cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ERROR ASSESSMENT FOR STRAIN MAPPING BY DIGITAL IMAGE CORRELATION

The accuracy and sensitivity of strain mapping by DIC have been experimentally evaluated for a sheet metal tensile specimen and the error level of local strains in terms of their standard deviations from the means is found to be around 100 μstrain for the imaging system and data reduction processes used. In general, as the error in DIC measurements are affected both by digitization and optics for a given DIC processing routine, it is suggested that a system error calibration procedure similar to the one described here should be carried out for each batch of specimens prior to testing. A series of tests on a stationary specimen with a typical contrast pattern should be first conducted to identify the minimum number of frames needed for averaging during the image acquisition to achieve the desired accuracy in displacements and strains for the given image formation system. Then translation tests along the three axes and in-plane rotation tests that simulate the motion of a specimen during testing should be carried out and errors in displacements and strains should be computed immediately. Depending on the nature of the error and its magnitude, optics realignment, optimization of surface contrast features, and increase of digital image pixel resolution may further be explored to reduce the system errors to an acceptable level for each specific application. The reliability and accuracy of the strain maps obtained in the subsequent testing can thus be ensured.
A membrane-activatable near-infrared fluorescent probe with ultra-photostability for mitochondrial membrane potentials

Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) is a frequently used indicator for mitochondrial function. Herein, we report a photostable near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye for monitoring MMP. This new probe, named NIMAP, is non-fluorescent in aqueous solution and can be activated by cell membranes, providing high fluorescence contrast and low background fluorescence. NIMAP has been validated for monitoring MMP in living mammalian cells and in mice. Due to the large fluorescence response, low fluorescence background, high photostability, and excellent tissue penetration resulting from red-shifted excitation and emission in the "optical window" above 600 nm, broad applications of this new probe are expected.
Uncovering the Affective Core of Conscientiousness: The Role of Self-Conscious Emotions

We conducted 3 studies to test the idea that guilt is a key affective component of Conscientiousness and that it can account for the relation between Conscientiousness and negative affect. Study 1 used meta-analysis to show that Conscientiousness was associated with specific emotions and overall negative affect but was most strongly associated with guilt. Conscientiousness was negatively related to guilt experience but positively related to guilt proneness. Also, guilt experience mediated the relation between Conscientiousness and negative affect. Study 2 (N = 142) examined the relation between facets of Conscientiousness and guilt. We replicated results from Study 1 and showed that the relation between Conscientiousness and guilt was not due to overlap with Extraversion and Neuroticism. Study 3 (n = 176) examined the interplay between Conscientiousness and guilt on grades in a short-term longitudinal study. These studies showed that Conscientiousness is primarily related to guilt and highlighted the importance of examining the emotional substrate of Conscientiousness.
The role of stress and social support in predicting depression among a hypertensive African American sample.

OBJECTIVE: We examined social support, stress, and selected demographic variables as predictors of depression among African Americans with hypertension. METHODS: Archival data collected on 194 hypertensive African Americans ranging in age from 30 to 88 years (mean age = 58.3 years, standard deviation = 12.2; 63% were female) were analyzed in the present study. Hierarchic regression analyses were conducted using two models of depression. The first model included basic demographic characteristics of the sample, including age, sex, educational attainment, income, and employment status. In the second model, the psychosocial variables of stress and social support were added to determine their predictive value. RESULTS: The first model accounted for 14% of the variance in depression and identified sex and age as significant predictors. The second model, in which two psychosocial variables were added, accounted for 45.2% of the total variance, with age, stress, and social support as significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Stress and social support are significant predictors of depression in a hypertensive African American population, beyond the influence of various demographic variables. These results have implications for prevention and intervention strategies with the target population.
Balancing The Goals Of Health Care Provision And Financing

A desirable system for providing and financing health care must balance three goals: (1) preventing the deprivation of care because of a patient’s inability to pay; (2) avoiding wasteful spending; and (3) allowing care to reflect the different tastes of individual patients. This essay discusses the application of these goals and uses them to consider a reform of the system of health savings accounts (HSAs) that was enacted as part of the 2003 Medicare legislation and, separately, the challenge posed by the very expensive treatments for rare diseases that are becoming more frequently available.
Cytoreductive surgery and intraoperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion for advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Background Optimal cytoreductive surgery combined with intraoperative hyperthermic chemoperfusion (IHCP) is a therapy that potentially could improve survival in a select group of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to review the results of cytoreductive surgery and IHCP for advanced ovarian cancer and to identify factors that may predict which patients maximally benefit from this aggressive treatment. Methods Patients treated with cytoreduction followed by IHCP for ovarian cancer were identified from an IHCP database from 1/2001 through 3/2004. Several factors including resection status, peritoneal cancer index (PCI), and prior surgery were evaluated for their ability to predict survival in our cohort of patients. Results Thirteen patients with ovarian cancer treated with cytoreductive surgery followed by IHCP were identified. The 3-year overall survival rate for all thirteen patients was 55%. The median disease-free survival was 15.4 months (3-year disease-free survival, 11%). Several factors including PCI score (<6), ability to resect all gross disease, and previous surgical exploration appeared to impart an overall survival advantage. Conclusions The use of IHCP coupled with optimal cytoreduction is a safe and effective treatment for advanced ovarian carcinoma. However, the proper selection of patients who will benefit most from the therapy is essential for the success of the treatment. J. Surg. Oncol. 2005;90:51–56. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Indígenas urbanos y derechos culturales: los límites del multiculturalismo liberal

