cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Absorption, distribution and excretion of terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalate.

Data from a radiotracer study in rabbits and rats to determine the absorption, distribution, and excretion of terephthalic acid (TA) and dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) following oral, intratracheal, dermal and ocular administration indicate the following: (1) a rapid absorption and excretion of 14C-TA and 14C-DMT with no evidence of tissue accumulation in rats following single or repeated oral and intratracheal administration; (2) no evidence of skin irritation in rats after a single or repeated dermal application of 80 mg of 14C-TA or 14C-DMT and no significant skin absorption of 14C-TA; (3) recovery of approximately 11% of a single dose and 13% of five repeated cutaneous doses of l4C-DMT from the urine and feces of rats within 10 days after initial dosing; (4) no significant absorption of 14C-TA when applied to the conjunctival sac of one eye of eight rabbits; (5) exretion of approximately 33% of a single ocular dose (50 mg) of 14C-DMT in the urine and feces of rabbits within 10 days after instillation wi...
Membership functions II: Trends in fuzziness and implications

Results from a set of questionnaires designed to compare methods of obtaining membership functions were analyzed to identify general trends in fuzziness. It was found that fuzziness in comprehension is always reflected in the answer; concepts such as difficulty, imprecision, and shape of membership functions are clearly interrelated; and the transition between crisp extremes through fuzziness has characteristic manifestations. Emphasis is placed on the practical implications of these ideas; applications include developing standard and type II fuzzy sets, improving the completeness and consistency of available data, and supporting the development of knowledge-based systems using fuzzy sets.
Axial Flow through the Wall-Constricted Direct-Current Arc-Comparison of Theory and Experiment

The basis of a simple theoretical analysis by Stine and Watson of the behavior of a wall-constricted plasma generator is considered. Experimental results are presented for a plasma generator designed from gas transport properties and theory. In general the agreement between theory and measured performance of the plasma generator indicates that the underlying physical principles are reasonably well understood.
Variable effects of temperature on insect herbivory

Rising temperatures can influence the top-down control of plant biomass by increasing herbivore metabolic demands. Unfortunately, we know relatively little about the effects of temperature on herbivory rates for most insect herbivores in a given community. Evolutionary history, adaptation to local environments, and dietary factors may lead to variable thermal response curves across different species. Here we characterized the effect of temperature on herbivory rates for 21 herbivore-plant pairs, encompassing 14 herbivore and 12 plant species. We show that overall consumption rates increase with temperature between 20 and 30 °C but do not increase further with increasing temperature. However, there is substantial variation in thermal responses among individual herbivore-plant pairs at the highest temperatures. Over one third of the herbivore-plant pairs showed declining consumption rates at high temperatures, while an approximately equal number showed increasing consumption rates. Such variation existed even within herbivore species, as some species exhibited idiosyncratic thermal response curves on different host plants. Thus, rising temperatures, particularly with respect to climate change, may have highly variable effects on plant-herbivore interactions and, ultimately, top-down control of plant biomass.
Bovine leukemia virus inhibition in vitro by ribavirin

Abstract Ribavirin treatment of an established monolayer of fetal lamb kidney (FLK) cells chronically infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV) resulted in inhibition of the extra- and intracellular internal viral polypeptide antigen, as measured by CF test, at concentrations of 10 and 32 μg/ml, respectively. Similar treatment of F-81 cells newly infected with BLV caused significant reduction in viral syncytia formation at ribavirin levels as low as 3.2 μg/ml. Attempts to eliminate or reduce the BLV infection in FLK cells by 8 passages of the cells in the continual presence of 3.2 or 1.0 μg/ml of ribavirin were unsuccessful. Multiple passages of FLK cells in the presence of higher concentrations of ribavirin substantially retarded cell growth, although short-term treatment of established cell monolayers appeared to be well tolerated as evidenced by cell appearance. Biochemical cytostatic studies of resting F-81 cell monolayers showed cytostatic effects at the same dosage levels where antiviral effects occurred.
Sexual initiation in early adolescence : The nexus of parental and community control

This study explores the link between neighborhood collective efficacy and the timing of first intercourse for a sample of urban youth. The authors hypothesize that youth who experience lower levels of parental monitoring and higher levels of exposure to neighborhood environments are more likely to be influenced by collective supervision capacity. The study also examines the extent to which parental and neighborhood controls differ in their impact on first intercourse experiences by gender. Analyses of multilevel and longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods indicate that neighborhood collective efficacy delays sexual onset only for adolescents who experience lower levels of parental monitoring. Although parental monitoring exerts significantly greater influence on girls’ timing of first intercourse the moderating effect of parental monitoring on collective efficacy holds for both boys and girls. (authors)
Photoionization of positive ions.II. Iron

