cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reinforcement Algorithms Using Functional Approximation for Generalization and their Application to Cart Centering and Fractal Compression

We address the conflict between identification and control or alternatively, the conflict between exploration and exploitation, within the framework of reinforcement learning. Q-learning has recently become a popular off-policy reinforcement learning method. The conflict between exploration and exploitation slows down Q-learning algorithms; their performance does not scale up and degrades rapidly as the number of states and actions increases. One reason for this slowness is that exploration lacks the ability to extrapolate and interpolate from learning and to a large extent has to "reinvent the wheel". Moreover, not all reinforcement problems one encounters are finite state and action systems. Our approach to solving continuous state and action problems is to approximate the continuous state and action spaces with finite sets of states and actions and then to apply a finite state and action learning method. This approach provides the means for solving continuous state and action problems but does not yet address the performance problem associated with scaling up states and actions. We address the scaling problem using functional approximation methods. Towards that end, this paper introduces two new reinforcement algorithms, QLVQ and Quad-Q-learning, respectively, and shows their successful application for cart centering and fractal compression.
A Distributed Optimization Approach to Consistent Multiway Matching

Multiway matching refers to the problem of establishing correspondences among a set of images from noisy pairwise correspondences, typically by exploiting cycle-consistency. Existing approaches for multiway matching address the problem in a centralized setting. In this work, we propose a novel distributed optimization approach to multiway matching based on distributed projected gradient descent with constant step size. We rigorously analyze the convergence properties of our algorithm, specifically the range of the step size that guarantees convergence to a stationary point. We provide experimental evidence supporting that the proposed approach has performance comparable with the state of the art centralized approaches.
External fixator arthrodesis antibiotic spacer in two-stage revision total knee arthroplasty for eradication of periprosthetic joint infection

Two-stage revision total knee arthroplasty remains the gold standard for management of chronic periprosthetic joint infection in North America. Static cement antibiotic spacers used after knee resection to deliver high-dose antibiotics lack primary stability, potentially leading to spacer migration or dislocation, additional bone loss, extensor mechanism erosion, and even knee subluxation or frank dislocation. A custom brace or cast is often required to augment knee stability, which is time-consuming, costly, and prevents monitoring or wound care of the soft tissues. An external fixator arthrodesis antibiotic spacer can provide primary stability without a brace or cast, allowing for soft-tissue monitoring and care, and minimizes potential spacer complications. We present the technique for implanting and removing this specific external fixator arthrodesis antibiotic spacer.
Preparation of C70H2, C70H4, and C70H8: Three Independent Reduction Manifolds in the Zn(Cu) Reduction of C70

This article reports the preparation of C70Hn species by Zn(Cu) reduction. The major products were one isomer of C70H2, one major isomer of C70H4, and one major isomer of C70H8. Several minor products were detected by UV−Vis and/or mass spectrometry. The structures of the major products were assigned as 1,2-C70H2, 1,2,56,57-C70H4, and 7,19,23,27,33,37,44,53-C70H8. Interestingly, although the major isomer of C70H4 is generated by reduction of the major isomer of C70H2, the major isomer of C70H8 is not generated by reduction of the major isomer of C70H2 or C70H4. The evidence suggests that there are at least three different reduction manifolds operating. One manifold includes 1,2-C70H2 and 1,2,56,57-C70H4, major products in which highly pyramidalized bonds near the poles of C70 are reduced. A second manifold includes 5,6-C70H2, a minor product. The third manifold consists of a set of C70H2, C70H4, and C70H6 species that are highly reactive and do not accumulate in solution. This third manifold leads to 7,19...
Pricing Energy in the Presence of Renewables

The intermittent nature of renewable energy generation implies that renewable producers rely on non-renewable producers to ensure the aggregate power delivered meets the promised quality of service. Therefore, the intermittent nature of renewable energy generation affects the committed power and market price of energy. We consider an electricity market where renewable and non-renewable generators bid by proposing their asking price per unit of energy to an independent system operator (ISO). The ISO solves a dispatch optimization problem to minimize the cost of purchased energy on behalf of the consumers. We incorporate the notion of net-load variance using the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVAR) measure in the dispatch optimization problem to ensure that the generators are able to meet the load within a desired confidence level. We analytically derive the market clearing price of energy and dispatched powers as a function of CVAR and show that a higher penetration of renewable energies may increase the market clearing price of energy. Finally, we present descriptive simulations to illustrate the impact of renewable energy penetration on the market price of energy.
Access for Whom? The Impact of Dual Enrollment on College Matriculation among Underserved Student Populations in Texas

ABSTRACTIn an effort to increase college access and success rates, the state of Texas has expanded dual enrollment programs and Early College High Schools (ECHS) that provide students with the oppo...
Ink synthesis and inkjet printing of electrostatically stabilized multilayer graphene nanoshells.

