cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of deep penetration welding of stainless steel using geometric constraints based on experimental information

Results of a numerical simulation of deep penetration welding of 304 stainless steel are presented. This numerical model calculates the temperature and fluid velocity fields in a three-dimensional workpiece undergoing deep-penetration electron beam welding. The deposition of power from the beam and energy outflow at the model-system boundaries is effected by means of time-dependent boundary conditions on the equations of energy and momentum transfer. The vapor-liquid interface defining the keyhole is represented by a surface whose temperature is that of vaporization for the steel. On this surface, are specified boundary conditions for the momentum transfer equations such that the component of the velocity normal to the keyhole vapor-liquid interface is zero. In addition, this study introduces two new numerical procedures. These procedures are based on the inclusion of experimental information concerning beam spot size and weld pool geometry into the model system via constraints and the deduction of effective keyhole shape via an inverse mapping scheme.
Reconfigurable microfluidics combined with antibody microarrays for enhanced detection of T-cell secreted cytokines

Cytokines are small proteins secreted by leukocytes in blood in response to infections, thus offering valuable diagnostic information. Given that the same cytokines may be produced by different leukocyte subsets in blood, it is beneficial to connect production of cytokines to specific cell types. In this paper, we describe integration of antibody (Ab) microarrays into a microfluidic device to enable enhanced cytokine detection. The Ab arrays contain spots specific to cell-surface antigens as well as anti-cytokine detection spots. Infusion of blood into a microfluidic device results in the capture of specific leukocytes (CD4 T-cells) and is followed by detection of secreted cytokines on the neighboring Ab spots using sandwich immunoassay. The enhancement of cytokine signal comes from leveraging the concept of reconfigurable microfluidics. A three layer polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic device is fabricated so as to contain six microchambers (1 mm × 1 mm × 30 μm) in the ceiling of the device. Once the T-cell capture is complete, the device is reconfigured by withdrawing liquid from the channel, causing the chambers to collapse onto Ab arrays and enclose cell/anti-cytokine spots within a 30 nl volume. In a set of proof-of-concept experiments, we demonstrate that ∼90% pure CD4 T-cells can be captured inside the device and that signals for three important T-cell secreted cytokines, tissue necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-2, may be enhanced by 2 to 3 folds through the use of reconfigurable microfluidics.
Characterization of primary cultures of adult human epididymis epithelial cells

Objective To establish cultures of epithelial cells from all regions of the human epididymis to provide reagents for molecular approaches to functional studies of this epithelium. Design Experimental laboratory study. Setting University research institute. Patient(s) Epididymis from seven patients undergoing orchiectomy for suspected testicular cancer without epididymal involvement. Intervention(s) Human epididymis epithelial cells harvested from adult epididymis tissue. Main Outcome Measure(s) Establishment of a robust culture protocol for adult human epididymal epithelial cells. Result(s) Cultures of caput, corpus, and cauda epithelial cells were established from epididymis tissue of seven donors. Cells were passaged up to eight times and maintained differentiation markers. They were also cryopreserved and recovered successfully. Androgen receptor, clusterin, and cysteine-rich secretory protein 1 were expressed in cultured cells, as shown by means of immunofluorescence, Western blot, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The distribution of other epididymis markers was also shown by means of qRT-PCR. Cultures developed transepithelial resistance (TER), which was androgen responsive in the caput but androgen insensitive in the corpus and cauda, where unstimulated TER values were much higher. Conclusion(s) The results demonstrate a robust in vitro culture system for differentiated epithelial cell types in the caput, corpus, and cauda of the human epididymis. These cells will be a valuable resource for molecular analysis of epididymis epithelial function, which has a pivotal role in male fertility.
Comparisons of outcomes of maternity care by obstetricians and certified nurse-midwives.

Objective To determine whether pregnancy outcomes differ by provider group when alternative explanations are taken into account. Methods Pregnancy outcomes were compared for 710 women cared for by private obstetricians and 471 cared for by certified nurse-midwives. At intake, all women qualified for nurse-midwifery care. They were retained in their original group for analysis, even if they were later referred to physicians. Infant and maternal mortality, 30 clinical indicators, satisfaction with care, and monetary charges were studied. The study site's history and philosophy of honoring consumer choice of provider precluded random assignment, but multivariate analyses minimized the effects of multiple confounding factors. The statistical power was adequate for the study design. Results Significant differences (P
Homer1 proteins and AMPA receptors modulate cocaine-induced behavioural plasticity

