cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermomechanical Cracking in the Vicinity of a Near-Surface Void Due to High-Speed Friction Load

This paper discusses the temperature distribution and the stress state in the vicinity of a near-surface rectangular cavity. They occur when the solid is subjected to the Coulomb frictional loading of an asperity moving at moderately high speed. The finite difference method is employed to calculate both the temperature and stress fields. The energy balance method is applied at the corners of the rectangular cavity to resolve the problem of singularities in the temperature field there. The stress singularity at each corner is represented by a special element that is introduced representing the behavior of the known stress singularity at the corner and its surrounding vicinity. Results show that the thermal stress effect dominates the stress field and eventually leads to failure. When a defect, such as a cavity, exists, the stress state that determines the failure phenomenon is more severe and can be quantified depending on the location of the cavity. These results were determined through a numerical computation based on the material properties of Stellite III. However, the parametric effect of material variations including changes in both thermal and mechanical properties were also considered. The study of the cavity location also established the existence of a critical cavity location. This location is defined by the critical ligament thickness (thickness between the wear surface and the top edge of the cavity), at which the cavity-influenced thermal tensile stress reaches a maximum. This thickness is important to designers when cavities at coating/substrate interface are either unavoidable or are too expensive to control in fabrication.
Thermal properties of lightweight-framed construction components at elevated temperatures

Fire resistance behaviour of lightweight-framed assemblies is determined by defining the thermal and structural performances of the assembly when exposed to fire. To adequately model thermal behaviour in a lightweight wood-framed assembly, thermal properties of the components of the assembly at elevated temperatures must be well defined. This paper presents results of measurements of thermal properties at elevated temperatures of construction materials commonly used to build lightweight wood-framed assemblies that were conducted at the National Research Council of Canada since 1990. The test results, in graphical form, are given as a function of temperature for thermal conductivity, specific heat, mass loss and thermal expansion/contraction for wood, gypsum and insulation. In addition, the effects of temperature on the thermal conductivity, specific heat, mass loss and thermal expansion/contraction of these materials are discussed. Finally, in addition to providing a resource of information, this paper also identifies the additional thermal property tests required to complete the matrix of information.
System-level energy-efficient scheduling for hard real-time embedded systems

In this paper, we present a system level dynamic scheduling algorithm to minimize the energy consumption by the DVS processor and multiple non-DVS peripheral devices in a hard real-time system. We show that the previous work which adopts the critical speed as the lower bound for scaling might not be most energy efficient when the energy overhead of shutting-down/waking-up is not negligible. Moreover, the widely used statically defined break even idle time might not be overall energy efficient due to its independence of job execution situations. In our approach, we first present an approach to enhance the computation of break even idle time dynamically. Then a dynamic scheduling approach is proposed in the management of speed determination and task preemption to reduce the energy consumption of the processor and devices. Compared with existing research, our approach can effectively reduce the system-level energy consumption for both CPU and peripheral devices.
EPIGENOMICS: BEYOND CpG ISLANDS

Epigenomic studies aim to define the location and nature of the genomic sequences that are epigenetically modified. Much progress has been made towards whole-genome epigenetic profiling using molecular techniques, but the analysis of such large and complex data sets is far from trivial given the correlated nature of sequence and functional characteristics within the genome. We describe the statistical solutions that help to overcome the problems with data-set complexity, in anticipation of the imminent wealth of data that will be generated by new genome-wide epigenetic profiling and DNA sequence analysis techniques. So far, epigenomic studies have succeeded in identifying CpG islands, but recent evidence points towards a role for transposable elements in epigenetic regulation, causing the fields of study of epigenetics and transposable element biology to converge.
Cancer of the ampulla of Vater: analysis of the whole genome sequence exposes a potential therapeutic vulnerability

Recent advances in the treatment of cancer have focused on targeting genomicaberrations with selective therapeutic agents. In rare tumors, where large-scaleclinical trials are daunting, this targeted genomic approach offers a newperspective and hope for improved treatments. Cancers of the ampulla of Vater arerare tumors that comprise only about 0.2% of gastrointestinal cancers.Consequently, they are often treated as either distal common bile duct orpancreatic cancers. We analyzed DNA from a resected cancer of the ampulla of Vater and whole blood DNAfrom a 63 year-old man who underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy by whole genomesequencing, achieving 37× and 40× coverage, respectively. We determinedsomatic mutations and structural alterations. We identified relevant aberrations, including deleterious mutations of KRAS and SMAD4 as well as a homozygous focal deletion of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. These findings suggest that these tumors have adistinct oncogenesis from either common bile duct cancer or pancreatic cancer.Furthermore, this combination of genomic aberrations suggests a therapeuticcontext for dual mTOR/PI3K inhibition. Whole genome sequencing can elucidate an oncogenic context and expose potentialtherapeutic vulnerabilities in rare cancers.
Mg2+ Modulates Voltage-Dependent Activation in Ether-à-Go-Go Potassium Channels by Binding between Transmembrane Segments S2 and S3

