cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Profilin is predominantly associated with monomeric actin in Acanthamoeba.

We used biochemical fractionation, immunoassays and microscopy of live and fixed Acanthamoeba to determine how much profilin is bound to its known ligands: actin, membrane PIP2, Arp2/3 complex and polyproline sequences. Virtually all profilin is soluble after gentle homogenization of cells. During gel filtration of extracts on Sephadex G75, approximately 60% of profilin chromatographs with monomeric actin, 40% is free and none voids with Arp2/3 complex or other large particles. Selective monoclonal antibodies confirm that most of the profilin is bound to actin: 65% in extract immunoadsorption assays and 74-89% by fluorescent antibody staining. Other than monomeric actin, no major profilin ligands are detected in crude extracts. Profilin-II labeled with rhodamine on cysteine at position 58 retains its affinity for actin, PIP 2 and poly-L-proline. When syringe-loaded into live cells, it distributes throughout the cytoplasm, is excluded from membrane-bounded organelles, and concentrates in lamellapodia and sites of endocytosis but not directly on the plasma membrane. Some profilin fluorescence appears punctate, but since no particulate profilin is detected biochemically, these spots may be soluble profilin between organelles that exclude profilin. The distribution of profilin in fixed human A431 cells is similar to that in amoebas. Our results show that the major pool of polymerizable actin monomers is complexed with profilin and spread throughout the cytoplasm. SUMMARY
Receiver-driven rate-distortion optimized streaming of light fields

Previous work on rate-distortion optimized streaming of light fields assumes that the scheduling task is performed by a central server. To scale to large numbers of simultaneous users, however, it is necessary to shift the computational burden of image scheduling to the clients. In this paper, we present a receiver-driven streaming framework where the packet scheduling is performed at the client. One key challenge of receiver-based streaming is in efficiently transmitting the rate-distortion preamble necessary for the scheduling algorithm. We present a method to efficiently represent and estimate the view-dependent distortions, and show that the performance is nearly as good as if the actual distortion values were used. We also show that the sender-driven and receiver-driven systems have very similar rate-distortion streaming performance.
Requirements for practical I/sub DDQ/ testing of deep submicron circuits

This paper describes the requirements that quiescent current (I/sub DDQ/) testing must meet in order to continue being useful in the face of rising background currents. Using projections from the 1999 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, several different techniques are evaluated to determine their usefulness in future technologies.
Multiplexing of interferometric sensors using phase carrier techniques

This paper demonstrates the multiplexing of fiber-optic interferometric sensors using a CW phase generated carrier technique. The technique employs modulated diode laser sources at different carrier frequencies, nearly balanced interferometers (∼4-cm path difference), and phase generated carrier demultiplexing demodulation. This approach leads to a simple all-passive sensor array which has intrinsically low crosstalk. The system is analyzed in terms of shot noise performance and crosstalk. An experimental all optical implementation of a four sensor array was demonstrated; both the single sensor and multisensor arrays were limited by the laser phase noise to a sensitivity of \sim 18 \mu rad/ \sqrt{Hz} . Crosstalk between individual channels was better than -60 dB and crosstalk between three sensors and the test sensor was better than -55 dB. In the absence of laser phase noise the demodulator/demultiplexer demonstrated \sim 2-\mu rad performance with both single sensor and four element array operation.
Flexible thin-film transistors on biaxial- and uniaxial-strained Si and SiGe membranes

We report flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated on single-crystal Si-based semiconductor membranes using Schottky source/drain contacts. Unstrained-Si, strained-Si/SiGe/Si and unstrained-Si0.8Ge0.2 alloy membranes were integrated on plastic substrates via transferring the top template layers from silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and silicon–germanium-on-insulator (SGOI) substrates. Biaxially tensile-strained Si/SiGe/Si is realized by allowing elastic strain sharing between Si and SiGe alloy. High current drive capability and high electron mobility are demonstrated on these membranes. Further enhancement of the source-to-drain current is exhibited by using mechanically introduced uniaxial strain to the flexible TFTs. We propose that the enhancement of current drive capability is attributed to both carrier mobility enhancement and Schottky barrier height modification due to strain.
Abnormal dip phenomenon: a characteristic electrophysiological marker in interdigital neuropathy of the foot

ABstrAct - Objective: the nerve conduction findings in interdigital neuropathy of the foot (IDN; Morton’s neuroma) have rarely been reported. We analyzed the nerve conduction data in 23 patients with suspect-ed IDN studied between 1982 and 2002. Method: Diagnosis of IDN was made on the basis of clinical fea-tures. All patients underwent routine nerve conduction studies and a near-nerve needle sensory nerve con-duction study of the interdigital nerves by Oh’s method in the symptomatic foot. Results: Of the 23 pa-tients, the diagnosis of definite IDN was made in 13 cases and of possible NDN in the others cases. Nineteen were females. twenty two patients had only one nerve affected. One patient had two nerves affected. the III-IV interdigital nerve was affected in 17 cases and the II-III interdigital nerve in 7 cases. the near-nerve needle nerve conduction showed abnormality in the affected interdigital nerves in all definite IDN cases and confirmed the diagnosis of IDN in 10 cases by the abnormal dip phenomenon (a selective decrease of 50% or more in the sensory cNAP amplitude of the affected nerve compared with that of the preceding interdigital nerve). In 11 possible IDN cases, IDN was identified by the abnormal dip phenomenon.
Artifact-resistant power-efficient design of finger-ring plethysmographic sensors

