cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of tracheal compression in the horned passalus beetle

Rhythmic patterns of compression and reinflation of the thin-walled hollow tubes of the insect tracheal system have been observed in a number of insects. These movements may be important for facili...
Multiplexing Ultrasonic Wave Fronts by Holography

Easily viewable, three-dimensional images have been produced from information derived from the passage of sound through the head of a living human subject. In this technique a new form of holographic multiplexing is used to construct the three-dimensional image from two-dimensional ultrasonic B-scans taken in many separated planes.
Establishing Maintenance Resource Levels Using Selective Maintenance

We address the performance of a repairable system that is required to perform a sequence of equally spaced, identical missions with breaks between missions. The system is series-parallel in structure, and component repair can only be performed during breaks between missions. Due to limitations on maintenance resources, it may be impossible to make all necessary repairs before the next mission. Such situations require the use of selective maintenance, the process of identifying the subset of maintenance actions to perform from a set of desirable maintenance actions. We build upon previous research in selective maintenance by addressing decisions related to establishing capacities for the limited maintenance resources. We model mission-to-mission changes in maintenance resource capacity, and we develop a methodology for establishing constant resource capacities for a sequence of missions. Finally, we develop a methodology for integrating redundancy allocation and maintenance resource allocation decisions.
Formation of Insolubles in Palm Oil-, Yellow Grease-, and Soybean Oil-Based Biodiesel Blends After Cold Soaking at 4 °C

The insolubles formed in biodiesel blends can cause operation problems because they can plug the fuel lines and filters. The formation of insolubles in soybean oil (SBO-), yellow grease (YG-), and palm oil (PO-) based biodiesel blends after cold soaking at 4 °C was investigated. PO-based biodiesel blends displayed a much higher time to filter (TTF) and greater insoluble mass, compared to SBO-, and YG-based biodiesel blends. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) chromatograms indicated that PO-based biodiesel insolubles can be attributed to monoglycerides, while SBO-based biodiesel insolubles are due to steryl glucosides (SG). A simple analytical method for identification of SG in biodiesel samples was established by GC-FID.
Oxygen-dependent PAF receptor binding and intracellular signaling in ovine fetal pulmonary vascular smooth muscle

Circulating levels of platelet-activating factor (PAF) are high in the fetus, and PAF is active in maintaining high PVR in fetal hypoxia (Ibe BO, Hibler S, Raj J. J Appl Physiol 85: 1079–1085, 1998...
Neurobiology of Acupuncture: Toward CAM

It has long been accepted that acupuncture, puncturing and scraping needles at certain points on the body, can have analgesic and anesthetic effects, as well as therapeutic effects in the treatment of various diseases. This therapy, including acupuncture anesthesia, has drawn the attention of many investigators and become a research subject of international interest around the world. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the nervous system, neurotransmitters, endogenous substances and Jingluo (meridians) may respond to needling stimulation and electrical acupuncture. An abundance of information has now accumulated concerning the neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture, in relation to both neural pathways and neurotransmitters/hormonal factors that mediate autonomic regulation, pain relief and other therapeutics. Early studies demonstrated that the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) are mediated by opioid peptides in the periaqueductal gray. Recent evidence shows that nitric oxide plays an important role in mediating the cardiovascular responses to EA stimulation through the gracile nucleus-thalamic pathway. Other substances, including serotonin, catecholamines, inorganic chemicals and amino acids such as glutamate and α-aminobutyric acid (GABA), are proposed to mediate certain cardiovascular and analgesic effects of acupuncture, but at present their role is poorly understood. The increased interest in acupuncture health care has led to an ever-growing number of investigators pursuing research in the processes of the sense of needling touch, transduction of needling stimulation signals, stimulation parameters and placebos. In this Review, the evidence and understanding of the neurobiological processes of acupuncture research have been summarized with an emphasis on recent developments of nitric oxide mediating acupuncture signals through the dorsal medulla-thalamic pathways.
Urinary Disorders and Female Sexual Function

Overactive bladder urinary incontinence and female sexual dysfunction are common in women, but often go unreported and/or untreated. All of these conditions can have a markedly negative impact on quality of life. There is a growing body of evidence that sexual and urinary problems are often comorbid and possibly synergistic in women. Increasingly robust evidence indicates that management of urinary concerns may enhance sexual function and quality of life. It is important for health care providers who see women to consider both urinary and sexual health concerns during patient encounters. Additional research attention to the interrelationships between these genitourinary disorders is warranted.
Utilization and purchase of medical care services in Mexico by residents in the United States of America, 1998-1999.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed self-reported frequency of purchase of medications and medical care services in Mexico by southern New Mexico (United States, [U.S.]) residents in relation to their medical insurance coverage. METHODS: We analyzed data obtained in 1998 and 1999 from a health interview survey of residents in a six-county region of southern New Mexico, using prevalence and logistic regression methods for complex survey data. RESULTS: About 22% of southern New Mexico residents had purchased medications and 11% had sought medical care in Mexico at least once during the year preceding the survey. When we adjusted for the effects of other variables, persons able to pay for services out of pocket and those who were uninsured were more likely than persons who were fully covered to purchase medications or medical care in Mexico. CONCLUSIONS: Large numbers of people residing near the border in New Mexico traveled south to Mexico to purchase medications and medical care. Lack of medical insurance was associated with higher frequencies of these purchases. There seems to be a need to establish relationships between U.S. private and public care plans and Mexican medical care providers to identify appropriate mechanisms for U.S. residents to purchase medical care in Mexico.
Neonatal Jaundice: Bilirubin Physiology and Clinical Chemistry

