cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Much Would it Take? Achieving Retirement Income Equivalency between Final-Average-Pay Defined Benefit Plan Accruals and Voluntary Enrollment 401(k) Plans in the Private Sector

Previous EBRI research reported on a comparative analysis of future benefits from private-sector, voluntary enrollment (VE) 401(k) plans and stylized, final-average-pay defined benefit (DB) plans. This paper expands upon work previously published by computing for a number of simulated employee contingencies (such as job turnover) what level of final-average DB accrual would provide an equal amount of retirement income at age 65 as would be produced if the projected sum of voluntary enrollment 401(k) and IRA rollover balances were annuitized. In so doing, it provides a comparison in median outcomes for a variety of assumptions, both market returns and annuity purchase prices, and should provide a much-needed reference point for policy makers in evaluating these plan designs in view of both current and future workforce trends. Rather than trying to reflect the real-world variation in DB accruals, the baseline analysis used the median accrual rate in the sample (1.5 percent of final compensation per year of participation) as the stylized value for the baseline counterfactual simulations. EBRI’s modeling finds that the median accrual rates (mid-point, half above and half below) that final average DB pensions would need in order to provide retirement income equal to voluntary enrollment 401(k) plans would range from just under 1 percent to 3 percent of final compensation per year of participation, using baseline assumptions. These rates would go down if investment returns fall and annuity prices go up, to between 0.6-1.6 percent per year. The PDF for the above title, published in the December 2013 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another December 2013 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Views on Employment-Based Health Benefits: Findings from the 2013 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey.”
Partial Purification and Properties of Human Brain Aldehyde Dehydrogenases

Acetaldehyde and biogenic aldehydes were used as substrates to investigate the subcellular distribution of aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in autopsied human brain. With 10 microM acetaldehyde as substrate, over 50% of the total activity was found in the mitochondrial fraction and 38% was associated with the cytosol. However, with 4 microM 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde and 10 microM indoleacetaldehyde as substrates, 40-50% of the total activity was found in the soluble fraction, the mitochondrial fraction accounting for only 15-30% of the total activity. These data suggested the presence of distinct aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes in the different compartments. The mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions were, therefore, subjected to salt fractionation and ion-exchange chromatography to purify further the isozymes present in both fractions. The kinetic data on the partially purified isozymes revealed the presence of a low Km isozyme in both the mitochondria and the cytosol, with Km values for acetaldehyde of 1.7 microM and 10.2 microM, respectively. However, the cytosolic isozyme exhibited lower Km values for the biogenic aldehydes. Both isozymes were activated by Mg2+ and Ca2+ in phosphate buffers (pH 7.4). Also, high Km isozymes were found in the mitochondria and in the microsomes.
An Electron Microscopic Study of the Intestinal Villus: II. The Pathway of Fat Absorption

The intestinal pathway for absorbed fat was traced in thin sections of intestinal villi from rats fed corn oil by stomach tube after a fast of 24 to 40 hours. For electron microscopy the tissues were fixed in chilled buffered osmium tetroxide and embedded in methacrylate. For light microscopy, other specimens from the same animals were fixed in formal-calcium, mordanted in K2Cr2O7, and embedded in gelatin. Frozen sections were stained with Sudan black B or Sudan IV. About 20 minutes after feeding, small fat droplets (65 mµ maximal diameter) appear in the striated border between microvilli. At the same time fat particles are seen within pinocytotic vesicles in the immediately subjacent terminal web. In later specimens the fat droplets are generally larger (50 to 240 mµ) and lie deeper in the apical cytoplasm. All intracellular fat droplets are loosely enveloped in a thin membrane, the outer surface of which is sometimes studded with the fine particulate component of the cytoplasm. This envelope, apparently derived from the cell surface by pinocytosis, has at this stage evidently become a part of the endoplasmic reticulum. Just above the nucleus numerous fat droplets lie clustered within the dilated cisternae of the Golgi complex. As absorption progresses fat droplets appear in the intercellular spaces of the epithelium, in the interstitial connective tissue spaces of the lamina propria, and in the lumen of the lacteals. All of these extracellular fat droplets are devoid of a membranous envelope. The picture of fat absorption as reconstructed from these studies involves a stream of fat droplets filtering through the striated border, entering the epithelial cell by pinocytosis at the bases of the intermicrovillous spaces, and coursing through the endoplasmic reticulum to be discharged at the sides of the epithelial cell into extracellular spaces. From the epithelial spaces, the droplets move into the lamina propria and thence into the lymph. If the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum is considered as continuous with the extracellular phase, then the entire pathway of fat absorption may be regarded as extracellular. However, it is impossible to evaluate from the electron microscopic evidence thus far available the quantitative importance of particulate fat absorption by the mechanism described.
Anticipatory and consummatory components of the experience of pleasure: A scale development study

