cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Power System Stabilizers Using Artificial Immune System

Power system stabilizers (PSSs) are used to damp intra-area and inter-area oscillations in a power network. They provide effective supplementary control by supplying auxiliary control signals to the excitation system of the generators. The proper tuning of PSSs has a significant influence on its effectiveness in providing the required damping under different operating conditions and disturbances. Various algorithms have been successfully implemented to simultaneously design multiple optimal PSSs in power systems. As the power network's operating conditions change, the performance of PSSs degrade. Optimal PSS parameters obtained using bacteria foraging algorithm (BFA) have shown to successfully damp out system oscillations during disturbances for various operating conditions. This paper presents an artificial immune system based PSS design to adapt the optimal parameters of the PSSs. The innate immunity to system oscillations is provided by the optimal PSS parameters while the adaptive immunity is provided by adapting the PSS parameters during transients. The effectiveness of the 'adaptive' optimal PSSs (APSSs) is evaluated on the two-area four-machine benchmark power system
Gender affects macrophage cytokine and prostaglandin E2 production and PGE2 receptor expression after trauma1

Background Gender influences morbidity and mortality after injury. Hormonal differences are important; however, the role of prostaglandins as mediators in immune dysfunction relating to gender differences after trauma is unclear. We hypothesized that gender-dependent differences in PGE 2 receptor expression and signaling may be involved in immune-related differences. This study determined prostaglandin receptor subtype (EP1–EP4) expression following injury and determined whether gender differences influence EP receptor expression. Materials and methods BALB/c male and female mice (estrus and pro-estrus) ( n = 6 per group) were subjected to femur fracture and 40% hemorrhage (trauma) or sham injury (anesthesia). Seven days later, the splenic macrophages were harvested and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide ( Escherichia coli serotype O55:B5). After 6 h mRNA samples were collected for EP receptor mRNA expression and at 24 h supernatants were collected for PGE 2 , TNF-α, and IL-6 production. Results The expression of EP2-4 receptors was higher in female pro-estrus mice compared with male mice. EP1 receptor expression was higher in males than pro-estrus females. There was decreased expression of all four receptors after trauma in female estrus compared with control estrus mice. Macrophage PGE 2 , TNF-α, and IL-6 production was significantly increased in injured female mice compared with female controls but there were no differences in injured male mice compared with male controls. PGE 2 and TNF-α production by traumatized male mice were significantly less than that produced by traumatized pro-estrus females. Conclusions These data suggest gender-related differences in response to traumatic injury and that alterations in specific EP receptor subtypes may be involved in immune dysfunction after injury. Studies to evaluate targeted modulation of these receptor subtypes may provide further insights to gender-specific differences in the immune response after injury.
Dual regulation of Escherichia coli secA translation by distinct upstream elements.

The regulation of the Escherichia coli secA gene, whose translation is auto-repressed except when protein secretion becomes limiting, was investigated using a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches. Oligonucleotide-directed deletion and point mutagenesis was used to show that only the last quarter of the upstream gene, geneX, and the geneX-secA intergenic are essential for proper regulation. This region previously shown to contain a secretion-responsive element contains two predicted helices, helix I and II, the latter of which would occlude the secA Shine-Dalgarno sequence. Mutations that destabilized the lower portion of helix II increased secA basal expression, reduced auto-repression by SecA protein, but retained a normal pattern of derepression of secA expression during a protein export block. The introduction of compensatory mutations into helix II that were predicted to restore base-pairing restored secA regulation to wild-type levels or nearly so, suggesting that this helix does play a role in secA auto-regulation in vivo. In contrast, mutations in the lower portion of helix I decreased secA basal expression, reduced auto-repression by SecA protein, and abolished the responsiveness of secA expression to a protein export block. In this latter case introduction of compensatory mutations into helix I that were predicted to restore base-pairing did not restore proper secA regulation, indicating that specific nucleotides in this region are required for normal secA regulation. Primer- extension inhibition (toeprint) analysis with 30 S ribosomal subunits, tRNAfMet, and a model segment of geneX-secA RNA carrying the relevant mutations was used to show that mutations that destabilized helix II increased ribosome binding at the secA translation initiation site, while mutations that perturbed helix I decreased ribosome binding at this site. Our results suggest strongly that there is a system of dual regulation of secA translation, whereby helix I serves as an activator element while helix II serves as a repressor element.
Flow-rate dependence of post-column reaction chromatographic detectors and optimization of reactor length for slow chemical reactions

Abstract In high-performance liquid chromatography, use of any post-column reactor invariably involves a compromise between the conditions needed to obtain complete reaction and avoidance of excessive dispersion by band broadening in the reactor. Flow rate and the reactor geometry interact to establish the final chromatographic performance. Based on the flow-rate dependence of the peak area and peak height, post-column detectors constitute a distinct class of detectors which differ from mass-flow and concentrations-sensitive detectors such as the flame ionization and absorbance detector, respectively. The concept of reactor length optimization is developed for first-order chemical reactions in a post-column detector. The findings are applicable to both chromatographic and flow-injection systems.
Type I calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase is neural specific

