cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prostaglandin-Based Renal Protection Against Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury

It has been known for 3 decades that the kidneys rely considerably on a group of prostaglandins that are locally produced in both a constitutive and inducible fashion, primarily in the medulla, to regulate renal blood flow and a variety of functions in tubular cells that occupy that region of the kidney. Arachidonic acid released from phospholipids is converted by cyclooxygenase (COX-1 constitutively, COX-2 inducibly) in the kidney to PGI2, PGE2, PGF2, PGD2, and thromboxane A2. PGE2 and PGF2 are produced predominantly but not exclusively in the renal medulla, whereas degradative enzymes are present in both the cortex and medulla. Prostaglandins enter the tubular lumen by facilitated transport and are partially reabsorbed from the urine in the distal nephron, with urinary levels reflecting renal synthesis. In response to ischemia, vasoconstriction, norepinephrine, or angiotensin II, the kidney increases prostaglandin synthesis to modulate renal vascular resistance with a predominance of PGI2 and PGE2, which are vasodilatory, in contrast to PGF2 and thromboxane, which are vasoconstricting. 1 These actions may be more pronounced in patients with diabetes mellitus because both the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase and the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes lose their normal regulation in the outer medulla of diabetic rats. 2,3 In addition to these effects in diabetic patients, prostanoids appear to offset the vasoconstrictive effects of iodinated contrast agents. For example, Agmon and coworkers4 examined the effects of vasodilatory prostaglandins on outer medullary blood flow in a rat model of contrast nephropathy and demonstrated that the inhibition of prostanoid production more than doubled the number of necrotic tubules in the outer medulla. Prasad and colleagues 5 measured rat medullary blood flow in real time and demonstrated that prostanoids exert more vasodilatory effects than nitric oxide. These findings illustrate the importance of the prostanoids in maintaining outer medullary blood flow to the kidney. Moreover, these observations provide a physiological basis for the common recommendation that patients discontinue nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, which work above and beyond aspirin, before contrast exposure to impair constitutive (COX-1) and inducible (COX-2) production of prostaglandins. Article see p 1793
Low-power high-speed operation of submicron InP-InGaAs SHBTs at 1 mA

Scaling of submicron InP-InGaAs HBTs is investigated for low-power high-speed applications in mixed signal circuits. Device performance for transistors fabricated with a 0.5-/spl mu/m emitter width and varying emitter lengths are studied. The 0.5 /spl mu/m/spl times/2 /spl mu/m devices yielded excellent low-current RF performance, with an f/sub T/=173 GHz and an f/sub MAX/=187 GHz at 1 mA, the highest values reported for InP-based devices to date.
Species selection for an ecological risk assessment of the Columbia River at the Hanford Site, Washington, USA

We describe a two-tier screening methodology used to select receptor species for an ecological risk assessment of the Columbia River at the Hanford Site in south-central Washington state. This approach was developed and implemented under the guidance of the Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment Management Team (CRCIA Team), a public steering committee comprised of members of regulatory agencies, native American tribes, and other stakeholders. Three hundred sixty-eight species that occur in the riverine and riparian communities of the Columbia River were reduced to 52 using criteria identified by an independent panel of biologists (tier I) and by scoring and ranking species based on their potential exposure to contaminated media (tier II). This two-tier screening methodology could be implemented at other locations where the number of species present must be reduced for an ecological risk assessment and where receptor species with relatively high potential contaminant exposures need to be evaluated. Participation of the CRCIA Team in the species selection process facilitated agreement between risk assessors, regulators, and stakeholders as to the number and kinds of organisms to be evaluated in our risk assessment. It is critical that regulators and stakeholders be involved in the selection of receptors to ensure that species of public interest as well as ecologically relevant species are evaluated in ecological risk assessments. This approach will increase the likelihood that such risk assessments will be used in management decisions.
The energy landscape of a protein switch

Protein switches are made of highly similar sequences that fold to dramatically different structures. A structural switching system with 31 sequence variants for α and α+β folds has been illustrated experimentally by He et al., Structure, 2012, 20, 283 and is investigated computationally in the present study. Methods to assign a sequence to one of the two folds are reported and analyzed. A fast and accurate protocol to identify the correct fold of the 31 sequences is based on enriching modeled structures using short molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories and scoring these structures with coarse-grained energy functions. We examine five coarse-grained energy functions and illustrate that the Hinds–Levitt potential works the best for this task. We show that enrichment by MD significantly enhances prediction accuracy. Finally, we find that melting temperature correlates well with the energy difference between the two folds (correlation coefficient ∼−0.7). The correlation reduces dramatically (∼0.4) if the absolute energy of the correct fold is considered. Moreover, prediction of melting temperature is sensitive to the structural templates. We emphasize in our analyses the use of native structures as templates since these folds are more readily available from structural biology experiments.
An Auto-Ethnographic Study of "Open Dialogue": The Illumination of Snow

