shifts that radically changed the complexion of the urban north. As African American populations grew and white communities declined throughout the 1960s and '70s, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans migrated to the city, adding a complex layer to local racial dynamics. "Brown in the Windy City" is the first history to examine the migration and settlement of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in the postwar era. Here, Lilia Fernandez reveals how the two populations arrived in Chicago in the midst of tremendous social and economic change and, in the midst of declining industrial employment and massive urban renewal projects, managed to carve out a geographic and racial place in one of America's great cities. Over the course of these three decades, through their experiences in the city's central neighborhoods, Fernandez demonstrates how Mexicans and Puerto Ricans collectively articulated a distinct racial position in Chicago, one that was flexible and fluid, neither black nor white.
Predictors of financial difficulties and work modifications among cancer survivors in the United States

Purpose The aim of this study is to examine predictors of cancer-related financial difficulties and work modifications in a national sample of cancer survivors.
Clinical implications of elevated PAI-1 revisited: multiple arterial thrombosis in a patient with essential thrombocythemia and elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels: a case report and review of the literature.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), a member of the serine protein family, is the most active in vivo inhibitor of fibrinolysis induced by plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA). While the association between elevated PAI-1 and thrombogenesis has been well studied for several disease processes, including coronary disease, postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT), myocardial infarction, malignancy, and diabetes, few studies have concentrated on the correlation between elevated PAI-1 levels and thrombogenesis in patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Essential thrombocythemia (ET), a chronic myeloproliferative disorder, characterized by the overproduction of poorly functioning platelets, is associated with both thrombotic and hemmorhagic life-threatening complications. Although the events resulting in thrombogenesis in such patients may be multifactorial in nature, an association between elevated PAI-1 levels and thrombus formation has been proposed. Herein we present a patient diagnosed with ET complicated by multiple episodes of arterial thrombosis. Elevations in PAI-1 levels were documented repeatedly. The role of elevated PAI-1 when associated with other disease processes is also discussed.
Association between hypogonadism, symptom burden, and survival in male patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND A high frequency of hypogonadism has been reported in male patients with advanced cancer. The current study was performed to evaluate the association between low testosterone levels, symptom burden, and survival in male patients with cancer. METHODS Of 131 consecutive male patients with cancer, 119 (91%) had an endocrine evaluation of total (TT), free (FT), and bioavailable testosterone (BT); high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP); vitamin B12; thyroid-stimulating hormone; 25-hydroxy vitamin D; and cortisol levels when presenting with symptoms of fatigue and/or anorexia-cachexia. Symptoms were evaluated by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. The authors examined the correlation using the Spearman test and survival with the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS The median age of the patients was 64 years; the majority of patients were white (85 patients; 71%). The median TT level was 209 ng/dL (normal: ≥ 200 ng/dL), the median FT was 4.4 ng/dL (normal: ≥ 9 ng/dL), and the median BT was 22.0 ng/dL (normal: ≥ 61 ng/dL). Low TT, FT, and BT values were all associated with worse fatigue (P ≤ .04), poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (P ≤ .05), weight loss (P ≤ .01), and opioid use (P ≤ .005). Low TT and FT were associated with increased anxiety (P ≤ .04), a decreased feeling of well-being (P ≤ .04), and increased dyspnea (P ≤ .05), whereas low BT was only found to be associated with anorexia (P = .05). Decreased TT, FT, and BT values were all found to be significantly associated with elevated CRP and low albumin and hemoglobin. On multivariate analysis, decreased survival was associated with low TT (hazards ratio [HR], 1.66; P = .034), declining Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (HR, 1.55; P = .004), high CRP (HR, 3.28; P < .001), and decreased albumin (HR, 2.52; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS In male patients with cancer, low testosterone levels were associated with systemic inflammation, weight loss, increased symptom burden, and decreased survival. A high frequency of hypogonadism has been reported in male patients with advanced cancer. In the current study, an increased symptom burden, systemic inflammation, weight loss, opioid use, and poor survival were found to be associated with decreased testosterone levels in male patients with cancer. Cancer 2014;120:1586–1593. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
The Hadley Circulation: Present, Past, and Future