The distribution of type I calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase in bovine and rat tissues was examined by northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization. Northern blot analysis using poly(A)(+)-selected RNA from various bovine tissues indicated that mRNA for type I adenylyl cyclase was found only in brain, retina, and adrenal medulla, suggesting that this enzyme is neural specific. In situ hybridization studies using bovine, rabbit, and rat retina indicated that mRNA for type I adenylyl cyclase is found in all three nuclear layers of the neural retina and is particularly abundant in the inner segment of the photoreceptor cells. The neural-specific distribution of type I adenylyl cyclase mRNA and its restricted expression in areas of brain implicated in neuroplasticity are consistent with the proposal that this enzyme plays an important role in various neuronal functions including learning and memory.
Complex regional pain syndrome (reflex sympathetic dystrophy and causalgia): management with the calcium channel blocker nifedipine and/or the α-sympathetic blocker phenoxybenzamine in 59 patients

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is the new name for entities formerly known mostly as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and Causalgia. Treatment of CRPS with either the calcium channel blocker nifedipine or the alpha-sympathetic blocker phenoxybenzamine was assessed in 59 patients, 12 with early stages of CRPS, 47 with chronic stage CRPS. In the early stage CRPS patients, 3 of 5 were cured with nifedipine and 8 of 9 (2 of whom had earlier received nifedipine) with phenoxybenzamine, for a cure rate of 92% (11 out of 12). In the chronic stage CRPS patients, 10 of 30 were cured with nifedipine; phenoxybenzamine cured 7 of 17 patients when administered as a first choice and another 2 of 7 patients who received nifedipine earlier, for a total late stage success rate of 40% (19 out of 47). The most common side effects necessitating discontinuing the drug were headaches for nifedipine and orthostatic dizziness, nausea and diarrhoea for phenoxybenzamine. All male patients on phenoxybenzamine experienced impotence, but this did not lead to discontinuing this agent and immediately disappeared after stopping the drug. These results once again stress the importance of early recognition of CRPS, and treatment with either of these drugs could be considered as a first choice for early CRPS, especially because in this series this treatment was not combined with physical therapy making it very cost-effective. In the chronic stage of CRPS, treatment with these drugs was much less successful (40%), even though it was always combined with physical therapy, but it can still be considered, either as a first choice or when other types of treatment have failed.
Urease as a nanoreactor for growing crystalline ZnO nanoshells at room temperature

Reactor core: Hybrid core–shell urease–ZnO nanostructures have been synthesized (see picture). The crystallization takes place under mild biological conditions, thus ensuring its easy implementation in other room-temperature syntheses of oxide semiconductor materials.
A numerical study of an ill-posed Boussinesq equation arising in water waves and nonlinear lattices: Filtering and regularization techniques1This research was supported by NSF grants No. DMS-9208061 and by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Associate Provost for Graduate Studies at Texas A&M University.1

We consider an ill-posed Boussinesq equation which arises in shallow water waves and nonlinear lattices. This equation has growing and decaying modes in the linear as well as nonlinear regimes and its linearized growth rate @s for short-waves of wavenumber k is given by @s~k^2. Previous numerical studies have addressed numerical difficulties and construction of approximate solutions for ill-posed problems with short-wave instability up to @s~k, e.g. Kelvin-Helmholtz (@s~k) and Rayleigh-Taylor (@s~k) instabilities. These same issues are addressed and critically examined here for the present problem which has more severe short-wave instability. In order to develop numerical techniques for constructing good approximate solutions of this equation, we use a finite difference scheme to investigate the effect of this short-wave instability on the numerical accuracy of the exact solitary wave solution of this equation. Computational evidence is presented which indicates that numerical accuracy of the solutions is lost very quickly due to severe growth of numerical errors, roundoff as well as truncation. We use both filtering and regularization techniques to control growth of these errors and to provide better approximate solutions of this equation. In the filtering technique, numerical experiments with three types of spectral filters of increasing order of regularity are performed. We examine the role of regularity of these filters on the accuracy of the numerical solutions. Numerical evidence is provided which indicates that the regularity of a filter plays an important role in improving the accuracy of the solutions. In the regularization technique, the ill-posed equation is regularized by adding a higher order term to the equation. Two types of higher order terms are discussed: (i) one that diminishes the growth rate of all modes below a cutoff wavenumber and sets the growth rate of all modes above it to zero; and (ii) the other one diminishes the growth rate of all modes and the growth rate asymptotically approaches to zero as the wavenumber approaches infinity. We have argued in favor of the first type of regularization and numerical results using a finite difference scheme are presented. Numerical evidence is provided which suggests that regularization in combination with the most regular (C^2 here) spectral filter for small values of the regularization parameter can provide good approximate solutions of the ill-posed Boussinesq equation for longer time than possible otherwise. Some of the ideas presented here can possibly be utilized for solving other ill-posed problems with severe short-wave instabilities and may have an important role to play in numerical studies of their solutions.
Modern helicopter rotor aerodynamics

