cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reactive Sintering and Retrograde Densification of Bulk Bismuth-Based Superconductors

Densification was observed when bulk ceramic superconductors with a composition of Bi{sub 1.8}Pb{sub 0.4}Sr{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 10+{delta}}were sintered for short times (<4 h) near the incongruent melting temperature. The initial shrinkage of the powder compacts was correlated with the existence of a transient liquid phase. Retrograde densification, which is a decrease in density, occurred for longer sintering times and was attributed to changes in pore structure. The results provide direction for future processing of bulk bismuth-based superconductors and powder-in-tube tapes for the fabrication of long-length wire.
Performance Comparisons Between Backpropagation Networks and Classification Trees on Three Real-World Applications

Multi-layer perceptrons and trained classification trees are two very different techniques which have recently become popular. Given enough data and time, both methods are capable of performing arbitrary non-linear classification. We first consider the important differences between multi-layer perceptrons and classification trees and conclude that there is not enough theoretical basis for the clear-cut superiority of one technique over the other. For this reason, we performed a number of empirical tests on three real-world problems in power system load forecasting, power system security prediction, and speaker-independent vowel identification. In all cases, even for piecewise-linear trees, the multi-layer perceptron performed as well as or better than the trained classification trees.
On the convergence of distributed random grouping for average consensus on sensor networks with time-varying graphs

Dynamical connection graph changes are inherent in networks such as peer-to-peer networks, wireless ad hoc networks, and wireless sensor networks. Considering the influence of the frequent graph changes is thus essential for precisely assessing the performance of applications and algorithms on such networks. In this paper, we analyze the performance of an epidemic-like algorithm, DRG (distributed random grouping), for average aggregate computation on a wireless sensor network with dynamical graph changes. Particularly, we derive the convergence criteria and the upper bounds on the running time of the DRG algorithm for a set of graphs that are individually disconnected but jointly connected in time. An effective technique for the computation of a key parameter in the derived bounds is also developed. Numerical results and an application extended from our analytical results to control the graph sequences are presented to exemplify our analysis.
Selection of vascular access devices and nursing care.

Objective: To provide an overview of the patient selection criteria for a vascular access device (VAD) and its maintenance care. Conclusions: The availability of different types of devices has led to confusion on the part of many health care professionals as to which device is the best for their purpose. Selecting the appropriate VAD is an interdisciplinary decision based on patient characteristics, type of therapy, support system availability, and cost. Numerous controversial issues surround the care of VADs, and research results have not yet resolved these practice issues. Although various procedures are used throughout the country, it can be reasonably concluded that the fundamental requirement for successful maintenance of a VAD is strict adherence to established care protocols. Implications for nursing practice: Assessment of the need for a VAD is an ongoing process. Nurses are in a perfect position to assess the factors that precede device selection, including the frequency of access, type of intravenous therapy, and the condition of the patient's peripheral veins. The vast array of devices demands specialized knowledge in selecting the appropriate VAD, providing correct care, and evaluating the device once inserted or implanted.
Application of fault-tree analysis to troubleshooting the NASA GRC icing research tunnel

In 1997, the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland Ohio conducted an extensive troubleshooting effort on its icing research wind tunnel (IRT). This effort utilized fault tree analysis as an analytical troubleshooting tool in order to "attack" a serious nonrepeatability problem with IRT icing cloud parameters. The analysis team investigated many problem areas that were indicated by the fault tree. The fault tree analysis was an important aid in the troubleshooting effort which pulled in organizations needed to investigate the problem and caused a number of simultaneous corrective actions to occur. These actions were critical in restoring the repeatability of the icing cloud parameters even though no single root cause of the problem could be identified. In addition, the analysis team found 9 system level considerations which were brought forward to improve tunnel operations. The possibility of implementing the recommendations was investigated by the IRT staff. We learned that the effectiveness of the analysis was greatly enhanced by a team approach, and by a critical team review of all fault tree sections constructed. Personnel investigated the possibility that certain fault events could exist even when it appeared that the likelihood of an event was small. Intermediate events or potential primary faults were not removed from the fault tree unless sufficient evidence was presented to do so. The IRT management also realized that the fault tree analysis report provided a baseline and history for the investigation of this nonrepeatability problem.
EFFECT OF THE MANUSCRIPT TASK ANALYSIS ON EVALUATING APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS RESEARCH: A TECHNICAL REPORT1

