cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of strawberry pallidosis-associated virus and occurrence of pallidosis disease in north America

Tzanetakis, I. E., Wintermantel, W. M., Cortez, A. A., Barnes, J. E., Barrett, S. M., Bolda, M. P., and Martin, R. R. 2006. Epidemiology of Strawberry pallidosis-associated virus and occurrence of pallidosis disease in North America. Plant Dis. 90:1343-1346. Strawberry pallidosis-associated virus (SPaV) was found closely associated with pallidosis disease. The modes of transmission of the virus were studied, including pollen, seed (achene), and whitefly transmission. Three whitefly species were tested for their ability to transmit SPaV, but only the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, was identified as a vector of the virus. Testing strawberries for SPaV and Beet pseudo yellows virus (BPYV), a second crinivirus associated with pallidosis disease, in strawberry-producing areas in North America confirmed a high incidence of both viruses in areas where high populations of whiteflies were present. Infection rates as high as 90% for SPaV and 60% for BPYV were observed when plants exhibiting decline symptoms were tested. Lower rates of infection were found in regions where whiteflies were absent or found in low numbers. The role of these criniviruses in the strawberry decline observed over the past few years along the western coast of North America was examined.
Advanced through-the-wall radar imaging using spectral and wall estimation techniques

Through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI) is currently an active and growing area of research and development because the detection and localization of targets in enclosed structures has many civilian and military applications such as rescue operations in case of fire or after earthquakes. However, contrary to free-space imaging, methods needed for TWRI are not a straight-forward process and face many challenges, all imposed by the presence of the building walls [1]. One problem pertains to frequency dependent attenuation and phase dispersion caused by exterior walls. This limits the useful frequency range to the UHF band with its lower frequency limited by the antenna size. Consequently, the bandwidth and image resolution of TWR systems is limited. The second issue is related to the scattering from the building walls and the multipath signals they create. The specular reflection and multiple bounces within the wall create a very strong signal much larger than that of the target behind the wall which normally has a small radar cross section (e.g. human). This leads to two problems: If the target is close to the wall, it's return can be completely covered by the wall return or if the target is further away from the wall, it can still be covered by the strong multiple bounce response or the point spread function sidelobes of the wall return. It is possible to reduce the sidelobe level but at the expense of range resolution by windowing the frequency response of the radar return.
Experiments on the flow past a circular cylinder at very high Reynolds number

Measurements on a large circular cylinder in a pressurized wind tunnel at Reynolds numbers from 10^6 to 10^7 reveal a high Reynolds number transition in which the drag coefficient increases from its low supercritical value to a value 0.7 at R = 3.5 × 10^6 and then becomes constant. Also, for R > 3.5 × 10^6, definite vortex shedding occurs, with Strouhal number 0.27.
Depletion of B-Cells With Rituximab Improves Endothelial Function and Reduces Inflammation Among Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, partly due to systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. B-cells play an important pathogenic role in the inflammatory process that drives RA disease activity. Rituximab, a chimeric murine/human monoclonal antibody that depletes B-cells, is an effective therapy for RA. The purpose of this study was to determine whether B-cell depletion with rituximab reduces systemic inflammation and improves macrovascular (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, FMD) and microvascular (reactive hyperemia) endothelial function in RA patients. Methods and Results RA patients received a single course of rituximab (1000 mg IV infusion at baseline and on day 15). FMD, reactive hyperemia, inflammatory markers, and clinical assessments were performed at baseline, week 12, and week 24. Twenty patients (95% female, median age 54 years) completed the study. Following treatment, FMD improved from a baseline of 4.5±0.4% to 6.4±0.6% at 12 weeks (mean±SE; P Conclusions Depletion of B-cells with rituximab improved macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function and reduced systemic inflammation, despite modest elevation in lipids. Given these results, rituximab should be evaluated in the future for its possible role in reducing excess cardiovascular risk in RA. Clinical Trial Registration URL http://ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00844714.
The productive and disruptive methodology of doing fieldwork at work

This paper argues that the ‘place’ of work matters methodologically in producing knowledge in and about the field. It draws on research conducted in Mexico with economically disenfranchised labourers and elite workers. Analysing two different sites in comparative context highlights the productive and disruptive function of the workplace. In the first example, interviewees play with constraints, freedoms and productivities of ‘work’, disrupting heuristics associated with this category. In the process, there is a blurring of formal/informal space meaning that for marginalised groups in Latin America there is often no ‘outside’. In the second example, employees at a non-governmental organisation internalise the discursive messages associated with neoliberalism. Here, the workplace is transformed into a productive site of subjectivity while also functioning as a limiting mechanism in the interview process.
Processing of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x Superconducting Thin Films on GaAs Substrates with Double Buffer Layers

