cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular beam studies of vibrational energy transfer and vibrational activation in molecule-surface collisions

Abstract We review a number of recent molecular beam experiments which have probed various aspects of the dynamics of gas-surface collisions involving vibrationally excited molecules. In particular we are concerned with the related processes of vibrational excitation and quenching at surfaces, where in the latter case we include reactive quenching in which the vibrational energy serves to promote molecular dissociation. Specifically we considered the vibrational excitation and relaxation of NO, the excitation of NH 3 and the dissociative chemisorption of N 2 and CH 4 and CO 2 .
Sheared Plasma Flow Generation: A New Measure for Stellarator Optimization

Recent stellarator optimization efforts have targeted transport measures such as quasi-symmetry, effective ripple, and alignment of particle guiding center orbits with flux surfaces. This has resulted in significant reductions in neoclassical losses so that, at least for near-term experiments, the neoclassical transport of particles and energy can be made small compared to anomalous transport. However, momentum transport properties within magnetic flux surfaces provide an additional dimension for characterizing optimized stellarators. The momentum and flow damping features of optimized stellarators can vary widely, depending on their magnetic structure, ranging from systems with near-tokamak-like properties where toroidal flows dominate to those in which poloidal flows dominate and toroidal flows are suppressed. A set of tools has been developed for self-consistently evaluating the flow characteristics of different stellarators. Application of this model to existing and planned devices indicates that plasma flow properties vary significantly. Comparisons across devices can aid in unfolding the interplay between anomalous and neoclassical damping effects as well as the impact of momentum transport properties on related plasma phenomena such as turbulence suppression, shielding of resonant magnetic error fields, and impurity transport.
The Influence of Armor Material Parameters on the Penetration by Long-Rod Projectiles

The Alekseevski-Tate equations have long been used to predict the penetration, penetration velocity, rod velocity, and rod erosion of long-rod projectiles or kinetic-energy penetrators [1]. These nonlinear equations were originally solved numerically, then by the exact analytical solution of Walters and Segletes [2, 3]. However, due to the nonlinear nature of the equations, the penetration was obtained implicitly as a function of time, so that an explicit functional dependence of the penetration on material properties was not obtained. Walters and Williams [4, 5, 6] obtained the velocities, length, and penetration as an explicit function of time by employing a perturbation solution of the non-dimensional Alekseevski-Tate equations. Algebraic equations were obtained for a third-order perturbation solution which showed excellent agreement with the exact solution of the Tate equations for tungsten heavy alloy rods penetrating a semi-infinite armor plate. The current paper employs this model to rapidly assess the effect of increasing the impact velocity of the penetrator and increasing the armor material properties (density and target resistance) on penetration. This study is applicable to the design of hardened targets.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Alcohol use disorders among emergency department-treated older adolescents: A new brief screen (RUFT-Cut) using the AUDIT, CAGE, CRAFFT, and RAPS-QF

: Background: Early identification of alcohol use disorders (AUD) among emergency department (ED)-treated patients is important for facilitating intervention and further evaluation outside EDs. A number of brief screening instruments have been developed for identifying patients with AUD, but it is not clear whether they are practical and perform well with older adolescents in an ED setting. This study contrasted four brief screening instruments for detecting DSM-IV–defined AUD and tested a newly developed brief screen for use among ED-treated older adolescents. Methods: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the CAGE, the CRAFFT, and a modified RAPS-QF were given to 93 alcohol-using older adolescents (55% men; aged 18–20 years) in an ED. Receiver operator characteristic analyses were used to evaluate the performance of brief screens against the criterion of a lifetime DSM-IV alcohol abuse or dependence diagnosis. Results: Of existing instruments, the AUDIT had the best overall performance in identifying AUD (sensitivity, 82%; specificity, 78%). A new, shorter screening instrument composed of two AUDIT items, two CRAFFT items, and one CAGE item (RUFT-Cut) performed as well as the AUDIT (sensitivity, 82%; specificity, 78%). Conclusions: Among existing alcohol screening instruments, the AUDIT performed best for identifying ED-treated older adolescents with alcohol use disorders. The RUFT-Cut is a brief screening instrument for AUD that shows promise for identifying ED-treated older adolescents who are in need of intervention or further evaluation. Future research should focus on use of the RUFT-Cut in other settings with larger, more diverse samples of adolescents.
Comparative energetics of the observed and simulated global circulation during the special observing periods of FGGE

Energetics of the observed and simulated global circulation are evaluated in the zonal spectral domain for the special observing periods of FGGE. The study utilizes GLA analyses of FGGE observational data and parallel simulation experiments. There are noticeable differences in energy transformations between the observation and simulation during SOP-1. These include the baroclinic conversion C(n) by the zonal mean motion and short-wave disturbances, and the nonlinear wave-wave interaction L(n) at the long and short waves. The energy transformations of the short-wave disturbances are much more intense in the simulated circulation than in the observation. However, good agreement is noted in the conversion and dissipation of kinetic energy in the large- and cyclone-wave range n = 1-10. Spectral distributions of global energy transformations at the long- and cyclone-wave range indicate that the SOP-2 simulation agrees more closely with the observed fields than the SOP-1 simulation. Other pertinent points of energetics diagnosis are also included in the discussion.
The Demise of African American Baseball Leagues: A Rival League Explanation

