cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social policy in Kazakstan during the economic transition

The economic, social and demographic consequences of the transition from central planning to a more market‐oriented system in Kazakstan have been severe. The causes of the calamity are analyzed in this paper and the effects on human development of a poorly formulated transition strategy are documented. A revised strategy is then suggested which focuses on: macroeconomic stabilization; policies to increase the rate of investment; the creation of an appropriate incentive structure; the promotion of small and medium enterprises; a guaranteed jobs scheme on a public investment programme; and the provision of social protection services to cope with residual poverty.
Immune Response of Chicks Fed Various Levels of Zinc

Abstract Five experiments were conducted to determine the effects of zinc intake on the immune response of chicks. Ancona chicks (Experiment 1), New Hampshire (Experiment 2), New Hampshire × Leghorn (Experiment 3), and broiler chicks (Experiments 4 and 5) were fed semipurified (Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 4) or corn and soybean meal diets (Experiment 5) containing from 8 to 88 μg zinc/g of diet An extra group of chicks in Experiments 1, 2, and 4 were fed a diet adequate in zinc but at an intake similar to that of chicks fed the lowest zinc level in each respective experiment. Low zinc intake (less that 28 μg zinc/g of diet) suppressed body weight at all times measured. The effect of zinc intake on the size of lymphoid tissues was variable, but at 5 wk of age, chicks fed 8 μg zinc/g of diet had smaller bursae of Fabricius and thymi than those fed additional zinc. Zinc intake had no influence on the primary and secondary immune response to SRBC or delayed hypersensitivity to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA) or human gamma globulin in Ancona and broiler chicks. However, zinc intake did have a small effect in chicks from the New Hampshire parents. In Experiments 1, 2, and 4 (at least at certain times), antibody titers were reduced in pair-fed chicks. Thus, although zinc supplementation at the levels of practical diets did not affect immune function, feed restriction did.
Single-dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator modelling and validation

Single-dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators have gained a great deal of world-wide interest for flow-control applications. With this has come the need for flow-interaction models of plasma actuators that can be used in computational flow simulations. SDBD plasma actuators consist of two electrodes: one uncovered and exposed to the air and the other encapsulated by a dielectric material. An AC electric potential is supplied to the electrodes. When the AC potential is large enough, the air in the region over the encapsulated electrode ionizes. The ionized air in the presence of the electric field results in a space–time dependent body force vector field. The body force is the mechanism for flow control. This study describes a semi-empirical model that has been developed to capture the dynamic nature of the local air ionization and time-dependent body force vector distribution. Validation of the model includes comparisons to experimentally measured space–time charge distribution and the time-resolved and time-averaged body force. Two flow simulations are then used to further validate the SDBD plasma actuator model. These involved an impulsively started plasma actuator in still air, and the flow around a circular cylinder in which plasma actuators were used to suppress the Karman vortex street. In both cases, the simulations agreed well with the experiments.
Calling emergency medical services for acute stroke: a study of 9-1-1 tapes.

Objective. To obtain a better understanding of how stroke events are communicated to 9-1-1 telecommunicators, andhow telecommunicators andemergency medical services (EMS) personnel respond to such calls. Methods. The authors identified 104 patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack who were transported to hospital by ambulance in two North Carolina counties during 1999 and2000. Ambulance call reports were abstracted andlinked to 9-1-1 call center audiotapes, which were transcribed andverified. Results. Of the 104 calls, 44 were made by medical personnel, 38 by a family member, eight by a bystander or neighbor, five undetermined, andthree by other nonmedical personnel. In only six instances (6%) was the call placed by the patient. The most common symptoms reported were altered mental status (40%), trouble walking (32%), impaired speech (27%), andabnormal breathing (27%). Although the word “stroke” was often used (45%), 9-1-1 telecommunicators classified the calls as...
Long-term trajectory of two unique cardiac biomarkers and subsequent left ventricular structural pathology and risk of incident heart failure in community-dwelling older adults at low baseline risk.

