cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Results of the walnut creek house doctor project

Abstract We present the results of an experiment designed to measure the additional energy savings achieved by adding two person-days of house doctoring to a standard energy audit. We compare a house doctor and audit treatment to an audit alone and to a passive control group. The treatments were applied to randomly selected groups of 10 houses each in Walnut Creek, California. The difference in energy savings between the treatments, based on monthly utility bills, were not statistically significant due to wide variation in savings and the loss of several houses from each group. Predicted energy savings, based in part on measured air leakage area reductions, indicated that the retrofit package completed during house doctoring had a cost of conserved energy of $4.00/GJ.
Pulmonary Excretion of Absorbed Gases

The sections in this article are: 1 Factors Involved in Inert Gas Exchange 1.1 Solubility Effect 1.2 Interaction of Ventilation, Blood Flow, and Solubility 1.3 Measurements 2 Transport of Carbon Monoxide 3 Exposure to Exogenous Carbon Monoxide 4 Endogenous Production of Carbon Monoxide 5 Elimination of Carbon Monoxide 5.1 Theory: Steady State 5.2 Theory: Unsteady State 5.3 Experimental Verification 6 Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 6.1 Treatment 6.2 Physiological Alterations
Continue, quit, restart probability model

We discuss a new applied probability model: there is a system whose evolution is described by a Markov chain (MC) with known transition matrix on a discrete state space and at each moment of a discrete time a decision maker can apply one of three possible actions: continue, quit, and restart MC in one of a finite number of fixed "restarting" points. Such a model is a generalization of a model due to Katehakis and Veinott (Math. Oper. Res. 12:262, 1987), where a restart to a unique point was allowed without any fee and quit action was absent. Both models are related to Gittins index and to another index defined in a Whittle family of stopping retirement problems. We propose a transparent recursive finite algorithm to solve our model by performing O(n 3 ) operations.
Colorimetry of Glazes

Some color characteristics of ceramic glazes that are important in industrial design and specification are described in terms of the fundamental parameters of colorimetry. Algebraic expressions are developed to relate the spectral reflectance of a specularly transmitting glaze on an opaque bisque with the glaze thickness, interfacial reflectance, absorption coefficient, and colorant concentration. These expressions are shown to describe accurately the spectral reflectance of some test tile. Changes in dominant wave length, purity, and luminous reflectance are considered with glaze thickness as the independent variable. The dichroic effect associated with glaze-thickness difference in a purple tile is illustrated. A relationship between glaze-thickness difference and allowable color tolerance is outlined.
Oceanographic and biological effects of shoaling of the oxygen minimum zone.

Long-term declines in oxygen concentrations are evident throughout much of the ocean interior and are particularly acute in midwater oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). These regions are defined by extremely low oxygen concentrations (<20–45 μmol kg−1), cover wide expanses of the ocean, and are associated with productive oceanic and coastal regions. OMZs have expanded over the past 50 years, and this expansion is predicted to continue as the climate warms worldwide. Shoaling of the upper boundaries of the OMZs accompanies OMZ expansion, and decreased oxygen at shallower depths can affect all marine organisms through multiple direct and indirect mechanisms. Effects include altered microbial processes that produce and consume key nutrients and gases, changes in predator-prey dynamics, and shifts in the abundance and accessibility of commercially fished species. Although many species will be negatively affected by these effects, others may expand their range or exploit new niches. OMZ shoaling is thus likely to hav...
Nitric oxide effects on the function of aged cells ex vivo and in vivo.

Background: Angiogenesis is impaired in most aged tissues. Accordingly, there is great interest in interventions that improve the ability of aged cells to undergo blood vessel formation and subsequent tissue repair. Materials and Methods: Nitric oxide (NO), a mediator proposed to enhance angiogenesis, was administered (as the precursor SNAP, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) to aortic ring explants from aged mice and to aged mice in two separate in vivo experiments: a PVA sponge implant model of angiogenesis and full thickness excisional dermal wounds. Results: SNAP inhibited angiogenesis from the mouse aortic ring explants. However, there was a trend toward increased blood vessel formation in the sponges from the aged mice treated with SNAP. SNAP did not detectably enhance dermal wound healing or angiogenesis, but it significantly inhibited epidermal closure. Conclusion: These data underscore the complexity of using a single agent, even one with multiple mechanisms such as NO, to improve a clinical outcome such as angiogenesis or wound repair in aged animals. Angiogenesis is impaired in most aged tissues. Although the clinical implications of delayed vascularization vary with the tissue examined, it is likely that a lack of blood vessels contributes to poor healing in many types of wounds (1-3). Multiple mechanisms have been examined and found to independently contribute to impaired angiogenesis in aging including: decreased influx of inflammatory cells, lower levels of pro-angiogenic mediators, slowed cell migration and less proliferation, and delayed deposition/remodeling of the extracellular matrix (4). It is not surprising then that targeting these deficits by focusing on one or two deficient downstream mediators has resulted in marginal improvement in the angiogenic response. The limited success in modulating angiogenesis in aging underscores the fact that aging is accompanied by multi-faceted impairments that preclude the use of interventions limited to certain pathways. Accordingly, our group was interested in examining the effect of nitric oxide (NO), a potent, short-lived vasoactive free radical formed from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) that is thought to be beneficial to endothelial cell
Towards High Performance Digital Volume Correlation

