cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The trophy (talented role‐playing technology with a dual polarity sustainer in hybrid mono board) driving method

Abstract We have developed a new driving method named TROPHY(Talented Role‐playing Technology with Dual Polarity sustainer in Hybrid Mono board). In this method, the sustain voltage is partially compared to the conventional method and the number of power sources is reduced by voltage level unification during the reset, address and sustain period. The hybrid mono board was especially developed to implement those technologies. Through this, we can lower the cost with the TROPHY compared to the conventional one. It is a suitable technology to improve the reliability of circuit and image sticking problem. We can also reduce the number of driving boards and the EMI problem compared with those of the conventional method.
Convergence analysis of hybrid cellular automata for topology optimization

The hybrid cellular automaton (HCA) algorithm was inspired by the structural adaptation of bones to their ever changing mechanical environment. This methodology has been shown to be an effective topology synthesis tool. In previous work, it has been observed that the convergence of the HCA methodology is affected by parameters of the algorithm. As a result, questions have been raised regarding the conditions by which HCA converges to an optimal design. The objective of this investigation is to examine the conditions that guarantee convergence to a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) point. In this paper, it is shown that the HCA algorithm is a fixed point iterative scheme and the previously reported KKT optimality conditions are corrected. To demonstrate the convergence properties of the HCA algorithm, a simple cantilevered beam example is utilized. Plots of the spectral radius for projections of the design space are used to show regions of guaranteed convergence.
Physical Activity Performance of Focal Middle School Students

Histograms of push-ups and curl-ups from a sample of more than 9,000 students show periodic spikes at five and 10 unit intervals. This article argues that these spikes are related to focal points, a game theoretic concept popularized by Nobel Laureate Thomas Schelling. Being focal on one test makes one more likely to be focal on the other. Focal students (whose push-up score is a multiple of 5 and whose curl-up score is a multiple of 10) behave differently from their non-focal peers. They are more likely athletic, older, and male. Focal students, on average, did 2.2 more push-ups, 1.7 more curl-ups, and ran the mile 15 seconds faster than non-focal students, even controlling for these covariates of performance. By contrast, being focal on a single activity did not produce a statistically significant mile time difference. Students who systematically stop at focal outcomes appear differentially motivated toward physical activity performance.
Transient global amnesia associated with a unilateral infarction of the fornix: case report and review of the literature.

Stroke is an extremely uncommon cause of transient global amnesia. Unilateral lesions of the fornix rarely cause amnesia and have not previously been reported to be associated with the distinctive amnesic picture of transient global amnesia. We describe the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with acute onset, recent retrograde and anterograde amnesia characteristic of transient global amnesia. Serial magnetic resonance imaging showed a persistent focal infarction of the body and left column of the fornix, without acute lesions in the hippocampus or other structures. Amnesia resolved in 6 hours. Infarction of the fornix should thus be included in the differential diagnosis of transient global amnesia, as it changes the management of this otherwise self-limited syndrome.
Dual-Comb Spectroscopy of Greenhouse Gases Over a 2-km Outdoor Path

Frequency-comb lasers in the near-infrared are used to measure absorption spectra of CO2, CH4, and H2O over a 2-km open-air path with high signal-to-noise ratio. The spectra are compared with models to determine gas concentrations.
Synthesis and sensing behavior of cyanoanthracene modified 1,3-alternate calix[4]benzocrown-6: a new class of Cs+ selective optical sensors

1,3-Calix[4]bis(10-cyano-9-anthrylmethyl-o-benzocrown-6), AnCN2, and 1,3-calix[4]-25,27-bis(allyloxy)-26,28-(10-cyano-9-anthrylmethyl-o-benzocrown-6), AnCN1, were synthesized as the first generation of Cs+ selective optical sensors based on calixarenes. The maximum enhancement in the emission of AnCN2 and AnCN1 upon Cs+ complexation was 11.7 and 8.2 in a 1 ∶ 1 CH2Cl2–MeOH mixture. Their response to various alkali metal ions follows the order Cs+ > Rb+ ≫ K+ ≫ Na+ > Li+ indicating good selectivity towards caesium. The fluorescence and absorption profile for Cs+ complexation suggest a 1 ∶ 1 stoichiometry for the host AnCN1–Cs complex and a stability constant of 107 M−1. AnCN2, on the other hand, shows two plateau regions corresponding to a 1 ∶ 2 stoichiometry for complexation of Cs+. The first complexation constant is much higher (107 M−1) than the second one (104 M−1). The NMR studies further substantiate the complexation of two metal ions by AnCN2. This is the first report of stepwise complexation of metal ions to a 1,3-alternate calix[4]bis(crown-6) derivative.
MO-TMS Derivatives of Human Urinary Steroids for GC and GC-MS Studies

