cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of multi-scale roughness and frictional heating on solid body contact deformation

Abstract Solid body contact is restricted to a discrete number of randomly distributed microscopic areas resulting from the deformation of interacting surface protrusions (asperities). The deformation mode of these asperity contacts can be elastic, elastic–plastic, or fully plastic, depending on the local surface interference, asperity radius of curvature, coefficient of friction, and mechanical properties of the solid surfaces. Traditionally, the surface topography has been described by statistical models which rely on unrealistic simplifications of the shape, height, and size of the asperities. Such assumptions were avoided in contemporary contact mechanics analyses, which use fractal geometry to accomplish a surface topography description over a wide range of length scales. The main objective of this article is to provide an assessment of the role of multi-scale topography (roughness) and frictional heating in contact deformation of elastic–plastic solid bodies. Contact relationships, derived at the asperity level, which include the mechanical properties of surface layer and substrate medium, layer thickness, local surface interference, and equivalent asperity radius of curvature, are presented for different modes of deformation. These asperity-level relationships and a fractal model of the surface topography are incorporated into a numerical integration scheme to analyze multi-scale thermomechanical contact deformation over the entire real contact area of homogeneous and layered media possessing realistic surface topographies. To cite this article: K. Komvopoulos, C. R. Mecanique 336 (2008).
Perspectives on Scientism, Religion, and Philosophy Provided by Parapsychology

Modern views of neural functioning hypothesize that we live in a largely automatized simulation of reality rather than being in direct contact with the world. Scientism, a view that distorts the sc...
IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF RESPONSES TO FACTUAL SURVEY QUESTIONS BY INTERVIEWER TRAINING

In this study we analyze the effects of interviewer training on the quality of responses. Data from a field experiment reveal a number of significant differences between trained and untrained interviewers in terms of nonresponse and the amount of information obtained. For some questions, an interaction effect occurred between interviewer training, the use of tape recorders, and the kind of responses. The effects of training appear to be dependent on the structure of the questions. Since such effects occur primarily with questions that assume a great deal of inter- viewer activity, it is suggested that they are indeed due to the application of the techniques acquired by training, namely giving instructions, probing, and feedback. A brief analysis of the inter- viewer-respondent interaction supports this interpretation. It is generally accepted that the task performance of the interviewer can have an effect on the responses to factual survey questions. This awareness of the interviewer's potential for manipulating responses has generated numerous attempts to control interviewer behavior. Task rules (Brenner, 198 la, 198 lb) and special interviewing techniques (Cannell, Miller, and Oksenberg, 1981) have been designed in the ex- pectation that their correct application will yield an improvement in response quality. Moreover, efforts have been made to develop instru- ments for analyzing question-answer sequences in order to have a
Molecular characterization of a cystathionine beta-synthase gene, CBS1, in Magnaporthe grisea.

CBS1 from Magnaporthe grisea is a structural and functional homolog of the cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our studies indicated that M. grisea can utilize homocysteine and methionine through a CBS-independent pathway. The results also revealed responses of M. grisea to homocysteine that are reminiscent of human homocystinuria.
Life before Seventeen: Cloning of the IL-17 Receptor

It is often said that pathogens know more about the immune system than we do. For example, nearly all viruses have evolved some means of evading or counteracting viral pattern recognition receptor and IFN signaling pathways ([1][1], [2][2]). Many large DNA viruses, such as herpesviruses and
An intelligent controller for manufacturing cells

To meet multiple performance objectives and handle uncertainty during production, a flexible scheduling system is essential. In this study, a neural network based control system is proposed to adapt different scheduling strategies dynamically for a manufacturing cell. The proposed control system consists of an adjustment module and the associated equipment controller for each machine and the robot. At a decision point, the adjustment module will determine the relative importance for each performance measure according to the current performance levels and requirements. The equipment level controller, implemented by a neural network, will select the proper dispatching rule based on its status and the relative importance levels. The problem, which arises from the discrepancy of the user specification and what neural networks are trained by, is addressed. From the simulation results, the proposed refinement procedure could recover this problem so that the controller can perform closer to the actual requiremen...
Gestational Protein Restriction Increases Angiotensin II Production in Rat Lung

