cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of orthogonal horizontal ground motion components for specified earthquake and site characteristics

SUMMARY A method for generating an ensemble of orthogonal horizontal ground motion components with correlated parameters for specified earthquake and site characteristics is presented. The method employs a parameterized stochastic model that is based on a time-modulated filtered white-noise process with the filter having time-varying characteristics. Whereas the input white-noise excitation describes the stochastic nature of the ground motion, the forms of the modulating function and the filter and their parameters characterize the evolutionary intensity and nonstationary frequency content of the ground motion. The stochastic model is fitted to a database of recorded horizontal ground motion component pairs that are rotated into their principal axes, a set of orthogonal axes along which the components are statistically uncorrelated. Model parameters are identified for each ground motion component in the database. Using these data, predictive equations are developed for the model parameters in terms of earthquake and site characteristics and correlation coefficients between parameters of the two components are estimated. Given a design scenario specified in terms of earthquake and site characteristics, the results of this study allow one to generate realizations of correlated model parameters and use them along with simulated white-noise processes to generate synthetic pairs of horizontal ground motion components along the principal axes. The proposed simulation method does not require any seed recorded ground motion and is ideal for use in performance-based earthquake engineering. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inducers of Plant Systemic Acquired Resistance Regulate NPR1 Function through Redox Changes

NPR1 is an essential regulator of plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR), which confers immunity to a broad-spectrum of pathogens. SAR induction results in accumulation of the signal molecule salicylic acid (SA), which induces defense gene expression via activation of NPR1. We found that in an uninduced state, NPR1 is present as an oligomer formed through intermolecular disulfide bonds. Upon SAR induction, a biphasic change in cellular reduction potential occurs, resulting in reduction of NPR1 to a monomeric form. Monomeric NPR1 accumulates in the nucleus and activates gene expression. Inhibition of NPR1 reduction prevents defense gene expression, whereas mutation of Cys82 or Cys216 in NPR1 leads to constitutive monomerization, nuclear localization of the mutant proteins, and defense gene expression. These data provide a missing link between accumulation of SA and activation of NPR1 in the SAR signaling pathway.
After the Manifesto: Modern Polygamy and Fundamentalist Mormons

The 1953 raid on Short Creek, Arizona, by 102 law enforce ment officers had all the elements of a classic comic opera for everyone but the fundamentalist Mormons who were arrested. After a two-year investigation into the continued practice of plural marriage by fundamentalist Mormons in the remote north Arizona desert, Gov. Howard Pyle had quietly filed pa pers declaring that a state of insurrection existed at Short Creek. A force allowing for two officers to each home in the community was secretly assembled: sixty policemen and state troopers, thirty sheriff's deputies, twelve liquor control agents, plus ma trons, nurses, a national guard field kitchen, judges, court per sonnel, and Attorney General Ross F. Jones. They were joined by about one hundred invited reporters. This army, bouncing along dusty desert roads in one hun dred cars with headlights off, crept up to tiny Short Creek from both the east and the west in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, 26 July 1953. The raid was timed to coincide with a full lunar eclipse and with a fundamentalist celebration of Pioneer Days, marking the day in 1847 when Brigham Young and the first Mormon settlers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. With all the pretended secrecy, the force expected to catch the fundamentalists in their beds, but the Short Creekers knew everything. (One newspaper headline called it a "Well-Adver tised Surprise."1) A young lookout, Joseph Barlow, Jr., exploded a dynamite warning signal at 4:30 A.M. His brother, Dan Barlow who is
ATP Synthesis Pathways: Phosphotransferase Reactions

Under conditions when ATP production via glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation is not fast enough to match ATP utilization rates, muscle cells use other ways to synthesize ATP. Two enzymes, which transfer the phosphoryl group (commonly called kinases) function in this way in the heart. Creatine kinase (ATP, creatine phosphotransferase) catalyzes the reversible transfer of the phosphoryl group between phosphocreatine (PCr) and ADP. The reversible adenylate kinase reaction transfers the phosphoryl group between AMP and ATP. The topics for this chapter are: Creatine Kinase Creatine transport Changes in the creatine kinase system in ischemic and failing myocardium Adenylate Kinase
Microdosimetry of a 42 MeV therapy neutron beam.

