cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operational status of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Test Facility

The design and operation of a 50-MeV electron linear accelerator utilizing a low emittance ( gamma epsilon =5 to 10 mm-mrad) radio-frequency gun operating at an output energy of 5 MeV and a charge of 1 nC are described. Design calculations, early radio-frequency measurements, and operational experience with the electron gun utilizing a dummy cathode in place of the proposed photocathode emitter are given. The dynamics of the electron beam coming off the photocathode has been modeled with the programs PARMELA and MASK. General agreement as to the expected characteristics of the electron beam at the RF-gun exit has been obtained using the two programs. It was also verified that, with proper matching of the transverse beam, no increase of the transverse normalized emittance occurs at the linac due to the fundamental RF mode. >
A parallel algorithm for 2-D DFT computation with no interprocessor communication

A parallel algorithm is proposed for the two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform (2-D DFT) computation which eliminates interprocessor communications and uses only O(N) processors. The mapping of the algorithm onto architectures with broadcast and report capabilities is discussed. Expressions are obtained for estimating the speed performance on these machines as a function of the size N*N of the 2-D DFT, the bandwidth of the communications channel, the time for an addition, the time T(F/sub N/) for a single processing element to perform an N-point DFT, and the degree of parallelism. For single I/O channel machines that are capable of exploiting the full degree of parallelism of the algorithm, attainable execution times are as low as the time T(F/sub N/) plus the I/O time for data upload and download. An implementation on a binary tree computer is discussed. >
A circulatory system approach for wireless sensor networks

One of the challenges in a military wireless sensor network is the determination of an information collection infrastructure which minimizes battery power consumption. The problem of determining the right information collection infrastructure can be viewed as a variation of the network design problem, with the additional constraints related to battery power minimization and redundancy. The problem in its generality is NP-hard and various heuristics have been developed over time to address various issues associated with it. In this paper, we propose a heuristic based on the mammalian circulatory system, which results in a better solution to the design problem than the state of the art alternatives.
Monocular visual odometry for robot localization in LNG pipes

Regular inspection for corrosion of the pipes used in Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) processing facilities is critical for safety. We argue that a visual perception system equipped on a pipe crawling robot can improve on existing techniques (Magnetic Flux Leakage, radiography, ultrasound) by producing high resolution registered appearance maps of the internal surface. To achieve this capability, it is necessary to estimate the pose of sensors as the robot traverses the pipes. We have explored two monocular visual odometry algorithms (dense and sparse) that can be used to estimate sensor pose. Both algorithms use a single easily made measurement of the scene structure to resolve the monocular scale ambiguity in their visual odometry estimates. We have obtained pose estimates using these algorithms with image sequences captured from cameras mounted on different robots as they moved through two pipes having diameters of 152mm (6″) and 406mm (16″), and lengths of 6 and 4 meters respectively. Accurate pose estimates were obtained whose errors were consistently less than 1 percent for distance traveled down the pipe.
Monsters and Babies from the FIRST/IRAS Survey

Radio continuum emission at cm wavelengths is relatively little affected by extinction. When combined with far-infrared (FIR) surveys this provides for a convenient and unbiased method to select (radio-loud) AGN and starbursts deeply embedded in gas and dust--rich galaxies. Such radio-selected FIR samples are useful for detailed investigations of the complex relationships between (radio) galaxy and starburst activity, and to determine whether ULIRGs are powered by hidden quasars (monsters) or young stars (babies). We present the results of a large program to obtain identifications and spectra of radio-selected, optically faint IRAS/FSC objects using the FIRST/VLA 20 cm survey. These objects are all radio-`quiet' in the sense that their radio power / FIR luminosities follow the well-known radio/FIR relationship for star forming galaxies. We compare these results to a previous study by our group of a sample of radio-`loud' IRAS/FSC ULIRGs selected from the Texas 365 MHz survey. Many of these objects also show evidence for dominant, A-type stellar populations, as well as high ionization lines usually associated with AGN. These radio-loud ULIRGs have properties intermediate between those of starbursts and quasars, suggesting a possible evolutionary connection. Deep Keck spectroscopic observations of three ULIRGs from these samples are presented, including high signal-to-noise spectropolarimetry. The polarimetry observations failed to show evidence of a hidden quasar in polarized (scattered) light in the two systems in which the stellar light was dominated by A-type stars. Although observations of a larger sample would be needed to allow a general conclusion, our current data suggest that a large fraction of ULIRGs may be powered by luminous starbursts, not by hidden, luminous AGN (quasars). [abridged]
Posaconazole as successful treatment for fungemia due to Cryptococcus albidus in a liver transplant recipient.

