cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen, progesterone, and the menstrual cycle: A systematic review of fear learning, intrusive memories, and PTSD.

Abstract Women are disproportionately affected by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and gonadal hormones are implicated in fear learning processes associated with PTSD. In rodents, lower estradiol, particularly during metestrus when progesterone is also low, is associated with impaired extinction. Based on theories that extinction deficits underlie PTSD, individuals with lower estradiol and progesterone may exhibit fear learning deficits and higher PTSD symptomatology. A systematic review was conducted in PsycInfo, PubMed, and Medline databases for studies examining estradiol, progesterone, or menstrual phase in relation to fear learning or PTSD symptoms. Twenty-three studies are organized into fear learning (k = 17) and PTSD symptom (k = 12) studies. Across fear learning studies, higher estradiol was consistently associated with enhanced fear extinction recall and inconsistently and weakly associated with better extinction learning and fear acquisition, respectively. Extending to PTSD symptoms, the association with hormonal status was reversed, such that luteal phase, associated with higher estradiol and progesterone, was generally associated with higher re-experiencing symptoms. Overall, human fear learning studies were consistent with rodent studies. Despite strong experimental links between fear learning processes and PTSD, the clinical translation was inconsistent and may reflect varying methods, imprecise measurement, and greater complexity of hormonal effects on symptomatology.
Current Status of Heart Transplantation

Cardiac transplantation remains the standard of care for patients with end-stage heart disease. Posttransplant survival has improved with refinement in donor and patient selection, perioperative management, and antirejection therapy. However, renal failure, malignancy, and cardiac allograft vasculopathy contribute to long-term morbidity and overall mortality. Novel assays testing for gene expression profiles and lymphocyte function may complement endomyocardial biopsies for the detection of allograft rejection but their routine use remains uncertain. Immunosuppression regimens consisting of combinations of corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, antiproliferative agents, or proliferation signal inhibitors may vary according to transplant center experience. Similarly, the use of induction therapy remains controversial reflecting the need for robust multicenter randomized immunosuppression trials. Strategic changes in organ allocation and the use of marginal hearts have broadened the donor pool. However, the growing prevalence of advanced heart failure worsens the mismatch between medical need and donor heart availability. Alternative strategies for heart replacement therapy including the emergence of ventricular assist devices are assuming a larger supportive role for those awaiting a donor heart.
Stochastic lead time with order crossover

AbstractLead time plays an important role in many areas, including supply chain, economics, and marketing. A conventional assumption in most stochastic lead-time inventory models is that the lead t...
Social Alienation and Reintegration: History and Contemporary Implications

I do not recall the circumstances under which the following paper was written; but for some time it remained unpublished, in mimeographed form, until I received a request for a brief manuscript from the editor of the Journal of Psychological Researches, which is sponsored by the Madras (India) Psychology Society. The manuscript was accepted for publication and appeared in the January, 1970, issue of this periodical (14, 1–3).
Computer Aided Generation of Mine Ventilation Network Canonical Diagrams

SUMMARY Utilizing theory of network planning together with graph theory, we present an algorithm which creates canonical diagrams for mine ventilation networks (M.V.N). The data generated by our algorithm is used in the construction and plotting phases of an implemented program which automatically plots the canonical diagrams, which can then be used for further studies of a given M.V.N.
Linguistic Processing for Speech Synthesis

An important part of any text-to-speech synthesis system is the linguistic processing component that takes input text and converts it into a feature representation from which actual synthesis can proceed. Linguistic analysis is hard, in a large measure because written language massively underspecifies linguistic information. This chapter reviews several issues in linguistic analysis starting from low-level text normalization issues, and ending with higher-level problems such as accent prediction and document-level analysis. We end with some prognosis of the future prospects for improvements over current technology.
Direct synthesis of fluorocarbon peroxides—II: The addition of fluoroperoxytrifluoromethane to alkenes

FLUOROCARBON peroxides can now be obtained in considerable variety by the direct addition of the CF3OOgroup to suitable substrates. We have previously demonstrated the utility of trifluoromethyl hydroperoxide, CF3OOH[1--4], and bis(trifluoromethyl) trioxide, CF3OsCF315-7], in the direct synthesis of novel organic and inorganic peroxides. The reaction of CF303CF3 with alkenes gives rise to an interesting series of compounds of the type, CFsOOCR~R:CR2R4OCF3 and the method is quite general. In order to extend this kind of reaction to related derivatives containing only the peroxide linkage, we have investigated the reactions of fluoroperoxytrifluoromethane, CFsOOF and chloroperoxytrifluoromethane, CF3OOCI[8] with certain alkenes. These reagents can yield peroxides which differ only in the substitution of a fluorine by chlorine and along with the derivatives obtained with CF303CF3, allows one in principle to obtain a related series of peroxides of the general formulas CF3OOCRtR2CR3R4OCF3, CF3OOCRIR2CR3R4F and CF3OOCRMR2CR3R4CI. The addition of CF3OOF and CF3OOC1 to certain alkenes occurs readily at low temperatures according to the general equations
Opposite effects of stressful experience on memory formation in males versus females

