cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implicit \text{Z}_\text{bus} Gauss Algorithm Revisited

The implicit Z bus Gauss algorithm is revisited to empower the power flow analysis for microgrids with hierarchical control and frequency- and voltage- dependent loads. The contributions of the revisited Gauss (GRev) algorithm include: 1) a droop-based implicit Z bus Gauss microgrid algorithm which automatically incorporates the distributed energy resources (DERs)/load droop effects; 2) new formulations which accurately integrate the secondary control adjustments for power sharing and voltage regulation. Case studies verify the efficacy, robustness and excellent convergence performance of GRev for both radial and meshed microgrids.
Stretchable Nanocomposite Sensors, Nanomembrane Interconnectors, and Wireless Electronics toward Feedback-Loop Control of a Soft Earthworm Robot

Sensors that can detect external stimuli and perceive the surrounding areas could offer an ability for soft biomimetic robots to use the sensory feedback for closed-loop control of locomotion. Although various types of biomimetic robots have been developed, few systems have included integrated stretchable sensors and interconnectors with miniaturized electronics. Here, we introduce a soft, stretchable nanocomposite system with built-in wireless electronics with an aim for feedback-loop motion control of a robotic earthworm. The nanostructured strain sensor, based on a carbon nanomaterial and a low-modulus silicone elastomer, allows for seamless integration with the body of the soft robot that can accommodate large strains caused by bending, stretching, and physical interactions with obstacles. A scalable, cost-effective, and screen-printing method manufactures an array of the strain sensors that are conductive and stretchable over 100% with a gauge factor over 38. An array of nanomembrane interconnectors enables a reliable connection between soft sensors and wireless electronics while tolerating the robot's multimodal movements. A set of computational and experimental studies of soft materials, stretchable mechanics, and hybrid packaging provides the key design factors for a reliable, nanocomposite sensor system. The miniaturized wireless circuit, embedded in the robot joint, offers real-time monitoring of strain changes during the motions of a robotic segment. Collectively, the soft sensor system presented in this work shows great potential to be integrated with other flexible, stretchable electronics for applications in soft robotics, wearable devices, and human-machine interfaces.
A machine learning approach to derive precipitation estimates at global scale using space radar and ground-based observations

Remote sensing of precipitation is critical for regional, continental, and global weather, water, and climate research. This study develops a machine learning mechanism to link between point-wise rain gauge measurements, ground-based and spaceborne radar reflectivity observations. Two neural network models are designed to construct a hybrid rainfall system, where the ground radar is used to bridge the scale gaps between rain gauge and satellite. The first model is trained for ground radar using rain gauge data as target labels, whereas the second one is for spaceborne radar using ground radar estimates as training labels. Data from TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) and GPM Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) are utilized to illustrate the application of this hybrid rainfall system. Validation using independent ground-based observations as well as the standard PR and DPR products demonstrates the promising performance and generality of this innovative machine learning algorithm.
He Went Back, Jack, and Did It Again: Thoughts on Retributivism, Recidivism as Omission, and Notice

This is a response note that addresses Youngjae Lee's Article Recidivism as Omission: A Relational Account, published in Texas Law Review. Lee contends that understanding recidivist crimes as omissions to rectify one's life can ground retributivist justifications for punishing recidivists greater than if they were first-time offenders. I argue that this justificiation is flawed and propose a justification based on the fact that the recidivist has greater notice of the wrong of their crime.
Attendance at a Transitional Liver Clinic May Be Associated with Reduced Readmissions for Patients with Liver Disease.

Abstract Introduction Patients with liver disease have high rates of early hospital readmission, but there are no studies of effective, scalable interventions to reduce this risk. In this study, we examined the impact of a Physician Assistant (PA)-led post-discharge Transitional Liver Clinic (TLC) on hospital readmissions. Methods We performed a cohort study of all adults seen by a hepatologist during admission to a tertiary care center in 2019 (excluding transplant patients). We compared those who attended the TLC with those who did not, with respect to 30-day readmission and mortality. Propensity score-adjusted modeling was used to control for confounding. Results Of 498 patients, 98 were seen in the TLC; 35% had alcoholic liver disease and 58% had cirrhosis. Attendees were similar to non-attendees with respect to demographics, liver disease characteristics and severity, comorbidities, and discharge disposition. Thirty-day cumulative incidence of readmissions was 12% in TLC attendees, compared with 22% in non-attendees (P = .02), while 30-day mortality was similar (2.0% vs 4.3%; P = .29). In a model using propensity score adjustment, TLC attendance remained associated with reduced readmissions (subhazard ratio 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-0.997; P = .049). The effect of TLC was greater in women compared with men (P = .07) and in those without chronic kidney disease (P = .02), but there were no differences across other subgroups. Conclusions Patients with liver disease seen in a PA-led TLC may have a significant reduction in the 30-day readmission rate. Randomized trials are needed to establish the efficacy of PA-led post-discharge transitional care for this population.
Adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines in patients following curative-intent colorectal cancer resection.

