cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of bevacizumab therapy for radiation necrosis of the central nervous system

Purpose: To conduct a controlled trial of bevacizumab for the treatment of symptomatic radiation necrosis of the brain. Methods and Materials: A total of 14 patients were entered into a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind study of bevacizumab for the treatment of central nervous system radiation necrosis. All patients were required to have radiographic or biopsy proof of central nervous system radiation necrosis and progressive neurologic symptoms or signs. Eligible patients had undergone irradiation for head-and-neck carcinoma, meningioma, or low- to mid-grade glioma. Patients were randomized to receive intravenous saline or bevacizumab at 3-week intervals. The magnetic resonance imaging findings 3 weeks after the second treatment and clinical signs and symptoms defined the response or progression. Results: The volumes of necrosis estimated on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated that although no patient receiving placebo responded (0 of 7), all bevacizumab-treated patients did so (5 of 5 randomized and 7 of 7 crossover) with decreases in T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted gadolinium-enhanced volumes and a decrease in endothelial transfer constant. All bevacizumab-treated patients - and none of the placebo-treated patients - showed improvement in neurologic symptoms or signs. At a median of 10 months after the last dose of bevacizumab in patients receiving all four study doses, only 2 patients had experienced a recurrence of magnetic resonance imaging changes consistent with progressive radiation necrosis; one patient received a single additional dose of bevacizumab and the other patient received two doses. Conclusion: The Class I evidence of bevacizumab efficacy from the present study in the treatment of central nervous system radiation necrosis justifies consideration of this treatment option for people with radiation necrosis secondary to the treatment of head-and-neck cancer and brain cancer. Â© 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Crystal Structure of the Oligomerization Domain of the Phosphoprotein of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

In the replication cycle of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L) recognizes a nucleoprotein (N)-enwrapped RNA template during the RNA polymerase reaction. The viral phosphoprotein (P) is a polymerase cofactor essential for this recognition. We report here the 2.3-angstroms-resolution crystal structure of the central domain (residues 107 to 177) of P from vesicular stomatitis virus. The fold of this domain consists of a beta hairpin, an alpha helix, and another beta hairpin. The alpha helix provides the stabilizing force for forming a homodimer, while the two beta hairpins add additional stabilization by forming a four-stranded beta sheet through domain swapping between two molecules. This central dimer positions the N- and C-terminal domains of P to interact with the N and L proteins, allowing the L protein to specifically recognize the nucleocapsid-RNA template and to progress along the template while concomitantly assembling N with nascent RNA. The interdimer interactions observed in the noncrystallographic packing may offer insight into the mechanism of the RNA polymerase processive reaction along the viral nucleocapsid-RNA template.
The Prediction of Turnover of Clerical Employees

Summary Inthe selection of employees for routine clerical positions, a growing concern has been expressed in the problem of tenure. It was the purpose of this study to construct a meaningful selection instrument which would enable prediction of probable tenure for female clerical applicants at a large midwestern insurance company. The independent variables consisted of self-reported biographical data from the standard employee application blank and the results of tests administered by the personnel department. A sample of 440 female clerical employees was utilized, the selection instrument being developed on one-half of the sample and validated on the remaining half. In the final analysis, it was concluded that the resulting instrument, which yielded a composite correlation coefficient of .51, was amenable to practical application.
Switch therapy in community-acquried pneumonia

Abstract In patients admitted to the hospital with community-acquired pneumonia, intravenous antimicrobials can be safely switched to oral administration when the patient shows evidence of early clinical improvement. In our institution, patients are switched to oral antibiotics when: (A) cough and respiratory distress are improving, (B) patient is afebrile for at least 8 h, (C) the white blood cell count is returning toward normal, and (D) there is no evidence of abnormal gastrointestinal absorption. Patients with respiratory infections of unknown etiology are switched to an oral antibiotic with the same spectrum of activity as the intravenous empiric antibiotic. Combining our prospective clinical studies, we have patient outcome data for more than 150 patients admitted to the hospital with community-acquired pneumonia, who were treated with switch therapy. The clinical cure rate was 99.3%. The total hospital savings for 1994 based on the 80 patients with communityacquired pneumonia who were treated with switch therapy was $114,080. Discontinuation of intravenous lines will decrease the patient's risk for local cellulitis, abscess formation, septic thrombophlebitis, line sepsis, and endocarditis. The early hospital discharge associated with switch therapy will decrease the patient's risk for other nosocomial infections such as urinary or respiratory tract infections. Switch therapy is associated with a clinical cure rate that is equivalent to conventional therapy. In the area of cost-effective use of antibiotics, switch therapy should be considered as one of the primary options for health care cost containment.
Integrating synchronous and asynchronous internet distributed education for maximum effectiveness

