cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear modeling and simulation of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with substantial damage

This paper presents the preliminary work done for a flight validation process for several existing and under-development metrics-driven adaptive flight control methods. This is key element in the larger NASA Intelligent Resilient Aircraft (IRAC) program, which seeks to increase overall aircraft safety through improvements in stability, maneuverability, and probability of safe landing under adverse conditions including aircraft damage. This paper focuses on development of the simulation environment, which is necessary to test and develop the control architectures before flight testing. It proposes a fully nonlinear six degree of freedom dynamic model of the vehicle that captures qualitatively severe damage. Example damage cases are partial loss of wing surface, loss of control effectivenes, engine failures etc. This affects the dynamic model on three apsects: shift of center of gravity, change of aerodynamic coefficients and reduced controllability of the vehicle. We propose a model which structure combines the different aerodynamic contributions of the surfaces to capture modifications of the dynamics due to damage.
Pretest Estimation in the Random Parameters Logit Model

In this paper we use Monte Carlo sampling experiments to examine the properties of pretest estimators in the random parameters logit (RPL) model. The pretests are for the presence of random parameters. We study the Lagrange multiplier (LM), likelihood ratio (LR), and Wald tests, using conditional logit as the restricted model. The LM test is the fastest test to implement among these three test procedures since it only uses restricted, conditional logit, estimates. However, the LM-based pretest estimator has poor risk properties. The ratio of LM-based pretest estimator root mean squared error (RMSE) to the random parameters logit model estimator RMSE diverges from one with increases in the standard deviation of the parameter distribution. The LR and Wald tests exhibit properties of consistent tests, with the power approaching one as the specification error increases, so that the pretest estimator is consistent. We explore the power of these three tests for the random parameters by calculating the empirical percentile values, size, and rejection rates of the test statistics. We find the power of LR and Wald tests decreases with increases in the mean of the coefficient distribution. The LM test has the weakest power for presence of the random coefficient in the RPL model.
Thermodynamic Modeling of Pure Components Including the Effects of Capillarity

Capillarity is seen in many physical processes where fluids are confined in a porous medium. Fluid properties and flow are both theoretically and experimentally shown to change because of capillary effects. Owing to difficulty and expense in experimentally determining these properties in porous media with small pores, a mechanistic approach is taken to incorporate capillary effects in thermodynamic modeling. The Young–Laplace equation provides an ideal method, making the system a function of pore size and wettability, thus taking into account the porous material properties and fluid-to-material interactions. The method proposed here shows good agreement with both experimental data and molecular simulation. The advantage is its ease of application in thermodynamic modeling and relatively small computation requirement compared to molecular simulation. Because of capillarity, the phase envelope of pure substances is suppressed, indicating a change in phase density and liquid fraction. This method is a powerf...
The Withdrawal and the End of the Cold War

The pullout of the WGF marked the end of Soviet hegemony in Eastern Europe. Long before the withdrawal, which was the last of the Soviet withdrawals from Eastern Europe, was completed, the Soviets’ European economic and military organizations and the USSR itself were dissolved. While the opening of the Berlin Wall was perhaps the most symbolic event of the long process of the Soviet retreat, the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Eastern Europe both epitomized and exemplified this loss of hegemony.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giant Viruses: Five Lessons Learned about Large Viruses Infecting Small Eukaryotes and the Opportunities They Create

Viruses are generally considered to be amongst the smallest bioactive particles; dating back to the original observations, including those of luminaries such as Ivanosky and Beijerinck, size has always been at issue within the definition, a tradition that continued for many years [1]. It was thus a surprise to the scientific community in the early 2000s when French scientists demonstrated that a particle, previously thought to be a bacterium, was indeed a virus [2]. The discovery of the Mimivirus and the other “giants” that have followed, including Mamavirus, Pandoravirus, Faustovirus, and Mollivirus, has blurred the definition of what constitutes a virus and, indeed, the boundaries between viral particles and cellular life [3].
Finite element modeling of fatigue crack bifurcation

The influence of overload-induced crack deflections and bifurcations on the propagation behavior of mode I fatigue cracks is studied using specialized finite element (FE) software. The FE program is validated through comparisons between FE-calculated and analytical stress intensity factors (SIF) for a crack with a small kink at its tip. The SIF of bifurcated cracks are then obtained using the software. It is observed that such deviations of the crack path can cause significant growth retardation and even crack arrest.
Remote Odor Memory in Alzheimer's Disease: Deficits as Measured by Familiarity

Deficit in olfaction and remote nonolfactory memory in Alzheimer's disease (AD) motivated the present study of remote memory for odors and faces, operationally defined as rated familiarity, in patients with AD and controls. Uncommon engineering symbols were rated for familiarity to ensure task comprehension. Results showed that patients with AD rate odors, but not faces, as significantly less familiar than do controls, which is indicative of deficit in remote odor memory. Follow-up testing 1 year later again showed this result. Poor odor-detection sensitivity in patients, with AD, but lack of significant correspondence between sensitivity and familiarity, suggests an existing but limited effect of sensitivity on familiarity. The findings provide further evidence that olfaction may be a useful modality for early identification of AD.
Sums of Golden Ana Sets

