cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differences in the fretting corrosion of metal-metal and ceramic-metal modular junctions of total hip replacements

The use of modular interlocking components is a central design feature of total joint replacements. In this investigation we hypothesized that clinically available ceramic-metal modular connections used in total hip arthroplasty release more metal through fretting corrosion than traditional metal-metal modular connections. This was investigated using an in vitro comparison of ceramic (zirconia, ZrO2) and metal (Co-alloy) femoral-head fretting upon Co-alloy stem components. In vitro fretting corrosion testing consisted of potentiodynamic monitoring and analysis of metal release from zirconia and Co-alloy 28 mm femoral heads with similar surface roughnesses (Ra=0.46 microm) on identical Co-alloy stems at 2.2 kN for 1x10(6) cycles at 2 Hz. In contrast to our original hypothesis, we found greater metal release (approximately 11-fold increase in Co and 3-fold increase in Cr) and potentiodynamic fretting of metal-metal modular junctions when compared to ceramic-metal. Potentiodynamic testing demonstrated that lower initial voltages (-266 56 mV, p 0.5 mV, p<0.05, t-test) were associated with the open circuit potentials of Co-alloy on Co-alloy junctions when compared to zirconia on Co-alloy junctions. In this study of a single total hip replacement stem and head design, zirconia heads mated with Co-alloy stems produced less fretting than Co-alloy heads mated with Co-alloy stems. Although further studies are necessary with a variety of implant designs and under different experimental conditions, the evidence presented here should, in part, alleviate concerns of increases in fretting corrosion at modular junctions of ceramic-metal coupled components.
Small- versus large-scale fishing operations in New England, USA

Abstract Most fishing fleets are composed of a diverse range of vessel types and sizes. The different types of fishing operations may vary significantly in their ability to meet policy goals and hence, in order to plan for optimal resource use, we need to know more about the overall performance of the different sectors in a fishing fleet. This paper compares small and large-scale fishing operations in New England, USA, in terms of a number of socioeconomic and environmental parameters, including employment, total landings, number of individual fishing units, fuel consumption, discard rates, and the amount of catch used for direct human consumption. The analysis is based on an extensive data set obtained from several databases hosted by the National Marine Fisheries Service, USA, and the fishing fleet was divided into small and large-scale according to a set of criteria based on vessel size, gear type, and value of catch. The results suggest that in New England, the small-scale fishing sector employs more people per landed tonne, uses more vessels, and achieves a higher value per landed tonne than their large-scale counterpart. In addition, a much greater proportion of the small-scale sector's catch is used for direct human consumption. Data on by-catch and fuel use are inconclusive as they are based on observer data, which are not representative of the entire fishery and especially under-reports for the small-scale fishing operations. However, it appears that small-scale fisheries may have a lower rate of by-catch, but that large-scale fisheries – at least for the majority of gear types – use less fuel per landed tonne than the small-scale operations. Similar results have been found in analogous comparisons fishing fleets in other countries. The evidence therefore suggests that while large-scale fisheries may perform better in terms of fuel efficiency and other variables, the small-scale fisheries may be better positioned to meet several policy objectives such as creating employment, maximizing the revenue for each tonne of fish removed from the ocean, maximizing the amount of catch that is used for direct human consumption, and perhaps minimizing by-catch.
Unusual case of scrotal trauma

Abstract A seven-year-old child sustained penetration of his scrotum by a broken swing chain while playing. Removal of the chain was accomplished under anesthesia. Vital structures were not injured, and the postoperative course was uneventful.
The functionlization of saturated hydrocarbons. Part 31. The Fe(pa)3 - and [Fe(tpa)Cl2]ClO4 - catalyzed oxidations of saturated hydrocarbons by hydrogen peroxide: A comparative mechanistic study

Abstract The Fe(pa) 3 and [Fe(tpa)Cl 2 ]ClO 4 catalyzed ( pa = picolimic acid, tpa = tris (2-pyridylmethyl)amine) functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons by H 2 O 2 in pyridine / acetic acid follows a common reaction pathway. Regioselectivity studies indicate, that a high valent iron species is responsible for the activation of the alkane. Alkyl hydroperoxides are the precursors for ketone and alcohol formation. Dioxygen provides the oxygen atoms in the alkyl hydroperoxide.
Best Practices in Mathematical Modeling

Mathematical modeling is a vehicle that allows for explanation and prediction of natural phenomena. In this chapter we present guidelines and best practices for developing and implementing mathematical models, using cancer growth, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy modeling as examples.
Dissolution kinetics of magnesium hydroxide for CO2 separation from coal-fired power plants

