cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of US biofuel policies on agricultural price levels and volatility

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the market impacts of US biofuels and biofuel policies.Design/methodology/approach – Two methods of analysis are employed. The first method looks back in time and estimates what US crop prices would have been during the 2005 to 2009 marketing years under two scenarios. The second method of analysis is forward looking and examines the market impacts of the blender tax credit and mandate on the distribution of prices in the 2011 calendar and marketing year.Findings – The results developed in the previous two sections show that US ethanol policies modestly increased maize prices from 2006 to 2009 and that market impacts of the policies will be larger under tighter market conditions.Practical implications – More flexible US biofuel policy including removing the blenders tax credit, which does not help US biofuel industry as long as the mandates are in place, and relaxing blending mandates when feedstock supplies are low.Originality/value – This report makes th...
MEASUREMENTS OF PLASMA ION ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS WITH A SUBMICRON RETARDING FIELD ENERGY ANALYZER

A retarding field energy analyzer has been fabricated using standard Si integrated circuit materials and processing techniques. The analyzer features submicron apertures and micron scale grid/collector separation allowing the measurement of ion energy distributions in situ. The analyzer consists of a shielding grid, an electron repeller grid, and a collector plate. The grids, 1 cm2 in area, are made of 400 nm thick polycrystalline silicon thin films and are supported and insulated from each other by SiO 2. The openings in the grids are nominally 0.75 |J.m in diameter and are self-aligned, thereby minimizing field leakage and optimizing energy resolution. The basic functionality of the analyzer has been demonstrated in inductively coupled argon plasmas and measurements show energy spreads of 3-5 eV, which are consistent with the expected presheath voltage drops, and agree well with measurements made with a differentially pumped, macroscopic ion energy analyzer. Variations in mean ion energy as a function of power and pressure agree with the expected scaling trends. Passivation of the Si surfaces with Ni allows for operation of the analyzer in reactive gas plasmas.
Role of Orally Available Antagonists of Factor Xa in the Treatment and Prevention of Thromboembolic Disease: Focus on Rivaroxaban

Interpatient variability in the safety and efficacy of oral anticoagulation with warfarin presents several challenges to clinicians, thus underscoring the emergent need for new orally available anticoagulants with predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles and ability to target circulating clotting factors. Seven compounds including rivaroxaban, apixaban, betrixaban, and eribaxaban are orally available direct inhibitors of activated factor X currently in development for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism and for thromboprophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation or following an acute coronary syndrome. At doses used in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, rivaroxaban and apixaban demonstrated a predictable onset of effect, maximal plasma concentration, and half-life that was unaffected by age, renal, or hepatic disease. In clinical trials for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism, rivaroxaban and apixaban produced equivalent or superior reductions in the development or progression of venous thromboembolism compared with either low molecular weight heparin or warfarin. Trials comparing the efficacy of rivaroxaban or apixaban to standard therapy for stroke prophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation are in process. Rivaroxaban, the sentinel compound in this class, is already approved in the European Union and Canada. It is likely to be approved for use in the United States in 2010.
OPTIMIZATION OF NLC LUMINOSITY FOR e-e- RUNNING

We examine the optimization of the NLC for e-e- running. The dependence of luminosity on the interaction point beta functions βx, βy, emittances ∊x, ∊y, bunch charge N, and bunch length σz are very different for e+e- and e-e- because disruption reduces the luminosity in e-e- rather than increasing it as in e+e-. We examine how much luminosity may be regained in e-e- by varying these parameters away from optimized flat beam e+e- values. The results are compared with round beam e-e- designs considered in an earlier paper.
Synergistic impacts of ungulates and falling palm fronds on saplings in the Amazon

Most seedlings and saplings remain in the forest understorey for decades before becoming adults or dying, and thus may be exposed to various sources of physical disturbance (Clark & Clark 1991, 2001). Because tree species vary in their ability to recover after physical damage (Gillman et al . 2003, Guariguata 1998), this damage can act as an ecological filter and influence the juvenile community structure and species composition (Peters et al . 2004). Studies have demonstrated the occurrence and magnitude of stem breakage in juveniles caused by falling branches and other canopy debris (Clark & Clark 1989, 1991; Gillman & Ogden 2001, Scariot 2000). Surprisingly, little is known about the magnitude and ecological consequences of physical damage to juvenile plants by mammals, particularly large ungulates, including herbivory, trampling and uprooting (Gillman & Ogden 2003, Roldan & Simonetti 2001).
Evolution of Gamete Recognition Proteins

