cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Voting for Nation or State: Determinants of Independence Support in Scotland & Catalonia

With the Scottish independence referendum rapidly approaching and Catalonia witnessing ever bolder demonstrations of support for independence, understanding the determinants of public support for independence is crucial. In this article, I develop class, partisanship, and identity-based theories to explain individual-level support. Using surveys from Scotland and Catalonia, I test these theories. In doing so, I evaluate whether the same factors explain support in these two different regions. In addition, I consider the implications for the independence movements in these regions and beyond.
The cardiomyocyte protein αT-catenin contributes to asthma through regulating pulmonary vein inflammation

Background Recent genome-wide association studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding the protein αT-catenin (CTNNA3) that correlate with both steroid-resistant atopic asthma and asthmatic exacerbations. α-Catenins are important mediators of cell-cell adhesion, and αT-catenin is predominantly expressed in cardiomyocytes. In the lung αT-catenin appears to be exclusively expressed in cardiomyocytes surrounding the pulmonary veins (PVs), but its contribution to atopic asthma remains unknown. Objective We sought to understand the role of αT-catenin in asthma pathogenesis. Methods We used αT-catenin knockout mice and a house dust mite (HDM) extract model of atopic asthma, with assessment by means of forced oscillation, bronchoalveolar lavage, and histologic analysis. Results We found that the genetic loss of αT-catenin in mice largely attenuated HDM-induced airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Mice lacking αT-catenin that were exposed to HDM extract had reduced PV inflammation, specifically near the large veins surrounded by cardiac cells. The proximity of the airways to PVs correlated with the severity of airway goblet cell metaplasia, suggesting that PVs can influence the inflammatory milieu of adjacent airways. Loss of αT-catenin led to compensatory upregulation of αE-catenin, which itself has a defined anti-inflammatory function. Conclusion These data mechanistically support previous clinical and genetic associations between αT-catenin and the development of atopic asthma and suggest that PVs might have an underappreciated role in allergic airway inflammation.
Some factors that influence the nonenzymatic glycation of peptides and polypeptides by glyceraldehyde.

The rate of reaction of glyceraldehyde with a series of peptides was found to be dependent on their amino acid composition, sequence, and chain length. The presence of a histidine near the NH2-terminal increased the rate of glycation, whereas the presence of a carboxyl group near the reaction site led to a decrease in reaction rate. In general, tripeptides reacted faster than dipeptides, and dipeptides reacted faster than amino acids. Sodium phosphate and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate enhanced the rate of reaction of glyceraldehyde with all the dipeptides tested. Sodium chloride inhibited the reaction in phosphate buffer, but not in HEPES buffer. The NH2-terminal heptapeptide from the β-chain of human hemoglobin A (HbA), where histidine is the second residue, reacted with glyceraldehyde faster than the NH2-terminal hexapeptide from the α-chain. The glycation of tetrameric human Hb by glyceraldehyde was found to be dependent on the ligation state of the protein since deoxy-HbA reacted about 50% more with glyceraldehyde than did liganded HbA. The enhanced glycation of deoxy HbA was mainly attributable to the more extensive reaction at the NH2-terminal of the β-chain. The presence of a histidine adjacent to the NH2-terminal at this site may facilitate the Amadori rearrangement. The glycation of horse Hb in which the second residue is glutamine was not increased under anaerobic conditions.
Approximate Dynamics Modeling of Flexible Flapping Wing MAVs with Application to Control

A computationally efficient approximate aeroelastic model suitable for control studies is developed. The structural model accounts for geometrically nonlinear behavior using an implicit condensation technique. The aerodynamic loads are calculated using a quasi-static model that is fit using data obtained from an unsteady discrete vortex approach. The aeroelastic model and its ingredients are compared to experiments and computations using models of higher fidelity, and show acceptable agreement. The model is subsequently employed in a control study with an objective to hover at a fixed altitude using one degree of freedom. Preliminary results suggest that modeling techniques widely used in control studies significantly underpredict the required actuation.
Investigation and analysis of current status of nosocomial infections control in community health care centers

OBJECTIVE To discuss the prevention countermeasures in response to the insufficient control of nosocomial infections in community health care centers(CHCC).METHODS The current status of the control of nosocomial infections in the CHCC in Chongchuan district were investigated in a full round way.RESULTS The training rate of paramedics was only 9.2%.The hand-washing compliance rate before medical activities was 8.8%,26.5% after the medical activities.The hand-washing accurate rate was 26.2%.There were only 5 CHCCs from town-hospitals with the centers of sterilization supply,only 2 CHCCs meeting the standards of the air disinfection,and only one with the normal disinfection of medical contaminated water.The delivery and disposal of the medical waste have not been treated in a timely manner.CONCLUSION There are still considerable potential dangers about the control of nosocomial infections in CHCCs.It is necessary to make the rules and regulations sound and the strengthen the necessary training and supervision so as to improve the control of nosocomial infections.
Controlled study on the effect of practicing clinical pathway in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome

Objective To investigate the effect of practicing clinical pathway in controlling medical expenses and reduced hospital stay(day) of hospitalization in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS),and to support normalization,standardization and homogenization of the treatment to the same disease.Methods Based on the clinical pathway recommended by Ministry of Health,combined with the actual conditions,OSAHS clinical pathway was made and installed into the computer system.All patients were enrolled into two groups,300 cases in each group.One that accepted treatment following clinical pathway was taken as the study group,the cases that not following clinical pathway were grouped as the control group.All of them received coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy.Comprehensive satisfaction survey was carried out after their discharging from the hospital,and the total cost of hospitalization,medication and hostpitalization days were compared between two groups.Results The patients' average age was 3.5 years,198(66.0%) of them were males,268(89.3%) were with mild to moderate OSAHS,251(83.7%) were treated by adenotonsillectomy,and 49(16.3%) were treated by adenoidectomy in the study group,and the corresponding numbers were 3.6 years old,204(68.0%) cases,276(92%) cases,238(79.3%) cases and 62(20.7%) cases in the control group,respectively.There were no significant differences between two groups,P0.05.96.3% and 90.7% cases had satisfactory results in the study group and control group.The average length of hospitalization,total hospitalization costs,average expense of accommodation,average medical expense,average laboratory fee,average treatment cost in the study group were(3.8±1.2) days,$(7 959±1 224),$(164±52),$(1 001±695),$(661±84) and $(1 586±703) respectively.They were(4.4±1.6) days,$(8 652±1 314),$(189±70),$(1 311±532),$(730±138),and $(1 792±796) in the control group respectively,with significant differences between the two groups(P0.01).There were no significant differences in the costs of X-ray and the costs of anesthesia and operation between two groups(P0.05).Conclusions The application of clinical pathway improves the patient's satisfaction,reduces the hospitalization costs,medical expenses and length of hospitalization in children with OSAHS.It is worth to promote clinical pathway in clinical application.
A LOW-COST SPHERICAL LOUDSPEAKER ARRAY FOR ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC

This describes design and function of a loudspeaker array for diffusing sound outward in all directions from a given point in performance space. This diffusion is similar to that of acoustic musical instruments. Its purpose is to allow acoustic blending of electronically and acoustically produced sounds in music combining the two. Perceptually integrating these is a problem for composers and performers of electroacoustic music. There are various approaches to the problem, each with costs and benefits. A device was constructed with multiple outward facing loudspeakers arrayed around a single point. From an empirical standpoint it provides source point identification and emulates the emanation of sound from an acoustic instrument or human voice when deployed in a space used for acoustic musical performances and without recorded reverberation or post-production reverb effects added. Its use should allow acoustic blending of electronically produced sounds and un-amplified voices or instruments. Tests show a functional frequency response that may or may not require equalization. Performance experiences must be observed and evaluated.
Alternatives to total abdominal hysterectomy.

By way of definitions, an abdominal hysterectomy is removal of the uterus with or without the ovaries through an incision approximately 5 inches wide in the abdomen. A vaginal hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus with or without the ovaries through an incision in the vaginal area. Endometrial ablation refers to hysteroscopic removal or destruction of the lining of the uterus down to the level of the uterine muscle.
Variability among sources and laboratories in analyses of wheat middlings

A cooperative research study was conducted by members of a regional committee (North Central Regional Committee on Swine Nutrition [NCR-42]) to assess the variability in nutrient composition (DM, CP, Ca, P, Se, NDF, and amino acids) of 14 sources of wheat middlings from 13 states (mostly in the Midwest). A second objective was to assess the analytical variability in nutrient assays among 20 laboratories (labs; 14 experiment station labs and six commercial labs). Wheat middlings were obtained from each participating station's feed mill. The bulk density of the middlings ranged from 289 to 365 g/L. The number of labs that analyzed samples were as follows: DM and CP, 20; Ca, 16; P, 15; Se, 7; NDF, 10; and amino acids, 9. Each lab used its own analytical procedures. The middlings averaged 89.6% DM, 16.2% CP,.12% Ca,.97% P, 36.9% NDF,.53 mg/kg Se,.66% lysine,.19% tryptophan,.54% threonine,.25% methionine,.34% cystine,.50% isoleucine, and.73% valine. As expected, there was considerable variation in nutrient composition among the 14 sources (P <.01), especially for Ca (.08 to.30%) and Se (.05 to 1.07 mg/kg). Heavy middlings (high bulk density, ≥335 g/L), having a greater proportion of flour attached to the bran, were lower in CP, lysine, P, and NDF than light middlings (≤310 g/L), having cleaner bran, resulting in negative correlations between bulk density and CP (r = -.61), lysine (r = -.59), P (r = -.54), and NDF (r = -.81). Each 1-percentage-point increase in CP in the wheat middlings was associated with.0235 (r 2 =.61) and 2.1 (r 2 =.39)-percentage-point increases in lysine and NDF, respectively. Lysine content was associated with NDF, CP, and bulk density of wheat middlings (r 2 =.88). There was considerable variation among laboratories (P <.01) in analysis of all nutrients. The CV among sources (100-σ S /mean) was greater than among labs (100-σ L /mean) for CP, Ca, P, Se, and NDF, but the CV among labs was greater than that among sources for DM and all of the amino acids except lysine and phenylalanine.
Keyhole Supraorbital Craniotomy for Aneurysm Clipping in the Setting of Bypass for Moyamoya Disease.