This auto-ethnographic study describes the changes in the author's thinking and clinical work connected to her first-hand experience of Open Dialogue, which is an innovative, psychosocial approach to severe psychiatric crises developed in Tornio, Finland. In charting this trajectory, there is an emphasis on three interrelated themes: the micropolitics of U.S. managed mental health care; the practice of "dialogicality" in Open Dialogue; and the historical, cultural, and scientific shifts that are encouraging the adaptation of Open Dialogue in the United States. The work of Gregory Bateson provides a conceptual framework that makes sense of the author's experience and the larger trends. The study portrays and underscores how family and network practices are essential to responding to psychiatric crises and should not be abandoned in favor of a reductionist, biomedical model.
Endogenous Cytosine Damage Products Alter the Site Selectivity of Human DNA Maintenance Methyltransferase DNMT1

Alterations in cytosine methylation patterns are usually observed in human tumors. The consequences of altered cytosine methylation patterns include both inappropriate activation of transforming genes and silencing of tumor suppressor genes. Despite the biological effect of methylation changes, little is known about how such changes are caused. The heritability of cytosine methylation patterns from parent to progeny cells is attributed to the fidelity of the methylation-sensitive human maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1, which methylates with high specificity the unmethylated strand of a hemimethylated CpG sequence following DNA replication. We have been studying DNA damage that might alter the specificity of DNMT1, either inhibiting the methylation of hemimethylated sites or triggering the inappropriate methylation of previously unmethylated sites. Here, we show that known forms of endogenous DNA damage can cause either hypermethylation or hypomethylation. Inflammation-induced 5-halogenated cytosine damage products, including 5-chlorocytosine, mimic 5-methylcytosine and induce inappropriate DNMT1 methylation within a CpG sequence. In contrast, oxidation damage of the methyl group of 5-methylcytosine, with the formation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, prevents DNMT1 methylation of the target cytosine. We propose that reduced DNMT1 selectivity resulting from DNA damage could cause heritable changes in cytosine methylation patterns, resulting in human tumor formation. These data may provide a mechanistic link for the associations documented between inflammation and cancer.
Trends of HIV-1 risk reduction among initiates into intravenous drug use 1982-1987

To assess how injection practices may have changed during the course of the AIDS epidemic, active intravenous drug users (IVDUs) recruited from the community were asked to report year of first injection as well as specific details about the first 3 months after initial injection: frequencies of injection, using sterile needles, sharing needles and other equipment. For the analysis, the users were sorted into successive cohorts of initiation (by year of first injection), and tests for trends were completed using Mantel-Haenszel statistics. Among the 421 IVDUs who reported first injection between 1982 and 1987, the use of new sterile needles to self-administer drugs increased (p <. 05) along with its corollary behavior (i.e., using equipment one is sure that no one else had used before). Conversely, there was a decrease in the proportion of those who always used equipment previously used by another IVDU (p <. 05) and a decrease in the number of needle-sharing partners (p <. 01). Over the 6 years, heroin as ...
Role of αv Integrins in Adenovirus Cell Entry and Gene Delivery

Adenoviruses (Ad) are a significant cause of acute infections in humans; however, replication-defective forms of this virus are currently under investigation for human gene therapy. Approximately 20 to 25% of all the gene therapy trials (phases I to III) conducted over the past 10 years involve the use of Ad gene delivery for treatment inherited or acquired diseases. At present, the most promising applications involve the use of Ad vectors to irradicate certain nonmetastatic tumors and to promote angiogenesis in order to alleviate cardiovascular disease. While specific problems of using Ad vectors remain to be overcome (as is true for almost all viral and nonviral delivery methods), a distinct advantage of Ad is the extensive knowledge of its macromolecular structure, genome organization, sequence, and mode of replication. Moreover, significant information has also been acquired on the interaction of Ad particles with distinct host cell receptors, events which strongly affect virus tropism. This review provides an overview of the structure and function of Ad attachment (coxsackievirus and Ad receptor [CAR]) and internalization (αv integrins) receptors and discusses their precise role in virus infection and gene delivery. Recent structure studies of integrin-Ad complexes by cryoelectron microscopy are also highlighted. Finally, unanswered questions arising from the current state of knowledge of Ad-receptor interactions are presented in the context of improving Ad vectors for future human gene therapy applications.
Role of Vibrio polysaccharide (vps) genes in VPS production, biofilm formation and Vibrio cholerae pathogenesis.

