cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cancers of the Brain and Central Nervous System

This chapter reviews the anatomy of the brain and spinal cord. In addition, students are questioned regarding the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancers of the brain and central nervous system. Specific questions regarding the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of these cancers are included.
On the Spectrum of a Hamiltonian System with Two Singular Endpoints

In this paper we connect the pole structure of the Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficients with the spectrum of a Hamiltonian system which is singular at each end of an interval. Characterizations are given for the resolvent set, point spectrum, continuous spectrum and point-continuous spectrum. We allow the system to be of either limit point or limit circle type at each end.
Switched Allpass-to-Bandstop Absorptive Filters With Constant Group Delay

A new reconfigurable bandstop filter class is proposed, which has the unique property of possessing multiple insertion loss states with a common group delay state. These filters switch between a low-insertion-loss allpass state and a high-rejection bandstop state. The theory, synthesis, and design of these filters are presented. As a demonstration of the concept, a fourth-order constant-group-delay switched bandstop filter microstrip prototype was designed, built, and tested. The prototype has a measured bandstop-state center frequency of 1000 MHz, a 3-dB bandwidth of 119.15 MHz, a stopband rejection of 32.52 dB, a maximum allpass-state insertion loss of 4.08 dB, and a negligible group delay variation between the two states.
Assessment of the mammary system.

Physical and mammary gland examination findings must be integrated to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. The mammary gland is examined by visual inspection, palpation, observation of the udder secretion, and, if necessary, biochemical, histologic, and microbiologic examination of milk samples. These techniques and antibiotic residue tests are discussed.
A Cause Beyond Ourselves

The chapter introduces five early career teachers whose backgrounds and educational experiences draw them to teach in some of the most underserved urban communities in the United States. Among the many challenges of urban education are high rates of attrition among new teachers that limit students’ access to high-quality teaching. This precipitates a need to understand the views and experiences of our most promising new teachers who are oriented toward social equity. Their narratives, which appear in subsequent chapters, reveal their beliefs about teaching, their instructional practices, and their efforts to develop their students’ literacy capacities. Research on cultural responsiveness, social justice, and critical caring can inform an agenda for preparing and supporting early career teachers in urban and under-resourced schools. The chapter addresses these perspectives and provides research that shows how teachers acquire them over time and across activity settings. It also addresses the significance of teacher narrative as a form of inquiry, how teachers were selected for this project, and how their narrative writing evolved.
Regulatory B cell development by helminth-derived antigens

Infection with the helminth Schistosoma mansoni drives the development of IL-10-producing regulatory B cells (Breg cells) which suppress experimental allergic airway inflammation. Here we investigated whether schistosomal egg antigens (SEA) directly interact with B cells and induce development of IL-10-producing Breg cells. Splenic B cell cytokine production and regulatory capacity was analysed after repeated intraperitoneal injection of SEA into C57BL/6 mice. To identify cell types that bind SEA in vivo, mice were intravenously injected with fluorescently labeled SEA and spleens analysed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. For in vitro assays, naive CD19 sorted splenic B cells were cultured with SEA to study binding as well as B cell cytokines and regulatory capacity. SEA treatment upregulated IL-10, CD40 and CD86 expression by splenic marginal zone (MZ) B cells in vivo, and MZ B cells as well as MZ macrophages bound SEA. Importantly, SEA could also induce Breg cell development in vitro which was further increased by CD40 ligation, whereas TLR2- and TLR4-signaling was not involved. SEA-induced Breg cells triggered regulatory T cell development and suppressed T cell IFN-γ production in co-culture experiments. Macrophages were dispensable for Breg induction as shown by macrophage depletion in SEA-treated mice. In conclusion, schistosomal egg antigens can drive Breg cell development by targeting B cells directly. Current work focuses on the identification of relevant molecules in SEA and the role of pattern-recognition receptors to provide new insights in the generation of Breg cells. This may form a basis for novel therapies against allergic disorders by enhancing Breg cell activity.
Role of c-myc in Myeloid Differentiation, Growth Arrest and Apoptosis

Hematopoiesis is a profound example of cell homeostasis which is regulated throughout life, whereby a hierarchy of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the bone marrow (BM) proliferate and terminally differentiate along multiple, distinct cell lineages. This includes the proliferation and differentiation of myeloid precursor cells into granulocytes and macrophages (33, 40, 42). Clearly, a variety of control mechanisms are needed to maintain steady state levels of mature blood cells, as well as to stimulate the rapid production of specific cell types as needed. To achieve this requires the participation of many factors, including positive and negative regulators of growth and differentiation, which determine survival, growth stimulation, differentiation, functional activation, and programmed cell death (apoptosis) (41, 44).
Adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the treatment of gastric cancer at risk for peritoneal carcinomatosis: A systematic review