A miniaturized, telemetric, photoplethysmograph (PPG) sensor for long-term, continuous monitoring is presented. The sensor, called a "ring sensor," is attached to a finger base for monitoring beat-to-beat pulsation, and the data is sent to a host computer via a radio-frequency transmitter. Two major design issues are addressed: one is to minimize motion artifact and the other is to minimize the consumption of battery power. An efficient double ring design is developed to lower the influence of external force, acceleration, and ambient light, and to hold the sensor gently and securely on the skin, so that the circulation at the finger may not be obstructed. Total power consumption is analyzed in relation to characteristics of individual components, sampling rate, and CPU clock speed. Optimal operating conditions are obtained for minimizing the power budget. A prototype ring sensor is designed and built based on the power budget analysis and the artifact-resistive attachment method. It is verified through experiments that the ring sensor is resistant to interfering forces and acceleration acting on the ring body. Benchmarking tests with FDA-approved PPG and electrocardiogram reveal that the ring sensor is comparable to those devices in detecting beat-to-beat pulsation despite disturbances.
Efficient and Secure Search of Enterprise File Systems

With fast paced growth of digital data, keyword based search has become a critical enterprise application. Research has shown that nearly 85% of enterprise data lies in flat filesystems [10] that allow multiple users with different access privileges. Any search tool for such systems needs to be efficient and yet cognizant of access control semantics imposed by the underlying filesystem. Current enterprise search techniques use two disjoint search and access- control components by creating a single system-wide index and filtering search results for access control. This approach is ineffective as index and query statistics subtly leak private information. The other approach of using separate indices for each user is undesirable as it not only increases disk consumption due to shared files, but also increases overheads of updating indices whenever a file changes. We propose a distributed approach that couples search and access-control into a unified framework and pro vides secure multiuser search. Our scheme (logically) divides data into independent access-privileges based chunks, called access-control barrels (ACB). ACBs not only manage security but also improve overall efficiency as they can be indexed and searched in parallel by distributing them to multiple enterprise machines. We describe the architecture of ACBs based search and propose an optimization that ensures the scalability of our approach. We validate our design with a detailed evaluation using industry benchmarks and datasets. Our initial experiments show secure search with 38% improved indexing efficiency and low overheads for ACB processing.
Successful Robotically Assisted Laparoscopic Correction of Chronic Uterine Inversion

We report a successful robotically assisted repair of a chronic uterine inversion. A modified Spinelli technique was used. The patient was discharged home after an uncomplicated postoperative course.
Numerical validation of the new track equations for static problems

This paper presents a numerical validation of the new equations for the rail-tie structure, derived recently by Kerr and Zarembski [Acta Mech. 40, 253–276 (1981)], for the track response in the lateral plane. Equations of this type are needed for the analysis of track buckling and lateral track dynamics. This is achieved by comparing the results based on the new equations with those of a finite-element analysis, for a 24 m (80 ft) long rail-tie structure. The comparison revealed very close agreement for the lateral deflections and bending moments, for a wide range of rail and tie spacings currently in use, which includes narrow and wide gauge tracks. The effect of the boundaries, where the rail-tie structure experiences a discontinuity, was found to be negligibly small. The findings show that the new equations are suitable for the analysis of cross-tie tracks in the lateral plane. They also confirm that, for tracks with stiff fasteners, the use of the standard beam bending equation with a ‘substitute’ track bending stiffness is of questionable validity.
Homossexualidade na perspectiva da Teologia Prática

A partir de sua compreensao do circulo hermeneutico da Teologia Pratica, o autor trabalha o tema da homossexualidade dentro do seguinte roteiro: partindo do reconhecimento de suas proprias experiencias e posicoes pessoais em relacao ao tema, tenta num momento seguinte descreve-lo dentro da realidade brasileira e da Igreja Evangelica de Confissao Luterana no Brasil (IECLB). Esta e a base a partir da qual levanta perguntas sobre o tema na teologia e nas ciencias humanas, buscando nelas uma opiniao qualificada para nortear a acao e propostas de trabalho pastoral com homossexuais.
A highly fault-tolerant distributed database system with replicated data

