cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The NO + CO reaction on clean Pt(lOO): Multiple steady states and oscillations☆

Abstract The NO + CO, CO + O2, and NO decomposition reactions on Pt(100) have been studied between 5 × 10−6 and 1 × 10−8 Torr by measuring steady state kinetics and adsorbate coverages simultaneously. The rates of both bimolecular reactions are found to exhibit multiple steady states in that the rate obtained by increasing temperatures from below 400 K is 2 to 10 times higher than the rate obtained by decreasing temperatures from above 500 K. The high rate branch is associated with the (1 × 1) surface structure of Pt(100) while the low rate branch is associated with the reconstructed (hex) surface. The rate of NO decomposition is > 104 lower than the rate of the NO + CO reaction, and N and O coverages in NO decomposition exhibit multiple values when the temperature is increased or decreased. Oscillations in NO + CO occur between 410 and 490 K as the surface is cooled from higher temperatures to the region of the (hex) → (1 × 1) transition. Surface coverages in NO-CO mixtures are less than 0.1 monolayers for any species above 400 K. This shows that adsorbate-adsorbate interactions are not responsible for oscillations except as they cause the Pt surface phase transition.
A neurogenic basis for acute altitude illness

Acute altitude illnesses include acute mountain sickness (AMS), a benign condition involving headache, nausea, vomiting, irritability, insomnia, dizziness, lethargy, and peripheral edema, and potentially lethal high-altitude cerebral edema and pulmonary edema (HAPE). Recent evidence is summarized that AMS is related to cerebral edema secondary at least in part to hypoxic cerebral vasodilation and elevated cerebral capillary hydrostatic pressure. This results in reduced brain compliance with compression of intracranial structures in the absence of altered global brain metabolism. It is postulated that these primary intracranial events elevate peripheral sympathetic activity that acts neurogenically in the lung possibly in concert with pulmonary capillary stress failure to cause HAPE and in the kidney to promote salt and water retention. The adrenergic responses are likely modulated by striking increases of aldosterone, vasopressin and atrial natriuretic peptide. The effects of exercise on altitude-induced illness and various therapeutic regimens (acetazolamide, CO2 breathing, dexamethasone, and alpha adrenergic inhibitors) are discussed in light of this hypothesis.
The rate of approach to equilibrium in uncatalyzed CO2 hydration reactions: the theoretical effect of buffering capacity.

Abstract A treatment of the kinetics of the uncatalyzed reaction of CO 2 and H 2 O is presented with particular reference to the rate of equilibration in an open system at constant P CO 2 under conditions of different buffering capacities, d[HCO − 3 ]/dpH. The treatment is based on the accepted first-order kinetics of the hydration and dehydration reactions and characterizes the strong dependence of the time course of the equilibration process on the buffering capacity. The computed half-times are found to vary from 0.3 to 30 sec as the buffering capacity increases from 0.2 mM/pH unit (a solution devoid of non-bicarbonate buffer) to 40 mM/pH unit. An appendix is included which describes the computation method.
Methods for the analysis of thiodiglycol sulphoxide, a metabolite of sulphur mustard, in urine using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Abstract Two methods have been developed for the analysis of thiodiglycol sulphoxide, a metabolite of sulphur mustard, in urine. The first method recovers thiodiglycol sulphoxide from urine by extraction from a solid absorbent tube and clean up on Florisil. In the second method thiodiglycol sulphoxide is reduced to thiodiglycol with acidic titanium trichloride prior to extraction. This method detects thiodiglycol, thiodiglycol sulphoxide, and their acid-labile esters, as the single analyte thiodiglycol. In both cases the recovered analytes were converted to the bis(pentafluorobenzoyl) derivative of thiodiglycol and detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry using negative ion chemical ionisation. The limits of detection were 1 ng per 0.5-ml sample of urine. Urine from five normal human subjects showed low background levels of thiodiglycol sulphoxide in the range 2–8 ng/ml. However, a sixth subject was found to be excreting levels of thiodiglycol sulphoxide as high as 36 ng/ml. The first method has been used in toxicokinetic studies of sulphur mustard and the second method is intended to be used for the retrospective confirmation of mustard poisoning in casualties of chemical warfare.
Global Spread of Radical Ideologies: Causes, Consequences and Policies

One of Professor David Rapoport's contributions to academic inquiries into terrorism is his theory of waves of international terrorism. Rapoport argues that there have been four waves in the history of modern terrorism, where an idea has spurred violence across the world. Although his idea has become mainstream there is no research on how ideas actually spread. This article attempts to bridge this important gap by combining recent advances in the fields of business, advertisement and mass communication with research on terrorism. It is argued that understanding the process by which these ideas spread across the world can provide us with the tool to manage future waves of international terrorism.
Humanitarian Audiology: Overview and Report of an Indian Experience

