cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure, Composition and Optoelectronic Properties of Small Pyramidal Semiconductor Quantum Dots of Ga and In Atoms With As

Electronic properties of small pyramidal clusters of Ga, In and As atoms are investigated using a multi-configuration self-consistent field approximation (MCSCF). The structure and composition of some of these (pre-designed) clusters have been derived from those of the symmetry elements of the corresponding bulk fcc lattices, to reflect the cluster formation in confinement or on surfaces. The counterpart (vacuum) clusters obtained without any spatial constraints applied to the atomic positions have also being synthesized computationally. It has been shown that manipulations with the cluster structure, composition and spatial constraints permit to engineer virtual (i.e., fundamental theory-based, computational) clusters with pre-designed electronic properties that can serve as prototypes for nanoscale heterostructure (NHS) units. Computational data so obtained are in agreement with existing experimental evidence concerning such pyramidal clusters.
On the Hysteresis Phenomenon Associated With Instability of Rotor-Bearing Systems

A method is presented for predicting the occurrence of a hysteresis phenomenon, which is observed in experimental results dealing with the instability of rotor-bearing systems. The method is based on the Hopf bifurcation theory. It is shown that the existence of a hysteresis phenomenon is dependent upon the system's operating parameters. To this end, the effect of oil viscosity on the hysteresis phenomenon and its implications on the rotor-bearing instability are investigated. The results of a series of experiments illustrating the effectiveness of the prediction of the hysteresis phenomenon using the Hopf bifurcation theory are also presented.
A closed-loop brain computer interface to a virtual reality avatar: Gait adaptation to visual kinematic perturbations

The control of human bipedal locomotion is of great interest to the field of lower-body brain computer interfaces (BCIs) for rehabilitation of gait. While the feasibility of a closed-loop BCI system for the control of a lower body exoskeleton has been recently shown, multi-day closed-loop neural decoding of human gait in a virtual reality (BCI-VR) environment has yet to be demonstrated. In this study, we propose a real-time closed-loop BCI that decodes lower limb joint angles from scalp electroencephalography (EEC) during treadmill walking to control the walking movements of a virtual avatar. Moreover, virtual kinematic perturbations resulting in asymmetric walking gait patterns of the avatar were also introduced to investigate gait adaptation using the closed-loop BCI-VR system over a period of eight days. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a closed-loop BCI to learn to control a walking avatar under normal and altered visuomotor perturbations, which involved cortical adaptations. These findings have implications for the development of BCI-VR systems for gait rehabilitation after stroke and for understanding cortical plasticity induced by a closed-loop BCI system.
Digital Opportunities, Equity, and Poverty in Latin America

This chapter examines the digital divide that exists within Latin American countries. It argues that information and communication technology is creating new opportunities that can be seized to support human development and poverty-reduction strategies. However, it also clarifies that ICT on its own cannot leapfrog the old institutional and organizational weaknesses of Latin American economies and societies. The author hopes that understanding the deep-rooted inequalities that underlie ICT access in Latin America will not only inform researchers on the challenges for the development of the information society in the region, but also assist policy makers in the preparation and implementation of appropriate public policies.
Repeated Hallucinatory Experiences as a Part of the Mourning Process among Hopi Indian Women

(1972). Repeated Hallucinatory Experiences as a Part of the Mourning Process among Hopi Indian Women. Psychiatry: Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 185-194.
Effect of Detector Size and Position on a Test of Born’s Rule Using a Three-Slit Experiment

We present experimental and simulated data demonstrating the influence of detector size and position in the evaluation of tests of Born's rule in quantum mechanics using a three-slit experiment.
Embodied energy and cost of building materials: correlation analysis

ABSTRACTThe US building sector consumes 48% of the nation’s annual energy as operating and embodied energy. Calculating embodied energy is difficult, complex and more resource-consuming than calculating operating energy due to a lack of complete, accurate and specific embodied energy data. One commonly used method to calculate embodied energy is input–output-based (IO) analysis, which utilizes economic data. The use of economic data indicates some relationship between embodied energy and cost. Some studies have investigated whether the embodied energy of a building can be predicted from its cost. These studies analyzed the relationship of the cost and embodied energy of a building and found a strong, positive correlation. However, when analyzed at the material level, the correlation weakened. This paper develops an improved input–output-based hybrid (IOH) model to calculate the complete, accurate and material-specific embodied energy of 21 commonly used building materials. After calculating and evaluating...
State and local fiscal policy and growth at the border

