cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of ozone flux and antioxidants in the suppression of ozone injury by elevated CO2 in soybean.

The projected rise in atmospheric CO 2 concentration is expected to increase growth and yield of many agricultural crops. The magnitude of this stimulus will partly depend on interactions with other components of the atmosphere such as tropospheric O 3 . Elevated CO 2 concentrations often lessen the deleterious effects of O 3 , but the mechanisms responsible for this response have received little direct examination. Previous studies have indicated that protection against O 3 injury by elevated CO 2 can be attributed to reduced O 3 uptake, while other studies suggest that CO 2 effects on antioxidant metabolism might also be involved. The aim of this experiment was to test further the roles of O 3 flux and antioxidant metabolism in the suppression of O 3 injury by elevated CO 2 . In a two-year experiment, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was exposed from emergence to maturity to charcoal-filtered air or charcoal-filtered air plus a range of O 3 concentrations in combination with ambient or approximately twice-ambient CO 2 concentrations in open-top field chambers. Experimental manipulation of O 3 concentrations and estimates of plant O 3 uptake indicated that equivalent O 3 fluxes that suppressed net photosynthesis, growth, and yield at ambient concentrations of CO 2 were generally much less detrimental to plants treated concurrently with elevated CO 2 . These responses appeared unrelated to treatment effects on superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and peroxidase activities and glutathione concentration. Total ascorbic acid concentration increased by 28-72% in lower canopy leaves in response to elevated CO 2 and O 3 but not in upper canopy leaves. Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO 2 will likely ameliorate O 3 damage to many crops due to reduced O 3 uptake, increased carbon assimilation, and possibly as yet undetermined additional factors. The results of this study further suggest that elevated CO 2 may increase the threshold O 3 flux for biomass and yield loss in soybean.
The role of community health centers in responding to disparities in visual health

Abstract Background Community health centers (CHCs) are nonprofit community-based providers of primary and preventive health care for medically underserved populations. At the same time, nationally, racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations are disproportionately affected by poor access to comprehensive eye and vision care and are more likely to experience adverse outcomes. Overview This report describes the fundamentals of CHCs, including mission, their patients, the types of health care and enabling services that they provide, the quality and cost-effectiveness of their care, and how they are funded. This report also reviews the demographics of vision disparities among at-risk populations, the economic impact of undiagnosed and untreated vision problems, and the similarities between those at risk for vision problems and the patients targeted by CHCs. Conclusions Aimed at responding to disparities in access to health care services and health status outcomes, CHCs are optimally positioned to contribute to improved access to comprehensive eye and vision care as well as to the reduction of disparities in visual health status. There is need for extensive research in further defining and addressing disparities in access to optometric care in medically underserved populations and the potential role that CHCs can play in meeting those needs.
Cataract Surgery Outcomes in Glaucomatous Eyes: Results From the Veterans Affairs Ophthalmic Surgery Outcomes Data Project.

Purpose To compare visual acuity outcomes, vision-related quality of life, and complications related to cataract surgery in eyes with and without glaucoma. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods Cataract surgery outcomes in cases with and without glaucoma from the Veterans Affairs Ophthalmic Surgical Outcomes Data Project were compared. Results We identified 608 glaucoma cases and 4306 controls undergoing planned cataract surgery alone. After adjusting for age, pseudoexfoliation, small pupil, prior ocular surgery, and anterior chamber depth, we found that glaucoma cases were more likely to have posterior capsular tear with vitrectomy (odds ratio [OR] 1.8, P = .03) and sulcus intraocular lens placement (OR 1.65, P = .03) during cataract surgery. Glaucoma cases were more likely to have postoperative inflammation (OR 1.73, P P = .0003), and additional surgery within 30 days (OR 1.92, P = .03). Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ) scores significantly improved after cataract surgery in both groups ( P P = .01) and VFQ composite scores ( P P = .0003). Conclusions Eyes with glaucoma are at increased risk for complications and have more modest visual outcomes after cataract surgery compared to eyes without glaucoma. Despite this, glaucoma patients still experience significant improvement in vision-related outcomes after cataract extraction. Further study is needed to explore potential factors that influence cataract surgery outcomes in glaucomatous eyes.
Using remaining battery lifetime information and relaying to decrease outage probability of a mobile terminal

