cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of RF Microdischarges for Microthruster Applications

A discharge phenomenon in a radio-frequency (RF)-excited microdischarge-based microthruster with dielectric-covered electrodes is presented. A self-consistent multispecies multitemperature continuum model is used to describe the plasma in the thruster, along with the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for the bulk fluid flow. Results indicate a highly pulsed microdischarge with charge densities of ~1020 m-3 and gas temperature excursions of ~200 K occurring in the discharge during the pulse. The results validate the RF-excited microdischarge concept for electrothermal microthruster applications.
Pneumolysin, a protein toxin of Streptococcus pneumoniae, induces nitric oxide production from macrophages.

Nitric oxide (NO) production by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) during inflammation is an essential element of antimicrobial immunity but can also contribute to host-induced tissue damage. Under conditions of bacterial sepsis, large amounts of NO are produced, causing hypotension, a critical pathological feature of septic shock. In sepsis caused by gram-positive organisms, the bacterial factors contributing to host NO production are poorly characterized. We show that a soluble toxin of Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumolysin (Pln), is a key component initiating NO production from macrophages. In contrast to wild-type bacteria, a mutant of S. pneumoniae lacking Pln failed to elicit NO production from murine macrophages. Purified recombinant Pln induced NO production at low concentrations and independently of exogenous gamma interferon (IFN-γ) priming of RAW 264.7 macrophages. However, IFN-γ was essential for Pln-induced NO production, since primary macrophages from mice lacking the IFN-γ receptor or interferon regulatory factor 1, a transcription factor essential for iNOS expression, failed to produce NO when stimulated with Pln. In addition, Pln acts as an agonist of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 production in macrophages. The properties of Pln, previously identified as a pore-forming hemolysin, also include a role as a general inflammatory agonist.
A 11.5–22GHz dual-resonance transformer-coupled quadrature VCO

A wide-tuning CMOS quadrature VCO (QVCO) is presented that uses a transformer-coupled resonator that enables quadrature coupling and facilitates alternative tuning methods including mutual inductance switching, magnetic tuning, and dual resonance mode switching besides the conventional capacitor tuning. The QVCO, fabricated in 130nm CMOS, can generate quadrature signals in the frequency range of 11.56–18.1 GHz and 18.9–22 GHz. The phase noise was measured −107dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset from 13.3GHz. The QVCO consumes 20–29mW and the output buffers consume 21mW from a 1.2V supply.
On the Stability of the N Cycle Scheme of Lorenz

Abstract The stability of the N-cycle scheme of Lorenz for hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations and for parabolic equations is explored. Stability conditions are given explicitly. For hyperbolic systems, the results indicate that the fourth-order scheme is the most efficient. For the parabolic equation the results indicate that the stability condition is not, as was suggested by Lorenz, independent of N.
Tests for a Reservation Wage Effect

Theoretical models of job search are typically focused on deriving results for reservation wage paths. But both naturally-occurring and experimental labor markets usually involve messages about job offer acceptance and rejection, not statements of (binding) reservation wages. Thus reservation wages generally are not observed. As a consequence, most tests of the theory's predictions about reservation wages have been indirect because they have used observed data on search duration, search income, and accepted wages.
The Irregularity Strength of a Graph

Throughout Chaps. 2–7, we will be concerned with connected graphs G of order n ≥ 3 and size m and an unrestricted edge coloring of G, that is, no condition is placed on the manner in which colors are assigned to the edges of G.
A Dynamic Model of Selection, Recombination, and Mutation

The static (Chaps. 3–9) and dynamic (Chap. 10) theories that have been used to analyze mutation and recombination have omitted selection. These theories were relatively easy to analyze, and they provided useful insights into the various components of an EA. However, because they do not include selection, they are generally insufficient as predictive theories. Chapter 11 included selection, and modeled the behavior of an infinite-population EA with selection and mutation (with and without recombination). It turns out that the model without recombination can be efficiently analyzed on a restricted (but interesting) class of functions. The addition of recombination makes the model considerably more complex.
Young adult females’ relationship work and its links to romantic functioning and stability over time

We examined the frequency with which 67 young adult females from the Southeastern U.S. discussed romantic relationship problems with their partners and their best friends, a process referred to as “relationship work” (RW). Results from data collected over two time points revealed that females engage in more frequent RW with partners than with friends and that RW with partners increases over time. Path analyses revealed early RW patterns did not predict changes in love or conflict, yet RW with partner and love were concurrently positively linked at both time points. Women reporting greater conflict reported decreases in RW with partners. Results suggest that discussing romantic challenges with one’s partner likely has a positive impact both immediately and over time.
Technologie wspomagające a umiejętności społeczne

Everyday new technology is changing the lives in ways we never imagined. For individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), some new technologies can improve communication, assist in the development of social skills and enhance the ability to learn. This paper discusses the concepts of Universal Design for Learning as a context for exploring the use if assistive technology in supporting the developmental of social skill training for children with ASD.
Sexual behavior and telling the truth on questionnaires.

