cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A complementary pivoting algorithm for linear network problems

In this paper, an algorithm is presented for the transshipment problem that is an adaption of the method used by Jones, Saigal, and Schneider for solving singlecommodity, spatial-equilibrium problems. The approach uses a variable-dimension strategy in which a sequence of subproblems is formed by solving the problem ‘one-node-at-a-time’. The algorithm is tested on uncapacitated transportation problems. Although the computational results are not directly comparable to other methods (since the algorithm is implemented in C under UNIX), the results show that the method is very effective and may be competitive with the best available algorithms for linear network problems.
Ozone absorption cross section measurements in the Wulf bands

A tandem dual-beam spectrometer has been developed to determine ozone absorption cross sections for 13 selected wavelengths between 750 and 975 nm at room temperature. The increasingly pronounced structure in this region may interfere with atmospheric trace gas transitions that are useful for remote sensing and complicate the measurement of aerosols. Ozone concentrations were determined by absorption at the common HeNe laser transition near 632.8 nm using the absolute cross section reported previously. The overall accuracy of these room temperature measurements is generally better than 2 percent. A synoptic near-IR spectrum scaled to these measurements is employed for comparison with results of previous studies.
Self-transcendence, spiritual well-being, and spiritual practices of women with breast cancer.

As women recover from the experience of breast cancer and its treatment, it is important for them to find meaning in their lives and to understand their experiences from a holistic perspective. Pur...
Did the “War on Women” Work? Women, Men, and the Birth Control Mandate in the 2012 Presidential Election

Using a nationally representative data set (N = 3,000), the Public Religion Research Institute’s American Values Survey, we conduct multivariate regression analysis to determine the empirical impac...
A mouthstick for quadriplegic patients

Abstract An improved method for designing a mouthstick prosthesis has been described. The device was constructed at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and found ready acceptance by a 17-year-old quadriplegic boy at the Kansas University Medical Center Hospital. Further use of the design is planned.
Hepatocellular carcinoma: Where there is unmet need.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex and heterogeneous tumor most commonly associated with underlying chronic liver disease, especially hepatitis. It is a growing problem in the United States and worldwide. There are two potential ways to prevent HCC. Primary prevention which is based on vaccination or secondary prevention involving agents that slow down carcinogenesis. Several pathways have been thought to play a role in the development of HCC; specifically, those involving vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis, WNT, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and c-MET. Currently, there are only a limited number of drugs which have been proven as effective treatment options for HCC and several clinical trials are testing drugs which target aberrations in the pathways mentioned above. In this review, we discuss currently approved therapies, monotherapies and combination therapy for the treatment of HCC.
Barium Ferrite Thick Films Made by Modified Liquid Phase Epitaxy Method

Polycrystalline, c-axis orientated, thick barium ferrite films with relatively large coercivity values were grown by a modified LPE process that was recently developed by us.
Beyond Management and Sustainability: Visitor Experiences of Physical Accessibility in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA

The National Center on Accessibility sponsored this study to identify the perceptions and attitudes of people with physical disabilities toward their experiences related to physical accessibility in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed to individuals with disabilities onsite. Of these questionnaires, 122 completed and usable questionnaires were collected. The physical accessibility problems in the park identified by visitors with physical disabilities were lack of the width of doorways in restrooms, followed by lack of accessible trails, lack of grab bars in restrooms, and lack of curb cuts. The uniqueness of this project is that it represents the first time focusing on the perceptions and expectations of visitors with physical disabilities regarding the accessibility in an individual national park. In order to further understand accessibility in the US National Park Service, future research may consider collecting these patterns and attitudes from people with and without different disabilities (such as physical disabilities, hearing impairment, visual impairment) at various national park units (national parks, national historical sites, national parkways, and national monuments) at the state, regional, and national levels.
Renal Anatomy and Basic Concepts and Methods in Renal Pathology

Each kidney weighs approximately 150 g in adults, with ranges of 125 to 175 g for men and 115 to 155 g for women; both together represent 0.4% of the total body weight. Each kidney is supplied by a single renal artery originating from the abdominal aorta; the main renal artery branches to form anterior and posterior divisions at the hilus and divides further, its branches penetrating the renal substance proper as interlobar arteries, which course between lobes. Interlobar arteries extend to the corticomedullary junction and give rise to arcuate arteries, which arch between cortex and medulla and course roughly perpendicular to interlobar arteries. Interlobular arteries, branches of arcuate arteries, run perpendicular to the arcuate arteries and extend through the cortex toward the capsule (Fig. 1.1). Afferent arterioles branch from the interlobular arteries and give rise to glomerular capillaries (Fig. 1.2). A glomerulus represents a spherical bag of capillary loops arranged in several lobules (Fig. 1.3); the capillaries merge to exit the glomerulus as efferent arterioles, which, in most nephrons, branch to form another vascular bed, peritubular or interstitial capillaries, which surround tubules. Efferent arterioles from juxtamedullary glomeruli extend into the medulla as vasa recta, which supply the outer and inner medulla. The vasa recta and peritubular capillaries collect, forming into interlobular veins; the veins follow the arteries in distribution, size, and course, and leave the kidneys as renal veins, which empty into the inferior vena cava.
Increase in capacity of multiuser OFDM system using dynamic subchannel allocation