Abstract Hypothesis Most functional inkjet inks are sterically stabilized nanoparticle dispersions that require a post-printing-process to remove stabilizing materials and gain functionality. This post-process limits material selection and increases fabrication time and complexity for printed devices. By optimizing the electrostatic stability of a carbon nanomaterial dispersed in water or ethylene glycol via pH adjustment, a stable and printable ink should be attainable without a steric stabilizing material and hence the post-process may be avoided. Experiments The electrostatic stability of multilayer graphene nanoshells (MGNS)—an inexpensive and net carbon-negative nanomaterial—dispersed in water and ethylene glycol was studied by measuring zeta potential as a function of pH and modeling energetic potentials between particles. Requirements for electrical percolation of printed MGNS were analyzed and corroborated with electrical measurements. Findings Electrostatic stability improved with increased zeta potential caused by an increased pH. Ionic strength also increased with pH, causing strong destabilization. By increasing zeta potential while minimizing ionic strength, the maximum solid-loading of MGNS in DI water and ethylene glycol was increased up to 20%. For the MGNS solid-loading achieved here, electrical percolation occurs with 20–30 consecutively printed layers producing a resistivity of 30 Ω-cm. The inexpensive, environmentally-friendly MGNS are a promising material for printed, flexible electronics.
Unexpected Abundance and Diversity of Phototrophs in Mats from Morphologically Variable Microbialites in Great Salt Lake, Utah

ABSTRACT Microbial mat communities are associated with extensive (∼700 km2) and morphologically variable carbonate structures, termed microbialites, in the hypersaline Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah. However, whether the composition of GSL mat communities covaries with microbialite morphology and lake environment is unknown. Moreover, the potential adaptations that allow the establishment of these extensive mat communities at high salinity (14% to 17% total salts) are poorly understood. To address these questions, microbial mats were sampled from seven locations in the south arm of GSL representing different lake environments and microbialite morphologies. Despite the morphological differences, microbialite-associated mats were taxonomically similar and were dominated by the cyanobacterium Euhalothece and several heterotrophic bacteria. Metagenomic sequencing of a representative mat revealed Euhalothece and subdominant Thiohalocapsa populations that harbor the Calvin cycle and nitrogenase, suggesting they supply fixed carbon and nitrogen to heterotrophic bacteria. Fifteen of the next sixteen most abundant taxa are inferred to be aerobic heterotrophs and, surprisingly, harbor reaction center, rhodopsin, and/or bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis proteins, suggesting aerobic photoheterotrophic (APH) capabilities. Importantly, proteins involved in APH are enriched in the GSL community relative to that in microbialite mat communities from lower salinity environments. These findings indicate that the ability to integrate light into energy metabolism is a key adaptation allowing for robust mat development in the hypersaline GSL. IMPORTANCE The earliest evidence of life on Earth is from organosedimentary structures, termed microbialites, preserved in 3.481-billion-year-old (Ga) rocks. Phototrophic microbial mats form in association with an ∼700-km2 expanse of morphologically diverse microbialites in the hypersaline Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah. Here, we show taxonomically similar microbial mat communities are associated with morphologically diverse microbialites across the lake. Metagenomic sequencing reveals an abundance and diversity of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa capable of harvesting light energy to drive metabolism. The unexpected abundance of and diversity in the mechanisms of harvesting light energy observed in GSL mat populations likely function to minimize niche overlap among coinhabiting taxa, provide a mechanism(s) to increase energy yield and osmotic balance during salt stress, and enhance fitness. Together, these physiological benefits promote the formation of robust mats that, in turn, influence the formation of morphologically diverse microbialite structures that can be imprinted in the rock record.
Chapter 12 – Hepatitis Viruses

Hepatitis viruses cause inflammation of the liver. Five major unrelated hepatitis viruses exist: hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV). HAV and HEV are transmitted through the fecal-oral route and are most prevalent in areas of the world lacking proper sanitation of drinking water. These viruses cause acute infections that are cleared by the host immune system in the great majority of cases. On the other hand, HBV and HCV are the major causes of chronic hepatitis and liver disease that can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV is found in blood, semen, and other bodily fluids and is transmitted through sexual activity, injection-drug use, or perinatally. HCV is primarily transmitted through blood products. HDV is a defective virus that requires HBV infection for replication. Each hepatitis virus is in a distinct viral family and has unique molecular attributes.
Achieving a Quintuple Aim for Telehealth in Pediatrics

Pediatric practice increasingly involves providing care for children with medical complexity. Telehealth offers a strategy for providers and health care systems to improve care for these patients and their families. However, lack of awareness related to the unintended negative consequences of telehealth on vulnerable populations--coupled with failure to intentional design best practices for telehealth initiatives--implies that these novel technologies may worsen health disparities in the long run. This article reviews the positive and negative implications of telehealth. In addition, to achieve optimal implementation of telehealth, it discusses 10 considerations to promote optimal care of children using these technologies.
Impact of COVID-19 on General Chemistry Education at the United States Military Academy

