cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desorption and bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated soil subjected to long‐term in situ biostimulation

The distribution and potential bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from a former manufactured-gas plant (MGP) site were examined before and after long-term biostimulation under simulated in situ conditions. Treated soil was collected from the oxygenated zones of two continuous-flow columns, one subjected to biostimulation and the other serving as a control, and separated into low- and high-density fractions. In the original soil, over 50% of the total PAH mass was associated with lower-density particles, which comprised < 2% of the total soil mass. However, desorbable fractions of PAHs were much lower in the low-density material than in the high-density material. After over 500 d of biostimulation, significant removal of total PAHs occurred in both the high- and low-density materials (77% and 53%, respectively), with three- and four-ring PAHs accounting for the majority of the observed mass loss. Total PAHs that desorbed over a 28-d period were substantially lower in treated soil from the biostimulated column than in the original soil for both the high-density material (23 versus 63%) and low-density material (5 versus 20%). The fast-desorbing fractions quantified by a two-site desorption model ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 for most PAHs in the original soil but were essentially zero in the biostimulated soil. The fast-desorbing fractions in the original soil underestimated the extent of PAH biodegradation observed in the biostimulated column, and thus was not a good predictor of PAH bioavailability after long-term, simulated in situ biostimulation.
Effectiveness of the Responsible Social Values Program for 6th Grade Students in One Rural School District

The present study reports the effectiveness of an abstinence-based program (the Responsible Social Values Program) designed for 6th grade students in a rural school district. To assess whether this 6-hr. abstinence-based program changed students' knowledge of their sexual development during adolescence, attitudes toward early sexual involvement, intentions regarding sexual involvement, views related to expected consequences of being sexually involved, and views related to expected outcomes of being sexually involved, a pre-experimental one-group, pretest-posttest design was employed. Analysis indicated that the curriculum was effective in terms of improving scores for each of the constructs measured. Immediately after the 6-hr. program, more students stated that they planned to avoid having sex until marriage (70%) than prior to the program (50%). Replication with a control group and longer term follow-up testing is necessary.
A General Diagram for Estimating Pore Size of Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis Membranes

A slit sieve model has been used to develop a general correlation between the average pore size of the upstream surface of a membrane and the molecular weight of the solute which it retains by better than 80%. The pore size is determined by means of the correlation using the high retention data from an ultrafiltration (UF) or a reverse osmosis (RO) experiment. The pore population density can also be calculated from the flux data via appropriate equations.
Maximum entropy clustering algorithms and their application in image compression

This paper presents a new approach to fuzzy clustering, which provides the basis for the development of maximum entropy clustering algorithms (MECA). The derivation of the proposed algorithms is based on an objective function incorporating the partition entropy and the average distortion between the prototypes and the feature vectors. This formulation allows the gradual transition from a maximum uncertainty or minimum selectivity phase to a minimum uncertainty or maximum selectivity phase during the clustering process. The application of the proposed algorithms in image compression based on vector quantization provides the basis for evaluating their computational efficiency and comparing the quality of the resulting codebook design with that provided by competing techniques. >
Methylases of the Type II Restriction-Modification Systems

Most bacteria contain a small fraction (0.5–2%) of methylated cytosine or adenine bases in their chromosomes. Some of this methylation apparently plays a role in directing mismatch repair systems to the correct strands in newly replicated DNA. However, in many bacterial strains, a substantial fraction can be identified with host-specific restriction-modification (RM) systems. These ubiquitous systems play an important biological role in protecting bacteria against viral infections. Each system has two functional components: 1) a restriction endonuclease capable of recognizing sequence-specific sites in DNA and producing double-stranded cleavage; and 2) a modification enzyme recognizing the same DNA sites as the restriction enzyme and protecting them by modification. So far, all modifications found are either 5-methylcytosine or N6-methyladenine. The modification enzymes are methyltransferases, and AdoMet appears to be the exclusive methyl group donor. (For reviews, see Arber, 1974; Modrich, 1979; Smith, 1979; Modrich and Roberts, 1982).
Global market for implanted neuroprostheses

Abstract Key statistics and trends are described for the global market for implantable neuroprosthetic applications, including spinal cord stimulation, cochlear implants, deep brain stimulation, sacral root stimulation, and vagal nerve stimulation. The list of existing Food and Drug Administration-approved neurological applications as well as emerging conditions and applications in the central and peripheral nervous systems are briefly covered. The current state and future trends in regional implantable neuroprosthetic device markets and reimbursement policies are compared and contrasted for the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Dasymetric Spatiotemporal Interpolation

This research applies the principles of dasymetric mapping to spatiotemporal interpolation by extending the spatial concepts of zone and area to their temporal analogs of interval and duration, respectively. An example application of dasymetric spatiotemporal interpolation using crime event data is presented. Results indicate that dasymetric spatiotemporal interpolation significantly improves the accuracy of estimates over areal or duration weighting. In addition, even when dasymetric interpolation in either the spatial or temporal dimension is relatively weak, combining dasymetric estimation in both space and time dimensions simultaneously has the potential to amplify the accuracy of the overall dasymetric estimation.
Hormonal Regulation of Uterine Complement

