cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and optimization of catalysts and membrane reactors for the non-oxidative conversion of methane

Kinetic-transport simulations were used in order to explore the relevant thermodynamic and kinetic barriers in the non-oxidative conversion of CH4 in a membrane reactor and the effects of continuous hydrogen removal and of catalytic sites on CH4 conversion and on the attainable yields of useful C2–C10 products. A sensitivity analysis of homogeneous CH4 pyrolysis pathways showed that sites that activate methane to form methyl radicals or ethene and the conversion of ethene to aromatics increased pyrolysis rates, but led to impractical reactor residence times with or without H2 removal. Catalysts, such as Mo/H-ZSM5, which increase the rate of both CH4 conversion to ethene and of ethene aromatization are required in order to overcome the kinetic barriers in homogeneous pyrolysis pathways. Homogeneous models were modified by incorporating non-elementary catalytic steps with rate constants obtained from experimental residence time studies on Mo/H-ZSM5. Simulations using this homogeneous–heterogeneous kinetic model were used in order to determine the benefits of continuous H2 removal on the yields of desired C2–C10 hydrocarbons and on the required residence times and to obtain rigorous criteria for the design of catalysts and membranes for direct methane conversion reactions. Bifunctional catalysts able to catalyze the required steps and the removal of H2 across ceramic membranes can lead to almost complete CH4 conversion at ∼1000K at practical reactor residence times (<100s). This performance requires catalytic reactors with intermediate values of the ratio of characteristic reaction and permeation times (δ=1–10), which in turn require the use of thin dense ceramic films (10–100μm) in order to achieve these δ values for practical reactor diameters.
Performance comparison of the CM-5 and Intel Touchstone Delta for data parallel operations

Data parallel programs on MIMD machines are often structured as alternating phases of local computation and global communication such as reduction, synchronization, broadcast, etc. This paper describes the performance comparison of data parallel operations on the CM-5 and Intel Touchstone Delta multiprocessors and models these primitives. >
Modeling of a general crown shape and the effects on air bearing steady-state performance

A new model with asymmetric crown capability has been developed. This new model characterizes air bearing surfaces more precisely, so that air bearing performance can be simulated more accurately. The general crown shape is interpolated by a lagrangian quadratic function using 9 nodes. This algorithm can be easily implemented into an existing air bearing simulation code. Results have shown very significant effects on air bearing steady-state flying height.
Bay846, a new irreversible small molecule inhibitor of EGFR and Her2, is highly effective against malignant brain tumor models

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is aberrantly activated in tumors and plays a key role in promoting tumor growth. Small molecule inhibitors which bind reversibly to EGFR have demonstrated limited clinical activity. Thus, there is a continued need to develop novel EGFR inhibitors with improved anti-tumor activity. Bay846 is a newly developed small molecule inhibitor that binds irreversibly to the tyrosine kinase domains of EGFR and Her2. The in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Bay846 was tested using a panel of nine human malignant brain tumor (glioma) models. Lapatinib, a reversible inhibitor of EGFR and Her2, was included for comparison. Six glioma cell lines were sensitive to Bay846 treatment. Bay846 strongly suppressed tumor cell growth in vitro by inducing cell lysis/death rather than cell cycle arrest. Consistent with this, Bay846 had potent anti-tumor activity which led to regressions in tumor size. The active, phosphorylated form of EGFR was reduced by Bay846 treatment in vitro and in tumors. Importantly, the efficacy of Bay846 was significantly greater than lapatinib in all assays. Bay846-sensitivity was associated with expression of a wild-type PTEN in conjunction with high levels of an oncogenic EGFR variant (A289V or EGFRvIII). These studies demonstrate that targeting the EGFR pathway with the irreversible inhibitor Bay846 has great potential to increase the efficacy of this cancer therapy.
Atomic Size Effects on the Composition Range of Binary Amorphous Alloys

We have studied a number of binary metal-metal and metalloid alloy systems made by a single vapor quench method under very consistent conditions. In each case, amorphous alloys are found in one continuous composition range (X min Xmax ) regardless of the number of eutectic points in the equilibrium phase diagrams. It is found that the atomic size difference is the single most important factor in the quantitative determination of the composition range.
Automatic protein function annotation through candidate ortholog clusters from incomplete genomes

Annotation of protein function often arises in the context of partially complete genomes but is not adequately addressed. We present an annotation method by extracting ortholog clusters from incomplete genomes that are evolutionary closely related to the genome of interest. To construct clusters, our method focuses on sequence similarities across genomes rather than similarities between sequences within a genome. We use the quasi-concave set function optimization for extracting the ortholog clusters as extreme groups of sequences such that similarity of the least similar sequence in this group is maximum. A protein sequence is annotated with the ortholog cluster whose average similarity is highest. We have applied this method for annotating the Rice proteome based on clusters constructed on four partially complete cereal proteomes and the complete proteome from Arabidopsis.
Catheters, wires, tubes and drains on postoperative radiographs of pediatric cardiac patients: the whys and wherefores

