cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modified priority flood and global slope enforcement algorithm for topographic processing in physically based hydrologic modeling applications

Abstract We present a topographic processing tool, PriorityFlow, designed to improve the topographic input datasets which are required for physically based hydrologic models. PriorityFlow is available on GitHub, combines multiple processing approaches, and includes several key innovations over previous work: (1) a novel approach for incorporating a-priori stream network information with priority flood routing DEM processing, (2) improved slope calculations that incorporate flow directions, (3) options for incorporating slopes perpendicular to the primary flow direction, (4) more flexible options for defining subbasins and enforcing slopes along stream reaches. Here we document the approach and demonstrate the impact of topographic processing choices on hydrologic simulations. Results demonstrate that the modified priority flood algorithm can better reproduce observed stream networks without relying on traditional stream burning approaches. Additionally, we demonstrate the impact of slope processing options on runoff timing and magnitude. Specifically, we highlight the sensitivity of the hydrograph to slope processing choices along stream reaches.
DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF GROUND EFFECT MACHINES IN MOTION OVER WAVES

Abstract : AD-283 450Div. 9, 1U (TISTA/GEC) OTS price $3.60 Hydronautics, Inc. Rockville, Md. DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF GROUND EFFECT MACHINES IN MOTION OVER WAVES, by J. D. Lin. Apr 62, 23p. illus. 6 refs. (Technical rept. no. 011-4) (Contract Nonr-318900) Unclassified report DESCRIPTORS: *Flying platforms Dynamics, ater waves, Damping, Pitch, G s flow, Pro gramming, Digital computers, Simulation, Mathematical prediction, Theory, Motion Aerodynamics, Ground effect. Identifiers: Ground effect machines. Dynamic motion in heaving and pitching of a ground effect machine (GE ) traveling over a train of sinusoidal waves is formulated on the basis of the small-dist rba ce theory. E ations of motion are derived as two third-order ordinary differential equa ions with coefficients hich depend on the characteristics of the achine and the mass flow into or out of the cavity under the achine. The coefficients are linearized at the equilibrium height; then, the solutions are obtained for the natural fre uencies, he d mping, and the steady periodic responses to motion over waves. It is found that a GEM wit peripheral and central jet curtains is generally stable for heaving and pitching, but the damping is rather small. The effect of coupling due to the discontinuity of mass flow coefficients is very weak and thus may be neglected. A program, prepared for the IBM 1620 digital computer allows study of the dynamic stability of a machine through variation of pertinent parameters, and also investigations of its dynamic response to various wave encounter conditions. Theoretical predictions for practical machines, which have in model tests experienced dynamic motions over waves, are presented and compared with experimental results. Satisfactory agreements are indicated in the natural frequency and response for heaving and pitching. (Author)
Critical Speed of Flexible Coupling - Determining with CAE Software

The present article deals with FEM analysis of flexible coupling with rubber elastic element. Working parts of coupling are half of all cylinders made with carrying ring. Elastic elements are subjected to compression loading when transmitting torque. At certain load level, forces, acting on cylinders, cause their radial deformation. By default - metal fingers, with their shape, must limit radial deformation. However, in the process of operation, under torque and speed of rotation, it deforms and changes its overall size. Fingers press the loaded cylinders and deform them plastically at certain speed and load. As a result of this deformation, the elastic element loses a work stable and needs to be replaced. Elastic elements of couplings are made of a variety of polymeric materials whose properties have a significant impact on dynamic properties of coupling.
Selective Maintenance Optimization for Multi-state Systems Considering Stochastically Dependent Components and Stochastic Imperfect Maintenance Actions

Abstract This paper presents a selective maintenance optimization problem for complex systems composed of stochastically dependent components. The components of a complex system degrade during mission time, and their degradation states vary from perfect functioning to complete failure states. The degradation rate of each component not only depends on its intrinsic degradation but also on the state of other dependent components of the system. The proposed approach captures the two-way interactions between components through system performance rates and uses Monte Carlo simulation to compute the reliability of the system in the next operational mission. Different maintenance actions such as do-nothing, perfect, and stochastic imperfect maintenance are considered during the maintenance break to improve the reliability of the system. The selective maintenance bi-objective optimization problem is modelled considering both the expected value and variance of the system reliability as objective functions. Time and budget are considered as constraints for finding the optimal maintenance strategy. Two illustrative examples are provided for a better understanding of the proposed approach and for demonstrating its effectiveness.
Strain gradient finite element model for finite deformation theory: size effects and shear bands