It is well-known that despite being a small set in the unit interval, the sum of a Cantor set and itself is the interval $[0,2]$. In this paper we look for an analogous result on a different small set, the Golden Ana set.
Refinery: an open source topic modeling web platform

We introduce Refinery, an open source platform for exploring large text document collections with topic models. Refinery is a standalone web application driven by a graphical interface, so it is usable by those without machine learning or programming expertise. Users can interactively organize articles by topic and also refine this organization with phrase-level analysis. Under the hood, we train Bayesian nonparametric topic models that can adapt model complexity to the provided data with scalable learning algorithms. The project website http://daeilkim.github.io/refinery/ contains Python code and further documentation.
Evaluation of the Effects of Marking Pacific Lamprey Ammocoetes with Visual Implant Elastomer, Coded Wire Tags, and Passive Integrated Transponders

AbstractPopulations of Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus have declined in multiple portions of the Columbia River basin and some Pacific coastal rivers due to a variety of factors. Given the ecological and cultural significance of the species, federal, state, and tribal resource managers have increased conservation efforts, though a lack of basic information about the biology of wild lampreys hinders some of these actions. Multiple tagging technologies have been used to mark migrating metamorphosed juvenile lampreys for research, but these methods have not been experimentally tested for use on the smaller ammocoete stage. Lamprey ammocoetes (total length range = 29–83 mm) were assigned to groups marked with three common tags (visible implant elastomer [VIE], coded wire tags [CWT], and passive integrated transponders [PIT]) or to untagged controls, and mortality and tag retention were monitored. Growth and burrowing ability were also measured to determine the potential for sublethal effects of taggin...
Physical Activity and Quit Motivation Moderators of Adolescent Smoking Reduction.

OBJECTIVES We examined participant characteristics as moderators of adolescents' smoking cessation outcomes as a function of intervention: Not-on-Tobacco (N-O-T), N-O-T with a physical activity (PA) module (N-O-T+FIT), or Brief Intervention (BI). METHODS We randomly assigned youth (N = 232) recruited from public high schools to an intervention, and measured their baseline levels of PA and motivation to quit. The number of cigarettes/day for weekdays and weekends was obtained at baseline and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS Across timepoints, cigarette use declined for youth in N-O-T (p = .007) and N-O-T+FIT (ps < .02), but not BI (n.s.). For N-O-T+FIT youth, the steepest declines in weekday smoking occurred for those with high PA levels (p = .02). Weekend cigarette use decreased for N-O-T+FIT youth with moderate-high levels of intrinsic motivation to quit (ps < .04). CONCLUSIONS Adolescents may benefit from interventions designed to address the barriers faced during a quit attempt, including their motivation to make a change and their engagement in other healthy behaviors such as physical activity.
Consensus recommendations for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract This report summarizes the consensus recommendations of a panel of neuropathologists from the United States and Europe to improve the postmortem diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease. The recommendations followed from a two-day workshop sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Institute of the Alzheimer’s Association to reassess the original NIA criteria for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease published in 1985 [2] . The consensus recommendations for improving the neuropathological criteria for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease are reported here, and the “position papers” by members of the Working Group that accompany this report elaborate on the research findings and concepts upon which these recommendations were based. Further, commentaries by other experts in the field also are included here to provide additional perspectives on these recommendations. Finally, it is anticipated that future meetings of the Working Group will reassess these recommendations and the implementation of postmortem diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease.
Altered genes, twisted truth. How the venture to genetically engineer our food has subverted science, corrupted government, and systematically deceived the public

Altered genes, twisted truth is an unflinching attempt to expose the state of affairs of the business of science, in which Steven M. Druker deconstructs the metanarrative of scientific objectivity ...
VCO based Nyquist-rate ADC with F VCO of F s /2

Relentless pursuit of Moore's law, while providing immense speed, power, and cost benefits in digital circuits, has thrown open many challenges in analog circuit design, especially analog-to-digital converter (ADC) design. Present day ADC's must be able to achieve an extremely high level of performance in terms of both resolution and bandwidth. High-resolution and high-bandwidth input modulated parallel ΔΣ-ADCs have been proposed earlier [1]. However, the large size of a conventional ΔΣ-ADC severely constrains the amount of parallelism. Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) based 1st-order noise-shaped ADCs being mostly digital in nature can exploit the scaling trend and can therefore be realized in a small area. Thus, using VCO based 1st-order noise-shaping, a large amount of parallelism can be achieved to enable the design of high-resolution, high-bandwidth ADCs. This work provides an intuitive explanation of input modulated parallel ADCs and proposes a 32-channel VCO based ADC operating at a sampling rate, Fs, of 200 MHz and achieving an SNR of 65-dB, with the VCOs in each channel oscillating at a meagre frequency, F vco = F s /2 = 100 MHz.
Proximal Pole Scaphoid Nonunion Reconstruction With 1,2 Intercompartmental Supraretinacular Artery Vascularized Graft and Compression Screw Fixation.