We develop speed and efficiency improvements to a three-dimensional (3D) digital volume correlation (DVC) algorithm, which measures displacement and strain fields throughout the interior of a material. Our goal is to perform DVC with resolution comparable to that achieved in 2D digital image correlation, in time that is commensurate with the image acquisition time. This would represent a significant improvement over the current state-of-the-art available in the literature. Using an X-ray micro-CT scanner, we can resolve features at the 5 micron scale, generating 3D images with up to 36 billion voxels. We compute twelve degrees-of-freedom at each correlation point and utilize tricubic spline interpolation to achieve high accuracy. We improve the algorithm’s speed and robustness through an improved coarse search, efficient implementation of spline interpolation, and using smoothing splines to address noisy image data. For DVC, the volume of data, number of correlation points, and work to solve each correlation point grow cubically. We therefore employ parallel computing to handle this tremendous increase in computational and memory requirements. We demonstrate the application of DVC using simulated deformations of 3D micro-CT scans of polymer samples with embedded particles forming an internal pattern.
Socialism and Equality in Cross-National Perspective

It is widely asserted that socialist economies are equalitarian. The distinguished Yale political scientist Charles E. Lindblom labels this proposition undeniable:It is in communist provision of … some degree of equality in the distribution of income and wealth that the communist claim to approximate the humanitarian vision … seems undeniable. On these fronts communist systems have to be credited with great accomplishments, on the whole probably greater than those of the polyarchies [capitalist democracies] (Lindblom, 1977, p. 226).Lindblom's influential work, Politics and Markets: The World's Political Economic Systems, expresses the conventional wisdom in academic circles that communist regimes trade freedom and economic prosperity for a leveling of economic benefits, and that capitalist nations opt for freedom and economic prosperity at the sacrifice of equality. Capitalism achieves higher economic growth rates by providing individual incentives for work, productivity, initiative, and enterprise; these incentives necessarily entail inequalities. Socialism, by eliminating private ownership of the means of production, achieves a leveling of wealth and income.
The Jewish Studies Book Awards: a collection development strategy for non‐sectarian academic libraries

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an alternative method of building quality collections for Jewish Studies collection development professionals in small and medium‐sized academic libraries with highly restricted budgets.Design/methodology/approach – Sources of Jewish Studies literary awards were identified and a detailed analysis of awarded books' subjects and the publishing sources was conducted.Findings – The results show that awarded books cover a vast variety of subjects of interest to Jewish Studies collections. Since many of them are also published by academic presses, the use of identified Jewish Studies book award sources should be considered by bibliographers responsible for building Jewish Studies collections in non‐sectarian college libraries with very limited budgetary resources.Practical implications – The “one stop” access to all award sources and awarded books provides an easy access to otherwise dispersed information.Originality/value – The comprehensive list of awards, nominated and wi...
Hepatic silicosis, cirrhosis, and liver tumors in mice and hamsters: Studies of transforming growth factor β expression

Abstract Hepatic silicosis, cirrhosis, liver cell adenoma, and carcinomas developed in nude mice (NCr-Nu) given quartz by the subcutaneous and intraperitoneal routes. Syrian golden hamsters (15:16 EHS:cr) given quartz by both routes developed extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis and had higher morbidity and mortality rates after 3 months. Crystalline silica (quartz) induces fibrosis, adenomas, and carcinomas in the lungs of Fisher 344 rats, but certain strains of mice and hamsters are resistant to quartz-induced pulmonary carcinogenesis. Pulmonary fibrosis, however, is minimal in mice and absent in hamsters who received quartz intratracheally. To determine whether species differences are due to organ-specific rather than species-specific factors, susceptibility of the liver to quartz toxicity was investigated in nude mice and hamsters. The present study shows that the differential manifestations of quartz toxicity by these rodent species are dependent on factors that are organ-specific rather than host-specific. At 3 months, hepatocytes in mice were immunostained with intracellular transforming growth factor (TGF) beta 1 (LC 1-30) but not with TGF-beta 1 latency-associated peptide (LAP) protein (266-278); at 12 months, hepatocytes were immunostained with TGF-beta 1 LAP (266-278) but not with TGF-beta 1 (LC1-30). The hepatocytes of hamsters at 3 months showed immunoreactivities to TGF-beta 1 LAP (266-278) and TGF-beta 1 (LC1-30); immunostaining to TGF-beta 1 (LC1-30) was detected in nonparenchymal cells. Extracellular TGF-beta 1 (CC1-30) was detected in the silicotic granulomas and fibrous tissue in livers of both species. Quartz-induced liver carcinoma did not express TGF-beta 1 LAP (266-278) and LC (1-30) proteins, but these were detected in the cells of the adenoma in the same liver. Control animals showed no hepatic lesions nor immunoreactivity to TGF-beta 1. The spatial and temporal patterns of expression of TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2, TGF-beta receptor type II messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and TGF-beta 1 proteins in the different hepatic lesions suggests that TGF-beta isoforms may play a role in the pathogenesis of quartz-induced fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cell adenoma, and carcinoma. (Hepatology 1996 May;23(5):1268-75)
Seasonal and diurnal patterns of soil water potential in the rhizosphere of blue oaks: evidence for hydraulic lift

