cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comments, with reply, on A reduced-field design concept for high-performance bipolar transistors by D.D. Tang and P.-F. Lu

The comments point out to the authors of the original work (see ibid., vol.10, p.67-69, 1989) a body of work carried out at Bell Laboratories in the 1950s that underlies their development insofar as collector-base junctions are concerned. Particular attention is given to the work of J.M. Early (1952, 1954). A reply is included. >
Application of remote sensing to climatic and environmental studies in arid and semi-arid lands

The arid and semi-arid regions of the Earth, collectively termed "drylands", are particularly sensitive to processes of climatic and environmental change. One of the common features of most and environments is a lack of observational data on climate and surface environment. This is less true for semi-arid regions, but even there this continues to be a problem. For this reason, there is relatively little actual data for examining such issues such as climatic change, resource degradation and desertification. Remote sensing offers new ways to assess various climatic and environmental characteristics and to answer questions related to these issues. This paper considers primarily six areas: rainfall; vegetation cover, type and phenology; surface hydrology; radiation and surface albedo; aerosols; and desertification. Select examples are given of remote sensing methodologies and applications in each area and some of the important conclusions that have been drawn about some of these topics on the basis of remote sensing studies.
Analysis of Interior-Point Methods for Linear Programming Problems with Variable Upper Bounds

We describe path-following and potential-reduction algorithms for linear programming problems with variable upper bounds. Both methods depend on a barrier function for the cone of solutions to the variable upper bounds, and we establish the key properties of this barrier that allow the complexity of the algorithms to be analyzed. These properties mostly follow from the self-concordance of the function, a notion introduced by Nesterov and Nemirovsky. Our analysis follows that of Freund and Todd for problems with (possibly two-sided) simple bounds.
Spectrophotometric Resolution of Stellar Surfaces with Microlensing

Microlensing is a powerful tool for studying stellar atmospheres, because as the source crosses regions of formally infinite magnification (caustics), the surface of the star is resolved, thereby allowing one to measure the radial intensity profile both photometrically and spectroscopically. However, caustic crossing events are relatively rare and monitoring them requires intensive application of telescope resources. It is therefore essential that the observational parameters needed to accurately measure the intensity profile are quantified. We calculate the expected errors in the recovered radial intensity profile as a function of the unlensed flux, source radius, spatial resolution of the recovered intensity profile, and caustic crossing time for the two principle types of caustics: point-mass and binary lenses. We demonstrate that for both cases there exist simple scaling relations between these parameters and the resultant errors. We find that the error as a function of the spatial resolution of the recovered profile, parameterized by the number of radial bins, increases as N, considerably faster than the naive N½R expectation. Finally, we discuss the relative advantages of binary caustic-crossing events and point-lens events. Binary events are more common, easier to plan for, and provide more homogeneous information about the stellar atmosphere; however, a subclass of point-mass events with low impact parameters can provide dramatically more information provided that they can be recognized in time to initiate observations.
Multi-bit parallel digital adder using a symmetric signed-digit numbers

A new recoding truth-table (using redundant signed-digit numbers) with a symmetrical complemented relationship between input minterms and their corresponding output bits is developed. Multi-bit parallel digital circuits for both the recoding algorithm and the adder logical functions are realized using OR-AND and AND-OR realizations. >
Context-Dependent Effects of NMDA Receptors on Precise Timing Information at the Endbulb of Held in the Cochlear Nucleus

Many synapses contain both AMPA receptors (AMPAR) and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), but their different roles in synaptic computation are not clear. We address this issue at the auditory ...
The Communicative Competence of Mildly Retarded Adults.

This study examined the communicative behavior of mildly retarded adults engaged in conversation with peers. Contemporary models of pragmatic interaction were applied to samples of triadic naturally occurring conversation. The subjects made few errors in turn-taking; moreover, the rule system involved was consistent with that posited for nonretarded adults. They recognized those illocutionary acts that obligated them to respond as well as the specific responses required. That they were actively involved in information exchange was indicated by the observation that the majority of their turns were responses to the preceding turns of others, even when under no obligation to respond. Individual differences on most measures were observed, and the measures appeared related to each other, but not to IQ. Unexpectedly, the subjects produced few indirect speech acts.
Efficient parallel algorithms for maximum-density segment problem

