cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of H atom attack on unsaturated hydrocarbons using spectral uncertainty propagation and minimization techniques

Unsaturated hydrocarbons are an important component of hydrocarbon fuels and intermediates in their oxidation. Under rich conditions, H atom attack is one of the principal pathways of the decomposition of these unsaturated compounds. Consequently, it is critical to understand the H atom attack mechanisms as part of chemical model development. Previous studies have examined the kinetics of H atom attack on various unsaturated hydrocarbons in single pulse shock-tubes. These studies have noted that there are multiple pathways by which H atom attack can proceed, so it is straightforward to measure relative rates but absolute rates are more difficult to estimate. In addition, there is a confounding influence from secondary chemistry. A multiparameter optimization and uncertainty minimization technique is used to constrain a chemical model for the oxidation of H2/CO/C1–C4 hydrocarbons against a range of measurements of the H atom attack process on toluene, trimethylbenzene (TMB), propyne, and propene. The recommended rate constant expressions, with 2σ uncertainties, are as follows: k(CH4+H↔CH3+H2)=108.81±0.21s-1cm3mol-1K1.6T1.6exp(-5400±500K/T)k(C2H2+CH3↔p-C3H4+H)=1011.17±0.18s-1cm3mol-1K0.6T0.6exp(-7200±400K/T)k(p-C3H4+H↔a-C3H4+H)=1018.20±0.21s-1cm3mol-1KT-1exp(-6100±500K/T)k(C3H6+H↔C2H4+CH3)=1024.80±0.20s-1cm3mol-1K3T-3exp(-7400±700K/T)k(C3H6+H↔a-C3H5+H2)=105.14±0.19s-1cm3mol-1K-2.5T2.5exp(-1300±200K/T)k(C6H5CH3+H↔C6H6+CH3)=106.23±0.19s-1cm3mol-1K-2.2T2.2exp(-2000±400K/T)k(C6H5CH3+H↔C6H5CH2+H2)=1014.17±0.25s-1cm3mol-1exp(-4500±500K/T)k(TMB+H↔m-xylene+CH3)=1014.07±0.18s-1cm3mol-1exp(-3900±400K/T)k(TMB+H↔(CH3)2)=1014.52±0.25s-1cm3mol-1exp(-4300±600K/T) In addition, we quantify the effect of secondary chemistry on these rate estimates and the contribution to their uncertainty. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the detailed measurements constrain the model’s predictions of global properties such as ignition delay time in propene oxidation.
Does exchange-rate volatility depress export flows: The case of LDCs

In the area of international trade, few studies have examined whether increases in exchange-rate volatility depress trade flows of LDCs. The aim of this paper is to investigate empirically the impact of exchange-rate volatility on the export flows of 10 developing countries over the quarterly period 1973–98. The econometric analysis exploits the theory of cointegration, given the obvious nonstationarity of the data. Estimates of the cointegrating relations are obtained using Johansen's multivariate procedure. Evidence of stability of the cointegrating space is examined using Hansen's [1992a] tests. Short-run dynamic modelling is accomplished using the error-correction technique, and the stability test results are obtained using Hansen [1992b] tests. In conformity with theoretical considerations, the results indicate that increases in the exchange-rate volatility exert a significant negative effect upon export demand in both the short-run and the long-run in most of the countries studied. These effects may result in significant reallocation of resources by market participants.
Social dominance, aggression and faecal glucocorticoid levels in a wild population of wolves, Canis lupus

Abstract Adrenal glucocorticoid (GC) secretion is an important component of the response to stress in vertebrates. A short-term increase in circulating GCs serves to redirect energy from processes that can be briefly curtailed without harm, allowing energy to be directed towards eliminating or avoiding the stressor. In contrast, prolonged elevation of GCs can cause a broad range of pathologies, including reproductive suppression. We examined whether social subordination in wolves leads to chronically elevated GC levels, and whether this ‘social stress’ causes reproductive suppression of subordinates in cooperatively breeding species. Behavioural and endocrine data collected over 2 years from three packs of free-living wolves in Yellowstone National Park did not support this hypothesis. GC levels were significantly higher in dominant wolves than in subordinates, for both sexes, in all packs, in both years of study. Unlike other cooperatively breeding carnivores (e.g. dwarf mongooses, Helogale parvula, and African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus), high GCs in dominant wolves were not associated with high rates of aggression or agonistic interaction. Aggression increased for wolves of all ranks during mating periods, accompanied by a significant rise in GC levels. If chronic elevation of GCs carries fitness costs, then social stress in wolves (and many other social species) is a cost of dominance, not a consequence of subordination. The specific behavioural correlates of dominance that affect GC levels appear to vary among species, even those with similar social systems.
Surface-based ducting due to a shift in air masses off the coast of Wallops Island, Virginia

