cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-diffusion of bimodal suspensions of hydrodynamically interacting spherical particles in shearing flow

We study the average mobilities and long-time self-diffusion coefficients of a suspension of bimodally distributed spherical particles. Stokesian dynamics is used to calculate the particle trajectories for a monolayer of bimodal-sized spheres. Hydrodynamic forces only are considered and they are calculated using the inverse of the grand mobility matrix for far-field many-body interactions and lubrication formulae for near-field effects. We determine both the detailed microstructure (e.g. the pair-connectedness function and cluster formation) and the macroscopic properties (e.g. viscosity and self-diffusion coefficients). The flow of an ‘infinite’ suspension is simulated by considering 25, 49, 64 and 100 particles to be one ‘cell’ of a periodic array. Effects of both the size ratio and the relative fractions of the different-sized particles are examined. For the microstructures, the pair-connectedness function shows that the particles form clusters in simple shearing flow due to lubrication forces. The nearly symmetric angular structures imply the absence of normal stress differences for a suspension with purely hydrodynamic interactions between spheres. For average mobilities at infinite Peclet number, Ds0, our simulation results suggest that the reduction of Ds0 as concentration increases is directly linked to the influence of particle size distribution on the average cluster size. For long-time self-diffusion coefficients, Ds∞, we found good agreement between simulation and experiment (Leighton & Acrovos 1987 a; Phan and Leighton 1993) for monodispersed suspensions. For bimodal suspensions, the magnitude of Ds∞, and the time to reach the asymptotic diffusive behaviour depend on the cluster size formed in the system, or the viscosity of the suspension. We also consider the effect of the initial configuration by letting the spheres be both organized (size segregated) and randomly placed. We find that it takes a longer time for a suspension with an initially organized structure to achieve steady state than one with a random structure.
Differences in the reaction kinetics and contact formation mechanisms of annealed Ti∕Al∕Mo∕Au Ohmic contacts on n-GaN and AlGaN∕GaN epilayers

Ti∕Al-based multilayer metallizations are usually used interchangeably for n-GaN and AlGaN∕GaN epilayers. Our investigations show that, although excellent Ohmic performances were obtained on both cases, the reaction pathways/kinetics and Ohmic contact formation mechanisms of Ti∕Al∕Mo∕Au metallization on n-GaN and AlGaN∕GaN are different. In the case of n-GaN, the reaction proceeds by the formation of continuous TiN layer at the metal/GaN interface. Low-barrier Schottky contact or tunneling contact is the possible contact formation mechanisms. On AlGaN∕GaN heterostructures, the existence of the AlGaN layer significantly modifies the reaction pathway, where discrete TiN protrusions form nonuniformly along threading dislocations. The TiN protrusions penetrate through the AlGaN layer and form direct electrical link between the two-dimensional electron gas and the metal contacts which would otherwise be separated by the AlGaN barrier layer. A contact formation mechanism, similar to the “spike mechanism,” which...
Hypoglycemia-Associated Autonomic Failure in Diabetes: Maladaptive, Adaptive, or Both?

In this issue of Diabetes , Joy et al. (1) report that in healthy individuals hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, compared with hyperinsulinemic euglycemia, reduced endogenous nitric oxide (NO)-mediated endothelial vasodilation, activated inflammatory processes, impaired fibrinolytic balance, and increased proatherothrombotic mechanisms and that repeated episodes of hypoglycemia on two consecutive days further impaired vascular function by additionally reducing both endogenous and exogenous NO-mediated endothelial function. Because the data during both day one and day two hyperinsulinemic-hypoglycemic clamps were contrasted with day one hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps, the data implicate hypoglycemia, rather than hyperinsulinemia, in the development of these responses. However, their mechanisms, particularly any relationship with the documented sympathoadrenal responses to hypoglycemia and the attenuated sympathoadrenal responses to hypoglycemia following recent antecedent hypoglycemia (2,3), were not determined. These translational data support the notion that iatrogenic hypoglycemia may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular disease in diabetes (4,5) and extend that to include a further effect of recurrent hypoglycemia. Iatrogenic hypoglycemia causes recurrent morbidity in most people with type 1 diabetes and many …
Cellulose Fiber/Bentonite Clay/Biodegradable Thermoplastic Composites