Abstract The Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS) was designed to measure individual trait dispositions in both anticipatory and consummatory experiences of pleasure. From an initial pool of theory-based items, we developed a 10-item anticipatory pleasure scale and an 8-item consummatory pleasure scale using several large college-age samples; the two scales were both internally consistent and temporally stable. As expected, these two scales were moderately, positively correlated with each other. Examination of convergent and discriminant validity indicated that the two scales measured distinct and specific constructs. In particular the anticipatory scale was related to reward responsiveness and imagery, while consummatory pleasure was related to openness to different experiences, and appreciation of positive stimuli. Potential applications of the TEPS, particularly in psychopathology research, are discussed.
Beneficial Effects of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion and Flexible Multiple Daily Insulin Regimen Using Insulin Glargine in Type 1 Diabetes

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic effects of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) with flexible multiple daily insulin (FMDI; premeal lispro + bedtime glargine) therapy as determined by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ), body mass index (BMI), and hypoglycemic episodes in a group of patients who made the transition from multiple daily insulin (premeal lispro + bid ultralente) to either CSII or FMDI therapy. Methods. Data from 40 (27 female and 13 male) patients (10.1–17.8 years of age) who were on CSII and 40 age- and gender-matched (27 female and 13 male) patients (10.3–17.3 years of age) who were on FMDI were collected during regularly scheduled visits at a similar frequency over a 1-year period. Results. The total daily insulin dose did not change in CSII (0.97 ± 0.24 vs 0.91 ± 0.22 U/kg) and FMDI (0.98 ± 0.21 vs 0.97 ± 0.21 U/kg) patients, whereas the bolus:basal insulin ratio was significantly increased in both CSII (1.01 ± 0.43 vs 1.32 ± 0.52) and FMDI (1.07 ± 0.0.41 vs 1.29 ± 0.47) patients. The total cohort of CSII patients showed a decrease in HbA 1c from 8.4 ± 1.0% to 7.8 ± 0.8%, whereas the FMDI cohort did not show a significant change in HbA 1c (8.5 ± 1.1% to 8.2 ± 0.9%). However, 40% of the CSII group and 22.5% of the FMDI group showed ≥1.0% improvement in HbA 1c . Also, a similar number of patients in CSII (52.5%; 8.0 ± 1.1 to 7.2 ± 0.5%) and FMDI (47.5%; 8.0 ± 0.5% to 7.5 ± 0.4%) maintained or achieved target HbA 1c values 2 ) but did not change in the FMDI group (21.9 ± 3.9 vs 22.6 ± 3.8 kg/m 2 ). There was a significant reduction in the rate of severe hypoglycemia (events/100 patient-years) in both cohorts: 20.6 to 8.2 in the CSII and 18.8 to 7.5 in the FMDI. Similarly, the rate of moderate hypoglycemia decreased in both CSII (68.3–35.4) and FMDI (56.3–30.4). Conclusions. CSII therapy resulted in a significant improvement in HbA 1c in the entire group, whereas FMDI therapy improved HbA 1c in only a subgroup of patients. However, almost half of the patients in each of the treatment groups maintained or achieved target glycemic control. Both CSII and FMDI treatment groups demonstrated a decreased rate of hypoglycemia without an abnormal increase in BMI. Although the design of this study does not allow direct comparison of the metabolic effects of CSII and FMDI therapies, both regimens seem to be superior to basal ultralente and lispro multiple daily insulin regimen and offer desirable therapeutic alternatives in pediatric diabetes care.
Advances in Magnetospheric Physics by Numerical Simulations: a Critical Analysis by an Outsider

This is a selective, somewhat editorialized assessment, based on a literature survey, of computer simulation as it exists today in magnetospheric physics. Both large (MHD) and small scale dynamical simulations are described and considered from the perspective of what they are trying to do and with what success. Several specific problem areas where simulations are being carried out are called for commentary: global magnetospheric structure, magnetotail and magnetopause reconnection, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, hydrodynamic expansion of ionospheric ions, electric double layers, heavy ion heating, and auroral kilometric radiation. It is concluded that simulation is a necessary tool for understanding magnetospheric physics and that significant progress has been made in simulation development. However, results should be evaluated knowing that many factors, some real and physical, others structural, may contribute to such output. A plea is made for greater intercalibration among different simulators working in parallel areas, so that facts can be distinguished from artifacts.
Ambulance Diversion Associated With Reduced Access To Cardiac Technology And Increased One-Year Mortality

