cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 587: Improvement in renal function in patients with multiple myeloma and impaired renal function receiving novel agent induction therapies

BACKGROUND: Renal impairment (RI) is a common complication in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Effective myeloma treatment can lead to reduction in urinary light-chain excretion and reversibility of RI. Our pooled analysis assessed the magnitude of improvement in renal function (RF) in patients with newly diagnosed (ND) or relapsed and/or refractory (RR) MM treated with novel agent induction therapies, including 3 immunomodulators, 3 proteasome inhibitors, 1 histone deacetylase inhibitor, 1 XP01 inhibitor and 2 monoclonal antibodies. METHODS: Seventeen registrational trials with 34 treatment arms that collected time profiles of RF during treatment with novel agent induction therapies in 3569 patients with NDMM and 7786 patients with RRMM at baseline were identified from various new drug applications submitted to the US FDA. Change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, as estimated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula) compared to baseline was summarized for each therapy. RESULTS: Increase in eGFR was observed in patients with MM and each category of RI (mild [eGFR 60 - CONCLUSIONS: During the treatment with novel agent induction therapies for MM, frequent assessment of RF is needed in patients with RI to guide the proper dosing regimen. Citation Format: Liang Li, Shuai Hu, Hao Zhu, Yaning Wang, Lian Ma, Brian P. Booth, Nam Atiqur Rahman, Janice Schwartz, Gideon Blumenthal, Qi Liu. Improvement in renal function in patients with multiple myeloma and impaired renal function receiving novel agent induction therapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 587.
Liberal Pluralism, Negative Liberty, and Toleration

This Chapter discusses two varieties of liberal pluralism: welfare liberal pluralism and classical liberal pluralism. It argues that, between welfare liberal pluralism, with its focus on personal autonomy and positive liberty, and classical liberal pluralism, with its focus on negative liberty and toleration, self-conscious value pluralists would reasonably prefer the latter. Welfare liberal pluralists place too much emphasis on personal autonomy as a pre-political value, and thus also claim that individuals have positive liberty concerns, which necessarily involve paternalistic and coercive governmental measures which interfere with the commitments, plans, and projects of their fellow citizens. Value pluralists would reject the notion that any pre-political value overrides all others, and instead reasonably conclude that the protection and promotion of negative liberty ought to be considered as the rebuttable first priority of an authentically pluralist political community, and that positive liberty concerns with values like autonomy are best left to the individuals in the community themselves.
Reseña Libro ¿Por qué funciona el populismo?

El objetivo del texto procura realizar una breve presentacion de la obra de Maria Esperanza Casullo y su pertinencia para entender las diferencias entre los diversos populismos que se han desarrollado en los ultimos anos alrededor del mundo. Su trabajo incluso nos permitira analizar las respuestas de algunos gobiernos populistas de derecha en el contexto de pandemia en el que se encuentra el mundo.
Linear Response Theory for Nonlinear Stochastic Differential Equations with $$\alpha $$ α -Stable Lévy Noises

We consider a nonlinear stochastic differential equation driven by an $$\alpha $$ -stable Levy process ( $$1<\alpha <2$$ ). We first prove existence and uniqueness of the invariant measure by the Bogoliubov-Krylov argument. Then we obtain some regularity results for the probability density of its invariant measure by establishing the a priori estimate of the corresponding stationary Fokker-Planck equation. Finally, by the a priori estimate of the Kolmogorov backward equation and the perturbation property of the Markov semigroup, we derive the response function and generalize the famous linear response theory in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics to non-Gaussian stochastic dynamic systems.
Larry Potter and the Deathly Canon

This Michigan Bar Journal column discusses the ejusdem generis canon of statutory construction, using a courtroom-based Harry Potter parody as its vehicle.
Flight Frequency and Mergers on Airline Markets

The welfare consequences of airline mergers have been analyzed almost exclusively in terms of ticket price. However, when flight frequency decisions are endogenized in a model,we can estimate measures of the relative importance of price and flight frequency. Hence, in a merger analysis, we can not only predict changes in flight frequency, but also the relative consequences of those changes on consumer welfare. In this paper, merger simulations suggest that while passenger volume and consumer surplus decrease on the aggregate, some markets benefit from welfare gains once merger-induced changes in flight frequency are factored in.
Fewer Opioids but More Benzodiazepines? Prescription Trends by Specialty in Response to the Implementation of Michigan's Opioid Laws.

