cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Realistic reference adult and paediatric phantom series for internal and external dosimetry.

A new generation of realistic, image-based anthropomorphic phantoms has been developed based on the reference masses and organ definitions given in the International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 89. Specific absorbed fractions for internal radiation sources have been calculated for photon and electron sources for many body organs. Values are similar to those from the previous generation of ‘stylized’ (mathematical equation-based) models, but some differences are seen, particularly at low particle or photon energies, due to the more realistic organ geometries, with organs generally being closer together, and with some touching and overlapping. Extension of this work, to use these phantoms in Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation codes with external radiation sources, is an important area of investigation that should be undertaken.
Relationship of colonization and sporulation by VA mycorrhizal fungi to plant nutrient and carbohydrate contents

SUMMARY Vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi typically produce spores either within roots of a host plant or in the soil. Experiments were conducted to examine the effects of plant nutrition, as measured by tissue N, P, K, and soluble sugar concentrations, upon colonization of roots of Paspalum notatum Fliigge and sporulation within roots by Glomus intraradix Schenck & Smith and in the soil by Acaulospora longula Spain & Schenck and Gigaspora margarita Becker & Hall. Plants receiving a balanced nutrient solution without P consistently had the greatest percentage root length colonized by VA mycorrhizal fungi. Glomus intraradix produced more spores per root weight under conditions of nonmycotrophy, when plants received either water only or KH2PO4 only in the nutrient-poor soil used in these experiments. Gigaspora margarita and A. longula produced more spores in the soil when plants received the balanced nutrient solution without P. Similarly contrasting responses were seen when sporulation inside and outside the roots was correlated to plant nutrient and soluble sugar concentrations. The P-tolerant, intraradical-sporulating, VA mycorrhizal fungus G. intraradix sporulated heavily when N: P ratios of host tissue were imbalanced toward P. Acaulospora longula and G. margarita produced more spores in the soil when plant tissue N:P ratios were imbalanced toward N.
Two-stage design method for an ordered-entry array flexible assembly system

Flexible Assembly Systems (FASs), which are different automatic assembly product types, are finding increasing use in today's industry. In this article, an ordered-entry array of unit stations of Generalized CSPSs, as a simple Flexible Assembly System is designed and studied. The problem will be addressed as follows: given an objective cost function, design a simple FAS to meet (as closely as possible) the given specifications. The design variables are divided into input/output variables and buffer variables. A methodology of two-stage method is introduced and proposed in order to design the system. After some considerations in the first stage of the design method, the objective function has been minimized, using the independently-computed minimum cost of each workstation (WS) by a complex-type method, at the second stage. In addition, the proposed method is compared to the GA optimization method. Based on the results from an optimization standpoint, the two-stage method seems to produce reasonable engineering results and is superior to the GA, in computational time.
Robust Estimation of the Discrete Spectrum of Relaxations for Electromagnetic Induction Responses

The electromagnetic induction response of a target can be accurately modeled by a sum of real exponentials. However, it is difficult to obtain the model parameters from measurements when the number of exponentials in the sum is unknown or the terms are strongly correlated. Traditionally, the time constants and residues are estimated by nonlinear iterative search. In this paper, a constrained linear method of estimating the parameters is formulated by enumerating the relaxation parameter space and imposing a nonnegative constraint on the parameters. The resulting algorithm does not depend on a good initial guess to converge to a solution. By using tests on synthetic data and laboratory measurement of known targets, the proposed method is shown to provide accurate and stable estimates of the model parameters.
Race/ethnic differences in HIV prevalence and risks among adolescent and young adult men who have sex with men.

The prevalence of HIV infection is disproportionately higher in both racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) and in men under the age of 25, where the leading exposure category is homosexual contact. Less is known, however, about patterns of HIV prevalence in young racial/ethnic minority MSM. We analyzed data from the Young men’s Survey (YMS), an anonymous, corss-sectional survey of 351 MSM in Baltimore and 529 MSM in New York City, aged 15–22, to determine whether race/ethnicity differences exist in the prevalence of HIV infection and associated risk factors. Potential participants were selected systematically at MSM-identified public venues. Venues and associated time periods for subject selection were selected randomly on a monthly basis. Eligible and willing subjects provided informed consent and underwent an interview, HIV pretest counseling, and a blood draw for HIV antibody testing. In multivariate analysis, adjusted for city of recruitment, and age, HIV seroprevalence was highest for African Americans [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=12.5], intermediate for those of “other/mixed” race/ethnicity (AOR=8.6), and moderately elevated for Hispanics (AOR=4.6) as compared to whites. Stratified analysis showed different risk factors for HIV prevalence in each ethnic group: for African Americans, these were history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and not being in school; for Hispanics, risk factors were being aged 20–22, greater number of male partners and use of recreational drugs; and for those of “other/mixed” race/ethnicity, risk factors included injection drug use and (marginally) STDs. These findings suggest the need for HIV prevention and testing programs which target young racial/ethnic, minority MSM and highlight identified risk factors and behaviors.
ELECTRON ACCELERATION IN SOLAR FLARES BY FAST MODE WAVES: QUASI-LINEAR THEORY AND PITCH-ANGLE SCATTERING