The composition of fluids found in the reproductive tract varies among species and is influenced by a variety of hormones. These fluids may play a key role in reproduction by their influence upon gamete function, fertilization, implantation and embryo viability. These studies had two major objectives. The first was to find proteins in the rat uterus which were regulated by steroid hormones. The second objective was to characterize these proteins and examine the potential role these proteins may play in reproduction; perhaps by modulating the uterine environment. This presentation will focus on the hormonal influence upon proteins in the fluids of the reproductive tract emphasizing those regulated by estrogens.
An NMDA Receptor-Dependent Mechanism Underlies Inhibitory Synapse Development

In the mammalian brain, GABAergic synaptic transmission provides inhibitory balance to glutamatergic excitatory drive and controls neuronal output. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of GABAergic synapses remain largely unclear. Here, we report that NMDA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in individual immature neurons are the upstream signaling molecules essential for GABAergic synapse development, which requires signaling via Calmodulin binding motif in the C0 domain of the NMDAR GluN1 subunit. Interestingly, in neurons lacking NMDARs, whereas GABAergic synaptic transmission is strongly reduced, the tonic inhibition mediated by extrasynaptic GABAA receptors is increased, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for the lack of synaptic inhibition. These results demonstrate a crucial role for NMDARs in specifying the development of inhibitory synapses, and suggest an important mechanism for controlling the establishment of the balance between synaptic excitation and inhibition in the developing brain.
Utility, History, and the Rule of Law: The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in Antebellum Jurisprudence

In the years before the Civil War, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 focused public discussion of the duty to abide by law, as well as the obligations of individual (and religiously inspired) conscience. This paper addresses the debate over the act in Congress, where the Senators could already foresee conflict between law and conscience, as well as subsequent commentary by southern jurists, lawyers, religious leaders, novelists, and professors. They explored the competing considerations of individual morality, abstract duty to abide the law, and expediency in passage and enforcement of the Act. A final section explores the implications for the rich public debate for the judiciary and for politics in the years leading into Civil War. This paper exhumes the Act and places it at the center of American jurisprudence in the antebellum period. This paper is the first chapter to a monograph I am writing, tentatively entitled, University, Court, and Slave: Moral Philosophy in the Old South. It locates the common language of moral philosophy used by Southern educators and jurists. This language provides a way of understanding how Southern intellectuals thought about slavery and law. The project seeks to map the language used to talk about proslavery legal thought and how Southern intellectuals justified the institution of slavery. It seeks to understand the grammar of their moral thought, from their utilitarian calculus, to their belief in the importance of stability and the natural law of hierarchy. This paper sets up the key points of conflict: the relationship between a people's values and their laws, the importance of the rule of law, and the utilitarian calculations that suggested slavery should be maintained, even if people were treated inhumanely within it.
Drifting Snow Similitude

The problem of modeling the drifting of snow in a boundary layer wind tunnel is reviewed. The important dimensionless parameters that govern the drifting phenomena are introduced. Theoretical means such as the equations for mass transport rate of saltating material and the particle trajectory equations of motion are used to combine these dimensionless parameters into five similitude parameters. These final five parameters are analyzed as to their relative importance in the wind tunnel simulation of drifting snow. The properties of snow and of possible modeling materials are examined, and the final results of a previous study involving simulation of sand movement are presented. Use of a variety of model particles and the variation of vertical distortion of the modeled topography can aid in application of the results to full-scale conditions. Quantitative scaling can be achieved by measurement of the rate of accumulation of drifting material.
Ion propulsion development activities at the NASA Glenn Research Center

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) ion propulsion program addresses the need for high specific impulse ion propulsion systems and technology across a broad range of mission applications and power levels. Development areas include high-throughput NSTAR derivative engine and power processing technology, lightweight high-efficiency sub-kilowatt ion propulsion, micro-ion propulsion concepts, engine and component technologies for highpower (30 kW class) ion engines, and fundamentals. NASA GRC is also involved in two highly focussed activities: development of 5/10-kW class next-generation ion propulsion system technology, and development of high-specific impulse (> 10,000 seconds) ion propulsion technology applicable to deep-space and interstellar-precursor missions.
Reciprocal Drive Wheelchair

An alternative to current wheelchair drive mechanisms is presented. This system utilizes more energy efficient and powerful body motions than current rim drive systems. It is designed to duplicate the desirable maneuverability, feel, and control inherent in rim drives. Comparisons are made to other reciprocating drive systems.
Anticoccidial efficacy of narasin in battery cage trials.

