cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Causes and Predictors of 30-Day Readmission in Elderly Patients With Delirium.

Objective: To study 30-day readmission (30-DR) rate and predictors for readmission among elderly patients with delirium. Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study of patients age ≥65 years with discharge diagnosis of delirium identified from the Nationwide Readmission Database using common ICD-9 CM codes linked to delirium diagnosis. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed adjusting for stratified cluster design to identify patient/system-specific factors associated with 30-DR. Results: Overall, the 30-DR rate was 17% (7,140 of 42,655 weighted index admissions). The common causes of readmission were systemic diseases (43%), infections (27%) and neurological diseases (18%). Compared to initial hospitalization, readmission costs were higher ($12,594 vs. $10,533, p Conclusion: The main predictors of readmission were chronic systemic diseases and discharge against medical advice. This data may help design directed clinical care pathways to optimize medical management and post-discharge care to reduce readmission rates
Study of a New Type of Electric Car: Solar-Powered Car

This article shows the difference between solar-powered cars and pure electric cars, the advantages of using solar panels to provide electricity as well as the distance range increased by converting sunlight into electricity. I also discuss and give some reasons that solar-powered cars can be expected to become widespread in the future.
Pandemic Nationalism, COVID-19, and International Law

This Essay explores possible reforms to the World Health Organization (WHO) considering its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also suggests using existing mechanisms to enforce the WHO Constitution and the International Health Regulations (IHR). The Essay focuses on three aspects of global health governance: (1) how nationalism of powerful States renders pandemic control difficult given the “weakest-link public goods” character of global health emergencies; (2) how legal and practice reforms might nonetheless strengthen and fortify the WHO’s response; and (3) how existing provisions of the WHO Constitution and the IHR might be enforced through the dispute resolution clauses in these instruments using principles of State Responsibility. Though successive reforms have been proposed to the WHO in response to previous health crises, growing nationalism in the United States and China has impeded their implementation. International law and existing provisions of the WHO Constitution and the IHR offer some relief, but face obstacles in their effective enforcement. Paradoxically, meaningful reform may be both desirable and yet difficult to achieve in the current geopolitical context, even with the election of a committed multilateralist U.S. President. Until that changes, States will need to use existing legal frameworks creatively, including formal dispute settlement provisions as well as informal pathways to invigorate treaty provisions and hold each other to account. Civil society organizations, including networks of health professionals and scientists, will also need to continue to press international organizations and national systems to adhere to global norms. This Essay is part of a comprehensive project studying the global response to COVID-19.
Tuning the defects in MoS2/reduced graphene oxide 2D hybrid materials for optimizing battery performance

This study reports the preparation of a set of hybrid materials consisting of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanopatches on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets by microwave specific heating of graphene oxide and molecular molybdenum precursors followed by thermal annealing in 3% H2 and 97% Ar. The microwave process converts graphene oxide to ordered rGO nanosheets that are sandwiched between uniform thin layers of amorphous molybdenum trisulfide (MoS3). The subsequent thermal annealing converts the intermediate layers into MoS2 nanopatches with two-dimensional layered structures whose defect density is tunable by controlling the annealing temperature at 250, 325 and 600 °C, respectively. All three MoS2/rGO samples and the MoS3/rGO intermediate after the microwave step show a high Li-ion intercalation capacity in the initial 10 cycles (over 519 mA h gMoSx−1, ∼3.1 Li+ ions per MoS2) which is attributed to the small MoS2 nanopatches in the MoS2/rGO hybrids while the effect of further S-rich defects is insignificant. In contrast, the Zn-ion storage properties strongly depend on the defects in the MoS2 nanopatches. The highly defective MoS2/rGO hybrid prepared by annealing at 250 °C shows the highest initial Zn-ion storage capacity (∼300 mA h gMoSx−1) and close to 100% coulombic efficiency, which is dominated by pseudocapacitive surface reactions at the edges or defects in the MoS2 nanopatches. The fast fading in the initial cycles can be mitigated by applying higher charge/discharge currents or extended cycles. This study validates that defect engineering is critical for improving Zn-ion storage.
High-Throughput Mechanistic Screening of Epigenetic Compounds for the Potential Treatment of Meningiomas.