Objectives To characterize the effects of Michigan's controlled substance legislation on acute care prescriber behavior by specialty, in a single hospital system. Design A retrospective study of opioid and benzodiazepine prescription records from a hospital electronic medical record system between August 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019 in Detroit, MI. Setting Discharges from inpatient and emergency department visits. Intervention Evaluating the impact of implementation of state controlled substance legislation, comparing prescriptions by physicians before, upon, and after June 1, 2018 using regression discontinuity analysis. Methods Total daily prescriptions of opioids and total daily prescriptions of benzodiazepine by physicians in the hospital system. Prescriptions were converted to morphine and lorazepam equivalents for comparability. Results We find 38.5% (CI: 74.1% - 2.9%) decrease of prescription in milligrams of opioid equivalents attributable to implementation of legislation. The main catalyst of the decrease was emergency medicine which experienced 63.9% (CI: 109.7% - 18.0%) decrease in milligrams of opioid equivalent prescriptions, while surgery increased prescriptions. Though we do not find any statistically significant changes in prescriptions of milligram equivalent of benzodiazepines, we estimate 43.1% (CI: 82.6 - 3.7%) decrease in count of these prescriptions, implying a significant increase in average dosage of prescriptions. Conclusions The introduction of new regulatory requirements for the prescription of controlled substances led to a general decrease in morphine equivalent milligrams prescribed in most specialties, though it may have increased the dosage of benzodiazepine prescriptions. The change in prescription behavior could be motivated by regulatory hassle or by change in attitude towards opioid prescriptions and increased recognition of opioid use disorder.
Supraventricular Tachycardia Without Preexcitation as a Cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Pediatric Patients

Sudden cardiac arrest in pediatric patients is a rare occurrence. Supraventricular tachycardia without the presence of ventricular preexcitation in pediatric patients with a structurally normal heart is generally considered benign. Previous literature in adults reported a subset of patients in whom SVT was suspected to be the primary trigger of sudden cardiac arrest. We performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients without known heart disease, 1–21 years of age, presenting with aborted SCA between 2009 and 2019. We collected diagnostic studies in all patients to identify the etiology of the aborted SCA. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age at the time of SCA was 15.2 years. The etiology of SCA was identified in 23 (77%) patients. Of the seven patients with unknown diagnosis after initial diagnostic studies, three patients subsequently developed fast SVT that was presumed to be the etiology of the initial SCA. These three patients had varying diagnoses of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, ectopic atrial tachycardia, and a concealed accessory pathway with atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia. After ablation or medical treatment of the SVT substrate, no further tachyarrhythmias were observed. Pediatric patients presenting with an aborted SCA of unknown etiology ought to be considered for electrophysiology testing to elicit occult SVT substrates that may lead to a malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmia.
Is Your Web Server Suffering from Undue Stress due to Duplicate Requests

An important, if not very well known, problem that afflicts many web servers is duplicate client browser requests due to server-side problems. A legitimate request is followed by a redundant request, thus increasing the load on the server and corrupting state at the server end (such as, the hit count for the page) and at the client end (such as, state maintained through a cookie). This problem has been reported in many developer blogs and has been found to afflict even popular web sites, such as CNN and YouTube. However, to date, there has not been a scientific, technical solution to this problem that is browser vendor neutral. In this paper, we provide such a solution which we call GRIFFIN. We identify that the two root causes of the problem are missing resource at the server end or duplicated Javascripts embedded in the page. We have the insight that dynamic tracing of the function call sequence creates a signature that can be used to differentiate between legitimate and duplicate requests. We apply our technique to find unreported problems in a large production scientific collaboration web service called HUBzero, which arefixed upon reporting the problems. Our experiments show an average overhead of 1.29X for tracing the PHP-runtime on HUBzero across 60 unique HTTP transactions. GRIFFIN has zero false-positives (when run across HTTP transaction of size one and two) and an average detection accuracy of 78% across 60 HTTP transactions.
Interaction of three Iowa surface soils with the organophosphorus insecticide Counter

15 INTRODUCTION 16 MATERIALS AND METHODS 17 Ammonium production IS Nitrification 20 Carbon dioxide evolution 20 Sulfur oxidation 21 Cellulose decomposition 22 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 23 Ammonium production 23 Nitrification 29
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DURING HYPOTHERMIA.

The hypothermic state may be divided into 4 stages: clinical, surgical, deep or profound, and frozen or supercooled. The clinical stage extends from 35° to 32° C, surgical from 32° to 25° C, deep or profound from 25° to 0° C, and the frozen or supercooled from 0° to—8° C. Each stage has characteristic physiological activities, and each, within prescribed limits, is compatible with survival and restoration of complete integrity upon rewarming. It is clear that the low temperature slows the rate of cellular processes and modifies the action of metabolities and other substances. This is not necessarily harmful, as long as anoxia and chemical imbalance do not develop.
Motivation and the Nonscholarship Athlete

(1981). Motivation and the Nonscholarship Athlete. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 52, No. 7, pp. 83-85.
Initial data sets and the topology of closed three-manifolds in general relativity

We discuss the interaction between the matter content of a closed physical space, associated with a generic gravitational configuration (i.e. without symmetries), and the topology of the underlying closed three-manifoldS. We show that, within the context of the conformal approach to the initial-value problem, the presence of enough matter and radiation favours those topologies we expect, on heuristic grounds, to be actually encountered, namely the three-sphere topology, or the (S1×S2)-worm-hole topology. We also argue that such topologies leave, as far as the field equations are concerned, more room to possible gravitational initial data sets.
"Lives Worth Living:" Theorizing Moral Status and Expressions of Human Life

