cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In situ monitoring and control of lysozyme concentration during crystallization in a hanging drop

Abstract Fiber optic Raman spectroscopy combined with a partial least-squares regression model was demonstrated as a monitor of lysozyme concentration during crystallization in a hanging drop experiment in real time. Raman spectral features of the buffer and protein were employed to build the regression model. The use of fiber optic technology coupled with Raman spectroscopy, which is ideal for use with aqueous solutions, results in a powerful noninvasive probe of the changing environment within the solution. Lysozyme concentrations were monitored in experiments at a constant reservoir ionic strength. Data from these uncontrolled experiments were used to determine rates of supersaturation, induction times, and the number and size of the resultant lysozyme crystals. Control experiments were performed by introducing step changes in the reservoir ionic strength. The step changes were initiated by comparing in situ rates of supersaturation with the rates of supersaturation calculated from the uncontrolled data. Monitoring the concentration changes of the lysozyme within the hanging drop permits a measurement of the level of supersaturation of the system and enhances the possibility of dynamic control of the crystallization process.
From Mao to the Market Community Capitalism in Rural China

China is undergoing tremendous social and economic transformations with different local innovations and variations. By comparing and contrasting three industrial villages in China demonstrating different mixes along the organizational continuum from market economy to collectivist economy, this article offers an alternative model of development that combines market production and distribution with redistribution and the building of public goods based on group boundaries. This alternative market activity is named community capitalism, a concept that has the potential to mitigate the sharp dichotomy between state socialism and market economy. The article also argues that, in order to fully understand the process of China’s transition, it is necessary to take into account not only the economic and political institutions, but also the local cultural, social and political resources. It is the interaction and mixes of the two that determine the path of development local communities embark on.
Theory of the channeling avalanche photodiode

Calculations of the electron and hole impact ionization rates in doped and undoped channeling avalanche photodiode structures are presented using the ensemble many-particle Monte Carlo technique. Surprisingly, it is found that optimal device behavior is obtained not when the electrons are highly confined to the GaAs layers and the holes are swept out into the AlGaAs but rather when the carriers can drift freely from one layer to another. The presence of the AlGaAs layer acts to heat the carrier distribution functions within the GaAs layer such that the number of "lucky-drift" electrons (i.e., those that reach threshold starting within the high-energy tail of the distribution by drifting under the action of the applied electric field without scattering) is increased. Due to the difference in the energy relaxation rates between the holes and the electrons, as well as to the difference in the band-edge discontinuities, the electron ionization rate is greatly enhanced over both the hole and bulk GaAs ionization rates.
Changes in intrasystem N cycling from N2-fixing shrub encroachment in grassland: multiple positive feedbacks

Nitrogen-fixing species can increase both the availability and cycling of nitrogen (N) in ecosystems. Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) is an exotic woody shrub associated with N2-fixing actinomycetes that forms dense patches in disturbed landscapes (i.e., riparian zones adjacent to crop systems, old fields and agricultural grasslands) throughout the midwestern United States. We used paired plots dominated by either E. umbellata or C3 grassland to test whether the shrub encroachment altered pools and fluxes of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in the soil. Annual mean of NO3‐N concentrations in soil water collected from porous cup tension lysimeters every 2 weeks for 1 year was 20 times higher in soil beneath E. umbellata compared to grassland vegetation. Temporal variation in NO3‐N leaching occurred in the shrubencroached plots, with more nitrate leaching in the dormant season relative to the growing season. Potential net N mineralization, nitrification rates, and extractable N in the surface 10 cm of soil were also higher below E. umbellata. Following establishment of N2-fixing shrub patches for 7‐13 years, the soil C:N ratio showed a declining trend due to lower total soil C rather than an increase in N. Labile carbon pools (i.e., microbial biomass C (MBC) and soil respiration rates) were lower in surface soil below E. umbellata, which demonstrated an additional positive feedback between encroachment of E. umbellata and N export. Less demand for mineralized N due to associated N2 fixation, coupled with higher rates of nitrification and lower microbial demand for N collectively contributed to higher export of N below the E. umbellata patched relative to the grassland system. Thus, areas invaded by this exotic N2-fixing species may function as N sources rather than the N conserving systems typically expected early successional communities following agricultural abandonment. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Upward appraisal: What do subordinates consider important in evaluating their supervisors?☆

When conducting the performance evaluations of supervisors, the supervisors' subordinates can provide valuable information. This study employs a subordinate evaluation instrument to identify those factors that employees of the Dayton-Montgomery County (Ohio) Public Library value in their supervisors. Results suggest that subordinates place considerable value on supervisors as role models. They also expect supervisors to treat them with respect and to encourage their opinions. Procedural issues are of relatively less importance. The implications of these results are discussed for library administrators.
Crystal Structure and electrical properties of complex perovskite solid solutions based on (1-x) NaNbO3-xBi (Zn0.5Ti0.5) O3