Abstract Narasin is a polyether monocarboxylic acid antibiotic produced by Streptomyces aureofaciens. An extensive series of battery cage trials was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of narasin against recent field isolates of the pathogenic species of chicken coccidia. Statistical analyses of the results of these studies revealed that each successive increase in the concentration of narasin produced a significant reduction in the severity of cecal and intestinal lesions when compared with those in infected nonmedicated controls. Increasing the concentration of narasin also produced significant improvements in weight gain and feed efficiency when compared to gain and feed efficiency of infected nonmedicated controls. Maximum weight gain of birds infected with Eimeria tenella alone was obtained at a narasin concentration of 60 ppm, but birds infected with E. tenella plus intestinal species of coccidia, when medicated with 80 ppm narasin had weight gains significantly greater than those of birds medicated with 60 ppm narasin. Weight gain improvement decreased at narasin concentrations ≥100 ppm. Results of these studies confirm the effectiveness of narasin in controlling coccidial infections produced by recent field isolates of the pathogenic species of chicken coccidia.
A canonical form for fully indecomposable $(0,,1)$-matrices

This paper develops another canonical form for (0, 1)-matrices which may be used in the same spirit as the nearly decomposable matrix [5] or the k-nearly decomposable matrix [1], This form is intrinsic in each fully indecomposable matrix and does not require the replacement of any of its non-zero entries by 0's.
Hantaviruses in the Lesser White-toothed Shrew(Crocidura suaveolens) in Xi'an

Objective To survey hantavirus(HV) RNA in the lung tissue of lesser white-toothed shrews(Crocidura suaveolens) in Xi'an and research its role in spreading HV in the district.Methods Animals in areas with endemic hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) were captured and their species was identified.HV RNA was detected and subtypes were determined.Results HV RNA was found in lesser white-toothed shrews captured in the Town of Doumen,Chang'an district,Xi'an,Shaanxi(N34°11'42.49",E108°47'46.21"),an HFRS-epidemic region.The HV subtype was Hantavirus.Conclusion The lesser white-toothed shrew may have become a new host of HV in this HFRS-epidemic area.
Comparison of the Effect of a Protein-Free and Restricted High Protein—Low Carbohydrate Diet on Ventricular Myosin ATPase Activity and Isomyosin Profile in Young Rats: Evidence That Protein-Depleted Animals Are Euthyroid

Young rats fed a protein-deficient diet have elevated total triiodothyronine (T3) levels in spite of decreased skeletal muscle protein turnover. Interpretation of the thyroid status of these animals is complicated by increased T3 binding by serum proteins. Free T3 levels ranging from normal to low and decreased resting oxygen consumption have been reported. To investigate the thyroid status of animals fed a protein-free diet, ventricular myosin ATPase activity and isomyosin profile have been used as an index of thyroid hormone activity. The effect of the protein-free diet has been compared to a restricted high protein-low carbohydrate diet, which causes clear evidence of decreased thyroid hormone effect. After 28 d, calcium-activated myosin ATPase activity was 1.50 +/- 0.05 mumol Pi/(mg protein.min) in animals fed the basal diet, 1.16 +/- 0.03 mumol Pi/(mg protein.min) in animals fed the restricted high protein-low carbohydrate diet and 1.48 +/- 0.04 mumol Pi/(mg protein.min) in animals fed the protein-free diet. In addition, a shift in isomyosin content with the appearance of V2 and V3 isomyosins occurred with the restricted high protein-low carbohydrate diet but not the protein-free diet. The failure of the protein-depleted rats to decrease myosin ATPase activity and alter isomyosin content suggests that they are euthyroid.
Comparison of Extracellular Matrix Patch and Standard Patch Material in the Pulmonary Arteries

After pulmonary artery (PA) patch augmentation, surgical or catheterization reintervention to address PA stenosis is not uncommon. Multiple patch materials are available and the need for reintervention may be related to characteristics of the patch material. In this retrospective chart review of patients who underwent PA augmentation from 2004 through 2013, we compare outcomes after PA augmentation with standard patch (SP) material and extracellular matrix (ECM) patch material. The primary outcome was reintervention-free survival (surgery or catheterization) using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis with the log-rank test. Risk factors for reintervention were assessed with Cox proportional hazard analyses. Baseline characteristics between groups were similar, except single-ventricle (SV) patients were more likely to have SP, and duration of follow-up was longer in the SP group. Median time to reintervention for all patients was 1099 days (95 % CI 646–1552 days). There was no difference in reintervention-free survival between the patch groups (p = 0.12); however, in multivariable analysis controlling for surgeon and patch, longer reintervention-free survival was associated with SV physiology (HR 0.57 95 % CI 0.34–0.95, p = 0.03) and aortic cross-clamp (XC) use (HR 0.52, 95 % CI 0.32–0.84, p = 0.008). Since there is no difference in median time to reintervention following PA augmentation with SP or ECM, patch choice should be determined by other factors, such as surgeon preference and cost. Longer reintervention-free survival in SV patients may be related to the set schedule of staged palliation. XC use may allow more extensive PA augmentation, thus protecting against the need for reintervention.
Effect of Experimental Congestive Heart Failure and Acetyl Strophanthidin on Myocardial Electrolyte and Water Content