High temperature superconducting Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x(YBCO) thin films have been grown on GaAs substrates by in situ laser deposition with a double buffer layer of yttrium-stabilized ZrO2(YSZ)/Si3N4. A barrier layer using a combination of YSZ/Si3N4 was used to grow high quality YBCO thin films without the degradation of the GaAs during YBCO film deposition. Strongly c-axis oriented superconducting YBCO thin films with a zero resistance temperature of 85.5 K and a critical current density of 1.9x103 A/cm2 at 77 K have been obtained. The electrical properties of the YBCO thin films were mainly dependent on YSZ buffer layer deposition condition.
Digital logic implementation in memristor-based crossbars

Memristor is a passive electronic device that was proposed and described by Leon Chua in 1971. The first practical implementation has been realized by Stan Williams' group at HP Labs in 2008. This paper is intended as a tutorial on how to use memristor crossbars for logic design and is a consolidation of various recent publications. The goal of this paper is to give the reader a brief introduction to the possibilities of logic design using memristors.
Heterogeneous architecture models for interconnect-motivated system design

On-chip interconnect demand is becoming the dominant factor in modern processor performance and must be estimated early in the design process. This paper presents a set of heterogeneous architectural models that combines architecture description and Rent's rule-based wiring models. These architecture models allow flexible heterogeneous system specifications, enabling investigations of prospective designs in different technology scenarios. Comparisons against actual data demonstrate the models' effectiveness for architecture explorations with highly accurate estimations of local and global wiring demand, as well as chip area and cycle time. Simulation of two candidate system designs reveal trends in interconnect delay with increasing architectural complexity, and confirm the need for high computational locality and short global wires for future architectures.
Lymphangioma circumscriptum of the vulva: a review of the literature.

Abstract Objective To promote proper identification and management of this rare entity by presenting a review of the literature, a case report, and illustrations of its presentation and pathology. Data sources Sources searched included the literature contained in the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed database, using the term “lymphangioma circumscriptum” combined with “vulva.” Other search terms used were “capillary lymphangioma,” “lymphangiectasia,” and “dermal lymphangioma.” Sources also included articles predating the PubMed database that were cited by other writers. Methods of study selection Selections were restricted to the English-language medical literature published since 1960, and the search resulted in retrieval of 3272 published papers about lymphangioma. Tabulation, integration, and results Congenital lymphangioma circumscriptum of the vulva has been reported in 11 patients, including one case reported and illustrated in this paper, and acquired lymphangioma circumscriptum has been reported in 20. It affects females 9–76 years old (mean 42.5 years). Clinically, it is characterized by persistent clusters of thin-walled vesicles filled with clear fluid. The diagnosis is usually made by biopsy, as these lesions often mimic such infectious diseases as molluscum contagiosum. Management options have included surgical excision of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, surface abrasion by laser or sclerosing therapy, and observation. Conclusion From this comprehensive review, which includes the clinicopathologic features of both the congenital and acquired forms, illustrations from the rarest form, and a summary of treatment approaches, we conclude that lymphangioma circumscriptum poses a diagnostic challenge the risks of which are misdiagnosis and mistreatment. These risks would likely be reduced were a database of cases accessible that permitted long-term follow-up and better assessment of presenting characteristics and treatment options.
Somatic Symptoms in Children and Adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Associations with Clinical Characteristics and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Response

Despite being a core characteristic of anxiety disorders, little data have been reported on somatic symptoms (SSs) in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Eighty-five children and adolescents with OCD were administered the Children's Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and completed the Children's Depression Inventory and Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children. Their parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist and Children's Obsessive-Compulsive Impact Scale. A subset of youth (n = 62) completed a trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The frequency of specific SSs was examined in relation to age, gender, OCD symptom severity, child-rated symptoms of depression and anxiety, parent-proxy ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems, and functional impairment. Ninety-six percent of youth experienced at least one SS, with 67% reporting five or more SSs. Child-rated SSs were positively associated with parent-ratings of child SSs, child-rated anxiety and depression, and parent ratings of the children's internalizing problems. Parent-rated SSs were positively related to parent-proxy ratings of internalizing problems and OCD-related impairment, clinician-rated OCD symptom severity, and child-rated generalized anxiety. Total and several specific SSs were reduced following cognitive-behavioral treatment. These results suggest that SSs are prevalent in youth with OCD, are associated with symptom severity, are reduced after participation in cognitive-behavioral therapy, and warrant attention during assessment and treatment.
Organocatalytic removal of formaldehyde adducts from RNA and DNA bases

