cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and management of the solitary pulmonary nodule

The finding of a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) on a chest radiograph is a common problem in pulmonary medicine. SPNs are seen in 0.09 to 0.2% of chest radiographs and are caused by a variety of conditions, ranging from benign granulomas to lung cancer (1–3). Because solitary nodules are often malignant and because 5-yr survival after resection of a solitary bronchogenic carcinoma is 40 to 80%, it is important to promptly identify malignant nodules to ensure optimal treatment (4, 5). Similarly, it is important to avoid the morbidity and mortality associated with thoracotomy in patients with benign disease. Therefore, the goal of the evaluation and management of solitary pulmonary nodules is to promptly identify and bring to surgery all patients with operable malignant nodules while avoiding thoracotomy in patients with benign nodules. Traditional approaches have emphasized assessment of the probability of malignancy, the so-called Bayesian approach. The Bayesian approach estimates the prevalence of malignancy in the population, assesses risk factors predictive of malignancy as demonstrated by history and chest radiograph, and selects a management strategy based on the adjusted probability of malignancy. The development of new diagnostic tests and surgical techniques requires that this traditional approach be reevaluated. This commentary will focus on the role of newer imaging methods in this process and on strategies for SPNs of indeterminate origin.
Fluorine: its mineralogical residence in the oil shale of the Mahogany Zone of the Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, U.S.A.☆

Abstract The Eocene oil shales of northwestern Colorado comprise one of the major resources of hydrocarbon fuels in the U.S.A. Oil shales of the Mahogany Zone (Parachute Creek Member, Green River Formation) contain up to 2100 mg/kg fluorine. The content of fluorine changes rapidly within short stratigraphic intervals, and, although not organically bound, correlates positively with the organic content of the rock. Studies of the mineralogical residence of fluorine in oil shale were made possible by combining the methods of low-temperature ashing, high-speed centrifugation in a liquid with a density gradient, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, nuclear inelastic scattering, and electron microscopy. A major portion of the fluorine in the Mahogany Zone appears to be associated with the ubiquitous micaceous clay minerals, especially illite. Other fluorine-bearing minerals, such as fluorite (CaF 2 ), cryolite (Na 3 AlF 6 ), and fluorapatite [Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 F] were not detected in the eleven samples studied. However, this does not exclude the possible presence of discrete crystals or crystal aggregates of these minerals in other portions of the Mahogany Zone.
Phase-preserving wavefront amplification at 590 nm by stimulated Raman scattering

Abstract This paper presents an experimental demonstration of high-gain optical-wavefront amplification by stimulated Raman scattering near the D 1 resonance in atomic sodium vapor. Single-pass weak-field gain of nearly 400 is achieved with only 800 mW of pump power. Through judicious focusing, the weak wavefront is confined to the central region of the focused pump wave where saturation of the dispersion profile minimizes phase distortions due to self-focusing effects. Phase-preserving amplification is demonstrated by interferometric measurements of an amplified TEM 00 wavefront.
The Carboxy Terminal Region of the Human Cytomegalovirus Immediate Early 1 (IE1) Protein Disrupts Type II Inteferon Signaling

Interferons (IFNs) activate the first lines of defense against viruses, and promote innate and adaptive immune responses to viruses. We report that the immediate early 1 (IE1) protein of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) disrupts signaling by IFNγ. The carboxyl-terminal region of IE1 is required for this function. We found no defect in the initial events in IFNγ signaling or in nuclear accumulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) in IE1-expressing cells. Moreover, we did not observe an association between disruption of IFNγ signaling and nuclear domain 10 (ND10) disruption. However, there is reduced binding of STAT1 homodimers to target gamma activated sequence (GAS) elements in the presence of IE1. Co-immunoprecipitation studies failed to support a direct interaction between IE1 and STAT1, although these studies revealed that the C-terminal region of IE1 was required for interaction with STAT2. Together, these results indicate that IE1 disrupts IFNγ signaling by interfering with signaling events in the nucleus through a novel mechanism.
Adaptive data assimilation including the effect of spatial variations in observation error