In this work, a thermodynamically consistent constitutive formulation for the coupled thermomechanical strain gradient plasticity theory is developed in the context of the finite deformation framework. A corresponding finite element solution is presented to investigate the microstructural features of metallic volumes. The developed model is established based on an extra Helmholtz-type partial differential equation, and the nonlocal quantity is calculated in a coupled method based on the equilibrium conditions. This approach is well known for its computational strength, however, it is also commonly accepted that it cannot capture the size effect phenomenon observed in the micro-/nanoscale experiments during hardening. In order to resolve this issue, a modified strain gradient approach which can capture the size effects under the finite deformation is constructed in this work. The shear problem is then solved to carry out the feasibility study of the developed model on the size effect phenomenon. Lastly, a plane strain problem under uniaxial tensile loading with shear bands is examined to perform the mesh sensitivity tests of the model during softening.
The C-Terminus Tail Regulates ERK3 Kinase Activity and Its Ability in Promoting Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. It harbors a kinase domain in the N-terminus and a long C-terminus extension. The C-terminus extension comprises a conserved in ERK3 and ERK4 (C34) region and a unique C-terminus tail, which was shown to be required for the interaction of ERK3 with the cytoskeletal protein septin 7. Recent studies have elucidated the role of ERK3 signaling in promoting the motility and invasiveness of cancer cells. However, little is known about the intramolecular regulation of the enzymatic activity and cellular functions of ERK3. In this study, we investigated the role of the elongated C-terminus extension in regulating ERK3 kinase activity and its ability to promote cancer cell migration and invasion. Our study revealed that the deletion of the C-terminus tail greatly diminishes the ability of ERK3 to promote the migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. We identified two molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. Firstly, the deletion of the C-terminus tail decreases the kinase activity of ERK3 towards substrates, including the oncogenic protein steroid receptor co-activator 3 (SRC-3), an important downstream target for ERK3 signaling in cancer. Secondly, in line with the previous finding that the C-terminus tail mediates the interaction of ERK3 with septin 7, we found that the depletion of septin 7 abolished the ability of ERK3 to promote migration, indicating that septin 7 acts as a downstream effector for ERK3-induced cancer cell migration. Taken together, the findings of this study advance our understanding of the molecular regulation of ERK3 signaling by unraveling the role of the C-terminus tail in regulating ERK3 kinase activity and functions in cancer cells. These findings provide useful insights for the development of therapeutic agents targeting ERK3 signaling in cancer.
Environmental and Spatial Influences on Biogeography and Community Structure of Saltmarsh Benthic Diatoms

Benthic microalgae play important roles in energy flow and biogeochemistry of coastal ecosystems; however, factors influencing community composition remain largely unknown. Our purpose was to identify and compare spatial and environmental influences on benthic diatom biogeography at regional scales. In summer 2018, we sampled sediment at various spatial scales (0.0001–180 km) from five saltmarshes in South Carolina, USA, and characterized diatom assemblages using DNA metabarcoding. Twenty-three environmental variables from marsh sediments, adjacent creeks, and atmosphere were recorded. Multivariate analyses revealed that the saltmarsh communities were clearly distinct. Community dissimilarity was compared to both geographic distance and environmental differences to determine influences on community structure. Mantel tests and redundancy analysis revealed that spatial influences, in addition to several environmental factors (phosphate, grain size, sediment sorting, sediment moisture, and creek salinity), were significant. Variation partitioning revealed that 26% of community variation was explained by geographic distance alone, whereas 60% could be explained by combined spatial/environmental factors. In contrast, the independent explanatory power of individual environmental factors was negligible. Our findings suggest that spatially structured environmental variation mainly conditioned the saltmarsh diatom biogeography in this region. Dispersal limitation, as evinced by the large pure spatial effect and distance-decay pattern, was also important. Spatial effects were stronger relative to that previously observed in other microbial groups (marine bacteria and phytoplankton) and detected at finer spatial scales. Results support prior studies that suggest body size and dispersal mode are important drivers of metacommunity structure and therefore must be considered when studying aquatic microbial biogeography.
Inmate public autoerotism and hostile work environments: an examination of federal cases

In Hicks v. Alabama , the court ruled in favor of the prison agency when female correctional officers filed a suit against the state and several supervisors for sexual harassment by inmates. In the...
FDA Supplemental Approval Summary: Lenvatinib for the Treatment of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