It has become increasingly clear that males and females differ even more dramatically than we previously thought. Not only do they exhibit differing responses to stress and environmental experience, but they can also respond in opposite directions. In rats, it has been shown that exposure to an acute stressful event can enhance subsequent learning in males while dramatically impairing learning in females. These opposite effects of stress on memory formation are accompanied by similarly opposite effects on neuroanatomical measures, such as dendritic spines in the hippocampal formation. Moreover, these opposite effects of stress are mediated by different hormonal systems between the sexes. These unique responses to stressful experience in male versus female rats may be used to model sex differences in mental illness, such as those that exist for depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Spermatogonia and the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in the nine-banded armadillo

The cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the nine-banded armadillo can be divided into ten stages. As in most mammals, only one stage is observed per tubular cross-section. The process of spermiogenesis can be divided into thirteen steps according to the development of the acrosomal system and the flagellum. Four generations of spermatogonia are observed in the germinal epithelium: 1) stem cells, 2) type “A”, 3) intermediate, and 4) type “B” spermatogonia. The stem cell is characterized by a highly irregular nucleus and the presence of glycogen in its cytoplasm. The type “A” spermatogonium contains an oblong nucleus with one or two shallow infoldings of the nuclear membrane. The intermediate spermatogonium contains an ovoid nucleus characterized by one or two nuclei and heterochromatin scattered in the nucleoplasm. The nucleus of the type “B” spermatogonium is more spherically shaped with a centrally placed nucleolus and heterochromatin associated with the nuclear envelope.
Use of Electronic Health Record Integration for Down Syndrome Guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: Established guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics for the care of patients with Down syndrome are often not followed. Our goal was to integrate aspects of the guidelines into the electronic health record (EHR) to improve guideline adherence throughout a child’s life span. METHODS: Two methods of EHR integration with age-based logic were created and implemented in June 2016: (1) a best-practice advisory that prompts an order for referral to genetics; and (2) a health maintenance record that tracks completion of complete blood cell count and/or hemoglobin testing, thyrotropin testing, echocardiogram, and sleep study. Retrospective chart review of patients with Down syndrome and visits to locations with EHR integration (NICUs, primary care centers, and genetics clinics) assessed adherence to the components of EHR integration; the impact was analyzed through statistical process control charts. RESULTS: From July 2015 to October 2017, 235 patients with Down syndrome (ages 0 to 32 years) had 466 visits to the EHR integration locations. Baseline adherence for individual components ranged from 51% (sleep study and hemoglobin testing) to 94% (echocardiogram). EHR integration was associated with a shift in adherence to all select recommendations from 61.6% to 77.3% (P CONCLUSIONS: Integrating specific aspects of Down syndrome care into the EHR can improve adherence to guideline recommendations that span the life of a child. Future quality improvement should be focused on older children and adults with Down syndrome.
Breast Cancer in Women Aged 80 Years or Older: An Analysis of Treatment Patterns and Disease Outcomes.

Abstract No clear standard treatment guidelines exist for older women with breast cancer. In this study we aimed to examine the practice patterns and treatment outcomes of women ≥80 years old with invasive breast cancer. A retrospective chart review at a single academic institution was performed of 124 women diagnosed with stage I to III invasive breast cancer aged ≥80 years between 2005 and 2014. Median age of diagnosis was 84 years. Fifty-nine of the cancers (48%) were detected using mammography. One hundred twelve patients (90%) underwent surgery. There was no difference in comorbidities between the surgical and nonsurgical group (P = .800). In multivariate analysis, age was predictive of receiving surgery (P
Clock Auction Inspired Privacy Preservation in Colocation Data Centers

Data centers are key participants in emergency demand response (EDR), where the grid coordinates large electricity consumers for reducing their consumption during emergency situations to prevent major economic losses. While existing literature concentrates on owner-operated data centers (e.g., Google), this work studies EDR in multi-tenant colocation data centers (e.g., Equinix) where servers are owned and managed by individual tenants and which are better targets of EDR. Existing EDR mechanisms incentivize tenants’ energy reduction. Such designs can either be gamed by strategic tenants or untrustworthy colocation operators for illegal gains. These serious privacy concerns stand as barrier preventing the tenants’ participation in EDR. This chapter addresses such concerns by proposing a privacy-preserving and strategy-proof mechanism using the descending clock auction. Privacy is protected by implementing homomorphic encryption for aggregation through the clock auction, where operator can only know the aggregate of the tenants’ values or bids but not their individual private values or confidential information submitted to meet the EDR. We evaluate the privacy and performance of this scheme by formulating descending clock auction, in which the amount of energy/price the tenants are willing to reduce for a given price/energy to meet EDR is protected.
Gender and Sexual Prejudice and Subsequent Development of Dating Violence: Intersectionality Among Youth

