cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low labor “in vivo” mass rearing method for entomopathogenic nematodes

Abstract The wide spread use of biological control agents in commercial agriculture is frequently limited by the high cost of the biological control agents. We describe in this paper an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) “in vivo” mass rearing method, not based on the White trap concept, which is both “low technology” and “low labor”, reducing the cost of producing large quantities of EPN IJ to the level conducive for use in an area-wide biocontrol program. Rearing temperature has a significant impact on the number of EPN IJ produced per host larvae and the IJ viability at any point in time. Emerged IJs remain within a non-aqueous, high humidity environment with improved oxygen access without extra steps or equipment. Depending on storage conditions, IJs remain viable for 7–14 d without extra labor. Our laboratory has used this rearing method to rear more than 100 billion IJ in the past 8 years to support an area wide biological control program.
Benevolent Patriot: The Life and Times of Henry Rutgers

This article narrates the story of Henry Rutgers from the New World origins of his ancestors, to his birth in 1745, up to the outbreak of hostilities with Britain in 1776.
Article 28 [Adequate Standard of Living and Social Protection]

Article 28 of the CRPD by jointly recognizing to persons with disabilities the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to social protection conjugates in the same provision the guarantees enshrined in Articles 9 and 11 of the ICESCR. The raison d’etre of the provision consists in obligating Contracting States to satisfy basic needs of persons with disabilities (e.g., adequate food, clothing, housing, including public housing programs, clean water, retirement benefits and programs, as well as social protection and poverty reduction programs) and to ensure that all persons with disabilities and their families be able to enjoy access to a minimum essential level of such rights without discrimination. Indeed, a clear indication there exists that persons with disabilities are more likely, than other individuals, to be caught in a vicious cycle of poverty and disability, each of which is both a cause and consequence of the other.
Papillary adenofibroma of the uterus: a benign mesodermal mixed tumor of Müllerian orgin.

Six papillary adenofibromas of the uterus considered to be the benign mixed tumors of mullerian origin are described. Two arose in the cervix and four in the endometrium. The patients, in the fifth and sixth decades of life, complained of vaginal bleeding or discharge. The tumors were composed of papillary projections, clefts, and cysts into which papillae projected. The epithelial component of the tumors was stratified squamous, and mucinous and nonmucinous columnar types. The stroma was composed of small fibroblasts, the appearance resembling that of adenofibroma of the ovary and breast. In one instance, an adenocarcinoma was present in one area of the polyp. Follow-up data in five cases reveal no evidence of persistent or recurrent disease following hysterectomy.
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE OUTREACH IN A MARGINALIZED FARMING VILLAGE IN SOUTHERN CHILE: OBSERVATIONS FROM A RURAL SOCIOLOGIST

I briefly describe the creation of a demonstration garden and several workshops given on ecological gardening techniques in a small, marginalized agrarian community in southern Chile, as part of a larger rural sociological research project. Community response to the garden and workshops suggested a paradox: villagers were eager for lessons on ecological gardening and composting, despite being agriculturalists for many generations. I offer three observations from the point of view of a rural sociologist that speak to this paradox. I close with a commentary on the political and structural roots of the community’s impoverishment and the implications for extension agents working with marginalized agricultural communities worldwide.
Heavy chain diseases in man

Human heavy chain diseases offer an opportunity to examine the molecular events taking place in cells which produce naturally occurring structural variants of a well-studied complex protein. Extensive structural analyses have been carried out on many of these proteins and have revealed the existence of certain characteristic features. Current studies are beginning to elucidate the molecular biology underlying these structural features.
New TSP Construction Heuristics and Their Relationships to the 2-Opt

Construction heuristics for the traveling salesman problem (TSP), with the 2-Opt applied as a postprocess, are studied with respect to their tour lengths and computation times. In this study, the “2-Opt dependency,” which indicates how the performance of the 2-Opt depends on the initial tours built by the construction heuristics, is analyzed. In accordance with the analysis, we devise a new construction heuristic, the recursive selection with long edge preference (RSL) method, which runs faster and produces shorter tours than the multiple-fragment method.
Adapting to Change while Stuck between a Rock and a Hard Place: An Organizational Identification Perspective

While much research has examined the effects of role conflict on task performance, we have little knowledge about how it affects change-oriented dimensions of job performance such as adaptivity. Integrating the literatures on role theory and organizational identification, we hypothesize that role conflict will decrease adaptive performance but only when employees are weakly identified with their organization. When confronted with role conflict, employees who do not strongly identify with their organizations are more susceptible to experiencing low job satisfaction, which in turn reduces adaptivity. We found support for this hypothesized mediated-moderation model in a multi-source, longitudinal study of 143 members across the Air Force, Army, and Navy branches of the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Our model held even after controlling for members’ identification with their non-ROTC role and perceived trustworthiness of their instructors. Overall, our study contributes to the literatures on role conflict, ...
VR Visualisation as an Interdisciplinary Collaborative Data Exploration Tool for Large Eddy Simulations of Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions

Scientific research has become increasingly interdisciplinary, and clear communication is fundamental when bringing together specialists from different areas of knowledge. This work aims at discussing the role of fully immersive virtual reality experience to facilitate interdisciplinary communication by utilising the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment (DiVE), a CAVE-like system, to explore the complex and high-resolution results from the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System-based Forest Large-Eddy Simulation (RAFLES) model coupled with the Ecosystem Demography model (ED2). VR exploration provided an intuitive environment to simultaneously analyse canopy structure and atmospheric turbulence and fluxes, attracting and engaging specialists from various backgrounds during the early stages of the data analysis. The VR environment facilitated exploration of large multivariate data with complex and not fully understood non-linear interactions in an intuitive and interactive way. This proved fundamental to formulate hypotheses about tree-scale atmosphere-canopy-structure interactions and define the most meaningful ways to display the results.
Adenosine A2A receptor plays a pivotal role in mediating clonidine hypotension in aortically barodenervated rats

In a previous study, we have shown an important role of central adenosine in the hypotension caused by clonidine, a mixed α2/I1 centrally acting antihypertensive agent. Intracisternal (i.c.) 8-sulf...
Electroanalytical Study of Organic Additive Interactions in Copper Plating and Their Correlation with Via Fill Behavior

In this study, individual interactions between various classes of organic additives in electrolytic copper plating solutions are characterized by electroanalytical methods. Cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry were used to compare cases of sequential and competitive adsorption of additive combinations to the Cu cathode. Of the polyalkylene glycol (PAG) suppressors investigated, polypropylene glycol was in general a weaker suppressor than polyethylene glycol, showing weaker polarization of the Cu cathode and faster depolarization when combined with bis(sodium sulfopropyl)disulfide (SPS). The rapid depolarization of PAG with SPS resulted in a conformal Cu filling behavior in blind-vias. By itself, the leveler molecule polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) shows very weak and slow suppression compared to the PAG-type suppressors, but depolarization of the Cu cathode is prevented when combined with SPS. The weak polarization of PVP combined with SPS resulted in sub-conformal filling behavior in blind-vias. The potential response of SPS, PAG, and PVP combined was found to be the sum of their individual interactions: PAG adsorbs rapidly to strongly polarize the cathode, but PVP prevents depolarization with time from SPS. This strong and consistent polarization outside the vias resulted in a superconformal filling behavior, with more than twice the thickness of Cu plated in the vias than outside.
Human rights, personhood, dignity, and African communalism

AbstractI articulate and defend a plausible conception of substantive human rights that is grounded in an African communal conception of dignity and personhood that emphasizes individual responsibi...
Detecting Novel Structural Variants In Genomes By Leveraging Parent-Child Relatedness

Genomic variation shared by members of the same species that are longer than a single nucleotide are commonly called structural variants (SVs). Though relatively rare, they represent an increasingly important class of variation as SVs have been associated with diseases and susceptibility to some types of cancer. Common approaches to SV detection require the sequencing and mapping of fragments from a test genome to a high-quality reference genome. Candidate SVs correspond to fragments with discordant mapped configurations, but because errors in the sequencing and mapping will also create discordant arrangements, many of these predictions will be false. When sequencing coverage is low, distinguishing true SVs from errors is even more complicated. In recent work, we have developed SV detection methods that simultaneously consider the genomes of closely related individuals – parents and children. Our approaches control false positive SVs by requiring children inherit all SVs in their genome from a parent. However, in doing so we may have missed true novel variants acquired by the child. In this work, we generalize our previous approaches to allow the child to carry novel variants but enforce sparsity through an l 1 penalty (since novel SVs in the child should be rare). We present results on both simulated genomes as well as two-sequenced parent-child trios from the 1000 Genomes Project.
Regulation and stimulation of photosynthesis of mixotrophically cultured Haematococcus pluvialis by ribose

Abstract The low cell growth rate of Haematococcus pluvialis is a major barrier to achieve low-cost production of the biomass. Our previous study demonstrated that ribose could significantly enhance the growth rate and cell activity of H. pluvialis under mixotrophic conditions. This study showed the photosynthetic rate of the algal cells cultured with ribose was two-fold higher than that of phototrophic after 2-day cultivation. The increased photosynthetic activity of the cells with mixotrophic culture using ribose occurred earlier than that with sodium acetate. Similar photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics was observed for cells grown in phototrophic and ribose-fed culture. Photosystem (PS) I of ribose-fed cells was enlarged relative to PS II after two days. The difference in rubisco activity and subunit gene (rbcL and rbcS) expression however, was not significant between phototrophic and mixotrophic cultivation. The photosynthetic rate of H. pluvialis doubled with ribose mainly due to the high reaction of the Calvin cycle. The results suggested that metabolites derived from ribose could provide additional substrates for the Calvin cycle. This study provides the evidence about unique ribose utilization patterns by H. pluvialis during photosynthesis processes in mixotrophic culture mode. By understanding the mechanism of ribose metabolism in H. pluvialis under mixotrophic cultivation, it offers a promising route for improvement of biomass accumulation.
CEO Sociopolitical Activism: A Stakeholder Alignment Model