On August 16, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved lenvatinib (Lenvima, Eisai Inc.) for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Approval was based on an international, multicenter, randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial (REFLECT; NCT01761266) conducted in 954 patients with previously untreated metastatic or unresectable HCC. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive lenvatinib (12 mg orally once daily for patients with a baseline body weight ≥60 kg and 8 mg orally once daily for patients with a baseline body weight <60 kg) or sorafenib (400 mg orally twice daily) until radiological disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. REFLECT demonstrated that lenvatinib was noninferior but not statistically superior to sorafenib for overall survival (OS; hazard ratio, [HR] 0.92; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.79-1.06), with median OS of 13.6 and 12.3 months in the lenvatinib and sorafenib arms, respectively. REFLECT also demonstrated statistically significant improvements in investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.57-0.77]; p < 0.001), corresponding to median PFS of 7.4 and 3.7 months and overall response rate of 24.1% vs 9.2% per modified RECIST for HCC (mRECIST) in the lenvatinib and sorafenib arms, respectively. Consistent results were observed by an independent review facility per RECISTv1.1 and per mRECIST. The most common adverse reactions observed in the lenvatinib-treated patients (≥20%) in decreasing frequency were hypertension, fatigue, diarrhea, decreased appetite, arthralgia/myalgia, decreased weight, abdominal pain, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, proteinuria, dysphonia, hemorrhagic events, hypothyroidism, and nausea. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This article describes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's review of data from a single trial, REFLECT, that supported the approval of lenvatinib, as a single agent, for the first-line treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). REFLECT was an open-label, noninferiority trial that randomized 954 patients with HCC who were ineligible for liver-directed therapy with no prior systemic therapy for HCC to lenvatinib or sorafenib. REFLECT demonstrated that lenvatinib-treated patients had similar survival, more responses, and longer time to progression than those receiving sorafenib. Serious side effects were more common among lenvatinib-treated patients. Lenvatinib is an effective treatment for patients with previously untreated HCC.
A review of the RF Characteristics of a Cascade Network of an LNA with an attenuator

In this endeavor, a cascade system of an attenuator in series with a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) will be studied. A discussion on past related works followed by a study of different Attenuator-LNA ar...
X-ray characterization of anisotropic defect formation in SiC under irradiation with applied stress

Abstract High-energy x-ray diffraction is employed to gain insight into the irradiation-induced creep behavior of silicon carbide (SiC). Polycrystalline β-SiC specimens were simultaneously exposed to elevated temperature neutron-irradiation and mechanically applied stresses. The structural disordering was subsequently examined using two-dimensional x-ray diffraction. The intensity of the (111) shoulder peak, an indication of stacking disorder, increased when the specimens were irradiated under tensile stress. This is the first observation of nanoscale stress-induced stacking disorder in SiC at low neutron fluences. These findings suggest stress-induced preferential nucleation and/or growth of defect clusters as a key creep mechanism in neutron irradiated SiC.
Divorce, health, and socioeconomic status: An agenda for psychological science.

Abstract This brief review article discusses marital dissolution and health with a focus on two specific themes. First, we introduce and discuss the search for plausible causal pathways that link the end of marriage to distal health outcomes. Second, we suggest that the socioeconomic status disruptions that follow divorce represent a plausible causal pathway and emphasize the need for more psychological science in this area of study. Although there is substantial literature that demonstrates that divorced adults, especially divorced women, experience significant financial disruptions, the research in this area remains broad and largely the province of family sociology and demography. Research is needed to better understand adults' psychological and behavioral responses to changes in their financial situation after the end of marriage.
Another problem of Jónsson and McKenzie from 1982: refinement properties for connected powers of posets

It is proven in this note that if non-empty posets A, B, C, and D satisfy $$A^C\cong B^D$$ where C, D, and $$A^C$$ are finite and connected, then there exist posets E, X, Y, and Z such that $$A\cong E^X$$ , $$B\cong E^Y$$ , $$C\cong Y\times Z$$ , and $$D\cong X\times Z$$ . This solves a problem posed by Jonsson and McKenzie in 1982.
Development of a distributed artificial neural network for hydrologic modeling

Hydrological models are used to represent the rainfall-runoff and pollutant transport mechanisms within watersheds. Accurate representation of these dynamic and complex natural processes within a watershed is an important step in managing and protecting a watershed. Artificial neural network (ANN) models are often used in hydrologic modeling. Typical ANN models are trained to use lumped data. However, watershed characteristics used as inputs in hydrological modeling are spatially and often temporally dynamic. Therefore, a lumped model does not have the ability to represent changes in spatial dynamics of a watershed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and test a distributed ANN model for simulating the rainfall-runoff process in the L’Anguille River Watershed located in Eastern Arkansas. The watershed was divided into nine sub-basins to account for the spatial dynamics of flow within the watershed. Inputs for the model were rainfall, average temperature, antecedent flow and curve number. Output was runoff, collected from gage-stations at Colt and Palestine representing two of the sub-basins. Daily SCS curve numbers were developed and adjusted for crop planting and harvesting dates and crop rotation practices in each sub-basin. The model had nine layers with one neuron each to represent the nine sub-basins. The layers were connected so that if one sub-basin spatially flowed into another, its output would be an input for the downstream sub-basin. The model performed well, showing R2 values of 0.93 and 0.98 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency values of 0.92 and 0.97 for the validation and test datasets.
Targeted Proapoptotic Peptides Depleting Adipose Stromal Cells Inhibit Tumor Growth

