cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug Release Properties of Polymer Coated Ion-Exchange Resin Complexes: Experimental and Theoretical Evaluation

Although ion-exchange resins have been used widely as drug delivery systems, their exact release kinetics has not been reported yet. Usually only the rate-limiting step has been taken into account and the rest of the steps have been ignored as instantaneous processes. To investigate the exact release kinetics of polymer-coated drug/ion-exchange resin complexes for sustained drug delivery, the results of new mathematical modeling were compared with experimental results. Drug/resin complexes with a model drug, dextromethorphan, were prepared and used as cores for fluid-bed coating. An aqueous colloidal dispersion of poly(vinyl acetate) was applied for the coating. A comprehensive mathematical model was developed using a mechanistic approach by considering diffusion, swelling, and ion-exchange processes solved by numerical techniques. The rate-limiting factor of the uncoated resin particles was diffusion through the core matrix. Similarly, in the coated particles the rate-limiting factor was diffusion through the coating membrane. The mathematical model has captured the phenomena observed during experimental evaluations and the release dynamics from uncoated and coated (at different coat levels) particles were predicted accurately (maximum RMSE 2.4%). The mathematical model is a useful tool to theoretically evaluate the drug release properties from coated ion-exchange complexes thus can be used for design purposes.
Remote Superficial Femoral Artery A Endarterectomy: Early Results for TASC D Lesions in Patients With Severe Ischemia

Endovascular treatment for Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) D lesions of the superficial femoral artery has been disappointing. This has been attributed to a bulking atheromatous plaque. Debulking the superficial femoral artery allows for a larger lumen, whereas covering the lumen with an endograft provides in-line flow. We evaluated the intermediate results of remote superficial femoral artery endarterectomy with covered endograft placement in 18 patients. Patient demographic, vascular laboratory, and preoperative data were gathered retrospectively. The procedure was technically successful in all the patients. The mean age was 62.2 ± 9.9 years. Ankle brachial index improved from 0.35 ± 0.1 to 0.86 ± 0.1. The cumulative 12-month primary patency was 42.2%, whereas assisted primary or secondary patency was 70.8%. Five endografts occluded within the 12 months. Two of those patients underwent subsequent femoral-to-below-knee bypass, whereas 2 had major amputations. Remote superficial femoral arter...
Toward a Multivariate Analysis of Alcohol Abuse

“Excessive drinking,” “problem drinking,” and “alcoholism” are societal designations of individuals’ relationships with alcohol. Although the labels differ in connotation and denotation, all involve conceptions of alcohol abuse which have been instrumental in shaping popular, professional, and political opinion (Linsky, 1972)
Interspeaker variability in hard palate morphology and vowel production.

Purpose Differences in vocal tract morphology have the potential to explain interspeaker variability in speech production. The potential acoustic impact of hard palate shape was examined in simulat...
Allelic Variation in a Cellulose Synthase Gene (PtoCesA4) Associated with Growth and Wood Properties in Populus tomentosa

Lignocellulosic biomass from trees provides a renewable feedstock for biofuels, lumber, pulp, paper, and other uses. Dissecting the mechanism underlying natural variation of the complex traits controlling growth and lignocellulose biosynthesis in trees can enable marker-assisted breeding to improve wood quality and yield. Here, we combined linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based association analysis with traditional linkage analysis to detect the genetic effect of a Populus tomentosa cellulose synthase gene, PtoCesA4 . PtoCesA4 is strongly expressed in developing xylem and leaves. Nucleotide diversity and LD in PtoCesA4 , sampled from the P. tomentosa natural distribution, revealed that PtoCesA4 harbors high single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity (πT = 0.0080 and θw = 0.0098) and low LD ( r2 ≥ 0.1, within 1400 bp), demonstrating that the potential of a candidate-gene-based LD approach in understanding the molecular basis underlying quantitative variation in this species. By combining single SNP, multi-SNP, and haplotype-based associations in an association population of 460 individuals with single SNP linkage analysis in a family-based linkage populations (1200 individuals), we identified three strong associations (false discovery rate Q < 0.05) in both populations. These include two nonsynonymous markers (SNP49 associated with α-cellulose content and SNP59 associated with fiber width) and a noncoding marker (SNP18 associated with α-cellulose content). Variation in RNA transcript abundance among genotypic classes of SNP49 was confirmed in these two populations. Therefore, combining different methods allowed us to examine functional PtoCesA4 allelic variation underlying natural variation in complex quantitative traits related to growth and lignocellulosic biosynthesis.
Slow recovery of impaired phrenic responses to hypoxia following perinatal hyperoxia in rats