In this article, i assess the limits of liberal multiculturalism to describe and evaluate the reality of contemporary indians. Liberal multiculturalism structures indian identity appealing to the following five categories: ancestral territory, rural territory, wild nature, atavic cultural practices, and subsistence economy. This way of understanding indian identity, moreover, is the basis to justify who is entitled to the cultural rights that are compatible with liberalism. However, this description of indian identity collides with the reality of a great number of contemporary indians. The life of an important part of these individuals and groups is closely linked to urban contexts that are outside their ancestral territories. In Mexico, for example, approximately 30% of Indians live in cities, in Canada 50%, and in Australia 75% do so. Today, 61% of u.s. indians and 21% of Colombian Indians live in urban areas. Contemporary indians are in great part urban indians that are part of the market economy. Yet, multicultural liberalism, its descriptive and normative categories, does not have the capacity to recognize and accommodate them properly to the polity.
Optimum power and rate allocation strategies for multiple access fading channels

We obtain the (Shannon) optimal power and rate allocation strategies for the uplink on single cell systems. For an N user system, we show that successive decoding which is independent of channel state is optimal in the Shannon sense. Using this result, we frame a simple N dimensional convex optimization problem, which is solved to obtain optimum power and rate allocation as explicit functions of the channel state.
A Habitat-Classification Framework and Typology for Understanding, Valuing, and Managing Invasive Species Impacts

It is frequently lamented that invasion biology has not been very successful in developing reliable generalizations for management. In particular, there is an urgent need to improve the understanding and assessment of impacts of invasive species. We argue that a refined conceptualization of biotic invasion derived from a management perspective, rather than purely from ecological theory, can help to better understand, value and manage impacts of invasive species. We propose a habitat-classification framework on the basis of four habitat types that are defined by their differences in type and degree of human modification, and differences in human valuation. The first type, anthropogenic habitat, encompasses highly disturbed and anthropogenic areas such as agriculture, plantation forestry, or urban areas. The second type, reference habitat, represents relatively undisturbed habitat dominated by native species. The third type, abandoned habitat, involves habitats that currently experience relatively little human interference but that have been highly disturbed or managed in the past, e.g., old fields or abandoned plantation forests. The fourth habitat type, designed habitat, involves situations where humans deliberately and strongly manipulate a habitat to create a new habitat that primarily suites conservation objectives (e.g., restoration of a former native habitat). These four habitat types differ in invader characteristics, invader impacts, management strategies, and research needs. Our typology may help stimulate more interdisciplinary research yielding improved conceptual and practical understanding of impacts of invasive species.
Development of a Monte Carlo—Library Least-Squares code package for the EDXRF inverse problem

The Monte Carlo – Library Least-Squares (MCLLS) approach has now been developed, im plemented, and tested for solving the inverse problem of EDXRF sample analysis. It consists of a linear library least-squares (LLS) code and a comprehensive Monte Carlo code named CEARXRF that is capable of calculating the unknown sample spectrum, all the elemental library spectra in the sample, and the differential operators for each library spectrum with respect to each element. Two codes with Graphical User Interface (GUI) have been designed to implement the MCLLS approach and benchmark results are presented for the two stainless steel samples; SS304 and SS316. The results are accurate, the system is easy to use, and all indications are that this approach will be very useful for the EDXRF practitioner.
The Impact of Resonance Stabilization on the Intramolecular Hydrogen‐Atom Shift Reactions of Hydrocarbon Radicals

A series of intramolecular H-atom shift reactions of both alkenyl and allylic radicals were investigated by using CBS-QB3 electronic structure calculations. In the first set of reactions, an alkyl radical site was converted into an allylic radical site. In the second set, an allylic radical was converted into another allylic radical. The results are discussed in the context of a Benson-type model to examine the impact of the transition-state partial resonance stabilization on both the activation energies and the pre-exponential factors. In most cases, the differences in the activation energies relative to those for the analogous alkyl radicals are primarily due to the barriers of the bimolecular reaction component of the activation energy. For the first set of reactions, there is additional entropy loss relative to the alkyl radical analogues. This additional loss of entropy may be smaller than some previous estimates. The pre-exponential factors for the second set of reactions are generally similar to those of the analogous alkyl radical reactions (once the double bond in the transition state is accounted for).
Encouraging Students to Act: Helping Students Apply Principles Learned in a Religious Education Setting