Background: Meningiomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors. 20–30% of these tumors are considered high-grade and associated with poor prognosis and high recurrence rates. Despite the high occurrence of meningiomas, there are no FDA-approved compounds for the treatment of these tumors. Methods: In this study, we screened patient-cultured meningiomas with an epigenetic compound library to identify targetable mechanisms for the potential treatment of these tumors. Meningioma cell cultures were generated directly from surgically resected patient tumors and were cultured on a neural matrix. Cells were treated with a library of compounds meant to target epigenetic functions. Results: Although each tumor displayed a unique compound sensitivity profile, Panobinostat, LAQ824, and HC toxin were broadly effective across most tumors. These three compounds are broad-spectrum Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors which target class I, IIa, and IIb HDACs. Panobinostat was identified as the most broadly effective compound, capable of significantly decreasing the average cell viability of the sample cohort, regardless of tumor grade, recurrence, radiation, and patient gender. Conclusions: These findings strongly suggest an important role of HDACs in meningioma biology and as a targetable mechanism. Additional validation studies are necessary to confirm these promising findings, as well to identify an ideal HDAC inhibitor candidate to develop for clinical use.
What About a Woman President?: Understanding the Effects of Voter Stereotypes on Women Candidates

This paper examines the relationship between gender stereotypes and voting for female presidential candidates in the United States. More specifically, this paper analyzes the impact of a distinct subtype of gender stereotypes toward a hypothetical female presidential candidate, and the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The gender stereotypes in question concern: 1) women’s domestic roles, and 2) women’s perceived emotional characteristics. Using data from the General Social Survey 1972-2014 Cumulative Datafile, and the 2016 ANES Time Series Study, I run a logistic regression to examine the impact of gender stereotypes on voting behavior. The results of the logistic regression display that gender stereotypes toward a hypothetical female president are statistically significant in explaining voter behavior. Furthermore, the gender stereotypes that American voters hold may be important predictors of their attitudes toward a hypothetical female presidential candidate. However, the results also display that gender stereotypes toward Hillary Clinton in 2016 were not as salient. Overall, it is the hope that this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the obstacles that women presidential candidates face during American elections.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of a dual phase transformation induced plasticity Fe-Mn-Co-Cr high entropy alloy

Abstract The multicomponent alloys, also known as High Entropy Alloys (HEAs), have been the subject of intense exploration for over a decade now for a wide range of potential applications. To investigate microstructure and mechanical property correlation in a transformation-induced plasticity dual-phase high entropy alloy (DP-HEA) Fe50Mn30Co10Cr10 (at%), microstructural analysis, mechanical testing, and fractography were performed on the DP-HEA. The microstructural state of the alloy was analyzed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The plastic deformation behavior of the alloy was assessed using uniaxial tensile tests. The digital image correlation (DIC) was used during the tensile test to evaluate the Young’s modulus and localized strain values at different points in the gauge section of the tensile specimens as a function of time. An insight into the micromechanism of plastic deformation was gleaned from a stress relaxation test (SRT). The alloy consisted of ~ 12% (by area) of γ-FCC and rest e-HCP phases. The yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength, and elongation were 315 MPa, 755 MPa, and 62%, respectively. For this alloy, the plastic strain ratio was estimated to be ~ 0.75 using the DIC. The curve fitting of true stress/true strain curve using Ludwik’s equation revealed the strain hardening exponent to be 0.76. The flow stress changed from 315 MPa at YS to ~ 1200 MPa at necking. From the DIC data, the maximum strain in uniformly deformed and necked regions were determined to be 0.44 and 0.68, respectively. The DIC data analysis revealed the Young’s modulus of the alloy to be 180 GPa. The true activation volume of the alloy ranged from 300b3 to 450b3 and decreased with increase in flow stress. Overall, a good combination of strength, ductility, and work hardening behavior was noted in the HEA predominantly consisting of e-HCP phase.
Detailed Studies of Selected Antarctic Outlet Glaciers and Ice Shelves

In the glaciologic part of the introduction, the important role that Antarctica plays in Global Change is explained in relationship to temperature change, changes in atmospheric conditions - CO2 budget — and sea-level rise. There are two main approaches to investigate mass changes in the Antarctic Ice Sheet: a) changes in elevation of the entire ice sheet, and b) changes in the outlet glaciers of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Changes in elevation can be monitored when comparing maps of different times, for instance, a GEOSAT map and an ERS-1 map in this Atlas, or more time points, as is illustrated in the section on Lambert Glacier. The outlet glaciers, ice streams, and ice shelves are key features, because they are most sensitive and change is most evident there. Flux of ice into the ocean occurs across the margin of Antarctica, the ice-ocean boundary.
The component-based application for GAMESS

GAMESS, a quantum chetnistry program for electronic structure calculations, has been freely shared by high-performance application scientists for over twenty years. It provides a rich set of functionalities and can be run on a variety of parallel platforms through a distributed data interface. While a chemistry computation is sophisticated and hard to develop, the resource sharing among different chemistry packages will accelerate the development of new computations and encourage the cooperation of scientists from universities and laboratories. Common Component Architecture (CCA) offers an enviromnent that allows scientific packages to dynamically interact with each other through components, which enable dynamic coupling of GAMESS with other chetnistry packages, such as MPQC and NWChem. Conceptually, a cotnputation can be constructed with "plug-and-play" components from scientific packages and require more than componentizing functions/subroutines of interest, especially for large-scale scientific packages with a long development history. In this research, we present our efforts to construct cotnponents for GAMESS that conform to the CCA specification. The goal is to enable the fine-grained interoperability between three quantum chemistry programs, GAMESS, MPQC and NWChem, via components. We focus on one of the three packages, GAMESS; delineate the structure of GAMESS computations, followed by our approaches to its componentmore » development. Then we use GAMESS as the driver to interoperate integral components from the other tw"o packages, arid show the solutions for interoperability problems along with preliminary results. To justify the versatility of the design, the Tuning and Analysis Utility (TAU) components have been coupled with GAMESS and its components, so that the performance of GAMESS and its components may be analyzed for a wide range of systetn parameters.« less
Abstract T P275: Quantification of Potential Bias in Databases That Require Consent in Acute Stroke