Because of the high cost and impracticality of a high connectivity network, most recent research in transaction processing has focused on a distributed replicated database system. In such a system, multiple copies of a data item are created and stored at several sites in the network, so that the system is able to tolerate more crash and communication failures and attain higher data availability. However, the multiple copies also introduce a global inconsistency problem, especially in a partitioned network. In this dissertation a tree quorum algorithm is proposed to solve this problem, imposing a logical tree structure along with dynamic system reconfiguration on all the copies of each data item. The proposed algorithm can be viewed as a dynamic voting technique which, with the help of an appropriate concurrency control algorithm, exhibits the major advantages of quorum-based replica control algorithms and of the available copies algorithm, so that a single copy is read for a read operation and a quorum of copies is written for a write operation. In addition, read and write quorums are computed dynamically and independently. As a result expensive read operations, like those that require several copies of a data item to be read in most quorum schemes, are eliminated. Furthermore, the message costs of read and write operations are reduced by the use of smaller quorum sizes. Quorum sizes can be reduced to a constant in a lightly loaded system, and log n in a failure-free network, as well as $\lceil n + 1/2\rceil$ in a partitioned network in a heavily loaded system. On average, our algorithm requires fewer messages than the best known tree quorum algorithm, while still maintaining the same upper bound on quorum size. One-copy serializability is guaranteed with higher data availability and highest degree of fault tolerance (up to n $-$ 1 site failures).
Heritable coagulopathies in pregnancy.

UNLABELLED Heritable coagulopathies are leading causes of maternal thromboembolism and are associated with an increased risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The most common of these disorders are antithrombin III deficiency, protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, activated protein C resistance resulting from the factor V Leiden mutation, elevated prothrombin activity associated with a mutation in the prothrombin gene, and hyperhomocystinemia. The maternal risk of a thromboembolic episode is increased by a factor of eight in the presence of any of these heritable states. In addition, the relative risk for a stillbirth in the presence of one of these disorders is 3.6. These conditions are also associated with intrauterine growth retardation and preeclampsia. Proper management of heritable coagulopathies during pregnancy is essential to reduce the risk of these serious sequelae. Patients with newly diagnosed deep-vein thromboses or pulmonary emboli should be treated with therapeutic levels of unfractionated or low molecular weight heparin, followed by subsequent prophylactic heparin therapy. All patients with a history of thromboembolism before pregnancy or evidence of any of these coagulopathies may be offered prophylactic therapy with low molecular weight heparin. Patients with antithrombin III deficiency should receive full therapeutic heparin therapy for the entire pregnancy, irrespective of their thromboembolic history. Postpartum therapy with either heparin or warfarin is required in all cases. TARGET AUDIENCE Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completion of this article, the reader will be able to describe the various heritable coagulopathies that can complicate pregnancy, to state the potential adverse effects of heritable coagulopathies in pregnancy, and to explain the management of heritable coagulopathies during pregnancy.
A coupled discrete element-finite difference model of selective laser sintering

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technology whereby one can 3D print parts out of a powdered material. However, in order to produce defect free parts of sufficient strength, the process parameters (laser power, scan speed, powder layer thickness, etc.) must be carefully optimized depending on material, part geometry, and desired final part characteristics. Computational methods are very useful in the quick optimization of such parameters without the need to run numerous costly experiments. Most published models of this process involve continuum-based techniques, which require the homogenization of the powder bed and thus do not capture the stochastic nature of this process. Thus, the aim of this research is to produce a reduced order computational model of the SLS process which combines the essential physics with fast computation times. In this work the authors propose a coupled discrete element-finite difference model of this process. The powder particles are modeled as discrete, thermally and mechanically interacting spheres. The solid, underneath substrate is modeled via the finite difference method. The model is validated against experimental results in the literature and three-dimensional simulations are presented.
The Common Need for Classical Epistemological Foundations: Against a Feminist Alternative

The difficulties of justifying a recipe for scientific inquiry that calls for sen sory experience and logic as sole ingredients can hardly be overestimated. Resolving the riddles of induction, steadily mounting against empiricism since Hume, has come to seem like an exercise in making bricks without straw. To be forgiven the debt of solving these riddles, whether by feminists or others, would come as a great relief. But such relief, I shall argue, can come only at the very high price of removing any capacity to evaluate inductive inference patterns. And if traditional philosophy cannot tolerate this loss, feminism should tolerate it even less. Traditional epistemology adopts a framework in which justification is a logical or semantic relation in which a belief stands to its ground. Critics of tra ditional epistemological foundations, with feminists prominent among them, would relieve us of the obligations to address the logical problems by advising the adoption of naturalized foundations. The central component of naturalism in epistemology is the teaching that the causal tributaries (psychological as well as sociological) to a subject's belief also bear on that belief's warrantability. We are invited to make the epistemological evaluation of a belief a function also of its causal tributaries, and thereby to fill out the lean basis for justification (namely sensory experience) countenanced by classical empiricism; causal tributaries will ostensibly help us bake the missing bricks. Contemporary devotees of naturalized epistemology fall into two distinct groups. Approaching from the precept that epistemological Ought's imply epis temological 'can's is one group of critics who, with an eye to the modeling of cognition, maintain that epistemology must be sensitive to the cognitive capaci ties of the belief-forming agents to whom epistemological imperatives are issued. Epistemology, they say, must take into account the limitations placed on agents by natural processes responsible for belief acquisition, maintenance and change.1 And taking Quine's advice (though on the basis of reasons independent of those Quine offers) these naturalizers call on the philosophical community to make epistemology at least in part a chapter of psychology.
Distance Information for Disordered Proteins from NMR and ESR Measurements Using Paramagnetic Spin Labels