One of the fundamental problems involving DNA sequences is to find high density segments of certain widths, for example, those regions with intensive guanine and cytosine (GC). Formally, given a sequence, each element of which has a value and a width, the maximum-density segment problem asks for the segment with the maximum density while satisfying minimum and possibly maximum width constraints. While several linear-time sequential algorithms have emerged recently due to its primitive-like utility, to our knowledge, no nontrivial parallel algorithm has yet been proposed for this topical problem. In this paper, we propose an O(log2 n)-time CREW PRAM algorithm using n processors to solve the generalized maximum-density problem, with a minimum width constraint and non-uniform widths. Besides, we describe an efficient implementation of the parallel algorithm on manycore GPUs (nVIDIA GeForce GTX 280), taking advantage of the full programmability of CUDA. This algorithm can process up to million-size sequence within a second using an nVIDIA GeForce GTX 280, thus demonstrating the practicality of this algorithm as a basic primitive for scientists. This may also indicate suitability of modern GPU architectures as implementation platform for certain PRAM algorithms.
Analysis of reflector antenna systems with arbitrary feed arrays using primary field superposition

In contrast to secondary pattern superposition, where the fields reflected from the main reflector arising from each element are superimposed in the far field of the reflector, the approach presented here sums the primary fields at the reflector surface before the physical optics radiation integral is performed. The method allows each feed array element to have arbitrary position, orientation, pattern, and excitation (magnitude and phase). In addition, it is inherently efficient because evaluation of only one time-consuming radiation integral is required, rather than one per feed element as in secondary superposition. The method allows for accurate calculation of the power radiated from the feed, permitting the reflector gain and spillover efficiency to be determined within the context of a single computer program. The accuracies and characteristics of this method are demonstrated with several examples. >
Using language and context in the analysis of text

We describe a theory of natural language understanding within which we identify two separate components, a language centered one and a context centered one. xn5 rdrme*1 component uses a knowledge Dase consisting of pairings of phrases with the concepts associated with them to determine the meaning of utterances. The latter component clarifies the meaning found by the first one and makes it more specific by attempting to reconcile it with the context of the utterance. We have constructed a program called PHRAN (PHRasal ANalyzer) which performs the task of the language centered component.
Evaluating geographic vulnerabilities in networks

In wireless ad-hoc and wireline networks used for search and rescue, military operations, and emergency communications; many failure modes are geographic in nature. They include jammers, explosions, enemy attacks, terrain issues, and natural causes like floods, storms, and fires. This paper proposes two methods to gain valuable insights into the physical topography and geographic vulnerabilities of networks. The 2-Terminal method and All-Terminal method find areas that given a threat of a certain radius can disconnect either the source and destination pair or any component of the network respectively. We believe that these methods could be used to optimize network node selection, placement and design. To be tractable, both methods incorporate innovative search techniques to use the size of the threat to reduce the complexity of the search.
Specific Binding Radioassay of Serum Thyroxine

Adaptation of the Murphy and Jachan method for serum thyroxine for routine use in a clinical chemistry laboratory is described. Details in the original paper have been amplified, and operations such as mixing, resin addition, and temperature control modified in the direction of greater precision and simplicity. A comparison study was made of the performance of the method in our laboratory with the reported performance in the laboratory of the original authors. In agreement with Murphy and coworkers and Cassidy et al , it was found that conditions could be established whereby the method was both reproducible and capable of yielding significant diagnostic information in the presence of iodinated radiographic compounds.
A reflection coefficient bridge

The design of an unbalanced Wheatstone bridge is presented. The bridge measures the reflection coefficient of unknown impedances relative to an arbitrary reference level. A experimental unit was designed for a 25-Ω reference level. It measured high isolation with a 25-Ω load; the magnitude of the reflection coefficient with a short-circuit load differed from that with an open-circuit load by less than 0.1 dB.
Development of a workflow for screening for the hepatitis C virus in HIV-positive IV drug users

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 146 (2015) e2–e33 e3 behavior and may explain HIV vulnerability in EA, especially in young females. Financial support: TAMU Vision 2020 Dissertation Enhancement Award. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.09.689 Development of a workflow for screening for the hepatitis C virus in HIV-positive IV drug users
Physiologic effects of fluid therapy after pulmonary contusion.

Summary The physiologic effects of fluid infusions given after pulmonary contusion were studied. Rapid infusion of blood, saline, or both produced an impulsive increase in pulmonary blood flow and pressure, particularly in the normal lung. A fall in normal lung resistance allows the pressure to reach the capillaries, resulting in leakage of blood and fluid into the normal lung (congestive atelectasis). Animals given rapid infusions suffered a shunt (Q s /Q t ) fraction larger than that of contused lung blood flow and more severe hypoxemia than did the controls. Hypotension followed by blood and saline administration did not alter lung function compared with saline infusion alone. It was suggested that some of the progression of pulmonary contusion as seen clinically and radiologically is due to damage in the normal lung. Monitoring of the pulmonary artery pressure during fluid administration after pulmonary contusion may be helpful in preventing further lung damage.
Cooperative research and knowledge flow in the marine commons

