cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BiGNoC: Accelerating Big Data Computing with Application-Specific Photonic Network-on-Chip Architectures

In the era of big data, high performance data analytics applications are frequently executed on large-scale cluster architectures to accomplish massive data-parallel computations. Often, these applications involve iterative machine learning algorithms to extract information and make predictions from large data sets. Multicast data dissemination is one of the major performance bottlenecks for such data analytics applications in cluster computing, as terabytes of data need to be distributed frequently from a single data source to hundreds of computing nodes. To overcome this bottleneck for big data applications, we propose BiGNoC , a manycore chip platform with a novel application-specific photonic network-on-chip (PNoC) fabric. BiGNoC is designed for big data computing and exploits multicasting in photonic waveguides. For high performance data analytics applications, BiGNoC improves throughput by up to ${{9.9}}\times$ while reducing latency by up to 88 percent and energy-per-bit by up to 98 percent over two state-of-the-art PNoC architectures as well as a broadcast-optimized electrical mesh NoC architecture, and a traditional electrical mesh NoC architecture.
Planning Production on an Unreliable Machine for Multiple Items Subject to Stochastic Demand

We develop an extension of the classical newsvendor model that incorporates multiple items, setup times, and an unreliable machine. This model is motivated by applications at metal stamping plants where machine reliability is a key source of uncertainty. Given a fixed production schedule, a finite horizon, and a known demand distribution, we formulate an extension of the newsvendor model, derive important properties of this model, and exploit these properties to provide a solution algorithm that determines the cost minimizing production quantities. Finally, we present three simple extensions to the model: (1) a method for rescheduling within the planning horizon, (2) an extension to evaluate whether or not to purchase the option to run overtime within the planning horizon, and (3) an extension that permits the modeling of a machine that operates at a different speed depending on the part being produced.
Lipid Metabolism in Potato Leaf Disks: Effect of Calmodulin Antagonists

Dibucaine (nupercaine), a local anesthetic, was recently shown to alter the lipid composition of barley-root membranes (1). When excised roots were placed in dibucaine there was an increase in the proportions of palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids and a decrease in the proportions of linoleic and linolenic acids. We have recently shown that the rate of autolytic degradation of phospholipids in potato leaf homogenates is inhibited by calmodulin antagonists (which include dibuucaine) and stimulated by calmodulin (2). This study was undertaken in order to investigate the effect of dibucaine and other calmodulin antagonists on the polar lipid composition of potato leaves.
Next-Generation Drugs and Probes for Chromatin Biology: From Targeted Protein Degradation to Phase Separation

Chromatin regulation is a critical aspect of nuclear function. Recent advances have provided detailed information about dynamic three-dimensional organization of chromatin and its regulatory factors. Mechanisms crucial for normal nuclear function and epigenetic control include compartmentalization of biochemical reactions by liquid-phase separated condensates and signal-dependent regulation of protein stability. Synthetic control of these phenomena by small molecules provides deep insight into essential activities such as histone modification, BAF (SWI/SNF) and PBAF remodeling, Polycomb repression, enhancer looping by cohesin and CTCF, as well as many other processes that contribute to transcription. As a result, a complete understanding of the spatiotemporal mechanisms that underlie chromatin regulation increasingly requires the use of fast-acting drugs and chemical probes. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of next-generation chemical biology tools to interrogate the chromatin regulatory landscape, including selective PROTAC E3 ubiquitin ligase degraders, degrons, fluorescent ligands, dimerizers, inhibitors, and other drugs. These small molecules provide important insights into the mechanisms that govern gene regulation, DNA repair, development, and diseases like cancer.
Puerto Ricans on the U.S. Mainland

Puerto Rico, the United States’ oldest colony, harbors a long-standing history and evolving relationship with the mainland US. While both Puerto Rican and American, individuals from this island nation are faced with a unique set of challenges and, at times, conflicting identities and loyalties that make them both vulnerable and resilient in the face of adversity. Reporting on the most recent demographics, migration patterns, mental health and health disparities, socioeconomic factors, perceived discrimination, stunted perception of social mobility, as well as personal testimonies and biographies of Puerto Ricans, the authors use a historical and transnational perspective to delve into the lived experiences of this population. This chapter was formulated with the purpose of capturing how both historical and current events continue to shape the island nation, its people, and the perception of the two.
Identifying gaps in the food security safety net: the characteristics and availability of summer nutrition programmes in California, USA.