Abstract The paper studies the connection between state and local fiscal policy, as measured by the share of government spending and revenues in personal income, and the economic activity of counties that share a state border. I construct a panel of pairs of US counties that share a state border from the 1970s to 2012. Economic activity is measured by county employment, wages and business establishments. The state and local government spending and revenue shares are aggregates for the states on the respective sides of the border. I estimate distributed lag regressions of changes in economic activity on changes in state and local government budgets in two ways. The first (double difference) utilizes change in the difference between border counties. This suggests a quite modest relocation of economic activity away from states with fiscal expansion. I then look at activity on each side of the border separately and find more substantial and consistently negative effects of fiscal expansion on both sides of the border. A border county shares the negative consequences for its neighbor of growth in the size of that neighbor's state and local governments. This negative fiscal externality is roughly half the size of the direct negative effects from similar own-state spending increases, and the sum of the two is substantial economically.
Cultivated Sub-Populations of Soil Microbiomes Retain Early Flowering Plant Trait

The collection of microorganisms found in the root zone of soil, termed the rhizosphere microbiome, has been shown to impact plant growth and development. Here, we tease apart the function of the cultivable portion of the microbiome from the whole microbiome in retaining plant traits modified through artificial selection on flowering time. Specifically, the whole microbiome associated with earlier flowering time of Arabidopsis thaliana was cultivated on four types of solid media to create cultivated fractions of the microbiome. These cultivated microbiomes were subsequently preserved in glycerol, frozen, and revived to yield a portion of the cultivable fraction to compare (1) whole microbiome, (2) cultivable microbiome, and (3) revived, cultivable microbiome controls on early flowering time. Plants grown in soils inoculated with bacteria grown on 25 % Luria broth and 10 % tryptic soy agar retained the early flowering trait. An increase in leaf biomass with two of the cultivated microbiomes (49.4 and 38.5 %) contrasted the lowered biomass effect of the whole microbiome. Inoculation with the cultivated microbiomes that were cryopreserved in glycerol showed no effect on flowering time or leaf biomass. The results indicate that the cultivable portion of a plant’s microbiome retains the early flowering effect in A. thaliana, but cryopreservation of the cultivated microbiomes disrupts the microbial effects on flowering time. Furthermore, the contrasting effects on leaf biomass (an indirect response from selection on early flowering time), seen with the whole microbiome versus the cultivable portion, suggests versatility in using cultivation methods to modify multiple traits of plants.
Enantioselective, Catalytic Fluorolactonization Reactions with a Nucleophilic Fluoride Source

The enantioselective synthesis of 4-fluoroisochromanones via chiral aryl iodide-catalyzed fluorolactonization is reported. This methodology uses HF-pyridine as a nucleophilic fluoride source with a peracid stoichiometric oxidant and provides access to lactones containing fluorine-bearing stereogenic centers in high enantio- and diastereoselectivity. The regioselectivity observed in these lactonization reactions is complementary to that obtained with established asymmetric electrophilic fluorination protocols.
Molecular Characterization of Hypoxic Alveolar Epithelial Cells After Lung Contusion Indicates an Important Role for HIF-1α.

Objective To understand the fate and regulation of hypoxic type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) after lung contusion (LC). Background LC due to thoracic trauma is a major risk factor for the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. AECs have recently been implicated as a primary driver of inflammation in LC. The main pathological consequence of LC is hypoxia, and a key mediator of adaptation to hypoxia is hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1. We have recently published that HIF-1α is a major driver of acute inflammation after LC through type II AEC. Methods LC was induced in wild-type mice (C57BL/6), luciferase-based hypoxia reporter mice (ODD-Luc), and HIF-1α conditional knockout mice. The degree of hypoxia was assessed using hypoxyprobe and in vivo imaging system. The fate of hypoxic AEC was evaluated by luciferase dual staining with caspases-3 and Ki-67, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, and flow cytometry with ApoStat. NLRP-3 expression was determined by western blot. Laser capture microdissection was used to isolate AECs in vivo, and collected RNA was analyzed by Q-PCR for HIF-related pathways. Results Global hypoxia was present after LC, but hypoxic foci were not uniform. Hypoxic AECs preferentially undergo apoptosis. There were significant reductions in NLRP-3 in HIF-1α conditional knockout mice. The expression of proteins involved in HIF-related pathways and inflammasome activation were significantly increased in hypoxic AECs. Conclusions These are the first in vivo data to identify, isolate, and characterize hypoxic AECs. HIF-1α regulation through hypoxic AECs is critical to the initiation of acute inflammation after LC.
A Survey of Parents' Perceptions and Use of Time-out Compared to Empirical Evidence.