Near the turn of the eighteenth century, two eminent British scientists—Sir Edmund Halley (of comet fame) and Sir George Hadley—put forth a conceptual framework aimed at explaining the nature of the observed wind patterns in the tropics. These early attempts at synthesizing what was known about the causes of the large-scale atmospheric circulation were amazingly prescient, providing the first scientific explanations of the phenomenon that now bears Hadley’s name (see Chapter 1, by P. Webster). This large-scale meridional overturning circulation spans half the area of the globe, and variability within this system affects the lives of billions of people. Along with the large-scale zonal tropical cells named after Sir Gilbert Walker, the Hadley circulation comprises fundamental regulators of the earth’s energy budget. Although the Hadley circulation is a well-known concept, surprisingly little attention has been paid to understanding the variability of the system on long time scales. This book is a step towards addressing the question of the nature and causes of changes in the Hadley circulation on multiple time scales.
Photography: Is it useful in learning how adolescents view hospitalization?

Abstract This pilot study explored the use of photography as a media for learning how adolescents view hospitalization. Six adolescents, 13–18 years of age were issued cameras with one roll of film and instructed to take pictures that would document their hospitalization. An interview using the adolescent's pictures was conducted with each subject. The camera was found to be useful tool and an effective means for helping adolescents share their view of a hospital experience.
Engineering Criteria 2000: the impact on engineering education

Engineering Criteria 2000 or EC2000 is the new set of criteria that Engineering programs must satisfy in order to be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). While some of the ideas behind EC2000 are certainly likely to have a positive impact on engineering education, others are questionable, and indeed may have a negative impact. The paper attempts to justify this claim by presenting some hypothetical programs and examining how they will fare under EC2000.
Near-infrared spectroscopy as a nondestructive alternative to conventional tablet hardness testing.

Purpose. Near-infrared reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to evaluate and quantify the effect of compression force on the NIR spectra of tablets.
THE ZINC/BROMINE BATTERY: RECENT ADVANCES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE APPLICATIONS

The advanced Battery Business unit of Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) is developing the Zinc/Bromine battery for electric vehicle applications. The battery's potential for good energy density, low manufacturing cost, and long life make it a paricularly attractive candidate. Other advantages include ambient temperature operation, a modular design which facilitates design flexibility, and minimal maintenance. In December of 1986, JCI was awarded a cost-share contract from the Department of Energy. Its main objectives are: (1) to continue research and development of the Zinc/Bromine battery core technology; and (2) to conduct the necessary battery engineering and testing to develop the battery for a proof-of-concept Zinc/Bromine electric van battery. The design specifications for the final contract deliverable battery correspond to application in the Ford ETX-II van. Advances in the core technology, including electrode substrate, separator, cathode activation layer, and electrolyte have significantly improved the systems's life and performance capabilities. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 860326.
Response: Avoiding the Rocks Between the Scylla of Normative Commitments and the Charybdis of Dubious Facts

How should one describe Francis Schrag’s effort in this essay to give useful guidance to policy scholars? It seems to be sufficiently removed from direct policy analysis that one would call it a meta-level critique of policy scholarship, especially that undertaken by his colleagues in philosophy of education. The broad outlines of his essay are this. First, Schrag asks us to consider what kinds of mistakes a policy scholar can make in his policy analysis and then gives us several illustrations of these purported mistakes in the work of some policy scholars. He suggests that policy scholars can easily make two kinds of mistakes: (1) the mistake of not examining hidden and problematic normative commitments that underlie their work; (2) the mistake of not noticing how dubious facts underlie their arguments—facts, which, if proven wrong, would distort their recommendations and weaken their analysis. I would suggest that these two kinds of mistakes are analogous to the rocks of Scylla and Charybdis awaiting Ulysses on his return home—they might destroy the vessel of the policy scholar’s argument. In the final third of his essay, Schrag asks us to consider other ways in which our normative commitments and theories can influence our policy analysis. Here he suggests that one’s normative commitments may play additional roles: (1) they may influence what facts might be admitted in a particular case and (2) they may influence what “normative lens should be used to interpret these facts.” Since I am in sympathy with much of the meta-level analysis Schrag makes, my goal here will be to extend his project through my own commentary and show its connection to some things he does not talk about—rather than quibble with every little thing in the essay I did not agree with. In general, Schrag’s essay does us a service by illustrating how policy analysis is grounded in our beliefs about what is desirable, that is, our normative commitments, and our beliefs about how the world actually works. I have virtually no disagreement with him at this point.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Sleep Disordered Breathing

