cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Study of Political Leadership.

It is a lesser question for the partisans of democracy to find means of governing the people than to get the people to choose the men most capable of governing. Alexis de Tocqueville, in a letter to John Stuart Mill. Politics by leadership is one of the distinguishing features of the twentieth century. If the eighteenth century enunciated popular sovereignty and direct democracy as a major theme in democratic thought and the nineteenth century was concerned with the challenge of stratification and group conflict, then twentieth century trends have made us sensitive to the role of leadership. The search for the values of security and equality have led to changes in the character of politics. If one were to delineate this newer pattern of a politics by leadership, it would include the following: (1) the shift in the center of conflict resolution and initiative from parliamentary bodies and economic institutions to executive leadership; (2) the proliferation of the immediate office of the chief executive from its cabinet-restricted status to a collectivity of co-adjuting instrumentalities; (3) the tendency toward increased centralization of political parties, with the subordination of the victorious parties as instruments for the chief executive; (4) the calculated manipulation of irrationalities by political leadership through the vast power-potential of mass communications; (5) the displacement of the amateur by the professional politician and civil servant; (6) the growth of bureaucracy as a source and technique of executive power but also as a fulcrum which all contestants for power attempt to employ; (7) the growth of interest groups in size, number and influence, with the tendency toward bureaucratization of their internal structure; (8) the changing role of the public that finds its effective voice in a direct and an interactive relation with the chief executive.
Long-Term structural changes of plasmid DNA studied by atomic force microscopy

Long-term stability of plasmid DNA (pDNA) conformations is critical in many research areas, especially those concerning future gene therapy. Despite its importance, the time-evolution of pDNA structures has rarely been studied at a molecular resolution. Here, the time-evolution of pDNA solutions spanning four years was observed with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM data show that the pDNA molecules changed over time from isolated supercoiled structures, to aggregated supercoiled structures, to thin, branched network structures, and finally to wider, branched network structures. Additional topographical analysis of the AFM data suggests that the actions of residual proteins could be the main mechanism for the structural changes in our laboratory-prepared pDNA.
COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF SYNTHETIC HYDROTALCITES

Hydrotalcites of high aluminum content have been synthesized from aluminate liquors of varying composition and activated magnesia obtained by calcination of hydroxide or hydroxycarbonate precursors. Lattice parameter measurements and chemical analyses of 21 synthetic hydrotalcites show that the aluminum substitution X AI +-M for most of the products is about 0.35, which is at the maximum experimentally-observed limit of solid solubility. Pillared hydrotalcites were also prepared by molybdate, chromate, and silicate anion replacement. A maximum distance of 10.4/~ between the brucite- like layers was observed for the MO70246 intercalated material.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond from Alcohol Precursors at 1.0 Torr

Typically, diamond chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is conducted at pressures of 10 to 100 Torr and temperatures of 700 - 1000 °C. Both thermally activated (hot-filament) and plasma enhanced (DC, microwave) systems are used to deposit diamond from mixtures of hydrogen and some carbon-containing monomer, most typically methane. These systems may produce films of high phase purity which typically exhibit tensile intrinsic (non-thermal) growth stresses. We have used an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) enhanced plasma system to deposit diamond films at a pressure of 1 Torr over a temperature range of 550 - 700 °C using methyl alcohol as the carbon source. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to analyze the plasma discharge for the determination of active species present during diamond growth. Correlations of emission variations with film characteristics were made to evaluate their importance in the diamond formation process. Particular emphasis was placed on the nature of the intrinsic growth stresses developed in this process, which appeared to be consistently compressive in nature based on Raman analysis.
Thermochemistry of Barium Hollandites

Barium hollandites, a family of framework titanates that can potentially be used for the immobilization of short-lived fission products (especially 137Cs) in radioactive wastes, have been investigated by high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry using 2PbO·B2O3 solvent at 702°C. The enthalpies of formation from constituent oxides show increasing energetic stability of the hollandite phase as Ti4+ is substituted by Mg2+, Al3+, and Fe3+, in that order. In general, the thermodynamic stability increases with decreasing average cation radius in the β sites, and when the tolerance factor approaches one. The Al- and Fe-hollandites are more stable than phase assemblages containing BaTiO3 perovskite and Al/Fe/Ti oxides, whereas Mg-hollandite is less stable than the corresponding assemblage of BaTiO3 perovskite, MgTiO3 ilmenite, and TiO2. This instability makes Mg-hollandite a less suitable host for fission products. Hollandite phase formation during metal citrate combustion synthesis depends more on thermodynamic stability and phase chemistry than on the annealing temperature.
A rapid, effective method for the reduction of waxes in sunflower seed oil

