cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ant colony optimization technique for macrocell overlap removal

We present a novel macrocell overlap removal algorithm, based on the ant colony optimization (ACO) metaheuristic. The algorithm generates a feasible placement from a relative placement with overlaps produced by some placement algorithms such as quadratic programming and force directed. It uses the concept of ant colonies, a set of agents that work together to improve an existing solution. Each ant in the colony will generate a placement based on the relative positions of the cells and feedback information about the best placements generated by previous colonies. The solution of each ant is improved by using a local optimization procedure.
Effective field theory of short-range forces

Abstract The method of effective field theories (EFTs) is developed for the scattering of two particles at wavelengths which are large compared to the range of their interaction. It is shown that the renormalized EFT is equivalent to the effective range expansion, to a Schrodinger equation with a pseudo-potential, and to an energy expansion of a generic boundary condition at the origin. The roles of regulators and potentials are also discussed.
Formation and in situ reactions of hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflates to form cyanocarbenes

The conversion of readily available silylalkynes, iodobenzene diacetate, and azide anions was utilized to form and react cyanocarbenes. A copper(II)-catalyzed reaction was found to react in a different manner. Both of these methods benefit from the formation and in situ reaction of hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflates in O–H insertion reactions.
The powers that be: Processes of control in ‘crew scene hardcore’:

This article adds to the literature about youth orientated music scenes by analyzing norms of control in ‘crew scene hardcore’. Data were collected in three northeastern US cities. This study contributes by proposing a framework in which enclave groups known as ‘crews’ can be studied; by exploring the experiences of women who are involved with crew scene hardcore; and by illustrating how norms of control are formed and managed through processes of interaction. Distinctive gender roles illustrate that the norms of this music scene are derived from ‘hypermasculine’ controls. This results in the marginalization of women in the scene, no matter what their contribution to it is.
The use of gene ontology evidence codes in preventing classifier assessment bias

Motivation: The biological community's reliance on computational annotations of protein function makes correct assessment of function prediction methods an issue of great importance. The fact that a large fraction of the annotations in current biological databases are based on computational methods can lead to bias in estimating the accuracy of function prediction methods. This can happen since predicting an annotation that was derived computationally in the first place is likely easier than predicting annotations that were derived experimentally, leading to over-optimistic classifier performance estimates. Results: We illustrate this phenomenon in a set of controlled experiments using a nearest neighbor classifier that uses PSI-BLAST similarity scores. Our results demonstrate that the source of Gene Ontology (GO) annotations used to assess a protein function predictor can have a highly significant influence on classifier accuracy: the average accuracy over four species and over GO terms in the biological process namespace increased from 0.72 to 0.87 when the classifier was given access to annotations that are assigned evidence codes that indicate a possible computational source, instead of experimentally determined annotations. Slightly smaller increases were observed in the other namespaces. In these comparisons the total number of annotations and their distribution across GO terms were kept the same. Conclusion: In conclusion, taking into account GO evidence codes is required for reporting accuracy statistics that do not overestimate a model's performance, and is of particular importance for a fair comparison of classifiers that rely on different information sources. Contact: rogersma@cs.colostate.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Calcium Response of Mouse Sperm Flagella: Role of Calcium Ions in the Regulation of Dynein Activity

Triton X-100-extracted mouse sperm treated with 0.1 mM ATP and 1.0 mM Ca(2+) exhibit an extremely coiled configuration that has been previously described as a curlicue. Sperm in the curlicue configuration exhibit a monotonically curved flagellum where the shear angle of the flagellum can reach a value as high as 14 radians at the flagellar tip. We utilized this strong reaction to Ca(2+) to elucidate the mechanism of the calcium response. The disintegration of the axoneme was facilitated by the use of an extraction procedure that removed the mitochondrial sheath without eliminating the calcium response. The order of emergence of the doublet microtubule outer dense fiber complexes was observed in the presence and absence of added Ca(2+). The identity of the emergent elements was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Ca(2+) altered the order of emergence of internal axoneme elements to favor the appearance of the elements of the 9-1-2 side of the axoneme. These elements are propelled baseward by the action of dyneins on doublets 1 and 2. It was also possible to establish that the motive force for maintaining the curlicue configuration is dynein-based. The curlicues were relaxed by inhibition with 50 μM NaVO(3) and were reestablished by disinhibiting the vanadate with 2.5 mM catechol.
Oceanographic research at the Scripps Institution during April 1935 To April 1936

Expeditions and oceanographic data—The renovations and improvements on the Institution's boat Scripps. mentioned in last year's report, were completed in time for the boat to be used in June, 1935. Particular attention was given to a line of three stations, the depth at the outermost of which is 2000 meters, between Point Loma and the south end of San Clemente Island, a distance of about 60 miles. Some or all of them were occupied in May, July, August, and September, 1935, and January, 1936. Seven stations ranging to 1500 meters in depth were occupied on a trip from San Diego to the Santa Barbara Islands. On another occasion several were occupied between the mainland and Tanner Bank and between the northwest end or San Clemente Island and the southeast end of Santa Catalina Island. On the trips to Tanner Bank and on other trips near San Diego and the Coronados islands, Dr. L. H, Miller accompanied the Scripps to make a study of marine birds. The use of the Scripps in studies of submarine geology is mentioned elsewhere in this report. Table 1 presents a summary of oceanographic data received at the Institution during the year.
Scaled Natural Gradient Algorithms for Instantaneous and Convolutive Blind Source Separation