Surgical treatment of congenital heart disease has advanced dramatically since the first intracardiac repairs in the mid-20th century. Previously inoperable lesions have become the focus of routine surgery and patients are managed successfully in intensive care units around the world. As a result, increasing numbers of postoperative images are processed by departments of radiology in children's hospitals. It is important that the radiologist accurately documents and describes the catheters, wires, tubes and drains that are present on the chest radiograph. This article reviews the reasons for the placement and positioning of perioperative equipment in children who have surgical repair of atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect or transposition of the great arteries. Also included are a brief synopsis of each cardiac anomaly, the surgical procedure for its correction, and an in-depth discussion of the postoperative chest radiograph including illustrations of catheters, wires, tubes and drains.
On the formation of granulites

The tectonic settings for the formation and evolution of regional granulite terranes and the lowermost continental crust can be deduced from pressure–temperature–time (P–T–time) paths and constrained by petrological and geophysical considerations. P–T conditions deduced for regional granulites require transient, average geothermal gradients of greater than 35°C km−1, implying minimum heat flow in excess of 100 mWm−2. Such high heat flow is probably caused by magmatic heating. Tectonic settings wherein such conditions are found include convergent plate margins, continental rifts, hot spots and at the margins of large, deep-seated batholiths. However, particular P–T–time paths do not allow specific tectonic settings to be distinguished at this time. Under different conditions, both clockwise, CW (Pmax attained before Tmax), and anticlockwise, ACW (Pmax attained slightly after Tmax), paths are possible in the same tectonic setting. Both CW and ACW end-member paths can yield nearly isobaric cooling, IBC, paths. Such cooling paths are clearly not an artefact of thermobarometry, but can be constrained by solid–solid and devolatilization equilibria and geophysical modelling. In terms of understanding the evolution of the deep crust, a potentially significant group of regional granulite terranes are those that show evidence for ACW-IBC paths. Such paths are the likely result of: (i) episodic igneous activity resulting in intrusions within all levels of the crust, (ii) thickening of the crust by magmatic underplating, (iii) slow uplift as a result of the formation of a deep, garnet-rich crustal root and (iv) excavation resulting from a later tectonic event unrelated to that resulting in the formation of the granulites. The later event might be triggered by the delamination of the garnet-rich, lowermost crust.
Evaluation of an HPLC Stability‐Indicating Assay for Bulk 2‐[4‐(1‐Hydroxy‐4‐(4‐(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)‐1‐piperidinyl)‐butyl)‐phenyl]‐2‐methylpropionic Acid

Abstract A stability‐indicating assay method using high performance liquid chromatography was developed and evaluated for monitoring 2‐[4‐(1‐hydroxy‐4‐(4‐(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)‐1‐piperidinyl)‐butyl)‐phenyl]‐2‐methylpropionic acid hydro‐chloride bulk compound. A sample of the compound was dissolved in mobile phase and chromatographed using an ODS (C18) column. The mobile phase composition was 65/35 (v/v) acetonitrile/water made 0.012 M in sodium phosphate buffer and 0.004 M in sodium perchlorate at apparent pH 2.3. Ultraviolet detection at 220 nm was used for the assay. Solutions containing the bulk compound were stressed using acidic and basic conditions at elevated temperatures. Oxidative stress using hydrogen peroxide treated solutions were also used to verify the stability‐indicating capability of the developed chromatographic method. The validation, evaluation, and other aspects of this assay method will be discussed.
Mixed Methods Research The “Thing-ness” Problem

Contemporary mixed methods research (MMR) veers away from a "loosely bounded" to a "bounded" concept that has important negative implications for how qualitatively driven mixed methods approaches are positioned in the field of mixed methods and overall innovation in the praxis of MMR. I deploy the concept of reification defined as taking an object/abstraction and treating it as if it were real such that it takes on the quality of "thing-ness," having a concrete independent existence. I argue that the contemporary reification of mixed methods as a "thing" is fueled by three interrelated factors: (a) the growing formalization of mixed methods as design, (b) the unexamined belief in the "synergy" of mixed methods and, (c) the deployment of a "practical pragmatism" as the "philosophical partner" for mixed methods inquiry.
Target-align