Ambulance diversion, which occurs when a hospital emergency department (ED) is temporarily closed to incoming ambulance traffic, is an important system-level interruption that causes delays in treatment and potentially lower quality of care. There is little empirical evidence investigating the mechanisms through which ambulance diversion might affect patient outcomes. We investigated whether ambulance diversion affects access to technology, likelihood of treatment, and ultimately health outcomes for Medicare patients with acute myocardial infarction in twenty-six California counties. We found that patients whose nearest hospital ED had significant ambulance diversions experienced reduced access to hospitals with cardiac technology. This led to a 4.6 percent decreased likelihood of revascularization and a 9.8 percent increase in one-year mortality compared to patients who did not experience diversion. Policy makers may wish to consider creating a policy to specifically manage certain time-sensitive conditions that require technological intervention during periods of ambulance diversion.
Temperature-dependent phenology and predation in arthropod systems

A central issue in ecology is to determine how environmental variations associated with global climate change, especially changing temperatures, affect trophic interactions in various ecosystems. This paper develops a temperature-dependent, stage-based, discrete, cohort model of the population dynamics of an insect pest under pressure from a predator. Guided by experimental data, the model is applied specifically to predation of grasshoppers by rangeland lycosid spiders. The development rate of insect arthropods is strongly affected by temperature, and these temperature-dependent phenological effects couple with shifts in the daily activity periods for both prey and predator, thereby increasing or decreasing opportunities for interaction. The model addresses these effects quantitatively by introducing a temperature-dependent, joint-activity factor that enters the predator’s functional response. The model also includes a prey mortality rate that is temperature-dependent through the prey development rate. The model is parameterized using field and experimental data for spiders and grasshoppers. We investigate the effect of the solar power index (sunlight), mean temperature, and temperature variation, as measured by amplitude, on the developmental times and survivorship both with, and without, predation. We conclude that increasing variation in temperature results in a stronger relative effect on survivorship due to predation.
Practitioner perceptions of attenuated psychosis syndrome.

Abstract The “Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome” (APS, sometimes referred to as the “schizophrenia prodrome”) is characterized by subthreshold psychotic-like symptoms and functional decline, and is often associated with significant disability. These symptoms may cause impairment and are of further interest due to their predictive relation to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. These symptoms currently are not represented in the diagnostic system for mental health, and it is unclear how they are conceptualized by relevant professionals. The current study surveyed a national sample (n = 303) of clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and general practitioners regarding their clinical appraisal of APS. Practitioners were asked to respond to vignettes representing three conditions: psychosis, subthreshold psychosis (indicating ‘attenuated’ psychosis symptoms), and no psychotic symptoms. Practitioners' responses suggested that APS is viewed consistently with a DSM-IV-TR defined mental disorder and that most clinicians may diagnose this condition as a full threshold psychotic disorder. Findings tentatively suggest that the inclusion of an attenuated psychosis symptoms category in the forthcoming DSM-5 may be helpful in improving diagnostic reliability and facilitating best practice among community practitioners.
Efficacy of Medroxyprogesterone Acetate in Suppression of Estrus in Cycling Mares

Abstract The effects of compounded medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on follicular activity and estrous behavior were evaluated. Eighteen cycling mares were assigned to one of three treatment groups. Mares in the MPA group (n = 6) were injected intramuscularly with 1,600 mg MPA (week 1), then 400 mg weekly for the next 5 weeks. Saline mares (n = 6) were injected intramuscularly weekly for 6 weeks. Altrenogest mares (n = 6) received 10 mL orally daily for 7 weeks. Mares were teased daily for 60 days and categorized as displaying estrous, diestrous, or neutral behavior. Transrectal ultrasound examinations were performed three times weekly, or daily when a 30-mm follicle was identified, until ovulation. Blood samples were harvested weekly for analysis of progesterone concentration and daily from days 14 to 23 for analysis of luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration. Mares treated with saline or MPA showed normal intervals of diestrus and estrus during the study. All altrenogest mares showed behavioral diestrus during treatment. All mares in the saline and MPA groups showed normal follicular development and ovulations. No altrenogest mares ovulated during treatment; four mares returned to estrus and resumed normal follicular development after treatment ceased. Progesterone analyses agreed with transrectal ultrasonographic ovarian activity for all mares. LH levels were lower for altrenogest-treated mares compared with MPA-treated and saline-treated mares during the treatment period. In conclusion, compounded MPA at dose rates and intervals used in this study was not effective in suppression of estrus, follicular development, or LH secretion in mares.
Performance Sensitivities of Wireless Mesh Networks Under Path-Based DoS Attacks

This paper examines the performance of wireless mesh networks (WMNs) under the impact of path-based denial of service (DoS) attacks. Specifically, we study the factors that are conducive to path-based DoS attacks, while focusing external interferences, medium errors, and physical diversity. We setup a wireless mesh testbed and configure a set of experiments to gather measurements and assess the effects of different factors. We find that the impact of external interferences and medium errors on network performance is exacerbated when path-based DoS attacks are carried out. Another interesting observation is that a far attacker can lead to an increased performance degradation than a close-by attacker due to physical diversity. Further, we discuss a simple strategy to counter path-based DoS attacks, which has potential for reducing the impact of the attack significantly.
4 Human Rights, Global Justice, and Disaggregated States: John Rawls, Onora O'Neill, and Anne‐Marie Slaughter