69 community college students reported that they would be least likely to tell the truth on an anonymous questionnaire about topics such as frequency of sexual activity and lifetime number of sexual partners.
Microbiology Is an Integrative Field, So Why Are We a Divided Society?: A higher-order structure akin to the four Divisional Groups would better serve the Society's needs for the future

The field of microbiology contributes to virtually every discipline that seeks to understand or tame the natural world. Microbiologists discovered DNA as the code of life, revealed the basic tenets of gene regulatory mechanisms in all cells, created the biotechnology field by discovering restriction enzymes, and produced the first genome sequence. We've shown how oxygen came into the atmosphere and how nutrients are generated in the soil and oceans. Microbiology forms the basis for understanding evolution of the immune system and even how humans have migrated across the globe. We've corrected the Tree of Life on earth and may one day start constructing one for other planets. Our research has illuminated and advanced production of food, energy, and medicines that enhance and ensure the quality of human and animal life.
Resting Measures of Cardiovascular Autonomic Control are not Influenced by Energy Drink Ingestion or Postural Changes in Healthy Adults

INTRODUCTIONEnergy drink consumption is common among young people and linked to acute alterations in cardiovascular-autonomic profiles. However, the magnitude and relevance of such changes is equiv...
Aquaculture product quality issues: market position opportunities under mandatory seafood inspection regulations

Impending legislation for a mandatory seafood inspection program will be important in shaping the consumer's perception and expectation of quality in seafood products. Because aquacultured species are produced in controlled environments, fed special diets, and processed under optimum conditions, they possess unique product characteristics. The perception by the consumer that these products could be safer, fresher, more wholesome, and better tasting may lead to a competitive marketing position relative to captured products.
Morphological Analysis of Tumor Regression and Its Impact on Deformable Image Registration for Adaptive Radiotherapy of Lung Cancer Patients

Deformational and mass changes associated with regression of the visible tumor during the course of fractionated radiotherapy have confounded the ability to perform accurate deformable image registration, subsequently limiting the clinical implementation of adaptive radiotherapy. This study sought to investigate the impact of tumor regression on the accuracy of deformable image registrations (DIR) and then to find a solution to improve the performance of DIR for treatment of lung cancer patients. Specifically, daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were acquired from three locally advanced NSCLC patients. DIRs were performed from fractions 1, 10, and 20 to fraction 25 using a B-Spline-based algorithm implemented within the VelocityAI platform. To improve the accuracy of the BSpline- based registrations in the region of regressing tumors, a hybrid finite element method (FEM) was developed with a mesh defined in a bounding box surrounding the tumor in the target image. The constraints of the FEM model were derived from the displacements generated by the B-Spline registrations. Using the displacement vector fields (DVFs) of the B-Spline and hybrid registrations, the source images were warped to their targets. The accuracies of the two registration algorithms were evaluated, using landmark points identified on both the source and target images, as well as quantitative analysis of the generated DVFs. For the three patients, average tumor volumes were reduced by 53 fraction 1 and fraction 25. Comparison of landmark points showed that the mean errors of the FEM-based hybrid registrations were 1.4, 1.6, and 1.7 mm for the three patients. The average displacement differences between the B-Spline and FEM-hybrid registrations for the three patients were 4.8, 6.2 and 3.9 mm with a maximum of 15 mm for patient 2. Lung tissue does not move consistently with the shrinking tumor. The more the tumor regresses, the larger the B-Spline registration error in the tumor region. The proposed hybrid method that consists of the intensitybased image registration and mechanics-based tissue modeling to correct geometric changes induced by anatomical deformation and tumor regression, respectively, may have the potential to improve the quality of adaptive radiation therapy for lung cancer patients.
Shifting modal domains: An imprecision-based account

This paper proposes that the interpretation of modals is subject to (im)precision (a la Lasersohn 1999), explaining certain contextual domain shifting effects observed by Lewis (1979). (1) Bryan: This must be a pen – I'm looking right at it. Alice: Not so; you could be the victim of a deceiving demon. I argue that Alice raises the standard of precision in (1), thereby widening the domain of have to to include otherwise ignorable worlds. This explains a number of similarities between domain shifting of the type in (1) and canonical cases of imprecision, and simplifies the modal semantics.
Putting Animals in their Place within a Context of Eukaryotic Innovations