It has been shown recently that small-amplitude, long-wavelength, fast mode waves can accelerate a large number of electrons from the ambient thermal distribution to relativistic energies on subsecond timescales and can thereby account for the general properties of electron acceleration in impulsive solar flare energy release fragments. This prior study employed quasi-linear theory as well as the assumption that ancillary pitch-angle scattering kept the electron distribution isotropic. In light of the high efficiency of the resulting stochastic acceleration process, we question the necessity of pitch-angle scattering in the model and the validity of quasi-linear theory in describing the wave-particle interaction. We find that quasi-linear theory does predict accurately the behavior of electrons, even when the turbulence has an energy density about equal to the ambient magnetic field energy density, and that pitch-angle scattering is a necessary condition for acceleration. We also discuss the more general issue of modeling continuous wave spectra by discrete ones for use in test particle simulations.
Deconstructing multiantenna fading channels

Accurate and tractable channel modeling is critical to realizing the full potential of antenna arrays in wireless communications. Current approaches represent two extremes: idealized statistical models representing a rich scattering environment and parameterized physical models that describe realistic scattering environments via the angles and gains associated with different propagation paths. However, simple rules that capture the effects of scattering characteristics on channel capacity and diversity are difficult to infer from existing models. We propose an intermediate virtual channel representation that captures the essence of physical modeling and provides a simple geometric interpretation of the scattering environment. The virtual representation corresponds to a fixed coordinate transformation via spatial basis functions defined by fixed virtual angles. We show that in an uncorrelated scattering environment, the elements of the channel matrix form a segment of a stationary process and that the virtual channel coefficients are approximately uncorrelated samples of the underlying spectral representation. For any scattering environment, the virtual channel matrix clearly reveals the two key factors affecting capacity: the number of parallel channels and the level of diversity. The concepts of spatial zooming and aliasing are introduced to provide a transparent interpretation of the effect of antenna spacing on channel statistics and capacity. Numerical results are presented to illustrate various aspects of the virtual framework.
Fluorescent RNA cytochemistry: tracking gene transcripts in living cells

The advent of jellyfish green fluorescent protein and its spectral variants, together with promising new fluorescent proteins from other classes of the Cnidarian phylum (coral and anemones), has greatly enhanced and promises to further boost the detection and localization of proteins in cell biology. It has been less widely appreciated that highly sensitive methods have also recently been developed for detecting the movement and localization in living cells of the very molecules that precede proteins in the gene expression pathway, i.e. RNAs. These approaches include the microinjection of fluorescent RNAs into living cells, the in vivo hybridization of fluorescent oligonucleotides to endogenous RNAs and the expression in cells of fluorescent RNA-binding proteins. This new field of ‘fluorescent RNA cytochemistry’ is summarized in this article, with emphasis on the biological insights it has already provided. These new techniques are likely to soon collaborate with other emerging approaches to advance the investigation of RNA birth, RNA–protein assembly and ribonucleoprotein particle transport in systems such as oocytes, embryos, neurons and other somatic cells, and may even permit the observation of viral replication and transcription pathways as they proceed in living cells, ushering in a new era of nucleic acids research in vivo.
Cough and gastroesophageal reflux: identifying cough and assessing the efficacy of cough-modifying agents

From a symptom research standpoint, much has been learned about the management of cough in general and cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease in particular. Yet, before further advances can be made in our understanding of how to best manage patients with this common symptom, methodologic challenges remain to be solved. One of the most basic is the development of valid and reliable methods by which to identify cough, assess its impact on patients, and assess the efficacy of cough therapies. Herein, we review the characteristics of cough that relate to its assessment and how the effect of drug treatment on cough has been assessed. Perspective is provided on evaluating the efficacy of cough-modifying agents and the optimal method for identifying a cough and linking it with a reflux event. Investigators should use both subjective and objective methods, because they have the potential to measure different aspects of cough. Subjective measures, such as a cough-specific quality-of-life instruments, are likely to best reflect the severity of cough from the patient's standpoint, because a subjective response most likely integrates both cough frequency and intensity. The ideal objective method should allow cough to be automatically counted over 24 hours in an ambulatory setting. Although it is theoretically possible to design and construct such a device that is also relatively unobtrusive, reliable, and accurate, one is not yet available.
NETRA: a hierarchical and partitionable architecture for computer vision systems