1Previous studies demonstrated that both ventilatory and phrenic nerve responses to acute hypoxia are greatly attenuated in adult rats (3–5 months old) previously exposed to 1 month of perinatal hyperoxia (60 % O2; perinatal treated rats). The present study tested the hypothesis that this functional impairment recovers spontaneously with advancing age in perinatal treated rats. 2Hypoxia-induced chemoreflexes were examined by measuring integrated phrenic responses to strictly controlled isocapnic hypoxia in urethane-anaesthetized, vagotomized, paralysed and ventilated rats at different ages. 3At 50 mmHg Pa,O2 (arterial O2 partial pressure), the hypoxia-induced increase in minute phrenic activity was significantly attenuated in both 3- to 5-month-old (166 ± 15 % of baseline) and 6-month-old (130 ± 17 %) perinatal treated rats, relative to 3- to 6-month-old, untreated control rats (279 ± 28 %; both P < 0.05). However, at 40 mmHg Pa,O2, the hypoxic minute phrenic activity response was attenuated only in 3- to 5-month-old (154 ± 33 %), but not 6-month-old (232 ± 33 %) perinatal treated rats versus control rats (293 ± 30 %). 4The minute phrenic activity response to hypoxia was not significantly different between geriatric perinatal treated rats (14–15 months) and untreated geriatric control rats at either 50 mmHg (treated: 250 ± 20 %versus control: 274 ± 23 %) or 40 mmHg Pa,O2 (treated: 292 ± 19 %versus control: 315 ± 36 %). 5These data suggest that partial spontaneous recovery may occur in 6-month-old perinatal treated rats and that full recovery occurs by 15 months of age.
Silver dressings improve diabetic wound healing without reducing bioburden.

UNLABELLED ﻿﻿﻿Introduction. Silver dressings are widely used in the treatment of chronic wounds to reduce bacterial bioburden. However, little is known about the mechanism of silver ions on the healing process. In this study, a mouse model of wound healing was used to examine the effect of silver dressings in normal and diabetic wounds. METHODS Two 5-mm full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsal skin of diabetic BKS.Cg- m+/+Leprdb/J mice (experimental group) and wild type C57BL/6 mice (control group), and treated with either a silver or gauze dressing. Measurement of wound areas by digital planimetry demonstrated faster healing in the silver-treated wounds of both diabetic and control mice. RESULTS Quantitative bacterial cultures showed a reduction of bioburden in silver-treated wounds in wild type mice. Unexpectedly, there was no decrease in bioburden in the silver-treated diabetic wounds compared to the control diabetic wounds, despite improved healing in the silver-treated diabetic wounds. Staphylococcus xylosus, a known biofilm producer, was the only bacteria identified in all the wounds. In vitro studies showed S. xylosus produced biofilms faster in higher glucose environments; this may explain the increased bioburden in the wounds in diabetic mice compared to wild type mice. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate improved healing and reduced bioburden in normal wounds with silver dressings. In contrast, silver dressings improved healing in diabetic wounds despite no effect on bioburden, suggesting silver may have beneficial effects in addition to its antimicrobial properties.
Using Mobile Phone Location Data to Develop External Trip Models

This paper explores the use of passively collected data on the location of mobile phones in the development of external travel models, which capture trips to, from, and through an area. The data were collected 24 h a day for 1 month during May 2013 for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The data cover the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization and surrounding counties in North Carolina. This paper details the format of the data collected and the required processing and cleaning to support the development of the external trip models. The process for developing a through-trip table and estimating external trip interchanges in the region is presented, along with validation techniques for both. The results of this effort show that passively collected mobile phone data can be a good source of local information for developing external trip models.
Vaginal Examination Simulation Using Citrus Fruit to Simulate Cervical Dilation and Effacement

This technical report describes the creation and use of a cervical dilation and effacement model in a pre-licensure nursing course in reproductive health. Vaginal examination is typically taught in reproductive health courses; however, nursing students do not always have sufficient opportunity to practice on actual patients. This low-cost task-training model provides undergraduate nursing students the opportunity to experience performing a vaginal examination to assess for cervical dilation and effacement during the labor process.
Fructose augments infection-impaired net hepatic glucose uptake during TPN administration

During chronic total parenteral nutrition (TPN), net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) and net hepatic lactate release (NHLR) are markedly reduced (↓∼45 and ∼65%, respectively) with infection. Because ...
Abstract 365: Improving Hospital Adherence to The Appropriate Use Criteria; A Successful Multidisciplinary, Multipronged Approach

