cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal-Hydraulic Design of High-Power-Density Annular Fuel in PWRs

This paper presents steady-state thermal-hydraulic analyses of various lattices of externally and internally cooled annular pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel to identify the geometry that allows the largest possible power density while maintaining or increasing the minimum departure from nucleate boiling ratio (MDNBR) margin in current PWRs. Differences from the typical solid rod fuel are identified, and tools for the analysis are established. These involve an in-house code developed for this purpose and an adaptation of the VIPRE-01 whole-core model using a built-in heated tube option. A 13 × 13 square array that maintains the same assembly dimensions as the current 17 × 17 fuel assembly and keeps the same fuel-to-moderator ratio was identified to achieve the best performance and the largest MDNBR margin. It is demonstrated that with a proportional increase of the core flow rate, the annular fuel allows for an up to 50% power uprate at the same MDNBR margin as in current solid PWR fuel, or for a smaller uprate with larger MDNBR margins. The same uprate was found to be possible if annular fuel is used with a hexagonal lattice, such as in VVER plants. Even at this large power rating, the peak fuel temperature is smaller by hundreds of degrees centigrade than for the solid fuel. Analyses have also shown that the annular fuel is stable against both a power excursion and density wave oscillations and has only small sensitivity to oxide layer growth and manufacturing tolerances. Gap conductance asymmetry (between the inner and outer gaps) was identified as the key issue that will limit the design because gap heat transfer resistance affects the MNDBR, unlike for the solid fuel. The annular fuel MNDBR was also found to be more sensitive to variations. in core operating parameters than solid fuel, but this is more than compensated for by a significantly larger MDNBR margin during normal operation.
On kernel methods for relational learning

Kernel methods have gained a great deal of popularity in the machine learning community as a method to learn indirectly in high-dimensional feature spaces. Those interested in relational learning have recently begun to cast learning from structured and relational data in terms of kernel operations. We describe a general family of kernel functions built up from a description language of limited expressivity and use it to study the benefits and drawbacks of kernel learning in relational domains. Learning with kernels in this family directly models learning over an expanded feature space constructed using the same description language. This allows us to examine issues of time complexity in terms of learning with these and other relational kernels, and how these relate to generalization ability. The tradeoffs between using kernels in a very high dimensional implicit space versus a restricted feature space, is highlighted through two experiments, in bioinformatics and in natural language processing.
Polarimetric radar signatures of oil slicks for measuring slick thickness

In the event of an oil spill at sea, the most critical information needed is an estimate the amount of the spill and how it is dispersing. The thickness of the oil slick provides information needed to assess both these needs. Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar has been used to estimate the thickness of oil slicks. However, since a model that describes the measurements of a fully-polarimetric radar was not available, it was difficult to optimize this measurement technique. The two-scale, resonant scattering model is utilized to derive the backscatter cross-section of ocean surfaces that are covered by thin oil slicks. The model defines the complex scattering coefficients of the co-pol and cross-pol backscattered signals. The scattering coefficients are found as a function of the thickness of the oil slicks and its dielectric constant. The scattering matrices are converted to the corresponding Stokes matrices. The Stokes matrix is used to synthesize the backscattered signal for a variety of different polarizations. The scattering cross-section is found as a function of the ellipticity angle and the ellipse orientation angle. This information is used to train an artificial neural network to find the optimum polarization as a function of the dielectric constant and slick thickness. This artificial neural network is used to extract the slick thickness. Estimates of the resolution of the thickness measurement are also given. The effect of phase noise and speckle on the accuracy of the thickness measurement are also estimated. It is concluded that a fully polarimetric, millimeter wave radar, such as a 33 GHz SAR, is adequate for estimating the thickness of most moderately thick oil spills. >
Corporeal Grafting for Severe Hypospadias: A Single Institution Experience With 3 Techniques

Purpose: Correction of severe chordee by corporeal body grafting has been successfully performed using various grafts and biomaterials. We report a single institution comparison of our experience using small intestinal submucosa, tunica vaginalis and dermal grafts at stage 1 hypospadias repair.Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of the records of all patients who underwent staged hypospadias repair from 1985 to 2006 with corporeal body grafting at stage 1 with small intestinal submucosa, tunica vaginalis or dermal grafts. Age at grafting, time between stages, residual chordee at stage 2 repair and the need for additional plication or chordee correction at stage 2 were recorded.Results: A total of 71 patients were identified with a median age of 10 months at stage 1 repair and a median of 7.6 months between stages 1 and 2 repair. Dermal grafts, tunica vaginalis and small intestinal submucosa grafts were used in 29, 21 and 20 patients, respectively. One patient received a combi...
Second language learners and speech act comprehension

Recognizing the specific speech act (Searle, 1969) that a speaker performs with an utterance is a fundamental feature of pragmatic competence. Past research has demonstrated that native speakers of English automatically recognize speech acts when they comprehend utterances (Holtgraves & Ashley, 2001). The present research examined whether this occurs for participants learning English as a second language. Participants read conversational utterances and then performed a lexical decision task (decide whether a target string of letters is a word). Consistent with past research, native speakers performed this task more quickly when the target string was the speech act associated with the preceding utterance. In contrast, nonnative speakers did not demonstrate this effect, suggesting that speech act activation is not an automatic component of comprehension for people acquiring a second language.
Ssn6–Tup1 interacts with class I histone deacetylases required for repression

