cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Let’s All Pull Together: Principles for Sharing Large Loads in Microrobot Teams

We present a simple statistical model to predict the maximum pulling force available from robot teams. The expected performance is a function of interactions between each robot and the ground (e.g., whether running or walking). We confirm the model with experiments involving impulsive bristlebots, small walking and running hexapods, and 17 g μTug that employ adhesion instead of friction. With attention to load sharing, each μTug can operate at its individual limit so that a team of six pulls with forces exceeding 200 N.
Kinetics and Thermochemistry of the Hydroxycyclohexadienyl Radical Reaction with O2: C6H6OH + O2 ⇌ C6H6(OH)OO

The UV absorption spectrum along with the self-reaction and oxidation reaction kinetics of the hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical, C6H6OH (which results from OH addition to benzene), were studied using excimer laser photolysis coupled to transient UV absorption. The radicals were generated by photolysis of N2O/H2O/C6H6/He mixtures at 193 nm in a series of chemical reactions initiated by O(1D). The radical has continuous absorption in the range 260−340 nm with a maximum absorption cross-section of (8.1 ± 1.4) × 10-18 cm2 molecule-1 at 280 nm. Reaction of the radical with molecular oxygen, C6H6OH + O2 ⇌ C6H6(OH)OO (1), and self-reaction C6H6OH + C6H6OH → products (2), were studied over the 252−285 K temperature range at 1.01 ± 0.02 bar (He). The radical temporal profiles were recorded via transient absorption at 315 nm. In reaction 1, two-time-domain “equilibration” kinetics were recorded in the temperature range 252−273 K. The rate constant of the addition reaction is k1 = (1.4 ± 0.8) × 10-12 exp(−18.6 ± 1.7 k...
Air turbine test results for three turbine stages with varying radial distribution of camber

Three h i g h pressure ra t io turbine stages were designed and tes ted, having different radial d i s t r i b u t i o n s of blading camber in both s ta tor and rotor. The three turbines were designed t o the same thermodynamic conditions, with radial dis t r ibut ion of throat area being given three variations: 1 , approximately l inear ("conventional" design); 2 , open a t mid-span and closed a t hub and t i p re la t ive t o conventional ("over-cambered"); and 3, closed a t mid-span and opened a t hub and t i p ("de-cambered" ). In order t o make the radial camber dis t r ibut ion the only variable i n the t e s t se r ies , axial width of the blading was varied radial ly so t h a t a l l three designs would have the same radial distribution of Zweifel coeff ic ient . The turbines were tes ted i n a warm a i r f a c i l i t y w i t h conventional fixed instrumentation and w i t h traversing of the e x i t annulus by a five-hole probe. The over-cambered and de-cambered designs had lower efficiency than the -ar/ conventional design. Stage e x i t survey resu l t s are presented as well as overall efficiency comparisons. The e x i t survey resu l t s include radial velocity components, and are presented i n contour plots as well as radial plots of average quant i t ies . INTRODUCTION The search for higher efficiency i n small, high pressure r a t i o single-stage turbines has led t o the investigation of esoteric means of reducing losses , par t icular ly those due t o secondary flows. In the matter of radial dis t r ibut ion o f blading camber, arguments have been advanced 1 ,2,3 for diametrically opposite deviations from conventional design. The reasoning behind each position can be s ta ted as fOl1 ows: A: De-cambering reduces the turning a t hub and t i p and therefore reduces the circumferential pressure gradients which drive secondary flows. The reduction i n losses w i l l more than of fse t the f a c t tha t more mass flow will be forced t o the endwall regions. mid-span region where efficiency is highest. This overrides t h e higher secondary losses caused by increased turning a t the endwall s. 6: Over-cambering forces more flow to the
Analysis of the Surveillance Result of Selenium Salt in Xi'an in 2007

[Objective] To understand the quality and consumption of selenium salt at production and household level in 2007.[Methods] Based on the scheme for selenium salt surveillance,quarterly sampling was carried out on the selenium salt at the levels of production,encapsulation and wholesale in 7 stochastically-selected villages with 8 households in each village,which were Kaschin-Beck disease areas;spectrophotometry was applied in the determination;the criteria was as follows: the qualified selenium content was set as 4.5~10.7mg/kg,the salt was categorized as non-selenium salt when the content of selenium was under 1.4 mg/kg.[Results] The eligible rate of selenium salt in the production and wholesale was 100%;that in the household was 91.36%;the edible rates of selenium salt and non-selenium salt were 89.73% and 1.79% respectively.[Conclusion] The quality of the production of selenium salt is stable;however,there are still ineligible selenium salt and non-selenium salt in the households,which should be put into great emphasis.
The GDR, GSFG and WTO

