cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lattice-spacing dependence of the sphaleron transition rate

Abstract We study the continuum limit of classical real-time simulations of 1+1-dimensional field theories at finite temperature. Numerical data are presented which demonstrate the proper scaling of the canonical averages of the diffusion rate in the 1+1-dimensional sine-Gordon field theory in the semiclassical temperature domain and beyond. We show that the lattice spacing dependence of the sphaleron transition rate is the dependence on the mass scale of the theory, hence it is different in different temperature domains and various theories.
General total inter-carrier interference cancellation for OFDM high speed aerial vehicle communication

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has been considered as a strong candidate for next generation high speed aerial vehicle communication systems. However, OFDM systems suffers severe performance degradation due to inter-carrier interference (ICI) in high mobility channel, if no ICI cancellation is performed. Traditionally, training symbols have been employed in one packet to help the OFDM receiver to estimate the multi-path channel and the carrier frequency offset (CFO) between the transmitter local oscillator and the receiver local oscillator. However, in aerial vehicle communication, the relative transmitter-receiver speed changes so rapidly that it is unreasonable to assume a constant speed (and CFO) during the entire packet transmission. Hence, to accurately estimate the CFO, training symbols need to be transmitted for every OFDM symbol. Obviously, this significantly reduces OFDM throughput while adding complexity due to repeated CFO estimation. In this paper, we extend our previous work to propose a joint channel/CFO estimation and ICI cancellation algorithm. Specifically, in our previous work, we have proposed a total ICI cancellation algorithm using parallel processing for OFDM system which offers the excellent ICI cancellation and BER performance. However, in this work, perfect channel information was assumed. In this paper, we combine the channel estimation with the ICI cancellation together. The proposed general total ICI cancellation algorithm has the ability to jointly estimate the carrier frequency offset and channel information, and improve the performance significantly. Meanwhile, a serial processing is proposed to reduce the computation complexity. Simulation results in different scenarios confirm the performance of the proposed scheme in multipath fading channels for high speed aerial vehicle communication.
Pyrolysis of a Polymeric Model of Aromatic Carboxylic Acids in Low-Rank Coal

To compliment our current investigation into the role that decarboxylation of aromatic carboxylic acids plays in the low-temperature cross-linking of low-rank coals, we are investigating the thermolysis of a polymeric coal model compound to determine if the polymeric network structure of coal can alter the decarboxylation pathways. In this investigation, a bibenzylic polymer, poly-(m-xylylene-co-5-carboxy-m-xylylene), 1, was synthesized containing 2.3 carboxylic acids per 100 carbons, which is similar to that found in Zapp lignite. The pyrolysis of 1 was compared to poly-m-xylylene, 2, and the methyl ester of 1, 3, to determine if the carboxy group enhances cross-linking reactions. The major product from the pyrolysis of 1 at 375{degrees} C or 400{degrees} C for 1 h was a THF insoluble residue (60-75 wt%), while pyrolysis of 2 or the methyl ester of 1 produced only a THF soluble product. The mechanistic pathways leading to cross-linking will be discussed.
Effect of Graphite Cap for Implant Activation on Inversion Channel Mobility in 4H-SiC MOSFETs

The effects of using a graphite capping layer during implant activation anneal on the performance of 4H-SiC MOSFETs has been evaluated. Two sets of samples, one with the graphite cap and another without, with a gate oxide process consisting of a low-temperature deposited oxide followed by NO anneal at 1175°C for 2hrs were used for characterization. Various device parameters, particularly threshold voltage, subthreshold slope, field-effect mobility, inversion sheet carrier concentration and Hall mobility have been extracted for the two processes.
Reliability of the emotions profile index, primate form, withPapio hamadryas, Macaca fuscata, and twoSaimiri species

An evaluation of the reliability of the Emotions Profile Index (EPI), primate form, was carried out using two captive species of Old World monkeys (Papio hamadryas andMacaca fuscata) and two species (?) of New World monkeys (Saimiri sciureus andS. boliviensis). Observers, some familiar with the animals and some unfamiliar, rated members of the four groups at different times. Inter-rater reliability was high for most members of all species, but only when the observers were familiar with the animals. Assessments remained stable over at least one year.
Electron spectroscopy of the nickel-oxygen system

Abstract Various species of the nickel-oxygen system, such as Ni, NiO ads , NiO, Ni 2 O 3 and NiOO ads , have been observed using ESCA spectroscopy. Ni 2 O 3 is formed by oxidation of nickel metal at temperatures below 250°C and is present on the surface of ordinary NiO. The satellites in the nickel photoelectron spectra of NiO are attributed to arise from multiples coupling and monopole charge transfer transition (O 2 pe g bo → Ni 3 de g ao ) accompanying primary photoemission. (Superscript o denotes adjusted orbitals after photoemission.)
Echovirus 7 Entry into Polarized Intestinal Epithelial Cells Requires Clathrin and Rab7