The dissolution of magnesium hydroxide in water for the release of magnesium and hydroxyl ions into the solution to maintain suitable alkalinity is a crucial step in the Mg(OH)2-based CO2 absorption process. In this study, the rate of dissolution of Mg(OH)2 was investigated under different operating conditions using a pH stat apparatus. The dissolution process was modeled using a shrinking core model and the overall Mg(OH)2 dissolution process was found to be controlled by the surface chemical reaction of Mg(OH)2 with H(+) ions. Under the chemical reaction control regime, the dissolution of Mg(OH)2 in alkaline conditions was found not to follow a first-order reaction, and the fractional order of reaction was estimated to lie between 0.20 and 0.31. This suggests that the dissolution reaction is a non-elementary reaction, consisting of a sequence of elementary reactions, via most likely forming a surface magnesium complex. The true activation energy value of 76 ± 11 kJ/gmol was found to be almost twice as much as the observed activation energy value of 42 ± 6 kJ/gmol determined at pH 8.6, and was comparable with the previously reported values. The particle sizes predicted from the intrinsic kinetics determined from the model were in good agreement with the experimentally measured particle sizes during the dissolution process.
The magnetic field in the Earth's tail

Abstract Detailed magnetic fields in the Earth's tail are calculated from a proposed model containing Beard's tail surface and a current sheet inferred from satellite observations. The component inside and perpendicular to the neutral sheet permits us to construct the drift pattern in the magnetic equatorial plane for charged particles. The computed results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results, although some deviations are noted.
A strategy for the use of bomb-produced radiocarbon as a tracer for the transport of fossil fuel CO2 into the deep-sea source regions

Abstract Because the equilibration time for CO2 gas between the surface ocean and atmosphere is an order of magnitude shorter than the equilibration time for the isotopes of carbon, bomb-produced radiocarbon cannot be simply used as a tracer for fossil fuel CO2. This difference is especially important for the areas of deep water formation. In this paper we derive the relationship between the isotopic equilibration time and chemical equilibration times for carbon between sea and air. We also show that if the distribution of a second transient tracer is measured, it is possible to circumvent the ambiguity associated with this exchange time difference. Tritium, while adequate in purely diffusive models, is not ideal as the second transient in models involving advection (i.e., downwelling). For such models85Kr or freon is a much better choice.
Antiapoptotic Cdc42 mutants are potent activators of cellular transformation.

Cdc42 is a small GTP-binding protein which has been implicated in a number of cellular activities, including cell morphology, motility, cell-cycle progression, and malignant transformation. While GTPase-defective forms of Cdc42 inhibit cell growth, a mutation [Cdc42(F28L)] that allows the constitutive exchange of GDP for GTP and is GTPase-competent induces cellular transformation. These results suggest that Cdc42 must cycle between its GTP- and GDP-bound states to stimulate cell growth. In attempting to design Cdc42 molecules with more potent transforming activity, we set out to generate other types of Cdc42 mutants capable of constitutive GDP−GTP exchange. Here, we describe one such mutant, generated by changing a conserved aspartic acid residue at position 118 to an asparagine. The Cdc42(D118N) protein exchanges GDP for GTP more rapidly than wild-type Cdc42, but significantly more slowly than the Cdc42(F28L) mutant. Despite its slower rate of activation, the Cdc42(D118N) mutant is more potent at inducin...
Linguistic Development in an Immersion Context: How Advanced Learners of Spanish Perceive SLA

This study focuses on how learners perceive the experience of their linguistic development, and particularly how contextual factors in the learning environment and individual issues such as linguistic goals, self-confidence, and friendship patterns interact with their perceptions of their progress and performance in Spanish. The data consist of the reports and reflections—oral and written, formal and informal—of 7 advanced learners about their experience of functioning in Spanish in the context of a U.S.-based immersion program lasting 6 weeks. Three major themes emerged from the participants' introspections: (a) linguistic uncertainties and crises of confidence that pervade learners' daily lives; (b) an ambiguous relationship to formal language instruction; and (c) metaphorical frameworks in which learners cast the SLA process, which highlight the conflicting beliefs that they hold about how they can manage or control that process.
Aggregated modeling of thermostatic loads in demand response: A systems and control perspective

Demand response is playing an increasingly important role in smart grid research and technologies being examined in recently undertaken demonstration projects. The behavior of load as it is affected by various load control strategies is important to understanding the degree to which different classes of end-use load can contribute to demand response programs at various times. This paper focuses on developing aggregated control models for a homogeneous population of thermostatically controlled loads. The different types of loads considered in this paper include, but are not limited to, water heaters and HVAC units. The effects of demand response and user over-ride on the load population dynamics are investigated. The controllability of the developed lumped models is validated which forms the basis for designing different control strategies.
Developing a User Instruction Workshop for PubMed

An update to the PubMed interface prompted the creation of a user instruction workshop to inform users of new database features. Targeting students, faculty, and professionals, the workshop provided a train-the-trainer approach to consumer health literacy. Graduate reference assistants developed and presented the workshop, facing challenges due to format limitations, inexperience, and the collaborative process. Following successful completion of the workshop, a poster based on the experience was accepted and presented at the Special Libraries Association (SLA) annual meeting in June 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The poster outlined the strategy used to create and support the workshop. Continued promotion of PubMed at the University at Buffalo includes a new offering of the workshop, publication of an article in the Health Sciences Library newsletter, and additional development of resources to support the workshop.
Reference-dose place conditioning with ethanol in mice: empirical and theoretical analysis.