Cleavage of the alpha-methene bridge of heme by membrane-bound heme oxygenase yields equimolar amounts of biliverdin, carbon monoxide, and reduced iron. Biliverdin is catalyzed by biliverdin reductase to bilirubin. The process occurs in all nucleated cells except mature anucleated red blood cells. Neonates in whom bilirubin production is increased tend to have higher bilirubin concentrations, and excessive bilirubin production or impairment of elimination causes dramatic deviations from the hour-specific nomogram that can be seen as “jumping” percentile tracks early in the postnatal period or later in the first week after birth. After formation, bilirubin diffuses into the circulation. In the absence of conjugates, the total bilirubin concentration in plasma is the sum of bilirubin bound to albumin plus a minimal amount of free bilirubin. Bilirubin is excreted more slowly in newborns than in adults. Although no clinical tests can measure bilirubin uptake and conjugation by the liver, an elevated hour-specific total bilirubin value when bilirubin production is normal or decreasing is a sign of impaired or abnormally delayed bilirubin excretion. The accuracy and precision of clinical laboratory total bilirubin measurements are a concern, and studies are underway to assess whether measurements of free bilirubin, the bilirubin-binding constant, the bilirubin:albumin ratio, or albumin binding capacity might improve the ability to identify infants at greater risk for bilirubin-induced neuroinjury rather than simply those at greater risk for having a higher bilirubin concentration.
Where Are the Latinas? Ethno-Race and Gender in Psychology Courses.

The inclusion of scholarship about Latinas into psychology courses is considered by answering two questions: (1) How do we evaluate the scholarship that should be included? (2) What factors should be considered for inclusion? To answer the first question on the evaluation of scholarship, six criteria are presented. The factors to be considered for the inclusion of scholarship about Latinas are illustrated in a discussion of three topics that are often presented in introductory psychology courses: identity, gender role socialization, and educational achievement and aspirations. Our discussion questions the validity of the conceptualization of these three topics when Latinas and other ethno-racial groups are excluded and offers evidence of the possibilities for clarification and expansion of theory and knowledge when they are included.
First Results from the NLO Dimuon Analysis at NuTeV

First results from next to leading order (NLO) fits of the DIS charged current dimuon cross section data from the NuTeV experiment at FNAL are presented. Neutrino production of dimuon events provides a direct means of studying charm production and the strange sea. Here we present an NLO analysis of these data which utilizes a new calculation including all NLO diagrams and that is differential in all variables required to model detector acceptance. NuTeV used a sign selected beam, which allows independent measurement of the strange and antistrange sea, for which an asymmetry is potentially important in interpreting neutrino electroweak coupling results.
Mesothelin-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor mRNA-Engineered T Cells Induce Antitumor Activity in Solid Malignancies

Off-target toxicity due to the expression of target antigens in normal tissue represents a major obstacle to the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells for treatment of solid malignancies. To circumvent this issue, we established a clinical platform for engineering T cells with transient CAR expression by using in vitro transcribed mRNA encoding a CAR that includes both the CD3-ζ and 4-1BB costimulatory domains. We present two case reports from ongoing trials indicating that adoptive transfer of mRNA CAR T cells that target mesothelin (CARTmeso cells) is feasible and safe without overt evidence of off-tumor on-target toxicity against normal tissues. CARTmeso cells persisted transiently within the peripheral blood after intravenous administration and migrated to primary and metastatic tumor sites. Clinical and laboratory evidence of antitumor activity was shown in both patients, and the CARTmeso cells elicited an antitumor immune response revealed by the development of novel antiself antibodies. These data show the potential of using mRNA-engineered T cells to evaluate, in a controlled manner, potential off-tumor on-target toxicities and show that short-lived CAR T cells can induce epitope spreading and mediate antitumor activity in patients with advanced cancer. Thus, these findings support the development of mRNA CAR-based strategies for carcinoma and other solid tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(2); 112–20. ©2013 AACR .
25-hydroxycholecalciferol in the management of rickets associated with extrahepatic biliary atresia*

In children with extrahepatic biliary atresia, impaired hydroxylation and defective intestinal absorption of cholecalciferol may lead to a deficiency of vitamin D and rickets. The data presented herein demonstrate that in such patients serum levels of vitamin D measured as 25-hydroxycalciferol are reduced. A moderate therapeutic oral dose of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, by circumventing the hepatic conversion of cholecalciferol to 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, will replete vitamin D stores and maintain the serum concentration of 25-hydroxycalciferol required to prevent or heal rickets in these patients.
Throughput and fairness properties of asynchronous data transfer methods in the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol