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate by employing relaying and using the remaining battery lifetime information of mobile terminals (MT) in next generation cellular networks, the outage probability of the MT is reduced. We define outage probability as the probability that the connection between the MT and the base station (BS) is lost when the MT is asked to use a transmission power greater than some threshold. This threshold is determined based on the remaining battery lifetime of the MT. We assume a linear relationship between the remaining battery lifetime and the maximum allowed transmission power. We used a 2-hop relaying mechanism to illustrate our concept, and simulated for both urban and sub-urban terrains. The outage probability is significantly different for both the terrains, upon which we suggest the type of relay suitable for relaying for each of the terrains. We consider two types of relays - relays that have infinite battery power like for cars, and relays that have finite battery power like for other MTs.
Calcitriol in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Calcitriol, the principal active metabolite of vitamin D and a naturally occurring hormone, showed significant antineoplastic activity in pre-clinical models of prostate cancer and many other tumor types. These antineoplastic effects were observed at calcitriol concentrations substantially above the physiological range. While a number of mechanisms of action have been postulated, the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation have been most extensively reported. These pre-clinical findings motivated several investigators to pursue a series of clinical trials to examine the potential of targeting the vitamin D receptor for cancer treatment using calcitriol. Initial studies tested daily dosing of calcitriol and showed that substantial dose escalation was not feasible due to hypercalciuria and/or hypercalcemia. In contrast, weekly dosing of calcitriol allowed substantial dose escalation without dose-limiting toxicities. Notably, however, the commercially available formulation of calcitriol exhibited nonlinear pharmacokinetics at the highest doses tested. While substantially higher concentrations were achieved, the maximum tolerated dose was not established due to this pharmacological limitation. Intermittently-dosed calcitriol was then combined with several antineoplastic agents, including steroids, bisphosphonates and chemotherapeutic agents. The activity seen in a phase II study of weekly calcitriol plus docetaxel was particularly encouraging and led to the development of DN-101, a proprietary formulation designed for cancer treatment. DN-101 in combination with docetaxel is being evaluated in a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial that has completed accrual.
Spatial correlation-based collaborative medium access control in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are mainly characterized by dense deployment of sensor nodes which collectively transmit information about sensed events to the sink. Due to the spatial correlation between sensor nodes subject to observed events, it may not be necessary for every sensor node to transmit its data. This paper shows how the spatial correlation can be exploited on the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort which exploits spatial correlation in WSN on the MAC layer. A theoretical framework is developed for transmission regulation of sensor nodes under a distortion constraint. It is shown that a sensor node can act as a representative node for several other sensor nodes observing the correlated data. Based on the theoretical framework, a distributed, spatial Correlation-based Collaborative Medium Access Control (CC-MAC) protocol is then designed which has two components: Event MAC (E-MAC) and Network MAC (N-MAC). E-MAC filters out the correlation in sensor records while N-MAC prioritizes the transmission of route-thru packets. Simulation results show that CC-MAC achieves high performance in terms energy, packet drop rate, and latency.
Insect repellents: Historical perspectives and new developments

Arthropod bites remain a major cause of patient morbidity. These bites can cause local or systemic effects that may be infectious or inflammatory in nature. Arthropods, notably insects and arachnids, are vectors of potentially serious ailments including malaria, West Nile virus, dengue, and Lyme disease. Measures to curtail the impact of insect bites are important in the worldwide public health effort to safely protect patients and prevent the spread of disease. The history of insect repellent (IR) lends insight into some of the current scientific strategies behind newer products. Active ingredients of currently available IRs include N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), botanicals, citronella, and, the newest agent, picaridin. Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency's registered IR ingredients approved for application to the skin include DEET, picaridin, MGK-326, MGK-264, IR3535, oil of citronella, and oil of lemon eucalyptus. DEET has reigned as the most efficacious and broadly used IR for the last 6 decades, with a strong safety record and excellent protection against ticks, mosquitoes, and other arthropods. Newer agents, like picaridin and natural products such as oil of lemon eucalyptus are becoming increasingly popular because of their low toxicity, comparable efficacy, and customer approval. Various characteristics and individual product advantages may lead physicians to recommend one agent over another.
e-Integration in the Supply Chain: Barriers and Performance*

Current opinion holds that Internet-based supply chain integration with upstream suppliers and downstream customers (called “e-integration” in this paper) is superior to traditional ways of doing business. This proposition remains untested, however, and similarly we know little about what are the upstream, internal, and downstream barriers to implementing e-integration. This paper empirically addressed these questions using data from a large single nation study, and found (1) a positive link between e-integration and performance, and (2) that internal barriers impeded e-integration more than either upstream supplier barriers or downstream customer barriers. Findings from this study contribute to our theoretical understanding of implementing change in contemporary supply chains, and have important implications for manufacturers interested in improving their supply chain's performance using the Internet.
Computer-aided Product Design with Performance-Tailored Mesostructures