Homer proteins form functional assemblies in the excitatory postsynaptic density, and withdrawal from repeated cocaine administration reduces the expression of Homer1b/c in the nucleus accumbens. To determine if the reduction in Homer1b/c may be contributing to cocaine-induced behavioural sensitization, antisense oligonucleotides were infused over two weeks into the nucleus accumbens of rats to reduce Homer1 gene expression by approximately 35%. Infusion of antisense sequences (AS1 and AS2) caused a sensitization-like augmentation in the motor response to acute cocaine administration in naive rats. One of the sequences (AS1) also prevented the development of sensitization to repeated cocaine treatment, while AS2 was without effect. A panel of immunoblots for other proteins in the excitatory postsynaptic density revealed that AS1, but not AS2 reduced the level of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluR1 protein. This posed the possibility that altered AMPA signalling may mediate the inhibitory effect of AS1 on the development of sensitization. To examine this possibility, rats were pretreated in the accumbens with drugs to block AMPA/kainate, N-methyl-d-aspartate, group 1 metabotropic glutamate or dopamine receptors prior to each daily injection of cocaine. Only AMPA/kainate receptor blockade prevented the development of behavioural sensitization to cocaine. These data indicate that the expression of behavioural sensitization arises in part from a reduction in Homer1 gene products in the accumbens, while the development of sensitization requires stimulation of AMPA/kainate receptors.
Neuromarketing: the hope and hype of neuroimaging in business

The application of neuroimaging methods to product marketing - neuromarketing - has recently gained considerable popularity. We propose that there are two main reasons for this trend. First, the possibility that neuroimaging will become cheaper and faster than other marketing methods; and second, the hope that neuroimaging will provide marketers with information that is not obtainable through conventional marketing methods. Although neuroimaging is unlikely to be cheaper than other tools in the near future, there is growing evidence that it may provide hidden information about the consumer experience. The most promising application of neuroimaging methods to marketing may come before a product is even released - when it is just an idea being developed.
A Survey of NYC Pediatric Residents Regarding Care and Management of Basic Ophthalmologic Problems

Management of Basic Ophthalmologic Problems Susan Burekhovich MD, Janine Smith MD, Akil Paskal, Mendy Mack; SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY Background: In the April 2003 issue of Pediatrics the AAP issued a statement on eye examinations in children. It focused on the importance of early detection and treatment of ocular disorders in children to avoid visual impairment. This study assessed how pediatric residents feel they are equipped to handle this important responsibility and examined local residency program’s success in teaching this part of the physical exam to their residents. Methods: An anonymous survey was designed and distributed to pediatric residents in the NYC area. The survey was divided into basic information, including level of training, method of skill acquisition, and photos with case scenarios. The residents were asked to complete all questions as honestly as possible and to immediately return the survey to their chief residents. Results: Of approximately 800 pediatric residents in the NY metropolitan area, 435 were surveyed, with a 44.8% return rate. The results were analyzed by institution and year of training. Conclusion: Pediatric residents training in the NYC area feel they learn best from clinical situations and that they are learning about basic ophthalmologic conditions from their program. Ninety-nine percent of the residents say they feel comfortable performing eye screens on their patients. However, when given clinical scenarios such as leukocoria, about 50% were incorrect in the diagnosis with no improvement as the year of training was increased. These results suggest that more work needs to be done before pediatric residents in training have the skills needed to appropriately identify ocular disorders and to refer patients when appropriate. Ophthalmology and pediatric programs must work together during training, as they do in the community.
Neural Mechanisms of Risk Taking and Relationships with Hazardous Drinking

BACKGROUND: Impulsivity, particularly risk taking, is believed to play a significant role in alcohol use disorders (AUDs). While risk taking has been measured using questionnaires, recent performance-based tasks such as the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) have shown considerable promise in understanding risky decision-making processes in drinkers. While the number of studies using the BART has grown significantly over the past decade, the neural mechanisms that underlie risky choices on the BART have only begun to be explored. The current study was designed to assess both the neural mechanisms of risk taking on the BART and to explore relationships between risk taking and hazardous drinking. METHODS: Seventy-nine individuals with an AUD completed an fMRI compatible version of the BART that required pumping simulated air into risky or nonrisky balloons to earn points on each trial, and deciding when to terminate pumping to earn points accumulated. Hazardous drinking was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). RESULTS: Comparison of risky and nonrisky decisions revealed differences in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), anterior insula, and striatum. Comparison of Cashout responses and Explosions revealed increased responses in lateral prefrontal cortex, insula, ACC, and middle temporal gyrus during Explosions and greater response in inferior parietal lobe and caudate during Cashouts. When examining relationships between hazardous drinking and neural measures of risk taking, we found significant negative relationships with insula, striatum, and dACC. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that risk taking is associated with increased response in the dACC and anterior insula, regions previously implicated in representing error likelihood and negative outcome magnitudes, respectively. In addition, hazardous drinking was associated with responses in the dACC, possibly suggesting a reduced ability to predict the likelihood of errors and to predict negative outcomes associated with risk taking. Language: en
Predicting pediatric posttraumatic stress disorder after road traffic accidents: The role of parental psychopathology

