cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-field millimeter-wave imaging for weapons detection

Various millimeter-wave imaging systems capable of imaging through clothing for the detection of contraband metal, plastic, or ceramic weapons, have been developed at PNL. Two dimensional scanned holographic systems, developed at 35, 90, and 350 GHz, are used to obtain high resolution images of metal and plastic targets concealed by clothing. Coherent single-frequency amplitude and phase data, which is gathered over a two-dimensional scanned aperture, is reconstructed to the target plane using a holographic wavefront reconstruction technique. Practical weapon detection systems require high-speed scanning. To achieve this goal, a 35 GHz linear sequentially switched array has been built and integrated into a high speed linear scanner. This system poses special challenges on calibration/signal processing of the holographic system. Further, significant improvements in speed are required to achieve real time operation. Toward this goal, a wideband scanned system which allows for a two- dimensional image formation from a one-dimensional scanned (or array) system has been developed. Signal/image processing techniques developed and implemented for this technique are a variation on conventional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques which eliminate far- field and narrow-bandwidth requirements. Performance of this technique is demonstrated with imaging results obtained from a Ka-band system.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Management of status epilepticus

Abstract Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a neurological emergency. It can be the brain's response to a variety of acute cerebral insults, or a complication of chronic neurological conditions. Management focuses on maintaining vital functions, stopping the seizure and identifying and treating the underlying cause. Morbidity and mortality have improved over recent years, probably because of more aggressive use of anti-convulsant medication in the acute phase and improved paediatric emergency and intensive care. Neurological sequelae are cause- and age-dependent. The highest morbidity and mortality is seen in the group of children with symptomatic CSE. More accurate epidemiological data is now being gathered on CSE in children, which has refined our understanding of the problem. Much work has gone into the development of evidence-based national guidelines on the optimal management in children, and new evidence from both epidemiological studies and the Cochrane review are informing improvements to the guidelines.
Control of Vestibular Toxic Effects of Streptomycin by Dramamine

From the above, it is our opinion that dramamine is a useful drug in the symptomatic relief of the dizziness which is encountered during streptomycin therapy. Further investigation may reveal that this drug may prevent the toxic effects of streptomycin on the vestibular apparatus.
Empirical use of imipenem as the sole antibiotic in the treatment of serious infections

Seventy-three patients with eighty-five infections were treated with imipenem as the sole antimicrobial agent. Some of these infections were caused by pseudomonads and enterococci resistant to other cephalosporins. The vast majority of the Gram-positive and the Gram-negative bacteria that were isolated had a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of less than 1 mg/l, and all MICs for initial isolates were below the levels of imipenem that were achieved in plasma and other body fluids with a dose of 500 mg every 6 h. The outcomes of 67 infectious episodes were satisfactory, four outcomes were failures and 14 were not evaluable. During the two years of this study, only a few strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa emerged which were resistant to imipenem.
The kernel of a derivation

Let K be a field of characteristic 0. Nagata and Nowicki have shown that the kernel of a derivation on K[X1,…,Xn] is of finite type over K if n≤3. We construct a derivation of a polynomial ring in 32 variables which kernel is not of finite type over K. Furthermore we show that for every field extension L over K of finite transcendence degree, every intermediate field which is algebraically closed in L is the kernel of a K-derivation of L.
Integrating mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is a highly heterogeneous and lethal pathological process with limited therapeutic options. Although research on the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis has frequently focused on the mechanisms that regulate the proliferation, activation, and differentiation of collagen-secreting myofibroblasts, recent studies have identified new pathogenic mechanisms that are critically involved in the initiation and progression of fibrosis in a variety of settings. A more detailed and integrated understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis could help pave the way for effective therapeutics for this devastating and complex disease.
Oculomotor reaction time in dementia reflects degree of cerebral dysfunction

The effects of diffuse cerebral dysfunction on oculomotor reaction time were assessed in patients with dementia of presumed Alzheimer's etiology and in normal age-matched control subjects. Patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe groups on the basis of independent neurological, neuropsychological, and neuroradiological ratings for disease severity. Saccadic latencies to targets appearing in parafoveal and near peripheral vision showed significant increases from the normal controls to dementia groups, with each severity subdivision clearly differentiated from the others in terms of mean oculomotor reaction time. These data offer strong evidence for a direct relationship between degree of cortical structural integrity and simple oculomotor reaction time and suggest a higher cortical regulatory role in sensory-motor integration.
High-Throughput Methods for Culturing Microorganisms in Very-Low-Nutrient Media Yield Diverse New Marine Isolates