On 14 November 2007, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) provided environmental characterization support for a US Navy radar test event, off the coast of Wallops Island, VA. Two environmental sensor systems were deployed: (1) the Automated Environmental Assessment System installed aboard the research vessel Chessie and (2) the Helicopter Atmospheric Profiler System. Chessie was located on the test range to collect near-surface environmental data in support of evaporation ducting assessments, as well as atmospheric soundings via rocketsondes to characterize upper-air refractivity conditions. Two types of helicopter flight profiles characterized evaporation and surface-based ducts. This paper summarizes the collected data, the propagation analysis, and highlights how a subtle change in meteorological conditions can significantly affect radar propagation. In addition, an analysis of the impact on radar system performance, due to the change in radar propagation conditions, is presented.
High Field Superconducting Solenoids Via High Temperature Superconductors

High-field superconducting solenoids have proven themselves to be of great value to scientific research in a number of fields, including chemistry, physics and biology. Present-day magnets take advantage of the high-field properties of Nb3Sn, but the high-field limits of this conductor are nearly reached and so a new conductor and magnet technology is necessary for superconducting magnets beyond 25 T. Twenty years after the initial discovery of superconductivity at high temperatures in complex oxides, a number of high temperature superconductor (HTS) based conductors are available in sufficient lengths to develop high-field superconducting magnets. In this paper, present day HTS conductor and magnet technologies are discussed. HTS conductors have demonstrated the ability to carry very large critical current densities at magnetic fields of 45 T, and two insert coil demonstrations have surpassed the 25 T barrier. There are, however, many challenges to the implementation of HTS conductors in high-field magnets, including coil manufacturing, electromechanical behavior and quench protection. These issues are discussed and a view to the future is provided.
A 1-mW 12-Gb/s continuous-time adaptive passive equalizer in 90-nm CMOS

This paper presents a frequency-domain adaptive passive equalizer for high-speed receivers. A local control loop, without feedback from the final receiver output, is used to automatically adjust the gain compensation for different channel characteristics. As a result, the equalizer does not rely on the recovered clock signal. Implemented in a 90-nm digital CMOS process, the equalizer can provide up to 13 dB of gain compensation with 6 dB of tuning range while consuming 1 mW from a 1-V supply. The equalizer is able to open the data eye of a 12-Gb/s PRBS signal after a 72-inch RG-58 coaxial cable and an 8-inch FR-4 trace, whose attenuations at 6 GHz are 10.8 and 13 dB, respectively.
Nephrogenic Rests, Nephroblastomatosis, and the Pathogenesis of Wilms' Tumor

A new classification and terminology is proposed for precursor lesions of Wilms' tumor (WT), based upon morphology and natural history. The generic term nephrogenic rest (NR) is used for all WT precursors. Two major categories of NR are recognized: perilobar (PLNR) and intralobar (ILNR). Nephroblastomatosis signifies the presence of multiple or diffuse NRs. Nephroblastomatosis can be classified into four categories: (a) perilobar (PLNR only); (b) intralobar (ILNR only; (c) combined (PLNR and ILNR); and (d) universal. The individual rests can be subdivided into (a) nascent or dormant NRs; (b) maturing or sclerosing NRs; (c) hyperplastic NRs; and (d) neoplastic NRs. Of 282 evaluable unilateral WT specimens, 28.4% were definitely rest-positive, and an additional 12.4% were probably positive, with equal prevalence of PLNRs and ILNRs. Median age at diagnosis of WT was 36 months with PLNRs, 16 months with ILNRs, and 12 months if both types were present. PLNRs were strongly associated with synchronous bilateral WTs, and ILNRs with metachronous contralateral WTs. ILNRs were associated with aniridia and Drash syndrome, whereas PLNRs were more commonly found with hemihypertrophy and/or Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. The delineation of two distinct categories of WT precursors suggests pathogenetic heterogeneity for WTs. The biological and clinical implications of NRs are considered in the context of this classification.
Molting, Ecdysis, and Reproduction of Trichinella spiralis Are Supported In Vitro by Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Trichinella spiralis is an obligate parasite of animals that has an unusual intracellular life cycle. Investigation of parasitism at the cellular and molecular levels has been challenging because of a shortage of tools for in vitro cultivation of T. spiralis. We have found that T. spiralis larvae molt, ecdyse, develop to adulthood, and reproduce when they are inoculated onto cultured intestinal epithelial cells. Initially, larvae invade and migrate through cells in a monolayer (T. ManWarren, L. Gagliardo, J. Geyer, C. McVay, S. Pearce-Kelling, and J. Appleton, Infect. Immun. 65:4806-4812, 1997). During prolonged culture in Caco-2 epithelial cells, L1 larvae molted and ecdysed with efficiencies as high as 50%. Molting and ecdysis in vitro required entry of the parasite into cells; conditions that prevented entry into cells also prevented ecdysis. When larvae were inoculated at a low density and cultured for 5 to 9 days, as many as 50% of the larvae developed to adult stages. Low numbers of mature male worms with copulatory appendages were observed in these cultures. The majority of worms that survived for five or more days were unfertilized females. Low-density cultures supported development of female worms with embryos at rates of 4 to 5%. These results show that the intestinal life cycle of T. spiralis can be supported entirely by host epithelial cells. Our model should allow more detailed investigation of intracellular parasitism by T. spiralis.
An FFT approximation technique suitable for on-chip generation and analysis of sinusoidal signals