Background: New York State (NYS) began monitoring and reporting back hospital’s adherence to the Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary revascularization (AU) in 2010. NYS plans to publicly report as well as decrease payments for procedures deemed rarely appropriate based on these data. Utilizing the data in these reports on AU, our hospital made strenuous efforts to improve documentation and decrease inappropriate procedures. Results from NYS data from 2011 through 2013 were continuously tracked and charted to monitor progress and to identify areas to focus on for needed remediation. Methods: 2010 data from NYS was utilized as the baseline. A multipronged approach was taken to improve appropriateness. A monthly multidisciplinary task force was organized to review opportunities, change policies and procedures, and review ongoing results. A worksheet was developed and used to provide education and data collection. The electronic catheterization report was changed to incorporate appropriateness criteria documentation previously missing from the chart. Challenges included education and achieving compliance from a diverse group of faculty captive and private cardiology groups supported by a large and constantly changing group of support staff. The summary of data from NYS was compared from 2010 through 2013 against the hospitals results and NYS as a whole. Results: Cases rated appropriate increased from 26% (102 of 391) in 2010 to 62% (75 of 121) in 2013. Cases rated inappropriate decreased from 24.8% (97 of 391) in 2010 to 8.3% (10 of 121) in 2013. The cases rated uncertain also decreased from 49% (192 of 391) in 2010 to 29.8% (36 of 121) in 2013. This is statistically significant with p < 0.05 by chi-square. Conclusions: Appropriate use dramatically improved with the effective implementation of a multipronged strategy utilizing: a task force, AU worksheet, electronic documentation tools, data review, practitioner feedback and education. Compliance with appropriate use metrics is assuming increasing importance with QHIP in 2015 designating 2 AU measures (unclassifiable and inappropriate) as determinants of hospital payments. Our effective improvement of AU results serves as an institutional template for other ongoing quality improvement efforts. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The Columbian Timber Beetle, Corthylus columbianus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). I. Biology of the Beetle

A technique was developed for rearing Corthylus columbianus Hopkins in the laboratory, and the eggs, larvae, and pupae are described. The maximum developmental period of field-collected eggs was 6 days; the larval period ranged from 12 to 15 days; and the pupal stage required 8–9 days at 75°F. The life cycle took 34–40 days under laboratory conditions, but rearing of field-collected eggs to adults at 75° indicated that a 26- to 30-day period may be possible under natural conditions. This species overwinters in its galleries, both as pupae and as adults. Slight male dominance was indicated by a sex factor of 0.4. Activity of the beetle in the laboratory was strongly influenced by the favorable moisture contents of 104.6%–114.0%, with moisture contents of the test blocks ranging from 89% to 138.4% at 75°F; the favorable temperature range was 70°–85°F. Laboratory tests showed that the beetles are photopositive. The minimum suceptible diameter and age of soft-maple hosts were 1.25 in. (dbh) and 9 years, respectively. Susceptibility of sapling hosts increases with diameters. Attacks were most concentrated (81.8%) in the basal 1 ft of the boles of 102 saplings examined. Cephalobid and aphelenchoidid nematodes, an unidentified mite, and dipterous larvae of the families Ceratopogonidae and Syrphidae were associated with the adult beetles and their galleries.
Postseismic deformation following the Landers earthquake, California, 28 June 1992

Accelerated strain followed the Landers and Big Bear earthquakes, returning to the normal rate only after a period of several months. We observed this strain throughout most of southern California using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Three GPS receivers operating continuously in fixed positions at Pinyon Flat, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena), and Goldstone all recorded postseismic deformation in a relative sense. In addition, we established 16 sites where we deployed portable receivers occasionally over a period of about 6 months near the rupture zones of the earthquakes. Anomalous postseismic displacements ranged from 55 mm near the epicenter to a few millimeters far from the fault. We modeled the displacements, using dislocation theory, as due to variable slip on the faults that were displaced at the times of the earthquakes. The model suggests that the postseismic strain released the equivalent of about 15% of the seismic moment of the mainshock. While the strain released from the upper 10 km is about the same as what can be explained by direct effects of aftershocks, the major contribution of strain release comes from the lower layer, below 10-km depth. Significant afterslip or viscous relaxation must have occurred below 10-km depth to explain the observed deformation more than 100 km from the fault. One interpretation is that high stress on the margin of the co-seismic rupture zone drives the rupture to extend itself into urbroken rock below and along the initial rupture zone.
Meditation programs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Aggregate findings from a multi-site evaluation.

Objective Interest in meditation to manage posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is increasing. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of meditation programs offered to Veterans within Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health services. The current study addresses this gap using data from a multisite VA demonstration project. Method Evaluation data collected at 6 VA sites (N = 391 Veterans) before and after a meditation program, and a treatment-as-usual (TAU) program, were examined here using random effects meta-analyses. Site-specific and aggregate between group effect sizes comparing meditation programs to TAU were determined for PTSD severity measured by clinical interview and self-report. Additional outcomes included experiential avoidance and mindfulness. Results In aggregate, analyses showed medium effect sizes for meditation programs compared to TAU for PTSD severity (clinical interview: effect size (ES) = -0.32; self-report: ES = -0.39). Similarly sized effects of meditation programs were found for overall mindfulness (ES = 0.41) and 1 specific aspect of mindfulness, nonreactivity to inner experience (ES = .37). Additional findings suggested meditation type and program completion differences each moderated program effects. Conclusions VA-sponsored meditation programs show promise for reducing PTSD severity in Veterans receiving mental health services. Where meditation training fits within mental health services, and for whom programs will be of interest and effective, require further clarification. (PsycINFO Database Record
Itâ€™s Better in the Summer: Building a Successful Transition to College and Fostering Student Success