Rationale A frequently expressed criticism of the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure is that it sometimes lacks a graded dose–response curve for many drugs.
T cell epitope recognition involved in the low-responsiveness to a region of hen egg lysozyme (46-61) in C57BL/6 mice

The predominant T cell epitope of hen egg lysozyme (HEL) in high-responder C3H mice has been previously identified as the HEL 46-61 region. In contrast, this region is poorly recognized by T cells from low-responder C57BL/6 mice upon immunization with HEL. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that several C57BL/6 derived T cell hybridomas reactive to this epitope and other HEL epitopes preferentially recognize phosphorylcholine (PC)-conjugated HEL over unconjugated HEL. To understand the mechanisms involved in this difference of T cell recognition, we have further analysed the reactivity of T cells and T cell hybridomas from low-responder C57BL/6 mice. T cells from HEL-immunized mice were preferentially reactive to HEL 47-60. These results suggest a potential deficiency in generating an appropriate T cell epitope from the 46-61 region of native HEL in low-responder C57BL/6 mice. The minimal T cell epitope of this region was defined as HEL 51-60 using the PCH4.1 T hybridoma clone. This minimal epitope represents a single amino acid shift from the minimal epitope of HEL high-responder C3H mice (HEL 52-61). Various peptides representing this region were synthesized with single alanine substitutions at each position. The residues at positions 51, 52, 53 and 57 of HEL appear to be involved in Ia binding and the residues at 55 and 56 in contracting the TCR. T cell reactivity to HEL 51-61 peptides with various substitutions at position 61 strongly suggest that primarily the size of the C-terminal residue interferes with binding to the Ia molecules of low-responder mice. In addition, substitutions of the TCR contacting residues at positions 55 and 56 with similar residues (isoleucine-->leucine or leucine-->isoleucine) significantly increased the T cell reactivity, suggesting a low reactivity with the native residues. Therefore, the requirement of many residues in the T cell epitope for interaction with Ia, the necessity for additional Ag processing to facilitate Ia binding, and the low affinity of the TCR contacting residues may together render C57BL/6 mice unresponsive to the HE 46-61 region.
225 FUROSEMIDE POTENTIATED GENTAMICIN NEPHROTOXICITY

The effect of furosemide (F) on gentamicin (GN) nephrotoxicity was examined in a dog model. GN 10 mg/kg and F 2 mg/kg were given IM every 8 hours for 9 days. Elevation of BUN and serum creatinine values was earlier and more marked than in dogs given only GN. Serial percutaneous renal biopsies showed earlier and more severe renal injury in GN+F dogs. Increased activities of the urinary enzymes muramidase (MUR), B-glucuronidase (BG) and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) were early signs of biopsy confirmed renal injury. Furosemide appears to potentiate gentamicin nephrotoxicity, perhaps in relation to volume depletion. Elevated urinary enzyme activities provide an early clue to the onset of renal injury. §Mean enzyme activity ± SEM expressed as U/mg of urinary creatinine. *p<.05, **p<.01 [compared to control or control (F) values].
Uninsured Latino children: a call to action.

To the Editor .— The recent Pediatrics article “Why Are Latinos the Most Uninsured Racial/Ethnic Group of US Children?”1 is an important contribution to our understanding of health disparities. The authors provide strong evidence for the association between children's lack of insurance and the immigration status of their parents. One implication of this association that was not discussed by the …
IN OTHER WOR(L)DS: FRAGMENTED AND INTEGRATED OBSERVATIONS ON GENDERED LANGUAGES, GENDERED SPACES AND LOCAL TRANSFORMATION

The build up of individual and collective linguistic repertoires is inseparable from situated practices and power relations. Place-to-place variations in gendered consciousness, the consciousness of gender, and female subordination cannot be pried apart from place-to-place variations in the language out of which gender is constituted and to which gendered practices and unequal gender relations contribute. In the course of local transformation, whereby local traditions and practices are eased out or crushed by exogenous powers, women as well as men are apt to become involved in the contestation of meanings and other forms of linguistic struggle.
Calculated neutron sensitivities of CaF2 and 7LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters

Neutron sensitivities of CaF2 and 7LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters have been calculated. Kermas were first obtained from many reactions within the dosimeters and then converted into sensitivities taking into account the varying abilities of different ions to induce thermoluminescence. The results for 7LiF agree with experimental values and other calculations. Considering the lack of previous study of CaF2, the results for this dosimeter may be of assistance in its applications.
Targeting the ANGPT–TIE2 pathway in malignancy

Angiopoietins (ANGPTs) are ligands of the endothelial cell receptor TIE2 and have crucial roles in the tumour angiogenic switch. Increased expression of ANGPT2 relative to ANGPT1 in tumours correlates with poor prognosis. The biological effects of the ANGPT-TIE system are context dependent, which brings into question what the best strategy is to target this pathway. This Review presents an encompassing picture of what we know about this important axis in tumour biology. The various options for therapeutic intervention are discussed to identify the best path forwards.
Examining the relationship between self-control and adolescent TC treatment completion

A type of treatment intervention that is widely regarded in terms of treating adolescents with issues of substance use is the therapeutic community (TC). Despite their effectiveness, empirical stud...
Transient overexposure of neuregulin 3 during early postnatal development impacts selective behaviors in adulthood.

Neuregulin 3 (NRG3), a specific ligand for ErbB4 and a neuronal-enriched neurotrophin is implicated in the genetic predisposition to a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, autism and schizophrenia. Genetic studies in schizophrenia demonstrate that risk variants in NRG3 are associated with cognitive and psychotic symptom severity, accompanied by increased expression of prefrontal cortical NRG3. Despite our expanding knowledge of genetic involvement of NRG3 in neurological disorders, little is known about the neurodevelopmental mechanisms of risk. Here we exploited the fact that a paralog of NRG3, NRG1, readily penetrates the murine blood brain barrier (BBB). In this study we synthesized the bioactive epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain of NRG3, and using previously validated in-vivo peripheral injection methodologies in neonatal mice, demonstrate that NRG3 successfully crosses the BBB, where it activates its receptor ErbB4 and downstream Akt signaling at levels of bioactivity comparable to NRG1. To determine the impact of NRG3 overexpression during one critical developmental window, C57BL/6 male mice were subcutaneously injected daily with NRG1-EGF, NRG3-EGF or vehicle from postnatal days 2–10. Mice were tested in adulthood using a comprehensive battery of behavioral tasks relevant to neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders. In agreement with previous studies, developmental overexposure to NRG1 induced multiple non-CNS mediated peripheral effects as well as severely disrupting performance of prepulse inhibition of the startle response. In contrast, NRG3 had no effect on any peripheral measures investigated or sensorimotor gating. Specifically, developmental NRG3 overexposure produced an anxiogenic-like phenotype and deficits in social behavior in adulthood. These results provide primary data to support a role for NRG3 in brain development and function, which appears to be distinct from its paralog NRG1. Furthermore we demonstrate how perturbations in NRG3 expression at distinct developmental stages may contribute to the neurological deficits observed in brain disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.
Psychological stress and the subsequent appearance of new brain MRI lesions in MS.

Objective: To examine the relationship between stressful life events and psychological distress, and the subsequent development of gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) brain lesions. Background: It has long been speculated that stressful life events and psychological distress are associated with disease exacerbation in MS. This is the first prospective longitudinal study of the relationship between stressful life events, psychological distress, and disease activity as measured by Gd+ brain MRI. Methods: Thirty-six patients (mean age, 44.4 years; 22 women, 14 men) with relapsing forms of MS were assessed once every 4 weeks for 28 to 100 weeks. Assessments included Gd+ MRI, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), the Hassles Scale, and the Profile of Mood States. The SRRS was altered in the following manner: 1) three items that confounded with MS were eliminated, 2) endorsed items were rated for intensity, and 3) the scale was divided into three subscales: major negative events, conflict and disruption in routine, and positive life events. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regression to account for intrasubject correlations. Stress and distress measures were used to predict concurrent and future MRI activity. Results: For the total sample of patients, increased conflict and disruption in routine was followed by increased odds of developing new Gd+ brain lesions 8 weeks later (odds ratio, 1.64; p = 0.00083). There was no strong evidence of a relationship between psychological stress or distress and clinical exacerbation. Conclusions: These data provide support for the notion that conflict and disruption in routine are related to subsequent disease activity in MS. However, this relationship is not sufficiently robust to predict clinical exacerbations reliably in individual patients.
Partial F‐tests with multiply imputed data in the linear regression framework via coefficient of determination

Tests for regression coefficients such as global, local, and partial F-tests are common in applied research. In the framework of multiple imputation, there are several papers addressing tests for regression coefficients. However, for simultaneous hypothesis testing, the existing methods are computationally intensive because they involve calculation with vectors and (inversion of) matrices. In this paper, we propose a simple method based on the scalar entity, coefficient of determination, to perform (global, local, and partial) F-tests with multiply imputed data. The proposed method is evaluated using simulated data and applied to suicide prevention data.
Diagnosis and subclassification of primary and recurrent lymphoma. The usefulness and limitations of combined fine-needle aspiration cytomorphology and flow cytometry.