Abstract Sterically hindered 17α-hydroxyl groups in steroids are silylated by trimethylsilylimidazole (TSIM) at 100° C. Decreasing rates of reaction were found for the following structures: 17α, 20β, 21-triol > 17α, 20α-diol > 17α, 20α, 21-triol. When methoxime derivatives are formed as the first step, HCL present in the excess of reagent catalyses the silylation reaction of hydroxyl groups. A simple procedure is described whereby methoxime (MO) derivatives are formed in 15 minutes at 60° C (the 11-one group does not react under these conditions) and persilylated compounds are then prepared in 2 hours at 100° C by reaction with trimethylsilylimidazole.
Surgeons and Quality Improvement: Individuals in an Evolving Process:

Volume 9 Issue 2 presents an interesting series of articles that illustrate approaches to some of the many complications that occur following complex reconstructive procedures. These include a creative approach to the reconstruction of the quadriceps tendon in a diabetic patient and a new pharmacologic prophylaxis against heterotopic ossification. Morrison and his coauthors provide a thorough review of the increased risk of periprosthetic infection in patients with inflammatory arthropathy and address prevention, diagnosis, and treatment when this devastating complication occurs. I am particularly interested in the report by Dr. Klatt and colleagues which examined the blood utilization experience following total joint arthroplasty in a large hospital network. We live and work in an era of reform. It seems that most aspects of our practice are now subject to review with the aim that standardized practice should supplant the variability of the judgment and experience of the individual practitioner. Dr. Klatt’s report is a valuable lesson for those of us who debate these changes in practice. They found that blood utilization was conservative for most of the practitioners on their service and that the over use of blood transfusion could be attributed to two outliers. Over utilization of blood products is an obvious quality concern. Surgeons respond most often to evidence and data as well as to peer pressure. It will be interesting to note if these two outliers have modified their practice after review of the data regarding the use of transfusion by their colleagues on the service as a whole. At Hospital for Special Surgery, we have found peer review to be a valuable technique in the quest for quality improvement. Understanding how your own performance compares to your colleagues can provide useful insight that prompts a change for the better in your practice. I hope you enjoy reading these interesting articles. I also eagerly encourage you to consider the HSS Journal as a valuable forum for the publication of your future work.
Inventory resonances in multi-echelon supply chains

We consider multi-echelon supply chains, typically consisting of retailer, manufacturer, supplier, etc., in which each actor chooses its own inventory replenishment strategy, and is subject to its own replenishment delay. We model the chain with a system of linear differential delay equations. In matrix form the system of equations is triangular and we derive an exact, algorithmic solution, which allows us to determine the inventory behaviour over time for each echelon. The solution is characterised by a set of Lambert modes, obtained from the solution to a set of transcendental equations. For a complete set of solutions the modes must be independent. When the modes are not independent, we find that additional solutions exist, and these exhibit a transient surge in inventory. In analogy with ordinary differential equations, we refer to this as a ‘resonance’ in the inventory. We discuss the practical import of this theoretical prediction.
Split ergativity and split intransitivity in Nepali

This paper argues that Nepali is neither a fully ergative language nor a simple split-ergative language conditioned by tense/aspect, because the language shows a more complex case-marking pattern than previously described. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates that Nepali is a split-ergative language conditioned by the semantic nature of NPs. In the domain of inanimate NPs, the language is ergative; elsewhere, it resists classification as ergative or accusative. This finding is of typological significance in that it provides a good example for a rare split between inanimate NPs and animate NPs. Moreover, the paper argues that Nepali shows split intransitivity in terms of case marking, and it offers a semantic account of the split in terms of the interaction of two semantic factors, agentivity and telicity.
Sound produced by a vortex ring interacting with an aperture of variable radius

An analysis is made of the sound generated when a vortex ring approaches an aperture of time dependent radius in a thin rigid wall. This is possibly the simplest model problem for elucidating the acoustic significance of glottis oscillations in the production of voiced speech. The aperture is acoustically equivalent to a monopole source whose strength is determined by the unsteady volume flux induced by the vortex. The unsteady working of suction forces at the edge of a contracting aperture in an ideal fluid transforms the transmitted, positive acoustic pressure pulse predicted for a constant radius aperture into a large amplitude expansion wave. The suppression of large suction forces in a real fluid by viscosity is examined by the imposition of a Kutta condition, leading to vortex shedding and 'jetting' from the aperture. The shed vorticity is found to increase further the resistance of the closing aperture to the induced flux, and results in an expansion wave of greatly increased amplitude.
An Interesting Bias: Lessons from an Academic's Year as a Reporter