The effects of using the Manuscript Task Analysis, a 207-item checklist for assessing the content, methodology, and style of applied research articles, were evaluated using a multiple-baseline design. Sixteen guest reviewers, each of whom evaluated three anonymous manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, were randomly assigned to three groups. In a multiple-baseline across-subjects design, subject-reviewers in all three groups reviewed one article without the Manuscript Task Analysis during the first phase. In the second phase, subjects in Group I reviewed a second article using the Manuscript Task Analysis; subjects in Groups II and III reviewed again without the instrument. In the third phase, subjects in Groups I and II reviewed with the Manuscript Task Analysis; subjects in Group III completed their third reviews as usual. The order in which the subjects received the manuscripts was counterbalanced within and across groups. The effects of the Manuscript Task Analysis were assessed by collecting the self-report data from subject-reviewers and comparing the quality of reviews written without the task analysis with those written when the instrument was available. Self-report data included an evaluation of the completeness, clarity, helpfulness, conciseness, and practicality of the instrument, as well as the time and effort involved in its use. The quality of the reviews was assessed in terms of the number of critical issues mentioned in each review. In addition, authorities in applied behavior analysis rated the quality of each review along seven critical dimensions. Subject-reviewers reported that the Manuscript Task Analysis clearly would be of valuable assistance as an adjunct to the reviewing process, as well as useful in the preparation of manuscripts and supervision of students. The effect of the instrument on the quality of the reviews was generally positively correlated with improvement in reviews. However, the relation did not hold in all cases. Several methodological ambiguities—subject characteristics, type of manuscript, order in which the manuscripts were received—may have contributed to the lack of complete generality. Future research may address itself to the utility of the instrument in training researchers in applied behavior analysis.
Discovering information behavior in sense making. I: time and timing

This study used the methods of ethnography of commu- work planning process ( WPP ) . In short, the interest was nication to explore the information behavior in sense in discovering how the individuals separately and in conmaking of participants in the annual work planning of a sort made sense of their situation and in making sense unit of a public agency. To capture the dynamic time how they defined, sought, and used information. aspects of the work-planning task, the study continued There are many choices in conducting and reporting over three annual iterations of this work-planning process. The term sense making is used to convey the parti- such a study. Research is a creative process that builds cipants’ characterization of their information behavior. on a foundation of interests, ideas, anomalies, questions, This article explores the sense making that took place and intuitions; takes advantage of opportunities; and from the point of view of time and timing. The analysis works around barriers and constraints. Research is also a revealed broad patterns of repetitive action that structured the work-planning process and limited or focused struggle to balance the necessity for summary and reducfuture action. Data was repeatedly collected early in the tion with the need to communicate enough about methods annual process, requiring subsequent and repeated up- and interpretations to allow readers to judge, while, hopedating and verification. A computer database of project fully, encouraging them to develop their own insights. information focused data collection and processing on The research process itself is framed by the decisions that details that were never used and neglected others that required independent data collection, processing, and researchers make regarding their questions of concern and display. Such findings suggest the role that time plays the methods that support investigation of those questions. in capturing meaning from data that has a time value. The interaction of questions and methods is influenced Understanding of the role of time suggests some possi- by decisions of focus, situation, duration, and tempo. ble approaches for improving information management and the design of information systems. One important research design and analysis issue involves the perspectives that guide research. In studying the role of information in sense making a single perspec
Sociosexuality and relationship commitment among lesbian couples

This study extended previous research on the importance of sociosexual orientation in romantic relationships through the examination of lesbian dyads. One-hundred and forty-four women (72 couples) completed an assessment of sociosexuality and relationship commitment. Using actor–partner interdependence models, it was found that high levels of relationship commitment were reported by participants with low levels of sociosexuality. Further, women with low levels of sociosexuality tended to experience particularly high levels of relationship commitment when their partner was similar to them in terms of SO but were much more likely to report low levels of commitment when they had a partner who possessed high levels of sociosexuality.
High Volume Instrument and Glucose Analysis of Acid Treated, Rinsed, and/or Heated and Autoclaved Cotton Fibers

Cottons contaminated with stickiness from physiological and/or entomological sugars cause multiple processing problems in textile mills. Textile mills request cotton with no stickiness or need meth...
SCHATTSCHNEIDER REVISITED: SENATE VOTING ON THE SMOOT‐HAWLEY TARIFF ACT OF 1930

While scholars have devoted considerable attention to U.S. trade policy in the 1930s, particularly the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, little quantitative research focuses on the factors impinging upon elite decision makers who shaped Smoot-Hawley. We look at 11 votes on the Senate floor related to Smoot-Hawley to examine the impact of a variety of measures of constituency economic interests and member characteristics on elite decision making. Contrary to our expectations, the evidence does not support a pressure group model of policy making. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of political parties in making the Tariff Act of 1930.
Conformational and linkage isomerizations for dihapto-coordinated arenes and aromatic heterocycles: controlling the stereochemistry of ligand transformations