An optimal adaptive data assimilation algorithm is derived using the maximum likelihood method based on a conditional Gaussian probability density function for the first-guess and direct observations of the state variables but including local estimates of the observation and first-guess error statistics. An interpolation of the first-guess field to the observation coordinates is not required under the assumption of locally homogeneous statistics for the random atmosphere. However, the definition of observation error requires a definition of model ‘truth’ which is defined as a spatial average of the continuous random atmospheric variables. Then the total observation error consists of two independent components: an instrument error and an observation sampling error defined by the spatial average of the observation and the statistics of the local turbulence. Estimates of the observation sampling error statistics are determined from an ensemble of background or first-guess fields or from the analysis of the raw data from instrumented aircraft, Doppler lidars, or radar profilers. The spatial variations of the sampling error are referenced to the local turbulence conditions at each analysis coordinate and therefore each observation can have a different observation error for each nearby analysis coordinate. The extension of the adaptive assimilation concept to include the spatial variations in observation error for statistical interpolation, 3D-Var, 4D-Var, extended Kalman filtering, and ensemble Kalman filtering is also presented for the traditional meaning of observation error, i.e. each observation is assigned a single error. The conditional analysis error is derived for a single observation at the analysis coordinate and multiple observations around the analysis point. Example calculations of the conditional analysis error are presented for a few simple set of observation and measurement geometries to demonstrate the impact of the spatially variable observation errors. For rawinsonde observations, the observation sampling error is an important contribution to optimal adaptive data assimilation. Observations performed as a spatial average along a line, such as aircraft, radar profiler and Doppler lidar measurements, have smaller sampling errors than rawinsonde observations and therefore reduce the analysis error if the instrument error is sufficiently low. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.
Eccentric arm cycling: physiological characteristics and potential applications with healthy populations

Introduction Eccentric leg cycling has served as an important research model for investigating multi-joint eccentric actions and as an effective rehabilitation and training modality for improving locomotor muscle function (e.g., quadriceps size, strength, mobility). While there are more than 30 reports documenting physiological responses to eccentric leg cycling, physiological responses to eccentric arm cycling (ECarm) have not been clearly established.
Moral education—a prolegomenon

(1975). Moral education—a prolegomenon. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 14, Moral Education, pp. 236-246.
Comparison of CD8+ T-cell subsets in HIV-infected rapid progressor children versus non–rapid progressor children

Abstract Background: CD8 + T-cell subsets have not been adequately described in HIV-infected (HIV + ) children classified with respect to disease progression as rapid-progressors (RPs) and non–rapid progressors (non-RPs). Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the distribution of CD8 + T-cell subsets in HIV + children and correlate the findings with degree of immunosuppression and HIV viral burden. Methods: By means of 3-color flow cytometry, percentages of CD38 + DR + , CD28 + , and CD57 + CD8 + T-cell subsets were examined in RP (n = 15) and non-RP (n = 36) HIV + children and in HIV-exposed but uninfected (n = 11) and HIVunexposed (n = 8) children. The CD8 + T-cell subsets were correlated with mean CD4 + T-cell percentages and HIV RNA levels. Analysis of covariance was used for group comparisons for the control of the covariate of age. Results: The HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed controls were not different from each other in CD8 + T-cell subset percentages, except that the DR – CD38 + CD8 + T-cell percentages were higher in the exposed controls than in the unexposed controls. RPs had a higher mean percentage of DR + CD38 + CD8 + T cells than non-RPs and both control groups, and RPs had higher viremia than non-RPs. CD38 + CD8 + T-cell percentages did not correlate with viral burden as it has been seen to do in HIV + adults. Percentages of CD28 + CD8 + T cells were lower in HIV-infected children than in controls. There was a positive correlation of percentage of CD28 + CD57 – CD8 + T cells with CD4 + T-cell percentages in each HIV-infected group. Conclusion: CD8 + T cells become activated (dual expression of DR and CD38) and lose CD28, some acquiring CD57, in relation to rapidity of disease progression in pediatric HIV infection. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;108:258-64.)
Community-Based Organisations and Migration in New York City

This article shows how immigrant Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) play a central role during all parts of the immigration process and in the social, cultural, political and economic adaptation and incorporation of immigrants. It is based on interviews, and a survey with immigrant organisations in New York City. I argue that CBOs play a key role in: a) assisting individuals and families in the reunification process by providing advice and legal help to enter the country, change their immigration status, or sponsor relatives to come to the United States; b) providing an array of social services and community programmes that are designed to assist in the socio-economic adaptation and incorporation of immigrants into US society; c) serving as an advocate for their ethnic groups by articulating the social-service needs and representing the concerns of their group in metropolitan-level political and policy processes and, also, by managing the flow of resources from the metropolitan to the community level; a...
Changes in Adolescents’ Sources of Cigarettes

Abstract Purpose No previous research has tracked changes in teen sources for tobacco. Such information might help public health officials to target tobacco control efforts more precisely. This investigation used a two-year longitudinal design to determine (1) how adolescents' sources change and (2) whether the timing of smoking onset and duration of tobacco use predict the number and types of sources accessed. Methods A survey assessing usual sources of cigarettes and related variables was administered to 4461 seventh-graders annually. Of the target population, 79% provided baseline data, and 64.2% participated in all surveys. Results At baseline, 30% of the 1144 smokers got cigarettes from peers, compared with 11% using stores, 6% using vending machines, and 17% who stole them. Age of smoking onset did not predict the number or types of sources teens accessed. We did, however, find a significant effect of duration of smoking, showing that more practiced smokers were more likely to get cigarettes both from stores and from their friends. Further, the longer students smoked, the more likely they were to have friends who smoked. Conclusions Our results indicated that the means through which teens got their first cigarettes were similar, regardless of when smoking onset occurred. In contrast, as teens became more established smokers, they increased the number of sources they used and relied more on both stores and peers. Once adolescents become smokers, they form a social network of fellow smokers who support their habit, making it even more difficult to quit.
Forward electron production in antimatter-solid collisions.