Extracellular Mg2+ directly modulates voltage-dependent activation in ether-a-go-go (eag) potassium channels, slowing the kinetics of ionic and gating currents (Tang, C.-Y., F. Bezanilla, and D.M. Papazian. 2000. J. Gen. Physiol. 115:319-337). To exert its effect, Mg2+ presumably binds to a site in or near the eag voltage sensor. We have tested the hypothesis that acidic residues unique to eag family members, located in transmembrane segments S2 and S3, contribute to the Mg2+-binding site. Two eag-specific acidic residues and three acidic residues found in the S2 and S3 segments of all voltage-dependent K+ channels were individually mutated in Drosophila eag, mutant channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the effect of Mg2+ on ionic current kinetics was measured using a two electrode voltage clamp. Neutralization of eag-specific residues D278 in S2 and D327 in S3 eliminated Mg2+-sensitivity and mimicked the slowing of activation kinetics caused by Mg2+ binding to the wild-type channel. These results suggest that Mg2+ modulates activation kinetics in wild-type eag by screening the negatively charged side chains of D278 and D327. Therefore, these residues are likely to coordinate the bound ion. In contrast, neutralization of the widely conserved residues D284 in S2 and D319 in S3 preserved the fast kinetics seen in wild-type eag in the absence of Mg2+, indicating that D284 and D319 do not mediate the slowing of activation caused by Mg2+ binding. Mutations at D284 affected the eag gating pathway, shifting the voltage dependence of Mg2+-sensitive, rate limiting transitions in the hyperpolarized direction. Another widely conserved residue, D274 in S2, is not required for Mg2+ sensitivity but is in the vicinity of the binding site. We conclude that Mg2+ binds in a water-filled pocket between S2 and S3 and thereby modulates voltage-dependent gating. The identification of this site constrains the packing of transmembrane segments in the voltage sensor of K+ channels, and suggests a molecular mechanism by which extracellular cations modulate eag activation kinetics.
Naming species, a new paradigm for crisis management in taxonomy: rapid journal validation of scientific names enhanced with more complete descriptions on the internet.

Abstract The process of taxonomic description and validation of names under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Fourth Edition) is central to providing the anchor by which present and future seekers of knowledge attach and subsequently retrieve information about species and their phylogenetic associations. Since Linnaeus (1758), 4,400 ± 363 species of insects have been described per year. If 25 to 30% of all species are beetles, and some 400,000 are estimated to be described to date, even taking the lower end of reasonable estimates at 8 to 10 million species of insects total, we still have more than 2 million beetle species yet to describe. At the current pace of some 3,154 beetle species described per year (1978 to present: BIOSIS, Zoological Record), we could “finish” the job in the year 3056 using the present system. While traditional descriptions published in widely circulated journals has been the mainstay of taxonomy and served the science well, we are entering a phase that might be ...
A TRANSGENE FOR HIGH METHIONINE PROTEIN IS POSTTRANSCRIPTIONALLY REGULATED BY METHIONINE

Summary b-Zein is one of the seed storage proteins of maize that is high in methionine (Met). In alfalfa, the b-zein gene driven by the CaMV 35S promoter showed an 8-fold lower level of transcript and protein when compared with the level in tobacco transformed with the same gene construct. The reporter gene (GUS) driven by the CaMV 35S promoter showed only a 4-fold difference between alfalfa and tobacco, suggesting that the expression of the b-zein gene is posttranscriptionally regulated in alfalfa. Callus of alfalfa transformants with the b-zein gene construct treated with exogenous Met, showed a significant increase in the b-zein level, suggesting that free Met may be limiting in the synthesis of b-zein in alfalfa. The introduction of the Arabidopsis thaliana cystathionine g-synthase (AtCgS) gene driven by the CaMV 35S promoter into alfalfa showed a significant increase in the level of free Met and its metabolite, Smethyl methionine (SMM), but not in the bound fraction. Coexpression of AtCgS and b-zein in alfalfa increased the level of b-zein transcript and protein and decreased free Met, which suggests that the b-zein is posttranscriptionally regulated by free Met. The expression of AtCgS in tobacco did not produce a significant increase in free Met or SMM and coexpression of AtCgS and b-zein did not result in changes in the b-zein level. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the synergistic approach of increasing both the sink and the source for increasing the levels of high Met b-zein.
Long-term evaluation of cardiac function in obese patients treated with a very-low-calorie diet: a controlled clinical study of patients without underlying cardiac disease

