cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impulse (Turgo and Pelton) turbine performance characteristics and their impact on pico-hydro installations

Abstract Pico-hydropower is a viable technology that can be integrated into a decentralized, off-grid approach to rural electrification in regions that currently have only limited access to electricity. The Turgo turbine is classified as an impulse turbine, similar to the Pelton wheel, often used in pico-hydro systems. Both offer high efficiency for a broad range of site conditions, but the primary difference is that the Turgo can handle significantly higher water flow rates, allowing for efficient operation in lower head ranges and thus potentially expanding the geographic viability. Published data on Turgo operating performance are limited; despite the differences, discussion thereof in design manuals is generally lumped in with the discussion of Pelton wheels. In this study, a laboratory-scale test fixture was constructed to test the operating performance characteristics of impulse turbines. Tests were carried out to determine the effect on turbine efficiency of variations in speed ratio and jet misalignment on two Turgo turbines. The results were compared to similar tests in the same fixture on a Pelton turbine. Under the best conditions, the Turgo turbine efficiency was observed to be over 80% at a speed ratio of approximately 0.46, which is quite good for pico-hydro-scale turbines. Peak efficiencies for both the Pelton and the Turgo turbines occurred at lower than theoretical ideal speed ratios based on a momentum balance; the reduction in speed ratio at which peak efficiency occurs is likely caused by inefficiencies in the turbine. Tests of jet misalignment showed that moving the jet to the inside or outside edge of the turbine blades caused a drop in Turgo efficiency of 10–20% and reduced the optimal speed ratio by 0.03 (6.5%). Radial misalignment had a significant adverse impact on both Turgo and Pelton turbines, however, angular misalignment of the jet is more of a concern for the Turgo turbine. The results stress the importance of proper system design and installation, and increase the knowledge base regarding Turgo turbine performance that can lead to better practical implementation in pico-hydro systems.
Coordination of a Transcriptional Switch by HMGI(Y) Acetylation

Dynamic control of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) gene expression requires the regulated assembly and disassembly of the enhanceosome, a higher-order nucleoprotein complex formed in response to virus infection. The enhanceosome activates transcription by recruiting the histone acetyltransferase proteins CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300/CBP-associated factors (PCAF)/GCN5, which, in addition to modifying histones, acetylate HMGI(Y), the architectural component required for enhanceosome assembly. We show that the accurate execution of the IFN-beta transcriptional switch depends on the ordered acetylation of the high-mobility group I protein HMGI(Y) by PCAF/GCN5 and CBP, which acetylate HMGI(Y) at distinct lysine residues on endogenous promoters. Whereas acetylation of HMGI(Y) by CBP at lysine-65 destabilizes the enhanceosome, acetylation of HMGI(Y) by PCAF/GCN5 at lysine-71 potentiates transcription by stabilizing the enhanceosome and preventing acetylation by CBP.
Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting using the right gastroepiploic artery without pump.

Objective: To explore the feasibility to operate on the right coronary artery and its branches utilizing the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). All cases were performed since May 1996. Methods: A small mid-line incision including splitting of the lower sternum gave excellent exposure. The inferior surface of the heart was dissected to expose and stabilize the target vessel. The heart rate was controlled with a Diltiazem drip. CPB was not necessary in any case. The right coronary artery was bypassed in four patients, the posterior descending artery branch in five patients and the terminal circumflex of the left coronary artery in one patient. After grafting, patency of the anastomosis was demonstrated by Doppler echocardiogram. Results: No patient had perioperative mortality or complications. No patient had recurrent angina. Color Doppler echocardiographic imaging studies before discharge confirmed patency of the graft in eight of ten cases. In two cases, the gastroepiploic artery could not be visualized. Angiographic visualization was positive in four out of five cases.Conclusions: The gastroepiploic artery is an excellent conduit for vascularization of the inferior aspect of the heart. The operation can be done using a minimally invasive technique and without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. This approach seems especially applicable in selective reoperative cases. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
MicroRNA-494 Targeting Both Proapoptotic and Antiapoptotic Proteins Protects Against Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Cardiac Injury

Background—MicroRNAs (miRs) participate in many cardiac pathophysiological processes, including ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced cardiac injury. Recently, we and others observed that miR-494 was downregulated in murine I/R-injured and human infarcted hearts. However, the functional consequence of miR-494 in response to I/R remains unknown. Methods and Results—We generated a mouse model with cardiac-specific overexpression of miR-494. Transgenic hearts and wild-type hearts from multiple lines were subjected to global no-flow I/R with the Langendorff system. Transgenic hearts exhibited improved recovery of contractile performance over the reperfusion period. This improvement was accompanied by remarkable decreases in both lactate dehydrogenase release and the extent of apoptosis in transgenic hearts compared with wild-type hearts. In addition, myocardial infarction size was significantly reduced in transgenic hearts on I/R in vivo compared with wild-type hearts. Similarly, short-term overexpression of miR...
Factors associated with satisfaction with care among patients with epilepsy