Most rigorous studies conclude that there is no consistent partisan or ideological bias in the mainstream American news media. This suggests a natural but little-asked question: Why isn't there more bias in the media? A year spent working as a journalist suggests a possible answer: Advancing a political perspective does not help secure a place on the front page. Instead, the core incentive for a journalist is to be interesting. Interesting work that reveals the essence of a situation garners a more prominent spot in the newspaper and all its associated benefits. Because “interesting” sources are found on both the left and the right, among Republicans and Democrats, balance does not require a Solomonic commitment to fairness. Rather, balance can be achieved merely as a by-product of the effort to be interesting.
Innovative use of computers as tools in technology education at the College of Staten Island

Conventionally, technology education is split into sections of theory and practice. The theory part is delivered in lectures, and the practical aspect of technology is delivered to the student in the laboratories. A different approach, corresponding to the natural learning process, has been introduced in the Technologies Department of the College of Staten Island within the City University of New York. The authors show how the adaptation of the principles of a natural learning environment to technology education puts both the student and the instructor in full control of the pace of learning. The instructor holds the upper hand of directing the course of study as well as the manipulation of course content to ensure smooth and continuous knowledge dissemination and assimilation. An attempt is also made to improve students' metacognitive skills. >
Taking Apart the American Dream: The Influence of Income and Family Composition on Residential Evaluations:

Americans' overwhelming desires for single family homeownership have been so well documented that they have been termed the 'American Dream'. Government and financial incentives for homeownership a...
Clustering of reported cases of leptospirosis among dogs in the United States and Canada.

A retrospective study was conducted to determine whether cases of leptospirosis diagnosed among dogs in the United States and Canada were clustered in time, space, or time-and-space. The study population was estimated--based on first examination of each dog--to consist of 1,035,366 dogs examined at 22 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1983 and 1998. The veterinary medicine database was searched for records of dogs in which a diagnosis of leptospirosis was made during the study period. The scan statistic (Poisson model) was used to examine for clustering of cases, using recorded date of diagnosis and the location of the veterinary teaching hospital at which the diagnosis was made. Three-hundred and forty dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis were identified. Cases were clustered in the period of 1992-1998. A cluster of dogs diagnosed at three veterinary teaching hospitals located in the midwest of the United States was identified. The composition of this spatial cluster was influenced by the age and gender distribution of the population at-risk. A cluster of cases involving 143 dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis between 9 April 1993 and 14 December 1998 at six veterinary teaching hospitals located in the midwest of the United States was identified. This time-space cluster was not influenced by the age, gender or breed distribution of the population of dogs presented at veterinary teaching hospitals during the study period. Leptospirosis was clustered during the 1990s in the midwest of the United States. Dog risk factors (age, gender, breed) do not explain the clustering that was observed. Leptospira serovar or environmental factors might be responsible for the clustering of canine leptospirosis in the United States and Canada.
Dispersion in flow through small tubes

A new method is presented for obtaining asymptotic solutions of the now classical problem of the dispersion of a solute in a medium flowing through a tube of small diameter. Features of the method (a non-standard twotiming technique) are: (1) it is capable of treating arbitrary time-dependent flow fields and tubes of arbitrary cross-section; (2) the approximate solutions constructed are valid immediately after the initial time rather than after a time lag; (3) approximations to any desired order may be readily obtained; (4) their asymptotic validity may be proved rigorously. 'Transient' terms as well as 'developed' terms arise naturally in the treatment; the former decay rapidly in time.
Spray deposition of high quality CuInSe 2 and CdTe films

A number of different ink and deposition approaches have been used for the deposition of CuInSe 2 (CIS), Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS), and CdTe films. For CIS and CIGS, soluble precursors containing Cu, In, and Ga have been developed and used in two ways to produce CIS films. In the first, In-containing precursor films were sprayed on Mo-coated glass substrates and converted by rapid thermal processing (RTP) to In 2 Se 3 . Then a Cu-containing film was sprayed down on top of the In 2 Se 3 and the stacked films were again thermally processed to give CIS. In the second approach, the Cu-, In-, and Ga-containing inks were combined in the proper ratio to produce a mixed Cu-In-Ga ink that was sprayed on substrates and thermally processed to give CIGS films directly. For CdTe deposition, ink consisting of CdTe nanoparticles dispersed in methanol was prepared and used to spray precursor films. Annealing these precursor films in the presence of CdCl 2 produced large-grained CdTe films. The films were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optimized spray and processing conditions are crucial to obtain dense, crystalline films.
Dynamic relationships and the persistence of pairings

The ability to automatically hoard data on a computer's local store would go a long way towards freeing the mobile user from dependence on the network and potentially unbounded latencies. An important step in developing a fully automated file hoarding algorithm is the ability to automatically identify strong relationships between files. We present a mechanism for visualizing the degree of long-term relationships inherent in a file access stream. We do this by comparing the performance of static and dynamic relationship predictors. We demonstrate that even the simplest associations (from a static/first-successor predictor) maintain relatively high accuracy over extended periods of time, closely tracking the performance of an equivalent dynamic (last-successor) predictor. We then introduce rank-difference plots, a visualization technique which allows us to demonstrate how this behavior is caused by stable static pairings of files that are lost by the adaptation of the dynamic predictor for a substantial subset of frequently accessed files. We conclude by demonstrating how a third pairing mechanism can make use of these observations to outperform both the dynamic and static predictors.
Finite Element Analysis of the Precracked Line Scratch Test

