cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sociotechnical Systems and Unions: Nicety or Necessity

Sociotechnical systems (STS) theorists have largely ignored the role of unions both in their theoretical framework and in STS implementation. This oversight weakens the potential application and dissemination of STS theory and practice. STS democracy is frequently seen by its proponents as preferable to union democracy except when they come to the same conclusion. Unions have historically played a key role in the development and success of seminal STS initiatives but are not seen as a critical specification for success. Many practitioners have noted the instrumental importance of unions in unionized settings without acknowledging class, conflict, or union values. As such, many unions have dismissed or resisted STS innovations. Despite these serious shortcomings, the labor process argument has failed to produce a credible alternative to STS principles. In some cases, the union role has been central to STS reforms and examples like these have prompted some national union movements to promote work reform wit...
A mixed-discrete Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm with explicit diversity-preservation

Engineering design problems often involve non-linear criterion functions, including inequality and equality constraints, and a mixture of discrete and continuous design variables. Optimization approaches entail substantial challenges when solving such an all-inclusive design problem. In this paper, a modification of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is presented, which can adequately address system constraints while dealing with mixed-discrete variables. Continuous search (particle motion), as in conventional PSO, is implemented as the primary search strategy; subsequently, the discrete variables are updated using a deterministic nearest-feasible-vertex criterion. This approach is expected to alleviate the undesirable difference in the rates of evolution of discrete and continuous variables. The premature stagnation of candidate solutions (particles) due to loss of diversity is known to be one of the primary drawbacks of the basic PSO dynamics. To address this issue in high dimensional design problems, a new adaptive diversity-preservation technique is developed. This technique characterizes the population diversity at each iteration. The estimated diversity measure is then used to apply (i) a dynamic repulsion away from the best global solution in the case of continuous variables, and (ii) a stochastic update of the discrete variables. For performance validation, the Mixed-Discrete PSO algorithm is applied to a wide variety of standard test problems: (i) a set of 9 unconstrained problems, and (ii) a comprehensive set of 98 Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) problems. We also explore the applicability of this algorithm to a large scale engineering design problem---wind farm layout optimization.
Lasting Effect of Intimate Partner Violence Exposure During Preschool on Aggressive Behavior and Prosocial Skills

Intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure can negatively affect children's social behavior. However, it is unknown if the negative effects of IPV exposure during the preschool years are sustained through the early school years, if maladaptive behavior in one domain (e.g., aggressive behavior) is linked to subsequent maladaptive behavior in a different developmental domain (e.g., prosocial skill deficits), and if these relations differ by gender. This study addresses these gaps by using data from a sample of 1,125 children aged 3 to 4 at Time 1 and aged 5 to 7 at Time 2 from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. A series of nested longitudinal structural equation models were tested. Aggressive behavior and prosocial skills were stable across time. Time 1 IPV was associated with increased aggressive behavior at Time 1, which in turn was related to increased Time 2 aggressive behavior. Gender differences emerged; Time 2 IPV was associated with prosocial skills deficits for girls but not boys. A cross-domain relation existed between Time 1 aggressive behavior and Time 2 prosocial skills deficits for boys but not girls. These findings support that behavioral problems demonstrated later in childhood may emerge from earlier adverse developmental experiences and that difficulties in one domain may spill over into other developmental domains. Gender-specific interventions to promote competence in children may contribute to diverting children from maladaptive developmental outcomes.
A core MRB1 complex component is indispensable for RNA editing in insect and human infective stages of Trypanosoma brucei

Uridine insertion/deletion RNA editing is a unique and vital process in kinetoplastids, required for creation of translatable open reading frames in most mitochondrially-encoded RNAs. Emerging as a key player in this process is the mitochondrial RNA binding 1 (MRB1) complex. MRB1 comprises an RNA-independent core complex of at least six proteins, including the GAP1/2 guide RNA (gRNA) binding proteins. The core interacts in an RNA-enhanced or -dependent manner with imprecisely defined TbRGG2 subcomplexes, Armadillo protein MRB10130, and additional factors that comprise the dynamic MRB1 complex. Towards understanding MRB1 complex function in RNA editing, we present here functional characterization of the pentein domain-containing MRB1 core protein, MRB11870. Inducible RNAi studies demonstrate that MRB11870 is essential for proliferation of both insect vector and human infective stage T. brucei. MRB11870 ablation causes a massive defect in RNA editing, affecting both pan-edited and minimally edited mRNAs, but does not substantially affect mitochondrial RNA stability or processing of precursor transcripts. The editing defect in MRB1-depleted cells occurs at the initiation stage of editing, as pre-edited mRNAs accumulate. However, the gRNAs that direct editing remain abundant in the knockdown cells. To examine the contribution of MRB11870 to MRB1 macromolecular interactions, we tagged core complexes and analyzed their composition and associated proteins in the presence and absence of MRB11870. These studies demonstrated that MRB11870 is essential for association of GAP1/2 with the core, as well as for interaction of the core with other proteins and subcomplexes. Together, these data support a model in which the MRB1 core mediates functional interaction of gRNAs with the editing machinery, having GAP1/2 as its gRNA binding constituents. MRB11870 is a critical component of the core, essential for its structure and function.
Differential Anomalous X-Ray Scattering Techniques for Determination of Liquid and Amorphous Structures