Integration of fishers’ knowledge into scientific-based fisheries management is difficult due to a history of distrust between fishers and scientists and institutional constraints that limit management to only the best scientific information available. A recent response to the Northeast U.S. fisheries crisis has been to include fishers in scientific research. Cooperative research, where fishers and scientists collaborate to produce knowledge for fisheries management, aims improve the knowledge base of fisheries management and integrate fishers and their knowledge into the science policy process, which together is expected to generate broader acceptance of scientific-based management. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in the Northeast U.S., this paper discusses the value of cooperative research as a tool for managing the commons. Specifically, it focuses on the flow of knowledge and expertise between fishers and scientists. The flow of knowledge from fishers to science involves a process of translation, where fishers’ knowledge is transformed (proven, verified, etc.) into scientific knowledge. This process enables the flow of fishers’ knowledge into the science policy process. Knowledge and expertise also flow from scientists to fishers, where fishers gain understandings of the scientific research process. With this new expertise, fishers develop a greater capacity to participate in science and management discussions. The paper argues that 2-way knowledge flow between fishers and scientists, in particular flow that results in capacity building, can improve commons management through communication, translation, and conflict resolution. Finally, boundary spanners are identified as being critical to success in cooperative research.
Education and Stratification in Developing Countries: A Review of Theories and Research

▪ Abstract This review examines research on education and inequality in developing regions. In tracing the progress of this field of inquiry, it focuses on empirical studies of educational inequality in four broad areas: macro-structural forces shaping education and stratification; the relationship between family background and educational outcomes; school effects; and education's impact on economic and social mobility. It assesses the contributions of research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to the general study of education and social stratification and the theoretical leverage gained from examining stratification processes in developing regions of the world. Finally, the review discusses recent developments that hold promise for addressing the knowledge gaps that remain; these include utilizing relatively new data sources and methods in comparative, cross-national studies and greater collaboration between researchers who study strikingly similar questions but remain segregated due to their focus on ...
Interspecific brood parasitism in galliform birds

Mode of development in birds helps determine the form of brood parasitism a species exhibits. Most knowledge of precocial brood parasites comes from a single avian family, the waterfowl (Anatidae: Anseriformes). Here we review cases of interspecific brood parasitism (IBP) in a second group of precocial birds, the order Galliformes. IBP is uncommon but taxonomically widespread, occurring in at least 11 species and in four of five galliform families. By far the most common brood parasite is the Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus. Hosts were generally other ground-nesting precocial species. It is unclear whether the absence of IBP in the Cracidae (Guans, Curassows, and Chachalacas) is due to the paucity of research on tropical gamebirds or because tropical birds such as the Cracidae may be less likely to practise IBP. Galliform birds mirror the trend found in ducks in which virtually all species that parasitize heterospecifics are also conspecific brood parasites (CBP). This association supports the hypothesis that IBP as an adaptive tactic or strategy may evolve from CBP. Alternatively, or additionally, egg-dumping may represent reproductive error on the part of females, such that concordance between CBP and IBP could be a byproduct of having sufficient knowledge of breeding biology only for a subset of galliform species.
Image-Guided Robotic Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Benign Spinal Tumors : The University of California San Francisco Preliminary Experience

We evaluate our preliminary experience using the Cyberknife Radiosurgery System in treating benign spinal tumors. A retrospective review of 16 consecutively treated patients, comprising 19 benign spinal tumors, was performed. Histologic types included neurofibroma [11], chordoma [4], hemangioma [2], and meningioma [2]. Three patients had Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). Only one tumor, recurrent chordoma, had been previously irradiated, and as such not considered in the local failure analysis. Local failure, for the remaining 18 tumors, was based clinically on symptom progression and/or tumor enlargement based on imaging. Indications for spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) consisted of either adjuvant to subtotal resection (5/19), primary treatment alone (12/19), boost following external beam radiotherapy (1/19), and salvage following previous radiation (1/19). Median tumor follow-up is 25 months (2-37), and one patient (with NF1) died at 12 months from a stroke. The median total dose, number of fractions, and prescription isodose was 21 Gy (10-30 Gy), 3 fx (1-5 fx), 80% (42-87%). The median tumor volume was 7.6 cc (0.2-274.1 cc). The median V100 (volume V receiving 100% of the prescribed dose) and maximum tumor dose was 95% (77-100%) and 26.7 Gy (15.4-59.7 Gy), respectively. Three tumors progressed at 2, 4, and 36 months post-SR (n=18). Two tumors were neurofibromas (both in NF1 patients), and the third was an intramedullary hemangioblastoma. Based on imaging, two tumors had MRI documented progression, three had regressed, and 13 were unchanged (n=18). With short follow-up, local control following Cyberknife spine SBRT for benign spinal tumors appear acceptable.
Financial ties between DSM-IV panel members and the pharmaceutical industry.