Arenes and aromatic heterocycles have cyclic skeletons made up completely of unsaturated carbons. Through their dihapto coordination to a transition metal, controlled addition reactions can be accomplished with good stereocontrol, relative to the position of the metal. The metal can readily undergo inter- and intrafacial linkage isomerizations in these complexes. By controlling these processes using chiral auxiliaries on the arene, stereogenic metal centers, or solid-state induced control of kinetically unstable stereoisomers (SICKUS), enantio-enriched organic compounds can be realized from this methodology. This work outlines what is known about conformational and linkage isomerizations in dihapto-coordinated aromatic complexes, and demonstrates their relevance to organic synthesis.
Perrault, Buffon and the natural history of animals

In 1733, as part of a programme to publish its early works in a uniform format, the Paris Academy of Sciences reprinted Memoires pour servir a l'histoire naturelle des animaux (Histoire des animaux), last published in 1676, a work of both natural history and mechanistic anatomy. However, unlike the other works in this enterprise, Histoire des animaux was extensively edited and updated. In 1749 Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon published the first volume of Histoire naturelle. Its volumes on quadrupeds, written with Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton, held significant similarities to Histoire des animaux. The relationship between these works has not hitherto been examined. Buffon's early ideas on species, in particular, resemble the emphasis on particulars of Histoire des animaux.
Protein kinase inhibitor therapy in advanced thyroid cancer: ethical challenges and potential solutions

Protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) have emerged as highly promising therapies in progressive metastatic radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and in medullary thyroid cancer; two were recently approved in the USA for use in medullary thyroid cancer (vandetanib, cabozantinib), and another for use in progressive metastatic radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (sorafenib). Although more than 90% of thyroid cancer patients fare well in response to conventional treatment, PKI therapy has the potential to provide benefit. Nonetheless, PKIs produce numerous side effects, may worsen quality of life, may hasten mortality (by 1–2%), require discerning clinical acumen, are not yet proven to improve thyroid cancer survival and are very costly. This raises questions about who should prescribe PKIs, and about whether their use in thyroid cancer is truly beneficent and ethically justified. Restraint should be exercised in their use in thyroid cancer, with potential risks and benefits careful...
Reconsidering Issues in Validity Theory

Lissitz and Samuelsen (2007) propose a new framework for validity theory and terminology, emphasizing a shift in theory and practice toward issues of test content rather than constructs. The author of this article argues that several of Lissitz and Samuelsen’s critiques of validity theory focus on previously considered, but subsequently discarded, validity conceptualizations. In addition, she suggests that Lissitz and Samuelsen’s conceptualization returns to methods shown historically to be problematic for score use and interpretation. In doing so, she highlights developments in validity theory and practice centering on cognitively based examinations of test scores that have contributed to increased understanding of score meaning and stronger validity arguments.
Neurological effects of high-dose idebenone in patients with Friedreich's ataxia: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Summary Background Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a progressive, multisystem, degenerative disorder caused by a reduction in frataxin. Loss of frataxin results in mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage in patients and model systems. Previous studies have indicated that the antioxidant idebenone (5 mg/kg daily) reduces cardiac hypertrophy, but definite improvement in neurological function has not been shown. Methods 48 genetically confirmed FA patients, aged 9–17 years, were enrolled in a 6-month, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The patients received placebo or one of three doses of idebenone (∼5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, and 45 mg/kg), stratified by body weight. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OH2′dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage. Secondary endpoints included changes in the international cooperative ataxia rating scale (ICARS), the FA rating scale (FARS), and a survey of activities of daily living (ADL). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00229632. Findings Idebenone was generally well tolerated with similar numbers of adverse events in each group. One child receiving high-dose idebenone developed neutropenia after 6 months, which resolved after discontinuation of treatment. 8OH2′dG concentrations were not increased, and did not significantly change with idebenone treatment. Whereas an overall analysis did not show a significant difference in ICARS, FARS, or ADL total scores, there were indications of a dose-dependent response in the ICARS score. A second, pre-specified analysis, excluding patients who required wheelchair assistance, showed a significant improvement in ICARS (Bonferroni p=0·03) and suggested a dose-related response in ICARS, FARS, and ADL scores. Interpretation Treatment with higher doses of idebenone was generally well tolerated and associated with improvement in neurological function and ADL in patients with FA. The degree of improvement correlated with the dose of idebenone, suggesting that higher doses may be necessary to have a beneficial effect on neurological function.
Facies Mosaics Across the Persian Gulf and Around Antigua-Stochastic and Deterministic Products of Shallow-Water Sediment Accumulation