A 55-year-old man with Laennec cirrhosis and a MELD score of 24 underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. Post-operatively his recovery was complicated by development of sepsis syndrome with fever and respiratory failure. Antimicrobial coverage with broad-spectrum antibacterials, fluconazole 400 mg IV daily, and prophylactic doses of oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and valganciclovir as well as immunosuppressive treatment with sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and intermittent doses of lymphocyte immune globulin, anti-thymocyte, were begun in the perioperative period. Focus of infection was not identified despite an aggressive evaluation including unremarkable physical examination and computed tomograms of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, negative cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, negative stool assay for Clostridium difficile toxin, and multiple negative cultures of blood and urine. Daily fevers in excess of …
The cynomolgus monkey as a model for orbital research. III. Effects on ocular physiology of lateral orbitotomy and isolation of the ciliary ganglion

Five cynomolgus monkeys underwent unilateral lateral orbitotomy and isolation but not removal of the ciliary ganglion. Orbitotomized eyes were compared with untouched contralateral eyes with respect to intraocular pressure, aqueous humor formation rate, pupillary diameter and light reflex, corneal reflex, entry of intravenously administered fluorescein into the anterior chamber, anterior chamber volume, pharmacologically (pilocarpine, carbachol, echothiophate) induced accommodation, electroretinogram (ERG), visually evoked cortical response (VER), and clinical biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, and fluorescein fundus angiography.Orbitotomized eyes accommodated significantly less than contralateral normal eyes in response to topical echothiophate one to two weeks after surgery. This difference was no longer present 15 to 20 weeks after orbitotomy. The implicit time on the light adapted ERG in the orbitotomized eyes was slightly but significantly shorter than in the normal eyes two to six weeks after orbitotomy...
Exploring Weak Stabilization for Motion Feature Extraction

We describe novel but simple motion features for the problem of detecting objects in video sequences. Previous approaches either compute optical flow or temporal differences on video frame pairs with various assumptions about stabilization. We describe a combined approach that uses coarse-scale flow and fine-scale temporal difference features. Our approach performs weak motion stabilization by factoring out camera motion and coarse object motion while preserving nonrigid motions that serve as useful cues for recognition. We show results for pedestrian detection and human pose estimation in video sequences, achieving state-of-the-art results in both. In particular, given a fixed detection rate our method achieves a five-fold reduction in false positives over prior art on the Caltech Pedestrian benchmark. Finally, we perform extensive diagnostic experiments to reveal what aspects of our system are crucial for good performance. Proper stabilization, long time-scale features, and proper normalization are all critical.
Histologic examinations of teeth treated with 2 scaffolds: a pilot animal investigation.

Abstract Introduction A growing body of evidence is building a case for the possibility of tissue regeneration within the root canal of necrotic teeth, allowing for continued root development. However, it remains unknown what type of tissue is produced after regenerative endodontics. The purpose of this study was to use blood clots and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as scaffolds in regenerative endodontics under ideal conditions in a ferret model to examine the tissues generated within the root canals. Methods The pulps of 21 canine teeth from 7 young ferrets were extirpated using broaches without filing the canal walls. Bleeding was stimulated from the periapical tissues, and a blood clot was induced in the canal space to the level of the cementoenamel junction in 12 teeth. PRP was prepared and placed in the canals to the level of the cementoenamel junction in 9 teeth. The coronal access was sealed with mineral trioxide aggregate. Seven canines were not operated on and served as controls. Three months later, block sections including each canine and its surrounding tissues were removed for histologic evaluation. The tissues found in the canals of experimental teeth were compared with those in the control teeth. Results Almost all of the experimental teeth showed the presence of intracanal bonelike tissue. No evidence of dentinal wall thickening or apical narrowing was noted in the experimental teeth. Conclusions In this experimental model, the use of either PRP or blood clots during regenerative endodontics leads to the formation of intracanal bonelike tissue without continual root maturation.
Thin air-plasma-treated alkali fluoride layers for improved hole extraction in copper phthalocyanine/C70-based solar cells

Alkali fluorides, mostly LiF and CsF, are well-known to improve electron injection/extraction in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic solar cells (OSCs). They are also utilized, though to a lesser extent, for hole injection in OLEDs. Here we demonstrate a new role for such fluorides in enhancing OSCs' hole extraction. We show that an ultrathin air-plasma-treated alkali fluoride layer between the indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and the active layer in copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/C70-based OSCs increases the short circuit current by up to ∼ 17% for cells with LiF and ∼ 7% for cells with NaF or CsF. The effects of the fluoride layer thickness and treatment duration were evaluated, as were OSCs with oxidized and plasma-treated Li and UV-ozone treated LiF. Measurements included current voltage, absorption, external quantum efficiency (EQE), atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which showed the presence of alkali atoms F and O at the treated ITO/fluoride surface. The EQE of optimized devices with LiF increased at wavelengths >560 nm, exceeding the absorption increase. Overall, the results indicate that the improved performance is due largely to enhanced hole extraction, possibly related to improved energy-level alignment at the fluorinated ITO/CuPc interface, reduced OSC series resistance, and in the case of LiF, improved absorption.
Exploiting online sources to accurately geocode addresses

