cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A GaN based doubly grounded, reduced capacitance transformer-less split phase photovoltaic inverter with active power decoupling

Transformer-less PV inverters are gaining widespread applications with lower cost, reduced footprint, and improved efficiency. This paper proposes a topology that can eliminate the common mode leakage current which is a major challenge in transformer-less PV inverters. In addition, an active power decoupling strategy is implemented in this topology instead of using large energy storage element for double line frequency power decoupling which is a common problem in single phase inverters / rectifiers, thus achieving a smaller volume and replacing electrolytic capacitors with film capacitors to increase reliability. A constant input voltage with negligible double line frequency ripple component less than 2% ensuring high MPPT efficiency is achieved in this topology through control strategy. Compared with previous topology, the 120 Hz inductor current ripple in the boost stage is reduced significantly resulting in the decrease of the RMS current value by 14% and the peak current value by 41%. Also the RMS current in the input capacitor is decreased by 91%. The dc link capacitor volume is also decreased with the increase of the voltage level. Finally, a 1 kW, 100 kHz single-phase prototype with 200 V DC nominal input and 120 V/60 Hz AC output in split phase configuration using GaN FETs has been built to validate the theoretical analysis. The control strategy and modulation scheme are implemented in DSP TMS320F28335.
Homebound: The Art of Public Space in Contemporary Cuba

Despite the home's long history as a locus of cultural and political action in Cuba, serious studies of its informal residential culture are only now beginning to emerge. This article explores how the exhibition of art in private homes intervenes in debates about public space in Havana. It situates these exhibition practices historically with respect to the spatial politics of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, while mapping the reorganization of official and unofficial cultures after the demise of the Soviet bloc. Bringing into relief how these home exhibits problematize state and market alliances in the postsocialist context, I argue that these practices are doubly embedded in local as much as global polemics regarding the place—literally and metaphorically—of art today.
Consideration of Disability from the Perspective of the Medical Model

The primary disability model used in medical treatment and heath care today is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF). It is considered a biopsychosocial model and strength of the current ICF is the acknowledgement of variation and recognition of the powerful role the environment and personal factors play in life with a disability . From the perspective of a physical therapist, implementation of the ICF in many health care settings has not been realized as it remains situated in the medical world. Additional factors that influence the lives of persons with disabilities are also important. These factors are organized into three categories: nature of the disability (for example, disability visibility), individual difference characteristics of the person (for example, family or community support), and the social environment (for example, the social determinants of health). Personal narratives illustrate many of the topics presented in this chapter.
Politics and entrepreneurship in the US

There is a strong belief that Republicans are more pro-business than Democrats. In this paper, we investigate the causal impact of partisan allegiance of governors (Republican or Democratic) on entrepreneurial activity by exploiting random variation in close gubernatorial elections in 50 states over the last three decades in a regression discontinuity design. We find that Republican governors are no different than Democratic governors in their effects on entrepreneurship. Our findings are robust to several sensitivity checks.
The Effect of Grazing Regime on Grassland Bird Abundance in New York State

Abstract Grassland breeding bird abundances in New York State mirror a national downward trajectory as land-use changes degrade, destroy, and fragment suitable habitat. We quantified and compared bird abundances on pastures that were subject to continuous grazing, minimal rotation, or holistic resource management. We hypothesized that grassland bird abundance varied systematically with pasture management approaches. We measured grassland bird abundances using 40-m radius point counts performed on 27 pastures. Further, we assessed vegetation and environmental parameters to characterize the available habitat on each pasture. Holistic resource managed pastures had 1.5 and 4.5 times higher average abundances of obligate grassland birds than minimally rotated or continuously grazed pastures, respectively. Overall, our results indicate that farms can employ strategies that promote grassland bird habitat and may therefore have a positive influence on grassland bird metapopulations in New York State.
Innovative Approaches for Immune Tolerance to Factor VIII in the Treatment of Hemophilia A.

Hemophilia A (coagulation factor VIII deficiency) is a debilitating genetic disorder that is primarily treated with intravenous replacement therapy. Despite variety of FVIII protein formulations available, the risk of developing anti-dug antibodies (“inhibitors”) remains. Overall, 20-30% of patients with severe disease develop inhibitors. Current clinical Immune Tolerance Induction (ITI) protocols to eliminate inhibitors are not effective in all patients, and there are no prophylactic protocols to prevent the immune response. New experimental therapies, such as gene and cell therapies, show promising results in pre-clinical studies in animal models of hemophilia. Examples include hepatic gene transfer with viral vectors, genetically engineered regulatory T cells (Treg), in vivo Treg induction using immune modulatory drugs, and maternal antigen transfer. Furthermore, an oral tolerance protocol is being developed based on transgenic lettuce plants, which suppressed inhibitor formation in hemophilic mice and dogs. Hopefully, some of these innovative approaches will reduce the risk of and/or more effectively eliminate inhibitor formation in future treatment of hemophilia A.
Sympathy in a Biological Context

