cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Income Diversity Within Neighborhoods and Very Low-Income Families

The past decades have witnessed increasing concern over the family ills engendered by neighborhoods inhabited overwhelmingly by families with limited resources. This study focuses on a different sort of residential context-neighborhoods with substantial income mixing - and the extent to which very low-income (VLI) families - those earning less than 50 percent of the area median income (AMI)-live in them. The study's primary units of analysis are the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, according to the 2000 Census, and the secondary units of analysis are census tracts. The study specifies six mutually exclusive income groups based on the ratios relative to AMI, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It also specifies four groups of neighborhoods according to their diversity of the six income groups, as measured by an entropy index. The descriptive results show that in 2000 (1) most neighborhoods had high diversity, although a decline is apparent in the overall income diversity of neighborhoods and in the share comprising high-diversity neighborhoods; (2) no neighborhoods with median incomes of less than 50 percent of AMI had high diversity; (3) 19 percent of all high-diversity neighborhoods (on average) consist of VLI families and 65 percent of all VLI families live in high-diversity neighborhoods, although both percentages have declined since 1970; (4) 5 percent of VLI families live in neighborhoods with median incomes of less than 50 percent of AMI, twice the percentage of 1970 but lower than in 1990; and (5) exposure of VLI families to other VLI families and moderate-income groups has steadily fallen since 1970 and concomitantly increased for families that have very high incomes (VHIs); indeed, the exposure to VHI families is approximately the same as exposure to other VLI families. This article addresses the mixed implications of these trends for the potential socioeconomic mobility of VLI families.
Improved Sheath/Core Adhesion in Biconstituent Fibers via Interface Mixing

Biconstituent melt-flow through a porous unit, known as the Interface Mixer Insert, is used to achieve adhesion within sheath/core fibers spun from two incompatible polymers, as exemplified herein by nylon and polyester. Sheath splitting and void formation at the interface are documented for nylon sheath/polyester core filaments having essentially no adhesion between the sheath and the core. Improved adhesion as a function of Interface Mixer Insert filtration media is examined via optical and electron microscopy and correlated with a qualitative fabric-endurance evaluation as well as a quantitative adhesion-peel-strength test.
Sodium Bicarbonate for the Treatment of Lactic Acidosis

Lactic acidosis often challenges the intensivist and is associated with a strikingly high mortality. Treatment involves discerning and correcting its underlying cause, ensuring adequate oxygen delivery to tissues, reducing oxygen demand through sedation and mechanical ventilation, and (most controversially) attempting to alkalinize the blood with IV sodium bicarbonate. Here we review the literature to answer the following questions: Is a low pH bad? Can sodium bicarbonate raise the pH in vivo? Does increasing the blood pH with sodium bicarbonate have any salutary effects? Does sodium bicarbonate have negative side effects? We find that the oft-cited rationale for bicarbonate use, that it might ameliorate the hemodynamic depression of metabolic acidemia, has been disproved convincingly. Further, given the lack of evidence supporting its use, we cannot condone bicarbonate administration for patients with lactic acidosis, regardless of the degree of acidemia.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection in Patients Attending a Baltimore City Emergency Department

Objectives Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common sexually transmitted disease, but there is limited data on its epidemiology among urban populations. The urban Emergency Department (ED) is a potential venue for surveillance as it predominantly serves an inner city minority population. We evaluate the seroprevalence and factors associated with HSV-2 infection among patients attending the Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Emergency Department (JHH ED). Methods An identity unlinked-serosurvey was conducted between 6/2007 and 9/2007 in the JHH ED; sera were tested by the Focus HerpeSelect ELISA. Prevalence risk ratios (PRR) were used to determine factors associated with HSV-2 infection. Results Of 3,408 serum samples, 1,853 (54.4%) were seropositive for HSV-2. Females (adjPRR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.38–1.56), non-Hispanic blacks (adjPRR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.82–2.27), single (adjPRR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.07–1.25), divorced (adjPRR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.15–1.41), and unemployed patients (adjPRR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.05–1.21) had significantly higher rates of HSV-2 infection. Though certain zip codes had significantly higher seroprevalence of HSV-2, this effect was completely attenuated when controlling for age and gender. Conclusions Seroprevalence of HSV-2 in the JHH ED was higher than U.S. national estimates; however, factors associated with HSV-2 infection were similar. The high seroprevalence of HSV-2 in this urban ED highlights the need for targeted testing and treatment. Cross-sectional serosurveys in the urban ED may help to examine the epidemiology of HSV-2.
Training Connectionist Networks with Queries and Selective Sampling

"Selective sampling" is a form of directed search that can greatly increase the ability of a connectionist network to generalize accurately. Based on information from previous batches of samples, a network may be trained on data selectively sampled from regions in the domain that are unknown. This is realizable in cases when the distribution is known, or when the cost of drawing points from the target distribution is negligible compared to the cost of labeling them with the proper classification. The approach is justified by its applicability to the problem of training a network for power system security analysis. The benefits of selective sampling are studied analytically, and the results are confirmed experimentally.
The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which insulin influences breast cancer risk and progression

