cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient stability and performance based on nonlinear power flow control design of renewable energy systems

In this paper, the swing equations for renewable generators are formulated as a natural Hamiltonian system with externally applied non-conservative forces. A two-step process referred to as Hamiltonian Surface Shaping and Power Flow Control (HSSPFC) is used to analyze and design feedback controllers for the renewable generator system. The results of this research include the determination of the required performance of a proposed Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS)/storage device, such as a Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), to enable the maximum power output of a wind turbine while meeting the power system constraints on frequency and phase. The UPFC is required to operate as both a generator and load (energy storage) on the power system in this design. Necessary and sufficient conditions for stability of renewable generator systems are determined based on the concepts of Hamiltonian systems, power flow, exergy (the maximum work that can be extracted from an energy flow) rate, and entropy rate. An illustrative example demonstrates this HSSPFC methodology. It includes a 600 kW wind turbine, variable speed variable pitch configuration. The wind turbine is operated with a turbulent wind profile for below-rated wind power conditions. The wind turbine is connected in series through a UPFC to the infinite bus. Numerical simulation cases are reviewed that best demonstrate the stability and performance of HSSPFC as applied to a renewable energy system.
Architecting reliable multi-core network-on-chip for small scale processing technology

The trend towards multi-/many- core design has made network-on-chip (NoC) a crucial component of future microprocessors. With CMOS processing technologies continuously scaling down to the nanometer regime, effects such as process variation (PV) and negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) significantly decrease hardware reliability and lifetime. Therefore, it is imperative for multi-core architects to consider and mitigate these effects in NoCs implemented using small-scale processing technology. This paper reports on a first step to optimize NoC architecture reliability in light of both PV and NBTI effects. We propose novel techniques that can hierarchically alleviate PV and NBTI effects on NoC while leveraging their benign interaction. Our low-level design improves PV and NBTI efficiency of key components (e.g. virtual channel allocation logics, virtual channels) of critical paths of the pipelined router microarchitecture. Our high-level mechanisms leverage NBTI degradation and PV information from multiple routers to intelligently route packets, delivering optimized performance-power-reliability across the NoC substrate. Experimental results show that our intra-router level techniques (i.e. VA_M1 and VC_M2) reduce guardband by 47% while improving network throughput by 24%. Our inter-router optimization scheme (i.e. IR_M3) results in 50% guardband reduction and 19% network latency improvement.
Cu(I)-based delafossite compounds as photocathodes in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

The research of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSSCs) has attracted growing attention because of the potential for integration with conventional n-type DSSCs (n-DSSCs) into the more efficient tandem-DSSCs. However, to date the performance of p-DSSCs is lagging behind that of n-DSSCs. One main reason is the lack of optimal photocathode materials. This article reviews the most recent progress in utilizing Cu(I)-based delafossite compounds, CuMO2 (M = Al, Ga or Cr), as photocathodes in p-DSSCs. As alternative materials to the commonly used NiO, the CuMO2 compounds have their intrinsic advantages such as lower valence band edge, larger optical bandgap and higher conductivity. By providing an insight into these materials and their applications in p-DSSCs, this perspective aims to stimulate more exciting research in the development of p-DSSCs as well as of tandem-DSSCs.
The "New” Gated Housing Communities in China: Implications for Urban Identity

Housing typologies in China have changed dramatically over the past hundred years. Economic liberalization is accelerating these changes, shifting the understanding of housing in ways that cannot be explained through Western housing theory. Most of China is moving towards housing in "sealed residential quarters” (gated communities), yet these communities have a role and significance very different from those in the West. Historical analysis of housing types in China brings out the ingrained role of enclosing walls in housing, a cultural value that is centuries old yet being given new meaning through the introduction of Western-style, developer-driven housing estates. This is contrasted by a Western understanding of urban systems as consisting of interlocking spaces and flows, where social interchanges may be initiated or sustained. To explore this interplay, we examine two communities in the industrial city of Shenyang, analyzing the role that their outdoor spaces play for the residents and their urban context. We find that the population readily accepts China's new, gated communities, even as they call into question the city beyond. This paper discusses several implications, both at the micro and the macro level.
Change in tobacco use among 13-15 year olds between 1999 and 2008: findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the world; yet little is known about the levels or patterns of youth tobacco use on a global basis. The purpose of this paper is to focus on change in youth tobacco use using data from 100 sites that have conducted repeat Global Youth Tobacco Surveys (GYTS). The GYTS is a school-based survey that collects data from students aged 13–15 years using a standardized methodology for constructing the sample frame, selecting schools and classes, and processing data. GYTS is conducted in school classes using self-administered anonymous data collection. The GYTS sample produces representative, independent, cross-sectional estimates for each sampling frame. Of the 100 sites surveyed, 61 reported no change over time in prevalence of cigarette smoking, likewise in 50 of the 97 sites with data on use of other tobacco products there was no change. However, 34 sites reported an increase in other tobacco use. This appears to be attributed to waterpipe, a...
LEARNING TO IMPROVE PLAN QUALITY