Adding cellulose fiber reinforcement can improve mechanical properties of biodegradable plastics, but fiber must be well dispersed to achieve any benefit. The approach to dispersing fiber in this study was to use aqueous gels of sodium bentonite clay. These clay-fiber gels were combined with powdered compostable thermoplastics and calcium carbonate filler. The composite was dried, twin-screw extruded, and injection molded to make thin parts for tensile testing. An experimental design was used to determine the effect of fiber concentration, fiber length, and clay concentration. Polybutylene adipate/terephthalate copolymer (PBAT) and 70/30 polylactic acid (PLA)/PBAT blend were the biodegradable plastics studied. The composite strength decreased compared to the thermoplastics (13 vs. 19 MPa for PBAT, 27 vs. 38 MPa for the PLA/PBAT blend). The composite elongation to break decreased compared to the thermoplastics (170% vs. 831% for PBAT, 4.9% vs. 8.7% for the PLA/PBAT blend). The modulus increased for the composites compared to the thermoplastic standards (149 vs. 61 MPa for PBAT, 1328 vs. 965 MPa for the PLA/PBAT blend). All composite samples had good water resistance.
Speech recognition in the Informedia Digital Video Library: uses and limitations

In principle, speech recognition technology can make any spoken data useful for library indexing and retrieval. The paper describes the Informedia Digital Video Library project and discusses how speech recognition is used for transcript creation from video, alignment with hand-generated transcripts, query interface and audio paragraph segmentation. The results show that speech recognition accuracy varies dramatically depending on the quality and type of data used. Our information retrieval experiments also show that reasonable recall and precision can be obtained with moderate speech recognition accuracy. Finally we discuss some active areas of speech research relevant to the digital video library problem.
Retrieval of magneto-electric properties of unsymmetric metamaterials from measured S-parameters

In this paper, a new inverse algorithm is proposed for retrieving the effective parameters of unsymmetric metamaterials from three measurements of S-parameters. Analytic expressions for the effective properties of unsymmetric metamaterials are formulated in terms of ABCD matrix. With simulated or measured S-parameters for unsymmetric metamaterials, the effective parameters are retrieved.
New evidence that iron supplementation during pregnancy improves birth weight: new scientific questions.

Anemia is extremely common in pregnant women. It is particularly high in areas of the world that also have high rates of low birth weight (LBW). Although conventional wisdom suggests that poor maternal iron status may compromise fetal growth iron deficiency and anemia have thus far not been included among the prominent causes of intrauterine growth retardation. Whether there is a causal link between maternal iron nutriture and birth weight was considered in a meta-analysis and a systematic review. Both concluded that the evidence was insufficient to infer that iron supplementation during pregnancy increased birth weight. This conclusion arose in part because the available studies suffered from one or more design problems. In the article by Cogswell et al in this issue of the Journal the relation between iron supplementation during pregnancy and birth weight is addressed with a better design than that used in many of the studies reviewed. (excerpt)
Zernike polynomial fitting fails to represent all visually significant corneal aberrations.

PURPOSE. It is assumed that wavefront error data arising from aberrometry are adequately described by a Zernike polynomial function, although this assumption has not been extensively tested. Inaccuracies in wavefront error may compromise clinical testing and refractive correction procedures. The current retrospective study correlates visual acuity with corneal wavefront error and with the residual surface elevation error after fitting with the Zernike method. METHODS. Corneal topography maps were obtained from 32 keratoconus cases, 27 postoperative penetrating keratoplasty cases, and 29 postoperative conductive keratoplasty cases (88 total). The best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) for each case ranged from -0.2 to 1.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units (20/12.5-20/400). Topography was analyzed to determine wavefront error and the elevation fit error for a 4-mm optical zone. The 4th and 10th expansion series were analyzed with the 0th-order (piston) and 1st order (tip and tilt) removed. Linear regression analysis was performed. The difference in root mean square (RMS) error between the 4th- and 10th-order analyses was assessed for both wavefront and elevation fit error. RESULTS. The correlation of BSCVA to wavefront error for 4th-order terms was moderately strong and significant (R 2 = 0.581; P < 0.001). The 10th-order correlation for wavefront error had a similar result (R2 = 0.565; P < 0.001), but the regression was not significantly different from the 4th-order result. The correlation of BSCVA to the elevation fit error was strong and significant for the 4th order (R 2 = 0.658; P < 0.001). The 10th-order data had a similar result (R 2 = 0.509; P < 0.001), and there was no significant difference between the two regressions. Only 72% of the cases showed a shift toward increased wavefront error with the 10th-order series, whereas 18% lost wavefront error. All cases showed a shift toward improved elevation fit with the 10th-order expansion. CONCLUSIONS. The wavefront error correlation to acuity was moderately strong, but the corneal elevation fit error also strongly correlated with visual acuity, indicating that Zernike polynomials do not fully characterize the surface shape features that influence vision and that exist in postsurgical or pathologic eyes. In addition, the change in wavefront error when using a larger expansion series was found to increase or diminish somewhat unpredictably. The authors conclude that Zernike polynomials fail to model all the information that influences visual acuity, which may confound clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Probiotics for Disease Prevention: A Focus on Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Objective:To summarize published data regarding the safety and efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Data Sources:PubMed databases (January 2000-August 2011) were searched and a bibliographic review of published articles was performed to identify original reports of probiotic administration for the prevention of VAP using the search terms probiotics, synbiotics, and ventilator-associated pneumonia.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Two pilot studies, 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 1 meta-analysis have addressed probiotic use for VAP prevention and were included in the review.Data Synthesis:VAP frequently occurs in mechanically ventilated patients. Given the lack of new antimicrobial agents, probiotics have been studied for their ability to modify human microflora colonization. Two studies examining pathogen colonization rates favored probiotics, with reduced incidence and increased duration until the emergence of new species. One prospective RCT fou...
A novel technique for performing a tongue-lip adhesion-the tongue suspension technique.