Epidemiological studies have related hyperinsulinemia and type 2 diabetes to an increased breast cancer risk, an aggressive and metastatic phenotype, and a poor prognosis. Furthermore, diabetic retinopathy arises from pathological angiogenesis, which is also essential for breast cancer growth and metastasis. Insulin stimulates the proliferation of some human breast cancer cell lines in vitro by mechanisms that use both the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and the mitogen-activated protein kinase/Akt signaling pathways; it is also a cell survival (anti-apoptotic) agent and enhances tumor cell migration and invasive capacity. Hyperinsulinemia affects breast cancer cells via the endocrine system, but experimental studies suggest the importance of paracrine mechanisms operating by the effects of insulin on the secretion of adipokines from tumor-associated adipose tissue. In such a system, one adipokine, leptin, has stimulatory paracrine effects on breast cancer cell proliferation and survival, while a second, adiponectin, is inhibitory. Leptin, vascular endothelial growth factor, another insulin-regulated adipokine, and insulin itself also stimulate angiogenesis. Insulin has complex interactions with estrogens: it induces adipose stromal cell aromatase and tumor cell sex steroid hormone receptor expression and suppresses sex hormone-binding globulin, which may enhance estrogen synthesis and bioactivity with consequent promotion of estrogen-dependent breast cancer. All these actions influence the later steps in breast cancer development but genetic studies are also revealing connections between gene abnormalities related to type 2 diabetes and the initiation stage of breast carcinogenesis. Understanding the various mechanisms by which insulin participates in breast cancer cell biology provides opportunities for novel approaches to treatment.
Prepubertal Primordial Follicle Loss in Mice Is Not Due to Classical Apoptotic Pathways

More than half of the primordial follicles that are formed by Day 6 of postnatal life in the mouse will be eliminated from the ovary by the time of puberty. Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, is one mechanism by which these follicles could be actively lost. To investigate whether apoptosis is responsible for the loss of primordial follicles, follicular atresia was examined during the prepubertal period, when follicles die and are cleared from the ovary at an extremely high rate. Four hallmarks of classical apoptosis were measured in follicles present in prepubertal ovaries. The primordial follicle cohort was not positively associated with nuclear condensation or cell shrinkage, activation of caspase 3, cleavage of poly(ADP ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), or fragmentation of DNA. These data are consistent with a nonapoptotic pathway that is responsible for small follicle death.
Globally optimal solutions to the on-ramp metering problem - Part 1

A mathematical programming approach to the freeway on-ramp metering problem is formulated. The objective function is a linear combination of mainline and on-ramp flows, termed the generalized total travel time. The underlying freeway model - the asymmetric cell transmission model (ACTM) - is similar to the original cell transmission model (CTM), except that the merge law of the CTM has been replaced with additional terms weighted by the influence parameters. It is shown that an appropriate selection of the model parameters and boundary conditions guarantees a physically reasonable evolution of the ACTM. It is also shown that the resulting nonlinear optimization problem can be solved globally, by solving an equivalent linear program, whenever the cost weights are generated by a proposed numerical algorithm.
Applications of trapped antiprotons

Recent successes in trapping antiprotons suggest that portable traps can be used in several important applications. Included among these are medicine, laser physics, energy development, and nondestructive materials evaluation. An experimental program for the next three years is outlined.
Attachment and the Therapeutic Alliance in Family Therapy

The therapeutic alliance has consistently predicted client outcomes in psychotherapy. This study uses attachment theory as a resource in understanding the therapeutic alliance. Participants in this study were 27 mothers, 15 fathers, and 23 adolescents that participated in family therapy. Results indicate that mothers' reports of trust in their oldest child predicted the alliance, and adolescent ratings of trust in mothers and fathers moderated the relationship between therapy alliance and symptom distress. Implications for family therapy research and practice are discussed.
Water Utility Efficiency Assessment Using a Data Envelopment Analysis Procedure

Data envelopment analysis is used to compare the relative efficiencies of potable water utilities using the United States Environmental Protection Agency community water system survey data. Three ownership types (private for profit, private not for profit, and public), and two types of supply sources (ground and surface) are compared. Statistically significant results indicating efficiency advantages of certain utility types are found, and clear trends towards certain utility types are identified. The findings indicate that public utilities are most efficient overall, followed by private not-for-profit utilities, with private for-profit utilities being least efficient. Except for a few cases of very large supply demands, utilities employing groundwater sources were generally more efficient than those using surface water sources. A brief investigation into the marginal return on information obtained from using additional measurement variables to measure utility performance is presented. Additional ranking information can be obtained by using more discrete measurement variables, but with diminishing marginal returns. This presentation of public water utility efficiency evaluation should prove useful as a tool for guiding ownership policies and water source development strategies and demonstrates the utility of publicly available data sets.
Nonlinear absorption and refraction process of fluorene-based molecules via picosecond and femtosecond measurements

