cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Bell Has Rung: Portugalʼs Main Bet Is on the Conclusion of the EMU

On one of his last visits to Brussels, Prime Minister Antonio Costa claimed that 2017 was “a particularly tasty year for Portugal”. Well, Salvador Sobral won the Eurovision song contest, Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded his fifth Ballon dʼOr, and Mario Centeno was elected Eurogroup president. But what about a serious discussion on European Union matters? And the country’s inputs on several matters? Besides the usual public speeches on “our place” in Europe, “30 years of membership” and others related to current ʻcrisesʼ, such as those on refugees and populism (two “no” problems in Portugal), no proper or serious discussion is being held in the country, even after the European Commissionʼs White Paper on the Future of Europe. Obviously, the Minister for Foreign Affairs pointed out which scenarios were convenient for the country and which ones were not. The Prime Minister even tweeted that this document was a “good start for an indispensable debate”, but the beginning of the debate is still to be seen at the governmental level. If it weren’t for two series of conferences organised by civil society, no discussion on the present and future of the EU or and the country would have been had.
On the descriptional complexity of production systems

In this paper we formalize different methods for describing control knowledge in production systems by the concept of production system schemes. In this framework these methods are compared from the viewpoint of descriptional complexity giving us some insight by which means problems can be described in an easy and succinct way.
Building the Business Case for Women Corporate Directors

This chapter addresses the need for research that builds a convincing business case for the presence and effective utilization of women corporate directors. What needs to be done to establish the value of women at the corporate governance apex? On what topics should organizational research be conducted so as to generate the knowledge and insights that can compel positive change in the representation and status of women on corporate boards? What should such research look like? What research methods are most likely to yield evidence of women’s contributions in the governance of firms? These and similar questions are addressed in this chapter, with the intent of further spurring the growth of theory-driven empirical research on this topic.
An analysis of U.S. Custom and Border Protection’s tripartite Mexico border security policy

The Custom and Border Protection (CBP) border security policy was explicitly presented by former Acting Commissioner of CBP, David Aguilar, in testimony before the United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on April 4, 2017 in testimony on the subject of “Fencing Along the Southwest Border.” Important for discussion here are the key components of the DHS/CBP/Border Patrol’s strategy, or sets of policies, laying forth elements of the border walls (including barriers, fences), personnel, and technology in order to hinder, or intercept, undocumented migrants (homo sacer) from entering the United States illegally—all socially constructed. Aguilar notes in his opening remarks “Maintaining a safe and secure environment along the U.S.—Mexico border is critical. A safe and orderly border that is predicated on the strong rule of law deprives criminal organizations, drug cartels, and criminal individuals the opportunity to thrive.” In Aguilar’s testimony, when pressed by Ranking Member Senator Claire McCaskill, he set forth the current needs for CBP/Border Patrol priority of the three elements in the following order: (1) Technology (border surveillance), (2) Personnel (numbers of agents along the border), and, (3) The Border Wall (physical infrastructure: fences, walls, and vehicle barriers). The security apparatus affects dwellers along the Rio Grande and undocumented border crossers, demonstrated here with an analysis of the application of President Trump’s Zero Tolerance policy (April 6–June 20, 2018). The security framework applied in this paper will consist of theoretical approaches assessing border surveillance as a panopticon, the use of Border Patrol agents for apprehending, detaining and removing homo sacer, and the symbolism of the border wall as a spectacle and simulacrum—all understood in the pursuit of USA border security policy.
The Party or the Purse? Unequal Representation in the US Senate

Recent work on US policymaking argues that responsiveness to public opinion is distorted by money, in that the preferences of the rich matter much more than those of lower-income Americans. A second distortion—partisan biases in responsiveness—has been less well studied and is often ignored or downplayed in the literature on affluent influence. We are the first to evaluate, in tandem, these two potential distortions in representation. We do so using 49 Senate roll-call votes from 2001 to 2015. We find that affluent influence is overstated and itself contingent on partisanship—party trumps the purse when senators have to take sides. The poor get what they want more often from Democrats. The rich get what they want more often from Republicans, but only if Republican constituents side with the rich. Thus, partisanship induces, shapes, and constrains affluent influence.
VE-Cadherin Is Required for Lymphatic Valve Formation and Maintenance

Summary The lymphatic vasculature requires intraluminal valves to maintain forward lymph flow. Lymphatic valves form and are constantly maintained by oscillatory fluid flow throughout life, yet the earliest steps of how lymphatic endothelial cells are able to respond to fluid shear stress remain unknown. Here, we show that the adherens junction protein VE-cadherin is required for the upregulation of valve-specific transcription factors. Conditional deletion of VE-cadherin in vivo prevented valve formation in the embryo and caused postnatal regression of nearly all lymphatic valves in multiple tissues. Since VE-cadherin is known to signal through β-catenin and the VEGFR/AKT pathway, each pathway was probed. Expression of a constitutively active β-catenin mutant or direct pharmacologic activation of AKT in vivo significantly rescued valve regression in the VE-cadherin-deficient lymphatic vessels. In conclusion, VE-cadherin-dependent signaling is required for lymphatic valve formation and maintenance and therapies to augment downstream pathways hold potential to treat lymphedema in patients.
Biological soil health indicators respond to tillage intensity: A US meta-analysis