In a 3-year study, seasonal and daily soil water fluctuations in a California blue oak woodland were investigated by measuring soil water potential (Ψs) at hourly intervals. Soil water potential remained relatively high well into the annual summer drought, with values above –0.5 MPa until June even in a dry year. As drought progressed, Ψs (at 25, 50, 75, and 100 cm depth) decreased to less than –3 MPa, providing evidence for continued blue oak root activity throughout the summer. We observed diurnal Ψs fluctuations (gradual increase at night and rapid decrease during daytime) characteristic of hydraulic lift, a process by which plant roots redistribute water from wet to dry soil layers. These diurnal fluctuations were observed at all four soil depths and began to appear when Ψs reached approximately –0.3 MPa. When Ψs reached approximately –3 MPa, fluctuations became "offset" from those typical of hydraulic lift. These offset fluctuations (apparent at low water potentials when temperature fluctuations were large) closely followed diurnal fluctuations in soil temperature. We propose that these offset patterns resulted from a combination of hydraulic lift cessation and an over-correction for temperature in the model used to calculate Ψs from raw sensor data. The appearance and disappearance of hydraulic lift fluctuations seemed to depend on Ψs. While soil temperatures and dates at which hydraulic lift appeared (and disappeared) were significantly different between wet and dry years, Ψs values associated with hydraulic lift appearance were not significantly different. Hydraulic lift occurred too late in summer to benefit annual forage grasses. However, water released by blue oak trees at night could slow the rate of soil water depletion and extend blue oaks' growing season.
The “Positivity Bias” inEvaluations of Public Figures:Evidence Against Instrument Artifacts

Observers of American political culture have frequently commented on the seeming cynicism, or at least cautious skepticism, with which Americans evaluate their political leaders. On this side of the Atlantic, democracy has been thought to flourish because citizens withhold the sycophantic fealty to their rulers that marked the palmiest days of roy alty, or of totalitarian dictatorship. Instead, Americans supposedly view the frailties of their very human political leaders with a critical eye. This characterization of skeptical American citizenry may be too romantic. Of course, for most of the nation's history, no systematic data exist on the public's evaluations of political leaders. But with the rise of widespread public opinion polling such data do exist, and show a surprisingly favorable evaluation of individual political leaders. The Gallup Poll, for example, asked Americans about specific politicians 535 times in the 1935-75 period: 76 percent of these were evaluated favorably. During the 1960fs and 1970fs, the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center assessed 50 leaders and found 76 percent evaluated favorably; the highly-reputed California Poll asked about 263 leaders with 84 percent evaluated positively (Sears, 1976).
Tvbgn3, a β-1,6-Glucanase from the Biocontrol Fungus Trichoderma virens, Is Involved in Mycoparasitism and Control of Pythium ultimum

Even though β-1,6-glucanases have been purified from several filamentous fungi, the physiological function has not been conclusively established for any species. In the present study, the role of Tvbgn3, a β-1,6-glucanase from Trichoderma virens, was examined by comparison of wild-type (WT) and transformant strains in which Tvbgn3 was disrupted (GKO) or constitutively overexpressed (GOE). Gene expression analysis revealed induction of Tvbgn3 in the presence of host fungal cell walls, indicating regulation during mycoparasitism. Indeed, while deletion or overexpression of Tvbgn3 had no evident effect on growth and development, GOE and GKO strains showed an enhanced or reduced ability, respectively, to inhibit the growth of the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum compared to results with the WT. The relevance of this activity in the biocontrol ability of T. virens was confirmed in plant bioassays. Deletion of the gene resulted in levels of disease protection that were significantly reduced from WT levels, while GOE strains showed a significantly increased biocontrol capability. These results demonstrate the involvement of β-1,6-glucanase in mycoparasitism and its relevance in the biocontrol activity of T. virens, opening a new avenue for biotechnological applications.
The Application of Dielectrophoresis to Nanowire Sorting and Assembly for Sensors

This manuscript describes a stochastic process in which a collection of nanowires is assembled on an array of electrodes for the purpose of making miniature gas sensors. The wires are not individually placed on the electrodes, but are assembled using fields, including fluid, gravity, and dielectrophoretic forces. Assembly through fields is scalable to high-throughput manufacturing processes, although it is also an underactuated control problem. To design an economical manufacturing process, a predictive physical model must first be developed. This model can then be used to design processes and devices that are less sensitive to the inherent noise in the assembly process, or that even provide built-in feedback during assembly. Real time feedback control could also be implemented using impedance spectroscopy. This work reviews the past research in nanowire assembly and describes some preliminary work of our group in the assembly tin oxide nanowires for gas sensors
Hemodynamic effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibition before and after cardiac arrest in infant piglets

