cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Holographic interferometry using substrate guided waves

A new tool for experimental mechanics called substrate guided wave (SGW) holo-interferometry is described. The approach relies on recording and reconstructing time-average, double-exposure, and realtime holograms using light waves guided to the hologram by a dielectric sheet or substrate waveguide. The study illustrates that SGW holo-interlerometry can be used to isolate the reference wavefront from the environment surrounding the hologram and can be applied to measure the mechanical properties of the substrate itself. These attributes are discussed along with experimental work performed to develop and refine the technique.
Shock: Blalock and Cannon

In many of the experiments on shock which I have previously reported, sodium barbital was used as the anesthetic. Parsons and Phemister used ether or sodium barbital or either of these supplemented by morphine in most of their experiments. Similar findings were reported 1 by the two groups of investigators. Sodium barbital in the dosages employed in these experiments produces unconsciousness, an acceleration of the pulse rate, a decline in the pulse pressure, occasionally a drop in the arterial blood pressure, infrequently early death and frequently a moderate amount of capillary congestion and hemorrhage in some of the organs of the body. Most of these changes are produced by any agent which will produce profound anesthesia for a number of hours. It is unfortunate that the experimental production of a great many pathologic conditions has for humane reasons to be accompanied by a complicating factor such as an anesthetic. However,
Predicting treatment success at multiple timepoints in diverse patient populations of cocaine-dependent individuals

The quest for predictive utility of baseline demographic and drug use characteristics has been difficult. The present article draws data from two studies of cocaine-dependent individuals (N = 297) in treatment at clinics in Los Angeles, and examines the utility of socio-demographic characteristics of patients and in-treatment performance variables as predictors of success at treatment end, 6 and 12 month follow-up assessments. Socio-demographic variables examined are age, gender, ethnicity, and educational attainment; drug use variables include years of cocaine use, self-reported days of cocaine use, the Addiction Severity Index drug composite score, and two composite measures cited in the literature. The in-treatment variables examined include cocaine urine toxicology results, number of weeks retained, and measures of compliance. The self-reported number of days of cocaine use in the past 30 days provides the most predictive utility of all baseline variables evaluated, and is the most parsimonious of the significant variables associated with substance use at all subsequent timepoints. Matching cocaine-dependent patients with treatment types or intensities based on the self-reported number of cocaine use days at intake may increase patient success rates.
Thermal conductivity and phonon transport in empty and water-filled carbon nanotubes

The thermal conductivities of empty and water-filled single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with diameters between 0.83 and 1.36 nm and lengths ranging from 200 to 1400 nm are predicted using molecular dynamics simulation. Using a direct application of the Fourier law, we explore the transition to fully diffusive phonon transport with increasing CNT length. For empty CNTs, we find that the CNT length required to obtain fully diffusive phonon transport decreases from 1090 nm for the 0.83-nm-diameter CNT to 510 nm for the 1.36-nm-diameter CNT. The magnitude of the fully diffusive thermal conductivity also decreases monotonically with increasing CNT diameter. We find that the fully diffusive thermal conductivity of water-filled CNTs is 20%--35% lower than that of empty CNTs. By examining the empty and water-filled CNT density of states, we attribute the thermal conductivity reductions to an increase in low-frequency acoustic phonon scattering due to interactions with the water molecules.
Optimal plant shaping for high bandwidth disturbance rejection in discrete disturbance observers

The Q-filter cut-off frequency in a Disturbance Observer (DOB) is restricted by the model mismatch between the plant and its nominal model. DOB Robustness is usually poor when the cut-off frequency of Q-filter increases. In this paper, robustness of the DOB is improved by shaping the true plant with a cascaded frequency shaping filter, while the nominal plant model remains fixed. Once the shaping filter is optimally designed based on DOB robust stability, the cut-off frequency of Q-filter can be greatly increased without loss of stability. The proposed algorithm is implemented on a typical tracking problem, i.e., the spiral writing in hard disk drives.
Montrer sans partager, présenter sans proférer : redéfinition de l’identité rituelle chez les interprètes rituelles warlpiri

Bien qu’un grand nombre de travaux ethnographiques novateurs aient ete suscites par l’« espace interculturel » que se partagent Australiens autochtones et non autochtones, notamment dans le domaine des arts visuels, les chercheurs ont accorde moins d’attention aux representations rituelles publiques auxquelles les Aborigenes ont donne un nouvel essor en tant qu’instruments politiques. On a encore moins ecrit sur la (re)construction interne de l’identite sociale autochtone et sa projection dans la production de rituels publics sur la scene neocoloniale australienne contemporaine. Tout en effectuant une remise a jour des recherches precedentes sur la question, le present article montre comment, au cours des dix dernieres annees, les leaders rituelles ainees d’une petite localite d’Australie centrale ont inaugure une phase entierement nouvelle de representations rituelles – une phase qui differe substantiellement des formes anterieures d’experience ceremonielle, qui etaient etroitement liees a la negociation et a l’echange des materiaux rituels.
Anelastic Stress Relaxation in Gold Films and Its Impact on Restoring Forces in MEMS Devices

