cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Considerations in applying D-C traction motors on rectified single-phase power

IN PAST years various attempts have been made to power locomotives by 25-cycle single-phase rectified voltage applied to d-c series motors. Early efforts were unsuccessful, mainly because of the faulty operation of the mercury-arc rectifier. Continued research and development, however, have now made the operation of d-c traction motors on mercury-arc rectifiers in locomotive service entirely feasible from a technical standpoint. In recent years, a new feature has been added. The development of the Diesel-electric locomotive has resulted in a standardized, low-cost d-c traction motor suitable for general-purpose road-locomotive applications. Hence, any present-day electric locomotive design employing d-c traction motors can benefit by the use of such standarized motors. An example of this is found in the rectifier locomotives recently built by the General Electric Company for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad wherein the standard d-c traction motor shown in Fig. 1 was applied. The problem of operating these motors on rectified single-phase 25-cycle power resolved itself into the problem of smoothing the undulating current to a sufficient degree so that this motor would not be harmfully affected from either a stress or performance standpoint.
Single nanoparticle detection using a microcavity laser

Optical microcavity laser is utilized for label-free detection of single nanoparticles. Detection limit is significantly improved due to the ultra-narrow laser linewidth compared to the resonance linewidth of a passive microcavity.
Group equivalents for converting ab initio energies to enthalpies of formation

Group equivalents which are useful for converting energies derived from ab initio calculations into enthalpies of formation have been obtained. They allow ΔHf to be estimated from 6-31G* energies with an uncertainty on the order of ±2 kcal/mol.
Quantitative Ice Accretion Information from the Automated Surface Observing System

Abstract Freezing precipitation is a persistent winter weather problem that costs the United States millions of dollars annually. Costs and infrastructure disruption may be greatly reduced by ice-storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service (NWS), and by the development of climatologies that allow improved design of infrastructure elements. However, neither the NWS nor developers of climatologies have had direct measurements of ice-storm accumulations as a basis for issuing warnings and developing storm design standards. This paper describes the development of an aviation routine/special weather report (METAR/SPECI) remark that will report quantitative ice thickness at over 650 locations during ice storms using new algorithms developed for the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS). Characteristics of the ASOS icing sensor, a field program to develop the algorithms, tests of accuracy, application of the algorithms, and sources of error are described, as is the implementation of an ice-thicknes...
Reasonable Royalty for Patent Infringement of Non-Direct Revenue Producing Products

In today’s information age, data is immensely valuable. Data is so valuable that many companies are willing to give away products and services in order to generate that data. Once these companies have this data, they are able to monetize it typically via advertising or licensing access to their vast database. But, what if the products or services these companies give away infringe upon a valid patent? What is the correct remedy to an injured patentee against a defendant whose accused product or service generates no direct revenue? A royalty that reaches through to the final product enabled by the patented technology, analogous to the reach-through royalty used in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries seems applicable in these cases and can be supported by a correct application of the Georgia-Pacific reasonable royalty factors. Valuing this enabling technology as a building block and analogous to the basic research tools of the biotechnology industry in constructing damage remedies will achieve an equitable result while still maintaining the incentives of the patent system.
Agency and politics in hunter-gatherer territory formation

Discussions of territoriality in prehistory that link ownership, exclusion, and privilege to the development of complex social systems are seldom relevant for explaining hunter-gatherer territorial organization. It is necessary, therefore, to address huntergatherer territoriality from a perspective that is uniquely tailored to their land use patterns, social networks, and political agencies. By building a model of territory formation that explicitly incorporates mobility and other key aspects of hunter-gatherer lifeways, this article demonstrates that political territoriality is present at the time of first arrival of a human group into an uninhabited area, developing and expanding through time. A brief example from the initial colonization of North America illustrates main points.
Suppression of RAF/MEK or PI3K synergizes cytotoxicity of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in glioma tumor-initiating cells