Gestational protein restriction (PR) alters the renin-angiotensin system in uterine arteries and placentas and elevates plasma levels of angiotensin II in pregnant rats. To date, how PR increases maternal plasma levels of angiotensin II remains unknown. In this study, we hypothesize that the expression and/or the activity of angiotensin I converting enzyme (peptidyl-dipeptidase A) 1 (ACE) in lungs, but not kidneys and blood, largely contribute to elevated plasma angiotensin II levels in pregnant rats subject to gestational PR. Time-scheduled pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a normal or low-protein diet from Day 3 of pregnancy until euthanized at Day 19 or 22. Expressions of Ace and Ace2 (angiotens in I converting enzyme [peptidyl-dipeptidase A] 2) in lungs and kidneys from pregnant rats by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting, and the activities of these proteins in lungs, kidneys, and plasma, were measured. The mRNA levels of Ace and Ace2 in lungs were elevated by PR at both Days 19 and 22 of pregnancy. The abundance of ACE protein in lungs was increased, but ACE2 protein was decreased, by PR. The activities of ACE, but not ACE2, in lungs were increased by PR. PR did not change expressions of Ace and Ace2, the activities of both ACE and ACE2 in kidneys, and the abundance and activity of plasma ACE. These findings suggest that maternal lungs contribute to the elevated plasma levels of angiotensin II by increasing both the expression and the activity of ACE in response to gestational PR.
A Fault Tolerant Design Methodology for Threshold Logic Gates and Its Optimizations

Threshold logic gates (TLG) are prone to manufacturing defects that impact weight values which inadvertently affect the functionality of the gate. A method is presented for the design of threshold logic gates to tolerate manufacturing defects to the maximum possible extend. A novel solution is presented for the problem of identifying a fault tolerant k-input TLG for any value of k
Molecular analysis of the flagellar switch protein FliM of Salmonella typhimurium.

Defects in the chemotaxis proteins CheY and CheZ of Salmonella typhimurium can be suppressed by mutations in the flagellar switch, such that swarming of a pseudorevertant on semisolid plates is significantly better than that of its parent. cheY suppressors contribute to a clockwise switch bias, and cheZ suppressors contribute to a counterclockwise bias. Among the three known switch genes, fliM contributes most examples of such suppressor mutations. We have investigated the changes in FliM that are responsible for suppression, as well as the changes in CheY or CheZ that are being compensated for. Ten independently isolated parental cheY mutations represented nine distinct mutations, one an amino acid duplication and the rest missense mutations. Several of the altered amino acids lie on one face of the three-dimensional structure of CheY (A. M. Stock, J. M. Mottonen, J. B. Stock, and C. E. Schutt, Nature (London) 337:745-749, 1989; K. Volz and P. Matsumura, J. Biol. Chem. 266:15511-15519, 1991); this face may constitute the binding site for the switch. All 10 cheZ mutations were distinct, with several of them resulting in premature termination. cheY and cheZ suppressors in FliM occurred in clusters, which in general did not overlap. A few cheZ suppressors and one cheY suppressor involved changes near the N terminus of FliM, but neither cheY nor cheZ suppressors involved changes near the C terminus. Among the strongest cheY suppressors were changes from Arg to a neutral amino acid or from Val to Glu, suggesting that electrostatic interactions may play an important role in switching. A given cheY or cheZ mutation could be suppressed by many different fliM mutations; conversely, a given fliM mutation was often encountered as a suppressor of more than one cheY or cheZ mutation. The data suggest that an important factor in suppression is a balancing of the shift in switch bias introduced by alteration of CheY or CheZ with an appropriate opposing shift introduced by alteration of FliM. For strains with a severe parental mutation, such as the cheZ null mutations, adjustment of switch bias is essentially the only factor in suppression, since the attractant L-aspartate caused at most a slight further enhancement of the swarming rate over that occurring in the absence of a chemotactic stimulus. We discuss a model for switching in which there are distinct interactions for the counterclockwise and clockwise states, with suppression occurring by impairment of one of the states and hence by relative enhancement of the other state. FliM can also undergo amino acid changes that result in a paralyzed (Mot-) phenotype; these changes were confined to a very few residues in the protein. Images
Evidence that Estrogen Binding Sites are Present in Bone Cells and Mediate Medullary Bone Formation in Japanese Quail

Abstract Studies were carried out in Japanese quail to characterize the binding of estrogen to bone cells and to determine whether induction of medullary bone by estrogen is mediated by estrogen receptors. First, attempts were made to identify specific, high affinity nuclear binding sites for estrogen with a nuclear exchange assay in oviduct and femora from laying female quail and in liver, kidney, and femora from adult male quail treated with estradiol valerate (2 mg per bird). High-affinity nuclear estrogen binding sites were detected in each of the tissues except femora. Second, estrogen binding sites in femora from male quail were localized by radioautography after treatment with 100 μCi of [3 H]-17β-estradiol ([3 H]-E). Estrogen binding sites were present at 1 and 3 h after administration of [3 H]-E, and binding of the radiolabeled hormone was prevented by the simultaneous administration of an excess of radioinert estrogen. Third, estradiol valerate (.4 mg) was given as a bolus to adult male Japanese quail. Five days later, the quail had hypercalcemia due to accumulation of phosvitin in serum, had an extensive network of medullary bone at the femur midshaft, and had reduced cortical bone area. The nonsteroidal, anti-estrogen tamoxifen (2 mg/day) prevented estrogen-induced hypercalcemia, medullary bone formation, and reduction of cortical bone area. Fourth, the estrogen target cells in femora from adult male quail that were induced to differentiate to osteoblasts by estrogen treatment were located by [3 H]-proline radioautography as early as 12 h following administration of the hormone. These results are interpreted as evidence that induction of medullary bone is a process mediated by estrogen receptor.
The mouse t complex distorter-3 ( Tcd -3) locus and transmission ratio distortion