Twenty obese women were randomly assigned to consume (for 16 wk) either a 420-kcal/d liquid diet (n=12) or a 1200-kcal/d balanced diet (n=8). Thereafter, patients in both conditions were prescribed a 1200-kcal/d diet for the remainder of treatment (week 45). Six obese nondieters served as control subjects. Ambulatory electrocardiographic (Holter) monitor readings were obtained on all patients at baseline and weeks 3, 9, 13, 17, 19, and 45 of the study and were analyzed for ventricular premature depolarizations (VPDs) per hour, paired forms, and runs of ventricular tachycardia. There were no statistically significant changes in VPDs in any condition during treatment
Human Resource Systems and Helping in Organizations: A Relational Perspective

We propose linkages among human resource (HR) systems, relational climates, and employee helping behavior. We suggest that HR systems promote relational climates varying in terms of the motivation and sustenance of helping behavior, and we expect HR systems to indirectly influence the nature of relationships and the character of helping within organizations. By considering HR systems and their respective relational climates together, researchers can gain a better understanding of expectations and dynamics surrounding helping behavior.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Base Composition and Hybridization Studies on the Human Pathogen Sporothrix schenckii and Ceratocystis Species

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base composition, as measured by guanine plus cytosine (G + C) content, was determined in 17 strains of Sporothrix schenckii and Ceratocystis species. The average G + C content for S. schenckii was 54.7 +/- 0.2 mol%. No strain of Ceratocystis, with the exception of C. minor, gave values for G + C content similar to those obtained for S. schenckii. All DNA samples from strains of S. schenckii cross-hybridized with high percentages of relative binding. DNA samples from C. stenoceras and C. pilifera showed low degrees of homology with S. schenckii DNA. The DNA from C. minor hybridized with 75% binding with that from a strain of S. schenckii, as compared with the homologous reaction.
A Test of the LiftTrainer: An Aggressive Approach for Preventing Back Injuries Through Training

Most jobs in warehousing and distribution require a considerable amount of manual material handling. Many studies have shown that the way an individual lifts and handles objects can have a substantial impact on the resulting spine loads (Buseck, Schipplein, Andersson, & Andriacchi, 1988; de Looze, Toussaint, van Dieen, & Kemper, 1993; Dolan, Mannion, & Adams, 1994; Leskinen, Stalhammar, Kuorinka, & Troup, 1983; Toussaint, van Baar, van Langen, de Looze, & van Dieen, 1992; van Dieen, Hoozemans, & Toussaint, 1999). This suggests that training on manual material handling (lifting) techniques potentially plays a critical role in the prevention of work related low back disorders. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of a new behavior-based approach for training workers on lifting techniques.
Fame and Sacrifice The Gendered Construction of Naxi Identities

Cultural diversity is an issue that confronts most contemporary nation-states, "capitalist" and "socialist" alike. While the debate over the issue of multiculturalism has been played out in public over the past two decades in the United States, the post-Mao leadership of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has been engaged in reshaping the contours of the socialist Chinese state's ongoing project of officially representing itself as a "many-nationalitied country" (duominzu guojia). It is the connection between the nature of the socialist Chinese state and the nature of cultural pluralism within Chinese society that forms the background of this article. A number of excellent recent studies on PRC minorities have addressed how minority identities have been constructed by the Chinese state and in Han popular culture. However, the ways in which various members of specific minorities have responded to these
Characterizations of Nanostructured Films as Responsive Electrode Materials

Nanostructured thin films were assembled as metal-responsive electrode materials from monolayer-capped gold nanoparticles (2 nm) and carboxylic acid functionalized alkyl thiol linkers via an exchange-crosslinking-precipitation reaction pathway. The network assemblies have open frameworks in which void space forms channels or chambers with the nanometer sized cores defining its size and the shell structures defining its chemical specificity. Such nanostructures were investigated as responsive materials for the detection of metal ion fluxes. Cyclic voltammetry, in-situ electrochemical quartz-crystal nanobalance, and surface infrared reflection spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the interfacial redox reactivity and mass fluxes at the nanostructured electrode materials. The system showed remarkable reversible mass loading arising from incorporation of ionic species into the film. The diagnostic stretching bands of the carboxylic and carboxylate groups at the shell allowed the identification and assessment of the interfacial carboxylate-metal ion reactivity.
Design and Operation of a Fluidized Bed Hydrator for Steam Reactivation of Calcium Sorbent