In MEMS packages and silicon devices, the adhesion of interconnects to the substrate is a critical reliability issue. A Precracked Line Scratch Test (PLST) is among one of the available tests to measure the thin line adhesion. In the test, an initial crack is introduced at the interface between the thin line and the substrate. The line is then loaded from the precracked end. The load is recorded continuously while the crack propagates before and after the line buckles. This precracked line scratch test has been applied earlier to tungsten thin lines on silicon wafers [1]. A macroscopic version of the test was also performed to evaluate the analytical model [2]. In the macroscopic tests, polycarbonate lines were bonded to steel substrates with cyanoacrylate. In this paper, finite element analysis is performed for the Precracked Line Scratch Test before line buckling. The energy release rates and phase angles are calculated based on the corresponding load and crack length. The results are then compared to the closed-form solution. Macroscopic experimental model along with the finite element solution has provided a way to derive the interface fracture toughness as a function of the crack length based on the load and crack length history. With the analysis in place, the precracked line scratch test can be used conveniently to study the adhesion of interconnects to passivation layers, MEMS devices and packages on different scales.
μ-PIV measurements of the ensemble flow fields surrounding a migrating semi-infinite bubble.

Microscale particle image velocimetry measurements of ensemble flow fields surrounding a steadily migrating semi-infinite bubble through the novel adaptation of a computer controlled linear motor flow control system. The system was programmed to generate a square wave velocity input in order to produce accurate constant bubble propagation repeatedly and effectively through a fused glass capillary tube. We present a novel technique for re-positioning of the coordinate axis to the bubble tip frame of reference in each instantaneous field through the analysis of the sudden change of standard deviation of centerline velocity profiles across the bubble interface. Ensemble averages were then computed in this bubble tip frame of reference. Combined fluid systems of water/air, glycerol/air, and glycerol/Si-oil were used to investigate flows comparable to computational simulations described in Smith and Gaver III (J Fluid Mech 601:1–23, 2008) and to past experimental observations of interfacial shape. Fluorescent particle images were also analyzed to measure the residual film thickness trailing behind the bubble. The flow fields and film thickness agree very well with the computational simulations as well as existing experimental and analytical results. Particle accumulation and migration associated with the flow patterns near the bubble tip after long experimental durations are discussed as potential sources of error in the experimental method.
Freecursive ORAM: [Nearly] Free Recursion and Integrity Verification for Position-based Oblivious RAM

Oblivious RAM (ORAM) is a cryptographic primitive that hides memory access patterns as seen by untrusted storage. Recently, ORAM has been architected into secure processors. A big challenge for hardware ORAM schemes is how to efficiently manage the Position Map (PosMap), a central component in modern ORAM algorithms. Implemented naively, the PosMap causes ORAM to be fundamentally unscalable in terms of on-chip area. On the other hand, a technique called Recursive ORAM fixes the area problem yet significantly increases ORAM's performance overhead. To address this challenge, we propose three new mechanisms. We propose a new ORAM structure called the PosMap Lookaside Buffer (PLB) and PosMap compression techniques to reduce the performance overhead from Recursive ORAM empirically (the latter also improves the construction asymptotically). Through simulation, we show that these techniques reduce the memory bandwidth overhead needed to support recursion by 95%, reduce overall ORAM bandwidth by 37% and improve overall SPEC benchmark performance by 1.27x. We then show how our PosMap compression techniques further facilitate an extremely efficient integrity verification scheme for ORAM which we call PosMap MAC (PMMAC). For a practical parameterization, PMMAC reduces the amount of hashing needed for integrity checking by >= 68x relative to prior schemes and introduces only 7% performance overhead. We prototype our mechanisms in hardware and report area and clock frequency for a complete ORAM design post-synthesis and post-layout using an ASIC flow in a 32~nm commercial process. With 2 DRAM channels, the design post-layout runs at 1~GHz and has a total area of .47~mm2. Depending on PLB-specific parameters, the PLB accounts for 10% to 26% area. PMMAC costs 12% of total design area. Our work is the first to prototype Recursive ORAM or ORAM with any integrity scheme in hardware.
Casa de esperanza

Many nonprofit organizations struggle with the challenges of staying true to their mission in light of increasing reliance on public revenue streams. Casa de Esperanza, a mid-size nonprofit in St. Paul, Minnesota, faces these tensions. Although it was founded to support Latinas who experience domestic violence, public funding streams mandated a different approach. This case explores the trade-offs the organizational leaders must consider at a critical juncture in their development. Copyright © 2004 Jodi Sandfort.
Fostering regimes of truth: understanding and reflecting on the Freedom School way

