cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Master curve approach to polymer crystallization kinetics

Nonisothermal crystallization kinetic data obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for a poly(ethylene terephthalate) are corrected for the effects of temperature lag between the DSC sample and furnace using the method of Eder and Janeschitz-Kriegl which is based on experimental data alone without resort to any kinetic model. A method is presented for shifting the corrected nonisothermal crystallization kinetic data with respect to an arbitrarily chosen reference temperature to obtain a master curve. The method is based on experimental data alone without reference to any specific form of kinetic model. When the isothermal crystallization kinetic data for the same material are shifted with respect to the same reference temperature, a master curve is also obtained which overlaps to a large extent the corresponding master curve from nonisothermal data. It follows that nonisothermal DSC measurements provide the same crystallization kinetic information as isothermal DSC Measurements, only over a wider range of temperatures. The shift factors obtained from experimental data alone are compared in turn with the corresponding values calculated from the Avrami equation, the Hoffman-Lauritzen expression, and the Nakamura equation as a means of evaluating these models individually. It is concluded that the Avrami equation is very good at describing isothermal crystallization kinetics, the Hoffman-Lauritzen extrapolation of the limited isothermal data to a wide range of temperatures is quite good, and the Nakamura equation yields reliable crystallization kinetic information over a narrower range of temperatures than nonisothermal data alone without using any specific model.
Optically controlled phased-array antenna using wavelength-selective true time delay

A novel all-optical tunable optical delay line device is used as a true-time-delay generator for squint-free beam steering in optically-controlled microwave phased-array antennas. The mapping of optical wavelength to the microwave beam direction permits a hardware efficient architecture for the optical control unit that can easily scale to large aperture antenna arrays. The performance of a complete optically controlled phased array antenna system employing such single-chip time-delay devices is reported. Extension to two-dimensional antenna arrays with independent control of azimuth and elevation by using mid-stage optical wavelength conversion is proposed and demonstrated. An optical true-time-delay steered two-element X band antenna was assembled to verify the wide instantaneous bandwidth operation.
Defining and Treating High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Can We Do Better?

Currently, one in four deaths in both Europe and the United States is the result of cancer. The American Cancer Society identified prostate cancer (PCa) as the most commonly diagnosed non-dermatologic malignancy among American men, and it remains the second most fatal cancer. Similar incidence and mortality figures are reported by the European Association of Urology (EAU). ThegoalofPCascreeningistodetectpotential fatalcancers at a time when they may still be curable. The downside of screening is the diagnosis and overtreatment of tumours destined to pose no threat to themanduring his lifetime. The upsideof screening is thedetectionofhigh-risk cancerswhile still clinically localised. In a heavily screened population, this ‘‘high-risk’’ group accounts for 15% of men with clinically localiseddiseaseand likelyahigherpercentage in lessheavily screened populations [1]. Ultimately, the best treatment for this group of men is unclear, though we would suggest that they are at risk for undertreatment. The exact definition of high risk is a matter of debate. High-risk, clinically localised diseasewas classically defined by D’Amico et al as any combination of the following factors: a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score>20 ng/ml, a Gleason score of 8–10, or clinical stage T2C or greater [2]. More recently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and EAU have modified this definition to include any combination of a clinical T3, a PSA score >20 ng/ml, or a Gleason score of 8–10. Regardless of the definition used, the optimal treatment for these men remains unknown, although common treatments include surgery, radiation, or primary androgen-deprivation therapy. However, it is clear that regardless of the treatment used, some men fair
Impaired neural development caused by inducible expression of Axin in transgenic mice

Ablations of the Axin family genes demonstrated that they modulate Wnt signaling in key processes of mammalian development. The ubiquitously expressed Axin1 plays an important role in formation of the embryonic neural axis, while Axin2 is essential for craniofacial skeletogenesis. Although Axin2 is also highly expressed during early neural development, including the neural tube and neural crest, it is not essential for these processes, apparently due to functional redundancy with Axin1. To further investigate the role of Wnt signaling during early neural development, and its potential regulation by Axins, we developed a mouse model for conditional gene activation in the Axin2-expressing domains. We show that gene expression can be successfully targeted to the Axin2-expressing cells in a spatially and temporally specific fashion. High levels of Axin in this domain induce a region-specific effect on the patterning of neural tube. In the mutant embryos, only the development of midbrain is severely impaired even though the transgene is expressed throughout the neural tube. Axin apparently regulates b-catenin in coordinating cell cycle progression, cell adhesion and survival of neuroepithelial precursors during development of ventricles. Our data support the conclusion that the development of embryonic neural axis is highly sensitive to the level of Wnt signaling. 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Extensional collapse along the Sevier Desert reflection, northern Sevier Desert basin, western United States

