cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maximum-principle-satisfying and positivity-preserving high-order schemes for conservation laws: survey and new developments

In an earlier study (Zhang & Shu 2010 b J. Comput. Phys. 229 , 3091–3120 ([doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2009.12.030][1])), genuinely high-order accurate finite volume and discontinuous Galerkin schemes satisfying a strict maximum principle for scalar conservation laws were developed. The main advantages of such schemes are their provable high-order accuracy and their easiness for generalization to multi-dimensions for arbitrarily high-order schemes on structured and unstructured meshes. The same idea can be used to construct high-order schemes preserving the positivity of certain physical quantities, such as density and pressure for compressible Euler equations, water height for shallow water equations and density for Vlasov–Boltzmann transport equations. These schemes have been applied in computational fluid dynamics, computational astronomy and astrophysics, plasma simulation, population models and traffic flow models. In this paper, we first review the main ideas of these maximum-principle-satisfying and positivity-preserving high-order schemes, then present a simpler implementation which will result in a significant reduction of computational cost especially for weighted essentially non-oscillatory finite-volume schemes. [1]: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2009.12.030
Identification of In Vivo-Interacting Domains of the Murine Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Protein

The coronavirus nucleocapsid protein (N), together with the large, positive-strand RNA viral genome, forms a helically symmetric nucleocapsid. This ribonucleoprotein structure becomes packaged into virions through association with the carboxy-terminal endodomain of the membrane protein (M), which is the principal constituent of the virion envelope. Previous work with the prototype coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) has shown that a major determinant of the N-M interaction maps to the carboxy-terminal domain 3 of the N protein. To explore other domain interactions of the MHV N protein, we expressed a series of segments of the MHV N protein as fusions with green fluorescent protein (GFP) during the course of viral infection. We found that two of these GFP-N-domain fusion proteins were selectively packaged into virions as the result of tight binding to the N protein in the viral nucleocapsid, in a manner that did not involve association with either M protein or RNA. The nature of each type of binding was further explored through genetic analysis. Our results defined two strongly interacting regions of the N protein. One is the same domain 3 that is critical for M protein recognition during assembly. The other is domain N1b, which corresponds to the N-terminal domain that has been structurally characterized in detail for two other coronaviruses, infectious bronchitis virus and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
Batch-Fabricated Electrodynamic Microactuators With Integrated Micromagnets

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of two fully batch-fabricated electrodynamic microactuators. The actuators utilize wax-bonded Nd-Fe-B powder magnets and electroplated copper coils for electrodynamic actuation out of plane. A cantilever-type microactuator achieves a 2.66 ?m vertical deflection at a driving current of 5.5 mArms at 100 Hz. A piston-type actuator with elastomeric membrane obtained a 1.17 ?m vertical displacement at a driving current of 13.5 mArms at 100 Hz. These microactuators demonstrate the integrability of wax-bonded Nd-Fe-B powder magnets into microscale electromechanical transducers.
Caffeine Catastrophe: Energy Drinks, Products Liability and Market Strategy

Despite widespread growth in the U.S. alternative beverage market in recent years, there are rising concerns that the producers of energy drinks, energy shots, and relaxation drinks have failed to adequately disclose potential health risks associated with consuming high levels of caffeine. In contrast to other caffeinated products, current FDA regulations do not require energy drinks to display comprehensive ingredient and warning labels. Consumer concerns have prompted a heightened discourse on the potential adverse health effects of energy drink consumption, a media call for investigation into the advertising practices of energy drink firms, a governmental push for greater regulation by the FDA, and a rise in products liability litigation. In order to reduce costs and better position themselves in the marketplace, U.S. energy drink firms must effectively manage the risks associated with producing and marketing these beverages in an increasingly hostile and inquisitive marketplace. Building on existing research, this article will examine three strategic options these firms can undertake in response to increasing products liability litigation and FDA regulation: product discontinuance, product relocation, and product offering modification. Based on major drawbacks associated with product discontinuance and product relocation, product offering modification offers the greatest potential to build consumer trust, decrease litigation costs, and respond to regulatory concerns.
Near‐Misses and Future Disaster Preparedness

Disasters garner attention when they occur, and organizations commonly extract valuable lessons from visible failures, adopting new behaviors in response. For example, the United States saw numerous security policy changes following the September 11 terrorist attacks and emergency management and shelter policy changes following Hurricane Katrina. But what about those events that occur that fall short of disaster? Research that examines prior hazard experience shows that this experience can be a mixed blessing. Prior experience can stimulate protective measures, but sometimes prior experience can deceive people into feeling an unwarranted sense of safety. This research focuses on how people interpret near-miss experiences. We demonstrate that when near-misses are interpreted as disasters that did not occur and thus provide the perception that the system is resilient to the hazard, people illegitimately underestimate the danger of subsequent hazardous situations and make riskier decisions. On the other hand, if near-misses can be recognized and interpreted as disasters that almost happened and thus provide the perception that the system is vulnerable to the hazard, this will counter the basic "near-miss" effect and encourage mitigation. In this article, we use these distinctions between resilient and vulnerable near-misses to examine how people come to define an event as either a resilient or vulnerable near-miss, as well as how this interpretation influences their perceptions of risk and their future preparedness behavior. Our contribution is in highlighting the critical role that people's interpretation of the prior experience has on their subsequent behavior and in measuring what shapes this interpretation.
Default-mode function and task-induced deactivation have overlapping brain substrates in children.