Objectives This study sought to determine whether the combined trajectories of cardiac biomarkers identify those older adults with initial low levels who have an increased risk for structural heart disease, incident heart failure (HF), and cardiovascular (CV) death. Background Initial low levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) identify older adults at lower risk for CV events. Methods We performed an observational study among older adults without prevalent HF in the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study). NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT were measured at baseline and after 2 to 3 years. In those with low baseline levels, a significant increase was defined as cardiac troponin T (cTnT) >50% and NT-proBNP >25% increase to >190 pg/ml. Left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular mass were measured by echocardiography at baseline and 5 years. Cox regression was used to estimate the association of change in biomarkers with HF and CV mortality. Results Among 2,008 participants with initially low biomarker concentrations, significant increases occurred in 14.8% for cTnT only, 13.2% for NT-proBNP only, and 6.1% for both. After 10 years, cumulative HF incidence was 50.4% versus 12.2% among those with both biomarkers versus neither biomarker increased. The adjusted relative risk comparing those with increases in both biomarkers versus neither biomarker was 3.56 for incident HF (95% confidence interval: 2.56 to 4.97) and 2.98 for CV mortality (95% confidence interval: 2.98 to 4.26). Among 1,340 participants with serial echocardiography, the frequency of new abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction was 11.8% versus 4% for those with increases in both biomarkers versus neither biomarker (p = 0.007). Conclusions Among older adults without HF with initially low cTnT and NT-proBNP, the long-term trajectory of both biomarkers predicts systolic dysfunction, incident HF, and CV death.
Everyday discrimination and physical health: Exploring mental health processes:

Goals of this study were to examine the mental health processes whereby everyday discrimination is associated with physical health outcomes. Data are drawn from a community health survey conducted with 1299 US adults in a low-resource urban area. Frequency of everyday discrimination was associated with overall self-rated health, use of the emergency department, and one or more chronic diseases via stress and depressive symptoms operating in serial mediation. Associations were consistent across members of different racial/ethnic groups and were observed even after controlling for indicators of stressors associated with structural discrimination, including perceived neighborhood unsafety, food insecurity, and financial stress.
Syntheses of 2′-O-Methylisocytidine Phosphoramidite and Methylphosphonamidite Synthons

Abstract The 2′-O-methylisocytidine phosphoramidite synthon 7 and methylphosphonamidite synthon 8 are synthesized from 2′-O-methyluridine. The N2 -(N′, N′-dimethylformamidine) protected 2′-O-methylisocytidine is stable to basic deamination and acidic depyrimidination. Synthon 7 and synthon 8 have been incorporated into oligomers via the automated solid state procedure. This paper is dedicated to the 75th birthday of Dr. Yoshihisa Mizuno.
Dispersion Relations for Virtual Pion-Nucleon Scattering

In connection with a proposed calculation of single pion production in nucleon-nucleon collisions, the process of pion-nucleon scattering in which the incoming pion is virtual is investigated by means of the dispersion theoretic method developed by Chew, Goldberger, Low and Nambu. The static limit is studied in detail and the Chew-Low amplitude for virtual scattering is shown to result for small virtual pion masses. More generally, it is proposed that the Blankenbecler-Gantenhaus solution, which is recorded, may provide a useful approach in applications in which large virtual pion masses play an essential role. (auth)
Removal of the floxed neo gene from a conditional knockout allele by the adenoviral Cre recombinase in vivo.

Conditional and tissue specific gene targeting using the Cre-loxP recombination system in combination with established ES cell techniques has become a standard for in vivo loss of function studies. In a typical flox and delete gene targeting strategy, the loxP-neo-loxP cassette is inserted into an intron and an additional loxP site is located in one of the homology arms so that loxP sites surround a functionally essential part of the gene. The neo cassette in usually removed by transient expression of the Cre recombinase in ES cells to avoid selection gene interference and genetic ambiquity. However, this causes a significant increase in manipulation of ES cells and often compromises ES cell pluripotency. Here we describe a method in which the floxed neo gene is removed from a knockout allele by infecting 16-cell-stage morulae by the recombinant Cre adenovirus. This virus provides only transient Cre expression and does not integrate into the mouse genome. Produced mosaic mice transmitted the desired allele without the neo cassette with high frequency to their offspring. This method is rapid and easy and does not require any special equipment. Moreover, because superovulated mice can be used as donors, this method does not necessitate a large number of mice.
Bridge Deck Aeroelastic Admittance Revisited

The subject matter of the present paper falls within the context of the analysis of the response to wind of long-span bridges. Although the paper stands alone, it should properly be seen as focusin...
Evidence for Mixed Membrane Topology of the Newcastle Disease Virus Fusion Protein

