cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model for drop coalescence in a locally isotropic turbulent flow field

The proposed model views drop coalescence in a turbulent flow field as a two-step process consisting of formation of a doublet due to drop collisions followed by coalescence of the individual droplets in a doublet due to the drainage of the intervening film of continuous phase under the action of colloidal (van der Waals and electrostatic) and random turbulent forces. The turbulent flow field was assumed to be locally isotropic. A first-passage-time analysis was employed for the random process of intervening continuous-phase film thickness between the two drops of a doublet in order to evaluate the first two moments of coalescence-time distribution of the doublet. The average drop coalescence time of the doublet was dependent on the barrier for coalescence due to the net repulsive force (net effect of colloidal repulsive and turbulent attractive forces). The predicted average drop coalescence time was found to be smaller for larger turbulent energy dissipation rates, smaller surface potentials, larger drop sizes, larger ionic strengths, and larger drop size ratios of unequal-sized drop pairs. The predicted average drop coalescence time was found to decrease whenever the ratio of average turbulent force to repulsive force barrier became larger. The calculated coalescence-time distribution was broader, with a higher standard deviation, at lower energy dissipation rates, higher surface potentials, smaller drop sizes, and smaller size ratios of unequal drop pairs. The model predictions of average coalescence-rate constants for tetradecane-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in a high-pressure homogenizer agreed fairly well with the inferred experimental values as reported by Narsimhan and Goel (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 238 (2001) 420-432) at different homogenizer pressures and SDS concentrations.
The role of technology in gifted students' motivation

Although technology by itself may not be motivating, a relationship seems to exist between the opportunities that technology presents and motivation for gifted students. When technology use aligns with authentic or “real-world” applications, motivation can be enhanced. This article explores the overlap between factors that have historically been shown to increase motivation and the unique affordances of technology tools to meet the needs of gifted and talented students. Some examples of this overlap include skills related to control and autonomy (e.g., time management, project management, and decision making about choices provided), challenge (e.g., perseverance and patience through hard work, proposing a project and following it through to completion), collaboration and cooperation (e.g., teamwork, people skills, social skills, anger management, and communication with students at other schools), curiosity (e.g., finding resources online, finding the work interesting, and learning new things), and recognition (e.g., the opportunity to communicate beyond the school walls, a “real” product). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Patient enrollment in medical trials: Selection bias in a randomized experiment

Self-selection can bias estimates of treatment effects from randomized experiments if one is interested in extrapolating results to the general population. This paper notes that there is an isomorphism between the Roy model for the sorting of workers into sectors and the decision of subjects to participate in randomized experiments. The main implication is that, as the probability of receiving active treatment rises, patients who are less optimistic about new treatment will begin to enroll and estimates of treatment effects will fall. This, in turn, implies that selection bias is positive. These findings are confirmed with data from trials of ulcer medications.
An evaluation of traffic throughput in the asynchronous UPCS bands

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has to date allocated 30 MHz of spectrum intended for unlicensed use. These bands have been designated as either asynchronous or isochronous and are aimed at offering data and connection-oriented services respectively. Both types are subject to rules which are intended to allow fair access to the radio resource for all users in the uncoordinated unlicensed environment. Due to the availability of 'free' asynchronous spectrum (that is, without significant numbers of incumbents requiring relocation) at 2390-2400 MHz, this paper concentrates on the spectrum access etiquette and its implications on the use of the asynchronous band. The Listen Before Transmit (LBT) protocol has been implemented in a computer simulation. This allows the impact of multiple users in the band all competing for the same time-spectrum windows to be studied. An assessment of the suitability of the asynchronous band for supporting voice traffic is given, in conjunction with an analysis of likely data traffic throughputs attainable in a variety of multi-user scenarios.
High voltage-activated Ca(2+) channel currents in isolectin B(4)-positive and -negative small dorsal root ganglion neurons of rats.

