cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Command and Control and the Pathology of Natural Resource Management

As the human population grows and natural resources decline, there is pressure to apply increas- ing levels of topdown, command, and~control management to natural resources. This is manifested in at- tempts to control ecosystems and in socioeconomic institutions that respond to erratic or surprising ecosystem behavior with more control Command and control, however, usually results in unforeseen consequences for both natural ecosystems and human welfare in the form of collapsing resources, social and economic strife, and losses of biological diversity. We describe the "pathology of natural resource management, " defined as a loss of system resilience when the range of natural variation in the system is reduced encapsulates the unsustain- able environmental, social, and economic outcomes of command~and~ontrol resource management. If natu- ral levels of variation in system behavior are reduced through command-and~ontrol, then the system be- comes less resilient to external perturbations, resulting in crises and surprises. We provide several examples of this pathology in management. An ultimate pathology emerges when resource management agencies, through initial success with command and control, lose sight of their original purposes, eliminate research and monitoring, and focus on efficiency of control They then become isolated from the managed systems and inflexible in structure. Simultaneously, through overcapitalization, society becomes dependent upon com- mand and control, demands it in greater intensity, and ignores the underlying ecological change or collapse that is developing. Solutions to this pathology cannot come from further command and control (regulations) but must come from innovative approaches involving incentives leading to more resilient ecosystems, more flexible agencies, more self-reliant industries, and a more knowledgeable citizenry. We discuss several aspects of ecosystem pattern and dynamics at large scales that provide insight into ecosystem resilience, and we pro- pose a "Golden Rule" of natural resource management that we believe is necessary for sustainabllity: man- agement should strive to retain critical types and ranges of natural variation in resource systems in order to maintain their resiliency.
QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION OF BIOPHYSICAL RESPONSE DURING FREEZING IN TISSUES

■ Abstract Cryopreservation and cryosurgery are important biomedical applica- tions used to selectively preserve or destroy cellular systems through freezing. Studies using cryomicroscopy techniques, which allow the visualization of the freezing pro- cess in single cells, have shown that a drop in viability correlates with the extent of two biophysical events during the freezing process: (a) intracellular ice formation and (b) cellular dehydration. These same biophysical events operate in tissue systems; however, the inability to visualize and quantify the dynamics of the freezing process in tissues has hampered direct correlation of these events with freezing-induced changes in viability. This review highlights two new techniques that use freeze substitution and differential scanning calorimetry to provide dynamic freezing data in tissue. Charac- teristic dimensions and parameters extracted from these new data are then used in a predictive model of biophysical freezing response in several tissues, including liver and tumor. This approach promises to help guide improved design of both cryopreservation and cryosurgical applications of tissue freezing.
Life Cycle of Eimeria ferrisi Levine & Ivens, 1965 in the Mouse, Mus musculus

SYNOPSIS. The life cycle of Eimeria ferrisi is described from experimentally infected Mus musculus. The prepatent period was 3 days and the patent period was 3–4 days. The endogenous stages were found only in the cecum and colon. Three generations of schizonts were found. Mature 1st-generation schizonts first seen 24 hr postinoculation (PI) measured 10.9 (7–14) × 10.2 (6–13) μm and had 9.6 (7–14) merozoites. Some 2nd-generation schizonts had uninucleate merozoites and others had multinucleate merozoites. The former were first seen in small numbers 36 hr PI and were most abundant 48 hr PI. They measured 9.6 (5–13) × 7.9 (6–12) μm and had 18 (6–25) merozoites. Schizonts with multinucleate merozoites were seen 72 hr PI. Mature 3rd-generation schizonts were seen 72 hr PI. They measured 14.0 (12–18) × 11-0 (9–13) μm and had 12.5 (5–16) merozoites. Macrogamonts were first seen in 72 hr sections. Each young macrogamont had a large nucleus with a prominent nucleolus. Only one type of cytoplasmic granule appeared to be involved in the formation of the oocyst wall. Mature macrogamonts were 11.0 (5–14) × 10.0 (6–13) μm. Crescent-shaped bodies were observed in the parasitophorous vacuole of trophozoites and young macrogamonts. Early microgamonts were first recognized at 96 hr by the presence of darkly stained and irregularly shaped nuclei. Usually, mature microgametes were arranged in long, narrow whorls at the periphery of the microgamont or in whorls at the surface of 2–5 compartments.
Multifaceted role of β-arrestins in inflammation and disease

Arrestins are intracellular scaffolding proteins known to regulate a range of biochemical processes including G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) desensitization, signal attenuation, receptor turnover and downstream signaling cascades. Their roles in regulation of signaling network have lately been extended to receptors outside of the GPCR family, demonstrating their roles as important scaffolding proteins in various physiological processes including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Recent studies have demonstrated a critical role for arrestins in immunological processes including key functions in inflammatory signaling pathways. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the different functions of the arrestin family of proteins especially related to immunity and inflammatory diseases.
The Art and Politics of Peer Review