Objective The US Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option (summer nutrition programmes (SNP)) aim to relieve food insecurity for children and teens during summer months. More needs to be known about when and where SNP are available, and how availability varies by community characteristics, particularly in rural areas where food insecurity and reduced food access are more prevalent. Design The present study examined the geographic availability of SNP and summer meal uptake rates in 2016, using state-wide administrative claims data. Setting Public schools and SNP in California, USA.ParticipantsSchools (n 8842) and SNP (n 4685). Results Urban counties were more likely than rural counties to have higher summer uptake rates, calculated as the percentage of summer meals served relative to eligible students utilizing school meal programmes during the academic school year, but uptake overall was low at 18·2 % of target populations. Geographic availability analyses showed that 63·9 % of public urban schools had an SNP available within 1·6 km (1 mile), but availability was significantly higher within the proximity of larger, higher-poverty high schools with diverse or majority non-White students, and those with higher school-year breakfast participation rates. Availability of an SNP within 16 km (10 miles) of rural schools averaged 68·1 % but was significantly higher around larger schools, higher-poverty schools and those with diverse or majority non-White students. Conclusions While many communities have SNP available, much more work is needed to increase the availability of these programmes to reduce summer food insecurity for children, particularly in rural communities.
Thylakoid-integrated recombinant Hcf106 participates in the chloroplast twin arginine transport system.

The chloroplast twin arginine transport (cpTat) system distinguishes itself as a protein transport pathway by translocating fully folded proteins, using the proton-motive force (PMF) as the sole source of energy. The cpTat pathway is evolutionarily conserved with the Tat pathway found in the plasma membrane of many prokaryotes. The cpTat (Escherichia coli) system uses three proteins, Tha4 (TatA), Hcf106 (TatB), and cpTatC (TatC), to form a transient translocase allowing the passage of precursor proteins. Briefly, cpTatC and Hcf106, with Tha4, form the initial receptor complex responsible for precursor protein recognition and binding in an energy-independent manner, while a separate pool of Tha4 assembles with the precursor-bound receptor complex in the presence the PMF. Analysis by blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) shows that the receptor complex, in the absence of precursor, migrates near 700 kDa and contains cpTatC and Hcf106 with little Tha4 remaining after detergent solubilization. To investigate the role that Hcf106 may play in receptor complex oligomerization and/or stability, systematic cysteine substitutions were made in positions from the N-terminal transmembrane domain to the end of the predicted amphipathic helix of the protein. BN-PAGE analysis allowed us to identify the locations of amino acids in Hcf106 that were critical for interacting with cpTatC. Oxidative cross-linking allowed us to map interactions of the transmembrane domain and amphipathic helix region of Hcf106. In addition, we showed that in vitro expressed, integrated Hcf106 can interact with the precursor signal peptide domain and imported cpTatC, strongly suggesting that a subpopulation of the integrated Hcf106 is participating in competent cpTat complexes.
Moderating effects of person and job characteristics on digital monitoring outcomes.

Many individuals perceive digital monitoring to be an inherently negative practice that invades privacy, but recent research suggests that it has positive effects for workers under certain circumstances. This review expands upon existing digital monitoring frameworks by adopting a psychological perspective to explain individual and contextual variation in monitoring reactions. To do so, we identify person characteristics (e.g. trait reactance, self-efficacy, ethical orientation, goal orientation) and job characteristics (e.g. manual versus nonmanual labor, autonomy, task significance) that moderate workers’ reactions and performance outcomes while being digitally monitored. Future research on moderators such as these will remain important as organizations continue to collect big data using digital monitoring.
A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH4)2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide

Magnesium borohydride (Mg(BH4)2, abbreviated here MBH) has received tremendous attention as a promising onboard hydrogen storage medium due to its excellent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities. While the polymorphs of MBH-alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ)-have distinct properties, their synthetic homogeneity can be difficult to control, mainly due to their structural complexity and similar thermodynamic properties. Here, we describe an effective approach for obtaining pure polymorphic phases of MBH nanomaterials within a reduced graphene oxide support (abbreviated MBHg) under mild conditions (60-190 °C under mild vacuum, 2 Torr), starting from two distinct samples initially dried under Ar and vacuum. Specifically, we selectively synthesize the thermodynamically stable α phase and metastable β phase from the γ-phase within the temperature range of 150-180 °C. The relevant underlying phase evolution mechanism is elucidated by theoretical thermodynamics and kinetic nucleation modeling. The resulting MBHg composites exhibit structural stability, resistance to oxidation, and partially reversible formation of diverse [BH4]- species during de- and rehydrogenation processes, rendering them intriguing candidates for further optimization toward hydrogen storage applications.
Advances in bioresorbable electronics and uses in biomedical sensing