Using infant piglets, we studied the effects of nonspecific inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase byN G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; 3 mg/kg) on vascular pressures, regional blood flow...
Ion Transport by Gastric Mucosa

Gastric secretion of H+, although perhaps the oldest active transport system known, remains an enigma as to the transport process involved. The problem can be categorized as follows: 1. Is the H+ pump redox or ATP energized? 2. If redox energized, which redox component can act as H+ and electron donor, and which redox component can act as electron acceptor? 3. If ATP energized, which ATPase is responsible, and does the ATPase fall into the class of mitochondrial ATPases (i. e., electrogenic uniport H+) or into the class of plasma membrane ATPases (i. e., Na+ + K+ or H+ + K+ antiport perhaps electrogenic)?
Review: aggregation in agent-based models of economies

Agent-based models are often described as bottom-up because macro-level phenomena emerge from the micro-level interactions of agents. These macro-level phenomena include fixed points, cycles, dynamic patterns, and long transients. In this paper, I explore the link between micro-level characteristics-learning rules, diversity, network structure, and externalities-and the macro-level patterns they produce. I focus on why we need agent-level modeling, on how these models produce emergent phenomenon, and on how agent-based models help understand outcomes of social systems in a way that differs from the analytic, equilibrium approach.
The Innate and Acquired Pulmonary Immune Response to Aspergillus fumigatus

Epidemiological studies, clinical research, and anecdotal evidence illustrate a mounting risk for the development of fungus-related diseases throughout the world. The reason for an increased incidence of fungal allergic disease is not well understood, but is probably linked to the general increase in allergic asthma and allergy in developed countries. Aspergillus is an emerging pathogen in the increasing population of individuals who are immunocompromised to an extent that they can no longer mount an effective response against the opportunistic pathogen. Much of the pulmonary pathology seen in Aspergillus-associated diseases is, in fact, a result of the poor integrity of the lung, allowing the colonization by the fungus or the inadequate response of an immune system debilitated either by treatment or disease. Our insufficient knowledge of human fungal allergy and infection highlights the need for animal models that more closely represent the clinical condition. There have been recent advances in early detection of IA and potential therapeutic targets that specifically intervene at the junction between host protection and immunopathology (Blease et al., 2001; Blease and Raymon, 2003; Pinel et al., 2003; Schuh et al., 2003; Challier et al., 2004; Kwak et al., 2004). The increased understanding of the nature of pulmonary fungal aspergillosis immunology will in turn fuel research for more specific and appropriate ways to combat the potentially devastating diseases that this fungus instigates.
Gallium arsenide on silicon integration by fluidic self-assembly

A novel technique for the integration of GaAs devices on Si substrates is demonstrated in this paper. GaAs devices are floated off their substrate by sacrificial etching techniques and placed into holes etched into silicon substrates by fluidic transport (Fig. 1). Processing on both sides of the GaAs devices can be done prior to etching them free. The GaAs devices, after being etched free from the substrate, are transferred into an inert liquid solution. By dispensing the solution on a Si substrate, the devices fall into holes etched in Si which are specifically designed to act as receptors for the devices.
Scaling Relations for Intermediate-Energy Proton-Nucleus Reactions with Small Energy Losses

A kinematic scaling system, based on successes found for inclusive electron-nucleus continuum spectra, is developed and applied to (p, px) and (p, nx) data at beam energies from 346 to 1600 MeV. The emphasis is on ejectiles with the highest energies at small angles since these are the particles able to induce further reactions in thick samples of interest for current and future accelerator-driven neutron sources. The limits of the method are explored, and successes are used to identify gaps in the difficult data sets available. Scaling successes are able to allow interpolations and extrapolations needed for applications. Details of the method are presented in appendixes.
Postenrichment population differentials using buffered Listeria enrichment broth: implications of the presence of Listeria innocua on Listeria monocytogenes in food test samples.

The recovery of low levels of Listeria monocytogenes from foods is complicated by the presence of competing microorganisms. Nonpathogenic species of Listeria pose a particular problem because variation in growth rate during the enrichment step can produce more colonies of these nontarget cells on selective and/or differential media, resulting in a preferential recovery of nonpathogens, especially Listeria innocua. To gauge the extent of this statistical barrier to pathogen recovery, 10 isolates each of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua were propagated together from approximately equal initial levels using the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration's enrichment procedure. In the 100 isolate pairs, an average 1.3-log decrease was found in the 48-h enrichment L. monocytogenes population when L. innocua was present. In 98 of the 100 isolate pairs, L. innocua reached higher levels at 48 h than did L. monocytogenes, with a difference of 0.2 to 2.4 log CFU/ml. The significance of these population differences wa...
The clinical feature of the insula lesions and the results of minimal invasive surgery:30 cases report

