cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ant stoichiometry: elemental homeostasis in stage‐structured colonies

Summary 1Organisms facing variation in food quality maintain elemental composition within limited bounds. Such stoichiometric homeostasis has often been considered a species-specific parameter, but stoichiometry can also vary intraspecifically across life stages, sexes and sizes. In colonial organisms with overlapping generations, stoichiometric variation among stages could lead to flexibility in colony-level elemental composition due to changes in internal demography. 2We examine how the balance of energy (sucrose) and nutrients (prey) affects growth rate and carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C : N : P) homeostasis in a eusocial insect, the pavement ant Tetramorium caespitum. 3Colony growth depended heavily on prey availability. However, sucrose scarcity led to higher worker mortality and production of smaller workers, suggesting sucrose availability will affect colony-level performance in a competitive environment. 4In contrast, C : N : P stoichiometry of larvae, pupae, and workers varied mostly with sucrose availability. Biomass P content within life stages was lower in colonies receiving less access to sucrose. We suggest this difference arose primarily from shifts in individual ant mass coupled with negative P-body mass relationships. 5Life stages differed considerably in elemental composition, and resource conditions affected colony stage structure. Nevertheless, variation in colony-level stoichiometry primarily reflected compositional differences within stages rather than shifts in internal demography.
External Liberalization and Foreign Presence: Cross‐Industry Evidence From Poland and Hungary

External liberalization—the relaxation of restrictions on cross-border trade and inbound direct investment—has played an important role in the programs of economic transition in central Europe. While liberalization is widely heralded, there has been little empirical analysis of the links between liberalization and industry structure. This analysis examines changes in foreign presence following external liberalization in Poland and Hungary. I show that the presence of proprietary and intangible assets explains much of the cross-industry variation in patterns of foreign presence and, for a given level of foreign presence, whether this will occur via trade or inbound direct investment.
Near-threshold low power process monitor for deeply scaled CMOS technology

In deeply scaled CMOS technologies, two major non-ideal factors threaten the survival of the CMOS, i) PVT (process, voltage, and temperature) variations and ii) leakage power consumption. In this paper, we propose a novel process monitoring circuit for low power applications. The proposed circuit is immune to voltage and temperature variation and achieves lower power consumption compared to a previous process monitoring circuit. The proposed process monitoring circuit is implemented using 45nm technology, and the proposed design reduces power consumption by 67% and area by 35.2% compared to the process monitoring circuit previously used.
A bifunctional oleate 12‐hydroxylase: desaturase from Lesquerella fendleri

LFAH12, an oleate 12-hydroxylase gene from Lesquerella fendleri (L.) was isolated on the basis of nucleotide sequence similarity to an oleate hydroxylase gene from Ricinus communis (L.). Transgenic Arabidopsis plants containing the Lesquerella gene under transcriptional control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter accumulated ricinoleic, lesquerolic and densipolic acids in seeds, but not in leaves or roots. However, hydroxylase activity was detectable in crude extracts of vegetative tissues. The discrepancy between the presence of activity and the lack of hydroxy fatty acids suggests selective removal and breakdown of hydroxy fatty acids in vegetative organs. High levels of LFAH12 mRNA accumulation did not lead to correspondingly high levels of protein accumulation, suggesting that accumulation of the hydroxylase may be controlled post-transcriptionally. Expression of the L. fendleri gene in transgenic plants of a fad2 mutant of Arabidopsis, which is deficient in cytoplasmic oleate delta 12 desaturase activity, resulted in partial suppression of the mutant phenotype in roots. Thus, unlike the hydroxylase from R. communis, the L. fendleri enzyme has both hydroxylase and desaturase activities. Fusion of the 5' flanking region of the LFAH12 gene to the beta-glucuronidase coding sequence resulted in a high level of early seed-specific expression of beta-glucuronidase activity in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
Stress, adrenals, and vitamin C

Large daily doses of vitamin C maintained high levels of corticosteroids in the blood of stressed mice. Of these corticosteroids, glucocorticoid is known to suppress the immune response. It is hypothesized that large doses of vitamin C may reduce the organism's immunity to disease when stress is present.
A dynamic local thresholding technique for sea ice classification

Many methods of sea ice classification are based upon global thresholding techniques. In thresholding, points are selected according to the histogram of an image and are used to achieve a representation of that image in a limited number of gray levels, or classifications. The authors have developed and implemented a local thresholding technique adapted for sea ice classification. The authors' method offers both accuracy and flexibility compared to standard global thresholding methods. Because the local threshold is determined by examining small areas of the image, local gray-level changes which may not be distinguished by a global thresholding technique can be detected through local inspection. This leads to the selection of a more appropriate threshold level for each area of the image. In addition, the procedure of threshold selection used requires no user interaction whatsoever. >
Endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the elderly: analysis of procedure related complications