We investigate the forward electron emission induced by fast antiprotons transmitted through thin carbon foils. The capture of electrons into wake-riding states is calculated in the second Born approximation. The transport through the foil is analyzed within the framework of classical stochastic dynamics. We find evidence that the usual cusp-shaped peak for positively charged ions is replaced by a broad peak due to emission of wake-riding electrons.
Characterization of an Atypical Widmanstätten structure in Gd5Si2Ge2 alloys

Abstract Bulk microstructures of Gd5Si2Ge2 alloys have been examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The microstructure of all samples showed existence of long linear features. The features in general are on the order of one micron or less in width and may be hundreds of microns in length. Oriented single crystals of Gd5Si2Ge2 have been used to study the crystal orientation of the linear features by using a combination of back-reflection Laue X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM. It has been shown that these linear features grow as thin plates oriented in specific directions. Systematic energy dispersive spectrometry and selected area diffraction studies revealed that these thin plates have an hexagonal crystal structure and a composition consistent with Gd5(SixGe1 − x)3. These results present the first conclusive identification of this phase and confirm an earlier study that suggested the features might possibly be a Widmanstatten structure that forms during the solidification.
A non–cell–autonomous mutation regulating juvenility in maize

The transition from a juvenile to an adult phase of shoot growth in plants involves coordinated changes in a large number of morphological and physiological traits, including the ability of the plant to undergo sexual reproduction. Although the environmental, nutritional and chemical factors that influence this process (phase change) have been intensively studied for many years, its basic mechanism is still unknown1,2. An analysis of the genetic regulation of phase change has been facilitated by the identification of several mutations of maize (Teopodl, Tp2, Tp3 and Corngrass) that prolong the expression of a juvenile developmental programme3,4. All of these mutations have a striking atavistic phenotype, the most dramatic feature of which is the transformation of reproductive structures into leaves or leaf-like structures. Here I report that X-ray-induced sectors expressing the wild-type allele of Tp1 in otherwise mutant plants possess a mutant rather than a wild-type phenotype. This non-cell-autonomous behaviour is highly unusual and suggests that Tp1 controls the production or distribution of a diffusible factor(s) that regulates juvenile development.
Effect of beta adrenergic agents on blood vessels of the rat iris. I. Permeability to carbon particles.

Pharmacological agents capable of potentiating or inhibiting the beta adrenergic receptor system were topically applied to rat eyes, and the technique of carbon labelling was used to quantify changes in iridial blood vessel permeability. Isoproterenol caused an increase in blood vessel permeability to intravenously injected carbon. This increase was greater in 3–5 week old animals than in 6–8 month old rats and was inhibited by timolol maleate but not by tolazoline HCl. In the absence of exogenous isoproterenol, aminophylline produced a marked carbon labelling of the iridial blood vessels in rats of both age groups. The above results indicate that iridial blood vessel permeability is subject to regulation by the beta adrenergic receptor system, and that this effect is age dependent.
Simulating SCN and MSSR modes of RADARSAT-2 for ship and iceberg discrimination

A tool developed for simulating RADARSAT-2 (RS2) Maritime Satellite Surveillance Radar (MSSR) mode data from higher resolution data is described. RS2 Fine and Fine Quad images containing validated ship and iceberg targets were resampled to low resolution ScanSAR Narrow (SCN) and MSSR mode data. This tool can be adopted to use other image modes as inputs and simulate other outputs as well and the simulated products are used to develop a ship and iceberg discriminator for those modes. A series of tests were applied to verify the accuracy of the backscatter characteristics of the simulated products and the performance of the target discriminator are presented for SCN and MSSR mode Ocean Surveillance, Very wide swath, Near incidence (OSVN)[1]. Since there was a very limited ship data suitable for simulating MSSR mode available, only a demonstration of MSSR OSVN classifier was included.
Ionization of Rydberg atoms of sodium by 360–4400 eV alkali-metal ions

Impact ionization by singly charged ions from Rydberg $\mathrm{Na}(24d)$ and $\mathrm{Na}(25s)$ states has been investigated over the reduced velocity region $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{v}=0.5--2.2.$ The ions of ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+},$ ${\mathrm{K}}^{+},$ and ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ were accelerated to energies from 360 to 4400 eV and used to bombard the laser-excited Rydberg atoms. Electrons released in the ionization of Rydberg atoms were collected from the collision volume and registered by a channel electron multiplier. Measured relative ionization cross sections from $\mathrm{Na}(24d)$ and $\mathrm{Na}(25s)$ states show maxima at $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{v}=1.6--1.7$ and agree moderately well with classical-trajectory Monte Carlo calculations.
Crystal structures of three misacylating mutants of Escherichia coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase complexed with tRNA(Gln) and ATP.

