cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron-Hole Droplet Formation Kinetics in Pure Germanium

The Pokrovskii rate equations for electron–hole droplets (EHD) are generalized by adding a term accounting for statistical droplet nucleation in a supersaturated homogeneous gas of free excitons (FE). The surface tension, which is dominant in this new term, is also used to correct the evaporation coefficient. Examples of numerical solutions show that the size and density of the EHD created are strongly affected by how fast the FE density reaches the threshold at which embryo nucleation starts. Luminescence experiments using pulsed volume excitation are reported, and are in qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions; e.g. a maximum in FE density occurring during EHD nucleation and a delay in the build-up of the EHD phase are observed. Die Differentialgleichungen von Pokrovskii fur Elektron–Loch–Tropfchen (EHD) werden mit Hilfe eines zusatzlichen Terms, welcher die Keimbildungshaufigkeit von Tropfchen in einem homogenen, ubersattigten Gas von freien Exzitonen (FE) berucksichtigt, verallgemeinert. Die Oberflachenspannung, die in diesem neuen Term dominiert, wird auch im Verdampfungskoeffizienten berucksichtigt. Beispiele numerischer Losungen zeigen, das sowohl Grose wie Anzahl der gebildeten EHD stark davon abhangen, wie schnell die FE-Dichte den Schwellenwert erreicht, bei dem Keimbildung einsetzt. Es wird uber Lumines-zenzexperimente, in denen mit gepulster Volumenanregung gearbeitet wurde, berichtet. Deren Besultate stimmen qualitativ mit den theoretischen Voraussagen uberein, z. B. werden ein wahrend der Keimbildung auftretendes Maximum in der FE-Dichte und eine Verzogerung bei der Kondensation der EHD-Phase beobachtet.
Ten years of cooperation

On behalf of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, I thank the Chinese geophysical community for this beautiful banner that you have presented. The banner commemorates an anniversary that is important in ways other than our 10 years of cooperation.
Directional artificial fluid properties for compressible large-eddy simulation

Abstract An improved methodology for large-eddy simulation (LES) for flows involving shock waves and turbulence is described. This approach provides better shock capturing and enhanced resolution of turbulence while preserving numerical stability on high aspect ratio (AR) grids. The proposed improvements are based on the LES approach which uses artificial fluid diffusivities (shear viscosity, bulk viscosity and thermal diffusivity) to damp the unresolved gradients of turbulence, shock waves and contact discontinuities, respectively. The scalar artificial viscosities are active only in under-resolved regions of the flow and added directly to the physical quantities. On high aspect ratio grids, the length scale disparity of the mesh leads to over dissipation in one or more direction, causing mis-prediction of physical quantities and added numerical stiffness which reduces the stable time step by a factor of 1/AR. Our proposed method allows fluid diffusivities to be independently applied along each grid direction by forming directional quantities, which ensure the method is minimally dissipative. This alternative approach reduces the errors and numerical stiffness associated with over dissipation. Several test cases are presented which demonstrate the improved performance of this approach on high aspect ratio grids and the enhanced numerical stability. Brief results from LES of an over-expanded planar nozzle are given which demonstrate the method’s robustness on practical applications.
Human Immune Responses to Dengue Virus Infection: Lessons Learned from Prospective Cohort Studies

Dengue virus (DENV) continues to spread globally and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is no antiviral treatment to diminish severe illness or a vaccine to induce protection from infection. An effective dengue vaccine that protects against all four DENV serotypes is a high priority for endemic countries and several candidates are in development by various United States Federal Agencies and private pharmaceutical companies. Challenges faced by dengue vaccine developers include creating tetravalent formulations that provide tetravalent protection, the lack of a correlate of protective immunity, a changing viral landscape as DENV evolves, and a complex viral-host pathogenesis that can result in a spectrum of illness from subclinical infection to severe hemorrhagic fever. There have been a number of long-term prospective studies on DENV transmission and dengue severity that have provided invaluable information on DENV epidemiology and pathogenesis of this disease. In this section, we will review the critical lessons learned from these studies and their application for dengue vaccine development.
Distribution of CO and radiochromium in blood and tissues of rabbit and dog. II. Radiochromium.