To satisfy the needs of wireless data networking, study group 802.11 was formed under IEEE project 802 to recommend an international standard for wireless local area networks (WLANs). A key part of standard are the medium access control (MAC) protocols needed to support asynchronous and time bounded delivery of data frames. We conduct a performance evaluation of the asynchronous data transfer protocols that are a part of the proposed IEEE 802.11 standard taking into account the decentralized nature of communication between stations, the possibility of "capture", and presence of "hidden stations". We compute the system throughput and evaluate the fairness properties of the proposed MAC protocols and evaluate the impact of spatial characteristics on the performance of the system. Further, extensive numerical results are presented.
Mechanical parts orienting: the case of a polyhedron on a table

The problem of orienting a part resting on a table by tilting the table is considered. The initial orientation of the part is assumed to be completely unknown. The objective is to tilt the table in a manner that reduces the uncertainty in the part's orientation. This work focuses on three-dimensional polyhedral parts, with finite friction between the parts and the table, and for which all transitions between different face-table contacts may be regarded as rotations across edges. A planner that determines a sequence of tilting operations designed to minimize the uncertainty in the part's orientation is proposed. The planner runs in time O(n/sup 4/), where n is the number of faces of the polyhedron. The planner produces a sequence of O(n) distinct tilts. >
CHIRALITY OF ALTERNATING KNOTS IN S × I

In this paper, we will explore the properties of knots that lie in a surface cross an interval. We show that any alternating knot nontrivially embedded in S × I is chiral. This demonstrates that knots in S × I behave differently from knots in the three sphere, where alternating knots (like the figure eight) can be amphichiral. We use a generalized Kauffman bracket polynomial, as well as geometric and covering space techniques.
Circulating CD20 is detectable in the plasma of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and is of prognostic significance

CD20 is a 33- to 36-kDa transmembrane phosphoprotein involved in the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of B lymphocytes. The predicted amino acid sequence of the CD20 suggests 4 transmembrane-spanning regions with both N- and C-termini located in the cytoplasm. We demonstrate herein that significant levels of circulating CD20 (cCD20) can be detected in the plasma of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and that cCD20 interferes with the binding of rituximab, a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, to CLL cells. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure circulating cCD20 levels in the plasma. We measured cCD20 levels in the plasma of 180 patients with CLL and correlated these levels with clinical characteristics and outcome. Circulating CD20 levels correlated positively with beta(2)-microglobulin level (p =.006) and percentage of CD38(+) cells (p =.03) and negatively with platelet count (p =.004) and hemoglobin level (p =.02). Patients with advanced Rai (III/IV) or Binet (C) stage disease had significantly higher levels of cCD20 than did patients with earlier-stage disease (P =.01 and P =.006, respectively). There was no correlation between cCD20 level and age, lymphocyte count, or white blood cell count. Using a recursive classification method, we found that patients with a cCD20 level more than 1875 nM/L had significantly shorter survival than those with cCD20 1875 nM/L or below (P =.01). The prognostic value of cCD20 was independent of Rai staging or hemoglobin level. Prospective evaluation is indicated to establish whether rituximab dosing should be adjusted according to cCD20 levels.
Report from the Field: Pimping Maria from Puebla to Panama: Peasants, Petroleum & Paramilitaries

Through participation in grassroots education workshops, conferences, and economic solidarity work, the author explores the expected impact of Plan Puebla de Panama on indigenous people in Chiapas, Mexico, as well as North-South resistance to militarization and neoliberal maldevelopment.
Remote sensing of the distribution and abundance of host species for spruce budworm in Northern Minnesota and Ontario

article Insects and disease affect large areas of forest in the U.S. and Canada. Understanding ecosystem impacts of such disturbances requires knowledge of host species distribution patterns on the landscape. In this study, we mapped the distribution and abundance of host species for the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) to facilitate landscape scale planning and modeling of outbreak dynamics. We used multi- temporal, multi-seasonal Landsat data and 128 ground truth plots (and 120 additional validation plots) to map basal area (BA), for 6.4 million hectares of forest in northern Minnesota and neighboring Ontario. Partial least-squares (PLS) regression was used to determine relationships between ground data and Landsat sensor data. Subsequently, BA was mapped for all forests, as well as for two specific host tree genera (Picea and Abies). These PLS regression analyses yielded estimates for overall forest BA with an R 2 of 0.62 and RMSE of 4.67 m 2 ha −1 (20% of measured BA), white spruce relative BA with an R 2 of 0.88 (RMSE=12.57 m 2 ha −1 (20% of measured)), and balsam fir relative BA with an R 2 of 0.64 (RMSE=6.08 m 2 ha −1 (33% of measured)). We also
Alternating irradiation and chemotherapy in stage III A and B nonsmall cell lung cancer: report of a cancer and Leukemia Group B phase II study 8636.