In recent years, researchers and clinicians around the world have been taken aback by the high prevalence of relationship violence, particularly among school-age children as young as 12. Many have also documented the close relationship between prejudice and discrimination on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation and racial identity, and young people’s experiences of dating violence. In this chapter, we begin by visiting the issue of dating violence in young people around the world and why it merits such careful study. We review scientific evidence and discuss the unique and salient role that prejudicial and discriminatory experiences of gender and sexual minorities, particularly when intersecting with minority racial and disability standings, play in the development and ongoing experiences of relationship violence in childhood and well into adulthood. We will further review existing knowledge on the risk factors which add to minority youths’ existing vulnerabilities, as well as protective factors which may facilitate resilience.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS IN THE GALACTIC DISK. III. A RECONSIDERATION OF CEPHEIDS FROM l = 30° TO 250°

This paper reports on the spectroscopic investigation of 238 Cepheids in the northern sky. Of these stars, about 150 are new to the study of the galactic abundance gradient. These new Cepheids bring the total number of Cepheids involved in abundance distribution studies to over 400. In this work, we also consider systematics between various studies and also those which result from the choice of models. We find that systematic variations exist at the 0.06 dex level both between studies and model atmospheres. In order to control the systematic effects our final gradients depend only on abundances derived herein. A simple linear fit to the Cepheid data from 398 stars yields a gradient d[Fe/H]/dR{sub G} = -0.062 {+-} 0.002 dex kpc{sup -1} which is in good agreement with previously determined values. We have also re-examined the region of the 'metallicity island' of Luck et al. With the doubling of the sample in that region and our internally consistent abundances, we find that there is scant evidence for a distinct island. We also find in our sample the first reported Cepheid (V1033 Cyg) with a pronounced Li feature. The Li abundance is consistent with the star being on its redward passmore » toward the first giant branch.« less
Plasma chemistry produced during laser ablation of graphite in air, argon, helium and nitrogen

Abstract Laser-induced plasma chemistry produced during the ablation of graphite targets at atmospheric pressure in air, argon, helium and nitrogen was studied through time-resolved atomic and molecular emission spectroscopy. The plasma plume and plasma chemistry were generated by focusing a 6-mm diameter, 212 mJ, 1064-nm nanosecond Nd:YAG laser to a spot size of about 1 mm diameter over graphite samples of 99.9% pureness. The atomic emissions C I 247.86 nm, N I 821.50 nm and O I 777.19 nm, and the molecular bands C2 (473.71 nm) and CN (359.04 nm and 388.30 nm) were monitored as a function of time (0.2 to 220 μs). While the C I and C2 emissions followed a near-exponential decay, the CN emission in air and nitrogen showed an emission behavior characterized by two local maxima at 0.2 μs and 20–30 μs after the plasma ignition. The first maximum was explained by the early plasma chemistry produced by the ablated carbon species and the confining background gas, whereas the second maximum was attributed to atomic recombination and shock wave-induced excitation of the plasma plume. Two main effects were observed when the ablation was produced in different background gases. First, the presence of oxygen (≈21%) in air had a negligible effect on atomic lines; however, the CN emission intensity and lifetime were significantly reduced in comparison with an atmosphere of 100% nitrogen. This was attributed to the reduction of nitrogen species as reaction partners during the plasma chemistry in air. Secondly, due to the assumed higher plasma temperature in Ar, this gas favored the emission intensity and lifetime of atomic species but hindered the formation of C2 species. Because the collection optics of the emission spectroscopy system was configured in backscatter mode, which integrates over the entire plasma volume and gate time without spatial resolution, the time-resolved behavior of the plasma emissions were only related to the number density of emitters but not to specific locations in the plasma volume.
Successful Surgical Correction of Congenital Colonic Duplication and Anogenital Cleft in a Cat

A 17 wk old sexually intact female domestic shorthair kitten presented for an anogenital cleft and enlarged colon. The cat had experienced bacterial cystitis and constipation since weaning. Contrast referral images revealed an enlarged colon with a patent anus. Clinical examination revealed an anogenital cleft with a common anovulvar orifice. The rectum was patent upon digital rectal palpation, and fecal contamination of the vulva was present. Abdominal radiographs revealed two distinct colons, both filled with a moderate amount of formed fecal material. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed segmental duplication of the descending colon with a dominant right colon and a smaller accessary left colon. The two structures conjoined at the transverse colon proximally and at the pubic brim distally. A common anogenital orifice with anovulvar communication was also noted. The anogenital cleft malformation was successfully repaired surgically. A celiotomy was performed to remove the smaller accessory colon. An ovariectomy and partial hysterectomy were also performed. The patient recovered uneventfully and showed no gross evidence of recurrent cystitis or urinary or fecal incontinence postoperatively. This is believed to be the first report of a congenital anogenital cleft and complete communicating colonic duplication in a cat.
A Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program: Does It Reduce Delay Between Diagnosis and Treatment?

