cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Frictionless/Frictional Contact Boundary Conditions in Finite Element Modeling of Mandibular Fractures

Finite element (FE) modeling of the human dentate mandible is the method of choice currently used for simulating structural fracture analyses in the mandibular region. A finite element model of a parasymphyseal fracture with an internal rigid fixation plate‐screw system has been developed to compare the effects of including frictionless/frictional contact boundary conditions at the fracture site. It is common practice to ignore contact boundary conditions in FE modeling of mandibular fractures due to the non‐linearities causing increased computational requirements. The stress distributions and displacements of the mandibular fracture region indicate a significant difference resulting from the introduction of realistic contact boundary conditions. These current findings suggest that even though the modeling of extreme situations, i.e. non‐contact modeling of unhealed fractures, may provide insight to non‐union problems, future mandibular fracture models should include frictional contact boundary conditions. This is in order to capture more realistic behavior of the system to be analyzed.
Dopamine agonist 3-PPP fails to protect against MPTP-induced toxicity.

We investigated the neuroprotective effect of the dopamine agonist, 3-PPP [3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-propylpiperidine] against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity. MPTP (30 mg/kg, i.p., twice, 16 h apart) causes significant dopamine depletion in nucleus caudatus putamen (NCP) by 1 week. 3-PPP had no effect on the monoamine oxidase-B activity (MAO-B) activity in NCP. 3-PPP did not affect dopamine uptake, whereas mazindol significantly blocked the uptake of dopamine dose dependently. MPTP-induced behavioral changes in mice were not reduced by pretreatment with 3-PPP. This dopamine agonist did not prevent dopamine depletion caused by MPTP. MPP+ (20 μM) significantly inhibited the cell proliferation of SH-SY5Y dopaminergic neuronal cells. 3-PPP had no effect on the SH-SY5Y neuronal cell growth in culture and did not block the MPP+-induced cytotoxicity. This study shows that the dopamine agonist 3-PPP failed to protect against MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity.
The chi square periodogram: Its utility for analysis of circadian rhythms

Abstract It is proposed that chi-square statistic be employed in constructing periodograms for the analysis of hourly time series data obtained in studies of circadian rhythmicity. We show that even for relatively short (10 day) time series, the integral-valued chi-square periodogram can distinguish circadian-periodic from random series at a level of significance of about 0·01. In addition, we describe the effects of serial correlation and examine the resolving power of the method for two periodic components in the circadian range. We suggest how the method can be most profitably employed in the analysis of event-recorder data for detection of rhythmicity in the range 14 to 34 h., and for the estimation of period to ±0·2 h.
A shared vision.

One of today's most powerful technologies in biomedical research—the creation of mutant mice by gene targeting in embryonic stem (ES) cells—was finally celebrated in this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine. The history of how ES cells were first discovered and genetically manipulated highlights the importance of collaboration among scientists from different backgrounds with a shared vision.
The impact of integrating Quality and Safety Education for Nurses' safety competency in first-year associate degree nursing students

Abstract The purpose of this pilot project was to integrate Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) safety competency teaching strategies in first-semester associate degree in nursing (ADN) students and evaluate student learning outcomes. A pretest–posttest design measured the students' perception of safety awareness. Results suggest a strong correlation between didactic and clinical instruction of QSEN safety competency teaching strategies to enhance students' awareness of safety, thus fostering quality patient care.
New precision alignment methodology for CMOS wafer bonding

A new precision alignment methodology suitable for distorted CMOS wafer bonding is proposed. Using multiaxis-interferometer and load-cell measurements with in situ fine stage-position adjustment combined with newly designed wafer holders, two wafers are flattened and aligned precisely. The alignment capability is 250 nm or better without any damage to low-k materials, making the methodology suitable for future 3D integration.
Effects of aluminum and magnesium antacids and ranitidine on the absorption of ciprofloxacin

The effect of an antacid (Maalox) and ranitidine administration on the absorption of ciprofloxacin was evaluated in healthy male volunteers who were enrolled in three separate studies. Each study was designed at a three- or four-period crossover and included the administration of 750 mg ciprofloxacin alone as a control treatment. Treatments that were evaluated included the administration of ciprofloxacin 5 to 10 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, and 6 hours after a single 30 ml dose of antacid; the administration of antacid 2 hours after ciprofloxacin was given; and the administration of ciprofloxacin 2 hours after a 200 mg ranitidine tablet. Administration of antacid within 4 hours before ciprofloxacin dose resulted in a significant decrease in ciprofloxacin absorption (p less than 0.05). Percentages of relative bioavailability compared with control values were 15.1%, 23.2%, and 70% for the 5 to 10 minute, 2 hour, and 4 hour antacid pretreatments, respectively. Administration of antacid 6 hours before or 2 hours after the ciprofloxacin dose did not affect absorption. Ranitidine did not alter ciprofloxacin absorption. Antacids that contain magnesium and aluminum salts may reduce the absorption of ciprofloxacin. The extent of this interaction appears to increase as the time between administration of the two drugs decreases. Ranitidine is suggested as an alternative to antacids for patients receiving treatment with ciprofloxacin.
On the biophotonic properties of brittlestar ossicles

