cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allometric variation in the antlers of cervids: a comment on Lemaître et al.

Lemaitre and colleagues used conventional allometric methods to examine the relationship between length of antlers and mass of the body in males of 31 species in the mammalian family Cervidae [[1][1]]. Logarithmic transformation failed to linearize the bivariate distribution, so the authors fitted
Utility-based adaptive path planning for subsea search

We present a decision-theoretic adaptive path planning approach to efficiently search for an unknown number of stationary objects distributed in a bounded search area subject to time or distance constraint. We find the optimal finite-length search trajectory by maximizing a decision-theoretic utility function, and we re-plan continually as new information is gathered. We assume that the performance of the search sensor varies with variations in the environment, and our planning approach incorporates stochastic predictions of the environment if available. Our work is inspired by subsea applications. We compare our approach with a naive mowing-the-law approach that is commonly used in subsea search. We also investigate how uncertain information affects search performance.
Alterations in Memory and Impact on Academic Outcomes in Children Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

The prevalence of late effects following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), a curative treatment for pediatric leukemia, is high: 79% of HCT recipients experience chronic medical conditions. The few extant studies of cognitive late effects have focused on intelligence and are equivocal about HCT neurotoxicity. In an archival study of 30 children (mean transplant age = 6 years), we characterize neuropsychological predictors of academic outcomes. Mean intellectual and academic abilities were average, but evidenced extreme variability, particularly on measures of attention and memory: ∼25% of the sample exhibited borderline performance or lower. Medical predictors of outcome revealed paradoxically better memory associated with more severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and associated with steroid treatment. Processing speed and memory accounted for 69% and 61% of variance in mathematics and reading outcomes, respectively. Thus, our findings revealed neurocognitive areas of vulnerability in processing speed and memory following HCT that contribute to subsequent academic difficulties.
Rolling stock purchase cost for rail and road public transportation: random-parameter modelling and marginal effect analysis

ABSTRACTPublic transportation rolling stock is a major item of capital expenditure associated with transit facility construction, expansion, or revitalisation. As such, reliable estimates of the expected purchase costs of rolling stock are critical for analysing the financial feasibility of proposed public transportation systems and financial planning for existing systems. Such cost data are often characterised by heterogeneity of observations that often plagues fixed parameter (FP) model estimation. Therefore, in modelling transit rolling stock costs, it is needed to address such limitations of past studies. Using data from the National Transit Database, this paper addresses the issue through the random parameter (RP) estimation modelling technique, where parameter estimates are allowed to vary across observations according to the most appropriate distribution. The paper demonstrates that the RP modelling technique yields superior estimates compared to the FP model. This is because the former can account...
Charging for hospital pharmaceutical services: combined product-service per diem fees.

The development of a per diem hospital pharmacy charge is reviewed after five years of use. The itemized pharmacy charges for every tenth patient (total of 250 patients) admitted to the hospital during a three-month period were studied to determine the average daily charges for drugs and pharmaceutical services. Six categories of rates were designated, based on the type of hospital service. A comparison of the actual charges and the projected per diem rate indicated that the per diem rate would produce the same revenue as the itemized charging method. A procedure for periodically monitoring the per diem rate was also established. The per diem pharmacy charges range from $3.50 (for patients admitted to the psychiatric service) to $12 (surgical patients). Intravenous solutions, i.v. admixtures, normal human serum albumin, drugs administered in the intensive care and cardiac care units, and drug with an acquistion cost of more than $10 are not included in the per diem charging system. The per diem system enabled the hospital to reduce administrative and accounting costs while continuing to provide quality pharmaceutical services.
X-Ray Structural Study of Li3N at High Pressure

The equation of state (EOS) of Li3N has been determined by energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction (EDXD) using synchrotron radiation up to 35 GPa at ambient temperature. Both the hexagonal D6h4(P63/mmc) and the hexagonal D6h1(P6/mmm) phases were present at ambient pressure. The D6h1 -structure completely transforms into the D6h4 -structure at modest pressure. The change in Gibb’s free energy as a function of pressure for Li3N was calculated using the experimental EOS.
Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Smart Microsurgical Tools

I present the design and implementation of novel handheld SMART microsurgical tools. The smart tools utilize ultrafast Fourier-Domain optical coherence tomography as high-speed high-precision distance sensors to control the surgical tool tip motion.
Urbanizing China in War and Peace: The Case of Wuxi County

In the first half of the twentieth century, Wuxi, a hundred miles west of Shanghai, was the largest non-treaty-port manufacturing center in China. In this impressively researched and analytically i...
Über das Prokoagulant des menschlichen Urins und seine Beziehung zur Nierenerkrankungen und zur Hämophilie