In order to evaluate the importance of stress relaxation on device performance of capacitive RF MEMS switches, stress relaxation has been measured in 1.2-mum-thick Au films using a membrane bulge technique. When the residual stress in the films is small, the stress relaxation is fully recoverable and is well described by linear anelasticity (viscoelasticity) theory. A 27% reduction in the effective elastic modulus occurs over a three-day period under constant strain conditions at room temperature. The time dependence of the relaxation can be represented by a series of time constants with values extending from seconds to days. Linear superposition of the anelastic response can be used to accurately predict the stress under any time dependence of the strain. The prediction is accurate even during cyclic loading and unloading, and even when the strain is cycled at rates that are fast compared with any of the relaxation times. The restoring force available to open a capacitive RF MEMS switch is modeled for two different switch designs. The restoring force is shown to drop by approximately 7% or 20% at room temperature for the two cases presented.
tRNA residues evolved to promote translational accuracy

The decoding properties of 22 structurally conservative base-pair and base-triple mutations in the anticodon hairpin and tertiary core of Escherichia coli tRNA Ala GGC were determined under single turnover conditions using E. coli ribosomes. While all of the mutations were able to efficiently decode the cognate GCC codon, many showed substantial misreading of near-cognate GUC or ACC codons. Although all the misreading mutations were present in the sequences of other E. coli tRNAs, they were never found among bacterial tRNA Ala GGC sequences. This suggests that the sequences of bacterial tRNA Ala GGC have evolved to avoid
Dopamine Genetic Risk Score Predicts Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Adults and Adults with Depression

Background: Depression is a common source of human disability for which etiologic insights remain limited. Although abnormalities of monoamine neurotransmission, including dopamine, are theorized to contribute to the pathophysiology of depression, evidence linking dopamine-related genes to depression has been mixed. The current study sought to address this knowledge-gap by examining whether the combined effect of dopamine polymorphisms was associated with depressive symptomatology in both healthy individuals and individuals with depression. Methods: Data were drawn from three independent samples: (1) a discovery sample of healthy adult participants (n=273); (2) a replication sample of adults with depression (n=1,267); and (3) a replication sample of healthy adult participants (n=382). A genetic risk score was created by combining functional polymorphisms from five genes involved in synaptic dopamine availability (COMT and DAT) and dopamine receptor binding (DRD1, DRD2, DRD3). Results: In the discovery sample, the genetic risk score was associated with depressive symptomatology (b= 20.80, p=0.003), with lower dopamine genetic risk scores (indicating lower dopaminergic neurotransmission) predicting higher levels of depression. This result was replicated with a similar genetic risk score based on imputed genetic data from adults with depression (b= 20.51, p=0.04). Results were of similar magnitude and in the expected direction in a cohort of healthy adult participants (b= 20.86, p=0.15). Conclusions: Sequence variation in multiple genes regulating dopamine neurotransmission may influence depressive symptoms, in a manner that appears to be additive. Further studies are required to confirm the role of genetic variation in dopamine metabolism and depression.
Neurologic course of congenital disorders of glycosylation.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation, formerly called carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome, may present in infancy with slowly progressive neurologic deficits including cognitive impairment, ataxia, pigmentary retinal degeneration, and neuropathy. The metabolic defect is in N-linked oligosaccharide synthesis, and diagnosis is made by a serum transferrin isoelectric focusing. We reviewed the neurologic course of 10 children with congenital disorders of glycosylation (ages 13 months to 7 years). All had severe developmental delay and ataxia; none walked unassisted, and the highest level of communication was simple sign language in one patient. Five of 10 children had seizures (absence, complex partial, tonic clonic). Only one patient has had strokelike episodes, despite reports that they are common in this population. The underlying basis of these episodes has been hypothesized to be coagulopathy due to dysfunctional, incorrectly glycosylated coagulation factors. This 5-year-old patient with congen...
Patient with both Wilkie syndrome and nutcracker syndrome

Wilkie syndrome or superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a rare cause of duodenal obstruction in pediatric and adult age groups. Its manifestations are due to compression of the third portion of the duodenum between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. We present one case of a 29-year-old female with a recent history of epigastric pain and severe weight loss due to duodenal obstruction from superior mesenteric syndrome. She was treated conservatively with jejunostomy tube feeding to regain loss of weight. Our case is unique in that the patient has also nutcracker syndrome.
Physiological Sensing of Carbon Dioxide/Bicarbonate/pH via Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced by living organisms as a byproduct of metabolism. In physiological systems, CO2 is unequivocally linked with bicarbonate (HCO3−) and pH via a ubiquitous family of carbonic anhydrases, and numerous biological processes are dependent upon a mechanism for sensing the level of CO2, HCO3, and/or pH. The discovery that soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is directly regulated by bicarbonate provided a link between CO2/HCO3/pH chemosensing and signaling via the widely used second messenger cyclic AMP. This review summarizes the evidence that bicarbonate-regulated sAC, and additional, subsequently identified bicarbonate-regulate nucleotidyl cyclases, function as evolutionarily conserved CO2/HCO3/pH chemosensors in a wide variety of physiological systems.
Newtonian Flow in Bulk Amorphous Alloys