Abstract Voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels in the primary sensory neurons are important for neurotransmitter release and regulation of nociceptive transmission. Although multiple classes of Ca 2+ channels are expressed in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, little is known about the difference in the specific channel subtypes among the different types of DRG neurons. In this study, we determined the possible difference in high voltage-activated Ca 2+ channel currents between isolectin B 4 (IB 4 )-positive and IB 4 -negative small-sized (15–30 μm) DRG neurons. Rat DRG neurons were acutely isolated and labeled with IB 4 conjugated to a fluorescent dye. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings of barium currents flowing through calcium channels were performed on neurons with and without IB 4 . The peak current density of voltage-gated Ca 2+ currents was not significantly different between IB 4 -positive and IB 4 -negative neurons. Also, both nimodipine and ω-agatoxin IVA produced similar inhibitory effects on Ca 2+ currents in these two types of neurons. However, block of N-type Ca 2+ channels with ω-conotoxin GVIA produced a significantly greater reduction of Ca 2+ currents in IB 4 -positive than IB 4 -negative neurons. Furthermore, the IB 4 -positive neurons had a significantly smaller residual Ca 2+ currents than IB 4 -negative neurons. These data suggest that a higher density of N-type Ca 2+ channels is present in IB 4 -positive than IB 4 -negative small-sized DRG neurons. This differential expression of the subtypes of high voltage-activated Ca 2+ channels may contribute to the different function of these two classes of nociceptive neurons.
Evaluation of selected geocarposphere bacteria for biological control of Aspergillus flavus in peanut

Selected bacterial strains isolated from the region of peanut pod development (geocarposphere) and two additional bacterial strains were screened as potential biological control agents against Aspergillus flavus invasion and subsequent aflatoxin contamination of peanut in laboratory, greenhouse, and field trials. All 17 geocarposphere strains tested delayed invasion of young roots and reduced colonization by the fungus in a root-radicle assay used as a rapid laboratory prescreen. In a greenhouse study, seven bacterial strains significantly reduced pod colonization by A. flavus compared to the control. In a field trial, conducted similarly to the greenhouse assay, pods sampled at mid-peg from plants seed-treated with suspensions of either 91A-539 or 91A-550 were not colonized by A. flavus, and the incidence of pods invaded from plants treated with either 91A-539 or 91A-599 was consistently lower than nonbacterized plants at each of five sampling dates. At harvest, 8 geocarposphere bacterial strains significantly lowered the percentage of pods colonized (> 51%) compared to the control. Levels of seed colonization ranged from 1.3% to 45% and did not appear related to aflatoxin concentrations in the kernels.
Alterations in plasma volume, plasma constituents, renin activity and aldosterone induced by maximal exercise in the horse

Summary Plasma volume (PV) decreased by 13 per cent following the completion of 1,000 m of maximal exercise in the horse. This study demonstrated that the critical reduction in PV following maximal exercise occurred within 10 mins of completion of exercise, as previously reported in man. Total plasma protein (TPP) increased by 23 per cent at 2 and 5 mins, and by 21 per cent at 10 mins post exercise. Therefore, it does not appear to be an accurate measurement to assess the degree of PV contraction in the horse. Protein was apparently added to the intravascular space either during or following exercise. The changes in osmolality correlated strongly with those in sodium, which is the primary determinant of alterations in plasma tonicity. The increase in osmolality (12 per cent) was similar to the reduction in PV (13 per cent) concluding that a transient hypotonic fluid loss had occurred. The increase in plasma renin activity (PRA) following maximal exercise was followed by an increase in aldosterone (ALD) concentration in both magnitude and time course. Alterations in PV should be considered when interpreting electrolyte and serum enzyme activity data collected following maximal exercise.
On simulating primary atomization using the refined level set grid method

To simulate primary atomization, one has to track the position of the phase interface accurately, handle large numbers of topology changes and drops, treat the singular force of surface tension in an accurate and stable manner, and ensure grid-independent numerical results. To address all of these challenges we present a balanced force Rened Level Set Grid (RLSG) method for collocated, unstructured nite volume ow solver grids that can be coupled to a Lagrangian spray model. Special emphasis is placed on the accurate treatment of surface tension forces, since during the atomization of liquid jets by coaxial fast-moving gas streams, the details of the formation of small-scale drops from aerodynamically stretched out ligaments are governed by capillary forces [1]. Several dierent generic verication examples are presented, discussing the accuracy, volume preservation, and grid-convergence properties of the balanced force RLSG method.
Superparamagnetic iron oxides and low molecular weight gadolinium chelates are synergistic for direct visualization of advanced liver fibrosis.