Progression of many cancers is associated with tumor infiltration by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Adipose stromal cells (ASC) are MSC that serve as adipocyte progenitors and endothelium-supporting cells in white adipose tissue (WAT). Clinical and animal model studies indicate that ASC mobilized from WAT are recruited by tumors. Direct evidence for ASC function in tumor microenvironment has been lacking due to unavailability of approaches to specifically inactivate these cells. Here, we investigate the effects of a proteolysis-resistant targeted hunter-killer peptide D-WAT composed of a cyclic domain CSWKYWFGEC homing to ASC and of a proapoptotic domain KLAKLAK2. Using mouse bone marrow transplantation models, we show that D-WAT treatment specifically depletes tumor stromal and perivascular cells without directly killing malignant cells or tumor-infiltrating leukocytes. In several mouse carcinoma models, targeted ASC cytoablation reduced tumor vascularity and cell proliferation resulting in hemorrhaging, necrosis, and suppressed tumor growth. We also validated a D-WAT derivative with a proapoptotic domain KFAKFAK2 that was found to have an improved cytoablative activity. Our results for the first time demonstrate that ASC, recruited as a component of tumor microenvironment, support cancer progression. We propose that drugs targeting ASC can be developed as a combination therapy complementing conventional cancer treatments.
MAGNECODE : LASER BEAM ENCODING OF PERMANENT MAGNETS FOR AUTOMOTIVE POSITION AND SPEED SENSORS

MAGNECODE uses laser surface heating to pattern permanent magnets for position sensor applications. Thermal and magnetic models provide good predictions of the geometry of the laser heated regions and the resulting spatial variations in the magnetic field. Important design factors are discussed and a comparison with other magnetic sensor technologies is given.
Wage Differentials, Skills, and Institutions in Low-Skill Jobs

The typical study of wage differentials examines workers at all educational levels and attends closely to the link between education and wages. Little research has looked at determinants of wage differentials specifically among workers with low educational attainment. This study, using the 1998–2002 Bay Area Longitudinal Surveys and the 2001–2003 Occupational Information Network, examines which skills and labor market institutions affected wages in jobs for individuals with a high school education or less and little work experience. The author finds that jobs demanding office/clerical skills, mechanical skills, or the “new basic” skills of reading, math, problem-solving, and communication paid higher wages, on average, than did other low-skill jobs, especially those in which physical skills were relatively important. Also positively associated with wages for these low-skilled workers were union representation and location in an industry containing relatively few low-skill jobs.
Choosing Craft: The Artist's Viewpoint

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2009 Pages: 328 Publisher: University of North Carolina Press ISBN: 978-0-8078-3119-9 (hard cover). Prices: $35.00 USD(hard cover).
Acute type A aortic dissection with cardiac tamponade: unexpected late survival without aortic surgery.

Acute type A aortic dissection complicated by cardiac tamponade portends a lethal prognosis. We report the unusual case of an older female who unexpectedly survived for more than one year after presentation with acute dissection and tamponade. She was treated with a pericardial window and remains alive now four years after presentation. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12369 (J Card Surg 2014;29:529–530)
Are multiple runs of genetic algorithms better than one

There are conflicting reports over whether multiple independent runs of genetic algorithms (GAs) with small populations can reach solutions of higher quality or can find acceptable solutions faster than a single run with a large population. This paper investigates this question analytically using two approaches. First, the analysis assumes that there is a certain fixed amount of computational resources available, and identifies the conditions under which it is advantageous to use multiple small runs. The second approach does not constrain the total cost and examines whether multiple properly-sized independent runs can reach the optimal solution faster than a single run. Although this paper is limited to additively-separable functions, it may be applicable to the larger class of nearly decomposable functions of interest to many GA users. The results suggest that, in most cases under the constant cost constraint, a single run with the largest population possible reaches a better solution than multiple independent runs. Similarly, a single large run reaches the global faster than multiple small runs. The findings are validated with experiments on functions of varying difficulty.
An Empirical Investigation of Apparel Production Systems and Product Line Groups through the Use of Collar Designs

To evaluate the right choice in production systems, apparel manufacturers, and other companies seeking production of apparel products, need input on the potential for which system can deliver the right product line to meet customer demands. This research investigates three apparel production systems (i.e., bundle, progressive bundle, modular) and five system attributes (i.e., retrieval, workflow, WPI, task per operator, interaction) within a specific product context. A questionnaire, mailed to U.S. apparel manufacturers, collected quantitative data about the three production systems, the attributes and the products manufactured on the systems. The three production systems identified in the study were effectively operationalized in the data by the five attributes. Collar designs were successfully used to represent product line groups ranging from staple to high fashion. The comparison of production systems to a specific product line group resulted in mixed findings, some in contrast to traditional assumptions, indicating a need for further investigation.
Disagreement and the Superior Performance of Value Stocks

