cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global optimal consensus for discrete-time multi-agent systems with bounded controls

Abstract In this paper, we consider the global optimal consensus problem for discrete-time multi-agent systems with bounded control protocols over a fixed and directed communication network. Each agent is described by a discrete-time single integrator and endowed with a quadratic objective function which is private to itself. For each agent, we develop two bounded distributed protocols: bounded proportional–integral (PI) protocol and bounded integral (I) protocol, based on the information received from its neighboring agents through the communication network and the gradient of its own objective function. We show that the proposed bounded distributed protocols with properly chosen parameters solve the global optimal consensus problem, i.e., the multi-agent system achieves consensus at a state that minimizes the sum of the objective functions, if the directed communication network is strongly connected and detailed balanced.
The U.S. Military and the Exposome

The US military has great potential to study and utilize the exposome, as well as great need. By their very nature, military Service members serve in diverse environments, under a variety of stressors, with pressure to perform and execute tasks under any conditions. The US military is unique in the range of environments they deploy to, as well as the kinds of industrial chemicals and materials they are exposed to, making them one of the most dynamic occupational health populations in the world. Unique environmental exposures include documented incidents such as burn-pit exposure, sulfur fires at the Mishraq sulfur mine, and water quality at Camp Lejeune, versus subtle exposures such as lead from munitions training, diesel exhaust, or JP-8 jet fuel exposure. Balancing the environmental health concerns of individuals with the operational needs of a unit can be challenging and dynamic. This has led the military to prioritize efforts for exposure surveillance, mitigation strategies, and leading-edge research initiatives. In this chapter, we will discuss the unique operational environments and exposures warfighters encounter, as well as the biomonitoring, military records for exposures, and how this relates to individual exposomes. The military has unique assets for exposome monitoring, such as uniform electronic health records (EHR), individual longitudinal exposure records (ILER), serum collection pre- and post-deployment for biobanking and surveillance, and a more normalized population relative to nutrition and demographics. This makes the military exposome unique, and provides important avenues for study and application.
Fund Asset Inference Using Machine Learning Methods: What’s in That Portfolio?

Given only the historic net asset value of a large-cap mutual fund, which members of some universe of stocks are held by the fund? Discovering an exact solution is combinatorially intractable because there are, for example, C(500, 30) or 1.4 × 1048 possible portfolios of 30 stocks drawn from the S&P 500. The authors extend an existing linear clones approach and introduce a new sequential oscillating selection method to produce a computationally efficient inference. Such techniques could inform efforts to detect fund window dressing of disclosure statements or to adjust market positions in advance of major fund disclosure dates. The authors test the approach by tasking the algorithm with inferring the constituents of exchange-traded funds for which the components can be later examined. Depending on the details of the specific problem, the algorithm runs on consumer hardware in 8 to 15 seconds and identifies target portfolio constituents with an accuracy of 88.2% to 98.6%. TOPICS:Big data/machine learning, statistical methods, portfolio management/multi-asset allocation
Floating PV system as an alternative pathway to the amazon dam underproduction

Abstract With increasing electric demand and the continued underproduction of existing dams and the environmental and social concerns of traditional hydropower dam expansion in the Amazon region, alternative power sources are needed to meet future power needs. Recently, large-scale deployment of photovoltaic (PV) systems has gained more interest globally, mainly because of the improved technology and rapid price decrease. Although solar power in Brazil makes up a small percentage of its generation mix, large-scale deployment could potentially be one of the promising solutions for offsetting dams' underproduction. This work evaluates the benefits of adding floating PV (FPV) systems on system adequacy. FPV systems are integrated alongside existing dams to enhance the existing power sources and provide an alternative pathway to meet the increasing power demand without the need for more dams. System adequacy is evaluated with the current production of dams and the required capacities of FPV systems to compensate for the current underproduction of dams. Furthermore, the correlation between PV output and system load is evaluated, and the environmental and social concerns associated with dam expansion in the Amazon basin are briefly discussed. The results indicate that the investment toward installing FPV systems on the dams’ reservoirs leads to a significant improvement to the overall system reliability, minimize load curtailment, and could potentially add more flexibility to the operator to dispatch power generated by hydropower plants during peak demands.
A General Framework for Discretely Sampled Realized Variance Derivatives in Stochastic Volatility Models with Jumps

After the recent financial crisis, the market for volatility derivatives has expanded rapidly to meet the demand from investors, risk managers and speculators seeking diversification of the volatility risk. In this paper, we develop a novel and efficient transform-based method to price swaps and options related to discretely-sampled realized variance under a general class of stochastic volatility models with jumps. We utilize frame duality and density projection method combined with a novel continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) weak approximation scheme of the underlying variance process. Contracts considered include discrete variance swaps, discrete variance options, and discrete volatility options. Models considered include several popular stochastic volatility models with a general jump size distribution: Heston, Scott, Hull-White, Stein-Stein, alpha-Hypergeometric, 3/2 and 4/2 models. Our framework encompasses and extends the current literature on discretely sampled volatility derivatives, and provides highly efficient and accurate valuation methods. Numerical experiments confirm our findings.
One and One-Half Ventricle Repair: Role for Restricting Antegrade Pulmonary Blood Flow.