The peritoneal surface is a frequent site of recurrence following surgery for gastric cancer. A systematic review and random effect analysis was undertaken to analyze current literature regarding the role of adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy in gastric cancer. While pooled analysis supports the use of adjuvant IP chemotherapy in resectable gastric cancer, maximal benefit occured with intra-operative delivery, and possibly the use of MMC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2017;115:192-201. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling in Pancreas Development and Pancreatic Disease

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) proteins have key roles in development of the pancreas, which is a complex exocrine and endocrine gland that controls many homeostatic functions. Expression levels of several components of the TGF-β signaling pathway are altered during pancreatic cancer progression, including that of the TGF-β ligands, TGF-β receptors and the inhibitory Smads, Smad6 and Smad7. Mutations in a critical TGF-β signal transducer protein, Smad4 (encoded by the deleted in pancreatic cancer 4 (DPC4) locus), are observed during late stages of 50–70% pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Together, these observations suggest that modulating the activity of TGF-β may offer a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention. Although TGF-β still remains elusive in terms of our understanding of its multifunctional modes of action, especially with regards to its dual role as a tumor suppressor and a promoter of metastases, research is moving closer to the design of approaches directed toward modulating its activities for therapeutic benefit.
An Institutional Field of People Living with HIV/AIDS Organizations in Tanzania: Agency, Culture, Dialogue, and Structure

Communication research on public health organizations and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have paid insufficient attention to PLWHA organizations. These organizations, constituted and operated by PLWHA, advocate on behalf of PLWHA with more powerful institutions in society and serve as sources of empowerment and support. I drew on the culture-centered approach to health communication and institutional perspectives on health organizations to explore PLWHA organizations in Tanzania, namely their cultural and structural contexts, agency, and dialogue. Tanzania has 1.5 million PLWHA and a 5.3% adult prevalence rate that ranks it as 12th highest in the world. Through interviews with leaders of 10 PLWHA organizations, I found a cultural context of HIV stigma and discrimination, a structural context consisting of both corruption and bureaucratic politics in governing bodies as well as lack of access to resources, agency to impact PLWHA and members of society in a variety of ways, and processes of dialogue within advocacy networks of PLWHA organizations and in network collaborations with the government. I conclude with implications for improving the organizations’ interactions with their structural context and for developing the contribution from the culture-centered approach to health communication on structures-as-health-organizations-and-systems.
Soul-making theodicy and compatibilism: new problems and a new interpretation

In the elaboration of his soul-making theodicy, John Hick agrees with a controversial point made by compatibilists Antony Flew and John Mackie against the free will defense. Namely, Hick grants that God could have created humans such that they would be free to sin but would, in fact, never do so. In this paper, I identify three previously unrecognized problems that arise from his initial concession to, and ultimate rejection of, compatibilism. The first problem stems from the fact that in two important texts, Hick rejects compatibilism (after having endorsed it as effective against the free will defense) for different and seemingly contradictory reasons. His various explanations of soul-making theodicy’s relationship to compatibilism are therefore in conflict. The second problem is closely related to the first. It turns out that when Hick’s concession to compatibilism is closely examined, soul-making theodicy appears unable to explain the existence of moral evil. The final problem consists in understanding why Hick would have made any concessions to compatibilism in the first place given that he ultimately opts for incompatibilist free will. After identifying these three problems, I develop a distinctive way in which to interpret Hick’s soul-making theodicy that solves the first two. This distinctive interpretation, moreover, has the added benefit of solving another, well-recognized problem that has long plagued Hick’s exposition: the problem of the hypnotist metaphor. Finally, I address the third problem by suggesting a rationale for Hick’s initial concession to the compatibilists.
Roles of p53 in extrinsic factor-induced liver carcinogenesis

Liver cancer remains one of the most common human cancers with a high mortality rate. Therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain ineffective, due to the heterogeneity of HCC with regard to both the etiology and mutation spectrum, as well as its chemotherapy resistant nature; thus surgical resection and liver transplantation remain the gold standard of patient care. The most common etiologies of HCC are extrinsic factors. Humans have multiple defense mechanisms against extrinsic factor-induced carcinogenesis, of which tumor suppressors play crucial roles in preventing normal cells from becoming cancerous. The tumor suppressor p53 is one of the most frequently mutated genes in liver cancer. p53 regulates expression of genes involved in cell cycle progression, cell death, and cellular metabolism to avert tumor development due to carcinogens. This review article mainly summarizes extrinsic factors that induce liver cancer and potentially have etiological association with p53, including aflatoxin B1, vinyl chloride, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, iron overload, and infection of hepatitis viruses.
Choosing ibrutinib wisely

In this issue of Blood , Bartlett et al share their experience with the use of ibrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). 1
Human-Agent Collaborative Decision-Making Framework for Naval Systems