Theoretical results for the photoionization cross section of the ions of iron are presented. The calculations are performed in the Hartree-Slater central-potential model and are carried out for each occupied subshell from neutral iron to the two-electron system (${\mathrm{Fe}}^{+24}$). The results show that removal of outer-shell electrons have essentially no effect on inner-shell cross sections other than to shift the threshold. The general systematic of the cross sections for the various subshells as one moves along an isonuclear sequence are discussed.
Packing rooted directed cuts in a weighted directed graph

A simple algorithm is described for constructing a maximum packing of cuts directed away from a distinguished vertex, called the root, in a directed graph, each of whose edges has a nonnegative weight, and it is shown that the maximum packing value is equal to the weight of a minimum-weight spanning arborescence directed away from the root.
Robust wireless localization to attacks on access points

Trustworthy location information is important because it is a critical input to a wide variety of location-based applications. However, the localization infrastructure is vulnerable to physical attacks and consequently the localization results are affected. In this paper, we focus on achieving robust wireless localization when attacks are present on access points. We first investigate the effects of attacks on localization. We then derive an attack-resistant scheme that can be integrated with existing localization algorithms and are not algorithm-specific. Our attack-resistant scheme are based on K-means clustering analysis. We examined our approach using received signal strength (RSS) in widely used lateration-based algorithms. We validated our method in the ORBIT testbed with an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) network. Our experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach can achieve comparable localization performance when under access-point attacks as compared to normal situations without attack.
Pentalysine-Grafted ROMP Polymers for DNA Complexation and Delivery

Amphiphilic graft polymers, containing oligolysine groups pendent to a hydrophobic polycyclooctene backbone, were used to form polyplexes with plasmid DNA pZsGreen1-N1. These poly(cyclooctene-graft-pentalysine) structures were found to be effective transfection reagents for COS-1 and HeLa cells. In the case of polymer 1e (average degree of polymerization of 206), protein expression levels 48 h post-transfection were found to be comparable to, or better than, commercial transfection reagents jetPEI and SuperFect. With HeLa cells, GFP expression levels were better than Lipofectamine 2000. Of particular interest was the excellent cell viability seen in experiments with polyplexes formed from the pentalysine-grafted polymers. In the example of the highest molecular weight graft copolymer, polymer 1e, cell viability relative to untreated cells was 99% with COS-1 cells and 92% with HeLa cells in contrast to the commercial reagents, which gave 67−80% with COS-1 cells and 17−52% with HeLa cells. The effectiveness...
Sand rate measurement in oil pipelines using wireless sensor network

Small amount of sand in oil pipelines can result in significant erosion in a very short time period. This Produced sand is a serious problem in many production situations. Installation of a system to monitor and quantify sand production from a well would be valuable to assist in optimizing well productivity and to detect sand as early as possible. We present a multi-sensor data fusion framework for sand detection. The framework is designed to collect data from oil pipeline using acoustic sensors (SENACO AS100) and Flow Analyzer (MC-II) in real time. The purpose of data fusion is to estimate the output from the acoustic sensors to determine the sand production rate. The framework combines two modules: a wireless receiving and transmission (ReT) module and data fusion module (DaF). The ReT module implementation is based on TinyOS and Crossbow MICAz motes. DaF module is implemented using Information Filter. A test bed was established from ten acoustic sensors in order to collect real data. The flow rate was monitored as well in order to collect the data with the same flow rate. The experimental result shows that the fusion method improves the system results.
Critical issues in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in methadone maintenance patients

Aims Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common chronic complication of injection drug use. Methadone maintenance programs contain large numbers of patients infected with HCV. This paper reviews HCV infection with emphasis on the medical care of HCV-infected, or HCV and human immunodeficiency virus co-infected, patients on methadone or buprenorphine maintenance. Methods Literature searches using PubMed, PsycINFO and SocINDEX were used to identify papers from 1990–present on antiviral therapy for HCV in methadone maintenance patients and on liver transplantation in methadone maintenance patients. Results Injection drug use is the most significant risk factor for HCV infection in most western countries. The prevalence of HCV antibody is high in injection drug users (53–96%) and in patients enrolled in methadone maintenance programs (67–96%). Studies of antiviral therapy for HCV in methadone maintenance patients show rates of sustained virological response (SVR), defined as negative HCV-RNA 24 weeks after the end of treatment, of 28–94%. In studies with contrast groups, no significant differences in SVR between methadone and contrast groups were found. Excellent completion rates of antiviral therapy (72–100%) were found in five of six studies. There are many barriers to methadone maintenance patients' receiving antiviral therapy, and research on overcoming barriers is discussed. Liver transplantation has been successful in methadone maintenance patients but has not been utilized widely. Conclusion High quality medical care for all aspects of HCV infection can be provided to methadone maintenance patients. The literature supports the effectiveness of such services, but the reality is that most patients do not receive them.
Selection of aspirin dosages for aspirin desensitization treatment in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease

Background Aspirin desensitization followed by daily aspirin therapy is effective add-on treatment for patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease. Prior studies used 650 mg of aspirin twice daily, but studies at lower dosages were inconclusive. Objective We sought to determine the optimal daily dosage of aspirin treatment. Methods We studied 137 patients who had undergone successful aspirin desensitization and randomized them into 2 groups, 650 mg twice daily versus 325 mg twice daily. After 1 month, patients either increased or decreased their dosage based on their symptom control and continued that dosage for the remainder of the year. Results Patients taking either 650 mg twice daily or 325 mg twice daily showed significant improvements in number of sinus infections, sinus operations, and hospitalizations for asthma (all P P Conclusion Both dosages were efficacious, and side effects occurred in both groups at similar frequencies. Some patients initially taking 325 mg twice daily required an increase to 650 mg twice daily for optimal symptom control. Clinical implications We recommend that patients begin daily aspirin therapy with 650 mg twice daily and subsequently decrease to the lowest effective dosage (usually 325 mg twice daily).
Applications of quantum coherence in fundamental and applied physics

Summary form only given, as follows. Much (indeed most!) of quantum mechanics is concerned with determining the eigenvalues and eigenstates of the system of interest and scattering rates between these states. But in many cases (e.g. in superconductors and lasers) coherent superpositions of states are required to understand the physics. Furthermore some of the deepest issues of physics arise from correlations and coherences between subsystems (e.g. the EPR paradox and the Bell inequalities). Quantum optics is at the heart of such such considerations. On the one hand, we find that the application of atomic coherence concepts yields lasers that operate without inversion, light pulses that propagate at a few meters/sec, and new tools for the detection of Bell states applied to quantum dense coding and teleportation. On the other hand, quantum optics yields experimental and conceptual insights into many of the counterintuitive and puzzling aspects of quantum mechanics.
Preserving the Status Quo or Renegotiating Leadership: Women’s Experiences With a District-Based Aspiring Leaders Program

Purpose:Current demands for school leaders as well as reported administrator shortages have resulted in the implementation of district-based aspiring leaders programs to promote teacher leaders into administration. Because educational administration has, traditionally, been informed by androcentric perspectives, this study was designed to determine whether these programs are helpful to women aspiring to administration or whether they are used as another way to reinforce the status quo.Research Methods:This qualitative study examined the experiences of 15 women relating to their participation or lack of participation in an in-house district-based aspiring leaders program in one public school system. A critical framework grounded the study as research questions and the design of the study were informed by feminist poststructuralism.Findings:Although it is apparent that a greater number of aspiring administrators are reached in the district than if no program existed, the various needs of a diverse populatio...
Evaluation of the Normal-Zone Propagation Characteristics of REBCO Coated Conductors With Laminated Cu Tape

The quench characteristics, particularly the normal-zone propagation and increase in hot-spot temperature, of REBa2Cu3Ox (REBCO) coated conductors are important issues for safe operation in the superconducting applications. Although experimental data on the quench characteristics of REBCO coated conductors have been reported only limited data is available specifically on REBCO coated conductors laminated with Cu tape of thickness no less than 0.1 mm, which are expected to be used for high-current operation in future superconducting applications. Here we reported experimental measurements of the normal-zone propagation velocity (NZPV) in REBCO coated conductors laminated with Cu tape of 0.1 mm thickness at 77, 65 and 50 K in a background magnetic field. We also compared these results with the NZPV at 77 K of REBCO coated conductors laminated with Cu stabilizer tape of thickness 0.05 and 0.3 mm.
From the Philosophy of Mind to the Philosophy of the Market

John Searle has argued against the viability f strong versions of artificial intelligence. His most well-known counter-example is the Chinese Room thought experiment where he stressed that syntax is not semantics. We reason by analogy to highlight previously unnoticed similarities between Searle and F.A. Hayek's critique of socialist planning. We extend their insights to explain the failure of many reforms in Eastern Europe in the 1990s.
A Case for Extrinsic Dispositions

Many philosophers think that dispositions are necessarily intrinsic. However, there are no good positive arguments for this view. Furthermore, many properties (such as weight, visibility, and vulnerability) are dispositional but are not necessarily shared by perfect duplicates. So, some dispositions are extrinsic. I consider three main objections to the possibility of extrinsic dispositions: the Objection from Relationally Specified Properties, the Objection from Underlying Intrinsic Properties, and the Objection from Natural Properties. These objections ultimately fail.
Popular Participation in Swiss National Council Elections