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the USA, claiming more than 140,000 deaths annually. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to missed opportunities for both curative and life prolonging therapies. This study aimed to evaluate duration of time to diagnosis and first treatment, as well as investigate reasons for delays in care. This retrospective study included all lung cancer cases diagnosed by Stony Brook’s Lung Cancer Evaluation Center (LCEC) between 2013 and 2019. Demographic, radiologic, pathologic and clinical variables were investigated, including cancer staging, histology, and medical and family histories. Evaluations included the determination of median time from initial encounter to diagnosis, median time from diagnosis to start of treatment and an exploration of the factors that influence possible causes for delays in care. The LCEC’s comprehensive multidisciplinary lung nodule program yielded a median length of time from CT to PET of 11 days, PET to procedure of 13 days, procedure to treatment consult of 9 days, and from consult to treatment of 9 days. LCEC patients experienced an overall median of 44 days from initial presentation to first treatment compared to the national ideal of 62 days, thereby representing a 29% reduction in time from first CT to onset of treatment. Delays in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment can negatively impact patient morbidity and mortality. This study suggests that a coordinated multidisciplinary lung cancer program may reduce delays in care, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Ultra-Efficient and Highly Tunable Frequency Conversion in Z-Cut Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate Nanowaveguides

We demonstrate ultra-efficient (∼ 1900 ± 500%W−1 cm−2) and highly tunable (∼ 1.71 nm/K) second harmonic generation from 1530 to 1583 nm via type-0 phase matching in Z-cut periodically poled lithium niobate nanowavguides.
Anthocyanin Bioactivity in Obesity and Diabetes: The Essential Role of Glucose Transporters in the Gut and Periphery

Obesity and type-2 diabetes trends continue to worsen in the United States. Dietary anthocyanins (typically provided by berries and other fruits) are reported to have protective effects against both conditions using a variety of experimental research models including animal and human feeding studies. This review highlights studies that explore the biochemical pathways in both tissue and rodent models which could explain clinical improvements noted with anthocyanin consumption. First, the primary mode of intestinal absorption of anthocyanins is through both sGLT1 and GLUT2 glucose transporters. Stronger binding affinities may allow anthocyanins to be more inhibitive to glucose absorption compared to the reverse, where GLUT2 expression may also be affected. Genetic or chemical inhibition of sGLT1 or GLUT2 demonstrate their essential function in anthocyanin absorption across the enterocyte, where the former interacts with a greater variety of anthocyanins but the latter is the major transporter for specific anthocyanin-glycosides. Once absorbed, anthocyanins positively modulate GLUT4 density and function in both skeletal muscle and adipose tissues via the upregulation of AMPK and restoration of insulin sensitivity. Antioxidant properties and phosphodiesterase inhibition by anthocyanins promote both mitochondrial function and density which could be novel targets for dietary management of obesity and its complications.
Staying Afloat: Planning and Managing Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Risk in Florida’s Coastal Counties:

Climate change and sea level rise present significant risks to coastal governments’ fiscal and service solvency. Current lack of focus on climate change by the U.S. federal and some state governmen...
Impacts of metal oxide additives on the capacity and stability of calcium oxide based materials for the reactive sorption of CO2

Several metal additives (Al, Co, Cr, Er, Ga, In, La, Li, Mg, Nd, Y, and Zn) at nominal 3 : 10 (M : Ca) ratios were investigated for their ability to stabilize high capacity calcium oxide nanofibers over repeated carbonation–regeneration cycles. Samples containing Mg, Y, Nd, La, and Er additives had maximum sorption capacities from 0.40–0.60 gCO2 gsorbent−1, compared to 0.79 gCO2 gsorbent−1 for CaO. Y, Al, Er, and Nd were most effective for improving the stability of CaO, each had first order deactivation constants that were at least one order of magnitude smaller compared to CaO. Post-carbonation characterization revealed that particle agglomeration and structure degradation were the primary reasons for loss in capacity over repeated carbonation–regeneration cycles. Metal additives with high Tammann temperatures of the corresponding metal oxide mitigated structure degradation, leading to improved cyclic stability compared to pure CaO. Additionally, mixed oxide formation had no effect on stability albeit a deleterious effect on sorbent capacity.
Postoperative Admission of Adult Craniotomy Patients to the Neuroscience Ward Reduces Length of Stay and Cost.