The decreasing CO2 capture capacity of calcium sorbents over multiple reaction cycles poses a significant challenge to the large-scale cyclic carbonation-calcination process. Several approaches, including intermediate hydration, have been suggested to overcome this limitation. Until this study, most hydration studies have been performed at laboratory-scale using thermogravimetric techniques at conditions that may not be feasible for process scale-up. Moreover, data on the design of a steam hydrator suitable for the calcium looping process is not available. For the first time, this study reports the design of a bench-scale high-temperature steam hydrator for calcium sorbent reactivation. The hydrator, consisting of a fluidized-bed reactor with additional internals, was evaluated using cold-flow tests following which several reaction parameters were investigated in the hot unit. The results obtained from these high-temperature steam hydration tests (300–500 °C) are discussed here. Specifically, at an averag...
Advancing the Rule of Law in East Africa: Overcoming Barriers

This paper is a spoken word transcript of a presentation made by the author at Regent Law School’s 3rd Annual Symposium of the Center for Global Justice. The theme of the symposium was “Advancing the Rule of Law in East Africa.” This paper addresses the topic of barriers to advancing the rule of formal law in Uganda. The content of the presentation is based largely on experiences working at at Ugandan law school and seeking to address various legal challenges through the operation of a clinical legal education program at the law school. The presentations was offered as part of a three member panel discussion entitled “Advancing the Rule of Law in East Africa: Overcoming Barriers.”The paper addresses eight barriers: 1) the difficulties caused by the existence and use of variety of indigenous languages in the context of a formal legal system that operates in English; 2) the challenges arising out of a lack of resources to build the capacity of the formal legal system and for citizens to afford to access the formal legal system; 3) the ongoing repercussions of a colonial heritage on the development of a post-colonial legal system; 4) the strains arising out of a deeply pluralistic legal context; 5) the legal challenges related to an underdeveloped common law system that has yet to fill in gaps and legal applications through published legal opinions; 6) the impact on the legitimacy and functioning of the formal legal system caused by the prevalence of corruption and the ubiquity of petty bribery; and 7) the problems that arise from ongoing cultural practices that are not aligned with universal human rights and the formal law.The paper offers a concise and practical introduction to these carried challenges along with ideas and proposals that can address these challenges in ways that build the rule of law within the Ugandan context. The paper provides the reader with insights on cross cultural legal challenges that a Westerner might encounter when seeking to advance the rule of law in Uganda or in a similar majority world context.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well water is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300more » water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.« less
Microbiology of necrotizing fasciitis associated with omphalitis in the newborn infant.

Objective The purpose of this study was to report the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis in newborn infants. Study design Retrospective review was done of the author's 20-year experience. Results Specimens obtained from 11 newborn infants with periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. A total of 38 bacterial isolates was recovered: 21 aerobic and facultative and 17 anaerobic. Aerobic or facultative bacteria only were present in 1 specimen (9%), anaerobes only in 2 (18%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora in 8 (73%). Multiple organisms were recovered from all instances and the number of isolates varied from two to six (average 3.5 isolates per specimen). The predominant isolates were Peptostreptococcus sp. (7 isolates); Bacteroides fragilis group (6); streptococcus group B (4); and Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus group D, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis (3 each). All patients underwent extensive debridement and resection, and they received supportive and antimicrobial therapy. Six (55%) of the patients died. Conclusions These findings illustrate the polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic flora of periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis.
A comparison of ultrasonography versus traditional approach for caudal block in children

Objective To apply ultrasoni(c) technology in positioning and monitoring for pediatric caudal blocks and comparc it with traditional landmark approach and Swoosh test.Methods After obtaining the approval of hospital ethics committee and written parental informed consent,a total of 102 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Ⅰ- Ⅱ pediatric patients aged from 1 month to 8 years and scheduled for urologic or perineal surgery were recruited.Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups:ultrasound group (n =52 ) and control group (n =50 ).The sites of sacral cornu and sacral hiatus were determined by ultrasonic imaging or classic method of anatomical surface landmarks.Patients of two groups were punctured according to the scheduled site.Local anesthetic was injected slowly into caudal space after a successful caudal puncture and the positive reaction in caudal space was monitored simultaneously by ultrasound and classic swoosh test.The observational results and relevant date were recorded.Results In ultrasound and control groups,the number of puncture attempts was 1.10 ± 0.30 vs 1.56 ± 0.63,the duration of puncture ( 1.40 ± 0.39 ) vs ( 3.23 ± 1.23 ) min,the success rate at the first puncture attempt 90.4％ vs 66％ and the total puncture success ratc 100％ vs 92％ respectively.After the injection of local anesthetic,the positive reaction rate of ultrasonography and swoosh test was 97.96％ vs 62.24％ respectively.All of above results in ultrasound group were superior to those in control group or with classic test.And the difference had statistical significance (P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion Ultrasonic positioning and monitoring for pediatric caudal block is both scientific and reasonable.The positioning detected by ultrasonic imaging is accurate and the monitoring results of ultrasound are reliable.It is obviously superior to traditional method and has clinical application values for caudal block in children. Key words: Ultrasonography; Anesthesia; Child ; Caudal block
The Elongated, the Squat and the Spherical: Selective Pressures for Phytoplankton Shape