Abstract The regions that comprise the functionally connected resting-state default-mode network (DMN) in adults appear to be the same as those that are characterized by task-induced decreases in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal. Independent component analysis can be used to produce a picture of the DMN as an individual rests quietly in the scanner. Contrasts across conditions in which cognitive load is parametrically modulated can delineate neural structures that have decreases in activation in response to high-demand task conditions. Examination of the degree to which these networks subsume dissociable brain substrates, and of the degree to which they overlap, provides insight concerning their purpose, function, and the nature of their associations. Few studies have examined the DMN in children, and none have tested whether the neural regions that comprise the DMN during a resting condition are the same regions that show reduced activity when children engage in cognitive tasks. In this paper we describe regions that show both task-related decreases and spontaneous intrinsic activity at rest in children, and we examine the co-localization of these networks. We describe ways in which the DMN in 7–12-year-old children is both similar to and different from the DMN in adults; moreover, we document that task-induced deactivations and default-mode resting-state activity in children share common neural substrates. It appears, therefore, that even before adolescence a core aspect of task-induced deactivation involves reallocating processing resources that are active at rest. We describe how future studies assessing the development of these systems would benefit from examining these constructs as part of one continuous system.
Opportunities and challenges in the development of kinase inhibitor therapy for cancer.

The success of the tyrosine kinase imatinib inhibitor (Gleevec, STI571) in treating chronic myeloid leukemia as well as other selected cancers has greatly increased optimism for the broader application of kinase inhibitor therapy in cancer. To date, however, imatinib remains the only spectacularly successful example. Is it simply a matter of time before kinase inhibitors become more broadly useful? Or is chronic myeloid leukemia a unique disease that does not reflect the true genetic complexity of other cancers? Here I address this question by summarizing the growing evidence that kinase inhibitor therapy works consistently and reliably against cancers in which the kinase drug target is constitutively activated by gene mutation. I also discuss the prospects for extending this concept more broadly—to other cancers in which kinase pathways are activated directly by kinase gene mutation or indirectly by loss of negative regulatory proteins (i.e., phosphatases such as the PTEN tumor suppressor). Finally, I give my perspective on how future drug discovery and clinical trial design programs in molecularly targeted therapy could be modified based on present clinical experience with kinase inhibitors.
First-principles study of ferroelectric and antiferrodistortive instabilities in tetragonal SrTiO 3

We carry out first-principles density-functional calculations of the antiferrodistortive (AFD) and ferroelectric (FE) soft-mode instabilities in tetragonal ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3},$ with the structural degrees of freedom treated in a classical, zero-temperature framework. In particular, we use frozen-phonon calculations to make a careful study of the anisotropy of the AFD and FE mode frequencies in the tetragonal ground state, in which an R-point AFD soft phonon has condensed. Because of the anharmonic couplings, the presence of this AFD distortion substantially affects both the AFD and FE mode frequencies. The AFD mode is found to be softer for rotations around a perpendicular axis ${(E}_{g}$ mode) than for rotations about the tetragonal axis ${(A}_{1g}$ mode), in agreement with experimental results. The FE mode, on the other hand, is found to be softer when polarized perpendicular to the tetragonal axis ${(E}_{u}$ mode) than parallel to it ${(A}_{2u}$ mode). The sign of this frequency splitting is consistent with the experimentally reported anisotropy of the dielectric susceptibility and other evidence. Finally, we present a discussion of the influence of various types of structural distortions on the FE instability and its anisotropy.
ELIMINATING CONSERVATISM IN THE PIPING SYSTEM ANALYSIS PROCESS THROUGH APPLICATION OF A SUITE OF LOCALLY APPROPRIATE SEISMIC INPUT MOTIONS