Conventional wisdom holds that CEOs should avoid wading into society’s debates. Yet, CEOs are increasingly ignoring this dictum and taking public stances on socially contentious issues. We address ...
Using RNA-seq to characterize responses to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitor herbicide resistance in waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus).

Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer) is a problem weed commonly found in the Midwestern United States that can cause crippling yield losses for both maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr). In 2011, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate-dioxygenase (HPPD, EC 1.13.11.27) inhibitor herbicide resistance was first reported in two waterhemp populations. Since the discovery of HPPD-herbicide resistance, studies have identified the mechanism of resistance and described the inheritance of the herbicide resistance. However, no studies have examined genome-wide gene expression changes in response to herbicide treatment in herbicide resistant and susceptible waterhemp. We conducted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of two waterhemp populations (HPPD-herbicide resistant and susceptible), from herbicide-treated and mock-treated leaf samples at three, six, twelve, and twenty-four hours after treatment (HAT). We performed a de novo transcriptome assembly using all sample sequences. Following assessments of our assembly, individual samples were mapped to the de novo transcriptome allowing us to identify transcripts specific to a genotype, herbicide treatment, or time point. Our results indicate that the response of HPPD-herbicide resistant and susceptible waterhemp genotypes to HPPD-inhibiting herbicide is rapid, established as soon as 3 hours after herbicide treatment. Further, there was little overlap in gene expression between resistant and susceptible genotypes, highlighting dynamic differences in response to herbicide treatment. In addition, we used stringent analytical methods to identify candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that distinguish the resistant and susceptible genotypes. The waterhemp transcriptome, herbicide-responsive genes, and SNPs generated in this study provide valuable tools for future studies by numerous plant science communities. This collection of resources is essential to study and understand herbicide effects on gene expression in resistant and susceptible weeds. Understanding how herbicides impact gene expression could allow us to develop novel approaches for future herbicide development. Additionally, an increased understanding of the prolific traits intrinsic in weed success could lead to crop improvement.
EFFECT OF LUBRICANTS ON CORNEAL THICKNESS AFTER VITRECTOMY.

Purpose:This study examines the impact of corneal surface lubricants used during pars plana vitrectomy on corneal edema.Methods:This prospective, observational, clinical study occurred at an academic institution. Participants were individuals aged 18 years and older who had already consented to unde
Proceedings from Bridging Health Disparities to Address the Opioid Epidemic: A Symposium at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND In response to the unprecedented rates of illicit drug use, including opioid addiction and overdose in Rhode Island, local healthcare institutions, led by the Warren Alpert Medical School (AMS) of Brown University, collaborated to present "Bridging Health Disparities to Address the Opioid Epidemic." This symposium sought to educate a wide array of healthcare providers and professionals around opioid use disorder, including the state of the opioid crisis in Rhode Island, national efforts around opioid misuse and how providers can work together to stem the opioid crisis in the state. DESIGN AND METHODS The symposium included a keynote session which aimed to increase knowledge and decrease stigma. This was followed by two rounds of breakout sessions which focused on various components of opioid disorder treatment. We elicited feedback from participants in order to plan further interventions to educate providers in Rhode Island around the opioid epidemic. Primary Results: Initial feedback was positive. More importantly, this workshop allowed us to identify gaps in knowledge amongst healthcare providers in Rhode Island in order to plan further interventions for healthcare providers, including physicians, around opioid misuse, in Rhode Island. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS This symposium is one of the first steps that a consortium of healthcare institutions, including AMS, will take to address the opioid crisis in Rhode Island. Feedback from the event was elicited to identify gaps in healthcare provider knowledge and will be used to design and implement further interventions. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-04.asp].
Application of COBRA tool in health risk and comprehensive benefits assessment

OBJECTIVE To introduce the application of COBRA in health risk assessment of air pollution, and provide reference for the development of similar tools in China. METHODS The software overview, scope of application and application literature, data requirements and software operation, calculation principles, model construction was introduced, and put forward the reference significance to China. RESULTS Health and economic benefits can be quickly obtained by entering the type and value of change in pollutant concentration into the software. CONCLUSION COBRA can be used to quickly evaluate the health effects and economic benefits of pollutant changes, and provide reference for the development of relevant tools in China, applied in many ways, such as rapid assessment of health benefits of pollution prevention and control programs in different cities, regions or nationwide, and screening the policies and measures with lower costs and greater benefits.
Tunable Anisotropic Stiffness with Square Fiber Jamming

