cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of four pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass circuits in terms of perfusion quality and capturing gaseous microemboli

This study compared four pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits with four different hollow-fiber membrane oxygenators and their specific reservoirs, Capiox RX15, Quadrox-i pediatric, Quadrox-i pediatric with integrated arterial filter (IAF) and KIDS D101, in a simulated CPB circuit identical to that used in the clinical setting at our institution to test their ability to maintain hemodynamic properties, remove gaseous microemboli (GME), and to test the amount of blood “stolen” by the arterial filter purge line. The circuit was first primed with Ringer’s Lactate solution, then red blood cells were added and the hematocrit was maintained at 30%. A 5-cc bolus of air was injected just proximal to the venous reservoir over a thirty-second interval and GME were monitored using an Emboli Detection and Classification quantifier. Transducers were placed at pre-oxygenator, post-oxygenator and distal arterial line (post-filter) positions. Flow probes were also placed both pre and post filter. The injections...
Effect of Surface Treatments and Texture on the Carbonation Rates of Fly Ash Concretes for Crack Dating

Scientific crack dating can play a critical role in any litigation associated with claims from property owners alleging damage due to nearby construction or quarry activities or recent natural disaster events like earthquakes. This paper discusses the influence of surface treatments on the carbonation rates of fly ash concrete (0%, 25% and 50%) for the purpose of evaluating carbonation depths to determine the age of cracks within cementitious materials. Carbonation, a neutralizing reaction within the paste matrix, reduces the pH of cementitious materials from over 14 to less than 9. This reaction is a time-dependent process, which can be measured through various surfaces of both known and unknown age, then compared to determine a relative age and narrow down an absolute age so that such damage can be better linked to causation.
Detection and correction of stair mode across an optical phased array

A conceptual system capable of detecting the occurrence of stair mode across an optical array has been developed and studied. This conceptual system utilizes a single camera, referred to as the stair mode imager, to image the irradiance pattern produced at the target. The collected image is then cross-correlated with a database of theoretical stair mode images to estimate the amount of stair mode across the array. Previous studies have been limited to computer simulations and are expanded here into hardware-based experimentation. These experiments further study the effects of stair mode and are aimed at validating previous simulation findings and further characterizing the ability and constraints of the stair mode imager.
Selective COX-2 inhibition prevents progressive dopamine neuron degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Several lines of evidence point to a significant role of neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study we examined the protective effect of celecoxib, a selective inhibitor of the inducible form of cyclooxygenase (COX-2), on dopamine (DA) cell loss in a rat model of PD. We used the intrastriatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) that induces a retrograde neuronal damage and death, which progresses over weeks. Animals were randomized to receive celecoxib (20 mg/kg/day) or vehicle starting 1 hour before the intrastriatal administration of 6-OHDA. Evaluation was performed in vivo using micro PET and selective radiotracers for DA terminals and microglia. Post mortem analysis included stereological quantification of tyrosine hydroxylase, astrocytes and microglia. 12 days after the 6-OHDA lesion there were no differences in DA cell or fiber loss between groups, although the microglial cell density and activation was markedly reduced in animals receiving celecoxib (p < 0.01). COX-2 inhibition did not reduce the typical astroglial response in the striatum at any stage. Between 12 and 21 days, there was a significant progression of DA cell loss in the vehicle group (from 40 to 65%) that was prevented by celecoxib. Therefore, inhibition of COX-2 by celecoxib appears to be able, either directly or through inhibition of microglia activation to prevent or slow down DA cell degeneration.
Reading the Sedimentary Record of the Ocean’s Productivity

The basic controls on ocean productivity are poorly understood both biologically and geologically. In fact, we do not know the global patterns of productivity very well, either with regard to the rates of primary production (that is, the amount of carbon fixed in the photic zone each year), or with regard to the types of primary production (that is, the kinds of organisms involved).
No Taxation With or Without Representation: Completing the Revolutionary Break with Feudalist Practices

Taxation is a vestige of feudalism and monarchy. It persists because of the mistaken belief that government is somehow entitled to a portion of our labor or assets. This article challenges that belief from a philosophical perspective and offers a different viewpoint.
Growth and Capacitance Spectroscopy of Self Assembled Quantum Dots

The growth of InAs on GaAs self assembled quantum dots and their electronic properties is studied. The limit for coherent island growth is calculated with a simple model and compared to the experimentally observed values. Cross section transmission electron micrography and atomic force micrography are used to investigate this limit. The electronic properties studies involved the use of capacitance spectroscopy to map out the density of states in these structures as well as to probe the temperature dependence of the Coulomb Blockade effect in this system. It was found that Coulomb Blockade could be observed at temperatures in excess of 77K, representing an attractive approach for single electronics operating at high temperatures.
Detection and Isolation of Human Disseminated Tumor Cells in the Murine Bone Marrow Stem Cell Niche