Abstract Tillage intensity affects soil microbiological activity in many ways, often driven by changes in soil organic C (SOC) content. The magnitude and direction of those changes, however, depends on inherent (e.g., soil type and texture), experimental (e.g., study duration and sampling depth) and agronomic factors (e.g., cropping system and crop residue management). This nationwide meta-analysis examines published effects of chisel plowing (CP), no-tillage (NT), and perennial cropping systems (PER) relative to moldboard plow (MP) on seven soil health indicators: SOC, microbial biomass C (MBC), microbial biomass N (MBN), soil respiration (Resp), active-C (AC), beta-glucosidase activity (BG) and soil protein (Prot) within four soil depth increments in 302 studies from throughout the United States (U.S.). Overall, converting from MP to CP primarily affected topsoil (0 to ≤ 15 cm) SOC, MBC, and Resp, whereas converting from MP to NT significantly increased all seven soil health indicators in the topsoil. Below the topsoil, NT had greater MBC, MBN, Resp, and BG relative to MP (i.e., 15 to 25-cm). The impact of NT was affected by latitude, soil order, time under NT, and cropping system. Among soil orders, management practices had the largest positive effects in Ultisols, Inceptisols, Alfisols, and Mollisols. Those effects were most noticeable at lower latitudes, in systems that included cover crops or residue retention, and in experiments conducted for at least three years. Perennial systems had a positive effect on all soil health indicators at all soil depths (0 to >40-cm). The positive response of PER systems compared to MP was enhanced at lower latitudes and in Alfisols, Inceptisols, Entisols, and Mollisols. Based on this meta-analysis, reducing tillage intensity, planting cover crop and/or minimizing crop residue removal within annual cropping systems can significantly improve soil biological health in the U.S. Finally, we demonstrate that SOC and many other biological indicators are sensitive to management practices, confirming their utility in soil health assessment.
Pathogens in animal carcasses and the efficacy of rendering for pathogen inactivation in rendered products: A review

Abstract Routine and catastrophic animal mortalities in animal-agriculture systems poses numerous challenges in terms of animal and public health. In addition, environmental pollution is a major issue. Controlling microbial contamination issues requires implementation of safe carcass disposal methods. The risk of pathogen contamination during composting and rendering of animal products is an important and contemporary issue and has evidenced a great interest among the researchers. Increasing interest in public health and food safety evidenced by a large number of recent publications clearly indicates to the necessity for comprehensive review studies that assimilate knowledge from multidisciplinary fields to cover the issues of pathogen contamination in carcass disposal methods in order to present and address the problem as a whole. Rendering process is the leading method for carcass disposal in developed and many developing countries. It is vital for the rendering industry to apply appropriate methods during rendering to produce the finished products which are free from pathogenic bacteria. Although the typical time-temperature combinations used in rendering industry are theoretically considered adequate to completely kill the prevalent pathogens, the incidences of pathogenic contamination in rendered products have been reported from time to time. This necessitates extra precautions for producing safe rendered products and examining the rendering process and premises overall. This study reviews the possibilities of microbial contamination of rendered products and the efficacy of rendering process in pathogen inactivation. While current rendering practices are extremely helpful in controlling pathogenic contamination in the rendered products, this study included the additional biological safety measures required to ensure pathogen-free rendered products.
Reaching for Yield in Corporate Bond Mutual Funds

We examine “reaching for yield” in U.S. corporate bond mutual funds. We define reaching for yield as tilting portfolios toward bonds with yields higher than the benchmarks. We find that funds generate higher returns and attract more inflows when they reach for yield, especially in periods of low-interest rates. Returns for high reaching-for-yield funds nevertheless tend to be negative on a risk-adjusted basis. Funds engage in rank-chasing behavior by reaching for yield, although these incentives are moderated by the illiquid nature of corporate bonds. High reaching-for-yield funds hold less cash and less liquid bonds, exacerbating redemption risks. Received January 17, 2017; editorial decision September 23, 2017 by Editor Wei Jiang. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Endovascular IVC Reconstruction in an 18 Year Old Patient with Subtotal IVC Atresia.