This work provides an overview of a future human-agent collaborative decision-making framework to be developed for naval systems using an augmented reality platform. We present the basic concept behind the framework, key features of the application, and some details about a future proof of concept prototype that will demonstrate and evaluate the concept against a baseline design.
Healed Myocardial Infarction

Among the many devastating complications of healed myocardial infarction is heart failure (HF). Despite its ubiquitous role in causing death and disability around the globe, HF is quite difficult to define. It has a great deal of heterogeneity, can be acute or chronic, may involve primarily the left ventricle or right ventricle (or both), can be associated with a low or normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and has numerous causes. This chapter focuses on HF due to chronic coronary artery disease (CAD).
Fatal familial cardiac arrhythmias: Histologic observations on the cardiac conduction system☆

Abstract Alternating bidirectional tachycardia leading to death during attempted suppressive therapy was observed in a 16 year old girl without prior clinical evidence of cardiac disease. At autopsy, there was fatty and mononuclear cell infiltration in the atrioventricular conduction system and the main left bundle branch. A similar arrhythmia has been documented in an 18 year old sister who died suddenly 9 months after discovery of her arrhythmia; autopsy revealed no gross cardiac abnormality although the conduction system was not studied. A brother, 21 years old, and the mother of the propositus, aged 45 years, also exhibited ventricular bigeminal rhythm, and a maternal uncle and grandmother had died suddenly, the latter with knowledge of an irregular heart beat. Q-T interval prolongation and auditory defects were not found. Histopathologic changes in the heart and in the conduction system in the propositus support the concept of the origin of the arrhythmia in degenerative change of the conduction system having a genetic base in this kindred.
The Release of Nitrogenous Substances by Brewers' Yeast1

(1961). The Release of Nitrogenous Substances by Brewers' Yeast. Proceedings. Annual meeting - American Society of Brewing Chemists: Vol. 19, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting 1961, pp. 103-118.
DNA mismatch repair deficiency but not ARID1A loss is associated with prognosis in small intestinal adenocarcinoma.

Summary Small intestinal adenocarcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm with poor prognosis. It is clinically approached similarly to colorectal carcinoma (CRC). The prognostic value of DNA mismatch repair protein deficiency (dMMR) in CRC is well established, but its role in small intestinal adenocarcinoma remains inconclusive. Recently, loss of expression of ARID1A, a tumor suppressor gene product, by immunohistochemistry (IHC) was linked to dMMR and poor outcome in small intestinal adenocarcinoma, suggesting that it may be an emerging prognostic biomarker. We hypothesized that dMMR and/or ARID1A loss may be associated with clinical outcome in small intestinal adenocarcinoma. We examined dMMR and ARID1A loss by IHC in 120 surgically resected, nonampullary small intestinal adenocarcinomas collected from 2 tertiary centers. ARID1A loss was detected in 6 (7%) of 92 ARID1A-stained adenocarcinomas, whereas 21 (18%) of 120 adenocarcinomas demonstrated dMMR. ARID1A loss was not associated with survival or dMMR. dMMR adenocarcinomas had no distant metastasis, whereas 22 (22%) of 99 MMR-proficient adenocarcinomas had (P = .01). dMMR was an independent, positive predictor of disease-free survival (P = .035, hazard ratio: 0.2). Compared with dMMR CRC, dMMR small intestinal adenocarcinomas more frequently demonstrated loss of MSH2 and MSH6 and less often showed loss of MLH1 and PMS2 (both P
Translational Nanodiagnostics for In Vivo Cancer Detection

Nanotechnology-enabled tools and techniques have revolutionized the field of analytical assays with significantly increased sensitivity for in vitro and in vivo measurements of biomolecules for early detection of disease and evaluation of therapeutic efficacy – termed nanodiagnostics. With the ability to detect low-abundant biomolecules below the conventional detection limits in small biological samples, in vitro nanodiagnostics are poised to have a significant impact on cancer prevention and precision medicine. However, in vitro nanodiagnostics do not give detailed anatomical information which can only be available through in vivo imaging. In this regard, nanoparticles can play an important role in the diagnosis of cancers, both as imaging contrast agents for almost every existing modality and as “theranostic” agents, able to serve both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Even though newer generation powerful medical imaging tools and methods have been developed and accepted in the clinics, in vivo nanodiagnostics have not enjoyed a smooth path in clinical translation. In addition to the known difficulty of inconsistent NP production, several reasons can attribute to such shortcomings. Some examples include in vivo distribution and toxicity (e.g., quantum dots), lack of market viability (e.g., iron oxide nanoparticles), and lack of gold standards and validations (e.g., imaging biomarkers). In this chapter, we briefly review the nanoparticles that have been developed for diagnostic or theranostic purposes by modality. We also discuss established and emerging nanomedicines for diagnostics and challenges faced in the development of these nanoparticle diagnostic agents, as well as future perspectives for the field in clinical applications.
Review: Shadow-Makers: A Cultural History of Shadows in Architecture, by Stephen Kite