Signal generation and analysis are an important part of BIST for analog and mixed-signal systems. An accurate analysis of the spectral content of signals produced by analog components can be accomplished with a digital implementation of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. In the past, size and speed have limited the application of such a technique to off-chip test equipment or DSP chips (primarily due to the number of multiplication operations). In this paper, we present an FFT approximation technique suitable for on-chip spectral BIST signal generation and analysis. For signal generation, we show that the noise produced by the approximation technique is under 24.74 dB for a 256 point FFT with a 32 point approximate kernel. For signal analysis, we show that the instantaneous dynamic range (IDR) for the approximation technique is under 21.80 dB for a 256 point FFT with a 32 point approximate kernel. Our techniques have been implemented and demonstrated on a Xilinx Virtex-II FPGA using an off-chip ADC and DAC, and we are currently implementing the technique on an ASIC using a 0.13 /spl mu/m SiGe process for 2-16 GHz applications.
Comparing Student Performance in Online and Face-to-Face Delivery Modalities.

The purpose of the research was to compare student performance in an online or face-to-face (F2F) required Psychology course on three distinct sets of variables (i.e., pre-course, course, and post-course variables). Analyses revealed mixed significant and nonsignificant results. Students did not differ in terms of such variables as hours transferred to the university from prior schools, total hours earned toward their degrees, and number of hours currently attempted. However, online students had significantly lower grade point averages, missed significantly more grade opportunities, and were significantly more likely to fail the course compared to their F2F counterparts. These and other results are discussed in relation to potentially developing a different lens through which to view student performance in online courses.
Consolidation Behavior of Flocculated Alumina Suspensions

The consolidation behavior of flocculated alumina suspensions has been analyzed as a function of the interparticle energy. Consolidation was performed by a centrifugal force field or by gravity, and both the time-dependent and equilibrium density profiles were measured by a gamma-ray absorption technique. The interparicle energy at contact was controlled by adsorbing fatty acids of varying molecular weight at the alumina/decalin interface. We found that strongly attractive interactions result in a particle network which resists consolidation and shows compressible behavior over a large stress range. The most weakly flocculated suspension showed an essentially incompressible, homogeneous density profile after consolidation at different centrifugal speeds. We also found a significant variation in the maximum volume fraction, φm, obtained, with φm∼ 0.54 for the most strongly flocculated suspension to φm∼ 0.63 for the most weakly flocculated suspension. The compresive yield stresses show a behavior which can be fitted to a modified power law. In this paper, we discuss possible correlations between the fitting parameters and physical properties of the flocculated suspensions.
Evidence that nitric oxide increases glucose transport in skeletal muscle

Balon, Thomas W., and Jerry L. Nadler. Evidence that nitric oxide increases glucose transport in skeletal muscle.J. Appl. Physiol. 82(1): 359–363, 1997.—Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is expressed in ...
Performance comparison between vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser and quantum-well modulator for short-distance optical links

We quantify and compare two competing transmitter technologies: vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and quantum-well modulator (QWM) for the interchip communication using high-speed optical links. VCSEL-based links are power favorable compared to QWM-based links at higher bandwidths (20 Gb/s) and larger distances. However, the QWM is better for lower detector capacitances. We also extend the comparison to high-speed electrical links and quantify the critical length beyond which optical links are power favorable compared to electrical links for both VCSEL and QWM transmitters
Stray field dependent reader noise in thin-film heads

The stray field magnitude and distribution, at sensor level, have been investigated as a function of the thickness of the shield, the presence of a domain wall in the shield, the relative position of the vortex accompanying the wall and its proximity to the Air-Bearing-Surface (ABS). Using micromagnetics, the stray fields at the reader sensor have been simulated while a domain wall moves in a shield near the ABS in a magnetic head. For shield thicknesses from 640 nm to 1280 nm, a range of interest for head design, the domain wall shape is C-shaped with a vortex-like structure on either side of the domain wall that provides flux closure inside the film. For a 5 Oe incidental field, the wall exits at the ABS in less than 20 ns when the wall is between the ABS and the vortex. Average stray fields reached 60 Oe while 100 Oe localized stray fields are observed as the wall exits the ABS. The dynamics of wall motion change when the vortex is between the ABS and the domain wall. A 5 Oe incidental field in a 640 nm thick shield drove the wall toward the ABS, compressing the vortex and creating a blocking structure. An incidental 10 Oe field twisted the wall center magnetization enough to change wall chirality accelerating the wall exit, preventing the blocking structure, and flipping the vortex to the other side of the wall. Average stray fields are 55 Oe with a local maximum of 70 Oe. Similar results occur for a 1280 nm thick shield for a 5 Oe field, with average stray fields of 60 Oe and a local maximum of 100 Oe.
Zinc supplementation alters airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to a common allergen