It is difficult to compare popular participation in Swiss elections with that of any other democratic country in Europe. The smallness of the country, the rugged nature of the land, the diversity of languages, the strength of the traditions of local self-government, the variety of political institutions, and the multiplicity of elections make Switzerland a unique place for political experiments. The composition of the Swiss electorate is very similar to that of the French. Every Swiss male citizen, twenty-one years of age or over, is allowed to vote, unless excluded by the laws of the canton in which he resides. However, the duties of the French and Swiss electors are far from being alike. In France the electors vote every four years for the deputies, while in Switzerland there are elections on federal questions every year, to say nothing of the cantonal and municipal elections. The elections to the lower house of the Swiss national legislature, the National Council, are held every three years. These elections do not have the same importance as English or French legislative elections, because the Swiss constitution limits the powers of the national legislators. Furthermore, the Swiss plural executive system detracts from the dramatic quality of the National Council elections. The executive is not responsible to the lower house as in countries having the parliamentary form of government. Making allowance for the fact that some of the cantons have compulsory voting, one might expect to find a lower record for participation in elections to the Swiss National Council than in elections to the French Chamber of Deputies, the latter body having undivided national power and, in addition, control over the executive.
Displaying radiologic images on personal computers: practical applications and uses.

This is the fifth and final article in our series for radiologists and imaging scientists on displaying, manipulating, and analyzing radiologic images on personal computers (PCs). There are many methods of transferring radiologic images into a PC, including transfer over a network, transfer from an imaging modality storage archive, using a frame grabber in the image display console, and digitizing a radiograph or 35-mm slide. Depending on the transfer method, the image file may be an extended gray-scale contrast, 16-bit raster file or an 8-bit PC graphics file. On the PC, the image can be viewed, analyzed, enhanced, and annotated. Some specific uses and applications include making 35-mm slides, printing images for publication, making posters and handouts, facsimile (fax) transmission to referring clinicians, converting radiologic images into medical illustrations, creating a digital teaching file, and using a network to disseminate teaching material. We are distributing a 16-bit image display and analysis program for Macintosh computers, Dr Razz, taht illustrates many of the principles discussed in this review series. The program is available for no charge by anonymous file transfer protocol (ftp).
Pathology of experimental enteric septicaemia in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), following immersion-exposure to Edwardsiella ictaluri.

. Fingerling channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), were exposed experimentally to Edwardsiella ictaluri by immersion for 1 h in water containing 5 × 108 colony-forming units (CFU) of the bacterium per ml. Ninety per cent of the fish developed lesions typical of enteric septicaemia of catfish (ESC), 93% of affected fish developed the acute form of ESC and 7% developed chronic ESC. Acute disease was characterized grossly by cutaneous haemorrhage and ulceration, and microscopically by enteritis, olfactory sacculitis, hepatitis and dermatitis. The earliest lesions of acute ESC, i.e. enteritis and olfactory sacculitis, were observed microscopically at 2 days post-exposure (PE); gross lesions, primarily mild subcutaneous haemorrhage at the base of fins, were first apparent at 4 days PE. Chronic ESC, seen most commonly 3–4 weeks PE, was characterized by dorsocranial swelling and ulceration, granulomatous olfactory neuritis/perineuritis, and meningoencephalitis involving the olfactory bulbs, olfactory tracts and olfactory lobes of the brain. Gross and microscopic lesions in the acute and chronic forms of experimental ESC were similar to the lesions reported in naturally occurring ESC. Definitive pathogenesis of acute and chronic ESC remains to be determined.
Investment and internal funds of distressed firms

Abstract The investment-cash flow sensitivity literature excludes financially distressed firms because their investment behavior is presumably different from that of healthy firms. First, we find that the investment behavior of distressed firms with operating profits is similar (positive sensitivity). Second, distressed firms with operating losses typically invest less than the previous year. They downsize regardless of cash flows (near-zero sensitivity). Finally, 40% of the time distressed firms with operating losses invest more than the previous year. They surprisingly invest more when cash flows are lower (negative sensitivity). The investment is funded by equity holders, consistent with a gamble for resurrection.
Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by a splice variant of GHRH receptor