ABSTRACT Enteroviruses invade the host by crossing the intestinal mucosa, which is lined by polarized epithelium. A number of enteroviruses, including echoviruses (EV) and group B coxsackieviruses (CVB), initiate infection by attaching to decay-accelerating factor (DAF), a molecule that is highly expressed on the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells. We previously observed that entry of DAF-binding CVB3 into polarized intestinal epithelial cells occurs by an unusual endocytic mechanism that requires caveolin but does not involve clathrin or dynamin. Here we examined the entry of a DAF-binding echovirus, EV7. We found that drugs, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and dominant negative mutants that target factors required for clathrin-mediated endocytosis, including clathrin and dynamin, inhibited both EV7 infection and internalization of virions from the cell surface. Once virus had entered the cell, it colocalized with markers of early endosomes (EEA1) and then late endosomes (LAMP-2). Inhibition of endosomal maturation—with siRNAs or dominant negative mutants targeting Rab5 and Rab7—inhibited infection and prevented release of viral RNA into the cell. These results indicate that EV7 is internalized by clathrin-mediated endocytosis and then moves to early and late endosomes before releasing its RNA. Trafficking through endosomes is known to be important for viruses that depend on low pH or endosomal cathepsin proteases to complete the entry process. However, we found that EV7 infection required neither low pH nor cathepsins. IMPORTANCE The results demonstrate that echovirus 7 (EV7), after binding to decay-accelerating factor (DAF) on the cell surface, enters cells by clathrin-mediated endocytosis; this entry mechanism differs markedly from that of another DAF-binding enterovirus, coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). Thus, after attachment to the same cell surface receptor, these closely related viruses enter the same cells by different mechanisms. The cellular cues required for release of viral RNA from the enterovirus capsid (“uncoating”) remain poorly defined. We found that EV7 moved to late endosomes and that release of RNA depended on endosomal maturation; nonetheless, EV7 did not depend on the endosomal factors implicated in uncoating and entry by other viruses. The results suggest either that an unidentified endosomal factor is essential for uncoating of EV7 or that trafficking through the endosome is an essential step in a pathway that leads to another intracellular organelle where uncoating is completed.
Melatonin Can Mediate Its Vascular Protective Effect by Modulating Free Iron Level by Inhibiting Hypochlorous Acid–Mediated Hemoprotein Heme Destruction

To the Editor: A recent interesting study by Rezzani et al in Hypertension 1 has shown that melatonin treatment can reduce blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The authors attributed this role of melatonin to its capacity to function as an antioxidant, as well as a vasodilator, by increasing the availability of NO. In response to this article, van der Zwan et al2 proposed that melatonin's blood pressure modulating effect is not only attributed to its capacity as a potential antioxidant but also through its ability to inhibit myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in vascular tissue. In our opinion, both of these two proposed mechanisms seem to be valid, but melatonin's role in controlling vascular phenomena is not limited to these …
Towards Trusted Services: Result Verification Schemes for MapReduce

Recent development in Internet-scale data applications and services, combined with the proliferation of cloud computing, has created a new computing model for data intensive computing best characterized by the MapReduce paradigm. The MapReduce computing paradigm, pioneered by Google in its Internet search application, is an architectural and programming model for efficiently processing massive amount of raw unstructured data. With the availability of the open source Hadoop tools, applications built based on the MapReduce computing model are rapidly growing. In this work, we focus on a unique security concern on the MapReduce architecture. Given the potential security risks from lazy or malicious servers involved in a MapReduce task, we design efficient and innovative mechanisms for detecting cheating services under the MapReduce environment based on watermark injection and random sampling methods. The new detection schemes are expected to significantly reduce the cost of verification overhead. Finally, extensive analytical and experimental evaluation confirms the effectiveness of our schemes in MapReduce result verification.
Reconfigurable time-steered array-antenna beam former

We present and analyze a hardware-optimized technique that provides true-time-delay steering for broadband two-dimensional array-antenna applications. The technique improves on previous approaches by the reduction of the two-dimensional beam-former architecture complexity, by the provision of flexibility in time-delay unit selection, and by the potential reduction of optical loss. The technique relies on a one-dimensional bank of time-delay units to form the required time-delay gradient for proper off-broadside angle steering. A reconfigurable optical interconnection fabric is used to reassign dynamically the connections between the time-delay units and individual array elements of a two-dimensional array to effect the proper steering angle along the off-broadside cone.
Broad-band fading channels: signal burstiness and capacity

Medard and Gallager (2002) showed that very large bandwidths on certain fading channels cannot be effectively used by direct sequence or related spread-spectrum systems. This paper complements the work of Medard and Gallager. First, it is shown that a key information-theoretic inequality of Medard and Gallager can be directly derived using the theory of capacity per unit cost, for a certain fourth-order cost function, called fourthegy. This provides insight into the tightness of the bound. Secondly, the bound is explored for a wide-sense-stationary uncorrelated scattering (WSSUS) fading channel, which entails mathematically defining such a channel. In this context, the fourthegy can be expressed using the ambiguity function of the input signal. Finally, numerical data and conclusions are presented for direct-sequence type input signals.
Resistance to the Pseudomonas syringae effector HopA1 is governed by the TIR-NBS-LRR protein RPS6 and is enhanced by mutations in SRFR1