Sleep-related breathing disorders are a common but often underdiagnosed condition both in adults and in children. It is now evident that abnormal ventilation during sleep can cause a range of adverse physiological sequela including autonomic dysfunction. Extensive research effort over the past two decades has demonstrated that patterns of cyclic variation in the heart rate (HR) or heart rate variability (HRV) are closely linked to partial reduction or complete cessation of airflow during abnormal breathing events (hypopnea or apnea) during sleep. These efforts culminated in the year 2000, when Thomas Penzel from the Hospital of Phillips-University in Germany and George Moody from MIT, with their collaborators, coordinated a global competition to stimulate rapid research advances in deploying the HRV signal to detect sleep apnea (Computers in Cardiology Apnea Challenge, 2000). The outcome of these efforts have motivated a number of prominent international research groups to use advanced signal processing methods to analyze the HRV signal and to develop dedicated instrumentation or software packages with the objective to detect sleep disordered breathing in symptomatic subjects at an early stage. A comprehensive review of the literature in this field reveals the value, reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and limitations of these methods and devices. Even though the ultimate goal of simplified diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing from HRV signal analysis is not fully realized yet, it is clearly established that the HRV signal carries a wealth of measures that are sensitive to sleep stages, sleep disordered breathing (SDB), and other disorders influencing the cardiovascular system. Thus, careful analysis of the readily accessible electrocardiogram (ECG) and its derived HRV signal, along with new and sophisticated nonlinear signal analysis methods provide the exciting promise that accurate separation of sleep stages and reliable detection of SDB as well as other disorders influencing the autonomic control of the heart is within reach. In this chapter, we first present a simplified and distilled overview of regulation of the HR by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), sleep physiology, and pathophysiology in children and adults. This is followed by a brief review of the HRV signal derivation and processing methods applicable to its analysis for detection of SDB. We conclude the chapter with an example graphical user interface and consider some issues associated with development of integrated software packages to facilitate the simplified detection of SDB from HRV signals. Keywords: sleep disordered breathing; autonomic nervous system; sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Local adaptation of microbial communities to heavy metal stress in polluted sediments of Lake Erie

Microbial communities must balance the assimilation of biologically necessary metals with resistance to toxic metal concentrations. To investigate the impact of heavy metal contaminants on microbial communities, we performed two experiments measuring extracellular enzyme activities (EEA) in polluted and unpolluted sediments of Lake Erie. In the first experiment, inoculations with moderate concentrations of copper and zinc appreciably diminished EEA from uncontaminated sites, whereas EEA from contaminated sediments increased or were only negligibly affected. In the second experiment, we compared the effects of three separate metals (i.e. copper, arsenic, and cadmium) on microbial community metabolism in polluted and unpolluted locations. Although copper and arsenic elicited differential effects by inhibiting EEA only in unpolluted sediments, cadmium inhibited EEA in both polluted and unpolluted sediments. Multivariate analyses of EEA from polluted sediments revealed direct associations among hydrolytic enzymes and inverse or absent associations between hydrolases and oxidases; these associations demonstrated resilience to heavy metal stress. In contrast, addition of heavy metals to unpolluted sediments appeared to have a higher impact on the multivariate pattern of EEA associations as revealed by an increase in the number of associations, more inverse relationships, and potential enzymatic trade-offs. The results of this study suggest community-level adaptations through the development of resistance mechanisms to the types and local levels of heavy metals in the environment.
Seismic performance assessment of self-centering dual systems with different configurations