Distributed education delivered via the Internet is a growing practice, with most institutions offering at least course websites and many expanding to full course offerings and even degree offerings. There are two schools of thought with regard to delivery mode; the larger group has focused on asynchronous delivery, accessible at any time via web pages and interactive tutorials and quizzes, while a smaller group advocates synchronous delivery where students are online and interact during class time. This paper summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the two delivery modes and describes our successful and growing experience of more than a decade using an open source synchronous delivery tool blended with a variety of asynchronous capabilities and classroom instruction. We conclude that a synergistic combination of the two modes with in-person instruction, designed to provide maximum flexibility to the student within the constraints of the subject, offers the best support for student learning.
Insights into the evolutionary history of Indo-Pacific bloodfeeding terrestrial leeches (Hirudinida : Arhynchobdellida : Haemadipisdae)

Haemadipsidae is a clade of notorious bloodfeeding annelids adapted to tropical and sub-tropical rainforests found throughout the Indo-Pacific. This family traditionally includes duognathous (two-jawed) endemics, each placed in their own genus, from continental and volcanic islands including: Australia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Seychelles, and South Pacific islands, while trignathous (three-jawed) Tritetrabdella species and the speciose Haemadipsa are exclusive to the Indian subcontinent ranging into east and south-east Asia. One of the more compelling aspects of haemadipsids is their distribution on post-Gondwanan landmasses. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships, taxonomy and biogeographic patterns of Haemadipsidae were examined. Over 5 kb of sequence data from three genes (nuclear 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA and mitochondrial COI) for 37 haemadipsid exemplars, representing 12 of the 15 recognised genera, were analysed under the criteria of maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. The results show that widespread duognathous species form a monophyletic group derived from trignathous ancestry and are sister to a new trignathous clade for Haemadipsidae. This phylogenetic hypothesis rejected Gondwanan vicariance as an explanation for the diversification of haemadipsids. Haemadipsidae is accepted as the formal name for these Indo-Pacific leeches. Whereas the subdivisions Haemadipsinae and Domanibdellinae are clarified, there is a need to establish a new subfamily, Tritetrabdellinae, for the newly identified trignathous clade that is sister to Domanibdellinae. This study provides a basis for continued elucidation of the evolutionary relationships and classification of these terrestrial annelids.
Phased array operation of a diode grid impedance surface

New experimental results have been achieved with monolithic millimeter-wave Schottky varactor diode arrays. In addition to improved results for such arrays as reflected beam phase shifters, the capability of the arrays, under voltage control, to steer, focus, and change the polarization state of a beam, has been experimentally demonstrated for the first time. These new results broaden the demonstrated capabilities of millimeter-wave solid state device arrays, furthering the ultimate objective of the construction of complete systems based on quasi-optical power-combining array technology. >
Design of a static neural element in an iterative learning control scheme

Most often, employing a neural net in a control system implies an adaption scheme. Neural nets inherently are non-model based, requiring the adaption. This paper proposes a design process which selects values of a single layer neural net suitable to replace a control law element.
Zwischen molekularen und polymeren „Metallen”: elektrisch leitfähige, strukturell fixierte Aggregate von Metallomakrocyclen

Planung, Synthese, Charakterisierung und Theorie neuer molekularer und makromolekularer Substanzen mit „metallischen” elektrischen Eigenschaften ist ein aktuelles Forschungsgebiet im Grenzland zwischen Chemie, Physik und Materialwissenschaften. Ein wichtiges, langfristiges Ziel in diesem Feld der „masgeschneiderten Materialien” ist es, uber molekulare Aggregate zu entwickeln, die dank „eingebauter” Wechselwirkungen zwischen den molekularen Bausteinen bestimmte kollektive Eigenschaften aufweisen. In diesem Aufsatz wird eine solche Klasse von Materialien erortert, die auserdem noch das Feld der molekularen und der polymeren Leiter verknupft: elektrisch leitfahige Aggregate von Metallomakrocyclen. Versuche, Materialien mit metallischen Eigenschaften durch Stapelung molekularer Bausteine rational zu konstruieren, fuhren logischerweise zu strukturell starren, kovalent verknupften Makromolekulen. Typische molekulare Bausteine sind robuste, chemisch vielseitige Metallophthalocyanine. Die Untersuchung der elektrischen, optischen und magnetischen Eigenschaften dieser Metallomakrocyclen und ihrer Aggregate liefert grundlegende Informationen uber die Beziehungen zwischen der lokalen atomaren Architektur, der Elektronenstruktur und den makroskopischen kollektiven Eigenschaften des Festkorpers.
Grb2, a simple adapter with complex roles in lymphocyte development, function, and signaling

