cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive mixed strategy load management in dc microgrids for wireless communications systems

This paper proposes an adaptive mixed game control algorithm to realize optimal load planning in cell sites forming a microgrid powered by renewable sources. Cell site controllers use renewable sources power generation and local load predictions to plan future coordinated load management, renewable power generation and local energy storage. Mixed game methods have been proved to offer an adequate solution for optimal load planning in a dc microgrid powered by renewable energy sources, but it tends to require significant knowledge of system characteristics and accurate estimation of renewable source generated power and load, in this case due to communications traffic. In this paper, we explore necessary system conditions for implementing a mixed game control strategy. Additionally, an adaptive controller is introduced to improve performance by updating renewable power generation and communication traffic load models by providing the controller a better estimation and, thus, improving the performance of the game control method when actual renewable power and communication traffic load deviate from the preset model. The adaptive control scheme is designed based on Lyapunov stability theory. Simulation results show the adaptive controller can significantly improve mixed game method performance.
The Logic of Latent Nuclear Deterrence

Nuclear deterrence is central to international relations theory and practice. Most people assume that countries must possess nuclear weapons in order to reap deterrence benefits from their nuclear programs. Nuclear deterrence without bombs is seemingly impossible, since countries would be unable to immediately retaliate with nuclear forces. This article shows, however, that latent nuclear powers – nonnuclear states that possess the capacity to make weapons – can deter aggression, despite their lack of assembled warheads. Latent nuclear deterrence works because states that possess the technology needed to produce bombs can threaten to initiate or accelerate nuclear weapons programs if they are attacked. The evidence reveals that latent nuclear deterrence is surprisingly effective: countries such as Egypt, Iran, and Japan have been able to reduce their vulnerability to violent conflict simply by developing sensitive dual-use nuclear technology. Nuclear arsenals may be sufficient for nuclear deterrence to operate – but they are not necessary. This carries lessons for the debate about nuclear disarmament: most scholars and policymakers are skeptical that the prospect of nuclear rearmament in a disarmed world could deter serious international disputes, but the case for latent nuclear deterrence is stronger than critics would lead us to believe.
The carbon quality-temperature hypothesis does not consistently predict temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter mineralization in soils from two manipulative ecosystem experiments

The temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is a source of uncertainty in models of soil-climate feedbacks. However, empirical studies have given contradictory results concerning the temperature response of SOM fractions, even as the understanding of the chemical nature of SOM is evolving. The carbon-quality temperature (CQT) hypothesis states that more ‘recalcitrant’ SOM should have higher temperature sensitivity. Incubation studies have often shown a negative correlation between soil respiration rates and temperature sensitivity. However, there have been important exceptions to these results which challenge the assumption that older SOM is necessarily more chemically complex. We asked whether we would expect a universal relationship between temperature sensitivity and soil respiration given that SOM decomposition is influenced by factors other than chemical complexity. We examined temperature sensitivity in long-term incubations of four soils representing two biomes and two ecosystem-level manipulations. Soils from a manipulative climate experiment in Pacific Northwest grasslands demonstrated an increase in temperature sensitivity with incubation duration, but soil from a 20-year input manipulation study in a Northeastern forest showed no relationship of temperature sensitivity with either carbon depletion or incubation time. Furthermore, across all four soils, the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration was frequently inconsistent with indices of carbon quality and did not show a negative correlation with soil respiration rate. We conclude that the CQT hypothesis fails to universally capture the temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition across environmental contexts, consistent with an emerging understanding of the multiplicity of factors that control soil carbon cycling.
The Pre-Platonic Moment of the Via Platonica: The Theory of Flux and the Deception of the Senses

We shall first present Saint Thomas’ exposition of the pre-Platonic moment and follow it immediately with an examination of Saint Thomas’ critique.
On repair weld residual stresses and significance to structural integrity

This paper starts with a brief state of the art assessment on what has been learned over the last few decades in understanding residual stress development mechanisms, particularly those uniquely associated with weld repairs. A special emphasis will be given to how some of the residual stress features contribute to structural integrity of a component containing weld repairs. In contrast to initial fabrication welds, residual stresses associated with finite length repair welds tend to exhibit important invariant features, regardless of component configurations, materials, and to some degree, welding procedures. Such invariant features are associated with the severe restraint conditions present in typical repair situations. A number of weld repair cases are examined in this paper. In addition to highlighting important residual stress distribution features, fracture mechanics calculations are performed to examine how repair weld residual stresses quantitatively contribute to crack driving force as a function of crack location and size. One simple and effective technique for mitigating detrimental residual stress effects on structural integrity is also demonstrated by considering overall weld repair dimensions.
Concept Analysis and the Advance of Nursing Knowledge: State of the Science.