The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) required a rapid shift from in-person instruction to remote learning in our second-semester general chemistry course at the United State...
Acceleration radiation of an atom freely falling into a Kerr black hole and near-horizon conformal quantum mechanics

An atom falling freely into a Kerr black hole in a Boulware-like vacuum is shown to emit radiation with a Planck spectrum at the Hawking temperature. For a cloud of falling atoms with random initial times, the radiation is thermal. The existence of this radiation is due to the acceleration of the vacuum field modes with respect to the falling atom. Its properties can be traced to the dominant role of conformal quantum mechanics in the neighborhood of the event horizon. We display this effect for a scalar field, though the acceleration radiation has a universal conformal behavior that is exhibited by all fields in the background of generic black holes.
Proportion of Never Smokers Among Men and Women With Lung Cancer in 7 US States

This cross-sectional study examines cigarette smoking patterns by demographic and clinical characteristics among patients with lung cancer.
Intersectionality at minority-serving institutions (MSIs): A longitudinal analysis of female student participation within engineering and computing

This full research paper presents a study of longitudinal data on female students at a research-intensive (R1) public minority-serving institution (MSI). Despite increased focus by state and federal governments and other business entities in the United States, most higher education institutions have yet to reach parity with women’s participation in engineering and computing. Of note, the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) stated that women earned 22% of bachelor’s degrees, 27% of master’s degrees, and 24% of doctoral degrees in engineering as of 2018 meaning that there is a continuation of the decade long upward trend in the proportion of women earning engineering degrees across the educational spectrum. For instance, regarding engineering bachelor’s degrees, women have seen a 53% increase in degrees awarded between 2010 and 2018. For the purpose of this study, the target institution’s College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) has partnered with industry organizations to enhance their understanding of experiences among female students within engineering and computing programs. The overarching goal of those partnerships is to improve graduation and retention rates of female students and faculty. Using intersectionality as the conceptual framework, the goal of this research study is to deeply examine longitudinal data centered on outcome metrics linked to female students within engineering and computing over an 11 to 12-year span. Results will be used to answer research questions on how metrics have changed over time for female students in areas such as enrollment by department and ethnicity. Results showed an overall upward trend for enrollment and graduation rates across departments and by ethnic groups. On the other hand, some areas showed slight dips that will require additional research. Additionally, the results highlighted the need for future research including collecting qualitative data to help explain the findings from this study. Results will be shared with institutional leadership to promote the recruitment, retention, and graduation of more female students within engineering and computing academic programs.
A pain in the ear: Two case reports of nervus intermedius neuralgia and narrative review

Objective Present two cases of nervus intermedius neuralgia (NIN) in which patients described unilateral deep ear pain as their primary complaint and present a summary of NIN cases reported in the literature. Background The nervus intermedius is a tiny branch of the facial nerve that, with neuralgia, can present as a deep ear pain (NIN). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, (ICHD-3) criteria for an NIN diagnosis include a unilateral deep ear pain with possible radiation that occurs in paroxysms with sharp pain and a tactile trigger. Methods A PubMed search was conducted for NIN and geniculate neuralgia. Two patients recently diagnosed with NIN at a single clinic were selected for case reports to highlight the variability of symptom presentation. Results The two cases reported here and the 127 cases reported in the literature show a wider range of presentations than included in the ICHD-3 criteria, including variable pain radiation sometimes diagnosed as concurrent trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, or occipital neuralgia. Pain was reported as constant or paroxysmal, as well as dull, sharp, or neuralgiform with inconsistent presence of triggers. While ICHD-3 does mention reported taste change, lacrimation, and salivation, the literature reports a much wider range of potential features associated with NIN. Optimal medical treatment is unclear given the predominance of surgical reporting of positive response to microvascular decompression, nerve sectioning, or other procedures. The two cases described here were successfully managed medically. Conclusion NIN can present as described in the ICHD-3, but a more variable presentation may be possible. More studies are needed to clarify presentation, optimal medical treatment, and surgical indications for patients with NIN, especially when patients have no clear neurovascular conflict on neuroimaging.
Chapter 14: Academic Technology Transfer

This chapter in the forthcoming book "Intellectual Property Licensing and Transactions: Theory and Practice" relates to the transfer of intellectual property from academic and research institutions to the private sector and among institutions. It covers topics including the U.S. Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court case Stanford v. Roche (covering ownership of inventions), disputes over federal march-in rights (In re Fabryzme), university patent licensing practices, licensing by federal laboratories, the Nine Points for University Technology Licensing, sponsored research, materials transfer and university policies governing copyright.
Characterizing the microbiota of wooden boards used for cheese ripening