Newly released and previously published seismic reflection data from the northern Sevier Desert basin provide a complete seismic transect between the tilted western margin of the basin and the eastern breakaway zone. When tied to well and surface age data, the transect delineates a continuum of extensional fault and basin fill geometries that developed between late Oligocene and Pleistocene time across the basin. A minimum of 18 km of top-to-the-west normal displacement is estimated across the Sevier Desert from only the most conspicuous growth geometries and offsets across listric normal faults that sole downward into the Sevier Desert reflection (SDR). The SDR clearly marks a normal fault zone beneath the entire basin, where stratal truncations are imaged for 50% of the 39 km length of the reflection east of the Cricket Mountains block. Restoration of extensional displacement along this entire 39 km fault length is necessary to reconstruct the pre-Oligocene configuration and erosion level of Sevier thrust sheets across the Sevier Desert area. The SDR normal fault zone underlies the former topographic crest of the Sevier orogenic belt, where it accommodated extensional collapse after cessation of regional contractile tectonism.
Collective motion in the nuclear shell model II. The introduction of intrinsic wave-functions

The wave functions for a number of particles in a degenerate oscillator level, classified in part I according to irreducible representations of the group U 3 , are expressed as integrals of the Hill-Wheeler type over intrinsic states. The rotational band structure which appeared in the classification is now understood, since all states of a band are shown to involve the same intrinsic state in the integral. It is possible to use the quantum number K of the intrinsic states as an additional label for the final wave functions, thus distinguishing states which, in the classification of part I, had the same values for all other quantum numbers used. The integral form for the wave functions enables simple expressions to be obtained for the quadrupole moments which resemble those of the rotational model for a permanent deformation.
Pressure-volume and length-stress relationships in canine bronchi in vitro

Intraparenchymal canine airway segments with branches tied off were mounted between two fluid-filled cannulas in an organ chamber. Airways were inflated to successive volumes ranging from 4 to 100% of the segment volume at 25 cmH2O. At each volume, pressure was monitored during isovolumetric contractions elicited by 10(-3) M acetylcholine. Small bronchi developed pressures greater than 30 cmH2O in response to acetylcholine at all volumes and were able to constrict to closure. Large bronchi developed pressures greater than 30 cmH2O only near maximal volumes and were able to constrict to only 30% of maximal volume. Maximal active pressures occurred at low volumes in small bronchi and at high volumes in large bronchi. However, maximal active circumferential tension and stress occurred at near-maximal volumes in both large and small bronchi. Circumferential length active-stress curves and maximal active-stress development for bronchi and trachealis muscle strips were similar. Similar length active-stress properties in different bronchi may produce significant differences in volume-pressure characteristics.
Low-complexity block double-differential design for OFDM with carrier frequency offset

Carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) has caught attention as OFDM systems have become widely adopted in recent years. In this paper, we design a novel double-differential (DD) codec with low computational complexity. Our design bypasses CFO and channel estimation, and is easy to implement at both transmitter and receiver. It also guarantees full multipath diversity, and reduces the peak-to-average power ratio from the number of subcarriers to the channel order. In addition, it is robust to CFO drifting. The closed form of the performance for our design is derived for OFDM transmissions over frequency-selective channels with CFO. Thorough simulation results corroborate our claims.
Computing in drug discovery: the design phase

Drug discovery is an extended process that can take as many as 15 years from the first compound synthesis in the laboratory until the therapeutic agent, or drug, is brought to market. Reducing the research timeline in the discovery stage is a key priority for pharmaceutical companies worldwide, and through the application and collaboration of current, advanced technologies, the industry is poised to achieve that goal. This article highlights computational chemistry, a technology that can play an important role in expediting the drug design phase.
The Role of Central Adrenoreceptors in the Control of Vasopressin Release and Blood Pressure

In order to investigate the role of central noradrenergic neurons in the control of vasopressin (ADH) release and cardiovascular regulation, norepinephrine (1.4 microgram/kg), clonidine (0.1 microgram/kg), and isoproterenol (1.4 microgram/kg were infused into the lateral cerebral ventricle of the anesthetized dog. The drugs were given over a 20-min period, dissolved in 0.9% saline at a volume rate of 10 microliter/min. Both norepinephrine and clonidine markedly reduced ADH release and lowered arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Isoproterenol had no effect on ADH release and produced a slight reduction in arterial pressure and a large increase in heart rate. Pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine (100 microgram/kg, iv) completely blocked the effects of norepinephrine on blood pressure and heart rate but only partially (about 50%) inhibited the norepinephrine effect on ADH release. Intravenous isoproterenol lowered blood pressure and increased ADH release and heart rate. In none of the experiments could changes in ADH release be attributed to changes in plasma osmolality or plasma sodium and potassium concentrations. It is concluded that, in the anesthetized dog, intraventricular norepinephrine and clonidine decreased ADH release, blood pressure, and heart rate by stimulating alpha-adrenoreceptors. The increased release of ADH after peripheral administration of isoproterenol was presumably due to the reduction in blood pressure and decreased baroreceptor inhibition of ADH release.
NONLINEAR VIBRATIONS OF DOUBLY-CURVED CROSS-PLY SHALLOW SHELLS