PROGRESSIVE LIVER FIBROSIS is a major cause of morbidity and fatality in patients with chronic liver disease. Diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis is important to initiate treatment and prevent progression to cirrhosis and its complications. While the diagnosis of cirrhosis can often be made based on routine clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings, biopsy is needed to stage fibrosis before cirrhosis occurs and to diagnose early fibrosis. Moreover, in some cases of compensated
Nitric oxide-induced damage to mtDNA and its subsequent repair

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have recently been associated with a variety of human diseases. One potential DNA-damaging agent to which cells are continually exposed that could be responsible for some of these mutations is nitric oxide (NO). To date, little information has been forthcoming concerning the damage caused by this gas to mtDNA. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate damage to mtDNA induced by NO and to evaluate its subsequent repair. Normal human fibroblasts were exposed to NO produced by the rapid decomposition of 1-propanamine, 3-(2-hydroxy-2-nitroso-1-propylhydrazino) (PAPA NONOate) and the resultant damage to mtDNA was determined by quantitative Southern blot analysis. This gas was found to cause damage to mtDNA that was alkali-sensitive. Treatment of the DNA with uracil-DNA glycosylase or 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase failed to reveal additional damage, indicating that most of the lesions produced were caused by the deamination of guanine to xanthine. Studies using ligation-mediated PCR supported this finding. When a 200 bp sequence of mtDNA from cells exposed to NO was analyzed, guanine was found to be the predominantly damaged base. However, there also was damage to specific adenines. No lesions were observed at pyrimidine sites. The nucleotide pattern of damage induced by NO was different from that produced by either a reactive oxygen species generator or the methylating chemical, methylnitrosourea. Most of the lesions produced by NO were repaired rapidly. However, there appeared to be a subset of lesions which were repaired either slowly or not at all by the mitochondria.
Primary school leadership practice: How the subject matters

Teaching is a critical consideration in investigations of primary school leadership and not just as an outcome variable. Factoring in instruction as an explanatory variable in scholarship on school leadership involves moving away from views of teaching as a monolithic or unitary practice. When it comes to leadership in primary schools, the subject matters. More sophisticated constructions of teaching are necessary that take into account the subject matter (e.g. mathematics or literacy) and the dimension of teaching (e.g. content and teaching strategies). This paper explores how the practice of leadership in primary schools is structured differently depending on the school subject.
A fully polynomial-time approximation scheme for feasibility analysis in static-priority systems with arbitrary relative deadlines

Current feasibility tests for the static-priority scheduling on uniprocessors of periodic task systems run in pseudo-polynomial time. We present a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for feasibility analysis in static-priority systems with arbitrary relative deadlines. This test is an approximation with respect to the amount of a processor's capacity that must be "sacrificed" for the test to become exact. We show that an arbitrary level of accuracy, /spl epsi/, may be chosen for the approximation scheme, and present a runtime bound that is polynomial in terms of /spl epsi/ and the number of tasks, n.
Clinical course and outcome of fetuses with isolated cystic nuchal lesions and normal karyotypes detected in the first trimester

Objective: We assessed newborn outcome and infant development in cases of first-trimester fetal cystic nuchal lesion and normal karyotype. Study Design: Information regarding newborn outcomes and infant growth and development was prospectively obtained from 32 consecutive pregnancies characterized by fetal cystic nuchal lesions detected in the first trimester (≤13.9 weeks' gestation) and normal karyotypes. Results: Cystic nuchal lesions spontaneously resolved by the twentieth gestational week in 31 cases; all 31 infants had normal results at newborn examination and demonstrated normal growth and development at 12 months of age. Resolution did not occur in one case; prominent hygromas were repaired at birth with normal growth and development through 2 ½ years of age. Conclusions: In most affected fetuses with normal karyotypes, spontaneous resolution will occur with favorable newborn and infant outcomes. However, patients should be counseled that resolution may not occur or that nonchromosome abnormalities may result in a less favorable outcome.
Dental beliefs, behaviors and health status among Pacific Asians and Caucasians

Abstract A sample of 50 Caucasians and 46 Pacific Asians were asked to describe their beliefs regarding the causes and consequences of dental disease. The relation among dental beliefs, behaviors and oral health status was examined for each ethnic group. Although Caucasians had more accurate knowledge, they reported fewer health behaviors and had poorer oral health than Asians. Asians knew little about dental disease, but were motivated to maintain their teeth by a concern for esthetics, social acceptance and pain. The findings indicate that important cultural differences exist in dental behaviors, and are related to knowledge and motives.
Law and the Cultural Production of Race and Racialized Systems of Oppression: Early American Court Cases

America, to the extent that it is a nation of laws, must be understood within the context of these laws. Unfortunately, these laws have not always conformed to the ideals associated with the princi...
Stress, inflammation and cardiovascular disease