Background: The stroke database at our institution includes patients who gave consent and are followed up at 90 days after acute stroke and a group entered into our registry in whom only limited data is available under a consent waiver. We explore the potential bias that is introduced by the requirement to obtain consent. Methods: We included patients with an admission diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke. For each of the groups (database versus registry), we analyzed age, sex, race/ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes, history of atrial fibrillation, smoking status, pre-stroke mRS, baseline NIHSS, presence of aphasia, and use of IV rt-PA. We used Wilcoxon Rank-sum test for continuous and Fisher's Exact for categorical variables. Results: A total of 1800 patients were included (database 849, registry 951). In the database versus registry 84.6% were white versus 79.9% (p=0.006); baseline NIHSS was 8.6±8.1 versus 10.6±9.2; aphasia 38.6% versus 44% (p=0.03); pre-stroke disability (mRS >1) 21.5% versus 30% (p<0.0001) and IV rt-PA use 47.7% versus 26.5% (p<0.0001). There was no difference in age, sex, smoking status, the frequency of diabetes, atrial fibrillation, hypertension and ethnicity (Hispanic) between the groups. Conclusion: In our comparison between a database requiring consent and a registry utilizing consent waiver, we found that the database included more whites, patients with lower NIHSS, fewer patients with aphasia and pre-stroke disability. Requiring consent in acute stroke may introduce bias against minorities and patients with more severe stroke and/or aphasia. Future projects should take this into consideration and focus on reducing bias. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Sedimentation of molecular solutions in the ultracentrifuge

Abstract A theory is presented for multicomponent, multiphase chemical equilibrium in a gravitational or centrifugal field. Bulk fluid in the field is stratified; the degree of stratification depends on how free energy and density of the material depend on composition and pressure. Nonideal solutions of low-molecular-weight species can have the sharp composition gradients in the field that are characteristic of solutions containing dense salts and colloids. Because each phase in the field is not homogeneous, but is stratified in pressure and composition, the number and composition of phases in a strong field can differ strikingly from those in Earth's gravity. The phase rule does not apply to a system so stratified. Metastable states are possible in the field as well. All of these features are illustrated by the behavior of simple model nonideal solutions and, in two cases, by experiments. Implications for interpreting ultracentrifuge studies of phase behavior and fluid structure are discussed.
US materials policy ☆: A legislative approach

Abstract This paper describes a general programme to develop a national policy for materials in the USA, under the leadership of the Committee on Science and Technology of the US House of Representatives. The paper discusses the evolving need for a policy, and describes the foundation for policy provided by the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization and Priorities Act of 1976, and policies proposed in a draft national materials bill. Possible ways of implementing the proposed policy are considered.
On the Collective Nature of Human Intelligence

A fundamental assumption of cognitive science is that the individual is the correct unit of analysis for understanding human intelligence. I present evidence that this assumption may have limited utility, that the social networks containing the individuals are an important additional unit of analysis, and that this “network intelligence” is significantly mediated by non-linguistic processes. Across a broad range of situations these network effects typically predict 40% or more of the variation in human behavior.
Breaking Into the Intergovernmental Matrix: The Lumbee Tribe's Efforts to Secure Federal Acknowledgment

This article discusses the concept ofpolitical recognition (both federal and state) ofIndian tribes; explains the difference between administrative and legislative recognition; examines who is or should be empowered to extend federal recognition, the Congress or the executive branch; discusses the major factors that have compelled the Lumbees to seek federal recognition when they were already acknowledged by the state; and examines the major factors that have precluded them from securing complete federal recognition.
Reminiscence and the second half of life.