Background Zinc supplementation can modulate immunity through inhibition of NF-κB, a transcription factor that controls many immune response genes. Thus, we sought to examine the mechanism by which zinc supplementation tempers the response to a common allergen and determine its effect on allergic airway inflammation.
The “Little White Lie:” An Exercise to Explore the Relevance of Diversity Curriculum

Compared to the previous decade, fewer incoming college students see racism as a major problem in America (Sax et al. 2001). While there are many complex variables that contribute to persistent racism, we argue that forms of both overt and covert racism are in part perpetuated by our language. This paper offers a concrete example of how educators in business schools in Jesuit institutions of higher education can infuse justice/social responsibility into our curricula (Spitzer 2010). The classroom activity, as described, is designed for a traditional face to face undergraduate classroom. Grounded in the principles of Ignatian pedagogy, this exercise provides a practical tool to contextualize the power of language of today’s Millennial college student, surfacing the connotations of power and privilege, while supporting student experience, reflection, and action.
Adaptive Plasticity of the Penis in a Simultaneous Hermaphrodite

Acorn barnacles are important model organisms for the study of sex allocation. They are sessile, nonselfing hermaphrodites that copulate with penises that have been suggested to be phenotypically plastic. On wave-exposed shores, Semibalanus balanoides develop penises with relatively greater diameter whereas in wave-protected sites they are thinner. A reciprocal transplant experiment between wave-exposed and protected sites tested whether these exposure-specific morphologies have adaptive value. Mating success was compared over a range of distances to compare the ability of barnacles to reach mates. Barnacles that grew in the wave-protected site and mated in the wave-protected site fertilized more broods at increasing distances than those transplanted to the wave-exposed site. For barnacles that developed in the wave-exposed site, there was no difference in the ability to fertilize neighbors between sites of differing exposure. This study demonstrates the adaptive value of plasticity in penis morphology. The results suggest a trade-off between development of a penis adapted to wave exposure and the ability to fertilize distant mates. Barnacles in different physical environments are limited by different factors, which may limit numbers of potential mates, constrain optimal sex allocation strategies and alter reproductive behavior.
The Dual Euler Basis: Constraints, Potentials, and Lagrange’s Equations in Rigid-Body Dynamics

Given a specific set of Euler angles, it is common to ask what representations conservative moments and constraint moments possess. In this paper, we discuss the role that a non-orthogonal basis, which we call the dual Euler basis, plays in the representations. The use of the basis is illustrated with applications to potential energies, constraints, and Lagrange’s equations of motion.
Physical Training Fails to Improve Ventilatory Muscle Endurance in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

We examined the effect of arm and kg exercise training on ventilatory muscle performance in 15 patients with symptomatic COPD. Eight patients trained their arms while seven trained their tegs for six weeks. Before and after the training we measured exercise and pulmonary function including the maximal sustained ventilatory capacity (MSVC). After training there was no significant change in spirometric values and lung volumes. The mean endurance workload performed for 20 minutes increased significantly in both the arm and leg trained groups (14.4 ± 2.4 to 24.8 ± 2.5W, P
Triplex DNA: fundamentals, advances, and potential applications for gene therapy

The ability to target specific sequences of DNA through oligonucleotide-based triple-helix formation provides a powerful tool for genetic manipulation. Under experimental conditions, triplex DNA can inhibit DNA transcription and replication, generate site-specific mutations, cleave DNA, and induce homologous recombination. This review describes the binding requirements for triplex formation, surveys recent advancements in the chemistry and biology of triple helices, and considers several potential applications of triplex DNA for use in genetic therapy.
Telemonitoring and Sensor Technologies in Chronic Heart Failure

The high readmission rate and accompanying cost in patients with heart failure are considered unacceptable. It is believed that a good part of hospital admissions can be avoided with closer monitoring of signs, symptoms, and certain physiologic variables of these patients, allowing timely intervention. Modern technologies make this possible without the need for face-to-face contact with the patient. This chapter describes the methodology and evidence for such strategies, going from “simple” disease management over “structured telephone support,” to the use of implantable device monitoring. The pathophysiology of acute decompensated heart failure is explained in order to identify opportunities for early detection. The concepts and methods to measure heart rate variability, impedance, and invasive pressures are explained before examining the evidence from observational studies and randomized trials. We conclude that disease management is an essential component of good heart failure care, but that the incremental benefit of more intensive follow-up, even of variables obtained by implantable devices, remains to be determined.
Discourse and Identity Construction