Formaldehyde is universally used to fix tissue specimens, where it forms hemiaminal and aminal adducts with biomolecules, hindering the ability to retrieve molecular information. Common methods for removing these adducts involve extended heating, which can cause extensive degradation of nucleic acids, particularly RNA. Here, we show that water-soluble bifunctional catalysts (anthranilates and phosphanilates) speed the reversal of formaldehyde adducts of mononucleotides over standard buffers. Studies with formaldehyde-treated RNA oligonucleotides show that the catalysts enhance adduct removal, restoring unmodified RNA at 37 °C even when extensively modified, while avoiding the high temperatures that promote RNA degradation. Experiments with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cell samples show that the catalysis is compatible with common RNA extraction protocols, with detectable RNA yields increased by 1.5-2.4-fold using a catalyst under optimized conditions and by 7-25-fold compared with a commercial kit. Such catalytic strategies show promise for general use in reversing formaldehyde adducts in clinical specimens.
Distributed active catalogs and meta-data caching in descriptive name services

Today's global internetworks challenge the ability of name services and other information services to locate data quickly. The authors introduce distributed active catalog and meta-data caching for optimizing queries in this environment. The active catalog constrains the search space for a query by returning a list of data repositories where the answer to the query is likely to be found. Meta-data caching improves performance by keeping frequently used characterizations of the search space close to the user, and eliminating active catalog communication and processing costs. When searching for query responses, the techniques contact only the small percentage of the data repositories with actual responses, resulting in search times of a few seconds. A distributed active catalog and meta-data caching method was implemented in a prototype descriptive name service called Nomenclator. Performance results for Nomenclator in a search space of 1000 data repositories are presented. >
Spectral decomposition of the perturbation response of the Schwarzschild geometry

The radiative Green's function for the one-dimensional wave equation with the Regge-Wheeler and Zerilli potentials is formally constructed from recently developed analytic representations for generalized spheroidal wave functions, and decomposed into a convergent sum over quasinormal modes, an integral around a branch cut in the frequency domain, and a high-frequency remnant of the free-space propagator. This paper discusses the contribution to the time response made by the quasinormal modes and, at very late times, by the branch-cut integral. The initial-value problem is considered for source fields with both compact and extended radial dependences, and the problem of the formal divergence of the integrals of extended sources over quasinormal-mode wave functions is solved. The branch-cut integral produces a weak late-time radiative power-law decay tail that will characterize the astrophysically observed radiation spectrum for times subsequent to the exponential decay of the quasinormal ringing, when (ct-${r}_{\mathrm{*}}$)\ensuremath{\gg}2MG/${c}^{2}$ and (ct-${r}_{\mathrm{*}}$)/${r}_{\mathrm{*}}$\ensuremath{\ll}1. This radiative decay tail is shown to diminish to Price's nonradiative tail in the final limit ct/${r}_{\mathrm{*}}$\ensuremath{\gg}1. The method is applied to a characteristic-value problem used to model the gravitational collapse of massive stars, and to the small-body radial in-fall problem. The analysis presented is generalizable, through the Newman-Penrose formalism and Teukolsky's equations, to obtain the radiative Green's function for perturbations to the Kerr geometry.
Point defects in gallium arsenide characterized by positron annihilation spectroscopy and deep level transient spectroscopy

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is a unique technique for detection of vacancy related defects in both as-grown and irradiated materials. We present a systematic study of vacancy defects in stoichiometrically controlled p-type Gallium Arsenide grown by the Hot- Wall Czochralski method. Microstructural information based on PALS, was correlated to crystallographic data and electrical measurements. Vacancies were detected and compared to electrical levels detected by deep level transient spectroscopy and stoichiometry based on crystallographic data.
EMERGING STRATEGIES AND FORMS OF GOVERNANCE IN HIGH-WAGE COMPONENT MANUFACTURING REGIONS

This paper provides a broad survey of the current terrain of components production in the high-wage regions of North America and Europe. Its central message is that it is unwise to believe in the unitary characterizations of the development of relations between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers in contemporary manufacturing. The character of the current environment aligns strategies among all parties such that heterogeneity in relations between customers and suppliers is systematically reproduced. Four broad types of strategy are shown to be both currently possible and pursued in the current market. But there is a considerable amount of hedging as well as hybridity observable among component producer strategies. In a similar way, the range of governance mechanisms currently being developed and deployed among producers in the sector is quite broad. The same problem is being addressed by a multiple of alternative institutional arrangements. Mechanisms can be either public or private, or ...
Effects of Stocking Size and Density of Tilapia on Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Polyculture