Brittlestars (Echinoderms) are a large group of marine invertebrates, from which many species are able to produce bioluminescence. The light is used for ecological functions associated with defense. Hence, the larger and more intense the bioluminescent display the more effective it would be. Here, we report on our study to determine whether ossicles, making the arms of brittlestars, play a role in increasing the luminous display. We compared ossicles from three brittlestar species, two luminous and one not, and found no striking difference between the ossicles, in terms of structure, or calcium and magnesium content.
Induced L/sub 2/-norm control for LPV system with bounded parameter variation rates

A linear, finite-dimensional plant, with state-space parameter dependence, is controlled using a parameter-dependent controller. The parameters whose values are in a compact set, are known in real time. Their rates of variation are bounded and known in real time also. The goal of control is to stabilize the parameter-dependent closed-loop system, and provide disturbance/error attenuation as measured in induced L/sub 2/ norm. The authors' approach uses a parameter-dependent Lyapunov function, and solves the control synthesis problem by reformulating the existence conditions into an semi-infinite dimensional convex optimization. The authors propose finite dimensional approximations to get sufficient conditions for successful controller design.
Glaucoma after cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation in children

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of postoperative glaucoma in children who have cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Setting: Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Methods: The incidence of glaucoma of all etiologies was evaluated in 45 eyes of 37 selected consecutive patients aged 1 to 18 years who had cataract extraction and posterior chamber IOL implantation from 1991 to 1994. Mean follow-up was 23 months (range 6 to 38 months). Nineteen patients had traumatic and 18 had developmental cataract. Exclusion criteria were microcomea smaller than 9.0 mm in diameter, preoperative glaucoma, or poor pupil dilation. The surgical technique comprised a continuous curvilinear anterior capsulorhexis in most cases, extracapsular aspiration by Ocutomes® or phacoemulsification, and retention of the posterior capsule. A peripheral iridectomy was done in 7 eyes (16%). Postoperative medications included topical atropine combined with topical, subconjunctival, and systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics. Results: Three patients with traumatic cataract developed postoperative glaucoma during the follow-up. One developed pseudophakic pupillary block; however, a peripheral iridectomy prevented glaucoma. Two other patients developed lateonset glaucoma: one secondary to angle recession and the other to peripheral anterior synechias. No patient with developmental cataract developed glaucoma. Conclusion: Careful patient selection, atraumatic surgical technique, continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, in-the-bag IOL placement, postoperative atropine, and topical and systemic corticosteroids significantly lower the incidence of pseudophakic pupillary block and glaucoma. Although no patient developed glaucoma, lifelong follow-up is mandatory to detect chronic open-angle and traumatic angle-recession glaucoma.
Spatio-temporal mapping cortical neuroplasticity in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Neuroimaging data demonstrate that carpal tunnel syndrome, a peripheral neuropathy, is accompanied by maladaptive central neuroplasticity. To further investigate this phenomenon, we collected magnetoencephalography data from 12 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and 12 healthy control subjects undergoing somatosensory stimulation of the median nerve-innervated Digits 2 and 3, as well as Digit 5, which is innervated by the ulnar nerve. Nerve conduction velocity and psychophysical data were acquired to determine whether standard clinical measures correlated with brain response. In subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome, but not healthy controls, sensory nerve conduction velocity for Digits 2 and 3 was slower than Digit 5. However, somatosensory M20 latencies for Digits 2 and 3 were significantly longer than those of Digit 5. The extent of the M20 delay for median nerve-innervated Digit 2 was positively correlated with decreasing nerve conduction velocity and increasing pain severity. Thus, slower peripheral nerve conduction in carpal tunnel syndrome corresponds to greater delays in the first somatosensory cortical response. Furthermore, spectral analysis demonstrated weaker post-stimulus beta event-related desynchronization and earlier and shorter event-related synchronization in subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome. The extent of the decreased event-related desynchronization for median nerve-innervated digits was positively correlated with paraesthesia severity. We propose that ongoing paraesthesias in median nerve-innervated digits render their corresponding sensorimotor cortical areas ‘busy’, thus reducing their capacity to process external stimulation. Finally, subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome demonstrated a smaller cortical source separation for Digits 2 and 3 compared with healthy controls. This supports our hypothesis that ongoing paraesthesias promote blurring of median nerve-innervated digit representations through Hebbian plasticity mechanisms. In summary, this study reveals significant correlation between the clinical severity of carpal tunnel syndrome and the latency of the early M20, as well as the strength of long latency beta oscillations. These temporal magnetoencephalography measures are novel markers of neuroplasticity in carpal tunnel syndrome and could be used to study central changes that may occur following clinical intervention.
On the Evaluation of the Exact Output of a Switched Continuous-Time Filter and Applications