Ceramics based on the perovskite solid solution (1-x) NaNbO3-xBi (Zn0.5Ti0.5) O3 were prepared using conventional solid state synthesis. The crystal structure, electrical, and optical properties were examined. According to diffraction data, a single perovskite phase could be identified up to the composition x = 0.09. As the Bi (Zn0.5Ti0.5) O3 content increased the crystal structure transitioned from orthorhombic to pseudocubic symmetry. Furthermore, dielectric data showed that the dielectric maximum shifted to lower temperatures with the addition of Bi (Zn0.5Ti0.5) O3. Polarization hysteresis data revealed a slim linear loop across the whole range of solid solutions. Optical data also showed a decrease in the optical band gap from 3.4 eV for pure NaNbO3 to 2.9 eV for the x = 0.09 composition. Using impedance spectroscopy, an electrically inhomogeneous microstructure was observed for compositions with increased Bi (Zn0.5Ti0.5) O3 content. Finally, the substitution of Ta on the B-site was shown to shift the dielectric maximum to temperatures as low as 100 K.
Blockage of urinary catheters: Role of microorganisms and constituents of the urine on formation of encrustations

Long-term indwelling urinary catheters may become blocked in some patients by formation of encrustations made up of aggregated struvite crystals while other patients rarely develop blocked catheters. We have designated these groups as "blockers", "intermediates" or "non-blockers". To further understand this phenomenon we followed 32 catheterized elderly women in a nursing home. Catheters were changed six times at 2 week intervals. Patients tended to remain as "blockers", "intermediates" or "non-blockers" consistently over time. There were no significant differences in use of antibiotics, clinical manifestations of urinary infection or fever among the groups. "Blockers" were significantly more often colonized with Proteus mirabilis and Providencia stuartii than "non-blockers", and significantly less often with Klebsiella pneumoniae. However, there was no evidence of interference among the organisms. "Blockers" excreted a significantly more alkaline urine, and lesser amounts of magnesium, urea and phosphate in their urine. Two "blockers" in whom Proteus sp. were eliminated by coincidental antimicrobial therapy converted to "non-blockers". These findings support the concept that "blockers" are patients who have prolonged colonization with urease producing Proteus mirabilis and Providencia stuartii.
Donor retention as a function of donor reactions to whole-blood and automated double red cell collections.

BACKGROUND: Although reactions to whole-blood (WB) donation are known to decrease donor retention, potential effects of reactions to automated double red cell (2RBC) donation upon retention have not been investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The authors investigated effects of donor status (first-time, experienced) and reactions (absent, present) upon retention of all male allogeneic WB and 2RBC donors (n = 45,296) donating within the American Red Cross Central Ohio Region during a 12-month period. Donor age, race, and status (first-time, experienced); phlebotomist's reaction rating; and phlebotomy procedure (WB, 2RBC) were collected for the initial donation by each donor. Dates of any donation attempts in the 12 months starting from the donor's first eligible date after the initial donation were also collected. RESULTS: On average, WB donors were less likely to react and more likely to donate again and returned more quickly to donate than 2RBC donors, even after accounting for differential delays in eligibility. Reactions decreased the likelihood of repeat donation among all first-time donors regardless of initial phlebotomy procedure. Among experienced donors, however, reactions depressed retention of WB donors by 27.6 percent, whereas reactions lowered retention of 2RBC donors by just 3.6 percent. CONCLUSION: Although 2RBC donors were more likely to react, first-time 2RBC donors were no more affected by reactions than first-time WB donors. Experienced WB donors suffered a larger drop in retention as a function of reactions, in fact, than did experienced donors who gave 2RBC donations. Potential reasons for this data pattern require further investigation.
When symmetry breaks down.

Electroweak-symmetry breaking: solving the riddle of how symmetry is broken may determine the future direction of particle physics.
759–6 Computerization of the ACC/AHA Guidelines for PTCA and CABG - Use of a Relational Database for Comparison with RAND Expert Panel Ratings and University of Maryland Revascularization Appropriateness Scores (RAS)

With the increased emphasis on determining the need for coronary revascularization, appropriateness scoring systems have been developed. We developed software to apply clinically the complex ACC/AHA Guidelines for PTCA (1993) and CABG (1991). Using 40 on an Apple Macintosh, we designed a relational patient database which captures key clinical information: patient demographics, clinical presentation, medications, comorbidity, exercise test results, left ventricular function, angiographic data, and followup events. Compiled code automatically assigns the patient to the proper clinical subsection, interprets relevant coronary anatomy and calculates the appropriateness classification – Class I (general agreement with indication), Class II (divergence of opinion), and Class III (general agreementthat procedure is not indicated). In addition to providing objective appropriateness scores using the ACC/AHA PTCA and CABG Guidelines, the system automatically compares those scores with RAND Expert Panel Ratings and the University of Maryland RAS. Reports can be produced based on specified search criteria for an individual patient or an entire patient group, thus allowing analysis of patterns of care. The system can also be accessed remotely via modem to permit its use as a revascularization “consultant”. Conclusion This program automatically and objectively determines ACC/AHA, RAND and RAS revascularization appropriateness ratings. It is a useful tool for evaluating appropriateness of PTCA or CABG in individual patients as well as for analyzing patterns of care.
Abdominal distention terminates subsequent host-seeking behaviour of Aedes aegypti following a blood meal.