Abstract The theoretical and empirical literature on reminiscence during the second half of life is reviewed. In general, the theoretical accounts suggest reminiscence to be an evaluative, private phenomenon involving large segments of one's past and serving an adaptive function. The unique set of problems and concerns of late life activates the process which involves the assessment of both positive and negative events and generally produces some adjustment-relevant insight in one's life or self. As a group, the empirical research has lagged behind theory and is in its earliest stage; procedural differences and methodological flaws render the findings unclear. However, it was tentatively concluded that reminiscence is a complex phenomenon varying along many dimensions --content, frequency, form, function, affect, outcome and eliciting stimuli. Suggestions for future investigations call for focused, rigorous examination of the dimensions of reminiscence, careful definition and measurement of key constructs...
Light-weight single trial EEG signal processing algorithms: Computational profiling for low power design

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) systems translate brain rhythms into signals comprehensible by computers. BCI has numerous applications in the clinical domain, the computer gaming, and the military. Real-time analysis of single trial brain signals is a challenging task, due to the low SNR of the incoming signals, added noise due to muscle artifacts, and trial-to-trial variability. In this work we present a computationally lightweight classification method based on several time and frequency domain features. After preprocessing and filtering, wavelet transform and Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) are used for feature extraction. Feature vectors which are extracted from θ and α frequency bands are classified using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. EEG data were recorded from 64 electrodes during three different Go/NoGo tasks. We achieved 91% classification accuracy for two-class discrimination. The high recognition rate and low computational complexity makes this approach a promising method for a BCI system running on wearable and mobile devices. Computational profiling shows that this method is suitable for real time signal processing implementation.
The degradation mechanism of Ti-Pd-Ag solar cell contacts by an accelerated electrochemical testing technique

Abstract An accelerated experimental study on encapsulated solar cells with TiPdAg contacts has been made. The degradatio properties of TiPdAg solar cell metallization are described. It is shown that the encapsulation materials, which act as an electrolyte, play a major role in the deterioration reaction mechanisms. A qualitative comparison is made of the commonly used polyvinylbutyral (PVB) with an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant. Silver migration was detected in PVB but was not observed in EVA, indicating the advantages of EVA over PVB in reducing corrosion problems in modules. Electrical performance measurements (current-voltage curves) showed a reduction in the solar cell power output due to a loss in the encapsulation transparency (optical loss) caused by the presence of corrosion products on and around the metallization grid lines.
Timing of Initial Well-Child Visit and Readmissions of Newborns

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recommendations for the timing of the first well-child visit (WCV) after discharge from a well-baby nursery (WBN) suggest that the visit occur within 48 hours of discharge for those with a WBN length of stay of ≤48 hours and within 3 to 5 days for those with a WBN length of stay of >48 hours. The purpose of these early visits is to detect conditions that may cause readmission in the first weeks after birth, but the effectiveness of early visits to accomplish this has not been shown. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the frequency of early visits and (2) to compare readmission rates for those who had an early visit compared with those who did not. METHODS: Using data from a large health care system in Utah, we determined the readmission rates newborns with an estimated gestational age ≥34 weeks and compared the rates for those who had an early WCV with those who did not. RESULTS: Of 79 720 newborns, 50 606 (63%) were discharged within 48 hours of birth. Of these, 7638 (15%) had a visit within 72 hours of discharge. The readmission rate for newborns who had a visit within the recommended time frame was 15.7 per 1000 compared with 18.4 for those with a later visit (odds ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval 0.73–0.99) CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of first WCVs that occurred within the recommended time frames was low. Early visits were associated with a 15% reduction in the rate of readmissions.
Parkinsonian motor features distinguish the agrammatic from logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia.

Abstract Background Few studies have assessed parkinsonian motor features across variants of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Our objective was to compare degree of parkinsonian motor features between two PPA variants. Methods Parkinsonian motor features were assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating scale in prospectively recruited PPA subjects, classified based on recently published criteria. Comparisons across groups were performed with Fisher's exact test for binary data and Mann–Whitney U test for continuous data. Results Twenty-three PPA subjects were diagnosed with logopenic (n = 11) or nonfluent/agrammatic (n = 12) aphasia. There were no significant differences in illness duration (agrammatic = 3.4 years; logopenic = 3.3 years) or age at onset (nonfluent/agrammatic = 67.3; logopenic = 62.0), but those with logopenic aphasia were more impaired on Mini-Mental State Examination (21.7/30 points vs. 26.1/30; p = 0.04). In contrast, those with logopenic aphasia had fewer parkinsonian motor features than those with agrammatic aphasia (5.7/132 vs. 16.8/132; p = 0.003) which was driven by bradykinesia (p = 0.02) and speech facial/expression (p = 0.04); less so rigidity (p = 0.06). Dysarthria was more frequent in the nonfluent/agrammatic subgroup. Conclusions Nonfluent/agrammatic subjects have more parkinsonian motor features than logopenic subjects, likely reflecting underlying tau pathology in the agrammatic variant.
Effects of Internal Heat Generation on Solidification

We present solutions for solid-liquid phase change in materials that generate internal heat. This problem is solved for both cylindrical and semi-infinite geometries. The analysis assumes a temperature profile in the solid phase and constant temperature boundary conditions on the exposed surfaces. We derive differential equations governing the solidification thickness for both geometries as functions of the Stefan number and the internal heat generation (IHG). For the cylindrical geometry, the solidification layer obtains a steady-state value which is related to the inverse of the square root of the IHG. The solutions to the semi-infinite geometry problem show that when the surface is cooled to below the freezing point, a solidification layer forms along the edge and begins to grow until it reaches a maximum, then begins remelt.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Development of breeder-friendly markers for selection of MIPS1 mutations in soybean