The presence of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow is associated with poor prognosis of cancer patients. However, little is known about the biology of DTCs due to lack of relevant animal models. Here, we describe the methods for detecting and isolating human DTCs from the murine bone marrow niche by PCR using human Alu sequences and by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and immunohistochemistry using anti-HLA antibody. These strategies could be useful for exploring the biology of DTCs.
Level-to Level Electronic Energy Transfers in a Bacteriochlorophyll α — Protein Antenna Complex

Global analysis of absorption difference spectra under 790 nm excitation of Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) antenna trimers from the green photosynthetic bacterium Chlorobium tepidum at 19 K reveals 6 kinetic components, with lifetimes ranging from 170 fs to 840 ps. Each component has a well-structured decay-associated spectrum (DAS); at least three (and possibly four) of the DAS arise from relaxation between specific groups of levels.
Prognosis of NBTI aging using a machine learning scheme

Circuit aging is an important failure mechanism in nanoscale designs and is a growing concern for the reliability of future systems. Aging results in circuit performance degradation over time and the ultimate circuit failure. Among aging mechanisms, Negative-Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) is the main limiting factor of circuits lifetime. Estimating the effect of aging-related degradation, before it actually occurs, is crucial for developing aging prevention/mitigations actions to avoid circuit failures. In this paper, we propose a general-purpose IC aging prognosis approach by considering a comprehensive set of IC operating conditions including workload, usage time and operating temperature. In addition, our model considers process variation by using a calibration technique applied at the time of manufacturing. Experimental results confirms that our model is able to accurately predict the NBTI-related path delay degradation under various operating conditions. The proposed model is robust to process variations.
Design of Artificial Glycosidases: Metallopeptides that Remove H Antigen from Human Erythrocytes.

Catalysts that promote carbohydrate degradation have a wide range of potential applications, but the use of either enzyme glycosidases or small-molecule catalysts in biological systems raises significant challenges. Herein, we demonstrate a novel strategy for the design of synthetic agents that mimic natural glycosidases and address current problems for biological use. This strategy is illustrated by application to the development of potential blood substitutes for the rare Bombay blood type that is characterized by a deficiency of H2 antigen. Metallopeptides with 16 to 20 amino acids were constructed as artificial fucosidases that exhibit selective carbohydrate cleavage reactivity toward l-fucose over d-glucose. Selective fucose cleavage from the H2-antigen saccharide enables efficient removal of H2 antigen from erythrocytes and thereby accomplishes the conversion of regular human type-O blood into a potential blood substitute for the rare Bombay blood type.
Metastability and bifurcation in superconducting nanorings

We describe an approach, based on direct numerical solution of the Usadel equation, to finding stationary points of the free energy of superconducting nanorings. We consider both uniform (equilibrium) solutions and the critical droplets that mediate activated transitions between them. For the uniform solutions, we compute the critical current as a function of the temperature, thus obtaining a correction factor to Bardeen's 1962 interpolation formula. For the droplets, we present a metastability chart that shows the activation energy as a function of the temperature and current. A comparison of the activation energy for a ring to experimental results for a wire connected to superconducting leads reveals a discrepancy at large currents. We discuss possible reasons for it. We also discuss the nature of the bifurcation point at which the droplet merges with the uniform solution.
Theories of Convective Instabilities Driven by Thermocapillary Forces

In this paper we discuss several classes of convective instabilities that are driven by variations in surface tension on interfaces between immiscible fluids. We begin by introducing the underlying mechanical effects and then turn to the predictions of the theories and the mechanisms of the instabilities.
Trajectory planning and tracking of robotic fish using ergodic exploration

In recent years, underwater robots that propel and maneuver themselves like real fish, often called robotic fish, have emerged as promising mobile sensing platforms for freshwater and marine environments. For these active monitoring applications, efficient exploration along with economical locomotion is highly important, in order to optimize sensing coverage and guarantee long field operation time. As a result, optimization of the sensing trajectory and energy-saving tracking of the planned trajectory are of interest. In this paper we adopt an ergodic exploration method to calculate an optimal sensing trajectory for a tail-actuated robotic fish, and propose a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) approach for tracking the generated trajectory. A high-fidelity, averaged nonlinear dynamic model is used for trajectory planning and control. In particular, the bias and amplitude of the tail-beat pattern are treated as the control inputs, and their physical bounds and the constraints on their changing rates are properly accounted for in the optimization process. Finally, simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Review of emerging surgical robotic technology