In this chapter we will consider how sympathy functions in the systems of Charles Darwin, the evolutionist, and William McDougall, the psychologist. Darwin did not make clear exactly what he meant by the concept of sympathy, but he was clear that it played an important role in his evolutionary theory—especially in the development of the social and moral capacities. In this sense, and perhaps in other ways, he seems to have been influenced by Adam Smith. McDougall, on the other hand, was quite clear about the meaning and operation of sympathy in his theory of instincts. His is a more circumscribed (but a much clearer) conceptualization of sympathy. It was a special adaptation developed for his theory of instincts, which served to socialize them and broaden their base of operation. Instincts could now be stimulated by exposure to others’ instinctive reactions. The idea must owe something to Hume. Hume said that the perception of the expression of others’ emotions can be enlivened into the emotion itself. McDougall was saying that the perception of the emotional expressions of conspecifics can ignite the corresponding emotion and the instinct of which it is a part. It is a brilliant exercise in conceptualization, and the basic observation by both Hume and McDougall probably contains an element of hard truth. We turn first to the works of Charles Darwin.
Death with dignity: fifty years of soul-searching.

The thesis of this paper is that there has been a gradual liberalization of thinking in the U.S. since the 1950's about what is morally allowable in how individuals control their own dying. The degree of liberalization will be plotted based on changes in public and professional opinion, landmark court cases, publication of books about dying, key players in the public eye, and the emergence of more organizations promoting death with dignity. More recent developments show a growing interest in finding better ways to respond to the needs of the dying. A final section speculates on the future of death with dignity.
On the Modeling of Contact Problems With Dilation

ABSTRACT Constitutive models for joints are reviewed with particular emphasis on those which model dilation. Some recent work on constitutive equations which utilize an elastic-plastic framework and an asperity model with degradation is summarized and some typical results are given.
The Association between Antihypertensive Medication Use and Blood Pressure Is Influenced by Obesity.

Introduction. One in three US adults is living with obesity or hypertension, and more than 75% of hypertensive individuals are using antihypertensive medications. Therefore, it is important to examine blood pressure (BP) differences in populations that are using these medications with differing obesity status. Aim. We examined whether BP attained when using various antihypertensive medications varies amongst different body mass index (BMI) categories and whether antihypertensive medication use is associated with differences in other metabolic risk factors, independent of BMI. Methods. Adults with hypertension from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2014 were used ( ). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the main effects and interaction between antihypertensive use and BMI. Results. In general, users of antihypertensive medications had lower BP than those not taking BP medications (NoBPMed) ( ), whereby in women, the differences in systolic BP between angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) users and NoBPMed were greater in those with obesity (ACE inhibitors: −14 ± 1 mmHg; ARB: −16 ± 1 mmHg) compared to normal weight individuals (ACE inhibitors: −9 ± 1 mmHg; ARB: −11 ± 1 mmHg) ( ). Diastolic BP differences between women ARB users and NoBPMed were also greatest in obesity (−5 ± 1 mmHg) ( ) whilst there were no differences in normal weight individuals (−1 ± 1 mmHg) ( ). Furthermore, glucose levels and waist circumference in women were higher in those using ACE inhibitors compared to diuretics ( ). Conclusion. ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be associated with more beneficial BP profiles in women with obesity, with no obesity-related BP differences for antihypertensive medication in men. However, there could be potential cardiometabolic effects for some antihypertensive medications that should be explored further.
Host responses and impact on the boxwood blight pathogen, Calonectria pseudonaviculata

Boxwood leaves are more susceptible to Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Cps) and better suited for Cps reproduction than those of pachysandra and sweet box. Passages through a non-boxwood host may alter Cps ability to sporulate. Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Cps) infects boxwood and its two common companion plants—pachysandra and sweet box. This study investigated how boxwood, pachysandra, and sweet box respond to Cps isolates of different host origin. Detached leaves were inoculated with nine isolates, three from each host, and evaluated for colonization, infection rate, lesion size, and production of conidia and microsclerotia. Cps colonized boxwood leaf tissue within 12 h of inoculation, and 60 h ahead of pachysandra and sweet box. Cps also produced significantly larger lesions and more conidia on boxwood than on pachysandra and sweet box. Isolates originating from different host plants did not differ in all the components evaluated except for conidia production. Isolates from boxwood and sweet box produced significantly more conidia than those from pachysandra. Overall, boxwood leaves are more susceptible to the disease and are better suited for Cps reproduction than those of pachysandra and sweet box. Passages through a non-boxwood host may alter Cps ability to sporulate. These results advance the understanding of Cps biology and affirm the importance of taking pachysandra and sweet box into consideration in disease management planning.
Sex differences in the intensity of cross-sensitization between methylphenidate and amphetamine in adolescent rats