Three previously described mutant Escherichia coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) proteins that incorrectly aminoacylate the amber suppressor derived from tRNATyr (supF) with glutamine were coc...
Sorafenib Dose Escalation Is Not Uniformly Associated With Blood Pressure Elevations in Normotensive Patients With Advanced Malignancies

Hypertension after treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor inhibitors is associated with superior treatment outcomes for advanced cancer patients. To determine whether increased sorafenib doses cause incremental increases in blood pressure (BP), we measured 12-h ambulatory BP in 41 normotensive advanced solid tumor patients in a randomized dose-escalation study. After 7 days' treatment (400 mg b.i.d.), mean diastolic BP (DBP) increased in both study groups. After dose escalation, group A (400 mg t.i.d.) had marginally significant further increase in 12-h mean DBP (P = 0.053), but group B (600 mg b.i.d.) did not achieve statistically significant increases (P = 0.25). Within groups, individuals varied in BP response to sorafenib dose escalation, but these differences did not correlate with changes in steady-state plasma sorafenib concentrations. These findings in normotensive patients suggest BP is a complex pharmacodynamic biomarker of VEGF inhibition. Patients have intrinsic differences in sensitivity to sorafenib's BP-elevating effects.
Communication Supports in Congregate Residential Care Settings in Ohio

Background Communication skills are important to the pursuit of increased self-determination in individuals with disabilities. The aim of this investigation was to gather information about communication supports in state-run residential care facilities in Ohio, and to compare findings with a previous investigation on this topic examining such perceptions in group home environments. Methods An online survey was adapted from DeSimone & Cascella [Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 17, 2005, 1] to examine perceptions of habilitation managers regarding the quality of communication supports in their settings. Perceptions of communication supports by program manager-level staff in larger group residential facilities had not been previously investigated. Results Respondents reported a generally high quality of communication supports provided in their settings. Despite this general level of perceived quality, certain quality indicators related to supports for communication were relatively lower across respondents and were consistent with DeSimone & Cascella.
Cyclic strain induces expression of specific smooth muscle cell markers in human endothelial cells

Abstract Introduction. Homodynamic factors play crucial roles in vascular remodeling, healing, and disease formation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that cyclic strain could affect vascular cell differentiation or transdifferentiation. Methods. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured on biaxial stretch silicon membranes at 8% stretch and 60 cycles/min for 2 days. The mRNA levels of two smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers (α-actin and SM22-α) as well as a house keeping gene (GAPDH) were quantitatively determined by real-time RT-PCR. The data present as the difference of reaction cycle thresholds (CT) between GAPDH and each of other genes (2 −ΔCT ). Results. The mRNA levels of specific SMC α-actin and actin binding protein SM22-α were significantly increased by 5- and 2-fold, respectively, in cyclic strain treated HUVECs (0.255 ± 0.05 and 0.282 ± 0.004, respectively) as compared to those in untreated cells (0.042 ± 0.02 and 0.089 ± 0.023, respectively) ( P Conclusion. These data demonstrate that cyclic strain significantly induces expression of two specific SMC markers in HUVECs. This study suggests that homodynamic factors may induce potential transdifferentiation from endothelial cells to smooth muscle cells.
Two-Dimensional Depth-Averaged Flow Modeling with an Unstructured Hybrid Mesh

An unstructured hybrid mesh numerical method is developed to simulate open channel flows. The method is applicable to arbitrarily shaped mesh cells and offers a framework to unify many mesh topologies into a single formulation. A finite-volume discretization is applied to the two-dimensional depth-averaged equations such that mass conservation is satisfied both locally and globally. An automatic wetting-drying procedure is incorporated in conjunction with a segregated solution procedure that chooses the water surface elevation as the main variable. The method is applicable to both steady and unsteady flows and covers the entire flow range: subcritical, transcritical, and supercritical. The proposed numerical method is well suited to natural river flows with a combination of main channels, side channels, bars, floodplains, and in-stream structures. Technical details of the method are presented, verification studies are performed using a number of simple flows, and a practical natural river is modeled to il...
Interface-State Generation in Radiation-Hard Oxides

Results of several experiments are presented to demonstrate that there is a time-dependent buildup of interface states in hardened dry oxides following pulsed LINAC irradiation and to establish the field and dose dependencies of the interface-state buildup in these dry oxides. These results suggest that the same mechanisms are responsible for the interface-state buildup in both wet-grown and dry-grown oxide capacitors, the major difference being that the magnitude of the buildup in a hardened dry oxide is considerably smaller than that in a hardened wet oxide. For several lots of wet-grown and dry-grown oxide capacitors no increase in interface states was observed following exposure to a neutron fluence of ~1013 n/cm2.
The influence of external factors in causing the development of sexual organs in hydra viridis