The aim of the present paper is to investigate the inner workings of a North American summer enrichment programme named Freedom School. More specifically this research explores how participants of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom School programme experience ‘the Freedom School way’, an amalgam of ideologies, discourses, and behaviours endorsed by the CDF. First, observations are analysed which forward a picture of the research context. In addition, survey data are gathered from 36 youth participants of the programme. Data also are generated from interviews with Freedom School interns. Using Michel Foucault’s regimes of truth as a unit of analysis, results from this research highlight: (1) the process by which various Freedom School activities bolster CDF ideology; (2) the ways in which CDF ideologies are part of Freedom School discourse; and (3) how CDF ideology and Freedom School discourse perpetuate a regime of truth.
Brief of Amici Curiae Consumers Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Public Knowledge in Support of Defendants-Cross-Appellants, Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir., 2005) (Nos. 03–1269, 03–1286)

Amicus brief on behalf of Consumers Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Public Knowledge in PHILLIPS, v. AWH CORPORATION, 415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (en banc) (Nos. 03-1269, 03-1286), addressing principally the need to address and narrow the current “insolubly ambiguous” claim standard for indefiniteness before addressing claim construction methodology, and to avoid construing claims so as to preserve their validity.
Sleep quality and functional disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Study Objectives:Disturbed sleep is a common complaint in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The majority of the research investigating relationships between sleep and patient-reported outcom...
Abstract 841: Inhibition of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma growth by combination treatment of erlotinib and celecoxib: Potential chemopreventive agents

The interaction of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) pathways plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Our recent Phase I chemoprevention trial of premalignant lesions including pathologically moderate or severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ in oral cavity and larynx showed a 71% (5/7) estimated overall response rate after a 6-month-long combination treatment of Erlotinib and Celecoxib without significant toxicities (ASCO 2010 Abstract # 5535). The current preclinical study was designed to investigate the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the inhibitory effect on the disease progression by the combined treatment of Erlotinib and Celecoxib. Chemopreventive efficacy was determined using a head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) xenograft model with Tu212 cell line. Animals received vehicle control (0.1% Tween 80 and 0.5% methylcellulose, n=6), Celecoxib at 50mg/kg body weight (n=6), Erlotinib at 75mg/kg body weight (n=7), or combination of Erlotinib and Celecoxib (n=8) with the same dose as the single agent by oral gavaging daily for 6 days before subcutaneous implantation of cancer cells. Animals were further treated daily for 5 days per week with a total of 4 weeks. The combination treatment significantly suppressed tumor growth compared with Erlotinib alone (p=0.01), Celecoxib alone (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 841. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-841
Determination of the Wavelength-Dependent Refractive Index of a Gold-Oxide Thin Film

A two-step procedure is described for measuring the complex refractive index of an anodically produced oxide film on a gold electrode. Both the composition and the thickness of the oxide were determined independently using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These measurements served to define the system and thereby avoid assumptions regarding the film stoichiometry that would otherwise be required. The thickness was then used to calculate values of n and k from ellipsometric data collected across the visible spectrum (350–800 nm).
Ethical implications of prolonged lives.

This article explores the scientific prospect and ethical implications of prolonging the human lifespan through genetic or other types of biomedical interventions. It suggests that when a potential scientific development raises profound theological, ethical, or social issues, it is preferable to assess the implications in advance, in order to decide whether and how to proceed. The analysis underscores that interventions to increase average life-expectancies in an already aging society pose economic, health, and environmental burdens that societies would be hard-pressed to sustain. The required resource-transfers would also have a profoundly negative impact on intra-and inter-generational equity.
WITHIN- AND BETWEEN-GENERATION EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

We investigated the effects of developmental and parental temperatures on several physiological and mor- phological traits of adult Drosophila melanogaster. Flies for the parental generation were raised at either low or moderate temperature (18?C or 25?C) and then mated in the four possible sex-by-parental temperature crosses. Their offspring were raised at either 18?C or 25?C and then scored as adults for morphological (dry body mass, wing size, and abdominal melanization (females only)), physiological (knock-down temperature, and thermal dependence of walking speed), and life history (egg size) traits. The experiment was replicated, and the factorial design allows us to determine whether and how paternal, maternal, and developmental temperatures (as well as offspring sex) influence the various traits. Sex and developmental temperature had major effects on all traits. Females had larger bodies and wings, higher knock-down temperatures, and slower speeds (but similar shaped performance curves) than males. Development at 25?C (versus at 18?C) increased knock-down temperature, increased maximal speed and thermal performance breadth, decreased the optimal temperature for walking, decreased body mass and wing size, reduced abdominal melanization, and reduced egg size. Parental temperatures influenced a few traits, but the effects were generally small relative to those of sex or developmental temperature. Flies whose mother had been raised at 25?C (versus at 18?C) had slightly higher knock-down temperature and smaller body mass. Flies whose father had been raised at 25?C had relatively longer wings. The effects of paternal, maternal, and developmental temperatures sometimes differed in direction. The existence of significant within- and between-generation effects suggests that comparative studies need to standardize thermal environments for at least two generations, that attempts to estimate "field" heritabilities may be unreliable for some traits, and that predictions of short-term evolutionary responses to selection will be difficult.
State-Based Visas: A Federalist Approach to Reforming U.S. Immigration Policy