The publication of research and scholarly papers plays an integral role in advancing our understanding of and ability to act on issues related to workforce preparation and career development. At its very foundation, scholarly publication, regardless of field, rests on the editorial and peer review system. It is "... an inevitable part of the process of getting published" (Hawkey, 2001, p. 65).
How Would Carbon Pricing Affect Purchases of Energy-Efficient Appliances? The Case of Refrigerators

The purpose of this research is to estimate the potential effect of carbon pricing on the purchase of energy efficient appliances, using refrigerators as a representative appliance. Carbon emissions are widely believed to be contributing to climate change, although the U.S. has not yet introduced a nationwide method of limiting these emissions (two regional carbon trading schemes involving a handful of states notwithstanding). To estimate response, we first estimate the effect of electricity price on the market share of energy efficient refrigerators -- representing energy savings of 15-20% as compared to standard refrigerators -- that qualify for the USEPA’s ENERGY STAR program. The second step is to estimate the additional response that would result if the U.S. implemented a price on carbon, thereby increasing the price of electricity and the market share of energy efficient appliances. We find a price elasticity of demand of between 0.16 and 0.26, a relatively small response and smaller than the effect of percent of owner-occupied homes and percent of adults with a bachelor’s degree. In turn, Resources for the Future (2010) estimates that a carbon price would increase the average electricity price by at most $0.04/kWh, which would increase purchases of ENERGY STAR refrigerators by less than 3%. In turn, carbon emissions would decrease by approximately 0.3%. We suggest that in order to achieve the socially efficient outcome, it may be necessary to add another instrument in addition to the price on carbon.
Conformational states of vitronectin: preferential expression of an antigenic epitope when vitronectin is covalently and noncovalently complexed with thrombin-antithrombin III or treated with urea.

A difference in recognition of the adhesive glycoprotein vitronectin (also called S-protein, serum spreading factor, and epibolin) by monoclonal antibody 8E6 (Hayman EG, et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:4003, 1983) was investigated using a competitive enzyme- immunosorbent assay and immunoaffinity chromatography. Recognition of vitronectin in serum was approximately 50-fold greater than recognition of vitronectin in plasma. Recognition of vitronectin incubated with heparin, thrombin-antithrombin III complex, or heparin and thrombin- antithrombin III complex together was 2.5-, 7-, or 32-fold greater, respectively, than recognition of vitronectin alone. Thrombin or antithrombin III by itself did not induce the antigenic change. Factor Xa-antithrombin III was less effective than thrombin-antithrombin III in induction of the change. Dextran sulfate and fucoidan were more potent than heparin in induction of the antigenic change, whereas dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, or keratan sulfate were less effective. Immunoblotting analysis of serum and of vitronectin incubated with thrombin and antithrombin III demonstrated the presence of complexes composed of vitronectin and thrombin-antithrombin III that could only be dissociated with reducing agent. N-ethylmaleimide completely blocked the formation of the presumably disulfide-bonded complexes and partially blocked the antigenic change. Both non-disulfide-bonded and disulfide-bonded vitronectin bound to antibody-Sepharose from a mixture of vitronectin and thrombin-antithrombin III. Treatment of vitronectin with 8 mol/L urea resulted in enhanced recognition by the monoclonal antibody. Thus, the 8E6 antibody reacts with an epitope that is preferentially expressed by noncovalently and covalently linked vitronectin/thrombin-antithrombin III complexes and by urea-treated vitronectin. The change in vitronectin induced by thrombin-antithrombin III, therefore, is a physiological correlate of urea treatment and of adsorption of vitronectin onto tissue culture plastic (as is done in cell adhesion assays). The change may be important for expression of vitronectin activity.
The elusive nature of institutional productivity ratings

Abstract This paper examines past research on institutional productivity ratings based on publications in reading journals. It also discusses issues such as why productivity ratings are calculated, how rankings are calculated, and to what use rankings are put. Other factors are presented for consideration when constructing a total picture of institutional productivity, including the possibility of combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
The art of distilling life: Mallarmé misogyny and the seduction of the feminine

L'A. montre comment l'exploration mallarmeenne de l'espace feminin et de ses stereotypes ne constitue en fait pour le poete qu'un pretexte afin d'acceder a la Beaute
Effect of Lipid Composition on the Affinity and Binding of Dimeric Tubulin to Membranes Studied using Surface Plasmon Resonance, Neutron Reflectivity, Electrophysiology, and AC Electrical Methods