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of stocking size and density of prawns in polyculture. In one experiment, postlarval prawns (av. wt. 0.02 g) were stocked in six 0.02 ha earthen ponds at 35,00O/ha. Two ponds were stocked with tilapia fry (av. wt. 0.14 g) and two were stocked with tilapia fingerlings (av. wt. 30.1 g), each at 10,000/ha. Two control ponds had no tilapia. Tilipia stocking size had no effect on prawn growth. Mean weight of prawns after 70 days of culture ranged from a low of 4.5 g when cultured with tilapia fingerlings to a high of 6.6 when cultured in monoculture. Prawn survival was adversely affected by tilapia fry. Average prawn survival in tilapia fry ponds was 65% compared to 75% and 91%, respectively, in tilapia fingerling and monoculture ponds. In a second experiment, postlarval prawns were stocked in nine 0.02 ha earthen ponds at 40,000/ ha. Six ponds were stocked with 30 g tilapia fingerlings, three at 5,000/ha and three at 15,000/ha. Three control ponds received prawns only. After 100 days of culture, prawn weight ranged from an average of 15.9 g in monoculture ponds to 11.5 g in polyculture ponds. Survival was highest (93.8%) in low density polyculture ponds. Survival was lowest (85.6%) in prawn monoculture ponds. Tilapia reproduction had a negative impact on shrimp production.
Stability of Faired Underwater Towing Cables

The dynamic stability of faired, heterogeneous underwater cables subject to small perturbations from a planar towing configuration is considered. Sufficient conditions for freedom from flutter and divergence are obtained using the velocity component strip theory. These conditions are given in the form of constraints on the locations of shear center, center of tension, hydrodynamic center, and center of gravity of the cable cross section.
An improved cohesive element for shell delamination analyses

SUMMARY In this paper, an improved cohesive element is proposed for accurate quantification of delamination in laminar composites. The improved cohesive element employs a mixed Gaussian and sub-domain integration scheme for cohesive stress integration. Level set description of crack front geometry is used to accurately track the evolving delamination crack front. The new element offers significant improvement in solution accuracy and numerical stability, as compared with conventional cohesive elements using either Gaussian integration or Newton–Cotes integration. The much enhanced numerical accuracy and stability permit the use of bonded structural element size as large as 1 ∼1.5 times the cohesive zone size without significantly compromising numerical accuracy and efficiency. This greatly alleviates the strict mesh size requirement imposed by conventional cohesive elements that require the bonded structural element size be smaller than 1 ∼ 1 of the cohesive zone size. Furthermore, the new element offers the benefit of easy insertion of arbitrary initial crack geometry for a structured mesh. Copyright q 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of thermal dissipation in the vibrations of a piezoelectric body

We study the effect of heat conduction on the shift in the frequencies of a freely vibrating linear piezoelectric body by using two perturbation methods. It is shown that the first order effect on frequencies is to shift them by a small imaginary number signifying thereby that the effect of energy dissipation due to heat conduction is to reduce the amplitude of vibration. >
Cell Polarity Regulator PARD6B Is Essential for Trophectoderm Formation in the Preimplantation Mouse Embryo

In preimplantation mouse development, the first cell lineages to be established are the trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass. TE possesses epithelial features, including apical-basal cell polarity and intercellular junctions, which are crucial to generate a fluid-filled cavity in the blastocyst. Homologs of the partitioning defective (par) genes in Caenorhabditis elegans are critical regulators of cell polarity. However, their roles in regulating TE differentiation and blastocyst formation remain unclear. Here, the role of mouse Pard6b, a homolog of par-6 gene and a component of the PAR-atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) complex, was investigated. Pard6b expression was knocked down by microinjecting RNA interference construct into zygotes. Pard6b-knockdown embryos cleaved and compacted normally but failed to form the blastocyst cavity. The cavitation failure is likely the result of defective intercellular junctions, because Pard6b knockdown caused abnormal distribution of actin filaments and TJP1 (ZO-1) tight junction (TJ) protein and interfered with cavitation in chimeras containing cells from normal embryos. Defective TJ formation may be caused by abnormal cell polarization, because the apical localization of PRKCZ (aPKCzeta) was absent in Pard6b-knockdown embryos. Pard6b knockdown also diminished the expression of CDX2, a TE-lineage transcription factor, in the outer cells. TEAD4, a transcriptional activator that is required for Cdx2 expression and cavity formation, was not essential for the transcription of Pard6b. Taken together, Pard6b is necessary for blastocyst morphogenesis, particularly the development of TE-specific features—namely, the apical-basal cell polarity, formation of TJ, paracellular permeability sealing, and up-regulated expression of Cdx2.
Flutter and Torsional Instability

The term “flutter” derives from aeronautical practice where it is used to describe an aeroelastic instability in coupled torsion and vertical bending of aircraft wings. The road decks of long span bridges are prone to a related oscillatory response as well as a single-degree-of-freedom torsional instability. These phenomena may result in destructive levels of amplitude and it is essential that the incipient wind speeds for their occurrence be above the maximum values expected at the bridge site. Structural components such as I-beam section deck hangers used in arch bridges are also prone to torsional instability. In this chapter the analytical framework for analysis of the response is discussed and aerodynamic approaches to improving the aerodynamic stability are presented. The effects on response of the free stream turbulence in the atmospheric surface wind layer are described. Attention is focussed on the critical erection phase response of cable-stayed bridges.
Soft-Error-Rate-Analysis (SERA) Methodology