Abstract The failure of Aedes aegypti females to engage in host-seeking behaviour following a replete blood meal was investigated. Abdominal distention appears to be responsible for this immediate inhibition after feeding. Large enemas of saline had the same effect as blood in terminating host-seeking; this was not due merely to the presence of large amounts of fluid, but rather to the distention produced by these liquids. Since transection of the ventral nerve cord anterior to the 2nd abdominal ganglion did not release the inhibition in blood-fed females, we restricted the degree of distention of abdominal segments with wax. Distention of the abdomen anteriorly by a blood meal more effectively inhibited host-seeking than did distention posteriorly, suggesting that stretch receptors in the anterior portion of the abdomen regulate the response towards a host.
Detection of Methanotrophs in Groundwater by PCR

Methanotrophic bacteria have significant potential for bioremediation, which would require methods for monitoring the presence and activity of these organisms in environmental samples. In this study, PCR was used to detect methanotrophic bacteria. Primers were designed on the basis of a partial sequence of pmoA, which encodes one of the proteins of the particulate methane monooxygenase. Specific amplification of a portion of pmoA was obtained with template DNA isolated from lab strains of methanotrophs. A pmoA product was also obtained by using DNA from groundwater. The identity of the PCR product was confirmed by sequencing or by amplification with a nested primer. Reverse transcriptase PCR detected pmoA mRNA.
A neural network approach to monitor motor activities

This study compares the performance of surface electromyography (EMG) with accelerometry (ACC) in the detection of functional motor activities. Its outcome will guide the development of a wearable system to automatically monitor an individual's functional status in the home and relay that information to a remotely located caregiver. EMC and ACC signals were simultaneously recorded while subjects (N=11) performed a predetermined sequence of tasks. Two sets of tasks were considered: identification tasks related to clinical assessment of functional independence, and non-identification tasks namely motor activities biomechanically similar to the identification tasks but not related to clinical assessment. Pattern recognition algorithms were applied to data from both sensor types. The performance criteria were sensitivity (detection of identification tasks when present), specificity (avoidance of confusing identification tasks with one another), and misclassification (avoidance of confusing non-identification tasks with identification tasks). Results indicated that mean sensitivity over all tasks was higher for accelerometers than for EMG for a given value of misclassification. However, for specific tasks, EMG sensitivity was higher than that of accelerometers. Therefore we explored whether a combination of the two sensor types would lead to a further increase in sensitivity.
Speech modifications algorithms used for training language learning-impaired children

In this paper, the details of processing algorithms used in a training program with language learning-impaired children (LLIs) are described. The training program utilized computer games, speech/language training exercises, books-on-tape and educational CD-ROMs. Speech tracks in these materials were processed using these algorithms. During a four week training period, recognition of both processed and normal speech in these children continually increased to near age-appropriate levels. The authors conclude that this form of processed speech is subject to profound perceptual learning effects and exhibits widespread generalization to normal speech. This form of learning and generalization contributes to the rehabilitation of temporal processing deficits and language comprehension in this subject population.
Early Mesodermal Cues Assign Avian Cardiac Pacemaker Fate Potential in a Tertiary Heart Field

Cardiac pacemaker cells autonomously generate electrical impulses that initiate and maintain the rhythmic contraction of the heart. Although the majority of heart cells are thought to originate from the primary and secondary heart fields, we found that chick pacemaker cells arise from a discrete region of mesoderm outside of these fields. Shortly after gastrulation, canonical Wnts promote the recruitment of mesodermal cells within this region into the pacemaker lineage. These findings suggest that cardiac pacemaker cells are physically segregated and molecularly programmed in a tertiary heart field prior to the onset of cardiac morphogenesis.
Implementing Cognitive Processing Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel: Special Considerations and Case Examples

Abstract Numerous studies and reports document the prevalence of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military personnel returning from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense recommend cognitive processing therapy (CPT) as one of two first-line treatment options for patients with PTSD. CPT is an evidence-based, trauma-focused cognitive treatment for PTSD that has been shown to be efficacious in a wide variety of populations, but has just begun to be implemented with active duty military. The purpose of this article is to describe treatment considerations that may be pertinent to active duty populations, including stigma related to mental health treatment and minimization of symptoms, duty obligations, and special factors related to rank and occupational specialties. We provide recommendations for navigating these issues within the CPT protocol. Additionally, we discuss common themes that may be especially relevant when conducting CPT with an active duty military population, including blame/responsibility, the military ethos, erroneous blame of others, just-world beliefs, traumatic loss, fear of harming others, and moral injury. Case examples illustrating the use of CPT to address these themes are provided.
Introduction to control engineering using video clips