ABSTRACT Among broadly different types of sedimentary successions, those that accumulate in nearshore settings are perhaps unique in that a very wide range of rock types recurs with high frequency over relatively short stratigraphic intervals. This vertical lithofacies heterogeneity suggests that deposition of any sedimentary unit at any site was short-lived, that many different sediment types existed within a complex mosaic over the depositional surface, and that this facies montage repeatedly moved across surfaces of accumulation in response to eustatic, sedimentologic, and/or tectonic forcing. Data on numbers and thicknesses of lithofacies units from several dozen such sequences define the size frequency distribution expected if horizons of lithologic change occur randomly within sedimentary successions. Walther's law suggests that the amount of vertical lithologic heterogeneity manifest in a sedimentary sequence should reflect the degree of lateral heterogeneity in sediment composition that existed across depositional surfaces. If so, this repetition should also be manifest in sizes and areal distributions of sediment patches constituting the depositional mosaic. In order to examine size frequency relations of sediment bodies across surfaces of sediment accumulation, we tabulated numbers and areal extents of lithotopes across two rather dissimilar settings, across the Persian Gulf and around the Caribbean island of Antigua. Although compositions and lateral extents of different sediment types exhibit broad lateral variation across interior to margin transects in either area, lithotope abundances and areal extents define frequency distributions that are in excellent agreement with those anticipated for a facies mosaic of elements whose mean linear widths constitute an exponential frequency distribution. These are the size frequency distributions one would expect if mosaic element boundaries occur randomly across regions of sediment accumulation, and suggest that distributions of lithotope areas from Holocene surfaces are directly analogous to lithofacies thickness frequencies from ancient successions. In addition to the fact that both of the size frequency distributions attest to the importance of stochastic processes during sediment deposition, they also afford numerical descriptors of abundances and areal extents of Holocene lithosomes that can then be used as controlling parameters in computational models of sediment accumulation. Importantly, results derived from such simulations are based not on inference of water depth varying in response to change in subsidence, sea level, and rate of sediment accumulation but on statistical attributes intrinsic to modern and ancient marginal marine successions.
Reduced-order modeling of aggregated thermostatic loads with demand response

Demand Response is playing an increasingly important role in smart grid control strategies. Modeling the dynamical behavior of a large population of appliances under demand response is especially important to evaluate the effectiveness of various demand response programs. In this paper an aggregate model is proposed for a class of second-order Thermostatically Controlled Loads (TCLs). The model efficiently includes statistical information of the population, systematically deals with heterogeneity, and accounts for a second-order effect necessary to accurately capture the transient dynamics in the collective response. A good performance of the model however requires a high state dimension which dramatically complicates its formal analysis and controller design. To address this issue, a model reduction approach is developed for the proposed aggre-gate model, which can significantly reduce its complexity with small performance loss. The original and the reduced-order aggregate models are validated against simulations of thousands of detailed building models using GridLAB-D (an open-source distribution simulation software). The results indicate that the reduced-order model can accurately reproduce the steady-state and transient dynamics generated by GridLAB-D simulations with a much reduced complexity.
Probabilistic performance guarantee for real-time tasks with varying computation times

Describes how the scheduling algorithms and schedulability analysis methods developed for periodic tasks can be extended to provide performance guarantees to semi-periodic tasks. Like periodic tasks, the requests in a semi-periodic task are released regularly. However, their computation times vary widely. We focus on systems where the total maximum utilization of the tasks on each processor is larger than one. Hence, according to the existing schedulability conditions for periodic tasks, we cannot guarantee that the semi-periodic tasks are schedulable, even though their total average utilization is very small. We describe two methods of providing probabilistic schedulability guarantees to the semi-periodic tasks. The first method, called probabilistic time-demand analysis, is a modification of the exact schedulability test for periodic tasks. The second method, called the transform-task method, transforms each task into a periodic task followed by a sporadic task. The transform-task method can provide an absolute guarantee to requests with shorter computation times and a probabilistic guarantee to the longer requests.
Review: Biological methylation of less-studied elements

Biological methylation is an enzymatic process in which a methyl group is transferred from one atom to another. For elements having atomic number greater than 11, biological methylation has been most extensively studied for three elements: arsenic, mercury and sulfur. However, many other elements also undergo biological methylation but have received less attention. Recent work on these less-studied elements and new applications of biological methylation to environmental remediation, along with a description of these reactions in terms of bonding models, is the focus of this review. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plant Biology and Social Responsibility.