In this paper, a study of the operation of switched continuous-time filters (SCTFs), defined as continuous-time filters with elements that are alternatively switched on and off in the signal path, is conducted. A well-known example is the use of switched resistors to multiply their value, but the universe of applications is wider. First, a detailed calculation of the output of an SCTF in the frequency domain, which allows the examination of any SCTF in a general framework, is presented. This result particularly explains the resistor multiplication effect. Three application examples using switched elements are presented and examined as SCTFs: a nonideal sample & hold, a switched active filter that is tuned by varying the duty cycle of the switching, and a switched Gm-C filter to implement a chopper amplifier. In all cases, the theoretical background allows the examination of circuit behavior and limitations, and the analysis is supported by measurements or transient simulations.
The Economics of Architecture-First

Architecture is an artifact that's governed throughout the software life cycle - from conception through development to deployment and finally evolution, then to adaptation, assimilation, replacement, or abandonment. Similarly, the architect, either as an individual, a role, or a team, lovingly crafts, grows, and governs that architecture as it emerges from the thousands of individual design decisions of which it's composed. In this sense, an architecture-first approach appears to be a reflection of sound development practices. Now, strict agilists might counter that an architecture-first approach is undesirable because we should allow a system's architecture to emerge over time. More than just a reflection, however, a software development process that swirls around the growth of a software-intensive system's architecture has considerable material value.
Theory of an Optical Maser

A theoretical model for the behavior of an optical maser is presented in which the electromagnetic field is treated classically, and the active medium is made up of thermally moving atoms which acquire nonlinear electric dipole moments under the action of the field according to the laws of quantum mechanics. The corresponding macroscopic electric polarization of the medium acts as a source for an electromagnetic field. The self-consistency requirement that a quasistationary field should be sustained by the induced polarization leads to equations which determine the amplitudes and frequencies of multimode oscillation as functions of the various parameters characterizing the maser. Among the results obtained are: threshold conditions, single-mode output as a function of cavity tuning, frequency pulling and pushing, mode competition phenomena including frequency locking, production of combination tones, and population pulsations. A more approximate discussion of maser action using rate equations is also given in which the concept of "hole burning" plays a role.
Robust location distinction using temporal link signatures

The ability of a receiver to determine when a transmitter has changed location is important for energy conservation in wireless sensor networks, for physical security of radio-tagged objects, and for wireless network security in detection of replication attacks. In this paper, we propose using a measured temporal link signature to uniquely identify the link between a transmitter and a receiver. When the transmitter changes location, or if an attacker at a different location assumes the identity of the transmitter, the proposed link distinction algorithm reliably detects the change in the physical channel. This detection can be performed at a single receiver or collaboratively by multiple receivers. We record over 9,000 link signatures at different locations and over time to demonstrate that our method significantly increases the detection rate and reduces the false alarm rate, in comparison to existing methods.
On the Limits of Life Stages in Ethnography: Toward a Theory of Vital Conjunctures

This article argues for a new anthropology of the life course, one founded in indeterminacy and innovation. The fact that vital life events are rarely coherent, clear in direction, or fixed in outcome dramatically limits the usefulness of the life cycle model. In its place, I propose a unit of social analysis based in aspiration rather than event. I call this the vital conjuncture—integrating the "vital" of demographic vital events with Bourdieu's conception of the conjuncture of structure and action. Vital conjunctures suggest a new way of aggregating life history experiences and thus working between the individual and the social, free from the stultifying assumption of Stapes de vie. To illustrate the usefulness of the concept of "vital conjuncture, I focus on motherhood among young, educated Beti women in southern Cameroon. I demonstrate that rather than a clear threshold into female adulthood, here motherhood is a loosely bounded, fluid status. Contrary both to folk intuition and to the assumptions of a life cycle framework, Beti motherhood is not a stable status. Beti women who have borne children are not necessarily mothers, at least not all the time. Motherhood, instead, constitutes a temporary social status, an agent position that can be inhabited in specific forms of social action. The material offers perhaps an extreme example of what I argue is a more general phenomenon: "life stages" emerge only as the result of institutional projects, their coherence should be an object, rather than an assumption, of ethnographic inquiry. [Keywords: life course, Africa, demography, vital conjuncture]
A Mixed-Grade Engineering Course for High School Students: Student Interactions and Understanding of Engineering Design