While it is commonly accepted that the shape of a phytoplankter is not a fortuitous experiment of nature, the selective value of cell shape remains poorly understood. Here, we focus on diffusion as a primary selective force and ask how it might have influenced cell shapes? We describe phytoplankton cells as a series of spheroids and cylinders with varying aspect ratios and use published analytical solutions to examine the flux of solutes to spheroids and cylinders relative to the flux to a sphere with an equal volume. We then compare diffusional fluxes to prolate and oblate spheroids, as well as elongated cylinders and disks, of equal surface area and volume. Results from this analysis show that for the same volume and surface area, prolate spheroids or elongated cylinders experience a higher flux compared to oblate spheroids and disks. A sphere will always experience the lowest flux compared to other spheroids or cylindrical shapes of the same volume, because a sphere has the lowest surface area per unit volume. Based on this analysis, we propose that diffusion has set a selective pressure for rod-shaped cells rather than giving rise to any shape that equally maximizes the surface area to volume ratio. This theoretical prediction is consistent with observations that rod-shaped cells are more prevalent among microphytoplankton compared to disk-like or spherical cells. Other selective forces have likely contributed to shape selection in phytoplankton though their role remains speculative.
Engaging Communities to Assess the Health Effects of Extreme Weather in the Arctic

The environmental effects of climate change are likely having negative impacts on the health of the 13.1 million residents of the circumpolar north. In this chapter, we describe an observational epidemiologic study that collected surveillance data on local environmental changes and associated health outcomes from residents of communities in Northwest, Interior, and Southeast Alaska. To assess the health effects of climate change in Alaska, two rounds of sentinel surveillance data were collected for 12 months, each on unusual weather conditions and the health outcomes associated with those conditions in three ecologically-distinct regions of the state. Qualitative data was also collected utilizing in-depth interviews and community meetings with community residents. We evaluated statistical associations between two exposures; unusual weather conditions and participant changes in travel as a result of unusual weather conditions, with a variety of health outcomes and health outcome mediators. Qualitative responses were analyzed to better understand these associations. We found significant associations between unusual weather conditions and cold-related morbidity and mortality in two rounds of surveillance data collection across the state. The nature and timing of such outcomes were seasonal in nature, and indicated health outcomes from the increasing prevalence of icy conditions in winter, and unusually warm and dry conditions in summer, in northwest and central regions of Alaska. Further, discussions of the surveillance data with local residents provided insights into prospective causal relationships between environmental events and the health outcomes described.
Are Prevention Groups Therapeutic

The therapeutic factors of group therapy are equally relevant and essential to group prevention. Incorporating therapeutic factors, the curative elements used in group therapy, into group process helps to bring about change. For group process to be effective, prevention groups need constructive interaction, a cohesive working environment, and the inclusion of therapeutic factors. This chapter discusses Yalom’s original 11 therapeutic factors, describing how they relate to group-centered prevention. Group-centered prevention programs rely on therapeutic factors to help bring about change. We will discuss each of the 11 factors separately and give an example of their use in group-centered prevention. We will also discuss at what stage of group development each therapeutic factor should be introduced and incorporated into the dynamics and process of the group. The training session for this chapter offers two group case studies and shows how to interweave therapeutic factors into group process.
Sinc Approximation of Solution of Heat Equation with Discontinuous Initial Condition