Microbial diversity studies based on the cloning and sequencing of DNA from nature support the conclusion that only a fraction of the microbial diversity is currently represented in culture collections. Out of over 40 known prokaryotic phyla, only half have cultured representatives. In an effort to culture the uncultured phylotypes from oligotrophic marine ecosystems, we developed high-throughput culturing procedures that utilize the concept of extinction culturing to isolate cultures in small volumes of low-nutrient media. In these experiments, marine bacteria were isolated and cultivated at in situ substrate concentrations—typically 3 orders of magnitude less than common laboratory media. Microtiter plates and a newly developed procedure for making cell arrays were employed to raise the throughput rate and lower detection sensitivity, permitting cell enumeration from 200-μl aliquots of cultures with densities as low as 103 cells/ml. Approximately 2,500 extinction cultures from 11 separate samplings of marine bacterioplankton were screened over the course of 3 years. Up to 14% of the cells collected from coastal seawater were cultured by this method, which was 14- to 1,400-fold higher than the numbers obtained by traditional microbiological culturing techniques. Among the microorganisms cultured were four unique cell lineages that belong to previously uncultured or undescribed marine Proteobacteria clades known from environmental gene cloning studies. These cultures are related to the clades SAR11 (α subclass), OM43 (β subclass), SAR92 (γ subclass), and OM60/OM241 (γ subclass). This method proved successful for the cultivation of previously uncultured marine bacterioplankton that have consistently been found in marine clone libraries.
Computing in Operations Research using Julia

The state of numerical computing is currently characterized by a divide between highly efficient yet typically cumbersome low-level languages such as C, C++, and Fortran and highly expressive yet typically slow high-level languages such as Python and MATLAB. This paper explores how Julia, a modern programming language for numerical computing that claims to bridge this divide by incorporating recent advances in language and compiler design (such as just-in-time compilation), can be used for implementing software and algorithms fundamental to the field of operations research, with a focus on mathematical optimization. In particular, we demonstrate algebraic modeling for linear and nonlinear optimization and a partial implementation of a practical simplex code. Extensive cross-language benchmarks suggest that Julia is capable of obtaining state-of-the-art performance. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2014.0623.
Sexual expression following spinal cord injury.

Sexual adjustment, defined within this study as post-injury sexual views of the self, among 109 men and 86 women with spinal cord injury (SCI) was explored through cognitive adaptation theory [30]. It was predicted that cognitive adaptation constructs (i.e., personal control, optimism, meaning, and self-esteem) and sexual self-esteem would be predictive of sexual adjustment. It was also hypothesized that sexual self-esteem would be predictive of sexual adjustment over and above cognitive adaptation constructs. A series of hierarchical regression models were performed with results being consistent with proposed hypotheses. Implications for rehabilitation professionals are discussed and clinical suggestions are provided.
Uncertainty and the Avoidance of the State of One's Family in Stepfamilies, Postdivorce Single‐Parent Families, and First‐Marriage Families

The current study tested the applicability of uncertainty management theory (URT; Berger & Calabrese, 1975) to information-regulation efforts in families with comparatively different uncertainty levels. Differences in uncertainty and avoidance for parents within the various family types are also discussed. In general, the findings lend further support for URT (e.g., Brashers, 2001) which suggests that in certain situations, such as that of postdivorce family life, individuals may prefer to maintain their uncertainty through avoidance. Contrary to what URT suggests, the association between uncertainty about one's family relationships and the avoidance of the state of one's family was positive and linear for adolescents and young adults in stepfamilies and postdivorce, single-parent families. For first-marriage families, however, this association was curvilinear in nature. Unexpectedly, closeness with one's parents or stepparents did not moderate this association for any of the family types. Nevertheless, satisfaction with one's parents was a moderator for children in first-marriage families. The degree of uncertainty in stepfamilies was also a function of the length of time in the stepfamily, but avoidance was not.
Prenatal stress, moderate fetal alcohol, and dopamine system function in rhesus monkeys.

This study examined the striatal dopamine system integrity and associated behavior in 5- to 7-year-old rhesus monkeys born from mothers that experienced stress and/or consumed moderate levels of alcohol during pregnancy. Thirty-one young adult rhesus monkeys were derived from females randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) control group that consumed isocaloric sucrose solution throughout gestation; (2) stress group that experienced prenatal stress (10-min removal from home cage and exposure to three random loud noise bursts, gestational days 90 through 145); (3) alcohol group that consumed alcohol (0.6 g/kg/day) throughout gestation; or (4) combined alcohol plus stress group that received both treatments. The subjects were assessed for striatal dopamine system function using positron emission tomography (PET), in which the dopamine (DA)-rich striatum was evaluated in separate scans for the trapping of [ 18 F]-Fallypride (FAL) and 6-[ 18 F]fluoro-mtyrosine (FMT) to assess dopamine D2 receptor binding potential (BP) and DA synthesis via dopa decarboxylase activity, respectively. Subjects were previously assessed for non-matching-to-sample (NMS) task acquisition, with ratings of behavioral inhibition, stereotypies, and activity made after each NMS testing session. Subjects from prenatal stress conditions (Groups 2 and 4) showed an increase in the ratio of striatal dopamine D2 receptor BP and DA synthesis compared to controls (Group 1). An increase in the radiotracer distribution volume ratios (DVRs), which is used to evaluate the balance between striatal DA synthesis and receptor availability, respectively, was significantly correlated with less behavioral inhibition. The latter supports a hypothesis linking striatal function to behavioral inhibitory control.
Exploring protein fitness landscapes by directed evolution