Lymphocyte development, activation, and tolerance depend on antigen receptor signaling transduced via multiple intracellular signalosomes. These signalosomes are assembled by different adapters. Given that signaling molecules can be either positive or negative regulators for a biochemical target, the complex of a target with different regulator may dictate the final signaling outcome. Grb2 is a simple adapter known to be involved in a variety of growth factor receptor signaling. However, its role in antigen receptor signaling as well as lymphocyte development and function has emerged only recently. Despite its simple molecular structure, recent experiments show that Grb2 may play a complex role in T and B-cell antigen receptor signaling. In this article, we review recent findings about the physiological role of Grb2 in T and B-cell development and activation and summarize the current mechanistic understanding of how Grb2 exerts its function following T and B-cell antigen receptor stimulation.
Calibration of "Highway Safety Manual" predictive models for Oregon state highways

The recently released Highway Safety Manual (HSM) published by AASHTO provides a comprehensive set of tools for evaluating and identifying opportunities to improve safety for highway facilities. Included in the HSM is a quantitative method for predicting crashes on the basis of recently developed scientific approaches. These predictive methods currently exist for three facility types: rural two-lane roads; rural multilane highways; and urban and suburban arterial highways. To enhance precision, each HSM predictive method should be calibrated for location conditions. This paper demonstrates the HSM calibration procedure for total crashes in Oregon. The research identified three critical data collection limitations on information about pedestrian volumes, minor road traffic volumes at rural locations, and minimum sample size for underrepresented crash locations. Most of the calibration factors for Oregon were determined to be considerably lower than the expected value of approximately 1, and this observatio...
Transient Plastic Phase Processing of Titanium–Boron–Carbon Composites

Ceramic/ceramic composites in the Ti-B-C system were fabricated by a novel process referred to as transient plastic phase processing (TPPP). The basic concept is based on the following reaction: soft' transient plastic matrix + reactant phase [r arrow] hard matrix + reinforcement phase where the transient plastic phase is a phase with a wide range of stoichiometry and a yield point that is a strong function of that stoichiometry. The reactant phase is one that will react with the transient phase in such a way so as to shift the composition of the latter toward its harder and more refractory composition. The composite is formed in two stages: in the first, pressure is applied to shape and fully densify the reactants while the transient phase is soft, i.e., before reaction. Once the reactants are densified, the reaction is allowed to proceed, forming a new phase and rendering the matrix more refractory. If the volume change upon reaction is small, then the density of the final compact will remain near theoretical. Using this approach ceramic/ceramic composites in the Ti-B-C system were hot-pressed to full density and complex shapes at temperatures as low as 1,600 C.
Preservation and Conservation for Libraries and Archives

Balloffet and Hille's book is an outgrowth of handouts they created for a series of workshops developed and taught over the last 12 years. They use techniques accepted as standard book and paper co...
Identification and Quantification of a Toxigenic and Non-Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus Strain in Contaminated Maize Using Quantitative Real-Time PCR.

Aflatoxins, which are produced by Aspergillus flavus, are toxic to humans, livestock, and pets. The value of maize (Zea mays) grain is markedly reduced when contaminated with aflatoxin. Plant resistance and biological control using non-toxin producing strains are considered effective strategies for reducing aflatoxin accumulation in maize grain. Distinguishing between the toxin and non-toxin producing strains is important in determining the effectiveness of bio-control strategies and understanding inter-strain interactions. Using polymorphisms found in the fungal rRNA intergenic spacer region (IGS) between a toxigenic strain of A. flavus (NRRL 3357) and the non-toxigenic strain used in the biological control agent Afla-Guard® (NRRL 21882), we developed a set of primers that allows for the identification and quantification of the two strains using quantitative PCR. This primer set has been used to screen maize grain that was inoculated with the two strains individually and co-inoculated with both strains, and it has been shown to be effective in both the identification and quantification of both strains. Screening of co-inoculated ears from multiple resistant and susceptible genotypic crosses revealed no significant differences in fungal biomass accumulation of either strain in the field tests from 2010 and 2011 when compared across the means of all genotypes. Only one genotype/year combination showed significant differences in strain accumulation. Aflatoxin accumulation analysis showed that, as expected, genotypes inoculated with the toxigenic strain accumulated more aflatoxin than when co-inoculated with both strains or inoculated with only the non-toxigenic strain. Furthermore, accumulation of toxigenic fungal mass was significantly correlated with aflatoxin accumulation while non-toxigenic fungal accumulation was not. This primer set will allow researchers to better determine how the two fungal strains compete on the maize ear and investigate the interaction between different maize lines and these A. flavus strains.
In Defense of State and Local Government Anti-Apartheid Measures: Infusing Democratic Values into Foreign Policy

