cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis On Sputum Examination Work At Township Sputum Smear Spots of Hefei City From 2006 To 2009

Objective To analyze the progress in sputum examination at township sputum smear spots in Hefei from 2006 to 2009,and provide reference for prevention and treatment of tuberculosis(TB) in future.Methods The materials from 2006 to 2009,such as the selected locations at township level in Hefei,the progress in sputum examination and the use of funds,were all collected and analyzed.Results There were 6 township sputum smear spots in Hefei from 2006 to 2009.Since 2006,the smear-positive pulmonary TB detection rate reached 2.73% at township sputum smear spots.The proportion of the smear-positive pulmonary TB cases at spots accounted for 2.28% of all smear-positive pulmonary TB cases in whole city.After a double check at municipal level,the positive accordance ratio of sputum specimens at township level reached 79%.Conclusion Setting up the township sputum smear spots played some soles in discovering patients,but its soles was limiled,so some adjustment of spots needed to be done.The retaining spots should strengthen supervision and management from personnel training,definite responsibilities and the use of funds,so as to make the best use of the township sputum smear spots.
Analysis on Commutation Failures in Multi-Infeed HVDC Transmission Systems in North China and East China Power Grids Planned for UHV Power Grids in 2015

Based on the summer peak load operation mode in the planning of UHV power grids in North China,Central China and East China in 2015,the commutation failures in multi-infeed HVDC transmission systems in North China and East China power grids are researched in depth by the electromechanical transient simulation software PSD-BPA.Research results show that the unipolar/bipolar blocking occurring in any DC line in North China and East China UHV power grids will not lead to commutation failure in other DC lines of these power grids;three phase-to-ground faults occurring near converter buses in majority DC inverter stations in North China power grid will not lead to commutation failure in other DC lines;three phase-to-ground faults occurring in main transmission channels of East China power grid and that occurring near the converter buses of inverter stations may lead to simultaneous commutation failures in multi DC lines.However,the durations of these ensuing commutation failures are very short,and the DC system can resume normal operation rapidly and the power grid can remain stable without taking any measures.The occurrence of commutation failures at DC transmission lines in East China power grid can be effectively suppressed by reactive power compensation with static var compensators(SVC).
THE BREEDING OF A NEW RICE VARIETY YUEHANG-1

The breeding proceeding of a new aromatic Indica variety Yuehang-1 was indroduced.The quality test results showed that Yuehang-1 reached third scales of high quality paddy in national standard,and with a delicious cooking and eating quality.It was suitable for producing middle and high grade packaged rice.Yuehang-1 was permitted to release by Crop Examine and Approve committee of Guangdong province.Selection of materials to be treated and scented character mutation were discussed.
WHAT WORDS ARE TELLING US ABOUT THE BRAIN

Modern functional brain imaging with PET and fMRI provides a new perspective on the organization of language in the human brain. A better definition of the distributed nature of the brain circuits involved, an appreciation of the flexibility of these circuits in adapting to the different aspects of speech production, an identification of areas not previously associated with the cognitive aspects of language, and a new understanding of the implications of specific brain lesions on the lives and behavior of patients are all early suggestions of the benefits to be derived from this work. Much exciting work lies ahead.
Delayed preconditioning of cultured adult rat cardiac myocytes: role of 70- and 90-kDa heat stress proteins.

We investigated the protective effect of heat stress and metabolic preconditioning in cultured adult rat cardiac myocytes and correlated this effect with induction of heat shock proteins (HSP). Myo...
Bringing Wonderment to the Legal Academy

In the 1980s, the NYU law school was pioneering a quiet revolution in legal education. Anthony Amsterdam, legendary both as a litigator and as a legal scholar, was leading the best clinical program in United States legal education and beginning to expand the use of experiential learning throughout the law school curriculum. A huge and anxiety-inducing task. Happily, we encountered Jerome Bruner, a Pied Piper of interdisciplinary wonder. Jerry was the perfect tutor for legal educators trying to develop—and to share with students—a sophistication about how law is practiced, made, and used.
Active Life Expectancy In The Older US Population, 1982–2011: Differences Between Blacks And Whites Persisted

Understanding long-range trends in longevity and disability is useful for projecting the likely impact of the baby-boom generation on long-term care utilization and spending. We examine changes in active life expectancy in the United States from 1982 to 2011 for white and black adults ages sixty-five and older. For whites, longevity increased, disability was postponed to older ages, the locus of care shifted from nursing facilities to community settings, and the proportion of life at older ages spent without disability increased. In contrast, for blacks, longevity increases were accompanied by smaller postponements in disability, and the percentage of remaining life spent active remained stable and well below that of whites. Older black women were especially disadvantaged in 2011 in terms of the proportion of years expected to be lived without disability. Public health measures directed at older black adults—particularly women—are needed to offset impending pressures on the long-term care delivery system ...
Egg Hatch Rate and Nymphal Survival of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) After Exposure to Insecticide Sprays