We investigate whether divergence of opinion among investors, manifested in the dispersion of analysts' earnings forecasts, plays an important role in asset pricing. Specifically, we test whether disagreement can explain the cross-sectional return difference between value and growth stocks over the 1983-2001 period. Consistent with the theoretical proposition of Williams (1977), that stocks subject to greater investor disagreement earn higher returns, we find value stocks to be exposed to greater investor disagreement than glamour stocks. Our findings suggest that the return advantage of value strategies is a reward for the greater disagreement characterizing their future growth in earnings. Alternative multifactor asset pricing tests show that investor disagreement plays an important role in explaining the superior return of value stocks.
Parallel decoding of interleaved single parity check turbo product codes

In this paper, both complexity and performance aspects of serially concatenated 2-D single parity check turbo product codes are investigated. The extremely simple Max-Log-MAP decoding is alternatively derived with only three additions needed to compute each bit's extrinsic information. Parallel decoding structure is proposed to increase the decoding throughput while a new helical interleaver is constructed to further improve the coding gain. For performance evaluation, (16, 14, 2)/sup 2/ single parity check turbo product codes with code rate 0.766 over an AWGN channel using QPSK are considered. The simulation results using Max-Log-MAP decoding show that it can achieve BER of 10/sup -5/ at SNR of 3.8 dB with 8 iterations. Compared to the same rate and codeword length turbo product code composed of extended Hamming codes, the considered scheme can achieve similar performance with much less complexity. Other implementation issues such as the finite precision analysis and efficient sorting circuit design are also presented.
It's Mama on the Cross

Miles Richardson. Being-in-Christ and Putting Death in Its Place: An Anthropologist's Account of Christian Performance in Spanish America and the American South. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2003. xx. 414 pp.
Galactic Nuclei and Jets in Wave Gravity

“Wave gravity” refers to a quantum-mechanical gravity theory introduced in two previous papers [1, 2]. Although based on the optics of de Broglie waves instead of curved space-time, it agrees with the standard tests of general relativity. As in that theory, gal actic nuclei are dark objects where gravity prevents the escape of most radiation. In this case, collapse is counteracted by rising internal pr essure and black hole singularities don’t occur. Unlike black holes, t hese nuclei can have internal magnetic fields, and high-energy plasma ca n escape along magnetic field lines closely aligned with the gravitat ional field direction. This allows a different model of jets from active galactic nuclei, where jets can arise without direct fueling by accreti on disks. It also offers a new basis for the tight correlation observed [1 3] between the masses of galactic nuclei and their hosts.
How to Think about the Future: History, Climate Change, and Conflict

History is our only laboratory for the future. But examining history reveals two apparently contradictory messages. First, history repeats itself. The first quote above is not from some contemporary political analyst in Afghanistan, Georgia, Iraq, or Colombia, though it could well be—It is from the Roman historian Tacitus, describing the Roman invasion of Britain, and was written nearly 2,000 years ago. Second, only charlatans and bookies predict the future. Complexity and human ingenuity combine to make the future inherently unpredictable. It is possible to make projections or educated speculations, but few true predictions.The second quote is from a former chief executive of the Digital Equipment Corporation, one of the pioneering computer companies in the USA. The future is the past, with new wares and bits replaced. The problem is in predicting which parts will stay and what the innovations are going to be.The biggest mistake organizations make is in assuming an either/or future: no change—business as usual, or all change—a brave new world. Neither ever will be true. Understanding how to think about and prepare for a complex and uncertain future is going to be the key challenge for humanitarian agencies during the next decade. Those that adapt and are nimble will be able to provide service to the disaster-affected of the world. Those that don’t, won’t.
Arterial hypertension and sport. Related aspects to certification for physical activity and contraindications to sports practice in hypertensive child and adolescent.