Understanding of the engineering design process was examined for mixed grade (9-12) high school introductory engineering classes. The classes consisted of videos on engineering, guest speakers, internet research on engineering careers, and hands-on design projects. Student interactions were analyzed with classroom observations, video recordings, and interviews and showed there was a significant effect of maturity on learning. Change in understanding of the design process was measured by an open-ended pre and post class test with a 40 point scale rubric. It evaluated solution generation and selection, design reports, teamwork, project management, and ethics. A pre-post t-test indicated a significant increase in understanding (p < .00). Students in grade 10 had the largest gain of 6.82 points, grade 12 the smallest with 1.14 points while grades 9 and 11 had moderate gains of 4.2 and 4.3 points, respectively. The limited gains were due, at least in part, to enrollment and student interaction issues in the mixed-grade, large enrollment classes. Recommendations for positive change are discussed.
Ubiquinol decreases hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation‐induced microvascular inflammation in rat mesenteric microcirculation

Hemorrhagic shock (HS) is a leading cause of death in traumatic injury. Ischemia and hypoxia in HS and fluid resuscitation (FR) creates a condition that facilitates excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is a major factor causing increased leukocyte‐endothelial cell adhesive interactions and inflammation in the microcirculation resulting in reperfusion tissue injury. The aim of this study was to determine if ubiquinol (coenzyme Q10) decreases microvascular inflammation following HS and FR. Intravital microscopy was used to measure leukocyte‐endothelial cell adhesive interactions in the rat mesentery following 1‐h of HS and 2‐h post FR with or without ubiquinol. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by removing ~ 40% of anesthetized Sprague Dawley rats' blood volume to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure <50 mmHg for 1 h. Ubiquinol (1 mg/100 g body weight) was infused intravascularly in the ubiquinol group immediately after 1‐h HS. The FR protocol included replacement of the shed blood and Lactate Ringer's in both the control and ubiquinol groups. We found that leukocyte adherence (2.3 ± 2.0), mast cell degranulation (1.02 ± 0.01), and ROS levels (159 ± 35%) in the ubiquinol group were significantly reduced compared to the control group (10.8 ± 2.3, 1.36 ± 0.03, and 343 ± 47%, respectively). In addition, vascular permeability in the control group (0.54 ± 0.11) was significantly greater than the ubiquinol group (0.34 ± 0.04). In conclusion, ubiquinol attenuates HS and FR‐induced microvascular inflammation. These results suggest that ubiquinol provides protection to mesenteric microcirculation through its antioxidant properties.
Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Synchronous Cultures of Escherichia coli B/r

The sensitivity of Escherichia coli B/r to X-irradiation is correlated with the replication cycle of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The sensitivity to X-irradiation in the wild type can be attributed to the presence of nuclear targets plus DNA repair mechanisms. The effects of nuclear targets are observed in the recombination-deficient (rec−) mutant B/r, but the sensitivity reflected by changes in the slope of killing curves is absent. A study of different growth conditions indicates that maximal resistance to X rays occurs toward the middle of the division cycle. Evidence is offered that branched chromosomes respond as one-hit targets to X-irradiation. The killing effects of heavy-ion bombardment on E. coli are due primarily to ionizing radiation.
The dissociation between subjective workload and performance: a multiple resource approach

A theory of the dissociation between subjective measures of mental workload and performance is described. The theory proposes that subjective measures are heavily driven by the number of tasks or task elements that a subject must perform concurrently. However they are relatively less sensitive to whether these tasks compete for common or separate resources, and to the difficulty of a single task, particularly if this difficulty is related to response factors. Performance, on the other hand, is particularly influenced by single task difficulty of both a perceptual and response nature and by resource competition between tasks. A set of three experiments are described to examine the dissociation between subjective difficulty measures and performance. These experiments employ different combinations of three tasks: tracking, memory search, and a simulated air traffic control problem. The results supported all forms of dissociation predicted by the theory and the implications of results to workload measurement are discussed.
Personalized HVAC control system

We present a novel method of building comfort control, focused around the occupant. Custom sensing, communication, and actuation hardware were developed to locate users in a building, and measure various parameters directly on the body. These signals were used to infer user comfort and control the air-conditioning system to direct air flow where it was needed, when it was needed. A three month study of the system was conducted, with four weeks of this experimental control strategy compared to the previous four weeks of standard control. An improvement in both comfort and energy usage are shown as a result of this user-centric control system.
Binding and Stability Determinants of the PPARγ Nuclear Receptor−Coactivator Interface As Revealed by Shotgun Alanine Scanning and in Vivo Selection

We modified an existing selection for protein−protein interactions based on the fragment complementation of the enzyme DHFR. Using shotgun alanine scanning in conjunction with this selection, we analyzed the interaction of the nuclear receptor PPARγ with two peptides derived from nuclear receptor coactivators SRC1 and TRAP220. A large binding epitope stretching between and including the charge clamp residues K301 and E471 of PPARγ was identified as necessary for PPARγ−coactivator interaction. To decouple protein stability from the propensity to form a receptor−coactivator interface, libraries of PPARγ variants generated by shotgun scanning were further processed using a high-throughput screen measuring their in vivo stabilities. Our findings demonstrate that many of the residues that make up the binding epitope of PPARγ are also crucial for the stability of the PPARγ.
Principles of quasistatic magnetic shielding with cylindrical and spherical shields