Human rights are urgently important rights that all individual persons may validly claim and that all governments are obligated to respect. According to some philosophers, no government can plausibly claim legitimate authority unless its legal and political system ascribes such rights, and no society can plausibly claim to be just unless it has a legitimate government. John Rawls presents his own version of this conception in the context of his account of the moral basis of a just global system of public law. which he calls the Law of Peoples. According to some of his critics, including Onora O'Neill, not only is the Law of Peoples statist, bout also it relies on a false view of the state. O'Neill has developed a new conception of an ideally just global order in which states have fewer, and corporations more, powers and obligations to secure human rights, in contrast to Rawls's conception. Her conception is consistent with Anne-Marie Slaughter's account of the transformation of state sovereignty due to globalization. However, contrary to initial appearances, it is not the case that O'Neill's and Slaughter's views taken together require significant modification of Rawls's conception of human rights. There is no fundamental conflict between Rawls's conception of human rights and Slaughter's account of state transformation. And O'Neill's criticisms of Rawls's view are unwarranted.
A decision framework for energy use reduction initiatives in commercial buildings

Energy consumption in commercial buildings and the resulting production of green house gas emissions continues to be one of the major challenges facing the United States. With more than 80 percent of the energy consumed by buildings occurring during their operational phase, most policies and programs over the last decade have focused on the design requirements for new and renovated buildings to ensure reductions in energy use during building operation. These policies are primarily focusing on the technical aspect of building systems, ignoring the role played by occupants' behavior, and most importantly how to influence this behavior to reduce energy consumption. Various approaches have proven to be effective in inducing behavioral changes such as energy conservation campaigns, financial incentives, feedback techniques, and others. This paper presents an agent-based approach to modeling these methods, simulating their impact on occupants' behavior, and predicting their effect on building energy use and costs.
Molting Process in the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

This study describes the behavioral and histological changes that take place during ecdysis in the Formosan subterranean termite. The molting process was described in four distinct phases, starting with the peristaltic contraction of the abdomen to the complete shedding of the exuvium. Although individual termites still managed to go through the molting process when isolated from their nestmates, it required more time for the molting individual to complete the process than when aided by its nestmates. Histological observations were made on termites during the intermolt period, the premolting or fasting period, the pre-ecdysis and the ecdysis periods, and on newly molted individuals. Symbiotic protozoans were voided at the beginning of the premolting/fasting period. The detachment and reattachment of the muscles of the abdominal segments occurred during pre-ecdysis, and the leg muscle detachment and reattachment occurred during ecdysis. During pre-ecdysis, the abdominal cuticle had a wrinkled texture and two layers of cuticles were observed, one of which was the newly formed cuticle underneath the old one. Finally, the old tracheae were shed from the tracheal system and were pulled out from the spiracular openings of the mesothorax with the help of the nestmates. We concluded that, as social insects, the presence of nestmates during the molting of individual termites reduced the time necessary to complete the ecdysis, and the histological description of the molting process provides a template for further studies on the effect of chitin synthesis inhibitors on ecdysis in termites.
Pseudo-nondiffracting beams generated by radial harmonic functions

A Fourier hologram with the distribution of a radial harmonic function creates a nondiverging beam in the far field. The properties of this beam are analyzed and the beam is demonstrated. We also give a set of theorems that describe the relations between the hologram and the longitudinal distribution of the beam.
Assessment of Aquatic Effects Due to Acid Deposition

Increased concern over the impact of acid deposition on natural resources has caused the proliferation of substantial research in the area of effects. Often overlooked is the synthesis of this vast body of information into a coherent picture to be used for assessment and policy analysis. Relationships among research projects frequently are poorly defined or lacking, and problems of spatial and temporal resolution are abundant. The acquisition and use of historical data, for example, water quality and fish stocking data, to determine trends over time is problematical. Assessments of aquatic effects will be made in 1985, 1987, and 1989 under the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program. A procedure is presented which attempts to organize existing information over space and time. Problems are highlighted and information needs made apparent.
Antibody Reactivity of B Cells in Lupus Patients with Increased Disease Activity and ARID3a Expression