The syndrome of chronic congestive heart failure was produced in female dogs by progressive pulmonary artery constriction. A factorial experimental design, containing seven experiments of four dogs each, was employed. Each experiment was completed in one day and consisted of two groups of two dogs each, one group containing dogs with heart failure and the other, normal dogs. One animal from each group received intravenous acetyl strophanthidin, 0.015 mg/kg ascites-free weight, while the other was given an injection of inert material. The heart was quickly removed from the chest nine minutes after the injection and the right ventricle was taken for analysis. Previous work indicated that this dose of the drug produced and inotropic effect both in normal animals and in dogs with heart failure without producing digitalis toxicity. The myocardium from animals with congestive heart failure contained significantly less potassium but more sodium, chloride, and water per kilogram of dry fat-free blood-free myocardium than the myocardium from normal dogs. The concentration of sodium plus potassium in tissue water was subnormal in failing hearts. The sodium and chloride composition of the fluid gained by failing hearts differed significantly from that of interstitial fluid. Acetyl strophanthidin increased myocardial chloride and water. Although potassium in the myocardium was unchanged in treated control dogs, it increased significantly after acetyl strophanthidin in animals with heart failure. The findings are consistent with myocardial cellular swelling in congestive heart failure. The quantity of blood in each kilogram of failing myocardial tissue was severely reduced, probably because of muscle fiber hypertrophy. The possibility is considered that this alteration, together with the increased tissue water, may lead to lowered oxygen tension in failing heart muscle. It is suggested that digitalis exerts two opposing effects on ion transport through the myocardial cell membrane and that neither of these is fundamental to its inotropic action.
Nitric oxide and cyclic GMP attenuate sensitivity of the blood-tumor barrier permeability to bradykinin

AbstractIntracarotid infusion of bradykinin and its analogue, RMP-7, selectively increase the permeability of brain tumor capillaries though the nitrix oxide (NO) and cyclic GMP pathway. Maximum blood-tumor barrier (BTB) permeability induced by bradykinin is observed at 75 min after intracarotid infusion and this effect is decreased even if the infusion continues. The mechanism for this decreased effect with long term infusion has not been clearly defined. This study sought to determine the involvement of the NO-cyclic GMP pathway in this event. Regional permeability was investigated in 44 Wistar rats with implanted RG2 gliomas, usinq quantitative autoradiography to determine the unidirectional transfer constant (Ki) of radiolabeled 14C-dextran. Tumor bearing rats were treated by intracarotid infusion of bradykinin (70 p.g kg-1 min-1) with or without pretreatment with bradykinin, the NO donor s-nitrosoglutathione (70nmolkg-1 min-1), or the cyclic GMP analogue, BBr-cyclic GMP (200µgkg-1 min-1). At 30min of...
Leberspezifische Insulinproduktion nach systemischer Plasmid-DNA Behandlung in der Maus

Gene-based therapy for the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) requires the development of a surrogate β-cell that can synthesize and release insulin in response to glucose challenge in the physiological range. We have previously shown that hepatocytes genetically altered with a viral vector to produce transgenic insulin improved glucose tolerance tests and corrected fasting hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animals. Some viral vectors transduce hepatocytes efficiently and express transgenes at high levels; however, non-viral vectors have the advantage of being less toxic, less immunogenic and further lack the risks inherent to viral vectors. Recent studies provided evidence that intravascular delivery of plasmid DNA results in an effective gene transfer to hepatocytes. To test whether the systemic delivery of plasmid DNA is sufficient to correct diabetic hyperglycemia, STZ-treated diabetic mice were injected via the tail vein by proinsulin plasmid DNA including the liver-specific albumin promoter coupled with three glucose inducible regulatory elements (GIRE)s from the S-14 gene and the modified proinsulin with (3SATEM) or without (3SAM2) an additional translational enhancer sequence derived from vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Compared to diabetic control mice, both 3SATEM- and 3SAM2-treated diabetic groups showed a normalization of fasting blood glucose levels, a significant reduction of postprandial hyperglycemia and reduced weight-loss. Treatment with 3SATEM in contrast to 3SAM2 significantly increased insulin serum concentration under both postprandial and fasting conditions, thus accelerating kinetics to restore postprandial euglycemia. Our data demonstrate that high levels of insulin expression can be achieved in hepatocytes by plasmid DNA injection via the tail vein avoiding the inherent risks of gene delivery by viral vectors. Additionally, the enhanced translational efficacy of our preproinsulin construct (3SATEM) substantially improves the output of hepatic insulin secretion and accelerated kinetics to restore postprandial euglycemia in vivo.
Normal Cleavage of Von Willebrand Factor by ADAMTS13 In the Absence of Factor VIII In Patients with Severe Hemophilia A