Much debate exists regarding the purpose of education. This article explores the idea that religious education can be used to inspire change and action in the lives of students beyond the classroom. We describe a study of students who took a required religion class at a private religious university. The intended outcomes of the class centered on encouraging students to make the following changes in their lives: to develop a habit of regular scripture study, to use new methods to study the scriptures, and to make positive choices in their lives. Specific assignments were designed to encourage these outcomes. At the end of the semester, students were surveyed as to whether they had made changes in their lives in these three areas. The vast majority of students reported that they had made changes in their lives because of assignments given in the class. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Accelerated thermal cycling: is it different for lead-free solder?

Accelerated test parameters such as extreme temperatures, temperature range, temperature ramps and dwell times have a major influence on deformation mechanisms in solder joints. With the increasing push for the introduction of lead-free solders, there is a need to revisit the accelerated thermal cycling regimes, as the solder composition can also influence the deformation mechanisms in solder joints. Time independent plastic deformation due to dislocations leading to slip bands and time dependent creep deformation due to diffusional flow of vacancies leading to grain boundary sliding are the two primary deformation mechanisms in solder joints. It is recognized, for example, that the lead-free solders creep 10 to 100 times slower than tin-lead solders under a given stress state. This paper examines the inelastic deformation mechanisms in lead and lead-free solders in BGA packages. Accelerated thermal cycling guidelines have been developed keeping in perspective the field-use conditions. The accelerated thermal cycles developed mimic the solder deformation mechanisms as in the field-use conditions and also reduce the time and the cost associated with accelerated testing. The finite-element models developed in this work are validated using experimental thermal cycling data and Moire interferometry data.
Effects of increasing levels of distillers grains in barley-based diets on growing and finishing feedlot performance, carcass traits, and nutrients in manure

Two feedlot trials evaluated increasing levels (0, 12, 24, and 36% DM basis) of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) in barley-based diets. The DDGS replaced barley and canola meal in both trials. In the growing trial, diets (121 Mcal/kg NE
Confronting Imperialism: W. E. B. Du Bois’ Africanist Scholarship

This paper comments on W.E.B. Du Bois’ Africanist scholarship. Du Bois’ study of Africa was an earnestly and long-pursued intellectual agenda; yet, it remains an under-remarked part of his overall life’s work and legacy. In his Africanist scholarship Du Bois articulated a multilayered critique of the Eurocentric historiography, white supremacy, and rapacious violence underpinning the ideology, science, and practice of modern-era imperialism. Du Bois’ scholarship in these regards constituted a major, early twentieth century Africanist rendering of European imperialism in its various manifestations and impacts at the levels of ruling ideas, material practices and anti-imperialist activism. His early pursuit of lines of analysis that later would be taken up by other notable Africanists is often overlooked. Du Bois produced a body of work on Africa that was not commonplace, and it has been both lauded and roundly criticized. Both plaudits and critiques center on his theoretical lens, empirical appreciation, and his activist applications. The comments presented in the paper detail and ponder the unique elements of Du Bois’ depiction and explanation of imperialism and its opposition. And consider the continuing relevance of Du Bois’ scholarship to the analytical tasks that animate the work of contemporary Africanist scholars.
Bidirectional Synaptic Structural Plasticity after Chronic Cocaine Administration Occurs through Rap1 Small GTPase Signaling

Dendritic spines are the sites of most excitatory synapses in the CNS, and opposing alterations in the synaptic structure of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a primary brain reward region, are seen at early versus late time points after cocaine administration. Here we investigate the time-dependent molecular and biochemical processes that regulate this bidirectional synaptic structural plasticity of NAc MSNs and associated changes in cocaine reward in response to chronic cocaine exposure. Our findings reveal key roles for the bidirectional synaptic expression of the Rap1b small GTPase and an associated local synaptic protein translation network in this process. The transcriptional mechanisms and pathway-specific inputs to NAc that regulate Rap1b expression are also characterized. Collectively, these findings provide a precise mechanism by which nuclear to synaptic interactions induce "metaplasticity" in NAc MSNs, and we reveal the specific effects of this plasticity on reward behavior in a brain circuit-specific manner.
Numerical Quadrature over the Surface of a Sphere