The differential anomalous scattering technique is outlined and compared to other techniques for studying short-range order in amorphous systems, such as EXAFS. The differential distribution functions obtained for liquid GeBr4 were found to support a model for the liquid state based on the structure of the h.c.p. crystal. Application of the technique to aqueous ZnBr2 also allowed discrimination between structural models.
The Effects of Imidates on the Encephalitogenicity of Myelin Basic Protein

Because the encephalitogenic tryptophan region within the porcine basic protein contains a lysine essential for disease induction, modification of the residue with imidates should further elucidate its contribution to basic protein encephalitogenicity. The modification of the encephalitogenic basic protein from myelin does not eliminate encephalitogenicity irrespective of the size of the imidate employed. This result suggests that the positive group in the tryptophan region functions only to help maintain a necessary overall conformation of the region.
Choosing Cephalosporins for the Formulary

Proper selection of antibiotics for any formulary requires cooperation and communication with members of the pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee and departments of infectious diseases, microbiology, and epidemiology. Ideally, P&T members need to know their institution's incidence and sources of infection (hospital- or community-acquired), antibiotic cure rates, and the adverse effects profiles of antimicrobial agents used. In addition, members need to be briefed on the findings of antibiotic utilization reviews performed. In vitro activity should be compared among similar classes of antibiotics and, when possible, local resistance rates should be considered. The pharmacokinetic properties of an antibiotic, such as peak concentration, protein binding, distribution characteristics, and elimination half-life, should be evaluated during the selection process, as should total cost of the drug, including costs associated with monitoring therapy. The three generations of cephalosporins are used as examples...
Fundamentals of Corrosion

Corrosion can be defined in several ways: (1) destruction or deterioration of the material because of reaction with its environment; (2) destruction of materials by means other than straight mechanical; (3) and extractive metallurgy in reverse [1]. Definitions 1 and 2 are preferred for purposes of this book because the corrosion of aluminum used in the manufacture of aircraft is of primary importance. Another definition [2] is: Corrosion is the result of an electrochemical process involving an anodic reaction, the metal goes into solution as an ion, and a cathodic reaction takes place where the electrons released by the anodic reaction are discharged to maintain electrical neutrality by reaction with ions in solution. Corrosion resistance or chemical resistance depends on many factors, and its complete and comprehensive study requires knowledge of several fields of sciences including chemistry, metallurgy and biology when microorganisms deteriorate the surfaces of metals.
Ovarian Dysgerminoma: A Case Study

Dysgerminomas are rare ovarian malignancies that primarily affect young women and can occur during pregnancy. Clinically, these tumors present with lower quadrant pain and adnexal mass, and laborat...
Beyond Red Hair and Sunburns: Uncovering the Molecular Mechanisms of MC1R Signaling and Repair of UV-Induced DNA Damage

Scientists at the University of Kentucky are unraveling the details of DNA-damage repair in the melanocyte, with an eye towards finding druggable targets for melanoma prevention. Jarret et al., (2015, this issue) report in this issue three new assays that can yield mechanistic information about nucleotide excision repair (NER) stimulated by cAMP-dependent signaling downstream of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R).
DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF 3-D HYPERSONIC BOUNDARY LAYER RECEPTIVITY TO FREESTREAM DISTURBANCES

In direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the receptivity to freestream disturbances and the laminarturbulent transition process of hypersonic boundary layers, it is necessary to consider the effect of the interaction between the bow shocks and wave fields. In previous papers, we developed a fifth-order shockfitting numerical method and conducted the DNS of the generation of boundary layer instability waves due to freestream acoustic disturbances for a 2-D Mach 15 flow over a parabolic leading edge. It was shown that instability waves developed in hypersonic boundary layers behind bow shocks contain both the first and second mode waves. The use of the high-order.shock fitting scheme makes it possible to accurately simulate physical bow-shock oscillations and interactions. This paper extends the previous 2-D work to a 3-D shockfitting scheme for the DNS of 3-D hypersonic flows over blunt cones of arbitrary cross sections and over blunt wedges. The new 3-D shock-fitting scheme is then used to study the receptivity of both axisymmetric and 3-D hypersonic boundary layers to freestream disturbances in Mach 15 flows over a parabolic cone and a parabolic wedge. The receptivity characteristics of axisymmetric and planar hypersonic boundary layers over blunt bodies are compared.
Correlation of Metabolic and Chemiluminescent Responses of Granulocytes from Three Female Siblings with Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) from children with atypical chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), their mother and siblings, and normal controls were studied in regard to glycolytic and hexose monophosphate shunt activities in the resting, methylene blue-stimulated, and phagocytizing states. PMNL from the patients with CGD had normal glycolytic and hexose monophophate shunt activities in the resting state and after stimulation with methylene blue. However, stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt after phagocytosis was greatly decreased. These data were correlated with studies of both initial rate and integral counts of chemiluminescence. The chemiluminescent response from patients with atypical CGD was also greatly decreased. This decreased response probably reflects a defect in the oxidative destruction of the phagocytized microbe and correlates well with the decreased activity of the phagocytically activated hexose monophosphate shunt. The defect in generation of radical species of oxygen, singlet oxygen, and chemiluminescence by leukocytes from patients with CGD is discussed.
Key Force and Typing Performance