Organized African American baseball (AAB), the longest lived rival to Major League Baseball (MLB) in history, thrived from the 1920s through the early 1940s. Although integration in 1947 focused attention on MLB and the American experience, the impact on AAB receives only passing, somewhat wistful notice. From the economic perspective, the unabashed talent raiding by MLB killed AAB a couple of years after integration began. The authors show that AAB did pose an economic threat to MLB. Given this, the theory and history of MLB behavior toward rival leagues would have predicted actions by MLB to end the threat posed by AAB and a better economic outcome for at least some of the AAB owners and players than actually occurred. Although the former occurred, the latter never materialized for AAB. Competitive baseball was lost to countless thousands of fans throughout the South and Midwest, profitable businesses were lost to African American and White AAB team owners, and hundreds of African American players were ...
Reno v. ACLU, and Internet Speech Freedom

This brief article discusses the landmark Internet case, Reno v. ACLU, where the Court struck down provisions in the Communications Decency Act of 1996, banning the Internet transmission of indecent or patently offensive messages to anyone under 18 years of age. One of the factors influencing its decision was the Court’s optimistic view of the Internet and its desire not to sanction any regulations that might diminish the future potential of that medium. The Reno Court viewed the Internet as offering a vast library of information and an easily accessible platform for anyone wishing to publish their views to a worldwide audience.
Useful Fiction or Miracle Maker: The Competing Epistemological Foundations of Rational Choice Theory

Rational choice theorists have not clearly articulated their epistemological positions, and for this reason, their arguments in favor of rational choice theory are inconsistent, contradictory, and unpersuasive. To remedy this problem, I describe how two of the main positions in the philosophy of science, instrumentalist-empiricism and scientific-realism, act as competing epistemological foundations for rational choice theory. I illustrate how these philosophical perspectives help political scientists (1) understand what is at stake in the theoretical debates surrounding the rationality assumption, self-interest, and methodological individualism, (2) identify inconsistencies in the epistemological positions adopted by rational choice theorists, and (3) assess the feasibility and desirability of a universal theory based on the rationality assumption.
Commentary on Community-Based Art Studios: Underlying Principles

When we founded the Open Studio Project in 1995, Dayna Block, Deborah Gadiel, and I agreed to state unequivocally that the work we were doing was not art therapy. This choice stemmed from a respect for the intention of the Ethical Guidelines of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) to protect the recipient of art therapy services from the potential harm that is inherent in any non-equal relationship, for example, by protecting confidentiality and the like. However, our choice was also influenced by my understanding, after over 20 years of clinical practice, of how profoundly “linked to the medical concepts of identifying and treating pathology” (Vick, 2008, p. 4) art therapy practice was at that time. By stepping out of the world of art therapy and its language of “treatment,” “therapy,” and “diagnosis,” we were making an essentially political statement that creativity is more closely aligned to an individual’s health than to any disease process. Additionally, we were stating our willingness to abandon the role of expert by eschewing the role of therapist in favor of the role of artist-in-residence. We viewed the latter role
Expanding the range of convergence of the CORDIC algorithm

The limitations on the numerical values of the functional arguments that are passed to the CORDIC computational units are discussed, with a special emphasis on the binary, fixed-point hardware implementation. Research in the area of expanding the allowed ranges of the input variables for which accurate output values can be obtained is presented. The methods proposed to expand the range of convergence for the CORDIC algorithm do not necessitate any unwidely overhead calculation, thus making this work amenable to a hardware implementation. The number of extra iterations introduced in the modified CORDIC algorithms is significantly less than the number of extra iterations discussed elsewhere. This reduction in the number of extra iterations will lead to a faster hardware implementation. Examples demonstrate the usefulness of the methods in realistic situations. >
Fabric and origin of multiple diamictons within the pre-Illinoian Kennedy Drift east of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta, Canada, and Montana, USA