The concept of strategic overstretch somewhat obviously implies that a state has made too many international commitments in relation to its resources. The fundamental choice for an overextended power then is what interests are central and hence to be held onto and which can be abandoned because they are not worth the costs. For the Soviets, there was simply no question that Eastern Europe was paramount to their conception of national security. Of these countries, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was probably their most important ally in the Cold War. The GDR was, with some notable exceptions, one of the strongest supporters of Soviet foreign policy, had one of the most modern armies among the non-Soviet WTO states, and most importantly, provided the USSR with a forward base for the Soviet Army. At the same time, the costs of maintaining the socialist regimes in Eastern Europe were very high.
Erratum to: Illuminating uveitis: metagenomic deep sequencing identifies common and rare pathogens

Doan et al. Genome Medicine (2016) 8:123 DOI 10.1186/s13073-016-0377-x ERRATUM Open Access Erratum to: Illuminating uveitis: metagenomic deep sequencing identifies common and rare pathogens Thuy Doan 1,2† , Michael R. Wilson 3,4† , Emily D. Crawford 3,5 , Eric D. Chow 3 , Lillian M. Khan 3 , Kristeene A. Knopp 3 , Brian D. O’Donovan 3 , Dongxiang Xia 6 , Jill K. Hacker 6 , Jay M. Stewart 2 , John A. Gonzales 1,2 , Nisha R. Acharya 1,2 and Joseph L. DeRisi 3* Erratum It has come to our attention that there is an error in Fig. 3a for this article [1]. The correct version of Fig. 3a can be found below. The red markers now reflect the se- quence differences. The text is correct. There was also a row omitted in Additional file 1: Table S1. The revised version can be found below. Additional file Additional file 1: Table S1. List of nucleotide substitutions identified in subject 6’s RV genome. The patient’s RV genome was aligned with the Stuttgart strain (GenBank DQ388280.1). A nucleotide change was considered a substitution only if the change was present in ≥ 4 reads or in 80% of the total reads at that nucleotide position. (PDF 120 kb) Author details Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. 2 Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. 3 Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. 5 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA. 6 California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA. Received: 7 November 2016 Accepted: 7 November 2016 Reference 1. Doan T, Wilson MR, Crawford ED, Chow ED, Khan LM, Knopp KA, O’Donovan BD, Xia D, Hacker JK, Stewart JM, Gonzales JA, Archarya NR, DeRisi JL. Illuminating uveitis: metagenomic deep sequencing identifies common and rare pathogens. Genome Med. 2016;8:106. * Correspondence: joe@derisilab.ucsf.edu Equal contributors Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA © The Author(s). 2016 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
The first step towards a pre-requisite knowledge tracking architecture for engineering programs

This work in progress paper presents the preliminary step towards developing a new educational framework titled “Tracking Evolution Architecture of Cognitive Hierarchy Maps for Engaged Classrooms” (TEACH ME). In this paper, we track the scaffolding of the pre-requisites needed in high school level physics concepts and use this information to design the higher-level scaffolding of the same concepts in a university freshmen physics course. This tracking is performed as a meta-cognitive activity inside the classrooms, using a well-established concept visualization tool called “concept maps”. Further, these maps will be extended to include higher-level concepts in the engineering courses that have the physics course as a pre-requisite. This paper presents the insights from a pilot implementation of this technique in a freshman physics course. We used concept map as an additional instruction method to aid the students to visually connect the pre-requisite and the newly delivered concepts. This will allow students to understand what they know and what they need to learn. The effectiveness of this method is measured using the data collected from class quizzes and tests. The paper summarizes the initial results from this study along with a discussion on how such earlier maps developed at freshmen level can be extended to higher-level engineering classes for creating engaged classrooms using a novel teaching-learning frame work under development titled “Tracking Evolution Architecture of Cognitive Hierarchy Maps for Engaged Classrooms” (TEACH ME).
Characterizing self-reported memory problems in adult-onset cancer survivors in the United States: Importance of sleep duration and insomnia.

9588 Background: Memory dysfunction is a debilitating adverse effect of cancer and its treatments. We examined the relationships between self-reported memory problems (SRMP) and sleep disorders in adult-onset cancer survivors. Methods: We used data from 151 adults, 41-64 years old, cancer survivors who completed the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Population-weighted binary logistic regression analyses examined SRMP as outcome and included age, sex, education, race-ethnicity, income, and overall health as covariates. Sleep duration was categorized as very short ( =9hrs). Initial insomnia was assessed as difficulty falling asleep. Middle insomnia was assessed as difficulty maintaining sleep. Late insomnia was assessed as waking too early. These insomnia subgroup were categorized as none, mild ( =15 days/month). A combined insomnia variable categorized individuals as insomnia if they had severe insomnia...
No Harm, Still Foul: Concerns About Reputation Drive Dislike of Harmless Plagiarizers