Four samples of sunflower seed were surface washed with boiling hexane to remove waxes and hydrocarbons. Measurement of waxes in oil extracted from washed and unwashed seed showed greater than 92% removal of waxes. In addition, straight chain hydrocarbon content of the oil was substantially reduced. The composition of the material removed is shown.
Aperture realizations of exact solutions to homogeneous wave equations

Summary form only given. It was shown that it is only the forward propagating (causal) components of any solution of the scalar homogeneous wave equation that are actually recovered from either an infinite- or a finite-sized aperture in an open region. The backward propagating (acausal) components result in an evanescent wave superposition that does not play a significant role in the radiation process. The exact, complete solution can be achieved only from specifying its values and its derivatives on the boundary of any closed region. By using those LW (localized wave) solutions whose forward propagating components have been optimized over the associated backward propagating terms, one can recover the desirable properties of these LW solutions over the extended near-field regions of a finite-sized, independently addressable, pulse-driven array. These results were illustrated with an extreme example, one dealing with the original solution which is superluminal and its finite aperture approximation, a sling-shot pulse. >
Short vein grafts: a superior option for arterial reconstructions to poor or compromised outflow tracts?

Abstract To determine whether vein graft length is a factor that influences infrapopliteal bypass patency, we reviewed 237 consecutive reversed saphenous vein bypasses performed because of critical ischemia during a 5-year period. One hundred seventeen long vein grafts (LVGs) were longer than 40 cm (42 to 92 cm, mean 60.9 ± 9 cm) and 120 short vein grafts (SVGs) were 40 cm or shorter (6 to 40 cm, mean 24.7 ± 8 cm). Ninety-three percent of the LVGs originated from or were proximal to the superficial femoral artery (SFA) whereas all of the SVGs originated at or distal to the SFA. The cumulative patency rate for LVGs at 3 years was 45% and for SVGs was 63% (p 0.7 mm Hg/ml/min) were encountered in 25 cases. Of these, occlusion within 6 months occurred in six of seven cases with LVGs and in only 8 of 18 cases with SVGs (p
Neuropsychological and behavioral correlates of impulsiveness in veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury.

Introduction: Previous research has identified a relation between impulsiveness and substance use, as well as performance on certain tests of executive functioning. However, no prior research has investigated these relations in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) veterans with and without a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Method: The present study utilized a sample of 127 veterans (55 controls, 72 mTBI). Relations among health behaviors, cognition, and domain scores (attentional, motor, and nonplanning impulsiveness) of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale–11 (BIS–11) were examined using regression analyses. Results: Nonplanning impulsiveness was associated with higher Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score. Attentional and motor impulsiveness were not associated with performance on any measures of behavior or cognition. The relationship between nonplanning impulsiveness and alcohol misuse was not influenced by history of mTBI...
An observation on the bisectional interconnection networks

It is shown that the bisectional interconnection network (BIN) of 2/sup n/ nodes for any even n is isomorphic to the n-dimensional folded hypercube (FHC), an n-dimensional hypercube with additional edges between any two nodes that are of Hamming distance n apart. This observation leads to simplification for the proofs of many interesting properties for the BIN. Inspired by the isomorphism between BIN and FHC, the class of topologies in which nodes are represented by bit strings and two nodes are adjacent if and only if the bitwise Exclusive-OR of their addresses fall in a set of predefined bit string patterns are studied. A few theorems are given to characterize the topology from the mathematical properties of the binary matrix derived from the definition of edges. >
Design of a large‐scale mammalian cell, suspension culture facility

The design of a suspension culture facility capable of producing approximately 1012 cells per week has been developed on a small-scale system which has evolved from various architectural, engineering, biological, and biohazard considerations. The smaller system is composed of spinner flasks (50 ml to 8 liters) modified for semicontinuous culture conditions, metal reservoirs, a continuous flow centrifuge, and supportive equipment. The large system which is under construction is composed of metallic vessels of up to 500 liter working volume with hard plumbing, monitors, controllers, recorders, continuous flow centrifuge and other ancillary equipment. This system begins with medium preparation and ends with harvesting of cells and disposition of supernatant. The design of this turn-key operation was developed over a two and one-half year period through the cooperation of private industry, the federal government, and the academic community.
Decrease in long-term survival for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Background The association of hospitalization because of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and long-term survival has not been fully examined. We measured the long-term survival of hospitalized patients with CAP adjusted for the effects of comorbidities. Methods A cohort of adult patients admitted to the medical services of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, Kentucky, was retrospectively examined. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was constructed to assess the effect of CAP admission status on patient survival. A Cox proportional hazards regression model included comorbidities as predictors and time to death as the outcome in the construction of a modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (mCCI). The mCCI was internally validated to evaluate the predictability of patient survival. The mCCI and age > 65 years were included as potential confounders in a final Cox proportional hazards regression model with CAP admission status as the main predictor and time to death as the outcome. Results CAP was identified in 624 (9%) out of 6,971 patients. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed a significantly shorter survival among patients with CAP than those without CAP (P Conclusion There is a decreased long-term survival among hospitalized patients with CAP after adjusting for comorbidities and aging. Future research to understand the pathophysiology of the long-term CAP outcomes is necessary to develop treatment strategies.
Front tracking scheme for direct kinetic simulations