Abstract Objective To assess parents' perceptions and use of time-out (TO) in contrast to empirical indications and examine the relationship between reported implementation procedures and perceived effectiveness. Methods We surveyed parents of preschool and school-age children (n = 401, aged 15 months to 10 years) at well-child visits with regard to their awareness, perception, and usage of TO. Parents were specifically surveyed regarding TO components that have been empirically evaluated or pertain directly to its underlying behavioral principles. Descriptive analyses, group comparisons, and correlational analyses were used to characterize responses and evaluate the relationship between TO administration variation and perceived effectiveness. Results Most parents (76.8%) reported using TO in response to misbehavior, but a large majority of these parents (84.9%) reported implementing TO in a manner counter to empirical evidence. Parents who endorsed TO as effective varied significantly from those who did not on key implementation components (eg, use of a single warning). Further, several reported implementation practices were correlated with perceived effectiveness and challenging child behavior. For example, requiring a child to be calm before ending TO was positively correlated with perceived effectiveness. Conclusions These results cement TO as a widely disseminated practice but cast doubt on the fidelity with which it is typically implemented. Better methods of educating parents on evidence-based discipline are needed.
Detection and compensation of power imbalances for DP-QAM transmitter using reconfigurable interference

DP-QAM is one of the most promising paths towards 400-Gb/s and 1-Tb/s commercial optical communications systems. For DP-QAM transmitter, different tributary channel powers lead to IQ or XY power imbalance. Large uncompensated IQ or XY power imbalance can significantly degrade the performance in the coherent optical communications system. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a technique to detect and compensate DP-QAM transmitter power imbalances for tributary channels. By reconfigurably interfering de-skewed identical BPSK channels, the optical powers of any two tributaries can be balanced by minimizing the output power from their optical interference.
Utilization of cholera toxin B as a mucosal adjuvant elicits antibody-mediated protection against S. pneumoniae infection in mice.

Backgound:The introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines have been valuable tools for combating invasive pneumococcal infection in children and healthy adults. Despite t...
Impacts of alternative climate information on hydrologic processes with SWAT: A comparison of NCDC, PRISM and NEXRAD datasets

Abstract Precipitation and temperature are two primary drivers that significantly affect hydrologic processes in a watershed. A network of land-based National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) weather stations has been typically used as a primary source of climate input for agro-ecosystem models. However, the network may lack the density to adequately capture spatial climate variability throughout large watersheds. High-resolution weather datasets based on 4 km × 4 km grid, such as Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) and Parameter–Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM), have become increasingly available as alternatives to conventional land-based networks. The goal of this study was to evaluate impacts of the three weather datasets, NCDC, NEXRAD, and PRISM, on hydrologic processes in an agricultural catchment in Kansas. A method of collecting and processing three sets of weather input datasets was developed and applied to a calibrated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for the Smoky Hill River watershed (SHRW) in west-central Kansas, which is sparsely covered by NCDC weather stations with fair to poor range of NEXRAD coverage. SHRW is a typical agricultural catchment in the Central Great Plains; research findings here may be applicable to large areas of the US with similar topography and climate conditions. The SWAT model based on PRISM dataset was able to capture daily streamflow alterations with a greater accuracy compared to NCDC and NEXRAD based SWAT models. With three different weather inputs, SWAT with NCDC consistently overestimated monthly stream discharges, while the SWAT models based on NEXRAD and PRISM datasets tended to underestimate monthly high flows of over 8 m3 s− 1 and overestimate monthly low flows of below 1 m3 s− 1. In general, all models overestimated streamflow in dry years and underestimated streamflow in wet years, however, the PRISM-based model generated smaller bias than the models utilizing NEXRAD or NCDC. The use of PRISM resulted in better statistical performance metrics for streamflow. The conducted study suggests that gridded weather datasets can significantly improve simulated streamflow at daily, monthly and yearly scales as compared to traditional land-based networks.
Human Rights: A Critique of the Raz/Rawls Approach

This paper examines and criticizes the suggestion that we should interpret the “human” in “human rights” as (i) referring to the appropriate sort of action when certain rights are violated rather than (ii) the (human) universality of certain rights. It considers first a crude version of (i) — the view that human rights are rights in response to whose violation we are prepared to countenance humanitarian intervention; then it considers more cautious and sophisticated versions of (i). It is argued that all versions of (i) distract us with side issues in our thinking about human rights, and sell short both the individualism of rights and the continuity that there is supposed to be between human rights and rights in national law. The paper does not deny that there are difficulties with views of type (ii). But it denies that the positing of views of type (i) gives us reason to abandon the enterprise of trying to sort these difficulties out.
CRF modulates glutamate transmission in the central amygdala of naïve and ethanol-dependent rats

Abstract Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is hypothesized to drive the development of alcohol dependence, as it regulates ethanol intake and several anxiogenic behaviors linked to withdrawal. Excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission contributes to alcohol reinforcement, tolerance and dependence. Therefore, in this study we used in vitro slice electrophysiology to investigate the effects of CRF and its receptor subtype (CRF1 and CRF2) antagonists on both evoked and spontaneous action potential-independent glutamatergic transmission in the CeA of naive and ethanol-dependent Sprague-Dawley rats. We found that CRF (25–200 nM) concentration-dependently diminished evoked compound excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), but increased miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequencies similarly in CeA neurons of both naive and ethanol-dependent rats, indicating reduced evoked glutamatergic responses and enhanced vesicular glutamate release, respectively. This CRF-induced vesicular glutamate release was prevented by the CRF1/2 antagonist (Astressin B) and the CRF1 antagonist (R121919), but not by the CRF2 antagonist (Astressin 2B). Similarly, CRF's effects on evoked glutamatergic responses were completely blocked by CRF1 antagonism, but only slightly decreased in the presence of the CRF2 antagonist. Moreover, CRF1 antagonism reveals a tonic facilitation of vesicular glutamate, whereas the CRF2 antagonism revealed a tonic inhibition of vesicular glutamate release. Collectively our data show that CRF primarily acts at presynaptic CRF1 to produce opposite effects on CeA evoked and spontaneous glutamate release and that the CRF system modulates CeA glutamatergic synapses throughout the development of alcohol dependence.
Contribution of spiking activity in the primary auditory cortex to detection in noise