Biofilm formation enhances the survival and persistence of the facultative human pathogen Vibrio cholerae in natural ecosystems and its transmission during seasonal cholera outbreaks. A major component of the V. cholerae biofilm matrix is the Vibrio polysaccharide (VPS), which is essential for development of three-dimensional biofilm structures. The vps genes are clustered in two regions, the vps-I cluster (vpsU, vpsA–K, VC0916–27) and the vps-II cluster (vpsL–Q, VC0934–39), separated by an intergenic region containing the rbm gene cluster that encodes biofilm matrix proteins. In-frame deletions of the vps clusters and genes encoding matrix proteins drastically altered biofilm formation phenotypes. To determine which genes within the vps gene clusters are required for biofilm formation and VPS synthesis, we generated in-frame deletion mutants for all the vps genes. Many of these mutants exhibited reduced capacity to produce VPS and biofilms. Infant mouse colonization assays revealed that mutants lacking either vps clusters or rbmA (encoding secreted matrix protein RbmA) exhibited a defect in intestinal colonization compared to the wild-type. Understanding the roles of the various vps gene products will aid in the biochemical characterization of the VPS biosynthetic pathway and elucidate how vps gene products contribute to VPS biosynthesis, biofilm formation and virulence in V. cholerae.
Complexities of Adherence and Post-Cancer Lymphedema Management

Breast cancer survivors are at increased risk for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), a chronic, debilitating, condition that is progressive and requires lifelong self-management. Up to 40% of 3 million breast cancer survivors in the US will develop BCRL, which has no cure, is irreversible, and requires self-management with regimens that may include multiple components. The complexities of treatment can negatively affect adherence to BCRL self-management which is critical to preventing progressive swelling and infection. The aim of this review of contemporary literature published from 2005–2015 is to examine the complexities of BCRL self-management, to identify adherence-focused studies relevant to BCRL, and to summarize barriers to self-management of BCRL. Six electronic indices were searched from which 120 articles were retrieved; 17 were BCRL-focused; and eight met inclusion criteria. Seventeen of 120 articles identified barriers to self-management of BCRL such as complexities of treatment regimens, symptom burden, balance of time for treatment and life demands, and lack of education and support; however, only eight studies included outcome measures of adherence to BCRL treatment regimens with a subsequent improvement in reduced limb volumes and/or perceptions of self-efficacy and self-regulation. A major limitation is the few number of rigorously developed outcome measures of BCRL adherence. In addition, randomized studies are needed with larger sample sizes to establish adequate levels of evidence for establishing best practice standards for improving adherence to BCRL self-management treatment regimens.
R&D intensity, future performance, and operational distress

Prior studies suggest the positive relation between RD (ii) invest significantly more slowly; (iii) do not realize higher sales growth for at least 5 years; (iv) delist for performance-related reasons at more than double the rate of low R&D firms. In sum, the explained cross-sectional variation in the income and investment patterns of R&D firms directly supports an operational-distress hypothesis and directly rejects the two extant hypotheses. In addition, I show that R&D growth has little predictive power for future firm performance and investment after controlling for lagged R&D intensity and change in firms scale.
Performance of a High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (HT-PEMFC) Operating on Simulated Reformate

Conventional proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems suffer from requiring high purity hydrogen, necessitating a costly on-board hydrogen storage tank to be incorporated into the overall system design. One method to overcome this barrier is to use an on-board reforming system fueled by some sort of hydrocarbon. Unfortunately though, most fuel reforming processes generate significant amounts of impurities, such as CO and CO2, requiring a costly and complex upfront reforming system that is unwieldy for a practical system. High temperature PEM fuel cells based on acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI), are capable of operating on lower quality reformed hydrogen, allowing for a simplified on-board fuel reforming system design to be envisioned. Advances in high temperature PEM fuel cells have progressed to the point where they are now a commercially viable technology. However, there remains a lack of published literature on the performance of HT-PEMFCs operating on common reformate effluent compositions consisting primarily of H2, CO, CO2, and N2. In this work, the performance of PBI-based HT-PEMFCs are evaluated under simulated reformate compositions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
NATO's Changing Role: A Consequence of the Shift Away from Conscription