Background: The tongue-lip adhesion has undergone several modifications in an attempt to reduce surgical complications and failure rates. Current techniques rely on the use of a button at the tongue base for suspension, which raises concerns about possible aspiration and interference with oral motor function and bottle-feeding. A new technique for tongue-lip adhesion is proposed that adds a tongue suspension to the standard surgical adhesion. Methods: A total of 22 patients with Pierre Robin sequence who received a tongue-lip adhesion via a tongue suspension technique were reviewed. The surgical technique differs from the standard surgical approach by the use of a suture weave across the base of the tongue instead of a standard button to suspend the tongue anteriorly. Results: Average age at the time of tongue-lip adhesion was 13.9 days, with a mean operative time of 88.8 minutes. A marked improvement in postoperative oxygenation was seen in the majority of patients. One dehiscence occurred secondary to a...
Maximum Heating and Insulation Stress on Untransposed Lines with Unbalanced Harmonic Distortion

Efficient numerical methods are presented to determine the magnitude and location of maximum overall rms current (heating), peak voltage (insulation stress) and distortion factor on untransposed three-phase transmission lines under nonsinusoidal as well as unbalanced conditions. The methods which are an extension of recently reported algorithms, guarantee convergence to the global solution. Simulation results of an unsymmetrical three-phase transmission line are included.
Being an Only Child: Effects on Educational Progression and Career Orientation

This study uses data from the young men's and women's cohorts of the National Longitudinal Surveys of Labor Market Experience to measure the independent effects of sibling number and placement on a number of educational, family, career, and social-psychological outcomes as of age 24 for nationally representative samples of American youth. In particular, the study compares separately for young men and women the effects of being an only child with being the older of two children as well as the general importance of coming from a smaller rather than a larger family. The authors conclude that, while confluence theory is frequently supported by the data for both sexes, the corollary tutoring hypothesis is generally only validated for young women. The authors conjecture that this sex discrepancy may reflect a greater likelihood that the tutoring role within the family may be substantially affectively based, thus making it an activity that is more likely to be associated with female intrafamily role behavior.
The California Cost and Coverage Model: analyses of the financial impacts of benefit mandates for the California legislature.

The California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP) is charged by the California legislature with estimating the medical effectiveness, public health, and cost implications of proposed health benefit mandates. Cost implications include factors such as the effect on premiums and out-of-pocket and administrative costs, the effect on the number of uninsured individuals and access to health care services, and effects on the provision of health insurance by different types of employers. In response to this legislation, we developed a California Cost and Coverage Model to estimate the financial impacts of proposed health insurance mandates. This article explains the general methods and employed in developing this model, and presents results from the application of this model during the 2004 legislative session, as well as an example of how the model was used to produce estimates for osteoporosis screening. The model was used to produce financial impacts of specific mandates reported elsewhere in this volume.
Water-Ice and Water-Updraft Relationships near −10°C within Populations of Florida Cumuli

Evidence is presented for a sequential development of cloud water, rainwater, graupel, and crystalline ice with the aging of the cloud. This evidence is based on in-cloud microphysical data set collected in Florida convective towers that were penetrated close to their tops near -10 C; the very rapid onset of graupel that appears on repeat penetrations of some towers is of particular interest. A separate data set shows a large scatter in the relationship between the maximum value of cloud water and vertical velocity which indicates that measurements of cloud water can be misleading as an indication of growth activity. The sequential pass data showing the evolution of ice and water are consistent with a rime-splintering, secondary ice production hypothesis.
Modelling animal waste pathogen transport from agricultural land to streams