We solve the one dimensional heat equation with discontinuous initial condition, the discontinuity being atx = 0, using the heat kernel and the Sine collocation method for convolution integrals. In [7], it is shown that the method is converging at an exponential rate. We compare the following formulations: the first one is based on the fact that fort > 0, the solution of the forced heat equation, the forcing term being a smooth function, is infinitely many time differentiable; the other one ignores the smoothing properties of the heat kernel. With the first approach, we apply the Sine collocation algorithm presented in [7] to the double integral for the forcing term ignoring the discontinuity in the initial condition. With the other one, we break the double integral for the forcing term into two integrals, one over (−∞,0) × [0,T] and the other over (0,∞) × [0,T], then we make the change of variable ξ = −η in the integral over (−∞,0) × [0,T] to only compute integrals over (0,∞) × [0,T]. In the first case, the conformal map is the identity; in the other one it is log(sinh(z)). Our numerical results show that for the problem considered here, the first approach is more efficient and more accurate than the second one. The method presented here is easily generalized to the case of finitely many jumps in the initial condition.
Interface modeling to predict well casing damage for big hill strategic petroleum reserve.

Oil leaks were found in well casings of Caverns 105 and 109 at the Big Hill Strategic Petroleum Reserve site. According to the field observations, two instances of casing damage occurred at the depth of the interface between the caprock and top of salt. This damage could be caused by interface movement induced by cavern volume closure due to salt creep. A three dimensional finite element model, which allows each cavern to be configured individually, was constructed to investigate shear and vertical displacements across each interface. The model contains interfaces between each lithology and a shear zone to examine the interface behavior in a realistic manner. This analysis results indicate that the casings of Caverns 105 and 109 failed by shear stress that exceeded shear strength due to the horizontal movement of the top of salt relative to the caprock, and tensile stress due to the downward movement of the top of salt from the caprock, respectively. The casings of Caverns 101, 110, 111 and 114, located at the far ends of the field, are predicted to be failed by shear stress in the near future. The casings of inmost Caverns 107 and 108 are predicted to be failed by tensile stress in the near future.
Situation Taxonomy and Behavioral Diagnosis Using Prospective Self-Monitoring Data: Application to Dietary Adherence in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

The goals of this study were to create a taxonomy of problem situations for diet adherence in persons with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 1 diabetes) and a behavioral diagnosis by grouping patients together who have similar adherence problems. In study one, 29 patients with Type 1 diabetes kept food diaries for 4 weeks. Adherence was assessed using eight behavioral measures: (1) compliance with a meal plan, (2) energy intake, (3) protein, (4) carbohydrates, (5) fat, (6) self-reported overeating, (7) self-reported undereating, and (8) ratings of impulsive eating. The occurrence of each behavior was quantified in a wide range of situational contexts including meal, social context, physical location, and mood. Cluster analysis of behaviors, situations, and behaviors-in-situations was used to create a hierarchical classification model consisting of five major categories of adherence problems: (1) compliance with meal plan, (2) undereating, (3) overeating, (4) impulsive eating, and (5) lifestyle differences. Within each category, situations were associated with everyday eating habits and special circumstances such as social events, and meals in restaurants. Grouping patients based on the similarity of their adherence problems resulted in five diagnostic groups: (1) emotional binge eaters, (2) restrained eaters, (3) unrestrained eaters, (4) undereaters, and (5) cyclical diet bingers. In study two, 28 subjects kept diaries during an intervention program designed to enhance dietary adherence. Study two results were similar to study one. Situation taxonomy and behavioral diagnosis are potentially useful ways to understand the intervention needs of those attempting maintaining dietary behavior changes.
Hidden factors and handling strategies on virtual in-situ sensor calibration in building energy systems: Prior information and cancellation effect

Abstract Sensor errors greatly affect the performance of control, diagnosis, and optimization systems within building energy systems, negatively impacting energy efficiency. Virtual in-situ sensor calibration (VIC), a Bayesian theory based method, can improve building energy performance by calibrating erroneous sensors in working building energy systems on a large scale. Working sensors do not need to be removed nor will reference sensors need to be added, as is done in a conventional calibration. To improve the calibration accuracy, hidden factors and their negative effects on the accuracy of a VIC must be addressed properly. In this study, we define (1) prior information and (2) cancellation effects as the negative effects. The suggested VIC method is applied to a single energy system component and to a LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system, respectively, to discuss the two primary effects (mentioned above). In addition to adding data sets, two strategies—inclusion of local calibration and conducting repetitive prior updates—are proposed to solve the hidden factors’ issue. The case study (1) shows that the proposed local calibration with the prior updates can solve the two negative effects, thus suggesting the high calibration accuracy and (2) demonstrates that the calibrated measurements improve the accuracy of energy performance analysis for a building energy system (up to 17.82%).
Regional Anesthesia and Infection