Objective To summarize the clinical feature and our experience of surgical skills on the insula lesions. Methods The clinical manifestation and pathological characters of 30 cases of insula lesion were studied retrospectively. Results In the 30 cases of insula lesion, 21 lesions located in the dominant hemisphere. Seizure occurred as an initial symptom in 29 cases. Pathology examination found glioma in 26 cases, AVM in 1 case and cavernous angioma in 3 cases. Conclusion Seizure is usually the initial manifestation of insula lesion. Low-grade glioma and other benign lesions are the major pathological findings in the insula area.
The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgery preceptorship program: A product of the 2013 American Society of Maxillofacial Surgery executive board strategy session and survey

One of the main goals of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgery (ASMS) is to develop educational programs that increase expertise in maxillofacial surgery. We describe the outline of the new ASMS Preceptorship Program, a collective effort by ASMS members to increase access to all areas of maxillofacial surgery. Furthermore, we discuss the original survey pertinent to the development of this program, the results of the survey, and specifics regarding the structure of the program. We hope for the preceptorship program to be an excellent resource for members to mentor one another, develop intellectual and academic curiosity, provide avenues for collaboration, and further the ASMS's role in shaping maxillofacial surgery into the future.
TU-H-206-06: B1 Inhomogeneity Correction for Measuring T1 From DCE MRI

Purpose: 3D MRI sequences typically used in DCE MRI suffer from B1 inhomogeneities associated with the slab-selective RF pulse. B1 inhomogeneities affect the calculation of tissue T1 often used to solve the two-compartment model. Previously, the inhomogeneities were corrected based on Bloch equation simulations of the RF pulse. However, the RF pulse specification may not be readily available or the simulation may not represent the actual scan conditions. The objective of this work was to directly measure B1 inhomogeneities and apply an inhomogeneity correction to minimize quantification errors in T1 fitting. Methods: We used a 3D GRE sequence with varied flip angles (2–30°) to measure T1-weighted signals in phantoms at 3 T on a Siemens mMR. 2D EPI B1 maps were acquired to measure the B1 inhomogeneity associated with the RF coils. Inversion recovery T1 maps were acquired for ground truth. Two B1 inhomogeneity correction methods were compared: 1) A 3D segmented EPI sequence measured the RF slab selective excitation profile; and 2) The T1's of phantom standards were used to normalize the 3D GRE images. Results: Only the central 1/3 of the 3D GRE slices yielded accurate T1 values without correction. The slice profiles measured with 3D EPI were consistent between measurements made with different flip angles. The two correction approaches resulted in similar T1 values for at least 2/3 of the slices. Approach 2 yielded more slices with values comparable to the ground truth. However, Approach 1 resulted in less error than Approach 2 for the upper 2/3 of the slices. Conclusion: Using a phantom standard with a short T1 allowed us to shorten the acquisition time of the 3D EPI sequence to less than 1 minute or increase spatial resolution. The B1 inhomogeneity correction technique requires further testing in vivo for DCE MRI studies.
Pragmatism and Epistemology

As I noted in Chapter 2, the terms ‘morality’ and ‘epistemology’ can each be construed in two different ways: broadly and narrowly.’ Epistemology, construed broadly, it is our actual epistemic practice. That is, it is the practice common in every field, from chemistry to philosophy, of evaluating beliefs as justified or unjustified, scientific methods as rational or irrational, etc., and of evaluating and revising not only those beliefs, but the standards of evaluation themselves. Construed more narrowly, it is explicit theorizing about epistemology in the broad sense. This theorizing can be the attempt to construct a set of formal conditions for the justification of beliefs (e.g., explanatory coherence among beliefs; proper inferential relation to foundational beliefs; proper causal genesis, a. la reliabilism, etc.); or it can merely be an attempt to uncover some of the features of justification and knowledge, without any commitment to the possibility of formal theorizing. Epistemology in the narrow sense is in essence our practice of theorizing about epistemology in the broad sense, about our practice of epistemology. One can be committed to the viability of epistemology in the broad and the narrow sense, and think that we can make true theoretical claims about justification and knowledge, without necessarily thinking that we can construct a formal theory of justification.
Amylase and Cellulase Structure and Function

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a wide range of enzymes that include those hydrolyzing α- and β-(1,4) bonds in glucose containing disaccharides, as well as those in two phosphorylase families. Members of different glycoside hydrolase families can be members of the same clan, having the same fold and implying distant common ancestry, and yet act very differently. Polysaccharide hydrolysis is an important part of nature's effort to recycle components produced and used by living organisms. Even hydrolysis of starch and cellulose, the two most important but not by any means the only polysaccharides, is a complicated procedure. Two main mechanisms and many different enzymes have evolved to carry out the task that represents a clear case of divergent evolution. These enzymes often have two domains, with different catalytic domains in the same family often having different carbohydrate-binding domains (CBMs), demonstrating the ubiquity of gene shuffling and transfer. Different enzymes within single families can be active on different substrates, apparently caused by quite minor changes in their active site structures. Different families of catalytic domains and CBMs have very different tertiary structures but often the same oligo- and polysaccharide specificities and product patterns, a case of convergent evolution.
Multi-bid auctions for channel allocation in multi-channel dynamic spectrum access networks

