cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastic, mechanical, and thermodynamic properties of Bi-Sb binaries: Effect of spin-orbit coupling

Using first-principles calculations, we systematically study the elastic stiffness constants, mechanical properties, elastic wave velocities, Debye temperature, melting temperature, and specific heat of several thermodynamically stable crystal structures of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{x}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ ($0lxl1$) binaries, which are of great interest due to their numerous inherent rich properties, such as thermoelectricity, thermomagnetic cooling, strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effects, and topological features in the electronic band structure. We analyze the bulk modulus ($B$), Young's modulus ($E$), shear modulus ($G$), $B/G$ ratio, and Poisson's ratio ($\ensuremath{\nu}$) as a function of the Bi concentration in ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{x}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$. The effect of SOC on the above-mentioned properties is further investigated. In general, we observe that the SOC effects cause elastic softening in most of the studied structures. Three monoclinic structures of Bi-Sb binaries are found to exhibit significantly large auxetic behavior due to the hingelike geometric structure of bonds. The Debye temperature and the magnitude of the elastic wave velocities monotonically increase with increasing Sb concentration. However, anomalies were observed at very low Sb concentration. We also discuss the specific-heat capacity versus temperature data for all studied binaries. Our theoretical results are in excellent agreement with the existing experimental and theoretical data. The comprehensive understanding of the material properties such as hardness, mechanical strength, melting temperature, propagation of the elastic waves, auxeticity, and heat capacity is vital for practical applications of the studied binaries.
Sexual Health Equity in Schools: Inclusive Sexuality and Relationship Education for Gender and Sexual Minority Students.

This paper offers a review of school-based sexuality and relationship education as it relates to gender and sexual minority (GSM) students. Framed by a queer theory lens, the paper examines four ma...
StackInTheFlow: behavior-driven recommendation system for stack overflow posts

Developer behavior in the IDE, including commands and events and complementing the active source code, provides useful context to in-IDE recommendation systems. This paper presents Stack-In The Flow, a tool that generates interpretable queries to Stack Overflow, and recommends Stack Overflow posts when a developer is observed to be facing difficulty, defined by encountering error messages or not appearing to make progress. StackInTheFlow monitors clicks on its retrieved results, and, over time, personalizes the retrieved posts to a specific set of Stack Overflow tags. Video: http://bit.ly/sitfdemo
How Many Grays to Get to the Malfunction of Insulin Pumps? Determining the Effects of Radiation on Insulin Pump Function.

Background:The primary objective was to determine if exposure to radiation has an effect on insulin pump function.Method:Four donated insulin pumps were filled with saline and set to identical prog...
Clinicopathological and survival analysis of clinically advanced papillary and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract Introduction Clinically, the papillary (pRCC) and chromophobe (chRCC) histologic subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are viewed as more indolent compared to the more-common clear cell histology (ccRCC). However, there remain advanced cases of these purportedly less-aggressive histologies that lead to significant mortality. We therefore sought to evaluate outcomes of advanced pRCC and chRCC compared to ccRCC utilizing the National Cancer Database's registry of RCC patients. Materials and methods A total of 115,365 ccRCC patients, 28,344 pRCC patients, and 11,942 chRCC patients met eligibility criteria. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method (median follow-up 3.6 years). OS was compared between stage III and IV ccRCC, pRCC, and chRCC using multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for clinical and treatment characteristics. Results A total of 25.7% of ccRCC patients, 14.1% of pRCC patients, and 14.8% of chRCC patients had stage III to IV disease. The 5-year OS for stage III ccRCC, pRCC, and chRCC was 66.9%, 63.6%, and 80.5%, respectively. The 5-year OS for stage IV ccRCC, pRCC and chRCC was 19.7%, 13.3%, and 22.0%, respectively. The hazard of death was significantly higher for stage IV pRCC vs. ccRCC (hazard ratio = 1.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.19, 1.39; P Conclusions pRCC and chRCC are rare but similarly fatal compared to ccRCC when advanced or metastatic. With most clinical trials devoted toward ccRCC, greater efforts to identify aggressive variants and treatment strategies for metastatic pRCC and chRCC are necessary.
Sectarianism and Terrorism: The Libya Beheadings and ISIS Violence Against Egypt’s Copts

This chapter studies a grave incident of violence against Egyptian Copts in 2015—namely the beheading by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) of migrant laborers in Sirte, Libya—to explore the inextricable entanglements of terrorism beyond Egypt to sectarianism within Egypt. While counter-terrorist activities by the Egyptian state directed attention to sources of violence abroad in Libya, it also reinforced authoritarian structures of sectarian division in Egypt. This chapter examines how the Libya beheadings invoked the Coptic Church and its partnership with the Egyptian security state. This includes a focus on two conversion scandals that prompted a national and global controversy about the Coptic Church’s alleged violations throughout the Islamic world. Moreover, the sectarian aftermath of the scandals attested to the Coptic community’s vulnerability under the Egyptian security state. The chapter then turns to the commemorative and local aspects of evaluating violence in the Coptic Church and the memory culture that emerged.
Asymmetric Transformer Design With Multiband Frequency Response for Simultaneous Power and Data Transfer