The majority of glioblastomas have aberrant receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/RAS/phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways and malignant glioma cells are thought to be addicted to these signaling pathways for their survival and proliferation. However, recent studies suggest that monotherapies or inappropriate combination therapies using the molecular targeted drugs have limited efficacy possibly because of tumor heterogeneities, signaling redundancy and crosstalk in intracellular signaling network, indicating necessity of rationale and methods for efficient personalized combination treatments. Here, we evaluated the growth of colonies obtained from glioma tumor-initiating cells (GICs) derived from glioma sphere culture (GSC) in agarose and examined the effects of combination treatments on GICs using targeted drugs that affect the signaling pathways to which most glioma cells are addicted. Human GICs were cultured in agarose and treated with inhibitors of RTKs, non-receptor kinases or transcription factors. The colony number and volume were analyzed using a colony counter, and Chou-Talalay combination indices were evaluated. Autophagy and apoptosis were also analyzed. Phosphorylation of proteins was evaluated by reverse phase protein array and immunoblotting. Increases of colony number and volume in agarose correlated with the Gompertz function. GICs showed diverse drug sensitivity, but inhibitions of RTK and RAF/MEK or PI3K by combinations such as EGFR inhibitor and MEK inhibitor, sorafenib and U0126, erlotinib and BKM120, and EGFR inhibitor and sorafenib showed synergy in different subtypes of GICs. Combination of erlotinib and sorafenib, synergistic in GSC11, induced apoptosis and autophagic cell death associated with suppressed Akt and ERK signaling pathways and decreased nuclear PKM2 and β-catenin in vitro, and tended to improve survival of nude mice bearing GSC11 brain tumor. Reverse phase protein array analysis of the synergistic treatment indicated involvement of not only MEK and PI3K signaling pathways but also others associated with glucose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, gene transcription, histone methylation, iron transport, stress response, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Inhibiting RTK and RAF/MEK or PI3K could induce synergistic cytotoxicity but personalization is necessary. Examining colonies in agarose initiated by GICs from each patient may be useful for drug sensitivity testing in personalized cancer therapy.
Selected Contribution: Plasticity of airway smooth muscle stiffness and extensibility: role of length-adaptive mechanisms

Airway smooth muscle exhibits the property of length adaptation, which enables it to optimize its contractility to the mechanical conditions under which it is activated. Length adaptation has been proposed to result from a dynamic modulation of contractile and cytoskeletal filament organization, in which the cell structure adapts to changes in cell shape at different muscle lengths. Changes in filament organization would be predicted to alter muscle stiffness and extensibility. We analyzed the effects of tracheal muscle length at the time of contractile activation on the stiffness and extensibility of the muscle during subsequent stretch over a constant range of muscle lengths. Muscle strips were significantly stiffer and less extensible after contractile activation at a short length than after activation at a long length, consistent with the prediction of a shorter, thicker array of the cytoskeletal filaments at a short muscle length. Stretch beyond the length of contractile activation resulted in a persistent reduction in stiffness, suggesting a stretch-induced structural rearrangement. Our results support a model in which the filament organization of airway smooth muscle cells is plastic and can be acutely remodeled to adapt to the changes in the external physical environment.
Development of hydrocarbon biofuel from sunflower seed and sunflower meat oils over ZSM-5

Individually, sunflower oil produced from inedible sunflower seeds with hulls and sunflower meats without hulls were catalytically cracked over the ZSM-5 catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor at three reaction temperatures (450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C). Characterizations of hydrocarbon biofuel, distillation residual, and non-condensable gas were carried out. The reaction temperature on the hydrocarbon biofuel yield and quality from sunflower seed oil and sunflower meat oil were discussed and compared. In addition, a preliminary cost analysis of the sunflower seed dehulling was carried out. The results showed that the highest hydrocarbon biofuel yield was obtained from upgrading sunflower meat oil at 500 °C. The highest meat hydrocarbon biofuel yield was 8.5% higher than the highest seed hydrocarbon biofuel yield. The reaction temperature had a significant effect on the distribution of non-condensable gas components. Furthermore, the reaction temperature affected the yield and properties of hydrocarbon biofuel. The unit cost of producing sunflower meat oil was lower than that of producing sunflower seed oil. Comprehensively, sunflower meat could be a more economical feedstock than sunflower seed to produce hydrocarbon biofuel.
Do we really know our patient population in database research? A comparison of the femoral shaft fracture patient populations in three commonly used national databases.

Aims While use of large national clinical databases for orthopaedic trauma research has increased dramatically, there has been little study of the differences in populations contained therein. In this study we aimed to compare populations of patients with femoral shaft fractures across three commonly used national databases, specifically with regard to age and comorbidities. Patients and Methods Patients were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). Results The distributions of age and Charleston comorbidity index (CCI) reflected a predominantly older population with more comorbidities in NSQIP (mean age 71.5; sd 15.6), mean CCI 4.9; sd 1.9) than in the NTDB (mean age 45.2; sd 21.4), mean CCI = 2.1; sd 2.0). Bimodal distributions in the NIS population showed a more mixed population (mean age 56.9; sd 24.9), mean CCI 3.2; sd 2.3). Differences in age and CCI were all statistically significant (p Conclusion While these databases have been commonly used for orthopaedic trauma research, differences in the populations they represent are not always readily apparent. Care must be taken to understand fully these differences before performing or evaluating database research, as the outcomes they detail can only be analysed in context. Take home message: Researchers and those evaluating research should be aware that orthopaedic trauma populations contained in commonly studied national databases may differ substantially based on sampling methods and inclusion criteria. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:425–32.
Transcriptome sequencing reveals genome-wide variation in molecular evolutionary rate among ferns