This study utilizes data from 1968 to 2006 to employ a pooled cross-sectional time series approach to study burden sharing among North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries. Independent variables include the presence of conscription, gross domestic product per capita, and the size of the armed forces. Previous studies (Khanna, Sandler, & Shimizu, 1998; Oneal, 1990; Oneal & Diehl, 1994) have studied the effects of gross domestic product on defense burden but this study utilizes gross domestic product per capita because it is more helpful to compare across countries. This study examines how these independent variables impact the dependent variable of per soldier spending. It utilizes per soldier spending figures instead of raw defense spending (Hartley & Sandler, 1999; Oneal, 1990; Oneal & Diehl, 1994) because they will be more useful to compare across countries. The main focus of this study is to examine the impact of the presence of conscription on per soldier spending. Therefore, it utilizes a stepwise approach to the model by first examining the relationship between the presence of conscription and per soldier spending. After this relationship is found to be significant, the independent variables of gross domestic product per capita and the size of the armed forces are examined in additional steps. The statistical significance of Models 1, 2, and 3 allow for rejections of the null hypotheses and exemplify the idea that NATO countries may experience increased efficiency in the armed forces if they shift to all volunteer forces. New missions such as enforcing the Non-Proliferation Treaty and new technology such as strategic weapons require highly skilled, professional soldiers which are often not present in conscripted forces because they may lack motivation and proper resources (Harley & Sandler, 1999). The significant negative relationship between the presence of conscription and per soldier spending even after controlling for gross domestic product per capita and the size of the armed forces exemplifies this idea. Therefore, NATO member countries who use conscription may achieve greater efficiency by shifting to all volunteer forces and investing more heavily in research and development. This study does not concentrate on a state’s propensity to shift to all volunteer forces or domestic issues pertaining to the feasibility of shifting to all volunteer forces, but rather the idea that if they were to shift to all volunteer forces, they may achieve greater efficiency in the armed forces and be able to contribute to the variety of missions in which NATO is involved. Therefore, if NATO member countries shift to all volunteer forces to cultivate highly skilled, professional soldiers who can contribute to the changing role of NATO and its diverse missions, burden sharing among the member countries may even out.
Pharmacologic Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Methodologic Critique Based Upon Current Knowledge of Symptomatology and Relevance for Drug Trials

Research on the nature of clinical symptomatology in AD indicates that two fundamentally different types of symptoms are identifiable. Symptoms within each of these two domains have common characteristics. The first symptomatic domain has been termed the "cognitive domain" and the second the "noncognitive behavioral domain." Symptoms and losses in the cognitive domain occur invariably and progressively with the advance of AD over time. Symptoms in the behavioral domain do not invariably occur in AD and do not progress monotonically with the advance in AD over time. However, characteristic behavioral domain symptoms can be described over the course of AD. The two symptomatic domains are likely to differ not only in nature and progression in AD, but also in underlying pathophysiology and in terms of possible treatment modalities. They also pose fundamentally different issues of assessment in AD. These distinct factors necessitate the separate assessment of the two symptomatic domains in AD treatment trials. Judgments of efficacy and utility in remediating either symptomatic domain in AD should take into consideration the effects of treatment on both cognitive domain and behavioral domain symptoms separately and interactively. Appropriate assessment procedures are discussed.
The Effect of Chinese Demand and Supply Shocks on Peruvian Exporters

ABSTRACTWe study the impact of Chinese supply and demand shocks on Peruvian firm-product exports. Our results indicate that Chinese competition has a positive and significant effect on Peruvian firm exports, which suggests that firms are either (1) concentrating on markets where competition is tougher, (2) increasing R&D efforts, and/or (3) benefiting from a comparative advantage. The demand from China also has an overall positive and significant effect on Peruvian exports, but negative effect on the subset of data pertaining to minerals. This suggests that Peruvian commodities are being redirected from other markets to China.
A Replacement Algorithm for Highly Associative Caches

A new cache replacement algorithm is described that approximates the performance of least-recently used (LRU) selection. The algorithm offers substantial savings of storage overhead in highly associative caches. Its applications include CPU cache memories, virtual to read address translation, and virtual memory page management.
Computer-assisted image analysis in quantitative fractography

The tools available for measuring irregular surfaces, such as materials fractures, are quite diverse and rather well developed. Manually assisted methods such as tracing of cross-sections or identification of matching points in stereo pairs are time consuming and subject to errors and will continue to be replaced by automatic methods and imaging modalities which more directly represent the three-dimensional surface. Images from the light and scanning electron microscope and, especially, the confocal scanning laser microscope can be digitized and converted to measurement data. These data, in turn, characterize the surface and can be converted to surface area, orientation and distance data, which can be interpreted for correlation to fracture and materials properties.
Adaptive enhancement and visualization techniques for 3D THz images of breast cancer tumors

This paper evaluates image enhancement and visualization techniques for pulsed terahertz (THz) images of tissue samples. Specifically, our research objective is to effectively differentiate between heterogeneous regions of breast tissues that contain tumors diagnosed as triple negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). Tissue slices and blocks of varying thicknesses were prepared and scanned using our lab’s THz pulsed imaging system. One of the challenges we have encountered in visualizing the obtained images and differentiating between healthy and cancerous regions of the tissues is that most THz images have a low level of details and narrow contrast, making it difficult to accurately identify and visualize the margins around the IDC. To overcome this problem, we have applied and evaluated a number of image processing techniques to the scanned 3D THz images. In particular, we employed various spatial filtering and intensity transformation techniques to emphasize the small details in the images and adjust the image contrast. For each of these methods, we investigated how varying filter sizes and parameters affect the amount of enhancement applied to the images. Our experimentation shows that several image processing techniques are effective in producing THz images of breast tissue samples that contain distinguishable details, making further segmentation of the different image regions promising.
Improving Team's Consistency of Understanding in Meetings