Abstract Background Current guidelines recommend that patients who have undergone curative-intent resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) should undergo colonoscopy one year following their surgery or at six months post-operatively if a pre-operative colonoscopy was not performed due to an obstructing lesion. We sought to determine adherence to postoperative surveillance colonoscopy guidelines in our National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center and potentially identify factors associated with non-adherence. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of 100 patients who underwent curative-intent CRC resection was performed between 2013 and 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based upon adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines. Demographic, tumor, and postoperative variables were analyzed. Results The median age of all patients was 62. Fifty-seven percent of patients were male. Thirty-eight patients underwent surveillance colonoscopy in accordance with current guidelines. Sixty-two patients did not undergo surveillance colonoscopy postoperatively or did so outside of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Factors associated with non-adherence to surveillance colonoscopy included presence of comorbidities, albumin less than 3.5, and performance of a pre-operative colonoscopy. Conclusions Adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines was low among our patients. Efforts should be directed toward patients at increased risk for non-adherence to surveillance colonoscopy guidelines.
Surveying Privacy: Library Privacy Laws in the Southeastern United States

You are working at the circulation desk one rainy night when a man walks into the library. He comes up to the desk and shows you a police badge. The officer explains that he is investigating a suspected Methamphetamine manufacturer, and he would like to find out whether the person has checked out any books on manufacturing Meth. You inform the officer that your professional ethics and the library’s policy demand the privacy of circulation records. In return, the officer explains that if you do not turn over the records, he will arrest you as an accessory to the crime. What do you do? And what are your rights?
Weightlessness and the ontogeny of vestibular function: evidence for persistent vestibular threshold shifts in chicks incubated in space.

The effect of microgravity on the embryonic development of the vestibular function was investigated by comparing the vestibular function parameters measured in 21-old chicks incubated as embryos aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery with those of age-matched synchronous controls incubated on earth. Measurements of the electrophysiological responses in both groups of chicks indicated that the exposure of embryos to weightlessness resulted in altered sensitivity of embryonic vestibular sensors. Moreover, the effect of space flight was persistent: it was still present one month after the spacecraft landed on earth.
The Embodiment of Seventeenth Century Quakerism: An Exercise in Historical Anthropology

Peter Collins Universiy of Durham Quaker Studies 4( 1999) 113 -141 In this paper I begin by presenting a condensed narrative of 'the Nayler affair' which I then subject to an investigation relying on recent theories of the body. Focusing on the work of Foucault, Bourdieu and Goffman I reexamine the events which constitute this narrative by juxtaposing interpretations of the individual body of James Nayler, the body of seventeenth century Quaker faith and practice and the wider social body which framed and was framed by such accounts. The objective of the paper is not to achieve explanatory closure, but rather to provide an alternative lens through which to view Quaker history.
SCH66336 (Sarasar®), an oral farnesyl transferase inhibitor, synergizes with temozolomide and radiation therapy for orthotopic malignant gliomas

3798 Background: Malignant gliomas are highly lethal tumors that display resistance to current therapies. The best treatment modality currently available for these tumors is a combination of maximal surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and concurrent temozolomide, an oral alkylating imidazotetrazine derivative. Although this combination has demonstrated activity, development of resistance and disease progression is common. Thus, additional agents to augment the effectiveness of this approach are needed. The presence of increased Ras signaling in malignant glioma offers a potential novel target. We now report the in vitro and orthotopic in vivo results of combination therapy using irradiation, temozolomide and SCH66336, an oral farnesyl transferase inhibitors, in a murine model of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Methods: To examine the activity of radiation, temozolomide, and SCH66336 U87 in vitro and in U87-induced intracranial tumors in SCID or nude mice were evaluated following treatment combinations. Experimental regimens included vehicle control, radiation and temozolomide (2.5Gy/day for 2 days, 5mg/kg/day 90 min prior to radiation), or SCH66336 (80 mg/kg SCH66336 by oral gavage once daily) alone and in combination with SCH66336. Endpoints evaluated included cell number, proliferation index, apoptotic index, and Ras activation. After completion of the experiment (defined as control or treated animals with symptomatic disease), animals were evaluated by MRI (T1, T2, T1 + gadolinium), sacrificed, and the brains perfused. Sections (5um) including tumor and adjacent brain were prepared and stained for CD31, Ki67 and an apoptotic marker. Results: As previously reported, radiation and concurrent temozolomide can induce significant cellular damage as demonstrated by proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. Similarly, SCH66336 independently inhibited Ras pathway signaling as determined by the activity of Ras isotypes and activation of downstream targets. SCH66336 alone had limited ability to inhibit orthotopic U87 tumors (T/C of 0.67), while the combination of radiation and temozolomide produced significant inhibition (T/C of 0.42). With concurrent SCH66336, radiation, and temozolomide, a decrease in T/C of 0.02 was observed with the majority of animals demonstrating a decrease in tumor volume (p
Thrombolytics in elderly patients: a triumph of hope over experience?