This study examines the contribution of A1 to detecting a sound that is presented with a noisy background. We found that population-level A1 activity, but not single neurons, could provide the evid...
An inter-domain regulatory mechanism controls toxic activities of PrPC.

The normal function of PrPC, the cellular prion protein, has remained mysterious since its first description over 30 years ago. Amazingly, although complete deletion of the gene encoding PrPC has little phenotypic consequence, expression in transgenic mice of PrP molecules carrying certain internal deletions produces dramatic neurodegenerative phenotypes. In our recent paper, 1 we have demonstrated that the flexible, N-terminal domain of PrPC possesses toxic effector functions, which are regulated by a docking interaction with the structured, C-terminal domain. Disruption of this inter-domain interaction, for example by deletions of the hinge region or by binding of antibodies to the C-terminal domain, results in abnormal ionic currents and degeneration of dendritic spines in cultured neuronal cells. This mechanism may contribute to the neurotoxicity of PrPSc and possibly other protein aggregates, and could play a role in the physiological activity of PrPC. These results also provide a warning about the potential toxic side effects of PrP-directed antibody therapies for prion and Alzheimer's diseases.
Is Off Clamp Always Beneficial During Robotic Partial Nephrectomy? A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison of Clamp Technique in Patients with Two Kidneys.

Abstract Objective: The majority of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) present with a clinical T1a tumor with both kidneys present. Some groups have advocated using off-clamp (Off-C) tech...
Performance of a transcranial ultrasound array designed for 4D acoustoelectric brain imaging in humans

Noninvasive electrical brain imaging in humans suffers from poor spatial resolution due to the uncertain spread of electric fields through the head. To overcome this limitation, we propose 4D transcranial Acoustoelectric Brain Imaging (tABI) based on the acoustoelectric effect for mapping current densities at a spatial resolution confined to the ultrasound (US) focus. This study describes the performance of a custom 0.6 MHz 2D US array designed for tABI through the adult human skull. Time-varying current was injected between two electrodes in 0.9% saline to produce a dipole at well-controlled current densities. A distant recording electrode was placed in the saline bath to detect the AE signal as the US beam was electronically steered in 3D near the dipole. At each beam position, a burst of US pulses was delivered to reconstruct the time-varying current. The AE amplitude was measured with and without an adult human skull and at different current amplitudes. The AE signal could be detected at depths greater than 40 mm from the surface of the skull. Sensitivity for detecting the AE signal through bone was 1.47μV/(MPa∗mA/cm2). The noise equivalent current densities normalized to 1 MPa were 1.3 and 1.8 mA/cm2 with and without the skull, respectively. Further optimization of ABI instrumentation and beamforming may push the detection limit towards small neural currents through thick skull and, perhaps, lead to a new noninvasive modality for real-time electrical brain imaging in humans.
Constructing Expertise: Inequality and the Consequences of Information-Seeking by Breast Cancer Patients:

The present study looks at women who joined breast cancer support groups to cope with the emotional fallout of the disease. Three support groups were studied, two composed of middle-class women, an...
Abstract B28: Identification of breast cancer metastasis promoting genes by next generation sequencing

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality of women in the United States. The majority of cancer deaths are due to metastases rather than the primary tumor, therefore a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to metastatic disease is critical to reducing breast cancer-related mortality. A majority of cancer cells that leave the primary tumor are either removed by the immune system or fail to survive in distant organs. However, some cancer cells acquire molecular features that allow them to survive and proliferate in secondary sites, such as lung, liver, brain, and bone. In order to design highly efficient anti-metastatic therapies, it is crucial to address metastasis-specific mechanisms of growth and survival. One of the major hurdles to developing these therapies is the genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity between primary tumors and metastases, as well as between individual metastases. The goal of this project is to characterize the transcriptomic landscape of breast cancer metastases using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) tools in order to identify potential genes that drive (metastasis promoters) or inhibit (metastasis suppressors) the metastatic outgrowth in distant organs. Therefore, RNA sequencing was performed on breast cancer primary tumors and matching lung metastases from two different mouse models: Polyomavirus Middle-T antigen (PyMT) transgenic mice, a model of spontaneous and highly aggressive breast cancer, as well as from mouse mammary cancer cells orthotopically injected into FVB mice. RNA sequencing using the NGS platform revealed genes that were highly expressed in metastases compared to primary tumors. Interestingly, overlapping the RNA-seq datasets from these two distinct models revealed a shared subset of upregulated genes, strongly suggesting that these genes are likely to be common metastatic outgrowth promoters. To validate these candidate genes, we are currently developing a CRISPR sgRNA library for orthotopic transplant experiments. The genes displaying in vivo effects on metastatic outgrowth in the lungs will be further explored for the development of targeted anti-metastatic therapies. Citation Format: Karol Szczepanek, Kent Hunter. Identification of breast cancer metastasis promoting genes by next generation sequencing. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B28.
Female labour force activity and the sex differential in mortality: comparisons across developed nations, 1950-1980.