Abstract Purpose: A pilot trial testing the feasibility of chemotherapy and radiotherapy was done in Stage III A and B non-small cell lung cancer. The schedule was designed to be consistent with the laboratory model of Looney and Hopkins. Methods and Materials: Treatment began with thrice-per-day radiotherapy for 3 days (16.2 Gy/nine fractions), followed by chemotherapy (cis-platinum 100 mg/m2 day 10, and vinblastine 4 mg/m2 days 10 and 12). A second cycle started on day 22, a third on day 43, and a fourth on day 64. We treated three cohorts. The first cohort received three cycles of radiotherapy alone, (48.6 Gy). The second cohort received three completed cycles, and the third received three completed cycles and a fourth radiotherapy course (64.8 Gy). Patients were evaluated for toxicity, protocol compliance, response, and survival. Results: The patients in the first cohort experienced no toxicity. Fifty-six percent (56%) of the patients treated in cohort 2 experienced severe or life-threatening myelosuppression as did 82% of those in cohort 3. Nonhematologic toxicity was not severe; one case of Grade 3 esophagitis, one of reversible adult respiratory distress syndrome, and one radiation pneunomitis. We closed the trial after accrual to the third cohort because of significant myelosuppression. Conclusion: This schedule is too myelosuppressive to be used without modification.
TWO-GROUP NEUTRON-TRANSPORT THEORY: HALF-RANGE ORTHOGONALITY, NORMALIZATION INTEGRALS, APPLICATIONS, AND COMPUTATIONS.

A half-range orthogonality theorem concerning the established elementary solutions of the two-group neutron transport equation for isotropic scattering and plane geometry is proved. The orthogonality relations are based on a Chandrasekhar-type H-matrix, and all necessary normal- ization integrals are evaluated so that the desired expansion coefficients may be expressed concisely in terms of inner products. The half-range orthogonality theorem is used to construct tractable solutions to typical half-space problems. In addition, the required H-matrix is calculated to bench- mark accuracy, and explicit results for several quantities of interest are reported for the Milne, albedo and constant-source problems. ONE OF the principal merits of the singular-eigenfunction-expansion technique, introduced initially by CASE (1960) in regard to one-speed neutron-transport theory, is the systematic and classical manner in which solutions to boundary-value problems in particle transport theory are constructed. In general, we first construct a suffi- ciently general set of solutions, denoted as normal modes, to the homogeneous equation of transfer. To a resulting superposition (with arbitrary expansion coeffi- cients) we add a particular solution to account for any inhomogeneous source term, and we then constrain the complete solution to meet the boundary conditions of a specified problem. At this point, a completeness theorem (either full- or half-range) is proved, which in fact ensures that a sufficiently general set of normal modes has been obtained. In many cases (CASE and ZWEIFEL, 1967) the various completeness proofs are actually constructive, in that, in addition to proving an expansion theorem, we can construct analytical results for the desired expansion coefficients. KUSEER er al. (1964) were the first to observe that the results of the half- range completeness theorem related to one-speed theory could be expressed quite naturally in terms of scalar products based on the proof of a half-range orthogonality theorem. Though the results so expressed were, of course, identical to those patiently deduced from the completeness theorem, the use of orthogonality relations provided a significant impetus to a more universal appeal of the singular-eigenfunction method. We should like to demonstrate here the manner in which an orthogonality theorem for the two-group model can be used to codify the results of half-range normal-mode expansions. Half-range orthogonality relations related to the generalized picket-fence model in radiative transfer, a special case of multi-group neutron transport theory, have been reported by SIEWERT and ZWEIFEL (1966). There, because of the rather special structure of the picket-fence model, SIEWERT and ZWEIFEL (1966) obtained exact closed-form results and were able to express the half-range weight matrix solely in terms of scalar X- or H-functions (SIEWERT and ~~ZI$IK, 1969). For the general two-group model considered here, the weight function is written in terms of an H-matrix
Rho Activity Can Alter the Translation of p27 mRNA and Is Important for RasV12-induced Transformation in a Manner Dependent on p27 Status

The amount of p27Kip1establishes a threshold to which G1cyclin-cyclin-dependent kinase complexes must surpass prior to cells progressing into S-phase. The amount of p27 is greatest in G0 cells, intermediate in G1 cells, and lowest in S-phase cells. However, there is little known regarding the pathways and mechanisms controlling p27 accumulation in G0 cells. We report that inhibition of Rho, by either lovastatin or C3 exoenzyme, can increase the translational efficiency of p27 mRNA. Similar pharmacologic inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, the S6 kinase, and the Mek1 kinase pathways all fail to increase translational efficiency in MDA468 cells. This Rho-responsive element lies within a 300-nucleotide region at the 3′-end of the mRNA. By supporting the significance of this signaling pathway to Rho function, we showed that the suppression of RasV12 transformation by RhoAN19 is blocked in p27−/− cells. In contrast this activity is not blocked in Rb−/− orp16−/− cells. The resistance of p27−/−cells to RhoAN19 is not associated with a failure of RhoAN19 to accumulate to amounts sufficient to block Rho activity as measured by the organization of actin stress fibers. Together these results indicate a link between Rho and p27.
A bio-inspired event-driven digital readout architecture with pixel-level A/D conversion and non-uniformity correction