Many Geographic Information System (GIS) applications require the conversion of an address to geographic coordinates. This process is called geocoding. The traditional geocoding method uses a street vector data source, such as, Tigerlines, to obtain address range and coordinates of the street segment on which the given address is located. Next, an approximation technique is used to estimate the location of the given address using the address range of the selected street segment. However, this provides inaccurate results since the approximation assumes that properties exist at all possible addresses and all properties are of equal size. To address the inaccuracy of the traditional geocoding approach, we propose two new methods for geocoding using additional online data sources. The first method, the uniform-lot-size method, uses the number of addresses/lots present on the street segment to approximate the location of an address. The second method, the actual-lot-size method, takes into consideration the lot sizes on the street segment and the orientation of the lots as well. Moreover, we describe an implementation of these methods using an information mediator to obtain information about actual number of lots and sizes of the lots on the streets from various property tax web sites. We geocoded an area covering 13 blocks (267 addresses) using all three methods. Our evaluation shows that the traditional method results in an average error of 36.85 meters, while the uniform-lot-size and the actual-lot-size methods result in the average error of 7.87 meters and 1.63 meters, respectively.
Comparison of outcomes for patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

Background. The comparative outcomes of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are unclear; the aim of our study was to make an objective comparison. Methods. A total of 273 patients with PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (223 with UC and 50 with CD) were included. Clinical and demographic variables were obtained. Results. The PSC risk score was similar for both groups. The median follow-up period in patients with PSC-UC was 12 years (range 0–38) and that for PSC-CD was 14 years (range 1–36). The median number of disease flares per year was higher in PSC-UC patients than in the PSC-CD group [1vs.0 (ranges 0–20 and 0–9, respectively); P < 0.001]. More patients with UC developed colon neoplasia than CD (35.9% vs.18%; P ¼ 0.009). On proportional hazards analysis for the risk of colectomy, UC patients had a 12% higher risk for colectomy [hazard ratio (HR) ¼ 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51–1.51; P ¼ 0.64]. Liver transplantation for PSC was associated with decreased risk (HR ¼ 0.57; 95% CI 0.37–0.89; P ¼ 0.013), while colon neoplasia increased the risk (HR ¼ 3.83; 95% CI 2.63–5.58; P < 0.001) for colectomy. On proportional hazards analysis for the risk of colon neoplasia, UC patients had 56% higher risk of developing colon neoplasia than CD (HR ¼ 0.44; 95% CI 0.16–1.25; P ¼ 0.12). Conclusions. PSC patients with CD appear to be associated with a lower risk of colon neoplasia and colectomy than PSC patients with UC.
Retrieval with gene queries

Background Accuracy of document retrieval from MEDLINE for gene queries is crucially important for many applications in bioinformatics. We explore five information retrieval-based methods to rank documents retrieved by PubMed gene queries for the human genome. The aim is to rank relevant documents higher in the retrieved list. We address the special challenges faced due to ambiguity in gene nomenclature: gene terms that refer to multiple genes, gene terms that are also English words, and gene terms that have other biological meanings.
LARGE COMPANY USE OF CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS : THE IMPLICATIONS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

Pfizer uses contract research organizations (CRO) to help with occasional peaks in the workload. This paper details the use of CROs to handle an entire clinical trial and hiring contract clinical quality assurance auditors to audit sponsor-managed clinical trials—from the viewpoint of the sponsor. For a successful relationship, both sponsor and CRO must be committed to clinical quality assurance.
Tomographic estimation of the spatial distribution of statics

Nonuniqueness associated with statics estimation using reflection or refraction data alone can be largely overcome by using both data types together. The use of both reflection and refraction data has the effect of increasing the effective aperture of the observations, and hence generating better constrained velocity estimations. A tomographic inversion for velocity allows direct incorporation of both data types and topography in a single formulation. The resulting velocity distribution can be the basis of static corrections for all angles of propagation.
Polarization-Based High Resolution Radar Scatterer Classification

We consider the use of polarization diversity for the detection, tracking and classification of scattering centers in high range resolution radar (HRR) data. Specifically, we propose a novel exploitation of polarization ratios to label moving scattering features into various geometrical classes including edges, tips or smooth reflectors. We demonstrate scattering-center labeling for both parametric and non-parametric classification algorithms. Experimental results on simulated HRR data are provided and indicate that polarimetric information can be exploited for geometrical typing of scatterers
Image rectification for stereoscopic visualization

This paper proposes an approach to rectifying two images of the same scene captured by cameras at general positions so that the results form a stereo pair that satisfies the constraints of the stereoscopic visualization platforms. This is unlike conventional image rectification research that primarily focuses on making stereo matching easier but pays little attention to 3D viewing. The novel derivation of the rectification algorithm also has an intuitive physical meaning that is not available from conventional approaches. Practical issues related to wide-baseline rectification and operation range of the proposed method are analyzed. Both simulated and real data experiments are used to assess the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Rapid decrease of cytochrome P-450IIE1 in primary hepatocyte culture and its maintenance by added 4-methylpyrazole.