Abstract Wooden boards are commonly used for aging artisan cheeses. Although considered critical to the development of desired flavors and aromas, knowledge about the microbial communities associated with these boards is limited. To begin to address this need, we performed a 16S ribosomal RNA analysis of the bacterial communities present on the surface and within 5 wooden boards used for cheese ripening that were obtained from 3 cheese-processing facilities. The 5 boards were dominated by bacteria in the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria and displayed differences in both diversity and richness. Analysis of these boards also identified significant board-to-board variation. A total of 288 operational taxonomic units were identified across all samples, with 7 operational taxonomic units forming a core microbiota across all boards. Taken together, these data reflect the cheese-ripening environment, which appears to select for salt- and cold-tolerant bacteria.
Understanding the Application of the Framework

One might be tempted to turn immediately to an application of the framework developed in Chap. 5 to assess whether the challenge of climate change falls (or ought to fall within) the legitimate zone of sovereign discretion. Doing so without further discussion of the framework or its application could lead to mistakes and/or unnecessary confusion over our understanding of the moral nature and limits of state sovereignty.
Varicocele Embolization: Patient Selection: Preprocedure Workup, and Technical Considerations

Varicocele refers to an abnormally dilated and tortuous pampiniform venous plexus within the spermatic cord. The prevalence of varicocele is reported to be approximately 15% in the general male population. Its incidence increases with age and has a higher incidence in infertile men. Varicocele treatment (surgical or interventional) is considered one of the most common therapies of reversible infertility in men. Percutaneous embolization offers nonsurgical, minimally invasive option for the treatment of varicoceles, requiring only minimal sedation. In this article, the authors review the clinical and technical details of percutaneous varicocele embolization with a summary of currently available evidence.
Gender Differences in Public Opinion: Values and Consequences: by Mary-Kate Lizotte, Philadelphia, PA, Temple University Press, 2020, 256 pp., $27.95 (paperback), ISBN: 9781439916094

The gender gap is a long-standing feature of American public opinion. While the gap between the attitudes of women and men on most policies is not huge, it is consequential. It reflects the continu...
Несколько заметок о промежуточных выборах в США 2018 года ( Few Notes on US 2018 Midterms)

Russian Abstract: По итогам выборов 6 ноября идет естественная война интерпретаций их по сути «ничейных» результатов. Не вполне естественным являются новые методы организации «сбора» и подсчета голосов одной из двух партий уверенной в своем предназначении править без реальной оппозиции. Эта партия (демократы) рассматривает оппонентов в качестве врагов и только за счет этого получает ощутимое преимущество. В то же время большая часть республиканцев по образцу президента Буша старшего воспринимают демократов как честных и легитимных оппонентов ищущих свои пути к свободе и процветанию для Америки. English Abstract: Midterm November, 6 caused natural war of interpretations of the outcomes, while there not clear winner or loser here. The most important peculiarity of the elections is new technology of the votes counting and new state of political competition, where Democrats perceive GOP as hostile army, while significant part of Republicans still perceive Democrats as fair competitors seeking they own way to lead America to prosperity and Freedom.
Improving Healthcare Staff Knowledge and Comfort in Caring for Children With a Tracheostomy

Background: Children with a tracheostomy (trach) with/without ventilator dependency are one of the most medically fragile and high-risk patient populations. Practices for their care should be consistent throughout different areas of a healthcare organization. Nurses and respiratory therapists who provide bedside care for these children must remain proficient in trach care procedures. When a child with a trach is assigned to an area where staff are not as comfortable or accustomed to providing routine trach care, this can potentially present safety concerns. We hypothesize that a multimodal educational intervention will increase healthcare providers9 knowledge and comfort of trach management. Methods: Registered nurses and respiratory therapists at one children’s hospital were invited to anonymously complete a survey regarding knowledge and comfort in caring for trach-dependent children. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate comfort related items. Educational interventions including a presentation and instructional videos for trach skills were provided later. The survey was repeated 6 months following the interventions to evaluate change in staff comfort and knowledge. Data were compared with Mann-Whitney test. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. P Results: There were 275 and 142 respondents in the pre and post groups, respectively. The majority of respondents were nurses and did not work in an ICU or designated ventilator ward (62% pre, 56% post). Staff comfort was significantly increased in caring for the trach-dependent child (P = .03), trach and ventilator-dependent child (P = .03), routine trach care (P = .02), routine trach tube change (P = .005), and emergency trach tube change (P = .01). Knowledge of how to access educational resources improved (48% pre, 68% post). Staff knowledge for the number of required trained caregivers was essentially unchanged (92% pre, 96% post). Conclusions: Increased comfort was reported for all aspects of care following educational interventions. The targeted educational interventions seemed beneficial in helping nurses and respiratory therapists feel more comfortable in caring for the trach-dependent child. Ongoing education will be necessary to increase knowledge and comfort in performing life-saving maneuvers, including emergency trach change.
An Algorithm to Determine Minimum Velocity-Based Stable Connected Dominating Sets for Ad Hoc Networks