Purpose Despite an overwhelming increase in the number of concept analyses published since the early 1970s, there are significant limitations to the impact of this work in promoting progress in nursing science. Design We conducted an extensive review of concept analyses published between 1972 and 2017 to identify patterns in analysis and followed this with exploration of an exemplar related to the concept of normalization to demonstrate the capabilities of analysis for promoting concept development and progress. Methods Scoping review of peer-reviewed literature published in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) in which the terms "concept analysis," "concept clarification," and "concept derivation" appeared in any part of the reference. The original search returned 3,489 articles. This initial pool was refined to a final sample of 958 articles published in 223 journals and addressing 604 concepts. A review of citations of the original analysis of the concept of normalization resulted in 75 articles selected for closer examination of the process of concept development. Findings Review showed a clear pattern of repetition of analysis of the same concept, growth in number of published analyses, preponderance of first authors with master's degrees, and 43 distinct descriptions of methods. Review of the 75 citations to the normalization analysis identified multiple ways concept analysis can inform subsequent research and theory development. Conclusions Conceptual work needs to move beyond the level of "concept analysis" involving clear linkage to the resolution of problems in the discipline. Conceptual work is an important component of progress in the knowledge base of a discipline, and more effective use of concept development activities are needed to maximize the potential of this important work. It is important to the discipline that we facilitate progress in nursing science on a theoretical and conceptual level as a part of cohesive and systematic development of the discipline. Clinical relevance The absence of effective concepts impedes the ability to recognize, discuss, define, and conduct studies important to clinical practice and research. This article reflects the pressing need as well as the potential for concept analysis work to be approached in a way that promotes nursing science and enables conceptually sound research to improve clinical care.
Flexible shipping packages

Jute, flax and hemp, when used for packaging purposes, are normally spun into yarns by dry-spinning processes, as distinct from the wet-spinning method used for finer flax yarns. Jute-substitute fibres are also used for sack production in certain areas of the world, although the quantities consumed are small in comparison with jute. Flax and hemp fabrics are normally too expensive to be used for other than special purposes, e.g. flax waterbags for use in hot countries, and tarred hemp sacks for the retail coal-carrying trade. Cotton is extensively used for the packaging of many commodities.
Mobile Users as Advertisers: User Perceptions of Product Sensitivity, Exposure, and Public Influence

Today mobile marketing is booming at an exponential rate with the increased use of smartphones and other mobile devices. Smartphones provide ubiquitous access to digital information anywhere, anytime, thus enabling the marketers to reach customers more directly, and engagingly. A scalable amalgamation of cellular networks, WiFi, and BLE Beacons enable us to formulate a new mode of advertising, where we can employ mobile users as live and localized advertisers. That means a user can potentially be an advertiser for a company using smartphones by creating an ad and broadcasting it to people around them. Implementation of this idea integrates Consumer Generated Advertising (CGA), as the users actively customize the ads. In this paper, we explore the user's perception toward sharing personal information along with the ads they advertise. We tested our hypothesis by conducting a user study that investigates two key factors: the sensitivity level of the product, and the exposure level to the public. Also, we analyzed the effect of the public influence on the consumers' minds. Our result shows that people share more information with not-sensitive products than they share with sensitive products. We found several factors that can be utilized to conduct our future studies.
Epithelial Expression of an Interstitial Lung Disease-Associated Mutation in Surfactant Protein-C Modulates Recruitment and Activation of Key Myeloid Cell Populations in Mice.

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) often experience precipitous deteriorations, termed "acute exacerbations" (AE), marked by diffuse alveolitis and altered gas exchange, resulting in a significant loss of lung function or mortality. The missense isoleucine to threonine substitution at position 73 (I73T) in the alveolar type 2 cell-restricted surfactant protein-C (SP-C) gene (SFTPC) has been linked to clinical IPF. To better understand the sequence of events that impact AE-IPF, we leveraged a murine model of inducible SP-CI73T (SP-CI73T/I73TFlp+/- ) expression. Following administration of tamoxifen to 8-12-wk-old mice, an upregulation of SftpcI73T initiated a diffuse lung injury marked by increases in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein and histochemical evidence of CD45+ and CD11b+ cell infiltrates. Flow cytometry of collagenase-digested lung cells revealed a transient, early reduction in SiglecFhiCD11blowCD64hiCD11chi macrophages, countered by the sequential accumulation of SiglecFloCD11b+CD64-CD11c-CCR2+Ly6C+ immature macrophages (3 d), Ly6G+ neutrophils (7 d), and SiglecFhiCD11bhiCD11clo eosinophils (2 wk). By mRNA analysis, BALF cells demonstrated a time-dependent phenotypic shift from a proinflammatory (3 d) to an anti-inflammatory/profibrotic activation state, along with serial elaboration of monocyte and eosinophil recruitment factors. The i.v. administration of clodronate effectively reduced total BALF cell numbers, CCR2+ immature macrophages, and eosinophil influx while improving survival. In contrast, resident macrophage depletion from the intratracheal delivery of clodronate liposomes enhanced SftpcI73T -induced mortality. These results using SftpcI73T mice provide a detailed ontogeny for AE-IPF driven by alveolar epithelial dysfunction that induces a polycellular inflammation initiated by the early influx of proinflammatory CCR2+Ly6Chi immature macrophages.
Health Care's Market Bureaucracy

