cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of wafer bonded CMUTs with rectangular membranes featuring high fill factor

Increasing fill factor is one design approach used to increase average output displacement, output pressure, and sensitivity of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs). For rectangular cells, the cell-to-cell spacing and the aspect ratio determine the fill factor. In this paper, we explore the effects of these parameters on performance, in particular the nonuniformity of collapse voltage between neighboring cells and presence of higher order modes in air or immersed operation. We used a white light interferometer to measure nonuniformity in deflection between neighboring cells. We found that reducing the cell-to-cell spacing could cause bending of the center support post, which amplifies nonuniformities in collapse voltage to 18.4% between neighboring cells. Using a 2-D finite element model (FEM), we found that for our designs, increasing the support post width to 1.67 times the membrane thickness alleviated the post bending problem. Using impedance and interferometer measurements to observe the effects of aspect ratio on higher order modes, we found that the (1,3) modal frequency approached the (1,1) modal frequency as the aspect ratio of the rectangles increased. In air operation, under continuous wave (CW) excitation at the center frequency, the rectangular cells behaved in the (1,1) mode. In immersion, because of dispersive guided modes, these cells operated in a higher order mode when excited with a CW signal at the center frequency. This contributed to a loss of output pressure; for this reason our rectangular design was unsuitable for CW operation in immersion.
Tracking key indicators in multiple software projects in a dynamic environment

A method that can enhance the software engineering manager's ability to assess development progress in ongoing projects and to assess the workload of future projects is described. The method provides tools and techniques that are used to monitor key indicators such as cost, schedule, memory usage (ROM and RAM) and real-time workload. The method is easily automated using a microcomputer and a modern spreadsheet program. >
Is intertemporal choice theory testable

Kreps-Porteus preferences constitute a widely used alternative to time separability. We show in this paper that with these preferences utility maximization does not impose any observable restrictions on a household—s savings decisions or on choices in good markets over time. The additional assumption of a weakly separable aggregator is needed to ensure that the assumption of utility maximization restricts intertemporal choices. Under this assumption, choices in spot markets are characterized by a strong axiom of revealed preferences (SSARP).
Synthesis of Non-linear Protein Dimers through a Genetically Encoded Thiol-ene Reaction

Site-specific incorporation of bioorthogonal unnatural amino acids into proteins provides a useful tool for the installation of specific functionalities that will allow for the labeling of proteins with virtually any probe. We demonstrate the genetic encoding of a set of alkene lysines using the orthogonal PylRS/PylTCUA pair in Escherichia coli. The installed double bond functionality was then applied in a photoinitiated thiol-ene reaction of the protein with a fluorescent thiol-bearing probe, as well as a cysteine residue of a second protein, showing the applicability of this approach in the formation of heterogeneous non-linear fused proteins.
Detection of bacterial antigens by means of sensitized guinea-pig ileum.

Using a Dale organ bath and the ileum of passively sensitized guinea-pigs a specific sensitive reaction with as little as 1 μg./ml. of disintegrated whole cultures of various bacteria and 0·01 μg./ml. of purified Sh. dysenteriae and S. typhimurium polysaccharides was obtained. More detailed study showed that 1 μg./ml. of Sh. dysenteriae degraded polysaccharide derived from the O antigen could be detected with consistency. Lower concentrations gave irregular results. My thanks are due to the David Bruce Laboratory for supplying the antisera and the bacterial suspensions, to Prof. W. T. J. Morgan of the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine for the antibody nitrogen determinations, to Dr D. A. L. Davies of the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton, for the antigen preparations and to Corporals G. Willis and P. Brown, R.A.F., for much careful work in day to day experiments.
The Origins of the Ideal Worker: The Separation of Work and Home in the United States From the Market Revolution to 1950:

This article presents a historical analysis of the history of work/home separation in the United States. With the growth of markets and technology, work and home (which had been mixed) became separ...
Semigroup properties of factors in the polar decomposition or the operator De-Moivre formula

We give necessary and sufficient conditions under which the factors in the polar decomposition of a semigroup homomorphism are themselves semigroup homomorphisms.
Isolation and characterization of a DNA replication origin from the 1,700-kilobase-pair symbiotic megaplasmid pSym-b of Rhizobium meliloti.

Abstract A 4-kb fragment active as an autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) from the Rhizobium meliloti symbiotic megaplasmid pSym-b was isolated by selecting for sequences that allowed a normally nonreplicative pBR322 derivative to replicate in R. meliloti. The resulting Escherichia coli-R. meliloti shuttle plasmid (mini-pSym-b) containing the ARS also replicated in the closely related Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but only in strains carrying pSym-b, suggesting that a megaplasmid-encoded trans-acting factor is required. The copy number of mini-pSym-b was approximately the same as that of the resident megaplasmid, and mini-pSym-b was unstable in the absence of antibiotic selection. An 0.8-kb DNA subfragment was sufficient for replication in both R. meliloti and A. tumefaciens. The minimal ARS exhibited several sequence motifs common to other replication origins, such as an AT-rich region, three potential DnA binding sites, a potential 13-mer sequence, and several groups of short direct repeats. Hybridization experiments indicated that there may be a related ARS on the other megaplasmid, pSym-a. The pSym-b ARS was mapped near exoA, within a region nonessential for pSym-b replication. These results suggest that the R. meliloti megaplasmids share conserved replication origins and that pSym-b contains multiple replication origins. Since the mini-pSym-b shuttle vector can coexist with IncP-1 broad-host-range plasmids, it is also now possible to use two compatible plasmids for cloning and genetic manipulation in R. meliloti.
Developing a dimensional model for successful cognitive and emotional aging.