Our understanding of nearly all aspects of plant genetics, physiology, and development is advancing at a tremendous pace, making this an exciting time in plant biology. Importantly, much of the recent research in this field has been possible because of strong links between science and technology and unprecedented interest in the exploitation of basic research, especially in agriculture. This means that plant biotechnology now stands at a threshold where basic knowledge may be applied to profoundly affect the world in which we live.
A reconsideration of nucleation phenomena in light of recent findings concerning the properties of small clusters, and a brief review of some other particle growth processes

The paper examines mechanisms of nucleation and growth by condensation and coagulation in the light of recent research on properties of small clusters. Homogeneous, hetero-molecular, and heterogeneous nucleation is analyzed, and expressions for the rate of formation of a stable condensed phase and evaluation of the free energy of formation of charged droplets are given. Application of high-pressure mass spectrometry which makes possible a direct determination of intensity spectra for cluster distributions, measurement of the thermodynamic properties of individual ion clusters and determination of cluster entropy and bond energy is discussed. Finally, coagulation of the condensed phase is considered, noting that concentration and mean particle size vary during coagulation, but the shape distribution is time independent, leading to the concept of a self-preserving aerosol size distribution.
Nonlinear adaptive robust observer design for a class of nonlinear systems

To be practical, observers have to function not only in the ideal situation of having a perfect assumed model structure, but also in the presence of some degrees of model uncertainties. The adaptive observer designs in the literature have a major drawback in that they may destabilize in the presence of uncertain nonlinearities, which could occur in real systems. In this paper, based on the recently proposed adaptive robust control (ARC), robust filter structures and controlled parameter adaptation are effectively integrated to deal with some typical model uncertainties in a physical system to improve the state estimation properties of an observer. Theoretically, the proposed adaptive robust observer (ARO) is shown to possess the input-to-state-practically stable (ISpS) property. Practically, explicit on-line monitoring of certain persistence of excitation conditions is used as well to obtain better and robust parameter estimates to further improve the state estimation accuracy in implementation. Experimental results are obtained to verify the effectiveness of the proposed ARO design.
Delivery of Interleukin-15 to B16 Melanoma by Electroporation Leads to Tumor Regression and Long-term Survival

Electroporation (EP) is a method used to physically deliver therapeutic molecules such as plasmid DNA directly to tissues. It has been used safely and successfully in clinical studies and preclinical cancer models to deliver genes to a variety of tissues. In cancer research cytokine therapy is emerging as a promising tool that can be used to boost the host response to tumor antigens. The delivery of cytokines as recombinant proteins can result in toxicity and other adverse effects; however the delivery of cytokine genes using EP has been shown to be safe and effective. Interleukin 15 (IL-15) is a cytokine that promotes the innate as well as the adaptive immune response to cancer cells and bacterial pathogens. In this study we used EP to deliver a human IL-15 plasmid (phIL-15) directly to tumors to examine its anti-cancer effects. B16.F10 melanoma tumors were induced in C57BL/6J mice and phIL-15 was delivered three times over the course of a week. Expression of the transgene, tumor volume, long-term survival and resistance to challenge were monitored in these animals. Delivery of IL-15 plasmid by EP resulted in increased IL-15 expression within the tumor compared to the injection only control. This expression peaked at 12 to 18 hours after the first delivery and was sustained at lower levels after the second and third deliveries. The delivery of the phIL-15 resulted in tumor regression, long-term survival and greater protection against tumor recurrence when cancer cells were reintroduced compared to control plasmid. From these results we can conclude that the delivery of IL-15 plasmid to tumors using EP is a promising avenue to investigate for its anti-tumor effects, however more work needs to be done to increase the stability of the gene once it is delivered and to elucidate the anti-tumor mechanism.
Regulatory B Cell (B10 Cell) Expansion during Listeria Infection Governs Innate and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice

Pathogens use numerous methods to subvert host immune responses, including the modulation of host IL-10 production by diverse cell types. However, the B cell sources of IL-10 and their overall influence on innate and cellular immune responses have not been well characterized during infections. Using Listeria as a model pathogen, infection drove the acute expansion of a small subset of regulatory B cells (B10 cells) that potently suppress inflammation and autoimmunity through the production of IL-10. Unexpectedly, spleen bacteria loads were 92-97% lower in B10 cell-deficient CD19(-/-) mice, in mice depleted of mature B cells, and in mice treated with CD22 mAb to preferentially deplete B10 cells before infection. By contrast, the adoptive transfer of wild-type B10 cells reduced bacterial clearance by 38-fold in CD19(-/-) mice through IL-10-dependent pathways. B10 cell depletion using CD22 mAb significantly enhanced macrophage phagocytosis of Listeria and their production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and NO ex vivo. Accelerated bacteria clearance following B10 cell depletion significantly reduced Ag-specific CD4(+) T cell proliferation and cytokine production, but did not alter CD8(+) T cell responses. B10 cell regulatory function during innate immune responses was nonetheless dependent on cognate interactions with CD4(+) T cells because B10 cells deficient in IL-10, MHC-II, or IL-21R expression did not influence Listeria clearance. Thus, Listeria manipulates immune responses through a strategy of immune evasion that involves the preferential expansion of endogenous B10 cells that regulate the magnitude and duration of both innate and cellular immune responses.
Candice M. Monson and Philippe Shnaider, A Review of Treating PTSD with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies: Interventions That Work