Studies were conducted to evaluate the possible induction or the maintenance of cytochrome P-450IIE1 in primary hepatocyte cultures by the inducing agent 4-methylpyrazole. Hepatocytes were isolated from control (noninduced) rats and from rats treated in vivo with either pyrazole or 4-methylpyrazole to induce P-450IIE1. The content of P-450IIE1 was determined by Western blots with antipyrazole P-450 IgG, and catalytic activity was assessed by assays of dimethyl-nitrosamine demethylase activity. The treatment with 4-methylpyrazole in vivo increased the content of P-450IIE1 and dimethylnitrosamine demethylase activity sevenfold and fourfold, respectively. In cultures prepared from noninduced hepatocytes, P-450IIE1 levels fell to values of 76%, 65%, 31% and 1% of freshly isolated hepatocytes after 1, 3, 6 and 9 days in culture. A similar decrease in dimethylnitrosamine demethylase was observed during this time. In cultures prepared from induced hepatocytes, the decline in P-450IIE1 was more rapid as levels fell to 77%, 31%, 3% and 3% of initial values after 1, 3, 6 and 9 days in culture. Again, the fall in dimethylnitrosamine demethylase activity paralleled the decline in content of P-450IIE1 and was more rapid with the induced hepatocytes. With cultures prepared from noninduced or induced hepatocytes, the addition of 4-methylpyrazole in vitro did not increase the content of P-450IIE1 or the activity of dimethylnitrosamine demethylase over the initial values. However, 4-methylpyrazole appeared to stabilize the P-450IIE1 and to decrease its rate of decline in culture. In noninduced cultures, the percent remaining content of P-450IIE1 after 6 days was 31% in the absence of and 52% in the presence of 5 mol/L 4-methylpyrazole. In cultures from 4-methylpyrazole—induced hepatocytes, the percent remaining P-450IIE1 after 3 days was 31% in the absence of inducer and 59% with 4-methylpyrazole added in vitro. Similarly 4-methylpyrazole helped to prevent the rapid decline of dimethylnitrosamine demethylase activity in induced and noninduced cultures. Viability of the induced and noninduced cultures in the absence or presence of added 4-methylpyrazole was similar. Levels of mRNA for P-450IIE1 were similar for livers from control rats and from rats treated in vivo with 4-methylpyrazole. The mRNA levels rapidly declined in induced and noninduced cultures, and this decline, unlike the fall in P-450IIE1 or dimethylnitrosamine demethylase activity, could not be prevented by the addition of 4-methylpyrazole in vitro to the cultures. These results suggest that the already induced P-450IIE1 isozyme is more labile and subject to rapid decline in culture and that inducers such as 4-methylpyrazole appear to stabilize the P-450IIE1 and thus help to maintain this isozyme and associated catalytic activity in cultures prepared from noninduced and induced hepatocytes. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:1379–1389).
Hausdorff Compactifications: A Retrospective

It was far from clear in the early years of general topology how to abstract the proper concepts from ℝ or I, first to metric spaces and later, to topological spaces. Today it seems that topology of the early 20th century was a virtual battleground of competing ideas, with various notions vying for attention. To quote Engelking [1989], pp. 132–133 on the topic of compactness: When general topology was in its infancy, defining new classes of spaces often consisted in taking a property of the closed interval I or of the real line ℝ and considering the class of all spaces that have this property; classes of separable, compact, complete and connected spaces were defined following this pattern. At first this method was used to define some classes of metric spaces, later definitions were extended to topological spaces. Sometimes properties equivalent in the class of metric spaces, when extended to topological spaces, led to different classes of topological spaces ... and it was not immediately clear which class was the proper generalization. This happened with compactness, and for some time there was doubt whether the proper extension of the class of compact metric spaces is the class of compact spaces, the class of countable compact spaces, or the class of sequentially compact spaces ... By now, it is quite clear that it is the class of compact spaces; this class behaves best with respect to operations on topological spaces, is most often met in applications and leads to the most interesting problems.
A Small Portable Centrifugal Fast Analyzer System