Abstract Background In patients with hypoplastic subpulmonary ventricles, the one and one-half ventricle (1.5V) repair is an alternative to the Fontan procedure. However, in 1.5V-treated patients with pulsatile pulmonary blood flow, superior vena cava (SVC) hypertension or right atrial hypertension may develop. This study aimed to (1) describe patient outcomes after 1.5V repair and (2) determine whether pulmonary artery septation at 1.5V repair confers a lower risk of SVC or right atrial hypertension. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent a 1.5V repair between 1989 and 2020. The primary outcome was transplant-free survival. Secondary outcomes were postoperative SVC hypertension (defined by mean Glenn pressures greater than 17 mm Hg, SVC flow reversal or pulsatility, venovenous collateral vessels, or SVC syndrome) and right atrial hypertension (defined as mean right atrial pressures greater than 10 mm Hg with inferior vena cava and hepatic vein dilation or flow reversal). Results A total of 74 patients underwent 1.5V repair at a median age of 29.6 months (interquartile range, 8.9 to 45.5 months). Median follow-up time was 39.9 months (interquartile range, 11.4 to 178.1 months). Transplant-free survival at 10 years was 92.4%. Among survivors, 12% (8 of 69) had right atrial hypertension and 39% (27 of 69) had SVC hypertension on follow-up. Survivors with unseptated pulmonary arteries had a greater risk of SVC hypertension compared with patients with septated pulmonary arteries (44% vs 10%; P = .04). No difference was found in right atrial hypertension between the 2 groups. Conclusions Patients with 1.5V repair avoid Fontan-associated complications with favorable transplant-free survival. However, SVC hypertension remains a significant long-term complication. Pulmonary artery septation at 1.5V repair may reduce the risk of SVC hypertension.
A Personalized Genomics Approach of the Prostate Cancer.

Decades of research identified genomic similarities among prostate cancer patients and proposed general solutions for diagnostic and treatments. However, each human is a dynamic unique with never repeatable transcriptomic topology and no gene therapy is good for everybody. Therefore, we propose the Genomic Fabric Paradigm (GFP) as a personalized alternative to the biomarkers approach. Here, GFP is applied to three (one primary—“A”, and two secondary—“B” & “C”) cancer nodules and the surrounding normal tissue (“N”) from a surgically removed prostate tumor. GFP proved for the first time that, in addition to the expression levels, cancer alters also the cellular control of the gene expression fluctuations and remodels their networking. Substantial differences among the profiled regions were found in the pathways of P53-signaling, apoptosis, prostate cancer, block of differentiation, evading apoptosis, immortality, insensitivity to anti-growth signals, proliferation, resistance to chemotherapy, and sustained angiogenesis. ENTPD2, AP5M1 BAIAP2L1, and TOR1A were identified as the master regulators of the “A”, “B”, “C”, and “N” regions, and potential consequences of ENTPD2 manipulation were analyzed. The study shows that GFP can fully characterize the transcriptomic complexity of a heterogeneous prostate tumor and identify the most influential genes in each cancer nodule.
Implementing Family-Centered Rounds in Hospital Pediatric Settings: A Scoping Review

CONTEXT The American Academy of Pediatrics and Institute for Patient and Family-Centered Care issued a joint policy statement in 2012 recommending family and nurse participation in rounds as a standard practice. OBJECTIVE To synthesize available evidence on the state of the implementation of family-centered rounds (FCRs), including identified barriers to stakeholder acceptance and participation in FCRs in pediatric inpatient settings and implementation strategies to increase adherence and related outcomes. DATA SOURCES PubMed and Medline and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. STUDY SELECTION Observational and experimental studies from January 2009 to July 2020. DATA EXTRACTON Two reviewers independently screened each study to determine eligibility and extract data. Initial evidence quality was evaluated on the basis of study design. RESULTS A total of 53 studies were included in the final synthesis. FCRs are increasingly accepted by stakeholders, although participation lags. Structural barriers to nurse and family attendance persist. Limited high-quality evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of FCRs and related implementation strategies in improving patient outcomes. The lack of a clear, consistent definition of the elements that combine for a successful FCR encounter remains a significant barrier to measuring its effect. CONCLUSIONS Standardized research methods for improving the quality and comparability of FCR studies are needed to enhance the existing guidelines for FCR use. Structural changes in care delivery may be required to ensure the rounding process remains amenable to the needs of patients and their families.
Lymph Node Pathology

Lymph nodes are highly specialized structures which play key roles in the lymphatic and adaptive immune systems. Situated at strategic locations along lymphatic drainage channels, lymph nodes serve as a site for the immune system to sample the contents of lymphatic fluid and as a filter for foreign particles. Due to these functions, lymph nodes are frequently involved by disease, ranging from benign disorders such as infectious or inflammatory lymphadenitides to malignant processes such as metastatic tumors or lymphomas.
Targeted Mutational Analysis of Cortisol-Producing Adenomas.