Direct kinetic (DK) simulations solve kinetic equations such as the Vlasov equation on discretized phase space to obtain distribution functions directly. In comparison to conventional particle simulations, the statistical noise due to the use of macro-particles is eliminated. [1] Although smooth distribution functions can be obtained using a DK simulation, numerical error is generated when solving the hyperbolic partial differential equation and propagates in the velocity space, which results in artificial heating of particles. In particular, it is difficult to capture the transport of a low temperature gas or plasma since the velocity distribution resembles a delta function or a discontinuity with a given number of cells. Although numerical error can be reduced by increasing the number of grid points or by using high order numerical schemes, numerical error will always occur and propagate. In this study, we propose a new method that tracks the maximum and minimum velocities which one particle can achieve in the physical coordinate, called the “front.” Transport of particles and propagation of the numerical error are limited beyond the front. While computational cost is on the same order, solutions obtained using the front tracking scheme are more accurate than those calculated without the scheme. The numerical method is tested in a collisionless sheath problem with and without emitted electrons from the wall as well as in the transient plasma of a Hall thruster.
Cancelling non-linear processing products due to strong out-of-band interference in radio astronomical arrays

Radio astronomy instrumentation uses phased array feeds to provide radio telescopes with wider fields of view and enhanced beam control for detection and interference suppression. The standard assumption in Radio Astronomy is that receiver amplifiers operate in a linear region. In the presence of strong radio-frequency interference (RFI), however, it is possible to drive the amplifiers non-linear. This can cause out-of-band RFI to become non-linear and mix harmonics into the filter passband. In this scenario, classical RFI-mitigating beamformers may not be very good at suppressing the interference. This paper analyzes the effect of several beamformers in suppressing interference resulting from non-linear amplifiers. Experimental results show that a subspace projection beamformer is able to suppress the interference despite the nonlinear RFI.
Rapid Solidification and Phase Transformations in Additive Manufactured Materials

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a promising manufacturing technique to enable the production of complex engineering structures with high efficiency and accuracy. Among the important factors establishing AM as a sustainable manufacturing process is the ability to control the microstructures and properties of AM products. In most AM processes, such as laser sintering (LS), laser melting (LM), and laser metal deposition (LMD), rapid solidification and high-temperature phase transformations play primary roles in determining nano- and microstructures, and consequently the mechanical and other properties of AM products. 1 This topic of JOM is dedicated to summarizing the current research efforts in the area of rapid solidification and phase transformations in additively manufactured materials. A brief summary follows below of 10 journal articles in this topic. AM results in microstructures that typically differ from those produced by more conventional processing. Cheruvathur et al. explore the phases and microstructures of laser powder-bed fusion additively manufactured 17-4 precipitation hardenable (PH) stainless steel, including the role of post-build thermal processing. They determined that homogenization effectively eliminates the as-built solidification structure, resulting in 90% martensite and 10% austenite that exhibits similar microhardness values to conventionally wrought-processed 17-4 PH.
Defining the Behavior of an Affective Learning Companion in the Affective Meta-tutor Project

Research in affective computing and educational technology has shown the potential of affective interventions to increase student’s self-concept and motivation while learning. Our project aims to investigate whether the use of affective interventions in a meta-cognitive tutor can help students achieve deeper modeling of dynamic systems by being persistent in their use of meta-cognitive strategies during and after tutoring. This article is an experience report on how we designed and implemented the affective intervention. (The meta-tutor is described in a separate paper.) We briefly describe the theories of affect underlying the design and how the agent’s affective behavior is defined and implemented. Finally, the evaluation of a detector-driven categorization of student behavior, that guides the agent’s affective interventions, against a categorization performed by human coders, is presented.
The Role of the IL-20 Subfamily in Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a common disease that leads to loss of peripheral vision and, if left untreated, ultimately to blindness. While the exact cause(s) of glaucoma is still unknown, two leading risk factors are age and elevated intraocular pressure. Several studies suggest a possible link between glaucoma and inflammation in humans and animal models. In particular, our lab recently identified a T104M mutation in IL-20 receptor-B (IL-20RB) in primary open angle glaucoma patients from a large pedigree. Several of the interleukin- (IL-) 20 family of cytokines and receptors are expressed in ocular tissues including the trabecular meshwork, optic nerve head, and retinal ganglion cells. The DBA/2J mouse develops high intraocular pressures with age and has characteristic optic nerve defects that make it a useful glaucoma model. IL-24 expression is significantly upregulated in the retina of these mice, while IL-20RA expression in the optic nerve is downregulated following pressure-induced damage. The identification of a mutation in the IL-20RB gene in a glaucoma pedigree and changes in expression levels of IL-20 family members in the DBA/2J mouse suggest that disruption of normal IL-20 signaling in the eye may contribute to degenerative processes associated with glaucoma.
Biosensing Lasers using External Cavities Coupled with Photonic and Plasmonic Crystals