REVIEW Although fertilization has been studied for more than a century, the cell surface proteins mediating the process are only now becoming known. Gamete interaction in animals appears to be molecularly complex. Although it is difficult to generalize at present, diversity of structure may be a recurring theme in the evolution of fertilization proteins. Examples of rapid evolution of fertilization proteins by positive selection are known, and concerted evolution can influence the differentiation of gamete recognition proteins between closely related species.
Noise properties of multilayered Co-alloy magnetic recording media

The results of the medium-noise characterization of multilayered magnetic recording films having thin nonmagnetic isolation layers are presented. A substantial reduction of all types of medium noise was found for several Co alloys when multilayered. This reduction in noise power is approximately proportional to 1/(number of magnetic layers) but also depends on film thickness and other factors. The primary cause of the reduction is evidently the breaking of exchange between magnetic layers. It is also found that the intrinsic noise power per unit varies with film thickness, more in some alloys than in others, altering the noise reduction for multilayers. Evidence also suggests that magnetostatic interactions between layers further reduce the noise power. A phenomenological model explaining the observed effects is presented. The evidence suggests that a similar effect would be observed in any metal-film recording medium. >
Prodromal syndromes in Delirium tremens

Three cases of hallucinatory delirium preceded by prodromal symptoms of several months duration are described. The prodromes were reoccurring visual and tactile hallucinations which were misdiagnosed and ascribed to nonalcohol-related illness such as schizophrenia and disorders of mood.
Ice-nine and human prion disease.

More than 35 years ago, Kurt Vonnegut described an endgame weapon, “ice-nine,’’ in his novel Cat’s Cradle. Ice-nine was a super-crystal of water that caused any water with which it had contact to freeze at room temperature. Thus, a minute quantity of ice-nine could transform all the water on earth to its crystalline structure (i.e., ice), which would be incompatible with life. A group of previously obscure neurodegenerative diseases has recently been found to involve frightening transformative properties reminiscent of icenine. These disorders, characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, “spongiform” pathology in the cerebral cortex (which reflects the punctate deposition of protein aggregates in the brain parenchyma), and dementia, have attracted increasing attention with the occurrence of an epidemic of a new variant, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), in Great Britain. Of particular concern is the evidence that BSE has been transmitted to humans.2 Since the majority of humans with this disorder have initially been treated by psychiatrists for apathy, depression, and delusions, BSE and related spongiform encephalopathies have considerable relevance to psychiatry. This column reviews the recent advances in the neurobiology of BSE and related disorders. The spongiform encephalopathies, which were previously thought to be due to “slow viruses,” include CreutzfeldtJakob disease (CJD), kuru, and scrapie. CJD is a rare (one death per million per year in the United States), late-onset, hereditary dementia that can also be transmitted to other individuals by direct exposure to the tissue from an affected individual-pituitary extracts and corneas, for example. Kuru, a neurodegenerative disorder among the Fore people in Papua New Guinea, appears to have been perpetuated and transmitted because of the custom of the women and children to consume the brains of deceased relatives. Scrapie is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects sheep, resulting
On the Production and Ramification of Cooperation: The Cooperation Afforder with Framing Hypothesis

This article presents a new proposal for understanding the establishment and maintenance of cooperation: the cooperation afforder with framing hypothesis, producing what can be called cooperation from afforder-framing. Three key moves are present. First, a special variety of the Stag Hunt game, the Cooperation Afforder game, will reliably produce mutualistic cooperation through an evolutionary process. Second, cognitive framing is a credible candidate mechanism to meet the special conditions and requirements of the Cooperation Afforder game. Third, once mutualistic cooperation is established in this way, it will plausibly lead to broader forms of cooperation, even to limited forms of altruism.
Matthew Carl Strecher, The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami

The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami is the third book by Matthew Strecher on the best-selling author. The first, Dances with Sheep (2002), was based on Murakami’s writing up to 1999, and the se...
Crisis and Risk Management