Motivated by the design and manufacturing of customized cushions for debilitated patients, we propose the idea of performance-tailored mesostructures which can change or adapt their design performance based on given requirements. Our goal is to develop a CAD tool with the capability of specifying heterogeneous material properties in a product component such that a designer can design the component with better performance. Based on the object oriented programming paradigm, we first define a performance-tailored mesostructure and its properties. We then demonstrate an approach of building discipline-specific performance models for such mesostructures. For a product component design, we present a performancetailored mesostructure design method based on a hierarchical design framework. A CAD system based on the proposed design framework is being developed which can generate CAD models with performance-tailored mesostructures. The generated CAD models can then be fabricated by a layer-based rapid manufacturing system. Several experimental examples are given to demonstrate the capability of our method.
Mapping the Efficiency for a Hydrostatic Transmission

Efficiency maps have long been used by engineers to understand the topographical behavior of their machinery. Most commonly, efficiency maps have been generated for internal combustion engines, where the torque–speed curve for the engine shows the wide-open-throttle line with constant efficiency lines drawn beneath this maximum operating limit. From such maps, engineers have been able to determine the most efficiency operating point for the engine, given a desired output power (torque and speed). There currently exists a great interest in using hydrostatic transmissions for improving the operating efficiency of an internal combustion engine. However, efficiency maps for hydrostatic transmissions, similar to efficiency maps for internal combustion engines, do not exist in the literature and therefore it is difficult to assess the overall efficiency gains that are achieved when using a hydrostatic transmission in these applications. This paper proposes a method for generating efficiency maps for hydrostatic transmissions, and presents a typical set of maps that may be used as a first approximation for assessing transmission efficiency. The results of this paper are nondimensional and are generalized for a transmission of any size. As shown in this research, there are regimes of transmission operation in which the efficiency is nearly independent of either the output torque, or the output speed. Furthermore, it is shown that maximum operating efficiencies typically exist at high output speeds, and mid-to-high output torques.
Satirical Visions with Public Consequence?: Dennis Miller's Ranting Rhetorical Persona

As a political comedian, Dennis Miller has been a staple figure in American public discourse across the last two decades. This essay identifies and evaluates Miller's ranting rhetorical persona, and examines comic texts produced by Miller before and after his political conversion, exploring the ways in which his politics may influence his satire. Using a distinctive methodological approach for humor research, I find there are more similarities than differences in Miller's discourse over time, and that some elements of Miller's post-conversion rhetoric may demonstrate a conservative satire. Ultimately, it is argued that Miller's ranting rhetorical vision holds paradoxical promise for the public sphere and political engagement. These findings have several implications for our understanding of comic advocacy in politics.
Dynamic fragmentation of cellular, ice-templated alumina scaffolds

We examine the dynamic failure of ice-templated freeze-cast alumina scaffolds that are being considered as biomimetic hierarchical structures. Three porosities of alumina freeze-cast structures were fabricated, and a systematic variation in microstructural properties such as lamellar width and thickness was observed with changing porosity. Dynamic impact tests were performed in a light-gas gun to examine the failure properties of these materials under high strain-rate loading. Nearly complete delamination was observed following impact, along with characteristiccracking across the lamellar width. Average fragment size decreases with increasing porosity, and a theoretical model was developed to explain this behavior based on microstructural changes. Using an energy balance between kinetic, strain, and surface energies within a single lamella, we are able to accurately predict the characteristic fragment size using only standard material properties of bulk alumina.
Abstract WP47: Flow Phantom for the Validation and Quantitative Analysis of Computed Tomography Perfusion

Objective: We create a flow phantom using a simple brain model with well-defined flow behavior. This allows for the validation of CT perfusion (CTP), as CTP data can be compared with theoretical calculations and gold standard flow meter values. Our approach offers a calibration system for existing CTP scanners, facilitating the selection of optimal data processing algorithms and parameter settings. Methods: The phantom was built using 37 parallel glass capillary tubes of internal diameter 1.0 mm fixed with epoxy. Saline was pumped into the inlet portion of a Y-shaped tubing system with one inlet and two outlets. One Y outlet led to the phantom, which was in series with a flow meter. The other outlet flowed to a waste container. A contrast bolus was introduced at the Y inlet and perfusion imaging was performed with a Toshiba 320 slice Aquilion One scanner. Phantom flow rates of 3, 5, 7.5 and 20 mL/min were used. Time activity curves (TACs) were calculated by averaging along various phantom segments. Results: CBV could be accurately recovered for all flow levels but 3 mL/min. MTT values were slightly higher than expected. Compared to TACs at the base of the Y, TACS just prior to the phantom showed significant dispersion. MTT measured across the phantom for length of 4.1 cm (i.e. internal volume 1 mL) with a flow meter rate of 20 mL/min was 0.066 min, whereas 0.05 min was expected. However, the same measurement for a flow of 3 mL/min had an MTT of 0.32 min, close to the expected value of 0.33 min. Conclusions: We have developed a robust system for the analysis of CTP. CBV was accurate provided sufficient scan duration. MTT values were mildly exaggerated due to dispersion of the contrast bolus. This is analogous to measuring an early arterial TAC, such as the carotid TAC, when tissue segments are fed by smaller branches. This dispersion causes a lower bound for MTT, an effect that is greater at higher flows. Our system has the potential for the calibration and optimization of existing commercial CTP devices.
Framework convention on tobacco control: 10 years of the pioneering global health instrument.