Abstract Abstract 2114 The size of von Willebrand factor (VWF), a carrier protein for factor VIII (FVIII), is regulated by plasma metalloprotease ADAMTS13 proteolytic activity. Recently studies by Cao et al. (PNAS, 2008; 105: 7416–7421) found that under shear stress, exogenous FVIII enhanced ADAMTS13 cleavage of VWF, especially the high molecular weight multimers, in a system using purified proteins. Based on this result, the authors suggested that in the absence of FVIII, such as in patients with severe hemophilia A, VWF will have ultra-large multimers due to defects in ADAMTS13 proteolytic process, which can be corrected by infusion of FVIII. Here, we assessed VWF multimers, antigen, and ADAMTS13 activity in citrated plasma from seven patients with severe hemophilia A. The FVIII levels in six patients were less than 1% and in one was 4%. Plasma from two patients was available both pre- and post-FVIII replacement therapy (recombinant FVIII). All patients displayed VWF multimer patterns similar to those in pooled normal plasma (PNP), and the two patients receiving FVIII infusions displayed no change in VWF multimer size or pattern between their pre- and post-infusion samples. In all patients, the VWF antigen level (0.32–0.76) was below the PNP value (designated as 1), and all had increased ADAMTS13 activity (measured by the ability of plasma to cleave a small A2 peptide substrate) (1.09–1.79, PNP designated as 1), yielding an increased ratio of ADAMTS13 activity to VWF antigen in these patients (1.4–5.2 compared to PNP). We also examined cleavage of endogenous VWF by ADAMTS13 in the plasmas of the two patients studied pre- and post-infusion, yielding different FVIII levels. In this assay, we first diluted plasma 10-fold with a buffer containing 10 mM HEPES, 6.5 mM BaCl2, and 1.5 M urea, incubated at 37A‚Â°C, and ADAMTS13 cleavage was stopped at different time points with EDTA. VWF multimer patterns were examined on a 1.5% agarose gel. We found that ADAMTS13 cleaved VWF efficiently in patient plasma deficient in FVIII, similar to that in PNP. The extent of cleavage was correlated with the ratio of ADAMTS13 activity to VWF antigen, rather than with the FVIII levels. In conclusion, patients with severe hemophilia A appear to have normal ADAMTS13 processing of VWF multimers in vivo and ex vivo. Further studies of the effect of FVIII and VWF levels on ADAMTS13 cleavage of VWF and clinical correlation are needed. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Learning, leverage and stability

I construct and analyse a simple general equilibrium model with an active credit market in which borrowers and lenders form expectations adaptively. Except for expectation formation the model is a small open economy variant of the standard Lucas (1978) tree model. To abstract from institutional detail there is just a representative investor/borrower and a representative lender (rest of the world), both of whom are learning from experience. The point is to show that even in this fairly standard model financial crises can occur, and to examine the conditions, with respect to policy, institutions and other aspects of the environment, that affect the likelihood of crises in the model.
Gas sorption and kinetics of CO 2 sorption and transport in a polymorphic microporous MOF with open Zn (II) coordination sites

Abstract Sorption equilibrium and kinetics of CO 2 , N 2 and CH 4 on a newly reported Zn-based metal organic framework (Zn 4 (pydc) 4 (DMF) 2 ·3DMF (1)) were studied to evaluate its efficacy for CO 2 capture under realistic post-combustion conditions. Adsorption and desorption equilibria were measured gravimetrically for temperatures between 308 K and 338 K and pressures up to 5 bar. The Langmuir adsorption model was used to fit sorption data and the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) was used to calculate selectivity from single-component isotherms suggesting that separation can be enhanced by a decrease in temperature. The MOF exhibited preferential CO 2 adsorption based on the high enthalpy of adsorption and adsorption selectivities of CO 2 over N 2 and CH 4 . Kinetics of adsorption and desorption of CO 2 (308K–338 K, pressures up to 1 bar) were fitted to the linear-driving force (LDF) kinetic model, showing a relatively fast adsorption and a low activation energy for adsorption and desorption. Diffusion inside the pores was found to be the rate-limiting step based on fits to the LDF model and the micropore diffusion model. Desorption kinetics studies at 1 bar indicated that CO 2 has greater average residence times at all temperatures and lower values of activation energy for desorption than N 2 and CH 4 . This suggests the selective adsorption and capture of CO 2 on (1) will be favored.
Low-power optical logic gate in a silicon waveguide

We experimentally demonstrate a transistor-like all-optical logic gate in a silicon waveguide via four-wave mixing Bragg scattering, and evaluate the eye diagrams using pseudorandom data.
SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CALCULATION OF STOP-LOSS PREMIUMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some practical considerations in connection with the calculation of stop-loss premiums. A premium calculation principle is a rule that assigns a premium to any risk. In mathematical terms, a risk is a random variable given by its supposedly sufficiently regular distribution. The exponential principle involves the evaluation of the moment generating function of the risk at an argument. The net premium principle and the exponential principle are additive and iterative. Under a mild continuity condition, these two principles can be characterized by certain properties. Also, the exponential principle fits into the framework of the collective theory of risk. The exact calculation of a stop-loss premium is feasible if the claim amount distribution is arithmetic with a sufficiently large span. If F is an arbitrary compound Poisson distribution, the exact calculation of the stop-loss premium can be an extensive procedure and can lead to considerable round-off errors.
Dimensioning the Service Factory