A novel central partial t haplotype was generated by screening for a recombination event between overlapping distal and proximal partial haplotypes. This haplotype contains just two elements Tcr t and Tcd-3 t —involved in the t -specific transmission ratio distortion phenotype. Breeding analysis of males that carry this chromosome provides evidence that Tcd-3 is, indeed, a distorter locus and not a second responder. Furthermore, the data indicate that a single well-defined distorter locus is insufficient to overcome completely the self-destructive, low transmission ratio distortion phenotype expressed by the t allele at the t complex responder locus, although a small, but highly significant, effect was observed.
The VGN Bioinformatics Module: Putting Data Mining in the Hands of Undergraduates

CF-22 The Vermont Genetics Network (VGN) Outreach Core's mission is to bring cutting-edge technology and knowledge to undergraduates at colleges throughout the state of Vermont. One goal of the VGN Outreach Core is to familiarize undergraduates with data mining tools necessary for careers in research. The Bioinformatics Module “Introduction to Data Mining” is a five session module that covers topics including; Literature Searches, Sequence Data Bases, Blast, Multiple Alignments and Phylogeny, Protein Structure Data Bases and 3D viewers. Tutorials are available in an online format with up to three exercises per session that must be completed and submitted online to demonstrate the student's familiarization with the tools. Each student is also assigned a data mining research project focusing on a specific disease. The projects are designed to allow the students to independently use the tools that they have learned each session. The final project presentation consists of a poster session where students describe their specific disease, the gene and protein associated with the disease, as well as describing the molecular defect and how the defect could lead to the clinical phenotype. These poster sessions are commonly open to faculty, staff and students at the undergraduate college, allowing students to further cultivate their presentation skills. In 2008 and 2009, we conducted an anonymous survey of the students participating in the bioinformatics module. 73% (58 of 80 students) responded. 83% (48 or 58) agreed or strongly agreed that they learned new tools for data mining that will be useful to them in the future. We asked about their final poster presentation and 76% (46 of 58) agreed or strongly agreed that by preparing the final presentation the purpose of this module became clearer. Examples of student posters will be shown.
Bleeding, Transfusion, and Mortality on Extracorporeal Life Support: ECLS Working Group on Thrombosis and Hemostasis

Background Bleeding may occur frequently during adult extracorporeal life support; however, there are no detailed investigations of bleeding events, red blood cell transfusion, and their impact on mortality. The purpose of our study was to characterize the incidence of bleeding and red blood cell transfusion during adult extracorporeal life support and examine the impact on mortality. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of adult extracorporeal life support patients over approximately a 3-year period. The incidence of bleeding events and transfusions were recorded. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds of inhospital mortality among patients with bleeding and for each red blood cell unit transfused. Ninety-day survival was compared between patients who bled and those who did not. Results Serious bleeding events occurred in 74 of 132 patients (56.1%), and the rate of bleeding was 10 events per 100 days. The crude odds ratio for inhospital mortality in patients who bled was 2.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00 to 4.94, p = 0.05); and for each unit of red blood cells transfused, it was 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.04, p = 0.005). The adjusted odds ratios for bleeding and red blood cell transfusions were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.37 to 2.19, p = 0.82) and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.06, p = 0.04). There was a trend toward decreased 90-day survival among patients who bled compared with patients who did not (46.7% versus 64.9%, p = 0.08). Conclusions Bleeding and red blood cell transfusion occur frequently during adult extracorporeal life support, but only the amount of red blood cell transfusion is associated with inhospital mortality after controlling for confounding variables.
Nitinol-Based Nanotubular Arrays with Controlled Diameters Upregulate Human Vascular Cell ECM Production

Current approaches to reducing restenosis do not balance the reduction of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation with the increase in the healing of the endothelium. Building on our previous work, we present our study on the effects of Nitinol-based nanotubular coatings with different nanotube diameters on the reduction of restenosis. Here, we demonstrate that the nanotubular coatings reduced primary human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) proliferation and increased the migration (by more than 4 times), collagen (by 2–3 times per cell) and elastin (by 5–8 times per cell) production of primary human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC). Furthermore, a significant increase in elastin and soluble collagen production of HAEC was observed with an increase in nanotube diameter. Our findings suggest that nanotubes-coated Nitinol may provide a surface conducive for HAEC reendothelialization while reducing the proliferation of HASMC.
Designing Overlapping Networks for Publish-Subscribe Systems