From theory, alternative investments require a premium return because they are less liquid than market investments. This liquidity premium varies considerably over time as a function of preferences, leverage technology, the developments in financial technology, and changes in institutional arrangements. The dynamics of the liquidity premium depend on institutional reactions to financial crises. During 1997-1998, we have seen the movement of a financial crisis around the world. It started in Southeast Asia, moved through Latin America, and then visited Russia and returned again to South America. The financial crisis has also infected Europe and the United States, especially during August-October 1998. The increase in volatility (particularly in the equity markets) and the flight to liquidity around the world resulted in an extraordinary reduction in the capital base of the firm that I was associated with, Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM). This reduction in capital culminated in a form of negotiated bankruptcy. A consortium of 14 institutions, with outstanding claims against LTCM, infused new equity capital into LTCM and took over it and the management of its assets. They hired LTCM' s former employees to manage the portfolio under their direct supervision and with sufficient incentives to undertake the task efficiently. Although the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) facilitated the takeover, it did not bail out LTCM. Many debtor entities found it in their self-interest not to post the collateral that was owed to LTCM, and other creditor entities claimed to be ahead of others to secure earlier payoffs. Without the FRB acting quickly to mitigate these holdup activities, LTCM would have had to file for bankruptcy-for some, a more efficient outcome, but a far more costly outcome for society. If there was a bailout, it failed: LTCM has been effectively liquidated. Because of LTCM, the press and others have taken the opportunity to criticize financial modeling, and in particular, the value of optionpricing models. In truth, mathematical models and option-pricing models played only a minor role, if any, in LTCM' s failure. At LTCM, models were used to hedge local risks. LTCM was in the business of supplying liquidity at levels that were determined by its traders. In 1998, LTCM had large positions, concentrated in less liquid assets. As a result of the financial crisis, LTCM was forced to switch from being a large supplier to being a large demander of liquidity, at a cost that eliminated its capital. Although the Russian default, the LTCM bankruptcy, and the financial difficulties of other financial-service firms are the most visible manifestations of the crisis of the late summer and fall of 1998, to this day we observe much greater volatility and lack of liquidity in many debtrelated and equity-related financial markets. For example, during the summer of 1999, 3-5-yearlong dated volatility on the Standard and Poor's (SP Bengt Holmstrom, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Jeremy Stein, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Understanding and Evaluating Platelet Function

The contribution of platelets to normal hemostasis and vascular disease is well described. However, recent studies make it clear that much remains to be learned about platelet activation at the single cell and the molecular level, and about the contribution of platelets to inflammation, tumor angiogenesis, and embryonic development. This article is divided into two themes. The first is an overview of current knowledge of the mechanisms that drive platelet function in vivo and a brief summary of some of the emerging ideas that are modifying older views. The second theme is a consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the tools we have as hematologists to assess platelet function in the clinical setting, identify mechanisms, and evaluate the impact of antiplatelet agents. Although fish, birds, and presumably dinosaurs make do with nucleated thrombocytes as the cellular component of hemostasis, platelets evolved in mammals as a specialized means to seal leaks in a high-pressure, high-flow circulatory system. Many of the most pertinent properties of platelets—including their shape, the contents of their secretory granules, their high density of regulatable adhesion receptors, and their ability to promote thrombin generation—are dictated by the requirements of forming a stable hemostatic plug under high-flow conditions. Circulating platelets must be able to sustain repeated contact with the normal vessel wall without premature activation, recognize the unique features of a damaged wall, cease forward motion upon recognition of damage, adhere despite the forces produced by continued blood flow, and cohere to each other, forming a stable plug of the correct size that can remain in place until it is no longer needed. This brief review considers some of the current ideas about platelet activation and the evaluation of platelet function in the research and clinical settings.
Eigenstructure assignment technique for manipulator control

A control scheme based on a procedure suggested by M. Vukobratovic and N. Kircarski (1983) is used to design the control algorithm for a two-link robot arm. Simulation results show that eigenstructure assignment with feedforward torques can produce acceptable performance for such an arm. The disadvantages of the design technique are that there is as yet no systematic means of improving the performance of the controller by manipulating feedback gain components and there is no guarantee of global stability due to the fact that time-varying dynamics were assumed time-invariant for short intervals of time. However, no instability problem was noted during the simulation runs. The advantages of the technique are that the implementation of the controller is straightforward and the same methodology could be readily applied to higher-order manipulator systems. >
Packaging fault-tolerant software with Ada

The ability of the Ada programming language to support a software-engineering approach to building fault-tolerant applications systems by distributed redundant abstract data types (ADTs) is discussed. It is shown that the package, the separation of the specification from the implementation parts, the typing and exception handling mechanisms, and the nondeterministic rendezvous of the Ada language contribute to the fault-tolerance of systems constructed in this fashion. >
IMPUTATION METHODS AND APPROACHES:AN ANALYSIS OF PROTEIN SOURCES IN THE MEXICAN DIET

Several imputation approaches using a large sample and different levels of censoring are compared and contrasted following a multiple imputation methodology. The study not only discusses these imputation approaches, but also quantifies differences in price variability before and after price imputation, evaluates the performance of each method, and estimates and compares parameters and elasticities from a complete demand system. The study’s findings reveal that small variability among the mean prices from the various imputation approaches may result in relatively larger variability among the underlying parameter estimates of interest and the ultimately desired measures. This suggests that selection bias may be avoided or reduced by validating the imputation approaches and choosing the imputation method based on an analysis of the ultimately desired measures.
Process Parameter Development and Fixturing Issues for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Beam Assemblies

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is being developed as a rivet and resistance spot welding replacement technology for aerospace and aircraft structures. While the FSW process is at a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and is being implemented on selected DOD and NASA hardware components, it has not seen extensive application due to limitations in the understanding of the design constraints and fixturing issues associated with a producible design. This paper describes the preferred FSW joint types and designs for beam structures which facilitate production implementation. The effects of fixturing and tooling on the FSW process development needs and resultant joint properties are discussed along with examples of fixturing and tooling approaches for fabrication of aluminum stiffened beam assemblies.
Capsule Commentary on Rana et al., Diabetes and Prior Coronary Heart Disease Are Not Necessarily Risk Equivalent for Future Coronary Heart Disease Events.