Purpose To review the incidence of union of patients with proximal pole scaphoid fracture nonunions treated using a 1,2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery (1,2 ICSRA) vascularized graft and a small compression screw. Methods This is a retrospective case series of 12 patients. Calculations of the size of the proximal pole fragment relative to the total scaphoid were performed using posteroanterior view scaphoid radiographs with the wrist in ulnar deviation and flat on the cassette. Analyses were repeated 3 times per subject, and the average ratio of proximal pole fragment relative to the entire scaphoid was calculated. We reviewed medical records, radiographs, and computed tomography (CT) scans of these 12 patients. The CT scans that were performed after an average of 12 weeks were ultimately used to confirm union of the scaphoid fractures. One patient was unable to have a CT so was excluded from the final calculation. Results All 11 (100%) scaphoid fractures that were assessed by CT were found to be healed at the 12-week assessment point. The mean proximal pole fragment size was 18% (range, 7%–27%) of the entire scaphoid. Conclusions The 1,2 ICSRA vascularized graft and compression screw was an effective treatment for patients with proximal pole scaphoid fractures. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Transradial PCI and Same Day Discharge.

The evolution of cardiac catheterization has led to the development of well-refined, more effective, and safer devices that allow cardiovascular interventionalists to deliver high-quality percutaneous interventions (PCI). Transradial PCI (TRI) has gained more popularity in the USA over the past 10 years, and as experience and volume of TRI grow, studies adopting same day radial PCI protocols have emerged and are showing promising results. We sought to review the current literature on TRI and same day discharge (SDD). This literature review was performed to evaluate the studies that were published over the last 17 years regarding TRI and SDD. A literature search using PubMed, Cochran database, Google Scholar, and Embase was performed for studies evaluating TRI and SDD from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2017. Observational studies, randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, and consensus statements were included in our review. We used the following terms in our search: “same day,” “same day discharge,” “outpatient,” and “ambulatory radial PCI.” Articles with data pertinent to the subject matter were included. We did not limit our searches to specific journals. The available literature supports SDD for selected radial PCI patients. The advancement in PCI devices and pharmacology has enhanced the safety of post-PCI disposition leading to the evolution from traditional overnight stays to the development of same day discharge programs. We conclude that outpatient TRI for appropriately selected patients will be the standard of care in the future. This will lead to increased patient satisfaction, improved hospital throughput, and reduced hospital costs, without increased procedural complications.
Quantification of resolution in microspherical nanoscopy with biological objects

Microspherical Nanoscopy uses a microsphere as a contact lens which allows for resolving nanometer sized objects using visible light. Nanoplasmonic structures have been used in combination with microspherical nanoscopy to achieve resolutions beyond the classical diffraction limit. The mechanisms of such super-resolution imaging can include the optical near field coupling and the virtual image magnification effects. In this work, we quantify the resolution of microspherical nanoscopy using a basic fluorescence microscope equipped with a standard 40× (NA = 0.6) objective which can be found in most of the labs performing histology or microscopy analyses in a clinical environment. We perform the resolution quantification in three distinct structures: (1) F-Actin proteins on a microscope slide, (2) F-Actin proteins imaged through a high index microsphere on a microscope slide, and (3) F-Actin proteins imaged through a high index microsphere on a nanoplasmonic array. The high index microspheres (n∼2) are embedded in an elastomer slab. Using a microscope we achieve a resolution of (1) ∼λ/0.7, (2) − λ/2.5, and (3) ∼λ/2.8 for each situation.
Věra the Pedagogue: Reflections of an American Film Student at FAMU

ABSTRACTFrom 2006–2012, I studied film in Czech, in the Department of Directing at FAMU, under the stewardship of Vera Chytilova. During those years, I came to greatly admire her. I took her classe...
Surface characterization and high-temperature adhesive bonding of carbon fiber-polyimide matrix composites.

Carbon fiber-polyimide matrix composites were surface pretreated in numerous ways. Changes in the surface chemistry of the pretreated composites were determined through the use of X-ray photoelectron speectroscopy (XPS). The effect of surface pretreatment on the wettability of the composite surfaces was studied using contact angle measurements. Pretreated composite surfaces were bonded with a high temperature adhesive in both the single lap shear and the wedge configurations. Both types of joints were placed in various environments to determine the effect of surface pretreatment on the strength and durability of these adhesively-bonded composites. After the samples debonded, the failed surfaces were examined again using XPS to determine the locus of failure.
The Use of Token-Based Protocols in CSCW Tasks – An Empirical Examination

In Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), many tasks require exclusive access to a shared resource by a single collaborator. Similarly, in distributed systems, mutual exclusion is required to ensure concurrency in a resource shared among several processes. These resource allocation algorithms can be divided into two genres: token-based and permission-based. To date, few empirical studies have evaluated token-based collaborative behavior in CSCW tasks. We examine four token-based protocols on a task which requires participants to properly order a series of screenshots obtained from ten short films. Using teams of 3, 4, and 5 participants who are collectively incentivized to perform the task as quickly as possible, we evaluate the effects of team size and token based protocol on task completion and participant satisfaction across 600 sessions. Our study determined that task satisfaction was negatively correlated with team size and positively correlated with the perception of “fairness”, or lack of potential bias, of each protocol.
Interactions between Neurotransmitters and Astroglial Cells

Beginning with our studies of GABA transport by bulk-isolated glial cells (Henn and Hamberger, 1971) we have been interested in defining the interactions between neurotransmitter candidates, ionic transport and glial cells. We have demonstrated,using both bulk-isolated glial cells and cultured glial cells,that electrically active amino acids are transported by astroglia with transport systems having Km’s in the range of 10-5 M or less. In addition, we suggested that the glial ATPase is uniquely sensitive to K+ stimulation and is involved in controlling extracellular K+ (Henn, Haljamae and Hamberger, 1972). This has been confirmed and extended by others (Hertz, 1973). Recently we have been concerned with the conditions necessary for amino acid uptake or release by astroglial cells. Following the demonstration that glia exhibit K+ stimulated release of GABA, we undertook to examine the parameters which define the direction of amino acid transport by glial cells.
Design and Implementation of Distributed Remote-Reading Water Meter Monitoring System Based on SaaS

The system has features of loose coupling, service oriented and distributed. The communication subsystem is based on C/S architecture. It copes with highly concurrent access by using asynchronous socket communication. The monitoring subsystem is based on B/S architecture and SaaS (software as a service). It uses WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) web services to accomplish receiving, transmission and storing of data. This system implements functions of remote meter reading, water selling and making statistics of data. The design based on SaaS reduces the difficulty and risk for water enterprises’ informatization.
Binary Relations, Lattices, and Infinity

Section 5.1 introduces the two most popular flavors of binary relations on a set, namely equivalence relations and partial orders. Modular arithmetic is seen as a special case of forming equivalence classes, and we see that a variety of objects of interest to computer scientists can be related to a partial order. Particularly important are those partial orders for which we can speak of maxima and minima. We discuss these objects — called lattices — in Section 5.2. There we pay particular attention to the Boolean algebras, an important class of lattices which include the truth values equipped with the operations of disjunction and conjunction, and the set of subsets of a set equipped with union and intersection. Then, in Section 5.3, we show that some infinities are bigger than others ! This may seem irrelevant to computer science, but in fact quite the opposite is true — the technique used in this proof, Cantor’s diagonal argument, is one of the most important techniques in the theory of computability, and can be used to demonstrate that certain problems cannot be solved by any computer program. Finally, we conclude this chapter with a general, abstract look at trees. Tree structures have shown up in a number of important contexts so far in this book, and the treatment they are given in Section 5.4 highlights some of the algebraic features these structures have in common.
Mechanisms of Radioresistance in Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have recently been identified and characterized in many types of solid tumors and may contribute to treatment failure since they have been shown to be relatively resistant to conventional therapies. Recent data suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic determinants confer radioresistance to CSCs through a variety of mechanisms including high DNA repair capabilities, lower cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, induced autophagy, activation of survival signaling pathways, and the influence of the microenvironment in hypoxic regions of tumors. In this chapter, we review long-established mechanisms for tumor radioresistance and describe recent findings indicating that CSCs may also contribute to treatment failure following radiotherapy. In addition, we examine the mechanisms that appear to govern radioresistance in CSCs and discuss potential approaches to overcoming them.
Applications of Complex Dynamics: An Approach to Refractory Health Policy Interventions

One person smokes a cigarette, and one person eats potato chips and has a soda; how do such simple actions turn into multibillion dollar health policy burdens? Tobacco abuse and obesity in and of themselves are not the problems; the sequelae of their impact on the health of the individual and the subsequent cost to society are what create the problems.
Ethics and Social Justice: Human Rights Reflection

Human Rights represent the accrued rights and freedoms of each person. The concept is based on the recognition of human rights for all members of the human values and the inherent dignity they deserve to enjoy certain basic freedoms. The adoption of these freedoms, one can enjoy the security, safety, and be able to make decisions that govern his life.
Seasonal and Long-Term Changes to Pavement Life Caused by Rising Temperatures from Climate Change:

Pavements are vulnerable to reduced life with climate-change-induced temperature rise. Greenhouse gas emissions have caused an increase in global temperatures since the mid-20th century and the war...
Exploring the Intersection Between Disability and Overweightness in Physical Education Among Females With Visual Impairments

ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of this study was to adopt an explicitly intersectional approach to examine the experiences of women identifying as having a visual impairment and as being overweight o...
Internal Energy Deposition in Infrared Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization With and Without the Use of Ice as a Matrix