Motivation: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulatory molecules. A critical step in elucidating miRNA function is identifying potential miRNA targets. However, few reliable tools have been developed for identifying miRNA targets in plants. Results: Here, we developed a Smith–Waterman-like alignment tool in order to accurately predict miRNA targets. Dynamic programming was used to build a score matrix based on the complementarity of nucleotides in order to trace the optimal local alignments. Important parameters, such as maximum mismatches and maximum consecutive mismatches between miRNAs and their targets, were also used for filtering the optimal local alignments. Almost all of the parameters in this alignment tool can be adjusted by users. Compared to other target prediction tools, Target-align exhibits strong sensitivity and accuracy for identifying miRNA targets. More importantly, Target-align can identify multi-target sites as well potential for non-cleaved targets sites by change the default settings. Windows, web and command-line versions were developed to better serve different users. Availability: http://www.leonxie.com/targetAlign.php. Contact: zhangb@ecu.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Caffeine Consumption and Weekly Sleep Patterns in US Seventh-, Eighth-, and Ninth-Graders

Objective. To survey caffeine use by seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-graders and relate its use to age, sex, sleep characteristics, and day of week Methods. Students kept a daily, 2-week diary of their sleep times and use of caffeine containing drinks and foods. Data were analyzed by fitted multiple regression models Results. A total of 191 students participated. Caffeine intake ranged between 0 and 800 mg/d. Mean use over 2 weeks ranged up to 379.4 mg/d and averaged 62.7 mg/d (corrected for underrepresentation in our sample of boys, who consumed more caffeine). Higher caffeine intake in general was associated with shorter nocturnal sleep duration, increased wake time after sleep onset, and increased daytime sleep Sleep Patterns. Mean bedtime was 10:57 pm, and mean wake time was at 7:14 am. Older children delayed bedtime longer on weekends, and younger ones had longer nightly sleep durations. Sleep duration lengthened on weekends, reflecting the combined effects of the circadian timing system and a mechanism that regulates the duration of sleep. Caffeine (soda) consumption also increased on weekends, for reasons that may be primarily social Conclusions. Regardless of whether caffeine use disturbed sleep or was consumed to counteract the daytime effect of interrupted sleep, caffeinated beverages had detectable pharmacologic effects. Limitation of the availability of caffeine to teenagers should therefore be considered.
The Convention Bump

Do the national conventions of the Democratic and Republican parties affect the poll standings of the presidential candidates they nominate? This study investigates whether these poll stand ings ar...
Blood buffering in sedentary miniature horses after administration of sodium bicarbonate in single doses of varying amounts

SUMMARY Blood acid-base and electrolyte status was studied in four sedentary Miniature Horses treated with 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) per kg of body weight (BW). Arterial blood was collected before treatment with NaHC0 3 and each hour for 5 h after treatment. All treatments resulted in an increase in blood pH, bicarbonate (HCO 3 − ) concentration and base excess (BE) by 1 h post-dosage, which continued through the 5th hour (P 3 /kg BW resulted in less elevated blood HCO 3 − concentrations (P 3 , plasma Na + concentrations increased among all treatments but declined to initial values by 3 h post-treatment. The 200 mg NaHCO 3 /kg BW dosage resulted in the smallest increases in plasma Na + concentrations (P + and Ca ++ concentrations were lower (P .05) among treatments. All NaHCO 3 dosages increased blood buffering capacity as indicated by increased blood pH, HCO 3 − concentration and BE. Maximum blood pH, HCO − 3 concentration and BE was reached using a dosage of 300 mg NaHCO 3 /kg BW. Also, all treatments altered the plasma electrolyte concentrations.
Enzymic Deacylation of Lipids in Plants

1 Deacylation of phosphatidylcholine by the lipolytic acyl hydrolase enzyme in homogenates of potato tubers was stimulated by endogenous free fatty acids in the homogenates. 2 Partially purified enzyme preparations were inactive in the absence of surface active agents. 3 The fatty acid-stimulated enzymic deacylation of phosphatidylcholine showed a pH optimum between 5.5 and 6.0 and was reversed by bovine serum albumin. 4 Free fatty acids were more effective than other lipids and surface active compounds studied. 5 Long-chain cis-unsaturated fatty acids were most effective. 6 Enzymic hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine showed a similar stimulation by free fatty acids but hydrolysis of lyso-phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, galactolipids or monoglycerides was not stimulated. 7 Similar stimulation by linoleic acid of the enzymic deacylation of membrane-bound phospholipid was observed and found to be prevented by bovine serum albumin. 8 Electron microscope studies suggested that free fatty acids had a marked effect on the physical state of phosphatidylcholine in aqueous dispersions.
The Harmful Role of Religious Nationalist Groups in Developing Democracies: Investigating the Bharatiya Janata Party in India and the Zionist Movement in Israel

“Israel and India were both founded as democracies and adapted the parliamentary system of governance from the British. Since inception, both states have had two large groups of ethnic and religious minorities living within their borders. Israel has 19.5% Arab-Palestinians and India has a total approximation of 13.4% Muslim minority population till date. Thus, both nations share similar experiences in appropriately addressing minority groups’ rights and contesting between adapting secular or religious governing laws which would be compatible with their democratic principles.”
The bone marrow in systemic podophyllin toxicity.