Directed evolution circumvents our profound ignorance of how a protein's sequence encodes its function by using iterative rounds of random mutation and artificial selection to discover new and useful proteins. Proteins can be tuned to adapt to new functions or environments by simple adaptive walks involving small numbers of mutations. Directed evolution studies have shown how rapidly some proteins can evolve under strong selection pressures and, because the entire 'fossil record' of evolutionary intermediates is available for detailed study, they have provided new insight into the relationship between sequence and function. Directed evolution has also shown how mutations that are functionally neutral can set the stage for further adaptation.
A histological study of the glandular hairs of Lophanthus anisatus Benth.

Results of a study of the morphological development of the glandular hairs of Lophanthus anisatus are presented. Microphoto-graphs illustrate the steps in the cell division which lead from a single epidermal cell to the mature eight or more celled volatile oil-producing glandular hair. Tissue tests demonstrate that cutin and pectic materials are present in the outer wall of the glandular hairs.
Quantifying the Role of Internal Climate Variability in Future Climate Trends

AbstractInternal variability in the climate system gives rise to large uncertainty in projections of future climate. The uncertainty in future climate due to internal climate variability can be estimated from large ensembles of climate change simulations in which the experiment setup is the same from one ensemble member to the next but for small perturbations in the initial atmospheric state. However, large ensembles are invariably computationally expensive and susceptible to model bias.Here the authors outline an alternative approach for assessing the role of internal variability in future climate based on a simple analytic model and the statistics of the unforced climate variability. The analytic model is derived from the standard error of the regression and assumes that the statistics of the internal variability are roughly Gaussian and stationary in time. When applied to the statistics of an unforced control simulation, the analytic model provides a remarkably robust estimate of the uncertainty in fut...
Case report - oesophageal anastomotic leak complicated by bilateral empyemas: non-operative management by an interventional radiology service

SummaryComplicated oesophageal perforation is considered a life-threatening surgical emergency for which open thoracotomy and primary repair are indicated. However, several reports of successful conservative management consisting of non-operative drainage exist in the literature. The various imaging modalities and catheter techniques available through an interventional radiology service make interventional radiologists ideally suited for management of this complex problem. We present a case successfully managed by image-guided catheter placement and manipulations.
Vegetation-zonation patterns across a temperate mountain cloud forest ecotone are not explained by variation in hydraulic functioning or water relations

Many studies have demonstrated linkages between the occurrence of fog and ecophysiological functioning in cloud forests, but few have investigated hydraulic functioning as a determining factor that explains sharp changes in vegetation. The objective of this study was to compare the plant water status during cloud-immersed and non-immersed conditions and hydraulic vulnerability in branches and roots of species across a temperate, mountain fog ecotone. Because cloud forests are often dark, cool and very moist, we expected cloud forest species to have less drought-tolerant characteristics (i.e., lower Pe and P50—the pressures required to induce a 12 and 50% loss in hydraulic conductivity, respectively) relative to non-cloud forest species in adjacent (lower elevation) forests. Additionally, due to the ability of cloud forest species to absorb cloud-fog water, we predicted greater improvements in hydraulic functioning during fog in cloud forest species relative to non-cloud forest species. Across the cloud forest ecotone, most species measured were very resistant to losses in conductivity with branch P50 values from −4.5 to −6.0 MP a, hydraulic safety margins (Ψmin − P50) >1.5 MP a and low calculated hydraulic conductivity losses. Roots had greater vulnerabilities, with P50 values ranging from −1.4 to −2.5 MP a, leading to greater predicted losses in conductivity (∼20%). Calculated values suggested strong losses of midday leaf hydraulic conductance in three of the four species, supporting the hydraulic segmentation hypothesis. In both cloud forest and hardwood species, Ψs were greater on foggy days than sunny days, demonstrating the importance of fog periods to plant water balance across fog regimes. Thus, frequent fog did not result in systemic changes in hydraulic functioning or vulnerability to embolism across our temperate cloud forest ecotone. Finally, roots functioned with lower hydraulic conductivity than branches, suggesting that they may serve as more sensitive indicators of hydraulic functioning in these mesic, foggy ecosystems.
Quantile-Function Based Null Distribution in Resampling Based Multiple Testing