The internal energy deposited into analytes during the ionization process largely influences the extent of fragmentation, thus the appearance of the resulting mass spectrum. The internal energy distributions of a series of para-substituted benzyl pyridinium cations in liquid and solid-state generated by infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) were measured using the survival yield method, of which results were subsequently compared with conventional electrospray ionization (ESI). The comparable mean internal energy values (e.g., 1.8–1.9 eV at a collision energy of 15 eV) and peak widths obtained with IR-MALDESI and ESI support that IR-MALDESI are essentially a soft ionization technique where analytes do not gain considerable internal energy during the laser-induced desorption process and/or lose energy during uptake into charged electrospray droplets. An unusual fragment ion, protonated pyridine, was only found for solid IR-MALDESI at relatively high collision energies, which is presumably resulted from direct ionization of the pre-charged analytes in form of salts. Analysis of tissue with an ice layer consistently yielded ion populations with higher internal energy than its counterpart without an ice layer, likely due to a substantially enhanced number of IR absorbers with ice. Further measurements with holo-myoglobin show that IR-MALDESI-MS retains the noncovalently bound heme-protein complexes under both native-like and denaturing conditions, while complete loss of the heme group occurred in denaturing ESI-MS, showing that the softness of IR-MALDESI is equivalent or superior to ESI for biomolecules.
We Have Been Patient Too Long: Voices from Radical Mental Health: Edited by Green, L. D., and Ubozoh, K. (2019). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books (paperback). ISBN: 978-1-62317-361-6

This newly released collection of essays offers a selection of first- hand accounts from individuals who have received treatment for major mental health disorders. These accounts tell of experience...
Real-time Motion-planning of Curvature-constrained AUVs under Steady Ocean Currents

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to obtain a real-time solution for the minimum-time motion-planning problem for curvature-constrained AUVs in the presence of ocean currents. The existing solution to this problem is obtained by solving the six Dubins path types (i.e., $LSL,\ RSR,\ LSR,\ RSL,\ LRL$ and $RLR$ ) in the presence of currents, four of which involve a root-finding problem consisting of transcendental functions. Thus, the computational complexity of the exiting solution makes it infeasible for real-time applications, such as rapidly changing oceanic environments. The proposed approach utilizes only the $LSL$ and $RSR$ path types from the Dubins set, which provide analytical solutions as needed for real-time applications. It is shown that by extending the feasible range of circular arcs in these path types from $2\pi$ to $4\pi$ , full reachability is guarantee; i.e., a solution can be obtained for every pair of start and goal poses. Furthermore, it is shown that the proposed solution provides better time-costs with lower travel times as compared to the existing Dubins $LSL$ and $RSR$ paths. The proposed approach is validated by numerical studies through various examples to highlight its benefits for real-time applications.
Epitaxial ordering of biphenyl on aromatic hydrocarbon substrates

Abstract A molecular adlayer of biphenyl was vapor deposited amorphously onto a single crystal of cryogenically cooled Al2O3. The biphenyl conformer at deposition was determined to be non-planar with a fluorescence λmax ~320 nm. At 161 K biphenyl underwent a disorder-to-order transition which was a planar conformation analogous to the solid crystal with a fluorescence λmax ~345 nm and characterized by a lower fluorescence intensity due to energy transfer. To demonstrate homoepitaxy, a molecular adlayer of biphenyl was vapor deposited and annealed above the disorder-to-order transition temperature. The thinnest adlayer for epitaxial ordering was 35 ML, monolayers, and epitaxy was achieved up to 5000 ML. Heteroepitaxy was demonstrated with p-xylene substrate with biphenyl overlayer. In addition the passage of the xylene through the biphenyl overlayer increased the density of crystalline defect sites and resulted in enhanced fluorescence intensity.
A Laparoscopic Approach to Postcoital Vaginal Perforation in an Adolescent with Peritonitis and Hypovolemic Shock.

Abstract Background Vaginal laceration during coitus is not a rare occurrence; however, vaginal perforation from coitus is uncommon and occurs in less than 1% of nonobstetric genital tract injuries. Limited case reports exist discussing the recognition and management of vaginal perforation. Previously described management is commonly performed with laparotomy. Case We report a case of postcoital vaginal laceration and posterior fornix perforation in an adolescent with hemoperitoneum, pneumoperitoneum, and subsequent hypovolemic shock, and describe a laparoscopic approach for repair. Summary and Conclusion Vaginal perforation with subsequent peritonitis and hemodynamic instability is a rare outcome in an adolescent who presents to the emergency department with pain or bleeding in the setting of recent penile intercourse. Delays in recognition can lead to further patient compromise, with potential morbidity or mortality. In this patient cohort, we suggest maintaining a high clinical suspicion for this sequela, and a low threshold for surgery with perforations greater than 1 cm. In the event that surgical management is warranted, we recommend a laparoscopic approach to increase visibility and to improve postoperative outcomes.
Posttransfusion Hepatitis in the United States