Background In 3%−15% of patients with moyamoya disease, aneurysms occur throughout the circle of Willis. In moyamoya patients treated with a superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass, treatment of a new or an enlarging aneurysm can be complicated by the presence of the bypass and by limitations on the use of standard frontotemporal craniotomies to gain access to the aneurysm. Furthermore, endovascular access can be limited by the presence of fragile moyamoya vessels and precluded by atresia of large vessels. Case Description A 45-year-old female patient with a history of moyamoya disease and previous left STA-MCA bypass presented with an enlarging left superior cerebellar artery aneurysm. We used a keyhole supraorbital craniotomy as a minimally invasive route to treat this aneurysm of the circle of Willis, with minimal interruption to the existing bypass or collateral circulation. Conclusions In patients with moyamoya disease who have existing STA-MCA bypass and de novo or expanding aneurysms, treatment is fraught with challenges. We advocate the use of a minimally invasive keyhole supraorbital craniotomy with an eyebrow incision for aneurysms associated with moyamoya disease occurring on the proximal anterior cerebral and middle cerebral arteries, the anterior communicating artery, the basilar apex, the posterior communicating artery, the proximal superior cerebellar artery, and the posterior cerebral artery.
A flexible and hydrophobic polyurethane elastomer used as binder for the activated carbon electrode in capacitive deionization

Abstract Activated carbon (AC) is widely used as an electrode material in capacitive deionization (CDI) process. The AC electrode is generally fabricated by a slurry mixture containing AC, polymer binder and conductive additive on the current collector. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is often used as the electrode binder. The rigidness of PVDF can generate the mechanical crack at the electrode interface and then lead to loss in electrode performance. In this study, a flexible and moisture cured hydrophobic polyurethane (PU) elastomer was investigated as a novel binder for the AC electrode. It was formed from polytetramethylene glycol (PTMEG), 2, 4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and glycerin monostearate (GMS) diol. Two electrochemical techniques, including the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS) were used to characterize the electrochemical properties of the PU-bonded electrode. The experimental results indicate that this binder can be considered as a PVDF-analogy binder. In comparison to the PVDF binder, the CV and EIS results indicate that the polar urethane and urea groups and high flexibility of PTMEG and GMS in this PU elastomer binder can improve the rigidness problem and have comparable and stable capacitive performance. The deionization result also shows more stable electrosorption-desorption behavior for the PU-bonded electrode.
A fast oscillator using cyclotron resonance

The use of the cyclotron motion of free electrons inamagnetic field as a source of high frequency oscillations has been discussed for many years, and some experimental success has been achieved [1] [2] [3]. The present paper follows two previous ones, the first of which [4] gave a ballistic theory for the interaction between the electron motion and an r. f. electric field for a number of geometries while the second [5] described an experiment in the two centimetre wavelength region using a crossed field geometry. This experiment showed that the expected oscillation mechanism existed, but that the cathode emission had to be temperature limited and that the power outputs obtainable were only milliwatts. We shall now discuss the reason for this behaviour and describe an electron beam injection system which enables stable space charge limited operation to be achieved, giving an output of tens of watts and making possible more detailed comparison with the theory.
Metrics that matter

Within NASA, there is an increasing awareness that software is of growing importance to the success of missions. Much data has been collected, and many theories have been advanced on how to reduce or eliminate errors in code. However, learning requires experience. We document a new NASA initiative to build a centralized repository of software defect data; in particular, we document one specific case study on software metrics. Software metrics are used as a basis for prediction of errors in code modules, but there are many different metrics available. McCabe is one of the more popular tools used to produce metrics, but, other metrics can be more significant.
Optimal Bit Layering for Scalable Audio Compression Using Objective Audio Quality Metrics