Today, audiologists are traveling to various parts of the world to provide humanitarian services. While these experiences provide ample opportunity for professional and personal growth, it is impor...
Relationship between leaf area index and proper vegetation indices across a wide range of cultivars

There is considerable interest in assessing leaf area index (LAI) to evaluate crop growth and production. In this article, an operational approach was proposed to evaluating LAI of summer maize for different cultivars under different nitrogen treatments and developmental stages by selecting ten familiar remote sensing vegetation indices (VIs). The result indicated that VIs had the potential for faithfully estimating LAI, and the estimation power of VIs for assessing LAI was best from bell stage to silking stage, which primarily depended on the LAI dynamic variation during the process of the growth. When the estimation power of VIs was systematically verified with the other independent data set, the VIs could accurately evaluate LAI. The ratio spectral index of R810 /R560 was the best index to estimate LAI, which was wondrously sensitive to LAI dynamic variation almost without the influence of cultivars, growth stages and nitrogen treatments. The exponential regression model for LAI based on R810/R560 was also established with a mean determination of coefficient (R 2) of 0.9573 (P value=0.01) and a mean root mean square error (RAISE) of 0.0365. Therefore, the spectral index of R810/R 560 could be considered as a sensitive indicator as LAI of summer maize
Generalized LDPC Codes and Turbo-Product Codes with Reed-Muller Component Codes

A forward error correction (FEC) scheme based on generalized low-density parity-check (GLDPC) codes can improve overall characteristics of LDPC codes by decreasing the decoding complexity. We consider the GLDPC codes with Reed- Muller (RM) and Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) component codes. GLDPC codes with RM codes as component codes is an attractive option for high-speed applications, such as optical communications, because they provide excellent coding gains, while the RM codes can be decoded using low-complexity maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decoding algorithm due to Ashikhmin and Lytsin, based on Walsh-Hadamard transform. Several classes of GLDPC codes (with component RM or BCH codes) outperforming the turbo product codes are presented. Several turbo product codes suitable for use in highspeed transmission are identified as well.
Life and Death in the Demiansk Pocket: The 123rd Infantry Division in Combat and Occupation

During the past two decades, focus on the German-Soviet war has shifted from a nearly exclusive fascination with field marshals and their battles—“chaps and maps”—to one more concerned with the social aspects of the war. Issues of resistance and collaboration, German occupation policies and everyday life under Nazi rule, and the Soviet Union's recovery from the catastrophe of 1941 and its subsequent unprecedented mobilization during the latter stages of the war now constitute the main emphases of research. Many of these new lines of investigation revolve around the implementation and results of the German Vernichtungskrieg, the war of annihilation carried out by the Wehrmacht, SS, and myriad other German agencies against the Soviet state and population. As the army was the largest and most powerful German institution operating in the Soviet Union, it has recently attracted the most attention and generated the most controversy. Historians have reached a rough consensus concerning the German High Command's complicity in implementing the Vernichtungskrieg; here, the set of orders commonly referred to in the literature as the “criminal orders” illustrate the army's means of achieving Hitler's goals. More recently, scholars have begun to investigate the army's responsibility for starving millions of Soviet civilians. While some dissenting voices have been heard, it is clear that the German High Command willingly and even enthusiastically participated in the war of annihilation.
3D method of moments scattering computations using the fast multipole method

The fast multipole method (FMM) dramatically reduces the time and memory required to compute radar cross sections and antenna radiation patterns compared to dense matrix techniques. We have implemented the FMM in a method of moments (MoM) program to compute electromagnetic scattering from large bodies of arbitrary shape. We compare the memory and time required using the FMM to that for direct and iterative solutions using a dense impedance matrix. >
Receptor Adaptation Mechanisms

Receptor adaptation mechanisms involve regulation of the number, sensitivity and subcellular localization of receptors that detect environmental cues and convert extracellular signals into a change of intracellular events. Keywords: regulation of receptor desensitization; downregulation and gene expression; pharmacology; G protein-coupled receptors; β-adrenergic receptor; rhodopsin; G protein-coupled receptor kinase; arrestins; nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
New approaches to encryption and steganography for digital videos

In this work we propose a novel type of digital video encryption that has several advantages over other currently available digital video encryption schemes. We also present an extended classification of digital video encryption algorithms in order to clarify these advantages. We analyze both security and performance aspects of the proposed method, and show that the method is efficient and secure from a cryptographic point of view. Even though the method is currently feasible only for a certain class of video sequences and video codecs, the method is promising and future investigations might reveal its broader applicability. Finally, we extend our approach into a novel type of digital video steganography where it is possible to disguise a given video with another video.
On the Helical Dynamo of Lortz as a Model for the Steady Main Geomagnetic Field