Summary1. Carbon monoxide and autogenous red cells labeled with Cr51 were administered simultaneously to dogs and rabbits; tissue homogenates and blood were then analyzed for radioactivity and CO content. 2. Small amounts of Cr51 accumulated regularly in spleen and lung and, when the cells were delivered via the portal vein, in the liver. No sequestration occurred in brain, kidneys or extremities. 3. Prolonged storage of tagged cells, particularly when suspended in saline rather than plasma, increased the loss of Cr51 from the cells in vitro and by early sequestration after injection of the cells into their donors. 4. When cells were stored in saline for only 1 day, combined losses caused by in vitro leakage and sequestration were too small to influence the results of blood volume determinations.
Phase tuning in coherently coupled VCSEL array

Two potential applications of coherently coupled vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) phased arrays include beam-steering [1,2] and high-brightness sources [3]. While a major difficulty for high brightness VCSEL arrays has been that typical evanescent coupling designs lead to the undesired out-of-phase supermode [4], we have shown reliable in-phase operation using ion-implantation and photonic crystal confinement, which requires a relatively simple fabrication process [5]. Common to both beam-steering and high power applications is the need to carefully control the phase difference between neighboring elements of the optically coupled array. We report measurement of the relative phase in coherently-coupled in-phase VCSEL arrays and show that the phase can be varied by differential current injection over a full range of π, requiring < 200 μA, which is several orders of magnitude lower than phase tuning by similar methods in slab-coupled lasers [6].
Assessing the potential to use neurocognition to predict who is at risk for developing bipolar disorder: a review of the literature.

Introduction. The importance of early intervention strategies has recently been recognised in the field of psychiatry. Although early intervention strategies in schizophrenia have been extensively studied, recent efforts to identify individuals who are at increased risk for other disorders, such as bipolar disorder, have gained significant interest. There is some available data to suggest that cognitive deficits may precede the onset of mania; therefore, it would be beneficial to identify cognitive predictors of bipolar disorder in an effort to facilitate early intervention. Methods. We conducted a literature review of conscript, cohort, high-risk, family-based and first-episode mania studies that assessed neurocognition in order to ascertain potential cognitive predictors of bipolar disorder. Results. There is little evidence that individuals at risk for bipolar disorder exhibit deficits in global measures of neurocognition, such as IQ. However, deficits in specific neurocognitive domains, including verb...
Biobehavioral mechanisms of work-related upper extremity disorders: a new agenda for research and practice.

Background Epidemiological studies provide support for the role of organizational and individual psychosocial stressors in work-related upper extremity disorders (WRUEDs). Despite this evidence, the biological plausibility of a relationship between exposure to various psychosocial and work organizational stressors and WRUEDs remains unclear. Methods The Georgetown Symposium on Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Work-Related Upper Extremity Disorders was held in Washington D.C. on November 6–7, 2000 to improve the understanding of potential biobehavioral mechanisms, identify future areas for research and discuss the implications of this body of knowledge for intervention. This meeting involved presentations and discussions by researchers and clinicians from a number of disciplines (epidemiology, occupational medicine, rheumatology, orthopedics, surgery, internal medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, occupational health psychology, behavioral medicine, psychophysiology and experimental and organizational psychology). Results The symposium generated several papers addressing the following topics: definitions and job stress models; epidemiological foundations; musculoskeletal and biomechanical models; central nervous system models of recurrent and persistent clinical pain; psychophysiology of work; and implications for intervention. These papers comprise this special issue. Discussion The present paper summarizes the various contributions to this special issue and provides direction for future research on potential biobehavioral pathways. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:293–297, 2002. 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
(Shibutz) as a Conciliatory Rhetorical Style in Nachmanides’ “Letter to the French Rabbis”

Combining Zeno’s rhetorics of the open hand and closed fist, Nachmanides addressed the heirs of Rashi to defend Maimonides. Polemical letters were a vehicle for this controversy, and a major example is his “Letter to the French Rabbis.” Using cleverly organized arguments and a brilliantly learned style of allusion to Biblical and rabbinic texts, called “shibutz,” Nachmanides influenced his addressees to mitigate a herem (ban) against students of Maimonides. Nachmanides sought to unify the warring factions rather than to achieve victory for either side, and his densely packed allusions to texts all the combatants revered comprise common ground for reconciliation.
Short‐term scheduling of a large‐scale oil‐refinery operations: Incorporating logistics details

Refineries are increasingly concerned with improving the scheduling of their operations to achieve better economic performances by minimizing quality, quantity, and logistics give away. In this article, we present a comprehensive integrated optimization model based on continuous-time formulation for the scheduling problem of production units and end-product blending problem. The model incorporates quantity, quality, and logistics decisions related to real-life refinery operations. These involve minimum run-length requirements, fill-draw-delay, one-flow out of blender, sequence-dependent switchovers, maximum heel quantity, and downgrading of better quality product to lower quality. The logistics giveaways in our work are associated with obtaining a feasible solution while minimizing violations of sequence-dependent switchovers and maximum heel quantity restrictions. A set of valid inequalities are proposed that improves the computational performance of the model significantly. The formulation is used to address realistic case studies where feasible solutions are obtained in reasonable computational time. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Time trends and predictors of suicide among mental health outpatients in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Using merged Veterans Affairs (VA) and National Death Index data, this study examined changes in suicide rate among three cohorts of VA mental health outpatients during a time of extensive bed closures and system-wide reorganization (1995, N = 76,105; 1997, N = 81,512; and 2001, N = 102,184). There was a decreasing but nonsignificant trend in suicide rates over time—13.2, 11.4, and 10.3 per 10,000 person-years, respectively. Multivariable predictors of suicide included both younger and older ages (U-shaped association). At the facility level, there was an association between greater per capita outpatient mental health expenditure and reduced suicide risk. The model also showed a protective effect associated with increased mental health spending on inpatient services, and that outpatients at facilities with larger mental health programs, as measured by patient volume, were at greater risk for suicide than were those in smaller programs. Although more chronic patients may have been underrepresented to some extent as a result of the sampling methodology, these findings provide generally reassuring evidence that overall suicide rates have not been adversely affected by VA system changes. Nevertheless, they highlight the importance of funding for mental health services as well as the implications of changing demographics in the VA population.
The standard of caring: why do we still use feeding tubes in patients with advanced dementia?