In this paper, we propose an auction-based spectrum allocation scheme in a multi-channel distributed cognitive radio network where primary users are the sellers and secondary users are the buyers. The SUs bid for the various channels that the primaries want to sell; however their bids based on the preference for the channels. We use the signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) as a metric for the preference; bids for channels with higher SINR are more than the ones that have low SINR. The proposed auction scheme allocates the channels such that the high-preference channels are allocated to the SUs- which does not necessarily maximize revenue for the PUs. The allocation of channels are done such that the i) SUs get their preferred channel, ii) channels are spatially re-used, and iii) a channel is not used by any interfering primary or secondary users. We use the interference conflict graph and the preference list as inputs to the auction-based allocation process. We validate the proposed allocation process through simulation experiments and show what fraction of secondary users get the channels and what the preference was for the assigned channel. Moreover, we measure the effect of the transmission range on the number of assigned channels. We also show that the proposed scheme is fair using Jain's fairness index.
An unusual shadow above the aortic valve.

Clinical introduction A 55-year-old West African man was referred for routine echocardiography. He was completely asymptomatic, a non-smoker, working out at the gym several times weekly. He was taking hydrochlorothiazide for hypertension. Clinical examination revealed a blood pressure of 156/74 mm Hg and systolic and diastolic murmurs suggestive of aortic insufficiency. Pulses were equal bilaterally and he had no marfanoid features or hyperelasticity. ECG showed mild left ventricular hypertrophy and chest X-ray revealed a normal cardiac shadow and mediastinum. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated an unusual appearance above the aortic valve (figure 1A), moderate aortic regurgitation and a shadow in the aortic arch. Transoesophageal echocardiography was performed to evaluate the dilated aorta, arch and aortic valve further (figure 1B, C). The native aortic valve was trileaflet with moderate regurgitation. CT was also performed (figure 1D). Question What is the most likely diagnosis? Acute type A aortic dissection Williams syndrome Loa loa worm infection Intimo-intimal intussusception Giant cell aortitis
INCREASED BMI AND PRIOR SURGERY ARE PREDOMINANT RISK FACTORS FOR MANIPULATION UNDER ANAESTHESIA AFTER TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Introduction Stiffness after total knee arthroplasty is a common occurrence. Despite its prevalence, little is known as to which patients are at risk for poor range of motion after total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods Using a single institution registry, 160 patients who underwent a manipulation under anesthesia after total knee arthroplasty between 2007 and 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. Each patient was 1:1 matched by age, gender and laterality to a control group of 160 patients who did not require MUA after TKA. Risk factors for MUA were assessed, and included medical co-morbidities, BMI, prior operations, and preoperative range of motion. Results There were 160 patients in each group, 48 males and 112 females. Patients who required a MUA after TKA had a significantly higher percentage of overweight patients with a BMI >25 (88% vs 76%, p=0.01, Odds ratio=2.18), and previous surgery including arthroscopy (60% vs 33%, P Conclusion Patients with increased BMI, preoperative range of motion less than 90°, and a history of prior operations should be counseled on the increased risk of requiring a MUA after TKA.
Progress Towards Computational 3-D Multicellular Systems Biology

Tumors cannot be understood in isolation from their microenvironment. Tumor and stromal cells change phenotype based upon biochemical and biophysical inputs from their surroundings, even as they interact with and remodel the microenvironment. Cancer should be investigated as an adaptive, multicellular system in a dynamical microenvironment. Computational modeling offers the potential to detangle this complex system, but the modeling platform must ideally account for tumor heterogeneity, substrate and signaling factor biotransport, cell and tissue biophysics, tissue and vascular remodeling, microvascular and interstitial flow, and links between all these sub-systems. Such a platform should leverage high-throughput experimental data, while using open data standards for reproducibility. In this chapter, we review advances by our groups in these key areas, particularly in advanced models of tissue mechanics and interstitial flow, open source simulation software, high-throughput phenotypic screening, and multicellular data standards. In the future, we expect a transformation of computational cancer biology from individual groups modeling isolated parts of cancer, to coalitions of groups combining compatible tools to simulate the 3-D multicellular systems biology of cancer tissues.
Characterization of Electro-chemical Deflash and High Pressure Water Jet through MPCpS