Summary An attempt is made to evaluate the infinite cylindrical dynamo of Lortz as a basis for a model of the steady geomagnetic field. Provided it can be deformed from cylindrical to toroidal geometry, when then embedded near the equatorial plane of the liquid outer core, such a dynamo appears to be geophysically relevant. 1. Introduction and scaling Dynamo theory is widely believed to be the fundamental tool required to understand the fluid dynamics of the Earth’s liquid outer core, particularly the manner in which forced fluid motions sustain the main geomagnetic field in the face of inevitable ohmic decay. In the relatively short period since 1958, when Backus and Herzenberg provided rigorous existence proofs of homogeneous spherical dynamo action, a host of more plausible dynamos have appeared (excellent reviews are given by Roberts 1971; Weiss 1971; Gubbins 1974). It very much remains to sort out this array and apply the results within the geophysical context. This paper describes a preliminary effort to utilize dynamo theory on behalf of geomagnetism. The steady cylindrical helical dynamo of Lortz (1968) holds a unique place in this subject. Not only is it ‘ the simplest case of a self-exciting homogeneous dynamo known ’ (as remarked by P. H. Roberts 1971), but it is also the only one presently available for which exact closed form analytic solutions of the induction equation can be extracted (but, surprisingly, none have yet been displayed or studied). Solely on these grounds it deserves further development because it thereby avoids the notoriously troublesome truncation-convergence difficulties inherent in most other dynamos. The present work is motivated by a desire to learn whether or not the Lortz dynamo can also satisfy the particular restrictions presented by steady geomagnetism. We first attempt to elucidate some aspects of how this dynamo functions in general (Section 2). An explicit example of a Lortz dynamo is presented in Section 3. Finally, in Section 4, we address the question of its geophysical relevance. It is customary to presume that a proper theory for Earth’s main magnetic field rests on finding simultaneous solutions of the equations of fluid dynamics, with Lorentz forces and a driving body force included, together with the induction equation of magnetohydrodynamics. For a Boussinesq liquid of nearly uniform density po executing incompressible motions, the relevant system can be cast into the form: av - + (v V)v = - Vn- 2Ct0 x v+ (V x a) x a- VV x (V x v) + f,
On biological species, species concepts and individuation in the natural world

I am a realist and argue that biological species exist in nature. I also argue that the validity of ¢ndings of the many disciplines within the natural sciences employing biological species in their endeavours of inquiry are unequivocally linked to the accuracy of the species used in experiments. Few scientists today see the fundamental importance of taxonomic and systematic studies in both addressing accuracy of diversity and the delineation of species diversity for other areas of science. The basic controversial issues in the debate revolve around opinions regarding the nature of species as either Individuals or Classes, confusion of Species as a taxonomic category and as entities in nature, the varied practitioners studying diversity, a general lack of a Lineage perspective and a gross chauvinistic perspective on the types of data worthy of exposing and delineating diversity. I argue that species in nature are Individuals and form Lineages .A sIndividuals, they cannot be de¢ned but can only be diagnosed in time. The category Species is a Class with a de¢nition. The di⁄culties realised by scientists studying biodiversity in ‘de¢ning’ a species hinges upon the fact that as natural entities they cannot be de¢ned. Recognizing and understanding the origins of characters in species is further complicated if one views species in nature as Classes and lacks an appreciation for the Lineage and the origin and retention of traits through time. This forms an interesting paradox that many scientists have fallen victim to wherein species are viewed as Classes (hence de¢nable, but immutable) yet are used to understand the process of descent that involves lineages and Individuals! The pre-Darwinian Class perspective of species, combined with a common chauvinistic perspective on characters ultimately delays progress and places a ‘glass ceiling’ on species diversity for planet Earth. One resolution to the species and species concept issue is to view the concepts in a hierarchical manner of primary (theoretical) and secondary (operational) concepts. Interestingly, the issue of Individuals versus Classes for naturally occurring entities is much more widespread and exists in many other scienti¢c ¢elds. Thus, a hierarchical perspective of having a primary, nonoperational concept for natural entities and multiple operational concepts serving as ‘tools’ for discovering natural things consistent with the primary concept is a heuristic methodology that is applicable to the advancement of many areas of science.
ProtocolDB: A Semantic Workflow Solution for Innovative Translational Research

The use of workflow models to integrate intelligently complex experimental and analytical processes is becoming more and more critical to support scientific discovery. At the Translational Genomics Research (TGen) we are working on the development of an architecture that supports workflow design, recording, planning, and optimization. We report on the evaluation of ProtocolDB.
Biologic Risk Factors Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study