The synthesis of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion (F) protein in a cell-free protein-synthesizing system containing membranes was characterized. The membrane-associated products were in at least two different topological forms with respect to the membranes. The properties of one form were consistent with the expected membrane insertion as a classical type 1 glycoprotein. This form of the protein was fully glycosylated, and sequences amino terminal to the transmembrane domain were protected from protease digestion by the membranes. The second form of membrane-associated F protein was partially glycosylated and partially protected from protease digestion by the membranes. Protease digestion resulted in a 23-kDa protease-protected polypeptide derived from F2 sequences and sequences from the amino-terminal end of the F1 domain. Furthermore, a 10-kDa polypeptide derived from the cytoplasmic domain (CT) was also protected from protease digestion by the membranes. Protease resistance of the 23- and 10-kDa polypeptides suggested that this second form of F protein inserted in membranes in a polytopic conformation with both the amino-terminal end and the carboxyl-terminal end translocated across membranes. To determine if this second form of the fusion protein could be found in cells expressing the F protein, two different approaches were taken. A polypeptide with the size of the partially translocated F protein was detected by Western analysis of proteins in total-cell extracts of NDV strain B1 (avirulent)-infected Cos-7 cells. Using antibodies raised against a peptide with sequences from the cytoplasmic domain, CT sequences were detected on surfaces of F protein-expressing Cos-7 cells by immunofluorescence and by flow cytometry. This antibody also inhibited the fusion of red blood cells to cells expressing F and HN proteins. These results suggest that NDV F protein made both in a cell-free system and in Cos-7 cells may exist in two topological forms with respect to membranes and that the second form of the protein may be involved in cell-cell fusion.
Effects of Longitudinal Skin Stretch on the Perception of Friction

This work focuses on the relative importance of skin stretch imposed on the fingerpad on the perception of friction. Perceptual data is presented from two separate tests. The first experiment was designed to determine the perceptual thresholds for friction based on a Karnopp friction model. In this experiment friction was rendered as purely a kinesthetic resistance via a PHANToM force feedback device. The second experiment was designed to evaluate possible changes in perceived friction magnitudes due to imposing small amounts of tangential skin stretch (0.25 - 0.75 mm) to the fingerpad in combination with force feedback (kinesthetic resistance). Results of this experiment show that even these small amounts of skin stretch increase the perceived friction. These results suggest that the addition of a simple shear plate tactile display to current haptic devices could significantly enhance the range of rendered friction since most current haptic force feedback devices have limited force capabilities
Advancing alcohol biomarkers research

Biomarkers to detect past alcohol use and identify alcohol-related diseases have long been pursued as important tools for research into alcohol use disorders as well as for clinical and treatment applications and other settings. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) sponsored a workshop titled "Workshop on Biomarkers for Alcohol-Induced Disorders" in June 2008. The intent of this workshop was to review and discuss recent progress in the development and implementation of biomarkers for alcohol use and alcohol-related disorders with a goal to formulate a set of recommendations to use to stimulate and advance research progress in this critical area of alcoholism research. Presentations at this workshop reviewed the current status of alcohol biomarkers, providing a summary of the history of biomarkers and the major goals of alcohol biomarker research. Moreover, presentations provided a comprehensive overview of the current status of several well-recognized biomarkers of alcohol use, a summary of recent studies to characterize novel biomarkers and their validation, along with perspectives and experiences from other NIH institutes and from other federal agencies and industry, related to regulatory issues. Following these presentations, a panel discussion focused on a set of issues presented by the organizers of this workshop. These discussion points addressed: (i) issues related to strategies to be adopted to stimulate biomarker discovery and application, (ii) the relevance of animal studies in biomarker development and the status of biomarkers in basic science studies, and (iii) issues related to the opportunities for clinical and commercial applications. This article summarizes these perspectives and highlights topics that constituted the basis for recommendations to enhance alcohol biomarker research.
Mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow niche to the blood compartment

The vast majority of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in specialized niches within the bone marrow during steady state, maintaining lifelong blood cell production. A small number of HSCs normally traffic throughout the body; however, exogenous stimuli can enhance their release from the niche and entry into the peripheral circulation. This process, termed mobilization, has become the primary means to acquire a stem cell graft for hematopoietic transplant at most transplant centers. Currently, the preferred method of HSC mobilization for subsequent transplantation is treatment of the donor with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The mobilizing effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is not completely understood, but recent studies suggest that its capacity to mobilize HSCs, at least in part, is a consequence of alterations to the hematopoietic niche. The present article reviews some of the key mechanisms mediating HSC mobilization, highlighting recent advances and controversies in the field.
Critical assessment and thermodynamic modeling of Mg-Zn, Mg-Sn, Sn-Zn and Mg-Sn-Zn systems

a b s t r a c t All available thermodynamic and phase diagram data of Mg–Zn, Mg–Sn and Sn–Zn are critically evaluated and most reliable data are incorporated to model each system. The binary liquid phases are modeled using the modified quasi-chemical model in order to incorporate the strong ordering in the Mg–Sn and Mg–Zn systems. The binaries are extrapolated to construct the Mg–Sn–Zn ternary using the symmetric Kohler geometric model without using any ternary interaction parameter. The calculated Mg–Sn–Zn ternary diagram shows very good consistency with the published experimental data.
Coordinate nuclear targeting of the FANCD2 and FANCI proteins via a FANCD2 nuclear localization signal

