cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New crop establishment

To conclude I would like to repeat a few points. New crops have been established in our economy in the past, and will likewise be established in the future. As time progresses, each new introduction will be made with greater difficulty, the chief obstacles being the morphological characteristics and developmental patterns of the species involved. Economically speaking the early developmental stage will be most critical, when the plant product is almost established in the market, when farmers are hesitant to grow it, when industry or governments must give it a helping hand. New crops of greatest interest will be those of potential use to industry, those yielding pharmaceuticals, those to populate range areas, and those involving the lower organisms. In the society of our agricultural crops new crops are the pioneers. Their road will be more difficult than that of the established crops, but more exciting too.
Dynamic user equilibrium based on a hydrodynamic model

Abstract In this paper we present a continuous-time network loading procedure based on the Lighthill–Whitham–Richards model proposed by Lighthill and Whitham, 1955 , Richards, 1956 . A system of differential algebraic equations (DAEs) is proposed for describing traffic flow propagation, travel delay and route choices. We employ a novel numerical apparatus to reformulate the scalar conservation law as a flow-based partial differential equation (PDE), which is then solved semi-analytically with the Lax–Hopf formula. This approach allows for an efficient computational scheme for large-scale networks. We embed this network loading procedure into the dynamic user equilibrium (DUE) model proposed by Friesz et al. (1993) . The DUE model is solved as a differential variational inequality (DVI) using a fixed-point algorithm. Several numerical examples of DUE on networks of varying sizes are presented, including the Sioux Falls network with a significant number of paths and origin–destination pairs (OD). The DUE model presented in this article can be formulated as a variational inequality (VI) as reported in Friesz et al. (1993) . We will present the Kuhn–Tucker (KT) conditions for that VI, which is a linear system for any given feasible solution, and use them to check whether a DUE solution has been attained. In order to solve for the KT multiplier we present a decomposition of the linear system that allows efficient computation of the dual variables. The numerical solutions of DUE obtained from fixed-point iterations will be tested against the KT conditions and validated as legitimate solutions.
Cancer in cardiovascular drug trials and vice versa: a personal perspective

Acknowledging uncertainties and balancing the opportunity for benefit with the offsetting potential to harm are integral concepts for clinical decision-making. Caregivers consciously risk profile (stratify) their patient to try to fit best currently available observational and clinical trial data to formulate a particular recommendation for each unique patient. Advice to adopt prudent lifestyle approaches, such as avoidance of smoking, maintaining adequate activity levels, and adhering to a nutritious diet, have such a favourable benefit/risk ratio that they have become fundamental tenets of cardiovascular preventive care. On the other hand, recommendations for the use of pharmacologic therapies in an effort to improve prognosis requires careful consideration of possible adverse consequences in relation to potential benefits. The fundamental principle of ‘Primum non nocere’, above all first, do no harm, rightfully dominates most clinicians' therapeutic decision making. To initiate and maintain a pharmaceutical agent or recommend a procedure, the physician, patient, and even the payers must be adequately persuaded that in the long term, the risk/benefit considerations favour the intervention. In cardiovascular medicine, strong and consistent information from both pioneering epidemiologic and clinical trial data have coalesced to generate convincing, indeed, compelling rationale for the use of pharmacologic agents in individuals with hypertension to lower arterial blood pressure in order to reduce their risk for subsequent major cardiovascular events.1–3 Similarly, there is consistent convincing data demonstrating the effectiveness of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) in lowering cardiovascular event rates in both secondary and in a large segment of the primary prevention populations.4 Pharmacologic agents in these categories have achieved privileged regulatory and clinical usage status to be administered to asymptomatic individuals for the purpose of reducing cardiovascular event rates. At this elite level, in addition to sufficient safety experience, a particular agent must also have excellent tolerability and often even …
Pay Equity in the States: An Analysis of the Gender–Pay Gap in the Public Sector

Has any gender-based pay adjustment made by the states in the past 25 years had an effect on women’s relative pay? The authors utilize a panel set of EEO-4 data on public sector employment by state...
Effects of insulin on Na and K transporters in the rat CCD

We tested the effects of insulin (2 nM, 30–60 min) on principal cells of isolated split-open rat cortical collecting ducts (CCD) using whole-cell current measurements. Insulin addition to the super...
Genome-wide search for genes affecting serum uric acid levels: the Framingham Heart Study