Infectious complications may occur after any regional anesthetic techniques, but are of greatest concern if the infection occurs around the spinal cord or within the spinal canal. Possible risk factors include underlying sepsis, diabetes, depressed immune status, steroid therapy, localized bacterial colonization or infection, and chronic catheter maintenance. Bacterial infection of the central neural axis may present as meningitis or cord compression secondary to abscess formation. The infectious source for meningitis and epidural abscess may result from distant colonization or localized infection with subsequent hematogenous spread and central nervous system (CNS) invasion. The anesthetist may also transmit microorganisms directly into the CNS by needle/catheter contamination through a break in aseptic technique or passage through a contiguous infection. An indwelling neuraxial catheter, although aseptically sited, may be colonized with skin flora and consequently serve as a source for ascending infection to the epidural or intrathecal space.
Nonlinear Filtering for Singularly Perturbed Systems

The nonlinear filtering problem for singularly perturbed or two time scale problems involves equations of high dimension and with high gains. It is desirable to simplify the filter by exploiting the multiple time scale property and do some sort of averaging of the “fast” dynamics. The problem is rather subtle. But it can be shown under broad conditions that the so-called averaged filter is nearly optimal for large scale separations.
Evaluation of Accredited Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Websites

Abstract Objectives Surgical residents are increasingly pursuing fellowships and rely heavily on fellowship programs' web sites as a primary source of information. Accessibility, quality, and content of a program web site can encourage or deter an applicant from applying to a particular program. The goal of this study was to perform an analysis of trauma, surgical critical care, and acute care surgery fellowship program web sites. Materials and Methods A list of trauma, surgical critical care, and acute care surgery fellowship programs was obtained from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) web site. The existence of a functional hyperlink in the EAST program directory and a systematic Google search was assessed to determine web site accessibility. Twenty-one content criteria were used to evaluate accessible web sites. Results The EAST directory contained 102 fellowship programs. Ninety-one programs had web sites accessible through a Google search. No web site contained all 21 criteria. Only 29 web sites contained at least half of the evaluated content criteria. The most common data point included was program description (97%), while role of seeing patients in clinic (4%) was the least common criteria present. Conclusions Many programs in the EAST directory lack functional links and accessible web sites. Content that has been deemed important to applicants is lacking in varying degrees. Incorporation of this missing content may benefit both applicants and programs, allowing for more informed decision-making when choosing a program, thus promoting better fit of fellows with programs during the application process.
The Self-Esteem Motive: Pathways to Equanimity

As we argued at the outset of this volume, depression results from a breakdown in normal self-regulatory functioning, and as such, can be understood only if we first understand normal self-regulatory functioning. Although we have already explored the mechanisms of normal self-regulation, an important question remains: What are the motives that drive the self-regulatory system? In other words, what is it that people need or want from life—what are the minimal requirements to keep people functioning effectively in the world? If we could answer this question, we would know what sorts of shortcomings or losses are likely to precipitate depression.
Sport Performance Anxiety

The role of anxiety in sport has been a topic of great interest to coaches, athletes, and researchers for many years. The fact that emotional and motivational factors can cause one athlete to “peak” in the crucible of competition while another falters or “chokes” is evident to anyone who has watched or participated in sports. Coaches speak of “Wednesday All-Americans” who cannot perform up their capabilities on Saturday game days because of debilitating effects of anxiety. Conversely, coaches and athletes sometimes express the view that anxiety facilitates performance.
Multiagent reinforcement learning in a distributed sensor network with indirect feedback

Highly accurate sensor measurements are crucial in order for power plants to effectively operate, as well as to predict and subsequently prevent any potentially catastrophic failures. As the cost of sensors decreases while their power increases, distributed sensor networks become a more attractive option for implementation in power plants. In this work, we investi- gate the use of a distributed sensor network to achieve highly accurate measurements. We apply shaped rewards to local components and use a simple learning algorithm at each sen- sor in order to maximize those rewards. Our results show that the measurements from a sensor network trained us- ing shaped rewards are up to two orders of magnitude more accurate than a sensor network trained with a traditional global reward. Further, the algorithm proposed scales well to large networks, and is robust to measurement noise and sensor failures.
Volume-dependent K+ transport in rabbit red blood cells: comparison with oxygenated human SS cells