Large-scale simulations in spherical geometries require associated quadrature formulas. Classical approaches based on tabulated weights are limited to specific quasi-uniform distributions of relatively low numbers of nodes. By using a radial basis function-generated finite differences (RBF-FD)-based approach, the proposed algorithm creates quadrature weights for N arbitrarily scattered nodes in only O(NlogN) operations.
A Review of Prognostics and Health Management Applications in Nuclear Power Plants

The US operating fleet of light water reactors (LWRs) is currently undergoing life extensions from the original 40- year license to 60 years of operation. In the US, 74 reactors have been approved for the first round license extension, and 19 additional applications are currently under review. Safe and economic operation of these plants beyond 60 years is now being considered in anticipation of a second round of license extensions to 80 years of operation. Greater situational awareness of key systems, structures, and components (SSCs) can provide the technical basis for extending the life of SSCs beyond the original design life and supports improvements in both safety and economics by supporting optimized maintenance planning and power uprates. These issues are not specific to the aging LWRs; future reactors (including Generation III+ LWRs, advanced reactors, small modular reactors, and fast reactors) can benefit from the same situational awareness. In fact, many small modular reactor (SMR) and advanced reactor designs have increased operating cycles (typically four years up to forty years), which reduce the opportunities for inspection and maintenance at frequent, scheduled outages. Understanding of the current condition of key equipment and the expected evolution of degradation during the next operating cycle allows for targeted inspection and maintenance activities. This article reviews the state of the art and the state of practice of prognostics and health management (PHM) for nuclear power systems. Key research needs and technical gaps are highlighted that must be addressed in order to fully realize the benefits of PHM in nuclear facilities.
A Durability-based Approach For Designing Cut Slopes in Weak Rock Units in OhioShakoor and Admassu

Seven cut slope sites along Ohio highways containing thick (>10 ft/3.3 m) units of weak rocks (shales, claystones, and mudstones) were selected for investigating slope stability problems and developing design recommendations. Stability problems affecting weak rock slopes in Ohio include raveling, gully erosion, mudflows, and, occasionally, deep-seated rotational failures. Field data regarding slope height, slope angle, slope stratigraphy, catchment ditch dimensions, natural slope angle, and talus slope angle were collected for the seven sites. Laboratory data pertaining to the sites included point load strength index, second-cycle slake durability index (Id 2 ), plasticity index (I P ), and geologic strength index. The Franklin shale rating system, global stability analysis using SLIDE software, natural slope angle, and talus slope angle were used to determine safe cut slope angles for weak rock units. Based on the correlation between Id 2 and stable slope angles, as indicated by the shale rating system, we propose cut slope angles for weak rock units as follows: Id 2 2 = 20–60 percent—2H:1V (27°); Id 2 = 60–85 percent—1.5H:1V (34°); Id 2 = 85–95%—1H:1V (45°); and Id 2 >95 percent—0.5H:1V (63°). These angles are corroborated by talus slope angles, the natural angles attained by talus material covering cut slopes in weak rocks. Redbeds, consisting of very weak claystones and mudstones, should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, surface drainage, including backslope, midslope, and downslope drains; jute matting to promote vegetation growth, and adequate catchment ditches should be provided for all weak rock slopes.
High-performance radio frequency transistors based on diameter-separated semiconducting carbon nanotubes

In this paper, we report the high-performance radio-frequency transistors based on the single-walled semiconducting carbon nanotubes with a refined average diameter of ∼1.6 nm. These diameter-separated carbon nanotube transistors show excellent transconductance of 55 μS/μm and desirable drain current saturation with an output resistance of ∼100 KΩ μm. An exceptional radio-frequency performance is also achieved with current gain and power gain cut-off frequencies of 23 GHz and 20 GHz (extrinsic) and 65 GHz and 35 GHz (intrinsic), respectively. These radio-frequency metrics are among the highest reported for the carbon nanotube thin-film transistors. This study provides demonstration of radio frequency transistors based on carbon nanotubes with tailored diameter distributions, which will guide the future application of carbon nanotubes in radio-frequency electronics.
Housing-Unit Method in Comparison: The Virginia Case

Population estimates are widely used in fund allocation, revenue sharing, planning, and budgeting at the federal, state, and local levels; as such, accuracy is crucial, and finding the most appropriate data and method to produce the accurate results is a constant goal for estimates professionals.
Opening Pandora’s Box: Regional Action on a Concept of Sustainable Growth with Equity

The integration of economic, social and environmental concerns in people-centred projects is now considered as the optimum approach to sustainable development. There is also increasing recognition of the desirability of integrating the efforts of state, civil and commercial sectors in the development process. How then can project planning and management cope with such exacting new demands? These issues are explored conceptually and through a case study of the ‘Area-Based Growth with Equity’ programme in Sri Lanka where orthodox approaches were rejected and a process approach was taken in the preparation of a series of investments aimed at building regional capacity to plan projects inter-sectorally and according to sustainable development principles.
On Blindness to Being