Adaptive automated planning systems that can, over time, improve the quality of plans they produce are a promising prospect. The first part of the article discusses the issues involved in designing quality improving learning for planning systems and reviews recent work on learning to improve plan quality. The second part describes our work on the Performance Improving Planning (PIP) System. The heart of PIP is an analytic technique that compares two planning episodes for solving a planning problem that led to two different quality solutions—a higher-quality solution and a lower quality solution—and identifies the critical differences that were responsible for the resulting differences in the quality of the completed plans. We compare the effectiveness of two different ways of storing and applying the knowledge learned from this analysis—as search-control rules and as rewrite rules. The results show that the search-control rules are more effective in improving plan quality. Further analysis of PIP-search-control—the version of PIP that stores the learned knowledge as search-control rules—shows that it is an effective technique for improving plan quality in a variety of situations.
Post 9-11 Terror Hysteria: Social Work Practice and The US Patriot Act

It was only weeks after the planes crashed into the twin towers on that bright, sunlit morning of September 11th, 200l, that it became apparent that the most important challenge now facing American democracy was how well would we strike a balance between liberty and security. This paper will look at the history of civil liberties in light of threats to national security. It will examine components of the US Patriot Act, how these provisions are being applied and the potential implication of the act on social work education and practice. Suggestions of how social work might respond to these new realities will be discussed.
“That's So Gay!”: Examining the Covariates of Hearing This Expression Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual College Students

Abstract Objective: The investigators examined the health and well-being correlates of hearing the popular phrase “that's so gay” among gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) emerging adults. Participants: Participants were 114 self-identified GLB students aged 18 to 25 years. Methods: An online survey was distributed to students at a large public university in the Midwest during winter 2009. Results: Participants’ social and physical well-being was negatively associated with hearing this phrase, specifically feeling isolated and experiencing physical health symptoms (ie, headaches, poor appetite, or eating problems). Conclusions: College professionals and student leaders must acknowledge that the phrase is a form of heterosexist harassment. As such, policies addressing diversity and harassment should address students’ use of this phrase, aiming to reduce its use. Additionally, colleges and universities should develop practices that counteract poorer well-being associated with hearing the phrase.
Coordinated changes in hepatic amino acid metabolism and endocrine signals support hepatic glucose production during fetal hypoglycemia.

Reduced fetal glucose supply, induced experimentally or as a result of placental insufficiency, produces an early activation of fetal glucose production. The mechanisms and substrates used to fuel ...
Preparing for the inevitable: The death of a living liver donor

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is associated with a low but finite and well-documented risk of donor morbidity and mortality, so organizations and individuals involved in this activity must accept the fact that a donor death is a question of when and not if. Studies in the field of crisis management show that preparing for the inevitable not only is critical in preparing institutions to better respond to catastrophic events but more importantly plays a crucial role in preventing them. This article describes the background of crisis management with specific reference to the death of a living liver donor and proposes a general framework that can be adopted by LDLT programs around the world.
A Note on the Ambiguity of "Political Socialization": Definitions, Criticisms, and Strategies of Inquiry

D olitical socialization" is a growth stock. The phrase seems 1 never to have appeared in print before 1954, at which time it was introduced more or less in passing in the chapter on voting in the first edition of The Handbook of Social Psychology.1 This terminology was still exotic in 1959, when a book by Herbert Hyman entitled Political Socialization2 was published: as the book made clear, by that date not a single piece of research had been self-consciously carried out under the "political socialization" rubric, even though many research findings relevant to the topic could be extracted from the often quite fugitive literature on the development of children's social orientations. In the fourth edition of the Biographical Directory of the American Political Science Association, which appeared in 1961, there is no reference to the study of political socialization as a specialization within political science. But in the 1968 fifth edition of that work, Political Socialization (now adorned with initial capital letters) had been elevated to the status of a field-coequal with such venerable subdivisions as Constitutional Law and International Politics. Moreover, the extraordinary total of 767 members of the association listed Political Socialization as one of their specialities-many more,
A characterization of normed M -spaces

Linear spaces on which both an order and a topology are defined and related in various ways have been studied for some time now. Given an order on a linear space it is sometimes possible to define a useful topology using the order and linear structure. In this note we focus on a special type of space called a linear lattice and determine those lattice properties which are both necessary and sufficient for the existence of a classical norm, called an M -norm, for the lattice. This result is a small step in a program to determine which intrinsic order properties of an ordered linear space are necessary and sufficient for the existence of various given types of topologies for the space. This study parallels, in a certain sense, the study of purely topological spaces to determine intrinsic properties of a topology which make it metrizable and the study of the relation between order and topology on spaces which have no algebraic structure, or. algebraic structures other than a linear one.
Review of supporting and refuting evidence for Innovation Engineering practices