Consensus appears to be that a motivated student learns a subject of interest much faster, understands the subject deeper, remembers longer, and more importantly, is willing and eager to explore further with or without the instructor's assistance. Based on this observation an unconventional, motivating-by-challenge approach has been experimental with by the author in teaching an entry level control course, where a pilot design project is employed that is woven into lectures from beginning to end. It is realized that the ultimate success of this approach hinges heavily on an intuitive understanding developed early in the course of dynamical behavior and the capability of a control system in compensating for the natural dynamics of a physical system. In this paper, an experimentation is reported on motivating the students using video clips of the history, state-of-the-affair and trends of control engineering in the introductory stage of an entry level control course. The effects of this approach on the students' attitude, grades, and career awareness are presented, together with suggestions for improvement.
Electron Mobility Enhancement in Modulated Phonon Structures

We report results of a systematic study of the electron mobility in GaAs/AlAs quantum well samples with and without longitudinal-optical (LO) phonon confinement. This experiment demonstrates an enhanced electron mobility in structures with quantum well widths from 20A to 70A and phonon barrier widths of about 11A. The experimental data are explained in terms of a transition from confined phonon scattering to interface phonon scattering.
Nesting Success of Neotropical Thrushes in Coffee and Pasture

Abstract We monitored nesting attempts of White-throated (Turdus assimilis) and Clay-colored thrushes (T. grayi) over 4 years in southern Costa Rica to compare nest success in recently abandoned coffee (Coffea spp.) plantations, pasture, and along roads. Daily mortality rates of Clay-colored Thrush nests were lower in pasture (0.054 ± 0.014) than abandoned coffee plantations (0.096 ± 0.012). Daily mortality rates of White-throated Thrush nests were not influenced by land-cover type but were lower at highly concealed nests (0.058 ± 0.005) compared to less concealed nests (0.090 ± 0.017), and at nests that were on the ground (0.0580 ± 0.005) versus in vegetation (0.076 ± 0.007). Daily mortality rates for nests of both species were very low at an active coffee plantation where nests were monitored in 1 year (0.006 ± 0.004 and 0.015 ± 0.015, for White-throated and Clay-colored thrushes, respectively). Nests at the active plantation were heavily concealed which, along with results for White-throated Thrushes i...
The Thief With a Thousand Faces and the Victim With None Identifying Determinants for Online Identity Theft Victimization With Routine Activity Theory

Available evidence suggests that identity theft is a growing problem that has significant consequences for victims, not the least of which is billions of dollars in financial losses. However, very little is known about the correlates or causes of identity theft victimization. Utilizing a nationally representative sample of individuals from the Canadian General Social Survey, the current study attempts to address this deficiency by examining the link between victims' online routine activities and their online identity theft victimization. It was found that certain routine activities directly influence the likelihood of experiencing identity theft. Potential research and policy implications also are discussed.
Multiple Regression Analysis of Reading Performance Data from Twin Pairs with Reading Difficulties and Nontwin Siblings: The Augmented Model

The augmented multiple regression model for the analysis of data from selected twin pairs was extended to facilitate analyses of data from twin pairs and nontwin siblings. Fitting this extended model to data from both selected twin pairs and siblings yields direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the difference between environmental influences shared by members of twin pairs and those of sib or twin-sib pairs (i.e., c2(t) - c2 (s)). When this model was fitted to reading performance data from 293 monozygotic and 436 dizygotic pairs selected for reading difficulties, and 291 of their nontwin siblings, h2 = .48 ± .22, p = .03, and c2 (t) - c2 (s) = .22 ± .12, p = .06. Although the test for differential shared environmental influences is only marginally significant, the results of this analysis suggest that environmental influences on reading performance that are shared by members of twin pairs (.36) may be substantially greater than those for less contemporaneous twin-sibling pairs (.14).
Spatial autocorrelation of ecological phenomena

Ecological variables often fluctuate synchronously over wide geographical areas, a phenomenon known as spatial autocorrelation or spatial synchrony. Development of statistical approaches designed to test for spatial autocorrelation combined with the increasing accessibility of long-term, large-scale ecological datasets are now making it possible to document the patterns and understand the causes of spatial synchrony at scales that were previously intractable. These developments promise to foster significant future advances in understanding population regulation, metapopulation dynamics and other areas of population ecology.
Neural network output feedback control of a quadrotor UAV