Abstract Chronic use of psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (MPD) and amphetamine (Amph) leads to abuse and dependence. Cross-sensitization occurs when exposure to a drug causes a significant intensified response to a different drug as compared to the effect of the drug in subjects with no previous exposure. Cross-sensitization is used as an experimental correlate for a drug's potential to elicit dependence. The present study uses male and female adolescent rats to examine whether cross-sensitization occurs with MPD, a drug not traditionally considered to elicit dependence, and Amph, a drug considered to elicit dependence. The results showed that there is cross-sensitization with MPD to Amph in adolescent rats and that there is a significant difference in male and female responses. Cross-sensitization between MPD and Amph was observed in a linear dose dependent manner in males and in an inverted U-shape pattern in females. Males treated with the highest dose of 10.0 mg/kg MPD and females treated with the mid-dose of 2.5 mg/kg MPD showed the most robust cross-sensitization. Overall, adolescent female rodents had a greater intensity of response to MPD, Amph, and cross-sensitization between MPD and Amph. This study shows that there are significant sex differences in psychostimulant cross-sensitization in adolescence, indicating the maturity of the gonadal system is not the predominant reason for differences between male and female responses to psychostimulant drugs.
Understanding the dining experience of individuals with dysphagia living in care facilities: A grounded theory analysis

Abstract Background and objectives Person-directed care in nursing homes, also known as the ‘culture-change movement’, aims to enhance dining-related quality of life. However, for residents with dysphagia, it is unclear how to best support this enhancement while balancing eating-related safety/risks. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the experience of and to define successful, person-centered dining for residents with dysphagia. Research design and methods Grounded theory methodology guided twenty-one 60–90 minute semi-structured interviews with participants across 7 stakeholder groups including residents, family members, and nursing, dietary, and therapy staff. We used a systematic and iterative approach for all data collection, analysis, and generation of theory. Results, discussion, and implications A theory emerged from the data that highlighted how individualization and socialization are the central tenants for improving residents’ dining experiences and success, or ‘focusing on the person: individualization and socialization during mealtimes’. We identified multiple facilitators and barriers to successful dining for residents with dysphagia such as the importance of positive social connections and invested, knowledgeable, and aware care team members. The focus of care was a salient theme suggesting that individualization of care that promotes residents’ quality of life is a key facilitator of successful dining experiences. A social-ecological model for successful dining with dysphagia is ultimately proposed: optimizing health and well-being for these residents through successful dining experiences requires collaborative and coordinated care to address a variety of interrelated individual-, interpersonal-, and organizational-level facilitators and barriers.
Review of shaping the campus conversation on student learning and experience: Activating the results of Assessment in Action

Review of Brown, K., Gilchrist, D., Goek, S., Hinchliffe, L. J., Malenfant, K., Ollis, C., & Payne, A. (Eds.) (2018). _Shaping the campus conversation on student learning and experience: Activating the results of Assessment in Action._ Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.
Total protein is an effective loading control for cerebrospinal fluid western blots

Abstract Background Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been used to identify biomarkers of neurological disease. CSF protein biomarkers identified by high-throughput methods, however, require further validation. While Western blotting (WB) is well-suited to this task, the lack of a validated loading control for CSF WB limits the method's accuracy. New method We investigated the use of total protein (TP) as a CSF WB loading control. Using iodine-based reversible membrane staining, we determined the linear range and consistency of the CSF TP signal. We then spiked green fluorescent protein (GFP) into CSF to create defined sample-to-sample differences in GFP levels that were measured by WB before and after TP loading correction. Levels of CSF complement C3 and cystatin C measured by WB with TP loading correction and ELISA in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy control CSF samples were then compared. Results CSF WB with the TP loading control accurately detected defined differences in GFP levels and corrected for simulated loading errors. Individual CSF sample Western blot and ELISA measurements of complement C3 and cystatin C were significantly correlated and the methods showed a comparable ability to detect between-groups differences. Comparison with existing method CSF TP staining has a greater linear dynamic range and sample-to-sample consistency than albumin, a commonly used CSF loading control. The method accurately corrects for simulated errors in loading and improves the sensitivity of CSF WB compared to using no loading control. Conclusions The TP staining loading control improves the sensitivity and accuracy of CSF WB results.
Young Children's Mathematical Learning From Intelligent Characters.