In this paper, we examine the macro-level relationship between female labour force activity and the sex differential in mortality among developed nations. Discrimination, protection, and null relationship hypotheses are tested using aggregate data for 18 high income nations over seven time points from 1950 to 1980. High levels of female labour force activity — controlling for a variety of general social conditions — increase the longevity advantage women have over men. In some models the effects are immediate; in other models the effects occur after a substantial lag; but in no cases are there harmful effects for women's longevity. Also important for the differential are consumption of cigarettes and alcohol, and the level of income inequality in a society.
County-Level Environmental Crime Enforcement: A Case Study of Environmental/Green Crimes in Fulton County, Georgia, 1998–2014

ABSTRACTMuch of what is known about the responses to and the sentencing of environmental or green offenders comes from a limited number of studies that primarily draw on federal data maintained by ...
TREATMENTS (NON-ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS) | Control of Seizure Activity with Electrical Stimulation

Epilepsy is a devastating disease of the central nervous system, affecting ∼1% of the world's population. Although drug therapy is effective in many patients, 25% of the patient population does not respond to anticonvulsants or suffers major side effects. Surgical resection can be an effective treatment but is associated with serious complications. An alternative method to control seizure activity is electrical stimulation. Although electrical stimulation is known to excite neural tissue, it can also decrease the neural excitability associated with the synchronous activation of large numbers of neurons during seizures. Several electrical stimulation protocols have been developed that can reduce or completely suppress seizures. The mechanisms underlying many of these techniques for seizure control are not understood. Some stimulation protocols, such as DC stimulation, rely on the effects of fields and currents on membrane polarization. Other methods, such as low-frequency stimulation (LFS) and high-frequency stimulation (HFS), rely on the modulation of dynamic properties in neuronal networks. Only one technique, HFS of the vagus nerve, has been employed clinically. The purpose of this article is to review these approaches, and to discuss their underlying mechanisms and their potential for clinical implementation.
An Experimental Investigation of a Single-Stage Two-Pulse-Tube Refrigerator

A single stage orifice pulse tube cryocooler incorporating one compressor and regenerator, but two pulse tubes has been constructed and tested. This development is directed toward use as cooling for superconducting current leads where the voltage insulation between the two leads is critical. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the thermal stability of parallel oscillating flows and compare the performance of a specific pulse tube in a two-tube configuration with that of the same pulse tube working in the standard single tube configuration. Performance is characterized by the system cool-down speed and the minimum cold end temperature. Three pulse tube specimens named I, II, and III, have been assembled and tested individually and in various combinations. The experimental results reveal the absence of any thermal stability problem in the two pulse tube configuration. However, the performance of a specific pulse tube is degraded in the two-tube configuration as compared to its individual use.
Environmental Hazards, Migration, and Race

This study contributes to our understanding of the association between internal migration patterns and environmentally hazardous facilities, with a focus upon race-specific outmigration at the county-level, nationwide. Among research suggesting inequalities with regard to the social distribution of environmental risk, selective migration is often implied to be a key dynamic leading to differential exposure to proximate environmental hazards. Nonetheless, the models presented here provide no evidence of differential migratory response by race to environmentally hazardous facilities, net of a wide array of socioeconomic controls for labor force opportunity, climate, and demographic structure. Future research should consider these associations at more precise geographies and/or at the individual level.
Pellet Boundary Reformation in Reheated Polystyrene Moldings

Two narrow molecular weight distribution pelletized polystyrene samples and one of somewhat broader distribution were observed for pellet boundary reformation following molding in the range of 100–200°C and subsequent reheat at 130–150°C. Results show that samples molded below a certain temperature (molecular weight dependent) demonstrate definite signs of pellet boundary reformation upon reheat while those molded above this temperature do not. In most cases, this cutoff temperature is consistent with the T ll transition temperature as indicated by DSC.
Magnetic Analysis of the Arc Dipoles for the JLAB 10 kW Free Electron Laser Upgrade