The high-level contribution of this paper is an algorithm to determine a stable connected dominating set (CDS), based on node velocities, for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). The algorithm, referred as MinV-CDS, includes in the CDS, nodes that are slow-moving with lower velocity, rather than the usual approach of preferring nodes with a larger density, i.e., a larger number of uncovered neighbors, referred as MaxD-CDS. If a node has lower velocity and is the next candidate node to be considered for inclusion in the CDS, it is added to the CDS if it has at least one neighbor that is yet to be covered. Simulation results illustrate that MinV-CDS has a significantly longer lifetime than MaxD-CDS; MinV-CDS also has a larger number of nodes and edges compared to MaxD-CDS and this helps to reduce the hop count as well as the end-to-end delay and improves the fairness of node usage.
Vomiting during pregnancy due to midgut volvulus with duodenal obstruction.

Abstract An interesting case of severe vomiting with dehydration and weight loss due to midgut volvulus with duodenal obstruction during pregnancy is reported. The patient was an 18-year-old primipara in the third month of pregnancy. She had experienced symptoms which were similar, but much less severe, for many years. The obstruction occurred at the level of the third portion of the duodenum and was produced by the torsion and tightening of the overlying superior mesenteric vessels. These vessels were the only support for an other-wise unattached small intestine. Complete and continuing relief of the patient's symptoms was achieved by operative by-pass of the area of obstruction by means of a duodenojejunostomy. The episode of obstruction and its operative management did not influence the normal course and termination of the pregnancy. The importance of an awareness of the possible occurrence of intestinal volvulus during pregnancy is emphasized.
In Brief: IPY E-mail alerts available for educators

The U.S. interagency Web portal for the International Polar Year (http://www.ipy.gov) has established a new RSS feed that will allow subscribers to receive e-mail alerts that provide information about educational resources for IPY. These resources include classroom materials and resources and notices of opportunities to assist scientists in the field. A second RSS feed, “news and features,” is also available. Directions for subscribing to the feeds are available on the Web site. The IPY, which began in March 2007 and will continue into 2009, is a global research effort intended to advance understanding of the polar regions.
Solar Photocatalytic Degradation of Atrazine in Water by TiO2/Ag Nanocomposite

One of the most common herbicides in the world, Atrazine, was used as a model pollutant in this study. The photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposite of TiO2/Ag, with nanopaticles of TiO2 and Ag, were investigated by photodegradation of atrazine under the natural sun. It was found that the efficiency of solar-photocatalytic activity was increased significantly by using the nanocomposites of TiO2/Ag, compared to the use of TiO2 alone. The mechanism of the TiO2/Ag composite for enhancement of photocatalytic activity was elucidated in this work.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Aging of Escherichia coli

Clifton, C. E. (Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.). Aging of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 92:905-912. 1966.-The rates of endogenous and exogenous (glucose) respiration decreased much more rapidly than did the viable count during the first 24 hr of aging of washed, C(14)-labeled cells of Escherichia coli K-12 suspended in a basal salt medium devoid of ammonium salts. The rates of decrease of respiration and of death approached each other as the age of the cells increased, but death was not the only factor involved in decreased respiratory activity of the suspensions. The greatest decrease in cellular contents with aging was noted in the ribonucleic acid fraction, of which the ribose appeared to be oxidized, while uracil accumulated in the suspension medium. The viable count and respiratory activities remained higher in glucose-fed than in nonfed suspensions. Proline-labeled cells fed glucose tended to lose more of their proline and to convert more proline into C(14)O(2) than in unfed controls. On the other hand, uracil-labeled cells fed glucose retained more of the uracil than did nonfed cells, but glucose elicited some oxidation of uracil. An exogenous energy source such as glucose aided in the maintenance of a population, but it was not the only factor needed for such maintenance.
A Profile of Outdoor Education Programs and Their Implementation in Australia

7) Neill, J. T. (1998). Outward Bound Australia: What the research really says! Retrieved 23 February, 2001, from the Website HYPERLINK "http://www.outwardbound. c o m . a u / r e s e a r c h . h t m l " . 8) Timbertop (n.d.). The Geelong Grammar Experience Timbertop. Retrieved 29 September, 2001 from HYPERLINK http://www.ggscorio.vic.edu.au/journey/ 7 8 . h t m l . 9) Duke of Edinburghユs Award Scheme in Australia (n.d.) National Award Statistics. Retrieved 29 September, 2001 from HYPERLINK http://www.dukeofed.org.au/ n a t i o n a l _ s t a t s . h t m . 10) Ellis-Smith, G. (1999). Ancient land current connections. Journeys, 4(3), 13-16. 11) Bogong Outdoor Education Centre (n.d.). Retrieved 29 September, 2001 from http://www.boec.vic.edu.au/. 12) Young Endeavor Youth Scheme (n.d.). Retrieved 29 September, 2001 from http://www.youngendeavour.
Pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD.