Various psychosocial factors have been implicated in the etiology and pathogenesis of certain cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, now considered to be the result of a chronic inflammatory process. In this article, we review the evidence that repeated episodes of acute psychological stress, or chronic psychologic stress, may induce a chronic inflammatory process culminating in atherosclerosis. These inflammatory events, caused by stress, may account for the approximately 40% of atherosclerotic patients with no other known risk factors. Stress, by activating the sympathetic nervous system, the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, and the renin-angiotensin system, causes the release of various stress hormones such as catecholamines, corticosteroids, glucagon, growth hormone, and renin, and elevated levels of homocysteine, which induce a heightened state of cardiovascular activity, injured endothelium, and induction of adhesion molecules on endothelial cells to which recruited inflammatory cells adhere and translocate to the arterial wall. An acute phase response (APR), similar to that associated with inflammation, is also engendered, which is characterized by macrophage activation, the production of cytokines, other inflammatory mediators, acute phase proteins (APPs), and mast cell activation, all of which promote the inflammatory process. Stress also induces an atherosclerotic lipid profile with oxidation of lipids and, if chronic, a hypercoagulable state that may result in arterial thromboses. Shedding of adhesion molecules and the appearance of cytokines, and APPs in the blood are early indicators of a stress-induced APR, may appear in the blood of asymptomatic people, and be predictors of future cardiovascular disease. The inflammatory response is contained within the stress response, which evolved later and is adaptive in that an animal may be better able to react to an organism introduced during combat. The argument is made that humans reacting to stressors, which are not life-threatening but are "perceived" as such, mount similar stress/inflammatory responses in the arteries, and which, if repetitive or chronic, may culminate in atherosclerosis.
Using the FORE-SCE model to project land-cover change in the southeastern United States

A wide variety of ecological applications require spatially explicit current and projected land-use and land-cover data. The southeastern United States has experienced massive land-use change since European settlement and continues to experience extremely high rates of forest cutting, significant urban development, and changes in agricultural land use. Forest-cover patterns and structure are projected to change dramatically in the southeastern United States in the next 50 years due to population growth and demand for wood products [Wear, D.N., Greis, J.G. (Eds.), 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment. General Technical Report SRS-53. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC, 635 pp]. Along with our climate partners, we are examining the potential effects of southeastern U.S. land-cover change on regional climate. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Trends project is analyzing contemporary (1973–2000) land-cover change in the conterminous United States, providing ecoregion-by-ecoregion estimates of the rates of change, descriptive transition matrices, and changes in landscape metrics. The FORecasting SCEnarios of future land-cover (FORE-SCE) model used Land Cover Trends data and theoretical, statistical, and deterministic modeling techniques to project future land-cover change through 2050 for the southeastern United States. Prescriptions for future proportions of land cover for this application were provided by ecoregion-based extrapolations of historical change. Logistic regression was used to develop relationships between suspected drivers of land-cover change and land cover, resulting in the development of probability-of-occurrence surfaces for each unique land-cover type. Forest stand age was initially established with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data and tracked through model iterations. The spatial allocation procedure placed patches of new land cover on the landscape until the scenario prescriptions were met, using measured Land Cover Trends data to guide patch characteristics and the probability surfaces to guide placement. The approach provides an efficient method for extrapolating historical land-cover trends and is amenable to the incorporation of more detailed and focused studies for the establishment of scenario prescriptions.
Justice as Measure of Nongovernmental Organization Success in Postdisaster Community Assistance

Through exploring multiple contemporary conceptions of justice, this article illustrates that justice matters when considering outcomes in nongovernmental organization (NGO) assistance. In environm...
FPGA architecture for pairwise statistical significance estimation

Sequence comparison is one of the most fundamental computational problems in bioinformatics. Pairwise sequence alignment methods align two sequences using a substitution matrix consisting of pairwise scores of aligning different residues with each other like BLOSUM62, and give an alignment score for the given sequence-pair. This work addresses the problem of accurately estimating statistical significance of pairwise alignment for the purpose of identifying related sequences, by making the sequence comparison process more sequence-specific. Specifically, we develop algorithms for sequence-specific strategies for hardware acceleration of pairwise sequence alignment in conjunction with statistical significance estimation. Using pairwise statistical significance has been shown to give better retrieval accuracy compared to database statistical significance reported by popular database search programmes like BLAST and PSI-BLAST. We provide a 'flexible array' hardware architecture which provides a scalable systolic array suitable for both long and short sequences. The results with Xtremedata XD1000 FPGA platform show a speed-up by up to a factor of more than 200.
Quantifying Toxicity and Verbal Violence on Twitter

