cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ternary phase diagram of model dentin adhesive exposed to over-wet environments.

When adhesives and/or composites are bonded to the tooth, water in the environment can interfere with proper interface formation. Formation of water blisters and phase separation at the adhesive/dentin interface have appeared as new types of bond defects. To better understand this problem, we determined the near-equilibrium partition of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic components when exposed to over-wet environments. Model methacrylate-based adhesives were mixed with different amounts of water to yield well-separated aqueous and resin phases. It was found that less than 0.1% BisGMA but nearly one-third of the HEMA diffused into the aqueous phase, leaving the remaining resin phase relatively hydrophobic. A partial phase diagram was created for the ternary BisGMA/HEMA/water system. All the experimental phase partitioning data were plotted, and the points lay on a binodal curve that separated the single-phase region from the two-phase region. We obtained the 3 tie lines by connecting the 2 points of each conjuga...
Self-Affirmation: Understanding the Effects

Self-affirmation theory proposes that individuals possess a flexible self-system, such that they can respond to threats in one domain of life by affirming self-worth in other domains. In social psychology research, this has been examined in studies where people affirm important values in the context of self-threatening events or information. This paper reviews the literature demonstrating the effects of values affirmations and proposes a theoretical account to understand how self-affirmations reduce defensiveness in response to threats to individuals’ health, attenuate physiological stress responses to laboratory and naturalistic stressors, and improve academic performance among individuals experiencing identity threat. The proposed model has three components: Self-affirmations boost self-resources, broaden the perspective with which people view information and events in their lives, and lead to an uncoupling of the self and the threat, reducing the threat’ si mpact in affecting the self. This model helps explain what occurs when individuals affirm values in the context of threats, and how self-affirmations may instantiate lasting effects through changing the nature of ongoing experience.
Speech silicon AM: an FPGA-based acoustic modeling pipeline for hidden Markov model based speech recognition

This paper presents the design of a FPGA-based hardware co-processor, based on the SPHINX 3 speech recognition engine from CMU; capable of performing acoustic modeling (AM) for medium sized vocabularies in real-time. By creating an input-driven pipeline for performing the calculations, we were able to maximize the throughput of the system while simultaneously minimizing the number of pipeline stalls. Use advanced placement techniques enabled post place-and-route speeds even greater than those necessary for real-time operation while operating at maximum workload. Further, by using input control vectors all FSMs were removed from the design, greatly increasing the flexibility of the design. These results combined with the ability to reprogram the system for different recognition tasks serve to create a system capable of in a vast array of environments. Synthesis to both Xilinx Virtex 4 and Spartan 3 FPGAs helps to further characterize the flexibility of the architecture.
Assessment of shape memory alloy stent deployment in a stenosed artery

Purpose — Shape memory alloy (SMA) stents have been used increasingly for the treatment of complex arterial occlusions. There is an immediate need to quantify the mechanical performance of SMA stents to open occluded arteries. Methods — The stent crimping and expanding process was assessed through both numerical modeling and in-vitro studies. The implantation of a SMA stent in curved arteries with eccentric stenosis were simulated to evaluate the effect of artery curvature on arterial mechanics. Results — The crimping process stored a considerable amount of strain energy in the stent, which were then released through self-expansion until a balance between the stent and stenosed artery was achieved. The deployed SMA stent exhibited a dog-bone shape, where the longitudinal ends of the stent penetrated into the artery causing arterial stress concentrations. However, the maximum arterial stress was observed at the central portion of artery contacting the thin side of the plaque. Furthermore, stent-induced arterial mechanics were more pronounced in the curved artery than the straight artery. The maximum Von Mises stress in the curved artery with a curvature of 0.05 mm -1 was 37% larger than that found in the straight artery. The percentage of the intimal area at higher stress level (> 0.05 MPa) is 5.51% in the curved artery, compared to 1.76% in the straight artery. Conclusions — This work provided a fundamental understanding of the behavior of SMA stent and its impact on the vascular wall, and illuminated the possibilities for exploiting their potential to alleviate arterial injury.
Forty Years of School Readiness Research: What Have We Learned?