A growing body of work in feminist philosophy of disability, in particular, and philosophy of cognitive disability, more generally, demonstrates the discursive constitution of norms of intelligence and cognitive ability in order to undermine both the false assumptions about human ability and the gendered and racialized norms of rationality, independence, and competence that inform philosophical and bioethical theories about moral status. Many of these philosophical accounts of disability seem designed to—implicitly or explicitly—prove that, given some newly-valued norms, certain persons do indeed have these capabilities, rather than to transform the social conditions that create such demarcations in the first place. In this paper, I argue that feminist philosophy of disability and moral philosophy more broadly would benefit if they were to consider the social conditions of possibility in which these qualifications for moral status arise, rather than continue to focus on the qualifications themselves. In order to argue in this way, I consider how assessments of moral status and human life simultaneously foreclose possible expressions of "lives worth living." I suggest, furthermore, that feminist philosophers of disability in particular and feminist philosophers in general would benefit if they were to consider the risks that this normative theorizing involves. In turn, I propose a way in which feminist philosophers ought to orient themselves in order to create the conditions of possibility for the emergence of divergent expressions of human well-being and moral potential. Keywords: personhood; intellectual disability; social justice; normative violence; feminist philosophy
Visceral Pain: The Neurophysiological Mechanism

The mechanism of visceral pain is still less understood compared with that of somatic pain. This is primarily due to the diverse nature of visceral pain compounded by multiple factors such as sexual dimorphism, psychological stress, genetic trait, and the nature of predisposed disease. Due to multiple contributing factors there is an enormous challenge to develop animal models that ideally mimic the exact disease condition. In spite of that, it is well recognized that visceral hypersensitivity can occur due to (1) sensitization of primary sensory afferents innervating the viscera, (2) hyperexcitability of spinal ascending neurons (central sensitization) receiving synaptic input from the viscera, and (3) dysregulation of descending pathways that modulate spinal nociceptive transmission. Depending on the type of stimulus condition, different neural pathways are involved in chronic pain. In early-life psychological stress such as maternal separation, chronic pain occurs later in life due to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and significant increase in corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) secretion. In contrast, in early-life inflammatory conditions such as colitis and cystitis, there is dysregulation of the descending opioidergic system that results excessive pain perception (i.e., visceral hyperalgesia). Functional bowel disorders and chronic pelvic pain represent unexplained pain that is not associated with identifiable organic diseases. Often pain overlaps between two organs and approximately 35% of patients with chronic pelvic pain showed significant improvement when treated for functional bowel disorders. Animal studies have documented that two main components such as (1) dichotomy of primary afferent fibers innervating two pelvic organs and (2) common convergence of two afferent fibers onto a spinal dorsal horn are contributing factors for organ-to-organ pain overlap. With reports emerging about the varieties of peptide molecules involved in the pathological conditions of visceral pain, it is expected that better therapy will be achieved relatively soon to manage chronic visceral pain.
Role of MDCT in the Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Trauma

Technical advances in the past decade have made computed tomography (CT) increasingly valuable in the early clinical management of patients with polytrauma. The development of multidetector CT (MDCT) has transformed CT from a simple, crosssectional imaging technique to an advanced, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging modality, enabling excellent 3-D displays [1]. Multislice CT scanning is associated with a substantial gain in performance, decreased scan timers, reduced section collimation, and reduction in scan length. The combined value of MDCT and 3-D reformations in assessment of the musculoskeletal system has been documented in the literature. The high contrast interface between bone and adjacent tissues in the musculoskeletal system makes it ideal for 3-D evaluation. The increased acquisition speed of MDCT with superior image resolution enables rapid diagnostic work up and institution of therapy in the setting of musculoskeletal trauma.
Coenzyme A Transferase: ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES OF AN ENZYME-COENZYME A INTERMEDIATE

Abstract An enzyme-coenzyme A intermediate has been isolated by molecular exclusion chromatography on Sephadex after incubation of succinyl-CoA:3-keto acid coenzyme A transferase with acetoacetyl-CoA or succinyl-CoA. The intermediate is enzymatically active in that it reacts with succinate to give succinyl-CoA. After hydrolysis the presence of coenzyme A was identified by fluorometric assay with α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Free coenzyme A and the acyl moieties of succinyl-CoA and acetoacetyl-CoA are not bound to the enzyme under conditions in which the intermediate is isolated. The intermediate is labile to base and stable to dilute acid. It undergoes hydrolysis at pH 7.4 with a half-time of 30 min. It reacts with 0.007 m sodium borohydride to give an inactive enzyme and with tritiated borohydride to give a tritium-labeled protein.
Towards a Topological Formulation of Fundamental Interactions