This paper describes a novel modification to the well-known natural gradient or INFOMAX algorithm for blind source separation that largely mitigates its divergence problems. The modified algorithm imposes an a posteriori scalar gradient constraint that adds little computational complexity to the algorithm and exhibits fast convergence and excellent performance for fixed step size values that are largely independent of input signal magnitudes and initial separation matrix estimates. Evaluation of the approach for the separation of instantaneous and convolutive source mixtures using both time- and frequency-domain implementations shows its excellent separation behavior.
Oncogenic mechanisms mediated by DNA methylation

Cancer is often viewed as a genetic process in which the developing cancer cell acquires successive mutational lesions that each provide the cell with a growth or survival advantage. The focus on genetic alterations in cancer research has perhaps led to an underestimation of the contribution by epigenetics. Epigenetic events are heritable alterations in gene function that are mediated by factors other than changes in primary DNA sequence; 5-methylcytosine DNA methylation is a good example. This article reviews current insights into the contribution of DNA methylation to mutational and epigenetic mechanisms of oncogenesis.
Processing and microstructure development of titanium carbide-nickel aluminide composites prepared by melt infiltration/sintering (MIS)

A combined melt-infiltration/sintering (MIS) route has been described for the preparation of composites that are based on titanium carbide (TiC) with a ductile nickel aluminide (Ni3Al) “binder” phase. This approach allows control of the Ni3Al content, which can be varied readily in the range of 4–25 vol%. Densities of >98% of the theoretical density have been obtained for composites that have been prepared with Ni3Al contents of ≥8 vol%. Preliminary examination indicates that the infiltration kinetics approximate to parabolic at 1300°C. Compositional analysis of the densified materials indicates only minimal titanium dissolution into the Ni3Al alloy (<6 at.%), with an analyzed carbide composition of TiC0.93. Cubic grain-growth kinetics are observed for TiC–16-vol% Ni3Al, with an activation energy of ∼400 ± 60 kJ/mol.
Extremal functions for rooted minors

The graph G contains a graph H as a minor if there exist pairwise disjoint sets {Si ⊆ V(G)|i = 1,…,|V(H)|} such that for every i, G[Si] is a connected subgraph and for every edge uv in H, there exists an edge of G with one end in Su and the other end in Sv. A rooted H minor in G is a minor where each Si of the minor contains a predetermined xi e V(G). We prove that if the constant c is such that every graph on n vertices with cn edges contains an H minor, then every |V(H)|-connected graph G with (9c + 26,833|V(H)|)|V(G)| edges contains a rooted H minor for every choice of vertices {x1,…,x|V(H)|} ⊆ V(G). The proof methodology is sufficiently robust to find the exact extremal function for an infinite family of rooted bipartite minors previously studied by Jorgensen, Kawarabayashi, and Bohme and Mohar. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 58:159178, 2008
Cerebral Blood Flow Changes in Glioblastoma Patients Undergoing Bevacizumab Treatment Are Seen in Both Tumor and Normal Brain.

Bevacizumab (BEV) is increasingly used to treat recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) with some reported improvement in neurocognitive function despite potential neurotoxicities. We examined the effects of BEV on cerebral blood flow (CBF) within recurrent GBM tumor and in the contralateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory.Post-chemoradiation patients with histologically confirmed GBM were treated with BEV and underwent routine, serial tumor imaging with additional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pcASL) following informed consent. Circular regions-of-interest were placed on pcASL images directly over the recurrent tumor and in the contralateral MCA territory. CBF changes before and during BEV treatment were evaluated in tumor and normal tissue. Linear mixed models were used to assess statistical significance.Fifty-three pcASL studies in 18 patients were acquired. Evaluation yielded lower mean tumoral CBF during BEV treatment compared with pre-treatment (45 ± 27 vs. 65 ± 27 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.002), a...
Individual quantum dots and single fluorescent molecules as optical nanoprobes

Summary form only given. Optical spectroscopy of single fluorescent molecules and individual quantum dots is now a decade old. It has been demonstrated that one can use traditional far-field imaging to determine the location of these individual particles with spatial resolution of order 10's of nanometers, far in excess of the diffraction limit. This talk will highlight several examples where these particles are used as nanoprobes for determining the local properties of the host material in which they are embedded.
Sovereign Nations, Carnal States