Background Somatic gene mutations have been identified in only about half of cortisol-producing adenomas (CPA). Affected genes include PRKACA, GNAS, PRKAR1A, and CTNNB1. Objective To expand our understanding of the prevalence of somatic mutations in CPA from patients with overt Cushing syndrome (OCS) and "subclinical" mild autonomous cortisol excess (MACE), with an immunohistochemistry (IHC)‒guided targeted amplicon sequencing approach using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. Method We analyzed FFPE adrenal tissue from 77 patients (n=12 men, 65 women) with either OCS (n=32) or MACE (n=45). Using IHC for 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2), we identified 78 CPA (32 OCS-CPA and 46 MACE-CPA). Genomic DNA was isolated from the FFPE CPA and subjected to targeted amplicon sequencing for identification of somatic mutations. Results Somatic mutations were identified in 71.8% (56/78) of the CPA. While PRKACA was the most frequently mutated gene in OCS-CPA (14/32, 43.8%), somatic genetic aberrations in CTNNB1 occurred in 56.5% (26/46) of the MACE-CPA. Most GNAS mutations were observed in MACE-CPA (5/7,71.4%). No mutations were observed in PRKAR1A. In addition to the known mutations, we identified one previously unreported mutation in PRKACA. Two patients with MACE harbored two adjacent tumors within the same adrenal gland: one patient had two CPA, and the other patient had a CPA and an aldosterone-producing adenoma (identified by IHC for aldosterone synthase). Conclusion Comprehensive FFPE IHC-guided gene-targeted sequencing approach identified somatic mutations in 71.8% of the CPA. OCS-CPA demonstrated a distinct mutation profile compared to MACE-CPA.
Fuzzy Logic Functions

In this section, we present certain definitions that will be used through out the book. Sets will always be denoted by capital letters. For example, we use the notation ℕ for the set of positive integers, ℤ for the set of integers, ℚ for the set of rational numbers, ℝ for the set of real numbers, and ℝ+ for the set of positive real numbers. For n ∈ ℕ, we let ℕn = {1, 2, … , n}.
HFETs — Heterojunction Field Effect Transistors

Heterojunction Field Effect Transistors* (HFETs) have developed very rapidly in the last few years, and rival MESFETs both for microwave and high-speed digital applications, The first report on a working HFET device came as recently as in 1980 (Mimura, 1980). Already in May 1986 did the IEEE Trans. Electron Devices devote an entire special issue to HFETs. The history of the HFET device can be traced to considerably earlier than 1981, however. In 1969, L. Esaki and R. Tsu pointed out that the mobility of the electrons near an interface between two semiconductors of different bandgaps (i.e. a heterointerface) would be enhanced. The time was almost ripe for fabrication of high-quality hetero-interfaces, due to the pioneering work on Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) by A.Y. Cho at AT&T Bell Labs. A physicist working at Bell Labs, Raymond Dingle, was interested in optical spectroscopy of semiconductors, and studied excitons in MBE grown GaAs with good results.
The Myths and Reality of Low-Grade Bonds

This paper updates through June 1991 the authors’ prior research on low-grade bonds. The paper finds further support for the hypothesis that low-grade bonds behave sometimes like high-grade bonds and sometimes like small stocks. Much of the drop in the prices of low-grade bonds in the last half of 1990 and the subsequent increase in the first half of 1991 parallel the price movements of small stocks. Also consistent with our earlier work, the volatility of low-grade bonds is less than that of high-grade corporates or long-term governments. The shorter “duration” of low-grade bonds accounts for this counter-intuitive result.
hMSH5 facilitates the repair of camptothecin-induced double-strand breaks through an interaction with FANCJ

Replication stress from stalled or collapsed replication forks is a major challenge to genomic integrity. The anticancer agent camptothecin (CPT) is a DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor that causes fork collapse and double-strand breaks amid DNA replication. Here we report that hMSH5 promotes cell survival in response to CPT-induced DNA damage. Cells deficient in hMSH5 show elevated CPT-induced γ-H2AX and RPA2 foci with concomitant reduction of Rad51 foci, indicative of impaired homologous recombination. In addition, CPT-treated hMSH5-deficient cells exhibit aberrant activation of Chk1 and Chk2 kinases and therefore abnormal cell cycle progression. Furthermore, the hMSH5-FANCJ chromatin recruitment underlies the effects of hMSH5 on homologous recombination and Chk1 activation. Intriguingly, FANCJ depletion desensitizes hMSH5-deficient cells to CPT-elicited cell killing. Collectively, our data point to the existence of a functional interplay between hMSH5 and FANCJ in double-strand break repair induced by replication stress.
Structural aberrations in T-even bacteriophage: II. Characterization of the proteins contained in aberrant heads