The recent development of minature fast analyzer systems based on the GeMSAEC principle, coupled with the possibility of direct introduction of unprocessed liquid samples, has been further extended to include a very small analytical system that is inexpensive, battery-operated, and portable. The basic analyzer is included in and on a cabinet, about 10 x 10 x 10 cm, and a coupled data-processor records analytical data in absorbance units and in arbitrary fluorescence units. The system is compatible with up to seven simultaneous colorimetric or fluorometric assays on physiologic fluids. The dynamic mode of sample loading is used, and the system is compatible with the introduction of unprocessed whole blood. End-point or rate analysis is possible, and the coefficient of variation obtained in multichemistry tests on a single serum sample introduced dynamically is comparable to that obtained with larger Centrifugal Fast Analyzer systems.
Commensurate Phases of Kr Adsorbed on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

In this paper, we show that Krypton atoms form a commensurate solid (CS) phase with a fractional coverage of one krypton atom per every four carbons on zigzag carbon nanotubes. This is a unique phase, different from the $$\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$$ R30 $$^\circ $$ CS monolayer formed on graphite, which has a lower coverage of one krypton atom per every six carbons. Our prediction disagrees with experiments that observe in nanotubes the same solid structure found on graphite. In order to address this discrepancy, we simulated adsorption of Kr on zigzag and armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes with radii ranging from 4.7 to 28.83 A. Our simulations confirm that the CS of coverage 1/4 forms on medium-sized zigzag nanotubes. We also found the 1/6-coverage solid on graphene, which represents the infinite-radius limit of a nanotube. Our findings are key to experiments of adsorption on nanotubes where the interpretation and justification of the results are based on the monolayer coverage, such as mass or conductance isotherms measurements.
Electrostatic Potential Maps and Natural Bond Orbital Analysis: Visualization and Conceptualization of Reactivity in Sanger's Reagent.

Frederick Sanger’s early work on protein sequencing through the use of colorimetric labeling combined with liquid chromatography involves an important nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reaction in which the N-terminus of a protein is tagged with Sanger’s reagent. Understanding the inherent differences between this SNAr reaction and other nucleophilic substitution reactions (SN1 and SN2) can be challenging for students learning organic chemistry. Here, both electrostatic potential (ESP) maps and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses are employed to visualize and conceptualize Sanger’s key observation of the difference in reactivity between 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. The utility of this method is extended to compare the reactivity of a series of halobenzenes for SNAr fluorination, a widely used reaction in pharmaceutical and medicinal fields. In combination with experimental results from the literature, the ESP maps and NBO analyses are consistent with and provide excellent...
A Multi-Center Diabetes Eye Screening Study in Community Settings: Study Design and Methodology.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years within the United States. The Innovative Network for Sight Research group (INSIGHT) designed the Diabetic Eye Screening Study (DESS) to examine the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of non-mydriatic diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening for adults with diabetes in community-based settings.Methods: Study enrollment began in December 2011 at four sites: an internal medicine clinic at a county hospital in Birmingham, Alabama; a Federally-qualified community healthcare center in Miami-Dade County, Florida; a university-affiliated outpatient pharmacy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and a medical home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. People 18 years or older with previously diagnosed diabetes were offered free DR screening using non-mydriatic retinal photography that was preceded by a brief questionnaire addressing demographic information and previous eye care use. Visual acuity was also measured for each...
MS2-2: Environmental Exposures, Epigenetics, and Epidemiology: Influence of Environmental Factors on Pubertal Maturation and Breast Cancer Etiology.

Although much of breast cancer etiology can be explained on the basis of reproductive and family histories, there remains concern among both the public and scientific communities about the possible role of environmental factors. Several well-established observations suggest a role of external environmental factors including the 5-fold international differences in incidence rates and the rapid inter-generational increases in incidence with migration from low to high incidence countries. Although epidemiologic studies in adult populations have generally failed to discover a strong role for environmental factors in breast cancer etiology, emerging data suggests that relevant exposures may have effects in early life during so-called “windows of susceptibility” and be missed by attempted measurement in adulthood. Exposures to ionizing radiation and to diethylstilbestrol during pubertal development and in utero, respectively, are two examples. Recently, more attention has been directed to other environmental exposures, especially endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during early development and the pubertal period in particular. Many EDCs can now be measured in biospecimens from young prepubertal girls and in pregnant women, and animal studies suggest that some of these may cause changes in reproductive systems. Early menarche is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer and increases risk approximately 2-fold compared to later menarche. The average age at menarche has also dramatically decreased in developed countries over the last 100 years, likely as the result of environmental factors including diet. However, the relevant exposures and their mode and timing of action are not well understood. An on-going epidemiologic cohort study of 1239 pre-pubertal girls from diverse race/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds has documented still earlier ages of pubertal onset and is offering insights into the potential role of EDCs and other chemicals, diet, physical activity, psychosocial and genetic factors on pubertal onset, the age of menarche and other markers of early development. This research on early environmental exposures in humans is proving both exciting and challenging and requires consideration of the complex nature of breast cancer etiology. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr MS2-2.
A Refutation of the Psychic Distance Effect on Export Development

It has been hypothesized that companies develop the direction of their export thrust based on the psychic distance among countries. This concept, which is a construct of geographic and cultural factors, alleges that firms new to exporting will start their efforts in the psychically closest country and gradually expand to serve the psychically more distant markets. This research presents an empirical investigation of the concept and concludes that it does not make a major contribution to the understanding of export behavior. Rather, the existence and size of demand in any given market structure determines the orientation of the initial export thrust.
Evolving Challenges for Targeting Metabolic Abnormalities in Heart Failure.