There has been a remarkable decline in the incidence of transfusion-associated hepatitis (TAH) that has far exceeded earlier expectations. This decline began in the mid-1980s, but accelerated dramatically with the cloning of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and its elucidation as the primary cause of non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis. The beneficial impact of implementing specific tests for the detection of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) has been recognized throughout the developed world, but this chapter will focus only on events in the United States.
Campus as a Living Laboratory: The Built Environment

This chapter discusses Florida Gulf Coast University’s (FGCU’s) experience using our own built environment as a “living lab.” Using the campus in this way has enabled FGCU to expand the classroom, to engage students in measuring and monitoring sustainability initiatives and sustainable practices, and to demonstrate how innovation and change can be proposed and tested, and occasionally implemented. The FGCU example is informative, showing how the built environment provides an excellent test bed for students to examine alternatives to improve sustainability. The opportunity to work on and possibly change real things in their own world gives students ownership and responsibility. The difficulty students and faculty encounter in implementing ideas also highlights the complexity of actually getting things done and highlights the disparities between talk and action, which can lead to student and faculty empowerment to identify and expunge hypocrisy. The inherent resistance of Higher Education Institutions to convert the experimental test beds of their campus infrastructure into actual action and change is a recurrent theme.
The Sky Is Falling! [Microwave Surfing]

Longtime readers of this column will recall that the proliferation of space debris in near-Earth orbits is an issue that I have previously expressed concern about. Last May, the inevitable happened when a piece of space debris too small to be tracked has hit and damaged part of the International Space Station, namely, the Canadarm2 robotic arm [1] . The object punctured the thermal blanket and damaged the boom underneath, but fortunately, the instrument is still operational [1] .
Cheating on Tests : How To Do It, Detect It, and Prevent It

Contents: Preface. An Introduction to Cheating: The Wrong and the Short of It. Frequency and Perceptions of Cheating. How to Cheat: A Compendium of Methods. Cheating in Postgraduate and Professional Contexts. Cheating in Other Countries and Cultures. Correlates of Cheating. Detecting Cheating on Tests. Responding to Cheating. Deterring Cheating: An Ounce of Prevention. Legal Issues and Cheating. Cheating and the Ethos of Testing. Appendices: Statistical Methods for Detecting Cheating. Academic Integrity Policy Models. Sample Due Process Policy.
A 37-base pair element in the far upstream spacer region can enhance transcription of rat rDNA in vitro and can bind to the core promoter-binding factor(s).

Abstract Previous studies in this laboratory have demonstrated that a 174-base pair (bp) rat rDNA spacer region located more than 2 kilobase pairs upstream of the initiation site, can enhance rat rDNA transcription in vitro independent of its orientation or distance or when inserted downstream of the initiation site. Further dissection of this region showed that transcription of a rDNA fragment containing just 37 bp of the spacer sequence, located between -2.183 and -2.219 kilobase pairs upstream of the initiation site, is 8-fold greater than that of the rDNA fragment devoid of the spacer element. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated specific interaction of the 37-bp DNA fragment with a cellular protein(s). The spacer DNA competed for essential transcription factors as demonstrated by the absence of transcription following preincubation of the extract with the 37-bp fragment. Similar competition was also observed when a 58-bp PolI promoter was substituted for the enhancer fragment. The binding of the factor(s) to the enhancer element was not altered when coding and noncoding strands of the 37-bp oligodeoxynucleotide were used separately in the competition assay. Since the 37-bp enhancer region and the core promoter do not exhibit any significant sequence homology, the factor(s) appears to interact with these cis-acting elements in a sequence-independent manner.
Trace Cache Miss Rate

Instruction fetch mechanism is a performance bottleneck of Superscalar and Simultaneous Multithreading Processors. A hardware mechanism, known as Trace Cache, is used in several processor architectures to improve instruction fetch performance. Most studies on Trace Cache architectures are based on simulation of benchmark programs. Analytical studies on Trace Cache and Trace Cache Miss Rates are rare. This paper presents a new analytical model of Trace Cache Miss Rate. The presented model can be used to understand performance and tradeoffs in Trace Cache design. The presented study is the first of its kind, which provides clearer understanding of Trace Cache performance for designers, students, and researchers.
Political Institutions and Greenhouse Gas Controls

Research and insights taken from the field of political economy suggest that institutions limit the extent to which efficient policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are likely to be adopted. High transaction costs among nations, as well as domestic constraints like voter xenophobia and distrust of markets in the U.S. and ineffective legal and economic institutions in China, discourage international agreement. The U.S. must focus upon limiting economic harm from adopting poorly designed policies and developing strategies for adaptation or technology-driven geoengineering. Most importantly, the lessons of political economy must become central to the study of climate policy, including a healthy exchange of views between political economists and climate modelers.
Climate Change and Economic Growth in a Rain-fed Economy: How Much Does Rainfall Variability Cost Ethiopia?