Modern electronics are fundamental not only to medical diagnostics, data acquisition and storage, and communication in healthcare at large, but are increasingly imperative to next-generation implantable biomedical devices and treatments. The new and expanding class of bioresorbable electronics capable of complete transience, or degradation, in physiological environments promises to enable surgical implantation without subsequent removal of the device. In situ degradation of such devices attenuates or circumvents downfalls of non-resorbable acute implants not limited to costs and complications of surgical device removal in addition to foreign body responses and potential sequelae from tissue obstruction. Transient biomedical electronics thus represent a critical leap toward translatable diagnostic, monitoring, and acute treatment devices. This chapter provides an overview of the developments of the composition and processing methods used to design bioresorbable electronic medical devices since the first fully transient electronic device in 2012. Applications of bioresorbable electronics from biosensing and tissue engineering to controlled drug release, wireless communication, and energy and memory storage are highlighted along with current research in methods enabling on-demand transience for preset device lifetimes and multifunctionality. The authors expect that this chapter will provide an insightful discussion on the progression of bioresorbable electronics for medical applications outlining materials and pertinent novel devices to guide future innovations of transient electronic devices for improving clinical care and patient-specific medicine.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – Earnings, Skill Acquisition, and the Job Market

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on earnings, skill acquisition, and the job market. The ultimate source of union power stems from their ability to deny individual employers or whole industries labor services through the strategy of strikes. Union strikes, as a tool of negotiation, would be effective only if unions can control all potential workers of a particular firm or industry. Without this kind of control, union power would be less effective because a firm struck by a union would simply replace union workers with nonunion workers. If firms could hire nonunion workers to replace union workers, unions would have reduced power to force wages to a level higher than that dictated by the market. Therefore, union power primarily rests on its ability to coerce and collude against fellow workers. The reason why coercion is necessary is that not all workers would find it in their best interest to support union activity. Higher wages secured by the union would give firms inducement to hire less labor.
Limited Support for Use of a Social-Belonging Intervention with First-Year Engineering Students

First-year STEM students often interpret academic challenges as diagnostic of belonging. Studies demonstrate that a social-belonging intervention helps undergraduates reframe belonging uncertainty as temporary and universal. We implemented this intervention with first-year engineering majors. In Study 1 (N = 284), we analyzed data from engineering mathematics students. Underrepresented students in the belonging intervention reported increased belonging over the semester but did not report significantly higher belonging post-intervention than peers in a control condition. The intervention did not impact achievement. In Study 2 (N = 87), we analyzed data from pre-calculus mathematics students, not replicating the intervention findings of Study 1. In both studies, perceived belonging at beginning-of-semester was positively associated with engineering mathematics grades at semester’s end. In Study 2, use of campus supports mediated the relationship between belonging and achievement over students’ first semester. These findings demonstrate a relationship between perceived belonging and gateway engineering course outcomes but limited support for a social-belonging intervention.
Stress Monitoring and Recent Advancements in Wearable Biosensors

The stress response allows the body to overcome obstacles and prepare for threats, but sustained levels of stress can damage one's health. Stress has long been measured through physical tests and questionnaires that rely primarily on user-inputted data, which can be subjective and inaccurate. To quantify the amount of stress that the body is experiencing biologically, analytical detection of biomarkers associated with the stress response recently have been developed. Novel stress sensing devices focus on cortisol sweat sensing as a part of wearable, flexible devices. These devices promise a real-time, continuous collection of stress data that can be used in clinical diagnoses or for personal stress monitoring and mediation.
Sex Differences in Human Ankle Stiffness During Standing Balance.

The purpose of this study is to quantify sex differences in 2-dimensional (2D) ankle stiffness during upright standing balance and investigate the mechanisms for the differences. A dual-axis robotic platform, capable of perturbing the ankle and measuring the corresponding ankle torques in both the sagittal and frontal planes, was used to reliably quantify the 2D ankle stiffness while healthy young human subjects perform a range of standing balance tasks, specifically, ankle muscle co-contraction tasks, weight-bearing tasks, and ankle torque generation tasks. In all task conditions and in both planes of ankle motion, ankle stiffness in males was consistently greater than that in females. Among all 26 experimental conditions, all but 2 conditions in the frontal plane showed statistically significant sex differences. Further investigation on the normalized ankle stiffness, scaled by weight times height, suggests that while sex differences in ankle stiffness in the sagittal plane could be explained by sex differences in anthropometric factors as well as neuromuscular factors, the differences in the frontal plane are mostly explained by anthropometric factors. This study also demonstrates that the sex differences in the sagittal plane were significantly higher as compared to those in the frontal plane. The results in this study will provide a foundation for not only characterizing sex differences in ankle stiffness during locomotion, but also investigating sex differences in lower body stability and risk of ankle injury.
A systematic review of telehealth interventions for managing anxiety and depression in African American adults