With limited capacity to store adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the form of glycogen and phosphocreatine, the heart is continuously dependent on ATP synthesis to maintain force generation, myofibrillar relaxation, and ionic homeostasis. The ability of normal myocardium to adapt its substrate use to
Coordinated control study on second defense line and third defense line of Anhui power system

The definition and position of three defense lines for security and stability control system was proposed, and the typical security and stability control strategies at home and abroad and situation of Anhui power system security and stability control systems were analyzed. By simulation of single element outage and serious outage for the peak load modes of Anhui power system in 2008, the validity of security and stability control system of Anhui power system were verified. Based on analysis results of coherent generators and oscillation center for Anhui power system, configuration principles and coordinated control relationship were proposed for second defense line and third defense line of Anhui power system . Some conclusions and suggestions were given for coordinated control of second defense line and third defense line of Anhui power system.
Library Startup: Reflections on Building a New Community College Library from Scratch

ABSTRACTThe author describes the challenges and rewards of creating and growing a new community college library from the ground up, sharing details about the new college, the state of the library when she arrived as director, and the process of prioritizing the organization's development. She further describes particular lessons gained through this experience, including maintaining perspective, focusing growth in productive directions, and being willing to experiment even if it means there will be failure as well as success. The article will appeal in particular to librarians who have the rare opportunity to launch a new college library as well as those who are working on reinventing small college libraries.
Listening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930-1955. Race and Culture in the American West Series. By Mary Ann Villarreal.

Listening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930-1955. Race and Culture in the American West Series. By Mary Ann Villarreal. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2015. xxxvi + 177 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $29.95.) L istening to Rosita: The Business of Tejana Music and Culture, 1930-1955 examines a Texas Mexican entrepreneurial class in what author Mary Ann Villareal calls the Texas Triangle, that geography circumscribed by Corpus Christi, Houston and San Antonio. The businesses featured here, rural or urban, addressed the need for Spanish-Language spaces of debate or leisure between the Great Depression and the aftermath of World War II. This volume is thus a cartographic rendering and recovery of enterprises like Tivoli’s Pecan Lounge, business and social spaces typically overlooked due to their … lorena.alvarado{at}rice.edu
Motion, Matter, Monads, and Their “Forced” Relationship

After the examination of the metaphysics of Leibniz’ theory of space as it pertains to material bodies and relationism—a theory that, as we have seen, contravenes core elements of the relational conception of space—it is time to turn to a more extensive examination of two further metaphysical issues related to space: motion and monads.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Stress Echocardiography Versus Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department With Low-Risk Chest Pain

The aim of this study was to compare clinically relevant cardiovascular outcomes and downstream resource utilization associated with stress echocardiography (SE) and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in emergency department patients with low-risk chest pain. This was a retrospective analysis of health insurance claims data for a national sample of privately insured patients over the period January 1 to December 31, 2011. Subjects were selected who presented to the emergency department with a primary or secondary diagnosis of chest pain and underwent either SE or MPI. The primary end points were the percentage of patients in each group who underwent downstream cardiac catheterization, revascularization, repeat noninvasive testing, return emergency department visit with chest pain, and hospitalization for myocardial infarction. The mean length of follow-up was 190 days in both groups. Overall, 48,202 patients or 24,101 propensity-matched pairs were included in the final analysis. Compared with SE, MPI was associated with significantly higher odds of subsequent cardiac catheterization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99 to 2.33) and revascularization procedures (AOR 1.58; 95% CI 1.36 to 1.85) and repeat emergency department visits (AOR 1.14; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.19). The odds of repeat testing and myocardial infarction did not differ between groups. The average cost of downstream care was significantly higher in the MPI group ($2,193.80 vs $1,631.10, p
Genome editing of the disease susceptibility gene CsLOB1 in citrus confers resistance to citrus canker.