Abstract Radiation quality of fast neutron therapy beams can change with depth. For a neutron beam generated by p → Be, the primary effect is a “hardening” of the neutron beam produced by the scattering of slow neutron components. A 42 MeV neutron therapy beam was investigated using microdosimetric techniques. We report measurements of dose mean and saturation-corrected lineal energy in water phantom at build-up depth, 5, 15, and 30 cm, and show representative logarithmic dose distributions in lineal energy. RBE is also calculated using assumptions based on the Theory of Dual Radiation Action and presented as a function of dose and depth.
Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Selective Epitaxial Grown Germanium on Silicon

Germanium (Ge) waveguides selectively grown on Silicon (Si) in oxide trenches are chemical mechanical polished (CMP) using a mixture of commercial CMP slurries with H2O2 and deionized (DI) water dilution at a pH value of around 3. The abrasive concentration reduction due to dilution effectively lowers the Ge removal rate. Pattern density effects are also studied and show a lower removal rate with higher pattern density. Two commercial slurries are used for the Ge CMP. The W2000 based slurry is more suitable for blanket Ge films or Ge waveguides with high pattern density, delivering a moderate removal rate (200 nm/min to 600 nm/min) and minimal dishing with good time control. The G1000 based slurry works better for Ge waveguides with low pattern density. We achieved only 10 nm dishing during 60s over-polishing due to the lower Ge dissolution rate compared to the W2000 based slurries.
Ramipril for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effectiveness of ramipril in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and determine its need for inclusion on a formulary.DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE and PubMed database search was conducted (1987–May 2002). Only journals written in the English language were selected for review.DATA EXTRACTION AND STUDY SELECTION:Articles reporting the use of ramipril in humans were evaluated. Emphasis was placed on randomized, controlled trials assessing efficacy.DATA SYNTHESIS:Ramipril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that exerts its effects through inhibition of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. It exhibits a safety profile that is similar to that of other ACE inhibitors and is comparable in cost to the majority of the available agents. Clinical trials have proven the effectiveness of ACE inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, and nephropathy. Ramipril, however, is the only ACE inhibitor currently approved for the prevention of cardiovas...
The role of surface albedo feedback in climate

Abstract A coarse resolution coupled ocean–atmosphere simulation in which surface albedo feedback is suppressed by prescribing surface albedo, is compared to one where snow and sea ice anomalies are allowed to affect surface albedo. Canonical CO2-doubling experiments were performed with both models to assess the impact of this feedback on equilibrium response to external forcing. It accounts for about half the high-latitude response to the forcing. Both models were also run for 1000 yr without forcing to assess the impact of surface albedo feedback on internal variability. Surprisingly little internal variability can be attributed to this feedback, except in the Northern Hemisphere continents during spring and in the sea ice zone of the Southern Hemisphere year-round. At these locations and during these seasons, it accounts for, at most, 20% of the variability. The main reason for this relatively weak signal is that horizontal damping processes dilute the impact of surface albedo feedback. When snow albed...
A direct AC-DC converter for battery chargers

The prospect of widespread introduction of electric vehicles has prompted the development of public and private access battery charging stations in California and elsewhere. Home charging stations generally aim at obtaining a unity power factor interface with the single phase utility power source to maximize power capacity utilization. The rectified AC source feeds power to an intermediate DC bus. The DC bus power is then converted into high frequency AC which is then coupled to the vehicle using an inductively coupled device. In this paper an alternative approach to the power conversion problem is presented. Operating limitations, design issues and simulation results are presented in the paper.
Direct estimation of biofilm density on different pipe material coupons using a specific DNA-probe

A variety of approaches to quantify biomass in biofilms without disruption due to detachment have been developed over the years. One basic approach is the combination of advanced microscopy with molecular staining. However, many stains (e.g. 4',6-diamino-2-phenylindole, acridine orange or live-dead stains) can be non-specific when corrosion products, precipitates, and pipe material are present. In addition, some pipe materials cause high background when using epifluorescent microscopy. The new refinement discussed in this presentation used fluorescence spectroscopy to obtain the spectra from four common distribution system pipe materials: PVC, 'concrete' lined cast iron, cast iron, and galvanized steel. The emission maximum for all four materials was between 500 and 550 nm, but emissions radically decreased around 575-600 nm. A molecular probe, BO-PRO-3 (Molecular Probes, Inc., Eugene, OR, USA) was identified which has an emission intensity maximum at 599 nm (red), with emission intensity 200 times greater when it is bound to DNA. The BO-PRO-3 has greatly reduced non-specific staining and background problems. In the preliminary experiment, using diluted waste water, a significant exponential relationship was found between stained surface area/total area ratio and fixed biofilm inventory measurements from scraping heterotrophic plate counts (SHPC) on R2A medium. In addition, the biofilm inventory on different pipe material coupons from pilot distribution systems was also correlated to the stained surface area fraction and SHPC.
At the Intersection of Emotion and Cognition Aging and the Positivity Effect