Background: Increasing attention has been given to the transparency of potential confl icts of interest in clinical medicine and biomedical sciences, particularly in journal publishing and science advisory panels. The authors examined the degree and type of fities to the pharmaceutical industry of panel members responsible for revisions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) . Methods: By using multimodal screening techniques the authors investigated the fi nancial ties to the pharmaceutical industry of 170 panel members who contributed to the diagnostic criteria produced for the DSM-IV and the DSM-IV-TR. Results: Of the 170 DSM panel members 95 (56%) had one or more fi nancial associations with companies in the pharmaceutical industry. One hundred percent of the members of the panels on ‘Mood Disorders’ and ‘Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders’ had fi nancial ties to drug companies. The leading categories of fiinterest held by panel members were research funding (42%), consultan
Party Pursuits and The Presidential-House Election Connection, 1900–2008: Presidential–House Elections by House Districts

The creation of a reasonably correct data set for both House and presidential election results was fairly involved. First, the creation of the House data set will be discussed, and then the presidential data set will be discussed. House election results: The primary source of data for House results is Michael J. Dubin, United States Congressional Elections, 1788–1997 . This contains considerable detail. For the years 2000–2008 results from the official results from the House of Representatives Clerk are used. Presidential election results: The presidential election results were based largely on two sources. Results from 1952 through 2000 were taken from various Congressional Quarterly (CQ) reference books or reports or other sources such as the Almanac of American Politics for various years. In some years CQ reported the results in March of the year following the presidential election. In other cases CQ published the results in Congressional Districts in the 1980s or Congressional Districts in the 1990s . For a few years the results were available only in editions of Almanac of American Politics . The 2000 results were obtained directly from CQ.
A framework for analysis of national interest: United States policy toward Taiwan

ABSTRACTThe rise of China in the 21st century has generated a new round of debates on American policy toward Taiwan. Generally speaking, one side suggests that Washington should adjust its Taiwan policy to improve its relations with China, while the other argues against downgrading the relations with Taiwan. Both sides invoke the concept of national interest, but the concept is not unproblematic, and cherry-picking different facts and arguments is far from convincing. This article has two purposes: using the concept of national interest to examine the Taiwan policy, and using this case to illuminate the concept itself. After reviewing the concept, I propose what I call ‘four Ps’ framework to facilitate policy-making and analysis. The framework comprises four factors that help determine which policy is in national interest. They are players (decision makers), preferences (foreign policy goals), prospects (possible outcomes), and power (the capability of achieving goals).
Differences in panic psychopathology between smokers with and without asthma

Cigarette smoking is more common among individuals with asthma compared to those without, resulting in increased risk of morbidity and mortality. However, there has been little exploration of psychological factors that differ between smokers with and without asthma. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine differences between smokers with and without asthma in terms of anxiety sensitivity, panic symptoms, lifetime history of panic attacks, and lifetime history of panic disorder. Participants were 115 smokers with asthma (55.3% male, Mage = 38.4 years, SD = 11.9) and 120 smokers without asthma (70.6% male, Mage = 37.0 years, SD = 12.8) who were administered a structured diagnostic interview and completed self-report measures. As hypothesized, after controlling for the effects of cigarettes per day, gender, race, and education, smokers with asthma reported higher levels of anxiety sensitivity and panic symptoms and were at an increased risk for having a lifetime history of panic attacks (OR = 3.01) and panic disorder (OR = 2.96) compared to smokers without asthma. Further, group differences in anxiety sensitivity and panic symptoms remained even after removing participants with a lifetime history of panic attacks or panic disorder. These findings suggest that smokers with asthma are a particularly 'at-risk' population for panic psychopathology and likely in need of specialized smoking-related prevention and intervention efforts.
Natural convection in droplet evaporation

Although droplet evaporation is widely assumed to be a diffusion process, our results show that when a droplet evaporates sufficiently fast it exhibits a vigorous interior flow. This flow is driven by surface tension gradients. The typical interior flow field behavior is shown as well as measurements of the droplet surface area and volume as it evaporates. We also discuss the droplet lifetime and how the system tends toward a state of marginal stability. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Hydrogen Embrittlement of Ordered Alloys

The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement has been investigated in two Li2 superlattices, (Fe,Ni)3V and boron-modified sub-stoichiometric Ni3Al and in a B2 superlattice, FeCo-V. The relationship between ordering and hydrogen embrittlement is explained on the basis of characteristic dislocation structure in the ordered lattice and hydrogen-dislocation interactions.
HIV Infected Parents and the Law: Issues of Custody, Visitation, and Guardianship