(2008). Forty Years of School Readiness Research: What Have We Learned? Childhood Education: Vol. 84, No. 5, pp. 260-266.
Characterization of Virus Adsorption by Using DEAE-Sepharose and Octyl-Sepharose†

Viruses were characterized by their adsorption to DEAE-Sepharose or by their elution from octyl-Sepharose by using buffered solutions of sodium chloride with different ionic strengths. Viruses whose adsorption to DEAE-Sepharose was reduced most rapidly by an increase in the sodium chloride concentration were considered to have the weakest electrostatic interactions with the solids; these viruses included MS2, E1, and φX174. Viruses whose adsorption to DEAE-Sepharose was reduced least rapidly were considered to have the strongest electrostatic interactions with the column; these viruses included P1, T4, T2, and E5. All of the viruses studied adsorbed to octyl-Sepharose in the presence of 4 M NaCl. Viruses that were eluted most rapidly following a decrease in the concentration of NaCl were considered to have the weakest hydrophobic interactions with the column; these viruses included φX174, CB4, and E1. Viruses that were eluted least rapidly from the columns after the NaCl concentration was decreased were considered to have the strongest hydrophobic interactions with the column; these viruses included f2, MS2, and E5.
University of Washington Twin Registry: poised for the next generation of twin research.

The University of Washington Twin Registry is a unique community-based registry of twin pairs who join specifically to participate in scientific research. It was founded in 2002 to serve as a resource for investigators throughout the scientific community. Current enrollment exceeds 7,200 pairs, and plans are in place to increase enrollment to 10,000 pairs by 2015. In addition to serving as a recruitment base for new research studies, the registry maintains extensive and continually expanding survey data on physical and mental health, as well as a biorepository that includes DNA from more than 8,800 individual twins. The registry is engaged in linking member data to birth records and to diagnostic and procedure variables for hospital-based care provided to members in Washington State. It also incorporates several innovative variables relevant to the built and social environments, which were created by geocoding twin addresses and linking the resulting coordinates to geospatial information systems databases. This combination of existing data and biospecimens, characterizing a group of twins who are willing to participate in research, is a valuable resource for the new wave of twin studies. These include ‘omics’, epigenetics, gene-by-environment interactions, and other novel methods to understand human health.
A VLSI priority packet queue with overwrite and inheritance

Priority-based flow-control is essential for dead-line based real-time applications. First-in-first-out queues introduce priority inversion, which can cause unbounded delays. Yet very few priority queue implementations exist. This paper presents a novel 1.2 /spl mu/m CMOS priority packet queue that manipulates its contents in terms of packet segments, rather than individual words. Similar to paged memory, this architecture stores variable-sized packets, while avoiding storage area fragmentation. It significantly increases throughput by distributing the computationally intensive priority comparison operation over the access time for an entire segment. When full, the queue can either perform priority inheritance or overwrite lower priority packets. Its robust handling of a synchronous and disparate read and write clocks makes it suitable for use as a general network interface buffer. Our prototype achieves double the throughput of a conventional design, and larger capacity implementations promise even greater improvements. >
Estimate of the Gravitational Radiation from NP 0532

THERE is considerable interest1,2 in detecting gravitational radiation from pulsars, in particular NP 0532 (the Crab Nebula pulsar). In this article the gravitational radiation to be expected from NP 0532 is estimated on the basis of the oblique rotator model3–6. This is a “lighthouse” model which postulates that pulsars are rotating neutron stars with a frozen-in magnetic field (see Fig. 1). The axis of the magnetic field is skewed with respect to the axis of rotation. Rotation carries the magnetic poles around in a circle, with the consequent emission of low frequency electromagnetic radiation. This radiation is then converted into other forms of energy, such as relativistic electrons and pulsed, higher frequency radiation4–8.
Profound Apoptosis-Mediated Regional Myocyte Loss and Compensatory Hypertrophy in Pigs With Hibernating Myocardium

Background—Myocyte apoptosis is seen in ischemic heart disease, but whether it can occur after reversible ischemia or independent of necrosis and replacement fibrosis is unknown. Methods and Results—Pigs were instrumented with a stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery to chronically reduce coronary flow reserve over a period of 3 months. At this time, there was viable dysfunctional myocardium having the physiological features of hibernating myocardium. Resting subendocardial perfusion was reduced to 0.65±0.08 (mean±SEM) mL · min−1 · g−1 in hibernating myocardium of instrumented pigs compared with 0.98±0.14 mL · min−1 · g−1 in myocardium of sham-operated pigs (P<0.05). There was a critical limitation in subendocardial flow during vasodilation to 0.78±0.20 mL · min−1 · g−1 in instrumented pigs versus 3.24±0.50 mL · min−1 · g−1 in sham-operated pigs (P<0.001). Histology revealed a regional reduction in myocyte nuclear density to 995±100 nuclei/mm2 in hibernating myocardium from the instrumen...
The Birth of a Family

Participating in the care of a couple’s pregnancy and the birth of a baby is one of the most rewarding experiences for family-oriented physicians. Physicians have an opportunity to have a major impact on patients and their families during this critical stage of family development. During pregnancy, the physician has extended contact with the family and usually becomes a trusted consultant (1). Families rely on their physician for most of their information about the pregnancy (2). Family-oriented pregnancy care builds upon traditional obstetrical care, providing an integrated approach that attends to the psychosocial needs of the woman and the family as well as the biomedical aspects of the pregnancy. In addition to the rewards of attending deliveries, the family-oriented physician who practices obstetrics can have a more varied and challenging practice and provides more pediatric, gynecological, and surgical care than those who do not practice obstetrics (3).
The Faster, The Better?: An Empirical Study On The Speed Of Strategic Change And Firm Survival And Performance