The IBM Design Center in Boca Raton studied the operating-point key force for a portable computer keyboard. Alden, Daniels, and Kanarick (1972) report that typists prefer operating-point key forces of between 25 and 150 grams. We compared different key forces that fell within the range recommended by Alden et al. The only difference between the keyboards we studied was the amount of force required to activate the keys. The first keyboard (58 keyboard) required 58 grams of force to activate the keys. The second keyboard (74 keyboard) required 74 grams of force to activate the keys. Sixteen skilled typists used both keyboards to enter text. Input speed was significantly faster on the 58–gram keyboard. A significant number of typists preferred the 58-gram keyboard. The results suggest that the optimal key force for portable computer keyboards is less than 74 grams.
A Blind Identification Algorithm for Blur Tempter Image

Blur operation is used mostly in the tamper false image.Therefore,a blind identification algorithm for blur tempter image is proposed.Firstly,the algorithm takes logarithm operation to image according to the image’s edge character,and separate incident components and reflection components;And then,homomorphism filter is applied to the wave field,and uses homomorphism filter to process the high frequency information and low frequency information which are obtained from multistage wave decomposition;Finally,the edge is located by using mathematical morphological operation,so the image is detected that it is the nature image or not.The experiments show that the algorithm can detect effectively the blur tampered image,and can located precisely the blur operation trace.
ANTERIOR SUBLUXATION OF THE TALUS FOLLOWING TRIPLE ARTHRODESIS.

A study of the roentgenograms of 554 patients who had triple arthrodesis of the tarsus revealed ten anterior subluxations of the tarsus in eight patients. In most instances the subluxation was combined with internal rotation of the foot referable to the ankle mortise. Recent follow-up studies in five patients indicated that four had some pain or swelling of the foot brought on by activity and relieved by rest. Follow-up roentgenograms of five ankles in four patients revealed degenerative changes three and a half to seven years after operation. Experimental studies, performed on the ankles of twelve amputated legs, suggested that anterior subluxation of the lateral part of the trochlea tali can be produced after severing the anterior talofibular ligament and, even more readily, after cutting the anterior talofibular together with the fibulocalcaneal ligaments or the anterior talofibular together with the posterior talofibular ligaments. Posterior subluxation of the lateral part of the trochlea can be produced only after cutting the fibulocalcaneal and posterior fibulotalar ligaments and inverting the foot. The talus can be tilted into inversion of 15 degrees after cutting the anterior talofibular ligament alone, 30 degrees after cutting the anterior talofibular and fibulocalcaneal ligaments, 30 degrees after cutting the anterior and posterior talofibular ligaments, and 15 to 30 degrees after cutting the fibulocalcaneal and posterior talofibular ligaments. Cutting the fibulocalcaneal and posterior talofibular ligaments also permits posterior displacement of the lateral portion of the trochlea. Despite the fact that muscle imbalance or weakness was present in each of the patients with subluxation, we believe, as suggested by our study of amputated legs, that muscle abnormalities alone cannot explain the occurrence of talar subluxation—some ligamentous damage must be present. This must involve at least the anterior talofibular ligament. Recommendations to prevent unnecessary damage to the ankle joint during triple arthrodesis include: (1) avoid cutting the anterior talofibular ligament, (2) remove little bone from the inferior surface of the talus (thus leaving attachments of ligaments to the talus), (3) hold the foot gently in neutral position and support the leg while applying the cast if injury to the anterior talofibular ligament is suspected, and (4) obtain roentgenograms after each cast change.
Changing patterns of graduate medical education.