A neural network (NN) based output feedback controller for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is proposed. The NNs are utilized in the observer and for generating virtual and actual control inputs, respectively, where the NNs learn the nonlinear dynamics of the UAV online including uncertain nonlinear terms like aerodynamic friction and blade flapping. It is shown using Lyapunov theory that the position, orientation, and velocity tracking errors, the virtual control and observer estimation errors, and the NN weight estimation errors for each NN are all semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB) in the presence of bounded disturbances and NN functional reconstruction errors while simultaneously relaxing the separation principle.
Proportionality, Privacy, and Public Opinion: A Reply to Kerr and Swire

This Article responds to two reviews of my book, Privacy at Risk: The New Government Surveillance and the Fourth Amendment (University of Chicago Press, 2007). The book criticizes Supreme Court decisions that immunize from constitutional challenge numerous government surveillance techniques, including monitoring of public activities, spying on the home using generally available technology, and aggregation of records describing everyday transactions. Privacy at Risk proposes instead that the Fourth Amendment be read to permit only those surveillance techniques that produce a success rate roughly proportionate to the intrusion they visit upon those affected, and argues that intrusiveness should be measured empirically rather than simply determined through guesswork. In their reviews of the book, Professor Swire finds this proportionality idea attractive but would tweak it, while Professor Kerr argues that intrusions on civil liberties should be gauged “normatively” rather than empirically and that the justification for a particular intrusion should depend on numerous variables besides the extent to which it is likely to produce evidence of wrongdoing. This Article defends my original proposals and adds discussion about (1) the relevance of empirical findings to constitutional adjudication and (2) the relevance of political process theory to surveillance of groups.
Finder, Minder A Grinder: The Charges and Rebuttal

What happens when strained relationships develop between two people you value in your organization and they come to you for advice? David Walker is a senior attorney in a bustling, white-shoe law practice. During an especially busy time, Walker becomes party to an office dispute between his trusted administrative assistant, Susan Emson, and a respected colleague, Ramya Kumar. Walker has spent numerous hours listening to both sides tell their stories, and he is left with an impending sense that he has no answers. How is he ever going to help two people he values greatly work out a compromise between their extremely polar positions? How did the dispute get to such a point? The case provides opportunities to explore the sources of interpersonal conflict, causes of escalation, and ways of diffusing and resolving it.
Mechanism of Improved Au Nanoparticle Size Distributions Using Simultaneous Spatial and Temporal Focusing for Femtosecond Laser Irradiation of Aqueous KAuCl4

The production of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by irradiation of aqueous [AuCl4]− with femtosecond laser pulses is investigated using simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing (SSTF) and compared to the results of conventional geometric focusing (GF). The effects of capping agent, laser power, reaction conditions in the cuvette, and laser chirp are studied, and we find that SSTF produces smaller particles with fewer irregular structures and fewer outlying large particles than GF in all cases except for one, in which the particle size distributions are the same. The difference is primarily ascribed to the intrinsic plasma properties of the two geometries: SSTF produces a plasma that is more homogeneous and spatially symmetric than that of GF, promoting efficient intrinsic mixing of the solution.
The effects of methyl mercury on platelets: induction of aggregation and release via activation of the prostaglandin synthesis pathway.

The effects of methyl mercury on human blood platelets was studied. It induced platelet shape change, platelet aggregation, the platelet release reaction, and the synthesis of malondialdehyde. All of these effects were inhibited by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. The release reaction and malondialdehyde generation could be induced in the absence of aggregation, and prostaglandin E1 inhibited release but not malondialdehyde production. It is concluded that the activation of arachidonate cycloperoxidation is a plausible and adequate explanation for these effects of methyl mercury, and speculated that the toxic effects of methyl mercury are due to an analogous disturbance of lipid metabolism in other tissue. Methyl mercury also inhibited the prostaglandin E1-stimulated adenylate cyclase of platelets; influenced the rate of uptake of adenosine, adenine, and serotonin, and had minor effects on adenine nucleotide metabolism.
Different effects of intracellular Ca and protein kinase C on cardiac T and L Ca currents

We studied the effects of changing the intracellular Ca level ([Ca]i) and activating protein kinase C on the cardiac T and L Ca channels in single canine ventricular and Purkinje cells. Lowering [Ca]i increased the L current but decreased the T current, whereas elevating [Ca]i caused opposite changes. In ventricular cells, isoproterenol (1 microM) increased the amplitude of not only the L but also the T currents; the latter effect probably was secondary to a rise in [Ca]i following the augmentation of the L current. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 100 nM) decreased the T current but first increased and then decreased the L current. The TPA effects on the T and L currents were not mimicked by a phorbol ester that does not activate PKC (4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate) and were prevented by a protein kinase inhibitor (H-8), confirming the involvement of PKC activity in these modulatory processes. We conclude that elevating [Ca]i and activating PKC have opposite effects on the T and L Ca currents in canine cardiac cells. The extent and time course of the changes in these two intracellular messengers will most likely determine the effects on the two cardiac Ca currents of neurotransmitters and hormones that can activate phospholipase C.
Does the immune system play a role in loosening and osteolysis of total joint replacements