Tobacco is the greatest single cause of premature mortality in the world, killing annually about 5–6 million people.1 With this background, the World Health Assembly decided, after 4 years of political negotiations, in 2003 on an international framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC).2 The convention became effective in 2005, when 40 nations had signed it. FCTC is in a historical document in global health, since it is first time international law is used to counteract a global health problem. Its clauses are binding for countries that have ratified it. The usual decisions of WHO are only recommendations to Member States. Ratification of the convention means that the country will transfer the clauses of the convention to its national legislation. Currently some 180 countries have ratified the FCTC. These include all EU countries and also the EU Commission. Among countries that …
Putting the Squeeze on Airway Epithelia

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and progressive airway remodeling. The airway epithelium is known to play a critical role in the initiation and perpetuation of these processes. Here, we review how excessive epithelial stress generated by bronchoconstriction is sufficient to induce airway remodeling, even in the absence of inflammatory cells.
Phase II trial of weekly docetaxel and oral capecitabine in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer

4634 Background: Docetaxel based chemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has demonstrated survival benefit. The combination of docetaxel-capecitabine has demonstrated synergistic...
Online convex optimization with ramp constraints

We study a novel variation of online convex optimization where the algorithm is subject to ramp constraints limiting the distance between consecutive actions. Our contribution is results providing asymptotically tight bounds on the worst-case performance, as measured by the competitive difference, of a variant of Model Predictive Control termed Averaging Fixed Horizon Control (AFHC). Additionally, we prove that AFHC achieves the asymptotically optimal achievable competitive difference within a general class of “forward looking” online algorithms. Furthermore, we illustrate that the performance of AFHC in practice is often much better than indicated by the (worst-case) competitive difference using a case study in the context of the economic dispatch problem.
Explaining Away the Firm-Specific Human Capital Paradox

The paradox of firm-specific human capital is that firms need workers to invest in firm-specific human capital but workers prefer not to do so. Much of the recent strategic human capital research a...
Numerical Simulation of Microscale Slot Jet Impingement Cooling of a Surface With Constant Wall Heat Flux Using DSMC-IP

The standard Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) simulation is not capable of producing statistically meaningful results for low Re flows which are often encountered in micro-flows. Therefore, the non-isothermal Information Preservation (IP) algorithm is utilized in this study to predict the flow structure and the heat transfer characteristics of a microscale, slot, and confined jet impinging on a flat surface with uniform temperature boundary condition. The flow Knudsen number based on the slot width is in the slip flow and the lower transition regime. The jet is impinging at jet-to-target surface gaps normalized by slot width (H/W) of 0.25, 1 and 2 at a pressure ratio of 2.0. The effects of impingement gap (H/W) on flow structure and heat transfer are investigated. The velocity, pressure and Nusselt number distributions on the impingement target surface are presented. The results are compared to corresponding conventional large-scale values.© 2008 ASME
Small Animal Fluorescence Imaging at the National Institutes of Health

The activities of research groups at the Intramural Research Program of the NIH related to fluorescence imaging using endogenous and exogenous fluorescence markers in small animals will be presented and discussed
Mutational and Functional Analysis in Human Ras/MAP Kinase Genetic Syndromes

The Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is essential in regulation of the cell cycle, cell differentiation, growth, and cell senescence, each of which are critical to normal development. A class of developmental disorders, the "RASopathies," is caused by germline mutations in genes that encode protein components of the Ras/MAPK pathway which result in dysregulation of the pathway and profound deleterious effects on development. One of these syndromes, cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome, is caused by germline mutations in BRAF, MAP2K1 (MEK1) and MAP2K2 (MEK2), and possibly KRAS genes. Here, we describe the laboratory protocols and methods that we used to identify mutations in BRAF and MEK1/2 genes as causative for CFC syndrome. In addition, we present the techniques used to determine the effect these mutations have on activity of the Ras/MAPK pathway through Western blot analysis of the phosphorylation of endogenous ERK1/2, as well as through the use of an in vitro kinase assay that measures the phosphorylation of Elk-1.
Structural Engineering Participation in Integrated Design