A thought experiment is formulated to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity in a topological manner. An analysis of the interactions in Nature is then presented. The universal ground state of the constructed theory derives from the cyclic properties ($S^1$ homotopy) of the topological manifold $Q=2T^3\oplus 3S^1\times S^2$ which has 23 intrinsic degrees of freedom, discrete $Z_3$ and $Z_2\times Z_3$ internal groups, an SU(5) or SO(10) gauge group, and leads to an anomalous U(1) symmetry on a lattice. These properties can in principle reproduce the standard model with a stable proton. The general equation of motion for the unified theory is derived up to the Planck energy and leads to a Higgs field with possible inflation. The thermodynamic properties of $Q$ are discussed and yield a consistent amplitude for the cosmic microwave background fluctuations. The manifold $Q$ possesses internal energy scales which are independent of the field theory defined on it, but which constrain the predicted mass hierarchy of such theories. In particular the electron and its neutrino are identified as particle ground states and their masses are predicted. The mass of the electron agrees very well with observations. A heuristic argument for the occurrence and magnitude of CP violation is given. Future extensions of the presented framework are discussed.
Electron paramagnetic resonance of Gd3+ ions in the superconductor GdBa2Cu3Ox

EPR from ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{3+}$ ions in the high-${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\simeq}90$ K superconductor $\mathrm{Gd}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ is reported. The temperature dependence of the linewidth and intensity of the ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{3+}$ ions in the vicinity of ${T}_{c}$ are related to the corresponding characteristics of the ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$ ions.
Development of an "all-hazards" hospital disaster preparedness training course utilizing multi-modality teaching.

Objectives:The objectives of the study were to develop and evaluate an “all-hazards” hospital disaster preparedness training course that utilizes a combi-nation of classroom lectures, skills sessions, tabletop sessions, and disaster exercises to teach the principles of hospital disaster preparedness to hospital-based employees.Methods:Participants attended a two-day, 16-hour course, entitled Hospital Disaster Life Support (HDLS). The course was designed to address seven core competencies of disaster training for healthcare workers. Specific disaster situations addressed during HDLS included: (1) biological; (2) conventional; (3) radiological; and (4) chemical mass-casualty incidents. The primary goal of HDLS was not only to teach patient care for a disaster, but more important-ly, to teach hospital personnel how to manage the disaster itself. Knowledge gained from the HDLS course was assessed by pre- and post-test evaluations. Additionally, participants completed a course evaluation survey at the conclu-sion of HDLS to assess their attitudes about the course.Results:Participants included 11 physicians, 40 nurses, 23 administrators/direc-tors, and 10 other personnel (n = 84). The average score on the pre-test was 69.1 ±12.8 for all positions, and the post-test score was 89.5 ±6.7, an improve-ment of 20.4 points (p <0.0001, 17.2–23.5).Participants felt HDLS was edu-cational (4.2/5), relevant (4.3/5) and organized (4.3/5).Conclusions:Identifying an effective means of teaching hospital disaster pre-paredness to hospital-based employees is an important task. However, the opti-mal strategy for implementing such education still is under debate.The HDLS course was designed to utilize multiple teaching modalities to train hospital-based employees on the principles of disaster preparedness. Participants of HDLS showed an increase in knowledge gained and reported high satisfaction from their experiences at HDLS. These results suggest that HDLS is an effec-tive way to train hospital-based employees in the area of disaster preparedness.
Pointwise bounds for eigenfunctions of one-electron systems

Abstract In this letter the complementary character of two recently proposed methods to obtain pointwise estimates for eigenfunctions of one-electron systems is pointed out. An illustrative example is discussed and a criterion for the accuracy of approximate wavefunctions is questioned.
Total internal reflection-based biochip utilizing a polymer-filled cavity with a micromirror sidewall

A total internal reflection (TIR)-based biochip utilizing a polymer-filled cavity with a micromirror sidewall has been designed and fabricated. The implementation of the micromirror sidewall cavity facilitates precise alignment of the excitation light beam into the system. The incident angle of illumination can be easily modified by selecting polymers of different indices of refraction while optical losses are minimized. The design enables the hybrid, vertical integration of a laser diode and a CCD camera, resulting in a compact optical system. Brownian motion of fluorescent microspheres and real-time photobleaching of rhodamine 6G molecules is demonstrated. The proposed TIR-based chip simplifies current TIR optical configurations and could potentially be used as an optical-microfluidic platform for an integrated lab-on-a-chip microsystem.
Simultaneous Monitoring of the Expression of Multiple Genes Inside of Single Breast Carcinoma Cells

Monitoring gene expression is at the center of research for a wide variety of medical, biological, and biotechnological applications. Currently no method exists for true multiple gene expression monitoring inside of a single living cell that allows for the gene expression profile of the cell to be directly compared with another single living cell. By microinjecting multiple molecular beacons with different fluorophores inside of single breast carcinoma cells and monitoring with advanced fluorescent microscopy, the expression of multiple genes can be simultaneously monitored inside single living cells. Using ratiometric analysis as a basis for the measurements allows the different gene expression levels to be compared from cell to cell. Not only does this allow differentiation of individual mRNA expression levels between multiple single cells but it also allows for mRNA expression trend analysis at the single cell level.
Optical multi-coset sampling of GHz-band chirped signals