Abstract Concentrically braced frame (CBF) systems have limited capacity for lateral displacement, causing structural damage that leads to high post-earthquake costs under moderate earthquakes. Self-centering concentrically braced frame (SC-CBF) systems have been developed to soften the lateral force–lateral drift response of the system without causing structural damage; however, the construction cost of SC-CBF systems is expected to be high due to the precision required in fabrication and erection. To take advantage of the ductility of SC-CBFs and the economy of conventional CBFs, a novel dual system has been proposed in which the lower stories of the lateral force resisting system are SC-CBFs and the upper stories are conventional CBFs. The SC-CBF system in the lower part of the dual system is intended to soften the CBF system's behavior and act as a ductile substructure for the CBF, reducing the post-earthquake costs (with respect to a full conventional CBF system) and the construction costs (with respect to a full SC-CBF system) in the dual system. Several combinations of SC-CBF and CBF stories can comprise the proposed dual system; more SC-CBF stories would be desirable to reduce damage during seismic response, but leads to more construction cost. To compare the different dual system configurations, seismic fragility curves are used to quantify the structural performance. In this study, probabilistic demand models for the selected engineering demand parameter are developed for assessing fragilities considering three performance levels. The demand model parameters are assessed based on nonlinear time history analysis of finite element models subjected to a suite of seismic ground motions. The results of this study show that the dual system has a better seismic performance for given seismic intensity than the CBF system.
Multivariate regulation of soil CO2 and N2 O pulse emissions from agricultural soils.

Climate and land use models project increasing occurrence of high temperature and water deficit in both agricultural production systems and terrestrial ecosystems. Episodic soil wetting and subsequent drying may increase the occurrence and magnitude of pulsed biogeochemical activity, affecting carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles and influencing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, we provide the first data to explore the responses of CO2 and N2O fluxes to (1) temperature, (2) soil water content as percent water holding capacity (%WHC), and (3) substrate availability throughout (4) multiple soil drying and rewetting (DW) events. Each of these factors and their interactions exerted effects on GHG emissions over a range of four (CO2) and six (N2O) orders of magnitude. Maximal CO2 and N2O fluxes were observed in environments combining intermediate %WHC, elevated temperature, and sufficient substrate availability. Amendments of C and N and their interactions significantly affected CO2 and N2O fluxes, and altered their temperature sensitivities (Q10) over successive DW cycles. C amendments significantly enhanced CO2 flux, reduced N2O flux, and decreased the Q10 of both. N amendments had no effect on CO2 flux and increased N2O flux, while significantly depressing the Q10 for CO2, and having no effect on the Q10 for N2O. The dynamics across DW cycles could be attributed to changes in soil microbial communities since the different responses to wetting events in specific group of microorganisms, to the altered substrate availabilities, or to both. The complex interactions among parameters influencing trace gas fluxes should be incorporated into next generation earth system models to improve estimation of GHG emissions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Atypical causes of curable renovascular hypertension: a review.