Mutations in the d-myo-inositol 3-phosphate synthase 1 gene (MIPS1) in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cause modifications to seed phosphorus and carbohydrate content that improve the nutritional value of food and feed. Molecular markers are an efficient tool for breeding MIPS1 mutant germplasm due to reduced seed germination and field emergence potential. An F2 population segregating for the MIPS1 mutation found in experimental soybean line V99-5089 was used to develop breeder-friendly markers. Markers were validated in 88 advanced lines from 9 diverse pedigrees. Ten potential simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, located on Gm11, from the new BARCSOYSSR_1.0 database were tested and four were polymorphic. BARCSOY_11_1495 was 93–97% effective for selecting the mutation. A KBiosciences Competitive Allele Specific PCR (KASPar) assay was developed to select directly for the V99-5089-derived MIPS1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutation. The KASPar assay is simple and cost-effective compared to other SNP genotyping assays. The MIPS1 mutation in V99-5089 is likely to have occurred spontaneously. We describe a method of DNA extraction in soybean using a Geno/Grinder for fast and easy tissue maceration.
Optimal Lipschitzian selection operator in quasi-convex optimization☆

Abstract Given a bounded real function f defined on a closed bounded real interval I, the problem is to find a quasi-convex function f′ which minimizes the supremum of ¦f(s) − f′(s)¦ for all s in I, over the class of all quasi-convex functions f′ on I. Such a nearest function f′ is not unique in general. For each f, is it possible to select a nearest f′ so that the selection operator f → f′ satisfies a Lipschitz condition with some constant C? If so, does there exist an operator for which C is minimum? It is shown that there exists a maximal nearest function f so that the operator f → f is such an optimal Lipschitzian selection operator with C = 2.
The current status of the Acticon Neosphincter.

Severe fecal incontinence is a very debilitating condition with a tremendous impact on an individual's life. In the past if a patient was not amenable to a tissue repair or failed a tissue repair, a colostomy was his or her only surgical option. New innovations have emerged giving patients more options to regain continence. The Acticon® Neosphincter, which is an artificial bowel sphincter, is one of those newer options. The device is reserved for patients with severe fecal incontinence that is not amenable to lesser forms of therapy. Because it is an artificial device, the risk of infection is of particular concern. With experience, however, the infection rate has declined and the artificial bowel sphincter has become a good option for patients with severe fecal incontinence. The results are quite impressive with a significant number of patients obtaining complete continence.
Serological comparison of selected isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. salmonicida

. Eight isolates of Acronionus salmonicida ssp. salmonicida were collected during furunculosis epizootics in North American Pacific coast states and provinces. Both virulent and avirulent forms of each isolate, confirmed by challenge and electron microscopy, were examined. Serological comparisons by cross-absorption agglutination tests revealed no serological differences between isolates. Using the double diffusion precipitin test, a single band was observed when antigen from a sonicated virulent strain was reacted with antiserum against a sonicated, virulent strain absorbed with homologous, avirulent strain. The presence of the single band was eliminated by excess sonication.
Performance-based evaluation of RFID-based indoor location sensing solutions for the built environment

Indoor location information is of great value to the building industry in improving the utilization and maintenance of facilities. The paper identifies previous academic accomplishments of radio frequency identification (RFID)-based indoor location sensing (ILS) solutions. The paper summarizes the major location sensing methods used in previous RFID-based solutions, and provides a review of 21 research projects, with their algorithm design, devices, test setup, and performance evaluation presented in detail. Based on this review, the paper summarizes the intensive use of the proximity method in RFID-based ILS, and analyzes the underlying rationale. The findings point out that no single solution satisfies all criteria for widespread implementations, and that the adaptability of these solutions to built environments need to be further justified. Finally, the paper outlines the gaps for future research, including modifying ILS solution design, developing a seamless outdoor/indoor location sensing solution, and building a context-aware information delivery mechanism for the building industry.
Temporal artery vasculitis in young: a report of two cases

Temporal (giant cell) arteritis is a chronic vasculitis of large and medium sized vessels which usually occurs in individuals above 50 years of age. In patients less than 50 years temporal artery vasculitis is extremely rare. The clinical presentations of the vasculitis in younger patients appear to be different from the older patients. We present two case reports of temporal artery vasculitis in patients less than 50 years, one of them with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Both the cases had variable clinical presentations and good response to treatment.
Removal of Antibiotics in Wastewater: Effect of Hydraulic and Solid Retention Times on the Fate of Tetracycline in the Activated Sludge Process