Jamming is a phenomenon in which a collection of compliant elements is encased in an airtight envelope, and a vacuum-induced pressure enhances frictional and kinematic coupling, resulting in dramatic changes in stiffness. This paper introduces the jamming of square cross-sectioned fibers, which allow for tunable and programmable anisotropic stiffness. A theoretical model captures the effect of major geometric design parameters on the direction-variant bending stiffness of these long and slender jamming elements. The model is experimentally validated, and a 13-fold stiffening in one direction and a 22-fold stiffening in the orthogonal direction is achieved with a single jamming element. The performance of a square-fiber-jamming continuum robot structure is demonstrated in a steering task, with an average reduction of 74% in the measured insertion force when unjammed, and a direction-variant 53% or 100% increase in the measured tip stiffness when jammed.
An Optically Powered, High-Voltage, Switched- Capacitor Drive Circuit for Microrobotics

This work presents an efficient high-voltage (HV) drive circuit for mm- and cm-scale electrostatic and piezoelectric microrobotic transducers. Designed in a 650-V SOI CMOS process, a reconfigurable series–parallel switched-capacitor (SC) converter interfaces between either on-chip photovoltaic (PV) cells or a single off-chip battery, and an HV MEMs actuator. The SC converter boosts a nominal ~3.7–7.4-V input by ~16 $\times $ to 60–117 V. By using a pseudo-adiabatic drive process, the converter charges the output sequentially and recovers energy in discharge cycles to reduce power consumption by over 10 $\times $ compared with a conventional hard-switching driver. On-chip PV cells use deep-trench isolation such that they can be stacked and reconfigured in arbitrary series and parallel voltage domains. Measured results show effective operation with reactive loads up to 20 nF, operating frequencies over 50 kHz, and delivered power levels up to 95 mW.
Pediatric Gallbladder Disease

Pediatric gallstone disease is on the rise in the United States, for two main reasons. First, improved diagnostic tools including high-resolution ultrasound have made the detection of small stones more readily apparent. Secondly, dietary changes have led to an increased incidence of cholesterol stones. Additionally, improved survival in the neonatal population, many of whom are maintained on parenteral nutrition for an extended period of time, has led to pathophysiology previously seen in very limited instances. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains the standard operation of choice for patients requiring surgical extirpation of the gallbladder alone. Regional variation in expertise dictates the management of choledocholithiasis using either laparoscopic common bile duct exploration or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
A novel experimental system for accurate gas sorption and its application to various shale rocks

Abstract Accurate measurement of shale gas adsorption capacity is crucial for reservoir appraisal and production stimulation. Because of the limited adsorption capacity and finer pore size distribution in shale matrix, it is difficult to precisely quantify the adsorption capacity using traditional volumetric methods for coal adsorption measurement. An improved lab method for shale adsorption measurement and diffusivity evaluation was introduced by using a control group connected through a high accuracy differential pressure transducer. Isotherm curves of five shale samples from different basins were acquired using this system. For all shale samples, adsorption capacity for CO2 is 2–3 times of that for CH4. Adsorption isotherms for shale exhibited a better fitting trend with the BET model at the pressure range of lab scale, indicative of the quick decline at the diffusion-dominant region of reservoir production curve. It is found that the improved adsorption measurement method can effectively reduce the average accumulated error from 24.3%–11.3%, and it is qualified for measurement of materials with limited adsorption capacity.
Double Wound Inductor Design Optimization for the Flying Capacitor Multilevel Flyback Converter using a Modified, T-Model Magnetic Equivalent Circuit

The flying capacitor multilevel flyback converter (FCMFC) utilizes a flyback transformer in conjunction with multiple switch-diode-capacitor (SDC) stages to improve operation of the basic flyback converter for DC-DC power conversion. This work explores the multi-objective optimization of the double-wound inductor of the 200W FCMFC. The core geometry will be optimized for various multilevel converters to yield the most efficient and lightweight inductor. The optimized inductor design exhibited 0.73W loss and corresponded to a basic flyback two level converter while the lightest design of 35g corresponded to a five level FCMFC. While the flyback inductor was most efficient, it was also the heaviest with an anticipated mass of 186.25g, compared to the 35g inductor that only exhibits a loss of 1.11W. All multilevel converters follow the Pareto optimal front making SDC stages a useful design variable for the magnetic optimization of a flyback converter.
Printed graphene oxide-based membranes for gas separation and carbon capture