Seismic analysis is of great importance in the evaluation of nuclear systems due to the heavy influence such loading has on their designs. Current Department of Energy seismic analysis techniques for a nuclear safety-related piping system typically involve application of a single conservative seismic input applied to the entire system [1]. A significant portion of this conservatism comes from the need to address the overlapping uncertainties in the seismic input and in the building response that transmits that input motion to the piping system. The approach presented in this paper addresses these two sources of uncertainty through the application of a suite of 32 input motions whose collective performance addresses the total uncertainty while each individual motion represents a single variation of it. It represents an extension of the soil-structure interaction analysis methodology of SEI/ASCE 43-05 [2] from the structure to individual piping components. Because this approach is computationally intensive, automation and other measures have been developed to make such an analysis efficient. These measures are detailed in this paper.
Single-cell analysis of the human NK cell response to missing self and its inhibition by HLA class I

Natural killer (NK) cells activate quickly in response to pathogens, tumors, and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants. Modulating the NK cell response are clonally distributed NK cell receptors that survey cells for change in the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and structurally related ligands. Here the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), and short-term culture were used to quantify the response of bulk NK cell populations from human donors to HLA class I–deficient 221 cells and to 221 cells transfected with single HLA class I allotypes. NK cells in cultures containing interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-12 exhibited specificities of HLA class I–mediated inhibition that correlated well with those previously defined using NK cell clones in long-term culture and with the frequencies of cells expressing particular inhibitory HLA class I receptors. Culture with IL-12, but not IL-2, gave an increased frequency of cells expressing CD94: NKG2A but no change in killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) expression. For some heterozygote combinations of KIR3DL1 alleles, ICS can be used to compare the functional properties of the 2 allotypes. Thus, both the low-expressing KIR3DL1*005 and the high-expressing KIR3DL1*002 gave similar inhibitory response on challenge with an HLA-B*5801 ligand. The single-cell assays developed here should facilitate future population study and clinical analysis of human NK cell regulation by MHC class I.
Workaholism, Exercise, and Stress-Related Illness

The purpose of this study was to examine whether workaholism is associated with an increased risk of stress-related illness and if exercise is linked to a reduced risk of stress-related illness. Data were collected through administration of an online survey. The sample consisted of 266 employees in a medical school, 69% women, with a mean age of 47 years. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that workaholism was significantly associated with the presence of stress-related illness (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, p = .009) and exercise with absence of stress-related illness (OR = 1.68, p = .003), even after controlling for age, family history, gender, income, and hours worked. The authors concluded that workaholism is a significant risk factor for stress-related illnesses and that physical exercise mitigates the negative effects of workaholism.
Inhibition of glycolysis and induction of autophagy in gliomas by 2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose.

B34 The metabolism of fast growing tumor cells requires increasing amounts of energy to support rapid proliferation, which provides an opportunity for targeting metabolism as therapeutic approach. In addition to apoptosis (extensively studied Type I programmed cell death), autophagy (Type II cell death), under normal physiological conditions serves as a natural way of disposing of unwanted cellular material, regeneration of both cellular building blocs and energy resources. However, when the cells undergo metabolic stress, such as nutrient deprivation, the process of autophagy dramatically increases and ultimately leads to cell death. In this study we investigated the potential of inhibiting the glycolytic pathway in glioma U87 cell lines using 2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose (2-FG) and determined whether or not 2-FG induced autophagic cell death. U87 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of 2-FG and allowed to grow under normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (0.1% O2) conditions. The cytotoxicity of 2-FG was assessed in treated cultures at various time points (24, 48 and 72 h). Our results show that 2-FG induces Type II cell death in U87 glioma cells in dose dependent manner and that it is initiated even in the absence of nutritional stress. The cytotoxicity studies show IC50 (2-FG) to be 3.4 mM and that U87 sensitivity towards 2-FG increases 40% in cells grown under hypoxic conditions. Additionally, to test the cytotoxicity of 2-FG in U87 cells during glucose deprivation, this cytotoxicity analysis was repeated with cells grown in low glucose (5.6 mM) media. Under these conditions U87 cells were increasingly sensitive to 2-FG effects; growth was inhibited by 78% under normoxic conditions and by 86% when grown under hypoxia conditions. Confirmation of autophagy in 2-FG treated cells was demonstrated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). U87 cells treated with 5 mM 2-FG X 72 hrs showed the presence of autophagic vacuoles in the cytoplasm - a hallmark of autophagy. Cell cycle analysis of U87 cells treated with 5 mM 2-FG X 72 hrs showed marked accumulation in G2/M phase with no increase in Sub G0/G1, demonstrating that cell death following treatment is not attributable to apoptosis. These studies show 2-FG to be a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation and an inducer of autophagic cell death in the U87 cell line and that targeting autophagic survival response using inhibitors of glycolysis should be a reasonable therapeutic approach to the treatment of cancers that are heavily dependent on glycolysis for survival.
Federal Tax Sources Recommended for Law School Libraries