This study questions the conventional wisdom that strategic change and a rapid pace of change are necessary for firm survival in a changing environment. Recognizing the potential costs of strategic change, we argue that conventional wisdom might be oversimplified. Drawing on the U.S. trucking industry and its deregulation, this paper concludes that mere change in strategy is insufficient to guarantee organizational survival and success, and hasty change may exert a negative impact on firm performance. Conclusions drawn from this study should be given appropriate caveats since we focus on conditions idiosyncratic to strategic change prompted by industry deregulation.
First report of an attractant for a tumbling flower beetle (Coleoptera: Mordellidae).

Abstract In 2004 and 2005, large numbers of the tumbling flower beetle, Falsomordellistena bihamata (Melsheimer), were found on traps baited with sweet birch oil, whereas significantly fewer individuals were found on control traps. In both years, peak captures were at 680 DD10°C. Trapping was conducted in Naugatuck State Forest in Naugatuck, CT. Little is known about the ecology and biology of the tumbling flower beetles (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), and the larval food plant for this species is not known. Thus, we cannot say why the beetle is attracted to sweet birch oil. Sweet birch oil is ≈99.8% methyl salicylate (MeSA). MeSA is found constitutively in large quantities in some plants, but it is also an important signal in, and product of, plant stress-response pathways. MeSA has been found to attract both herbivores that need stressed plants as food and natural enemies of herbivores in stressed plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mass trapping of a tumbling flower beetle. Fuller understa...
Embedding stained mammary glands in plastic.

A simplified method of embedding stained mammary spreads of small mammals in plastic (Selection) is presented. Two standard 50 × 75 × 1 mm. glass slides, separated by 2 narrow glass strips of similar thickness, are used to form the embedding chamber. The glands are stained in toto in alum-carmine, dehydrated, defatted, infiltrated with uncatalyzed plastic and embedded in catalyzed plastic. After baking and cooling, the glass chamber separates readily and provides a thin square slide of plastic suitable for low-power microscopic examination, projection, and filing.
A Philosophical Explanation of Quantum Phenomena? The Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Simulation Hypothesis

In my 2013 article in The Philosophical Forum, “A New Theory of Free Will”, I argued that several serious hypotheses in philosophy and modern physics jointly entail that our reality is structurally identical to a peer-to-peer (P2P) networked computer simulation. The present paper shows that quantum phenomena emerge naturally from the computational structure of a P2P simulation. §1 explains the P2P Hypothesis in detail. §2 then shows how it explains quantum superposition and wave-function collapse (§2.1.), quantum indeterminacy (§2.2.), wave-particle duality (§2.3.), and quantum entanglement (§2.4.).
Damage Control and Recovery

Following injury to its axon, a neuron undergoes a stereotyped series of changes that play an important role in its ability to regrow the axon. Peripheral neurons and motoneurons (whose axons travel in the periph- ery) are often quite successful at axon regeneration. Likewise, inter- neurons in the CNS of lower vertebrates such as fishes and frogs are frequently able to re-establish synaptic connections after axon transec- tions. In contrast to these success stories, and much to the chagrin of physicians who treat patients with CNS damage, axon regeneration is insubstantial at best within the bounds of the mature human CNS. Let’s examine the changes that occur when neurons are injured, the putative reasons why central neurons are so sadly incompetent at regeneration, and what might be done to help them along.
Limit Analysis without Mechanism Generation

It is demonstrated that the static approach to collapse load analysis for frames can be implemented without mechanism generation and virtual work. In addition, the amount of programming effort necessary to automate the generation of the governing linear programming is comparable to that for the elastic analysis of frames.
Low-pressure flame spread limits of fire resistant fabrics

Future space missions may require spacecraft cabin environments different than those used in the International Space Station. These cabin environments may even vary between exploration vehicles depending on mission purpose and duration, among other factors. Environmental variables such as flow velocity, oxygen concentration, ambient pressure, micro or partial-gravity, orientation, presence of an external radiant flux, etc. may increase or decrease the material flammability for any particular set of environmental conditions. The goal of the current work is to study the effect of oxygen concentration, ambient pressure and sample orientation in the limiting conditions for flame spread over Nomex HT90-40. Experiments were conducted inside a 105 liter pressure chamber with ambient pressures ranging from 13 to 100 kPa and oxygen concentrations ranging from 21% to 75%. Flame and no-flame spread boundaries are reported in terms of ambient pressure and oxygen concentration for both concurrent and opposed flame spread conditions. The criteria used to define the flame and no-flame spread boundary was the measured maximum oxygen concentration for which the flame propagated beyond the influence of the igniter. Results show that the minimum oxygen concentration for flame spread increases as ambient pressure decreases, with more significant increases observed at low ambient pressures. In addition, the results from the present work explore the relationships that exists between sample orientation, flame spread configuration and environmental variables such as ambient pressure and oxygen concentration.
Interaction of filaments with their surroundings

