cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the predictability of distance race performance in NCAA cross country and track and field from high school race times in the United States

ABSTRACTSuccessful recruiting for collegiate track & field athletes has become a more competitive and essential component of coaching. This study aims to determine the relationship between race performances of distance runners at the United States high school and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) levels. Conditional inference classification tree models were built and analysed to predict the probability that runners would qualify for the NCAA Division I National Cross Country Meet and/or the East or West NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Preliminary Round based on their high school race times in the 800 m, 1600 m, and 3200 m. Prediction accuracies of the classification trees ranged from 60.0 to 76.6 percent. The models produced the most reliable estimates for predicting qualifiers in cross country, the 1500 m, and the 800 m for females and cross country, the 5000 m, and the 800 m for males. NCAA track & field coaches can use the results from this study as a guideline for recruiting decisi...
Full-Scale Hydro-Mechanical Properties of Vertical Flow Bed Treatment Soils

A 15.25 m wide by 30.50 m long by 1.80 m thick, soil test section (test pad) was constructed to determine the hydraulic conductivity of a proof-of-concept vertical flow bed wetland water treatment system. Specifically, in situ and laboratory hydraulic conductivity tests were performed to confirm if the hydraulic conductivity of the treatment soil within the wetland was equal to or greater than the design requirement of 3.33 × 10−5 cm/s. The in situ hydraulic conductivity measurements were obtained by performing a sealed double ring infiltrometer tests and multiple two-stage borehole infiltration tests. Because of the soil conditions and the implementation of in situ sensors, these two tests were modified. Three types of in situ instrumentation including the time domain reflectrometry, heat dissipation water matric potential sensors, and irrometer tensiometers, were installed into the soil to monitor the movement of the water by measuring the changes of water content and suction as water flow through the soil. In addition, four flexible wall permeameter tests were conducted on Shelby-tube samples to validate the field hydraulic conductivity measurements. A comparison between field and laboratory testing results was completed. The laboratory hydraulic conductivity values were significantly lower than in situ hydraulic conductivity values, and also lower than the design requirement value. The in situ tests results met the 3.33 × 10−5 cm/s requirement, with the exception of a few of the values that were obtained from a borehole where highly plasticity clay was observed.
Morphology, Structure, and Enhanced Intramolecular Conduction in Ultralong Conjugated Polymer Brushes

The morphological, structural, and electrical properties of poly(3-methylthiophene) polymer brush films grown on indium tin oxide up to 120 nm thick are reported. Optical spectroscopy experiments indicate that the average orientation of polymer chains is nearly isotropic at thicknesses below 10 nm and above 30 nm, and exhibits mild vertical anisotropy in between. Atomic force microscopy shows that the film surfaces consist of column-shaped domains with an average cross-sectional area (2.3 × 10–3 μm2) and density (200 μm–2) that are independent of film thickness. Analysis of the contact between printed Au electrodes and the polymer brush film shows that a small fraction of the film surface (i.e., the tallest columns) makes contact with the electrodes. The measured bulk resistivity along the columns is 1.4 × 105 Ω·cm, 2 orders of magnitude lower than typical values for spuncast poly(3-alkylthiophene) films, while the resistance along individual polymer chains in the columns is estimated to be 360 GΩ/nm per ...
Zoonotic Helminths of Livestock

Zoonotic helminths include nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes and are of major importance in lesser developed nations. Pigs are one of the primary sources of these infections. Infection of humans is primarily from ingestion of infective stages in the form of eggs or those contained in undercooked meat. A basic overview of life cycles, epidemiology, and control and prevention measures will be covered.
Synthetic Organic Chemistry and the Shikimate Pathway: Inhibitors and Intermediates

Scientists have been interested in the shikimate pathway (Fig. 1) for decades, yet it shows no sign of losing this popularity.1,2 Part of the reason for this is that it offers something for everyone. Until quite recently a number of the key intermediates in the sequence had never been synthesized non-enzymatically. The unusual mechanisms of several of the enzymes involved have still not been fully elucidated. And the search for inhibitors of the various steps continues to be spurred by the success of glyphosate as an herbicide.
Phenomenology of Zen

Husserlian phenomenology traces experience to its roots in the living present. The latter is constituted byu two mutually exclusive and mutually referring structures: permanence and flux. This essay extricates these structures and their correlations at the level of their mutual constitution as they appear in Zen and its practice. Within the latter context, these structures open what for Zen is emptiness, pointing to a level of experience for whose designation we lack words. For phenomenology this level is prior to active or passive constitution and thematization.
Analysis of Cantilever Sheet Piling in Stratified Cohesive Soils

Currently available equations for cantilever sheet pile design are restricted to homogeneous or presupposed homogeneous soils below the dredge line. Since the composition of natural soil deposits is often quite complex, an analytical formulation is developed to permit the determination of required piling penetration for the case of stratified foundation soils. A computer program SPILE is developed to solve the generalized equations for the required penetration depth and consequent maximum bending moment.
Social exchange is in the game: Communication and resource flow in a Xbox gaming clan