In the last chapter, the insurrection of buried discourses was considered, as well as its potential de-legitimizing effects upon what we think we know or understand to be true. This chapter considers another discourse buried in plain sight, that of animals as beings. It also addresses disperse statements and discursive formations, whose presence or not marks conceptual limitations. Specifically, statements that are not understood to contain truth-telling power lie outside our current way of knowing. They are not knowledge or “true” and they lack the power associated with knowledge. Conversely, of course, statements that are knowledge form our conceptual possibilities. This is because power-knowledge determines the form of possible knowledge (Foucault, 1977, p. 28).
Laser performance of the National Ignition Facility Beamlet demonstration project

The Department of Energy has proposed building a National Ignition Facility (NIF) that will be used to conduct laser driven Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments with the goal of achieving ignition and propagation of a thermonuclear fusion burn. The NIF driver will be a Nd-glass laser consisting of 192 individual "beamlets" built into compact arrays containing as many as 48 of these beamlets. The Beamlet laser, which is discussed in this paper, is a full scale, single-aperture scientific prototype of the NIF design. The goal of the Beamlet is to demonstrate the laser science and technology of the proposed NIF. Construction of Beamlet began in January 1993 and its first phase was completed by September 1994. In this paper we briefly review the design and performance results of the laser and an overview of the 3ω frequency conversion results.
Belarus and the West: From Estrangement to Honeymoon and Back to Estrangement

To the consumer of world news who happens to be aware of Belarus’s existence, the West’s attitude to it boils down to a burning desire to establish democracy in that country. In 2005, Belarus was labeled Europe’s last dictatorship1 and thus an aberration of sorts. The authoritarian regime of President Lukashenka — more specifically, the way it treats internal opposition — is something that deprives Western leaders and Western institutions promoting democracy of a good night’s sleep. What Azerbaijani or Central Asian dictators do (to name just a few post-Soviet cases) is for some reason not nearly as irritating as what the Belarusian leader does.
Deal structure and minority shareholders

Takeover transactions are often the most significant activity affecting corporations and their shareholders. Accordingly, there are intense debates about the value and impact of takeovers and the extent to which law should regulate such transactions. One area of focus for takeover regulation has been the potential impact of takeovers on minority shareholders. The focus on minority shareholders is not surprising as research suggests that laws which protect minority shareholders are associated with stronger financial markets. This chapter discusses three methods of effecting a takeover, focusing on tender offers, schemes of arrangement, and triangular mergers, and assesses both the theoretical and empirical literature on their impact on minority shareholders of bidders and targets. The chapter primarily focuses on how two common law jurisdictions, the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), govern such transactions. In each jurisdiction, lawmakers, regulators and courts have attempted to address the potential for harm to minority shareholders under various deal structures. At times, regulators have arrived at different sets of rules for different types of transaction structures. These rules often provide different rights for shareholders of bidders and targets, and vary among various transaction structures, even when economically similar transactions are undertaken.This chapter chronicles the use of regulatory and judicial tools to address the rights of minority shareholders under each particular structure in the US and UK. An important regulatory concern in designing laws to govern various deal structures is the balance between shareholder interests and the costs of imposing legal requirements. What is clear is that the US and UK have arrived at different tools to address minority shareholder rights in each of these transactions. While the UK takeover regime focuses primarily on ex ante regulation, the US system uses some ex ante regulation but focuses primarily on ex post policing through the courts. What is less clear and needs further empirical enquiry is which of the tools used in the US and UK regimes better protect minority shareholders. To date there have been few studies that empirically evaluate the differences between the US and UK rules. Nevertheless, a few insights are suggested by the empirical research chronicled in this chapter. First, despite the differences in each jurisdiction’s regime, target shareholders gain in takeover transactions in both jurisdictions, and in the US regime these gains are higher in tender offers than in mergers. Second, recent research suggests that the UK’s takeover rules better protect bidder shareholders in large transactions than US regulation which largely deprive bidder shareholders a role in acquisition transactions. Finally, the research on US transactions suggests that different legal treatment of economically similar acquisition structures may make a difference to minority shareholders.
Recessed Nanoelectrodes for Nanogap Voltammetry

Exploration of electrochemical properties of nanoconfined species is an area of active interest. In this Communication, recessed Pt nanoelectrodes were prepared by controlled electrochemical etching and evaluated by combination of voltammetry and atomic force microscopy. The effects of ac frequency and ac voltage on the etching process are discussed. Voltammetry was carried out in the nanogap between the etched nanoelectrode and the planar substrate surface. Peak-shaped steady-state voltammograms were obtained with a low concentration of supporting electrolyte and fitted to the theory, pointing to the influence of the electrical double layer on transport of a charged redox species within the confined space.
Disorders of Divalent Ion Metabolism