Hypothalamic GHRH controls the release of GH from the pituitary gland and also acts as a growth factor in a variety of cancers. The mitogenetic activity of GHRH is exerted through the binding to the pituitary type receptor (pGHRH-R) and its splice variants, mainly SV1. The intracellular signaling pathways that are activated upon the binding of GHRH to the SV1 receptor have not been elucidated. HeLa cervical cancer cells do not express GHRH or GHRH receptors (GHRHRs) and thus do not respond to GHRH or GHRH antagonists. In order to elucidate the mechanism of action of SV1 receptor, we transfected HeLa cells with plasmids for pcDNA3-GHRHR or pcDNA3-SV1. The transfected cells responded to both GHRH (1-29)NH(2) and GHRH antagonist MZ-5-156, as shown by an increase or decrease respectively in the proliferation rate in vitro and the expression of proliferative cell nuclear antigen. We also demonstrated that when the cells transfected with SV1 plasmid are stimulated with GHRH (1-29)NH(2), SV1 receptor activates the mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway (MAPKs), as shown previously for the cells that express pGHRH-R. Our results show, for the first time, the activation of the MAPKs cascade by the SV1 receptor. Since SV1 receptor is found in various tumors and mediates the responses to GHRH and synthetic antagonists, our findings shed light on the mechanism of action of SV1 receptor in cancer cells.
Toward a developmental psychopathology approach to borderline personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one of the more vexing forms of psychopathology for researchers and clinicians alike to understand. Currently, the etiology and pathogenesis of the disorder remain unclear; however, steady progress has been made in several important areas that bear upon informing a more complete understanding of this condition. Long known to clinicians in office practice and mental health staff at clinics and hospitals, BPD is a heterogenous phenotype characterized by a complex array of features such as emotional dysregulation, interpersonal dysfunction, impulsivity, self-damaging behaviors, excessive anger and fear, and identity disturbance (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The individual afflicted with BPD frequently experiences substantial social and occupational impairment, as well as frequent emotional turmoil. Those individuals who spend considerable time with a BPD-affected person, such as parents, partners, spouses, children, coworkers, and others, also encounter appreciable stresses and strains associated with the impact of BPD on the family, social, and occupational milieu.
Pharmacotherapy and health care costs among patients with schizophrenia and newly diagnosed diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated how antipsychotic pharmacotherapy and health care costs change after diabetes mellitus is newly diagnosed among patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Administrative data from the Department of Veterans Affairs were retrospectively reviewed to examine patients with schizophrenia who did not have any history of diabetes and for whom a consistent regimen of antipsychotic monotherapy was prescribed for any three-month period between June 1999 and September 2000. Data for these patients were reviewed through September 2001. Patients who were given a new diagnosis of diabetes were identified, along with a matched comparison group of patients who were not given a diagnosis of diabetes. Medication changes and costs were compared between patients with diabetes and those without and between patients who were taking second-generation antipsychotics and those who were taking first-generation antipsychotics. RESULTS: Of the 56,849 patients who fit the criteria for the study, 4,132 (7...
Cross-layer optimization for OFDM wireless networks-part II: algorithm development

We have established a theoretical framework for cross-layer optimization in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless networks. In this paper, we focus on effective and practical algorithms for efficient and fair resource allocation in OFDM wireless networks. We have taken various conditions into account and developed a variety of efficient algorithms, including sorting-search dynamic subcarrier assignment, greedy bit loading, and power allocation, as well as objective aggregation algorithms. We have also modified those algorithms for a certain type of nonconcave utility functions. To further improve performance by exploiting time diversity, a low-pass time filter can be easily incorporated into all of the algorithms. Simulation results have confirmed that the utility-based cross-layer optimization can significantly enhance the system performance and guarantee fairness. The gains come from multiuser diversity, frequency diversity, as well as time diversity. The fairness is automatically achieved by the behavior of marginal utility functions.
CONFLICT AND DETENTE BETWEEN SOCIAL ISSUES AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

The "dual nature" of the mental health profession--embodied in the differences between advocates of social and clinical approaches to people's problems--is considered. It is suggested that the situation reflects realities of the world we live in, and that it contains both dilemma and opportunity. Areas in which social advocacy and clinical expertise have complemented each other are illustrated, and possibilities for constructive and creative conflict are suggested. Language: en
Increased hyaluronan fragmentation during pulmonary ischemia

Hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan critical to the lung extracellular matrix, has been shown to dissociate into low-molecular-weight (LMW) HA fragments following exposure to injurious stimuli. In the present study we questioned whether lung HA changed during ischemia and whether changes had an effect on subsequent angiogenesis. After left pulmonary artery ligation (LPAL) in mice, we analyzed left lung homogenates immediately after the onset of ischemia (0 h) and intermittently for 14 days. The relative expression of HA synthase (HAS)1, HAS2, and HAS3 was determined by real-time RT-PCR, total HA in the lung was measured by an ELISA-like assay, gel electrophoresis was performed to determine changes in HA size distribution, and the activity of hyaluronidases was determined by zymography. A 50% increase in total HA was measured 16 h after the onset of ischemia and remained elevated for up to 7 days. Furthermore, a fourfold increase in LMW HA fragments (495–30 kDa) was observed by 4 h after LPAL. Both HAS1 and HAS2 showed increased expression 4–16 h after LPAL, yet no changes were seen in hyaluronidase activity. These results suggest that both HA fragmentation and activation of HA synthesis contribute to increased HA levels during lung ischemia. Delivery of LMW HA fragments in an in vitro tube formation assay or directly to the ischemic mouse lung in vivo both resulted in increased angiogenesis. We conclude that ischemic injury results in matrix fragmentation, which leads to stimulation of neovascularization.
Observing Incumbent Abuses: Improving Measures of Competitive and Electoral Authoritarianism with New Data