Sovereign Nations, Carnal States. By Kam Shapiro. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2003. 208p. 19.95 paper.Kam Shapiro's book is part of a larger literature of radical political theory whose inspiration can be traced to Friedrich Nietzsche and Baruch Spinoza as read by Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault, and richly translated into the terms of political theory by William E. Connolly, Antonio Negri, Michael Hardt, and Brian Massumi, among others. Hardt and Negri's Empire (2001), Massumi's Parables for the Virtual: Movement, Affect, Sensation (2002), and Connolly's Neuropolitics: Thinking, Culture, Speed (2002) are among recent works that provide a context for the studies that Shapiro presents here, for each of them develops concepts for what is taken to be a newly emerging and unprecedented arrangement of society. With the new arrangement of things, “political somatics”—to use a phrase that Shapiro borrows from Terry Eagleton—becomes central to decision making and the exercise of power, even as these might appear to have been overwhelmed by the less tangible, more “virtual” phenomena of global communications. The study of embodiment, of what politics does to the body and how the body defines the political, takes on central importance.
Considerations in block-oriented systems design

The feasibility of transmitting blocks of words between memory and CPU is the subject of this study. The question is pertinent to the design of very fast computing systems where the nanoseconds to traverse a few feet become significant. There is intuitive advantage to transmitting blocks of words, rather than a word at a time. The initial access time due to physical distance, effective address mapping, and priority is a few hundred nanoseconds. If this time could be prorated against several words, then the effective access time could be reduced to a few tens of nanoseconds. The question is, of course, can the extra words be useful to the CPU?This question was explored in a simulation model driven by customer-based IBM 7000 series data. The simulation results indicate that blocks of 4, 8, or 16 words, transmitted to a local storage of 2K to 4K words, will adequately prorate memory access time. With this configuration, block transfer is seen to be an efficient memory access method which can provide high performance, superior to single-word access.
Dual Macrolactonization/Pyran–Hemiketal Formation via Acylketenes: Applications to the Synthesis of (−)‐Callipeltoside A and a Lyngbyaloside B Model System

Thermal generation of acylketenes in diol-containing substrates results in dual macrocyclization/pyran-hemiketal formation. This transformation expands the scope of acylketene macrolactonizations and their application to the synthesis of complex macrolides. Triol and even tetrol substrates also have been closed in highly regioselective fashion. Additionally, the challenging macrolactonization of a tertiary alcohol was achieved.
On the use of maximum entropy/autoregressive spectrum in harmonic analysis of time series

The maximum entropy (ME) spectrum, or its equivalent form of the autoregressive (AR) spectrum, has been used as a tool for harmonic analysis of time series in geophysics. This paper critically examines its usage in estimating the amplitude and the exponential decay rate of a harmonic function. The argument is based upon Prony's relation, which relates a complex-conjugate pair of poles for the AR model of the time series on one hand, to the complex frequency of one harmonic component in the time series on the other. It is found that: (i) the ME spectrum can be used as an estimator for the decay rate in a way similar to the Fourier spectral analysis; (ii) the ME spectrum contains no information whatsoever about the amplitude, contrary to what has been claimed and practiced in geophysical applications.
The ray engine

Assisted by recent advances in programmable graphics hardware, fast rasterization-based techniques have made significant progress in photorealistic rendering, but still only render a subset of the effects possible with ray tracing. We are closing this gap with the implementation of ray-triangle intersection as a pixel shader on existing hardware. This GPU ray-intersection implementation reconfigures the geometry engine into a ray engine that efficiently intersects caches of rays for a wide variety of host-based rendering tasks, including ray tracing, path tracing, form factor computation, photon mapping, subsurface scattering and general visibility processing.
Semisynthetic sphingoglycolipid LIGA20 is neuroprotective against human immunodeficiency virus-gp120-mediated apoptosis.

Apoptosis and neuronal atrophy are commonly seen in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in the late phase of infection. The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 has been suggested to be a causal agent of neuronal loss. Therefore, blocking gp120 neurotoxicity may be an effective way to reduce the neuronal degeneration seen in HIV patients. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) prevents gp120-mediated apoptosis in cerebellar granule cells. However, BDNF poorly crosses the blood–brain barrier and therefore may not be a suitable therapy for HIV patients. LIGA20 is a semisynthetic sphingoglycolipid that may be a valid alternative to BDNF. In fact, it has been shown that LIGA20 mimics the neuroprotective properties of BDNF. The present study was undertaken to characterize the relative potency of LIGA20 to antagonize gp120-mediated apoptosis. Cerebellar granule cells were exposed to gp120IIIB (5 nM) or stromal-cell derived factor-1 (SDF), the natural ligand for the CXCR4 receptor to which gp120 binds, alone or in combination with LIGA20 (5 μM), and cell death/survival was determined 12 and 24 hr later by various markers of apoptosis. LIGA20 blocked the neurotoxic effect of gp120 and SDF. The neurotrophic effect of LIGA20 was reversed by K252a, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to block TrkB signaling, suggesting the involvement of TrkB activation. These findings provide the rationale for exploring the ability of compounds that mimic BDNF activity to reduce neuronal cell death in HIV-1-positive patients. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interaction of water with poly‐α‐amino acids. II. Relationships between counter‐ion and relaxation processes