The use of laparoscopic and robotic procedures has increased in general surgery. Minimally invasive robotic surgery has made tremendous progress in a relatively short period of time, realizing improvements for both the patient and surgeon. This has led to an increase in the use and development of robotic devices and platforms for general surgery. The purpose of this review is to explore current and emerging surgical robotic technologies in a growing and dynamic environment of research and development. This review explores medical and surgical robotic endoscopic surgery and peripheral technologies currently available or in development. The devices discussed here are specific to general surgery, including laparoscopy, colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and thoracoscopy. Benefits and limitations of each technology were identified and applicable future directions were described. A number of FDA-approved devices and platforms for robotic surgery were reviewed, including the da Vinci Surgical System, Sensei X Robotic Catheter System, FreeHand 1.2, invendoscopy E200 system, Flex® Robotic System, Senhance, ARES, the Single-Port Instrument Delivery Extended Research (SPIDER), and the NeoGuide Colonoscope. Additionally, platforms were reviewed which have not yet obtained FDA approval including MiroSurge, ViaCath System, SPORT™ Surgical System, SurgiBot, Versius Robotic System, Master and Slave Transluminal Endoscopic Robot, Verb Surgical, Miniature In Vivo Robot, and the Einstein Surgical Robot. The use and demand for robotic medical and surgical platforms is increasing and new technologies are continually being developed. New technologies are increasingly implemented to improve on the capabilities of previously established systems. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each robotic surgical device and platform in the operating suite.
Extraction of Doppler observables from open-loop recordings for the Juno radio science investigation

The goal of the Juno Gravity Science investigation is to estimate the gravitational field of Jupiter by measurement of the spacecraft velocity during periods of closest approach. Velocity is measured by the Doppler shift of dual X- and Ka-band radio links between the Juno spacecraft, in orbit around Jupiter, and the DSS-25 antenna of the Deep Space Network (DSN). During times of closest-approach, Juno experiences large dynamic ranges caused by the orbital dynamics and spin signatures caused by the spin-stabilized spacecraft that are detectable by the receivers at DSS-25. Open-loop recordings of received voltages are processed to compute Doppler observables utilized in the estimation of the gravity field. Presented is a method to process open-loop data collected by the DSN to compensate for the spin signature of the spacecraft, removal of artifacts from Doppler observables caused by the high dynamic environment, and improve performance of the digital phase-locked loop utilized in the data processing.
Fifty shades of cladism

Quinn (Biol Philos 32:581–598, 2017) offered seven definitions of “cladist” and discussed the context in which they are used in relation to historical and current debates in systematics. As a member of her study taxon, I offer some contextual color commentary, clarifications on the views of “pattern cladists” regarding monophyly, ancestors, synapomorphy and other concepts, a definition of “syncretist”, and some thoughts on cladistics and philosophy in the twenty first century.
Prediction of impact-damage growth in GFRP plates using particle filtering algorithm

Abstract With increasing use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in several industrial applications, structural health monitoring and prognosis have become an extremely critical task in recent years. Accurate health prognosis ensures system reliability and aids in estimating the remaining-useful-life (RUL) which in turn reduces repair or replacement costs. In this paper, a framework for the estimation of impact damage propagation in GFRP plates is proposed which utilizes a physical model based on Paris’ law and data obtained from inspection of GFRP specimens by optical transmission scanning (OTS) technique. Advanced signal processing and feature extraction is performed to quantitatively characterize the delamination size from the OTS data. A Bayesian method based on particle filter update has been implemented to estimate the model parameters by taking observed data into account and accurate RUL prediction of the GFRP samples subjected to impact damage has been achieved. Results demonstrate feasibility and potential of the proposed approach as a robust reliability analysis technique of GFRP laminar plates.
Iron deficiency: the global perspective

Micronutrient deficiency is increasingly recognized as a priority nutritional problem in the developing world; at least 20% of the world’s population is at risk of a deficiency in vitamin A, iodine, or iron (Trowbridge et al. 1993). Vitamin A deficiency is the most important cause of preventable blindness whereas iodine deficiency is a significant cause of permanent brain damage, mental retardation, and reproductive failure. A deficiency of either of these nutrients is associated with a decrease in childhood survival.
Blick in eine unsichere Zukunft: Geschlechterverhältnisse und Armutspolitiken in Mittel- und Osteuropa

Armut ist ein EU-weites Problem: 2004 lebten 16 Prozent aller EU-BurgerInnen unter der Armutsschwelle und waren so zumindest teilweise vom gesellschaftlichen Leben ausgeschlossen.1 Die Armutsquoten schwankten von neun bis zehn Prozent in Schweden und Tschechien, bis 21 Prozent in Litauen und Polen (European Commission 2007). Insbesondere die Reformen im ubergang der realsozialistischen Lander Mittel- und Osteuropas (MOE) hin zu kapitalistischen Wirtschaftssystemen und liberalen Demokratien haben eine vorher so nicht gekannte soziale Ungleichheit und Armut verursacht.2 Zudem hat sich Armut entgegen vieler Erwartungen zu Beginn der 1990er Jahre als ein anhaltendes strukturelles Problem erwiesen und nicht als ein Ubergangsphanomen der fruhen Transition.3
ROLE OF ANION TRANSPORT MECHANISMS IN PROXIMAL TUBULE ACIDIFICATION