Total joint replacement is a highly successful surgical procedure with an excellent outcome over many years. However, because this procedure is now being performed in younger patients, and because the average age of our population continues to increase, greater expectations have been placed on joint implants in the hope that they will last forever. Aseptic loosening and osteolysis of total joint replacements are the main processes limiting long-term implant survival. This paper focuses on the possible role of immunological mechanisms in the processes of loosening and osteolysis of joint replacements, with special emphasis on polymeric materials. This topic is very controversial: In vitro experiments and in vivo studies in animals and humans are reviewed and provide evidence for both sides of the debate. In some patients, immunological processes appear to be activated after a total joint replacement has been implanted. Specific materials or their by-products might function as haptens and elicit a T-lymphocyte-mediated, delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Many factors probably are important, including the genetic makeup and immune competence of the patient, prior exposure to the same or similar materials, degree of exposure (rate of generation of particles and the efficacy of clearance mechanisms), and characteristics of the particles themselves.
Effect of Ti content on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of (Fe36Ni18Mn33Al13)100−xTix high entropy alloys

Abstract The microstructure and mechanical properties studies of a series of two-phase f.c.c./B2 (ordered b.c.c.) lamellar-structured, high entropy alloys (HEA) Fe36Ni18Mn33Al13Tix with x up to 6 at. % Ti have been investigated. X-ray microanalysis in a TEM showed that the Ti resided mostly in the B2 phase. The lamellar spacing decreased significantly with increasing Ti content from 1.56 μm for the undoped alloy to 155 nm with an addition of 4 at. % Ti, leading to a sharp increase in room-temperature yield strength,σy, from 270 MPa to 953 MPa, but with a concomitant decrease in ductility from 22% elongation to 2.3%. Annealing at 1173 K for 20 h greatly increased the lamellar spacing of Fe36Ni18Mn33Al13Ti4 to 577 nm, producing a corresponding decrease in σy to 511 MPa. The yield strengths of all the doped alloys decreased significantly when tensile tested at 973 K with a concomitant increase in ductility due to softening of the B2 phase. The fracture mode changed from cleavage at room temperature to a ductile dimple-type rupture at 973 K. The results are discussed in terms of the Hall-Petch-type relationship.
Environmental Economics: An Integrated Approach -- Chapter 1: Introduction

This is the introductory chapter to Environmental Economics: An Integrated Approach. While brief, it explains the economist's approach to environmental economics and characterizes the nature of the goods humans care about, introducing Chapters 2 and Chapters 3 which follow. It is seen here that excludability is critical to the functioning of ordinary markets, with non-excludability being the reason for the many environmental problems we observe.
Drugs and harm to users

In this chapter I will assess whether criminal laws against the recreational use of drugs (LAD) are justifiable on paternalistic grounds. In other words, I will evaluate attempts to defend or reject LAD solely because of the harm drugs cause to adult users themselves, quite apart from the harm they cause to nonusers. In Chapter 1,1 proposed that the strengths and weaknesses of the case for LAD are best revealed by distinguishing the harm drugs cause to users from the harm they cause to others. I explore the separate issue of whether LAD can be justified by a “harm to others” rationale in Chapter 3. With increasing frequency, drug prohibitionists have cited so-called moral harms to users in support of LAD. After conceding that a cost-benefit analysis is inconclusive, James Q. Wilson maintains that “the moral reason for attempting to discourage drug use is that the heavy consumption of certain drugs is destructive of human character … The dignity, autonomy, and productivity of many users, already impaired by other problems, is destroyed.” In citing this rationale for the prohibition of illegal substances, Wilson echoes the sentiments of former drug czar William Bennett: “Drug use - especially heavy drug use - destroys human character. It destroys dignity and autonomy, it burns away the sense of responsibility, it subverts productivity, it makes a mockery of virtue.”
The “Adjoint” Equation and Representation of Solutions

In this section, we restrict our attention to the linear system $${\rm{\dot x}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right) = {\rm{L}}\left( {{\rm{t}},{\rm{x}}_{\rm{t}} } \right)$$ (17.1) where L(t,ϕ) is continuous in t,ϕ, linear in ϕ and is given explicitly by $${\rm{L}}\left( {{\rm{t}},{\rm{\phi }}} \right) = \sum\limits_{{\rm{k}} = 1}^\infty {{\rm{A}}_{\rm{k}} \left( {\rm{t}} \right){\rm{\phi }}\left( { - \tau _{\rm{k}} } \right) + } \int_{ - \tau }^0 {{\rm{A}}\left( {{\rm{t}},{\rm{\xi }}} \right)} {\rm{\phi }}\left( {\rm{\xi }} \right){\rm{d\xi }}$$ (17.2) where each Ak(t), A(t,ξ) are continuous n × n matrix functions for \(- \infty < t,\xi < \infty ,{\text{0}} \leqslant {{\tau }_{k}},\tau \leqslant r\). The extension of the results of this section to the most general linear system is contained in Section 32.
Resistin, Obesity, and Cancer