The effect of hydration on the solid-state conformation and relaxation behavior of the alkaline earth salts of poly (L-glutamic acid) has been examined. The calcium and strontium salts take the β-conformation and the magnesium salt takes the α-form. No hydration-dependent conformational transitions were observed. The amount of bound water, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, appears to depend on the size of the cation, while conformation has little or no effect. A relative measure of the barrier to side-chain reorientation was obtained from the temperature of the side-chain (β1) relaxation. It was found that the barrier is determined by electrostatic forces and increases with increasing cation surface charge density. Side-chain motion also appears to be more hindered in the β-conformation than in the α-conformation.
Evolution of a jump in an articulated leg with series-elastic actuation

The remarkable ability of humans and animals to perform dynamic maneuvers, such as a jump, is largely attributed to series-elastic elements in skeletal muscle. Both the degree of elasticity and the coordination of muscular contractions have been shown to impact jump performance. The objective of this paper is to use a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the control and actuator parameters of a series-elastic actuator (SEA), which is functionally analogous to skeletal muscle, in an articulated leg to produce the highest jump. Similar to skeletal muscle, the control and stiffness of the SEA is found by the GA to affect jump performance, yielding solutions with biological properties. In particular, the jumps evolved by the GA made use of the stretch and shortening cycle of the series-elasticity, which is commonly seen in nature to increase the force of an explosive movement. The model studied in this paper is of a prototype leg with series-elastic actuation. A detailed leg and actuator model was developed to include the important electrical and mechanical properties of the DC motors as well as the characteristics of the motor amplifiers.
Log-transformation and its implications for data analysis

The log-transformation is widely used in biomedical and psychosocial research to deal with skewed data. This paper highlights serious problems in this classic approach for dealing with skewed data. Despite the common belief that the log transformation can decrease the variability of data and make data conform more closely to the normal distribution, this is usually not the case. Moreover, the results of standard statistical tests performed on log-transformed data are often not relevant for the original, non-transformed data.We demonstrate these problems by presenting examples that use simulated data. We conclude that if used at all, data transformations must be applied very cautiously. We recommend that in most circumstances researchers abandon these traditional methods of dealing with skewed data and, instead, use newer analytic methods that are not dependent on the distribution the data, such as generalized estimating equations (GEE).
Health Status In East European Countries

The 1990s are a time of tremendous change in Eastern Europe, as the former Soviet bloc countries adopt democratic reform and restructure their socialist economies to introduce market forces and capitalism. Within the overall framework of reform, major changes are being proposed for the health systems of these countries. Thus it is timely to provide a baseline assessment of the current health status of East European populations and how these countries compare with West European countries and the United States. These assessments of life expectancy and mortality rates for selected conditions can be used to assess potential problem areas that warrant particular attention in health care reforms and can serve as benchmarks against which to measure future progress in improving populations’ health. This DataWatch examines health indicators for seven countries in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, eastern Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia) and compares them to the eighteen countries of Western Europe, using data from the Health for All database of the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO). This database was developed to monitor health indicators as part of WHO’s global strategy for the attainment of health for all by the year 2000. Member states supply WHO with data for 144 health indicators that can be used to monitor populations’ health status through changes in life expectancy and selected morbidity and mortality rates. Information for most indicators in the Health for All database is obtained from routine statistical reports or provided directly by WHO’s member states. To permit cross-national comparisons, crude mortality rates are age-adjusted to the European standard population using the direct method for age adjustment. For this analysis, weighted averages for the East and West European countries have been calculated to facilitate the identification of major differences between the East and
Wheeler–DeWitt equation for 4D supermetric and ADM with massless scalar field as internal time

Abstract The main result of this paper is the 4-dimensional supermetric version of the Wheeler–DeWitt equation, that uses only one time variable for the both roles – as internal time and for the ADM split, as Hamiltonian evolution parameter. We study the ADM split with respect to the scalar massless field serving as internal time. The 4-dimensional hyper-surfaces Σ ϕ = const span the 5-dimensional space with the scalar field being the fifth coordinate. As a result we obtain the analog of the Wheeler–DeWitt equation for the 4-dimensional supermetric. We compare the ADM action with the non-compactified Kaluza–Klein action for the same physical space and obtain the equation for the extrinsic curvature and the scalar massless field.
On Terrorism and Whistle-Blowing

At a Bio-Terrorism Conference at Case Western Reserve University School of Law on March 31, 2006, the government participants were asked what they would do if a superior instructed them not to disclose information to the public about the likely grave health affects of an ongoing bio-terrorist attack. In response, they indicated that they would be reluctant to become a "whistleblower." This is not surprising since, despite the federal and state laws that purport to facilitate such whistleblowing for the public good, government whistleblowers routinely have faced loss of promotion, harassment, firing, and in some instances criminal prosecution when they have gone public with their important information. Yet, without government whistleblowers who had the courage to go to the press, the public would never have learned about Watergate, the Iran-Contra scandal, the inhumane practices at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the secret prisons run by the United States in Eastern Europe, or the NSA policy of wiretapping Americans without warrants. These disclosures initiated vital public debate and prompted corrective actions and reforms. The authors argue that the government whistleblower who in good faith discloses information to the press should no longer be treated as an enemy of the state, and provide a legislative proposal to give them a greater degree of protection from retaliation than exists under current legislation.
Abstract PR03: Global quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of oncogenic Kras-driven mouse pancreatic cancer