The study reported by Jean-Marc Boucher and colleagues in this issue (page 1285)[1][1] provides a thought-provoking, sometimes surprising overview of Canadian care for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The authors studied 3741 consecutive patients admitted with confirmed AMI to the
The Regulation of Hepatic Triglyceride Metabolism by Free Fatty Acids

Abstract Livers from normal fed male rats were perfused in vitro with equimolar quantities of either caproic, caprylic, lauric, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acid. The concentration of free fatty acid in the medium was maintained at approximately 0.5 mm by constant infusion of the fatty acid during the experimental period of 4 hours. The rate of uptake of free fatty acid by the liver, about 13.2 µmoles per g of liver per hour, was similar for all fatty acids. The total output of triglyceride by the liver, however, was a function of the chemical structure of the specific fatty acid infused. The secretion of triglyceride into the medium and the accumulation of triglyceride by the liver was not stimulated by infusion of either caproic or caprylic acids. The output of triglyceride by the liver after 4 hours of perfusion was observed to be proportional to the number of carbon atoms in the saturated fatty acid; when long chain fatty acids containing 18 carbon atoms were infused, the output of triglyceride decreased as the number of double bonds in the fatty acid increased. These effects of the fatty acid substrate were not clearly apparent after perfusion for shorter periods of time; they may have been dependent on a critical intracellular concentration for that specific fatty acid (or metabolic derivative) which secondarily determined the reaction rates for esterification and secretion of the triglyceride. Accumulation of triglyceride in liver resulted from infusion of fatty acids containing 12 carbon atoms or more; more triglyceride seemed to accumulate when palmitic acid was infused than when other long chain fatty acids were infused. On examination of the triglyceride fatty acids of liver and perfusate by gas-liquid chromatography, it was determined that the triglyceride had been enriched with the infused fatty acid, although a definite relationship between the percentage of enrichment of the fatty acid in the triglyceride and the stimulation of output of triglyceride was not discernible. The rates of ketogenesis, normally of small magnitude in livers from fed animals, were similar in all groups except the one receiving palmitic acid, in which case the output of ketone bodies was less than that of the other groups. Stimulation of output of glucose by fatty acids may vary with the ability of the specific acid to be esterified and secreted or stored as triglyceride. Medium and short chain fatty acids exerted a larger and longer lasting effect on stimulation of output of glucose than did any of the long chain fatty acids; the effect of palmitic acid was minimal. The differential effects of the various free fatty acids on secretion of triglyceride by the liver may, in part, be the mechanism by which dietary factors in the intact animal influence the concentration of triglyceride in the serum.
The Perils of Prognostication

Expert Political Judgment . How Good Is It?. How Can We Know?. By Philip E. Tetlock . Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2006. 337 pp. $35, £22.95. ISBN 0-691-12302-2. Paper, $19.95, £12.95. ISBN 0-691-12871-5. Evaluating predictions from a range of experts, informed laity, and extrapolation of current trends, the author considers how we might recognize good political judgments and strategic forecasts.
Multi-step Mechanism in the Hydrolysis of Pteroylpolyglutamates by Chicken Intestine

Abstract Upon incubation with a crude extract of chicken intestine, the disappearance of pteroylglutamyl-γ-hexaglutamate (PteGlu7) was found to be accompanied first by the formation of pteroylglutanyl-γ-glutamate (PteGlu2) and γ-Glu5. On prolonged incubation PteGlu, γ-Glu4, γ-Glu3, and Glu also appeared. These findings indicate that the catalytic hydrolysis of PteGlu7 involves a multi-step reaction. Three distinct enzymes participating in the catalysis were separated and fully or partially purified from the crude chicken intestine extract. Each of these enzymes catalyzes one distinct step of the over-all reaction. One of the enzymes, which has been purified, catalyzes the hydrolysis of PteGlu7 to PteGlu2 and γ-Glu5. A second enzyme, which was found to be a sulfhydryl enzyme, catalyzes the hydrolysis of PteGlu2 to PteGlu and Glu. The third enzyme of interest catalyzes the hydrolysis of γ-Glu5 and other γoligoglutamyl peptides. PteGlu2 and γ-l-Glu5, the intermediary products, were synthesized and used as initial substrates for the three enzymes described above. These substrates were hydrolyzed independently by the relevant enzymes. Kinetic analysis of the formation of products of hydrolysis of PteGlu7 in the presence of crude extract of chicken intestine showed that PteGlu2 and PteGlu are formed at different rates. The rate of the formation of PteGlu2, the first product, was linear with respect to time until a stationary stage was reached; after prolonged incubation the concentration of PteGlu2 diminished. PteGlu appeared only after a lag time which was absent when PteGlu2 was used as starting substrate. The time required for the appearance of this stationary stage in respect to PteGlu2 and for the lag time in appearance of PteGlu were found to be inversely proportional to the concentration of the enzyme protein. The results quoted here fulfill the requirements for the following consecutive reaction pathway: PteGlu7(E1)/→ PteGlu2 + Glu5 (1) PteGlu2(E2)/→ PteGlu + Glu (2) Glu5(E3)/→ Glu4 + Glu (3) Glu4(E3)/→ Glu3 + Glu (4)
Glucocorticoid-binding macromolecules in rat and mouse thymocytes.