The transport of animal waste pathogens from crop land to streams can potentially elevate pathogen levels in stream water. Applying animal manure into crop land as fertilizers is a common practice in developing as well as in developed countries. Manure application into the crop land, however, can cause potential human health. To control pathogen levels in ambient water bodies such as streams, improving our understanding of pathogen transport at farm scale as well as at watershed scale is required. To understand the impacts of crop land receiving animal waste as fertilizers on stream's pathogen levels, here we investigate pathogen indicator transport at watershed scale. We exploited watershed scale hydrological model to estimate the transport of pathogens from the crop land to streams. Pathogen indicator levels (i.e., E. coli levels) in the stream water were predicted. With certain assumptions, model results are reasonable. This study can be used as guidelines for developing the models for calculating the impacts of crop land's animal manure on stream water.
Strategies for flow cytometric analysis of marine microalgae and sponge cells.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes two strategies important to overcome constraints inherent in flow cytometric analysis of marine microalgae and sponge cells. The two strategies are: (1) selective cell enrichment, employing physical separation techniques and (2) selective signal enhancement, optimizing the optics. The chapter discusses cell dissociation and density gradient separation of sponge cells, concentration of microalgae from seawater samples, determination of absolute abundance of microalgal subpopulations, and a metabolic index protocol that can be used for both microalgae and sponge cells. The fluorescein diacetate (FDA) assay is a simple, nonisotopic method by which cell-to-cell variability can be assessed in metabolic activity in microalgae and sponge cells. It is well suited for flow cytometry. While many reagents can be used for viability studies, FDA is found adequate and inexpensive. The methods have been successfully used in flow cytometric analyses of microalgae and marine sponges. Preparative techniques to obtain a monodisperse suspension for marine sponges may be applied to other marine invertebrates. Although dissociation of sponge cells may be easier due to their relatively loose organization, tissues and organs of more “advanced” invertebrates should be amenable to dissociation using these same techniques.
Data space animation for learning the semantics of C++ pointers

We incorporated animation of the data space into a web-based tutor for solving problems on C++ pointers and made the tutor available to students. In evaluation of the tutor, we found that data space animation indeed helps students learn the semantics of pointers. But, it is no more effective at this than text explanation of the step-by-step execution of the program.
Vox Populi, Vox Dei: Themes of Civil Religion in the Public Speech of William Jennings Bryan

Writing in a time of economic upheaval and dramatic inequalities of wealth, William Jennings Bryan argued for popular sovereignty in all aspects of American political, economic, and institutional life. I argue that Bryan drew on the rhetorical tradition of American civil religion, being influenced by the public speech of figures as diverse as Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and literary editor John L. O'Sullivan, who coined the phrase Manifest Destiny. Combining the language of civil religion with his belief that the masses were all but infallible, Bryan described a vision of American politics in which the US is a community of belief in the political good of equality, which he believed fundamental to both Christianity and democracy. I show that Bryan deploys the language of civil religion as a vehicle for his argument that the people were competent to address any number of political questions, including the limits of the American polity, the proper role of the United States on the world stage, and the role of government in the economy. His solutions entailed a tacit approval of racist exclusion, a pacifistic view of America as a model of equality, and the claim that the economy should have as its focus not elite institutions, but the people at a mass level. Bryan's civil religious language and policy proposals have relevance in today's political environment, and show that Bryan's significance in American political history extends far beyond the Scopes trial.
Position of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency on Regulation of Biorational Pesticides

I would like to address directly the feeling that many may have that the registration process is a serious constraint to full utilization of the potential of semiochemicals. Stated as simply as possible, I submit to you that it is not.
Security Alchemy

For several centuries, alchemists searched for the Philosopher's Stone-the elusive substance that could transmute common lead into gold. Over the past 50 years, a new kind of alchemy has emerged. Its Philosopher's Stone is the computing technology that can transmute ordinary individuals into singular experts in a specific domain. Editor in chief George Cybenko looks at this phenomena in the security field.
Experimental and Theoretical Kinetics for the H2O+ + H2/D2 → H3O+/H2DO+ + H/D Reactions: Observation of the Rotational Effect in the Temperature Dependence

Thermal rate coefficients for the title reactions computed using a quasi-classical trajectory method on an accurate global potential energy surface fitted to ∼81,000 high-level ab initio points are compared with experimental values measured between 100 and 600 K using a variable temperature selected ion flow tube instrument. Excellent agreement is found across the entire temperature range, showing a subtle, but unusual temperature dependence of the rate coefficients. For both reactions the temperature dependence has a maximum around 350 K, which is a result of H2O+ rotations increasing the reactivity, while kinetic energy is decreasing the reactivity. A strong isotope effect is found, although the calculations slightly overestimate the kinetic isotope effect. The good experiment–theory agreement not only validates the accuracy of the potential energy surface but also provides more accurate kinetic data over a large temperature range.
Clinical Applications of Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography in Congenital Heart Disease

In this chapter we present a collection of three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiographic images from scenarios and cases that constitute representative examples of the useful clinical application of this technique to patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Four general areas of discussion include: (1) 3D anatomic assessment; (2) use during interventional catheterization; (3) imaging of representative surgical treatments; and (4) applications related to electrophysiologic issues. Acquisitions using live 3D, 3D zoom, full volume 3D, X-plane and 3D color modalities are included. Suggestions for the choice of acquisition modality and image optimization are made for various imaging scenarios. The recommendations in this chapter are based largely on personal experience and preferences gained from performing 3D TEE in over 400 patients with CHD. We hope the reader will find this information useful and prompt further training, practice, more widespread use, and investigation of the applications of 3D TEE in CHD.
miR-98 and let-7g* protect the blood-brain barrier under neuroinflammatory conditions.