Direct digitization of long, wideband chirped RF signals in the GHz band requires power hungry ADCs and produces large data sets. Here we present an optical scheme to perform multi-coset sampling of such signals with reduced power consumption and smaller data sets. In our scheme a repetitively pulsed femtosecond laser is dispersed to the interpulse time, the RF is modulated on the optical field, and the field is directed to a pair of wavelength-division demultiplexers (WDM). The channels of the WDM are attenuated with a pseudo-random sequence to form a coset pattern that repeats at the laser repetition rate. After a photodiode, the photocurrent is integrated for the duration of the dispersed optical pulse so that the coset pattern non-uniformly samples the RF signal. Since the laser repetition rate is uncorrelated with the RF, each coset provides an independent measurement of the RF. Experimental and numerical results show that 4 properties of the RF chirp pulse can be determined from the multiple coset samples: carrier frequency, chirp rate, start time, and pulse duration. Results are presented for a 20MHz chirp on a 13 microsecond pulse at a carrier of 2.473 GHz.
The chief administrative officer in urban administration

One cause of the urban crisis in America id ineffectual executive leadership and administration. Charter reorganization often fails to improve the city' condition because objectives are not clear. As such authorities as Lineberry and Fowler, and Adrian have noticed, larger cities often seek better executive andds administrative performance through the strong mayor-council form of government, thereby leaving the reform tradition's model council-manager form. But close observation of several large cities reveals the position of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) as a close asociate of the mayor and a substitute for a City Manager (CM). Although more than 2000 cities have a CAO, the city management professional literature has created an ambiguous, somewhat critical view of the position. Criticisms expressed are that a CAO is only the personal assistant of the mayor, lacks full appointive and budget powers, and is not as profesional as a CM. However, study of the charters of several cities such as San Francis...
Pollution, food safety, and the distribution of knowledge

Human perceptions of the relationship between pollution and food safety are often haphazard and contradictory, based on a variety of sources of information. Recent media events concerning seafood and coastal pollution have generated concern that an otherwise healthy food— fish and shellfish—has become dangerous. We assess consumer knowledge about seafood safety and coastal pollution using several methods, including tests of cultural consensus. We find that consumers view seafood as far more threatened by pollution than scientific analysis suggests, due in part to their perceptions about the dynamics of the marine environment. Finding variation in perceptions within our population based on income and other factors, we explore the use of the cultural consensus approach in large and heterogeneous populations.
Photolytic decomposition of dibenzylic sulfites

The photolytic decay of a library of para-substituted dibenzylic sulfites has been evaluated by UV radiation in a Srinivasan–Griffin–Rayonet photochemical reactor in various deuterated solvents. The decay for each dibenzylic sulfite was examined with respect to Swain and Lupton’s field constant, F. The rate of photolytic decay varies depending on the identity of the benzyl substituents. Furthermore, it has been observed that the solvent affects both the rate of sulfite photolytic decay as well as final product distribution.
On the classification of unimodular quadratic forms

Abstract We introduce two arithmetical invariants and show how they may be used to classify certain unimodular quadratic forms over Hasse domains. A cancellation result is given as an application.
A Comparison of Postsecondary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Enrollment for Students with and without Disabilities.

The author examined enrollment differences at postsecondary institutions between students with and without disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to investigate the extent to which students with disabilities, compared with their counterparts, pursue highly demanded STEM careers that require postsecondary STEM degrees. Using the data extracted from the National Longitudinal Transition Study—2 and the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, the author uncovered three major findings: (a) Students with disabilities are more likely to select STEM majors in college than are students without disabilities, (b) substantially more students with disabilities enroll in STEM majors at 2-year colleges than do students without disabilities, and (c) for both cohorts, the enrollment proportion of female students is significantly lower than that of male students in STEM majors. These comparison analyses signify the importance of different learning processes and career advising tailo...
Interaction of NMDA Receptor and Pacemaking Mechanisms in the Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuron

Dopamine neurotransmission has been found to play a role in addictive behavior and is altered in psychiatric disorders. Dopaminergic (DA) neurons display two functionally distinct modes of electrophysiological activity: low- and high-frequency firing. A puzzling feature of the DA neuron is the following combination of its responses: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation evokes high-frequency firing, whereas other tonic excitatory stimuli (α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptor (AMPAR) activation or applied depolarization) block firing instead. We suggest a new computational model that reproduces this combination of responses and explains recent experimental data. Namely, somatic NMDAR stimulation evokes high-frequency firing and is more effective than distal dendritic stimulation. We further reduce the model to a single compartment and analyze the mechanism of the distinct high-frequency response to NMDAR activation vs. other stimuli. Standard nullcline analysis shows that the mechanism is based on a decrease in the amplitude of calcium oscillations. The analysis confirms that the nonlinear voltage dependence provided by the magnesium block of the NMDAR determine its capacity to elevate the firing frequency. We further predict that the moderate slope of the voltage dependence plays the central role in the frequency elevation. Additionally, we suggest a repolarizing current that sustains calcium-independent firing or firing in the absence of calcium-dependent repolarizing currents. We predict that the ether-a-go-go current (ERG), which has been observed in the DA neuron, is the best fit for this critical role. We show that a calcium-dependent and a calcium-independent oscillatory mechanisms form a structure of interlocked negative feedback loops in the DA neuron. The structure connects research of DA neuron firing with circadian biology and determines common minimal models for investigation of robustness of oscillations, which is critical for normal function of both systems.
Load-following for wind turbines with permanent magnet synchronous generators

As new wind energy assets are installed at an accelerated pace and wind turbine technology continues to mature, permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) are increasingly being utilized to derive electricity within wind energy conversion systems (WECS). Attractive as renewable sources, unfortunately WECS can introduce electrical instabilities into some power systems due to the intermittent nature of wind. Examples of problematic applications include: islanded or isolated power systems, as well as weak feeders that do not enjoy robust voltage and frequency control. PMSG technology and modern power electronic switch devices offer the opportunity to help overcome this common drawback of WECS applications. In this paper, a load-following mode-of-operation control scheme is presented that facilitates the use of modern PMSG-equipped WECS in applications where generation-to-load matching is desirable. Fundamentals of wind turbine operation are surveyed to support the case for generation control, as well as the development of a PMSG dynamic model and WECS controllers capable of achieving robust load-following capability. Simulation results are given that show the viability of the proposed control system for the PMSG-equipped WECS under real-world wind and load conditions. Finally, the case is made for the need to incorporate load-following controllers into WECS for deployment in future microgrids that require mode-of-operation flexibility depending on varying scenarios.
Distillate−Bottoms Control of Middle-Vessel Distillation Columns

The performance of a middle-vessel distillation column subject to distillate−bottoms (DB) control configurations is analyzed. DB-controlled columns, where the distillate flow rate is manipulated to control the distillate composition and the bottoms flow rate is manipulated to control the bottoms composition, have been labeled as inoperable for continuous distillation. In this paper, two DB-control configurations for a middle-vessel column (MVC) are shown to overcome the deficiencies commonly associated with DB control. In the first configuration, the feed flow rate from the middle vessel is fixed and the flow rate of the heating medium controls the sump level. In the second “on-demand” configuration, the feed flow rate from the middle vessel is manipulated to control the sump level. To demonstrate the effectiveness of these configurations, the distillation of a near-ideal binary mixture is examined.
General and specific combining ability of male blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and female channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) for growth and carcass yield of their F1 hybrid progeny

Abstract U.S. aquaculture production of channel catfish female ( Ictalurus punctatus ) × blue catfish male ( Ictalurus furcatus ) F 1 hybrids has increased substantially due to the hybrid's improved growth, survival, carcass yield and ease of harvest compared to the more commonly farmed channel catfish. However, information on the genetic architecture underlying phenotypic variation in the hybrid which is needed to develop an efficient genetic improvement program is lacking. Progeny from two separate factorial matings between male blue catfish and female channel catfish (ten males × seven females and twelve males × five females, respectively) were grown communally in earthen ponds and measured for carcass yield and weight at approximately 520 days post-hatch. Parentage of progeny was assigned by inheritance of microsatellite genotypes. Progeny from 118 full-sib families, within 12 maternal half-sib and 22 paternal half-sib families, were measured for harvest weight ( n = 1288) and carcass yield ( n = 1101). Variance component estimates associated with dams (dam general combining ability and heritabilities based on dam half-sib families) were high, variance associated with sires (sire general combining ability and heritabilities based on sire half-sib families) were intermediate, and variance components associated with the dam × sire interactions (specific combining ability) were low for carcass yield and harvest weight. Data indicate that the genetic variance for carcass yield and harvest weight of F 1 hybrids was primarily additive. Selection for improved carcass yield and growth based on additive genetic merit of blue catfish male and channel catfish female parents should be effective for improving performance of hybrid progeny.
Application of the reduced Navier–Stokes methodology to flow stability of Falkner–Skan class flows