Abstract The infrared free-electron laser (IRFEL) at JLAB has achieved steady-state 3 to 6 micron lasing at power levels over 2 kW. Efforts to upgrade this device to 10 kW operation over the next three years are underway. As a result of this success free electron lasers must be considered an option for high-power applications. The required specifications include field quality of the dipoles to within 10−4 over large regions. The 180 degree dipole, a window frame style, includes an embedded path length corrector and a diagnostic view port very near the “good field” region. The first magnet of the reverse bend pair, which are both H style magnets, designated the GX, is skewed in shape with full and half coil excitation to act as a switch between the IR and UV beam lines. This skewing along with the field quality requirements necessitates a complicated pole tip shape with dimensional variations of .001 inches. The second magnet of the reverse bend pair, designated GQ requires a wider “good field” region than the other two magnets, resulting in a complicated pole tip shape as well. The details of the analysis and the design of the pole tips are presented here. PACS codes: 41.20Gz, 41.60. Cr, 41.85. Ct
Application of nitrogen-based blowing agents as an additive in pyrolysis of cellulose

Abstract Pyrolysis of cellulose mixed with blowing agent additives containing high nitrogen content has been investigated in this work. The additives used are dicyandiamide (DCD), 5-aminotetrazole (5AT) and 5-phenyl-1H-tetrazole (5PT), in concentrations of 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0% (weight). Blowing agents are of particular interest as a cellulose pyrolysis additive for two reasons: as a first case, if these additives and their decomposition products are chemically inert with respect to cellulose pyrolysis reactions, then they can serve to enhance the ejection of high-molecular weight aerosols from the liquid intermediate phase that is known to form during pyrolysis; as a second case, if these additives are not chemically inert, then the reactions between blowing agent decomposition products (e.g., NH3 and HN3) can provide a pathway by which nitrogen-doped carbonaceous char structures can be readily produced. Pyrolysis studies were carried out using thermogravimetric analysis and analytical Py-GC/MS of the pure compounds (DCD, 5AT, 5PT) and mixtures with cellulose, as well as proximate/ultimate analyses of the resulting chars from slow pyrolysis. Experiments showed that there is a reactive interaction between the additives and cellulose during pyrolysis, leading to greater char yields. Analysis of slow pyrolysis chars showed that DCD is promising for producing biochar with higher nitrogen content. This was attributed to the evolution of ammonia from DCD and due to its thermal decomposition occurring in a temperature range coincident with that of cellulose pyrolysis reactions.
A Tragedy in the Making? The Decline of Law and the Return of Power in International Trade Relations

It is the end of an era—potentially the close of a semblance of the rule of law in international trade relations. This article assesses the U.S. challenge to the Appellate Body and binding dispute settlement system of the World Trade Organization. Part I examines the decline of law and return of power in international trade relations. Part II explains the rationales behind the U.S. challenge to the WTO judiciary in terms of domestic politics, the rise of China, and concerns over a fundamental imbalance between WTO political and judicial processes. Part III analyzes the potential and most likely future of WTO dispute settlement—either (1) the replacement of the Appellate Body with member agreement to binding dispute settlement, potentially with ad hoc appeals, on only a reciprocity basis, thus potentially excluding the United States; or (2) reversion to the former GATT system where parties can effectively veto the adoption of a panel report. For over two decades, the Appellate Body operated as an authoritative, quasi-constitutional, international court to resolve conflicts and develop jurisprudence. In retrospect, it was a remarkable experiment in international relations. The United States and the world may soon regret its demise.
Who Can Safely Be Discharged Home with Diverticulitis? What Discharge Instructions Do I Give Patients with Diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is a disease affecting over 70% of Americans over the age of 80. It is defined as an inflammation of an outpouching of the colon, and episodes range in severity from mild pain and leukocytosis to peritonitis and septic shock requiring immediate surgical intervention. Current recommendations are for evaluation of the patient with signs and symptoms of diverticulitis with laboratory studies and CT for risk stratification. Patients that are low risk may qualify for outpatient treatment. Despite recommendations for many years, neither fiber nor probiotics have been shown to have a significant effect on the course of disease, and neither is currently recommended by the AGA.
Surface modification of PVDF membranes for treating produced waters by direct contact membrane distillation

Abstract Direct contact membrane distillation is a promising unit operation for treating hydraulic fracturing flow back and produced water. However, while a hydrophobic membrane is essential to prevent passage of water from the feed to the permeate side, fouling by dissolved organic species can compromise membrane performance and result in wetting of the membrane pores. Here 4 monomers, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, acrylic acid, 1-vinyl-3-allylimidazolium bromide, and 1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium bromide have been grafted from the surface of a PVDF membrane. The modified and base membranes were tested in a direct contact membrane distillation system. All membranes were challenged with real produced water. In addition, base membranes and membranes modified by grafting 1-vinyl-3-allylimidazolium bromide were challenged with produced water that was pretreated by electrocoagulation. These membranes were also challenged with a synthetic wastewater made by adding to deionized water the major inorganic compounds present in the produced water. The highest fluxes were obtained for the membrane grafted with 1-vinyl-3-allylimidazolium bromide chains. The membrane surface after membrane distillation, was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. For all membranes the interaction between adsorbed organic and inorganic species determines the degree of fouling and hence the loss in flux and membrane stability. Polyionic liquid chains that contain a repeating charged species and hydrophobic segments minimized fouling by organic species and improved the flux and membrane stability. The results suggest that by carefully tuning the properties of the monomer units in the polymer chains, membrane stability and performance can be improved.
Mode-coupling theory for multiple-time correlation functions of tagged particle densities and dynamical filters designed for glassy systems.