Understanding key transitions in animal evolution is dependent in on an accurate evolutionary framework or phylogeny. Molecular phylogenetics greatly informed the study of animal evolutionary relationships during the late 1980s and 1990s and brought about several major changes to the animal tree of life (e.g. Lophotrochozoa, Ecdysozoa). More recently, our understanding of higher-level animal evolutionary relationships has been further resolved, although many questions remain unanswered. Major recent changes to our view of the animal tree of life include the placement of Acoela and Nemertodermatida at the base of Bilateria as a paraphyletic grade, the inclusion of sipunculans within Annelida, the placement of Onychophora as the sister taxon of Arthropoda, and the surprising fi nd of a clade composed of Craniata and Tunicata to the exclusion of Cephalochordata. Despite these advances, a number of issues remain unresolved; including which of the basal metazoan phyla (Porifera, Placozoa, Cnidaria, or Ctenophora) is basal-most, the branching order of the three major lineages of Arthropoda, the relationships within Lophotrochozoa, and the placement of several so-called minor groups such as Chaetognatha. Here, we review the current understanding of
Small Noncoding RNAs in Senescence and Aging

Small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) of length shorter than 400 nucleotides mediate fundamental cellular functions in animals and plants. Some sncRNAs are complexed with proteins that direct them to nucleic acids with sequence complementarity, where they may cleave or otherwise alter the target thereby controlling gene expression, chromatin remodeling, and genome stability. Though microRNAs are the most characterized species, next generation sequencing technology has allowed the discovery of new types of sncRNAs that are generated by processing of known sncRNAs into smaller but functional RNA molecules. The recent discovery of stable sncRNAs in the extracellular space suggests that they may serve as signaling molecules that can enter target cells and regulate cellular functions. Organismal aging has been linked to cellular senescence and both involve extensive changes in gene expression. Calorie restriction (CR), a reduced caloric intake without malnutrition, protects against senescence and ameliorates the age-related dysfunctions. Since sncRNAs regulate gene expression and control genome stability, it is conceivable that they may contribute to the biological and functional changes that accompany the development of cellular senescence and the progression of organismal aging. Furthermore sncRNAs may very well mediate the beneficial effects of CR on senescence and aging. In this chapter, I will give an overview on the involvement of intracellular and extracellular microRNAs and sncRNAs derived from tRNA and YRNA in the regulation of cellular senescence and organismal aging and their potential role in mediating the beneficial actions of CR.
Assessment of ultrasound-guided procedures in preclinical years

Medical graduates entering residency often lack confidence and competence in procedural skills. Implementation of ultrasound (US)-guided procedures into undergraduate medical education is a logical step to addressing medical student procedural competency. The objective of our study was to determine the impact of an US teaching workshop geared toward training medical students in how to perform three distinct US-guided procedures. Cross-sectional study at an urban academic medical center. Following a 1-h didactic session, a sample of 11 students out of 105 (10.5 %) were asked to perform three procedures each (total 33 procedures) to establish a baseline of procedural proficiency. Following a 1-h didactic session, students were asked to perform 33 procedures using needle guidance with ultrasound to establish a baseline of student proficiency. Also, a baseline survey regarding student opinions, self-assessment of skills, and US procedure knowledge was administered before and after the educational intervention. After the educational workshop, students' procedural competency was assessed by trained ultrasound clinicians. One-hundred-and-five third-year medical students participated in this study. The average score for the knowledge-based test improved from 46 % (SD 16 %) to 74 % (SD 14 %) (p < 0.05). Students' overall confidence in needle guidance improved from 3.1 (SD 2.4) to 7.8 (SD 1.5) (p < 0.05). Student assessment of procedural competency using an objective and validated assessment tool demonstrated statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement in all procedures. The one-day US education workshop employed in this study was effective at immediately increasing third-year medical students' confidence and technical skill at performing US-guided procedures.
Wealth Inequality and Accumulation

Research on wealth inequality and accumulation and the data upon which it relies have expanded substantially in the twenty-first century. While the field has experienced rapid growth, conceptual and methodological challenges remain. We begin by discussing two major unresolved methodological concerns facing wealth research: how to address challenges to causal inference posed by wealth's cumulative nature and how to operationalize net worth, given its highly skewed nature. To underscore the need for continued empirical attention to net worth, we review trends in wealth levels and inequality and evaluate wealth's distinctiveness as an indicator of social stratification. Next, we provide an overview of data sources available for wealth research. We then review recent empirical evidence on the effects of wealth on other social outcomes, as well as research on the determinants of wealth. We close with a list of promising avenues for future research on wealth, its causes, and its consequences.
Gating effects in time domain transforms

Gating is well known in modern VNAs for improving or isolating responses from multiple reflections in the frequency and time domain. However, the particular details of how positions of selections of the gate start and stop values, as well as gate shapes, aliasing and masking effects are not well documented. This paper presents an explanation of gate band-edge effects due to renormalization effects, and masking effects, and provides recommendations for improving the effectiveness of gating.
[Human Capital and Growth), Beşeri Sermaye ve Büyüme