Serum uric acid levels are associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal disease. Uric acid has been shown to be heritable; however, genome-wide linkage analyses have not been reported. Genome-wide multipoint variance components linkage analyses with 401 markers spaced at approximately 10 centimorgan (cM) were conducted on 1258 subjects of the Framingham Heart Study, using the average of two serum uric acid measurements obtained in examinations 1 and 2 around 1971 and 1979. Covariates in fully adjusted model included sex, age, body mass index (BMI), serum creatinine, alcohol consumption, diabetes, diuretic treatment, and triglycerides. To investigate possible pleiotropic effects between uric acid and covariates that may have a genetic component, bivariate linkage analyses of uric acid with BMI, triglycerides, and glucose were conducted at the uric acid linkage regions. The heritability of uric acid was 0.63. The highest multipoint log-of-the-odds (LOD) score was 3.3 at 50 cM on chromosome 15 for age-sex-adjusted uric acid, but decreased to 1.5 after multivariable adjustment. Additional evidence of linkage was seen on chromosomes 2 (LOD score 1.1 at 4 cM) and 8 (LOD score 1.7 at 6 cM) for multivariable-adjusted uric acid. Pleiotropic effects were only found between uric acid and glucose and BMI at chromosomes 8 and 15 linkage locations, respectively. We have identified several novel loci linked to uric acid. We found possible pleiotropic effects between uric acid and BMI and glucose. Further research is necessary to identify the genes involved in uric acid metabolism and their roles in hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal disease.
Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of colon—an unusual presentation

Purpose: Signet ring cell carcinoma is a very rare neoplasm. A review of literature suggests that the incidence is about 1%.
Mouse ultimobranchial body not mixed with the thyroid: four cases.

Summary Four cases in which the ultimobranchial body (UB) failed to fuse with the median thyroid primordium were observed. In these cases calcitonin-containing cells were only found in the discrete UB which was found at the dorso-lateral edge of the cricoid cartilage and in two cases had a diverticulum directed toward the cricothyroid ligament.
Achievable radial information densities in magnetic recording systems

Achievable radial information density is examined by modeling the magnetic recording system as a communication channel and then computing its capacity as a function of track width. The model includes the effects of intertrack interference (ITI) but ignores intersymbol interference (ISI). Mechanical servo error is modeled as a Gaussian random variable that is independent of head or track width. The results show that for a fixed servo error variance, narrowing the track width can significantly increase the overall information storage density. The results also reveal that the optimal head width can be greater than or equal to the track width. >
Compact modeling of vertical ESD protection NPN transistors for RF circuits

We present an easy-to-use, simulator-independent compact model of a vertical npn transistor suitable for ESD circuit simulation. In addition to including high-current and breakdown effects, we also model accurately the small-signal off-state impedance of the device using s-parameter measurements, for inclusion in RF circuit simulations. Experimental results are provided for silicon and SiGe npn transistors.
Comments on "Orthogonal Subspace Projection (OSP) Revisited: A Comprehensive Study and Analysis

A recent paper discussed the orthogonal subspace projection (OSP) algorithm. That paper advocated the use of OSP for target detection and material abundance estimation for mixed pixels in hyperspectral images. However, it was proved in an older paper that an algorithm called the constrained signal detector (CSD) generally outperforms the OSP for the applications of target detection and abundance estimation. The purpose of this correspondence is to review the differences in detection and estimation performance between OSP and CSD
Nuclear magnetic resonance: Its role as a microscopic probe of the electronic and magnetic properties of High-Tc superconductors and related materials

NMR experiments are reported for Sr{sub 2}CuO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}, HgBa{sub 2}CuO{sub 4+d}, YNi{sub 2}B{sub 2}C and YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7}. NMR studies typify three different aspects of microscopic properties of HTSC. In non-superconducting antiferromagnetic (AF) prototype Sr{sub 2}CuO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}, we used NMR to investigate Cu{sup 2+} correlated spin dynamics and AF phase transition in CuO2 layers. In the superconductors, we used NMR both to investigate the electronic properties of the Fermi-liquid in normal and superconducting states and to investigate flux lattice and flux-line dynamics in the superconducting state in presence of magnetic field. A summary of each study is given: {sup 35}Cl NMR was measured in Sr{sub 2}CuO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2} single crystals with T{sub N}=257K. {sub 35}Cl NMR relaxation rates showed crossover of Cu{sup 2+} spin dynamics from Heisenberg to XY-like correlation at 290 K well above T{sub N}. A field-dependent T{sub N} for H{perpendicular}c was observed and explained by a field-induced Ising-like anisotropy in ab plane. {sup 199}Hg NMR was measured in HgBa{sub 2}CuO{sub 4+d}. Properties of the Fermi-liquid are characterized by a single-spin fluid picture and opening of a spin pseudo-gap at q=0 above {Tc}. Below {Tc}, spin component of Knight shift decreases rapidly in agreement with prediction for d-wave pairing scheme. {sup 11}B and {sup 89}Y NMR/magnetization were measured in YNi{sub 2}B{sub 2}C. Temperature dependence of {sup 11}B Knight shift and of the NSLR gave a normal state which agrees with the Korringa relation, indicating that the AF fluctuations on the Ni sublattice are negligible. Opening of the superconducting gap obeys BCS. A NMR approach to investigate vortex thermal motion in HTSC is presented, based on contribution of thermal flux-lines motion to both T{sub 2}{sup {minus}1} and T{sub 1}{sup {minus}1}. Effects are demonstrated in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} and HgBa{sub 2}CuO{sub 4+d}.
Locally adjustable interpolation for meshes of arbitrary topology