This study examined the international social network of a bounded Battlefield 4 gaming clan considering social exchange theory. We found that more central members of the clan contributed more time and money to the clan than others. In addition, central members of this clan revived other members in-game more often. This study extends social exchange theory from face-to-face interaction to the virtual world, by showing communicative factors that influence online gaming networks, and to game studies by offering results applicable to online gaming clans. This study also shows how gamers engage in various social exchanges and earn central positions within the network in return for their investment of time, money, and communication.
Abstract 192: Anticoagulation Decision-Making in ICH Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Quality-Adjusted Decision Model Outcomes

Background: While patients (pts) with atrial fibrillation (AF) face a risk of ischemic events, AF pts with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are at increased risk of bleeding with anticoagulation (AC)...
Characterizing the interaction between radiation sensitivity and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition in prostate cancer cell lines

975 Background Radiotherapy is an accepted curative treatment modality of prostate cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway has rich potential to be used for targeted radiation sensitization. However, the data on the interaction between radiation sensitivity and EGFR inhibition are scarce in prostate cancer. Here we characterized the interaction of EGFR inhibition and radiation sensitivity of prostate cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods We tested the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and anti-EGFR antibody (C225) on Du145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines. When radiation (RAD) was used, the cells were γ-irradiated with a 137Cs source to various doses (Gy). The cell viability and growth were assessed with XTT and clonogenic assays. Optical absorption of XTT was measured at 490nm. The necrotic and apoptotic components of cell death were quantified using flow cytometry with dual propidium iodide (PI) and AnnexinV:FITC labeling. Flow cytometric DNA analysis was performed to assess the effects of treatments on the cell cycle progression. The activation of apoptotic Caspase pathways and EGFR downstream AKT and MAPK pathways was assessed using Western blot. Statistical routines included t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare sample means and variances. General linear model (GLM) was used to analyze the main effects and interactions of the treatment factors. Statistical significance was defined as p
Molecular and phylogenetic study of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from human and cattle of Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Iraq.

Aim This study was designed to detect the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, to estimate the frequency of methicillin resistance gene (mecA), femA (specific gene for S. aureus), and lukS gene, and the prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in human and bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. Materials and Methods A total of 102 cases of S. aureus were included in this study; 72 specimens were isolated from human with UTIs and 30 specimens were isolated from milk of cattle with acute mastitis. Diagnosis was done by VITEK 2 Compact after subculture and purification. All isolates were examined for the presence of mecA, femA, and lukS (Panton-Valentine leukocidin) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Results Culture and biochemical evaluation of the samples revealed the presence of S. aureus, among which the genes mecA, femA, and lukS were positively detected in 68 (94.4%), 36 (50%), and 20 (27.7%) of S. aureus isolates from methicillin-resistant humans, respectively. In the same manner, the genes mecA, femA, and lukS were positively detected in 27 (90%), 14 (46.7%), and 11 (36.7%) of S. aureus isolates from methicillin-resistant cattle. Sequencing of partial order of femA gene isolated from human isolate and from cattle with mecA isolated from human revealed high sequence identity with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)-Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. S. aureus isolates and the phylogenetic analysis showed that there was a significant genetic similarity (0.5 genetic change) between human and animals isolates, and then, the gene sequences were deposited into NCBI-Genbank accession numbers MG696860.1 for mecA and femA from human, MG696861.1 for mecA and femA from cattle, MK474469.1 for mecA and femA gene from human, and MG696862.1 for mecA and femA gene from cattle. Conclusion The study represents the first report of genetic relationship between S. aureus from humans and cattle of Iraq. Therefore, it is essential to define the role of animals as an important source of the distribution of pathogen related to public health. The continuous monitoring of methicillin susceptibility pattern of S. aureus isolates that have high standards of infections might prevent methicillin-resistant S. aureus transmission in either direction between human and cattle, the risk of dairy milk on humans, or self-direction between the same species.
The Role of Social-Emotional Factors in Bystanders’ Judgments and Responses to Peer Aggression and Following Retaliation in Adolescence

This study investigates how social-emotional factors are related to bystanders’ responses to aggression and possible retaliation. Participants consisted of sixth and ninth graders (N = 896, 52.8% f...
Prayer as Divine Experience and Empathetic Identification in 2 Baruch: 2 Baruch 48:1–25 as a Test case:

First, in this essay I will summarize research in the field of neuroscience, which describe the cognitive processes that allow a person to empathize with another person’s emotional experience. Seco...
Involvement of oxidative stress and mitochondrial mechanisms in air pollution-related neurobiological impairments.