Addressing the specific context of state and local anti-apartheid measures (as a means to influence the national government in its policies towards South Africa and also as formalized expressions of a community¹s outrage), this article argues in favor of the validity of state and local government legislation that seeks to influence foreign policymaking at the national level to the contrary of the suggestion that the national government's paramount right to conduct foreign policy forecloses all such subnational action. The article first deconstructs Zschernig v. Miller, a decision invalidating a state alien inheritance statute based predominantly on cold war era overreaction, and a diluted application of the "direct impact" requirement of Clark v. Allen. It then focuses on The Baltimore Trustees case, wherein the Baltimore Circuit Court upheld an anti-apartheid divestment ordinance, and effectively limited the scope of Zschernig. And, finally, the article shifts to a first amendment analysis, contending that such subnational advocacy to more accessible local government institutions falls within the scope of the right to petition government, expedient for direct citizen participation in the eventual shaping of national government policy and the societal benefit derived from wide dissemination of speech. When weighed against foreign policy interests, this article asserts, the first amendment protections are often deserving of equal or greater weight dependent on the conduct involved.
Couple's Narratives of Communion and Isolation Following Abnormal Prenatal Microarray Testing Results.

In 2% to 3% of cases, prenatal microarray testing detects deletions and duplications in a fetus’ genome that are undetected by conventional cytogenetics. Many of these changes are associated with variable or uncertain symptomatology. Little is known about how couples experience uncertain results. This study analyzed 24 interviews with members of 12 heterosexual U.S. couples who received pathogenic or uncertain microarray prenatal testing results. Researchers used narrative analysis to examine couples’ understanding and incorporation of findings into decision making regarding pregnancy termination. Couples felt unprepared for these findings and frustrated because scant information was available to aid interpretation. Women sought information and made decisions, and men marginalized their distress to support their wives. A shift in voice from first to second person indicated attempts to normalize emotional responses by making the process “common” to all couples. Families pursuing highly sensitive prenatal t...
Hard lessons: combat deployment and veteran interest in higher education

ABSTRACTOver 2.5 million Americans served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In this short article, we consider the impact of these experiences on their future welfare. Specifically, we ask if those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq are more or less likely to exploit their GI Bill benefits in order to pursue higher education than service members who did not directly participate in these conflicts. We exploit a comprehensive administrative dataset that the US Armed Forces’ Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) provided to us. We find across models that deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq significantly increases the likelihood that veterans will take advantage of their educational benefits, but that exposure to violent combat significantly decreases it.
Accelerating Non-Negative Matrix Factorization for Audio Source Separation on Multi-Core and Many-Core Architectures.

Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) has been successfully used in audio source separation and parts-based analysis; however, iterative NMF algorithms are computationally intensive, and therefore, time to convergence is very slow on typical personal computers. In this paper, we describe high performance parallel implementations of NMF developed using OpenMP for shared-memory multicore systems and CUDA for many-core graphics processors. For 20 seconds of audio, we decrease running time from 18.5 seconds to 2.6 seconds using OpenMP and 0.6 seconds using CUDA. These performance increases allow source separation to be carried out on entire songs in a number of seconds, a process which was previously impractical with respect to time. We give insight into how such significant speed gains were made and encourage the development and use of parallel music information retrieval software.
High Resolution Analysis of Structure and Chemistry of Grain Boundaries in Silicon

High resolution electron microscopy and high spatial resolution analytical electron microscopy were used to analyze the structure and chemistry of a Σ3 {111} twin boundary in cast polysilicon and a Σ13 (510), [001] tilt boundary in a Si bicrystal. Twin boundaries in cast polysilicon were associated with lattice defects and discrete second phase precipitates. The precipitate was single phase amorphous and faceted on the Si {111} planes. Nanospectroscopy showed mem to be substoichiometric oxide. Similar oxide precipitates, but with different morphology, were also observed on the Σ13 tilt boundary in Si bicrystal, indicating that tilt grain boundaries and steps on twin boundaries were effective heterogeneous sites for nucleation of oxygen containing precipitates. The observed Σ13 tilt boundary exhibited a coincident site lattice periodicity but had an aperiodic interface dislocation core structure. Oxygen that diffused into the boundary in regions where precipitation did not occur may have played a role in modifying the GB core structures, resulting in aperiodicity. For both cases, a detailed analysis of grain boundary atomic structure and precipitate morphology is presented.
Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Using Book Reviews to Teach Leadership and Foster Community in an Online Class

The academic community is more fully integrating technology into the business it conducts. Online courses are becoming more and more popular. Popular culture can be a source of commonality among students that can be used to more effectively teach leadership in an online environment. This manuscript outlines the use of a group book review assignment to teach leadership while simultaneously fostering a sense of community among students learning about leadership in a primarily asynchronous environment.
Difficulties Student Engineers Face Designing the Future