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare recessive disease, characterized by congenital defects, bone marrow failure, and increased cancer susceptibility. FA is caused by biallelic mutation of any one of sixteen genes. The protein products of these genes function cooperatively in the FA-BRCA pathway to repair DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). A central step in the activation of this pathway is the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 and FANCI proteins. Monoubiquitinated FANCD2 and FANCI localize to discrete chromatin regions where they function in ICL repair. Despite their critical role in ICL repair, very little is known about the structure, function, and regulation of the FANCD2 and FANCI proteins, or how they are targeted to the nucleus and chromatin. In this study, we describe the functional characterization of an amino-terminal FANCD2 nuclear localization signal (NLS). We demonstrate that the amino terminal 58 amino acids of FANCD2 can promote the nuclear expression of GFP and is necessary for the nuclear localization of FANCD2. Importantly, mutation of this FANCD2 NLS reveals that intact FANCD2 is required for the nuclear localization of a subset of FANCI. In addition, the NLS is necessary for the efficient monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and FANCI and, consequently, for their localization to chromatin. As a result, FANCD2 NLS mutants fail to rescue the ICL sensitivity of FA-D2 patient cells. Our studies yield important insight into the domain structure of the poorly characterized FANCD2 protein, and reveal a previously unknown mechanism for the coordinate nuclear import of a subset of FANCD2 and FANCI, a key early step in the cellular ICL response.
The CEO branding mix

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline and discuss the main elements of the chief executive officer (CEO) that affect financial and non-financial aspects of companies. CEO reputation and corporate reputation and performance are intertwined concepts. It presents a conceptual framework, the “4Ps of the CEO branding mix”, and shows how they individually and collectively influence company reputation and performance. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive inter-disciplinary research was conducted. Four primary elements of the CEO (performance, personality, prestige and persona) were identified that positively or negatively impact companies. Findings – CEO reputation (prestige) can not only positively but also negatively impact companies and celerity CEO’s are no different. There are certain personality traits, such as honesty and humility, which are mostly associated with positive company outcomes, while other personality traits, such as machiavellianism and narcissism, seems to negatively impac...
MOTHERHOOD AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIVISM BEFORE AND AFTER THE CZECH VELVET REVOLUTION

*† Extant social movement research emphasizes the nexus of gender and opportunity structures in a variety of contexts, yet little work has examined how gender mediates the effects of structural opportunities on activism over time. We advance the existing literature by examining environmental activism framed around motherhood in pre- and post-revolutionary Czech Republic. Our analysis draws from rich qualitative data, collected over a ten-year span, which highlight temporal changes in mother activism in these two distinct eras. Contrary to expectation, gendered opportunities for mother activists expanded during the repressive era of the communist regime and contracted following the 1989 velvet revolution. We show how and why these dynamics occurred, and conclude by discussing implications for future social movement research on gender and gendered opportunities. Social movement scholars have explored the relationship between political opportunity and gender, increasingly noting critical structural variables that influence women’s and men’s mobilization (Cable 1992; Einwohner, Hollander, and Olson 2000; Ferree and Mueller 2004; McCammon, Campbell, Granberg, and Mowery 2001; Noonan 1995; Taylor 1999; Viterna 2006). While men generally have greater access to formal political structures and alliances, previous research has highlighted the ways in which women can tap into alternative opportunity structures for their activism (Irons 1998; Kurtz 2007; McCammon et al. 2001; Neuhouser 1998; Sperling, Ferree, and Risman 2001). McCammon et al. (2001) use the term “gendered opportunities” to describe how changing perceptions of gender roles can further women’s political causes (see also Borland 2004; Ferree and Mueller 2004; McCammon and Campbell 2001). Yet, we know little about the nuanced aspects of gendered opportunities, as they differ across political fields. We contribute to this body of literature by examining how the specific role of motherhood mediates women’s activism in both authoritarian and democratizing settings. In particular, we ask how political and cultural factors can act as opportunities or barriers for women mobilizing around their roles as mothers in these two distinct political contexts. We analyze two motherhood-based environmental organizations, one operating in communist Czechoslovakia and the other in the post-revolutionary Czech Republic, to examine motherhood as it interacts with changing features of political and cultural systems in the context of environmental activism. While the two organizations were distinct— notably, one focused its efforts on gaining official information about levels of air pollution, while the other opposed the completion of a local nuclear power plant—we believe that a
The Active Society

The modern period ended with the radical transformation of the technologies of communication, knowledge, and energy that followed World War II. A central characteristic of the modern period has been continued increase in the efficacy of the technology of production which poses a growing challenge to the primacy of the values these means are supposed to serve. The post-modern period, the onset of which may be set at 1945, will witness either a greater threat to the status of these values by the surging technologies or a reassertion of their normative priority. Which alternative prevails will determine whether society is to be the servant or the master of the instruments it creates. The active society, one that is master of itself, is an option the post-modern period opens. An exploration of the conditions under which this option might be exercised is the subject of this endeavor.
Pneumothorax Training System