This study examined prospectively the role of parental psychopathology among other predictors in the development and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 57 hospitalized youths aged 7-18 years immediately after a road traffic accident and 1 and 6 months later. Self report questionnaires and semistructured diagnostic interviews were used in all 3 assessments. Neuroendocrine evaluation was performed at the initial assessment. Maternal PTSD symptomatology predicted the development of children's PTSD 1 month after the event, OR = 6.99, 95% CI [1.049, 45.725]; the persistence of PTSD 6 months later was predicted by the child's increased evening salivary cortisol concentrations within 24 hours of the accident, OR = 1.006, 95% CI [1.001, 1.011]. Evaluation of both biological and psychosocial predictors that increase the risk for later development and maintenance of PTSD is important for appropriate early prevention and treatment.
Fabrication and properties of functionally graded NiAl/Al2O3 composites

A modified sedimentation process was used in the production of a functionally gradient material (FGM), NiAl/Al2O3. A simple finite element model was used to guide our design and fabrication efforts by estimating residual stress states as a function of composite structure. This approach could lead to tailored designs that enhance or avoid specific residual stress states. Thermal cycling tests were factored into the model to predict time dependent or steady-state internal temperature and stress profiles. Four-point bend tests were conducted to establish the mechanical load-displacement behavior of a single interlayer FGM at room temperature, 800 and 1000 K. Room temperature bend strength of the FGM was 3-4 times that of the base NiAl. At elevated temperatures, composite fracture occurred in a gradual, noncatastrophic mode involving NiAl retardation of a succession of cracks originating in the alumina face.
Joint tracking of features and edges

Sparse features have traditionally been tracked from frame to frame independently of one another. We propose a framework in which features are tracked jointly. Combining ideas from Lucas-Kanade and Horn-Schunck, the estimated motion of a feature is influenced by the estimated motion of neighboring features. The approach also handles the problem of tracking edges in a unified way by estimating motion perpendicular to the edge, using the motion of neighboring features to resolve the aperture problem. Results are shown on several image sequences to demonstrate the improved results obtained by the approach.
Repetitive shuttling of a motor protein on DNA

Many helicases modulate recombination, an essential process that needs to be tightly controlled. Mutations in some human disease helicases cause increased recombination, genome instability and cancer. To elucidate the potential mode of action of these enzymes, here we developed a single-molecule fluorescence assay that can visualize DNA binding and translocation of Escherichia coli Rep, a superfamily 1 DNA helicase homologous to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Srs2. Individual Rep monomers were observed to move on single-stranded (ss)DNA in the 3' to 5' direction using ATP hydrolysis. Strikingly, on hitting a blockade, such as duplex DNA or streptavidin, the protein abruptly snapped back close to its initial position, followed by further cycles of translocation and snapback. This repetitive shuttling is likely to be caused by a blockade-induced protein conformational change that enhances DNA affinity for the protein's secondary DNA binding site, thereby resulting in a transient DNA loop. Repetitive shuttling was also observed on ssDNA bounded by a stalled replication fork and an Okazaki fragment analogue, and the presence of Rep delayed formation of a filament of recombination protein RecA on ssDNA. Thus, the binding of a single Rep monomer to a stalled replication fork can lead to repetitive shuttling along the single-stranded region, possibly keeping the DNA clear of toxic recombination intermediates.
The Three Crises: Science, History, and Plurality

Modern religions are confronted by three crises: the scientific revolution, the historical revolution, and the pluralistic revolution. The development of each of these diverse revolutions in Western intellectual history has posed serious challenges to traditional conceptions of religious authority. This paper seeks to briefly elucidate the nature of each of these revolutions and their significance for religious traditions. While the specific challenges posed are separate, the revolutions share common traits. Additionally, it is not enough for a religious tradition to deal with only one of the crises; to proceed into the next stage of religious reflection, it must deal with them all.
Salicylic acid-mediated reductions in yield in Nicotiana attenuata challenged by aphid herbivory