The control of blood pressure during exercise is a complex process as it involves increases in stroke volume and heart rate, changes in peripheral vascular resistance and in sympathetic tone; it is related to the type of exercise practiced as its intensity and duration, ratio of lean mass/fat mass, depending on the sex. We distinguish two main types of exercise, aerobic or dynamic and isometric or static. The first is a type of exercise that involves an increase in cardiac output associated with rapid increases in heart rate and systolic BP (with a minimum decrease in diastolic BP) but with a significant decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. The isometric exercise, or static, involves a sharp increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, a modest increase in heart rate with a range stable or slightly reduced but no decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. In Figure ​Figure11 are shown the modifications and interactions between the various parameters [1]. Figure 1 Cardiovascular response to physical exercise Legend: (A) Response to dynamic exercise gradually to the increase in workload to the maximum oxygen consumption; (B) Response to static exercise (handgrip at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction); VO2 (ml/min/kg); ... From these premises it emerges therefore the need to start young people suffering for arterial hypertension to play a type of sport that is suitable for the individual cardiovascular status. In Italy, compared to the US, to practice a sport activity is required medical certification that involves a civil and criminal liability on the part of the physician certification and which is regulated by specific decrees, in particular the latest amendments to the Balduzzi Decree [2]. In the case of healthy children, or apparently healthy, it is scheduled to perform at least once a 12-lead ECG at rest and blood pressure measurement (as specifically stated on the label of certification then signed at the bottom by a doctor). In the case of children and adolescents with arterial hypertension, both for primary and secondary hypertension, you need to pay more attention and care, both in relation to cardiovascular stresses that this entails as previously exposed, both in relation to the importance of implementing the changes in lifestyle who are always the first step, no drugs, which will contribute to the maintenance of blood pressure in the normal range. For what concerns instead the practice of competitive sports activities, please refer to specialists in Sports Medicine, which is reserved for the certification.
Confidence bands for the growth of head circumference in achondroplastic children during the first year of life

Confidence bands are established for the growth of head circumference in achondroplastic children during their first year of life. the model of (formula see text), where a = (1, t,t2) and t is aged expressed in months provides the best estimated population mean curve with 95% confidence limits.
Exciplex formation of copper(II) octaethylporphyrin revealed by pulsed X-rays

Abstract The triplet excited structures of Cu(II) octaethylporphyrin (CuOEP) in toluene and in 1:1 mixture of toluene and tetrahydrofuran (THF) were investigated by time-domain laser pulse pump, X-ray pulse probe X-ray absorption spectroscopy (pump–probe XAS) at room temperature using X-rays from a third generation synchrotron source with 100-ps time resolution. The transient optical absorption measurements indicate a strong solvent dependency of the triplet excited state lifetime due to the presence of oxygen-containing solvent molecules. While the ground state CuOEP molecules remain square-planar in both solvents, the attenuation of a peak attributed to the 1s → 4p z transition at the Cu K-edge for the laser excited CuOEP in the THF/toluene mixture revealed the penta-coordinated exciplex formation which is responsible for the shortening of the triplet excited state lifetime. Meanwhile, the average Cu–N distance in the triplet excited state is lengthened by 0.03 A due to ligation with a THF solvent molecule, which agrees with a domed coordination structure for copper in the penta-coordinated exciplex.
A new look at the optimal assignment problem

Abstract Let E =[ e ij ] be a matrix with integral elements. We study matrices of the form X =[ e e ij ], where x is an indeterminate defined over the rational field Q . There is a fascinating interplay between the combinatorial structures of the matrices E and X . For example, in the case of square matrices the number of optimal assignments in the matrix E is precisely the coefficient of the term of highest degree in the polynomial per( X ). We allow the multiplication of rows and columns of X by arbitrary integral powers of x , and we study topics such as the diagonal products of X . We apply certain familiar results to this “exponential” setting, and we also introduce some new concepts, such as the class of matrices S ( X ) generated by a matrix X and the notion of an invariant 1 within such a class.
Regional variation in temperature humidity index for poultry housing

A building thermal model was used to compute hourly values of temperature humidity index (THI) for a broiler house with and without an evaporative misting system. Hourly summer time weather data for 238 U.S.A. locations covering 30 years were used to develop extreme occurrences of THI. Results were incorporated into a Geographical Information System (GIS) database to create isolines of THI and percentage of hours exceeding a heat stress threshold. Regional variations in misting as a suitable cooling technique are presented in terms of hours reduction in annual heat stress. The technique may be used for assisting in management decisions regarding poultry facilities housing design and siting, and with appropriate THI may be extended to other livestock production.
Influences of geomorphology and geology on alpine treeline in the American West; more important than climatic influences?

The spatial distribution and pattern of alpine treeline in the American West reflect the overarching influences of geological history, lithology and structure, and geomorphic processes and landforms, and geologic and geomorphic factors—both forms and processes—can control the spatiotemporal response of the ecotone to climate change. These influences occur at spatial scales ranging from the continental scale to fine scale processes and landforms at the slope scale. Past geomorphic influences, particularly Pleistocene glaciation, have also left their impact on treeline, and treelines across the west are still adjusting to post-Pleistocene conditions within Pleistocene-created landforms. Current fine scale processes include solifluction and changes on relict solifluction and digging by animals. These processes should be examined in detail in future studies to facilitate a better understanding of where individual tree seedlings become established as a primary response of the ecotone to climate change.
Interfacial processes at single-crystal β-Sn electrodes in organic carbonate electrolytes