Electoral and competitive authoritarian regimes have become a major focus of comparative research. Yet finding measures that distinguish these regimes from democracies is challenging, especially for scholars conducting large-n cross-national research, as this conceptual distinction rests on incumbent abuses that are difficult to systematically observe. This article reviews common measures that simply utilize extant regime indicators to draw the line with democracy, demonstrates their poor performance in mirroring a benchmark from case-based measurement, and illustrates the adverse implications for theory building. The article then shows how data on incumbent abuse from the National Elections Across Democracy and Dictatorship (NELDA) and Varieties of Democracy (VDEM) projects can be utilized to construct alternative measures. A NELDA-based measure far outperforms extant alternatives in mirroring the case-based benchmark. The article also shows why VDEM might be a superior option once data is available and discusses the major operational choices involved in constructing a measure.
A Comparison of Modeled and Measured 3-D In-Cylinder Charge Motion Throughout the Displacement of a Four-Valve SI Engine

The flow inside a combustion engine is highly complex and varies significantly with small changes in the engine configuration. For a long time IC-engine researchers have tried to predict the major mean flow patterns inside close-to-production engine setups. During the last decades computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has significantly contributed to the engine development process. Hence, significant research has focussed on the comparison of modeled and measured flows in IC engines. However, according to the knowledge of the authors, this study is the first fully three-dimensional (3-D), modeling and measurement effort that has evaluated the vast majority of the displacement volume by using an identical engine geometry. With improved, non-intrusive, 3-D velocity measurement technology, the vast majority of the cylinder displacement was explored and compared with Star-CD modeling results at the same locations. The majority of the ensemble-averaged, 3-D velocity data exhibited similar flow patterns and tumble numbers within the center of the cylinder. Significant flow differences were observed in the outer regions, close to the cylinder walls, as well as in the level and shape of the turbulence during the intake stroke. The flow differences found in this study confirm the need for developments in computational and experimental methods.
Nominal Bond Returns and the Money Growth Rate in a Simple Equilibrium Model

In this paper, we fit the pricing kernel for U.S. Treasury securities using the SAINTS model of Constantinides (1992). Under a simple version of the stochastic growth model, knowledge of the pricing kernel identifies the (continuously-compounded) money growth rate implied by bond prices. This growth rate is used in a standard stochastic simulation of the model economy in order to examine the implied properties of nominal and real quantities in the model. By construction, this parameterization of the model is consistent with the unconditional properties of bond prices. We find that this implied monetary growth process improves the fit of the model in several dimensions but the behavior of yields still seems incompatible with the model.
A Schema of Trust Building Attributes and Their Corresponding Integrated Project Delivery Traits

ABSTRACTTrust-based relationship is critical in building an integrated and collaborative team. Relational contracting like Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is centered on the notion of trust and aims to further foster trust and collaboration. This research offers an in-depth analysis on how trust-building attributes are supported and leveraged by IPD traits. All the distinguishing traits of IPD are found effective in building trust. A few examples of these trust-building traits are: establishment of a core IPD team, jointly developed goals, collaborative decision-making, shared risks and rewards, and open communication. Additionally, IPD utilizes relational clauses and behavioral principles to influence an individual’s values and culture of trust. The research demonstrates that while IPD is effective in promoting trust, it does not warrant trust-based relationships, as the contract and team members’ characteristics also play critical roles in building trust. The key to success of IPD is establishing a cl...
Global Sensitivity Analysis Procedure Accounting for Effect of Available Experimental Data

Sensitivity analysis of uncertain nonlinear systems plays an important role in analyzing chemical engineering process models. Even though a variety of different techniques exists for analyzing nonlinear systems, these methods often do not update the parameter distribution using available measurement data. This forms the motivation behind this work as a sensitivity analysis procedure is introduced that deals with nonlinear systems and uncertainty in model parameters, and also incorporates the use of available data. The technique computes two covariance matrices: a covariance matrix that describes the effect that changes of the parameters values, sampled from a prior distribution, have on the outputs, and a covariance matrix that determines the effect of available data on the posterior distribution of the parameters using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The information contained in these two covariance matrices is then simultaneously evaluated by balancing the two matrices. The results returned by this t...
Adsorption on inorganic materials