Perceptual audio compression uses the idea of auditory masking to hide coding distortion. These auditory masking thresholds are obtained from mathematical models of the human ear. At low bitrates however, coding noise is significant and cannot be masked by the audio content. A perceptually scalable audio compression system, even at low bitrates, should generate a bitstream with layers of audio fidelity such that each layer improves the quality of the reconstructed audio that is just noticeable by the listener. In this paper we describe a low bitrate (8-64 kbps), scalable audio compression system which uses a residual weighted VQ algorithm to generate a scalable bitstream. To modify this bitstream so that it is perceptually scalable, we layer the different residual indices generated by the coder using objective audio quality metrics developed for evaluating highly impaired audio signals.
Evaluating the Efficiency of Hedge Fund Replication Products: Returns and Diversification Effect

This paper uses a unique data set to test the efficiency of hedge fund replication products. We employ a methodology for the valuation of the components of the marginal benefit of adding an investment to an existing portfolio, and compare the replication products with actual hedge fund indices. The conclusion from both cross-sectional non-parametric tests and from time-series analysis is that the benefits of adding a replication product to a traditional long only portfolio are typically positive, but significantly lower than those of adding an actual hedge fund portfolio as represented by an index of hedge funds. It seems that hedge funds have certain unique factor exposures that cannot be replicated through simple liquid trading strategies. However, after accounting for fees, biases, and hedge fund premiums, one cannot conclude that the replication products are inferior to a well-diversified portfolio of hedge funds. Moreover, there have been huge differences between the performance of various replication products and some have been able to deliver the replication properties better than others.
Nonpoint Source Contributions Drive Elevated Major Ion and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Concentrations in Urban Watersheds

The rapid expansion of urban land cover is associated with negative impacts on stream ecosystems. Elevated specific conductance (SC) and major ion concentrations are increasingly documented in urban streams. However, the degree to which nonpoint sources contribute to elevated ion concentrations is unclear. We characterized SC and major ion concentrations in five small watersheds along a forested-to-urban gradient with impervious surface cover (ISC) ranging from 0–25%, no major point sources such as wastewater treatment plants, and similar bedrock chemistry. Ion concentrations increase by an average of 27 times along the forested-to-urban gradient, including an increase of 10 times in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Inputs from road salt caused large increases in Na+ and Cl– concentrations as well as high seasonal variability. Significant increases in Ca2+, Mg2+, DIC, and SO42– concentrations in watersheds with high ISC provide the best evidence to date that concrete is a substantial nonpoint source cont...
Controlled release of targeted anti-leukemia drugs azacitidine and decitabine monitored using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy

A new targeted drug delivery system with controlled release of anti-cancer drugs, azacitidine and decitabine, was investigated to enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer cancer treatment and reduce the effects of high drug toxicity to healthy tissues. The proposed drug nanocarriers are based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified with mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) linker to enable the immobilization of azacitidine (AZA) and decitabine (DAC) on AuNPs in the form of AuNP@MBA/AZA,DAC entities. The cancer cell recognition was accomplished by covalently binding folic acid (FA) ligands to para-aminothiophenol (PATP) in the mixed SAM shell on gold nanoparticle nanocarriers, AuNP@MBA,PATP. The FA ligand was used due to the strong expression of folic acid receptors (FR) in the membrane of cancer cells. This enables the functionalized carriers to target only cancer cells owing to the efficient FA-FR binding property. The amide bonds between the linkers and azacitidine/decitabine are pH sensitive and undergo acid hydrolysis in a low pH environment of the cytosol in cancer cells. Using the solutions of different pH, the release of azacitidine/decitabine was monitored by surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) measurements of the MBA Raman modes at 1600 cm -1 and 1100 cm -1 . At pH 7.4, the release of the drug was found to be negligible, while at pH 4.0 and 5.5 a continuous drug release was observed over 3 hours. The utilization of SERS monitoring for the drug release was based on the strong Raman signals which are generated by the MBA linker when it is bound to a plasmonic AuNP. During the immobilization of azacitidine/decitabine on AuNP carriers, the SERS signals are strongly reduced due to the shielding by drug molecules but they increase sharply upon the drug release confirming the amide bond breakage and successful drug delivery.
Job Training Subsidies, Reemployment and Earnings in the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program

Average job training subsidies in the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program vary by state due to the cost of particular training programs chosen by participants. This study partitions the higher and lower subsidy states from 2010 to 2014 and estimates differences in the effectiveness of their average subsidy levels on reemployment and subsequent earnings. The rationale for partitioning is that higher cost programs tend to be more occupation or skill oriented than lower cost programs and might, therefore, be more effective. There is found to be only a small increase in the rate of reemployment with increases in the subsidy across all states, though it is fractionally higher in the higher subsidy partition. The contemporaneous state-level macroeconomic conditions have virtually no effect on the rate of reemployment. There is also a small increase in subsequent earnings as the subsidy increases, but only in the lower subsidy partition. Increases in earnings across all states are attributed to the state-level macroeconomic conditions, particularly inflation. These findings emerge from a different empirical approach than taken in earlier studies, but corroborate that the program's job training requirement has been only moderately effective overall, though better at promoting reemployment than higher earnings.
Outcomes and patterns of relapse after definitive radiation therapy for oligometastatic cervical cancer