Online harassment is a continuing problem, endemic to many social media platforms and other means of web-based communications, and few means exist to analyze web content for instances of verbal violence and aggression. We are developing a scale of online aggression that can be applied to Twitter posts (tweets) and that is based on existing measures of trait aggression and cyberbullying. For the purpose of testing and validating our scale, we are relying on Mechanical Turk, an Amazon Web Service, through which we can enlist and pay workers to code our dataset of tweets. Preliminary results suggest that aggression in tweets is difficult for human coders to identify and that we have not reached consensus about what constitutes harassment online. We discuss our preliminary results and propose next steps such as scale modification and automated classifier development.
Changing diagnostic practices: autism spectrum disorder

In medical practice it is crucial that symptom descriptions are as precise and objective as possible, which psychiatry attempts to achieve through its psychopathological lexicon. The term ‘autism spectrum disorder’ has now entered psychiatric nosology, but the symptom definitions on which it is based are not robust, potentially making reliable and valid diagnoses a problem. This is further compounded by the spectral nature of the disorder and its lack of clear diagnostic boundaries. To overcome this, there is a need for a psychopathological lexicon of ‘social cognition’ and a classification system that splits rather than lumps disorders with core difficulties in social interaction.
Control approach development for variable recruitment artificial muscles

This study characterizes hybrid control approaches for the variable recruitment of fluidic artificial muscles with double acting (antagonistic) actuation. Fluidic artificial muscle actuators have been explored by researchers due to their natural compliance, high force-to-weight ratio, and low cost of fabrication. Previous studies have attempted to improve system efficiency of the actuators through variable recruitment, i.e. using discrete changes in the number of active actuators. While current variable recruitment research utilizes manual valve switching, this paper details the current development of an online variable recruitment control scheme. By continuously controlling applied pressure and discretely controlling the number of active actuators, operation in the lowest possible recruitment state is ensured and working fluid consumption is minimized. Results provide insight into switching control scheme effects on working fluids, fabrication material choices, actuator modeling, and controller development decisions.
Management and control of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB): Addressing policy needs for India

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) challenges TB control efforts because of delays in diagnosis plus its long-term treatment which has toxic effects. Of TB high-incidence countries, India carries the highest burden of MDR-TB cases. We describe policy issues in India concerning MDR-TB diagnosis and management in a careful review of the literature including a systematic review of studies on the prevalence of MDR-TB. Of 995 articles published during 2001–2016 and retrieved from the PubMed, only 20 provided data on the population prevalence of MDR-TB. We further reviewed and describe diagnostic criteria and treatment algorithms in use and endorsed by the Revised National TB Control Program of India. We discuss problems encountered in treating MDR-TB patients with standardized regimens. Finally, we provide realistic suggestions for policymakers and program planners to improve the management and control of MDR-TB in India.
Immune response modification : Imiquimod

Imiquimod is 1-(2-methylpropyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine and has a molecular formula of C 14 H 16 N 4 . It was discovered by researchers at 3M Phannaceuticals (St Paul, MN, USA) and is the newest in a class of drugs known as immune response modifiers, Imiquimod 5% cream has been formulated for the treatment of external genital and perianal warts (condylomata acuminata) in male and female patients. Each gram of 5% cream contains 50 mg of imiquimod. In preclinical studies, imiquimod induced the production of cytokines, the principal one for antiviral activity being interferon-α. Imiquimod does not induce direct antiviral activity, nor does it cause direct, non-specific cytolytic destruction. Preclinical studies suggest that its antiviral action results from in vivo cytokine-induced activation of the immune system, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate this hypothesis has been previously presented. The results of the study showed that wart regression after treatment with imiquimod is strongly correlated with a decrease in virally infected cells and with increases in the expression of a spectrum of cytokines. This supports the hypothesis that stimulation of local cytokines by imiquimod leads to a reduction of human papillomavirus load and wart regression, without evidence of scarring.
Alexia Without Agraphia: A Functional Assessment of Behavior in Focal Neurologic Disease

A functional approach to the assessment of alexia without agraphia emphasizes the systematic presentation of reading tasks so that deficits are defined in terms of explicit stimulus conditions and response modalities. We propose that brain-reading correlations cannot depend solely upon the measurement of the disordered skill, but become understandable only in the context of an overall evaluation of reading abilities. The results of a case study using an equivalence-class analysis illustrate the ambiguities associated with the traditional terms alexia and reading.
Exploring the Nature of Compensation Strategies in Individuals With Dyslexia

Some individuals with developmental dyslexia are able to acquire age-appropriate reading comprehension abilities by the time they reach postsecondary education. This study explored the role that st...
Individual- and School-Level Factors Related to School-Based Salad Bar Use Among Children and Adolescents.