Transcriptomics in non-model plant systems has recently reached a point where the examination of nuclear genome-wide patterns in understudied groups is an achievable reality. This progress is especially notable in evolutionary studies of ferns, for which molecular resources to date have been derived primarily from the plastid genome. Here, we utilize transcriptome data in the first genome-wide comparative study of molecular evolutionary rate in ferns. We focus on the ecologically diverse family Pteridaceae, which comprises about 10 % of fern diversity and includes the enigmatic vittarioid ferns—an epiphytic, tropical lineage known for dramatically reduced morphologies and radically elongated phylogenetic branch lengths. Using expressed sequence data for 2091 loci, we perform pairwise comparisons of molecular evolutionary rate among 12 species spanning the three largest clades in the family and ask whether previously documented heterogeneity in plastid substitution rates is reflected in their nuclear genomes. We then inquire whether variation in evolutionary rate is being shaped by genes belonging to specific functional categories and test for differential patterns of selection. We find significant, genome-wide differences in evolutionary rate for vittarioid ferns relative to all other lineages within the Pteridaceae, but we recover few significant correlations between faster/slower vittarioid loci and known functional gene categories. We demonstrate that the faster rates characteristic of the vittarioid ferns are likely not driven by positive selection, nor are they unique to any particular type of nucleotide substitution. Our results reinforce recently reviewed mechanisms hypothesized to shape molecular evolutionary rates in vittarioid ferns and provide novel insight into substitution rate variation both within and among fern nuclear genomes.
Crystal Structure of a Type IV Pilus Assembly ATPase: Insights into the Molecular Mechanism of PilB from Thermus thermophilus

Type IV pili (T4P) mediate bacterial motility and virulence. The PilB/GspE family ATPases power the assembly of T4P and type 2 secretion systems. We determined the structure of the ATPase region of PilB (PilBATP) in complex with ATPγS to provide a model of a T4P assembly ATPase and a view of a PilB/GspE family hexamer at better than 3-A resolution. Spatial positioning and conformations of the protomers suggest a mechanism of force generation. All six PilBATP protomers contain bound ATPγS. Two protomers form a closed conformation poised for ATP hydrolysis. The other four molecules assume an open conformation but separate into two pairs with distinct active-site accessibilities. We propose that one pair represents the post-hydrolysis phase while the other pair appears poised for ADP/ATP exchange. Collectively, the data suggest that T4P assembly is powered by coordinating concurrent substrate binding with ATP hydrolysis across the PilB hexamer.
The growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I axis: studies in man during growth.

An individual’s linear growth and development from childhood through adolescence to adulthood is modulated by multiple hormones. In man, linear growth takes place until closure of the epiphyses but distinct periods of growth acceleration or deceleration are clearly discernable within the general pattern. Growth velocity which is greatest at birth, declines steadily until the prepubertal growth spurt, at which time a dramatic increase occurs in height velocity. As a child completes puberty, the growth rate falls once again and eventually growth ceases when the epiphyses close. Growth hormone (GH) and related growth factors, in particular, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I) are thought to control linear growth in phases of acceleration. Since growth acceleration occurs predominantly during or shortly before puberty, the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, may also have an important role. Unfortunately, studies to date have usually involved pooling of subjects of multiple ages to form a broad age range and in no single study has a sufficient number of subjects been studied to yield truly interpretable data. Our current study was conducted in over 3,000 children and adolescents spanning the ages from birth through 16 years. This study was motivated from preliminary data, suggesting there may be two clearly different patterns of interaction between hormones and receptors, one pattern regulating growth in boys, another in girls.
Surgical resection of metastatic melanoma in the era of immunotherapy and targeted therapy

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of the few malignancies whose incidence is on the rise. The treatment of metastatic melanoma continues to be quite challenging, although in recent years, there has been significant progress. Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines list immunotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and clinical trials as potential options for patients with metastatic disease but do not clearly recommend which is superior. Additionally, when utilizing combined modality treatment there are no clear guidelines for the optimal timing of surgery in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. In this paper we sought to compile the current evidence and on-going trials in order to provide a comprehensive review of the different options available and underway in regards to the treatment of metastatic melanoma. It is clear that with the responses now seen with systemic immunotherapies and targeted therapies, an expanded role for surgery is the logical next step.
Surveillance of Treated Thyroid Cancer Patients and Thyroid Hormone Replacement and Suppression

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) incidence is increasing worldwide in recent decades and is the most common endocrine cancer. Fortunately, most of the increase is in low-risk tumors; however, we are seeing an increase across all sized tumors. Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common form accounting for about 85 % of DTC, and prognosis overall is very favorable for patients with DTC. Initial therapy often consists of surgery and then radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation of thyroid remnant in those that are deemed intermediate risk or high risk by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) classification. An additional component of therapy also includes achieving low normal or suppression of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.
The influence of BRCA variants of uncertain significance in cancer risk management decision-making.