Abstract The helicopter rotor wake is among the most complex fluid dynamic structures being three dimensional and in many cases unsteady. The wake begins at the blade(s) where the flow can be transonic near the blade tip and undergo compressible dynamic stall. Farther down in the wake, the flow is essentially incompressible. Moreover, the rotor blades undergo complex unsteady motions because of the necessity to balance moments; they are elastic as well. In this paper, the fundamental aeromechanics of the wake and the flow on the blade is discussed and the primary methods of analysis, computation, and experiment employed to uncover the physics of the rotor wake are described.
Cross-Border Bank Mergers and Acquisitions: What Factors Pull and Push Banks Together?

This paper evaluates factors that encourage or impede cross-border mergers and acquisitions in banking. The effects of bank specific features, as well as bank regulatory factors, from both target and acquiring banks' perspectives, are estimated. Three comprehensive databases are combined to provide a unique dataset to study cross-border merger and acquisition activities of banks. Banking sector regulatory variables included make this study among the first to empirically and comprehensively analyze the interrelationship between bank regulation and cross-border bank mergers and acquisitions. The results indicate that both bank characteristics and country specific characteristics are important determinants of banks' cross-border merger and acquisition activities.
Probing strong-field electron-nuclear dynamics of polyatomic molecules using proton motion

Proton ejection during Coulomb explosion is studied for several structure-related organic molecules (anthracene, anthraquinone, and octahydroanthracene) subjected to $800\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, $60\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$ laser pulses at intensities from 0.50 to $4.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{14}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The proton kinetic energy distributions are found to be markedly structure specific. The distributions are bimodal for anthracene and octahydroanthracene and trimodal for anthraquinone. Maximum (cutoff) energies of the distributions range from $50\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$ for anthracene to $83\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$ for anthraquinone. The low-energy mode $(\ensuremath{\sim}10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV})$ is most pronounced in octahydroanthracene. The dependence of the characteristic features of the distributions on the laser intensity provides insights into molecular specificity of such strong-field phenomena as (i) nonadiabatic charge localization and (ii) field-mediated restructuring of polyatomic molecules polarized by a strong laser field.
Monomeric fluorescent timers that change color from blue to red report on cellular trafficking

Based on the mechanism for chromophore formation in red fluorescent proteins, we developed three mCherry-derived monomeric variants, called fluorescent timers (FTs), that change their fluorescence from the blue to red over time. These variants exhibit distinctive fast, medium and slow blue-to-red chromophore maturation rates that depend on the temperature. At 37 °C, the maxima of the blue fluorescence are observed at 0.25, 1.2 and 9.8 h for the purified fast-FT, medium-FT and slow-FT, respectively. The half-maxima of the red fluorescence are reached at 7.1, 3.9 and 28 h, respectively. The FTs show similar timing behavior in bacteria, insect and mammalian cells. Medium-FT allowed for tracking of the intracellular dynamics of the lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP-2A) and determination of its age in the targeted compartments. The results indicate that LAMP-2A transport through the plasma membrane and early or recycling endosomes to lysosomes is a major pathway for LAMP-2A trafficking.
Interaction of Diet and Genes in Atherogenesis Report of an NHLBI Working Group

Abstract Recent advances in genetics and information emerging from the Human Genome Project make it feasible to examine the importance of dietary-genetic interactions in the development of atherosclerosis. In the opinion of the Working Group, three approaches are necessary to examine this concern. The first approach utilizes animal models to map and identify candidate genes involved in dietary responsiveness and atherogenesis. The second approach involves the evaluation of these genes in specific physiological processes involved in dietary responsiveness and atherogenesis. Finally, the third approach is to extend the studies performed in animal models to human populations using linkage or association studies.
The discovery and development of sorafenib for the treatment of thyroid cancer.