The nonlinear optical performance of several Fluorene-based molecules was studied using different measurement methods and pulse durations. We used picosecond pulses at 532 nm and, femtosecond pulses tunable from 532-810 nm for performing open and closed aperture Z-scans, and we used femtosecond 570-930 nm pulses for two-photon induced fluorescence (2PF) spectroscopy. The observed nonlinear losses were compared using the three methods. The results exhibit much stronger nonlinear absorption with picosecond pulses due to the additional excited-state absorption processes involved. Also the nonlinear refractive index was found to be higher for the picosecond measurements. In addition using a femtosecond white-light continuum (WLC) pump-probe method we showed that by proper tuning of pump and probe wavelengths an intermediate state resonance enhancement (ISRE) of the 2PA can be observed yielding the same overall nonlinear absorption observed using picosecond pulses.
Hepatic amebiasis among patients in a public teaching hospital

The increase in immigration to the United States is associated with diseases, such as amebiasis, that are endemic to developing countries. We retrospectively reviewed 49 public-hospital patients with hepatic amebiasis occurring between 1985 and 1995. Most patients were immigrants (47) from Latin America (43), male (43), and young (mean age, 39.8 years). Symptoms noted by more than half were abdominal pain and fever. Ultrasonography showed single lesions in 70% and right-sided involvement in 85%. Serologies against Entamoeba histolytica were noted in 86%. After treatment, the median interval from admission to defervescence was 2 days, to normalization of white cell count 3 days, and to resolution of abdominal pain 4 days. Morbidity (one case of pericarditis) and mortality (one death in a cirrhotic man) were low. Hepatic amebiasis continues to be diagnosed in the United States, primarily among Hispanic and Asian immigrants. When appropriately considered, current diagnostic and therapeutic modalities result in rapid improvement and excellent outcome.
A feasibility test of a brief motivational interview intervention to reduce dating abuse perpetration in a hospital setting

OBJECTIVE: To describe the intervention development process and feasibility testing of a hospital-based brief intervention to reduce the perpetration of adolescent dating abuse (ADA). To our knowledge, this intervention is the first to focus exclusively on ADA perpetration reduction via a motivational interview-type intervention in this setting. METHOD: The rationale for and the six Intervention Mapping steps used to generate the intervention are described. Feasibility is conceptualized as intervention acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, integration, and limited-efficacy. RESULTS: The Real Talk intervention was integrated smoothly into the emergency department setting. Participants did not experience any negative impact, and the vast majority (86%) reported that they felt helped. Quantitative assessments suggest that the intervention reduced the number of participants in the pre-contemplation stage of change regarding their use of relationship violence, and may have moved them forward into the action stage. Real Talk participants were more likely than those in the control group to tell friends to help them stay calm around their partner after drinking alcohol, and to talk with their doctor to get help for their problems. CONCLUSIONS: Real Talk was developed to meet an unmet need for tertiary ADA interventions in non-school settings. It was developed in accordance with a recommended framework, informed by theory, and subsequently tested for feasibility. Feasibility assessment results suggest that Real Talk can be implemented in health care settings and may influence attitudinal and behavioral outcomes in the desired directions. Language: en
Assessment of coronal plane subtalar joint alignment in peritalar subluxation via weight-bearing multiplanar imaging.

Background:Patients with adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) develop peritalar subluxation, which may stem from valgus inclination of the inferior surface of the talus. We hypothesized that patients with AAFD would have an increased valgus tilt of the subtalar joint in the coronal plane compared to controls when assessed with a novel multiplanar weight-bearing imaging (MP-WB).Methods:Eighteen normal and 36 stage II AAFD patients scheduled to undergo operative reconstruction were evaluated by MP-WB through measuring 3 novel angles of the subtalar joint in the coronal view: (1) angle between inferior facet of the talus and the horizontal/floor (inftal-hor), (2) angle between inferior and superior facets of the talus (inftal-suptal), and (3) angle between inferior facet of the talus and superior facet of the calcaneus (inftal-supcal). Intra- and interobserver reliability were evaluated via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Differences in angles between AAFD patients and controls were evaluated...
Conformal self-assembled thin films for optical pH sensors