We describe and discuss discursive approaches emerging over the last 50 years that in one way or another have contributed to identity studies. Approaching identities as constructed in and through discourse, we start by differentiating between two competing views of construction: one that moves progressively from existing “capital-D” social discourses to the domain of identity and sense of self and the other working its way up from “small-d” discursive practices to identities and sense of self as emerging in interaction. We take this tension as our point of departure for a discussion of different theoretical and analytical lenses, focusing on how they have emerged as productive tools for theorizing the construction of identity and for doing empirical work. Three dimensions of identity construction are distinguished and highlighted as dilemmatic but deserving prominence in the discursive construction of identity: (a) the navigation of agency in terms of a person-to-world versus a world-to-person directionality; (b) the differentiation between self and other as a way to navigate between uniqueness and a communal sense of belonging and being the same as others; and (c) the navigation of sameness and change across one’s biography or parts thereof. The navigation of these three identity dilemmas is exemplified in the analysis of a stretch of conversational data, in which we bring together different analytic lenses (such as narrative, performative, conversation analytic, and positioning analysis), before concluding this chapter with a brief discussion of some of the merits and potential shortcomings of discursive approaches to identity construction.
The Triple Alliance

The specific causes of the war of 1672 can be traced back no further than the Triple Alliance of January 23, 1668, in which the Dutch republic joined with the kingdoms of Great Britain and Sweden to oppose the conquest of the Spanish Netherlands by France. In no sense whatever was the war the culmination of a long enmity between the two states of France and the United Provinces. They were, to the contrary, traditional friends and allies.
The Gonococcal NlpD Protein Facilitates Cell Separation by Activating Peptidoglycan Cleavage by AmiC

ABSTRACT Key steps in bacterial cell division are the synthesis and subsequent hydrolysis of septal peptidoglycan (PG), which allow efficient separation of daughter cells. Extensive studies in the Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium Escherichia coli have revealed that this hydrolysis is highly regulated spatially and temporally. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate Gram-negative, diplococcal pathogen and is the only causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. We investigated how cell separation proceeds in this diplococcal organism. We demonstrated that deletion of the nlpD gene in strain FA1090 leads to poor growth and to an altered colony and cell morphology. An isopropyl-beta-d-galactopyranoside (IPTG)-regulated nlpD complemented construct can restore these defects only when IPTG is supplied in the growth medium. Thin-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nlpD mutant strain grew in large clumps containing live and dead bacteria, which was consistent with deficient cell separation. Biochemical analyses of purified NlpD protein showed that it was able to bind purified PG. Finally, we showed that, although NlpD has no hydrolase activity itself, NlpD potentiates the hydrolytic activity of AmiC. These results indicate that N. gonorrhoeae NlpD is required for proper cell growth and division through its interactions with the amidase AmiC. IMPORTANCEN. gonorrhoeae is the sole causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. The incidence of antibiotic-resistant gonococcal infections has risen sharply in recent years, and N. gonorrhoeae has been classified as a “superbug” by the CDC. Since there is a dearth of new antibiotics to combat gonococcal infections, elucidating the essential cellular process of N. gonorrhoeae may point to new targets for antimicrobial therapies. Cell division and separation is one such essential process. We identified and characterized the gonococcal nlpD gene and showed that it is essential for cell separation. In contrast to other pathogenic bacteria, the gonococcal system is streamlined and does not appear to have any redundancies.
Adam Root, Md (C)

After leaving his practice, Adam Root spent time looking at options. He decided to join a national medical company as a medical director, this time on the managed care side of medicine. He had initially been inspired to take the position by the senior medical director, who left that position nine months later. Root became the new senior medical director and enjoyed the new position. This is the C case in a series of three cases (A case: UVA-OB-0992 and B case: UVA-OB-0993).
Structural Evolution of Ultrathin Films of Rhodamine 6G on Glass

Self-organized rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) thin films on a glass substrate were prepared by spin-coating, dip-coating, and drop-coating. The thickness of the Rh6G layer strongly influences both the absorption and emission spectra, which are accounted for by monomers, exciton and excimer formation, and molecular aggregation. Submonolayer films of Rh6G show one maximum and one apparent shoulder in the absorption spectrum, but three peaks are required for deconvolution of the spectrum. As the thin film becomes thicker, the observed maximum shifts to lower energy, and a fourth peak is required for deconvolution. The emission spectra show similar features. In addition, the relative intensity of the emission is strongly dependent on the film thickness with thinner films being substantially more emissive than thick films.
Time course of locomotor recovery and functional regeneration in spinal cord-transected lamprey: in vitro preparations

1. Previous studies indicate that after transection of the rostral spinal cord, larval lamprey begin to recover locomotor behavior 2 wk posttransection and recovery is complete at approximately 8 w...
[Long-term clinical angiographic follow-up undergoing PTCA more than 10 years].