Aphid herbivory decreases primary production in natural ecosystems and reduces crop yields. The mechanism for how aphids reduce yield is poorly understood as some studies suggest aphid feeding directly impedes photosynthesis, whereas other studies suggest a change in allocation of resources from growth to defense compounds reduces yield. To determine the mechanisms underlying reduced plant growth by aphids, Nicotiana attenuata plants, native tobacco, were infested with Myzus persicae ssp. nicotianae, tobacco-adapted green peach aphids, at low and high densities, and plant performance including fitness was assessed. To test the direct defense capacity of salicylic acid (SA) on aphid performance, we fed aphids an artificial diet with varying levels of SA and measured their survivorship and fecundity. There was no detectable effect of aphid herbivory on net photosynthesis, yet herbivory reduced plant growth, final biomass (43 % at high aphid density), and seed set (18 % at high aphid density) at both low and high aphid infestation levels. High-density aphid attack during the rosette and flowering stage caused an increase in SA levels, but caused only a transient decrease in jasmonic acid concentration at low aphid density. SA concentrations similar to those found in infested flowering plants decreased aphid fecundity, suggesting that SA was an effective chemical defense response against aphids. These results suggest that as aphid densities increased the proximal cause of reduced growth and yield was not reduced photosynthesis, but instead resources may have been mobilized for defense via the SA pathway, decreasing the availability of resources for building plant biomass.
Reframing Democracy: Governance, Civic Agency, and Politics

Developments in public affairs that stress governance— not simply government—hold possibilities for reframing democracy. Governance intimates a paradigm shift in the meaning of democracy and civic agency—that is, who is to address public problems and promote the general welfare? The shift involves a move from citizens as simply voters, volunteers, and consumers to citizens as problem solvers and cocreators of public goods; from public leaders, such as public affairs professionals and politicians, as providers of services and solutions to partners, educators, and organizers of citizen action; and from democracy as elections to democratic society. Such a shift has the potential to address public problems that cannot be solved without governments, but that governments alone cannot solve, and to cultivate an appreciation for the commonwealth. Effecting this shift requires politicizing governance in nonpartisan, democratizing ways and deepening the civic, horizontal, pluralist, and productive dimensions of politics.
The Food and Drug Administration's Counterfeit Drug Initiative

There have been significant efforts by the public and private sector to further secure our nation's drug supply from counterfeit drugs. In 2004, FDA released a framework as guidance for these efforts and has been facilitating the implementation of this framework. Technology-based solutions, such as using radio-frequency identification (RFID) as a means to create an electronic pedigree that documents the movement of a drug product through the drug supply chain, is an important element of the framework. In 2005, two years after the release of the framework, FDA issued an update reporting the progress on reaching the goals of the framework, including RFID implementation, use of electronic pedigree, the pedigree requirements under the Prescription Drug Marketing Act. This article summarizes the findings of FDA's Counterfeit Drug Task Force 2006 Update. A full copy of the report can be accessed at http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/counterfeit/report6_06. pdf.1
Simulation of blood flow in deformable vessels using subject-specific geometry and spatially varying wall properties

Simulation of blood flow using image-based models and computational fluid dynamics has found widespread application to quantifying hemodynamic factors relevant to the initiation and progression of cardiovascular diseases and for planning interventions. Methods for creating subject-specific geometric models from medical imaging data have improved substantially in the last decade but for many problems, still require significant user interaction. In addition, while fluid-structure interaction methods are being employed to model blood flow and vessel wall dynamics, tissue properties are often assumed to be uniform. In this paper, we propose a novel workflow for simulating blood flow using subject-specific geometry and spatially varying wall properties. The geometric model construction is based on 3D segmentation and geometric processing. Variable wall properties are assigned to the model based on combining centerline-based and surface-based methods. We finally demonstrate these new methods using an idealized cylindrical model and two subject-specific vascular models with thoracic and cerebral aneurysms.
Concise review of the cytochrome P450s and their roles in toxicology.