Stephen Kite Shadow-Makers: A Cultural History of Shadows in Architecture London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016, 331 pp., 125 b/w illus. $43 (paper), ISBN 9781472588098 In his excellent collection of essays Shadow-Makers , Stephen Kite proposes to bring shadows “out of the shadows” (5)—a reasonable objective, given that architecture in recent years has been slanted toward the making of great, illuminated spaces, shiny surfaces, and the minimization of darkness and all manner of unhygienic stuff. “Shadow has had a ‘bad’ press” (7), Kite claims, at least since Plato's cave parable in the Republic , in which confined prisoners know reality only through shadows cast by activities they cannot directly see. As shadows take on a life dissociated from their sources and the light that cast them, they become untethered from reality, and it becomes difficult to verify their truth. The cultural associations of darkness are often negative and include—as we know even without reading this book—the unknown, the sinister, ignorance, dirtiness, ugliness, sadness, unhealthiness, chaos, perdition, and evil. Kite finds the sources of our built shadow world and affirms their connections to constructed reality such that they are no longer sinister; rather, as Kite notes, citing Louis Kahn, they illustrate that shadow belongs to light (288). No wonder we fear the dark. We know our world as a light-filled place interrupted by darkness, and we link gloom with specific places: caves, basements, attics, crypts, and the underground. But in the history of art and architecture, and on our better days, this menu of nastiness confronts a greater truth: the universe is a beautiful, dark place, with remarkable occasions of light and gradations of shadow. Some cultures have recognized this, seeing black as representative of creativity and fertility, as did ancient Egyptians, for whom black represented …
DIFFUSE CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND LESS STABLE PLAQUE MORPHOLOGIES ARE MORE PREVALENT IN ASYMPTOMATIC BIOPSY-PROVEN NAFLD PATIENTS: RESULTS FROM THE PROSPECTIVE PREVALENCE STUDY

Retrospective data suggests a correlation between the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) in symptomatic patients. We prospectively enrolled 835 asymptomatic patients without a history of prior liver disease or alcohol ingestion
Financial Distress, Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide among American College Students

Abstract Introduction: Despite the established link between financial distress as a proxy of poor Socio-Economic Status (SES) and poor mental health in the general population, less is known about this link on college campuses in the United States. In a national sample, the current study investigated the associations between financial distress and poor mental health of American undergraduate college students. Methods: Data came from the Healthy Mind Study (HMS, 2016–2017), a national mental health survey of college students in the U.S. The current analysis included 3,598 adult undergraduate college students who were enrolled full time to a bachelor’s degree, were not an international student, and did not identify as a sexual minority. Main independent variable was financial distress and first-generation status. Covariates were age, gender, race, ethnicity, year in the program, and transfer status. Outcomes were symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Linear regression models were applied for data analyses. Results: Financial distress but not first-generation status were associated with higher symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicide. The effects of financial distress on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation were independent of all covariates. Conclusions: College students with financial difficulty are at an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide. Mental health promotion programs should specifically address mental health needs of low SES students including individuals with financial difficulties.
The Nature of Reasonableness

Though the notion of reasonableness dominates Anglo-American law, its meaning has been clouded by traditional conceptual analysis. This Essay argues that greater clarity can be gained by taking a scientific approach to the subject, exposing the natural foundations beneath the concept’s varied interpretations.
Elementary ESOL and Content Teachers' Resilient Co-Teaching Practices: A Long-Term Analysis.

New York State adopted regulations that mandate collaboration among ESOL and content teachers in integrated periods where ELLs are mainstreamed into general education classes. We documented trends ...
Who Will Board a Sinking Ship? a Firm–Director Interdependence Perspective of Mutual Selection between Declining Firms and Director Candidates

We develop a firm–director interdependence perspective to theorize director appointments as the outcome of a mutual selection process in which firms and director candidates select each other based ...
Respecting Disability Rights - Toward Improved Crisis Standards of Care.

Respecting Disability Rights Disability rights advocates have filed complaints regarding crisis standards of care put forth by several U.S. states. Policymakers and hospitals can take key steps to ...
Pregnancy following fertility-sparing surgery for early-stage ovarian cancer is not associated with poor obstetric outcomes