Abstract Purpose Survival rates for women with metastatic cervical cancer are low, with limited management options. Definitive radiation therapy (RT) for oligometastatic disease has led to prolonged survival in other malignancies, but this approach has yet to be systematically studied for cervical cancer. Methods and materials We evaluated 38 patients who received definitive RT to oligometastatic sites of cervical cancer at a single institution from 2002 to 2015. Patients presented with synchronous ( n =9) or metachronous ( n =15) oligometastatic disease to supraclavicular (SCV) nodes, or with recurrent disease in mediastinum ( n =10) or lung ( n =7). Three patients were treated for both SCV and mediastinal sites, and six patients were treated for para-aortic or pelvic recurrences along with oligometastatic sites. Most received chemotherapy: induction ( n =5), concurrent ( n =24), or adjuvant ( n =5). Outcomes were evaluated via Kaplan-Meier, and associations were examined via Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results Median follow-up was 35.2months (range 3.1–94.7). Median overall survival (OS) was 50.7months from end of RT, with 2-year and 3-year OS rates of 74% and 65%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 21.7months, with 1-year and 2-year PFS rates of 63% and 48%. Of the 38 patients, 21 (55%) experienced progression, at a median time of 24.8months. There was one in-field failure. Other relapses occurred regionally ( n =10) and distally ( n =12), with two patients experiencing both. The most common site of recurrence following treatment of SCV disease was mediastinum ( n =7). The incidence of grade≥3 toxicity from treatment of oligometastatic sites was Conclusions Definitive RT to sites of oligometastatic cervical cancer can result in excellent local control, favorable outcomes, and even achieve long-term survival for carefully selected patients, with minimal RT-associated toxicity.
FoxP2 isoforms delineate spatiotemporal transcriptional networks for vocal learning in the zebra finch

Songbirds, much like in humans, have a critical period in youth when they are best at learning vocal communication skills. In birds, this is when they learn a song they will use later in life as a courtship song. In humans, this is when language skills are most easily learned. After this critical period ends, it is much harder for people to learn languages, and for certain bird species to learn their song. When birds sing every morning, the activity of a gene called FoxP2 drops, which causes a coordinated change in the activity of thousands of other genes. It is suspected that FoxP2 – and the changes it causes – could be a part of the molecular basis for vocal learning. FoxP2 is also known to play a role in speech in humans, and both birds and humans have a long and a short version of this gene. Previous research has shown that when the long version of the gene was altered so its activity would no longer decrease when birds were singing, the birds failed to learn their song. Moreover, humans with a mutation in the long version have problems with their speech. However, until now, it was not known if modifications to the short version had the same effect. Burkett et al. investigated whether there was a noticeable pattern in the effects of FoxP2 before and after the critical period in a songbird. The analysis found that during the critical period, a set of genes changed together as young birds learned to sing. This particular pattern disappeared as the birds aged and the critical period ended. Burkett et al. confirmed that when birds had the long version of FoxP2 altered, they were less able to learn. However, changing the short version of FoxP2 had little effect on learning but led to changes in the birds’ song. The genetic pathways identified in the experiments are known to be present in many different species, including humans. Related pathways have also been found to play a role in non-vocal learning in organisms as distantly related as rats and snails. This suggests that they could be acting as a blueprint for learning new skills. Few treatments for language impairments have been developed so far due to poor understanding of the molecular basis for vocal communication. The findings of this study could help to create new treatments for speech problems in people, such as children with autism or people with mutated versions of FoxP2.
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE IN ARGILLACEOUS AND CRYSTALLINE ROCK MASSES