Pneumothorax is a moderately common condition in the respiratory system, which can result in significant impairment or even death. Prompt treatment is urgent for sustaining quality of life. One contributing factor when there is a delay in the administration of treatment is a lack of training for the medical staff, especially active hands-on training. This insufficient training may delay recognition and diagnosis of pneumothorax, and also delay the start of the treatment. An improved training method would potentially enable a wider range of medical staff to be ready to identify pneumothorax and administer treatment in an efficient manner.The purpose of this project was to develop a hands on automated system for training. The system was based on a commercially available manual simulator with a hand pump. Automation was incorporated for filling of the air bag which simulated the trapped air of pneumothorax. Visual indications were presented to the user to show what state of training the simulator was in. This automated system reduced the fatigue factor, and improved the efficiency of the simulator for training trials by 60%. The automated system allowed for more trials to be performed in a given amount of time, with feedback given to the user so the trainee could be assured they were performing the treatment procedure correctly.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Fast DPP sampling for Nyström with application to kernel methods

The Nystrom method has long been popular for scaling up kernel methods. Its theoretical guarantees and empirical performance rely critically on the quality of the landmarks selected. We study landmark selection for Nystrom using Determinantal Point Processes (DPPs), discrete probability models that allow tractable generation of diverse samples. We prove that landmarks selected via DPPs guarantee bounds on approximation errors; subsequently, we analyze implications for kernel ridge regression. Contrary to prior reservations due to cubic complexity of DPP sampling, we show that (under certain conditions) Markov chain DPP sampling requires only linear time in the size of the data. We present several empirical results that support our theoretical analysis, and demonstrate the superior performance of DPP-based landmark selection compared with existing approaches.
Studies using immobilized platelet glycoproteins for detection of platelet alloantibodies.

The utility of an enzyme linked immunoassay for the detection of platelet alloantibodies to isolated platelet glycoproteins employing commercially available monoclonal antibodies was studied. The authors established the usefulness of the assay for antibodies to platelet alloantigens (APAA) by testing its sensitivity and specificity under different conditions and using a variety of alloantibodies from patients with immune mediated thrombocytopenia. The authors were able to specifically detect a variety of antibodies to platelet alloantigens on different platelet glycoproteins. These antibodies had specificity for HPA-1a (PI A1 ), HPA-3 (Bak) and HPA-5 (Br). These results show that the APAA is easily adaptable for routine diagnostic testing in hospital laboratories using commercially available monoclonal antibodies and for the diagnosis of alloimmune mediated thrombocytopenic conditions.
Abstract 3717: Pigment epithelium-derived factor prolongs survival and enhances thein vivoantitumor activities of low-dose chemotherapy in castration-refractory prostate cancer

Background: The development of metronomic/low-dose administration of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs has recently shown great promise in the treatment of castration-refractory prostate cancer (CRPC). Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) is a natural angio-inhibitor which has been shown to be down-regulated in prostate cancer. We have previously demonstrated that the over-expression of PEDF in human CRPC PC3 cells decreased tumor growth in vivo. In the present study, we further validated PEDF anti-tumor properties in the highly metastatic CRPC LNCaP-derivative CL1 cells. We also hypothesized that PEDF could enhance the cytotoxic effects of low-dose docetaxel (Doc) and cyclophosphamide (CTX) chemotherapies in vivo. Methods: Human CRPC PC3 and CL1 cell lines were genetically modified to stably co-express the fluorescent DsRed Express protein with PEDF. Resulting cell lines were characterized in vitro for PEDF expression by Western blot and for proliferation by growth curves and clone formation in Matrigel. PEDF anti-tumor effects were assessed on established subcutaneous xenografts in mice treated with Doc (5mg/kg ip every 4 days, 1mg/kg ip daily for 10 days, 0.5mg/kg ip every other day), CTX (10-20mg/kg in the drinking water) or placebo. Survival studies were performed by injecting CL1 cells, pre-mixed with 50nM hr-PEDF or carrier control, into the left lobe of the dorsal prostate of anesthetized mice. Results: We showed that PEDF inhibits the proliferation and induces the differentiation of all CRPC cells tested in vitro. Similarly, PEDF expression decreases the development of subcutaneous PC3 and CL1 tumors in immune-compromised mice by 85% and 70%, respectively. In the survival study, we found that all control animals die within 61 days after surgery while 50% of PEDF-pretreated animals were still alive. Most importantly, we demonstrated that PEDF enhances the cytotoxic effects of low-dose chemotherapy on established tumors (best Doc dose: 1mg/kg for PC3 and 5mg/kg for CL1; best CTX dose: 10mg/kg for both PC3 and CL1). Conclusions: This data reinforces the significance of PEDF as a potential new target for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. It also emphasizes PEDF as a promising new agent to enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of low-dose Doc and CTX chemotherapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3717. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3717
Tunable electronic coupling and driving force in structurally well-defined tetracene dimers for molecular singlet fission: a computational exploration using density functional theory.