Pathologic conditions in the central nervous system, regardless of the underlying injury mechanism, show a certain level of blood–brain barrier (BBB) impairment. Endothelial dysfunction is the earliest event in the initiation of vascular damage caused by inflammation due to stroke, atherosclerosis, trauma, or brain infections. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a class of gene expression regulators. The relationship between neuroinflammation and miRNA expression in brain endothelium remains unexplored. Previously, we showed the BBB-protective and anti-inflammatory effects of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β inhibition in brain endothelium in in vitro and in vivo models of neuroinflammation. Using microarray screening, we identified miRNAs induced in primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells after exposure to the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α, with/out GSK3β inhibition. Among the highly modified miRNAs, let-7 and miR-98 were predicted to target the inflammatory molecules, CCL2 and CCL5. Overexpression of let-7 and miR-98 in vitro and in vivo resulted in reduced leukocyte adhesion to and migration across endothelium, diminished expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increased BBB tightness, attenuating barrier ‘leakiness’ in neuroinflammation conditions. For the first time, we showed that miRNAs could be used as a therapeutic tool to prevent the BBB dysfunction in neuroinflammation.
THE CRITICAL METHOD: Niebuhr

[Statesman and scholar, Barthold Georg Niebuhr (1776–1831) had an influence second to none on the rise of historical scholarship. Inspired by his father, the famous traveller, Carsten Niebuhr, and by the Romantic writers of his day, Niebuhr turned early to a study of antiquity and had mastered twenty languages before he reached his thirtieth year. He began his career in the civil service of his native Denmark, entering the Prussian service just before the disaster of 1806. He became an important member of the Prussian reform movement, and in 1810 was appointed a lecturer at the newly founded University of Berlin. From 1816 to 1823 Prussian ambassador to the Vatican, he spent his last years at the University of Bonn. He was an exceptional man, of whom Dilthey said: “No young man should enter a university without having morally elevated himself by contemplating the figure of this great scholar.”
Deleting the Subject

The claim that human beings are endowed with innate knowledge of one kind or another is an ancient one. Although for many philosophers the thesis of innate knowledge was laid to rest by Locke’s critique in this regard, in recent years attention has shifted to a consideration of Noam Chomsky’s neo-Cartesian rationalism in cognitive psychology, arising out of his investigations into syntax.1
Other Pharmacologic Approaches

Pharmacologic alternatives to prescription hypnotics include the over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids, l-tryptophan, and ethanol. Perhaps the most striking thing about the OTC hypnotics is how little is known about them when one considers their widespread use. The effects of ethanol and l-tryptophan on sleep have been reviewed by a number of writers and will be briefly summarized here.
Sleep Knowledge and Behaviors in Medical Students: Results of a Single Center Survey.

Objective There is little known about the demands of medical school on students’ sleep behavior. The study’s main goal was to examine the interplay between medical students’ sleep knowledge, personal attitudes towards sleep, and their sleep habits.
PROTEIN CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN THE μs TIME REGION INVESTIGATED WITH A LASER PULSE PHOTOLYSIS TECHNIQUE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes two experimental techniques. One is used to determine the rate of photolysis and the quantum yield of the photolabile precursors. These measurements are important because the properties of the photolytic reaction (rate, quantum yield) depend on pH, the buffer concentration, the substituents on the α-carbon of the photolabile protecting group, and the leaving group. The second technique is used to measure the rate at which the closed-channel form is converted to the open-channel form of the protein. The rate of photolysis and the quantum yield of photolabile compounds in which the 0-nitrobenzyl group is utilized can be measured by studying a UV photolysis-induced transient chromophore with an absorbance maximum between 400 and 440 nm, the aci-nitro intermediate. Using the apparatus and methods, the rate of formation of open transmembrane channels can be investigated, and hence of the transformation of protein conformations that give rise to them and, therefore, obtain information about the rates by which signals can be transmitted between cells of the nervous system and information can be received, stored and transmitted. The techniques can be used not only with the acetylcholine receptor in cultured cells but also with other receptors in cells from specific areas of the nervous system.
Hurricanes and tropical storms: A necessary evil to ensure water supply?