Earlier studies showed that the DNA-binding protein, Bright/ARID3a bound to a subset of human and mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain promoters where it enhanced expression. Indeed, mice with transgenic expression of ARID3a in all B lymphocytes have expanded MZ B cells and produce anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs). Consistent with our findings in mice, we observed that human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients had expanded numbers of peripheral blood ARID3a+ B cells that were associated with increased disease activity (p = 0.0038). We hypothesized that ARID3a+ naive B cells would eventually produce autoantibodies, explaining associations between ARID3a expression and disease activity in lupus. Unlike healthy controls, ARID3a was expressed in the naive B cell population in SLE patients, and we hypothesized that these might represent expansions of autoreactive cells. Therefore, monoclonal antibodies were generated from single-sorted naive B cells derived from patients with normal (ARID3aN) and high (ARID3aH) numbers of ARID3a+ B cells. We found that ARID3a expression did not correlate with autoantibody expression. Furthermore, measures of antigen specificities of autoreactive antibodies did not reveal skewing toward particular proteins. These data suggest that the association of increased disease activity in SLE with numbers of ARID3a+ B lymphocytes may be mediated by an antibody-independent mechanism.
Modification of Salmonella Lipopolysaccharides Prevents the Outer Membrane Penetration of Novobiocin

Small hydrophilic antibiotics traverse the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria through porin channels. Large lipophilic agents traverse the outer membrane through its bilayer, containing a majority of lipopolysaccharides in its outer leaflet. Genes controlled by the two-component regulatory system PhoPQ modify lipopolysaccharides. We isolate lipopolysaccharides from isogenic mutants of Salmonella sp., one lacking the modification, the other fully modified. These lipopolysaccharides were reconstituted as monolayers at the air-water interface, and their properties, as well as their interaction with a large lipophilic drug, novobiocin, was studied. X-ray reflectivity showed that the drug penetrated the monolayer of the unmodified lipopolysaccharides reaching the hydrophobic region, but was prevented from this penetration into the modified lipopolysaccharides. Results correlate with behavior of bacterial cells, which become resistant to antibiotics after PhoPQ-regulated modifications. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction showed that novobiocin produced a striking increase in crystalline coherence length, and the size of the near-crystalline domains.
Rapid prototyping of a flexible microfluidic sensing system using inkjet and screen printing processes

A novel microfluidic sensing system (MSS), for the detection of bio/chemicals, has been successfully developed. Screen printing process was employed, as an additive manufacturing method, to create master molds for fabricating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic channels. Silver (Ag) ink was inkjet printed on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, to form interdigitated electrodes (IDE). The MSS was created by bonding the PDMS based microfluidic channels and printed PET substrate. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) based response of the MSS towards heavy metal compounds: cadmium sulfide (CdS) and mercury sulfide (HgS), revealed picomolar concentration detection levels. The results obtained also demonstrated the capability of using inkjet and screen printing processes for the rapid prototyping of MSSs. The response of the developed MSS is analyzed and presented in this paper.
Knowledge and Alienation: Some Remarks on Mannheim’s Sociology of Knowledge

There is a line of thought starting with the ancient sceptics, revitalized by Montaigne, and appropriated by certain modern thinkers, including Max Weber, which points to the root-incapacity of human reason and all theory to articulate an absolute conception of reality. Whether the argument starts with the divergence and variegation of sensory awareness, whether it points to the contingency of all human experience and its interpretation, or whether, in modern form, it advocates positions with respect to the Real instead of univocal solutions, the central direction of this theme is clear: it posits an alienation of the intellect from the grounds of assurance and certitude. The latest turn given this development is its historicization through the categories of sociology, and the clearest and most forceful expression of this style of analysis is Karl Mannheim’s sociology of knowledge. I propose to take it as the framework for my remarks and to restrict myself to the epistemological aspect of Mannheim’s work. What I have to say does not refer to his so-called substantive sociology.
Foreword, The Supreme Court, 1995 Term: Leaving Things Undecided

This essay offers a qualified defense of "decisional minimalism" -- the idea that courts should minimize the burdens of decision and the likelihood and seriousness of errors by offering the narrowest rationale necessary to defend an outcome. It distinguishes between "shallowness" and "narrowness" and explains the values served by each. It applies the analysis of minimalism not only to Dred Scott, Brown v. Bd., and Roe v. Wade, but also to the central cases of the past term (above all Romer v. Evans, which it defends as salutary minimalism) and future disputes over the right to die, same-sex marriage, and affirmative action.
Fluorescence upconversion study of cis-stilbene isomerization dynamics

The dynamics of isomerization reactions in solution are of interest not only for their chemical significance but also as useful probes into the nature of various types of solvent effect on chemical reactions.1,2 We report on recent experiments designed to understand both the mechanism of and effect of solvent friction on the cis-trans isomerization of stilbene.
Mechanical fatigue of polymers: A new approach to characterize the SN behavior on the basis of macroscopic crack growth mechanism