Urin normalisiert in kleinen Mengen im Reagensglas die Gerinnung von hamophilem Blut und von Blut von Patienten mit Hemmkorpern der ersten Gerinnungsphase. Dieses ist durch die Anwesenheit eines Prokoagulantes bedingt, welches in Gegenwart von Faktor V, Lipoid und Calcium Prothrombin zu Thrombin uberfuhrt. Die Ausscheidung des Prokoagulantes ist bei hamorrhagischer Diathese oder intravasaler Gerinnung normal. Sie ist jedoch bei Nierenparenchymerkrankungen, bei Mensch und Tier, vermindert und bei tubularen Schaden haufig ganz abwesend. Dies last einen Zusammenhang zwischen tubularer Funktion und Prokoagulantausscheidung vermuten. Erfolgreiche Nierenubertragung stellt graduell eine normale Prokoagulantausscheidung wieder her.
Wife Abuse: Culture as Destiny

This chapter describes the psychological and behavioral consequences of wife beating, as derived from clinical work with a group of battered women.1 The general medical clinic setting in which victims were identified differs from that of other samples2 in that the abused women were not selected out by virtue either of admission to a shelter or of awareness that the abuse they suffered warranted attention. This, then, is a sample of “silent” victims.
One historical perspective of ion implantation technology

Some history of ion implantation technology and applications is given from the perspective of Hughes Research Laboratories and the author. Some alternative approaches are noted from the R&D perspective. Versatility and accuracy are emphasized rather than volume and automation. Two areas emphasized are versatile element capability and profilng and ranges.
Fostering Support for LGBTQ Youth? The Effects of A Gay Adolescent Media Portrayal on Young Viewers

This study used experimental methods to examine the effects of a media portrayal of two gay 13-year-old characters on young viewers’ attitudes toward LGBTQ people and issues by exploring the influence of gender identity and sexual orientation on viewers’ reactions. An online quasi-experiment of 469 participants, ages 13–21, revealed that gender identity and sexual orientation influenced viewers’ emotional involvement with the storyline and identification with the characters, which was associated with a change in attitudes. For LGBTQ youth, the story evoked hope and fostered positive attitudes; however, it tended to produce a boomerang effect among heterosexual/cisgender youth, eliciting the emotion of disgust and leading to significantly more negative attitudes toward LGBTQ people and issues.
Computer Gaming and Student Achievement: Investigating Middle School Students’ Behaviors

In spite of very little research on the subject, a growing concern exists among professionals that excessive time spent by students on computer gaming may have an undesirable effect in scholastic achievement. In this study, middle grade students self-reported their time spent on computer gaming for a one week time period. These self-reports were related with their GPAs at the end of the semester. Analysis of 114 students’ GPAs in English, Math, and Science indicated the presence of a statistically significant difference in English GPAs between students in the High Computer Gaming group from students in the Moderate and Low Computer Gaming groups. No differences were yielded for Math or Science GPAs. Implications are discussed.
A Study of Disorder-to-Order Transition by Characterizing the Binding Partners using a Statistical Potential

It is crucial to understand the biophysical properties of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and protein regions (IDRs) as they participate in numerous biological functions by exhibiting a multitude of structural conformations and dynamics. While the molecular recognition functions of IDPs/IDRs include pathways to carry out signaling and regulation, the structural heterogeneity of IDPs are highly linked to the amyloid aggregation that is involved in critical human diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes and others. The functional advantages of IDPs/IDRs are primarily facilitated by their disorder-to-order transitions, specifically in short regions, through low affinity binding with a variety of partners. We found that about 21% of the proteins in DisProt have structural models in PDB, either in full or in part. We developed and deployed a novel statistical potential, termed Position Specific Estimated Energy (PSEE), to study the mechanism of free energy change required for disorder-to-order transition, mediated by negative enthalpy change of the system and increased entropy of the surrounding water. PSEE computes the potential of each residue from protein sequence alone using the pairwise thermodynamic interactions and the solvent accessibility of the residues in local neighborhood. In this study of characterizing the partner-binding sites within IDPs/IDRs and their transitions from disorder-to-order, we emphasize on determining the level of energy of the partners that induce the respective binding and, PSEE was effective in segregating the disordered and ordered residues by computing the energy gap in between. Further, we identified the binding region's likelihood of being disordered in its unbound state using a Disorder Predictor (DisPredict) developed by us. DisPredict is a SVM model with optimized radial basis function kernel and optimized threshold that employs a set of distinguishing attributes for disorder and order characterization including the novel PSEE. DisPredict, PSEE and our novel mechanism of partner-based identification of binding regions together, can assist in the experiments for drug discovery exploiting binding sites within IDPs/IDRs.
Center for High-Performance Reconfigurable Computing (CHREC): A Ten-Year Odyssey