Background There is currently a lack of consensus on the definition of successful aging (SA) and existing implementations have omitted constructs associated with SA. We used empirical methods to develop a dimensional model of SA that incorporates a wider range of associated variables, and we examined the relationship among these components using factor analysis and Bayesian Belief Nets. Methods We administered a successful aging questionnaire comprising several standardized measures related to SA to a sample of 1948 older women enrolled in the San Diego site of the Women's Health Initiative study. The SA-related variables we included in the model were self-rated successful aging, depression severity, physical and emotional functioning, optimism, resilience, attitude towards own aging, self-efficacy, and cognitive ability. After adjusting for age, education and income, we fitted an exploratory factor analysis model to the SA-related variables and then, in order to address relationships among these factors, we computed a Bayesian Belief Net (BBN) using rotated factor scores. Results The SA-related variables loaded onto five factors. Based on the loading, we labeled the factors as follows: self-rated successful aging, cognition, psychosocial protective factors, physical functioning, and emotional functioning. In the BBN, self-rated successful aging emerged as the primary downstream factor and exhibited significant partial correlations with psychosocial protective factors, physical/general status and mental/emotional status but not with cognitive ability. Conclusions Our study represents a step forward in developing a dimensional model of SA. Our findings also point to a potential role for psychiatry in improving successful aging by managing depressive symptoms and developing psychosocial interventions to improve self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism.
A 0.13 μm Low-power Race-free Programmable Logic Array

A PLA using NAND and NOR gates for the AND and OR logic planes, respectively, is described. The circuit design, timing and power advantages are described. Nearly 50% power savings over a conventional PLA design is achieved on a 130 nm process at less than 10% delay cost. The new PLA circuit has been fabricated on a 130 nm low standby power process and tested silicon operates at 905 MHz at VDD = 1.5 V.
Tolterodine treatment for children with symptoms of urinary urge incontinence suggestive of detrusor overactivity: results from 2 randomized, placebo controlled trials

Purpose: We report the results of the first 2 large randomized controlled trials designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tolterodine extended release in children 5 to 10 years old with symptoms of urinary urge incontinence suggestive of detrusor overactivity. Materials and Methods: Two double-blind, placebo controlled trials were conducted sequentially. Children 5 to 10 years old with incontinence suggestive of detrusor overactivity (1 or more diurnal incontinence episodes per 24 hours) were randomized to tolterodine (2 mg daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary end point was the change from baseline to week 12 in the number of incontinence episodes per week. Changes from baseline in the number of voids per 24 hours and volume of urine per void were also evaluated. Exploratory analyses were conducted to determine whether particular subsets of patients showed differential responses to treatment. Results: A total of 224 and 487 children (mean age 8 years) were randomized to placebo and tolterodine, respectively. Differences in the number of incontinence episodes per week, voids per 24 hours, and volume of urine per void between tolterodine and placebo did not reach statistical significance. This finding may be explained by a high placebo response and under dosage of tolterodine among children with greater body weight. Tolterodine was well tolerated. Conclusions: Analysis of the primary efficacy outcome did not reveal a statistically significant effect of treatment. However, secondary analyses demonstrated that tolterodine was well tolerated among 5 to 10-year-old children with diurnal incontinence. Exploratory analyses also showed that children weighing 35 kg or less with detrusor overactivity characterized by incontinence and/or frequent voiding benefited most from tolterodine treatment, suggesting that a weight adjusted dosing regimen may be required for optimal response among older and heavier children.
Location dependent dynamic load balancing

The performance of most dynamic load balancing schemes, proposed to solve the hot spot problem in cellular systems, depends on the user distribution within a cell. In this paper, we first study the impact of user distribution on the call blocking probability performance that can be achieved by two key dynamic load balancing schemes (i.e., channel borrowing without locking (CBWL) and integrated cellular and ad hoc relay (iCAR) system (H. Jiang and S.S Rappaport, 1994)-(H. Wu et al., 2001)). We show that the achievable call blocking probability performance is location-dependent, and iCAR and CBWL schemes might not be able to achieve 2% call blocking probability for all user distributions, unless major modifications are made to CBWL or iCAR to overcome local congestion problems. Therefore, in this paper, we propose to use a joint dynamic load balancing scheme that combines the features of CBWL and iCAR schemes. Our objective is to guarantee a low call blocking probability in congested cells irrespective of user location.
Low-power clustering with minimum logic replication for coarse-grained, antifuse based FPGAs

