cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SINGLE-LOOP CURRENT-MODE CONTROL OF A PWM BOOST DC-TO-DC CONVERTER WITH A NON-SYMMETRIC PHASE CONTROLLER

An extensive small-signal analysis of a single-loop current-mode control strategy for a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) boost DC-to-DC power converter operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM) is proposed using a new non-symmetric phase controller. To model the boost power stage, a linear circuit model is used which includes all parasitic components such as the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the filter capacitor, the ESR of the inductor, the transistor ON-resistance, and the diode forward resistance and offset voltage. A boost power stage design example gives component design equations and will serve to illustrate the closed-loop converter design. A design procedure for the new non-symmetric phase controller is presented. Open-loop and closed-loop circuit models and transfer functions are derived for the boost PWM converter and illustrated by Bode plots. An approach is presented for simplifying closed-loop transfer functions, using Euler's identity, into a format which is conducive to modeling in any high level programming language on a personal computer. Bode plots are obtained using a data analysis software package Axum 3.0 which combines a programming language, spread-sheet, and publication quality technical graphics. The proposed control scheme directly controls the inductor current and indirectly controls the load current and output voltage. The closed-loop transfer functions of the proposed control scheme do not contain a righthalf plane (RHP) zero, in contrast to the closed-loop transfer functions of a single-loop voltage-mode control scheme. The absence of the RHP zero provides better stability by making it easier to obtain large or specified gain and phase margins.
Mandating Prescription Contraception Coverage: Effects on Contraception Consumption and Preventive Health Services

While recent national discussions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) made the introduction of mandated contraceptive coverage within health insurance policies seem like a novel idea, it is not new at all. Since the late 1990s, 29 states have mandated that insurance providers include prescription contraceptive supplies and, in some instances, associated contraceptive services in their coverage. We use state-level policy variation to generate both difference-in-differences and triple difference estimates to determine if women in states with state-level contraception supply or contraception supply and services insurance mandates experienced changes in their utilization of contraception and preventive health care services. We find a positive relationship between these policies and prescription contraception use for those with low educational attainment, but the results are not robust to a variety of specifications. Our results also show an increase in the consumption of preventive health services for women with low educational attainment as a result of these health insurance mandates. We conclude by discussing the implications for the ACA.
Growing international internships

For engineering students, functioning in a “smaller, flatter world” means gaining an education that extends them into global experiences. These experiences are personally developing by fostering development of • better self-understanding, • improved communication skills, • improved adaptability, • stronger self-reliability and • stronger capacity for working effectively with others from different culture and value systems. Professional development results as the students • delve in depth into the practice and deployment of a technology (for some for their first time), • become better prepared to assume leadership roles-especially of multi-cultural organizations, and • better understand the core elements of competitiveness in a global context. Nearly 70% of our annual graduates have extended global engagements; 15% experience international internships. We have been growing these percentages for many years. Our approaches to growing our international internships, which serve us best, leverage businesses with a relationship to Calvin College and alumni with international activities to provide internship sites. From nine engineering students with international internships in the summer of 2008, the practices and approaches that worked and those needing improvement are highlighted. Our emphasis is to assure that the international internship is productive for all and to indicate routes to grow this program—as we believe we - and other institutions must. The goal of this paper is to describe our approaches so that other institutions can adapt them to their purposes.
Display of Urban Growth Patterns

A dynamic approach to the construction of an urban growth model for alternative evaluations is presented. Both urban growth theory and an attempt to couple computers and display technology into a new system are covered.
The home environment and childhood obesity in low-income households: indirect effects via sleep duration and screen time

Childhood obesity disproportionally affects children from low-income households. With the aim of informing interventions, this study examined pathways through which the physical and social home environment may promote childhood overweight/obesity in low-income households. Data on health behaviors and the home environment were collected at home visits in low-income, urban households with either only normal weight (n = 48) or predominantly overweight/obese (n = 55) children aged 6–13 years. Research staff conducted comprehensive, in-person audits of the foods, media, and sports equipment in each household. Anthropometric measurements were collected, and children’s physical activity was assessed through accelerometry. Caregivers and children jointly reported on child sleep duration, screen time, and dietary intake of foods previously implicated in childhood obesity risk. Path analysis was used to test direct and indirect associations between the home environment and child weight status via the health behaviors assessed. Sleep duration was the only health behavior associated with child weight status (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.77), with normal weight children sleeping 33.3 minutes/day longer on average than overweight/obese children. The best-fitting path model explained 26% of variance in child weight status, and included paths linking chaos in the home environment, lower caregiver screen time monitoring, inconsistent implementation of bedtime routines, and the presence of a television in children’s bedrooms to childhood overweight/obesity through effects on screen time and sleep duration. This study adds to the existing literature by identifying aspects of the home environment that influence childhood weight status via indirect effects on screen time and sleep duration in children from low-income households. Pediatric weight management interventions for low-income households may be improved by targeting aspects of the physical and social home environment associated with sleep.
Dielectric characterization of polymer-ceramic nanocomposites

Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites for high power applications are being developed at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Several polymers and epoxies have been investigated as candidate matrix materials. Two of the candidate matrix materials were used to create composites with several loading factors of nanoparticles. The matrix materials and composites are characterized through measurements of the dielectric constant and loss over a wide range of frequencies, dielectric strength in pulsed high voltage conditions, and scanning electron microscopy.
Influence of State Laws Mandating Reporting of Healthcare-Associated Infections: The Case of Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections

Objective.To evaluate the impact of state laws on reporting of healthcare-associated infections on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates.Design.Retrospective, cross-sectional study.Methods.Hospital-level administrative and Hospital Compare data were collected on University HealthSystem Consortium hospitals. An ordered probit regression model assessed the association between state legislation and CLABSI standardized infection ratio (SIR). The main independent variable was a state legislation variable concerning 3 legal requirements (data submission, reporting of data to the public, inclusion of facility identifiers in public reports) and was coded for hospitals accordingly located in a state that did not have CLABSI reporting, located in a state that had CLABSI reporting legislation and met 3 legal requirements, or located in a state that had CLABSI reporting but did not meet the 3 legal requirements. A secondary analysis ascertained whether the mean state SIR values differed among the 3 legislation groups.Results.There were 159 hospitals included; 92 were located in states that had CLABSI reporting and met 3 requirements, 33 were located in states that had reporting but did not meet the 3 requirements, and 34 were in states that had no legislation. There was no effect of state legislation group on CLABSI SIR. There were no significant differences in the mean state CLABSI SIRs among the legislation groups.Conclusions.In this sample of academic medical centers, there was no evidence of an effect of state HAI laws on CLABSI occurrence. The impact of state legislation may be lessened by other CLABSI prevention initiatives.
In-situ metal/dielectric capping process for electromigration enhancement in Cu interconnects

Co films with various thicknesses were selectively deposited as Cu capping layers by a chemical vapor deposition technique. Both in-situ and ex-situ Co/SiC(N,H), metal/dielectric, capping processes were evaluated and shown comparable parametrics to the control reference, which contains only SiC(N,H) cap layer. A dependence of Cu electromigration (EM) resistance on the deposited Co thickness was observed from the ex-situ capping process. Without increasing the Co cap thickness, further EM lifetime enhancement was achieved from the in-situ capping process. Selectivity of the Co metal deposition was also confirmed with time-dependent dielectric breakdown test results.
Disinhibitory interventions and voluntary quadriceps activation: a systematic review.

Objective: To determine the effects of various therapeutic interventions on increasing voluntary quadriceps muscle activation. Background: Decreased voluntary quadriceps activation is commonly associated with knee injury. Recently, research has focused on developing specific disinhibitory interventions to improve voluntary quadriceps activation; yet, it remains unknown which interventions are most effective in promoting this improvement. Data Sources: We searched Web of Science from January 1, 1965 through September 27, 2012, using the key words quadriceps activation and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, cryotherapy, focal joint cooling, joint mobilization, joint mobilisation, joint manipulation, manual therapy, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Study Selection: Studies evaluating the effect of disinhibitory interventions on volitional quadriceps activation were used in our review. Standardized effect sizes (Cohen d) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) ...
Use of a Popular Comic Strip Character as a Teaching Tool in Aphasia: The Case for “Grandpa Jim”

This article describes how the use of a popular media character who survived a stroke (Grandpa Jim of the For Better or For Worse comic strip) was incorporated into classroom instruction on aphasia...
Tec kinase associates with c-kit and is tyrosine phosphorylated and activated following stem cell factor binding.

Abstract Stem cell factor (SCF) plays a crucial role in hematopoiesis through its interaction with the receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit. However, the signaling events that are activated by this interaction and involved in the control of growth or differentiation are not completely understood. We demonstrate here that Tec, a cytoplasmic, src-related kinase, physically associates with c-kit through a region that contains a proline-rich motif, amino terminal of the SH3 domain. Following SCF binding, Tec is tyrosine phosphorylated and its in vitro kinase activity is increased. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Tec is not detected in the response to other cytokines controlling hematopoiesis, including colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and interleukin-3 (IL-3). Conversely, the cytoplasmic kinase JAK2 is activated by IL-3 but not by SCF stimulation. The activation of distinct cytoplasmic kinases may account for the synergy seen in the actions of SCF and IL-3 on hematopoietic stem cells.
Visualization of Negative Signaling in B Cells by Quantitative Confocal Microscopy