This book chapter explores two challenges HIV-infected parents, or those perceived to be living with HIV, face with respect to their children. The first part examines the law and trends of custody and visitation rights, particularly in the context of, or following, divorce proceedings. (At the time the book was published, HIV-positive parents had a more difficult time than they currently do in maintaining their custody and visitation rights, too often having to litigate their rights.) The second part looks at ways a parent, particularly a single parent, attempts to ensure her children’s well-being should she become ill or die. (The chapter was written prior to the availability of protease inhibitors, when there often was a relatively short time between diagnosis and death.) The chapter recommends a number of innovations to ease this process for parents and children, focusing on these two ideas: 1) state legislatures should establish “springing guardianships,” which could be established while the parent is healthy, but would become effective upon her illness or passing; and 2) permitting kinship foster parents to become long-term guardians, without needing to terminate the parental rights of the ill parent. (Again, since the time this book was published, these recommendations have been adopted and implemented by many states.)
Health Care Changes for Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2005-2011.

Objective This study compared health care utilization of children with special health care needs in 2005/06 and 2009/10. Methods Using data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, this study compared the health care utilization of children with special health care needs in 2005/06 (n = 40,723) and 2009/10 (n = 40,242). Descriptive statistics characterize the sample during the 2005/06 and 2009/10 surveys. Logistic regression models examined the unmet needs for specific health care and support services, delayed care, coordinated care, and medical home. Results Compared to 2005/06, in 2009/10 children with special health care needs had greater unmet dental and therapy needs and less care coordination of health services as well as access to medical home services. Conclusions These findings indicate that additional measures are needed to improve the health care access of children with special health care needs.
Volar locking plate + dorsal-Ulnar plate

With the advent of locking volar plates, many distal radius fractures, including those with comminution, are able to be adequately stabilized from a volar approach only. However, some fractures require supplemental fixation to adequately stabilize and prevent escape of the dorsal-ulnar fragment, and with it, subluxation of the carpus. Additionally, some fractures require more support of the articular surface than a volar plate can provide on its own. This chapter will describe treatment of distal radius fractures using the combination of a volar locking plate and a dorsal-ulnar plate to appropriately stabilize the dorsal-ulnar aspect of the distal radius.
An Analysis of Perceptions of Job Insecurity among White and Black Workers in the United States: 1977–2012

While objective measures indicate that the risk of job loss is higher for black workers than for white workers, there is little research on how what workers’ expectations of job loss differ by race. This study looks at how secure black and white workers are feeling about their jobs and how their perceptions of job insecurity have been affected by time trends and regional unemployment rates. I find that perceptions of job security of black male workers, older black workers, and black high school graduates have deteriorated relative to their white counterparts during the period 1977–2012. Among those who attended college, white workers’ perceived job insecurity has increased. Black blue-collar workers’ and construction workers’ perceptions of job insecurity also have increased relative to their white counterparts. Moreover, perceptions of job insecurity among several black groups, such as high school dropouts and old workers, are more sensitive to regional unemployment rates than their white counterparts.
Identification of Oxidative Post-Translational Modifications on Plasma Albumin in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension of Sickle Cell Anemia.

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in sickle cell anemia (SCA) is characterized by decreased nitric oxide bioavailability; which may, in part, be related to increased oxidative stress. It is possible that via protein post-translational modifications, oxidants are able to affect both protein structure and function. We hypothesized that, in patients with SCA and PH, oxidative post-translational modifications occur on plasma proteins and are important in disease pathogenesis. To examine this hypothesis, we chose to determine if oxidative post-translational modifications occur in a large-abundance protein, albumin, as a reflection of the presence of more widespread protein oxidative damage. Plasma was obtained from subjects with: SCA and PH (n=5); SCA steady-state without PH (n=4); Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) (n=4); no evidence of cardiopulmonary disease (n=4). Platelet-poor plasma was separated into albumin-enriched and albumin-depleted fractions. The albumin-enriched fraction was subjected to proteolytic digestion by trypsin and studied by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectroscopy (MS) and liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS tandem mass spectrometry. Proteomics analyses were performed on all samples and post-translational modifications characterized by MS/MS. Results were confirmed by Western and dot-blot analysis using commercially available antibodies. In the albumin fraction, we identified peaks of differential post-translational modification on albumin peptide 146–159 only in PAH and SCA and PH samples; this PTM was identified to be a malondialdehyde adduct. The presence of a malondialdehyde adduct on albumin was confirmed by LC-MS/MS and Western analysis. We have identified a malondialdehyde adduct in plasma albumin that appears to be a common link between PH related to SCA and PAH. This finding supports the notion that oxidative stress modulates the pathogenesis of PH of SCA and suggests that this and other post-translational modifications may be important biomarkers of disease.
Integrated Analysis for Quantitative Predictions of Drug Induced Cardiotoxicity