T he prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has risen dramatically over the past decades as obesity rates have increased in the United States. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 9 % of the U.S. population, or over 29 million Americans, have DM, with the great majority having Type 2 DM. While cardiovascular disease is known to be the leading cause of death among those with diabetes, there has been controversy as to whether prevalent diabetes portends the same risk for future cardiovascular events as prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD). Delineating diabetes as a CHD equivalent or a CHD risk factor is critical to improving the accuracy of cardiovascular risk prediction and in developing tailored risk reduction strategies. Rana and colleagues analyzed electronic health record data from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care system, which includes over 1.5 million members. This study demonstrated that the risk of a CHD event over a 10-year follow-up period was significantly lower for those with diabetes alone as compared to those with prior CHD; these findings appear to refute previous data showing that prevalent diabetes is a CHD equivalent. Most interestingly, those with diabetes for the longest duration, or for ten or more years in the cohort, had a similar risk of CHD events as those with CHD alone. The findings are robust, given that much of the prior data examining diabetes as a CHD risk equivalent comes from metaanalyses with inherent methodologic limitations, and this study was done in a large, ethnically and racially diverse population from a real-world setting. Additionally, sex-stratified analyses of CHD event rates in this population help to identify whether CHD risk based on prevalent diabetes differs betweenmen andwomen. One area for future work with this study cohort would be to evaluate differences in CHD event rates across racial and ethnic groups among those with diabetes and/or CHD as compared to those without either disease. Overall, these findings support the use of outcomes data from diverse patient populations for creating and refining cardiovascular risk prediction models, as was used in the creation of the 2013 ACC/AHA cardiovascular risk estimator. The author has no conflict with any of the material in this manuscript. Funding support for the author is provided by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Heart, Lung, andBlood Institute; the National Institutes of Health; or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Are small and medium scale produce farms inherent food safety risks

Abstract On-farm food safety is treated as the final frontier in addressing source contamination problems of foodborne pathogens in fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a common assumption among food safety experts in the United States (U.S.) that small and medium scale growers pose inherently greater risk because they are viewed as least likely to implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) or attend continuing education programs. Farm scale is an aspect of food safety that is apparent to many yet overlooked by large-scale farmers, produce industry advocates, and regulators who have collectively created the current food safety system of standards and metrics. In this paper, responses to a survey of fresh produce growers about on-farm food safety are examined across farm scales using factor analysis and ANOVA. The findings demonstrate that, with few exceptions, U.S. Midwestern produce growers of all scales report similar levels of knowledge for pathogens, pre-harvest and post-harvest contamination sources, and management practices to prevent contamination. These findings challenge assumptions and generalizations and redirect the food safety conversation away from “knowledge deficit” models and toward the development of food safety standards, metrics, and certification processes that remove structural barriers to implementing on-farm food safety protocols for all scales of fresh produce production.
Disinfection byproducts in drinking water: the analytical challenge.

A call for analytical techniques to determine unidentified disinfection byproducts in drinking water.
Racial Politics of Juvenile Justice Policy Support Juvenile Court Worker Orientations Toward Disproportionate Minority Confinement

Since 1992 there has been a federal mandate to reduce “disproportionate minority contact” (DMC), that is, juvenile and criminal justice system contact of non-White youth at rates exceeding their re...
Genetic studies of atherosclerosis in animals.