Bulk amorphous alloys have many unique properties, e.g., superior strength and hardness, excellent corrosion resistance, reduced sliding friction and improved wear resistance, and easy formability in a viscous state. These properties, and particularly easy formability, are expected to lead to applications in the fields of near-net-shape fabrication of structural components. Whereas large tensile ductility has generally been observed in the supercooled liquid region in metallic glasses, the exact deformation mechanism, and in particular whether such alloys deform by Newtonian viscous flow, remains a controversial issue. In this paper, existing data are analyzed and an interpretation for the apparent controversy is offered. In addition, new results obtained from an amorphous alloy (composition: Zr-10Al-5TI-17.9Cu-14.6Ni, in at. %) are presented. Structural evolution during plastic deformation is particularly characterized. It is suggested that the appearance of non-Newtonian behavior is a result of the concurrent crystallization of the amorphous structure during deformation.
Mechanism of Impaired NLRP3 Inflammasome Priming by Monophosphoryl Lipid A

Monophosphoryl lipid A (MLA), a nontoxic derivative of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), has been approved in the United States for use as a vaccine adjuvant. LPS and MLA are ligands of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and it has been unclear why LPS triggers toxic inflammation, whereas MLA generates safe and effective immunostimulation. Signaling downstream of TLR4 is mediated by the adaptor proteins TRIF [Toll-interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon-β], which is required for adaptive immune outcomes, and MyD88 (myeloid differentiation marker 88), which is responsible for many proinflammatory effects. Two models have provided nonexclusive explanations for the differential effects of LPS and MLA. According to the first model, MLA fails to induce maturation of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β because it fails to activate caspase-1, which is required for the conversion of pro-IL-1β into its bioactive form. The second model suggests that MLA triggers unequal engagement of both of the signaling adaptor pathways of TLR4, such that signaling mediated by TRIF is largely intact, whereas signaling mediated by MyD88 is incomplete. We show that the TRIF-biased signaling that is characteristic of low-toxicity MLA explains its failure to activate caspase-1. Defective induction of NLRP3, which depends on MyD88, led to decreased assembly of components of the IL-1β-activating inflammasome required for the activation of preformed, inactive procaspase-1. In addition, we elucidated the contributions of MyD88 and TRIF to priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome and demonstrated that TRIF-biased TLR4 activation by MLA was responsible for the defective production of mature IL-1β.
Genetic Modifiers of Tauopathy in Drosophila

In Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, the microtubule-associated protein Tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and aggregated into neurofibrillary tangles. Mutations in the tau gene cause familial frontotemporal dementia. To investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for Tau-induced neurodegeneration, we conducted a genetic modifier screen in a Drosophila model of tauopathy. Kinases and phosphatases comprised the major class of modifiers recovered, and several candidate Tau kinases were similarly shown to enhance Tau toxicity in vivo. Despite some clinical and pathological similarities among neurodegenerative disorders, a direct comparison of modifiers between different Drosophila disease models revealed that the genetic pathways controlling Tau and polyglutamine toxicity are largely distinct. Our results demonstrate that kinases and phosphatases control Tau-induced neurodegeneration and have important implications for the development of therapies in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Reflected and Transmitted Irradiance from Area Sources Using Vertex Tracing

Computing irradiance analytically from polygonal luminaires in polygonal environments has proven effective for direct lighting applications in diffuse radiosity environments. Methods for analytic integration have traditionally used edge-based solutions to the irradiance integral; our previous work presented a vertex-based analytic solution, allowing irradiance to be computed incrementally by ray tracing the apparent vertices of the luminaire. In this work we extend the vertex tracing technique to the analytic computation of irradiance from a polygonal luminaire in other indirect lighting applications: transmission through non-refractive transparent polygons, and reflection off perfectly specular polygons. Furthermore we propose an approximate method for computing transmitted irradiance through refractive polyhedra. The method remains effective in the presence of blockers.
Phenotypic Profiling of DPYD Variations Relevant to 5-Fluorouracil Sensitivity Using Real-time Cellular Analysis and In Vitro Measurement of Enzyme Activity