Simple, reliable, lightweight, and inexpensive thin films based sensors are still in intense development and high demand in many applications such as biomedical, industrial, environmental, military, and consumer products. One important class of sensors is the optical pH sensor. In addition, conformal thin film based sensors extend the range of application for pH optical sensors. We present the results on the fabrication and characterization of optical pH sensing coatings made through ionic self-assembled technique. These thin films are based on the combination of a polyelectrolyte and water-soluble organic dye molecule Direct Yellow 4. A series of films was fabricated and characterized in order to determine the optimized parameters of the polymer and of the organic dye solutions. The optical pH responses of these films were also studied. The transparent films were immersed in solutions at various temperature and pH values. The films are stable when immersed in solutions with pH below 9.0 and temperatures below 90 °C and they maintain their performance after longer immersion times. We also demonstrate the functionality of these coatings as conformal films.
Dynamic Response of Circuit Card Systems

In general, modules are supported by stiff leads and possess a higher K/M ratio than the cards and boards to which they are attached. In the module/ lead/card system, the card is the most flexible element; the fundamental natural frequency f 1 for circuit cards is generally between 20 and 50 Hz, and even for multimodule stiff cards or stiffened boards, it seldom exceeds 200 Hz. With the stiffnesses and dimensions of modules and leads discussed in Chapters 3,7, and 8 (consider K = 100 N/mm and the mass of a 25-mm module m = 2 g supported on 68 gull wing leads), the lowest frequency of the lead-supported module is 9.3 kHz. The fundamental frequency f 1 of the leads alone is, taking a lumped mass of 2 mg, about 36 kHz.
Yeast Cells as a Discovery Platform for Parkinson's Disease and other Protein Misfolding Diseases

Publisher Summary This chapter explores yeast cells as a discovery platform for Parkinson's disease (PD) and finding genetic factors and chemical compounds that modify the toxicity of proteins that are prone to misfoldings and producing toxic gain-of-function phenotypes in man. The chapter briefly reviews general features of PD and associated genes to place them in context relevant to yeast models. PD is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder. One pathological hallmark of PD is the selective loss of the DA neurons comprising the pars compacta of the substantia nigra and the presence of proteinaceous inclusion bodies, and Lewy neurites, in the affected cells. Yeast cells also have unusually high rates of homologous recombination, and yeast has progressed from being a good model to a super model. The yeast models do not simply show nonspecific toxicity due to the accumulation of misfolded proteins. The toxicity in different models is highly specific and distinct. An advantage of yeast models in drug screening is that they have a capacity to focus compound searches on the initiating events of the diseases, particularly those involved with the misfolding and aggregation of the toxic protein. Yeast cells also provide a whole collection of technical advantages for high-throughput screening—speed, robustness, low cost, genetic manipulability—making for a compelling combination.
Pectoralis Major Tendon Repair : Clinical Outcomes, Return to Sport and Incidence of Second Surgery

Objectives: Systematic reviews of the literature have identified 365 reported cases of Pectoralis Major Tendon (PMT) injuries. While surgical treatment has demonstrated improved outcomes compared to non-operative treatment, there is still relatively limited data on the functional outcome, return to sport and need for 2nd surgery in athletes following PMT repair. This study comprises the largest series of athletes following PMT repair reported to date. The Objective is to report on the functional outcomes, return to sport and need for 2nd surgery in a consecutive series of PMT tears.
An Underutilized Tropical Plant Psidium cattleianum (Strawberry Guava)

Psidium cattleianum Sabine or strawberry guava is an exotic, tropical plant belonging to Myrtaceae family. This shrub bears prolific fruits, yet it is more recognized as an ornamental than an edible plant. Its emergence as an invasive species in Hawaii and defiance towards biological control agents has further lowered its desirability. However, recent findings have shed light on its food potential. It has been identified as a reserve of savory fruit and pectin. Copious phytochemicals have validated its antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities. This chapter presents an overview of its current status and prospect in functional food formulation.
Lewinnek, Elaine: The Working Man's Reward: Chicago's Early Suburbs and the Roots of American Sprawl

In both popular and scholarly imagination, the term suburbs has most often been synonymous with Levittowns: postwar subdivisions populated by white, middle-class residents dwelling in cookie-cutter...
Moluscos planctónicos entre el fiordo Reloncaví y el golfo Corcovado, sur de Chile: ocurrencia, distribución y abundancia en invierno