Abstract In situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry were used to study the mechanism of organic carbonate electrolytes decomposition and surface layer (re)formation at β-Sn(001) and (100) single crystal electrodes. Interfacial phenomena were investigated at potentials above 0.8 V vs . Li/Li + , i.e. where no Sn–Li alloying takes place. The Sn(001) electrode tends to form a protective surface layer of electrolyte reduction products during the first cathodic CV scan, which effectively inhibits further reduction of the electrolyte upon cycling. In contrast, the Sn(100) electrode produces a thick, inhomogeneous and unstable surface layer. The observed significant difference of Sn reactivity toward the electrolyte as a function of Sn surface crystalline orientation suggests radically different reaction paths, reduction products, and properties of the surface film.
The next generation of obesity treatments: beyond suppressing appetite

Obesity remains a prominent public health concern in the United States as well as many other countries, with 33% of adults worldwide overweight or obese in 2005 and an estimated 60% by 2030 (Kelly et al., 2008). This data highlights the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies. Obesity can be viewed as an endpoint with many possible contributing factors, including genetic propensity, sedentary lifestyles, and the relative ease with which one can obtain food, particularly in modern industrialized societies. Such factors may result in an imbalance between the number of calories consumed vs. expended. The majority of pharmaceutical compounds that have been developed to combat obesity aim to correct or improve this last factor by suppressing appetite (See Table ​Table1).1). However, the number of people with obesity in the United States does not appear to be decreasing (Flegal et al., 2012). Here we present some possible reasons why these drugs have failed to fully address the problem of obesity.
Gene flow via the dispersal of fertilizing sperm in a colonial ascidian (Botryllus schlosseri): the effect of male density

In marine invertebrate taxa with restricted larval dispersal, the movement of fertilizing sperm may contribute significantly to gene flow. Several recent studies have examined the ability of isolated males to fertilize eggs as a function of distance, but none has explicitly considered the effect of other males in the vicinity on the spatial distribution of fertilizations obtained by a male. I assayed the effect of additional males on the fertilization success of male Botryllus schlosseri (Pallas) colonies with respect to distance via an in situ mating experiment performed in Maine, USA during the summer of 1993. Allozyme markers were used to assay paternity. The presence of additional males reduced the ability of a focal male to fertilize eggs in all distance classes. This suggests that competition for fertilizations among males will reduce gene flow via sperm dispersal and that the fertilization success of isolated males may over-estimate gene flow via sperm dispersal in many natural populations.
The Relationship between Early Reading Skills and Speech and Language Performance in Young Children with Cleft Lip and Palate

Objective: To examine the early reading skills of young children with cleft lip and palate and to examine the relationship between early reading skills and speech and language performance. Participants: A total of 56 children participated in the study: 28 children with cleft lip and palate and 28 noncleft children matched for age (mean age, 5 years 7 months), gender, and months of formal schooling. Main Outcome Measures: The two groups of children were compared (t tests) on the Test of Early Reading‐3. Pearson product moment correlations were performed to examine separately the relationship between early reading skills and speech production abilities and between early reading skills and receptive and expressive language abilities for the two groups. Results: Statistically significant group differences were noted on the Test of Early Reading‐3. The mean score of 99 obtained by the group of children with cleft lip and palate was within normal limits compared with the norms for the Test of Early Reading‐3; h...
Abortion and maternal health

Since the beginning of recorded history, women have attempted to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Despite the safety of modern techniques of abortion, many women throughout the world still have to resort to unsafe abortions, placing themselves at considerable risk. The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 20 million unsafe abortions performed each year, and estimates of maternal deaths as a result of abortion range between 60,000 and 100,000 per year. With free and legal access to safe abortions, rates of complications and mortality drop dramatically. There is an urgent need for efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies in order to reduce the need for abortion; for the early identification of abortion complications and easy access to treatment for women suffering those complications; for expansion of safe abortion availability; and for proper training and resources for providers of abortion services.
Cylinder under combined axial and torsion load

Abstract A class of problems often encountered in metal forming involves forming a cylinder through combined axial load and a twist. Many investigators explored the process for a number of years and a classic solution was obtained by plasticity theory. In recent years, limit analysis was successfully used to analyse plastic deformation processes. The upper-bound analysis is designed so that the actual power or forming stress requirement is less than that predicated by the upper bound. Finding a lower upper-bound reduces the uncertainty of the actual power requirement. In the present work, actual power (tensile or torque) required to form a cylinder through combined axial load and a twist was estimated by the upper-bound technique. The power was minimized with respect to the axial velocity or angular velocity. In this manuscript, two cases where tension stress and shear stress are the prescribed independent process parameters are covered. Also, the friction effect at the clamped end is considered. The new solution coincides with the older but covers a range not provided in previous works.
Two functional effects of decreased conductance EPSP's: synaptic augmentation and increased electrotonic coupling