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a class of cancer therapeutics that frequently cause cardiotoxicity as an adverse event. Although the interactions of therapeutic TKIs with primary and secondary targets have been well-documented, the alterations in cardiac intracellular signaling that can lead to cardiotoxicity remain unclear.To elucidate the mechanisms underlying TKI-induced cardiotoxic events, we have initiated a large-scale project that aims to uncover drug-specific cellular “signatures” in cardiac myocytes. These signatures are produced by integrating experimental studies with a unique computational pipeline. Experimental measurements primarily consist of transcriptome-wide, drug-induced changes in gene expression, quantified by mRNA-seq. The computational analysis involves: (1) identification of differentially-expressed genes under each condition; (2) network analysis to identify which pathways are altered, and (3) integration of expression measurements into dynamical mathematical models to generate predictions of altered intracellular signaling. Results obtained to date indicate that: (1) TKIs produce common alterations in gene expression compared with non-cardiotoxic drugs; (2) Genes altered by TKIs tend to share the protein-protein interaction neighborhoods that define cardiac specific disease pathways; (3) Simulated dynamic activation patterns exhibit both features that are common between TKIs and characteristics that are specific to particular drugs and physiological stimuli.Together these results suggest that the integrated analysis approach discussed here is a promising way to delineate the cellular mechanism behind the drug-induced toxicity and to predict the phenotypic abnormality.
Comparison of Aerobic and Anaerobic Incubation Conditions for Optimal Recovery of Salmonella.

Effects of aerobic and anaerobic incubation of selenite-cystine and TT enrichment broth incubated at 37 and 34°C on the growth of Salmonella were determined. Pure cultures of four serotypes of Salmonella were enumerated at 0, 4, 8 and 24 h of incubation and no significant differences related to incubation conditions were found. The effect of microflora other than Salmonella , in pure and mixed cultures and from chicken and feed samples, on the recovery rate of Salmonella after incubation in enrichment media was evaluated and no significant effects were found; however, aerobic incubation usually gave higher Salmonella counts. Greater recovery of Salmonella was obtained by incubating selective plating media aerobically rather than anaerobically. Aerobic incubation of liquid enrichment media and differential plating media is therefore recommended for optimal recovery of Salmonella .
Eco-morphological Mismatches, Human “Exceptionalism”, Hybridization, Trade-Offs, and Non-optimality

In general, Baldwin, Neo-Darwinists, Lamarckians, and even mutationists (Chap. 2, Table 2.1) emphasized the striking “fit” (match) between the phenotype of organisms and the external environment in which they live. Of course, they all knew about the non-survival of organisms and about known cases of mass extinctions, but mostly these were associated with phenomena such as relatively rapid and/or severe changes of the external—either biotic or abiotic—environment.
Musculoskeletal Biopsy Pitfalls

Image-guided percutaneous biopsy is an integral component of the evaluation of a known or suspected musculoskeletal lesion. This chapter will emphasize the fundamental concepts which are applicable to the biopsy of musculoskeletal lesions and highlight the most common pitfalls that may contribute to a less than optimal outcome. The fundamentals of musculoskeletal biopsy that are site independent are reviewed, emphasizing pre-biopsy planning, biopsy execution, and post-biopsy follow-up. Adherence to simple basic principles will optimize procedure results.
Survival narratives: Constructing an intersectional masculinity through stories of the rural/urban divide

Abstract This paper extends research emphasizing gender and gendered inequalities in rural communities are influenced by goods, jobs, and people moving between rural and urban contexts. Drawing from over 1,800 hours of participant observation in a rural community in the central United States, I analyze men's narratives about their trips to nearby cities to illustrate how they constructed and achieved an intersectional ideal of rural masculinity complicated by race, class, and sexuality. Through this analysis I stress the need to consider how multiple, intersecting dimensions of difference and inequality inform constructions of masculinities in rural contexts as rural communities are increasingly linked with cities. Second, and related, I illustrate perceived divisions between rural and urban spaces inform constructions of intersectional masculinities and inequalities even as rural and urban places are increasingly linked, materially, through political-economic processes such as labor markets and immigration.
Distributed workflows for modeling experimental data

Modeling helps explain the fundamental physics hidden behind experimental data. In the case of material modeling, running one simulation rarely results in output that reproduces the experimental data. Often one or more of the force field parameters are not precisely known and must be optimized for the output to match that of the experiment. Since the simulations require high performance computing (HPC) resources and there are usually many simulations to run, a workflow is very useful to prevent errors and assure that the simulations are identical except for the parameters that need to be varied. The use of HPC implies distributed workflows, but the optimization and steps to compare the simulation results and experimental data are done on a local workstation. We will present results from force field refinement of data collected at the Spallation Neutron Source using Kepler, Pegasus, and BEAM workflows and discuss what we have learned from using these workflows.
Citizenship discourse in Hong Kong: The limits of familial tropes