1) WhenHydra viridis is subjected for a sufficient length of time to a low temperature which is then followed by a period of higher temperature and starvation it develops testes and eggs. 2) Hydras that are not first subjected to a low temperature will not develop reproductive organs when starved. 3) Hydra must be subjected to a low temperature for a longer period of time in order to produce eggs than to produce testes. 4) An abundance of food following the period of low temperature suppresses the formation of testes and eggs. 5) AHydra which produces testes and eggs can produce buds which also can develop testes and eggs. 6) Large individuals produce both testes and eggs but small individuals produce only testes. 7) Low temperature followed by a higher temperature causes rapid bud formation irrespective of the food conditions.
Linking conservation actions to demography: grass height explains variation in greater sage-grouse nest survival

Conservation success often hinges on our ability to link demography with implementable management actions to influence population growth (λ). Nest success is demonstrated to be important to λ in greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus, an imperiled species in the North American sagebrush-steppe. Enhancing this vital rate through management represents an opportunity to increase bird numbers inside population strongholds. We identified management for grass height as an action that can improve nest success in an analysis of sage-grouse nests (n = 529) from a long-term study (2003–2007) in the Powder River Basin, southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming, USA. Average grass height by study area and year varied (11.4–29.2 cm) but its positive effects on nest survival were consistent among study years and study areas that differed in absolute rates of nest success. We tested the predictive ability of models by grouping output from log-link analyses (2004–2006) into two bins with nest success probabilities <...
Nutritional assessment of infants with hypochromic anemia.

I RON deficiency in infancy is almost always due to nutritional factors rather than to loss of blood. The occurrence of iron deficiency in infants between six months and five years of age can be attributed to either an increased requirement or an inadequate intake. In a previous publication’ it was pointed out that iron deficiency developed more frequently in infants of low birth weight, twins, males and infants born to multiparous mothers, than would have been expected. These findings were interpreted as evidence that their relatively greater growth rate and/or reduced iron “stores” at birth predisposes them to the development of iron deficiency. The present study is concerned with a dietary and biochemical assessment of the nutritional status of a similar group of infants in order to evaluate the role of iron intake in the pathogenesis of their deficiency.
Sublingual immunotherapy improves symptoms of allergical rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma

Commentary on: Lin SY, Erekosima N, Kim JM, et al. Sublingual immunotherapy for the treatment of allergical rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma: a systematic review. JAMA 2013;309:1278–88.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Allergical rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) and asthma are among the most prevalent chronic disorders affecting the US population, and contribute significantly to morbidity, direct and indirect healthcare costs and quality-of-life issues. Specific immunotherapy remains as a mainstay of treatment for these diseases and has traditionally been administered subcutaneously over an extended treatment period to desensitise allergical patients and improve their symptoms. Over the last several years, European regulatory authorities have approved1 the use of sublingual immunotherapy to treat allergical diseases and nearly 45% of allergen-specific immunotherapy is currently administered via this route in those countries.2 The advantages of sublingual immunotherapy over subcutaneous immunotherapy include ease of administration, avoidance of injections and convenience of home administration. In the USA, there are currently no … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJAMA%26rft.volume%253D309%26rft.spage%253D1278%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Fjama.2013.2049%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23532243%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/jama.2013.2049&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=23532243&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F1%2F34.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000316625200028&link_type=ISI
Constrained H~~ Mixed-Sensitivity Optimization for Stable Infinite-Dimensional Plants: Application to Thermal Diffusion Process

This paper shows how Hinfin near-optimal finite-dimensional compensators may be designed for stable linear time invariant (LTI) infinite dimensional plants subject to convex constraints. The infinite dimensional plant is approximated by a finite dimensional approximant. The Youla parameterization is used to parameterize the set of all stabilizing LTI controllers and formulate a weighted mixed-sensitivity Hinfin optimization that is convex in the Youla Q-Parameter. A finite-dimensional (real-rational) stable basis is used to approximate the Q-parameter. By so doing, we transform the associated infinite dimensional optimization problem from to a finite-dimensional optimization problem involving a search over a finite-dimensional parameter space. In addition to solving weighted mixed sensitivity Hinfin control system design problems, subgradient concepts are used to directly accommodate time-domain specifications (e.g. peak value of control action) in the design process. As such, we provide a systematic design methodology for a large class of infinite-dimensional plant control system design problems. In short, the approach taken permits a designer to address control system design problems for which no direct method exists. Convergence results are presented. An illustrative example for a thermal diffusion process is also provided
Thermal Characterization of Nanowire Array in a-Al2O3 Matrix