Simultaneously testing a collection of null hypotheses about a data generating distribution based on a sample of independent and identically distributed observations is a fundamental and important statistical problem involving many applications. Methods based on marginal null distributions (i.e., marginal p-values) are attractive since the marginal p-values can be based on a user supplied choice of marginal null distributions and they are computationally trivial, but they, by necessity, are known to either be conservative or to rely on assumptions about the dependence structure between the test-statistics. Re-sampling based multiple testing (Westfall and Young, 1993) involves sampling from a joint null distribution of the test-statistics, and controlling (possibly in a, for example, step-down fashion) the user supplied type-I error rate under this joint null distribution for the test-statistics. A generally asymptotically valid null distribution avoiding the need for the subset pivotality condition for the vector of test-statistics was proposed in Pollard, van der Laan (2003) for null hypotheses about general real valued parameters. This null distribution was generalized in Dudoit, vanderLaan, Pollard (2004) to general null hypotheses and test-statistics. In ongoing recent work van der Laan, Hubbard (2005), we propose a new generally asymptotically valid null distribution for the test-statistics and a corresponding bootstrap estimate, whose marginal distributions are user supplied, and can thus be set equal to the (most powerful) marginal null distributions one would use in univariate testing to obtain a p-value. Previous proposed null distributions either relied on a restrictive subset pivotality condition (Westfall and Young) or did not guarantee this latter property (Dudoit, vanderLaan, Pollard, 2004). It is argued and illustrated that the resulting new re-sampling based multiple testing methods provide more accurate control of the wished Type-I error in finite samples and are more powerful. We establish formal results and investigate the practical performance of this methodology in a simulation and data analysis.
Ascorbate improves circulation in postural tachycardia syndrome.

Low flow postural tachycardia syndrome (LFP) is associated with vasoconstriction, reduced cardiac output, increased plasma angiotensin II, reduced bioavailable nitric oxide (NO), and oxidative stre...
The Man Who is Worth Two Men

Author's Summary.— Language as a social science, aiding understanding of peoples and individuals; some of the values, intellectual, social and cultural, to be derived from language study. The student of language broadens his abilities and his appreciations, becoming a more valuable human being.)
Courtship display by great frigatebirds, Fregata minor: an energetically costly handicap signal?

We used detailed time-budget observations, mark-resight data, and doubly labeled water estimates of energy expenditure to test whether energy spent on courtship display by male frigatebirds functions as a sexually selected handicap signal. During a 2-day period of time budget observations, males displayed on average 29.5% of the time (range 0–100% for 15 different males), and this value was correlated with an index of season-long display effort. Season-long display effort was strongly predictive of pairing success. Average field metabolic rate (FMR) during the 2-day time budget period was 676.5 kJ/day (range 464.8–1035.0), substantially lower than the mass-specific FMR predicted from studies of other seabirds during incubation or chick-rearing. Despite a low overall FMR, display effort could function as an energetic handicap, either if FMR correlates positively with the amount of courtship performed or if high-quality males display at a high rate because they pay a lower energy cost per unit of display than do low-quality males. We found no relationship between FMR and display rate, despite good power for doing so. We also did not find a significant difference in energy spent divided by courtship time for males that were or were not chosen by females (inferred to be high- and low-quality males, respectively), though the medians differed in the predicted direction (preferred males having lower relative costs than non-preferred males) and the confidence interval on the difference between groups was very wide. Thus, we found evidence that male courtship effort is predictive of pairing success, we rejected one mechanism by which energetic cost of display could function as a handicap, and our test of the alternate energetic handicap mechanism was equivocal.
THE CYTONUCLEOPROTEINS OF AMEBAE I. Some Chemical Properties and Intracellular Distribution

Autoradiographs of whole Amoeba proteus host cells fixed after the implantation of single nuclei from A. proteus donors labeled with any one of 8 different radioactive amino acids showed that the label had become highly concentrated in the host cell nucleus as well as in the donor nucleus and that the cytoplasmic activity was relatively low. When these amebae were sectioned, the radioactivity was found to be homogeneously distributed throughout the nuclei. The effect of unlabeled amino acid "chaser," the solubility of the labeled material, and the long-term behavior of the labeled material gave evidence that the radioactivity was in protein. At equilibrium, the host cell nucleus contained approximately 30 per cent of the radioactivity distributed between the two nuclei. This unequal nuclear distribution is attributed to the presence of two classes of nuclear proteins: a non-migratory one that does not leave the nucleus during interphase, and a migratory one, called cytonucleoprotein, that shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm in a non-random manner. It is estimated that between 12 per cent and 44 per cent of the cytonucleoproteins are present in the cytoplasm of a binucleate cell at any one moment. Nuclei of Chaos chaos host cells also concentrated label acquired from implanted radioactive A. proteus nuclei.
Hydrogen Bonding with Sulfur