Pebble fabrics and sedimentological properties indicate a glacigenic origin for multiple, superposed diamictons within the (pre-Illinoian) Kennedy Drift east of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta, Canada, and Montana, USA. Determining the origin of these diamictons is particularly important in light of their antiquity. Eight diamictons on Mokowan Butte, Saint Mary Ridge, and Two Medicine Ridge have reversed magnetic polarity and are correlated with the Matuyama Chron (2.6–0.78 Ma). On Mokowan Butte, two diamictons with normal polarity underlying two reversed diamictons are correlated with the Gauss Chron (3.6–2.6 Ma) or possibly the Reunion or Olduvai events (2.23–2.20 and 1.93–1.76 Ma, respectively). Fabrics were taken from 17 units within the Kennedy Drift on five interfluves. On the basis of comparison of properties of these diamictons with those of modern glacial deposits, eight, including the uppermost one or two units on each interfluve, are probably undeformed lodgment tills. These are typically massive, matrix-supported bouldery sandy loam with strong unimodal fabric orientations, relatively high eigenvalue (S 1 /S 3 ) ratios, and striations on resistant clasts. Some include boulder pavements, bullet-shaped boulders, and weak fissility. Eight other units have weaker fabrics typical of either deformed lodgment tills or glacigenic sediment flows. Because these also include bullet-shaped boulders, stone pavements, and striated clasts, most are probably deformed lodgment tills. A colluvial or mudflow origin for the material is ruled out on the basis of the lateral and vertical extent of the diamictons (at least 300 m wide and 5–10 m thick), wide range of clast lithologies and sizes, and distance from the mountain front (2–10 km), as well as pebble fabrics and sedimentological properties.
Artificial Neural Network Algorithms

Hebbian learning [1, 2] is an early neural network model incorporating the unsupervised learning algorithm.
STATE‐SPECIFIC DETECTION PROBABILITIES AND DISEASE PREVALENCE

Investigations of disease dynamics in wild animal populations often use estimated prevalence or incidence as a measure of true disease frequency. Such indices, almost always based solely on raw counts of infected and uninfected individuals, are often used as the basis for analysis of temporal and spatial dynamics of diseases. Generally, such studies do not account for potential differences in observer detection probabilities of host individuals stratified by biotic and/or abiotic factors. We demonstrate the potential effects of heterogeneity in state-specific detection probabilities on estimated disease prevalence using mark-recapture data from previous work in a House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum system. In this system, detection probabilities of uninfected finches were generally higher than infected individuals. We show that the magnitude and seasonal pattern of variation in estimated prevalence, corrected for differences in detection probabilities, differed markedly from uncorrected (apparent) prevalence. When the detection probability of uninfected individuals is higher than infected individuals (as in our study), apparent prevalence is negatively biased, and vice versa. In situations where state-specific detection probabilities strongly interact over time, we show that the magnitude and pattern of apparent prevalence can change dramatically; in such cases, observed variations in prevalence may be completely spurious artifacts of variation in detection probability, rather than changes in underlying disease dynamics. Accounting for differential detection probabilities in estimates of disease frequency removes a potentially confounding factor in studies seeking to identify biotic and/or abiotic drivers of disease dynamics. Given that detection probabilities of different groups of individuals are likely to change temporally and spatially in most field studies, our results underscore the importance of estimating and incorporating detection probabilities in estimated disease prevalence (specifically), and more generally, any ecological index used to estimate some parameter of interest. While a mark-recapture approach makes it possible to estimate detection probabilities, it is not always practical, especially at large scales. We discuss several alternative approaches and categorize the assumptions under which analysis of uncorrected prevalence may be acceptable.
Positive regulation of connexin32 transcription by hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α

Abstract Connexin32 ( Cx32 ) encodes the predominant gap junction protein expressed by hepatocytes. We investigated the transcriptional control of Cx32 in expressing and nonexpressing rat liver cell lines and hypothesized that a putative hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 (HNF-1) binding site (centered at mp −187) in the liver-active, P1 promoter is essential for transcription of Cx32 . HNF-1α was expressed by Cx32 -expressing rat liver cell lines and bound the promoter at the −187 site, but was not expressed by non- Cx32 -expressing hepatic lines. Stable transfection of non- Cx32 -expressing WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells with HNF-1α stimulated a transfected Cx32 promoter element (mp −244 to −33), binding of HNF-1α to the −187 site, and expression of endogenous Cx32 . Site-directed mutagenesis of this HNF-1 binding site abolished HNF-1α binding and proximal promoter activity. Hepatic Cx32 expression was also significantly decreased in HNF -1α −/− mice. These data indicate that HNF-1α is a positive regulator of Cx32 expression in hepatic cells.
Grip forces during object manipulation: experiment, mathematical model, and validation

When people transport handheld objects, they change the grip force with the object movement. Circular movement patterns were tested within three planes at two different rates (1.0, 1.5 Hz) and two diameters (20, 40 cm). Subjects performed the task reasonably well, matching frequencies and dynamic ranges of accelerations within expectations. A mathematical model was designed to predict the applied normal forces from kinematic data. The model is based on two hypotheses: (a) the grip force changes during movements along complex trajectories can be represented as the sum of effects of two basic commands associated with the parallel and orthogonal manipulation, respectively; (b) different central commands are sent to the thumb and virtual finger (Vf—four fingers combined). The model predicted the actual normal forces with a total variance accounted for of better than 98%. The effects of the two components of acceleration—along the normal axis and the resultant acceleration within the shear plane—on the digit normal forces are additive.
A study of corporate diversification and restructuring activities in the 1980s and 1990s using multiple measures