Divergent trajectories characterize the aging mind: Processing capacity declines, while judgment, knowledge, and emotion regulation are relatively spared. We maintain that these different developmental trajectories have implications for emotion–cognition interactions. Following an overview of our theoretical position, we review empirical studies indicating that (a) older adults evidence superior cognitive performance for emotional relative to non-emotional information, (b) age differences are most evident when the emotional content is positively as opposed to negatively valenced, and (c) differences can be accounted for by changes in motivation posited in socioemotional selectivity theory.
Perinatal Predictors of Atopic Dermatitis Occurring in the First Six Months of Life

Objective. Previous studies of predictors of atopic dermatitis have had limited sample size, small numbers of variables, or retrospective data collection. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate several perinatal predictors of atopic dermatitis occurring in the first 6 months of life. Design. We report findings from 1005 mothers and their infants participating in Project Viva, a US cohort study of pregnant women and their offspring. The main outcome measure was maternal report of a provider’s diagnosis of eczema or atopic dermatitis in the first 6 months of life. We used multiple logistic regression models to assess the associations between several simultaneous predictors and incidence of atopic dermatitis. Results. Cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis in the first 6 months of life was 17.1%. Compared with infants born to white mothers, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for risk of atopic dermatitis among infants born to black mothers was 2.41 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47, 3.94) and was 2.58 among infants born to Asian mothers (95% CI: 1.27, 5.24). Male infants had an OR of 1.76 (95% CI: 1.24, 2.51). Increased gestational age at birth was a predictor (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.27, for each 1-week increment), but birth weight for gestational age was not. Infants born to mothers with a history of eczema had an OR of 2.67 (95% CI: 1.74, 4.10); paternal history of eczema also was predictive, although maternal atopic history was more predictive than paternal history. Several other perinatal, social, feeding, and environmental variables were not related to risk of atopic dermatitis. Conclusions. Black and Asian race/ethnicity, male gender, higher gestational age at birth, and family history of atopy, particularly maternal history of eczema, were associated with increased risk of atopic dermatitis in the first 6 months of life. These findings suggest that genetic and pre- and perinatal influences are important in the early presentation of this condition.
CCK modulation: beyond Wi-Fi

The full-rate IEEE 802.11b standard for wireless local area networks, also known as Wi-Fi, employs 256-ary complementary code keying (CCK). For applications that do not require adherence to the standard, it may be desirable to use forward error correction coding with CCK, but the bit-to-symbol mappings used in IEEE 802.11b degrade the performance of most standard binary codes. We show that a standard binary convolutional code performs much better with alternative bit mappings, and we demonstrate that chip scrambling gives additional improvement.
Low-level EMFs are transduced like other stimuli

Abstract The aims of this study were to test the theory that transduction of low-level electromagnetic fields (EMFs) is mediated like other stimuli, and to determine the false-negative rate of the method used to assess the occurrence of transduction (intra-subject comparison of stimulus and non-stimulus states (ICOS)). A light stimulus was chosen as a basis of comparison because light could be applied and removed at precise time points, similar to the manner in which EMFs were controlled. Subjects exposed to a weak light stimulus during 2-second epochs exhibited alterations in brain electrical activity that were similar to those previously observed in subjects exposed to EMFs. The false-negative rate of the ICOS method was 61%, since it registered an effect in only 39% of the subjects ( 11 28 ) whereas all subjects were actually aware of the light. In a second group of subjects that were exposed to 0.8 G (1.5 or 10 Hz), 58% ( 11 19 ) exhibited similar alterations in brain activity, as determined using ICOS. Previous measurements in the same subjects using a different method showed that the EMFs actually affected brain electrical activity in all subjects; consequently, the false-negative rate was 42% when an EMF was used as the stimulus. The results suggested that the post-transduction brain electrical processes in human subjects were similar in the cases of EMF and light stimuli, as hypothesized, and that the high negative rate of the ICOS method (here and in previous studies) was composed partly or entirely of false-negative results.
Latency measures of the acoustic reflex. Normal versus sensorineural.

An ordered series of latency measures of the acoustic reflex was obtained on 23 normal-hearing and 23 sensorineural hearing-impaired subjects. Five parameters from each reflex recording were defined and measured. Statistical analysis revealed no difference between the two groups for the contraction or initial portion of the response. However, following the cessation of the stimulus, the sensorineural group demonstrated a significantly longer relaxation time
Human Behavioral Development and Genetics

Behavioral development during childhood is examined in relation to recent concepts and data from evolutionary theory and developmental genetics. The epigenetic framework of Waddington is proposed as a powerful tool for analyzing the progressions in behavior, particularly for recognizing that development involves coordinated pathways of change over time. Many of these pathways appear to depend upon the activity of timed gene-action systems that switch off and on according to a predetermined plan. Behavioral development thus gives expression to the dynamics of preprogrammed change; and in this perspective, behavioral discontinuities may be as strongly rooted in the epigenetic ground plan as the continuities are. The present paper aims to pull together some common themes from different areas that bear on the central issues of behavioral development--the neural foundations, the time course followed, the interplay of maturation and experience, the extent of preorganization furnished by the genetic program, and the adaptive significance of such behaviors in an evolutionary perspective. The final section touches on some hypotheses drawn from developmental neurobiology and developmental genetics that may enrich the analyses of human behavioral development.
Locating Asian American Studies Today: Origins, Identities, and Crises