The primary diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma/ leukemia by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is still controversial and relatively underused. We evaluated our FNA experience with lymphomas using the revised European-American classification of lymphoid neoplasms to determine the reliability of FNA when combined with flow cytometry in the diagnosis of lymphoma, the types of diagnoses made, and the limitations of this technique. Slides and reports from all lymph node and extranodal FNAs performed during the period January 1, 1993, to December 31, 1998, with a diagnosis of lymphoma or benign lymphoid process were reviewed. There were 290 aspirates from 275 patients. These included 158 cases of lymphoma, of which 86 (54.4%) were primary and 72 (45.6%) were recurrent. There were 44 aspirates suggestive of lymphoma and 81 benign/reactive diagnoses. With diagnoses suggestive of lymphoma considered as positive for lymphoma, levels of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 95% and 85%, respectively. Specificity was 100% when only definitive diagnoses of lymphoma were considered. Clearly, FNA and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry are complementary and obviate a more invasive open biopsy for many patients with lymphadenopathy.
Anadromous alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) contribute marine-derived nutrients to coastal stream food webs

Diadromous fish are an important link between marine and freshwater food webs. Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) strongly impact nutrient dynamics in inland waters and anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) may play a similar ecological role along the Atlantic coast. The annual spawning migration of anadromous alewife contributes, on average, 1050 g of nitrogen and 120 g of phosphorus to Bride Brook, Connecticut, USA, through excretion and mortality each year. Natural abundance stable isotope analyses indicate that this influx of marine-derived nitrogen is rapidly incorporated into the stream food web. An enriched δ15N signal, indicative of a marine origin, is present at all stream trophic levels with the greatest level of enrichment coincident with the timing of the anadromous alewife spawning migration. There was no significant effect of this nutrient influx on water chemistry, leaf decomposition, or periphyton accrual. Dam removal and fish ladder construction will allow anadromous alewife to regain...
The Fed and short-term rates: Is it open market operations, open mouth operations or interest rate smoothing?

Abstract It is widely believed that the Fed controls the federal funds rate by altering the degree of pressure in the reserve market through open market operations when it changes its target for the funds rate. Recently, however, several analysts have suggested that the Fed need not conduct open market operations to change the funds rate. Rather, they argue it is sufficient that the Fed indicate its desire for the funds rate. This paper notes that there is yet a third alternative, the interest-rate-smoothing hypothesis, that suggests that the Fed does not move rates per se but, rather, smooths the transition of rates to the new equilibrium required by economic shocks. This paper tests the open market and open mouth alternatives using a methodology first used by Cook and Hahn [ Journal of Monetary Economics (1989a) 331]. Finding no evidence that either open market operations or open mouth operations can account for the close relationship between the funds rate and the funds rate target, a variety of evidence consistent with the interest-rate-smoothing hypothesis is considered. The results suggest that many changes in the Fed’s funds rate target are an endogenous response to economic events and suggest that an alternative way to identify exogenous changes in policy is to identify exogenous changes in the Fed’s funds rate target.
NEW ORLEANS IS NOT THE EXCEPTION: Re-politicizing the Study of Racial Inequality

Although political science provides many useful tools for analyzing the effects of natural and social catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, the scenes of devastation and inequality in New Orleans suggest an urgent need to adjust our lenses and reorient our research in ways that will help us to uncover and unpack the roots of this national travesty. Treated merely as exceptions to the “normal” functioning of society, dramatic events such as Katrina ought instead to serve as crucial reminders to scholars and the public that the quest for racial equality is only a work in progress. New Orleans, we argue, was not exceptional; it was the product of broader and very typical elements of American democracy—its ideology, attitudes, and institutions. At the dawn of the century after “the century of the color-line,” the hurricane and its aftermath highlight salient features of inequality in the United States that demand broader inquiry and that should be incorporated into the analytic frameworks through which American politics is commonly studied and understood. To this end, we suggest several ways in which the study of racial and other forms of inequality might inform the study of U.S. politics writ large, as well as offer a few ideas about ways in which the study of race might be re-politicized. To bring race back into the study of politics, we argue for greater attention to the ways that race intersects with other forms of inequality, greater attention to political institutions as they embody and reproduce these inequalities, and a return to the study of power, particularly its role in the maintenance of ascriptive hierarchies.
Image registration and data fusion in radiation therapy