This paper investigates the problem of dynamic multiuser subchannel allocation in the downlink of OFDM systems. The assumptions are that the channel model is quasi-static and that the base station has perfect channel information. In traditional TDMA or FDMA systems, resource allocation for each user is non-adaptively fixed, and the water-filling power spectrum is known to be optimal. Since the subchannel allocations among the users are not optimized, a group of users is likely to suffer from poor channel gains resulting from large path loss and random fading. To resolve this problem, we derive a multiuser convex optimization problem to find the optimal allocation of subchannels, and propose a low-complexity adaptive subchannel allocation algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm performs almost as well as the optimal solution. Also, a higher spectral efficiency is achieved for a larger number of users in a cell due to the multiuser diversity.
A Physics-Based Approach to Interactive Segmentation

Interactive segmentation for image manipulation and composition is becoming increasingly important as digital imaging devices become ubiquitous. Users want to select objects in one image to put them in another. This paper proposes a method for selecting image regions that are likely to correspond to multicolored objects rather than just regions of similar color and/or texture. The method is based upon a physical analysis of neighboring regions using the reflectance ratio along the region borders. This measure provides an illumination and geometry invariant cue to scene coherence between regions of different color. Using this measure and a user-selected seed region, the computer can automatically or interactively grow the region to include neighboring regions of different color that are likely to be part of the same object.
A linear parameter-varying model for HEV/EV battery thermal modeling

Battery thermal management for high power applications such as electrical/hybrid vehicles is crucial. Modeling is an indispensable tool to help engineers design better battery cooling systems. A fast and accurate battery thermal model capable of predicting volume-averaged cell temperature or temperature at user specified locations under transient heat dissipation and varying mass flow rate is proposed. In such an approach, several state space models are generated first from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results for different mass flow rates. Then a linear parameter-varying (LPV) model is created out of the state space models to account for non-constant flow rates. The model is then shown to provide excellent results compared with those from CFD under transient heat dissipation and mass flow rate. Such a LPV model runs many orders of magnitude faster than the original CFD model.
VALUING URBAN WETLANDS: A PROPERTY PRICING APPROACH

This study estimates the value of wetland amenities in the Portland, Oregon, met- ropolitan area using the hedonic property price model. Residential housing and wetland data are used to relate the sales price of a property to structural characteristics, neighborhood attri- butes, and amenities of wetlands and other envi- ronmental characteristics. Measures of interest are distance to and size of wetlands, including distance to four different wetland types; open wa- ter, emergent vegetation, scrub-shrub, and for- ested. Other environmental variables include proximity to parks, lakes, streams, and rivers. Re- sults indicate that wetlands influence the value of residential property and that wetlands influence property values differently than other amenities. Increasing the size of the nearest wetland to a res- idence by one acre increased the residence's value by $24. Similarly, reducing the distance to the nearest wetland by 1,000 feet increased the value by $436. Home values were not influenced by wetland type. (JEL Q25)
Random walk as a null model for high-dimensional morphometrics of fossil series: geometrical considerations

Over the past quarter-century there has been considerable innovation in methods for assessing the tempo and mode of evolution in paleobiological data sets. The current literature of these methods centers on three competing hypotheses—stasis, random walk, and directional trend—corresponding to an increasing scaling of variance with time interval (unchanging, for stasis; linear, for random walk; quadratic, for trend). For applications to a single trait there are powerful methods for discriminating among these hypotheses; but for multivariate data sets, especially the very high-dimensional multivariate data arising in image-feature-based and morphometric studies, current statistical approaches appear to be of less help. This paper proves that in the limiting case of high-dimensional morphospaces, the principal component or principal coordinate ordination of every sufficiently lengthy isotropic random walk tends to the same geometrical shape, which is not that of an ellipsoid and for which the principal components or coordinates are not independent even though they are uncorrelated. Specifically, the “scatter” of PC1 against PC2 is just a parabolic curve. The quantitative characteristics of this specific shape are not described appropriately by the corresponding “covariance structure” or Gaussian model, and the discrepancy may be pertinent to much of the existing literature of methods for differentiating among those three models of evolutionary multivariate time series. From a close examination of this common geometry of the ideal random walk model as seen in its principal components, I suggest a test for stasis, along with a mixed model illustrated by a reanalysis of some data of Gunz et al., and a related test for directional trend. These comments are intended to apply to all high-dimensional morphospaces, not just those arising in geometric morphometrics. Applications of principal components in this context distort high-dimensional data in ways that have a tendency to mislead; but these distortions can be intercepted so that studies of tempo and mode can nevertheless proceed.
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in the Pathogenesis of Vascular Calcification