The last several decades of health law and policy have been built on a foundation of economic theory. This theory supported the proliferation of market-based policies that promised maximum efficiency and minimal bureaucracy. Neither of these promises has been realized. A mounting body of empirical research discussed in this Article makes clear that leading market-based health care policies are not efficient—they fail to capture what people want. People struggle when making choices, and they often choose poorly. Even more, this Article describes how the failed struggle to bolster these policies—through constant regulatory, technocratic tinkering that aims to improve the market and the decisionmaking of consumers in it—has produced a massive market bureaucracy. To illustrate the growth of the market bureaucracy, this Article traces the origin and development of several market-based theories that have been central to the modern era of health policy and law. The first, called managed competition, looks to consumerism in insurance markets and contends that people will choose wisely among health plan options, and their choices will drive higher value health care. The second, sometimes called consumer-driven health care, relies on consumerism when using medical care. The notion is that when people are subject to a share of the costs, they will more selectively choose when and where to use medical care and will avoid low-value products or services. The final example considers the application of antitrust to health care mergers, ostensibly to create a competitive field on which consumerism can flourish. This Article shows that, in application, these ideas have not, nor will ever, deliver as imagined in a world that deviates irreconcilably from theory. Nonetheless, these ideas continue to spawn a vast web of health law and regulation in their support. The cost of this market bureaucracy includes the scaffolding to hold up an ineffective market-based structure and, more importantly, the opportunity cost of foregone alternatives to solve important health care system challenges. Health care’s market bureaucracy endures in light of repeated failure in part, as others have discussed, due to politics and political economy. Yet, this Article suggests that it persists equally because of its role in the sanctification of values of individualism and choice. Choice seems especially appealing when it comes to decisions about our health. We want to believe we are in control. Yet, choice as translated into market-based policies has proven empty. Understanding that markets do not actually enhance meaningful choice—and are as bureaucratic as any other approach—can clear the way to ask how to design better health law and policy.
Lymphovascular Invasion Is Associated with Lymph Node Involvement in Small Appendiceal Neuroendocrine Tumors

Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are incidentally found in up to 1% of appendectomy specimens. The association of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) with risk of regional lymph node involvement is unclear. From the National Cancer Database, 2004–2015, this study identified patients who had tumors 2 cm or smaller with one or more lymph nodes (LNs) pathologically evaluated. The histology was defined as typical, goblet cell, or composite NETs. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment variables were analyzed. The histologies for the 1767 identified patients were typical (n = 921, 52.1%), goblet cell (n = 556, 31.5%), and composite (n = 290, 16.4%). The tumor grades were low (70.4%), moderate (18.6%), and high (11%). The overall LN positivity was 17%. Of 1052 tumors evaluated, 215 (20.4%) had LVI. Overall survival decreased with node involvement (mean 84 vs. 124 months; p < 0.0001, log-rank). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, LVI was independently associated with node involvement [odds ratio (OR) 5.0; p < 0.0001] after adjustment for patient age and tumor histologic subtype, size, and grade. In the subset analysis of typical NETs, tumor size of 1–2 cm (ref. < 1 cm; OR 5.5; p < 0.001) and presence of LVI (ref. absence of LVI; OR 4.8; p < 0.0001) were the only factors independently associated with LN involvement. Node involvement is associated with worse overall survival in appendiceal NETs. The presence of LVI was strongly associated with lymph node involvement. An appendectomy specimen showing LVI should prompt strong consideration of colectomy with regional lymphadenectomy even for small, typical appendiceal NETs.
Parental Expectations of Postsecondary Outcomes for Diverse Students with Learning Disabilities: A Funds of Knowledge and Social Capital Approach to Transition Planning

ABSTRACTCulturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with learning disabilities (LD) are persistently underrepresented in higher education and demonstrate lower postsecondary outcomes than ...
Model Quality Aware RANSAC: A Robust Camera Motion Estimator

Robust estimation of camera motion under the presence of outlier noise is a fundamental problem in robotics and computer vision. Despite existing efforts that focus on detecting motion and scene degeneracies, the best existing approach that builds on Random Consensus Sampling (RANSAC) still has non-negligible failure rate. Since a single failure can lead to the failure of the entire visual simultaneous localization and mapping, it is important to further improve robust estimation algorithm. We propose a new robust camera motion estimator (RCME) by incorporating two main changes: model-sample consistence test at model instantiation step and inlier set quality test that verifies model-inlier consistence using differential entropy. We have implemented our RCME algorithm and tested it under many public datasets. The results have shown consistent reduction in failure rate when comparing to RANSAC-based Gold Standard approach. More specifically, the overall failure rate for indoor environments has reduced from 1.41% to 0.02%.
Aggressive placement of distal limb perfusion catheter in venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Objective:The aim of this study is to review the impacts of aggressive placement of a distal perfusion catheter on the outcomes in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxyge...
[Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of the pulmonary veins: a case report and literature review]