Abstract Postgraduate medical education underwent substantial change during the 1970s: medical-school classes grew, the internship year was eliminated, and the numbers of M.D.s entering primary-car...
Decentralisation in the German Context: An Assessment of Governance Actors and Approaches ‘from Below’

This article highlights the concept of decentralisation in the German context. Besides some more general thoughts on the main determinants of successful decentralisation, the introduction links the discussion on decentralisation to considerations on existing bureaucratic power structures and emerging governance approaches. Based on that, the authors compare formal, established aspects of decentralisation by discussing administrative structures and the bureaucratic role and function of the county (Kreis) level to more informal, temporary, innovative concepts of decentralisation in order to better meet citizens’ expectations and needs. The last-mentioned aspects are illustrated by some German examples of recent regional development approaches, which the authors have been involved in as researchers and advisors. The comparison illustrates that established federal structures that so far guarantee a well-balanced allocation of resources and tasks can ideally be complemented by additional bottom-up initiatives. The combination of both empowers regions and unveils new potentials for power sharing between higher and subordinate planning and administration levels.
Detecting loss mechanisms of c-Si PV modules in-situ I-V measurement

PV module reliability is alsways an important issue for PV industry. In an outdoor PV system, PV modules suffer from degradation due to different factors. It is then very important to determine the loss mechanisms of a PV module and making improvement based on this. It is found in this work that due to mismatch effect, using fitting method to extract I-V characteristics might not be well applied on a PV module, especially when it has non-uniform degradation problem. This work proposes a method to accurately quantify the power loss of PV modules due to different degradation mechanisms, including series resistance (R s ) loss, non-uniform shunting loss and number of shunted cells, uniform shunting loss, uniform current loss, non-uniform current (mismatch) loss, recombination current (J 01 and J 02 ) losses of a PV module. All required input information are the measured current-voltage ( I-V ) curves and short circuit current- open circuit voltage ( I sc -V oc ) of PV module initial state and final state. The method is first applied to a simulated PV module with various degradation problems. Power loss due to each loss mechanism for the simulated PV module is then extracted using the proposed method and a pie chart can be generated. Comparing with the actual power loss on each loss mechanism, the method proposed in this work is proved to be very accurate. The method is then further applied to a degradated PV module istalled in an outdoor PV system. The power loss on series resistance, shunting and current mismatch are effectively identified and the number of shunted cells is accurately calculated. In the real application, this method can be used in both indoor and outdoor characterization, which can be very beneficial for PV degradation analysis of PV modules and systems.
Multiplex Proximity Ligation Assay to Identify Potential Prognostic Biomarkers for Improved Survival in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients Treated With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Purpose To explore seromarker levels for associations with outcomes in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients who received chemotherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Methods and Materials Serum from LAPC patients in 2 prospective trials of hypofractionated SBRT (5-6.6 Gy × 5) was collected before SBRT. Proximity ligation assay quantified the expression levels of 36 pancreatic cancer–specific candidate seromarkers: Axl, BMP2, CA 125, CA 19-9, CEA, CXCL-1/6/9/10, EGFR, Gas6, Her2, IGF-2, IGFBP-2/3/7, IL-6/6Ra/7/8/12, mesothelin, MMP-1/2/3/7, osteopontin, PDGFRa, PDK1, PF4, RegIV, SPARC, TGF-β, VEGF-A/D, and YKL40. Seromarker values were log transformed owing to log-normal distribution of the values, and Cox regression analysis was performed to assess for any association with overall survival. The Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to control for a false discovery rate (FDR) of only 10%. Results Sixty-four patients with LAPC were included. No clinical factors (including surgical resection, receipt of pre-SBRT chemotherapy, receipt of post-SBRT chemotherapy, performance status, and age) or potential biomarkers in the panel were associated with improved survival in this cohort after application of the FDR correction. Potential prognostic factors for improved survival for future investigation included surgical resection (P=.007, adjusted P=.153) and the serum expression of IL-8 (P=.006, adjusted P=.153), CA 19-9 (P=.031, adjusted P=.377), and MMP-1 (P=.036, adjusted P=.377). Conclusions These data explore the expression of a panel of proteins in pre-SBRT serum of LAPC patients in the context of a conservative FDR correction. None of the clinical factors or expression levels of the serum proteins were found to be associated with survival; however, IL-8, CA 19-9, and MMP-1 were highlighted as possible candidates warranting inclusion in future seromarker studies in the ongoing efforts to identify tools for risk stratification and treatment allocation in LAPC.
Atomic scale defects in MOS reliability problems

A fundamental atomic scale understanding of the physical mechanisms involved in solid state device reliability problems has long been an important goal among reliability researchers. This is so because such an understanding can lead to an amelioration of the problems or at least help in the development of reliable predictive models. Several magnetic resonance techniques have both the sensitivity and the analytical power to detect and identify the atomic scale defects in important MOS reliability problems such as the negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) as well as hot carrier effects and radiation damage. Resonance techniques can also identify defects in high-k MOS systems and, more broadly, in time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB). Quite recent advances in electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) allow resonance measurements to be combined with standard purely electrical characterization techniques such as charge pumping. The results of magnetic resonance studies of these reliability problems has lead to the identification of some, perhaps nearly all, of the atomic scale defects involved. In this presentation I will discuss atomic scale defects involved in several MOS reliability problems including NBTI, radiationdamage, and instabilities in high-k devices and some discussion of TDDB defects. I will also discuss the physical mechanisms involved in the population and creation of the defects as well as physically based reliability models. Since most of the presentation will deal with magnetic resonance results, I will also include a brief tutorial introduction to several magnetic resonance techniques with special emphasis placed on new zero field and low field EDMR.
Synthesis of efficient solar thermal power cycles for baseload power supply