Upon concluding a meeting, participants can occasionally leave with different understandings of what had been discussed. Detecting inconsistencies in understanding is a desired capability for an intelligent system designed to monitor meetings and provide feedback to spur stronger shared understanding. In this paper, we present a computational model for the automatic prediction of consistency among team members’ understanding of their group's decisions. The model utilizes dialogue features focused on the dynamics of group decision-making. We trained a hidden Markov model using the AMI meeting corpus and achieved a prediction accuracy of 64.2%, as well as robustness across different meeting phases. We, then, implemented our model in an intelligent system that participated in human team planning about a hypothetical emergency response mission. The system suggested topics that the team would derive the most benefit from reviewing with one another. Through an experiment with 30 participants, we evaluated the utility of such a feedback system and observed a statistically significant increase of 17.5% in objective measures of the teams’ understanding compared with that obtained using a baseline interactive system.
Mathematical Simulation of the Effect of the Covering Agent and the Insulation Lining on the Temperature Drop of Molten Steel in Ladle

A mathematical model was established to predict the temperature variation of molten steel in standing process. The mathematical simulation results proved that most of the heat loss escapes through the surface of the molten steel and the refractory linings of the ladle. Adding covering agent on the molten steel surface can greatly decrease heat loss of the molten steel and then reducing the steel temperature drop. The application of an insulation lining can also significantly decrease the temperature drop by reducing the heat loss escaped through the ladle to the environment.
Secure configuration of intrusion detection sensors for changing enterprise systems

Current attacks to distributed systems involve multiple steps, due to attackers usually taking multiple actions to achieve their goals. Such attacks are called multi-stage attacks (MSA) and have the ultimate goal to compromise a critical asset for the victim. An example would be compromising a web server, then achieve a series of intermediary steps (such as compromising a developer's box thanks to a vulnerable PHP module and connecting to a FTP server with gained credentials) to ultimately connect to a database where user credentials are stored. Current detection systems are not capable of analyzing the multi-step attack scenario. We present a distributed detection framework based on a probabilistic reasoning engine that communicates to detection sensors and can achieve two goals: (1) protect the critical asset by detecting MSAs and (2) tune sensors according to the changing environment of the distributed system monitored by the distributed framework. As shown in the experiments, the framework reduces the number of false positives that it would otherwise report if it were only considering alerts from a single detector and the reconfiguration of sensors allows the framework to detect attacks that take advantage of the changing system environment.
Coarse-scale particle tracking approaches for contaminant transport in fractured rock

Abstract Random-walk particle tracking methods are frequently used for modeling contaminant transport, as relevant to radionuclide transport in fractured rock. Standard particle-tracking methods need to be modified for handling discontinuities in velocity and diffusion coefficients as at fracture–matrix interfaces, and handling these discontinuities accurately requires time steps much smaller than the diffusion time scale across narrow fracture apertures. In this work we present coarse-scale particle tracking methods that exploit the contrast in diffusivities between fracture and rock matrix to allow the use of time steps much larger than the diffusion time scale across fracture apertures. Thus, they reduce computational effort by several orders of magnitude. We develop two coarse-scale versions of the standard particle tracking method, one applicable to particles starting in the fracture, and another to particles starting in the rock matrix. The two methods can be used in combination to track particles through individual fractures, including the influence of matrix diffusion. The main advantage of our methods result from the computationally efficient treatment of (two-way) fracture–matrix particle transfer. These methods can also be combined with existing particle tracking approaches for complex advection–diffusion–dispersion in fractures to handle fracture–matrix interactions efficiently.
Web page attentional priority model

Designing an interface that is both information rich and easy to search is challenging. Successfully finding a solution depends on understanding an interface’s explicit and implicit influences. A cognitively inspired computational approach is taken to make the implicit influences apparent to designers. A saliency model has already been shown to predict the deployment of attention within web page interfaces. It predicts regions likely to be salient, based on local contrast stemming from the bottom-up channels (e.g., color, orientation). This research replicates these previous findings and extends the work by proposing a web page-specific attentional priority (AP) model. This AP model includes previous interaction experience history, manifested as conventions, within the already valuable saliency model. These sources of influence automatically nudge our attention to regions that usually contain useful visual information. This research shows that, by integrating spatial conventions with a saliency model, designers can better predict the deployment of attention within web page interfaces.
Hierarchical Linear Modelling of Sixth-Grade Students' Socio-Economic Status and School Factors on Mathematics Achievement: Case Studies of Kenya and Zimbabwe.