Objective: To investigate the clinical, pathological and genetic characteristics of neonatal alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of the pulmonary veins (ACDMPV). Methods: The clinical manifestations, radiographic examinations, pathology and parental genetic analysis of a newborn with FOXF1 variation induced ACDMPV, who was hospitalized in the Department of Neonatology of Shenzhen Children's Hospital in January 2020, were extracted and analyzed. Related literature up to March 2020 with the key words of "Alveolar capillaries dysplasia" "Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of the pulmonary veins" "FOXF1" in PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP database and Leiden Open Variation database (LOVD) were searched. Results: A full-term male newborn （1 hour of age） was admitted due to anal atresia. Surgical repair of anal atresia and omphalocele was performed on the first day of life, and gallbladder absence and Meckel's diverticulum were identified during the operation. Respiratory distress with hypoxemia developed at about 6 hours of life, and persistent pulmonary hypertension developed and progressed after surgery, with poor response to mechanical ventilation and pulmonary vasodilators. This infant passed away at 26 days of life. Lung biopsy showed decreased alveolar units and thickened interalveolar septa, reduced alveolar capillary density and thickened walls of peripheral pulmonary arteries, and misaligned pulmonary veins adjacent to the pulmonary arterioles, which were consistent with ACDMPV. The whole exome sequencing revealed a heterozygous novel frameshift of FOXF1 gene located in chromosome 16q24.1 c376_377insT; p.(Pro126fs). According to the bioinformatics analysis, this variation was likely to be pathogenic as it was associated with coding disorder of FOXF1 Pro126, resulting in truncation of the encoded protein. This novel variation had not been reported in the human gene mutation database (HGMD), ESP6500siv2_ALL, 1000g2015aug_ALL or dbSNP147 database. Previous 6 literatures reported 54 variants, including 28 missense, 10 nonsense, 11 frameshift, 2 deletion, 1 synonymous, and 2 extensions. Only three of the reported 45 cases （24 males, 21 females） were still alive as of the time of this study. Conclusions: Typically, ACDMPV is a catastrophic disease in neonatal period with high mortality. Lung biopsy and genetic testing should be considered in infants who present with persistent pulmonary hypertension and refractory hypoxemia, especially when combined with extrapulmonary abnormalities.
On Dévissage for Witt groups

In this article, we develop a version of the devissage theorem [BW, Theorem 6.1] for Witt groups of Cohen-Macaulay rings. To introduce this theorem, let A be a commutative Noetherian domain of dimension d with 2 invertible and K be its quotient field. It is a classical question (known as purity) as to when the map W (A) → W (K) is injective. Purity is a conjecture when A is a regular local ring and is affirmatively settled in ([CS, OP, OPSS]). In general, we can extend the above map to the right for any regular scheme by considering the Gersten-Witt complex. Let X = Spec(A) be of dimension d with 2 invertible and X denote the points of codimension n. A Gersten-Witt complex 0 → W (A) → ⊕
Spinal Injury Associated With Firearm Use.

Objective Injuries associated with firearms are a significant health burden. However, there is no comprehensive study of firearm spinal injuries over a large population. It was the purpose of this study to analyze the demographics of spinal firearm injuries across the entire United States for all ages using a national database. Methods A retrospective review of prospectively collected data using the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research Firearm Injury Surveillance Study 1993-2015 (ICPSR 37276) was performed. The demographic variables of patients with spinal injuries due to firearms were analyzed with statistical analyses accounting for the weighted, stratified nature of the data, using SUDAAN 11.0.01™ software (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 2013). A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results For the years 1993 through 2015, there were an estimated 2,667,896 emergency department (ED) visits for injuries due to firearms; 10,296 of these injuries (0.4%) involved the spine. The vast majority (98.2%) were due to powder firearm gunshot wounds. Those with a spine injury were more likely to have been injured in an assault (83.7% vs. 60.2%), involved a handgun (83.5% vs. 60.2%), were male (90.8% vs. 86.4%), were admitted to the hospital (86.8% vs. 30.9%), and were seen in urban hospitals (86.7 vs. 64.6%). The average age was 28 years with very few on those < 14 years of age. Illicit drug involvement was over four times as frequent in those with a spine injury (34.7% vs. 8.0%). The cervical spine was involved in 30%, thoracic in 32%, lumbar in 32%, and sacrum in 6%. A fracture occurred in 91.8% and neurologic injury in 33%. Injuries to the thoracic spine had the highest percentage of neurologic involvement (50.4%). There was an annual percentage decrease for patients with and without spine involvement in the 1990s, followed by increases through 2015. The average percentage increase for patients with a spine injury was 10.3% per year from 1997 onwards (p < 10-6), significantly greater than the 1.5% for those without spinal involvement (p = 0.0001) from 1999 onwards. Conclusions This nation-wide study of spinal injuries associated with firearms covering all ages can be used as baseline data for future firearm studies. A reduction in the incidence of such injuries can be guided by our findings but may be difficult due to sociopolitical barriers (e.g. socioeconomic status of the injured patients, differences in political opinion regarding gun control in the US, and geospatial patterns of firearm injury).
Breaking Down Barriers for Hepatitis B Screening in the Bronx West African Community Education in Collaboration with Faith-Based Organizations