Obesity, a major global epidemic of this century, is associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and various types of cancer. Cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many adipose tissue-derived biomarkers are associated with risks of cancer. Resistin is an adipokine produced mainly by adipocytes in mice, but monocytes and macrophages in human. Resistin was initially recognized as a regulator of insulin resistance and inflammation. There has been increasing evidence suggesting an association between increased resistin levels and obesity, as well as obesity-related disorders, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and malignancies. In particular, studies have reported higher circulating resistin levels in patients with certain types of cancer including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, hematologic malignancies, endometrial cancer, and pancreatic cancer, but contradictory results have also been documented. Although our understandings of the causal role and the underlying mechanisms of resistin in cancer progression and metastasis remain incomplete, resistin has been found to promote proliferation, migration, and invasiveness of a number of cancer cell lines. Furthermore, as a key inflammatory biomarker and mediator of insulin resistance, resistin may indirectly mediate cancer development through its metabolic effects. In this chapter, we summarize the current findings on the pathophysiological implications of resistin in obesity and related diseases from experimental, clinical, and epidemiological perspectives in order to decipher its role in linking obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation to cancer.
Nephrotoxicity in Patients with or without Cystic Fibrosis Treated with Polymyxin B Compared to Colistin.

Nephrotoxicity is the primary adverse effect of the polymyxins. The relative rates of toxicity of polymyxin B and colistin have not been fully elucidated, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). A retrospective cohort study of adults treated with polymyxin B or colistin for at least 48 h was conducted. The primary endpoint was the incidence of kidney injury assessed by RIFLE (i.e., r isk, i njury, f ailure, l oss, e nd-stage renal disease) criteria. Risk factors for kidney injury were evaluated using multivariate Cox regression. A total of 414 patients were evaluated, 220 of whom had CF. In patients without CF, there was no difference in kidney injury with polymyxin B and colistin (42.9% versus 50.3%, P = 0.46). Loop diuretic exposure was a risk factor for kidney injury (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16 to 2.83) in this population. In patients with CF, polymyxin B and colistin were associated with similar rates of kidney injury (34.5% versus 29.8%, P = 0.77). Diabetes (aHR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.01 to 7.11), loop diuretics (aHR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.36 to 6.73), and progressive care unit admission (aHR, 8.21; 95% CI, 2.55 to 26.46) were risk factors for kidney injury, while higher baseline serum creatinine levels (per 1 mg/dl) were protective (aHR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.48). Total unadjusted kidney injury in polymyxin-treated patients was less frequent in those who had CF (30.5% versus 48.5%, P < 0.001). Polymyxin B and colistin are associated with a high incidence of kidney injury; cystic fibrosis may be protective against polymyxin nephrotoxicity, but further investigation is needed to confirm this conjecture.
The path to the top: insights from career histories of top CIOs

Along the way, acquire technical expertise and a master's degree, even while changing positions and companies.
Luck and the Limits of Equality

A recent movement within political philosophy called luck egalitarianism has attempted to synthesize the right’s regard for responsibility with the left’s concern for equality. The original motivat...
Optimization of a Z-source, ultra-fast mechanically switched, high efficiency DC circuit breaker

A novel modification of the Z-source circuit breaker topology is presented for low voltage applications. An ultra-fast mechanical switch has been used in place of the solid-state switch (thyristor) in the Z-source circuit breaker to reduce the energy loss utilizing the very low resistance of mechanical contactors. The proposed modification also facilitates bi-directional current flow for distributed energy resource integration and improves ride through capabilities during downstream load transients. Existing Z-source circuit breaker designs utilize an impedance network to create a forced zero current crossing in the event of a fault in commutating thyristor to isolate the fault from source. However, all load current must flow through the thyristor during normal operation resulting in high loss due to on-state voltage drop of the solid-state switch. To validate the concept and develop proper control for this circuit breaker, both simulations and experimental studies have been carried out. The proposed breaker has been modelled in PSCAD for analysis. Additionally, an analytical estimation model of the system dynamics during fault has been developed to validate the simulations. A test circuit rated for 400 V and 20 A has been designed, constructed and tested.
Fractal analysis of collision cascades in pulsed-ion-beam-irradiated solids