Process window for Electro-chemical Deflash (ED) and High Pressure Water Jet (HPWJ) should be very well defined to ensure complete removal of organic materials on the surface of the frame prior to Metal Finishing (MF). This will help in ensuring complete coverage and good adhesion of metal finish. This will likewise avoid potential package defects like chipping, crack and delamination. In establishing the optimum window for ON Semiconductor Philippines Inc. (OSPI). ED and HPWJ . benchmarking study was performed and results were discussed to the selected Original Engineering Material (OEM) for the design of the machine. The benchmarking activity helped to determine potential failures of the process, the controls needed to monitor the process and the resources to set-up the machine. The resulting design was characterized using the Machine Process Capability Study (MPCpS). This involves five stages such as: 1) Process characterization where each machine and process parts and functions are defined. 2) Metrology characterization where response measuring equipment's precision and accuracy are tested and ensured capable prior to proceeding into the next stage. 3) Machine and Process Capability determination where sets of experiments are performed to determine the capability from the affected process up to the last process step. 4) Optimization if the process is found not capable or Machine and Process cliff if found capable. In this stage, window where the process will fail is determined, and finally 5) Control to ensure that defined capable window is maintained during production. OSPI's well characterized Deflash process has eliminated problems like Missing Lead Finish (MLF) and Resin Bleed (RB). It has also reduced Foreign Material problem by 90% and Tape and Reel final gate problem by 42%. It has helped increase Trim and Form's productivity by 25% by eliminating tin flakes on non-functional areas of the frame. Most of all, since the implementation of this project, there was no observed occurrence of package related problems.
Extremal primes for elliptic curves with complex multiplication

Abstract Fix an elliptic curve E / Q . For each prime p of good reduction, let a p = p + 1 − # E ( F p ) . A well-known theorem of Hasse asserts that | a p | ≤ 2 p . We say that p is a champion prime for E if a p = − ⌊ 2 p ⌋ , that is, # E ( F p ) is as large as allowed by the Hasse bound. Analogously, we call p a trailing prime if a p = ⌊ 2 p ⌋ . In this note, we study the frequency of champion and trailing primes for CM elliptic curves. Our main theorem is that for CM curves, both the champion primes and trailing primes have counting functions ∼ 2 3 π x 3 / 4 / log ⁡ x , as x → ∞ . This confirms (in corrected form) a recent conjecture of James–Tran–Trinh–Wertheimer–Zantout.
Public Humanities in the Age of the Ideas Industry and the Rise of the Creatives

Our world is post-auratic in Walter Benjamin’s sense, but that does not mean that the humanities are left without a task. The world that Benjamin described as a world of play also affords opportunities. Humanities competes in this space with new dramaturgy of ideas (see: TED talks), and with design as a master trope for creativity. But the enduring appeal of embodied experience, typified by festivals, indicates that there is still room for the complex and unpredictable diffusion of ideas.
Performance analysis of digital wideband receiver based on reconstruction of compressed sensing data

Compressed sensing has been applied in various areas of signal processing, image processing, and RF. It is attractive due to wideband coverage with reduced sampling rate. Nyquist sampling data can be approximately restored from the compressed sensing reduced sampling data using reconstruction algorithms. These algorithms usually require several optimizations to control accuracy and convergent speed in Nyquist sampling data reconstruction. Foreseeing the future hardware implementation performing the reconstruction, one needs to identify and optimize the relevant parameters in reconstruction algorithms for the best performance. In this paper, we present performance analysis of a compressed-sensing based digital wideband receiver. The compressed sensing scheme is non-uniform sampling and the subsequent reconstruction algorithm is NESTA. The restored Nyquist sampling data is analyzed with conventional frame-based fast Fourier transform FFT) to calculate sensitivity and spurious-free dynamic range. The signal detection threshold is determined from probability density function and false alarm rate. The effect of parameters controlling convergence and accuracy in Nyquist sampling data reconstruction on the receiver performance is presented. Comparison of sensitivity and dynamic range with the conventional Nyquist based FFT receiver is also presented.
Single-frame complete spatiotemporal measurement of complex ultrashort laser pulses

The birth of laser in the 1960s opened up a new era for optics. Many interesting laser applications arose ever since in subjects like nonlinear optics, holography, spectroscopy, and quantum optics [1-4]. Among those, ultrafast optics is an emerging area that frequently catches people’s attention. Ultrafast optics deals with short pulses in time scale ranging from picosecond down to attosecond, generated from all variety of pulsed laser systems by approaches like mode-locking and Q-switching. The ultrashort temporal width, together with the resulting ultrahigh peak intensity and ultrabroad spectral bandwidth, of the generated pulses leads to special academic interests in studying ultrafast phenomena, nonlinear optical effects, broadband spectroscopy, and so on [5-7].
Psychometrics of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 for Trauma-Exposed Children and Adolescents.