Abstract Objective The purpose of the work described here was to determine those variables associated with satisfaction with care among patients with epilepsy. Methods We interviewed patients followed at a tertiary epilepsy center. Predictor variables included age, gender, race, education, income, insurance, seizure frequency, and Quality of Life in Epilepsy—10 inventory (QOLIE-10) results. Target variables were the subscales of the Short Form Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18). We used univariate analysis to identify those variables significantly associated with the subscales and multiple linear regression to determine those independently significant. Results The study population comprised 193 patients. Lower education and better QOLIE-10 scores were independently associated with general satisfaction with care. The mental health scale was associated with general satisfaction with care. Lower educational level was the only variable independently associated with patient satisfaction with communication, the financial aspect of care, and time spent with physician. Conclusion Lower educational level and better quality of life are the main variables associated with higher general satisfaction with care among patients with epilepsy.
Synchronization of epicardial crawling robot with heartbeat and respiration for improved safety and efficiency of locomotion.

Background HeartLander is a miniature mobile robot designed to navigate over the epicardium of the beating heart for minimally invasive therapy. This paper presents a technique to decrease slippage and improve locomotion efficiency by synchronizing the locomotion with the intrapericardial pressure variations of the respiration and heartbeat cycles. Methods Respiratory and heartbeat phases were detected in real time using a chest-mounted accelerometer during locomotion in a porcine model in vivo. Trials were conducted over the lateral aspect of the heart surface to test synchronized locomotion against an unsynchronized control. Results Offline evaluation showed that the respiration and heartbeat algorithms had accuracies of 100% and 88%, respectively. Synchronized trials exhibited significantly lower friction, higher efficiency, and greater total distance traveled than control trials. Conclusion Synchronization of the locomotion of HeartLander with respiration and heartbeat is feasible and results in safer and more efficient travel on the beating heart. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamics of carbofuran-degrading microbial communities in soil during three successive annual applications of carbofuran

The influence of repeated annual field applications of the insecticide‐nematicide carbofuran on carbofuran-degrading microbial communities was studied at a site in Florida that exhibited enhanced degradation toward the chemical. Three successive annual applications of carbofuran at 4.5 kg ha 21 y 21 did not result in an increase in the size of the microbial community capable of mineralizing uniformly ringlabeled 14 C-carbofuran (carbofuran-ring degraders) in surface soil (0‐15 cm depth). After the second annual application, however, the community capable of mineralizing carbonyl-labeled 14 C-carbofuran (carbofuran hydrolyzers) in the treated surface soil was significantly larger than that after the first annual application. Communities of methylamine utilizers in treated and untreated soils were much larger than the communities of carbofuran phenol degraders, but not statistically different from the sizes of carbofuran hydrolyzers. In addition to no increase in the number of carbofuran ring degraders in the treated site during three consecutive annual applications of carbofuran, laboratory addition of 10 mg carbofuran g 21 to treated and untreated soils collected in 1995 did not result in an increase in the number of carbofuran ring degraders. This suggests that degradation of the ring structure of carbofuran in soil is a cometabolic process. q 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
L-values at Zero and the Galois Structure of Global Units

This article intends to present a comprehensive survey of the striking interplay between the Galois structure of the group of units in a number field and the values at zero of Artin L-functions. The algebraic ingredients come from integral representation theory, the ones from number theory include the Main Conjecture of Iwasawa theory. In fact, the discussion of recently defined invariants which go along with the unit group seems to propose possible generalizations of the Main Conjecture and fits very well into the framework of rather general conjectures regarding L-values by providing first affirmative answers. To begin with, we collect the principal ideas.
Spatial variability of environmental isotope and chemical content of precipitation in Jordan and evidence of slight change in climate

The spatial variability of the δ18O and δD compositions of rain is attributed to variations in amount of precipitation (PPT), altitude effect, and air masses originating from different sources. Air masses that enter the area passing the Mediterranean Sea result in higher d-excess. The cold and dry continental air masses originating from the European continent come in contact with the warm Mediterranean Sea water, resulting in rapid evaporation and large scale convergence. The low d-excess value is less than 16 ‰ and associated with air masses that cross over the North African continent and controlled by a local orographic effect. The change in isotopic composition of δ18O in PPT with altitude is −0.15 ‰ per 100 m. A statistical model confirms that a slight decrease in annual average precipitation has occurred since 1988 and attributed to a minor change in climate. The current level of tritium in rain corresponds to the average level of tritium in the atmosphere. Rabba station recorded a twofold higher tritium concentration in 1995 than the other stations, which may be from leakage from a nuclear station in Israel. The chemistry of rainwater demonstrates a wide range of salinity (100–600 mg/l). The lowest solute concentrations are found at high elevations, and the highest solute concentrations are found in the eastern desert and the Jordan Rift valley. The salinity of rain is affected by desert dust, aerosols, amounts of PPT, and the direction of rain fronts. The aerosols and windblown soil are the most prevailing as the country is confined between three seas and the outcrop surficial geology is mainly sedimentary rocks.
Prostate brachytherapy seed embolization to the right renal artery.