AbstractIn the integrated design environments of architecture-led projects, structural engineers need to be collaborative team members, and the team needs to be inclusive to structural engineers. However, structural engineers’ participation in integration design has not been fully studied or understood. To add to this knowledge, the experience of 46 practicing engineers was collected and analyzed to conclude that an integrated design environment allows for better engagement by the structural engineer, is more rewarding to the individual, leads to better structural design, and benefits the profession of structural engineering. There are challenges for structural engineers in the relationship with their architectural client, which include architects’ lack of respect for their structural engineering colleagues as well as negative connotations of the field. Positive design environments are described as open with mutual trust so that ideas can be exchanged freely at all points in a project. Although further re...
Alkali Carbonate Effects on N‐(2‐Hydroxyethyl)urea Cyclization: Application to a 2‐Imidazolidinone Scale‐Up

An imidazolidinone intermediate (3) used in the synthesis of novel HIV-entry inhibitors was prepared on multihundred gram scales in four steps and 40% overall yield. The penultimate step in the synthesis involved regioselective N-cyclization of N-(2-hydroxylethyl)urea (11) by in situ activation of the terminal hydroxyl group with p-TsCl in the presence of base. The ratio of N-cyclized to O-cyclized products followed a group IA periodic trend relative to the alkali carbonate base employed. The use of Cs2CO3 as base effected the desired N-cyclization with a high degree of regiocontrol (>98%).
A life of fighting for freedom

Andrei Sakharov, responsible for the Soviet hydrogen bomb, richly deserved the Nobel prize for peace. His one outstanding property was incredible courage which enabled him to fight with success against the fearsome KGB. When I started to read his memoirs, I thought I knew what to expect; I was wrong.
Ulnar Styloid Base Fractures Cause Distal Radioulnar Joint Instability in a Cadaveric Model.

Background: The deep portion of the distal radioulnar ligaments (DRUL) inserts on the ulnar fovea and is the most important stabilizer of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). Ulnar styloid base frac...
Antibody darts on target for acute myelogenous leukemia.

In the last few years immunotherapy for malignant disease has moved into the mainstream of therapeutic development. In the field of hematologic malignancies powerful antibody therapies have successfully been used to target B-lymphocyte malignancies. Antibodies have been used alone, but can be engineered linking them to toxins or to T lymphocytes, either joined to the zeta chain of the T cell receptor (chimeric antigen receptors), or through bi-specific antibodies binding T cells by anti CD3 to the lymphoid target through, for example the anti CD19 variable portion [reviewed in (1)]. Clinical trials clearly confirm the power of strategies which bring T cells with their cytotoxic potency into close proximity with surface antigen targets on the malignant cell (2-4).
The Last Hundred Meters: Applying Just-in-Time in Major Retail Outlets

How to simultaneously improve customer service and store productivity by transposing industrial Just-in-Time concepts in the Retail sector.
Relationship Depth and Associative Stigma of Disability

Family, friends and acquaintances of people with disabilities may be viewed or treated differently by the public due to their association with a stigmatized person. Previous research finds that the public are more willing to engage in relationships with people with physical disability than with mental illness. In addition, attitudes towards associating with people with disabilities has been found to vary by depth of the chosen relationship. The current study sought to examine the connections between relationship depth (friend/romantic partner/acquaintance), disability type (physical/psychiatric) and associative stigma. Adult participants (N=345) were randomly presented with vignettes varying in relationship depth and disability type via an online survey platform. Analyses found no differences in associative stigma between physical and psychiatric disabilities. Participants viewed the vignette actor Rachel as socially warmer when she was a friend or romantic partner of a person with a disability than when she was an acquaintance. Participants rated Rachel as different from themselves when she was romantically involved with the person with disability and were more willing to engage socially with Rachel when she befriended the person with disability rather than when she was a mere acquaintance.
Additional Patrol Activities

To the uninitiated, going door-to-door seeking information about a crime, sitting in a police car for an extended period observing a location to monitor a suspect’s activity, or patrolling the roads of a rural community in the middle of the night may not appear to be the most exhilarating or motivating tasks a patrol officer performs. In fact, each of these functions is essential to the protection and safety of communities and the successful provision of police service.
MicroRNA Biomarkers for Stroke