We demonstrate the first external cavity lasers with an emission wavelength that is tuned by selective adsorption of biological analytes on the surface of an optically resonant surface in a liquid environment.
Influence of Methylcholanthrene on Age Incidence of Leukemia in Several Strains of Mice.

SummaryLeukemia appeared at an earlier age than in controls when mice of the F strain were painted twice weekly with methylcholanthrene. Myelogenous leukemia, which does not occur in untreated F mice before 300 days of age, appeared as early as 97 days after birth in treated mice. Only 3 cases of leukemia occurred in 184 mice of non-Ieukemic strains treated in a similar manner. The effectiveness of methylcholanthrene in influencing the appearance of leukemia in young mice depended on the genetic susceptibility of mice to the disease.
Human Peritoneal Macrophage Cytotoxicity Mediated by Cytophilic IgG

Cells of the human mononuclear phagocyte system have recently been shown to possess cytophilic IgG molecules that promote phagocytosis of staphylococci bearing cell-wall protein A. In the present study, the possible mediation of a cytotoxic response to "Crlabeled sheep erythrocytes coated with protein A by cytophilic antibodies on human peritoneal macrophages was evaluated. The target cells were readily lysed by peritoneal macrophages. Cytotoxicity was blocked by pretreatment of macrophages with soluble protein or with anti-Fc F(ab')2 fragments. In contrast, cytotoxicity was not affected by cytochalasin B; this finding suggests that cytolysis is an extracellular event. Perturbation of cytophilic IgG with particle-bound protein A elicited a chemiluminescent response from peritoneal macrophages; however, experiments with scavengers of reactive oxygen species indicated that toxic oxygen radicals may not be required for cytotoxicity. The results indicate that cytophilic antibody-mediated cytotoxicity may contribute to cellular injury as well as host-defense aspects of the inflammatory process.
Natural killer cell lymphoma/leukemia with homozygous loss of p27/kip1

(2005). Natural killer cell lymphoma/leukemia with homozygous loss of p27/kip1. Leukemia & Lymphoma: Vol. 46, No. 6, pp. 919-923.
What Precision is Worth While When Weighing Hens

ABSTRACT In connection with much experimental work with poultry the body weight of the individuals in use is often wanted. In some experiments body weight may be used as a measure of the results obtained by a particular treatment. The question naturally arises as to how accurately they should be weighed, i. e., how great precision is necessary or worth while? On July 12, 1920 forty-nine S. C. White Leghorn pullets, all in laying condition, were weighed at intervals of one hour from 8:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m. Eastern Summer Time (one hour faster than Eastern Standard Time). Weights were recorded to the nearest ten grams. The pullets were being trap-nested and on this day the traps were visited at each weighing time. Twenty-seven of the birds laid. One or more eggs were secured at each weighing except 5:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon. The eggs were weighed to . . .
Management of occupational exposures to blood-borne viruses.

Exposures to blood-borne pathogens pose a serious occupational threat to health care workers. Safer needle devices for performing phlebotomy and other procedures and universal infection-control precautions will not completely eliminate the risk, and prophylactic treatment will remain an important component of prevention efforts. This article will review post-exposure care for the three blood-borne pathogens that are most commonly involved in occupational transmission — hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Assessment of Exposure Occupational exposures include contact of the eyes, mouth, other mucous membranes, or broken skin and parenteral contact with blood or other . . .
Paraphrase--What and How to Perform

Paraphrase works as a specific means of teaching in English intensive reading course. There are some principles to be valued and to be followed. It is especially important to further the fulfilment of paraphrasing practice which should condition theoretical basics to the particular sentence-explanation decision.
Chemical Priming-Induced Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants

Drought stress causes a significant decrease in the health and productivity of plants. Methods to prepare plants for drought stress by priming with exogenous treatments prior to water limitation are extremely desirable to agricultural industries as they may serve to mitigate plant damage and reduce crop loss. Exogenous priming treatments can have various physiological effects on plants. The observed effects are dependent on the method of application, the concentration and frequency of application, and the type of priming applied. Environmental conditions and plant species are also major factors determining whether a priming method may be effective. Many researchers have investigated various compounds to be used as priming agents, which has not only improved our understanding of the natural functions of the priming compound but has also provided many outlets for product and applied technology development. The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of current priming methods and the major effects each priming method has on plant physiological health or stress defenses. The chapter will specifically focus on evaluating various exogenous materials or compounds that are effective in inducing drought tolerance in plants. The priming methods to be discussed include seed, foliar, and root based methods. The priming treatment types focused on in the chapter are applications of amino acids, nonprotein amino acids, polyamines, natural or synthetic plant growth regulators, and other compounds.
Zinc finger protein 407 overexpression upregulates PPAR target gene expression and improves glucose homeostasis in mice

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family of nuclear receptors is central to the pathophysiology and treatment of metabolic disease through the receptors' ability to regulate the expression of genes involved in glucose homeostasis, adipogenesis, and lipid metabolism. However, the mechanism by which PPAR is regulated remains incompletely understood. We generated a transgenic mouse strain (ZFP-TG) that overexpressed Zfp407 primarily in muscle and heart. Transcriptome analysis by RNA-Seq identified 1,300 differentially expressed genes in the muscle of ZFP-TG mice, among which PPAR target genes were significantly enriched. Among the physiologically important PPARγ target genes, Glucose transporter (Glut)-4 mRNA and protein levels were increased in heart and muscle. The increase in Glut4 and other transcriptional effects of Zfp407 overexpression together decreased body weight and lowered plasma glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR scores relative to control littermates. When placed on high-fat diet, ZFP-TG mice remained more glucose tolerant than their wild-type counterparts. Cell-based assays demonstrated that Zfp407 synergistically increased the transcriptional activity of all PPAR subtypes, PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ. The increased PPAR activity was not associated with increased PPAR mRNA or protein levels, suggesting that Zfp407 posttranslationally regulates PPAR activity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Zfp407 overexpression improved glucose homeostasis. Thus, Zfp407 represents a new drug target for treating metabolic disease.
Low loss and low noise gate driver for SiC-MOSFET with gate boost circuit

This paper presents low-switching-loss and low-switching-noise gate driver for Silicon-Carbide (SiC) — Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistor (MOSFET) with gate boost circuit which is very simple and cost-effective. Compared to a conventional gate drive circuit, the proposed gate driver has capability of reducing the switching losses and switching time without increasing switching noise. SiC power devices have attracted huge interest as next generation power devices. Normally, switching losses and switching noise have some trade-off each other, SiC devices are expected to switch fast for low switching losses but fast switching might cause switching noise problem such as electromagnetic interferences (EMI). We have confirmed that the proposed gate driver makes it possible to drive SiC-MOSFET fast and energy efficiently without increasing switching noise and break the trade-off of switching characteristics.
Residential Mobility and Social Behaviors of Adolescents: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PROBLEM The association between residential mobility and negative behaviors in adolescence has attracted multidisciplinary attention. METHODS The purpose of this article is to conduct a systematic literature review in order to synthesize research that measured mobility and at least one social behavior among participants 11 thru 18 years of age. The systematic search yielded 22 studies. FINDINGS Residential mobility is associated with negative behaviors among adolescents, including social problems, delinquency, substance and nicotine use, and adolescent pregnancy. However, these effects are explained by neighborhood disadvantage and inherent differences between movers and nonmovers. CONCLUSION For youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, moving may be one indicator of problem behaviors. Attending to when and why youth move—and to where—contributes to an understanding of the etiology of risky behaviors.
Class Prediction Models of Thrombocytosis Using Gene Profiling.

Human blood platelets contain unique and reproducible molecular signatures consisting of relatively small number of individual mRNA transcripts. Towards the goal of developing a molecular classification of platelet disorders, we have now developed and applied a unique microarray platform for the study of thrombocytosis. A 432-member gene list encompassing a subset of platelet- and leukocyte- restricted transcripts (with Arabidopsis probe elements as normalization controls) was used for the manufacturing of a customized platelet oligonucleotide (70-mer) gene chip (POC). In silico gene rank-intensity plots from sample RNAs [normal platelets (N=5); essential thrombocythemic platelets (ET; N=6); leukocytes (N=3)] hybridized to the Affymetrix HU133a gene chip validated the discriminatory capacity of the POC, which was then applied to a broader patient cohort. Gel-filtered platelets from normal controls (N=28), patients with ET (N=18), or patients with reactive thrombocytosis (RT; N=17) were used for RNA isolation, amplification, and Cy3:Cy5 co-hybridization using human universal RNA as reference. Genotyping for the presence of the JAK2 V617F mutation was established by pyrosequencing analysis using both genomic (leukocyte) DNA and platelet-derived mRNA. Initial two-way non-parametric ANOVA identified a 131-member gene list of differentially-expressed transcripts among the three subgroups (p
Ultra-low-power analog design