espanolA pesar de sus importantes funciones ecologicas, el conocimiento de los estados planctonicos de moluscos en fiordos australes de Chile es limitado. De aqui que los objetivos de esta investigacion fueron determinar la composicion de los principales grupos de moluscos planctonicos, su distribucion geografica y abundancia, entre el fiordo Reloncavi y el golfo Corcovado. Las muestras de plancton se recolectaron en 16 estaciones oceanograficas, durante el Crucero CIMAR 19-Fiordos, en julio 2013. Se efectuaron lances oblicuos en 2 estratos, de acuerdo con la profundidad de la picnoclina con una red WP2 (180 µm abertura de malla). Los organismos fueron separados manualmente de cada muestra, contados y asignados al menor nivel taxonomico posible. Se obtuvieron moluscos en todas las estaciones: Bivalvia (39,68%), Gastropoda (60,31%) y Cephalopoda (0,01%). La abundancia total vario entre 18,46 y 124,42 ind. m-3. Destaco la abundancia de larvas de bivalvos Pholadidae, Teredinidae y Xylophagidae. De gasteropodos destaco la abundancia de Thecosomata y Nudibranchia. De cefalopodos, solo se capturaron paralarvas de Octopoda. La alta abundancia relativa de larvas de bivalvos perforadores de madera seria un indicador de la presencia de materia organica de origen forestal en el fondo de los fiordos y tendrian un rol importante en el flujo de materia organica aloctona que llega a los fiordos. La temperatura y salinidad del agua serian las variables que mayormente modularian la distribucion de bivalvos y gasteropodos planctonicos en los fiordos chilenos. EnglishDespite their important ecological functions, knowledge of planktonic mollusks in southern fjords of Chile is limited. Hence, the goals of this research were to determine the composition of the main groups of planktonic mollusks, their geographical distribution and abundance, between the Reloncavi Fjord and the Corcovado Gulf. Plankton samples were collected at 16 oceanographic stations during the CIMAR-19 Fiordos cruise, in July 2013. Oblique hauls were made in two water depth layers according to the pycnocline depth with a WP2 net (180 µm mesh size). The organisms were removed manually from each sample, counted and assigned to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Mollusks were obtained in all stations: Bivalvia (39.68%), Gastropoda (60.31%) and Cephalopoda (0.01%). The total abundance of mollusks varied between 18.46 and 124.42 ind. m-3. Among bivalves highlighted the abundance of Pholadidae, Teredinidae and Xylophagidae larvae. Among gastropods highlighted the abundance of Thecosomata and Nudibranchia. Among cephalopods, only Octopoda paralarvae were captured. The abundance of bivalve boring species and their larvae have an important role in the flow of allochthonous organic matter across the fjords. The water temperature and salinity may be the variables that mostly modulate the distribution of planktonic bivalves and gastropods in the Chilean fjords.
Data assimilation of membrane dynamics and channel kinetics with a neuromorphic integrated circuit

Techniques of data assimilation (DA) for parameter identification and forecasting in complex dynamical systems offer promising tools for the analysis of neural data and inference of neural function. Here we present experiments using DA to characterize the dynamics of a neuromorphic very large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuit emulating membrane dynamics and channel kinetics in a network of 4 generalized Hodgkin-Huxley neurons coupled through 12 conductance-based chemical synapses. The analog VLSI chip, NeuroDyn, features 384 digitally programmable parameters specifying for all neurons and synapses reversal potentials, conductances, and spline-regressed voltage dependence profile of opening and closing rates of the gating variables. In a set of experiments, we conducted DA on the membrane potentials of neurons recorded on the chip under current injection according to the model structure upon which the chip was designed and the known current input sequence, to arrive at the programmed parameters save for model errors due to analog imperfections in the chip fabrication. In a related set of experiments we extended the DA procedure to map songbird neural dynamics onto the chip by identifying and programming parameters extracted using DA from intracellular neural recordings. Application of the chip to neurological data may help to understand the effects of neuromodulators or neurodegenerative diseases on ion channel kinetics, and may further provide insights into the relationship between molecular properties of neurons and the emergence of different spike patterns or different brain behaviors.
Pastoralism & Politics in Northern Kenya & Southern Ethiopia by Günther Schlee and Abdullahi A. Shongolo (review)

Schlee, Gunther and Abdullahi A. Shongolo, Pastoralism & Politics in Northern Kenya & Southern Ethiopia . Suffolk, UK: James Currey, 2012. Review by George L. Simpson, Jr.
Growing a cancer survivorship care plan program.

58Background: More than 15.5 million cancer survivors live in the United States. This number is expected to be over 20 million by 2026. Cancer survivors have increased risk of morbidity; therefore,...
Almidón modificado de yuca como aditivo en fluidos de perforación base agua

The yucca starch was modified looking for an improvement in its thermal resistance and fluid loss control to be used as an additive in drilling fluids. The physical modification was made by pregelatinization and the chemical modification was made by cross linking with sodium tripoliphospate. An experimental design was used to find the best concentration of starch that minimizes the fluid filtrate, this concentration was 8 pounds per barrel. Two muds were formulated with 8 pounds per barrel of modified starch and paxcell LV (CMC) respectively to comparate their behavior; both of them showed a similar behavior, however the modified starch had a higher stability at high temperatures and pressures.
Drell-Yan non-singlet spin cross sections and spin asymmetry to O(αs2) (II)