Thermal properties characterization of Bi nanowires is critical in order to validate the predicted enhancement of their thermoelectric figure-of-merit. In this paper we report the effective thermal diffusivity of Bi nanowires array embedded in a-Al2O3 (alumina) template. The composite material consists of 85% alumina and approximately 15% Bi nanowires with a diameter of 40 nm and an average length of 40 [.proportional]m. Measurements are performed along the nanowire axis. A thermal wave is produced at the front side of the sample and it is monitored at the backside through a fast thermoelectric effect. A one-dimensional heat conduction model is used to extract the thermal diffusivity.
Studies in allergy. I. Serotonin, histamine, and antigen-antibody complex activity in isolated sensitized guinea pig uteri.

Abstract The uteri of twenty-five virgin allergen-sensitized guinea pigs were studied in the Schultz-Dale muscle bath apparatus before and after in vitro and in vivo shocking. All uterine horns from guinea pigs responded to acetylcholine. Eighty-two per cent of normal nonsensitized horns contracted on addition of histamine. After sensitization, 61 per cent of the sensitized horns responded to histamine. Thirty to forty per cent of the uterine horns responded to serotonin before and after sensitization. After shocking by in vivo antigenic exposure, 61 per cent of the uteri responded maximally to serotonin. A significant increase in response of scnsitized uteri was obtained through the use of soluble antigen-antibody complexes over the use of antigen alone.
Progress in the determination of the gravitational coefficient of the Earth

In most of the recent determinations of the geocentric gravitational coefficient (GM) of the earth, the laser ranging data to the Lageos satellite have had the greatest influence on the solution. These data, however, have generally been processed with a small but significant error in one of the range corrections. In a new determination of GM using the corrected center-of-mass offset, a value of 398600.4415 cu km/sq sec (including the mass of the atmosphere) has been obtained, with an estimated uncertainty (1 sigma of 0.0008 cu km/sq sec.
Gallbladder cancer: Past, present and an uncertain future

Although gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract, its relatively low incidence and confounding symptomatology result in advanced disease at the time presentation, contributing to the poor prognosis and decreased survival associated with this disease. It is therefore increasingly important to understand its pathogenesis and risk factors to allow for the earliest possible diagnosis. To date, gallbladder cancer is poorly understood compared to other malignancies, and is still most commonly discovered incidentally after cholecystectomy. Moreover, while much is known about biliary neoplasms as a whole, understanding the clinical and molecular nuances of GBC as a separate disease process will prove a cornerstone in the development of early intervention, potential screening and overall more effective treatment strategies. The present work reviews the most current understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, staging and natural history of GBC, with additional focus on surgical treatment. Further, review of current adjuvant therapies for unresectable and advanced disease as well as prognostic factors provide fertile ground for the development of future studies which will hopefully improve treatment outcomes and affect overall survival for this highly morbid, poorly understood malignancy.
Conformational changes at the nucleotide pocket of motor proteins monitored by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

A fundamental goal in the field of motor proteins is to identify the conformational changes associated with the hydrolysis of the physiological substrate, ATP, and to define how these conformational changes are modulated by binding to the polymer track and translated into biologically useful movement. We have used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to monitor conformational changes at the nucleotide-binding site of myosin- and kinesin-family motors. A novel set of nucleotide-analog EPR spin probes were synthe- sized and used to localize a spin moiety at the nucleotide site. This allows a reporter group to be placed with high specificity at the ATP binding site. Our results indicate that the nucleotide-binding site of myosin motors opens when the motor binds to its polymer road- way, actin, while that of kinesin closes on binding to microtubules (MTs). However, the tran- sition is not all-or-none. There is instead an equilibrium between open and closed conforma- tions. The different conformational changes in the two motor families can be correlated with differences in their biochemical cycles. Thus, we can now define the relationship between nucleotide-site structure, biochemistry and polymer binding for the two motors.
Low-Latency Successive-Cancellation Polar Decoder Architectures Using 2-Bit Decoding

Polar codes have emerged as important error correction codes due to their capacity-achieving property. Successive cancellation (SC) algorithm is viewed as a good candidate for hardware design of polar decoders due to its low complexity. However, for (n, k) polar codes, the long latency of SC algorithm of (2n-2) is a bottleneck for designing high-throughput polar decoder. In this paper, we present a novel reformulation for the last stage of SC decoding. The proposed reformulation leads to two benefits. First, critical path and hardware complexity in the last stage of SC algorithm is significantly reduced. Second, 2 bits can be decoded simultaneously instead of 1 bit. As a result, this new decoder, referred to as 2b-SC decoder, reduces latency from (2n-2) to (1.5n-2) without performance loss. Additionally, overlapped-scheduling, precomputation and look-ahead techniques are used to design two additional decoders referred to as 2b-SC-Overlapped-scheduling decoder and 2b-SC-Precomputation decoder, respectively. All three architectures offer significant advantages with respect to throughput and hardware efficiency. Compared to known prior least-latency SC decoder, the 2b-SC-Precomputation decoder has 25% less latency. Synthesis results show that the proposed (1024, 512) 2b-SC-Precomputation decoder can achieve at least 4 times increase in throughput and 40% increase in hardware efficiency.
Addressing gender inequity in HIV care in rural Lesotho: the ‘Male Initiative’