Among the vital issues facing Asian American Studies today is the problem of academic identity. As it emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Asian American Studies seemed to belong naturally with Ethnic Studies programs, with which it shared both intellectual and social interests. Intellectually, Asian Americans as a group shared with other ethnicities common problems of conceptualization and self-definition. Socially, as with other Ethnic Studies programs, the field in its emergence was not just academic, but also sought to introduce into academia new modes of work derived from a conviction in the need to bridge academic work and community involvement.
Generalizations of the capture point to nonlinear center of mass paths and uneven terrain

The classical Capture Point (CP) technique allows biped robots to take protective footsteps in case of a push or other disturbance, but only applies to flat terrain and a horizontally-moving Center of Mass (CoM). This paper generalizes the Capture Point technique to arbitrary terrains and CoM paths. Removing the CoM path constraint leads to an infinite number of Capture Points, each corresponding to a different path. A numerical algorithm is presented that, given an uneven terrain, enumerates Capture Points and their respective CoM trajectories. It is suitable for real-time usage as it produces all capture points in less than a millisecond on a standard PC. Proof-of-concept results are also demonstrated on a humanoid robot in a dynamic simulator.
Lipid Metabolism in Aging Rats

Studies in Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats have shown that with age the following lipid changes generally take place: serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and liver cholesterol levels rise; hepatic cholesterogenesis falls; and cholesterol adsorption (measured by fecal excretion of administered cholesterol) decreases. We studied serum and liver lipids in Fisher 344 rats. In the first experiment we used 6 rats each at ages 2, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Body wt. (avg.) was 230 g at 2 months, 276 g at 6 months and 430 g in the older rats regardless of age. Liver wt. rose with age but was not increased in proportion to body wt. Serum cholesterol was 46.2 mg/dl at 2 months and rose sharply only at 24 months (76.8 mg/dl). Liver cholesterol was only 9% higher at 24 than at 2 months. Serum triglyceride levels were about 125 mg/dl until 18 months when they rose to 186 mg/dl and at 24 months they were 251 mg/dl. Liver triglycerides rose from 142 mg/100g at two months to 211 mg/100g at 6 months and 267 mg/100g at 18 months. In a second experiment using rats of 2, 9, 12 and 24 months similar results were obtained.
Circulating prolactin of incubating male Wilson's Phalaropes corresponds to clutch size and environmental stress

We measured the effect of clutch-size changes on levels of circulating prolactin (prl) among incubating male Wilson's Phalaropes in order to identify the influence of clutch-size as an exogenous determinant of circulating prl, and to better understand the endocrinology of clutch abandonment. One year of the study was characterized by unusually high temperatures and drought, and incubating males appeared to be heavily stressed based on ambient temperatures and rates of weight loss. We used the contrasting environmental conditions between years to compare levels of circulating prl among males experiencing different levels of environmental stress. We found a strong inter-year effect, with significantly lower prl during the high stress year. We also found a clear effect of clutch-size on level of circulating prl during the low stress year of the study. Males with increased or decreased clutch-size had lower levels of circulating prl than did control males. Because prl levels were so variable, we sought alternative explanations to year and clutch-size effects. We examined nine environmental and physiological factors a posteriori for a relationship with circulating prl. Although we identified weak correlates, none of the additional factors could account for the variation in prl explained by year and clutch-size. Incubating male Wilson's Phalaropes appear to experience an adaptive endocrine change when the potential fitness of their clutch is compromised.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MATING SYSTEM ON SEED SIZE VARIATION IN CRINUM ERUBESCENS (AMARYLLIDACEAE).

We present evidence that extreme seed size variation in fruits of Crinum erubescens (range: 0.1 to 66.5 g per seed) occurs when mating pairs are inbred, either from selfing or biparental inbreeding. Several relatively uniform seeds of intermediate size are produced when pollen from several pollen donors is applied simultaneously to a flower. Selfed fruits and some fruits pollinated with a single pollen donor produce both large and small seeds, although selfed fruits produce fewer seeds than outcrossed fruit. These results are contrary to the hypothesis that variation in seed size is attributable to either pollen competition or differential allocation of maternal resource to seeds of different genotypes.
Epidermal Growth Factor: Receptor Binding and I Effects On the Sex Accessory Organs of Sexually Mature Male Mice