This chapter discusses the coupling of isotopic chloride ( 36 Cl - ) uptake to inwardly-directed proton gradients in brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) prepared from rabbit renal cortex, and also explains the effects of the Cl - /OH - antiport on the overall process of acidification in the proximal tubule. Anion transport system in BBMV is prepared from rat small intestine, which functions in parallel with the Na + /H + antiport. This system can collapse pH gradients generated by the Na + /H + antiport, and is characterized as a Cl - /OH - antiport or HCl symport. A parallel array of Na + /H + and Cl - /OH - antiports results in neutral NaCl transport across the luminal membrane of the intestine, and proximal tubule. Neutral NaCl is accomplished by the combined effect of both antiports in the luminal membrane. This system functions in later segments of the proximal tubule, after the filtered loads of bicarbonate and other organic solutes are reabsorbed, and the luminal concentrations of chloride and protons rises. The Na + /H + antiport is utilized for reabsorbing bicarbonate in the early proximal tubule, and for reabsorbing chloride in later segments of the proximal tubule. Therefore, the Na + /H + play a central role in anion reabsorption along the entire length of the proximal tubule.
The Performance Paradox: An Examination of Goal Setting and Escalation Theories.

This research examines the phenomenon of escalation of commitment to a failing course of action in IT projects. The research in the domain of escalation has been to identify the antecedents to the escalation behavior that individuals are known to exhibit in escalation situations. The escalation theory advocates that when individual commit more resources (in terms of effort, time and money) in escalation situations deepens the already existing problems (more is not always better). On the other hand, we have goal setting theory which discusses a number of attributes and antecedents for individuals to increase their effort, direct their attention and persist their actions. Goal setting assumes that more effort is better and it would increase the task performance of an individual (more is better). In this research, web based role playing scenario with real IT project managers is expected to be used as the research methodology. This research is expected to contribute by integrating goal setting theory with escalation theory, which has never been done before. This research contributes to escalation by identifying antecedents and attributes of escalation of commitment based on goal setting and contributes to the goal setting theory by showing that under some contexts such as escalation situations, goal setting leads to undesired consequences.
Accelerating Synchronization in Graph Analytics Using Moving Compute to Data Model on Tilera TILE-Gx72

The shared memory cache coherence paradigm is prevalent in modern multicores. However, as the number of cores increases, synchronization between threads limits performance scaling. Hardware-based core-to-core explicit messaging has been incorporated as an auxiliary communication capability to the shared memory cache coherence paradigm in the Tilera TILE-Gx72 multicore. We propose to utilize the auxiliary explicit messaging capability to build a moving computation to data model that accelerates synchronization using fine-grain serialization of critical code regions at dedicated cores. The proposed communication model exploits data locality and improves performance over both spin-lock and atomic instruction based synchronization methods for a set of parallelized graph analytic benchmarks executing on real world graphs. Experimental results show an average 34% better performance over spin-locks, and 15% over atomic instructions at 64 cores setup on TILE-Gx72.
Alemtuzumab induction and belatacept maintenance in marginal pathology renal allografts

We performed a prospective, 12-month, single-center, nonrandomized, open-label pilot study to investigate the use of belatacept therapy combined with alemtuzumab induction in renal allografts with preexisting pathology, as these kidneys may be more susceptible to additional toxicity when exposed to calcineurin inhibitors posttransplant. Nineteen belatacept recipients were matched retrospectively to a cohort of tacrolimus recipients on the basis of preimplantation pathology. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was not significantly different between belatacept and tacrolimus recipients at either 3 or 12 months posttransplant (59 vs 45, P = 0.1 and 56 vs 48 mL/min/1.72/m2 , P = 0.3). Biopsy-proven acute rejection rates at 12 months were 26% in belatacept recipients and 16% in tacrolimus recipients (P = 0.7). Graft survival at 1 year was 89% in both groups. Alemtuzumab induction combined with either calcineurin inhibitor or costimulatory blockade therapies resulted in similar acceptable one-year outcomes in kidneys with preexisting pathologic changes. Longer-term follow-up may be necessary to identify preferential strategies to improve outcomes of kidneys at a higher risk for poor function (ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT01496417).
Management of Newborn

At birth fetal circulation ceases and the circulatory and respiratory systems must undergo dramatic changes. Well over 80% of neonates undergo these changes without incidence and establish good pulmonary ventilation. In the remainder, a variety of causes impair the establishment of adequate respiration and the infant must be resuscitated. This chapter discusses briefly the general clinical management and resuscitation of the newborn.
Parking and the city

In Parking and the City, urban planning Professor Donald Shoup of the University of California Los Angeles makes a persuasive case that an oversupply of free parking, off-street parking minimums, a...
Development of Protein Biomarker Identification Protocols

Protein biomarkers can be used to predict biological traits or diseases. There is a need for robust methods to identify protein biomarkers that are linked to livestock production traits. Serum from blood is often used for detecting and screening for biomarkers. Albumin is a protein that comprises 50% or more of the total content of serum, and has historically been removed from serum before biomarker development and testing. We have shown that it is possible to successfully identify potential biomarkers without albumin removal, thus reducing steps and potentially cost in both development and routine testing phases.
Findings in Search of a Controversy and in Need of More Data

Based on their quantitative survey of democracy protests from 1989 to 2011, Dawn Brancati and Adrian Lucardi conclude that diffusion of such protests is the exception, not the rule; that domestic f...
Facile synthesis of bromo- and mixed bromo/chloro dibenzo-p-dioxins and [14C]-labeled 1,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin.