The role of bound electrons, molecules and electrons is analyzed in relation to measurements of polarization before and during the filamentation process. Light-electron interaction is shown to be different for linear versus circular polarization.
Effect of Cadmium and Fluorine on the Rat Dentition.

SummaryThe ability of cadmium to diminish the degree of pigmentation of rat incisor enamel and to effect a reduction in blood hemoglobin has been confirmed. The ability of fluorine to bring about a comparable reduction in blood hemoglobin has also been observed. It is suggested that the pigmentary changes in the enamel and the fall in hemoglobin that results in the ingestion of both cadmium and fluorine is related to the ability of these elements to interact with iron-containing proteins. Unlike fluorine, cadmium in the concentration studied is ineffective in reducing experimental rat caries.
Study on economic compensation standard for the conversion of rubber plantation to rainforest in Mandan Village,Xishuangbanna

Tropical rainforest is a hotspot for biodiversity,but in recent decades global tropical rainforest cover has decreased a lot due to anthropogenic impacts. This situation makes tropical forest conservation and sustainable development a universal hope. Since 1970 s,Xishuangbanna has lost almost 30% of its original forest cover,largely replaced by rubber plantations. In face of the economic benefits but generating negative ecological impacts, the rubber to rainforest transformation program promoted and led by the local government was supposed to be a direct way to save tropical rainforest. We calculated the land expectation value and forest value of rubber plantations in Mandan Village using compounding interest and land expectation value calculations.We recommend the local government to sign up leasing or purchasing contracts with the local farmers to acquire the land usage right. The rubber to rainforest eco- compensation standard was made of an annual rent payment for 20 years. These research results provide scientific reference and a primary solution for problems faced by the rubber to rainforest program in theory and practice. We also discuss practical advice for the implementation of the program. We recommend the local government take measures regarding environmental management to mitigate the negative impacts of rubber plantation on local environments before implementation.
Analysis of disinfection status of medical sewage in Liyang

Objective:To know the disinfection status of medical sewage in Liyang to prevent environmental pollution caused by toxic or harmful substances.Methods: Suspended solids,anionic surface active agent,colority,Salmonella,Fecal coliform,total residual chloride,Shiga and pH value were detected in the sewages from 22 medical institutions according to GB18466-2005.Results: The eligible rates of anionic surface active agent,colority,Salmonella,Shiga and pH value were 100%,and Fecal coliform was 95.5%,total residual chloride was 77.3%,Suspended solids was 36.4%.Conclusion: The status of medical sewage disinfection in medical institutions is better in Liyang.But there are some problems in excess use of chlorine disinfectant for controlling the microbiological indicators and the suspended solids exceeded the national standard.Supervision and monitoring should be strengthened to ensure the safety of the hospital discharge.
Pain after spinal cord injury.

A taxonomy of pain based on regional localization relative to the neurologic level of spinal cord injury (SCI), and a division into neuropathic and nociceptive subtypes allows for the classifications of pain after SCI. Treatment of these various subtypes of pain after SCI should be evidence-based and may include physical measures, pharmacologic treatments, behavioral interventions, and surgery.
Response to “Coastal Versus Interior: Some Thoughts on the Archaeology of California's Channel Islands”

Erlandson raises two issues of concern: our definition of “interior” and our focus on sites post-dating the earliest few millennia of human occupation of the Channel Islands. The first relates to h...
ENFIRE: A Spatio-Temporal Fine-Grained Reconfigurable Hardware

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are well-established as fine-grained reconfigurable computing platforms. However, FPGAs demonstrate poor scalability in advanced technology nodes due to the large negative impact of the elaborate programmable interconnects (PIs). The need for such vast PIs arises from two key factors: 1) fine-grained bit-level data manipulation in the configurable logic blocks and 2) the purely spatial computing model followed in the FPGAs. In this paper, we propose ENFIRE, a novel memory-based spatio-temporal framework designed to provide the flexibility of reconfigurable bit-level information processing while improving scalability and energy efficiency. Dense 2-D memory arrays serve as the main computing elements storing not only the data to be processed but also the functional behavior of the application mapped into lookup tables. Computing elements are spatially distributed, communicating as needed over a hierarchical bus interconnect, while the functions are evaluated temporally inside each computing element. A custom software framework facilitates application mapping to the framework. By leveraging both spatial and temporal computing, ENFIRE significantly reduces the interconnect overhead when compared with FPGA. Simulation results show an improvement of $7.6\times $ in energy, $1.6\times $ in energy efficiency, $1.1\times $ in leakage, and $5.3\times $ in unified energy efficiency, a metric that considers energy and area together, compared with comparable FPGA implementations.
Measuring Triune Ethics Orientations