Background: To assess the impact of a culturally sensitive educational program conducted in conjunction with faith-based organizations in screening for hepatitis B in the Bronx West African community. Methods: A presentation on hepatitis B with a special emphasis on the relevance for the West African community was developed. Arrangements were made with leaders of West African faith-based organizations to conduct educational programs following religious services after which a survey was completed to assess attitudes towards the infection and motivation for testing. Arrangements were then made for serologic testing at which time hypertension screening was also performed. Findings: Nine events in which a total of 550 people (61±12) attended were held. Among 339 (62·1+4·7%) who completed the questionnaire, 325 (95±1%) reported improved understanding and 236 (67±4%) and 319 (93±3%) greater comfort in sharing a meal and talking with an infected individual, respectively. 274 (83±3%) indicated an intention to undergo testing, and 33 (98±1%) indicated that they would encourage family and friends to undergo screening. 332 (65·2±5·6%) participants requested serologic testing. Among those requesting testing, 224 (63·7±6·4%) underwent testing. Twenty-four (11±2·8%) tested positive for HBs Ag. Eighty-one (36·2%) of the participants were hypertensive at the time of testing, including 61 (29·0%) without a previous history of hypertension. Interpretation: A culturally sensitive educational program in collaboration with faith-based organizations is effective in motivating people from West Africa to undergo screening for hepatitis B and enrolling them in the health care system for preventative health measures. Funding: Check Hep B Navigation Program funded by the New York Council, Gilead Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Global Health Center and generous donations by Friends and Family of Jason Marks and the 41-74 Club of NY. Declaration of Interest: Samuel Sigal has honoraria for consultations on Advisory Boards sponsored by Gilead Sciences. Emmanuel U. Emeasoba, Fatima Omarufilo, and John Nnaemeka Bosah have no potential or actual conflicts of interest from funding or affiliation-related activities. Ethical Approval: The project was approved by the Albert Einstein School of Medicine.
Bilateral dysthyroid compressive optic neuropathy responsive to teprotumumab

Thyroid eye disease is an auto-immune mediated orbitopathy which can cause dysthyroid compressive optic neuropathy. Traditional management of active thyroid eye disease includes temporizing high-dose steroids, orbital radiation and surgical decompression, which each possess significant limitations and/or side effects. Teprotumumab is an IGF-IR inhibitor recently FDA-approved for active thyroid eye disease. The authors report reversal of bilateral dysthyroid compressive optic neuropathy managed medically utilizing teprotumumab.
Fibrin Packing Arrangements Inferred from Crystal Structures of Fragments D and Double-D Complexed with Synthetic Peptide Knobs

Recent X-ray crystallography studies on fragments D and DD from fibrinogen and fibrin have revealed the nature of the interaction at the ends of the individual fibrin units. Additionally, cocrystallization of fragments with synthetic peptides patterned on the sequences exposed by the thrombin-catalyzed removal of the fibrinopeptides has provided the details of knob-hole interactions. Interestingly, fragments complexed with the synthetic peptide corresponding to the B knob (GHRPam) exhibit a large conformational change in the presence of the ligand, adding to the intrigue of the still not well understood role of fibrinopeptide B removal.
Alternative, Nondistrict Vote Dilution Remedies Under the Voting Rights Act

In this chapter of the book AMERICA VOTES, Prof. Mulroy discusses the use of “alternative” electoral systems like limited voting, cumulative voting, and choice voting as remedies for minority vote dilution claims under the Voting Rights Act. Previously, there was some room to question whether courts could impose any remedy other than drawing single-member districts for minority voters. However, two recent federal district court decisions imposed such remedies over the objection of plaintiffs, the first extant decisions to do so outside the context of a settlement. The chapter concludes that such alternative systems are lawfully available Section 2 remedies, particularly where state law does not forbid their use and where there is not an equally viable single-member-district remedy preferred by the defendant. These alternatives to single-member districts have much to recommend them. They lead to results more representative of the popular will, empower not only racial and ethnic minorities but other minorities as well, and avoid or minimize issues of gerrymandering. As relatively unknown systems, their use inevitably raises (likely manageable) issues of voter confusion. The systems are particularly appropriate where it is difficult to draw a compact single-member district (or enough such districts), or where the jurisdiction is small and subdividing it into districts may be impractical. Courts using them will appropriately apply the “threshold of exclusion,” the well-recognized mathematical formula used to determine the minimum share of the electorate the minority group needs to be in order to be relatively assured of electing at least one candidate of choice. When courts apply the threshold formula, they should carefully consider whether to use minority voting age population figures and/or minority voter turnout estimates. Finally, courts should order a robust voter education plan to make the use of these alternative remedies effective.
Tumor-Infiltrating Programmed Death Receptor-1 + Dendritic Cells Mediate Immune Suppression in Ovarian Cancer