Abstract This investigation ascertains the ability of the reduced Navier–Stokes (RNS) methodology to model linear flow stability. This is accomplished through development and investigation of two reduced forms of the Orr–Sommerfeld equation and of a second order RNS direct numerical simulation (DNS). The stability of five Falkner–Skan flows (β=1.0, 0.2, 0.0, −0.1, and −0.1988) is investigated for these modified forms of the Orr–Sommerfeld equation (OSE). Neutral stability curves are numerically generated and compared for three forms of the OSE, viz. full Navier–Stokes equations, two-dimensional thin-layer Navier–Stokes equations which exclude only axial diffusion, and two-dimensional reduced Navier–Stokes equations which exclude all axial diffusion, as well as all diffusion in the normal momentum equation. Effects of a deferred corrector to include these terms are also investigated. Results of the computations demonstrate that the reduced forms of the OSE are consistent with the full OSE. With confirmation that the reduced Navier–Stokes equations contain the information required to properly model flow stability, development of a new class of asymptotic theories, stability methods, and approaches to direct numerical simulations, based on the RNS methodology, becomes feasible. Results from full DNS calculations using the RNS equations demonstrate the proper characteristics for disturbance growth and decay of the velocity disturbances. Velocity disturbance profiles are also of the required shape and magnitude.
Spin-dependent tunneling conductance of Fe | MgO | Fe sandwiches

We present first-principles based calculations of the tunneling conductance and magnetoconductance of epitaxial $\mathrm{Fe}(100)|\mathrm{MgO}(100)|\mathrm{Fe}(100)$ sandwiches. Our results indicate that tunneling is much more interesting and complicated than the simple barrier model used previously. We obtain the following general results: (1) Tunneling conductance depends strongly on the symmetry of the Bloch states in the electrodes and of the evanescent states in the barrier layer. (2) Bloch states of different symmetry decay at different rates within the barrier. The decay rate is determined by the complex energy bands of the same symmetry in the barrier. (3) There may be quantum interference between the decaying states in the barrier. This leads to an oscillatory dependence of the tunneling current on ${k}_{\ensuremath{\Vert}}$ and a damped oscillatory dependence on barrier thickness. (4) Interfacial resonance states can allow particular Bloch states to tunnel efficiently through the barrier. For $\mathrm{Fe}(100)|\mathrm{MgO}(100)|\mathrm{Fe}(100)$ our calculations indicate that quite different tunneling mechanisms dominate the conductance in the two spin channels. In the majority channel the conductance is primarily via Bloch electrons with small transverse momentum. One particular state with ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{1}$ symmetry is able to effectively couple from the Fe into the MgO. In the minority channel the conductance is primarily through interface resonance states especially for thinner layers. We predict a large magnetoresistance that increases with barrier thickness.
Approximating the Practice of Writing the Dissertation Literature Review

This article is an attempt to join the conversation about doctoral preparation that has been a persistent but intermittent topic of interest in educational journals. Previous articles have focused on the format of the dissertation, the purpose of the literature review, and approaches to supporting doctoral students in acquiring professional writing skills. The present article focuses on writing the literature review as an example of professional practice and uses the constructs of representation, decomposition, and approximation (Grossman et al., 2009) to analyze a seminar designed to support doctoral students in learning how to engage in the practice.
The flexible implant in treatment of rectal carcinomas

A modified technique for removable afterloading Iridium-192 implantation is described. Under local or general anesthesia, a series of flexible tygone tubes are introduced into all the tumor area in the rectum. This technique is especially suitable for palliation in high-risk, elderly patients. No rectal tube is necessary in this technique.
Quantum signatures of homoclinic tangles and separatrices.

The influence of homoclinic tangles and separatrices on the eigenstates and quasienergies of a quantized, nonintegrable, piecewise-linear standard map is investigated both analytically and numerically. The strength of scarring on hyperbolic fixed points is found to depend strongly on the phase-space area covered by the corresponding homoclinic tangles. It is particularly pronounced when the tangle degenerates to an unbroken separatrix and is seen to decrease with decreasing {h bar}. In the case of the unbroken separatrix, an interesting resonance phenomenon, which occurs for certain values of {h bar}, is also discussed. This effect is related to a degeneracy in the quasienergy differences for a triplet of states which lie energetically below, on, and above the saddle. This degeneracy is shown to give rise to periodic recurrences for a coherent state initially placed at the hyperbolic fixed point. The relevant time scale {ital T} is calculated semiclassically and exhibits the asymptotic behavior {ital T}{similar to}ln{h bar}. The implications of these results to other systems is also discussed.
Temperature measurements on mice irradiated with very high x-ray intensities.

Es wird untersucht, ob der nach sehr hohen Rontgendosen auftretende Letaleffekt bei weissen Mausen durch einen thermischen Schock bedingt sein konnte. Subkutane thermoelektrische Temperaturregistrierung wahrend der Bestrahlung mit 3,106 bis 107 r (43 kV), (Berylliumfenster) ergab Temperaturanstiege von 1 bis 4° C wahrend der Bestrahlung. Danach fallt die Temperatur meist wieder ab. Anzahl der Versuchstiere: 12.
On the distribution of the elements of a finite group generated by covers