UNLABELLED To evaluate longer-term outcome of the balloon angioplasty, a serial follow-up angiographic study at Early ( 50% DS at FU) was occurred in 75/176 pts (43%) within 1 year and 15/95 pts (16 %) between 1 and 10 yrs (P < 0.0001). In contrast, NL was occurred in 26/176 pts (15%) within 1 year and 45/95 pts (47%) between 1 and 10 yrs (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION 1) Restenosis rarely occurred beyond 1 yr after balloon angioplasty. 2) Ischemic events beyond 1 yr were often related to development of NL rather than restenosis. 3) Safety and efficacy of balloon angioplasty appeared to be sustained at 10 yrs.
State-of-the-art of Heliostat Field Layout Algorithms and their Comparison

Abstract In this paper a complete review of the most relevant algorithms for the generation of heliostat field layouts is presented. For each of the reviewed algorithms, a description of the layout generation approach, all the input parameters required and the main formulation is provided. The algorithms have been compared for different scenarios covering a range of tower heights, heliostat sizes and acceptance angles (defining to what extent the resulting field is North configuration or surrounding). A robust methodology has been developed, which ensures a fair comparison of the algorithms by analysing the performance of optimized solar fields according to each layout generation method. For this, all the input parameters of each layout generation algorithm are optimized for each scenario prior to comparing the solar field performances. The main conclusion of the present study is that all the analysed layout generation algorithms lead to similar solar field efficiencies when compared for the considered scenarios once they are optimized. Further work is required to check if the algorithms also show similar efficiencies, or to what extent they are similar, when wider scenarios are considered (larger solar field powers, locations, etc.).
Sexual Assault Survivors’ Experiences with Mental Health Professionals: A Qualitative Study

An interview study of 15 sexual assault survivors' narratives examined positive and negative post-assault experiences with mental health professionals. Survivors who told one professional had more positive experiences than those who told multiple professionals. Qualitative analyses revealed how help seeking experiences were related to the context and nature of disclosures, survivors' readiness to disclose, trust building, social reactions received from providers, type of therapy, perceived control over recovery, and mental health system factors impacting access and quality of care. Themes from survivor's accounts illustrate how survivors perceived therapists, which can be used in training mental health professionals encountering survivors in clinical settings.
Survival, growth, and production of Hexagenia bilineata mayflies in fluidized sediment from lower Green Bay, Lake Michigan

Abstract Organic pollution in lower Green Bay, Lake Michigan over the past century was accompanied by the local extirpation of Hexagenia (primarily H. limbata ) mayflies. Recoveries were made in other systems where population crashes had occurred (e.g., western Lake Erie); however, an active recovery does not appear to be taking place in Green Bay. Excessive primary production has caused substantial benthic organic matter accumulation resulting in a fluidized “sludge-like” substrate as the majority of the sub-littoral habitat. Fluidized substrate potentially hinders Hexagenia nymphs' abilities to construct and maintain burrows critical to their life cycles. In this study, Hexagenia bilineata nymphs were collected from an Upper Mississippi River backwater where their presence at high densities in relatively fluid sediment had been observed, and reared in oxygenated aquaria containing lower Green Bay or Upper Mississippi River sediment. Their survival, growth, secondary production, and biomass turnover were calculated for a 166 day period. Seventy-five percent of nymphs survived or metamorphosed into winged sub-imagos in lower Green Bay substrates compared to 40.6% in Upper Mississippi River substrates. Nymph dry weight more than tripled in Green Bay substrates and more than doubled on Upper Mississippi River substrates. Production was notably higher in lower Green Bay substrates. Differences in survival and production between the two treatments were statistically significant (P 0.05). Based on these results, the high fluidity of lower Green Bay substrates did not appear to hinder burrow construction or maintenance.
Video evidence and other information relevant to the conservation of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis).

Abstract Despite the publication of three independent papers that reported sightings of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), its preservation became a controversial topic because nobody has been able to obtain a distinct photo, which is considered the standard form of evidence for documenting birds. An analysis based on a combination of factors related to habitat and behavior suggests that the expected waiting time for obtaining a distinct photo of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker is several orders of magnitude greater than it would be for a more typical baseline species of comparable rarity. Given these difficulties and the time pressure involved to ensure the conservation of this species, this paper discusses the need to use a different approach for an exceptional case. Presented here are three videos that show birds with flights, behaviors, field marks, and other characteristics that are consistent with the Ivory-billed Woodpecker but no other species inhabiting the region.
Patterns of Concentration Preference for Glucose and Sodium Chloride in Rats

The true preference for various concentrations of NaCl and glucose by rats may be obscured by a confusion of preference and consumption. A study of preference patterns over time for NaCl and glucose was conducted with rats under 2 levels of deprivation. A unique method was devised which gave 2 measures of preference, solution intake and time spent with a particular concentration. The results for NaCl were in close accord with preference measurements derived from standard intake methods. However, preference for glucose was found to change over time with concentration preferred oscillating between strong and weaker solution. These oscillations were relatively constant regardless of deprivation level. In addition, there is a discrepancy between intake volume and time at preferred concentration in the glucose group. The changing patterns of glucose preference and the difference between consumption and other preference measures serve to clarify some questions as to the nature of sugar preferences in rats.
Phase transition in protocols minimizing work fluctuations