Design can change the world. Growing environmental and social concerns about the role we play as world citizens and caretakers of theplanet have given rise to a green environmental movement and concerns of sustainability. But normative notions of sustainability onlyattack these problems in incremental ways. Another suggested approach, geared towards real impact and breakthrough innovation, is toshift the frame of these growing issues of our time in a different way. Rather than plainly engineer better solutions and implementbetter technology, this paper describes design and design thinking education practice and student examples that seek to change thecontext dramatically, break the mold of current means of thinking about sustainability, and the difficulties student engineers face indoing so. In examining mechanical engineering students doing design work in the context of a graduate level mechanical engineeringdesign course at Stanford University, this paper will highlight some difficulties students have in framing, conceptualizing and designingfor the future.
Analysis of Etiology of Severe Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Infants

Objective To understand the survey of deep sputum pathogen distribution in children within 3 years old with severe hospital-acquired pneumonia(HAP) and its antibiotic resistance.Methods Forty-one infants with severe HAP were enrolled,who were hospitalized in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from Jan.2007 to Dec.2008.sputum specimen were collected from the lower respiratory tract for bacterial culture and sensitivity test,and the results were analyzed.Results Sputum culture of 38 cases(92.7%) were positive in 41 children with severe HAP patients,8 type bacteria were detected and 48 strains were isolated,including 43 cases gram-negative bacilli,1 case gram-positive cocci,4 cases fungi.The common gram-negative bacteria were klebsiella pneumoniae,pseudomonas aeruginosa and escherichia coli.Most of them were resistant to ampicillin,cefazolin,ceftriaxone,trimethoprim+sulfamethoxazole,nitrofurantoin,cefepime,cefotetan,ceftazidime,and were sensitive to imipenem,ciprofloxacin,piperacillin/tazobactam,levofloxacin,amikacin.The positive rate of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase(ESBLs)-producing strains of klebsiella pneumoniae and escherichia coli were 78.57% and 77.78%.One gram-positive bacterium was staphylococcus aureus,which were methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus-positive.Four cases fungi were yeasts,2 cases of which were resistant to itraconazole.Conclusions Bacterium was the major organism in infants with severe HAP and the most common organism identified was gram-negative bacilli.Followed by klebsiella pneumoniae,pseudomonas aeruginosa,escherichia coli.Most of them were ESBLs-positive and resistance to second and third generation cephalosporin.The initial empirical antibiotics administration should be chosen piperacillin/tazobactam and carbapenem.
Increased synthesis of catecholamines in the intact rat following administration of alpha-adrenergic blocking agents.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of α-blocking agents on the rate of catecholamine synthesis in vivo . It was found that phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine increase the formation of radioactive norepinephrine and epinephrine in rat tissues when L-tyrosine-14C is used as a precursor but not when L-dopa-3H is the precursor. These findings indicate that α-blocking agents increase catecholamine synthesis by stimulating tyrosine hydroxylase activity.
The Cybersecurity Competition Experience: Perceptions from Cybersecurity Workers

How do workers within the field of cybersecurity perceive cybersecurity competitions? This study aims to address this question and investigate if competitions left a positive mark on the information security workers who participated in them. In this paper, we report on an online survey of current employees of the cybersecurity industry who had once participated in Cybersecurity Awareness Week, one of the most established cybersecurity competitions in the world. We examine their perceptions of the competition in general, the skills they learnt from the competition, and whether they felt the competition was beneficial to them. Data from 89 cybersecurity workers showed that competitions taught them useful skills related to their job, especially skills related to reverse engineering and analytic skills. Their competition experience was also a major influence in their career-decision making.
The Early Life of Ronald Harold Coase

There are few Nobel Memorial Prize winners in finance or economics who are as unique in personality and academic character as Ronald Harold Coase (pronounced like “rose” or “chose”). Nor have there been many with as unassuming an upbringing, or as simple, but profound, a contribution to the literature. A single paper early in his career, entitled “The Nature of the Firm,” and another much later, have had a profound influence on our financial intuition. They have transformed how we think about our disciplines in ways as fundamental as the concept of free markets espoused by Adam Smith in 1776, or the not unrelated intuition of efficient markets, espoused first by John Burr Williams, and, three decades later, by Eugene Fama. In between these two dates, an unassuming individual of most modest means made a simple statement that revolutionized how we think both about organizations and also about property.
Residual stresses at weld repairs and effects of repair geometry

ABSTRACTIn this study, an in-depth investigation of repair weld geometry effects on residual stress distributions in terms of both through-thickness membrane and bending content as well as its contribution to fracture driving force is carried out. Some major findings are: A fundamental difference in residual stress distributions between initial and repair welds can be characterised as a significant elevation of membrane and bending content in transverse residual stresses. The dominance of repair-induced residual stresses over those generated by initial welds suggests that initial weld residual stresses can be assumed negligible in repair weld modelling. A weld repair should be designed as long as possible, as narrow as possible and as shallow as possible.
White-Emitting Protein Nanoparticles for Cell-Entry and pH Sensing