Across a variety of situations, people strongly condemn plagiarizers who steal credit for ideas, even when the theft in question does not appear to harm anyone. Why would people react negatively to relatively harmless acts of plagiarism? In six experiments, we predict and find that these negative reactions are driven by people's aversion toward agents who attempt to falsely improve their reputations. In Studies 1-3, participants condemn plagiarism cases that they agree are harmless (i.e., stealing credit from an anonymous source). This effect is mediated by the extent to which participants perceive the plagiarizer to have falsely benefitted from plagiarizing. In Studies 4-5, we demonstrate that this effect is not explained solely by participants' negative response to lies or violations of permission. In Study 6, participants condemn a plagiarism case in which the idea's original author actually benefits, providing the strongest evidence that people condemn plagiarism for reasons beyond perceived harm. We discuss how this work connects to broader questions of intellectual property and impression management.
Assessing the Initial Impact of Welfare Reform: A Synthesis of Research Studies (1998–2002)

The research examining welfare programs and populations has increased substantially since the enactment and implementation of the Personal Opportunity and Work Responsibility Act (PRWORA), the most...
Approach, Methods, Measures, and Data

The chapter describes the methodology used to examine the performance of Cuban civic organizations in Miami, including the interview questions with organizational leaders and organizers that were developed to learn about the political culture of the organizations. Measures of success developed from the research are discussed; so too is role the organizations play in the development of community.
Laser illuminated feature position determination and calibration approach for PIXL

This paper describes several approaches for the calibration of translational and rotational alignment errors between a camera and a set of laser illuminators for a position determination system. Detailed algorithms are derived and covariance of calibration residuals in both error state and target position determination accuracy are obtained. An example with system design parameters is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approaches. The algorithm can be used for any terrestrial or space position determination instruments employing a camera/laser triangulation system and is proposed, as one application, for the PIXL instrument of JPL's MARS 2020 Rover project.
Anti-bid Politics

This chapter evaluates the decline of bidding candidate cities, due to a lack of interest in democratic polities and anti-bid protest campaigns. Protest campaigns are effectively contesting the ‘politics of contingency’ often used by bid boosters—in which the contingent nature of a bid and bid failure is used to pursue projects outside the scope of normal planning procedures. They are also capitalizing on a changing political economic relationship between the IOC and bid city governments, as the latter cancel their bids rather than take on the risks and costs expected by the former.
Ageing in India: Financial hardship from health expenditures.

India's rapidly ageing population raises concerns about the burden of health care payments among older individuals who may have both limited income and greater health care needs. Using a nationally representative household survey, we investigate the association between age and financial hardship due to health expenditures. We find that both the probability of experiencing health problems and mean total out-of-pocket health expenditures increase with age. Second, the probability of households experiencing catastrophic health expenditures increases with each additional member aged 60 and above-33% of households with one 60+ member and 38% of households with 2 or more 60+ members experienced catastrophic health expenditures, compared to only 20% in households with all members under the age of 60 years. Lastly, we show that individuals aged 60 and above had a much higher probability of becoming impoverished as a result of health expenditures-the probability of impoverishment for 60+ individuals was 3 percentage points higher than for individuals under the age of 60. Overall, around 4.8% of the older population, representing 4.1 million people, fell into poverty. The results suggest that there is an urgent need for public investments in financial protection programs for older people in India.
Epilepsy in the Elderly

The incidence of epilepsy is increasing with age. High rate of somatic comorbidities in elderly patients predicts frequent symptomatic causes of epilepsy: cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic brain injury, neoplastic lesions and dementia. Precise diagnosis of epilepsy can be difficult because of subtle seizure manifestation and frequent non epileptic paroxysms. Epilepsy in elderly can also manifest as non-convulsive status epilepticus. Long term video EEG monitoring helps to confirm the diagnosis and rule out non epileptic events. Neuroimaging is a diagnostic method of choice to identify epileptigenic lesion. Medical treatment is recommended when epilepsy diagnosis is confirmed. Newer generation of antiepileptic medications such as LEV and LTG can be suggested as initial treatment based on lower rate of potential side effects and lesser extend of pharmacokinetic interactions. Patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy should be considered for presurgical evaluation. Seizure freedom after epilepsy surgery is achieved in more than half of the patients and significant seizure reduction in majority of patients.
Comparing the Efficacy of Electronic-Tablet to Paper-Based Surveys for On-Site Survey Administration.

This study compares cost, completion times, and percent completion of electronic tablet (n = 244) to paper-based (n = 398) questionnaires administered to participants of scenic raft trips on the Sn...
Navigation of Sinus and Skull Base Surgery

Given the complexity of the anatomy, proximity of critical orbital, vascular, and intracranial structures, diversity of pathology, and small surgical field, sinus and skull base surgery has often been limited by the degree of visualization and access. The nasal endoscope, initially introduced in the early nineteenth century by Hirschmann, and then developed into the modern rigid endoscope in the 1960s, revolutionized sinus and skull base surgery. Yet, its simple two-dimensional view impairs depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and size estimation. With the evolution of digital technology and the advent of computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) navigation technology, a new era of surgical approaches has developed. These new technologies enable enhanced surgical visualization, detailed anatomical guidance, and accurate localization during surgical instrumentation. Combined, these technologies have expanded the scope of endoscopic surgery, while improving clinical outcomes. In this chapter, we describe the relevant sinus and skull base anatomy encountered during navigation-based endoscopic procedures and review the history, development, and future directions within the field.
UTILITY INVOLVEMENT IN SOLAR ENERGY AND PROJECT SAGE