Background. Consumption levels of fruits and vegetables (F/V) among children/adolescents are low. Programs like school-based salad bars (SB) provide children/adolescents increased F/V access. Aims. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between SB use and individual and school-level factors among elementary and secondary school students in New Orleans public schools. Method. Twelve schools receiving SB units from the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools Campaign participated in this study. Self-reported data were collected from students (n = 1,012), administrators (n = 12), and food service staff (n = 37). School environmental data were obtained through direct observation. Generalized estimating equation regression methods were used to develop a multilevel model including both school-level (e.g., length of lunchtime, SB marketing, vending machines) and individual-level (e.g., sex, food preferences, nutrition knowledge) effects. Results. Female students had higher odds of using the SB compar...
Coastal Access Equity and the Implementation of the California Coastal Act

The California Coastal Act, passed in 1976, protects public coastal access for all Californians. In the forty years since the Act’s passage, the state’s population has nearly doubled with much of that growth occurring in the coastal zone, where the beaches and public trust shoreline are an important natural, open space resource. As such, they are beneficial to individual and community well-being. Inequities in access to nature (and other beneficial resources) are increasingly common. In this study, we evaluate and map the proximity of different demographic groups to public shoreline access points on California’s coast. In so doing, we identify disparities in the availability of coastal access opportunities to different groups and show that, in general, wealthy, white, senior residents of California live closer to coastal access than other groups, while populous minority groups are significantly underrepresented in terms of their proximity to coastal access points. We discuss these findings in light of environmental change (e.g., sea level rise) and responses to such changes (e.g., shoreline armoring), combined with social factors (e.g., continued population growth) and policy responses to such changes (e.g., climate adaptation planning). Our analyses set the stage for further place-based study of disparities in public coastal access, including their impacts on specific populations, as well as mechanisms intrinsic to the Coastal Act for increasing coastal access equity in California through the Act’s next forty years.
AfnP-Colloquium am 01.04.2017 von 10:00–15:30 Uhr

Die Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur nephrologisches Personal e. V. ladt Sie herzlich zum „Colloquium – Geschichte in der Dialyse“ nach Furth ein. Die Veran staltung am 01.04.2017 von 10:00–15:30 Uhr und findet in Kooperation und in Zusammenarbeit mit der WBS- Ulm statt.
A Game Theoretic Approach to Network Reliability Assessment

This paper evaluates the network reliability from a game theory perspective. We formulate a network game consisting of two players—router and attacker, where the router seeks to minimize his total expected trip cost, while the attacker attempts to maximize the expected trip cost by undermining some of the network links. Each link has a probabilistic cost in accordance with its state (normal or damaged). Two different scenarios are considered: link cost independent of the flow and link cost dependent on the flow. We are interested in the link use and damage probabilities at system equilibrium for both cases, and these probabilities are derived in a four-step procedure. First, for the router, Dijkstra and the Frank–Wolfe (FW) algorithms are used to optimize his strategy under the two scenarios, respectively. Second, we model the attacker's problem as a constrained optimization problem, in which all the decision variables are binary. A probabilistic solution discovery algorithm (PSDA) is integrated with stochastic ranking to determine the attacker's optimal strategy. Third, we leverage the Method of Successive Averages (MSA) to approximate the router's link use probabilities and attacker's link damage probabilities at the mixed Nash equilibrium of the game. Finally, given the router's probability of traveling through each link and attacker's probability of undermining each link, we use Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS) to estimate the network reliability as the router arriving the destination node within a prescribed time. Two numerical examples are used to illustrate the procedures and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Universal eigenstate entanglement of chaotic local Hamiltonians

Abstract In systems governed by “chaotic” local Hamiltonians, we conjecture the universality of eigenstate entanglement (defined as the average entanglement entropy of all eigenstates) by proposing an exact formula for its dependence on the subsystem size. This formula is derived from an analytical argument based on a plausible assumption, and is supported by numerical simulations.
Secure NoSQL Based Medical Data Processing and Retrieval: The Exposome Project