1555 Background: Among patients undergoing genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations, 7% will harbor a variant of uncertain significance (VUS), a finding with more emotional than clinical weight. The o...
Fibrosis in small syngeneic rat liver grafts because of damaged bone marrow stem cells from chronic alcohol consumption

A patient with liver failure due to chronic and acute alcohol abuse under consideration for an urgent liver transplant shortly after stopping alcohol may have residual abnormalities that threaten transplant success, particularly for a small graft. To address this, we studied a model in which reduced size (50%) Lewis rat livers are transplanted into green fluorescence protein (GFP) transgenic Lewis recipients after they are fed alcohol or a control diet for 5 weeks. Here we show that normal small Lewis grafts transplanted to alcohol fed Lewis hosts developed fibrosis whereas no fibrosis was observed in control fed recipients. Host derived CD133+ cells were significantly increased in livers recovered from both alcohol fed and control recipients, but only alcohol fed recipients demonstrated 8-OHdG co-staining (a marker of oxidative DNA damage). α-SMA staining, a marker for myofibroblasts, also co-localized with CD133+ cells only in the livers of alcohol fed recipients. Immunostaining and PCR analysis confirmed that chronic alcohol consumption decreased the proportion of bone marrow stem cells expressing CD133, c-Kit and CXCR4 markers and caused oxidative mitochondria (mt) DNA damage. Culture of CD133+ cells from normal rats with medium containing 3% ethanol for 48 hours resulted in elevated mitochondrial 8-OHdG and mtDNA deletion, and ethanol exposure diminished CD133 expression but dramatically increased α-SMA expression. In conclusion, oxidative mtDNA damage and deletions occur in bone marrow stem cells of chronic alcohol fed recipients and these damaged cells mobilize to the small liver grafts and become myofibroblasts where they play a key role in the subsequent development of fibrosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Flow Boiling and Flow Condensation in Reduced Gravity

Abstract Future space missions are projected to increase greatly in scope, complexity, and duration compared to previous space endeavors and bring about unprecedented increases in power requirements and heat dissipation demands. These challenges will necessitate substantial reductions in weight to power ratio of the propulsion system, as well as weight of the space vehicle's subsystems, including the Thermal Control System (TCS) responsible for controlling the temperature and humidity of the internal operating environment. Achieving these weight reductions will require detailed understanding of the influence of reduced gravity on two-phase flow and heat transfer in both the propulsion power cycle and the TCS. This chapter will review published literature concerning reduced gravity flow boiling and flow condensation mechanisms and predictive tools that are crucial to the design of future space vehicles. Particular focus is placed on recent parabolic flight findings from NASA's Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) and plans for insertion of the FBCE into the International Space Station.
Becoming Music Teachers: Preservice Music Teachers' Early Beliefs about Music Teaching and Learning.

A major component in the socialisation of teachers is the development of a belief system, which is closely related to their identities. A better understanding of the belief systems and identities o...
4.12 – Proteolysis and Synaptic Plasticity☆

Proteolysis by ubiquitin–proteasome pathway functions in synaptic plasticity by spatially and temporally regulating the amount of substrate proteins in neurons. In this pathway, ubiquitin, a small protein, marks the substrates for degradation by a proteolytic complex called the proteasome. Attachment of ubiquitin to substrates and their proteasome-mediated degradation are highly regulated. Some types of ubiquitin attachment also signals endocytosis and routing of substrates for degradation in the lysosome. In neurons, many substrates with a role in synaptic plasticity such as neurotransmitter receptors, protein kinases, and transcription factors are regulated by proteolysis. This chapter describes how proteolysis contributes to synaptic plasticity.
Weight change and mortality: Long-term results from the trials of hypertension prevention.

Although weight loss improves blood pressure (BP), its association with mortality remains unclear. In the Trials of Hypertension Prevention (TOHP), individuals aged 30-54 years with high normal BP were randomized to weight loss, usual care or other intervention over 18 months (TOHP I) or 3-4 years (TOHP II), with average 23-year mortality follow-up. We examined mortality and (a) randomized weight loss and (b) observed weight change among all with high baseline weight. Among 2964 randomized participants, 227 deaths occurred, with no intervention difference (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.75-1.26, P = 0.84). Among 3828 high-weight participants, weight change was directly related to mortality (HR = 1.14 per 5% change, 95% CI = 1.02-1.28, P = 0.019). During the trial 15% lost >5% (HR = 0.82), 29% lost 0- 5% (HR = 1.29) (P-trend = 0.046). This is consistent with a long-term beneficial effect of presumed intentional weight loss on mortality.
Fire deficits have increased drought sensitivity in dry conifer forests: Fire frequency and tree‐ring carbon isotope evidence from Central Oregon