Numerous biochemical experiments have invoked a model in which B-cell antigen receptor (BCR)-Fc receptor for immunoglobulin (Ig) G (FcgammaRII) coclustering provides a dominant negative signal that blocks B-cell activation. Here, we tested this model using quantitative confocal microscopic techniques applied to ex vivo splenic B cells. We found that FcgammaRII and BCR colocalized with intact anti-Ig and that the SH2 domain-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase (SHIP) was recruited to the same site. Colocalization of BCR and SHIP was inefficient in FcgammaRII-/- but not gamma chain-/- splenic B cells. We also examined the subcellular location of a variety of enzymes and adapter proteins involved in signal transduction. Several proteins (CD19, CD22, SHP-1, and Dok) and a lipid raft marker were co-recruited to the BCR, regardless of the presence or absence of FcgammaRII and SHIP. Other proteins (Btk, Vav, Rac, and F-actin) displayed reduced colocalization with BCR in the presence of FcgammaRII and SHIP. Colocalization of BCR and F-actin required phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinase and was inhibited by SHIP, because the block in BCR/F-actin colocalization was not seen in B cells of SHIP-/- animals. Furthermore, BCR internalization was inhibited with intact anti-Ig stimulation or by expression of a dominant-negative mutant form of Rac. From these results, we propose that SHIP recruitment to BCR/FcgammaRII and the resulting hydrolysis of PtdIns-3,4,5-trisphosphate prevents the appropriate spatial redistribution and activation of enzymes distal to PtdIns 3-kinase, including those that promote Rac activation, actin polymerization, and receptor internalization.
Problems with statins and the marketing of these medications

All statins inhibit hydroxymethylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase but each has a different chemical structure that may have individual advantages. Some pharmaceutical companies have minimized side effects and stated that dose has no relation to incidence. To the contrary, dose is related to side effects with all statins. Myopathy occurs in up to 10.5% of patients taking a high dose. There is an attempt to sell statins that have lost patent protection over-the-counter. However, evidence supports medical supervision as offering greatest patient safety. Concerns were raised about ezetimibe after the initial ENHANCE (efficacy) and SEAS (cancer risk) study but these concerns appear to have been answered. Fenofibrate can be used with a statin but gemfibrozil is contraindicated. Coenzyme Q-10 possibly helps to mitigate the risk of myopathy with a statin but evidence is not universally accepted. JUPITER represented a valid outcomes study but made a claim that rosuvastatin has special value in risk management because of decreased high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein. This actually occurs with any statin, a decrease also enhanced by ezetimibe. Statins have benefited the lives of our patients but, as with any treatment, the physician needs to look critically at all the problems and claims made.
Extracellular superoxide dismutase overexpression can reverse the course of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Hypoxia leads to free radical production, which has a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension (PH). We hypothesized that treatment with extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) could ameliorate the development of PH induced by hypoxia. In vitrostudies using pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells showed that cells transfected with EC-SOD had significantly less accumulation of xanthine oxidase and reactive oxygen species than nontransfected cells after hypoxia exposure for 24 h. To study the prophylactic role of EC-SOD, adult male wild-type (WT) and transgenic (TG) mice, with lung-specific overexpression of human EC-SOD (hEC-SOD), were exposed to fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) 10% for 10 d. After exposure, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricular mass (RV/S + LV), pulmonary vascular wall thickness (PVWT) and pulmonary artery contraction/relaxation were assessed. TG mice were protected against PH compared with WT mice with significantly lower RVSP (23.9 ± 1.24 versus 47.2 ± 3.4), RV/S + LV (0.287 ± 0.015 versus 0.335 ± 0.022) and vascular remodeling, indicated by PVWT (14.324 ± 1.107 versus 18.885 ± 1.529). Functional studies using pulmonary arteries isolated from mice indicated that EC-SOD prevents hypoxia-mediated attenuation of nitric oxide-induced relaxation. Therapeutic potential was assessed by exposing WT mice to FiO2 10% for 10 d. Half of the group was transfected with plasmid containing cDNA encoding human EC-SOD. The remaining animals were transfected with empty vector. Both groups were exposed to FiO2 10% for a further 10 d. Transfected mice had significantly reduced RVSP (18.97 ± 1.12 versus 41.3 ± 1.5), RV/S + LV (0.293 ± 0.012 versus 0.372 ± 0.014) and PVWT (12.51 ± 0.72 versus 18.98 ± 1.24). On the basis of these findings, we concluded that overexpression of EC-SOD prevents the development of PH and ameliorates established PH.
Polarimetric analysis and modeling of multifrequency SAR signatures from Gulf Stream fronts