Author(s): Sun, Matthew Z; Babayan, Diana; Chen, Jia-Shu; Wang, Maxwell M; Naik, Priyanka K; Reitz, Kara; Li, Jingyi Jessica; Pouratian, Nader; Kim, Won | Abstract: BackgroundThe neurointensive care unit (NICU) has traditionally been the default recovery unit after elective craniotomies.ObjectiveTo assess whether admitting adult patients without significant comorbidities to the neuroscience ward (NW) instead of NICU for recovery resulted in similar clinical outcome while reducing length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization cost.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical and cost data of adult patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy at a university hospital within a 5-yr period who had a LOS less than 7 d. We compared those admitted to the NICU for 1 night of recovery versus those directly admitted to the NW.ResultsThe NICU and NW groups included 340 and 209 patients, respectively, and were comparable in terms of age, ethnicity, overall health, and expected LOS. NW admissions had shorter LOS (3.046nvs 3.586 d, Pnln.001), and independently predicted shorter LOS in multivariate analysis. While the NICU group had longer surgeries (6.8nvs 6.4 h), there was no statistically significant difference in the cost of surgery. The NW group was associated with reduced hospitalization cost by $3193 per admission on average (Pnln.001). Clinically, there were no statistically significant differences in the rate of return to Operating Room, Emergency Department readmission, or hospital readmission within 30 d.ConclusionAdmitting adult craniotomy patients without significant comorbidities, who are expected to have short LOS, to NW was associated with reduced LOS and total cost of admission, without significant differences in postoperative clinical outcome.
Couples talk about breastfeeding: Interviews with parents about decision-making, challenges, and the role of fathers and professional support:

Despite health benefits, sustained breastfeeding rates remain low in the United States, and the role of partners in breastfeeding is not well understood. Using a grounded theory approach, the curre...
Computational workflow for functional characterization of COVID-19 through secondary data analysis.

Standard transcriptomic analyses cannot fully capture the molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathophysiology and outcomes. We present a computational heterogeneous data integration and mining protocol that combines transcriptional signatures from multiple model systems, protein-protein interactions, single-cell RNA-seq markers, and phenotype-genotype associations to identify functional feature complexes. These feature modules represent a higher order multifeatured machines collectively working toward common pathophysiological goals. We apply this protocol for functional characterization of COVID-19, but it could be applied to many other diseases. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Ghandikota et al. (2021).
A 178.9-dB FoM 128-dB SFDR VCO-Based AFE for ExG Readouts With a Calibration-Free Differential Pulse Code Modulation Technique

This article presents a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based analog front end (AFE) for ExG readout applications with both a wide dynamic range (DR) and high linearity. By using a differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) technique, VCO non-linearity is mitigated by operating the VCO in the small-signal linear regime. To minimize power consumption from the power-hungry gain error calibration, the effect of VCO gain variation within the DPCM loop is investigated, leading to a calibration-free DPCM via a $\Delta \Sigma $ truncator. At the circuit level, a coarse–fine phase decoding scheme is proposed to increase signal-to-quantization-noise ratio (SQNR) while avoiding metastability issues. Fabricated in 65 nm, the AFE occupies an area of 0.056 mm2. It achieves 94.2-dB SNDR and 95.1-dB DR in 500 Hz of bandwidth while dissipating 1.68- $\mu \text{W}$ power from a single 0.8-V supply, yielding a Schreier FoM of 178.9 dB. Importantly, the techniques enable a virtually distortion-less spectrum with a noise-floor limited spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 128 dB. In addition, the AFE is validated with ECG and EOG recording, demonstrating complete signal capturing in the presence of motion/stimulation artifacts.
Pruning of Deep Neural Networks for Fault-Tolerant Memristor-based Accelerators

Hardware-level reliability is a major concern when deep neural network (DNN) models are mapped to neuromorphic accelerators such as memristor-based crossbars. Manufacturing defects and variations lead to hardware faults in the crossbar. Although memristor-based DNNs are inherently tolerant to these faults and many faults are benign for a given inferencing application, there is still a non-negligible number of critical faults (CFs) in the memristor crossbars that can lead to misclassification. It is therefore important to efficiently identify these CFs so that fault-tolerance solutions can focus on them. In this paper, we present an efficient technique based on machine learning to identify these CFs; CFs can be identified with over 98% accuracy and at a rate that is 20 times faster than a baseline using random fault injection. We next present a fault-tolerance technique that iteratively prunes a DNN by targeting weights that are mapped to CFs in the memristor crossbars. Our results for the CIFAR-10 data set and several benchmark DNNs show that the proposed pruning technique eliminates up to 95% of the CFs with less than 1% DNN inferencing accuracy loss. This reduction in the total number of CFs leads to a 99% savings in the hardware redundancy required for fault tolerance.
Acute Liver Injury and Failure in Children

Acute liver failure (ALF) in children is uncommon. It can occur at any age and have a variety of presentations. A major challenge is to quickly determine the etiology and initiate appropriate therapy. Even with rapid diagnosis and aggressive medical management, patients may progress to irreversible liver failure and require transplantation. A multidisciplinary approach including early consultation with a transplant specialist can improve outcome. This chapter reviews the current understanding of ALF in children with specific attention to etiology, evaluation and diagnosis, and treatment options.
State-of-the-Art Thin Film Electrolytes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