We present a soft-error-rate analysis (SERA) methodology for combinational and memory circuits. SERA is based on a modeling and analysis approach that employs a judicious mix of probability theory, circuit simulation, graph theory, and fault simulation. SERA achieves five orders of magnitude speedup over Monte Carlo-based simulation approaches with less than 5% error. Dependence of the soft-error rate (SER) of combinational logic circuits on a supply voltage, clock period, latching window, circuit topology, and input vector is explicitly captured and studied for a typical 0.18-mum CMOS process. Results show that the SER of logic is a much stronger function of timing parameters than the supply voltage. Also, an SER peaking phenomenon in multipliers is observed where the center bits have an SER that are orders of magnitude greater than those of the LSBs and the MSBs. An increase of up to 25% in the SER for multiplier circuits of various sizes has been observed as technology scales from 0.18 to 0.13 mum
Development of Target Reaching Gesture Map in the Cortex and Its Relation to the Motor Map: A Simulation Study

The motor maps in the cortex are topologically organized, just like the sensory cortical maps, where nearby locations in the map represent behaviors of similar kinds. However, there is not much research on how such motor maps are formed. In this paper, as a first step in this direction, we developed a target reaching gesture map using a self-organizing map model of cortical development (the GCAL model, a simplified yet enhanced version of the LISSOM model). The inputs were target reaching behavior of a two-joint arm on a 2D plane (2 DOF), encoded as a time-lapse image where time was encoded as the pixel intensity. For training, 20,000 random arm movements were generated where each arm movement started at a random initial location and moved toward one of 24 predefined target locations. The resulting gesture map showed global topological order where nearby neurons represented gestures toward nearby target locations, comparable to the motor map reported in the experimental literature. Although our simulations were based on a sensory cortical map development framework, the results suggest that it could be easily adapted to transition into motor map development. Our work is an important first step toward a fully motor-based motor map development (e.g. using proprioceptive input), and we expect the findings reported in this paper to help us better understand the general nature of cortical map development, not just for the sensory but also for the motor modality.
Infectious Diseases and Sleep

Patients with infectious diseases, including acute viral illnesses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and related conditions, and viral hepatitis, may have significant problems with insomnia and hypersomnolence. These problems can occur due to either the infection itself or the associated treatments. Studies in animals have revealed that the precise characteristics of infection-related changes in sleep vary with the specific microorganism, the route of infection, the genetic background of the host, and differences in the disease process. This overview focuses on how four viral infections – HIV, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and viral respiratory tract infections – influence sleep in people.
HALO: Report and Predicted Response Times.

HALO: Heterogeneity-Aware Load Balancing is a paper that proposes a class of heterogeneity-aware Load Balancers (LBs) for cluster systems. LBs that are heterogeneity-aware are able to detect when servers differ in speeds and in number of cores. Response times for heterogeneous systems are calculated and presented.
Cyclic Movements of Offshore Structures on Clay

A finite element procedure was developed to calculate small cyclic deformations of offshore structures founded on clayey soils and subjected to storm wave loading. The procedure requires data from cyclic triaxial or simple shear tests. The time history of deformations and the reduction in soil stiffness are given at any time or location. Although the procedure uses plane strain elements, it is also applicable to circular footings by conversion of the applied loads. The analytical solution was compared with two sets of experimental test results. The predicted deformations are in good agreement qualitatively with the experimental results. Quantitatively, it agrees well with one of the test results, while the other test indicates larger strains than are predicted by the analytical procedure.
Mental Health Providers’ Decision-Making Around the Implementation of Evidence-Based Treatment for PTSD

It is estimated that <15% of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have engaged in two evidence-based psychotherapies highly recommended by VA-cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE). CPT and PE guidelines specify which patients are appropriate, but research suggests that providers may be more selective than the guidelines. In addition, PTSD clinical guidelines encourage "shared decision-making," but there is little research on what processes providers use to make decisions about CPT/PE. Sixteen licensed psychologists and social workers from two VA medical centers working with ≥1 patient with PTSD were interviewed about patient factors considered and decision-making processes for CPT/PE use. Qualitative analyses revealed that patient readiness and comorbid conditions influenced decisions to use or refer patients with PTSD for CPT/PE. Providers reported mentally derived and instances of patient-involved decision-making around CPT/PE use. Continued efforts to assist providers in making informed and collaborative decisions about CPT/PE use are discussed.
Surrogate Modeling for Simultaneous Engine Cycle and Technology Optimization for Next Generation Subsonic Aircraft