Background Although the difference in prevalence of mental illness is less than 7%, African American adults utilize mental health services at less than half the rate of their white counterparts. Evidence from past studies showed that telehealth interventions for anxiety and depression are effective in reducing symptoms. The objective of this systematic review is to survey the available peer-reviewed literature for studies that used telehealth interventions, specifically tailored for African American adults, to reduce anxiety or depression, and determine their effectiveness. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases for relevant articles published from January 1970 to December 2019. Results Three independent studies were identified. The findings showed significant reduction of depressive symptoms post-intervention (all P<0.05). However, effectiveness of telehealth intervention compared to face-to-face was not determined. None of the studies assessed the effectiveness of telehealth interventions to reduce anxiety. Conclusions The results highlight the need for additional research into the effectiveness of using telehealth modalities to manage anxiety and depression in African American adults. This systematic review has been registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (registration number: CRD42018104469; registration date: 09 August 2018).
Moral Rules, Self-Control, and School Context: Additional Evidence on Situational Action Theory from 28 Countries

The goal of the study is to address several voids in the literature investigating Situational Action Theory (SAT) by: (1) testing the role of parenting as a precursor to individual moral rules and self-control; (2) investigating the interplay between personal moral rules, self-control, and rules of school settings; and (3) exploring the generalizability of these theoretical links across western and nonwestern country clusters. Using unique data from the third iteration of the International Self-Reported Delinquency Survey (ISRD-3) of 28 different countries, this investigation puts SAT to the test in school settings by estimating a series of two-level mixed effect negative binomial linear regression models to assess the effects of SAT-relevant individual and school-level predictors on offending. The results suggest a moderately strong performance of SAT in western and nonwestern countries. Specifically, parenting acts as a partial precursor to individual moral rules and self-control. Furthermore, some SAT-relevant predictors are equally potent as crime predictors across western and nonwestern countries. However, the effects of moral rules significantly differ across western and nonwestern country clusters. Moral rules also appear to interact significantly with self-control and a number of contextual factors in their effects on delinquency. The results of the study point to the cultural generalizability of SAT but warrant further investigation as some differences in the findings across clusters exist.
Characteristics of Pregnant Women with and without HIV

Objective To describe the characteristics of the HIV-negative and HIV-positive pregnant women.
HELICOPTER EXTRACTABLE COLD WEATHER LIFERAFTS -- A DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Unless survivors immersed in cold water can be rescued very rapidly, they will die very soon from the effects of immersion hypothermia. There is no system at the present that can provide a rapidly deployable rescue platform for large numbers of people in cold water. The authors examine methods and equipment used at present in aircraft search and rescue and also examine methods provided by the use of a Helicopter Extractable Cold Weather Liferaft designed and developed for application in various disaster scenarios. Prototypes were constructed and tested successfully. .
New Insights and Clarity for Peripartum Heart Failure and Recovery in the Modern Era.

Few diseases are as dramatic as peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). This rare illness has been described in cultures across the world, is little understood, and afflicts a woman right at the moment she brings forth life. Several mechanisms of disease have been proposed, including myocarditis,
Ketoprofen: A Review of Its Pharmacologic and Clinical Properties

Ketoprofen (Orudis), a highly potent and safe nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug of the propionic acid derivative group, was synthesized in France by Rhone-Poulenc chemists in 1967, 3 years after the prototype ibuprofen. Ketoprofen was introduced in 1973 in France and the United Kingdom for antiinflammatory use. Today the drug is available in about 80 countries and has recently been approved in the United States for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The therapeutic experience with ketoprofen is estimated to have exceeded 3 million patient-years. Double-blind trials have established its therapeutic equivalence with aspirin, indomethacin, and ibuprofen in rheumatoid arthritis and with aspirin in osteoarthritis. Ketoprofen has a short half-life, a simple metabolism, and a broad therapeutic window, and does not accumulate with multiple doses. These features contribute to a rapid onset of action, flexible dosing, and a reliable tolerance profile.
How to Find Your Economic Profits

Economic performance measures can have powerful advantages over traditional accounting metrics, but require thoughtful interpretation to avoid classic pitfalls: - Costing for Capital - EVA-based Throughput Accounting - Joint & Common Costs - Lean, Six Sigma, and Economic Profit - Incorporating Value into the Profit Equation
Effect of dietary selenium deficiency on incidence and size of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumors in rats.