This article presents a novel approach to generate multiple passbands from an asymmetric two-coil transformer. The details of the asymmetry between the primary and secondary coils control the passbands’ location and bandwidth (BW). A cylindrical asymmetric connector was designed and prototyped. The S-parameters were measured with a vector network analyzer (VNA), which shows a very good match with the theoretical model up to the second passband frequency (10 MHz–1 GHz). The first passband is used for power transfer since the lower frequency is better for power transmission. The higher frequency of the second passband can be used to transmit high BW data. A carrier signal centered at the second passband frequency was used to modulate digital data at the transmitter side and demodulated at the receiver side. This connector can be used for transmitting only power, or only data, or both power and data simultaneously. We demonstrate 19 mW of power transfer and 100 Mb/s of data transfer simultaneously in a 5-mm-diameter and 7-mm high cylindrically coupled structure. To the best of our knowledge, it is the highest data rate demonstrated through a wireless power transfer link.
Mental Health Treatment Engagement of Athletes: Self-Determination Theory as a “Prescription for Excellence”

Athletes, like all human beings, require timely and effective mental health treatment in order to attenuate the risk of chronic functional impairment. Unfortunately, social stigma and stereotypes regarding mental illness, along with competitive performance pressures, can foster denial and avoidance of one’s distress, especially for the athlete who feels a need to conform to the athletic ideal of self-sufficiency, imperturbability, and action over contemplation. The decision by an athlete to engage versus forgo the pursuit of treatment can be positively influenced through an understanding of human beings’ core psychological needs. Self-determination theory (SDT) is predicated on the assumption that the satisfaction of one’s needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy ultimately determines goal-directed behavior. By attending to the threats to belonging, competence, and autonomy that arise as a function of social stigma and stereotypes, it is possible to reframe mental health treatment as socially acceptable, capable of fostering optimal performance, and facilitative of self-rule. In that vein, sports medicine professionals are uniquely positioned to assist athletes in embracing timely treatment engagement by offering a “prescription for excellence.”
LA DISPONIBILIDAD EN LOS BIENES JURÍDICOS

Availability has traditionally been predicated regarding on legal assets, so that certain assets would be essentially unavailable to the owner. Starting from the verification of the problem facing the traditional conception to explain the unavailability of certain individual rights, this work proposes a conception of availability that allows to harmonize its basics with the exercise of certain legal rights within the framework of a democratic State o Law.
VARIATION IN LEAF SHAPE IN A QUERCUS LOBATA COMMON GARDEN: TESTS FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES

Oak leaf morphology is highly variable. Leaf shape in oaks has been shown to covary with climate, and leaf dissection is negatively correlated with hydraulic resistance. Such patterns may reflect local adaptation of genotypes or plastic responses to local environments. We tested two hypotheses regarding variation in leaf shape in Quercus lobata Nee, a widely distributed oak tree endemic to California, using subsamples of trees from a large provenance trial involving source populations throughout the species range. First, we tested the hypothesis that variation in leaf dissection (perimeter · area–1) and specific leaf area could be explained by adaptation to climate. If so, we predicted that the progeny of trees originating from contrasting climates would also contrast in leaf dissection or specific leaf area when grown in a common environment. Second, we tested the hypothesis that variation in leaf dissection is associated with photosynthetic rate. Because dissection affects hydraulic resistance and heat transfer, more dissected leaves are thought to experience lower water stress. If so, we predicted that individuals with more dissected leaves would maintain higher rates of photosynthesis than those with less dissected leaves, especially during hot and dry conditions. We found no association of leaf traits with maternal climate, but we observed a positive relationship between leaf dissection and photosynthetic rates. This result suggests variation in leaf shape may have functional consequences and influence how valley oaks cope with environmental stress in California's Mediterranean climate.
Assessment of Colombo’s Education Argument

Recent proposals by John Colombo (2009) have important implications for athletic reform. He recommends using the tax code to effect changes in the way big-time athletic departments operate. One leg of his three-part proposal places an emphasis on the educational value of athletics. Specifically, Colombo identifies broad-based athletic participation as one condition for meeting the letter and spirit of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In this essay, I analyze the two key components of this proposal—the requirements of participation and the nature of educational value. I review current athletic policies and practices and then speculate on changes that might be needed if Colombo’s proposal were adopted.
Willingness to Use Pain Medication to Treat Pain

