cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory of ac Space-Charge Polarization Effects in Photoconductors, Semiconductors, and Electrolytes

A linear theory is developed of the ac behavior of solid or liquid materials containing charge carriers which can move freely within the material but cannot leave it through the electrodes. The theory applies for any degree of dissociation of neutral centers and recombination of positive and negative charge carriers, but these carriers are assumed to have been produced by dissociation from only one species of neutral center. The mobile carriers may be electrons, positive holes, positive ions, negative ions, positive ion vacancies, or negative ion vacancies. The general solution for the admittance of the material is obtained for an arbitrary ratio between the mobilities of positive and negative carriers, but, because of the complexity of the result, it is only discussed in detail in the present paper for the following special cases: (a) charge carriers of only one sign mobile, arbitrary recombination time; (b) charge carriers of both signs mobile with the same mobility, arbitrary recombination time; and (c) charge carriers of both signs mobile with unequal mobilities and very short recombination time. In case (a), two dispersion regions may appear, with that at lower frequencies arising from recombination and the other from the finite mobility of the carriers. Both regions follow Debye dispersion curves accurately over a wide frequency range, making it possible to represent the electrical behavior of the material for any recombination time by means of a simple equivalent circuit containing only frequency-independent elements. In cases (b) and (c), only the motional dispersion region appears, and it again follows Debye curves. Finally, the results of the present theory are compared with those of other theories of ac space-charge effects in semiconductors and electrolytes.
Signal pathway profiling of ovarian cancer from human tissue specimens using reverse-phase protein microarrays

Defects in cell signaling pathways play a central role in cancer cell growth, survival, invasion and metastasis. An important goal of proteomics is to characterize and develop "circuit maps" of these signaling pathways in normal and diseased cells. We have used reverse-phase protein array technology coupled with laser capture microdissection and phospho-specific antibodies to examine the activation status of several key molecular "gates" involved in cell survival and proliferation signaling in human ovarian tumor tissue. The levels of activated extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) varied considerably in tumors of the same histotype, but no significant differences between histotypes were observed. Advanced stage tumors had slightly higher levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 compared to early stage tumors. The activation status of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, key proteins and indicators of the state of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pro-survival pathway also showed more variation within each histotype than between the histotypes studied. Our results demonstrate the utility of reverse phase protein microarrays for the multiplexed analysis of signal transduction from discreet cell populations of cells procured directly from human ovarian tumor specimens and suggest that patterns in signal pathway activation in ovarian tumors may be patient-specific rather than type or stage specific.
Pellagra and Paleonutrition: Assessing the Diet and Health of Maize Horticulturists Through Skeletal Biology

This article outlines research avenues that can aid us in reinterpreting and expanding our understanding of the paleonutrition and skeletal biology of maize intensive horticulturists. We suggest that new and innovative perspectives about their diet and health can emerge from hypotheses concerning skeletal manifestations of pellagra. Pellagra, a niacin/tryptophan deficiency disease, is prevalent in populations that have high-maize and low-protein diets. Historically it has been essentially a disease of undernutrition and social inequality. As an introduction to the issue, we provide an overview of pellagra as a nutritional deficiency disease, the impact of pellagra on skeletal tissue, and avenues for future research on the paleopathology of pellagra. We propose that a focus on micronutrient deficiencies in studies of paleonutrition adds an important dimension to our understanding and assessment of the diet and health of peoples both past and present
Smooth extremum-seeking control via second order sliding mode

An extremum-seeking control scheme enforced by a second order sliding mode control strategy is proposed in this paper. It is characterized by the advantage of "second order" sliding mode design with smooth control input and null derivative of sliding manifold. Chattering phenomena are greatly reduced. The stability conditions and performance criterions are given and proved for general plant modeled. Under these conditions, the objective plant will run within a small vicinity of the peak value of its performance index stably. The proposed extremum-seeking control strategy is practical for systems that do not tolerate high frequency alternating control signals and chattering arisen from delays.
Expedited Partner Therapy for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

In this issue of the Clinical Infectious Diseases, Kissinger et al. [1] present the findings of a randomized, controlled trial of patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) for male urethritis. This study, the third in a series of 3 randomized, controlled trials conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate PDPT for bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), found that men who were provided with medication to give to their sex partners were more likely to report that their partners were treated and less likely to be infected 1 month after receipt of treatment. The trial is the largest study to date of PDPT for men, included a substantial number of persons with gonorrhea, and is the first study conducted among a predominantly African American STD clinic population in the inner city. Thus, the trial extends the findings of previous studies to a new population and substantially increases the available data on PDPT for patients with gonorrhea. Because this is the last of the CDC trials to be published, the time is ripe to assess where we stand with PDPT.
A 8-Gb/s/pin current mode multi-level simultaneous bidirectional I/O