AbstractThe role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in maintaining the integrity of the male sex accessory glands was investigated in the mouse. In the sexually mature male C3H mouse, EGF levels were highest in the submandibular gland, followed by the seminal vesicles and the prostate. Twenty eight days after sialoadenectomy (Sx), EGF fell below detectable limits in the serum and in the seminal vesicles. However, the prostate still retained 22% of its immunoreactive EGF. There was a sevenfold increase in serum testosterone after sialoadenectomy. Despite this drastic rise in testosterone, both prostatic and seminal vesicular weights were reduced, serum levels of LH were suppressed only by 37% and FSH levels were not altered. All these changes were abolished by the simultaneous administration of exogenous EGF at 100pg«/kg./day for 28days.Both prostatic and seminal vesicular membranes contained binding sites for 125I-EGF. Binding was maximal after one hour of incubation at room temperature. Two classes of bind...
Representing New Math: Genre Chains and Controversy in the Saskatchewan Media.

The media's response to the release of "Math Instruction that Makes Sense" (2011), a research report by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy (FCPP), helped spark a public controversy and spur the Saskatchewan government to reexamine the Ministry of Education’s math curriculum. The purpose of this article is to examine the CBC's depiction of the FCPP report and subsequent responses to it utilizing the tools of Critical Discourse Analysis and linguistic anthropology as a way of understanding the means by which concrete linguistic artifacts like research reports are recontextualized and disseminated with and for political means. By identifying the construction of voices, external resources and interview data in the CBC's reporting—the movement of resources across stable genre chains—my intent is to demonstrate how 'common sense' is established in the broader public discourse on matters of educational policy and the media's active role in creating it. La reaction mediatique au lancement en 2011 de « Math Instruction that Makes Sense » (Donner un sens aux maths), un rapport de recherche par le Frontier Centre for Public Policy (FCPP), a suscite une controverse au sein du public et a incite le gouvernement de la Saskatchewan a revoir son programme d’etudes en mathematiques. L’objectif de cet article est de se pencher sur la representation qu’a faite la CBC du rapport du FCPP et les reactions qu’elle a entrainees et ce, en utilisant les outils de l’analyse critique du discours et de l’anthropologie linguistique pour comprendre comment les objets linguistiques concrets comme les rapports de recherche sont recontextualises et diffuses par des moyens politiques et pour des fins politiques. En identifiant la construction des voix, des ressources externes et des donnees d’entrevue dans le reportage de la CBC – le mouvement de ressources le long de chaines de genre stables - j’ai l’intention de demontrer comment le «sens commun» s’etablit dans le discours public elargi relative aux politiques en matiere d’education d’une part et d’illustrer le role actif des medias dans sa creation d’autre part.
The role of cation fluxes in chloroplast activity.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of some of the ways in which various parts or components of the ζ scheme (a general way to describe two light reactions) can be distinguished and measured; the morphological separation of the photoreactions in vivo at the tissue, cell, and chloroplast levels; and the physical separation of the photosystems in vitro. The study of various parts of the photosynthetic mechanism is aided by the production of mutants that lack one or more components of the electron transport chain. Prior studies have shown that at least two photoreactions with the light of different colors are necessary for photosynthesis. Action spectra show the effectiveness of different colors of light for a particular reaction; the action spectrum coincides with the absorption spectra of the photoreactive pigments. The action spectra for various steps in the ζ scheme have shown that several different pigments and forms of chlorophyll are preferentially active in system I or II. The fluorescence spectra of chlorophyll in each of the two systems are also different. Other studies have observed that in chloroplasts that contain grana, the complete photosynthetic apparatus is located in these grana, and the activity in the intergrana or stroma lamellae may provide additional energy by a type of cyclicphotophosphorylation.
Religious Service Attendance and Volunteering A Growth Curve Analysis

Despite methodological advances in studying the relationship between religious attendance and volunteering, its dynamic nature still needs to be elucidated. We apply growth curve modeling to examine whether trajectories of religious attendance and volunteering are related to each other over a 15-year period in a nationally representative sample from the Americans’ Changing Lives data (1986-2002). Multivariate results showed that the rates of change in religious attendance and volunteering were positively related, and excluding religious volunteering did not alter the finding. It was also found that the initial level of religious attendance was positively associated with the rate of increase in volunteer hours over the period. Mediation analyses revealed that participation in voluntary associations explained the dynamic relationships between religious attendance and volunteering. These results provide evidence that involvement in organized religion and volunteering are dual activities that change together ...
Main Issues of the Russian WTO Accession Process