Ssn6–Tup1 regulates multiple genes in yeast, providing a paradigm for corepressor functions. Tup1 interacts directly with histones H3 and H4, and mutation of these histones synergistically compromises Ssn6–Tup1-mediated repression. In vitro, Tup1 interacts preferentially with underacetylated isoforms of H3 and H4, suggesting that histone acetylation may modulate Tup1 functions in vivo. Here we report that histone hyperacetylation caused by combined mutations in genes encoding the histone deacetylases (HDACs) Rpd3, Hos1, and Hos2 abolishes Ssn6–Tup1 repression. Unlike HDAC mutations that do not affect repression, this combination of mutations causes concomitant hyperacetylation of both H3 and H4. Strikingly, two of these class I HDACs interact physically with Ssn6–Tup1. These findings suggest that Ssn6–Tup1 actively recruits deacetylase activities to deacetylate adjacent nucleosomes and promote Tup1–histone interactions.
Trade‐offs between three forest ecosystem services across the state of New Hampshire, USA: timber, carbon, and albedo

Forests are more frequently being managed to store and sequester carbon for the purposes of climate change mitigation. Generally, this practice involves long-term conservation of intact mature forests and/or reductions in the frequency and intensity of timber harvests. However, incorporating the influence of forest surface albedo often suggests that long rotation lengths may not always be optimal in mitigating climate change in forests characterized by frequent snowfall. To address this, we investigated trade-offs between three ecosystem services: carbon storage, albedo-related radiative forcing, and timber provisioning. We calculated optimal rotation length at 498 diverse Forest Inventory and Analysis forest sites in the state of New Hampshire, USA. We found that the mean optimal rotation lengths across all sites was 94 yr (standard deviation of sample means = 44 yr), with a large cluster of short optimal rotation lengths that were calculated at high elevations in the White Mountain National Forest. Using a regression tree approach, we found that timber growth, annual storage of carbon, and the difference between annual albedo in mature forest vs. a post-harvest landscape were the most important variables that influenced optimal rotation. Additionally, we found that the choice of a baseline albedo value for each site significantly altered the optimal rotation lengths across all sites, lowering the mean rotation to 59 yr with a high albedo baseline, and increasing the mean rotation to 112 yr given a low albedo baseline. Given these results, we suggest that utilizing temperate forests in New Hampshire for climate mitigation purposes through carbon storage and the cessation of harvest is appropriate at a site-dependent level that varies significantly across the state.
On a dynamo driven topographically by longitudinal libration

Variation in the angular velocity Ω of a planetary body is called libration or longitudinal libration when the Ω-axis is fixed in direction. This motion of the body's solid mantle drives motions in its fluid core, either by viscous coupling across the core-mantle interface S, or topographically when S is asymmetric with respect to the Ω-axis, the only case considered in this article. A significant topographically-driven flow is identified having uniform vorticity within S and no component parallel to the Ω-axis. Its dynamic stability depends on the amplitude, Ω 1, of the sinusoidally varying part of Ω and on the ratio, b/a, of the lengths of the principal axes of S, assumed spheroidal. In (Ω 1/Ω 0, b/a) parameter space where Ω 0 is the average Ω, islands are shown to exist where the constant vorticity states are dynamically unstable. These are surrounded by a sea in which they are stable. When the fluid is slightly viscous, a state in the stable sea retains its uniform vorticity structure except in a visc...
Development of hypersensitivity to thiamine hydrochloride

Abstract 1.1. We have been unable to demonstrate the development of a hypersensitive state toward thiamine hydrochloride in the guinea pig, employing multiple injections of thiamine, thiamine plus adjuvant, or thiamine incubated with normal guinea pig serum. 2.2. Precipitating or complement-fixing antibodies could not be demonstrated in animals injected with thiamine, although antibodies similar to those described by Loiseleur and Levy 10 may be present. 3.3. Multiple injections of thiamine elevated the threshold of skin reactivity of guinea pigs in a manner similar to that described by Haley and Flesher, 11 who used rabbits.
Taurine regulation of short term synaptic plasticity in fragile X mice