Abstract Purpose We report three cases of seed embolization to the right renal artery after iodine-125 (I-125) transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy. Methods and materials Case 1: A 65-year-old man presented with right flank and back pain less than 4 months after prostatic seed implantation. CT evaluation for renal stone showed a seed embedded in the lower aspect of the right kidney. Case 2: A 73-year-old man complained of painless hematuria 3 years after prostatic seed brachytherapy. CT and subsequent abdominal angiography showed a seed embolization to a lower branch of the right renal artery. Case 3: An 84-year-old man presented with gross hematuria 7 months after prostatic seed implantation. Excretory urogram and subsequent CT demonstrated the right lower renal seed migration. Results Prostatic seed embolization to the right renal artery may cause pain and hematuria. This pattern of seed migration may be easily overlooked by imagers because it mimics renal lithiasis on cross-sectional imaging. Knowledge of prior history of permanent interstitial prostate brachytherapy and careful radiologic interpretation may help to achieve the correct diagnosis of rare renal seed migration. Conclusions We present an additional atypical site of brachytherapy seed relocation in the right renal artery in 3 patients. This type of migration is probably secondary to pulmonary arteriovenous malformation or right-to-left cardiac shunts. Awareness of the propensity of seeds to dislodge and vigilance in imaging interpretation of prostatic brachytherapy recipients are necessary for the correct diagnosis of seed embolization.
Multitarget motion analysis in a DSN

The data association problem in multiple target bearings-only motion analysis is considered. The measurements are target bearings obtained from passive sonars in a distributed sensor network. These measurements, after being transmitted to a processing center, are used to estimate the initial states of targets. The overall problem is formulated using the maximum likelihood principle. A two-step iterative method is proposed to maximize the joint likelihood, a nonlinear least-squares method is used to fit the trajectory estimates to the measurements for given data associations, and the linear assignment algorithm is used to solve the data associations for given trajectory estimates. A stochastic relaxation method based on simulated annealing is proposed to augment the second step so that the global maximum of the likelihood function can be located. Monte Carlo simulations are included to evaluate the joint estimator. The Cramer-Rao lower bound of the initial state estimate is derived in the presence of data association uncertainties. >
Definitional and measurement issues in the study of community violence among children and youths

Scholarly attention to community violence exposure among children and youths has rapidly emerged over the past decade as recent data has revealed a problem of widespread proportions. While often profoundly consequential, the problem has not yet been well-understood or clearly defined, both conceptually and operationally. This article examines definitional and measurement complexities in the emerging study of community violence exposure among the young. In particular, it examines what is denoted and connoted by the terms “community” and “violence” in studies of community violence exposure, as well as the difficulties existing studies present in seeking to capture a clear understanding of the problem. A set of recommendations for addressing definitional and operatonal difficulties is offered toward promoting a more systematic effort in studying the problem and its consequences. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Improved GMR sensitivity of electrodeposited FeCoNi/Cu multilayers

In this work we grow and characterize the GMR properties of FeCoNi/Cu multilayers, with the FeCoNi composition optimized to yield low coercivity and high sensitivity. Electrochemical characteristics of the electrolytes were studied and parameter optimization was performed using potentiodynamic polarization, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry.
Commentary: The role of mental health in the inmate disciplinary process

whichpresentstheresultsofanationwidesurveyexaminingthe role of mental health professionals in the inmatedisciplinary process, is a significant contribution tothe correctional mental health literature. Dr. Krel-steinsuccinctlysummarizesthecaselawthathaspro-vided the framework for the prison disciplinary pro-cess. The Supreme Court’s current conservativepostureconcerningtherightsofprisonersisexempli-fied in
Residential Treatment of Methamphetamine Users: Correlates of Drop-Out from the California Alcohol and Drug Data System (Cadds), 1994–1997

This paper explores correlates of retention among 2,570 methamphetamine users entering public residential treatment programs in California from January 1,1994 through September 30, 1997. A secondar...
Agglutination and Precipitation Reactions in Rheumatoid Arthritis with Hemolytic Streptococci Groups A to G