Objective Despite the growth of the economic impact of pain and pain management, there remains a lack of knowledge about disparities, especially, evidence regarding individual attitudes and beliefs about accepting pain treatments. This study provides preliminary information on the prevalence of public concerns about pain management and a better understanding of factors that may ultimately lead to improved pain management and treatment adherence. Methods Using a cross=sectional survey of community=dwelling adults 18+ in the US, 123 randomly selected respondents were telephone=interviewed in 2012. Principal components factor analysis (PCA) was used to detect statistical groupings of attitudes and beliefs about pain and pain management. The modified Protection Motivation Theory was applied to examine the willingness to use pain medicine. Results The five most important components pertained to threat appraisal, coping appraisal, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control. Threat appraisal was the most common factor, and subjective norms was the least common factor. Lower income, more awareness of hospice, and less misconceptions about threat appraisal and attitudes toward pain and pain management were associated with more willingness to use pain medicine in hierarchical regression. Conclusions These components are useful for future research on the willingness to use pain medicine and may have implications for assessing cognitive barriers toward pain and pain management among the general public.
Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol: a versatile anchor for cell surface proteins.

Covalent linkage of proteins to glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) molecules is now recognized as an important mechanism for anchoring proteins to membranes. Recent structural work on the GPI anchors indicates that the structure of the glycan connecting the protein and the phosphatidylinositol molecule has been conserved during evolution. Attachment of the protein to the GPI molecule is directed by a signal sequence at the COOH terminus of the polypeptide that is removed during the attachment process. Alternative processing of the same RNA transcript may lead to mRNA species encoding for the same protein but not utilizing GPI for membrane anchoring. One function of the GPI anchor may be to offer a site for degradation by specific endogenous phospholipases with release of the protein from the cell surface. The products of GPI anchor degradation may also have biological activity and be involved in cell communication. Although the physiological role of these events is not certain, the available evidence sug...
Environmental and Nutritional Factors Affecting the Production of Rubratoxin B by Penicillium rubrum Stoll

Rubratoxin B can be produced in a semisynthetic medium by Penicillium rubrum under varying environmental and nutritional conditions. Maximum production (552.0 mg/500 ml) was obtained with P. rubrum NRRL A-11785 grown in stationary cultures of Mosseray's simplified Raulin solution supplemented with 2.5% malt extract broth at ambient temperature. Zinc is required at levels of at least 0.4 mg per liter. In the absence of iron sulfate, there was a 50-fold reduction in rubratoxin B production but not in growth. No toxin was produced by this isolate in 5- or 7-liter fermentors.
A Molar Approach to Social Knowing

Exemplary research in social cognition and perception is examined. It is suggested that a singular focus on internal, intraindividual cognitive and perceptual processes is not sufficiently broad to account adequately for the spectrum of social knowing phenomena. A more molar approach to social knowing than can be found in contemporary work in social cognition and perception is advocated. More specifically, it is suggested that work on molecular cognitive and perceptual processes will help elucidate basic social knowing phenomena only when such processes are meaningfully tied to the social contexts in which they, occur and to ongoing social behavior.
Bipotential Effects of Estrogen on Growth Hormone Synthesis and Storage in Vitro

Increased pulses of serum GH coincide with rising estrogens during the reproductive cycle, suggesting estrogen regulation. However, there is lack of agreement about estrogen's direct effects on the pituitary. Pituitaries from cycling female rats were dispersed and plated for 24 h in defined media containing vehicle or 0.001-250 nm 17beta-estradiol. Estrogen (0.01-10 nm) increased the percentages of GH antigen-bearing cells in the anterior pituitary significantly (1.3- to 1.6-fold) and 0.01-1 nm concentrations also stimulated significant increases in GH mRNA-bearing cells and in the integrated OD for GH mRNA. However, 100-250 nm either had no effect or, inhibitory effects on the area of label for GH mRNA. To test estrogen's effects on expression of GHRH receptors, cultures were stimulated with biotinylated analogs of GHRH and target cells detected by affinity cytochemistry. Estrogen increased GHRH target cells in populations from rats in all stages of the cycle tested. Basal expression of GHRH target cells declined at metestrus. Cultures treated with 0-1 nm estrogen were then dual labeled for bio-GHRH followed by immunolabeling for GH with the antirabbit IgG-ImmPRESS peroxidase polymer. Over 98% of GH cells bound GHRH and 90-96% of GHRH-bound cells contained GH in all treatment groups. Thus, low concentrations of estrogen may stimulate expression of more cells with GH proteins, biotinylated GHRH binding sites, and GH mRNA, whereas high concentrations have no effect, or may reduce GH mRNA. These bipotential effects may help explain the different findings reported in the literature.
Suppressing cancer: the importance of being senescent.