This paper describes a high speed current mode multi-level simultaneous bi-directional I/O. To increase data rate, impedance matching, reference calibration, latched differential current switching and clocked comparators are used. Simulation results based on 0.18 mum CMOS process show that the proposed design achieves data rate up to 8-Gb/s/pin at the power consumption of 46.8 mW with 1.8 V power supply.
First-Generation Latinos at Pacific Northwest University: Their Adjustment and Experience during Freshman Year

This thesis details the lived experiences of ten first-generation Latino students at a large public university in the Pacific Northwest. Their experience and adjustment reveal that they relied on their friends and family, especially their parents for the male participants, for support and encouragement. The help these students received in the form of caring and social capital from faculty and staff during their freshman year ensured that they made a successful adjustment to college. Participants cite influential people and programs that motivated them to succeed and become comfortable in the college student role.
Methyl Bromide Fumigation Treatments at 30°C for California Stonefruits Infested with the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Methyl bromide fumigations of 24 g/m3 for 2.5 h, 32 g/m3 for 1.5 h or longer, and 48 g/m3 for 1.0 h or longer, at 300°C or above, and normal atmospheric pressure were found to disinfest apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums infested with Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), at the probit 9 quarantine security level.
Studies on Feed Efficiency I. The Relative Efficiency of Corn and Wheat Products in Chick Rations

Abstract WHEAT bran and wheat middlings have been shown to have relatively low digestibility according to Bartlett (1910), Kaupp and Ivey (1923), and Fraps (1928). Roberts and Carrick (1943) reported experiments which indicated that a higher percentage of bran and middlings in a ration, fed to chicks from 6 to 12 weeks of age, resulted in a greater amount of feed per unit of gain than when corn replaced the wheat products. Heuser et al. (1945) have also reported decreased efficiency and a slower growth rate with high fiber rations, involving bran and middlings. Mishler et al. (1946) found that the replacement of ground corn with 10 percent each of bran and middlings resulted in decreased growth and a greater amount of feed per unit of gain. Their results were obtained when the wheat products replaced ground yellow corn in either a simple corn and soybean oil meal ration supplemented with . . .
Paint Inspired Color Mixing and Compositing for Visualization

Color is often used to convey information, and color compositing is often required while visualizing multiattribute information. This paper proposes an alternative method for color compositing. In order to present understandable color blending to the general public, several techniques are proposed. First, a paint-inspired RYB color space is used. In addition, noise patterns are employed to produce subregions of pure color within an overlapped region. We show examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique for visualization
Modelling traffic flow with a time-dependent fundamental diagram

We model traffic flow with a time-dependent fundamental diagram. A time-dependent fundamental diagram arises naturally from various factors such as weather conditions, traffic jam or modern traffic congestion managements, etc. The model is derived from a car-following model which takes into account the situation changes over the time elapsed time. It is a system of non-concave hyperbolic conservation laws with time-dependent flux and the sources. The global existence and uniqueness of the solution to the Cauchy problem is established under the condition that the variation in time of the fundamental diagram is bounded. The zero relaxation limit of the solutions is found to be the unique entropy solution of the equilibrium equation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What Lies Within: Novel Strategies in Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immunotherapy has become an increasingly important therapeutic strategy for those with cancer, with phase III studies demonstrating survival advantages in melanoma and castration-resistant prostate cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a promising target for the next generation of immune-based strategies. In this article, we examine the current state of the art in lung cancer immunotherapy, including vaccines that specifically target lung tumor antigens and immune checkpoint antibodies such as antiprogrammed death 1 (anti-PD-1). Both approaches harness innate immunity against tumors by suppressing tumor-induced immune paresis. Methods. To identify relevant clinical trials of immunotherapy in NSCLC, PubMed and Medline databases were searched using the terms "immunotherapy" and "NSCLC," and several other therapy-specific search terms (e.g., PD-1, NSCLC). Additionally, abstracts presented at international lung cancer symposia, the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, and the European Society of Medical Oncology annual meeting between 2005 and 2013 were evaluated. Results. Large international phase III trials of NSCLC vaccines have completed accrual in both the adjuvant and metastatic disease settings. Results of the START study were disappointing, but results from other studies are still awaited. Immune checkpoint modulation has shown promise, with separate phase I studies of the anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, and anti-PD-L1 antibody, MPDL3280A, demonstrating good tolerance and durable responses for certain patients with NSCLC who were heavily pretreated. Conclusions. Immune-based strategies have shown initial promise for early- and advanced-stage NSCLC. Validating these findings in randomized studies and discovering durable biomarkers of response represent the next challenges for investigation.
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS1