Using airborne synthetic aperture radar data from the 1990 Gulf Stream Experiment, this paper investigates the polarization and wavelength dependence of radar signatures for narrow fronts with converging flows occurring within the Gulf Stream. The signal-to-background ratios of the cross-polarization backscatter return from a convergent front were found much higher than those of copolarization returns, when the flight path is crossing the front. However, a second convergent front, imaged at 45/spl deg/, showed that the signal-to-background ratios are nearly equal for co- and cross-polarizations. A polarimetric procedure, which has been successfully used to measure terrain slopes and to generate elevation maps, is applied to the convergent front to explain the polarization and imaging geometry dependence of these radar responses. A theoretical modeling of radar modulation using an ocean wave model and a composite-Bragg scattering model, which incorporates the effect of breaking waves, was developed. Calculations with the model agree reasonably well with the radar measurements at various polarizations for three radar frequencies: P-band (68 cm in wavelength), L-band (24 cm), and C-band (5.7 cm).
Cloning and sequencing of a new gro transcript from activated human monocytes: expression in leukocytes and wound tissue.

Abstract Using cDNA cloning, we have identified a new member of the gro/KC inflammatory protein superfamily (gro-beta) produced by activated human monocytes and neutrophils and expressed at sites of inflammation in vivo. The open reading frame encodes a protein with 91% sequence homology to the human gro protein. Interestingly, some of the amino acid substitutions are located at regions where proteolytic cleavage occurs in the gro protein generating biologically active peptides (neutrophil activating peptide III). These changes would likely alter the processing of the gro-beta peptide and suggest that peptides with biological activities different from those produced by gro-alpha are encoded by this transcript.
Economics, Education and Religion: Can Western Theories Be Applied Across Religions?

Some of the recent empirical studies relate economic growth and prosperity with religion. This paper raises the question that if economic systems are based on individualism and selfishness, can they be related with religion? The paper also finds that Secularization Hypothesis of Western Modernity is still valid for Western cultures, Judaism and Christianity but its application is highly unlikely in case of the third monotheist religion Islam.
Prevalence of impaired memory in hospitalized adults and associations with in-hospital sleep loss.

BACKGROUND Effective inpatient teaching requires intact patient memory, but studies suggest hospitalized adults may have memory deficits. Sleep loss among inpatients could contribute to memory impairment. OBJECTIVE To assess memory in older hospitalized adults, and to test the association between sleep quantity, sleep quality, and memory, in order to identify a possible contributor to memory deficits in these patients. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING General medicine and hematology/oncology inpatient wards. PATIENTS Fifty-nine hospitalized adults at least 50 years of age with no diagnosed sleep disorder. MEASUREMENTS Immediate memory and memory after a 24-hour delay were assessed using a word recall and word recognition task from the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test. A vignette-based memory task was piloted as an alternative test more closely resembling discharge instructions. Sleep duration and efficiency overnight in the hospital were measured using actigraphy. RESULTS Mean immediate recall was 3.8 words out of 15 (standard deviation = 2.1). Forty-nine percent of subjects had poor memory, defined as immediate recall score of 3 or lower. Median immediate recognition was 11 words out of 15 (interquartile range [IQR] = 9–13). Median delayed recall score was 1 word, and median delayed recognition was 10 words (IQR = 8–12). In-hospital sleep duration and efficiency were not significantly associated with memory. The medical vignette score was correlated with immediate recall (r = 0.49, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS About half of the inpatients studied had poor memory while in the hospital, signaling that hospitalization might not be an ideal teachable moment. In-hospital sleep was not associated with memory scores. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:439–445. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Theology: A Social System. Models for a Systematic Theology

What happens to systematic theology if it relies in the first instance on methods derived from the sociology of knowledge? This is the question that I will be trying to answer in this study. More specifically, I will be attempting to advance an understanding of theology as a social system and seeking ways it may be related to present-day Western society.
Private Choices, Public Consequences: Magnet School Choice and Segregation by Race and Poverty