Objective To identify biologic risk factors associated with having diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Latinos with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Participants Six thousand three hundred fifty-seven Latinos ages ≥40 years from 6 census tracts in Los Angeles, California. Methods An in-home interview was administered to all participants in the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES). All participants diagnosed with T2DM underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination including stereoscopic fundus photography (7 standard Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study fields). Photographs were graded in a masked manner using a modified Airlie House grading system to assess presence and severity of DR. Univariate and stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors. Main Outcome Measures Biologic risk factors associated with any DR and proliferative DR (PDR). Results Of the 7789 eligible individuals in LALES, 6357 (82%) had a clinical examination. One thousand two hundred sixty-three participants had definite diabetes and 1187 Latinos had T2DM. Of those with T2DM, 46% (544) had DR. Stepwise logistic regression analyses revealed that compared with females, males had a 50% higher risk of having any DR (OR = 1.50; P = 0.006). Factors independently associated with a greater risk of having any DR were longer duration of known diabetes (per year, OR=1.08, P P P = 0.002); and insulin treatment (OR = 1.60, P = 0.01). Factors independently associated with PDR included longer duration of known diabetes (per year, OR=1.06, P P P = 0.01). The relationship of these variables to the risk of having DR or PDR is not a constant linear function in all cases and varies depending on the variable. Conclusions Our study showed that the high risk of DR in adult Latinos is independently associated with both nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors. These findings suggest that controlling hyperglycemia and hypertension in this ethnic group may reduce the high risk of having DR associated with T2DM.
Monitoring Sensor Measurement Anomalies of Streaming Environmental Data Using a Local Correlation Score

Real-time quality control (QC) of streaming natural resource data is needed to support the delivery of high quality data to system users. QC processes need to enable the identification of aberrations, as well as trends that may indicate degradation or component failures. These QC processes form a framework to support the goal of verified data delivered in a timely manner. In this paper, we investigate a method of computing Local Correlation Score (LCS) to detect anomalous patterns among sensor platforms in a concurrent manner. We use the R programming language and OpenMPI. Using empirical tests, we determine the benefits of computing the LCS in parallel, and on various sizes of clusters. We also analyze its use for real time mapping of Intelligent River data. Our results show that the LCS computed concurrently is an effective means for prompt quality assurance of natural resource data.
Central innervation of neurones in the inferior mesenteric ganglion and of the large intestine of the cat

1. Segmental, lumbar sympathetic outflow to neurones in the cat inferior mesenteric ganglion and to the large intestine were studied. Synaptic responses of neurones in the inferior mesenteric ganglion were recorded intracellularly, in vitro, during electrical stimulation of preganglionic fibres in the lumbar white rami. Synaptic responses consisted of excitatory post-synaptic potentials and/or action potentials. 2. None of the neurones tested received synaptic input from spinal cord segment L1. There was synaptic input from segments L2-L5 of the spinal cord. The strongest synaptic input arose from spinal cord segments L3 and L4. 3. 42% of the neurones tested received synaptic input from only one spinal cord segment. 54% of the neurones tested received convergent synaptic input from two, three or four adjacent lumbar segments. 4. Electrophysiological measurements indicated that the number of preganglionic fibres in any lumbar white ramus communicans which provided synaptic input ranged from one to thirteen. Each lumbar white ramus contained, on average, five preganglionic fibres which provided synaptic input to neurones in the inferior mesenteric ganglion. 5. Changes in intraluminal colonic pressure were measured in vivo during electrical stimulation of preganglionic fibres in the different lumbar white rami and lumbar ventral roots. Electrical stimulation of white rami L3 and L4 abolished phasic changes in intraluminal colonic pressure and reduced basal pressure to near zero. Electrical stimulation of preganglionic fibres in lumbar ventral roots L3 and L4 abolished phasic changes in intraluminal colonic pressure and reduced basal pressure to near zero. Stimulation of ventral roots L1, L2 and L5 had little to no effect on intraluminal pressure. 6. Based on the data obtained in this study, two hypotheses are proposed. First, spinal cord segments L3, L4 and L5 are the primary sources of central synaptic input to neurones in the inferior mesenteric ganglion. Secondly, spinal cord segments L3 and L4 control colonic motility.
Sea-level change and storm-surge deposition in a late Holocene Florida salt marsh