Facile synthesis of white-emitting, protein-based, metal-free, stable, nontoxic, and pH sensitive, advanced functional nanoparticles (GlowDots), as alternatives to quantum dots, is reported here. Controlled cross-linking of bovine serum albumin resulted in facile formation of spherical nanoparticles of 35 nm in diameter with a sharp size distribution (±10 nm), which were then conjugated with specific dyes to produce white-emitting particles with tunable excitation wavelengths. Chemical novelty is that the particle size, size distribution, stability, surface chemistry, and emission properties are under full chemical control where the size and absorption/emission properties are independently tuned. Up to 100 dye molecules were attached to each particle, on an average, and hence, particles acquired strong absorption cross-sections as well as high brightness. White fluorescence of GlowDots is strongly sensitive to pH over a range of pH 2–11, and pH-induced emission changes are fully reversible. The particles readily entered HeLa cells and emission color depended on particle location in the live cells, which is most likely due to the local environment surrounding the particles. These are the very first reports of white-emitting advanced functional nanoparticles that are biodegradable, sensitive to pH, and amenable for live cell imaging to probe the subcellular compartments.
Sensitivity analysis of a wireless power transfer (WPT) system for electric vehicle application

This paper presents a detailed parametric sensitivity analysis for a wireless power transfer (WPT) system in an electric vehicle application. Specifically, several key parameters for sensitivity analysis of a series-parallel (SP) WPT system are derived first based on analytical modeling approach, which includes the equivalent input impedance, active / reactive power, and DC voltage gain. Based on the derivation, the impact of primary side compensation capacitance, coupling coefficient, transformer leakage inductance, and different load conditions on the DC voltage gain curve and power curve are studied and analyzed. It is shown that the desired power can be achieved by just changing frequency or voltage depending on the design value of coupling coefficient. However, in some cases both have to be modified in order to achieve the required power transfer at high efficiencies.
Toward Sustainable Growth: Lessons Learned Through the Victorian Women Writers Project

This case study offers strategies for TEI-based projects with limited funding. By focusing on the needs of our volunteers, the Victorian Women Writers Project has developed truly collaborative relationships with the project’s partners. Contributions to the project’s resources have grown out of digital humanities survey courses, literature classes, and independent work. The paper concludes with a brief sketch of our efforts to support continued work by rethinking our social media outreach and our online presence. Cette etude de cas offre des strategies pour les projets TEI (initiative pour l’encodage de texte) dont le financement est limite. En mettant l’accent sur les besoins de nos benevoles, le projet Victorian Women Writers a mis au point des relations veritablement collaboratives avec les partenaires du projet. Les contributions aux ressources du projet sont issues des cours d’introduction et des classes de litterature en humanites numeriques, et de travail independant. L’article conclut par un bref resume de nos initiatives afin d’appuyer le travail continu en reevaluant notre diffusion dans les medias sociaux et notre presence en ligne. Mots-cles: Encodage TEI; HN feministes; durabilite
AAGV: A Cluster Based Multicast Routing Protocol for Autonomous Aerial and Ground Vehicles Communication in VANET

The Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) are developed to perform the rescue operations independently for providing safety to human lives such as in mines detection and clearance operations. The performance of these AGVs has been enhanced in our previous work by implementing the Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) among these vehicles. In this piece of research, the Autonomous Aerial and Ground Vehicles (AAGVs) routing protocol has been proposed, in which the aerial vehicles are introduced to overcome the limitations of AGVs communication for disseminating the Mines Detection Messages (MDMs). Additionally, the cluster based scheme is designed in such a way that the AAGVs protocol can adapt itself in real time without affecting its performance by maintaining stable Inter-Vehicular Communication (IVC) links. The simulation of the proposed protocol in Network Simulator illustrates that the delay and overhead have been reduced. On the other hand, the packet delivery ratio and throughput have been increased by adopting the multicast communication approach.
Characteristics of Infants With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Who Need Follow-Up of Pulmonary Hypertension.