A new method for constructing a smooth surface that interpolates the vertices of an arbitrary mesh is presented. The mesh can be open or closed. Normals specified at vertices of the mesh can also be interpolated. The interpolating surface is obtained by locally adjusting the limit surface of the given mesh (viewed as the control mesh of a Catmull-Clark subdivision surface) so that the modified surface would interpolate all the vertices of the given mesh. The local adjustment process is achieved through locally blending the limit surface with a surface defined by non-uniform transformations of the limit surface. This local blending process can also be used to smooth out the shape of the interpolating surface. Hence, a surface fairing process is not needed in the new method. Because the interpolation process does not require solving a system of linear equations, the method can handle meshes with large number of vertices. Test results show that the new method leads to good interpolation results even for complicated data sets. The new method is demonstrated with the Catmull-Clark subdivision scheme. But with some minor modification, one should be albe to apply this method to other parametrizable subdivision schemes as well.
Damage Development in a Short Fiber Reinforced Composite

The important issue of finding a relationship between a macroscopic damage variable and the process of damage accumulation within a material is addressed in this article. Monotonic and cyclic deformation behavior has been studied in a randomly distributed glass reinforced polyester matrix composite. The composite material is called sheet molding compound, abbreviated as SMC, with a short glass fiber weight of 30%. The damage evolution in this planar isotropic material is studied by continuously monitor ing axial, lateral, and specimen thickness strain components on the specimen. Based on these measurements, the damage volumetric strain was calculated that increased continu ously with cycles in load-controlled experiments. However, in the strain-controlled experi ments, where tensile stresses decayed rapidly with cycles, the corresponding damage volumetric strain reached a saturation level. Microscopic observations revealed that cracks grew along the matrix/fiber interfaces as well as the matrix/filler int...
New problems in home oxygen therapy

Cet article porte sur les problemes financiers relatifs a l'oxygenotherapie a domicile et en particulier sur le remboursement des frais occassionnes au malade par ce traitement
Effects of morphine, nalorphine and naloxone on neocortical release of acetylcholine in the rat.

The effects of morphine (10 mg/kg), nalorphine (1 and 10 mg/kg), and naloxone (1 mg/kg) were studied on the neocortical release of acetylcholine (ACh) in midpontine pretrigeminal transected rats. Morphine and, to a lesser extent, nalorphine decreased ACh release. Naloxone was ineffective alone but antagonized the action of morphine.
Pathologic quiz case: a 26-year-old man with intermittent lower leg pain.

bone space with periosteal reaction (Figure 2, arrow), and a bone scan revealed an area of increased uptake at the distal one third of the shaft of the fibula. An incisional biopsy was performed, and the tissue was processed for routine histology. A hematoxylin-eosin‐stained section of tissue is shown in Figure 3. A number of special stains were used. The lesion in the biopsy was positive for the periodic acid‐Schiff reaction. Immunohistochemical stains were strongly positive for vimentin and MIC-2. Chromogranin staining was focally positive. However, the neoplastic cells were negative for the following immunoreactions: cytokeratin, leukocyte common antigen, neuron-specific enolase, S100, and synaptophysin. Electron microscopic examination revealed pleomorphic cells with cytoplasmic inclusions (Figure 4, arrows). What is your diagnosis?
COUNTER CYCLICAL TRANSFER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE – A Framework for Fiscal Policy Coordination and Economic Stability

This article examines the theory behind the design of fiscal transfers; it identifies acyclicality of transfers as a drawback and proposes counter cyclical design as an optimal fiscal framework to mitigate cyclical economic fluctuations. It further advocates counter-cyclical transfers for infrastructure investment, service maintenance, and business tax relief as incentives for states to save in boom years then build from recession into recovery. The framework is set to operate on time consistent policy rules, as automatic stabilizers with triggers from key economic indicators. It advocates dynamic equity to compensate boom-year donor states during recession for more effective macroeconomic stabilization. This article focuses on fiscal policy, does not discuss the political dynamics or details in implementation.
Global Migrations and Imagined Citizenship: Examples from Slavery and Chinese Exclusion and When Questioning Birthright Citizenship

This essay provides a brief introduction into an analysis of citizenship and migration by using a transnational and cultural studies lens. It argues that migration is a global phenomena and responding to this domestic law must imagine the contours of citizenship. This is done in a historical context examining the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1807, Dred Scott in 1857 and Wong Kim Ark in 1898, respectively 200, 150 and 111 years ago. This analysis is also applied to current migration between the U.S. and Mexico, examining Mexico's dual-nationality legal regime and public calls to revisit birthright citizenship in the U.S. This essay makes two general arguments. First it argues that these examples of migration show how domestic law (re)determines citizenship standards after sustained exposure to the global movement of persons. It presents migration as a transnational and global process, versus something unilaterally felt or caused. Second, this essay contends that these legal determinations regarding citizenship reflect cultural processes of imagined communities, borrowing the concept from Benedict Anderson.
A Single Case Study of the Impact of Policy Changes on Identification for Gifted Programs