Abstract The composition of normal heads, short heads, and polyheads obtained from T-even bacteriophages was examined. It was found that normal heads and short heads each contained three classes of structural proteins of 43,000, 18,000, and 11,000 daltons molecular weight. Short heads obtained from a T4D amber mutant in gene 66 and those induced with proflavin, triazolealanine, or putrescine in T4B, contained relatively more of the 18,000 dalton subunit class than did the normal heads. Tubular polyheads obtained using a T4D amber mutant in gene 20 and those obtained by induction with l -canavanine in T4B, were composed of a subunit class with a molecular weight of 54,000–60,000 daltons and very little, if any, of the other two subunit classes. Multilayered polyheads obtained from a T4D amber mutant in gene 22 also contained a subunit class of 54,000 daltons, little of the 11,000 class subunit, and a small amount of the 18,000 class subunit. From information obtained by amino acid analyses and isoelectric points it was concluded that the 54,000 dalton subunit did not yield both the 43,000 and 11,000 dalton structural proteins as degradation products. A model of the structure of normal and aberrant heads was presented which accounted for the varying amounts of the proteins contained in these structures. The reaggregation behavior of the three classes of structural proteins was also studied, and it was found that the 43,000 subunit class readily formed aggregates with the exclusion of both the 18,000 and 11,000 dalton subunits, but these aggregates did not resemble recognizable head structures.
Predicting Fair Use

This Article presents new empirical evidence for the significance of transformative use in determining the outcomes of fair use cases. It also substantially undermines conceptions of the doctrine that are hostile to fair use claims by commercial entities and that would limit the application offair use as a subsidy or a redistributive tool favoring the politically and economically disadvantaged. Based on the available evidence, the fair use doctrine is more rational and consistent than is commonly assumed.
Fluorescence spectra of tryptophan residues in human and bovine lens proteins.

Abstract The water soluble proteins from human and bovine lenses have been studied using fluorescence spectroscopy. Excitation of aqueous solutions of α, β and γ-crystallins at 290 nm produced fluorescence emission due solely to tryptophan residues. No emission attributable to tyrosine or phenylalanine residues could be detected. The fluorescence emission maxima for all of the human and bovine crystallins in aqueous solution were in the range 332±2 nm, and the bandwidths were in the range 52±2 nm. These results indicate that the tryptophan residues in these proteins exist mainly in hydrophobic environments in aqueous solution. All of the human and bovine crystallin fractions could be denatured by addition of 8 m -urea, 5 m -guanidine hydrochloride, or 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The former two reagents shifted the fluorescence maxima into the range 349±2 nm, indicating that the majority of tryptophan residues are exposed to water in these solutions. Addition of SDS produced only a small spectral shift to 335±1 nm, but produced a marked spectral broadening to 59±1 nm, again indicating significant protein denaturation. The fluorescence data for lens crystallins have been compared with corresponding data for α-chymotrypsin in an effort to classify the lens crystallin data into discrete spectral classes based on specific fluorescence properties of three types of tryptophan residues.
CO dissociation and C-D interaction on Ru(001)

Abstract SIMS and temperature-programmed oxidation show that CO dissociates on Ru(OOl) at 520 K. SIMS studies show that carbon, but not oxygen, accumulates on the surface. Surface carbon begins conversion to graphite at about 600 K and diffuses into the bulk at temperatures above 800 K. Interaction of deuterium with carbon deposited by CO dissociation increases the D2 thermal desorption peak temperature by more than 100 K and produces an RuCD+ peak in the SIMS spectrum. The correspondence of the temperature dependence of the RuCD+ signal with the D2 thermal desorption, the narrowness of the D2 desorption peak, and the absence of RuCD2+ or RuCD3+ peaks indicate formation of a well-defined CD species on the surface.
Is nonmedical prescription opiate use a unique form of illicit drug use

Nonmedical prescription opiate (NMPO) use is of great concern because of its high addiction potential, cognitive impairment effects, and other adverse consequences (e.g., hormonal and immune system effects, hyperalgesia and overdose). Due to the combination of drugs used by those who are NMPO users, it is difficult to isolate the negative effects of NMPO use from the effects of other legal and illicit drugs. Based on a stage model of substance use, this study tested whether NMPO use represents a unique form of illicit drug use among emerging adults and whether there are unique consequences of early NMPO use. We used longitudinal data from 912 emerging adults from the Raising Healthy Children study who were interviewed at least annually from the first or second grade through age 21. The findings indicated that almost all NMPO users have also used marijuana and a large majority has also used other drugs, such as cocaine and ecstasy. In addition, more frequent users of NMPOs are also more frequent users of other drugs. Except for violent behavior, NMPO use explained little unique variance in negative outcomes of use (e.g., drug use disorder, mood disorder, nonproductive behavior, poor health, and property crime) beyond that explained by other illicit drug use. Future studies examining the predictors or consequences of NMPO use and nonmedical use of other prescription drugs need to consider use within the context of other drug use.
Markets, profits, labor and smack