The growing recognition of the many roles that disordered protein states play in biology places an increasing importance on developing approaches to characterize the structural properties of this class of proteins and to clarify the links between these properties and the associated biological functions. Disordered proteins, when isolated in solution, do not adopt a fixed structure, but can and often do contain detectable and significant residual or transient structure, including both secondary and long-range structure. Such residual structure can play a role in nucleating local structural transitions as well as modulating intramolecular or intermolecular tertiary interactions, including those involved in ordered protein aggregation. An increasing array of tools has been recruited to help characterize the structural properties of disordered proteins. While a number of methods can report on residual secondary structure, detecting and quantifying transient long-range structure has proven to be more difficult. This chapter describes the use of paramagnetic spin labeling in combination with paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) in NMR spectroscopy and pulsed dipolar ESR spectroscopy (PDS) for this purpose.
Parental Choice of School, Class Strategies, and Educational Inequality: An Essay Review of "School Choice in China--A Different Tale?" (X. Wu, New York, NY: Routledge, 2014, 168 pp. ISBN 978-0-415-81769-1).

Given the increasingly global nature of marketized school choice policies, this makes it even more crucial to investigate how the multiple scales, forms, and emphases of school choice in different ...
ATN, Automata, Expectation

Of the four knowledge sources necessary to language comprehension as discussed by Rumeihart, the syntactic has been of greatest interest in man-machine comparative studies — largely because, of the four, it is the one most easily subject to productive model-building, though there is much controversy concerning how it is structured and used in human language processing. None the less, a powerful modelling tool has been developed by Rumelhart and others: the augmented transition network (ATN). A consideration of ATN research foregrounds many of the key issues in comparative studies, with regard not only to syntactic knowledge but, to a lesser extent, to the other kinds as well.
Large-scale photonic integrated circuits

We present an overview of Infinera's current generation of 100 Gb/s transmitter and receiver PICs as well as results from the next-generation 500 Gb/s PM-QPSK PICs.
Reoperative Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Versus Transcatheter Valve-in-Valve Replacement for Degenerated Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves

Background Bioprosthetic aortic valve use has increased steadily according to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database analyses. One of the momentums toward this trend is the future utilization of transcatheter valve-in-valve (TViV) techniques when bioprosthetic valves fail. We compared the results of reoperative TViV to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for degenerated bioprosthetic valves. Methods From January 2002 to January 2015, we identified 91 patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves who underwent isolated AVR (SAVR n = 69, TViV n = 22). Patients with prior homografts or active endocarditis were excluded. The STS risk score was used to create 22 matched pairs of SAVR and TViV for comparison. Results Before matching, mean STS risk scores were 4.36 ± 3.1 and 7.54 ± 3.0 for SAVR and TViV, respectively ( p = 0.001), but were 7.70 ± 3.4 and 7.54 ± 3.0, respectively ( p = 0.360), after matching. Mean age was 74.5 ± 10.4 years for SAVR and 75.0 ± 9.6 years for TViV ( p = 0.749). Operative mortality was 4.3% (1 of 22) in the SAVR group and zero for TViV ( p = 1.00). Mean postoperative gradient was 13.5 ± 13.2 mm Hg for SAVR and 12.4 ± 6.2 mm Hg for TViV ( p = 0.584). There was no coronary obstruction in either group, but 22% of TViV (5 of 22) had mild paravalvular leaks versus none in the SAVR group ( p = 0.048). Postoperative stroke rate was 9% (2 of 22) for SAVR and zero for TViV ( p = 0.488). The TViV group had shorter median length of stay (5 versus 11 days, p = 0.001). Actuarial survival at 3 years was 76.3% (95% confidence interval: 58.1 to 94.5) versus 78.7 (95% confidence interval: 56.2 to 100) for SAVR and TViV, respectively ( p = 0.410). Conclusions For degenerated bioprosthetic aortic valves, TViV has similar operative mortality, strokes rates, and survival as SAVR in this high-risk cohort. Therefore, TViV is a viable alternative to SAVR, although studies using registry data are needed to establish noninferiority.
Carrier confinement in MOS-gated Ge/sub x/Si/sub 1-x//Si heterostructures