▪ Abstract Who will guard the guardians? Political scientists since Plato have sought to answer this, the central question of the civil-military relations subfield. Although civil-military relations is a very broad subject, encompassing the entire range of relationships between the military and civilian society at every level, the field largely focuses on the control or direction of the military by the highest civilian authorities in nation-states. This essay surveys political science's contribution to our understanding of civil-military relations, providing a rough taxonomy for cataloguing the field and discussing the recent renaissance in the literature as well as fruitful avenues for future research. The essay focuses on theoretical developments, slighting (for reasons of space) the many case studies and empirical treatments that have also made important contributions to our knowledge.
Noninvasive fractal biomarker of clock neurotransmitter disturbance in humans with dementia

Human motor activity has a robust, intrinsic fractal structure with similar patterns from minutes to hours. The fractal activity patterns appear to be physiologically important because the patterns persist under different environmental conditions but are significantly altered/reduced with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we report that dementia patients, known to have disrupted circadian rhythmicity, also have disrupted fractal activity patterns and that the disruption is more pronounced in patients with more amyloid plaques (a marker of AD severity). Moreover, the degree of fractal activity disruption is strongly associated with vasopressinergic and neurotensinergic neurons (two major circadian neurotransmitters) in postmortem suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and can better predict changes of the two neurotransmitters than traditional circadian measures. These findings suggest that the SCN impacts human activity regulation at multiple time scales and that disrupted fractal activity may serve as a non-invasive biomarker of SCN neurodegeneration in dementia.
Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition in Reading by Children With Autism

This research examined phonological awareness (PA) and single word reading in 14 school-age children with autism and 10 age-matched, typically developing (TD) children between 5-7 years. Two measures of PA, an elision task (ELI) and a sound blending task (BLW), were given along with two measures of single word reading, word identification for real words (WID) and phonetic decoding of nonwords (WATTK). Group differences were found for performance on PA tasks but no group differences were found for WID or WATTK. All the children with autism scored within the average range on WID and WATTK, although a statistical bias was noted for WID. No relationship was found between PA and measures of word reading in children with autism. Children with autism have adequate ability in single word reading but below average PA. Word reading does not appear to be related to PA for some of the children with autism
Spinal cord injury causes a wide-spread, persistent loss of Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1: benefit of 17β-oestradiol treatment

During neuronal activity astrocytes function to remove extracellular increases in potassium, which are largely mediated by the inwardly-rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1, and to take up excess glutamate via glutamate transporter 1, a glial-specific glutamate transporter. Here we demonstrate that expression of both of these proteins is reduced by nearly 80% following a crush spinal cord injury in adult male rats, 7 days post-injury. This loss extended to spinal segments several millimetres rostral and caudal to the lesion epicentre, and persisted at 4 weeks post-injury. Importantly, we demonstrate that loss of these two proteins is not a direct result of astrocyte loss, as immunohistochemistry at 7 days and western blots at 4 weeks demonstrate a marked up-regulation in glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 expression were partially rescued by post-spinal cord injury administration of physiological levels of 17β-oestradiol (0.08 mg/kg/day) in vivo. Utilizing an in vitro culture system we demonstrate that 17β-oestradiol treatment (50 nM) is sufficient to increase glutamate transporter 1 protein expression in spinal cord astrocytes. This increase in glutamate transporter 1 protein expression was reversed and Kir4.1 expression reduced in the presence of an oestrogen receptor antagonist, Fulvestrant 182 780 suggesting a direct translational regulation of Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 via genomic oestrogen receptors. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in cultured spinal cord astrocytes, we show that changes in protein expression following oestrogen application led to functional changes in Kir4.1 mediated currents. These findings suggest that the neuroprotective benefits previously seen with 17β-oestradiol after spinal cord injury may be in part due to increased Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 expression in astrocytes leading to improved potassium and glutamate homeostasis.
Comprehensive system-level optimization of thermoelectric devices for electronic cooling applications

Advanced cooling solutions are needed to address the growing challenges posed by future generations of microprocessors. This paper outlines an optimization methodology for electronic system based thermoelectric (TE) cooling. This study stresses that an optimum TE cooling system should keep the electronic device below a critical junction temperature while utilizing the smallest possible heat sink. The methodology considers the electric current and TE geometry that will minimize the junction temperature. A comparison is made between the junction temperature minimization scheme and the more conventional coefficient of performance (COP) maximization scheme. It is found that it is possible to design a TE solution that will both maximize the COP and minimize the junction temperature. Experimental measurements that validate the modeling are also presented.
Primary leptomeningeal melanoma