This study investigated the relationship between socio-economic status, school-level variables and mathematics achievement of sixth graders in Kenya and Zimbabwe. The study is based on secondary data collected by the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ III). SACMEQ employed cluster-sampling procedures to collect data from 4412 students in 193 schools in Kenya, and 3021 students in 155 schools in Zimbabwe. A multilevel model (Hierarchical linear model) was used to analyse variation in student achievement in mathematics between and within schools. Owing to the nested nature of the data, the study utilised the Wiley and Harnischfeger model as a general framework for choosing variables and conceptualising multiple components of education. The findings in both countries showed that socio-economic status and school resources were significant predictors of mathematics achievement. The variable class size n Kenya was positively related to mathematics achievement, but ...
An empirical model for B-site cation ordering in Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3

Abstract Processing-structure models are needed in both the lab and industry; however, few exist for cation ordering in perovskites. The perovskite Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 in its ordered form is one of the best known high-Q dielectric materials but requires extended high-temperature annealing to achieve high degrees of order; so an empirical model which describes the ordering as a function of an easily obtainable processing parameter would be useful. In this work, powders of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 were synthesized using a conventional solid-state mixed-oxide method. The as-calcined compound had a cubic (lacking long-range B-site cation order) structure but contained short-range-ordered nanodomains. Upon annealing at 1500 °C for up to 40 h an increasingly ordered arrangement of Mg2+ and Ta5+ on the B site was generated, with the ordering causing a trigonal distortion. Empirical modeling as well as first-principles calculations via density functional theory showed that this ordering process was accompanied by a volume decrease despite the fact that ordered planes stack less efficiently. An empirical model was developed to describe the ordering parameter as a function of either annealing time or effective B-site contraction. The implication of this modeling method is that it may be possible to predict the degree of cation ordering in complex perovskite systems from ionic-radii data and experimentally-derived pseudocubic lattice constants alone. Conversely, it may also be possible to predict the degree of volume expansion/contraction upon ordering, which has implications for functional properties like ionic conduction.
Democracy in Action and the Creation of Colorado’s School Finance Gordian Knot:

This policy study traces the history of school finance in Colorado over four and a half decades and describes how the available levers of direct democracy in the state have led to a seemingly insur...
Metal CMP process optimization for low abrasive slurry

CMP underpolish defects at back-end-of the line copper-CMP processes presents critical device reliability issues and can drive lower yields. Lower scratch defects and metal-metal isolation are the key requirements for a stable device performance. New generation low solid content slurries provide lower defects and good dishing attributes, however present planarization challenges to varying device densities. This article highlights the process optimizations that enabled the implementation of a new generation slurry on n-1 technology nodes and presents hypothesis for material removal mechanisms involving metal CMP processes. It also proposes the need to implement new material qualification BKM's across device densities and reticle design rules to enable a stable CMP planarization process.
RF Sampling and Signal Processing

As seen in Fig. 2.12 in Chap. 2, this spectrum sensing architecture uses an RF sampler followed by discrete time signal processing in the analog domain. Specifically, passive charge domain computations are utilized for signal processing followed by digitization. For RF sampled processors, the RF sampler has historically remained a substantial bottle-neck. However, with technology scaling and subsequent improvement in switch performance, RF sampling has become a possibility in modern silicon processes.
Cognitive Development in Infancy, Neural Mechanisms of

The first few years of life are a period of rapid brain and cognitive development. This article outlines the general structural and functional changes in the brain that underlie cognitive development during infancy, and uses examples from the domains of face processing, language development, memory, and numerical cognition to illustrate these developmental processes. The article also briefly introduces the imaging technologies and research methods that are currently used to study brain and behavioral development in infancy.
Forensic Aspects of the Parasomnias

Parasomnias can be associated with violent acts, resulting in injury to self and others. They can also be associated with inappropriate sexual behavior. Historically, many such behaviors have come to the attention of the legal system, raising questions regarding criminal culpability. Physicians who are involved in the management of such parasomnias also face legal challenges, as they have a responsibility to their patients and to third parties who are at risk for injury, or who are injured by, parasomnia-related violence. Sleepwalking defenses have generally been based on legal theories of automatism, unconsciousness, and insanity. Sleep medicine physicians are uniquely qualified to serve as expert witnesses in such cases.
At the Nexus of Blockchain Technology, the Circular Economy, and Product Deletion