We consider nonlinear forced vibrations of a doublycurved cross-ply laminated shallow shell with simply supported boundary conditions. We investigate its response to a primary resonance of its fundamental mode (i.e., fi « ^11). The nonlinear partial-differential equations governing the motion of the shell are based on the von Karman-type geometric nonlinear theory and the first-order sheardeformation theory. An approximation based on the Galerkin method is used to reduce the partialdifferential equations of motion to an infinite system of nonlinearly coupled second-order ordinarydifferential equations. These equations are solved by using the method of multiple scales. We found that symmetric modes do not have an effect on the results for the case of primary resonance of the fundamental mode of vibration. It is shown that using a single-mode approximation can lead to quantitatively and in some cases qualitatively erroneous results. A multi-mode approximation that includes as many modes as needed for convergence is used.
A Quasi-Optical Sub-Harmonic Self-Oscillating Mixer

A sub-harmonic self-oscillating mixer (S-SOM) integrated with an inset-fed microstrip patch antenna is developed for receiver front-end applications. The circuit is designed as a sub-harmonic mixer in order to facilitate scaling to millimeter wave frequencies. A prototype design at C-Band was measured to have isotropic conversion loss of 10.25 dB for the second harmonic mixing product.
Quantifying Stochastic Noise in Cultured Circadian Reporter Cells

Stochastic noise at the cellular level has been shown to play a fundamental role in circadian oscillations, influencing how groups of cells entrain to external cues and likely serving as the mechanism by which cell-autonomous rhythms are generated. Despite this importance, few studies have investigated how clock perturbations affect stochastic noise-even as increasing numbers of high-throughput screens categorize how gene knockdowns or small molecules can change clock period and amplitude. This absence is likely due to the difficulty associated with measuring cell-autonomous stochastic noise directly, which currently requires the careful collection and processing of single-cell data. In this study, we show that the damping rate of population-level bioluminescence recordings can serve as an accurate measure of overall stochastic noise, and one that can be applied to future and existing high-throughput circadian screens. Using cell-autonomous fibroblast data, we first show directly that higher noise at the single-cell results in faster damping at the population level. Next, we show that the damping rate of cultured cells can be changed in a dose-dependent fashion by small molecule modulators, and confirm that such a change can be explained by single-cell noise using a mathematical model. We further demonstrate the insights that can be gained by applying our method to a genome-wide siRNA screen, revealing that stochastic noise is altered independently from period, amplitude, and phase. Finally, we hypothesize that the unperturbed clock is highly optimized for robust rhythms, as very few gene perturbations are capable of simultaneously increasing amplitude and lowering stochastic noise. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the importance of considering the effect of circadian perturbations on stochastic noise, particularly with regard to the development of small-molecule circadian therapeutics.
Experimental Investigation and Model Predictions of a NiMnGa Alloy’s Response to Three Dimensional Magneto-Mechanical Loading

Researchers have attempted to model the magneto-mechanical behavior of magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) for over a decade, but all of the models developed to date have only been validated against experimental data generated under two-dimensional loading conditions. As efforts have been underway to develop models able to predict the most general (i.e. 3D) loading conditions for the material, there is a need for experimental data to support the calibration and validation of these models. This paper presents magneto-mechanical data from experiments where a MSMA specimen whose microstructure accommodates three martensite variants is subjected to three-dimensional magneto-mechanical loading. To the best of our knowledge, all prior experimental investigations on MSMA have been performed on samples accommodating two martensite variants and exposed to two-dimensional magneto-mechanical loads. The experimental results from the 3D loading of the three variant MSMA specimen are used to calibrate and validate a 3D model developed by this group [LaMaster et al. (2014)]. This model assumes that three martensite variants coexist in the material. The LaMaster et al. model captures the general trends seen in the experimental data, but does not predict the data with a high degree of accuracy. Possible reasons for the mismatch between experimental data and model predictions are discussed.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
CBL restricts myeloid proliferation of human AML1-ETO preleukemia cells