Three electronically coupled motor neurons, which mediate inking behavior in Aplysia californica, receive both increased and decreased conductance excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP's). The increased conductance EPSP's reduce electrical coupling among the cells, whereas the decreased conductance EPSP's increase electrical coupling. The decreased conductance EPSP's also augment the action of a previously ineffective sensory input and this augmentation is enhanced by the increase in electrical coupling. Both effects combine to trigger a stereotypic behavioral response.
Key evolution-based tamper resistance: a subgroup extension

The number and magnitude of hostile attacks against software has drastically increased. One class of attacks of particular concern to the software industry is tampering to circumvent protection technologies such as license checks. A variety of hardware- and software-base techniques have been developed to address the issue. These include, but are not limited to, dongles, smartcards, and code obfuscation. In this paper we examine two previously proposed software-based tamper resistance techniques which are both based on the same key evolution mechanism: Event Log-Based and Branch-Based tamper resistance. As proposed the techniques offer many advantages over other software-based algorithms, however, they still suffer from a common limitation. Through our analysis we identify this limitation and propose an extension to the schemes which improves the overall strength.
Mediation of the Discriminative Stimulus Properties of Cocaine by Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine Systems

Abstract This paper provides a brief review of the scientific evidence implicating the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system in modulating the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine in rats. Briefly, systemic administration of DA releasers, reuptake inhibitors, and DA D 1 , D 2 , and putative D 3 receptor agonists engendered partial to full substitution for the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. Dopamine D 1 and D 2 receptor antagonists attenuate this behavioral property of cocaine. Intracranial microinjection studies have indicated certain key limbic nuclei as loci of action for DA in mediating the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. Microinjections of cocaine into either DA cell body (i.e., ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra) or DA terminal regions (i.e., prefrontal cortex, central amygdala, caudate putamen) have failed to reproduce the systemic cocaine discriminative stimulus. Only infusion of cocaine into the nucleus accumbens has been demonstrated to substitute fully for the systemic effects of this psychostimulant. Interestingly, microinjections of the DA D 1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 into either the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, or central or basolateral amygdala have been demonstrated to block the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine. Although a determination of the antagonism of the cocaine discriminative stimulus following intra-accumbens microinjection of DA D 2 receptor antagonists has not been made, intra- accumbens administration of the DA D 2 receptor antagonist sulpiride blocked the discriminative stimulus effects of another psychostimulant, amphetamine. 6-Hydroxydopamine lesions of DA terminals in the nucleus accumbens also attenuated the dose–effect curve for systemic administration of cocaine. Taken together, this intracranial evidence suggests that DA D 1 and D 2 receptors in the mesocorticolimbic system are involved in modulating the discriminative stimulus properties of psychostimulants and that the nigrostriatal DA system is not primarily involved.
Use of KCN for stabilization of color in direct nesslerization of kjeldahl digests

Abstract The colorimetric determination of Kjeldahl nitrogen has been modified. The method utilizes the addition of Nessler's reagent directly to the Kjeldahl digest. As a color stabilizer 0.015 M KCN is added to the Nessler reagent of the Koch-McMeekin formula. Three to thirty micrograms of nitrogen can be conveniently determined by this method with a standard deviation of less than 2% of the mean. The entire procedure is carried out in a test tube and the method is particularly suited to running large mumbers of samples. An application of the method to the micro determination of nitrogen in proteins, lipoprotein, and other amide-containing molecules is also presented.
Gold diffusion in mercury cadmium telluride grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The growth and characterization of Au-doped HgCdTe layers on (211)B CdTe/Si substrates grown by molecular beam epitaxy reported. The electrical properties of these layers studied for diffusion are presented. For ex-situ experiments, thin Au layers were deposited by evaporation and annealed at various temperatures and times to investigate the p-type doping properties and diffusion of Au in HgCdTe. The atomic distribution of the diffused Au was determined by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. We found clear evidence for p-type doping of HgCdTe:Au by in-situ and ex-situ methods. For in-situ doped layers, we found that, the Au cell temperature needs to be around 900°C to get p-type behavior. The diffusion coefficient of Au in HgCdTe was calculated by fitting SIMS profiles after annealing. Both complementary error functions and gaussian fittings were used, and were in full agreement. Diffusion coefficient as low as 8x10-14cm2/s observed for a sample annealed at 250°C and slow component of a diffusion coefficient as low as 2x10-15 cm2/s observed for a sample annealed at 300°C. Our preliminary results indicate no appreciable diffusion of Au in HgCdTe under the conditions used in these studies. Further work is in progress to confirm these results and to quantify our SIMS profiles.