According to triune ethics meta-theory (TEM), moral functioning is dynamic and shifting moment to moment. But moral functioning can also harden into dispositional tendencies. This chapter describes several studies that examine TEM dispositions empirically. In order to begin to measure distinctive ethical orientations that arise through developmental experience, we constructed a measure of three ethical orientations (protectionism, engagement, reflective imagination) that include one’s goals and the perceptions others have of the respondent. Factor analyses and results are described. Convergent and divergent validity and mediation were tested in three samples of college students and adults. As expected, the three orientations behaved distinctively in terms of big-five personality, moral emotions and intuitions, moral personality, worldview, and moral reasoning and were distinctively predicted by attachment variables and positive emotions.
Shifting STEM Stereotypes? Considering the Role of Peer and Teacher Gender

This study builds on research on the power of counter-stereotypical cues, as well as intergroup contact theory, to consider whether interactions with a female teacher and female peers in a high school engineering classroom decrease male students' gender/science, technology, engineering, and math stereotypical beliefs and whether this varies according to the initial strength of their stereotypical views. Analyses reveal that among male students who initially reject stereotypes of male superiority, more female peers in the classroom leads to a further decrease in their stereotypical views by the end of the year. In contrast, boys who held strong stereotypical beliefs became less stereotypical by the end of the course when they had a female teacher. Implications for future research and current educational reforms are discussed.
DIFFERENCES IN PRE-OP CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN TKR AND THR PATIENTS: RESULTS FROM FORCE-TJR A NATIONAL US COHORT

Introduction: Total knee replacement (TKR) and total hip replacement (THR) reliably relieve pain, restore function, and ensure mobility in patients with advanced joint arthritis; however these results are not uniform across all patient populations. Moreover, it is well established that knee replacement patients have outcomes inferior to those undergoing hip replacement procedures with lower rates of dissatisfaction with post-operative function and pain relief. We compared baseline demographic and symptom profiles in patients from a US national cohort undergoing primary TKR and THR to determine whether differences in demographic make-up, pre-operative symptoms, or pre-existing co-morbidities might contribute to these differences observed post-operatively. Methods: A cohort of 2375 patients undergoing primary TKR and THR was identified from the FORCE national research consortium from all surgeries performed between July 1 st 2011 and March 30 th 2012. This set of patients was derived from 120 contributing surgeons in 23 US states. Gathered data included patient demographics, comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index), operative joint pain severity (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC)), physical function (SF-36; Physical Component Score (PCS)), emotional health (SF-36; Mental Component Score (MCS)), and musculoskeletal burden of illness (Hip and Knee Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores; Oswestry Disability Index). Using descriptive statistics, we compared the baseline demographic characteristics and symptom profiles of patients undergoing TKR (n = 1362) and those undergoing THR (n = 1013). Results: In this large national sample, patients receiving knee replacements were found to be significantly older (66.5 vs. 64.3 years), more obese (BMI 31.7 vs. 29.3), and less educated (p TKR patients had higher rates of medical comorbidities, specifically diabetes, gastrointestinal ulcers, and cerebrovascular disease (p ≤ 0.006). Conversely, THR patients had significantly worse physical function (PCS 31.6 vs. 33.3), lower back pain (35.6% vs. 30.5% moderate-severe), and operative joint pain, stiffness, and function (p Conclusions: US patients undergoing primary TKR are older with more comorbidities, however THR patient baseline functional and musculoskeletal limitations are significantly greater than primary TKR patients. These data may help explain the variability in physical function after primary TKR as compared to primary THR.
Abstract SY16-02: Clinical whole exome interpretation for precision cancer medicine

Translating whole exome sequencing (WES) for prospective clinical use may impact the care of cancer patients. However, since this approach greatly expands the quantity of genomic data generated for an individual patient, multiple innovations are necessary for clinical implementation. These include clinical analysis and interpretation of large scale WES data, effective representation of WES data in a clinical environment for physician consumption, and development of knowledge-sharing platforms to ensure effective curation of clinically relevant variants. Here, we describe heuristic methods for the clinical interpretation of WES data. We also discuss approaches that may facilitate physician understanding of WES data in a clinical setting. Finally, we review existing knowledge bases and emerging mechanisms for crowdsourcing variant curation that may enable prospective WES-scale genomic profiling. Overall, this methodology may inform the widespread implementation of precision cancer medicine. Citation Format: Eliezer M. Van Allen. Clinical whole exome interpretation for precision cancer medicine. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr SY16-02. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-SY16-02
Spatial Patterns of Peak Flow Quantiles Based on Power-Law Scaling in the Mississippi River Basin