The Pseudomonas syringae-Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) interaction is an extensively studied plant-pathogen system. Arabidopsis possesses approximately 150 putative resistance genes encoding nucleotide binding site (NBS) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain-containing proteins. The majority of these belong to the Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-NBS-LRR (TNL) class. Comparative studies with the coiled-coil-NBS-LRR genes RPS2, RPM1, and RPS5 and isogenic P. syringae strains expressing single corresponding avirulence genes have been particularly fruitful in dissecting specific and common resistance signaling components. However, the major TNL class is represented by a single known P. syringae resistance gene, RPS4. We previously identified hopA1 from P. syringae pv syringae strain 61 as an avirulence gene that signals through ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1, indicating that the corresponding resistance gene RPS6 belongs to the TNL class. Here we report the identification of RPS6 based on a forward-genetic screen and map-based cloning. Among resistance proteins of known function, the deduced amino acid sequence of RPS6 shows highest similarity to the TNL resistance protein RAC1 that determines resistance to the oomycete pathogen Albugo candida. Similar to RPS4 and other TNL genes, RPS6 generates alternatively spliced transcripts, although the alternative transcript structures are RPS6 specific. We previously characterized SRFR1 as a negative regulator of avrRps4-triggered immunity. Interestingly, mutations in SRFR1 also enhanced HopA1-triggered immunity in rps6 mutants. In conclusion, the cloning of RPS6 and comparisons with RPS4 will contribute to a closer dissection of the TNL resistance pathway in Arabidopsis.
Secondary Mathematics Modeling: Issues and Challenges

Mathematical modeling plays a prominent role in the mathematics reform effort. For example, modeling, as incorporated in the curriculum recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, forms the basts of classroom activities developed by groups such as the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications and the Systemic Initiative for Montana Mathematics and Science. Modeling is also a topic of workshop and conference presentations at the state, regional, and national levels. Recommendations regarding the future of mathematics education indicate that the emphasis on modeling will continue to grow. In this article, an overview of mathematical modeling is presented and the reasons underlying the current interest in this topic are discussed. The article also identifies several practical issues that are raised by the use of modeling in secondary classrooms.
A Review of “Unjust Justice: Against the Tyranny of International Law”

Chantal Delsol, a contemporary French political philosopher of some renown, has written a delightful philosophic polemic. She writes with such elan, penetration, and depth that her book reminded me...
Transesterification of triacetin using solid Brønsted bases

Abstract This paper reports the results of an investigation into the use of solid Bronsted base catalysts as a potential alternative to homogeneous base catalysts in the transesterification of triacetin with small alcohols carried out under mild reaction conditions. Two catalysts with organic quaternary ammonium functionality (QN+OH−), a resin (A26), and a functionalized silica gel (QN+OH−/SiO2), were used for the transesterification of triacetin with methanol (a model reaction), and their performance was studied in detail. Reactions were carried out in a well-mixed isothermal batch reactor at 60 °C. Both solid bases showed appreciable catalytic activity for the transesterification of triacetin conforming to the base strength of the active centers. Although the polymeric organic catalyst showed lower site activity, it was more stable during multiple reaction cycles (i.e., showed less deactivation) than the silica-supported catalyst and exhibited a higher total selectivity for glycerol for a given triacetin conversion. The effect of the support on the Bronsted base catalyzed transesterification is discussed, as is probable routes for silica-supported catalyst deactivation.
Array processing in non-Gaussian noise with the EM algorithm

A central problem in sensor array processing is the localization of multiple sources and the reception of the signals emitted by those sources. Many approaches have been studied for this problem when the additive noise in the sensor array data is modeled with a Gaussian distribution. However, the schemes designed for Gaussian noise typically perform very poorly when the noise is non-Gaussian. An algorithm is presented for array processing in non-Gaussian noise. The algorithm is based on modeling the noise with a Gaussian mixture distribution. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is then used to derive an iterative processing structure that estimates the source locations, estimates the source waveforms, and adapts the processing to match the characteristics of the noise. Simulation examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the algorithm.
Differential Mobility of Elements in Burial Diagenesis of Siliciclastic Rocks