You are asked to evaluate a family with a high incidence of hypercalciuria and nephrolithiasis, and you find that two children born to a sibling with hypercalciuria and nephrolithiasis died in early childhood of renal failure and had “calcium in their kidneys.” An extensive work-up reveals that the family members affected with hypercalciuria also demonstrated hypomagnesaemia and hypermagnesuria.
Robot learning from human demonstration with remote lead hrough teaching

Industrial robots are playing increasingly important roles in factories. Many production applications require both position and force control; however, tuning the positionforce controller is nontrivial. To simplify this process, the learning from demonstration (LfD) is proposed to transfer the human skills directly into robot applications. However, the current teaching methods, such as direct demonstration, lead through teaching, and teleoperation, all have their own drawbacks. Hence, Remote Lead Through Teaching (RLTT) is proposed to robot learn some tasks from human knowledge and skill. To implement the human skill model, the demonstration data is firstly synchronized by dynamic time warping (DTW), then decomposed into several actions by a support vector machine (SVM) based classifier. Lastly, the learning controller is trained by the Gaussian mixture regression (GMR). The experimental validation is realized on FANUC LR Mate 200ID/7L in a H7/h7 peg-hole insertion task and a surface grinding task.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF PREDICTION MODELS WITH NON-TRADITIONAL MARKERS FOR 10-YEAR RISK OF ISCHEMIC LEG AMPUTATION AMONG PERSONS WITH DIABETES: THE ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK IN COMMUNITIES (ARIC) STUDY

Background: The ability of non-traditional markers for predicting ischemic leg amputation in diabetes is unknown. Methods: In 3321 ARIC participants with diabetes (45-73 y during 1987-98), we identified traditional factors contributing to ischemic leg amputation (ICD code of leg amputation [84.1x]
Foreign Outposts of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics

We think so much about an agricultural policy these days that I am always constrained to call attention to the fact that we have and, for a long time, have had agricultural policies and that, whatever the future policy may be, at the present time the major item in our agricultural policy is an educational program. The amount of expenditures paid out since the Civil War time for agricultural education indicates that not the tariff but education is the central feature of the agricultural policy. In presenting an educational program full information is required and if that information confines itself to the limits of one country when that country is sending many of its products abroad or is buying many supplies from abroad, obviously the program will not be complete. The work of the Department of Agriculture is largely that of fact finding, information giving, and service rendering. One of the important lines of work which is being pressed forward at the present time is that thing which it was suggested this morning could not be done--that of bringing more order into production, so that the farmers' margins may be more even from year to year, as are those of the packers. If we are to bring order into production, there is probably only one way to do it and that is to bring information to people and, through education, to develop in the minds of the farmers an ability to receive information from week to week and from day to day and make use of it in such a way as to guide their actions. The agricultural outlook reports may be entirely out of line with the facts if only the United States is considered. Therefore, it has been found necessary and desirable to gather information throughout the world and, under the heading of "Foreign Competition and Demand" such a service is being developed. One of the major functions of this service is to keep a steady flow of information from all parts of the world with regard to what is being produced, with regard to the probable outcome of the crops now growing, and whether
The Justice and the Economics of Rerum novarum on Land

The authors of Rerum novarum attack socialism and Henry George’s claim that the earth is the common heritage of all persons, without distinguishing between these ideas. While acknowledging that “God has given the earth for the use and enjoyment of the whole human race,” they propose that land is simply the transformed wages of those who worked to buy it, ignoring Aquinas’s assertion that “… a rich man does not act unlawfully if he anticipates someone in taking possession of something which at first was common property, and gives others a share: but he sins if he excludes others indiscriminately from using it.” They presume erroneously that the physical inseparability of land and capital makes them economically inseparable. Their position on land should be rejected.
Market Demand and Production Capacity Expansion of Hydrogen Peroxide in Bangladesh