Abstract Graphene oxide (GO)-based separation membranes have demonstrated the great potential to separate molecules and ions by the interlayer spacing with tunable nano-sized channels. The scalable fabrication of GO-based gas separation membranes, however, remains challenging, although a few preparation approaches have been reported. In this work, we present for the first time that the co-solvent ink-jet printing, as a fast and scalable method, can be utilized for scalable GO-based gas separation membrane preparation. Large-area (>100 cm2), ultrathin, and high-quality GO membrane was successfully deposited on commercial polysulfone (PS) support, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, et al., Selective hydrogen (H2) and helium (He) transport over carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) was demonstrated for the printed GO membrane. To further explore the separation potential of the printed GO-based gas membrane, additives for facilitated molecular transport were incorporated during the membrane printing process. By inserting CO2-philic agents into the printed GO membrane, highly efficient separation of CO2 from N2 was achieved with CO2/N2 selectivity of 70 and CO2 permeance as high as 2,500 GPU. The strategy proposed here may provide guidance for large-scale GO-based gas separation membrane production and a versatile approach for applying other functional 2-dimensional materials towards the membrane separation application.
Laboratory Value Effectiveness in Predicting Early Postoperative Periprosthetic Joint Infection after Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Diagnosing early periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains challenging. We sought to validate optimal laboratory value cutoffs for detecting early PJIs in a series of primary THAs from one institution. Methods We retrospectively identified 22,795 primary THAs performed between 2000 and 2019. Within 12 weeks, 43 hips (43 patients) underwent arthrocentesis. Patients were divided into 2 groups: evaluation ≤6 weeks or 6-12 weeks following THA. The 2011 Musculoskeletal Infection Society major criteria for PJI diagnosed PJI in 15 patients. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare median laboratory values and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate optimal cutoff values. Results Both within 6 weeks and between 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively, median C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, synovial white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil percentage, and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) values were significantly higher in infected THAs. Optimal cutoffs within 6 weeks were: CRP ≥100 mg/L, synovial WBCs ≥4390 cells/μL, neutrophil percentage ≥74%, and ANC ≥3249 cells/μL. Between 6 and 12 weeks, optimal cutoffs were: CRP ≥33 mg/L, synovial WBCs ≥26,995 cells/μL, neutrophil percentage ≥93%, and ANC ≥25,645 cells/μL. Conclusion Early PJI following THA should be suspected within 6 weeks with CRP ≥100 mg/L or synovial WBCs ≥4390 cells/μL. Between 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively, cutoffs of CRP ≥33 mg/L, synovial fluid WBC ≥26,995 cells/μL, and neutrophil percentage ≥93% diagnosed PJI with high accuracy. Level of Evidence Level IV Diagnostic.
Multi-Gb/s I/O link model to hardware correlation

Presented herein are the time-domain simulation results for a multi-Gb/s I/O channel using three different modeling and simulation approaches. Time-domain simulation results based on a converted S-parameter model, segmented RLGC models, and a VNA extracted end-to-end channel measurement based model.
Invariance principles for fractionally integrated nonlinear processes

We obtain invariance principles for a wide class of fractionally in- tegrated nonlinear processes. The limiting distributions are shown to be frac- tional Brownian motions. Under very mild conditions, we extend earlier ones on long memory linear processes to a more general setting. The invariance principles are applied to the popular R/S and KPSS tests.
SOUTH FLORIDA: THE REALITY OF CHANGE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY: Urban sprawl and natural areas encroachment: linking land cover change and economic development in the Florida Everglades

Abstract This paper presents a model treating agricultural and urban land uses simultaneously. In particular, it takes the urban model stemming from Alonso and weds it to the seminal agricultural model developed by von Thunen. In so doing, it extends the Muth framework, which explains the encroachment of agricultural lands by linking two industries with two different forms of land use. The present formulation considers both the encroachment of natural areas and the loss of agricultural land, or urban sprawl. It also adds realism to the two-sector model of Muth by (1) reflecting appropriate sectoral behaviors for residential land consumers and farmers, and by (2) explicitly addressing structural linkages between sectors. Using the model, the paper demonstrates sufficient conditions for switching in the regimes that govern loss of natural areas. The empirical case of South Florida is considered through an application of geographic information systems to digital map archives of the region based on remotely sensed data.
Beyond back propagation: using simulated annealing for training neural networks

The vast majority of neural network research relies on a gradient algorithm, typically a variation of backpropagation, to obtain the weights of the model. Because of the enigmatic nature of complex nonlinear optimization problems, such as training artificial neural networks, this technique has often produced inconsistent and unpredictable results. To go beyond backpropagation’s typical selection of local solutions, simulated annealing is suggested as an alternative training technique that will search globally. In this research, backpropagation will be directly compared with this global search technique via an intensive Monte Carlo study on seven test functions
Hierarchical Schemes for Adaptive Routing and Flow Control in Large Computer Networks

Recent advances in the general theory of multivariable and large-scale systems have contributed to the development of hierarchical control schemes where the overall decision-making task is distributed over a number of hierarchical levels. Use of such a hierarchical framework for the design of control schemes at the transport level in large computer communication networks can result in several beneficial features such as information aggregation for reduction in data storage requirements, capability of handling multiple objective functions in performance optimization, better adaptivity to variations in load and network topology and possibility of integrating routing and flow control functions for a more efficient control of traffic congestion. This paper outlines the development of two hierarchical schemes for routing and flow control that have recently been developed within such a framework.
Tracing vocal fold vibrations using level set segmentation method.