1980’lerin sonundan beri makro-ekonomistler, dikkatlerinin buyuk kismini uzun vadeli ekonomik buyumenin belirleyicilerine odaklandirmis durumdadirlar. Bu makale egitimin rolunu vurgulamaktadir. Calismada yapilan analiz ile egitimin okula devam edilen yillarla olculen niceligi ile uluslararasi duzeyde birbirleri ile karsilastirilabilecek sinavlarda alinan notlar kanaliyla olculen niteligi arasinda ayrim yapilmaktadir.
Early Diagnosis and Prevention of Ischemic Enterocolitis in Massive Burns

To summarize the most salient literature regarding the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prevention of ischemic enterocolitis (IE) in thermal injury. IE is a poorly characterized gastrointestinal complication associated with large burns. This entity occurs irrespective of abdominal trauma. The diagnostic challenges, paucity of treatment options and related complications make IE particularly lethal. Herein we present a case of profound IE in a 40-year-old male who sustained 80% total body surface area (TBSA) burns. We provide an overview of our current understanding of IE, discuss early diagnostic strategies, and review possible treatment options. Although there are several promising biomarkers of early IE and potential treatment strategies, prospective studies are lacking. IE secondary to massive thermal injury is a lethal complication of severely burned patients. Early recognition and evidenced-based treatment strategies are paramount to successful management of patients with IE. Additional research and prospective trials are warranted given this devastating complication of massive burns.
Lack of Effects of Metformin and AICAR Chronic Infusion on the Development of Hypertension in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats.

In the kidney, reabsorption via the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is involved in long-term blood pressure control. Previously we demonstrated that ENaC hyperactivity is associated with development of salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension in Dahl SS rats. AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), playing a role in cellular energy homeostasis, has been shown to decrease ENaC activity. Here we tested whether metformin and AICAR, two drugs that activate AMPK, affect the development of hypertension under high-salt diet. High salt diet significantly increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) in Dahl SS rats. Blood pressure elevation was accompanied by a short-term decline of heart rate and increased circadian arterial pressure dipping. Metformin and AICAR were delivered intravenously at doses of 200 and 20 mg/kg/day, respectively. However, both control and drug-treated groups had similar development of high blood pressure within 3 weeks of 8% NaCl dietary salt intake. In the metformin-treated animals MAP reached 164.9±9.1 mmHg, which was not significantly different from the control group (171.8±5.6 mmHg). Patch clamp analysis revealed that the metformin-treated rats had no difference in the activity of ENaC. AICAR treatment also did not affect the development of hypertension and kidney injury. MAP reached 182.8±4.8 and 178.0±2.8 mmHg in AICAR and vehicle treated groups, respectively. Of note, we found that high-salt diet activated AMPK in the Dahl SS rats, and treatment with these AMPK activators had no significant further effect on AMPK activity. We conclude that AMPK activators, at least under these conditions, do not affect development of hypertension during high-salt diet in the Dahl SS rat model.
When is a Cardiac Arrest Non-Cardiac?

Introduction While the overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is low, ranging from 5%-10%, several characteristics have been shown to decrease mortality, such as presence of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), witnessed vs unwitnessed events, and favorable initial rhythm (VF/VT). More recently, studies have shown that modified CPR algorithms, such as chest-compression only or cardio-cerebral resuscitation, can further increase survival rates in OHCA. Most of these studies have included only OHCA patients with “presumed cardiac etiology,” on the assumption that airway management is of lesser impact than chest compressions in these patients. However, prehospital personnel often lack objective and consistent criteria to assess whether an OHCA is of cardiac or non-cardiac etiology. Hypothesis/Problem The relative proportions of cardiac vs non-cardiac etiology in published data sets of OHCA in the peer-reviewed literature were examined in order to assess the variability of prehospital clinical etiology assessment. Methods A Medline (US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland USA) search was performed using the subject headings “OHCA” and “Emergency Medical Services” (EMS). Studies were included if they reported prevalence of cardiac etiology among OHCA in the entire patient sample, or in all arms of a comparison study. Studies that either did not report etiology of OHCA, or that excluded all cardiac or non-cardiac etiologies prior to reporting clinical data, were excluded. Results Twenty-four studies were identified, containing 27 datasets of OHCA which reported the prevalence of presumed cardiac vs non-cardiac etiology. These 27 datasets were drawn from 15 different countries. The prevalence of cardiac etiology among OHCA ranged from 50% to 91%. No obvious patterns were found regarding database size, year of publication, or global region (continent) of origin. Conclusions: There exists significant variation in published rates of cardiac etiology among OHCAs. While some of this variation likely reflects different actual rates of cardiac etiologies in the sampled populations, varying definitions of cardiac etiology among prehospital personnel or varying implementation of existing definitions may also play a role. Different proportions of cardiac vs non-cardiac etiology of OHCA in a sample could result in entirely different interpretations of data. A more specific consensus definition of cardiac etiology than that which currently exists in the Utstein template may provide better guidance to prehospital personnel and EMS researchers in the future. Carter RM , Cone DC . When is a Cardiac Arrest Non-Cardiac? Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(5):523–527.
Abstract TP248: The Kaiser Permanente Stroke EXPRESS Program: Improving DTN Time in a 21-hospital Integrated Healthcare System