State-of-the-art solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are among the main candidates for clean energy technology due to their high efficiency, fuel flexibility, low air pollution, and minimal greenhouse gas emission. However, high operational temperature of SOFC is a greater challenge in commercialization of these devices for low cost and portable applications. High temperature operation of SOFC degrades its performance with aging, limits the selection of materials for fuel cell components, and increases the fabrication cost. Thus, there have been enormous efforts to improve the properties of existing materials and develop new materials for SOFC components in order to lower the operating temperature of SOFC. Recent advances in thin film technology have also been utilized to develop new materials with improved properties for SOFC. One of the key components in SOFC is the electrolyte and several research groups are working on developing new electrolyte materials. In this chapter, we will discuss the recent advances in thin film SOFC electrolytes. This extensive discussion includes the evolution of doped ceria, doped zirconia, and multilayer hetero-structured thin film electrolytes. The newly developed nanoscale thin films and multilayer hetero-structures with improved oxygen ionic conductivity will have significant impact on SOFC devices.
Effect of insoluble calcium concentration on endogenous syneresis rate in rennet-coagulated bovine milk

Abstract The rennet coagulation of milk has been extensively studied. Mathematical modeling of the gelation process has been performed, mainly for the purpose of predicting the gel point. Rheological profiles of rennet gels during aging (long reaction times) have indicated that the gel stiffness (modulus) attains a maximum and thereafter decreases. We wanted to model this type of behavior and used the Carlson model, which includes terms for the proteolysis of κ-casein hairs (creating active sites) and the crosslinking of these activated sites. To account for the observed decrease in the gel modulus with time, we modified the Carlson model by adding an exponential decay term, which we ascribe to endogenous syneresis. We believe that this decay (i.e., syneresis rate) would likely be influenced by the mobility of bonds within casein micelles (in gels as indicated by the rheological loss tangent parameter). To modify the internal structural bonding of casein micelles, reconstituted skim milk was acidified to pH values 6.4, 6.0, 5.8, 5.6, and 5.4, or EDTA was added to milk at concentrations of 0, 2, 4, and 6m M , and the final pH values of EDTA-treated samples were subsequently adjusted to pH 6.0. These treatments were then used to prepare rennet gel samples that were monitored by dynamic low amplitude oscillatory rheometry. When the modified Carlson model was fitted to the actual experimental storage modulus values of each sample, it fitted the data reasonably well (especially the pH trial data). As the pH values of milk decreased, the modulus values at infinite reaction time (G′ ∞ ) increased; however, G′ ∞ decreased with an increase in the EDTA concentration. In the pH trial, the rate constants for the proteolysis of κ-casein hairs and the crosslinking of these activated sites exhibited a maximum at pH 5.6 and 6.0, respectively. The rate constant for endogenous syneresis increased at pH values
GaAs1−yBiy Raman signatures: illuminating relationships between the electrical and optical properties of GaAs1−yBiy and Bi incorporation

We report the use of two Raman signatures, the Bi-induced longitudinal-optical-plasmon-coupled (LOPC) mode and the GaAs Frohlich scattering intensity, present in nominally undoped (100) GaAs1−yBiy to predict the 300K photoluminescence intensity and Bi composition (y) in GaAs1−yBiy. The LOPC mode is used to calculate the hole concentration in GaAs1−yBiy epitaxial layers. A linear relationship between hole concentration and photoluminescence intensity is found for a range of samples grown at various temperatures and growth rates. In addition, the composition (y) of Bi in GaAs1−yBiy is also found to be linearly related to the GaAs Frohlich scattering intensity.
PackMerger: A 3D Print Volume Optimizer

We propose an optimization framework for 3D printing that seeks to save printing time and the support material required to print 3D shapes. Three-dimensional printing technology is rapidly maturing and may revolutionize how we manufacture objects. The total cost of printing, however, is governed by numerous factors which include not only the price of the printer but also the amount of material and time to fabricate the shape. Our PackMerger framework converts the input 3D watertight mesh into a shell by hollowing its inner parts. The shell is then divided into segments. The location of splits is controlled based on several parameters, including the size of the connection areas or volume of each segment. The pieces are then tightly packed using optimization. The optimization attempts to minimize the amount of support material and the bounding box volume of the packed segments while keeping the number of segments minimal. The final packed configuration can be printed with substantial time and material savings, while also allowing printing of objects that would not fit into the printer volume. We have tested our system on three different printers and it shows a reduction of 5-30% of the printing time while simultaneously saving 15-65% of the support material. The optimization time was approximately 1 min. Once the segments are printed, they need to be assembled.
Reconsidering Resurrection, Incarnation and Nature in Schleiermacher's Glaubenslehre