It has been shown1-4 that, in a significant proportion of cases, rheumatoid arthritis sera agglutinate certain strains of hemolytic streptococci and precipitate group-specific fractions of these organisms. Lancefield's demonstration of distinct serological groups within the hemolytic streptococci5, 6, 7 has made possible a more detailed study of the nature and significance of these immunological reactions. Agglutination and precipitation tests were carried out with rheumatoid arthritis and control sera using representative strains of Groups A to G as agglutinogens and group-specific extracts as precipitinogens. Similar studies were recently carried out by McEwen, Chasis and Alexander.8Agglutination. Seventy-six rheumatoid arthritis sera were examined for agglutinins against Group A organisms, 60 against group B, 47 against group C, 67 against group D, 15 against group E, 15 against group F, and 14 against group G by the technic previously described.3 The results were classified as “positive,” “doubtful” o...
Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Contaminated with Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Multiple pesticides were simultaneously present in dead honey bees, Apis mellifera L., or in brood comb in 28 of 55 poisoned apiaries in Connecticut in 1983–85. Methyl parathion (Penncap-M), carbaryl, and endosulfan were each detected in 34, 33, and 13 of the apiaries, respectively. Less frequently detected pesticides were methomyl, chlordane, diazinon, captan, and malathion. Health of colonies poisoned with methyl parathion only or methyl parathion in combination with other insecticides was often severely affected (141 of 168 poisoned colonies were either killed or weakened), whereas colonies affected by carbaryl only or carbaryl plus insecticides other than methyl parathion often recovered (16 of 79 poisoned colonies were either killed or weakened). One-half of the poisonings occurred in July. Aroclor 1248 and 1260 (polychlorinated biphenyls) were detected in dead bees, brood comb, honey comb, or honey. Environmental sources of these chlorinated hydrocarbons are unknown. Detectable quantities of polychlorinated biphenyls ≥0.80 ppm were in 4 of 71 honey samples.
The dimorphism ofColoeus dauuricus, the asian jackdaw

I believe thatColoeus dauuricus, the Dauria jackdaw, is the only passerine species that has two nestling and two corresponding juvenile plumages while being monomorphic in the adult. This has not been brought out previously although materials for a decision were present both in museum collections and in the literature.
Studies on the efficacy of cholecalciferol and derivatives for stimulating phytate utilization in broilers

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with cholecalciferol (D3), 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3], 1alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (1alpha-OHD3), and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD3) on utilization of phytate P by broiler chickens. Three experiments were conducted with corn-soybean meal type diets with D3 and 1,25-(OH)2D3 being tested in one experiment and 1,25-(OH)2D3, 1alpha-OHD3, and 25-OHD3 being tested in two experiments of exactly the same design. In the first experiment, high levels of D3 (110 microg and 220 microg/kg of diet) increased phytate P utilization, but the increase was not as great as that obtained from 1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation. In the other two experiments, 1,25-(OH)2D3, D3 and 1alpha-OHD3 were consistently effective in increasing phytate P utilization as measured by plasma Ca and P, incidence of P rickets, bone ash, and retention of Ca, P, and phytate P. Supplementation with 25-OHD3 in general gave smaller and more inconsistent responses to these criteria, indicating some inconsistency in its ability to improve phytate P utilization.
The appointment of chief supply chain officers to top management teams: A contingency model of firm-level antecedents and consequences

Abstract This study investigates the recent emergence of Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCOs). Drawing on contingency theory, we analyze firm-level antecedents and consequences associated with CSCOs being appointed to top management teams (TMTs). We conceptually develop the role of CSCOs and hypothesize that CSCOs are most likely to be appointed to TMTs at firms where supply chain-related integration and differentiation pressures are high. The results from a matched sample of S&P 1500 firms over a 21-year period reveal that financial leverage, internationalization, and diversification all predict CSCO appointment to the TMT. Our results also suggest that these same contingencies positively moderate the effect of CSCO presence on firm performance, with CSCOs proving beneficial when leverage, internationalization, and diversification levels are high, but detrimental when leverage, internationalization, and diversification are low. In addition, we find post-hoc evidence that suggests institutional forces may also be a factor in CSCO appointments. Our results reveal that most of the contingency performance effects manifest only for early adopters of the CSCO role, suggesting that late-mover elevation of the supply chain function to the TMT is a form of mimetic isomorphism. This study extends research on CSCOs and their emergence in TMTs, as well as the role of operations management in corporate strategy.
A measure of genetic diversity of goldenseal ( Hydrastis canadensis L.) by RAPD analysis

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) is a medicinal plant valued for the treatment of sore eyes and mouths. Although cultivation of the plant has helped meet growing demand, goldenseal is still considered a threatened or endangered species throughout much of its range in North America. In an effort to assess possible conservation strategies for goldenseal genetic resources, levels of genetic diver- sity within and among cultivated and wild populations were quantified. RAPD analysis was used to examine six cultivated and 11 wild populations sampled from North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Vir- ginia. The average percentage of polymorphic bands in cultivated and wild populations was low (16.8 and 15.5 %, respectively), and geographic range did not predict the level of genetic diversity. Most of the genetic variation (81.2 %) was within populations; only 3.6 % was partitioned between cultivated and wild populations. Our results differed from a previous study which concluded that genetic differences were greater among than within populations. The results of the current study indicate that, although goldenseal grows clonally and in dense patches, a mixed mating system in which both selfing and outcrossing occur is also operating. We therefore suggest that the ex situ conservation of individual plants within populations, chosen carefully to account for clonal propagation in situ, is an appropriate strategy for sustaining the genetic diversity of goldenseal.
Magnetic Excitation and the Effects on Modal Frequency and Damping