We present a bio-inspired readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for visible and infrared image sensors. At the system level, the architecture relies on an event based readout scheme where only pixels within a programmable range of photon flux rates are output. At the pixel level, a one bit oversampled analogto-digital converter together with a decimator allows for the quantization of signals up to 26 bits. Furthermore, digital non-uniformity correction of both gain and offset errors is applied at the pixel level prior to readout. We present results from a prototype 126×128 array fabricated in a standard 90nm CMOS process.
Clinical significance of sperm antibodies in infertile couples.

A study was conducted to delineate the clinical significance of sperm antibodies in infertile couples. 377 couples who were examined for immunologic infertility between October 1 1967 and August 31 1970 at the University of Michigan Medical Center were sent questionnaires for 2-year follow-up to evaluate subsequent pregnancy rates. 198 couples (52.5%) responded. Of these 159 had negative sperm antibody testing. The pregnancy rate for this group was 51.6%. The pregnancy rate for the 39 couples who had positive sperm antibody tests was 38.5%. 2 of 7 women with circulating sperm-immobilizing antibody became pregnant whereas 8 of 12 women with a sperm-agglutinating antibody were pregnant. Of the 13 husbands who had positive sperm antibody tests 4 of the 8 with only a sperm-agglutinating antibody fathered a child and 5 with either a sperm-immobilizing or both sperm-agglutinating and sperm-immobilizing antibodies did not father any children. These data support those of former investigators who suggested that a sperm-immobilizing antibody is one which impairs fertility.
Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Settlement: Challenges for the TJ Lawyer

Therapeutic jurisprudence has spawned a reconceptualization of the role of the lawyer. It envisions lawyers who practice their profession with an ethic of care, enhanced interpersonal skills, a sensitivity to their clients' emotional wellbeing as well as their legal rights and interests, and a preventive law orientation that seeks to avoid legal problems. This chapter explores the role of the lawyer representing a client in a potential or actual civil dispute. If litigation can be avoided, the client most often will be much better off. Yet, the client will often bring to the law office a variety of emotional responses to the controversy that can make settlement quite difficult.These include anger at the adversary and denial about what has happened or the extent to which the client is at fault. How can the lawyer reduce the client's emotional stress and facilitate her ability to resolve the conflict and experience psychological healing? How can the lawyer deal with the client's anger and denial so as to make settlement possible? This chapter discusses how the lawyer can deal with these psychological barriers to settlement.
Conservation Easements, Common Sense and the Charitable Trust Doctrine

Being on the receiving end of Nancy McLaughlin’s and William Weeks’s “response” reminds me of a story attributed to Abraham Lincoln about a man being ridden out of town on a rail who, according to Lincoln’s story, said “If it weren’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk.” Having just re-read Hicks v. Dowd: The End of Perpetuity (hereinafter “Perpetuity”), I believe that it stands up satisfactorily under the criticism lodged against it by In Defense of Conservation Easements: A Response to The End of Perpetuity (hereinafter “Defense”), and I hope that those who read Defense will read, or re-read, Perpetuity. However, Defense calls for a brief surrebuttal; not only to correct the record, but also because it is likely that the unfortunate termination of a conservation easement by Johnson Wyoming LaW RevieW
Red Light-Induced Shift of the Fluence-Response Curve for First Positive Phototropic Curvature of Maize Coleoptiles

The fluence-response curve for first positive phototropic curvature of dark-grown oat or maize coleoptiles is shifted to higher fluences when the seedlings are exposed to red light (R) prior to phototropic induction with blue light (B) (review: [3]). In the work with maize coleoptiles, it has been shown that R given immediately before the phototropic induction is ineffective, and periods over 1 h are needed for full induction of the shift effect [1]. In the same report, it has also been shown that only a very low fluence of R is needed for the saturation of the effect. The action spectrum for this shift effect is in agreement with the assumption that it is mediated by phytochrome [2]. On the other hand, the R induction was reversible by a subsequent far-red light (FR)pulse although the latter light pulse established more Pfr than the inductive light pulse. The result lead to the notion of a paradox. We have reinvestigated the problem of the shift effect with particular respect to relationships between R fluences and the response.
Dissent, Democratic Participation, and First Amendment Methodology

Too many values interact in too many complicated ways to expect that a single value, or small set of values, would emerge as the transcendent master value in resolving freedom of speech questions. Because of this, an eclectic approach is both the most descriptive and the best normative methodology with which to approach free speech issues. It follows that a politically centered approach to the First Amendment is overly limited. Indeed, I will argue that if one is forced to find a center for the First Amendment, the protection and promotion of dissent is far more promising.
Stirling’s Formula for Gamma Functions, Bounds for Ratios of Gamma Functions, Beta Functions and Percentiles of a Studentized Sample Mean: A Synthesis with New Results