Introduction Inferior vena cava (IVC) atresia is an uncommon venous anomaly that is an under recognised cause of unprovoked acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in young adults. The purpose of this case report is to highlight endovascular IVC reconstruction as a feasible treatment option, particularly in challenging cases when other therapeutic modalities have failed. Report This is the report of an 18 year old patient with near complete IVC atresia and a longstanding history of exertional nausea of unknown aetiology, who presented with extensive acute DVT. He was treated successfully by endovascular IVC reconstruction after failing initial anticoagulation and thrombolysis. Symptom resolution and venous patency were maintained at 2.5 year follow up. Discussion IVC atresia is an important aetiology to consider in a young patient presenting with unprovoked DVT. Endovascular stenting can restore venous patency and is feasible even when there is near complete IVC atresia. This case was uniquely challenging in the length of atretic IVC that was reconstructed and also highlights an atypical clinical presentation of IVC atresia.
New Sources of Resistance in Winter Squash (Cucurbita moschata) to Phytophthora Crown Rot and Their Relationship to Cultivated Squash

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is an important vegetable crop grown and consumed in most states in the United States. C. moschata lines and interspecific hybrids between Cucurbita species ar...
Efficient and precise Ultra-QuickDASH scale measuring lymphedema impact developed using computerized adaptive testing.

This study aimed to evaluate and improve the accuracy and efficiency of the QuickDASH for use in assessment of limb function in patients with upper extremity lymphedema using modern psychometric techniques. We conducted confirmative factor analysis (CFA) and Mokken analysis to examine the assumption of unidimensionality for IRT model on data from 285 patients who completed the QuickDASH, and then fit the data to Samejima’s graded response model (GRM) and assessed the assumption of local independence of items and calibrated the item responses for CAT simulation. Initial CFA and Mokken analyses demonstrated good scalability of items and unidimensionality. However, the local independence of items assumption was violated between items 9 (severity of pain) and 11 (sleeping difficulty due to pain) (Yen’s Q3 = 0.46) and disordered thresholds were evident for item 5 (cutting food). After addressing these breaches of assumptions, the re-analyzed GRM with the remaining 10 items achieved an improved fit. Simulation of CAT administration demonstrated a high correlation between scores on the CAT and the QuickDash (r = 0.98). Items 2 (doing heavy chores) and 8 (limiting work or daily activities) were the most frequently used. The correlation among factor scores derived from the QuickDASH version with 11 items and the Ultra-QuickDASH version with items 2 and 8 was as high as 0.91. By administering just these two best performing QuickDash items we can obtain estimates that are very similar to those obtained from the full-length QuickDash without the need for CAT technology.
Roll-to-Roll Femtosecond Laser Inscription of In-fiber Rayleigh Scattering Centers for Improved Distributed Temperature Sensing Performance

Femtosecond laser direct writing was used to continuously induce Rayleigh scattering centers in meters of single-mode optical fiber using a customized roll-to-roll setup, which can be used to improve the performance of scattering-based distributed sensing.
Summary: Experimental Aspects

A natural hesitancy accompanies all summary speakers approaching their task. But I feel particularly timid this morning because you may recall that the organizing committee, earlier this week, saw fit to generously award me a bottle of wine in anticipation of my effort this morning. I appreciate their confidence in me, but I want to assure them that I have taken the precaution of leaving the bottle unopened, although tempted otherwise, in case they may want to retrieve it with the termination of this talk.
An Unusual Case of Hematuria

A 66-year-old woman presented with acute onset of painless gross hematuria and generalized fatigue of 10 days’ duration. The patient was asymptomatic until she started to notice blood in her urine, not associated with dysuria or dribbling. Shortly afterward, she developed oliguria, and swelling of both legs, associated with mild exertional dyspnea, diffuse body aches, and fatigue without subjective fevers or chills. She had no oral or nasal ulcers, alopecia, photosensitivity, joint pain, joint swelling or redness, or symptoms of Raynaud’s phenomenon. She had mild exertional shortness of breath, but without chest pain or cough. She denied abdominal pain or any change in her bowel habits. Beside the gross hematuria, she denied any other urinary symptom. She denied weight loss, recent travels, or sick contacts. On evaluation in the emergency department, she was afebrile but hypertensive (blood pressure 188/98 mm Hg), which was a new symptom for her. She had periorbital edema as well as bilateral lower extremity pitting edema to the knees. Laboratory evaluation in the emergency room showed normocytic anemia, blood urea nitrogen of 44 mg/dl (normal range 7–18), and a creatinine level of 3.8 mg/dl (normal range 0.6–1.2). Her estimated creatinine clearance was 11.9 ml/minute/1.73 m (normal range 80–125) with a fractional excretion of sodium of 2.5%. Her creatinine was checked 3 weeks prior to admission during a routine checkup and found to be elevated at 1.4 mg/dl. She had a potassium level of 5.5 mEq/liter (normal range 3.5–5.1), a phosphorus level of 6.1 mg/dl (normal range 2.8–4.1), and a total calcium level of 8.2 mg/dl (normal range 8.4–10.2). Her urine analysis at presentation revealed 3 proteins, 3 blood, gross red blood cells (RBCs), 1–3 white blood cells, and trace leukocyte esterase. A chest radiograph performed on admission showed cardiomegaly with mild congestion. Kidney ultrasound did not show any hydronephrosis, kidney mass, or evidence of nephrolithiasis. She was admitted to the general medical floor with a diagnosis of acute kidney injury and nephrotic syndrome.
Proceedings of the 2008 symposium on Interactive 3D graphics and games