Cellular senescence permanently arrests the cell division cycle and has long been thought to prevent the growth of cells at risk for transformation into cancer cells. In her Perspective, [Campisi][1] discusses recent evidence that cellular senescence indeed limits the development of malignant cancers in mice and humans. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/309/5736/886
PRODUCTION AND NUTRIENT REMOVAL BY PERIPHYTON GROWN UNDER DIFFERENT LOADING RATES OF ANAEROBICALLY DIGESTED FLUSHED DAIRY MANURE1

Growing algae to scrub nutrients from manure presents an alternative to the current practice of land application and provides utilizable algal biomass as an end product. The objective of this study was to assess algal growth, nutrient removal, and nitrification using higher light intensities and manure loading rates than in the previous experiments. Algal turfs, with periphyton mainly composed of green algal species, were grown under two light regimes (270 and 390 μmol photons . m - 2 . s - 1 ) and anaerobically digested flushed dairy manure wastewater (ADFDMW) loading rates ranging from 0.8 to 3.7 g total N and 0.12 to 0.58g total P . m - 2 . d - 1 . Filamentous cyanobacteria (Oscillatoria spp.) and diatoms (Navicula, Nitzschia, and Cyclotella sp.) partially replaced the filamentous green algae at relatively high ADFDMW loading rates and more prominently under low incident light Mean algal production increased with loading rate and irradiance from 7.6 ′ 2.71 to 19.1 ′ 2.73 g dry weight . m - 2 . d - 1 . The N and P content of algal biomass generally increased with loading rate and ranged from 2.9%-7.3% and 0.5%-1.3% (by weight), respectively. Carbon content remained relatively constant at all loading rates (42%-47%). The maximum removal rates of N and P per unit algal biomass were 70 and 13 mg . g - 1 dry weight . m - 2 . d - 1 , respectively. Recovery of nutrients in harvested algal biomass accounted for about 31%-52% for N and 30%-59% for P. Recovery of P appeared to be uncoupled with N at higher loading rates, suggesting that algal potential for accumulation of P may have already been saturated. It appears that higher irradiance level enhancing algal growth was the overriding factor in controlling nitrification in the algal turf scrubber units.
Effect of heartmate left ventricular assist device on cardiac autonomic nervous activity

Background. Clinical performance of a left ventricular assist device is assessed via hemodynamic parameters and end-organ function. This study examined effect of a left ventricular assist device on human neurophysiology. Methods. This study evaluated the time course change of cardiac autonomic activity of 3 patients during support with a left ventricular assist device before cardiac transplantation. Cardiac autonomic activity was determined by power spectral analysis of short-term heart rate variability. The heart rate variability before cardiac transplantation was compared with that on the day before left ventricular assist device implantation. Results. The standard deviation of the mean of the R-R intervals of the electrocardiogram, an index of vagal activity, increased to 27 ± 7 ms from 8 ± 0.6 ms. The modulus of power spectral components increased. Low frequency (sympathetic activity) and high frequency power (vagal activity) increased by a mean of 9 and 22 times of each baseline value (low frequency power, 5.2 ± 3.0 ms 2 ; high frequency power, 2.1 ± 0.7 ms 2 ). The low over high frequency power ratio decreased substantially, indicating an improvement of cardiac sympatho-vagal balance. Conclusions. The study results suggest that left ventricular assist device support before cardiac transplantation may exert a favorable effect on cardiac autonomic control in patients with severe heart failure.
An efficient approximate algorithm for the Kolmogorov—Smirnov and Lilliefors tests †

In an earlier paper we presented a linear time algorithm for computing the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Lilliefors test statistics. In this paper we present a linear time approximate algorithm which requires less memory than the previous algorithm.
The American Community Survey in counties with “seasonal” populations

The U.S. Census Bureau designed the American Community Survey (ACS) to provide annual estimates of social and economic characteristics for states, counties, municipalities, census tracts, and block groups. Because of its April 1 reference date, in northern nonmetropolitan counties with substantial seasonal population fluctuations the decennial census provides a statistical representation of the demographic and social characteristics of the population at a time when the population is close to its annual minimum. The year-round monthly ACS sample survey has the potential to provide local communities with an unprecedented understanding of the average population characteristics over the course of a year. In the future, the ACS even has the potential for providing social and economic characteristics of the population by season. This paper examines four ACS pilot data collection counties, Oneida and Vilas Counties in northern Wisconsin, and Lake and Flathead Counties in northwest Montana. We hypothesize that the ACS will reflect a resident population over the course of the year that is different from the traditional April 1 decennial census population. While the ACS holds much promise, our research uncovered some sampling problems that are not yet fully resolved. In addition, our analysis was not able to examine ACS estimates for minor civil divisions (MCDs), which are functioning governmental units in many states. The fact that these MCDs often have very small populations, together with the fact that estimated standard errors at the much larger census tract level in these counties are disconcertingly large, raises (currently unanswerable) questions concerning the eventual statistical quality of ACS estimates for small MCDs. Consequently, the adequacy of the ACS as a replacement for the census long form may depend on the ability of the Census Bureau to effectively address the concerns presented in this analysis.
Soft Phonon Modes in KMnF3