Project SAGE is a 5-year program to examine the feasibility of the commercial use of solar water heating systems on apartment buildings. Part of the third phase of the project examined several roles which a utility could play which would help speed the use of solar energy. Utility involvement in solar is a subject of growing national debate. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the results of SAGE and to discuss some of the positive features of utility involvement in solar energy.
HIP of Bi-Modal Powder Mixtures: Modeling and Experiment

Models of the HIPing process have often assumed a uniform, spherical powder. However it is known that ″inhomogeneities″, in the form of particles of differing composition and/or size, will alter both initial powder packing and subsequent HIPing behavior. We have investigated these effects using the simplest form of mixture; a bi-modal powder with various size ratios and particle fractions. Modeling is based on the Arzt/Ashby et al. HIP map concept, with appropriate modification to produce a determinate and selfconsistent model for this more complex case. Experiments have been performed with a 316L stainless steel powder, with particle size ratios varying from 1:1 to 6:1 and fractions from 0 to 100% small particles. Packing experiments confirm the existence of ″optimum″ packing fractions for which the density is maximized over both monosized and the as-received (continuously distributed) powders. During HIPing these powder mixes remain relatively more dense, but densify more slowly than monosize packings. The implication of these results with respect to problems such as differential densification/distortion and the modeling of composite powder mixes is discussed.
The Importance of Diet, Vitamins, Malnutrition, and Nutrient Deficiencies in Male Fertility

Male-factor infertility is common and is frequently idiopathic in nature. Numerous studies have identified associations between seminal reactive oxygen species, decreased levels of various endogenous/exogenous antioxidants, obesity, and male sub-/infertility. Given these observations, several investigations have evaluated the efficacy of nutrient supplementation on male fertility. Due to the large amount of data available, the objective of this chapter is to compile and summarize pertinent findings of trials reporting fertility outcomes with nutrient supplementation. A literature search was performed of studies evaluating the efficacy of nutrients on male-factor fertility, with priority given to randomized, controlled trials, where available. Nutrients demonstrating potential benefits with male fertility include alpha-lipoic acid, anthocyanins, l-arginine, astaxanthin, beta-carotene, biotin, l-acetyl carnitine, l-carnitine, cobalamin, co-enzyme Q10, ethylcysteine, folic acid, glutathione, inositol, lycopene, magnesium, N-acetyl cysteine, pentoxifylline, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and zinc, among others. Results from available data suggest that nutrient supplementation of infertile males may lead to improved pregnancy and live birth rates, reduced DNA fragmentation, and enhanced sperm motility, without improvement in total sperm count. Insufficient data is available to suggest superiority of any one agent. Similarly, the optimal combination and dosing regimen for nutrient supplementation remain unknown. Despite the limited amount of data, given the potential benefits of supplementation and low rate of adverse effects, the routine use of nutritional supplements in sub-/infertile males undergoing assisted reproductive techniques is reasonable. Further well-designed, placebo-controlled trials reporting outcome measures of pregnancy and live birth are mandated.
Psychophysical Study of Deconvolution for Long-Tailed Point-Spread Functions

The deconvolution of the tails of point-spread functions (PSFs) from simulated data has been examined through the use of psychophysical studies. Long-tailed PSFs arise frequently from scattering effects. They are composed of an unscattered component forming the core of the PSF, and of a scatter component referred to as the tail of the PSF. This type of PSF is commonly encountered, especially in medical imaging, and we have studied its effect on visual signal detection. The question is whether or not any improvement in performance can be gained by deconvolving the tail of the PSF. Experimental results show that the performance of the human observer is indeed improved by deconvolution.
Evaluating Nutrition Education Curricula: New Strategies Alternate Methodologies

(1980). Evaluating Nutrition Education Curricula. Health Education: Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 14-18.
Programmability and End-to-End Automation for Telecommunication Operators (TELCOs)

Networking equipment with OpenAPIs admit automation of end-to-end services that span optical and packet domains. Adoption will be considered and proportionate to match business logic that lubricates and couples several architectural domains in a TELCO; and constrained by scarcity of programmers adept at effecting the necessary automation.
Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, and nab-Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers: A Phase 2 Clinical Trial