Abstract The physicochemical properties of glucocorticoid receptors were studied in rat and mouse thymocytes. The steroid-receptor complex formed when thymocytes were incubated with [1,2,4-3H]triamcinolone acetonide ([3H]TA) was assayed in a 27,000 x g supernatant fraction using sucrose density gradient analysis. After incubation of rat thymocytes at 0° for 30 min most of the bound radioactivity was associated with the 27,000 x g supernatant obtained by extracting the cells with a buffer containing a low concentration of salt (l0.001 m); two [3H]TA-receptor complexes which sedimented at ∼3.5 S and ∼7 S were observed in this fraction. At 0°, the buffer containing high salt (0.15 m KCl) extracted [3H]TA-receptor complex sedimenting at ∼4 S. When incubated at 37° for 30 min, the bulk of bound radioactivity was found in the 27,000 x g pellet from which it could be extracted only with high salt buffer to give a [3H]TA-receptor complex which sedimented at ∼4 S. Mouse thymocytes differed from rat thymocytes in that following incubation with [3H]TA at 0° for 30 min and extraction with the low salt buffer, they yielded only one complex sedimenting at ∼7 S. Pretreatment in vivo with TA increased the in vitro binding of the [3H]TA to the 3.5 S receptor at the expense of binding to the 7 S receptor. It is concluded that the qualitative distribution of the glucocorticoid receptors is species specific and is dependent on the incubation temperature and the ionic strength of the buffer used for extraction and sucrose density analysis.
Computation of unsteady flow past an oscillating cylinder near a vertical wall

Some flowfields involve multiple bodies with at least one of the components in relative motion with respect to the others. Because of the inherent dynamic interference, the generated unsteady flowfield displays features significantly different than that around a static body. With this motivation, a computational method called kinematic domain decomposition is developed to simulate an unsteady flow past moving bodies and their aerodynamic interference. The inviscid equations governing the flowfield and the dynamics equations governing the rigid-body motion are solved simultaneously on decomposed computational domains. The subdomain grids can move with respect to and communicate with each other. Initially, the method is validated by comparing its results with the experimental data for a pitching airfoil. Then, the method is demonstrated for flows past a cylinder that is pitched sinusoidally near a static vertical wall. The results indicate a stronger interference for a subsonic flowfield than a supersonic flowfield. By contrasting these dynamic flowfields with that of a static cylinder, effects of the dynamics on the interference features are shown. It is concluded that performing a number of sequential steadystate computations is not adequate for a flowfield around an object in relative motion near another object.
AN UNIQUE PRESENTATION OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE:PYOGENIC HEPATIC ABSCESS

A laparotomy-proved pyogenic hepatic abscess was the initial clinical manifestation of sickle cell disease in a 4-year-old black boy. Although this complication has been reported in an adult patient with sickle cell disease, it has not been reported previously in children nor as the presenting manifestation of this state. Peptococcus species, a strictly anaerobic staphylococcus never previously reported implicated in a liver abscess, was isolated from two blood cultures. Inadequate anaerobic bacteriologic techniques may explain the failure to identify the causative organism in up to 60% of pyogenic hepatic abscesses. That this abscess represents a secondarily-infected hepatic sickle cell infarction seems probable.
Mesoscopic examination of cyclic hardening in metallic glass

Abstract The deformation behavior of metallic glass (MG) under cyclic nanoindentation tests has been investigated using a meso-scale model, shear transformation zone (STZ) dynamics, which incorporates excess free volume as a state variable. The yield load of MG is found to increase after cyclic indentation in the microplastic regime. The cyclic hardening behaviors are demonstrated to be directly related to the glass structural relaxation reflected by a decrease of excess free volume, which results from the dynamical competition between microplastic events during the cyclic indentation.
Simulation of particle deposition at the bottom surface in a room-scale chamber with particle injection