ABSTRACTThis article traces how citizenship in Hong Kong is constructed via familial tropes that privilege sameness and a politics of identification; this rhetorical representation, I argue, not only perpetuates a jus sanguinis model of citizenship that privileges ethnic blood ties, but also allows the state and the dominant citizenry to justify neoliberal and racist practices that exclude brown bodies. By analyzing the citizenship claims made by the marginalized South Asian community in Hong Kong and the subsequent responses they receive from the mainstream public, I demonstrate that racialized populations face a rhetorical double bind: on the one hand, they must deploy the familial metaphors commonly used by the existing citizenry to demonstrate their sense of belonging, but, on the other hand, such tropes reinscribe them in a power hierarchy that undermines their subjectivity. This case study illuminates that while it is commonly seen as a viable rhetorical tactic for marginalized rhetors to resist and...
An optical fiber sensor for the measurement of elevated temperatures

By depositing alternating 1/4 wave layers of silicon nitride and siliconrich silicon nitride at the end of an oplical fiber, it is possible to form a narrow band reflective wave stack. The wavelength of peak reflectivity is a function of temperature. We have been able to measure temperatures in excess of 1,000 centigrade have been measured with an accuracy of less than 1p.
Definition of typical-day dispersion patterns as a consequence of a hazardous release

Self-organising maps (SOMs) are used to extract typical days from a 30-year long record of 24-hour meteorology and concentration fields. The proposed methodology provides information regarding the probability of a typical time evolution of the concentration patterns (typical days), which could be important when estimating a priori the impact of a potential release of toxic substances. We have run the weather and research forecasting (WRF) model for a defined given month over a 30-year period to generate the required input for the second-order closure integrated puff diffusion model (SCIPUFF). An array for each day including the wind components, boundary layer height and integrated concentration over 24 hours at all the grid points is input to the SOM to perform an iterative learning process. The result is a number of typical days associated with different probabilities of occurrence. An assessment of the performance and reliability of this approach is presented.
Control and Optimization Problems in Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 MRI

Hyperpolarized carbon-13 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging technology for probing metabolic activity in living subjects, which promises to provide clinicians new insights into diseases such as cancer and heart failure. These experiments involve an injection of a hyperpolarized substrate, often pyruvate labeled with carbon-13, which is imaged over time as it spreads throughout the subject’s body and is transformed into various metabolic products. Designing these dynamic experiments and processing the resulting data requires the integration of noisy information across temporal, spatial, and chemical dimensions, and thus provides a wealth of interesting problems from an optimization and control perspective. In this work, we provide an introduction to the field of hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI targeted toward researchers in control and optimization theory. We then describe three challenge problems that arise in metabolic imaging with hyperpolarized substrates: the design of optimal substrate injection profiles, the design of optimal flip angle sequences, and the constrained estimation of metabolism maps from experimental data. We describe the current state of research on each of these problems, and comment on aspects that remain open. We hope that these challenge problems will serve to direct future research in control.
Arterial spin labeling reveals relationships between resting cerebral perfusion and motor learning in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that produces changes in movement, cognition, sleep, and autonomic function. Motor learning involves acquisition of new motor skills through practice, and is affected by PD. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate regional differences in resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF), measured using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI, during a finger-typing task of motor skill acquisition in PD patients compared to age- and gender-matched controls. Voxel-wise multiple linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between rCBF and several task variables, including initial speed, proficiency gain, and accuracy. In these models, a task-by-disease group interaction term was included to investigate where the relationship between rCBF and task performance was influenced by PD. At baseline, perfusion was lower in PD subjects than controls in the right occipital cortex. The task-by-disease group interaction for initial speed was significantly related to rCBF (p < 0.05, corrected) in several brain regions involved in motor learning, including the occipital, parietal, and temporal cortices, cerebellum, anterior cingulate, and the superior and middle frontal gyri. In these regions, PD patients showed higher rCBF, and controls lower rCBF, with improved performance. Within the control group, proficiency gain over 12 typing trials was related to greater rCBF in cerebellar, occipital, and temporal cortices. These results suggest that higher rCBF within networks involved in motor learning enable PD patients to compensate for disease-related deficits.
Real World Utility of Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography in Predicting Perioperative Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Stress echocardiography is the current standard for cardiac risk stratification of patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We aim to evaluate the role of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in predicting perioperative major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in patients undergoing OLT. METHODS This was a single-center retrospective study including 144 OLT patients. Of 144 patients, 118 had DSE. MACE included myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), cardiovascular and all-cause death 1 year after OLT. RESULTS Our study cohort included 118 patients. The mean age was 57.3±8.2 years (range, 25-72 years). There were 85 men and 33 women, male to female ratio being 2.6:1. Of 118, 15 (13%) had positive DSE and 103 (87%) had negative DSE. Perioperative MACE incidence was 5.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-12.3%). In predicting MACE, DSE had sensitivity of 5.6% (95% CI, 0.2-29.4%), specificity 86% (95% CI, 77.3-91.9%), positive predictive value 6.7% (95% CI, 0.3-33.4%), and negative predictive value (NPV) 83.5% (95% CI, 74.6-89.8%). Eighteen patients had MACE in first year post OLT (15%, 95% CI, 9.5-23.3%). Adverse events included cardiogenic shock (2/18), systolic HF (2/18), non-ST-elevated MI (7/18), cardiac mortality (3/18), and all-cause mortality (7/18). The overall complication rate of DSE was 17% (20/118). CONCLUSIONS In our cohort, DSE had a low sensitivity but high NPV in predicting perioperative MACE post OLT. A similar trend was noted for DSE in predicting 1-year MACE post OLT. We reiterate the need of a better screening and risk stratification tool for OLT.
Growth in Economies With Non Convexities: Sunspots and Lottery Equilibria, Theory and Examples