The cytochrome P450s are hemoproteins that play critical roles in the bioactivation and detoxication of a wide variety of xenobiotic substances. The enzymes are encoded by a superfamily of genes. The term “cytochrome P450” originates from the observation that the reduced state of the proteins form complexes with carbon monoxide that exhibit absorbance maxima at 450 nm (Omura and Sato, 1964). The P450 enzymes are now referred to as heme-thiolate proteins. P450s have been characterized in many species of organisms, including bacteria, fungi, plants, fish, and mammalian systems (Nebert and McKinnon, 1994). In mammalian cells, P450s are localized predominantly in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of the cell and are entirely distinct from the cytochrome proteins that comprise the mitochondrial electron-transport function. Currently, .700 P450s have been characterized, inclusive of the many different species of organisms that have been studied (Nelson et al., 1996). Based primarily on sequence similarities, a standardized nomenclature has been adopted that categorizes the individual P450s into respective families and subfamilies. P450 proteins exhibiting .40% similarity in protein sequence are classified within the same family; proteins exhibiting .55% sequence similarity are grouped into the same subfamily (Nebert and McKinnon, 1994; Nelson et al., 1996). Although the catalog is updated regularly, the current P450 nomenclature and classification scheme was most recently reviewed in 1996 (Nelson et al., 1996). The purpose of this current review is to very briefly highlight some of the more important mammalian P450s with respect to their expression, inducibility and inhibition character, and substrate preferences, especially as they relate to human toxicology. Due to this limited scope, it is impossible to thoroughly reference all the important and relevant literature pertaining to this topic. The reader is referred to other recent reviews for more detailed information (Dogra et al., 1998; Meyer and Zanger, 1997; Pelkonen and Raunio, 1997; Rendic and Di-Carlo, 1997). Information from these and other references has been used as source material to compile the contents of Table 1, summarizing some of the salient features of several relevant P450s.
Undocumented Status and Schooling for Newcomer Teens

In this ethnographic study, Elaine C. Allard describes and analyzes the characteristics and experiences of undocumented newcomer adolescents attending a US suburban high school. She considers the ways in which newcomer adolescents show agency in their border crossing, prioritize work over formal education, and express transnational identities. She contrasts their experience with the predominant narrative of DREAMers, undocumented childhood arrivals who are often characterized as migrating to the United States “through no fault of their own,” who prioritize professional aspirations through schooling, and who are “American in spirit.” Allard calls attention to a subgroup of undocumented students who may benefit from different approaches by educators and immigrant advocates.
Advancement at Last: Career-Ladder Opportunities for Library Support Staff

Abstract A long-time concern of library paraprofessionals has been the lack of opportunities for advancement. This became a particularly pressing problem at Auburn University Libraries when we began challenging support staff to take on increasing responsibilities. We asked them to perform more complex duties, yet we were unable to reward their efforts. In 1999, a new career-ladder structure was put into place at AU Libraries wherein an employee could be promoted within a job “family.” Our system is composed of two such families: the Library Assistant and the Library Associate. The benefits of such a system are numerous, and although it is only in its first year of implementation, over thirty-five employees were promoted by October 2000. This article discusses the history, development, implementation, and outcomes of the career ladder model at AU Libraries.
CDODA-Me decreases specificity protein transcription factors and induces apoptosis in bladder cancer cells through induction of reactive oxygen species.

Abstract Objective The objective is to determine whether methyl 2-cyano-3,11-dioxo-18b-olean-1,12-dien-30-oate (CDODA-Me) has therapeutic potential in bladder cancer. We investigated the effects of CDODA-Me on the growth and survival of bladder cancer cells, and expression of specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors that regulate genes associated with cancer cell proliferation and survival. Methods J82, RT4P, and 253JB-V bladder cancer cell lines were treated with vehicle alone or with CDODA-Me with or without the antioxidant l -glutathione. Cell viability and DNA fragmentation were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and propidium iodide-fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis, respectively. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate–FACS analysis. We assessed CDODA’s effects on the levels of Sp and Sp-regulated proteins and induction of apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by Western blotting. We also assessed the anticancer effects of CDODA-Me in nude mice bearing RT4v6 bladder cancer. Results 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and FACS analysis revealed that CDODA-Me inhibited the proliferation and survival of the 3 bladder cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. FACS analysis also indicated that CDODA-Me–induced intracellular ROS, and Western blot analysis indicated that CDODA-Me decreased levels of Sp and Sp-regulated proteins and induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. l -Glutathione attenuated CDODA-Me’s down-regulation of Sp and Sp-regulated proteins. Compared with the control treatment, CDODA-Me substantially inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Conclusions CDODA-Me has antineoplastic activity in bladder cancer cells by inducing ROS, which down-regulate Sp and Sp-regulated proteins. Thus, CDODA-Me has therapeutic potential in bladder cancer, and additional studies of the agent’s efficacy and mode of action are warranted.
Biomechanics of the Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty

The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) was designed to address a relative deficiency in available treatment options for patients with glenohumeral arthritis and concomitant rotator cuff arthropathy. The basic principles of creating a fixed fulcrum prosthesis with a medialized center of rotation and distalized humerus are undoubtedly responsible for the prolonged success of this implant. As modifications to Paul Grammont’s original design emerge, these three principles have remained constant. With continued evolution of our understanding of the intricate biomechanics involved in the rTSA, new modifications will likely continue to develop. These innovations should further improve clinical outcomes and aid in meeting the expanding indications for use of this unique implant.
Does critical theory have a place in social studies research?: A commentary