Little is known about the influence of school choice programs on race and economic segregation in public schools. Studies of housing segregation suggest that small differences in the preferences of particular race or socioeconomic groups have the potential to produce large-scale patterns of segregation. In this study, I raise three questions regarding the link between individual choice and educational segregation: first, are the school choices of higher status families driven by a desire to avoid schools populated by students they consider to be of lower race or class status? Second, can other school features, such as safety, appearance, and educational quality, explain apparent raceor class-based choices? Third, can families' choices of schools be linked directly with segregation patterns independent of school district policies that may interfere with (or galvanize) the ability of people to exercise their choices? To answer these questions, I analyze magnet school application data from a large city to explore the choices of families for schools that vary in racial and economic composition. Findings show that white families avoid schools with higher percentages of non-white students. The tendency of white families to avoid schools with higher percentages of non-whites cannot be accounted for by other school characteristics such as test scores, safety, or poverty rates. I also find that wealthier families avoid schools with higher poverty rates. The choices of white and wealthier students lead to increased racial and economic segregation in the neighborhood schools that these students leave. Moreover, the link between choice and segregation cannot be explained by school district policies. Findings suggest that laissez faire school choice policies, which allow the unfettered movement of children in and out of schools, may further deteriorate the educational conditions for disadvantaged students left behind in local public schools.
Synthesis and properties of polycyanoethylmethylsiloxane polyurea urethane elastomers: A study of segmental compatibility

A series of polyurea urethane block polymers based on either aminopropyl-terminated polycyanoethylmethylsiloxane (PCEMS) soft segments or soft segment blends of PCEMS and polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO) were synthesized. The hard segments consisted of 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) chain-extended with 1,4-butanediol. The hard segment content varied from 11 to 36%, whereas the PTMO weight fraction in the soft segment blends varied from 0.1 to 0.9. The cyanoethyl side group concentration was also varied during the synthesis of the PCEMS oligomer. The morphology and properties of these polymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical and tensile testing, and small-angle x-ray scattering. These materials exhibited microphase separation of the hard and soft segments; however, attaching polar cyanoethyl side groups along the apolar siloxane chains promoted phase mixing in comparison with polydimethylsiloxane-based polyurethanes. The increased phase mixing is postulated to lead to improved interfacial adhesion and thus can account for the observed improvement in ultimate tensile properties compared with polydimethylsiloxane-based polyurethanes. Both hard segment content and cyanoethyl concentration are important factors governing the morphological and tensile properties of these polymers.
On Cellular Cloud Patterns. Part 1: Mathematical Model

Abstract The relationship of “open” or “closed” cellular cloud patterns to large-scale sinking or rising motion is investigated. In particular, it is shown that the open cell patterns typically found behind cold fronts can be determined by a large-scale sinking motion of a convectively unstable layer. The mathematical model treated is one in which a layer of Boussinesq fluid between two conducting porous boundaries is given a uniform vertical velocity w0. The linear stability problem for small γ=w0/κ, where κ is the thermal diffusivity and d the depth of the layer, is solved for a critical Rayleigh number Rc. The solutions for the flow field for this linear problem are infinitely degenerate. Steady finite-amplitude solutions of the nonlinear Boussinesq equations are obtained by a double expansion of the fields in powers of γ and an amplitude ϵ. The stability of the nonlinear solutions is investigated and it is shown that for a certain range of Prandtl numbers, (i) for γ>0, only hexagonal cells with upward...
FEMEN and Feminism Without Boundaries

FEMEN is a site for transnational debate over the effectiveness of a “Ukrainian form of pop feminism,” as core members describe their activities in a newly released historiography (Ackerman 133). C...
Unilateral Renal Ischemia as a Model of Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Fibrosis in Cats

The objectives of this study were to define the acute and chronic effects of 1-hour unilateral in vivo renal ischemia on renal function and histology in cats. Twenty-one adult purpose-bred research cats were anesthetized, and 1 kidney underwent renal artery and vein occlusion for 1 hour. Serum creatinine and urea concentrations, urine protein:creatinine ratio, urine-specific gravity, glomerular filtration rate, hematocrit, platelet concentration and function, and white blood cell count were measured at baseline and variable time points after ischemia. Renal histopathology was evaluated on days 3, 6, 12, 21, 42, and 70 postischemia; changes in smooth muscle actin and interstitial collagen were examined. Following ischemia, whole animal glomerular filtration rate was significantly reduced (57% of baseline on day 6; P < .05). At the early time points, the ischemic kidneys exhibited severe acute epithelial necrosis accompanied by evidence of regeneration of tubules predominantly within the corticomedullary junction. At later periods, postischemic kidneys had evidence of tubular atrophy and interstitial inflammation with significantly more smooth muscle actin and interstitial collagen staining and interstitial fibrosis when compared with the contralateral control kidneys. This study characterizes the course of ischemic acute kidney injury in cats and demonstrates that ischemic acute kidney injury triggers chronic fibrosis, interstitial inflammation, and tubular atrophy in feline kidneys. These late changes are typical of those observed in cats with naturally occurring chronic kidney disease.
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with childhood febrile seizure