Abstract Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) and mixed bromo/chloro dibenzo-p-dioxins (PXDDs) are persistent organic pollutants that can possess the same toxicity as their fully chlorinated analogs (PCDDs) and have been identified in the same matrices. Herein a general synthetic methodology is described to produce multiple congeners of PBDDs and PXDDs with varying degrees of halogenation and substitution patterns for use as analytical and/or internal standards, and for absorption, disposition, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies. The syntheses of PBDDs and PXDDs were accomplished by condensing a common precursor, 4,5-dibromo catechol, with variable precursors, i.e., polychlorinated 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzenes or polybrominated 1-fluoro-2-nitrobenzenes, to introduce a desired number of halogens and specific substitution patterns. Initial attempts to synthesize PBDDs and PXDDs were performed in potassium carbonate with DMSO at 145–150 °C. PXDDs syntheses resulted in formation of the desired products at >90% purity but attempts at higher brominated PBDDs syntheses resulted in dehalogenated by-products. To preclude by-product formation, additional syntheses for some PBDDs were conducted by refluxing the precursors in acetonitrile, which resulted in pure products at higher yield. Six PXDDs ranging from four to six halogens were synthesized (20–84% yield), of which three contained the halogen substitution pattern of 2,3,7,8. Five PBDDs ranging from four to six bromines were produced in 23–83% yield, three of which were toxic. Using the initial DMSO method, [14C]-1,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin (0.26 μCi/μmol; 11% overall yield) was synthesized from commercially available [14C]-phenol to allow an ADME study to be conducted.
Fifty years post Gault: A meta-analysis of the impact of attorney representation on delinquency outcomes

Abstract Purpose The United States Supreme Court decision In re Gault highlighted the importance of legal representation throughout juvenile justice proceedings. However, prior studies indicate that juveniles with legal representation have been both advantaged and disadvantaged across juvenile court outcomes. Some research suggests a “lawyer penalty” where youth represented by legal counsel are punished more severely than their non-represented counterparts. Methods Given the implications of these findings on both the court and life outcomes of juvenile offenders, the current study performs a meta-analysis comparing the dispositional sanctions of adjudicated juvenile offenders with counsel to those without representation. Results Juveniles represented by legal counsel were over two times more likely to receive an out-of-home placement compared to those without attorneys. The lawyer penalty was robust over time, across bivariate and multivariate studies, and whether individual-level or state-level data were analyzed, as having an attorney present increased the odds of a juvenile being removed from their home by over 200%. Conclusions Evidence of a lawyer penalty has persisted since the In re Gault decision despite an increase in sophistication of statistical analyses. The implications for juvenile court practice, the role of legal representation in juvenile court proceedings, and future research are discussed.
Chapter 2 – A History of Communities and Policing

Publisher Summary The history of modern policing serves to show why the emergence of community policing is a hopeful response to a system that is not in touch with its ideal function, which is to involve all people in improving society. Policing shifted from an informal to a formal system; this change also meant a shift away from direct community input and control. Most transformations in policing are the result of five interrelated pressures: continued population growth; the shift from an agrarian to an industrial economy; increased complexity and inequity in the distribution of material resources; the crowding of people into cities; and advances in technology. Community policing reminds the importance of balancing efforts aimed at the top with those that focus on the street where most people live. It also reminds that people are the police department's most valuable resource and should be treated as valued partners in the police process. Community policing retains from the lessons of history a sincere commitment to improving police relations with minorities and a concerted effort to end police brutality. History also instructs that police are too prone to use technology and gimmicks to enlist support and the police themselves often undermine even well-meaning efforts. History proves that safety and order are not commodities the police can effectively impose on communities; instead, they are the hallmarks of communities that participate in social equity and self-governance to improve the quality of life for all people.
Toward an understanding of civic engagement capacities within a municipal civic participation system

Neighborhood organizations are positioned to intercede between private interests and public purposes by facilitating citizen participation and promoting civic engagement in municipal governance. Ho...
Neue Wege in der Afrika-EU-Partnerschaft? Eine Untersuchung zu Handlungsregeln mit Bezug zu Wachstum