Although the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not known precisely, approximately 10%–30% of patients with moderate to severe COPD have elevated pulmonary pressures. The vast majority of PH associated with COPD is mild to moderate and severe PH occurs in <5% of patients. When COPD is associated with PH, both mortality and morbidity are increased. There are no clinical or physical examination findings that accurately identify patients with underlying PH. Radiographic imaging findings are specific but not sensitive indicators of PH. Echocardiography is the principle noninvasive diagnostic test but may be technically limited in a significant proportion of patients with COPD. Right heart catheterization is required for accurate measurement of pulmonary pressures. The combined effects of inflammation, endothelial cell dysfunction, and angiogenesis appear to contribute to the development of PH associated with COPD. Systemic vasodilators have not been found to be effective therapy. Selective pulmonary vasodilators including inhaled nitric oxide and phosphodiesterase inhibitors are promising treatments for patients with COPD associated PH but further evaluation of these medications is needed prior to their routine use.
Guanethidine sympathectomy increases substance P concentration in the superior sympathetic ganglion of adult rats

Adult rats received intraperitoneal injections of guanethidine or saline for 5 weeks. Six to 8 weeks following completion of treatment, concentrations of substance P and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were measured by radioimmunoassay in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and thoracic spinal cord. The SCG was also immunostained for NPY and substance P. No differences were observed in thoracic spinal cord content of either NPY or substance P. We observed depletion of NPY immunoreactive neurons and NPY levels in the SCG, and pharmacologic evidence of postganglionic denervation in guanethidine-treated rats. In guanethidine-treated rats, there was a marked increase of substance P levels in the SCG, where substance P was localized in fibers, but not cell bodies. Thus, sprouting of substance P-containing sensory fibers in the sympathetic ganglia occurs following postganglionic sympathectomy in adult rats.
Partial corneal involvement in the iridocorneal endothelial syndrome

Three women (29, 31, and 38 years old) with the iridocorneal endothelial syndrome had endothelial regions with a normal-appearing cellular mosaic adjacent to endothelium with enlarged, dystrophic cells typical of this syndrome. An abrupt junction was present between the two types of endothelium. The cells in the areas with normal-appearing mosaics were much smaller than normal, with the smallest cells near the regions of enlarged cells. The areas of normal-appearing mosaic gradually decreased in two patients, disappearing entirely from one eye followed for five years; there remained a diffuse, uniform corneal involvement by enlarged, irregular endothelial cells typical of the irodocorneal endothelial syndrome. Concurrently, peripheral anterior synechiae and iris hole formation increased. This partial corneal involvement probably represents an early stage of the syndrome.
Drop Tests and Modeling of Water Entry of Air-Cavity Hull Sections

Marine vessels sailing through waves may experience very high loads during slamming events. The present study addresses a novel air-cavity hull configuration that contains air trapped between rigid side hulls and a platform. Laboratory drop tests have been conducted with two-dimensional sections imitating air-cavity hulls. The platform vertical position was the main variable parameter. Time-dependent accelerations and pressure measured at the platform center are reported. Peak values of these variables and their occurrence times are identified. The captured air pockets are found to reduce maximum slamming loads. A simplified mathematical model is applied for simulating the initial phase of the air-cavity hull water entry. The obtained results can be used for seakeeping assessment of air-cavity ships as well as validation of more sophisticated mathematical models for hull slamming.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Alzheimer’s disease in postmenopausal women: screening for cognitive decline in the OB/GYN office

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia diagnosed today, affecting nearly 10% of Americans over the age of 65. The prevalence of this neurodegenerative disease has been escalating and will continue to rise as the population ages. Recent studies suggest that estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and that hormone replacement therapy may prevent or delay disease progression. Therefore, OB/GYN physicians are becoming more interested in the potential prevention, detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in menopausal patients. In response, we recommend that OB/GYNs incorporate a cognitive self-assessment tool, such as the self-administered questionnaire we have developed, in an attempt to recognize and follow the course of cognitive function in their ambulatory patients. Recognition of early cognitive decline will be increasingly important as novel treatments to delay disease progression emerge. This paper reviews the current etiology of Alzheimer’s disease, the effects of estrogen on brain function, and presents a prototype of a Cognitive Self-Assessment tool OB/GYNs can use in their office setting for following cognitive function in patients.
County Compliance with North Carolina's Solid-Waste Mandate: A Conflict-Based Model

This articlepresents thefindings ofresearch on the implementation ofintergovernmental mandates. A framework is developed from empirical and theoretical work in conflict management to assess the response of government actors in the implementation of a specific mandate-North Carolina's Solid Waste ManagementAct ofl 989. Our expectation is that the imposition ofa mandate by the state on local governments would produce conflict and contention, especially if the mandate is not accompanied by funding. However, this study indicates that state and local governments may be able to overcome a single-minded concern for their own interests and take on a problem-solving attitude during the implementation process. In addition, evidence indicates that county governments that take a problemsolving approach are more likely to achieve the intended policy outcomes, producing the potential for win-win results for the state and its counties.
Bioanalysis of anti-ulcer agents.