This paper provides an overview of image registration and data fusion techniques used in radiation therapy, and examples of their use. They are used at all stages of the patient management process; for initial diagnosis and staging, during treatment planning and delivery, and after therapy to help monitor the patients' response to treatment. Most treatment planning systems now support some form of interactive or automated image registration and provide tools for mapping information, such as tissue outlines and computed dose from one imaging study to another. To complement this, modern treatment delivery systems offer means for acquiring and registering 2D and 3D image data at the treatment unit to aid patient setup. Techniques for adapting and customizing treatments during the course of therapy using 3D and 4D anatomic and functional imaging data are currently being introduced into the clinic. These techniques require sophisticated image registration and data fusion technology to accumulate properly the delivered dose and to analyse possible physiological and anatomical changes during treatment. Finally, the correlation of radiological changes after therapy with delivered dose also requires the use of image registration and fusion techniques.
Topology and Shape Optimization of an Interbody Fusion Implant for Lumbar Spine Fixation

The goal of this research is to obtain the optimum design of a new interbody fusion implant for use in lumbar spine fixation. A new minimally invasive surgical technique for interbody fusion is currently in development. The procedure makes use of an interbody implant that is inserted between two vertebral bodies. The implant is packed with bone graft material that fuses the motion segment. The implant must be capable of retaining bone graft and supporting spinal mechanical loads while fusion occurs. Finite element-based optimization techniques are used to drive the design. The optimization process is performed in two stages: topology optimization and shape optimization. Four independent load conditions are analyzed: compression, flexion, extension, and lateral bending. The resulting optimal geometries for each load condition are superimposed to generate an optimum design that is converted to a candidate implant geometry suitable for manufacturing.
Temperature control during test and burn-in

Electronic devices are routinely tested multiple times during the manufacturing process: at the wafer level, at module level test and during module burn-in. The challenges of temperature control are significant because the devices are not yet fitted with a permanent heat sink; device powers may be very high and temperature specifications can be tight. Ideally, the thermal solution will provide excellent temperature control, be fast and easy to apply, will have indefinite life, and leave the device clean and dry. Cost, weight, noise and power consumption of the thermal solution are generally of secondary concern. High power thermal solutions typically consist of a passive or actively controlled, liquid-cooled heat sink temporarily pressed into contact with the silicon device surface. Methods have been developed to evaluate the thermal performance of these temporary heat sinks. Device-to-heat sink thermal interface resistance is evaluated with thermal test chips. Temperature gradients across the uniformly powered test chips are presented as a function of device power, heat loss into the socket, test temperature, heat sink force, centrality of the force and time.
Transmural mechanics at left ventricular epicardial pacing site

Left ventricular (LV) epicardial pacing acutely reduces wall thickening at the pacing site. Because LV epicardial pacing also reduces transverse shear deformation, which is related to myocardial sheet shear, we hypothesized that impaired end-systolic wall thickening at the pacing site is due to reduction in myocardial sheet shear deformation, resulting in a reduced contribution of sheet shear to wall thickening. We also hypothesized that epicardial pacing would reverse the transmural mechanical activation sequence and thereby mitigate normal transmural deformation. To test these hypotheses, we investigated the effects of LV epicardial pacing on transmural fiber-sheet mechanics by determining three-dimensional finite deformation during normal atrioventricular conduction and LV epicardial pacing in the anterior wall of normal dog hearts in vivo. Our measurements indicate that impaired end-systolic wall thickening at the pacing site was not due to selective reduction of sheet shear, but rather resulted from overall depression of fiber-sheet deformation, and relative contributions of sheet strains to wall thickening were maintained. These findings suggest lack of effective end-systolic myocardial deformation at the pacing site, most likely because the pacing site initiates contraction significantly earlier than the rest of the ventricle. Epicardial pacing also induced reversal of the transmural mechanical activation sequence, which depressed sheet extension and wall thickening early in the cardiac cycle, whereas transverse shear and sheet shear deformation were not affected. These findings suggest that normal sheet extension and wall thickening immediately after activation may require normal transmural activation sequence, whereas sheet shear deformation may be determined by local anatomy.
Echoes of the Vision When the Rest of the Organization Talks Total Quality

This research describes a case study of an organization that recently began implementing Deming's Total Quality (TQ). Using discourse analysis, routine work conversations between leaders and members in five manufacturing plants were analyzed in terms of the framing devices used in implementing the TQ vision. This study found five framing devices: Communicated predicaments, possible futures, jargon and vision themes, positive spin, and agenda setting. The characteristics of the framing devices are discussed, along with how leaders and members enact their roles when using the devices, and how the framing devices succeed or fail in implementing the vision.
A computer-based ordering system for supplies in National Tuberculosis Programs