In the Glaubenslehre, Friedrich Schleiermacher affirms the resurrection of Christ but dissociates it from redemption. Many interpreters have proposed that Schleiermacher's move to evacuate the resurrection of salvific content follows necessarily from his positions on the nature-system and the unity of the divine creative decree. This article argues that Schleiermacher could have offered a more ramified place for the resurrection of Christ in the Glaubenslehre had he interpreted it as the consummation and extension of God's incarnation in Christ. In this light, it suggests three propositions that would both extend redemptive significance to the resurrection and preserve the integrity of the nature-system, and defends those propositions against two likely and significant objections.
Challenges for Machine Learning in Cooperative Information Systems

Cooperative Information Systems (CISs) are multiagent systems with organizational and database abstractions geared to the large open heterogeneous information environments of today. CIS is also the name of the associated research area, which has emerged from the synthesis of distributed databases and distributed artificial intelligence. In CIS, software agents mitigate an information environment's heterogeneity by interacting through common protocols, and manage its large size by making intelligent local decisions without centralized control. In order to cope with the dynamism presented by open environments, CIS agents must have the ability to adapt and learn. We discuss some of the most important problems involving learning and adaptivity in CISs, including requirements for reconciling semantics and improving coordination. We present a “customers' view” of learning technology as might find ready application in CISs.
Factors Contributing to Internal Customer Satisfaction and Commitment in Quick Service Restaurants

Abstract The fast-paced, highly competitive nature of quick service restaurants (QSRs) has motivated members of the industry to develop creative ways to optimize customer satisfaction. This search for competitive advantage has fueled an increased interest in employees as “internal customers” who are primarily responsible for external customer satisfaction. The hospitality industry is unique in that employees are part of the product; they directly provide the service component. This project surveyed over 900 hourly and salaried employees at 61 QSRs. The results indicate strategies and tactics to maintain satisfied and “actively” as well as “passively” committed employees. In turn these employees may be an employer's greatest marketing tool.
Ships on Maps: Pictures of Power in Renaissance Europe. By Richard W. Unger

Known primarily as a maritime historian, Richard Unger has now extended his range into the history of Western cartography, between about 1300 and 1600. His eight chapters take us from the mid-fourt...
Visualization of protein-nucleic acid interactions in a virus. Refined structure of intact tobacco mosaic virus at 2.9 A resolution by X-ray fiber diffraction.

Abstract The structure of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) has been determined by fiber diffraction methods at 2.9 A resolution, and refined by restrained least-squares to an R -factor of 0.096. Protein-nucleic acid interactions are clearly visible. The final model contains all of the non-hydrogen atoms of the RNA and the protein, 71 water molecules, and two calcium-binding sites. Viral disassembly is driven by electrostatic repulsions between the charges in two carboxyl-carboxylate pairs and a phosphate-carboxylate pair. The phosphate-carboxylate pair and at least one of the carboxyl-carboxylate pairs appear to be calcium-binding sites. Nucleotide specificity, enabling TMV to recognize its own RNA by a repeating pattern of guanine residues, is provided by two guanine-specific hydrogen bonds in one of the three base-binding sites.
Self-selecting albino rats exhibit differential preferences for pure macronutrient diets: characterization of three subpopulations.

Abstract Analyses of natural feeding behavior in albino male Sprague-Dawley rats demonstrate that, when allowed to self-select from pure macronutrient diets (protein, carbohydrate and fat), these rats of the same genetic strain can be categorized into 3 subpopulations according to either their 24-h or their 12-h nocturnal patterns of nutrient intake. A majority of the animals (HC for high carbohydrate, 50% of the total population) consumed a diet rich in carbohydrate relative to protein or fat, while a smaller population of rats (HF, 30%) preferred the fat diet, and an even smaller population (HP, 20%) chose a high-protein diet. These 3 subpopulations, after a few weeks of maintenance on the diets, differed in their body weight, with the HF rats having a higher body weight than the HP animals, who tended to weigh more than the lightest HC rats. Whereas all subgroups exhibited a similar bimodal distribution of feeding during the nocturnal cycle, with peaks during the early and late dark periods, they were distinguishable on the basis of their nutrient consumption during specific phases of the dark cycle. This difference was most apparent in the early dark phase, when the 3 subgroups exhibited exaggerated preferences for the specific nutrient that was generally preferred over the 24-h cycle. This is in contrast to the middle dark phase, when diet preferences were attenuated or lost, and the late dark phase, when most rats were similar in showing an increased preference for protein and fat and a decreased preference for carbohydrate. The HF group was further distinguished by an unusually strong burst of feeding during the first 2 h of the dark period and an extra peak of feeding in the middle dark period (7th h), both of which were relatively high in fat content.
Nanostructured CdS:O film: preparation, properties, and application