I began this paper by noting that the theoretical paradigms we usually invoke in an attempt to understand crime are often misleading and unfruitful. By seeking to understand crime through the vision implied by the normative paradigm we focus upon too narrow a set of phenomenon: namely the ideological structure of social systems or individual personalities. We would do well to shift our vision to include at the very least the political and economic history of that collection of activities which are generally defined by law as criminal. The historical development and political economy of opium and heroin from its introduction by European capitalists into China and Southeast Asia down to its current place in the political economy of the United States has been explored in an effort to demonstrate the utility of refocusing our energies towards a macro-sociological perspective.
The unknown profession: a geriatrician.

The term “plastic surgeon” is oddly uninformative, although it seems likely that most people know what plastic surgeons do. How well can a sample of individuals encountered on the street describe what geriatricians do? To answer this question, we strolled through downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, armed with a video camera and picture identification cards to ask the following question: “What is a geriatrician?” Two of us (PA, JY), from the Johns Hopkins Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, surveyed a convenience sample of people aged 18–80. To further enhance this survey, a video of the interviews was produced (available in online version of article). We entered this exercise having recently joined the ranks of geriatricians—prepared to improve the health and quality of care of our elderly patients. Our naive excitement at entering this noble specialty was trampled by the reality that virtually no one we interviewed knew what a geriatrician was. Answers like, “somebody who works for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream” were amusing but at the same time typical and sobering. This simple survey reveals a distressing gap in the public’s knowledge of the field of geriatrics and the need for better understanding of its importance to public health and individual health. After all, if people do not know what a geriatrician is, how can they support the growth of geriatrics or seek care from us?
Doppler color flow images of iliofemoral graft end-to-side distal anastomotic models

Abstract Hemodynamics within the distal anastomoses of iliofemoral bypass grafts were simulated using Plexiglas models (2.5 cm ID) within a pulsatile flow loop system (Remean = 92, Repeak = 459 and α = 3.56). End-to-side distal anastomoses were constructed with angles of 30°, 45° and 60° to bypass proximal artery segments with stenoses of 60% and 100% diameter reduction. Velocities were obtained over a two-dimensional field within the artery using an ultrasonic Doppler color flow imager operating at 5 MHz at positions from 1.5 diameters upstream to 3 diameters downstream of the anastomosis. Flow patterns downstream of an occlusion demonstrated definite skewing effects toward the outer wall with resultant flow separation along the inner wall. Presence of a partial (60% diameter reduction) arterial stenosis upstream of the anastomosis produced flow separation along both artery walls and a more symmetric profile downstream. Measurement of a separation area index (SAI) along each arterial wall demonstrated a minimum area exposed to low velocities for the 30° anastomotic angle compared to the 45° and 60° anastomotic angles and for the occluded proximal artery cases compared to corresponding stenotic artery cases. The SAI values were minimal at peak systole compared to successive quarter cycle intervals. The findings of this study provide further information regarding the relationship between local fluid mechanics and predominant sites for intimal hyperplasia formation.
Effects of two hospital bed design features on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation: a repeated measures experimental study.

Abstract Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are prevalent among healthcare workers worldwide. While existing research has focused on patient-handling techniques during activities which require direct patient contact (e.g., patient transfer), nursing tasks also involve other patient-handling activities, such as engaging bed brakes and transporting patients in beds, which could render healthcare workers at risk of developing WMSDs. Objectives Effectiveness of hospital bed design features (brake pedal location and steering-assistance) was evaluated in terms of physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Design Two laboratory-based studies were conducted. In simulated brake engagement tasks, three brake pedal locations (head-end vs. foot-end vs. side of a bed) and two hands conditions (hands-free vs. hands-occupied) were manipulated. Additionally, both in-room and corridor patient transportation tasks were simulated, in which activation of steering-assistance features (5th wheel and/or front wheel caster lock) and two patient masses were manipulated. Participants Nine novice participants were recruited from the local student population and community for each study. Methods During brake engagement, trunk flexion angle, task completion time, and questionnaires were used to quantify postural comfort and usability. For patient transportation, dependent measures were hand forces and questionnaire responses. Results Brake pedal locations and steering-assistance features in hospital beds had significant effects on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Specifically, a brake pedal at the head-end of a bed increased trunk flexion by 74–224% and completion time by 53–74%, compared to other pedal locations. Participants reported greater overall perceived difficulty and less postural comfort with the brake pedal at the head-end. During in-room transportation, participants generally reported "Neither Low nor High" physical demands with the 5th wheel activated, compared to "Moderately High" physical demands when the 5th wheel was deactivated. Corridor transportation was similarly reported to be easier when a steering-assistance feature (the 5th wheel or front caster lock) was activated. Conclusions Braking and steering-assistance features of hospital beds can have important effects on task efficiency and physical demands placed on healthcare workers. Selection of specific designs may thus be able to improve productivity and contribute to a reduction in WMSDs risk among healthcare workers.
Acquiring new knowledge - The role of retaining human capital in acquisitions of high-tech firms