BACKGROUND: Lesotho is a nation in Southern Africa with an HIV prevalence of 25%. Males are less likely to access HIV services and there is a need for strategies to improve male participation in HIV care. This paper describes the development and implementation of the Male Initiative to increase male participation in HIV services. METHODS: A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to describe the components process organization participation and potential impact of the Male Initiative. RESULTS: The Male Initiative was developed in partnership with local village chiefs traditional healers and spiritual leaders. It used the traditional male meeting structure known as the Pitso-ea-banna to deliver messages about HIV care. 1311 men participated in five Male Initiative meetings over a 30 month period from June 2006-31 December 2008. Male enrollment increased from 32% in 2006 to 36.8% in 2008 a trend which approached statistical significance (p = 0.07) and suggests potential programmatic impact that merits further study. CONCLUSION: Gender inequalities in enrollment in HIV care can be addressed through programs developed in partnership with local leaders and delivered in culturally accepted settings.
AFFECTIVE RESPONSES WITHIN A COMPLEX DECISION‐MAKING TASK: THE INFLUENCE OF “PERCEPTUALLY” ILL‐STRUCTURED PROBLEMS

The perceptual effects of varying levels of expert advice for potentially improving on strategic decisions were examined in conjunction with goals. The amounts of advice about decision alternatives, as well as assigned goals ranging from “nearly impossible” to “easy,” were manipulated. The task used was complex and functioned perceptually as an “ill-structured” problem. Mixed results indicated that more advice significantly affected satisfaction but advice in general had little influence on effort. On the other hand, as goal difficulty decreased, satisfaction and effort significantly increased. Easy goals were superior to more difficult ones within this perceptually ill-structured decision-making situation.
DIALOGIC: a core natural-language processing system

The DIALOGIC system translates English sentences into representations of their literal meaning in the context of an utterance. These representations, or "logical forms," are intended to be a purely formal language that is as close as possible to the structure of natural language, while providing the semantic compositionality necessary for meaning-dependent computational processing. The design of DIALOGIC (and of its constituent modules) was influenced by the goal of using it as the core language-processing component in a variety of systems, some of which are transportable to new domains of application.
Peroxy radical chemistry during FIELDVOC 1993 in Brittany, France

Abstract Peroxy radicals were measured using the technique of chemical amplification in two configurations during the FIELDVOC experiment during May and June, 1993 in Brittany, France. The two measurements showed good agreement during most of the periods when they overlapped. As observed at other sites, peroxy radicals can be responsible for significant daytime in situ ozone production. They can also be formed at night through NO3-radical reaction with various organic compounds, most notably dimethyl sulfide, other sulfur-containing compounds, as well as other organic compounds present in abundance at this coastal site. The hypotheses put forward to suggest that these reactions are important in the marine troposphere could not be tested fully due to instrumental limitations in the RO2 and NO3 measurements, but these measurements place strong constraints on the strength of these radical sources. The importance of possible heterogeneous loss of peroxy and nitrate radicals is addressed with the measurement and associated modeling efforts.
The Jealous Institution: Male Nubility, Conjugality, Sexuality, and Discipline on the Social Margins of Imperial Brazil

In 1997, an “attempted rebellion” erupted in the Professor Barreto Campelo Penitentiary on Itamaraca Island, Pernambuco. A journalist reported that the suspension of conjugal visits sparked a brawl in which three inmates were stabbed before guards restored order. The warden clarified that conjugal visits had been suspended after fights broke out between rival cellblocks when someone pilfered objects visitors had brought to prisoners. A woman who desired anonymity informed, “The convicts notified us in the afternoon by way of notes that they would fight again that night. I think that the lack of contact with their female companions leaves all of the men agitated.” The warden brokered a truce with the inmates' leaders in part by promising that conjugal visits would resume the next week. The reporter concluded, almost as an afterthought, that inmates renewed protests about the overcrowding of eleven hundred inmates into a jail designed for four hundred.
A sensorless optimal control system for an automotive electric power assist steering system