Alternative geological formations with potential for terminal storage of radioactive waste in mined caverns may be argillaceous and crystalline rock masses. The success of this approach depends on keeping the radioactive materials from returning to the biosphere over very long periods of time. In a properly selected site the porosity and permeability of intact rock should be so small that no appreciable movement through such a pathway will be possible. Thus the only way in which radioactive material can reach the biosphere is through fractures in the rock mass. One must therefore be able to define the factors that control the flow of fluids through such discontinuities in rock masses. The radioactive decay of the wastes will produce a high thermal load on the rock mass near the waste. Thermo-mechanical stresses in rock constitute a major problem near the waste cannister and possibly throughout the entire repository area. Les formations de roches argileuses et cristallines semblent posseder la condition d'impermeabilite requise pour l'encerclissement et le confinement a vie de dechets radioactifs. La porosite et la permeabilite de ces roches, a l'etat non fissure, sont en effet si reduites que toute infiltration appreciable est hors de question si bien que la seule possibilite laissee aux materiaux radioactifs de retourner a la biosphere est de s'imiscer le long des fissures ou fractures de la couche rocheuse. Il s'agit donc de determiner en premier les facteurs qui gourvernent l'infiltration des fluides porteurs a travers de telles discontinuites. La chute de radioactivite des dechets induit des flux thermiques eleves a travers les masses rocheuses qui les entourent. Les contraintes thermomecaniques qui en resultent en bordure des parois de l'excavation et eventuellement au sein de la couche rocheuse, constituent le second probleme majeur a etudier. Formationen die sich moglicherweise fur die endgultige Lagerung von radioaktiven Abfallprodukten in kunstlich angelegten Hohlraumen eignen. Der Erfolg dieses Verfahrens hangt davon ab, ob es uber sehr grosse Zeitraume hinweg verhindern kann, dass radioaktives Material mit der Biosphare in Kontakt kommt. An der fur geeignet befundenen Stelle sollte die Porositat und Durchlassigkeit des intakten Gesteins so gering sein dass kein nennenswerter Stoffaustausch durch diese Schichten moglich ist. Folglich kann radioaktives Material nur durch Rissbildungen nach Aussen dringen. Aus diesem Grunde ist es wichtig die Gesetzmassigkeiten zu kennen der die Stromung von Flussigkeiten durch kluftiges Felsgestein unterworfen sind. Der radioaktive Zerfall der Abfallprodukte fuhrt zu einer hohen thermischen Belastung des Gesteins in der naheren Umgebung der Lagerstatte. Eines der Hauptprobleme sind die thermischen Spannungen im Fels in der Nahe der Abfallfasser, und moglicherweise in der weiteren Umgebung der Speicheranlage.
Qualitative Research Methods

This is a short introduction to the field of qualitative investigation. There are many methodologies and methods that support rigorous qualitative research, however, there are many controversies about the “right way” to do qualitative research and how qualitative research should be defined and judged. In this space, it is impossible to do more than provide a general overview of study design, instruments for qualitative data collection and introductory guidance for analytic processes. Many of the references cited provide excellent examples of rigorous qualitative work in the medical literature and will expose the reader to multiple options for future study design and execution.
Development of capacitance strain transducers for high-temperature and biaxial applications: Paper describes work accomplished in the development of capacitance-type extensometers for use in specialized materials-test applications

Both uniaxial and biaxial (linear/torsional) extensometers have been developed for use in materials-testing applications requiring large strain range, elevated temperatures and high testing speeds. The sensing elements in these extensometers are parallel capacitance plates. Water cooling of the sensing elements is used to achieve effective operating temperatures to 2000°F. The geometrical configurations of the capacitance plates and the electronic circuitry required to obtain linear transducers over a large strain range are described. Some examples of applications are given.
Distributed Adaptive Control of Multi-Zone HVAC Systems

Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems consume up to 20% of total energy consumption, hence the need for efficient HVAC control mechanisms. Since buildings consist of multiple interconnected zones, the thermal interaction between them should be taken into account while designing a control mechanism. In this paper, we propose a distributed control scheme for a multi-zone building which can control zone temperature by considering exchange of information between zones. Each local controller regulates zone temperature and compensates for the thermal effect of neighboring zones. In addition, most common control approaches require either accurate knowledge of system parameters or historical data of system operation. However, in the presence of dynamic parametric uncertainties or disturbances these control schemes may not perform efficiently and as desired. For this reason we extend the proposed scheme to a distributed adaptive control scheme which can react to and compensate for possible changes in system parameters. In this case, system parameters are considered unknown and the controller gains are estimated on-line by an adaptive law. The applicability of the proposed schemes is demonstrated by an example.
Epidemiology of Dementia and Alzheimer Disease in Individuals With Down Syndrome

This cohort study uses Medicare data to examine the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer disease and all forms of dementia in individuals with Down syndrome.
Withaferin A, a constituent of Indian Ayurvedic medicinal plant Withania somnifera, causes G2 phase and mitotic arrest in human breast cancer cells