A consensus among geriatricians, ethicists, and neurologists supports a palliative approach to the care of individuals with late-stage dementia. But ten years after the publication of the first large study demonstrating the lack of efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes in prolonging life for patients with advanced dementia, and seven years after the appearance of two articles in major medical journals arguing that tube feeding should no longer be the standard of care for individuals with advanced dementia, gastrostomy tubes remain commonplace in this population. One overlooked reason that many families and physicians continue to opt for artificial nutrition is that the case for feeding tubes is a moral one and not a scientific one. What may be at issue for families is how best to demonstrate caring , and caring is not readily amenable to empirical study. A better approach to family members who want feeding tubes for the demented is to acknowledge the symbolic value of nutrition for them and to seek an alternative means of satisfying the need to feed.
Chromosome abnormalities in secondary myelodysplastic syndromes.

Specific chromosome abnormalities occur in most cases of secondary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), broadly defined to include acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL). To explore their relation with the type of prior cancer and its treatment, and their use in predicting response of the secondary MDS to therapy, 216 patients from the literature were analyzed. Abnormal karyotypes were grouped into 10 nonoverlapping categories, depending first upon the presence of abnormalities of chromosomes 5 and 7 (-5, 5q-, -7, 7q-), then upon specific rearrangements seen in de novo ANLL, and finally upon other structural or numerical abnormalities. Karyotype correlated with type of prior cancer (p = .002). -5, -7 and additional whole chromosomes were associated primarily (67–86 %) with prior haematologic malignancies, and the specific rearrangements and 5q- groups (70–71 %) with prior solid tumors. Karyotype also correlated with prior therapy (p = .0009). -5, -7 and 7q- were highly (> 85 %) associated with chemotherapy (alone or with radiotherapy); the 5q-, specific rearrangements, normal, and “other” structural abnormalities groups were often (29–60 %) associated with radiotherapy alone. Finally, karyotype also predicted achievement of complete remission (CR); 5q- and -5 were associated with the lowest CR rate (13 %), specific rearrangements and other structural abnormalities with the highest (65 %). Prospective studies are required to determine if karyotype is an independent risk factor.
Ring opening of 1,2- and 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane on iridium catalysts

Abstract The ring opening reactions of 1,2- and 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane (1,2- and 1,3-DMCH) have been investigated over Ir catalysts supported on Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and TiO 2 . These two naphthenic molecules are used as probe reactants to investigate the different reaction paths that may occur in the treatment of diesel fuels and gasolines for the improvement of cetane numbers (CNs) and octane numbers. The CN can be improved by ring opening of naphthenics, but only when the C C bond rupture occurs at a substituted position. Otherwise, the resulting product ends up with a high degree of branching, causing the CN to decrease. In this case, the octane number increases, which would be desirable in the production of gasolines. The present contribution shows that the preference of C C bond opening at substituted or unsubstituted positions depends on the type of catalyst used, as well as on the nature of the reactant. Several ring-opening mechanisms can be operative under different conditions depending on the support used. For instance, the dicarbene reaction path results in C C bond opening at unsubstituted positions and typically occurs on Ir/SiO 2 catalyst. In consequence, this catalyst may be desirable for increasing octane number while producing low-CN products. Two other mechanisms, those involving adsorbed olefin intermediates or metallocyclobutane intermediates, result in the C C bond opening at substituted positions, which would be more desirable in the production of diesel fuel. Iridium on alumina has shown to be the most selective toward this type of ring opening. This preferred path on alumina-supported catalysts appears to be related to a support effect rather than to an effect of metal dispersion, because catalysts of different metal dispersions on alumina display a comparable selectivity much higher than that obtained on any of the silica-supported catalysts. To quantify these differences, a kinetic study was conducted by following the evolution of the cis - and trans -isomers of 1,2- and 1,3-DMCH as a function of space–time. The kinetic parameters obtained from this study indicate important disparities in the reactivity of the different isomers toward ring opening, and they depend strongly on the support used. To explain these disparities, it is proposed that dicarbene intermediates can be formed from all four isomers. However, only the two conformers that have diequatorial configurations ( trans -1,3-DMCH and cis -1,2-DMCH) favor the formation of the intermediates leading to the SRO of substituted C C bonds and hence to CN improvement.
β-MyHC and Cardiac Hypertrophy Size Does Matter