See related article, pages 733–741 Vascular calcification is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In atherosclerotic lesions, calcification is mainly found in the neointima of atheromatous plaques and has been shown to positively correlate with the plaque burden and the risk of myocardial infarction. Calcification of atherosclerotic plaques has been clearly shown to result from osteoblastic differentiation of cells in the neointima forming a mineralized matrix-containing type I collagen similar to bone formation.1–3 The origin of the neointimal osteoblastic cells remains controversial, but evidence that they derive from migratory smooth muscle cells is growing. Atherosclerotic calcification is increased by chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and aging. However, another form of vascular calcification, that of the vascular media, known as Monckeberg’s medial calcific sclerosis, is also prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease, in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and in aging patients, especially those with osteoporosis. Medial calcification in these patients can occur independently of intimal atherosclerotic lesions and features linear calcium phosphate deposits along the elastic lamellae, which may form circumferential mineral deposits throughout the media. Medial calcification causes vascular stiffness and increased pulse wave velocity that causes cardiac dysfunction/ischemia. Mineralization of elastin is clearly different from osteoblastic bone formation, and the pathogenesis of medial calcification is less clear than that of atherosclerosis. Osteochondroblastic differentiation has been detected in cells adjacent to medial calcific deposits …
Fifth Grade Voices Integrating Storytelling into Classroom Instruction: A Phenomenological Study

Using creative educational practices results in classroom environments that best meet the needs of all students. This study focuses on storytelling as a method of providing educational content to elementary-age students. This qualitative analysis asked participants (fifth-grade students) to respond to questions about the addition of storytelling to their traditional lessons on the American Civil War. This phenomenological study obtains data from focus groups and describes the essence of how fifth-grade students feel about the addition of storytelling to an American Civil War Social Studies curriculum. Five pertinent, curricular storytelling themes were identified from the data: self-efficacy, knowledge for the sake of knowing, content concerns, social injustice, and fighting boredom in the classroom. All of the participants despite race, ethnicity, gender, or social economic status, felt as if they in some way benefitted from the storytelling.
DEAPspace: transient ad-hoc networking of pervasive devices

The DEAPspace project is building an interaction framework for connecting pervasive devices over the wireless medium, supporting the development of new proximity-based collective distributed applications. The main components of this framework are the discovery algorithm and the service description model. DEAPspace provides devices with useful information about the other devices in their surroundings. This information can be queried in a consistent way that will tolerate evolutions, and allow legacy devices to continue to function in the fast-developing world of pervasive gadgets. The discovery is done in a power-efficient, and network-friendly way, and will adapt to a wide range of error conditions. This framework has been implemented, and allows the development of distributed applications that use ad-hoc transient networking as part of their function. The primary implementation was in Java. A subset of the code was also written in C, to allow the use of machines which do not have a JVM. In addition to simulation, the code has been tested over TCP/IP and the Ethernet interface of an 802.11 link.
Chronic liver injury induced by drugs: a systematic review

To examine the available literature and summarize what is known about chronic drug-induced liver injury. We reviewed PubMed/MEDLINE through March 2015. We developed a MEDLINE search strategy using PubMed medical subject heading terms chronic liver injury, hepatotoxicity, drug-induced liver injury, cirrhosis and chronic liver disease. We reviewed the reference list of included articles to identify articles missed in the database search. Chronic liver injury from drugs is more common than once thought with prevalence as high as 18% based on large national registries. Patients with cholestatic injury, age ≤65 years, and a long latency period (>365 days) are at increased risk. Of the most common drugs associated with drug-induced liver injury, antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin) are most likely to cause chronic injury. The presence of autoantibodies is common with chronic DILI, however, it is not diagnostic nor is it specific to autoimmune-like drug-induced liver injury. Immunosuppressive therapy may be necessary for individual cases of autoimmune-like drug-induced liver injury where cessation of the drug alone does not result in resolution of injury, however, the lowest dose should be used for the shortest duration with careful attention to the development of side effects. The effectiveness of treament of cholestatic liver injury with corticosteroids or ursodiol remains unclear. Cases of drug-induced fatty liver, nodular regenerative hyperplasia and peliosis hepatitis are less common subtypes of chronic drug-induced liver injury that deserve special consideration. A high degree of clinical suspicion is required for the diagnosis of chronic drug-induced liver injury and should be suspected in any patient with liver associated enzyme abnormalities that persist out past 6 months of initial presentation. Treatment with drug removal and/or immunosuppressive therapy appears to be effective for the majority of cases. More study into pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine may aid in predicting which patients will go on to develop chronic drug-induced liver injury.
Corporate culture: dynamics and ethics