Abstract We present predictions for the non-singlet Drell-Yan longitudinal spin cross sections and spin asymmetry, A LL , in proton-proton collisions at large p T at the RHIC energy of 200 GeV at next-to-leading order QCD. The higher order corrections to the non-singlet polarized cross section, σ NS LL , are sizeable and similar to those found for the unpolarized cross section. The non-singlet asymmetry parameter, A LL NS , is very stable against higher order corrections and is a direct measurement of the non-singlet (i.e., valence) polarized quark distributions within the proton.
Nonlinear model predictive control and H∞ robust control for a post-combustion CO2 capture process

Abstract This work focuses on the design of a nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) and an H∞ robust controller for an MEA-based CO2 capture process. The model used in the NMPC is a nonlinear, additive, autoregressive model with exogenous (NAARX) inputs. Uncertainties are unavoidable in chemical processes. Therefore, a robust controller is designed for the CO2 capture process based on μ-synthesis with a DK-iteration algorithm. The effects of uncertainties due to measurement noise and model mismatches are evaluated for both the NMPC and robust controller. The system disturbances include a number of input and output disturbances such as the flue gas flowrate and composition and variable capture targets. This study shows that the tradeoff between the fast tracking performance of the NMPC and the superior robust performance of the robust controller must be considered while designing the control system for the CO2 capture units.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Hepatitis B Virus

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms in the world. Current data indicate that hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the most significant hepatocarcinogens for the majority of HCCs in the world. Globally about 80% of HCC is considered to be causally associated with chronic infection with HBV. Although HCC is rare in the United States, it is perhaps the most prevalent cancer in Asia and West Africa where the prevalence of HBV infection is high. Without proper intervention for HBV infection, the HBV carriers are at risk for developing HCC. In a large prospective study of 3,653 HBV carriers in Taiwan, 164 persons developed HCC in a 12-year follow-up period; the most important risk factors for HCC were increased baseline and persistently elevated HBV DNA levels. During the last decade, great strides have been made in the treatment of HBV infection. Prospective and retrospective studies of large numbers of chronic hepatitis B patients with advanced liver disease have demonstrated that the treatment with anti-HBV agent not only delayed the disease progression but also reduced the incidence of HCC.
Training and Development of Financial Education Program Staff

This chapter describes training and development considerations for a university financial education program staff. Program directors may choose to outsource the training by hiring external professionals or hiring and training from within the college or university. Key questions to ask are posed in this chapter, such as what types of training support the financial education program’s mission? What changes in the external environment demand training and development of staff members? Which staff members need training and development and how much? What staff tasks need improvement through training and development? How can experienced program staff be used to mentor new student staff members?
Coronary heart disease in women.

The results presented above indicate that the risk factors associated with the development of coronary heart disease in women are not that different than those identified for men. It is encouraging to note that while the prevalence of hypertension in women has not changed over that past twenty years, the proportion of treated hypertensive women has increased dramatically and the proportion with controlled blood pressure has doubled since 1960. It is also encouraging to note that the number of adult women who smoke cigarettes has decreased since 1960, but the number of young girls who smoke has increased at an alarming rate. It has been noted by researchers that among women who smoke, the number of cigarettes smoked per day has increased from the 1950s to the present. From the Framingham data it can be seen that womens' serum cholesterol level increases substantially with age and women should take steps to eat a healthy low-saturated fat, low cholesterol diet in order to maintain a low blood cholesterol level.
Morphological universals and diachrony

We conclude that what we find in language is only partially explained by what is “natural.” Some things that we find in the morphology of a language are there not because the language faculty requires them but because change tends to create them for independent reasons; while some things that are rare or perhaps even non-existent are not to be found because there are few if any pathways that could produce them from an available source. These observations have surprisingly important consequences: they mean that our account of the human cognitive capacity for language cannot be based simply on generalizations about what we find in the languages of the world, or on what can be grounded in some other domain, such as phonetics. The cognitive capacity we hope to capture may well be much more flexible than we might think at first glance, and as a result, it may be considerably harder to determine its properties than has been assumed.
How the Oocyte Influences Follicular Cell Function and Why

During ovarian follicular development, bidirectional communication between oocytes and their companion somatic cells is indispensable. The oocyte plays a leading role in regulating follicular cell development and function including growth and proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, steroidogenesis, metabolism, and cumulus expansion. By modulating these critical functions, the oocyte orchestrates the rate of follicular development and creates a favorable microenvironment essential for its own development and destiny. A better understanding of the oocyte-somatic cell regulatory loop is essential for unraveling the myths surrounding oocyte developmental competence and may provide novel therapeutic strategies for female reproductive disorders resulting from defects in oocyte-follicle cell interactions.
Investigating Ethical Fashion Consumerism Practices: Multi-theory Approach

This study was conducted to obtain an in-depth understanding regarding the motivations and adoption of ethical fashion consumerism by taste leaders, specifically green celebrities. A total 20 interviews of movie stars, bloggers, and musicians published between 2014 and 2016 in a sustainable fashion magazine were analyzed. Three different theories were employed to interpret three different stages involved into ethical consumerism process. Social Cognitive theory explain the learning stage, Theory of Planned Behavior explain the intention/motivation stage and Social Practice Theory described the implementation stage of ethical fashion consumerism process.
The ada Verb of being in Bahasa Malaysia