Fragile X Syndrome is the most common known genetic cause of autism. The Fmr1-KO mouse, lacks the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), and is used as a model of the syndrome. The core behavioral deficits of autism may be conceptualized either as excessive adherence to patterns as seen in repetitive actions and aberrant language, or as insensitivity to subtle but socially important changes in patterns. The hippocampus receives information from the entorhinal cortex and plays a crucial role in the processing of patterned information. To gain more insight into the physiological function of FMRP and the neuronal mechanisms underlying fragile X syndrome, we examined the electrophysiological response of the hippocampus to pair pulse stimulation as a measure of patterned information processing and how it is affected in the Fmr1-KO mouse. In this study, we used paired-pulse stimulation of the afferent perforant path and recorded from the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Two-month-old FVB/NJ male mice and age-matched Fmr1-KO mice were used in this study. Hippocampal slices were prepared, equilibrated in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF), and excitatory post synaptic potentials (EPSPs) measured by stimulating the perforant path of the dentate gyrus (DG) while recording from the molecular layer of CA1. Stimulation occurred by setting current and pulse width to evoke a fixed percentage of maximal EPSP amplitude. This stimulation paradigm allowed us to examine the processing capabilities of the hippocampus as a function of increasing interstimulus intervals (ISI) and how taurine, a GABAA receptor agonist, affects such information processing. We found that hippocampal slices from wild type (WT) showed pair-pulse facilitation at ISI of 100-300 ms whereas slices from Fmr1-KO brains showed a consistent pair-pulse depression at a comparable ISI. Addition of 10 μM taurine to WT slices resulted in a drastic decrease of the peak response to the second stimulus, resulting in an initial depression at 100 ms ISI followed by potentiation at higher ISI (150 ms and above). In the presence of taurine, the amplitude of the second response remained significantly lower than in its absence. Fmr1-KO mice however, were completely insensitive to taurine application and pair-pulse stimulation always resulted in a depression of the response to the second stimulus. Previously we reported that Fmr1-KO mice have reduced beta subunits of the GABAA receptors. We also showed as well as others that taurine acts as an agonist or a modulator for GABAA receptors. Therefore, the insensitivity of Fmr1-KO slices to taurine application could be due to the reduced binding sites on the GABAA receptors in the Fmr1-KO mice.
Learning control applied to Electro-Hydraulic Poppet Valves

This paper describes a novel state trajectory control method and its application to electro-hydraulic poppet valves (EHPV). The control objective is to find a control sequence that forces the state of the plant to asymptotically converge to the desired state trajectory. This is to be accomplished without requiring exact information about the state transition map of the plant. In fact, it is desired to learn the inverse input-state map of the plant at the same time state tracking control is enforced. As an application of this novel controller, the tracking of a desired supply pressure trajectory is considered. This is achieved by learning the flow conductance coefficient Kv of the EHPV. The novel state trajectory control method achieves this objective by learning the inverse input- state mapping of the valve at the same time that this mapping is used in the feedforward loop. The mapping learning is accomplished with the aid of a simple neural network structure called the nodal link perceptron network (NLPN). The NLPN is trained online via a gradient descent method to minimize the errors in the inverse input-state mapping approximation. The supply pressure tracking performance subject to the proposed controller is validated through experimental data.
Whole body plethysmography reveals differential ventilatory responses to ozone in rat models of cardiovascular disease.

To elucidate key factors of host susceptibility to air pollution, healthy and cardiovascular (CV)-compromised rats were exposed to air or ozone (O3) at 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 ppm for 4 h. We hypothesized that rat strains with the least cardiac reserve would be most prone to develop significant health effects. Using flow whole body plethysmography (FWBP), ventilatory responses in healthy 3-month-old male rats [i.e. Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), Wistar (WIS), and Sprague-Dawley (SD) strains] were compared with hypertensive [i.e. spontaneously hypertensive (SH), fawn-hooded-hypertensive (FHH), and SH-stroke-prone (SHSP)] strains and obese [i.e. SH-heart failure-prone (SHHF) and JCR:LA-cp, atherosclerosis-prone (JCR)] strains. SH were slower to acclimate to the FWBP chambers. At 0-h post-air-exposure, SHSP and SHHF exhibited hyperpnea, indicative of cardiopulmonary insufficiency. At 0-h-post-O3, all but one strain showed significant concentration-dependent decreases in minute volume [MV = tidal volume (TV) × breathing frequency]. Comparing air with 1.0 ppm responses, MV declined 20-27% in healthy, 21-42% in hypertensive, and 33% in JCR rats, but was unchanged in SHHF rats. Penh increased significantly in all strains, with disproportionate increases in "responder" WKY and FHH strains. By 20 h, most changes had resolved, although Penh remained elevated in WKY, SH, and SHSP. Based on the effective dose estimates (O3 ppm × h × MV), the most CV-compromised (SHSP and SHHF) strains received significantly greater O3 lung deposition (25% and 40%, respectively). Data support epidemiologic associations that individuals with cardiopulmonary insufficiency are at greater risk for urban pollutant exposure due, in part, to enhanced lung deposition and exacerbation of hypoxia and pathophysiologic processes of heart failure.
An experience on multithreading using Android's handler class

In this paper we describe an experience on multithreading using Java concurrency classes and Android's Handler class. The Handler class is a new idiom designed for Android inter-thread communication; it combines features from a BlockingQueue and a message listener. It is especially helpful for apps based on the 'producer-consumer' pattern. A Handler object on the main thread (consumer) exposes a thread-safe queue on which background workers (producers) can asynchronously append either messages or requests for foreground runnables to act on their behalf. The Handler's listener waits for new messages carrying data and requests to be serviced by the main activity. An Android app using these features is discussed.
Data compression