See related article, pages 629–638 In response to stress signals, the mammalian heart responds by an increase in its size.1 This is largely accomplished by an increase in the size of myocytes (hypertrophy) rather than by increasing their numbers (hyperplasia). At the molecular level, pathological stresses induce multiple changes, including genetic reprogramming—the reexpression of a battery of fetal genes and the downregulation of multiple adult genes.2 Together, the changes in gene expression result in substantial phenotypic changes, including changes in size, contractility, metabolic state, and electric conductance. Indeed, the reexpression of fetal genes, including β-myosin heavy chain (β-MyHC), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), and alpha-skeletal actin, has for many years been looked on as an important molecular indicator of pathological hypertrophy. In spite of this use of β-MyHC reexpression as a marker of pathological hypertrophy, until recently there have been surprisingly few reports on β-MyHC reexpression at the level of individual myocytes within the hypertrophic heart. Nevertheless, previous work using in situ hybridization against β-MyHC mRNA has shown that reexpression of β-MyHC does not take place in all areas of the hypertrophic heart; rather, it is distributed in distinct regions.3 More recently, it has been possible to study individual cells from the heart using genetically altered mice in which a fluorescent protein (yellow fluorescent protein [YFP]) is tagged onto the native β-MyHC gene. This procedure confirmed that β-MyHC reexpression takes place in cells located in distinct regions, including regions adjacent to areas of …
Prefrontal microRNA-221 Mediates Environmental Enrichment-Induced Increase of Locomotor Sensitivity to Nicotine

Background: Environmental enrichment alters susceptibility in developing drug addiction. We have demonstrated that rats raised in an enriched condition are more sensitive than rats raised in an impoverished condition to nicotine-induced locomotor activity, and this is associated with alterations of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 within the prefrontal cortex. This study determined the impact of microRNA-221 in the prefrontal cortex on phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and the enriched environment-dependent behavioral changes in response to nicotine. Methods: A microRNA array was conducted to profile microRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of enriched condition and impoverished condition rats in response to repeated nicotine (0.35mg/kg, s.c.) administration. microRNA-221 in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and striatum was further verified by quantitative real-time PCR. Lentiviral-mediated overexpression of microRNA-221 in PC12 cells and the medial prefrontal cortex was performed to determine the effects of microRNA-221 on nicotine-mediated phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, phosphorylated cAMP-response element-binding protein, and locomotor activity. Results: microRNA-221 was profoundly upregulated in the prefrontal cortex but not in nucleus accumbens and striatum of enriched condition rats relative to impoverished condition rats following repeated administration of nicotine. Overexpression of lentiviral-microRNA-221 attenuated nicotine-induced increase in phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in PC12 cells. Lentiviral-microRNA-221 overexpression in the medial prefrontal cortex further increased locomotor activity in impoverished condition but not in enriched condition rats in response to repeated nicotine administration. Accordingly, lentiviral-microRNA-221 attenuated nicotine-induced increases in phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and phosphorylated cAMP-response element-binding protein in the medial prefrontal cortex of impoverished condition but not enriched condition rats. Conclusion: These findings suggest that environmental enrichment, via upregulation of prefrontal microRNA-221 expression, suppresses the nicotine-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and cAMP-response element-binding protein, which provides a potential mechanism underlying enhanced locomotor sensitivity to nicotine.
Reconciling Contingencies in Work, Costs of Living, and Community Responsibilities

Caring and Doing For Others: Social Responsibility in the Domains of Family, Work, and Community. Alice S. Rossi, ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001 Nonstandard Work: The Nature and Challenges of Emerging Employment Arrangements. Francoise Carre, Marianne A. Ferber, Lonnie Golden, and Stephen A. Herzenberg, eds. Champaign, II: Industrial Relations Research Association, University of Illinois, 2000.
The New Casper: A Privacy-Aware Location-Based Database Server

This demo presents Casper; a framework in which users entertain anonymous location-based services. Casper consists of two main components; the location anonymizer that blurs the users' exact location into cloaked spatial regions and the privacy-aware query processor that is responsible on providing location-based services based on the cloaked spatial regions. While the location anonymizer is implemented as a stand alone application, the privacy-aware query processor is embedded into PLACE; a research prototype for location-based database servers.
Survey of exactly solved models for conducting polymers