This paper presents a minimum area, low-power driven clustering algorithm for coarse-grained, antifuse-based FPGAs under delay constraints. The algorithm accurately predicts logic replication caused by timing constraint during the low-power driven clustering. This technique reduces size of duplicated logic substantially, resulting in benefits in area, delay, and power dissipation. First, we build power-delay curves at nodes with the aid of the prediction algorithm. Next, we choose the best cluster starting from primary outputs moving backward in the circuit based on these curves. Experimental results show 16% and 20% reduction in dynamic and leakage power dissipation with 18% area reduction compared to the results of clustering without the replication prediction.
The 216‐bp marB gene of the marRAB operon in Escherichia coli encodes a periplasmic protein which reduces the transcription rate of marA

The marRAB operon is conserved in seven genera of enteric bacteria (Escherichia, Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Salmonella, Cronobacter, and Citrobacter). MarA is a transcriptional regulator affecting many genes involved in resistance to stresses, and MarR is an autorepressor of the operon, but a role for the marB gene has been unclear. A recent work reported that deletion of marB causes resistance to certain stresses and increases the amount of marA transcript. We show here that the small (216 bp) marB gene encodes a protein, not an sRNA, because two different stop codons within the predicted open reading frame of marB prevented plasmid-borne marB from complementing ΔmarB::Kan. The ΔmarB::Kan mutation did not increase the stability of the marA transcript, suggesting that MarB does not destabilize the marA transcript but rather reduces its rate of transcription. Placing the putative signal sequence of MarB upstream of signal-sequence-less alkaline phosphatase guided the phosphatase to its normal periplasmic location. We conclude that MarB is a small periplasmic protein that represses the marRAB promoter by an indirect mechanism, possibly involving a signal to one of the cytoplasmic regulators of that promoter.
Assembly of an artificial protein hydrogel through leucine zipper aggregation and disulfide bond formation

We present a strategy to stabilize artificial protein hydrogels through covalent bond formation following physical association of terminal leucine zipper domains. Artificial proteins consisting of two terminal leucine zipper domains and a random coil central domain form transient networks above a certain concentration, but the networks dissolve when placed in excess buffer. Engineering of a cysteine residue into each leucine zipper domain allows formation of disulfide bonds templated by leucine zipper aggregation. Circular dichroism spectra show that the zipper domains remain helical after cysteine residues and disulfide bonds are introduced. Asymmetric placement of the cysteine residues in the leucine zipper domains suppresses intramolecular disulfide bonds and creates linked “multichains” composed of ca. 9 protein chains on average, as determined by multiangle light scattering measurements. These “multichains” act as the building units of the physical network formed by leucine zipper aggregation. The in...
Study of the reaction

Abstract We present data on the reaction ν p → μ + pπ − from an exposure of the Fermilab 15 ft hydrogen bubble chamber. The channel cross section for 5 GeV ν GeV and M( p π − ) GeV is σ = (27 ± 5) × 10 −40 cm 2 . This cross section is dominated by the I = 1 2 production amplitude.
Recovery of cholinesterase activity in five avian species exposed to dicrotophos, and organophosphorus pesticide

Abstract The responses of brain and plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activities were examined in mallard ducks, bobwhite quail, barn owls, starlings, and common grackles given oral doses of dicrotophos, an organophosphorus insecticide. Up to an eightfold difference in response of brain ChE activity to dicrotophos was found among these species. Brain ChE activity recovered to within 2 SD of normal within 26 days after being depressed 55 to 64%. Recovery of brain ChE activity was similar among species and followed the model Y = a + b (log 10 X ).
Is the Reward System in NASCAR Efficient

This article provides an overview of compensation and reward schemes in professional automobile racing (NASCAR). Data from the 1998 and 1999 racing seasons show that although end-of-season rewards are highly nonlinear, individual races offer rewards that are more linear. Given that the general conditions for a rank order tournament do exist, this may indicate that the reward scheme is inefficient. Several hypotheses are suggested to explain why NASCAR would create such a reward structure. Vital to the investigation is the fact that teams attempt to maximize a profit function more complex than those in other individual sports. In addition, drivers may exhibit excessively aggressive behavior that would be exacerbated by nonlinear compensation, as described by Lazear. Analysis shows that the need to maintain sponsorship exposure, combined with drivers’ willingness to take risks (and the possible catastrophic result of negative outcomes), creates a competitive environment where winner-take-all would be ineffi...
Pentoxifylline and other protein kinase C inhibitors down-regulate HIV-LTR NF-kappa B induced gene expression.