Abstract Many acquisitions of high-tech firms are motivated by the acquirers' desire to enhance their strategic technological capabilities. However, these capabilities are likely to be embedded to a large degree in the tacit and socially complex knowledge of the acquired firms' individual and collective human capital. This presents a dilemma for acquirers because, unlike tangible or financial assets, the acquired firms' valuable human assets cannot be purchased or owned outright and they can leave the firm at any time. Retention therefore is likely to be of central importance during acquisition implementation in knowledge-intensive firms. Using data from a sample of acquisitions in high-technology industries, the results of this study confirm that retention of specific types of human capital is critical for determining the success of the acquirers' efforts to gain valuable new technological capabilities. Applying the theory of relative standing to predict post-acquisition retention, we find that autonomy, status, and commitment significantly affect retention, but economic incentives do not. We discuss and integrate these results in the context of knowledge-based views of the firm and the existing literature on acquisition implementation.
Modified Bootstrap Sensitometry In Radiography

A new modified bootstrap approach to sensitometry is presented which provides H and D curves that show almost exact agreement with those obtained using conventional methods. Two bootstrap techniques are described; both involve a combination of inverse-square and stepped-wedge modulation of the radiation field and provide intensity-scale sensitometric curves as appropriate for medical radiography. H and D curves obtained with these modified techniques are compared with those obtained for screen-film combinations using inverse-square sensitometry as well as with those obtained for direct x-ray film using time-scale sensitometry. The stepped wedge of the Wisconsin X-Ray Test Cassette was used in the bootstrap approach since it provides sufficient exposure latitude to encompass the useful density range of medical x-ray film. This approach makes radiographic sensitometry quick and convenient, allowing accurate characteristic curves to be obtained for any screen-film cassette using standard diagnostic x-ray equipment.
Techno-economic analysis of dimethylfuran (DMF) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) production from pure fructose in catalytic processes

Abstract Techno-economic studies of processes for production of dimethyl-furan (DMF) and hydroxymethyl-furfural (HMF) from fructose are performed based on published laboratory results. The early stage of technology development necessitates use of simplified process models to analyze a conceptual bio-refinery producing fuel and chemical intermediates. HMF and DMF production processes are divided into four and six processing areas respectively that include synthesis and purification sections. The HMF process employs a biphasic (aqueous–organic phases) continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR), and the DMF process has an additional 3-train fixed bed catalytic plug flow tubular reactor (PFTR). The processing capacities are 300 metric ton/day of fructose and the plants will operate for 20 years. Installed equipment costs are estimated (US$2007) as $102.4 million for the HMF and $121.9 million for the DMF process, respectively. The DMF process uses a copper–ruthenium–carbon (Cu–Ru/C) catalyst. Catalyst cost is estimated as $36.4 million for the first charge with replacement cost of $258,500/2-years. Cost analysis is performed following the discounted cash flow method. The minimum selling prices for HMF and DMF are estimated as $1.33/l ($5.03/gal) and $2.02/l ($7.63/gal), respectively. Sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the relative importance of key assumptions on minimum HMF and DMF selling prices. The most significant parameters are feedstock cost, product yields, by-product prices, catalyst cost and total purchased equipment costs. Process and economic uncertainties can be reduced by incorporating better performance (through laboratory and pilot trials) and cost data.
In vitro sperm maturation in sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus

The aim of the study was to examine sperm maturation in sturgeon and to establish the localization of the maturation. We demonstrated that sperm maturation occurs in sturgeon outside the testes via dilution of sperm by urine. The process involves the participation of high molecular weight (>10kDa) substances and calcium ions.
Similar-Paths Free-Space Optical Interconnections

Free-space optical beams are increasingly being considered to interconnect arrays of processors [1]; for instance, researchers have proposed such optical means to implement the perfect shuffle [2,3,4]. So far the main aspect which has been studied is connectivity, i.e. how to achieve a particular interconnection pattern with adequate signal-to-noise ratio, and little attention has been paid to such aspects as time delays and beam diffraction, which can play major roles in the design of coherent optical processors [5,6,7].
Subcritical Contraction for Improved Open-Channel Flow Measurement Accuracy with an Upward-Looking ADVM

Acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) provide an alternative to more traditional flow measurement devices and procedures such as flumes, weirs, and stage rating for irrigation and drainage canals. However, the requirements for correct calibration are extensive and complex. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used to design a subcritical rapidly varied flow contraction that provides a consistent linear relationship between the upward-looking ADVM sample velocity and the cross-sectional average velocity in order to improve ADVM accuracy without the need for in situ calibration. CFD simulations validated the subcritical contraction in a rectangular and trapezoidal cross section by showing errors within +1.8 and −2.2%. Physical testing of the subcritical contraction coupled with an upward-looking ADVM in a large rectangular flume provided laboratory validation with measurement errors within ±4% without calibration.
Influence of overexpression of efflux proteins on the function and gene expression of endogenous peptide transporters in MDR-transfected MDCKII cell lines.