Neutron inelastic scattering experiments show that the phase transition of KMnF 3 at 184°K is a result of the softening of the \(\varGamma_{25}\) phonon mode at the [111] zone boundary. The over-all characteristics of the \(\varGamma_{25}\) mode are similar to those that have been observed for this same mode in SrTiO 3 near its 110°K phase transition. We also observe that the M 3 mode at the [110] zone boundary has the very low energy of 3.1±0.2 MeV at room temperature, and condenses not at 184°K but rather in the vicinity of its Neel temperature, 88°K. The X-ray studies by Beckman and Knox indicate that the space group of KMnF 3 below 184°K is the orthorhombic P b n m D ( 2 h 16 ). This orthorhombic phase is consistent with our observation that the \(\varGamma_{25}\) mode is responsible for the 184°K transition in that the dominant contribution to the rotation of the fluorine octahedra is a superposition of two of the three triply degenerate modes of \(\varGamma_{25}\) condensing at the transition temper...
Cholinergic modulation of the cerebral metabolic response to citalopram in Alzheimer's disease

Pre-clinical and human neuropharmacological evidence suggests a role of cholinergic modulation of monoamines as a pathophysiological and therapeutic mechanism in Alzheimer's disease. The present study measured the effects of treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor and nicotinic receptor modulator, galantamine, on the cerebral metabolic response to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram. Seven probable Alzheimer's disease patients and seven demographically comparable controls underwent two positron emission tomography (PET) glucose metabolism scans, after administration of a saline placebo infusion (Day 1) and after citalopram (40 mg, IV, Day 2). The scan protocol was repeated in the Alzheimer's disease patients 2 months after titration to a 24 mg galantamine dose. At baseline, cerebral glucose metabolism was reduced in Alzheimer's disease patients relative to controls in right middle temporal, left posterior cingulate and parietal cortices (precuneus and inferior parietal lobule), as expected. Both groups demonstrated acute decreases in cerebral glucose metabolism after citalopram to a greater extent in the Alzheimer's disease patients. In the patients, relative to the controls, citalopram decreased glucose metabolism to a greater extent in middle frontal gyrus (bilaterally), left middle temporal gyrus and right posterior cingulate prior to treatment. Galantamine treatment alone increased metabolism in the right precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule and right middle occipital gyrus. In contrast, during galantamine treatment, citalopram increased metabolism in the right middle frontal gyrus, right post-central gyrus, right superior and middle temporal gyrus and right cerebellum. The combined cerebral metabolic effects of galantamine and citalopram suggest, consistent with preclinical data, a synergistic interaction of cholinergic and serotonergic systems.
Origin Single-stranded DNA Releases Sld3 Protein from the Mcm2–7 Complex, Allowing the GINS Tetramer to Bind the Mcm2–7 Complex *

The replication fork helicase in eukaryotic cells is comprised of Cdc45, Mcm2–7, and GINS (CMG complex). In budding yeast, Sld3, Sld2, and Dpb11 are required for the initiation of DNA replication, but Sld3 and Dpb11 do not travel with the replication fork. Sld3 and Cdc45 bind to early replication origins during the G1 phase of the cell cycle, whereas Sld2, GINS, polymerase ϵ, and Dpb11 form a transient preloading complex that associates with origins during S phase. We show here that Sld3 binds tightly to origin single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). CDK-phosphorylated Sld3 binds to origin ssDNA with similar high affinity. Origin ssDNA does not disrupt the interaction between Sld3 and Dpb11, and origin ssDNA does not disrupt the interaction between Sld3 and Cdc45. However, origin ssDNA substantially disrupts the interaction between Sld3 and Mcm2–7. GINS and Sld3 compete with one another for binding to Mcm2–7. However, in a mixture of Sld3, GINS, and Mcm2–7, origin ssDNA inhibits the interaction between Sld3 and Mcm2–7, whereas origin ssDNA promotes the association between GINS and Mcm2–7. We also show that origin single-stranded DNA promotes the formation of the CMG complex. We conclude that origin single-stranded DNA releases Sld3 from Mcm2–7, allowing GINS to bind Mcm2–7.
Decelerating Holocene sea-level rise and its influence on Southwest Florida coastal evolution; a transgressive/regressive stratigraphy