From the publish-subscribe systems of the early days of the Internet to the recent emergence of Web 3.0 and IoT (Internet of Things), new problems arise in the design of networks centered at producers and consumers of constantly evolving information. In a typical problem, each terminal is a source or sink of information and builds a physical network in the form of a tree or an overlay network in the form of a star rooted at itself. Every pair of pub-sub terminals that need to be coordinated (e.g. the source and sink of an important piece of control information) define an edge in a bipartite demand graph; the solution must ensure that the corresponding networks rooted at the endpoints of each demand edge overlap at some node. This simple overlap constraint, and the requirement that each network is a tree or a star, leads to a variety of new questions on the design of overlapping networks. In this paper, for the general demand case of the problem, we show that a natural LP formulation has a non-constant integrality gap; on the positive side, we present a logarithmic approximation for the general demand case. When the demand graph is complete, however, we design approximation algorithms with small constant performance ratios, irrespective of whether the pub networks and sub networks are required to be trees or stars.
Effects of Temperature and Parental Age on the Life Cycle of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)

The number of molts in an insect may be constant regardless of environmental factors. This condition occurs in the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Ludwig, 1928).
Direct measurement of Bisphenol A (BPA), BPA glucuronide and BPA sulfate in a diverse and low-income population of pregnant women reveals high exposure, with potential implications for previous exposure estimates: a cross-sectional study

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous, endocrine-disrupting environmental contaminant that increases risk of some adverse developmental effects. Thus, it is important to characterize BPA levels, metabolic fate and sources of exposure in pregnant women. We used an improved liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analytic method to directly and simultaneously measure unconjugated BPA (uBPA), BPA glucuronide and BPA sulfate in the urine of a population of ethnically and racially diverse, and predominately low-income pregnant women (n = 112) in their second trimester. We also administered a questionnaire on dietary and non-dietary sources of exposure to BPA. We found universal and high exposure to uBPA and its metabolites: median concentrations were 0.25, 4.67, and 0.31 μg/g creatinine for uBPA, BPA glucuronide, and BPA sulfate, respectively. The median Total BPA (uBPA + BPA in glucuronide and sulfate forms) level was more than twice that measured in U.S. pregnant women in NHANES 2005–2006, while 30 % of the women had Total BPA levels above the 95th percentile. On average, Total BPA consisted of 71 % BPA in glucuronide form, 15 % BPA in sulfate form and 14 % uBPA, however the proportion of BPA in sulfate form increased and the proportion of uBPA decreased with Total BPA levels. Occupational and non-occupational contact with paper receipts was positively associated with BPA in conjugated (glucuronidated + sulfated) form after adjustment for demographic characteristics. Recent consumption of foods and beverages likely to be contaminated with BPA was infrequent among participants and we did not observe any positive associations with BPA analyte levels. The high levels of BPA analytes found in our study population may be attributable to the low-income status of the majority of participants and/or our direct analytic method, which yields a more complete evaluation of BPA exposure. We observed near-universal exposure to BPA among pregnant women, as well as substantial variability in BPA metabolic clearance, raising additional concerns for effects on fetal development. Our results are consistent with studies showing thermal paper receipts to be an important source of exposure, point to the difficulty pregnant women have avoiding BPA exposure on an individual level, and therefore underscore the need for changes in BPA regulation and commerce.
Discussion of Added Error for Three-phase Combined Instrument Transformer

Up to now,the calibration of three-phase combined instrument transformer is called single-phase test method in the country.This assessment method does not meet the actual operating conditions.The error did not consider the interaction of three-phase current,voltage circuits in the excitation state.This article includes how to determine the added error of three-phase combined instrument transformer by three-phase current,voltage method,has got the regularity of conclusions through statistical analysis.It also has explored how the added error affects transformer combination error,puts forward proposals and measures.It has some reference value in determining and controlling three-phase combined instrument transformer added error,guiding and improving product design.
Study on thecontamination status and distributive regulation of legionella pneumophila in different waters

Objective:To discuss the contamination status and distributive regulation of Legionella pneumophila(Lp) in different waters,to provide evidences to formulate measures for prevention and control.Methods:A stratified sampling method was adopted to collect water samples randomly from the natural and living environment.Suspected strains were cultivated routinely from condensed water samples,then serology identification and real-time PCR technology were used to identify Lp.Results:Ninety-six samples were Lp positive of 342 samples in different waters,the total positive rate was 28.1%.The positive rates of Lp in shower water,air conditioner cooling water,fountain water and river water were 60.2%,35.8%,16.7% and 6.7% respectively,while the other three types of water samples were negative.The difference of Lp positive rate from June to October had no statistical significance.The serotypes were mainly LP1 type and LP7 type.The positive rate of Lp was higher in air conditioner cooling tower water from hospital(60.0%) than that from hotels and shopping mall.Conclusion:Air conditioner cooling water,shower water and fountain water are high-risk waters of Lp contamination and legionellosis transmission.The main type was Lp1.Management and monitoring of Lp should be particularly strengthened in hospital,and necessary measures should be taken promptly to protect public health.
Phenolic profiles and postharvest quality changes of fresh-cut radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.): nutrient value in fresh vs. stored leaves