Introduction The management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the elderly remains controversial. Treatment risks are thought to be higher in this group. Large series assessing endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the elderly are lacking. Our single center endovascular experience in treating unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the elderly is presented. Methods 77 patients, 70 years or older, were referred to the endovascular neurosurgery service for treatment of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm between February 2000 and May 2008. Hospital records, operative reports, angiograms and radiology reports were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results 99 aneurysms were treated in 77 patients in 102 procedures. Mean patient age was 75±4 years, and the average aneurysm size was 11±7 mm. Adjuvant techniques were used in 66% of cases. Endovascular procedures included coiling alone (32%), balloon assisted coiling (19%), stent assisted coiling (37%), balloon assisted stent and coiling (8%), stent only (1%) and glue (2%). The permanent morbidity and mortality rates were 1% and 3%, respectively. Four adverse events were attributed to the patient9s age. Posterior circulation aneurysms were associated with more adverse events (41%) than anterior circulation aneurysms (14%). Endovascular treatments using adjuvant techniques were associated with a higher complication rate than coiling alone. Conclusions With only a 4% permanent rate of neurological morbidity and mortality, endovascular treatment of unruptured aneurysms can be performed safely in the elderly. Age should not be the limiting factor when considering endovascular therapy.
An Enhanced Wavelet Domain Communication System (EWDCS) with Nonstationary Interference Avoidance Capability

In this article, an enhanced wavelet domain communication system (EWDCS) is presented. The basic idea for this system is to synthesize an intelligent adaptive waveform in the wavelet domain at both the transmitter and receiver to avoid spectral crowded regions. This approach offers better bit error performance in contrast to other conventional interference mitigation techniques that process the signal at the receiver only. Moreover, since this smart waveform is able to search "spectrum hole" and adapt to electromagnetic environment, it could be a potential candidate in cognitive radio technology. The EWDCS exploits both transform domain processing and the evolutionary wavelet spectrum (EWS) estimation technique to extend interference avoidance capability from stationary interference to nonstationary interference. Compared to similar systems such as the transform domain communication system (TDCS) or the wavelet domain communication system (WDCS), the EWDCS significantly improves the bit error performance under nonstationary interference such as with swept-tone and also offers comparable bit error performance under stationary interference such as with single-tone, multiple-tone and partial-band interference. Our results indicate the proposed EWDCS is a viable approach to highly reliable communication or cognitive radio technology.
Mutual Fund Tournaments: Evidence From Global And International Funds

For a sample of global and international equity mutual funds, we test the proposition that managers likely to end up as losers manipulate fund risk differently from interim winners. In contrast with Brown, Harlow, and Starks (1996) who found robust support for the tournament model, we found no evidence of tournament like behavior for international and global mutual funds. A possible explanation of this behavior is that investors in these funds are primarily seeking diversification and therefore are less sensitive to relative performance.
Interrogation of the Substrate Profile and Catalytic Properties of the Phosphotriesterase from Sphingobium sp. Strain TCM1: An Enzyme Capable of Hydrolyzing Organophosphate Flame Retardants and Plasticizers

The most familiar organophosphorus compounds are the neurotoxic insecticides and nerve agents. A related group of organophosphorus compounds, the phosphotriester plasticizers and flame retardants, has recently become widely used. Unlike the neurotoxic phosphotriesters, the plasticizers and flame retardants lack an easily hydrolyzable bond. While the hydrolysis of the neurotoxic organophosphates by phosphotriesterase enzymes is well-known, the lack of a labile bond in the flame retardants and plasticizers renders them inert to typical phosphotriesterases. A phosphotriesterase from Sphingobium sp. strain TCM1 (Sb-PTE) has recently been reported to catalyze the hydrolysis of organophosphorus flame retardants. This enzyme has now been expressed in Escherichia coli, and the activity with a wide variety of organophosphorus substrates has been characterized and compared to the activity of the well-known phosphotriesterase from Pseudomonas diminuta (Pd-PTE). Structure prediction suggests that Sb-PTE has a β-propeller fold, and homology modeling has identified a potential mononuclear manganese binding site. Sb-PTE exhibits catalytic activity against typical phosphotriesterase substrates such as paraoxon, but unlike Pd-PTE, Sb-PTE is also able to effectively hydrolyze flame retardants, plasticizers, and industrial solvents. Sb-PTE can hydrolyze both phosphorus-oxygen bonds and phosphorus-sulfur bonds, but not phosphorus-nitrogen bonds. The best substrate for Sb-PTE is the flame retardant triphenyl phosphate with a kcat/Km of 1.7 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1). Quite remarkably, Sb-PTE is also able to hydrolyze phosphotriesters with simple alcohol leaving groups such as tributyl phosphate (kcat/Km = 40 M(-1) s(-1)), suggesting that this enzyme could be useful for the bioremediation of a wide variety of organophosphorus compounds.
Reason and intuition