Children's math learning (N = 217; Mage = 4.87 years; 63% European American, 96% college-educated families) from an intelligent character game was examined via social meaningfulness (parasocial relationships [PSRs]) and social contingency (parasocial interactions, e.g., math talk). In three studies (data collected in the DC area: 12/2015-10/2017), children's parasocial relationships and math talk with the intelligent character predicted quicker, more accurate math responses during virtual game play. Children performed better on a math transfer task with physical objects when exposed to an embodied character (Study 2), and when the character used socially contingent replies, which was mediated by math talk (Study 3). Results suggest that children's parasocial relationships and parasocial interactions with intelligent characters provide new frontiers for 21st century learning.
Activation of Myd88-Dependent TLRs Mediates Local and Systemic Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important mediators of chronic inflammation in numerous autoimmune diseases, although the role of these receptors in primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS) remains incompletely understood. Previous studies in our laboratory established Myd88 as a crucial mediator of pSS, although the disease-relevant ligands and the upstream signaling events that culminate in Myd88 activation have yet to be established. The objective of this study was to identify specific Myd88-dependent TLR-related pathways that are dysregulated both locally and systemically in a mouse model of pSS (NOD.B10Sn-H2b/J (NOD.B10)). We performed RNA-sequencing on spleens derived from NOD.B10 mice. We then harvested salivary tissue and spleens from Myd88-sufficient and deficient C57BL/10 (BL/10) and NOD.B10 mice and performed flow cytometry to determine expression of Myd88-dependent TLRs. We cultured splenocytes with TLR2 and TLR4 agonists and measured production of inflammatory mediators by ELISA. Next, we evaluated spontaneous and TLR4-mediated inflammatory cytokine secretion in NOD.B10 salivary tissue. Finally, we assessed spontaneous Myd88-dependent cytokine secretion by NOD.B10 salivary cells. We identified dysregulation of numerous TLR-related networks in pSS splenocytes, particularly those employed by TLR2 and TLR4. We found upregulation of TLRs in both the splenic and salivary tissue from pSS mice. In NOD.B10 splenic tissue, robust expression of B cell TLR1, TLR2, and TLR6 required Myd88. Splenocytes from NOD.B10 mice were hyper-responsive to TLR2 ligation and the endogenous molecule decorin modulated inflammation via TLR4. Finally, we observed spontaneous secretion of numerous inflammatory cytokines and this was enhanced following TLR4 ligation in female NOD.B10 salivary tissue as compared to males. The spontaneous production of salivary IL-6, MCP-1 and TNF alpha required Myd88 in pSS salivary tissue. Thus, our data demonstrate that Myd88-dependent TLR pathways contribute to the inflammatory landscape in pSS, and inhibition of such will likely have therapeutic utility.
Tear film concentrations of topically applied 0.5% oxytetracycline ointment in normal canine eyes

Objective To determine the tear film levels of oxytetracycline in normal canine eyes after application of the ophthalmic ointment, Terramycin™ (0.5% oxytetracycline, polymyxin B sulfate), to guide appropriate treatment frequency. Animals studied Ten research beagles. Procedures Ten research beagles with confirmed normal eyes were administered 0.02 mL of Terramycin™ ophthalmic ointment onto the dorsal bulbar conjunctival surface of the right eye. Tear samples were collected via dye-less Schirmer tear strips at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours post-administration. The sample for each timepoint was collected on a separate day, and concentrations of oxytetracycline were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results There was a semi-logarithmic decline in the median tear concentration of oxytetracycline. The median (2.5th and 97.5th percentiles) tear concentrations of oxytetracycline at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours were 43.5 μg/mL (11.1-302.2 μg/mL), 28.7 μg/mL (8.04-113.7 μg/mL), 16.1 μg/mL (4.96-37.7 μg/mL), 9.2 μg/mL (4.52-28.1 μg/mL), and 6.11 μg/mL (4.36-26.7 μg/mL), respectively. Mean (±SD) drug recovery via HPLC was 88% (±7.5%). Conclusions Ophthalmic Terramycin™ achieves a substantially higher tear level than the MIC for common bacterial corneal pathogens up to 12 hours post-administration in normal eyes. Anti-collagenolytic tear levels were not achieved at the timepoints evaluated or with the manufacturer-prescribed dosing frequency. HPLC can be used to analyze tear concentrations of ophthalmic ointment formulations.
Spectrum Design for Orthogonal Chirp Division Multiplexing Transmissions

Orthogonal chirp division multiplexing (OCDM) is a spread spectrum technique that leverages the orthogonality of cyclically shifted linear chirp signals to maximize spectral efficiency. However, since each chirp spans the entire signal band, the only way to control its bandwidth is to alter the sampling rate of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC). This letter shows that the inherent relationship between the discrete Fresnel transform (DFnT) and the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) facilitates a simple method of designing the spectrum of the signal without adding significant complexity. This enables direct implementation of the digital filters proposed in literature for advanced waveforms. Subsequently, simulations corroborate the performance of the proposed method and filtered-OCDM (f-OCDM) in wireless multipath fading channels in comparison with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with a given spectral mask.
A Resident-Authored, Case-Based Electrocardiogram Email Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents.