This study explores the spatial variability of peak flows for different drainage area sizes in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) based on the power-law relation between flood quantiles (Q p ) and drainage areas (A) expressed as \( {Q}_p={\upalpha}_p{A}^{\uptheta_p} \). The aim is to reveal consistent regional flood patterns within the MRB. The authors use 5137 streamflow gauges with peak flow records and the USGS Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) catchment organization framework to estimate the scaling parameters (α p and θ p ) at multiple spatial disaggregation levels, including the complete Mississippi River Basin (MRB), six major MRB sub-regions (HUC-2), and finally 84 medium-scale catchments (HUC-4). The analysis at the HUC-4 level exposes remarkable regional flood patterns in θ p and α p , which are used to estimate peak flows at 2.33 and 100 years of return periods at multiple spatial scales including 1, 100, 1000, and 10,000 km2 drainage areas. The results expose a peak flow quantile relation that varies as a function of region and drainage area, demonstrating that the regions with the higher peak flows quantiles are varying with respect to the watershed size along the MRB. Mainly, we found that the cluster of higher floods extends from the center to the eastern MRB for drainage areas from 1 to 10,000 km2. Conversely, the clusters of lower 2.33-year floods are preserved in the western MRB for the same range of drainage areas. The results presented in this study demonstrate that the flood-producing mechanisms are varying with respect to the drainage area size and regions, providing a starting point for a quantitative description of physical processes that dominate the variability of flood-producing mechanisms, a critical step in the design of parsimonious continental scale hydrological models.
Biochemical mechanisms of initiation and termination of plasmid DNA replication

My first exposure to research was a project on ultrastructure of interphase chromosomes with Swaminathan as the mentor 1 . Since that time I and my associates have focused on the biochemistry of replication initiation and termination and regulation of replication using plasmid chromosomes as model systems. Here, I will briefly review our work that was carried out first at the Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT (with Sherman Weissman as mentor), then in my own laboratory at the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC for many years and presently at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. The dispensability of plasmids, the manageable circular DNA templates (chromosomes), and the characteristic copy number at which each plasmid is maintained in the cell makes it a convenient model for investigations of replication mechanisms. Here, I summarize some of the highlights of our work on the biochemistry and copy control mechanisms of the plasmid R6K.
Slow Pyrolysis Kinetics of Two Herbaceous Feedstock: Effect of Milling, Source, and Heating Rate

Kinetic models for pyrolysis of switchgrass and tall fescue were obtained using thermogravimetric analysis and a newly proposed parameter-extraction methodology. The optimization strategy demonstrates the use of the Akaike information criterion for the statistical identification of the number of distinct processes and a robust global search method. The effects of sample mass, heating rates, particle size, and crystallinity index on the kinetic parameters of each feedstock were considered. For whole biomass particles, the kinetic parameters of the cellulose component was found to be similar to that of pure microcrystalline cellulose. Further particle size reduction through extensive milling reduced the activation energy of cellulose by 48%. X-ray diffraction indicated that the cellulose fraction of highly milled whole biomass becomes largely amorphous and that the amorphization of the cellulose, not the particle size reduction, is likely responsible for the decrease in activation energy.
Effect of Previous Flood Exposure on Flood Tolerance and Growth of Three Landscape Shrub Taxa Subjected to Repeated Short-term Flooding

Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ (‘Shamrock’ inkberry holly), Itea virginica ‘Henry's Garnet’ (‘Henry's Garnet’ sweetspire), and Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’ (‘Winterthur’ possumhaw) were flooded for 0 (non-flooded), 3, or 6 d, first in a greenhouse and then outdoors. Flooding treatments were in a factorial combination of greenhouse flooding treatment × outdoor flooding treatment. Following each flooding period, plants were allowed to drain for 6 d and received no irrigation. Plants in the 3 and 6 d flood treatments experienced a total of 7 and 5 flood cycles, respectively both in the greenhouse and outdoors. All taxa maintained 100% survival during greenhouse and outdoor flooding. Following greenhouse flooding, final size index (SI) of I. virginica ‘Henry's Garnet’ and I. glabra ‘Shamrock’ decreased with increasing flood length; V. nudum ‘Winterthur’ had no differences in SI among treatments. Following outdoor flooding, there were no differences in flooding treatment for relative size index (RSI) of I. glabra ‘Sham...
The Trichophytic and Lateral Temporal Lifts: Application to the Focal Elevation of the Aging Lateral Eyebrow