The transdisciplinary big data medical research of the Exposome project discussed in this paper can be best described by the old adage 'Finding a needle in a haystack', in this case, of Excel .csv or other types of disparate files from various service providers, such as the US Census Bureau and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Exposome project aims to bring together such data files from different sources to draw previously unknown insights into medical and other types of issues, such as cardiovascular disease and infant mortality. Data from these and other providers, however, continues to grow with new data added frequently; so, the process of finding the correct or desired data is a quite cumbersome and time-consuming task. The data may also be unstructured causing relational databases to be less optimal for handling and processing such enormous data volumes. Thus, NoSQL databases offer a promising means to organize and allow parallel access to the data as presented in this paper. The aim is to provide a retrieval system that deals with disparate files and unstructured data while providing an easy and efficient solution for data selection to the researchers. The paper discusses various processes that can be used and optimized to eliminate critical challenges haunting big data processing. The key features of the system include: auto data dictionary creation, conflict resolution, null data handling, and an assistive user interface.
Laser Vaporization of Clean and CO-Covered Polycrystalline Copper Surfaces

Data and results of experiments on the ablation of clean and CO-covered polycrystalline copper surfaces by 248 nm KrF excimer laser pulses of moderate peak power densities (300 MW/cm2 − 1 GW/cm2) are presented. Temperatures of the vaporized copper species were determined from velocity distributions obtained by real time resolved quadrupole mass spectrometry. It was found that the temperatures of neutral copper species (22000 K – 27000 K) in the vapor were significantly higher than the boiling point of copper (2855 K), even near the vaporization threshold for clean polycrystalline copper (300 MW/cm2). Submonolayer coverages of CO on the copper surfaces caused a significant increase in the vaporization threshold absorbed laser power density (> 400 MW/cm2).
Brain Evolution: Developmental Constraints and Relative Developmental Growth

published by Elsevier, and the attached copy is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for non-commercial research and educational use including without limitation use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who you know, and providing a copy to your institution’s administrator. All other uses, reproduction and distribution, including without limitation commercial reprints, selling or licensing copies or access, or posting on open internet sites, your personal or institution’s website or repository, are prohibited. For exceptions, permission may be sought for such use through Elsevier's permissions site at: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/permissionusematerial Finlay B L (2009) Brain Evolution: Developmental Constraints and Relative Developmental Growth. In: Squire LR (ed.) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, volume 2, pp. 337-345. Oxford: Academic Press.
The Influences of Family and Place on Rural Adolescents’ Educational Aspirations and Post-secondary Enrollment

Despite the large contingent of students living in rural areas, existing research on the processes that precede the college enrollment of rural adolescents is limited. With a particular focus on gender, this study investigated rural adolescents’ perceptions of family and place and how these perceptions related to their educational aspirations and subsequent college enrollment using a nationwide sample of rural adolescents (N = 3456; 52.5% female). Female adolescents reported higher academic achievement, educational aspirations, parental expectations, and family responsibility and enrolled in two-year and four-year institutions at greater rates compared to male adolescents, who reported significantly higher rural identity and perceptions of job opportunities in the rural community. Utilizing a multiple group moderated mediation approach, the results provided evidence that adolescents’ increased perceptions of their parents’ educational expectations were associated with increased educational aspirations and college enrollment and that adolescents’ increased perceptions of job opportunities in their rural community were associated with decreased educational aspirations. In addition, the results showed that gender moderated the relation between perceptions of job opportunities in the rural community and postsecondary enrollment. These findings highlight how the developmental resources of family and place relate to adolescents’ educational aspirations and subsequent postsecondary enrollment.
Application of Optimal Control Strategy to Hybrid Microwave and Radiant Heat Freeze Drying System

The time-optimal control algorithm taking into consideration the bounds on control and state variables is applied to microwave freeze drying system. A general unsteady state mathematical model with time variant transport and dielectric properties is formulated as a stage wise operation problem. Microwave power, radiator temperature, water vapor pressure and air pressure are considered controllable. Constraints are set to avoid scorching, melting and gas breakdown. All control variables are kept constant during each stage.
Industrial policy measure and economic structure in Ethiopia: the case of Oromia region

The industrial policy measure is an engine for the acceleration of structural transformation in the economy. The structural transformation in the economy is achieved by increasing the share of output, total employment and resource productivity in industry and decreasing the share of the total employment in agriculture. This study measures the effects of industrial policy measure on structural transformation of the economy of the Oromia region. This analysis is on a basis of the surveys of Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia, Oromia Finance and Economic Development Bureau, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and other institutions. Computable General Equilibrium models, which are on a basis of Social Accounting Matrix, are applied to evaluate the effects of industrial policy measure on structural transformation. The finding indicates that the value-added share of agriculture decreases from 69.09 to 60.72%. The intervention increases the value-added share of the industrial sector from 9.42 to 15.63% in the regional economy. It decreases the share of agricultural commodities in exports and increases the share of industrial products in exports. The finding advises government to implement industrial policy measure to reduce the share of agriculture in total employment, indicating economic growth.
Control of Deep Currents on Sediment and Cold-Water Coral Distribution on the Northern Manihiki Plateau