A century of fire suppression across the Western United States has led to more crowded forests and increased competition for resources. Studies of forest thinning or stand conditions after mortality events have provided indirect evidence for how competition can promote drought stress and predispose forests to severe fire and/or bark beetle outbreaks. Here, we demonstrate linkages between fire deficits and increasing drought stress through analyses of annually resolved tree-ring growth, fire scars, and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13 C) across a dry mixed-conifer forest landscape. Fire deficits across the study area have increased the sensitivity of leaf gas exchange to drought stress over the past >100 years. Since 1910, stand basal area in these forests has more than doubled and fire-return intervals have increased from 25 to 140 years. Meanwhile, the portion of interannual variation in tree-ring Δ13 C explained by the Palmer Drought Severity Index has more than doubled in ca. 300-500-year-old Pinus ponderosa as well as in fire-intolerant, ca. 90-190-year-old Abies grandis. Drought stress has increased in stands with a basal area of ≥25 m2 /ha in 1910, as indicated by negative temporal Δ13 C trends, whereas stands with basal area ≤25 m2 /ha in 1910, due to frequent or intense wildfire activity in decades beforehand, were initially buffered from increased drought stress and have benefited more from rising ambient carbon dioxide concentrations, [CO2 ], as demonstrated by positive temporal Δ13 C trends. Furthermore, the average Δ13 C response across all P. ponderosa since 1830 indicates that photosynthetic assimilation rates and stomatal conductance have been reduced by ~10% and ~20%, respectively, compared to expected trends due to increasing [CO2 ]. Although disturbance legacies contribute to local-scale intensity of drought stress, fire deficits have reduced drought resistance of mixed-conifer forests and made them more susceptible to challenges by pests and pathogens and other disturbances.
Hypnotherapeutic Techniques : Second Edition

Two premier hypnotherapists collaborate on a new edition of this award-winning text, a collection of techniques and information about hypnosis that no serious student or practitioner should be without. A thorough and practical handbook of various hypnotherapeutic measures, it contains illustrative examples and logically argued selection methods to help practitioners choose the ideal method for a needed purpose. Section by section, it breaks out the various methods and phenomena of hypnosis into easily digested chunks, so the reader can pick and choose at leisure. An excellent practical guide and reference that is sure to be used regularly. The authors have a wide and longstanding experience on the subject and thus can stay on clinically approvable methods.
Buckhornite, AuPb 2 BiTe 2 S 3 , a new mineral species from Boulder County, Colorado, and new data for aikinite, tetradymite and calaverite

Buckhomite, ideally AuPb2BiTe2S3, is a new mineral from the long abandoned Buckhom mine (40"8N, 105'24n[, near Jamestown, Boulder County, Colorado. Occuning in vugs in pyrite as splendent black blades up to 1.5 x 0.2 x 0.01 mm, it is associated with aikinite, tetradymite, calaverite, gold and minor chalcopyrite and covellite. It is sectile and flexible, has a perfect cleavage, a gray streak and a VHN19 of 54. D"01" 8.43 (for the empirical formula) or 8.34 g/cml (for the idealized formula). Electron-microprobe analyses give Cu 0.1, Au 17.0, Pb 34.5, Bi | 8.4, Te 22.3, S 7 .8, sum 100.1 wtVo. Tlte empirical formula of buckhomite, calculated on the basis of 9 atoms in the formula unit, is Cu6.s2Au1.62Pb1.e7Bi1.e4Te2.66S2.69. In reflected light, buckhomite is opaque, bireflectant, pleochroic (brownish gray -pale bluish gray) and distinctly anisotropic (blue to mauve rotation tints). Color values relative to CIE illuminant C, for R7 and R2, respectively, are: .r 0.3 I l, y 0.318, YVo 40.95,?va57l, P"Vo 0.7 , and .r 0.300, y 0.308, YVa ! .4, lva 48O, P"Vo 4.4. The symmetry is orthorhombic, space group Pmmm or P222, with a 4.092(2), b 12.245(4), c 9.322(4) A, V 467 .l Ar . The selection of a nonstandard orientation for the cell emphasizes the observed relationship to a tetragonal subcell. The strongest seven reflections of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattem [d in A (f (hkD] er.e
Surface modifications for enhanced enzyme immobilization and improved electron transfer of PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase anodes

Pyrroloquinoline quinone dependent soluble glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-sGDH) enzymatic MWCNT electrodes were p roduced using 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid (PCA) activated through carbodiimide functionalization and 1-Pyrenebutyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (PBSE) as tethering agents. At 600 mV potential, the current density generated by the activated-PCA tethered PQQ-sGDH anode was significantly greater than the current density generated by the untethered PQQ-sGDH and PBSE tethered anodes, and performance was nearly identical to the performance of a covalently bound PQQ-sGDH anode. A technique for covalently bonding heme-b (hemin), a natural quinohemoprotein porphyrin redox cofactor, to carbon nanotubes modified with arylamine groups is reported. The resulting performance of the covalently bound hemin PQQ-sGDH anode is considerably higher than that of any other PQQ-sGDH anodes tested.
Dwelling together: Psalm 133 and the Songs of Ascents:

Psalm 133 is the penultimate psalm of a collection within the Psalter entitled the “Songs of Ascents.” Its idyllic picture of community comes at the close of a collection of hymns and prayers in wh...
Using Sonography to Objectively Gauge Muscle Wasting: A Multiple Case Report:

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a prevalent disease that results from kidney failure in the last stage of chronic kidney disease. This disease has many chronic and debilitating symptoms, includin...
Image-guided neural activity manipulation with a paramagnetic drug.