This paper surveys a variety of data compression methods spanning almost 40 years of research, from the work of Shannon, Fano, and Huffman in the late 1940s to a technique developed in 1986. The aim of data compression is to reduce redundancy in stored or communicated data, thus increasing effective data density. Data compression has important application in the areas of file storage and distributed systems. Concepts from information theory as they relate to the goals and evaluation of data compression methods are discussed briefly. A framework for evaluation and comparison of methods is constructed and applied to the algorithms presented. Comparisons of both theoretical and empirical natures are reported, and possibilities for future research are suggested.
Impacts of Climate Change on Biofuels Production

The overall goal of this research project was to improve and use our biogeochemistry model, TEM, to simulate the effects of climate change and other environmental changes on the production of biofuel feedstocks. We used the improved version of TEM that is coupled with the economic model, EPPA, a part of MIT’s Earth System Model, to explore how alternative uses of land, including land for biofuels production, can help society meet proposed climate targets. During the course of this project, we have made refinements to TEM that include development of a more mechanistic plant module, with improved ecohydrology and consideration of plant-water relations, and a more detailed treatment of soil nitrogen dynamics, especially processes that add or remove nitrogen from ecosystems. We have documented our changes to TEM and used the model to explore the effects on production in land ecosystems, including changes in biofuels production.
Malonyl-CoA in skeletal muscle and liver of streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

AbstractMalonyl-CoA, the inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I, has been examined in this study in the muscle and liver of diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin (6 mg/100 g body wt). The gastrocnemius/plantaris muscles and liver samples were frozen at liquid nitrogen temperature. Muscle malonyl-CoA was 1.8 ± 0.2 pmol/mg in control rats and 1.5 ± 0.2 pmol/mg in the diabetic rats. This difference was not statistically significant. Liver malonyl-CoA of control rats was 8.6 ± 0.8 pmol/mg, in comparison to 4.3 ± 0.6 pmol/mg in diabetic rats. In the liver, high concentrations of malonyl-CoA inhibit fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis. Failure of malonyl-CoA to decline in muscle in the diabetic may be responsible in part for the diversion of fatty acids to the liver, thereby enhancing hepatic fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis.
EFFECT OF DIETARY SELENIUM ON INCIDENCE OF NUTRITIONAL ENCEPHALOMALACIA IN CHICKS.

SummaryAddition of 0.13 ppm of selenium as sodium selenite to a semisynthetic diet containing 4% corn oil freed of tocopherol reduced the incidence of encephalomalacia. On the other hand, when 8% corn oil was fed, selenium in levels up to 1.56 ppm had no effect on the proportion of chicks with encephalomalacia. Growth was not affected by addition of selenium.
Where Is It and Where Is It Going?: A Comprehensive Look at GPS Asset Location

Asset location systems, including vehicle and property tracking systems, are in the verge of exploding onto the scene for widespread business and personal use. This is due in part to decreased costs of GPS equipment, and greater availability of wireless communication systems, but also largely due to public awareness of their capabilities and benefits. Companies, organizations, and individual consumers that earlier could not justify the costs of tracking systems are now seriously considering their implementation. Public awareness of such systems is growing daily. Newspapers regularly have articles covering the latest applications of GPS. En route nagivation for aircraft, assisting blind people to navigate the streets of a city, and tracking skiers on slopes are some of the topics of recent newspapers articles on GPS. This article explores GPS asset location systems, looks at their features and foibles, and considers their cost, utility, ease of use, and drawbacks.
Sentinel surveillance for injury in Xinchang,Zhejiang,2012

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of injury in Xinchang and provide evidence for the prevention and control of injury.Methods The injury cases seeking medical care for the first time in 3 sentinel hospitals in Xinchang from January 1 to December 2012 w ere included in descriptive epidemiological analysis.Results A total of 10 971 injury cases w ere recorded in 2012.The male to female ratio of the cases w as 1.61∶ 1.The injury cases w ere mainly distributed in people aged 15- 44 years(40.99%) and in farmers / fisher man,migrant w orkers and w orkers accounting for 26.01%,24.55% and 24.41% respectively.The injuries mainly occurred at home(35.90%).The top five injury causes w ere fall(26.58%),traffic accident(23.93%),blunt injury(22.11%),pricking / cutting(15.68%) and animal bite(7.79%).The most common injury site was upper limb(29.59%).Most injuries were mild and moderate severe(98.20%).Unintentional injuries accounted for 96.43% of the total.Conclusion The incidence of injury w as high in Xinchang.It is necessary to conduct targeted prevention to reduce the incidence of injury.
Toward a Better Understanding of the Ever Expanding Social Web: A Uses and Gratifcation Approach

Social media (sometimes referred to as consumer generated media or interactive media) has developed into an area of immense interest for marketing scholars and practioners. Many organizations are using social media as part of their integrated marketing communication programs. Communicating with consumers via social media is thought to be very important especially within the coming years. Despite the importance and increased usage of social media, research on social media usage is lacking when compared to the more traditional components of the marketing mix. Therefore, this paper seeks to investigate why and how consumers use social media.
Severe congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract: epidemiology can inform ethical decision-making