In this paper I will approach the subject of intuition from a different angle from what has been usual in the philosophy of mathematics, by beginning with some descriptive remarks about Reason and observing that something that has been called intuition arises naturally in that context. These considerations are quite general, not specific to mathematics. The conception of intuition might be called that of rational intuition; indeed the conception is a much more modest version of conceptions of intuition held by rationalist philosophers. Moreover, it answers to a quite widespread use of the word intuition in philosophy and elsewhere. But it does not obviously satisfy conditions associated with other conceptions of intuition that have been applied to mathematics. Intuition in a sense like this has, in writing about mathematics, repeatedly been run together with intuition in other senses. In the last part of the paper a little will be said about the connections that give rise to this phenomenon.
Interpreting Recent Observations of He I 10830 Å

Spectra-spectroheliograms obtained in the 10830 A line with the NASA/NSO Spectromagnetograph are analyzed to produce images in equivalent width, line depth, velocity, and continuum intensity. These and other images imply that if large-scale deficits in coronal irradiation induce weakening of the 10830 line, the ionizing radiation must be produced in close enough spatial proximity to the region of formation for 10830 to allow sharply defined spatial boundaries. The complex morphology of the images shows the importance of underlying chromospheric structure in providing a highly variable “substrate” which is modulated by varying illumination. Clear evidence is seen of He I 10830 A formation in magnetic loops where the velocity field, particularly at footpoints, directly affects the excitation of the line. Steady flows as seen by Lites et al. (1985) are also observed, particularly near the limb. The observations and radiative transfer calculations are consistent with a simple, optically thin “cloud” model of line formation, and observed line profiles in weak network elements compare favorably with predictions from mean models.
Quadrites and Crossed-Chain Crystal Structures in Polymer Semiconductors

Many high-performance conjugated polymers for organic photovoltaics and transistors crystallize such that chains are parallel, resulting in significant anisotropy of the nanoscale charge transport properties. Here we demonstrate an unusual intercrystallite relationship where thin lamellae adopt a preferred epitaxial relationship with crossed-chains at the interface. The crossed-chains may allow either crystal to use the other as an "electronic shunt", creating efficient quasi-three-dimensional transport pathways that reduce the severity of grain boundaries and defects in limiting transport.
Video Intervention Projects: Using Technology and Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Enhance Learning

(2003). Video Intervention Projects: Using Technology and Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Enhance Learning. American Journal of Health Education: Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 372-374.
Ätiologie, Entwicklung, Diagnostik und einige Behandlungsaspekte der Angle Klasse II/2

Klasse II/2-Malokklusionen haben im Laufe der Zeit viele Kieferorthopaden immer wieder verunsichert. Wie entsteht diese Dysgnathie und wie kommt es, dass sie so aussieht, wie sie aussieht? Dies sind nur einige der Fragen, die noch zu beantworten sind. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden wir die atiologischen Faktoren diskutieren, die mit der Entwicklung dieser Malokklusion zusammenhangen und einige Richtlinien fur die Behandlung einer Klasse II/2 vorstellen, die bei der Mehrzahl der Falle angewandt werden konnen. Wir werden auch darauf eingehen, wie sich die Entwicklung der Klasse II/2 vorhersagen lasst, und auf welche Weise der Kieferorthopade zum richtigen Zeitpunkt eingreifen kann. Ein Verstandnis fur die okklusale Entwicklung dieser Malokklusion und die Erkenntnis, wie wichtig dieses Verstandnis fur die Behandlung des frontal tiefen Bisses speziell beim Wachstumsmuster dieser Malokklusion ist, hilft bei der Entwicklung und Planung der Behandlungsmechanik. Die speziellen Anforderungen an die Retention werden ebenfalls besprochen, um zu einer Verbesserung der kurz- und langfristigen Behandlungserfolge beizutragen.
Hydrogen Donors: Thermal Stabilizers for JP-8+100 at High Temperatures

The effectiveness of hydrogen donor compounds as additives to reduce pyrolytic deposition in JP-8+100 at high temperatures was assessed. Decalin and 1,2,3,4 tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) were added to JP-8+100 at 0.5% (decalin only), 1.0 and 2.5% w/w concentrations and tested in a flow reactor at a fuel exit temperature of 600°C at 5.2 MPa. Measurements of carbon deposits along the tube and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the stressed and unstressed liquid fuel were used to assess effectiveness of the additive, and the degree of fuel decomposition. Additionally, liquid-to-gas conversion was determined, and the composition of the gas was determined via GC. Experimental results show significant reductions in pyrolytic deposition in JP-8+100 with the additives relative to the baseline fuel. Tests with decalin showed negligible effects on thermal oxidative deposits, while THQ produced significant increases in thermal oxidative deposits. The effects of the additives on fuel thermal decomposition and conversion rates are also discussed.Copyright © 1999 by ASME
FRI0559 Tocilizumab in the Treatment of Refractory Uveitis in Children