You are looking through the proceedings of the 2008 ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics and Games either as a printed proceedings, on a DVD or online. The symposium is being held at the Electronic Arts Campus in Redwood City CA February 15-17, 2008. During the conference the technical papers enclosed are presented, along with a poster session and invited talks. I3D brings together researchers and practitioners who share a common interest in interactive 3D graphics and games. The size of the conference makes it an excellent venue to directly interact with all of the attendees in a way that is more difficult at larger venues. The heart of the conference is the content of the proceedings. We would like to thank and congratulate the authors whose papers are included and hope their ideas provide insights and value. In the future we would encourage anyone who appreciates this content to consider submitting their research work to future conferences. These proceedings contain 24 papers that were accepted out of 57 submissions. A committee of 63 reviewers carefully reviewed the submissions, with each submission receiving at least three reviews. In some cases external reviewers were also enlisted.
Quality of Life in Progressive Ovarian Cancer

When ovarian cancer progresses, goals change from cure to prolongation of life with the best possible quality for the patient. Criteria for futility must be established to guide the transition from active to palliative management. Pain control can be achieved by following established WHO guidelines. Continued education of the medical community, legislators, and the public is needed to assure pain control for the cancer patient. Limited surgery or radiation can be used to control symptoms from locally progressive disease. Other symptoms to be actively controlled include nausea and vomiting, nutrition, hydration, and fatigue. Support services, including home services, psychological counseling, and nutritional support need funding for both home and hospital settings. Quality of life assessment must be as specific as possible and address the patient's concerns by self-assessment techniques. Funding must be provided to develop specific quality of life tools and to then apply them clinically, both as part of research protocols and to assess success of palliative care.
Social capital : the missing link?

Sustainable development has been defined as a process whereby future generations receive as much capital per capita as--or more than--the current generation has available (Serageldin). Traditionally, this has included natural capital, physical or produced capital, and human capital. Together they constitute the wealth of nations and form the basis of economic development and growth. In this process the composition of capital changes. Some natural capital will be depleted and transformed into physical capital. The latter will depreciate, and we expect technology to yield a more efficient replacement. This century has seen a massive accumulation of human capital. It has now become recognized that these three types of capital determine only partially the process of economic growth because they overlook the way in which the economic actors interact and organize themselves to generate growth and development. The missing link is social capital. There is, however, no consensus about which aspects of interaction ad organization merit the label of social capital, nor in fact about the validity of the term capital to describe this. Least progress has been made in measuring social capital and in determining empirically its contribution to economic growth and development. This report addresses each of these issues in turn.
68040 memory modules and bus controller

The 68040 processor includes an instruction memory system, a data memory system, and a synchronous bus. These resources are controlled by three autonomous machines, the instruction memory controller (IMEMC), the data memory controller (DMEMC), and the bus controller (BC). The structure of the data paths, the main caches, the address-translation caches, and the controllers are presented, including a discussion of the methodologies used in the development. >
A theoretical model for thin film ferroelectric coupled microstripline phase shifiers

Novel microwave phase shifters consisting of coupled microstriplines on thin ferroelectric films have been demonstrated recently. A theoretical model useful for predicting the propagation characteristics (insertion phase shift, dielectric loss, impedance, and bandwidth) is presented here. The model is based on a variational solution for line capacitance and coupled strip transmission line theory.
Role of Protein Kinase A in the Maintenance of Inflammatory Pain

Although the initiation of inflammatory pain (hyperalgesia) has been demonstrated to require the cAMP second messenger signaling cascade, whether this mechanism and/or other mechanisms underlie the continued maintenance of the induced hyperalgesia is unknown. We report that injection of adenylyl cyclase inhibitors before but not after injection of direct-acting hyperalgesic agents (prostaglandin E2 and purine and serotonin receptor agonists) resulted in reduction in hyperalgesia, evaluated by the Randall-Selitto paw-withdrawal test. In contrast, injection of protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors either before or after these hyperalgesic agents resulted in reduced hyperalgesia, suggesting that hyperalgesia after its activation was maintained by persistent PKA activity but not by adenylyl cyclase activity. To evaluate further the role of PKA activity in the maintenance of hyperalgesia, we injected the catalytic subunit of PKA (PKACS) that resulted in hyperalgesia similar in magnitude to that induced by the direct-acting hyperalgesic agents but much longer in duration (>48 vs 2 hr). Injection of WIPTIDE (a PKA inhibitor) at 24 hr after PKACS reduced hyperalgesia, suggesting that PKACS hyperalgesia is not independently maintained by steps downstream from PKA. In summary, our results indicate that, once established, inflammatory mediator-induced hyperalgesia is no longer maintained by adenylyl cyclase activity but rather is dependent on ongoing PKA activity. An understanding of the mechanism maintaining hyperalgesia may provide important insight into targets for the treatment of persistent pain.
A fire history derived from Pinus resinosa Ait. for the Islands of Eastern Lac La Croix, Minnesota, USA.