The hydrogen-bonding capabilities of the sulfur-containing molecule trimercaptotriazine (TMT) was explored using various amines. The amines were chosen to observe the effect of varying base strength on the resulting hydrogen-bonded structures. The specific compounds [pyrrolidineH]+2[HTMT]2-·THF (1), [triethylamineH]+[H2TMT]-· THF (2), [propylenediamineH2]2+[HTMT]2- (3), [ethylenediamineH]+2[HTMT]2- (4), and [pyridineH]+[H2TMT]-(H3TMT· 2(pyridine)) (5) were characterized by melting point, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. It was found that the TMT molecule is readily deprotonated by all of the amines and that the subsequent ammonium hydrogens formed several types of hydrogen bonds. Importantly, these bonds were observed to form with the sulfur atoms of the TMT, with S···N distances of 3.3−3.5 A.
Efficient gate delay modeling for large interconnect loads

With fast switching speeds and large interconnect trees (MCMs), the resistance and inductance of interconnect has a dominant impact on logic gate delay. In this paper, we propose a new /spl Pi/ model for distributed RC and RLC interconnects to estimate the driving point admittance at the output of a CMOS gate. Using this model we are able to compute the gate delay efficiently, within 25% of SPICE-computed delays. Our parameters depend only on total interconnect tree resistance and capacitance at the output of the gate, Previous "effective load capacitance" methods, applicable only for distributed RC interconnects, are based on /spl Pi/ model parameters obtained via a recursive admittance moment computation. Our model should be useful for iterative optimization of performance-driven routing or for estimation of gate delay and rise times in high-level synthesis.
SEVERE HYPOSPADIAS REPAIR WITH MEATAL BASED PARACORONAL SKIN FLAP: THE MODIFIED KOYANAGI REPAIR

Purpose: Various techniques have been reported to repair severe hypospadias. The Koyanagi repair uses a meatal based foreskin flap. We modified this procedure and reviewed the outcome of the repair of severe hypospadias.Materials and Methods: The modified Koyanagi repair was performed in 151 children 7 months to 15 years old (mean age 3 years) with severe hypospadias. The records of these patients were reviewed. In all cases the meatus was at or proximal to the penoscrotal junction. Followup was 6 months to 16 years (mean 6 years). Flap design is the same as in the Koyanagi repair, although our modified technique requires removal of the subcutaneous tissue of the distal portion of the flap, which acts as a full-thickness free skin graft.Results: A fistula developed in 19 patients (12.6%), meatal stenosis in 3 (2%) required meatoplasty and infection in 2 (1.3%) resulted in a regressed meatal position. Good cosmetic results were achieved in all except the latter 2 cases.Conclusions: Our modified Koyanagi re...
Passive microwave detection of river-plume fronts in the German Bight

The NASA P-3 aircraft with the L- and S-band radiometer system on board participated in the MARSEN experiments carried out between August 30 and September 23, 1979. Measurements of surface temperature and salinity were concentrated on freshwater outflows of the Rivers Weser and Elbe in the German Bight. Three missions were carried out, on September 19, 22, and 23. The values of salinity are plotted as a function of geographic position, and contour maps of the salinity distribution are generated from the value plots. It is noted that on September 22, during a noon flood-tide, two river-plume salinity fronts were detected when a body of water with higher salinity existed in front of the Weser delta near Bremerhaven generating with the river outflow of lower saline waters a front of delta-S equals 5 per thousand. Another pocket of lower saline waters was found in front of the Elbe delta at Cuxhaven, which in turn set up a strong front of delta-S equals 6 per thousand. The morning low tide of September 23 did not exhibit this extreme condition.
Triplane fractures of the adolescent ankle—a report of three cases

Three cases of triplane fractures of the distal end of the tibia are presented. There are usually two or three fragments and it occurs in adolescents in whom there is little growth potential left; hence there is little growth disturbance despite premature closure of the physis. The key to successful treatment is to assess the degree of articular deformity and to restore articular congruity.
A Numerical Study of the Low-Level Jet during TAMEX IOP 5*

Abstract The Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model Version 4 is used to simulate the cyclogenesis and the development of a low-level jet (LLJ) that occurred during the Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment intensive observing period 5 over southern China. Evaluation of the model results during a 36-h period indicates that the model successfully reproduces most principal features of this event, including cyclone path, intensification of the LLJ, distribution of precipitation, and the secondary circulation across the jet–front system. Sensitivity tests show that latent heat release is important for the deepening of the cyclone and the development of the LLJ, whereas the model results are not sensitive to boundary layer physics. The lee trough east of the Tibetan Plateau provides the initial low-level vorticity. The initial deepening of the lee cyclone and the development of the low-level southwesterly flow are caused by the vertical motion associated with the uppe...
Inflammatory biomarkers and spontaneous preterm birth among obese women