Few studies have addressed the efficacy of insecticides used against eggs and first-instar nymphs of the bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Insect eggs are often resistant to insecticides; therefore, information on which products are effective is important. We evaluated the efficacy of four commonly used insecticide sprays applied directly to bed bug eggs. We also evaluated the efficacy of these insecticides to first-instar nymphs exposed to residuals resulting from directly spraying eggs. Temprid SC (beta-cyfluthrin, imidacloprid) was the most effective insecticide at preventing egg hatch (13% hatch rate) for pyrethroid-resistant, field-strain (Jersey City) bed bugs compared with a control (water [99% hatch rate]), Bedlam (MGK-264, sumithrin [84% hatch rate]), Demand CS (lambda-cyhalothrin [91% hatch rate]), and Phantom SC (chlorfenapyr [95% hatch rate]). Demand CS and Temprid SC were most effective at preventing egg hatch (0%) for an insecticide-susceptible (Harold Harlan) strain, followed by Bedlam (28%). Phantom SC produced a hatch rate similar to the control (97% and 96%, respectively). Harold Harlan-strain nymphs showed 100% survival for the control but 0% survival for Bedlam and Phantom SC. Jersey City-strain nymphs showed 100% survival for the control, 99% survival for Bedlam, 0% survival for Demand CS, 4% survival for Phantom SC, and 38% survival for Temprid SC. Demand CS was less effective at preventing hatch (91% hatch rate) of Jersey City-strain nymphs but was the only product to kill all nymphs (0% survival). One of the least effective products for preventing Jersey City-strain egg hatch (Phantom SC, 95% hatch rate) was the second most effective at killing nymphs, leaving only six of 141 alive. These findings indicate that survival of directly sprayed eggs and residually exposed, first-instar nymphs varies by strain, life stage, and product used.
Long-term calorie restriction in humans is not associated with indices of delayed immunologic aging: A descriptive study

BACKGROUND: Delayed immunologic aging is purported to be a major mechanism through which calorie restriction (CR) exerts its anti-aging effects in non-human species. However, in non-obese humans, the effect of CR on the immune system has been understudied relative to its effects on the cardiometabolic system. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether CR is associated with delayed immunologic aging in non-obese humans. METHODS: We tested whether long-term CR practitioners (average 10.03 years of CR) evidenced decreased expression of T cell immunosenescence markers and longer immune cell telomeres compared to gender-, race/ethnicity-, age-, and education-matched "healthy" Body Mass Index (BMI) and "overweight"/"obese" BMI groups. RESULTS: Long-term human CR practitioners had lower BMI (p < 0.001) and fasting glucose (p < 0.001), as expected. They showed similar frequencies of pre-senescent cells (CD8+CD28- T cells and CD57 and PD-1 expressing T cells) to the comparison groups. Even after adjusting for covariates, including cytomegalovirus status, we observed shorter peripheral blood mononuclear cell telomeres in the CR group (p = 0.012) and no difference in granulocyte telomeres between groups (p = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: We observed no clear evidence that CR as it is currently practiced in humans delays immune aging related to telomere length or T cell immunosenescent markers.
TSG-6 is highly expressed in human abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abstract Background The formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is characterized by a dominance of proinflammatory forces that result in smooth muscle cell apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation, and progressive diameter expansion. Additional defects in the antiinflammatory response may also play a role but have yet to be fully characterized. TSG-6 (TNF-stimulated gene-6) is a potent antiinflammatory protein involved in extracellular matrix stabilization and cell migration active in many pathological conditions. Here, we describe its role in AAA formation. Methods Blood and/or aortic tissue samples were collected from organ donors, subjects undergoing elective AAA screening, and open surgical AAA repair. Aortic specimens collected were preserved for IHC or immediately assayed after tissue homogenization. Protein concentrations in tissue and plasma were assayed by ELISA. All immune cell populations were assayed using FACS. In vitro , macrophage polarization from monocytes was performed with young, healthy donor PBMCs. Results TSG-6 was found to be abnormally elevated in both the plasma and aortic wall of patients with AAA compared with healthy and risk-factor matched non-AAA donors. We observed the highest tissue concentration of TSG-6 in the less-diseased proximal and distal shoulders compared with the central aspect of the aneurysm. IHC localized most TSG-6 to the tunica media with minor expression in the tunica adventitia of the aortic wall. Higher concentrations of both M1 and M2 macrophages where also observed, however M1/M2 ratios were unchanged from healthy controls. We observed no difference in M1/M2 ratios in the peripheral blood of risk-factor matched non-AAA and AAA patients. Interesting, TSG-6 inhibited the polarization of the antiinflammatory M2 phenotype in vitro . Conclusions AAA formation results from an imbalance of inflammatory forces causing aortic wall infiltration of mononuclear cells leading to the vessel breakdown. In the AAA condition, we report an elevation of TSG-6 expression in both the aortic wall and the peripheral circulation.
Assessing student preparedness for introductory engineering and programming courses