Introduction: Although the prognosis for most differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) remains excellent, recurrence and insensitivity to radioactive iodine (RAI) lead to therapeutic challenges and poorer outcomes. In defining the pathogenesis of DTC, multiple genetic alterations have been identified in key pathways focused around receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and the MAPK cascade. Sorafenib was specifically developed to target rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF) kinase in the MAPK pathway. It has been shown, however, to have potent inhibition of several key RTKs, RAF kinase and the V600E BRAF mutation, gaining FDA approval in November 2013 for advanced RAI-refractory DTC.Areas covered: The authors provide a review of the targeted RAF kinase discovery strategy as well as the preclinical and clinical development of sorafenib, leading to FDA approval of DTC. The authors also provide some insight into the clinical use of sorafenib and look at important considerations for treatment.Expert opinion: Sorafeni...
Interventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance: still tantalizing

The often touted advantages of MR guidance remain largely unrealized for cardiovascular interventional procedures in patients. Many procedures have been simulated in animal models. We argue these opportunities for clinical interventional MR will be met in the near future. This paper reviews technical and clinical considerations and offers advice on how to implement a clinical-grade interventional cardiovascular MR (iCMR) laboratory. We caution that this reflects our personal view of the "state of the art."
Dead-zone digital controllers for improved dynamic response of low harmonic rectifiers

This paper introduces a simple digital control method that enables fast regulation of the output voltage in low harmonic rectifiers with power factor correction (PFC). The method is based on the use of an insensitive region, i.e., "dead-zone," in analog-to-digital conversion, for elimination of the output capacitor voltage ripple in the feedback loop. The dead-zone can either be fixed and larger than the maximum ripple magnitude, or it can be dynamically adjusted in accordance with the output load. Simple implementations of these two dead-zone controllers are shown on an experimental completely digitally controlled 250-W boost PFC operating at 200-kHz switching frequency. The experimental results show that this control method results in low current harmonics and improved load transient responses, which are significantly faster than in low-harmonic rectifiers with conventional low-bandwidth voltage-loop controllers.
Changes in ponderosa pine site productivity following removal of understory vegetation

Competition from understory vegetation for water and nutrients can limit productivity of young forest stands. Less is known of the effect of understory vegetation on long-term stand growth or soil organic properties. The effect of understory vegetation on periodic annual increments (PAIs) of basal area, height, and volume for ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Doug].) in central Oregon at 4 or 5-yr intervals was examined for a 35-yr period. Soil C, N, and microbial biomass C (MBC) were also quantified after 32 and 35 yr with and without understory vegetation on a sandy loam pumice soil (Xeric Vitricryand). Five tree spacings, ranging from 2.0 to 8.0 m (1542469 trees ha -1 ), in combination with two understory treatments (understory vegetation present or continuously absent) were installed in 1959. Total understory vegetation cover averaged 3570 between 1959 and 1994 for treatments with understory vegetation present, and was dominated by three shrub species: antelope bitterbrush [Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC.], greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula Green), and snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. ex Hook.). Covariance analyses of PAIs for each successive interval were performed using appropriate stand parameters at the start of each interval as covariates. Tree growth was reduced by competing understory vegetation during the first 12 to 20 yr only; understory vegetation did not reduce the adjusted PAIs during the last 15 yr. Soil C and N were measured incrementally to a depth of 24 cm. Presence of understory vegetation resulted in greater C and N in the O horizon and upper 4 to 12 cm of mineral soil. Seasonal MBC, measured at 14-d intervals from May to November, was greater when understory vegetation was present. The results suggest that understory vegetation plays an important role in maintaining soil quality.
Progressive attenuation of myocardial vascular endothelial growth factor expression is a seminal event in diabetic cardiomyopathy: restoration of microvascular homeostasis and recovery of cardiac function in diabetic cardiomyopathy after replenishment of local vascular endothelial growth factor.

Background— Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by microvascular pathology and interstitial fibrosis, which leads to progressive heart failure; however, the pathogenesis of DCM remains u...
Predictive Validity of Svib Pharmacist Scales

The predictive validity of the old and new men's Pharmacist scales and the new women's Pharmacist scale on the Strong Vocational Interest Blank was investigated for 279 male and 76 female pharmacy students. Each of the three scales significantly differentiated between graduates and nongraduates from the pharmacy program. Separate sex norms appeared to be necessary for the two men's scales, but not for the new women's scale. The women's scale most accurately identified the pharmacy majors and produced the highest correlations with the criterion for both sexes.
Cooperation and Learning in Multiuser Opportunistic Spectrum Access

We consider how two secondary users should interact to maximize their total throughput in a two- channel sensing-based opportunistic spectrum access network where spectrum opportunities are time varying and spatially inhomogeneous. By modeling the occupancy of the primary users as discrete-time Markov chains, we obtain the optimal dynamic coordination policy using a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) solver. We also develop several tractable approaches - a cooperative multiuser approach based on explicit communication between the secondary users, a learning-based approach involving use of collision feedback information, and a single-user approach based on uncooperative independent decisions. As a baseline we consider the static partitioning policy where both users are allocated a single channel of their own. Simulations comparing the performance of these strategies yield several interesting findings: that significant improvements over static partitioning are possible with the optimal scheme; that the cooperative multiuser approach shows near-optimal performance in all cases; that there are scenarios when learning through collision feedback can be beneficial; and that the single-user approach generally shows poor performance.
Depressive Symptoms, Pain, Chronic Medical Morbidity, and Interleukin-6 among Primary Care Patients