It is not yet known when Russia’s accession process to the WTO will be accomplished. But the experience which has been accumulated during the seven completed WTO accession negotiations and the more than four years activity of the Russian Working Party provide enough material to identify the main issues which will probably play a prominent role in Russia’s accession. In selecting these issues, special attention has been given to the accession conditions of the newly acceded five transition economies, among which three were republics of the former Soviet Union. These conditions reflect the new objectives of the most influential WTO members. Conditions which they are also expected to largely follow in the Russian case. The examination of the main issues concerning the Russian WTO accession will be centred around the three main pillars of the accession protocols, namely commitments on rules; market access concessions and agricultural commitments; and commitments on services.
Revision FAI Surgery

Revision hip preservation for failed FAI surgery will play a growing role as the numbers of primary procedures increase. Effective treatment requires diagnosing the cause of failure and formulating an appropriate treatment plan that considers all potential diagnoses and treats the cause of failure, lest the same mistake be made again. The most commonly reported reason for revision is under-resection of the impinging bone; however, bony over-resection, extra-articular impingement, joint instability, labral insufficiency, and heterotopic ossification may also necessitate revision procedures. Outcomes typically improve after revision surgery, but are inferior to the results seen with primary procedures. Patients with extensive cartilage damage do not predictably improve with further preservation attempts and may be candidates for hip arthroplasty.
The Glutamate Transporter GLT1 and Cocaine Relapse

Reinstatement of craving for cocaine after time away from the drug represents a major hurdle in the treatment of cocaine addiction. Although neuroimaging of human addicts has shed some light on the neural substrates of cocaine relapse, studies of animals undergoing drug self-administration and withdrawal have provided detailed information about the cellular, molecular, and neurochemical components of the underlying neural circuitry. Glutamate neurons in prefrontal cortex, which project to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), are dramatically altered by chronic cocaine. The result is a dysregulation of glutamate transmission in the NAcc, a key component of which is a downregulation of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1). Reversal of this effect on GLT1 by treatment with ceftriaxone and other compounds attenuates the relapse response in animals even after prolonged cocaine withdrawal. Although a history of cocaine abuse impacts multiple neural mechanisms, continued focus on GLT1 and the corresponding changes in other proteins that regulate glutamate transmission is necessary for development of an effective therapeutic strategy for preventing cocaine relapse.
“It Just Never Worked Out”: How Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth Understand Their Pathways Into Homelessness

Many transgender and gender-expansive young people live outside of mainstream society, due to structural barriers that limit access to employment, health care, education, and public accommodations, as well as prejudice and discrimination within their families and communities. These structural barriers can be understood as cisgenderism. Though a growing body of research examines lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth homelessness, gaps in knowledge about the specific experiences of transgender and gender-expansive homeless youth remain. This phenomenological qualitative investigation explored aspects of transgender and gender-expansive youth's experiences related to homelessness. This article focuses on participants' understanding of their pathways into homelessness.
Primary frequency regulation in islandec microgrids through droop-based generation and demand control

Conventionally, droop control has been used for primary frequency control, allowing generators to share imbalances in generation and load. This paper proposes the use of different types of droop-based control logics for load regulation to turn on or off groups of loads to help restore the system power balance. The proposed droop-based controllers are used by an aggregator to identify individual loads that can be used for demand response (DR) and control them according to their assigned priority. This procedure incorporates an incentive provided by the utility to the customer to allow control of their loads. Also, we will show that droop control can be used on a variety of resources in an MG at the same time, including energy storage system (ESS), generator, and loads to cooperatively contribute to frequency stabilization. Numerical experiments presented show that the proposed method is an effective way to prevent large frequency deviations due to variations in renewable generation and power contingencies in islanded MGs.
Sustained release of endothelial progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles from shear-thinning hydrogels improves angiogenesis and promotes function after myocardial infarction

Aims Previous studies have demonstrated improved cardiac function following myocardial infarction (MI) after administration of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) into ischaemic myocardium. A growing body of literature supports paracrine effectors, including extracellular vesicles (EVs), as the main mediators of the therapeutic benefits of EPCs. The direct use of paracrine factors is an attractive strategy that harnesses the effects of cell therapy without concerns of cell engraftment or viability. We aim to reproduce the beneficial effects of EPC treatment through delivery of EPC-derived EVs within a shear-thinning gel (STG) for precise localization and sustained delivery. Methods and results EVs were harvested from EPCs isolated from adult male Rattus norvegicus (Wistar) rats and characterized by electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and mass spectrometry. EVs were incorporated into the STG and injected at the border zone in rat models of MI. Haemodynamic function, angiogenesis, and myocardial remodelling were analyzed in five groups: phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control, STG control, EVs in PBS, EVs in STG, and EPCs in STG. Electron microscopy and NTA of EVs showed uniform particles of 50-200 nm. EV content analysis revealed several key angiogenic mediators. EV uptake by endothelial cells was confirmed and followed by robust therapeutic angiogenesis. In vivo animal experiments demonstrated that delivery of EVs within the STG resulted in increased peri-infarct vascular proliferation, preservation of ventricular geometry, and improved haemodynamic function post-MI. Conclusions EPC-derived EVs delivered into ischaemic myocardium via an injectable hydrogel enhanced peri-infarct angiogenesis and myocardial haemodynamics in a rat model of MI. The STG greatly increased therapeutic efficiency and efficacy of EV-mediated myocardial preservation.
Camelina: An emerging oilseed platform for advanced biofuels and bio-based materials

Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) is a Brassicaceae oilseed crop with valuable agronomic and biotechnological attributes that make it an attractive renewable feedstock for biofuels and bio-based materials. Camelina seeds contain 30–40 % oil and can achieve oil yields per hectare that surpass established oilseed crops such as soybean. Camelina is also productive under conditions of limited rainfall and low soil fertility. As a short season, frost tolerant oilseed, Camelina is amenable to double cropping systems and fallow year production. Simple, non-labor intensive Agrobacterium-based transformation methods have recently been described for Camelina that can be used in combination with breeding to rapidly improve seed quality and agronomic traits to advance Camelina as a production platform for biofuels and industrial feedstocks in geographical regions such as the North American Great Plains that currently have little oilseed production for edible vegetable oils.
U. S. monetary policy and the exchange rate: effects on the world coarse grain market

During the 1950s and 1960s, the United States benefited from relatively stable monetary policy. This stability largely reflected the weaknesses of monetary policy as a domestic policy tool under the prevailing international monetary system of fixed exchange rates. Consequently, the relationship between the agricultural sector and monetary policy was not obvious, well-understood, or perhaps even significant;The general concern of this study is the effect of U.S. monetary policy on the U.S. and world agricultural markets. The specific objectives are to investigate the nature of U.S. monetary policy between 1960 and 1980, to investigate the channels through which U.S. monetary policy influences world agricultural markets, and, finally, to conceptualize a model of the world coarse grain market with which to evaluate the impacts of U.S. monetary policy. The coarse grain market is used primarily because coarse grains are the foremost agricultural commodities traded in world markets. Also, since coarse grain is utilized mainly by the developed countries as a livestock feed, significant world market participants are few, limiting the size of the model required for the analysis;The study demonstrates that following the move from fixed to flexible exchange rates in the early 1970s, U.S. monetary policy became variable. The increased volatility of the money supply is, then, hypothesized to have increased the volatility of the value of the dollar, and, perhaps, U.S. prices and exports;To analyze the problem, this study follows the monetary approach to exchange rate determination in constructing a nonlinear, nonspatial price equilibrium world model of the coarse grain market which includes six major exporting countries--the U.S., Argentina, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Thailand--and two major importing countries--Japan, and the USSR. Prices are linked among countries in the model through price transmission equations which account for policy-induced world market price divergences;Simulation of a five billion-dollar sustained increase in the U.S. money supply indicates that because of the inelastic world import demand, elastic U.S. export supply, and inelastic export supplies of other regions, the effects are minor. Furthermore, the U.S. competitive position improves in the world market, while its prices change by less than all the other regions.
Anesthetic Assessment and Treatment of Facial and Ocular Trauma

The anesthetic management of facial trauma can be challenging, with airway management as a particular concern. Difficulties can exist with (1) spontaneous ventilation, due to depressed consciousness and concomitant brain injury; (2) mask ventilation, due to the potential for altered facial soft tissue and bony structures; and (3) intubation, due to the extent of trauma present. Innovative intubation techniques must sometimes be utilized. Patients with previous facial trauma present airway complications, sometimes in the form of significant scarring and limited mouth opening. In patients with ocular trauma, open globe injuries are of special concern. Intraocular and extraocular pressures must be limited by avoiding anesthetic agents that cause myoclonus and eliminating compression of the globe.
Depth-profiled Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy of Thin Insulation Films

The various techniques of positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) may be among the best for characterizing pore size, pore distribution and interconnectivity in amorphous thin films. In particular, PAS is becoming recognized as a practical characterization method for low-k dielectric films in microelectronic materials research. We expect this area of PAS research to experience a significant increase in activity in the next decade. Many obstacles to using low energy positron beams to depth profile thin film insulators with positron annihilation spectroscopies (PAS) have recently been overcome.
CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Prophylaxis

Large raw exposed facial areas following resurfacing may invite devastating bacterial cellulitis (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), primary herpes simplex, or reactivation of latent herpes simplex with disseminated facial scarring. To achieve therapeutic levels at the time of treatment, physicians may prescribe prophylactic antibiotic and antiviral medications prior to surgery.
Aging and the clock: Perspective from flies to humans