Treating PTSD with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies by Candice M. Monson and Philippe Shnaider is designed to take in a large body of research surrounding cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and postt...
Emergency Treatment of Febrile Status Epilepticus

The FEBSTAT study investigators reviewed the charts of 199 patients with FSE, age 1 month to 6 years, recruited from multiple centers from 2002 to 2010.
Subspine impingement: 2 case reports of a previously unreported cause of instability in total hip arthroplasty

BackgroundInstability is a common cause of revision hip arthroplasty and is frequently due to improper component placement and subsequent component impingement. Impingement of the greater trochante...
A LOCAL PROOF OF THE SWISS ARMY FORMULA OF PALM CALCULUS

The so-called 'Swiss Army formula', derived by Bremaud, seems to be a general purpose relation which includes all known relations of Palm calculus for stationary stochastic systems driven by point processes. The purpose of this article is to present a short, and rather intuitive, proof of the formula. The proof is based on the Ryll-Nardzewski definition of the Palm probability as a Radon-Nikodm derivative, which, in a stationary context, is equivalent to the Mecke definition.
Land Grants to American Railroads: Social Cost or Social Benefit?

Every schoolboy knows that a large fraction of the American public domain was granted to pioneer railroads in the nineteenth century. But was the federal land-grant policy socially beneficial? Professor Mercer provides one imaginative answer based upon an analysis of the economic issues involved and estimates of the private and social rates of return on the investment in the subsidized railroads.
Laser Incorporation of Silicon into GaAs-AlGaAs Heterostructures

Recently, a laser-scanning technique for patterning Si-induced layer disordering of GaAs-AlGaAs heterostructures has been reported. This process, called laserassisted disordering (LAD), has been successfully used to fabricate low threshold buried heterostructure lasers. In this report, the LAD process is studied in detail with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The results are discussed in the context of device fabrication.
A SCHOOL FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF CHILDREN DISCHARGED FROM A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

A school follow-up study of former child psychiatric patients was conducted at a research and training unit of the Michigan State Department of Mental Health. Particular attention was paid to the academic and behavioral adjustment of those former patients who were attending school hi public school settings. It was found that average intellectual performance and organic or severe psychiatric findings were central features of the quality of school adjustment. General behavioral descriptions are given for good and poor academic performance groups, and some suggestion is offered to schools which may have the task of helping children in their adjustment after treatment.
Is Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Ready for Routine Clinical Practice in Gliomas? Results of a Prospective Study Utilizing the MSK-IMPACT Assay

2057 Background: NGS is becoming increasingly available but its relevance in clinical practice has been questioned. In this prospective, IRB-approved study (NCT01775072), we utilized the MSK-IMPACT...
Fear of dental care: are we making any progress?

ABSTRACT Background Dental anxiety has been a well-studied phenomenon since the late 1960s. The purpose of this literature review was to compare self-reported levels of dental anxiety during the past 50 years. Methods The authors reviewed more than 200 articles and examined 19 studies involving more than 10,000 adults to assess any trends in dental anxiety. They investigated mean anxiety scores for college students and general adult samples using four measures of dental anxiety. Comparisons were made across publication year and location of study. Results Analyses of variance suggest stability in dental anxiety scores over time and region within both types of study samples. Regardless of assessment length (single item or multi-item), the authors found no significant trends suggesting an increase or decrease in self-reported anxiety levels. Conclusions These results suggest that despite an increase in general anxiety within the United States during the past 50 years, dental anxiety seems to have remained stable throughout the period. Practice Implications The authors discuss the stable trend of self-reported dental anxiety levels in the context of increasing general anxiety in the United States and the current structure of individual dental practices.
Drug- and Drug Abuse–Associated Hyperbilirubinemia: Experience With Atazanavir

