Huntington Museum of Art

Abstract To improve the economics of critical components, such as receivers and heat exchangers, for Generation 3 (Gen 3) concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, research was conducted to understand how manufacturing impacts the high-temperature performance of various tube production routes. Gen 3 CSP components are expected to require the use of heat-resistant nickel- based alloys due to the elevated operating temperatures in designs carrying molten salt or supercritical CO2. INCONEL alloy 740H (alloy 740H) was investigated as an alternative to UNS N06230 (alloy 230) as it possesses superior high-temperature creep strength which can lead to overall reductions in material cost. A key challenge is understanding how autogenous seam welding with and without re-drawing can be used to manufacture thin-wall tubing for CSP receivers and heat-exchangers to further reduce costs over traditional seamless production routes. Alloy 740H welded tube was successfully fabricated and re-drawn to several relevant tube sizes. Since traditional mechanical testing samples could not be removed from the thin-wall tubing, full-sized tubes were used for tensile, fatigue, and vessel testing (internally pressurized creep- rupture) which was critical to understanding the weld performance of the manufactured product forms. The generated vessel test data exhibited a creep strength reduction when compared to wrought product with no clear trend with temperature or test duration. It was found that redrawing the welded tubes improved the creep strength to approximately 82% of the wrought material performance and elevated temperature tensile and fatigue behavior exceeded 85% of the design minimums. Detailed, post-test characterization found that nano-sized carbides formed during the laser seam-welding process remained stable after multiple solution-annealing steps, which restricted grain growth, and impacted the time-dependent performance. This paper will focus on the time-dependent behavior of the examined welded and redrawn tubes, supporting metallographic evidence, and give perspective on future considerations for using alloy 740H in CSP components.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of CAP. To date, only a few studies concerned the association of interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene polymorphisms with CAP.In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the -1082(G/A) polymorphism in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene is involved in susceptibility to and the outcome of CAP, and we also measured the serum level of IL-10 to assess its relation to such polymorphism.This was a case–control study included 100 patients with CAP, and matched with age, gender, and ethnicity of 100 healthy control children. IL-10 -1082(G/A) gene polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, while the serum IL-10 levels were measured by ELISA method.Compared to the controls subjects, the frequencies of the IL-10 -1082 AA genotype and A allele were observed to be overrepresented in patients with CAP (51%; odds ratio [OR] = 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–5.3 for the AA genotype; P < 0.01) and (70%; OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.27–3.00 for the A allele; P < 0.01, respectively). We found that patients with the GG genotype had significantly higher serum IL-10 levels (46.7 ± 9.5 pg/mL) compared to those with AG genotype (21.8 ± 4.5 pg/mL) and AA genotype (11.5 ± 3.3 pg/mL); P < 0.01, respectively. Our data revealed a significant positive association between the -1082 GG genotype and susceptibility to severe sepsis, acute respiratory failure, and hospital mortality (OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.3–11.2; P < 0.01).We demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that IL-10 -1082 (G/A) gene polymorphism may contribute to susceptibility to CAP in Egyptian children. Moreover, we observed that the presence of a G allele or GG genotype at the -1082 position of the promoter region of the IL-10 gene constitute risk factors for developing severe sepsis, acute respiratory failure, and hospital mortality among patients with CAP.

HIV/AIDS remains in epidemic proportions worldwide. The incidence of HIV/AIDS among infants, children, adolescents, and women has risen rapidly, and nurses cannot avoid HIV/AIDS patients. Because HIV/AIDS is associated with certain risk groups that have historically been subjects of discrimination, it has a stigma which contributes to the attitudes developed by nurses. To examine the attitudes of nurses in a southern community hospital, an AIDS Attitude Scale (AAS) survey was administered to all registered nurses (RNs) in staff positions. The AAS, a six-point Likert scale, examines avoidance and empathy attitudes. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. Sixty-eight percent (n = 175) of RNs responded to the survey. The overall mean score for avoidance was 2.37 and for empathy was 5.19. The general score of 2.82 indicated an overall empathetic attitude toward HIV/AIDS patients.