Abstract Setting: National tuberculosis programs in need of budgeting and planning for supplies. Objective: To assist national managers to rationally and rapidly determine needs in supplies and their costs for the national tuberculosis program. Methods: A spreadsheet has been developed to calculate needs in supplies for tuberculosis control based on the number of nationally notified cases. The spreadsheet has 3 interdependent basic components that need to be modified. The first component requires an update of exchange rates of currencies from countries which are major suppliers for program materials. The second component contains a list of commonly used treatment regimens in national programs and their cost. The number of reported tuberculosis cases for the last complete reporting half-year on then corresponding regimens needs to be provided. The third component lists supplies for diagnosis and treatment and the costs of these to the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD). The information required here includes (after updating the country-specific list of suppliers and the cost of their material) the current stock in supplies and editing the resulting suggestion for orders according to needs and convenience of unit size. Results: The spreadsheet suggests the ordering size of supplies for consumption and reserve. Based on input provided by the user, it will turn out estimates of the cost of the order for supplies in diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: Computers are coming increasingly into use a(the national level of many tuberculosis programs in low income countries. This spreadsheet, available from the IUATLD, is designed to provide national managers with the background on how to calculate needs for supplies and to provide them with a simple tool to assess these needs and their costs rapidly.
A scalable, distributed middleware service architecture to support mobile internet applications

Middleware layers placed between user clients and application servers have been used to perform a variety of functions to support the vision of nomadic computing across varying platforms. In previous work we have used middleware to perform a new capability, application session handoff, using a single Middleware Server to provide all functionality. However, to improve the scalability of our architecture, we have designed an efficient distributed Middleware Service layer that properly maintains application session handoff semantics while being able to service a large number of clients. We show that this service layer improves the scalability of general client-to-application server interaction as well as the specific case of application session handoff. We detail protocols involved in performing handoff and analyse an implementation of the architecture that supports the use of a real medical teaching tool. From experimental results it can be seen that our Middleware Service effectively provides scalability as a response to increased workload.
Silica-supported catalysts get a new breath of life

In heterogeneous catalysis, metals, metal oxides, and metal sulfides are traditionally dispersed as nanoscale particles on a support with a large surface area, so as to maximize the number of exposed active sites. Historically, alumina supports have been used for the majority of refining applications, but where acid sites catalyze unwanted isomerization or oligomerization reactions, silica would be a better choice. Despite this advantage, silica has often been considered a problematic support—an “ice skating rink”—because of the difficulty of forming strongly interacting precursors that wet the surface to yield well-dispersed particles. However, the past two decades have witnessed slow but steady progress in advancing several science-based approaches that will allow industrial-scale preparation of silica-supported catalysts.
Benefits With Common Rail Injection for Medium Speed Engines

The NOx emission of sea going ships is limited by the IMO. The black smoke emission is in the focus of the port authorities and the ship owners. More stringent limits are expected for the near future. Caterpillar Motoren decided to be pro active and to start an emission reduction program in the mid of the nineties. Inside the engine technology like: higher compression ratio, Miller Cycle, injection tuning and internal exhaust gas recirculation were investigated to reduce the NOx Emission. To lower the soot emission a Common Rail system was implemented. The effects of Pre-, Post- and Split injections were optimized for further emission reductions. A special trim of the injection characteristic can improve the transient load acceptance of the engine. A low emission strategy was defined. NOTE: This paper was presented at the ASME 2003 Internal Combustion Engine Division Spring Technical Conference but was printed in the ASME 2003 Internal Combustion Engine and Rail Transportation Divisions Fall Technical Conference proceedings, pages 443–454. It should appear under the CIMAC heading. © 2003 ASME
ON THE IMPACT OF CROSS-LINK DELAYS ON SPACECRAFT FORMATION CONTROL

In this paper, the ability to perform tight formation control in the presence of communication and measurement delays is investigated. The paper discusses cross-link requirements for formation control and compares centralized and decentralized control strategies. A simple two degree-of-freedom model with communication delays is introduced for analysis. A typical approach for systems with small time delays is to base the design on a nominal system model that does not contain the time-delays. The limitations of this approach on stability and closed -loop bandwidth are discussed. Finally, the time delay is considered in the design of state-feedback with integral feedback controllers. The effects of the time -delay on stability, stability margins, and bandwidth are investigate d. An example illustrating these effects is presented.
Optimization Source Set in Broadcast Networks

Broadcasting in an information dissemination problem in which information originating at one source set must be transmitted to other nodes as soon as possibly. There are two popular communication mode. In the shouting mode, a node can communicate with all its neighbors during a single unit of time. In the whispering mode, a node can communicate with at most one neighbor. The communication network is usually modeled as a graph. A node that originally held in information called the source. In this paper we put forward a new concept as optimal source set. We give an algorithm to get the optimization source set in shouting communication networks.
A 4 Bit Continuous-Time $\Sigma \Delta $ Modulator With Fully Digital Quantization Noise Reduction Algorithm Employing a 7 Bit Quantizer