Innovation Engineering (IE) is an educational training program that presents tools and advice on product innovation in three main categories: Create, idea generation; Communicate, communicating ideas; and Commercialize, selecting ideas to invest in further. The concepts taught in IE include common suggestions for early-stage product innovation. This paper addresses a challenge of implementing the IE program, specifically that it does not provide peer-reviewed sources or adequate data to substantiate its approach. This lack of substantiation limits effective implementation at companies. This paper also takes a step in examining IE’s claims that it is ‘a new science’ and a ‘new field of academic study’, a topic motivated by the Design Science Journal’s aim to serve as the archival venue of science-based design knowledge across multiple disciplines. This paper provides a compilation of academic literature that has tested the tools and advice espoused by IE. Almost all included papers contain test-versus-control experimental evidence. A mix of supporting and refuting evidence was found. Overall, the work provides a useful compilation of evidence-of-effectiveness related to common innovation and design practices that spans different design stages and is applicable for multiple disciplines and industries. This evidence comes from a variety of sources, including design, engineering education, psychology, marketing, and management. The work can also serve as an approach to evaluate overarching approaches to design in general, specifically, testing the foundations by vetting related test-versus-control experimental studies.
Development of teachers' theoretical orientations toward reading and pupil control ideology

Abstract A random sample of 437 elementary school teachers in the state of Utah was surveyed to examine relationships between theoretical beliefs toward reading instruction and attitudes about pupil control. Two survey instruments were combined for data collection: (a) The Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile (TORP) (DeFord, 1985) which classifies reading orientations as phonics, skills, or whole language, and (b) The Pupil Control Ideology Form (PCI) (Willower, Eidell, & Hoy, 1967) which categorizes teacher attitudes about student control as custodial or humanistic. A significant, negative correlation (r = ‐.41, p < .0001) was found, indicating that as teachers' scores moved toward the whole language end of the TORP scale, their PCI scores were more humanistic, since both views share common progressive philosophical roots. Conversely, as teachers' reading orientations were classified as phonics and skills‐based, their ideas of management were more custodial. Both views stem from behav‐ioristic thou...
Blunt Force May be an Effective Treatment for Ganglion Cysts.

Background Ganglion cysts are the most common soft tissue tumors of the hand and wrist. There is currently no data available for the recurrence or complication rate of patients that self treat ganglion cysts by using an extrinsic force. Despite this absence of evidence, patients are still using this mode of treatment.
Medical Malpractice – Medicolegal Perspectives: Negligence, Standard of Care

In every negligence lawsuit, including a lawsuit based on the medical negligence of a healthcare provider, the injured party must prove the existence of a duty of exercise reasonable care, a breach of the duty to exercise reasonable care, a causal connection between the breach of the duty to exercise reasonable care the in the injury suffered and proof of legally cognizable injury. This chapter overviews each of these requirements.
Psychosocial co-morbidities in adolescents and adults with histories of communication disorders.

Abstract Background Few studies have considered the long-term psychosocial outcomes of individuals with histories of early childhood speech sound disorders (SSD). Research on long-term psychosocial outcomes of individuals with language impairment (LI) have frequently failed to consider the effects of co-morbid SSD. The purpose of this study was to compare individuals with histories of SSD-only versus SSD with LI on these outcomes and to examine the contributions of other comorbid conditions including reading disorders (RD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods Participants were adolescents aged 11–17 years ( N = 129) and young adults aged 18–33 years ( N = 98). Probands with SSD were originally recruited between 4 and 6 years of age and classified into SSD-only and SSD + LI groups. Siblings of these children were also assessed at this time and those without SSD or LI were followed as controls. Outcome measures at adolescence and adulthood included ratings of hyperactivity, inattention, anxiety, and depression, as well as internalizing, externalizing, social, and thought problems. Adult outcomes also included educational and employment status and quality of life ratings. Regression modeling was performed to examine the association of SSD, LI, RD, and ADHD with psychosocial outcomes using Generalized Estimating Equations. Results In the adolescent group, LI was associated with poorer ratings of psychosocial problems on all scales except depression. Histories of SSD-only, RD and ADHD did not independently predict any of the adolescent psychosocial measures. In contrast, LI in the adult sample was not significantly associated with any of the behavior ratings, though RD was related to higher ratings of hyperactivity and inattention and with higher parent ratings of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and thought problems. SSD did not predict any of the adult measures once other comorbid conditions were taken into account. Conclusions Poor adolescent psychosocial outcomes for individuals with early childhood SSD were primarily related to comorbid LI and not to SSD per se. At adulthood, comorbid RD and ADHD may influence outcomes more significantly than LI.
Black Hole Entropy Discretization in Loop Quantum Gravity