Abstract This work demonstrates that a continuum-based characterization of mechanical fatigue fracture of polymers, in the absence of thermal effects, is possible on the basis of macroscopic crack growth mechanism. The macroscopic mechanism is that the fractional remaining fatigue life of a given polymer specimen is uniquely related to the fractional size of the remaining uncracked section, which includes the intact craze length, anytime during fatigue. A crack growth functional is proposed and is the used to represent the cyclic fatigue crack advance due to the increasing net-section stress amplitude in fatigue. A crack growth equation, which is consistent with Frost, Dugdale and Weibull's observations of macroscopic crack growth mechanics, is proposed as a base equation. A compact constitutive equation for the stress-life (S N) fatigue behavior of polymers is then derived. The constitutive equation accurately describes the mechanical S N fatigue behavior of a large number of polymers under test conditions in which the thermal effects were absent. The effect of temperature is rationalized on the basis of beta relaxation, glass transition and the variation of strength with temperature, depending on the polymer. The constitutive equation is then expanded to create a master equation to include the mean-stress effects, which allowed the prediction of stress-life behavior and endurance limit for any mean stress solely from the S N behavior of fully reversed fatigue data. It is demonstrated that the present the S N constitutive equations can quantitatively and accurately describe the polymer fatigue phenomenon.
More than One Way To Make a Spore: Although outwardly similar to those of other bacteria, Clostridium difficile spores are regulated and behave differently

Endosporulation is one of the more extreme survival measures found, producing a dormant bacterium encapsulated in a protective, seed-like structure. Spores are naturally resistant to environmental insults, including extreme temperatures, desiccation, ultraviolet radiation, and chemical disinfectants. Indeed, the spores produced by some species can remain viable for millions of years.
Studies in the Genus Phellinus. I. The Identity of Phellinus Rickii with Notes on its Facultative Synonyms

The name Phellinus rickii (Bres.) David et Rajchenb., based on Poria rickii Bres., is a later homonym of Phellinus rickii Teix. and renamed Phellinus tropicalis M. Lars. et Lomb. The facultative synonyms of the Bresadola name, Phellinus glaucescens Petch and Phellinusflavomarginatus (Murr.) Ryv., were found to represent distinct species. We consider Phellinus ferrugineovelutinus (Henn.) Ryv. to be a nomen dubium. A cultural description of P. tropicalis is provided. In a recent report, David and Rajchenberg (1985) proposed that the combination Phellinus rickii (Bres.) David et Rajchenb., based on Poria rickii Bres. (Bresadola, 1920), replace the presumed earlier synonym Phellinus ferrugineovelutinus (Henn.) Ryv., the type of which is sterile. However, that combination is a later homonym of Phellinus rickii Teix. (Teixeira, 1950). Furthermore, several names of Phellinus species are considered to be facultative synonyms of Poria rickii. David and Rajchenberg (1985) reported that Phellinus glaucescens Petch is "identical" to Poria rickii. Ryvarden and Johansen (1980) listed Phellinus flavomarginatus (Murr.) Ryv. as a synonym of P. ferrugineovelutinus. Our purposes here are (1) to resolve any question concerning the possible synonymy of Phellinus rickii (Bres.) David et Rajchenb. with P. rickii Teix., and (2) to determine whether any of the proposed facultative synonyms would be an appropriate binomial in Phellinus to replace that used by David and Rajchenberg (1985).
Complete Achilles tendon ruptures.

Achilles tendon ruptures can be treated nonsurgically in the nonathletic or low-end recreational athletic patient, particularly those more than 50 years of age, provided the treating physician does not delay in the diagnosis and treatment. Surgical treatment is recommended for patients who are young and athletic. An early and well-supervised rehabilitation program should be initiated to restore the patient to the preinjury activity level.
An Unusual Cystic Lesion Histologically Similar to Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease in a Child With Aniridia and Del 11p13

AbstractThe association of Wilms tumor with an interstitial deletion on the short arm of chromosome 11 is well established. Specifically, the 11p13 band has been implicated in the syndrome of Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary abnormalities and mental retardation. Only rarely have other renal lesions been associated with the chromosomal abnormality del 11p13. We report a case of a segmental cystic lesion, histologically akin to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, in a child with aniridia and the del (11)(p12p14) karyotype.
The Role of Repeat Transurethral Biopsy in Stage a Carcinoma of the Prostate

AbstractThere is a significant difference in survival of patients with stages A1 and A2 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Therefore, it is important to distinguish focal occult adenocarcinoma from diffuse occult adenocarcinoma. However, that may be impossible from a single transurethral resection of the prostate. This study was designed to determine if repeat transurethral biopsy would be helpful in defining the extent of stage A disease. Between January 1970 and January 1976, 27 of 61 patients with stage A adenocarcinoma of the prostate were selected for repeat transurethral biopsy of the prostate 3 months after the initial diagnosis. All 27 patients had a focus or focal adenocarcinoma of the prostate at the initial resection. Seven patients (26 per cent) were found to have significant residual tumor at repeat resection and were reclassified as stage A2. Three patients were found to have a single focus of adenocarcinoma on repeat biopsy. Thus, 37 per cent of the study group of patients had residual carcinoma aft...
New Results for Stability Monitoring of the Large Electric Power System the Phase Portrait of the Power System