In The Virtual Tax Library: A Comparison of Five Electronic Tax Research Platforms, http://ssrn.com/abstract=1017925, Jennifer Kowal, Daniel Martin and I refer readers to an earlier article, Federal Tax Sources Recommended for Law School Libraries, 87 L. LIBR. J. 387 (1995), for a list of hundreds of print tax sources, with recommendations about which sources law libraries should include in their collections. I compiled the recommended source list in this earlier article after surveying law professors and practitioner-commentators to determine which tax sources they regard as essential or useful. For each recommended print source, I indicate whether, based on the survey results, the source is (i) essential, (ii) highly recommended, or (iii) recommended. The tax sources are grouped into four lists: (i) practice-oriented sources, arranged alphabetically by author; (ii) tax policy sources, arranged alphabetically by author; (iii) practice-oriented sources, arranged by ranking; and (iv) tax policy sources, arranged by ranking. Numerous readers of the recent Virtual Tax Library article have contacted me to request a copy of Federal Tax Sources Recommended for Law School Libraries; the 1995 article is now available on SSRN.
Ovipositional Behavior of the Alfalfa Seed Chalcid (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) in Response to Volatile Components of Alfalfa

Behavior of the alfalfa seed chalcid, Bruchophagus roddi (Gussakovsky), during site selection and oviposition is described. Seed development and morphological changes in seed are also described for the period that seeds are susceptible to oviposition by chalcids. Females laid significantly more eggs when exposed to myrcene, hexyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, caryophyllene, octan-3-one, and β-farnesene. Fewer eggs were laid when females were exposed to octan-3-ol, γ-muurolene, and 2-phenylethanol. Based on observations with pin-pricked pods, a high rate of evaporation of these compounds via physical wounds in the pod (e.g., oviposition wounds) may warn females to avoid the area for oviposition so that two eggs are not laid in the same seed. Since octan-3-ol, γ-muurolene, 2-phenylethanol, and β-farnesene are concentrated in seed pods, the lower rate of emanation of these compounds from undamaged pods may also provide chemical stimuli that help females distinguish seed pods from other parts of the plant. Volatile components in alfalfa that had an effect on oviposition varied substantially in concentration among plant parts; none occurred only in pods.
Wave-Equation Migration Velocity Analysis by Non-Stationary Focusing

Wave-equation migration velocity analysis (WEMVA) is a non-linear optimization process that aims at estimating seismic velocities from reflection data using the wave equation. One important issue in Born-approximation-based WEMVA is preparation of an image perturbation free of cycle-skipping during each linear update. I show that this step can be accomplished by estimating the non-stationary slope of defocused events in subsurface offset gathers (ODCIG). The analysis also compares and unifies two popular WEMVA approaches, namely differential semblance optimization (DSO) and differential residual migration (DRM). The proposed method could be considered as an improved DSO implementation that overcomes some of its limitations by incorporating concepts from DRM.
Dynamic Transcriptomics: Transcriptomic Discovery of a Biological Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Heart Control Mechanism

Abstract We will recapitulate here a narrative in which we have just now been able to solve an important, frustrating and long standing puzzle as to how a brain control function of the heart is performed. The key to solving this puzzle has proved to be the acquisition of transcriptional profile data from single neurons. Analysis of this data forced a reconsideration of the fundamental structure of the brain control system. In turn, this reconsideration has led to subsequent re-ordering of a great deal of neuroanatomical and physiological data into a pattern that finally makes a great deal of sense.
Microstructure and composition of synroc samples crystallized from a CaCeTi2O7 chemical system: HRTEM/EELS investigation

Ce-pyrochlore, CaCeTi2O7 is a chemical analogue for CaPuTi2O7, which is a proposed ceramic endmember waste form for the disposition of excess weapon-usable plutonium in geological repositories. Ce-pyrochlore was synthesized by firing and annealing in air a mixture of CeO2, TiO2, and CaCO3 with a stoichiometry of CaCeTi2O7. The annealed products contain Cepyrochlore, Ce-bearing perovskite, CeO2, and minor CaO. The mixture annealed at a temperature of 1140 °C contains more pyrochlore phase than that annealed at a higher temperature (1300 °C), indicating that a low temperature condition favors the formation of the Ce-pyrochlore. The Ca/Ce ratio of the pyrochlore is slightly lower than the ideal ratio (one). Electron energy-loss spectroscopy results show that there is a small fraction of Ce3+ present in the pyrochlore. Ce present in perovskite is dominated by Ce3. High-resolution TEM images show that the boundary between pyrochlore and perovskite is semi-coherent. No glassy phases were observed at the grain boundary between pyrochlore and perovskite, nor between CeO2and pyrochlore. It is postulated, based on the presence of trivalent Ce in the Ce-pyrochlore, that neutron poisons such as trivalent cation Gd would be incorporated into the CaPuTi2O7 phase
Sorption of H2 to open metal sites in a metal-organic framework: a symmetry-adapted perturbation theory analysis