In 2007, under the auspices of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/URC) program of the National Science Foundation, we established the Center for High-performance Reconfigurable Computing (CHREC) to facilitate scientific and engineering research in architectures, algorithms, software, services, applications, and performance optimization and evaluation for the advancement of multi-paradigm reconfigurable computing --- "reconfigurable" in both hardware or software. Each of the university sites in CHREC --- University of Pittsburgh, University of Florida, Brigham Young University, and Virginia Tech --- contributes unique expertise and capabilities for research in this critical field. Reflecting upon our ten-year odyssey with CHREC, we achieved the following successes in collaborative partnership with our CHREC members from industry and other government agencies: (1) established the nations first multidisciplinary research center in reconfigurable high-performance computing as a basis for long-term partnership and collaboration amongst industry, academe, and government; (2) directly supported the research needs of our center members in a cost-effective manner with pooled and leveraged resources and maximized synergy; (3) enhanced the educational experience for a diverse set of top-quality graduate and undergraduate students; and (4) advanced the knowledge and technologies in this field and ensured commercial relevance of the research with rapid and effective technology transfer.
Use of a Fracture Surface Cleaning Method to Evaluate Elevated Temperature Cracking in Steel

The nature of cracking during continuous casting of steel strip was investigated. Samples removed from steel strip for fractographic analysis were heavily oxidized, preventing effective evaluation of the fracture surface. In order to remove the oxidation from the fracture surface, a modification of a procedure developed by Kayafas (Corrosion 36(8):443–445, 1980) was used. Pre- and post-cleaning SEM fractographs illustrated the effectiveness of the cleaning method. The results show that the fracture surface cleaning method successfully removes the surface oxide without compromising the original fracture surface. Using this method, the intergranular nature of the cracking that occurs during strip casting was clearly delineated.
Chapter 15 – Numerical Integration With Newton–Cotes Formulas

This chapter presents Newton–Cotes quadrature formulas for approximating integrals by performing polynomial interpolation and integrating the polynomial exactly. In particular we discuss the midpoint, trapezoid, and Simpson's rules for numerical quadrature. The composite forms of these rules are shown where the range of integration is broken into several pieces and the quadrature rule is applied to each piece. Additionally, Richardson extrapolation is applied to integral estimates through a procedure called Romberg integration. The implement of Romberg integration uses the decimal module in Python to use higher precision floating point numbers.
X-ray Diffraction, Lattice Structure, and Equation of State of PdHx and PdDx to Megabar Pressures

High-pressure X-ray diffraction of PdHx and PdDx demonstrates that these materials remain in a face-centered cubic (fcc, Fm3m) structure to megabar pressures at room temperature. The volumes indicate stoichiometric compositions under pressure with x = 1 for both materials. No indication of any phase transition was observed up to the highest pressures reached in the experiments. A third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state used to fit the pressure–volume data gives V0 = 10.73 (±0.03) cm3/mol, K0 = 147 (±11) GPa, and K0′ = 4.7 (±0.5), whereas a Vinet fit gives V0 = 10.74 (±0.03) cm3/mol, K0 = 143 (±11) GPa, and K0′ = 5.1 (±0.5), for the combined data for both PdHx and PdDx. The results are used to obtain the pressure dependence of the effective volume of H and D atoms in PdHx and PdDx to megabar pressures for comparison with other simple hydrides with implications for superconductivity in this class of materials.
Docosahexaenoic acid counteracts palmitate-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in C2C12 myotubes: Impact on muscle atrophy

Abstract Lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle results in dysregulation of protein metabolism and muscle atrophy. We previously reported that treating C2C12 myotubes with palmitate (PA), a saturated fatty acid, increases the overall rate of proteolysis via activation of the ubiquitin‐proteasome and autophagy systems; co‐treatment with the omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) prevents the PA‐induced responses. Others have reported that PA induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress which initiates the unfolded protein response (UPR), a collective group of responses that can lead to activation of caspase‐mediated proteolysis and autophagy. Presently, we tested the hypothesis that DHA protects against PA‐induced ER stress/UPR and its atrophy‐related responses in muscle cells. C2C12 myotubes were treated with 500 μ mol/L PA and/or 100 μ mol/L DHA for 24 h. Proteins and mRNA associated with ER stress/UPR, autophagy, and caspase‐3 activation were evaluated. PA robustly increased the phosphorylation of protein kinase R (PKR)‐like ER kinase (PERK) and eukaryotic initiation factor 2 α (eIF2 α ). It also increased the mRNAs encoding activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), spliced X‐box binding protein 1 (XBP1s), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and autophagy‐related 5 (Atg5) as well as the protein levels of the PERK target nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor (Nrf2), CHOP, and cleaved (i.e., activated) caspase‐3. Co‐treatment with DHA prevented all of the PA‐induced responses. Our results indicate that DHA prevents PA‐induced muscle cell atrophy, in part, by preventing ER stress/UPR, a process that leads to activation of caspase‐mediated proteolysis and an increase in expression of autophagy‐related genes.
Pre- and post-arson three-dimensional reconstructions of the Lichtenwalter schoolhouse, Green, Ohio

Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Three-dimensional (3D) technologies are increasingly used to document and conserve buildings of historical and cultural heritage value, allowing a moment in time to remain preserved for posterity. This same technology can be used to feature destruction and bring that which is lost back to life. In 2016, a fire was set inside the Lichtenwalter schoolhouse, a single-roomed school built in 1885 in Green, OH, USA. This arson destroyed many priceless artifacts of the era, but perhaps worse is the history lost to future generations. Even then, this is a historical event in the history of the schoolhouse and the community. The goals of this project were to digitally document and preserve the historic structure prior to and after the fire. In doing so, this highlights the ability for technology to raise awareness on the dangers affecting local history. The remains of the schoolhouse were photographed and reconstructed digitally. Further, the schoolhouse prior to the arson was reproduced using an amalgamation of photos taken from various sources at different moments in the structure's history. While not a systematic method recommended for these technologies, this latter approach provides the best opportunity to bring back a piece of lost history. These, then, empower the structural remains to provide not only a glimpse into the early history of a society, but a stark warning into the dangers facing even the smallest objects of cultural heritage, igniting a conversation and bringing attention to the need in protecting these important parts of our past.
An Introductory, Computer-Based Learning Module for Interpreting Noncontrast Head Computed Tomography

Introduction New radiology and other residents must quickly assimilate a vast amount of anatomic and pathologic information when learning to interpret noncontrast head computed tomography (CT). No ...
Pediatric Private Practice on the National Health Information Network: The PedOne® System

The National Health Information Network (NHIN) is a federal mandate of the US Government. It involves setting the standards for interoperability and effective information technology in health care for hospitals, urgent care, private practices, insurance carriers, and other health care participants. Much attention has been paid to mixed NHIN funding outcomes of Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs) but here we take the different perspective of the private practice. This paper examines a Pediatric implementation, PedOne®, that is designed to deliver an intuitive and friendly environment to provide clinical data management and decision support. PedOne® interfaces to public health and internal medical knowledge bases. In an analogy to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) role in building the Internet, we focus on the running code and the physician design involvement to provide lessons learned with respect to Pediatric Electronic Health Records system evolution. The design principles we uncover can be extrapolated to other medical specialties.
Racial/ethnic disparities in skeletal-related events among women treated with bisphosphonate therapy for bone metastasis secondary to breast cancer.

e13092Background: Bone metastases is a major cause of morbidity in metastatic breast cancer patients. Skeletal-related events (SREs), defined as pathologic fracture, spinal cord compression, and su...
Evaluating the Effects of Vortex Rock Weir Stability on Physical Complexity: Penitencia and Wildcat Creeks

An increasing number of stream restoration projects include structures such as vortex rock weirs to provide grade control. These structures are becoming a preferred option because they pair physical creek stability with the secondary benefit of habitat enhancement. Due to the monetary investment in these restoration strategies, it is essential to evaluate the contributions these structures make both in terms of stability and habitat. This study adopts existing methods for evaluating vortex rock weir stability and develops a new method for examining potential habitat based on the assumption that physical complexity may lead to suitable habitat. These methods for assessing weir stability, physical complexity, and potential habitat were successfully implemented at the Penitencia Creek and Wildcat Creek restoration sites in an attempt to correlate weir stability with physical complexity. Wildcat Creek's structures scored consistently lower than Penitencia Creeks' in the stability assessment. These results mimic results in the literature that find vortex rock weirs fail structurally after ten years in operation. In addition, variance for each of the physical parameters was calculated and compared to a trapezoidal control channel; the results of this analysis indicate that as weirs begin to fail, physical complexity decreases, and the presence of complexity within the system becomes increasingly unpredictable. In evaluating the methods used, we find the criteria for assessing vortex rock weir structural integrity is straightforward and simple, while the complexity measurements are demanding and time intensive. Despite this, coupling the weir stability criteria with the physical complexity analysis provides a powerful tool to assess the physical stream response to vortex rock weirs and other in-stream structures.
The Effect of Birth Order on Personality and Leadership

Research has shown birth order influences aspects of a person’s life. Among them are intelligence, personality, and leadership. In this study we explored whether birth order influences personality and leadership style in a group activity. We used the Big Five Inventory to measure personality, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to assess leadership style, and administered a questionnaire to gather birth order and other personal information. Participants completed the personality and leadership scales and were then assigned to a group to perform a group task. Contrary to expectations, we found no differences between firstborns and laterborns regarding either personality or leadership styles.
An Inhibitor of Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase (URO-D) Causes Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT).