Abstract An Euler-type gas/particle two-phase flow numerical model is presented for simulating the deposition of particles of tens of microns. At this size range of particles, the dominant effect considered for deposition on the bottom surface is gravitational settling. The mass conservation equation for the particulate phase is developed and simulated to include convection, diffusion, and gravitational settling effects. Experiments were conducted in a room-scale chamber by injecting nano-particle aggregates, and the deposition rates were measured using a specially designed sequential sampler. The measured deposition-rate data are compared with the simulation results for validations. Distributions of particle-number density at different times are plotted in several viewing planes to facilitate discussion of the particle-distribution patterns. The comparisons show that the agreement between the modeling and the measurement is best at the intermediate particle-size range.
Statistical models for surface renewal in heat and mass transfer: Part I. Dependence of average transport coefficients on age distribution

Average transport coefficients for different transport models are computed by using widely varying distributions of residence times of elements at the transporting surface. It is shown that for typical transport models, the shapes of the residence time and age distributions have an insignificant effect on the average transport coefficient. Operational techniques for calculating average coefficients and for constructing delayed versions of age distributions are presented.
The health planning process: are consumers really in control?

Abstract This study of the governing board of a Health Systems Agency tends to support those who argue that a numerical majority of consumers does not guarantee consumer control of the decision-making process. Empirical support stems from the fact that consumers, relative to providers, appeared to be at a decided disadvantage in three areas: 1. 1. Consumers see themselves as experiencing greater communication problems. 2. 2. Consumers are more likely to perceive their knowledge as being inadequate. 3. 3. Consumers are more likely to feel intimidated by other governing board members. The consumers' disadvantages in these three areas likely diminish the amount of influence they hold. Indeed, both provider and consumer board members felt consumers held less than one-fourth of the influence on the governing board. Although consumers wanted more influence they did not desire majority control. Staff was seen as exerting most of the influence within the HSA.
Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuits for Optical Interconnect

We discuss integrated silicon photonic technologies that enable Tbit/s optical link for future VLSI interconnect applications. We also review recent advances in various fundamental building blocks, including 30 Gbit/s data transmission using silicon optical modulators.
Familial spastic paraparesis: Evaluation of locus heterogeneity, anticipation, and haplotype mapping of the SPG4 locus on the short arm of chromosome 2

Familial spastic paraparesis (SPG) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders. At least three loci have been implicated in autosomal dominant pure SPG and mutations in either of two loci may cause the X-linked form. Although the penetrance is high for all forms by age 60, there is wide variation in clinical characteristics, including age of onset. Two-point and multi-point linkage analyses in nine families provided supportive evidence that the most common form of SPG is linked to chromosome 2 (SPG4). Haplotype analysis localized the critical region to a 6 cM interval between D2S392 and D2S367. By haplotype analysis, the disease in at least one family does not appear to be linked to any of the presently known SPG loci, suggesting that there is at least one additional SPG gene. Evaluation at ages of onset in 11 families gave suggestive evidence for anticipation with mean age of onset in parents (41.3 years) being older than mean age of onset in children (26.9 years; P < 0.005).
Evaluation of malfunctioning ventriculoperitoneal shunts with gray scale echography.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunts may fail because of distal obstruction by pseudocyst formation, These pseudocysts are easily detected and evaluated with gray scale echography.
Cryomacroscopy in 3D: A Device Prototype for the Study of Cryopreservation

This study presents a new device prototype for visualization of physical effects associated with large-scale cryopreservation—the preservation of tissues at very low temperatures. Cryopreservation represents the only method for long-term preservation of biomaterials. While techniques for cryopreservation of single cells and small tissue structures are well established, cryopreservation techniques for bulky tissues and organs are still at the developmental stage. Critical to the success of cryopreservation is the control of ice formation—the cornerstone of cryoinjury. One of the most promising techniques for large-scale cryopreservation is known as vitrification, where the crystal phase is suppressed, and the biological material is trapped in a glassy-like state (vitreous in Latin means glassy) [1].Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Habitat modeling for health sovereignty: Increasing indigenous access to medicinal plants in northern Maine, USA

Abstract Medicinal plants and fungi play important roles in the health of Maliseet people of northern Maine, USA. A critical aspect of exercising choice in health care for this community is the ability to locate and have access to these plants. Habitat suitability modeling is a form of geospatial technology that can enhance health sovereignty by identifying locations in which populations of medicinal plants can be conserved or established. However, use of this technology within indigenous communities has been limited. Focusing on the medicinal plant muskrat root, Acorus americanus (Raf.) Raf., we generate a habitat suitability model for eastern Aroostook County, Maine (1,055,653.659 ha) that also takes community needs into consideration. Drawing on participatory ethnographic data as well as environmental characteristics, our model combines ecological and sociocultural parameters to identify previously unknown populations of A. americanus that are accessible to tribal elders. Our model successfully predicted 95% of A. americanus locations in our field validation data set of ∼71,000 ha. Results suggest that approximately 0.6% of our study area contains suitable habitat to plant muskrat root that could also meet tribal members' gathering needs for the future. Increasing the number of potential collection sites gives communities options for gathering, thereby enhancing health sovereignty. Broadly, our work suggests that, when done in partnership with communities, different forms of geospatial technology can be beneficial tools for efforts to promote health sovereignty.
Atomic-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of semiconductor interfaces