Introduction The interpretation of electrocardiograms (ECGs) is a critical competency for internal medicine trainees, yet time and resources to foster proficiency are limited. Methods This resident...
Extended exchange interactions stabilize long-period magnetic structures in Cr1∕3NbS2

The topologically protected, chiral soliton lattice is a unique state of matter offering intriguing functionality, and it may serve as a robust platform for storing and transporting information in future spintronic devices. While the monoaxial chiral magnet Cr1∕3NbS2 is known to host this exotic state in an applied magnetic field, its detailed microscopic origin has remained a matter of debate. Here, we work towards addressing this open question by measuring the spin wave spectrum of Cr1∕3NbS2 over the entire Brillouin zone with inelastic neutron scattering. The well-defined spin wave modes allow us to determine the values of several microscopic interactions for this system. The experimental data are well-explained by a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with exchange constants up to the third nearest neighbor and an easy plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy term. Our work shows that both the second and third nearest neighbor exchange interactions contribute to the formation of the helimagnetic and chiral soliton lattice states in this robust three-dimensional magnet.The topologically protected, chiral soliton lattice is a unique state of matter offering intriguing functionality, and it may serve as a robust platform for storing and transporting information in future spintronic devices. While the monoaxial chiral magnet Cr1∕3NbS2 is known to host this exotic state in an applied magnetic field, its detailed microscopic origin has remained a matter of debate. Here, we work towards addressing this open question by measuring the spin wave spectrum of Cr1∕3NbS2 over the entire Brillouin zone with inelastic neutron scattering. The well-defined spin wave modes allow us to determine the values of several microscopic interactions for this system. The experimental data are well-explained by a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with exchange constants up to the third nearest neighbor and an easy plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy term. Our work shows that both the second and third nearest neighbor exchange interactions contribute to the formation of the helimagnetic and chiral soliton latt...
Corporate Taxes and Foreign Direct Investments: An Impact Analysis

We investigate the effects of corporate taxes on the flow of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Nigeria between 1983 and 2017. The study adopts the ex-post facto research design; secondary data were sourced from the World Bank Development indicator, Central Bank of Nigeria database, and Federal Inland Revenue database. Research data was analyzed using the Error Correction Model (ECM). The coefficient of determination (R2) showed that about 77 percent of the systematic changes in FDI are attributed to the combined effect of all the explanatory variables captured in the study. We find that Company Income Tax, Value Added Tax, and Custom and Excise Duties have a significant but negative relationship with FDI. In contrast, Tertiary Education Tax has a positive association with FDI. Also, Exchange Rate had a negative but significant relationship with FDI; Inflation had an insignificant but positive association with FDI, while GDP growth rate and Trade Openness showed a positive and significant association with FDI. Our findings deviate from previous results, as we find new evidence that a higher Education tax rate influences FDI, and the emerging evidence on the effect of non-tax variables on FDI inflow.
Genetic Syndromes with Associated Immunodeficiencies

Several genetic syndromes that feature prominent non-immune system problems can be associated with immunodeficiency. These disorders are sometimes collectively referred to as “syndromic primary immunodeficiencies” (PIDs) or “syndromic immunodeficiencies.” The immunodeficiency component of these disorders ranges from mild to life-threatening and can be highly variable even within the same disorder. Syndromic immunodeficiencies can be caused by known single-gene defects or complex chromosomal abnormalities, and the cause of disease may also be unknown. This chapter presents two representative cases to illustrate the complexity of syndromic primary immunodeficiencies and discusses general considerations.
Is your C-suite risk literate?

Abstract Managing risk effectively is essential for a business to be successful, and thus understanding risk is vital for business executives. Effective risk management increases firm value, whereas poor risk management will damage shareholder wealth. In this article, we examine the risk literacy of business executives and find significant variation among the leaders we sample. Our findings suggest that business executives would be well served to evaluate their own risk literacy (and remediate, if necessary), to work to increase risk literacy in the company’s employees, and to include risk literacy as an important and routine part of the firm’s overall culture. Because the importance of risk literacy increases with business complexity, we believe that risk literacy will only become more important in the future.
High-power, high-speed photodiodes for microwave photonics applications

The talk reviews modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes and their applications in microresonator soliton-based millimeter-wave generation and photonically driven emitters up to 220 GHz.
Regression Models for Data Analysis

Regression is an applied statistical model that is widely used in the social and natural sciences. This article reviews different sets of the model assumptions, the model specification process, and what one hopes to learn from the modeling process. Keywords: sampling theory; statistical inference
Association between body mass index and pregnancy outcome in a randomized trial of cerclage for short cervix

Objective To evaluate whether increasing body mass index (BMI) alters the efficacy of ultrasound-directed cerclage in women with a history of preterm birth. Methods This was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter trial in which women with a singleton gestation and prior spontaneous preterm birth (17 to 33 + 6 weeks' gestation) were screened for a short cervix by serial transvaginal ultrasound evaluations between 16 and 22 + 6 weeks. Women with a short cervix (cervical length < 25 mm) were randomly assigned to cerclage or not. Linear and logistic regression were used to assess the relationship between BMI and continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Results Overall, in the screened women (n = 986), BMI was not associated with cervical length (P = 0.68), gestational age at delivery (P = 0.12) or birth at 47 kg/m2. Conclusion In women at high risk for recurrent preterm birth, BMI was not associated with cervical length or gestational age at birth. BMI did not appear to adversely affect ultrasound-indicated cerclage. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Computing Segmented Volumes