A study was conducted to examine the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and solid retention time (SRT) on the removal of tetracycline in the activated sludge processes. Two lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were operated to simulate the activated sludge process. One SBR was spiked with 250 μg/L tetracycline, while the other SBR was evaluated at tetracycline concentrations found in the influent of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) where the activated sludge was obtained. The concentrations of tetracyclines in the influent of the WWTP ranged from 0.1 to 0.6 μg/L. Three different operating conditions were applied during the study (phase 1HRT: 24 h and SRT: 10 days; phase 2HRT: 7.4 h and SRT: 10 days; and phase 3HRT: 7.4 h and SRT: 3 days). The removal efficiency of tetracycline in phase 3 (78.4 ± 7.1%) was significantly lower than that observed in phase 1 (86.4 ± 8.7%) and phase 2 (85.1 ± 5.4%) at the 95% confidence level. The reduction of SRT in phase 3 while maintaining a consta...
A Tm:YAG laser for optical frequency measurements: mixing 148 THz light with CO2 laser radiation

Abstract A single-mode, diode-pumped Tm:YAG laser which is tunable from 2005 to 2035 nm and has an output power of 90 mW at 148 THz (2022 nm) is described. The beat between the frequency of this laser and the fifth harmonic of a CO2 laser transition has been observed using a tungsten-nickel point-contact diode. A signal to noise ratio of up to 20 dB in a 100 kHz bandwidth has been obtained. The Tm:YAG laser will be used as an intermediate frequency source in a chain between a visible frequency and a cesium standard.
What's So Rickety? Richardson's Non‐Epistemic Democracy

Some normative democratic theories theories attempting to explain how and when democratic political decisions are legitimate, authoritative, or just rely on a tendency for democratic procedures to make good decisions.1 Other theories, especially those relying on purely procedural virtues such as procedural fairness, do not.2 In his important book, Democratic Autonomy: Public Reasoning about the Ends of Policy, Henry Richardson's approach seeks to incorporate some of the advantages of each. In the end, his theory rejects any reliance on democracy's tendency to produce good decisions. I think this lands his underlying normative theory in difficulties. There is a lot in the book that is not affected by the issues I will concentrate on, and, indeed, I will argue that the epistemic approach he rejects an approach in which it is important that democratic decisions tend to get things right would be more congenial to his conception of democratic institutions than his non-epistemic emphasis on what he calls "democratic autonomy." There is a tension in much normative democratic theory, and it is present in this book: on one hand, the model for a proper politics is the activity of reasoning in public with one's fellow citizens about what we as a political community ought to do. On the other hand, there is skepticism about whether there is any answer prior to political decisions about what we ought to do, or at least whether there is one that could be legitimately appealed to in politics. Or, even if it is granted that there is an answer, there
Urban resident's landscape preferences: A method for their assessment

Abstract This study explored and tested a geographically based method to help planners and designers identify in situ the landscape preferences of people who reside in urban settlements. The method is based on a structured oral interview and on procedures that require residents to map their recall of voluntary approach and avoidance behaviors, sense experiences and places related to the ‘sense of place’. In a case study of Ashland, WI, undertaken in 1977, residents' preferences were assessed and groundwork for incorporating them into local landscape planning, design and management was laid.
A development-based approach to global climate policy

A common approach for addressing climate change is to reduce the cost of greenhouse gas mitigation through market-based mechanisms, which enable an economically efficient allocation of emissions. However, from a human development perspective, a market-based approach to emission allocation might not be appropriate, considering the value it places on social well-being. This research builds on previous empirical work to develop a framework for conceptualizing the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and human development using the capability approach. The framework enables a critical examination of policy prescriptions that employ market-based methods for emission allocation due to their potential for unintended consequences for underdeveloped nations. Lastly, we offer a theoretical policy proposal aimed at preventing unintended human development consequences.
Progestin-only treatments for acute and chronic heavy menstrual bleeding.

Progestin-only therapies have emerged as very important treatment options for a wide range of gynecologic problems, including: ongoing and emergency contraception, endometrial hyperplasia, infreque...
A variational nonparametric bayesian approach for inferring rat hippocampal population codes

Rodent hippocampal population codes represent important spatial information of the environment during navigation. Several computational methods have been developed to uncover the neural representation of spatial topology embedded in rodent hippocampal ensemble spike activity. Here we extend our previous work and propose a nonparametric Bayesian approach to infer rat hippocampal population codes. Specifically, we develop an infinite hidden Markov model (iHMM) and variational Bayes (VB) inference method to analyze rat hippocampal ensemble spike activity. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using an open field navigation example and discuss the significance/implications of our results.
Fuzzy decision tables for expert systems

Abstract The use of fuzzy decision tables as a programming language for representing both the knowledge and the procedures in expert systems is discussed. Examples of their use for the generation of procedural code and for the generation of if-then rules are given.
Affecting Change in Architectural Education