We reconstructed fire occurrence near a fur-trade era canoe travel corridor (used ca. 1780-1802) in the Quetico-Superior region west of Lake Superior to explore the possibility of human influence on pre-fire suppression rates of fire occurrence. Our research objectives were to 1) examine the spatial and temporal patterns of fire in the study area; 2) test fires’ strength of association with regional drought; and 3) assess whether reconstructed fire frequencies could be explained by observed rates of lightning fire ignition over the modern period of record. We developed a 420-year fire history for the eastern portion of Lac La Croix in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Seventy-one fire-scarred samples were collected from remnant Pinus resinosa Ait. (red pine) stumps and logs from thirteen distinct island and three mainland forest stands. Collectively these samples contained records of 255 individual fire scars representing 79 fire events between 1636 to 1933 (study area MFI = 3.8 years). Reconstructed fires were spatially and temporally asynchronous and not strongly associated with regional drought (P > 0.05). When compared to the conservative, tree-ring reconstructed estimate of historical fire occurrence and modern lightning-caused fires (1929-2012), a noticeable change in the distribution and frequency of fires within the study area was evident with only two lightning-ignited island fires since 1934 in the study area. Our results suggest a high likelihood that indigenous land use contributed to surface fire ignitions within our study area and highlights the importance of examining the potential effects of past indigenous land use when determining modern approaches to fire and wilderness management in fire-adapted ecosystems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Anticipating the arrival of low-penetrance genetic testing to primary care medicine

Primary prevention is a pillar of primary care medicine. Furthermore, the identification of commonly occurring genetic mutations that confer only modest increases in disease risk (i.e., low-penetrance mutations or LPMs) is expanding our conception of how genetic testing supports prevention goals. To date, most predictive genetic testing has focused on identifying the minority of patients who carry mutations that significantly increase their risk for developing future disease (i.e., high-penetrance mutations or HPMs). Genetic tests for LPMs are more similar in structure and purpose to commonly used biomarker tests like lipid testing than to HPM testing. In the primary care setting, LPM testing will likely be presented to patients as one part of a multifactorial risk assessment that contains only a small amount of genetics-specific information. Consequently, preparing primary care clinicians for the anticipated use of LPM genetic tests will not require development of a completely new skill set but rather a re-conceptualization of both genetic testing and biomarker evaluation for primary prevention.
Analyzing missile electric system reliability

The performance reliability of a missile electric system may be defined in terms of steady-state values of voltage and frequency applied to the system equipment. This viewpoint stresses the auxiliary function of furnishing electric power as contrasted to the prime functions of electronic equipment such as signal amplification or control response. Other failure-producing parameters such as operational environments, aging, and production differences must be recognized by the definition. Hypothetically at least, these parameters may be classified as secondary factors, thus bringing attention to focus on problems most acute in early design stages. Performance reliability of load equipment is evaluated at the so-called blackbox level. In this process, the prime electric source is connected to the input; performance is measured at the output. The test results from varying input conditions furnish information to describe the input-output relationships. In the discussion, variations on electric input conditions are confined to voltage but may be extended to frequency as well by an identical procedure. From these results, statistical calculations derive values of probable performance for equipments. A similar process gives probable performance of generators or other sources, the output in this case being electric voltage. These tests replace conventional circuit analysis and testing, and account for performance dispersion that cannot be predicted with accuracy in equipment of great complexity. Hence, approximations of performance expected from subsequent production-line equipment may be obtained on breadboard equipment that cannot be submitted to environmental testing. To carry out the method thoroughly requires a single prototype model for each of the equipments that make up the entire system, or at least those that are considered most critical. Such tests do not consider explicitly the individual component parts which make up the equipment package. They are designed to permit determination of performance reliability of over-all complex systems with the least amount of system or equipment breakdown. Finally, under assumptions of statistical independence, equipment reliabilities are serially multiplied to determine over-all system reliability.
Monomeric Mo(V) and Mo(IV) species

Abstract A search is under way for means of producing monomeric Mo(V) and Mo(IV) species, in solution or bound to surfaces or membranes, which will function as model catalysts. A cursory survey of reactions of Mo2O2+4 complexes and reduction of MoO2−4 shows promise of achieving such results and reveals a rich chemistry of Mo(IV) and Mo(V) to be explored further. Bidentate ligands form 3:2 and 2:2 L:Mo complexes with Mo2O2+4. The dioxo bridges may dissociate, forming MoL2 monomers or LMoLMoL chelate bridged dimers. Mo2O4(oxinate;2py2 reacts with XCH2CH2Y chelates to produce products in which 2 py are replaced; 2 py and one bridging O2− are replaced and the chelate bridges at both ends; and ESR active dimers are formed. Reduction of MoO2−4 by S2U2−4 in the presence of chelates produces preparations in which Mo(VI) is reduced to Mo(V) and Mo(IV). Mo(IV) can be generated bound to glutathione bound to sepharose, a stable preparation which effectively catalyses the reduction of acetylene but which is not very effective with dinitrogen.
Pricing broadband: Survey and open problems