Abstract The quality traits of two “Radicchio di Chioggia” hybrids (Corelli and Botticelli), processed as fresh-cut and stored in unsealed bags or in passive modified atmosphere for 25 days at 5 °C, were measured in two consecutive experiments. Moreover, a detailed structural characterization of polyphenols extracted from fresh and stored radicchio samples was performed by HPLC and electrospray ionization multistage ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-ITMS n ). Twenty-one compounds were identified and quantified in Corelli extract, and 19 were detected in Botticelli extract. Quercetin-7- O -glucoside-3- O -(6″-malonyl)-glucoside and isorahmnetin-7- O -glucuronide were found only in Corelli. Interestingly, the presence of dihydroflavonol glycosides in “Radicchio di Chioggia” is here reported for the first time. In the second experiment (performed on Botticelli), fresh-cut processing promoted a 2-fold increase in bioactive compounds, quantified in a significant amount (305 mg/100 g fresh weight) and in leaves that had been considered unmarketable. Thus this hybrid, suitable for fresh-cut processing, has been shown to be an interesting and inexpensive source of antioxidant phenolics even in leaves considered as unmarketable. Although less suitable for fresh-cut processing, Corelli fresh-cut radicchio can be considered a valuable hybrid for fresh consumption and a source of polyphenols because of the high content of these compounds in both the fresh and stored leaves.
SU-D-BRC-01: An Automatic Beam Model Commissioning Method for Monte Carlo Simulations in Pencil-Beam Scanning Proton Therapy

Purpose: Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is typically regarded as the most accurate dose calculation method for proton therapy. Yet for real clinical cases, the overall accuracy also depends on that of the MC beam model. Commissioning a beam model to faithfully represent a real beam requires finely tuning a set of model parameters, which could be tedious given the large number of pencil beams to commmission. This abstract reports an automatic beam-model commissioning method for pencil-beam scanning proton therapy via an optimization approach. Methods: We modeled a real pencil beam with energy and spatial spread following Gaussian distributions. Mean energy, and energy and spatial spread are model parameters. To commission against a real beam, we first performed MC simulations to calculate dose distributions of a set of ideal (monoenergetic, zero-size) pencil beams. Dose distribution for a real pencil beam is hence linear superposition of doses for those ideal pencil beams with weights in the Gaussian form. We formulated the commissioning task as an optimization problem, such that the calculated central axis depth dose and lateral profiles at several depths match corresponding measurements. An iterative algorithm combining conjugate gradient method and parameter fitting was employed to solve the optimization problem. We validated our method in simulation studies. Results: We calculated dose distributions for three real pencil beams with nominal energies 83, 147 and 199 MeV using realistic beam parameters. These data were regarded as measurements and used for commission. After commissioning, average difference in energy and beam spread between determined values and ground truth were 4.6% and 0.2%. With the commissioned model, we recomputed dose. Mean dose differences from measurements were 0.64%, 0.20% and 0.25%. Conclusion: The developed automatic MC beam-model commissioning method for pencil-beam scanning proton therapy can determine beam model parameters with satisfactory accuracy.
Kommunalpolitische Reformprozesse seit 2000

Der Beratungsprozess uber die Reform der kommunalen Selbstverwaltung fand mit dem Inkrafttreten eines komplexen Pakets von 475 Gesetzen zur Dezentralisierung im Jahr 2000 einen vorlaufigen Abschluss. Es handelt sich um eine Kombination aus Verwaltungsreformen, die sich in ihrem Kern auf die Neuordnung der Beziehungen zwischen den Verwaltungsebenen sowie auf die Binnenmodernisierung der Kommunalverwaltungen mit dem Ziel der Effizienzsteigerung beziehen und politische Reformen, die auf eine Profilierung der Stadt- und Gemeinderate sowie eine Neubestimmung der Rolle der BiligerInnen abzielen.
Hispanics in the United States: The Hispanic Population to 1980