Citrus is a highly valued tree crop worldwide, while, at the same time, citrus production faces many biotic challenges, including bacterial canker and Huanglongbing (HLB). Breeding for disease-resistant varieties is the most efficient and sustainable approach to control plant diseases. Traditional breeding of citrus varieties is challenging due to multiple limitations, including polyploidy, polyembryony, extended juvenility and long crossing cycles. Targeted genome editing technology has the potential to shorten varietal development for some traits, including disease resistance. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9/sgRNA technology to modify the canker susceptibility gene CsLOB1 in Duncan grapefruit. Six independent lines, DLOB2, DLOB3, DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12, were generated. Targeted next-generation sequencing of the six lines showed the mutation rate was 31.58%, 23.80%, 89.36%, 88.79%, 46.91% and 51.12% for DLOB2, DLOB3, DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12, respectively, of the cells in each line. DLOB2 and DLOB3 showed canker symptoms similar to wild-type grapefruit, when inoculated with the pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc). No canker symptoms were observed on DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12 at 4 days postinoculation (DPI) with Xcc. Pustules caused by Xcc were observed on DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12 in later stages, which were much reduced compared to that on wild-type grapefruit. The pustules on DLOB9 and DLOB10 did not develop into typical canker symptoms. No side effects and off-target mutations were detected in the mutated plants. This study indicates that genome editing using CRISPR technology will provide a promising pathway to generate disease-resistant citrus varieties.
An iconoclast's career

The "maverick genius" referred to in the title of Phillip Schewe's book is Freeman Dyson: a truly great mathematical physicist, bestselling author, longest-serving member of the US military's JASON advisory group, and occupant of the "fourth chair" when the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded for quantum electrodynamics (QED) – among many other distinctions.
Spin pumping driven auto-oscillator for phase-encoded logic—device design and material requirements

In this work, we propose a spin nano-oscillator (SNO) device where information is encoded in the phase (time-shift) of the output oscillations. The spin current required to set up the oscillations in the device is generated through spin pumping from an input nanomagnet that is precessing at RF frequencies. We discuss the operation of the SNO device, in which either the in-plane (IP) or out-of-plane (OOP) magnetization oscillations are utilized toward implementing ultra-low-power circuits. Using physical models of the nanomagnet dynamics and the spin transport through non-magnetic channels, we quantify the reliability of the SNO device using a “scaling ratio”. Material requirements for the nanomagnet and the channel to ensure correct logic functionality are identified using the scaling ratio metric. SNO devices consume (2-5)× lower energy compared to CMOS devices and other spin-based devices with similar device sizes and material parameters. The analytical models presented in this work can be used to optim...
miR-33 Regulation of Adaptive Fibrotic Response in Cardiac Remodeling.

Despite substantial improvements in prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Cardiac fibrosis, a critical hallmark of maladaptive hypertrophy and heart failure (HF), is characterized by the excessive and uncontrolled accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in the interstitial and perivascular space.1 CFs, primarily of embryonic epicardial and endothelial origins,2 are the predominant noncardiomyocyte population, accounting for 20% of total cell population in the adult murine heart.3 In addition to their traditional functions in regulating ECM synthesis and metabolism and controlling cardiac fibrosis, ECM remodeling, scar formation, and tissue repair, CFs serve as functionally pluralistic cells involved in inflammatory responses, cardiomyocyte survival, and vasculogenesis.4,5 Article, see p 835 In the adult heart, CFs are present in a quiescent state with low proliferative capacity and are responsible for ECM homeostasis, providing a structural scaffold for cardiomyocytes. CFs also express gap junction protein connexin-43, which mediates electric coupling of cardiomyocytes and CFs.6 The adult mammalian heart has limited regenerative capacity after pathological injury. The repair of wounds in the heart consists of the removal of dead cardiomyocytes and replacement of myocytes loss by a collagen-based fibrotic scar to preserve myocardial integrity and cardiac function. The importance of CFs in myocardial remodeling and wound healing has been extensively studied and involves all of the 3 phases of the healing process: acute inflammatory response, proliferation, and late scar maturation. After an acute myocardial injury, CFs release proinflammatory cytokines, which promote their own proliferation in a feed-forward loop and trigger differentiation into a myofibroblast phenotype. This hyperproliferative cell type secretes high levels of proinflammatory and profibrotic factors and ECM proteins. This adaptive fibrosis can maintain structural integrity and prevent the injured heart from dysfunction and rupture; …
Induction of Immediate Early Response Genes by Hypoxia