CBLis amultifunctional protein engaged in the regulation of intracellular signaling pathways. Recent studies have found CBL mutations and deletions in a variety of myeloid diseases. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), CBL mutations are associated with core binding factor (CBF) leukemia, a subset of AML characterized by the presence of AML1-ETO or CBFB-MYH11 fusion genes. However, the potential cooperation between mutant CBL and CBF-fusion proteins has not been demonstrated experimentally. We have developed an experimental system to model myeloid leukemogenesis using primary human cord blood (CB) cells, and have shown that CBF-fusion proteins promote self-renewal and long-term proliferation of human CB CD34+ cells in vitro. Using the human cell-based model, we demonstrated that CBL mutations/depletion promote cytokine-dependent growth, but do not increase self-renewal, of human CB CD34+ progenitors. We also showed that CBL mutations/depletion collaborate with AML1-ETO to expand CB cells both in vitro and in a xenograft model. CBL inactivation promoted cell cycle progression, conferred hyperresponsiveness to thrombopoietin (THPO), and enhanced STAT5/ERK/Src signaling pathways in human AML1-ETO cells. The CBL-inactivated AML1-ETO cells did not show addiction to a specific pathway, but JAK inhibitors suppressed the growth of AML1-ETO cells including those with CBL mutations/depletion. Furthermore, we found that a protein tyrosine phosphatase UBASH3B (also called STS-1), which is known to inhibit CBL function, is highly expressed in CBF leukemia. Knockdown of UBASH3B inhibited the growth of AML1-ETO leukemia cells, and the growth-inhibitory effect of UBASH3B depletion was reversed by overexpression of oncogenic CBL mutants. Thus, the oncogenic potential of UBASH3B is largely dependent on inactivation of CBL. In summary, we established the first human cell-based model for AML with CBL dysfunction. The UBASH3B-CBL axis plays a crucial role to control multiple signaling pathways and myeloid proliferation in human AML1ETO leukemia, thereby providing potential therapeutic targets.
The Power of Place Revisited: Why Immigrant Communities Have Lower Levels of Adolescent Violence

Contrary to popular opinion, scholarly research has documented that immigrant communities are some of the safest places around. Studies repeatedly find that neighborhood immigrant concentration is either negatively associated with crime and delinquency or not related to crime and delinquency at all. Less well understood, however, is why this is the case. A critical limitation of existing research is the exclusion of measures that capture the intervening processes by which immigrant concentration influences crime and delinquency. The current study begins to address this gap in the literature. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine the relationship between neighborhood immigrant concentration and adolescent violence and to assess the extent to which social capital and personal and vicarious victimization may account for this relationship. Contrary to our expectations, social capital and personal and vicarious victimization do not mediate the relationship between nei...
Redox Cycling on Recessed Ring-Disk Nanoelectrode Arrays in the Absence of Supporting Electrolyte

In canonical electrochemical experiments, a high-concentration background electrolyte is used, carrying the vast majority of current between macroscopic electrodes, thus minimizing the contribution of electromigration transport of the redox-active species being studied. In contrast, here large current enhancements are achieved in the absence of supporting electrolyte during cyclic voltammetry at a recessed ring-disk nanoelectrode array (RRDE) by taking advantage of the redox cycling effect in combination with ion enrichment and an unshielded ion migration contribution to mass transport. Three distinct transport regimes are observed for the limiting current as a function of the concentration of redox species, Ru(NH3)62+/3+, revealed through the strong dependence of ion transport on ionic strength. Behavior at low analyte concentrations is especially interesting. In the absence of supporting electrolyte, ions accumulate in the nanopores, resulting in significantly increased current amplification compared to...
A Short Note on Ground-Motion Recordings from the 18 June 2002, Darmstadt, Indiana Earthquake

A minor earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 ( mbLg ) occurred at 17:37 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) (1:37 Eastern Daylight Time, EDT) on 18 June 2002, about 20 km west of Evansville, Indiana (Figure 1). Minor damage, consisting of broken windows, cracked chimneys, and objects thrown from shelves, was reported from the epicentral area. The earthquake was felt in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. This short note summarizes the strong motions recorded by the Kentucky Seismic and Strong-Motion Network (KSSMN) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) strong-motion stations. The University of Kentucky currently operates a strong-motion network of eight stations; five are K-2's and three are SSA-2's (Figure 1). Three flee-field strong-motion stations, one in Columbus, Kentucky (COKY), one in Hickman, Kentucky (HIKY), and one in Ridgely, Tennessee (RIDG), recorded the event. The epicentral distances are about 200 and 245 km from HIKY and RIDG. The geometric peak horizontal ground accelerations (PGA) are 8.0 cm/s2 at station COKY, 21.0 cm/s2 at HIKY, and 4.0 cm/s2 at RIDG, respectively. The maximum (geometric mean) pseudoresponse accelerations (PSA) at 0.2 seconds are 26 cm/s2 at COKY, 49.0 cm/s …
Systemic Banks, Mortgage Supply and Housing Rents

Using an instrumental variables analysis, we show that systemically important U.S. banks have increased their propensity to deny mortgage applications. Tighter mortgage standards have increased demand for rental housing and led to higher rents, depressed homeownership rates, greater construction of multifamily housing, and lower rental vacancies. We provide evidence of frictions that have prevented new lenders from filling the void left by the Big-4 banks, such as barriers to using online lending platforms or regulations which make relationships between mortgage brokers and lenders stickier.
Investigation of physical activities of urban adults in Huainan city