Torula yeast diets deficient (less than or equal to 0.02 ppm) in selenium (Se) and a control diet supplemented with sodium selenite (0.1 ppm Se), were fed to 52 male Sprague-Dawley rats per diet for 23 wk following weaning. 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was administered (20 mg/kg body weight) in 20 weekly i.p. injections after 3 wk of feeding. After 23 wk, 67% of the rats fed the Se-deficient diet had intestinal adenocarcinomas versus 63% on the 0.1 ppm Se diets. Diet also had no effect on the number or size of tumors per tumor-bearing animal or on the location of the tumors within the colon. The effects of Se deficiency on the hematological variables of white blood cell count, hematocrit, serum urea nitrogen and cholesterol concentrations were examined. Serum urea nitrogen levels were lower in Se-deficient DMH-treated rats (9.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 13.7 +/- 0.9 mg/dl, P less than 0.01) and serum cholesterol was higher in Se-deficient DMH-treated animals (69.0 +/- 5.5 vs. 50.7 +/- 3.9 mg/dl, P less than 0.05). Body weights of the Se-depleted group were lower in the DMH-treated animals (P less than 0.01) although food consumption did not differ. Controls without DMH did not show differences due to Se status for any variable examined. Se deficiency appears to affect DMH toxicity but nutritional adequacy (0.1 ppm Se) does not inhibit tumor development. The results of this study do not support the belief that Se deficiency enhances colon carcinogenesis.
Determination of antibody hapten association kinetics: a simplified experimental approach

A simplified method has been developed for the determination of antibody-hapten association kinetics that permits the study of high affinity interactions with second order forward rate constants of the order of 10 7 to 10 8 M -1 sec -1 . Use of tritiated haptens of high specific activity and antibodies of high affinity allows reactions to be run at initial hapten and antibody concentrations of the order of 10 -9 to 10 -10 M, well below the level at which mixing becomes the rate-limiting step. Separation of antibody-bound from free hapten by the use of dextran-coated charcoal can be carried out with sufficient rapidity (2 sec) that the systems under investigation are not appreciably disturbed. With this technique, the association of 3 H-ouabain with rabbit ouabain-specific antibody was found to occur with a rate constant of 0.8 × 10 7 M -1 sec -1 , similar to association rates of dye haptens with antibodies of substantially lower affinity. The ratio of this association rate constant to the independently determined dissociation rate constant was 5.4 × 10 9 M -1 , in satisfactory agreement with a k 0 value of 3.5 × 10 9 M -1 determined by Sips analysis of data obtained under equilibrium conditions. This approach should be applicable to the direct kinetic assessment of numerous high affinity antibody-hapten systems of current interest.
Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A: a clinical update on non-cosmetic uses.

PURPOSE: Clinical experience with botulinum toxin type A for non-cosmetic uses that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and various other non-cosmetic uses that are not approved by FDA, including some applications that are widely known and others that currently are emerging, is discussed. SUMMARY: FDA-approved indications for botulinum toxin type A (Botox) include the temporary treatment of cervical dystonia (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck), the oculomotor disorders strabismus (improperly aligned eyes) and blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscles), and severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Other uses of botulinum toxin type A that are widely known but not approved by FDA include spastic disorders associated with injury or disease of the central nervous system including trauma, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy and focal dystonias affecting the limbs, face, jaw, or vocal cords. Treatment and prevention of chronic headache and chronic musculoskeletal pain are emerging uses for botulinum toxin type A. CONCLUSION: Many of the conditions for which botulinum toxin type A has been explored are common and difficult to treat. Temporary improvement in symptoms is associated with botulinum toxin type A injection, and repeat treatment often is required. The drug is well tolerated and has a wide margin of safety.
Protocols and lower bounds for failure localization in the internet

A secure failure-localization path-quality-monitoring (FLPQM) protocols allows a sender to localize faulty links on a single path through a network to a receiver, even when intermediate nodes on the path behave adversarially. Such protocols were proposed as tools that enable Internet service providers to select high-performance paths through the Internet, or to enforce contractual obligations. We give the first formal definitions of security for FL-PQM protocols and construct: 1. A simple FL-PQM protocol that can localize a faulty link every time a packet is not correctly delivered. This protocol's communication overhead is O(1) additional messages of length O(n) per packet (where n is the security parameter). 2. A more efficient FL-PQM protocol that can localize a faulty link when a noticeable fraction of the packets sent during some time period are not correctly delivered. The number of additional messages is an arbitrarily small fraction of the total number of packets. We also prove lower bounds for such protocols: 1. Every secure FL-PQM protocol requires each intermediate node on the path to have some shared secret information (e.g. keys). 2. If secure FL-PQM protocols exist then so do one-way functions. 3. Every black-box construction of a FL-PQM protocol from a random oracle that securely localizes every packet and adds at most O(log n) messages overhead per packet requires each intermediate node to invoke the oracle. These results show that implementing FL-PQM requires active cooperation (i.e. maintaining keys and agreeing on, and performing, cryptographic protocols) from all of the intermediate nodes along the path. This may be problematic in the Internet, where links operate at extremely high speeds, and intermediate nodes are owned by competing business entities with little incentive to cooperate.
Chu spaces: towards new foundations for fuzzy logic and fuzzy control, with applications to information flow on the World Wide Web