ABSTRACT A 300-km length of west Florida's coastline is dominated by an open-marine coastal marsh system. Located along the central part of this sediment-poor region, Waccasassa Bay is presently a broad, shallow embayment rimmed by an expansive Juncus roemerianus salt marsh. In this system, sediments were first deposited in a forested swamp from ~ 4400 to 1800 cal yr BP. Contemporaneously, large oyster reefs grew in the embayment near a paleo-river mouth. These deposits indicate a period of slow sea-level rise during the Late Holocene that correlates with the establishment or regression of other west Florida coastal systems. Circa 1800 cal yr BP, a rapid transgression of 2-4 km led to salt marsh growth over the former swamp, and a brackish marsh developed over a previously unflooded upland surface. Calculated rates of shoreline retreat are 10 to > 20 m/yr at this time and compare to < 3.0 m/yr during most of the Late Holocene. Timing of the event in Waccasassa Bay corresponds with transgressive sequences in other Atlantic and Gulf coast systems and supports a relative sea-level fluctuation ca. 1800 cal yr BP. Following this event, sediments overstepped during the transgression were reworked onto the low-lying tidal marsh. Rapid accretion along the shore edge outpaced sea-level rise and led to the local development of high intertidal and supratidal levees. Evidence indicates that storm-driven surge was the principal mechanism of sediment transport for these deposits. In Waccasassa Bay, storm-surge deposition has played a significant role in marsh surface accretion, distinguishing the system from more typically tide-dominated wetlands. Within the past ~ 150 years, most of the supratidal environment became tidally inundated and there was a widespread transition into the modern salt marsh. This change and evidence from adjacent portions of the Florida coast implicate a rise in sea level within the past several hundred years.
Bibliography of optical polarization papers

This paper contains a database of references on polarization related topics. The database will facilitate the search for papers dealing with a specific topic, author, etc., and aid in compiling lists of references.
Construct Validation in Counseling Psychology Research

Counseling psychology researchers devote little attention to theory-based measurement validation, as evidenced by cursory mention of validity issues in the method and discussion sections of published research reports. Especially, many researchers appear unaware of the limitations of correlations between pairs of self-report measures as evidence of construct validity. The authors provide an overview of the process of construct validation via user-friendly terminology and examples, with special attention to aspects often neglected in counseling psychology research, including specific recommendations for design and interpretation of multimethod validity investigations.
Energy-efficient MESI cache coherence with pro-active snoop filtering for multicore microprocessors

We present a snoop filtering mechanism for multicore microprocessors that implement coherent caches using the MESI protocol. The relatively small filter structure at each core maintains coarse-grain sharing information about regions within a page to filter out snoops. On broadcast, the sharing status of all regions within the page is collected proactively and up to 90% of unnecessary snoops are eliminated. The energy savings resulting from snoop filtering in our scheme average about 30% across the benchmarks studied for both a quad core design in 65 nm and 8-core design in 45 nm CMOS.
Thoracoscopic Management of Pulmonary Metastases

In appropriately selected patients, resection of pulmonary metastases from various primary tumors can lead to improved survival. Metastasectomy has traditionally been performed by open thoracotomy; however, thoracoscopic resection offers the important benefits of a less invasive approach with more expeditious recovery. Concerns regarding missed lesions during thoracoscopy have not been realized in analyses of survival and may be offset by a policy of repeat metastasectomy for pulmonary recurrences. Despite the relative paucity of prospective trials, the preponderance of data supports the use of video-assisted thoracic surgery for pulmonary metastasectomy, which represents our preferred strategy for these patients.
Selective Electrochemical Detection of Ciprofloxacin with a Porous Nafion/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composite Film Electrode

This study focuses on the development of electrochemical sensors for the detection of Ciprofloxacin (CFX) in natural waters and wastewater effluents. The sensors are prepared by depositing a layer of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dispersed in a porous Nafion film on to a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode substrate. The porous-Nafion-MWCNT/BDD electrode enhanced detection of CFX due to selective adsorption, which was accomplished by a combination of electrostatic attraction at −SO3– sites in the porous Nafion film and the formation of charge assisted hydrogen bonding between CFX and −COOH MWCNT surface functional groups. By contrast, the bare BDD electrode did not show any activity for CFX oxidation. The sensors were selective for CFX detection in the presence of other antibiotics (i.e., amoxicillin) and other nontarget water constituents (i.e., Cl–, Ca2+, humic acid, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, salicylic acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid). A limit of detection of 5 nM (S/N...
The Measurement of Technology

This paper briefly discusses some of the present methods used for the measurement of technology. Shortcomings of the methods discussed are noted with respect to both cross section and time series data. The paper then defines technology and presents a new method for the measurement of technology with the use of set theory. Formulas are presented for calculating indexes of technology and aggregating these indexes over firms in an industry. A hypothetical example is presented to illustrate the method of measurement. Several possible uses of the proposed measurement of technology are suggested in the paper. These include policy models, demand equations, and linear programming.
Syracuse Electric, Inc

This case can be used as a vehicle for exploring capital-structure management and for analyzing the maturity structures of a firm's capital. The case presents four competing proposals to this large electrical-equipment manufacturer for restructuring its long-term liabilites. The tasks for the student are to evaluate the four proposals on the bases of cost, maturity, flexibility, risk, financial performance, and current capital-market conditions and to recommend which proposal to accept. This case is a natural extension of, or complement to, cases on debt/equity mix and introduces students to numerous practical considerations in capital-structure design. An optional supplement to this case, for both students and instructors, is "Maturity and Basis Structures in Corporate Financing" (UVA-F-0947).
Recurring Epidemics of Pharmaceutical Drug Abuse in America: Time for an All-Drug Strategy