Importance Administration of gemcitabine-cisplatin, the current standard therapy for advanced biliary tract cancers, results in median progression-free survival and overall survival of 8.0 and 11.7 months, respectively. New treatments offering improved survival outcomes are therefore needed. Objective To evaluate the association between progression-free survival and the addition of nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)–paclitaxel to gemcitabine-cisplatin for the treatment of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This open-label, single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolled 62 patients with advanced biliary tract cancers between April 14, 2015, and April 24, 2017. Interventions Patients initially received gemcitabine, 1000 mg/m2, cisplatin, 25 mg/m2, and nab-paclitaxel, 125 mg/m2, on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles. Owing to hematologic adverse events among the first 32 patients enrolled, these starting doses were reduced to 800, 25, and 100 mg/m2, respectively, for the remaining 28 patients. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary trial end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. Results Of 60 patients who started treatment, the mean (SD) age was 58.4 (11.0) years, 38 (63%) had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 9 (15%) had extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 13 (22%) had gallbladder cancer, 47 (78%) had metastatic disease, and 13 (22%) had locally advanced disease. Median follow-up was 12.2 (95% CI, 9.4-19.4) months, and median progression-free survival was 11.8 (95% CI, 6.0 to 15.6) months. The partial response rate was 45%, and the disease control rate was 84%. Median overall survival was 19.2 months (95% CI, 13.2 months to not estimable). Patients in the safety population (n = 57) received a median of 6 (interquartile range, 3-11) cycles of treatment; 26 patients (46%) remained on their starting dose throughout the trial. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 58% of patients, and 9 patients (16%) withdrew owing to adverse events. Neutropenia was the most common grade 3 or higher adverse event, occurring in 19 patients (33%) overall. Post hoc analyses showed that treatment efficacy was not significantly associated with starting dose, tumor type, or disease status and that tolerability was improved with reduced- vs high-dose treatment. Conclusions and Relevance Treatment with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine-cisplatin prolonged median progression-free survival and overall survival vs those reported for historical controls treated with gemcitabine-cisplatin alone. These findings will be tested in a phase 3 randomized clinical trial. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT02392637
Defending the Standard Contract: Unmeasured Work, Class, and Design Professionalism in United Scenic Artists Local 829

How much is a theatrical design idea worth? Alternatively, how much should a professional theatre designer be paid? For many working today, standard minimum contract scales and “industry standards” help guide fee negotiations. In the United States, United Scenic Artists (USA) Local 829 was among the first bodies to align theatrical design with organized labor activism, and as such, its standard minimum contract for design is an object lesson in the value of artistic labor. These scales were developed nearly a century ago, and were the product of hard negotiation and legal action taken by US-American designers in the interwar period. Lee Simonson and Jo Mielziner are best remembered for their revolutionary use of space, scenery, and lighting, yet their professional advocacy within USA Local 829 provided the basis for today's standard design fees. Further, their defense of fair payment during the Depression and war years preserved scenic design as a form of labor analogous to other backstage crafts and trades.
Reliable Trees: Reliability Informed Recursive Partitioning for Psychological Data

Recursive partitioning, also known as decision trees and classification and regression trees (CART), is a machine learning procedure that has gained traction in the behavioral sciences because of i...
Applications of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) to Control Populations of Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), in Semi-Natural Landscapes and on Grapevines.

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive Asian insect that was initially found in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014. As of early 2020, this pest had been found in five more eastern states and it is expected to continue to expand its geographical range. Lycorma delicatula is highly polyphagous but seems to prefer tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima. However, grape growers in Pennsylvania have reported significant damage and loss of vines caused by L. delicatula adults. In fall 2018, two fungal entomopathogens (Beauveria bassiana and Batkoa major) drove localized collapses in L. delicatula populations in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In 2019, we tested applications of a commercialized mycoinsecticide based on B. bassiana strain GHA on L. delicatula populations in a public park in southeastern Pennsylvania. A single application of B. bassiana reduced fourth instar nymphs by 48% after 14 d. Applications of B. bassiana to L. delicatula adults in the same park resulted in 43% mortality after 14 d. Beauveria bassiana spores remained viable on foliage for 5–7 d after spraying. We also conducted semi-field bioassays with B. bassiana GHA (formulated as BoteGHA and Aprehend) and another mycoinsecticide containing Isaria fumosorosea Apopka Strain 97 against L. delicatula adults feeding on potted grapes. All the mycoinsecticides killed ≥90% of adults after 9 d using direct applications. Aprehend killed 99% of adults after 9 d with exposure to residues on sprayed grapes. These data show that fungal entomopathogens can help to suppress populations of L. delicatula in agroecosystems and natural areas.
Progress on Wireless LVAD and Energy Sources for Mechanical Circulatory Systems