Non-contact excitation sources are critical for exciting small structures that cannot be excited by conventional means, such as electromagnetic shakers, due to the added mass and stiffness effects or by impact testing, due to potential surface damage. Magnetic excitation is one possible method of non-contact excitation. However, if the material is non-ferrous, magnetic excitation will require that a ferrous material, potentially a small magnet, be attached at a desired excitation location. The addition of the magnet will have some small effects on the modal frequency and damping. The addition of multiple magnets, combined with phased magnetic excitation to enhance bending or torsion modes, is also possible, and can cause the effects to be greater. This paper will examine the effects that the added mass has on the natural frequencies and damping of a cantilever plate. It will examine four different plate configurations; an unloaded plate (for reference), and three different mass configurations, all of which will be added to the free tip of the plate. Experimental modal analysis will be performed using two different excitation sources, an impact hammer and magnetic excitation, for comparison purposes. The natural frequencies and damping for the first five deformation modes will be compared for the two different excitation sources and between the different mass configurations. A finite element modal analysis model will be created and calibrated to the unloaded plate experimental data. Then, mass modifications (magnets) will be added into the finite element model and used to predict the natural frequencies of the various mass configurations.
The Retail Trade

The retailer is the last link in the chair of production before the goods reach their final destination, the consumer.
Multivalent Chromatin Engagement and Inter-domain Crosstalk Regulate MORC3 ATPase

MORC3 is linked to inflammatory myopathies and cancer; however, the precise role of MORC3 in normal cell physiology and disease remains poorly understood. Here, we present detailed genetic, biochemical, and structural analyses of MORC3. We demonstrate that MORC3 is significantly upregulated in Down syndrome and that genetic abnormalities in MORC3 are associated with cancer. The CW domain of MORC3 binds to the methylated histone H3K4 tail, and this interaction is essential for recruitment of MORC3 to chromatin and accumulation in nuclear bodies. We show that MORC3 possesses intrinsic ATPase activity that requires DNA, but it is negatively regulated by the CW domain, which interacts with the ATPase domain. Natively linked CW impedes binding of the ATPase domain to DNA, resulting in a decrease in the DNA-stimulated enzymatic activity. Collectively, our studies provide a molecular framework detailing MORC3 functions and suggest that its modulation may contribute to human disease.
Multimodal and Multiresolution Depression Detection from Speech and Facial Landmark Features

Automatic classification of depression using audiovisual cues can help towards its objective diagnosis. In this paper, we present a multimodal depression classification system as a part of the 2016 Audio/Visual Emotion Challenge and Workshop (AVEC2016). We investigate a number of audio and video features for classification with different fusion techniques and temporal contexts. In the audio modality, Teager energy cepstral coefficients~(TECC) outperform standard baseline features; while the best accuracy is achieved with i-vector modelling based on MFCC features. On the other hand, polynomial parameterization of facial landmark features achieves the best performance among all systems and outperforms the best baseline system as well.
Hypoxia inhibits primary cilia formation and reduces cell-mediated contraction in stress-deprived rat tail tendon fascicles.

Background Hypoxia, which is associated with chronic tendinopathy, has recently been shown to decrease the mechanosensitivity of some cells. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypoxia on the formation of elongated primary cilia (a mechanosensing organelle of tendon cells) in vitro and to determine the effect of hypoxia on cell-mediated contraction of stress-deprived rat tail tendon fascicles (RTTfs). Methods Tendon cells isolated from RTTfs were cultured under normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (1% O2) conditions for 24 hours. The cells were then stained for tubulin and the number of cells with elongated cilia counted. RTTfs from 1-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were also cultured under hypoxic and normoxic conditions for three days and tendon length measured daily. Results A significant (p=0.002) decrease in the percent of elongated cilia was found in cells maintained in hypoxic conditions (54.1%±12.2) when compared in normoxic conditions (71.7%±6.32). RTTfs in hypoxia showed a significant decrease in the amount of contraction compared to RTTfs in normoxia after two (p=0.007) and three (p=0.001) days. Conclusion The decreased incidence of elongated primary cilia in a hypoxic environment, as well as the decreased mechanoresponsiveness of tendon cells under these conditions may relate to the inability of some cases of chronic tendinopathy to respond to strain-based rehabilitation modalities (i.e. eccentric loading).
Death during simulation: A literature review