Observers describe today’s “epidemic” of pharmaceutical drug abuse as a recent phenomenon, but we argue that it is only the most recent of three waves stretching back more than a century.During each wave, policies have followed a similar pattern: voluntary educational campaigns, followed by supply-side policing and—sometimes—public health responses that would today be understood as “harm reduction.”These experiences suggest that only broad-based application of all three approaches to users of all drugs (not just pharmaceutical drugs) can produce a reduction in drug-related harm rather than merely shifting it from one type of drug to another. This has rarely happened because policy has been shaped by the racially charged division of drug users into deserving and morally salvageable victims, or fearsome and morally repugnant criminals.
Artificial Neural Network Models as a Decision Support Tool for Selection in Sugarcane: A Case Study Using Seedling Populations

Artifi cial neural network (ANN) models are mathematical models based on biological neural networks; they are a supervised learning method and use pattern learning from a training dataset that is a subsample of the whole dataset to produce predictions of response variables. We demonstrate the potential of an ANN model as a tool for selection in sugarcane. Cane yield components, namely stalk number, stalk height, and stalk diameter, were measured on individual seedlings and used as predictor variables to produce a selection decision (reject or select a seedling) based on an ANN model. Compared with the currently used visual method of selection, the difference in cane yield between the mean of the selected and rejected seedlings was greater for seedlings selected by the ANN model. The difference increased when similar selection intensity was applied in both selection methods. The ANN model selected fewer seedlings with cane yield lower than the population mean and rejected fewer seedlings with higher cane yield compared with the visual method. The ANN model compels the breeder to consider all traits simultaneously when deciding whether to select or reject a clone, which is likely to be more effi cient than judging the merit by considering each trait independently. The ANN model can be a valuable tool to determine selection rates to be applied in selecting sugarcane families during seedling selection. M.M. Zhou and C.A. Kimbeng, School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State Univ. Agricultural Center, 104 M.B. Sturgis Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; M.M. Zhou, current address: South African Sugarcane Research Institute, 170 Flanders Dr., Private Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, KwaZulu-Natal, ZA 4300. T.L. Tew, USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, 5883 USDA Rd., Houma, LA 70360. K.A. Gravois and M. Pontif, Sugar Research Station, Louisiana State Univ. Agricultural Center, 5755 LSU Ag Rd., St Gabriel, LA 70776. Received 4 Feb. 2010. *Corresponding author (ckimbeng@ agcenter.lsu.edu). Abbreviations: AIC, Akaike information criterion; ANN, artifi cial neural network; ASE, average squared error; FPE, fi nal prediction error; LSU AgCenter, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center; SBC, Schwarz Bayesian criterion. Published in Crop Sci. 51:21–31 (2011). doi: 10.2135/cropsci2010.02.0057 Published online 25 Oct. 2010. © Crop Science Society of America | 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher.
Observations on the Behaviour of Hall's Babbler

Hall's Babblers Pomatostomus halli were studied for seven days in southern Queensland. Eight flocks ranged in size from five to fifteen birds. Flocks maintained exclusive home ranges that varied from 1.8 to 3.5 hectares. Each home range contained from four to eleven nests. Babblers roosted communally and constantly foraged as a flock. One nest with two eggs was discovered and observed. The female always signalled by postures and vocalizations when she left the nest and entered the flock. Flock members were seen preening and feeding the female. Our few data suggest that large flocks may initiate breeding earlier in the season than small flocks. At this time it may take more auxiliary helpers to raise a brood than later in the season when conditions are more hospitable. Few aggressive encounters were observed and numerous types of co-operative behaviour were seen.
Neuropathologic differences by race from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center

Abstract Introduction Compared to Caucasians, African Americans (AAs) have higher dementia prevalence, different genetic markers, and higher vascular risk factors. However, pathologic underpinnings are unknown. Methods We used neuropathologic and clinical data on 110 AA and 2500 Caucasians who were demented before death. The groups were compared regarding demographics, cognition, apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) genotype, comorbidities, and clinical and neuropathologic characteristics. Results AA and Caucasians differed in their demographics, cognition at the last visit before death, APOE genotype, presence of hypertension, primary clinical diagnoses, and AD, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and other neuropathologies such as Lewy body disease (LBD). Discussion AD, LBD, and CVD pathology were more common and TDP and frontotemporal lobar degeneration–tau less common in AA than in Caucasians. APOE accounted for most of the AD neuropathologic differences. If replicated, the observed differences in underlying neuropathology by race will be important for public health policy and recruitment for and interpreting of clinical trials.
Does implementing a general surgery residency program and resident involvement affect patient outcomes and increase care-associated charges?