Computer vision is regarded as one of the most complex and computationally intensive problems. In general, a Computer Vision System (CVS) attempts to relate scene(s) in terms of model(s). A typical CVS employs algorithms from a very broad spectrum such as numerical, image processing, graph algorithms, symbolic processing, and artificial intelligence. The authors present a multiprocessor architecture, called "NETRA," for computer vision systems. NETRA is a highly flexible architecture. The topology of NETRA is recursively defined, and hence, is easily scalable from small to large systems. It is a hierarchical architecture with a tree-type control hierarchy. Its leaf nodes consists of a cluster of processors connected with a programmable crossbar with selective broadcast capability to provide the desired flexibility. The processors in clusters can operate in SIMD-, MIMD- or Systolic-like modes. Other features of the architecture include integration of limited data-driven computation within a primarily control flow mechanism, block-level control and data flow, decentralization of memory management functions, and hierarchical load balancing and scheduling capabilities. The paper also presents a qualitative evaluation and preliminary performance results of a cluster of NETRA. >
Experimental Work in Presupposition and Presupposition Projection

Recent years have seen a surge of experimental approaches to the study of natural language meaning, both to obtain solid data on subtle phenomena that are hard to assess through introspection and to understand how abstract characterizations of linguistic knowledge relate to real-time cognitive processes in language comprehension. This article reviews research in one of the most recent areas to see extensive experimental investigations, namely presupposition and presupposition projection. Presuppositions are at the very nexus of linguistically encoded content and contextual information, as they relate directly to the discourse context but also interact in intricate ways with their intra-sentential linguistic environment. They are thus extremely suitable for investigations of the interplay of linguistic and more domain-general processes in language comprehension, as well as for experimental investigations of subtle theoretical phenomena.
Surface adhesion‐mediated regulation of chondrocyte‐specific gene expression in the nontransformed RCJ 3.1c5.18 rat chondrocyte cell line

Recent evidence suggests that decreased chondrocyte function in osteoarthritis and other articular disorders may be due to chondrocyte dedifferentiation produced by altered regulatory signals from the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). However, there are currently no mammalian chondrocytic cell line systems adapted to the study of this process. We therefore examined the effects of ECM growth conditions on markers of differentiated chondrocytic phenotype expression in the nontransformed rat RCJ 3.1C5.18 (RCJ) chondrocyte cell line, including type II collagen expression, aggrecan production, link protein gene expression, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor number. RCJ cells grown in monolayer on plastic exhibited a dedifferentiated phenotype characterized by flattened cell morphology, with > 80% type I collagen and < 5% type II collagen production, as determined by two-dimensional gel mapping electrophoresis of collagen cyanogen bromide peptides. In addition, aggrecan production was low, and link protein mRNA was not expressed at detectable levels. After transfer to growth under minimal attachment conditions on the surface of a composite type I collagen/agarose (0.15%-0.8%) gel (CAG) for 7 days, RCJ cells developed a rounded, chondrocytic morphology and a pattern of differentiated, chondrocytic gene expression, with 79% type II and 8% type I collagen production. Steady-state type I and type II procollagen mRNA levels were altered in parallel with collagen protein expression. In cells grown on CAG, aggrecan production increased 6-fold, and there was a marked increase in both aggrecan core protein and link protein mRNA levels. In addition, maximal PTH-stimulated cAMP generation increased 15-fold in association with an increased PTH receptor number. Therefore, the RCJ chondrocyte cell line is highly sensitive to ECM regulation of chondrocyte-specific gene expression.
Thermodynamic modeling of transcription: sensitivity analysis differentiates biological mechanism from mathematical model-induced effects

Quantitative models of gene expression generate parameter values that can shed light on biological features such as transcription factor activity, cooperativity, and local effects of repressors. An important element in such investigations is sensitivity analysis, which determines how strongly a model's output reacts to variations in parameter values. Parameters of low sensitivity may not be accurately estimated, leading to unwarranted conclusions. Low sensitivity may reflect the nature of the biological data, or it may be a result of the model structure. Here, we focus on the analysis of thermodynamic models, which have been used extensively to analyze gene transcription. Extracted parameter values have been interpreted biologically, but until now little attention has been given to parameter sensitivity in this context. We apply local and global sensitivity analyses to two recent transcriptional models to determine the sensitivity of individual parameters. We show that in one case, values for repressor efficiencies are very sensitive, while values for protein cooperativities are not, and provide insights on why these differential sensitivities stem from both biological effects and the structure of the applied models. In a second case, we demonstrate that parameters that were thought to prove the system's dependence on activator-activator cooperativity are relatively insensitive. We show that there are numerous parameter sets that do not satisfy the relationships proferred as the optimal solutions, indicating that structural differences between the two types of transcriptional enhancers analyzed may not be as simple as altered activator cooperativity. Our results emphasize the need for sensitivity analysis to examine model construction and forms of biological data used for modeling transcriptional processes, in order to determine the significance of estimated parameter values for thermodynamic models. Knowledge of parameter sensitivities can provide the necessary context to determine how modeling results should be interpreted in biological systems.
CORPUS LUTEUM IN ITS RELATION TO MENSTRUATION AND PREGNANCY