In the 45 years since its development, the pyrimidine analog 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has become an integral component of many cancer treatments, most notably for the management of colorectal cancer. An appreciable fraction of patients who receive 5-FU suffer severe adverse toxicities, which in extreme cases may result in death. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD, encoded by DPYD) rapidly degrades 85% of administered 5-FU, and as such, limits the amount of drug available for conversion into active metabolites. Clinical studies have suggested that genetic variations in DPYD increase the risk for 5-FU toxicity, however, there is not a clear consensus about which variations are relevant predictors. In the present study, DPYD variants were expressed in mammalian cells, and the enzymatic activity of expressed protein was determined relative to wild-type (WT). Relative sensitivity to 5-FU for cells expressing DPYD variations was also measured. The DPYD*2A variant (exon 14 deletion caused by IVS14+1G>A) was confirmed to be catalytically inactive. Compared with WT, two variants, S534N and C29R, showed significantly higher enzymatic activity. Cells expressing S534N were more resistant to 5-FU-mediated toxicity compared with cells expressing WT DPYD. These findings support the hypothesis that selected DPYD alleles are protective against severe 5-FU toxicity, and, as a consequence, may decrease the effectiveness of 5-FU an antitumor drug in carriers. In addition, this study shows a method that may be useful for phenotyping other genetic variations in pharmacologically relevant pathways.
Evaluation of empirical expressions for the estimation of hourly and daily totals of atmospheric longwave emission under all sky conditions

Measurements of hourly totals of atmospheric longwave emission, made during summer and autumn seasons in southern Ontario, are used to evaluate the performance of several empirical estimation equations. Under clear sky conditions, the formulae of Swinbank and of Idso and Jackson gave similar results, with daily totals estimated to within measurement error, but with systematic deviations in hourly values which resembled those reported in earlier studies. The timing of these errors, however, suggests that previous hypotheses for such deviations may be invalid. The accuracy of estimates made with the formula of Brunt depended very strongly upon the regression parameters selected. Under all sky conditions, use of the Idso and Jackson formula, with adjustment for cloud type and amount following Bolz, yielded estimates of variable accuracy on an hourly basis, but daily (and similar period) totals are estimated with an error similar to that of the original measurements.
ConSeq: detecting concurrency bugs through sequential errors

Concurrency bugs are caused by non-deterministic interleavings between shared memory accesses. Their effects propagate through data and control dependences until they cause software to crash, hang, produce incorrect output, etc. The lifecycle of a bug thus consists of three phases: (1) triggering, (2) propagation, and (3) failure.Traditional techniques for detecting concurrency bugs mostly focus on phase (1)--i.e., on finding certain structural patterns of interleavings that are common triggers of concurrency bugs, such as data races. This paper explores a consequence-oriented approach to improving the accuracy and coverage of state-space search and bug detection. The proposed approach first statically identifies potential failure sites in a program binary (i.e., it first considers a phase (3) issue). It then uses static slicing to identify critical read instructions that are highly likely to affect potential failure sites through control and data dependences (phase (2)). Finally, it monitors a single (correct) execution of a concurrent program and identifies suspicious interleavings that could cause an incorrect state to arise at a critical read and then lead to a software failure (phase (1)).ConSeq's backwards approach, (3)!(2)!(1), provides advantages in bug-detection coverage and accuracy but is challenging to carry out. ConSeq makes it feasible by exploiting the empirical observationthat phases (2) and (3) usually are short and occur within one thread. Our evaluation on large, real-world C/C++ applications shows that ConSeq detects more bugs than traditional approaches and has a much lower false-positive rate.
Spiritual Considerations for Managers: What Matters Most to Workforce Members in Challenging Times

A survey conducted among 50 members of the Los Angeles Workforce, all within the age range of 20–50 years, and with a minimum of 2 years of work experience and a minimum of 2 years of college education, delivered results that may be of interest to managers in their efforts to enhance workers’ satisfaction and successfully transcend the challenges of these times. The focus of this study was on values that mattered most in challenging times to members of the workforces. The hypothesis that inner- and inter-human aspects would be considered more important than money and status in such times was highly supported, with values such as love and relationships, and positive motivation, in an overwhelming lead. While financial worries were undoubtedly considered, it was underscored that in times of trouble, employees reach inwardly and outwardly to inner-human and inter-human connectedness.
Effect of rabbit interferon on immune responses

Abstract Rabbit interferon was found to inhibit partially the proliferative response of rabbit lymph node cells to antigen. In contrast, neither the primary humoral immune response to sheep erythrocytes in vivo nor the secondary antibody response of lymph node fragments in vitro to diphtheria toxoid was significantly inhibited by interferon. It is suggested that the inhibition of lymphoid-cell proliferation by interferon is an expression of a more general tendency to inhibit mitotic activity.
The wake structure and thrust performance of a rigid low-aspect-ratio pitching panel