I N STANDARD textbooks of internal medicine,ie4 renovascular hypertension (RVHBP) is described primarily in terms of two major categories: atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ASRVD) and fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). These disease processes involve the main renal artery, although isolated branch lesions with similar pathology have been described.5-g We have recently become aware of a number of reports of patients with hypertension who have had other abnormalities of renal circulation in whom blood pressure (BP) became normal or significantly easier to control after a corrective procedure. In 1983, Hollenberg” reported on 269 patients with RVHBP. Of these, 181 had ASRVD, only 21 had FMD, whereas another 27 had other causes. In 40 patients, the diagnosis could not be definitely established but clearly was not due to main renal artery lesions. This series confirmed our impression that atypical causes of curable RVHBP were not unusual and, in the aggregate, may be even more common than FMD. The purpose of this review is to identify the wide variety of conditions found to be causes of atypical curable renovascular hypertension (ACRVHBP). We do not include the many instances of curable hypertension in patients with chronic unilateral pyelonephritis, as it is already well appreciated as a cause of secondary hypertension.“-14 Since it is well known that identical angiographic and pathological lesions can be found in patients without hypertension15 and that many patients have technically successful surgical procedures or angioplasty without reduction in BP, we have elected to include only those cases of ACRVHBP whose reported BP was normal while off all antihypertensive medication for at least 6 months after the curative procedure. Awareness of ACRVHBP is important since many of the patients discussed here had severe or resistant hypertension and screening procedures directed only at visualizing the main renal artery or assessing overall renal circulation would have failed to detect many of the lesions. Consequently, it is important to appreciate that complete arteriography of the renal vasculature, including selective and magnification views, may be necessary for making the diagnosis of ACRVHBP and should be considered in appropriate patients.
Illuminating the molecular basis for some antipsychotic drug-induced metabolic burden

The atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs), especially olanzapine (OLZ), quetiapine, and risperidone, are the most widely used treatments for schizophrenia (SCH) and other psychotic illnesses, having, in the last decade, displaced the typical antipsychotic drugs (TAPDs), such as haloperidol, chlorpromazine, and others of that class. However, as a group, the AAPDs are currently receiving an unprecedented level of scrutiny in the scientific literature and public forums because some recent well publicized studies have not confirmed some key aspects of their reputed advantages for efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and tolerability (1, 2). The propensity of OLZ, once the most widely used AAPD, to cause weight gain, glucose dysregulation, lipid increases, especially triglycerides, and diabetes mellitus (DM), including diabetic ketoacidosis, has been linked to the very high rate of ischemic cardiovascular disease and a 20- to 25-year-shorter life span of people with SCH in the United States. Clozapine (CLZ), which is much less widely used than OLZ because of its risk for agranulocytosis, produces weight gain similar to that of OLZ. In this issue of PNAS, Kim et al. (3) show for the first time that these two AAPDs stimulate hypothalamic AMP-protein kinase (AMPK) through histamine1 receptor (H1R) antagonism, a likely molecular basis for their metabolic liability. They demonstrate that activation of hypothalamic AMPK was abolished in H1R knockout mice. Other AAPDs that produce less weight gain than CLZ and OLZ were less effective at activating AMPK in intact animals.
Erosion and intrusion of silicone rubber scleral buckle. Presentation and management.

Objective To describe the clinical presentation and management of erosion and intrusion of silicone rubber implants that are used in scleral buckling procedures for the treatment of retinal detachment. Methods The authors identified four patients from their practices during the last 20 years (1978-1998) who had erosion or intrusion of silicone rubber scleral buckles that were used to manage retinal detachment. Approximately 4400 scleral buckling procedures were performed during this period. A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients was performed. Factors that influenced management decisions concerning the intruding buckle are emphasized. Results All four patients had myopia. The interval between placement of the scleral buckle and development of intrusion ranged from 1 to 20 years. The buckles were intrascleral in three cases and episcleral in one. Recurrent detachment and vitreous hemorrhage were indications for surgical intervention in three cases. After the surgical removal of buckling elements, visual acuity stabilized in all patients and the retina remained attached in all cases. Conclusions Erosion and intrusion of scleral buckle are rare complications of scleral buckling procedures. The intruding buckle may be left intact unless there is significant threat to the integrity of ocular structures, recurrent detachment, or hemorrhage. Manipulation of the encircling band or buckle does not necessarily alter the visual acuity or the status of the retina.
Group Work Practice in the Community: Navigating the Slippery Slope of Ethical Dilemmas

ABSTRACT Although rarely discussed in practice or in the literature, ethical issues and dilemmas frequently arise in task groups in the community. This article addresses three major ethical issues ...