Summary High-speed digital imaging (HSDI) of the larynx can provide important information on the vocal fold kinematics. This information is useful and may provide a better understanding of the mechanism of phonation and assist clinical assessment of voice disorders. Automatic tracing of the vocal fold vibration is a key step in the kinematic analysis and for correlative characterization of vocal fold vibrations and voice quality in normal and diseased states. In this study, we introduce a new approach for image segmentation and automatic tracing of vocal fold motion that combines the level set method and motion cue. This approach is applied to videokymogram (VKG)-form images, which are obtained from a sequence of laryngeal images captured using the HSDI. To utilize the motion cue for a more effective level set based segmentation on the VKG, we first construct a so-called standard deviation (STD) image by mapping the pixel-based measure of temporal intensity dispersion from the initial HSDI sequence. The STD image maps the extent of vocal fold motion, and followed by threshold operation, a region of interest (ROI) that encloses vocal fold motion, or glottal region, is identified. The performance and effectiveness of our approach are evaluated by using clinical datasets representing both normal and pathological voice conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fuchs' problem 34 for mixed Abelian groups

This paper investigates the extent to which an Abelian group A is determined by the homomorphism groups Hom(A. G). A class C of Abelian groups is a Fuchs 34 class if A and C in C are isomorphic if and only if Hom(A,G)≅ Hom(C,G) for all G ∈ C. Two p-groups A and C satisfy Hom(A, G) ≅ Hoot(C, G) for all groups G if and only if they have the same n th -Ulm-Kaplansky-invariants and the same final rank. The mixed groups considered in this context are the adjusted cotorsion groups and the class G introduced by Glaz and Wickless. While G is a Fuchs 34 class, the class of (adjusted) cotorsion groups is not.
Finite impulse response (FIR) filters for speech analysis and synthesis

Speech was analyzed using a cosine basis vector set to model speech spectral magnitude. This basis vector set is quite similar to an optimal principal-components basis vector set. However, in contrast with the principal components, under some conditions the cosine basis vector coefficients can be used to directly determine an FIR speech synthesis filter. Depending on the details of how the magnitude spectrum is first scaled in frequency and in amplitude before the cosine basis vector modeling, different forms of FIR filters are obtained. Speech was synthesized using the FIR filters obtained from discrete cosine coefficients and compared with speech synthesized from a principal-components-based vocoder, and with speech synthesized from a linear predictive vocoder. For a fixed number of synthesis filter parameters, the FIR synthesis with a minimum phase characteristic was nearly as good as synthesis based on the optimal principal components and about the same as linear predictive synthesis.
Theory of Atomic Hyperfine Structure

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the principal experimental techniques in the study of hyperfine interactions, such as the Hamiltonian for hyperfine interactions; hyperfine structure of one-electron atoms; and hyperfine structure of complex atoms and ions. The classical method is optical spectroscopy. Resolution of hyperfine structure in optical spectra has been improved significantly by the use of interferometers, such as the Fabry-Perot etalon, in place of diffraction gratings. Splittings as small as 0.005 cm-1 (∼ 100 Mc/sec) could theoretically be resolved by an interference spectrograph. In practice, however, atoms in the gas phase have linewidths determined by the Doppler effect, which are typically of the order of 0.1 cm-1 for light atoms to 0.01 cm-' for heavy atoms. Use of atomic beams, in which Doppler broadening is eliminated by observing atoms perpendicular to their line of flight, is required for the measurements of splittings finer than 0.01 cm-1. The most successful technique for the study of atomic hfs has been atomic beam magnetic resonance. Paramagnetic resonance of atoms in the gas phase3 and in inert matrices and of transition metal ions in solution and in crystals has also yielded useful data on hyperfine interactions. It must, however, be recognized that external interactions usually influence the observed hyperfine structure. The chapter mentions the optical polarization spin-exchange technique.
Superfluid Helium-3 Has a Metallic Partner

Although there are very many metallic superconductors, it has not been possible to show that any of them is a direct analog of the superfluid state found in the fermionic isotope of helium (He). In his Perspective, Rice highlights the report by Nelson et al., who show that such an analog exists. The authors performed a special quantum interference experiment to establish the quantum mechanical state of the electron pairs in the superconducting phase of strontium ruthenate. They confirm that it is the long-sought analog of superfluidHe.
A novel doubly-fed induction wind generator control scheme for reactive power control and torque pulsation compensation under unbalanced grid voltage conditions