Our introductory electrical engineering courses still have high attrition rates which raises the question of how to identify students who may be at risk of failing or withdrawing from engineering courses and programs. We have experimented with two different approaches: one is to develop tests that are deployed early in student engineering coursework, and another is to measure student success in prior math courses. Math preparation is the basis of two of the tests, with one also including logic and algorithmic thinking. Preliminary results indicate that purely math-based tests did not correlate well with success in either an introductory problem-solving and programming course, or a sophomore circuits course. A test that includes logic and algorithmic thinking correlated better, but not as well as prior math GPA. All methods currently suffer from large scatter and relatively small correlation factors.
Dog Parks and Coffee Shops: Faux Diversity and Consumption in Gentrifying Neighborhoods

AbstractThe process of gentrification, whereby lower-income residents are replaced with higher-income ones (Glass 1964), has changed the composition and character of hundreds of urban neighborhoods in cities worldwide. These changes affect not only the physical landscape but also the diversity of the people who live there. This research explores diversity seeking, consumption, and community in neighborhoods undergoing gentrification. The authors conducted a qualitative study of longer-term and newer residents in three neighborhoods in Washington, DC, to examine how the demographic changes that accompany gentrification relate to consumption. The findings suggest that diversity-seeking tendencies among newer residents were accompanied by tensions in the social and consumption domains, such that longer-term residents perceived exclusion and all residents experienced a reduced sense of community. The authors also find that these dynamics undermined the diversity that drew residents to these areas in the first...
Media Multitasking and Mental Health

Multitasking—or task switching—has become a necessary function of modern life. Multitasking with media is a common practice among young people, who report its ease yet perform worse on individual tasks when they attempt to multitask. Adolescent media multitasking may be both adaptive and maladaptive and include prosocial outcomes and/or negative mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. This chapter examines the relationship between media multitasking and adolescent mental health.
Change in Maternal Stress for Families in Treatment for their Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Our objective was to predict change in maternal stress over the course of a randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of two interventions for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Parent Management Training and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions. In a secondary analysis of data collected from this randomized clinical trial, we examined whether children’s self-reported positive relations with their parents impacted responsiveness to treatment, which in turn impacted maternal stress. One hundred thirty-four children and their parents (38.1% female, ages 7–14, M age = 9.51, SD = 1.77) were tracked across three time points: pre-treatment; one-week post-treatment; and six-month post-treatment. Hierarchical linear models tested change in children’s reports of positive relations with parents, clinician reports of ODD severity, and maternal reports of parenting stress. Models then tested multilevel mediation from positive relations with parents, through ODD severity, onto maternal stress. Hypothesized indirect effects were supported such that children’s reports of positive views toward parents uniquely predicted reductions in ODD severity over time, which in turn uniquely predicted reductions in maternal stress. Results highlight the promise of potential secondary benefits for parents following interventions for children with oppositional problems. Furthermore, results underscore the importance of the parent–child relationship as both a protective factor and as an additional target to complement interventions for child disruptive behaviors.
Predicting societal-level cultural change.

By analysing whether characteristics of Austronesian populations could predict the rate of adoption of Christianity, researchers find that political leadership and small population sizes facilitated Christianity’s spread in the Pacific.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging–guided In-bore and Magnetic Resonance Imaging-transrectal Ultrasound Fusion Targeted Prostate Biopsies: An Adjusted Comparison of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer Detection Rate

Abstract Background With the increasing adoption of targeted prostate biopsies, it becomes important to understand the strengths and shortcomings of the techniques available for targeting suspicious lesions. Objective To compare clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection rate with magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound (MRI-TRUS) fusion versus in-bore biopsy in men with abnormal multiparametric MRI (mpMRI). Design, setting, and participants This single-center, retrospective analysis of prospectively generated data included all men with abnormal mpMRI and fusion or in-bore biopsy between May 2017 and April 2018. Grade group (GG) 2–5 cancers were considered csPCa. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Detection of csPCa was adjusted according to patient- and lesion-related characteristics using propensity score weighting. Secondary endpoints included the detection of clinically insignificant tumors and the rate of GG upgrade from biopsy to prostatectomy specimen. Analyses were performed at patient and lesion levels. Results and limitations A total of 103 and 300 men were included in the in-bore and fusion cohorts, respectively. On a per-patient basis, in-bore biopsies detected a higher proportion of csPCa (61%, 63/103) than fusion plus systematic biopsies (47%, 141/300; adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6–2.8, p Conclusions MRI-guided in-bore biopsies detected more clinically significant and fewer insignificant prostate cancers than MRI-TRUS fusion targeted biopsies. Further cost-utility and patient outcome analyses are needed. Patient summary In-bore biopsies (where the patient is on the magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] scanner itself) detected more aggressive cancers and fewer indolent cancers than fusion (where software blends MRI and ultrasound images) biopsies. These findings may help patients and physicians choose the best biopsy approach.
Two novel proteins, TtpB2 and TtpD2, are essential for iron transport in the TonB2 system of Vibrio vulnificus