A critical dominant trend in the evolution of the electronics industry is the incredible growth in the sheer number of devices that are being deployed annually across a wide range of applications. Many of these devices are being leveraged to provide interfaces between the analog world and the digital infrastructure that supports the Internet of Everything, providing environmental sensing data to drive more effective pollution management, component data to enhance equipment lifetime and automate repair scheduling, process data to improve manufacturing effectiveness, and much, much more. The proliferation of devices also extends to enabling health care applications, improved logistics capability, and, very broadly, enabling the optimization of compute workloads across complete application stacks. Low power analog circuits are the critical enablers for such applications, and nano-powered analog circuits are and will be the critical enablers for a further wide range of emerging applications.
A continuum theory of edge dislocations

Abstract Continuum theory of dislocation aims to describe the behavior of large ensembles of dislocations. This task is far from completion, and, most likely, does not have a “universal solution”, which is applicable to any dislocation ensemble. In this regards it is important to have guiding lines set by benchmark cases, where the transition from a discrete set of dislocations to a continuum description is made rigorously. Two such cases have been considered recently: equilibrium of dislocation walls and screw dislocations in beams. In this paper one more case is studied, equilibrium of a large set of 2D edge dislocations placed randomly in a 2D bounded region. The major characteristic of interest is energy of dislocation ensemble, because it determines the structure of continuum equations. The homogenized energy functional is obtained for the periodic dislocation ensembles with a random contents of the periodic cell. Parameters of the periodic structure can change slowly on distances of order of the size of periodic cells. The energy functional is obtained by the variational-asymptotic method. Equilibrium positions are local minima of energy. It is confirmed the earlier assertion that energy density of the system is the sum of elastic energy of averaged elastic strains and microstructure energy, which is elastic energy of the neutralized dislocation system, i.e. the dislocation system placed in a constant dislocation density field making the averaged dislocation density zero. The computation of energy is reduced to solution of a variational cell problem. This problem is solved analytically. The solution is used to investigate stability of simple dislocation arrays, i.e. arrays with one dislocation in the periodic cell. The relations obtained yield two outcomes: First, there is a state parameter of the system, dislocation polarization; averaged stresses affect only dislocation polarization and cannot change other characteristics of the system. Second, the structure of dislocation phase space is strikingly simple. Dislocation phase space is split in a family of subspaces corresponding to constant values of dislocation polarizations; in each equipolarization subspace there are many local minima of energy; for zero external stresses the system is stuck in a local minimum of energy; for non-zero slowly changing external stress, dislocation polarization evolves, while the system moves over local energy minima of equipolarization subspaces. Such a simple picture of dislocation dynamics is due to the presence of two time scales, slow evolution of dislocation polarization and fast motion of the system over local minima of energy. The existence of two time scales is justified for a neutral system of edge dislocations.
Abstract 312: Jagged1 and Morphological Integrity of the Kidney

Renal vascular development is dependent on the participation of renin precursor cells, which localize to areas of new vessel formation and differentiate into smooth muscle cells (SMCs), mesangial and juxtaglomerular (JG) cells. However, the mechanisms that enforce this particular fate of renin precursor cells remain unclear. During embryogenesis, renin cells express a significant number of angiogenic factors including the Notch signaling ligand Jagged1. We therefore hypothesized that Jagged1 is necessary for renin precursors to differentiate into the various mural cells of the renal arterioles and that Jagged1 plays a critical role in renal vascular development. To generate conditional Jagged1 deletion in cells of the renin lineage, we crossed Jagged1 fl/fl mice with Ren1d cre/+ mice. We investigated kidney weight, morphology, and vascular architecture as well as the identity of cells composing the kidney arterioles including renin cells and SMCs. We performed quantitative RT-PCR on kidney cortex mRNA for Jagged1 and Renin expression levels and immunohistochemistry for renin. The expression of Jagged1 mRNA in conditional knockout (cKO) animals was reduced at 2 weeks (68.3% reduction) and 4 weeks (66.5% reduction) compared to control mice. We found no significant differences between control and cKO animals in their kidney weights, renin mRNA expression, and renin staining. The number of renin-positive juxtaglomerular apparatuses (JGA) was 49.25 +/- 3.301 (n=4) and 38.00 +/- 4.830 (n=4) for control and cKO mice respectively under physiologic conditions. Staining for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) demonstrated an overall normal vascular anatomy in cKO kidneys, however there were focal areas containing activated pericytes and injured mesangial cells expressing α-SMA indicating an active fibrotic process. Mason’s trichrome staining confirmed areas of glomerular and interstitial fibrosis in cKO kidneys. This work suggests that while Jagged1 is dispensable for renin expression, its loss in renin cell descendants affects perivascular-interstitial integrity and glomerular structure. The findings indicate an important role of Jagged1 in the maintenance of the morphologic integrity of the kidney.
The Role of Neighborhood Factors and Community Stigma in Predicting Community Participation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disabilities.