Abstract This commentary draws from the author׳s experiences as an early career scholar trying to navigate the field of social studies research. A number of questions and concerns are posed in seeking dialogue and action toward more emphasis and inclusion of critical theories in social studies.
Natural vibration analysis of stiff cable structures

According to theory of the minimum of total potential energy, the frequency formulas of one-half sine wave, two-half sine wave, three-half sine wave and four half sine wave modes are acquired. Moreover, the results of two methods are compared, from which the characteristics of free-vibration are obtained. The results show the formulas of frequencies for stiff cable structures given by this paper are of high accuracy, and the differences of frequency are all within 5%. Furthermore, the foundational mode of stiff cable structure is also an antisymmetric mode similar to the traditional flexible cables. This provides theoretical foundation for evaluation on structures that resist earthquake and resist wind loads.
Mechanisms of action of gold.

Since the successful introduction of injectable gold compounds for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis over 50 years ago, numerous studies on the possible mechanism of action have been performed. This heavy metal has been show to possess a bewildering array of biological effects. Studies using gold performed bothin vitro andin vitro can be grouped into anti-microbial, anti-immunologic, anti-inflammatory, anti-enzymatic and other effects. In this survey, we have analyzed these multiple approaches to the study of the mechanism of action of injectable gold preparations and apply the findings to rheumatoid arthritis.
Design and Analysis Considerations for Cluster Randomized Controlled Trials That Have a Small Number of Clusters

Background:Cluster randomized controlled trials (CRCTs) often require a large number of clusters in order to detect small effects with high probability. However, there are contexts where it may be ...
The SWOT model's utility in evaluating energy technology: Illustrative application of a modified version to assess the sawdust cookstove's sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract This paper tackles two main tasks. First, it reviews the use of the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) model in the energy sector. The review sheds light on the utility of the SWOT model in this sector. It reveals that the model, which is borrowed from the business world, has been employed only rarely and with little modification in the energy sector. Second, it develops and proposes a modified version of the model for use in assessing energy technologies in developing regions. The modified version contains two main variants, the one, qualitative and the other, quantitative. The qualitative variant is successfully employed here for illustrative purposes, to assess the sustainability of the sawdust cookstove as a cooking device in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The quantitative variant requires data that can be elicited through questionnaires and/or interview schedules administered to energy sector stakeholders, policymakers and/or energy experts. Both variants have potential use for technology developers, researchers and policymakers in the energy policy field in SSA in particular and developing regions in general.
Dewey linked data: Making connections with old friends and new acquaintances

This paper explores the history, uses cases, and future plans associated with availability of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system as linked data. Parts of DDC system have been available as linked data since 2009. Initial efforts included the DDC Summaries in eleven languages exposed as linked data in dewey.info. In 2010, the content of dewey.info was further extended by the addition of assignable numbers and captions from the Abridged Edition 14 data files in English, Italian, and Vietnamese. During 2012, we will add assignable numbers and captions from the latest full edition database, DDC 23. In addition to the “old friends” of different Dewey language versions, institutions such as the British Library and Deutsche Nationalbibliothek have made use of Dewey linked data in bibliographic records and authority files, and AGROVOC has linked to our data at a general level. We expect to extend our linked data network shortly to “new acquaintances” such as GeoNames, ISO 639-3 language codes, and Mathematics Subject Classification. In particular, the paper examines the linking process to GeoNames as an example of cross-domain vocabulary alignment. In addition to linking plans, the paper reports on use cases that facilitate machine-assisted categorization and support discovery in the semantic web environment.
Fractals in Probability and Analysis

This is a mathematically rigorous introduction to fractals which emphasizes examples and fundamental ideas. Building up from basic techniques of geometric measure theory and probability, central topics such as Hausdorff dimension, self-similar sets and Brownian motion are introduced, as are more specialized topics, including Kakeya sets, capacity, percolation on trees and the traveling salesman theorem. The broad range of techniques presented enables key ideas to be highlighted, without the distraction of excessive technicalities. The authors incorporate some novel proofs which are simpler than those available elsewhere. Where possible, chapters are designed to be read independently so the book can be used to teach a variety of courses, with the clear structure offering students an accessible route into the topic.
Exact and Approximate Stability of Solutions to Traveling Salesman Problems