Objectives: While ovarian cancer is most frequently diagnosed in postmenopausal women, 10% are diagnosed during reproductive years. As more women delay childbearing, the number of women who have yet to complete their family at the time of diagnosis will increase. Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is an important treatment option that can allow women to conceive in the future, though data for obstetric outcomes following FSS are conflicting. We sought to use population-based data to evaluate obstetric outcomes in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. Methods: This is a population based retrospective study of women age 18-45 years with a history of stage IA and IC ovarian cancer reported to the California Cancer Registry (CCR) for the years 2000-2012. CCR data were linked to the 2000-2015 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSPHD) birth and discharge datasets to establish a linked database with both oncologic characteristics and obstetric outcomes. Exposure status was defined as ovarian cancer patients who conceived at least 3 months after fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) and delivered after 23 weeks gestational age (GA). The primary outcome was preterm birth, and only the first pregnancy following cancer diagnosis was considered. Secondary outcomes included growth restriction, neonatal morbidity (in the first 30 days) and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) as defined by the CDC. Propensity score was used to match similar women in 2 groups in a 1:2 ratio (when possible) of cases to controls: group 1: Women who conceived at least 1 year prior to their ovarian cancer diagnosis; group 2: healthy controls. Wald statistics and logistic regression were used to evaluate outcomes. Results: Of the 1618 patients who were 18-45 years at time of ovarian cancer diagnosis, 36.8% (n=595) had a recorded pregnancy. Of those, 133 conceived following FSS and were primarily Hispanic (36.8%) followed by non-Hispanic White (31.6%) with a median age of 30 (26-34). Ovarian cancer patients who delivered during the study period were less likely to have epithelial histology (57.1% vs 78.3%, P Conclusions: In a population-based cohort, patients who conceived at least 3 months following surgery for early-stage ovarian cancer did not have an increased risk of poor obstetric outcomes. These data may aid in shared decision making about FSS for patients with early-stage ovarian cancer.
Magnetic and electron transport properties of Co 2 Si nanomagnets

Magnetotransport and ferromagnetism in thin films of ${\mathrm{Co}}_{2}\mathrm{Si}$ nanoclusters are investigated experimentally and theoretically. The nanoclusters are fabricated by an inert-gas condensation-type cluster-deposition method and have an average size of 11.3 nm. Unlike the bulk ${\mathrm{Co}}_{2}\mathrm{Si}$ that exhibits a very weak net magnetic moment only below 10 K, the nanoclusters exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetism with a substantial saturation magnetization. Key features of the system are its closeness to the Stoner transition, magnetic moments induced by spin polarization starting from surface atoms, and nonuniaxial anisotropy associated with the orthorhombic crystal structure of ${\mathrm{Co}}_{2}\mathrm{Si}$. A method is introduced to determine the effective anisotropy using the experimental magnetization data of this complex system and its relationship with the two lowest-order nonuniaxial anisotropy constants. On decreasing temperature from 300 K, the nanoclusters show electron-transport properties unusual for a ferromagnetic metal, including an increase of Hall resistivity and a nonmonotonic change of negative magnetoresistance with a peak at around 100 K. The underlying physics is explained on the basis of the large polarization of surface spins and variation in the degree of their misalignments due to temperature-dependent effective anisotropy.
Structural connectomics: Where we are and where we should be?

Abstracts The chapter provides a comprehensive insight into structural connectomics, the study of brain connectivity using diffusion MRI based maps. It commences with the basics of connectome creation—parcellation, tractography and connectivity modeling, and covers the spectrum of associated problems like consistency and harmonization across scanners. Various measures derived from connectomes are comprehensively described—topological (local and global), as well as those that characterize network rewiring in the brain. Finally, the chapter presents various examples of connectomic analyses, through studies on sex differences, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and developmental disorders. These highlight the different types of hypotheses that can be interrogated using connectomes. The chapter concludes with a perspective on future breakthroughs that are possible with connectomes.
V1-periodic 2-exponents of SU (2e) and SU (2e + 1)

Abstract We determine precisely the largest v 1 -periodic homotopy groups of S U ( 2 e ) and S U ( 2 e + 1 ) . This gives new results about the largest actual homotopy groups of these spaces. Our proof relies on results about 2-divisibility of restricted sums of binomial coefficients times powers proved by the author in a companion paper.
Automated testing as an aid to systems integration

Within BT‘s Systems Integration department, the integration and testing of large, complex software systems often requires large and complex test regimes. Optimising the activities and time-scales within this part of the life cycle will invariably involve the application of test tools. This paper sets out the main elements required for successful test automation. It begins by introducing test complexity measures in process testing of a character-based user interface software system. This is then developed to describe a theoretical approach to the application of test automation in the context of graphical user interface (GUI) software systems and discusses methodologies for test-case design and reuse, to achieve the maximum benefit of tool utilisation. The paper concludes with a description of the successful application of test automation within two major systems integration projects, Work Manager and MCSS for Cambridge.
SPICE for Power Electronics and Electric Power