INTRODUCTION One of the goals of simulation is to teach subjects critical skills and knowledge applicable to live encounters, without the risk of harming actual patients. Although simulation education has surged in medical training over the last two decades, several ethically challenging educational methods have arisen. Simulated death has arisen as one of these challenging issues and currently there is no consensus regarding how to best manage this controversial topic in the simulated environment. The goal of this review is to analyze how simulated mortality has been used and discover whether or not this tool is beneficial to learners. METHODS In May 2016, the authors performed a literature search on both Pubmed and the Cochrane database using multiple variations of keywords; they then searched bibliographies and related articles. RESULTS There were 901 articles acquired in the initial search. The authors eliminated articles that were not relevant to the subject matter. After adding articles from bibliographies and related articles, the authors included the 43 articles cited in this article. DISCUSSION As a result, the authors of this article believe that death, when used appropriately in simulation, can be an effective teaching tool and can be used in a responsible manner.
Late gestational intermittent hypoxia induces metabolic and epigenetic changes in male adult offspring mice

Pregnancy, particularly late gestation, has been associated with a relatively high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Intermittent hypoxia (IH), a hallmark of OSA, could impose significant long-term effects on somatic growth, energy homeostasis, and metabolic function in offspring. We hypothesized that IH during late pregnancy (LG-IH) may increase the propensity for metabolic dysregulation and obesity in adult offspring via epigenetic modifications. Time-pregnant female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to LG-IH or room air (LG-RA) during days 13–18 of gestation. At 24 weeks, blood samples were collected from offspring mice for lipid profiles and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), indirect calorimetry was performed, and visceral white adipose tissues (VWAT) were assessed for inflammatory cells as well as for differentially methylated gene regions (DMR) using MeDIP-Chip. Body weight, food intake, adiposity index, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels were all significantly higher in LG-IH male but not female offspring. LG-IH also altered metabolic expenditure and locomotor activities in male offspring, and increased number of pro-inflammatory macrophages emerged in VWAT along with 1520 DMRs (P < 0.0001), associated with 693 genes. Pathway analyses showed that genes affected by LG-IH were mainly associated with molecular processes related to metabolic regulation and inflammation. LG-IH induces metabolic dysfunction as reflected by increased body weight and adiposity index in adult male offspring that is paralleled by epigenomic alterations and inflammation in VWAT. Thus, perturbations to fetal environment by OSA during pregnancy can therefore have long-term detrimental effects to the fetus, and lead to persistent metabolic dysfunction in adulthood. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Genetic variation in immunomodulatory genes as markers of melanoma recurrence-free and overall survival.

9021 Background: Small reported studies have provided some evidence implicating immune related genes in melanoma susceptibility and prognosis; however candidate selection of these prior efforts has...
The Effect of Depression, Generalized Anxiety, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Change in Bone Metabolism in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the independent contribution of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use to changes in bone metabolism in older adolescents and emerging adults. Medically healthy 15- to 20-year-olds who were unmedicated or within 1 month of starting an SSRI were prospectively followed. Psychiatric functioning and medication treatment were assessed monthly. Every 4 months, trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) at the radius and markers of bone metabolism were evaluated. Every 8 months, total body less head areal bone mineral content and lumbar spine (LS) areal BMD (aBMD) were determined. Linear mixed-effects regression analysis examined associations between bone measures on the one hand and MDD, GAD, and SSRI indices on the other. A total of 264 participants were followed for 1.51 ± 0.76 years. After adjusting for age, sex, vitamin D concentration, physical activity, lean mass or grip strength, and time in the study, MDD severity was associated with increasing LS aBMD. Similarly, SSRI use was associated with increasing LS aBMD and bone formation in female participants. In contrast, SSRI use was associated with decreasing LS aBMD in males. After accounting for depression, GAD was independently, albeit weakly, associated with increased bone mineralization. In older adolescents and emerging adults, MDD and GAD are associated with increasing bone mass, particularly in the lumbar spine and in females, whereas SSRIs are associated with increasing bone mass in females but decreasing bone mass in males. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
An improved voltage balancing algorithm for grid connected MMC for medium voltage energy conversion

Abstract Modular multi-level converter (MMC) is one of the promising topologies for medium voltage, high power energy conversion applications. The balancing of the capacitor voltage of the MMC Submodules (SMs) plays a critical role for proper operation of MMC. This paper proposes an improved balancing approach based on space vector PWM (SVPWM). The proposed method uses only one SVPWM, which not only simplifies the calculation but also reduces the circulating current in the MMC, thereby reducing the inductor size and improving the converter efficiency. The above balancing algorithm is applied to a MMC-based DC to AC converter connected to the strong AC grid as well as weak AC grid. The power injection capacity and instability problem when MMC is connected to weak AC grid is addressed. The closed loop operation and satisfactory energy conversion in the MMC-based grid connected DC to AC is verified through simulation and the results are presented.
Probing Elastic and Viscous Properties of Phospholipid Bilayers Using Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy

The elastic and viscous properties of self-assembled amphiphilic membranes dictate the intricate hierarchy of their structure and dynamics ranging from the diffusion of individual molecules to the large-scale deformation of the membrane. We previously demonstrated that neutron spin echo spectroscopy measurements of model amphiphilic membranes can access the naturally occurring submicrosecond membrane motions, such as bending and thickness fluctuations. Here we show how the experimentally measured fluctuation parameters can be used to determine the inherent membrane properties and demonstrate how membrane viscosity and compressibility modulus are influenced by lipid composition in a series of simple phosphatidylcholine bilayers with different tail lengths as a function of temperature. This approach highlights the interdependence of the bilayer elastic and viscous properties and the collective membrane dynamics and opens new avenues to investigating the mechanical properties of more complex and biologically...
Bright Electroluminescence from Back-Gated WSe 2 P-N Junctions Using Pulsed Injection

We demonstrate bright electroluminescence in WSe 2 monolayers using pulsed injection, without the use of split gates, chemical doping, or heterostructures. Electroluminescence quantum efficiency approaches that of photoluminescence, indicating efficient exciton formation with injected carriers.
Loss of Tmem106b is unable to ameliorate frontotemporal dementia-like phenotypes in an AAV mouse model of C9ORF72-repeat induced toxicity

Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) and a non-coding (GGGGCC)n hexanucleotide repeat expansions in C9ORF72 are the two most common genetic causes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with aggregates of TAR DNA binding protein 43 (FTLD-TDP). TMEM106B encodes a type II transmembrane protein with unknown function. Genetic variants in TMEM106B associated with reduced TMEM106B levels have been identified as disease modifiers in individuals with GRN mutations and C9ORF72 expansions. Recently, loss of Tmem106b has been reported to protect the FTLD-like phenotypes in Grn−/− mice. Here, we generated Tmem106b−/− mice and examined whether loss of Tmem106b could rescue FTLD-like phenotypes in an AAV mouse model of C9ORF72-repeat induced toxicity. Our results showed that neither partial nor complete loss of Tmem106b was able to rescue behavioral deficits induced by the expression of (GGGGCC)66 repeats (66R). Loss of Tmem106b also failed to ameliorate 66R-induced RNA foci, dipeptide repeat protein formation and pTDP-43 pathological burden. We further found that complete loss of Tmem106b increased astrogliosis, even in the absence of 66R, and failed to rescue 66R-induced neuronal cell loss, whereas partial loss of Tmem106b significantly rescued the neuronal cell loss but not neuroinflammation induced by 66R. Finally, we showed that overexpression of 66R did not alter expression of Tmem106b and other lysosomal genes in vivo, and subsequent analyses in vitro found that transiently knocking down C9ORF72, but not overexpression of 66R, significantly increased TMEM106B and other lysosomal proteins. In summary, reducing Tmem106b levels failed to rescue FTLD-like phenotypes in a mouse model mimicking the toxic gain-of-functions associated with overexpression of 66R. Combined with the observation that loss of C9ORF72 and not 66R overexpression was associated with increased levels of TMEM106B, this work suggests that the protective TMEM106B haplotype may exert its effect in expansion carriers by counteracting lysosomal dysfunction resulting from a loss of C9ORF72.
State Dependent Control of Closed Queueing Networks

We study the design of state dependent control for a closed queueing network model, inspired by shared transportation systems such as ridesharing. In particular, we focus on the design of assignment policies, wherein the platform can choose which supply unit to dispatch to meet an incoming customer request. The supply unit subsequently becomes available at the destination after dropping the customer. We consider the proportion of dropped demand in steady state as the performance measure. We propose a family of simple and explicit state dependent policies called Scaled MaxWeight (SMW) policies and prove that under the complete resource pooling (CRP) condition (analogous to a strict version of Hall's condition for bipartite matchings), any SMW policy induces an exponential decay of demand-dropping probability as the number of supply units scales to infinity. Furthermore, we show that there is an SMW policy that achieves the optimal exponent among all assignment policies, and analytically specify this policy in terms of the matrix of customer-request arrival rates. The optimal SMW policy protects structurally under-supplied locations.
A high level language for solver independent model manipulation and generation of hybrid solvers