In gram-negative bacteria, energy-dependent active transport of iron-bound substrates across the outer membrane is achieved through the TonB systems of proteins. Three TonB systems have been identified in the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus. The TonB1 system contains three proteins: TonB1, ExbB1, and ExbD1. Both the TonB2 and TonB3 systems have been shown to also contain a fourth protein, TtpC2 and TtpC3, respectively. Here, we report and begin to characterize two additional proteins in the TonB2 and TonB3 systems: TtpB and TtpD. Both TtpB2 and TtpD2 are absolutely required for the function of the TonB2 system in V. vulnificus. However, although both TtpB3 and TtpD3 in the TonB3 system are related to the proteins in the TonB2 system, neither are active in iron transport. All six protein components of the TonB2 system-TonB2, ExbB2, ExbD2, TtpB2, TtpC2, and TtpD2-are essential for the uptake of both endogenously produced iron-bound siderophores and exogenous siderophores produced from other organisms. Through complementation, we have shown that V. vulnificus is capable of using different TtpD2 proteins from other Vibrio species to bring in multiple siderophores. In contrast, we also demonstrate that TtpB2 must come from V. vulnificus, and not other species within the genus, to complement mutations in the TonB2 system.
Posterior Sampling-Based Reinforcement Learning for Control of Unknown Linear Systems

We propose a posterior sampling-based learning algorithm for the linear quadratic (LQ) control problem with unknown system parameters. The algorithm is called posterior sampling-based reinforcement learning for LQ regulator (PSRL-LQ) where two stopping criteria determine the lengths of the dynamic episodes in posterior sampling. The first stopping criterion controls the growth rate of episode length. The second stopping criterion is triggered when the determinant of the sample covariance matrix is less than half of the previous value. We show under some conditions on the prior distribution that the expected (Bayesian) regret of PSRL-LQ accumulated up to time $T$ is bounded by $\tilde{O}(\sqrt{T})$ . Here, $\tilde{O}(\cdot)$ hides constants and logarithmic factors. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of PSRL-LQ.
Sarcopenia, obesity and postoperative outcomes after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Over the last few decades, we have learned that the composition of our body is directly related to our health. The second and equally important lesson is that when we define a healthy body, we have to go beyond the ratio between the weight and the height of a person. The third lesson is that even though a “normal” balance between body fat and muscle is associated with good health and longevity, we still do not know what a “normal body composition” is.
Car Seat Tolerance Screening for Late Preterm Infants.

* Abbreviation: CSTS — : car seat tolerance screening The article by Magnarelli et al1 in this issue of Pediatrics highlights 3 major issues of importance to clinicians and families caring for infants born late preterm. One is the importance of determining cardiorespiratory stability, especially before being tested for car seat tolerance in preparation for discharge; the second is the importance of appropriate use of car safety seats at the time of hospital discharge; and the third is the value of having a hospital discharge policy in place. The continuing discussion regarding the value of car seat tolerance screening (CSTS) is further informed by this review because it strengthens the need for CSTS. A significant percentage (4.6%) of infants born late … Address correspondence to Marilyn J. Bull, MD, FAAP, Department of Developmental Pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, Indianapolis IN 46202. E-mail: mbull{at}iu.edu
Rapid Detection of Novel Coronavirus (COVID19) by Reverse Transcription-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Novel Corona virus (COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV) is an emerging global health concern that requires a rapid diagnostic test. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is currently the standard for COVID-19 detection; however, Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) may allow for faster and cheaper field based testing at point-of-risk. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid screening diagnostic test that could be completed in under 30 minutes. Simulated patient samples were generated by spiking serum, urine, saliva, oropharyngeal swabs, and nasopharyngeal swabs with a portion of the COVID-19 nucleic sequence. The samples were tested using RT-LAMP as well as by conventional qRT-PCR. Specificity of the RT-LAMP was evaluated by also testing against other related coronaviruses. RT-LAMP specifically detected COVID-19 in simulated patient samples. This test was performed in under 30 minutes. This approach could be used for monitoring of exposed individuals or potentially aid with screening efforts in the field and potential ports of entry. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the Maureen and Ronald Hirsch family philanthropic contribution. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests exist. Ethics Approval Statement: All studies were approved by Beaumont Health’s Institutional Review Board (IRB approval # 2020-040 and 2016-044). All study participants gave their informed consent to participate.
Understanding feeding practices of Latinx mothers of infants and toddlers at risk for childhood obesity: A qualitative study