This paper presents an engine sizing and cycle selection study of ultra high bypass ratio engines applied to a subsonic commercial aircraft in the N+2 (2025) timeframe. NASA has created the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project to serve as a technology transition bridge between fundamental research (TRL 1–4) and potential commercial application (TRL 7). Specifically, ERA is focused on subsonic transport technologies that could reach TRL 6 by 2020 and can be integrated into an advanced vehicle concept to simultaneously meet the ERA project metrics for noise, emissions, and fuel burn. An important variable in exploring the technology trade space is the selection of the optimal engine cycle for use on the advanced aircraft. Previous literature demonstrated the cycle optimization using a design of experiments (DOE) to explore the engine cycle design space for a pre-defined technology package. However, since the optimal engine cycle is dependent upon the specific technology package, this process would have to be repeated to ensure optimal performance for each technology package. With more than 80 technologies to be analyzed, the combinatorial space of technology packages is enormous. As a result, executing a DOE to find the optimum engine cycle for each technology package is infeasible. To address this issue, it is proposed to use surrogate models that encompass the engine cycle and technology design space to enable fast and accurate optimization of the engine cycle for any given technology package.This paper describes the generation and analysis of surrogate models used for technology assessment and cycle optimization of an ultra high bypass geared turbofan engine architecture. The first study in the paper shows that a single surrogate model can be used to accurately simulate both a technology and cycle design space. To demonstrate the proposed surrogate modeling approach, the cycle design space for three different technology packages was analyzed. This study demonstrated that when an optimal cycle is found within the constrained interior of a design space, the surrogate modeling approach is quite accurate. The study also established that the surrogate models can also be used to assess potential cycles at the boundaries or even outside of the region for which they were trained.© 2012 ASME
Photorefractivity and Holographic Storage Effect in Fullerene C60-Doped Nematic Liquid Crystals

The results of a recent study of a nonlinear electro-optical effect in fullerene C6o-doped nematic liquid crystal film are presented. In particular, photo-induced conduction, self diffraction effect, and permanent holographic formation in the films are explained.
Superconductivity of La(2-x)BaxCuO4

Superconductivity near 30 K in the La-Ba-Cu-O system, first observed by Bednorz and Muller [1], was soon found to be attributable to the K 2 NiF 4 -type (at room temperature) compound La(2-x)B x xCuO 4 [2]. Substitution of Sr and Ca for Ba yielded superconducting systems, also with high superconducting transition temperature T c . Replacement of La by Y led to the discovery of the 90 K superconductors.
Exciton/Charge-transfer Electronic Couplings in Organic Semiconductors

Charge transfer (CT) states and excitons are important in energy conversion processes that occur in organic light emitting devices (OLEDS) and organic solar cells. An ab initio density functional theory (DFT) method for obtaining CT−exciton electronic couplings between CT states and excitons is presented. This method is applied to two organic heterodimers to obtain their CT−exciton coupling and adiabatic energy surfaces near their CT−exciton diabatic surface crossings. The results show that the new method provides a new window into the role of CT states in exciton−exciton transitions within organic semiconductors.
Fakers, fanatics, and false dilemmas: Reply to Van Leeuwen

You have to check your brains at the church-house door if you take modern evolutionary biology seriously.In memory of William Provine (1942–2015)In our critique of Neil Van Leeuwen’s (2014) theory ...
Evaluation of Command Information Superiority Based on Information Entropy and Unascertained Measurement

Obtaining information superiority is the key to win the modern warfare. In order to evaluate command information superiority,based on the unascertained mathematics theory,the expert reliability is introduced to deal with index value,and the methods of measuring and identification is studied. Through information entropy put out by evaluation index,the index weight is defined,and an evaluation model of command information superiority is set up based on unascertained measurement. In the end,the result of evaluation and suggestion are given by an analysis example. This model is strict in theory,the evaluation result is reasonable,and identification is high. It is worthy for evaluating the superiority of command information.
Conversion from External Appliance Wearing or Internal Urinary Diversion to a Continent Urinary Reservoir (Florida Pouch I and II): Surgical Technique, Indications and Complications