Objective Pain, chronic medical morbidity, and depression are highly prevalent problems that frequently co-occur in primary care. Elevated levels of inflammatory markers are linked with all three of these conditions and may play an important role in patients' comorbidities. The current study aimed to examine if the associations among pain, chronic medical morbidity, and the inflammatory marker interleukin (IL)-6 are dependent on depression status in primary care patients. Setting, Subjects, and Outcome Measures Primary care patients (N = 106) aged 40 and older were assessed for pain (36-item Medical Outcomes Study Survey Form), chronic medical morbidity (checklist of chronic health conditions), and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), and provided a blood sample for the measurement of serum IL-6. Results Among patients with elevated depressive symptoms, higher IL-6 levels were associated with both greater pain and greater chronic medical comorbidity. IL-6 was unrelated to pain or chronic medical comorbidity among patients without clinically significant depressive symptoms. In mediation analyses, chronic medical morbidity did not mediate the association between IL-6 and pain, and depression severity and pain remained independently associated after adjustment for chronic medical comorbidity. Conclusions Depression may increase primary care patients' vulnerability to pain and elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as IL-6.
Optimal Replacement Policies for Irreparable Warrantied Items

This article investigates age replacement policies for irreparable items sold under warranty. Since the costs of replacement depends on terms of warranty, the analysis of age replacement policies is more complex. Optimal age replacement policies that minimize the long run average cost rate are constructed. For warrantied items with increasing failure rates, the optimal policy is to replace functioning items after a finite period of time. A few examples are presented to illustrate the theory.
A GENESIS OF GENERAL KKM THEOREMS FOR ABSTRACT CONVEX SPACES

In a recent work of the author [42], we obtained three general KKMtype theorems for abstract convex spaces. In this review, we show that two of themcan be stated for intersectionally closedvaluedKKM maps in the sense of Luc etal. [13]. Each of such KKM type theorems contains a large number of previouslyknown particular forms. We recall some of them due to the author in order to givea short history on such theorems. Further comments on related works are given.
Modulating the Bond Strength of DNA–Nanoparticle Superlattices

A method is introduced for modulating the bond strength in DNA–programmable nanoparticle (NP) superlattice crystals. This method utilizes noncovalent interactions between a family of [Ru(dipyrido[2,3-a:3′,2′-c]phenazine)(N–N)2]2+-based small molecule intercalators and DNA duplexes to postsynthetically modify DNA–NP superlattices. This dramatically increases the strength of the DNA bonds that hold the nanoparticles together, thereby making the superlattices more resistant to thermal degradation. In this work, we systematically investigate the relationship between the structure of the intercalator and its binding affinity for DNA duplexes and determine how this translates to the increased thermal stability of the intercalated superlattices. We find that intercalator charge and steric profile serve as handles that give us a wide range of tunability and control over DNA–NP bond strength, with the resulting crystal lattices retaining their structure at temperatures more than 50 °C above what nonintercalated st...
Fruit and vegetable consumption in adolescence and early adulthood and risk of breast cancer: population based cohort study

Objective To evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable intake during adolescence and early adulthood and risk of breast cancer. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Health professionals in the United States. Participants 90 476 premenopausal women aged 27-44 from the Nurses’ Health Study II who completed a questionnaire on diet in 1991 as well as 44 223 of those women who completed a questionnaire about their diet during adolescence in 1998. Main outcome measure Incident cases of invasive breast cancer, identified through self report and confirmed by pathology report. Results There were 3235 cases of invasive breast cancer during follow-up to 2013. Of these, 1347 cases were among women who completed a questionnaire about their diet during adolescence (ages 13-18). Total fruit consumption during adolescence was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. The hazard ratio was 0.75 (95% confidence interval 0.62 to 0.90; P=0.01 for trend) for the highest (median intake 2.9 servings/day) versus the lowest (median intake 0.5 serving/day) fifth of intake. The association for fruit intake during adolescence was independent of adult fruit intake. There was no association between risk and total fruit intake in early adulthood and total vegetable intake in either adolescence or early adulthood. Higher early adulthood intake of fruits and vegetables rich in α carotene was associated with lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer. The hazard ratio was 0.82 (0.70 to 0.96) for the highest fifth (median intake 0.5 serving/day) versus the lowest fifth (median intake 0.03 serving/day) intake. The association with adolescent fruit intake was stronger for both estrogen and progesterone receptor negative cancers than estrogen and progesterone receptor positive cancers (P=0.02 for heterogeneity). For individual fruits and vegetables, greater consumption of apple, banana, and grapes during adolescence and oranges and kale during early adulthood was significantly associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Fruit juice intake in adolescence or early adulthood was not associated with risk. Conclusion There is an association between higher fruit intake and lower risk of breast cancer. Food choices during adolescence might be particularly important.
The separation of pygopagus conjoined twins with fused spinal cords and imperforate anus