The annals of gifted education research contain few educational policy studies and even fewer studies on the impacts of changes in policy. To partially fill this gap, the authors performed an ABA s...
The Peril of Ignoring Middle School Student Speech Rights

AbstractAnalysis of two recent federal court cases in which principals violated student speech rights offers guidance to middle school administrators as they attempt to address student expression. Characteristics of a successful school from the Association for Middle Level Education provide a framework for analyzing these cases in order to prevent potential violations of First Amendment speech rights of students.
CONFRONTING THE UBIQUITY OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA: ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

Most U.S. children and adults use computers and the Internet on a daily basis. The pervasiveness of electronic communication in a variety of contexts, including home and school, raises ethical and legal concerns for school psychologists and those in related fields of practice, because of the risks to privacy and confidentiality, boundaries, competence, and students’ well-being. We detail the legal and ethical dilemmas school psychologists may face in electronic data storage and transmission, use of social networking, and efforts to address cyber bullying. We review relevant legal and ethical guidelines and provide recommendations for training and practice.
Undetected Conflict-of-Laws Problems in Cross-Border Online Copyright Infringement Cases

This article provides and analyzes data on copyright infringement cases filed in U.S. federal district courts in 2013; it focuses on infringement cases involving activity on the internet and discusses actual and potential conflict-of-laws issues that the cases raised or could have raised. The article complements the report entitled "Private International Law Issues in Online Intellectual Property Infringement Disputes with Cross-Border Elements: An Analysis of National Approaches" (the "Report"), which was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization in September 2015. In the Report its author, Professor Andrew F. Christie, discusses his empirical findings about the intersection of intellectual property ("IP") law and conflict of laws and concludes that training activities, further research, and development of soft law would be the optimal means to address conflict-of-laws issues associated with cross-border IP infringements. This article arrives at a different conclusion: while training activities, further research, and the development of soft law may raise awareness of the issues, they will not solve the core problems that IP rights holders face when they strive to protect their rights against infringements on the internet. Development and coordination of conflict-of-laws rules, improvements in judicial cooperation, and streamlining of judicial proceedings in cross-border cases will be indispensable for addressing the issues effectively.
Blow-Spun Nanofibers Embedded with Clay Nanotubes for Biomedical Applications

Nanofiber scaffolds have been studied extensively for a variety of biomedical applications. Traditional nanofiber production methods have relied heavily on electrically conductive targets, as seen with electrospinning. The solution blow-spin technique is a new, more rapid and versatile nanofiber production method that allows for fibers to be sprayed onto any surface geometry. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are naturally formed alumina silicate clay tubes, which offer tremendous potential as a multifunctional and cytocompatible nanomaterial. This study showed cellular interactions and responses to blow-spun nanofibers loaded with halloysite nanotubes. Additionally, the study showed antibacterial effects of antibiotic loaded versions. Control poly (lactic-co-glycolide) (PLG) fibers and PLG fibers loaded with HNTs were monitored through scanning and transmission electron microscopy. NucBlue®, Picrosirius Red, Von Kossa, and Alcian Blue assays were used to monitor cell attachment, penetration, and growth on the scaffolds during the course of one week. Drug-loaded versions were tested against Escherichia coli in nutrient broth and agar disc diffusion assays. In the first-ever recorded account, electron micrographs showed that solution blow spinning could encapsulate HNTs within nanofibers networks. Histological assays showed that cellular adhesion and growth was maintained on all nanofiber scaffolds, and drug-loaded versions displayed antibacterial effects. It is suggested that solution blow-spun HNT-nanofibers may have significant potential uses in three-dimensional tissue engineering, medical device nanostructured coatings, wound dressings, and modular drug delivery systems.
Realizable implementation of quantum teleportation based on cavity QED

Recently, Bennett et al.1 have proposed a scheme for "teleporting" a quantum state by splitting it up into a purely classical channel and a purely quantum channel. In this paper we propose a specific implementation of this teleportation scheme that is based on cavity quantum electrodynamics. The proposed experimental arrangement (Fig. 1) is similar to that described by Brune et al.2 and may therefore be realizable in practice.
Experimental Mechanics Applied to the Accelerated Characterization of Polymer Based Composite Materials

Composite materials have been used as structural materials almost since the beginning of recorded civilization. Examples from the mud bricks with straw used by the early Inca and Egyptian societies to the concrete and plywood used by modern societies are well known to all. However, the purpose here is to discuss a new breed of resin matrix composite materials. The two types which will be considered herein are continuous fiber graphite/epoxy (G/E) resin laminated composites, often referred to as advanced composite materials, and a chopped fiberglass/polyester resin composite, often referred to as sheet molding compound (SMC).
Treatment of Hepatitis C in Patients Undergoing Immunosuppressive Drug Therapy.