Architecture concerns not so much an explicit body of transmittable knowledge and protocols as it does a set of implicit understandings, sensitivities and sensibilities. The education of an architect therefore concerns the mission of endowing candidates with those implicit traits. This is not to say that architects do not possess and wield prodigious amounts of explicit cognitive knowledge, because they certainly do. But that explicit component of architectural know-how is actually vested in and deployed by the architect not so much because the knowledge has been invented, discovered, or developed by architects; but rather because they have assimilated it from other disciplines in a special way that gives architects adductive and hermeneutic insight into vast, detailed, and complex design challenges. Engineers make better machines, artists make more meaningful artifacts, and psychologists provide better human environments; but architects are trained to see the underlying opportunity and potential celebration of how those constituent menus might become a feast. In any unresolved complex of space, material and form, architects grasp a unique essence in how they perceive the “happily ever after” of what it might be and how that vision might be made whole and concrete. By the time a student of architecture is fully indoctrinated, this grasp of an underlying ideal essence is so potent that it becomes the student’s identity… and the purpose of that insight becomes an irresistible intention.
Valuing albedo as an ecosystem service: implications for forest management

Surface albedo is a property of the Earth’s surface that provides an important climate regulating ecosystem service through the reflection of incoming solar radiation. In some regions, the cooling effect of higher albedo associated with snow-covered bare ground and young forests, compared to mature forests, can exceed the cooling effect of carbon sequestration from forest growth. Properly assigning an economic value to the net benefits of albedo-related shortwave radiative flux is therefore important in order to understand how these two ecosystem services may tradeoff under different scenarios and in different forests. Here we place an economic value on albedo-related shortwave radiation through the use of shadow prices derived from an integrated assessment model (DICE). We then examine the potential impact of this value on optimal forest rotation in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in the state of New Hampshire, USA. Our results suggest that valuing albedo can shorten optimal rotation periods significantly compared to scenarios where only timber and carbon are considered. For instance, in spruce-fir stands, very short rotation periods of just 25 years become economically optimal when albedo is considered. We attribute this to the low productivity of the sites within the WMNF as well as the substantial snowfall that occurs in the area. Thus, in high latitude forests where snowfall is common and productivity is low, incorporating the valuation of albedo may lead to relatively short optimal rotation periods if the only ecosystem services considered are timber provisioning and climate regulation.
Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Nucleic Acid Molten Salts

Molten salts of Ni(bpy 3 5 0 ) 3 2+ and single stranded oligonucleotides were prepared (bpy 3 5 0 = 4,4'-(CH 3 (OCH 2 -CH 2 ) 7 . 2 4 OCO) 2 -2,2'-bipyridine). Photoinduced electron transfer was observed between small amounts ofRu-(bpz) 3 2+* (E 2 + * 1 + = 1.35 V vs SCE, bpz = 2,2'-bipyrazine) added to the melt and guanine in the nucleic acid, by measuring the emission lifetime of the ruthenium complex in melts containing varying amounts of guanine-containing nucleic acid. Electrochemically determined diffusion coefficients in these media were < 1 × 10 - 1 1 cm 2 /s, showing that the Ru(bpz) 3 2+* diffuses less than 0.4 A during the measured excited-state lifetime. A linear relationship was observed between the fraction of Ru(bpz) 3 2+* that was quenched (calculated as (τ° - τ)/τ) and the mole fraction of guanine-containing oligonucleotides. This relationship supports a quenching mechanism that does not involve diffusion of the ruthenium complex. The average electron-transfer rate constant at full guanine loading was 7 x 10 6 s - 1 , which implies an average electron-transfer distance of 12.5 A (center-to-center).
TRAPATT oscillations with a half-wave rectified sine wave current

TRAPATT oscillations in a p-i-n diode were simulated by an approximate but fast computer model. A diode current composed of the first two harmonics of a half-wave rectified sine wave gave high-efficiency oscillations over a wide range of current levels and over several orders of magnitude of the diode saturation current.
Critical constant-directional pressure on circular rings and hingeless arches

A new, very low critical value of the constant-directional external pressure acting on a ring has been discovered and compared with the values commonly cited in the literature.
A BBP-Mud2p Heterodimer Mediates Branchpoint Recognition and Influences Splicing Substrate Abundance in Budding Yeast