Background: Faster treatment with tPA in acute ischemic stroke is associated with better outcomes. Starting in 2015, Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) redesigned its acute stroke workflo...
Using deep learning for detecting gender in adult chest radiographs

In this paper, we present a method for automatically identifying the gender of an imaged person using their frontal chest x-ray images. Our work is motivated by the need to determine missing gender information in some datasets. The proposed method employs the technique of convolutional neural network (CNN) based deep learning and transfer learning to overcome the challenge of developing handcrafted features in limited data. Specifically, the method consists of four main steps: pre-processing, CNN feature extractor, feature selection, and classifier. The method is tested on a combined dataset obtained from several sources with varying acquisition quality resulting in different pre-processing steps that are applied for each. For feature extraction, we tested and compared four CNN architectures, viz., AlexNet, VggNet, GoogLeNet, and ResNet. We applied a feature selection technique, since the feature length is larger than the number of images. Two popular classifiers: SVM and Random Forest, are used and compared. We evaluated the classification performance by cross-validation and used seven performance measures. The best performer is the VggNet-16 feature extractor with the SVM classifier, with accuracy of 86.6p and ROC Area being 0.932 for 5-fold cross validation. We also discuss several misclassified cases and describe future work for performance improvement.
Molecular machine: how ferroelectric polymers generate giant electroactuation

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are novel polymeric materials that generate large displacement or strain under electrical field. EAPs show many attractive features such as high electromechanical response, environmental tolerance, lightweight, flexibility, biocompatibility and long-term durability. In 1998, we reported the discovery of a new class of EAP, e.g., high energy electron irradiated P(VDF-TrFE) (poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene)) based electrostrictive polymers, showing large electrostrictive strain (-5%) and relaxor ferroelectric characteristic. Since then, the P(VDF-TrFE) based terpolymers were developed which eliminate the irradiation process. P(VDFTrFE-CFE) terpolymer exhibits very high electromechanical responses (elastic energy density ∼ 1.1 J/cm and electromechanical coupling factor ∼55%). Further, blends approach was studied to increase elastic modulus. Devices based on the high electrostrictive polymers have also been demonstrated, such as micro pump, braille displays, soft robot, et al. These results suggest that P(VDF-TrFE) based electrostrictive polymers are promising for many electromechanical device applications.
Urban growth and landscape connectivity threats assessment at Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA

Urban and exurban expansion results in habitat and biodiversity loss globally. We hypothesize that a coupled-model approach could connect urban planning for future cities with landscape ecology to ...
Multi-tenant network acceleration scheme for OpenStack

Cloud visualization and multi-tenant networking provide Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider a new and innovative way to offer the on-demand services to their customers, such as the easy provisioning of new applications and the better resource efficiency and scalability. However, existing data-intensive applications require more powerful processor and computing power, as well as a high bandwidth, low latency and consistent networking service. In order to boost the performance of computing and networking services, as well as reduce the overhead of the software virtualization, we propose a new data center network design based on OpenStack, which is a promising cloud operating system solution. Specifically, we map the OpenStack networking services to the hardware switch, and perform hardware-accelerated L2 switch and L3 routing to solve the software limitations, as well as achieve the software-like scalability and flexibility. We designed our prototype system via the Arista Software-Defined-Networking (SDN) switch, and evaluated the performance improvement in terms of the bandwidth and delay using various tools. Our experimental results demonstrate that our datacenter networking solution achieves higher bandwidth, lower latency, and lower CPU utilization of the host server.
Comparing passive measures of fatigue-like behavior in mice

Fatigue is a very common and costly symptom associated with various diseases and disorders. Nonetheless, understanding the pathobiology and developing of therapies for fatigue have been difficult, partly because of a lack of consensus on the measures to phenotype this behavior, both in clinical settings and in animal studies. Here, we describe a fatigue-like behavior induced in mice by abdominal irradiation and compare three different methods of measuring changes in physical activity over time: running wheels, video home cage monitoring, and telemetry. These methods collect data passively and continuously, requiring no disruption of animals’ normal home cage behavior. In our experiments, all three methods reported a fatigue-like behavior, exhibited by a reduction in physical activity following abdominal irradiation. Video tracking showed the largest fatigue effect size (Cohen’s D = 1.78) over four days of monitoring, and was the only method showing a significant decrease in activity during the light period. Telemetry and running wheels showed a similar effect size (D = 1.68 and 1.65, respectively), but running wheels showed different circadian patterns of physical activity. In addition, we conducted rotarod and inverted grid suspension tests, which suggested that fatigue-like behavior was not the result of gross motor abnormalities.
The limits of rights: claims-making on behalf of immigrants