Objectives: Pulmonary hypertension is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Currently, it is unknown whether pulmonary hypertension persists or recurs during the first year of life. Design: Prospective longitudinal follow-up study. Setting: Tertiary university hospital. Patients: Fifty-two congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients admitted between 2010 and 2014. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Pulmonary hypertension was measured using echocardiography and electrocardiography at 6 and 12 months old. Characteristics of patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension were compared with those of patients without persistent pulmonary hypertension. At follow-up, pulmonary hypertension persisted in four patients: at 6 months old, in three patients (patients A–C), and at 12 months old, in two patients (patients C and D). Patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation (median 77 d [interquartile range, 49–181 d] vs median 8 d [interquartile range, 5–15 d]; p = 0.002) and hospital stay (median 331 d [interquartile range, 198–407 d) vs median 33 d (interquartile range, 16–59 d]; p = 0.003) than patients without persistent pulmonary hypertension. The proportion of patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension (n = 4) treated with inhaled nitric oxide (100% vs 31%; p = 0.01), sildenafil (100% vs 15%; p = 0.001), and bosentan (100% vs 6%; p < 0.001) during initial hospital stay was higher than that of patients without persistent pulmonary hypertension (n = 48). At 6 months, all patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension were tube-fed and treated with supplemental oxygen and sildenafil. Conclusions: Less than 10% of congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients had persistent pulmonary hypertension at ages 6 and/ or 12 months. Follow-up for pulmonary hypertension should be reserved for congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients with echocardiographic signs of persistent pulmonary hypertension at hospital discharge and/or those treated with medication for pulmonary hypertension at hospital discharge
Stability of Elasto-Plastic Wide-Flange Columns

In the past (1963), it has not been possible to obtain analytic solutions of the differential equations of bending of elasto-plastic compression members composed of the common structural sections. In part, this difficulty was due to the inability to express curvature explicitly in terms of moment and thrust. Appropriate functions can be derived by assuming that the flange elements of wide-flange and box sections are thin. With the aid of the latter, the differential equations are solved in two steps of integration, which is made possible by the introduction of appropriate variables of integration. Use of a suitable buckling criterion and a simple graphical or numerical procedure makes it possible to obtain interaction curves for structural members loaded in compression and bending. Thus, the necessary number of numerical or graphical steps is reduced considerably, and no simplified assumption as to the defleeted shape of a column need be made. The solution includes the previously treated column of solid rectangular cross section as a special case. An approximate, semiempirical equation, based on the derived curves, is suggested.
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is a significant chronic health problem worldwide. It can be divided into seasonal and perennial classifications based on the timing of symptoms and the causative agents. Empiric treatment can be initiated without allergy testing, but testing is required for definitive diagnosis and consideration of certain trigger-specific therapies such as allergen avoidance and allergen immunotherapy. There are many options for pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacologic therapy, and the selection must be made based on symptoms, patient age/comorbidities, and patient/family preferences. Intranasal corticosteroids are the most effective medication class for monotherapy management of SAR and when combined with intranasal antihistamines can be even more effective. For patients with multiple allergies or who desire to reduce their reliance on medication, allergen immunotherapy can be a good option and is the only therapy that can permanently alter the course of the disease. Both step-down and step-up approaches are appropriate based on individual patient needs and preferences. This chapter discusses seasonal allergic rhinitis in particular and reviews oral and intranasal pharmacotherapy options as well as allergen immunotherapy.
Clinical updates on perianal fistulas in Crohn’s disease

Introduction: Perianal fistulizing disease is an aggressive and debilitating phenotype of Crohn’s disease (CD), representing a significant therapeutic challenge. New work has led to advancement in ...
Form and Representation in Beowulf and Grettis Saga

This study examines two complementary sections taken from Beowulf and Grettis Saga. Each section depicts the hero's initial meeting with the monster. While previous criticism of this correspondence between the Old English epic and the Old Norse saga has focused primarily on plot similarities, this study will examine the generic incongruities made evident through an analysis of the discursive strategies employed to convey action. In order to clarify the generic distinctions between Beowulf and Grettis Saga, I will confine my analysis to this key moment in both texts. While the plot developments of Beowulf's battle with Grendel and Grettir's battle with Glamr are nearly identical, an analysis of the generic presuppositions created in these scenes serve to distinguish the Old English epic from the Old Norse saga.
Designing Learning Environments to Foster Affective Learning: Comparison of Classroom to Blended Learning

Affective learning is a key dimension of health professional education and involves teaching topics such as empathy or grief that impact student attitudes and beliefs to prepare the m to be novice practitioners. The move in higher education toward online and blended learning (a mix of online and traditional, classroom-based learning) disrupts traditional approaches to teaching professional affect, which is heavily reliant on instructor modeling. This paper documents insight into the redesign process of a course, Professional Identity: Behaviors and Attitudes, from a traditional to a blended learning format, with a focus on affective learning. This study employed a survey approach to compare classroom and online student perceptions of learning across the seven affective topics of the course. The study also examined the contribution of various technology-enhanced learning activities to the students' perceptions of learning. Twenty-five classroom students and 64 blended learning students indicated that while both formats increased students’ perceived understanding of topics related to affective learning, the blended learning group perceived a si gnificantly greater understanding in four affective topic areas. Furthermore, blended learning students cited reading, online discussions, and unstructured out-of-classroom discussions as contributing to their learning significantly more than the classroom group.
Between Pan-Africanism and a Multiracial Nation: Race, Regionalism, and Guyanese Nation-Building Through the Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA), 1972