The basic principles that underlie materials-based quasistatic magnetic shielding are described. Shielding mechanisms are identified and shown in specific examples that involve long cylindrical and spherical shield geometries. Analytic results are given both for shields that enclose the shielded region and for shields that enclose the source. The two configurations are reciprocal in the sense that identical shields have identical shielding factors for a uniform externally applied field and for a dipole source within the shield. Flux shunting and induced current shielding mechanisms are each described quantitatively and qualitatively in shielding situations where only one mechanism is involved. Situations where the mechanisms are simultaneously involved are then analyzed, and the relevances of the descriptions that involve only one mechanism are identified as regimes within the general descriptions.
Statistical analysis of NIR data : Data pretreatment

In the statistical analysis of near-infrared (NIR) data arising from the calibration of NIR instruments, two steps are often involved. The first one is data pretreatment, which usually refers to transformation of NIR spectra (e.g. the samples of predictor variables using statistical regression terminology) with the goal of reducing large baseline variations, dimensionality, collinearity and/or noise level of the observed spectra. The pretreatment is needed partly because measured spectra usually have large baseline variation and/or substantial noise and have a low ratio of the sample size to the number of predictor variables. The second step is calibration modeling and involves the application of statistical regression methods to the pretreated NIR data. This paper deals with the data pretreatment step and in particular, a method based on principal component analysis is presented for attacking the problem of large baseline variation. The usefulness of the described method is illustrated through a simulation study and its application to the analysis of a set of real NIR data. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formulation of Analytical Time-Varying Intermodal Person Trip Assignment Model:

An analytical formulation of the intermodal dynamic traffic assignment problem is presented. The model is a cell transmission-based, single-destination, system optimal integer linear programming formulation for a multimodal network of cars and buses. The computational tests demonstrate interesting insights into the complex interactions between travelers' intermodal path choices and traffic movements. Specifically, as with many analytical time-varying traffic models, the constraints regulate flow, while the objective function provides an incentive for travelers to progress on least-cost paths toward the cost-free trip termination cells. It is found that difficulties relate to this reliance on costs to advance travelers and vehicles; for example, the non-first-in-first-out propagation of buses ahead of automobiles is a result of the higher cost incurred by numerous riders on a single bus vehicle. Similarly, the model's tendency to hold buses at bus stops or force buses to skip bus stops results from a difference in costs incurred by travelers who would be better served by the holding of the bus or by the skipping of a stop. On the basis of the findings on the model's behavior, recommendations are made for the future development of time-varying intermodal routing problems.
Dynamics of Structurally Disordered Solids

In this chapter the dynamics of disordered lattices is discussed. The extent of disorder is assumed small such that the properties of the disordered system can, in principle, be obtainable as an appropriate extention of the corresponding properties of the ideal ordered system. Such an approach, albeit limiting, affords a convenient starting point for disordered systems, since the information regarding the corresponding ordered systems is assumed known.
Photosynthetic Responses of Wheat, Triticum aestivum L., Plants to Simulated Insect Defoliation During Vegetative Growth and at Grain Fill

The impact of different levels of whole plant partial defoliation (WPPD) on the photosynthesis and primary metabolism of wheat,Triticumaestivum L., was evaluated at the vegetative and reproductive (grain-Þlling) developmental stages. Photosynthetic parameters such as photosyn- thesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration, chlorophyll a suorescence, and plant morphological parameters, such as main stem height, sag-leaf and undefoliated leaf areas, and number of tillers, were recorded 1 h and 1, 9, and 12 d after defoliation in 2004 and 1 h, 3 d, and 6 d after defoliation in 2005. Plants with high defoliation levels (i.e., defoliation 75%) had 21 and 20% greater photosynthesis rates compared with control and low defoliation level treatments, respectively. Our data show that stomatal conductance for sag leaves was not signiÞcantly affected by WPPD. In addition, we did not observe a signiÞcant effect of defoliation on intercellular CO2 concentrations or on transpiration rates remaining sag leaf tissue. Similar responses were observed for the overall photosynthesis of defoliated plants during vegetative stages. Whole plant source-sink manipulation of wheat by WPPD during the major plant developmental stages (i.e., vegetative and reproductive) did not elicit any signiÞcant long-term modiÞcations to growth, morphological, or primary physiological characteristics of wheat plants.
Striving Towards a Sustainable Solution: Water and Community in Veron, Dominican Republic