Using popular/common measures of diversification employed by industrial organization scholars (Jacquemin-Berry entropy measure) and strategy scholars (size of the primary business segment), this study examines the corporate diversification and restructuring activities of American firms (sample from the Fortune 250 list) in the 1980s and 1990s. There is empirical support for the widespread notion that in the 1980s and 1990s, firms underwent major restructuring efforts by divesting unrelated (unprofitable) businesses and strengthening their core business units and related segments. Additionally, the results illustrate the consistencies and discrepancies between the above measures.
Multispectral fractal random Cantor superlattices for the near-infrared

A novel nature-inspired technique is used to synthesize fractal random superlattices with custom multispectral filter properties. Fractal random Cantor bars are utilized in the design to reduce the number of parameters required for optimization. A fractal random superlattice is optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA) to exhibit dual pass-bands in the near-infrared regime.
PBL stratiform cloud inhomogeneities thermally induced by the orography: A parameterization for climate models

Abstract This paper proposes a parameterization for use in climate models of the orographic variance and associated thermal circulation's impact on the macroscopic behavior of planetary boundary layer (PBL) stratiform clouds. Orographically induced inhomogeneities in the PBL cloud field can significantly alter the area-averaged cloud-radiative properties and consequently the PBL evolution. Current climate models do not include this effect. The design of the parameterization is based on a systematic set of experiments in which a cloud system resolving model (CSRM) explicitly simulates the diurnally varying interactions between PBL clouds and the orography for a variety of configurations. Analyses of the results suggest that the orographic effect on PBL clouds is parameterizable to a large extent due to a quasi equilibrium between cloud-radiative, turbulent, and mesoscale processes. Parameterizability holds in the range of parameters for which stratiform clouds play a dominant role in the PBL dynamics (clou...
Relationship of intraabdominal fat as measured by magnetic resonance imaging to postprandial lipemia in middle-aged subjects.

Adipose distribution has been associated with coronary artery disease and its risk factors. We previously de- scribed an association between postpnandial triglyceride response (pptg response) to a standard high-fat meal and extracranial ca- notid atherosclerosis. This study was designed to evaluate the association between intnaabdominal fat and pptg response. Twenty-nine subjects were recalled for determination of intraab- dominal fat by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fat was quantified according to an inversion recovery protocol previously validated and the cross-sectional area of intraabdominal fat at the umbilicus was analyzed as an independent variable. We observed a strong independent correlation between intraabdominal fat and pptg response to a fatty meal (r = 0.521, P < 0.05). Baseline triglyceride was also independently correlated with postpnandial triglycerides (r = 0.631, P < 0.05). In univariate analysis, in- traabdominal fat was correlated with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and dietary saturated fatty ac- ids. The association with age and BMI persisted in multivariate analyses. Am J Clin Nutr l994;60:586-9l.
Zoo: a desktop experiment management environment

Over the last decade, a dramatic increase has been observed in the ability of individual experimental scientists to generate and store data, which has not been matched by an equivalent development of adequate data management tools. In this paper, we present the results of our efforts to develop a Desktop Experiment Management Environment that many experimental scientists would like to have on their desk. The environment is called ZOO and is developed in collaboration with domain scientists from Soil Sciences and Biochemistry. We first describe the overall architecture of ZOO, and then focus on key features of its various components. We specifically emphasize aspects of the object-oriented database server that is at the core of the system, the experimentation manager that initiates the execution of experiments as a result of scientists’ requests, and the mechanisms that the modules of the system use to communicate between them. Finally, we briefly discuss our experiences with the use of the current ZOO prototype in the context of plant-growth simulation experiments and NMR spectroscopy experiments.
$$\text {FI}_{\mathcal {W}}$$ FI W -modules and constraints on classical Weyl group characters

In this paper we study the characters of sequences of representations of any of the three families of classical Weyl groups $$\mathcal {W}_n$$ : the symmetric groups, the signed permutation groups (hyperoctahedral groups), or the even-signed permutation groups. Our results extend work of Church et al. (Duke Math J, 2012. arXiv:1204.4533 ; Geom Topol 18(5):2951–2984, 2014) on the symmetric groups. We use the concept of an $$\text {FI}_{\mathcal {W}}$$ -module, an algebraic object that encodes the data of a sequence of $$\mathcal {W}_n$$ -representations with maps between them, defined in the author’s recent work (J Algebra 420:269–332, 2014). We show that if a sequence $$\{V_n\}$$ of $$\mathcal {W}_n$$ -representations has the structure of a finitely generated $$\text {FI}_{\mathcal {W}}$$ -module, then there are substantial constraints on the growth of the sequence and the structure of the characters: for $$n$$ large, the dimension of $$V_n$$ is equal to a polynomial in $$n$$ , and the characters of $$V_n$$ are given by a character polynomial in signed-cycle-counting class functions, independent of $$n$$ . We determine bounds the degrees of these polynomials. We continue to develop the theory of $$\text {FI}_{\mathcal {W}}$$ -modules, and we apply this theory to obtain new results about a number of sequences associated to the classical Weyl groups: the cohomology of complements of classical Coxeter hyperplane arrangements, and the cohomology of the pure string motion groups (the groups of symmetric automorphisms of the free group).
The Impact Analysis Model for Web Service Evolution