Thrust performance and wake structure were investigated for a rigid rectangular panel pitching about its leading edge in a free stream. For Re C = O (10 4 ), thrust coefficient was found to depend primarily on Strouhal number St and the aspect ratio of the panel AR . Propulsive efficiency was sensitive to aspect ratio only for AR less than 0.83; however, the magnitude of the peak efficiency of a given panel with variation in Strouhal number varied inversely with the amplitude to span ratio A/S , while the Strouhal number of optimum efficiency increased with increasing A/S . Peak efficiencies between 9% and 21% were measured. Wake structures corresponding to a subset of the thrust measurements were investigated using dye visualization and digital particle image velocimetry. In general, the wakes divided into two oblique jets; however, when operating at or near peak efficiency, the near wake in many cases represented a Karman vortex street with the signs of the vortices reversed. The three-dimensional structure of the wakes was investigated in detail for AR = 0.54, A/S = 0.31 and Re C = 640. Three distinct wake structures were observed with variation in Strouhal number. For approximately 0.20 St St > 0.25, a reorganization of some of the spanwise vorticity yielded a bifurcating wake formed by trains of vortex rings connected to the tips of the horseshoes. For St > 0.5, an additional structure formed from a perturbation of the streamwise leg which caused a spanwise expansion. The wake model paradigm established here is robust with variation in Reynolds number and is consistent with structures observed for a wide variety of unsteady flows. Movies are available with the online version of the paper.
The long-term health consequences of disasters and mass traumas

In recent years, high-profile disasters, including the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the March 11, 2004 train bombings in Madrid and Hurricane Katrina on the US Gulf Coast, have been accompanied by a surge in scientific interest about the physical and mental health
The effect of overlearning on response shifting

After either criterion learning or overlearning of a first concept 28 college students were shifted to a concept involving a different stimulus attribute (nonreversal shift). The stimuli were sorted into two categories. Overlearning facilitated acquisition of the second concept, P =.05.
Enhanced Tumor Cell Separation by Surfaces Functionalized With Combinations of Bioadhesive Proteins

Effective detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can provide important diagnostic and prognostic information of metastatic cancer. However, CTCs are extremely rare and estimated to be only in the range of one tumor cell in the background of 106 –109 normal blood cells, hindering clinically significant detection.[1–2] The specific capturing and potential enrichment of CTCs using anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (anti-EpCAM)[3] and selectin, respectively, inspire a biofunctionalized surface that mimics biological complexity may detect and isolate target cells at a greater sensitivity and specificity. This concept is supported by the initial physiological interactions between CTCs and endothelium in the bloodstream, which include concurrent rolling and stationary binding steps. Towards this aim, we investigated the following: i) two proteins with distinct biofunctions (selectin to induce rolling and anti-EpCAM to statically capture target cells) can be co-immobilized; ii) a combined rolling and stationary binding can be induced by the mixture of the proteins; and iii) the biomimetic combination enhances overall capture efficiency of the surface. As a proof-of-concept study for the hypothesis of enhanced separation capacity and capture efficiency using protein mixtures, the surfaces are tested using in vitro cell lines (MCF-7 cells as a CTC model and HL-60 cells as a leukocyte model) under flow conditions. The effects of the combination of rolling (E-selectin) and stationary binding (anti-EpCAM) on capture efficiency are compared to a surface functionalized solely with anti-EpCAM.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Band limited correlation estimates for A(ξω/U) and B(ηω/U) using Beresh et. al. 2013 data sets

Here we discuss an improved Corcos (Corcos (1963), (1963)) style cross spectral density utilizing zero pressure gradient, supersonic (Beresh et. al. (2013)) data sets. Using the connection between narrow band measurements with broadband cross-spectral density, i.e. Γ(ξ ,η ,ω )= Φ (ω) A(ωη/U )exp (-i ωξ/U) we focus on estimating coherence expressions of the form: A (ξω nb/U) and B (ηω nb/ U) where ωnb denotes the narrow band frequency, i.e. the band center frequency value and ξ and η are sensors spacing in streamwise/longitudinal and cross-stream/lateral directions, respectively. A methodology to estimate the parameters which retains the Corcos exponential functional form, A(ξω/U)=exp(-klat ηω/U) but identifies new parameters (constants) consistent with the Beresh et. al. data sets is discussed. The Corcos result requires that the data be properly explained by self-similar variable: ξω/U and ηω/U. The longitudinal (streamwise) variable ξω/U tends to provide a better data collapse, while, consistent with the literature the lateral ηω/U is only successful for higher band center frequencies. Assuming the similarity variables provide a useful description of the data, the longitudinal coherence decay constant result using the Beresh et. al. data sets yields a value for the longitudinal constant klong≈0.36-0.28 that is approximately 3x largermore » than the “traditional” (low speed, large Reynolds number and zero pressure gradient) of klong≈0.11. We suggest that the most likely reason that the Beresh et. al. data sets incur increased longitudinal decay which results in reduced coherence lengths is due to wall shear induced compression causing an adverse pressure gradient. Focusing on the higher band center frequency measurements where the frequency dependent similarity variables are applicable, the lateral or transverse coherence decay constant klat≈0.7 is consistent with the “traditional” (low speed, large Reynolds number and zero pressure gradient). It should be noted, that the longitudinal/streamwise coherence decay deviates from the value observed by other researchers while the lateral/ cross-stream value is consistent has been observed by other researchers. We believe that while the measurements used to obtain new decay constant estimates are from internal wind tunnel tests, they likely provide a useful estimate expected reentry flow behavior and are therefore recommended for use. These data could also be useful in determining the uncertainty of correlation length for a uncertainty quantification (UQ) analysis.« less
Charging Controlling System of Electric Vehicles Based on CAN and RS485