Objective To study the physical activity status of urban adults in Huainan,and provide evidence for preventing and controlling chronic non-communicable disease.Methods A total of 778 adults were recruited to complete questionnaires including general condition,occupational activities,transportation activities,physical exercises,housework and leisure activities,etc.Results Of the 778 urban adults,the percentage of adults with sufficient physical activity and insufficient activity were 18.4% and 81.6%,respectively.There was no gender and age difference in physical activity.Significant difference in sufficient physical activity was found among people with different culture levels(χ2=44.28,P0.01).The occupational activity level of adults with all occupations except for heavy manual work,didn't achieve the sufficient level of physical activity.Conclusion Insufficient activities among urban adults in Huainan was popular,and more measures should be taken to increase the proportion of adults with sufficient physical activities.
Update on the prevention of venous thromboembolism.

PURPOSE: The risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE), recommendations for risk stratification and prophylaxis of VTE based on risk, nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions used for prophylaxis, and clinical controversies surrounding VTE prophylaxis are discussed. SUMMARY: Risk factors for VTE are common in hospitalized patients and readily identifiable in patients' medical history. The recommended prophylactic strategy depends on the degree of risk. Nonpharmacologic interventions may suffice for patients at low risk for VTE, but antithrombotic drug therapy is recommended for patients at moderate or higher risk. Newer antithrombotic agents with more specific activity on the coagulation cascade than older agents have been developed to improve on efficacy, safety, and convenience. Current recommendations of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) do not reflect the availability of the newest agents; these agents are likely to be included as options for patients at the highest risk for VTE when ACCP updates its recommendations in the near future. CONCLUSION: The optimal agent, timing of initiation, and duration of prophylaxis in patients at the highest risk for VTE are ongoing controversies.
Ectopic Labium and Vater Association in a Newborn

Abstract We report on a female newborn with the VATER association and an ectopic labium majus in the right inguinal area. An ectopic labium majus is homologous to an ectopic scrotum in the male subject. The latteranomaly is associated with renal agenesis or dysplasia. The possible relationship between ectopic labia and renal agenesis is discussed.
The ethics of type 1 diabetes prediction and prevention research.

There are approximately one million cases oftype 1 diabetes in the US, and the incidenceis increasing worldwide. Given that two-thirdsof cases present in childhood, it is criticalthat prediction and prevention research involvechildren. In this article, I examine whethercurrent research methodologies conform to theethical guidelines enumerated by the NationalCommission for the Protection of Human Subjectsof Biomedical and Behavioral Research, andadopted into the federal regulations thatprotect research subjects. I then offer twopolicy recommendations to help researchersdesign studies that conform to these ethicalrequirements.
The Preservation Of Charitable Health Care Assets

T current rush of conversion activity among nonprofit health care organizations has heightened the need for regulatory oversight and public participation in the conversion process. Once changes are approved, there is little, if any, ability to turn back the clock. The review of these transactions is, for the vast majority of regulators, something new, that raises questions and concerns that they have not had to confront in the past. Some regulators have refused to open up the review of conversion transactions to the public. However, without public scrutiny, a nonprofit’s charitable assets are at greater risk and may not be preserved for the local community or for the larger public, and the profitmaking pressures of the transaction may take precedence. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the public’s interests and assets can be preserved as conversions proceed. A nonprofit organization is considered to have converted to for-profit status if it restructures or sells all or substantially all of its assets to a for-profit company or contributes all or substantially all of its assets to a new partnership with a forprofit entity.Other types of transactions have emerged recently that also can be viewed as conversions or as steps to conversion. Whatever the form of these transactions, attention to public interests is critical to the conversion process. Importance Of Public Participation
The Island Problematic

Popular mythology portrayed the Andamans as forbidding and ominous islands that brought nothing but ruin to those who had the misfortune to step on their shores. One finds the earliest references to the Andamans in a south Indian inscription and the notes and memoirs of the pre-colonial travellers and adventurers crossing the Indian Ocean. All of them without exception characterized the Andamans as being inhabited by ferocious anthropophagi. The English East India Company2 (EEIC) was the first to venture into the hitherto uncharted waters of the Bay of Bengal to survey the Andaman Islands. The first EEIC surveyor to navigate the waters of the Andamans in 1771 was a hydrographer called Captain John Ritchie.3 He was followed by Captain Thomas Forrest, Lt. Archibald Blair of the Bombay Marine, Captain Alexander Kyd, the then Surveyor General of India and Lt. Robert H. Colebrook of the Bengal Engineers in the 1780s, as colonial surveyors.4 The surveying of the Bay, its islands and harbours was part of a larger colonial project, which the EEIC initiated after having gained access to political power by establishing its control over the revenues of Bengal.5 By the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the Company was in dire need of better harbour accommodation for its Bay of Bengal shipping, which was ‘practically non-existent along the east coast of India’.6 Their unfamiliarity with the geography of India had forced the British to depend on maps ‘that had been published in Venice, Holland, France, and England’ which were based ‘on tradition and on tales of mariners and travellers’.7
Cold agglutinin disease: Report of a case

Cold agglutinin disease is an autoimmune hemolytic anemia with varying causes. Two major types are recognized, with different clinical manifestations. Cold agglutinins are circulating antibodies capable of erythrocyte agglutination. However, the reaction is readily reversible. Treatment of the disease is variable. A case is presented to illustrate that minor oral surgical procedures are feasible, provided the proper precautions are taken.
Electron Cooling in a Magnetically Expanding Plasma.