For two canonical examples of driven mesoscopic systems---a harmonically trapped Brownian particle and a quantum dot---we numerically determine the finite-time protocols that optimize the compromise between the standard deviation and the mean of the dissipated work. In the case of the oscillator, we observe a collection of protocols that smoothly trade off between average work and its fluctuations. However, for the quantum dot, we find that as we shift the weight of our optimization objective from average work to work standard deviation, there is an analog of a first-order phase transition in protocol space: two distinct protocols exchange global optimality with mixed protocols akin to phase coexistence. As a result, the two types of protocols possess qualitatively different properties and remain distinct even in the infinite duration limit: optimal-work-fluctuation protocols never coalesce with the minimal-work protocols, which therefore never become quasistatic.
Kv1.3 inhibition as a potential microglia-targeted therapy for Alzheimer's disease: preclinical proof of concept

Microglia significantly contribute to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease but an effective microglia-targeted therapeutic approach is not yet available clinically. The potassium channels Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 play important roles in regulating immune cell functions and have been implicated by in vitro studies in the 'M1-like pro-inflammatory' or 'M2-like anti-inflammatory' state of microglia, respectively. We here found that amyloid-β oligomer-induced expression of Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 in cultured primary microglia. Likewise, ex vivo microglia acutely isolated from the Alzheimer's model 5xFAD mice co-expressed Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 as well as markers traditionally associated with M1 and M2 activation suggesting that amyloid-β oligomer induces a microglial activation state that is more complex than previously thought. Using the orally available, brain penetrant small molecule Kv1.3 blocker PAP-1 as a tool, we showed that pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic microglial responses induced by amyloid-β oligomer required Kv1.3 activity in vitro and in hippocampal slices. Since we further observed that Kv1.3 was highly expressed in microglia of transgenic Alzheimer's mouse models and human Alzheimer's disease brains, we hypothesized that pharmacological Kv1.3 inhibition could mitigate the pathology induced by amyloid-β aggregates. Indeed, treating APP/PS1 transgenic mice with a 5-month oral regimen of PAP-1, starting at 9 months of age, when the animals already manifest cognitive deficits and amyloid pathology, reduced neuroinflammation, decreased cerebral amyloid load, enhanced hippocampal neuronal plasticity, and improved behavioural deficits. The observed decrease in cerebral amyloid deposition was consistent with the in vitro finding that PAP-1 enhanced amyloid-β uptake by microglia. Collectively, these results provide proof-of-concept data to advance Kv1.3 blockers to Alzheimer's disease clinical trials.
Geovisualization applications to examine and explore high-density and hierarchical critical infrastructure data

Abstract. The geospatial research and development team in the National and Homeland Security Division at Idaho National Laboratory was tasked with providing tools to derive insight from the substantial amount of data currently available – and continuously being produced – associated with the critical infrastructure of the US. This effort is in support of the Department of Homeland Security, whose mission includes the protection of this infrastructure and the enhancement of its resilience to hazards, both natural and human. We present geovisual-analytics-based approaches for analysis of vulnerabilities and resilience of critical infrastructure, designed so that decision makers, analysts, and infrastructure owners and managers can manage risk, prepare for hazards, and direct resources before and after an incident that might result in an interruption in service. Our designs are based on iterative discussions with DHS leadership and analysts, who in turn will use these tools to explore and communicate data in partnership with utility providers, law enforcement, and emergency response and recovery organizations, among others. In most cases these partners desire summaries of large amounts of data, but increasingly, our users seek the additional capability of focusing on, for example, a specific infrastructure sector, a particular geographic region, or time period, or of examining data in a variety of generalization or aggregation levels. These needs align well with tenets of in-formation-visualization design; in this paper, selected applications among those that we have designed are described and positioned within geovisualization, geovisual analytical, and information visualization frameworks.
Foregut Duplication Cysts

Foregut duplication cysts originate from the foetal foregut and can be oesophageal duplications or bronchogenic cyst. The majority of patients are diagnosed antenatally and are asymptomatic at birth. A postnatal CT scan will confirm the diagnosis. All foregut duplications should be removed as they will eventually cause symptoms. If the patient is asymptomatic, thoracic cysts are best excised thoracoscopically.
How Reasonable is Lehrer’s Coherence Theory? Beats Me.

I shall briefly review Lehrer’s theory of knowledge (in Section I) and then criticize his treatment of a priori knowledge (Section II) and extend that criticism to his general account (Sections III and IV). My understanding of Lehrer’s theory is based on Lehrer 1974, 1981a, 1981b, 1982, 1983, 1986a, 1986b, 1986c, and 1988.
Strategies for interactive design systems

An information processing model of human problem solving is used to develop strategies for the design of systems for the interactive generation of designs. Systems of this type are currently not strongly developed anywhere, nor does there exist in the literature a paradigm for their creation. Design is a task which jequires different interactive support than that traditionally provided by CAD systems. In this paper, those differences are uncovered by comparison of two tasks; one, named definition in this^aper, which seems to be well supported by existing systems and the other, the task of design. Use of an information processing model of human problem solving shows that differences between the tasks can be found in every potentially variant portion of the model. The information processing model is again used as a framework to propose mechanisms to support design. These mechanisms act by changing the underlying phenomena upon which the information processing model is built and thus effecting changes, either parametric or structural, in the model. The relative importance of the proposed mechanisms is discussed, leading to the conclusion that the interactive support of search is the most strategic direction for future research.
Vitamin/Mineral Supplement Use Among Athletes: A Review of the Literature