Stroke is one of the leading cause of death and major cause of long-term disability in the United States. Over years, extensive efforts have been focusing on the development and improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to reduce stroke-associated neurovascular damages, such as neuronal death, blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, and brain edema. However, the only clinically approved pharmacological therapy to date for treatment of acute ischemic stroke is still thrombolysis. This is mainly due to the short therapeutic window and the activation of various pathophysiological signaling cascades triggered after ischemic stroke. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small sequences of non-protein-coding RNA (~19 to 25 nt) with a variety of gene regulation functions in eukaryotic cells. Ever since being first reported in the pathogenesis of stroke in 2007, miRNAs have emerged as key mediators of posttranscriptional gene silencing in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Also, preclinical and clinical studies have documented miRNAs as interesting novel drug targets, which led to the development of miRNA mimics and antagomirs as miRNA-based therapies. Stroke also alters miRNA expression profiles in the circulation system, and stroke-associated miRNAs have been proposed as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in ischemia stroke. In this chapter, we summarized current knowledge about miRNAs and cerebral ischemia, focusing on the role of miRNAs as biomarkers for stroke and as targets for regulating large sets of genes in related pathways after ischemic stroke.
Lumped-parameter models of the pulmonary vasculature during the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

A longitudinal study of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate the changes in impedance (comprising resistance and compliance) produced by elevated blood pressure. Using invasively measured blood flow as an input, blood pressure was predicted using 3- and 4-element Windkessel (3WK, 4WK) type lumped-parameter models. Resistance, compliance, and inductance model parameters were obtained for the five different treatment groups via least-squares errors. The treated animals reached levels of hypertension, where blood pressure increased two folds from control to chronic stage of PAH (mean pressure went from 24 ± 5 to 44 ± 6 mmHg, P < 0.0001) but blood flow remained overall unaffected. Like blood pressure, the wave-reflection coefficient significantly increased at the advanced stage of PAH (0.26 ± 0.09 to 0.52 ± 0.09, P < 0.0002). Our modeling efforts revealed that resistances and compliance changed during the disease progression, where changes in compliance occur before the changes in resistance. However, resistance and compliance are not directly inversely related. As PAH develops, resistances increase nonlinearly (Rd exponentially and R at a slower rate) while compliance linearly decreases. And while 3WK and 4WK models capture the pressure-flow relation in the pulmonary vasculature during PAH, results from Akaike Information Criterion and sensitivity analysis allow us to conclude that the 3WK is the most robust and accurate model for this system. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals of the predicted model parameters are included for the population studied. This work establishes insight into the complex remodeling process occurring in PAH.
Computer Interfacing of Experimental Apparatus

This chapter explains basic terminology needed to understand electricity and electronic circuits. It also discusses analog and digital circuits, their inter conversions, and how to interface an experimental system to a computer. The main topic of the analog circuit is operational amplifiers. The main topic of the digital circuit includes logic elements, Boolean algebra, and number expressions. The main topic of computer interfacing includes how to share a data line by multiple external devices, and computer programs to control the flow of the data. The programs include CPU input/output, interfacing a compiler and an assembler programs, and how to make an executable program. This chapter also discusses clock interrupt, and associated interrupt service programs.
Plasmonic Landau damping in active environments

Optical manipulation of charge on the nanoscale is of fundamental importance to an array of proposed technologies from selective photocatalysis to nanophotonics. Open plasmonic systems where collective electron oscillations release energy and charge to their environments offer a potential means to this end as plasmons can rapidly decay into energetic electron-hole pairs; however, isolating this decay from other plasmon-environment interactions remains a challenge. Here we present an analytic theory of noble-metal nanoparticles that quantitatively models plasmon decay into electron-hole pairs, demonstrates that this decay depends significantly on the nanoparticle's dielectric environment, and disentangles this effect from competing decay pathways. Using our approach to incorporate embedding material and substrate effects on plasmon-electron interaction, we show that predictions from the model agree with four separate experiments. Finally, examination of coupled nanoparticle-emitter systems further shows that the hybridized in-phase mode more efficiently decays to photons whereas the out-of-phase mode more efficiently decays to electron-hole pairs, offering a strategy to tailor open plasmonic systems for charge manipulation.
Distinctive courtship phenotype of the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise Lophorina niedda Mayr, 1930 confirms new species status.