AbstractObjective: To identify associations between second-trimester serum inflammatory biomarkers and preterm birth among obese women.Methods: In this nested case-control study, we compared 65 serum inflammatory biomarkers in obese women whose pregnancies resulted in early spontaneous preterm birth (<32 weeks gestation, n = 34) to obese women whose pregnancies resulted in term birth (n = 34). These women were selected from a larger population-based California cohort. Random forest and classification and regression tree techniques were employed to identify biomarkers of importance, and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression.Results: Random forest and classification and regression tree techniques found that soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (sVEGFR3), soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha-chain (sIL-2RA) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR1) were related to preterm birth. Using multivariable logistic regressi...
Extraterritorial Application of the Alien Tort Statute: The Effect of Morrison v. National Australia Bank, Ltd. on Future Litigation

In Morrison v. National Australia Bank, Ltd., the Supreme Court issued an opinion holding that when addressing issues of prescriptive jurisdiction, courts are to presume that Congress only writes laws for domestic application. This Note takes a look at the Alien Tort Statute, a statute that courts have been applying extraterritorially since 1789. This Note addresses what effect, if any, the Morrison decision will have on ATS litigation. Because the presumption against extraterritoriality is a rebuttable one, this Note argues that the context in which the First Congress enacted the Alien Tort Statute provides enough evidence to overcome the presumption of domestic application. Therefore, Morrison will have little, if any, effect on the future of the ATS.
Quality Control in Nondestructive Testing

Taking false call as an example,the quality control technique in the management of nondestructive testing field was introduced.Firstly the flowchart was used to find the session causing false call,analysis showed that the session was defect positioning or quantitative errors.Then two plans and a chart(effect-cause map,list map and check chart) were used to analyze the reasons causing defect positioning or quantitative errors.At last the strategy table was designed to prevent false judgment.Using quality control technique could improve the nondestructive testing quality continuously.
Determination of 26 organochlorine pesticides residues in animal food by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with purification of gel permeation chromatography and solid phase extraction

Objective:To establish a method for determination of organochlorine pesticide in animal food by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) and selected ion monitoring(SIM).Methods: The pesticides were extracted with acetone and hexanes.The extract was cleaned-up by gel permeation chromatography and solid phase extraction.The analysis was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) and selected ion monitoring(SIM).Retention time and ion abundance ratio were used to confirm the pesticides.Results: The calibration curves of 26 pesticides were linear(correlatiom coefficient r0.99) within the range of 0.01 mg/L～0.5 mg/L.The recoveries ranged from 61%～95%,the relative standard deviations(RSD) of the method was 13% for each case,and the limit of determination(LOD) was 0.002 mg/kg～0.005 mg/kg.Conclusion: The method is suitable for determining organochlorine pesticide residues in animal food.
Cultural Currency: Security-Intelligence Services Shape the Strategic Value of Art in Foreign Policy

International conventions that protect cultural property during armed conflict, along with bilateral treaties that target antiquities trafficking, indicate a need for intelligence on foreign cultural patrimony. The 'acquisition' of Jewish collections by Nazi authorities in World War II precipitated cases for restitution of the illicitly acquired artworks, and the international nature of the cases has developed the political clout of cultural property. Similarly, trafficking in antiquities from developing nations during the Cold War era has led to repatriation claims, which increase the significance of cultural property as currency in foreign relations. A simultaneous increase in the financial volume of the art and antiquities market has attracted the attention of transnational organized crime and creates funding opportunities for terrorist groups. This paper examines how security-intelligence services of World War II and the Cold War controlled both the looting and recovery of fine art and antiquities. The examination reveals the value of intelligence on foreign cultural property in diplomacy and countering threats to national security.
NF1-Associated Astrocytomas

Nine symptomatic NF1-associated juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas (JPA) were examined for cancer-related gene products in a study using immuno-histochemistry and Western blots at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; and the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Crystal Structure of a Full-Length Human Tetraspanin Reveals a Cholesterol-Binding Pocket.

Tetraspanins comprise a diverse family of four-pass transmembrane proteins that play critical roles in the immune, reproductive, genitourinary, and auditory systems. Despite their pervasive roles in human physiology, little is known about the structure of tetraspanins or the molecular mechanisms underlying their various functions. Here, we report the crystal structure of human CD81, a full-length tetraspanin. The transmembrane segments of CD81 pack as two largely separated pairs of helices, capped by the large extracellular loop (EC2) at the outer membrane leaflet. The two pairs of helices converge at the inner leaflet to create an intramembrane pocket with additional electron density corresponding to a bound cholesterol molecule within the cavity. Molecular dynamics simulations identify an additional conformation in which EC2 separates substantially from the transmembrane domain. Cholesterol binding appears to modulate CD81 activity in cells, suggesting a potential mechanism for regulation of tetraspanin function.
NF-kappa B Plays a Key Role in the Hematopoietic Niche Function of Osteoblast after Ionizing Radiation.