Infancy and toddlerhood are critical stages for the development of habits that can lead to future obesity, and caregivers have an important influence on these habits. We conducted this qualitative semistructured interview study to explore the feeding practices of Latinx mothers of young children who are at risk for childhood obesity in order to identify targets for obesity prevention. We interviewed Latinx mothers (N = 14) of a child ages 6-18 months with a weight-for-length ratio > 85th percentile at the time of recruitment. Two researchers independently read through the interviews, identified sections of the interviews pertaining to feeding, and used constant comparative methods to identify the following common themes: mothers overwhelmingly reported permissive feeding styles, driving overfeeding and frequent night-time feeding. Mothers expressed some difficulty with transitioning to solid foods and reported desiring to feed their child healthy foods by minimizing juice and giving vegetables. Paediatricians and WIC staff were viewed by mothers as trustworthy sources of nutrition information. Most identified a connection between their child's weight and diet, but many lacked the insight or capacity to change their current practices. The mothers in our study provide insight into factors that may predispose young children to obesity and thus potential avenues to support these families. Healthcare providers can better serve them by giving clear, actionable advice on healthy feeding practices for their child, while understanding constraints that may make healthy habits difficult to implement. Paediatricians should be honest about their child's weight status early on to allow time for intervention.
Children of Incarcerated Parents: The Forgotten Victims

Purpose Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic experiences during childhood, such as abuse and neglect or household dysfunction, including parental substance abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, or mental illness. ACEs are known to negatively impact the health and well-being of children into adulthood. Parental incarceration is considered an ACE and puts the child at risk for social, emotional and psychological challenges, including but not limited to, acute and chronic psychological stress, parental separation, changes in living arrangements, exposure to domestic violence, traumatic removal of the parent, financial difficulties, and social …
Uninhabitable and Potentially Habitable Environments on Mars: Evidence from Meteorite ALH 84001

The martian meteorite ALH 84001 formed before ∼4.0 Ga, so it could have preserved information about habitability on early Mars and habitability since then. ALH 84001 is particularly important as it contains carbonate (and other) minerals that were deposited by liquid water, raising the chance that they may have formed in a habitable environment. Despite vigorous efforts from the scientific community, there is no accepted evidence that ALH 84001 contains traces or markers of ancient martian life-all the purported signs have been shown to be incorrect or ambiguous. However, the meteorite provides evidence for three distinct episodes of potentially habitable environments on early Mars. First is evidence that the meteorite's precursors interacted with clay-rich material, formed approximately at 4.2 Ga. Second is that igneous olivine crystals in ALH 84001 were partially dissolved and removed, presumably by liquid water. Third is, of course, the deposition of the carbonate globules, which occurred at ∼15-25°C and involved near-neutral to alkaline waters. The environments of olivine dissolution and carbonate deposition are not known precisely; hydrothermal and soil environments are current possibilities. By analogies with similar alteration minerals and sequences in the nakhlite martian meteorites and volcanic rocks from Spitzbergen (Norway), a hydrothermal environment is favored. As with the nakhlite alterations, those in ALH 84001 likely formed in a hydrothermal system related to a meteoroid impact event. Following deposition of the carbonates (at 3.95 Ga), ALH 84001 preserves no evidence of habitable environments, that is, interaction with water. The meteorite contains several materials (formed by impact shock at ∼3.9 Ga) that should have reacted readily with water to form hydrous silicates, but there is no evidence any formed.
Worlds collide: Traditional Classroom Meets Online Learning

This article addresses the challenges and outcomes experienced by hospitality and tourism faculty members as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
Accelerated diffusion and relaxation-diffusion MRI using time-division multiplexing EPI

Purpose To develop a time-division multiplexing echo-planar imaging (TDM-EPI) sequence for approximately two- to threefold acceleration when acquiring joint relaxation-diffusion MRI data with multiple TEs. Methods The proposed TDM-EPI sequence interleaves excitation and data collection for up to 3 separate slices at different TEs and uses echo-shifting gradients to disentangle the overlapping echo signals during the readout period. By properly arranging the sequence event blocks for each slice and adjusting the echo-shifting gradients, diffusion-weighted images from separate slices can be acquired. Therefore, we present 2 variants of the sequence. A single-TE TDM-EPI is presented to demonstrate the concept. Next, a multi-TE TDM-EPI is presented to highlight the advantages of the TDM approach for relaxation-diffusion imaging. These sequences were evaluated on a 3 Tesla scanner with a water phantom and in vivo human brain data. Results The single-TE TDM-EPI sequence can simultaneously acquire 2 slices with a maximum b value of 3000 s/mm2 and 2.5 mm isotropic resolution using interleaved readout windows with TE ≈ 78 ms. With the same b value and resolution, the multi-TE TDM-EPI sequence can simultaneously acquire 2 or 3 separate slices using interleaved readout sections with shortest TE ≈ 70 ms and ΔTE ≈ 30 ms. Phantom and in vivo experiments have shown that the proposed TDM-EPI sequences can provide similar image quality and diffusion measures as conventional EPI readouts with multiple echoes but can reduce the overall relaxation-diffusion protocol scan time by approximately two- to threefold. Conclusion TDM-EPI is a novel approach to acquire diffusion imaging data at multiple TEs. This enables a significant reduction in acquisition time for relaxation-diffusion MRI experiments but without compromising image quality and diffusion measurements, thus removing a significant barrier to the adoption of relaxation-diffusion MRI in clinical research studies of neurological and mental disorders.
Bianisotropic Homogenization of Optically Thick Metasurfaces