This paper presents the stability analysis of an optimal tour for the symmetric traveling salesman problem (TSP) by obtaining stability regions. The stability region of an optimal tour is the set of all cost changes for which that solution remains optimal and can be understood as the margin of optimality for a solution with respect to perturbations in the problem data. It is known that it is not possible to test in polynomial time whether an optimal tour remains optimal after the cost of an arbitrary set of edges changes. Therefore, this paper develops tractable methods to obtain under and over approximations of stability regions based on neighborhoods and relaxations. The application of the results to the two-neighborhood and the minimum 1 tree (M1T) relaxation are discussed in detail. For Euclidean TSPs, stability regions with respect to vertex location perturbations and the notion of safe radii and location criticalities are introduced. Benefits of this paper include insight into robustness properties of tours, minimum spanning trees, M1Ts, and fast methods to evaluate optimality after perturbations occur. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the methods and achievable approximation quality.
Why Secrecy is Linked to Problems

Just as Jeffrey Dahmer represents an extreme version of the high self-concealer (not to mention a sociopath), Katherine Power seems to epitomize the problems associated with keeping an important, troubling secret (see Burger, 1997; Polivy, 1998). She was a Brandeis University student who drove the getaway car in 1970 for a revolutionary group who performed a bank robbery in Boston that went terribly wrong. A police officer was killed. After the robbery, Power went underground, eventually settling near Corvallis, Oregon. She married and bore a son and was teaching and working as a chef under the alias Alice Metzinger. However, in September 1993, Power finally turned herself in to Massachusetts police, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and was sentenced to 8 to 12 years in prison. What is intriguing about this case is that her name was removed from the FBI′s most wanted list after 14 years, and it seemed as though she had gotten away with the crime. Yet in 1992, she had become anxious and depressed and sought therapy, telling her psychotherapist about the crime in the second session (Burger, 1997). ″Power was so desperate to talk about her crime that she had become seriously depressed″ (Polivy, 1998, p. 188).
Functional three-dimensional scaffolds for skeletal muscle tissue engineering

Skeletal muscle inherently has a high regenerative capacity in response to injury but this capacity is overwhelmed in the case of volumetric muscle loss (VML). VML is defined as the degenerative, traumatic, or surgical loss of skeletal muscle that is characterized by significant impairment of physical function. Research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has aimed to address the limitations of traditional surgical approaches by combining cells, scaffolds, and bioactive compounds to produce a construct that can restore function in injured muscle. Scaffolds play a crucial role in providing an environment for myogenesis and promoting tissue regeneration. They need to be precisely engineered to provide the necessary cues to promote adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and maintenance of cell phenotype. This chapter will discuss current tissue engineering and regenerative medicine technologies and their ability to restore muscle force production, donate new muscle fibers to the repair site, and promote innate regenerative mechanisms.
Joint Probability Distributions and Their Applications

In Chaps. 2 and 3, we studied probability models for a single random variable. Many problems in probability and statistics lead to models involving several random variables simultaneously. For example, we might consider randomly selecting a college student and defining X = the student’s high school GPA and Y = the student’s college GPA. In this chapter, we first discuss probability models for the joint behavior of several random variables, putting special emphasis on the case in which the variables are independent of each other. We then study expected values of functions of several random variables, including covariance and correlation as measures of the degree of association between two variables.
Signal processing using bilinear and nonlinear time-frequency-joint-representations

Bilinear and nonlinear signal processing are described based upon the following observations: (a) A phase space for signal processing is identified with a time-frequency joint representation (TFJR) that appears almost everywhere naturally, for example in bats, in music, etc. (b) A sudden slow-down mechanism is responsible for the transition from a phase coherent-to-incoherent wavefront and provides us the sharpest tone transduction from a Bekesy traveling wave in a model of the inner ear. The cause of the slowdown is physically identified to be due to three forces. This has been used to derive a cubic deceleration polynomial responsible for a cusp bifurcation phenomenon which occurs for every tone transducted along the nonuniform elastic membrane. The liquid-filled inner ear cochlea channel is divided by the membrane into an upper duct that has hair cells for the forward sound-generated flow and the lower duct for the backward balance-return flow. (c) Both cross Wigner distribution (cross-WD) W21 (t0, v0) and cross Woodward ambiguity function (cross-AF) A21(τ,μ,) are bilinear TFJR's in the central (t0,v0) and difference (τ,μ) coordinates for two independent signals s1(t1) and s2(t2). A neurogram is a nonlinear TFJR. (d) Active probing uses (Doppler μ, delay τ)-weighted correlation, cross-AF, while passive listening uses (mean v0, central t0)- selected convolution, cross-WD. Both are useful for post processing in a marginal probability sense. A neurogram is useful for reverberation and noise robust detection pre-processing.
Communal Breeding in Burying Beetles