Dimeric tubulin has emerged as an important regulatory factor of the permeability of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) in the mitochondrial outer membrane, with implications for mitochondrial energetics as well as the Warburg effect observed in cancers. Previously, single-channel studies revealed that the on-rate of the VDAC-tubulin interaction is strongly dependent on the lipid environment. To understand the nature of the binding of this abundant cytosolic water-soluble protein to lipid membranes, we have employed an array of biophysical techniques using unsupported planar lipid membrane and tethered bilayer lipid membrane (tBLM) platforms. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of tBLMs shows that tubulin at concentrations less than 100 nM binds irreversibly to DPhPC and 1:1 DOPC:DOPE membranes. The binding rate is significantly larger in high salt concentrations, suggesting a hydrophobic interaction between tubulin and lipid membrane. No binding to DOPC membranes is observed under the same conditions. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of tBLMs reveals that only DPhPC membranes are strongly perturbed by the binding of tubulin. Neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements on tBLMs give structural information regarding the penetration of the tubulin into the membranes. Electrophysiological measurements of the tubulin/VDAC interaction on the unsupported bilayers confirm the irreversibility of tubulin binding to DPhPC membranes and membranes with significant DOPE content. Second harmonic analysis of planar lipid membranes’ response to ac excitation suggests that tubulin binding causes significant rearrangements of the lipid headgroups. We conclude that tubulin binds to and modifies the structure of lipid membranes even at nanomolar concentrations. Considering that there is up to 10 μM of free dimeric tubulin in cells, our results suggest a new broad regulatory role of dimeric tubulin in vivo.
Study on the relationship between the time of patients with respiratory failure in emergency resuscitation room and the prognosis of the disease

Objective To explore the relationship between the time of patients with respiratory failure in emergency resuscitation room and the prognosis of the disease.Methods The data of 83 cases with respiratory failure in emergency resuscitation room of our hospital in 2010 were retrospectively summarized.Results The proportion of patients who were rescured in the working time was 74.7%(62/83),which was significantly higher than that in the rest time[25.3%(21/83)],P0.05,and the proportion of patients with type I respiratory failure who were rescured was 60.2%(50/83),which was significantly higher than that of patients with type II respiratory failure[39.8%(33/83)],P0.05.The factors associated with prolonged hospitalization time included age(OR=0.97,0.87-1.01 95% confidence interval),smoking history(OR=0.89,0.76-0.97 95% confidence interval) and blood lactate content(OR=1.01,0.90-1.22 95% confidence interval).The factors affecting mortality included pH value(OR=1.22,1.18-1.35 95% confidence interval),PaO 2 value(OR=1.08,0.98-1.20 95% confidence interval) and PaCO 2 value(OR=0.97,0.82-1.13 95% confidence interval).Conclusion The mortality of patients with respiratory failure and hospitalization time are not significantly related to the time in emergency resuscitation room.
Advances and focuses on core germplasm breeding in good quality rice

The advances in recent years on core germplasm breeding in good quality rice were summarized,the focuses on the research were pointed out in the future.
Bacteremia due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies

Summary Objectives To determine the prevalence, risk factors, treatments, and outcomes of bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in adult neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies. Methods We reviewed all BSIs between 2008 and 2012 in this population at two New York City oncology centers. A case-control study was conducted to identify CRE BSI risk factors, using three controls of non-CRE BSIs per case. Results CRE caused 43 (2.2%) of 1992 BSIs overall and 4.7% of Gram-negative bacteremias. Independent risk factors for CRE BSI were prior β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.2; P = 0.03) or carbapenem (aOR 3.0; P = 0.05) use, current trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (aOR 24; P = 0.001) or glucocorticoid (aOR 5.4, P = 0.004) use, and having a prior CRE culture (aOR 12; P = 0.03). Patients with CRE bacteremia had a median of 52 h from culture collection until receipt of active therapy. They had a 51% BSI-related mortality rate, with a median of 4 days from bacteremia onset until death. CRE-active empirical therapy was associated with a lower 30-day mortality rate (17% vs. 59%; P = 0.08). Conclusions CRE are lethal emerging causes of bacteremia in neutropenic patients. New strategies are needed to shorten the delay in administration of CRE-active agents and improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.
3D-SDAR modeling of hERG potassium channel affinity: A case study in model design and toxicophore identification.

Abstract A dataset of 237 human Ether-a-go-go Related Gene (hERG) potassium channel inhibitors (180 of which were used for model building and validation, whereas 57 constituted the “true” external prediction set) collected from 22 literature sources was modeled by 3D-SDAR. To produce reliable and reproducible classification models for hERG blocking, the initial set of 180 chemicals was split into two subsets: a balanced modeling set consisting of 118 compounds and an unbalanced validation set comprised of 62 compounds. A PLS bagging-like algorithm written in Matlab was used to process the data and assign each compound to one of the two (hERG+ or hERG-) activity classes. The best predictive model evaluated on the basis of a fully randomized hold-out test set (comprising 20% of the modeling set) used 4 latent variables and a grid of 6 ppm × 6 ppm × 1 A in the C-C region, 6 ppm × 30 ppm × 1 A in the C-N region, and 30 ppm × 30 ppm × 1 A in the N-N region. An overall accuracy of 0.84 was obtained for both the hold-out test set and the validation set. Further, an external prediction set consisting of 57 drugs and drug derivatives was used to estimate the true predictive power of the reported 3D-SDAR model – a slight reduction of the overall accuracy down to 0.77 was observed. 3D-SDAR map of the most frequently occurring bins and their projection on the standard coordinate space of the chemical structures allowed identification of a three-center toxicophore composed of two aromatic rings and an amino group. A U test along the distance axis of the most frequently occurring 3D-SDAR bins was used to set the distance limits of the toxicophore. This toxicophore was found to be similar to an earlier reported phospholipidosis (PLD) toxicophore.
Broadband enhancement of thermal emission