Let G be a finite group and let A be a finite sequence of subsets of G. We consider covers for the group G of the type A k , where A k is the concatenation of k copies of A. We show that the distribution of the elements of G generated by A k approaches the uniform distribution as k → ∞ (in the l ∞-norm). If G = PSL(2, p) and $${{\bf A}=( \langle \alpha \rangle, \langle \beta \rangle )}$$, where α and β are two non-commuting generators of order p, we provide the exact distribution of the elements generated by A k .
Relationship between the Hydraulic Conductivity Function and the Particle-Size Distribution

We present a model to compute the hydraulic conductivity, K, as a function of water content, θ, directly from the particle-size distribution (PSD) of a soil. The model is based on the assumption that soil pores can be represented by equivalent capillary tubes and that the water flow rate is a function of pore size. The pore-size distribution is derived from the PSD using the Arya-Paris model. Particle-size distribution and K(θ) data for 16 soils, representing several textural classes, were used to relate the pore flow rate and the pore radius according to q i = cr i x , where q i is the pore flow rate (cm 3 s -1 ) and r i is the pore radius (cm). Log c varied from about -2.43 to about 2.78, and x varied from 2.66 to = 4.71. However, these parameters did not exhibit a systematic trend with textural class. The model was used to independently compute the K(θ) function, from the PSD data for 16 additional soils. The model predicted K(θ) values from near saturation to very low water contents. The agreement between the predicted and experimental K(θ) for individual samples ranged from excellent to poor, with the root mean square residuals (RMSR) of the log-transformed K(θ) ranging from 0.616 to 1.603 for sand, from 0.592 to 1.719 for loam, and from 0.487 to 1.065 for clay. The average RMSR for all textures was 0.878.
A systematic review of ETEC epidemiology focusing on colonization factor and toxin expression.

Abstract Introduction Vaccine development for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is dependent on in-depth understanding of toxin and colonization factor (CF) distribution. We sought to describe ETEC epidemiology across regions and populations, focusing on CF and toxin prevalence. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the published literature, including studies reporting data on ETEC CF and toxin distributions among those with ETEC infection. Point estimates and confidence intervals were calculated using random effects models. Results Data on 17,205 ETEC isolates were abstracted from 136 included studies. Approximately half of the studies (49%) involved endemic populations, and an additional 17% involved only travel populations. Globally, 60% of isolates expressed LT either alone (27%) or in combination with ST (33%). CFA/I-expressing strains were common in all regions (17%), as were ETEC expressing CFA/II (9%) and IV (18%). Marked variation in toxins and CFs across regions and populations was observed. Discussion/conclusions These results demonstrate the relative importance of specific CFs in achieving target product profiles for a future ETEC vaccine. However, heterogeneity across time, population, and region, confounded by variability in CF and toxin detection methodologies, obfuscates rational estimates for valency requirements.
The European marriage pattern as solution and problem: households of the elderly in Verviers, Belgium, 1831.

The essay considers the effects of marriage patterns on the support of the elderly with empirical evidence from Verviers, a small industrial city in nineteenth-century Belgium. The (Northwest) European Marriage Pattern offered a solution for those elderly who had children, especially those with large families, because coresidence with children was the main source of support. The larger community experienced a problem was created in the form of large numbers of persons who never married or reached old age with no surviving children. Moreover, while those who had married were able to maintain their economic status, those who never married liquidated their property holdings and became boarders and lodgers in the households of nonkin.
Optimal Mutex policy in Ada 95

Priority inversion is any situation where low priority tasks are served before higher priority tasks. It is recognized as a serious problem for Real-Time Systems. In this paper, we present some of the important features of the Real-Time Annex of Ada 95. We also implement the Optimal Mutex Policy (OMP) in Ada 95 to better illustrate Ada's new usefulness for Real-Time programming. A detailed discussion of this protocol and other related issues are presented.
Some details of developing slugs in horizontal two‐phase flow

A photographic study has been carried out to uncover the details of development of slugs in horizontal two-phase flow. Based on the observations, it is proposed that the slugs originate as a consequence of local Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the wave crest, rather than the instability of the whole wave. The findings are in reasonable agreement with published results on the transition to slug flow.
Preparation and Characterization of Ruthenium/Carbon Aerogel Nanocomposites via a Supercritical Fluid Route

Carbon-aerogel-supported ruthenium nanoparticles were synthesized by impregnating carbon aerogels with Ru(acac)3 or Ru(cod)(tmhd)2 from supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) solutions, followed by thermal reduction of these precursors. Two different carbon aerogels with pore diameters of 4 and 21 nm were synthesized. The kinetics and the thermodynamics of impregnation of carbon aerogels with the ruthenium coordination complexes were studied. The approach-to-equilibrium data indicated very fast adsorption, and the adsorption isotherms were found to follow the Langmuir model. The impregnated carbon aerogel complexes were reduced thermally at different temperatures between 300 and 1000 °C in the presence of nitrogen. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and hydrogen chemisorption. TEM micrographs showed that the ruthenium nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously throughout the porous carbon aerogel matrix, and the average sizes obtained under different...