The 3′ end of mammalian introns is marked by the branchpoint binding protein, SF1, and the U2AF65-U2AF35 heterodimer bound at an adjacent sequence. Baker's yeast has equivalent proteins, branchpoint binding protein (BBP) (SF1) and Mud2p (U2AF65), but lacks an obvious U2AF35 homolog, leaving open the question of whether another protein substitutes during spliceosome assembly. Gel filtration, affinity selection and mass spectrometry were used to show that rather than a U2AF65/U2AF35-like heterodimer, Mud2p forms a complex with BBP without a third (U2AF35-like) factor. Using mutants of MUD2 and BBP, we show that the BBP–Mud2p complex bridges partner-specific Prp39p, Mer1p, Clf1p and Smy2p two-hybrid interactions. In addition to inhibiting Mud2p association, the bbpΔ56 mutation impairs splicing, enhances pre-mRNA release from the nucleus, and similar to a mud2::KAN knockout, suppresses a lethal sub2::KAN mutation. Unexpectedly, rather than exacerbating bbpΔ56, the mud2::KAN mutation partially suppresses a pre-mRNA accumulation defect observed with bbpΔ56. We propose that a BBP–Mud2p heterodimer binds as a unit to the branchpoint in vivo and serves as a target for the Sub2p-DExD/H-box ATPase and for other splicing factors during spliceosome assembly. In addition, our results suggest the possibility that the Mud2p may enhance the turnover of pre-mRNA with impaired BBP-branchpoint association.
Charge separation in the aerodynamic breakup of micrometer-sized water droplets.

Charged water droplets generated by electrospray, sonic spray, and a vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG) have been studied by digital macrophotography and image charge detection mass spectrometry. Image charge detection mass spectrometry provides information on the droplet size, charge, and velocity after transmission through a capillary interface. The digital images provide the droplet size distribution before they enter the capillary. Droplets with 10−100 μm radii generated by sonic spray and VOAG are reduced to 2−3 μm radii by transmission through the capillary interface. The droplets from sonic spray and VOAG are much more highly charged than expected for random charging, and positive droplets are much more prevalent than negative. For positive mode electrospray, >99% of the detected droplets carry a positive charge, whereas for negative mode electrospray, 70% carry a positive charge). These observation can all be accounted for by th...
A thermal effluent as a sporadic cornucopia: effects on fish and zooplankton

We report effects of a thermal effluent on fish and zooplankton in an impoundment in South Carolina. The effects are not directly due to heated effluent but are indirect effects on the trophic dynamics of the system and depend on the physical structure of the system, season, and geography. As effluent from a nuclear reactor cooling pond (Pond C) enters the larger Par Pond it sporadically carries with it zooplankton and/or dead fish. Pond C produces high zooplankton densities in two situations: (1) high and hot effluent flow during cold winter weather; and (2) low (cool) effluent flow during warmer seasons. High zooplankton densities attract Blueback herring, Alosa aestivalis, which attract largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Dying and dead bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus from Pond C (heat killed) are eaten by Par Pond bass which swim into effluent temperatures as high as 46°C to take these easy prey. Blueback herring and largemouth bass distribution are affected by the presence of food rather than by temperature. Par Pond blueback herring appear to be available to bass mainly when herring are near the effluent from Pond C and when they spawn in spring in the littoral zone. Because Blueback herring in Par Pond live only one year and because their presence in bass habitat is seasonal there is a strong seasonal component to bass food abundance. A previously reported annual oscillation in bass condition (K), with a peak in winter, occurs throughout Par Pond but is extreme in the vicinity of the effluent. The strong seasonality of food abundance for bass at the effluent correlates the winter peak in bass condition.
Radiographic evaluation of metastatic melanoma

Malignant melanoma can potentially involve any organ system in the body once it metastasizes beyond the regional lymph nodes. A survey of the radiographic and associated clinical manifestations of metastatic melanoma is presented. The findings from 74 autopsies of patients who died of metastatic melanoma are included.
The effects of intraaortic balloon counterpulsation on myocardial infarct size.

Abstract The left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated in 6 baboons. Subsequently, 3 animals were supported with long-term (24-hour) intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP), and 3 were on coronary occlusion alone. Animals were studied hemodynamically and with unipolar electrocardiographic mapping acutely and then were studied after a week and killed. A histological measurement of infarct size was made. The use of IABP had no influence on the area of ischemia determined by unipolar mapping or on infarct size measured quantitatively at a week. Similarly, there were no acute hemodynamic differences between the two groups. The only significant difference noted was a reduction in systolic pressure in IABP animals during balloon pumping and a significantly higher left ventricular systolic pressure a week following infarction in animals treated with IABP. The data indicate no significant effect of IABP on altering infarct size in animals with acute coronary ligation in the absence of cardiogenic shock.
Similar Processing of Real- and Subjective-Contour Poggendorff Figures by Men and Women

Measures of illusion magnitude for a real-contour and two subjective-contour Poggendorff figures were obtained from 42 men and 42 women. Although magnitudes of illusion differed as a function of figure type, male-female differences in magnitude of illusion did not vary across figures or judgment orders. Also, correlations among the illusions observed for three types of figures did not differ for men and women. These data are consistent with the view that real- and subjective-contour Poggendorff figures evoke similar processing strategies and that sex differences, when observed, are probably the result of differences in cognitive-judgmental strategy rather than differences in the optical and neural properties of the visual system.