Abstract In reviewing the analytical methods for the analysis of anti-ulcer drugs we observed an increase in the utilization of solid-phase extraction techniques, though the traditional liquid—liquid methods are still predominant. Liquid chromatographic techniques are employed more than gas chromatographic methods which reflects the general trend in chromatographic analysis for analytes in the nanogram range. We foresee a continued increase in the use of solid-phase extraction methodology (automated or otherwise) due to the potential for dramatic decreases in extraction times, cost and significant enhancement of extraction efficiency. Because the therapeutic concentrations of these drugs tend to be in the low nanogram range in plasma and the current trend in drug development is toward more potent agents, we anticipate the application of more sensitive liquid chromatographic detection techniques such as electrochemical and chemiluminescence detection to overcome the limitations of currently used technology.
Waveform design for through-the-wall radar imaging applications

Target detection and classification are considered the primary tasks in through-the-wall radar imaging. Indoor targets can be stationary or in motion. In this paper, we apply the matched illumination concept to the scattered electromagnetic field of two stationary targets that are commonly found in an indoor environment, namely, a wooden chair and a wooden table. The optimal waveform was obtained by choosing the eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of the target's autocorrelation matrix. The scattered field over the frequency band of 1-3 GHz was obtained by full wave numerical simulations using a commercially available Finite-Difference Time Domain solver (XFDTD from REMCOM). The detection performance of the optimum waveform against the commonly used linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal of the same bandwidth was compared.
Memory for memory

Participants read short passages and 1 day later they answered questions via telephone about the passages (text facts) and about the experimental session (event facts). They were telephoned again 6 weeks later and answered the same questions about text and event facts. They also answered new questions about whether they remembered the answers they had given in the initial telephone interview (recall for prior memory performance). Although participants accurately remembered the majority of past memory successes, they were poor at remembering past memory failures. After being provided with the correct answer and tested again, the participants’ performance improved somewhat, especially for memory failures. This suggests that some errors in recalling past forgetting might have been due to correctly remembering the answer previously given, but failing to realize that it had been wrong. These findings have implications for a variety of situations in which people are queried about past memory performance.
Salivary gland lymphoid infiltrates associated with lymphoepithelial lesions: A clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, and genotypic study

The criteria for distinguishing benign lymphoepithelial lesions (BLEL) from low grade B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type in salivary glands and the significance of genotypically documented clonality in this setting are controversial. In addition, the clinical implications of a neoplastic diagnosis are unclear. The histopathologic features of 68 specimens from 49 patients with at least one salivary gland biopsy with LEL together with available clinical data were, therefore, reviewed. Paraffin section immunohistochemical (IHC) stains for kappa, lambda, CD3, CD20, and CD43; in situ hybridization (ISH) for kappa and lambda; and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for immunoglobulin (Ig) HC rearrangement were performed. The 61 salivary gland specimens were classified as BLEL-13, BLEL with monocytoid B-cell (MBC) halos (BLEL-halo-8), low grade B-cell lymphoma of MALT type with confluent zones of MBC or other atypical lymphocytes (ML-MALT-24), low grade B-cell lymphoma of MALT type with monoclonal plasma cells (ML-MALT-PC-12), and high grade B-cell lymphoma of MALT type (MALT-high grade-4). Soft tissue and perineural invasion was not observed in BLEL and was most common in the MALT lymphomas. Lymph node involvement was identified in six patients at the time of their salivary gland MALT lymphomas but in none with BLEL. CD43+ B cells were seen most commonly in ML-MALT but were present in all other categories except MALT-high grade. Clonal B cells were identified by PCR in 5 of 12 BLEL, 5 of 8 BLEL-halo, 17 of 22 ML-MALT, 6 of 10 ML-MALT-PC, and 3 of 3 MALT-high grade biopsies. All ML-MALT-PC were clonal by ISH or IHC. Repeat biopsies in 14 patients most commonly showed a BLEL/ML-MALT lesion in an ipsilateral or contralateral salivary gland with one transformation to a MALT-high grade. Although only a few patients are known to have received chemoradiation or radiation therapy, most patients with low-grade lesions have pursued an indolent course. These data show the presence of two types of borderline lesions within the spectrum of lymphoid proliferations associated with salivary gland LEL. One has clonal B cells without histological features of neoplasia and the other nonconfluent MBC extending beyond the confines of LEL ("halos"). They share some features with the infrequent nonneoplastic BLEL and others with the more common low-grade B-cell lymphomas of MALT. A few high-grade B-cell lymphomas of MALT were also identified including a rare example of transformation from a low- to high-grade lesion. The optimal therapeutic approach for the borderline and low-grade lesions and the reason why so many of the lymphoproliferative lesions associated with LEL remain localized to the neck remain to be defined.
Psychological adjustment in the children of mothers with a history of eating disorders