The corpus luteum, as a gland of internal secretion, has aroused considerable interest for many years. This conception seemed so plausible, and appeared to be so well supported by experimental evidence, that for a long time it was quite generally accepted as a fact. On this basis many of the phenomena of the sexual cycle and pregnancy were explained. Further, it was responsible for the therapeutic use of various corpus luteum preparations, some of which at first appeared to give quite remarkable results. However, these have come to be almost entirely discredited, and along with this change the conception of the role of the structure as a gland of internal secretion has undergone considerable modification. In the brief space of this paper it is not possible to enumerate all these change, but it is desired to discuss some of the recent studies which show that certain modifications are necessary.
Universal non-Landau, self-organized, lattice disordering percolative dopant network sub-Tc phase transition in ceramic superconductors

Ceramic superconductors (cuprates, pnictides, etc.) exhibit universal features in both Tcmax and in their planar lattice disordering measured by EXAFS, as reflected by three phase transitions. The two highest temperature transitions are known to be associated with formation of Jahn–Teller pseudogaps and superconductive gaps, with corresponding Landau order parameters, but no new gap is associated with the third transition below Tc, and its origin is mysterious. It is argued that the third subTc transition is a dopant glass transition, which is remarkably similar to topological transitions previously observed in chalcogenide and oxide alloy network glasses (like window glass).
Energy Management Exercise

This leadership exercise asks students to reflect on their energy management, as opposed to their time management. Distinctions are drawn between time management and energy management, and a table format helps students identify what drains and what fills their energy reservoirs. The idea is to pay attention to what energizes you and do more of that and less of what drains your energy. In this perspective, the importance of time management recedes. A short list of references is included at the end of the note.
Comparison of Methods for Calculating B-Basis Crack Growth Life Using Limited Tests

Large sampling uncertainty is generally introduced in the calculation of a low percentile of fatigue crack growth life due to a small number of coupon tests. It is often desirable to estimate a low percentile (for example, 10th percentile) with a certain coverage probability (for example, 95%) using the confidence bound approach. An equally competing objective is not to have overly conservative bounds.The performance of two bootstrap-based methods are investigated for calculating a one-sided 95% confidence bound on a low percentile of lognormal and gamma fatigue crack growth life distributions. A comparison is also made with the classical tolerance interval method and nonparametric (Hanson–Koopmans) method. These confidence bounds methods are tested to estimate B-basis fatigue crack growth design life using material properties estimated from coupon test samples ranging from 8 to 64.
Fuel consumption model for conventional diesel buses

Abstract Existing bus fuel consumption models produce a bang–bang type of control, implying that drivers would have to either accelerate at full throttle or brake at full braking in order to minimize their fuel consumption levels. This is obviously not correct. The paper is intended to enhance bus fuel consumption modeling by circumventing the bang–bang control problem using the Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-based Fuel consumption Model (VT-CPFM) framework. The model is calibrated for a series of diesel-powered buses using in-field second-by-second data because of a lack of publicly available bus fuel economy data. The results reveal that the bus fuel consumption rate is concave as a function of vehicle power instead of convex, as was the case with light duty vehicles. The model is calibrated for an entire bus series and demonstrated to accurately capture the fuel consumption behavior of each individual bus within its series. Furthermore, the model estimates are demonstrated to be consistent with in-field measurements. The optimum fuel economy cruising speeds range between 40 and 50 km/h, which is slightly lower than that for gasoline-powered light duty vehicles (60–80 km/h). Finally, the model is demonstrated to capture transient fuel consumption behavior better than the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) and produces a better fit to field measurements compared to the Comprehensive Modal Emission Model (CMEM).
Linking Judicial Selection to Consensus: An Analysis of Ideological Diversity

This article focuses on differences in judicial ideology as an explanation of judicial consensus or disagreement in state supreme court decision making. First, state methods of judicial selection (election vs. appointment) are posited to influence the ideological composition of state supreme courts. Second, variations in ideological composition are related to the degree of consensus among judges on cases in the area of capital punishment. Factors other than selection mechanism and judicial ideology are considered as alternative explanations for differences in ideological composition and for the degree of judicial consensus. More broadly, state institutional characteristics, notably judicial selection mechanisms (election or appointment) are found to influence the authoritative presence of state supreme courts.
On families of φ,Γ-modules