Bianisotropic homogenization for optically thick metasurfaces is demonstrated. The proposed method can homogenize arbitrarily thick metasurface unit cells by dividing the unit cell in propagation direction and treat individual layers. The accuracy of the retrieved parameters is tested with a BA-compatible Maxwell solver. The results indicate a high accuracy for the retrieved BA parameters.
A Theory of Optimal Sick Pay

functions of the form ) (x f can be replaced by specific functions with the same desired properties. This is done only when necessary to elucidate an aspect of the model. In this section these model functions are defined and explained. Definition 1. The amount of value produced for the firm by an employee, ( ) q v , is a function of the quantity of labor given by the employee and is defined to be ( ) q q v 2 = . Moreover, we expect 0 ) 0 ( = v , 0 > ′ v and 0 ′ ′ α . Note that e α α k e = 0 satisfies these requirements. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Effort (e) Probability of Illness (α) as Effort(e) and Effectiveness of Effort (k) Increase (with α0=1) Effectiveness of Effort (k) P ro ba bi lit y of Il ln es s ( α ) Figure 3. Behavior of the probability of illness function Definition 3. The cost of exerting effort to reduce the probability of illness, d , is a function of effort defined as e 0 d d = where e is the amount of effort exerted and 0 d is the marginal cost of effort. Moreover, we expect 0 ) 0 ( = d , 0 > ′ d . Note that e 0 d d = satisfies these requirements.
Invitation to Ergodic Theory

Introduction Lebesgue measure Recurrence and ergodicity The Lebesgue integral The ergodic theorem Mixing notions Appendix A. Set notation and the completeness of $\mathbb{R}$ Appendix B. Topology of $\mathbb{R}$ and metric spaces Bibliographical notes Bibliography Index.
Effects of a World Food Program-Sponsored Malnutrition Intervention Program on Undernutrition and Stunting in La Estancia, El Salvador

Background: 6% and 19% of Salvadoran children 0-59 months of age are moderately or severely underweight and stunted respectively. Estancia consists of nine rural villages Northeastern El Salvador; ...
Determining Whether Property Is Necessary for an Effective Reorganization: A Proposal for the Use of Empirical Research

The automatic stay is considered to be one of the most important provisions of the Bankruptcy Code for Chapter 11 debtors. It is the shield behind which the debtor may go about the process of reorganization using the mechanisms provided by the other sections of the Code. The stay permits a debtor the time to formulate a repayment or reorganization plan.Resisting a challenge to the stay is, therefore, often crucial to the reorganizing debtor. By preventing the initiation or pursuit of legal action against a debtor, the stay allows the debtor to devote its limited time and resources to the reorganization process. By preventing creditor seizure of essential property, the stay prolongs the debtor's survival. By the same token where the debtor has no hope of reorganizing in a way to benefit creditors, the stay is a needless interference with the ability of creditors to protect their rights. Where that is the case the stay contributes to what many claim to be a serious problem in the bankruptcy system: The use of Chapter 11 by debtors to fritter away estate assets in a hopeless attempt to revive the business. For this reason it is not surprising that litigation involving the automatic stay consumes such a large part of the bankruptcy process. This litigation usually takes the form of motions for relief from the stay. The vast majority of cases involving the automatic stay involve efforts by creditors with either contractual or judicial liens to obtain possession of property in the hands of the debtor.
Unified theory of dislocation motion including thermal activation and inertial effects

Transition-state rate theory has generally been used to explain the temperature dependence of the flow stress of a crystal. However, the existence of a change in the flow stress during the superconducting transition indicates the presence of inertial effects in which dislocations overcome obstacles mechanically rather than thermally. It is shown here that the thermally activated and the inertial overcoming of obstacles are not unrelated but can both be derived from principles of stochastic motion. This leads to a theory of dislocation motion that includes both thermal activation and inertial effects. It is also shown that a distribution of activation energies must be considered to account for the experimental data.
Effect of forage quality on digestion and performance responses of cattle to supplementation with cooked molasses blocks