Decision-making for pregnancies complicated by severe congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) are ethically challenging, partly because the outcomes are not well studied. Retrospective cohort study of severe cases of CAKUT over 14 years. Seventy-one of the 108 cases could be completely analyzed. Forty-six percent (n=33) infants were live-born; one-third (n=11) survived to 12 months. Twice as many non-surviving infants received a trial of therapy vs comfort care only. Two-thirds of non-survivors who received a trial of therapy died within the first 9 h of life. Live-born infants faced morbidities such as pneumothorax and neonatal dialysis. Over half of pregnancies complicated by severe CAKUT ended in termination or stillbirth, but one-third of live-born infants survived to 12 months and the majority of non-survivors died within hours. This may allay concerns about prolonged and futile intensive care for parents considering a trial of therapy.
Founders as Fathers: The Private Lives and Politics of the American Revolutionaries. By Lorri Glover. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2014. Pp. x, 324. $30.00.)

The image of the American Revolutionaries as “Founding Fathers” emerged before the revolutionary generation itself had passed. In this work, Lorri Glover considers several Revolutionary leaders’ ac...
Cord Blood (CB) Unit Mononuclear Cell (MNC) Dose: Effect on Transplantation Outcome and Relevance to Processing Method and CBU Selection.

Among the CB graft characteristics that affect post-transplant engraftment and survival TNC dose has become a critical variable in the selection of CB units. However, the cryopreserved TNC depends on the method of CB processing. The AXPTM system, used by the NYBC-NCBP since August 2006, automatically reduces the volume and separates the components of a CB unit in a closed system, resulting in >95% recovery of MNCs, CFU and CD34+ cells and excellent viability, consistently, while the average recovery of TNC is 80%. MNCs represent 47% (±0.07) of the pre-processing TNC. Thus, when processing has no effect on type of cells recovered, a CB unit with a TNC of 900x10^6 (cell number criterion used for inclusion in the National Cord Blood Inventory) would have an average of 425x10^6 MNCs. As a result of the differential recoveries, however, of all CBUs with a pre-processing TNC >1100x10^6, 58% will have a post-processing TNC count ≥ 900x10^6; in contrast, 81.5% will have MNC ≥ 425x10^6 (N=11012 units processed with the AXP system during the period: 2006–2008). To evaluate whether the MNC dose has an impact on transplant outcome, and compare it to that of the TNC dose, we evaluated the effect on time to engraftment (time to ANC ≥ 500) and transplant related mortality (TRM) in all patients with leukemia or myelodysplasia that received single unit CB grafts from our Bank following myeloablative cytoreduction, during the period 1993–2006. A total of 1044 patients (mean age: 13.9 years, median: 9.2 years, range: 0.2–64 years, 22% >20 years) were included, 87% had follow-up data. CBUs had 0 (5%), 1 (33%) or ≥ 2 (61%) HLA mismatches with the recipient; the median cryopreservation TNC/kg was 4.1x10^7. Pre-freezing complete counts were obtained by automated hematology analyzers (H*1, Technicon, Bayer Corporation or Sysmex XE-2100, Roche Diagnostics). Until July 2006, CBUs were processed manually [PNAS 94(22);1995]. For this study, MNC included nucleated RBC. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis TNC/kg, HLA mismatch level, GvHD prophylaxis, transplant center and year were independently predictive of time to ANC ≥ 500. When MNC/kg was added to the analysis with TNC/kg, only the MNC dose was a significant predictor (RR:1.5, p:0.03), and the TNC dose was no longer predictive (p:0.7). Low MNC/kg ( MNC dose, therefore, emerges as a better predictor of time to engraftment and TRM than the TNC dose, and thus, as a better measure of graft quality to be used in selecting CBUs for transplantation. In this context, because AXP processing retains more of the MNCs originally present in the CBU than other systems, this processing maybe used as a criterion of CBU quality when both the TNC and MNC are used as indices of CBU cellular contents.
Comparative performance evaluation of series connected 15 kV SiC IGBT devices and 15 kV SiC MOSFET devices for MV power conversion systems

The 10–15kV SiC MOSFET and 15kV SiC IGBT (2 μm and 5 μm buffer layer) are the state of the art high voltage devices designed by Cree Inc. These devices are expected to increase the power density of converters and the demonstration of these devices in applications like Solid State Transformers (SST) have been reported up to 4.16 kV–13.2 kV grid connection. It is interesting to investigate the performance of the devices in very high voltage (≥13.2 kV) application, where the series connection of devices is required. Therefore, this paper addresses design considerations of the series connection of 15 kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) IGBT devices and a series connection of 10 kV/15 kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET devices in two separate independent cases and their experimental comparison.
Can an arthroplasty risk score predict bundled care events after total joint arthroplasty