The energy systems of mechanical circulatory support devices have evolved significantly since the inception of the Artificial Heart Program in 1963. The transition from bulky paracorporeal pulsatile blood pumps to continuous flow devices has facilitated the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in a larger population of heart failure patients. While there has been improvement in pump reliability, MCS therapy is still limited by adverse events related to device implantation. The most common events affecting MCS patients are device-related infections. Despite the adoption of smaller continuous flow pump technology, the pump peripherals, including the driveline, have remained the same. Innovative energy transmission techniques, like transcutaneous energy transfer systems (TETS) and wireless power transfer via resonantly coupled inductors, have provided a framework to eliminate device-related infections and prevent hospital readmissions. Five decades after the initial goal of providing fully implantable heart replacement, the advancement of wireless energy systems has provided the basis by which full MCS system implantability and improved patient quality of life can be achieved. This paper reviews the most recent advancements of wireless power transfer specifically for MCS.
The Spatial and Demographic Determinants of Racial Threat

Objective Although scholars have cast doubt on Key's (1949) racial threat hypothesis, race continues to play a central role in American politics. But does living in a racially diverse context lead to liberalization or a white backlash? We aim to test the validity of the racial threat hypothesis in the modern-day Deep South. Methods The data used for this analysis span multiple federal elections from the state of Louisiana, from 2000, 2004, and 2008, in addition to census data from 2000 and 2010. We utilize ArcGIS mapping software to construct a detailed depiction of voters’ racial environments. Results We find that whites who live in racially diverse precincts exhibit lower rates of turnout than whites in homogenous precincts; however, segregation within the precinct mitigates the liberalizing effects of precinct-level diversity among whites. Conclusion The results of our analysis provide help to clarify the previously mixed empirical findings regarding the geographic distribution of minorities and white racial conservatism.
Russia’s Financial Sector: How to Build a Forecast

The issue of long-term forecasting for the Russian financial sector has come to the fore after the economy and the financial system have suffered substantial shocks in recent years. It is extremely important for economic agents to understand what the Russian financial system would be on the horizon. The effect of non-economic (“geopolitics”) and technology (digital technologies) factors on the financial sector must be factored in when making forecast scenarios.
Testimonios of Momentos: Reading and Trusting My Embodied Epistemology.

In this essay, I explore the concept of embodied knowledge that stems from the Brown female body grounded in the critical scholarship by Chicana Feminist Theorists. I share three testimonios of mom...
Enhanced photodegradation of dimethoxybenzene isomers in/on ice compared to in aqueous solution

Abstract. Photochemical reactions of contaminants in snow and ice can be important sources and sinks for various organic and inorganic compounds. Snow contaminants can be found in the bulk ice matrix, in internal liquid-like regions (LLRs), or in quasi-liquid layers (QLLs) at the air-ice interface, where they can readily exchange with the firn air. Some studies have reported that direct photochemical reactions occur faster in LLRs and QLLs than in aqueous solution, while others have found similar rates. Here, we measure the photodegradation rate constants of the three dimethoxybenzene isomers under varying experimental conditions, including in aqueous solution, in LLRs, and at the air-ice interface of nature-identical snow. Relative to aqueous solution, we find modest photodegradation enhancements (3- and 6-fold) in LLRs for two of the isomers, and larger enhancements (15- to 30-fold) at the air-ice interface for all three isomers. We use computational modeling to assess the impact of light absorbance changes on photodegradation rate enhancements at the interface. We find small (2–5 nm) bathochromic (red) absorbance shifts at the interface relative to in solution, which increases light absorption, but this factor only accounts for less than 50 % of the measured rate constant enhancements. The major factor responsible for photodegradation rate enhancements at the air-ice interface appears to be more efficient photodecay: estimated dimethoxybenzene quantum yields are 6- to 24-fold larger at the interface compared to in aqueous solution and account for the majority (51–96 %) of the observed enhancements. Using a hypothetical model compound with an assumed Gaussian-shaped absorbance peak, we find that a shift in the peak to higher or lower wavelengths can have a minor to substantial impact on photodecay rate constants, depending on the original location of the peak and the magnitude of the shift. Changes in other peak properties at the air-ice interface, such as peak width and height (i.e., molar absorptivity) can also impact rates of light absorption and direct photodecay.
Relational database models and other software and their importance in data analysis, storage, and communication

iv CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 2 THESIS ORGANIZATION 2 REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE 3 DATABASES MODELS 3 OTHER COMPUTER SOFTWARE 10 REFERENCES 14 CHAPTER 2. BEAP: THE BLAST EXTENSION AND ALIGNMENT PROGRAMA TOOL FOR CONTIG CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF PRELIMINARY GENOME SEQUENCE 16 ABSTRACT 16 FINDINGS 17 METHODS 17 RESULTS 21 DISCUSSION 23 CONCLUSIONS 24 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 REFERENCES 25 FIGURES 27 TABLES 27 CHAPTER 3. THE EFFECT OF SWINE LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN (SLA) GENES ON PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME VIRUS (PRRSV) IMMUNITY: VIRAL, SERUM NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODY, AND CYTOKINE LEVELS 29 ABSTRACT 30 INTRODUCTION 30 MATERIALS AND METHODS 32 RESULTS 37 DISCUSSION 43 REFERENCES 47 FIGURES AND TABLES 48 SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 61 CHAPTER 4. EFFECT OF INTERLEUKIN 1b, INTERLEUKIN 8 AND INTERFERON GAMMA ON PRRS VIRUS PERSISTENCE 68 ABSTRACT 69 INTRODUCTION 70 MATERIALS AND METHODS 72 RESULTS 76 DISCUSSION 80
Impact of Storms on Heterotrophic Activity of Epilimnetic Bacteria in a Southwestern Reservoir