Rejuvenation of the upper face is a key component of overall facial rejuvenation. The upper face is probably the most important purveyor of our sense of well-being and our primary transmittal of nonverbal social interaction. There are many aspects to the aging changes in the area. Central to these concerns is the level and shape of the eyebrow. Ptosis of the lateral brow begins at a relatively young age and tends to worsen over time. This article describes an adaptation of modifiable techniques to address focal issues of the lateral eyebrow.
Model-Based Fault Diagnosis for Turboshaft Engines

Tests are described which, when used to augment the existing periodic maintenance and pre-flight checks of T700 engines, can greatly improve the chances of uncovering a problem compared to the current practice. These test signals can be used to expose and differentiate between faults in various components by comparing the responses of particular engine variables to the expected. The responses can be processed on-line in a variety of ways which have been shown to reveal and identify faults. The combination of specific test signals and on-line processing methods provides an ad hoc approach to the isolation of faults which might not otherwise be detected during pre-flight checkout.
Designing Interactive Technology to Scaffold Generative Pedagogical Practice

This chapter introduces a web-based assessment environment, the EnCoMPASS Environment, that was purposefully designed to scaffold activities consistent with a group of mathematics teacher educators’ practices as well as research-based instructional practices. The chapter details the design of the tool and then presents preliminary findings from our analysis of 21 practicing teachers’ collective mathematical activity mediated by the tool. Findings indicate that the software environment supported teachers’ participation in common practices for examining student work as well as more generative practices such as providing evidence-based feedback. The study has implications for a way in which to conceive of the design of technologies to support generative professional development at a distance.
Clinical implications of PET/CT in prostate cancer management

Several imaging modalities exist for the investigation of prostate cancer (PCa). From ultrasound to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the role of imaging in detecting lesion foci, staging, and localizing disease after biochemical recurrence (BCR) is expanding. However, many of the conventional imaging modalities are suboptimal, particularly in the detection of metastasis. Positron emission tomography (PET) has recently emerged as a promising tool in PCa management. The ability to develop radiolabeled tracers for functional imaging based on characteristics of PCa cells can potentially provide more insight into management by utilizing key features of those cells, such as metabolic activity, increased proliferation, and receptor expression. 18-flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) is one of the earliest tracers used in PET imaging that takes advantage of increased metabolism of glucose. Its role in PCa has been somewhat limited due to poor resolution and confounders including noise resulting from the proximity of the prostate to the bladder. Choline, a precursor molecule for a major component of the cell membrane, phosphatidylcholine, shows increased uptake in cells with rapid proliferation. When compared to metabolic based imaging techniques with FDG, choline PET/CT was superior. Nevertheless, choline PET/CT was not equivocal to MRI in detection of local disease, but was superior to conventional imaging in localizing metastasis and lymph node metastasis (LNM). Fluciclovine is another novel marker that utilizes the increased proliferation seen in tumor cells. Studies have shown it to be superior to choline PET/CT in PCa management, particularly in patients with BCR. As with choline PET/CT, studies that have assessed the impact of fluciclovine on clinical practice have highlighted the impact of these new tracers on clinical decision making. Most recently, the newest molecular probe targeting prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) was developed. It offers higher detection rates compared to choline PET/CT and conventional imaging modalities and has shown promise in LNM and BCR. With the wide range of available PET tracers, this review aims to highlight the role of each in lesion foci detection, primary staging, disease recurrence and explore the potential clinical impact.
The impact of failure to achieve symptom control after resection of functional neuroendocrine tumors: An 8-institution study from the US Neuroendocrine Tumor Study Group.

Background The goals of resection of functional neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are two-fold: Oncological benefit and symptom control. The interaction between the two is not well understood. Methods All patients with functional NETs of the pancreas, duodenum, and ampulla who underwent curative-intent resection between 2000 and 2016 were identified. Using Cox regression analysis, factors associated with reduced recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified. Results Two-hundred and thirty patients underwent curative-intent resection. Fifty-three percent were insulinomas, 35% gastrinomas, and 12% were other types. Twenty-one percent had a known genetic syndrome, 23% had lymph node (LN) positivity, 80% underwent an R0 resection, and 14% had no postoperative symptom improvement (SI). Factors associated with reduced RFS included noninsulinoma histology, the presence of a known genetic syndrome, LN positivity, R1 margin, and lack of SI. On multivariable analysis, only the failure to achieve SI following resection was associated with reduced RFS. Considering only those patients with an R0 resection, failure to achieve SI was associated with worse 3-year RFS compared with patients having SI (36% vs 80%; P = 0.006). Conclusions Failure to achieve symptomatic improvement after resection of functional NETs is associated with worse RFS. These patients may benefit from short-interval surveillance imaging postoperatively to assess for earlier radiographical disease recurrence.
Dislocation Burgers vector and the Peach–Koehler force: a review