ABSTRACT Mass-balance calculations involving smectite-rich siliciclastic mudstones sampled from boreholes show that significant K2O addition and CaO loss correlate strongly with the progress of illitization of smectite and with the dissolution of calcite. The calculations are based on the immobility of Al2O3, and require a chemically homogeneous sediment at deposition, such that the shallower samples represent protolith compositions of deeper samples. Constancy of ratios of TiO2/Al2O3 are used to (1) establish that both TiO2 and Al2O3 have similarly low differential mobilities, and (2) identify stratigraphic sections available in the literature that are sufficiently homogeneous to allow the calcu ations. Our calculations show that most major-oxide components are immobile at the 5% limit of resolution of the calculations. Exceptions are K2O, which is almost universally added to mudstones, and CaO, which is commonly removed from mudstones during diagenesis. The addition of up to 50% K2O correlates with percent illite in mixed-layer illite/smectite, indicating that illitization of smectite involves fixation of K2O from diagenetic fluids. Removal of 40% CaO from some sections correlates with decreasing calcite mode and is attributed to dissolution of calcite. Together these reactions lead to a 10-15% loss of mineral volume, a volume loss that must be added to porosity loss when modeling compaction. Illitization and carbonate dissolution may be linked, because K-fixation during illitization decreases the pH of the local fluid (a "reverse weathering reaction"), which enhances carbonate dissolution. Addition of up to 20% Na2O in some rocks may be caused by albitization of plagioclase, but Na2O addition is not pervasive. The apparent lack of mass transfer associated with dissolution of kaolinite and feldspars or precipitation of chlorite implies that these reactions are balanced by other reactions such that their oxide components in mudstones are conserved. Limited data from sandstone-mudstone pairs are consistent with transfer of K2O from sandstones to mudstone via rising diagenetic fluids. Except for CaO and the alkalis, diagenesis of siliciclastic mudstones appears isochemical (± 5% relative) for most major oxide components. The much larger changes recorded in some reservoir sandstones are clearly exceptions, and may not reflect changes occurring at the scale of kilometers.
Design of Location Service for a Hybrid Network of Mobile Actors and Static Sensors

Locariori services are essential to many applications running on a hybrid of wirelessly-networked mobile actors and static sensors, such us surveillance systems and the Pursuer and Evader Game (PEG). To our best knowledge, there has been no previous location service protocol for wireless sensor networks. A number of location service protocols have been proposed for mobile ad hoc networks, but they are not applicable to sensor networks due to the usually large per-hop latency between sensors. This paper presents a distributed location service protocol (DLSP) for wireless sensor networks. Using a rigorous analysis of DLSP, we derive the condition for achieving a high packet-delivery ratio, and show how to configure the protocol parameters to ensure the scalability of DLSP. We find that DLSP is scalable if the mobile's speed is below a certain fraction of the packet-transmission speed, which depends on a movement threshold. For example, if the movement threshold for the location servers at the lowest level equals the radio range, the speed limit is one-tenth of the packet-transmission speed. The mobile's theoretical speed limit is one-fifth of the pocket-transmission speed, beyond which DLSP cannot scale regardless of the movement threshold. Because of the high location-update overhead of DLSP, we propose an optimization, DLSP-SN, which can reduce the overhead by over 70%, while achieving high packet-delivery ratios. However, due to the griding effect, the packet's path length of DLSP-SN may be longer than that of DLSP, incurring higher data-delivery cost.
Multiple model-based control of robotic manipulators: an overview

The multiple model-based control (MMBC) technique utilizes knowledge of nominal robot dynamics and principles of Bayesian estimation to provide payload-independent trajectory tracking accuracy. The MMBC algorithm is formed by augmenting a model-based controller with a form of multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE). The MMAE uses perturbation models of the robot dynamics and joint angle measurements to provide an estimate of the payload parameters required to minimize trajectory tracking errors. The model-based controller combines a priori knowledge of robot structure with the payload estimate to produce the multiple models of the manipulator dynamics required to maintain controller accuracy. Extensive simulation studies on the first three links of a PUMA-560 have been validated by experimental evaluation. It is concluded that MMBC provides a unique solution to the problem of maintaining trajectory tracking accuracy in uncertain payload environments. >
Toward an understanding of mothering: a comparison of two motherhood stages.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to understand the tasks and activities involved in the caring and nurturing work of mothering, a common and important occupation for many women. METHOD: In-depth, semistructured individual interviews were conducted with 40 mothers: 20 mothers of preschool-age children and 20 mothers of young adults. In addition, participants completed a questionnaire describing the tasks and activities that they currently engage in when caring for their children. RESULTS: The activities involved in mothering are different for the mothers at the two stages of mothering examined. The mothers of preschool-age children are very involved in caretaking tasks and meeting the basic needs of the child, whereas the mothers of young adults are involved in emotional and supportive type activities. Mothers at both stages are involved in caring and nurturing work but this work evolves and changes as children mature. CONCLUSION: These findings extend our awareness of mothering and the tasks and activities involved in the occupation of mothering at both the preschool stage and young-adult stage. Language: en
Effects of Vomeronasal Organ Removal on Olfactory Sex Discrimination and Odor Preferences of Female Ferrets