This paper examines the various syntactic and semantic functions of the ada verb of 'being' in Malay. The claim is made that there is an abstract uppermost ada in the underlying structure of Malay sentences, which asserts or denies the truth of the surface main clause. A further claim is made that the ada of the uppermost sentence is identical to the ada of location and possession, the difference in meaning arising from the distinction in sentence structures in which the ada verb appears. Informants for the study were Miss Noraini Aziz of Kuala Selangor (Selangor State) and Miss Latifah Abdol Latif, of Alor Gajah (Malacca State).
What Is the Optimal Management for Biliary Colic and Who Requires Admission

Biliary colic is a common cause of abdominal pain in patients presenting to the acute care setting. Typical symptoms include right upper quadrant and/or epigastric pain, which may radiate to the back. The pain may be nocturnal or postprandial, and there may be associated nausea and/or vomiting. The evaluation of this condition consists of laboratory studies as well as diagnostic imaging. The management depends upon the severity of the disease. Minimally symptomatic patients or those whose symptoms have resolved can usually be discharged with analgesics and outpatient surgical follow-up. Those with more severe symptoms and those found to have complications such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, choledocholithiasis, or gallstone pancreatitis require admission to the hospital with specialist consultation.
Ligation of Common Iliac Artery Mycotic Aneurysm in a Neonate and Review of the Literature

Background Mycotic aortoiliac aneurysms in neonates are rare. Surgical treatment has traditionally been the standard of care, but recent case reports have suggested that endovascular management of mycotic iliac aneurysms may also be safe and effective. In this case, we describe successful management of a mycotic aortoiliac aneurysm in a neonate with exploratory laparotomy and ligation of the left common iliac artery. Methods A full-term infant boy of uncomplicated delivery was transferred to our institution on day 2 of life after a barium enema concerning for small left colon syndrome. An umbilical artery catheter had been placed for monitoring but was removed before transfer. During his hospital course, he developed left leg edema and fever. He was found to have a mycotic aneurysm of the left common and internal iliac arteries, causing common iliac venous compression. A repeat ultrasound revealed the aneurysm measured a maximum of 12 mm in diameter and 26 mm in length. Results Treatment was delayed until the patient was clinically stable. He was monitored with serial ultrasounds, which showed no significant increase in aneurysmal size. A review of the literature supported the perception the aneurysm posed an impending risk to the patient. On day 16 of life, the neonate underwent ligation and excision of the left common iliac artery aneurysm. Conclusion Our experience found ligation of the common iliac artery to be safe and effective, establishing that surgical reconstruction is not required.
A Functional Landscape of Resistance to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 Inhibition in NRAS-Mutant Melanoma

Combinatorial inhibition of MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 is currently undergoing clinical investigation in NRAS-mutant melanoma. To prospectively map the landscape of resistance to this investigational regimen, we utilized a series of gain- and loss-of-function forward genetic screens to identify modulators of resistance to clinical inhibitors of MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 alone and in combination. First, we identified NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines that were dependent on NRAS for proliferation and sensitive to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 combination treatment. We then used a genome-scale ORF overexpression screen and a CRISPR knockout screen to identify modulators of resistance to each inhibitor alone or in combination. These orthogonal screening approaches revealed concordant means of achieving resistance to this therapeutic modality, including tyrosine kinases, RAF, RAS, AKT, and PI3K signaling. Activated KRAS was sufficient to cause resistance to combined MEK/CDK inhibition and to replace genetic depletion of oncogenic NRAS. In summary, our comprehensive functional genetic screening approach revealed modulation of resistance to the inhibition of MEK1/2, CDK4/6, or their combination in NRAS-mutant melanoma. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings reveal that NRAS-mutant melanomas can acquire resistance to genetic ablation of NRAS or combination MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 inhibition by upregulating activity of the RTK-RAS-RAF and RTK-PI3K-AKT signaling cascade.
India’s Surgical Strikes: Response to Strategic Imperatives

ABSTRACTIn September 2016, militants who were allegedly backed by Pakistan attacked an Indian Army camp in Uri. The government in New Delhi was facing important regional elections. It faced intense...
American Meritocracy and the Rise of Specialized Elites

The first section of this chapter describes the American gentry that arose in the colonial period and that played the lead role in the creation of the United States. The narrative includes a discussion of the decline of the gentry’s direct political influence in the Jacksonian era, and considers the gradual transformation of the American gentry into the various elites which constitute the contemporary national Establishment. Special attention is paid to the educational aspect of this change, particularly as it occurred in the country’s colleges and universities. The chapter concludes with a comparison of the gentleman to his technocratic descendant.
Absence of Human Homing Ability as Measured by Displacement Experiments