We evaluated the effect of forage quality on response of cattle to supplementation with cooked molasses blocks. In Exp. 1, 175 heifers had ad libitum access to prairie hay (5.2% CP, DM basis). Treatments were a 2 x 3 factorial: supplementation with 0 or 1.96 kg/d of alfalfa DM, and supplementation with no cooked molasses block or with a low-protein or a high-protein cooked molasses block (14.4 and 27.5% CP, respectively, DM basis). There were no significant interactions between alfalfa and cooked molasses block for intake or gain. Forage intake and ADG were increased (P < 0.05) by alfalfa supplementation. Heifers fed high-protein cooked molasses blocks gained more (P < 0.05) weight than those fed low-protein cooked molasses blocks or no cooked molasses block. Heifers fed high-protein cooked molasses blocks ate more (P < 0.05) forage than those fed low-protein cooked molasses blocks, with heifers fed no cooked molasses block being intermediate. In Exp. 2, responses to cooked molasses blocks containing 33% CP (DM basis) were measured in 18 steers fed: 1) brome (8.4% CP), 2) alfalfa (19.2% CP), or 3) brome supplemented with 1.93 kg/d of alfalfa DM. Forages were available ad libitum. Forage DM intake was not affected by cooked molasses block and was greater (P < 0.05) for alfalfa than the alfalfa/brome mix, which in turn was greater (P < 0.05) than brome. Digestibility of DM was greater (P < 0.05) for alfalfa than brome or the alfalfa/brome mix and was not affected by cooked molasses block supplementation. Supplementation with cooked molasses blocks had only small effects on intake and digestion of medium- to high-quality forages, but it improved gains and feed efficiencies of heifers fed prairie hay ad libitum, with or without supplemental alfalfa.
The physics of codes

The title given this paper is a bit presumptuous, since one can hardly expect to cover the physics incorporated into all the codes already written and currently being written. We will focus on those codes which have been found to be particularly useful in the analysis and design of linacs. At that we will be a bit parochial and discuss primarily those codes used for the design of radio-frequency (rf) linacs, although the discussions of TRANSPORT and MARYLIE have little to do with the time structures of the beams being analyzed. We may also be a bit parochial in our choice of codes to discuss; this is a personal choice which fits within the confines of the time for oral presentation and the (self-imposed) limits of space in the proceedings. If we omit mention of somebody’s favorite code it is possibly due to ignorance, but hopefully just due to the need to be selective and not overly detailed in the presentation of this tutorial material.
Women Workers in a Changing Latin American Economy

This article argues that Latin American women workers just as men workers play a multidimensional role in the household, workplace, and national economies. Their economic contributions also influence changing gender relations in these three settings.
Nonpolynomial String Field Theory

String field theory, so far, has been relatively clean and simple. For example, the light cone string field theory for closed strings [1] was purely cubic, yet it successfully reproduced the highly nonlinear theory of Einstein. The covariant version of the open string field theory [2] was even simpler, being just a Chern— Simons term.
Graphene–Inorganic Hybrids with Cobalt Oxide Polymorphs for Electrochemical Energy Systems and Electrocatalysis: Synthesis, Processing and Properties

We report on the synthesis and physical property characterization of graphene–inorganic ‘hybrid’ nanomaterials coupled with nano-/microscale transition metal oxide polymorphs namely, cobalt oxides, i.e. CoO [Co(II)] and Co3O4 [Co(II, III)]), for alternative energy storage and conversion devices. Their demand is owed to higher specific capacitance, wide operational potential window, stability through charge–discharge cycling, environmentally benignity, easily processability, reproducibility and manufacturability. To accomplish this, we strategically designed these hybrids by direct anchoring or physisorption of CoO and CO3O4 on two different variants of graphene: graphene oxide which is semiconducting, and its reduced form showing conducting behavior via mixing dispersions of the constituents under mild ultrasonication and drop-cast (or spray-cast) resulting in different combinations. This facile approach affords strong chemical/physical attachment and is expected to have coupling between the pseudocapacitive transition metal oxides and supercapacitive graphene showing enhanced surface activity/reactivity and reasonable areal density of tailored interfaces. We used a range of complementary tools to establish microscopic structure–property-function correlations including scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with selected-area electron diffraction, and resonance Raman spectroscopy combined with elemental Raman mapping. They reveal surface morphology, local (lattice dynamical) and average structure and surface charge transfer/doping due to physically (or chemically) adsorbed cobalt oxide and highlight the surface structure and interfaces. This lays the groundwork to further investigate the electrochemical properties as high-performance supercapacitor cathodes, rechargeable secondary battery anodes and electrocatalytical platforms.
Early branch prediction circuit for high performance digital signal processors

In this paper, design and VLSI implementation of an Early Branch Prediction (EBP) circuit, based on a variation of Carry Look-ahead scheme is presented. The key features of this design are low area, high speed (2[log n/2]+1), and high modularity. This design out performs all the EBP designs presented so far. For 64 bit word length the early branch prediction is obtained in 679 ps as simulated for 0.2 /spl mu/ technology under typical conditions. Simulation and layout results for 0.2 /spl mu/ CMOS technology show a 30% increase in speed with 25% decrease in area as compared, to recently published results.
Gas Solubility in Molten Salts