Several parts of the globe including south-east North America, the Carribean, south-east Asia, Australia and China are often hit by hurricanes and tropical storms (HTSs), which can deliver a large amount of rainfall within a period of a few days. While HTSs are mostly studied as disaster agents, considering that they occur during the period when water supply systems are generally depleted, it is important to ascertain their potential contributions toward sustaining water supply. Using the Lake Michie-Little River reservoir system that supplies water to city of Durham (North Carolina, USA) as a representative test case, we implemented an integrated watershed and reservoir management model, supported by publicly available observations, to evaluate the extent to which HTSs impact water storages. Results indicate that HTSs can have significant impact on reservoir water storage, with their effects being felt for more than a year for some storms. The impact on reservoir water storage is identified to be primarily controlled by three factors viz. streamflow response size from HTSs, storage in the reservoir right before the event, and streamflow succeeding the event-response to HTS (henceforth referred as post-event streamflow). While the impact of streamflow response size on water storage are generally proportional to its magnitude, initial water storage in the reservoir and post-event streamflow have a non-monotonic influence on water storage. As all the three identified controls are a function of antecedent hydrologic conditions and meteorological forcings, these two factors indirectly influence the impact of HTS on water storage in a reservoir. The identification of controlling factors and assessment of their influence on reservoir response will further facilitate implementation of more accurate estimation and prediction frameworks for within-year reservoir operations.
Trunk Reaction Time and Kinematic Changes Following Slip Perturbations in Subjects with Recurrent Low Back Pain

Postural responses following slip perturbations are critical to fall prevention strategies. It is unclear how postural reactions with a handheld task can validly be transferred to treadmill-induced slip perturbations in subjects with recurrent low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to investigate trunk reaction times and trunk flexion angle as well as velocity following the slips between subjects with and without LBP. There were 29 subjects with LBP and 40 control subjects who participated in the study. Three levels of consecutive treadmill-induced slip perturbations were introduced at level 1 (duration: 0.10 s, velocity: 0.24 m/s, displacement: 1.20 cm), level 2 (0.12 s, 0.72 m/s, 4.32 cm), and level 3 (0.12 s, 1.37 m/s, 8.22 cm). The trunk reaction time, swing/step times, and trunk flexion angle as well as velocity at heel strike/toe-off were compared between the groups. There were significantly longer trunk reaction times (t = - 2.03, p = 0.04), swing times (t = - 2.63, p = 0.01), and step times (t = - 2.53, p = 0.01) in the LBP group at the level 1 slip perturbation. The groups demonstrated a significant interaction between the levels and trunk flexion angles (F = 4.72, p = 0.03), but there was no interaction between the levels and trunk flexion velocities (F = 0.07, p = 0.79). The LBP group demonstrated longer reaction times at the level 1 perturbation due to a possible pain recurrence. However, this compensatory tolerance was limited at the level 3 perturbation due to increased trunk flexion angle at heel strike and toe-off in the LBP group. Clinicians may consider a compensatory strategy to improve reaction time and minimize trunk flexion following slip perturbations in patients with LBP.
Exercise Rehabilitation for Peripheral Artery Disease: A REVIEW.

Purpose To summarize evidence regarding exercise therapy for people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Methods Literature was reviewed regarding optimal strategies for delivering exercise interventions for people with PAD. Randomized trial evidence and recent studies were emphasized. Results Randomized clinical trial evidence consistently demonstrates that supervised treadmill exercise improves treadmill walking performance in people with PAD. A meta-analysis of 25 randomized trials (1054 participants) concluded that supervised treadmill exercise was associated with 180 m of improvement in maximal treadmill walking distance and 128 m of improvement in pain-free walking distance compared with a control group. Three randomized trials of 493 patients with PAD demonstrated that home-based walking exercise interventions that incorporate behavioral change techniques improve walking ability in patients with PAD. Furthermore, evidence suggests that home-based walking exercise improves the 6-min walk more than supervised treadmill exercise. Upper and lower extremity ergometry also significantly improved walking endurance in PAD. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently determined that Medicare would cover 12 wk (36 sessions) of supervised treadmill exercise for patients with PAD. Conclusions Supervised treadmill exercise and home-based walking exercise each improve walking ability in patients with PAD. The availability of insurance coverage for supervised treadmill exercise for patients with PAD will make supervised treadmill exercise more widely available and accessible. Home-based exercise that incorporates behavioral change technique is an effective alternative for patients unwilling or unable to attend 3 supervised exercise sessions per week.
Rationally Connected Varieties

This is the key chapter of the book. Its aim is to study the birational properties of those varieties which are covered by rational curves. It is reasonable to expect that many of their properties can be detected by studying the rational curves on them.
Adrenocortical cancer cell line mutational profile reveals aggressive genetic background