In the context of Stirling’s formula for gamma functions and bounds for ratios of gamma functions, this work has a threefold purpose: (1) Outline recently published literature; (2) Synthesize techniques and results from Bhattacharjee and Mukhopadhyay (Commun Stat, Theory & Methods 39:1046–1053, 2010) and Mukhopadhyay (Commun Stat, Theory & Methods 40:1283–1297, 2011) which have gone perhaps unnoticed by some recent researchers; and (3) Incorporate new results for beta functions and useful bounds for the percentiles of a Studentized sample mean obtained from a normal distribution. This synthesized review may help in gaining a wider perspective about this area.
The Fossil Avifauna of Itchtucknee River, Florida

The Itchtucknee River is located in Columbia County, and flows southward into the Santa Fe River. The former stream is crossed by U.S. Highway 27 one mile east of Hi]dreth. Together with its several spring-fed tributaries, the Itchtucknee River has proved to be a rich source of fossil remains. The first extensive collecting of fossil vertebrates in this area was done by the ]ate ]. Clarence Simpson of the Florida State Geological Survey. George Gaylord Simpson (1929, 1930) reported on the Pleistocene mammals of the area. Wetmore (1931) previously worked on fossil avian remains, from materia] supplied by the Florida State Geological Survey. This material was, in large part, reexamined and is included in this report. The present study is also based on materials in the collections of Pierce Brodkorb, the Florida State Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and my own collections. A total of 390 elements was identified. Catalog numbers mentioned in the text are preceded by the letter V when referring to Florida Geological specimens, and PB when referring to the Brodkorb collection.
Characterization of volatile compounds in Chinese rice wine by static headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The volatile compounds in Chinese rice wine were analyzed by static headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.The headspace conditions were optimized by single factor experiments as follows: 5ml sample in 10ml vial,2.0g NaCl,extraction time 30min and extraction temperature 60℃.A total of 26 compounds were detected and identified by GC-MS,and most of them were esters and alcohols.
Mispairing and compensational changes during the evolution of mitochondrial ribosomal RNA.

Understanding rates and patterns of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) nucleotide change is important for understanding RNA structure/function relationships ( Brimacombe et al. 1986; Stem et al. 1988), for predicting higher-order rRNA tertiary and RNAprotein interactions (Zuker and Stiegler 198 1; Freier et al. 1986 ), for studies of rRNA molecular evolution (Gerbi 1985; Gutell et al. 1985; Rousset et al. 1991), and for accurate phylogenetic analysis based on rRNA primary sequences (Wheeler and Honeycutt 1988; Smith 1989). rRNA secondary structure is highly conserved across widely divergent taxa, despite considerable variation at the primary-sequence level (Gerbi 1985; Gutell et al. 1985; Engberg et al. 1990). Within a particular rRNA gene, variation in the rate of primary-sequence evolution exists, with single-stranded loops evolving more rapidly than do presumed double-stranded stems (Tanhauser 1985). This result is expected if the complementary base for a particular stem position exerts some constraint on the allowable evolution in its opposite, paired member. Such constraint has been demonstrated for the 5s rRNA gene, where evolution in the stem regions is highly directed (Wheeler and Honeycutt 1988). Constraint on the evolutionary freedom of rRNA stem positions may be assessed by investigating the degree to which changes in one nucleotide of a stem base pair are compensated in the other member of the base pair (Wheeler and Honeycutt 1988). In addition, characterizing persistent mispairings may provide some insights into selective pressures on rRNA molecules. Here we present such an investigation for the 12s rRNA genes of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from an assortment of artiodactyls. This order of eutherian mammals has a diversity of extant and fossil species, thereby presenting a series of relatively well-dated cladogenetic events covering a large time range and several hierarchical taxonomic levels (Miyamoto et al., accepted). The tree topology and times of divergence used to study the evolution of artiodactyl 12s rRNAs are shown in figure 1. The topology for bovines (Miyamoto et al. 1989), cervids (Miyamoto et al. 1990)) and higher-level pecoran relationships (Simpson 1945; Janis and Scott 1987; Gentry and Hooker 1988) is based only on unambiguously well-diagnosed lineages. Dates of hypothetical common ancestors are those justified previously by Miyamoto et al. (accepted). The sequences themselves are from previous studies (Anderson et al. 1982; Tanhauser 1985; Miyamoto et al. 1990; Kraus and Miyamoto 199 1) . Fifty-one stems were identified by using the secondary-structure model of Gutell et al. ( 1985), except that eight pairs of stems, separated by a single base pair in that model, were each joined together to form eight composite stems, for a total of 43 stems. Twenty-nine of these stems contained 79 pairs of nucleotides that were variable in at least one taxon. We optimized these 79 nucleotide pairs on the tree of figure 1 by using the computer program PAUP [ Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony, ver-
Performance of the ATLAS calorimeter trigger in the LHC Run 1 data taking period

The ATLAS detector operated very successfully at the LHC Run 1 data taking period collecting a large number of events used for different physics analyses, such as the ones leading to the discovery of the Higgs boson as well as for the search for beyond the Standard Model physics. In the main search channels related to the finding of the Higgs, the ATLAS calorimeter system played a major role by measuring the energy of photons, electrons, jets, taus and neutrinos, via missing transverse energy measurement.
Manual search approaches used by systematic reviewers in dermatology.