Abstract Monitoring of the stability of power systems has never really become an on line tool even in the security, contingency sense, A three year research project sponsored by the US Department of Energy now is attempting to devise approaches which will remedy this situation and, potentially, even go beyond to monitor ongoing dynamic phenomena on line. Attainability of the latter goal is not assured but making on line dynamic security monitoring practically feasible would be an accomplishment of major importance. Also valuable theoretical insights are being developed in this project. This paper summarizes the approach used and presents new and quite complete results on the phase portrait of the power system, and the separatrix which defines the region of attraction around the stable equilibrium point, These results give very valuable insight into the structure of the phase portrait and will serve as the foundation for the techniques now under development for monitoring system stability on line.
Long-Term Lithium-Ion Battery Performance Improvement via Ultraviolet Light Treatment of the Graphite Anode

Effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on dried graphite anodes were investigated in terms of the cycle life of lithium ion batteries. The time variations for the UV treatment were 0 (no treatment), 20, 40, and 60 minutes. UV-light-treated graphite anodes were assembled for cycle life tests in pouch cells with pristine Li1.02Ni0.50Mn0.29Co0.19O2 (NMC 532) cathodes. UV treatment for 40 minutes resulted in the highest capacity retention and the lowest resistance after the cycle life testing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements on the graphite anodes showed changes in surface chemistry and wetting after the UV treatment. XPS also showed increases in solvent products and decreases in salt products on the SEI surface when UV-treated anodes were used. In conclusion, the thickness of the surface films and their compositions on the anodes and cathodes were also estimated using survey scans and snapshots from XPS depth profiles.
Single-phase multilevel inverter topology for distributed DC sources

In this paper, a new single-phase multilevel inverter topology suited for distributed DC sources is proposed. The proposed inverter is comprised of a voltage-level generator connected in series to the input of the classical H-bridge. The voltage-level generator is only able to generate positive DC voltage levels at its output. The H-bridge is used to generate the negative and zero voltage levels. The phase opposition disposition (POD) PWM method is used to generate the gate signals to drive the inverter. The basic unit of the inverter is comprised of two input DC sources, and can be used to generate 5-level (for equal DC sources) or 7-level (for unequal dc sources) voltage output. However, the proposed topology can be extended to an n-level inverter. MATLAB / Simulink simulations are presented to validate the operation of the proposed inverter. With a smaller device count, the proposed topology based on the results from the 5-level, achieves on average 50.98% reduction in average current THD, but a marginal 4.79% rise in the average voltage THD compared to the conventional 5-level topology.
Achieving operational process safety via model predictive control

Abstract Model predictive control (MPC) has been widely adopted in the chemical and petrochemical industry due to its ability to account for actuator constraints and multi-variable interactions for complex processes. However, closed-loop stability is not guaranteed within the framework of MPC without additional constraints or assumptions. An MPC formulation that can guarantee closed-loop stability in the presence of uncertainty is Lyapunov-based model predictive control (LMPC) which incorporates stability constraints based on a stabilizing Lyapunov-based controller. Though LMPC drives the closed-loop state trajectory to a steady-state, it lacks the ability to adjust the rate at which the closed-loop state approaches the steady-state in an explicit manner. However, there may be circumstances in which it would be desirable, for safety reasons, to be able to adjust this rate to avoid triggering of safety alarms or process shut-down. In addition, there may be scenarios in which the current region of operation is no longer safe to operate within, and another region of operation (i.e., a region around another steady-state) is appropriate. Motivated by these considerations, this work develops two novel LMPC schemes that can drive the closed-loop state to a safety region (a level set within the stability region where process functional safety is ensured) at a prescribed rate or can drive the closed-loop state to a safe level set within the stability region of another steady-state. Recursive feasibility and closed-loop stability are established for a sufficiently small LMPC sampling period. A comparison between the proposed method, which effectively integrates feedback control and safety considerations, and the classical LMPC method is demonstrated with a chemical process example. The chemical process example demonstrates that the safety-LMPC drives the closed-loop state into a safe level set of the stability region two sampling times faster than under the classical LMPC in the presence of process uncertainty.
O1-01-04