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) recently proposed a regional visa program that would allow immigrants to live and work exclusively in Detroit or other cities in the United States. A regional immigration option through a state-based visa program would create a temporary work permit that would allow participating states to manage the flow and regulate the quantity of temporary migrants who want to live and work within their borders. Ideally, law-abiding visa holders would be eligible for renewal and free to apply for permanent residency during their stay in the United States. Although overseen by the federal government, a state-based visa program would allow state governments to craft a better-functioning work-visa program that is more adaptable to their local economic conditions than the present system run by the federal government — perhaps even supplying lessons for future federal work-visa programs. A state-based visa program would direct immigration to the states that want it without forcing much additional immigration on those that do not. Unlike existing employment-based visas that tie foreign workers to one firm, state-based visa holders would be free to move between employers in the state — leading to thicker, more equitable, and more efficient local labor markets. A state-based visa would increase prosperity by allowing additional migration to portions of the country and economy that demand them. Successful international experiences with regional visas in Australia and Canada provide some valuable policy lessons and hint at the major economic benefits of such a policy in the United States.
Solvent effects in the thermal decomposition reaction of ammonium carbamate: A computational molecular dynamics study of the relative solubilities of CO2 and NH3 in water, ethylene glycol, and their mixtures

Abstract The endothermic decomposition of ammonium carbamate has been proposed as a novel heat sink mechanism for aircraft thermal management (Johnson et al., 2012). The products of the reversible decomposition are carbon dioxide and ammonia which need to be efficiently removed from the carrier fluid in order to better control the reaction and thus the heat transfer. Molecular dynamics simulations can provide insight into the transport properties of carbon dioxide and ammonia in the carrier fluid. In this work, extensive classical non-reactive molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to explore the solvent effects in the thermal decomposition reaction of ammonium carbamate by studying the temperature and concentration dependence of relative solubility and diffusivity of carbon dioxide and ammonia in water, ethylene glycol, and their mixtures at standard temperature and pressure and at the elevated temperature of the thermal decomposition reaction of ammonium carbamate. This comparative study shows that ammonia is more soluble than carbon dioxide in either water or ethylene glycol and that both carbon dioxide and ammonia are more soluble in ethylene glycol than in water. Our simulations of water–ethylene glycol mixtures show that increasing the molar fraction of ethylene glycol leads to increased solubility of carbon dioxide and ammonia in the mixture. Even though this is a non-reactive study, it is able to capture the general solubility trends. Accounting for the reactions of carbon dioxide and ammonia in the solution would further amplify the observed trends by amplifying the retaining of CO2 and NH3 in the solution. We present a low-cost computational procedure for relative solubility evaluation that can be used in a broader engineering design context.
Not getting lost in translational science: A tool for navigating the pre-implementation phase of multi-site pharmacological clinical trials.

BACKGROUND The compelling need to improve the efficiency of multi-site pharmacological clinical trials has received increasing attention and a number of challenges needing to be addressed have been delineated. PURPOSE The present paper discusses one of the challenges, how to avoid a lengthy pre-implementation phase, and proposes the strategy of using a Pre-implementation Timeline "Calculator." The Calculator is a Microsoft Excel worksheet designed to assist investigators in planning for, and completing, the pre-implementation phase of multi-site pharmacological clinical trials in a timely manner. METHODS Preliminary data are presented comparing the pre-implementation phase length of pharmacological trials that did (n=3) and did not (n=4) use the Calculator. RESULTS The amount of time taken to complete the stage between having a sponsor-approved protocol and the initiation of recruitment at a study site averaged nine months for the Calculator trials compared to 15 months for the Non-Calculator trials. The period between the Investigators' meeting and the initiation of recruitment at a study site averaged two months for the Calculator trials compared to five months for the Non-Calculator trials. An estimate of the site staffing costs associated with the later time frame was calculated for a hypothetical trial conducted at 10 sites. The results revealed that the extra three months were associated with a cost of $388,000. LIMITATIONS An important limitation of the present paper is the reliance on a sample of convenience for the Calculator and Non-Calculator trials. CONCLUSIONS The Calculator is a free, easily implemented, tool that may provide significant benefits in reducing the time and financial resources required to complete the pre-implementation phase of multi-site pharmacological clinical trials; thus, its more wide-spread use in multi-site pharmacological clinical trials seems warranted.
Marronage and Voodoo