Objectives To evaluate the demographic and clinical manifestations of patients with mesial temporal sclerosis and temporal lobe epilepsy (MTS-TLE) with childhood febrile seizure (FS) and establishing the potential differences as compared to those without FS. We also investigated the surgery outcome in these two groups of patients. Materials and methods In this retrospective study, all patients with a clinical diagnosis of drug-resistant TLE due to mesial temporal sclerosis, who underwent epilepsy surgery at Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, were recruited. Patients were prospectively registered in a database from 1986 through 2014. Postsurgical outcome was classified into two groups; seizure-free or relapsed. Clinical manifestations and outcome were compared between patients with MTS-TLE with FS and those without FS. Results Two hundred and sixty-two patients were eligible for this study. One hundred and seventy patients (64.9%) did not have FS in their childhood, while 92 patients (35.1%) reported experiencing FS in their childhood. Demographic and clinical characteristics of these two groups of patients were not different. Postoperative seizure outcome was not statistically different between these two groups of patients (P = 0.19). Conclusions When MTS is the pathological substrate of TLE, clinical manifestations and response to surgical treatment of patients are very similar in patients with history of febrile seizure in their childhood compared to those without such an experience. In other words, when the subgroup of patients with MTS-TLE and drug-resistant seizures is examined history of childhood febrile seizure loses its value as a distinguishing factor in characteristics or predictive factor for surgery outcome.
The Questionable Use of Contract, Instead of Status, to Explain Customary International Law

Customary international law (“CIL”) forms the foundation of international law. Yet, there is considerable disagreement as to its formation and content, and it has been described as an incoherent mess. Many of the attempts to explain CIL are based on analogies to the law of Contracts, with states likened to parties entering into express or implied contracts. This approach asserts that CIL is the result of the exercise of sovereign state autonomy, free will and consent. The analytical framework of CIL has been structured as an “either or” choice between a state of nature versus contract-based ordering. I contend that this is a false, binary choice, and propose an alternative. Instead of looking to contracts, I suggest that the analysis should look to the basis of social ordering before Contract: Status. My analysis draws upon Henry Maine’s famous observation that “the movement of the progressive societies has hitherto been a movement from Status to Contract.” By this, he meant that many pre-modern societies were organized and governed under principles of status relationships. Several influential commentators have described international law as a primitive system. As such, CIL should be analyzed through a theoretical model that is applicable to such systems , a model based on Status. To develop this thesis, this paper (among other things) discusses the role of power in international law, draws upon the work of legal anthropologists, and examines the ethnocentric biases underlying the use of Contract and the neglect of Status to explain CIL.
Non-neoplastic gliotic cerebellar cysts: clinical and computed tomographic correlations.

The clinical and CT findings in 3 patients with non-neoplastic gliotic cerebellar cyst are described. CT does not permit accurate preoperative differentiation of these lesions from neoplastic disorders.
Analysis on surveillance of measles in Dalian City in 2010

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of measles and operation status of surveillance system in Dalian city in 2010,so as to guide the measles elimination in the future. [Methods]ELISA was applied to examine the measles antibody(M-IgM) and rubella antibody(R-IgM) in serum samples of suspected measles cases in Dalian city in 2010,and the measles data from Dalian notifiable diseases reporting system and measles surveillance system were analyzed by descriptive epidemiology method. [Results]In 2010,17 measles cases were reported by Dalian notifiable diseases reporting system,the reported incidence rate was 0.28/lakh,which was decreased by 26.32% as compared with that in 2009(0.38/lakh).All cases were sporadic,the incidence rate in rural-urban continuum was high,there was obvious peak season,and most of patients were children under 1 year old and adults over 20 years old.Among 31 suspected measles cases which were reported by measles surveillance system,20 cases were confirmed(19 were confirmed by laboratory diagnosis and 1 was confirmed by clinical diagnosis),2 cases were diagnosed as rubella by laboratory test,and 9 cases were denied.The measles surveillance system worked well. [Conclusion]On the basis of timeliness rate of first dose of measles immunization coverage,the supplementary immunization should be carried out among preschool children regularly,and it is suggested that measles vaccination should be implemented among reproductive women.It is necessary to carry out the surveillance and etiological diagnosis for rash diseases.
Design of control system of sewage treatment based on PLC and Profibus

The paper describes the overall structure of the sewage treatment control system and the underlying network structure of the control system.The control system runs well,sewage treatment effect reaches national standards,which reduce the power consumption of the main equipment in this factory,while reducing the labor intensity of the staff.
Networking Choices: How Hotel Managers can Boost their Learning from Networking

The goal of the present study was to ascertain what was important for hotel managers to experience high levels of learning from networking. That is, whether it was the depth, variety, or type of network. One hundred and sixty one hotel managers in Jamaica were surveyed. The data Generated Were subjected to regression and independent t-test analyses. The study found network variety to be a significant predictor the hotel managers’ use of knowledge from networking to solve problems and innovate at work, not the frequency with which they networked. However, relatedness of such network was important. Therefore, for hotel managers to experience improved levels of learning from networking they should connect more with individuals in the area of hospitality business both within and outside their companies. Hence they should focus focus to a lesser extent on creating networks with individuals outside the area of hospitality business. The study could have implications on how networking is perceived and treated in the lodging sector. In particular, it could result in more effective learning from networking across all levels of managers in the lodging sector.
The contribution of atrial contraction to right heart function before and after right ventriculotomy. Experimental and clinical observations.