An algorithm for computing a representation for sub-volumes that segment space into different classifications is given. The starting point is a tetrahedrization of a set of scattered points in space, each with a classification associated with it. The algorithm then marches from tetrahedron to tetrahedron to generate the representation in terms of sub-tetrahedra. The algorithm is very simple and independent of the number of the number of different classifications of points.
Mercury partitioning within alluvial sediments of the Carson river valley, Nevada: Implications for sampling strategies in tropical environments

The Carson River system of west-central Nevada was subjected to a massive influx of mercury-enriched tailings derived from mining and milling of the Comstock Lode near the end of the 1800s. Detailed investigations have shown that these contaminated tailings were deposited along the Carson River Valley during a period of channel and floodplain aggradation. Following cessation of mining, incision re-exposed the historical sediment in banks of the modern channel. Concentrations of mercury in these deposits are commonly two to three orders of magnitude above background levels observed in other sediments and soils of the region. Most of the mercury is carried on fine-grained particles as would be expected from previous studies of trace metal partitioning in alluvial deposits. However, erosion and reworking of the historical sediment during lateral channel migration leads to a loss of fine-grained particles and a concentration of mercury-gold/silver amalgam grains in the modern channel bed. As a result, mercury is distributed in both fine- and coarse-grained sediment fractions of the channel floor.
Every free basic convex semi-algebraic set has an LMI representation

The (matricial) solution set of a Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) is a convex basic non-commutative semi-algebraic set. The main theorem of this paper is a converse, a result which has implications for both semidefinite programming and systems engineering. For p(x) a non-commutative polynomial in free variables x= (x1, ... xg) we can substitute a tuple of symmetric matrices X= (X1, ... Xg) for x and obtain a matrix p(X). Assume p is symmetric with p(0) invertible, let Ip denote the set {X: p(X) is an invertible matrix}, and let Dp denote the component of Ip containing 0. THEOREM: If the set Dp is uniformly bounded independent of the size of the matrix tuples, then Dp has an LMI representation if and only if it is convex. Linear engineering systems problems are called "dimension free" if they can be stated purely in terms of a signal flow diagram with L2 performance measures, e.g., H-infinity control. Conjecture: A dimension free problem can be made convex if and only it can be made into an LMI. The theorem here settles the core case affirmatively.
Predictive models of the risk of hospital admission and re-admission: current and future development

Background A number of models are available in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) for use in predicting the risk of hospitalization, from general and insured populations. These models are being used in order to respond to health policies, such as Pay for Performance measures, aimed at reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, and to help patients avoid hospital admissions that are expensive and create risks to patient safety. These predictive models are being used for a variety of purposes including: screening patients for Case Management Programs and/or Disease Management Programs, organizational profiling, and assessing financial risk.
Sex differences, hormone fluctuations, ankle stability, and dynamic postural control.

Context: Hormonal fluctuation as a risk factor in anterior cruciate ligament injury has been investigated with conflicting results. However, the influence of hormone fluctuations on ankle laxity an...
Emigration, Internationalization, and "Brain Drain": Propensities Among British Academics

This research links two important higher education phenomena: potential “brain drain” among academics abroad and the U.S. academic labor market. The inquiry draws on the “brain drain” literature and is grounded primarily on a secondary analysis of a major survey (1989) of British university and polytechnic faculty members. The anlaysis shows that fully 40.0 percent of university faculty are “seriously considering” a move abroad with the substantial majority favoring the United States as a destination. Faculty characteristics—including academic field, research versus teaching orientation, rank, age, gender, and political identification—are correlated with faculty members' professed interest in emigration. The analysis also compares (former) polytechnic to university faculty as well as to a subset of Oxford and Cambridge faculty.
Measurement and biological correlates of antibody bioactivity during antibody immunotherapies.

An important factor in the effectiveness of antibody immunotherapies is the antibody bioactivity, or the availability of free binding sites. Bioactivity may be decreased in settings where the target antigen exists in a soluble form capable of binding to circulating antibody. Because many antigens have soluble forms, we developed a method for determining if antibody is bound by soluble antigen in vivo. As a model system, we studied the interaction of soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha (Tac; IL2Rα; CD25) and anti-Tac antibody. We show first that HPLC readily separates free antibody from antibody which is monovalently or bivalently bound by soluble antigen. Further, we demonstrate that the distribution of the three forms of antibody accords with predictions of mass action and the binomial probability distribution. These methods were used to examine the bioactivity and concentration of free antibody in 14 patients undergoing therapeutic trial with Humanized anti-Tac antibody in leukemia and lymphoma. Results of two contrasting patients are highlighted. Low bioactivities correlated with reduced targeting of tumor cells and reduced therapeutic effectiveness. This report highlights the importance of soluble antigen in antibody therapies and demonstrates a simple method for evaluating in vivo bioactivity of antibody after therapeutic administration.
The First Spark Spectrum of Manganese

The analysis of the Mn II spectrum has been extended to include a classification of over seven hundred lines arising from combinations between terms belonging to the quintet and septet systems. From four members of the $3{d}^{5}(^{6}S)n{f}^{7}f$ series an ionization potential of 126,147 wave numbers has been calculated by means of a Ritz formula. Pictures have been taken and measurements made covering the range from approximately 800A to 6000A. A hollow cathode discharge was used as a source, with each of the three gases, helium, argon and neon, as conducting media.
Cell migration: Towards the void.