The Service Factory has been proposed as a new approach to manufacturing strategy. This paper reviews the information, problem-solving, sales, and support dimensions which underlie a service factory. It also provides a strategic planning methodology by which it can be applied, and raises five research questions which might be addressed through empirical study.
Omnichannel Service Operations with Online and Offline Self-Order Technologies

Many restaurants have recently implemented self-order technologies across both online and offline channels. Online technology, through websites and mobile apps, allows customers to order and pay before coming to the store; offline technology, such as self-service kiosks, allows store customers to place orders without interacting with a human employee. In this paper, we develop a stylized theoretical model to study the impact of self-order technologies on customer demand, employment levels, and restaurant profits. Our main results follow. First, customers using self-order technologies experience reduced waiting cost and increased demand, and moreover, these benefits may even carry over to customers who do not use these technologies. Second, although public opinion suggests that self-order technologies facilitate job cuts, we find instead that some firms should increase employment levels, and, paradoxically, this recommendation holds for firms with high labor costs. Finally, we find that firms should implement online offline self-order technology when customers have high low wait sensitivity. The supplementary appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2787 . This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Verbal episodic memory profiles in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND): A comparison with Huntington's disease and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) commonly feature verbal episodic memory impairment historically characterized by a retrieval deficit, consistent with a classic "subcortical" presentation; however, there are hints of a subtle shift toward a more "cortical" memory profile characterized by a primary encoding deficit. The current study evaluated this possibility by comparing the pattern of HAND-associated verbal episodic memory deficits to those of traditional "subcortical" (i.e., Huntington's disease; HD) versus "cortical" (i.e., left temporal lobe epilepsy with mesial temporal sclerosis; L-MTLE) profiles. Seventy-seven individuals with HAND, 47 individuals with HD, 21 individuals with L-MTLE, and 45 healthy participants were administered the California Verbal Learning Test - 2nd Edition (CVLT-II). CVLT-II profiles were classified as reflecting a primary encoding deficit, retrieval deficit, or a normal profile. Among participants with a deficit profile, the HAND group showed the highest rates of retrieval versus encoding profiles (71% vs. 29%), followed by HD (59% vs. 41%), L-MTLE (46% vs. 54%), and healthy (50% vs. 50%) groups. While significant profile heterogeneity was observed across clinical groups, findings suggest that HIV-associated verbal episodic memory impairments are most consistent with a traditional "subcortical," retrieval deficit profile, consistent with the primary frontostriatal neuropathogenesis of HIV disease.
Electrostatic Pesticide Spraying: Concepts and Practice

The system requirements and characteristics necessary for the design and development of electrostatic-spraying machines uniquely adapted to agricultural pesticide applications are presented. The fundamental approach utilizes an electrostatic-induction nozzle to atomize pneumatically the spray (e.g., 30-50 ?m volume median diameter (VMD)) and to charge the conductive liquid (e.g., 10?1?104 ?m) typically to a ?10-mC/kg. charge-to-mass level. Aerodynamic trajection then disperses the charged pesticide droplets deep into the electrostatically shielded plant canopies where the electric field of the interspersed cloud's space charge (e.g., ?20 ?C/m3) is mainly relied upon for deposition. While the transient charge- transfer capability of living plants has been experimentally verified as adequate for electrostatic, spraying, gaseous discharges between sharp leaf tips and incoming charged spray clouds have been shown to introduce a deposit-limiting condition which is dependent upon plant morphology. Mass-transfer studies of the agricultural electrostatic spraying system have documented increases in droplet deposition efficiency ranging from two- to seven-fold onto various model and biological targets as compar, d with similar, uncharged sprays and with, conventionally applied sprays. Field evaluations of full-scale prototype electrostatic pesticide-spraying machines have verified the insect-control efficacy of electrostatic applications of 1/2-rates of pesticide to be equal to conventional spray application requiring full rates.
Influence of Shoreline Stabilization Structures on the Nearshore Sedimentary Environment in Mesohaline Chesapeake Bay