Der Beitrag widmet sich der Afrika-EU-Partnerschaft, die als Kooperationsformat seit 2007 zwischen der Afrikanischen und der Europaischen Union besteht. Er rekonstruiert die grundlegenden Handlungsregeln der Partnerschaft zum Thema Wachstum und argumentiert, dass diese auch den politischen Dimensionen dieser Zusammenarbeit zugrunde liegen. Als zentrale Handlungsregel stellt sich dabei die investitionsbasierte Entwicklung heraus, die den Fokus auf die Verantwortung und Gestaltungsinteressen privatwirtschaftlicher Investoren fur die zukunftige Entwicklung der beiden Staatenverbunde, insbesondere bei den Themen Armutsreduktion und Nachhaltigkeit legt.
Evaluating Emergy Analysis at the Nexus of Circular Economy and Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Abstract Emergy analysis has been gaining attention in its use as an environmental accounting tool. Its relationships and implications to sustainable supply chains and the circular economy are still not well understood, even with initial investigations into the relationship. Emergy analysis can potentially provide additional profound opportunities to advancing these sustainability-oriented fields. Emergy analysis—as a basis for economic, social and environmental performance measurements—uses donor side valuation approaches. We discuss how sustainable supply chain management and circular economy performance measurement methods can be expanded and effectively utilize emergy analysis using a donor-side evaluation. We provide insights into more effective environmentally sustainable supply chain and circularity performance evaluation, accounting, and appraisal using emergy based performance measurements. Our findings show that there is ample room for further application and theoretical development at the nexus of these topics. Practically, the measures and approaches for emergy analysis can help decision makers in organizations and across supply chains in managing material sourcing, supplier selection, and network and circular economy flow designs. A theoretical synthesis and research gaps are introduced to help guide future theoretical developments and practical investigations. This work is valuable for those seeking to advance research on sustainability and performance analysis for organizational and supply chain levels of analysis.
Smoking cessation and weight gain: Evidence from China.

Abstract Cigarette smoking has long been viewed as a means to control body weight. However, studies on the association between smoking cessation and weight gain have reported mixed findings and, notably, there is limited evidence among the Chinese population – the world’s largest smoker population. The extent to which smoking cessation is positively associated with body weight is of interest as excessive weight gain contributes to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, and some cancers. Additionally, concerns over weight gain may dissuade current smokers from quitting. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), we examine the association between smoking cessation and body weight in China. To account for the nonrandom nature of smoking cessation, our research design relies on within-individual variation in smoking status to remove the influence of time-invariant unobserved differences across individuals that are correlated with both cessation and body weight. We find that smoking cessation is associated with a modest increase in weight (0.329 kg, 0.51 % off the mean) and no significant changes in the prevalence of overweight or obesity.
Ultrasonographic Tissue Perfusion in Peri-implant Health and Disease.

Color flow ultrasonography has played a crucial role in medicine for its ability to assess dynamic tissue perfusion and blood flow variations as an indicator of a pathologic condition. While this f...
Gender Differences in Vocal Fold Mass Treatment.

Summary Objective The purpose of the study was to examine gender-related differences in benign vocal fold mass treatment. Methods Adult patient with vocal fold mass diagnosed on strobovideolaryngoscopy examination were reviewed retrospectively. Patient demographics, past medical history, laboratory data, and examination findings during the initial visit and at follow-up were collected. The duration of voice therapy and the prevalence of surgery were analyzed for males and females. Results One hundred and fifty-eight patients (76 male and 82 female) were included. The percentage of professional voice users differed significantly between males and females. Vocal folds of females had a higher percent of reactive masses present. Females were also more likely to have a pseudocyst. Vocal folds of males showed a higher percent of masses of unspecified category on strobovideolaryngoscopy examination. A significantly greater proportion of females had abnormal high shimmer values, and abnormal low maximum phonation time; and a significantly greater proportion of females compared to males chose to participate in voice therapy. The average number of voice therapy sessions for males did not differ, nor did duration of voice therapy. A similar proportion of males and females underwent surgical mass excision. The treatment plan completed differed significantly between males and females with a higher percentage of males choosing to receive no treatment. For 45.54% of males and 59.70% of females the treatment plan consisted of voice therapy only. For 33.33% of males and 37.31% of females, the treatment plan included both voice therapy and surgery. Although gender was the strongest predictor for participation in voice therapy, professional voice uses also predicted participation in voice therapy in both men and women significantly. Professional singing in particular was not a significant predictor for participation in voice therapy. Males were significantly more likely than females to be lost to follow-up before treatment outcome could be assessed Conclusion More females than males were found to have pseudocysts while more males than females had unspecified masses. Females and professional voice users were more willing than males to utilize voice therapy. No difference was found between males and females who decided to have surgery. The best treatment regimen for vocal fold mass is a combination of voice therapy and surgery, when necessary, but gender-specific differences merit further research as well as reconsideration of therapy approaches and strategies to optimize patient compliance.
7 – Dynamic Measurements of Local Cerebral Blood Flow: Examples from Rodent Whisker Barrel Cortex