Incoherent Z-contrast imaging uses a high-angle annular detector to collect only highly local, incoherently generated scattering with the result that images become dependent on intensities, not phases. No model structures are required for a first-order structure determination, and the images remain intuitively interpretable even at interfaces. Under suitable conditions, incoherently generated inelastic scattering may be collected simultaneously with a large-aperture axial spectrometer, and, by using the Z-contrast image to locate the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) probe over selected atomic columns, can provide an atomic-resolution chemical analysis. This is demonstrated with reference to an epitaxial CoSi2/Si(100) interface, achieving a 2.7 A spatial resolution. Recent insights into the growth and relaxation of strained Si-Ge epitaxial films are described, highlighting the role of stress concentrations, and contrasting the case of a free surface with that of a surface constrained by an oxide layer.
Sustained release from inert wax matrixes I: drug-wax combinations.

The melting and energy characteristics of several drug–wax combinations were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The phase diagrams of binary mixtures of tripelennamine hydrochloride and tolazoline hydrochloride with carnauba wax and castor wax showed no eutectic formation and gave no indication that a significant interaction was involved. However, in tripelennamine mixtures, a slight depression in the drug melting point was observed at around 50% concentration. For ternary systems, i.e., drug, carnauba wax, and stearyl alcohol, thermograms of samples prepared by a fusion method differed slightly from those obtained with mixtures formulated by dissolving all ingredients in chloroform and evaporating the solvent. However, the location of the peak of each component remained essentially the same. A plot of melting point versus concentration of each compound showed insignificant changes in melting point and indicated that no interaction was occurring. The phase diagrams suggested that the combinations are strictly physical and that it is the physical characteristics, such as the hardness and composition of the core and drug particle size, that influence the release or dissolution of the drug from the waxy matrix.
Inter-relations among declines in arterial distensibility, baroreflex function and respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

Abstract Objectives We hypothesized that structural and neural cardiovascular (CV) deficits may be intimately linked. Specifically, decreased carotid distensibility with age may blunt the arterial baroreflex, thereby reducing resting cardiac vagal tone. Background Increased CV risk is associated with lower carotid distensibility, impaired baroreflex function and reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), possibly representing a direct path between structural and neural CV deficits. Methods We estimated the mechanostructural and neural components of baroreflex function and examined their relation to RSA in young (20 to 31 years) and older (59 to 71 years) subjects rigorously screened for CV and autonomic diseases. Results In the older subjects, RSA was Conclusions These data suggest that decreased carotid distensibility does reduce baroreflex function with age, but this does not lead to reduced resting vagal outflow.
Alternative valuation objectives for transmission investment in deregulated electricity markets

Summary form only given. In a centralized market social welfare is the desired goal for investment and optimizing this objective will result in Pareto efficiency, assuming ";adequate and costless"; transfers among market participants. However, this principle is not always true in deregulated electricity systems, where such transfers are not always feasible due to jurisdictional constraints and market structure and even when attempted they are subject to many imperfections.
Simultaneous images of the northern and southern auroras from the Polar spacecraft: An auroral substorm

[1] The first simultaneous images of the auroras in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres with a single camera have been gained with the Earth Camera onboard the Polar spacecraft with sufficient angular resolution to provide maps of the intensities. An auroral substorm was fortuitously observed on 1 November 2001 when the spacecraft was favorably positioned to observe both auroras. The auroral intensities during the onset and the early expansive phase were mapped into corrected geomagnetic coordinates. The onset brightening at far-ultraviolet wavelengths was first detected in the southern auroras and subsequently seen in the northern auroras about 1 min later on L-shells of about 5 RE. During the early phases of the auroral expansive phase, the southern aurora continued to be brighter. The unequal auroral intensities in the two hemispheres suggest that there is strong coupling of the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The mapping of the auroras revealed that there is a local time difference between the onset positions of about 40 min, with the southern auroras positioned to the east relative to those in the north. This displacement was also similarly detected in the quiet auroral regions, which were not participants in the auroral substorm. Such displacements may be useful in developing improvements in the accuracy of global magnetic models that are important for determination of the position of the in situ particle and field measurements in the magnetosphere. The greater brightness of the northern quiet time auroras by tens of percent as first reported by aircraft observations at visible wavelengths in both hemispheres has been verified by the more global view from the Polar spacecraft.
What Do Primates Hear? A Meta-analysis of All Known Nonhuman Primate Behavioral Audiograms