Usually discussions of corporate culture revolve around the nonmaterial aspects of culture. This paper addresses the issue of corporate culture in the context of the anthropological conception of culture as "that complex whole" which entails both the material as well as the nonmaterial. As with culture writ large, for the overall of the economy, the dynamics of corporate culture relate to the control and innovation of useful knowledge and technology.
Stellar Population Models and Individual Element Abundances. I. Sensitivity of Stellar Evolution Models

Integrated light from distant galaxies is often compared to stellar population models via the equivalent widths of spectral features—spectral indices—whose strengths rely on the abundances of one or more elements. Such comparisons hinge not only on the overall metal abundance, but also on relative abundances. Studies have examined the influence of individual elements on synthetic spectra but little has been done to address similar issues in the stellar evolution models that underlie most stellar population models. Stellar evolution models will primarily be influenced by changes in opacities. In order to explore this issue in detail, 12 sets of stellar evolution tracks and isochrones have been created at constant heavy element mass fraction Z that self-consistently account for varying heavy element mixtures. These sets include scaled-solar, α-enhanced, and individual cases where the elements C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Ti, and Fe have been enhanced above their scaled-solar values. The variations that arise between scaled-solar and the other cases are examined with respect to the H-R diagram and main-sequence lifetimes.
Structural similitude for laminated structures

Abstract Due to special characteristics of advanced reinforced composite materials, they require extensive experimental evaluation. Thus, it is extremely useful to use available experimental data of specific structural systems to predict the behavior of all similar systems. This study describes the establishment of similarity conditions between two structural systems. Similarity conditions provide the relationship between a scale model and its prototype, and can be used to predict the behavior of the prototype by extrapolating the experimental data of the corresponding small scale model. Since satisfying all the similarity conditions simultaneously is in most cases impractical, distorted models with partial similarity (with at least one similarity condition relaxed) are employed. Establishing similarity conditions, based on direct use of governing equations, is discussed and the possibility of designing distorted models is investigated. The method is demonstrated through analysis of the cylindrical bending of othotropic laminated beamplates subjected to transverse loads and buckling of symmetric laminated cross-ply rectangular plates subjected to uniaxial compression.
Oncogenic Function of a Novel WD-Domain Protein, STRAP, in Human Carcinogenesis

The development and progression of malignancies is a complex multistage process that involves the contribution of a number of genes giving growth advantage to cells when transformed. The role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in carcinogenesis is complex with tumor-suppressor or prooncogenic activities depending on the cell type and the stage of the disease. We have previously reported the identification of a novel WD-domain protein, STRAP, that associates with both TGF-beta receptors and that synergizes with the inhibitory Smad, Smad7, in the negative regulation of TGF-beta-induced transcription. Here, we show that STRAP is ubiquitously expressed and is localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus. STRAP is up-regulated in 60% colon and in 78% lung carcinomas. Stable expression of STRAP results in activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway and in down-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Cip1), which results in retinoblastoma protein hyperphosphorylation. In addition, we have observed that Smad2/3 phosphorylation, TGF-beta-mediated transcription, and growth inhibition are induced in STRAP-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts compared with wild-type cells. Ectopic expression of STRAP in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell line inhibits TGF-beta-induced growth inhibition and enhances anchorage-independent growth of these cells. Moreover, overexpression of STRAP increases tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice. Knockdown of endogenous STRAP by small interfering RNA increases TGF-beta signaling, reduces ERK activity, increases p21(Cip1) expression, and decreases tumorigenicity. Taken together, these results suggest that up-regulation of STRAP in human cancers may provide growth advantage to tumor cells via TGF-beta-dependent and TGF-beta-independent mechanisms, thus demonstrating the oncogenic function of STRAP.
Changing Environments by Changing Individuals The Emergent Effects of Psychological Intervention