Hepatic iron content is increased in patients with PCT and phlebotomy-induced iron depletion corrects the clinical and biochemical phenotype. Approximately 20 percent of patients with PCT are homozygous for mutations of the hemochromatosis gene ( HFE ) but the cause of iron overload in most patients is unknown. Hepatic URO-D activity is markedly reduced when PCT is manifest and URO-D activity improves following iron depletion. Most patients with PCT have no mutations of the URO-D gene (sporadic PCT) but approximately 1/3 of cases are heterozygous for URO-D mutations (familial PCT) (BLOOD. 2000; 95:1565–71). To determine the mechanism by which iron overload causes PCT we created 3 murine models: Mice with one null allele of Uro-d ( Uro-d+/ −) and 2 null Hfe alleles ( Hfe −/ −) (PNAS.2001; 98:259–64); Uro-d+/ − mice treated with iron-dextran, aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and; wild type mice treated with iron, ALA and PCB (J. Biochem. Mol. Toxicol.2001; 15:287–93). All models accumulate uroporphyrin in the liver and all have hepatic URO-D activity of 25% or less but Western blots revealed no change in URO-D protein. An iron deficient diet prevented the PCT phenotype in Uro-d+/ −, Hfe −/ − animals and greatly attenuated the phenotype in animals treated with ALA and PCB (Env. Toxicol. Pharmacol.2005; 417–23). Liver homogenates from all porphyric models were heat denatured and clarified by centrifugation. The supernatants inhibited the activity of purified recombinant human URO-D (rhURO-D) by approximately 60%. The inhibitory activity was further purified by solid phase extraction and HPLC. The fraction containing the inhibitory activity did not fluoresce. Mass spectrometry of this fraction demonstrated a dominant peak with a mass of 835 Da and an absorption maximum of approximately 500 nM, the optical signature of a porphomethene. An inhibitor with identical properties was generated by partially oxidizing the uroporphyrinogen (837 Da) substrate of URO-D under UV light. Full oxidation of either the inhibitor purified from porphyric mouse liver or from partially oxidized, enzymatically generated uroporphyrinogen (either isomer I or III) yielded a compound with a mass of 831 Da and an absorption maximum of approximately 400 nM, indicating that the fully oxidized inhibitor was uroporphyrin. Tandem mass spectrometry of the 835 Da inhibitor indicated that the inhibitor was a tetrapyrrole. Collectively these data indicate that the inhibitor is a porphomethene derived form uroporphyrinogen through oxidation of a single bridge carbon between adjacent pyrrole rings. An inhibitor of rhURO-D was also identified in heat-denatured cytosol from liver biopsy samples obtained from four humans with PCT. We conclude that clinical expression of PCT requires an iron dependant oxidation reaction that generates a porphomethene inhibitor of URO-D.
On the resilience of a fractional compartment model

In this paper, we consider the resilience problem for a type of fractional compartment models by studying an equivalent boundary value problem. A series of criteria on the existence, uniqueness, an...
Model Free Nonlinear Control with Finite-Time Estimation Applied to Closed-Loop Electrical Stimulation Induced Cycling

Model free or data-driven control methods are suitable for real-time applications that involve nonlinear systems with uncertainties. Human-machine interaction problems include parametric and non-parametric uncertainties that are hard to model. An alternative to develop complex models to account for these uncertainties is to exploit input-output data recorded from the human and machine to improve the performance of the combined system. In this paper, a motorized functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling system is used to illustrate a data-driven approach that leverages past input-output data to generate an estimate of the system's non-linearly parameterizable and uncertain dynamics. This estimate is computed using an estimation law motivated by a design tool from finite-time stability and used as an input into a feedback controller. The nonlinear controller that switches across the lower-limb muscle groups and an electric motor is designed to achieve a desired speed tracking objective. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis is used to prove an asymptotic result of the tracking and estimation errors.
Photoacoustic Tomography of Neural Systems

Neuroscience has become one of the most exciting contemporary research areas with major breakthroughs expected in the coming decades. Modern imaging techniques have enabled scientific understanding of the neural system by revealing anatomical, functional, metabolic, and molecular information about the brain. Among these techniques, photoacoustic tomography (PAT), drawing more and more attention, is playing an increasingly important role in brain studies, thanks to its rich optical absorption contrast, high spatiotemporal resolution, and deep penetration. More importantly, PAT’s unique scalability empowers neuroscientists to examine the brain at multiple spatial scales using the same contrast mechanism, bridging microscopic insights to macroscopic observations of the brain. In this chapter, we review the principles of PAT, present the major implementations, and summarize the representative neuroscience applications. We also discuss challenges in translating PAT to human brain imaging and envision its potential promise.
The Stability of Misperceptions under Mutations

We use an evolutionary model to determine what sorts of misperceptions are likely to persist. In our model, every period a new generation of agents uses their subjective models and the outcome distribution induced by the previous generation to update their beliefs about some underlying parameters. Different agents may employ different subjective models and subjective models that induce actions that perform better increase their relative prevalence. To test the stability of steady states, we introduce the possibility that a small fraction of agents enlarges their subjective model in a way that lets them better fit their observations. We characterize which equilibria are resistant to "local mutations'' to a nearby model, and which are resistant to mutations where agents drop one of the hypotheses they had been imposing on their beliefs, e.g. relaxing independence to positive correlation.
A Flexible LLC Topology for Wide Voltage Gain Range Application