In this paper, we report on a novel material: nanostructured CdS:O film prepared at room temperature by rf sputtering, and its application in CdTe solar cells. The CdS:O film has a higher optical bandgap (2.5–3.1 eV) than the poly-CdS film and a nanostructure; the bandgap increases with an increase of oxygen content (from ∼4 at.% to ∼23 at.%) and a decrease of grain size (from about a few hundred A to a few tenths A). Our results have also demonstrated that the higher oxygen content presented in the nanostructured CdS:O films can significantly suppress the Te diffusion from the CdTe into the CdS film and the formation of a CdS1−yTey alloy with a lower bandgap that results in poor quantum efficiency in the short-wavelength region. The preliminary device results have demonstrated that the Jsc of the CdTe device can be greatly improved by exploiting the thin nanostructured CdS:O film, while maintaining higher Voc and FF. We have fabricated a CdTe cell demonstrating an NREL-confirmed total-area efficiency of 15.5%. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Transgender Women and the Sex Work Industry: Roots in Systemic, Institutional, and Interpersonal Discrimination

Because transgender people face discrimination on systemic, institutional, and interpersonal levels, the previous literature has supported that many transgender women view the sex work industry as their only viable career option. The current article reviews the literature on discrimination against transgender people, explores how discrimination influences their participation in sex work, and discusses how institutional discrimination against transgender women manifests within the criminal justice system. Furthermore, recommendations are provided for advocating for the rights of transgender people while promoting healthy behaviors and higher quality of life. Throughout the article, quotes from previous qualitative research are used to illustrate the experiences of transgender women through their own voices and perspectives.
The Florida Sleeve: A New Technique for Aortic Root Remodeling With Preservation of the Aortic Valve and Sinuses

Aortic valve salvage remains the procedure of choice for patients with incompetent valves and normal leaflet morphology. Here my colleagues and I describe a new technique for aortic root remodeling with preservation of the aortic valve.
Prolongation of thiopental anaesthesia with hydroxyzine, SA 97, thiethylperazine, and thioridazine

Four series of crossover experiments were carried out with mongrel dogs to determine whether hydroxyzine and SA 97 (diphenylmethane derivatives) and thiethylperazine and thioridazine (phenothiazine derivatives) prolong sleep induced by thiopental. It was found that hydroxyzine caused prolongation of thiopental sleep, but this effect was not consistent whereas the other three drugs invariably delayed recovery from thiopental.
Tamoxifen elicits rapid transmembrane lipid signal responses in human breast cancer cells.

The antiestrogen tamoxifen competes with estrogen for receptor occupancy, although reports indicate that not all effects of tamoxifen are mediated via this specific interaction. In the present study we sought to determine whether tamoxifen can initiate transmembrane lipid signals. Lipid signaling is a prominent mode by which hormones, growth factors, and phorbol diesters transduce messages. Using the human mammary carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231, phospholipid metabolism was analyzed in cells prelabeled with3H-fatty acid. After short-term (10 min) exposure to tamoxifen (10 µM), cellular phosphatidic acid (PA) increased by approximately 50%. Dose-response kinetics for PA formation were obtained over a tamoxifen range of 2.5-20 µM. Treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with phorbol diester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, TPA) also elicited PA generation (60% above control). Interestingly, addition of tamoxifen, a purported protein kinase C inhibitor, to TPA-treated cells, caused further increase in PA (approximately 100% above control). PA, a second messenger lipid produced upon effector-receptor coupling, shares a prominent role in signal transduction events that govern cellular proliferation. It is therefore suggested that some actions of tamoxifen are mediated by promoting production of second messenger lipids that elicit transmembrane signal transduction cascades. This view is in line with ideas on non-estrogen receptor associated actions of tamoxifen by way of alternate binding sites.
Dynamic response of Jupiter's atmosphere to the impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

DURING the period 18–24 July 1994, over 20 fragments of comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 will collide with Jupiter1–3. The thermal and condensation signatures of inertia-gravity waves emanating from the impact sites will, if detectable, provide valuable insight into the stratification of Jupiter's atmosphere. We report here simulations of the event using a global multilayer model4 of Jupiter's atmosphere and a range of impact kinetic energies (1027–1030 erg) that allows for the uncertainties in the sizes and densities of the comet fragments5–8. The resulting inertia-gravity waves give rise to temperature perturbations in the range 0.004–1.2 K. The signature of the larger impacts may be detectable by thermal infrared imaging, and even weak signals may be detectable if one allows for the fact that the waves propagate in coherent rings centred on each impact site. Our simulations also indicate that a small vortex should form in the atmosphere following each impact, but that these will be sheared apart by the zonal winds within a few weeks.
Magnetic structure factors and susceptibilities of the one-dimensional Kondo insulator

Abstract The Kondo insulator CeNiSn shows substantial antiferromagnetic correlations along one axis, but does not show analogous structure in the corresponding spin susceptibility. In an attempt to understand this behavior, we perform quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the one-dimensional Kondo insulator. We first describe the model and the quantum Monte Carlo technique used, and then compare our results with the experimental data. The model appears inadequate to describe the observed CeNiSn susceptibility behavior.