Access to clean and sanitized water is one of the most fundamental of Human Rights. However, in many communities around the world, water remains contaminated and a danger to human health. This photo essay seeks to outline an example of such circumstances in Domingo Maiz, shed light on the potential for a sustainable solution, and embody the cultural beauty of the local community. Author’s Note Erica Bower is an undergraduate student at Columbia University studying Sustainable Development, Human Rights and Economics. Her interest resides in exploring the ways in which these fields intersect, both academically and in fieldwork, and is inspired by the role that photography can play in capturing this multifaceted nexus. This photo essay documents research conducted during the summer of 2011 in Domingo Maiz, Veron, Dominican Republic.
Weak weak quenched limits for the path-valued processes of hitting times and positions of a transient, one-dimensional random walk in a random environment

J. Peterson was partially supported by National Science Foundation grant DMS-0802942. G. Samorodnitsky was partially supported by ARO grant W911NF-10-1-0289, NSF grant DMS-1005903 and NSA grant H98230-11-1-0154
Theory and experiments for voltammetric and SECM investigations and application to ORR electrocatalysis at nanoelectrode ensembles of ultramicroelectrode dimensions.

Theoretical and experimental approaches to characterizing nanoelectrode (NE) ensembles of ultramicroelectrode dimensions (UME-NEEs) as a function of fraction of active area and random NE distribution are described. UME-NEEs were fabricated by addressing microregions of a gold-filled polycarbonate membrane through the UMEs of an underlying microfabricated addressable array. Results of Comsol Multiphysics 3D simulations based on randomly spaced NEs of 15 nm radius on a UME disk geometry of radii up to 5 μm are shown for steady-state voltammetry (SSV) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) experiments. Analytical equations were developed to describe the diffusion-limited steady-state current and steady-state voltammogram at an UME-NEE. These equations are shown to be in good agreement with the simulations and enabled evaluation of experimental SSVs. Comparison of experimental and simulated SECM approach curves, images, and tip voltammograms enabled the fraction of active area and distribution of NEs ...
Phytoseiid mites (Parasitiformes: Phytoseiidae) of major crops in Willamette Valley, Oregon, and pesticide resistance in Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten

A survey of 13 Willamette Valley, Oreg., commercial crops including apple, peach, prune-plum, cherry, filbert, grape, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, corn, mint, and Christmas trees found Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten to be the principal phytoseiid present. Typhlodromus occidentalis Nesbitt, Amblyseius andersoni (Chant), A. aberrans (Oudemans), T. arboreus Chant, and A. fallacis (Garman) also were frequently collected. T. pyri was most prevalent on apple, prune, grape, and blackberry and usually on crops receiving few insecticide treatments. Seasonal differences in abundance were observed on some crops because T. pyri declined during mid- and late season as opposed to early season. T. occidentalis was significantly more abundant on apple and cherry than on other crops, and most prevalent in late season at heavily sprayed sites. A. andersoni was widespread among crops throughout the season but mostly limited to sites receiving few insecticide applications. A. aberrans was most abundant on filbert while A. fallacis was dominant on strawberry. T. arboreus was locally common on apple and prune. A slide-dip technique showed moderate resistance in T. pyri to azinphosmethyl (5- to 7-fold at the LC50) and high resistance to carbaryl (25- to 28-fold) and parathion (ca. 100-fold) at heavily treated field sites.
Isolated maculopathy associated with biallelic CRB1 mutations.

The CRB1 gene, located on chromosome 1q31.3, encodes a protein that is essential for normal development of retinal photoreceptor cells and organization of the retina.1–3 Mutations in the CRB1 gene ...
Effect of Statin Therapy on Mortality in Older Adults Hospitalized with Coronary Artery Disease: A Propensity-Adjusted Analysis

Objectives To examine the effect of statins on long-term mortality in older adults hospitalized with coronary artery disease (CAD). Design Retrospective analysis. Setting University teaching hospital. Participants Individuals aged 80 and older (mean aged 85.2, 56% female) hospitalized from January 2006 to December 2010 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina pectoris, or chronic CAD and discharged alive (N = 1,262). Participants were divided into those who did (n = 913) and did not (n = 349) receive a discharge prescription for a statin. Measurements All-cause mortality over a median follow-up of 3.1 years. Results Participants treated with statins were more likely to be male, to have a primary diagnosis of AMI, to have traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and to receive other standard cardiovascular medications in addition to statins. In unadjusted analysis, statin therapy was associated with lower mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71–0.96). After adjustment for baseline differences between groups and propensity for receiving statin therapy, the effect of statins on mortality was no longer significant (HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.74–1.05). The association between statins and mortality was similar in participants aged 80 to 84 and those aged 85 and older. Conclusion In this cohort of older adults hospitalized with CAD, statin therapy had no significant effect on long-term survival after adjustment for between-group differences. These findings, although preliminary, call into question the benefit of statin therapy for secondary prevention in a real-world population of adults aged 80 and older and underscore the need for shared decision-making when prescribing statins in this age group.
Bead-Based Microfluidic Sediment Analogues: Fabrication and Colloid Transport