1262 Withaferin A is a natural compound derived from the medicinal plant Withania somnifera L., which has been safely used for centuries in the Indian traditional (Ayurvedic) medicine practice for treatment of various disorders, including neurological disorders, inflammatory conditions or as a tonic to improve the overall health. The root extract of Withania somnifera L. is available over the counter in the United States as a dietary supplement. Withaferin A has recently generated a great deal of research interest as a potential anti-cancer agent with diverse pharmacological effects, including inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB activation, inhibition of tumor proteasome, anti-angiogenic effect, induction of protein kinase C-dependent and Par 4-dependent apoptosis, and disruption of F-actin organization. Despite these advances, however, the mechanism for anti-proliferative effect of withaferin A is not fully understood. We now demonstrate that withaferin A effectively suppresses growth of both estrogen-independent (MDA-MB-231) and estrogen-responsive (MCF-7) human breast cancer cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner by causing G2/M phase cell cycle arrest as revealed by flow cytometry following staining with propidium iodide. The withaferin A treated MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were also arrested in mitosis as evidenced by fluorescence microscopy following staining with anti-alpha tubulin antibody and DAPI, increased Ser-10 phosphorylation of histone H3 and hyperphosphorylation of securin. The withaferin A-mediated G2/M phase cell cycle arrest was (a) relatively more pronounced in MCF-7 cells (wild-type p53) than in the mutant p53 expressing cell line MDA-MB-231, (b) irreversible, (c) accompanied by a decrease in both G0/G1 and S phase cells, and (d) associated with a decrease in levels of proteins involved in the regulation of G2/M transition including cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) and cell division cycle 25C. The net result of these effects was accumulation of Tyr-15 phosphorylated (inactive) Cdk1. The withaferin A-mediated cell cycle arrest correlated with generation of reactive oxygen species in both cell lines. However, the G2/M phase cell cycle arrest caused by withaferin A was minimally affected in the presence of Euk134, a combined superoxide dismutase and catalase mimetic. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates, for the first time, that withaferin A treatment causes G2 phase and mitotic arrest in human breast cancer cells. The cell cycle arrest may be an important mechanism in growth suppressive effect of withaferin A, at least in human breast cancer cells. This investigation was supported by the NCI grant CA129347.
Differential expression of long non-coding RNAs in peripheral blood of type 2 diabetic patients

Objective To screen and verify the differential expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs(LncRNAs) in peripheral blood of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), to identify the potential molecular specific markers of early T2DM. Methods The blood samples of 4 type 2 diabetic patients and 4 normal control subjects were collected for microarray analysis. Then six candidate markers of LncRNAs screened from the differential expression profile were tested by qRT-PCR among the subjects (80 cases in the T2DM group and 50 cases in the control group). The possibility of these LncRNAs as molecular diagnostic markers was analyzed, and finally two of them were carried out by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results Compared with control subjects, there were differentially expressed 133 LncRNAs in type 2 diabetic patients, among which 5 were up-regulated with the maximum up-regulated fold 3.29 and 128 were down-regulated with the maximum down-regulated fold 8.99. Six down-regulated LncRNAs were selected for validation and revealed a similar result to that of microarray.The expressions of two LncRNAs(NONHSAT160746 and NONHSAT140069) in peripheral blood of diabetic patients were significantly lower than those of control subjects (P<0.01). The areas under the ROC curve of the two LncRNAs were 0.734 and 0.703, respectively(P<0.01). Conclusion LncRNAs NONHSAT160746 and LncRNAs NONHSAT140069 are the potential molecular specific markers for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Long non-coding RNAs; Microarray analysis; Biological markers
Content Analysis of Textbooks via Natural Language Processing: Findings on Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in Texas U.S. History Textbooks:

Cutting-edge data science techniques can shed new light on fundamental questions in educational research. We apply techniques from natural language processing (lexicons, word embeddings, topic mode...
“Scandalously bifurcated garments”: Ecocriticism, American Pioneers, and Novelizing Women of the West

While the Western novel is typically associated with cowboys and overarching masculine accomplishments of “settling,” the representation of women’s work beyond narratives of being “tamed” and the settling-down of motherhood has been overlooked by writers and ecocritics alike. Ecofeminist scholarship of the late 1980s and ‘90s, primed to take up such questions, focused primarily on the relationship between women and nature in abstract terms rather than on regionally-specific interpretations. This thesis, therefore, examines the representation of female-identifying protagonists in pioneer narratives of North America in three popular novels of the last century: Zane Grey’s posthumous Woman of the Frontier (1940/1998), Mrs. Mike (1947) by Benedict and Nancy Freedman, and the Oregon-specific Little Century (2011) by Anna Keesey. Using principles from feminist and ecocritical literary theory in combination, I consider the ways in which landscape is conscripted to convey a character’s interiority—an anthropocentric tactic that ultimately equates the objectification of women with the conquest of territory. As a twenty-first century pioneer woman born and raised on a rural Oregon ranch, identifying the significance of pioneer women and interrogating their representations beyond being extensions of the tamed landscape helps rewrite the conventional masculine lens of Manifest Destiny and the “West.”
Toxic Metabolic Encephalopathy in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.