Baker asserts that an individual’s direction estimates made at separate stops are not independent, and therefore must be collapsed. It is certainly true that such estimates might not be entirely independent, but Dayton’s chapter points out that there are major costs incurred (in terms of potentially useful data lost) when this sort of second-order analysis is invoked. We (Gould and Able, 1981) chose to present first-order analyses because (1) Baker (1980a,b, 1981) had occasionally done so, and (2) an analysis of the actual degree of independence between subsequent estimates (as opposed to speculation) convinced us that the data were largely independent, and so too much information would be lost if we blindly applied second-order analysis. (Our original data and first-order analyses are given in Fig. 1 and Table I.) The logic of our examination of the data for independence was as follows: if estimates were wholly dependent on the previous estimate of direction, they would differ by 0° on average; if, on the other hand, estimates were wholly independent, the subsequent estimate would differ by ±90° on average. The data on the difference between subsequent estimates of control subjects are shown in Table II: the average difference for all judgments of direction was 83.6°, a value much closer to the prediction based on total independence of the data. The reader, however, may accept the arguments for second-order analysis; as Table III indicates, there is no significance at this level either.
Single Cell Spatial Chromatin Analysis of Fixed Immunocytochemically Identified Neuronal Cells

Assays examining the open-chromatin landscape in single cells require isolation of the nucleus, resulting in the loss of spatial/microenvironment information. Here we describe CHEX-seq (CHromatin EXposed) for identifying single-stranded open-chromatin DNA regions in paraformaldehyde-fixed single cells. CHEX-seq uses light-activated DNA probes that binds to single-stranded DNA in open chromatin. In situ laser activation of the annealed probes 3 prime-Lightning Terminator in selected cells permits the probe to act as a primer for in situ enzymatic copying of single-stranded DNA that is then sequenced. CHEX-seq is benchmarked with human K562 cells and its utility is demonstrated in dispersed primary mouse and human brain cells, and immunostained cells in mouse brain sections. Further, CHEX-seq queries the openness of mitochondrial DNA in single cells. Evaluation of an individual cells chromatin landscape in its tissue context enables Spatial Chromatin Analysis.
Chenmingite, FeCr2O4 in the CaFe2O4-type Structure, a Shock-induced, High-pressure Mineral in the Tissint Martian Meteorite

Chenmingite (FeCr_2O_4; IMA 2017-036) is a high-pressure mineral, occurring as micrometer- to submicrometer-sized lamellae within precursor chromite grains along with xieite and Fe,Cr-rich ulvospinel next to shock-induced melt pockets, from the Tissint martian meteorite. The composition of type chenmingite by electron probe analysis shows an empirical formula of (Fe^(2+)_(0.75)Mg_(0.23)Mn_(0.02)) (Cr_(1.60)Al_(0.29)Fe^(3+)_(0.06)Fe^(2+)_(0.04)Ti_(0.02))_(Σ2.01)O_4. The general and end-member formulas are (Fe,Mg)(Cr,Al)_2O_4 and FeCr_2O_4. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction reveals that chenmingite has an orthorhombic Pnma cafe_2O_4-type (CF) structure with unit-cell dimensions: a = 9.715(6) A, b = 2.87(1) A, c = 9.49(7) A, V = 264.6(4) A^3, and Z = 4. Both chenmingite and xieite formed by solid-state transformation of precursor chromite under high pressure and high temperature during the Tissint impact event on Mars. The xieite regions are always in contact with melt pockets, whereas chenmingite lamellae only occur within chromite, a few micrometers away from the melt pockets. This arrangement suggests that chenmingite formed under similar pressures as xieite but at lower temperatures, in agreement with experimental studies.
Evaluating the impact of Permethrin on non-target invertebrates in an urban stream

Insecticides are broadly applied in many urban areas of the western United States to control mosquito populations and reduce the prevalence of diseases such as West Nile and Zika Virus. We assessed the extent to which incidental exposure to the insecticide Permethrin affected drifting and benthic invertebrates in Spring Creek, Laramie, WY, USA. We collected drift samples before, immediately after (~ 3–6 h), and 1 day after (~ 28 h) insecticide application. We collected benthic invertebrates with a Hess sampler twice before and twice after spraying began. We measured an 11 × increase in the density of drifting aquatic insects immediately after pesticide application. Additionally, we observed an increase in drifting aquatic invertebrates 2.25 km downstream from treatment. A decrease in the biomass of benthic invertebrates and an increase in taxa richness at the end of the summer suggested that invertebrates are colonizing the stream but may be unable to persist. Fewer aquatic invertebrates in the stream may have cascading effects on the ecosystem by altering resources available to fish and riparian insectivores (e.g., bats, spiders, and amphibians). Understanding the unintended ecological impacts of current pest control practices could lead to more effective and less detrimental management strategies.