Abstract Background Variable results regarding general surgery residency program (GSRP) impact on patient outcomes and charges are reported. The aim of this study was to determine any significant differences in patient outcomes and cost with a new GSRP. Methods We analyzed all laparoscopic appendectomies (lap-ap), cholecystectomies (lap-chole), and inguinal hernia repairs (IHR) performed before and after implementing a GRSP. Results Operative time significantly increased for lap-ap (p Conclusions Although a newly implemented GSRP caused increases in overall operative times, times to close incisions, and charges, it did not negatively impact patient outcomes.
Comparison of performance of PV modules subjected to “solar thermal humidity cycles” with modified and extended IEC protocols

A sustainable photovoltaic market is possible only if long term reliability is established. Lifetime of PV modules estimated using accelerated tests should be directly correlated with degradation rates from existing installations. A comprehensive indoor accelerated lifetime test program has been developed by PVMC with industry inputs to address the challenges in understanding the reliability of PV modules. The results of existing IEC protocols will be directly compared with modified and extended protocols. Testing of two types of CIGS modules, indicate that failure modes are different with the inclusion of either illumination or biased conditions suggesting differences in the underlying mechanisms.
Agglomeration: A long-run panel data approach

Abstract This paper studies the sources of agglomeration economies in cities. We begin by incorporating within and cross-industry spillovers into a dynamic spatial equilibrium model in order to obtain a panel data estimating equation. This gives us a framework for measuring a rich set of agglomeration forces while controlling for a variety of potentially confounding effects. We apply this estimation strategy to detailed new data describing the industry composition of 31 English cities from 1851 to 1911. Our results show that industries grew more rapidly in cities where they had more local suppliers or other occupationally-similar industries. We find no evidence of dynamic within-industry effects, i.e., industries generally did not grow more rapidly in cities in which they were already large. Once we control for these agglomeration forces, we find evidence of strong dynamic congestion forces related to city size. We also show how to construct estimates of the combined strength of the many agglomeration forces in our model. These results suggest a lower bound estimate of the strength of agglomeration forces equivalent to a city-size divergence rate of 1.6–2.3% per decade.
Phase I/II Study of Clofarabine Plus Cyclophosphamide in Adults with Relapsed and Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Clofarabine (CLO) is a nucleoside analog with activity in pediatric ALL salvage where it has received FDA approval. Less experience with CLO exists in adult ALL. As CLO inhibits DNA repair following exposure to DNA damaging agents, we designed a phase I/II study of the combination of CLO with cyclophosphamide (CY) for therapy of adult patients (pts) with primary refractory or relapsed ALL. Pts with NYHA class ≥ 3 and a cardiac ejection fraction 2 i.v. daily x 3d and CY 200 mg/m 2 i.v. q12h x 3d. For cohort 2, the dose of CY was increased to 300 mg/m 2 . Cohorts 3 and 4 maintained these doses with the treatment duration extended to 4 and 5 days, respectively. Additional samples for clinical pharmacology were obtained from consenting pts prior to and following CY on d1 and d2 and prior to CLO on d2.Thirteen pts have been enrolled. Median age was 34 yrs (range 21–72 yrs). Eight pts had pre-B ALL, 2 pts T ALL/LL, 1 pt mature B ALL, and 2 pts biphenotypic acute leukemias. Karyotype was abnormal in 9 pts (no Ph). Median number of prior regimens was 2 (1–6). Two (15%) pts were primary refractory. Median remission duration to initial induction was 11 mos (0–29.8 mos). Three patients were treated in cohort 1 and 10 in cohort 2. Four pts in cohort 2 experienced DLTs (≥ grade 3): elevation of creatinine/renal failure (1), diarrhea (1), transaminase elevations (2), and hyperbilirubinemia (2). Twelve patients were evaluable for response. One pt (70 yrs, prim. refr. pre-B ALL, complex karyotype) of cohort 1 achieved CR after 2 courses, which lasted for 10.3 months. Four pts died on study from infectious complications (days 2, 15, 34, and 41, respectively). Although no MTD has been defined yet and accrual continues in cohort 2, it appears unlikely that the MTD will exceed the dose levels of cohort 2. More information on efficacy will be obtained in the phase II extension part of the study.
There is Nothing It is Like to See Red: Holism and Subjective Experience

The Nagel inspired “something-it-is-like” (SIL) conception of conscious experience remains a dominant approach in philosophy. In this paper I criticize a prevalent philosophical construal of SIL consciousness, one that understands SIL as a property of mental states rather than entities as a whole. I argue against thinking of SIL as a property of states, showing how such a view is in fact prevalent, under-warranted, and philosophically pernicious in that it often leads to an implausible reduction of conscious experience to qualia. I then develop a holistic conception of SIL for entities (not states) and argue that it has at least equal pre-empirical warrant, is more conservative philosophically in that it decides less from the a priori “armchair,” and enjoys a fruitful two-way relationship with empirical work.
Feature-resolved computational and analytical study of laminar drag reduction by superhydrophobic surfaces