The birds-of-paradise (Aves: Paradisaeidae) are a quintessential example of elaborate ornamental diversification among animals. Ornamental evolution in the birds-of-paradise is exemplified by the presence of a highly integrated courtship phenotype, which is the whole package of plumage ornaments, behaviors and sounds that each species uses during courtship. Characterizing a species' courtship phenotype is therefore a key part of evolutionary and taxonomic investigation in the group. With its unprecedented transmogrification from bird-like form into something abstract and otherworldly, the courtship phenotype of the Superb Bird-of-Paradise, Lophorina superba, is one of the most remarkable of all. Recent research by Irestedt et al. (2017) suggests that the genus Lophorina is not a single species but is likely a complex of three allopatric species spanning the island of New Guinea: L. niedda in the Bird's Head Peninsula of the west, L. superba throughout the central cordillera and L. minor in the Papuan Peninsula of the east. Of these, niedda is the most phenotypically divergent with plumage traits hypothesized to possibly produce differences in ornamental appearance during display. However, the whole courtship phenotype of niedda has not been documented and so the actual extent of differences in ornamental appearance during courtship remain unknown. Here we analyze the first audiovisual recordings of niedda and compare its courtship phenotype with superba to test the hypothesis of potential differences in ornamental appearance. Our main goals are to: (1) provide the first description of the courtship phenotype of niedda in the wild, (2) determine if and how the niedda courtship phenotype differs from superba and (3) evaluate any uncovered differences in light of niedda's newly recognized species status. Our secondary goal is to provide a more thorough characterization of courtship phenotype diversity within the genus Lophorina to facilitate future comparative study within the genus and family. Results show that the niedda courtship phenotype differs substantially from superba in numerous aspects of ornamental appearance, display behavior and sound. We highlight six key differences and conclude that the new species status of niedda is corroborated by the distinctly differentiated ornamental features documented here. With full species status, niedda becomes the fourth endemic bird-of-paradise to the Bird's Head region of Indonesian New Guinea (i.e., the Vogelkop Peninsula), a fact that underscores the importance of this region as a center of endemic biodiversity worthy of enhanced conservation protection.
The Practice of Prolog

Addressed to readers at different levels of programming expertise, "The Practice of Prolog "offers a departure from current books that focus on small programming examples requiring additional instruction in order to extend them to full programming projects. It shows how to design and organize moderate to large Prolog programs, providing a collection of eight programming projects, each with a particular application, and illustrating how a Prolog program was written to solve the application. These range from a simple learning program to designing a database for molecular biology to natural language generation from plans and stream data analysis.
The relation between the structure and mechanical properties of A σ = 51 tilt boundary in germanium

Abstract A series of Germanium bicrystals containing a 16° [011] tilt boundary has been deformed in high-temperature creep and analyzed by both high-resolution lattice-fringe imaging and conventional transmission electron microscopy. Before deformation, the structure of the boundary consists of a linear array of Lomer dislocations. Subgrain boundaries are produced by the deformation and intersect the original grain boundary. Absorption of lattice dislocations causes the interfacial structure to change along the boundary from one subgrain to another. Deviations from the Σ = 51 coincidence structure are accommodated by secondary dislocations. The secondary dislocations have non-primitive DSC-Burgers vectors. Upon entering the grain boundary, the deformation-produced lattice dislocations decompose into secondary dislocations. Their motion in the interface is associated with grain boundary migration and grain boundary sliding. However, the latter process could not be identified macroscopically and, therefore, appears to make a much smaller contribution to the total strain than it does in metals. It is also directly shown that screw dislocations with Burgers vector in direction of the tilt axis can pass through the boundary.
Vague Existence Implies Vague Identity

I take issue with the claim that one can accept de re vague existence without de re vague identity. Whether we should endorse both is not my main concern here. My thesis is that one can’t have vague existence without vague identity. Thus I will show that far more philosophers are implicitly committed by their acceptance of vague existence to vague identity than explicitly so committed. But if vague identity is impossible, philosophers should reject vague existence as well. And a surprising consequence is that if there is no vague identity, then the charge of arbitrariness leveled against epistemicism becomes less weighty. Arguments against vague identity (modulo independently reasonable principles) will entail there aren’t vaguely existing entities or even determinately existing objects that indeterminately possess some parts.
Extending Resilience Assessment to Dynamic System Modeling: Perspectives on Human Dynamics and Climate Change Research

Nina S.-N. Lam.; Qiang, Y.; Li K.; Cai, H.; Zou, L., and Mihunov, V. 2018. Extending Resilience Assessment to Dynamic System Modeling: Perspectives on Human Dynamics and Climate Change Research. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 1401–1405. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.It is widely known that the same type and strength of hazard could lead to very uneven impacts on different communities due to their varying vulnerability and resilience capacity. Hence, identifying the factors that make a community more resilient to hazards is critical to its sustainability and is central to climate change research and planning. This paper addresses three questions: what is the best way to measure community resilience to disasters and how to identify the key indicators? How do the resilience indicators dynamically interact in a quantitative manner that would lead to long-term resilience? And how can we translate the scientific results into practical tools for decision making? Using the population change pattern in the Mississippi River Delta as a case study, this paper demonstrates the use of a relatively new resilience assessment method called the Resilience Inference Measurement (RIM) method to measure resilience. Then, a newly developed spatial dynamic model is used to simulate population changes in the study area. The results show that without any changes in the current condition, the coastal portion of the study area will continue to suffer population loss and the region is unlikely to sustain in the future.
Opportunistic Returns and Dynamic Pricing: Empirical Evidence from Online Retailing in Emerging Markets