With 185 million people chronically infected globally, hepatitis C is a leading bloodborne infection. All-oral regimens of direct acting agents have superior efficacy compared to the historical interferon-based regimens and are significantly more tolerable. However, trials of both types of regimens have often excluded patients on immunosuppressive medications for reasons other than organ transplantation. Yet, these patients—most often suffering from malignancy or autoimmune diseases—could stand to benefit from these treatments. In this study, we systematically review the literature on the treatment of hepatitis C in these neglected populations. Research on patients with organ transplants is more robust and this literature is reviewed here non-systematically. Our systematic review produced 2273 unique works, of which 56 met our inclusion criteria and were used in our review. The quality of data was low; only 3 of the 56 studies were randomized controlled trials. Sustained virologic response was reported sporadically. Interferon-containing regimens achieved this end-point at rates comparable to that in immunocompetent individuals. Severe adverse effects and death were rare. Data on all-oral regimens were sparse, but in the most robust study, rates of sustained virologic response were again comparable to immunocompetent individuals (40/41). Efficacy and safety of interferon-containing regimens and all-oral regimens were similar to rates in immunocompetent individuals; however, there were few interventional trials. The large number of case reports and case series makes conclusions vulnerable to publication bias. While firm conclusions are challenging, given the dearth of high-quality studies, our results demonstrate that antiviral therapy can be safe and effective. The advent of all-oral regimens offers patients and clinicians greatly increased chances of cure and fewer side effects. Preliminary data reveal that these regimens may confer such benefits in immunosuppressed individuals as well. More prospective interventional trials would greatly benefit the many patients with chronic hepatitis C on immunosuppressive therapies.
Are All Types of Natural Environments Created Equal? A Comparison of Different Elements in Nature for Improving Restoration in Work Environments:

Prior research suggested images that feature aquatic elements were perceived to be more restorative. Specifically, images with a larger proportion of aquatic elements compared to greenery elements were more restorative than images that contained just greenery elements. This idea has been referred to as the “dose effect” of water. However, related work was not able to extend these results, leading to questions about the validity of the effect. The current study was conducted to determine whether we could replicate the “dose effect” using the same images as previous researchers and whether we could generalize the “dose effect” to a unique set of images. Our results indicated that we were unable to replicate the “dose effect” using the same images utilized in prior research, and we were also unable to generalize it to a unique set of images.
The antihistamine diphenhydramine is demethylated by anaerobic wastewater microorganisms.

Abstract While emerging pharmaceutical contaminants are monitored in wastewater treatment and the environment, there is little information concerning their microbial metabolites. The transformation of diphenhydramine by microorganisms in anaerobic digester sludge was investigated using anaerobic cultures amended with 1 mM diphenhydramine as the sole carbon source. Complete transformation of the parent compound to a persistent metabolite occurred within 191 days. Using GC/MS analysis, the metabolite was identified as N-desmethyl diphenhydramine. Loss of the parent compound diphenhydramine followed a first order rate constant of 0.013 day−1. There was no observed decrease in metabolite concentration even after a further 12 months of incubation, suggesting that the metabolite resists further degradation during wastewater treatment. Bacterial community diversity in the diphenhydramine transforming assay cultures showed enrichment in Comamonadaceae, Symbiobacteriaceae, Anaerolineaceae, and Prevotellaceae relative to unamended background controls. An anaerobic toxicity assay demonstrated that diphenhydramine has an inhibitory effect on both fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea in the wastewater community. In contrast, the metabolite N-desmethyl diphenhydramine partially suppressed methanogens but did not impact the fermenting community. To our knowledge, this is the first report of diphenhydramine metabolism by a bacterial community. The limited transformation of diphenhydramine by wastewater microorganisms indicates that N-desmethyl diphenhydramine will enter the environment along with unmetabolized diphenhydramine.
Graphene-based Al-Bi 2 O 3 nanoenergetic films by electrophoretic deposition

The combustion performance of aluminum-bismuth trioxide (Al/Bi 2 O 3 ) nanoenergetic films with and without graphene additive prepared through electrophoretic deposition was evaluated. The role of graphene in minimizing phase separation and promoting self-assembly of Al and Bi 2 O 3 nanoparticles was investigated. The neat Al/Bi 2 O 3 films exhibited an average combustion wave speed of 206.0±30.0 m/s and energy release of 733±30 J/g. Incorporation of graphene improved average combustion wave speed to 244±8 m/s, raised energy release to 1071±23 J/g, and reduced the onset ignition temperature by 11±3°C in comparison to that of neat samples. The obtained results confirm that graphene is an appealing additive for nanoenergetic films produced by EPD.
Rhinitis of the Elderly

As the aging population in the USA grows, it will be increasingly important for healthcare providers to effectively diagnose and manage rhinitis. Nasal symptoms such as rhinorrhea, congestion, sneezing, nasal/ocular pruritus, and postnasal drainage affect up to one-third of older adults, and significantly impact their quality of life. Several underlying factors associated with aging (such as structural changes and immunosenescence) may contribute to the pathogenesis of rhinitis in older adults. Although treatment options for rhinitis exist, there are unique features that must be considered when caring for older adults with rhinitis. These include an increased prevalence of atrophic rhinitis, the use of complementary and alternative medications (high among older adults), comorbidities, limited income, memory loss, and increased side effects of medications (many of which can cause rhinitis symptoms).
Study on design and cutting parameters of rotating needles for core biopsy.