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) show considerable promise as materials for gas storage and separation. Many MOF structures have open metal sites, which allow for coordination of gas molecules to the metal centers. In this work, we use coupled-cluster and symmetry-adapted perturbation theory to probe the interaction between hydrogen gas and unsaturated metal sites in mimic structures based on the MOF HKUST-1. The interactions are of a mixed electrostatic/dispersive nature, with the relative magnitudes of these components dependent on the metal center. The strongest binding was found for magnesium- and zinc-containing MOFs, with an overall interaction energy of −4.5 kcal mol–1.
Imaging diagnosis on 86 patients with cancer of pancreas

Objective To explore the advantages of various imaging diagnostic methods on cancer of pancreas. Methods 86 patients doubted with cancer of pancreas were given the examination with gastroduodenal barium contrast radiography technique, ERCP, US, CT and angiography of celiac artery, and then the results were compared with each other. Results The best sensitivity was US, but the accuracy rate was only 54%, still needed to be further improved. The high accuracy was CT; the accuracy rate was 87%. The operation of celiac artery and ERCP had some difficulties. Conclusions US should be the first choice for imaging diagnosis on cancer of pancreas, the second one should be CT. When the diagnosis was uncertain, angiography of celiac artery and ERCP should be used to increase the accuracy rate of diagnosis.
Propositional apriority and the nesting problem

According to the modal account of propositional apriority, a proposition is a priori if it is possible to know it with a priori justification. Assuming that modal truths are necessarily true and that there are contingent a priori truths, this account has the undesirable consequence that a proposition can be a priori in a world in which it is false. Epistemic two-dimensionalism faces the same problem, since on its standard interpretation, it also entails that a priori propositions are necessarily a priori. In response to this problem, Chalmers and Rabern propose an alternative conception of propositional apriority as well as two-dimensional truth-conditions for apriority statements. Their proposal is also supposed to avoid another problem for the modal account, namely that it entails the existence of false instances of ‘φ iff actually φ’. I discuss Chalmers and Rabern’s account and point out a number of problems with it. I then develop my own account of propositional apriority that solves the problems in question, that can be accepted by friends and foes of two-dimensionalism alike, and that is also neutral with respect to the question of how one construes the objects of propositional apriority.
Fast and Easy Method for Construction of Plasmid Vectors Using Modified Quick-Change Mutagenesis

Plasmid vector construction is an essential step for molecular microbiology yet often a time-consuming process. Manipulation of the fungal genome to express genes to activate secondary metabolite production often requires creation of plasmid constructs in a reiterative fashion. Here we introduce a modified Quick-change site-directed mutagenesis method that allows for rapid and accurate construction of fungal transformation vectors.
HISTORY AND POLITICAL CULTURE: Namier

[Every page of Sir Lewis Namier’s (1888–1960) work bears the distinct imprint of his bold, analytical mind, his slightly sardonic judgment, and his illuminating wit. While the style is immediately recognizable, the argument is never predictable, and Sir Lewis, born in the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, and recently knighted in England where he has lived and taught for many decades, has been a somewhat unconventional critic of past historians and contemporary Concerned with the relation of politics to culture, of men to ideas and institutions, his study of the members of George III’s first Parliament, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (1929), fundamentally revised the traditional picture of eighteenth century English politics and by his use of hitherto neglected biographical details of minor political figures introduced a new way of analyzing political history. His shorter works on European diplomacy are also characterized by his meticulous attention to detail as well as by his exceptional grasp of the character of men and epochs. He is now one of the editors of the projected History of Parliament.
Comparison Between “Apples” and “Oranges”

In the case of the comparisons of cancer in this book, the collection and classification of cancers by hospitals and then by the cancer registry are done without reference to the characteristics of the person, including the place of residence. One kind of unfair comparison can be introduced by errors in the census. The mistaken identification of a high-risk neighborhood (false positive) is more likely than missing one (false negative), as the census is more likely to miss people than overcount them. If a neighborhood actually includes more residents than were reported by the census, or more residents of advanced age, more cases are found than expected, producing an overestimate of the level of risk. Errors are especially likely when rapid changes in population have occurred, because the number of expected cases cannot be accurately estimated. Because of the possibilities of many small differences between the census figures and the actual population, some of which are likely to exist by chance, any observed excess of a cancer smaller than a 50% increase is generally considered unreliable. A second kind of unfair comparison can result from local variation in the efficiency of the diagnostic process. There can also be local variation in the selection of persons to be sent for biopsy in the first place.
A role for seminal plasma in modulating pregnancy outcomes in domestic species