Mobile colloids can act as carriers for low-solubility contaminants in the environment. However, the dominant mechanism for this colloid-facilitated transport of chemicals is unclear. Therefore, we developed a bead-based microfluidic platform of sediment analogues and measured both single and population transport of model colloids. The porous medium is assembled through a bead-by-bead injection method. This approach has the versatility to build both electrostatically homogeneous and heterogeneous media at the pore scale. A T-junction at the exit also allowed for encapsulation and enumeration of colloids effluent at single particle resolution to give population dynamics. Tortuosity calculated from pore-scale trajectory analysis and its comparison with lattice Boltzmann simulations revealed that transport of colloids was influenced by the size exclusion effect. The porous media packed by positively and negatively charged beads into two layers showed distinctive colloidal particle retention and significant r...
Mapping lung tumor cell drug responses as a function of matrix context and genotype using cell microarrays

Carcinoma progression is influenced by interactions between epithelial tumor cells and components of their microenvironment. In particular, cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are known to drive tumor growth, metastatic potential, and sensitivity or resistance to therapy. Yet the intrinsic complexity of ECM composition within the tumor microenvironment remains a barrier to comprehensive investigation of these interactions. We present here a high-throughput cell microarray-based approach to study the impact of defined combinations of ECM proteins on tumor cell drug responses. Using this approach, we quantitatively evaluated the effects of 55 different ECM environments representing all single and two-factor combinations of 10 ECM proteins on the responses of lung adenocarcinoma cells to a selection of cancer-relevant small molecule drugs. This drug panel consisted of an alkylating agent and five receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We further determined that expression of the neuroendocrine transcription factor ASCL1, which has been previously associated with poor patient outcome when co-expressed with the RET oncogene, altered cell responses to drugs and modulated cleavage of the pro-apoptotic protein caspase-3 depending on ECM context. Our results suggest that co-expression of specific ECM proteins with known genetic drivers in lung adenocarcinoma may impact therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, this approach could be utilized to define the molecular mechanisms by which cell–matrix interactions drive drug resistance through integration with clinical cell samples and genomics data.
Wetland invasion by Typha × glauca increases soil methane emissions

Abstract Wetland invasion by monotypic dominant plants can alter the physicochemical and biological properties of soils that affect methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. We examined the effects of Typha × glauca invasion on soil methane using laboratory incubation and controlled mesocosm experiments. Typha -invaded soils collected from three Midwestern (USA) wetlands had greater methane production potential during laboratory incubation than soils dominated by native wet meadow vegetation. Ten years post-invasion of native plant-dominated mesocosms, Typha increased methane emissions at least three-fold (native: 15.0 ± 10.5 mg CH 4 -C m −2 h −1 , median: 6.1 mg CH 4 -C m −2 h −1 ; Typha : mean: 45.9 ± 16.7 mg CH 4 -C m −2 h −1 , median: 26.8 mg CH 4 -C m −2 h −1 ) under high (+10 cm) water levels, though methane emissions were negligible under low (–10 cm) water levels. Methane emissions were positively correlated with soil carbon, nitrogen, and aboveground biomass, all of which were greater in Typha -invaded mesocosms. Together, our data suggest that replacement of large tracts of native wetlands throughout eastern North America with monocultures of invasive Typha could alter regional methane emissions.
Wireless Energy Harvesting in Cognitive Massive MIMO Systems With Underlay Spectrum Sharing

The achievable sum rate of a wireless-powered multi-cell/multi-user cognitive radio massive multiple-input multiple-output system with underlay spectrum sharing is investigated. The secondary user nodes can harvest energy from the primary user transmissions, and then access and utilize the primary network spectrum for information transmission. The signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio and achievable sum rate are derived for two specific antenna configurations: 1) unlimited base-station antenna arrays and 2) limited base-station antenna arrays. Furthermore, the optimal time-switching factor and the energy-rate trade-off are quantified in closed-form. The asymptotic analysis reveals that the secondary system can be operated by using its maximum harvested energy when the number of primary base-station antennas grows without bound without hindering the primary transmission.
Differences in the Valuing of Power Among Team Members: a Contingency Approach Toward Examining the Effects of Power Values Diversity and Relationship Conflict