The objective of this study is to delineate whether overexpression of human efflux transporters (P-gp, MRP2, and BCRP) in transfected MDCK cells affect the functional activities, and gene and protein expression of endogenous influx peptide transporter system (PepT). Real-time PCR, immunoblotting, uptake and permeability studies of [3H]Gly-Sar were conducted on transfected MDCKII and wild-type cells to investigate functional differences. Cellular [3H]Gly-Sar accumulation was significantly lower in transfected MDCKII cell lines compared to wild-type cells. Transport efficiency of apical peptide transporters was markedly reduced to around 25%, 30%, and 40% in P-gp-, MRP2-, and BCRP-overexpressed MDCK cell lines, respectively. With ascending cell-passage, transport efficiency was enhanced. A significantly higher Gly-Sar permeability was observed across parental cell-monolayers over transfected cells at all pHs. Levels of mRNA for both canine PepT1 and PepT2 were substantially reduced when efflux transporters overexpressed but enhanced when mRNA-levels of efflux genes diminished with ascending cell-passage of transfected cells. An inverse correlation was evident between endogenous PepT and exogenous efflux transporters in transfected MDCKII cells. Results of protein expression also supported these findings. Overexpression of MDR genes can affect endogenous PepT function which might be due to the phenomenon of transporter-compensation resulting in down-regulation of endogenous genes.
Positive Outcomes Following Bereavement: Paths to Posttraumatic Growth

Recent theory and research have drawn attention to the need to better understand the positive changes, termed posttraumatic growth, that often occur in bereaved individuals; even as negative emotions related to grief persist. We describe five dimensions of posttraumatic growth and present a model for understanding how the loss of a close other can eventually lead to a recognition of important positive personal changes. Loss, especially unexpected loss, disrupts an individual's beliefs about the world and initiates a process of rebuilding an understanding. During this process, many people come to realise their own strengths, appreciate the impact of their relationships, and have new spiritual insights. A strategy for facilitating growth during clinical work also is described.
A MODEST MODAL ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

We formulate a new modal ontological argument; specifically, we show that there is a possible world in which an entity that has at least the property of omnipotence exists. Then we argue that if such an entity is possible, it is necessary as well.
Sonographic estimation of fetal body composition with gestational diabetes Mellitus at Term

Objective To derive models and equations for estimating fetal lean mass and fat mass in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), using sonographic techniques and neonatal total body electrical conductivity. Methods Twenty women with GDM at term underwent sonographic evaluation within 72 hours before delivery. Sonographic studies included measurements of the fetal biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, anterior and lateral abdominal-wall subcutaneous fat thicknesses, femur length, mid-thigh circumference, and anterior and lateral thigh subcutaneous fat thicknesses. Within 24 hours of birth, the infants were weighed and their body composition estimated with total body electrical conductivity measurements. Volume-based models and regression equations for estimating lean and fat mass were derived. The equations were validated prospectively in the next 16 women with GDM. Results There were no significant differences in maternal or neonatal demographic or anthropometric data between the derivative and validation groups. The equation for estimating fetal lean mass is: lean mass = 0.169(volume of head) + 0.262(volume of lean trunk) − 308.59 ( r = 0.86, P r = 0.73, P P = .18 and P = .77, respectively). Conclusion Fetal body composition can be estimated by obtaining several additional measurements during routine fetal sonography.
A drug discrimination analysis of ethanol-induced behavioral excitation and sedation: The role of endogenous opiate pathways

The drug discrimination technique was used to characterize the biphasic behavioral effects of ethanol (ETOH) and examine the role of opiate pathways in mediating ETOH's excitatory (EX) and sedative (SED) phase effects. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to perform ETOH vs. saline discriminations during either ETOH's EX (6 min post-dose) or SED (30 min post-dose) phase of action in a double-lever food reinforced operant paradigm. After animals had achieved the required performance criterion, dose-response and phase-generalization tests were conducted in each group. In addition, preliminary studies were conducted to examine the effect of naloxone (NLX) pretreatment on discrimination of ETOH's EX and SED phase stimulus effects. Results of generalization testing demonstrate that discrimination of ETOH was dose-dependent and there was no generalization between phases regardless of the initial training condition. NLX pretreatment significantly attenuated discrimination of ETOH's EX phase effects but was ineffective in antagonizing ETOH's SED effects. These data demonstrate that the stimulus properties of ETOH are phase-dependent and suggest that opiate pathways are critical for the expression of ETOH's EX phase behavioral effects.
Photochemical Dissociation in Optically Dense Solutions: Applications to Photolyzed Carboxymyoglobin (Mb⋆CO)