was to investigate the possible effect modification of the apoE e4 allele for several lifestyle related risk factors for dementia and AD. Methods: Participants of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia (CAIDE) study were derived from random, population-based samples previously studied in 1972, 1977, 1982, or 1987. After an average follow-up of 21 years, 1449 (73%) aged 65 to 79 years were reexamined in 1998. Results: The apoE e4 allele was an independent risk factor for dementia even after adjustments for lifestyle and vascular factors (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.61-4.97). Physical inactivity, alcohol drinking, and smoking at midlife increased the risk of dementia and AD particularly among the apoE e4 carriers. Further, among the apoE e4 carriers low to moderate dietary intake of polyunsaturated fats at midlife, as well as moderate to high intake of saturated fats were associated with increased risk of dementia and AD. Also the summarized effect of the lifestyle related factors was more pronounced among the apoE e4 carriers. Conclusions: Physical inactivity, dietary fat intake, alcohol drinking, and smoking at midlife are associated with the risk of dementia and AD, especially among the apoE e4 carriers. The apoE e4 carriers may be more vulnerable for various lifestyle related factors. Thus, especially the carriers of the apoE e4 allele might benefit from adopting a healthy and moderate lifestyle.
Gaining insights into interrill erosion processes using rare earth element tracers

Abstract Increasing interest in developing process-based erosion models requires better understanding of the relationships among soil detachment, transportation, and deposition. The objectives are to 1) identify the limiting process between soil detachment and sediment transport for interrill erosion, 2) understand the dynamic relationships between transport and deposition by tracking sediment fate with multiple tracers, and 3) verify the effects of slope length on interrill soil erosion. Five rare earth element (REE) tracers were applied in five bands or segments to track sediment dynamics on a 10%, 4 × 4-m long uniform slope under simulated rainfall. A silt loam soil with 8% clay and 87% silt was used. Six rain events were applied, the first four with 60 mm h − 1 and the last two with 90 mm h − 1 . Sediment in runoff and deposition along the slope were measured. Results confirmed that interrill soil erosion was controlled by the transport process. Thus soil erodibility estimated with many interrill erosion models was actually sediment transportability. As the slope length increased, soil erosion rates initially increased and then decreased, indicating that the upper section was dominated by erosion and the lower section by transport. Raindrop-driven creeping prevailed in the upper section while flow-driven rolling dominated in the lower section. Sediment influx from upslope clearly suppressed soil detachment downslope. Moreover, the steady state sediment discharge from a segment was positively correlated to the amount of sediment deposited downslope from that segment, implying that 1) re-detachment, transport, and deposition occurred simultaneously in the system and 2) sediment was transported in a form of bedload, mainly rolling or creeping on interrill areas. Sediment delivery ratios of each segment tended to slightly increase downslope, suggesting the flow-driven transport was more efficient than the raindrop-driven transport. The sequence of sediment discharged from different slope positions was inconsistent with the transport-distance theory. However, interrill erosion processes vary with soil, slope, and rainfall properties, and the findings here need to be verified in different conditions.
A people’s history of leisure studies: early 1700s to the late 1800s

ABSTRACTAs a western social construction, our modern views of leisure were founded by the emergence of new French and British societies from the early 1700s to the late 1800s. The city, and the lifestyle that accompanied it, brought forth an articulation of a leisured society for all citizenry. The major capital campaigns, world fairs, open parks, public museums, cafes, shopping districts, and other edifices articulated what we now see as modern leisure spaces. However, within leisure texts little has been considered and discussed in how Trans-Atlantic Slavery, Imperial Colonialism, and Independence Debt led to the allowance of an emerging and expanding leisured class during and post-Industrial Revolution. What is articulated is an alternate historical interpretation that is intended to be the first in a series of critical commentaries on the: (1) European foundations of leisure; (2) leisure history centred on Europe; (3) financial gains from slavery, colonialism, and debts; and, (4) implications of revis...
Preliminary evidence that reactivity to uncertain threat is an endophenotype for alcohol use disorder.

Abstract Background Having an exaggerated reactivity to threats that are uncertain (U-threat) may facilitate the initiation and maintenance of excessive alcohol use in some individuals. This abnormality may not just be a concomitant for alcohol use disorder (AUD), but also an endophenotype for AUD. Method The aim of the current study was therefore to provide a preliminary test of whether U-threat is an endophenotype for AUD using several of the endophenotype criteria outlined by Gottesman and Gould (2003) . Specifically, the study examined whether heightened U-threat reactivity is evidenced in those with: 1) current AUD; 2) remitted AUD (early and sustained remission examined separately); and 3) at-risk for AUD by virtue of having a positive family history of AUD. Participants (N = 147) completed a well-validated threat-of-shock task and startle eyeblink potentiation was collected as an index of aversive responding. Individuals and all available first-degree family members were diagnosed using structured clinical interviews. Results Individuals at-risk for AUD, with current AUD, and AUD in remission (both early and sustained) all displayed exaggerated reactivity to U-threat, but not predictable threat, compared with non-AUD controls. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the at-risk and any of the AUD groups indicating that exaggerated reactivity to U-threat is relatively state-independent and present regardless of current AUD disease status. Conclusions The findings together highlight that exaggerated reactivity to U-threat may be a promising endophenotype for AUD that can aid in the refinement of mechanistic AUD disease models.