Previous research suggests that body odorants, including anal scents and urinary odors, contribute to sex discrimination and mate identification in European ferrets of both sexes. We assessed the possible role of the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in these functions by surgically removing the organ bilaterally in sexually experienced female ferrets. Lesioned (VNOx) and sham-operated control (VNOi) females reliably discriminated between male- and female-derived anal scent gland as well as fresh urinary odors in habituation/dishabituation tests. However, VNOi females spent significantly more time than VNOx subjects investigating male urinary odors in these tests. Also, VNOi females, but not VNOx subjects, preferred to investigate day-old male versus female urine spots as well as wooden blocks that had previously been soiled by male versus female ferrets. Both groups of female ferrets preferred to approach volatile odors from a breeding male instead of an estrous female in Y-maze tests and both groups showed similar levels of receptive sexual behavior in response to a male’s neck grip. The VNO is apparently not required for olfactory sex discrimination or mate recognition in this carnivore, but instead may play a role in promoting continued contact with nonvolatile body odors previously deposited by opposite-sex conspecifics during territorial scent marking.
Modeling and velocity analysis with a wavefront-construction algorithm for anisotropic media

Wavefront construction methods allow for efficient simulation of seismic wave propagation in anisotropic media using ray theory. This approach models an individual wavefront as a mesh that is adaptively refined as the wave travels through an earth model. The algorithm, implemented here for quasi-compressional waves, provides an effective tool for modeling and analyzing a large vertical seismic-profile data set from the Gulf of Mexico. Seismic velocities in this region generally increase linearly with depth, but simulations show that an isotropic vertical-gradient model cannot accurately reproduce traveltimes of first arrivals. However, a simple velocity-analysis inversion based on the wavefront-construction method allows a straightforward estimation of improved isotropic and transversely isotropic models that significantly reduce the misfit between computed traveltimes and the observations. The goal of this analysis is to produce a simple model suitable for use as a starting point for migrations and for a...
Spatio-temporal consistency as a means to identify unlabeled objects in a continuous data field

Mesoscale ocean eddies are a critical component of the Earth System as they dominate the ocean's kinetic energy and impact the global distribution of oceanic heat, salinity, momentum, and nutrients. Therefore, accurately representing these dynamic features is critical for our planet's sustainability. The majority of methods that identify eddies from satellite observations analyze the data in a frame-by-frame basis despite the fact that eddies are dynamic objects that propagate across space and time. We introduce the notion of spatio-temporal consistency to identify eddies in a continuous spatio-temporal field, to simultaneously ensure that the features detected are both spatially and temporally consistent. Our spatio-temporal consistency approach allows us to remove most of the expert criteria used in traditional methods to reduce false negatives. The removal of arbitrary heuristics enables us to render more complete eddy dynamics by identifying smaller and longer lived eddies compared to existing methods.
Performance of a high damping rubber bearing base isolation system for a shear beam structure

Performance of High Damping Laminated Rubber Bearing (HD-LRB) base isolation system in protecting the structure and the structural content is studied. A non-uniform shear beam structural model is considered, and the generalized non-stationary Kanai–Tajimi model for the El Centro 1940 earthquake is used as excitation. The technique of equivalent linearization is utilized and the mean-square response statistics of secondary systems and primary structure are evaluated. Statistically estimated peak responses of the secondary system and the primary structure are evaluated and the results are compared with the response spectra for the actual earthquake accelerogram. Comparison of the stochastic responses for base-isolated structures with the HD-LRB and the linear Laminated Rubber Bearing (LRB) and the fixed-base structure is also carried out. It is shown that the HD-LRB system significantly reduces the mean-square, as well as the peak acceleration and deflection responses without generating large base displacements. Furthermore, the non-linear behaviour of the HD-LRB somewhat improves the performance of the bearing in reducing the peak responses of the secondary system and the primary structure when compared with the linear LRB model.
Helper Activity for the Defective Friend Leukemia Virus in Human Malignant Cell Cultures

The search for a possible viral etiology for human malignancy is at the forefront of current cancer research. Faced with the difficulties present in human investigation, scientists have found it necessary to use indirect approaches. This area of cancer research is further complicated by the fact that the necessary information for malignancy may be present in a cell without demonstrable virus particles. The genetic constitution of the host is an important factor controlling the expression of malignancy, and it has been shown that an agent causing only a mild infection in human beings can cause a malignant lesion in other species (Trentin et al., 1962). A genetic basis for leukemogenesis has been described (Lilly et al., 1964; Odaka and Yamamoto, 1962).
Finite Element Analysis and Optimization on the Numerical Control Lathe Bed