Abstract Background The validated Arthroplasty Risk Score (ARS) predicts the need for postoperative triage to an intensive care setting. We hypothesized that the ARS may also predict hospital length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and episode-of-care cost (EOCC). Methods We retrospectively reviewed a series of 704 patients undergoing primary total hip and knee arthroplasty over 17 months. Patient characteristics, 90-day EOCC, LOS, and readmission rates were compared before and after ARS implementation. Results ARS implementation was associated with fewer patients going to a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility after discharge (63% vs 74%, P = .002). There was no difference in LOS, EOCC, readmission rates, or complications. While the adoption of the ARS did not change the mean EOCC, ARS >3 was predictive of high EOCC outlier (odds ratio 2.65, 95% confidence interval 1.40-5.01, P = .003). Increased ARS correlated with increased EOCC ( P = .003). Conclusions Implementation of the ARS was associated with increased disposition to home. It was predictive of high EOCC and should be considered in risk adjustment variables in alternative payment models.
Human Cerebral Function at Extreme Altitude

in the fall of 1981 the American Medical Research Expedition to Everest completed a series of physiological and psychological studies on mountaineers ascending to the summit of Mount Everest. This expedition afforded the unique opportunity to observe the consequences of extreme, sustained hypoxia on human cerebral function. The goal was to ascertain whether exposing healthy acclimatized individuals to extreme high altitude causes long-term alterations in cognition or behavior indicative of hypoxic brain dysfunction.
Calibrated estimators in two-stage sampling

ABSTRACTWe consider the problem of the estimation of the population mean of a study variable by assuming that the population means of an auxiliary variable are known at both stages of sample selection. The design weights at the first and second stages of sample selection are calibrated by optimizing the chi-squared type distance between the design weights and the new weights at both the first and second stages of sample selection. The regression type estimator in two-stage sampling is shown to be a special case. An application of the proposed estimators using a real data set is discussed.
High-level production and purification in a functional state of an extrasynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor containing α4β3δ subunits.

The inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors are implicated in numerous physiological processes, including cognition and inhibition of neurotransmission, rendering them important molecular targets for many classes of drugs. Functionally, the entire GABAAR family of receptors can be subdivided into phasic, fast acting synaptic receptors, composed of α-, β- and γ-subunits, and tonic extrasynaptic receptors, many of which contain the δ-subunit in addition to α- and β-subunits. Whereas the subunit arrangement of the former group is agreed upon, that of the αβδ GABAARs remains unresolved by electrophysiological and pharmacological research. To resolve such issues will require biophysical techniques that demand quantities of receptor that have been previously unavailable. Therefore, we have engineered a stable cell line with tetracycline inducible expression of human α4-, β3- and N-terminally Flag-tagged δ-subunits. This cell line achieved a specific activity between 15 and 20 pmol [3H]muscimol sites/mg of membrane protein, making it possible to obtain 1 nmole of purified α4β3δ GABAAR from sixty 15–cm culture dishes. When induced, these cells exhibited agonist–induced currents with characteristics comparable to those previously reported for this receptor and a pharmacology that included strong modulation by etomidate and the δ-subunit-specific ligand, DS2. Immunoaffinity purification and reconstitution in CHAPS/asolectin micelles resulted in the retention of equilibrium allosteric interactions between the separate agonist, anesthetic and DS2 sites. Moreover, all three subunits retained glycosylation. The establishment of this well–characterized cell line will allow molecular level studies of tonic receptors to be undertaken.
A compact 3D lidar based on an electrothermal two-axis MEMS scanner for small UAV

This paper reports an electrothermal MEMS mirror-based LiDAR system. The MEMS mirror has a low driving voltage of 9 V and a large mirror aperture of 2 mm in diameter. The working range of this system is 80 to 250 cm with a distance resolution of 7.2 cm. The complete LiDAR prototype can fit into a small volume of 100 mm×100 mm×60 mm with the weight under 100 g. The use of such a MEMS mirror can greatly reduce the weight, size and power of LiDAR modules, making it possible for small UAVs to carry LiDAR for accurate navigation.
War Crimes and Criminal Conduct

Civil wars always create ungoverned spaces where atrocities occur and crime can flourish. The problem in proxy wars is that an outside sponsor is often confronted with the dilemma of supporting armed groups that are engaged in war crimes and that rely on organized crime (most importantly drug trafficking) for financing themselves. The chapter argues that war crimes and illegal activity in civil wars are not random or irrational, but are often part of a rational strategy by guerrillas. Their sponsors are faced with a commitment dilemma: they have to ignore or cover up war crimes and illegal activity of their proxies in order to sustain public and international support for an intervention on the proxies’ behalf or to abandon them and lose any influence over the conflict.
Hide and don’t seek: analyzing strategies for concealing organizations and their members

Although the contemporary landscape is filled with organizations promoting their identity to various audiences, we know very little about how a different set of collectives purposely conceal themse...
Dealing With The Economic Costs of Climate Change Mitigation: A Perspective from the Automotive Industry