Primary melanoma of the central nervous system is a rare melanocytic tumor typically located in the leptomeninges. We report a 57-year-old woman with an intracranial leptomeningeal melanoma who presented with myoclonic seizures. Brain CT scan and MRI revealed a hemorrhagic intracranial tumor. The tumor was completely removed and leptomeningeal melanoma was proven pathologically. Follow-up imaging studies up to 19 months showed no recurrence of the disease. Here we present radiological, gross, and pathological images of leptomeningeal melanoma, discuss its characteristics, and review the relevant literature.
Rodrigo's Bookbag: Brimelow, Bork, Murray, and D'Souza - Recent Conservative Thought and the End of Equality

Rodrigo, his wife Giannina, and their straight man, "the Professor," meet in the latter’s city, where the young couple have gone for a wedding. After discussing an incident at Rodrigo's law school in which anonymous actors defaced the lockers of four students of color, the protagonists discuss recent contractions in the ideal of equality. Using as a springboard recent conservative scholarship urging cutbacks in welfare, affirmative action, and immigration, Rodrigo posits that our national commitment to equality is inherently unstable in light of our embrace of countervailing principles such as economic liberty. Not only are these values on a collision course, they are internally inconsistent, Rodrigo argues, in light of the other. Without strenuous efforts to renew it, equality contract, and eventually biological theories of racial inferiority emerge as the final brutal fiction society fastens on to justify a deeply divided status quo.
Spinning straw into milk: Can a 95% byproduct diet support milk production?

Citation: Hulett, M., Ylioja, C. M., Wickersham, T. A., & Bradford, B. J. (2016). Spinning straw into milk: Can a 95% byproduct diet support milk production? Journal of Animal Science, 94, 187-187. doi:10.2527/msasas2016-400
Effects of progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol on hypothalamic prolactin-inhibiting factor and pituitary prolactin content.

SummaryThe effects of P, TP, and CA on hypothalamic PIF content, pituitary prolactin concentration, and mammary development were studied in mature ovariectomized rats. Each of the 3 steroids significantly decreased hypothalamic PIF content, increased pituitary prolactin concentration and, induced mammary growth. The TP and CA also elicited mammary secretion. These observations indicate that the stimulatory effect of the 3 hormones on pituitary prolactin secretion is mediated through the hypothalamus.
Real-Time Stabilization of a Single Inverted Pendulum Using a Power Series Based Controller

The single inverted pendulum (SIP) system is a classic example of a nonlinear under-actuated system. Despite its simple structure, it is among the most difficult systems to control and is considered as one of the most popular benchmarks of nonlinear control theory. In the past fifty years many nonlinear methods have been proposed for the swing-up and stabilization of a self-erecting inverted pendulum, however, most of these techniques are too complex and impractical for real-time implementation. In this paper, the successful real-time implementation of a nonlinear controller for the stabilization of the pendulum is discussed. The controller is based on the power series approximation to the Hamilton Jacobi Bellman (HJB) equation. It performs similarly to the traditional linear quadratic regulator (LQR), but has some important advantages. First, the method can stabilize the pendulum for a wider range of initial starting angle. Additionally, it can also be used with state dependent weighting matrices, Q and R, whereas the LQR problem can only handle constant values for these matrices.
An assay for 26S proteasome activity based on fluorescence anisotropy measurements of dye-labeled protein substrates

The 26S proteasome is the molecular machine at the center of the ubiquitin proteasome system and is responsible for adjusting the concentrations of many cellular proteins. It is a drug target in several human diseases, and assays for the characterization of modulators of its activity are valuable. The 26S proteasome consists of two components: a core particle, which contains the proteolytic sites, and regulatory caps, which contain substrate receptors and substrate processing enzymes, including six ATPases. Current high-throughput assays of proteasome activity use synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrates that report directly on the proteolytic activity of the proteasome, but not on the activities of the proteasome caps that are responsible for protein recognition and unfolding. Here, we describe a simple and robust assay for the activity of the entire 26S proteasome using fluorescence anisotropy to follow the degradation of fluorescently labeled protein substrates. We describe two implementations of the assay in a high-throughput format and show that it meets the expected requirement of ATP hydrolysis and the presence of a canonical degradation signal or degron in the target protein.
Demand Conditions under Multidimensional Pricing