Hyperbilirubinemia is a common finding in individuals with a history of substance abuse. Although this may indicate a serious disorder of liver function, this is not always the case. An understanding of bilirubin formation, metabolism, and transport can provide a helpful approach to dealing with these patients. This is typified by studies of patients treated with the antiretroviral drug atazanavir. Atazanavir has been associated with hyperbilirubinemia in as many as one-third of individuals for whom it has been prescribed, evoking concerns of hepatotoxicity. The studies in this report were designed to determine mechanisms by which this occurs. The data show that this drug inhibits the enzyme UDP-glucuronosyl transferase-1A1, responsible for conjugating bilirubin with glucuronic acid. This conjugation step is required for bilirubin excretion into bile, and when it is inhibited, bilirubin refluxes from the liver into the circulation, causing unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Other parameters of bilirubin formation, binding to albumin in the circulation, uptake into hepatocytes, and intracellular protein binding in hepatocytes were unaffected by atazanavir. The effect of atazanavir on serum bilirubin levels is reversible, consistent with lack of structural damage to the liver.
High-fidelity multi-physics coupling for determination of hydride distribution in Zr-4 cladding

Abstract Hydride production in Zircaloy cladding continues to be one of the main limiting factors for extending the life of nuclear fuel rods in the core. The production of hydrides in the cladding comes as a direct result of corrosion with water during normal operation. Furthermore, the distribution of hydrogen in the cladding depends strongly on the temperature and temperature gradients inside the cladding. In order to accurately predict these temperature gradients, a high-fidelity multi-physics coupling is needed. The Department of Energy (DOE) recognized this need and sponsored a project at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) in cooperation with North Carolina State University (NCSU) under the Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP). The overreaching goal of this project is to couple thermal-hydraulics, neutronics, and fuel performance codes together to predict the distribution of hydrogen and hydrides in the cladding as a function of time and space. This goal is attained through a two-step approach. The first step combines accurate high-fidelity thermal-hydraulic models for heat transfer, reactor physics models for neutron flux, and thermal-mechanics models for fuel performance calculations to acquire detailed temperature and stress distributions in the fuel rod. The second step develops a semi-analytical model and experimentally tests the temperature and/or stress dependent hydrogen pick-up, diffusion, and precipitation in the cladding. This paper aims to show the capabilities of the high-fidelity coupling, their effect on the power and temperature predictions, and subsequent effect on the distribution of hydrogen in the cladding, specifically in the inter-pellet gap region.
Cannabis use in people with Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis: A web-based investigation.

Abstract Objectives Cannabis has been used for medicinal purpose for thousands of years; however the positive and negative effects of cannabis use in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are mostly unknown. Our aim was to assess cannabis use in PD and MS and compare results of self-reported assessments of neurological disability between current cannabis users and non-users. Methods An anonymous web-based survey was hosted on the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society webpages from 15 February to 15 October 2016. The survey collected demographic and cannabis use information, and used standardized questionnaires to assess neurological function, fatigue, balance, and physical activity participation. Analysis of variance and chi-square tests were used for the analysis. Results The survey was viewed 801 times, and 595 participants were in the final data set. Seventy-six percent and 24% of the respondents reported PD and MS respectively. Current users reported high efficacy of cannabis, 6.4 (SD 1.8) on a scale from 0 to 7 and 59% reported reducing prescription medication since beginning cannabis use. Current cannabis users were younger and less likely to be classified as obese ( P P Conclusions Cannabis may have positive impacts on mood, memory, fatigue, and obesity status in people with PD and MS. Further studies using clinically and longitudinally assessed measurements of these domains are needed to establish if these associations are causal and determine the long-term benefits and consequences of cannabis use in people with PD and MS.
Terminology for high-speed sampling-oscilloscope calibration

We discuss procedures for calibrating high-speed sampling oscilloscopes at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the terminology associated with those calibrations. The discussion clarifies not only the calibration procedures, but how to use the calibrations to perform traceable oscilloscope measurements.
Parasex Generates Phenotypic Diversity de Novo and Impacts Drug Resistance and Virulence in Candida albicans

Candida albicans is a diploid fungus that is a frequent cause of mucosal and systemic infections in humans. This species exhibits an unusual parasexual cycle in which mating produces tetraploid cells that undergo a nonmeiotic program of concerted chromosome loss to return to a diploid or aneuploid state. In this work, we used a multipronged approach to examine the capacity of parasex to generate diversity in C. albicans First, we compared the phenotypic properties of 32 genotyped progeny and observed wide-ranging differences in fitness, filamentation, biofilm formation, and virulence. Strikingly, one parasexual isolate displayed increased virulence relative to parental strains using a Galleria mellonella model of infection, establishing that parasex has the potential to enhance pathogenic traits. Next, we examined parasexual progeny derived from homothallic, same-sex mating events, and reveal that parasex can generate diversity de novo from identical parental strains. Finally, we generated pools of parasexual progeny and examined resistance of these pools to environmental stresses. Parasexual progeny were generally less fit than control strains across most test conditions, but showed an increased ability to grow in the presence of the antifungal drug fluconazole (FL). FL-resistant progeny were aneuploid isolates, often being diploid strains trisomic for both Chr3 and Chr6. Passaging of these aneuploid strains frequently led to loss of the supernumerary chromosomes and a concomitant decrease in drug resistance. These experiments establish that parasex generates extensive phenotypic diversity de novo, and that this process has important consequences for both virulence and drug resistance in C. albicans populations.
Similar telomere attrition rates in androgen-treated and untreated patients with dyskeratosis congenita