There is growing international awareness that common everyday human activities may be inadvertently changing the climate of the world through the intensification of the natural greenhouse effect. This has prompted a number of nations as well as the international community to explore what can be done to minimize or avoid climate change before it might occur and at what cost. The challenge of minimizing the economic costs of climate change mitigation both nationally and globally is the subject of this paper, particularly as it relates to the automotive industry and its customers. Many of the necessities and comforts of our daily life are made possible by motorized vehicles. They contribute not only to the time-efficient creation and delivery of many essential human needs but also to the privilege of expanded personal mobility. From many points of view, our current motor vehicle transportation fleet represents a time-tested balance of values, including cost efficiency, safety, environmental needs, and the direct requirements and desires of vehicle owners. That balance has never been static as product improvements are made in response to consumer “votes” in the market place. Any strategy involving highway vehicles devised to address climate change must be carefully designed to minimize costly disruptions to this market process. The challenge will be to find a cost-effective method that allows for the continued development of the various transportation systems required by consumers worldwide while simultaneously addressing other important global, national, and public goals. Command and control type fuel economy standards are the least effective way to address that challenge. They typically obstruct the flexibility needed to obtain lowest cost solutions and create unnecessary market distortions. There are significantly better ways to promote environmental protection that minimize disruptions to economic growth around the world, based on the concept of the carbon fee. A carbon fee approach appears to be superior to worldwide “bubble” trading schemes that use marketable emission permits. Some of the basic economic elements necessary to minimize cost are discussed along with some examples.
Adult Development and Parenthood

Before discussing this chapter’s topic, the question needs to be raised as to whether it merits a separate chapter in this volume. There is some debate as to the universality of parenthood as a stage of adult development. On the one hand, parenting has been seen as providing a necessary and unique context for the development of psychological maturity. In contrast, it has also been seen as just one of many stressors that adults encounter that can lead to either personal growth or maladaptation. This dichotomy reflects more generally tensions within our field between the idea of a “universal” structure to the timing of psychological changes in adulthood vs. a more “open-ended” view, with more “randomness” in such “transforming” experiences (Brim & Ryff, 1980; Gergen, 1980; Palus, 1993). On one side, theorists such as Erikson (1963), Gould (1978), and Levinson (1978, Levinson, 1986) have argued for a progression of stages through which most adults move and that are demarcated by age and specified periods, with parenting occurring in one’s 20s or early 30s and accompanied by the negotiation of specific and unique tasks. On the other side are views that have argued that an adult’s life course is more flexible, random, and more driven by context (i.e., “aleatoric” view). In this view, parenthood is one potential pathway to “maturity,” but there may be many others producing similar changes.
Improving Surveys Through Ethnography: Insights from India’s Urban Periphery

How can ethnographic research improve surveys? I illustrate the benefit of sustained qualitative research on survey design and implementation with reference to my own study of a neglected urban population: internal migrants. Such migrants are an important part of expanding South Asian and African cities. The informality and circular mobility of these populations prevent researchers from accessing them through traditional residence-based surveys. Scant existing knowledge weakens our ability to design theoretically precise and contextually appropriate survey instruments for these understudied communities, particularly cognitively demanding survey experiments to assess political attitudes. I argue that ethnographic fieldwork can help researchers address insufficient access and weak ecological and construct validity. I substantiate these arguments with data and insights from 15 months of fieldwork among circular urban migrants in India. First, I show how ethnography can help design context-sensitive sampling strategies that mitigate concerns of inadequate coverage, high non-response, and inefficiency. Second, I show how ethnography can be used to improve the ecological and construct validity of survey-based experiments. Finally, I show how such ethnographic innovations can be applied beyond the study population that inspired them. Sustained qualitative fieldwork can thus improve survey-based research on political behavior on neglected communities across the global south.
Satire and politics: the interplay of heritage and practice

Satire and Politics is the first in a new series of “Palgrave Studies in Comedy”, and is a welcome addition to the field of humour studies, both in that capacity and also as a standalone book. The ...
Children after motor vehicle crashes: Restraint utilization and injury severity.

Abstract Background Although injury patterns after motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are well documented, association between adequate restraint and injury severity is unclear. We aimed to determine if improper restraint affects injury rates and severity. Methods A retrospective chart review of 477 children hospitalized in Pediatric Trauma Center after MVC was performed. Injuries in various age groups (0–7, 8–12, 13–16, 17–18 years) with different restraint quality measures (proper [PR] and improper/unrestrained [IUR]) as well as injury severity score (ISS: mild [1–9], moderate [10–15], severe [16–25], and profound [> 25]) were evaluated and compared. Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for statistics. Results In all age groups head/neck injuries were most common (55–63%), while abdominal and pelvic injuries were least likely except group 8–12 years where abdominal injuries ranked third (17.1%). Overall, 64.5% had PR and 35.5% IUR. Interestingly, that greatest proportion of IUR was in the youngest age group (0–7). It decreased with aging and children aged 17–18 years were significantly less likely to be IUR compared to those 0–7 years (OR[odds ratio] = 0.58; 95%CI[confidence interval] 0.35–0.94). We did not find significant differences in rates of various injuries between PR and IUR. However, ISS severity in IUR was significantly greater than in PR (median with interquartile range 6(2–14) and 5(1–9), respectively; P = 0.001). As a result, IUR compared to PR were less likely to have mild ISS (OR = 0.6, 95%CI 0.39–0.90) but more likely to have profound ISS (OR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.48–7.43). Conclusion Restraint quality has significant impact on injury severity in children after MVC. Level of Evidence Level III.
Top to Tail: Anterior-Posterior Patterning Precedes Regional Nervous System Identity.