Singlet fission (SF), a process by which two excited states are formed in a chromophoric system following the absorption of a single photon, has the potential to increase the theoretical efficiency of solar energy conversion devices beyond the single-junction Shockley–Quiesser limit. Although SF is observed with high yield in the solid state of certain molecules, linearly linked dimers based on these same constituents exhibit small yields in part due to small interchromophore electronic coupling. Previous work from our group demonstrated enhancement of SF yield in polycrystalline tetracene (Tc) via excitation of intermolecular motions, which increased direct overlap of monomer π-systems. In this current work, a series of norbornyl-bridged bistetracene (BT) dimers are investigated using DFT and the ability to control SF thermodynamics along with important interchromophore electronic coupling parameters via bridging geometry is shown. Although the electronic coupling of a series of C2v-symmetric dimers (BT1...
Numerical Analysis of Heat Transfer Enhancement from Surfaces with Cavities

Three dimensional single and multiple cavity flows with heat transfer enhancement are numerically studied. Cavities are composed of spherical dimples with various depths and dimple distances. They are placed on a flat, heat conducting channel. When fluid flows over the cavities, its flow characteristics such as pressure, temperature, velocity profiles, and turbulent shear stresses change. This study investigates the relationship of these characteristics to the heat transferring phenomena on the surface. The results of computational analyses of both single and double concave cavities on the aerodynamic resistance and heat transfer coefficient are compared with experimental data.
The approach and proximity behavior of spiny mouse pups (Acomys cahirinus) toward strange neonates: Effects of gender and species of stimulus pup

Three experiments were done using male and female spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) as subjects observed in the presence of both a male and a female newborn stimulus pup. Stimulus pups were either strange spiny mice or Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). The object of the experiments was to record physical approach and proximity behavior. Individual spiny mouse pups were observed in a small cage with two unfamiliar neonates (one of each sex) as stationary stimuli. Between- subjects variables included the gender and age (1-2 days; 10-11 days) of the spiny pup. The dependent measure used throughout was the duration of time, within a 5-min exposure session, that each subject occupied two proximity zones established around each stimulus pup. In Experiment 1, spiny pups were tested with live newborn rat pups as choice stimuli, and the results indicated that 1- to 2-day-old female spiny pups spent significantly more time positioned near the opposite-sex pup than near the same-sex stimulus rat pup. Experiment 2 was a replication using dead newborn rat pups as choice stimuli to remove any behavioral cues that might have contributed to sex differentiation by female spiny mice. The choice behavior of 1- to 2-day- old female spiny mice was similar to that obtained in Experiment 1. Experiment 3 was a replication with live newborn spiny mice as stimuli; however, no choice preferences were found, suggesting that the sex-differentiation capability observed in Experiment 1 may have been exclusively interspecific. These findings were discussed in terms of sex differences among spiny mouse pups for measures of neophobia and exploratory and predatory behavior and in terms of an odor-based sex-discrimination capability.
Ca2+-activated Cl− current in cultured myenteric neurons from murine proximal colon

Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were made from cultured myenteric neurons taken from murine proximal colon. The micropipette contained Cs+ to remove K+ currents. Depolarization elicited a slowly ...
Municipal Bankruptcy and Local Court Funding: What We Can Learn from the City of Detroit, Michigan

abstractWith a federal bankruptcy judge's grant of chapter 9 protection to the City of Detroit, Michigan, in December 2013, came questions regarding the bankruptcy's implication for myriad stakeholders. Though media attention focused primarily on bondholders, labor unions, and pensioners, one stakeholder received comparatively little attention—the 36th District Court. Located in Detroit, the Court, one of the nation's largest and busiest, is funded via a model requiring local government responsibility for sizable contributions to local courts. As this type of funding model is not unique to Michigan, we analyze key issues presented by the Detroit case in the context of the funding model, and implications not only for it but for other states using similar models, both in terms of court administration and larger issues inherent in federal forms of government such as separation of powers and inherent powers.
Racial–Ethnic Socialization and Youth Ideological Formations in an Era of Diversity and Inclusion

This article introduces a special issue of Humanity & Society which aims to expand approaches to the development of racial and ethnic minority youths’ beliefs regarding the role of race and racism ...
Hygienic survey about indoor PM2.5 and air nicotine in main public places in Tianjin