ABSTRACT The Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) are a myriad of low-relief mangrove islands that lie along the low energy, subtropical southwest Florida coast. The region has been subjected to a relative rise in Holocene sea level, which has continuously decelerated to its present rate. Data derived from surface and subsurface sampling indicate that the Holocene sediment package of the TTI area consists of two sediment sequences. The lower sequence is transgressive and was generated as coastal salt marsh and/or terrestrial environments were submerged and replaced by a shallow coastal marine setting. The upper sediment sequence consists primarily of 1) biogenic shallowing upwards sequences or 2) thickened mangrove peat layers, reflecting island emergence and shoreline stabilization, respectively. Island emergence compartmentalized the area, further reducing wave and current energy and promoting the infilling of the protected bays through deposition of organic-rich shelly mudstone and wackestone. Based on coastal stratigraphy and 14C dates, the formation of his transgressive/regressive sediment sequence is directly related to changing rates of Holocene sea-level rise, reported to have occurred between 3,500 and 3,200 YBP. Continued regressive sedimentation could eventually generate a 5-10 m thick transgressive/regressive sediment couplet, with an aerial extent of over 300 km2, in roughly 10,000 years. This externally forced sediment couplet compares remarkably well to individual small scale transgressive/regressive cycles which repeat tens to hundreds of times throughout the geologic record (see James 1984). The results of this study thus support the allocyclic mechanism as a viable working hypothesis for the generation of these small scale rock cycles.
Differential ability of a thiazolidinedione PPARγ agonist to attenuate cytokine secretion in primary microglia and macrophage-like cells

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists are known to inhibit select pro-inflammatory changes in models of CNS and systemic inflammation. Recent reports suggest that these anti-inflammatory effects are due to mechanisms other than canonical nuclear receptor-mediated transcriptional alteration. Using primary microglia and the monocytic cell line, THP-1, we demonstrate that rosiglitazone, a PPARgamma-activating thiazolidinedione, decreases pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion as measured by ELISA. Cells were pre-treated with various thiazolidinediones, including rosiglitazone, prior to stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to stimulate cytokine production. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) secretion was significantly inhibited in both primary microglia and THP-1 cells differentiated for 72 h in the presence of PMA to induce a macrophage-like phenotype. No reduction in TNFalpha secretion was observed in undifferentiated THP-1 cells with rosiglitazone pre-treatment. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed no significant difference in PPARgamma activation between PMA-differentiated and undifferentiated THP-1 cells. When PMA-differentiated and undifferentiated THP-1 cells were treated with the irreversible PPARgamma antagonist, GW 9662, a significant, dose-dependent decrease in TNFalpha secretion was observed. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory benefit of PPARgamma ligands occur independently of classical PPARgamma activation.
Prevalence of anemia in clinic patients with heart failure and cost analysis of epoetin treatment.

Study Objectives. To determine the prevalence of anemia in an outpatient heart failure clinic, describe the type of anemia in patients treated there, and evaluate the potential costs associated with epoetin therapy in this cohort. Design. Single-center, retrospective cohort analysis (part 1) and a literature-based economic decision analysis (part 2). Data Source. Medical records from a multidisciplinary, outpatient, heart failure clinic, and published hospitalization and drug-use data. Patients. We evaluated 170 adults with chronic heart failure who were enrolled in the clinic and for whom at least one complete blood count was recorded between January 1, 2003, and April 15, 2006. Measurements and Main Results. In part 1, demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. The overall prevalence of anemia was 47.6% or 47.1%, as based on World Health Organization or National Kidney Foundation definitions, respectively. Normocytic anemia was characterized in 75.0% of patients. In part 2, heart failure hospitalization rates and costs, drug acquisition, and drug administration were estimated by using the published literature. In a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients with heart failure and comorbid anemia, the costs associated with outpatient epoetin and intravenous iron therapy exceeded savings in hospitalization costs by $83,070. Results of 1-way sensitivity analyses generally confirmed robustness of the model. Conclusion. Anemia is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure treated in the outpatient clinic. Although the current evidence is insufficient to support the use of epoetin in this population, initial findings indicate that epoetin and intravenous iron therapy may be associated with positive clinical outcomes. From a pharmacoeconomic standpoint, however, a reduction in the cost of heart failure–related hospitalization does not offset the cost of epoetin and intravenous iron therapy.
Garsia and Milne's bijective proof of the inclusion-exclusion principle

Abstract Although the following proof is implicit in Garsia and Milne's paper [1], it is so elegant that we felt that it should be presented by itself for the benefit of the general mathematical public. The idea behind the proof was further exploited by Remmel [2] and Wilf [3].
Pseudomonas peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients: The network #9 peritonitis study