Objective:This study examined the association between neighborhood characteristics, stigma related to mental illness reported by local community members, and measures of perceived stigma and community participation among individuals with psychiatric disabilities living in independent scattered-site housing or in congregate housing in three neighborhoods in the New York City metropolitan area.Methods:Neighborhood characteristics were drawn from the 2010 U.S. Census. Surveys focusing on attitudes and intended behavior toward people with mental illness were administered to 608 general community members, and clinical interviews were conducted with 343 persons with psychiatric disabilities.Results:Of neighborhood characteristics, both greater socioeconomic disadvantage and more “suburban values” (lower housing density and greater political conservativism) predicted more perpetrated stigma reported by community members. There was no significant relationship between stigma reported by community members and perce...
Technology challenges for exoplanet detection with mid-IR interferometry

This paper provides an overview of technology development for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer (TPF-I). TPF-I is a mid-infrared space interferometer being designed with the capability of detecting Earth-like planets in the habitable zones around nearby stars.
Distribution and Evaluation of a Carbon Monoxide Detector Intervention in Two Settings: Emergency Department and Urban Community

The objective of this study was to describe changes in carbon monoxide (CO) safety knowledge and observed CO detector use following distribution of a CO detector use intervention in two environments, a pediatric emergency department (Ohio) and an urban community (Maryland). A total of 301 participants completed the 6-month follow up (Ohio: n = 125; Maryland: n = 176). The majority of participants was female, 25–34 years of age, and employed (full or part time). We found that CO safety knowledge did not differ between settings at enrollment, but significantly improved at the follow-up visits. The majority of CO detectors observed were functional and installed in the correct location. Of those with CO detectors at follow up, the majority had not replaced the battery. The success of the intervention varied between settings and distribution methods. The majority of participants showed improved knowledge and behaviors. Improved device technology may be needed to eliminate the need for battery replacement.
The Fundamental Elements of a Stable Public/Private Infrastructure Strategy in North America

Simultaneous use of the delivery methods in Quadrants I, II, and IV gives government endless opportunities to acquire private sector technology, equipment, expertise, and investment. These opportunities cross the entire spectrum of an infrastructure portfolio. If governments package these opportunities in ways that make them widely visible to private sector firms, much of the government’s task in acquisition is already complete. Private sector firms will structure their services, products, and systems to meet demand from both private and public infrastructure owners.1 Flexible use of these delivery methods gives infrastructure strategists a real chance to pursue the same goals American governments have been pursuing since 1789: to produce generation after generation of technologically advanced infrastructure systems and networks that powers a competitive economy.
Accelerated Testing and Evaluation of Autonomous Vehicles via Imitation Learning

In this paper, we investigate the use of surrogate agents to accelerate test scenario generation for autonomous vehicles. Our goal is to train the surrogate to replicate the true performance modes of the system. We create these surrogates by utilizing imitation learning with deep neural networks. By using imitator surrogates in place of the true agent, we are capable of predicting mission performance more quickly, gaining greater throughput for simulation-based testing. We demonstrate that using on-line imitation learning with Dataset Aggregation (DAgger) can not only correctly encode a policy that executes a complex mission, but can also encode multiple different behavioral modes. To improve performance for the target vehicle and mission, we manipulate the training set during each iteration to remove samples which do not contribute to the final policy. We call this approach Quantile-DAgger (Q-DAgger) and demonstrate its ability to replicate the behaviors of an autonomous vehicle in a collision avoidance scenario.
Simulation-Based Team Training Improves Team Performance among Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Staff.

Simulation training fosters collaborative learning and improves communication among interdisciplinary teams. In this prospective observational cohort study, we evaluated the impact of interdisciplinary simulation-based team training (SBTT) on immediate learning of team performance behaviors. In a 3-month period, 30 simulation sessions were conducted and 165 staff members, including physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists, were trained. Regression analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in team performance (p
Fibrane the reduced derivative of fenofibrate.