The two studies reported here tested whether a classroom-based psychological intervention that benefited a few African American 7th graders could trigger emergent ecological effects that benefited their entire classrooms. Multilevel analyses were conducted on data that previously documented the benefits of values affirmations on African American students' grades. The density of African American students who received the intervention in each classroom (i.e., treatment density) was used as an independent predictor of grades. Within a classroom, the greater the density of African American students who participated in the intervention exercise, the higher the grades of all classmates on average, regardless of their race or whether they participated in the intervention exercise. Benefits of treatment density were most pronounced among students with a history of poor performance. Results suggest that the benefits of psychological intervention do not end with the individual. Changed individuals can improve their social environments, and such improvements can benefit others regardless of whether they participated in the intervention. These findings have implications for understanding the emergence of ecological consequences from psychological processes.
Energy Management in Commercial Buildings

The construction industry is a great consumer of energy and other resources. Commercial buildings consume nearly 15% of all the energy used in the United States annually. Commercial and residential buildings, taken together, annually consume just over one-third of the nation's energy pie. The age of cheap fossil-fueled energy is past. Skyrocketing energy costs and the growing scarcity of other resources has made energy conservation a fact of life for the entire construction industry. Everyone involved in the industry — architects, engineers, contractors, building suppliers and equipment manufacturers — must now carry on their business with a careful eye on energy consumption. The construction industry can help reduce our reliance on foreign energy products by designing and operating buildings in a more energy-efficient manner.
A pluralist approach to teaching labour economics

This paper provides an illustration of teaching labour economics from a pluralist approach that includes sustainability. New principles such as holism (the embeddedness of the economy in social institutions), bargaining power, social externalities, and path dependence can be illustrated through a mixture of classic and newer writings, as well as films, videos and web-based assignments. Students are introduced to raw data and empirical analysis before discussing deductive partial equilibrium models. The readings and exercises are focused on issues and examples in the USA, with comparisons to other countries.
d-$sup 4$He ELASTIC SCATTERING AT 12.000 MeV.

Accurate cross-section measurements are presented for $d\ensuremath{-}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ elastic scattering at 12.000 MeV.
Autoimmune Anti-Hu Antibody Limbic Encephalopathy

Investigators at the French Reference Center on Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndrome (PNS), Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, and other centers in France performed a retrospective study of children and adolescents with anti-Hu antibodies (Hu-Abs) collected by the Reference Center between Jan 1, 2000 and Dec 31, 2011.
Graduate Training in Entomology: Small Colleges and Universities

At present there is a wide range of schools offering graduate education in entomology. This paper concerns the quality, goals, and direction in entomology in the small college or university. Questionnaires were sent to students and faculty members of small institutions which offered some training in entomology, though nothing beyond the M.S. degree in biology. All the schools investigated had developed their M.S. program within the past 15 years, and usually had fewer than SO full-time graduate students. In these departments there may have been several or as many as 8 or 10 students with strong interest in entomology. Faculty-student opinions were gathered on the subject of specialization, advanced research, student goals, and availability of financial assistance for students.
Cold-crucible directional solidification of refractory metal-silicide eutectics

Microcomposite structures generated by directional solidification of eutectics offer many unique microstructural advantages, including thermodynamic stability, directional alignment, and a fine dispersion of component phases. In an effort to improve the performance of advanced turbine engines, a Czochralski crystal growth method in conjunction with cold-crucible induction melting has been developed for the production of high-temperature eutectic composites. Cold-crucible directional solidification has been successfully applied to the growth of refractory metal-silicide eutectics into directional microcomposites. The eutectics studied include Cr-Cr3Si,Nb-Nb3Si,and V-V3Si, which have melting temperatures ofl,705°C, 1,880°C, and 1,870°C, respectively.
Rwanda Rough Macro-Sociology of Knowledge Notes on a Symbolic Emergence of a Post– Cold War African Nation

Historical oriented macro-sociology of knowledge analyses of the origins and development of nations and other societies and global formations are usually confined to the examination of the United S...
Bussuquara, A New Arthropod-Borne Virus.∗

Summary and ConclusionA virus strain, An 4073, was isolated from blood of a sentinel howler monkey near Belem (Para), Brazil. This virus yielded a hemagglutinating antigen without difficulty. By means of CF and HI tests with sera from mice immunized with repeated injections, this strain was shown as a member of group B of arthropod-borne viruses. Further studies, in which, in addition, single-injection immune sera and neutralization test were employed, gave evidence that the new agent could be easily distinguished serologically from 14 different group B viruses. Other group B viruses, such as Murray Valley encephalitis and louping ill, with which Bussuquara was not compared are so close to some of those studied that their inclusion in this investigation was considered unnecessary. The limited cross reactions obtained in CF tests between Bussuquara virus and other group B agents indicate a distant relationship. While the negative results may be attributed, in part, to low titers of Bussuquara sera and anti...
TETrans: A USER-FRIENDLY, FUNCTIONAL MODEL OF SOLUTE TRANSPORT