Within the ovarian cancer microenvironment, there are several mechanisms that suppress the actions of antitumor immune effectors. Delineating the complex immune microenvironment is an important goal toward developing effective immune-based therapies. A dominant pathway of immune suppression in ovarian cancer involves tumor-associated and dendritic cell (DC)-associated B7-H1. The interaction of B7-H1 with PD-1 on tumor-infiltrating T cells is a widely cited theory of immune suppression involving B7-H1 in ovarian cancer. Recent studies suggest that the B7-H1 ligand, programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), is also expressed on myeloid cells, complicating interpretations of how B7-H1 regulates DC function in the tumor. In this study, we found that ovarian cancer-infiltrating DCs progressively expressed increased levels of PD-1 over time in addition to B7-H1. These dual-positive PD-1(+) B7-H1(+) DCs have a classical DC phenotype (i.e., CD11c(+)CD11b(+)CD8(-)), but are immature, suppressive, and respond poorly to danger signals. Accumulation of PD-1(+)B7-H1(+) DCs in the tumor was associated with suppression of T cell activity and decreased infiltrating T cells in advancing tumors. T cell suppressor function of these DCs appeared to be mediated by T cell-associated PD-1. In contrast, ligation of PD-1 expressed on the tumor-associated DCs suppressed NF-κB activation, release of immune regulatory cytokines, and upregulation of costimulatory molecules. PD-1 blockade in mice bearing ovarian cancer substantially reduced tumor burden and increased effector Ag-specific T cell responses. Our results reveal a novel role of tumor infiltrating PD-1(+)B7-H1(+) DCs in mediating immune suppression in ovarian cancer.
Clinical Digital Libraries Project: design approach and exploratory assessment of timely use in clinical environments.

Objective: The paper describes and evaluates the use of Clinical Digital Libraries Project (CDLP) digital library collections in terms of their facilitation of timely clinical information seeking. Design: A convenience sample of CDLP Web server log activity over a twelve-month period (7/2002 to 6/2003) was analyzed for evidence of timely information seeking after users were referred to digital library clinical topic pages from Web search engines. Sample searches were limited to those originating from medical schools (26% North American and 19% non-North American) and from hospitals or clinics (51% North American and 4% non-North American). Measurement: Timeliness was determined based on a calculation of the difference between the timestamps of the first and last Web server log “hit” during each search in the sample. The calculated differences were mapped into one of three ranges: less than one minute, one to three minutes, and three to five minutes. Results: Of the 864 searches analyzed, 48% were less than 1 minute, 41% were 1 to 3 minutes, and 11% were 3 to 5 minutes. These results were further analyzed by environment (medical schools versus hospitals or clinics) and by geographic location (North America versus non-North American). Searches reflected a consistent pattern of less than 1 minute in these environments. Though the results were not consistent on a month-by-month basis over the entire time period, data for 8 of 12 months showed that searches shorter than 1 minute predominated and data for 1 month showed an equal number of less than 1 minute and 1 to 3 minute searches. Conclusions: The CDLP digital library collections provided timely access to high-quality Web clinical resources when used for information seeking in medical education and hospital or clinic environments from North American and non–North American locations and consistently provided access to the sought information within the documented two-minute standard. The limitations of the use of Web server data warrant an exploratory assessment. This research also suggests the need for further investigation in the area of timely digital library collection services to clinical environments.
Wikipedia versus Encyclopedia Britannica: A Longitudinal Analysis to Identify the Impact of Social Media on the Standards of Knowledge

The collaboratively edited online encyclopedia Wikipedia is among the most popular websites in the world. Subsequently, it poses a great challenge to traditional encyclopedias, which for centuries have set the standards of society's knowledge with their printed editions. It is, therefore, important to study the impact of social media on the standards of our knowledge. This longitudinal panel study analyzed the framing of content in encyclopedia entries of top Fortune companies in Wikipedia and the online version of Encyclopedia Britannica in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Content analyses of the length, tonality, and topics of 3,985 sentences showed that Wikipedia entries were significantly longer, were more positively and negatively framed, and focused more on corporate social responsibilities and legal and ethical issues than the online entries of the traditional encyclopedia, which were predominantly neutral. The findings stress that the knowledge-generation processes in society appear to be fundamentally shift...
Henry's law constant of organic compounds in water from a group contribution model with multipole corrections