Utilizando el formalismo de loop quantum gravity, es posible describir la entropia de un agujero negro en terminos de los estados cuanticos de la geometria de un horizonte aislado, En esta tesis se realiza un calculo exacto de dicha entropia para agujeros negros microscopicos (varios cientos de areas de Planck) que revela una discretizacion efectiva de la misma como funcion del area del horizonte. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar en profundidad las caracteristicas y consecuencias de dicho efecto. Se construye un modelo cualitativo que permite entender cierta subestructura responsable de la discretizacion y calcular analiticamente los parametros relevantes para la descripcion del efecto. Asimismo, se introducen tecnicas de teoria de numeros para obtener soluciones exactas al problema combinatorio que da lugar al calculo de la entropia. Finalmente, se propone un calculo alternativo de dicha entropia explorando la relacion con una teoria de campos conforme sobre el horizonte, que reproduce los resultados obtenidos anteriormente.
Establishing a Quantitative Relationship Between Harmonic Signals and Damage in Interconnects

When a metal conductor is driven by an AC current of frequency ω, its resistance will vary at a frequency 2ω, and a third harmonic voltage will be generated. If the conductor is also under a DC bias, a second harmonic voltage will arise as well. The magnitude of these harmonic voltages increases with damage because of nonlinear increases in the resistance caused by localized Joule heating. We use the harmonic technique to evaluate the damage in metal lines. The correlation between deliberately introduced defects of different sizes and the amplitude of the harmonic voltages has been studied experimentally. The harmonic technique shows higher damage sensitivity than the commonly used resistance method. Additionally, it has a better rejection to noise and resistance drifting.
Shallow Shear-Wave Seismic Characterization of a Pleistocene Gravel Deposit, Yazoo County, Mississippi

The combined production of sand and gravel is the most economically important industrial mineral resource in Mississippi. In central Mississippi, including the Jackson metropolitan area, most gravel used in construction projects comes from pre-loess (Pleistocene) terrace deposits of the ancestral Mississippi River. Shallow drilling has been the primary method used to investigate depth to (and thickness of) gravel deposits in the region. A field test was conducted in Yazoo County, Mississippi, near an active gravel mine to test the feasibility of using shear-wave (S-wave) seismic reflection and downhole seismic data to characterize the gravel resources in the area. The shear-wave seismic reflection data were acquired along fixed spreads (1-m station spacing) using single-component (horizontal) geophones, a 1.8kg sledgehammer/I-beam seismic energy source, and a 24-channel engineering seismograph, near the location of a test well at the site. Field records showed a strong shallow reflection arrival correlating with the top of gravel at ~9 m depth and the downhole data confirmed a strong S-wave velocity contrast at the loess-gravel boundary. Additional seismic reflection tests, conducted at other locations in the area, were used to detect the presence of local gravel deposits and characterize its occurrence.
Resistance to the Vetch Bruchid in Vetch Species Introductions

When plant introductions of 14 vetch ( Vicia ) species were tested for resistance to Bruchus brachialis Fahraeus, V. angustifolia L., V. ervilia Willd., V. hirsula S. F. Gray, V. lulea L., V. monantha Retz., V. peregrina L., and V. sativa L. were classified as resistant. Those classified as susceptible were: V. cracea L., F. dasycarpa Ten., and V. villosa Roth. Also, results with 7 introductions of V. benghalensis L. indicated that this spceies is segregating for resistance to the vetch bruchid. Nonpreference for oviposition appeared to be the major mechanism contributing to resistance.
The Mechanism of Action of Nerve Growth Factor

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a trophic peptide, discovered by Levi-Montalcini and Hamburger some 40 years ago 1,2 The complete structure of NGF is known3, as is the general nature of its receptor(s)4, and the character of the gene encoding it5. It is also clear that NGF has a large number of effects on its various target cells, some of which depend on the cell type itself, and some of which depend on the conditions under which it is applied. Generally speaking, there are two types of actions observed after NGF interacts with its cell membrane receptor. Some of its actions occur at the membrane, are relatively rapid, and do not require the synthesis of RNA. Typical of these are alterations in cell membrane structure6, stimulation of the transport of small molecules7, and increases in the levels of cyclic nucleotides8. A second type of action occurs at the nucleus and involves changes in the transcription of specific genes. Typical of these are increases in the synthesis of neurotransmitter-metabolizing enzymes9, and the generation of neurites10 The best evidencell indicates that although NGF influences the transcription of specific genes, NGF itself does not act directly on the nucleus; it is generally believed that the signal initiated by the combination of NGF with its receptor at the membrane is carried to the nucleus by a series of second messengers, the nature of which are as yet not completely clear.
Modeling the quasistatic energy transport between nanoparticles