Lathe bed is one of the important parts of machine tool, and its performance will affect the final machining accuracy of the machine tool directly. A numerical control lathe produced by a machine tool plant was taken as the research object, the finite element analysis and optimization method of the Lathe bed were studied. First of all, the external load of the bed was analyzed, static performance finite element analysis of the bed was implemented, and the corresponding analysis results were obtained. Then, the evaluation methods were discussed, and the deformations of junction areas were studied. At the same time, its effect on the performance of machine tool could also be analyzed. Based on the topology optimization method, the conceptual model of Lathe bed could be acquired, and also the rationality of the existing machine tool structure was discussed. The finite element analysis and optimization method of Lathe bed were concluded, which are helpful to obtain the static characteristics of the Lathe bed accurately. Moreover, there is an important practical significance to design the Lathe bed reasonably and to promote the machine tools comprehensive performance.
Operation for GERD: Laparoscopic Approach

Laparoscopic antireflux surgery (LARS) has assumed a major role in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The advancement in laparoscopic techniques and instrumentation over the past decade has led to an increase in the number of antireflux operations. Although the operation is fundamentally similar to open antireflux procedures, clear benefits to the laparoscopic approach have been described.
Medicare Payment and Hospital Provision of Outpatient Care to the Uninsured.

Objective To describe the amount of hospital outpatient care provided to the uninsured and its association with Medicare payment rate cuts following the implementation of Medicare's Outpatient Prospective Payment System. Data Sources/Study Setting We use hospital outpatient discharge records from Florida from 1997 through 2008. Study Design We estimate multivariate regression models of hospital outpatient care provided to the uninsured in separate samples of nonprofit and for-profit hospitals. Principal Findings Hospital outpatient departments provide significant amounts of care to the uninsured. As Medicare payment rates fall, total charges and the share of charges for outpatient visits by the uninsured decrease at nonprofit hospitals. At for-profit hospitals, the share of outpatient care provided to uninsured patients increases, but there is no significant change in the number of uninsured discharges. Conclusions Nonprofit and for-profit hospitals respond differently to reductions in Medicare payments; thus, studies of the impact of legislated Medicare payment cuts on care of the uninsured should account for differences in hospital ownership in communities. Given that outpatient care to the uninsured includes preventive and diagnostic care procedures, reductions in this care following payment cuts may adversely affect long-run health and health care costs in communities dominated by nonprofit hospitals.
Resonance Neutron Radiography

A resonance neutron tomography project was carried out at the National Bureau of Standards which included (1) the construction of the reactor-based resonance neutron safeguards experimental system and the making of provisions for its use, and (2) the initial tomographic construction of a nuclear waste container.
Daily and Seasonal Patterns of Synanthedon pictipes Emergence in Wisconsin

The daily and seasonal emergence patterns of Synanthedon pictipes (Grote and Robinson) were determined under field conditions in Door County, Wisc., m 1972 and 1973. Daily emergence occurred during the morning hours at times related to temperature conditions. The earliest emergence was recorded at 5:45 AM. No emergence took place at temperatures below 15°C,. but on fast warming days emergence was not initiated until the temperature was much higher. It is suggested that a certain number of thermal units accumulation followmg sunrise are required for emergence to take place. The observed seasonal emergence extended between 6 June and the week ending 3 August. The ratio of males:total number of adults declined significantly on both daily and seasonal scales.
pH-Dependent Optical Properties of a Poly(phenylene ethynylene) Conjugated Polyampholyte

A poly(phenylene ethynylene) conjugated polymer (PPE-NMe3+-COO−) containing tetraalkylammonium groups and carboxylate groups has been synthesized by Sonogashira coupling. Due to the presence of the...
Religiosity and Personality Traits of Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Catholic Deacons: Machismo or Caballerismo?

The Hispanic masculinity style may be “machismo” (dominant, distant, and unemotional) or “caballeros” (engaged, affectionate, compassionate), but is unknown among Hispanic clergy. Using a U.S. on-line survey database, Hispanic (n = 127) and non-Hispanic (n = 1708) Catholic deacons self-reported religiosity and personality traits. Hispanic and non-Hispanic deacons reported similar depth on religious beliefs, but non-Hispanic, compared to Hispanic, deacons claimed higher interpersonal religious commitment and a spiritual transcendence of connectedness to others. On the hexaco-60, Hispanic, compared to non-Hispanic, deacons reported significantly higher emotional traits and lower extraversion traits. Furthermore, Hispanic deacons reported higher fearfulness and sociability and lower boldness facets, compared to non-Hispanic deacons. These results were independent of the ethnic composition of the parish community. Results suggest that Hispanic deacons may reflect “caballeros” masculinity-caring for others and sensitive to their emotional needs while socially outgoing.
Verified and validated calculation of unsteady dynamics of viscous hydrogen-air detonations