Abstract A total of 20 patients with diversion requiring an external appliance or internal urinary diversion underwent conversion to a continent urinary reservoir (Florida pouch I or II). All patients subsequently reported an improvement in the quality of life and expressed satisfaction with the new urinary diversion procedure. Of the patients 15 (75%) previously had an ileal conduit, while 1 (5%) had undergone ureterosigmoidostomy, 1 (5%) had cutaneous ureterostomy, 1 (5%) had a suprapubic tube, 1 (5%) had a sigmoid conduit and 1 (5%) had a cecal conduit. After the original diversion 3 patients (15%) had recurrent urinary infections, 3 had complications related to the stoma and external appliance (stenosis and skin dermatitis) and 5 (25%) had ureteral obstruction in 7 ureters. A total of 17 patients with conduits (85%) underwent conversion via different surgical technical aspects depending on the status of the intestinal segment from the conduit and the function of the ureteral reimplantation: in 14 the conduit was discarded or was used only to patch the newly created Florida I colonic pouch, while in 6 the conduit was preserved and 9 ureterointestinal reimplantations were left undisturbed (Florida pouch II). Among 7 ureters preoperatively obstructed (original diversion), reimplantating them into the pouch failed to prevent further renal damage in 5 (71%). Three renal units required nephrectomy, 2 kidneys deteriorated and 2 recovered renal function after percutaneous balloon dilation and stenting. Among 31 preoperatively nonobstructed renoureteral units (original diversion), 22 were reimplanted into the colonic reservoir. One of these units (4.2%) became obstructed postoperatively and 3 (13.5%) presently have reflux. The 10 reimplantations left undisturbed in the detubularized conduit drain satisfactorily without postoperative obstruction and in 6 reflux has not been demonstrated. Renal function (serum creatinine) is preserved in all patients but 15 (75%) have hyperchloremia of mild degree. Two patients (10%) have acidosis and 1 (5%) of these had low red blood cell folic acid. Conversion of an external or internal diversion to a continent colonic urinary reservoir (Florida pouch I or II) can be successful and improve the quality of life of the patient. The functioning renal units that were preoperatively obstructed were associated with a high failure rate (71%) after reimplantation. Metabolic alterations will require long-term followup, and are particularly worrisome in children and young adults.
Wholesaling: Marketing’s Forgotten Frontier

This paper explores the relative position of the American wholesaler in the economy. This is achieved by comparing the wholesaling and retailing sectors. Then an analysis is presented as to some of the future functions of the wholesaler. An examination of the performance of wholesalers in the American marketing scene indicates that the wholesaler is alive and making good progress. The resilience that is shown by the wholesaling sector can teach numerous lessons to other areas of American marketing.
Book Review: Jeremy Moss, Reassessing Egalitarianism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014)

This essay critically reviews Jeremy Moss's 2014 book, Reassessing Egalitarianism. It argues that while Moss accurately reproduces many and sheds light on some of the extant debates between political philosophers with substantive egalitarian commitments of one sort or another, he does not do as much as he could and should have done to reorient these debates.
Mixing and the fractal geometry of piecewise isometries.

Mathematical concepts often have applicability in areas that may have surprised their original developers. This is the case with piecewise isometries (PWIs), which transform an object by cutting it into pieces that are then rearranged to reconstruct the original object, and which also provide a paradigm to study mixing via cutting and shuffling in physical sciences and engineering. Every PWI is characterized by a geometric structure called the exceptional set, $E$, whose complement comprises nonmixing regions in the domain. Varying the parameters that define the PWI changes both the structure of $E$ as well as the degree of mixing the PWI produces, which begs the question of how to determine which parameters produce the best mixing. Motivated by mixing of yield stress materials, for example granular media, in physical systems, we use numerical simulations of PWIs on a hemispherical shell and examine how the fat fractal properties of $E$ relate to the degree of mixing for any particular PWI. We present numerical evidence that the fractional coverage of $E$ negatively correlates with the intensity of segregation, a standard measure for the degree of mixing, which suggests that fundamental properties of $E$ such as fractional coverage can be used to predict the effectiveness of a particular PWI as a mixing mechanism.
Recurrence and survival outcomes of triple-negative breast cancer survivors disease-free at 5-years and relationship to low hormone receptor positivity (1-9% versus <1%).

1077Background: We counsel our triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients that recurrence is highest in the first 5 years after diagnosis. There is limited data with extended follow-up on frequency, characteristics, and predictors of late events. Methods: The MD Anderson database was retrospectively queried for stage I-III TNBC survivors disease-free at 5 years. TNBC was defined as estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors < 10% and HER-2/neu negative per previous guidelines. We collected demographic, tumor, treatment, and outcome data. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate yearly recurrence free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence free interval (RFI) as defined by STEEP criteria. RFI is time to recurrence without including death as an event. Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess effect of low hormone receptor positivity on outcomes. Results: 881 patients were disease free at 5 years from diagnosis with median follow-up of 8.2 years. Table 1 quantifies cumulative pr...
Concurrent Assessment of the Antinociceptive and Behaviorally Disruptive Effects of Opioids in Squirrel Monkeys.