In order to test the impact of mothers’ eating disorders (EDs) on their children’s psychological adjustment, we recruited mothers belonging to three different populations: women with eating disorders, women with depression, and normal controls. The parents responded to self-report inventories relating to psychological adjustment of the parent and child. The study found that the psychological adjustment of the children of mothers with a history of ED was not different from that of the children of mothers in the normal control group, although mothers described significant pregnancy and birth complications, parenting stress, and symptoms of clinical depression. The children of mothers with a history of depression had significantly greater psychological problems in comparison with those of the children of mothers in the other two groups. The results are interpreted in the context of the protective factors that may have buffered the effects of maternal psychopathology in children of mothers with a history of ED.
Using a competency-based instructional approach in thermodynamics

Many engineering classes are highly sequential, causing students that fail to grasp initial topics to struggle as courses progress. Despite instructor exhortations to master fundamental subjects, students often continue to struggle instead of investing the time to review. Because students do not proactively re-learn initial content, a competency-based approach was implemented in a highly sequential thermodynamics course. In the approach, students scoring below 80% on the first exam were required to pass an online review quiz in order to take subsequent exams. Only 3 out of 135 students were unable to take the second exam, but all were able to pass by the time of the third exam. Significant increases (p<;0.01) were achieved in both the average course grade and average grade on the third (final) exam as compared to the previous offering of the course, with the average grade on the final exam rising from 66.5% to 74.0% and the overall course grade rising from 76.2% to 83.2%. The competency-based structure forced students to review fundamental material that is necessary both later within a course and in subsequent courses, and seems to particularly benefit the poorer performing students. This may have impacts on student retention and persistence.
Connectionist model of three-link pendulum for NN-simulation

Numerical simulation of physics-based models has been applied to computer graphics animation due to the high degree of realism and automation it offers. However, the high cost of computation with numerical simulation is a major disadvantage compared to the more efficient geometric- based approaches. This paper shows a different approach to creating realistic simulations by using neural networks to observe and learn the dynamics of physics-based models. It also facilitates a means to solve the control problem associated with physics-based models efficiently and generate goal-based simulations. In the implementation, a regularization network is selected with sigmoidal units to emulate the dynamics of a three-linked pendulum subjected to a gravitational field. It is demonstrated by computer simulation that a feed-forward neural network is able to animate the motion of a pendulum using a limited set of data.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The ethics of greenmail

In the contemporary flurry of hostile corporate takeover activity, the ethics of the practice of greenmail have been called into question. The authors provide an account of greenmail in parallel with Daniel Ellsberg's conception of blackmail, as consisting of two conditions: a threat condition and a compliance condition.
Lack of association between genetic and geographic origin characteristics for the wild potatoSolarium sucrense Hawkes

Collecting germplasm to broaden breeding resources is an essential activity of genebanks. Research to understand how genetic diversity is partitioned in nature might help to identify collections rich in diversity. Previous studies among wild populations ofSolanum fendleri (a disomic polyploid selfer) andS. jamesii (a diploid outcrosser) revealed no significant associations between genetic and ecogeographic variation. Even physical separation did not predict genetic differences. In this study, 28 populations ofS. sucrense Hawkes (2n=4x=48), a Bolivian species with another breeding system (polysomic polyploid oucrosser), were evaluated. The objective was to assess whether genetic differences between populations are predicted by differences in geographic parameters at the natural site of origin. Genetic differentiation was estimated by using 216 RAPD markers. The average genetic distance (GD) found between pairs of populations was 31% (ranging from 8% to 44%). Correlations of GD with latitude, longitude, altitude and distance were not significant. Multiple regression analysis also confirmed that GD was not explained by the geographic parameters used. We conclude that geographic origin data is not very useful in gauging interpopulation genetic diversity in the genebank.
Tropospheric Dynamics and Chemistry as revealed by AIRS Ultraspectral Remote Sensing during INTEX-A

We present retrievals of tropospheric carbon monoxide from NASA's Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) acquired during the 2004 Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment North America (INTEX-A) along with modeling and in situ measurements from NASA's DC-8.