It designs and achieves charging controlling system of electric vehicles based on CAN-bus and RS485 communication with the method of modularization design,particularly introduces the double network controlling structure and the specific implement project of hardware and software based on DSP charging controlling unit,the system enables to achieve the double control of site control and remote control during charging.
The Second Load Configuration Optimization of Multiple-Winding High Voltage TV and Renovation Project Executing

Represent the purpose and importance of Multiple-Winding High Voltage TV's Second Load Configuration Optimization.Analyze the principle how second loads of various windings affect the error of TV and tests were done to verify it.Guide renovation project executing by theory analyses.The actual error of TV on line is reduced.Safety in production and equity of commercial transaction is assured.
Encouraging experience in the treatment of nasal type extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma in a non-Asian population

Extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (EN-NK/TCL-NT), is rare in the Western world. We launched the current single-institutional retrospective study with Institutional Review Board approval to...
Seasonal and Geographic Variation in Adverse Event Reporting.

Many illnesses demonstrate seasonal and geographic variations. Pharmacovigilance is unique among public health surveillance systems in terms of the clinical diversity of the events under surveillance. Since many pharmacovigilance signal detection methodologies are geared towards looking for increased frequency of spontaneous adverse drug event (ADE) reporting over variable time frames, seasonality of ADEs may have implications for signal detection. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a set of illnesses that might be expected to display seasonality in general, did so when spontaneously reported as ADEs. We performed our analysis with the publically available US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data. We selected a convenience sample of events possibly triggered by seasonal factors (hypothermia, Raynaud’s phenomenon, photosensitivity reaction, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and sunburn) and events for which previous literature experience suggests seasonality (anencephaly and interstitial lung disease). Our statistical procedures can be explained in terms of a simple physicogeometric setting: the unit circle divided into 6 (semiannual sinusoidal) or 12 (annual sinusoidal) arcs. When reporting frequencies (weights) are more or less evenly distributed across months, the center of mass of the circle would not be significantly displaced from the origin (0, 0). Distinct seasonal patterns will significantly displace the center of mass of the circle. Various patterns of seasonality were identified for some, but not all, events and region–event pairs. USA displayed the most instances of seasonality. Scandinavia did not display seasonality for any events. Seasonality was usually annual sinusoidal. Possible explanations for failure to observe seasonality are briefly considered. Understanding seasonality of spontaneous ADE reporting may have public health policy and research implications and may mitigate false-positive and missed true-positive pharmacovigilance signals. More systematic study of seasonality of spontaneous ADE reporting, including additional events with more or less biological rationale for seasonality, is a logical extension of this analysis.
Performance of subtropical forage legumes in Louisiana, south-central USA.

27 species of subtropical forage legumes were evaluated for persistence, forage production and forage quality at two sites (latitudes 29°50' N and 30°50' N) in Louisiana, USA. The annual legume Macroptilium lathroides had highest forage yields for the sowing year at an upland site. Aeschynomene americana had highest yields in the Mississippi River Delta and highest yields from self-seeding at both sites in the second year. Perennial legumes Aeschynomene falcata, Arachis glabrata, Desmodium canum, Desmodium intortum, Desmodium uncinatum, lotononis bainesii and Vigna parkeri survived winter temperatures as low as -13°C. Of these, the most vigorous were D. canum, D. intortum and D. uncinatum. Research is warranted on management and economic value of A. americana, M. lathyroides and Desmodium species in forage-livestock production systems in the south-central USA.
The Effects of Human Rights on Economic Growth, 1965 to 2010

A long-standing research question asks whether democracy promotes or inhibits development, but relatively few studies explore the developmental consequences of human rights. I analyze the effect of respect for bodily integrity rights and civil liberties on economic growth rates, measured as percentage changes in gross domestic product over pooled five-year intervals, for 138 countries between 1965 and 2010. Bodily integrity rights entail fundamental protections against torture, political imprisonment, extrajudicial killing, and disappearances. Civil liberties include the freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, and movement. The analyses make use of estimators designed to isolate causal directionality. I find that improvements in countries’ rated bodily integrity practices boost economic growth rates, even after accounting for other important explanatory factors and the possibility of reverse causality. Additional analyses suggest that this effect operates largely through increased domestic investment. Static levels in bodily integrity scores, conversely, have no effect on growth; neither do static levels of or dynamic changes in civil liberties.
Unraveling the genetic etiology of mammographic breast density