Seminal plasma is a complex fluid produced by the accessory glands of the male reproductive tract. Seminal plasma acts primarily as a transport medium for sperm on its arduous journey through the male and then female reproductive tract following ejaculation. This spermatozoan expedition will hopefully result in the meeting of and resultant fertilization of an oocyte, perpetuating the genetic lineage of both sexes. Whereas seminal plasma has historically been perceived as only a transport medium providing a nutrient-rich fluid environment for sperm during this exchange of genetic material, new insights into a complex communication pathway between males and females has been unraveled in the past 30 years. This new research suggests seminal plasma as a method to promote early pregnancy success by modulating cellular and molecular adaptions of the maternal environment required to facilitate healthy, successful pregnancy outcomes. Whereas much work on this exciting new communication process has focused on mice and translation to human reproduction, here we review the current evidence in domestic species where artificial insemination in the absence of seminal plasma is routine. Improving artificial insemination in domestic species to optimize offspring health and productivity could have far-reaching impacts on agriculturally relevant species such as cattle, sheep, pigs and horses.
Assessment of endothelial cell growth behavior in thin film nitinol

Growing clinical needs for less invasive endovascular treatments necessitate the development of advanced biomaterials that exhibit low-profile and enhanced biocompatible properties. One of the endovascular devices is a stent graft, which contains a metallic backbone, covered with thin polymeric membranes such as Dacron® and expandable polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). This device has been widely used for treating various vascular diseases and injuries. While the commercial materials including Dacron® and ePTFE have demonstrated a good feasibility, they were found to induce inflammatory vessel wall reactions with neointimal hyperplasia. Consequently, it causes re-narrowing of the lumen space and thrombogenic issues that ultimately lead the treatment failure. In this paper, we introduced a thin film nitinol (TFN) as an alternative graft material and evaluated the growth behavior of endothelial cells (EC) both qualitatively and quantitatively. As a proof-of-concept study, both untreated nonpatterned film (TFN) and surface treated TFN (S-TFN) materials were used. We compared the adhesion, growth, and proliferation of ECs on a solid (non-patterned) TFN with the two most widely-used commercial graft materials (Dacron® and ePTFE). The in vitro experimental results showed better adhesion and growth of ECs on TFN materials than either ePTFE or Dacron®. Specifically, S-TFN showed approximately twice number of ECs attached on the surface than any other materials tested in this study. In addition, in vivo swine study demonstrated that ECs had a relatively high proliferation on the micropatterrned S-TFN with ~50% surface coverage within two weeks. Both in vitro and in vivo study results of cell growth suggested that TFN materials could be a promising graft material for low-profile endovascular devices.
Interventions to Address Sexual Function in Women Affected by Female Genital Cutting: a Scoping Review

Global migration trends necessitate that health care providers, regardless of location, address sequelae from female genital cutting (FGC). Surgical interventions to treat sexual dysfunction in this population are proliferating despite limited evidence of their impact. We conducted a scoping review to describe interventions to address sexual dysfunction in FGC-affected women. Thirty-four citations in four categories of peer-reviewed literature emerged: surgical technique descriptions, case reports, literature reviews, and original research including qualitative analyses, anatomically focused studies and surgical interventions. Surgical strategies to address sexual function in FGC-affected women, although promising, are limited by low-quality evidence. FGC-affected women require, but are rarely receiving, multidisciplinary care to address myriad influences on sexual function. Research is needed to clarify the impact of surgical interventions and promising non-surgical strategies including education and counseling.
A texture-Based Video Processing Methodology Using Bayesian Data Fusion for Autonomous Crack Detection on Metallic Surfaces

Regular inspection of the components of nuclear power plants is important to improve their resilience. However, current inspection practices are time consuming, tedious, and subjective: they involve an operator manually locating cracks in metallic surfaces in the plant by watching videos. At the same time, prevalent automatic crack detection algorithms may not detect cracks in metallic surfaces because these are typically very small and have low contrast. Moreover, the existences of scratches, welds, and grind marks lead to a large number of false positives when state-of-the-art vision-based crack detection algorithms are used. In this study, a novel crack detection approach is proposed based on local binary patterns LBP, support vector machine SVM, and Bayesian decision theory. The proposed method aggregates the information obtained from different video frames to enhance the robustness and reliability of detection. The performance of the proposed approach is assessed by using several inspection videos. The results indicate that it is accurate and robust in cases where state-of-the-art crack detection approaches fail. The experiments show that Bayesian data fusion improves the hit rate by 20% and the hit rate achieves 85% with only one false positive per frame.
The CLASH model in broader life history context

In this commentary, we address two questions: (1) Is the drive in many young men to gain status and amass resources, which frequently entails direct competition with members of outgroups, one of the key variables underlying the CLASH model? (2) Why is there so much variation in reactive aggression/violence between people living in the same environment?
A simple model of snow albedo decay using observations from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow-Albedo (CoCoRaHS-Albedo) Network