The theoretical framework for higher-order correlation functions involving multiple times and multiple points in a classical, many-body system developed by Van Zon and Schofield [Phys. Rev. E 2002, 65, 011106] is extended here to include tagged particle densities. Such densities have found an intriguing application as proposed measures of dynamical heterogeneities in structural glasses. The theoretical formalism is based upon projection operator techniques which are used to isolate the slow time evolution of dynamical variables by expanding the slowly evolving component of arbitrary variables in an infinite basis composed of the products of slow variables of the system. The resulting formally exact mode-coupling expressions for multiple-point and multiple-time correlation functions are made tractable by applying the so-called N-ordering method. This theory is used to derive for moderate densities the leading mode coupling expressions for indicators of relaxation type and domain relaxation, which use dynam...
Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: Updated Guidelines from the Wilderness Medical Society.

The Wilderness Medical Society has published updated guidelines for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of exercise-associated hyponatremia.
Expanding Our Impact in Cervical Cancer Treatment: Novel Immunotherapies, Radiation Innovations, and Consideration of Rare Histologies

Cervical cancer is a socially and scientifically distinguishable disease. Its pathogenesis, sexual transmission of high-risk HPV to a metaplastic portion of the uterine cervix, makes cervical cancer preventable by safe and effective HPV vaccines commercially available since 2006. Despite this, cervical cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the world. Regrettably, global incidence and mortality rates disproportionately affect populations where women are marginalized, where HIV infection is endemic, and where access to preventive vaccination and screening for preinvasive disease are limited. In the United States, cervical cancer incidence has gradually declined over the last 25 years, but mortality rates remain both constant and disparately higher among communities of color because of the adverse roles that racism and poverty play in outcome. Until these conditions improve and widespread prevention is possible, treatment innovations are warranted. The last standard-of-care treatment changes occurred in 1999 for locally advanced disease and in 2014 for metastatic and recurrent disease. The viral and immunologic nature of HPV-induced cervical cancer creates opportunities for both radiation and immunotherapy to improve outcomes. With the advent of T cell-directed therapy, immune checkpoint inhibition, and techniques to increase the therapeutic window of radiation treatment, an overdue wave of innovation is currently emerging in cervical cancer treatment. The purpose of this review is to describe the contemporary developmental therapeutic landscape for cervical cancer that applies to most tumors and to discuss notable rare histologic subtypes that will not be adequately addressed with these treatment innovations.
Collective Levels in Se 7 2 , 7 4 , 7 6 , 7 8

The even selenium isotopes $^{72}\mathrm{Se}$, $^{74}\mathrm{Se}$, $^{76}\mathrm{Se}$, and $^{78}\mathrm{Se}$ have been investigated by means of the $\mathrm{Ge}(\ensuremath{\alpha},2n\ensuremath{\gamma})\mathrm{Se}$ and $\mathrm{Ge}(\ensuremath{\alpha},4n\ensuremath{\gamma})\mathrm{Se}$ reactions. The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ radiation from these nuclei was studied during the irradiation using techniques of in-beam spectroscopy. The energies of the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays, their relative intensities, their angular distributions, and their time distributions relative to the 2-nsec beam bunch have been measured. Quasirotational ground-state bands were observed up to 10+ for $^{76}\mathrm{Se}$, up to 8+ for $^{74}\mathrm{Se}$ and $^{78}\mathrm{Se}$, and up to 6+ for $^{72}\mathrm{Se}$. The level energies are compared to a semiempirical formula.
Recurrence and Joint Recurrence Analysis of Multiple Attractors Energy Harvesting System

The method of recurrence plots and joint recurrence plots are considered as tools for the nonlinear analysis of a dimensionless model of magnetoelastric piezoelectric energy harvester under wind flow excitation with low Reynolds number. The dynamics of the system is investigated by considering the bifurcation of the recurrence rate, the laminarity and the determinism and illustrations of system response are presented though the recurrence plots and phase diagrams. In order to enhance the efficiency of the system, a second degree of freedom is added to the mechanical part. The method of joint recurrence plot is used to analyze the global synchronization of the system. In this spirit, a feedback Master-Slave configuration is adopted to ensure optimal synchronized mechanical excursion and thus maximal electric voltage harvested in the electric load. Throughout the paper, attention is focussed on the effects of feedback coupling and mistuning parameter, as well as the relevance of the method of recurrence plots and joint recurrence plots in the analysis of such system. Specifically, it is shown that the joint recurrence plot synchronization parameter effectively detects domain of maximal output electric power as well as domain of out-of-phase motion leading to minimal output power.
Social sciences, globalisation and regionalism. Reflections on Alain Touraine's keynote speech