Abstract Group contribution methods are commonly used for the estimation of Henry's law constants when no experimental data are available. However, these methods are of limited accuracy for complex molecules in which proximity effects, that is the effects on one group by neighboring groups on the same molecule, are important. A recently developed multipole correction method accounts the variation of the charge and dipole moment of a functional group when it is located in different molecules or in different positions on the same molecule. Here we use a single-molecule quantum mechanics calculation to compute the electrostatics of each functional group, which is then used to correct a group contribution method for the prediction of the Henry's law constant ( H ) of compounds in water for the effects of proximate strong intramolecular functional groups. This new hybrid quantum mechanics-group contribution model results in a root-mean-square deviation of 0.34 in log 10 H for a total of 395 compounds, which is more accurate then the bond (0.43) and group (0.52) contribution methods of Meylan and Howard that have a greater number of parameters.
The role of attributions in abstinence, lapse, and relapse following substance abuse treatment

This study examined the role of attributions in the lapse and relapse process following substance abuse treatment. According to Marlatt and Gordon's theoretical framework, attributions made after a lapse (e.g., the Abstinence Violation Effect [AVE]) determine whether it progresses to a relapse. Also examined were the attributions of recovering drug users who were tempted but remained abstinent (never lapsed). Ninety-seven participants were recruited from an inpatient treatment center for substance abuse and completed an interview 6 months after leaving treatment. Findings partially confirmed predictions made by the AVE. Predictions made by the AVE were not supported in that lapsers and relapsers were similar regarding their internal/external attributions following a return to drug use; predictions were supported as relapsers made more stable and global attributions as compared to lapsers. Also as predicted, abstainers made more internal, stable, and global attributions regarding their abstinence (as compared to lapsers following their slip). Abstainers' attributions for their success in remaining abstinent tended to be similar to the attributions made by relapsers for their failure to remain abstinent (i.e., for their relapse). Combined, these findings highlight the complexity of the attributional process in early recovery from substance abuse. Clinical and research implications of the findings are discussed in relation to substance abuse relapse prevention.
Job-Mix Modeling and System Analysis of an Aerospace Multiprocessor

An aerospace guidance computer organization, consisting of multiple processors and memory units attached to a central time-multiplexed data bus, is described. A job mix for this type of computer is obtained by analysis of Apollo mission programs. Multiprocessor performance is then analyzed using: 1) queuing theory, under certain "limiting case" assumptions; 2) Markov process methods; and 3) system simulation. Results of the analyses indicate: 1) Markov process analysis is a useful and efficient predictor of simulation results; 2) efficient job execution is not seriously impaired even when the system is so overloaded that new jobs are inordinately delayed in starting; 3) job scheduling is significant in determining system performance; and 4) a system having many slow processors may or may not perform better than a system of equal power having few fast processors, but will not perform significantly worse.
Evidence-based adequacy criteria for urinary bladder barbotage cytology

Introduction Adequacy criteria are well established in some areas of cytopathology to prevent false negative diagnoses. To date, no such criteria have been proposed and validated for urinary tract specimens. Our aim was to determine a cellularity cutoff point that significantly affects the sensitivity of detecting high-grade or in situ urothelial carcinoma (HGUC or UCIS) in bladder barbotage/washing specimens. Materials and methods Bladder barbotage specimens collected in liquid-based media were selected. Specimens diagnosed as “positive for HGUC” (with histologic confirmation) composed the study group, with negative cases as control specimens. Samples were serially diluted and ThinPrep slides of decreasing cellularity were made and reviewed for diagnosis and cellularity. In a retrospective validation study, we identified cases with a “negative for malignancy” bladder barbotage/washing and a surgical pathology diagnosis of UCIS or HGUC (ie, false negative cytology). Cellularity was assessed. Results A distinct difference in sensitivity was noted at a cutoff point of 2644 (20 per 10 high-power fields) urothelial cells. Sensitivities increased for atypical or higher (68.3% versus 100%) and HGUC (43.3% versus 88.0%) after application of this cutoff point with high statistical significance (P = 0.001 and 0.0001, respectively). For the retrospective review, cases below the cutoff point were reclassified as unsatisfactory, and sensitivity rose from 76.3% to 84.8% (P = 0.0027). Conclusions Our results indicate that, in the absence of atypical or malignant cells, an adequate bladder barbotage specimen should have a minimum of 2644 (20 per 10 high-power fields) well-visualized, well-preserved urothelial cells to increase the positive predictive value of this test.
Women look at their experience of pregnancy