Cells at the edges of migrating epithelial sheets pull themselves towards unfilled space regardless of their direction of motion.
KINETICS OF HEPATOCYTE PROLIFERATION IN THE EARLY STAGES OF LIVER REGENERATION.

A population-kinetic study of hepatocyte proliferation in the early stages of liver regeneration in the rat has been carried out by labelling DNA-synthesizing hepatocytes with 3H-thymidine and assaying by radioautography. It was found that between 27.5 and 79.5 hr postoperatively the specific growth rate decays exponentially; the equation representing the change in the specific growth rate with time makes it possible explicitly to describe the partially hepatectomized liver as a parametrically perturbed cell population, and to predict the restoration of the nuclear population from 31.7 to 75.3 per cent of the preoperative value in terms of a Gompertz growth function.
Magnetoelectric textures in 3He-A slabs

Abstract The Ginzburg-Landau theory predicts the orientation of the 3 He-A axes in a slab subject to electric and magnetic fields. Capacitive measurements are shown to be sensitive to the equilibrium orientation.
Mineral-solution equilibria—III. The system Na2OAl2O3SiO2H2OHCl

Abstract Chemical equilibrium between sodium-aluminum silicate minerals and chloride bearing fluid has been experimentally determined in the range 500–700°C at 1 kbar, using rapid-quench hydrothermal methods and two modifications of the Ag + AgCl acid buffer technique. The temperature dependence of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant (K) for the reaction NaAlSi 3 O 8 + HCl o = NaCl o + 1 2Al 2 SiO 5 , + 5 2SiO 2 + 1 2H 2 O Albite Andalusite Qtz. K = (a NaCl o ) (a H 2 O ) 1/2 (a HCl o ) can be described by the following equation: log k = −4.437 + 5205.6/T(K) The data from this study are consistent with experimental results reported by Montoya and Hemley (1975) for lower temperature equilibria defined by the assemblages albite + paragonite + quartz + fluid and paragonite + andalusite + quartz + fluid. Values of the equilibrium constants for the above reactions were used to estimate the difference in Gibbs free energy of formation between NaClo and HClo in the range 400–700°C and 1–2 kbar. Similar calculations using data from phase equilibrium studies reported in the literature were made to determine the difference in Gibbs free energy of formation between KClo and HClo. These data permit modelling of the chemical interaction between muscovite + kspar + paragonite + albite + quartz assemblages and chloride-bearing hydrothermal fluids.
Solar cycle minimum measurements of the solar extreme ultraviolet spectral irradiance on 14 April 2008

[1] NASA sounding rocket 36.240 was launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on 14 April 2008. The primary instrument in this payload was the prototype extreme ultraviolet (EUV) Variability Experiment (EVE). The Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph (MEGS) channels of EVE measure the solar irradiance from 6 to 106 nm at 0.1 nm spectral resolution. While the main purpose of this rocket flight is to provide the fifth underflight calibration for the Solar EUV Experiment (SEE), the importance of this rocket observation is the first observation of the solar EUV irradiance at high spectral resolution during solar cycle minimum conditions. The higher spectral resolution measurements will help resolve outstanding concerns about the previous solar soft X-ray irradiance results made with broadband photometers shortward of 27 nm, and the measurements provide the most accurate reference for the solar cycle minimum as part of the international Whole Heliosphere Interval (WHI) campaign.
Observed Hysteresis of Virus Capsid Disassembly Is Implicit in Kinetic Models of Assembly