Power electronics can be a difficult course for students to understand and for professors to teach. Simplifying the process for both, SPICE for Power Electronics and Electric Power, Third Edition illustrates methods of integrating industry standard SPICE software for design verification and as a theoretical laboratory bench. Helpful PSpice Software and Program Files Available for Download Based on the author Muhammad H. Rashids considerable experience merging design content and SPICE into a power electronics course, this vastly improved and updated edition focuses on helping readers integrate the SPICE simulator with a minimum amount of time and effort. Giving users a better understanding of the operation of a power electronics circuit, the author explores the transient behavior of current and voltage waveforms for each and every circuit element at every stage. The book also includes examples of all types of power converters, as well as circuits with linear and nonlinear inductors. New in this edition: Student learning outcomes (SLOs) listed at the start of each chapter Changes to run on OrCAD version 9.2 Added VPRINT1 and IPRINT1 commands and examples Notes that identify important concepts Examples illustrating EVALUE, GVALUE, ETABLE, GTABLE, ELAPLACE, GLAPLACE, EFREQ, and GFREQ Mathematical relations for expected outcomes, where appropriate The Fourier series of the output voltages for rectifiers and inverters PSpice simulations of DC link inverters and AC voltage controllers with PWM control This book demonstrates techniques of executing power conversions and ensuring the quality of the output waveforms rather than the accurate modeling of power semiconductor devices. This approach benefits students, enabling them to compare classroom results obtained with simple switch models of devices. In addition, a new chapter covers multi-level converters. Assuming no prior knowledge of SPICE or PSpice simulation, the text provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to draw a schematic of a circuit, execute simulations, and view or plot the output results. It also includes suggestions for laboratory experiments and design problems that can be used for student homework assignments.
On cancelling the effects of logic sharing for improved path delay fault testability

Sharing of logic among the various primary outputs of a circuit reduces the overall size of the circuit. However, shared logic may have adverse effects on the number of paths and on the path delay fault testability of the circuit. In this work, we propose a procedure to reverse the effects of logic sharing when it causes a significant increase in the number of paths and a significant reduction in testability. Experimental results show that the proposed procedure is an effective preprocessing step of global optimization, that increases the effectiveness of resynthesis procedures based on local transformations.
Design and Use of Organic Voltage Sensitive Dyes

The chemistry and the physics of voltage sensitive dyes (VSDs) should be understood and appreciated as a prerequisite for their optimal application to problems in neuroscience cardiology. This chapter provides a basic understanding of the properties of the large variety of available organic VSDs. The mechanisms by which the dyes respond to voltage guides the best set up of the optics for recording or imaging electrophysiological activity. The physical and chemical properties of the dyes can be tuned to optimize delivery to and staining of the cells in different experimental preparations. The aim of this chapter is to arm the experimentalists who use the dyes with enough information and data to be able to intelligently choose the best dye for their specific requirements.
Anticonvulsants but not general anesthetics have differential blocking effects on different T-type current variants.

The sensitivity to anticonvulsants and anesthetics of Ca2+currents arising from α1G and α1H subunits was examined in stably transfected HEK293 cells. For comparison, in some cases blocking effects on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) T currents were also examined under identical ionic conditions. The anticonvulsant, phenytoin, which partially blocks DRG T current, blocked α1G current completely but with weaker affinity (∼140 μM). Among different cells, α1H current exhibited either of two responses to phenytoin. In one subpopulation of cells, phenytoin produced a partial, higher affinity block (IC50 ∼7.2 μM, maximum block ∼43%) similar to that in DRG neurons. In other cells, phenytoin produced complete, but lower affinity, blockade (IC50 ∼138 μM, maximum block ∼89%). Another anticonvulsant, α-methyl-α-phenylsuccinimide (MPS), blocked DRG current partially, but blocked both α1G and α1H currents completely with weaker affinity (∼1.7 mM). These data suggest that higher affinity blockade of T-type currents by phenytoin and MPS may require additional regulatory factors that can contribute to native T-type channels. In contrast, anesthetics blocked all T current variants similarly and completely. Block of α1G current by anesthetics had the following order of potency: propofol (IC50 ∼20.5 μM) > etomidate (∼161 μM) = octanol (∼160 μM) > isoflurane (∼277 μM) > ketamine (∼1.2 mM), comparable with results on DRG T currents. Barbiturates completly blocked α1G currents with potency [thiopental (∼280 μM), pentobarbital (∼310 μM), phenobarbital (∼1.54 mM)] similar to that in DRG cells. The effects of propofol, octanol, and pentobarbital on α1H currents were indistinguishable from effects on α1G currents.
Singular behavior of the neutral modes during directional solidification