Cette enquete a demande a un echantillon divers de femmes d'identifier retrospectivement ce qu'elles consideraient etre les evenements psychologiques centraux de leur grossesse. Huit evenements importants ont pu etre distingues. Ces evenements furent ensuite mis en bareme par une large echantillon de femmes en termes d'impact emotionnel de chaque evenement, en utilisant des echelles de rapports basees sur les cadres individuels de reference de chaque sujet. L'analyse des variance a revele des differences importantes dans l'impact d'evenements divers, tel que les sujets s'en souvenaient. Par exemple, les meres qui avaient eu une amniocentese ou des ultrasons ont place les resultats de ces test prenatals en deuxieme position, juste apres le moment de la naissance. Au moins six des huit evenements en tant que groupe son presentes experimentalement comme des crises previsibles dans le processus biopsychosocial qui a lieu des le moment de la conception. En tant que tels, le fait de mettre l'accent sur ces evenements durant le cours de la grossesse peut avoir une vraie valeur educative et prophylactique.
Anion exchange membrane adsorbers for flow‐through polishing steps: Part I. clearance of minute virus of mice

Membrane adsorbers may be a viable alternative to the packed-bed chromatography for clearance of virus, host cell proteins, DNA, and other trace impurities. However, incorporation of membrane adsorbers into manufacturing processes has been slow due to the significant cost associated with obtaining regulatory approval for changes to a manufacturing process. This study has investigated clearance of minute virus of mice (MVM), an 18-22 nm parvovirus recognized by the FDA as a model viral impurity. Virus clearance was obtained using three commercially available anion exchange membrane adsorbers: Sartobind Q®, Mustang Q®, and ChromaSorb®. Unlike earlier studies that have focused on a single or few operating conditions, the aim here was to determine the level of virus clearance under a range of operating conditions that could be encountered in industry. The effects of varying pH, NaCl concentration, flow rate, and other competing anionic species present in the feed were determined. The removal capacity of the Sartobind Q and Mustang Q products, which contain quaternary ammonium based ligands, is sensitive to feed conductivity and pH. At conductivities above about 20 mS/cm, a significant decrease in capacity is observed. The capacity of the ChromaSorb product, which contains primary amine based ligands, is much less affected by ionic strength. However the capacity for binding MVM is significantly reduced in the presence of phosphate ions. These differences may be explained in terms of secondary hydrogen bonding interactions that could occur with primary amine based ligands.
Effects of overtraining and irrelevant stimuli on successive position reversals in rats

Three groups of rats were given a series of 15 successive position reversals: one group without irrelevant stimuli; one, with one irrelevant dimension; and one, with two irrelevant dimensions. Half of the Ss in each group received 100 overtraining trials before each reversal and the remaining, zero trials. There was a large learning set effect. Overtraining retarded the early and facilitated the later reversals. The effects of irrelevant stimuli were to increase both the interfering and facilitating effects of overtraining, although not significantly in the case of the latter.
Vector Kirchhoff Migration of First Order Downgoing Multiples From VSP Data

Migrating Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) downgoing multiple arrivals can provide a much wider image zone than does the conventional migration of primary reflections. Many methods have been developed to migrate the downgoing multiples. Although most VSP data is recorded using three component downhole receivers, most all of the developed methods migrate only a single scalar component of the multiples. We present a new methodology to perform three-component (3C) vector migration for the 1 st order free-surface related multiples which are usually the dominant wavemode in VSP data. We first vertically up-extend the velocity model above, and symmetric about, the free surface. The borehole receivers are then projected to their virtual positions above the free surface. We can therefore treat the 1 st order free-surface related multiples as primary reflections recorded by the virtual receivers. This concept is usually referred to as the free-surface mirror symmetry principle. Then, using the upextended velocity model and the virtual receiver positions, we perform a vector summation of the Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration for all three downhole receiver components (x, y, z) for the 1 st order free-surface related multiples. Test results for both synthetic modeling and field data suggest that our method can accurately produce a much wider seismic image zone than conventional VSP migration which uses only primary upcoming reflections. The image quality is also enhanced by the migration of all three vector components instead of a single scalar component as is done by conventional VSP migration methods.
Predicting efficiency of solar powered hydrogen generation using photovoltaic-electrolysis devices

Abstract Hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles can be produced by using solar electric energy from photovoltaic (PV) modules for the electrolysis of water without emitting carbon dioxide or requiring fossil fuels. In the past, this renewable means of hydrogen production has suffered from low efficiency (2–6%), which increased the area of the PV array required and therefore, the cost of generating hydrogen. A comprehensive mathematical model was developed that can predict the efficiency of a PV-electrolyzer combination based on operating parameters including voltage, current, temperature, and gas output pressure. This model has been used to design optimized PV-electrolyzer systems with maximum solar energy to hydrogen efficiency. In this research, the electrical efficiency of the PV-electrolysis system was increased by matching the maximum power output and voltage of the photovoltaics to the operating voltage of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, and optimizing the effects of electrolyzer operating current, and temperature. The operating temperature of the PV modules was also an important factor studied in this research to increase efficiency. The optimized PV-electrolysis system increased the hydrogen generation efficiency to 12.4% for a solar powered PV-PEM electrolyzer that could supply enough hydrogen to operate a fuel cell vehicle.