Endogenous circadian oscillators regulate molecular, cellular and physiological rhythms, synchronizing tissues and organ function to coordinate activity and metabolism with environmental cycles. The technological nature of modern society with round-the-clock work schedules and heavy reliance on personal electronics has precipitated a striking increase in the incidence of circadian and sleep disorders. Circadian dysfunction contributes to an increased risk for many diseases and appears to have adverse effects on aging and longevity in animal models. From invertebrate organisms to humans, the function and synchronization of the circadian system weakens with age aggravating the age-related disorders and pathologies. In this review, we highlight the impacts of circadian dysfunction on aging and longevity and the reciprocal effects of aging on circadian function with examples from Drosophila to humans underscoring the highly conserved nature of these interactions. Additionally, we review the potential for using reinforcement of the circadian system to promote healthy aging and mitigate age-related pathologies. Advancements in medicine and public health have significantly increased human life span in the past century. With the demographics of countries worldwide shifting to an older population, there is a critical need to understand the factors that shape healthy aging. Drosophila melanogaster, as a model for aging and circadian interactions, has the capacity to facilitate the rapid advancement of research in this area and provide mechanistic insights for targeted investigations in mammals.
The patient with substance use disorder

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to describe the anesthesiologist's perioperative challenges when caring for the patient with substance use disorder and, in particular, opioid use disorder.Recent findingsWith the introduction of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Higher initial weight-based heparin dosing is required with direct oral anticoagulants during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Heparin dosing of patients anticoagulated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation can be challenging as they require more heparin than those on warfarin therapy. We sought to compare periprocedural activated clotting times (ACTs) of patients on warfarin vs. DOAC and determine an optimal weight-based heparin dosage strategy. Patients who underwent AF ablation over 28 months were reviewed for type of anticoagulation, intraprocedural heparin dosing, ACTs, and adverse outcomes. A heparin dosing strategy was then tested in a prospective validation cohort. There were 89 patients in the DOAC group and 43 in the warfarin group. Demographics, comorbidities, and complication rates were similar. Mean ACT and percentage of therapeutic ACTs were lower in the DOAC group, most significantly in those with a weight > 90 kg. In DOAC patients, a higher initial heparin bolus ≥ 150 units/kg yielded a higher percentage of therapeutic intraprocedural ACTs (49% ± 10 vs. 29% ± 7, p = 0.0008). In a prospective validation cohort of 25 patients administered an initial heparin bolus ≥ 150 units/kg, the mean ACT was 295 ± 33 and 49% of the ACTs collected were therapeutic, similar to findings of our high-dose retrospective subgroup. Patients on DOACs require more heparin during AF ablation to achieve therapeutic ACT. We suggest an initial heparin dose of at least 150 units/kg in this subset of patients, particularly in those with a weight > 90 kg.
A Gentle Introduction to Heterogeneous Computing for CS1 Students

Heterogeneous architectures have emerged as a dominant platform, not only in high performance computing but also in mobile processing, cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoTs). Because the curriculum is over-crowded in its current state, it is difficult to include a new course as a required part of the curriculum without increasing the number of hours to graduation. Integration of heterogeneous computing content requires a module-based approach, such as those undertaken for introducing parallel and distributed computing In this paper, we present a teaching module that introduces CS1 students to some of the fundamental concepts in heterogeneous computing. The goal of this module is not teach students how to program heterogeneous systems but rather expose them to this emerging trend and prepare them for material they are expected to see in future classes. Although concepts are covered at a high-level, the module emphasizes active learning and includes a lab assignment that provides students hands-on experience with respect to task mapping and performance evaluation of a heterogeneous system. The module was implemented at our home institution in Fall 2018. Initial evaluation results are quite encouraging both in terms of learning outcomes and student engagement and interest.
Development and Initial Validation of the Student Interest and Choice in STEM (SIC-STEM) Survey 2.0 Instrument for Assessment of the Social Cognitive Career Theory Constructs

In response to a growing need for STEM professionals, this study reports the results of the initial validation of a refined survey instrument that purports to measure the five constructs of the social cognitive career theory framework within the subjects of mathematics, science, engineering and technology. To investigate the instrument’s reliability and psychometric properties, we administered this 45-item survey to students in grades 4–12. Reliability and validity (content and construct) were assessed using Cronbach’s coefficient alphas and structural equation modeling. Path coefficients for the five constructs indicated weak to moderate influences on the subscales, and the goodness-of-fit indices demonstrated that the model is acceptable. Initial results indicate the survey has the potential to collect reliable and valid data and suggest the instrument may be helpful in measuring students’ interests and choices in STEM careers for research, partnerships, and curricular development. Additionally, results highlight two areas for further investigation, which include the impact conscientious or random responders have on the survey’s psychometric properties and what constitutes satisfactory Cronbach’s alpha for results to be interpreted in a significant way.