It is always challenging to design dc/dc converter with wide voltage gain range applications. Nevertheless, LLC converters with traditional frequency control have been widely adopted in these applications to improve the system overall efficiency. Traditional LLC converter has the drawbacks of wide switching frequency operating range, poor electro-magnetic interference (EMI) performance, and degraded efficiency. In this article, a novel LLC topology with flexible structure is proposed. The primary side of the converter can be modified from full-bridge to half-bridge, while the secondary side of the converter can be modified from full-bridge rectifier to voltage doubler rectifier with the aid of the additional switch. Four operation modes can be achieved for the proposed converter based on the primary side and secondary side structures. Compared with existing solutions, the proposed topology features high efficiency, low cost, and high power density
Dampak Ekonomi Tomohon International Flower Festival Terhadap Petani dan Penjual Bunga Lokal

Tourism events may be catalysts in developing tourism within a country or a specific region. Tomohon International Flower Festival (TIFF) is an annual international tourism event that has been proven to increase the number of visits of local and foreign tourists. The cancellation of TIFF 2020 due to Coivid-19 pandemic results in the decrease in number of tourist visits to Tomohon City and may lead to negative economic impact towards local businesses. The aim of this research is to analyze the economic impacts of TIFF 2019, especially towards flower farmers and sellers in Tomohon City. The indicators used are the percentage changes in income level and the number of employment created between D-3 and D+3 of TIFF 2019. This research uses mix method to analyze numerical data that are then combined with interview results obtained from 30 respondents who are randomly chosen. The results show that the income of all respondents increases and 80% of them employ seasonal employees during TIFF 2019. Event pariwisata dapat menjadi katalis berkembangnya sektor pariwisata di suatu daerah. Tomohon International Flower Festival (TIFF) merupakan salah satu event pariwisata yang berlangsung setiap tahun dan mampu menarik wisatawan lokal dan mancanegara. Pembatalan TIFF 2020 karena adanya pandemi Covid-19 menyebabkan jumlah kunjungan wisatawan menurun sehingga berdampak negatif terhadap perekonomian masyarakat lokal. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat dampak ekonomi kegiatan TIFF 2019 terhadap petani dan penjual bunga di Kota Tomohon dengan menggunakan indikator perubahan tingkat pendapatan dan tingkat penyerapan tenaga kerja selama periode H-3 sampai dengan H+3 penyelenggaraan TIFF 2019. Untuk itu, metode kuantitatif deskriptif digunakan untuk melihat peningkatan indikator secara numerik yang kemudian digabungkan dengan data yang didapatkan saat wawancara langsung dengan 30 orang responden yang dipilih secara acak. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa seluruh responden mengalami peningkatan pendapatan dan juga 80% responden membutuhkan tenaga kerja tambahan selama kegiatan TIFF 2019
The Arts and the Basis of Education

The Experience of Art What is Art? Good Art? Katie and the Arts Good Art and Bad Art The Place of Art in the Hierarchy of Learning The Place of Art in the Life of the Mind Art in the School Art in the Classroom.
Molecular Epidemiology and Forensics of RNA Viruses

Publisher Summary The goal of forensic analysis of pathogens is not merely to detect the presence of the agent but also to identify the pathogen, its source, and its origin in a scientically based unequivocal way that can be used as evidence in court. Modern molecular techniques allow detailed analysis of the genetic code of organisms, permitting distinction of species, strains, and in some cases even individuals. To improve routine epidemiological analysis and meet the new demands of forensic microbiology, it is essential to identify all informative areas of the pathogen genome. The low mutation rate of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) systems allows the use of techniques including Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and Deletion Insertion Polymorphism (DIP) assays in forensic analysis. A modification of these assays based on melting temperature profiles of the DNA segments that composes of the total DNA sample, offers a less expensive genotyping method. Many important viral pathogens have an RNA genome. RNA viral pathogens are abundant in humans, animals, and plants. Due to the lack of proof reading of the RNA polymerases and high error rate of reverse transcriptases, RNA viruses exhibit high mutation rates that result in genetically heterogeneous populations in continuous competition; these are able to select the best-adapted variants for a particular environment in a quasi-deterministic fashion‥ Although evolution of RNA viruses seems to be largely unpredictable because of the nature of genetic drifts, the chance transmission bottlenecks, and the influence of host/environmental factors on the success of a determined quasi species, there must be a finite probability that a given nucleotide or amino acid can be substituted and still succeed as a new master sequence of a given viral population.
/spl mu/-controller based PLL control for SR drive

The switched reluctance drive is known to provide good adjustable speed characteristics. However, higher torque ripple and lack of the precise speed control are drawbacks. To reduce torque ripple and to have precise speed control, a PLL technique is adopted. The PLL control technique in conjunction with a dynamic dwell angle control scheme has good speed regulation characteristics. A digital control system with an 80c196kc micro-controller is used to realize this drive system. Test results show that the system has the ability to achieve dynamic and precise speed control.
When a Professor Learns from Students