Berger and Colmez introduced a theory of families of overconvergent etale (φ,Γ)-modules associated to families of p-adic Galois representations over p-adic Banach algebras. However, in contrast with the classical theory of (φ,Γ)-modules, the functor they obtain is not an equivalence of categories. In this paper, we prove that when the base is an affinoid space, every family of (overconvergent) etale (φ,Γ)-modules can locally be converted into a family of p-adic representations in a unique manner, providing the “local” equivalence. There is a global mod p obstruction related to the moduli of residual representations.
Long-wave rhythms in economic development and political behavior Brian J. L. Berry Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991, 241 pp.

The author's principal contention is that there are long cycles (i.e., 55 years) in the time path of the economy. While tied to innovations, these co-movements of prices and outputs produce a complex pattern that has proven hard to disentangle. The pattern is not rigid, however; the author clearly believes that institutions can be modified to contain fluctuations while preserving the progressive nature of the system. Less certainly, related cycles may exist in other areas such as politics and international relations. While interesting, the argument presented is not completely persuasive. There is an inconsistency between the picture of a very durable, powerful mechanism which has lasted for centuries on the one hand and the depiction of a mechanism that partly failed in the face of shocks during the mid-twentieth century on the other.
Effects of layout of workplace on pupillary diameter.

Previous research by Poock (1973) indicated that, when Ss were required to process information under various rates of presentation, the pupil diameter increased in proportion to the rate of presentation when Ss were not mentally overloaded. However, when Ss were required to process information at rates above their maximum capacity (mentally overloaded), pupillary diameters decreased below normal resting baseline diameters. This paper uses the above results to examine the effects of stimulus-response spatial compatibility of layout of the workplace on pupillary diameter. Ten Ss, male and female, aged 12 to 36 yr., responded to the illumination of one of four small pen light bulbs by pushing one of four response keys to extinguish the illuminated light. The bulbs were approximately 15 in. in front of S and 1% in. apart in a horizontal orientation with response keys 2 in. directly below respective bulbs. Ss participated in random order in both of two experimental conditions: ( 1 ) compatible-where response key for a given light was the key directly beneath the light, (2) noncompatible-where another key other than the one directly below the light was designated as the proper response key. Maximum pupillary diameter was measured for resting baseline and experimental conditions with all noise and lighting parameters held constant in an environmental chamber. In both experimental conditions, the four equally probable lights (2 bits of information) were randomly and sequentially lighted starting with a rate of .5 lights per sec. (1 bit per sec.) for 15 sec. The presentation rate was then increased by .2 bits each succeeding 15 sec. until maximum pupillary diameter for a 15-sec. interval was below the initial baseline level, at which point S was considered mentally overloaded (Poock, 1973) and the experiment stopped. In the compatible stimulus-response arrangement, the pupillary diameter increased with stimulus presentation rate up to a rate of 3 bits per sec. at which point the pupil constricted below the baseline level. Likewise the constriction point for the noncompatible condition was 2.4 bits per sec. Application of the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test showed the presentation rate at the time of overload in the noncompatible arrangement to be significantly lower than in the compatible arrangement (p < .025).
Evaluation on Poliomyelitis Supplementary Immunization Activities in Fuzhou City during 2007—2008

[Objective]To understand the effect of poliomyelitis supplementary immunization activities in Fuzhou City during 2007—2008,and provide scientific evidence for maintaining poliomyelitis-free status and eliminating poliomyelitis.[Methods] From December 5—6,2007 — January5—6,2008,the program of poliomyelitis supplementary immunization was conducted twice on children that were born between January 1,2004 and October 4,2007,according to the plan.Immunization Information were summarized and reported level by level.On-site rapid assessment was conducted by random principles.[Results] The goal number of first inoculation was 261 728,the actual number was 240 216,inoculation rate was 91.8%;of which the resident children were 197 057,inoculation rate was 93.7%,Floating children were 64 671,inoculation rate was 85.9 %.In the second round,the goal number was 279 921,the actual number was 256 872,inoculation rate was 91.8%;the resident children were 206 172,inoculation rate was 93.3%,floating children were 73 749,inoculation rate was 87.4%.After the inoculation,rapid assessments were carried out on provincial,city and district levels.1081 were investigated in first round,with the inoculation rate of 93.4%;1471 were investigated in second round,with the inoculation rate of 91%.[Conclusion] The inoculation rate of supplementary immunization in 2 rounds reached up to 90%,but the inoculation rate of floating children was lower.It is necessary to establish the effective measure to strengthen vaccination in children,especially the floating children.
Focal selectivity for binaural sound pressure level in cat primary auditory cortex: Two-Way Intensity Network tuning