The effects of systemic Podophyllin toxicity on the bone marrow are a manifestation of this agent’s potent antimitotic activity. Our patient experienced a transient aregenerative anemia with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The bone marrow was hypocellular with cytoplasmic vacuolation of myeloid precursors and increased numbers of mitotic figures. Megakaryocytes were normal in number and morphology. Hematologic resolution followed discontinuance of topical therapy.
Fate of Bact. Typhosum and Other Organisms in Segregated Vein and in General Circulation of Normal and Immunized Rabbits

The bacteriologic literature of the latter part of the last century is replete with publications dealing with the disappearance of bacteria in the blood stream and with the mechanism by which the animal body is able to rid itself of infections. The humoral theory supported by Baumgarten, Ziegler, Nutall, von Behring, Ehrlich, and Pfeiffer, and the cellular or phagocytic theory championed by Metchnikoff, Ribbert, Hess, Lister and Bordet, were in active competition for supremacy in this field. The two theories were generally conceded to be mutually exclusive; a point scored for one was considered to be directly against the other.
Induced Institutional Change:The Important Way to Achieve Urban-Rural Coordination——Based on Institutional Change Analytical Frame of Evolutional Game Theory

The paper mainly studies the institution problems in the process of our country urban-rural coordination development,focused on induced institutional change occurrence and its important role,and main role was farmer. By using game theory model,it constructs institutional change analytical frame,in order to in-depth research and analyze induced institutional change. The result shows that the success of effect of induced institutional change were two factors: one was the relationships between the initial profit of local government carrying out the policy and the cost of avoiding the central government to implement change; on the other hand,it was the relationships between farmer accepted the gains of institutional change and the cost of refusal. It found induced institutional change achieve success was related to institutional environment,institutional environment will promote the emergence of the induced institutional change critical point. In essence,urban-rural institutional arrangements might gradually change the government 's decision-making behavior by induced institutional change,eventually making it into imposed institutional changes,and then achieved.
Design of the Test Model for Ventilated Supercavitating High-Speed Underwater Vehicles

The test model for the ventilated supercavitating high-speed underwater vehicles are designed and manufactured. The design scheme of the cavitator, the body of the vehicle model, and the rudder are presented in this paper. Based on the model, experimental verification on the inception, developing progress of supercavitation and the voyage controlling, and hydrodynamic theory are conducted in the water tunnel of Northwestern Polytechnic University. The result show that the design scheme is correct, the test model is valid.
Studies in Ephemera: Text and Image in Eighteenth-century Print . Kevin D. Murphy and Sally O’Driscoll, eds. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 2013. xvii, 300p. $90 (ISBN 9781611484946).

This compilation of essays began as presentations at a symposium on ephemera in the long eighteenth century, held at the City University of New York Graduate Center in March 2009. The present collection, edited by Kevin D. Murphy and Sally O’Driscoll, seeks to reconceive and resituate the study of English eighteenth-century print ephemera, emphasizing how pervasive such materials were during the period. Their significance partly derives from the fact that many well-known visual and literary works were created in a culture swimming in these ephemera. The essays are separated into two distinct groups, the first focusing on categories, formats, and . . .
Heuristic Appraisal at the Frontier of Research

How can we speed up both basic and translational scientific research without major new financial investment? One way is to speed up the process by which good proposals are funded. Another is to do a better job of identifying research that is potentially transformative. There are internal institutional barriers as well as sluggish and conservative policies in place in many government funding agencies, universities, and private firms, policies that are risk-averse and characterized by short-term accounting. While perhaps calling for transformational research, their selection procedures promote normal basic research and translational research instead. This chapter proposes that progress can be made by giving increased weight to heuristic appraisal—appraisal of the future promise of proposed research—and correspondingly less weight to confirmational appraisal—the logical and probabilistic relations between theories and data sets already on the table. Emphasis on the latter, as studied by traditional confirmation theory, is a legacy of logical positivism. Adapting a form of scenario planning from the business community is one positive suggestion.
Attitudes toward Physical Education of Female High School Students.

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of female high school students toward PE in selected North Carolina schools. The high schools were conveniently selected to include the Northeast Piedmont urban region of North Carolina. Participants consisted of 102 female students aged 14 to 18 years old who were enrolled in ninth to 12th grade PE classes. The instrument used in the study (High School Students' Attitudes Towards Physical Education) was a 19-item questionnaire developed by Bibik, Goodwin, and Omega-Smith (2007). Data were analyzed with the independent samples t test (p < .05) level of significance. The results of this study show the attitudes toward PE, the grade averages in PE, the importance of PE in their lives, and the preference for single-gender versus coeducational among female students were significantly different (p < .05). Additionally, within the coeducational PE class, 14.5% of the female students preferred being taught in a single-gender PE class, and approximately 24.4% of the female students enrolled in the single-gender PE class preferred a coeducational PE class. This study indicates the importance of creating positive learning environments at the high school level for female students, developing informed teacher strategies, and understanding female students' attitudes toward PE.
Lack of Investment Puts Portland Behind