This chapter reviews techniques used to study the dynamic realtime changes in local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) by direct observation of the brain surface in experimental animals. One of the techniques— Doppler effect— can be used to estimate mean velocities and the magnitude of moving objects. With optical laser-Doppler flowmetry, frequency shifts in coherent light in the near infrared to which tissue is relatively transparent can be used to estimate red blood cells (RBCs) velocity and volume of moving RBCs. Direct observation of cerebral vessels requires magnification. Low-magnification systems with appropriate macro lenses and dissecting microscopes for modest magnification can be used to view changes over wide areas of exposed brains of larger animals, including humans. Electrophysiological recording of evoked responses is the traditional way to determine the location of sensory cortical areas. It takes considerable time to generate detailed “maps” point by point for accurate localization representation within a map, even with surface electrodes. Angiographers use the timing of movement of radio-opaque dyes to estimate flow abnormalities. Transits have been measured in animals with carbon particles and dilution of RBCs with saline or dye.
Analysis of very elderly (≥80 years) non-hodgkin lymphoma: impact of functional status and co-morbidities on outcome.

Summary Data on outcome, prognostic factors, and treatment for very elderly nonHodgkin lymphomas (NHL) is sparse. We conducted a multicentre retrospective analysis of NHL patients ‡80 years (at diagnosis) treated between 1999 and 2009. Detailed characteristics were obtained including geriatric syndromes, activities of daily living (ADLs), and co-morbidities using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics (CIRS-G). We identified 303 patients: 170 aggressive NHL (84% B cell/16% T cell) and 133 indolent NHL (82% B cell/18% T cell). Median age was 84 years (80‐95). A geriatric syndrome was present in 26% of patients, 18% had ‡1 grade 4 CIRS-G, and 14% had loss of ADLs. At 49-month median follow-up, 4-year progressionfree (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for aggressive NHLs were 31% and 44% respectively (stage I/II: PFS 53% and OS 66%; stage III/IV: PFS 20% and OS 32%; P <0 AE0001 and 0AE0002, respectively). Four-year PFS and OS for indolent NHL were 44% and 66% respectively, regardless of stage. Multivariate regression analysis identified two key factors that predicted inferior PFS and OS for both NHL groups: lack of CR and loss of ADLs. Prospective studies for very elderly NHL that incorporate geriatric tools, especially ADLs, are warranted.
Electroforesis capilar en el estudio de la oxidación radiolítica del benceno en solución acuosa

En este trabajo se compara la electroforesis capilar de alta resolucion con la cromatografia liquida de alta presion como metodos analiticos para la determinacion del rendimiento radiolitico (valor G)† del fenol, producido en la oxidacion de benceno en soluciones acuosas. El fenol es el principal producto de la oxidacion de los radicales hidroxiciclohexadienilo producidos inicialmente por la adicion de los radicales •OH al benceno. A partir de soluciones acuosas saturadas con benceno y N2O, tambien conteniendo ferricianuro como oxidante, el fenol es producido con un valor G de 5.94 moleculas por cada 100 eV de energia absorbidas. Este rendimiento indica que las reacciones de oxidacion son esencialmente cuantitativas. Ademas se encontro que, en general, la separaciones son mejor por electroforesis capilar que por cromatografia de liquidos, aunque la resolucion es muy buena en ambos metodos. La electroforesis capilar tiene la ventaja de ser considerablemente mas rapida que la cromatografia liquida de alta presion. Este hecho permite tener informacion detallada con mayor facilidad sobre las reacciones en estudios de quimica de radiaciones de solutos organicos mediante la electroforesis capilar
Defective glucose-dependent endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sequestration in diabetic mouse islets of Langerhans

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a metabolic disease associated with abnormal insulin secretion, the underlying mechanisms of which are unknown. Glucose-dependent signal transduction pathways were investigated in pancreatic islets derived from the db/db mouse, an animal model of NIDDM. After stimulation with glucose (4-12 mM), the changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were different; unlike control islets, db/db islets lacked an initial reduction of [Ca2+]i and the subsequent [Ca2+]i oscillations following stimulation with 12 mM glucose. The severity of these defects in Ca2+ signaling correlated with the age-dependent development of hyperglycemia. Similarly defective glucose-induced Ca2+ signaling were reproduced in control islets by pre-exposure to thapsigargin, a selective inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+)-ATPase. Estimation of ATPase activities from rates of ATP hydrolysis and by immunoblot hybridization with an antiserum directed against the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase both demonstrated that the ER Ca(2+)-ATPase was almost entirely absent from db/db islets. The effects of inhibition of ER Ca(2+)-ATPase on insulin secretion were also examined; a 4-day exposure of control islets to 1 microM thapsigargin resulted in basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion levels similar to those found in db/db islets. These results suggest that aberrant ER Ca2+ sequestration underlies the impaired glucose responses in the db/db mouse and may play a role in defective insulin secretion associated with NIDDM.
Surface δ-interaction model for doubly open shell nuclei (I). Quadrupole vibrations