1. The influence of sound pressure level (SPL) at the two ears was studied in single-neuron responses recorded in high-frequency regions of primary auditory cortex (AI) of anesthetized cats. For each unit, many binaural combinations of SPL were tested by using best-frequency tone pips presented to each ear independently via sealed stimulus delivery systems. In the preceding paper, we illustrated the different forms of response observed in our sample of units. Here we explore in more detail the mechanisms underlying the properties of the largest single class of binaural response, characterized by joint nonmonotonic tuning to the SPLs at the two ears. We have described such units as being influenced by a Two-Way Intensity Network (TWIN). 2. Under binaural conditions, 62% of our sample of well documented neurons (81/130) exhibited a nonmonotonic relation between response magnitude and the SPL at one or the other ear. Of these units, 47 displayed clear bilateral nonmonotonicity (TWIN tuning), 17 units displayed only unilateral nonmonotonicity, and an additional 17 units showed intermediate (or transitional) characteristics between unilateral and bilateral nonmonotonicity. These characteristics can also be described in terms of average binaural level (ABL) and interaural level difference (ILD). Thus there is commonly a nonmonotonic relation between response magnitude and ABL and sometimes a TWIN tuning to ABL and ILD. The distribution of best frequencies for TWIN neurons is broad. 3. Under monaural conditions, TWIN neurons exhibit diverse properties. Some are responsive only under binaural conditions [i.e., predominantly binaural (PB)]. Some monaurally responsive TWINs are contralaterally excitable and ipsilaterally unresponsive (EO), some are ipsilaterally excitable and contralaterally unresponsive (OE), and a few are bilaterally excitable (EE). Monaural rate/level functions are monotonic for some of these neurons and nonmonotonic for others. Neurons of the PB class have previously been found to have nonmonotonic selectivity for ILDs near zero. In this study we have found that virtually all PB neurons are also nonmonotonically selective for ABL with different PB neurons having different best ABLs. 4. For TWIN neurons that respond monaurally, it is possible to demonstrate a mixed binaural influence. The optimal stimulus (or best binaural combination) for a TWIN neuron is associated with binaural facilitation. Flanking the most effective combination of ABL and ILD are less effective combinations that generate lower response magnitudes, either through threshold effects (at low SPLs) or through binaural suppression (at higher SPLs).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Evaluation of postural stability in youth athletes: the relationship between two rating systems.

ABSTRACTObjectives: The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) has been documented as a useful way to evaluate postural control following sport-related concussions sustained by youth athletes. However, limitations have been reported with its use due to the reliance on visual observation as the primary measurement outcome. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the modified BESS (mBESS) as rated by a clinician and a simultaneous analysis performed by an integrated video-force plate system. The secondary purpose was to assess if a history of prior concussion affected postural control.Methods: A group of healthy youth athletes (n = 398; mean age 13.7 ± 2.4 years) completed the mBESS while simultaneously undergoing an integrated video-force plate evaluation to measure postural stability. Spearman rank-order correlations were used to determine the strength of correlation between the 2 rating systems. In addition, performance on the mBESS between those with and without a history o...
User Interfaces for File and Folder Selection

Running a script via an IDE requires some expertise, particularly when the script takes arguments. When you create scripts to share with others, your target audience may not be familiar with how to run a Python script. To make it easier, you can create a graphical user interface, a more intuitive means for the user to provide information for the script than command line arguments. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) allow the user to interact with the script via windows labeled with explicit instructions. A Python script that uses GUIs to collect arguments can be run by double-clicking on it in Windows Explorer, avoiding an IDE altogether. Developing highly sophisticated custom GUIs is an advanced programming skill. However, you can generate certain GUIs with just a few lines of Python code. This chapter covers some easy to program GUIs for entering text or browsing to files.
Low-loss wideband feed networks for high gain microfluidic beam-scanning focal plane arrays

Microfluidic focal plane arrays (MFPAs) can provide beam-scanning capability without active RF devices. However, recent work showed that passive resonant feed networks of these MFPAs limit the performance in terms of bandwidth and loss as the FPA size gets larger for high gain applications (e.g. 8 elements). This paper alleviates this issue by introducing a novel microfluidically switched feed network. Specifically, microfluidic repositioning of a selectively metallized plate is utilized as the switching mechanism to direct the input RF power towards a desired antenna location. It is shown that the proposed feed network maintains a wideband performance (>15%) and can accommodate >32 antenna elements in a 1D 30GHz Ka-band array setting. In addition, the required microfluidic motion range is significantly reduced (∼10×) for higher beam-scanning speeds and a compact layout is maintained for enabling realization of 2D MFPAs.
Centrifugal casting of tungsten in a specifically designed skull-casting furnace

The tungsten casting technique is now sufficiently advanced that hollow and solid billets can be prepared. In general, grain size is much smaller than that normally obtained in arc-melted ingots. Improved mold surfaces virtually eliminate mold contamination. The resulting castings can be further worked by a variety of processes.
Navier–Stokes Characteristic Boundary Conditions Using Ghost Cells

Solution methods for the compressible Navier–Stokes equations based on finite volume discretizations often implement boundary conditions using ghost cells outside of the computational domain. Filli...
Paraesophageal Hernia Repair Outcomes Using Minimally Invasive Approaches.