Genetic factors may influence the extent of atherosclerosis by determining the degree of hypercholesterolemia resulting from the daily ingestion of a given amount of cholesterol, by determining the susceptibility of various arteries to the atherosclerotic process, by the co-existence of a primary dyslipoproteinemia or other “risk factor” diseases such as hypertension, or perhaps in other ways not yet understood. In this brief report an attempt is made to review the literature concerning any of these genetic mechanisms as they occur in nonhuman animal populations.
Association of a Distal Intradural-Extracranial Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm With Chiari Type I Malformation: Case Report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Distal extracranial posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms are very rare lesions and have not been previously reported in association with a Chiari type I malformation (CMI). CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 56-year-old woman with a distal, low-lying, intradural-extracranial PICA aneurysm presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and was treated with coil embolization. The patient presented again 1 month later with symptoms of a CMI and was found to have tonsillar herniation and a large syrinx that appeared to be exacerbated by the coil mass. The patient was re-treated with a suboccipital craniectomy, C1-2 laminectomy, aneurysm trapping and excision, end-to-end PICA anastomosis, and expansile duraplasty. CONCLUSION Although just a single case, important teaching points regarding the angiographic appearance of a CMI and treatment options for distal PICA aneurysms that are situated below the foramen magnum can be learned. A low-lying caudal PICA loop should trigger a workup for a CMI. Caution should be taken when using coil embolization for aneurysms in the high cervical spinal canal. Bypass with aneurysm trapping and excision may be a superior treatment option in these cases because the posterior fossa and high cervical canal can be concomitantly decompressed. To our knowledge, this is the only case reported of a distal intradural-extracranial PICA aneurysm associated with a CMI.
Long-term antiarrhythmic therapy with N-acetylprocainamide

The effects of long-term NAPA therapy were evaluated in 6 patients with chronic PVCs known to respond to this drug during a previous placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial. Underlying cardiac status was evaluated every six months by switching each patient from NAPA to placebo. Placebo period PVC frequency after one year of NAPA therapy was reduced, compared to baseline placebo values. Mean PEP/LVET, measured while the patients received placebo, was elevated at the beginning of the study but was normal after one year of NAPA therapy. Comparison of NAPA and placebo period observations indicated a reduction in PEP/LVET when NAPA therapy was begun. This effect, however, could not be demonstrated one year later when mean placebo period PEP/LVET was normal. The apparent dependence of this effect on underlying status of left ventricular function suggests that the initial reduction in PEP/LVET represents an an indirect effect of NAPA rather than a direct inotropic action. NAPA therapy was well tolerated by the 6 patients and ANA titers became abnormal in only one, in marked contrast to reported experience with procainamide.
Validating predictive models for fast ion profile relaxation in burning plasmas

The redistribution and potential loss of energetic particles due to MHD modes can limit the performance of fusion plasmas by reducing the plasma heating rate. In this work, we present validation studies of the 1.5D critical gradient model (CGM) for Alfven eigenmode (AE) induced EP transport in NSTX and DIII-D neutral beam heated plasmas. In previous comparisons with a single DIII-D L-mode case, the CGM model was found to be responsible for 75% of measured AE induced neutron deficit [1]. A fully kinetic HINST is used to compute mode stability for the non-perturbative version of CGM (or nCGM). We have found that AEs show strong local instability drive up to violating assumptions of perturbative approaches used in NOVA-K code. We demonstrate that both models agree with each other and both underestimate the neutron deficit measured in DIII-D shot by approximately a factor of 2. On the other hand in NSTX the application of CGM shows good agreement for the measured flux deficit predictions. We attempt to understand these results with the help of the so-called kick model which is based on the guiding center code ORBIT. The kick model comparison gives important insight into the underlying velocity space dependence of the AE induced EP transport as well as it allows the estimate of the neutron deficit in the presence of the low frequency Alfvenic modes. Within the limitations of used models we infer that there are missing modes in the analysis which could improve the agreement with the experiments.
Effects of Steam-Vacuuming and Hot Water Spray Wash on the Microflora of Refrigerated Beef Carcass Surface Tissue Inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria innocua , and Clostridium sporogenes †.

The fates of several bacterial populations on beef carcass surfaces were examined immediately following hot water washes (W) delivered through a beef carcass wash cabinet or application of steam-vacuum (SV). Additionally, the long-range effectiveness of W and SV on several bacterial populations was also determined during storage up to 21 days at 5°C under vacuum-packaged conditions. Fresh, unaltered bovine feces spiked with antibiotic-resistant strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria innocua , and Clostridium sporogenes were used to inoculate beef carcass tissue prior to W or SV treatment. All treatments were equally effective as is indicated by bacterial populations immediately following any of the treatments (P > 0.05); however, the combination of SV followed by W consistently produced arithmetically greater bacterial reductions. In general, all treatments produced initial reductions of up to 2.7 log CFU/cm2 for APC, lactic acid bacteria, and L. innocua , but by 14 days bacterial numbers had increased to levels of at least 7 log CFU/cm2. E. coli O157:H7 was initially reduced by as much as 3.4 log CFU/cm2 and did not grow to original inoculation levels for the duration of the experiment. Vegetative counts of C. sporogenes were initially reduced by as much as 3.4 log CFU/cm2, and numbers continued to decline for the duration of the study. These results indicate that the use of W and SV effectively reduces bacterial populations from beef carcass tissue immediately after treatment. Additionally, storage of treated tissue up to 21 days at 5°C did not appear to offer any competitive advantage to potentially pathogenic microorganisms.
Seeing Is Believing: Methods of Structure Solution