Web Service is always subject to change. As more enterprises choose to migrate to Service-oriented Architecture (SOA), the Web services and their stakeholders are facing a more distributed and dynamic environment. The evolution ofWeb services consumer requirements and the competitive pressures encourage web service providers to always make efforts to improve and update services by publishing continuously new versions. In this context, each participant in SOA will be involved in the issue of the Web Service evolution. Before reacting to this evolution, an impact analysis must be done to estimate the sideeffect caused by the changes that occur during the evolution. In this paper, we propose an impact analysis model based on the change-centric Web Service evolution model and dependency impact analysis model. It can be used for estimating the impact of Web Service evolution for different stakeholders.
Studies on the metabolism of isoniazid in subhuman primates.

SummaryTests for a polymorphism of isoniazid acetylation were performed in rhesus (Macaca mulatto) and cynomolgus (Macaca cynomolgus) monkeys and in mangabeys (Cercocebus fulliginosus) by studying the urinary excretion of isoniazid and its metabolites after intramuscular injection. In general, the patterns of metabolites excreted in urine of these species were qualitatively similar to those found previously in man. However, neither rhesus nor cynomolgus monkeys exhibited a polymorphism for isoniazid acetylation that is characteristic of human populations. Furthermore, rhesus monkeys showed no parallelism in capacities to acetylate isoniazid and sulfamethazine. Other results suggested that mangabeys exhibited a polymorphism for isoniazid acetylation.
Ecology of two reintroduced black bear populations in the central Appalachians

OF DISSERTATION ECOLOGY OF TWO REINTRODUCED BLACK BEAR POPULATIONS IN THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS Reintroduced populations are vulnerable to demographic and environmental stochasticity, deleterious genetic effects, and reduced population fitness, all of which can increase extinction probability. Population viability is principle to determining the status of reintroduced populations and for guiding management decisions. To attempt to reestablish black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the central Appalachians, two reintroductions using small founder groups occurred during the 1990s in the Big South Fork area along the Kentucky-Tennessee border (BSF) and in the Jefferson National Forest along the Kentucky-Virginia border (KVP). My objectives were to estimate demographic and genetic parameters, and to evaluate long-term viability and reintroduction success for the KVP and BSF black bear populations. The KVP grew rapidly to 317–751 bears with a significantly female-biased sex ratio by 2013. Spatially explicit capture-recapture models suggested KVP recolonization may continue to the southwest and northeast along linear mountain ridges. Based on radio-monitoring during 2010–2014, high adult female survival and moderate mean litter sizes were estimated in both populations. All mortality was anthropogenic and males were 4.13 times more likely to die than females. Two-cub litters were most probable in the BSF, whereas the KVP had similar probabilities of twoand three-cub litters. The average annual mortality that occurred during the study period was sustainable and allowed for moderate growth (λKVP = 1.10; λBSF = 1.13). Continued mortality at the higher 2015 rate, however, resulted in probabilities of ≥25% population decline over 10 years of 0.52–0.53 and 0.97–0.98 in the KVP and BSF, respectively. Rapid population growth during the 13–17 years post-reintroduction and the overlapping generations inherent to bears retained genetic diversity. Cumulative findings indicated both reintroductions were successful at establishing viable, self-sustaining populations over the long-term. The anthropogenic mortality rate during 2015, if sustained, could cause precipitous declines in these populations. Reimplementation of annual vital rate monitoring and conservative harvests should be considered. Connectivity may be established between these two reintroduced black bear populations if growth and recolonization continue.
The Population Density and Biomass of Bamboos in the Giant Panda Food Base of Wolong