Photodissociation of ligands has made important contributions to the understanding of function and structure of heme proteins. Here we present a theory for photochemical dissociation that is not limited by the assumption of previous analyses of optically thin samples, and apply it to interpretation of the photodissociated state of carboxymyoglobin (Mb⋆CO). Equations are derived and presented in terms of the effects of absorbance, [log10(I0/I) = A, the probability of absorption of light quanta per unit surface area], and the potential for dissociation, D (maximum probability of photodissociation per unit surface area; a linear function in time of photolysis), for both monochromatic and polychromatic light sources. When monochromatic light is used, we show that for large absorbances (A > 2) the fractional photolysis increases as (log D)/A, and may appear to
Children’s resistance to extinction: Two tests of the discrimination hypothesis

Experiment 1 investigated the effects of three reinforcement schedules, 100%, 50% alternating, and 50% random, upon kindergarten and third-grade children’s resistance to extinction in a free operant task involving a leverpulling response on a slot machine. The 50% random condition produced the greatest amount of resistance to extinction, while the 100% condition produced the least. The results were interpreted as consistent with the accounting of the partial reinforcement extinction effect by the discrimination hypothesis. Experiment 2 used the same apparatus as used in Experiment 1 with four groups of first-grade children. The children were trained with either 50% random or 100% reinforcement or with one type of reinforcement schedule followed by the other, and were then given extinction. There were no significant differences in resistance to extinction among the three groups of children experiencing partial reinforcement, and each of the three groups exhibited more resistance to extinction than the group of children receiving 100% reinforcement. These results were seen as in disagreement with a simple version of the discrimination hypothesis, although not necessarily with a revised and elaborated form of the hypothesis, such as that proposed by Capaldi (1967).
Development of a Non-Invasive Calibration Method for Ocular Tactile Tonometry

This article describes a novel method of indirect estimation of intra-ocular pressure using tactile sensors. Two sensor calibration methods have been demonstrated: an artificial neural network (ANN) model and a phenomenological reduced-parameter model based on finite element analysis. The ANN method showed superior performance with an accuracy of +/− 0.7 mmHg, while the reduced order method showed an accuracy of +/− 3.11 mmHg. The latter method however allows calibration of the tactile tonometer from a single pressure measurement if the geometry of the probes is known and satisfying certain solvability conditions. The ANN method was demonstrated using experiment data, while the reduced-order model was tested numerically. Due to its indirect and non-invasive nature, the proposed tactile measurement method can be used in the development of a self-administered home tonometer for management of glaucoma, however the presence of an eye lid might require modification of the calibration procedure outlined here.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
RAdioimmunoassay of human proparathyroid hormone: analysis of hormone content in tissue extracts and in plasma.

A radioimmunoassay for human proparathyroid hormone (hProPTH) has been developed and applied to an evaluation of prohormone content in parathyroid tissues and in plasma. Antisera were produced in rabbits by immunization with a synthetic octadecapeptide fragment of bovine ProPTH (bProPTH). A synthetic analogue of the prohormone peptide fragment containing tyrosine was used as the radioiodinated tracer, and a synthetic prohormone peptide consisting of the first 40 amino acids of hProPTH was used as the assay standard. The immunological activity of synthetic hProPTH peptide was unstable in plasma and buffers containing plasma or serum, but degradation was prevented by using heat-inactivated serum and EDTA in the assay solutions. The sensitivity of the assay for detection of hProPTH peptides (0.2 ng) was 5,000-times greater than for the detection of cross-reacting parathyroid hormone (PTH) peptides (1 μg), and the prohormone-specific hexapeptide did not react in the assay. The amounts of ProPTH in extracts of...
Short and long-term tumor cell responses to Aurora kinase inhibitors.

Aurora kinases are essential for mitosis and are candidate targets of novel chemotherapeutic agents. The inhibitors ZM447439, MK-0457 (VX-680) as well as Hesperadin have been used to dissect the roles of Aurora kinases in the cell cycle and have been tested clinically for the treatment of cancer. Here we have carried out a detailed kinetic analysis of two isogenic cell lines differing in p53 function and have compared the effects of ZM447439 and VE-465 (related to MK-0457). We find that p53 is needed for efficient cell cycle arrest when Aurora kinases are inhibited by either ZM447439 or VE-465. However, the p53-induced cell cycle block is neither immediate nor absolute. ZM447439 induced the localized accumulation of γH2A.X indicating that p53 induction by this drug occurs in response to DNA damage. Our analysis of the long-term effects of ZM447439 indicates that cells can evade killing by the drug, but not via a classical drug-resistance mechanism. Several mechanisms to explain how cells may evade killing by Aurora kinase inhibitors are described.