Objective: Manual searches are supplemental approaches to database searches to identify additional primary studies for systematic reviews. The authors argue that these manual approaches, in particular hand-searching and perusing reference lists, are often considered the same yet lead to different outcomes. Methods: We conducted a PubMed search for systematic reviews in the top 10 dermatology journals (January 2006–January 2016). After screening, the final sample comprised 292 reviews. Statements related to manual searches were extracted from each review and categorized by the primary and secondary authors. Each statement was categorized as either ‘‘Search of Reference List,’’ ‘‘Hand Search,’’ ‘‘Both,’’ or ‘‘Unclear.’’ Results: Of the 292 systematic reviews included in our sample, 143 reviews (48.97%) did not report a hand-search or scan of reference lists. One-hundred thirty-six reviews (46.58%) reported searches of reference lists, while 4 reviews (1.37%) reported systematic hand-searches. Three reviews (1.03%) reported use of both hand-searches and scanning reference lists. Six reviews (2.05%) were classified as unclear due to vague wording. Conclusions: Authors of systematic reviews published in dermatology journals in our study sample scanned reference lists more frequently than they conducted hand-searches, possibly contributing to biased search outcomes. We encourage systematic reviewers to routinely practice hand-searching in order to minimize bias.
Endogenous Glucocorticoid Deficiency in Psoriasis Promotes Inflammation and Abnormal Differentiation

The factors involved in maintaining a localized inflammatory state in psoriatic skin remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate through metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling marked suppression of glucocorticoid biosynthesis in the epidermis of psoriatic skin leading to localized deficiency of cortisol. Utilizing a 3D human epidermis model, we demonstrate that glucocorticoid biosynthesis is suppressed by proinflammatory cytokines and that glucocorticoid deficiency promotes inflammatory responses in keratinocytes. Finally, we show in vitro and in vivo that treatment with topical glucocorticoids leads to rapid restoration of glucocorticoid biosynthesis gene expression coincident with normalization of epidermal differentiation and suppression of inflammatory responses. Taken together, our data suggest that localized glucocorticoid deficiency in psoriatic skin interferes with epidermal differentiation and promotes a sustained and localized inflammatory response. This may shed new light on the mechanism of action of topical steroids, and demonstrates the critical role of endogenous steroid in maintaining both inflammatory and differentiation homeostasis in the epidermis.
Land and Land Tenure

In both traditional and modernizing agriculture, area and quality of land farmed is the principal determinant of income potential. The essence of modernization is a large sustained increase in crop yields. That potential is influenced by the characteristics of land in traditional agriculture. This chapter describes characteristics of land, systems of land tenure, the potential for increasing land area, and sustainability and environmental issues in land preservation. Large-scale feudal farming once dominated large areas but now have mostly been converted to small commercial farms through radical changes in government. Systems dominated by small commercial farmers are most suitable to rapid agricultural growth and to poverty reduction.
Not all operative experiences are created equal: a 19-year analysis of a single center's case logs.

Abstract Background Although national operative volumes have remained stable, surgical educators should appreciate the changing experience of today's surgical residents. We set out to evaluate operative volume trends at our institution and study the impact of resident learning styles on operative experience. Materials and methods The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education operative log data from 1999 to 2017 for a single general surgery residency program were examined. All residents completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression analysis, Student's t-test, and Fischer's exact test. Results Over the study period, 106 general surgery residents graduated from our program. There were 87% action learners and 13% observation learners. Although there was no change in total major, total chief, or total non-chief cases, a decrease in teaching assistant cases was observed. Subcategory analysis revealed that there was an increase in operative volume on graduation in the following categories: skin, soft tissue, and breast; alimentary tract; abdomen; pancreas; operative trauma; pediatric; basic laparoscopy; complex laparoscopy; and endoscopy with a concurrent decrease in liver, vascular, and endocrine. Learning style analysis found that action learners completed significantly more cases than observation learners in most domains in which operative volume increased. Conclusions While the operative volume at our center remained stable over the study period, the experience of general surgery residents has become narrowed toward a less subspecialized, general surgery experience. These shifts may disproportionally impact trainees as observation learners operate less than action learners. Residency programs should therefore incorporate methods such as learning style assessment to identify residents at risk of a suboptimal experience.
The Foundations of Probability

1. From Economics of Space and Time to the Foundations of Probability. My book (Faden, 1977, abbreviated EST) scarcely mentions probability, and yet in retrospect there is a clear path from EST to the present essay. Let me begin, then, by tracing this path.
Alcohol use and cognitive functioning in men and women college students.