ABSTRACT This article presents themes that students from a senior level human service course at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville reported regarding at risk youth. These themes emerged from the reading of At Risk Youth: Theory, Practice, and Reform edited by R.F. Kronick. The themes range from issues of definition and problems of measurement to the impact of social or organizational climate and organizational theory. A discussion on the importance and difficulty of collaboration follows. In examining education and human service collaboration on at risk youth, it appears that human services is ahead of education in its willingness to collaborate. Finally, the work of Robert Coles (1997) is introduced as a possible motif for attempting to understand at risk youth. This work, which Coles calls documentary work, introduces the importance of film, both moving film as well as photography. This is seen as a new and possibly innovative way of examining the topic of at risk youth.
Peripheral control of hormone metabolism

Abstract The presence of 5α-reductase and 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase has been demonstrated in brain from two species (rat and baboon). Under the conditions of the present experimental design, there appear to be significant differences related to sex and species but not to age. Our data, supported by observations of others, suggest a regulatory role of these enzymes in the control of feedback mechanisms.
The dopamine transporter in mesencephalic cultures is refractory to physiological changes in membrane voltage.

The dopamine transporter (DAT) plays a crucial role in the clearance of extracellular dopamine in brain. Uptake of dopamine by the cloned human DAT has been shown to be electrogenic and voltage-dependent, with greater uptake observed at hyperpolarized potentials. Ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons were used to assess the kinetics of dopamine uptake in relation to their electrical activity. Dopamine uptake in these cultures was saturable with a K m of ∼560 ± 60 nm and a DAT turnover rate of 0.74 ± 0.07 dopamine molecules per second. The effects of physiological changes in membrane voltage on transporter function were assessed by the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. Current-clamp recordings of dopamine neurons showed that dopamine, baclofen, and orphanin FQ (OFQ) cause varying degrees of hyperpolarization. However, dopamine uptake was not affected by the activation of D2, GABAB, or OFQ receptors. Dopamine neurons in culture fired spontaneous action potentials at an average frequency of 2.3 Hz. Thus, dopamine neurons fire approximately three action potentials in the time taken for DAT to go through one transport cycle. Application of tetrodotoxin (1 μm) blocked action potentials but did not alter the uptake of dopamine. These data demonstrate that DAT turnover is a relatively slow process and the rate-limiting step for transport cycle is insensitive to changes in membrane voltage in physiological range.
Sexual Disclosures: Connections to Relational Satisfaction and Closeness

This study examines sexual communication by describing the content of sexual disclosures within marital relationships and assessing the association between sexual disclosures and relational outcomes, specifically relational satisfaction and closeness. A survey administered to 293 married individuals (58% female) who had an average age of 40 years (range = 20–73), 13.7 years of marriage (range = 1 month to 54 years), and who reported high levels of relational satisfaction assessed the relation between the content of sexual disclosures and satisfaction and closeness. While sexual disclosures are made infrequently, positive affect and sexual preferences are disclosed more than negative topics and disclosing sexual information is positively related to relationship satisfaction, rρ(280) =.26, p <.001; and closeness, rs(280) =.475, p <.01. Therapists can use these findings to show clients the positive relation between revealing sexual information and relationship satisfaction and closeness, as reported by indiv...
Modulation of growth and proliferation in squamous cell carcinoma by retinoic acid: a rationale for combination therapy with chemotherapeutic agents

We have previously shown that beta-all trans retinoic acid (RA) inhibits macrocellular growth of a multicellular tumor spheroid model for squamous carcinoma, as measured by spheroid size, but allows for continuing DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression, the two being reconciled by a cell death effect. DNA synthesis in the presence of growth inhibition suggested a rationale for examining combination chemotherapy with RA-inhibited cells. To this aim, we have extended this observation to a series of 8 squamous carcinoma cell lines. Cells were treated with 1 microM RA for 7 days and cell growth parameters monitored. Although growth inhibition ranged from 0% (A431) to approx. 80% (MDA 886Ln), [3H]-thymidine incorporation (cpm/microgram protein) and percent S-phase (by flow cytometry) in 7-day RA-treated cells was equal or higher than in their control vehicle-treated cells in 7/8 SCC cell lines. Thus RA-induced growth inhibition is not just cytostasis. Combination therapy was examined with MDA 886Ln, MDA 686Ln, 1483 and A431 cells pre-treated for 7 days with 1 microM RA followed by cisplatin or 5-fluorouracil treatment. An increased effectiveness for the combination was shown using 5-day tetrazolium dye (MTT) growth assays when cells were growth-inhibited by RA. Computerized analysis of data using median-effect and isobologram techniques indicated that the interaction of RA with these chemotherapeutic agents was synergistic. With squamous carcinoma, RA treatment inhibits growth while allowing for continuing DNA synthesis, and these RA-treated, growth-inhibited cells exhibit increased sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents.
Public Text/Private Text: Making Visible the Voices That Shape Our Social Conscience.