Objectives To know the situation of secondhand smoking exposure in main public places in Tianjin and provide the scientific data for improving the implementation of Tianjin Smoke-free Law. Methods PM2.5 was monitored for 30 min in 44 sites of 5 kinds of public places including hospitals, governments, waiting rooms for public transportation, restaurants and bars,from Dec. 2012 to Feb. 2013. Air nicotine concentrations were measured for 5-7 days in ten of them. Results PM2.5concentration in restaurants was the highest among the five kinds of public places, was 156.0 μg/m3, the second was bars. The male washrooms in other places had higher PM2.5 than lobbies of them, and it was 129.5 μg/m3, 102.0 μg/m3 and 116.0 μg/m3 in hospitals, governments and waiting rooms for public transportation respectively. Average PM2.5 concentrations were positively correlated(Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.281, P0.05) with active smoking density. Air nicotine concentrations were strongly and positively correlated with PM2.5 concentrations(rs=0.553, P 0.001). Conclusion Passive smoking is still serious in Tianjin and it is need to take more targeted measures to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.
Observation of Preventing Agitation by Intravenons Tramadol after Intubation during Extubation Period of Pharyngeal Operation on Children

Objective:To evaluate the effect of preventing agitation by intravenous tramadol after intubation during the extubation period of pharyngeal operation.Methods:40 cases with elective tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy were divided into experimental group and control group randomly.Postointubation,tramadol 2 mg/Kg was given intravenously in the experimental group,and normal saline 2 mL was given in the control group.The agitation of the two groups was recorded.Results:The pain score and agitation score were respectively recorded at 0.5,1,2,4 hours after operation.The pain score and agitation score of experimental group were obviously less than that of control group.There were significant differences between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusion:Intravernous tramadol after intubation could obviously decrease agitation during extubation in the E.N.T operation in children.
Operation Strategies of Heat Accumulator in Combined Heat and Power Plant with Uncertain Wind Power

By installing the heat accumulator,a combined heat and power(CHP)plant is able to effectively reduce its power output in valley load hours of heating period for accommodating curtailed wind power.But the operation strategy of the heat accumulator should be made by centralized dispatching in China at present so that the potential of accommodating wind power by heat accumulator can be brought into full play.In order to take the uncertainty of wind power into account,a CHP dispatch model based on scenario analysis is built to get the operation strategy of heat accumulator.Further,a simpler but practical method is designed as a substitute of the model.The numerical examples have verified the effectiveness of the two methods,showing that the operation strategies of heat accumulator obtained by two methods are almost the same.So the practical method can well be used to replace the multi-scenarios model to get the optimal operation strategy of the heat accumulator.
Comparing Standard Deviation Effects across Contexts.

ABSTRACTStudies using tests scores as the dependent variable often report point estimates in student standard deviation units. We note that a standard deviation is not a standard unit of measurement since the distribution of test scores can vary across contexts. As such, researchers should be cautious when interpreting differences in the numerical size of point estimates when comparing across contexts. We empirically assess the importance of this issue both within the United States and internationally.
Coupling of Microstructure Sensitive Design With Finite Element Codes: Design of an Orthotropic Plate With a Circular Hole Loaded in Tension

The emerging field of “Materials by Design” aims to identify and process materials comprising specific microstructures that are predicted to meet or exceed multiple performance criterion stipulated by the designer. It is in this context that a new microstructure design framework called Microstructure Sensitive Design (MSD) was recently proposed[1]. This paper discusses the MSD framework applied to microstructure (crystallographic texture) optimization for an orthotropic plate with a central circular hole and subjected to in-plane uniaxial tension. Finite element methods were used to estimate the applied load at yield for the polycrystalline nickel. The optimal polycrystalline texture was found to be able to sustain a far-field stress (away from the hole) of 1.28τCRSS , where τCRSS denotes the critical resolved shear stress (at the single crystal level). This solution was validated by direct comparison with finite element simulations that employed a Taylor-type polycrystal constitutive model at each integration point.© 2004 ASME
Development and evaluation of four PET image-based dual respiratory and cardiac motion estimation methods