Electron cooling in a magnetically expanding plasma, which is a fundamental process for plasma flow and detachment in magnetic nozzles, is experimentally investigated using a radio frequency plasma source and magnetic nozzle (MN). Probe measurements of the plasma density, potential, and electron temperature along the center line of the MN indicate that the expansion follows a polytropic law with exponent ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{e}=1.15\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03$. This value contradicts isothermal electron expansion, ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{e}=1$, which is commonly assumed in MN models. The axial variation of the measured quantities can be described by a simple quasi-1D fluid model with classical electron thermal conduction, for which it has been previously shown that a value of ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{e}\ensuremath{\approx}1.19$ is expected in the weakly collisional limit. A new criterion, derived from the model, ensures efficient ion acceleration when a critical value for the ratio of convected to conducted power is exceeded.
Multi-agent simulation, netlogo, and the recruitment of computer science majors

Multi-agent simulation (MAS), in which algorithmic agents interact with each other and their environment, is a growing research area with a variety of applications to social and natural sciences. This paper reports on a novel approach to introductory computer science using the MAS paradigm and the NetLogo programming language. Goals include recruitment and retention of computer science majors, especially females, as well as training and motivating other STEM majors in computational thinking. We present an overview and preliminary assessment of this course.
Fulminant Hepatic Failure, Multiorgan Failure and Endocrine Crisis and Critical Care Seizures

Patients with critical illness experience failure of one or more organ systems. The liver and kidneys function to metabolize and filter medications, endogenous metabolites, and waste products. The endocrine axes maintain homeostasis necessary for the brain’s biochemical and osmolar gradients. Abnormalities in these organ systems create brain dysfunction most commonly manifest as encephalopathy; seizures may herald a diagnosis of organ dysfunction or accompany the development of encephalopathy. Treatment of seizures, in particular, hinges on treating the underlying organ dysfunction while navigating the complex interaction between antiepileptic drugs and their metabolism.
Commercial Digital Equipment in Nuclear Plants: The Ethos of a Black Box

Abstract The nuclear industry is faced with the reality that it is no longer a driving market force in the field of digital equipment, and must either design its own equipment to meet stringent quality requirements, or use commercially available equipment that was not specifically designed for “safety-related” applications. But how do we distinguish between good and bad commercially available equipment? What activities will provide us with an adequate level of confidence? We must weigh such factors as the ethic of expediency and the fiction of objectivity. This paper examines the technical debate in the context of the new marketplace, and the rhetoric of safety
Durable terrestrial bedrock predicts submarine canyon formation

Though submarine canyons are first order topographic features of Earth, the processes responsible for their occurrence remains poorly understood. Potentially analogous studies of terrestrial rivers show that the flux and caliber of transported bedload are significant controls on bedrock incision. Here we hypothesize that coarse sediment load could exert a similar role in the formation of submarine canyons. We conducted a comprehensive empirical analysis of canyon occurrence along the west coast of the contiguous United States which indicates that submarine canyon occurrence is best predicted by the occurrence of durable crystalline bedrock in adjacent terrestrial catchments. Canyon occurrence is also predicted by the flux of bed sediment to shore from terrestrial streams. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was observed between canyon occurrence and the slope or width of the continental shelf. These findings suggest that canyon incision is promoted by a greater yields of durable terrestrial clasts to the shore.
Assessing the Effects of Langmuir Turbulence on the Entrainment Buoyancy Flux in the Ocean Surface Boundary Layer

AbstractLarge-eddy simulations (LESs) with various constant wind, wave, and surface destabilizing surface buoyancy flux forcing are conducted, with a focus on assessing the impact of Langmuir turbulence on the entrainment buoyancy flux at the base of the ocean surface boundary layer. An estimate of the entrainment buoyancy flux scaling is made to best fit the LES results. The presence of Stokes drift forcing and the resulting Langmuir turbulence enhances the entrainment rate significantly under weak surface destabilizing buoyancy flux conditions, that is, weakly convective turbulence. In contrast, Langmuir turbulence effects are moderate when convective turbulence is dominant and appear to be additive rather than multiplicative to the convection-induced mixing. The parameterized unresolved velocity scale in the K-profile parameterization (KPP) is modified to adhere to the new scaling law of the entrainment buoyancy flux and account for the effects of Langmuir turbulence. This modification is targeted on c...
Top Management Team’s Political Connections, Corporate Governance and Internationalization

I introduce the upper echelons perspective to study the impact of top managers’ political connections on the firm’s degree of internationalization. I differentiate between two types of political co...
Family Health-related Quality of Life in Pediatric Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.

Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship of disease characteristics and child anxiety symptoms to family health-related quality of life (FHRQoL) in youth with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). Methods Forty-two parents of youth ages 8 to 18 years diagnosed with CVS completed the Family Impact Module of the PedsQL, a measure of the impact of the child's illness on the family. We evaluated the relationship of disease characteristics and child and parent proxy reports of anxiety symptoms on the Screen for Childhood Anxiety and Related Emotional Disorders to FHRQoL. Results Parent report of child anxiety symptoms and missed school days (mean = 11.93, standard deviation = 14.62) were the strongest predictors of FHRQoL (r = 0.33, df = 1.39, F = 8.51, P = 0.006). Other disease characteristics, including frequency, duration, chronicity of CVS episodes, and delay in initial CVS diagnosis were not significantly associated with the FHRQoL total score. Child anxiety symptoms by either parent and/or child report were associated with subscales of the FHRQoL, including family physical functioning, family communication, and family daily activities. Conclusions HRQoL for the families assessed in this study was associated with anxiety symptoms to a greater extent than disease characteristics, indexing the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to CVS management. Screening for anxiety symptoms and support for school absences due to illness are indicated to help lessen the impact of CVS on the family as a whole.
Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Tumors and Other Sellar Masses

Transsphenoidal surgery is an option for dogs and cats with functional and nonfunctional pituitary masses or other sellar and parasellar masses. An adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumor causing Cushing disease is the most common clinically relevant pituitary tumor in dogs, and the most common pituitary tumor seen in cats is a growth hormone-secreting tumor causing acromegaly. Transsphenoidal surgery can lead to rapid resolution of clinical signs and provide a cure for these patients. Because of the risks associated with this surgery, it should only be attempted by a cohesive pituitary surgery group with a sophisticated medical and surgical team.
Peripheral Nerve Block Anesthesia

Peripheral nerve is composed of axons of multiple neurons bundled together in fascicles. To achieve good block, local anesthetic should be injected in close proximity to the nerve or in the same fascial plane in which the nerve lies. Advances in ultrasound technology allows real-time visualization of needle advancement toward the nerve, potentially avoiding critical structures. It also allows to visualize the spread of local anesthetic around the nerve. Ultrasound and peripheral nerve stimulators facilitate nerve blockade, but their use does not eliminate the risk of nerve injury.
Nonprofits as Policy Solutions to the Burden of Government by Herrington J. Bryce

Bryce, H. J. (2017). Nonprofits as policy solutions to the burden of government . Boston, MA: De Gruyter. $39.99 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-5015-0579-9.
Historical perspectives and anatomic considerations. Thoracic outlet syndrome.

The major developments in the evolution of understanding the thoracic outlet syndromes is presented in a chronologically historical record beginning with the first mention of a cervical rib by Galen in the second century A.D. Appreciation of the vascular and neurologic types of TOS progressed slowly through the centuries until detailed clinical studies were presented in the early 1900s. Interest in these syndromes increased steadily since then with description of the effectiveness of first rib resection by Murphy in 1910, and scalenotomy without cervical rib resection favored by Adson in 1927. The term "thoracic outlet syndrome" was coined by Peete et al in 1956 to encompass all the forms and causes of neurovascular compression in the base of the neck. Although rib resection may be considered the oldest operation on mankind, its application to treatment for TOS became popular only after Clagett's description of the posterior periscapular approach in 1962 and the transaxillary approach in 1966. The techniques of arteriography and venography were introduced in the 1960s and remain the hallmark for evaluation of the arterial and venous types of TOS. The neuroelectric studies introduced by Jebsen in 1968 have become popular, but offer little definitive diagnostic information for the neurogenic form of this syndrome. Recent histochemical studies of scalene muscles have shown important changes at the cellular level of the scalene muscles with trauma leading to TOS. The basic cause of the various neurovascular symptoms relates to anatomic abnormalities, either congenital or developmental, that cause abnormal compression and irritation of the major nerves and vessels in the thoracic outlet, causing certain people to have anatomic susceptibility to develop symptoms under certain conditions. These anomalies are described in some detail to facilitate the understanding, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of these special patients.
RNA-binding protein-mediated translational repression of transgene expression in plants.