The dynamics of one-dimensional, piston-driven hydrogen–air detonations are predicted in the presence of physical mass, momentum and energy diffusion. The calculations are automatically verified by the use of an adaptive wavelet-based computational method which correlates a user-specified error tolerance to the error in the calculations. The predicted frequency of 0.97 MHz for an overdriven pulsating detonation agrees well with the 1.04 MHz frequency observed by Lehr in a shock-induced combustion experiment around a spherical projectile, thus giving a limited validation for the model. A study is performed in which the supporting piston velocity is varied, and the long time behaviour is examined for an initially stoichiometric mixture at 293.15 K and 1 atm. Several distinct propagation behaviours are predicted: a stable detonation, a high-frequency pulsating detonation, a pulsating detonation with two competing modes, a low-frequency pulsating detonation and a propagating detonation with many active frequencies. In the low-frequency pulsating mode, the long time behaviour undergoes a phenomenon similar to period-doubling. Harmonic analysis is used to examine how the frequency of the pulsations evolves as the supporting piston velocity is varied. It is found that the addition of viscosity shifts the neutral stability boundary by about 2 % with respect to the supporting piston velocity. As the supporting piston velocity is lowered, the intrinsic instability grows in strength, and the effect of viscosity is weakened such that the results are indistinguishable from the inviscid predictions.
Effects of iron-overload and iron-deprivation on apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by VP-16

Aim: To explore the effects of iron overload and iron deprivation on apoptosis of HL 60 cells induced by VP 16.Methods: The cell culture,cell morphology, flow cytometry assay,and DNA gel electrophoresis were used to detect the apoptosis of HL 60 cells.Choosing Ferric(III) chloride (FeCl 3) (100 μmol/L), iron chelator desferrioxamine(DFO) (10 μmol/L),and etoposide (VP16) (1 mg/L,10 mg/L,and 100 mg/L) induced the apoptosis of HL 60 cells, choosing normal saline and VP16 as control.Results: ①When HL 60 cells cultured with 100 μmol/L FeCl 3+100 mg /L VP 16 for 6 h,12 h,and 24 h, APO% and Sub G1% were lower than that of VP 16 group ( P 0.05 ). DNA electrophoresis showed that the number of ladder decreased and the present time of ladder lagged. ②Compared 10 μmol/L DFO + 100mg/ L VP 16 group with VP 16 group, APO%, the number of the ladders, and Sub G1% of the former were much higher than that of the latter.③Equimolar concentration of FeCl 3 and DFO + VP 16, APO% the number of the ladders, and Sub G1% had no significant difference compared with VP 16. Conclusions: Iron overload could inhibit apoptosis of HL 60 cells induced by VP 16,while iron deprivation may promote apoptosis of HL 60 cells induced by VP 16. So iron deprivation could be used as an assistant in treating leukemia and supplement of iron for patients with leukemia should be catious.
Detecting and adjusting of valve timing for 6135D diesel engine

The effect of valve timing to the internal combustion engine is analyzed using the type of 6135D diesel engine. The specific operating methods and procedure of failure recovery due to the incorrectness of valve timing are introduced in detail. At the same time, the main points of assembly are also introduced when there is no mark on the timing gear.
Operative treatment of cerebral palsy.

SUMMARY Although the overall patterns of deformity may be repetitive in cerebral palsy patients, it is extremely important to recognize that nothing replaces a careful examination of the individual patient and an individualized plan of approach. Our mistakes are rarely caused by technical errors, and we should not attribute our failures to the patient and resort to such statements as, “tendon transfer in cerebral palsy is unpredictable.” Instead, we should feel confident that although, a normal extremity will never result after operative treatment, contractures and spasticity can be diminished in such a way to make possible certain coordinated actions that will help our patients in their activities of daily living.
A Definition of Nursing

Every nurse practitioner has in mind a series of thoughts that expresses what she thinks nursing is about. Many nurses have put ideas on paper as definitions of nursing. Others have felt that it was not important to spend time stating what nursing is. Since this book is meant to provide a framework of concepts that are held to be basic to psychodynamic nursing, it is necessary that the author’s view on nursing be included. The purpose of this chapter is to provide discussion that will contribute to an understanding of the concept of nursing, as it applies to ideas presented in later chapters and to their application in providing services to people.
Putting It All Together: System of Systems Multidisciplinary Engineering

Developing relatively small solutions, to very large Systems of Systems, requires today’s Systems Engineers address multiple disciplines in their daily duties. Without realizing it, today’s systems, and the systems of tomorrow, require a Multidisciplinary Systems Engineering (MDSE) solution. The background and materials in this book are an essential step to implement a change from the stove pipes engineer roles of today, into a well-rounded Multidisciplinary engineering role of tomorrow [124].
Vision-based Augmented Reality for Guiding Assembly

We consider the problem of scene augmentation in the context of a human engaged in assembling an object from its components. In order to exploit the potential of augmented reality (AR) in this context, two main problems need to be considered: designing an effective augmentation scheme for information presentation/control, and providing accurate and fast sensing to determine the state of the assembly. We utilized concepts from robot assembly planning to develop a systematic framework for presenting augmentation stimuli for the assembly domain. An interactive augmentation design and control engine called AUDIT is described. To provide sensing, we utilized computer vision methods for assembly object recognition without special markers. Even though fiducials currently constitute the only feasible vision-based solution, occlusion by the manipulator as well as other assembly parts make the use of more general computer vision techniques desirable. Here, we investigate computer vision techniques with the goal of eventually substituting markers. Constraints from the domain of assembly, as well as transformation space search-based algorithms make the problem tractable.
Ethnic–Racial Socialization, Social Bonds, and College Student Substance Use