Abstract Limited fossil fuel reserves and increasing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels make it essential to develop alternative renewable energy conversion processes to meet energy needs. Advancements in renewable power production are especially important since electric power is the largest consumer of primary energy resources with the highest growth rate among alternate energy use sectors, and is currently responsible for greater than 40% of the global CO2 emissions. Among the renewable energy sources, solar energy is prominent due to its abundance. Here, we introduce an efficient solar thermal power cycle, solar water power (SWP) cycle, with water as the working fluid, which undergoes reheats between expansions. SWP cycle is developed to maximize exergy efficiency, allow flexible operation and process intensification. Simulation and optimization of the SWP cycles are performed in an integrated Aspen Plus/MATLAB modeling environment. Modeling results predict that SWP cycle with 1 solar reheating stage has a potential to generate electricity with sun-to-electricity efficiencies greater than 30% at solar heat collection temperature as low as 750 K. The cycle also promises sun-to-electricity efficiencies in the unprecedented range of 40–46% for the corresponding temperatures above 1400 K. Further efficiency increase is estimated by the addition of more reheating stages.
Inference for eigenvalues and eigenvectors in exponential families of random symmetric matrices

Abstract Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data consist of a 3 × 3 positive definite random matrix at every voxel. Motivated by the anatomical interpretation of the data, we define a matrix-variate exponential family of distributions for random positive definite matrices and develop estimation and testing procedures for the eigenstructure of the mean parameter. The exponential family includes the spherical Gaussian and matrix-Gamma distributions as special cases. Maximum likelihood estimation and likelihood ratio testing procedures are carried out both in the one-sample and two-sample problems. In addition to their large-sample behavior, their non-asymptotic performance is evaluated via simulations. The methods are illustrated in a real DTI data example.
Al-Ghazali and the Golden Rule: Ethics of Reciprocity in the Works of a Muslim Sage

ABSTRACTThe golden rule (“do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) has become an important focal point in modern interfaith dialogue with Muslims. As an ethical concept, it can be transferred, more or less, intact between different religions and philosophies, with or without the authority of scripture. This article aims to assist interfaith efforts with Muslims by examining the use of the golden rule in the works of 12th century Muslim mystic, ethicist, and theologian Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazzālī (“Al-Ghazali”). Al-Ghazali is one of the most influential and popular of the classical scholars of Islam, whose impact and appreciation is felt in the East and West, both within Islam and without. He applies the golden rule in various formulations as an axis around which great themes of religion are surrounded: God, purity of heart, justice, compassion, altruistic love, goodwill, human brotherhood, and neighborliness. Four texts are examined with specific attention paid to his most famous work, Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm al...
Digital image correlation-aided mechanical characterization of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Abstract The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most commonly injured soft tissue structures in the articular knee joint, often requiring invasive surgery for patients to restore pre-injury knee kinematics. There is a pressing need to understand the role of the ACL in knee function, in order to select proper replacements. Digital image correlation (DIC), a non-contact full field displacement measurement technique, is an established tool for evaluating non-biological materials. The application of DIC to soft tissues has been in the nascent stages, largely due to patterning challenges of such materials. The ACL is notoriously difficult to mechanically characterize, due to the complex geometry of its two bundles and their insertions. This paper examines the use of DIC to determine the tensile mechanical properties of the AM and PL bundles of ovine ACLs in a well-known loading state. Homogenous loading in the mid-substance of the bundles provides for accurate development of stress/strain curves using DIC. Animal to animal variability is reduced, and the bundles are stiffer than previously thought when tissue-level strains are accurately measured. Statement of Significance The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a major stabilizing ligament of the articular knee joint, is one of the most commonly injured soft tissue structures in the knee. Often, invasive surgery is required to restore pre-injury knee kinematics, and there are several long-term consequences of ACL reconstructions, including early-onset osteoarthritis. The role of the ACL in knee stability and motion has received much attention in the biomechanics community. This paper examines the use of a non-contact full-field displacement measurement technique, digital image correlation, to determine the tensile mechanical properties of the ACL. The focus of this work is to investigate the intrinsic mechanical properties of the ACL, as new knowledge in these areas will aid clinicians in selecting ACL replacements.
Rebound Arterial Hypertension Following Discontinuation of Sodium Nitroprusside:Aetiology and Prevention

Adverse hemodynamic reactions are known to occur after abrupt withdrawal of cardiovascular drugs (Gerber and Nies, 1979). We and others (Khambata et al., 1979; Packer et al., 1979) have observed that the cessation of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion was followed by an increase in arterial blood pressure. This rebound hypertension can be hazardous when nitroprusside is employed to decrease preload and afterload in patients with severe chronic heart failure or to control arterial pressure for repair of cerebral aneurysms or other vascular lesions. The renin-angiotension system is involved in this phenomenon. The present study was designed (1) to characterize the changes in hemodynamics, plasma catecholamines and plasma renin activity that follow the abrupt cessation of nitroprusside infusion for controlled intraoperative hypotension and (2) to determine the effects of pretreatment with intravenous propranolol on these nitroprusside-induced changes.
Making Time: Conservation of Biological Clocks from Fungi to Animals