Driven by the emerging directions from the FCC and the broadband market, this paper aims at answering the fundamental question of how to use pricing as a lever to enable universal broadband coverage and effective network management in the United States. We address differential pricing as a network management tool, i.e., what to charge, how to charge, and how much to charge. We also outline research towards multi-platform two-sided pricing focusing on ISP that charges both content and application providers. Open problems are highlghted. As a next step, through collaboration we will combine the access to large-scale empirical data with rigorous modeling and analysis; we will go all the way from data collection through mathematical analysis to practical impact on policy decisions and ISP business decisions, thus closing the loop in the study of network economics for universal broadband coverage.
Method of preparing a decellularized porcine tendon using tributyl phosphate

Extracellular matrix (ECM) materials are currently utilized for soft tissue repair applications such as vascular grafts, tendon reconstruction, and hernia repair. These materials are derived from tissues such as human dermis and porcine small intestine submucosa, which must be rendered acellular to prevent disease transmission and decrease the risk of an immune response. The ideal decellularization technique removes cells and cellular remnants, but leaves the original collagen architecture intact. The tissue utilized in this study was the central tendon of the porcine diaphragm, which had not been previously investigated for soft tissue repair. Several treatments were investigated during this study including peracetic acid, TritonX-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and tri(n-butyl) phosphate (TnBP). Of the decellularization treatments investigated, only 1% TnBP was effective in removing cell nuclei while leaving the structure and composition of the tissue intact. Overall, the resulting acellular tissue scaffold retained the ECM composition, strength, resistance to enzymatic degradation, and biocompatibility of the original tissue, making 1% TnBP an acceptable decellularization treatment for porcine diaphragm tendon.
Characterization of titanium oxynitride films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition using amide Ti precursor

Abstract In this study, we investigate the use of an amide-based Ti-containing precursor, namely tetrakis(diethylamido)titanium (TDEAT), for TiNxOy film deposition at low temperature. Traditionally, alkoxide-based Ti-containing precursor, such as titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP), along with NH3 is used for titanium oxynitride (TiNxOy) film deposition. When TTIP is used, at low temperatures it is difficult to form TiNxOy films with high N/O ratios. In this study, by using TDEAT, TiNxOy films are deposited on H-passivated Si (100) substrates in a cold wall reactor at 300 °C and 106 Pa. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy analysis shows nitrogen incorporation in the TiNxOy films to be as high as 28 at.%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of as-deposited films confirms the formation of. TiNxOy, while Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra indicate that the films have amorphous structure. Moreover, there is no detectable bulk carbon impurity and no SiO2 formation at the TiNxOy/Si interface. Upon annealing the as-deposited films in air at 750 °C for 30 min, they oxidize to TiO2 and crystallize to form a rutile structure with a small amount of anatase phase. Based on these results, TDEAT appears to be a promising precursor for both TiNxOy and TiO2 film deposition.
Structural and electronic characterization of nitrosyl(octaethylporphinato)iron(III) perchlorate derivatives.

The synthesis and crystallographic characterization of the five-coordinate iron(III) porphyrinate complex [Fe(OEP)(NO)]ClO4 are reported. This {FeNO}6 complex has a nearly linear Fe−N−O group (angl...
Zariski surfaces, class groups and linearized systems

Abstract Galois descent and linearized systems in characteristic p ≠ 0 are applied to the study of divisor class groups of Zariski surfaces. An efficient method is obtained for calculating their class groups and, for a general case, an easily calculated matrix is defined whose rank determines the class group order.
Global analysis of host response to induction of a latent bacteriophage

Background The transition from viral latency to lytic growth involves complex interactions among host and viral factors, and the extent to which host physiology is buffered from the virus during induction of lysis is not known. A reasonable hypothesis is that the virus should be evolutionarily selected to ensure host health throughout induction to minimize its chance of reproductive failure. To address this question, we collected transcriptional profiles of Escherichia coli and bacteriophage lambda throughout lysogenic induction by UV light.
Outcomes of endovascular and contemporary open surgical repairs of popliteal artery aneurysm