Beyond the concept of bridge programs and conditional admission, summer session also offers new students a tremendous opportunity to transition successfully to the rigors of college study and the adjustment to leaving home as they navigate new environments and people. In 2014 Western Carolina University (WCU) launched Catamount GAP, an early-start summer session for regularly admitted students. Modeling best practices from the Academic Success Program, a bridge program for conditionally admitted students, WCU expanded the horizon to promote a first year experience summer program called FYE Summer, a Summer Learning Community program that includes both regularly admitted students and conditionally admitted students. With a pedagogy grounded in the high-impact practices as defined by AAC&U, both programs are designed and staffed to build a solid foundation for success beyond summer. Students earn seven credits in a five-week session that includes support networks, mentoring, and experiential learning and engagement. Students are supported with a case-management team who assist with personal transition, supplemental instruction for academic transition, and co-curricular programming designed to build social interaction and community.
Dynamic transcriptional signature and cell fate analysis reveals plasticity of individual neural plate border cells

The ‘neural plate border’ of vertebrate embryos contains precursors of neural crest and placode cells, both defining vertebrate characteristics. How these lineages segregate from neural and epidermal fates has been a matter of debate. We address this by performing a fine-scale quantitative temporal analysis of transcription factor expression in the neural plate border of chick embryos. The results reveal significant overlap of transcription factors characteristic of multiple lineages in individual border cells from gastrula through neurula stages. Cell fate analysis using a Sox2 (neural) enhancer reveals that cells that are initially Sox2+ cells can contribute not only to neural tube but also to neural crest and epidermis. Moreover, modulating levels of Sox2 or Pax7 alters the apportionment of neural tube versus neural crest fates. Our results resolve a long-standing question and suggest that many individual border cells maintain ability to contribute to multiple ectodermal lineages until or beyond neural tube closure.
Systematic review of control groups in nutrition education intervention research

Well-designed research trials are critical for determining the efficacy and effectiveness of nutrition education interventions. To determine whether behavioral and/or cognition changes can be attributed to an intervention, the experimental design must include a control or comparison condition against which outcomes from the experimental group can be compared. Despite the impact different types of control groups can have on study outcomes, the treatment provided to participants in the control condition has received limited attention in the literature. A systematic review of control groups in nutrition education interventions was conducted to better understand how control conditions are described in peer-reviewed journal articles compared with experimental conditions. To be included in the systematic review, articles had to be indexed in CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, WoS, and/or ERIC and report primary research findings of controlled nutrition education intervention trials conducted in the United States with free-living consumer populations and published in English between January 2005 and December 2015. Key elements extracted during data collection included treatment provided to the experimental and control groups (e.g., overall intervention content, tailoring methods, delivery mode, format, duration, setting, and session descriptions, and procedures for standardizing, fidelity of implementation, and blinding); rationale for control group type selected; sample size and attrition; and theoretical foundation. The search yielded 43 publications; about one-third of these had an inactive control condition, which is considered a weak study design. Nearly two-thirds of reviewed studies had an active control condition considered a stronger research design; however, many failed to report one or more key elements of the intervention, especially for the control condition. None of the experimental and control group treatments were sufficiently detailed to permit replication of the nutrition education interventions studied. Findings advocate for improved intervention study design and more complete reporting of nutrition education interventions.
Quantum Monte Carlo study of the metal-to-insulator transition on a honeycomb lattice with 1 /r interactions

Describing correlated electron systems near phase transitions has been a major challenge in computational condensed-matter physics. In this paper, we apply highly accurate fixed-node quantum Monte Carlo techniques, which directly work with many-body wave functions and simulate electron correlations, to investigate the metal-to-insulator transition of a correlated hydrogen lattice. By calculating spin and charge properties, and analyzing the low-energy Hilbert space, we identify the transition point and identify order parameters that can be used to detect the transition. Our results provide a benchmark for density functional theories seeking to treat correlated electron systems.
Balanced Innovation Management Accounting: Reliable Evaluation and Planning Within the Innovation Process

Controlling of innovation is a crucial factor for the success of companies, particularly in the face of intense competition. However, one often encounters the inherent problem that innovation is difficult to plan extensively and readily predict. This poses the risk that the success of innovation is determined in an unrealistic manner. The concept of balanced innovation management accounting was developed in the KES-MI project to address this problem. The concept involves reliable evaluation and planning within the innovation process. Reliable identification and evaluation of activities that can be planned are emphasized as are innovation effects, which can be measured with relative precision. However, “soft” innovation effects, creative innovation work and flexible organization of innovation work are also equally considered. The balanced evaluation innovation scorecard and the balanced planning innovation scorecard form a framework for evaluation and planning. Drawing on an overview of innovation controlling, the chapter presents an outline of the concept and ends with an outlook.
The effect of equalizing differences on tax-price: explaining patterns of political support across industries