Vitamin/mineral supplements are often used by athletes as ergogenic aids to improve performance. This paper reviews studies of the prevalence, patterns, and explanations for vitamin/mineral supplement use among athletes. Fifty-one studies provided quantitative prevalence data on 10,274 male and female athletes at several levels of athletic participation in over 15 sports. The overall mean prevalence of athletes' supplement use was 46%. Most studies reported that over half of the athletes used supplements (range 6% to 100%), and the larger investigations found lower prevalence levels. Elite athletes used supplements more than college or high school athletes. Women used supplements more often than men. Varying patterns existed by sport. Athletes appear to use supplements more than the general population, and some take high doses that may lead to nutritional problems. Sport nutritionists should include a vitamin/mineral supplement history as part of their dietary assessment so they can educate athletes about vitamin/mineral supplements and athletic performance.
Stability Studies of Waste Produced in Pilot-Plant Testing using Ferrous-EDTA and Magnesium-Enhanced Lime for Combined Sulfur-Dioxide/Nitrogen Oxides Removal

A pilot-plant-scale study of combined sulfur dioxide/nitrogen oxides (SO2/NOx) removal has been performed by the Dravo Lime Company at the Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company's Miami Fort Station in North Bend, Ohio. This study used Dravo's patented Thiosorbic® lime process along with Argonne National Laboratory's (ANL's) patented process for combined SO2/NOx removal using the chelate ferrous·ethylenediaminetetraacetate (Fe·EDTA). For approximately nine months, scrubbing tests were carried out, and waste samples were collected. Waste testing at ANL involved two types of long-term chemical stability experiments. In one test, the gas-phase composition above several different samples was studied by mass spectrometry over 22 months. Unexpectedly, production of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide was observed in some of the samples. The other experiment involved solid-phase leaching. Samples were stored for up to 14 months before leaching. Each leachate was tested for total Kjeldahl nitrogen and for the nitrogen-containing ions nitrite, nitrate, and ammonium. Significant amounts of ammonium ions were found in two of the samples. Total leachable nitrogen was found to stabilize after about the first 7 months of storage.
Some sources of apparent gaps in derivational paradigms

Derivational paradigms sometimes present gaps (e.g. capital → capitalist → capitalistic but character → gap: *characterist → characteristic). In many cases, gaps in derivational paradigms are merely apparent: on closer scrutiny, they prove not to be gaps at all. In some instances, an apparent gap is in reality the reflection of a morphological rule’s versatility; in such instances, a single rule serves either to mark the derivation of one lexeme from another or to define the relation between two stems of the same lexeme. In other instances, an apparent gap is actually the reflection of an independently motivated principle of rule conflation. The conflation of rule B with rule A yields an apparent gap in a lexeme’s derivational paradigm in one of two ways: (i) in some instances, the conflation’s domain of application is a subset of that of rule A but the conflation nevertheless exhibits greater productivity than rule A on its own; (ii) in other instances, the conflation’s domain of application is not a subset of that of rule A. Once the effects of rule versatility and rule conflation are taken into account, numerous apparent gaps prove not to be gaps at all, a fact with significant implications for understanding the architecture of a language’s morphology.
Life Cycle Analysis of Natural Gas-Fired Distributed Combined Heat and Power versus Centralized Power Plant

When investing in new power plants, life-cycle benefits of these plants, particularly in regards to environmental emissions is becoming a growing concern. With a variety of new technologies coming ...
Novel liquid-liquid extraction and self-emulsion methods for simplified isolation of extra-virgin olive oil phenolics with emphasis on (-)-oleocanthal and its oral anti-breast cancer activity.

Epidemiological and clinical studies compellingly documented the ability of Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) to reduce breast and colon cancers incidence, cardiovascular diseases, and aging cognitive functions decline. (-)-Oleocanthal (OC) and other EVOO phenolics gain progressive research attention due to their documented biological effects against cancer, inflammations, and Alzheimer’s disease. There is no simple, reliable, and cost-effective isolation protocol for EVOO phenolics, which hinder their therapeutic applications. This study develops novel methods to isolate OC and other EVOO phenolics. This includes the use of ultra-freezing to eliminate most EVOO fats and the successful water capacity to efficiently extract OC and EVOO phenolics as self-emulsified nano-emulsion. Subsequent resin entrapment and size exclusion chromatography afforded individual EVOO phenolics in high purity. OC in vitro and in vivo oral anti-breast cancer (BC) activities validated its lead candidacy. Effective isolation of EVOO phenolics provided in this study will facilitate future preclinical and clinical investigations and stimulate the therapeutic development of these important bioactive natural products.