The capacity for biological timekeeping arose at least three times through evolution, in prokaryotic cyanobacteria, in cells that evolved into higher plants, and within the group of organisms that eventually became the fungi and the animals. Neurospora is a tractable model system for understanding the molecular bases of circadian rhythms in the last of these groups, and is perhaps the most intensively studied circadian cell type. Rhythmic processes described in fungi include growth rate, stress responses, developmental capacity, and sporulation, as well as much of metabolism; fungi use clocks to anticipate daily environmental changes. A negative feedback loop comprises the core of the circadian system in fungi and animals. In Neurospora, the best studied fungal model, it is driven by two transcription factors, WC-1 and WC-2, that form the White Collar Complex (WCC). WCC elicits expression of the frq gene. FRQ complexes with other proteins, physically interacts with the WCC, and reduces its activity; the kinetics of these processes is strongly influenced by progressive phosphorylation of FRQ. When FRQ becomes sufficiently phosphorylated that it loses the ability to influence WCC activity, the circadian cycle starts again. Environmental cycles of light and temperature influence frq and FRQ expression and thereby reset the internal circadian clocks. The molecular basis of circadian output is also becoming understood. Taken together, molecular explanations are emerging for all the canonical circadian properties, providing a molecular and regulatory framework that may be extended to many members of the fungal and animal kingdoms, including humans.
Novel positioning sensor with real-time feedback for improved postoperative positioning: pilot study in control subjects

Author(s): Brodie, Frank L; Ramirez, David; Pandian, Sundar; Woo, Kelly; Balakrishna, Ashwin; De Juan, Eugene; Choo, Hyuck; Grubbs, Robert
Building a Navy ‘Second to None’: The U.S. Naval Act of 1916, American Attitudes Toward Great Britain, and the First World War

This paper will examine the impact of the First World War on American attitudes toward Britain, focusing specifically on the genesis and shaping of the U . S. Na val Act of 1916. The administration of President Woodrow Wilson had struggled to maintain United States neutrality in the first thirty-two months of the war, but events in the war at sea strained relations between the U.S. and Germany, as well as between the U.S. and Great Britain. These events will be considered, and it will be argued that although the U.S. reluctantly postponed the implementation of the act, it remained a potential point of contention between the U.S. and Britain.
Whirl Flutter Stability and Its Influence on the Design of the Distributed Electric Propeller Aircraft X- 57

This paper studies the whirl flutter stability of the NASA experimental electric propulsion aircraft designated the X-57 Maxwell. whirl flutter stability is studied at two flight conditions: sea level at 2700 RPM to represent take-off and landing and 8000 feet at 2250 RPM to represent cruise. Two multibody dynamics analyses are used: CAMRAD II and Dymore. The CAMRAD II model is a semi-span X-57 model with a modal representation for the wing/pylon system. The Dymore model is a semi-span wing with a propeller composed of beam elements for the wing/pylon system that airloads can be applied to. The two multibody dynamics analyses were verified by comparing structural properties between each other and the NASTRAN analysis. For whirl flutter, three design revisions of the wing and pylon mount system are studied. The predicted frequencies and damping ratio of the wing modes show good agreements between the two analyses. Dymore tended to predict a slightly lower damping ratio as velocity increased for all three dynamic modes presented. Whirl flutter for the semi-span model was not present up to 500 knots for the latest design, well above the operating range of the X-57.
Just How Radical is Hyperplane Dependence

Recently Tim Maudlin of Rutgers University has published a book, entitled Quantum Nonlocality and Relativity (1994), in which some of the peculiar twists taken by the quantum measurement problem in the relativistic domain are discussed in depth, albeit at a rather non-technical level. In the chapter entitled “Points of View” he considers, as one of several approaches, my arguments concerning hyperplane dependent state vector reduction (Fleming 1985, 1989). While he does not embrace my view, nor that of any other author he discusses, his account is fair and I welcome this opportunity to respond to some of his observations. In particular, while clearly understanding the nature of the requirement of Lorentz covariance in a realist account of state reduction, and fully acknowledging that hyperplane dependent reduction satisfies that requirement, Maudlin is troubled by what he perceives as the proliferation of ontology thereby entailed. This prompts his comment, “We are here faced with a radically new ontological conception of the world..” Hence my title.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS FOR HEAVY WALL PRESSURE VESSEL MANUFACTURE