Abstract We present an overview of one-dimensional interacting quantum many-body systems that have been solved exactly over the last 60 years. Our attention is drawn to three models which are most relevant for conducting polymers: the Heisenberg-Ising spin chain, the Hubbard model and the sinh-cosh model. The emphasis of this tutorial will be on theoretical models — but not theory! — rather than applications to particular experiments or polymers.
Algorithms for simultaneous consideration of multiple physical synthesis transforms for timing closure

We propose a post-placement physical synthesis algorithm that can apply multiple circuit synthesis and placement transforms on a placed circuit to improve the critical path delay under area constraints by simultaneously considering the benefits and costs of all transforms (as opposed to considering them sequentially after applying each transform). The circuit transforms we employ include, but are not limited to, incremental placement, two types of buffer insertion, cell resizing and cell replication. The problem is modeled as a min-cost network flow problem, in which nodes represent circuit transform options. By carefully determining the structure of the network graph and the cost of each arc, a set of near-optimal transform options can be obtained as those whose corresponding nodes in the network graph have the min-cost flow passing through them. We also tie the transform selection network graph to a detailed placement network graph with TD arc costs for cell movements. This enables our algorithms to incorporate considerations of detailed placement cost for each synthesis transform along with the basic cost of applying the transform in the circuit. We have tested our algorithms on three sets of benchmarks under 3--10% area increase constraints, and obtained up to 48% and an average of 27.8% timing improvement. Our average improvement is relatively 40% better (8.2% better by an absolute measure) than applying the same set of transforms in a good sequential order that is used in many current techniques. Considering only synthesis transforms (no replacement), our technique is relatively 50% better than the sequential approach.
The Utility of Staying on Message: Competing Partisan Frames and Public Awareness of Elite Differences on Political Issues

Pundits, journalists, and citizens alike often bristle at the idea of politicians “staying on message,” believing that the practice undermines democracy. Scholars have had little to say with respect to whether the issue frames the news media report politicians using to characterize public questions affect how individuals view political battles between Republicans and Democrats over time. In this paper, I explore how the consistency with which partisan political elites frame issues influences whether individuals see important differences between the two major parties. Examinations of content analysis of Newsweek’s coverage of three issues (abortion, tax, and energy policies) from 1975-2000 suggest that as the two parties provide increasingly internally homogenous, but externally competitive issue frames, individuals are more likely to believe there is more than the proverbial “dime’s worth of difference” between the two major parties. The evidence supports Sniderman and Bullock’s(2004) theory of “menu dependence” in American politics.
Activated Protein C Resistance and Factor V Leiden: A Review

Abstract Context.—Factor V Leiden (FVL) is the most common heritable cause of venous thrombosis. It is caused by a single nucleotide substitution resulting in an R506Q missense mutation, resulting in factor V resistance to activated protein C (APC) inactivation. Carriers of FVL have an increased susceptibility to venous thrombosis, which is further increased in the presence of other genetic or environmental risk factors. Objective.—To review the biology, clinical findings, laboratory detection methods, and screening recommendations for patients with the FVL mutation. Data Sources.—PubMed review of published literature and online information. Conclusions.—FVL remains an important heritable cause of hypercoagulability since its discovery more than 10 years ago. Clinical suspicion should be high in cases of unexplained venous thrombosis. APC resistance and FVL mutation can be diagnosed with high sensitivity and specificity with use of clotting time–based functional assays and genetic assays, respectively, al...
A Patient with Widely Fluctuating Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Measurements

A 56-year-old man had a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)4 value of 22.5 μIU/mL (reference interval 0.4–4.6 μIU/mL). The increased TSH prompted review of his previous thyroid testing results (Table 1). The patient's history revealed a diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma 8 months prior, which was treated with total thyroidectomy and 131I radioablation followed by l-thyroxine (Synthroid) treatment. This was his first follow-up visit for evaluation of recurrence of …
Solubilization of Synthetic Perfumes by Nonionic Surfactants and by Sulfoalkyl Ether β-CDs

Head-space gas chromatography has been used to study thesolubilization of synthetic perfumes by nonionic surfactants and by sulfoalkyl etherβ-cyclodextrins. This study shows that the addition of nonionic surfactants reducesthe vapor pressure of these perfumes due to reduction of the free perfume concentrationin water caused by partition of the solute between surfactant micelles and water.The relationship between solubilization capacity of nonionic surfactants andcharacteristics of both the surfactant and the synthetic perfumes was evaluated. Similarvapor pressure reduction also observed in perfumes in sulfoalkyl etherβ-cyclodextrins. The stability of the inclusion complexes depends on the structures of bothperfume molecules and substitution group on sulfoalkyl ether β-cyclodextrins.The results also indicated that in some cases there may be more than one perfumemolecule included in a β-CD molecule while there is no indication of complexesformed between more than one β-CD molecule and a single perfume molecule.
Spatial and Temporal Incidences of Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses in Pineapple Planting Blocks.