We present wide-band enhancement of thermal emission from a semitransparent weak thermal emitter optically coupled to an external cavity. We demonstrate ∼2.7× enhancement of far-field total thermal emission from a suspended silicon carbide membrane.
Diagnostic approaches and treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis. A review article

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is a condition that involves eosinophilic influx into the esophageal epithelium. It affects both children and adults; Adults present with dysphagia whereas children with vague abdominal complaints. The clinical symptoms as well as pathologic features of EoE and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) are similar. Since eosinophilia in the esophagus is a non-specific finding, the clinical presentation in conjunction with endoscopic findings and pathology, is crucial in determining a differential diagnosis. Infections such as parasites, allergic phenomenon, Crohn's disease, malignancies, medication, and chemotherapy are all associated with eosinophilia. A primary endoscopic difference to note between EoE and GERD is that EoE often involves long segments of the esophagus, could be patchy or focal and frequently involves the proximal esophagus. GERD, however, typically involves the distal much more frequently than the proximal esophagus. Because of the similarity between them, GERD should be excluded by using high dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment or through evidence of a normal pH by esophageal testing, prior to treatment with an elimination diet or steroids. Until further research establishes different diagnostic tests and criteria, clinical and pathological response to therapy is considered to be the absolute confirmation of this diagnosis. The following is a more detailed discussion of this entity.
Robust Graph Construction

Graphs have been widely applied in modeling the relationships and structures in real-world applications. Graph construction is the most critical part in these models, while how to construct an effective graph is still an open problem. In this chapter, we propose a novel approach to graph construction based on two observations. First, by virtue of recent advances in low-rank subspace recovery, the similarity between every two samples evaluated in the low-rank code space is more robust than that in the sample space. Second, a sparse and balanced graph can greatly increase the performance of learning tasks, such as label propagation in graph based semi-supervised learning. The k-NN sparsification can provide fast solutions to constructing unbalanced sparse graphs, and b-matching constraint is a necessary route for generating balanced graphs. These observations motivate us to jointly learn the low-rank codes and balanced (or unbalanced) graph simultaneously. In particular, two non-convex models are built by incorporating k-NN constraint and b-matching constraint into the low-rank representation model, respectively. We design a majorization-minimization augmented Lagrange multiplier (MM-ALM) algorithm to solve the proposed models. Extensive experimental results on four image databases demonstrate the superiority of our graphs over several state-of-the-art graphs in data clustering, transductive and inductive semi-supervised learning.
Serum perfluoroalkyl substances and cardiometabolic consequences in adolescents exposed to the World Trade Center disaster and a matched comparison group

Abstract Background Large amounts of various chemical contaminants, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), were released at the time of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. Thousands of children who lived and/or attended school near the disaster site were exposed to these substances but few studies have examined the possible consequences related to these exposures. Objectives To examine the relationship of PFASs serum levels with cardiometabolic profile in children and adolescents enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) and a matched comparison group. Methods We evaluated WTCHR enrollees who resided in New York City and were born between September 11, 1993 and September 10, 2001, and a matched comparison group consisting of individuals who were ineligible for WTCHR participation upon distance of their home, school or work from the WTC and lack of participation in rescue and recovery activities. Matching was based on date of birth, sex, race, ethnicity, and income. We assessed exposure to PFASs, as measured by serum levels and association with cardiometabolic profile as measured by arterial wall stiffness, body mass index, insulin resistance, fasting total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. Results A total of 402 participants completed the study and serum samples were analyzed from 308 participants, 123 in the WTCHR group and 185 in the comparison group. In multivariable regression analysis, after adjusting for relevant confounders, we observed a significant, positive association of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with triglycerides (beta coefficient = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.27, 15.1% change), total cholesterol (beta coefficient = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.14, 9.2% change), and LDL cholesterol (beta coefficient = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.19, 11.5% change). Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid levels were associated with decreased insulin resistance (beta coefficient = − 0.09, 95% CI: − 0.18, − 0.003, − 8.6% change); PFOA and perfluorononanoic acid were associated with increased brachial artery distensibility. Conclusions This research adds to our knowledge of the physical health impacts in a large group of children exposed to the WTC disaster. Abnormal lipid levels in young adults might be an early marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases and our findings highlight the importance of conducting longitudinal studies in this population.
Perfect Matchings of Trimmed Aztec Rectangles