Abstract Background Vehicle exhaust emissions are known to be significant contributors to physical and psychological stress. Vehicle exhaust-induced stress and associated respiratory and cardiovascular complications are well-known, but the impact of this stress on the brain is unclear. Simulated vehicle exhaust exposure (SVEE) in rats causes behavioral and cognitive deficits. In the present study, the underlying mechanisms were examined. Our postulation is that SVEE, a simulation of physiologically relevant concentrations of pro-oxidants (0.04% carbon dioxide, 0.9 ppm nitrogen dioxide, 3 ppm carbon monoxide) creates a toxic stress environment in the brain that results in an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species and the counteracting antioxidant mechanisms. This impairs mitochondrial function in the high bioenergetic demand areas of the brain including the hippocampus (HIP), amygdala (AMY) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), disrupting neuronal network, and causing behavioral deficits. Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant Mito-Q protects against these impairments. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were provided with Mito-Q (250 μM) in drinking water for 4 weeks followed by SVEE 5 h/day for 2 weeks, followed by behavioral and biochemical assessments. Results SVEE resulted in anxiety- and depression-like behavior, accompanied with increased oxidative stress, diminished antioxidant response and mitochondrial impairment reflected from electron transport chain (ETC) disruption, reduced oxygen consumption, low adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) synthesis and an alteration in the mitochondrial biochemical dynamics assessed via protein expression profiles of mitochondrial fission marker, dynamin-related protein-1 and fusion markers, mitofusin-1/2 in the HIP, AMY and the PFC. Mito-Q treatment prevented SVEE-induced behavioral deficits, attenuated rise in oxidative stress and also prevented SVEE-induced mitochondrial impairment. Conclusion This study demonstrates a causal mechanism mediating SVEE-induced behavioral deficits in rats. We further established that SVEE is a toxicological stressor that induces oxidative stress and results in mitochondrial impairment, which by disrupting neural circuitry impairs cognitive and behavioral functions.
Listener Ratings of Male Singer Technical Ability.

Summary Perceptual judgments of singer technical ability have not been widely researched. A few studies have examined perceptions of singers versus nonsingers (Usha 2017) and evaluations of vocal beauty in the male voice (Robison 1992). The investigators used recordings of male voices singing [i] in an online survey instrument using a Likert-type scale. Listeners were divided into four groups (nonmusicians, music ensemble participants, music students, and music professionals). Listeners rated the technical ability of each singer (27 recordings) on a 6-point scale from beginning to advanced. Survey responses of the four listener groups were compared with vibrato rate, extent, and jitter of the recorded samples. We hypothesized that musical training would affect how listeners rate male singers overall, with the expectation that the most musically experienced and trained listeners’ ratings would be the most severe.
“Men Buy Their Slaves, Women Buy Their Masters”: Theories of Liberty in Thomas Middleton’s City Tragedy:

This paper provides a feminist critique of theories of liberty in two of Thomas Middleton’s city tragedies. Expanding on the neo-Roman theories of liberty presented by Quentin Skinner in Liberty Be...
Views of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) among home-based personal assistance services consumers and workers.

Abstract Background The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in 2016, mandates that Medicaid programs must implement Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) for home-based personal assistance services (PAS) and home health care (HHC) by January 2020. EVV involves real-time tracking of arrival and departure times, locations, and sometimes activities of PAS and HHC workers for home-based consumers. Objective We examined the views and perceptions of consumers with disability and paid PAS workers about EVV. Methods Our qualitative study consisted of in-depth interviews with 21 home-based PAS consumers with significant disability and 20 PAS workers. Thirteen consumers and 10 workers commented on EVV. We audio-recorded interviews and had these recordings transcribed verbatim by a professional transcription service. We used conventional content analysis to identify key themes from the interviews. Results Qualitative interviews suggest that EVV is intrusive, reduces flexibility from the consumer-worker relationship, has technical difficulties, but may help certain consumers. Our results suggest that EVV interferes with the standard way PAS is provided and raises fears about EVV negatively affecting recruitment and retention of PAS workers. Conclusions Policymakers should consider these perspectives and concerns as states implement EVV. Policymakers will need to monitor the effects of EVV on both PAS consumers and workers over time to ensure that EVV is not negatively affecting provision of these essential services.
Olfactory response of Anagrus, nigriventrls (HYM.: Mymaridae): Effects of host plant chemical cues mediated by rearing and oviposition experience

The egg parasitoid Anagrus nigriventris Girault is an important natural enemy of the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) which has a broad host range that includes cultivated sugar beets and the weed, Russian thistle. When parasitoids were reared on leafhopper eggs deposited in sugar beets, females were attracted to sugar beet volatiles and preferred them over a blank control and over Russian thistle volatiles in Y- tube olfactometer tests. No preference was detected for either plant by female wasps that were reared on Russian thistle. Wasps reared on Russian thistle and allowed an oviposition experience on sugar beet showed a strong attraction to sugar beet volatiles; however, wasps reared on sugar beets and allowed oviposition experience on Russian thistle demonstrated no preference between the two plants. The implications of parasitoid response towards plant volatiles and their importance in biological control are discussed.
OPTIMUS: A Security-Centric Dynamic Hardware Partitioning Scheme for Processors that Prevent Microarchitecture State Attacks