Research on the hearing abilities of nonhuman primates dates back >70 yr and there are audiograms —graphs showing hearing sensitivity over a range of frequencies— for 29 different species including representatives from almost every major group. However, the methods used to obtain the audiograms have been nearly as varied as the number of species tested. I sought to determine the degree to which one can directly compare the audiograms by examining several factors that could have a significant impact on the results: the behavioral conditioning procedure employed to train and test the subjects, the type of transducer used to deliver the test tones, the procedure used to calibrate the amplitude of the test tones, the acoustic enclosure used to minimize ambient noise, and the method used to determine the final threshold values. Audiograms produced using speakers cannot be compared directly with those produced using headphones, and in some cases the calibration procedure and testing chamber may also limit the potential for interspecific comparisons. Based on the findings, I provide 2 lists of optimal primate audiograms: 1 for speaker-derived audiograms and the other for headphone-derived audiograms. I measured a set of audiometric variables on each of the optimal audiograms, and phylogenetic comparisons of the data show that superfamilies of primates display unique patterns of hearing sensitivity, particularly at frequencies in the lower range. Lastly, I discuss the implications for behavioralists investigating primate vocalizations in the field.
Stakeholder competency assessments as predictors of career success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend the work on 360‐degree assessments as a stakeholder perspective and to support the argument that different competency assessments by different rater groups provide valid predictors of the objective and subjective career success of young professionals.Design/methodology/approach – A 360‐degree assessment tool, the leadership inventory (LI), was completed by 330 individuals as part of their professional development. Eight competencies germane to the performance of young professionals were assessed by self, supervisors, peers, and direct reports. These rater assessments were used to predict one's satisfaction with his/her career, promotions, and salary changes.Findings – Different rater groups assess the competencies differently, and these differences are relevant to career success. The results of object measures of career success held when gender, years of work experience, and two individual difference measures (i.e. proactivity and negative emotions) were co...
Fitting conics of specific types to data

Abstract For each finite set of points in the Euclidean plane, and for each type of conic section—elliptic, hyperbolic, or parabolic––the algorithm presented here determines all the algebraically best fitting conics of the selected type: the best ellipse, the best hyperbola, or the best parabola. The supporting theory expands on Golub, Hoffman, and Stewart’s generalization of the Schmidt–Mirsky matrix approximation theorem, on Bookstein’s and Pratt’s methods to fit conics, and on Gander, Golub, and Strebel’s method to fit ellipses. Because neither the set of ellipses nor the set of hyperbolae is closed, the algorithm and its supporting theory must accommodate their boundary, which consists of the parabolic conics. The corresponding optimization problem consists in minimizing a quadratic form with two quadratic constraints, which an orthogonal change of variables transforms into a least-squares problem with one quadratic constraint. Hence analogies with geodetic coordinates identify geometric causes of numerical instability. For each type of conic, the resulting best fitting conic remains invariant under Euclidean transformations. Applications include the theory and use of sundials in archaeology and astronomy.
PERSISTENT PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN LONG-TERM SURVIVORS OF PEDIATRIC SARCOMA: THE EXPERIENCE AT A SINGLE INSTITUTION

Background The long-term psychological impact of pediatric sarcoma is largely unknown. As part of a cross-sectional study examining the late effects of pediatric sarcoma therapy, we examined whether psychological distress or posttraumatic stress symptoms are present in an adult cohort of pediatric sarcoma survivors.
Comparison of ofloxacin and ceftriaxone in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea caused by penicillinase-producing and non-penicillinase-producing strains.

Abstract Eighty-nine patients with uncomplicated gonorrhea, including 31 patients (34.8%) infected with penicillinase-producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, were treated with oral ofloxacin (single 400-mg dose) or intramuscular ceftriaxone (250-mg dose). All 47 patients who received ofloxacin and 41 of 42 patients who received ceftriaxone were cured.
Electron localization in nonplanar conjugated macrocycles: Failure of electron buffers to delocalize electrons

Abstract We investigate the distribution of the unpaired electron generated by the homolysis of the axial metal–ligand bond in some aromatic metallomacrocycles. For one group of the compounds, the unpaired electron is delocalized in the conjugated ring. This is an expected feature for planar macrocycles. Consequently, the conjugated ring is significantly affected. In contrast, the unpaired electron localizes around the central metal and leaves the aromatic ring almost unaffected in the other group of the compounds. These two different distribution patterns are revealed by different structural features, spin densities, electron localization functions (ELF), and nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS).
The perception of some sensations associated with breathing

The ability to estimate several sensations associated with breathing was studied in man by comparing physical stimulus intensity with the subject's judgment of magnitude. The data were expressed by the psychophysical power law, Ψ = Kφn, in which Ψ is apparent, or psychological magnitude, and φ is physical or real stimulus intensity. K and n are constants. The group mean value of n for pressure stimuli was about 1.5; for volume, about 1.3; and for ventilation, about 1.9. Refinements in experimental design to separate “active” (i.e., subject generated stimulus by his own motor function) as compared with “passive” (observer generated stimulus) did not reveal significant differences in manner of assessment of pressure or volume (criterion was value of n), nor were pressure assessments of either kind affected by lung volume. The origin of the sensations probably resides in the chest wall.
Uncovering Multiple Pathways to Substance Use: A Comparison of Methods for Identifying Population Subgroups