This investigation deals with the molecular mechanism of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) action of pentoxifylline (PTX) [1-(5′-oxohexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine] a drug widely used for the treatment of conditions involving defective regional microcirculation. The inhibition by PTX of protein kinase C (PKC) or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-mediated activation by phorbol ester (PMA) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) of HIV-1-LTR-regulated reporter gene expression was studied in human CD4+ T lymphocytes (Jurkat) and human embryo kidney cells (293-27-2). A protein kinase C is involved in activation of NF-κB in whole cells, identified by using inhibitors specific for PKC- or PKA-catalyzed NF-κB activation in whole cell and cell-free systems. PTX inhibited PKC- or PKA-catalyzed activation of NF-κB in cytoplasmic extracts from unstimulated Jurkat or 293-27-2 cells, but not interaction of preactivated NF-κB with its motifs. Calphostin C, a specific inhibitor of PKC, inhibited NF-κB activation and HIV-1 LTR-driven reporter gene expression in both PMA- and TNF-α-treated cells. In contrast, although H88 specifically inhibited PKA activity in the cell-free extract, it did not affect NF-κB action in PMA- or TNF-α-treated cells. The mechanism of inhibitory action of PTX on virus replication and NF-κB-induced trans-activation of HIV-1 gene expression has been elucidated as due to blocking PKC-dependent PMA- or TNF-α-induced activation of NF-κB in Jurkat and 293-27-2 cells. Other protein kinase inhibitors may be useful in down regulating transcription of HIV-1 provirus and thereby virus replication in HIV-infected patients.
Temperature-Dependent Study of the Kinetics of Os(a5D4) with N2O and O2

The gas-phase reactivity of Os(a5D4) with N2O and O2 in the temperature range 373−623 K is reported. Osmium atoms were produced by the photodissociation of osmocene and detected by laser-induced fluorescence. The reaction rate constants of the ground a5D4 state with N2O and O2 are temperature-dependent. The bimolecular rate constants are described in Arrhenius form by k(N2O) = (5.8 ± 1.4) × 10-11 exp(−38.1 ± 1.2 kJ/mol/RT) cm3 s-1 and k(O2) = (2.7 ± 0.4) × 10-11 exp(−9.0 ± 0.5 kJ/mol/RT) cm3 s-1 where the uncertainties are ±2σ. The disappearance rates in the presence of both reactants are independent of buffer gas identity (Ar or N2) and total pressure, indicating a bimolecular abstraction mechanism.
New Techniques for Checking Dynamic Controllability of Simple Temporal Networks with Uncertainty

A Simple Temporal Network with Uncertainty STNU is a structure for representing time-points, temporal constraints, and temporal intervals with uncertain--but bounded--durations. The most important property of an STNU is whether it is dynamically controllable DC--that is, whether there exists a strategy for executing its time-points such that all constraints will necessarily be satisfied no matter how the uncertain durations turn out. Algorithms for checking from scratch whether STNUs are dynamically controllable are called full DC-checking algorithms. Algorithms for checking whether the insertion of one new constraint into an STNU preserves its dynamic controllability are called incremental DC-checking algorithms. This paper introduces novel techniques for speeding up both full and incremental DC checking. The first technique, called rotating Dijkstra, enables constraints generated by propagation to be immediately incorporated into the network. The second uses novel heuristics that exploit the nesting structure of certain paths in STNU graphs to determine good orders in which to propagate constraints. The third technique, which only applies to incremental DC checking, maintains information acquired from previous invocations to reduce redundant computation. The most important contribution of the paper is the incremental algorithm, called Inky, that results from using these techniques. Like its fastest known competitors, Inky is a cubic-time algorithm. However, a comparative empirical evaluation of the top incremental algorithms, all of which have only very recently appeared in the literature, must be left to future work.
Annealing of Irreversible Defects in Hydrogenated and Unhydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Thin Films

We have prepared unhydrogenated and hydrogenated ([H] = 14 at.%) amorphous silicon thin films using magnetron sputtering with substrate temperature, T S = 40°C. After deposition, the films were annealed at temperatures between 150 and 200°C and conductivity was measured as a function of anneal time. We find that for that for both materials, the conductivity changes non-exponentially with annealing time. The characteristic time constant for annealing at 175°C is approximately the same in unhydrogenated films (τ≈100min) as found in films containing 14 atomic % hydrogen (τ≈200min).
Sample size effects on the behavior of EPS geofoam

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam has now been used around the world as a remarkable lightweight soil substitute for a variety of geotechnical applications in soft ground construction. Property characterizations of EPS for determination of design parameters have relied on laboratory testing of small samples. For the most part much of what is commonly known is based on data derived from unconfined compression testing of standard 50 mm cube samples. Performance observations suggest that Young's modulus values derived from laboratory tests when used in analysis tend to overestimate deformations. Available information on Poisson's ratio values widely varies. Little is known about the influence of sample size on desired elastic parameters. Studies of EPS behavior under unconfined compression were conducted on both cubic and cylindrical samples of different material densities. Both axial and lateral deformations were monitored to enable simultaneous evaluation of Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. The results indicate significant sample size influence on elastic parameters. Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio values tend to ,.be underestimated. The cause for the under estimation is attributed to be due to non uniformity and end effects in the proximity of the rigid loading platens. Introduction The use of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) as a lightweight material is growing rapidly in the United States and elsewhere. Various geotechnical applications use geofoam. Among these are embankments, retaining walls, slope stabilization and bridge abutments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lResearch Assistant, Geofoam Research Center and ESF, Syracuse, NY 13244 2Director, Geofoam Research Center, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244 3prof. Chairman, CMWPE Dept. SUNY-ESF, 403 Baker Lab, Syracuse, NY 13210
Novel Morphologies of InAs Quantum Dot Growth on GaAs Surfaces Containing Nanostructures Formed by Droplet Epitaxy