Background Children with refractory uveitis present a unique therapeutic challenge as 50% - 75% of these children will develop significant visual impairment and treatment options are limited. Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanized IL-6 receptor antibody which blocks IL-6, an inflammatory mediator in the pathogenesis of uveitis. No studies exist regarding the role of this agent for management of refractory uveitis. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of the interleukin (IL)-6 receptor antagonist, tocilizumab in the treatment of uveitis in children refractory to methotrexate (MTX), mycophenolate (MMF) and long-acting tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) inhibitors. Methods Six children with refractory uveitis who received therapy with tocilizumab were included in this retrospective study. The main outcome measures included ocular outcome, reduction in concomitant immunosuppression and adverse events. Treatment efficacy was assessed by improvement in anterior chamber cell density (ACD), vitreous flare, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity (VA), and ability to reduce or stop concomitant topical or systemic steroids. Results All six children (12 eyes) had severe bilateral uveitis refractory to standard immunomodulatory agents and received tocilizumab intravenously every 2 weeks at doses of 12mg/kg for children Twelve eyes (100%) of patients had active intraocular inflammation at baseline, and 7 eyes (58%) showed a decrease in ACD and 10 eyes (83%) showed a decrease in vitreous flare at the end of follow up (p Preexisting complications of chronic uveitis and treatment were observed in 12 eyes and included cystoid macular edema (CME), increased IOP, cataract and synechiae. At the end of the follow up period, there was complete resolution of CME in 3/3 (100%) eyes, cataract resolved in 1 of 7 (14%) eyes. Four of 8 (50%) eyes with synechiae and 4 of 7 eyes (57%) with elevated IOP achieved normalization. All 12 children received concomitant topical prednisone, oral/subcutaneous MTX and 2 children received MMF. One child had multiple relapses and required systemic steroids. At the end of follow up, we were able to reduce at least 50% of baseline immunosuppression in 11 children. Tocilizumab was well tolerated in all patients during the 12 month follow up period. Conclusions Tocilizumab is an effective and well tolerated treatment option for children with chronic refractory uveitis. Use of tocilizumab was associated with improvement in ocular inflammation, visual acuity and reduction in concomitant immunosuppression. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role and safety of this agent in the management of refractory uveitis. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.3773
HG-02ATRX LOSS PROMOTES TUMOR GROWTH AND IMPAIRS GENETIC STABILITY IN GLIOBLASTOMA

Pediatric glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most difficult childhood tumors to treat. ATRX is a histone chaperone protein that is mutated primarily in pediatric patients with GBM and younger adults with secondary GBM. No previous animal model has demonstrated the effect of ATRX loss on GBM formation. We cloned an ATRX knockdown sequence into a Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposase-responsive plasmid (shATRX) for insertion into host genomic DNA. Glioblastomas were induced by injecting plasmids encoding SB transposase/luciferase, shp53 and NRAS, with or without shATRX, into the lateral ventricle of neonatal mice. Tumors in both groups (with or without shATRX) showed histological hallmarks of human GBM. The loss of ATRX was localized only within tumors generated with the shATRX plasmid and not in the adjacent cortex. Notably, loss of ATRX significantly reduced median survival (p = 0.0032). Loss of ATRX in mouse GBM impaired genetic stability using multiple assays: (1) ATRX-deficient tumors were more likely to develop microsatellite instability, a hallmark of impaired DNA-damage repair; (2) ATRX-deficient tumors displayed evidence of telomeric lengthening, and (3) ATRX loss impaired non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) utilizing a GFP reporter plasmid system. Analysis of human pediatric (St. Jude's/Washington University) and adult (UCSF) glioma datasets confirmed increased number of somatic nucleotide mutations in tumors with ATRX mutation. Finally, treatment of primary mouse GBM cell cultures showed that ATRX-deficient tumor cells were significantly more sensitive to certain DNA damaging agents, with greater evidence of double-stranded DNA breakage. In addition, mice with ATRX-deficient GBM treated with whole brain irradiation showed reduced early tumor growth by luminescence. This data demonstrates the role of ATRX in GBM tumor progression, treatment response and loss of tumor genetic stability, and provides a platform for future development of targeted therapy for pediatric and young adult patients with ATRX-deficient GBM.
Analysis on the Phenomenon Neonatal Hepatitis B Vaccination of Needle Case from 2012 to 2013