From Nov.2005 to Dec.2005,investigations were conducted on the growth status,and population and biomass of bamboos cultivated in 2002 by adopting the quality assessment method,the sampling method,and harvest method and non-destructive volume estimation method in Wolong Nature Reserve.The results showed that the growth status of three species of bamboo(F.robusta、Ph.Nidularia、Ph.Mannii) belonged to middling class,accounting for 50%~100%,but that of Ch.Quadrangularis belonged mainly to good class,accounting for about 70%.The clone population density of each bamboo species was 467.76 culm·hm-2(F.robusta)、286.00 culm·hm-2(Ph.Nidularia)、326.00 culm·hm-2(Ph.Mannii)and 21.33 culm·hm-2(Ch.Quadrangularis),respectively.The order of age-class density was as follows: four-yearthree-yeartwo-yearone-year bamboo.The biomass(wet weight) of F.robusta、Ph.Nidularia、Ph.Mannii and Ch.Quadrangularis was 41.99 kg·hm-2、29.40 kg·hm-2、188.06 kg·hm-2 and 16.30 kg·hm-2,respectively,and the distributive patterns of organ biomass were diversified because of different bamboo species.It was of a significant difference that the wet weight of different age-class bamboos,and their order was one-yeartwo-yearthree-yearfour-year bamboo,but the quantities and qualities of new bamboos gradually increased with the prolongation of the cultivated time.The estimation models of each organ biomass in different age-class bamboos were established by SPSS 13.0 software.In each age-class bamboo,the effect of model simulation of annual and two-year bamboos was the best(P0.001),but that of three year and four-year bamboos was rather poor,the management measures of giant pandas' food base construction in Wolong Nature Reserve were recommended according to the analysis of variance(ANOVA) in the correlation of different growth status and bamboo population density and biomass,and the relativities of the population quantities in different age-class bamboos.
Design and Implementation of Composite Error Field Test Device for Portable Current Transformer

The composite errors of the current transformer(TA) directly affect the reliability of the protective actions. Once the TA saturates,the error would be greatly increased to expand the scope of the accident caused by the incorrect action of the relay protection. The TA composite error test has become an important work to improve the safe operation of power system. A portable TA composite error field test device is designed in this paper to accurately measure the composite error of TA. The field test device hardware structure and software flow are provided. The device uses a low-frequency power measurement TA volt-ampere characteristic curve,thereby reducing the power supply voltage and size. It improves sampling frequency to capture the electrical parameters more accurately in the volt-ampere characteristic test. The portable TA composite error field test device carries the reliable,portable characteristics and is suitable for field test.
Auditory Fusion and Holophonic Musical Texture in Xenakis’s Pithoprakta

One of the most important factors, which affect the perception of textures, depends on the fusion of separate components of the musical passage. The possibilities of such fusion occurring are almost certain in some cases. This is due to the way our auditory system is constructed and the way it functions. The main properties, which promote fusion in a music passage, include the high density of attacks and the timbral similarities of the sounds being played. The latter element includes various spectral features of the sounds. In addition the register of the instrumental parts and their dynamic range promotes textural fusion. This paper uses this set of properties to evaluate and quantify one instance in Iannis Xenakis’s Pithoprakta (1955-56) where two or more simultaneous sound streams are easily perceived as forming a coherent whole.
Narrative Gnomonics: The Spectres in the Tales

In Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, as he is about to disappear off stage Rosencrantz says, “Now you see me, now you … ” — the last word, like the character himself, lost in the closing ellipsis. Readers know from Shakespeare’s text that he is now a ghost through death; auditors know from Stoppard’s play that he is a ghost through absence. The pregnant ellipsis is itself a ghost through absence, suspended aloft and rattling its chains, unspoken but nevertheless “heard” by the process of subliminal anticipation, as we instinctively complete the familiar line by resorting to a pre-existing text. The gnomon of Euclid resurfaces thousands of years later in the opening paragraph of “The Sisters”, trailing clouds of meaning after itself, perhaps undreamed of in Euclid’s philosophy, probably only dimply perceptible to the young dilettante of words who is the central intelligence of the story, and variously apprehended by the variety of readers of Dubliners.
Carbonic Anhydrases in Industrial Applications

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) catalyze a fundamental reaction: the reversible hydration and dehydration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and bicarbonate (\( \mathrm{HC}{{\mathrm{O}}_3}^{-} \)), respectively. Current methods for CO2 capture and sequestration are harsh, expensive, and require prohibitively large energy inputs, effectively negating the purpose of removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Due to CA’s activity on CO2 there is increasing interest in using CAs for industrial applications such as carbon sequestration and biofuel production. A lot of work in the last decade has focused on immobilizing CA onto various supports for incorporation into CO2 scrubbing applications or devices. Although the proof of principle has been validated, current CAs being tested do not withstand the harsh industrial conditions. The advent of large-scale genome sequencing projects has resulted in several emerging efforts seeking out novel CAs from a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, micro-, and macro-algae. CAs are also being investigated for their use in medical applications, such drug delivery systems and artificial lungs. This review also looks at possible downstream uses of captured and sequestered CO2, from using it to enhance oil recovery to incorporating it into useful and financially viable products.
Development of subgrade Mr constitutive models based on physical soil properties