In recent editorials, Portland Business Journal’s Craig Wessel and Portland Development Commission Don Mazziotti waxed enthusiastic about new efforts to boost economic development in our state. At about the same time, investor Ralph Shaw and reporter Ted Sickinger separately warned of less upbeat futures for Oregon. It’s good to recognize that steps have been taken, but Ralph and Ted’s view is the right one: Oregon needs a louder wake-up call. We must do much more, and do it much faster.
Plenary speaker 1

Wireless technologies are steadily approaching Shannon limits. Network densification (reuse), unlocking swathes of new spectrum, and spatial multiplexing gains via multiple antennas are key to delivering higher network capacity. Enabling these concepts to coherently work together - while also achieving practical, lower cost networks - is itself a key challenge. Dr. Barratt will share perspectives on technologies that enable more efficient use of spectrum and greater network capacity to support the future growth of the wireless Internet.
Abstract 282: Pan-RAF inhibitor LY3009120 sensitizes RAS or BRAF mutant cancer to CDK4 and 6 inhibition by abemaciclib via superior inhibition of phospho-RB and suppression of cyclin D1

KRAS, NRAS and BRAF mutations are among the most important oncogenic drivers in many major cancer types, including melanoma, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer. There is currently no effective therapy for the treatment of RAS mutant cancers. LY3009120, a pan-RAF and RAF dimer inhibitor currently in phase I clinical trial, has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation of RAS- or BRAF-mutant tumor cells in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in vivo. An unbiased screen for compounds that synergize with LY3009120 in RAS/BRAF mutant cancers identified inhibitors of CDK4 among the top hits. In this study, we found that combined inhibition of RAF and CDK4 and 6 by LY3009120 and abemaciclib cooperatively reduced viability of tumor cells with KRAS, NRAS or BRAF mutation in vitro. In animal models, the LY3009120 and abemaciclib combination exhibited synergistic regression of tumor growth in multiple xenograft models with KRAS, NRAS, or BRAF mutation. Molecular mechanistic analysis revealed that pan-RAF inhibitor treatment suppressed the cyclin D1 upregulation which was mediated through CDK4 and CDK6 inhibition by abemaciclib, and the combination treatment cooperatively demonstrated more complete inhibition of RB phosphorylation. These results were further verified by CDK4 and CDK6 siRNA knockdown and another CDK4 and CDK6 selective inhibitor palbociclib. Importantly, the more complete phospho-RB inhibition and cyclin D1 suppression by LY3009120 and abemaciclib combinational treatment led to more significant cell cycle G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis of tumor cells. These preclinical findings suggest that the combinational inhibition of RAF and CDK4 and CDK6 signaling by LY3009120 and abemaciclib is synergistic and should be further studied compared to single agents in the treatment of cancer in patients with KRAS, NRAS or BRAF mutations. Citation Format: Shih-Hsun Chen, Youyan Zhang, Robert D. Van Horn, Tinggui Yin, Lysiane Huber, Teresa F. Burke, Xueqian Gong, Wenjuan Wu, Shripad Bhagwat, Sean Buchanan, Richard P. Beckmann, Ramon V. Tiu, Sheng-Bin Peng. Pan-RAF inhibitor LY3009120 sensitizes RAS or BRAF mutant cancer to CDK4 and 6 inhibition by abemaciclib via superior inhibition of phospho-RB and suppression of cyclin D1. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 282.
Assessing the contribution of the individual alpha frequency (IAF) in an EEG-based study of program comprehension

Empirical studies of programming language learn-ability and usability have thus far depended on indirect measures of human cognitive performance, attempting to capture what is at its essence a purely cognitive exercise through various indicators of comprehension, such as the time spent working out the meaning of code and producing acceptable solutions. We present evidence of the relative contribution of experience and the individual alpha frequency (IAF) to achieving correct performance during program comprehension tasks, specifically that more experience and higher IAF are both associated with an increased likelihood of correct task performance, with experience playing the greater part.
Uncertainty about the long-term: digital libraries, astronomy data, and open source software

Digital library developers make critical design and implementation decisions in the face of uncertainties about the future. We present a qualitative case study of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), a major astronomy project that will collect and make available large-scale datasets. LSST developers make decisions now, while facing uncertainties about its period of operations (2022--2032). Uncertainties we identify include topics researchers will seek to address, tools and expertise, and availability of other infrastructures to exploit LSST observations. LSST is using an open source approach to developing and releasing its data management software. We evaluate benefits and burdens of this approach as a strategy for addressing uncertainty. Benefits include: enabling software to adapt to researchers' changing needs; embedding LSST standards and tools in community practices; and promoting interoperability with other infrastructures. Burdens include: open source community management; documentation requirements; and trade-offs between software speed and accessibility.
Forced convection heat transfer enhancement in heat sink channels using aeroelastically fluttering reeds