The confinement of carriers in a MOS-gated Ge/sub x/Si/sub 1-x/ heterostructure is numerically modeled and experimentally confirmed. The structure, which may be useful for improved pMOS device performance, uses a MOS gate to modulate the hole density at a buried Si/Ge/sub x/Si/sub 1-x/ interface. Numerical modeling is used to predict the maximum number of carriers achievable at the interface as a function of the structure design, and clear experimental evidence for such carrier confinement is given. Simulations have shown that it is desirable to use a minimal Si buffer thickness and a maximum Ge fraction to maximize the number of holes confined in the Ge/sub x/Si/sub 1-x/ well, subject to the constraints of surface scattering and processing considerations. >
Enhanced electromagnetic measurement with high contrast nanoparticles injection

Nanoparticles designed with high electric conductivity and magnetic permeability are injected into oil reservoir to enhance the tracking of the fluid movement. The injection of fluid with nanoparticles will displace the original fluid and change the fluid content in the pore space, thus changing the electric conductivity and magnetic permeability distributions in the flooded zone. The movement of nanoparticles in a porous medium can be modeled by solving the flow transport equation and the resultant electromagnetic properties distribution can be calculated by the effective medium theory. These inhomogeneous electromagnetic property distributions will induce secondary electromagnetic fields in the receivers which can be modeled by Maxwell's equations. For subsurface sensing, in order to be detected, the secondary fields measured in the receivers should be above a certain threshold (1% above the primary fields, an empirical value). By injecting the high contrast nanoparticles, the conductivity and magnetic permeability of the flooded zone will be increased, thus increasing the secondary fields which will be more possibly detected. Also the detection range of electromagnetic measurements will be larger. With the technique of coupling of the dynamic fluid flow and crosswell electromagnetic measurement, we are able to analyze the detection range of electromagnetic sensing with high contrast nanoparticle injection.
The Question of Cultural Change in the Social Scientific Study of Religion: Notes from the Emerging Church

This article explores how anthropological models of cultural change bolster the social scientific study of the Emerging Church movement. A distinction is drawn between market-oriented approaches to change that measure institutional growth and decline and cultural-oriented approaches that address broader effects on sociocultural systems. Emphasis is placed on models that emphasize change occurring internal to cultural systems and that recognize the co-occurrence of cultural durability and transformation. This theoretical exploration is grounded in more than three years of ethnographic fieldwork conducted among Emerging evangelical communities in the midwestern United States.
The effect of SME reporting framework and credit risk on lenders' judgments and decisions

Abstract Small and medium-sized entities have a number of reporting framework alternatives when preparing financial statements for users, including a new AICPA reporting framework designed specifically for such businesses as a cost-effective alternative to traditional GAAP. However, little is known about whether reporting framework choice affects users’ assessments of reporting quality and subsequent business decisions. This study evaluates the effects of financial reporting framework type and credit risk on lenders’ judgments and decisions. Specifically, we evaluate 157 lenders’ assessments of the likelihood of loan approval and financial reporting quality for a prospective borrower in an experiment that manipulates reporting framework choice (FASB-based GAAP, AICPA’s Financial Reporting Framework for Small and Medium-Sized Entities, or tax-basis) and borrower credit risk level (high or low) randomly between subjects. The results indicate a significant interaction between applicant reporting framework and credit risk level. Specifically, we find that lenders evaluating GAAP-based financial statements report a higher likelihood of loan approval and a lower interest rate than lenders considering statements prepared using the other reporting frameworks, particularly when the applicant’s credit risk level is high. Mediation analysis provides evidence that the perceived quality of GAAP-based reporting explains the framework-approval results. However, the results also suggest that the AICPA reporting framework provides a viable alternative to GAAP when the applicant’s credit risk level is low. We consider the study’s implications for policy, practice, and research.
A modulation feature set for robust Automatic Speech Recognition in additive noise and reverberation

In this paper, a feature set referred to as Discrete Cosine Series (DCS) is proposed for noise robust Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). Unlike many other robust algorithms which use various forms of “long term” processing, DCS uses a small frame spacing to facilitate separating speech from noise and also for other benefits. Spectral and temporal modulations are performed separately using only a small number of modulation filters. ASR experiments show the effectiveness of individual components of the DCS algorithm. The DCS features yield higher accuracy ASR for both additive noise and reverberation, as compared to several other advanced robust algorithms.
Overview and Evaluation of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System Version 5.2

A new version of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, version 5.2 (CMAQv5.2), is currently being developed, with a planned release date in 2017. The new model includes numerous updates from the previous version of the model (CMAQv5.1). Specific updates include a new windblown dust scheme; updates to the organic aerosol treatment; updates to the atmospheric chemistry, including the Carbon-Bond 6 chemical mechanism; and various updates to the cloud treatment in the model. In addition, a new lightning assimilation scheme has been implemented in WRF, the meteorological driver for the CMAQ simulations, which greatly improves the placement and intensity of precipitation, which in turn results in improved CMAQ performance. Comparisons between CMAQv5.1 and v5.2 show that ozone (O3) mixing ratios generally increase in the summer with CMAQv5.2, which results in increased bias, while fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations also increase in the summer, which results in decreased bias.
Management of Fifth Metatarsal Fracture and Refracture in Athletes