A hospital-acquired outbreak of influenza-like illness that involved 29 patients during 4 weeks was detected in March 1980. The average age of the patients was 63 years. Eighteen of the 29 patients with symptoms had influenza B virus infection documented by virus isolations, fourfold or greater hemagglutination inhibition antibody increases, or both. The attack rate among all hospitalized inpatients was 20%. Absenteeism of the hospital staff because of influenza-like illnesses preceded the outbreak by several weeks, suggesting staff-to-patient transmission. The patients' sera during acute illness had low hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers (geometric mean titer of 1:21) against contemporary influenza B virus antigens, indicating that the patients were highly susceptible to influenza B virus. Only one patient had received trivalent influenza vaccine during the preceding year. The excess hospital cost resulting from the outbreak was +13 270 or +458 per patient. Our observations show that the elderly are at risk of developing nosocomial influenza B virus infection and that these illnesses are costly. Continued efforts to develop efficient influenza immunization programs for elderly persons and hospital staff are worthwhile.

Thirty-nine monaural chinchillas were used to study the interaction between sodium salicylate and various TTS-producing noise paradigms. Five animals were included in each of the following three groups: 1) sodium salicylate (400 mg/kg) plus 2-4 kHz, 95 dB SPL noise band for one hour; 2) sodium salicylate (400 mg/kg) plus 4 kHz CF octave band noise at 80 dB SPL for 96 hours; and 3) sodium salicylate (400 mg/kg) plus 50 impulses having 50 musec A-duration and 158 dB peak SPL, presented at one per minute. The remaining 24 animals served as various controls in groups exposed to sodium salicylate or the noise paradigm alone. Thresholds were estimated before, during, and after exposure using the AER technique and cochleagrams were mapped for each cochlea 30 days after exposure. When sodium salicylate was combined with the various noise conditions, the maximum TTS values obtained from the combination studies were comparable to those obtained from the single agent producing the greatest TTS at a particular frequency. No consistent alteration in either magnitude or time course of posttreatment threshold shift was found following the combination treatments as compared to the individual agents alone. Hazard to the auditory system resulting from a combination of sodium salicylate and noise was concluded to be no greater than the hazard presented by either agent alone. This result is also substantiated in the histological results.

Precipitation reactions that occur in Inconel Alloy 600 were studied and correlated with corrosion behavior in nitric acid and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility in polythionic acid and sodium hydroxide. It was found that exposure of the alloy to times and temperatures near the boundaries of the precipitation region on the TTT diagram results in continuous grain boundary carbides with continuous chromium depleted areas near the boundaries. Such a sensitized condition leads to high corrosion rates in nitric acid. Exposure of the alloy to conditions well within the precipitation region results in intragranular carbide precipitation, restructuring of grain boundary films into discrete particles, and replenishment of chromium depleted areas. The alloy is then considerably less susceptible to intergranular corrosion in nitric acid. The sensitized condition can be either beneficial or detrimental to the alloy's resistance to SCC, depending on the environment involved. If the environment tends to cause true SCC and does not attack chromium depleted areas, the continuous grain boundary films of sensitized material may block the progress of a crack. However, if the environment corrodes chromium depleted areas, cracking could be accelerated by grain boundary films and consequent chromium depletion.

Seventy-one ossicular chains were transplanted in cats to determine the fate of the transplanted ossicles which were placed in 70% alcohol for two months prior to surgery. The morphology, bone repair and viability of the ossicles were determined by gross appearance, microscopic examination, serial sections of four decalcified temporal bones and tetracycline labels followed by fluorescent microscopy. There was extreme reaction in the middle ear to the transplanted ossicles with extensive fibrosis but the shape of the ossicles was not altered even after 19 months. However, the stapes could not be grossly identified in nine ears. The endochondral bone was gradually replaced by cortical bone with the greatest activity within the period of 3 to 6 months postsurgery and cessation of the activity after 13 to 15 months. This process of transition was studied with tetracycline labels and periodic microscopic sections of the ossicles. The inner ear reacted in different ways ranging from complete degeneration of the organ of Corti, to cochlear hydrops, to new bone formation and degeneration of the stria vascularis.