Sether, D. M., Borth, W. B., Melzer, M. J., and Hu, J. 2010. Spatial and temporal incidences of Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses in pineapple planting blocks. Plant Dis. 94:196-200. A complex of Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses (PMWaVs) that can infect pineapple (Ananas comosus) is correlated with reduced yields and mealybug wilt of pineapple. The incidences of PMWaV-1 and PMWaV-2 at planting, fruit harvest, the beginning of the ratoon crop, and ratoon fruit harvest were determined for end, side, and central regions of planting blocks in eight commercial fields. Differences in virus incidence for the three regions at ratoon harvest were highly significant (P = 0.0018). Central regions of planting blocks had lower virus incidences at the time of ratoon fruit harvest. Collection of propagation material from the central regions of planting blocks will help to minimize PMWaV incidence in fields planted with this material.
West Nile Virus Activity in a Winter Roost of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos): Is Bird-to-Bird Transmission Important in Persistence and Amplification?

Since its emergence in North America, West Nile virus (WNV) has had a large impact on equines, humans, and wild bird communities, yet gaps remain in our understanding of how the virus persists at temperate latitudes when winter temperatures preclude virus replication and host-seeking activity by mosquito vectors. Bird-to-bird transmission at large communal American Crow roosts could provide one mechanism for WNV persistence. Herein, we describe seasonal patterns of crow and Culex mosquito abundance, WNV infection rates, and the prevalence of WNV-positive fecal samples at a winter crow roost to test the hypothesis that bird-to-bird transmission allows WNV to persist at winter crow roosts. Samples were collected from large winter crow roosts in the Sacramento Valley of California from January 2013 until August 2014, encompassing two overwintering roost periods. West Nile virus RNA was detected in local crow carcasses in both summer [13/18 (72% WNV positive)] and winter [18/44 (41% WNV positive)] 2013–2014. Winter infections were unlikely to have arisen by recent bites from infected mosquitoes because Culex host-seeking activity was very low in winter and all Culex mosquitoes collected during winter months tested negative for WNV. Opportunities existed for fecal-oral transfer at the overwintering roost: most carcasses that tested positive for WNV had detectable viral RNA in both kidney and cloacal swabs, suggesting that infected crows were shedding virus in their feces, and >50% of crows at the roost were stained with feces by mid-winter. Moreover, 2.3% of fecal samples collected in late summer, when mosquitoes were active, tested positive for WNV RNA. Nevertheless, none of the 1,119 feces collected from three roosts over two winters contained detectable WNV RNA. This study provided evidence of WNV infection in overwintering American crows without mosquito vector activity, but did not elucidate a mechanism of WNV transmission during winter.
Malignant Transformation of Melanocytic Nevi

Most cutaneous melanomas are thought to arise de novo from resident melanocytes in the skin. The nevus as a precursor lesion of melanoma has been a long-held clinical tenet, although there has been much debate on the molecular nature of nevi and its relationship to melanoma. The purpose of this chapter is to show evidence that nevi share common etiologic origins as melanoma and may therefore undergo the clinical observation of malignant transformation.
Morphology, Habits, and Systematic Position of Allepeira Lemniscata (Walckenaer) (Araneida: Argiopidae, Allepeirinae)

Allepeira lemniscata (Walckenaer), a spider of the Southern United States and Cuba, builds a domed orb-web that is unique among the Argiopidae. It differs from other members of the family in various habits, and morphologically is not closely related to other argiopid genera.
Plasmonic circular dichroism of 310- and α-helix using a discrete interaction model/quantum mechanics method

Plasmonic circular dichroism (CD) of chiral molecules in the near field of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) may be used to enhance molecular CD signatures or to induce a CD signal at the plasmon resonance. A recent few-states theory explored these effects for model systems and showed an orientation dependence of the sign of the induced CD signal for spherical NPs. Here, we use the discrete interaction model/quantum mechanical (DIM/QM) method to simulate the CD and plasmonic CD of the 310- and α-helix conformations of a short alanine peptide. We find that the interactions between the molecule and the plasmon lead to significant changes in the CD spectra. In the plasmon region, we find that the sign of the CD depends strongly on the orientation of the molecule as well as specific interactions with the NP through image dipole effects. A small enhancement of the CD is found in the molecular region of the spectrum, however, the molecular signatures may be significantly altered through interactions with the NP. We...
Andrei I. Holodny, MD, Founding President of the American Society of Functional Neuroradiology

Andrei I. Holodny, MD, is the founding President of the American Society of Functional Neuroradiology (ASFNR). This is an important scientific endeavor for the ASNR to embrace. Dr. Holodny has been one of the prime movers in the creation of this society and it is fitting that he is its first
Growth and development of children of peasant workers in Baoshan District of Shanghai City