OBJECTIVE To understand the phenomenon the neonatal hepatitis B vaccination, in order to guide future work. METHODS 2012—2013 phenomenon.the medical institutions within their respective jurisdictions neonatal hepatitis b vaccination data foranalysis. RESULTS Medical institutions in 2012—2013 neonatal hepatitis B vaccination rates first needle is 96.22%%, timely vacci-nation rate was 95.58%. The local household infant vaccination rate was 96.58%, nonlocal census register a newborn was 87.00%;Local timely vaccination rate was 95.94%,86.43%,local coverage and timely vaccination rate were significantly higher than otherplace(P0.01). CONCLUSION Vaccination staff medical institutions at all levels to scientific grasp the hepatitis b vaccination contra-indications, and completed the immunization propaganda work, makde the people fully understand the dangers of hepatitis B andthe importance of hepatitis B vaccination in time.
The artificial sphincter (AS-800). Experience in children and young adults.

SUMMARY From reviewing our experience in the application of the AS-800 sphincter for the management of incontinence in children, we conclude that implantation is indicated after conservative and less invasive therapy has been attempted. The bladder neck is the site of choice for cuff placement in children. Primary deactivation and moderate or low reservoir pressures (61 to 70 and 71 to 80 cm H2O) are indicated, especially in patients with previous bladder neck surgery or an inadvertent bladder neck injury. Excess residual urine should be evacuated by clean intermittent catheterization. The AS-800 is mechanically reliable (9 mechanical failures in 45 sphincters). When the sphincter is implanted in a select group of patients, upper tract function is maintained in a stable state. Detubularized augmentation cystoplasty must be used to supplement the sphincter in patients with low-compliance, low-capacity, and nonresponsive hyperreflexic bladders. In all patients, long and careful follow-up is necessary to identify late changes in bladder function and consequent upper tract damage. An overall satisfactory result (fair to good) was obtained in 88 per cent of patients during an average follow-up period of 35 months, and 0.6 modifying procedure per patient was done in the sphincters.
Long-term oral bronchodilator therapy of asthma with pirbuterol

We studied the effects of an oral beta2 selective bronchodilator, pirbuterol, in 12 male asthmatic patients over periods ranging from 6 to 23 months (mean, 13.8). Each patient was evaluated initially by physical examination, urinalysis, blood analysis, and pulmonary function tests. Patients were examined at regular intervals thereafter. Patients remained off all bronchodilator therapy for 12 hr before each visit. Blood analysis, urinalysis, and pulmonary function tests were performed and the pulmonary function tests were repeated approximately 2 hr after an oral dose of pirbuterol. We found no significant changes in the baseline resistance or in the bronchodilator response to pirbuterol during the course of the study, but there was a significant decrease in the functional residual capacity (FRC). The reduction in FRC could be due to the prolonged reduction in airways resistance with continuous therapy. We found no increase in the bronchodilator response to pirbuterol during oral prednisone therapy. There were no significant changes in serum potassium. Side effects attributable to pirbuterol, nervousness and tremor, occurred in only 2 patients and were easily controlled.
Demonstration of a chorionic gonadotropin-like substance in rabbit morulae.

Rabbit morulae were treated with specific indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase histochemical techniques. The first antibody in both systems was rabbit anti-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) β-subunit. Negative controls revealed a complete absence of reaction. All morulae incubated with the double-antibody system showed a positive reaction. Rabbit morulae thus present a substance with antigenic determinants similar to the β-subunit of hCG. The physiologic role of this substance is unknown.
Cat lung hemodynamics: comparison of experimental results and model predictions.

Commonly, attempts have been made to learn about the structure and function of the pulmonary vascular bed from measurements of arterial and venous pressures and blood flow rate under steady-state conditions (e.g., from pressure vs. flow data) or dynamic conditions (e.g., from vascular occlusion data). Zhuang et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 55: 1341-1348, 1983) have presented a detailed model of steady-state cat lung hemodynamics based on direct measurements of anatomical and elasticity data. This model provides an opportunity to better understand the information content of the hemodynamic data. Therefore, in the present study we carried out a series of steady-state and dynamic experiments on isolated cat lungs. We then compared the results with those predicted by the model. We found that the model provided a good fit to the steady-state data. However, to fit the dynamic data, some modifications were necessary to account for the viscous behavior of the vessel walls and to move the first moment of the distribution of vascular resistance toward the arterial end of the vascular bed relative to that of the distribution of vascular compliance. Due to the sensitivity of the vascular resistance to small changes in vessel diameters and branching ratio, the modifications in morphometry represent small changes in morphometric data and are probably within the range of uncertainty in such data. The modifications had little effect on the steady-state model simulations but substantially improved the dynamic model simulations, suggesting that the dynamic data are quite sensitive to small changes in the relative distributions of vessel diameters and elasticity.
Novel Helicopter Flight Director and Display