We consider phononic energy transport between nanoparticles mediated by a quantum particle. The nanoparticles are considered as thermal reservoirs described by ensembles of finite numbers of harmonic oscillators within the Drude-Ullersma model having, in general, unequal mode spacings Δ(1) and Δ(2), which amount to different numbers of atoms in the nanoparticles. The quasistatic energy transport between the nanoparticles on the time scale t∼1/Δ(1,2) is investigated using the generalized quantum Langevin equation. We find that double degeneracy of system's eigenfrequencies, which occurs in the case of identical nanoparticles, is removed when the mode spacings become unequal. The equations describing the dynamics of the averaged eigenmode energies are derived and solved, and the resulting expression for the energy current between the nanoparticles is obtained and explored. Unlike the case when the thermodynamic limit is assumed resulting in time-independent energy current, finite-size effects result in temporal behavior of the energy current that evinces reversibility features combined with decay and possesses peculiarities at time moments t=2πn/Δ(1)+2πm/Δ(2) for non-negative integers n and m. When Δ(1,2)→0, an expression for the heat current obtained previously under assumption of the thermodynamic limit is reproduced. The energy current between two platinum nanoparticles mediated by a carbon oxide molecule is considered as an application of the developed model.
Government Budgetary and Private-Sector Pressures on US Monetary Policy: Some Preliminary Evidence

As is true of the econometric literature on the German hyperinflation, many quantitative studies of the money supply and inflation processes in the post- World War II US economy have focused on the pressures which government deficits – as conditioned by political-economic influences on the executive and congressional administration – place on monetary policy. The importance of administration influence on Federal Reserve policy has been suggested in such studies as Potts and Luckett (1978), Hamburger and Zwick (1981, 1982), Laney and Willett (1983), McMillin (1986), Grier and Neiman (1987), Burdekin (1988) and Havrilesky (1993). The effects of government deficits on the money supply, inflation, and overall economic performance – as well as the political-economic channels by which these effects are asserted – are still controversial, however (see the surveys provided by Dwyer, 1985; Hibbs, 1987; Burdekin and Langdana, 1992).
A High-Energy Charge-Separated State of 1.70 eV from a High-Potential Donor-Acceptor Dyad: A Catalyst for Energy-Demanding Photochemical Reactions.

A high potential donor–acceptor dyad composed of zinc porphyrin bearing three meso-pentafluorophenyl substituents covalently linked to C60, as a novel dyad capable of generating charge-separated states of high energy (potential) has been developed. The calculated energy of the charge-separated state was found to be 1.70 eV, the highest reported for a covalently linked porphyrin–fullerene dyad. Intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer leading to charge-separated states of appreciable lifetimes in polar and nonpolar solvents has been established from studies involving femto- to nanosecond transient absorption techniques. The high energy stored in the form of charge-separated states along with its persistence of about 50–60 ns makes this dyad a potential electron-transporting catalyst to carry out energy-demanding photochemical reactions. This type of high-energy harvesting dyad is expected to open new research in the areas of artificial photosynthesis especially producing energy (potential) demanding light-to-fuel products.
Enhancement of Cr and Fe diffusion in ZnSe/S laser crystals via annealing in vapors of Zn and hot isostatic pressing

Enhancement of the thermal diffusion rates of Cr and Fe in ZnSe/ZnS was studied using two different approaches. Enhancement of Cr diffusion in ZnSe was achieved by application of excess Zn atmosphere during the thermal diffusion of Cr, where ~2.2 times improvement in the diffusion coefficient was seen over the standard diffusion technique. Also, the diffusion coefficient of Fe in ZnSe and ZnS was improved by 13 and 14 times, respectively, when diffusion was done under hot isostatic pressing.
Multi-scale features including water content of polymer induced kaolinite floc structures

Abstract Despite their many uses, fine clay particles, such as kaolinite, present a problem in the management of tailings in various mineral industries such as the oil sands and phosphate processing industries. The effective flocculation, sedimentation and consolidation of these fine particles are major challenges. The structure of the flocs and the water entrapped within the flocs determine floc behavior and settling characteristics. The quantification of water entrapped within the kaolinite flocs has not been reported previously. In this research, a new technique was developed for water content and size analysis of sedimented kaolinite flocs using High Resolution X-ray Microtomography (HRXMT). The results suggest a normal distribution of water content for these flocs, with mean water content of 53.9% by volume and a standard deviation of 11.8%. About 98% of the flocs were found to have water content in the range 30–80%. The size analysis revealed that about 90% of the flocs are less than 1.5 mm in size. The water content was found to decrease with an increase in size of the floc. The floc shape analysis was done for selected flocs. The flocs were found to be fairly irregular, with sphericity values around 0.1. In addition to macroscopic analysis of individual flocs, flocs were also analyzed for their microstructure by cryo-SEM. Visualization of floc microstructure and polymer chains revealed the stabilization of kaolinite microflocs in the web formed by polymer chains. The structure of the polymer chains as well as the interaction between microflocs and polymer chains is a key to understanding floc growth and stability.
Skotodormancy in Verbascum blattaria Seed