The impact of storm conditions on the heterotrophic activity of planktonic bacteria in a southwestern reservoir was investigated. Storm events were considered as rainfall in excess of 2.5 cm in a 24-h period before sampling. Storm conditions stimulated heterotrophic activities and resulted in increased uptake rates and decreased turnover times of glutamate and acetate. Uptake rates were 45 to 75% faster immediately after storm conditions than they were during calm conditions. Activity levels appeared to return to prestorm levels within 48 h. Bacterial cell numbers did not change substantially during storm events. Cell-specific activity indicated that increases in heterotrophic activity were the result of increased activity of individual cells. Light penetration, levels of particulate organic carbon, Kt + Sn values, and population levels of attached bacteria suggest that immediate sediment loading of the reservoir or increased substrate levels could not account for abrupt increases in heterotrophic activities.
Fermionic propagators for two-dimensional systems with singular interactions

We analyze the form of the fermionic propagator for two-dimensional fermions interacting with massless overdamped bosons. Examples include a nematic and Ising ferromagnetic quantum-critical points and fermions at a half-filled Landau level. Fermi-liquid behavior in these systems is broken at criticality by a singular self-energy, but the Fermi surface remains well defined. These are strong-coupling problems with no expansion parameter other than the number of fermionic species, $N$. The two known limits, $N⪢1$ and $N=0$, show qualitatively different behavior of the fermionic propagator $G({ϵ}_{k},\ensuremath{\omega})$. In the first limit, $G({ϵ}_{k},\ensuremath{\omega})$ has a pole at some ${ϵ}_{k}$; in the other it is analytic. We analyze the crossover between the two limits. We show that the pole survives for all $N$, but at small $N$ it only exists in a range $O({N}^{2})$ near the mass shell. At larger distances from the mass shell, the system evolves and $G({ϵ}_{k},\ensuremath{\omega})$ becomes regular. At $N=0$, the range where the pole exists collapses and $G({ϵ}_{k},\ensuremath{\omega})$ becomes regular everywhere.
The orientation of magnetic fields in quiescent prominences

We have measured the longitudinal component, B∥, of the magnetic field in quiescent prominences and obtained a relationship between B∥ and θ, where θ is the angle between the long axis of the prominence and the north-south direction on the sun. From this relationship we deduce a distribution function for the magnetic field vector in quiescent prominences in terms of the angle α between the field and the long axis of the prominence. The mean angle, α, for our data is small, ∼ - 15°, indicating that the magnetic field traverses quiescent prominences under a small, but finite angle.
The rise and (surprisingly rapid) fall of psycholinguistics

Psycholinguistics re-emerged in an almost explosive fashion during the 1950s and 1960s. It then underwent an equally abrupt decline as an independent sub-discipline. This paper charts this fall and identifies five general factors which, it is argued, were responsible for its demise. These are: (a) an uncompromisingly strong version of nativism; (b) a growing isolation of psycholinguistics from the body psychology; (c) a preference for formal theory over empirical data; (d) several abrupt modifications in the “Standard Theory” in linguistics; and (e) a failure to appreciate the strong commitment to functionalism that characterizes experimental psychology. In short, what looked like a revolution two decades ago turned out to be merely a local reformation that occurred along side of and largely independent from the real revolution in the cognitive sciences.
A kinetic model for the hydration of tricalcium silicate

A kinetic model describing the hydration of C3S has been developed. The model is predicated on the assumption that the formation of a final hydrate phase initiates in transient hydrate layers which surround the anhydrous grains. This transformation results in the onset of the acceleratory period. The model predicts C-S-H formation to be controlled by interfacial processes during the acceleratory period and by diffusional processes thereafter and that the growth of particles is essentially one-dimensional throughout the course of both the acceleratory and post-acceleratory periods.
Factors influencing long-term pessary use

Introduction and hypothesis We aimed to identify factors contributing to successful pessary use for over 1 year.
Physicians’ Diagnostic Accuracy, Confidence, and Resource Requests: A Vignette Study