For many protein multimers, association and dissociation reactions fail to reach the same end point; there is hysteresis preventing one and/or the other reaction from equilibrating. We have studied in vitro assembly of dimeric hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid protein and dissociation of the resulting T = 4 icosahedral capsids. Empty HBV capsids composed of 120 capsid protein dimers were more resistant to dissociation by dilution or denaturants than anticipated from assembly experiments. Using intrinsic fluorescence, circular dichroism, and size exclusion chromatography, we showed that denaturants dissociate the HBV capsids without unfolding the capsid protein; unfolding of dimer only occurred at higher denaturant concentrations. The apparent energy of interaction between dimers measured in dissociation experiments was much stronger than when measured in assembly studies. Unlike assembly, capsid dissociation did not have the concentration dependence expected for a 120-subunit complex; consequently the apparent association energy systematically varied with reactant concentration. These data are evidence of hysteresis for HBV capsid dissociation. Simulations of capsid assembly and dissociation reactions recapitulate and provide an explanation for the observed behavior; these results are also applicable to oligomeric and multidomain proteins. In our calculations, we find that dissociation is impeded by temporally elevated concentrations of intermediates; this has the paradoxical effect of favoring re-assembly of those intermediates despite the global trend toward dissociation. Hysteresis masks all but the most dramatic decreases in contact energy. In contrast, assembly reactions rapidly approach equilibrium. These results provide the first rigorous explanation of how virus capsids can remain intact under extreme conditions but are still capable of "breathing." A biological implication of enhanced stability is that a triggering event may be required to initiate virus uncoating.
THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF FOLACIN: EFFECT OF ASCORBIC ACID, OXYGEN AND TEMPERATURE

The effects of temperature and the presence of oxygen and reducing agent on the thermal stability of two naturally occurring labile folates were investigated Microbiological assay of samples heated from 49–100°C for various lengths of time revealed that the loss of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in aqueous solution followed first order kinetics with a low Arrhenius activation energy of 9.5 kcal/mole. Tetrahydrofolic acid was extremely labile during heating and the stability of both forms of folate was increased in the presence of ascorbate and nitrogen atmosphere.
Centromeric DNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have isolated 29 kilobase-pairs of DNA encompassing the centromere-linked gene, TRP1, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two DNA sequences within the isolated region, ARS1 and ARS4, allow autonomous replication of chimeric DNA molecules upon introduction into yeast. Yeast strains transformed by ARS-containing DNA molecules are unstable; they lose the transformed phenotype and, concomitantly, the hybrid molecules at high frequency. Another function, CEN4, stabilizes the ARS-containing hybrids. CEN4 allows proper segregation of hybrid molecules during mitosis and meiosis. Like its predecessor. CEN3 (Clarke & Carbon, 1980b). CEN4 behaves genetically like a yeast centromere. The centromere-linked sequences we isolated from chromosome IV of yeast are not highly repeated and contain transcriptionally active DNA sequences. We have also isolated other CEN sequences using an enrichment procedure based on the enhanced mitotic stability of molecules carrying both CEN and ARS. Together, the ARS and CEN functions allow DNA molecules to predominantly behave as independent yeast linkage groups. However, improper disjunction of these ARS-CEN hybrids occurs in 3 to 14% of the mitotic cell divisions and ⩽3% of the meiotic divisions while the segregation of other yeast chromosomes, including chromosome IV, is normal. No more than 2% of these monovalent circular chromosomes undergo precocious segregation of sister chromatids during the first meiotic division rather than the second. Thus functional yeast chromosomes have been reconstructed by piecing together fragments of centromeric DNA with fragments that allow autonomous replication in yeast.
Identification of distinct gene expression profiles associated with treatment of LβT2 cells with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist using microarray analysis

Abstract Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a neuropeptide that plays a pivotal role in reproductive processes. In recent years, it has become clear that it is also an anti-proliferative agent. GnRH analogs are now used clinically in the treatment of prostate cancer as well as endometriosis and precocious puberty. The target cells of GnRH include the gonadotropes of the anterior pituitary gland and the cells of various hormone-dependent tumors. Only a few target genes have been identified in these cells, however, and little is known concerning their regulation by GnRH. Therefore, we used a quantitative microarray assay to identify the genes that are regulated by GnRH in a murine gonadotrope tumor cell line (LβT2). Treatment of LβT2 cells with GnRH agonist des-gly10,[ d -Ala6]GnRH (GnRHA) for 1 h resulted in alterations in the levels of expression of genes that ranged in magnitude from 1.3- to 159-fold, with a total of 232 genes exhibiting a twofold or greater alteration in expression compared to vehicle treated cells. Of these 232 genes, 149 were up-regulated and, surprisingly, 83 were down-regulated by GnRHA treatment. After 24 h of treatment, the expression of most of the genes that had exhibited altered expression after 1 h of treatment had returned to baseline levels. Moreover, a different profile was observed after 24 h of treatment with 208 genes exhibiting a twofold or greater alteration. Of these, 95 were up-regulated and 113 down-regulated. Most of the affected genes were not known to be responsive to GnRH prior to this study. Treatment with GnRHA was found to affect the expression of a diverse range of genes, including oncogenes and those that encode transcription factors, ion channel proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins as well as other proteins that are involved in signal transduction, the cell cycle, cell proliferation and apoptosis. The altered expression of six of the genes that were found by microarray analysis to be regulated by GnRHA was confirmed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. This is first application of the microarray technique in the study of the global profile of genes regulated by GnRH, and should prove to be a powerful tool for future analysis of the mechanisms by which GnRH regulates the expression of gonadotropins and the growth of tumor cells.