Abstract An adsorbent based on “filling” the macropores of activated carbon with tin oxide was prepared and characterized. This material, as well as hydrous tin oxide, has an unsually high selectivity for lithium permitting its separation from the other alkali metals. This selectivity is not shown by a number of other hydrous oxides, such as those of Al(III), Fe(III), Zr(IV), and Nb(V).
Towards Sustainable Stewardship of Digital Collections of Scientific Data

The digital revolution has vastly increased the ability of the scientific community to collect and store a tremendous variety and quantity of data in digital form, representing a potentially irreplaceable legacy that can support scientific discovery and scholarship in both the present and the future. However, it is not yet clear what organizations or institutions can and should maintain and store such data, ensuring their long-term integrity and usability, nor how such longterm stewardship should be funded and supported. Many traditional information preservation and access institutions such as libraries and museums are struggling to develop the skills, resources, and infrastructure needed for largescale, long-term digital data stewardship. Government agencies often have strong technical capabilities, but are subject to political and budgetary pressures and competing priorities. Private organizations and companies can bring to bear innovations not only in technology but also in economic approaches that could provide financial sustainability. Developing long-term collaborative partnerships between different types of organizations may be one approach to developing sustainable models for long-term data stewardship. The development of objective criteria and open standards for trusted digital data repositories is another important step towards sustainable data stewardship. A critical challenge is the development of viable economic models for ensuring that the resources needed for long-term stewardship are put in place, while at the same time addressing the needs of the scientific community and society more generally for open access to scientific data and information resources. The development of a robust spatial data infrastructure can not only help reduce both the shortand long-term costs of data stewardship, but also provide a framework for the establishment and evolution of trustworthy data repositories that will be available for future generations of users to discover, access, and use the scientific heritage that is being created today.
Levels and potential health risk of heavy metals in marketed vegetables in Zhejiang, China

The present study analyzed 5785 vegetables for concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni and Hg, and estimated the health risk to local consumers by deterministic (point estimates) approaches. Levels of elements varied in different vegetables. Average levels of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Hg and Pb were 0.013, 0.017, 0.057, 0.002, 0.094 and 0.034 mg/kg (fresh weight), respectively. The samples with 0.25% for Cd and 1.56% for Pb were exceeding the maximum allowable concentrations (MACs) set by the Chinese Health Ministry. No obvious regular geographical distribution for these metals in vegetables was found in areas of Zhejiang, China. The mean and 97.5 percentile levels of heavy metal and metalloid were used to present the mean and high exposure assessment. The health indices (HIs) were less than the threshold of 1 both in mean and high exposure assessment. It indicates that for the general people there is very low health risk to As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni and Hg by vegetable intake.
A Suitability Model for White-Footed Voles with Insights into Habitat Associations at the Southern Boundary of Their Range

Abstract The White-footed Vole (Arborimus albipes) is one of the least-studied small mammals in North America. Most reported occurrence data come from incidental captures from larger trapping efforts and have demonstrated a strong affinity for Red Alder (Alnus rubra) trees. Recent research represented a range expansion in western Oregon, but little is known about the species at the southern end of its range in California. We developed a distribution model for the species to identify areas best targeted for additional White-footed Vole research. We used this model to survey by trapping in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, California, and documented 3 new occurrences for the species. These 3 occurrences were incorporated into a final distribution model. This model suggests the possibility of White-footed Vole occurrence in southern Humboldt and northern Mendocino Counties, which would represent a southern expansion of their range. White-footed Voles were captured in areas with smaller alders than non-capture...
Surgical Site Infections Following Bimaxillary Orthognathic, Osseous Genioplasty, and Intranasal Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose Frequency estimates of surgical site infection (SSI) after orthognathic surgery vary considerably. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and site of SSIs and associated risk factors after bimaxillary orthognathic, osseous genioplasty, and intranasal surgery. Materials and Methods The authors executed a retrospective cohort study of patients with a bimaxillary developmental dentofacial deformity (DFD) and symptomatic chronic obstructive nasal breathing. All patients underwent at a minimum Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomies (SROs), septoplasty, inferior turbinate reduction, and osseous genioplasty. The primary outcome variable studied was the incidence and site of SSI. Predictor variables were type and extent of prophylactic antibiotic used, demographic (age and gender), and anatomic (pattern of DFD, surgical site, and presence of third molar). Results Two hundred sixty-two patients met the inclusion criteria. Their average age at surgery was 25 years (range, 13 to 63 yr) and there were 134 female patients (51%). The major presenting patterns of DFD included long face (30%) and maxillary deficiency (25%). Forty percent of patients undergoing an SRO and 47% of those undergoing a Le Fort I osteotomy underwent simultaneous removal of a third molar. Ninety percent of patients received cefazolin or cephalexin antibiotics. Overall, 5 of 1,048 (0.5%) osteotomy sites sustained an infection, including 1 chin and 4 ramus SSIs. There were no delays in bone healing. Fixation hardware removal was not required in any patient who developed an infection. Two of the 25 patients (8%) given clindamycin prophylaxis developed an SSI, whereas 3 of 237 patients (1%) receiving cefazolin did. Three of the 4 patients who developed an SRO SSI underwent simultaneous removal of an erupted or partially erupted mandibular third molar (P Conclusions In this study, the incidence of SSI was limited to 1% of patients who were given cefazolin or cephalexin extended for 5 days. The removal of an erupted or partially erupted mandibular third molar in conjunction with an SRO was associated with risk of SSI, but the incidence remains low.
Automatic Detection, Indexing, and Retrieval of Multiple Attributes from Cross-Lingual Multimedia Data