The buildup of radiation damage in ion-irradiated crystals often depends on the spatial distribution of atomic displacements within collision cascades. Although collision cascades have previously been described as fractals, the correlation of their fractal parameters with experimental observations of radiation damage buildup remains elusive. Here, we use a pulsed-ion-beam method to study defect interaction dynamics in 3C-SiC irradiated at 100 °C with ions of different masses. These data, together with results of previous studies of SiC and Si, are analyzed with a model of radiation damage formation which accounts for the fractal nature of collision cascades. Our emphasis is on the extraction of the effective defect diffusion length from pulsed beam measurements. Results show that, for both Si and SiC, collision cascades are mass fractals with fractal dimensions in the range of ~1–2, depending on ion mass, energy, and the depth from the sample surface. Within our fractal model, the effective defect diffusion length is ~10 nm for SiC and ~20 nm for Si, and it decreases with increasing cascade density. These results demonstrate a general method by which the fractal nature of collision cascades can be used to explain experimental observations and predict material’s response to radiation.
The evolution of the capacity for language: the ecological context and adaptive value of a process of cognitive hijacking

Language plays a pivotal role in the evolution of human culture, yet the evolution of the capacity for language—uniquely within the hominin lineage—remains little understood. Bringing together insights from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, archaeology and behavioural ecology, we hypothesize that this singular occurrence was triggered by exaptation, or ‘hijacking’, of existing cognitive mechanisms related to sequential processing and motor execution. Observed coupling of the communication system with circuits related to complex action planning and control supports this proposition, but the prehistoric ecological contexts in which this coupling may have occurred and its adaptive value remain elusive. Evolutionary reasoning rules out most existing hypotheses regarding the ecological context of language evolution, which focus on ultimate explanations and ignore proximate mechanisms. Coupling of communication and motor systems, although possible in a short period on evolutionary timescales, required a multi-stepped adaptive process, involving multiple genes and gene networks. We suggest that the behavioural context that exerted the selective pressure to drive these sequential adaptations had to be one in which each of the systems undergoing coupling was independently necessary or highly beneficial, as well as frequent and recurring over evolutionary time. One such context could have been the teaching of tool production or tool use. In the present study, we propose the Cognitive Coupling hypothesis, which brings together these insights and outlines a unifying theory for the evolution of the capacity for language. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Bridging cultural gaps: interdisciplinary studies in human cultural evolution’.
Supporting Asylum Seekers: Clinician Experiences of Documenting Human Rights Violations Through Forensic Psychological Evaluation

The United States permits foreign nationals to apply for asylum if they have experienced persecution or have a fear of future persecution. In order to meet the criteria for persecution, the harm inflicted upon the asylum seeker does not need to be or have been physical and can include psychological sequelae. In an effort to document persecution, lawyers seek the assistance of health professionals when preparing their clients' asylum applications. Mental health professionals work to corroborate psychological evidence of the asylum seeker's report of ill treatment through evaluation and presentation of their findings in the form of legal affidavits. This study gathered the experiences of 15 mental health clinicians who conduct forensic psychological evaluations and document the impact of torture and other human rights violations on asylum seekers. We analyzed the resulting interview transcripts using a consensual qualitative research (CQR) approach. The results of the study highlight challenges associated with this work, suggest recommendations for training, and encourage advocacy endeavors by mental health professionals who provide these services.
Protected areas and the sustainable governance of forest resources

Forest protected areas (FPAs) remain a core strategy in efforts to advance global sustainability goals. Information on the effectiveness of this strategy in delivering environmental and socio-economic benefits is accumulating rapidly. Here, we review recent literature to assess current knowledge on FPA impacts, focusing on studies examining the governance dimensions of FPAs. We find that quantitative impact evaluations increasingly assess FPA networks and seek to link FPA governance to conservation and human well-being outcomes. A largely separate, qualitative literature provides detailed analysis of forest PA governance, but rarely connects it to these outcomes. Our review highlights the need for greater integration of insights and approaches from these two literatures to develop theory and evidence on sustainable governance of forest PAs over the long-term.
Binding without Pronouns (and Pronouns without Binding)

This paper is rooted in the hypothesis of “direct compositionality” (cf. Montague, 1974). In its broadest formulation, this hypothesis is that the syntax and semantics work in tandem in such a way that the syntactic combinatory operations specify a set of well-formed expressions and each such operation is coupled with a semantic operation which provides a model-theoretic interpretation for the expression. I also assume a general Categorial Grammar (CG) implementation of this, whereby the syntactic category of an expression encodes its combinatory possibilities and its semantic type and where the semantic operation associated with any syntactic operation is predictable. (Moreover, as in most modern versions of CG, I assume that there is a small and very general set of syntactic/semantic operations—although the question at issue here is just how small.) Of crucial importance is the claim that each syntactic expression is directly assigned a model-theoretic interpretation, and hence no expression needs to be mapped into some other level such as LF in order to be interpreted.