We study the geometric behavior of the neutral modes of the linearized equations from four directional-solidification models in terms of singularity theory. These equations admit well-known diffusive or Mullins-Sekerka instabilities. For a range of solidification velocity ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{c}}$V${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{a}}$, a planar solidification front is linearly unstable to a range of disturbances. The standard neutral curve in linear theory exhibits weak wavelength selection for V near ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{c}}$. An equivalence transformation of the neutral-stability relation of the nonsymmetric model distinguishes the basic geometric behavior of this system. The neutral-stability relation is an unfolding of a cubic cuspoid normal form. The solution space of this system is a cusp manifold, generated by families of neutral curves each forming a path in the manifold. This manifold connects two unfolding theories, allowing us to show the sense in which ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{c}}$ and ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{a}}$ parametrize degenerate singular points and to show that these points are structurally unstable as critical points. We show that wavelength selection is enhanced in the neutral curves of the transformed system, and that the singularity set of the manifold demarcates stability regions solely in terms of control variables. A particular neutral curve will be open or closed depending on how its path crosses the singularity set, and the system will not admit hysteresis. The weak wavelength selection is due not only to the thermophysical or control parameters of the material, but to the singular behavior that is intrinsic to the formulation. We show that four solidification models possess cubic normal forms, and that asymptotic limits reveal two different normal forms. The main goal is to point out the geometric structure of a model, and to show how one can distinguish different solidification formulations and asymptotic limits, using simple geometric criteria.
Auxin binding protein: curiouser and curiouser

Auxin is implicated in a variety of plant developmental processes, yet the molecular mechanism of auxin response remains largely unknown. Auxin binding protein 1 (ABP1) mediates cell expansion and might be involved in cell cycle control. Structural modeling shows that it is a beta-barrel dimer, with the C terminus free to interact with other proteins. We do not know where ABP1 performs its receptor function. Most ABP1 is detected within the endoplasmic reticulum but the evidence indicates that it functions at the plasma membrane. ABP1 is established as a crucial component of auxin signaling, but its precise mechanism remains unclear.
Ultrastructure and cytochemical staining characteristics of canine natural killer cells

Background: The purpose of this work was to describe the ultrastructure and cytochemical staining characteristics of canine peripheral blood lymphocytes with natural killer (NK) cell activity, with comparison made to non-NK lymphocytes. Methods: Canine lymphocyte populations evaluated for ultrastructure, cytochemical staining, and NK function (by 51 chromium release assay) included: peripheral blood lymphocytes; lymphocytes from band 1 (NK-enriched), band 2, and the pellet of a 45/50% percoll gradient; lymphocytes from the supernatant fluid (non-conjugated lymphocytes) and pellet (lymphocytes conjugated to tumor cell targets) of a 17% percoll gradient; and null (CD4−CD8−) and CD4−CD8+ lymphocytes. Results: NK activity was concentrated in band 1 lymphocytes of the 45/50% percoll gradient with further enhancement of activity occurring in sorted null cells. Canine NK cells were 5.5 to 6.5 μm in diameter with a reniform (kidney bean shape) nucleus, and electron-dense cytoplasmic granules. NK cells (percoll band 1 cells and null cells) had larger cell and nuclear area, and less round nuclei when compared to non-NK lymphocytes. The overall cytochemical staining (chloracetate esterase, peroxidase, sudan black B, naphthyl acetate esterase, naphthyl butyrate esterase periodic acid-Schiff stain, and acid phosphatase with and without tartrate) pattern was similar in all the lymphocyte populations evaluated. Conclusions: This work confirms the usefulness of a 45/50% percoll gradient in obtaining a NK-enriched fraction of canine lymphocytes, and shows further enhancement of NK activity in sorted CD4−CD8− cells. The ultrastructure of canine NK cells is similar to that reported for human NK cells, but is different from that of other canine peripheral blood lymphocytes. Standard cytochemical staining does not discriminate canine NK cells from other lymphocytes. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The sign and its trespass: Signs, presence, and metaphysics in Kevin Hart

Whether one can argue a deconstructive position is a matter of dispute. Some celebrate deconstruction precisely as bypassing traditional argumentative methods, or calling them in question. Others maintain it is closer to such methods than usually portrayed. I Kevin Hart does not offer philosophers much comfort on this, noting that Derrida's interest bears precisely on the way in which both of these approaches are 'irreducibly entwined'. 2 But he splits Derrida's position into two parts, a critique of the 'metaphysics of presence', and a 'new way of reading' (TS 11). At least the first part of this programme seems to lend itself to traditional philosophical argument. The critique of the 'metaphysics of presence' appears more than once in Hart's text. It claims to show that metaphysics is prevented from achieving its aim by a structural characteristic of signs. We will look at Hart's discussion of signs, and then at his discussion of metaphysics, before proceeding to the argument itself.
Degeneration of Kahler-Einstein manifolds I: The normal crossing case

In this paper we prove that the Kahler–Einstein metrics for a degeneration family of Kahler manifolds with ample canonical bundles converge in the sense of Cheeger–Gromov to the complete Kahler–Einstein metric on the smooth part of the central fiber when the central fiber has only normal crossing singularities inside smooth total space. We also prove the incompleteness of the Weil–Peterson metric in this case.
Identification of the haematopoietic stem cell niche and control of the niche size