Adrenocortical carcinomas are rare tumors with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Although widely used as in vitro models to test novel therapeutic strategies, the adrenocortical carcinoma-derived cell lines NCI-H295R and SW-13 have only partially been described genetically. Our aim was to characterize the mutational landscape of these cells to improve their experimental utility and map them to clinical subtypes of adrenocortical carcinoma. Genomic DNA from NCI-H295R and SW-13 cells was subjected to whole-exome sequencing. Variants were filtered for non-synonymous mutations and curated for validated adrenocortical and pan-cancer driver gene mutations. Genes mutated in the cell lines were mapped using gene ontology and protein pathway tools to determine signaling effects and compared to mutational and clinical characteristics of 92 adrenocortical carcinoma cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas. NCI-H295R and SW-13 cells carried 1325 and 1836 non-synonymous variants, respectively. Of these, 61 and 76 were known cancer driver genes, of which 32 were shared between cell lines. Variant interaction analyses demonstrated dominant TP53 dysregulation in both cell lines complemented by distinct WNT (NCI-H295R) and chromatin remodeling (SW-13) pathway perturbations. Both cell lines genetically resemble more aggressive adrenocortical carcinomas with worse prognosis, for which development of targeted therapies is most critical. Careful incorporation of the genetic landscapes outlined in this study will further the in vitro utility of these cell lines in testing for novel therapeutic approaches for adrenocortical malignancy.
Does Attitude Toward Offending Play a Role in a Person’s Compliance with the Law? Procedural Justice, Institutional Legitimacy, and the Perceived Wrongfulness of Offending Behavior

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a person’s attitude toward offending correlated with his or her self-reported involvement in offending behavior above and beyond the contributions of perceived procedural justice, institutional legitimacy beliefs, age, gender, ethnic minority status, and education. Using cross-sectional data provided by 52,458 participants from the fifth round of the European Social Survey (ESS), the current study sought to answer this question. The results of a multiple regression analysis performed on the total sample of participants revealed support for the notion that attitude toward offending was associated with self-reported minor offending in the past 5 years after controlling for procedural justice, institutional legitimacy, age, gender, ethnic minority status, and education. In fact, a negative attitude toward offending correlated significantly better with self-reported minor offending than either procedural justice or institutional legitimacy. A belief in the wrongfulness of offending behavior, it would seem, may serve as a link between perceived procedural justice and institutional legitimacy, on the one hand, and compliance with the law or decreased offending behavior, on the other hand.
Scheduling an M-Product Stamping Press with Varying, Known Demand

A backward recursive, marginal cost method was used to develop a microcomputer algorithm for scheduling a press-line that stamps automotive body panels. This application necessitated modifying the classical M-product/one-machine problem to include actual begin¬ning inventories, specified minimum ending inventories, one product/day production, and shipping required on production as well as on non-production days. Minimising inventory cost was the main criterion.
Probing the Influence of Dielectric Environment upon Volume-Confined Hyperbolic Polaritons

We employ nano-scale imaging and spectroscopy techniques to elucidate polariton characteristics as a function of the complex refractive index of the substrate. Although higher-order polariton modes exhibit wavelengths weakly sensitive to the environment, the principal mode strongly depends on the substrate dielectric constant.
Word to the Wise: Spherulites and Lithophysae

SPHERULITIC OBSIDIAN AND LITHOPHYSAL CAVITIES that host secondary minerals can be prized finds in the collecting community. Both occur in glassy rocks associated with obsidian flows and domes, in r...
Social Skills Teaching for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review

Social skills teaching (SST) is a commonly implemented intervention strategy with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given the myriad of strategies that may be utilized within SST, a systematic review was conducted to identify the state of research with respect to SST. Social skills teaching intervention studies published between 1998 and 2018 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included use of a single case research design, participants between 3 and 17 years of age, inclusion of a dependent variable that targeted a discrete social skill, and data collection and are presented on the targeted discrete social skill. A total of 201 articles were identified for inclusion and coded according to intervention type, participant age, outcomes assessed, and adherence to single case design standards. A total of 12 intervention categories were identified. Video modeling represented the most frequently researched intervention between 1998 and 2018, with didactic instruction and the provision of rules representing the least frequently studied procedure. Recent literature in SST is generally well-designed and scientifically rigorous. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to consider these strategies as frontline intervention options when designing future research or service delivery programs for youth with ASD.
Development of An All-Payer Quality Program for the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model

Purpose Measuring rural health care quality is challenging, and payer and government reporting requirements are frequently misaligned. The Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, a multipayer global budget demonstration for rural hospitals, initially required the proposal of an All-Payer Quality (APQ) Program in which participating payers would have held participating hospitals accountable for performance on a common set of quality measures. We sought to identify quality measures appropriate for use in APQ measurement and reporting programs for globally budgeted rural hospitals. Methods A method was devised to identify, assess, and select quality measures from an environmental scan of core measure sets. An initial screen identified measures that were relevant, valid, and reliable. Four reviewers then independently assessed measures that passed the initial screen on a Likert scale of 1-5 for relevance, validity, reliability, responsiveness, alignment, and feasibility, and they selected a proposed measure set guided by prespecified measure set criteria. Results The 4 reviewers selected 10 quality measures from a list of 344 measures drawn from 8 core measure sets. One hundred twenty-five measures satisfied screening criteria and were assessed. The mean total score was 21.5/30 (95% CI: 17.0-26.0). Inter-rater reliability was moderate (intraclass correlation coefficient range 0.544-0.656). Conclusion A formal performance measure selection methodology can generate a set of rural-appropriate health care quality measures for a multipayer rural hospital global budget program. This methodology could be replicated to select quality measures for inclusion in rural multipayer quality measurement and reporting programs.
COVID-19 Candidate Treatments, a Data Analytics Approach