CN12-03 One of the most important risk factors for breast cancer identified to date is mammographic breast density. Breast density reflects variation in fat, stromal and epithelial tissues on the mammogram. Women with high levels of breast density have a 3-6 fold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women with little to no breast density. Increased breast density is common in the population, quantifiable and potentially modifiable but the biology underlying this trait is largely unknown. Risk factors identified for breast density to date only account for 20-30% of variation in the trait. Genetics and the interaction between genes and environment are hypothesized to account for the remaining variation. Evidence for a genetic influence on breast density to date comes from familial aggregation, family-based segregation, twin, molecular epidemiology and genetic linkage studies. These data together imply that genes for breast density may predispose women to high density across the lifespan, translating to increased breast cancer risk. The use of intermediate phenotypes such as breast density to identify genes for breast cancer may allow for increased power since the number of genetic and environmental factors influencing each intermediate marker is likely smaller than that influencing the clinical endpoint, namely breast cancer. As such, the variation attributed to genetic loci influencing breast density will likely be greater than for genetic loci influencing breast cancer risk. This presentation will review the evidence for a genetic influence on breast density, discuss future genetic investigations and the importance of studying the genetic epidemiology of this marker of breast cancer risk.
What Happened on November 8, and What Happens Next? A Tour of Social Scientists' Answers

How do social scientists explain strong popular support for Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election, and what do they predict for his presidency? Initial explanations can be divided into two broad categories: voters supported Trump because of what he said about blacks, immigrants, Muslims, women, the disabled, and other groups or despite what he said about these groups. Initial predictions range from arguments that not much will change in a Trump presidency to arguments that American liberal democracy is in jeopardy. Social scientists??? explanations and prognostications often bear a striking resemblance to whatever framework each scholar has been deploying for a long time; like most people influenced by motivated reasoning, we tend to fit our new knowledge into the contours of what we thought we already knew. Whether social scientists are able to rethink cherished theories as a result of the November 8 surprise is a concern for us academics ??? but which explanations and predictions, if any, turn out to be most accurate is of concern to the nation and even the world.
Ethanol: Effect on Fetal Brain Growth and Development

There is good evidence that heavy ethanol use has a detrimental effect on the unborn. In recent years, the medical community has become aware of a syndrome consisting of mental retardation, prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, and numerous congenital anomalies associated with heavy maternal ethanol ingestion. This collection of abnormalities has been coined the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The FAS was “rediscovered” recently by Lemonie et al.1 in France and by Jones et al.2 in the United States. The term “rediscovered” is appropriate since there are biblical references to the importance of abstinence during pregnancy, and Aristotle observed that “foolish and drunken and harebrained women most often bring forth children like unto themselves, morose and languid.”3 Moreover, in the early eighteenth century, during the British “gin epidemic,” a report to Parliament pointed out that parental drinking was a cause of “weak, feeble and distempered children.” In addition, Sullivan,4 in 1899, found that the death rate among children of alcoholic mothers was more than twice that among infants of sober women of the same social status. As a counterpoint, Sullivan did indicate that the environment to which these children were born was also a factor. In general, observations made prior to the turn of this century were ignored until the works of Lemonie et al.1 and Jones et al.2 rekindled interest in the FAS.
Interactions of Alcohol and Prostanoids in the Vascular System