Each set of conjoined twins has specific anatomic features dictating unique challenges to separation. Overcoming these challenges requires creative solutions that necessitate interdisciplinary collaboration. We present a unique case of pygopagus conjoined twins with fused spinal cords, imperforate anus without fistula, and a single anal sphincter complex. Separation included the use of novel applications of 3D printing and neurophysiologic monitoring. The 3D print helped to clarify the complex anatomy and facilitate communication during planning sessions. The neurophysiologic monitoring helped to distinguish a plane of separation for the spinal cords as well as the shared anal sphincter. Implementing these technologies and thus successfully separating these twins safely required a multidisciplinary team that extended beyond clinical specialties.
Nocardioides, Sediminibacterium, Aquabacterium, Variovorax, and Pseudomonas linked to carbon uptake during aerobic vinyl chloride biodegradation

Vinyl chloride (VC) is a frequent groundwater contaminant and a known human carcinogen. Bioremediation is a potential cleanup strategy for contaminated sites; however, little is known about the bacteria responsible for aerobic VC degradation in mixed microbial communities. In attempts to address this knowledge gap, the microorganisms able to assimilate labeled carbon ((13)C) from VC within a mixed culture capable of rapid VC degradation (120 μmol in 7 days) were identified using stable isotope probing (SIP). For this, at two time points during VC degradation (days 3 and 7), DNA was extracted from replicate cultures initially supplied with labeled or unlabeled VC. The extracted DNA was ultracentrifuged, fractioned, and the fractions of greater buoyant density (heavy fractions, 1.758 to 1.780 g mL(-1)) were subject to high-throughput sequencing. Following this, specific primers were designed for the most abundant phylotypes in the heavy fractions. Then, quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used across the buoyant density gradient to confirm label uptake by these phylotypes. From qPCR and/or sequencing data, five phylotypes were found to be dominant in the heavy fractions, including Nocardioides (∼40 %), Sediminibacterium (∼25 %), Aquabacterium (∼17 %), Variovorax (∼6 %), and Pseudomonas (∼1 %). The abundance of two functional genes (etnC and etnE) associated with VC degradation was also investigated in the SIP fractions. Peak shifts of etnC and etnE gene abundance toward heavier fractions were observed, indicating uptake of (13)C into the microorganisms harboring these genes. Analysis of the total microbial community indicated a significant dominance of Nocardioides over the other label-enriched phylotypes. Overall, the data indicate Nocardioides is primarily responsible for VC degradation in this mixed culture, with the other putative VC degraders generating a small growth benefit from VC degradation. The specific primers designed toward the putative VC degraders may be of use for investigating VC degradation potential at contaminated sites.
Mound Builders and Monument Makers of the Northern Great Lakes, 1200–1600

When I agreed to review Meghan Howey's book, I was excited by the title. As State Archaeologist of Minnesota, I spent a lot of my time dealing with mounds and I was always looking for new insights....
MRI Analysis of Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Serial MRI scans of 30 patients (mean age, 12 years) with neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1) showed the evolution of high-signal brain lesions in a prospective study at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, and Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT.
Deforestation facilitates widespread stream habitat and flow alteration in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract Stream flows and connectivity have been impacted by road crossings and other changes in land use worldwide, with potential negative impacts for aquatic biodiversity. We investigated how pervasive stream flow, habitat, and connectivity alteration is predicted to be in tributaries of the Brazilian Amazon, represented through stream impoundments. We mapped impoundments associated with roads or agricultural land use across the Amazon's Curua-Una basin and identified landscape factors correlated with each type of impoundment. Impoundments were widespread, and deforestation and the land use changes it facilitated was the driving factor underlying their creation. We found, on average, one impoundment per 7.5 stream kilometers, or 3 km 2 , of deforested land, a concentration significantly higher than in areas of native forest, which had an average of one impoundment per 117 stream kilometers or 100 km 2 . Continuing to slow deforestation and agricultural conversion would reduce new agricultural impoundments and conditions facilitating soil erosion and subsequent impoundments at road-stream crossings. If Brazil's Forest Code can be effectively enforced, it could contribute substantially to slowing down deforestation and restoring areas already affected. There is an additional need for incentives for sustainable agricultural practices that directly reduce impacts to streams and remove in-stream cattle water impoundments. These possible solutions to address stream alterations would be strengthened by regulatory oversight for watershed management in the Amazon basin through implementation of existing Brazilian water laws, which could provide the groundwork for better valuing aquatic resources in the world's largest freshwater ecosystem.
Evidence-Based Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Adolescent Idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common deformity of the spinal column. Most of the diagnosed patients have mild or moderate deformity and therefore they need observation and some kind of conservative treatment but, those patients with significant deformities often require surgical treatment in order to correct and prevent further deterioration. The general guidelines for the treatment of AIS are based on the severity of the deformity, the age and development of the individual patient. The evidence for various treatments of AIS; whether conservative or surgical, is often suboptimal. In the following review we explored and summarised the best available evidence to support current practice.
Difference Frequency Response of a Detector Diode Under Dual W-Band Frequency Illumination