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome and the prototypic telomere biology disorder (TBD). Leukocyte telomere length (TL) less than the first percentile for age, measured by flow cytometry with in situ hybridization (flow FISH), is diagnostic of DC. Androgens are a therapeutic option for DC/TBD-associated bone marrow failure (BMF). One report has shown an apparent increase in TL in patients while on treatment with the attenuated androgen danazol. The aim of this study was to compare TL over time in 10 androgen-treated and 16 untreated patients with DC. All subjects were enrolled in institutional review board-approved longitudinal cohort studies of inherited BMF. TL in 6-panel leukocyte subsets was measured by flow FISH. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) methodology was used to compare TL changes over time between groups. Unadjusted analyses showed annual median total lymphocyte TL attrition of -62 base pairs/year (bp/y) in androgen-treated patients with DC compared with -76 bp/y in untreated DC patients (P = .71). Longitudinal analysis using a GEE model, adjusted for age at sample collection, showed no statistically significant difference in TL change over time between treated and untreated patients (P = .24). The results were similar for each individual leukocyte subset evaluated. In summary, our data show the expected age-associated longitudinal telomere shortening in patients with DC, irrespective of androgen therapy. Caution is warranted when recommending androgen therapy for non-BMF manifestations of DC or TBDs until the biological mechanisms are better understood.
Chemical Control of Pests and Vectors

Chemical poisons can be used in the control of pests and vectors. The term “poison” is very broad, referring to practically any chemical that can produce sickness or death if its concentration is high enough. Thus even nutrients can become poisons. For example, copper, which is highly toxic to all forms of plant life, is an essential element for plant growth at the trace level [1].
Skin in Osteogenesis Imperfecta

The normal structure of skin consists of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat; these layers protect us from external insults and maintain internal homeostasis. In osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), the normal structure and function of skin are disrupted. Cutaneous manifestations of OI include thinness, translucency, easy bruisability, impaired elasticity and elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS). The pathophysiology of OI involves mutations in genes encoding α-chains of type I collagen, the main component of the dermis. Deficiencies in the quantity and structure of collagen are confirmed by histopathologic studies and lead to various presentations of OI. The wide differential for the dermatologic features of OI includes chronologic aging, photoaging, steroid-induced atrophy and other connective tissue diseases. Management of cutaneous symptoms of OI involves gentle skin care, sun protection, off-label use of topical retinoids and targeted treatments for EPS and hyperhidrosis. Future studies are required to determine the efficacy of dermatologic interventions in OI-associated skin conditions.
Ocean data portals: Performing a new infrastructure for ocean governance

We are currently in what might be termed a “third phase” of ocean enclosures around the world. This phase has involved an unprecedented intensity of map-making that supports an emerging regime of o...
Technological Analysis and Source Provenance of Obsidian Artifacts from a Sun Pyramid Substructure Cache, Teotihuacan, Mexico

The following report provides new data on a Sun Pyramid cache excavated by Rene Millon in 1959, including confirmation that the cache was associated with a substructure. A technological analysis illustrates the anthropomorphic eccentric production sequence, and indicates that the miniature projectile points were produced from debitage from multiple reduction technologies. All obsidian artifacts were attributed to the Otumba source area via energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). In addition to providing data on the production of obsidian implements for ritual deposits, we suggest that the cache may be a representation of scaffold sacrifice.
The intelligent reflex

The seeming distinction between motor and cognitive skills has hinged on the fact that the former are automatic and non-propositional (knowing-how), whereas the latter are slow and deliberative (kn...
A 50-Year-Old Patient Consuming Bezoar Tablets.

A 50-year-old, otherwise healthy Chinese man presented with headache, altered mental status, memory loss, abdominal pain, and nausea. The patient had no significant past medical or family history. The patient admitted to consuming 120 “bezoar tablets” in the last 3 weeks. A comprehensive metabolic panel was unremarkable. A urine heavy metal screen was performed (Table 1). View this table: Table 1. Results from 24-h urine heavy metal screening. 1. What are bezoar tablets? 2. What …