Targeted manipulations of neural activity are essential approaches in neuroscience and neurology, but monitoring such procedures in the living brain remains a significant challenge. Here we introduce a paramagnetic analog of the drug muscimol that enables targeted neural inactivation to be performed with feedback from magnetic resonance imaging. We validate pharmacological properties of the compound in vitro, and show that its distribution in vivo reliably predicts perturbations to brain activity. Targeted manipulations of neural activity in the living brain remain a significant challenge. In this study the authors introduce a paramagnetic analog of the drug muscimol that enables targeted neural inactivation to be performed with feedback from magnetic resonance imaging
Postoperative Urinary Retention in Patients Undergoing Lung Resection: Incidence and Risk Factors

Background The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the incidence of postoperative urinary retention (POUR) in patients undergoing lung resection at our institution, (2) identify differences in potential risk factors between patients with and without POUR, and (3) describe patient outcomes across POUR status. Methods The medical records of 225 patients between 2016 and 2017 were reviewed, and 191 met criteria for inclusion. The institution’s catheterization removal protocol was followed in all patients. Recatheterization was defined as requiring in-and-out catheterization or Foley catheter placement. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon tests were used for analysis. Results POUR developed in 35 patients (18%). Patients with POUR were older (P = .01), had increased baseline creatinine (P = .04), and a higher prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (P = .007). POUR patients were also less likely to get a Foley catheter intraoperatively (P = .0002). Other intraoperative factors, such as surgical approach and extent of resection, were not significantly different between patients with and without POUR. Postoperative factors (epidural use or days with chest tube) were similar. Although patients with POUR were more likely to be discharged with a Foley catheter (13% vs 0%, P = .002), no difference in length of stay, incidences of urinary tract infections, or 30-day readmission were observed. Conclusions POUR develops in approximately 1 in 5 patients undergoing lung resection. Patients with POUR were more likely to not have a Foley catheter placed intraoperatively. However, patients who had POUR did not have worsened patient outcomes (urinary tract infections, length of stay, or 30-day readmission).
Noise Correlation is Modulated by Reward Expectation in the Primary Motor Cortex Bilaterally During Manual and Observational Tasks in Primates

Reward modulation is represented in the motor cortex and could be used to implement more accurate decoding models to improve brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) (Zhao et al. 2018). Analyzing trial-to-trial noise correlations between neural units in the presence of rewarding and non-rewarding stimuli adds to our understanding of cortical network dynamics and provides a clearer picture of the neural encoding involved in reward. We utilized Pearson9s correlation coefficient to measure shared variability between simultaneously recorded units and found significantly higher noise correlation during non-rewarding trials as compared to rewarding trials. This pattern is evident in data from 2 non-human primates (NHPs) during center out reaching tasks, both manual and action observation versions. We conducted mean matched correlational analysis in order to decouple known interactions between event-triggered firing rate changes and crosscorrelation. Isolated reward discriminatory units demonstrated similar correlational changes to units unresponsive to reward firing rate modulation, indicating correlational changes within the network can serve as another information channel to be exploited by BCIs that track the underlying cortical state, such as reward expectation, or attentional modulation. Reward expectation and attention in return can be utilized with reinforcement learning towards autonomous BCI updating.
A Real-Time Condition Monitoring and Maintenance Management System for Low Voltage Industrial Motors Using Internet-of-Things

Abstract Maintenance and sound operating industrial equipment are critical for any manufacturing company. Standardization of the manufacturing infrastructure and establishment of a systematic maintenance program is essential for this process. However, condition monitoring must also be an integral part of a smart manufacturing program that seeks to improve and optimize the operational efficiency of production systems. Absence of this type of data-driven observations and mindset in manufacturing decision making, may result in safety risks, missing critical signs, or occurrence of unexpected repairs that could bring the equipment to a halt. Moreover, routine maintenance may short the actual useful life of some equipment and when scheduled maintenance shutdowns occur too often, they increase downtime and cost. This paper presents the design and development of a real-time condition monitoring system for managing industrial low voltage motors using internet-of-things. The system can record and monitor vibration and temperature conditions of an industrial motor and transmit the data through a wireless network to a data logging center. The current prototype was developed using open source software and hardware and can successfully identify abnormal motor conditions from sensor input values that exceed predefined setpoints. When a motor is approaching an abnormal condition, the system changes state and informs the user through a mobile alert. The motor management system requires the user to perform an RFID enforced inspection. The alarm system remains active until authorized personnel visits the equipment and scans the dedicated RFID batch. Furthermore, the motor management system can be accessed remotely to allow the user to visualize the current condition of the motor. Finally, we present a pilot experiment that was conducted to test the condition monitoring capabilities of the prototype and we discuss future steps in order to further develop the current system to a smart predictive maintenance system capable of detecting and predicting specific motor faults. Click here to enter text.
Rent-Seeking Activities in Schumpeterian and Marxian Socio-Political Dynamics