Effective atrial contraction was abolished by simultaneous atrial and ventricular (A-V) pacing in an acute canine preparation. At constant cardiac output, aortic pressure, and heart rate, only a small rise (1.4 mm. Hg) in mean right atrial pressure was observed before vertical right ventriculotomy, but a larger rise (9.5 mm. Hg) occurred after ventriculotomy (p
Exploring reaction pathways in the hydrothermal growth of phase-pure bismuth ferrites

Abstract Phase-pure bismuth ferrites (BiFeO3 and Bi2Fe4O9) are grown using hydrothermal synthesis. In addition to varying the KOH, bismuth, and iron salt concentrations to tune which crystalline phases are formed, we identified that a 48 h, pre-furnace, room temperature reaction is critical for the formation of phase-pure BiFeO3. To understand the reaction pathways leading to the different bismuth ferrite phases, we investigate the changes in composition of the intermediate products as a function of reagent concentrations and room temperature reaction times. During the syntheses that included a room temperature reaction, Bi25FeO40 is formed in the intermediate products, and BiFeO3 is the majority phase of the final products. The BiFeO3 crystals grown using this method are clusters of faceted subunits. These results indicate that forming Bi25FeO40 is a productive route to the formation of BiFeO3. Bi2Fe4O9 is formed via an alternate reaction pathway that proceeded via an amorphous precursor. This improved understanding of how hydrothermal synthesis can be used to control the phase-purity and morphology of bismuth ferrites opens doors to explore the multiferroic properties of BiFeO3 with complex morphologies.
Coda: “Images of Voice” and the Art of the Sublime

Through a reading relating Whitman’s “As I Ebb’d with the Ocean of Life,” Shelley’s poem “The Triumph of Life,” and a passage of Woolf’s Between the Acts, O’Hara crystalizes his view of revisionism, suggesting that through Harold Bloom’s notion of the “image of voice,” specifically his articulation of it in The Daemon Knows, each author condenses the voices of the past into the impalpable ground for their own expression of vision, which becomes available for critical gaze of the future.
Abstract A078: Cutaneous microbiota in development of endogenous anti-melanocyte immunity

Despite major advances in immunotherapeutic approaches designed to bolster endogenous immune responses against tumors, metastatic melanoma remains associated with high mortality and rapid progression. Development of novel approaches toward enhancing endogenous immune responses against melanoma constitutes a critical step toward the management of disease. Of note, initiating immune responses against non-mutated melanocyte-specific protein antigens has shown efficacy in augmenting immunotherapies. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by immune-mediated destruction of melanocytes, though the etiology of this disease remains poorly understood. Microbes have been recently found to have a profound effect on immune processes of the skin, including those that are associated with vitiligo progression. Identifying skin-resident microbes that initiate or exacerbate anti-melanocyte immunity, as well as the precise pathways that mediate these processes, may provide a novel framework for the development of immunotherapies to augment anti-tumor immune responses and efficacy of existing therapies. Thus, we have recruited a cohort of individuals with vitiligo and profiled their skin microbiomes at various body sites. We have isolated numerous vitiligo-associated bacteria and have adapted a mouse model of vitiligo in order to understand mechanisms of host-microbiome interaction in this setting. Interrogation of such a relationship between the microbiome and autoimmune destruction of melanocytes in vitiligo may lead to the identification of novel targets and pathways by which to augment melanoma immunotherapies. Citation Format: Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, Jacquice Davis, Rasnik Singh, Kristina Lee, Zhiya Yu, Nicholas Restifo, Maria Wei, Yasmine Belkaid. Cutaneous microbiota in development of endogenous anti-melanocyte immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A078.
Cediranib (AZD2171) in docetaxel-resistant, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)

5141 Background: There is no standard therapy for prostate cancer patients who have progressed following docetaxel therapy. VEGF is implicated in tumor blood vessel formation and in disease progres...
Solvated-electron initiated rapid polymerization at ambient-temperature: a case of monomer solubility