Climate change may impact economic growth through rainfall variability. This paper, using a simple growth model, demonstrates that the adverse impact of rainfall variability on economic growth depends on the rate of expansion of the amplitude of rainfall variability and frequency of occurrence of extreme events. A co-integration analysis using time series data from Ethiopia shows both inter-annual and within-annual rainfall variations have negative effect on growth. Simulation results on the forgone growth due to rainfall variability for the last five decades implied that mitigation and adaptation strategies towards climate change that reduce the impact of rainfall variability would put Ethiopia on a higher trajectory of growth.
Centering and reference groups for estimates of fixed effects: Modifications to felsdvreg

Availability of large, multilevel longitudinal databases in various fields including labor economics (with workers and firms observed over time) and ed- ucation research (with students and teachers observed over time) has increased the application of panel-data models with multiple levels of fixed-effects. Existing software routines for fitting fixed-effects models were not designed for applications in which the primary interest is obtaining estimates of any of the fixed-effects parameters. Such routines typically report estimates of fixed effects relative to arbitrary holdout units. Contrasts to holdout units are not ideal in cases where the fixed-effects parameters are of interest because they can change capriciously, they do not correspond to the structural parameters that are typically of inter- est, and they are inappropriate for empirical Bayes (shrinkage) estimation. We develop an improved parameterization of fixed-effects models using sum-to-zero constraints that provides estimates of fixed effects relative to mean effects within well-defined reference groups (e.g., all firms of a given type or all teachers of a given grade) and provides standard errors for those estimates that are appropriate for shrinkage estimation. We implement our parameterization in a Stata routine called felsdvregdm by modifying the felsdvreg routine designed for fitting high- dimensional fixed-effects models. We demonstrate our routine with an example dataset from the Florida Education Data Warehouse.
Lifetime difference in D 0 − D ¯ 0 mixing within R -parity-violating supersymmetry

We reexamine constraints from the recent evidence for observation of the lifetime difference in ${D}^{0}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\overline{D}}^{0}$ mixing on the parameters of supersymmetric models with $R$-parity violation (RPV). We find that RPV supersymmetry can give large negative contribution to the lifetime difference. We also discuss the importance of the choice of weak or mass basis when placing the constraints on RPV-violating couplings from flavor mixing experiments.
A novel array structure for directions-of-arrival estimation with increased degrees of freedom

A novel array structure for significantly increasing the degrees of freedom of linear arrays is proposed. This structure is obtained by systematically nesting two or more uniform linear arrays and can provide O(N2) degrees of freedom using only O(N) physical sensors. It is possible to provide closed form expressions for the sensor locations and the exact degrees of freedom obtainable from the proposed array as a function of the total number of sensors. This cannot be done for existing classes of arrays like minimum redundancy arrays which have been used earlier for detecting more sources than sensors. A novel spatial smoothing based technique is also proposed to exploit the increased degrees of freedom offered by the array to perform DOA estimation ofmore sources than sensors, using only second order statistics of the received data. This method does not suffer from inherent weaknesses of techniques employing higher order statistics or quasi stationarity of sources. The validity of all the proposed methods is verified through numerical examples.
Purinergic agonist and G protein stimulation of phospholipase D in rat liver plasma membranes. Independence from phospholipase C activation

Hormonal regulation of phospholipase D (PLD) was studied in isolated rat liver plasma membranes. Purinergic agents and a submaximal concentration of guanosine 5′-0-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPγS), a non-hydrolyzable analog of GTP, synergistically stimulate phosphatidylethanol formation, a measure of PLD activity. The rank order of efficacy for stimulation of PLD activity in the presence of 0.2 μM GTPγS was β, γ-methylene-ATP > adenosine 5′-0-(3-thiotriphosphate) = ATP = ADP = 2-methylthio-ATP > α,β-methylene-ATP = UTP. This pattern of activation does not conform to the series at known P2 receptors. GTPγS stimulated PLD activity in a dose-dependent manner, and the GTPyS dose-response curve for phosphatidylethanol formation was shifted to the left by an analog of ATP. Activation of PLD by purinergic agents in the presence of GTPγS supports the involvement of a purinergic receptor of the P2 class and a GTP-binding protein. Purinergic agents competitively inhibited [35S]adenosine 5′-0-(3-thiotriphosphate) binding to plasma membranes in the rank order adenosine 5′-0′(3-thiotriphosphate) > ATP > α,β-methylene-ATP = UTP ⪢ β γ-methylene-ATP = ADP. Stimulation of phosphoinositide phospholipase C (PI-PLC) by purinergic agents, as measured by release of radioactivity from endogenously myo[3H]inositol-labeled plasma membranes, occurred in the order α, β-methylene-ATP ⪢ 2-methylthio-ATP. β, γ-meth-ylene-ATP had little effect on PI-PLC activity. Different dose-response relationships for agonist-stimulation of PI-PLC and PLD indicate that activation of PI-PLC is not involved in stimulation of PLD in rat liver plasma membranes, and suggest that purinergic activation of PLD occurs via a pathway involving a G protein and a heretofore uncharacterized P2 receptor.
Radiative corrections for Ψ→Hψ in MS, and a lower bound on the mass of the Higgs