Abstract Recent studies demonstrated that osteoblasts in the endosteal region of bone are a key cellular component of the hematopoietic niche that directly regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) survival, proliferation and differentiation. In experiments with the human fetal osteoblast cell line hFOB1.19, we found survival of gamma-irradiated primary human hematopoietic CD34+ cells was significantly enhanced by co-culture with hFOB cells or by conditioned medium (CM) from hFOB cells, as shown by increased colony efficiency and colony size. In clonogenic assays of CD34+ cells starting with 5 × 103 cells/dish, co-culture with hFOB cells increased colony number from 428±53 (control) to 988±65 (co-culture) after 2 Gy (p
From self-awareness to self-actualization: empowering sepsis survivors to a meaningful and enduring recovery.

The rising incidence of sepsis and improvements in critical care medicine have led to a growing number of sepsis survivors (1). Unfortunately, many intensive care unit (ICU) survivors suffer impairments in cognitive function, physical function and mental health (2-5).
Prospective Relationship Between Social Cognitive Variables and Leisure Time Physical Activity

ABSTRACTBackground: Evidence suggests that health promotion interventions that are based on behavioral theories are more effective than those lacking a theoretical base. Recent studies have begun to look at the relationship between social cognitive variables and physical activity in varied populations. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the association of the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs in predicting 4 weeks of discretionary leisure time physical activity among Appalachian high school students. Methods: A prospective design was used to measure physical activity over 4 weeks following the measurement of the social cognitive theory variables. Linear regression was used to describe the association between the variables and 4 weeks of physical activity. Results: Together the SCT constructs accounted for 24% of the variance in moderate physical activity and 38.6% of the variance in vigorous physical activity. Discussion: The results of this study demonstrate that SCT variables are ...
Exploration of the Federal Communications Commission’s Experimental Radio Service (ERS): Understanding ten years of experimental spectrum licenses

The Experimental Radio Service (ERS) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has awarded experimental licenses for more than thirty years as a means to promote research and innovation in wireless technologies. In this work, we present an exploratory analysis of the details pertaining to the assignment of these licenses during the past ten years (2007-2016). For this purpose, we have built a single repository of technical and non-technical details about license applications by scraping publicly available information in the FCC’s website. This has permitted us systematically categorize among the existing types of experimental licenses and, subsequently, analyze their characteristics. We pay particular attention to the evolution of various parameters such as duration of license, frequency of assignment, processing times, operational parameters, among others. In addition, we explore potential trends hidden in ten years of experimental licenses. This allow us to better understand the time burden of obtaining an authorization or the factors that may influence the license granting process.We conclude this work by delving into the details behind the relationship between ERS authorizations and well known wireless technologies, in particular TV White Spaces and 5G.
A New Method to Compute Complex Stability Margin

Abstract This paper introduces a new way to compute complex stability margin by using topological approach. The objective of this paper is to show the complex robustness margin problem can be reformulated as to solve a set of polynomial equations. The solutions are the critical points of a manifold. If all critical points are found, the robust margin can be easily found.
Hybrid control of sandwich systems with nonsmooth nonlinearities

Abstract This paper presents two discrete/continuous-time hybrid control schemes using different feedback signals for control of a class of sandwich systems with a nonsmooth nonlinear block such as a dead-zone between two linear time-invariant dynamic blocks. The proposed control schemes employ an inner-loop discrete-time feedback design and an outer-loop continuous-time feedback design, combined with a dead-zone inverse, to cancel the dead-zone effect for improving output tracking. The paper also presents two switching backlash compensation control schemes for a gear-train sandwich system with backlash: one for known parameters and the other for unknown parameters, for improving system tracking performance.
Simulation study of a quick-service take-out restaurant:

This study illustrates the use of discrete simulation models as tools to assist in the analysis of an existing system--a quick-service take-out restaurant with 8 employees. Comparisons made between...
Model predictive control-based target search and tracking using autonomous mobile robot with limited sensing domain

Target search and tracking using autonomous robots is important for both civilian and military applications. In this work, we propose a model predictive control (MPC)-based path planning approach for a ground mobile robot to autonomously search and track a moving target. The robot is equipped with a sensor with limited sensing domain (bounded sensing range and angle of view) for target detection. Both target motion and sensor measurement use linear time-invariant models. Due to the limited sensing domain, we utilize a modified Kalman filter to handle the intermittent measurements. Under the MPC framework, the sensing domain is approximated with a bell-shaped differentiable function and is explicitly considered in the optimization problem. To reduce the computation burden of solving MPC, we propose a two-step procedure: it first considers the limited sensing range and computes a reference trajectory, which is then used for solving the original MPC that considers both limited sensing range and angle. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by numerical simulations.
A corotation electric field model of the Earth derived from Swarm satellite magnetic field measurements