Workers who earn wage premiums for adverse job characteristics face a higher tax-price than peers of equal human capital working under more favorable conditions. Facing a higher cost per unit for public goods, they in turn demand a relatively small public sector. This may explain patterns of political affiliation across industries where differences in nonpecuniary aspects are often significant. I test this with county level data on fatality rates and support for the Republican candidate in the 2004 US Presidential election, finding that fatality rates remain positive and significant drivers of GOP support through various regression specifications. These results are robust to cross-sectional and panel data on individual contributions reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2004, 2008, and 2012 US Presidential elections.
Social Media Contributions to Strong Black Woman Ideal Endorsement and Black Women’s Mental Health

Although research findings highlight the complex dualities of the Strong Black Woman ideal and demonstrate its effects on Black women’s mental health and well-being, there is less understanding of ...
General Line Coordinates (GLC)

This chapter describes various types of General Line Coordinates for visualizing multidimensional data in 2-D and 3-D in a reversible way. These types of GLCs include n-Gon, Circular, In-Line, Dynamic, and Bush Coordinates, which directly generalize Parallel and Radial Coordinates. Another class of GLCs described in this chapter is a class of reversible Paired Coordinates that includes Paired Orthogonal, Non-orthogonal, Collocated, Partially Collocated, Shifted, Radial, Elliptic, and Crown Coordinates. All these coordinates generalize Cartesian Coordinates. In the consecutive chapters, we explore GLCs coordinates with references to this chapter for definitions. The discussion on the differences between reversible and non-reversible visualization methods for n-D data concludes this chapter.
Efficient discovery of time series motifs with large length range in million scale time series

Detecting repeated variable-length patterns, also called variable-length motifs, has received a great amount of attention in recent years. Current state-of-the-art algorithm utilizes fixed-length motif discovery algorithm as a subroutine to enumerate variable-length motifs. As a result, it may take hours or days to execute when enumeration range is large. In this work, we introduce an approximate algorithm called HierarchIcal based Motif Enumeration (HIME) to detect variable-length motifs with a large enumeration range in million-scale time series. We show in the experiments that the scalability of the proposed algorithm is significantly better than that of the state-of-theart algorithm. Moreover, the motif length range detected by HIME is considerably larger than previous sequence-matching based approximate variable-length motif discovery approach. We demonstrate that HIME can efficiently detect meaningful variable-length motifs in long, real world time series.
Health Impacts of Citywide and Localized Power Outages in New York City.

Background: Previous studies investigated potential health effects of large-scale power outages, including the massive power failure that affected the northeastern United States and Ontario, Canada...
A DFMEA-based Reliability Prediction Approach in Early Product Design

In early product development stages, reliability growth testing (RGT) has been traditionally used for reliability monitoring and prediction through testing data. It has been criticized that the traditional reliability growth models are not only costly but also time consuming in terms of discovering and fixing potential failure modes. To tackle such challenges, accelerated reliability growth testing methods are adopted in industry. However, system level reliability growth testing can be still very challenging due to the stringent budget and tight product development cycle. On the other hand, reliability knowledge and information from the product development and design processes have not been well utilized for reliability prediction and management. These information include design simulation outcomes from finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid analysis (CFD), physics-of-failure (PoF) failure models and failure analysis from field failure events, and manufacturing defect reports. Such reliability information are usually included in the design failure mode and effect analysis (DFMEA) reports. This research explores a method for system reliability prediction by aggregating all the above mentioned reliability knowledge embedded in DFMEA.
Reconstruction and analysis of exploding wire particle trajectories via automatic calibration of stereo images

Quantitative understanding of the physics of dust or granular matter transport significantly impacts several aspects of burning plasma science and technology. This work takes machine vision techniques popular in robotics and self-driving cars and applies them to identification and analysis of microparticles generated from exploding wires. Using only the image frames and knowledge of the intrinsic properties of the cameras, a Python code was written to identify the particles, automatically calibrate the relative image positions, and extract trajectory data. After identifying approximately 50 particles based on the timing of secondary particle explosions, the eight point and random sample consensus algorithms were used to determine the geometric correlation between the cameras. Over 100 particle matches were found between the two camera views. These correlated trajectories were used in subsequent 3D track reconstruction and analysis of the physics behind the particle motion. The 3D reconstruction resulted in accurate positioning of the particles with respect to the experimental setup. The particle motion was consistent with the effects of a 1 g gravitational field modified by drag forces. The methods and analyses presented here can be used in many facets of high temperature plasma diagnostics.
Wideband Reflectarray and Transmitarray Designs Using Polarization Rotating Unit Cells