During the period of the French colonisation of Haiti, the two groups of people who did not live on the plantations were the absentee landlords and the maroons. The landlords lived in France and had managers who took care of their holdings in the colony. Maroons were runaway slaves who either established autonomous settlements or were able to ‘lose’ themselves in various ways among the free people in the colony; some of the former returned from time to time to raid neighbouring plantations.
Rapid sample classification using an open port sampling interface coupled with liquid introduction atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE An "Open Access"-like mass spectrometric platform to fully utilize the simplicity of the manual open port sampling interface for rapid characterization of unprocessed samples by liquid introduction atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry has been lacking. The in-house developed integrated software with a simple, small and relatively low-cost mass spectrometry system introduced here fills this void. METHODS Software was developed to operate the mass spectrometer, to collect and process mass spectrometric data files, to build a database and to classify samples using such a database. These tasks were accomplished via the vendor-provided software libraries. Sample classification based on spectral comparison utilized the spectral contrast angle method. RESULTS Using the developed software platform near real-time sample classification is exemplified using a series of commercially available blue ink rollerball pens and vegetable oils. In the case of the inks, full scan positive and negative ion ESI mass spectra were both used for database generation and sample classification. For the vegetable oils, full scan positive ion mode APCI mass spectra were recorded. The overall accuracy of the employed spectral contrast angle statistical model was 95.3% and 98% in case of the inks and oils, respectively, using leave-one-out cross-validation. CONCLUSIONS This work illustrates that an open port sampling interface/mass spectrometer combination, with appropriate instrument control and data processing software, is a viable direct liquid extraction sampling and analysis system suitable for the non-expert user and near real-time sample classification via database matching. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Early dysfunction and progressive degeneration of the subthalamic nucleus in mouse models of Huntington's disease

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an element of cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry critical for action suppression. In Huntington's disease (HD) action suppression is impaired, resembling the effects of STN lesioning or inactivation. To explore this potential linkage, the STN was studied in BAC transgenic and Q175 knock-in mouse models of HD. At <2 and 6 months of age autonomous STN activity was impaired due to activation of KATP channels. STN neurons exhibited prolonged NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents, caused by a deficit in glutamate uptake, and elevated mitochondrial oxidant stress, which was ameliorated by NMDA receptor antagonism. STN activity was rescued by NMDA receptor antagonism or the break down of hydrogen peroxide. At 12 months of age approximately 30% of STN neurons had been lost, as in HD. Together, these data argue that dysfunction within the STN is an early feature of HD that may contribute to its expression and course.
Removal of Silicone Oil Following PPV and Retinal Detachment Repair

The decision for silicone oil removal should be made after indirect ophthalmoscopy confirms retinal attachment and adequate retinopexy. The patient should then undergo a thorough informed consent process including the risk of re-detachment after silicone oil removal and the inherent risks involved with vitrectomy-based surgery.
Benefits, Facilitators, Barriers, and Strategies to Improve Pesticide Protective Behaviors: Insights from Farmworkers in North Carolina Tobacco Fields

Pesticide exposure is associated with deleterious health effects. Prior studies suggest Latino farmworkers perceive little control over their occupational health. Using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical guide, we explored the perceptions of Latino farmworkers working in tobacco in North Carolina (n = 72) about benefits and facilitators of pesticide protective behaviors as well as barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers to their use. Interviews were conducted with participants at farmworker housing during non-work time. Qualitative data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Farmworkers recognized pesticide protective behaviors as helping them to not get sick and stay healthy. Farmworkers perceived work experience as facilitating protective behaviors. Wetness in the field was the most commonly cited barrier to protective behavior use. To overcome this barrier, farmworkers suggested use of water-resistant outerwear, as well as packing a change of clothes for mid-day, with space and time to change provided by employers. Examination of the efficacy and feasibility of farmworkers’ suggestions for addressing barriers is warranted. Training and behavior modeling by experienced peers may improve behavior adoption and perceived control.
A signal-based method for finding driver modules of breast cancer metastasis to the lung

Tumor metastasis is mainly caused by somatic genomic alterations (SGAs) that perturb pathways regulating metastasis-relevant activities and thus help the primary tumor to adapt to the new microenvironment. Identifying drivers of metastasis, i.e. SGAs, sheds light on the metastasis mechanism and provides guidance for targeted therapy. In this paper, we introduce a novel method to search for SGAs driving breast cancer metastasis to the lung. First, we search for transcriptomic modules with genes that are differentially expressed in breast cell lines with strong metastatic activities to the lung and co-expressed in a large number of breast tumors. Then, for each transcriptomic module, we search for a set of SGA genes (driver modules) such that genes in each driver module carry a common signal regulating the transcriptomic module. Evaluations indicate that many genes in driver modules are indeed related to metastasis, and our methods have identified many new driver candidates. We further choose two novel metastatic driver genes, BCL2L11 and CDH9, for in vitro verification. The wound healing assay reveals that inhibiting either BCL2L11 or CDH9 will enhance the migration of cell lines, which provides evidence that these two genes are suppressors of tumor metastasis.
A Fallacy That Will Not Die