The article examines Chu spaces, a new formalism used to describe parallelism and information flow. It shows that Chu spaces provide uniform explanations for different choices of fuzzy methodology, such as choices of fuzzy logical operations, of membership functions, of defuzzification, etc.
Analysis of the high frequency longitudinal instability of bunched beams using a computer model

Abstract The effects of high frequency longitudinal forces on bunched beams are investigated using a computer model. These forces are thought to arise from the transfer of energy between the beam and various structures in the vacuum chamber, this coupling being characterized by a longitudinal impedance function. The simulation is performed with a passive cavity-like element. It is found that the instability can be generated if three conditions are fulfilled: (1) the impedance must be sufficiently large, (2) the induced field must have a fast wake, and (3) the frequency of the induced field must be high enough. In particular, it is shown that the coasting beam threshold criterion for the longitudinal impedance accurately describes the onset of instability, if local values along the bunch of energy spread and current are used. It is also found that the very fast initial growth rate is in good agreement with linear theory and that the coasting beam overshoot expression may be used as a rough guide of the limiting growth for unstable bunches. Concerning the wake field, it is shown how the instability tends to disappear as the fields persist longer. It is furthermore demonstrated that as the wavelength of the unstable mode is increased, initially unstable conditions begin to weaken and vanish. This, it should be emphasized, is primarily a result of the strong correlation between the unstable mode frequency and the time rate of attenuation of the induced fields. ISR parameters are used throughout and a correspondence between the microwave instability observed in the ISR bunches and the simulated instability is suggested.
Structural cladistic study of Cocoseae, subtribe Attaleinae (Arecaceae): Evaluating taxonomic limits in Attaleinae and the neotropical genus Syagrus

Syagrus (Areaceae: Cocoseae) is a New World palm genus occurring through most of South America, with one species in the eastern Caribbean. Relationships within Syagrus, Cocoseae and Attaleinae (Arecaceae) are investigated via cladistic analysis of 130 structural characters in 69 ingroup and three outgroup species. The data resolve relationships and test generic limits of Attaleinae and among the Syagrus complex. Maximum parsimony analysis derived the following relationships: 1) two major clades (butioid and syagroid) are resolved; 2) Syagrus is polyphyletic as presently defined, with Allagoptera (incl. Polyandrococos), Cocos, Voanioala, and Attalea nested within it; 3) all genera studied except Syagrus and Butia are monophyletic; and 4) relationships in Syagrus broadly align with phytogeography and leaflet anatomy. The data suggest that Syagrus is polyphyletic, and presently accepted taxonomy may not predict monophyletic groups. The relationships predicted by the structural data differ from those resolved via molecular means in part, and also show some congruence.
Convergence and Divergence in Renewable Energy Policy among US States from 1998 to 2011

Actors at the state level in the United States are attentive to the actions of others in their broader political context when enacting policies. For all that is known about the diffusion of policies in a political context, less is understood about why some states ultimately end up with policies that are similar in structure, but vastly different in content. Do the forces that drive states to policy action also shape the content of the enacted policies? Examining the case of renewable energy policy among US states over a fourteen-year period, this paper addresses this question using event history analysis and an original longitudinal data set of state political and economic characteristics. State’s energy economy, the presence of Democratic politicians, and environmental movement organizations are found to be important for determining the kind of policy a state ultimately enacts, while regional policy adoption explains why some states choose to enact largely symbolic renewable energy policies. Policy adoption should be conceptualized as a multifaceted process, with different factors acting as the impetus for action and others shaping the content of the policy. Understanding the nuanced roles of state characteristics and policy diffusion in the policy adoption process requires avoiding binary outcomes of passage or inaction in favor of simultaneously examining both policy action and policy content.
Acyclic colorings of planar graphs

Abstract It is shown that a planar graph can be partitioned into three linear forests. The sharpness of the result is also considered.
Optimal imaging for guiding TAVR: transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography, or just fluoroscopy?

THE FOLLOWING iFORUM DEBATE FEATURES 3 VIEWPOINTS related to the most practical and effective imaging strategy for guiding transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Kronzon, et al. provide evidence that enhanced analysis of abrtic valve anatomy and improved appreciation of complications mandate the use of transesophageal echocardiography as front-Line imaging modality for ALL patients undergoing TAVR. On the other hand, Saric and colleagues compare and contrast the approach of performing TAVR under transthoracic guidance. Lastly, Kasel and co-workers provide preliminary evidence that TAVR could be performed under fluoroscopic guidance without the need for additional imaging technique. Although the use of Less-intensive sedation or anesthesia might reduce the procedural time, we need more randomized data to establish the most cost-effective approach in guiding TAVR.
Metal Enhanced Electrochemical Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) Sensor for Biological Applications

A journal article by Dr. Naumih M. Noah a lecturer at United States International University - Africa.
Ipsilateral Hypertropia after Cataract Surgery