We demonstrate the use of polarization rotating (PR) unit cells in designing wideband reflectarray (RA) and transmitarray (TA) antennas. A reflective/transmissive PR unit cell and its mirror image can provide 1-bit phase quantization over a very wide frequency range. The PR unit cells were used to design a RA and TA antennas, both with aperture dimensions of $30 \times 30$ cm$^{2}$ and focal lengths of 30 cm, for operation at X-band. The fabricated RA and TA antenna prototypes provided a maximum realized gain of 24.5 dBi, 3-dB gain bandwidths of up to 40%, and polarization purity and side lobe levels of better than 11.5 dB.
Louis Agassiz's Arguments against Darwinism in His Additions to the French Translation of the Essay on Classification

Agassiz (L.) s'oppose a la theorie de Darwin (C.) sur l'origine et l'evolution des especes et publie un essai sur la classification des especes en zoologie
Evaluation of Reliability of Lead-free Solders in Silver-free Hybrids

Abstract Silver and silver-filled materials are widely used for hybrid substrate conductors, component terminals and conductive attachment materials. However, some concerns exist about using silver...
Distribution of Avian Influenza A Viruses in Poultry-Related Environment and Its Association with Human Infection in Henan, 2016 to 2017.

Objective To survey avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) in the environment and explore the reasons for the surge in human H7N9 cases. Methods A total of 1,045 samples were collected from routine surveillance on poultry-related environments and 307 samples from human H7N9 cases-exposed environments in Henan from 2016 to 2017. The nucleic acids of influenza A (Flu A), H5, H7, and H9 subtypes were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results A total of 27 H7N9 cases were confirmed in Henan from 2016 to 2017, 24 had a history of live poultry exposure, and 15 had H7N9 virus detected in the related live poultry markets (LPMs). About 96% (264/275) Flu A positive-environmental samples were from LPMs. H9 was the main AIV subtype (10.05%) from routine surveillance sites with only 1 H7-positive sample, whereas 21.17% samples were H7-positive in H7N9 cases-exposed environments. Samples from H7N9 cases-exposed LPMs (47.56%) had much higher AIVs positive rates than those from routine surveillance sites (12.34%). The H7+H9 combination of mixed infection was 78.18% (43/55) of H7-positive samples and 41.34% (43/104) of H9-positive samples. Conclusion The contamination status of AIVs in poultry-related environments is closely associated with the incidence of human infection caused by AIVs. Therefore, systematic surveillance of AIVs in LPMs in China is essential for the detection of novel reassortant viruses and their potential for interspecies transmission.
Chapter 18 – Thermocouple Psychrometers

This chapter tells how to measure plant water potential using thermocouple psychrometers. The theory of their use is given. It includes knowing the relation between water potential and relative humidity (called the Kelvin equation); the Peltier thermoelectric effect; Joule heating; thermoelectric power; and the relationship between vapor pressure and temperature (called the psychrometric equation). Each of these topics is discussed. A sample problem is given showing how to get partial pressure of water vapor in air, relative humidity, and dewpoint temperature from wet and dry bulb readings obtained from a psychrometer. Calibration of thermocouple psychrometers and how one takes measurements with them are described. The importance of isothermal conditions during measurements is emphasized, and reasons for them are enumerated. Four types of thermocouple psychrometers are distinguished: the isopiestic thermocouple psychrometer; the Spanner thermocouple psychrometer; the Richards-and-Ogata thermocouple psychrometer; and the dewpoint hygrometer. Appendices give biographies of Peltier, Joule, and Kelvin.
Pediatric Prevention: Oral Health Care

Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive preventative care, require fewer dental treatments, and are less likely to have dental disease. Many children demonstrate behavior management concerns that may impede families from establishing a dental home for their children. Conceptually, behavior concerns develop through a process of conditioning. Prevention of such problems should focus on providing positive experiences related to dental care. Treatment components to address behavior management concerns include graduated exposure, contingent reinforcement, modeling and prompting, distraction/relaxation, and cognitive behavior therapy. Further support, training, and reimbursement for time required to administer such treatment is needed.
Ex vivo Human Esophageal Tissue Imaging with Ultrahigh-resolution OCT Capsule

We investigated the feasibility of ultrahigh-resolution OCT capsule imaging of ex vivo esophageal tissues at a 2.7 µm axial resolution. The results demonstrate the potential of the technology for screening early esophageal diseases.
2D MXenes: Promise for applications ranging from THz electromagnetic interference shielding to conductive electrodes (Conference Presentation)

MXenes are 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides with electronic properties that can be tuned by their chemistry and structure. Three members of MXene family, Ti3C2Tz , Mo2Ti2C3Tz and Mo2TiC2Tz are all intrinsically metallic, with high free carrier densities and high carrier mobility within individual nanosheets. However, they respond to photoexcitation in dramatically different ways: while photoexcitation suppresses conductivity in Ti3C2Tz, it results in a long-lived positive photoconductivity in both Mo2Ti2C3Tz and Mo2TiC2Tz. Those responses suggest applications of MXenes in a variety of electro-optical and THz devices.
Mechanical Properties of α-SiC and Correlation to SiC/Si Interface at Nanoscale from Reaction Bonded SiC/Si Composites (RBSC)