Resilient modulus (Mr) is a measure of the stiffness for geomaterials under cyclic loading. The evaluation of Mr for fine-grained subgrade soils can be challenging due its sensitivity to variation in moisture content and stress state. Additionally, pavement subgrades often exist under unsaturated conditions, which further complicates the evaluation of Mr. For unsaturated soils, matric suction needs to be incorporated into Mr models to accurately capture the stress state of the soil. The importance of accurate Mr evaluation in pavement design has long been recognised; however, laboratory measurement of Mr remains inaccessible to most practitioners due to the specialised equipment and personnel needed to evaluate Mr in the laboratory. This study provides a method to evaluate the Mr value from simple soil physical properties that also account for the effects of moisture variation and stress state without needing to perform laboratory repeated load triaxial (RLT) tests. A laboratory investigation, which inclu...
Is It Better to Perform a Craniotomy for Brain Tumor Resection Awake

A 44-year-old, otherwise healthy, right-handed woman presents to the emergency room after having her first seizure in a restaurant. A computed tomography (CT) scan of her head revealed a 2-cm by 4-cm mass in her right parietal lobe.
Cops, lies, and videotape: Police reform and the media in Hawaii:

Police accountability is among the most prominent criminal justice issues in America today. Accounts of police misconduct captured by new communication and information technologies have played a ce...
Comparison of Trends and In-Hospital Outcomes of Concurrent Carotid Artery Revascularization and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: The United States Experience 2004 to 2012

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to compare trends and outcomes of 3 approaches to carotid revascularization in the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) population when performed during the same hospitalization. Background The optimal approach to managing coexisting severe carotid and coronary disease remains controversial. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) are used to decrease the risk of stroke in patients with carotid disease undergoing CABG surgery. Methods The authors conducted a serial, cross-sectional study with time trends of 3 revascularization groups during the same hospital admission: 1) combined CEA+CABG; 2) staged CEA+CABG; and 3) staged CAS+CABG from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database 2004 to 2012. The primary composite endpoints were in-hospital all-cause death, stroke, and death/stroke. Results During the 9-year period, 22,501 concurrent carotid revascularizations and CABG surgeries during the same hospitalization were performed. Of these, 15,402 (68.4%) underwent combined CEA+CABG, 6,297 (28.0%) underwent staged CEA+CABG, and 802 (3.6%) underwent staged CAS+CABG. The overall rate of CEA+CABG decreased by 16.1% (ptrend = 0.03) from 2004 to 2012, whereas the rate of CAS+CABG did not significantly change during these years (ptrend = 0.10). The adjusted risk of death was greater, whereas risk of stroke was lower with both combined CEA+CABG (death odds ratio [OR]: 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08 to 3.97; p = 0.03; stroke OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.42 to 1.01; p = 0.06) and staged CEA+CABG (death OR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.43 to 4.05; p = 0.001; stroke OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.80; p = 0.004) approaches compared with CAS+CABG. The adjusted risk of death or stroke was similar in the 3 groups. Conclusions In patients with concomitant carotid and coronary disease undergoing combined revascularization, combined CEA+CABG is utilized most frequently, followed by staged CEA+CABG and staged CAS+CABG strategies. The staged CAS+CABG strategy was associated with lower risk of mortality, but higher risk of stroke. Future studies are needed to examine the risks/benefits of different carotid revascularization strategies for high-risk patients requiring concurrent CABG.
A randomized trial to determine the impact of a 5 moments for patient hand hygiene educational intervention on patient hand hygiene

We conducted a randomized trial of a simple educational intervention encouraging patients to perform hand hygiene at 5 specific moments, including on entry of health care personnel into their room as a reminder of the importance of hand hygiene. The intervention resulted in a significant increase in patient hand hygiene.
The Bioinformatics Program at Washington University's Bernard Becker Medical Library: making it happen.

ABSTRACT The need for a Bioinformatics Program became apparent after repeated requests from researchers for bioinformatics resources and the University's announcement of BioMed 21, a $300 million biomedical science initiative to bring “new knowledge of the human genetic blueprint to the patient's bedside and change how illnesses are understood, diagnosed, and successfully treated.” A Bioinformatics Specialist with a strong background in the fields of Molecular Biology and Biostatistics was hired. Program development started in 2003. Initially, three core courses were developed: Sequence Similarity Search, Genetic Variation, and Human Genome Resources. Each of these courses was offered twice per semester. Additionally, partnerships were established within the University Medical School Community (e.g., the Genome Sequencing Center) to license and teach Spotfire's DecisionSite for Functional Genomics, a software package used to analyze microarray data. From March to May 2005, seven Spotfire classes were taug...
Initial post-buckling behavior of cylindrical shells under external pressure.

Circular cylindrical shells with support subjected to lateral or hydrostatic pressure, using Koiter postbuckling theory
Screening criteria for high-risk gestational diabetic patients

Clinical history, including previous abnormal pregnancy history, birth of a large baby, maternal obesity, and family history of diabetes, is demonstrated to be an insensitive screening factor in the selection of gestational diabetic patients. A screening blood sugar test and the age of the prenatal patient appear as the two most important of the factors studied for the identification of the gestational diabetic patient. A one-hour screening blood sugar test following oral ingestion of 50 Gm. of glucose and a glucose tolerance test on those patients with levels exceeding 130 mg. per 100 ml. of whole blood * are recommended. For the gestational diabetic patient at special risk for a current pregnancy, this procedure should be carried out in all patients 25 years or older.
Urinary Diversion With vs Without Bowel Anastomosis in Patients With an Existing Colostomy: A Multi-institutional Study.