Background: The most common genetic abnormality in pancreatic cancer is oncogenic mutation of KRAS, which is an initial key event in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Oncogenic KRAS activates downstream signaling pathways, such as PI3K and MAPK pathways, indicating the essential role of phosphorylation in pancreatic cancer. However, the effect of KRAS on the global phosphoproteome in pancreatic cancer has not been fully elucidated. We investigated proteomic and phosphoproteomic alterations induced by oncogenic Kras using mouse pancreatic cancer cell lines established from doxycycline-inducible KrasG12D pancreatic cancer mouse model. Materials and Methods: Three mouse pancreatic cancer cell lines were established from triple transgenic inducible KrasG12D pancreatic cancer mouse model (tetO_LSL- KrasG12D; ROSA26A-LSL-rtTA-IRES-GFP; p48-Cre). To identify direct downstream pathways of Kras, we performed two different experiments for each cell line: (1) 20 hours Kras-off followed by 5 hours Kras-on (designated “Re-on”) vs. 25 hours Kras-off, and (2) Continuous Kras-on (designated “On”) vs. 24 hours Kras-off. Whole cell lysates were fractionated and subjected to analysis with using mass spectrometry. Results and Conclusion: Overall 4,133 phosphorylation sites were identified. Phosphorylation levels of 2,670 sites were quantified in at least one sample, including 2,347 (87.9%) at serine, 293 (11.0%) threonine, and 30 (1.1%) tyrosine residues. Phosphorylation levels were more than 1.25 fold higher at 386 sites (139 proteins) and 558 sites (256 proteins) in “Re-on” and “On” samples, respectively. 190 sites were common between “Re-on” and “On”, 196 sites were “Re-on” unique, and 368 sites were “On” unique. mTOR and MAPK pathways were activated in both “Re-on” and “On”, while Rho kinase, Phospholipase C, and Rac signaling pathways were predominantly associated with “On”, suggestive of differential downstream pathway activation at different phases of Kras signaling. This abstract is also presented as Poster A21. Citation Format: Ayumu Taguchi, Avnish Kapoor, Amin Momin, Hiroyuki Katayama, Wantong Yao, Hong Wang, Haoqiang Ying, Ronald DePinho, Samir Hanash. Global quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of oncogenic Kras-driven mouse pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on RAS Oncogenes: From Biology to Therapy; Feb 24-27, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PR03. doi: 10.1158/1557-3125.RASONC14-PR03
A “Free Speech Format” for College Health Education

(1970). A “Free Speech Format” for College Health Education. School Health Review: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 19-20.
Ultrastructural Features of Developing and Mature Basidia and Basidiospores of Schizophyllum Commune

(1965). Ultrastructural Features of Developing and Mature Basidia and Basidiospores of Schizophyllum Commune. Mycologia: Vol. 57, No. 2, pp. 236-261.
Donor Milk Availability in the Neonatal ICU: Surrogate for Change?

* Abbreviations: NEC — : necrotizing enterocolitis VLBW — : very low birth weight Dr Kantarowska and colleagues have brought welcome attention to the benefits of donor human milk for very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight 90% of VLBW infants in California, the state with the highest (current) number of births over a 6 year period (2007–2013). This treasure trove of information produced the welcome and … Address correspondence to Lydia Furman, MD, Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Room 784, MS 6019, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44016. E-mail: lydia.furman{at}uhhospitals.org
Mechanics-Based Explanation of the Second Frequency Branch of Timoshenko Beam Theory

Difficulties associated with solutions of the governing equations of Timoshenko beam theory are approached by proposing an equation of the form of sin (α+ β) = 0 for all the end conditions. More important, the development sheds light on the question of the two frequency branches associated with Timoshenko beams that is still in debate after nearly 90 years since the original publication of the theory. Rather than just the frequencies, herein the mode shapes are also investigated. Two sets of modes are found, one that adds to the tension and compression associated with bending and the other that subtracts from it. Both sets of modes are natural consequences caused by relaxation of the assumption of sections remaining normal to the axis of the deformed beam, which is the hallmark of Timoshenko beam theory. Mode shapes based on the 2D and 3D finite-elements are presented to be able to visually ascertain the second frequency branch. The work begins with the first principles for completeness and ease of reference.
Epidemiology of viral hepatitis from 1985 to 2009 in Futian district of Shenzhen