The unidimensional nature of microeconomic analysis has been subjected recently to long-overdue criticism, on the grounds of its distance from reality.1 It is stressed by critics that a product should be defined not in terms of a one-dimensional unit of measurement but rather in terms of its attributes, aspects or characteristics which generally are multidimensional. Nevertheless, this ‘abstract-product’ approach, to use Baumol’s terminology, remains in a primitive state. Advances have been most noteworthy in the theory of consumer demand. Yet even the most elegant studies in this field — those of Baumol [1] and Lancaster [3] — suffer from oversimplified models. Thus Baumol [1, p. 682] must resort to artificial devices to cope with his assumption of completely inelastic demand for any one consumer, and Lancaster makes the strong assumption that the characteristics of a product are identical for all consumers. Quite apart from unrealistic assumptions, however, their models suffer a fundamental deficiency: pricing according to attributes, i.e. multidimensional pricing is not considered.
Parallel Polarization EPR Studies of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex of Photosystem II

The oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II mediates the oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. According to a model devised by Kok and co-workers (1), the complex couples the four-electron water oxidation process to the single-electron primary photochemistry by cycling through a series of states, S0 – S4, as it transfers electrons to reduce the photo-oxidized primary donor. Four manganese ions are thought to be required for oxygen evolution activity, but the structural organization of the manganese ions and their oxidation states throughout the S-state cycle remain in question. Although the system has been thoroughly studied with conventional EPR, only two signals attributed to manganese have been reported, and both occur in the S2 state. The multiline signal, comprised of a number of hyperfine components centered near g=2, is consistent with an exchange-coupled mixed-valence manganese cluster (2). A second signal appears at an effective g value of 4.1 (3,4), and the correlation of the generation of this signal with an increase in the manganese X-ray absorption energy implies that the signal may originate from manganese (5). Recently proposed models for the structural organization of manganese and the origin of the S2 state EPR signals include the suggestion that the signals arise from different spin states of a single tetranuclear cluster (6), or that the signals arise from separate centers: for example, that the multiline signal is due to a mixed-valence binuclear cluster and the g=4.1 signal originates from a mononuclear Mn(IV) site (7).
Quasi-One-Dimensional Flow Equations

The quasi-one-dimensional flow equations introduced in Chapter 1 are developed in detail in a form useful for calculations applicable to design and comparative evaluation of engines and their components. The perfect gas equation of state, the sound speed, and the Mach number are defined. The conservation of mass equation in quasi-one-dimensional form is developed in detail. The conservation of energy equation is derived by incorporating the thermodynamics of gas mixtures and the contribution of chemical reactions in releasing energy to the fluid flowing through the engine. The conservation of species equation is also derived and is used to illustrate the concepts of frozen and equilibrium flow. The conservation of momentum equation is derived and the stagnation pressure and impulse function are introduced. The equations of motion thus developed are put into standard logarithmic differential form, which, with a corresponding table of influence coefficients, permits ready application to specific propulsion problems. The classical cases of flows with friction alone (Fanno line) and heat addition alone (Rayleigh line) are derived and examples are presented.
Bindings of the Crowell Poetical Works (third edition, 1892–) and Arnold's Poems of Wordsworth (1892–)

Listed by date of notices in PubW unless described otherwise, with prices, are “Crowell's Poets” and “Thin Paper” series bindings of the third Crowell edition of the Poetical Works of William Wordsworth , and “Handy Volume” bindings of the Crowell edition of Arnold's Poems of Wordsworth , in which copies have been seen, or noted as expressly advertised, or judged because of the design of the binding “edition” or subseries especially likely to have included WW. For designs known only through advertisements, or as supplements to some examples seen, descriptions may employ phrasing of the advertisements themselves, which is sometimes more exuberant than distinct. Where the duration of an issued is not stated, it is undetermined. Bindings seen are of course described in the main list of printings in Section A (A240, A241). Some of those, however, do not match advertisement descriptions in all respects even when the generic identification is secure. For a comprehensive listing of Crowell's Poets and Handy Volume bindings as such, and illustrations of most, see Huttner. Some advertisements offer bindings in “ooze” leather. Such leathers had had ooze forced through them to give them an especially soft texture, and were often given a suede finish. CROWELL's POETS AND THIN PAPER SERIES 8 Oct 1892: Imperial Edition, cloth, gilt edges, $1.50 (WW expressly included). In cloth through 1903; padded leather 1896–1897. Library Edition, cloth, gilt top, $1.50 (WW expressly included). In cloth and half calf through 1906; sometimes advertised and titled on binding “Standard Library Edition.”
α3β1 Integrin Suppresses Prostate Cancer Metastasis via Regulation of the Hippo Pathway