Heat transport within rectangular, mm-scale channels of forced convection heat sinks is enhanced by the aeroelastic fluttering of cantilevered planar thin-film reeds protruding into the channels. The shedding of a train of counter-rotating vortical structures induced by the motion of the reeds and their effects on heat transfer from the channel walls are investigated in two separate testbeds. The interaction of the reeds with the cross flow in the channels is investigated in a single channel model using PIV with specific emphasis on the formation, shedding, and advection of small-scale vorticity concentrations that lead to enhanced mixing of the core flow and enhanced dissipation reminiscent of a fully-developed turbulent channel flow. Heat transfer enhancement is investigated using a pair of back-to-back heat sinks with a common heater that model the fins of an air-cooled condenser. It is demonstrated that the power dissipation and temperature in the heat sink base flow can be matched at reduced air flow rate with the addition of the reeds (for example, between Re = 1,000 baseline and 775 with reeds). The reduction in the required air volume flow rate indicates the potential for lower system-level losses of the cooling air flow and consequently significant reductions in the cooling power.
Consensus for multi-agent systems with time-varying input delays

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the consensus control problem for linear multi-agent systems subject to uniform time-varying input delays and external disturbance. A novel state-feedback consensus protocol is proposed under the integral quadratic constraint (IQC) framework, which utilises not only the relative state information from neighbouring agents but also the real-time information of delays by means of the dynamic IQC system states for feedback control. Based on this new consensus protocol, the associated IQC-based control synthesis conditions are established and fully characterised as linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), such that the consensus control solution with optimal H∞ disturbance attenuation performance can be synthesised efficiently via convex optimisation. A numerical example is used to demonstrate the proposed approach.
What type of learner are your students? Preferred learning styles of undergraduate gross anatomy students according to the index of learning styles questionnaire

Students learn and process information in many different ways. Learning styles are useful as they allow instructors to learn more about students, as well as aid in the development and application of useful teaching approaches and techniques. At the undergraduate level there is a noticeable lack of research on learning style preferences of students enrolled in gross anatomy courses. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) questionnaire was administered to students enrolled in a large enrollment undergraduate gross anatomy course with laboratory to determine their preferred learning styles. The predominant preferred learning styles of the students (n = 505) enrolled in the gross anatomy course were active (54.9%), sensing (85.1%), visual (81.2%), and sequential (74.4%). Preferred learning styles profiles of particular majors enrolled in the course were also constructed; analyses showed minor variation in the active/reflective dimension. An understanding of students' preferred learning styles can guide course design but it should not be implemented in isolation. It can be strengthened (or weakened) by concurrent use of other tools (e.g., flipped classroom course design). Based on the preferred learning styles of the majority of undergraduate students in this particular gross anatomy course, course activities can be hands on (i.e., active), grounded in concrete information (i.e., sensing), utilize visual representation such as images, figures, models, etc. (i.e., visual), and move in small incremental steps that build on each topic (i.e., sequential). Anat Sci Educ 11: 358-365. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.
Drongo: Speeding Up CDNs with Subnet Assimilation from the Client

Currently, the attempt to choose the "best" content replica server for a client is carried out solely by CDNs. While CDNs have a decent view of load distribution and content placement, they receive little input from the clients themselves. We propose a hybrid solution, subnet assimilation, where the client participates in the server selection process while still leaving the final say to the CDN. Subnet assimilation allows clients to declare their own "network location," different from the actual one, which in turn drives a CDN towards making better decisions. To demonstrate, we introduce Drongo, a client-side system, readily deployable on existing clients without any changes to the CDNs, that employs subnet assimilation to dramatically improve replica server selection. We implemented and extensively evaluated Drongo on a set of 429 clients spread across 177 countries and 6 major CDNs. We show that Drongo affects 69.93% of all clients, prompting better CDN replica choices which reduce the latency of affected requests by up to an order of magnitude and by 24.89% on average across six major providers, with Google's performance improving by 50% in the median case. Our results indicate that client participation holds great opportunities for the advancement of CDN performance.
Developmental Processes Later in Life

Growth is an obvious and easily measured response, and is included in many standard toxicity tests as well as in research projects. Reduced growth is frequently traced back to reduced food intake, but even without reduced feeding, it is a logical outcome since organisms must expend energy to defend themselves against and detoxify contaminants. The more energy needed to detoxify pollutants, the less will be available for growth. In addition to overall body growth, molting, regeneration, development of calcified structures (shell and bone), carcinogenesis, and smoltification are other developmental processes that take place after larval stages. These processes are all sensitive to environmental contaminants.
Tumor Control Outcome and Tolerance of Permanent Interstitial Implantation for Patients with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