[Objective]To understand the growth and development of peasant-workers' children,and provide scientific evidence for decision-making.[Methods]A total of 1 154 peasant-workers' children were selected as study objects.Their height,weight and other indexes were measured.The growth status was evaluated and compared with that of the local public school students.[Results]The height of peasant-workers' children was lower than public school student(P0.05).The weight of boy aged 9-14 years and 7 years was lower than the boy of same age in public school(P0.05),the weight of girl aged 11-13 years and 9 years was lower than the girl in public school(P0.05).The malnutrition rate and obesity rate of peasant workers' children aged 6-12 years was lower than local public school student(P0.01).[Conclusion]The height and growth of peasant workers' children are worse than local public school students.The malnutrition rate of peasant workers' children aged 6-12 years and the obesity rates of boys are lower than local public school students,but the difference between students aged 13-16 years is not obvious.
Capitalism and Abolition: Values and Forces in Britain, 1783–1814 (1976)

The abolition of the British slave trade has been rightly regarded as one of the most dramatic alterations in British imperial policy. In 1783 the Prime Minister’s response to the first Quaker petition for abolition was a statement combining sympathy with a categoric denial of its practicality. Since it would be next to impossible to induce every nation to give it up for ever, Lord North said, it was unnecessary for parliament to consider forcing British subjects to do so. Thirty years later, the balance of policy had altered beyond recognition. In 1814, when other European powers were preparing to return in force to the slave trade on the African coast, not a single M.P. even suggested the possibility of a concomitant revival of the British trade. Britain’s policy, seven years after her abolition acts, was clearly set. The elimination of what had been deemed in 1783 ‘necessary to almost every nation in Europe’1 was now to be urged, if not forced, on every nation in Europe. This change of attitude in government and parliament was paralleled by a change throughout the country. In 1783, the Quaker petition had entered parliament alone and isolated.
A double-layer automatic orientation correction method for human activity recognition

Human activity monitoring systems using inertial sensors have found wide applications in the field of health and wellness by providing valuable information for diagnostics and rehabilitation processes to doctors and clinicians. As the scales of studies increase, sensor orientation placement errors have become one of the most commonly seen difficulties for such systems. Assuming patients to wear sensors at the correct orientation is unrealistic and will result in a large amount of data loss or distortion. In order to tackle this problem, we propose a double layer classification model. The first layer, not assuming correct sensor orientation, uses orientation-invariant accelerometer magnitude to construct a highly conservative walking detection model. The detected walking beacons from this layer are used to compare to the training template to obtain the true sensor orientation. Then proper rotation matrix can be applied to the whole day data, and fed into the second layer of a finer classifier where orientation-variant features are used. In order to show validity of this method, we hired 7 healthy subjects and 2 stroke patients in the rehab process to wear the sensors for two days and at least 6 hours each day. Ground truth are labeled manually with a Matlab GUI tool. Precision and recall for walking detection in each day are reported and discussed.
From imagery to ecology: leveraging time series of all available Landsat observations to map and monitor ecosystem state and dynamics

With over 30 years of directly comparable Landsat satellite observations now freely available, and new imagery being added to the Landsat archive every day, Landsat time series analysis affords novel opportunities for ecosystem mapping, environmental monitoring and comparative ecology. This study presents a series of data-driven examples that illustrate the potential of using Landsat time series to further the study of land cover characterization, vegetation phenology and landscape dynamics. Our goal is to showcase how ecosystem properties and dynamics manifest in the Landsat data record, laying the foundation for better integration of remote sensing and ecology using Landsat time series. Our results suggest that time series provide valuable information on ecosystem cover, use and condition that could advance understanding of ecosystem function, resilience and dynamics. We have only just begun to understand how to use the complete record of Landsat observations for the study of ecology, and we hope this work will encourage future studies on quantifying and analyzing relationships between time series data, ecosystems and ecological processes.
Associations between Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Nasal and Sinus, Migraine Headache, and Fatigue Symptoms in Pennsylvania.

Background:Unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) produces environmental contaminants and psychosocial stressors. Despite these concerns, few studies have evaluated the health effects of UNG...
An integrated assortment and shelf-space optimization model with demand substitution and space-elasticity effects

Abstract Retailers must define their assortments and assign shelf space to the items included in these assortments. These two planning problems are mutually dependent if space is scarce. We formulate a model that maximizes a retailer’s profit by selecting the optimal assortment and assigning limited shelf space to items. This model is the first decision model to integrate assortment and shelf-space planning by considering stochastic and space-elastic demand, out-of-assortment and out-of-stock substitution effects. To solve the model, we develop a specialized heuristic that efficiently yields near-optimal results, even for large-scale problems. We show that our approach outperforms alternative approaches, e.g. a sequential planning approach that first picks assortments and then assigns shelf space by up to 18%, and a greedy algorithm by up to 16% in terms of profit. We test our model on two real data sets for perishable and non-perishable items and show how it can support retailers in increasing their profits by up to 25%. We then use the model to generalize these results and find that space elasticity and substitution effects have a significant impact on profits, assortment size as well as facing decisions, and that both effects reinforce each other. Using our model, we finally derive rules-of-thumb for planners in practice.
Single-center, prospective pilot study to evaluate advance care planning implementing the 3 Questions and 3 Elements to identify an informed health care proxy in an outpatient oncology palliative care clinic.