We consider several new families of subgraphs of the square grid whose matchings are enumerated by powers of several small prime numbers: $2$, $3$, $5$, and $11$. Our graphs are obtained by trimming two opposite corners of an Aztec rectangle. The result yields a proof of a conjecture posed by Ciucu. In addition, we reveal a hidden connection between our graphs and the hexagonal dungeons introduced by Blum.
Intensive Diuretic Therapy: High Doses, Combinations, and Constant Infusions

Publisher Summary An edematous patient may be deemed resistant to diuretic drugs when moderate doses of a loop diuretic do not achieve the desired extracellular fluid (ECF) volume reduction. Before considering intensive diuretic therapy or combination therapy, it is necessary to exclude reversible causes of diuretic resistance. An inadequate reduction in ECF volume does not necessarily indicate an inadequate natriuretic response. When needed, however, intensive diuretic treatment is usually effective in reducing the ECF volume to acceptable levels; each of the different approaches to intensive therapy is best employed under specific circumstances. Understanding the mechanisms of diuretic action and adaptation, the causes of diuretic resistance, the goals of diuretic treatment, and the mechanisms of intensive diuretic approaches helps one to select an optimal approach to the diuretic resistant patient. The interesting results of this chapter highlight the important role that counter regulatory hormones play in attenuating the effectiveness of diuretics and suggest that ultrafiltration may have a role in a rare patient with ECF volume overload, which cannot be controlled using any of the approaches described in the chapter.
Replicating Criterion Validity in Science Content for the Combination of Critical Content Monitoring and Sentence Verification Technique

The purpose of the research was to replicate commonality analysis for two measures: critical content monitoring and sentence verification technique. Participants were 967 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students across seven public primary schools in a southeastern U.S. district. The predictor variables were administered as benchmarks 3 times in an academic year. Predictor scores were compared with science content test and reading comprehension scores from the Stanford Achievement Test–Tenth Edition abbreviated online form and a statewide accountability test. Commonality analysis results indicated that scores from both critical content monitoring and sentence verification technique added unique variance to explanatory models, replicating previous findings. In most cases, critical content monitoring scores provided the greatest percentage of unique and common variance to model explanations.
Solutions to Odd-Numbered Exercises

With x a length: (a) the Taylor series \( 1 + x + {x^2} + {x^3} + \ldots \) is the sum of a dimensionless quantity, a length, an area, a volume, etc.; (b) the formula 1 + x/n sums a dimenslonless quantity and a length; (c) the derivative \( \frac{d}{{dx}}\,f(x) \) has dimensions of [f/length] and so can not equal [f]; (d) the condition that [f]=[f2] requires that f be dimensionless, but according to a result in §1.2.6, there can be no intrinsic function from lengths to dimensionless quantities.
Institutionalizing Transformative Learning: The Trees, then the Forest, then the Realization

The Challenge Finding a sense of authentic self as an institution, a true sense of mission, and the means to live that mission were the central focus of a strategic planning process addressed by the University of Central Oklahoma about fifteen years ago. As the institution grew within a metropolitan-serving mission, the goal to transform students from adolescents to adults and find new potential in their lives led to an exciting journey that is still vibrant and relevant today. Potential Consequences The theoretical base provided within transformative learning has helped students, staff, and faculty align efforts. Description This case study provides replicable processes and specifics that may help others find a clearer path for fulfilling their mission. The study describes how the University of Central Oklahoma’s (UCO’s) transformative learning focus coalesced and became the point of distinction for a UCO education, helping to ensure that all activity supported our mission—helping students learn. Reflection The compelling, lived sense of mission developed from the initial strategic planning process has helped to strengthen the learner-centered culture of the campus while providing a structure that facilitates implementation and assessment.
RESPONSE: Training in Critical Care Cardiology: Navigating a Field in Transition.

Drs. Geller, Fleitman, and Sinha provide a thoughtful, well-informed construct for advanced training in the emerging subspecialty of critical care cardiology. The model curriculum they describe emphasizes clinical training outside of the medical cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), with substantial
Former-preterm lambs have persistent alveolar simplification at 2 and 5 months corrected postnatal age

Preterm birth and mechanical ventilation (MV) frequently lead to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the histopathological hallmark of which is alveolar simplification. How developmental immaturity and ong...
Planar Carbon Nanotube Antennas and Data-Centric Secure Communication

Recent advances in nanotechnology support remote networked sensors with wireless communication capabilities. Carbon nanotube antennas are fabricated and tested to detect radiation with a displacement damage dose sensitivity of $1.1\times 10^{-14}$ dB/MeV/g. The antenna directive gain, efficiency, impedance, beam width, radiation power, radiation pattern affect signal strength, transmission range, error rates and throughput. Data masking and authorized access control are enabled by secure communication which reduces the overall vulnerability. We protect and secure information by encrypting the data using symmetric encryption schemes. Data-centric security and resiliency are considered in wireless communication applications which may use the proposed carbon nanotube antennas. Using the Advanced Encryption Standard, the symmetric encryption algorithms are implemented, tested and evaluated.
Numerical semigroups and Kunz polytopes