Reaction bonded SiC/Si (RBSC) composites composed of α-SiC, β-SiC and crystalline-Si phases manufactured at high temperature are widely used in different applications due to their outstanding performances in extreme service conditions. Although the macroscopic mechanical properties of these materials have been extensively explored, there are questions remaining unanswered such as the local material behavior compared to the SiC/Si interface, mechanistic responses in nanoscale and the micro- to nanoscale mechanical properties of major individual components after experiencing the reaction bonding process. In this study, nanoscale specimens were prepared by utilizing Ga focused ion beam (FIB) and an in-situ tensile testing platform was established with a testing stage accommodated inside a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Maximum tensile strength, elastic modulus and Weibull modulus of the nanoscale α-SiC specimens were measured to be 22.9 GPa, 321 GPa and 4.1, respectively. The maximum failure strength was found to be as high as 80% of the theoretical fracture strength. The fracture was found to originate at the side of the specimen surface and appeared to propagate in a brittle manner. The overlap of tensile strength ranges of α-SiC and SiC/Si interface suggests the consistency with an observation of mixed fracture modes in RBSC.
Impact of planting time soil moisture on cereal crop yield in the Upper Blue Nile Basin: A novel insight towards agricultural water management

Abstract Soil moisture prior to the planting time can influence crop yield through affecting seedling rooting and emergence, making it an important factor in agronomic management. However, the degree to which initial soil moisture influences crop yield has not been quantified, especially in emerging regions where food security is a major challenge and field data on soil moisture and meteorological conditions are sparse. Here, we quantify the sensitivity of crop yield and production to initial soil moisture conditions in the Upper Blue Nile Basin (UBNB) of Ethiopia making use of a process-based spatially distributed crop model (DSSAT) linked to a hydrologic model (CREST), and assess the potential of soil moisture management in promoting agricultural outcome. Modeling results suggest that the cereal crop yield and production increase with initial soil moisture, and show a higher sensitivity in eastern UBNB than western UBNB and during dry years than wet years. In some areas of eastern UBNB, compared to normal soil moisture conditions, extremely wet initial soil can double the crop yield; in extremely dry years, wetting the soil at planting could prevent crop failure and improve crop yield to a level at or even above that of an average precipitation year. Increasing the initial soil moisture from extremely dry to extremely wet conditions leads to an additional production of 2.3 × 105, 7.7 × 105, 4.5 × 105, and 2.7 × 105 tons for barley, maize, sorghum, and wheat in UBNB respectively. The resulting improvement in total production is especially effective over eastern UBNB. These findings can provide guidance for farmers and decision makers in water allocation and optimization, and thus help improve Ethiopia’s food security.
VITALSE: visualizing eye tracking and biometric data

Recent research in empirical software engineering is applying techniques from neurocognitive science and breaking new grounds in the ways that researchers can model and analyze the cognitive processes of developers as they interact with software artifacts. However, given the novelty of this line of research, only one tool exists to help researchers represent and analyze this kind of multi-modal biometric data. While this tool does help with visualizing temporal eyetracking and physiological data, it does not allow for the mapping of physiological data to source code elements, instead projecting information over images of code. One drawback of this is that researchers are still unable to meaningfully combine and map physiological and eye tracking data to source code artifacts. The use of images also bars the support of long or multiple code files, which prevents researchers from analyzing data from experiments conducted in realistic settings. To address these drawbacks, we propose VITALSE, a tool for the interactive visualization of combined multi-modal biometric data for software engineering tasks. VITALSE provides interactive and customizable temporal heatmaps created with synchronized eyetracking and biometric data. The tool supports analysis on multiple files, user defined annotations for points of interest over source code elements, and high level customizable metric summaries for the provided dataset. VITALSE, a video demonstration, and sample data to demonstrate its capabilities can be found at http://www.vitalse.app.
A stochastic look-ahead approach for hurricane relief logistics operations planning under uncertainty

In the aftermath of a hurricane, humanitarian logistics plays a critical role in delivering relief items to the affected areas in a timely fashion. This paper proposes a novel stochastic look-ahead framework that implements a two-stage stochastic programming model in a rolling horizon approach to address the evolving uncertain logistics system state during the post-hurricane humanitarian logistics operations. The two-stage stochastic programming model that executes in this rolling horizon approach is formulated as a mixed-integer programming problem. The model aims to minimize the total cost incurred in the logistics operations, which consist of transportation cost and social cost. The social cost is measured as a function of deprivation for unsatisfied demand. Our extensive numerical results and sensitivity analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in reducing the total cost incurred during the post-hurricane relief logistics operations compared to the two-stage stochastic programming model implemented in a static fashion.
Neuroprotection by WldS depends on retinal ganglion cell type and age in glaucoma.