Abstract Core needle biopsies are widely adopted medical procedures that consist in the removal of biological tissue to better identify a lesion or an abnormality observed through a physical exam or a radiology scan. These procedures can provide significantly more information than most medical tests and they are usually performed on bone lesions, breast masses, lymph nodes and the prostate. The quality of the samples mainly depends on the forces exerted by the needle during the cutting process. The reduction of these forces is critical to extract high-quality tissue samples. The most critical factors that affect the cutting forces are the geometry of the needle tip and its motion while it is penetrating the tissue. However, optimal needle tip configurations and cutting parameters are not well established for rotating insertions. In this paper, the geometry and cutting forces of hollow needles are investigated. The fundamental goal of this study is to provide a series of guidelines for clinicians and surgeons to properly select the optimal tip geometries and speeds. Analytical models related to the cutting angles of several needle tip designs are presented and compared. Several needle tip geometries were manufactured from a 14-gauge cannula, commonly adopted during breast biopsies. The needles were then tested at different speeds and on different phantom tissues. According to these experimental measurements recommendations were formulated for rotating needle insertions. The findings of this study can be applied and extended to several biopsy procedures in which a cannula is used to extract tissue samples.
IT and Markets

The Internet is the enabler of transactions between companies and individuals. Related research is generally focused on two broad research questions: (1) how does IT influence the markets (the macro level), and (2) how can trade be best conducted in the IT-enabled environment (the micro level). At the macro level, research includes such topics as on-line auctions and economics of IT and e-commerce. Much of this research is also related to the organizational use and consequences of IT. At the micro level, research examines marketing and customer relationship management issues in the context of e-commerce. The related topics include online consumer behavior, issues in e-commerce and customer service. These topics cover marketing issues, as well as issues related to the individual use of IT.
First-Order Shear Analysis of Sandwich Beams

In this chapter the first-order, two-dimensional shear deformation theory analysis presented in Chapter 3 is specialized to beams. First a general analysis of sandwich beams is developed which is subsequently applied to a threepoint flexure loaded sandwich beam. Simplified beam analysis is developed by reducing the 3 × 3 plate stiffness matrices [A], [B], [C] and [D] to single stiffnesses A, B, C and D, and explicit expressions valid for symmetric beams with thin face sheets are derived. In the final section, three-point flexure testing of sandwich beams and analysis to determine the bending and shear stiffnesses from measured compliance data are outlined.
Resistance of bacteriophage PBS2 infection to rifampicin, an inhibitor of Bacillus subtilis RNA synthesis.

Abstract The induction of viral enzymes, the synthesis of DNA, and the production of progeny phage during infection of Bacillus subtilis by bacteriophage PBS2 are all unaffected by the presence of rifampicin. Rifampicin, rifamycin SV, streptovaricin, and streptolydigin (all of which inhibit B . subtilis RNA synthesis by binding to DNA-dependent RNA polymerase) have no effect on PBS2 infection. However, actinomycin D and Lucanthone (which inhibit DNA-dependent RNA synthesis by binding to DNA) both prevent PBS2 replication. Therefore, PBS2 phage may utilize a rifampicin-resistant RNA polymerase to transcribe its uracil-containing DNA during phage infection.
Common complications of body piercing.

Patient 1. A 25-year-old male college student is seen in the office with a 1 month history of a small bump on the left nasal ala just lateral to a piercing site. He had his nose pierced 2 months previously (figure 1). Blood and yellow fluid have been draining from the bump intermittently. The patient would like to have it removed. Figure 1 Small bump near a piercing site on the left nasal ala What are the diagnosis and treatment of this bump? Patient 2. A 20-year-old female college student presents to her physician because for 3 weeks she has had increasing redness of the left earlobe after reintroducing an earring that she had left out for 1 month. The earlobe has become red, tender, and swollen over the past week, and vesicles and a yellow crusty discharge have developed (figure 2). The patient has tender bumps at the angle of the jaw. Figure 2 Vesicles on the red, tender, and swollen left earlobe What are the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions? Patient 3. A 23-year-old college student visits her physician because for 5 days she has had increasing redness and tenderness of the mid to upper ear helix. She has had multiple piercings along the lateral helix. She is wearing one of her favorite earrings, which looks like a wrench. What are the diagnosis and treatment of this area (figure 3)? Figure 3 Upper ear helix is red and tender Patient 4. This patient, a 22-year-old woman, is seen in the office with a growth on her left ear that started 2 years ago from a previous ear piercing at that site. What are the diagnosis and treatment of this growth (figure 4)? Figure 4 Growth on the left ear that started 2 years ago
Gray Matter Volume Covariance Networks, Social Support, and Cognition in Older Adults.