Activists do not just ‘name’ problems faced by migrants; they ‘frame’ them, constructing a particular meaning of the social world. Activists in the United States are especially likely to use rights...
Radiative properties of atmospheric black carbon (soot) particles with complex structures

Black carbon (BC, also known as soot), the most important light-absorbing aerosol, has been recently identified as the second most significant anthropogenic contributor to global warming in the present-day atmosphere after carbon dioxide. However, the current estimate of BC radiative effects is still subject to large uncertainties. One important uncertainty source is the substantial variation of BC radiative properties caused by complex structures during its evolution in the atmosphere. This chapter reviews recent scientific advances in understanding and quantifying the impact of BC particle structure/morphology on its radiative properties. We first present observational evidences of various irregular BC particle structures under different environmental conditions. We then briefly summarize several widely-used methods that compute radiative properties of particles with complex structures. Furthermore, we quantitatively describe the morphological/structural effects on BC radiative properties based on observations and theoretical calculations. Finally, we provide associated climatic implications and give future research directions for further advancing the understanding in this topic.
On the Optimal Input Voltage of a Class-E Power Amplifier with GaN HEMTs at MHz Frequency Operation

Class-E power amplifiers have regained academic interest over the past decades thanks to the introduction of new high-performance wide-bandgap semiconductor devices. While these power devices, notably GaN HEMTs, have exceptional performance at megahertz operation, they also display an additional loss component due to the C oss at this frequency. Unfortunately, the dependency of this loss term on the peak voltage is the opposite of that of the conduction loss. In this paper, we mathematically analyze the operation of a Class-E amplifier when facing with this C oss loss term. We have found that the conventional wisdom of using the highest input voltage to get the best efficiency no longer holds above a certain frequency. Furthermore, to allow this new loss term to be easily simulated, we propose a distributed loss model for the C oss loss based on a generalized Steinmetz equation (GSE). To demonstrate the applications of the proposed GSE-based C oss loss model, a design example is provided for a variable-resistance Class-E amplifier at 40.68 MHz. The experimental result on this design example shows good agreements with our analysis.
In vivo Tissue Evaluation Reveals Improvements in Explicit PDT Dosimetry

Progress is needed before explicit photodynamic therapy (PDT) dosimetry can treat peritoneal carcinomatosis and yet spare all healthy tissue. A report by Cengel et al. in this issue of Photochemistry & Photobiology on tissue evaluation in a canine model may bring that goal a step closer and may even be dogma-changing.
Three decades of declining natural foods alters bottom-up pressures on American black bears

Abstract Wildlife management entails the manipulation of bottom-up and top-down forces that affect populations. For bear management in North America, both food availability (bottom-up) and hunting pressure (top-down) can limit population growth. Whereas seasonal and year-to-year variation in production of fruits and nuts (i.e., primary bear foods) has been widely recognized, long-term trends in natural food production have rarely been reported. Here we compared the current (2015–2019) availability of 18 fruits and nuts representing the main foods of American black bears (Ursus americanus) in north-central Minnesota to what was available three decades earlier (1980s) on the same study area. Timber harvesting was routine in the 1980s but less intensive in recent decades, prompting us to hypothesize that forests matured and consequently produced less fruit for bears due to increased shade. Within each of 12 forest types, we measured the abundance, productivity and biomass (kg/ha) of each fruit-bearing plant species using the same methodology as in the 1980s. Bootstrapped independent two-sample t-tests identified species-specific changes in food availability between the two sampling periods. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to quantify changes for groups of fruit-producing species (i.e., summer/fall foods and short/tall shrubs). For all these groups, availability of the fruiting species changed little, but the probability of forest stands producing any fruit at all in the recent time period (~40%) was nearly half what it was in the 1980s (~80%). At the landscape scale, we estimated a ~70% decline in fruit biomass. Our hypothesis that this decline was due to reduced timber harvesting and thus denser canopy was only partially correct, as we observed the same decline in fruit production within forests of the same type and canopy closure, and also along edges of stands with high light penetration. Decline in fruit availability was due more to a complete lack of production in some stands of the same type and age rather than to general forest maturation. We explored three alternate hypotheses to explain this decline: (1) change in weather (which could affect fruiting directly, or cause issues with pollination), (2) increase in invasive earthworms, and (3) increased deer browsing. None of these were completely consistent with our findings, although it appeared from the extreme spatial variability in fruit production that on-the-ground factors were more of a driving force than weather. The magnitude and complexity of this change in bottom-up forces is a serious issue for bear management.
Pathway Bifurcations in the Activation of Allylic Halides by Palladium and Their Influence on the Dynamics of η 1 and η 3 Allyl Intermediates