Abstract The surface-delta interaction (SDI) of Moszkowski is applied to calculations of quadrupole vibrational states of spherical nuclei with the following special features: (i) The spin-dependence of the force is treated correctly. This is important for doubly open-shell nuclei, (ii) The phase of the single-particle wave functions at the surface is taken into account. This is important for the calculation of the E2 transition probability from the one-phonon state to the ground state. Numerical calculations are presented for the NiZn region and the TeBaXe region. The results are compared with the predictions of the pairing-plus-quadrupole model and with experiment. The agreement with experiment is very good.
Molybdenum behavior during early diagenesis: Insights from Mo isotopes

[1] We present molybdenum isotope and concentration data from 14 sites in the eastern Pacific from the central California to the Peru margin. The environments studied have been chosen to represent a broad range in oxidation-reduction (redox) potential, which provide a framework for the behavior of this redox-sensitive element. Manganese-rich hemipelagic sediments from the eastern tropical Pacific have a mean characteristic Mo isotope signature (δ98/95Mo = −0.49 ± 0.04‰, two times the standard deviation of the mean (2 SDOM) with n = 14) that reflects fractionation between ocean water and authigenic Mo associated with Mn oxides. Authigenic Fe-Mo-S deposits from reducing continental margin settings also have a characteristic Mo isotopic signature (δ98/95Mo = 1.64 ± 0.04‰, 2 SDOM with n = 136). Both of these values are in contrast to highly sulfidic (>11 μM H2Saq) restricted basin environments, which contain Mo isotope values analytically indistinguishable from seawater. In terms of the Mo isotope composition, the modern oceanic Mo sink is dominated by continental margin “type” environments where δ98/95Mo = ∼1.6‰ and Mn-rich sediments where δ98/95Mo = approximately −0.5‰, with a minor contribution from euxinic settings where H2Saq > 11 μM.
A protocol description language for customizing failure semantics

To optimize performance in a fault-tolerant distributed system, it is often necessary to enforce different failure semantics for different components. By choosing a custom set of failure semantics for each component and then by enforcing the semantics with a minimal set of protocols for a particular architecture, performance may be maximized while ensuring the desired system behavior. We have developed DIL, a language for specifying, on a per-component basis, protocols that transparently enforce failure semantics. These protocols may be reused with arbitrary components, allowing the development of a library of protocols. >
The Effects of Biomass Density on Size Variability and Growth Performance of Juvenile Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides, in a Semi-closed Recirculating System

This study evaluated the effects of biomass density on size variability and growth performance of feed-trained largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, fingerlings in a semi-closed recirculating system for 60 d. Average individual body weight and length of fingerlings were 9.04 g and 9.07 cm, respectively. Experimental biomass densities were set at 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 kg/m3. Water temperature was adjusted to approximately 25 C and dissolved oxygen concentration was maintained above saturation. Fish were fed a formulated diet (42% protein) distributed by automatic feeders for 12 h daily. During the experiment, fingerlings actively fed and presented high survival rates (96.8–95.0%) at all densities. Growth performance of fingerlings was not affected by the biomass densities tested in this study (P < 0.05). The ranges of size distributions were similar among treatments, but more fingerlings were near the average size at lower biomass densities. Based on the results of this study, largemouth bass fingerlings were tolerant of high biomass density and a gross yield of 100–125 kg/m3 may be viable for largemouth bass reared in a semi-closed recirculating system up to 30 g in weight.
Geographic origins and dietary transitions during the Bronze Age in the Oman Peninsula.

The nature of the Bronze Age transition from the Umm an-Nar (ca. 2700-2000 BC) to the Wadi Suq (ca. 2000-1300 BC) period in the Oman Peninsula has been highly debated by archaeologists, with some characterizing the latter as a time of cultural isolation, social collapse, and=or population replacement following the successful involvement of the area in widespread interregional exchange networks across Arabia and South Asia. The hypothesis that a substantial change in residential mobility, immigration, and diet took place in response to considerable societal changes as reflected by the archaeological record was tested using stable oxygen and carbon isotope analysis. Archaeological human den- tal enamel from individuals interred in six Umm an-Nar (n 5 100) and seven Wadi Suq (n 5 16) communal tombs in the United Arab Emirates was used. Oxygen isotope data reveal largely homogeneous ratios indicative of a predominantly local population that acquired water from isotopically similar sources, although the pres- ence of immigrants during both periods suggests that the region was not as isolated as previously held. Car- bon isotope data exhibit a substantial temporal shift from an extremely varied to a more restricted diet, demonstrating that while considerable changes in sub- sistence strategies and social organization took place in the early second millennium BC, population conti- nuity and sustained (although lessened) participation in pan-Gulf trade systems best characterizes this regional transformation. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:353-369, 2013. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.