A beta-test version of TETrans (acronym for Trace Element Transport) is presented which models the movement of inorganic solutes through the vadose zone under transient-state conditions. TETrans is a complete software package consisting of an interactive tutorial, user's guide and applications software. Both IBM-compatible and Macintosh versions are available to users. TETrans is specifically designed to be intuitive in its operation and require only readily available input parameters in order to enhance its utility as a real-world applications tool for transport modeling. The transport model utilizes a mass-balance approach to determine solute concentration distributions over time and solute-loading to the groundwater. Several modeling options are available for simulating such transport-influencing factors as plant-water uptake, hydraulic bypass and adsorption. In the Macintosh version, TETrans makes full use of the Macintosh interface to enhance the user-friendliness of the model. All functions are available from pull-down menus, and simulation results are displayed in text and graphic windows. Test data are shown which include a comparison of simulated and measured results for the movement of chloride through a soil lysimeter column over a 900-day study period. Excellent agreement is found when a single parameter for bypass is used. TETrans is distinguished from other transport models in the straightforward manner in which it handles the exacerbating problem of hydraulic bypass. The hydraulic bypass parameter, termed the mobility coefficient, is determined from simple chemical analysis of chloride in the soil solution through the soil profile following the application of a plug of chloride in the irrigation water. The mobility coefficient reflects the volume of soil water which is not subject to piston displacement
Regionalization research on suitable area for featured fruit tree species in Aksu Region of Xinjiang

In order to adjust measures to local conditions and fully rationally use of natural resources, based on the influences of main climate factors on fruit trees, the temperature data of nine counties of Aksu Region in Xinjiang were analyzed, the suitable tree species ranges in every counties were artificial divided, and the suitable tree species of each county of Aksu Region were finally determined on this basis by using the Bayes discriminant analysis of SPSS 18.0. The results showed that the most important factor on planting featured fruit tree species in each county of Aksu Region was the extreme minimum temperatures in early spring, followed by the extreme minimum temperature in winter and the average minimum temperature in early spring, so the extreme low temperature play a vital role in growing of fruit trees. Wushi, Wensu, Xinhe and Kuche were suitable for planting apple; Shaya, Awati and Alar were suitable for planting fragrant pear; all counties are suitable for planting jujube, except Wushi and Baicheng, which were the second suitable regions; Kuche was optimum suitable for planting almond; all counties were suitable for planting walnut and apricot except Baicheng; all county of Aksu Region were not suitable for planting pistachio; Shaya and Awati were suitable for planting grape.
The Importance of Marker Chromosomes in Superficial Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder: 50 Patients Followed up to 17 Years

AbstractSeveral tenets based on cytogenetic analysis have been developed for noninvasive and submucosal invasive carcinoma of the bladder. In noninvasive carcinoma absence of marker chromosomes (abnormal morphological forms) forecasts a 90 per cent post-resection cure. In submucosal invasive carcinoma marker chromosomes are valuable prognostic aids. Original marker chromosomes are neither replaced nor supplemented by a different marker in recurrences.To test these tenets the cytogenetics of 50 selected carcinomas of the bladder (37 noninvasive and 13 submucosal invasive) from patients followed for up to 17 years from 1968 through 1985 were tabulated. In noninvasive carcinoma absence of markers, prognostic of long-term remission, does not rule out ultimate recurrence. In submucosal invasive carcinoma the markers, commonly present, only confirm the prognosis inherent in histopathology. In recurrences the original marker chromosomes are commonly repeated but they may be added to or replaced.
Intergovernmental Organisations and Economic Freedom: Wise Technocrats or Black Helicopters?

This article explores the relationship between country membership in major intergovernmental organisations and economic freedom. While it makes no claims to have found any broad theoretically bound, robust causal mechanism, baseline fixed effects models establish relationships amongst economic freedom and membership in the EU, NATO, WTO, UN, OECD, World Bank, and IMF. Though the results are not simple, the strongest findings are negative relationships with the UN, IMF, and WTO, and positive relationships with the World Bank and possibly the EU.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Cancer Care: A Systematic Review

Cancer is acknowledged as a source of stress for many individuals, often leading to suffering, which can be long-lasting. Mindfulness-based stress reduction offers an effective way of reducing stress among cancer patients by combining mindfulness meditation and yoga in an 8-week training program. The purpose of this study was to inspect studies from October 2009 to November 2015 and examine whether mindfulness-based stress reduction can be utilized as a viable method for managing stress among cancer patients. A systematic search from Medline, CINAHL, and Alt HealthWatch databases was conducted for quantitative articles involving mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions targeting cancer patients. A total of 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these 13 studies, 9 demonstrated positive changes in either psychological or physiological outcomes related to anxiety and/or stress, with 4 describing mixed results. Despite the limitations, mindfulness-based stress reduction appears to be promising for stress management among cancer patients.
Understanding the Streptococcus mutans Cid/Lrg System through CidB Function