Self-assembled InAs quantum dot clusters (QDCs) and InGaAs QD molecules (QDMs) have been demonstrated through a growth technique called “droplet epitaxy” by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). For QDCs, the size and density of QDs can be controlled with variation of InAs monolayer coverages. For QDMs, Ga contribution from GaAs mound with the interaction of InAs deposition resulted in various number of InGaAs QDs per GaAs mound, ranging from 2 to 6 (bi-QDMs to hexa-QDMs) depending on the specific InAs monolayer deposition. High step density on sidewall of GaAs mound and anisotropy of surface diffusion gave a rise to preferential formation of InAs and InGaAs QDs around GaAs mounds. This hybrid growth approach combining droplet epitaxy and typical QD growth is relatively simple and flexible and doesn’t require further ex-situ surface preparation. This approach of QD arrangement can find applications in optoelectronics as well as physical study of QD interaction.
Selectivity effects in zirconium-catalyzed heterodehydrocoupling reactions of phosphines

Zirconium compounds are known to dehydrocouple phosphines catalytically. An exploration of the factors that may promote selective heterodehydrocoupling was performed, revealing that steric factors ...
Pigmented birthmarks and precursor melanocytic lesions of cutaneous melanoma identifiable in childhood.

Any attempt to screen normal individuals for “precursor nevi” will be complicated by the additional presence of one or more benign pigmented nevocellular nevi, and the wholesale removal of all nevocellular nevi in an attempt to prevent melanoma is an almost impossible task. The author offers the more realistic preventive approach of focusing attention on those individuals and on those pigmented nevocellular nevi that are at increased risk for the development of cutaneous melanoma.
High rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure using direct-acting antivirals in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients: a real-world perspective.

Objectives There are few data on the real-world experience of FDA-approved oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drug combinations in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of DAA therapies in a cohort of HIV/HCV patients in a large urban clinic in Chicago. Methods HIV/HCV-coinfected adults (≥18 years) enrolled in the Northwestern University Viral Hepatitis Registry between January 2013 and June 2015 were analysed. Treated patients received one of the following DAA combinations: sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, sofosbuvir/ribavirin, sofosbuvir/simeprevir or paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir/dasabuvir ± ribavirin. The primary outcome was sustained virological response at 12 weeks after DAA completion (SVR12). Results Seventy-seven HIV/HCV patients were evaluated for DAA therapy. Most patients were male (62/77, 81%) and infected with HCV genotype 1 (67/77, 87%). Some 32/77 (42%) were cirrhotic and 29/77 (38%) had received prior treatment with an IFN-containing regimen. DAA therapy was more likely to be started in Caucasians than persons of other ethnicities (P = 0.01). The overall SVR12 rate was 92% in 52 patients who completed therapy and had follow-up by the end of the study: sofosbuvir/simeprevir, 32/33 (97%); sofosbuvir/ribavirin, 4/7 (57%); sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, 11/11 (100%); and paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir/dasabuvir, 1/1 (100%). Four patients relapsed after therapy with sofosbuvir/simeprevir (n = 1) or sofosbuvir/ribavirin (n = 3). Adverse events were uncommon and did not result in DAA treatment interruption or discontinuation. Conclusions The HCV DAA combinations of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir and sofosbuvir/simeprevir were highly effective and well tolerated in this diverse population of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, many of whom had advanced liver disease. HIV coinfection should not be considered a barrier to successful HCV treatment with DAAs.
The Feminist Politics of the Female Surplus: Constructing Citizenship through Singleness

At the 1908 Congres national des droits civils et du suffrage des femmes, practicing lawyer at the Cour d’assises and spokesperson of the Ligue francaise pour le droit des femmes (LFDF), Maria Verone, spoke on the question of married women’s legal incapacity. First drawing attention to the numerous legislative and judicial controversies in recent years over the principle of the wife’s obedience to her husband in the Civil Code, she argued that the majority of French jurists had reached a consensus on this issue. They had agreed that the tutelage of the married woman “is not due to her own weakness, but rather, to her subordination to the husband, who is the head of the family.” Verone noted that this opinion could be verified by referring to the rationale stated in the authoritative Repertoire Dalloz. This compendium of French legislation and jurisprudence indicated that the requirement of marital authorization to make contracts and file lawsuits was the most significant modification marriage made to a woman’s civil status, and that the grounds for this limitation was “assuredly not the weakness of the sex since, as a fille majeure or a widow, the woman is not submitted to it.” Verone used Dalloz to reveal that recent parliamentary debates and the laws resulting from them had reaffirmed that the woman’s civil capacity rested on her marital status rather than on her sexual difference. Arguing that “this situation [of incapacity] no longer responds in any fashion to the needs of modern life and to our conception of individual liberty,” she proposed that the congress support her resolutions to abrogate article 213 of the Civil Code that imposed obedience upon the wife and suppress the married woman’s civil minority in articles 214–226.1
Physical Foundations of Physiology I: Pressure-Driven Flow