Wind energy is often installed in rural, remote areas characterized by weak, unbalanced power transmission grids. In induction wind generators, unbalanced three phase stator voltages cause a number of problems, including overheating and stress on the mechanical components from torque pulsations. Therefore, beyond a certain amount of unbalance (for example 6%), induction wind generators are switched out of the network. In doubly-fed induction generators, control of rotor currents allows for adjustable speed operation and reactive power control. In addition, it is possible to control the rotor currents to correct for the problems caused by unbalanced stator voltages. This paper presents a novel controller design for a doubly-fed induction generator that provides adjustable speed and reactive power control while greatly reducing torque pulsations.
The accuracy of inferences about criminality based on facial appearance.

A growing body of evidence suggests that rapid, yet accurate, dispositional inferences can be made after minimal exposure to the physical appearance of others. In this study, we explore the accuracy of inferences regarding criminality made after brief exposure to static images of convicted criminals' and non-criminals' faces. We begin with a background of research and theory on the curiously recurrent, and historically controversial, topic of appearance-based inferences of criminality, and a brief justification of our re-opening of the debate about the accuracy of appearance-based criminality judgments. We then report two experiments in which participants, given a set of headshots of criminals and non-criminals, were able to reliably distinguish between these two groups, after controlling for the gender, race, age, attractiveness, and emotional displays, as well as any potential clues of picture origin. Empirical and theoretical implications, limitations, and further questions are discussed in light of these findings.
Smoothness of solutions of Volterra integral equations with weakly singular kernels

Differentiability of nonlinear Volterra integral equations of second kind with convolutional weakly singular kernels
Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus in milk using flow-through pulsed UV-light treatment system

This study investigated the efficacy of pulsed UV-light for continuous-flow milk treatment for the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic microorganism frequently associated with milk safety concerns. Pulsed UV light is an emerging technology, which can be used for the inactivation of this pathogen in milk in a relatively short time. Pulsed UV light damages the DNA of the bacteria by forming thymine dimers that lead to bacterial death. The effect of sample distance from the quartz window of the UV-light source, number of passes, and flow rate was investigated. A response surface methodology was used for the design and analysis of experiments. Milk was treated at 5-, 8-, or 11-cm distance from a UV-light strobe at 20, 30, or 40 mL/min flow rate and treated up to 3 times by recirculation of milk to assess the effect of the number of passes on inactivation efficiency. Log10 reductions varied from 0.55- to 7.26-log10 CFU/mL. Complete inactivation was obtained in 2 cases and no growth was observed following an enrichment protocol. Predicted results were in agreement with the experimental data. Overall, this work demonstrates that pulsed UV-light has a potential for inactivation of milk pathogens.
Desarrollo Dependiente y la Segregación Ocupacional por Sexo

Analiza los efectos del desarrollo dependiente, en la posicion de la mujer en el mercado de trabajo urbano. Examina el grado de segregacion entre mujeres y hombres, la desigualdad relativa que surge de tal segregacion y las posibilidades de lograr una mayor integracion e igualdad en el futuro. Con base en datos de Lima, Peru, correspondientes al periodo 1940-1972, se critica los analisis que toman como punto de referencia una concepcion dual de la economia, asi como aquellos que plantean que dentro del contexto del desarrollo economico se modifican las condiciones de oferta de trabajo de la mujer. Estos enfoques no tienen en cuenta la influencia de la tipificacion de ocupacio¬nes por genero, en la operacion del mercado de trabajo. Un analisis del periodo antes mencionado, permite plantear que la posicion de la mujer en el mercado de trabajo esta considerablemente limitada por su confinamiento a mercados de trabajo especificamente femeninos, lo que significa que la influen¬cia de cambios generales, como el dualismo creciente y los niveles de educacion ascendente fueron diluidos por la estructura particular del trabajo femenino. Se plantea que la tipificacion de trabajos por sexo delimita el patron de recluta¬miento, porque los hombres y las mujeres no compiten entre si por los mismos trabajos, asi como la fase de orientacion y capacitacion para el trabajo de la mujer. La tipificacion de los trabajos por sexo influye en todas las fases de la orientacion, capacitacion y reclutamiento para el trabajo. Se evidencia, que en terminos estructurales, la division por genero hace un corte transversal a la divi¬sion economica del trabajo, produciendo un pequeno numero de ocupaciones "femeninas", dentro de casi todas las clases ocupacionales, en el sector formal e informal de la economia. Ademas, las mujeres no estan distribuidas igualmente en estas ocupaciones "femeninas ", sino que tienden a concentrarse en aquellas que estan en las clases mas bajas y en las empresas mas pequenas. Se considera que cambios mas estables, requieren modificaciones en la base estructural de la segregacion por genero. Lo anterior implica confrontar el pro¬blema de la tipificacion de ocupaciones por sexo, asi como el proceso de diferen¬ciacion del trabajo por genero
Conformational changes in dynamin on GTP binding and oligomerization reported by intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence.