Objective To analyze and describe the epidemiological characteristics of viral hepatitis from 1985 to 2009 in Futian district of Shenzhen.Methods Descriptive analysis was conducted on viral hepatitis incidence from 1985 to 2009 in Futian district,using the data collected by the Infectious Disease Reporting System.Results The estimated annual incidence of viral hepatitis in Futian district of Shenzhen during 1985—2009 was 47.50 per 105 persons.The incidence increased continuously from 57.3 per 105 persons in 1985 to 225.16 per 105 persons in 1990(peak),and then decreased steadily to 4.15 per 105 persons in 2009(lowest).Overall,the incidence of viral hepatitis was higher among residents than among transient population.The total number of patients infected by viral hepatitis was highest in springs whereas the lowest in winters.The male-female ratio of incidence was 2.12:1.The most popular occupations of infected patients were clerks and workers,which together accounted for 64.15% of all infections.Conclusion Prevention and control on viral hepatitis in Futian District of Shenzhen from 1985—2009 has achieved significant success,but the incidence is still at a fairly high level.
NEW RESEARCH ANGLE OF VIEW ON COMPETITIVENESS:DYNAMIC THEORETICAL ANALYSIS FRAME

This article breaks through the traditional static analysis pattern in compet- itiveness research,proposes a new angle of view by establishing dynamic theoretical analysis frame.This article proposes the field model of competitiveness,including definition and its the expression equation on competitiveness-intensity,competitiveness-potential,essential fac- tor density,essential factor polarization,and founds the concepts and mathematical models for competitiveness-field's energy,competitiveness-field's entropy of information.This article produces the Gauss theorem and the Ring Circuit theorem of competitiveness-field,and proved the Convex theory of competitiveness-field's information entropy and its the Enormous Entropy Principle.Finally,this article points out further directions in research of competitiveness.
A Photographic Method for Recording Lines of Constant Optical Density in a Negative (Isophotes)

AbstractA method of preparing gelatin reliefs from photographic negatives is described, using commercially available materials. When these reliefs are viewed in a suitable interferometer, interference fringes are seen which indicate lines of constant thickness in the relief, hence of constant optical density in the original negative. The use of this method for indicating and measuring positions of maximum or minimum optical density is described, and it is shown how the errors caused by a background of variable density may be reduced.
Recent advances in portable infrared imaging systems

Significant progress in the manufacturing of photovoltaic HgCdTe and InSb, Schottky barrier PtSi, uncooled ferroelectrics and microbolometers, and quantum well infrared detector technologies has occurred over the last 5 years, enabling system developers to obtain high quality staring infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) at a reasonable cost. Recently developed portable IR imagers using 256/spl times/256 and 320/spl times/240 staring IRFPAs have achieved thermal sensitivity unmatched by systems typically used for medical studies in the past. Cooled staring systems weighing less than 3 pounds have demonstrated thermal sensitivity below 0.020 degrees C, more than a factor of 10 improvement over comparably packaged first generation serially scanned systems. The use of high quantum efficiency (QE) staring IRFPAs offers design flexibility and performance tradeoffs that until recently were impractical. Portable cooled staring systems operating in the short (1-2.5 micron), medium (3-5 micron), and long (8-12 micron) wavelength IR spectral bands provide excellent image quality at nominal video frame rates. Staring systems can be tailored to maintain sensitivity at high frame rates and over narrow spectral bandwidths. The medical benefits associated with high sensitivity thermal imaging, calibrated radiometric imaging, wavelength and time resolved spectrometry, and realtime sensor fusion have not been fully explored. An uncooled head mounted thermal imager (HMTI) weighing 1.25 pounds is being developed by the US Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate to assist in combat casualty care and confined environment search and rescue.
Safety and Efficacy of Percutaneous Microwave Hepatic Ablation Near the Heart

Abstract Purpose To evaluate safety and efficacy of percutaneous hepatic microwave (MW) ablation performed near the heart. Materials and Methods This study reviewed 118 consecutive peripheral (ablation zone margins within 5 mm of liver capsule) percutaneous MW hepatic ablations performed between June 2010 and August 2015. Ablation zones of 27 tumors (22.8%) extended to ≤ 5 mm from myocardium, and these ablations comprised the study group; the remaining ablations formed the control group. The study cohort included 14 men and 10 women (mean age, 59 y) with 16 hepatocellular carcinomas, 9 metastases, and 2 hemangiomas. Periprocedural imaging was used to evaluate tumor size and distance from the heart, ablation zone size, and complications. Mean tumor size and distance to myocardium were 2.6 cm ± 1.7 and 1.1 cm ± 1.1, respectively. The electronic medical record was used to retrospectively assess local tumor progression (LTP) and electrocardiogram and hemodynamic alterations during and after ablation. Statistical analysis was performed with Fisher exact test and t test. Results Median follow-up was 13.6 months (range, 1.2–38.7 months). No arrhythmias occurred during or after ablation in the follow-up period (0/27). There was no difference between groups in frequency of alterations in periprocedural blood pressure (25.9% vs 29.6%, p=0.81) or heart rate (18.5% vs 24.2%, P = .61) or rate of LTP (12.0% vs 10.8%, P = 1.0). Conclusions Percutaneous MW ablation near the heart may be safe and effective, without increased risk of cardiac complications and with similar rates of LTP, compared with a control group of peripheral liver ablations.
Non-Isothermal Initial Stage Sintering of Silver