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Detecting and Using Multiple Attributes from the Audio Keyword Retrieval Using Word -Based and Phoneme-Based Recognition Engines Query Expansion AHS Research Prototype Conclusion
Pinch-off dynamics and dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry of complex fluids

Liquid transfer and drop formation/deposition processes involve complex free-surface flows including the formation of columnar necks that undergo spontaneous capillary-driven instability, thinning and pinch-off. For simple (Newtonian and inelastic) fluids, a complex interplay of capillary, inertial and viscous stresses determines the nonlinear dynamics underlying finite-time singularity as well as self-similar capillary thinning and pinch-off dynamics. In rheologically complex fluids, extra elastic stresses as well as non-Newtonian shear and extensional viscosities dramatically alter the nonlinear dynamics. Stream-wise velocity gradients that arise within the thinning columnar neck create an extensional flow field, and many complex fluids exhibit a much larger resistance to elongational flows than Newtonian fluids with similar shear viscosity. Characterization of pinch-off dynamics and the response to both shear and extensional flows that influence drop formation/deposition in microfluidic and printing applications requires bespoke instrumentation not available, or easily replicated, in most laboratories. Here we show that dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry protocols that involve visualization and analysis of capillary-driven thinning and pinch-off dynamics of a columnar neck formed between a nozzle and a sessile drop can be used for measuring shear viscosity, power law index, extensional viscosity, relaxation time and the most relevant processing timescale for printing. We showcase the versatility of DoS rheometry by characterizing and contrasting the pinch-off dynamics of a wide spectrum of simple and complex fluids: water, printing inks, semi-dilute polymer solutions, yield stress fluids, food materials and cosmetics. We show that DoS rheometry enables characterization of low viscosity printing inks and polymer solutions that are beyond the measurable range of commercially-available capillary break-up extensional rheometer (CaBER). We show that for high viscosity fluids, DoS rheometry can be implemented relatively inexpensively using an off-the-shelf digital camera, and for many complex fluids, similar power law scaling exponent describes both neck thinning dynamics and the shear thinning response.
Retention, Truth-Content and Selective Realism

Selectivism, the divide et impera approach, is arguably the most promising realist project today, despite lingering issues regarding the selection of truthful parts in successful theories. Second generation approaches address those issues by basing selection on detailed inferential analyses of impressive predictions drawn from the theory at hand. The leading reformed strategies advocate commitment to just theory-parts that are “absolutely indispensable” for advancing the derivations at hand. The minimalist emphasis involved seems reasonable at first, but it weakens the realist project, leaving many thinkers gloomy about the prospects of scientific realism. This paper has two parts. Part 1 examines the reformed strategies and traces their main difficulty jointly to the pledge they make to interpretive minimalism and a neglect of the epistemic (and realist) import of explanatory power. The result is selections of excessively modest content and vulnerable grounding that deliver less than is needed. Part 2 advances a critical revision and naturalist generalization of the basic strategy. The proposed alternative maintains the focus on inferential analyses of predictions and content-reduction, but without commitment to content minimalism. By moving in a naturalist direction, the suggested strategy brings the valuation of theory-parts in line with confirmational criteria that, in scientific practice, give salience to success and freedom from reasonable doubt. The ensuing proposal recognizes both prediction and explanation as necessary conditions for realist commitment to theory-parts.
Accurate identification of single-nucleotide variants in whole-genome-amplified single cells

Mutation analysis in single-cell genomes is prone to artifacts associated with cell lysis and whole-genome amplification. Here we addressed these issues by developing single-cell multiple displacement amplification (SCMDA) and a general-purpose single-cell-variant caller, SCcaller (https://github.com/biosinodx/SCcaller/). By comparing SCMDA-amplified single cells with unamplified clones from the same population, we validated the procedure as a firm foundation for standardized somatic-mutation analysis in single-cell genomics.