In his keynote address to the International Forum on the Social Science – Policy Nexus held in Argentina and in Uruguay in February 2006, Alain Touraine stressed the dominance of capitalism within contemporary processes of global change. He argued that, as a result, the distance between the forces of global economy and the social and political universe has grown to such an extent that major social institutions have fragmented and splintered. Anis A. Dani's reply to Touraine expresses a more positive view of globalisation which, when account is taken of the diversity of regional impacts and perspectives, offers opportunities as well as challenges. In particular, the need for states to work together on issues of common concern may offer answers to many of the concerns raised by those sceptical of market-led globalisation.
Separation and comparison of isoenzymes of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase of pregnancy serum by polyacrylamide gel electrofocusing

Abstract Sera from normal and pregnant subjects as well as those from subjects with Tay-Sachs disease, hyperlipidemia and cancer were subjected to electrofocusing in the pH range of 3–10 in polyacrylamide gel (7.5%). The separated isoenzyme bands were stained for visualization on the gel for activity with α- naphthol-AS-BI -N- acetyl -β- D -glucosaminide as substrate. Elevation of N- acetyl -β- D -glucosaminidase (hexosaminidase) activity during pregnancy was found to be due to a progressive increase in number of isoenzymes: 1–2 bands in the early stage of pregnancy (5 weeks) to 6–8 bands in the last trimester. By comparison with the known isoenzymes of human aortic hexosaminidase, at least one of these bands corresponds to the A form, 4–5 bands to the P form and 1–2 bands to intermediate between the A and P forms. In the B form region only a single band with weak enzyme activity was observed, and its intensity of staining remained almost unchanged during pregnancy. Heat treatment (50° for 3 h at pH 4.4) resulted in inactivation of isoenzymes in the area on the gel of the A form and of the intermediates between the A and P forms but had no effect on the P and B forms. However, some bands found in the A area, between the A and P areas and in the P regions, transformed into forms having more alkaline isoelectric points (pIs) by this treatment. The new forms were found predominantly in the B area. The proportion of the thermostable (P and B) and the thermolabile (A) forms of the enzyme by such treatment was 32% and 68%, respectively, for normal serum, and 70% and 30%, respectively, for pregnancy serum. The value for pregnancy serum remained fairly constant throughout pregnancy (5 weeks to the last trimester). Tay-Sachs serum (one case) possessed three very minor bands corresponding to the P region and two major bands in the B region. When heat-treated, a partial transformation of minor bands and a complete transformation of one of the major bands in the B region occurred. One B band was transformed into the other B band having the most alkaline pI. Total hexosaminidase activity, meanwhile, did not show any change. Increase in number of isoenzymes of hexosaminidase in the P region was also found in sera of hyperlipidemic and cancer patients, suggesting that the P form may not be specific to pregnancy.
Population growth kinetics and bulk membrane lipid alterations in Tetrahymena pyriformis: exposure to pentachlorophenol.

This study describes effects of exposure of the freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis to the "classic" weak acid respiratory uncoupler pentachlorophenol (PCP) on the population growth kinetics and membrane lipid profiles. The assessment of growth kinetics of naive populations exposed to PCP, at concentrations eliciting 50% growth inhibition revealed generation times that increased with increasing concentrations of toxicant. In addition, the relative percentages of selected fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in both pellicle and mitochondrial membranes were examined. Upon exposure to PCP the relative percentages of FAMEs 12:0, 14:0, 16:0, 16:1, and 18:0 did not change. However, with exposure to PCP a decrease was observed for FAMEs 15:0 and 17:0. Conversely, with PCP exposure there was an increase in FAME 18:1. A comparison of these results with those elicited upon exposure to the model narcotic 1-octanol reveals marked differences in both growth kinetics and fatty acid shifts.
Development of a Tri‐Layer Electrochemical Model for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

We report the development of a 1D continuum model to describe the performance of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). The model consists of two coupled components: 1) Charge transport, and 2) Species transport. The effective transport properties that feed into these components were computed from percolation theory. Ionic and electronic potential distributions in the cell were obtained by solving for transport of charged species (oxygen ions and electrons), the production/loss of charged species being modeled by Butler-Volmer Kinetics. A multi-component diffusion model was employed to account for the diffusion of multiple neutral species through the porous electrode and solve for species concentration within the cell. Good agreement was observed between the model and experimental I-V characteristics of SOFCs under a series of operating conditions.