This paper introduces a high level language that allows for the specification and manipulation of solver independent models and allows for easily generating complex solvers in the Comet language. As Constraint Programming (CP) techniques have increased in complexity, it has become more difficult and time consuming to implement models that take advantage of state-of-the-art modeling techniques and search heuristics. This is particularly problematic for problems that have not been well studied as it is often unclear a priori which modeling technologies and search strategies will be effective. This work builds on previous solver independent languages by introducing a more general framework based on abstract models and model operators. Model operators represent complex model transformations that can be applied in various combinations to yield a wide array of concrete solvers, including hybrid solvers. Furthermore, Local Search (LS) is fully supported allowing for sequential and parallel bounds-passing hybrids that have not been possible in previous solver independent languages. Large Neighborhood Search (LNS) and column generation based models are also demonstrated.
Diagnosis Treatment of Salpingo-Oophoritis

Acute salpingitis is a spontaneous infection which occurs among sexually active, menstruating, nonpregnant women. The majority of infections are caused by bacteria and a polymicrobial bacterial infection is common Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis and a wide variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are most frequently isolated from women with acute salpingitis. Genital mycoplasmas also have been recovered from a small number of infections. A tuberculous, parasitic or fungal salpingitis is rare among women in industrialized countries.
z SCORES AND EFFECTS OF LINEAR TRANSFORMATIONS

When a set of scores is changed to some new scale according to some consistent rule applied to each score, the scores are said to be transformed. The conversion of raw scores to percentile ranks is a little more cumbersome than the temperature conversion, but it is nonetheless an example of a transformation. There is another common transformation for psychological scores besides percentile ranks, which has many uses in statistics. This is the transformation of scores to z scores. The mean of a distribution of z scores is always equal to 0; the variance and standard deviation of a distribution of z scores are always equal to 1. If a constant value a is added to every score in a distribution, the mean of that distribution will increase by precisely that amount a . However, the variance remains unchanged by the addition or subtraction of a constant to the scores of the distribution.
Word-of-Mouth, Quality, and Advertising: Evidence from Movie Sales

Marketing is a crucial determinant of product success, particularly in the film industry where marketing budgets are comparable to production budgets. A rich theoretical literature predicts a positive relationship between advertising and product quality (e.g. Nelson, 1974). I examine this relationship by exploiting changes in the product quality information available to the distributors of 1,156 movies released between 1995 and 2003. Variation in weekly television advertising expenditures indicate that marketing expenditures react sharply to new information about film quality that is revealed during a film's opening weekend, including the results of exit polling, which studios use to infer word-of-mouth.
Center-Wise intra-inter silhouettes

Silhouettes were defined as measures of clustering quality in the context of crisp partitions. This study extends the work that generalized silhouettes to fuzzy partitions in a natural profound manner. As opposed to constructing silhouettes for each data point, described here is the construction of silhouettes for each cluster center in terms of center-to-point distances rather than point-to-point distances.
The Formal Foundations of Lehrer’s Theory of Consensus

The challenge of devising rational methods for achieving group consensus has provided decision theorists with an important class of practical and theoretical problems. How should group deliberation be structured in order to enhance the exchange and thoughtful consideration of relevant information and maximize the possibility of agreement? Are there defensible ways of combining the opinions of individuals who disagree even after exhaustive discussion? Can we develop a comprehensive theory of group rationality and perhaps refine our understanding through the discovery of limitative metatheorems, which have so often been the mark of mature axiomatization?
Introduction and apologia

Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Mapping the Media of Aleksandar Hemon's Diasporic Time-Geography

This article brings spatial theory, diasporic culture, and media studies together in cross-platform readings of the Bosnian-American author Aleksandar Hemon. It argues that Hemon’s novels and websites render diasporic space in terms of “time–geography,” which represents places as loci for multiple histories of migration. Diasporic time–geography produces several perspectives on shared space; such perspectives are further compounded when Hemon’s novels Nowhere Man (2004) and The Lazarus Project (2008) are read comparatively with their websites. However, I argue that Hemon’s diversiform approach to space assumes coherence when read as a critique. In particular, his use of text, image, and interactive web design to represent the spaces of Chicago, Sarajevo, Lviv, and more contests the spatial abstraction of the nation-state described by Henri Lefebvre. Against this abstraction, Hemon’s work understands diasporic space as a concrete social production inflected by past, present, and future population movements.
Quality of teacher education and learning: theory and practice

The timely book Quality of Teacher Education and Learning: Theory and Practice addresses contemporary issues in this field, providing a global perspective on the highly contested notion of quality ...
Sacral Pedicle Stress Fracture in an Adolescent Competitive Basketball and Track and Field Athlete with a Prior Femoral Physeal Injury: A Case Report

A sacral pedicle stress fracture is an uncommon source of low back pain in adolescent athletes. Given the extensive differential diagnosis of low back pain coupled with the fact that nondirected specific imaging can be normal, diagnosis can be delayed. We report the case of a 15-year-old African American male, dual-sport athlete who experienced low back pain from a sacral pedicle stress fracture. This case highlights the importance of a thorough history and physical examination in tandem with appropriate testing to identify predisposing factors to ultimately arrive at a diagnosis. A comprehensive, conservative treatment approach is described.