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes after endovascular repair (ER) and contemporary open repair (OR) of popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs). Methods Clinical data of PAA patients treated between 2005 and 2012 were reviewed. Primary end points were major adverse events (MAEs) including mortality, major amputation, patency, complications, and reinterventions. Results A total of 149 PAAs were treated in 120 patients (mean age, 74 ± 10 years). ER was performed in 42 limbs of 35 men (mean age, 81 ± 6.5 years), in 32 electively and in 10 emergently. Technical success was 98%. The 30-day MAEs were more frequent after emergent repair (50% vs 9%; odds ratio [OR], 9.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.74-54; P = .01); mortality and amputation rate was 0% after elective repair, 20% after emergent repair. Mean follow-up was 2.6 years (1 month-6.5 years); 3-year freedom from MAEs was lower after emergent repair than after elective repair (40% vs 66%; hazard ratio [HR], 3.13; 95% CI, 1.10-8.85; P = .03). OR was performed in 107 limbs of 91 patients (90 men; mean age, 71 ± 9.6 years), in 93 electively and in 14 emergently. The 30-day MAEs were more frequent after emergent repair (43% vs 5%; OR, 13; 95% CI, 3.29-53; P P = .003). The 30-day MAE rates were equivalent between ER and OR independent of urgency of repair (elective: OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.41-8.09; P = .43; emergent: OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.26-6.81; P = .73). In elective interventions, ER had a trend to decreased freedom from MAEs (66% vs 80% at 3 years; HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 0.92-4.07; P = .08); freedom from reintervention was lower after ER (72% vs 88%; HR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.02-5.70; P = .046). In emergent interventions, 1-year freedom from MAEs was similar (40% vs 50%; HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.49-3.74; P = .55). Emergent ER and poor runoff predicted MAEs. Conclusions Our study failed to prove the superiority of ER over OR. If anatomy is suitable, ER of PAA in the elderly and high-risk patients is justified. For emergent PAA repairs, MAEs are frequent after both ER and OR; ER has not changed the severe prognosis of acute limb ischemia from PAA. A multicenter randomized controlled trial of PAA patients with acute presentation is warranted.
A highly energy-selective activation detector for pulsed fusion neutron sources

Abstract An activation detector for neutrons with energies typical of D-T fusion which has null response for neutrons below 10.2 MeV has been constructed. The design is based on using a large oxygen containing liquid scintillator to detect the decay of 16N produced in the 16O(n, p)16N reaction. A detector of this type has been calibrated and the null response to lower energy neutrons demonstrated.
Re-conceptualizing adult education’s monolithic behaviourist interpretation: toward a new understanding of radical behaviourism

The philosophy of radical behaviourism remains misunderstood within the field of adult education. Contributing to this trend is the field’s homogeneous behaviourist interpretation, which attributes...
Mating systems in Xeromphalina species

Mating systems of Xeromphalina austroan- dina, X. campanella, X. campanelloides, X. cauticinalis ssp. cauticinalis, X. cauticinalis ssp. pubescentipes, X. cornui, X. fraxinophila, X. fulvipes, X. helbergeri, X. kauffmanii, X. parvibulbosa, and X. tenuipes were de- termined to be tetrapolar. Notes on culture mor- phology and comparisons to members of the Xeru- laceae and Tricholomataceae are presented.
ASSESSING AGE AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERCEIVED RISK AND FEAR OF CRIME

Much of the research on fear of crime indicates that women and older persons are highly afraid of crime. These findings, especially older persons' fear of crime, are widely communicated in the scientific and popular media. This study examines age and gender differences in perceived risk and fear of crime. The data are from telephone interviews of 320 randomly selected residents in a southeastern metropolitan area of the United States. The relationships of age and gender to fear of crime are compared using a National Crime Survey (NCS) measure of fear of crime and 11 alternative indicators of fear of specific offenses. Women reported signifcantly greater perceived risk and fear of crime than men regardless of how fear of crime was measured and older adults reported the greatest fear of crime when the NCS measure was used. but not when the alternative individual measures of fear of crime were used. A LISREL model with latent constructs for fear of personal crime and fear of property crime also indicates that older adults do not have higher levels of fear of crime. In short, the extent of fear in the everyday lives of most older persons has been overestimated in many previous studies because of measurement problems.
Valley width variation influences riffle–pool location and persistence on a rapidly incising gravel-bed river

Abstract Decades of research have demonstrated that gravel-bed rivers exhibit multiple spatial scales of landform nonuniformity. Landform features such as valley wall oscillations, alluvial fans, terraces, river meanders, point bars, boulder clusters, and logjams contribute to river corridor heterogeneity. Further, studies have shown that the locations of riffles and pools in gravel-bed rivers are closely associated with the spatial pattern of river corridor morphological variability. These studies imply (but do not directly test) that persistence of riffles and pools through time is also conditioned by landform variability. Mechanistically, it may be hypothesized that overbank flows interact hydraulically with oscillating valley walls by way of a mechanism known as flow convergence routing. In such circumstances, can variation in valley width influence channel morphology, forcing riffle–pool location and persistence? To address this question, research was performed on a valley-confined, wandering, gravel-bed reach of the regulated lower Yuba River, California, USA that is incising from reduced sediment supply and flow regulation after a historic period of mining-related valley sedimentation. This study quantified stream planform change 1984–2006 and elevation change 1999–2006 using eight aerial photo sets and two digital elevation models, and it qualitatively assessed channel change in older aerial photos going back to 1937. Analysis revealed that the river has undergone rapid incision (0.11 m/year) and planform change in response to frequent floods, yet eight riffles persisted in the same locations, which coincided with the locally wide areas of the valley. Longitudinal profiles revealed that deep pools were associated with long valley constrictions. Geomorphic analysis and design need to explicitly account for multiple scales of landform nonuniformity in order to rehabilitate natural fluvial processes.
Perioperative Intravascular Fluid Assessment and Monitoring: A Narrative Review of Established and Emerging Techniques