In this issue, Metzis et al., demonstrate that in the development of the central nervous system, patterning along the anterior-posterior axis precedes acquisition of neural identity. This contrasts with the prevailing view that neural identity comes first, providing a new window on the origins of the brain and spinal cord.
The evolution of antiviral nucleoside analogues: A review for chemists and non-chemists. Part II: Complex modifications to the nucleoside scaffold

This is the second of two invited articles reviewing the development of nucleoside analogue antiviral drugs, written for a target audience of virologists and other non-chemists, as well as chemists who may not be familiar with the field. As with the first paper, rather than providing a chronological account, we have chosen to examine particular examples of structural modifications made to nucleoside analogues that have proven fruitful as various antiviral, anticancer, and other therapeutics. The first review covered the more common, and in most cases, single modifications to the sugar and base moieties of the nucleoside scaffold. This paper focuses on more recent developments, especially nucleoside analogues that contain more than one modification to the nucleoside scaffold. We hope that these two articles will provide an informative historical perspective of some of the successfully designed analogues, as well as many candidate compounds that encountered obstacles.
Pattern of Acute Stroke Presentation in a Young Tertiary Hospital in South-South, Nigeria: Appraisal of Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes (P1.118)

OBJECTIVES:The objectives of this study was to describe the pattern of presentation, the risk factors and the clinical outcomes of acute stroke in Delta State Nigeria. BACKGROUND: It is the leading cause of neurological admissions in Nigerian tertiary hospitals with a 30 day case fatality rate of 35-50[percnt]. Stroke tend to occur at a younger age with associated higher mortality and poor functional outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.The risk factors, clinical outcomes and pattern of presentation of stroke have not been described in this locality. METHODS: We prospectively recruited all acute stroke patients admitted to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara and Capitolhill Hospital, Warri, and followed them up till 3 months. RESULTS: There were a total of 181 patients with complete data as the time of writing this abstract. Mean age of the patients was 61.50+-13.88, ranging from 26 years to 94 years. There were 98(54.1[percnt]) males and 83 (45.9[percnt]) females.There was no significant difference between the mean ages of males and females. Hypertension was present in 76.8[percnt] and 82.8[percnt] presented with elevated BP. History of diabetes was 43.6[percnt],previous stroke was 26[percnt], TIA 14.9[percnt], and family history of stroke was found in 20.6[percnt] of the patients. HIV infection was found in 5[percnt], Smoking history was positive in 2.3[percnt],alcohol consumption was positive in 28.6[percnt], hypercholesterolemia was found in 23.8[percnt]. The mean MRS on admission is 4.24+-1.06 and the mean MRS on discharge was 2.92+-1.79. The 30 day mortality was 38.2[percnt].Ischemic stroke diagnosis was 69.6[percnt] and hemorrhagic stroke 30.4[percnt]. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 9.4[percnt] of the patients. CONCLUSION: Stroke is associated with high mortality with patients presenting relatively young. Hemorrhagic stroke is common though ischemic stroke is still the commonest. Hypertension is the commonest risk factor. Family history of stroke and recurrent or history of previous stroke are also high. Disclosure: Dr. Obiabo has received personal compensation for activities with Novartis as a speaker.
Transforming the Global Arsenic and Fluoride Crisis Into an Economic Enterprise: Role of Hybrid Anion Exchange Nanotechnology (HAIX-Nano) in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh and Nalhati, West Bengal

Abstract Millions of people across the Indian subcontinent are at risk of chronic exposure to arsenic and fluoride in aquifers with significant co-contaminants: hardness, iron, and total dissolved solid (TDS). Efficient new sorbents were developed through the synergistic combination of robust polymeric ion exchange resins and high capacity metal oxide nanoparticles. Hard–soft acid–base chemistry indicated that zirconium oxide was an effective sorbent for arsenic and fluoride removal, while ferric oxide is only effective for arsenic removal. Hybrid anion exchange resins with nanoparticles of metal oxide (HAIX-Nano) were created as high capacity, high selectivity, and efficiently regenerable sorbents for effective long-term arsenic and fluoride removal. Safe containment of arsenic and fluoride laden waste was managed through proper application of metal oxide surface chemistry as a function of pH and redox conditions: zirconium oxide is more stable at reducing landfill conditions than ferric oxide. Rapid-filter soak pits strain waste solids onto aerobic surfaces, while safe water percolates to the groundwater. Aerobic conditions maintain the oxidized form of metal oxides and arsenic and fluoride can stay affordably and safely stored at rural treatment systems. Today, novel HAIX-Nano materials research has led to local, sustainable production of materials, and installation of treatment filters across rural communities.