Objective We examined the neural substrates of social support in older adults. Social support is associated with better outcomes in many facets of aging-including cognitive and functional health-but the underlying neural substrates remain largely unexplored. Methods Voxel-based morphometry and multivariate statistics were used to identify gray matter volume covariance networks associated with social support in 112 older adults without dementia (M age = 74.6 years, 50% female), using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Results A gray matter network associated with overall social support was identified and included prefrontal, hippocampal, amygdala, cingulate, and thalamic regions. A gray matter network specifically associated with tangible social support (e.g., someone to help you if you were confined to bed) was also identified, included prefrontal, hippocampal, cingulate, insular, and thalamic regions, and correlated with memory and executive function. Discussion Gray matter networks associated with overall and tangible social support in this study were composed of regions previously associated with memory, executive function, aging, and dementia. Longitudinal research of the interrelationships between social support, brain structure, and cognition is needed, but strengthening social support may represent a new path toward improving cognition in aging that should be explored.
Metabolic Regulation of Developmental Cell Cycles and Zygotic Transcription.

Summary The thirteen nuclear cleavages that give rise to the Drosophila blastoderm are some of the fastest known cell cycles [ 1 ]. Surprisingly, the fertilized egg is provided with at most one-third of the dNTPs needed to complete the thirteen rounds of DNA replication [ 2 ]. The rest must be synthesized by the embryo, concurrent with cleavage divisions. What is the reason for the limited supply of DNA building blocks? We propose that frugal control of dNTP synthesis contributes to the well-characterized deceleration of the cleavage cycles and is needed for robust accumulation of zygotic gene products. In support of this model, we demonstrate that when the levels of dNTPs are abnormally high, nuclear cleavages fail to sufficiently decelerate, the levels of zygotic transcription are dramatically reduced, and the embryo catastrophically fails early in gastrulation. Our work reveals a direct connection between metabolism, the cell cycle, and zygotic transcription.
Optimal Control Algorithms for Earthquake-Excited Building Structures

Considerable research efforts have been made recently to investigate the feasibility of the application of active control systems to building structures [e.g., 1–20]. The results of these studies indicate that some active control systems are promising for building structures under hostile environments, such as strong wind gusts, earthquakes, etc. The theoretical study, however, should be demonstrated experimentally. Recently, laboratory experiments for building structures subjected to seismic excitations have been undertaken at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In this connection, one important task, among many others, is the investigation of various optimal control algorithms for practical applications to building structures under earthquake excitations. It is the objective of this paper (i) to critically review various classical optimal control algorithms in relation to their effectiveness, practical implementation and the required on-line computations, and (ii) to propose an instantaneous optimal open-loop control algorithm. Because the base motions of the seismic-excited building can be measured, the implementation of such an open-loop algorithm is practical. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of various optimal control algorithms.
The new basics: Pushing ‘refresh’ on the comparative method

Many good books about anthropology are written today in survival-revival mode. A mix of theoretical self-awareness, how-to advice, creedal innovation, and canon-building, this genre is committed to...
Bistable laminates with non-cylindrical curved shapes

Abstract Thermally-cured fiber-reinforced polymeric laminates can exhibit bistable cylindrical shapes when their plies are configured orthogonally. Such “cross-ply” laminates have been studied extensively through modeling and experiments. However, bistable laminates with non-cylindrical shapes, especially through non-orthogonal ply orientations, have received little attention due to inherent design limitations. This paper presents an approach for developing non-cylindrical curved shapes based on bistability in mechanically-prestressed laminates; prestress is applied by laminating prestrained fiber-reinforced elastomeric laminae on either face of an initially stress-free isotropic layer. An analytical laminated-plate model is developed based on strain energy minimization and stable shapes are calculated for various orientations of the prestrained laminae. The modeled shapes are in agreement with the measured shapes of physical rectangular laminates within 11%. The minimum polynomial order for the calculation of non-cylindrical shapes is fourth; a simplified constitutive model for prestrained-elastomers is developed to reduce computation time. The domain of bistability is investigated taking into account the combined effect of prestrain orientation and the ratio of prestrains, laminate size, and aspect ratio. Modeling of snap-through actuation requirements shows that actuation effort is maximum when one of the prestressed laminae is on a diagonal and the angle between prestrains is 45°.
Introduction: Anxious Interests