Scientists are curious people. We’re always asking questions and then trying to figure out ways to answer them. This is particularly tricky with molecular biology. There’s no direct way to see individual molecules, at least in atomic detail, so we’re forced to use a bunch of specialized methods that probe different aspects of the structure. Then, from this information, we can build up an understanding of the molecule and create images of the molecule that are consistent with the data.
Cognitive Archeology, Cognitive Neurology, and the Unraveling of the Connectome: Divulging Brain Function from Fractured Skulls and Fractured Minds

Evolutionary medicine may be deemed the most fundamental of the basic sciences and can provide insights into the neurobiological processes ranging from mitochondrial cytopathies to Alzheimer’s disease [1]. The same principles are applicable to neurology. If we know how something is constructed we may sometimes have a better idea on how to fix it or gain better insights into the nature of brain syndromes. Notwithstanding the threefold enlargement of the human brain relative to great apes, the most impressive changes appear to have been in the various levels of connectivity. This has taken place both in terms of “hard-wired” fiber tracts and chemical- or state-dependent neurotransmitter proliferation and synaptic specialization. Hints that modern neurology has underestimated the importance of connectivity go back to a discourse between Charcot, a proponent of localizationism, and Brown-Sequard, who proposed distant effects of a lesion in 1875 [2]. More recently Lieberman suggested the minimal importance of Broca’s area in motor aphasia but that subcortical damage (i.e., fiber networks) is a necessary component of aphasia and that aphasia never occurs in the absence of subcortical damage [3]. It has long been suggested that regional brain size increases were not the most important factor, but that the evolution of the cortical networks, particularly of the prefrontal cortex connecting all other brain regions, was the driver of human cognition and the mind [4]. Frontal dysfunction overlaps with vicissitudes of normal human function and a hallmark of the human brain is its connectome. Although humans have on average 2 × 1011 neurons, about one trillion glial cells, and 700 km of vessels, perhaps the most magnanimous vital statistic is the ~100,000 miles of axons comprising the neuropil. The defining feature of the human brain compared to other primates is a marked increase in connectivity and neuropil and increase in granular cortical areas [5, 6] (Fig. 2.1).
Not All Immobile Bioprosthetic Valve Cusps Are Thrombosed

Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) has been increasingly recognized [(1,2)][1]. Computed tomographic diagnosis relies on detecting reduced cusp mobility and the presence of thrombus, but the latter is more difficult to visualize. Here we present 2 cases of abnormal bioprosthetic cusp mobility in
A comparison of land-use requirements in solar-based decarbonization scenarios

Abstract What is needed to achieve decarbonization in the United States of America? While recent scholarship has presented detailed scenarios for consideration, further analysis is needed into their implications and the scale of social, institutional, and policy changes that will be necessary for implementation. This communication examines one component of a transition to an energy system based on solar power: the scale and pace of land-use change that would be necessary to realize the widespread use of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) technology envisioned in these scenarios. How much land would be required to deploy the proposed generating capacities for utility-scale solar PV, under a uniform set of assumptions? How does the envisioned change to solar land-use compare to historical episodes of rural settlement? By answering these questions, we focus attention on policies that permitted earlier changes to occur, and the possibilities for similar measures to be adopted in a solar transition.
The development of a green supply chain dual-objective facility by considering different levels of uncertainty

This paper presents a dual-objective facility programming model for a green supply chain network. The main objectives of the presented model are minimizing overall expenditure and negative environmental impacts of the supply chain. This study contributes to the existing literature by incorporating uncertainty in customer demand, suppliers, production, and casting capacity. An industrial case study is also analyzed to reveal the feasibility of the proposed model and its application. A fuzzy approach which is known as TH is used to solve the suggested dual-objective model. TH approach is integration of a max–min method (LH) and modified version of Werners’ approach (MW). The outcome of this study reveals that the presented model can support green supply chain network in different levels of uncertainty. In presented model, cost and negative environmental impacts derived from the supply chain network will increase of higher levels of uncertainty.
Are attitudes towards emotions associated with depression? A Conceptual and meta-analytic review.