Accurate assessments of intravascular fluid status are an essential part of perioperative care and necessary in the management of the hemodynamically unstable patient. Goal-directed fluid management can facilitate resuscitation of the hypovolemic patient, reduce the risk of fluid overload, reduce the risk of the injudicious use of vasopressors and inotropes, and improve clinical outcomes. In this paper, we discuss the strengths and limitations of a spectrum of noninvasive and invasive techniques for assessing and monitoring intravascular volume status and fluid responsiveness in the perioperative and critically ill patient.
Guanosine and formycin triphosphates bind at non-catalytic nucleotide binding sites of CF1 ATPase and inhibit ATP hydrolysis.

Guanosine triphosphate and formycin triphosphate (FTP) in the presence of excess Mg2+ can bind to empty non-catalytic sites of spinach chloroplast ATPase (CF1). This results in a greatly reduced capacity for ATP hydrolysis compared to the enzyme with non-catalytic sites filled with ATP. With two GTP bound at non-catalytic sites the inhibition is about 90%; with two FTP bound about 80% inhibition is obtained. Binding and release of the nucleotides from the non-catalytic sites are relatively slow processes. Exposure of CF1 with one or two empty non-catalytic sites to 5–10 μM FTP or GTP for 15 min suffices for about 50% of the maximum inhibition. Reactivation of CF1 after exposure to higher FTP or GTP concentrations requires long exposure to 2 μM EDTA. The findings show that, contrary to previous assumptions, GTP can bind tightly to non-catalytic sites of CF1. They suggest that the presence of adenine nucleotides at non-catalytic sites might be essential for high catalytic capacity of the F1 ATPases.
Breast cancer survivorship in a multiethnic sample: challenges in recruitment and measurement.

BACKGROUND The inclusion of ethnic minorities in cancer-related studies continues to be an important concern for researchers. In this article, the authors present 1) a brief discussion of recruitment and measurement challenges in conducting multiethnic survivorship research, and 2) recruitment outcomes and sample characteristics for a health-related quality-of-life study with a multiethnic sample of breast cancer survivors (BCS). METHODS A case–control, cross-sectional design with mixed sampling methods was used. The Contextual Model for Recruitment and Enrollment of Diverse Samples was used to guide the protocol. BCS were recruited from the California Cancer Surveillance Program, from hospital registries, and from community agencies. Participation rates, demographic factors, and medical factors were compared. The reliability of standard measures by ethnicity was assessed. RESULTS Seven hundred three women participated, including 135 African-American women (19%), 206 Asian-American women (29%), 183 Latina-American women (26%), and 179 European-American women (26%). Participation was influenced by ethnicity, age, and site of recruitment. Overall, African Americans were least likely to participate, and European Americans most likely to participate. African Americans and Asian Americans were more likely to refuse, European Americans and Latina Americans were more likely to agree to participate, and European Americans and Asian Americans were most likely to complete the survey after consenting. Measures possessed moderate to excellent reliability (0.64–0.91). CONCLUSIONS Despite important recruitment and measurement challenges, this study obtained acceptable participation rates and good internal consistency of the measures. The results demonstrate the utility of a culturally responsive approach to health disparities research. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Impact of Fish Oil-Based Lipid Emulsion on Serum Triglyceride, Bilirubin, and Albumin Levels in Children With Parenteral Nutrition-Associated Liver Disease

Parenteral nutrition is known to cause liver injury in babies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different lipid emulsions on parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis in infants. In addition, there may be a relationship between the lipid emulsion and triglyceride levels. Furthermore, triglyceride levels may correlate with direct bilirubin and albumin, as markers of liver impairment and nutritional status. Patients with parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis who were treated with a fish oil-based lipid emulsion (n = 18) were prospectively followed for triglyceride, direct bilirubin, and albumin levels and compared with patients who were maintained on a soy-based lipid emulsion (n = 59). Triglyceride levels decreased in the fish oil cohort from a mean of 140 mg/dL at wk 0 to 40 mg/dL at wk 20 but remained unchanged at approximately 140 mg/dL in the soybean cohort. Triglyceride levels of patients treated with fish oil declined over time, while those receiving soybean oil did not. Also, changes in triglyceride levels over time were directly correlated with direct bilirubin and inversely related to albumin levels. These findings may indicate an added benefit of reduced triglyceride levels for patients treated with fish oil and this effect coincides with markers for improved liver function and nutritional status.