Shorelines around many estuaries and coastal embayments are rapidly eroding (approximately several meters/year), with more rapid erosion rates expected in the future due to natural and anthropogenic stressors. In response, a variety of techniques have been used to stabilize shorelines, but there are limited quantitative, long-term data available about their effects on the sedimentary environment immediately adjacent to them (i.e., the nearshore). This study evaluated changes in sediment characteristics (mud and organic content) and accumulation rates associated with installation of breakwaters, riprap, and living shorelines with (“hybrid”) and without (“soft”) a structural component. 210Pb (half-life 22.3 years) geochronologies were used to identify horizons in core profiles that corresponded to years when structures were built. Sites with naturally eroding shorelines (i.e., no structures) were used as a control group at which any sedimentary changes represent broad environmental trends, in contrast to changes at the protected sites that also include the influence of structures. Observations were placed within the context of modeled wave climate, shoreline-erosion rates, land use, dominant sediment source, and the apparent effect on submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) inhabiting the nearshore sedimentary environment. The main conclusion of this study is that there was no “one size fits all” answer to anticipated impacts of structures on nearshore sedimentary environments. Instead, specific changes associated with structures depended on individual site characteristics, but could be predicted with multiple linear regression models that included structure type, shoreline-erosion rate, dominant sediment source, and land use. Riprap or breakwater installation had either positive or no obvious impact on SAV at six of seven sites but negatively impacted SAV at one riprapped site. No obvious impacts on SAV were observed at living shoreline sites.
The Darker Side of Military Mental Healthcare Part Two: Five Harmful Strategies to Manage Its Mental Health Dilemma

This is the second part of our analysis of the military’s mental health care dilemma. Since the First World War, military and government officials have been quite wary of mass psychiatric attrition and escalating pension costs from warzones. Specifically, the military worries about unknown repercussions should war stress injuries be de-stigmatized and treated equally as physical wounds, as required per the military’s own documented lessons learned. Leaders fear that so-called evacuation syndromes would spread, thereby depleting the fighting force for invalid reasons, eroding unit morale, and providing an acceptable escape from one’s military duties instead of the disapproval deserved, thus jeopardizing the military’s primary mission to fight and win wars, as well as risk possible financial strain in societies dealing with too many psychiatrically disabled veterans. Consequently, the military routinely admits to ignoring its war trauma lessons, resulting in a generational pattern of self-inflicted crises, including suicide epidemics. Moreover, besides neglecting such lessons, the military has adopted various approaches over time to reduce the possibility of evacuation syndromes by aggressively preventing psychiatric attrition, treatment, and disability pensions. After an extensive review of the war stress literature, we identified 10 overarching strategies the military has employed in order to resist fully learning from its lessons on the psychiatric realities of modern warfare by eliminating, minimizing, and/or concealing its mental health problem. Part two of the article series examines the following avoidance strategies intended to prevent psychiatric attrition and disability pensions: (1) Cruel and Inhumane Handling; (2) Legal Prosecution, Incarceration, and Executions; (3) Weaponizing Stigma to Humiliate, Ridicule, and Shame into Submission; (4) Denying the Realities of Mental Health; and (5) Screening and Purging Weakness. We argue that by not accepting the realities of the combat stressors, no effective methods for assessment and treatment of the stress reactions, not to mention prevention methods, have emerged that contributes to alleviating the veteran suicide and mental health crises.
Advice on Giving a Good PowerPoint Presentation

(2006). Advice on Giving a Good PowerPoint Presentation. Math Horizons: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 25-27.
The relationship between posttraumatic and depressive symptoms during virtual reality exposure therapy with a cognitive enhancer.

Two studies suggest that reductions in posttraumatic symptoms (Aderka et al., 2013) and cognitions (Zalta et al., 2014) precede reductions in depressive symptoms during prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female assault survivors. The present study explored the temporal relationship between posttraumatic and depressive symptoms in a randomized trial of D-Cycloserine (DCS) versus placebo augmented virtual reality exposure (VRE) therapy for chronic World Trade Center-related PTSD following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Twenty-five male and female participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100 mg DCS (N = 13) or placebo (N = 12) 90 min before 12 weekly VRE sessions. Participants contributed a total of 280 weekly PTSD Checklist (PCL; Weathers et al., 1993) and Beck Depression Inventory-second edition (BDI-II; Beck et al., 1996) symptom scores. Two sets of mediation analyses for longitudinal mixed models assessed the effects of 1) lagged PCL on BDI-II (Model 1), and 2) lagged BDI-II on PCL (Model 2) in the VRE-DCS and VRE-Placebo treatment groups, respectively. Results revealed reciprocal relations between posttraumatic and depressive symptoms during VRE treatment, although reductions in posttraumatic symptoms led to subsequent reductions in depressive symptoms to a greater extent than the converse. These effects were stronger in the DCS-enhanced group. Findings suggest that VRE primarily decreases posttraumatic symptoms, which in turn leads to decreased depressive symptoms, and that DCS may strengthen these effects.
Dawn: Improving Hurricane Response for Citizens and Local Governments

Weather-related disasters have the potential to cause devastating impact on community infrastructure, families, and lives. The current state of hurricane relief can be broken down into pre-hurricane preparation and post-hurricane recovery. However, many problems exist in both stages of overall hurricane relief from both the citizen and government perspective; these problems range from the ambiguous information experience of storm preparation, to slow repair protocols for infrastructure damage. In this paper we propose Dawn, a local weather information tool that improves the process of information retrieval and city-wide recovery from hurricanes for citizens and local governments. Dawn targets some of the key problems found in primary and secondary research regarding hurricane preparation and relief. The design provides local government Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) with a drone swarm weather monitoring system to assess infrastructure damage costs on a large scale, and citizens with hyperlocal weather information based on their specific locations.
Accounting for the Horsemen of the Administrative Apocalypse