The work on production capacity expansion of hydrogen peroxide plants is part of an extensive research. In this research, the expansion of hydrogen peroxide plant, including the local current production and market demands of hydrogen peroxide has been highlighted. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the basic chemicals. The market size of hydrogen peroxide in Bangladesh has been ever bigger than caustic soda. Textile, Dyeing, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals, Water Treatment, Soap, Pulp and Paper Industries are using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as huge quantity. Recently new application is developed for hydrogen peroxide in the effluent treatment of various organic wastes of refineries and other chemical industries. In Bangladesh, there are only four plants which are producing various grades and qualities of hydrogen peroxide. Among these, three plants are producing the 50.00% (w/w) and one plant is producing the 35.00% (w/w) concentration of hydrogen peroxide. But locally, the consumption of 50.00% (w/w) is higher than 35.00% (w/w) concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The current production capacity of hydrogen peroxide in Bangladesh is not adequate to meet the country's requirement. In Bangladesh, production of hydrogen peroxide is about 190 Ton Per Day (TPD) but demand is 350 Ton per Day (TPD) which is higher than the local production. In that case, some quantity of 50.00% (w/w) concentrates of hydrogen peroxide is being imported from foreign countries like as India, China, Korea and Thailand. To avoid imports the hydrogen peroxide and to meet the requirement of local consumers, either needs to install a new production plant or increase the capacity of the existing plant. Chemical Engineers recommend that the expansion of local plants is better than newly installed the plant and it will more competence. The main purpose of the study to introduce the answer regarding the basic question, "how will we expand the capacity of an existing H2O2 plant?" In this study, a complete expansion and operation data of the H2O2 manufacturing plant have been shown so that the plant can be run efficiently. Beside this, the properties, manufacturing procedures, applications and local demanding of hydrogen peroxide are briefly discussed in this study. Finally, this invention will be helpful for the engineering team, operation team and marketing team so that they can implement their own jobs in the expansion project.
Temporal overexpression of SIRT1 in skeletal muscle of adult mice does not improve insulin sensitivity or markers of mitochondrial biogenesis.

Aims Activation of the NAD+ dependent protein deacetylase SIRT1 has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy to treat mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. However, life-long overexpression of SIRT1 in skeletal muscle does not improve parameters of mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity. In this study we investigated whether temporal overexpression of SIRT1 in muscle of adult mice would affect skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity. Methods To circumvent potential effects of germline SIRT1 overexpression, we utilized an inducible model of SIRT1 overexpression in skeletal muscle of adult mice (i-mOX). Insulin sensitivity was assessed by 2-deoxyglucose uptake, muscle maximal respiratory function by high-resolution respirometry and systemic energy expenditure was assessed by whole body calorimetry. Results Although SIRT1 was highly, and specifically, overexpressed in skeletal muscle of i-mOX compared to WT mice, glucose tolerance and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity were comparable between genotypes. Additionally, markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, muscle maximal respiratory function and whole body oxygen consumption were also unaffected by SIRT1 overexpression. Conclusion These results support previous work demonstrating that induction of SIRT1 in skeletal muscle, either at birth or in adulthood, does not impact muscle insulin action or mitochondrial function. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cardiac Lymphatic Vessels, Transport, and Healing of the Infarcted Heart

The lymphatic vasculature plays a key role throughout the body in regulating tissue fluid homeostasis, lipid transport, and immune surveillance. Whereas it has been appreciated that the heart relies on lymphatic vessels to maintain fluid balance and that such balance must be tightly maintained to allow for normal cardiac output, it has only recently come to light that the lymphatic vasculature might serve as a therapeutic target to promote optimal healing following myocardial ischemia and infarction. We review the subject of cardiac lymphatic vessels herein and highlight studies that imply targeting of lymphatic vessel development or transport may serve as a promising avenue for future clinical application in the context of ischemic injury.
SpringLS: a deformable model representation to provide interoperability between meshes and level sets

A new type of deformable model is presented that merges meshes and level sets into one representation to provide interoperability between methods designed for either. The key idea is to use a constellation of triangular surface elements (springls) to define a level set. A Spring Level Set (SpringLS) can be interpreted as a mesh or level set and used in place of them in many instances. There is no loss of shape information in the transformation from triangle mesh or level set into SpringLS. As examples, we present results for joint segmentation/spherical mapping of a human brain cortex and atlas/nonatlas segmentation of a pelvis.
Algorithms for Digital Surfaces and Manifolds

In Chap. 2, we introduced some algorithms for graphs. In this chapter, we specifically design algorithms for digital object recognition and tracking. These algorithms are mainly for digital surfaces and manifolds. There are two types of questions to solve in this chapter: (1) Given a set of data M, decide or recognize whether the data represents a geometric shape, specifically a curve, surface, or solid object, and (2) Extract the curve or surface components of the data set. The main task is to extract the boundary of a surface or a 3D manifold. We also design algorithms for these problems for higher dimensional manifolds. In this chapter, we deal with various important tasks in digital and discrete geometry in an ideal situation such as no noise with perfect data formats. We then design algorithms to find solutions for these problems. In Chap. 11, we specifically discuss the data in the format of randomly collected points, called cloud data or scattered data sets that usually do not form a specific geometric shape. In such a case, the researcher needs to estimate the best possible shape for the data. These types of problems are usually related to geometric processing.
Orthodox RET Taught Effectively with Graphics, Feedback on Irrational Beliefs, a Structured Homework Series, and Models of Disputation