Hardware virtualization allows multiple security-critical and ordinary (insecure) processes to co-execute on a processor. These processes temporally share hardware resources and endure numerous security threats on the microarchitecture state. State-of-the-art secure processor architectures, such as MI6 and IRONHIDE enable capabilities to execute security-critical processes in hardware isolated enclaves utilizing the strong isolation security primitive. The MI6 processor purges small state resources on each enclave entry/exit and statically partitions the last-level cache and DRAM regions to ensure strong isolation. IRONHIDE takes a spatial approach and creates two isolated clusters of cores in a multicore processor to ensure strong isolation for processes executing in the enclave cluster. Both architectures observe performance degradation due to static partitioning of shared hardware resources. OPTIMUS proposes a security-centric dynamic hardware resource partitioning scheme that operates entirely at runtime and ensures strong isolation. It enables deterministic resource allocations at the application level granularity, and limits the number of hardware reconfigurations to ensure bounded information leakage via the timing and termination channels. The dynamic hardware resource partitioning capability of OPTIMUS is shown to co-optimize performance and security for the MI6 and IRONHIDE architectures.
Teaching quantitative ecology online: An evidence-based prescription of best practices

Quantitative skills are becoming central to the undergraduate and graduate curriculum in ecology and evolutionary biology. While previous studies acknowledge that students perceive their quantitative training to be inadequate, there is little guidance on best practices. Moreover, with the recent COVID-19 sudden transition to online learning, there is even less guidance on how to effectively teach quantitative ecology online. Here, I synthesize a prescription of pedagogical best practices for teaching quantitative ecology online based on a broad review of the literature on multiple quantitative disciplines. These best practices include the following: (1) design and implement the class to meet learning goals using online strategies specifically; (2) create an open, inclusive, and welcoming online environment that promotes a sense of learning community; (3) acknowledge the diversity of talents and learning strategies; (4) use real-world examples and assessments; (5) account for gaps in knowledge; (6) emphasize the modeling cycle process; (7) focus on developing ideas rather than tools or procedures; (8) if needed, introduce computational tools thoroughly before combining them with mathematical or statistical concepts; (9) evaluate the course constantly; and (10) put your heart and soul into the class. I hope these practices help fellow instructors of quantitative ecology facing similar challenges in providing our students with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges of the future.
Abstract P146: Testicular Inflammation Is Associated With Immune Cell Infiltration And Lymphangiogenesis In L-NAME-induced Hypertension

Hypertension (HTN) is associated with reduced fertility in men. Although numerous studies report that HTN disrupts hormonal balance in men, less is known about the direct effect of HTN on testes an...
Materials Engineering Enabled by Time-Resolved Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect for Spintronic Applications

As an updated version of the ultrafast pump–probe laser technique, the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (TR-MOKE) methodology enables the detection of magnetization dynamics with superb te...
Comments for Consideration in the Department of Education's Comprehensive Review Implementing Biden E.O. 14021, filed by Nancy Chi Cantalupo

This comment was submitted by Nancy Chi Cantalupo to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in connection with the public hearings announced in ED's letter regarding its comprehensive review implementing President Biden’s Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity. (The Executive Order can be found at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/08/executive-order-on-guaranteeing-an-educational-environment-free-from-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-sex-including-sexual-orientation-or-gender-identity/ and ED's letter at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/correspondence/stakeholders/20210406-titleix-eo-14021.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.) This comment includes a cover memorandum and six attached documents collectively demonstrating: (1) how the substance regarding sexual harassment in the Title IX regulations that resulted from a rulemaking conducted by the previous administration from November 2018 through May 2020 violate Title IX itself; and (2) how the process the previous administration used to engage in that rulemaking violated the Administrative Procedures Act. Because of these violations, Professor Cantalupo argues that ED should conduct a new rulemaking, propose rules that fulfill Title IX’s purposes, and give the feedback of the American public, including by those members with appropriate expertise and significant stakes in the final regulations, the serious consideration that it is due under the Administrative Procedures Act. The six attached documents include: Attachment 1: Cantalupo November 2019 Annotated Keynote Address, available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=3870795 Attachment 2: a copy of TITLE IX & THE PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE: A WHITE PAPER, signed by 116 law professors Attachment 3: a copy of Cantalupo Declaration (typos corrected) Attachment 4: a copy of Comment in 2018-2020 rulemaking, filed by 93 law professors Attachment 5: Law Professor Amicus Brief in VRLC et al. legal challenge, available at https://www.hwglaw.com/hwg-assists-27-lawprofessors- with-amicus-brief-challenging-title-ixregulations/ Attachment 6: a copy of Law Professor Amicus Brief in Multistate AG legal challenge
Free Energy Functionals for Superfluid 3He