One of the distinguishing characteristics of living organisms is their ability to compensate for stresses in the environment, such as hypoxia, which disturb homeostasis. Homeostasis is preserved mainly by control systems, which maintain levels of crucial chemicals in the body such as oxygen within acceptable limits. These control systems operate largely through negative feedback of signals from sensory receptors like the peripheral chemoreceptors (Longobardo & Cherniack, 1986). Over the years much has been learned about the operation of biological control systems using the same techniques employed to analyze man-made control systems. Both types of systems can be considered to consist of a controller (the brain and the chemoreceptors in the case of O2 control), and the plant (the O2 stored in the blood and in the lungs), which the controller manipulates by producing changes in ventilation and blood flow. The response characteristics of each of these components is studied in isolation and while connected; and these relationships are expressed quantitatively so that the overall function of the system is described by a set of mathematical equations. This kind of analysis assumes that the properties of the components, both static and dynamic are fixed. Although important gaps in our knowledge remain, this approach has been quite successful in predicting ventilatory changes during acute hypoxia (Yang & Khoo, 1994). However, the changes in system responses that occur as the time of hypoxic exposure lengthens suggest that the properties of the control system itself are not fixed and even may be subject to some higher order regulation.
The Role of Interleukins 4 and/or 13 in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

Moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) can be debilitating and often requires use of systemic immunosuppressant therapy to achieve adequate disease control. There are currently no US Food and Drug Administration-approved systemic agents for the long-term treatment of AD. Recent insight has identified the T helper 2 cytokines, interleukins 4 and 13, as playing a major role in the pathogenesis of AD. There are multiple novel biologic agents in development that target interleukins 4 and/or 13 for the treatment of moderate to severe AD. The age of targeted biologics for AD has arrived.
Discontinuous insurance coverage predicts prolonged hospital stay after pediatric adenotonsillectomy.

Abstract Background Changes in health insurance coverage have been implicated in limiting access to care and increasing morbidity risk. The consequences of insurance discontinuity for surgical outcomes are unclear. In this study, we explored whether recent insurance discontinuity was associated with prolonged inpatient hospitalization after adenotonsillectomy in children. Materials and methods We retrospectively evaluated single-center data on children aged 2-18 y undergoing adenotonsillectomy with overnight stay in 2009-2014. Insurance coverage at surgery and over the preceding year was categorized as (1) continuous private, (2) continuous Medicaid, or (3) discontinuous (changes or gaps in coverage). The association between insurance discontinuity and prolonged hospitalization (≥2 d) was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Results The study included 1013 girls and 983 boys (aged 4.5 ± 2.9 y), of whom 205 (10%) required prolonged hospitalization. Insurance was continuous private for 749 patients (38%), continuous Medicaid for 1121 patients (56%), and discontinuous for 126 patients (6%). Prolonged stay was most common with discontinuous insurance (23/126, 18%), followed by continuous Medicaid (117/1,121, 10%), and continuous private insurance (65/749, 9%; P = 0.004). In multivariable analysis, discontinuous insurance remained associated with prolonged hospital stay, compared with continuous private insurance (odds ratio = 1.88; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-3.33; P = 0.031), and compared with continuous Medicaid (odds ratio = 1.86; 95% confidence interval: 1.09-3.19; P = 0.023). Conclusions This study demonstrates greater odds of prolonged hospitalization after adenotonsillectomy among children with recent gaps or changes in insurance coverage and illustrates the feasibility of studying influences of health insurance change on surgical outcomes using existing data in hospital electronic records.
Differentiating Alzheimer Disease and Vascular Dementia: Reframing the Question

The task at hand, in today’s popular parlance, is to “differentiate Alzheimer disease from vascular dementia.” Alzheimer disease (AD) refers to a slowly progressive neurodegenerative dementia associated with neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques. Vascular dementia (VaD) refers to a heterogeneous group of dementias due to vascular disease. A comparative discussion of AD and VaD is important, since these disorders are recognized world-wide as the two most common causes of dementia.
Diagnosis and Thrombolytic Management of Massive Intraoperative Pulmonary Embolism Guided by Point of Care Transthoracic Echocardiography

Perioperative pulmonary embolism can go undetected until the sudden onset of cardiopulmonary collapse. Point of care echocardiography in such setting can narrow the differential diagnosis of precipitous instability and facilitate tailored, rather than empiric, therapy in the event of a massive pulmonary embolism. We describe the diagnosis and successful multidisciplinary management of intraoperative massive pulmonary embolism aided by both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Key aspects regarding the classification and treatment of pulmonary embolism are subsequently reviewed.
Dynamics Analysis of Torsional Vibration Induced by Clutch and Gear Set in Automatic Transmission

The torsional vibration generated during clutch engagement directly affects the shifting quality of automatic transmissions, where the noise source stems from both the clutch and the gear set. To predict the dynamical response and driveline oscillation, a comprehensive mathematical model of the vehicle powertrain equipped with automatic transmission is developed with consideration of nonlinearities in the clutch and the planetary gear set. For the clutch, the dynamics of stickslip is described for the transition between the slipping to locked states. The gear backlash model is used to analyze the rattle noise of the planetary gear set. Based on extensive powertrain simulations for the clutch engagement process, the magnitude of vibration propagation in the driveline are predicted to identify the primary factors of noise generation.