Existing anti-cancer strategies focused on disrupting integrin functions in tumor cells or tumor-involved endothelial cells have met limited success. An alternative strategy is to augment integrin-mediated pathways that suppress tumor progression, but how integrins can signal to restrain malignant behavior remains unclear. To address this issue, we generated an in vivo model of prostate cancer metastasis via depletion of α3β1 integrin, a correlation observed in a significant proportion of prostate cancers. Our data describe a mechanism whereby α3β1 signals through Abl family kinases to restrain Rho GTPase activity, support Hippo pathway suppressor functions, and restrain prostate cancer migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth. This α3β1-Abl kinase-Hippo suppressor pathway identified α3 integrin-deficient prostate cancers as potential candidates for Hippo-targeted therapies currently under development, suggesting new strategies for targeting metastatic prostate cancer based on integrin expression. Our data also revealed paradoxical tumor suppressor functions for Abl kinases in prostate cancer that may help to explain the failure of Abl kinase inhibitor imatinib in prostate cancer clinical trials.
High-density scintillating glasses for a proton imaging detector

Abstract High-density scintillating glasses are proposed for a novel proton-imaging device that can improve the accuracy of the hadron therapy. High-density scintillating glasses are needed to build a cost effective, compact calorimeter that can be attached to a gantry. This report summarizes the study on Europium, Terbium, and Cerium-doped scintillating glasses that were developed containing heavy elements such as Lanthanum, Gadolinium, and Tungsten. The density of the samples reach up to 5.9 g/cm 3 , and their 300–600 nm emission overlaps perfectly with the peak cathode sensitivity of the commercial photo detectors. The developed glasses do not require any special quenching and can be poured easily, which makes them a good candidate for production in various geometries. Here, the glass making conditions, preliminary tests on optical and physical properties of these scintillating, high-density, oxide glasses developed for a novel medical imaging application are reported.
Effective p-descent

Given E, an elliptic curve defined over K, a field of positive characteristic, provided that j, the Weierstrass j-invariant, is not an element of Kp, we construct explicitly, that is, we give by a closed form formula, a non-trivial homomorphism, μ:E(K) → K+, from the group of K-rational points of E to K+, the additive group of K. In the course of our analysis we discover a canonical differential, \(\omega _q \in \Omega _{K|\mathbb{F}_p } \), associated to E and we relate it to the differential dq/q associated to the Tate curve. If the transcendence degree of K over \(\mathbb{F}_p \)is equal to one, as for example is the case for function fields in one variable, then μ is a p-descent map, that is, its kernel is equal to pE(K) and the explicit formula for μ can be used to provide effective proofs of analogues of classical theorems on elliptic curves. For example, in the author's thesis at The University of Texas at Austin the analogue of Siegel's Theorem on the finiteness of integral points of E(K) is proved effectively.
High temperature annealing for structural optimization of silica aerogels in solar thermal applications

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, February 2017.
Francis Bacon’s Literary-Scientific Utopia

Francis Bacon was forever making outrageous promises about experimental science—it would cure the plague, populate the world with youthful centenarians, fill our spare time with technological bliss—but none was more incredible than his prediction of a new global community. Science, he enthused, would link the warring cultures of the earth together, establishing a worldwide information network that connected us all in a free trade of ideas. So unprecedented was this future society that when Bacon set out to describe it in his utopian fable New Atlantis (c.1623), he started by frankly admitting the challenges it would need to overcome. The story begins when a European ship stumbles upon a mysterious island civilization, prompting the sailors to observe that the well-dressed islanders look ominously ‘Turkish.’1 The islanders, meanwhile, forbid the alien ship to land, and so though the two groups share a common language (both, it turns out, know Spanish), they hover nervously apart. Moreover, what finally encourages the Europeans and the islanders to embrace each other is not a new scientific invention, but a comfortably familiar creed. An islander calls out to the sailors: ‘Are ye Christians?’ (3). And after the Europeans affirm that they are indeed, the islanders respond, ‘If ye will swear (all of you) by the merits of the Savior … you may have license to come on land’ (3). Relieved, the Europeans see that the islanders are not so different after all. Christ is everywhere, his salvation linking the globe.
Rejecting a View that Any Human Life is Dispensable

This brief essay outlines the complex relationship between environment and population and explores the contribution made by Catholic teaching to understanding the complexity of this relationship, with a particular emphasis on Pope Francis' Laudato Si'.
Firm Scope and the Value of One-Stop Shopping in Washington State's Deregulated Liquor Market

Firm scope benefits consumers by allowing them to purchase multiple goods at once. This paper quantifies the consumer benefit of one-stop shopping and returns to firms as a result. Using retailer and household panel data, I exploit an exogenous change in firm scope in Washington State, which allowed liquor sales at grocery stores. I extend the standard method in the structural demand literature allowing for endogenous prices to the setting with complementary goods. The consumer benefit of one-stop shopping is estimated to 11% of liquor expenditure. A store gains 3.6% more grocery and 23% more liquor sales when selling both.
Skill Formation under Adversarial Industrial Relations and Weak Unions: The Cases of the American and French Machine Tool Industries during the 1980's