The effects of guanine nucleotides on the intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence properties of dynamin were assessed. The intrinsic Trp (tryptophan) fluorescence spectra of purified recombinant dynamin-1 and -2 were very similar, with a maximum at 332 nm. Collisional quenching by KI was weak (∼30%), suggesting that the majority of Trp residues are buried. Binding of guanine nucleotides decreased intrinsic fluorescence by 15–20%. Titration of the effects showed that GTP and GDP bound to a single class of non-interacting sites in dynamin tetramers with apparent dissociation constants (Kd) values of 5.4 and 7.4 μM (dynamin-1) and 13.2 and 7.1 μM (dynamin-2) respectively. Similar dissociation constant values for both nucleotides were obtained by titrating the quenching of IAEDANS [N-iodoacetyl-N′-(5-sulpho-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine]-labelled dynamin-2. Despite the similar binding affinities, GTP and GDP result in different conformations of the protein, as revealed by sensitivity to proteinase K fragmentation. Dynamins contain five Trp residues, of which four are in the PH domain (pleckstrin homology domain) and one is in the C-terminal PRD (proline/arginine-rich domain). Guanine nucleotides quenched fluorescence emission from a truncated (ΔPRD) mutant dynamin-1 to the same extent as in the full-length protein, suggesting conformational coupling between the G (groove)-domain and the PH domain. Efficient resonance energy transfer from PH domain Trp residues to bound mant-GTP [where mant stands for 2′-(3′)-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)] suggests that the G-domain and PH domain are in close proximity (5–6 nm). Promotion of dynamin-2 oligomerization, by reduction in ionic strength or increasing protein concentration, had little effect on intrinsic dynamin fluorescence. However, fluorescence emission from IAEDANS·dynamin-2 showed a significant spectral shift on oligomerization. In addition, energy transfer was observed when oligomerization was promoted in mixtures of IAEDANS·dynamin-2 and 4-(4-dimethylaminophenylazo)benzoic acid-coupled dynamin-2, an effect that was counteracted by GTP but not GDP.
Effect of sleep deprivation on the performance of simulated laparoscopic surgical skill.

Abstract Background Resident work hours may impact patient care. We hypothesized that "call-associated" acute sleep deprivation has no effect on technical dexterity as measured on a minimally invasive surgery trainer, virtual reality (MIST VR) surgical simulator. Methods Thirty-five surgical residents were prospectively evaluated pre-call (rested), on-call (rested), and post-call (acutely sleep deprived). Participants completed questionnaires regarding sleep hours and level of fatigue. Technical skill was assessed using the MIST VR. Speed, errors, and economy of motion were automatically recorded by the MIST VR computer simulator. Data were analyzed by paired Student t test and analysis of variance. Results Estimated hours of sleep and subjective indicators of fatigue were different between rested and sleep-deprived residents. The number of errors and time to complete all tasks increased at the post-call assessment. Conclusions Resident work schedules lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue. Call-associated sleep deprivation and fatigue are associated with increased technical errors in the performance of simulated laparoscopic surgical skills.
Lipid A’s Structure Mediates Neisseria gonorrhoeae Fitness during Experimental Infection of Mice and Men

ABSTRACT Phosphoethanolamine (PEA) on Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipid A influences gonococcal inflammatory signaling and susceptibility to innate host defenses in in vitro models. Here, we evaluated the role of PEA-decorated gonococcal lipid A in competitive infections in female mice and in male volunteers. We inoculated mice and men with mixtures of wild-type N. gonorrhoeae and an isogenic mutant that lacks the PEA transferase, LptA. LptA production conferred a marked survival advantage for wild-type gonococci in the murine female genital tract and in the human male urethra. Our studies translate results from test tube to animal model and into the human host and demonstrate the utility of the mouse model for studies of virulence factors of the human-specific pathogen N. gonorrhoeae that interact with non-host-restricted elements of innate immunity. These results validate the use of gonococcal LptA as a potential target for development of novel immunoprophylactic strategies or antimicrobial treatments. IMPORTANCE Gonorrhea is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections, and increasing antibiotic resistance threatens the use of currently available antimicrobial therapies. In this work, encompassing in vitro studies and in vivo studies of animal and human models of experimental genital tract infection, we document the importance of lipid A’s structure, mediated by a single bacterial enzyme, LptA, in enhancing the fitness of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The results of these studies suggest that novel agents targeting LptA may offer urgently needed prevention or treatment strategies for gonorrhea.