We investigate the relation between lotteries and sunspot allocations in a dynamic economy where the utility functions are not concave. In an intertemporal competitive economy, the household consumption set is identified with the set of lotteries, while in the intertemporal sunspot economy it is the set of measurable allocations in the given probability space of sunspots. Sunspot intertemporal equilibria whenever they exist are efficient, independently of the sunspot space specification. If feasibility is, at each point in time, a restriction over the average value of the lotteries, competitive equilibrium prices are linear in basic commodities and intertemporal sunspot and competitive equilibria are equivalent. Two models have this feature: Large economies and economies with semi-linear technologies. We provide examples showing that in general, intertemporal competitive equilibrium prices are non-linear in basic commodities and, hence, intertemporal sunspot equilibria do not exist.
PGE2 inhibits AVP-induced water flow in cortical collecting ducts by protein kinase C activation

It is well known that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) both inhibits arginine vasopressin (AVP)-stimulated water permeability (hydraulic conductivity, Lp) in the cortical collecting duct (CCD) or, if administered alone, modestly increases Lp in the CCD. These bifunctional effects on Lp correspond to PGE2's capacity to inhibit AVP-stimulated adenylate cyclase (AC) activity, or to singularly stimulate AC activity in the collecting duct. The present studies suggest that the inhibitory effect of PGE2 on Lp may also be mediated by phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis. Using in vitro microperfused rabbit CCDs, we show that PGE2 releases Ca from intracellular stores. We also demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of PGE2 on AVP-stimulated Lp in the CCD is significantly reversed by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, staurosporine (SSP). Although PGE2 does not reduce an established water flow response to 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-CPTcAMP), when the sequence of addition is reversed and PGE2 is added first, marked inhibition of 8-CPTcAMP-induced Lp is observed. This provides independent evidence that PGE2 can act through a mechanism separate from modulating AC activity. PGE2 inhibition of 8-CPTcAMP-induced Lp is reversed by SSP pretreatment. Finally, SSP pretreatment also markedly potentiates the capacity of PGE2 itself to increase Lp. We conclude that PGE2 releases Ca from intracellular stores and, by activating PKC, inhibits AVP-induced osmotic water flow. This suggests an important role for PI hydrolysis in mediating PGE2's effects on the CCD.
Better Circuits for Binary Polynomial Multiplication

We develop a new and simple way to describe Karatsuba-like algorithms for multiplication of polynomials over $\mathbb {F}_2$ F 2 . We restrict the search of small circuits to a class of circuits we call symmetric bilinear. These are circuits in which AND gates only compute functions of the form $\sum _{i \in S} a_i \cdot \sum _{i \in S} b_i \quad \quad (S \subseteq \lbrace 0, \ldots, n-1\rbrace).$ ∑ i ∈ S a i · ∑ i ∈ S b i ( S ⊆ { 0 , ... , n - 1 } ) . These techniques yield improved recurrences for $M(kn)$ M ( k n ) , the number of gates used in a circuit that multiplies two $kn$ k n -term polynomials, for $k = 4,5,6,$ k = 4 , 5 , 6 , and 7. We built and verified the circuits for $n$ n -term binary polynomial multiplication for values of $n$ n of practical interest. Circuits for $n$ n up to 100 are posted at http://cs-www.cs.yale.edu/homes/peralta/CircuitStuff/BinPolMult.tar.gz .