Epidemiologic data suggest that low alcohol consumption may protect against atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease, whereas high consumption is associated with vasoplastic disorders. We have examined the proposition that the capacity to produce PGs as measured in rat aorta, cerebral microvasculature (CMV), and plasma is modulated by alcohol dose and the duration of exposure and thereby contributes to changes in the vascular state. Isolated rat aorta was exposed to alcohol either in vitro or by an inhalation technique using our automated apparatus for precise control of alcohol vapor and blood concentrations (BAG). An acute exposure to moderate alcohol levels decreases the amplitude of contraction to a thromboxane mimic, whereas higher levels do not affect the response. The observed depression in aortic contractility is associated with a significant increase in the PGI2/ TxA2 ratio. This would result in a shift towards a vasodilatory/platelet antiaggregatory state in vivo. At higher levels, alcohol may act as a spasmogen, increasing intracellular Ca, and in this way may counteract the depressive effect of PGs, such as PGI2, on vascular contractility and platelet aggregability. Chronic alcohol inhalation significantly depressed aortic PG levels (moderate BAC, 27%; high BAC, 45%) and induced a mild hyperreactivity to the TxA2-mimic. This depression in PG levels may result in part from alcohol-induced depletion of 20:46; content was inversely related to the duration of exposure and decreased as much as 50%. Similarly, high BAC induced marked hypersensitivity to the pressor effects of norepinephrine and the TxA2-mimic (22% and 44%, respectively; monitored via tail artery cannula) and depressed plasma PGI2 and TxA2 levels (moderate BAC, 21%; high BAC, 37%). As expected, NSAID treatment of normal rats induced a comparable increase (48%) in vascular reactivity to the TxA2-mimic. Pretreatment of alcoholic rats with aspirin (45 mg/kg) induced a mild (5%) but insignificant increase in this response. These data are consistent with the proposition that chronic alcohol exposure has an aspirinlike effect on the prostanoid system, as reflected by altered contractility. A CMV fraction showed similar effects on PG levels; acute alcohol exposure increased the PGI2/TxA2 ratio (fourfold), and chronic exposure decreased the PGI2/TxA2 ratio (32%). One might predict that the result in vivo would be a shift towards a vasoconstrictor/platelet aggregatory state. Hyperreactivity and the depression in total PG levels associated with chronic alcohol abuse could contribute to the hypertensive and vasospastic disorders found in alcoholics. In contrast, hyporeactivity mechanism contributing to the lower incidence of atherosclerotic heart disease in this group. Thus, in response to activation of the prostanoid system, different profiles of PGs will be formed. Modification of the vascular state, at least in part, will be determined by the summation of their biological effects.
Dissociation in Binary Acid/Base Clusters: An Examination of Inconsistencies Introduced Into the Many-Body Expansion by Naïve Fragmentation Schemes

Abstract Certain processes, such as proton transfer or dissociation, can introduce inconsistencies into computational techniques based on the many-body expansion if the identities of the fragments that define the expansion change. This report uses simple binary acid/base clusters to illustrate this potential problem and to quantify the effects of these inconsistencies on the total and relative electronic energies of the clusters. The 2-body:Many-body CCSD(T):MP2 approach developed in our lab typically deviates from CCSD(T) reference values by only a few hundredths of a kcal mol −1 for clusters in which monomer-based fragment definitions are entirely consistent. These deviations generally grow to at least several tenths of a kcal mol −1 for clusters where inconsistencies are introduced by such simple fragment definitions. In fact, the magnitude of the discrepancies can actually exceed 1 kcal mol −1 (or 25%) for the relative electronic energies.
Assessing information needs and use of online resources for disease self-management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study

To explore the information needs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their acceptance of online resources and Facebook in particular, as a source of information, interaction, and support among peers. Participants were adults with RA of ≤ 10 years duration, had ongoing or prior treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or biologic agents, and internet access. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews using semi-structured interview guide to explore: (1) RA information needs, (2) use of self-management health behaviors, (3) use of internet resources for disease management, (4) role of peer support in health self-management, and (5) use of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook in disease management. Data were analyzed using content analysis and constant comparative methods. Participants were mainly female (85%), White (70%), and over 50 years old (70%). Specific information needs included knowledge regarding medications, disease course, pain control, diet, and exercise. Most participants had a narrow perception of SNS as a tool for disease management. However, they found SNS acceptable and were open to participating in a support group on Facebook with reasonable assurance of privacy. Although the overarching theme was RA information needs, the other themes contribute in supporting the robust emergence of Internet media in informing patients about their health and support systems. Our findings can inform the choice and format of materials to be considered for online education on self-management and social networking for RA patients.
Mickey Flies the Stealth

This article describes in a vivid and popular way the intimate relationship between mathematics, computer graphics, entertainment and warfare. Entertainment, mathematics and war: what a strange trio! The mixture of brilliance and glory, brutality and suffering that inheres in its story would require an Aeschylus to get the proportions right. I recently attended a large conference of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, an international organization. The range of topics discussed by the conferees was enormous, going from fluid dynamics to biomathematical problems to econometrics to computer vision to mathematical cryptography. A major talk by Christoph Bregler on computer animation of human movements including facial expressions feeds right into the needs of this strange trio. In talking to the conference participants, I learned that the marriage of war, mathematics and entertainment is now taken for granted just as they take for granted the marriage of entertainment, mathematics and medical imaging. The link in both cases: computer graphics, animation, and the formation of virtual objects. The threefold combination first entered my consciousness forcibly when I read a 1997 report of the National Research Council entitled Modeling and Simulation: Linking Entertainment and Defense. This report was based on a workshop held in October 1996 that was attended by people from the film, video game, and theme-park industries and also by people from the defense department and their contractors. The object of the conference was to discuss common interests and how they might help each other. The notions of entertainment, mathematics, and war together with their ambiguities and misapprehensions, are sufficiently understood so I shall build up to the threefold combination in stages by beginning with the twofold. Mathematics and entertainment: This combination is ancient. Simple puzzles or games of chance and of strategy often have a mathematical underlay. More recently, sports of all kinds have experienced increasing mathematization through the accumulation of statistics and the decisions based on them. Mathematics itself