Abstract Background: Reports of acquired strabismus caused by injection of local anesthetics during cataract surgery have increased recently. The authors proposed a mechanism to explain the occurrence of strabismus with apparent overactive muscles after cataract surgery. Methods: The authors studied 19 patients in whom strabismus developed after cataract surgery. Prism and cover test in the diagnostic positions of gaze and forced-duction testing were used to identify the affected muscles. Results: The deviation was greater in the field of action of the presumed tight muscle in 16 of 19 patients. An ipsilateral hypertropia with superior rectus muscle overaction subsequently developed in two patients with an initial hypotropia. An overaction of the ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle causing an exotropia developed in one patient with initially limited abduction. Conclusions: Myotoxicity from direct injection of local anesthetics into an extraocular muscle probably causes transient paresis followed by segmental contracture of the involved, muscle. Mild contractures result in strabismus with a motility pattern of an overactive muscle. Larger amounts of contracture lead to restrictive strabismus. The risk of strabismus may be decreased by administering the local anesthetic into sub-Tenon space using a blunt-tipped cannula when performing cataract surgery.
QSAR Model for Drug Human Oral Bioavailability.

The quantitative structure−bioavailability relationship of 232 structurally diverse drugs was studied to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a predictive model for the human oral bioavailability of prospective new medicinal agents. The oral bioavailability determined in human adults was assigned one of four ratings and analyzed in relation to physicochemical and structural factors by the ORMUCS (ordered multicategorical classification method using the simplex technique) method. A systematic examination of various physicochemical parameters relating primarily to absorption, and structural elements which could influence metabolism, was carried out to analyze their effects on the bioavailabilty classification of drugs in the data set. Lipophilicity, expressed as the distribution coefficient at pH 6.5, was found to be a significant factor influencing bioavailability. The observation that acids generally had better bioavailability characterizitics than bases, with neutral compounds between, led to the for...
Propagation of Entero- and Other Viruses in Renal Cells Obtained from Non-Primate Hosts

after exposure to viruses may be quickly destroyed (1), may become infected and survive for indefinite periods (2, 3), or may not become infected at all. Certain viruses, such as the former ECHO type 10 (now appointed to a respiratoryenteric group [4] of viruses), have the ability to propagate in and destroy renal cells derived from many mammals (5, 6), while in our laboratory others, namely polioviruses and many ECHO viruses, have a more limited spectrum and can be propagated only in cells obtained from primates. Other viruses like the Coxsackie Group B viruses have intermediate positions in their capacities for growth in certain kinds of cells and also for the destruction of these
Layer Charge and Interlamellar Expansion in a Muscovite1

Treatment of a muscovite (Delamica) with molten lithium nitrate produced a lowering of the layer charge on the mica. By gradual reduction of the density of surface charge the dependence of interlamellar expansion on the attainment of a critical value of about 6.7 × 104 e.s.u./cm2 was demonstrated in a straightforward manner.
Porcine small intestinal submucosa is not an ideal graft material for Peyronie's disease surgery.

Purpose: The incidence of Peyronie’s disease is up to 7% in some series. While there are numerous nonsurgical methods of treatment, they do not have a high rate of success. Nesbit plication was once the accepted surgery for Peyronie’s disease. Tunical lengthening procedures became popular because they avoided penile shortening caused by the Nesbit procedure. More urologists now perform plaque incision or excision, followed by grafting with different materials. Small intestinal submucosa offered promise as an ideal graft material. It is available off the shelf as 1 or 4-ply graft material. In several studies it appeared to function as a collagen based scaffold with graft incorporation in host tissue.Materials and Methods: A single reconstructive urologist performed plaque incision and small intestinal submucosa grafting in 4 cases of Peyronie’s disease using the same surgical technique.Results: Although early results were positive, we have achieved less than satisfactory results with this material. The pen...
Carbonatotetramminocobaltic nitrate activation of butadiene‐styrene emulsion copolymerization

Rapid low-temperature butadiene-styrene emulsion copolymerization may be effected by a redox-activated system composed of carbonatotetramminocobaltic nitrate and dodecyl mercaptan. This system reaches 75% conversion of monomer to polymer in 0.8 hour at 50°C., 2.8 hours at 30°C., or 27 hours at 0°C., and is thus about fifteen times as fast as standard recipes now in use. The modifying effect of dodecyl mercaptan improves as the polymerization temperature is lowered, producing loosely cross-linked polymers at 30°C. and well-modified polymers at 0°C.
Apples Prevent Mammary Tumors in Rats