As we have discussed in Chapters one and two of this monograph, the social system is welded together by institutions of the three blocks of economic, political and legal structures. Each of these structures has its own identity for recognition and yet is connected to each other to establish the unity of the political economy as a complex self-improving and self-transformation system. The social system must be seen as an automatic control system where the automatic controllers are linked to the decision-choice system. The economic structure is the foundation of life; the political structure is the foundation of social decision-making power and; the legal structure is the foundation of the social control and stability regarding the individual and collective decision-choice behavior in the three structures. In this respect, the political structure, endowed with the decision-making power, shapes and manages all three structures for coherence, stability and systemic risk associated with the collective decision-choice system of the political economy. At the same time, it is also shaped by the interactive behaviors of the three structures as they affect the social existence. The outcomes and social mandates of the interactive behavior create the environment for rent creation and harvesting.
Introduction Part III European Soft Power and Christian Cultures at the Crossroads in Mandate Palestine

A short section introduction to Part III “Influencing the Other: European Private and Governmental Actors”
Comparative assessment of pre‐ and inter‐stage hydrothermal treatment of municipal sludge for increased methane production

Hydrothermal treatment (HT) is a promising technology to enhance anaerobic digestion (AD) of municipal sludge. However, the capacity of pre- and inter-stage HT (i.e., HT-AD and AD-HT-AD, respectively) to enhance the digestibility of municipal sludge has not been sufficiently explored. This study compared the efficacy of pre- and inter-stage HT performed from 90 to 185°C to enhance methane production from a mixture of primary sludge and waste activated sludge using mesophilic (35°C) biochemical methane potential tests. In both configurations, sludge solubilization increased with HT temperature. HT-AD, and to a greater extent AD-HT-AD, increased the release of ammonium nitrogen. Even though HT at 185°C dramatically increased sludge solubilization, the overall specific methane yield with HT at 185°C was lower than or comparable to that at lower HT temperatures in the HT-AD and AD-HT-AD configurations, respectively. Up to 155°C HT, the overall specific methane yield with the HT-AD configuration was higher by 4.9%-8.3% compared to the AD-HT-AD configuration. However, when the HT energy was considered, compared to the control (i.e., AD of sludge without HT), the net energy gain (ΔE) decreased as the HT temperature increased, becoming negative at an HT of 185°C. The AD-HT-AD configuration resulted in a higher overall volatile solids destruction (by 8.1 to 20.1%). In conclusion, for municipal sludge with a relatively high ultimate digestibility, as was the case in this study, HT-AD is preferable as it has a smaller footprint and is easier to operate than the AD-HT-AD configuration. However, given the significantly higher volatile solids destruction in the AD-HT-AD configuration, compared to the HT-AD configuration, AD-HT-AD may be more beneficial considering post-AD sludge handling processes. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Hydrothermal treatment (HT) increased the rate and extent of methane production from municipal sludge mixture. 155°C was the optimal temperature for either pre- or inter-stage HT to increase biogas production. Pre- and inter-stage HT resulted in comparable ultimate methane production. Pre-stage HT is preferable to inter-stage HT (smaller footprint, easier to operate). AD-HT-AD resulted in significantly higher volatile solids destruction compared to the HT-AD configuration.
An Examination of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Aggression among Children with a History of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Childhood aggression is associated with many deleterious outcomes and is a common reason for psychiatric referral (Card & Little, 2006; Gurnani et al., 2016). One factor associated with childhood aggression is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs; Felitti et al., 1998). However, existing research remains equivocal on which characteristics of ACEs (e.g., cumulative impact, typology, etc.) are significantly elated to aggression, especially when considering differential effects of ACEs on proactive aggression (PA) and reactive aggression (RA; Dodge & Coie, 1987). Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are a common negative sequalae of ACEs and are characterized by disruptions in several cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes similar to those associated with both RA and PA (e.g., Marsee, 2008). As such, the examination of PTSS as an underlying mechanism of influence on the relation between ACEs, PA, and RA is warranted. The present study fills several gaps in the literature by examining ACE characteristics that might be related to PTSS, PA, and RA while also examining direct and indirect effects on the relation between ACEs, PTSS and PA and RA. Results indicated the type of ACE, specifically child maltreatment ACEs (CM-ACEs), was most strongly related to all outcome variables. Therefore, CM-ACEs were included in a path analysis with PTSS, PA, and RA. Results indicated a significant indirect effect for PTSS on the relation between CM-ACEs and RA (β = .18, p < .01) but not PA. Findings have several implications for future research and clinical practice, especially for children with an extensive history of CM-ACEs.
A Bayesian Methodology for Simultaneously Detecting and Estimating Regime Change Points and Variable Selection in Multiple Regression Models for Marketing Research