ABSTRACT Reactor pressure vessels for oil hydrocracking and for coal conversion processes operate at high temperatures, under high hydrogen pressure and under very corrosive conditions. These operating conditions require heavy wall pressure vessels. In nuclear energy field, heavy wall pressure vessels are also the heart of pressurized water nuclear power plants. In both cases, high standards of quality in materials and fabrication operations have to be achieved to meet the required integrity. In this paper, are presented the benefits and improvements brought by the use of: - fully automatic submerged arc narrow gap welding process for very thick circular welds, - electroslag stainless steel cladding process (Maglay Process developed by KAWASAKI STEEL CORPORATION), - stainless steel and inconel buttering by automatic hot-wire TIG process.
Myosin I and adaptation of mechanical transduction by the inner ear

Twenty years ago, the description of hair-cell stereocilia as actin-rich structures led to speculation that myosin molecules participated in mechanical transduction in the inner ear. In 1987, Howard and Hudspeth proposed specifically that a myosin I might mediate adaptation of the transduction current carried by hair cells, the sensory cells of the ear. We exploited the myosin literature to design tests of this hypothesis and to show that the responsible isoform is myosin 1c. The identification of this myosin as the adaptation motor would have been impossible without thorough experimentation on other myosins, particularly muscle myosins. The sliding-filament hypothesis for muscle contraction has thus led to a detailed understanding of the behaviour of hair cells.
Transcriptional control of natural killer cell differentiation

Natural killer (NK) cells are highly specialized cytotoxic lymphocytes that provide protection against pathogens and malignant cells. They develop from common lymphoid progenitors via a multi-stage lineage commitment and differentiation process that gives rise to mature NK cells with potent cytotoxic functionality. Although generally considered cells of the innate immune system, recent studies have demonstrated that NK cells have the capacity to mount immune responses with features of adaptive immunity, including robust antigen-specific clonal-like expansion and the generation of long-lived memory cells that mediate enhanced recall responses. Here, we discuss specific transcription factors that have been shown to commonly and uniquely regulate NK cell development and effector and memory responses in experimental mouse models.
Low viscosity of mantle rocks linked to phase boundary sliding

Abstract The influence of pyroxene on the rheology of peridotite is critical for understanding the dynamics of the upper mantle. Intragranular deformation of each phase is often assumed to be independent and the rheology of aggregates is calculated by mixing models. However, intergranular deformation on grain boundaries (e.g., olivine-olivine) and phase boundaries (e.g., olivine-pyroxene) could be intrinsically different and needs to be constrained experimentally. Experiments on fine-grained olivine and clinopyroxene demonstrate that 50-50 mixtures of these phases (a wehrlite) deform up to ∼30 times faster than either of the end-members when scaled to the same experimental conditions. Strain localization within layers with a high-density of phase boundaries demonstrates that phase boundaries enhance the rate of deformation relative to that of either olivine or pyroxene aggregates. Olivine AG-type crystallographic textures (i.e., axial girdles of [100] and [001] axes with [010] maxima sub-perpendicular to the shear plane) observed in deformed specimens are indistinguishable from those observed in many naturally deformed mantle peridotites. We propose that the presence of abundant olivine-pyroxene phase boundaries can decrease the viscosity of mantle shear zones, enhancing strain localization.
Tobacco Industry Promotions and Pricing After Tax Increases: An Analysis of Internal Industry Documents.

Author(s): Apollonio, Dorie E; Glantz, Stanton A | Abstract: BackgroundIncreasing tobacco taxes, and through them, prices, is an effective public health strategy to decrease tobacco use. The tobacco industry has developed multiple promotional strategies to undercut these effects; this study assessed promotions directed to wholesalers and retailers and manufacturer price changes that blunt the effects of tax and price increases.MethodsWe reviewed tobacco industry documents and contemporaneous research literature dated 1987 to 2016 to identify the nature, extent, and effectiveness of tobacco industry promotions and price changes used after state-level tobacco tax increases.ResultsTobacco companies have created promotions to reduce the effectiveness of tobacco tax increases by encouraging established users to purchase tobacco in lower-tax jurisdictions and sometimes lowering manufacturer pricing to "undershift" smaller tax increases, so that tobacco prices increased by less than the amount of the tax.ConclusionsPolicymakers should address industry efforts to undercut an effective public health intervention through regulating minimum prices, limiting tobacco industry promotions, and by enacting tax increases that are large, immediate, and result in price increases.ImplicationsTobacco companies view excise tax increases on tobacco products as a critical business threat. To keep users from quitting or reducing tobacco use in response to tax increases, they have shifted manufacturer pricing and developed specific promotions that encourage customers to shop for lower-taxed products. Health authorities should address tobacco industry efforts to undercut the effects of taxes by regulating prices and promotions and passing large and immediate tax increases.
Real Estate: The Case for Investment in Private and Listed Real Estate

Executive Summary. Our analysis of long-term trends points to the outperformance of listed REIT stocks and private equity real estate opportunistic funds compared to more traditional asset. To expl...
Characterizing Protein-Ligand Binding Using Atomistic Simulation and Machine Learning: Application to Drug Resistance in HIV-1 Protease.