ABSTRACT The Streptococcus mutanslrgAB and cidAB operons have been previously described as a potential model system to dissect the complexity of biofilm development and virulence of S. mutans. Herein, we have attempted to further characterize the Cid/Lrg system by focusing on CidB, which has been shown to be critical for the ability of S. mutans to survive and persist in a nonpreferred oxygen-enriched condition. We have found that the expression level of cidB is critical to oxidative stress tolerance of S. mutans, most likely by impacting lrg expression. Intriguingly, the impaired aerobic growth phenotype of the cidB mutant could be restored by the additional loss of either CidA or LrgA. Growth-dependent expression of cid and lrg was demonstrated to be tightly under the control of both CcpA and the VicKR two-component system (TCS), regulators known to play an essential role in controlling major catabolic pathways and cell envelope homeostasis, respectively. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis revealed that mutation of cidB resulted in global gene expression changes, comprising major domains of central metabolism and virulence processes, particularly in those involved with oxidative stress resistance. Loss of CidB also significantly changed the expression of genes related to genomic islands (GI) TnSmu1 and TnSmu2, the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas system, and toxin-antitoxin (T/A) modules. Taken together, these data show that CidB impinges on the stress response, as well as the fundamental cellular physiology of S. mutans, and further suggest a potential link between Cid/Lrg-mediated cellular processes, S. mutans pathogenicity, and possible programmed growth arrest and cell death mechanisms. IMPORTANCE The ability of Streptococcus mutans to survive a variety of harmful or stressful conditions and to emerge as a numerically significant member of stable oral biofilm communities are essential elements for its persistence and cariogenicity. In this study, the homologous cidAB and lrgAB operons, previously identified as being highly balanced and coordinated during S. mutans aerobic growth, were further characterized through the functional and transcriptomic analysis of CidB. Precise control of CidB levels is shown to impact the expression of lrg, oxidative stress tolerance, major metabolic domains, and the molecular modules linked to cell death and lysis. This study advances our understanding of the Cid/Lrg system as a key player in the integration of complex environmental signals (such as oxidative stress) into the regulatory networks that modulate S. mutans virulence and cell homeostasis.
Model-Based Human Recognition—2D and 3D Gait

In this chapter, we propose a kinematic-based approach to recognize individuals by gait using a single camera or multiple cameras for 2D gait recognition where the model is in 3D and the data are in 2D. In addition, we present a 3D gait recognition approach where both the model and the gait data are in 3D. Detailed technical approaches and experimental results are presented for both 2D and 3D gait recognition.
Sexual Initiation Patterns of U.S. Sexual Minority Youth: A Latent Class Analysis

CONTEXT The typical understanding of sexual debut as first vaginal intercourse is often irrelevant to sexual minority youth. Better understanding of sexual initiation patterns among these youth is necessary to inform efforts to safeguard their sexual and reproductive health. METHODS Early sexual experiences were examined among 1,628 female and 526 male sexual minority participants in Waves 1 (1994–1995) and 4 (2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Latent class analyses identified initiation patterns distinguished by the timing, sequence and spacing of first experiences of sexual behaviors. Multinomial logistic regression analyses assessed correlates of various patterns. RESULTS Initiation classes for females were categorized as typical debut (representing 41% of the sample, characterized by vaginal intercourse and short spacing between first two behaviors); dual behavior debut (35%, characterized by vaginal and oral sex in the same year); early sexual debut (17%, characterized by average debut at 13, vaginal intercourse, and anal sex before 18); and delayed debut with oral sex (6%). Male classes were single behavior (50%, characterized by oral sex and longer spacing); multiple behavior (32%, characterized by vaginal and oral sex); early anal sex (11%, characterized by anal intercourse before 18); and very early debut (6%, characterized by oral sex and average debut at 10). Class membership was associated with socioeconomic status for females; age and sexual victimization for males; and race, ethnicity and religiosity for both. CONCLUSIONS Initiation patterns of sexual minority youth differ between genders and involve noncoital behaviors and characteristics beyond timing.
Nesting ecology of grassland birds following a wildfire in the southern Great Plains