The reform of the quota system in 1965 influenced the flow of immigration to the United States, allowing low-wage and high-fertility countries and regions to begin supplying migrants to the expanding American labor market. The European countries that had been the previous sources of migration to the United States had recovered from the devastation of World War II by the late 1960s, and with their declining fertility, ensuing low population growth rates, and increasingly industrialized urban economies, they were able to absorb most, if not all, of their younger workers entering labor markets. Some European nations even became net importers of foreign labor and in many cases there was labor migration to nearby European countries when higher wages prevailed. But in Latin America and Asia, the beginning of the demographic transition in the postwar period, which was characterized by rapidly declining mortality rates but the maintenance of high pretransition fertility rates, lead to extraordinary rates of natural population growth by historical standards. These expanding populations were surpassing the ability of the local economies to absorb them into their labor markets. The continuing growth of the U.S. economy, now the world's largest, and the end of immigration restrictions in terms of national origins, opened the United States to a new wave of immigration from Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Both regions were sources of migrants to the United States from the mid 19th century on, although the number of migrants was relatively small. There had also been immigrants arriving from the former Spanish colonies of Cuba and Puerto Rico beginning as far back as the early 19th century when economic and political connections were forged between the Hispanic Caribbean and the United States because of growing sugar imports from these islands, although this migration was small scale. Almost all settled in the East. New York and Florida were the principal states where Cuban and Puerto Rican communities first emerged, and a Cuban presence was established in Louisiana as well because of the local sugar industry. The 1898 U.S. intervention in the Cuban War for Independence through a full-scale invasion of Cuba, the subsequent military occupation of Puerto Rico in the same year, and that island's annexation to the United States as an “unincorporated territory” in 1900, created new political conditions for migration. During the early 20th century Puerto Ricans migrated to Hawaii, recruited as laborers for the sugar industry, and small Puerto Rican communities evolved in New York City, in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and later in East Harlem, which came to be known as El Barrio . After 1898, the Cuban presence in Tampa, Florida, also increased, building upon a foundation that was established much earlier during the 19th century in the cigar-manufacturing industry.
Methodology of Arbitrage Pricing Theory

The arbitrage pricing theory (APT) as discussed in Chapter 5 starts from the plausible assumption that there are a number of factors which drive the return on any financial asset. Whereas the CAPM is driven by a single factor, the return on the market portfolio, the APT allows that many factors drive rates of return. The key issues in applying APT to determine utility allowed rates of return are associated with determining what those factors are and how they impact rates of return. As were Chapters 8 and 9, this chapter is devoted to the methodology of calculating rates of return.
Project-level accessibility analysis for land-use planning

Abstract The concept of accessibility has made inroads into planning practice, largely at the system level. That is, accessibility is measured or modeled for current or future regional transportation and land-use scenarios for evaluation or broad policy guidance. Yet system-level scenarios cannot readily be applied to the project-by-project decision-making that characterizes the majority of transportation and land-use planning decisions. Accessibility evaluation of individual transportation or land-development projects differs from system-level analysis in essential ways and thus requires specialized tools. This article proposes an elasticity-based metric of accessibility that can enable project-level evaluation of land-development projects as an accessibility-based alternative to traffic-impact analysis. The metric is demonstrated for three projects in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The metric is shown to be sensitive to the location of development and capable of distinguishing among the analyzed projects in accessibility terms. Where mobility-based evaluation tends to rank peripheral development highly, the proposed accessibility metric appropriately rates central development as contributing the most to regional accessibility even after accounting for the traffic delay it engenders.
Rupture of Polydomain and Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomer

Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) has been recently explored extensively to make diverse active structures and devices. Depending on synthetic process, LCE can be made either polydomain or monodomain when ambient temperature is below isotropic clearing temperature. In the applications, LCE may be subjected to large mechanical stretch or force and break apart. The capability of predicting the rupture of LCE under different loading conditions is crucial for the applications. However, according to our knowledge, there is no report on fracture energy measurement of LCE. In this paper, we measured fracture energy of both monodomain and polydomain LCEs using pure shear test. We found that polydomain LCE has significantly higher fracture energy than monodomain one. We suggest that the increase of fracture energy in polydomain LCE is attributed to stretch-induced polydomain-to-monodomain transition near the crack tip of the material.
Building “The Way”: Creating a Successful Tourism Brand for Panama and Its Consequences

Panama’s new country brand (The Way) is tightly connected to its long history as a passageway. It also demonstrates the interest of Panama’s government in moving away from the suggestion that Panama’s economy, history, and cultures are exclusively connected to the Panama Canal. Given the historic, economic, cultural and political relevance of the Canal for Panama, how is it possible to explain these concerted efforts to move resources and attention away from it? This chapter attempts to answer this question. I discuss the success of the concerted efforts among the Panamanian government and tourism mediators to transform Panama from a perceived dangerous and somewhat obscure tourism location to a welcoming and attractive temporary and permanent multicultural destination. Conversely, I address the minimal success and improvement that these efforts have represented in the lives of ethnic populations engaged in the tourism industry, paying special attention to Afro-Antillean populations.
Continuity Amidst Change: Village Organization and Fishing Subsistence at the Dionisio Point Locality in Coastal Southern British Columbia

Shifts over time in faunal representation in Northwest Coast archaeological sites have been viewed as reflecting changes in economic organization and social complexity. We use fish faunal data from...
In Patients with Type 2 Endoleaks Does Intervention Reduce Aneurysm Related Morbidity and Mortality Compared to Observation