Abstract Objectives We performed a conceptual and meta-analytic review of the relationship between negative cognitive and affective evaluations of negative emotional experiences (negative ATE) and depression. We examined the negative ATE-depression relationship in terms of three ATE constructs: fear of emotion, non-acceptance of emotion, and distress intolerance. We also explored whether the negative ATE-depression relationship differs as a function of specific emotions. Methods Seventy articles with a total sample of 19950 adults were included in the general analysis, and 10 studies with a total sample of 1726 were included in the emotion-specific analysis. Results In the general analysis, negative ATE was associated with depression with a medium to large effect. Notably, this effect size was stronger than previously observed associations between emotion regulation strategies and depression (Aldao et al., 2010). In the emotion-specific analysis, negative attitudes towards depressive affect had a particularly strong association with depression. Limitations Limitations include heterogeneity in effect sizes and a small number of samples for the emotion-specific analyses. Conclusions The present review is the first to establish a systematic relationship between negative ATE and depression. We close with suggestions for future work designed to understand why negative ATE is related to depression, which can lead to understanding of depression's etiology and ways to refine interventions to alter ATE.
Exponential energy harvesting through repetitive reconfigurations of a system of capacitors

In conventional energy harvesting systems, energy can be extracted from a fixed-level source at a constant rate at best. The resulting growth of harvested energy is bound by a linear function. Here we show that exponential energy harvesting can be achieved in a system of reconfigurable energy storage elements. The exponential extraction results from the positive feedback of the system potential energy due to repetitive system reconfigurations. The concept is studied theoretically and validated with results from systems of droplet capacitors. A device with three 300 μL mercury drops can generate an exponentially growing voltage that reaches 168 V within a few cycles of a low-level and low-frequency mechanical excitation. The same device with water drops can generate a similarly growing voltage that reaches 56 V. This concept holds potential in DC power generation and may be applied in other energy domains. In a world in constant need of electricity, energy harvesting techniques from the ambient environment can provide in-situ power generation. The authors demonstrate and design a system to efficiently extract energy from an external source at an exponentially increasing rate.
Twin Knudsen Cell Configuration for Activity Measurements by Mass Spectrometry

A twin Knudsen cell apparatus for alloy activity measurements by mass spectrometry is described. Two Knudsen cells - one containing an alloy and one containing a pure component - are mounted on a single flange and translated into the sampling region via a motorized x-y table. Mixing of the molecular beams from the cells is minimized by a novel system of shutters. Activity measurements were taken on two well-characterized alloys to verify the operation of the system. Silver activity measurements are reported for Ag-Cu alloys and aluminum activity measurements are reported for Fe-Al alloys. The temperature dependence of activity for a 0.474 mol fraction Al-Fe alloy gives a partial molar heat of aluminum. Measurements taken with the twin cell show good agreement with literature values for these alloys.
Bailouts and the Potential for Distortion of Federal Criminal Law: Industrial Espionage and Beyond

This article reveals previously neglected and disconcerting consequences that government participation in corporate ownership can have on American criminal law, and it illustrates these problems by establishing how the recent bailout could influence criminal enforcement. The article shows how the model of cost allocation developed by Guido Calabresi and based on Ronald Coase’s work can apply in the context of the criminal law and specifically economic crimes. The argument in this article then demonstrates how the government’s purchase of corporate shares through the implementation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) causes inefficiencies and inequalities in the criminal law, including by shifting prosecutorial and other enforcement resources toward “preferred” companies and allowing for the imposition of higher statutory penalties against economic criminals that offend against those entities. As a consequence, some corporations may under-invest in private precautionary measures while others will be forced to over-invest and pass on the costs to their customers through artificially inflated prices. The potential end result is a misuse of government power to reward unsuccessful companies like General Motors at the expense of successful ones like Ford. Having established a general framework for using a cost allocation analysis to optimally address economic crimes and shown that TARP leads to inefficient outcomes under that type of analysis, this article concludes with recommendations to avoid these problems in the future.
Modeling Diffusely Invading Brain Tumors An Individualized Approach to Quantifying Glioma Evolution and Response to Therapy

Gliomas are highly aggressive primary brain tumors that extensively invadethe surrounding normal tissue prior to the onset of symptoms. They are clas-siﬁed from low to high grade (I–IV) malignancy depending on speciﬁc histo-logical characteristics [24]. High-grade gliomas (most commonly glioblastomamultiforme, WHO grade IV) are distinguished by necrosis and are the mostcommon type of gliomas found in adults, as well as the most rapidly grow-ing and the most invasive. Patients with glioblastomas (GBM) have a 100%fatality rate and a median survival time of 10–12 months after diagnosis andtreatment, with very few patients surviving beyond three years [2]. This com-bination of high degree of invasiveness and the inability of current medicalimaging technology to capture the full extent of invasion creates an ideal sit-uation for the development of a mathematical model that can shed light onthe extent of invasion and the possibility of improving treatments.The present mathematical model characterizes glioma growth and inva-sion in terms of only two dominant parameters: net rates of diﬀusion/motility(
Reducing inappropriate rasburicase use to promote cost-effective care.