Summary Since Verbascum blattaria was the only species out of 21 whose seed germinated after being buried for 90 years in W. J. B eal's long-term viability experiment, further seed germination tests were carried out with this species to study the requirements for induction and reversion of dormancy. Seed harvested from open pollinated field-grown plants were used in these studies. Light-irreversible skotodormancy was induced in imbibed seed by keeping them in darkness at 27° for 24 days. It was reversed by cold treatment at 5° for 48 hours. Similarly, an reversal of skotodormancy was brought about by two week long drying periods at four week intervals in light at room temperature.
Reference standards for lean mass measures using GE dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in Caucasian adults.

Objective To develop reference values by age and sex for LM measures using GE-Healthcare DXA systems. Methods A de-identified sample was obtained from Ball State University's Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Physical Activity & Health Research Laboratory. DXA scans of 2,076 women and 1,251 men were completed using a GE Lunar Prodigy or iDXA. Percentiles (%ile) were calculated for all variables of interest (LM, LMI, %LM, and ALMI) and a factorial ANOVA was used to assess differences for each variable between 10-year age groups and sex, as well as the interaction between age and sex. Results Men had higher mean total LM, %LM, LMI, and ALMI than women (p Conclusion These reference values provide for a more accurate interpretation of GE-Healthcare DXA-derived LM measurements offering clinicians and researchers with an initial resource to aid in the early detection and assessment of LM deficits.
Ultrafast emission decay with high emission efficiency of quantum dots in plasmonic–dielectric metasubstrates

We report on the ultrafast decay of quantum dots that reaches nearly 430 ps without reduction in the emission intensity when near a metasubstrate of simple geometry. By implementing a layered structure of amorphous silicon sandwiched between two gold layers, the balance between plasmonic near field enhancement and energy transfer of the quantum dots has been shifted. This is achieved by tailoring the amount of Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to the top Au layer and plasmonic near field enhancement by the bottom Au layer. We also study the impact of deposition of Al oxide on the top Au layer, forming a charge barrier junction that can suppress Auger recombination of quantum dots. The results show that such a barrier can increase emission efficiency of the metastructure without significant reduction in the decay rate. We study the impact of formation of small nanoislands to contiguous islands via variation of the thickness of the top Au layer, and discuss how such morphologies determine the amount of FRET, screening of plasmonic field from the bottom Au layer, and enhancement of emission due to their own plasmonic fields.
Silver copper fluoride: A novel perovskite cathode for lithium batteries

Abstract An electrochemically active nanostructured silver copper fluoride (SCF) perovskite, AgCuF 3 , was synthesized via a mechanochemical reaction between AgF and CuF 2 precursors. Phase composition and electrochemical properties of the SCF perovskites produced under various synthetic parameters were studied. The optimum SCF perovskite sample exhibited an appreciable electrochemical performance through the use of conductive carbon matrix in a primary lithium half cell. A high specific capacity of 270 mAh g −1 was achieved at a cutoff voltage of 2 V with 190 mAh g −1 above 3 V, leading to a total volumetric energy density of 3666 Wh L −1 at >3 V and 4848 Wh L −1 at >2 V.
Current Status of Total Ankle Replacement

Clinical experience with total ankle replacement (TAR) has been disappointing overall. However, satisfactory results in rheumatoid patients and elderly patients with posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) (who are less physically active) have been achieved. Knowledge gained from further study of the mechanical function of the normal, diseased and prosthetic ankle joint should allow development of improved TAR design for better function and durability.
EphrinA1-Fc attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice

EphrinA1, a membrane-bound receptor tyrosine kinase ligand expressed in healthy cardiomyocytes, is lost in injured cells following myocardial infarction. Previously, we have reported that a single intramyocardial injection of chimeric ephrinA1-Fc at the time of ischemia reduced injury in the nonreperfused myocardium by 50% at 4 days post-MI by reducing apoptosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. In a clinically relevant model of acute ischemia (30min)/reperfusion (24hr or 4 days) injury, we now demonstrate that ephrinA1-Fc reduces infarct size by 46% and completely preserves cardiac function (ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and chamber dimensions) in the short-term (24hrs post-MI) as well as long-term (4 days). At 24 hours post-MI, diminished serum inflammatory cell chemoattractants in ephrinA1-Fc-treated mice reduces recruitment of neutrophils and leukocytes into the myocardium. Differences in relative expression levels of EphA-Rs are described in the context of their putative role in mediating cardioprotection. Validation by Western blotting of selected targets from mass spectrometry analyses of pooled samples of left ventricular tissue homogenates from mice that underwent 30min ischemia and 24hr of reperfusion (I/R) indicates that ephrinA1-Fc administration alters several regulators of signaling pathways that attenuate apoptosis, promote autophagy, and shift from FA metabolism in favor of increased glycolysis to optimize anaerobic ATP production. Taken together, reduced injury is due a combination of adaptive metabolic reprogramming, improved cell survival, and decreased inflammatory cell recruitment, suggesting that ephrinA1-Fc enhances the capacity of the heart to withstand an ischemic insult.
Nonlinear Elliptic Equations

Methods of the calculus of variations applied to problems in geometry and classical continuum mechanics often lead to elliptic PDE that are not linear. We discuss a number of examples and some of the developments that have arisen to treat such problems.
A New Spike Train Analysis Technique for Detecting Trends in the Firing Patterns of Neurons

We have developed a new spike train analysis method for detecting trends in the firing patterns of neurons based on a statistical measure of serially dependent firing probabilities. We introduce the Serial Interspike Interval Difference (SISID) scatter plot to display these changes in firing probability. This technique reveals a higher order serial dependency by showing how such “trends” evolve in time within a spike train. SISID analysis establishes the statistics based on the difference between two consecutive interspike intervals (ISIs). Typically, Joint Interspike Interval (JISI) analysis estimates the conditional firing probabilities at consecutive ISIs by plotting these adjacent ISIs as a coordinate pair (τn+1, τ n ). Similarly, the difference between two adjacent ISI pairs (Δτn+1, Δτ n ) is plotted in the SISID scattergram. The location of a given point in the scatter plot indicates its firing trend for three consecutive intervals. Furthermore, by connecting sequential points within the SISID scatter plot,the time evolution of the firing trend can be revealed. This allows us to determine how firing patterns change, thus enabling the detection of characteristic firing patterns for that neuron.
Long-term societal impacts of conditional cash transfers: Bolsa família a decade in

Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) are innovative poverty intervention programs that have been adapted and adopted in dozens of countries around the world. The effectiveness of the programs in the short-term have been established by a number of studies, but they have only recently been around long enough to begin to observe whether they indeed disrupt the inter-generational poverty cycle as claimed. The expected long-term effects are central to the appeal of CCT programs. This empirical study examines the data to determine whether there is evidence that the long-term effects are as apparent as the short-term effects in one of the original adopters, Brazil. The analysis examines municipal level government data using OLS regression and finds evidence that CCTs raised 8th grade graduation rates and lowered unemployment and birthrates. The conclusion is that, at least in Brazil, CCTs seem to be making headway in changing conditions that often lead to inter-generational poverty cycles.
Optimal Stand Management

The traditional Faustmann (1849) model has served as the foundation of economic theory of the firm for the forestry production process. Since its introduction over 150 years ago, many variations of the Faustmann have been developed which relax certain assumptions of the traditional model, including constant prices, risk neutrality, zero production and management costs, and the single management objective. We describe the traditional Faustmann and provide an overview of the neotraditional Faustmann and Hartman (1976) models. We then use the neotraditional Hartman model to develop testable hypotheses regarding harvest response to timber, land, and amenity values from forests. Using data from the North Carolina coastal plain, we test for inclusion of several often omitted variables in models of industrial and nonindustrial harvest behavior.
Institutional memory, inertia and impulsiveness

This paper examines how imperfect institutional memory affects organizational decisions. In our model, new managers are aware of their firm's previous actions but not the rationale for these actions. If the environment is stable, we find that a firm that has followed an old investment policy long enough and then changes management generally exhibits greater INERTIA, that is a greater tendency to follow old actions than a firm in which the old manager with full memory would have continued. On the other hand, if the environment is volatile or if the old manager has followed a policy only briefly, previous investment decisions are not very informative, and new managers can be excessively IMPULSIVE (prone to follow their latest information with less regard to history). The model implies relationships among various variables, such as the frequency of policy changes (e.g., reversal of project choices), managerial turnover, the quality of record-keeping, the history of the project, and the stability of the underlying environment.
Availability of licensed cannabis businesses in relation to area deprivation in Washington state: A spatiotemporal analysis of cannabis business presence between 2014 and 2017