A helicopter’s final approach and landing are critical phases of flight that are highly susceptible to spatial disorientation when external visual cues are degraded or absent. Current visual landing aid systems display tracking error which the pilot attempts to null in a compensatory fashion. This paper presents theoretical and preliminary empirical support for performance enhancement when providing pilots guidance preview and prediction of states, rather than just a compensatory display of the tracking error. A novel space-time format is proposed for displaying: (1) Previewed 4D guidance information; (2) Projected (predicted) state relative to the guidance preview; and (3) Current state relative to current guidance and terminal objectives. A key objective of the display is to allow the pilot to perceive and control each axis of translation as part of an integrated pattern, thus distributing attention equitably.
Prebreakdown conduction measurments in vacuum gaps with alumina insulators

Predischarge current measurements, for a solid insulator bridged vacuum gap excited by 60 Hz AC, are reported here. To our knowledge it is for the first time that such results are published in the literature. The predischarge current in a plane vacuum gap is known to follow the Fowler-Nordheim type emission when subjected to DC voltages [1,2]. The studies are rather limited for AC voltages and the current is believed to follow a modified ion field emission [3,4]. The results presented in this work indicate that the plane vacuum gap predischarge current is modified by the presence of the insulating spacer. The modification of the current characteristics is believed to be caused by the charging of the insulator surface due to secondary electron emission from it. It is shown that the steady predischarge current can be reduced to a small value or eliminated, and the breakdown voltage increased, by reducing the stress at the triple junction either (a) by interposing a high permittivity material such as barium titanate between the spaeer and each of the electrodes, or (b) by shielding the triple junctions within recessed electrodes. The purpose of these experiments is to see if there is a correlation between prebreakdown currents and (a) the insulator surface charging, (b) the breakdown strength. The insulator shape and the secondary emission yield from its surface also affect the predischarge current characteristics, and these results will be published in the future.
The Fighting Téméraire: William Turner—Henry Newbolt—Detlev Von Liliencron

(1940). The Fighting Temeraire. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 273-280.
Helping Schools: Youth Development as a Form of Supplemental Education

This study measured the impact of 4-H Youth Development on Colorado’s youth. Active youth were compared to those who did not participate in out-of-school activities. Data were collected from 5th, 7th, and 9th grade students. Results of the study confirm active students, including 4-H Youth Development members, were less likely to engage in at-risk behaviors. 4-H Youth Development can function as a form of supplemental education, contributing to academic, civic, and social success of young people.
The Evolution of Power System Planning with High Levels of Variable Renewable Generation

Greening the Grid provides technical assistance to energy system planners, regulators, and grid operators to overcome challenges associated with integrating variable renewable energy into the grid. This document, part of the Greening the Grid introduces the evolution of power system planning with high levels of variable renewable generation.
Development of a highly linear Ka-band power amplifier using second harmonic injection linearization

We demonstrate the development of a highly linear Ka-band power amplifier (PA) using second harmonic injection at the gate of a pseudomorphic high mobility electron transistor (pHEMT). The second harmonic injection PA (HI PA) achieves a measured gain of 18.5 dB and P 1dB of 23.5 dBm at 28.5 GHz. Compared to the same PA without second harmonic injection, the HI PA has a 3.5 dB higher in P 1dB and a 12 dB improvement in the third-order intermodulation distortion (IM3). To the best of our knowledge, our 2nd harmonic injection PA is the first demonstration of the technique at millimetre-wave frequencies.
Identifying and Reducing Disparities in Mental Health Outcomes Among American Indians and Alaskan Natives Using Public Health, Mental Healthcare and Legal Perspectives

The purpose of this paper was to investigate disparities in mental healthcare delivery in American Indian/Alaska Native populations from three perspectives: public health, legal policy and mental healthcare and provide evidence-based recommendations toward reducing those disparities. Data on mental health funding to tribes were obtained from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. As a result of analysis of these data, vital statistics and current literature, we propose three recommendations to reduce mental health disparities. First, where possible, increase mental health funding opportunities for federally-recognized tribes. Second, model funding practices on principles of tribal self-determination. Finally, support diverse interventions that are culturally-based and culturally-appropriate.
Governing the Fisheries: Insights from Elinor Ostrom's Work

The conventional approach to overfishing is for government to impose a top-down management system on the industry. This may involve a state agency setting overall catch quotas and then allocating shares to fishing enterprises, or creating some form of market framework that allows catch shares to be traded. The research of Elinor Ostrom questioned this perspective. It found that many local communities around the world have developed their own approaches to managing fisheries without the need for government intervention. They set their own rules on who has access to the resource, how it can be fished and what sanctions will be imposed if violations occur. In marked contrast to the failure so often observed under state regulation of the sector, communal management is highly effective at conserving stocks and maintaining yields. We illustrate the case with a comparison between the Nova Scotian inshore fisheries and the Maine lobster fisheries.
A General Model of Sensitized Luminescence in Lanthanide-Based Coordination Polymers and Metal–Organic Framework Materials