Interest in the solubilities of nonreactive gases in molten salts stemmed originally from the technological need developed as a consequence of gaseous fission products of radiated molten salts. A secondary technological development associated with industrial uses of molten salts as heat treatment baths, electrolytes, and metallurgical slags led to other studies of the influence of various gases and vapors on the physical and chemical properties of the fused salts. Systematic research of gaseous solutions of molten salts has lagged behind technological studies and lies considerably more dormant than analogous studies in water and organic solvents. Theoretical studies of the liquid state and solution theory, on the other hand, have been pursued which provide applications to ionic liquid solvents such as the simpler molten salts.
Optical interconnect within hermetic packages using holograms

This paper shows how short-range, free-space optical interconnects using holograms can solve optical routing problems within hermetic packages.
Discrete universal filtering via hidden Markov modelling

We consider the discrete universal filtering problem, where the components of a discrete signal emitted by an unknown source and corrupted by a known DMC are to be causally estimated. We derive a family of filters which we show to be universally asymptotically optimal in the sense of achieving the optimum filtering performance when the clean signal is stationary, ergodic, and satisfies an additional mild positivity condition. Our schemes are based on approximating the noisy signal by a hidden Markov process (HMP) via maximum likelihood (ML) estimation, followed by use of the well-known forward recursions for HMP state estimation. We show that as the data length increases, and as the number of states in the HMP approximation increases, our family of filters attain the performance of the optimal distribution-dependent filter
Input-output linearizing control of constrained nonlinear processes

Abstract An input-output linearization strategy for constrained nonlinear processes is proposed. The system may have constraints on both the manipulated input and the controlled output. The nonlinear control system is comprised of: (i) an input-output linearizing controller that compensates for processes nonlinearities; (ii) a constraint mapping algorithm that transforms the original input constraints into constraints on the manipulated input of the feedback linearized system; (iii) a linear model predictive controller that regulates the resulting constrained linear system; and (iv) a disturbance model that ensures offset-free setpoint tracking. As a result of these features, the approach combines the computational simplicity of input output linearization and the constraint handling capability of model predictive control. Simulation results for a continuous stirred tank reactor demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed strategy as compared to conventional input-output linearizing control and model predictive control techniques.
Performance of the optical communication adaptive optics testbed

We describe the current performance of an adaptive optics testbed for optical communication. This adaptive optics system allows for simulation of night and day-time observing on a 1 meter telescope with a 97 actuator deformable mirror.
Disease and the dynamics of food webs.

What models and statistical tools can best help us assess how ecosystems respond to the impact of multiple factors, such as disease, predation, fire, and rain?
When More Is Not Enough Executive Greed and Its Influence on Shareholder Wealth

The concept of greed is one of the oldest social constructs; however, greed as a managerial attribute that affects firm outcomes has yet to attract scholarly attention in management. In this study, we examine the relationship of CEO greed to shareholder wealth. After anchoring greed to familiar constructs in organizational literature, we test our hypotheses on a sample of over 300 publicly traded firms from multiple industries. As predicted, greed has a negative relationship with shareholder return, but this relationship is moderated by the presence of a powerful, independent board, managerial discretion, and CEO tenure. The contributions of this study, which include refining our understanding of self-interest and opportunism, developing the greed construct, and illustrating its impact on shareholder wealth, are intended to open a new line of inquiry in the management literature.
Are we ready to move away from nature? The rapamycin story

We have seen it all in cancer treatment. We work with tree extracts, marine sponges, viruses, soil extracts, and many other things. Nature has giving us the tools to treat this threatening disease and will continue to do so if we have an open mind and are willing to learn; and we have gained extensive knowledge from the rapamycin story. It all started in a far-far away Island (Easter Island) with a soil bacteria and the identification of a microcyclic antibiotic with antifungal properties. Twenty years later. We know (or we think we know) the target of rapamycin (TOR), the TOR complexes, the upstream and downstream effectors, the elements that activate or inhibit the pathway, and we start seeing the promising effects of targeting mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) not only in cancer but also other conditions such as inflammation and aging. We have the mother compound rapamycin approved for graft rejection, and we have rapamycin-coated arterial stents. We have three rapamycin analogs with improved pharmacological properties and we usethemtotreatvariousmalignancies[1–4]. We all have seen patients benefiting from the treatment with rapalogs and doing remarkably well for prolonged time with almost no change in the quality of life. We are very familiar with the toxicity profile of rapalogs and we believe they are safe and compatible with prolonged use [5].
Octavia E. Butler on Coping with Power in Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents, and Fledgling

Octavia E. Butler articulates a complex conception of power in her last three novels that can provide new insights into lasting debates about the usefulness of a Foucauldian framework for feminist theorists. The author argues that Butler's approach to power both coincides with Foucault's critique of it and moves beyond that critique into concrete responses that answer to dominant discourses, producing viable alternatives. Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents, and Fledgling respond to power by working to demystify damaging discourses, resurrect subjugated knowledges, revise dominant discourses, create alternative communities, and emphasize a strategy of becoming over stagnation.