Over the past several decades, atomistic simulations of biomolecules, whether carried out using molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo techniques, have provided detailed insights into their function. Co...
Impact of Prenatal Education on Breastfeeding Initiation Among Low-Income Women:

Purpose:To determine whether participants in the Baby Talk prenatal education program were more likely to initiate breastfeeding than nonparticipants.Design:Retrospective cohort study comparing wom...
Temperature dependence of single crystal elastic constants in a CoNi-Base alloy: A new methodology

Abstract A novel experimental setup combining induction heating, contactless (infrared thermometer) temperature measurements, and custom 15 cm length SiC-tipped piezoelectric transducers has been developed to rapidly collect resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) data from metallic rectangular parallelepiped (RP) specimens heated in air. This setup is used to collect over 70 of the lowest-frequency resonance modes from a single crystal of the novel CoNi-based superalloy SB-CoNi-10+—an alloy identified for further study due to a promising set of high temperature properties. RUS spectra from room temperature (RT) to 927 °C (1200 K) along with dilatometry measurements of the thermal expansion behavior are supplied to a robust, open-sourced, Bayesian inference code for simultaneous estimation of: three single crystal elastic constants, three crystal axis misorientation parameters, and a noise parameter. This study is the first application of the Bayesian RUS methodology at elevated temperatures, and the first to characterize SB-CoNi-10+. A monotonic decrease in elastic constants ( C 11 , C 12 , C 44 ) from (236.4, 150.8, 134.1) GPa to (190.7, 138.1, 95.2) GPa and a 15% increase in elastic anisotropy from A = 3.131 → 3.618 is observed upon heating from RT to 927 °C, with an increased rate of softening above 600 °C (873 K).
Phosphoglucoisomerase Is an Important Regulatory Enzyme in Partitioning Carbon out of the Calvin-Benson Cycle.

Phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI) isomerizes fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) and glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) in starch and sucrose biosynthesis. Both plastidic and cytosolic isoforms are found in plant leaves. Using recombinant enzymes and isolated chloroplasts, we have characterized the plastidic and cytosolic isoforms of PGI. We have found that the Arabidopsis plastidic PGI Km for G6P is three-fold greater compared to that for F6P and that erythrose 4-phosphate is a key regulator of PGI activity. Additionally, the Km of spinach plastidic PGI can be dynamically regulated in the dark compared to the light and increases by 200% in the dark. We also found that targeting Arabidopsis cytosolic PGI into plastids of Nicotiana tabacum disrupts starch accumulation and degradation. Our results, in combination with the observation that plastidic PGI is not in equilibrium, indicates that PGI is an important regulatory enzyme that restricts flow and acts as a one-way valve preventing backflow of G6P into the Calvin-Benson cycle. We propose the PGI may be manipulated to improve flow of carbon to desired targets of biotechnology.
The legacy of Rosalind E. Franklin: Landmark contributions to two Nobel Prizes

Rosalind Franklin’s short scientific carrier produced brilliant contributions to the structure of carbon, DNA, and helical and spherical viruses. At 30, she was a recognized authority who switched from carbon to DNA research and, a few years later, to nucleic-acid-protein complexes known as viruses. She made landmark contributions that led to two Nobel Prizes. She did not receive or witness either of them. 100 years after her birthday, Franklin’s scientific contributions are even more important now than during her lifetime.
Strategies of Discourse (Re)-Framing as Micropolitics Among Contemporary Japanese University Students

This chapter analyzes Japanese university students’ everyday conversations and demonstrates how individuals use linguistic tactics that result in discourse (re)-framing. These tactics are understood as forms of micropolitical practice that enable speakers to convey indirect resistance toward dominant ideologies. Using instances of the use of the utterance final pragmatic marker mitai na ‘be like’ as a case study, the chapter shows how individuals shifting the indexical characteristics of conversation salient discourse via lamination or layering of discourses creates possibilities for discourse (re)-framing. Analysis of such discourse (re)-framings through lamination in the case of mitai na is situated in the broader social frameworks inhabited by contemporary Japanese university students, which are marked by increased socio-economic precarity as once taken for granted practices are becoming more difficult for individuals to achieve. This chapter locates indirect micropolitical resistance in the everyday social and linguistic practices of individuals who appear to be conforming to normative social expectations.
Improvement Method of Operation Reliability for Modular Multilevel Converter

In the existing flexible HVDC projects, there are some problems such as malfunction of bypass switch, uplink communication failure of the sub-module, resulting in the blocking of the converter. It is equivalent that the fault of a single sub-module can cause the blocking of the whole converter, which seriously affects the operation reliability of modular multilevel converter (MMC). In order to solve this problem, an improvement scheme is proposed in this paper, and it contains three parts. The modification includes the thyristor replacement, the wiring mode change of sub-module and the power board connection between sub-modules. The analysis result shows that the method in this paper is effective in any fault type. In addition, based on the bidirectional thyristor, the half-bridge sub-module based MMC will have the DC fault clearing capability.