Feature-resolved multiphase simulation and theory explore drag-reducing ingredients of superhydrophobic surfaces. A nonmonotonic relation between interface contact angle and drag reduction is observed. An expression is derived for effective slip length that accounts for liquid penetration.
In Vitro Assessment of Drug Sensitivity in Acute Nonlymphocytic Leukemia

Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) is an excellent model system for developing in vitro assays for the following reasons: the neoplastic cell population is readily accessible to repeated sampling, the cells do not have to be disaggregated prior to study, a variety of “effective” chemotherapeutic agents are available, and response to therapy is relatively unambiguous. All of these characteristics make ANLL much easier to study than solid tumors, and since there are considerable biological similarities among neoplastic cells it is likely that the biological principles defined by the study of ANLL will be applicable to solid tumors.
Preliminary Experiments Applying Active Flow Control to a 1/24th Scale Model of a Semi-Trailer Truck

Preliminary experiments were carried out to investigate possible benefits of using a relatively new type of fluidic actuators (Raman & Raghu [1]) in combination with attached aft bodies to reduce the drag on a standard semi-trailer truck. The actuators generate oscillating jets that cause the formation of streamwise vortices that enhance the entrainment of the shear layer significantly. Taking into account the potential feasibility of any add-ons to a trailer, seven different bodies with simple geometries were chosen for this investigation.
b→sγ IN SUPERSTRING INSPIRED MODELS

Superstring inspired models contain, in general, extra quarks per family beyond those of the standard model. These quarks may give considerable contributions to b→sγ. Limits on their masses and couplings may be extracted from the presently available upper limits on this rare decay.
The Fawn-Hooded Rat as a Genetic Hypertensive Animal Model

Essential hypertension in its established phase is characterized by a raised total peripheral resistance which, in most cases, is accompanied by a normal cardiac output (Frohlich, Tarazi and Dustan, 1969). The disease in man has the property of multiplicity (Paul, 1976) in which hereditary factors play an important role (Page, 1961; Pickering, 1974), Probably over 95% of patients with hypertension have essential hypertension. By definition essential hypertension is a primary form of elevated blood pressure of undetermined causes. There seems to be a genetic predisposition and a slow and unrelenting progressiveness in the severity of the elevated blood pressure and increased vascular resistance. Therefore, in order to develop an experimental model that mimics aspects of the clinical conditions, it is necessary to have a naturally occurring form of hypertension that is predisposed genetically, that is progressive and that involves an adaptation of the circulatory system that is not rapid. The genetic component of essential hypertension is generally believed to be polygenic in nature, but by no means is this opinion unanimous (McKusich, 1960).
Preparation and characterization of size-controlled glioma spheroids using agarose hydrogel microwells.

Treatment of glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumors, is a major medical challenge and the development of new alternatives requires simple yet realistic models for these tumors. In vitro spheroid models offer attractive platforms to mimic the tumor behavior in vivo and have thus, been increasingly applied for assessment of drug efficacy in various tumors. The aim of this study was to produce and characterize size-controlled U251 glioma spheroids towards application in glioma drug evaluation studies. To this end, we fabricated agarose hydrogel microwells with cylindrical shape and diameters of 70–700 μm and applied these wells without any surface modification for glioma spheroid formation. The resultant spheroids were homogeneous in size and shape, exhibited high cell viability (> 90%), and had a similar growth rate to that of natural brain tumors. The final size of spheroids depended on cell seeding density and microwell size. The spheroids’ volume increased linearly with the cell seeding density and the rate of this change increased with the well size. Lastly, we tested the therapeutic effect of an anti-cancer drug, Di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) on the resultant glioma spheroids and demonstrated the applicability of this spheroid model for drug efficacy studies.
Upgradable Product-Service Systems: Implications for Business Model Components

Abstract Upgradable products are comparatively more robust against uncertainties stemming from future technological innovations and market movements. They have the potential to satisfy evolving consumers’ preferences by integrating functional and performance enrichments during different consecutive life cycle stages. In academia, there is a growing interest in upgradability as a product life cycle extension strategy, especially given the growing importance of a product’s middle of life stage. However, due to novelty, complexity, and associated risks, upgradable products require a change in the general value proposition structure of standard products. Consequently, manufacturers need to rethink consumer relationships, key partners, channels, revenue streams, etc. (i.e., business model) in order to align with the new value proposition structure. This can be addressed by developing upgradable products as Product Service Systems (PSS) and then provisioning them with a business model that is designed specifically for upgradable PSS. To provide a first step towards a comprehensive business model framework, this paper analyzes the specificities of upgradable PSS and their implication on the components of the well-established Business Model Canvas based on a literature review.