312Background: Rasburicase is recommended for treating established Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) and patients at high-risk for TLS. Unfortunately, it is an expensive medication and unnecessary use con...
Towards Embroidered Textile Antenna Systematic Design and Accurate Modeling: Investigation of Stitch Density

In this paper, we present a study on the effects of stitch density towards the accurate modeling of embroidered textile patch antennas. A detailed full-wave model is used to accurately characterize the embroidery patch antenna with different stitch densities. The model accounts for the double-layer and nonuniform nature of the embroidery pattern. A generalized circuit model linked with particle swarm optimization (PSO) is then utilized to extract the effective circuit parameters and interpret the variations of antenna performance by embroidery stitch densities. The accurate modeling is further validated by systematically designing a low stitch density E-shape patch antenna with satisfactory performance.
Reprocessing and recycling

Abstract The societal perception of nuclear technology is ambivalent. Many people recognize the great benefits of nuclear technology such as the ability of nuclear power plants to generate massive amounts of electricity with very low carbon emissions as well as the contributions of nuclear medicine as a powerful means of diagnostics and treatment of many illnesses. However, there are profound fears and reservations concerning the use of nuclear power, mostly due to the connection with nuclear weapons, severe nuclear accidents (e.g., Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima), and legacy of nuclear wastes. Addressing the public concerns related to nuclear waste can have a big impact on the public acceptability of nuclear technology.
Chapter 9 – Energetics

The focus of this chapter is marine mammal energetics, major patterns of energy expenditure including basal metabolism, thermoregulation, swimming, and osmoregulation. Studies of energy allocation provide data that can be used to elucidate the evolution of physiological adaptations to the challenges of their existence in seawater. Benefits are typically expressed as improved performance or as additional tissue building, either through growth or reproduction.
Black Panther in widescreen: cross-disciplinary perspectives on a pioneering, paradoxical film

Critics and scholars alike hail Black Panther (2018) as a celebratory cinematic response to decades of racial injustice in Hollywood while also calling attention to popular culture's limited means ...
A heat transfer model to predict superheated and saturated condensation of HFC/HFO refrigerant mixtures

Abstract This work proposes a new heat transfer model for superheated and saturated condensation for low global warming potential refrigerant (GWP) mixtures with hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) constituents, and validates it with experimental data. The superheated condensation region exists upstream of the saturated region, and has been traditionally modeled as single-phase flow. However, prior research on pure fluids has shown that the heat transfer coefficients in this region are significantly higher than those associated with single-phase flow. Accurately modeling superheated condensation allows for the design of a more compact heat exchanger. In the model, the mixture effects associated with zeotropic condensation were accounted for using the equilibrium Silver, Bell and Ghaly method. The model was validated with condensation data for five low GWP refrigerant mixtures (R448A, R450A, R452A, R454B, and R454C). A total of 962 data points were compared and the resulting mean absolute percent errors (MAPEs) were equal to 8% and 12% for superheated and complete condensation, respectively. Furthermore, past investigations of pure fluids have noted an enhancement in heat transfer in the subcooled condensation region, which exists downstream of the saturated region. However, in the current study, the enhancement due to latent effects was not observed in the subcooled region and the heat transfer was well predicted (MAPE = 18%) by a single-phase correlation.
Genu Valgum and Obesity in the Pediatric Patient

Background: The increased incidence of obesity in the pediatric population is accompanied by increased incidence and severity of lower extremity pathology. Genu valgum is thought to improve as children grow, however, our clinical observations suggest that in overweight or obese children, the diagnosis of genu valgum portends an altered disease trajectory. Where genu valgum in a normal weight child generally follows a mild course, we hypothesize that children with increased body mass index are more likely to experience long term sequelae and the need for surgical intervention. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with genu valgum …
Influence of welding processes and weld configurationon fatigue failure of natural gas branch pipe

Abstract Fatigue test was executed to evaluate the fatigue performance on the fillet and butt weld joint of the natural gas branch pipe. Diameter of the branch pipe, throat thickness, geometrical shape of the fillet weld and welding processes were adopted to assess the fatigue strength of the branch pipe. SMAW and GTAW process were used to compare the welding process and the mechanical performance of the fillet weld joint. API 5 L Gr. B pipe and fitting of ASTM A105 were used for the fillet weld joint. There was no difference in tensile strength with variation of the welding process of the fillet weld joint. All tensile specimens were failed at the base metal of the pipes not weld joint. Fatigue life of the fillet weld joints was improved with larger pipe diameter, the leg length of the branch pipe direction, throat thickness and area of the weld metal. Failure of the fatigue specimens were occurred at the toe or root of the fillet weld joint.