Many workers have studied the sintering of silver over the past two decades (1–11). However, all experimental data except that of Herman (4) and Seidel and Johnson (10) have been obtained under isothermal sintering conditions. Johnson (12) has proposed a model for initial stage sintering which is theoretically valid for both isothermal and non-isothermal sintering.
Probability density functions of instantaneous Stokes parameters on weak scattering

Abstract The single-point probability density functions (PDF) of the instantaneous Stokes parameters of a polarized plane-wave light field scattered from a three-dimensional, statistically stationary, weak medium with Gaussian statistics and Gaussian correlation function have been studied for the first time. Apart from the scattering geometry the PDF distributions of the scattered light have been related to the illumination’s polarization state and the correlation properties of the medium.
Justified True Belief: Plato, Gettier, and Turing

We examine the relationship between the justified true belief (JTB) account of knowledge and Plato’s theory about it as expounded in the Theaetetus. Considering Socrates’ remarks in the Theaetetus brings us to some concerns raised by Turing and to Wittgenstein’s famous comment explanations come to an end somewhere. We present two simple technical results which bear on the question. Finally, we look at the pragmatic aspects of knowledge attributions. In an Appendix we say a few words about Indian epistemology and Gettier problems.
Tracking paraglacial sediment with cosmogenic 10Be using an example from the northwest Scottish Highlands

Abstract Beryllium-10 concentrations in samples of sediment and bedrock from five study sites across the Scottish Highlands trace paraglacial sediment sources and define the nature of glacial erosion for the late Quaternary. Exposure ages derived from 10Be concentrations in ridge and lower elevation bedrock range from 10 to 33 ka, which suggest that polythermal ice and warm based ice were primarily responsible for producing glacial sediment. Comparisons of 10Be concentrations between catchment-wide sediment (2.06 ± 0.34 × 104 to 11.24 ± 1.54 × 104 atoms g−1 SiO2; n = 33), near surface deposits (2.71 ± 0.33 × 104 to 3.48 ± 0.49 × 104 atoms g−1 SiO2; n = 6), 4-m-thick deep till (0.68 × 104 10Be atoms g−1 SiO2; n = 1), ridge bedrock (8.93 ± 0.47 × 104 to 34.05 ± 1.66 × 104 atoms g−1 SiO2; n = 20), and lower elevation polished bedrock (6.74 ± 0.67 × 104 to 12.65 ± 0.7 × 104 atoms g−1 SiO2, n = 5) indicate that most sand fluxing through catchments in the Scottish Highlands is sourced from the remobilization and vertical mixing of near surface deposits. These findings indicate that glaciogenic material continues to dominate paraglacial sediment budgets more than 11 ka after deglaciation.
Live nondirected uterus donors: Psychological characteristics and motivation for donation.

Emerging research suggests that uterus transplantation is a viable option for women without a uterus who want to become pregnant and carry a child to term. Currently, no knowledge exists regarding nondirected uterus donors. This study (NCT 02656550) explored the baseline psychological characteristics of nondirected uterus donors at a single study site. Of the 62 potential donors who underwent initial screening, 6 nondirected donors were chosen and participated in uterus donation. Participants received a comprehensive evaluation, which included clinical history and psychological assessments. The mean age of the donors was 42 years; most (83%) were white/not Hispanic, and all had a college degree. Current depression was reported by 2 participants, past depression was reported in 2 participants, and past anxiety was reported in 3 participants. Based on several different psychological measures, donors had a higher general well-being than the normative sample, and none of the participants' scores indicated psychological distress. All 6 women indicated that giving another woman an opportunity to carry her own child was a motivation for pursuing uterus donation. Further research on potential psychological motives and gains for the donor as well as long-term effects on donors is crucial for ethical practice.
Gene Therapy: Direct Viral Delivery

Delivery of genetic material directly into the brain offers significant promise toward the goal of therapeutic intervention in diseases that affect various brain regions. Viruses afford the most efficient method to deliver a transgene, and in many cases express the exogenously added gene for long periods of time. This article provides an overview of the different viral vectors currently used for gene delivery to the brain and provides examples of direct viral delivery approaches currently being evaluated for neural repair, regeneration, and functional recovery in a variety of disease models, as well as an overview of current clinical developments in Parkinson’s disease.
Psychopathology and quality of life: psychogenic non-epileptic seizures versus epilepsy.