Fractures of the proximal fifth metatarsal are very common in active individuals and elite athletes. Fractures may occur from a number of mechanisms, but inversion and twisting injuries are some of the most common causes. True Jones fractures are at the metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction and enter the fourth-fifth intermetatarsal articulation. Fractures in that area are at risk of delayed union or non-union, which can be extremely detrimental in elite athletes, because of the poor blood supply which results in a watershed area. Treatment recommendations depend on fracture location and acuity, as well as patient factors. Non-operative management can be successful, however delayed union and non-union may occur. Surgical stabilization of true Jones fractures is recommended in athletes and results in a low number of complications and a higher and more rapid rate of union much compared to non-operative methods. Overall, the treatment methods of fifth metatarsal fractures depend on a multitude of factors, however athletes benefit from more aggressive treatment regimens that result in high rates of union in less time.
Leg Perception of Object Heaviness

Perceived heaviness is a function of both the muscle activity used to wield an object and the resulting movement. Wielding reveals invariant properties of the effector-object system, such as rotati...
Fabriano: city of medieval and renaissance papermaking

The cultural legacy borne from the rivers of Fabriano is unmatched in the history of papermaking. Its name is synonymous with those creamy white sheets that have endured through centuries, somehow ...
Cigarillo and Little Cigar Mainstream Smoke Constituents from Replicated Human Smoking.

Little cigar and cigarillo smoking is increasing in popularity in the U.S., but little is known about the topography and mainstream smoke (MSS) constituents of these types of cigar products. This report describes the quantity of selected MSS toxicants generated from puff-by-puff replication of human laboratory smoking. Participants were dual users of cigarettes and either little cigars (n = 21) or cigarillos (n = 23). In the laboratory smoking session, participants of the little cigar group smoked a filtered unflavored Winchester Little Cigar; those in the cigarillo group smoked an unfiltered, unflavored Black & Mild cigarillo. MSS components included both volatiles and semivolatile compounds. The MSS of five representative U.S. domestic cigarettes was generated using smoking topography profiles of the participants smoking their own brand of cigarettes. Machine smoking accurately replicated individual puff profiles as indicated by a high correlation between lab and machine smoked: time to smoke, number of...
Students Classified as LD and the College Foreign Language Requirement Replication and Comparison Studies

Two studies examined students classified as having learning disabilities (LD) who had received course substitutions for the college foreign language (FL) requirement. In the first study, 42 students at one university were divided into groups and compared on measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college grade point average (GPA), and FL and English grades. Findings showed that most of the 42 students had been classified as LD in college after experiencing problems in FL courses. Comparisons based on students' performance on measures of FL aptitude, native language skill, and performance in FL courses showed few significant group differences. In the second study, the 42 students from the first study were compared with 86 students at another university who had also been classified as LD and received course substitutions for the college FL requirement. Comparisons on demographic information and measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college GPA, and FL GPA showed few significant differences between the two groups. Both studies suggest that students classified as LD at different universities exhibit similar demographic, cognitive, academic achievement, and FL aptitude profiles and that educators should not make the a priori assumption that students classified as LD require course substitutions for the FL requirement or experience problems with FL learning.
Improving bulk power system resilience by ranking critical nodes in the vulnerability graph

The paper focuses on the critical node identification which can be used to rank the nodes belong to the corporate and control system network of Bulk Power System (BPS). We are proposing here an MADM (Multiple Attribute Decision Making) based ranking algorithm using a multi-layered directed acyclic graph (DAG) model to rank the critical nodes in the network. Ranking of the critical nodes can contribute to the resilience improvement process. Our proposed MVNRank (Multiple Vulnerability Node Rank) algorithm takes into account the exploit and impact scores of vulnerabilities as quantified by CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) and the severity level of each vulnerability. The algorithm also takes into account the asset value, degree centrality and node's distance from the target network in the vulnerability graph. The pseudocode for the resilience improvement using the node ranking is provided and necessary simulation results are presented to justify the node ranking importance.
Chemical Exposure-Induced Changes in the Expression of Neurotrophins and Their Receptors in the Main Olfactory System of Mice Lacking TRPM5-Expressing Microvillous Cells.