Administrators exhibiting dark personalities challenge arguments for accountability, particularly those reliant on technical rationality or an internal ethos. During periods of rapid change, organi...
The phage T4 MotA transcription factor contains a novel DNA binding motif that specifically recognizes modified DNA

During infection, bacteriophage T4 produces the MotA transcription factor that redirects the host RNA polymerase to the expression of T4 middle genes. The C-terminal ‘double-wing’ domain of MotA binds specifically to the MotA box motif of middle T4 promoters. We report the crystal structure of this complex, which reveals a new mode of protein-DNA interaction. The domain binds DNA mostly via interactions with the DNA backbone, but the binding is enhanced in the specific cognate structure by additional interactions with the MotA box motif in both the major and minor grooves. The linker connecting the two MotA domains plays a key role in stabilizing the complex via minor groove interactions. The structure is consistent with our previous model derived from chemical cleavage experiments using the entire transcription complex. α- and β-d-glucosyl-5-hydroxymethyl-deoxycytosine replace cytosine in T4 DNA, and docking simulations indicate that a cavity in the cognate structure can accommodate the modified cytosine. Binding studies confirm that the modification significantly enhances the binding affinity of MotA for the DNA. Consequently, our work reveals how a DNA modification can extend the uniqueness of small DNA motifs to facilitate the specificity of protein-DNA interactions.
Digital quantum computation of fermion-boson interacting systems

We introduce a method for representing the low-energy subspace of a bosonic field theory on the qubit space of digital quantum computers. This discretization leads to an exponentially precise description of the subspace of the continuous theory thanks to the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem. The method makes the implementation of quantum algorithms for purely bosonic systems as well as fermion-boson interacting systems feasible. We present algorithmic circuits for computing the time evolution of these systems. The complexity of the algorithms scales polynomially with the system size. The algorithm is a natural extension of the existing quantum algorithms for simulating fermion systems in quantum chemistry and condensed-matter physics to systems involving bosons and fermion-boson interactions and has a broad variety of potential applications in particle physics, condensed matter, etc. Due to the relatively small amount of additional resources required by the inclusion of bosons in our algorithm, the simulation of electron-phonon and similar systems can be placed in the same near-future reach as the simulation of interacting electron systems. We benchmark our algorithm by implementing it for a two-site Holstein polaron problem on an Atos Quantum Learning Machine quantum simulator. The polaron quantum simulations are in excellent agreement with the results obtained by exact diagonalization.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Past, Present and Future

Although fuel cells have been known for over 150 years, research on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on an oxide ion conducting electrolyte only accelerated in the last 30 years. This chapter, after a brief history of SOFCs, reviews the materials for different cell components (electrolyte and the two electrodes) and cell stacks (seals and interconnects); novel materials and their structures have been investigated and developed to improve electrochemical performance. Different SOFC designs and their relative advantages and disadvantages are then discussed. Finally, various applications of SOFC power systems and the status of their demonstration and commercialization are reviewed.
Vapor pressures of phenethyl alcohol and phenethyl acetate in aqueous solutions of sodium xylene sulfonate and polyvinylpyrrolidone

Vapor pressures of two fragrance materials in aqueous solutions of polyvinylpyrrolidone and sodium xylenesulfonate were determined using gas chromatography of head space samples. The association between polymer and hydrotrope was evaluated from the values of surface tension and electrical conductance. The result showed an association of the hydrotrope and the polymer leading to enhanced surface tension after addition of polymer to hydrotope solutions in a certain hydrotope concentration range. The polymer hydrotope association structure resulted in a reduction of fragrance vapor pressure due to solubilization of the fragrance into the association structure.
Some Functions of Amacrine Cells

In contrast to traditional schemas, amacrine cells make up a major population of neurons in the retina, both quantitatively and in the wide variety of their types. They represent the major input to retinal ganglion cells, occupying a fraction ranging from 70% for alpha cells in the cat and parasol cells in the monkey, to 50% for midget ganglion cells in the monkey fovea. In addition, amacrine cells make major inhibitory synapses on the axon terminals of the bipolar cells, thus controlling their output to the ganglion cells. They thus are major players in shaping the flow of information through the retina. In contrast, horizontal cells come in only two types and seem to have a single, unified function. Accordingly, amacrine cells outnumber horizontal cells by numbers that range from 4:1 to 10:1.
The Publishing Trap [Product Review]

Review of The Publishing Trap, created by Jane Secker and Chris Morrison. UK Copyright Literacy team, 2016. Free download. https://copyrightliteracy.org/resources/the-publishing-trap/