The circular economy (CE) is an emergent concept to rethink and redesign how our economy works. The concept recognizes effective and efficient economic functioning at multiple scales—governments and individuals, globally and locally; for businesses, large and small. CE represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience at multiple levels (macro, meso and micro); generating new business and economic opportunities while providing environmental and societal benefits. Blockchain, an emergent and critical technology, is introduced to the circular economy environment as a potential enabler for many circular economic principles. Blockchain technology supported information systems can improve circular economy performance at multiple levels. Product deletion, a neglected but critical effort in product management and product portfolio management, is utilized as an illustrative business scenario as to blockchain’s application in a circular economy research context. Product deletion, unlike product proliferation, has received minimal attention from both academics and practitioners. Product deletion decisions need to be evaluated and analyzed in the circular economy context. CE helps address risk aversion issues in product deletions such as inventory, waste and information management. This paper is the first to conceptualize the relationships amongst blockchain technology, product deletion and the circular economy. Many nuances of relationships are introduced in this study. Future evaluation and critical reflections are also presented with a need for a rigorous and robust research agenda to evaluate the multiple and complex relationships and interplay amongst technology, policy, commerce and the natural environment.
Abstract 3609: Metformin treatment outcomes in relation to obesity and cation transporter expression in mouse models of endometrial cancer

Purpose: Obesity is associated with increased risk and worse outcomes for endometrial cancer (EC). Metformin, a frontline therapy for type 2 diabetes, is thought to have both indirect and direct anti-cancer effects via decreasing circulating insulin/glucose and activating AMPK/inhibiting mTOR signaling, respectively. Due to its positive charge (pKa 12.4) and hydrophilicity (logD -6.13 at pH 7.4), metformin requires cation transporters for cellular uptake where it can then activate AMPK; and thus, variation in transporter expression may be critical for response to metformin for cancer treatment. Thus, we explored the inter-relationship of obesity, cation transporter expression and the anti-tumorigenic efficacy of metformin in a genetically engineered endometrioid EC mouse model. Methods: LKB1fl/fl p53fl/fl mice were fed a low-fat diet (10% calories from fat) vs. a high-fat diet (60% calories from fat) to mimic diet-induced obesity, starting at 3 weeks of age (n=10 mice/group). AdCre was injected at 6 weeks of age to induce EC. Mice were treated for four weeks with placebo or metformin (200 mg/kg/day, oral gavage) following tumor onset. Cell proliferation/apoptotic markers and downstream targets of AMPK/mTOR signaling were evaluated in the ECs by immunohistochemistry. Cation transporter expression was assessed in the ECs by Western blotting and RNA sequencing. Results: Obesity led to a doubling of endometrial tumor size in obese vs. lean mice (1.469g vs. 0.75g). Metformin was more potent in inhibiting tumor growth in obese vs. lean mice (78% vs. 60%) compared to the respective controls (p Conclusion: Our data suggest that metformin has greater anti-tumorigenic efficacy in obese vs. lean mice with EC. In addition, cation transporters were expressed in the endometrial tumors and were affected by metformin treatment. Studies are underway in EC patients to understand the impact of obesity and transporter expression on response rates to metformin in the clinic. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Aruljothi Muralidharan, Hui Guo, Jianjun Han, Lu Zhang, Wenchuan Sun, Yajie Yin, Chunxiao Zhou, Ruth S. Everett, Dhiren R. Thakker, Victoria L. Bae-Jump. Metformin treatment outcomes in relation to obesity and cation transporter expression in mouse models of endometrial cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3609.
Development, Demonstration, and Field Testing of Enterprise-Wide Distributed Generation Energy Management System: Final Report

This report details progress on subcontract NAD-1-30605-1 between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and RealEnergy (RE), the purpose of which is to describe RE's approach to the challenges it faces in the implementation of a nationwide fleet of clean cogeneration systems to serve contemporary energy markets. The Phase 2 report covers: utility tariff risk and its impact on market development; the effect on incentives on distributed energy markets; the regulatory effectiveness of interconnection in California; a survey of practical field interconnection issues; trend analysis for on-site generation; performance of dispatch systems; and information design hierarchy for combined heat and power.
Handheld Telecentric THz-TDS Scanner Using Custom f-θ Optics for Imaging Applications in Clinical Settings and Non-Destructive Testing

We present a handheld THz-TDS scanner for use in clinical settings and non-destructive testing applications. The ASOPS scanner is based on a gimbaled galvanoscanner and custom-designed f-$\theta$ lenses to achieve telecentric imaging in a 3D-printed housing. Imaging results from Bohler star calibration targets for determination of spatial resolution will be shown. We will also present non-destructive testing of airplane wing samples. Finally, in the full paper, application of this scanner in clinical diagnosis of skin burns will be presented.
Triple Active Bridge Series Resonant Converter for three-Phase Unfolding Based Isolated Converters