Solvated electrons are highly reactive species that offer a chance to develop odd-numbered electron chemistry in the form of a radical (1 electron) or a radical-anion (3 electrons). Although discovered more than half a century ago, their utility is encumbered by misunderstandings in monomer selectivity and inconsistencies in the polymerization mechanism. In this article, disagreements in the literature are re-examined, and through felicitous choice of reaction conditions (room temperature, partial monomer solubility, separation of reaction from undissolved metal), new insights were drawn from the polymerization of styrene and acrylate monomers. We observe that rapid polymerization gives polymers with significantly high molecular weights (Mw > 104 g mol−1, PDI < 2) in less than a minute. We note that negative inductive effects on an olefinic monomer are essential for polymerization, with olefins bearing unsubstituted hydrocarbons (positive inductive effects) failing to polymerize at all. We also demonstrate co-polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate, albeit with a significant bias towards the latter. We infer that the first species formed by electron transfer is a radical anion; however, the survival of the free radicals depends on the rate of de-solvation. Dimerization of the radical anions is promoted by a high local concentration of the initiated monomer. This process is highly dependent on enthalpy–entropy relations during the reaction–desolvation process, which we expound on using solubility and Hammett parameters.
The best models of metabolism

Biochemical systems are among of the oldest application areas of mathematical modeling. Spanning a time period of over one hundred years, the repertoire of options for structuring a model and for formulating reactions has been constantly growing, and yet, it is still unclear whether or to what degree some models are better than others and how the modeler is to choose among them. In fact, the variety of options has become overwhelming and difficult to maneuver for novices and experts alike. This review outlines the metabolic model design process and discusses the numerous choices for modeling frameworks and mathematical representations. It tries to be inclusive, even though it cannot be complete, and introduces the various modeling options in a manner that is as unbiased as that is feasible. However, the review does end with personal recommendations for the choices of default models. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2017, 9:e1391. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1391 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Paolo Volponi’s La macchina mondiale as a cybernetic utopia: The limits of a solely allegorical interpretation:

For Volponi’s characters, the condition of alienation is often determined by the industrial and post-industrial development, to which they oppose a lyrical and irrational language and an unwillingn...
Understanding Oil and Gas Flow Mechanisms in Shale Reservoirs Using SLD–PR Transport Model

More and more attention has been paid to the oil and gas flow mechanisms in shale reservoirs. The solid–fluid interaction becomes significant when the pores are in the nanoscale. The interaction changes the fluid’s physical properties and leads to different flow mechanisms in shale reservoirs from those in conventional reservoirs. By using a Simplified Local Density–Peng Robinson transport model, we consider the density and viscosity profiles, which result from solid–fluid interaction. Gas rarefaction effect is negligible at high pressure, so we assume it is viscous flow. Considering the density- and viscosity-changing effects, we proposed a slit permeability model. The velocity profiles are obtained by this newly established model. This proposed model is validated by matching the density profile and velocity profile from molecular dynamic simulation. Then, the effects of pressure and pore size on gas and oil flow mechanisms are also studied in this work. The results show that both gas and oil exhibit enhanced flow rates in nanopores. Gas-phase flow in nanopores is dominated by the density-changing effect (adsorption), while the oil-phase flow is mainly controlled by the viscosity-changing effect. Both gas and oil permeability quickly decrease to the Darcy permeability when the slit aperture becomes large. The results reported in this work are representative and should significantly help us understand the mechanisms of oil and gas flow in shale reservoirs.
Structural Change of Ni/SiO2 Catalysts During Metha-Nation of CO/H2

Ni/SiO 2 catalysts of different crystallite size show equal activity per unit mass of nickel. Magnetization measurements show that a particular catalyst shows during methanation gradual crystal growth while activity remains constant. Both observations suggest that methanation requires a large ensemble.
Polygenic evolution drives species divergence and climate adaptation in corals

Closely related species often show substantial differences in ecological traits that allow them to occupy different environmental niches. For few of these systems is it clear what the genomic basis of adaptation is and whether a few loci of major effect or many genome-wide differences drive species divergence. Four cryptic species of the tabletop coral Acropora hyacinthus are broadly sympatric in American Samoa; here we show that two common species have differences in key environmental traits such as microhabitat distributions and thermal stress tolerance. We compared gene expression patterns and genetic polymorphism between these two species using RNA-Seq. The vast majority of polymorphisms are shared between species, but the two species show widespread differences in allele frequencies and gene expression, and tend to host different symbiont types. We find that changes in gene expression are related to changes in the frequencies of many gene regulatory variants, but that many of these differences are consistent with the action of genetic drift. However, we observe greater genetic divergence between species in amino acid replacement polymorphisms compared to synonymous variants. These findings suggest that polygenic evolution plays a major role in driving species differences in ecology and resilience to climate change.