Toxic metabolic encephalopathy (TME) has been reported in 7–31% of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, some reports include sedation-related delirium and few data exist on the etiology of TME. We aimed to identify the prevalence, etiologies, and mortality rates associated with TME in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive patients. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study among patients with reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized at four New York City hospitals in the same health network between March 1, 2020, and May 20, 2020. TME was diagnosed in patients with altered mental status off sedation or after an adequate sedation washout. Patients with structural brain disease, seizures, or primary neurological diagnoses were excluded. The coprimary outcomes were the prevalence of TME stratified by etiology and in-hospital mortality (excluding comfort care only patients) assessed by using a multivariable time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for age, race, sex, intubation, intensive care unit requirement, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores, hospital location, and date of admission. Among 4491 patients with COVID-19, 559 (12%) were diagnosed with TME, of whom 435 of 559 (78%) developed encephalopathy immediately prior to hospital admission. The most common etiologies were septic encephalopathy (n = 247 of 559 [62%]), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (n = 331 of 559 [59%]), and uremia (n = 156 of 559 [28%]). Multiple etiologies were present in 435 (78%) patients. Compared with those without TME (n = 3932), patients with TME were older (76 vs. 62 years), had dementia (27% vs. 3%) or psychiatric history (20% vs. 10%), were more often intubated (37% vs. 20%), had a longer hospital length of stay (7.9 vs. 6.0 days), and were less often discharged home (25% vs. 66% [all P < 0.001]). Excluding comfort care patients (n = 267 of 4491 [6%]) and after adjustment for confounders, TME remained associated with increased risk of in-hospital death (n = 128 of 425 [30%] patients with TME died, compared with n = 600 of 3799 [16%] patients without TME; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.52, P = 0.031), and TME due to hypoxemia conferred the highest risk (n = 97 of 233 [42%] patients with HIE died, compared with n = 631 of 3991 [16%] patients without HIE; aHR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21–2.00, P = 0.001). TME occurred in one in eight hospitalized patients with COVID-19, was typically multifactorial, and was most often due to hypoxemia, sepsis, and uremia. After we adjustment for confounding factors, TME was associated with a 24% increased risk of in-hospital mortality.
Hybrid tandem and ovoids brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer: impact of dose and tumor volume metrics on outcomes.

Purpose To report the impact of dose and tumor volume metrics at brachytherapy on outcomes for locally advanced cervical cancer treated with tandem and ovoids intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy. Material and methods FIGO stage IB1-IIIB locally advanced cervical cancer treated with intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy via a tandem and ovoids hybrid applicator were analyzed. Median high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV), rate of tumor volume reduction, EQD2 D90, organ at risk doses, and outcomes were recorded. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression was applied for survival analysis, and logistic regression was used for toxicity analysis. Results Seventy-one patients were identified. Median follow-up was 24.9 months, with a 2-year local control of 83.6%, loco-regional control of 72.0%, and overall survival of 88.6%. Median HR-CTV D90 was 87.4 Gy (IQR = 85.7-90.2). Median HR-CTV D90 > 90 Gy10 showed a trend toward improved local control (LC) (p = 0.19). Median HR-CTV was 37.9 cm3, and median V100 was 86.5%. A median HR-CTV of ≥ 40 cm3 demonstrated worse loco-regional control (LRC) (p = 0.018) and progression-free survival (p = 0.021). Two-year LC and LRC for stage IIB patients with a median HR-CTV < 40 cm3 were significantly improved as compared to ≥ 40 cm3 at 100% and 71.8%, respectively (p = 0.019) and 100% and 56.5%, respectively (p = 0.001). However, this trend was not statistically significant for stage IIIB patients. Higher percent per day reduction in HR-CTV during brachytherapy showed improved LRC (p = 0.045). Four percent of patients experienced acute grade 3 genitourinary toxicity, 1% late grade 3 genitourinary and 1% late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions Tandem and ovoids intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy provides satisfactory outcomes with modest toxicity. Higher HR-CTV D90 coverage demonstrated a trend toward improved tumor control. Tumor volume based on median HR-CTV ≥ 40 cm3 at brachytherapy was prognostic for poor outcomes, even within initial FIGO stage groups warranting caution.
The Ecosystem of Detection and Blocklisting of Domain Generation

Malware authors use domain generation algorithms to establish more reliable communication methods that can avoid reactive defender blocklisting techniques. Network defense has sought to supplement blocklists with methods for detecting machine-generated domains. We present a repeatable evaluation and comparison of the available open source detection methods. We designed our evaluation with multiple interrelated aspects, to improve both interpretability and realism. In addition to evaluating detection methods, we assess the impact of the domain generation ecosystem on prior results about the nature of blocklists and how they are maintained. The results of the evaluation of open source detection methods finds all methods are inadequate for practical use. The results of the blocklist impact study finds that generated domains decrease the overlap among blocklists; however, while the effect is large in relative terms, the baseline is so small that the core conclusions of the prior work are sustained. Namely, that blocklist construction is very targeted, context-specific, and as a result blocklists do no overlap much. We recommend that Domain Generation Algorithm detection should also be similarly narrowly targeted to specific algorithms and specific malware families, rather than attempting to create general-purpose detection for machine-generated domains.
The Influence of Sustained, School-Based Professional Development on Explicit Reading Comprehension Strategy Instruction

This study sought to examine sustained, school-based professional development (PD) on explicit reading comprehension strategy instruction (ERCSI) and its influence on teacher knowledge and practice...