To determine risk factors for the development of Pseudomonas peritonitis (PsP) and outcomes of PsP, the authors compared peritoneal dialysis patients who developed PsP with peritoneal dialysis patients who developed non-Pseudomonas bacterial peritonitis (non-PsP). The authors also sought to determine if there were differences in patients who had resolution of PsP compared with those patients whose PsP did not resolve. The data were derived from the prospective Tristate Renal Network Peritonitis and Catheter Survival Study. Resolution in this study was defined as clearing of peritoneal dialysate on visual inspection, with up to three courses of antibiotic therapy allowed. Catheter removal, switch to hemodialysis, or death were outcomes that were considered separately from resolution because of the study design. There were 31 cases of PsP in 28 patients and 886 cases of non-PsP identified in 667 adult patients. There were no differences in race, gender, age, or incidence of diabetes between the groups. The PsP group had a 25% incidence of previous exposure to immunosuppressive agents, whereas it was 10.6% in the non-PsP group (P = 0.028). PsP infections were more frequently associated with concomitant exit and tunnel infections, higher hospitalization rates, increased incidence of catheter loss, switch to hemodialysis, and a worse rate of resolution when compared with non-PsP (all, P < 0.05). Logistic regression could not identify patients at increased risk of PsP. PsP resolved with antibiotic therapy only in 10 of 31 episodes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fiber optic distributed temperature sensor mapping of a jet-mixing flow field

This paper introduces the use of a Rayleigh backscatter-based distributed fiber optic sensor to map the temperature field in air flow for a thermal fatigue application. The experiment involves a pair of air jets at 22 and 70 °C discharging from 136 mm hexagonal channels into a 1 × 1 × 1.7 m tank at atmospheric pressure. A 40 m-long, ϕ155 µm fiber optic sensor was wound back and forth across the tank midplane to form 16 horizontal measurement sections with a vertical spacing of 51 mm. This configuration generated a 2D temperature map with 2800 data points over a 0.76 × 1.7 m plane. Fiber optic sensor readings were combined with PIV and infrared measurements to relate flow field characteristics to the thermal signature of the tank lid. The paper includes sensor stability data and notes issues encountered using the distributed temperature sensor in a flow field. Sensors are sensitive to strain and humidity, and so accuracy relies upon strict control of both.
Financing Decisions and Discretionary Accruals: Managerial Manipulation or Managerial Overoptimism

We examine whether discretionary accruals of firms obtaining substantial external financing can be explained by managerial manipulation or managerial overoptimism. Insider trading patterns and press releases around equity and debt financing suggest that managers are more optimistic about their firms around debt financing. Consistent with earlier studies, we find that discretionary current accruals peak when firms obtain equity financing. However, we also find that discretionary accruals peak when firms obtain debt financing. Moreover, discretionary accruals are higher for firms that rely on debt rather than on equity financing. The results are robust to controlling for firm characteristics, excluding small and distressed firms, and using alternative measures of discretionary accruals. These findings support the hypothesis that managerial overoptimism distorts financial statements of firms obtaining external financing.
Actinide Dioxides in Water: Interactions at the Interface

A comprehensive understanding of chemical interactions between water and actinide dioxide surfaces is critical for safe operation and storage of nuclear fuels. Despite substantial previous research, understanding the nature of these interactions remains incomplete. In this work, we combine accurate calorimetric measurements with first-principles computational studies to characterize surface energies and adsorption enthalpies of water on two fluorite-structured compounds, ThO2 and CeO2, that are relevant for understanding the behavior of water on actinide oxide surfaces more generally. We determine coverage-dependent adsorption enthalpies and demonstrate a mixed molecular and dissociative structure for the first hydration layer. The results show a correlation between the magnitude of the anhydrous surface energy and the water adsorption enthalpy. Further, they suggest a structural model featuring one adsorbed water molecule per one surface cation on the most stable facet that is expected to be a common str...
Effect of morphology on barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The effects of morphology on the barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) have been investigated. Various levels of crystallinity can be developed in PET as a result of thermal exposure, orientation, and heat setting. The morphologies of the crystalline phase are affected by the conditions of their formation. As a result of morphological differences, samples with equivalent levels of crystallinity have been found to exhibit different oxygen barrier properties. These differences are most apparent at low and intermediate levels of crystallinity. For thermally crystallized systems, at the same crystalline content, increasing superstructure size in the crystalline phase leads to greater tortuosity for the permeant molecules, resulting in lower permeability. For stretched and heat set PET, transport properties can be correlated with birefringence as well as overall orientation, measured in terms of fraction of molecules in the trans or extended chain conformation. At high levels of crystallinity, where the spherulites become volume filling, permeation takes place primarily through the interlamellar regions of the crystalline phase and is controlled by level of crystallinity, independent of the mode of crystallization. The barrier properties of PET, before spherulitic impingement occurs, are governed by the size and number of spherulites as well as by the amorphous orientation present in non-crystalline regions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:400–409, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
Palaeo-oceanography and biogeography in the Tremadoc (Ordovician) Iapetus Ocean and the origin of the chemostratigraphy of Dictyonema flabelliforme black shales