Two studies of the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning in men and women college students are presented. Study 1 showed several predicted relationships of decreased cognitive performance on various tests with increased quantity of alcohol per occasion and total lifetime consumption in both women and men. Study 2a was designed to replicate study 1, but the pattern of relationship of cognitive and consumption variables was quite different, e.g., increased cognitive performance was associated with increased quantity per occasion for several tests in males. Study 2b was designed to demonstrate reversibility of the negative effects of consumption on cognition by randomly assigning half of the subjects to abstain for two weeks. Reversibility was not demonstrated. Difficulties in studying these effects in college students are discussed.
A Mathematical Theory of Fuzzy Numbers

The essence of granular computing GrC is to replace the concept of points in classical mathematics by that of granules. Usual fuzzy number systems are obtained by using type I fuzzy sets as granules. These fuzzy number systems have a common weakness - lack of existence theorem. Let R be the real number system, the trapezoidal membership functions at r∈R is a base of fuzzified topological neighborhood system FNSr. By taking FNSr as the granule, a new but not type I fuzzy number system $\mathcal{F}$ is formed. Surprisingly, we have found that such a new $\mathcal{F}$ is abstractly isomorphic to the classical real number system.
Adult Stem Cell-Based Strategies for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) occur as the result of sudden trauma and can lead to life-long disability, reduced quality of life, and heavy economic and social burdens. Although the peripheral nervous system (PNS) has the intrinsic capacity to regenerate and regrow axons to a certain extent, current treatments frequently show incomplete recovery with poor functional outcomes, particularly for large PNI. Many surgical procedures are available to halt the propagation of nerve damage, and the choice of a procedure depends on the extent of the injury. In particular, recovery from large PNI gaps is difficult to achieve without any therapeutic intervention or some form of tissue/cell-based therapy. Autologous nerve grafting, considered the “gold standard” is often implemented for treatment of gap formation type PNI. Although these surgical procedures provide many benefits, there are still considerable limitations associated with such procedures as donor site morbidity, neuroma formation, fascicle mismatch, and scarring. To overcome such restrictions, researchers have explored various avenues to improve post-surgical outcomes. The most commonly studied methods include: cell transplantation, growth factor delivery to stimulate regenerating axons and implanting nerve guidance conduits containing replacement cells at the site of injury. Replacement cells which offer maximum benefits for the treatment of PNI, are Schwann cells (SCs), which are the peripheral glial cells and in part responsible for clearing out debris from the site of injury. Additionally, they release growth factors to stimulate myelination and axonal regeneration. Both primary SCs and genetically modified SCs enhance nerve regeneration in animal models; however, there is no good source for extracting SCs and the only method to obtain SCs is by sacrificing a healthy nerve. To overcome such challenges, various cell types have been investigated and reported to enhance nerve regeneration.
Characterization of traps in InAlN by optically and thermally stimulated deep level defect spectroscopies

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS) were used to characterize defect states throughout the bandgap of unintentionally-doped InxAl1−xN grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition for x = 0.18 (nominally lattice-matched) and x = 0.15 compositions. DLTS revealed broad peaks with energy levels of EC − 0.23 eV and 0.38 eV for In0.18Al0.82N and In0.15Al0.85N, respectively, tracking the difference in their conduction band minima [S. Schulz et al., Appl. Phys. Express 6, 121001 (2013)]. Capture kinetics studies revealed logarithmic filling behavior, which with the broad peaks, implies that an extended defect source is likely, consistent with threading dislocation densities (TDD) of ∼1 × 109 cm−2 measured for both structures. However, the trap concentration did not track the detailed TDD variation but instead followed the background oxygen content, which varied between 1.2 × 1018 cm−3 and 1.8 × 1018 cm−3 for the samples. Taken together with the logarithmic capture kinetics, this implies that dislocation-oxygen complexes could be the source for this trap. In spite of the high oxygen content in the samples, this state did not reveal DX-like behavior, supporting the assertion of an oxygen-dislocation complex as its likely source. DLOS also revealed additional states at EC − 1.63 eV, 2.09 eV, and 3.59 eV for In0.18Al0.82N and analogous states at EC − 1.70 eV, 2.70 eV, and 3.90 eV within In0.15Al0.85N. Lighted capacitance-voltage measurements indicated that the near mid-gap (EC − 2.09 eV and 2.70 eV) and near valence band (EC − 3.59 eV and 3.90 eV) states are their primary sources for carrier compensation.
Optimal Control Scheme for Single-Stage Dual-Active-Bridge AC-DC Converter

This paper proposes an optimal control for a high step-down ratio single-stage AC-DC converter based on dual-active-bridge (DAB) topology and enhancement mode GaN FET. AC bridge working principle and clamping capacitor operation strategies is introduced. Zero voltage switching (ZVS) condition is analyzed to improve efficiency during whole line period. Optimal control for maximum turn-off current optimization in both variable frequency and fixed frequency condition is explored to reduce switching loss for low voltage DC side transistors. A $240V_{\text{RMS}}$ AC-48V DC, 80–250 $k$ Hz prototype was developed to verify the novel converter.