Importance Little is known about the relationship between physicians’ diagnostic accuracy and their confidence in that accuracy. Objective To evaluate how physicians’ diagnostic calibration , defined as the relationship between diagnostic accuracy and confidence in that accuracy, changes with evolution of the diagnostic process and with increasing diagnostic difficulty of clinical case vignettes. Design, Setting, and Participants We recruited general internists from an online physician community and asked them to diagnose 4 previously validated case vignettes of variable difficulty (2 easier ; 2 more difficult ). Cases were presented in a web-based format and divided into 4 sequential phases simulating diagnosis evolution: history, physical examination, general diagnostic testing data, and definitive diagnostic testing. After each phase, physicians recorded 1 to 3 differential diagnoses and corresponding judgments of confidence. Before being presented with definitive diagnostic data, physicians were asked to identify additional resources they would require to diagnose each case (ie, additional tests, second opinions, curbside consultations, referrals, and reference materials). Main Outcomes and Measures Diagnostic accuracy (scored as 0 or 1), confidence in diagnostic accuracy (on a scale of 0-10), diagnostic calibration, and whether additional resources were requested (no or yes). Results A total of 118 physicians with broad geographical representation within the United States correctly diagnosed 55.3% of easier and 5.8% of more difficult cases ( P P P P = .01); higher case difficulty was related to more requests for additional reference materials ( P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance Our study suggests that physicians’ level of confidence may be relatively insensitive to both diagnostic accuracy and case difficulty. This mismatch might prevent physicians from reexamining difficult cases where their diagnosis may be incorrect.
Time-dependent resveratrol-mediated mrna and protein expression associated with cell cycle in wr-21 cells containing mutated human c-ha-ras

Cancer results from an undesirable imbalance between cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Both processes may be modulated at the level of gene expression, viz., p53 and c-Ha-ras, by dietary bioactive components such as resveratrol. We tested the time-dependent effect of resveratrol on gene and protein expression in WR-21 cells containing a mutated human c-Ha-ras oncogene. We demonstrate cyclic resveratrol-mediated expression of p53, mdm2, p21 c i p / w a f , Rb, and cyclin G at both the RNA and the protein level at 8 h for all genes except p53, but protein levels did not suggest uncoupling of transcription and translation. At 24 h, both p53 and Rb expression returned to baseline, suggesting collapse of DNA structure and spindle assembly checkpoints characteristic of mitotic catastrophe. In summary, resveratrol at < 8 h induced p53-mediated effects, including apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest (G2/M). However, later, it induced cell-cycle checkpoint dysfunction, indicative of mitotic catastrophe. Thus, future studies should better elucidate the temporal mechanism of the dietary bioactive agent resveratrol on cancer cells.
Application of Laplace's law to mammalian hearts.

Abstract 1. 1. Left ventricular thickness and radii of excised hearts from one calf, two dogs, two rabbits, three guinea-pigs,one hog and three rats were measured with the purpose of describing the degree of conformity to Laplace's surface tension law. 2. 2. Assuming blood pressure to be relatively constant, Laplace's law was rearranged, C=t( 1 R 1 + 1 R 2 ) , where t = ventricular thickness, R1 and R2 are minor and major radii of curvature and C is a constant. 3. 3. Estimates of C averaged 0.737 and the coefficient of variation was 22 per cent whereas heart weight varied 767 times.
Moments of Discontent: University Women and the Gender Status Quo

Inspired by the work of Paul Willis and John Ogbu, we discuss women's apprehensions of the gender status quo. We look specifically at black and white university women in the American South. We ask how their apprehension of women's social position affects their response to schooling and how schools recreate the gender status quo. Our findings suggest that the school provides an important setting for learning gender, but in distinction to the case for class and race, it is not a primary target for women's opposition.
Isolation of High Spectral Quality RNA Using Run-on Gene Transcription; Application to Gene Expression Profiling of Human Brain

1. Gene expression studies of human brain tissues in both health and disease require the use of intact, high spectral quality messenger RNA (mRNA). Short post-mortem tissues, when adequately controlled, provide a valuable primary source of brain mRNA. 2. Typical mRNA isolation methodologies rely on total RNA extraction from whole cells or tissues. Here we report that as an alternative approach, nuclei can be isolated from the same tissues and programmed for run-on gene transcription to generate enriched mRNA fractions. 3. This novel technique represents a significant improvement over previous methods and provides high quality, high yield mRNA samples suitable for downstream applications that include cloning, sequencing and gene expression studies using DNA array technologies.
Confidence Intervals for Survival Probabilities: A Comparison Study

The confidence interval of the Kaplan–Meier estimate of the survival probability at a fixed time point is often constructed by the Greenwood formula. This normal approximation-based method can be looked as a Wald type confidence interval for a binomial proportion, the survival probability, using the “effective” sample size defined by Cutler and Ederer. Wald-type binomial confidence interval has been shown to perform poorly comparing to other methods. We choose three methods of binomial confidence intervals for the construction of confidence interval for survival probability: Wilson's method, Agresti–Coull's method, and higher-order asymptotic likelihood method. The methods of “effective” sample size proposed by Peto et al. and Dorey and Korn are also considered. The Greenwood formula is far from satisfactory, while confidence intervals based on the three methods of binomial proportion using Cutler and Ederer's “effective” sample size have much better performance.