From the first suggestions in the early 1960’s of the possibility of pairing in 3He, until well after the discovery of the A and B phases in 1972, theoretical investigations of the properties of 3He with pairing took as a working assumption that this system would be well described by the simplest possible combination of BCS pairing theory and Landau’s Fermi liquid theory. The Fermi liquid theory provides an exact account of normal 3He just above Tc in terms of interacting quasi-particles, and corrections to BCS pairing theory for these quasi-particles were expected to be of order (kFξO)-1 ~ (Tc/TF) ~ 3 × 10-3. However, experiments on the A and B phases soon showed this assumption to be incorrect.1 In particular, the experiments imply that both new phases have odd-l, spin-triplet pairing; that l is the same in both phases; and that 3He-A is an equal-spin pairing state, while 3He-B is not. BCS pairing theory, on the other hand, predicts that the equilibrium state for triplet pairing is never an equal-spin pairing state.2 Furthermore, in simple BCS theories ΔC/CN, the ratio of the specific heat discontinuity at Tc to the specific heat in the normal phase just above Tc, is always ≤ 1.43, while experiments at melting pressure give ΔC/CN ≅ 2.0.
Multiple anti-inflammatory pathways triggered by resveratrol lead to amelioration of staphylococcal enterotoxin B-induced lung injury

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Inhalation of the superantigen,staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), leads to the activation of the host T and invariant natural killer (iNK) T cells, thereby resulting in acute lung inflammation and respiratory failure but the underlying mechanism(s) of disease remain elusive, with limited treatment options. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effectiveness of resveratrol, a plant polyphenol, during SEB-induced lung inflammation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH C57BL/6 mice were exposed to SEB (50 µg·per mouse), administered intranasally, and were treated with resveratrol (100 mg·kg−1) before or after SEB exposure. Lung injury was studied by measuring vascular permeability, histopathological examination, nature of infiltrating cells, inflammatory cytokine induction in the bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), apoptosis in SEB-activated T cells and regulation of SIRT1 and NF-κB signalling pathways. KEY RESULTS Pretreatment and post-treatment with resveratrol significantly reduced SEB-induced pulmonary vascular permeability, and inflammation. Resveratrol significantly reduced lung infiltrating cells and attenuated the cytokine storm in SEB-exposed mice, which correlated with increased caspase-8-dependent apoptosis in SEB-activated T cells. Resveratrol treatment also markedly up-regulated Cd11b+ and Gr1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that inhibited SEB-mediated T cell activation in vitro. In addition, resveratrol treatment was accompanied by up-regulation of SIRT1 and down-regulation of NF-κB in the inflammatory cells of the lungs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The current study demonstrates that resveratrol may constitute a novel therapeutic modality to prevent and treat SEB-induced lung inflammation inasmuch because it acts through several pathways to reduce pulmonary inflammation.
Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in Type 2 trigeminal neuralgia

Object Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathic pain syndrome that is often associated with neurovascular compression of the trigeminal nerve and may be effectively treated with microvascular decompression (MVD). The authors used high-resolution MR imaging with 3D reconstruction in patients with constant facial pain (Type 2 TN) to determine the presence/absence of neurovascular compression and thus a potential MVD benefit. They retrospectively contacted patients to evaluate outcome. Methods All patients who reported spontaneous onset of constant facial pain (Type 2 TN), which occurred at least 50% of the time, who had undergone high-resolution 3-T MR imaging with 3D reconstruction were retrospectively selected for this study. Clinical history, facial pain questionnaire data, physical examination findings, and results from 3-T 3D MR imaging reconstruction were recorded for all patients. Intraoperative findings and clinical pain outcome were recorded for all patients who underwent MVD. Results Data obtain...
Inflatable antennas and arrays for interplanetary communication using CubeSats and smallsats

In1 the past, great progress has been made in the development of small satellites and CubeSats, mainly for low Earth orbit. Currently, a new technological trend is the development of technologies and strategies for potential interplanetary applications of small platforms (CubeSats/Satellites). Given the limited size, mass and power capabilities of these small platforms, one of the most interesting problems is how to allow small satellites to communicate from very far distance in the solar system. This paper aims to review and possibly combine two solutions for the problem: the use of inflatable antenna reflectors and the arrays across multiple spacecraft. An overview of the inflatable antenna technology, its development and tests, its applicability in terms of frequencies and sizes, and the advantages with respect to other technologies is described. An overview of cooperative communication techniques across small platforms is presented and the main challenges of arraying antennas on different spacecraft are underlined. Finally, the two solutions are combined to provide a first order quantification of the advantages in terms of EIRP, data rate and range.
From passive demand response to proactive demand participation