There have been significant improvements in the way prostate brachytherapy is currently performed, which have directly led to superior biochemical control rates and reduced side effect profiles. Transperineal ultrasound-guided approaches have replaced the open retropubic technique, and the 15-year results now available indicate excellent biochemical outcomes for patients with early-stage, low-risk cancer. In general, PSA relapse-free survival outcomes for favorable-risk disease have been reported to be approximately 90%, which is comparable to outcomes achieved with other interventions such as radical prostatectomy and high-dose conformal external-beam radiotherapy. Although urinary obstructive symptoms are commonly reported as acute effects observed immediately after therapy, these effects gradually resolve with time. Newer strategies in prostate brachytherapy are exploring techniques that will probably further enhance the accuracy of seed implantation with intraoperative planning methods. These approaches provide three-dimensional target and normal tissue reconstruction in the operating room during the procedure, which in turn can improve the accuracy of the seed placement and reduce the radiation dose levels delivered to the urethra and rectum. Reports of the use of these techniques indicate reduced urinary symptoms along with excellent biochemical control rates. Recently, methods have been developed to fuse the coordinates of biologic-based imaging abnormalities such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy on intra-operative ultrasound images and target higher doses to these regions. Real-time seed identification with reintegration of this information into the treatment plan in a dynamic mode will further enhance the precision of this procedure and likely lead to a further improvement in the quality of life among patients treated with prostate brachytherapy.
The Rise and Fall of the Recent Past: A Unified Account of Immediate Repetition Paradigms

Abstract Perception does not happen instantaneously. Instead, perceptual information is accumulated gradually (i.e., a rise in the perceptual response) to achieve accurate identification despite perceptual noise. This temporal integration of information predicts that previous presentations may become erroneously blended with subsequent presentations. An optimal decision process can reduce this source confusion by discounting perceptual evidence that may have come from previous presentations. Furthermore, habituation (i.e., a fall in the perceptual response) may be the brain's trick for approximating this optimal decision. Habituation reduces blending and enhances change detection: because previous perceptions are habituated, anything new stands out. However, this solution comes with a cost, making it difficult to detect immediate repetitions. Over the last 6 years, my coauthors and I have tested this theory, examining its application to a range of different behavioral tasks that involve immediate repetitions. Here, I review these findings, demonstrating the broad implications of this theory.
Evaluation of Esophageal Tests in the Diagnosis of Reflux Esophagitis

The sensitivity and specificity of each of five esophageal tests used in the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis were compared with those of six combinations of two tests, one indicating esophagitis and the other indicating sphincter incompetence. The esophageal tests were performed in patients with reflux symptoms, chest pain, and esophagitis without reflux symptoms. Control data were obtained from normal subjects (negative control) and duodenal ulcer patients (positive control). The results indicate that the acid infusion test and esophageal biopsy combined with esophageal pH study after HCl have similar sensitivity and greater specificity than any test alone. In normal subjects, the cumulative incidence of abnormalities with esophageal tests alone was 30%, but with combinations of two tests it was only 5%. The use of criteria (simultaneous esophagitis and sphincter incompetence) which establish the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis helps to resolve conflicting results obtained with single tests. The most sensitive and specific test combination for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis appears to be esophageal biopsy with esophageal pH study after HCl.
Advanced sulfide solid electrolyte by core-shell structural design

Solid electrolyte is critical to next-generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries with high energy density and improved safety. Sulfide solid electrolytes show some unique properties, such as the high ionic conductivity and low mechanical stiffness. Here we show that the electrochemical stability window of sulfide electrolytes can be improved by controlling synthesis parameters and the consequent core-shell microstructural compositions. This results in a stability window of 0.7–3.1 V and quasi-stability window of up to 5 V for Li-Si-P-S sulfide electrolytes with high Si composition in the shell, a window much larger than the previously predicted one of 1.7–2.1 V. Theoretical and computational work explains this improved voltage window in terms of volume constriction, which resists the decomposition accompanying expansion of the solid electrolyte. It is shown that in the limiting case of a core-shell morphology that imposes a constant volume constraint on the electrolyte, the stability window can be further opened up. Advanced strategies to design the next-generation sulfide solid electrolytes are also discussed based on our understanding. Sulfide electrolyte materials offer the opportunity for the development of solid-state batteries. Here the authors further improve the voltage stability of core-shell structured sulfides by modifying the microstructures, and pair the optimized electrolytes with lithium metal anode into battery devices.
Economic framework for net power density and levelized cost of electricity in pressure-retarded osmosis