This paper considers the analysis and design of a double-pinion-type electric power assist steering (EPAS) control system. A simplified model of the augmented steering assembly-electric motor system is developed using Lagrangian dynamics, and an optimal controller structure for the model is proposed. Three main advances to the state of the art are presented in this paper. First, a state-space design model is used rather than an input-output model. A state-space formulation for a system model that incorporates motor electrical dynamics is obtained with the assist motor angular position as the output. Second, linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and Kalman filter techniques are employed to arrive at an optimal controller for the EPAS system. The selection of weighting coefficients for the LQR cost function is discussed. Finally, the authors present a control strategy that eliminates the steering column torque sensor, a critical component in existing EPAS controller designs. The proposed control strategy presents an opportunity to improve EPAS system performance and also reduce system cost and complexity.
Pollution of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in tidal flat of Hangzhou Bay 2009–2013

The concentration and distribution of three persistent organic pollutants (hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) was assessed in tidal flat sediments collected from the south bank of Hangzhou Bay, China from 2009 to 2013. Gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used for analysis, based on United States Environmental Protection Agency methods EPA8080A, EPA8081B, and EPA3550B. The results showed that the levels of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs decreased in the order of DDTs < HCHs < PCBs, and their mass fractions ranged from 0.29–32.91, 0.09–13.19 and 0.16–4.10 μg/kg (dry mass), respectively. The levels of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs decreased slowly from 2009 to 2013, with considerably greater concentrations in winter than in spring and summer. In this study area, the concentrations of DDTs and HCHs decreased gradually towards the mouth of Hangzhou Bay, while the concentrations of PCBs were related to changes in the local economy. In addition, the sources of HCHs and DDTs were identified as atmospheric precipitation and historical residues. Finally, we predicted that PCBs pollution primarily originated from Aroclor 1254(Lot A4), which might root in the illegal demolition and stacking of abandoned paint, transformer or electronic equipment in the south bank of Hangzhou Bay.
Bifunctionality and Mechanism of Electrodeposited Nickel–Phosphorous Films for Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Efficient, stable, and low-cost electrocatalysts are crucial for realizing large-scale water splitting. Herein, we report that electrodeposited nickel–phosphorous (Ni–P) films can act as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. The as-prepared Ni–P films exhibit remarkable catalytic performance for both H2 and O2 evolution reactions (HER and OER) in alkaline media, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at overpotentials of −93 mV for HER and 344 mV for OER with Tafel slopes of 43 and 49 mV dec−1, respectively, rivaling the performance of Pt and IrO2. Various techniques were employed to probe the composition and morphology of the Ni–P films prior to and post catalysis, revealing the major composition of the as-prepared and post-HER films as metallic nickel and nickel phosphide, which partially transform to nickel oxides during OER. It was also found that the catalytic rate of OER catalyzed by Ni–P was first order in the activity of the hydroxide anion.
Outcomes following impaction bone grafting for treatment of unstable osteochondritis dissecans

Abstract Background Many methods have been proposed to treat unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). Our purpose is to report outcomes in a cohort of patients undergoing impaction bone grafting for treatment of knee OCD. Methods Patients undergoing impaction bone grafting for knee OCD between 1998 and 2011 were contacted and stratified into (a) those who have undergone subsequent surgery on the affected knee and (b) those who have not had revision surgery performed on the affected knee since the impaction bone grafting procedure. For those not undergoing another procedure, physical examination, radiographs, MRI, and functional outcomes (SF12, Tegner, Activity Rating Scale, and IKDC) were obtained. Results Of nine patients (10 knees) undergoing the procedure, seven (eight knees) were available for follow-up. Three had revision surgery. One had debridement due to surface overgrowth and had no symptoms 43months following debridement, while two had osteochondral allograft and autograft procedures at three and 10years after initial surgery, respectively. Four patients did not require a revision surgical procedure at average follow-up of 55.4months (range, 21–116months). All had complete MRI fill of the cartilaginous defect with less than 50% of surface irregularity and redeveloped the tidemark and a heterogeneous cartilaginous surface. Follow-up Tegner, ARS, and SF12-PCS averaged 6.8, 67.5, and 56.6, respectively. All four had good/excellent IKDC results. Conclusion Impaction bone grafting can reliably restore osteocartilaginous defect produced by OCD and is a readily available and less-expensive option in treating OCD lesions. Further investigation is necessary to determine the long-term durability of the results. Level IV – Case series
The Politics of Empathy: Social Movements and Victim Repertoires

Abstract I draw from the sociology of social problems, social movements, and emotions to consider the articulation of cultural resonance and feeling rules in the framing of victims by social movement activists. I theorize that “political empathy,” expressed in policy and through collective identification, is related to social evaluations, attributions of agency, normative emotional responses, and frame resonance. Frames appealing to broad audiences and inspiring collective identification may depend on victim typifications that negotiate widely shared values and sometimes conflicting emotional standards. In some cases, this negotiation can be accomplished through reframing, or shifting movement representations of victimization. To illustrates I briefly discuss the increasing popularity of “survivor” imagery in scholarly characterizations of and discourse on battered women, concluding with suggestions for further theorizing and research.