We studied the response of nesting grassland birds occupying short-grass and mixed-grass prairie sites 2 and 3 y following two, large-scale wildfires that burned ≥360,000 ha in the Texas Panhandle in March 2006. Nest success was greater on burned plots compared to unburned plots, though this varied by species and year. Woody vegetation cover was greater around nests on unburned plots compared to burned plots for Cassin's sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) and lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus). Cassin's sparrows and lark sparrows nested in more-woody vegetation than did grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), and woody vegetation was reduced following the wildfires. The wildfires appear to have had few if any negative influences on the avian community 3 years postfire. This may be due to grassland breeding birds being adapted to landscapes in which, historically, periodic disturbance (e.g., wildfire, intensive grazing by bison [Bison bison]) resulted in vegetation heterogeneity.
A novel tamponade agent for management of post partum hemorrhage: adaptation of the Xstat mini-sponge applicator for obstetric use

Abstract Background Although uterine tamponade is an effective treatment for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), current methods have key limitations in their use, particularly in low resource settings. The XStat™ Mini Sponge Dressing (MSD) is approved for the management of non-compressible wounds in the battlefield/trauma setting. The MSD applies highly compressed medical sponges capable of stopping high-flow arterial bleeding within seconds. The objective of our study was to adopt the MSD for use in managing PPH. Methods We performed desktop testing using a uterine model with pressure sensors to compare key design elements of the obstetrical prototype MSD (fundal pressure achieved, reduction in fluid loss, time to deploy, and time to remove) with alternativetechniques (uterine packing, balloon tamponade). To evaluate safety, we delivered the fetus of pregnant ewes by cesarean section and used the prototype to deliver the MSD into one uterine horn, and closed the hysterotomy. We followed the clinical recovery of animals ( n = 3) over 24 h, and then removed the reproductive tract for histologic evaluation. To evaluate late effects, we surgically removed the MSDs after 24 h, and followed the clinical recovery of animals ( n = 6) for an additional seven days before tissue removal. Results The obstetrical prototype has a long tapered delivery system designed to be deployed during vaginal examination, and administers three times the volume of the approved MSD trauma bandage. The MSD are deployed within a mesh bag to facilitate removal by vaginaltraction. On desktop testing, the MSD resulted in the highest average fundal pressure (113 mmHg), followed by the MSD bag device (85.8 mmHg), gauze packing (15.5 mmHg), and the uterine balloon (8.2 mmHg). The MSD bag test group achieved the largest fluid flow reduction of −74%, followed by gauze packing (−55%), MSD (−35%), and uterine balloon (−19%). Animal testing demonstrated good uterine fill with no evidence of adverse clinical recovery, uterine trauma or infection at 24 h, or up to 7 days following device removal. Conclusion We adapted a highly effective trauma dressing and applicator for use in the treatment of severe PPH. Preliminary desktop and animal testing provide a basis for initial clinical trials in women.
Spring-lattice model for fast, flexible and easy strain prediction in semiconductor devices

A simple 2D spring-lattice model is described, which is able to predict the amount of strain and its distribution in modern semiconductor devices. The model allows arbitrary structures to be constructed in a matter of minutes, and returns the strain distribution at the nano-meter scale. The framework allows straight-forward extension towards 3D modeling.
Can snowshoe hares control treeline expansions

Treelines in Alaska are advancing in elevation and latitude because of climate warming, which is expanding the habitat available for boreal wildlife species, including snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus). Snowshoe hares are already present in tall shrub communities beyond treeline and are the main browser of white spruce (Picea glauca), the dominant tree species at treeline in Alaska. We investigated the processes involved in a ‘snowshoe hare filter’ to white spruce establishment near treeline in Denali National Park. We modeled the pattern of spruce establishment from 1970 to 2009 and found that fewer spruce established during periods of high hare abundance. Multiple factors interact to influence browsing of spruce, including the hare cycle, snow depth and the characteristics of surrounding vegetation. Hares are abundant at treeline and may exclude spruce from otherwise optimal establishment sites, particularly floodplain locations with closed shrub canopies. The expansion of white spruce treeline in response to warming climate will be strongly modified by the spatial and temporal dynamics of the snowshoe hare filter. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Global Markets, Competition, and FRAND Royalties: The Many Implications of Unwired Planet v. Huawei

The recent UK decision in Unwired Planet v. Huawei addresses, for the first time, several key issues arising from the international nature of SEP licensing transactions and the manner in which national court decisions can impact global business and litigation strategies. The court's analysis is deeply rooted in competition law principles, often at the expense of the contractual underpinnings of the FRAND commitment. Most importantly, the court's willingness to establish global license terms covering patents outside the UK has serious implications for international commercial litigation and licensing transactions.
Somatic copy number profiling of hepatocellular carcinoma circulating tumor cells.

290Background: Copy number variations (CNVs) have shown prognostic and predictive utility in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but their use from percutaneous biopsies is limited due to HCC’s signific...