COVID-19, short for “coronavirus disease 2019” has majorly affected millions of people worldwide. In the U.S. alone as of the end of this week (June 1, 2020), there have been 1,790,191 total cases, with 104,383 deaths. There have been 6,166,978 cases in the entire world, with 372,037 deaths, these are just the reported cases. Our focus in this research is in evaluating a repository of research papers to extract knowledge related to COVID-19 and possible treatments. Driven by the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset Challenge from Kaggle, we focused on a subset of that, COVID-19 Pulmonary Risks Literature Clustering. The second dataset we are using is from the Maryland Transportation Institute (MTI). The data is broken up into four categories: (1) Mobility and Social Distancing, (2) COVID and Health, (3) Economic Impact, and (4) Vulnerable Population. The data is extracted from NPR, ESRI, the COVID tracking project, CDC, and several other sources. MTI has been the source of several papers regarding mobility impact, social distancing, stay at-home orders, and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
Floriculture in West Bengal in Augmenting Income and Export

This study explores the possibilities of value addition of multi-utilities floricultural products in eastern India in general and West Bengal in particular. West Bengal has a unique and varied agro-climate condition, which facilitates to raise temperate to humid and sub-tropical flowers. It is an eco-friendly crop with high potential of income and employment generation for small and marginal producers. The study argues that marketing of perishable crop like flowers always requires special arrangement. However, as the value chains of cut and loose flowers are mostly unorganized, efforts should be made to increase buyers’ awareness and to improve infrastructural facilities.
Prey identity but not prey quality affects spider performance

Abstract Increasing host plant quality affects higher trophic level predators, but whether such changes are simply a result of prey density or are also affected by changes in prey quality remain uncertain. Moreover, whether changes in prey quality affect measures of predator performance is understudied. Using a combination of field and greenhouse mesocosm experiments, we demonstrate that the survival and body size of a hunting spider (Pardosa littoralis Araneae: Lycosidae) is affected more by prey species identity than the trophic level of the prey. Furthermore, increasing host plant quality does not necessarily propagate through the food web by altering prey quality. While changes in plant quality affected spider body mass, they did so in opposite ways for spiders feeding on Prokelisia (Hemiptera: Delphacodes) herbivores relative to Tytthus (Hemiptera: Miridae) egg predators, and had no impact on spider body mass for two additional species of intraguild prey. These changes in body mass were important because greater body mass increased spider egg production. To examine the generality of this pattern, we reviewed the literature and found a consistent positive relationship between female body size and egg production for Pardosa species, indicating that body size is a reliable proxy for fitness. While many studies emphasize the importance of nitrogen to arthropod diets, this focus may be driven largely by our understanding of herbivore diets rather than predator diets. Thus, the positive impact of host plant quality on higher trophic level predators appears to be driven more by altering prey composition, density, and availability rather than simply providing predators with more nutritious prey.
Parent-Reported Social Skills in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Longitudinal Patterns and Relations with Attention and Cognitive Functioning.

Objective Social skills difficulties are commonly reported by parents and teachers of school age (SA) children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Investigations of social skills of young children with NF1 are scarce. This study aimed to characterize the emergence of social skills challenges beginning in early childhood, examine social skills longitudinally into SA, and explore interrelations with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology and cognitive functioning among children with NF1 cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Method Three samples of children with NF1 and their parents participated: (1) early childhood (n = 50; ages 3-6; mean [M] = 3.96, SD = 1.05), (2) SA (n = 40; ages 9-13; [M] = 10.90, SD = 1.59), and (3) both early childhood and SA (n = 25). Parent-reported social skills (Social Skills Rating System and Social Skills Improvement System), ADHD symptomatology (Conners Parent Rating Scales - Revised and Conners - Third Edition), and parent-reported cognitive abilities (Differential Ability Scales - Second Edition) were evaluated. Results Parental ratings of social skills were relatively stable throughout childhood. Ratings of social skills at the end of early childhood significantly predicted school-age social skills. Parental ratings of ADHD symptomatology showed significant negative relations with social skills. Early childhood inattentive symptoms predicted school-age social skills ratings. Cognitive functioning was not significantly related to social skills. Conclusion Parent-reported social skills difficulties are evident during early childhood. This work adds to the literature by describing the frequency and stability of social skills challenges in early childhood and in the school-age period in NF1. Research about interventions to support social skills when difficulties are present is needed.