Transition-metal-catalyzed allylic substitution often exhibits complex product selectivity patterns, which have been primarily attributed to π ↔ σ ↔ π isomerization of the η1 and η3 allyl intermediates. Product selectivity may be even further complicated if η1- and η3-allyls share a single transition state (TS), leading to their formation resulting in a post-transition-state bifurcation (PTSB). In this work, density functional theory calculations using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) have been carried out that support the presence of a PTSB in Pd-catalyzed allylic halide activation directly influencing product selectivity. The AIMD results initiated from the TS predict the η1-allyl to be favored in the gas phase and a low dielectric (e < 2.5) for trialkylphosphines, while the selectivity shifts toward the η3-allyl in higher dielectrics. The minimum energy path is also predicted to shift in product preference, consistent with the dynamics predictions. The bifurcation in allylic chloride activation is predicted to largely favor the η3-allyl at any solvent polarity. A PTSB was also discovered to be present in Ni and Pt allylic activation but with less bifurcation. These results offer a unique view into the mechanism of metal-catalyzed allylic substitution.
CommunityStat: A Public Health Intervention to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths in Burlington, Vermont, 2017–2020:

From 2017 to early 2020, the US city of Burlington, Vermont led a county-wide effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths by concentrating on the widespread, low-barrier distribution of medications for...
Public and Private Key Cryptography

Please download the sample Excel files from https://github.com/hhohho/master-Excel-through-projects for this chapter’s exercises.
Dog and rat models of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a significant complication of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, being observed in most patients after 15 years of diabetes, and increasing the risk of blindness 25-fold above normal.1,2 The natural history of clinically demonstrable retinopathy has been carefully documented in patients, and important stages (formation of capillary micro aneurysms, excessive vascular permeability, vascular occlusion, proliferation of new vessels and fibrous tissue, and contraction of the fibrovascular proliferations) have been identified.3 The earliest stages of the retinopathy (before microaneurysms appear), however, are not apparent clinically, and can be studied in patients only by noninvasive means, such as fluorescein angiography, or by relying on eyes collected at autopsy or at surgery.
What causes ADHD? : understanding what goes wrong and why

Part I: Conceptual Context. ADHD's Controversies. Defining "Disorder." Part II: How Does ADHD Work? Neural Systems. Attention and Arousal. Executive Functioning or Cognitive Control. Motivation. Motor Control and Timing. Part III: Where Does ADHD Come From? Multiple Pathways. Genetic Effects. Uncommon Experiential Risk Factors. Common Experiential Risk Factors. Part IV: Integration. Multiple Pathways Reconsidered. Conclusion.
Physiological and demographic variation associated with allozyme variation.

A corpus of empirical data, extending back more than a half century, documents the related phenomena of heterosis and inbreeding depression (Wright, 1977; Frankel, 1983). Because the majority of this experimental work has been with domesticated species of plants and animals, the observations and the controversy concerning the underlying mechanism(s) have had little impact upon the study of natural populations. Yet recent studies of enzyme polymorphisms suggest that the same continuum of inbreeding depression and heterosis occurs in natural populations. Further analyses of genetic variation and components of fitness in natural populations will not only reveal more about the dynamics of selection within populations, but they will also produce new insights into the mechanisms causing inbreeding depression and heterosis.
algorithmic challenges for systems-level correlational analysis: a tale of two datasets

I will discuss novel algorithmic, combinatorial and correlational tools for the analysis of complex natural systems. A pair of illustrative but widely divergent applications will be described. Despite huge differences in data acquisition methodologies, the algorithmic missions for both problems are similar, and help to highlight the rich interplay between data quality and effective computation.
An International Train Wreck Caused in Part by a Defective Whistle: When the Extraterritorial Application of SOX Conflicts with Foreign Laws

The extraterritorial application of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)1 may prove problematic and burdensome to foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries or with securities listed on U.S. exchanges, and to U.S. companies with subsidiaries abroad.2 To illustrate this point, consider the SOX provision requiring that companies with securities listed in the United States establish codes of conduct containing procedures that allow employees to anonymously and confidentially report certain proscribed practices (i.e., “whistleblower hotlines”).3 Other countries, however, do not require that companies in their territories establish such anonymous whistleblower hotlines; some might even prohibit the establishment of such hotlines. For example, the French subsidiaries of two American companies recently approached the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL)4 seeking authorization to put in place such anonymous whistleblower hotlines.5 On May 26, 2005, the CNIL refused to authorize these whistleblower
Children with orofacial clefts: health-care use and costs among a privately insured population.