When a young chipmunk dies in the woods, a wide variety of or? ganisms?from mammalian scav? engers to insects, fungi and microbes? compete for this sudden food bonanza. In New England, burying beetles rank as one of the most successful competi? tors. A chipmunk is a relatively large carcass for these 1.5 centimeter-long insects, and such a food source may be discovered and buried by various com? binations of adult burying beetles. As they bury the carcass, they shave it and roll it into a ball, readying it to become food for a single large brood of young, or grubs. Once finished, some of the adults may remain in the brood cham? ber to tend to the carcass and to feed and defend the larvae until their devel?
Perturbed endoplasmic reticulum function, synaptic apoptosis and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) appears to be a focal point for alterations that result in neuronal dysfunction and death in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aberrant proteolytic processing and/or trafficking of the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) in ER may promote neuronal degeneration by increasing the levels of the neurotoxic forms of beta-amyloid (A beta) and by decreasing the levels of the neuroprotective secreted form of APP (sAPP alpha). Some cases of AD are caused by mutations in the genes encoding presenilin 1 (PS1). When expressed in cultured neuronal cells and transgenic mice, PS1 mutations cause abnormalities in ER calcium homoeostasis, enhancing the calcium responses to stimuli that activate IP3- and ryanodine-sensitive ER calcium pools. Two major consequences of this disrupted ER calcium regulation are altered proteolytic processing of APP and increased vulnerability of neurons to apoptosis and excitotoxicity. The impact of PS1 mutations and aberrant APP processing is particularly great in synaptic terminals. Perturbed synaptic calcium homoeostasis promotes activation of apoptotic cascades involving production of Par-4 (prostate apoptosis response-4), mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation. A beta 42 (the 42-amino-acid form of A beta) induces membrane lipid peroxidation in synapses and dendrites resulting in impairment of membrane ion-motive ATPases and glucose and glutamate transporters. This disrupts synaptic ion and energy homoeostasis thereby promoting synaptic degeneration. In contrast, sAPP alpha activates signalling pathways that protect synapses against excitotoxicity and apoptosis. In the more common sporadic forms of AD, the initiating causes of the neurodegenerative cascade are less well defined, but probably involve increased levels of oxidative stress and impaired energy metabolism. Such alterations have been shown to disrupt neuronal calcium homoeostasis in experimental models, and may therefore feed into the same neurodegenerative cascade initiated by mutations in presenilins and APP. Perturbed synaptic ER calcium homoeostasis and consequent alterations in APP processing appear to be pivotal events in both sporadic and familial forms of AD.
Fetal lung transcriptome patterns in an ex vivo compression model of diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to employ a novel ex vivo lung model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) to determine how a mechanical compression affects early pulmonary development. Methods Day-15 whole fetal rat lungs (n = 6-12/group) from nitrofen-exposed and normal (vehicle only) dams were explanted and cultured ex vivo in compression microdevices (0.2 or 0.4 kPa) for 16 h to mimic physiologic compression forces that occur in CDH in vivo. Lungs were evaluated with significance set at P Results Nitrofen-exposed lungs were hypoplastic and expressed lower levels of surfactant protein C at baseline. Although compression alone did not alter the α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) expression in normal lungs, nitrofen-exposed lungs had significantly increased ACTA2 transcripts (0.2 kPa: 2.04 ± 0.15; 0.4 kPa: 2.22 ± 0.11; both P Conclusions Collectively, these pilot data in a model of CDH lung hypoplasia suggest a primary aberration in response to mechanical stress within the nitrofen lung, characterized by an upregulation of ACTA2 and a downregulation in SPFTC and POSTN. This ex vivo compression system may serve as a novel research platform to better understand the mechanobiology and complex regulation of matricellular dynamics during CDH fetal lung development.
Energy Consumption of an Energy Efficient Building Envelope in the Canadian Arctic

A demonstration house was built and commissioned in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the energy consumption of the high performance building, while considering the unique social, economic, and logistical challenges for such a remote location. At 4.5 m by 5.4 m internal dimensions, the building has approximately 24 m2 of floor area and is a 15 cm thick structural insulated panel (SIP) system with an R-value of 24 (RSI 4.23) at a panel mean temperature of 0 °C. A full year of monitoring has been conducted thus far, between April, 2016 and April, 2017. The cold climate required heating during all but a few hours of the year, with the outdoor ambient temperature ranging from −39 °C to +21 °C and a total of 9540 °C heating degree days for calendar year 2016. Daily heating energy consumption ranged from a peak of 30.4 kWh in the winter down to a minimum of 0.9 kWh for a small number of days during the summer when outdoor ambient temperatures neared 20 °C. The total heating electricity consumed for the period of April 25, 2016 to April 25, 2017, including electronics and lighting, was 4945 kWh. Based on the floor area, the building had an energy use intensity of 206 kWh per m2.