As a result of 25 years of teaching experience before I actually began practicing psychotherapy, I structured the early stages of RET therapy with clients along the lines of a teacher structuring a learning experience. During my associate fellow training at the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy in New York, I was urged to be more “evocative” and less “didactic.” Subsequently, what I have tried to do is combine a lecturing style with an evocative interaction style.
Ab initio potential curves for the X2Σu+ and B2Σg+ states of Be2+: Existence of a double minimum

Abstract We report ab initio calculations of the X 2 Σ u + and B 2 Σ g + states of the Be 2 + dimer. Full valence configuration interaction calculations were performed using the aug-cc-pVnZ basis sets and the results were extrapolated to the CBS limit. Core–core and core–valence effects are included at the CCSDT/MTsmall level of theory. Two local minima, separated by a large barrier, are found in the expected repulsive B 2 Σ g + state. Spectroscopic constants have been calculated and good agreement is found with the recent measurements of Merritt et al. Bound vibrational levels, transition moments and lifetimes have also been calculated.
Correction to: NMDA Receptors Regulate Neuregulin 2 Binding to ER-PM Junctions and Ectodomain Release by ADAM10.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error in Title as the authors inadvertently deleted during revisions the last two words of the paper’s title (“by ADAM10”), which is very important for explaining the article’s content and impact.
Circulating extracellular vesicles from patients with acute chest syndrome disrupt adherens junctions between endothelial cells.

Background Small cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can affect endothelial function. We previously found that patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have greater numbers of circulating EVs than subjects without the disease, and the EVs differentially disrupt endothelial integrity in vitro. Because endothelial disruption is a critical component of acute chest syndrome (ACS), we hypothesized that EVs isolated during ACS would induce greater endothelial damage than those isolated at baseline. Methods Nine pediatric subjects had plasma isolated at baseline and during ACS from which EVs were isolated. Cultured microvascular endothelial cells were treated with EVs and then studied by immunofluorescence microscopy to localize VE-cadherin and F-actin. Results The EVs had a diameter of 95 nm. They contained CD63 and flotillin-1, which were increased in SCD patients (5-13-fold compared to control) and further increased between baseline and ACS (24-57%). The EVs contained hemoglobin, glycophorin A, and ferritin. Treatment with baseline EVs caused modest separation of endothelial cells, while ACS EVs caused substantial disruptions of the endothelial cell monolayers. EVs from subjects with ACS also caused a 50% decrease in protein levels of VE-cadherin. Conclusions These results suggest that circulating EVs can modulate endothelial integrity contributing to the development of ACS in SCD patients by altering cadherin-containing intercellular junctions. Impact Sickle cell disease patients have circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) that modulate endothelial integrity by altering cadherin-containing intercellular junctions. Disruption is more severe by EVs obtained during acute chest syndrome (ACS). These results expand our knowledge of the pathophysiology of acute chest syndrome and the vasculopathies of sickle cell disease.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Features

Noroviruses are among the most important causes of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide, accounting for approximately 18% of AGE cases and up to 213,000 AGE related deaths annually. Noroviruses affect persons of all ages, however young children suffer higher incidence of gastroenteritis, outpatient and emergency department visits and hospitalizations, while the majority of norovirus deaths occur among the elderly. Infected individuals often present with symptoms of vomiting, watery, non-bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Noroviruses replicate in intestinal enterocytes and lead to histological changes in the small intestines and epithelial barrier dysfunction. Norovirus is shed both in stool and vomitus of infected individuals. The duration of shedding spans 2–4 weeks on average and the peak quantity of shedding can exceed 109 particles per gram of stool, but both duration and quantity of shedding are highly variable. A number of viral characteristics allow noroviruses to readily transmit and infect humans: a low infectious dose, long duration of viral shedding, resistance to many household chemical cleaners, and environmental stability. As such noroviruses can be transmitted to humans through person-to-person contact, foodborne, waterborne and environmental routes.
Layer-wise anomaly detection and classification for powder bed additive manufacturing processes: A machine-agnostic algorithm for real-time pixel-wise semantic segmentation

Abstract Increasing industry acceptance of powder bed metal Additive Manufacturing requires improved real-time detection and classification of anomalies. Many of these anomalies, such as recoater blade impacts, binder deposition issues, spatter generation, and some porosities, are surface-visible at each layer of the building process. In this work, the authors present a novel Convolutional Neural Network architecture for pixel-wise localization (semantic segmentation) of layer-wise powder bed imaging data. Key advantages of the algorithm include its ability to return segmentation results at the native resolution of the imaging sensor, seamlessly transfer learned knowledge between different Additive Manufacturing machines, and provide real-time performance. The algorithm is demonstrated on six different machines spanning three technologies: laser fusion, binder jetting, and electron beam fusion. Finally, the performance of the algorithm is shown to be superior to that of previous algorithms presented by the authors with respect to localization, accuracy, computation time, and generalizability.