High-definition video surveys of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives from the NOAA’s Mountains in the Deep 2017 expedition (EX1705) cruise along volcanic ridges and seamounts of the Manihiki Plateau coupled with multibeam bathymetry data and water column profiles, reveal no or minimal sediment cover on the basaltic edifice, but variable amounts of cold-water corals on ferromanganese-encrusted basaltic rocks. Coarse sediment, however, accumulates in crevasses and sedimentary ripples testify the existence of currents in the area. Collectively, these observations illustrate the strong influence of deep currents on the surficial geology and cold-water coral distribution at ~2,000 m water depths. Dive transects along two basaltic seamounts show stark differences of sedimentary features and cold-water coral distribution. On the ridges of “Te Kawhiti” (water depth: 2,089-2,220 m), basaltic slabs, and cold-water corals are far more abundant in comparison to the slope of a mesa in “Te Tuku” (water depth: 2,440-2,495 m). The increased abundance on “Te Kawhiti” is due to the exposure of “Te Kawhiti” to Lower Circumpolar Deep Water that sweeps the summit of the ridges as indicated by frequent ripples observed in between the basaltic rocks. The currents are strong enough to sweep fine-grained sediments away, leaving coarse-grained sediments behind, inducing the formation of ferromanganese crust on the basaltic rocks. Both dive sites are below the high-Mg calcite saturation horizon, and as a result, the cold-water coral community is dominated by Isididae, which can build a high-Mg calcite skeleton in water undersaturated in regards to high-Mg calcite
Polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescence: Toward a better diagnosis and treatment

Abstract This review explores the key diagnostic and management challenges addressing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescence. Specifically, it explores the need for a diagnostic framework unique to adolescence, explores the challenge of discerning normal pubertal physiology from pathophysiology, examines predisposing factors for PCOS and long-term sequelae of the disorder, and explores possible treatment options. The publication of the international guidelines provided significant clarification and guidance regarding diagnostic criteria for PCOS in adolescence. Furthermore, recent publications have examined the effects of in utero androgen exposure in the offspring of women with PCOS, with the goal of identifying a biomarker to identify children at risk of developing PCOS. The diagnostic challenges of PCOS lie in the overlap between the core diagnostic criteria and the normal physiologic changes that underpin the pubertal transition in adolescents. Given the sequelae of PCOS, the need for appropriate diagnosis and surveillance of young women is critical.
A Note on Technical Change, Skill Formation, and Economic Instability*

Skill formation in advanced capitalism is a theme that has long been the subject of economic theory. The contention here is that neither the orthodoxy nor heterodoxy allows for a consistent theory ...
Spain vs. Catalonia: normalizing democracy through police intervention

On October 1st, 2017 the Spanish government deployed the police in Catalonia to prevent people from voting in what the Spanish government considered an “illegal” referendum. The police actions resu...
The Lived Experiences of Persons With Ostomies Attending a Support Group: A Qualitative Study.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of patients with ostomies participating in a support group. DESIGN Qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological study. SUBJECT AND SETTING Fifteen adults with different types of ostomies were recruited from support groups in the state of Georgia. METHODS Semistructured interviews were digitally audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analyses of data were performed using Parse's 5-step thematic analysis. RESULTS Four major themes and 10 subthemes emerged from the interviews: (1) theme 1-support group gives hope and changes lives, with 2 subthemes of increased knowledge and provided new knowledge and allows open communication; (2) theme 2-changes in body image had 2 subthemes, some things are different and everyone is the same; (3) theme 3-I am not alone resulted in 4 subthemes of feeling of belonging, willingness to be helped, being supported, and developing lifelong relationships; and (4) theme 4-being independent manifested 2 subthemes including confidence in rejoining society, and building confidence and decreased shame. CONCLUSION We found that participation in an ostomy support group allowed individuals with ostomies to function at more advanced levels than they were before participating in the support group. The lived experiences were characterized by hope, willingness to live fully again, participating in different activities, and making new friends. Participants shared their positive experiences with others who were experiencing the same problems they once experienced. These findings add to and support the body of knowledge related to the interactions between nurses and individuals with ostomies as well as the care needed to ensure a safe discharge from the acute care facility. New knowledge gained may help in the improvement of the education provided during hospitalization. Providing this information will equip patients and families with a better understanding of and methods to care for their new ostomies and develop an acceptance of their new health status.