This chapter describes the general relation between forces and flows in physiological systems. It draws an analogy between heat flow driven by a temperature gradient, charge flow (current) driven by a potential gradient, diffusive flow driven by a concentration gradient, and fluid flow driven by a pressure gradient. In all cases, flow is downhill along the gradient. It shows how conservation of matter leads to the continuity equation. All these flows also can store that which flows—heat, charge, chemicals, and volume—and draws analogy in their capacitances. The chapter then focuses on pressure-driven flow and derives conversion of the common pressure units. The chapter introduces Poiseuille’s law for laminar flow through narrow tubes and introduces the idea of viscosity. The chapter ends with a derivation of the Law of Laplace for spheres and cylinders.
More German Spies

The two German spy networks in New York and Baltimore were not the only ones in the United States between 1914 and 1918. Abteilung IIIB, military intelligence, and Nachrichtenabteilung N, naval intelligence, both sent independent agents to the United States during this period and also recruited Americans to spy in Europe.
The Current Status of Languages in the United States

According to a Gallup poll, only 25% of Americans possess the ability to conduct a conversation in a language other than English. According to the Modern Language Association (MLA), only 8.1% of U.S. college and university students are enrolled in a course in a language other than English, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) reports that only 18.5% of K-12 students study a foreign language. The United States has no official language.
Bayesian Estimation of Finite-Horizon Discrete Choice Dynamic Programming Models

We develop a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for estimating finite-horizon discrete choice dynamic programming (DDP) models. The proposed algorithm has the potential to reduce the computational burden significantly when some of the state variables are continuous. In a conventional approach to estimating such a finite-horizon DDP model, researchers achieve a reduction in estimation time by evaluating value functions at only a subset of state points and applying an interpolation method to approximate value functions at the remaining state points (e.g., Keane and Wolpin 1994). Although this approach has proven to be effective, the computational burden could still be high if the model has multiple continuous state variables or the number of periods in the time horizon is large. We propose a new estimation algorithm to reduce the computational burden for estimating this class of models. It extends the Bayesian MCMC algorithm for stationary infinite-horizon DDP models proposed by Imai, Jain and Ching (2009) (IJC). In our algorithm, we solve value functions at only one randomly chosen state point per time period, store those partially solved value functions period by period, and approximate expected value functions nonparametrically using the set of those partially solved value functions. We conduct Monte Carlo exercises and show that our algorithm is able to recover the true parameter values well. Finally, similar to IJC, our algorithm allows researchers to incorporate flexible unobserved heterogeneity, which is often computationally infeasible in the conventional two-step estimation approach (e.g., Hotz and Miller 1993; Aguirregabiria and Mira 2002).
Personalized therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: Molecular markers of prognosis and therapeutic response.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a growing worldwide health crisis with rising incidence, limited effective therapies and persistently poor prognosis. Five-year survival remains less than 20% despite decades of research. One byproduct of research efforts is the identification of numerous biomarkers of disease. From prognosis to therapeutic response, biomarker identification parallels a deeper molecular understanding of the disease that to date has generated limited gain in clinical outcomes. As one example, the classical prognostic biomarkers of tumor Ki-67 protein expression and TP53 gene mutation have been repeatedly demonstrated to correlate with poor prognosis. There have been several studies throughout the past two decades identifying other gene-based biomarkers of prognosis. Critically, translation into the clinic has been slow and focus has shifted to a search for markers of therapeutic response in hopes of generating novel approaches to the disease. With this focus, many of the correlates are based on retrospective review of sorafenib effectiveness. Sorafenib, an oral targeted multi-kinase inhibitor, is currently the standard of care systemic agent for non-resectable disease. The Wnt-pathway, particularly when activated, is the most commonly cited molecular marker of sorafenib responsiveness. Additional work has identified a profile of genes involved in drug absorption, processing, and elimination that also appears to increase responsiveness. Overall, despite promising clinical data the use of biomarkers in the clinic for HCC is limited. In this piece, progress and opportunities for future work "beyond the genome" are highlighted, including metabolomic, epigenetic, and non-coding RNA studies. Additionally, barriers to the implementation of personalized therapeutic selection in HCC are reviewed.
Tri-State Dairy Youth Expo Hones Judging & CommunicationSkills