Abstract Economic analysis is necessary to ascertain the practical viability of a pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) system for power production, but high complexity and the lack of large scale data has limited such work. In this study, a simple yet powerful economic framework is developed to relate the lower bound of levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) to net power density. A set of simplifying assumptions are used to develop an inverse linear relationship between net power density and LCOE. While net power density can be inferred based on experimentally measured power density, LCOE can be used to judge the economic viability of the PRO system. The minimum required net power density for PRO system to achieve an LCOE of $0.074/kWh (the capacity-weighted average LCOE of solar PV in the U.S.) is found to be 56.4 W/m2. Using this framework, we revisit the commonly cited power density of 5 W/m2 to conclude that it is not economically viable because net power density would be even lower. Finally, we demonstrate that fundamental difference exists between power density and net power density, and as a result we recommend using net power density as a performance metric for PRO system.
Responding to an Increased Minimum Wage: A Mixed Methods Study of Child Care Businesses during the Implementation of Seattle's Minimum Wage Ordinance

Low wages are a persistent feature of child care jobs and affect the quality of children’s care in the U.S. In this article, we examine how implementation of Seattle’s minimum wage law affected the local child care sector using three datasets: (1) state administrative records on approximately 200 Seattle-based child care businesses; (2) a longitudinal employer survey of 41 child care centers; and (3) in-depth interviews of 15 Seattle child care center directors. Findings suggest that initial increases in the local minimum wage affected the majority of child care businesses. Providers’ most commonly responded to higher labor costs by raising tuition and reducing staff hours or headcount—strategies that may negatively impact low-income families and staff. While raising wages may help some child care employees, considering the full range of effects of this policy underscores the need for a systems approach to supporting the child care sector as a whole.
The influence of familismo on Latina student STEM identity development

This phenomenological research study explored how Latina college students developed their STEM identities, particularly focusing on the influence of familismo within the STEM identity development p...
Cancellation of Leakage Currents through Power Module Baseplate Capacitance

The fast edge rates achievable by wide-bandgap semiconductors can produce significant common-mode leakage currents through the baseplates of encompassing power modules. Such common-mode currents can lead to elevated electromagnetic signatures. This paper provides a theoretical treatment of this common-mode behavior for a typical SiC half-bridge multi-chip power module in the context of a half-bridge inverter. A common-mode equivalent model is produced that identifies the distribution of the parasitic baseplate capacitance across the module terminals as the principal factor that controls the leakage current through the module baseplate. Furthermore, the model predicts that this leakage current can be manipulated and even canceled out by achieving a prescribed distribution of said baseplate capacitance for the system under investigation. These predictions are validated by a set of empirical studies in which compensating capacitors are affixed to the external terminals of a commercial multi-chip power module comprising a half-bridge inverter. The model predictions are shown to be in good agreement with the measured behavior of this system.
Practicality and importance of selected endothelial dysfunction measurement techniques: review

The measurement of endothelial dysfunction (ED) has importance in that it indicates the presence of coronary artery disease (Kuvin et al. in J Am Coll Cardiol 38(7):1843–1849, 2001) in addition to acting as a predictor of future adverse events (Halcox et al. in Circulation 106:653–658, 2002). Various tools, methods, and metrics exist that can provide an indicator of endothelial dysfunction. Given the significance of ED, it is of utmost importance to find a measurement technique that is reliable, while defining a metric providing a framework for an overall system that is practical, accurate, and repeatable. Success would provide a tool for the early detection of cardiovascular disease not only moving patients that are currently classified as asymptomatic to symptomatic, but also providing a method to monitor the efficacy of treatments.
An Information Elasticity Framework for the Adaptive Matched Filter

The adaptive matched filter (AMF) uses a number of training samples observed by the radar to estimate the unknown disturbance covariance matrix of a cell under test. In general, as the number of homogeneous training samples increases, the detection performance of the AMF improves up to a theoretical limit (defined by the performance of a matched filter detector where the disturbance covariance is known). However, radar data are nonhomogeneous in practice. Consequently, a high number of training samples is typically undesirable, since nonhomogeneous training data cause detection performance to suffer. Thus, a decision maker (DM) must consider these tradeoffs when selecting this number of training samples, along with other decision parameters for the AMF. Using the concept of information elasticity, this tradeoff behavior is characterized for decisions that are relevant to a DM. A simple user defined constraint function is proposed, characterizing the relative cost of selecting different decisions. Using a multi-objective optimization (MOO) technique known as compromise programming, information overload is observed, in that increasing the cost of decisions improves performance up to a point, beyond which increasing the cost no longer provides meaningful benefit. Using this framework, a cost-efficient solution is selected.
Shipboard Collection and Preservation of Sediment Samples Collected During CHAIN 61 from the Red Sea

This paper contains a brief description of the different coring techniques used during the CHAIN 61 cruise to the Red Sea. Locations, core length, type of sampler used and water depth are given for the Red Sea stations.