Functional maintenance of the mammalian main olfactory epithelium (MOE) is challenging because of its direct exposure to a wide spectrum of environmental chemicals. We previously reported that transient receptor potential channel M5-expressing microvillous cells (TRPM5-MCs) in the MOE play an important role in olfactory maintenance. To investigate the underpinning mechanisms, we exposed transcription factor Skn-1a knockout (Skn-1a-/-) mice lacking TRPM5-MCs, and TRPM5-GFP mice to either vehicle (water) or a mixture of odorous chemicals and chitin for two weeks and analyzed the expression of olfactory signaling proteins using immunolabeling and neurotrophin (NT) and NT receptor (NTR) gene transcripts using real-time quantitative PCR. The chemical exposure did not significantly attenuate the immunolabeling of olfactory signaling proteins. Vehicle-exposed Skn-1a-/- and TRPM5-GFP mice expressed similar levels of NT and NTR gene transcripts in the MOE and olfactory bulb. Chemical exposure significantly increased MOE expression of p75NTR in Skn-1a-/- mice, while p75NTR expression was reduced in TRPM5-GFP mice, as compared to vehicle-exposed mice. Additionally, our RNA in situ hybridization analysis and immunolabeling confirmed MOE expression of most NTs and NTRs. Together, these results indicate that TRPM5-MCs and chemical exposure influence expression of some NTs and NTRs in the MOE and olfactory bulb (OB).
Development and validation of an automated algorithm for identifying patients at high risk for drug-induced hypoglycemia.

Purpose Hypoglycemia is one of the most concerning adverse drug events in hospitalized patients. Using information from institutional electronic health records, we aimed to develop dynamic predictive models to identify patients at high risk for hypoglycemia during antihyperglycemic therapy. Methods The study population consisted of 21,840 patients who received antihyperglycemic medication on any of the first 5 hospital days (the “risk model days”) at 2 large hospitals. Data on candidate predictors were extracted from discrete electronic health record fields to construct models for predicting hypoglycemia within 24 hours after each risk model day. Final models were internally validated by replication in 100 bootstrap samples and reapplying model parameters to the original risk population. Results The development and validation sample included 60,762 risk model days followed by 1,256 days with hypoglycemic events (2.07 events per 100 risk model days). The days 3, 4, and 5 models presented similar associations between predictors and the risk of hypoglycemia and were therefore collapsed into a single model. The strongest hypoglycemia risk factors across all 3 risk periods (day 1, day 2, and days 3–5) were blood glucose (BG) fluctuations, BG trend, history of hypoglycemia, lower body weight, lower creatinine clearance, use of long-acting or high-dose insulin, and sulfonylurea use. C statistics for the 3 models ranged from 0.844 to 0.887. Depending on the model used, risk scores in the upper 90th percentile predicted 48.5–63.1% of actual hypoglycemic events. It was estimated that by targeting only patients in the upper 90th percentile, providers would need to intervene during fewer than 9 admissions to prevent 1 hypoglycemic event. Conclusion The developed prediction models were found to have excellent discriminative validity and good calibration, allowing clinicians to focus interventions on a select high-risk population in which the majority of hypoglycemic events occur.
Cervero, Guerra, and Al: Beyond Mobility: Planning Cities for People and Places

Robert Cervero has had an enormous influence on planning scholarship. His 1989 book America’s Suburban Centers: The Land Use-Transportation Link (Routledge) laid the foundation for a generation of ...
Exploring the service recovery landscape through the lens of a systemigram

Utilising Boardman soft systems methodology (BSSM) and its graphical systemic diagramming technique (the systemigram), this study improves the comprehension and identification of the complex interrelationships between relevant factors within the service failure/recovery domain. As a first step, we conducted a study of service recovery in the extant literature and identified the way situations associated with service failure and recovery was addressed. The second step was to synthesise the literature to propose the structure of the systemigram. This study contributes to the extant literature by doing the following: 1) identifying bottlenecks in the domain of service failure and recovery that complicate customer relations in the service industry; 2) providing academics and practitioners a comprehensive picture of the service recovery environment to provide a clear view of the factors that complicate service recovery; 3) equipping system analysts with a clear understanding of systemic issues related to service recovery; 4) identifying key insights and new research areas based on the scenes incorporated in a systemigram. Study findings and recommendations for future research are presented.
Ultratrace analysis of nitrosodipropylamine in drinking water by Ice Concentration Linked with Extractive Stirrer gas-chromatography electron-ionization mass-spectrometry.