In this paper, the authors propose a new triple active bridge topology as an isolated DC/DC stage for three-phase rectifiers that are based on an unfolding rectification approach. The three-phase unfolding rectification approach has the potential to improve power density and efficiency for isolated rectifier applications. The DC/DC stage used in this approach is generally implemented by two separate converters for processing different time-varying power from each of the two intermediate soft DC links. Each of these converters must process a peak power equal to the full rated output power and work with an extremely wide voltage gain range. This paper presents an improvement using a single three-port resonant converter with three-active bridges that simultaneously process power from both of the soft-DC links. The converter achieves higher efficiency since it processes a constant power that equals the rated load power with a much narrower voltage gain range. This results in further reduction in size for converters used in unfolding based rectification. A new modulation strategy is proposed for this topology such that all the devices soft switch and the converter has the ability to draw different average currents from each of the two DC links, as required for power factor correction (PFC) action on the grid side. Simulation results are provided to explain the ideal waveforms of the topology, and hardware results are presented for a 2 kW, 600 V output DC/DC hardware prototype at three input voltage conditions that are encountered over the line cycle when applied to a 480 V three-phase unfolding rectifier. The results validate the converter ability to modulate the input currents required for PFC action and also achieve zero voltage switching across the entire AC line cycle.
Foot and Ankle Musculoskeletal Imaging of Pediatric Patients With Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE. Any combination of abnormal positioning of the ankle, hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot is possible in the context of cerebral palsy, but some patterns are more common than others. The purpose of this article is to discuss the radiographic manifestations and surgical management of the following common conditions: equinus, equinoplanovalgus, equinocavovarus, vertical talus, oblique talus, hallux valgus, and ankle valgus. CONCLUSION. CP is defined by abnormalities of the developing fetal or infant brain that result in permanent central motor dysfunction. Foot and ankle deformities are very common in the patients with CP, occurring in up to 93% of such patients as a result of underlying abnormal muscle tone, impaired motor control, and dynamic muscle imbalance. Radiologists must develop knowledge of the most common changes in alignment and basic techniques for correction to better recognize abnormalities and improve communication with orthopedic colleagues.
Community context and dispersal stochasticity drive variation in spatial spread

Dispersal is a key process in shaping species spatial distributions. Species interactions and variation in dispersal probabilities may jointly influence species spatial dynamics. However, many studies examine dispersal as a neutral process, independent of community context or intraspecific variation in dispersal behaviour. Here, we use controlled, replicated communities of two Tribolium species (T. castaneum and T. confusum) to examine how intraspecific variation in dispersal behaviour and community context influence dispersal dynamics in simple experimental landscapes composed of homogeneous habitat patches. We found considerable individual-level variation in dispersal probability that was unrelated to body size variation. Further, the context of dispersal mattered, as T. castaneum dispersal was reduced in two-species communities, while T. confusum dispersal was unaffected by community composition. Incorporating individual-level variation into a two-species stochastic spatial Ricker model, we provide evidence that individual-level variability in dispersal behaviour results in more variable spatial spread than assuming individuals have the same dispersal probability. Further, interspecific competition resulted in more variable spatial spread. The variability in spatial spread observed in our tightly controlled and replicated experimental system and in our stochastic model simulations points to potential fundamental limitations in forecasting species shifting ranges without considering potential interspecific interactions and demographic variability in dispersal behaviour.
Cross-National Examination of the Relationship Between Gender Equality and Female Homicide and Rape Victimization:

This study is the first cross-national work to examine the impact of gender equality on both female homicide and rape victimization. The data set from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (...
Screening for losers: Trade institutions and information

Trade law scholars have often argued that international institutions can serve a useful domestic political role by providing a constraint against domestic demands for protection. In this paper, I identify a new way in which such institutions and their particular features can be valuable to governments: namely, that they can provide useful information about domestic political groups. While governments are responsible for the administration of most legal trade-related actions, the information that governments need to determine which actions to pursue is often the private information of the firms and interest groups that are lobbying for these actions, and there are significant incentives for such groups to misrepresent this information. This paper uses a formal model to demonstrate that governments can use the multitude of legal options available to them to screen between domestic groups for those with the strongest cases; a selection process which can help to explain, amongst other things, why trade remedies tend to be structured around meeting criteria instead of as “efficient breaches” requiring compensation and why disputes pursued via the WTO have such a high rate of success (approximately 90% for cases that reach the panel stage).
Using static web technologies and git-based workflows to re-design and maintain a library website (quickly) with non-technical staff

In 2018, a university-wide brand update prompted the University of Idaho Library to reexamine their website development practices and move toward a static web approach that leverages librarian skil...