Early challenges to axonal physiology, active transport, and ultrastructure are endemic to age-related neurodegenerative disorders, including those affecting the optic nerve. Chief among these, glaucoma causes irreversible vision loss through sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP) that challenges retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons, which comprise the optic nerve. Early RGC axonopathy includes distal to proximal progression that implicates a slow form of Wallerian degeneration. In multiple disease models, including inducible glaucoma, expression of the slow Wallerian degeneration (WldS) allele slows axon degeneration and confers protection to cell bodies. Using an inducible model of glaucoma along with whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology and morphological analysis, we tested if WldS also protects RGC light responses and dendrites and, if so, whether this protection depends upon RGC type. We induced glaucoma in young and aged mice to determine if neuroprotection by WldS on anterograde axonal transport and spatial contrast acuity depends on age. We found WldS protects dendritic morphology and light-evoked responses of RGCs that signal light onset (αON-Sustained) during IOP elevation. However, IOP elevation significantly reduces dendritic complexity and light responses of RGCs that respond to light offset (αOFF-Sustained) regardless of WldS. As expected, WldS preserves anterograde axon transport and spatial acuity in young adult mice, but its protection is significantly limited in aged mice. The efficacy of WldS in conferring protection to neurons and their axons varies by cell type and diminishes with age.
Tangible−Intangible resource composition and firm success

Abstract Firm resources are important drivers of firm success, and both tangible and intangible resources have been suggested to have a positive linear effect on firm success when studied independently. In this study, we focus on a firm's entire resource portfolio composition, and posit that bundling dissimilar types of resources is a complex process that involves trade-offs. Drawing on complexity theory, we propose that firm success may be influenced by resource composition, as represented by relative intangibility—that is, a firm's share of intangible resources relative to the sum of both types of resources. Curvilinear hypotheses with environmental moderators are developed and tested using Computer-Assisted-Text-Analysis (CATA) methodology on a 5-year longitudinal sample of 2,245 S&P 500 firms. The results suggest that relative intangibility exhibits a U-shaped relationship with productivity, a key indicator of firm success. However, shape-flips are observed when environmental moderators are introduced, as the relationship becomes inverted U-shaped in less complex environments characterized by low instability and high munificence.
Uncovering the Principles of Genome Folding by 3D Chromatin Modeling

Our understanding of how genomic DNA is tightly packed inside the nucleus, yet is still accessible for vital cellular processes, has grown dramatically over recent years with advances in microscopy and genomics technologies. Computational methods have played a pivotal role in the structural interpretation of experimental data, which helped unravel some organizational principles of genome folding. Here, we give an overview of current computational efforts in mechanistic and data-driven 3D chromatin structure modeling. We discuss strengths and limitations of different methods and evaluate the added value and benefits of computational approaches to infer the 3D structural and dynamic properties of the genome and its underlying mechanisms at different scales and resolution, ranging from the dynamic formation of chromatin loops and topological associated domains to nuclear compartmentalization of chromatin and nuclear bodies.
ReachBot: A Small Robot for Large Mobile Manipulation Tasks

Robots are widely deployed in space environments because of their versatility and robustness. However, adverse gravity conditions and challenging terrain geometry expose the limitations of traditional robot designs, which are often forced to sacrifice one of mobility or manipulation capabilities to attain the other. Prospective climbing operations in these environments reveals a need for small, compact robots capable of versatile mobility and manipulation. We propose a novel robotic concept called ReachBot that fills this need by combining two existing technologies: extendable booms and mobile manipulation. ReachBot leverages the reach and tensile strength of extendable booms to achieve an outsized reachable workspace and wrench capability. Through their lightweight, compactable structure, these booms also reduce mass and complexity compared to traditional rigid-link articulated-arm designs. Using these advantages, ReachBot excels in mobile manipulation missions in low gravity or that require climbing, particularly when anchor points are sparse. After introducing the ReachBot concept, we discuss modeling approaches and strategies for increasing stability and robustness. We then develop a 2D analytical model for ReachBot's dynamics inspired by grasp models for dexterous manipulators. Next, we introduce a waypoint-tracking controller for a planar ReachBot in microgravity. Our simulation results demonstrate the controller's robustness to disturbances and modeling error. Finally, we briefly discuss next steps that build on these initially promising results to realize the full potential of ReachBot.
In the Eye of All Trade: Bermuda, Bermudians, and the Maritime Atlantic World, 1680–1783 – By Michael J. Jarvis

As the excellent, west‐oriented map on page 3 of this book shows, Bermuda was indeed, for a time, “in the eye of all trade” at the center of the Atlantic arc of British possessions. It differed sha...
Research Findings Comparing Starts for Base Stealing

(1980). Research Findings Comparing Starts for Base Stealing. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 62-63.