Abstract Nitrosoamines (NAs), including nitrosodipropylamine (NDPA), are highly toxic drinking water contaminants with minimum reporting levels (MRLs) in the parts-per-trillion range (0.2–20 ng/L). The quantification of NAs at these concentrations is extremely difficult, requiring both sophisticated instrumentation and laborious sample preparation procedures. An advanced sample preparation technique, ICE Concentration Linked with Extractive Stirrer (ICECLES), coupled with gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry, was used to analyze NDPA (MRL = 7 ng/L). ICECLES allowed ultratrace analysis of NDPA, producing an LOD of 0.2 ng/L, will below the MRL, and a linear range of 2–50 ng/L (using NDPA-d14 as an internal standard). Both inter- and intraassay precisions were ≤13%RSD, while the method accuracy was 100 ± 17.5%. The ICECLES method was applied to screen for possible NA contamination in selected drinking water sources. The concentration of NDPA in one drinking water source was 2.38 ± 0.34 ng/L and was detected (i.e., concentrations ≥ LOD), but was not quantifiable, in the other samples.
Mechanism for establishing and maintaining the reproductive hierarchy in a eusocial mammal, the Damaraland mole-rat

Eusociality is exhibited by colonial-living organisms where only a few individuals within a colony reproduce; the remaining members are nonbreeders and support reproduction of the breeders. Damaraland mole-rats, Fukomys damarensis, are one of two mammal species considered eusocial. Colonies include a breeding pair and their offspring. Unusual aspects of reproductive behaviour include the observation that both sexes display all components of mating even after long-term absence of gonadal hormones. Mating does not occur between siblings or offspring and parents, but nonbreeders from one colony will mate with individuals from other colonies. However, following 5 weeks of separation from each other, siblings will exhibit mutual sexual behaviour. Thus, familiarity through frequent proximity, rather than genetic identity, mediates inbreeding avoidance. One caveat is that breeding pairs maintain a mating relationship for years, although they obviously become familiar with each other. Among Damaraland mole-rats that are familiar with each other, two types of relationships can form, a mating relationship or a ‘sibling-like’ relationship marked by inbreeding avoidance. The factors determining the relationship between pairs of Damaraland mole-rats remain undefined. This experiment tested the hypothesis that the behaviour during the initial meeting of a pair of Damaraland mole-rats determines which relationship forms, i.e. mating versus ‘sibling-like’. The initial pairing occurred either with unrestrained physical contact (allowing for mating behaviours) or with the two animals separated from each other by a mesh barrier (no mating could occur). This initial pairing was followed by daily 20 min pairings with the barrier in place for 2 weeks and then a final pairing without any restraint. Results indicate that the nature of the interaction within the first 20 min of meeting determines the long-term sexual relationship between pairs of Damaraland mole-rats. The results suggest a mechanistic basis for establishment and maintenance of the reproductive hierarchy in this eusocial species.
How Competitive Is US Residency Application

US residency has become more and more competitive as years passed by. Though this should not be the limiting factor for applying and excelling, it is always good to know the extent of competitiveness, favorable factors, difference in the competitiveness between different specialties, etc. This chapter deals with facts and figures regarding the number of positions, percentage of IMG matches in the last 5 years, factors causing increased competitiveness, and lastly which specialty was more competitive in the last 5 years.
Controlling DC microgrids in communities, buildings and data centers

Microgrid technology is poised to transform the electricity industry. In the context of commercial/domestic buildings and data centers, where most loads are native direct current, DC microgrids are in fact a natural choice. Voltage stability and current/power-sharing between sources within a DC microgrid have been studied extensively in recent years. DC voltage droop control is known to have its drawbacks in that current or power-sharing is relatively poor. To eliminate this drawback, some have proposed to add a communication-based consensus control in addition to the primary voltage droop control loop. The current sharing performance is improved, however, the voltage deviation inherent in droop control requires a further, slower control to achieve voltage quality control. To overcome this complication, and reduction in response time, a low latency communication-based control technique that achieves proportional current sharing without significant voltage deviations is proposed in this work. The stability of the proposed control technique is compared to state-of-the-art using eigenvalue and transient analyses. The negative impact of communication delays on proposed control is discussed in detail.
Resilience resistance: The challenges and implications of urban resilience implementation

Growing concern about major threats, including climate change, environmental disasters, and other hazards, is matched with the increased interest and appeal of the concept of urban resilience. Much scholarly attention has focused on how to define urban resilience, in addition to raising questions about its applicability and usefulness. But those debates typically overlook questions of implementation. Implementation is important not only for how cities respond to threats but also because it can influence how urban resilience is perceived, discussed, and understood. The policy literature suggests that implementation is rarely straightforward and has ideological and normative perspectives embedded within it. Building on this literature, this paper argues that urban resilience implementation raises its own conceptual questions for both theory and practice. Further, implementing urban resilience entails its own unique challenges, such as extensive coordination, maintaining adaptability, divergent time horizons, and diverse outcomes. The paper also introduces the idea of resilience resistance as a new challenge for urban resilience. Resistance refers to the condition in which governance systems inherently develop barriers to change, flexibility, and adaptability through implementation. Several aspects of resistance are highlighted, including fatigue, complacency, and overconfidence. However, the implementation process can also have unintended positive effects on a city's capacity to prepare for and respond to shocks.
Late-season Forage Harvest Effects on Pod and Forage Components of Valencia Market Type Peanut

ABSTRACT Agricultural productivity per unit of land is a global concern. Moreover, farmers seek to add value to their enterprises. Interest has increased in harvesting Valencia market type peanut (...