In this study the volume-dependent or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-stimulated, ouabain-insensitive K+ influx and efflux were measured with the tracer 86Rb+ in rabbit red blood cells. The purpose of the work was to examine the rabbit as a potential model for cell volume regulation in human SS red blood cells and also to investigate the relationship between the NEM-reactive sulfhydryl group(s) and the signal by which cell swelling activates the transport. Ouabain-resistant K+ efflux and influx increase nearly threefold in cells swollen hypotonically by 15%. Pretreatment with 2 mM NEM stimulates efflux 5-fold and influx 10-fold (each measured in an isotonic medium). The ouabain-resistant K+ efflux was dependent on the major anion in the medium. The anion dependence of K+ efflux in swollen or NEM-stimulated cells was as follows: Br- greater than Cl- much greater than NO3- = acetate. The magnitudes of both the swelling- and the NEM-stimulated fluxes are much higher in young cells (density separated but excluding reticulocytes) than in older cells. Swelling- or NEM-stimulated K+ efflux in rabbit red blood cells was inhibited 50% by 1 mM furosemide, and the inhibitory potency of furosemide was enhanced by extracellular K+, as is known to be true for human AA and low-K+ sheep red blood cells. The swelling-stimulated flux in both rabbit and human SS cells has a pH optimum at approximately 7.4. We conclude that rabbit red blood cells are a good model for swelling-stimulated K+ transport in human SS cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Promoting high value care by de-adopting the neutropenic diet.

e18918Background: Patients with cancer-associated neutropenia are commonly prescribed ‘neutropenic diets’ despite multiple randomized controlled trials demonstrating that restrictive ‘neutropenic d...
Outcomes of very high-risk prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy: Validation study from 3 centers.

BACKGROUND Among men with localized high-risk prostate cancer (PCa), patients who meet very high-risk (VHR) criteria have been shown to experience worse outcomes after radical prostatectomy (RP) in a previous study. Variations of VHR criteria have been suggested to be prognostic in other single-center cohorts, but multicenter outcomes validating VHR criteria have not been described. This study was designed to validate VHR criteria for identifying which PCa patients are at greatest risk for cancer progression. METHODS Patients with high-risk PCa undergoing RP (2005-2015) at 3 tertiary centers were pooled. The outcomes of men with VHR PCa were compared with the outcomes of those who did not meet VHR criteria. The high-risk criteria were a clinical stage of T3 to T4, a prostate-specific antigen level > 20 ng/mL, or a biopsy Gleason grade sum of 8 to 10. The VHR criteria were multiple high-risk features, >4 biopsy cores with a Gleason grade sum of 8 to 10, or primary Gleason grade pattern 5. Biochemical recurrence, metastasis (METS), and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) were assessed with competing risks regressions. Overall mortality was assessed with Cox survival models. RESULTS Among 1981 patients with high-risk PCa, men with VHR PCa (n = 602) had adverse pathologic outcomes: 37% versus 25% for positive margins and 37% versus 15% for positive lymph nodes (P < .001 for both comparisons). Patients with VHR PCa also had higher adjusted hazard ratios for METS (2.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08-3.72), CSM (6.77; 95% CI, 2.91-15.7), and overall mortality (2.44; 95% CI, 1.56-3.80; P < .001 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS In a validation study of patients who underwent treatment for high-risk PCa, VHR criteria were strongly associated with adverse pathologic and oncologic outcomes.
Of Blackouts and Bandhs: The Strategy and Structure of Disconnected Protest in India

State governments in India have executed approximately half of the world’s known network shutdowns – large-scale, deliberate disruptions of Internet connectivity, cell phone service, or social media. India is also a hotbed of collective action with widely varying degrees of organization and coordination, which are partially determined by the identities of the primary participants. However, no independent assessment of the effects of such information vacuums on the strategy and structure of collective action exists, for India or any other state. In this study, I expand on a previously formulated theory of disconnective action by examining how structural and strategic characteristics affect collective action responses during a network shutdown in an extreme case via statistical analysis. Shutdowns are found to be much more strongly associated with increases in violent collective action than with non-violent mobilization. However, a breakdown of the structure of individual protest events reveals weak effects for both organized and ‘leaderless’ collective action during a shutdown. On the other hand, the co-occurrence of state violence with a shutdown is found to encourage non-violent action. The findings imply that information blackouts compel participants in collective action in India to substitute non-violent tactics for violent ones that are less reliant on effective communication and coordination. While they may sometimes disrupt structured and non-violent protest, this effect is highly inconsistent. The analysis creates a precedent for other subnational studies of digital repression and adds to the discussion on extreme means of controlling (dis)information flows online.
MODELS OF TISSUE AND ANIMAL METABOLISM

Several stages in the development of a model of metabolism in the intact ruminant are discussed to illustrate the interplay between modelling and experimental research. The types of data used in such models and the advantages of and the continuing nature of modelling analyses when these are incorporated into a research programme are also considered here. Examples drawn from models and example results from several stages of modelling analyses of energy metabolism are presented to illustrate the technique.