Objective To describe the short-term outcomes with the bowel anastomosis (BA) approach vs the no-bowel anastomosis (NBA) approach in adult patients undergoing urinary diversion. Methods A chart review was performed of adults undergoing urinary diversion from 2006 to 2015. Patients with a pre-existing colostomy were divided into NBA and BA groups. Postoperative complications were recorded per the Clavien-Dindo system. Variables were compared using the BA group as a control. A 2-tailed t test was used to compare means. Results A total of 43 patients were included: 33 in the BA group and 10 in the NBA. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups for the comorbidity index (P = .16), the body mass index (P = .54), or radiation history (P = .90). In the NBA and BA groups, the median blood loss was 250 and 300 mL (P = .11); the operative time was 550 and 480 minutes (P = .15); and the length of stay was 10 and 25 days (P = .38), respectively. The BA group had a higher rate of intraoperative (P = .04) and early (P = .02) overall complications. No significant difference was found in early bowel (P = .15) or ureteral obstruction (P = .08), in the overall stomal complications (P = .11), or in the rate of Conclusion A lower rate of intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in patients undergoing conversion of colostomy to a urinary diversion compared with patients with de novo urinary conduit creation. When possible, a BA should be avoided.
Supplementary cementitious materials to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from concrete: can there be too much of a good thing?

Abstract Among the many possible strategies for reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is reduction of emissions associated with the production of concrete, which is responsible for 8–9% of global anthropognic GHG emissions. Using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in concrete to offset demand for clinker in cement is a commonly proposed method to cut GHG emissions from concrete production. The most commonly used SCMs are industrial byproducts, such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag, but the extent to which these SCMs should be used in individual concrete mixtures is not well examined. This research examines the contribution of fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag to compressive strength, the role of allocation in the assessment of environmental impacts, and the impacts of transportation. Quantitative analyses are developed using environmental impact assessments and comparisons are drawn based on changes in GHG emissions for concrete production. The findings of this research show that these three factors can outweigh benefits associated with use of SCMs: depending on SCM type and use of allocation or changes in transportation, high levels of SCM replacement do not consistently result in lower GHG emissions for the production of concrete per unit strength. Limited supplies of these popular byproduct SCMs amplifies the necessity to efficiently use these materials. Within the limitations of this study, this work shows strategic use of SCMs to cut GHG emissions based on regional availability and based on application should be a priority.
Developments in the “Tractor” Concept

The conventional two-wheel drive tractor can be crudely described as consisting of two large-diameter drive wheels that are rigidly attached to the transmission housing and frame supporting the engine. The implements are attached behind the rear wheels, and for mounted implements the engine acts as a counterweight, enabling the implement to be lifted. The tractor is intended to be versatile. It is used for a range of field activities, for transport, and for chore tasks around the farmstead. The function of the tractor is to provide the power necessary for various field and transport activities.
A content-based image retrieval programming assignments for introductory computer science courses

Introductory computer science courses cover certain content like arrays, loops, sorting, etc. There is evidence that students enjoy working with media (e.g. images, video, sound) and it keeps them interested in the course material [1]. This paper introduces ways in which core content covered in introductory computer science courses is used in Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) systems. We also provide specific programming assignments that are intended to be engaging to the students while requiring them to show their mastery of the course content. This CBIR content and related programming assignments are intended to achieve two goals. One goal is to increase student interest and another goal is to introduce them to an active research area.
Cancer Theranostic Applications of Albumin-Coated Tobacco Mosaic Virus Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology holds great promise in cancer drug delivery, and of particular interest are theranostic approaches in which drug delivery and imaging are integrated. In this work, we studied and developed the plant virus tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as a platform nanotechnology for drug delivery and imaging. Specifically, a serum albumin (SA)-coated TMV formulation was produced. The SA coating fulfils two functions: SA provides a stealth coating for enhanced biocompatibility; it also acts as a targeting ligand enabling efficient tumor accumulation of SA-TMV versus TMV in mouse models of breast and prostate cancer. We demonstrate drug delivery of the chemotherapy doxorubicin (DOX); TMV-delivered DOX outperformed free DOX, resulting in significant delayed tumor growth and increased survival. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability of SA-coated TMV loaded with chelated Gd(DOTA) for magnetic resonance imaging detection of tumors. In the future, we envision the application of such probes as theranostic, where first imaging is performed to assess whether the nanoparticles are effective at targeting a particular patient tumor. If targeting is confirmed, the therapeutic would be added and treatment can begin. The combination of imaging and therapy would allow to monitor disease progression and therefore inform about the effectiveness of the drug delivery approach.