A numerical semigroup S is an additive submonoid of $$\mathbb {N}$$ whose complement is finite. The cardinality of $$\mathbb {N}_0 \backslash S$$ is called the genus of S and is denoted by g(S). The first nonzero element of S is called the multiplicity of S and is denoted by m(S). In this paper, we focus on the number N(m, g) of numerical semigroups with parameters m and g. It is known that N(m, g) can be formulated as the number of integer points in a certain family of rational polytopes and hence coincides with a quasi-polynomial in g of degree $$m-2$$ . We show that the leading coefficient is constant and provide an interpretation for it. Moreover, we relate N(m, g) to the number MED(m, g) of maximally embedded numerical semigroups with the same parameters, hence proving a conjecture posed by Kaplan (J Pure Appl Algebra 216(5):1016–1032, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpaa.2011.10.038 ). We close the paper by discussing the special case $$m=4$$ .
Globally Conservative, Hybrid Self-Adjoint Angular Flux and Least-Squares Method Compatible with Voids

In this paper, we derive a method for the second-order form of the transport equation that is both globally conservative and compatible with voids using the continuous finite element method. The ma...
Fast Steady-State Analysis in Time-Stepping Finite-Element Simulation of Induction Motors Based on Virtual Blocked Rotor Techniques

Induction motor time-stepping finite-element analysis requires a lengthy transient response time to build up the complete steady-state magnetic field distribution in both stator and rotor. Various methods to speed up the convergence of the time-stepping finite-element (TS-FE modeling are investigated in this article. A so-called “virtual blocked rotor” technique is developed by using an eddy-current solver in the frequency domain to approximate the initial conditions, including the frozen permeabilities, potentials/energies, the stator winding and rotor bar currents, etc. Then, these well-prepared initial conditions are imported into the transient TS-FE time-domain solver (model). Significant reduction of the length of the transient response to reach convergence is accomplished. In addition, the promise of this method lies in its use in future large-scale design optimization studies. In order to further reduce the computational burden, a “virtual blocked rotor” concept/method in the TS-FE time-domain solution is also developed, which effectively reduces the required number of ac cycles and central processing unit real time to reach steady state.
Pediatric Oncology Patients With Vincristine-Induced Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy: Two Case Reports and a Brief Review of Literature.

Introduction:Vincristine (VCR) is a chemotherapeutic agent used widely in the treatment of hematologic and solid tumors, known to result in neurotoxicity, especially with cumulative administrations...
Towards In-Situ Environmental Monitoring: On-Chip Sample Preparation and Detection of Lead in Sediment Samples Using Graphene Oxide Sensor

This manuscript reports, a novel, integrated on-chip sample-to-answer platform capable of detecting lead ions (Pb+2) directly in sediment samples. As sediment is one of the main sources of hazardous heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems, rapid and real-time detection of heavy metals in sediment is crucial in the field of environmental monitoring. Electrochemical sensors can provide rapid detection capability, but in-situ measurement of heavy metals with such sensors has been limited by complicated pretreatment steps. To overcome this drawback, an integrated system was developed consisting of a porous matrix for purification and extraction of Pb+2 onto a graphene oxide thin film that serves as an active sensing material. The integrated sensor with a 3D porous matrix was used as an in-situ platform to detect lead directly in complex sediment samples. The proposed electrochemical sensor has a detection limit of 4 ppb and a linear working range. The ability to directly detect lead in sediment samples with minimal pretreatment agents and time makes this system a promising solution for on-site monitoring of heavy metals in environmental samples. Although the current study focused on lead for platform validation, the proposed sensing platform can be further developed for the detection of a wide panel of toxic metals.
Trust Infrastructures for Virtual Asset Service Providers.

Virtual asset service providers (VASPs) currently face a number of challenges, both from the technological and the regulatory perspectives. In the context of virtual asset transfers one key issue is the need for VASPs to securely exchange customer information to comply to the Travel Rule. We discuss a VASP information sharing network as one form of a trust infrastructure for VASP-to-VASP interactions. Related to this is the need for a trusted identity infrastructure for VASPs that would permit other entities to quickly ascertain the legal business status of a VASP. For regulated wallets, an attestation infrastructure may provide VASPs and insurance providers with better visibility into the state of wallets based on trusted hardware. Finally, for customers of VASPs there is a need for seamless integration between the VASP services with the existing consumer identity management infrastructure, providing a user-friendly experience for transferring virtual assets to other users.
Effect of ventilator modes on neonatal cerebral and peripheral oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy.