The first Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA), held in the Caribbean nation of Guyana in 1972, was a significant and deliberate postcolonial moment that embodied the aspirations of a cu...
AML: Predicting the Unpredictable.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been considered an unpredictable and unpreventable disease. Recently in Nature, Abelson et al. (2018) presented two models of AML risk prediction, one using the detection of high-risk age-related clonal hematopoiesis and the other using dynamic clinical attributes available from routine blood work.
The Role of Age and Multimorbidity in Shaping Older African American Men’s Experiences with Patient–Provider Communication

This study investigated factors associated with older African American men’s unmet health communication needs in the context of patient–provider interactions. Responses to a health survey were analyzed for 430 African American men attending a Midwest community health fair. The outcome measure was the extent to which men could get their health-related questions answered during recent medical visits. Men’s mean age was 54; 39% had one chronic condition and 22% had two or more comorbidities. The 53% who usually or always had their questions answered were older, had less comorbidity, higher educational attainment, higher annual incomes, were more likely to be married and have any type of insurance, and have a personal physician. Access to care was the primary factor in shaping men’s opportunities to ask health-related questions, and older multimorbid and low-income African American men may face increased barriers to healthcare access, and thus barriers to patient-centered care and communication.
Research on Voltage Exceeding Limits of Active Distribution Network Caused by Distributed Photovoltaic

At present, distributed power sources represented by photovoltaics are being widely connected to the distribution network gradually with their clean and flexible power generation methods. The output of the distributed photovoltaic is easily affected by environmental factors, and this uncertainty will have a huge impact on the economics and reliability of the distribution network. Aiming at the problem of voltage exceeding limits caused by distributed photovoltaic access to active distribution network, this paper introduces the influence on the reliability of distribution network when distributed photovoltaic grid-connected, details the change of distribution network voltage after distributed photovoltaic grid-connected, and analyzes the control strategy of photovoltaic inverter. Also, the simulation model of photovoltaic power supply into distribution network system is established, explores the voltage variation of different line length, voltage load and conductor cross-sectional area after distributed photovoltaic access. The simulation results show that the problem of the voltage exceeding limits of the active distribution network caused by photovoltaic grid connection can be solved by photovoltaic inverter control effectively.
Maximal sensitivity of Boolean nested canalizing functions

Abstract Boolean nested canalizing functions (NCF) have important applications in molecular regulatory networks, engineering and computer science. In the literature, there are two sensitivities to measure the complexity of a Boolean function. One is average sensitivity, the other one is maximal sensitivity. We follow the tradition and omit the word “maximal”. In other words, in this paper, sensitivity is always maximal sensitivity. Using the past work of the authors and their coauthors on a characterization of NCF, we obtain the formula of the sensitivity of any NCF. We find that the sensitivity of any NCF is between ⌈ n + 2 2 ⌉ and n. Both lower and upper bounds are tight. We prove that the block sensitivity, hence the l-block sensitivity, is the same as the sensitivity for NCF. It is well known that monotone Boolean functions (MBF) also have this property. We characterize all functions which are both monotone and nested canalizing (MNCF). The closed formula of the cardinality of the set of MNCFs is also provided.
A Model of Family Relational Transformations During the Transition to Adolescence: Parent–Adolescent Conflict and Adaptation

The relative dearth of published research on family relations during adolescence prior to 1980 stands in sharp contrast to the dramatic increase in both the quantity and quality of research on parent-adolescent relationships during the 1980s and early 1990s. Contrary to the beliefs of the general public and reports in the media, little empirical support exists for the contention that extreme levels of conflictive engagement characterize parent–adolescent relationships. In fact, in those rare instances where high levels of conflict in the parent–adolescent relationship are found, they are predictive of less desirable early adolescent adjustment outcomes. Despite the lack of serious relationship trauma during early adolescence, a period of increased emotional distance or temporary perturbations in parent–adolescent relationships appears to follow shortly after the onset of pubertal development in boys and girls and especially in mother–daughter dyads.
On our Limited Understanding of Electrodeposition

The energy density of electrodeposition reactions makes them attractive for energy storage. Although its scientific inquiries nearly date back to the inception of electrochemistry, its behavior at microscopic dimensions (relevant to battery application) is mysteriously uncontrollable. We examine experimental reports of singular spatiotemporal evolutions with a hope to identify universality in deposition patterns. We conclude that a macroscopic mass transport instability cannot account for various growth morphologies and alludes to poorly understood materials interplay at smaller scales. We summarize representative characteristics of electrodeposition to encourage mechanistic investigations.