BACKGROUND HRQOL is lower in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) than in epilepsy patients. Although psychopathology may reduce HRQOL, it is not known whether patients with PNES and epilepsy are similarly affected. We aimed to compare the relationship between psychopathology and HRQOL in PNES and treatment resistant epilepsy. MATERIAL/METHODS 106 patients with definite diagnosis of PNES or epilepsy were recruited from Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Patients completed QOLIE-89, Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Adverse Events Profile (AEP). Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) was derived from POMS. We used chi-square and t tests and hierarchical multiple regression to compare HRQOL and its mental status correlates in patients with PNES and epilepsy. RESULTS Psychiatric history was more prevalent and depression/dejection and TMD were higher in PNES than epilepsy (P<=0.003). PNES patients had a lower adjusted mean HRQOL than epilepsy patients (P<0.01). Mood problems and AEP were strong predictors of HRQOL (P<0.001) and explained the lower HRQOL in PNES vis-l-vis epilepsy. Decreases in HRQOL due to mood problems were similar in both groups. The model explained 62% of the variation in HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS Although more severe psychopathology in PNES explains the lower HRQOL in PNES relative to epilepsy, the negative association between psychopathology and HRQOL remains stable across the groups. PNES patients with severe mood problems show similar, low levels of HRQOL as patients with severe mood problems who have epilepsy. Future studies should examine causal linkages between psychopathology and PNES and other explanations in seizure-related QOL.
Introduction to Soil Erosion and Landscape Evolution Modeling

Landscapes evolve under the influence of a complex suite of natural processes, many of which may be either directly or indirectly influenced by land use. Soil erosion is a natural landscape process of critical concern to many land management agencies. As a geomorphic process, soil erosion can be generally defined as the detachment and transport of in-situ soil particles by three natural agents — water (in liquid or ice form), wind, and gravity (down slope movement). The consequences of soil erosion are both the removal and loss of soil particles from one location and their subsequent deposition in another location, either on the land surface or in an adjoining watercourse. A single soil particle may undergo multiple cycles of removal and deposition over time spans ranging from a single-event (e.g., hours) to geologic time (e.g., decades or centuries). Naturally occurring soil erosion processes (detachment, transport, deposition) can be accelerated by anthropogenic activities.
The Association Theory of Meaning: An Illustration

The nonmentalistic association theory of meaning is illustrated by an analysis of the following poem by Dylan Thomas. It also suggests the form in which an analysis of art may take, whether music, poetry, literature, painting, architecture, etc. The interpretation given here is not absolute. Limitless other perspectives are possible. This point is made clear by the school of “new criticism” in literature, as well as by Wittgenstein, and the deconstructionists. Each definition, theory, or analysis is only a metaphor. Some synonyms of “metaphor” are: hypothesis, picture, seeing-as, paradigm, model, statement, conjecture, speculation, archetype, example, prototype, etc. Each metaphorical interpretation produces a different set of associations. A poem may be analyzed as music, mathematically, in terms of sociology, psychology, philosophies, schools of literary criticism, etc. Each new paradigm may produce insight. What is excluded from analysis, however, is a mentalistic analysis of thought and meaning. Ideas, a mind, meaning; private, internal emotions; memory, and imagination are pseudo-psychological notions and as such play no part here.
Sample size calculation for a proportional hazards mixture cure model with nonbinary covariates

Sample size calculation is a critical issue in clinical trials because a small sample size leads to a biased inference and a large sample size increases the cost. With the development of advanced m...
Protecting the Privacy of Networked Multi-Agent Systems Controlled over the Cloud

The vision of an Internet-of-Things calls for combining the increasing connectivity of devices at the edge with the ability to compute either at the edge or on more powerful servers in the network. There is great interest in exploring the feasibility of these ideas when devices such as quadcopters or ground robots at the edge are controlled over the cloud, i.e., by leveraging computational power available elsewhere in the network. One of the main difficulties, especially in the context of the Internet-of-Battlefield- Things is the need to keep the data private. In this paper we propose a solution to this problem by extending previous results by the authors from a single system controlled over the cloud to networks of systems that are controlled and coordinated over the cloud. We propose a noncryptographic lightweight encoding scheme that ensures the privacy of the data exchanged by all the participating parties.
The Power and Limits of Classification — A 32-Year-Old Man with Abdominal Pain

The Power and Limits of Classification A 32-year-old transgender man, presenting with severe lower abdominal pain and hypertension, is classified as a man who hasn’t taken his blood-pressure medica...
Adjusting to the transition into assisted living: Opportunities for nurse practitioners.

Background and purpose Transition from an independent living residence to assisted living (AL) is challenging. The study purpose was to understand such a transition from the perspective of older women. Methods A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to explore how 17 older women living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, many of whom were recently widowed, experienced this transition. Conclusions Three major themes emerged from the interviews: preplanning, executing, and adjusting to the transition. Even with facility, family and staff assistance, the transition was challenging, and adjustment was affected when participants had physical or sensory impairments. Implications for practice Older adult women transitioning to AL settings should be assessed for adjustment to the new setting. Those with sensory, cognitive, emotional, or physical problems will need additional supportive strategies to help with adjustment. With a rapidly expanding population, AL settings offer new opportunities for nurse practitioners to promote the health and well-being of older adults.