Abstract Different definitions of the Burgers vector and the corresponding construction of the Burgers circuit for dislocation loops and straight dislocations, created by the displacement discontinuity imposed across different surface cuts are reviewed. This is used as a geometric background for the derivation and discussion of the Peach–Koehler expression for the energetic force exerted on a dislocation by different sources of stress. Three approaches were used and compared: (i) the classical virtual work approach of Peach and Koehler, extended to include the changes in size and shape of the dislocation loop; (ii) the potential energy approach which allows the incorporation of the effects of image stresses; and (iii) the approach based on the evaluation of the J-integral. The glide and climb components of the dislocation force are determined and discussed for continuum and lattice dislocations.
Extending the host range of the bioherbicidal fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene

Spore formulations of the bioherbicidal fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (ATCC No. 20358) (CGA) were evaluated for control of three weed species: northern jointvetch (Aesch...
William I. Gosnell: Brown's Unsung Hero

Many lawyers worked with the legendary Thurgood Marshall to overturn the Supreme Court's infamous separate but equal doctrine, which had permitted racial segregation in schools and public accommodations. But while most Americans are aware of Marshall's contribution, few recognize the name of his colleague, William I. Gosnell.Born in Carroll County, Maryland, Gosnell graduated from the University of Chicago Law School. He was co-counsel with Marshall and Charles Hamilton Houston, legal director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Pearson vs. Murray, the landmark school desegregation case.
An Intra-Cluster Model with Diffuse Scattering for mmWave Communications: RT-ICM.

In millimeter-wave (mmWave) channels, to overcome the high path loss, beamforming is required. Hence, the spatial representation of the channel is essential. Further, for accurate beam alignment and minimizing the outages, inter-beam interferences, etc., cluster-level spatial modeling is also necessary. Since, statistical channel models fail to reproduce the intra-cluster parameters due to the site-specific nature of the mmWave channel, in this paper, we propose a ray tracing intra-cluster model (RT-ICM) for mmWave channels. The model considers only the first-order reflection; thereby reducing the computation load while capturing most of the energy in a large number of important cases. The model accounts for diffuse scattering as it contributes significantly to the received power. Finally, since the clusters are spatially well-separated due to the sparsity of first-order reflectors, we generalize the intra-cluster model to the mmWave channel model via replication. Since narrow beamwidth increases the number of single-order clusters, we show that the proposed model suits well to MIMO and massive MIMO applications. We illustrate that the model gives matching results with published measurements made in a classroom at 60 GHz. For this specific implementation, while the maximum cluster angle of arrival (AoA) error is 1 degree, mean angle spread error is 9 degrees. The RMS error for the cluster peak power is found to be 2.2 dB.
A Model-Based Approach to the Estimation and Control of a Continuously Variable Transmission

The Van Doorne continuously variable transmission (CVT) provides a continuous range of gear ratios (GRs) compared to a common discrete transmission, offering a potential improvement in driveline and vehicle efficiency. However, poor understanding of the dynamics of slip inherent to the CVT can lead to conservative control designs unable to realize the benefits. This brief presents a control architecture with the goal of estimating and controlling the CVT using recently developed models, given only sensors likely to be included on a production vehicle. The current state of the transmission and the disturbance torque from the driveline shaft are estimated by an extended Kalman filter (EKF). A model predictive controller (MPC) uses these estimates to optimize a feedback control sequence defined over a receding horizon to improve drivability and efficiency while enforcing safety constraints on the slip. The control scheme is validated through nonlinear simulations of a CVT, which demonstrate the ability to track both GR and slip set points while enforcing constraints.
Intellectual Development of Carl Von Rokitansky

Fortunately, Goethe’s scientific philosophy of precise observation spread to Austria as an antidote to Schelling’s natural-philosophical system that had retarded medical science in Austria as it had in Germany.2 Natural scientific pathology emerged out of natural philosophical pathology. In the latter case Sigerist explained, one “tries to work out a system of manifestations abstractly, which is as nearly as possible without gap.” On the other hand, in natural scientific pathology “one explains only as much as may be sustained by observation and in experiments.” Instead of speculation, one constructs and tests hypotheses to bridge gaps in knowledge, hypotheses which are discarded when new observations make them indefensible.3
CASM: A Deep-Learning Approach for Identifying Collective Action Events with Text and Image Data from Social Media:

Protest event analysis is an important method for the study of collective action and social movements and typically draws on traditional media reports as the data source. We introduce collective ac...