Aim The effect of ventilator modes on regional tissue oxygenation in premature neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has yet to be delineated. Previous studies have looked at global oxygen delivery and have not assessed the effects on regional tissue oxygenation. Our aim in this study was to assess such tissue oxygenation in premature babies with RDS in relation to differing modes of ventilation using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Methods In 24 stable preterm infants with RDS, undergoing elective wean in ventilator mode, cerebral and muscle tissue oxygenation were assessed using NIRS. Infants were weaned from high-frequency oscillator or jet ventilator to conventional invasive ventilation (CV) or extubated from CV to non-invasive mechanical ventilation. Data at 30 minutes prior and at one hour after change in ventilator mode were compared (paired t test). Results In babies changed from high-frequency oscillation to CV, jet to CV and CV to non-invasive ventilation, the differences in cerebral NIRS (mean ± SD) were 1.7 ± 9.9%, 2.3 ± 5.7% and 2.1 ± 8.4%, respectively. The concomitant changes in muscle NIRS were -2.9 ± 8.5%, 8.1 ± 9.7% and 3.6 ± 22.4%, respectively. No changes were statistically significant. Conclusion Our data suggest that there is no alteration in regional tissue oxygenation related to ventilator mode in stable preterm infants with improving RDS.
Quantitative Assessments of Uterine Fibroids pre and post Uterine Artery Embolization

The objective of this study was to quantify fibroid microvascularity before and after uterine artery embolization (UAE) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and superb microvascular imaging (SMI). To date 14 women scheduledfor UAE to treat their uterine fibroids have been enrolled in this ongoing IRB-approved study. Subjects underwent threeexaminations (day 0, 15 and 90 after UAE) using an Aplio i800 scanner (Canon Medical Systems) with a curvilinear array. Color Doppler (CDI), power Doppler (PDI), color and monochrome SMI (cSMI and mSMI) images of the uterine fibroids were acquired followed by CEUS. For the CEUS examination 2.0 mL of Lumason (Bracco, Milan, Italy) was administered IV. Images were analyzed using ImageJ (NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA) to quantify the fractional vascularity of the fibroids (FV; as % of enhanced pixels within the fibroid) and flow intensity (as mean brightness level of the enhanced pixels within the fibroid). The CEUS results were used as the reference standard, and compared to all modes. Results were analyzed using repeated measures (over days and flow modes) ANOVA tests. Results from 20 fibroids in 14 women are available with CEUS showing complete embolization for all but one patient. Quantitative analysis of the FV across imaging modes (CDI, PDI, cSMI and mSMI) and examination days showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) in agreement with the CEUS findings. Amongst the flow modes, mSMI showed the most difference (p=0.006), which could be due to the artifacts inherent in this imaging mode. Analyzing flow intensity resulted in no statistically significant differences between flow modes (p= 0.96). In conclusion, results indicate that CEUS and SMI pre and post UAE can accurately evaluate fibroid microvascularity and, thus, procedure outcomes benefiting patient care; albeit based on a small sample size.
Draft Genome Sequences of Four Bacterial Species as Part of an Experiential Microbiology Project at SUNY Geneseo

We report four draft genome sequences related to the genera Bacillus and Escherichia, recovered from surfaces associated with human interaction, and Sediminibacterium, recovered from an aquatic environment. This study was part of an undergraduate microbial bioinformatics course at the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Septic arthritis caused by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans: A case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Septic arthritis can occur by hematogenous seeding, direct joint inoculation, or extension of a bone infection into the joint. We report a case of septic arthritis of the hip caused by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, an anaerobic sulfur-reducing bacteria. The patient underwent debridement followed by targeted antibiotic therapy with infection resolution.
Correlation of Maximum Dry Density and Grain Size

A predictive relationship between the maximum dry density and the grain size distribution curve for noncohesive soils has been formulated. A parametric expression has been derived and the parameters have been evaluated by fitting experimental values for 43 soil samples. The results of this evaluation have indicated that the maximum dry density of a noncohesive soil can be estimated with a reasonable degree of accuracy if the grain size distribution of the soil is known.
Code optimization with serially concatenated trellis coded modulation on a fading channel

Using irregular, bit geometrically uniform, and recursive rate 1 inner encoders with 8-PSK Gray mapping, the iterative decoding convergence threshold signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is minimized for an independently fading Rayleigh channel with perfect channel state information. Further low SNR optimization is obtained by searching for code combinations with maximum slope of the active burst distance, using outer codes with maximum free distance. The convergence threshold and bit error rate estimates are shown for the best found code combinations.
Parental Control Rights