Tri-State Dairy Youth Expo has been a long standing program that has been in existence since the early 1980’s. A donation from the Iowa State Dairy Association allowed a group to develop the Iowa Dairy Expo, now known as Tri-State Dairy Youth Expo. It began in 1984 at the Waterloo Cattle Congress as a dairy cattle judging show with commercial exhibits and informational seminars targeted mainly at dairy producers. As dairy farms changed and Iowa saw a decrease in dairy farms, the dairy sale diminished andlocations changed from Waterloo to Dubuque to Decorah, and eventually to Calmar, Iowa. With the help of the Northeast Iowa Community College and Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation, a youth program was created for students interested in the dairy industry. With support from the dairy industry and business community, Iowa State University and NICC, this program has continued to educate and test youth’s expertise in dairy cattle and dairy products judging contests. In 2016, 550 FFA students from 29 chapters in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin participated. This year’s contest included the District Dairy Cattle Judging, District Dairy Foods Judging, and District Soils Contest, as well as the Dairy Youth Expo.
Reverse Logistic Network Design for End-of-Life Wind Turbines

Energy generation from wind turbines shows an increasing trend for the last two decades. As the amount of wind generation increases, wind turbine (WT) operators face challenges with finding alternative disposal options for WTs over their useful life. Wind farm operator (decision makers) can benefit from a well-designed reverse logistics network to determine the best disposal alternative for WT end-of-life use (EOL). This chapter is an example of the recovery of valuable material that can be recycled/recovered or remanufactured at the end of WTs useful life by designing an effective reverse logistics network. Here, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is proposed to determine a long-term strategy for WT EOL. The objective in this model is to minimize the transportation and operating cost as well as finding the best locations for recycling and remanufacturing centers. The results of this study show that due to the high operating cost at remanufacturing centers, sending most WTs to them is costlier than sending them to recycling centers. In addition, it was found that transportation cost depends on the amount of flow that has been sent to the recycling or remanufacturing center.
Desorption Kinetics of Benzene and Cyclohexane from a Graphene Surface

The desorption kinetics for benzene and cyclohexane from a graphene covered Pt(111) surface were investigated using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The benzene desorption spectra show well-resolved monolayer and multilayer desorption peaks. The benzene monolayer and submonolayer TPD spectra for coverages greater than ∼0.1 ML have nearly the same desorption peak temperature and have line shapes which are consistent with first-order desorption kinetics. For benzene coverages greater than 1 ML, the TPD spectra align on a common leading edge which is consistent with zero-order desorption. An “inversion” procedure in which the prefactor is varied to find the value that best reproduces the entire set of experimental desorption spectra was used to analyze the benzene data. The inversion analysis of the benzene TPD spectra yielded a desorption activation energy of 54 ± 3 kJ/mol with a prefactor of 1017±1 s–1. The TPD spectra for cyclohexane also have well-resolved monolayer and multilayer desorption feat...
Birt–Hogg–Dubé Syndrome: A Review of Dermatological Manifestations and Other Symptoms

Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome (BHD) is an autosomal dominant genodermatosis with malignant potential characterized by cutaneous and extracutaneous stigmata. Aberrations in the folliculin (FLCN) gene, which is located on chromosome 17, have been discovered in individuals with this condition. Over 150 unique mutations have been identified in BHD. The skin lesions associated with this condition include fibrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, perifollicular fibromas, and acrochordons. Extracutaneous features of the syndrome typically include the lung (spontaneous pneumothorax and cysts) and the kidney (neoplasms). The only malignancies associated with BHD are renal cancers; however, other tumors have been observed in individuals with BHD. In this article, the skin lesions associated with this condition are reviewed, lung and renal manifestations associated with this syndrome are presented, and malignancies occurring in these patients are summarized.
Exact errors of best approximation for complex-valued nonperiodic functions

Abstract We extend Markov’s and Nagy’s theorems on best approximation by entire functions of exponential type in the L 1 ( R ) metric to some complex-valued integrable and locally integrable functions. We use these results for finding sharp constants of best approximation in L 1 ( R ) and L ∞ ( R ) on some complex convolution classes. For classes of real-valued convolutions those constants were found by Akhiezer. As an example, we apply these results to the Schwarz-type kernel and to the corresponding convolution classes.
The origin of small-scale geochemical and mineralogic variations in a granite intrusion - A crystallization and mixing model