This study of inpatient admissions for paraesophageal hernia repair analyzes use of minimally invasive approaches and rates of intraoperative injury and in-hospital mortality.
Risk and Return Perceptions of Institutional Investors

Executive Summary. This study examines the responses of a survey mailed to portfolio managers for large pension funds and insurers regarding their perceptions of the inherent risk and return of twenty investment choices. The purpose of the study is to determine whether large portfolio managers perceive the inherent risk of a specific asset to be consistent with the expected return for that investment vehicle. Results from a means difference test on responses indicate that these investors generally do not feel that the inherent risk of many assets is justified by the return expected for a particular asset. For many asset classes respondents indicate that they perceive an asset to have a greater inherent risk level than the expected return for that asset class. This indicates that investors may be applying different risk and return levels for various assets in their portfolio allocation processes. Findings could partially explain why actual portfolio allocations often do not follow theoretically suggested g...
On Security Analysis of Proof-of-Elapsed-Time (PoET)

As more applications are built on top of blockchain and public ledger, different approaches are developed to improve the performance of blockchain construction. Recently Intel proposed a new concept of proof-of-elapsed-time (PoET), which leverages trusted computing to enforce random waiting times for block construction. However, trusted computing component may not be perfect and 100% reliable. It is not clear, to what extent, blockchain systems based on PoET can tolerate failures of trusted computing component. The current design of PoET lacks rigorous security analysis and a theoretical foundation for assessing its strength against such attacks. To fulfill this gap, we develop a theoretical framework for evaluating a PoET based blockchain system, and show that the current design is vulnerable in the sense that adversary can jeopardize the blockchain system by only compromising \(\varTheta (\log \log n/\log n)\) fraction of the participating nodes, which is very small when n is relatively large. Based on our theoretical analysis, we also propose methods to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
Low-Cost, Efficient, and Durable H2 Production by Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting with CuGa3Se5 Photocathodes.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an elegant method of converting sunlight and water into H2 fuel. To be commercially advantageous, PEC devices must become cheaper, more efficient, and much more durable. This work examines low-cost polycrystalline chalcopyrite films, which are successful as photovoltaic absorbers, for application as PEC absorbers. In particular, Cu–Ga–Se films with wide band gaps can be employed as top cell photocathodes in tandem devices as a realistic route to high efficiencies. In this report, we demonstrate that decreasing Cu/Ga composition from 0.66 to 0.31 in Cu–Ga–Se films increased the band gap from 1.67 to 1.86 eV and decreased saturated photocurrent density from 18 to 8 mA/cm2 as measured by chopped-light current–voltage (CLIV) measurements in a 0.5 M sulfuric acid electrolyte. Buffer and catalyst surface treatments were not applied to the Cu–Ga–Se films, and they exhibited promising stability, evidenced by unchanged CLIV after 9 months of storage in air. Finally, fi...
Forgiving the Unforgivable: Reinvigorating the Use of Executive Clemency in Capital Cases

Clemency, the power to reduce the sentence of a convicted criminal, has existed since ancient times. Yet, the use of this power in the United States has significantly declined in recent decades. The U.S. Supreme Court has called executive clemency “the fail safe” of the criminal justice system, and has determined that some minimal procedural safeguards apply in clemency proceedings. Lower courts, however, have failed to require any significant procedural safeguards in the clemency process. Because clemency plays a crucial function in the criminal justice system, this Note argues that states should enact both procedural requirements and substantive guidelines to ensure death row inmates receive due proc-
Vibration Communication in Vertebrates

In this chapter I shall attempt to explore the ways in which several vertebrate groups utilize vibrational or seismic signals Specifically, I hope to encourage the study of animals other than those used in the standard mammalian preparations by emphasizing that an animal’s natural acoustic behavior often leads to insights concerning the underlying physiological mechanisms. Applied across a wide range of taxa, this neuroethological approach has yielded a great deal of information about vertebrate behaviors including bat echolocation, sound localization by owls, electrolocation and object avoidance in electric fishes, song learning in passerine birds, and frog acoustic and vibrational communication. Among the vertebrates, strong evidence for seismic signal detection and/or communication has been documented for only a handful of cases. These animals appear to rely on surface (Rayleigh) waves to transmit vibrational signals. In Leptodactylus and perhaps in Crotalus, the apparatus for detecting these signals resides both in the sensory epithelium of the inner ear and in its associated sensory structures and appears to take advantage of the multimodal response properties of the sensory hair cells. Methods used to explore these responses and new behavioral evidence for seismic cue detection in several animal groups are discussed.
Blessing in disguise; a case of Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin.