Abstract Synthetic routes for the preparation of (i) isopropyl 2-(4-(4-chlorobenzyl)phenoxy)-2-methyl propanoate (Reduced Fenofibrate, Fibrane) (2) from isopropyl 2-(4-(4-chlorobenzoyl)phenoxy)-2-methylpropanoate (Fenofibrate) (1) in a single step is established in good yield and purity under mild conditions. The newly synthesized derivative of Fenofibrate has been characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy techniques. Selective conversion of biphenyl ketone moiety, in the presence of ester carbonyl group in Fenofibrate to its corresponding alkane can be performed by Pd catalyst reduction with hydrogen transfer agent ammonium formate.
Impact of thermodynamic fluctuations and pattern size on the nucleation behavior during area selective deposition

In this work, the authors explore the impact that thermodynamic fluctuations have on the spontaneous appearance of defects during area selective deposition on patterned surfaces that are fully covered by adsorbates under local thermodynamic equilibrium, such as self-assembled monolayers. By using a simple lattice gas model for the adsorbed monolayer, the authors were able to track the spontaneous formation of defects in the monolayer as a function of the pattern width. The results indicate that, for pattern widths of the order of tens of nanometers, roughening effects at the pattern edge can be the leading source for the spontaneous appearance of nucleation defects. This leads to an enhancement of the density of defects that can be up to three orders of magnitude higher than those expected in uniform (not patterned) surfaces. The model also predicts a density of defects that is inversely proportional to the pattern width. Finally, if the dynamic nucleation of defects during area selective deposition is driven by thermodynamic fluctuations, the model predicts that the nucleation rate should be proportional to the total precursor fluency and independent of purge times. Moreover, a tight confinement of the monolayer through a high quality smooth interface in the patterned substrate and strong cohesive interactions between adsorbates should each contribute to a reduction of the overall defect density.
Superbeams and neutrino factories — Two paths to intense accelerator-based neutrino beams

High-energy and high-beam power accelerators are extensively used for the neutrino physics research. At present, the leading operational facilities are the J-PARC facility in Japan, which recently ...
Infrastructure-based Networking for Autonomous Transportation Systems Using IEEE 802.11p

We study infrastructure-based vehicular data networking for autonomous highway transportation systems. The infrastructure backbone consists of roadside units (RSUs) that act as access points for vehicles traveling along a segment of a highway system. The RSUs are interconnected by high-capacity point-to-point links. It is assumed that RSU transmissions reach all vehicles traveling along the highway. We present a data networking protocol that enables geocasting so that source vehicles aim to disseminate their data packets to vehicles that travel within a specified span from them. The dissemination route includes vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) wireless communication uplinks and downlinks. We study the performance behavior of the synthesized data network as a function of the average inter-RSU distance (i.e., the density of the RSU backbone). An IEEE 802.11p Medium Access Control (MAC) scheduling scheme is used for vehicles and RSUs to efficiently share the system's communications links. The data networking parameters configured for the synthesized network include the employed Modulation/Coding Schemes (MCS), the corresponding data rates, and vehicular and RSU transmit power levels. We evaluate the system's data throughput performance behavior, subject to the requirement that prescribed packet delay and delivery rate performance objectives are met. We show that system performance can be enhanced by the proper setting of vehicular and RSU transmit power levels. We provide analytical approximation to the effective transmit power levels, and verify them through simulation.
Why Allies Rebel: Defiant Local Partners in Counterinsurgency Wars

Why do powerful intervening militaries have such difficulty managing comparatively weak local partners in counterinsurgency wars? Set within the context of costly, large-scale military interventions such as the US war in Afghanistan, this book explains the conditions by which local allies comply with (or defy) the policy demands of larger security partners. Analysing nine large-scale post-colonial counterinsurgency interventions including Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Lebanon, Cambodia, and Angola, this book utilizes thousands of primary source documents to identify and examine over 450 policy requests proposed by intervening forces to local allies. By dissecting these problematic partnerships, this book exposes a critical political dynamic in military interventions. It will appeal to academics and policymakers addressing counterinsurgency issues in foreign policy, security studies and political science.
Characterization of an Asphalt Binder and Photoproducts by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Reveals Abundant Water-Soluble Hydrocarbons

Road asphalt is comprised of aggregate (rocks) mixed with a binder composed of high-boiling petroleum-derived compounds, which have been thought to be relatively inert (unreactive) and thus leach s...
Anxiety in patients with CKD and ESRD

Abstract Anxiety is a common symptom for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease, but in its extreme manifestations, anxiety can also be a complicating comorbid psychiatric illness. The literature on the prevalence of anxiety disorders in patients with renal disease is sparse. Anxiety is associated with mortality in end-stage renal disease patients treated with hemodialysis, as well as diminished perceived quality of life. Current treatment strategies for anxiety exist, and recommendations specific to patients with anxiety and renal disease are provided.
Horses Preparing Superintendent Candidates for the Leadership Arena

Background: This study considers the use of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), specifically horses, in an educational setting, which has received minimal attention in the human–animal interactio...