Abstract During the 1980's, the introduction of computer-directed technologies has been, in many cases, accompanied by changes in work environments and new skill requirements, especially among production workers. The adjustment of skills to new technologies was difficult in countries or industries where adversarial industrial relations prevailed, because the state, labor, and employers could not agree on a basic training framework. In this paper, the French and American machine tool industries are selected as case studies.
Delayed Decisions in Zero-Sum Differential Games

Abstract Two games are described in which, at least from some starting positions, a delayed decision must be made by one player, and in which there are specific pre-decision optimal strategies by both players. These two games are (i) the ,fGame of Two Cars” (payoff = closest-approach distance), and (ii) the “Cornered Rat,” both originated by Rufus Isaacs.
Equivalent Degradation Minimization Strategy for balancing battery and capacitor usage in hybrid energy storage systems for electric vehicles

As large chemical batteries become more common in transportation and fixed storage applications, the lifetime of these expensive components is a major issue. A capacitive storage system can be paired with the battery to handle degrading short term high-power events and create a hybrid energy storage system. This paper proposes a simple method to control the power flows from the two sources with the goal of maximizing the lifetime of both components. Analytical optimization is used to generate a simple real time control law that trades off degradation of the two sources with the energy stored in the capacitor. For sufficiently large capacitor sizes, it can produce optimal solutions identical to those calculated using nonlinear or dynamic programming. This method is termed the “Equivalent Degradation Minimization Strategy” based on similarities to the fuel-based equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS). A heuristic modification is also presented to better deal with capacity constraints. Simulations are presented for an electric vehicle to show the battery degradation using this method vs. a full optimization with a priori knowledge, for a range of 13 different capacitor sizes on two cycles.
Use of Shuttle Heritage Hardware in Space Launch System (SLS) Application - Structural Assessment

NASA is moving forward with the development of the next generation system of human spaceflight to meet the Nation's goals of human space exploration. To meet these goals, NASA is aggressively pursuing the development of an integrated architecture and capabilities for safe crewed and cargo missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Two important tenets critical to the achievement of NASA's strategic objectives are Affordability and Safety. The Space Launch System (SLS) is a heavy-lift launch vehicle being designed/developed to meet these goals. The SLS Block 1 configuration (Figure 1) will be used for the first Exploration Mission (EM-1). It utilizes existing hardware from the Space Shuttle inventory, as much as possible, to save cost and expedite the schedule. SLS Block 1 Elements include the Core Stage, "Heritage" Boosters, Heritage Engines, and the Integrated Spacecraft and Payload Element (ISPE) consisting of the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter (LVSA), the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Stage Adapter (MSA), and an Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) for Earth orbit escape and beyond-Earth orbit in-space propulsive maneuvers. When heritage hardware is used in a new application, it requires a systematic evaluation of its qualification. In addition, there are previously-documented Lessons Learned (Table -1) in this area cautioning the need of a rigorous evaluation in any new application. This paper will exemplify the systematic qualification/assessment efforts made to qualify the application of Heritage Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) hardware in SLS. This paper describes the testing and structural assessment performed to ensure the application is acceptable for intended use without having any adverse impact to Safety. It will further address elements such as Loads, Material Properties and Manufacturing, Testing, Analysis, Failure Criterion and Factor of Safety (FS) considerations made to reach the conclusion and recommendation.
From in vivo to in vitro : How the Guatemala STD Experiments Transformed Bodies Into Biospecimens

Policy Points: While most scholarship regarding the US Public Health Service's STD experiments in Guatemala during the 1940s has focused on the intentional exposure experiments, secondary research was also conducted on biospecimens collected from these subjects. These biospecimen experiments continued after the Guatemala grant ended, and the specimens were used in conjunction with those from the Tuskegee syphilis experiments for ongoing research. We argue there should be a public accounting of whether there are still biospecimens from the Guatemala and Tuskegee experiments held in US government biorepositories today. If such specimens exist, they should be retired from US government research archives because they were collected unethically as understood at the time. Context The US Public Health Service's Guatemala STD experiments (1946-1948) included intentional exposure to pathogens and testing of postexposure prophylaxis methods for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chancroid in over 1,300 soldiers, commercial sex workers, prison inmates, and psychiatric patients. Though the experiments had officially ended, the biospecimens collected from these subjects continued to be used for research at least into the 1950s. Methods We analyzed historical documents-including clinical and laboratory records, correspondence, final reports, and medical records-for information relevant to these biospecimen experiments from the US National Archives. In addition, we researched material from past governmental investigations into the Guatemala STD experiments, including those of the US Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues and the Guatemalan Comision Presidencial para el Esclarecimiento de los Experimentos Practicados con Humanos en Guatemala. Findings Identified spinal fluid, blood specimens, and tissue collected during the Guatemala diagnostic methodology and intentional exposure experiments were subsequently distributed to laboratories throughout the United States for use in ongoing research until at least 1957. Five psychiatric patient subjects involved in these biospecimen experiments died soon after experimental exposure to STDs. The same US government researchers working with the Guatemala biospecimens after the exposure experiments ended were also working with specimens taken from the Tuskegee syphilis study. Conclusions There should be a complete public accounting of whether biospecimens from the Guatemala and Tuskegee experiments are held in US government biorepositories today. If they still exist, these specimens should be retired from such biorepositories and their future disposition determined by stakeholders, including representatives from the communities from which they were derived.
Immune inhibitor A