In this introduction, I outline the historical and theoretical reasons why gender played such a central role in medieval notions of economy and value, and what is lost in our understanding of these realms if that role is occluded. Gender ideology provided late medieval writers and thinkers with a ready vocabulary for articulating their fears and fantasies about money and shifting notions about value. Gender’s role in the conceptualization of economy was obscured during the Enlightenment with the invention of political economy, an event that segregated issues of economics from other realms, such as gender. The result is that noneconomic realms seem disinterested, although they are not. Studying the gender of economy through the lens of medieval literature not only helps us to better understand late medieval culture, it also helps us to understand the shadowy prehistory of economy and recognize the ways in which gender ideology continues to inform current views of money and value today.
Harmful Effects of Antioxidant Therapy

Oxidative stress has an integral role in the pathophysiology of most human diseases. With a rapidly aging population, increased attention and study have been directed toward the use of antioxidant therapy. The appeal is that these agents are considered “natural” substances and are associated with a healthy diet. The hypothesis has been that decreasing oxidative stress may prevent disease processes such as cancer or coronary heart disease. Since much of the general population are relatively healthy patients, it is critically important that these supplements are free of toxicity and side effects. While initial studies of antioxidant supplementation suggested a beneficial role in disease prevention, more recent clinical trials and a meta-analysis have questioned the benefit of these therapies. Several studies have suggested that excess supplementation may in fact be harmful. Recent attention has also focused on the use of antioxidants for the treatment of male infertility. The focus of this chapter is the potentially harmful effects of antioxidant therapy.
Should China Join the New Trans-Pacific Partnership?

After President Donald Trump's ill‐advised pullout from the Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) and despite the absence of the US, the remaining 11 Asian and Pacific countries agreed on a deal, renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‐Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The accord took effect on 30 December 2018 and provides rigorous, up‐to‐date rules for Asia‐Pacific trade, but excludes the region's two biggest economies: the US and China. In this paper, we calculate that Chinese membership in the CPTPP would yield large economic and political benefits to China and other members. The CPTPP, in its current form, would generate global income gains estimated at US$147bn annually. If China were to join, these gains would quadruple to US$632bn, or a quarter more than in the original TPP with the US. But to join the CPTPP, China would have to undertake unprecedented reforms and manage complex political challenges.
Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and anharmonic vibrational study of the HO4+ molecular ion.

Molecular cations of HO4+ and DO4+ are produced in a supersonic expansion. They are mass-selected, and infrared photodissociation spectra of these species are measured with the aid of argon-tagging. Although previous theoretical studies have modeled these systems as proton-bound dimers of molecular oxygen, infrared spectra have free OH stretching bands, suggesting other isomeric structures. As a consequence, we undertook extensive computational studies. Our conformer search used a composite method based on an economical combination of single- and multi-reference theories. Several conformers were located on the quintet, triplet, and singlet surfaces, spanning in energy of only a few thousand wavenumbers. Most of the singlet and triplet conformers have pronounced multiconfigurational character. Previously unidentified covalent-like structures (H—O—O—O—O) on the singlet and triplet surfaces likely represent the global minima. In our experiments, HO4+ is formed in a relatively hot environment, and similar experiments have been shown capable of producing multiple conformers in low-lying electronic states. None of the predicted HO4+ isomers can be ruled out a priori based on energetic arguments. We interpret our argon-tagged spectra with Second-Order Vibrational Perturbation Theory with Resonances (VPT2+K). The presence of one or more covalent-like isomers is the only reasonable explanation for the spectral features observed.
‘No one hopes to leave here alive’: a review of Stalingrad: letters from the Volga

World War II’s Battle of Stalingrad stands as one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. From 23 August 1942, until 2 February 1943, German troops and their allies fought the Soviet Un...
Human-Computability Boundaries (Transcript of Discussion).

The origin of many protocol vulnerabilities is the human. Humans fail predictably, and they fail often. This paper is mostly dealing with how do we acknowledge these failures. Moreover, how do we start designing protocols in such ways that humans are less likely to fail and cause these vulnerabilities down the road?
Centrifugal buoyancy in a rotating fluid layer next to and distant from the rotation axis

An analytical investigation of the stability and onset of natural convection in a rotating fluid layer subject to a centrifugal body force and placed an arbitrary offset distance from the axis of rotation is presented. Linear stability as well as weak nonlinear analyses is performed to demonstrate the effect of centrifugal buoyancy. In the limit of an infinite distance from the center of rotation, the results are identical to the natural convection resulting from heating a fluid layer from below subject to the gravitational body force. The results provide the stability map for all non-negative values of the parameter controlling the offset distance from the axis of rotation. A clear break of symmetry results from the centrifugal buoyancy if the offset distance from the axis of rotation is not too large. The weak nonlinear solutions produce amplitudes for the convection velocity and temperature via the solution of a Landau amplitude equation. The latter are being used in evaluating the Nusselt number representing the average heat transfer coefficient in dimensionless form. No oscillatory convection is possible when the Coriolis effect is small and negligible.