Rotation of the Earth in its own geomagnetic field sets up a primary corotation electric field, compensated by a secondary electric field of induced electrical charges. For the geomagnetic field measured by the Swarm constellation of satellites, a derivation of the global corotation electric field inside and outside of the corotation region is provided here, in both inertial and corotating reference frames. The Earth is assumed an electrical conductor, the lower atmosphere an insulator, followed by the corotating ionospheric E-region again as a conductor. Outside of the Earth's core, the induced charge is immediately accessible from the spherical harmonic Gauss coefficients of the geomagnetic field. The charge density is positive at high northern and southern latitudes, negative at mid latitudes and increases strongly toward the Earth's center. Small vertical electric fields of about 0.3 mV/m in the insulating atmospheric gap are caused by the corotation charges located in the ionosphere above and the Earth below. The corotation charges also extend outward into the region of closed magnetic field lines, forcing the plasmasphere to corotate. However, the non-axially symmetric contributions of the geomagnetic field are found to slow down the corotation of the plasmasphere, particular in the South Atlantic. The electric field of the corotation charges also extends outside of the corotating regions, contributing radial outward electric fields of about 10 mV/m in the northern and southern polar caps. Depending on how the magnetosphere responds to these fields, the Earth may carry a net electric charge.
Der Spulwurm unterrichtet uns über Anpassung

Ascaris, ein wohlklingender Name! Die Gelehrten, die es sich in den Kopf gesetzt haben, allen den zahllosen Tieren und Pflanzen griechische und lateinische Namen zu geben, haben es sich oft dabei nicht weniger sauer werden lassen als mancher Vater, der ganze Buchereien durchstobert, bis er einen Namen gefunden, der seines Kindes wurdig ist. Und dabei ergeht es oft beiden recht ahnlich: ein armer Schwachling heist zeitlebens Achilles und ein vierschrotiger Gesell fuhrt den sanften Namen Damian; die Naturforscher aber haben den Namen der holdseligen Aphrodite einem borstigen Wurm gegeben, Clio, die liebliche Muse, schwimmt als quabblige Schnecke im Weltmeer umher und Stentor, der gewaltige Rufer im Streit, ist ein mikroskopischer Bewohner des Wassertropfens. Nach diesen Vorbereitungen nun heraus mit dem Gestandnis: Ascaris ist ein Spulwurm, eines jener verachteten Wesen, vor denen jedermann graust. Pfui, wer mag einen Wurm anruhren und noch dazu einen, der in den Eingeweiden von Tier und Mensch haust! Nun aber gar ein Buch uber ein so verachtungswurdiges Geschopf zu schreiben! Der Naturforscher ist aber doch anderer Ansicht. Er hat die Natur des Kindes. Auch dies fast jeden Wurm an und sucht sein Wesen zu ergrunden, bis ihm andere beibringen, das dies ekelhaft sei.
Which way do the ions go? A graph-drawing exercise for understanding electrochemical gradients

information is transmitted through the nervous system via changes in membrane potential ( V m). These changes occur when ions cross the cell membrane via ion channels. Each ion’s movement is governed by an electrochemical driving force (ECDF) with two subcomponents: an electrical driving force (
A Novel Process Economics Risk Model Applied to Biodiesel Production System

Abstract In this paper, the concept of value at risk (VAR) is introduced to study process economics related to biodiesel production and use. Although the VAR concept is actively used in financial engineering for stock investment and trading, it has never been used in process economics. A methodology to develop a VAR model for a biodiesel process facility has been proposed and analysed. The impact of different cost related risk factors is modelled using a stochastic process and interdependence in a Bayesian Network format. The analysis reveals that cost underestimation is the most significant risk factor in biodiesel economics. The VAR model is analysed for 1, 5, and 10 VAR for 5 years of plant operations. Analysing VAR at any point of time (i.e. year 2) shows that with a 1% chance, 5% chance and 10% chance, the maximum loss would be $6.26, $9.52 and $11.34 million respectively (up to year 2). When VAR is considered in the process economics the return period is significantly affected and is increased by 21 months. This study recommends that VAR should be considered as an integral part of process economics, especially for new product or process design.
Specifications of Clinical Quality Measures and Value Set Vocabularies Shift Over Time: A Study of Change through Implementation Differences

Clinical quality measures (CQMs) aim to identify gaps in care and to promote evidence-based guidelines. Official CQM definitions consist of a measure’s logic and grouped, standardized codes to define key concepts. In this study, we used the official CQM update process to understand how CQMs’ meanings change over time. First, we identified differences between the narrative description, logic, and the vocabulary specifications offour standardized CQMs’ definitions in subsequent versions (2015, 2016, and 2017). Next, we implemented the various versions in a quality measure calculation registry to understand how the differences affected calculated prevalence of risk and measure performance. Global performance rates changed up to 5.32%, and an increase of up to 28% new patients was observed for key conditions between versions. Updates to definitions that change a measure’s logic and choices to include/exclude codes in value set vocabularies changes measurement of quality and likely introduces variation by implementation.