We present a Bayesian change point multiple regression methodology which simultaneously estimates the location of change points/regimes, the corresponding subset of independent variables per regime, as well as the associated regimes’ regression parameters. Unlike existing switching multiple regression models, our method does not require the presence of all independent variables in each regime to detect change points. This allows us to relax the minimum size constraint on each regime as fewer observations are needed to estimate the unknown regression coefficients. Thus our method provides a means to search for small regimes where only a few independent variables are significant. Note that accuracy of change points can drastically affect the identified models within each regime. As the number of change points in the data is typically unknown, we have provided a probability based model selection heuristic to determine its value. Both synthetic and real data sets are utilized to demonstrate that our procedure can yield better fitted models over aggregate OLS regression models and traditional MLE based regime switching models. Furthermore, an actual prescription drug data application involving a promotion response model is used to gainfully illustrate the methodology.
A Unifying Theory for Central Panoramic Systems and Practical Applications

Omnidirectional vision systems can provide panoramic alertness in surveillance, improve navigational capabilities, and produce panoramic images for multimedia. Catadioptric realizations of omnidirectional vision combine reflective surfaces and lenses. A particular class of them, the central panoramic systems, preserve the uniqueness of the projection viewpoint. In fact, every central projection system including the well known perspective projection on a plane falls into this category. In this paper, we provide a unifying theory for all central catadioptric systems. We show that all of them are isomorphic to projective mappings from the sphere to a plane with a projection center on the perpendicular to the plane. Subcases are the stereographic projection equivalent to parabolic projection and the central planar projection equivalent to every conventional camera. We define a duality among projections of points and lines as well as among different mappings. This unification is novel and has a significant impact on the 3D interpretation of images. We present new invariances inherent in parabolic projections and a unifying calibration scheme from one view. We describe the implied advantages of catadioptric systems and explain why images arising in central catadioptric systems contain more information than images from conventional cameras. One example is that intrinsic calibration from a single view is possible for parabolic catadioptric systems given only three lines. Another example is metric rectification using only affine information about the scene.
Service Centric Computing - Next Generation Internet Computing

In the not-too-distant future, billions of people, places and things could all be connected to each other and to useful services through the Internet. In this world scalable, cost-effective information technology capabilities will need to be provisioned as service, delivered as a service, metered and managed as a service, and purchased as a service. We refer to this world as service centric computing. Consequently, processing and storage will be accessible via utilities where customers pay for what they need when they need it and where they need it. This tutorial introduces concepts of service centric computing and its relationship to the Grid. It explains a programmable data center paradigm as a flexible architecture that helps to achieve service centric computing. Case study results illustrate performance and thermal issues. Finally, key open research questions pertaining to service centric computing and Internet computing are summarized.
Folic Acid Involvement in Cyclopropane Fatty Acid Synthesis in Lactobacilli

Henderson, Thomas O. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh), John J. McNeill, and S. B. Tove. Folic acid involvement in cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis in lactobacilli. J. Bacteriol. 90:1283–1287. 1965.—Evidence for the involvement of folic acid in the synthesis of lactobacillic acid (11,12-methyleneoctadecanoic acid) was obtained with Lactobacillus plantarum and L. casei. L. plantarum, in the presence of aminopterin, incorporated 25% less radioactivity from methionine-methyl-C14 into long-chain fatty acids than did control cultures, whereas the incorporation of acetate-1-C14, representing overall fatty acid synthesis, was the same in both conditions. Control cultures of L. plantarum contained 3 to 4.5 times more lactobacillic acid than did aminopterin-grown cultures. Similarly, L. casei, in the presence of folic acid, synthesized six times more lactobacillic acid than did folic-deficient cultures. The results of this study indicate that coenzymes of the folic acid group are involved in the synthesis of lactobacillic acid in these organisms.
Prosumption: From Parasitic to Prefigurative

During the week prior to the 2006 Labor Day weekend, explorers of Black Rock City, a temporary city in the Nevada Black Rock Desert, may have stumbled upon a handmade wooden stand. Unlike conventio...
Plausibly hard combinatorial tautologies.

We present a simple propositional proof system which consists of a single axiom schema and a single rule, and use this system to construct a sequence of combinatorial tautologies that, when added to any Frege system, p-simulates extended-Frege systems.