The purpose of this study was to investigate the conditional effects of power values diversity and relationship conflict. We utilized a time-lagged survey design and multilevel modeling to investigate 60 teams working on a project task over the course of 4 months. When participative safety climate was high, the presence of high power values diversity was particularly helpful for reducing relationship conflict. In turn, decreased relationship conflict tended to increase team performance. Additionally, when workload sharing was low, high relationship conflict was especially harmful to team performance. Results support the consideration of team participative safety climate to better understand the conditions under which power values diversity is likely to lessen relationship conflict and subsequently increase team performance. Findings also highlight the importance of avoiding low workload sharing, in the presence of prominent relationship conflict, to increase team performance. By examining relationship conflict as a mediator and participative safety climate as a moderator of power values diversity’s effects, we make a novel contribution to extant literature by helping to elucidate both how and under what conditions differences in power values, among team members, can influence team performance. Relatedly, we answer the call for more research that adopts a contingency approach toward examining the effects of values diversity and relationship conflict. In doing so, we help to identify the conditions under which power values diversity and relationship conflict are likely to differentially influence important team outcomes.
Visual function quality of life measure changes upon conversion to neovascular age-related macular degeneration in second eyes

To determine changes in quality of life measures when choroidal neovascularization (CNV) developed in the second eye of patients with initially unilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We analyzed responses to the 39-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline, and prior to and following second eye CNV diagnosis in 92 participants enrolled in two Submacular Surgery Trials. Paired t-tests for sample sizes over 30 and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for sample sizes <30 were performed to compare scores. CNV development resulted in statistically and clinically significant changes in responses to 20 of 39 NEI-VFQ items, indicating visual function decline during a mean interval of 25 months. Little difference was noted between baseline scores and prior to CNV diagnosis, which averaged 8.9 months duration. Subscales demonstrated a statistically significant decline in general vision, near activities, distance activities, social functioning, role difficulties, dependency, and driving. There were minimal changes in the HADS and SF-36 scales. CNV development in the second eye had a dramatic effect on visual functioning based on patient responses to the NEI-VFQ questionnaire. Our investigation is believed to be the first study using data collected prospectively to demonstrate vision-related quality of life changes that resulted from development of CNV in AMD patients.
Asymmetric response of the US–India trade balance to exchange rate changes: Evidence from 68 industries

The relationship between the trade balance and the exchange rate continues to attract attention by international economists and has entered into new territory, mostly due to advances in econometric methods. The introduction of asymmetric error-correction modelling and asymmetric cointegration using the nonlinear ARDL approach of Shin et al. (Festschrift in Honor of Peter Schmidt: Econometric methods and applications, Springer, 2014, 281) as compared to the symmetric and linear ARDL approach of Pesaran et al. (Journal of Applied Econometrics, 2001, 16, 289) has led us in a new direction to discover relatively better results. We apply these methods to the bilateral trade balance model of each of the 68 industries that trade between India and the USA. The nonlinear approach not only provides more support to the J-curve effect, but also yields support in favour of short-run and long-run asymmetric effects of exchange rate changes in most of the industries.
Scientific Realism in the Post-Kuhnian Times

Motivated by the developments in contemporary mathematical physics and the related interpretive and historiographical works on these developments, a structuralist and historically constitutive and constructive approach to scientific realism (SHASR) is proposed to address the challenges Thomas Kuhn raised against scientific realism, and to remove the defects of the currently available dissatisfactory responses the structuralists put forward to the challenges. The paper shows that SHASR productively exploits the insights from both Kuhn’s historicism and his critics’ structuralism, while avoids the traps in both traditions. Then, after a brief comparison between SHASR and the increasingly popular neo-Kantian post-Kuhnian philosophy of science recommended and defended by Michael Freedman and some others, it concludes with a big picture about the science-world relationship derived from the notion of emergence conceptualized within the framework of SHASR, whose bearings on the Kantian question of the phenomenal - noumenal relationship are worth further explorations.
Cs[Tf2N]: a second polymorph with a layered structure.

The structural determination of the ionic liquid, caesium bis­[(tri­fluoro­meth­yl)sulfon­yl]imide or poly[[μ4-bis­[(tri­fluoro­meth­yl)sulfon­yl]imido]caesium(I)], Cs[N(SO2CF3)2] or Cs[Tf2N], reveals a second polymorph that also crystallizes in a layer structure possessing monoclinic P21/c symmetry at 120 K instead of C2/c for the known polymorph [Xue et al. (2002). Solid State Sci. 4, 1535–1545]. The caesium ions in the cationic layers are coordinated by the sulfonyl groups of the bis­triflimide mol­ecules from anion layers while the tri­fluoro­methyl groups are oriented in the opposite direction, forming a non-polar surface separating the layers. The layer direction is (100).
Draft whole-genome sequence of "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" strain TX1712 from citrus in Texas.

ABSTRACT The draft genome sequence of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” strain TX1712, obtained from a Texas citrus tree, is reported here. Strain TX1712 has a draft genome size of 1,203,333 bp, a G+C content of 36.4%, 1,230 predicted open reading frames, and 41 RNAs and comprises 97.4% of the psy62 reference genome.