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS In states where recreational use of cannabis has been legalised, increasing numbers of cannabis licensed cannabis businesses resulted in concerns about their potential social and health impacts. This study examined spatiotemporal variations in availability of cannabis licensed cannabis businesses (i.e. producers, processors and retailers) in relation to area deprivation in Washington state from 2014 to 2017. DESIGN AND METHODS Data on licensed cannabis businesses were obtained from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. The number of licensed cannabis businesses was estimated for Washington's 1446 census tracts. Census tracts were stratified into tertiles based on the Singh's Area Deprivation Index showing socio-economic characteristics of communities (least-deprived, middle-deprived and most-deprived). The Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation approach allowed for the spatial and temporal characterisation of cannabis businesses, accounting for similarities based on neighbouring census tracts. RESULTS The density of all licensed cannabis outlets increased over time. Most-deprived areas have increased likelihood of licensed cannabis outlet density when compared to least-deprived areas. No differences were observed in the likelihood of licensed cannabis outlet density in middle-deprived areas when compared to least-deprived areas. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The results of this study showed disparity with respect to licensed cannabis outlet density in Washington state over time. The findings call for initiatives, policies and research that decrease disparities in cannabis outlet locations.
High-temperature superconductivity space experiment

The High Temperature Superconductivity Space Experiment (HTSSE) is described in terms of the development of microwave high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) devices for use in space. HTS devices, circuits, and systems operating in a cryogenic refrigeration system are expected to be tested during the HTSSE mission to determine the failure modes of the components. The program encompasses the procurement of five prototype devices that are subsequently optimized for testing in terms of electrical, mechanical, thermal, and radiation-hardness characteristics. The devices are currently being integrated with a cryogenic refrigerator and a measurement system that records both the electrical characteristics of the components and the ambient radiation and temperature inside the cryocoolers. Because they were developed for space qualification, the HTS devices and systems are more effective for and applicable to spacecraft systems.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Miniature High-Voltage DC-DC Power Converters for Space and Micro-Robotic Applications

We develop a small and lightweight high-voltage high-gain power converter for applications where weight and size are premium. By driving a Dickson and Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier with a megahertz-frequency class-E inverter, we implement two converters, one that achieves 40 V-to-2 kV conversion with 16 cm3 box volume and the other that achieves 3.7 V-to-2.9 kV conversion with 0.2 cm3 box volume and 0.49 g weight. Presented converters achieve comparable or better power density and specific power to those of commercial high-voltage power supplies.
Infrastructural Contingencies and Contingent Sovereignties on the Indo–Afghan Frontier

The Khyber Pass Railway is a defunct 42-kilometre-long railway line that connects the western reaches of Peshawar to the Afghan border. Completed in 1925 mainly to carry British troops, the railway line failed to attract decent passenger or commodity traffic. Instead, it made an impact on a more primal register. Negotiations carried out between the British Government of India and populations from around the Khyber to allow its construction reproduced and rearranged lines of authority among the latter. They also embedded colonial administrators in tribal hierarchies. Efforts to acquire land and labour opened up spaces of collaboration between the colonial administration and members of frontier tribes, effectively contributing towards a reconfiguration of sovereign power in the area. This article weaves questions of customary law and colonial legal cultures into a retelling of the history of the Khyber Pass Railway. Examining transactions across three domains of sovereign power—the economic right to use land, extension of juridical regimes, and territorial control—it argues that the operation of sovereignty in the late-colonial Indo–Afghan frontier did not adhere to conventional ideas about its concentration and monopoly. The colonial government as well as members of frontier tribes deployed the inconclusive nature of their transactions strategically and, often, sovereign power lay with the stakeholder who could determine which domains fell within the bounds of the sovereignty question and which domains fell without.
Thermoelectric transport enhancement of Te-rich bismuth antimony telluride (Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3+x) through controlled porosity

Abstract Alloys of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 are the best performing p-type thermoelectrics near room temperature and have been the subject of extensive engineering efforts. Dramatic improvement is achieved by introducing defects that effectively scatter phonons and reduce thermal conductivity. Unfortunately, outstanding results are often difficult to reproduce as the process variables involved are difficult to control or possibly unknown. Here, a reproducible and controllable method of fabricating porous Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3+x is presented. While effective medium theory (EMT) predicts no benefit, improvements in the thermoelectric quality factor, B (which determines the maximum zT of a materials), were as high as 45% parallel to the pressing direction for a sample of roughly 20% porosity. The study of microstructural evolution with increasing porosity is facilitated by a combination of Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscopy (S/TEM) and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). This study reveals a statistically significant shift in the distribution of grain boundaries favoring lower energy twins, which coincides with an increase in the presence of stepped twin boundaries. This work demonstrates the potential benefits of careful grain boundary engineering and the need for further detailed studies of the dependence of thermal and electrical transport on grain boundary structure and orientation in these alloys.