Regression to the mean is a pervasive statistical phenomenon that invites causal explanations for random fluctuations. A notorious economic example of this fallacy was exposed more than 80 years ago, yet regression to the mean continues to be overlooked or misinterpreted by economists, even Nobel laureates.
Demanding Connectivity, Demanding Charging: The Co-production of Mobile Communication Between Electrical and Digital Infrastructures

Smartphones connect users to the Internet while on the move: these devices harness always-on wireless connectivity, powered by batteries in need of regular charging. Supporting the mobile communication of smartphones is the infrastructure of wireless connectivity and the global Internet itself. Both systems require not-insignificant amounts of electricity. Emerging social practices of using and charging smartphones in transit offer an entry point to theorizing energy needs surrounding information-communication technologies (ICTs) beyond home and workspaces, in public and in motion. An ethnographic travel narrative is presented, detailing charging practices in train stations in the Northeast United States, on trains, and the energy demand of a nearby data center. This narrative provides an overview of the merged infrastructures that facilitate new social practices and create new forms of energy demand.
Classification of Singularities. Part II: The Local Ring of a Singularity

The Thom-Boardman theory gives us a way of breaking up a map into simple constituent pieces; however, from the Thom-Boardman data alone we usually cannot reassemble the constituent pieces and see what the map itself looks like. Consider for example the maps $$f:{R^2} \to R,\quad ({x_1},{x_2}{\text{)}} \mapsto x_1^2 + x_2^2$$ and $$g:{R^2} \to R,\quad ({x_1},{x_2}{\text{)}} \mapsto x_1^2 - x_2^2$$ . f and g have isolated S1 singularities at the origin and are regular everywhere else. However, their map germs at the origin are not equivalent, even under homeomorphisms of R2 and R, since f has an extremum at 0 and g does not. From the Thom-Boardman data alone there is no way of computing the Hessian of f at 0; and, of course, it is the signature of the Hessian which distinguishes f from g. (See II, Theorem 6.9.)
Non-Tobin's q in Tests for Financial Constraints to Investment

Liquidity constrained firms may be under two very well identified investment regimes, constrained and unconstrained. In this paper I derive theoretical investment equations for both regimes and discuss the consequences of ignoring the specific form of the liquidity constrained regime. I also show that expressing the investment equation as a function of Tobin’s q is by no means necessary in theory and in practice, in particular, it is not required to test for liquidity constraints.
Cardiac Protection by NHE Inhibitors

The sodium/hydrogen antiport is the major cardiac sarcolemmal membrane transporter responsible for the control of intracellular pH under normal physiological conditions and is thought to be activated and play a major role in the control of intracellular Na+ and Ca++ concentrations during ischemia and/or reperfusion (1). In this regard, Karmazyn (2) in 1988 was the first investigator to demonstrate that amiloride, a potassium-sparing diuretic which also inhibits NHE activity in the heart, resulted in a marked improvement in the recovery of global contractile function in the isolated perfused Langendorff rat heart subjected to an ischemia-reperfusion protocol. These findings resulted in a surge of interest in developing inhibitors of NHE for use as cardioprotective agents. Initially, most compounds developed and tested were 5-amino substituted pyrazinoyl guanidine derivatives structurally related to amiloride, which were all found to be markedly cardioprotective. However, it was subsequently found that these compounds were not selective blockers of NHE alone and had other properties such as direct sodium channel blocking effects and cardiodepressant properties (3). Subsequently, chemists at Hoechst (3) and E. Merck (4) synthesized a new class of more selective inhibitors of the NHE-1 isoform, the benzoylguanidine derivatives, of which HOE-642 or cariporide, is the prototype.
CAD-Einsatz im Rahmen einer CIM-Konzeption — Erfahrungen aus einem Maschinenbaukonzern

Die Voith-Gruppe ist ein Unternehmen der Investitionsguterindustrie mit weltweitem Vertrieb und Produktionskapazitaten in drei Kontinenten. Das Programm umfast Maschinen und Anlagen, von der Entwicklung bis zur Inbetriebnahme. Die Voith-Gruppe ist spezialisiert auf wirtschaftliche Problemlosungen nach Mas. Mit 13 000 Mitarbeitern erzielt die Voith-Gruppe einen Umsatz von uber 2 Milliarden DM.