We have previously shown 4D image reconstructions with motion compensation using accurate model of dual respiratory and cardiac (R&C) motions provides much improved 4D cardiac gated image qualities. The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate 4 R&C motion vector field (MVF) estimation methods based on the improved 4D PET images. In Method 1, the dual R&C motions are estimated directly from the dual R&C gated images. In Methods 2, 3 and 4, they are estimated indirectly by estimating the respiratory motion (RM) and cardiac motion (CM) separately from the respiratory gated only and cardiac gated only images. Methods also models the effects of RM on CM estimation by applying an image-based RM correction on the cardiac gated images while Methods 4 iteratively models the mutual effects of RM and CM estimations. Realistic and almost noise-free PET projection data were generated from the 4D XCAT phantom with realistic and known R&C MVF using Monte Carlo simulation. They were subsequently scaled and were added Poisson noise to generate additional datasets with 2 more different noise levels, and were reconstructed using a 4D image reconstruction method to obtain dual R&C gated images. The four dual R&C MVF estimation methods were applied to the dual R&C gated images and the estimated MVFs were compared to the known R&C MVFs. The resultant MVFs show that among the 4 estimation methods, Methods 2 performed the worst for noise-free case while Method 1 performed the worst for noisy cases in terms of the average mean-squared-errors (MSEs) between estimated and known MVFs. Methods 4 and 3 showed comparable results and provide reduced MSE by up to 35% of that in Method 1 for noisy cases. We have developed and evaluated 4 different R&C MVF estimation methods for use in 4D PET image reconstruction with accurate motion correction and found separate R&C estimation with modeling of RM on CM estimation (Method 3) to be the best option for accurate estimation of dual R&C motion.
Annals of morphology THEODOR BOVERI (1862–1915) To commemorate the centenary of his death and contributions to the Sutton–Boveri hypothesis

One hundred years ago, only 3 days after his 53rd birthday, there died a man who was regarded during his lifetime already such a giant in biology as to rank with Aristotle, von Baer, Darwin, Wallace, Mendel …. Their respective contributions to epigenesis, natural selection, and segregation made it possible to formulate in the late 19th century a science relating “the origin of species” to the origin of the “individual” organisms, their structure and function to that of their parts, their parts to that of their cells, and mitosis to the propagation of their cells. In working out the developmental and cytological details of these processes Boveri achieved his greatness, taking advantage of innate drive, better instrumentation (microscope, microtome), ideal “model” organisms (sea urchin, Ascaris), methods of their study and preservation, and the rediscovery, in 1900, of Mendel's results allowing him to relate mendelism to chromosomal structure and function in what E.B. Wilson subsequently called the Sutton–Boveri hypothesis. When war began in 1914, Boveri married to an American, and father of a 14-year-old girl, was already mortally ill, infested with one of his favorite experimental organisms, Ascaris. Given his health problems and attachment to his native Bavaria, Boveri had declined (1913) the directorship of the nascent Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology in Berlin; but two of his recommended appointees there (Warburg, Spemann) became future Nobel Prize winners. Even before the war, Boveri's renown was such that distinguished foreigners, for example, the Americans E.B. Wilson, Marcella O'Grady, Nettie Stevens, Theophilus Painter, a.o., came to the University of Wurzburg to work with him, Wilson dedicating all three editions of his rightly celebrated text “The Cell in Development and Heredity” [1896; 3rd Edition, 1925] to Boveri. Boveri's approach to genetics was primarily morphological; however, he was quick to unite mendelian inferences with chromosomal structure, and embryonic development with evolutionary theory. In retrospect, Boveri is perhaps best known for his formulation of a theory relating chromosomal anomalies to malformations, tumor formation and cancer. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Integrating RFID technology to improve IT asset management controls, playing an integral part in datacenter relocation

Enterprise Information Technology (IT) assets are typically high value fixed assets, often containing confidential or sensitive data and intellectual property. IT asset management is a critical component of datacenter operation with potential legal and financial implications. Traditional asset tracking tools such as bar code scanning and spreadsheets are labor-intensive, error prone and only as accurate as the last inventory. Modern “Smarter” data centers require innovative asset management solutions that go beyond basic financial controls. IBM Research is in the beginning phases of the deployment of a fully integrated RFID infrastructure in the creation of a “Smarter Datacenter”. This paper describes the design and deployment of a pilot infrastructure that was leveraged in a recent datacenter consolidation project. We show how the solution tracked the high value IT Assets, and more importantly, provided automation of business controls based on events generated by an assets' move.
Learning Style as a Predictor of First-Time NCLEX-RN Success: Implications for Nurse Educators.

Improving NCLEX-RN® pass rates remains a priority for nursing programs. Many programs collect learning style inventory data, yet few studies have looked at relationships between these data and NCLEX-RN pass/fail rates. Learning style preferences (visual, auditory, tactile, individual, group) and NCLEX pass/fail results were examined for 532 undergraduates in a Midwestern university. A significant correlation between preference for group learning and failure of the NCLEX was found (χ2 = 5.99, P = .05).
On a New Class of Variational Problems

In this paper, we study a class of discrete fractional variational problems modeling some phenomena arising in electron transports in bipolymers like organic semi-conductors, molecular crystals and DNA. For some non-linearities covered by our class of functionals, the underlying PDEs model Ferro-Magnets and spin glasses. They also appear in the approximation of the Bose-Einstein condensation.