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables has been consistently shown to be associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Apples are commonly consumed and are the major contributors of phytochemicals in human diets. It was previously reported that apple extracts exhibit strong antioxidant and antiproliferative activities and that the major part of total antioxidant activity is from the combination of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals, including phenolics and flavonoids, are suggested to be the bioactive compounds contributing to the health benefits of apples. Here it is shown that whole apple extracts prevent mammary cancer in a rat model in a dose-dependent manner at doses comparable to human consumption of one, three, and six apples a day. This study demonstrated that whole apple extracts effectively inhibited mammary cancer growth in the rat model; thus, consumption of apples may be an effective strategy for cancer protection.
Sustaining Transformation: Resiliency in Hard Times

The strategic, systemic, and encompassing evolution of a college or university spans a number of years, and the vagaries of economic cycles inevitably catch transforming institutions in mid-voyage. “Sustaining Transformation: Resiliency in Hard Times” presents a study of Wagner College as it moves into its second decade of purposeful institutional change. In 1997, with finances all but exhausted, Wagner was forced by economic circumstances to redefine itself. Richard Guarasci, hired that year as provost, led Wagner's faculty in the development of a comprehensive redesign of the curriculum that was student-centered, theoretical, experiential, and integrated with the college's location in New York City. Known as the Wagner Plan, the new curriculum attracted students, and the college's finances began to stabilize. To avoid faculty burn-out—the greatest barrier to sustained transformation—Wagner supports their on-going engagement through a multi-faceted system for professional growth developed under the leade...
Robust prediction intervals in a regression setting

Abstract A lot of work has been done in the area of robust alternatives to least squares in a regression setting. This work has primarily focused on robust estimation of the parameters in a regression equation when the assumption of Gaussian errors has been relaxed. In a lot of real world situations estimation of parameters is just part of the problem of interest. It is often desired to predict a future dependent variable given the observed independent variables. The problem here is that if the desired level of prediction is large, say 90%, then the desired information lies in that part of the sample residuals which may contain outliers. This is true even if a robust regression procedure has been employed to estimate the parameters. In this study we intend to examine methods of predicting a future observation that are robust across a variety of situations involving errors that are symmetrically distributed. In other words, these procedures will provide prediction intervals that maintain the nominal coverage without being too wide.
Thromboembolic complications of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for myocardial infarction.

To determine the incidence of thromboembolic complications of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in the setting of recent and acute myocardial infarction, the clinical sequelae and coronary angiographic findings were examined in a series of 13 patients who underwent PTCA either as acute intervention during the infarction or as treatment for recurrent myocardial ischemia that occurred soon after the initial completed infarction. In all cases, the angiographic appearance in the infarct-related artery was that of thrombus in the setting of total or subtotal occlusion. Balloon dilatation, without antecedent thrombolytic therapy, was performed in 14 arteries and was successful in establishing reperfusion with reduction of the degree of intraluminal narrowing to less than 50% in all cases. Residual thrombus at the site of inflation was noted in two cases (15%), and embolization was noted in four cases (29%), for an incidence of complication of 44%. In five of six instances in which either residual thrombus or embolization were noted, the initial infarction had occurred greater than 24 h before. In only one of seven cases in which PTCA was used as acute intervention during infarction of less than 4 h duration was the presence of residual thrombus noted after PTCA. Therefore, these findings suggest that thromboembolic complications after PTCA in the setting of recent or acute myocardial infarction are uncommon when the syndrome is less than 4 h duration; however, complications are relatively frequent when infarction has occurred greater than 24 h before. PTCA as a primary intervention in this latter setting should be approached cautiously.
Opto-mechanical force measurement of deep sub-wavelength plasmonic modes

Spatial mapping of optical force near the hot-spot of a metal-dielectric-metal bow-tie nanoantenna at a wavelength of 1550 nm is presented. Non contact mode atomic force microscopy is used with a lock-in method to produce the map. Maxwell’s stress tensor method has also been used to simulate the force produced by the bow-tie and it agrees with the experimental data. If dual lock-in amplifiers are used, this method could potentially produce the near field intensity and optical force map simultaneously, both with high spatial resolution. Detailed mapping of the optical force is critical for many emerging applications such as plasmonic biosensing and optomechanical switching.
Implementation of a networked virtual nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer

Virtual instrumentation offers several advantages over traditional instruments, such as the ability to simplify hardware design, the flexibility to easily change device function, and more recently,the ability to operate instrumentation from remote locations. In this article, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) receiver is being developed using virtual instrumentation technology. In lieu of the analog technology used in traditional NMR instruments, a high-speed data acquisition board is used to directly digitize the radio-frequency (RF) NMR signal. This signal is then demodulated and processed from within LabVIEW®. Work is also being done so that the instrument can be operated over the Internet in a client–server mode. The resulting receiver was tested using both hardware- and software-simulated NMR signals. © 1998 National Instruments. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Lab Robotics and Automation 10: 115–118, 1998