TPS9655 Background: Despite the growing cancer therapeutics arsenal, the vast majority of advanced cancer patients will die. Consequently, understanding and communicating their end-of-life (EoL) ca...
Certified Peer Specialists in the United States Behavioral Health System: An Emerging Workforce

A unique discipline of persons who provide peer support and mutual-aid has grown exponentially over the past decade. Individuals with personal experience with mental illnesses from across the country are receiving specialized training and certification as Peer Specialists and an increasing number of states have approved the supports they provide for Medicaid reimbursement. This chapter will provide an historical overview and discuss this movement as a significant evolutionary step in the involvement of peers-as-staff in the traditional service system, programs, and workforce. A review of current knowledge about certified peer specialist (CPS) training programs will be offered along with research findings on the benefits associated with participating in such training on well-being, knowledge, and employment. Finally, national findings pertaining to CPS wages, hours worked per week, and number of persons they support, as well as job titles and work activities will be presented. Evidence of continuing implementation barriers are also discussed, suggesting that knowledge among non-peers about recovery and the value of peer support have not yet had as big of an effect as one might like. Emerging policy, program, and practice issues will be discussed, as well as future research topics of greatest priority.
5-Hydroxytryptamine1A Receptors: Pharmacological and Functional Characterization

At the present time, the 5-HT1A receptor is the most characterised of all known 5-HT receptor subtypes and is the focus of this review.
MURINE MACROPHAGE-LYMPHOCYTE BINDING - SEPARATION OF B CELL SUBSETS ON MACROPHAGE MONOLAYERS

ABSTRACT Spleens and lymph nodes of normal adult mice contain cells that adhere to macrophage monolayers for two hours or more. The majority of these binding cells are B cells. By allowing B cells to adhere to macrophage monolayers, and harvesting the non-adherent cells, a population of B cells that will not subsequently bind to macrophages can be obtained. Thus B cells can be divided into macrophage binding and non-binding populations. The binder population is part of the previously described Lyb3 positive B cell subpopulation. Peripheral T cells can disrupt B cell-macrophage binding.
An Explicit Physics-Based Model for the Transverse Permeability of Multi-Material Dual Porosity Fibrous Media

A simple, explicit model for the transverse permeability of porous media comprised of alternating layers of tows of varying permeability has been proposed. The development of the model is based on results of numerical simulations as well as an earlier developed analytical model for the permeability of such systems (Markicevic and Papathanasiou, 2003). Based on the above, as well as on physical arguments regarding the flow across such dual porosity media, we formulate an explicit model in terms of dimensionless permeabilities. Extensive validation of the model is carried out through numerical simulations using the CFD package FIDAP. A good agreement between the permeabilities predicted by the simple explicit model and those calculated numerically is found. From this model, the form of a master curve for the permeability of such system has been deduced.
Endogenous timing when a vertically integrated producer supplies a rival

This paper derives the timing equilibrium when a vertically integrated producer (VIP) supplies essential inputs to its retail rival. Such circumstances arise in a variety of industries, often characterized by regulated input prices. The distinguishing feature of markets with an influential VIP is that the VIP is not only a retail competitor but is also concerned about wholesale profits–profits it gleans from its retail rival(s). The VIP’s desire to balance profits across wholesale and retail markets leads to results that challenge conventional thinking about timing equilibria. Notably, under quantity competition, rather than the familiar cut-throat race to be a leader, the timing equilibrium prescribes a natural leader–follower sequencing, with each party in a “win–win” situation relative to simultaneous early play.
An Automated Algorithm for Quantifying Cracks in Photovoltaic Backsheets Under Accelerated and Real-World Exposures

Extending the lifetime of photovoltaic modules is critical for the industry’s success. Backsheet cracks are concerning since they compromise module safety and performance. In this study, 23 backsheets with 9 unique material combinations were exposed to four weathering conditions both indoors and outdoors. A previously developed algorithm utilizing optical profilometry data quantified the depth, width, area, spacing, and number of cracks. Logistic regression predicted the likelihood of cracking with 88% accuracy ($0.713\,\kappa )$ based on the $1715\,cm^{-1}$ ketone carbonyl absorption band and percent crystallinity of polyethylene. Based on thermo-oxidation and thin film fracture mechanics literature, this model indicates that increases in the modulus of polyethylene exacerbate the elastic mismatch between backsheet layers, thereby allowing cracks to initiate.