The albedo of seasonal snow cover plays an important role in the global climate system due to its influence on Earth's radiation budget and energy balance. Volunteer Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow-Albedo (CoCoRaHS-Albedo) observers collected 3249 individual daily albedo, snow depth and density measurements using standardized techniques at dozens of sites across New Hampshire, USA over four winter seasons. The data show that albedo increases rapidly with snow depth up to ~0.14 m. Multiple linear regression models using snowpack age, snow depth or density, and air temperature provide reasonable approximations of surface snow albedo during times of albedo decay. However, the linear models also reveal systematic biases that highlight an important non-linearity in snow albedo decay. Modeled albedo values are reasonably accurate within the range of 0.6–0.9, but exhibit a tendency to overestimate lower albedo values and underestimate higher albedo values. We hypothesize that rapid reduction in high albedo fresh snow results from a decrease in snow specific surface area, while during melt-events the presence of liquid water in the snowpack accelerates metamorphism and grain growth. We conclude that the CoCoRaHS-Albedo volunteer observer network provides useful snow albedo, depth and density measurements and serves as an effective model for future measurement campaigns.
Gastric Emptying Studies

Gastric emptying studies generally measures overall gastric emptying. They are primarily used to help diagnose patients with gastroparesis. The can also be useful for detecting rapid gastric emptying which might suggest dumping syndrome. There are three types of gastric emptying studies approved for clinical use: gastric emptying scintigraphy, breath testing using stable nonradioactive C-13 isotope, and wireless motility capsule. In addition, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to assess gastric emptying in clinical research studies. This chapter will discuss each of these tests mentioning aspects on how to perform the tests, how to interpret the tests, and use in patient management.
Simultaneous Process Synthesis and Process Intensification using Building Blocks

Abstract We present a novel superstructure based on building blocks for simultaneous process synthesis and intensification. We use the combination of building blocks to represent different equipment and flowsheets. Blocks and interaction of blocks with each other via mass and energy balances serve to represent different phenomena, tasks and unit operations for process intensification. A collection of blocks with different types generates an intensified unit. The overall problem is proposed as a large-scale, nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problem. The applicability of our approach is demonstrated through a case study on methanol production from biogas.
Calculus for OPC 1 S cl m

In the last chapter, we developed an operator calculus and used it for several purposes, including obtaining commutator estimates in §3.6. Here we work in the opposite order. In §4.1 we recall the estimate (3.6.2) of Coifman-Meyer (generalizing results of Calderon) and show how it leads to further commutator estimates for operators with C1-regular symbols. Then we use these commutator estimates to establish an operator calculus for symbols in C1S cl m . For this, Calderon’s estimates suffice, and much of the material of §4.2 is contained in [Ca2], [Ca3]. In §4.3, we look at a Garding inequality, more precise, though less general, than the Garding inequality in Proposition 2.4.B.
Inquiry learning behaviors captured through screencasts in problem-based learning

ABSTRACTThis study examined the types of learning behaviors students demonstrated while performing inquiry tasks. It also explored the relationship between the learning behaviors and students’ domain knowledge. We observed fourteen students in five groups during a ninth-grade biology course. Three types of learning behaviors (inquiry, collaborative, and minimally productive behaviors) were identified and time on each type was measured. The results suggest that students demonstrated different patterns according to the types of learning behaviors. Correlation analysis revealed that learning outcomes had a strong positive correlation with the inquiry behaviors but a strong negative correlation with the minimally productive behaviors. The results suggest that attention should be paid to facilitate the more meaningful inquiry behaviors while reducing minimally productive behaviors.
Diffusion geometric methods for fusion of remotely sensed data

We propose a novel unsupervised learning algorithm that makes use of image fusion to efficiently cluster remote sensing data. Exploiting nonlinear structures in multimodal data, we devise a clustering algorithm based on a random walk in a fused feature space. Constructing the random walk on the fused space enforces that pixels are considered close only if they are close in both sensing modalities. The structure learned by this random walk is combined with density estimation to label all pixels. Spatial information may also be used to regularize the resulting clusterings. We compare the proposed method with several spectral methods for image fusion on both synthetic and real data.
In-situ investigation of bubble dynamics and two-phase flow in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Abstract Gas bubble dynamics and two-phase flow have a significant impact on the performance and efficiency of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs). It has been strongly desired to develop an effective experimental method for in-situ observing the high-speed/micro-scale oxygen bubble dynamics and two-phase flow in an operating PEMEC. In this study, the micro oxygen bubble dynamic behavior and two-phase flow are in-situ visualized through a high-speed camera coupled with a specific designed transparent PEMEC, which uses a novel thin liquid/gas diffusion layer (LGDL) with straight-through pores. The effects of different operating conditions on oxygen bubble dynamics, including nucleation, growth, and detachment, and two-phase flow have been comprehensively investigated. The results show that temperature and current density have great effects on bubble growth rate and reaction sites while the influence of flow rate is very limited. The number, growth rate, nucleation site, and slug flow regime of oxygen gas bubbles increase as temperature and/or current density increases, which indicates that an increase in temperature and/or current density can enhance the oxygen production efficiency. Further, a mathematical model for the bubble growth is developed to evaluate the effects of temperature and current density on the bubble dynamics. A mathematical model has been established and shows a good correlation with the experimental results. The studies on two-phase flow and high-speed micro bubble dynamics in the microchannel will help to discover the true electrochemical reaction at micro-scale in an operating PEMEC.
Ecological aspects of water impoundment in the tropics