This paper describes and compares a selection of available modeling techniques for identifying homogeneous population subgroups in the interest of informing targeted substance use intervention. We present a nontechnical review of the common and unique features of three methods: (a) trajectory analysis, (b) functional hierarchical linear modeling (FHLM), and (c) decision tree methods. Differences among the techniques are described, including required data features, strengths and limitations in terms of the flexibility with which outcomes and predictors can be modeled, and the potential of each technique for helping to inform the selection of targets and timing of substance intervention programs.
Buckling of a compression member in a rigid- joint truss. I - Equalend restraints.

An approximate method is presented for checking the stability of a compression member in a rigid-joint welded-tubular truss which is symmetrical about a plane that perpendicularly bisects the compression member. The method is based on the assumption that the restraining members emanating from the ends of the compression member have ball-and-socket joints at their far ends. It is found that the compression member may, theoretically, buckle in either of two mutually perpendicular planes, and formulas are developed for determining these planes and the end restraint associated with each one, and the smaller end restraint is presumed to govern. With the end restraint known, equations or tables give the buckling load; comparison of this computed buckling load and Lhe actual load in the compression member indicates whether or not the compression member is stable under its actual load. Numerical examples are included.
Support Vector Machine (SVM) Classification: Comparison of Linkage Techniques Using a Clustering-Based Method for Training Data Selection

Support vectors, which usually compose a subset of training sets, determine the decision function of support vector machine (SVM) classification. Selecting a subset including the support vectors through reducing a large training set is a challenge. This paper examines how different linkage techniques in a clustering-based reduction method affect classification accuracy for semiarid vegetation mapping. The investigated linkage techniques include single, complete, weighted pairgroup average, and unweighted pair-group average. Using a multiple-angle remote sensing data set, there is no loss of SVM accuracy when the original training set is reduced to 21%, 14%, 20%, and 20% for these four linkage techniques, respectively.
Assessing the critical role of ecological goods and services in microalgal biofuel life cycles

Microalgal bioenergy systems are gaining attention as a commercial biotechnical platform for producing renewable transportation fuels. In recent years, process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) has been extensively applied to understand the life cycle environmental impacts of emerging microalgal biofuel systems. However, conventional process-based LCA fails to account for the role of ecological goods and services within fuel and product life cycles. Additionally, traditional life cycle energy analysis suffers from several limitations such as ignoring the difference in quality and substitutability of resources, and accounting for only the first law of thermodynamics. To address these shortcomings, a hybrid Ecologically based-LCA (EcoLCA) model is developed to quantify the contribution of ecological resources within the algae-to-fuel supply chain and to compare the resource intensity of producing microalgal derived renewable diesel (RD) to that of petroleum diesel (PD). Multiple thermodynamic return on investment (ROI) metrics and performance indicators are used to quantify the consumption of ecological goods and services, environmental impacts, and resource intensity of producing microalgal RD. Results indicate that the quality corrected thermodynamic return on investment and renewability index for microalgal RD ranges from 0.17 to 0.44 and 3.51% to 6.36% respectively, depending on the choice of coproduct options and processing technologies. This work reveals that algae-to-fuel systems are highly dependent on non-renewable ecological resources reflected in their low renewability index; have a low quality corrected thermodynamic ROI (<1) and thus are not energetically viable; and are more ecologically resource intensive as compared to their petroleum equivalent—potentially negating their environmental benefits.
Role of Factor VII in Correcting Dilutional Coagulopathy and Reducing Re-operations for Bleeding Following Non-traumatic Major Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Surgery

Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of rfVIIa in reducing blood product requirements and re-operation for postoperative bleeding after major abdominal surgery.
Using Carrots and Sticks to Improve American Colleges

An unintended consequence of making access to college an entitlement readily available to all high school graduates is that serious study in high school has become optional—even for those intending to apply for college admission. Without an incentive to study diligently, many students are disengaged in high school and, as a result, underprepared for college. Some freshmen arrive at college thinking that having fun is the main reason they are at college and that the pursuit of knowledge should be available for when they have nothing better to do. Before World War II academically excellent students from families unable to finance college for them could apply for competitive scholarships. Scholarships mutated into “financial aid” when the GI Bill of Rights financed college for discharged veterans of World War II. Pell grants should continue to be available to youngsters who want to go to college even if they are mediocre students—provided they can persuade a college to admit them. Mediocre students are being given a chance to become “late bloomers.” Loans, however, are expected to be repaid, and mediocre high school students with bad credit ratings are likely to default on their loans, causing serious financial problems for themselves and financial complications for the American economy. Targeting loans to students with good prospects for repaying them is more prudent financially and makes more sense educationally.