Abstract I discuss Julia Kristeva's notion of text—the tension between the semiotic and the symbolic—and how the tension can be made visible through the use of typeface variation and other shaping techniques possible with word-processing software. The semiotic, I suggest, reveals a social conscience that informs our opinions but is often hidden in traditional academic discourse. I share experiences that led me to value play with visual elements of text and examples of this play. I also share ways I encourage students in first-year English classes to explore possibilities for incorporating visual elements into their texts as they write.
External Validation and Evaluation of an Intermediate Proficiency-Based Knot-Tying and Suturing Curriculum

Purpose The purpose of this study was to perform external validation, examine educational effectiveness, and confirm construct validity of a previously developed "intermediate-level, proficiency-based knot-tying and suturing curriculum" in preparing residents to achieve proficiency in more advanced open surgical techniques. Methods A total of 47 postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) surgery residents completed 6 intermediate-level knot-tying and suturing exercises. Baseline trainee performance was compared with intermediate and senior (PGY-3 and PGY-4) residents ( n = 12) and expert faculty ( n = 4). Results PGY-1 overall proficiency increased from 21.1% at baseline to 92.1% during posttest for all 6 exercises combined (p Conclusion We obtained similar results as those previously reported, showing external validation. Additionally, we demonstrated that first-year surgical residents could achieve performance levels that match or exceed those of senior residents and experienced surgeons on these exercises with 4 weeks of training.
Toward a uniform seismic risk design of reinforced concrete bridges: A displacement-based approach

Abstract Although recent changes in the seismic design of bridges include displacement-based design approaches to promote adequate performance under seismic loads, the current design philosophy still adopts a uniform hazard perspective without explicit consideration of uniformity in the risk of damage or annual collapse probability. This paper puts forward a method to design reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns to achieve a uniform risk of failure, as embraced by the building design community, which is desirable in practice to reduce the uncertainty in the performance of bridges across regions relative to the variable risk resulting from the application of current design codes. A multi-parameter probabilistic seismic demand model is proposed first. Using this tool, a method for uniform risk design of RC columns is proposed based on identifying an adequate target ductility factor, which is a widely used performance parameter governing column responses. The relationship between the failure probability of typical RC columns and ductility factors is analyzed and a target ductility factor is selected based on an acceptable failure probability. The approach described in this paper can readily support the seismic design of RC bridges with a uniform risk of failure across different regions of the United States.
Complications of laparoscopic surgery

Abstract As with all surgical procedures, prevention and proper patient selection is the key to avoid complications. High-risk patients should be clearly identified from the outset. Properly maintained equipment, along with a thorough working knowledge of all instrumentation is essential. An often overlooked but vital aspect of laparoscopy is the laparoscopy team, including anesthesia and nursing personnel. A final point: there is no substitute for experience in avoiding laparoscopic complications. A survey by Phillips et al.44 found the complication rate for physicians who had performed fewer than 100 laparoscopic procedures to be almost four times greater than surgeons with more experience. A survey of eight centers active in urologic laparoscopic surgery reported that 10–20 pelvic lymph node dissections were necessary before they felt comfortable and 25–50 cases before they were proficient with the procedure. Since the learning curve with laparoscopy is initially quite steep, urologists beginning to apply the technique should work closely with experienced laparoscopic surgeons.
Intraoperative manometry during laparoscopic Heller myotomy improves outcome in pediatric achalasia.

Abstract Background Achalasia is a rare disorder with less than 5% of patients diagnosed in childhood. Although Heller esophagocardiomyotomy is a proven intervention, incomplete myotomy can lead to clinical failure. Intraoperative esophageal manometry has been used to ensure adequacy of myotomies in adults. The purpose of the present study was to review our experience in the management of children with achalasia. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records of patients with achalasia diagnosed between November 1999 and March 2007. Patient demographics and interventions were recorded. Outcomes after surgical intervention and esophageal dilation were assessed. Mean follow-up was 3.5 ± 0.6 years. Intraoperative manometry was used over the past 3 years. Results Nineteen patients were treated for achalasia. The average age at diagnosis was 13.8 ± 0.8 years. Most patients underwent esophageal dilation (14/19), receiving on average 2.1 ± 0.3 dilations. One patient experienced a contained perforation that was treated conservatively. Eleven patients underwent myotomy, as primary therapy (n = 5) or after recurrence of symptoms after dilation (n = 6). Six patients underwent intraoperative manometry. More patients who underwent Heller myotomy without intraoperative manometry had recurrence of symptoms (80% vs 0%, P Conclusion Inadequate myotomy is a potential cause for recurrent symptoms after esophagocardiomyotomy in childhood achalasia. Intraoperative esophageal manometry is a safe technique that may improve the success rate of surgery by confirming the adequacy of myotomy thereby decreasing recurrence of symptoms.