Limited progress has been made in the past few years in increasing demand response participation rate in the United States. The structural rigidity of existing price-based and incentive-based demand response programs results in inadequate and inefficient utilization of demand flexibility in electricity market operations. In this paper, an innovative proactive demand participation scheme is developed. This new scheme enables customers to actively express and communicate their consumption preferences to market operators rather than passively receive and react to time varying electricity prices and demand reduction signals. A novel framework for integrated wholesale and retail market operations with proactive demand participation and customer aggregation is proposed. The proactive demand response scheme is implemented in a simulation environment. The simulation results show that the proactive demand participation scheme is superior to the passive demand response approach. The proactive demand participation approach not only increases overall market efficiency but also reduces price volatility.
Body mass index, conversion rate and complications among patients undergoing robotic surgery for endometrial carcinoma

A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the relationship of BMI to conversion rate in patients undergoing robotic surgery for endometrial cancer. Secondary outcomes were operative times, number of lymph nodes retrieved, and complications. Women with endometrial cancer scheduled for robotic surgery from September 2008 to September 2012 were included. Women were divided into three groups based on BMI, and conversion rates to laparotomy were compared. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed among non-obese, obese, and morbidly obese women who completed robotic surgery. 298 women were scheduled for robotic surgery for endometrial carcinoma: 87 non-obese (BMI 19–29, μ 25.23), 110 obese (BMI 30–39, μ 34.21), and 101 morbidly obese (BMI 40–71, μ 47.38). Conversion to laparotomy occurred in 18 patients (6%), with no difference in conversion rate between BMI categories. Direct comparison between converted and completed robotic patients showed no significant differences in preoperative characteristics, except that patients who required conversion had a higher number of previous abdominal surgeries. Patients completing robotic surgery underwent node dissections at similar rates in all three BMI categories. Operating room time, but not surgical time, was increased in morbidly obese patients. There were no significant differences in complications, performance of lymphadenectomy, or lymph node yields between BMI categories. Increase in BMI was not associated with an increase in rate of conversion to laparotomy or complication rate in patients undergoing robotic surgery for endometrial carcinoma. Node dissections were pathologically equivalent between BMI categories.
Ramsey for R1 ultrafilter mappings and their Dedekind cuts

Associated to each ultrafilter on ω and each map is a Dedekind cut in the ultrapower . Blass has characterized, under , the cuts obtainable when is taken to be either a p-point ultrafilter, a weakly-Ramsey ultrafilter or a Ramsey ultrafilter. Dobrinen and Todorcevic have introduced the topological Ramsey space . Associated to the space is a notion of Ramsey ultrafilter for generalizing the familiar notion of Ramsey ultrafilter on ω. We characterize, under , the cuts obtainable when is taken to be a Ramsey for ultrafilter and p is taken to be any map. In particular, we show that the only cut obtainable is the standard cut, whose lower half consists of the collection of equivalence classes of constants maps. Forcing with using almost-reduction adjoins an ultrafilter which is Ramsey for . For such ultrafilters , Dobrinen and Todorcevic have shown that the Rudin-Keisler types of the p-points within the Tukey type of consists of a strictly increasing chain of rapid p-points of order type ω. We show that for any Rudin-Keisler mapping between any two p-points within the Tukey type of the only cut obtainable is the standard cut. These results imply existence theorems for special kinds of ultrafilters.
Using the Impact of Event Scale to Evaluate Psychological Response to Being a Phenylketonuria Gene Carrier

The birth of a child with phenylketonuria (PKU) is almost always a shock to the parents, who are faced with the realities of caring for a child with special needs and the need to cope with the realization that they are obligate carriers of the responsible gene. The Impact of Event Scale (IES) was used to assess the psychological impact of being a PKU gene carrier on 83 parents of children with PKU. IES scores decreased significantly from the time of initial diagnosis of PKU to the current time. The magnitude of the psychological impact did not correlate with the age of the parent, the number of years since the diagnosis of PKU, or the health or development of the child. As more tests become available for detecting the presence of disease-related genes, instruments such as the IES may prove useful in the evaluation of psychological responses to genetic information.
The Small-Carrion penile prosthesis: Surgical implant for the management of impotence

The normal state of erection can be achieved by bilateral, intracorporal implantation of the Small-Carrion prosthesis. This prosthesis is made of a medical-grade silicone shell with a silicone sponge interior and gives adequate length and normal width to the penis. The prosthesis is firm; however, it is flexible enough to keep the phallus inconspicuous under the proper type of undershorts, either in the normal position or against the abdominal wall. The fact that the patient will have a permanent erection, which is flexible, has not deterred potential candidates from having the surgery. As of December 1977, 260 patients have undergone insertion of the Small-Carrion penile prosthesis with minimal complications. These cases will be discussed.
Impact of Drip Irrigation Method, Soil, and Virus Type on Tomato and Cucumber Contamination