Type II endoleaks are the most common complication of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). These endoleaks are the result of retrograde blood flow in arteries arising from the excluded portion of the aneurysm sac. The natural history of untreated type II endoleaks is not fully understood. This is confounded by the fact that imaging classification of type II endoleaks is not always accurate. However, it is clear that a subset of type II endoleaks are associated with aneurysm growth and rupture. Familiarity with the risk factors, prophylactic measures for prevention and imaging methods to identify type II endoleaks is essential for optimal management of this complication.
Simulation in Gastroenterology

Simulation is fast becoming a fundamental means of training in the field of gastroenterology. Although competency in the performance of gastrointestinal procedures is not a fully defined construct, there is consensus that it requires certain core motor and cognitive skill elements. As part-task trainers, the use of simulation has been shown to improve skills in both basic and advanced gastrointestinal endoscopy. According to CDC guidelines, all US adults over the age of 50 should undergo endoscopic screening for colorectal cancer. Simulation is increasingly becoming an important means of training gastroenterologists to master the technical and nontechnical skills necessary to perform endoscopy safely and efficiently while maintaining patient comfort and safety. In this chapter, we introduce the three broad categories of animal, mechanical, and computerized simulators available to train gastrointestinal endoscopists in technical skills. We also review the literature with an eye to those studies which have determined face, content, construct, and predictive validity of each. We discuss simulation for assessing competency in gastroenterology, as well as its role in mitigating patient risk. We conclude by recognizing that adoption of simulation for training in gastroenterology will rest upon identifying ways of incorporating it into the busy workflow of procedural units, and describe multi-model hybrid simulations that have been employed successfully.
Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT)

Post-acute coronary syndrome patients with NSVT should be investigated for evidence of ischemia (e.g., angina, ECG changes) and have evaluation of serum electrolytes, especially those taking diuretics or have had hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia
Environmental and genetic risk factors for t(14;18) subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a population-based, case-control study

1713 BACKGROUND: The t(14;18)(q32;q21) chromosomal translocation is observed in 30-50% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) and 70-90% of follicular lymphomas, making it one of the most common cytogenetic abnormalities in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This translocation results in the deregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene BCL2 on chromosome 18 by joining it with the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene on chromosome 14. Although the t(14;18) alone is insufficient to cause NHL, it may represent a common etiologic pathway for some NHLs in combination with other risk factors. To date, only two studies have evaluated environmental risk factors for NHL by t(14;18) status, and no research on genetic risk factors for NHL by t(14;18) status has been published. Therefore, we evaluated the differential environmental and genetic risk factors for the t(14;18) subtypes of DLBCL in a population-based, case-control study. METHODS: A total of 280 DLBCL cases with paraffin-embedded tissue and 1057 population-based controls were identified during 1998-2000 in four geographic areas of the United States. We determined the t(14;18) status using an interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay with a dual-fusion probe in 277 of 280 DLBCL cases. Data on demographic characteristics and risk factors for lymphoma were obtained by interview. We also conducted genotype analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in immune response and DNA repair pathways. In preliminary analyses, we used logistic regression models to estimate case-case odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for those environmental risk factors (asthma, autoimmune conditions, body mass index, family history of NHL, and sun exposure) and SNPs ( TNF G308A, IL10 T3575A, FCGR2A H165R, RAG1 K820R, and LIG4 Thr9Ile) previously found to be associated with NHL in our main study. RESULTS: The t(14;18) was detected in 127 of 277 (46%) DLBCL cases. Compared with cases without the t(14;18), cases with the t(14;18) tended to be older ( LIG4 (DNA ligase IV) 9 Ile allele (rs1805388; Thr/Thr is referent; Thr/Ile OR=0.4; Ile/Ile OR=0.2; p-trend=0.005). Additional analyses of the t(14;18) subtypes of DLBCL in relation to environmental risk factors, including organochlorines, and gene-based pathway analyses will be presented. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary analyses suggest that there may be specific environmental and genetic risk factors for DLBCL subtypes defined by t(14;18), suggesting etiologically distinct mechanistic pathways.
Arecibo and Goldstone radar images of near-Earth Asteroid (469896) 2005 WC1

Abstract We report radar observations of near-Earth asteroid (469896) 2005 WC1 that were obtained at Arecibo (2380 MHz, 13 cm) and Goldstone (8560 MHz, 3.5 cm) on 2005 December 14–15 during the asteroid's approach within 0.020 au The asteroid was a strong radar target. Delay-Doppler images with resolutions as fine as 15 m/pixel were obtained with 2 samples per baud giving a correlated pixel resolution of 7.5 m. The radar images reveal an angular object with 100 m-scale surface facets, radar-dark regions, and an estimated diameter of 400 ± 50 m. The rotation of the facets in the images gives a rotation period of ∼2.6 h that is consistent with the estimated period of 2.582 h ± 0.002 h from optical lightcurves reported by Miles (private communication). 2005 WC1 has a circular polarization ratio of 1.12 ± 0.05 that is one of the highest values known, suggesting a structurally-complex near-surface at centimeter to decimeter spatial scales. It is the first asteroid known with an extremely high circular polarization ratio, relatively low optical albedo, and high radar albedo.
A microfluidic method to measure bulging heights for bulge testing of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyurethane (PU) elastomeric membranes