Recognition of the potentially harmful effects of water development in the tropics had led to increasing efforts to assess the environmental impact of such projects prior to construction. Decisions regarding the development or non-development of water resources must be based on sound investigation of both the long-and short-term effects of reservoir construction and operation. The environmental effects of water impoundment vary greatly with the characteristics of the region as well as the type of reservoir to be constructed (area and depth of reservoir, ratio of water inflow to storage). Of major concern are the reduction of reservoir capacity as sediments accumulate behind the dam and the loss of these sediments to downstream agriculture and fisheries. The potential impact of altered flow regimes, siltation, reduction in beach formation and nutrient enrichment at the mouths of rivers, and the possibility of saltwater encroachment should receive careful stdy. A thorough description of the plants and animals to be affected by inundation should be made to determine the possible loss of rare or key organisms as well as the potential development of "nuisance species". Included in this survey should be a detailed study of existing fish and the potential for commercial fishery development in the proposed reservoir. Consideration should be given to vegetation removal in the reservoir basin prior to inundation, since decaying vegetation can result in deoxygenation, formation of hydrogen sulfide, possible development of suitable habitats for undesirable species and snagging of fish nets. Sanitation and land use practices as well as erosion in the watershed surrounding the reservoir must be controlled to prevent accelerated eutrophication caused by increased nutrient loading. Inundation in tropical areas can have serious sociological and human health implications including the increase of diseases, e.g., malaria, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and dysentery, and the probable resettlement and alteration of land use practices. Census information and surveys concerning land use, housing and health standards and the social and economic structure of the community to be affected must be evaluated in order to anticipate and avoid potential problems. The archaeologic, historic, scenic and recreational value of the site to be inundated must also be considered. Studies of the EL Cajon site on the Sula River in Honduras and the Purari River Project in Papua, New Guinea, are utilized as examples in this report.
Classification Of Asphalt Types By Asphaltene Aromaticity

A new method is presented using the correlation of 13C NMR aromaticity vs. H/C of the derived asphaltene for asphalt. The parent asphalt can clearly be separated into three types. This means that the component has to be separated from the parent asphalt first before the correlation. Result from this agrees with the traditional penetration index classification. In this paper, correlation between asphaltene aromaticity and temperature for different sources of asphalts or petroleum has been discussed.
Plasma surface modification of P(VDF-TrFE): Influence of surface chemistry and structure on electronic charge injection

Reactive ion plasma treatments have been used to alter the high field electrical properties of organic dielectrics via a grafting process of chemical species within the plasma to the surface of the dielectric. This study determines the effect of a CF4/O2 plasma based processing procedure on polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene [P(VDF-TrFE)] on low and high field electrical performance. Plasma treatment in conjunction with a thermal annealing procedure is analyzed in the following ways: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to determine the changes in surface chemistry of films post plasma treatment, optical profilometry to measure evolution in surface topology, water contact angle to track surface polarity as a function of plasma treatment time, and current-voltage measurements at low and high-fields to capture the electrical behavior of the films. The results indicate that plasma treatment causes the chemical modification of P(VDF-TrFE) surface through the addition of carbonyl (C=O) groups, as well as oxygen and fluorine based moieties (CF-O, C-O) which are dependent on processing condition. Contact angle with water shows an increase as a function of plasma treatment time from ∼84° to 111° in plasma treated films, indicating decreased surface polarity after plasma treatment. Finally, plasma treatment decreases film resistivity by one order of magnitude, from 8.0 × 1011 Ω m in untreated control samples to 0.8 × 1011 Ω m, as well as resulted in enhanced Schottky emission caused by decreased Schottky barrier height. Modeling I(V) data using both a surface limited (Schottky) and bulk limited (Poole-Frenkel) approaches suggest that conduction in P(VDF-TrFE) thin films results from Schottky emission and is dependent on the chemical environment of the metal/dielectric contact. This study ultimately demonstrates the ability to alter the electrical properties by plasma surface treatment and also the importance of surface chemistry in organic dielectrics to control conduction through the material for high energy and power applications.