We have demonstrated that RNA-binding proteins from coliphages and yeast can function as translational repressors in plants. RNA sequences called translational operators were inserted at a cap-proximal position in the 5′-UTR of mRNAs of two reporter genes, gusor aroA:CP4. Translation of the reporter mRNAs was efficiently repressed when the RNA binding protein that specifically binds to its cognate operator was co-expressed. The efficiency of translational repression by RNA-binding protein positively correlated with the amount of binding protein in transformed plant cells. Detailed studies on coliphage MS2 coat protein-mediated translational repression also suggested that the efficiency of translational repression was position-dependent. A translational operator situated at the cap-proximal position was more efficient in conferring repression than one that was placed cap-distal. Translational repression can be an efficient means for regulation of transgene expression, thereby broadening current approaches for transgene regulation in plants.
Middle Ultraviolet Irradiance at the Ocean Surface: Measurements and Models

Measurements of the downward spectral middle ultraviolet (MUV, 280–380 nm) irradiance E(O+,λθ) have been made just above the ocean surface in the central equatorial Pacific. These data were obtained for sun zenith angles in the range 12° to 70°. Analytic models have been fit to these data. The data and the models, their use and their limitations, will be summarized here.Most of this work including the data (Smith and Baker, 1980; hereafter referred to as SB) and the model(Baker et al. 1980; hereafter referred to as BSG) has been explored in detail in previously published works.
Using Graphs to Quantify Energetic and Structural Order in Semicrystalline Oligothiophene Thin Films

In semicrystalline conjugated polymer thin films, the mobility of charges depends on the arrangement of the individual polymer chains. In particular, the ordering of the polymer backbones affects the charge transport within the film, as electron transfer generally occurs along the backbones with alternating single and double bonds. In this paper, we demonstrate that polymer ordering should be discussed not only in terms of structural but also energetic ordering of polymer chains. We couple data from molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemical calculations to quantify both structural and energetic ordering of polymer chains. We leverage a graph-based representation of the polymer chains to quantify the transport pathways in a computationally efficient way. Next, we formulate the morphological descriptors that correlate well with hole mobility determined using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. We show that the shortest and fastest path calculations are predictive of mobility in equilibrated morphologies. In this sense, we leverage graph-based descriptors to provide a basis for the quantitative structure property relationships.
Teachers’ Emotion Minimizing Language and Toddlers’ Social Emotional Competence

ABSTRACTTeachers in toddler classrooms are important agents of emotion socialization. The current study examined teachers’ use of emotion minimizing language in toddler classrooms and toddlers’ social emotional competence. Teachers’ emotion minimizing language is described as language that purposefully distances them from a child’s emotions and discourages children’s expression of their emotions. Research Findings: Results indicate a negative relationship between teachers’ emotion minimizing language and toddlers’ social emotional competence when program quality, child age, and child gender are controlled. Practice or Policy: Implications relevant to teacher preparation programs and professional development are discussed, with a primary focus on the methods by which teachers are trained to use language to respond to young children’s emotions.
Evaluation of a Push-Pull System for the Management of Frankliniella Species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Tomato

A push-pull strategy for reducing populations of the thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), F. bispinosa (Morgan) and F. tritici (Fitch) in tomato was evaluated. Push components consisted of ultraviolet (UV)-reflective mulch and foliar applications of kaolin and the pull component consisted of the companion plant Bidens alba (L.). Replicated field experiments were conducted in 2011 and 2012. Adult and larval thrips were reduced by UV-reflective mulch during early and mid-flowering of tomato. Spray applications of kaolin were effective in reducing adult and larval thrips during early, mid- and late-flowering. The pull effects of the B. alba companion plants were additive and sometimes interactive with the push effects of UV-reflective mulch and kaolin in reducing the adult males of each thrips species and the females of F. bispinosa. The strategy was not effective in reducing the adult females of F. tritici and F. occidentalis. In addition to attracting the Frankliniella species adults, the companion plants were hosts for the thrips predator Orius insidiosus (Say). The companion plants combined with UV-reflective mulch and kaolin proved effective as a push-pull system for suppressing flower thrips, including F. occidentalis which is a serious pest of tomato worldwide.
Hand Sign Recognition Based Communication System for Speech Disable People

According to the census of India 2011. In India, 70 million people have some kind of disability, among of that 18% of people are speech and hear impaired. That means India is the country which has a large number of people having this kind of disability. These people experience the problem to participate in society and the enjoyment of equal rights and opportunities. Because they don't have the power to express feelings in the form of words and sentence. So the people try to deal with this problem using different techniques. In this paper, a smart hand sign interpretation system using a smart glove is proposed to reduce the communication gap between speech impaired people and the normal people. This wearable system utilizes five flex-sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, one Bluetooth module and 16*2 LCD display. In this system, processor collects data from the 5 flex sensors and accelerometer. Further processor matches the data which is received from the sensors and the previously saved data. If data matched with the saved data then assigned meaning for that data will be displayed on LCD screen and also send it to the Android mobile through Bluetooth. Android mobile app can convert this into voice. So this system has an ability to convert sign language into a voice in a very simple way.