In this paper, a GaAs beam lead diode is illuminated by two fixed W-band millimeter wave frequencies to assess the difference frequency response at X-band. Measured results are compared to an expected mixed frequency response, utilizing a Volterra series expansion solution, which considers the reactive component influences under nonconjugate matching conditions. A nonlinear model is assessed with the solution approach to predict potential performance. A nonconjugate matched condition Volterra series expansion provides good agreement with less than 1-dB variations across the central slice of the response.
Benzophenone-Based Photochemical Micropatterning of Biomolecules to Create Model Substrates and Instructive Biomaterials

Abstract The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic and heterogeneous environment that controls many aspects of cell behavior. Not surprisingly, many different approaches have focused on creating model substrates that recapitulate the biomolecular, topographical, and mechanical properties of the ECM for in vitro studies of cell behavior. This chapter details a general, versatile method for the spatially controlled deposition of multiple biomolecules onto both planar and topographically complex support structures with micrometer resolution. This approach is based upon the well-understood photochemical UV crosslinking of benzophenone (BP) to solution-phase biomolecules. This is a molecularly general strategy that can be utilized to immobilize biomolecules onto any surface prefunctionalized with BP. Examples described herein include modification of planar and corrugated glass substrates as well as collagen–glycosaminoglycan biomaterials configured either as highly porous scaffolds or nonporous membranes with a variety of biomolecular targets, including proteins, glycoproteins, and carbohydrates.
First-Person Effects of Emotional and Informational Messages in Strategic Environmental Communications Campaigns

This study examined the first- and third-person effects of emotional and informational messages, particularly relating to the critical issue areas of energy, the environment, and global warming. Du...
Linked pairs of additive functions

In 1990, Benz asked whether a real additive mapping satisfying $$xf(y)=yf(x)$$ for all points (x, y) on the unit circle must be linear. In 2005, Boros and Erdei showed that it must be so. Here we generalize the problem to a pair of additive functions f, g related by the functional equation $$xf(y)=yg(x)$$ for all points (x, y) on a specified curve. We find that for many (but not all) types of curves this forces f and g to be equal and linear.
Donor–Acceptor Strategies for Stabilizing Planar Diplumbenes

Diplumbenes, R2PbPbR2, are more pyramidalized and trans-bent than the other group 14 analogues and feature long Pb–Pb bonds. A strategy for making these molecules locally planar at Pb, with shorter Pb–Pb separations, starts out from a realization that the Pb–Pb double bond in a hypothetical (LB)PbPb(LB) (LB = Lewis base) is made almost entirely up by 6p orbitals on the Pb atom and has lone pairs on Pb with large 6s character. Coordination of these lone pairs with Lewis acids (LA) should give an ethylene-like structure—effectively a push–pull complex, (LA)(LB)Pb═Pb(LB)(LA). However, the relativistically contracted 6s lone pair on Pb resists effective orbital interaction. To overcome this problem, we evoked in calculations electrostatic interactions between the Pb and Lewis acid ligands, by making the Pb atoms negatively charged and choosing a Lewis acid that carries positive charge. The challenge is to find realistic ligands to engineer these electron shifts. Calculations gave local minima for a diplumbene...
Transparency tested: The influence of message features on public perceptions of organizational transparency

Abstract The concept of transparency has been promoted within the public relations and business literature as both ethical and advantageous; however, the effectiveness of transparency is seldom empirically put to the test. In particular, the use of clarity, disclosure, and accuracy in organizational messages needs to be empirically examined. To this end, we conducted an online experiment using a 2 (high vs. low message transparency) x 2 (news story placed before or after an organizational statement) between-subjects design. Participants (n = 357) perceived organizations as more transparent and credible when exposed to messages exhibiting greater levels of clarity, disclosure, and accuracy as opposed to messages that did not. Placement of an information anchor in the form of an objective news story before the organizational message increased the perceived organizational transparency when messages employed transparent design features and decreased the perceived organizational transparency when messages did not use these features. These results provide significant implications for practitioners attempting to convey organizational transparency at the tactical level through message features.
The Finance Conundrum for Higher Education

In this chapter we identify and describe a number of the most challenging conundrums in higher education finance and provide institutional researchers with conceptual lenses, research summaries, and data sources to help navigate these challenges. Our goal is to widen the higher education finance conversation beyond price and into other fundamental areas related to the underlying cost of delivering higher education, including a review of how taxpayers and philanthropists subsidize those costs. Institutional researchers are not expected to be financial accountants, so the purpose of this chapter is not to discuss business office functions or accounting standards used in higher education finance. Similarly, this chapter is not an overview of financial management strategies. After reading this chapter institutional researchers will be even more equipped to engage campus leaders and policymakers with strategies to respond to affordability challenges in creative and effective ways.
The global refugee crisis: how can transformative service researchers help?