This paper presents a fully digital quantization noise reduction algorithm (DQNRA) for $\mathrm {CT}\Sigma \Delta \mathrm {M}$ . The algorithm overcomes the signal leakage issues commonly found in cascade and MASH implementations. The proposed DQNRA is robust to PVT variations. The DQNRA performs a foreground measurement of the modulators noise transfer function. A $\Sigma \Delta \mathrm {M}$ using a 7 bit quantizer, from which the four most significant bits are used for the operation of the $\Sigma \Delta \mathrm {M}$ , proves the DQNRA concept. The remaining three least significant bits are used for the realization of the DQNRA for quantization noise improvement. A 7 bit quantizer with a three-step subranging architecture is implemented to reduce power and area consumption. A fourth-order continuous-time $\Sigma \Delta $ prototype was implemented in 130 nm CMOS technology. The modulator’s total power consumption is 20 mW, with only 6 mW used for the realization of the 7 bit quantizer operating at 500 MHz. For this prototype, the use of a DQNRA algorithm improved the modulator’s SNDR from 69 to 75 dB over a 15 MHz bandwidth, limited after calibration by thermal noise rather than quantization noise. The obtained FoM is 164 dB.
Wound management and medical organization in the Civil War.

The American Civil War marked the last time more soldiers died from disease than from enemy bullets and the beginning of medical science’s movement beyond folklore and superstition. The wound management techniques described that were practiced just a little more than a century ago provide a dramatic and sharp counterpoint to current wound management procedures.
Trends in Emergency Department Visits and Charges for Gout in the United States between 2006 and 2012.

Objective To examine temporal trends in the rate of gout emergency department (ED) visits and charges in the United States between 2006 and 2012. Methods A serial cross-sectional analysis of the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Results The rate of ED visits for gout in adults overall increased from 75.0 to 85.4 per 100,000 persons over the study period (14% increase, p < 0.001), and increased 29% for those aged 45–54 years. Nationwide ED charges increased from $156 million to $281 million (80% increase, p < 0.001). Conclusion Between 2006 and 2012, the rate of gout ED visits increased among US adults, most notably in those aged 45–54 years.
Management of Patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM) Failing Total Therapy 2 (TT 2) According to Thalidomide (THAL) Randomization.

As of August 04, 104 of 668 patients enrolled in TT 2 have relapsed/progressed, 61 of whom had been randomized to no THAL and 43 to THAL. The 2 groups were comparable in 14 pre-treatment features examined including the presence of cytogenetic abnormalities (CA), LDH, B2M and albumin. At the time of treatment failure, which occurred at a similar median time from study enrollment of 23 months, higher proportions of patients on THAL had CA (63% vs 37%, p=.03) and higher levels of bone marrow plasmacytosis >33% (46% vs 12%, p=.001). Their subsequent management included THAL + DEX in 25%; Velcade + THAL in 16% and DT-PACE in 10% of those failing on the no THAL arm; compared to THAL + DEX in 12%; Velcade + THAL in 14% and DT-PACE in 21% of those relapsing on the THAL arm. Subsequent salvage response was 51% for those relapsing on no THAL and 26% of those on THAL (relapsing on THAL) (p=.028). Importantly, survival from the time of TT 2 failure was significantly better when patients had not received prior THAL than when THAL was part of the initial management (median of 29 vs 8 mos, p=.0001). Univarately adverse features for post-failure survival included the presence of CA at the time of failure, IgA isotype, LDH at baseline prior to TT 2 and initial randomization to THAL. On multivariate analysis, baseline LDH (HR 2.6, p=.0006) and THAL randomization (HR 2.6, p=.0006) were highly associated with inferior post-TT 2 failure survival (R2 =38%). Indeed, those on the THAL arm had inferior survival regardless of CA, present either at baseline or at relapse (Figure 1). Our preliminary conclusion is that initial use of THAL for the primary management of symptomatic MM reduces the subsequent salvage potential, due to the emergence of a more aggressive disease exhibiting CA at relapse and greater tumor burden (high bone marrow plasmacytosis). Thus, randomized trials are needed to determine whether thalidomide is more appropriately used up front or for the management of relapse in order to achieve the longest overall survival. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Breastfeeding and Human Milk: Short and Long-Term Health Benefits to the Recipient Infant

Abstract Breastfeeding provides innumerable benefits to the recipient infant. These benefits are attributed to both the consumption of human milk (HM) and the act of suckling at the breast. This chapter reviews the research evidence supporting the short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding. A brief summary of the most potent bioactive components of HM that are partially responsible for these benefits is provided. Short-term health benefits have been extensively researched. These include protection against infectious disease, particularly diarrhea and respiratory infection, and all-cause infant mortality. Other short-term benefits include appropriate growth patterns, reduced otitis media, and optimal colonization of the intestinal microbiome. Long-term benefits are more controversial in nature. However, there is sufficient research evidence to quantify the relationship between breastfeeding and reduced risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, and improved scores of cognitive achievement and performance.