Abstract To O(αs) QCD radiative correction for Γ(Ψ→Hψ are calculated in the MS scheme. The value of αs to be used in the calculation is then fixed by the choice of the scale parameter μ in MS . Following other studies of quarkonia we analyze theoretical prediction for mb⩽μ⩽2mb. This leads to the extraction of a Higgs mass bound when comparing the data on Ψ(9.46) decays. We obtain mh⩾5.5 GeV for μ=2mb and mH⩾4.5 GeV for μ=mb.
Rising incomes and the shift from self-employment to firm-based production

Abstract As economic development brings increasing mean revenue to both self-employed and firm-based producers, the cost advantages risk-neutral firms derive from being able to offer workers implicit insurance likely rise relative to the disadvantage of having to monitor labor. This allows firm-based production to expand, drawing labor out of self- employment.
Rapid production of transgenic wheat plants by direct bombardment of cultured immature embryos

We have developed an improved protocol for the rapid and efficient production of transgenic wheat. Three plasmids, each containing the selectable bar gene for resistance to the herbicide Basta and the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, were delivered via particle bombardment, directly into immature embryos of two spring and one winter cultivar of wheat four days to two months after culture. Resistant calli were selected on phosphinothricin (PPT) media and screened for histochemical GUS activity. Twelve independent callus lines showing phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) activity were recovered from the bombardment of 544 explants (374 immature embryos and 170 one or two month old calli). R0 plants were regenerated from seven of these lines, of which so far five have produced R1 progeny, and two of the latter have produced R2 progeny. PAT activity was detected in each of the plants tested from the seven R0 lines, as well as in a 1:1 or 3:1 ratio in R1 plants following cross or self pollination, respectively. Resistance to topical application of Basta was seen in PAT positive plants and transgenic progeny. Molecular analysis by Southern hybridization showed the presence of the bar gene in all PAT positive R0 and R1 plants analyzed. Hybridization of the bar gene probe with high molecular weight DNA further confirmed integration into nuclear DNA. Both male and female transmission of the bar gene, and its segregation as a dominant Mendelian trait in R1 and R2 plants, were demonstrated. Flowering transgenic R0 plants could be obtained in 7–9 months following excision and culture of immature embryos.
Carbon-13 NMR spectra of carbon-13 enriched chlorophylls a and b.

Abstract The proton decoupled 13C NMR (CMR) spectra of chlorophylls a and b enriched to 90% 13C have been obtained at 25.2 MHz and, despite the complexity of the spectra, many of the assignments of the 13C resonances have been made.
Temporal Linkage of Glycogen and Saturated Phosphatidylcholine in Fetal Lung Type II Cells

ABSTRACT: The developmental profiles of glycogen and surfactant-associated saturated phosphatidylcholine were investigated in type II cells isolated from fetal rat lung. Incorporation of radiolabeled glucose into glycogen and type II cell unlabeled glycogen content decreased as a function of gestational age. Conversely, an increase was noted in radioactive choline incorporation into saturated phosphatidylcholine and in the content of unlabeled saturated phosphatidylcholine as a function of gestational age. Type II cells from days 19 and 21 of gestation were also studied by electron microscopy. Temporal relationships similar to those noted biochemically were observed by morphometric analysis. A decrease in glycogen content and an increase in lamellar bodies (the storage organelles for the pulmonary surfactant) were noted as gestation progressed. These studies biochemically and morphologically demonstrate a temporal relationship between glycogen degradation and saturated phosphatidylcholine synthesis in type II cells isolated from fetal rat lung. These findings provide further support for the use of such type II cell preparations for studies of development at the cellular level.
Genetic transformation of commercial cultivars of oat (Avena sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using in vitro shoot meristematic cultures derived from germinated seedlings

Genetic transformation using shoot meristematic cultures (SMCs) derived from germinated seedlings is established in commercial varieties of oat cv 'Garry' and barley cv 'Harrington'. Six-month-old SMCs of oat were induced on MPM and bombarded with bar and uidA; 9-month-old SMCs of barley were induced on an improved medium (MPM-MC) containing maltose and high levels of copper and bombarded with bar/nptII and uidA. After 3–4 months on selection, seven independent transgenic lines of oat were obtained, two lines of barley. All transgenic lines produced T0 plants; five lines of oat and one line of barley were self-fertile, and the other barley line produced T1 seed when out-crossed. Both Mendelian and non-Mendelian segregation ratios of transgene expression were observed in T1 and T2 progeny of transgenic oat. Normal as well as low physical transmission of the transgenes was also seen in T1 and T2 progeny of oat. The bar-containing line of barley showed stable transgene expression in all of the T1 and T2 progeny tested.
Gram-negative endotoxin administration decreases hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes during development in rats.

Gram-Negative Endotoxin Administration Decreases Hepatic Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes during Development in Rats