Fetal Hemoglobin (HbF, α2γ2) is produced from the eighth week of gestation, constitutes 60 – 80 % of total hemoglobin by birth, which is then replaced with adult Hemoglobin A1 (HbA1: α2β2) by 6–12 months. Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin (HPFH) is a rare benign asymptomatic genetic disorder where the HbF persists, and incidentally discovered on screening for other hemoglobinopathies. In adults, the variation in HbF levels could also be associated with other disease states, including hemoglobinopathies, leukemias and bone marrow failure syndromes. Here we present a case of a young asymptomatic female with the incidental finding of HPFH who was misdiagnosed as the sickle cell disease. It is important to have awareness about HPFH and should be distinguished from other causes of elevated HbF.
Modeling the oxidative consumption of curcumin from controlled released poly(beta-amino ester) microparticles in the presence of a free radical generating system

Despite the promise of its therapeutic benefits, curcumin as a free molecule has failed to demonstrate significant clinical success. Arguably, its inherently poor stability and rapid clearance is a significant reason for these negative outcomes. The incorporation of curcumin into the backbone of a crosslinked hydrogel that utilizes poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE) chemistry can provide a tunable protective network with the ability to release at a controlled rate while improving its therapeutic potential. Kinetics of curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles controlled release delivery system in the presence of oxidative environments was studied for the first time, where consumption rates of active curcumin and release products were obtained. The constituent amount of curcumin present in solution was improved by incorporating the active into the network in comparison to curcumin as a free drug. Modeling curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles will provide a design platform to improve translation and overall success in delivering a therapeutic agent that matches levels of oxidative stress.
Working Together for Service Learning

The only way service learning is going to fulfill its promise is for faculty and student affairs to work in close partnership. But this is easier said than done. Here are some promising examples of...
Shorea robusta Forest Resources of Mainpat/Phendeling Tibetan Refugee Camp, Chhattisgarh, India

Many tropical forests of India are highly degraded and sometimes lack adequate regeneration. In the tropical dry deciduous forest, Shorea robusta is a highly valued timber species. The Mainpat/Phendeling Tibetan settlement was established in 1962 in Chhattisgarh, east-central India. We assessed the forest surrounding the settlement and interviewed local residents to assess the forest conditions and the uses of forest products. Six sites were chosen to measure forest structure over a gradient of human impact. The forest area surrounding Mainpat showed evidence of degradation and overuse. We found that those sites classified as higher impact had more dead trees ha−1 and more dead tree basal area than low-impact sites. The dominant tree species, S. robusta, had no regeneration. Survey responses showed that the forest was primarily used for the collection of fuelwood and construction materials. Although the forest is under government protection, there are social needs and ecological issues associated with regeneration that merit management attention. We suggest several considerations for management including environmental education, provision of alternative forest resources, testing of artificial S. robusta regeneration, alternative energy sources, and participation in a payment for ecosystem services plan. No matter the approach, the restoration and conservation of the forest is critical for the regeneration of S. robusta and the future sustainability of the forest ecosystem.
Robust Intrusion Detection in Dynamic Networks

This paper considers the problem of robustly identifying m intruders in a network consisting of n cooperative agents which are subject to unknown disturbances. First, a distributed system model is introduced so that the relationship between agents, the attacks and unknown disturbances can be captured. Next, the distributed identification scheme is formulated as a spectral assignment problem and necessary filter gains are obtained through a carefully constructed linear system of equations. Necessary and sufficient conditions to decouple the unknown disturbances from the agents residual generators are derived in terms of filter gain matrices. It is shown that the problem of discriminating between unknown disturbances and attacks in a distributed system under consensus dynamics can be reduced to the problem of determining a set of constraints on the spectrum of the residual generator coefficient matrices. The approach is illustrated through an example.
DISRUPTION OF LAMIN A LEADS TO EARLY-ONSET CARDIAC CONDUCTION DYSFUNCTION IN ZEBRAFISH MODELS OF LAMINOPATHY

Mutations in the lamin A/C ( LMNA ) gene have been causally linked to dilated cardiomyopathy with conduction disease. However, the mechanism by which the laminopathy leads to electrophysiological disorders has not been fully elucidated. In a multi-regional registry of early-onset cardiac conduction