ABSTRACTUsing survey data from a diverse college student sample (N = 1,728), this study tested how three types of parental ethnic-racial socialization received during the respondents’ youth were indirectly associated with substance use through their impact on the development of social bonds. Cultural socialization and preparation for bias messages indirectly decreased substance use, while promotion of mistrust messages indirectly increased substance use. By-group analyses indicated some ethnic and gender differences. Overall, the findings point to the importance of examining ethnic-racial socialization as a multidimensional construct in relation to social bonds to understand its impact on young adult substance use.
Constant Coefficient Linear Equations

This chapter focuses on solutions of constant coefficient linear equations. Linear constant coefficient ordinary differential equations have exponential solutions. The method of undetermined coefficients can be used to solve this type of equation after a polynomial has been factored. The chapter considers an n -th order linear equation y ( n ) + a n−1 y ( n-1 ) +…+ a 1 y'+ a 0 y = 0, where the { a i } are constants. A solution of the form y ( x ) = Ce λx is then searched, where C is an arbitrary constant. Substituting y ( x ) = Ce λx into y ( n ) + a n−1 y ( n-1 ) +…+ a 1 y'+ a 0 y = 0 yields e λ x [ λ n + a n −1 λ ( n-1 ) + …+ a 1 λ + a 0 ] = 0 hence, form y ( x ) = Ce λx is a solution of y ( n ) + a n−1 y ( n-1 ) +…+ a 1 y'+ a 0 y = 0 if λ is a root of the characteristic equation, defined by λ n + a n −1 λ ( n-1 ) +…+ a 1 λ + a 0 = 0.
Watered-Down Feminism: An Examination of Gender and Revolutionary Ideals in Morocco

In the evolution of the February 20th Movement in Morocco, the group’s organizers developed a framework for gender parity that now pervades the Movement’s network. Gender parity is a new concept in Moroccan political activism. This chapter will underline the significance of gender parity in Moroccan political activism and outline how the February 20th Movement has institutionalized gender parity, signaling the importance of feminist ideals in shaping the political thinking of young Moroccan activists. As the February 20th Movement evolved, however, gender parity became accepted and submerged as the Movement migrated toward elevating broader human rights over gender equality alone. In turn, this more generalized approach occurred as the Movement was divorced from al-Adl wal-Ihsan and women’s rights NGOs. This trajectory can be compared to the evolution of American second- and third-wave feminism in the 1990s. The Movement’s position in a country in which culturally conservative forces dominate and its loss of momentum since the highpoint of Morocco’s “Arab Spring” can lead to questions about the significance of the Movement’s institutionalization of gender parity. However, I believe the social texture of the movement harbors developments that will play important roles in Morocco’s near future.
Effects of Combined Lysosomal and Mitochondrial Photodamage in a Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line: The Role of Paraptosis.

We previously reported that a low-level of lysosomal photodamage potentiated the phototoxic effect of subsequent mitochondrial photodamage mediated by the benzoporphyrin derivative BPD in murine hepatoma 1c1c7 cells. This was attributed to release of Ca2+ from damaged lysosomes and a calpain-mediated conversion of the autophagy-related protein ATG5 to a pro-apoptotic fragment. We now report a comparison of these results with those obtained with the human non small-cell lung cancer A549 cell line. A549 cells contained lower levels of ATG5 and were less responsive than 1c1c7 cultures to the PDT combination. A rapid appearance of caspase 3/7 activation together with formation of condensed chromatin indicated initiation of apoptosis in both cell lines, but to a lesser extent in A549 cultures. Both cell lines became highly vacuolated within 16 h of combination PDT or an equivalent phototoxic dose from BPD alone. The vacuole periphery was labeled with a fluorescent probe for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and vacuole formation was prevented by presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. These effects are characteristics of a caspase-independent death mode termed paraptosis previously associated with ER stress. These studies suggest that paraptosis may be a more frequent outcome of PDT than has hitherto been realized. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Pharmacological and phytochemical studies of Alangium salvifolium Wang. – A review

Abstract Alangium salvifolium has been used traditionally for treatment of various ailments. Almost every part of A. salvifolium including roots, leaves, stem and bark are used in the Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicines for the treatment of various diseases. In modern scientific literatures, the plant has been reported to have potential efficacy against diabetes, peptic ulcer, arthritis, inflammation and anthelminthic activities etc. A. salvifolium is reported to contain various biologically active phytochemicals such as alangine, ankorine, tubulosine, alangicine, salsoline etc. The present review highlights the traditional uses of different parts of A. salvifolium , its phytochemical constituents with therapeutic activity and the evidence based studies on various pharmacological effects of the plant.