Luminescent lanthanides containing coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks hold great potential in many applications due to their distinctive spectroscopic properties. While the ability to design coordination polymers for specific functions is often mentioned as a major benefit bestowed on these compounds, the lack of a meaningful understanding of the luminescence in lanthanide coordination polymers remains a significant challenge toward functional design. Currently, the study of these compounds is based on the antenna effect as derived from molecular systems, where organic antennae are used to facilitate lanthanide-centered luminescence. This molecular-based approach does not take into account the unique features of extended network solids, particularly the formation of band structure. While guidelines for the antenna effect are well established, they require modification before being applied to coordination polymers. A series of nine coordination polymers with varying topologies and organic l...
A Framework for a Scalable Agent Architecture of Cooperating Heterogeneous Knowledge Sources

Interoperability amongst heterogeneous information sources continues to pose enormous challenges to the database, AI and other communities. While significant progress has been achieved in system, syntactic, and structural/schematic interoperability, comprehensive solutions to semantic interoperability remain elusive. We present and motivate the conceptual framework underlying SCOPES (Semiotic/Semantic Coordination of Parallel Exploration Spaces), a scalable agent architecture designed to support interoperable, autonomous and heterogeneous knowledge sources. It is posited that the traditional approach to semantics is insufficient to account for a variety of misinterpretations in a realistic social world. Agents are viewed as existing in a social world (of beliefs, expectations, commitments, etc) constrained by pragmatics (intentions, communication, etc) and with particular semantics (meanings, propositions, validity, etc) and syntactics (formal structures, language, data, deduction, etc). We then concentrate on semantic interoperability and how this is handled in SCOPES. Semantic reconciliation is viewed as a non-monotonic query-dependent that requires flexible interpretation of query context, and as a mechanism to coordinate knowledge elicitation while constructing the query context. We elaborate on the specific concepts needed to build this context, and briefly discuss the SCOPES’ algorithm for context construction.
Fast Optic Disc Segmentation in Retina Using Polar Transform

Glaucoma is one among major causes of blindness in working population. Early detection of Glaucoma through automated retinal image analysis helps in preventing vision loss. Optic disk (OD) segmentation from retinal images is the preliminary step in developing the diagnostic tool for early Glaucoma detection. In this paper, we have presented a novel hierarchical technique for fast and accurate OD localization and segmentation. Retinal vasculature and pathologies are delineated and removed by using morphological operations at preprocessing stage followed by circular Hough transform for OD localization. The precise boundary of OD is obtained by calculating the region of interest and applying a novel polar transform-based adaptive thresholding. The methodology is evaluated on a number of publicly available retinal image sets, which includes MESSIDOR, DIARETDB1, DRIONS-DB, HRF, DRIVE, and RIM-ONE, and it has shown considerable improvement over existing methods in terms of accuracy and processing time.
Adrienne Rich: 'Language is Power’

At the end of the fall semester, 2016, I was clearing out files that I have had for decades in an effort to create space in my much too crowded office. This process is always demanding because thes...
A Modified Proportional–Integral Loop Filter to Suppress DCO Noise in Digital PLL

Although often analyzed as a second-order system, digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) is actually a third-order system because of the intrinsic latency in the loop filter. The extra pole introduced by this additional clock latency requires the loop filter bandwidth to be correspondingly reduced to ensure stability. In many applications, however, the loop bandwidth needs to be as wideband as possible, since the digital-controlled oscillator (DCO) is often the dominant source of noise. A modified proportional–integral (PI) loop filter is proposed to widen the loop bandwidth. The proposed loop filter employs an additional internal feedback loop that causes a third-order DPLL system to effectively behave as a second-order system. The proposed loop filter is derived based on the observer-controller DPLL. An intuitive explanation based on pole-zero analysis suggests that a wider loop bandwidth can be employed than in the conventional PI loop filter, because the proposed loop filter pushes the extra pole to a higher frequency than in the conventional loop filter. Similarly, for the same open-loop unity gain frequency and phase margin, the proposed loop filter can place the zero at a higher frequency, enabling greater attenuation of the DCO noise while achieving the same lowpass filtering of the reference clock noise as in the conventional loop filter.
Perovskite solar cell for photocatalytic water splitting with a TiO2/Co-doped hematite electron transport bilayer