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a subset of bone marrow cells that are capable of self-renewal and of forming all types of blood cells (multi-potential). However, the HSC 'niche'--the in vivo regulatory microenvironment where HSCs reside--and the mechanisms involved in controlling the number of adult HSCs remain largely unknown. The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signal has an essential role in inducing haematopoietic tissue during embryogenesis. We investigated the roles of the BMP signalling pathway in regulating adult HSC development in vivo by analysing mutant mice with conditional inactivation of BMP receptor type IA (BMPRIA). Here we show that an increase in the number of spindle-shaped N-cadherin+CD45- osteoblastic (SNO) cells correlates with an increase in the number of HSCs. The long-term HSCs are found attached to SNO cells. Two adherens junction molecules, N-cadherin and beta-catenin, are asymmetrically localized between the SNO cells and the long-term HSCs. We conclude that SNO cells lining the bone surface function as a key component of the niche to support HSCs, and that BMP signalling through BMPRIA controls the number of HSCs by regulating niche size.
Computing in Civil Engineering - Lessons Learned from the 2007 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering

On July 24–27, 2007, a group of approximately 150 researchers and practitioners met in Pittsburgh for the 2007 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering to present and learn about current research and developments on IT/AIS: Information Technology Support to Advance Infrastructure Systems Management. The conference was geared toward academics and professionals who are interested in computing in a wide range of civil engineering research areas, such as sensing and sensor systems, mobile/wearable computing, data modeling, management, mining, and life-cycle assessment and sustainable infrastructure. The three keynote speakers presented fascinating and forwardlooking talks that provided insights on the future directions of the major conference topics. Dr. Steven B. Chase, the chief scientist of the Federal Highway Administration, talked about the role of information technology in the management of an aging highway infrastructure. He introduced the limitations in the data collection practice of bridge inspection and bridge management, and particularly in visual inspections. He then presented example applications of smart sensing technologies that help create smarter bridges. Dr. Dan M. Frangopol, the Fazlur R. Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture at Lehigh University, introduced a method for the integration of monitoring and maintenance management of civil infrastructure systems under uncertainty from a life-cycle perspective. He explained the importance of maintaining a satisfactory long-term performance not only of individual bridges, but also of the overall highway network. He presented a novel analytical and computational framework for network-level bridge maintenance management using optimization. This framework integrates time-dependent structural reliability prediction, highway network performance assessment, and life-cycle cost analysis by prioritizing the maintenance resources to deteriorating bridges through simultaneous and balanced minimization of three objective functions: maintenance cost, bridge failure cost, and user cost. The resulting multiobjective optimization problem is solved by a genetic algorithm. Dr. Edward J. Jaselskis, former program director at the National Science Foundation responsible for managing the information technology and infrastructure systems program, talked about
Alcohol-related ERP changes in cognition

This paper reviews five separate experimental studies concerning the acute or chronic effects of alcohol on late ERP components related to cognitive processes. The studies are evaluated for their adequacy in two arenas: (a) task relevance from a behavioral viewpoint, and (b) their ability to clarify the functional significance of alcohol-related ERP changes. Based upon the general trends of the results reported from the five individual laboratories conducting the investigations, it can be concluded that the P3 component is the most consistently altered of the four late ERP components considered (N1, N2, P2, P3). The finding of a reduced P3 amplitude was more reliable than the finding of increased P3 latency. Alterations in ERP components, when they did occur, occurred under the acute influence of ethanol, as well as in abstinent chronic alcoholics. All of the ERP findings reported were obtained using variations of signal detection procedures. Changes in ERP components did not always parallel performance changes, suggesting that aspects of psychological processes (e.g., attention and stimulus evaluation), presumed to underly ERPs' functional significance, did not directly reflect these processes.
The perfection and defect structure of organic hourglass inclusion K2SO4 crystals

Hourglass inclusion crystals of K2SO4 were grown from aqueous solutions containing the dye acid fuchsin, and studied by synchrotron white-beam X-ray topography and reciprocal space mapping. Both self-nucleated and larger, seeded dye-included crystals were prepared, as well as comparable undoped crystals. While the dye modified the crystals’ habit strongly, X-ray topographs showed it had no influence on their dislocation configurations, which were typical for solution-grown crystals. No kinematical contrast arising from the presence of the dye was observed that indicated dye-induced strain in the crystal lattice. Growth sector boundaries were visible in the dyed crystals but not in undoped crystals, implying there was a slightly higher lattice mismatch across growth sector boundaries in the dye-included crystals. Reciprocal space maps of small areas on an hourglass inclusion crystal within either a dye-included growth sector or an undoped growth sector showed single peaks with the same perfect crystal rocking curve width and no dilatation or tilt of the host lattice resulting from the dye's presence. These results showed hourglass inclusion crystals can be grown in which the presence of the dye disturbs the crystalline structure of the host salt minimally, and that hourglass inclusions have the nature of a solid solution.