High concentrations of vanadium, molybdenum, uranium, arsenic, antimony with low concentrations of manganese, iron and cobalt heretofore restricted to Dictyonema flabelliforme-bearing Tremadoc black shales in Balto-Scandia, have been found in coeval black shales in the Saint John, New Brunswick area. Prior palaeogeographic reconstructions place these areas about 400 km. apart in high southern latitudes in the Iapetus Ocean, with New Brunswick in proximity to Avalonia (southeastern Newfoundland). These geochemical similarities are not found in coeval Tremadoc black shales of Bolivia, New York, Quebec, Wales, and Belgium. Palaeo-oceanographic reconstructions of Iapetus support the proximity of Balto-Scandia and the Saint John area during the early Tremadoc and Gee'sx (1981) suggestion that the signature is a feature of eastern Iapetus. Furthermore, first-order modelling of the major surface currents and related primary productivity in the Tremadoc Iapetus Ocean explain the apparent wide latitudinal range of D. flabelliforme (Fortey, 1984) and the anomalous trace metal content of certain black shales of that time. Variations in the elemental content of these black shales is produced by oceanographic and geologic conditions unique to the geographic site. The distinctive Balto-Scandic geochemical signature resulted from the coincidence of anoxic waters transgressing the shelf at latitudes of high organic productivity at the polar Ekman planetary divergence. This produces the conditions for concentrations of V, U, and Mo in the shales. Metal enriched anoxic bottom waters produced by leaching of volcanics or through hydrothermal activity may be the source of the other enhanced signature elements such as As and Sb. The absence of this geochemical signature in younger non-D. flabelliforme Tremadoc and later black shales in Balto-Scandia and other areas suggests that the closing of Iapetus moved the depositional sites into less productive oceanic areas.
Development and validation of the pediatric AzBio sentence lists.

Objectives The goal of this study was to create and validate a new set of sentence lists that could be used to evaluate the speech-perception abilities of listeners with hearing loss in cases where adult materials are inappropriate due to difficulty level or content. The authors aimed to generate a large number of sentence lists with an equivalent level of difficulty for the evaluation of performance over time and across conditions. Design The original Pediatric AzBio sentence corpus included 450 sentences recorded from one female talker. All sentences included in the corpus were successfully repeated by kindergarten and first-grade students with normal hearing. The mean intelligibility of each sentence was estimated by processing each sentence through a cochlear implant simulation and calculating the mean percent correct score achieved by 15 normal-hearing listeners. After sorting sentences by mean percent correct scores, 320 sentences were assigned to 16 lists of equivalent difficulty. List equivalency was then validated by presenting all sentence lists, in a novel random order, to adults and children with hearing loss. A final-validation stage examined single-list comparisons from adult and pediatric listeners tested in research or clinical settings. Results The results of the simulation study allowed for the creation of 16 lists of 20 sentences. The average intelligibility of each list ranged from 78.4 to 78.7%. List equivalency was then validated, when the results of 16 adult cochlear implant users and 9 pediatric hearing aid and cochlear implant users revealed no significant differences across lists. The binomial distribution model was used to account for the inherent variability observed in the lists. This model was also used to generate 95% confidence intervals for one and two list comparisons. A retrospective analysis of 361 instances from 78 adult cochlear implant users and 48 instances from 36 pediatric cochlear implant users revealed that the 95% confidence intervals derived from the model captured 94% of all responses (385 of 409). Conclusions The cochlear implant simulation was shown to be an effective method for estimating the intelligibility of individual sentences for use in the evaluation of cochlear implant users. Furthermore, the method used for constructing equivalent sentence lists and estimating the inherent variability of the materials has also been validated. Thus, the AzBio Pediatric Sentence Lists are equivalent and appropriate for the assessment of speech-understanding abilities of children with hearing loss as well as adults for whom performance on AzBio sentences is near the floor.
Sequencing of interacting prismatic machining features for process planning

Today, feature-based process planning has been popular in academia and industry with its ability to rigorously integrate design and manufacturing. To date, research on feature sequencing is mainly focused on using expert systems or knowledge-based systems, geometric based approaches, unsupervised-learning or artificial neural network, and genetic algorithms. The approach presented in this paper, however, is a hybrid one using both knowledge-based rules and geometric reasoning rules. In addition to feature sequencing rules formulation, our research contributions consist of: (1) determining machining precedence constraints by a set of defined knowledge-based rules, (2) grouping machining features into setups based on tool approaching directions, and (3) sequencing features within each setup through geometric reasoning. The sequence of materials (features) to be removed depends on two types of interactions: adjacent interaction and volumetric interaction. A set of rules for geometric reasoning is therefore developed to generate feature sequence. The developed approach has been implemented as the Sequence Generator module in a Distributed Process Planning system and is validated through a case study.
Health-related quality of life and biomarkers in breast cancer survivors participating in tai chi chuan

Introduction Breast cancer survivors experience diminished health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We report on the influence of tai chi chuan exercise (TCC) on HRQOL and explore associations between changes in HRQOL and biomarkers.