The goal of this study was to better quantify the degree of viral contamination of tomato and cucumber in relationship to virus type, soil type, and irrigation method. Tomatoes and cucumbers were grown in ten-gallon (37.8 L) buckets filled with Pima clay loam or Brazito sandy loam soils. Plants were irrigated with secondary wastewater effluent using surface drip irrigation or subsurface drip irrigation. At specified time intervals irrigation water was seeded with bacteriophages MS-2 and P22, poliovirus type 1 (PV1), enteric adenovirus 40 (Ead 40), and hepatitis A virus. Surface drip irrigation always resulted in viral contamination of both the above and below ground parts of both crops. The roots showed the greatest level of contamination, followed by leaves and fruits. In contrast, with subsurface drip irrigation no viruses were detected in any of the above ground plant surfaces. It was found that under similar soil type and irrigation method, risk of crop contamination was similar for all of the viruses studied. It can be concluded that method of irrigation is the single most critical factor in the contamination trend of different parts of crop plants. Plant parts can be categorized into three groups (root, stem, and leaf/fruit) based on the risk of viral contamination from irrigation water.
Barriers to Equity in Nutritional Health for U.S. Children and Adolescents: A Review of the Literature

U.S. children and adolescents from low-income and ethnic/racial minority backgrounds experience greater risk for obesity and poor nutrition. In addition, a growing body of evidence documents differences in obesity and dietary patterns between urban and rural areas. Societal efforts to eliminate these disparities in established risk factors for chronic disease will require a comprehensive understanding of the social and physical environmental factors that may be contributing. Recent studies have identified several factors within school environments and residential neighborhoods along with multiple aspects of food marketing and cultural norms that are likely barriers to achieving health equity. To better inform public health improvement strategies, future research efforts are needed to clarify their contribution to disparities and there is an urgent need to build on the more limited research to date addressing the potential for improvements in child care environments and food system policy to promote health equity.
Void swelling in binary FeCr alloys at 200 dpa

Abstract Microstructural examinations have been performed on a series of binary Fe Cr alloys irradiated in the FFTF/MOTA at 425°C to 200 dpa. The data represent the highest swelling levels reported to date in neutron-irradiated ferritic alloys. The alloy compositions ranged from 3 to 18% Cr in 3% Cr increments and the irradiation temperature corresponded to the peak swelling condition for this alloy class. Density measurements showed swelling levels as high as 7.4%, with the highest swelling found in the Fe 9Cr and 6Cr alloys. Microstructural examinations revealed that the highest swelling conditions contained well-developed voids, often as large as 100 nm, and a dislocation network comprised of both a /2〈111〉 and a 〈100〉 Burgers vectors. Swelling was lower in the other alloys, and the swelling reduction could be correlated with increased precipitation. These results are considered in light of the current theories for low swelling in ferritic alloys, but no theory is found to completely explain the results.
Effects of wind-driven rainfall on stemflow generation between codominant tree species with differing crown characteristics

Abstract Meteorological influences on the variability of stemflow generation can affect the hydrology, ecology and soil chemistry of wooded ecosystems, yet the effects of directional wind-driven rainfall on differential stemflow production remain relatively un-researched. This study examines the correspondence of directional wind-driven inclined rainfall with stemflow generation in individual tree crowns utilizing multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and intrastorm observations at 5 min monitoring intervals. In general, preferential stemflow generation at Fair Hill was observed during episodes of inclined rainfall driven by wind from the east to north-northeast (33.76–101.25°). This was supported by MCAs which produced significant correspondences between stemflow production and periods of inclined wind-driven rainfall for nearly all monitored storm events. Intrastorm plots of stemflow production from dominant and subcanopy trees of each codominant species ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (American beech) and Liriodendron tulipifera L. (yellow poplar)) also verified this correspondence. Interspecific canopy characteristics of L. tulipifera and F. grandifolia affected crown position, canopy structural characteristics, and, thus, the canopy's response to inclined precipitation. The greater vertical canopy depth observed for F. grandifolia trees enabled them to more efficiently capture inclined rainfall for enhanced stemflow production; whereas, the greater horizontal surface area of L. tulipifera canopies enhanced their droplet capture efficiency and subsequent stemflow generation for periods of un-inclined rainfall. As inclined wind-driven rainfall occurred within a majority of rain events at this site, preferential stemflow production may be a significant process to consider when examining the spatial distribution of canopy-derived water fluxes to the forest floor of wooded catchments under similar meteorological conditions.
What Affects Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates? A Qualitative Analysis of Providers' Perceptions