Parents typically direct many aspects of their young children’s lives and often believe that they deserve protection from interference by governments and third parties as they exercise this prerogative. Justifications for such parental control rights sometimes rely on the interests of children or of society. But they can also rely directly on the interests of parents. This paper considers whether parental control rights can be justified based on parental interests. It first considers two parental interests sometimes put forward as warranting parental control rights: an interest in intimacy and an interest in acting as a fiduciary. The first fails as a justification for parental rights because intimacy is unlikely to be undermined by most intrusions on parental control. The second fails because it misunderstands the nature of fiduciary roles. The paper then considers an alternative parental interest – the interest in nurturing, counseling, and educating. It argues that this interest requires both authenticity and discretion in order to play a meaningful role in a parent’s life and that facilitating meaningful nurturing, counseling, and educating warrants protecting parental control rights, subject of course to limitations based on sometimes conflicting rights of children and of society.
TILT: transform invariant low-rank textures

In this paper, we show how to efficiently and effectively extract a rich class of low-rank textures in a 3D scene from 2D images despite significant distortion and warping. The low-rank textures capture geometrically meaningful structures in an image, which encompass conventional local features such as edges and corners as well as all kinds of regular, symmetric patterns ubiquitous in urban environments and manmade objects. Our approach to finding these low-rank textures leverages the recent breakthroughs in convex optimization that enable robust recovery of a high-dimensional low-rank matrix despite gross sparse errors. In the case of planar regions with significant projective deformation, our method can accurately recover both the intrinsic low-rank texture and the precise domain transformation. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that this new technique works effectively for many nearregular patterns or objects that are approximately low-rank, such as human faces and text.
Reversal of enhanced muscle glucose transport after exercise: roles of insulin and glucose.

Exercise stimulates insulin-independent glucose transport in skeletal muscle and also increases the sensitivity of the glucose transport process in muscle to insulin. A previous study [D. A. Young,...
Sterilization failures with bipolar tubal cautery

From a consecutive series of 105 patients undergoing bipolar tubal sterilization (BPS), ten pregnancies were reported, and a tubal patency rate of 16% was found at hysterosalpingography. There were no significant clinical variables separating the BPS failure patients from those with successful sterilization. Ninety percent of the BPS failures were intrauterine, and 90% occurred within three cycles of BPS. The results of this investigation suggest that (1) BPS tubal occlusion may be associated with an increased failure (pregnancy and tubal patency) rate; (2) the majority of BPS failures are intrauterine gestations; (3) delayed fibrosis, rather than immediate tubal destruction, may be the mechanism of BPS tubal occlusion; (4) for maximum effectiveness, patients undergoing BPS should use alternative contraception for two to three cycles; and (5) surgeons employing BPS require precise training in the application of this modality of female sterilization.
Tunable optofluidic distributed feedback dye lasers

We demonstrated a continuously tunable optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser on a monolithic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomer chip. The optical feedback was provided by a phase-shifted higher order Bragg grating embedded in the liquid core of a single mode buried channel waveguide. We achieved nearly 60nm continuously tunable output by mechanically varying the grating period with two dye molecules Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) and Rhodamine 101 (Rh101). Single-mode operation was obtained with <0.1nm linewidth. Because of the higher order grating, a single laser, when operated with different dye solutions, can provide tunable output covering from near UV to near IR spectral region. The low pump threshold (< 1uJ) makes it possible to use a single high energy pulsed laser to pump hundreds of such lasers on a chip. An integrated array of five DFB dye lasers with different lasing wavelengths was also demonstrated. Such laser arrays make it possible to build highly parallel optical sensors on a chip. The laser chip is fully compatible with PDMS based soft microfluidics.
Timing the early events during sea urchin fertilization.

Abstract To determine precisely the timing, duration, and sequences of the earliest events during sea urchin ( Lytechinus variegatus ) fertilization, the bioelectric recordings of microelectrode-impaled eggs were electronically superimposed, by video mixing, over the microscopic differential interference contrast image of the same egg at insemination. Videotape analysis, utilizing a slow-motion analyzer, demonstrates that the successful sperm triggers the bioelectric membrane potential reversal within 3.36 ± 3.02 sec (0.72–9.76 sec range; Σ = 23 eggs) of sperm-egg attachment. This sperm, actively gyrating about its attachment site, is indistinguishable from the other, unsuccessful sperm until 12.66 ± 2.72 sec (6.72–16.60 sec range; Σ = 15) later when the sperm tail ceases its beating and sperm incorporation ensues. The cortical granules begin to discharge, and the fertilization coat starts to elevate at the fusion site at 20.79 ± 3.18 sec (13.62–26.08 sec range; Σ = 12) after the onset of the fertilization potential, i.e., an average of about 8 sec after the cessation of sperm-tail motility during incorporation. In most cases, the bioelectric responses starts within 7 sec of sperm adhesions; if the data are analyzed excluding the few slow cases, the fertilization potential is found to start 1.93 sec (±1.28 sec) after sperm attachment. These results indicate that the first successful sperm triggers the fast block to polyspermy within 3.4 sec, perhaps as quickly as 1.9 sec, of sperm-egg adhesion, about 13 sec before the first morphological indication of fertilization, and about 21 sec before the characteristic elevation of the fertilization coat responsible for the late block to polyspermy.