Abstract Although the clinical application of opioids for pain management is often hindered by undesired behavioral impairment, preclinical assays of antinociception typically do not provide information regarding the behaviorally disruptive effects of opioids that may accompany their antinociceptive effects. To address this, we modified a warm water tail withdrawal procedure to determine concurrently the effects of opioids on tail withdrawal latency (antinociception) and indices of food-maintained operant behavior (rates of responding and reinforcement density) in squirrel monkeys. Six opioid agonists were tested, and all produced dose-dependent antinociception and impairment of operant behavior. The ratio of median effective dose (ED 50 ) values for both measures (behavioral impairment:antinociception) was used as a quantitative measure of therapeutic index. Nalbuphine had the highest ED 50 ratio (4.88), reflecting antinociception with minimal behavioral disruption. Oxycodone, heroin, buprenorphine, and methadone all produced similar ED 50 ratios (.82–1.14), whereas butorphanol yielded a significantly lower ED 50 ratio (.17) reflecting behavioral disruption at doses producing only minimal antinociception. The antinociceptive and behaviorally disruptive effects of oxycodone and buprenorphine were further characterized using Schild analysis to calculate apparent pA 2 values for antagonism of the 2 drugs by naltrexone. These analyses suggest that µ-receptor mechanisms likely mediate the antinociceptive as well as behaviorally disruptive effects of oxycodone (pA 2 values: 8.13 and 8.57) and buprenorphine (pA 2 values: 8.6 and 7.9). Perspective This article presents an assay that allows for the concurrent assessment of the antinociceptive and behaviorally disruptive effects of opioids. Our results show that the tail withdrawal assay in squirrel monkeys can provide a useful index of the behavioral selectivity with which opioids produce antinociception.
Effects of Marbling Texture on Muscle Fiber and Collagen Characteristics

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of marbling texture on muscle fiber morphometrics, adipocyte cross-sectional area, perimysial thickness, collagen solubility, and thermal transition temperature of perimysial collagen of beef strip loin steaks from 3 marbling scores. Beef strip loins (n = 117) were selected from three marbling scores [Top Choice (Modest00 – Moderate100 marbling), Low Choice (Small marbling), and Select (Slight marbling)] to equally represent 3 different marbling texture groups: fine, medium, and coarse, via visual appraisal. There were no marbling texture × marbling score interactions for all traits evaluated. Marbling texture impacted (P 0.05) to both coarse and fine marbled steaks for the same trait. However, marbling texture did not impact (P > 0.05) perimysial thickness. Marbling texture did not affect collagen traits, as no differences (P > 0.05) were found among marbling texture treatments for soluble collagen, insoluble collagen, and total collagen concentrations. Furthermore, all marbling texture groups (fine, medium, and coarse) were similar (P > 0.05) for the peak thermal transition phase of the perimysial fraction of collagen. Marbling score affected adipocyte size, as Top Choice and Low Choice possessed larger (P 0.05) among marbling scores for fiber type; nor were differences found among marbling textures or marbling scores for fiber cross-sectional area. These results indicate that marbling texture does not contribute to differences in collagen characteristics or fiber cross-sectional area that may impact eating quality of beef strip loin steaks.
Pluripotent stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson’s disease: Current status and future prospects

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, which affects about 0.3% of the general population. As the population in the developed world ages, this creates an escalating burden on society both in economic terms and in quality of life for these patients and for the families that support them. Although currently available pharmacological or surgical treatments may significantly improve the quality of life of many patients with PD, these are symptomatic treatments that do not slow or stop the progressive course of the disease. Because motor impairments in PD largely result from loss of midbrain dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, PD has long been considered to be one of the most promising target diseases for cell-based therapy. Indeed, numerous clinical and preclinical studies using fetal cell transplantation have provided proof of concept that cell replacement therapy may be a viable therapeutic approach for PD. However, the use of human fetal cells as a standardized therapeutic regimen has been fraught with fundamental ethical, practical, and clinical issues, prompting scientists to explore alternative cell sources. Based on groundbreaking establishments of human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, these human pluripotent stem cells have been the subject of extensive research, leading to tremendous advancement in our understanding of these novel classes of stem cells and promising great potential for regenerative medicine. In this review, we discuss the prospects and challenges of human pluripotent stem cell-based cell therapy for PD.
Evaluating the Quality of Software Quality Indicators

There has been no shortage of proposed indicators of software quality, but there has not been a good deal of confidence engendered by these indicators. Presumably this is because the proposed indicators fail to satisfy certain properties that are expected of them. But what are these properties?
Sign Language: Syntax

The study of sign language syntax can shed light on proposed universals of grammar. When the same constraints apply, it can be concluded that they are intrinsic to language. Constraints on syntactic movement do hold in sign languages as in spoken languages. In addition, sign languages fall within the range of variation shown across spoken language parameters. For example, basic word order can be SVO or SOV; and sign languages are like Chinese in their discourse orientation. The analysis of sign language syntax is thus quite consistent with the hypothesis that universal principles and limited cross-linguistic parametric variation apply across all languages.