A post-tectonic unzoned granite intrusion in the Meatiq Dome, a Late Proterozoic metamorphic complex in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt, shows significant chemical and mineralogic heterogeneity on the scale of sampling (∼5 kg). Whole rock analyses of 21 samples indicate small variations in SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O and K2O, and larger systematic variations in the less abundant major elements such as FeO, TiO2, CaO, MnO and MgO, and trace elements such as Sc, Cr, Co, Rb, Sr, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Tb, Yb, Lu, Ta, Th and U. These variations cannot be accounted for by processes such as marginal accretion, assimilation, alteration by late stage fluids, or multiple intrusion. Instead, we proposed a model involving 35 percent solidification of the granite magma followed by partial solid-liquid segregation during emplacement, resulting in rocks containing 7–71 volume percent early-formed solids. Such randomly distributed local segregation could have been caused by filter pressing, flow differentiation, and possibly gravity segregation, either singly or in combination. Thus, each sample is interpreted as a mixture of two end-members with nearly constant compositions: an early-formed solid assemblage of crystals and a complementary residual liquid. Early formed solids are enriched in TiO2, FeO, CaO, P2O5, Sc, Co, Cr, Sr, La, Ce and depleted in SiO2, Rb, Yb, Lu, Ta, Th, and U, while the residual liquid has complementary enrichments and depletions. This simple mixing model is consistent with field and petrographic observations, experimental studies pertaining to the crystallization sequence in the system Ab-Or-Qtz-H2O at 1 Kb, and physical properties of silicic magmas. Furthermore, it is quantitatively supported by trace-element data for minerals, computed endmember compositions at 35% crystallization using mineral analyses and reasonable Kd values, and internal consistency in the percent solid for each sample computed from each of 17 elements in the inferred end-members. We suggest that this model might also apply to other small epizonal granite intrusions that show small-scale chemical heterogeneities.
Harmonic number identities via Euler's transform.

We evaluate several binomial transforms by using Euler’s transform for power series. In this way we obtain various binomial identities involving power sums with harmonic numbers.
Selective Encapsidation of Adenovirus DNA

The selective packaging of adenovirus DNA into a capsid raises a number of interesting questions. How is the viral DNA specifically selected from the pool of viral and cellular DNA for encapsidation? What protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions are involved in this process? Are cellular proteins involved in adenovirus packaging? Is the packaging process coordinated with viral DNA replication? Does the virus share a packaging mechanism with one or more of the well-characterized prokaryotic phages? The focus of this review will be on the specific cis-acting elements that direct the selective encapsidation of adenovirus DNA into virions at late times after infection and the potential viral proteins that may be involved in this process.
Microsensors Based on Modulation of Work Function

Field-effect transistors with a chemically selective layer adjacent to the insulator are a microscopic equivalent of the Kelvin probe. With both types of these devices it is possible to obtain potentiometric signals due to changes of work function of the selective layer.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Physico-Chemical Principles and Environmental Applications

Carbon monoxide has been called a pedagogical poison because its mechanism of action is simple and can be taught in introductory chemistry, biology and health sciences. Carbon monoxide’s affinity for hemoglobin is 220 times greater than that of oxygen and an exposure to a partial carbon monoxide pressure of only 1 mm Hg replaces more than half the oxygen on hemoglobin with CO*. A person in an atmosphere with 0.05% CO dies in eight hours, at a concentration of 0.1% death comes within an hour (Shephard, 1983; Ellenhorn and Barceloux, 1988).
Neural Darwinism and Selective Recognition Automata: How Selection Shapes Perceptual Categories

It is becoming increasingly clear that animals generally do not use classical algorithmic strategies to classify objects and events. In this chapter, we summarize an alternative approach, namely, the theory of neuronal group selection (TNGS). The TNGS provides a framework related to Darwinian selection for understanding perceptual systems without a priori assumptions about properties of the stimulus world. We present two models for aspects of visual perception based on synthetic neural modelling, a paradigm we have developed for testing theories about the nervous system by computer simulation. One of these models explores the implications of recent experimental evidence for coherent oscillations in visual cortex. The second is Darwin III, a neurally based simulated automaton capable of autonomous behavior involving categorization and motor acts with an eye and an arm. Automata of this type not only provide new insights into biological mechanisms of categorization, but also indicate how to construct a new class of perception machines with interesting properties.
Mutations in the SC4MOL gene encoding a novel methyl sterol oxidase cause autosomal recessive psoriasisiform dermatitis, microcephaly and developmental delay

Disorders of cholesterol biosynthesis have clinical manifestations involving skeleton, eyes, neurologic development, and skin. We describe a patient with congenital cataracts, developmental delay, microcephaly, and low serum cholesterol who developed severe psoriasiform dermatitis and arthralgias beginning at age 3. Her brain MRI indicatedminor gliosis. Quantitative sterol analysis of patient plasma and skin showed marked elevation of 4alpha-methyl- and 4, 4'-dimethylsterols, indicating a deficiency in the first step of sterol C4 demethylation in cholesterol biosynthesis. Molecular studies showed mutations in SC4MOL, a gene predicted to encode a sterol C4 methyl oxidase. Thus, our patient has a previously undescribed inborn error of cholesterol biosynthesis. Cellular studies with patient-derived fibroblasts showed higher mitotic rate than control cells in cholesterol-depleted medium, in which de novo cholesterol biosynthesis was increased with the accumulation of methylsterol. Immunologic analyses showed dysregulation of immune-related receptors in the patient and her father. Inhibition of sterol C4 methyl oxidase in human transformed lymphoblasts or in fresh leukocytes induced activation of cell cycle, and immune receptor dysregulation. These findings suggest that methylsterols influence mitotic capacity and immune function. SC4MOL is situated within the psoriasis susceptibility locus PSORS9, and is likely a genetic risk factor for common psoriasis.