We investigate how dynamic pricing can lead to more product returns in the online retail industry. Using detailed sales data of more than two million transactions from the Indian online retail market, where price promotions are very common, we document two types of strategic customer behavior that have not been considered in previous research. First, customers who monitor product prices after purchase may initiate opportunistic returns because of price drops. Second, customers who anticipate a future return may strategically choose a payment method that facilitates product returns. Our logistic regression models indicate that (1) realized post-purchase price drops lead to a higher probability of return, and (2) anticipated price drops after purchase lead to a higher probability of using cash on delivery, a payment method with a lower return cost for consumers. Our findings are robust to alternative model specifications and sample selection procedures. We demonstrate that an optimal pricing policy should take into consideration the potential costs of two types of strategic customer behavior: opportunistic returns and strategic choice of payment method.
Gender Differences in the Quality of EMS Care Nationwide for Chest Pain and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Abstract Background We sought to determine whether gender disparities exist in the prehospital management of chest pain (CP) or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) among patients who accessed the emergency medical services (EMS) system. Methods We obtained 2010–2013 data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System and identified all EMS activations for CP or OHCA by adults 40 years of age or older. We selected American Heart Association medications and procedures to manage cardiovascular events. We stratified women and men by age ( Results Approximately 2.4 million CP and 284,000 OHCA activations were analyzed. Women with CP received a lower percentage of recommended treatments than men. For every 100 EMS activations by women with CP, 2.8 fewer received aspirin (95% CI, −4.8 to −0.8). The greatest gap in CP care was that women were significantly less likely to be transported using lights and sirens than men (−4.6%; 95% CI, −8.7% to −0.5%). More than 90% of OHCA activations were resuscitated; however, women were significantly less likely to be resuscitated compared with men (−1.3%; 95% CI, −2.4% to −0.2%). Conclusions Small to modest disparities between otherwise similar women and men in the EMS treatment of CP and OHCA suggest the need for further evaluation and research with detailed contextual and outcome data.
Your Android Ain’t Funky (or Robots Can’t Find the Good Foot): Race, Power, and Children in Otherworldly Imaginations

Imagination of the impossible is a common, delightful part of early childhood experiences, as are the content and contexts of what Donna Haraway calls SF, the multitude of possibilities for speculating futures and otherworldly imaginations. It is a wonder, then, despite deep histories of SF in African American intellectual traditions and recent further blooming of people of African descent in SF, there are so few young Black children in SF across literature and media. Not that there aren’t tweens and teens of African descent, even younger Black children with powerful voices, or a total absence of Black babies. However, grounded in a theoretical funk and underscored by an improvisational ethic, this chapter argues that such absences are the norm. As significantly, the authors also contend that an ongoing and growing attention layered, nuanced, writing with older Black child protagonists, should be more present in works about and for young children.
The Elysian Market: The Moral Rhetoric of Northern Silk

When the U.S. Congress considered endorsing the cultivation of silk in 1825, it hoped to promote production of a commodity independent from foreign suppliers. Though Congress never supported silk, many other Americans did. Throughout the 1830s and the early 1840s, especially in the North, silk presented the prospect for more than just financial gain, but also a way to minimize complicity with the slavery-driven Southern economy. As historians point out, silk registers as only a speculative bubble in the history of Northern agriculture. However, as shown in various antebellum periodicals, such as The Liberator and The Colored American, the idealism surrounding silk prompted a broader reconsideration of the ethics of capitalism. Silk’s core contribution to the Northern market, I argue, was its influence upon how Americans conceptualized Northern capitalism. The silk movement promised economic and ethical independence from cotton and a means of supporting abolitionism. Acknowledging the role of silk in Northern commerce and culture amends current scholarship on slavery’s influence to the development of American capitalism by showing the importance of–and resistance to–slavery in Northern capitalism. The rhetoric employed in periodicals over the merits of sericulture reveals that the silk debate functioned as a microcosm of larger sectional debates over slavery, capitalism, and morality. I argue we must consider not how slavery developed with respect to American capitalism, but with respect to American capitalisms, distinct profit-seeking regional and cultural formations. The rhetoric of antebellum silk shows that capitalism was neither a monolithic force nor a value-neutral system.