Hydrogen production using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) route promises to be a clean and efficient way of storing solar energy for use in hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) is best suited to be used as a photoelectrode in PEC cells for solar hydrogen production due to its favorable band gap of ∼2.2 eV. Herein, chemical solution deposition was used for the preparation of a series of Co-doped Fe2O3 thin films on a titania buffer layer at different doping concentrations (3.0, 7.0 and 10.0 at%). The maximum anodic photocurrent reached up to 3.04 mA cm−2 by optimizing the balance between the doping concentrations, enhanced donor density, light absorbance, and surface roughness. The optical properties show that the light absorbance tendency switches to the higher wavelength with the further increment of Co beyond 3.0%. Finally, synthesized photosensitive perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 materials were added as a surface treatment agent on the photoelectrode to enhance the photocurrent absolute value. This inorganic nanostructured perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) coated on the Co-doped hematite photoanode achieved an overall solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 2.46%. Due to its low temperature processing, stability, and enhance efficiency, this perovskite coated TiO2/Co-doped hematite multilayer thin film solar cell has high potential to be applied in industry for hydrogen production.
Therapies for mobility disability in persons with multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION Mobility disability is one of the most widespread and impactful consequences of multiple sclerosis (MS). Disease modifying drugs (DMDs) may delay the progression of disability over time; however, there is minimal evidence supporting the efficacy of DMDs for reversing mobility disability or restoring ambulatory function in persons with MS. Areas covered: This review outlines symptomatic pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic approaches that target mobility disability with the goal of restoring and improving walking function. First, the efficacy of dalfampridine, currently the only Food and Drug Administration approved symptomatic pharmacologic agent that improves walking in persons with MS is described. Next, a review of the efficacy of non-pharmacologic therapies for improving walking, including exercise training, physical therapy, and gait training is given. Last, guidance on future research on mobility in MS is provided by emphasizing the importance of combinatory treatment approaches that include multiple intervention modalities, as the best treatment plan likely involves a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach. Expert commentary: There has been an increased effort to develop symptom-specific treatments in MS that directly target mobility disability; however, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of these rehabilitative strategies alone and together for improving walking in persons with MS.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics : Some particular character-related virtues ( Nicomachean Ethics 3.6–4.9)

Aristotle begins examining particular character-related virtues in 3.6. He looks first at courage, then self-mastery (or “moderation”), then generosity and magnificence, magnanimity and an unnamed virtue dealing with honor, before examining various minor social virtues. He reserves special treatment for the virtue of justice, which he considers a character-related virtue as well, but which he thinks is set apart in interesting ways from the others. I shall follow his practice and consider his treatment of justice separately, in the next chapter. Let us review the argument once again. The reason why Aristotle wishes to examine the virtues, paying special attention to the sorts of actions a virtuous person does, is that he thinks that the ultimate goal of human life is some kind of action or activity that we can accomplish only through our having virtue. As was said, this goal should be understood as taking the form of an activity, repeated at intervals, which would rightly serve to organize and direct everything else that we do. But which activity of that sort should serve as our ultimate goal? It is that activity, Aristotle has argued, which satisfies the criteria of Ultimacy, Self-Sufficiency, and (perhaps) greatest Preferability. But we cannot determine which activity satisfies those criteria until we become clearer about the activities that are indeed distinctive of the various virtues. So this now is Aristotle's task, which he carries out in 3.6–6.13. He considers first character-related virtues, and then thinking-related virtues (in book 6).
Theory of Language and Philosophy of Science as Instruments of Educational Reform: Wittgenstein and Popper as Austrian Schoolteachers

When we begin to study the immediate historical background of contemporary philosophy we encounter a curious fact: one of the most important parts of this background is precisely the disappearance of this background from our field of vision.
Student- and instructor-oriented features in a business simulation

ABSTRACT Simulations for the classroom must account for two users: the student and the instructor. For the student, a simulation should be challenging, procedurally intuitive, and conserving of student's time. For the instructor, it should be flexible, administratively facile, and resistant to students' mischievous propensities. MANAGEMENT 500 is a prototype microcomputer-based, total-enterprise business simulation designed to meet these requirements. To be challenging to students, the simulation produces complex results with simple relationships. To be procedurally intuitive, the simulation programme incorporates Lotus-like menus and error-tolerant routines. And to be conserving of student's time, the simulation includes a task-managing master programme that enables several programmes to be simultaneously retained in memory. To be flexible for the instructor, the simulation programme is supported by a configuration programme that allows the instructor to alter the parameters of the simulation. To be administratively facile, the simulation is of an independent-across-players design, which does not require the instructor to co-ordinate programme inputs. To be resistant to students' mischievous propensities, the simulation programme encrypts its data files and stamps printed outputs with tamper-evident identifying information. Incorporating student- and instructor-oriented features in a simulation improves competence in user-oriented simulation design.
Disciplining the Devil: a rhetorical history of Tod Browning’s The Devil Doll (1936)

Critical scholars of media often limit their attention to the final version of a media product without much focus on the production process. In this essay, we encourage more attention to the proces...