Thin and flexible elastomeric membranes are frequently used in many microfluidic applications including microfluidic valves and organs-on-a-chip. The elastic properties of these membranes play an important role in the design of such microfluidic devices. Bulge testing, which is a common method to characterize the elastic behavior of these membranes, involves direct observation of the changes in the bulge height in response to a range of applied pressures. Here, we report a microfluidic approach to measure the bulging height of elastic membranes to replace direct observation of the bulge height under a microscope. Bulging height is measured by tracking the displacement of a fluid inside a microfluidic channel, where the fluid in the channel was designed to be directly in contact with the elastomeric membrane. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyurethane (PU) membranes with thickness 12–35 μm were fabricated by spin coating for bulge testing using both direct optical observation and the microfluidic method. Bulging height determined from the optical method was subject to interpretation by the user, whereas the microfluidic approach provided a simple but sensitive method for determining the bulging height of membranes down to a few micrometers. This work validates the proof of principle that uses microfluidics to accurately measure bulging height in conventional bulge testing for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyurethane (PU)eElastomeric membranes.
Preferential Looking: Reliable Acuity Assessment for Children with Low Vision:

The visual acuity of eight children, aged 2-7, with low vision and multiple handicaps was tested using the Teller Acuity Cards and a preferential-looking procedure with operant modification.
OPTIMUM INTERVAL ESTIMATION FOR THE LARGEST SCALE PARAMETER

Abstract Let X1, …, Xk be k independent random variables (k ≥ 1) with distributions F(x, θi), i = 1, …, k, respectively.
Dependence of the critical Richardson number on the temperature gradient in the mesosphere

Abstract. Maximum upper atmospheric turbulence results in the mesosphere from convective and/or dynamic instabilities induced by gravity waves. For the first time, by comparing the vertical accelerations induced by wind shear and the buoyancy force, it is shown that the critical Richardson number Ric can be estimated. Dynamic instability is developed for Ri eddy diffusion cannot be applied to transport due to the large-scale eddies (Vlasov and Kelley, 2015).
Spectroscopy Of The CF4 Laser

When v2+v4 of CF4 at 1066 cm-1 is pumped by the 9.4-µm CO2 laser, stimulated emission on the (v2+v4) + v2 transition produces many discrete laser lines in the region 605 to 655 cm-1. A comprehensive program of Doppler-limited absorption spectroscopy of CF4 has been carried out using tunable semiconductor diode lasers, and has led to a full understanding of the rovibrational energy levels involved in the laser process. The frequencies of 28 laser lines of 12CF4 have been measured with an accuracy of ±0.2 cm- 1, for 12C16O2 pump lines from P(14) to R(24). From the complete vibration-rotation analysis of the v2+v4 band, the pump and laser transitions have been identified. Using the spectroscopic constants determined in the band analyses, we can predict within ±0.2 cm-1 the laser lines to be expected from any given pumping frequency. All observed laser lines have been accounted for; in a few cases there is evidence for a relaxation of J-value and/or Coriolis sublevel in the upper state. Application of these results to improving the performance of the CF4 laser and for designing it to produce specific desired output frequencies is discussed.
Diotic and dichotic frequency discrimination thresholds in musicians and non-musicians: relationships between perception, musical ability and self-evaluated competence.

Abstract Pitch perception provides important information for musical and vocal communication. Numerous studies have shown that musical training and expertise are associated with better pitch processing, however, it is unclear what types of pitch percepts are plastic with music training. The current study addresses this issue by measuring discrimination thresholds of Musicians (n=20) and Non-musicians (n=18) to diotic (same sound to both ears) and dichotic (different sounds to each ear) stimuli created from four types of acoustic computations:1) pure sinusoidal tones, PT; 2) four-harmonic complex tones, CT; 3) iterated rippled noise, IRN; and 4) interaurally correlated broadband noise, called “Huggins” or “dichotic” pitch sounds, DP. Frequency Difference Limens (DLF) in each condition were obtained via a 3-alternative-forced-choice adaptive task requiring selection of the interval with the highest pitch, yielding the smallest perceptible fundamental frequency (F0) distance (in Hz) between two sounds. Music skill was measured by an online test of musical Pitch, Melody and Timing (International Laboratory for Brain Music and Sound Research, https://www.brams.org/en/onlinetest/). Musicianship, length of music experience and self-evaluation of musical skill were assessed by questionnaire. Results showed musicians had smaller DLFs in all four conditions and that thresholds were related to subjective and objective musical ability. In addition, self-report of musical ability was shown to be a significant variable in group classification, suggesting that the neurobehavioral profile of musicians includes self-evaluation of musical competence.