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the structural chemistry and the biological aspects of immune inhibitor A. Immune inhibitor A is heat sensitive and is able to block the lysis of Escherichia coli by hemolymph taken from pupae of Hyalophora cecropia. The purified factor was tested on casein as a substrate; however, the activity was weak and was blocked by EDTA. It was also shown that immune inhibitor A was quite active in digesting two classes of antibacterial humoral factors from insects: cecropins and attacins. The specificity of the enzyme against synthetic cecropin A (1–33) was determined by HPLC separation of the peptides and amino acid composition studies. The enzyme is stabilized by divalent cations such as Ca2+ or Mg2+, but high (10 mM) concentrations of Ca2+ are inhibitory. The enzyme is inhibited by EDTA but not by inhibitors of serine or aspartic proteases. It is also inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline at 0.5 mM, but is insensitive to phosphoramidon at concentrations of 250 μg ml−1. The immune inhibitor A appears to be an important participant in the insecticidal properties of B. thuringiensis.
Really Big Numbers

In the American Mathematical Society's first-ever book for kids (and kids at heart), mathematician and author Richard Evan Schwartz leads math lovers of all ages on an innovative and strikingly illustrated journey through the infinite number system. By means of engaging, imaginative visuals and endearing narration, Schwartz manages the monumental task of presenting the complex concept of Big Numbers in fresh and relatable ways. The book begins with small, easily observable numbers before building up to truly gigantic ones, like a nonillion, a tredecillion, a googol, and even ones too huge for names! Any person, regardless of age, can benefit from reading this book. Readers will find themselves returning to its pages for a very long time, perpetually learning from and growing with the narrative as their knowledge deepens. Really Big Numbers is a wonderful enrichment for any math education program and is enthusiastically recommended to every teacher, parent and grandparent, student, child, or other individual interested in exploring the vast universe of numbers.
Data-driven decision making in early education: Evidence From North Carolina’s Pre-K program

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the use of data in early education settings—specifically, North Carolina’s Pre-K program. In this mixed-methods study, we draw upon in-depth interviews and survey data to examine (1) the types of data available to educators in Pre-K, (2) the ways in which data are intended to be used, (3) how data are reportedly used, and (4) the facilitators and inhibitors of effective data-driven decision making. Our findings reveal that Pre-K settings are data-rich environments, often with informal data collected through developmental screening tools and formative assessment systems. We find that engagement with and use of these data for instruction is variable. Finally, we find data sharing between grades is inconsistent, but an important factor predicting data sharing is co-location of Pre-K programs within elementary school buildings. We consider our findings in the context of existing academic literature and discuss the implications for policy and practice.
A New Species of Praying Mantis from Peru Reveals Impaling as a Novel Hunting Strategy in Mantodea (Thespidae: Thespini)

A new species of lichen-mimicking praying mantis, Carrikerella simpira n. sp., is described from Tingo Maria region in Peru. The new species differs from its congeners in having reduced tergal lobes, a relatively sinuous pronotum, and it is found in the highland tropical rainforest of the Central Andes. Behavioral observations conducted on captive individuals revealed that juveniles and adults hunt by impaling prey using modified foretibial structures. Anatomical examinations of the incumbent trophic structures revealed functional adaptations for prey impaling in the foretibiae, primarily consisting of prominent, forwardly oriented, barbed spines. We provide an overall description of this novel hunting behavior in Mantodea and hypothesize on its evolutionary origin and adaptive significance for the Thespidae.
Sound source localization is a multisystem process.

The chapter briefly reviews the current information about the various auditory-spatial cues used for localizing sound sources in a three-dimensional space. Then the chapter reviews the possible head-position cues that might be used for sound source localization. Finally, an explanation of the integration of auditory-spatial and head-position cues is described and literature concerning the integration of the two sets of cues is provided.