This study evaluated psychometric properties of interview, self-report, and screening versions of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 (CPSS-5), a measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for traumatized youth based on DSM-5 criteria. Participants were 64 children and adolescents (51.6% female, 45.3% African American/Black) between 8 and 18 years of age (M = 14.1, SD = 2.5) who had experienced a DSM-5 Criterion A trauma. Participants completed test–retest procedures for the self-report and interviewer versions of the CPSS-5 in 2 visits that were up to 2 weeks apart. Analyses revealed excellent internal consistencies, good to excellent test–retest reliability, and good convergent validity and discriminant validity for interview and self-report versions of the scale. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded a cutoff score of 31 on the CPSS-5 self-report version for identifying probable PTSD diagnosis. Six most frequently endorsed items by those with a possible PTSD diagnosis on the CPSS-5...
Development of a Steel-PVA Hybrid Fiber SHCC

Over the last two decades, there has been limited research investigating the behavior of Strain-Hardening Cementitious Composites (SHCC) made using polymer fibers at elevated temperatures. These studies show improved residual compressive behavior of SHCC compared to conventional concrete after being exposed to high temperatures. A likely mechanism for this improvement is the creation of supplementary channels in SHCC due to melting of the polymer fibers, allowing vaporized moisture to escape with low internal pressure and reduced spalling. However, the tensile stress and strain capacities of SHCC are significantly reduced at high temperatures due to loss of fiber-bridging. The goal of this ongoing study is to improve the tensile behavior of SHCC at high temperatures by using a combination of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and steel fibers. It is of interest to use the steel fibers (which will not melt at high temperatures) to retain at least a part of SHCC’s superior tensile behavior after being subjected to high temperatures. As a first step toward this goal, an experimental program was designed to study the mechanical behavior of mixes with varying amounts of PVA and steel fibers at ambient temperature. The most desirable volume fractions of PVA and steel fibers were determined through simultaneous optimization of tensile ductility and compressive strength. Thus, the development of the steel-PVA hybrid fiber SHCC, which performs similar to traditional SHCC at room temperature but with likely improved mechanical performance at elevated temperatures, is reported in this paper. The residual thermal behavior of this optimum mix will be studied and compared to the standard SHCC in a future study.
Pollutant Transport in Flow-Through Wetland Ecosystems

A simple, tractable mathematical model is developed which permits dynamic simulation of wetland hydrology and of interactions between wastewater and the wetland ecosystem. Spatial variations due to surface water flow are described, and material balance calculations carried out for phosphorus, nitrogen, and chloride. A hydrology model predicts overland flow. Ecosystem phenomena are represented, using a one-dimensional, spatially distributed compartmental model. Compartments include soil, surface water, interstitial soil water, and various types of live biomass, standing dead and litter. Solutions to the partial differential equations which comprise these spatial models are demonstrated using finite-difference methods. Computer simulations are compared to operating data from the Porter Ranch wastewater treatment facility at Houghton Lake, Michigan. They accurately predict solute concentrations in surface water, biomass growth patterns, and other major ecosystem features.
Multinational investments and product sophistication

Abstract In this paper, we show evidence that increasing per capita stocks of foreign direct investment has a significant positive effect on the quality of exports of developing countries. To study the quality variations, we use two recently developed panels of cross-country quality indexes by Feenstra and Romalis (2014) and Hallak and Schott (2011), as well as the traditional method of looking at the variations of U.S. import prices from 135 countries for the period 1989–2004. A positive and significant effect of per capita FDI stocks on host country export quality is noted for the developing nations using all these methods. The study has important policy implications for developing countries, showing that accumulating foreign direct investment has enabled many developing countries in the last two decades to improve their export sophistication, as demonstrated by Hallak and Schott (2011).
Pedagogy of Laughter: Using Humor to Make Teaching and Learning More Fun and Effective

This chapter reviews current interdisciplinary scholarship to highlight some possibilities of using humor to enhance teaching and learning. Integrating into the university classroom respectful, appropriate humor uplifts and engages students, while avoiding hurtful or aggressive humor. Using personal examples from my own teaching career, I illustrate how humor can be used to help students to reflect on topics about which they may feel defensive or disinterested, to engage more enthusiastically with learning activities and exercises, and to foster open communication in the classroom.
The Crystal Structure and Magnetic Behavior of Quinary Osmate and Ruthenate Double Perovskites La ABB'O 6 ( A = Ca, Sr; B = Co, Ni; B' = Ru, Os).

Six La ABB'O6 ( A = Ca, Sr; B = Co, Ni; B' = Ru, Os) double perovskites were synthesized, several for the first time, and their crystal structures and magnetic behavior were characterized with neutron powder diffraction and direct-current and alternating-current magnetometry. All six compounds crystallize with P21 /n space group symmetry, resulting from a- a- c+ octahedral tilting and complete rock salt ordering of transition-metal ions. Despite the electronic configurations of the transition-metal ions, either d8-d3 or d7-d3, not one of the six compounds shows ferromagnetism as predicted by the Goodenough-Kanamori rules. LaSrNiOsO6, LaSrNiRuO6, and LaCaNiRuO6 display long-range antiferromagnetic order, while LaCaNiOsO6, LaCaCoOsO6, and LaSrCoOsO6 exhibit spin-glass behavior. These compounds are compared to the previously studied LaCaCoRuO6 and LaSrCoRuO6, both of which order antiferromagnetically. The observed variations in magnetic properties can be attributed largely to the response of competing superexchange pathways due to changes in B-O- B' bond angles, differences in the radial extent of the 4d ( B' = Ru) and 5d ( B' = Os) orbitals, and filling of the t2g orbitals of the 3d ion.