This conceptual paper argues that Transformative Service Researchers (TSR) can work on solving the global refugee crisis. For this purpose, we explore the breadth and depth of the global refugee cr...
Rapid colorimetric analysis of graphene on copper

Abstract This work presents a facile method based on colorimetric analysis using optical microscopy to rapidly screen large-area graphene on copper. The colorimetric technique exploits the oxidation protection offered by graphene on copper surfaces exposed to air at moderate temperatures (180 °C). Image processing using an RGB color model is employed to assess the level of protection. The analysis generates quantifiable results that match well with visual observations as well as Raman spectroscopy and XPS measurements. The reported method addresses a bottleneck for rapid, large-area characterization of graphene that can be integrated with scaled up roll-to-roll manufacturing processes.
A Response to Controversies in Attachment Disorders

This paper reviews Dr. Jean Mercer’s 2017 manuscript on Conventional and Unconventional Perspectives on attachment disorders. I will discuss assessment and summary of attachment disorders and the evaluation of attachment therapies in social work education and practice. I will conclude with the role of attachment theory in social work education and practice and the evaluation of evidence-based research theory and practice in attachment disorders.
A Scenario Decomposition Algorithm for Strategic Time Window Assignment Vehicle Routing Problems

Abstract We study the strategic decision-making problem of assigning time windows to customers in the context of vehicle routing applications that are affected by operational uncertainty. This problem, known as the Time Window Assignment Vehicle Routing Problem, can be viewed as a two-stage stochastic optimization problem, where time window assignments constitute first-stage decisions, vehicle routes adhering to the assigned time windows constitute second-stage decisions, and the objective is to minimize the expected routing costs. To that end, we develop in this paper a new scenario decomposition algorithm to solve the sampled deterministic equivalent of this stochastic model. From a modeling viewpoint, our approach can accommodate both continuous and discrete sets of feasible time window assignments as well as general scenario-based models of uncertainty for several routing-specific parameters, including customer demands and travel times, among others. From an algorithmic viewpoint, our approach can be easily parallelized, can utilize any available vehicle routing solver as a black box, and can be readily modified as a heuristic for large-scale instances. We perform a comprehensive computational study to demonstrate that our algorithm strongly outperforms all existing solution methods, as well as to quantify the trade-off between computational tractability and expected cost savings when considering a larger number of future scenarios during strategic time window assignment.
A Neurochemical Perspective on States of Consciousness

The foundation of anesthesia rests upon discoveries made by chemists. This is illustrated by Joseph Preistly’s and Humphrey Davy’s research on nitrous oxide; Paracelsus’ work with ether; the studies of chemists Eugene Soubeiran, Justus von Liebig, Samual Gutherie, and Jean-Baptiste Dumas with chloroform; and more recently Paul Janssen’s development of fentanyl. Anesthetics are synthetic compounds that exert effects on one or more endogenous neurochemical systems to produce a behavioral state characterized by traits that include unconsciousness, amnesia, and analgesia. The mechanisms by which anesthetics cause the loss of consciousness (hypnosis) are not known, but there is compelling evidence that anesthetics alter the endogenous neurochemical systems that regulate sleep and wakefulness (Keifer et al. 1994; Lydic 1996; Vanini et al. 2008). Advances in analytical chemistry now make it possible to begin a systematic characterization of the endogenous molecules that regulate states of consciousness such as sleep and anesthesia. This chapter provides a brief overview of sleep neurobiology and its unique relevance for efforts to understand the neurochemical mechanisms of anesthesia. Readers are referred elsewhere for detailed reviews on sleep (Lydic and Biebuyck 1994; Espana and Scammell 2004; Steriade and McCarley 2005; Datta and MacLean 2007; McCarley 2007; Monti, Pandi-Perumal, and Sinton 2008).
Lunar Periodicity of Insect Flight and Migration

The desirability of studying lunar periodicity of insect flight was first pointed out by Hora (1927). Hartland-Row (1955) and Corbet (1958) provided experimental evidence in support of this phenomenon. They found that some Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Diptera (Chironomidae) showed periodic fluctuations in numbers caught in light traps, and that this correlated closely with the age of the moon. The species differed in the position of their peak abundance in the lunar cycle and in the amplitude of the fluctuations. Peaks occurred 2–5 or 23–26 days before or after new moon or within 5 days of full moon (moon age 9–19 days) (Fig. la, b). The occurrences of peaks and troughs relative to full moon and new moon were attributed to a lunar rhythm of emergence.