OBJECTIVES Orofacial clefts are common birth defects that often require multiple surgeries and medical treatments during childhood. We used healthcare insurance claims data to estimate health-care expenditures for infants and children < or = 10 years of age with an orofacial cleft. METHODS The data were derived from the 2000-2004 MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters databases, which include person-specific information on health-care use, expenditures, and enrollment for approximately 50 large employers, health plans, and government and public organizations. Health insurance claims data from 821,619 children < or = 10 years of age enrolled in employer-sponsored plans during 2004 were analyzed. Expenditures for inpatient admissions, outpatient services, and prescription drug claims were calculated for children with and those without an orofacial cleft. RESULTS The difference in annual mean costs (i.e., incremental costs) between children aged 0 through 10 years with an orofacial cleft and those without an orofacial cleft was $13,405. The mean and median costs for children < or = 10 years of age with an orofacial cleft were eight times higher than for children of the same age without an orofacial cleft. Mean costs for infants with a cleft and another major, unrelated defect were 25 times higher than those for an infant without a cleft, and five times higher than for infants with an isolated cleft. CONCLUSION These findings document substantially elevated medical care costs for privately insured children with an orofacial cleft. Additional study of the economic burden associated with this condition should include a broader range of economic costs.
Role of beta-arrestins in the intracellular trafficking of G-protein-coupled receptors.

Publisher Summary The regulation G-protein-coupled receptor (GR) signaling requires a coordinated and delicate balance between the processes governing receptor activation, desensitization, and resensitization. In the case of the β 2 -adrenergic receptor ( β 2 AR), the most rapid means of receptor desensitization is phosphorylation, which is achieved within seconds of agonist activation by either second-messenger-dependent protein kinases (for example, cyclic adenosine monophophate [cAMP]-dependent protein kinase, PKA) or GR kinases (GRKs), which specifically phosphorylate the agonist-activated form of the receptor. GRK-mediated phosphorylation of agonist activated β 2 ARs promotes the binding of arrestin proteins (for example, β -arrestin), which, when bound, further uncouple the receptor. While the mechanisms underlying receptor activation and desensitization have been fairly well characterized, until recently, the molecular mechanism (s) by which GR responsiveness can be re-established have remained unknown, except that receptor sequestration and dephosphorylation are likely involved in this process. However, recent studies now indicate that the same molecular intermediates required for receptor desensitization, GRK-mediated phosphorylation and β -arrestin binding, likely play an important role in receptor resensitization by serving as the signals and molecular determinants initiating β 2 ARs sequestration. Research also suggests that β -arrestins play a dual role in the regulation of β 2 AR responsiveness: they not only bind and uncouple the agonist-activated GRK-phosphorylated β 2 AR from its G protein, but also participate in directing the receptor for agonist-promoted sequestration. β -arrestins appear to act as adaptor-like proteins in β 2 AR trafficking and either serve to recruit other cellular proteins that participate in the mobilization of receptors to endocytic organelles or execute this function themselves.
Library instruction and information literacy : 1999

Since 1973, Reference Services Review has published an annual annotated bibliography of materials focused on library instruction and, most recently, information literacy. Publications addressing academic library activities continue to be represented in the largest numbers. The continuing growth of electronic information has made librarians, in all types of libraries, more aware of the need to provide ongoing instruction to library users.
The Japanese School Question and the Treaty-Making Power

The Japanese protest of October 23, 1906, against the action of the San Francisco board of education, based on a California statute requiring all children of Mongolian descent to attend the school set apart for orientals, is one of the most puzzling incidents in our recent diplomatic history. It was sufficiently perplexing to the friends and admirers of Japan to learn that her government had created an international issue out of such a trivial matter as the segregation of less than one hundred Japanese pupils in the oriental school of San Francisco. But some of the friends and supporters of the administration were still more surprised to hear that the federal government admitted that the treaty of 1894 with Japan had been violated by this action of the San Francisco board of education, and apparently believed that it had jurisdiction in the premises.It is true that Secretary Metcalfe's report, which was published on December 19, 1906, also informed us of a considerable number of assaults on Japanese subjects by “hoodlums and roughs,” and of the breaking of windows in Japanese restaurants in San Francisco. These attacks, although subsequent to the earthquake, occurred at a time of great public disorder during which there appears to have been a carnival of crime when the police were powerless to protect life and property; but they seem to have been directed against the Japanese from motives of race prejudice, and not for the purpose of robbery.
Electronic structure of amorphous and disordered crystalline Cu-W alloys of similar composition

Abstract The electronic structures of amorphous and disordered crystalline transition-metal alloys of similar composition are studied with photo- emission experiments and self-consistent electronic structure calculations. The calculated densities of states are in good agreement with the observed photoemission spectra. The lack of long-range structural order in the amorphous system is reflected in the changes in its electronic structure compared to that of the crystalline disordered alloy.