Purpose: To define factors that providers perceive as affecting their administration of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in their clinical practices. Methods: We conducted in-depth, qualitative interviews with 34 pediatric and family medicine providers in four community health centers to explore providers’ perceptions of factors that either enabled or impeded their ability to vaccinate their patients against HPV. Results: Providers’ self-reported vaccination rates ranged from 25 to 95% (median, 75%) of the 11- to 26-year-old females in their practices. Factors that enabled vaccination included providers’ beliefs that HPV vaccines were safe and would provide important health benefits, structured visits that promoted vaccination, and coadministration of HPV with other recommended vaccines. Factors that impeded vaccination included safety concerns, a low perceived severity of HPV disease, lack of school mandates, and policies against coadministration of HPV and meningococcal vaccines. Providers who described more enabling factors than impeding factors reported vaccinating more of their patients. Conclusions: Provider perceptions around the ease or difficulty of providing HPV vaccination may influence their behavior when offering HPV vaccines to their patients. Copyright 2012 by the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Indication for pediatric muscle biopsy determines usefulness

Abstract Purpose Diagnostic skeletal muscle biopsy is an invasive procedure used for evaluation of neuromuscular disorders. We hypothesize that the yield of biopsy varies with its indication or suspected diagnosis. Methods Retrospective review of all muscle biopsies was performed at an academic tertiary care center between January 1, 1996, and August 1, 2006. Results A total of 142 muscle biopsies were performed on 127 children. Mean age at biopsy was 5.3 years (median, 3.3; range, 8 days-21 years) with 48% female. Follow-up was maintained for a mean 3.4 years (median, 2.2; range, 1 month-10.4 years). Specific pathological diagnoses were obtained from 33 (23%) of 142. Changes in therapy resulted from 11 (8%) of 142 biopsies. Treatment changed for all patients with prebiopsy suspicion of inflammatory or neoplastic processes (7/7, 100%); these accounted for 7 (64%) of 11 patients with treatment changes. Thirteen patients underwent multiple biopsies, with 1 (8%) patient's treatment adjusted as a result. Fifteen neonates ( Conclusions Muscle biopsy for neuromuscular disorders is inconsistently useful. Specific diagnoses are occasionally revealed, but treatment changes are infrequent except in those patients with suspected neoplastic or inflammatory disease. Ongoing study is required to determine the most rational indications for this procedure.
The Internet and Continuing Historical Discourse.

Emphasizing that the “culture in which the Internet is used” permeates “discourse on the Internet,” this essay offers reflections on discourse (1) about the Internet, (2) communication technologies...
Perspectives on Point and Level Systems in Residential Care: A Responsive Dialogue

ABSTRACT “The Application of a Reinforcement/Level System in the Residential Treatment of Adolescents” by Don Pazaratz, EdD, recently appeared in Residential Treatment for Children & Youth [2003, 21(1), 17–32]. The present article presents an exchange of letters between Peter Tompkins-Rosenblatt, MSW, and Karen Vander Ven, PhD, which was stimulated by the Pazaratz paper. It elaborates on their own perspectives on issues related to the use of point and level systems in residential treatment.
An Heuristic Approach to Renewable Energy Optimization

An analytical approach is often taken to predict the performance of renewable energy systems at a site, but an analytic approach requires detailed information on the system to be modeled that is better determined during schematic design than guessed-at during pre-design. This paper describes a heuristic approach to identify and prioritize renewable energy project opportunities before detailed system information is available. The method determines the combination of renewable energy technologies that minimize life-cycle cost at a facility, often with a specified goal regarding percent of energy use from renewable sources. Technologies include: photovoltaics (PV); wind; solar thermal heat and electric; solar ventilation air preheating; solar water heating; biomass heat and electric (combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion); and daylighting. The method rests upon the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) capabilities in: characterizing of the empirical cost and performance of technologies; geographic information systems (GIS) resource assessment; and life-cycle cost analysis. For each technology, simple heuristic algorithms relate renewable energy resources at a site to annual energy delivery with coefficients that are determined empirically. Initial cost and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost also use empirical data. Economic performance is then calculated with a site’s utility rates and incentives. The paper discusses how to account for the way candidate technologies interact with each other, and the solver routine used to determine the combination that minimizes lifecycle cost. Results include optimal sizes of each technology, initial cost, operating cost, and life-cycle cost, including incentives from utilities or governments. Results inform early planning to identify and prioritize projects at a site for subsequent engineering and economic feasibility study. Case studies include industrial sites, military bases, and civic buildings.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Effects of sublethal copper exposure on behavior and growth of Rana pipiens tadpoles.

This research is designed to test how sublethal exposure to copper affects tadpole predator-escape behavior and how quickly tadpoles recover. After exposure, tadpoles were separated. Escape behavior was recorded for two-thirds of exposed tadpoles while one-third of the exposed population was measured weekly to determine growth and recovery. Control tadpoles were consumed within 15 minutes whereas those exposed to higher concentrations were consumed at a slower rate, which does not support the hypotheses. Although the rate of predation was lower, tadpoles exposed to higher Cu concentrations were on average, 1.47 cm in total body length. Those exposed to 0.93 mg/L averaged 0.86 cm. After being placed into clean water, treatment tadpoles recovered after 20 days.